Ashes of Love and War - TodoMomo

||Chapter 29 ~ Part 3||

Shouto frowned. "What?"

He hadn't expected that.

Yaoyorozu's hands tightened around her spear. "I'm going with you," she repeated in a stiff tone. She jutted out her chin obstinately as if daring him to protest. "I won't let you leave me behind."

Shouto stared down at her without saying anything. He had been looking forward to seeing her again and making things right. However, he only felt confusion in response to her sudden appearance and worries about him leaving her behind. Where did she think he was going?

Yaoyorozu's jaw tightened. She squared her shoulders and continued: "I don't care if you are angry. I won't let you leave by yourself. You promised - you promised that..." Her words died off, and she paused. Her eyes narrowed.

Shouto thought he saw something turning in Yaoyorozu's mind.

"You aren't leaving, are you?" she asked slowly after a moment.

"No." Shouto tilted his head. "Where would I go at this time of night?"

Yaoyorozu flushed deep pink. "Tru-true."

She gave a small, self-conscious laugh and looked away. "I suppose it is impractical to think you would scale a mountain at midnight. Even for a demigod, that line of thinking is a bit extreme. And it's not as if you brought any supplies. And there could be monsters — not that I think you couldn't take them! But, still, it doesn't make sense for you to leave this late at night. It appears I was overreacting..."

"I see." Shouto's eyebrows furrowed as he considered Yaoyorozu. "But you wouldn't have come all the way out here if something wasn't the matter." Shouto's gaze drifted back towards her spear. "Why did you think I was leaving?"

Her gaze darted up to meet his eyes briefly before dropping back towards her feet. She suddenly looked nervous as her fingers fiddled with the hilt of her spear. "I-I was overreacting. Please pay it no mind. I'll head back first." She turned as if intending to flee.

Shouto didn't pause to think. Before Yaoyorozu could pull away, he stepped forward and caught a few strands of hair that had fallen out of her ponytail. She stilled as his fingers brushed her cheek, and he tucked the loose strands behind her ear, studying her.

Wide-eyed, lips parted in surprise, and cheeks slightly flushed, Yaoyorozu looked half-memorized and half-stunned. Shouto suddenly had the desire to tease her. He smirked.

"Jirou was right; you really are clingy."

Yaoyorozu's head jerked slightly, but she didn't move away. "Don't-don't make fun of me!" Her voice broke, and her cheeks reddened. She pressed her lips together and straightened. "You were incredibly upset; I had never seen you that furious before. I thought you weren't going to come back. And I..." She reached up and wiped underneath her eyes with the back of her palms.

"I see." The emotions to tease her faded, leaving Shouto's throat tight. His thumb brushed over her cheek once more before he withdrew his hand slowly. "Sorry for making you worry."

Yaoyorozu sniffed as if fighting back emotions, but she didn't step away. "Will-will you at least tell me what happened?" Her voice was soft. She glanced back up. "Why were you so angry?"

Shouto stilled. He had been so focused on his own predicament that he hadn't had time to prepare for what he wanted to say to Yaoyorozu about Troy and the curse.

He swallowed thickly and cast his gaze instead toward the stream. A yellow leaf floated across the surface, and Shouto watched as it continued slowly downhill. Finally, Shouto began in a lowered voice.