Tadaaaaaaaaa~
I'm done, finally over and I'm sorry for taking so long. I opened up the word document that I started a few times then looked over it and just... did not feel it.
But then, today I opened up a fresh one a just wrote. I like it so much better, the first one was pathetic to say the least.
Anyway, I'm content.
Goodbye, sweet Fanfic...

- Laced with Cyanide

26

Epilogue

"You know, Sora?" Growled a young woman. She looked barely fifteen as she stood in the stream looking down at herself hopelessly. Rivulets of water ran through her drenched dark silk hair, continuing down her ivory skin and returning to the stream from whence it came. Her robe was soaked as she covered her breast; an instinctive feminine fear that her body might leak through the material controlling her, however impossible considering the number of layers she was wearing on this cool late autumn afternoon. Yet she persisted with the action, her self-consciousness as it's strongest in front of this irritating creature that had the gall to call himself a man.

He was more of a child, really.

She smiled at the thought; the image in her mind of the simple boys' response to being called a child. He beamed whenever his father used the word "man" when referring to him but seemed to shrink at the word "boy". But she wouldn't say it, no matter how aggravated she was at this point in time, no matter how soaked she was, no matter how cold she was. Damnit, Sora! She was thinking; she should have known that any offer of help from him was not to be trusted. One minute she was leaning in, acquiring some water when a foot was pressed against her back, forcing her into the shallow stream. She fell flat, drenching her entirely.

"Know what?" he responded cheekily, jumping barefoot into the stream after her, his mop of dark brown hair bouncing as landed. The water reach his knees, soaking the hem of his shorts. He splashed around; making his way towards the angered girl,

"You're a jerk."

He laughed.

She glared at him with every step closer, she began to wade backwards, trying to escape from the approaching menace, but the water almost reached her hips, their differences in height working against her as she tried to fight against the density of the water,

"Don't come any closer," she warned, her voice a mixture of fear and amusement now, "I'll tell dad"

"What's Jin gonna' do," he laughed. A rogue stone found its way under her foot and she found herself falling back into the water, a roar of laughter followed before Sora scooped her up and into his arms,

"You're a klutz, you know, Sayori"

"You can talk!" she spat, attempting to free herself from his grip, her arms still across her breast, it was an amusing sight "You're the one that threw me in here"

"You fell in on your own, I tried to grab you," he defended,

"You pushed me in!"

"And you're crazy"

"I am not," she muttered, trailing off, beginning to doubt her resolve. She had given up on struggling out of his grip; she had no chance of escaping until he let her go.

In one step, Sora had made his way back onto dry land, a feat that would have required a small climb for Sayori. He plonked her back on her feet and she stared at him miserably, a drenched mouse wearily looking at the one that had pulled her out.

Achoo.

Sayori wiped her nose, frustrated, suddenly feeling very clogged up and cold now that she was out of the water. She began to shiver and tried to walk forward with much effort; her clothes now feeling very heavy. Sora looked at her as she stumbled away from him,

"Take it off Sayori," His voice sounded concerned, but the message still shocked her,

"What!?" She choked, horrified by the proposition,

"You heard me," He laughed, realising the context of his own words, "Take all those layers off, they're soaked and cold and weighing you down"

"Are you kidding?!" She said in the same stunned voice, "These layers are the only thing keeping me respectable"

"I'm offended," he said, feigning mock hurt, "that you think that I would interested in a runt like you," she turned around, though not as gracefully as she had hoped, she tumbled a little at the speed of the turn, the clothes refusing to cease her momentum,

"Who would want to be seen by a dirty rat like you," she shot back,

"If you didn't notice, we both just had a little bath," he grumbled, "And you're one to talk, you stubborn little baby"

"This is coming from you? You're a biggest child out there," he was silent a moment,

"I am not," his face fell, he didn't enjoy being called a child and for a moment, regret could be seen on Sayori's face. The simplest, however ultimate insult. He unsheathed the sword at his back, Sayori's eyes widened.

He wouldn't.

But he did. He walked up to her, his pace fast enough to get to her before she was able to move away in all her saturated glory. He was smiling now and the sword reached her, the five layers falling around her in pieces, the barest layer achieving a small slice. Sora scratched his head for a moment, disappointed with his aim,

"A little too deep," he mumbled, ignoring the drenched layer of fabric clinging to her visible skin. Sayori blushed wildly, spinning around and crouching on the floor to hide as much as she could, despite this, Sora seemed to have almost no interest. She bit her lip and closed her eyes.

The breeze was so raw and cold.

She couldn't help but let out a shiver and, as a result, she heard footsteps. Her head was pushed through a warm fabric and her fingers touched the fabric with pleasure. She opened her eyes and recognised the article of clothing immediately. Sora's shirt. It was so warm and smelt so sweet; as though it had been sitting in the sun. For a moment she wondered how that could possibly be; it had been nothing but clouds all day. But just as this thought entered her mind, the worst possible thing happened.

Specks of rain.

It was mere drizzle, but they both knew that it wouldn't end there; the rain was going to become violent, a storm was coming their way as even blacker clouds loomed in the distance. Winter had finally arrived, however inconvenient. Before she knew it, warmth engulfed her hands as Sora's fingers curled around her own. He pulled her up and they began to run; getting caught in a storm was the last thing they needed, especially since Sayori was already developing the beginnings of a cold. A winter cold was a dangerous thing in their world. There was no time for debate.

Sayori looked up, a smile in her heart as she saw the edges of Sora's determined face before her. Sometimes that Jerk wasn't as much a Jerk as he made himself out to be. They continued on in this way for a good ten minutes, the rain steadily increasing in strength; going from a drizzle to a shower in no time at all. But they'd finally arrived, the large, isolated building was right in front of them and they leapt onto the porch and under the cover. They stood there panting, catching their breath for a time, sounding and looking wild as Sayori was on the floor on he knees and Sora was stretching in an attempt to hide his poor stamina. He'd have to start training with dad again, he decided.

The door slid open.

A woman peered through; the lines on her face a mere mask that hid the childish face behind it, she smiled, a cheeky grin on her face as she looked at the two,

"The love-birds are back," laughed Fuu,

"They better not be," came a stern, however pleasantly feminine voice as Shino met Fuu at the door,

"Where's the bucket," growled the shortest woman. Sora put his arms behind his head and laughed nervously. They had completely forgotten about it,

"We uh…left it behind, Sayori fell in and then it rained and-"

"So you left and perfectly good bucket by the river," he scratched his head,

"It…might have floated away," he said, remembering the bucket falling in with her,

"You're hopeless!" She accused, "Honestly, you get more and more like you father every day, should have just called you Mugen," though she sounded angry, she moved out of the doorway to let her son and Sayori in to the warm room,

"Oi!" Growled an aggravated voice, "Leave the kid alone," though he was more defensive of his own character Sora still waved at his father, his head bowed guiltily at having to having to be defended, "It was the girls fault, she fell in"

"He Pushed me," Sayori regretted the words before she said them,

"Sora," a deadly voice warned from the corner, "What have you been doing to my daughter," Jin's eyes flashed a deadly colour,

"I…I didn't! She fell in, I tried to save he-"

"Leave my son alone, your little wench is to blame"

"Your ruffian is the source of the problem," they were on their feet now and Fuu and Shino stood next to their appointed children, they're actions were synchronised as they tiredly placed their faces into their hands at their husbands seemingly common behaviour. Sora and Sayori just stared guiltily, unsure of how to clear the matter,

"I'll slice you in two," swore Jin

"Not if I kill you first you dirty fish-faced bastard," they stared at each other intensely, each of their hands at their blades.

Laughter.

Suddenly, Sora and Sayori were in fits; the simple escalation of the argument somehow amusing in their eyes. They saw this everyday, but today it was especially funny, maybe it was the small adventure the pair of them had just experienced, or maybe it was the fact that they were both drenched and the situation seemed particularly silly. Regardless, they laughed, the mood seemed to relax and Mugen smiled wryly, putting his hands in his pockets, Jin retreated to his corner and the mothers smiled at their hopeless husbands and ridiculous children.

It was only when the laughter stopped that a harsh voice pierced the warmth,

"Sayori, where on earth are your clothes."

Another bucket was placed outside, quickly filling up in the storms intensity, with this supper was prepared and the six of them sat at the low table, rice and vegetables from the market and fish from Mugen's boat were set on the table, becoming a great feast. A little further down a group of ten or so boys sat at the table, students at Jin's Dojo, however the small family of people were grouped together at one end.

There was always much talk at the table. The adults seemed to pair into genders but the youngest two of the group sat together, listening to their parents as the sake continued to flow into their cups. Sora finished his food quickly; the alcohol not interesting him in the least today, unlike other occasions when he would attempt to steal a glass or three while Fuu wasn't looking.

But today he was tired. Maybe he was coming down with a cold too, he wasn't sure, but he sure wasn't feeling it today. Sayori stared after him, not long after she finished her meal and made her way to bed, her parents company no where near as interesting as Sora's. She shivered her way down the cold hall where the dorms were situated; she had her own room however walking in there it felt damp and cold. She picked up her rug and wrapped it around her.

Something fell out.

A shirt, now damp, lay limp on the floor. Carefully, she picked it up, a small smile on her face. It was no longer warm, but the scent of sun still remained. Still wrapped in her blanket, she turned around and made her way to Sora's room, she slid open the door, where she could see the tall figure sprawled out on his futon. He rolled onto his side and looked up at his guest,

"Yeah?" he mumbled,

"I'm cold," she said, looking at him, "and your shirt…" he looked at her, a teasing smile on her face,

"Don't you think we're a little too old to be cuddling up to each other when it rains?" His voice was joking, but she could hear the insecurity behind it, she felt the same, but somehow, she wanted to be warmed by him. He looked at her a moment longer before lifting his rug invitingly, sighing as he did, as though the act was a hassle. She took a few steps closer and laid her own rug on top of his before crawling underneath.

Just as she had expected, it was incredibly warm in his bed, the man was a living heater, but maybe that was because there was so much of him, He lay on his back, hands behind his head. His eyes remained closed, but he could feel the presence next to him like nothing before. A year or so ago, they just felt like kids hanging around on a winter night to keep warm…

…But now.

Sayori curled up next to him, her forehead resting against his side, feeling the effects of his warmth like ever before. But she could feel another warmth rising, her own, She could feel the heat of her blush; it was nice however embarrassing, she buried her face deeper into his side, he didn't move away and she bit her lip. The words were on her lips, they wanted to escape, but they couldn't. Not now, not here. She felt so lonely with her words hurting her chest, just say it… do it… He couldn't hate you that much. Her cold hands rested on his chest.

I love you.

But the words went unsaid a boys snores only greeted her swollen heart. This is fine, she thought.

Just fine.

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