Breaking Over Me

"You failed Ikki!" Guilty's gravely voice echoed across the compound, "How many times have I told you? You must hate! You must use your anger and defeat me!"

He wiped the blood he felt dripping down his chin, before staggering to his feet, "I'm sorry Master."

"Fool!" Guilty roared as he swung his fist.

He didn't have time to dodge the blow, and he felt something break before he passed out.

When he woke up, the sky above was dark. He carefully turned his head, looking around. Guilty was gone, and he was left on the ground where he had fallen. He coughed, and there was a wetness to it that scared him. He sat up too fast, making his head spin, and he had to close his eyes a moment to get them to focus. His face throbbed, and when he touched it, he felt a patchwork of fresh and dried blood smeared on his cheeks. He got to his feet, taking in a deep breath before beginning to walk.

He doubted she would be there. She knew that he couldn't always make it to their meetings, and he knew the same of her. It was late anyway, she had to return to her master's house eventually. She wasn't allowed out late, he had seen the rope burn on her wrists each morning. He knew she wasn't going to be there, but he went anyway. He had to see.

The trek felt longer. Maybe it was because he was exhausted, maybe it was because he couldn't really breathe properly through his nose. He just kept walking.

When he climbed over the crest of the hill, he was sure he was half delusional. She was there, her back to him as she looked at the flowers. But when he stumbled over a rock in his path, she looked up and he knew she was real.

Her eyes widened when she realized, and she quickly got to her feet, rushing over to him. "Are you alright?"

"You waited here?" he asked, voice dry and coarse. She blinked a moment, before giving him a half smile.

"Yes."

She took his hand and lead him into the field, setting him down beside the stream nearby, before soaking her handkerchief in the water in order to wipe the blood and dirt from his face. When she dabbed at his nose, he flinched, and she made a face.

"Your nose is broken."

He shuffled a bit closer to the water, looking at his rippled reflection. He grimaced, and sat back again, letting her resume her treatment. "Hopefully you don't like me for my looks."

She pressed her lips together, shoulders shaking a moment before she burst out laughing. He smiled at her, and she tried to reign in her giggles, but failed, going back to cleaning his face while letting out little snickers and snorts.

"I think I cleaned off the worst of the blood," she told him, and he reached up, gingerly touching his nose. She watched him, curious, and he took a deep breath before snapping the cartridge back in place. She flinched, and her humorous mood was gone. "Are you alright?"

He tilted his head back, keeping the new trickle of blood in check. After a minute he nodded, and he sensed her relax.

"Hurts like hell."

She moved, and when he looked, she was rising her kerchief if the stream. She wrung it out a bit before going back to his side and placing it on his nose. The cool cloth felt good, and he held it there as she sat back down.

"I didn't expect you to be here," he told her, and she glanced up, "It's so late."

"I...had a feeling," she said to him, playing with the hem of her dress, "So I...kind of broke out."

"Broke out?"

She reached into her sash and pulled out a broken piece of pottery, the edges still sharp. "I cut the rope that he ties me up with at night."

"Just because you had a feeling?" he asked in disbelief, "Will you be okay?" She shrugged.

"I don't know."

His brows came together, and he was about to speak when she shifted closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder and taking his hand in hers.

"I'm glad I came to see you."

He considered finishing his thought, but after a moment dismissed it. He put his head against hers, and sighed.

"Yeah."