We had been walking silently for nearly 40 minutes now. Luckily, she seemed more into glaring into the distance for any bandits or soldiers.
Dammit. I've got the perfect opportunity to talk to her right now, and I'm just here struggling. How is she doing this to me?
"Chief, you alright? You look really flustered. Did everything go fine with Hinata this morning?" she asked. Of course it didn't go fine, the ape headbutted me! And now my crush is acting like we were off making like rabbits!
"Uhhhh it's ok" I croak out, with a thumbs up. At least I managed to say something, but it didn't seem to be enough. Oboro frowned at me.
"He didn't go too rough on you, did he? He can be a bit of a rough dolt, but he's a right sweetheart" she said. "If you want me to give him a scolding, just give the word!"
Her smile was really pretty. I couldn't help but smile a bit in return.
"But please, don't think you have to carry all your concerns. We could have some girl talk right now if you need?"
We were alone and she wanted to talk. About relationships. Alright, Kamui, you can do this. Opportunities don't come better than this, right.
"…" Right. Still can't get the words out. Deep breaths, deep breaths. Winning smile too, I need all my charms!
"S-sure."
Was that really the best I could do. Come on someone, save me! Oboro was now giving me a grimace. I'd take a shuriken to the face at this point to get me away from myself.
"Milady, I feel that we may have been under a misunderstanding" she said, stopping walking in front of me. Trapped! "I'm sure you know of my… quirk when it comes to Nohrians. I don't feel that way when it comes to you. As far as I'm concerned, you're a victim of Nohr too and I'm here for you. We all are."
I was a victim? I guess I was technically… It didn't feel like it. I was happy in the tower. Listless, maybe, but I was looking forwards to the time it was safe for me to leave. It's obvious now Garon was lying to me, but back then, it was the one thing I looked forward to then.
It was a time much simpler than now.
I'd been lost in thought for so long about the past that I didn't notice that Oboro had slipped her slender fingers into my hands.
Oh
Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh
"eeeep" I squeak. She's really close! I can smell her perfume! It's really nice! Her hands are really smooth! Her eyes are gazing into mine! I can't handle this!
What I did was probably the worst of all the options present to me. I ran. Kamui, the princess who stared down both the Nohrian and Hoshidan armies, ran away from a pretty girl holding her hands.
Dammit dammit dammit! I'm such an idiot! I hear Oboro calling after me, but I keep running. I can't breathe either, but that's a secondary concern.
What kind of leader runs away from her army mid-march, anyway? Argh! I'm not fit to lead! Izana killed himself for me, and I honor his sacrifice by running away from my subordinate? I'm path-
In my sprinting away, lost in thought, I fail to notice a ditch. Before I know it, I'm laying facefirst in the dirt. Either it's my tears or blood that's salty in my mouth.
Damn it all! Worst of all, I feel an intense throbbing coming from my leg. Maybe it's for the best I can't muster up my strength to move.
"Kamui! Hold on, I'll get help" I hear Oboro call from above me. And of course she gets to see how much of a cowardly waste I am. I can't help but let out a wail.
I've really screwed it, haven't I? I feel myself begin to drift off.
Urgh.
My head's still spinning as I wake up. I'm laying in my bed, back within my fort. My left leg from the knee down is propped up on several pillows, with Sakura fussing over it.
"What happened?" I ask. My younger sister jumps slightly, before turning to face me.
"Oh, you're awake!" she said, nearly jumping on top of me to give a hug. I see Azura approach my bed as well. "Oboro said something had spooked you, making you run away. You fell down a ditch, twisted your ankle and passed out."
"Luckily, it's not too bad. You'll be off your feet for the rest of the day though. We made it most of the planned march today anyway, so Gunther isn't too put out" said Azura, sitting on the end of my bed.
"Still… What happened? You wouldn't break formation that easily would you?" asked Sakura. If tell the truth, everyone will hate my stupid, stupid guts. Especially Oboro. If I lie, that'd be even worse. Lying to save my own pride. Argh! Xander would know what to do in this situation! I look over to Azura and see her eyes piercing mine. She knows exactly what happened.
"Sakura… Her leg should be fine with just rest now, correct? Would you mind giving me a second alone with her?" the songstress asked. Sakura looked between us two and nodded.
"Yes… I-it's just pain relief I can administer now." I did feel fairly woozy. More than likely loaded up on medicines. "I'll come back in 20 minutes" she said, leaving my quarters.
"So I heard that you was with Oboro, alone" asked Azura. Right to the point as usual. "Did you make any progress?"
"Does it look like I made any progress? I made a fool of myself in front of her because, because she held my hand!"
"How forward. Did she do anything else, or did you just run away because she held your hand?" This interrogation is getting rather cutting.
"She tried to reassure me that she didn't see me as a Nohrian. That I was a victim of them too." Azura raised an eyebrow at that statement. Good to know it wasn't just me that thought that it was off.
"By that logic, I am a victim of Hoshido. But I am happier for it. Maybe she thinks of Nohr as some kind of hell. She didn't do anything other than that though, right?" I shake my head. "Then why was her holding your hand so bad?"
It shouldn't have been, really. I've held plenty of hands. Camilla, Elise, Sakura, Azura… Ok, so they're mostly my sisters and whatever the hell relation Azura is to me. But still, it's nothing new. It's obvious the reason why this time it was terrifying.
It was Oboro.
Gah! Why was it so bad? Because I'm pathetic, that's why.
Scared of a little handhold-ING. A jolt of pain shot through my arm. That bitch just pinched me!
"Kamui, listen to me. You need to find out why you're freaking out so hard from your crush." Azura was in Big Sister mode, glaring intensely at me. Still didn't need to pinch me. "Do you think you're going to embarrass yourself in front of her?"
"I don't know, maybe?"
"Well, there's no need to worry about that, I don't think you could make more of an ass of yourself."
What have you done to my soft, cool Azura? Where is all this heat coming from? I try and stutter out a defence, but she shuts me down immediately.
"It's not intimacy with pretty girls that's the problem. You're in the bathhouse with me all the time"
Arrogance, thy name is Azura.
"And you're not even blushing at the moment, despite the fact I'm sitting in your bed."
She wishes she could get me hot under the collar.
"Stop that scowling, you'll get wrinkles. So, let's say it's just nerves. Then we need to get you accustomed to being near her."
I don't like that smile on her face. Not one bit.
"If I remember the rota correctly…" Of course you do, you witch. "Oboro is free in five minutes until dinner time…"
Don't you dare, Azura! I will throw you into the prison!
"You can't do this to an ill person!" I protest, but she's too busy chuckling to herself. Even Garon wasn't this cruel!
"But now's the perfect time! You can't run and she's concerned for you! Don't you want her fawning over you?"
Well she's not wrong. But I don't think I could survive her feeding me grapes or something.
"What if I kill the conversation?!"
"Then just say you need to sleep. But this is your best shot at getting closer. Throw this away and you're only running away again."
Despite what I want to feel, I know she's right. Dammit. Why is this so damn hard? Azura patted me on the head.
"Quit your pouting. I've already told Sakura to go get her."
Wait, she had this planned all along!? And Sakura's in on it too!? Before I can throw my pillows at the Songstress, my door knocks.
"And that is my cue to leave. Go get her, tiger" says Azura, leaving with a smile. She'll get hers! As she opens the door, I see Oboro waiting there with Sakura, who both enter.
"I'm just going to reapply some cold to the ankle" she said, wringing out a cloth from the bucket by the foot of my bed. Oboro had sat down on an armchair near my bed. After doing my bandages, Sakura quickly ducked out of the room, closing the door behind her.
"Nice house you've got here. This tea set is really cute!" said Oboro. She was focused so hard on my stuff, she hadn't noticed I was already scarlet. This is never going to work! "Hey… do you have a fever? I can go get Sakura back if you need."
Dammit, she noticed! Even worse is she's now putting her hand on my forehead! STOP STOP STOP STOP I can't handle it!
"Poor thing, you look you're in agony!" she said, stroking my hair back. "Here, let do your hair as sorry for earlier!"
Oh please never stop touching me. She's leaning over my body completely, fussing around with my hair. I can smell her perfume. I can feel her bangs brushing on my face. I can just see slightly down her top. Oh me. Oh my. At best, all I can produce is short squeaks and enjoy the ride.
I think I'm so far gone I've flicked over from terror to pleasure. And all it took was nearly burying my face in her chest. Not that I'm complaining.
"And… there! You look prettier than anyone in the army!" Take THAT, Azura! "Hmm… You're still mighty flushed. Are you sure you're ok?"
"I-I-I'm fine!" I half squeak, half shout. I don't think I'm going to forget any of that for a long time. And yet, I feel fine about it. Sure, I think my heart's going to beat out of my chest and it's still hard to talk normally. But I'm still conscious. I think I can do this!