Just a short drabble that happened to come upon my restless mind. This takes some place around the beginning chapters after they get off of Neya's island.
Second Thoughts
"Neh, Yakuma-san?" Neya rolled over to face the doctor sleeping a few yards away from her, "Do you ever think what will happen after we get the grand treasure?"
Yakuma looked over at her with curious eyes, "Isn't that the whole point why we teamed up? I want to find the cure for an illness. You want to protect the children of your island, right?"
"Of course." Neya's smile dwindled into a small frown, "I've just been thinking. Do you think we'll all split up once we find it? Will this family we made just break apart once we get what we want?"
Yakuma narrowed his eyes in thoughts, "I don't know. It would make sense logically speaking, but I can't guess anything going on in Utsuho's mind. You'd have to ask him yourself."
Neya sighed as she rolled on her back to look at the stars, "It wouldn't matter if I did. Ustuho-san never gives me straight answers."
"That's just the way he is." Yakuma rolled his eyes as he glanced over at the sleeping Istuwaribito, "Never telling anyone what he truly feels."
"I hope it's a habit he can drop." Neya softly touched her hairpins, "I'm becoming worried about him."
"For what reason?"
"He's acting weird, even for Utsuho-san. I'm afraid he might not be telling us something important. It's probably nothing, but still. I don't want him to bear a burden alone." Neya frowned as she turned to watch Utsuho's sleeping form.
"He'll tell us when he's ready. Neya." Yakuma yawned, "Now try to get some sleep. Maybe you can find out in the morning."
Neya snuggled into her makeshift pillow, "I sure hope you're right, Yakuma-san.
/\/\/\/\LINE BREAK/\/\/\/\
Utsuho laid there for who knows how long after he was sure the two were asleep, a frown evident on his usually up-kept face. How could she have found out so quickly? He was sure he had hidden every trait of his worry and yet she had picked up on it so easily. Was this the power of the feelings she claimed to have for him?
"Ustuho-san," Pochi's sleepy groan came from beside him, "Why are you awake?"
"It's nothing, Pochi." Utsuho put on a fake smile, "I'm just thinking is all."
"About what?" Pochi crawled onto his shoulder, "Pochi wants to think too."
"It's nothing important, Pochi. You should go to bed."
"But I don't wanna sleep until Utsuho-san does."
Utsuho let out a legitimate smile, "I'll be right behind you, okay? I just have to get comfortable first."
"Utsuho-san," Pochi pointed a paw at the Itsuwaribito, "will have to lie better than that if you wanna fool me. Let Pochi think with Utsuho-san."
"You're persistent, Pochi," Utsuho smiled, "Alright, what do you want to think about?"
"What Utsuho-san was thinking about!"
"Oh, you don't wanna think about that." Utsuho hid a small blush of surprise, "How about we think about some yummy dango?"
"Nah, Pochi wants to think of Neya-san like Utsuho-san was." Pochi smiled.
"What?" Ustuho skillfully hid his shock, "Now why would I think about her?"
"Utsuho-san always makes the same face when he thinks of Neya-san." Pochi softly patted the boy's face.
"Oh? And what face is that?"
"Even when Utsuho-san tries to hide it, his face gets a little brighter."
"And when did this start to happen?" Utsuho tilted his head slightly, "I've never noticed it before."
"When Utsuho-san started falling in love with Neya-san!" Pochi said happily. Utsuho promptly shhhed him as he laid his head down, silently checking to see if said girl was still asleep.
"Now that's just ridiculous, Pochi. Why would I ever fall in love with Neya?"
Pochi thought for a moment before his face lit up, "Because she buys dango!"
Utsuho chuckled lightly, "I don't think that would do it."
Pochi shook his head, "Maybe it's because Neya-chan uses lies to protect people just like Utsuho-san!"
The Itsuwaribito was stricken still for just a moment, mind filling with the memory of the first time he met Neya. It was true that she had once tricked him, and fought him harshly to protect the many children of her village. She had deceived and driven away any person who dared try to hurt her family. And in a way….
In a way, that was just like him.
He had denied it at first. How could someone like Neya even begin to understand what he's been through to want save the ultimate list of people after all? She wasn't a very bright Itsuwaribito (at times he doubted she even was one to begin with), and she was far too easily taken over by emotions, but at the same time he somehow knew that she had some type of backstory that she had not yet them told. He had an instinct that told him that there was much more to Neya than what she had shown them so far.
Even without the mysteries he sensed in her, Utsuho had seen enough of the real Neya to know that she was a kind hearted soul who only wished the best for everyone, and strived to protect the innocent. Neya was nobler than he could ever hope to be, but he could see that they were more alike than he first thought.
"Utsuho-san?" Pochi patted his head softly, "Did you fall asleep?"
Utsuho groaned softly and nuzzled into his arm, pretending to sleep. He soon felt Pochi follow suit, and allowed himself to think about the possibility of having feelings for Neya.
It was clear as day that she had feelings for him, but he was not sure if he could return those feelings just yet. He was on a mission after all, and it could be harmful to those around him if he came to protect Neya more than helping those in need. Even if he did have feelings for her, it would have to wait until after they had the treasure, and he had helped everyone.
And maybe then, just maybe, he would like to go to back to her island and raise a family of his own. A faint blush came to his face at the mere thought, but he found it surprisingly pleasing. He would be lying to himself if he said he didn't like the idea of growing old with someone as kind and brave as Neya. In fact, it was a rather pleasing thought that made him feel quite happy.
He'd just have to be extra mean to her now to make sure no one knew what he discovered.