SORRY I'M LATE: I actually have no excuses other than this chapter took me a lot longer to write than I anticipated.
After his recent bout of sleeping only to wake again still feeling tired, it was a welcome change to be fully rested again. Kuon opened his eyes and stared at the stark, white ceiling above him, breathing a content sigh. It was good to be past that whole unpleasant experience. His thoughts then turned to Kyoko, pondering where she was and if she was alright. He used his amulet to contact her and heard light, musical laughter bubbling forth in the room.
"If you'd actually turn your head, you will see I'm right here," he could not describe the joy that overcame him at the sound of her voice.
"So you are," he turned in the direction of her voice and saw her sitting beside his bed, smiling. "A much better face to wake up to than Reino's."
She winced, hoping the memory of his captivity was not too painful. The Healers said they found no evidence that he had been physically injured but that did not mean there was no mental or emotional damage. He still had his sense of humor, it seemed, so she was hopeful. Sitting up in the bed, he motioned for her to come closer. Kyoko rose from the chair without hesitation and walked over to him. Once she was close enough, he reached out and wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace.
"You saved me," he rested his nose against the base of her neck and inhaled, wondering if she always smelled so delightfully like a field of wildflowers. He took a moment to relish it
"Well, if I recall correctly, I owed you one," a breathy giggle came from where her head rested on his shoulder.
"Can I tell you how very impressed I am that you were able to remotely use a draft?" he pulled back and looked at her in awe.
"Oh, I can't take all the credit for that. I had a little help," she smirked at his puzzled look. "A very nice older gentleman—who looks very much like you, coincidentally enough—helped me with my research and gave me a bit of advice.
"What was my father doing there?" he frowned.
Kyoko recounted her accidental meeting with the legendary former Superior Grand Archweaver and her subsequent flustered reaction. Kuon smiled mirthfully as her hands moved animatedly as she told him about their interactions. It was not exactly the way he wanted to introduce her to his family, but he would have to take it. To think of all she went through just to help him, he was reverential.
"Thank you," he quickly pulled her into a hug again.
"Anytime," she croaked out, surprised by the sudden motion.
He chuckled lightly into her hair, "I'm holding you to that."
"I hope you don't mind, I took the liberty of re-applying your camouflage before you woke up," she said timidly as she gently pulled away from him. "I figured the less people who know who you really are, the better."
"It wouldn't have mattered anyway," he shrugged, keeping her close with one hand resting against her hip. "Both the Defenders and Healers have a file on me regarding my identity. One, because it was a matter of national security and the other for medical history reasons. Thankfully, both guilds are required to have a decent track record with confidentiality."
"And here I thought I was one of the few who were in on it," she pouted.
"I guess you'll just have to settle for being one of the few who knows about this," he pointed at his amulet.
"Speaking of which," her pout intensified with her lower lip jutting forward. "You still have quite a bit of explaining to do about that."
"Yes, I suppose I do," he scratched idly at his neck and wondered where to begin.
"That can wait until later," she placed a hand on his chest. "For now, we need to attend a debriefing before we can leave. I still have to go pack up my things so I will meet up with you there."
Without thinking, he placed his hand over hers and held it against him before she could pull it away. Her eyes met his and the faintest blush washed over her cheeks. Their faces were so close, a fact of which he was painfully aware. His gaze drifted down to her lips and he nearly gave in to his urge to touch them with his own and see if they were still as soft as he remembered from when they brushed against his face several days earlier. A knock on the door to his room dispelled the rapture of the moment and they quickly broke apart to see a young Healer entering with a tray of food. Kyoko politely excused herself with a pointed request that he eat all of his food before leaving his room. He did so, dutifully, while she went to pack and try desperately to cool the burning in her face.
The debriefing was an unfortunately long and arduous process as both Spellweavers were required to answer questions regarding their individual roles in the recent developments. Thankfully, they were both able to go through it together; something which allowed them to corroborate each other's stories when they skillfully skirted around the details behind Kyoko's actions during the extraction. It was not due to any distrust of the Defenders but the last thing either of them wanted was to entertain any notions of weaponizing their abilities. The irony was not lost on them then they asked about the fate of Reino and were informed that he would be used as a bargaining chip against Altria. His recent transgressions would cost the country any advantage they believed they possessed in further negotiations.
The results of Kuon's physical and psychological evaluations cleared him to be released. Lieutenant Inspector Konoe bid them farewell personally, pulling both of them, unwittingly, into a tight embrace and fervently expressing his relief that they emerged from the ordeal unscathed. He arranged private transportation for them to return to the city away from public view. The isolation would provide the perfect opportunity for both of them to discuss the topic that he had been avoiding and she was trying to ignore. Sitting side-by-side in the transport, they could only engage in so much light conversation before one of them eventually broached the topic. It was no surprise that Kyoko gave in first.
"I read the book you gave me along with another which both mentioned some… interesting traditions in which the type of stone we share is used," she swallowed the lump forming in her throat. "However, as I didn't want to make an incorrect assumption, I wanted to see if you would tell me yourself if any of it was applicable to the portion of the stone you shared with me."
He sighed lightly looking upward before briefly closing his eyes, "When my mother gave me that stone as a child, it was meant to be shared only with my intended spouse in the future," he explained. "It is a tradition in her family for each male to receive one. Once we find the person we want to spend the rest of our lives with, we are to gift a piece of the stone to them."
The look on Kyoko's face was a clear indication of the thoughts flying through her head. He shook his head and placed a hand on hers where it rested in her lap, "When I gave you that stone, you were not unknowingly entered into a betrothal with me. I… regret the confusion this has caused."
"So, why did you give it to me?"
"I became disillusioned at a young age and believed that anyone who showed interest in me was only due to my name and lineage and the last thing I wanted was to give anyone of that sort exclusive access to my energy and abilities," he said with bitterness in his voice. "You were the first real friend I had that neither knew, nor cared, about any of that. I thought you were a… safe option."
"Safe?!" she looked taken aback.
He sighed again but continued, "I didn't expect to ever see you again. It was a risk I took; giving it to someone who knew nothing of my family and would potentially never cross paths with me again. I feel like I used you and I'm not very happy with myself for that. Considering your recent history, I'm even more regretful. You deserve better than that and you have every right to be angry with me."
Kyoko sat silently for several minutes in thought. Kuon watched the sunlight flicker across her face, scattered by the quickly passing trees. She had a rather placid expression and did not seem upset. While her brow did wrinkle slightly for a moment, it smoothed out just as rapidly. He patiently waited for her to break the silence on her own, not wanting to push her for a response.
"I… am not angry with you," she said finally. "I suppose I should be, but I'm not."
"May I ask why?"
"As much as I'd like to say that I was mature enough at the age of six to understand anything you explained if you had told me why you shared your stone with me, I can't reasonably say that," she shrugged. "However, the fact that you considered why I would be the better option means that, although you were using me as a means to escape, you also trusted me."
"I suppose I did," he said quietly. "I never thought about it that way."
"Not to mention that, since we have become reacquainted, you have not once used me or the bond through our stones for your own benefit," her eyes were wide as she spoke earnestly. "Even before you told me who you were, you treated me with nothing but respect. While our situation does cause some unease, I cannot be upset with you."
She was right, of course. However her calm reasoning rendered him speechless. He was prepared to apologize and grovel profusely but her logical acceptance had him at a loss. Of course, there was the matter of his growing feelings towards her but that was not something he felt would be an appropriate follow-up to this conversation. Besides, how exactly would you tell someone—to whom you are arbitrarily-but-not-really engaged—that you did not exactly propose to them but you still wish to have the option to do so properly at a later time?
"I'm sorry," he blurted out before he could stop himself.
"Now, now," she chided him, playfully. "What was it you told me some time ago about apologizing? I believe it was something about admitting you made a mistake and moving on to find a solution?"
He let out a chuckle and smiled warmly at her, "Well, I think I already have the first part of that covered. I'm not so sure about the second; as far as I know there is no way to undo a dual bond."
"I have no desire to sever the bond," she shook her head, returning his smile with sparkling eyes. "Besides, you had the second part covered already when you said you wanted us to spend more time together before you left. Perhaps, we can figure out the rest as we go along?"
His smile only widened at this. He already waged an internal battle with himself earlier after their encounter in his recovery room. The last thing he wanted to do was make any unwanted advances towards her but, between the intensity of her gaze when she looked at him and the way she managed to use his stone without being present caused him to wonder what, if any, was the extent of her feelings towards him. She was making it increasingly difficult to silence the hope that began whispering conspiratorially in his ear from the moment her lips innocently touched his cheek on the terrace that afternoon before he left the city. Still, it did not seem as if she was shying away from his attention. In fact, she appeared to be meeting it head-on. It could not hurt to see where she was willing to let it lead, could it?
"I think that's an excellent idea," he agreed.
"So, you're not sticking around until he comes back?" Lory watched as Kuu made his way to the office door to leave.
The Grand Archweaver received word that his two Spellweavers would be returning following the successful extraction. He relayed this to Kuu, who had been frequenting his office and worriedly requesting updates. Now that things had taken a turn for the better, the man seemed to be content to leave with the knowledge that his son was safe.
"That was not a part of our agreement," Kuu reminded his friend. "Julie and I will see him when he makes the choice to return home."
"I understand."
"That paperwork on your desk," he motioned to the stack sitting in front of Lory. "Is that for what I think it is?"
"I am… considering it, yes," the Grand Archweaver inclined his head.
"The bar has been set fairly high at this point, but these were extraordinary circumstances," Kuu nodded at him in understanding. "I don't envy your decision."
Having said his piece, the man left the office while Lory continued to ponder of the papers before him. The decision itself had already been made. However, the details had yet to be established as he was not yet sure whether or not the situation required a greater or lesser action. There was time yet to think on it.
Rumors began circulating around the campus about the two Spellweavers in their absence, as rumors are wont to do. At first, the two were not connected as no one could fathom that their disappearances were related, especially when Kyoko was seen on campus while Ren was not. In fact, the majority of the rumors started with only the Archweaver as the subject of interest as he did not frequently leave the campus for extended periods of time. It was not until they returned together and were seen spending their leisure time in each other's company that the younger Class 1 was suddenly a fascinating anomaly.
"I think my favorite one yet is that you bewitched him with some dark sorcery," Kanae laughed heartily with her friend as they shared a meal.
"That would explain the hex bags that were thrown at me the other day," Kyoko wiped a tear from her eye between giggles. "I didn't realize people still knew how to make those. It's not as if they ever worked."
"Well, at the very least, you're encouraging the girls to do some research so I guess it's not all bad," her friend tilted with a grin. "So, what is the real story between you two? I was sent out of town not long after you got back so I feel like I missed something important apart from the story of your daring rescue mission."
"Nothing, really," she shrugged. "We decided to spend time together outside of what we do for the guild and get to know each other."
"And?" the other woman prompted.
"And what?"
"There are only a handful of reasons a man and a woman would spend time together outside of work," Kanae said impatiently. "I already know how you feel about him, so what gives?"
"I don't know," she shrugged. "I feel like there's something there, but if we try for anything more, what if we can't go back to the way we were when it doesn't work out?"
Her best friend stared at her as if she had suddenly grown a second head, "You two obviously enjoy hanging out together, Grand Archweaver Takarada keeps pairing you two up for projects like you're some sort of dream team and, hell, you've both saved each other's lives. How exactly would it not work out?"
"I-It just could, that's all," Kyoko mumbled, playing idly with her spoon.
She wished she could tell her friend about her amulet but knew she could not do so without revealing the secret she swore to keep. So many 'what ifs' and 'maybes' plagued her and refused to get out of her head. The biggest one, the one that haunted her even in her dreams, was that he would reveal his identity and choose to return to Cretia without her. There was no way some girl from a small town in Grismeir was going to measure up to the son of Kuu Hizuri. And she hated that the thought even crossed her mind, because she was never one to put stock in titles and names, but she could not deny that it bothered her in this instance.
"You don't think you're worthy of him," there was no intonation of a question in Kanae's voice; it was a statement of fact.
"I-I…" she faltered.
"You have one of the most powerful Archweavers in the guild hanging on your every word and treating you honorably and, somehow, you think you'll be nothing but some immaterial fling to him?"
"Kanae, you don't understand…" she began when her friend cut her off.
"No, Kyoko, that's as much of an insult to him as it is to you, if not more so," Kanae scolded her sharply. "You two seemed to be able to talk things through before. Why not now?"
"This is different," Kyoko sighed.
"It is not, and you know it," the other woman snapped. "Do you really think so little of him, or is it just yourself?"
"You know that's not true."
"Well it certainly seems like it," Kanae scoffed indignantly. "Don't do this to him and don't do this to yourself. If you are as close as you sound like you are, then you owe it to yourselves to be honest."
She got up from their table and went to pay for her food before leaving a dumbfounded Kyoko still sitting. After finishing her own meal, she glumly made her way out onto the street. What hurt the most was that her friend was absolutely right and she knew very well she was just finding excuses to run away from their feelings. It was not as if she was blind; she noticed the smiles, glances, light touches and the overall affectionate undertones when he contacted her through her amulet. However, that did not stop her from trying to ignore them. After the way things turned out the last time she walked down this path, she was weary of trying again, but Kanae was right. This was different; he is different.
There was a light knock on his door before Kyoko announced herself through his amulet. He responded permissively so that she knew to let herself in. It had only been a week since he finally got around to showing her how the draft he used to link doors together actually worked. They both agreed to link their residence doors together with the caveat that they would respect each other's boundaries by requesting permission before entering. She walked into his entryway to find him standing in the hall. He probably only just returned home as he was still wearing his cloak.
"What brings you by? I thought you were having dinner with Kanae," he arched an eyebrow at her. "Not that I'm complaining. It's always a pleasure to see you."
"I—well…" she stammered, shyly walking towards him.
"Is there something wrong?" he asked, genuinely concerned. "Do you need anything?"
"… Yes," she stood before him now, her arms tentatively reaching up.
"What?" he asked breathlessly, staring at her widened eyes. She almost appeared as if she were in a trance.
"What you should have done after you woke up in that recovery room."
And, before he could ask what she meant by that, her fingers dug into his cloak, yanking him downwards and pressing her lips firmly against his.
WHOA, WHAT?!: Yea, you read that right. I actually had very few notes as to how this chapter would go but it sort of poured out of my head and I think it works. Would love to see it go down like that in the actual manga but who even knows when that's ever going to happen? (Apologies, Nakamura-sensei, I still love you!)
Thanks again to everyone for the awesome outpouring of good vibes. I'm so glad you all enjoyed the exciting and nail-biting rescue. It was almost as fun to write as Kuon's snarky dialogue with Reino. I love me some good snark so writing him like that made me immensely happy. We're nearing the end, everyone, and I know I'm going to be heartbroken to see this story finish, but it has been a fun ride with all of you coming along with me. See you next week!
AUTHOR OUT!