Some Wings Must Bleed

Chapter 39 - Swimming With Ice

We had been riding in silence for a few minutes now, my heart beating rather fast from the embarrassment Kenta's comments caused me.

I can't believe I told Kenta how Kurapika rejected me...

"Oh! We're here!" Kenta chimed, kicking Omoshiro and speeding to the spot.

I felt my mouth part as I looked at the pond. Three willow trees surrounded the water, waving and leaning in the wind as cool air washed through the scenery. There were lilies circling the dewy grass, and as you got closer to the pond you could see koi fish circling the seaweed. "It's breathtaking." I muttered, getting off of Katashi and approaching the misty pool.

I walked to the edge of the water and observed the koi more closely, noticing a couple of frogs as well. "I thought you'd like it." Kenta said, his smile looking satisfied as he took Omoshiro to a tree and began to tie him up.

"Kurapika, don't you think it's pretty?" I asked, looking back to the blonde.

When I looked to him, he was already looking at me, his eyes locking with mine. "Yes." He said, his gaze not wavering.

Sir PLEASE don't look at me like that my heart can't TAKE IT.

"... Y-you aren't even looking at the pond, stupid hunter." I fumbled, putting some hair behind my ear to break eye contact with him.

"(Y/n)! Come look at this!" Kenta called to me from across the pond, his hands waving me down.

I walked over to him. "Don't think I've forgiven you just because you brought me to some pretty water." I stated, my arms crossing as Kenta continued to smile at me.

"Have you made a contract with koi fish?"

I gasped and looked to the water. "No!" I cried.

Not a moment passed before Kurapika rushed right between Kenta and I. "What happened? Are you alright?" He asked, looking back to Kenta and glaring. "What did you say to her." He demanded in a cool tone, one that sent shivers down my spine.

Oh. Damn.

"Kurapika, it's okay! Sorry, we were just talking about fish!" I urged, placing my hand on his shoulder. "Sorry to worry you." I said a bit quieter, watching as the blonde turned back to me.

Please don't be mad please don't be mad please don't-

His face softened. "Oh, I'm very sorry." He said, his gaze lowering to my hands.

"To be fair, you did cry like I had just killed your father or something..." Kenta joked.

I lowered my gaze as well. "No, those would be cries of happiness." I said, a smile growing on my face. "Well, um, anyways. Kenta asked me if I had made contracts with koi fish yet."

"I see." Kurapika said, looking to the lake. "They are pretty fish." He commented, his eyelids slightly hooded in a way that made me want to scream.

"Yeah! Stubborn too!" Kenta added. "I tried to make a contract with them twice and they won't have it! That's part of the reason I brought (y/n) here, to be honest." He admitted.

I smiled and walked back to Katashi, taking a small scroll out of my bag. I walked to the pond and placed my hand into the water, focusing my energy into my palm. Three koi fish came up to me within moments, their pretty scales glistening in the foggy light. "Hello~" I hummed, smiling down on the fish and slowly moving my hand to touch one of them.

My fingers gently glazed over the one on the right, and the fish darted away, leaving two left. I furrowed my eyebrows and looked to the one in the middle, not touching it but extending my hand a bit father in to the water. "I'd like to speak with you, if you'd allow me." I murmured, watching as the fish slowly approached me.

The other koi left, leaving me with one who was mostly white. I began talking to the fish, but when I moved my hand it darted away to the other side of the pond. I stood up and shook my hand off, huffing and turning to Kenta. "What the hell did you to do these fish? They're never met any other human than you and they are horrified of me." I said, crossing my arms at the man.

"It's not my fault! Physical communication isn't my strength!" The brunette countered.

"No communication in your strength. So what did you do? Grab them? Yell at them? Good lord..." I sighed, placing my fingers onto my temples. "Well, I know what I have to do, but now I wish it was summer again..." I mumbled, looking back to the water and grimacing.

It's going to be so cold...

I took my shoes and socks off and walked towards the water, wading into the clear pond. Once I was deep enough, I plunged my head under the surface and opened my eyes, looking around until I spotted the koi. I felt the freezing water fully surround me and wanted to shiver, but resisted the urge and swam over to the fish.

When you can't connect emotionally, you connect physically, and when you can't connect physically, you do what you have to do to connect physically.

I watched the koi as it acknowledged my presence, approaching me once more. I focused my energy and began to swim around it, sending echoes of my usual speech to it. Eventually the koi came to it's senses and trusted me, swimming with me and silently agreeing to my offer.

I swam to the surface and gasped for air, wading out of the water and grabbing my scroll from the shore. I bit my thumb and pressed it into my other fingers, pushing them in to the page and creating a hand print. When the koi caught up to me, I put some of my blood on its' fin and pressed it to the paper as well. "See? That wasn't so bad." I said, mostly to myself.

I closed the scroll and went back to Katashi, shivering when a cold breeze hit me.

Oh yeah, I just swam in freezing water.

I held myself and looked back to the pond, where both Kenta and Kurapika were watching me with funny faces. Kurapika ran up to me after a moment, Kenta following behind halfheartedly. "What were you thinking? It's too cold to go swimming like that! And look at your dress... Do you feel alright? Hey, are you listening to me?" Kurapika rambled, looking me up and down before placing his hand on my cheek. "You're freezing." He said a bit quieter, his eyebrows drooping as he moved his thumb gently along my cheek.

"Wow! Your lips still turn blue when you get cold, huh (y/n)?" Kenta commented from behind Kurapika.

"I'm fine, just cold. Sorry, I guess I didn't think that through." I said, feeling my teeth start to chatter.

Kurapika picked me up and put me on Katashi, getting on to the horse in front of me and grabbing the reins. "Hold on to me." He said simply, looking to Kenta. "I'll take (y/n) to the house and warm her up, will you take Rod back to the stables and meet up with us?"

Kenta gave me a wink before looking to my hunter. "So protective! Of course I will, take good care of her~" He said, whistling to Omoshiro. (Omoshiro is Kenta's horse, just in case y'all forgot.)

Kurapika clicked his tongue and Katashi began galloping down the path. The whole ordeal reminded me of the night Kouta had been killed by wolves. It felt like it had happened so long ago, yet it was still fresh in my memory. "It's basically winter up here, I should've stopped you..." Kurapika trailed off, his eyes still on the road as I wrapped my arms tighter around him.

"You aren't my babysitter..." I pouted, thinking for a moment before continuing. "I'm sorry, I didn't think the water would be that cold. In my defense, you are freaking out a little bit, I mean, I already told you I'm fine." I stated.

"We leave tomorrow, I can't have you getting sick, or hypothermic."

"Can't you just say that you care about me and go down that way? It would at least sound better that you just wanting to make sure we can leave..."

"I'm not sure what you're on about. Leaving on time is in your best interest, so in theory, saying these things is me caring for you."

"Stupid hunter."

"Must you call me that every time you're cross? I thought you'd be happy with my answer..."

I giggled and pressed my forehead into Kurapika's back, sighing at the warmth it provided my cold skin.

Authors note: The next chappie is FLUFFY and I'm hyped for y'all to read it.