Holy crap, this got so much longer than I expected. This is preeetty rough, but I had a deadline and I missed it by two days :'(((
I was thinking about a zenyuki prompt, and the first thing that came to mind is that I want to read about tiny Zen and tiny Shirayuki being friends. Thus, this fic was born. I hope you enjoy what my brain has come up with in the span of three days lol.
The forest is cool despite the afternoon sun's radiant glory. It sucks. Dried leaves crackle beneath Zen's feet as he ducks under a low-hanging branch. Light peeks through the thick canopy, shifting with the slight breeze that makes him wish he'd worn more suitable clothing. The trees seem to go on forever, and he continues onward, no longer aware of how long he's been walking. Well, that's fine. He prefers this to being cooped up in the castle surrounded by sycophants who think a ten-year-old can't see through their sloppy schemes. Prince Zen this, Prince Zen that, one would think that they'd learn from repeated failures to flatter him.
Squinting, Zen sees something that maybe is not a tree in the distance. Finally. The further he goes, the more the hopefully-not-a-tree begins to resemble a building. Picking up the pace, he arrives at a meadow swaying gently under the sun. A small cottage with worn brick walls stands near the tree line. The dirt plot it's on is overrun with weeds, and a section of the roof is precariously sagging over the left side. Zen starts to approach when a faint melody reaches his ears.
Hand reaching toward his dagger, he inches toward the left, toward what becomes discernable as singing. It's in a language that he doesn't understand, but it's cheerful and sounds nice. However, they're in a forest near the border of Clarines, so he's not going to take his chances. With his back pressed to the wall, he peers around the building and spots a small figure kneeling on the ground with their back to him. He can't see much from this angle, but the person seems to be smaller than him, perhaps a lost kid?
An ominous creak directs his eyes upward, and the sagging roof lowers every so slightly. Zen glances at the stranger, but they don't seem to notice. A loud pop snaps his attention back up, and the beam holding the roof together bends dangerously.
"Hey, watch out!"
The words leave his mouth before he realizes it, and the stranger spins around as he steps forward. Short hair swings around pale skin as he takes another step, and the beam snaps.
He dives forward, tackling the kid out of the way just as the roof comes crashing down. Wrapping his arms around narrow shoulders, they tumble together into a heap of tangled limbs. His right arm burns as he catches his breath.
"Are you all right?!"
"Ow…"
His eyes snap open when gentle fingers run through his hair. Shockingly green eyes look down at him in worry, but that's not what makes him stare. Red—redder than he's ever seen before in his life—hair nearly falls into his eyes as the girl on top of him presses lightly against his scalp.
"I'm okay!" he yelps, face going crimson. "Y-you don't need to check!"
Her fingers stop, and she lets out a relieved sigh and smiles. "That's good."
"Ah, um, can you please…" Zen can't bring himself to finish and looks away, cheeks still burning.
"Oh!" Her face goes almost as red as her hair. "I'm sorry!"
She scrambles off him as he sits up, and he lets out the breath he'd been holding. He glances at her, and she stares at the spot which now had fallen roof tiles in their place. Realization spreads across her face, and she looks back at him with a smile.
"You saved me. My name's Shirayuki," she says. "What's yours?"
A wayward lecture comes to mind as he stares at her, but there's only curiosity in her eyes. He doesn't know why he responds, but he does. "Zen."
"Thank you, Zen."
Oh. He likes the sound of that. It's much better than what the people at the palace call him. Shirayuki's eyes widen as she gazes at him, and she moves forward to grab his right hand. "You're hurt!"
Zen definitely does not blush when she touches him again—he does not. She carefully lifts his arm to inspect the scrape on his forearm. He must have gotten it when they were coming to a stop. Shirayuki releases his arm to pull out a jar from her bag. Untwisting the lid, she dips her fingers into the creamy substance before reaching for his arm again. An unbidden memory of an induced fever comes to mind, and he jerks back the moment her hand touches his.
"Ah…" He doesn't realize what happens until he's already slapped her hand away. Shirayuki stares at him in surprise but doesn't make another attempt.
Her gaze softens and she holds out her fingers for him to see. "I'm sorry, I should have asked you first. This is an ointment for cuts and bruises. May I treat your arm?"
"No, I'm sorry. It's not your fault." Zen shakes his head and holds out his arm with a smile. "Please take care of me."
Zen finds himself at the clearing more than once after that day, and so does Shirayuki. She's spent the past week exploring the forest and came across the meadow the day he did. Her family runs an apothecary, and she's been studying medicinal plants in her free time to help them.
"Why won't they let me help?" She exclaims one day, flopping onto her back with a huff. "It's not fair. I know what we have and what everything does."
Zen watches her pout for a moment before lying back onto the grass with her. The clouds roll by lazily as the seconds pass, and the quiet atmosphere of the meadow is broken only by the occasional breeze rustling the leaves. When Shirayuki huffs again, he says, "What do they say when you ask?"
"They say that it's too dangerous for me to be in the shop." Shirayuki sighs and turns toward Zen. "Say, Zen? Do you think I'm being selfish?"
He resists the urge to raise an eyebrow and turns to face her. Her straightforward gaze captivates him as she waits for his response. It's been a long time since someone has looked at him like that.
"Why do you think that?" he asks.
"I've been studying plants for a long time, and I know everything that goes on in the shop. But"—she frowns, hands curling into fists—"there's still a lot I don't know. Maybe I'm not ready yet."
"Maybe."
She stares at him in surprise. "Huh?"
"Maybe it is selfish," Zen repeats. "They did say no, after all, but you still want to do it."
"Oh…" Shirayuki deflates a little, so Zen quickly adds, "But that's not a bad thing."
"I'm sure if you show them how serious you are about helping, then they'll understand," he continues. "They seem like good people."
A bright smile lights up her face, and she says, "They are. Thanks, Zen."
When Shirayuki comes running into the meadow the next day with a huge grin on her face, Zen can't stop the smile that tugs at his lips.
"Where are you from, Zen?"
The question makes him freeze, but he forces himself to be remain nonchalant. "The capital. What about you?"
Shirayuki plays with the blades of grass as they sit in front of the cottage. Her notebook lies in her lap, forgotten as she fiddles with the grass. She'd been sketching diagrams of the medicinal grasses earlier but abandoned it after she'd gotten bored. She's tied back some of her hair today, and to be perfectly honest, it's pretty cute.
"I'm from Tanbarun," she says, and Zen's eyes go wide.
"Really?!" he exclaims, leaning toward her in excitement.
"Um, yes?" She shrinks back from him, bewildered.
Ah. From this distance, he can see each individual eyelash. Cheeks warming, Zen sits back to an appropriate distance. "Sorry, I've just never met someone from another country. What are you doing in Clarines?"
"We're stocking up on plants that are rare back home," she explains. "This is the first time we've come here."
"Huh." Zen leans back into his hands and stares up at the sky. He tries to imagine a Tanbarun city, but not even the royal textbooks can conjure up a proper image. "No wonder I couldn't understand that song you were singing."
"Y-you heard that?!"
Hm? When Zen glances back to Shirayuki, her face has gone completely red. Her eyes have gone wide as she looks at him in mortification.
"Um…" How can he make this better? "…Sorry?"
She buries her face in her hands with a muffled wail. Oh, he's done it now. Panicked, he reaches out toward her before realizing that he doesn't have the faintest idea of what to do. She mumbles something into her palms that he doesn't catch. After another moment, she lifts her still pink face and looks him defiantly in the eye. "Forget what you heard!"
"What?"
"It was awful, right?" She continues over him, talking so fast he almost can't make out the words. "Then you didn't hear anything! You don't need to apologize because I wasn't singing that day at all!"
"I didn't mean—"
"I wasn't singing, okay?!"
Shirayuki looks so determined that he bursts out laughing. "Sorry, sorry! That's not what I meant."
She pauses in her rant to stare at him as he struggles to get his laughter under control. Wiping away what may have been a tear from his eye, Zen takes a deep breath. "I liked it."
Shirayuki goes crimson again. Why is he so bad at this? He fumbles for something to say, anything to save this conversation. "Um, what language is it?"
"It's from the group that lives in the mountains of Tanbarun," she replies, a fondness softening her gaze. "I don't know what it means though."
"Why not?"
"I've never been there. I'm living with my grandparents, so I guess it's probably something my parents sang to me a long time ago."
"Are your parents…" Zen trails off, uncertain whether he should finish that question, but Shirayuki just smiles at him.
"My dad is alive, but he doesn't live with us," she explains. "That's okay though. Grandma says he has his reasons."
He believes it, based on how happy she looks when she talks about him.
"What's your family like?" she asks, leaning her chin on her hand.
Oh no. He's been expecting this question, but he can't help but panic a little when she actually says it. He doesn't have his guards with him, and they're in a secluded place. Even though he's sure Shirayuki wouldn't dream of doing something to him, he can't help the brief fear that shoots through him. Choosing his words carefully, he responds as best he can.
"My mom's incredible. She's constantly working and helping everyone." He remembers late nights where his mother's quarters are still lit with lanterns despite the rest of the castle going to sleep. He thinks of the small, but truly happy smile that spreads whenever she sees him brings a smile to his own lips.
"She sounds amazing," Shirayuki agrees. "What about your dad?"
"He's not here anymore." An apologetic look appears on her face, but he continues, "It's all right. It's been a long time. I have my elder brother too, so I'm happy."
"What's your brother like?"
"He can do anything. Anything he wants, he gets. If he doesn't have the answer, he'll find one." He sighs, a wry smile on his face. "I can't compare to him."
"Isn't that okay?"
Zen turns to Shirayuki with a surprised look, but she merely tilts her head in an inquiring manner.
"He has things only he can do, but don't you do as well?"
"I doubt it. He's too amazing." A bitter expression crosses his face. "I don't know enough to help him."
"You know, you don't have to be like your brother."
"But I can't help him like this either!"
His outburst takes Shirayuki aback for a moment, and he takes a deep breath. "Sorry."
"My grandparents are way better than I am at medicine. I don't have the experience they have." she says, gazing at the sky. He's glad for it—it's easier to talk about this when he doesn't have to face those straightforward eyes.
"But, I'm able to connect to our patients better than them. It helps us diagnose people faster and give them the right advice." She continues. "I'm sure that you're helping your brother in a way only you can, and I'm sure that he knows it too."
Huh. That… actually makes a lot of sense. He feels a weight lift off his shoulders as he mulls over her words. People around him constantly compare him to Izana. Prince Izana already bested the current sword trainer at his age, Prince Izana had been studying advanced subjects while Zen was learning general education, etc. From the start, he's never forgotten that he's not like his brother. And that's okay.
"Thanks, Shirayuki."
The smile she gives him is burned into his memory, and he makes a vow to live up to her words.
Shirayuki stands in the middle of the meadow with her back to him when Zen finally emerges from the tree line. Her shoulders hang low for once, and she stares off into in the distance as he approaches. When she doesn't notice him, an idea of mischief hits him. He moves slowly, taking care to be as quiet as possible. When he's nearly upon her, he leans forward next to her ear and says, "Boo."
Shirayuki shrieks, stumbling over her feet as she spins around and presses a hand to her ear. Zen doubles over laughing, clutching his stomach as she glares at him. Red-faced and scowling, she shouts, "That's not funny, Zen!"
She's actually angry. Zen's mind races for an answer as she huffs at him. He's made another blunder somehow. A prince of the realm and yet he still can't figure out how to not upset her. "I-I'm sorry, Shirayuki. I didn't mean to make you upset."
She glares at him for a moment longer before closing her eyes and letting out a long sigh. Her shoulders fall, and her energy falls with it, leaving behind an exhaustion that settles throughout her body. "I'm sorry, Zen. You haven't done anything wrong."
"Is everything okay?" He takes a seat on the grass and pats the spot next to him invitingly. She plops down heavily with a sigh.
"Not really."
Shirayuki draws her knees up to her chest and wraps her arms around them, falling silent. Zen leans back on his hands as he stares up toward the sky. The weather is getting colder, and the sky is almost completely obscured by clouds. Rain must be coming soon.
"…Grandpa's sick."
The words are muffled and quiet. He glances at her out of the corner of his eye and sure enough, her face is buried in her arms. He's never seen her look so small before, and the sight of it tugs at his chest. He doesn't like the feeling. The thought makes his hand start to reach out for her. A sob escapes her, and he freezes.
"I know that they won't be here forever, but I don't want them to go," she continues with a sniffle. "Dad can't visit even though he wants to, and I've already lost Mom. Why does everyone leave me?"
Her voice cracks at the end of her sentence, and the sound is like a stab in the chest. It's so wrong, hearing her so despondent. Shirayuki has always been a breath of fresh air, meeting his eyes with a bright and straightforward gaze. What expression does she wear now? Before he can stop himself, he grabs her shoulders, making her look up in surprise.
"Z-Zen?"
Her face is blotchy with tears, and a sniffle interrupts his name as it leaves her mouth. She looks so hopeless and distraught, and his heart clenches at the sight.
"I'll always be here!" he exclaims, grip tightening on her. "I'll never leave you!"
His burning gaze meets hers, and she stares at him in shock. After a brief moment, her mouth begins to tremble.
"Pft…"
She bursts out laughing, and unshed tears roll down her cheeks for an entirely different reason. Zen feels his face burn to the tips of his ears. This is definitely not how he thought it'd go, but it's definitely better than seeing her cry.
"Wh-what?" He stammers out the question as she wipes away the tears while shaking with laughter.
"We live in different countries, Zen!"
Shirayuki manages to get out the words before laughing again, and while his embarrassment does not subside one bit, he feels a smile tug at his lips. He lets go of her shoulders to hand her a handkerchief to wipe the rest of her tears.
"Thanks, Zen." She smiles and neatly folds the handkerchief. "I'll wash this before giving it back to you."
"That's okay, you don't have to." She shakes her head at his response.
"No, I want to. It's only fair."
"All right." He nods, and she puts the handkerchief into her bag. "Are you feeling better now?"
"Yeah." She blushes and looks down. "Sorry you had to see me like this."
"Don't apologize. I can't imagine what it's like being in your shoes." He pauses and then adds, "I didn't say it right, but I want you to know that I'll always be your friend. If we ever come across each other again, I'll be there for you."
Shirayuki lights up at his words, and she smiles at him. She grasps his hands in hers, and he feels his face warm yet again as she looks up at him.
"That means a lot to me. Thank you." She then grows embarrassed and says, "I… may have gotten ahead of myself. Grandpa only has a minor cold, you see, but he's always complaining about his age so I just…"
The relief that floods Zen is just as surprising as her reaction to his outburst, but it's absolutely not unwelcome. He beams at her and returns her grip on his hands just as tight.
"That's great! I'm happy for you, Shirayuki."
"I'll always be your friend too, Zen." She says. "If you ever come to Tanbarun, come stop by our tavern or apothecary."
"I will. It's a promise."
Zen never tells Shirayuki, but that promise becomes one of many that he carries with him into the future.
There's a foreboding feeling that hangs over Zen when he wakes up that morning. It only grows stronger when he's forced to take a new route to avoid the guards to escape the castle. Yet, the sun is shining, the birds are singing, and the forest has never looked more beautiful, so why exactly is he feeling this way?
Only the sight of the meadow assuages his feelings somewhat, but there's no one there when he steps into the grass. He circles the cottage but finds nothing, and an unpleasant feeling grips him at the reality that Shirayuki is nowhere to be found.
Could she have left for Tanbarun already?
He paces back and forth as he tries to recall when she's supposed to leave but only comes to the awful realization that she has not once mentioned how long she's to be in Clarines. He's such a fool—after everything he said last time, they're parted like this? He didn't even get to say goodbye!
"What are you doing, Zen?"
Zen jumps and whirls around to see a curious Shirayuki staring at him, and he blushes. He's gotten way too ahead of himself. "H-Hi, Shirayuki."
She eyes him for a moment but decides to drop the subject. Holding out her hand, she offers his handkerchief to him. "I'm returning this today."
"Thanks. I wouldn't have minded if you kept it though." He touches the fabric, but when he tries to take it from her, she doesn't let go. "Shirayuki?"
"Ah!" Seemingly coming back to her senses, Shirayuki quickly lets go of the handkerchief. "Sorry…"
Cold fear grips his heart. "Did something happen again?"
Her eyes widen, and she shakes her head. "No, nothing happened. Sorry for worrying you."
"Then what's on your mind?"
Shirayuki bites her lip, and Zen's concern returns, though not as strong as before. She takes a deep breath and says, "I'm leaving today, Zen."
Oh. His gut sinks as he processes her words. Even though he's known from the start that she has a place to return to, it doesn't make the reality any easier to accept. Still, he's not about to let his selfish feelings control his actions.
"I see." He says, careful to keep his voice normal. She frowns a little, and he prays that she hasn't caught him.
"We'll always be friends, right?" Upon the words leaving her mouth, she goes pink but continues, "I'll miss you."
Warmth floods his chest (and his cheeks), and he smiles at her. "Always. I'll miss you too."
She hesitates again, but she manages to get out her next words in a rush. "CanIkeepyourhandkerchief?"
"Sorry, what?"
Shirayuki blushes. "Can I keep your handkerchief?"
"Sure, but what for?" he asks, confused. "It's not anything special."
"I know, but… it's yours." Despite the embarrassment, she meets his gaze in the straightforward manner he's appreciated since day one. "I don't know when we'll see each other again, so I'd like something to remember you by."
A smile so wide that it almost hurts breaks out on his face, and he nods. "Of course. I wish I had something better to give you though."
"That's okay. This is perfect." she says, taking the handkerchief from him. "I'll think of you whenever I use it."
If he wasn't red before, he definitely is now. Shirayuki places the cloth into her bag and rummages through it, producing a familiar jar and holding it out to him. He raises an eyebrow, and she says, "For you. To remember me by."
His fingers brush hers as he takes the ointment jar from her, and the warmth lingers on his fingertips. "Thank you, Shirayuki. I'll think of you when I use this too."
She beams at him, and he finds himself desperately hoping to see her again. It doesn't matter if it takes months or years—he's determined to meet the girl who always looks him in eye and believes in him.
"Zen, slow down! You're too far ahead!"
Zen grins as he jumps over a gnarled tree root. "You're the one who's too slow, Mitsuhide!"
It's been nine years since he last went out on an excursion alone. After returning to the castle that day, he received the longest scolding of his life and then was put under house arrest for the following week. From then on, his guards became more persistent and watched him as closely as possible. Although he'd been able to avoid them, he could no longer leave the castle for long periods of time without someone eventually finding him.
That changed once Mitsuhide and Kiki became his aides. For one, he got much busier. Second, the two of them were scarily good at tracking him down, so now he just takes them with him.
A familiar stone wall stands in front of him as he emerges from the trees. With a burst of speed, he bends his knees and jumps. Grabbing the top of the wall, he goes to vault himself over when a figure enters his vision and startles him. His foot catches on the edge of the wall, and he lurches forward, barely managing to catch himself at the cost of his right arm.
Mitsuhide bursts into the clearing and frantically tries to determine the extent of Zen's injuries. He teases him while taking note of the hooded stranger who stares at him in surprise. When Kiki joins in on the fun, Zen turns to the stranger.
"So, who are you really?" The stranger jumps at his question. "Just what are you doing in this deep part of the forest?"
"Um, I just left home. I just wanted to take the path that not many people use—"
He interrupts their response by using the tip of his sheathed sword to throw off the hood—and gasps.
The woman in front of him has red hair, a specific shade of red he's only ever seen on one person before. She looks at him with worried green eyes, but she doesn't waver and holds his gaze.
"…Shirayuki?" The name falls from his lips before he can stop himself. The woman's eyes widen.
"Do you know this person?" Kiki asks, stepping forward.
The woman rummages through her bag, and Zen hears both his aides shift to touch their weapons. He holds a hand out and says, "Wait."
She takes out a clean but worn handkerchief. One that is very familiar to him. She gives him a tentative smile. "It's been a while, Zen."
His eyes go wide, and a grin breaks out on his face. Shirayuki's smile becomes surer, and she relaxes. The moment is broken when her eyes fall onto his arm and widen. "You're hurt!"
She grabs his hand before he can reassure that it's just a scratch but then pauses. "Huh. This feels familiar."
The memory of their first meeting comes to mind, and Zen laughs. "It's like—"
"—when we first met." She finishes.
Their gazes meet, and Zen feels warmth rush to his chest. After all these years, he's finally reunited with her. It almost feels like a dream. They smile at each other, and he knows that she must be feeling the same way.
"Wait, hold on, who is she, Zen?" Mitsuhide exclaims, eyes darting back and forth between them. "How do you know each other?"
"It's a long story," Zen says, waving him off. "I'll tell you guys later."
"I met Zen when we were young," Shirayuki supplies. Getting to her feet, she bows to Mitsuhide and Kiki. "My name is Shirayuki. It's nice to meet you."
"Now," she continues, turning to Zen. "Before we talk about anything else, may I treat your arm?"
He holds out his arm with a grin. "Please take care of me."
Shirayuki's smile is like the sun, and it hasn't changed since they were kids. Following her inside the house, he wonders what her life has been like. Being alone in this forest means that she has a story to tell, and he's eager to find out what it is, whatever it may be. If fate has led them back to each other, then he's ready to start a new chapter of his life with her.