Hayami's mind felt fuzzy and numb, feeling too overwhelmed by what had happened around her. She had been enslaved for so long, only to be rescued within a matter of hours. First it was Leaf shinobi before she had been taken to the Land of Water's embassy for unknown reasons. Nurses had been trying to coax her to let them tend to her, when a man came in the room and eventually ordered them all to leave her be. Hayami wasn't interested in cooperating and someone must have realized that the medical staff were only making her refuse help even more.
Hayami had scrapes, cuts and old bite wounds littering her body. It hurt but she opted to mentally numb herself instead of being handled by others she didn't know. She didn't want to be touched, even by nurses. She had no reason to trust any of the supernatural beings that tried helping her, especially after all she had been through. She was extremely fatigued, in pain and terrified, and wanted nothing more than for things to be quiet without someone trying to examine her. When they did finally leave her alone, she exhaled in relief.
How long had she been there? One hour...? Maybe two, or three? Hayami had no way of knowing. Not that knowing would help her.
She had curled up by the corner on the flooring, tucked away between the corner of the wall and the end of the metal bed. The room she was in was plain with the basics, similar to a hospital room with bright light and white walls that only made her feel worse. She closed her eyes with her knees against her chest, ignoring any attempt to communicate with her. She refused to meet another's gaze with her emerald orbs, much less speak actual words. It took a while before those in and outside the room got the message and completely stopped their efforts.
Now the staff started talking about her instead of to her. They quietly tried brainstorming ideas of how to get her to cooperate, completely uninformed why the human girl was brought to the Embassy from Leaf custody. They were just medical staff, after all, not to be involved in bureaucracy. And they had even less of a clue since Hayami didn't spare them a moment to let any of them see the mark under her collarbone. As far as they knew, she was an ordinary human brought in from one of Raiga's hideouts.
Hayami had ignored everything and almost dozed off from exhaustion, until the door to the room had opened. Through her messy hair she could see a pair of new pale feet that wore tall wooden sandals.
"Everyone, get out." A voice ordered, before looking around and sighing. The staff had froze with this new person's entrance and took their sweet time leaving. "Now." The voice was more harsh in order to get the people to leave faster. The staff seemed intimidated by the presence, but not Hayami. Though she should have been. If it were anyone else, she would have been afraid. If anything, she noticed how she was strangely unaffected.
Now this new person was alone with Hayami in the room. Hayami stayed in the same position, still tuckered away between the bed and wall. But the new arrival began cautiously walking towards her, his sandals clearly clapping against the floor with every step. While Hayami was not afraid, she was also not ready to trust in that moment.
He stopped not far from her, but far enough so to not close her into her space further, and sat comfortably on the floor with her. Even on the ground, Hayami refused to look his way. But why would she? She wanted nothing to do with anyone there, being the only human on a floor full of the supernatural. That is, until he called her by name.
"Hayami." His voice was calm and gentle with her, unlike when he had the staff leave the room. It secretly made her heart flutter in a way it never had before. Her heart was opening, slowly but surely.
In shock, her eyes immediately darted up to look at the person sitting across from her. No one here knew her name, and she sure as hell didn't tell them, so how would this person know?
Hayami was too drained to blush or else she would have. She had already gathered this person was probably male but never imagined how beautiful he'd be. His long black hair, tied up in a bun, was silky looking and shiny, while his eyes were a warm and tender brown. And every inch of his visible skin was so beautifully pale and unblemished. There was no way such a beautiful person could be human, she thought.
Ah, there's the fluttering in her chest again...
And for some reason, this person seemed familiar. Though she knew the two had never met from her own recollection. She would have remembered this person, had they met before.
"H-How..?" Her voice cracked. Her eyes looked to the young man with confusion. But also a kind of vulnerability she didn't allow the others that tried to interact with her. Though she didn't elaborate further, Haku knew what she meant. He was already well aware of how secretive she always was about herself. His eyes grew softer before answering.
"There's no way I could not know, even if you haven't breathed a word to anyone else."
Such a strange answer from a stranger. Though Hayami just continued looking into his eyes saying nothing. Haku, on the other hand, bravely moved his hand closer to the girl in a cautious manner. His eyes were trained on her, making such he wasn't scaring her. Her eyes followed his hand but she didn't flinch away like with everyone else. She even allowed his fingers to gently brush by the mark hidden under her clothes.
"There's simply no way... That I could not." His words drifted while making contact with her. In contrast with the cold room, his warm fingertips caused her to subtly shiver.
Hayami froze and she forgot had to breathe. Her chest began pounding, trying to regain the flow of oxygen in this mysterious situation. Her eyes stuck to the spot he had touched her. She never showed her mark to anyone here. But just like her name, he somehow knew. And there was so way he could know about either, unless..
"That look in your eyes," Haku said, bringing his hand to her cheek to ease her gaze back to his again.
"Does your heart recognize me now?"
She was apprehensive at first, momentarily nervous, even, but with his touch all her fears immediately left her. All the clues she had noticed had clicked in her mind. This gentle stranger was, in fact, no stranger at all. Or at least, he wouldn't be one for much longer. His palm, still on her cheek, began stroking her skin with the underside of his thumb. Her eyes watered up and she whimpered, sinking into the touch on her cheek.
"You.. You're.."
The sweetness of his touch on her face was not enough. She began crawling closer towards Haku. She moved the best she could with her weak body, afraid this was a dream and she'd wake up without him. Haku reached around her and brought her close to his body with equal need. He had waited so long to meet the fragile being and savored every bit of the moment.
Hayami cried, burying her face in the crook of Haku's neck and shoulder, and her arms around his torso. She was bone tired, and probably a bit delirious and emotional than normal, but felt true to what she felt towards Haku, nonetheless. She had so many questions. Why did he only come now? Where was he all this time? And so on. Logically, she knew tracking down illegal channels was no small feat. But she wanted- needed- to know that she was wanted and not abandoned because she was human. Her hands tightly held onto Haku's clothes. She tried to ask these questions that had long haunted her existence, but her sobs wouldn't let her speak properly for now. Her words were completely incoherent and Haku had to soothingly shush her so she wouldn't hyperventilate. He could only imagine all the things she wanted to say.
He held her as close as he could with it being uncomfortable. "Shhh.. It'll be okay. I'm here now, nothing will harm you." He murmured by her ear.
Hayami had never experienced anything like what she was feeling now. While she didn't really know the person her had her arms wrapped around, she didn't want to let go. She didn't want him to let her go either. Everything about him, all the way down to the scent of his person and clothes, was like a little piece of heaven in the hellish world she knew. She clung to him as much as she could.
Instead, she was actually a little wonderstruck how this first interaction with her mate had gone. It was nothing like tales she had been told by the humans that didn't know any better. He didn't show any sign of seeking out her blood, nor did he push her to the floor to have his way with her. He certainly didn't make any movements indicating he would harm her in any way, let alone kill her.
Her mate was actually.. Rather sweet with her. He was patient as he calmed her down, using his soothing tone and tender touch. Never had someone handled her with so much care. At least for now. Maybe all those stories were lies or exaggerated? She was too tired to overthink things any more. All she knew was that, she felt like by her mate's side was the safest place for her to be at the moment.
"We should probably get you out of here, and get you cleaned up." Haku murmured to himself. He inspected a lock of her waist length, long dark brown hair which was tangled and messy.
He didn't like how he had found her sitting on the cold floor, in a corner, terrified. She was injured and still had on worn and torn clothes on her, which didn't help with the cooler environment she was in (in the room). His mate deserved to feel warm and safe, instead of this.
Just when he was about to stand up while carrying Hayami like a bride, Haku remembered something important he forgot to say. He had been too caught up in his emotions to realize he hadn't introduced himself.
"Oh, and before I forget, my name is Haku." Hayami moved away enough to repeat his name out loud, and after a confirmation from Haku she had buried her face on his person again. Haku gently chuckled from amusement of her actions. He felt like he was on cloud ninety.
Haku had picked her up and began making his way out the room and off the floor they were on. The embassy of his home country was more hospitable than most because the Land of Water was separated so far from all the others. Two floors were dedicated to boarding officials from the Land of Water. As a kind of official himself, Haku got a room. The belongings he had brought had also been placed there with his arrival.
Hayami felt so comfortable in Haku's hold, and she would have gladly fallen asleep if the trip to their room were longer. As long as she was within Haku's touch, she was calm. Even she didn't anticipate feeling sudden panic once Haku had sat her on an armchair in the room. As soon as his touch left her, Hayami sat up straight and completely alert. It was like an invisible specter had a grip on her lungs. Haku had gone just across the room to get some of his belongings. He looked back to see Hayami trying to walk towards him with her limp.
"You're still weak, don't try to walk." He told her and hurried his way back to her with his backpack in hand. He helped her sit back down and leaned down to inspect her face. A worried frown graced his expression, once he saw Hayami's emerald gaze had started watering again.
"Are you alright?" Haku asked. His hand laid on the side of the human's face. Hayami took ahold of Haku's wrist with both her hands to keep him in place. She then began pleading him.
"P-Please! Don't go anywhere.. Don't leave me alone. I-I can't-!"
Haku dropped his bag in his other hand and hugged her head to his chest. "I'm not going anywhere, I promise," He told her. He didn't mean to distress her and felt like he was to blame. His mate was in a very emotionally fragile state. He realized he needed to be even more mindful now when tending to her. Once Hayami had calmed down, still keeping her close, he spoke again.
"I wanted to let you bathe.. But now, I'm worried you won't be okay on your own. What do you want to do?"
"You.. You can.. Come with me?" Hayami suggested. A rosy blush appeared on her cheeks while she hid her face in Haku's clothes.
Haku's eyes widened as a blush also appeared on his complexion, startled by her words. He was willing to do whatever was needed for her to feel secure. And while he had seen both sexes completely stripped of clothing, seeing his mate in such a state would be different, to say the least.
"Alright," Haku conceded. He'd do anything for her sake.
Now moved into the bathroom, Hayami's worn clothes had been removed and a towel now wrapped around her body. Haku also removed his clothes and covered himself with a towel tied around his waist. He had traveled quite the distance, and knowing that Hayami needed him by her side, he opted to bathe now instead of later.
The human was exhausted, barely able to keep her eyes open, so Haku helped her first before himself. She was situated on a stool in the bathroom, facing away from the demon. Haku sat on another stool behind her, adjusting the water temperature. Before touching her visible skin, he let her know what he was going to do. Interactions with others had rarely been pleasant, Haku knew. Hayami still flinched when he first touched her but noticed how gentle he was being. He clearly was trying not to overwhelm her or otherwise. But Hayami was not bothered by her state- she had been almost naked or in a towel around others before- rather it was something else entirely.
'Strange..' Hayami thought to herself. It was like this demon, who she had just met, already knew even more about her than she realized. There were areas on her body he purposefully avoided touching and it didn't go unnoticed by the girl. Deep scratched, aching bruises, and imprints of teeth littered her skin. She had them for a couple days, and tried her best to hide them while they healed.
Once the water had reached the crook of her neck, a spot covered by her hair, she cringed and gasped from the pain. Haku stopped the water flow and carefully moved her hair away. He apologized for any pain he was causing and moved as quickly as he could.
The sight of this bite mark had caused Haku to freeze for a few moments. It was the deepest of what he could see of her skin and obviously caused a lot of pain. He felt guilt of not being able to protect her, and also a deep seeded anger towards those who caused his mate's injuries. He still remembered the visions he had gotten a couple days ago. The sight of his mate being forced into place, as her blood was stolen from her veins, her hair being pulled, and pushed around, haunted him. He never wanted to see something like that again and would ensure it never would with him now around. Coming back to reality, he took a breath and let go of his anger. He just wanted her to not be in pain anymore.
The demon turned the water back on and asked Hayami to bear with him for a few seconds. His free hand rubbed away any crusted scabs the water had softened and washed away. Hayami breathed deeply and heavily, and gripped the towel around her. The pain stopped with the water taken off, letting her breathing return to normal.
"I'm sorry. Just a little more, alright? I'll heal your scrapes and bites soon." Hayami nodded in response to his statement. She tried her best to stay awake and upright as she finished washing herself with soap, as Haku tended to her tangled hair. Eventually the demon turned away and washed himself off too. He was eager to make her comfortable outside the shower room.
They both exited into the bedroom with new, fluffy towels around them to dry off. And now, changed into proper clothes and completely dried of water, the two sat on the middle of the bed. Haku sat behind Hayami again and pulled aside the collar of her top to the side, exposing the bite. Hayami turned her head as much as she could and looked at Haku with nervous eyes. She was didn't know what Haku was doing. Once his brown hues met her eyes, his gaze softened.
"It's okay, I promise I won't hurt you." Seeing she was still wary, Haku asked her her hand which had scrapes on her palm. Hayami was startled when the demon's lips and tongue made contact with her skin. She continued staying still, noticing silently how there was no more discomfort. When she got her hand back, the scrapes were gone. It was like they were never there to begin with. Hayami couldn't believe it and inspected her skin closer in awe.
In her exhausted state of mind, it dawned on her what would happen with the bite on her neck. Her hear skipped a beat, thinking how Haku would repeat his actions to heal her. It was something 'intimate' for humans but for demons, while also intimate for them too, it wasn't sexual. Haku just wanted her to be freed from whatever pain he could help. He still understood her reluctance.
He knew she was so close to sleeping, and used it to his advantage. His arms coaxed her to lean back against his chest. One hand stroked her hair while his other limb secured her form against him. Like it was some sort of magic spell, the human let go of any tension she had been feeling. The demon's hold was instantly calming.
"Get some rest, I'll heal you in your sleep. You're safe with me."
She desperately needed sleep. That was true. Too tired to even respond, she leaned into Haku further and weaved fingers with one of his hands.
"I won't leave your side, I promise."
With his assurance, Hayami allowed her eyes to close and her body to go limp. Haku waited for her breathing to slow down completely, before revealing the wound on her neck and getting to work.