Chapter 15
Another dream, but this time a different place. It wasn't as bright as the one I had last night.
And this time…there was snow falling.
A strange place, and yet it all felt familiar.
Have I been here before?
"Its peaceful down there, isn't it, Master?" a woman then asked. I looked around, and I saw the familiar looking kimono. It was the same festive kimono I saw her wearing, but upon closer inspection, it had a lovely floral pattern to it.
I looked at her, who was observing the quiet city below. Her hair was longer than Shiki's.
Shiki.
"Shiki." I called her name, as I joined her by the railings at the side of the road.
She giggled. "You seem to still be confused between the two of us, Master." She remarked, and I couldn't help but smile. "I suppose you could say that." I replied.
We both silently stared at the city below, even watching the snow fall slowly.
I feel extremely at peace. Comfort. I feel no burden.
I looked at her, and she seems to notice.
"You are safe here, Master." She spoke, looking at me. She grinned, one ever so beautiful. "I may be incapable of protecting you in your dreams, but I can at least provide you with sanctuary…with peace."
I breathed in, and exhaled heavily. I truly feel at peace.
She approached me, looping her left arm around my right. I looked at her, and I noticed how she looked like a giddy child.
"I was never one to grow attached, but this time it's different..." she began to tell me. She giggled again. "I'm like a doll dreaming of becoming human. Why would I want to be restricted like this?" she continued.
She looked at me, and I looked back. She really has the same face as the one I know I am sleeping with now, and yet it never fails to charm me.
She was…alluring. The same face, and the same name, yet she will always be ephemeral to me.
"Something must be wrong with me…" she softly spoke, as she turned to embrace me. I welcomed her into my arms, kissing the top of her head even.
"You know, this is all your fault, Master." She then added, and I chuckled. I raised her face to mine, and she closed her eyes.
I leaned in closer.
I opened my eyes, and the same face greeted me.
Yet it all felt different. Naturally, as dreams do end once the dreamer wakes.
Shiki smiled. "You're quite the heavy sleeper, eh Master?" she asked, and I cupped her cheeks.
She closed her eyes, smiling still, as she simply enjoyed the feeling of my hand on her cheek.
Beautiful, adorable, and overwhelmingly cute.
It took a few more moments before I felt cold. I realized both of our bodies are bare, the warmth being maintained by a mere blanket, and us being close together.
She then cuddled back to me, her face nuzzling my neck.
"You're a lot clingier than I thought, Shiki." I told her, as my arms wrapped around her naked body.
"And you're a lot warmer than I thought, Ritsuka…" she softly spoke. I expected her to say more, but it seemed she drifted off to sleep.
She was already close to me, but I held her even more firmly nonetheless.
I felt extremely happy, but I still wanted to make sure that I never let her go.
Just like with those I value deeply, I don't want to lose her too.
"What are you ogling me for?" asked Shiki, confused, a bit annoyed as well, as the Master who just came out of the bathroom was seemingly frozen.
He snapped out of it quickly however, and chuckled a bit. "Ah sorry, I'm just still amazed at the combination of a blue kimono and a red leather jacket." He remarked, and Shiki blushed.
"I-I already told you…there's a trick to tie the obi and with the hem..." she spoke, wanting to explain again but ended up trailing off.
Ritsuka merely went and hugged her from behind, surprising Shiki but easing in easily.
"I love at looking at you." He complimented her, and Shiki blushed.
"Just looking?" she asked, and as she turned around, she was met with a kiss.
She accepted, of course. She let herself be held by the Master.
After the kiss, she gave him a sincere smile. "All right, I have made up my mind." She then spoke. "Hm?" Ritsuka replied.
"It's all too suspicious, all this talk about Chaldea and Masters. What kind of mess has Touko gotten us into, but as they say, even a chance acquaintance is decreed by destiny." Shiki began to tell him. She gave him a peck on the lips before breaking away from the embrace.
"Please continue to take care of me, Master. I will accompany you as a guard until the day you return to your old life." She finished, and Ritsuka simply nodded.
She then walked back to him, and kissed his cheek. "Well then, I'll just go and wander around the place a bit. See you in the cafeteria or something." Shiki told him, as she then exited the room.
Ritsuka gave out a dreamy sigh, and as he proceeded to fix the bed, he saw someone else seated there.
"Good morning, Master." She greeted. A smile was on her face.
Ritsuka recognized the floral kimono and he smiled as well.
"I'm happy that she's warming up to this place, and to you." Shiki told him, and he he sat beside her.
"Right, you two aren't the same." He replied, making Shiki giggle.
She leaned her head onto his right shoulder.
Ritsuka in turn held her left hand.
"Affection... Could that be the name of the emotion I'm feeling?" she began to speak. "Hm?" Ritsuka replied.
Shiki simply continued, as Ritsuka kissed the top of her head. "Neither humanity nor the divine have any real importance to me, if it's for you, I feel like I would do anything."
Shiki looked at him, and Ritsuka did the same. Their eyes locked, and the Master was allured as always.
Having the same face meant having the same charm.
"I shouldn't say this, but I guess I will..." she continued. "Now... What is your wish, Master?"
Before Ritsuka could answer, the woman giggled yet again. "Just kidding!" she said afterwards.
With his left hand, he caressed her cheek, and this surprised Shiki. "Even though if it's a joke, I do have a wish or two." He softly told her.
Shiki looked at him, surprised, but comforted. She closed her eyes. "And that is?" she asked, a smile ever present on her face.
Ritsuka didn't tell her his wish, and instead went to kiss her instead.
The same face, the same name, and the same charm, and yet Ritsuka felt different.
The kiss was deeper, more emotional, and much more important because both knew of how fast dreams go.
Shiki knew, however, of his wish.
It was a simple one.
'I don't want you to go.'
It was selfish, as all wishes are, but even if she wanted to fulfill it, the two of them knew it can never be.
The kiss didn't go longer, and the moment they both pulled away was the moment Ritsuka feared.
The woman, who shared the same face and name with the woman she just slept with last night was gone yet again.
He looked down and simply saw a single cherry blossom petal.
Definitely not me wanting to make a Shiki x Ritsuka centric fanfic because of this.
- The Void Sprinter
