Queen of Hearts
Kazuma's POV
There were times he forgets how young she is. This happens especially when he sees her fight. Especially especially after he sees the righteousness and the passion…and all the things Ayano.
He gets a thrill from watching her, that little trill in his heart that he tries to quench- it unfailingly makes him feel like a dirty pervert she claims he is. Then her aura brushes against his, he is coated- no- enveloped in warm honey and he has to control the moan he almost lets out -from the awareness of her nearness, of some part of their soul meeting in a plane so different and yet the same. These were the moments he wants to drop anchor and hold on to.
He is jolted back to reality (usually) when proof hits him in the face (almost literally covered in flames most times…but that means it's time for him to run from a flaming Ayano).
He knows she isn't as strong as she will be and her limits are obvious to him; then she starts fighting, he knows he shouldn't but he stands and stares at how incredible she is- almost in a trance. In that trance she is untouchable and the living embodiment of flame itself-unbeatable untouchable and unreachable. "Incredible", he breathes out.
She is at her best when she forgets about everything except for what she believes in and is fighting for. No embarrassment, no doubts just a force to be reckoned with. She does need a little guidance now and then, that girl had grown up believing and relying on just her brawn, now it was his job to break that conditioning and make her think. But her instincts- he knows she is and always was worthy of Enraiha and Enraiha was meant for her.
She calls for his help then. It shocks him out of his trance, the fact that Ayano needs him to help. He shakes off the cobwebs and insults her to distract her from his earlier distraction. But the disappointment she needs him couples with the pride that she needs him- she becomes touchable, reachable.
There were times he forgets how old she is, especially when she loses her patience at the silliest things. Especially when she doesn't think things through and when she doesn't see the effect she has on him. When it is obvious to everyone else how she has him wrapped around her little finger.
In her world there was only black and white. She hadn't discovered the shades of grey yet. It was either right or wrong. There was a zeal to her righteousness and actions that never seemed to dim. He swore to himself that he wouldn't allow her to become world weary and jaded.
Even her feelings are extreme. She feels too much, gives too much and is unfailingly everything he needs.
She is thoughtless, careless… but she is also artless, guileless, and selfless. She destroys any hope of composure he might have had and makes him feel things he thinks he has left behind. His blood burns and rushes in his ears as she clings to him, his hands shake in anger in his pockets where he carefully hides them out of sight- the sight of her not taking care of herself, his throat chokes with relief when he sees her still the same and he closes his eyes to reduce the assault she leads on his senses when sometimes all he sees are smooth lines and smooth skin . A day with Ayano is never ever boring
Even with his initial hate of the family his resistance crumbed. Slowly but surely he started entertaining thoughts of her and him (and Ren of course) without considering the rest of them more than a fly in the ointment. He knew they will demand he change his name and be included in the Kannagi family register again. But maybe it might all just go his way and not damage his pride too much
To his chagrin, them knowing how they felt about each other (at least a vague idea-he was sure she couldn't be that naïve) didn't change their dynamics all that much. Then there are the times that he has to force her to accept the small gestures of affection. Really what was that girl reading?! (And thinking) always accusing him of things. It was always after she accused him that his thoughts took a more dangerous turn. He wondered why Ayano kept calling him the pervert when she was the one who let her mind wander into the gutter in every possible situation, so really she was the pervert. He felt like shouting out his epiphany to the world and seeing her reaction to it.
He enjoyed riling her up, gave him more time to observe her as she was in her temper. And definitely gave him more time to wonder how far that red traveled from her face… and down her neck. He knew he would have to make the first move. He rolled his eyes. She wanted to be like those female lead characters fully denying it and secretly wanting it. He wondered whether it would be languid and slow and whether she would allow him to take his time. Then he laughed, she was never one for patience anyway.
The moment he decides that this is what she is, she surprises him with a hidden depth and something that he would have never guessed her to have, it was a pendulum in his mind. The disappointment, exasperation and amusement when she doesn't meet his expectations and the glow when she smashes his expectations to bits.
But it never fails to amaze him that he never forgets how beautiful and incredible she is…how she takes his his breath away through it all.