another blind chapter because there was a tie. srsly people ok if this keeps up i'm going to have to start putting weighting on reviews. As much as I hate to say it, but from now on, if you post a proper review with feedback or commentary or w/ever, your vote is worth two. Please break the tie so i can write the next au I'm really excited.
Haruki had seen (In whatever sense was possible) Isuke a total of four times by the end of the month - the first three times were in that fateful cafe, often with her friend, Haru's, help.
Those three times, Isuke had been all but welcoming. She had a sweet, but venomous voice, and she hadn't said anything nice to Haruki whatsoever. Yet, Haruki was absolutely insistent on hearing that voice as often as possible.
"Why are you so interested in this girl, Haruki-chan?" Haru asked, one day, as Haruki took a sip of caramel latte. She wouldn't have ever ordered such a sweet coffee before. "She's…"
"Hey, hey, you've said this every time," Haruki shook her head and clicked her tongue. "I know she hasn't acted completely friendly to me, or anything. But she has such a nice voice."
"You sound like a hapless teenager." Tokaku snipped in, from where she was washing mugs over to the side. Haruki heard a soft slap of flesh meeting cloth and assumed Haru had given Tokaku a gentle tap. Like a tame animal Tokaku said no more.
"Hey, Azuma? Keep at it." Haruki teased, and buried her face in her latte again. Tokaku may have growled. "Besides, why would the oujo-sama herself come back to this little cafe more than once?"
Perhaps Haruki was right in her suspicions and hopes. Either way, the very next day, she hadn't even met the halfway mark to her daily destination when it happened.
Haruki was too poor to afford a guide dog, and never saw it as a necessity. Besides that, she knew the way to the cafe with her eyes closed (metaphorically, of course) and was surprisingly nimble, for a blind person.
So she shouldn't have tripped when she did.
She must have gotten a little careless, or maybe it was bad luck, but her foot tripped on a loose pebble and the air rushed by her face too fast. She barely had time to gasp before she hit the ground.
Actually, she never hit the ground. Something lithe yet strong wrapped around her waist, and caught her, like a damsel.
"Watch it, Sagae."
Ah, it was Isuke-sama.
"Sorry, sorry," Haruki apologised, though she didn't feel or sound remorseful. She could almost hear the scowl on Isuke's face. It was beautiful. "Thanks for catching me, Isuke-sama."
Haruki could feel arm muscles tense around her stomach. Pause. And then, Isuke forced Haruki onto her feet, and something cool was pressed into her hand - her walking cane.
"Thanks, Isuke-sama!" Haruki couldn't keep the grin off her face. It was a miracle, she decided, that she should find the owner of that honey-sweet voice for a fourth time. And, to think she should find Isuke outside the cafe!
It was a true coincidence.
But, perhaps, there was more to it.
Haruki wished she could stare Isuke right into the eyes, to see into the window of her soul, or something. What colour was Isuke's hair? What about her eyes? What was colour? What were eyes?
"Don't sound so… So…" Was Isuke lost for words? Haruki laughed a little and was blind to the glare she received. "Idiot. You're lucky Isuke was here, you know? You should be kissing my feet right now."
Isuke was right. And as haughty and dangerous as Isuke was, Haruki could help but grin, slowly kneeling on both knees, close to the ground as she dared.
"My life is in your debt, Isuke-sama," Haruki said, quite seriously. Isuke didn't seem to think so. "Whatever shall I do to repay you?"
"Get up, first of all." Isuke snapped back, and though it was barbed to the point of hurting, Haruki got up, laughing. Haruki imagined Isuke was crossing her arms. The idea was somehow endearing. "You're embarrassing yourself, and me."
"Ah, sorry, sorry. Doesn't Isuke-sama really care so much about me?"
"No." Isuke shot back too quickly. "Now, I've got to get going-"
Without thinking, Haruki stepped forward, towards Isuke's voice, and tapped her cane against what she hoped was Isuke's calf.
"How about," She said instantly, before Isuke could get away from her, "staying a while. I feel I hardly even know you."
"That's because you don't."
"But I would like to!" By now, Haruki was wondering when her playful guile changed to desperation. With careful fingers, and an educated guess, Haruki reached out with her free hand for Isuke's hand. She grabbed something, though it felt like an arm, and the grasp was a little awkward. Isuke tried to run, but thankfully Haruki was strong.
"I want to know you, Isuke. Isuke-sama. Won't you just humour me?"
Isuke didn't pull away.
By the end of the next month, Haruki had met Isuke a total of seven times. And she treasured every sweet moment together.