November 16 2022
The Foreigner from a Distant World
CHAPTER 3
Night Terrors
Midnight falls upon the Tenshukaku. The full moon hangs upon the heavens giving much-needed light to the denizens of Teyvat. It's quiet on the castle and estate, far from the clashes of men and Youkai against corrupted monsters and creatures from the abyss many leagues away north in the Byakko Plains. A fierce battle where brave men hold their ranks against the darkness. Tengu rain fire from the sky and Kitsune unleashes their incantations and shock troops which are composed of freakishly strong three-meter-tall Oni clad in thick armour and wielding weapons as large as a fully adult human male. The huge Oni roar with rage and shake the ground as they put on their terrible masks which grant them even more power. Even the playful Bake-Danuki are assisting in hindering their enemies using traps and other means. Vision users are distributed evenly on the battlefield and lighting the night with fierce bursts of elemental energy.
Even so, they can barely hold the tide of monsters.
Meanwhile, in the Tenshukaku, a quiet and serene atmosphere blankets the surroundings.
A pink blur dashes across the rooftops, exhibiting impressive speed and agility. The figure goes to the edge of the rooftop of one of the buildings and hops down to an open balcony overlooking the sea. The surface of the water reflects the moonlight, giving it a calming view which relates to a troubled mind.
"I say, the Commissioner is very generous for giving him a place like this. He must really be trying to sweeten the deal and make him permanently stay in the Tenryou Commission. How sly. The guards didn't even notice me. Security is getting lax, or maybe I'm just too good?"
Yae Miko thinks to herself while looking around the room that she has frequented many times. Her eyes naturally adjust to the darkness and confirms that he isn't here. Her footsteps are silent as she walks over to his room and carefully slides the door just enough for her to peek inside. She sees him sleeping on a futon and a shiny thing catches her eye on his desk right beside tall stacks of books. Small streaks of moonlight enter the room thanks to the small openings in the window.
"And there's my extra hairpin." She carefully opens the door and slowly makes her way to it. A sigh of relief escapes her lips when she successfully retrieves it and she takes one last look at Hachiman.
"?" She tilts her head when she notices something. Against better judgement, she walks over to him and sits just beside his head, looming over his sleeping form to get a closer look.
Something glistens around his eyes. They fall from its corners like small streams heading downstream.
Yae Miko can feel the exact moment her heart contract painfully from the sight. Her hands clenched her long white garbs and her ears twitched nervously.
"He's…crying."
She looks on helplessly and carefully caresses the sides of his face. She feels a wet and wet sensation on her palm and continues nonetheless.
"He's crying… He's crying so much."
His hands were cold when she held them. Though tears flood his eyes, his face is as calm and serene as the surface of a lake on a peaceful windless night.
Too calm, as if he entered a slumber from which he will never wake.
For a terrifying moment, her heart skipped a beat when she thought that he had lost his life. His chest slowly rises and falls as he breathes and she pushes those thoughts away.
She holds his hand and gently cups his face. "Is he in pain? No, he would be awake if he was..."
Hachiman frowns and mumbles something incomprehensible under his breath. He groans and moves in his sleep and unconsciously holds tighter to her hand. He kicks and punches the air, trying to fight or scare off an unseen foe. Hachiman lets out a pained silent scream and furiously scratches at his neck as if he is being choked to death in his nightmare. Unable to bear her friend looking like this, she tearfully tries waking him from whatever nightmare torments him. Unfortunately, he does not. No matter how hard she shakes him.
"H-Hikigaya! Wake up! It's me, Miko! Please wake up!"
Her acts only do more harm than good when cold sweat forms on his forehead and his pupils move erratically from under his eyelids. Hachiman violently grips the covers until his arms and legs start to spasm. The shrine maiden curses at herself and carefully wipes his forehead with her sleeves. If the current Gūji of Narukami Island were to see her use her sacred garments like this, Yae Miko will never hear the end of it.
But now, she cannot care less of any of that.
"Should I summon a doctor? I don't think he's sick: I think he's in a terrible nightmare."
She carefully adjusts his head and moves him onto her lap. Her gentle hand runs through his hair - it had grown longer ever since waking up in Yashiori Island some weeks ago. Yae Miko smiles, she always found it charming that he took extra care of his hygiene. Even now she can smell a fragrant flowery scent on him.
"He must have taken a nice long bath after we parted ways." She thinks to herself.
A certain thought occupies her mind and the longer she dwells on it, the more flustered she becomes. Her eyes wander to the futon just as a cold breeze from the sea enters the room, causing her to slightly shiver in response. The room is silent except for the faint breathing of Hachiman and the sound of the waves upon the seashore below the estate. It is almost as if they are the only two remaining people in Teyvat.
"..."
She fixes her dress and takes off the outer layer of her robe, folding them neatly beside the futon. Next, she removes her socks and the accessories on her hair which fall to her shoulders when the hairpins were removed. Yae Miko carefully raises the covers and squirms inside like a fox entering her foxhole. A fresh trail of tears falls from Hachiman's eyes which she quickly wipes off. She props her head with her left arm and faces his sleeping form. Her eyes observe his breathing and the cold sweat on his forehead. Her instincts tell her to stay here and comfort him in any way she can until he calms down and his nightmares go away.
And that is exactly what she plans to do.
She continues gently running her fingers through his hair and rubbing his hand as if his form may break at the slightest pressure.
"You must be bottling something painful deep inside…" Yae Miko feels him start to relax. His heartbeat is normal and tears no longer fall from his eyes. Or perhaps he just simply run out of it.
She lies on the futon - still holding his hand and mulling about the current situation that she got herself into. Seeking his warmth from the cold sea breeze, she scoots closer and gives him one last look.
"Well, whatever it is, you can tell me about it when you're ready. I'll be here for you."
The sound of his heartbeat, the gentle sound of the waves below and the comforting feeling of his warmth and presence fill her senses.
Yae Miko closes her eyes and soon falls sound asleep on his shoulder. And with her presence alone, she pushes away the nightmares plaguing Hachiman like a brightly lit torch driving away the darkness.