Cold hearted (KyojuroxReader)

Chapter 72:Glassy Sky

~*Kyojuro's POV*~
    I beckon for winter, even when it chooses to tease me from its high horse.

    It has slain me with its sword, yet I've crawled back from the grave to reclaim my dignity. My enemy stands before me, but my true nemesis is who guides my sword. An unmoving, silent target, one I could slay in my sleep. To conquer a beast, assisted by foe-

     "You've already messed up. Reset!" ... And an ally that can barely be considered friend.

     Though smiling widely, I softly glared at my father over at the training grounds, rolling out my shoulders in protest. He coined a cheeky wave from the patio, reveling in my annoyance.

     "You're trying too hard to settle your weight into your hips, you'll throw off your balance after the first step if you stay like that. Ice Slayers are less grounded,' gives them better mobility through all the ice nonsense." The man bantered, gesturing for me to start from the top.

     I know I approached him for his tutoring, but I wish I'd known he'd be so critical- a fraction of the leniency I received from (y,n). Repeating the same routine without completion could irk a man in less than ten minutes, let alone the hour I've endured If I don't get this right soon, I'll be here for the rest of the afternoon.

     "Father, are you sure that what you know is... reliable?" I questioned while revising my stance, taking note of his last comment with a distant 'better' in response. The appraisal was short lived- - it was, apparently, more important to mock my concern in a sniveling, tiny voice. MUCH more important.

     "Son, I've lived through three Ice Pillars in my lifetime, not including yours-" mine? "-as the fourth. I'm the best hope you've got for..." I sighed under my breath when hearing his deafening hesitance, weighted by my own obscurities.

     "The corps discovered the existence of a sun-resistant demon. If I ever hope to sleep soundly again, then it's imperative I possess more skills under my belt than just our family's traditions." It would help me sleep better at night to be even just a little closer to (y,n). I have trained countless days and nights over that infamous threat, that's not nearly the worst of my worries.

     "And you chose to pursue the technique opposite to everything you've ever learned. Intelligent." I ignored the obvious hypocrisy to my lie, ensuring I've got my posture down. What I feel is a pining for her presence, only tamed by diving into the waves of her arctic world. If I can puppet her ways, maybe then this aching will subside.

     I haven't heard so much as a peep from my comrade, I don't even know if she'd tolerate my company! I've been faithful to give her space, a devotion to my own torment. Forget it killing me, I've been dead for more than a week.

     I exert this caution with great respect, but our parting from each other did not draw the verdict to this fate.

     Her eyes were different; they were filled with stars. There were hundreds of them, thousands, all cultured among a glassy sky. They shone bright, and they only seemed to sparkle when falling onto me. A hunger... awoke inside of me, after our departure, one that I sense has lain dormant all along.

     It's torturous, as her sonnets always are.

     "I've shown you what you need to do, now, prove to me that you've been listening." I locked my eyes on the hay dummy as my father signaled for me to start, giving a sure nod. My heartbeat calmed as the seconds paced on, drawing colder with each exhale. I move in her breath, in her wake, just to put my mind to rest.

     "Ice Breathing, 1st form, Freezing winds!"

1.
2...

     Every muscle in my body locked in on itself as December graced me with its contempt, but I only grimaced, staying on my feet as my target's head rolled past me in the chilling defeat. My wrath took down several of the fence planks behind it, leaving an impression of my victory as a reminder to all. It chose to aid me quickly, rushing to deal me the toll.