(Rewrite) Life & Death | Akatsuki no Yona Fanfiction

Chapter 08: Life Doesn't Rest

"Where do you think you're going?" Mori froze, slowly turning around. A glare with crossed arms met her.

She weakly offered a smile to Eichi as he tapped his foot. It didn't ease his scowl. Not a speck.

"Mori" —he took a heavy breath— "I distinctly remember prescribing a long bout of rest. So pray tell, dear, why aren't you? Resting?" Her smile wavered.

"I left my bag outside?" He blinked.

"Kita." She froze as a hum arose from behind them. "Go fetch Mori's bag for her please."

A little puff of fur with a mask hopped over. "Roger!"

As the little girl ran past them, out of the decrepit shrine doors, Mori turned to follow her. "I should help her. After all, only I kno... where it... is."

She glanced behind her as a hand gripped her shoulder. The cold eyes of her captor seared back.

"REST."

"...yes, Eichi."

~~~~~

Mori fiddled with her bandage as she plopped by the fire pit. It covered her whole bicep, stretching back over her shoulder. The sutures under were secure, and everything was disinfected.

There were about seven punctures trailing down her bicep. She poked at each one.

It hurt like hell. Eichi said it was deep; nearly grazed the bone. It'd be a while to fully heal.

She sighed.

Across from her, the said yokai was struggling with dinner— their dinner. Scowling, he squinted at the open book across his lap.

"Boil... yes, yes I did that...," he mumbled, flipping the page, "three... how long!? I ain't got time for that. Humans and their complicated shit..." His strings of curses continued.

As he threw the random assortment of vegetables and bones into their sole pot, Mori rested atop her knees. She hugged them, watching her feet as she patted the worn wood flooring.

She glanced at the shrine doors as Kita hurled through. With a hop, she held Mori's bag up victorious. Mori smiled as she skipped to her, and Eichi grumbled for her to can the energy— or take it outside.

The girl booed as she placed the bag beside her sister. Mori thanked her, smiling wider as she scampered off to find Yasuo.

Eichi gestured his head as he mumbled he was in the cave doing laundry. "If I walk down there and find you've distracted him, Kita, I swear."

"Yeah, yeah, gramps," she said, waving him off as he groaned, "Yami isn't having much luck by the way." He paused.

Before he could ask, she skipped down into the cave. With a sigh, he turned back to the pot of... broth? Stew? Who knew.

And now there was no meat... for none of them.

He tutted. "I'm not eating this." Mori deadpanned, pulling out her book. He glanced at her. "No sketching."

She snapped to him. "I'll use my other hand!"

"No is no!"

"What am I supposed to do then!?"

"Rest!"

"I am!" He smiled.

"Then you're fine," he said, turning back to the recipe, "just keep doing that, dear." He waved her off.

She sulked. "But I'm boooooored!" He mumbled to himself about their lack of ingredients, and she sank to the ground.

As Eichi grumbled that he needed substitutes, Mori flopped to her stomach. She felt steps trek up from the cave. Eichi blandly acknowledged them.