ya'll, we have over 1.5k reads on this story this January (2020). That's kinda insane. As always, and I'll say it til I'm done with this series, THANK YOU SO MUCH to everyone who reads this story, and reads it more than once. I appreciate the support, the kindness, the reviews. It makes me smile a ton.
SEVENTY-EIGHT - A Break and Potential Breaking
"How is he? Is he okay?"
Mitsuhide could only shrug at his fellow blonde aide. She watched as he stood very still against Zen's doors, with not even a creek sounding the corridor. He explained to her what he managed to eavesdropped and watched Izana guide Haruto out, against her desire to properly talk to Zen. It only made Kiki sigh a bit; frustrated that things have gone to this extent, considering how much it could have been avoided.
"Sounds like the Queens' visit did more damage than restoring," Kiki comments, leaning her back on the door. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and met Mitsuhide's eyes. "All these things happened, only to find out that Shirayuki would have been acceptable as Zen's bride, and Princess of Clarines."
Mitsuhide shrugs, "it's a shame, truly. But maybe this was their fate, you know?" Kiki could only look at him, clearly perplexed by his conclusion. "Maybe Zen and Shirayuki were just meant to fall in love, but not be together."
"Perhaps." Though Mitsuhide's conclusion draws pain, Kiki can't necessarily deny it. Zen grew up and learned a lot while being in love with Shirayuki. He had already been respectable, but there was a new warmth in his eyes. He was doing his royal duties on time, fixing his eating habits, and finally putting his foot down as the Second Prince. He stood up to Izana, and did what he wanted to help Shirayuki while simultaneously ending some human-trafficking pirates.
"Let's get some rest, yeah?" Mitsuhide suggests, gesturing for guards to take their places. Kiki begins to walk ahead and lead, as their quarters are in the same corridor. Mitsuhide catches up to her immediately and smirks playfully.
He brings his hand up and brings reaching for Kiki's hair. She was clearly oblivious to Mitsuhide's actions as he twindled his fingers closer and closer to her ponytail. His index and middle finger latch onto one end of her ribbon, quickly pulling it and undoing her bow. She doesn't react much, but she feels her blonde locks take a seat on her shoulders. The warmth of it hits the sides of her face and she suddenly feels slightly impaired of her peripheral vision.
"Why'd you undo my hair, Mitsuhide?" Kiki hums quietly, looking over to find him right beside her. He takes her hand into his and gives it a gentle squeeze while offering her ribbon in his free hand.
"So you can relax a bit," Mitsuhide insists. "You've been stressed out since Zen and Shirayuki split, and it's been worrying me. Your entire focus has been on it, and I don't think it's good for you."
Kiki toys with the ribbon in her hand and sighs, "you aren't wrong. All my concentration has been on Zen these days that I don't even acknowledge how truly exhausted I am." She slowly leans against Mitsuhide's side and wraps her arms around his torso while they walked. "Sometimes I forget that Zen is grown, and I should be letting him figure everything out. I just get carried away sometimes," she murmurs sheepishly.
Mitsuhide wraps an arm around her and squeezes, "it's okay. We care about him a lot, so I can't blame you for being so involved in what's going on with him. You're doing so good, Kiki, I promise you are." He stops them to plant a kiss on top of her head. "But right now, get as much rest as you can."
Kiki nods, flattered by Mitsuhide's affection. As they neared closer to their quarters, Kiki glances up at Mitsuhide and asks, "can you sleep with me tonight?" Mitsuhide instantly went crimson, but Kiki rolled her eyes, "Mitsuhide, we've done this so many times, and your mind still goes elsewhere."
Mitsuhide looks away shyly, "your tone of voice is really hard to figure out." Kiki rolls her eyes but giggles as she leads the man of her life towards her bedroom.
After spending dinnertime with Mukaze and Ryu, Obi paid everyone a good night before finally returning to his lover in her quarters.
They ate the cold dinner together, and became very comfortable on the floor. Shirayuki quickly washed and stacked the plates and utensils on the bathroom table and sat nicely between Obi's legs. Since he was so tall, she felt like she was in a small, open den. With a book in her hands and her stomach full, Shirayuki was entranced in the literature while Obi started braiding her red locks.
"How was my father and Kazuki by the way?" Shirayuki asked while flipping a page. "Did the Lions eat well?"
"The plates were licked clean," Obi informs her through a chuckle, "they seemed very satisfied with the castle's kitchen service." Shirayuki smiled and nodded, her eyes still glued onto the words of the book. Obi dropped the loose braid and watched it undo itself while going back at it and trying again.
"I'm glad." After finishing the page of her book, Shirayuki emits a heavy sigh and shut it down. Obi stops his movements as he watches her toss the book aside and lean her back against his chest. Her hair pushes up as she turns her neck and digs her face into his neck. She closes her eyes and breathes gently, dissolving the tension in her body. Obi didn't know what to do at that moment. He's never see Shirayuki suddenly deflate wordlessly.
"What's wrong?" Obi says quietly. He instinctively wraps his arms around her, ensuring her comfort from his touch, his warmth. Shirayuki brings her hands up to hold his forearms, feeling solace in his strength around her.
"I'm just tired, really," she spews quietly, opening her eyes slightly to look at the way Obi was holding her. She looks down distantly, feelings of somber arising. Obi quickly began to brace himself for her to break out in water works. "This is getting really exhausting at this point, Obi."
"What is?" Obi asks. "Please, tell me everything on your mind right now." He rubs her head with his cheek, insisting that she can be honest with him. She sniffles a bit before mentally composing herself again.
She shakes her head, "it's just… a lot. With everything that's happened since Zen's engagement until now, with the Queen returning to Wistal Castle." She lets out a shaky sigh. "You heard it yourself. She approved of me. She finally put to rest one of the fears I've had during my relationship with him." Obi remains quiet as he noticed her beginning to sit up properly.
She was about to go off, and the best thing Obi could do was to let her.
"A-and even though I'm more than happy to be with you, I still think about him sometimes," Shirayuki admits. "But not in a good way… wh-when he t-touched me those daunting nights, a-and the way he got into my h-head during that t-time." Tears streamed down her rosy cheeks, with Obi feeling her petite body tremble in his hold.
"And those marks he l-left on my neck… that you were so kind as to help me c-cover…" Shirayuki whispered, teary-eyed with a newfound stuffy nose. "Forcing himself on me… I just…" At that moment, Obi latched his hands on her waist and turned her around to face him. Immediately, he swallows her up again in his arms and holds her, allowing her to weep into his chest.
It was understandable. Shirayuki tends to be very strong, and shows that every second of the day. Even when she's not in the public's eye, she keeps everything stored in. Obi didn't expect her to be over something that would traumatize most people into numbness, or even becoming mute. But Shirayuki has always been a fighter, always getting back on her feet, no matter how many times, or how hard people pushed her down to the ground. And Obi couldn't help but hold her tightly, shutting off her need to use her power so she could use his strength instead.
"Don't keep these things in anymore, okay?" Obi says in a hushed tone. He rubs her back slowly, feeling the way she holds him tighter. "I'm here now, Shirayuki. I want to hear everything. I want to listen to your anger, your sadness, your fears. I want to express your pains and worries to me." One hand runs up her back and she feels fingers weave into the back of her hair. "I want you to cry to me whenever you need to cry. I want you to scream and shout to me if that's what you need."
Shirayuki keeps crying into his chest, his words making her cry even more. She could only think about how lucky she was as to have someone like Obi. This man was right there when she needed him, and didn't. He has been nothing but kind and gentle with her, without babying her. He knew she could handle herself, and he respected the way she carried herself along in life.
Obi leaves a kiss on her head before saying, "nobody wants you the way I do, Shirayuki. I'm so crazy about you that every day feels like I'm just falling in love with you all over again." Shirayuki's eyes are wide right then, but Obi keeps going while holding her. "I always feel motivated to better myself because even though I have you, I still want to work to keep you." She suddenly felt a tear went her hair, realizing that now Obi, too, was crying. "So even though watching you hurt is hurting me so much, I want it. I promise I want this, and you, forever."
Shirayuki pulls away to face him, and she couldn't help but break at the sight of an Obi in dismay. She knew that Obi hates seeing her in any sort of pain or sadness, but it truly is rare to see him cry. His usually bright amber eyes were now very dim, and he faced her directly with his eyes red and face wet with tears. Obi, a mystery to almost everyone, was not only vulnerable before her, but only for her and because of her.
She sits in a way where her thighs are on top of Obi's, and she pulls herself closer with her heels so she could bring her hands up to wipe away his tears. Following her example, he also starts wiping her face, removing her tears while causing her to giggle. He smirks in return, the two of them in a fit of sniffles as they remained rosy cheeked and slightly emotional. They press their foreheads against each others' and share a quiet laugh.
"So," Shirayuki begins quietly, slowly bringing her hands down to his, "do you still have plans on marrying me?"
He weaves his fingers between hers and gives both of her hands a gentle squeeze, "I've been saving up actually." Hilarious enough, Kiki pawned Zen's engagement ring (due to known circumstances) and had given Obi the money. Of course, this interaction was brief, and Kiki told him to take it or else. So he's added that to the money he had previous saved from his work as a Messenger and Personal Knight for Zen. "I promise I'll find the most beautiful ring for my most beautiful woman."
Shirayuki blushes, and is suddenly all smiles. She leans up and puckers her lips, waiting for Obi to lean into her as well. He chuckles at the sight, seeing as she looked a bit like a fish trying to get a kiss from him. But, without hesitation, Obi presses his lips against hers and they both become ornate with goosebumps. Of all the feelings the two have ever felt; it didn't feel anything like this.
After the kiss, Obi stands up first and bends down to scoop Shirayuki from the ground. She noticed he was holding her bridal style, and she quickly wrapped her arms around his neck. "Obi, what're you doing?"
"Practising for later," Obi says with a wink. He begins walking her around the rooms, eyes locked with hers while smiles were impossible to erase. Everything about Obi was so endearing to Shirayuki that she had been so surprised to know he's never loved anyone before her. It's still baffling to think that he has this amount of charm and genuinity for someone who has been broken since the day he was born.
She pulls her body as close as she can get against his, and rests her head on his shoulder. She closes her eyes, feeling the gentle breeze against her cheeks as Obi walks her slowly around. "Obi," she sounds quietly, causing him to halt, "how do you know how to love so good?"
Obi chuckles and leans in to plant a kiss on her forehead, "I'm not good at loving people; I'm good at loving you and only you." He winks at her before saying, "I don't have plans on loving anybody else but you. Not in this lifetime, and not in any other lifetime."
"You swear?"
"On my life, Shirayuki," Obi hums. She smiles sweetly as Obi walks over to the bed and sits her down on it. He checks to make sure the door is locked, and blows out all the lanterns and candles. Shirayuki crawls into bed and gets comfortable, waiting for Obi to go over so she could pull the blanket over the two. He joins her immediately, watching as she throws her leg and arm over him, seizing half his body for her comfort.
"I hope you know that I will marry you, Shirayuki," Obi spews as Shirayuki places her head on his chest. "I hope you know that I love you every single day, and cherish every moment I have with you. I hope you know how excited I am to get a house and start a family with you one day."
Shirayuki nods, softly denting Obi's chest with her fingertips, "I do know. I can tell." Obi's heart thumped harshly below her head; she could hear and feel how fast his heart had been beating. "Let's go house searching tomorrow, yes?"
Obi widened his eyes, "r-really? Is that what you actually want to do or are you just cooperating because of the other day?" She recalls when the two discussed their future plans. Obi had been harping on about getting a house and starting a family that night, and Shirayuki had agreed, but been very hesitant and wanted to wait until after the future wedding.
"I want to have a home with you," Shirayuki whispers, her eyes slowly fluttering shut. "I want… to cook for you, and start a family… one day…" Obi takes this in, listening to Shirayuki breathe a bit harder as she falls into a deep slumber. "Obi…?"
"Mhm?"
"I love you…" Her last words before silence ensues and all Obi listened to was her breath. Obi nods, giving a gentle peck on her head.
"Yeah." He closes his eyes. "Me too." He holds her a little tighter, and says, "sleep well," before passing out himself.
It was a shame, though. Such a sweet ending night had been ruined when the first person Shirayuki saw the next morning was, of all people, Izana. He held the same, usual cold demeanor, with no hint of emotion anywhere in his expression. His blue eyes could shatter glass with one blink, and Shirayuki didn't know whether to overthink or go completely blank. "Let's talk." Those words tend to be scary, but Shirayuki found them scarier coming from him.