intertwined

PART II

"are you going to stand there all day?"

your current hesitation spiked upon hearing the mocking tone of the man behind you, unappreciative of the question he threw your way. it hung in the air, almost dangling, like a treat always kept out of reach. you internally scoffed at his words. of course you weren't going to stand there like some statue. that would defeat the entire purpose of your mission. yet you hated the way he phrased the inquisition, as if you were too cowardly to follow through with something as simple as leaving the building. too cowardly to do anything.

from the moment you met chishiya, he's behaved like an arrogant jerk. you knew he looked down on you, he made it painstakingly obvious in every way possible. if it weren't for the insulting way he'd presented your unbound ropes when trying to shake hands, then surely his snarky remarks towards anything and everything you did or said were evidence enough. even worse, the entire time you discussed the terms of your alliance he stared at you with an infuriatingly smug expression, perhaps mentally mocking your lack of knowledge and childish dream. you thought you wouldn't care, mira brushed off almost everything you loved like a thin layer of dust on wood. and yet, for someone who clearly had a disadvantage due to your possession of his precious cards, he didn't seem to care whether or not you thought highly of him.

he was nothing but a pretentious thief.

it was due to your negative emotions towards the man that you couldn't help but eye chishiya suspiciously as he brushed past you, stepping away from the shadows and into the light. immediately the warm glow of moonlight was bathed across his face, lighting up the mischief in his eyes and his carefully sculpted features. your frustration with the man only grew at the sight, hating how handsome he looked in the night. it made staying cautious (and angry) all the more difficult.

"i will. i just...need a moment." you mumbled in response, attention fixated on the area right outside the glass doors. you lost count of how many times you would come down there to sit and watch the world outside, taking in as much as you could. you practically memorized every building and named every plant protruding from the sidewalks. and yet, this was only a portion of the world you have yet to see.

what if you weren't ready for what was to come?

chishiya turned around to stare at you, his posture and his expression even more mocking than his tone. it was as if he was making fun of your rigid bones, the gleam in his eyes daring you to step out of the building you haven't left once in your short life. daring you to prove him wrong.

you heard smudge before you saw him, your companion stepping up right beside you and peering at you with his own set of curious eyes. he must've taken notice of your fear, for he grazed his body against your legs and released an encouraging 'meow' before running past the shadows and into his own share of the light.

smudge's confidence and your hatred towards chishiya was all you needed to take a deep breath and begin marching towards the door. chishiya was wrong about you. you were not a scared little girl who knew nothing of the world. well, maybe you didn't know anything. but, though you lacked the knowledge, fear was temporary. you would learn as much as possible if it meant you could live out your dream.

as soon as you reached the edge of the shadows you paused, heart hammering in your chest at the thought of how just one more step forward and you'd be free. free from the darkness, the longing, and the unknown. the distant echo of fireworks and the obscure memory of colors in the night was what urged you to finally take another step. and another. and another.

you couldn't help the relieved laugh that escaped your lips upon feeling the gentle breeze that passed, closing your eyes to revel in the wind passing over your face and any skin exposed to the cold air. when it died down your body immediately began to pull you towards all the foreign things you never even dared to approach. fingers caressed the gentle petals of the plants, and your eyes took in the hundreds of buildings that continued on far past your line of sight. it was beautiful.