Children of Destiny
At last! It's finally here! Akira & Liana may finally realize their feelings for each other! After so many chapters of ship-teasing, they're finally gonna fess up! As expected, there's gonna be fluff aplenty so even though this chapter is VERY short, I sincerely hope you enjoy!
Chapter 53: Fire & Ice
The ninja and kunoichi shared their first breakfast since their reunion. While everyone else was scarfing down on homemade waffles, Liana played with her leftovers with her fork. She still had no idea how to describe these feelings she had for Akira. She knew she can't run away forever but it didn't help that she would instinctively shy away from nearly any social situation, even if she knew the person well.
"Is something wrong, Liana?" Misako noticed her student's inner turmoil.
"No. I was just thinking…" The pale girl sighed, staring at nothing in particular.
Misako can tell Liana was lying. She saw that look in her eyes that echoed her own and Haruka's when they were teenagers training under Wu and Garmadon. She had the answers the kunoichi of ice was looking for but this was something she'll have to find out herself. The shy girl had to learn to seek out the truth on her own instead of relying on others to come out of her shell.
The kunoichi gave her a look as if they wanted to say something but kept silent, remembering how sensitive she can be. Alex turned to her brother and he too looked tense, as if his mind was in another place. No doubt he was thinking about his relationship with Liana but the kunoichi of wind can tell this wasn't like those brief infatuations he had in school. He took the chance to get to know the ice wielder and he had an innate desire to be there for her and he never acted like that, not even with the most beautiful girls in Ignacia. This time, Alex knew better than to butt in on them and decided that she and the others gave enough encouragement to Liana.
Now, she can only hope Liana will make good use of their encouragement…
The guys were back to playing video games but in the back of Akira's mind, something was still bothering him. That fluttery feeling his heart only experienced with Liana came back but what bothered him more was that he didn't know why…
"Dammit Akira! You lost!" Kyle was disappointed by his cloyingly easy victory over their round of Ninja Battle 4.
Akira was brought out of his little daydream by his cousin's complaints over his concentration, or lack thereof.
"Shit. Here we go again." Leon shrugged when he saw that dazed look in his warm amber eyes.
Forrest shook his head, knowing exactly what was going on…
"Let me guess. It's about Liana." He deadpanned.
"How did you know?" Akira asked, a little more surprised than normal.
"Aha!" The tall ninja smirked, having caught him red-handed.
'Crap!' The olive-skinned teen cursed himself for walking right into Forrest's trap.
"Liana was always a timid girl but I swear something's up." The fire ninja said.
"Then talk to her." Chris replied with a slightly teasing tone.
"But what am I supposed to say to her!? 'Don't worry, it'll pass!' It doesn't work like that!" Akira raised up his arms in frustration.
"It's not about whether she snaps out of it or not. Just having someone to talk to could comfort her and before you know it, you'll know what to say to her. Trust me, I know what it's like." Kyle said, looking back on his experiences with Melody and how far they've come.
"But I'm not good with this sort of stuff!"
"Too bad. You'll just have to deal with it." Chris shrugged like it was nothing.
"You!" Forrest flinched when Akira pointed at him, "You're Liana's brother! YOU go talk to her!"
"Whoa! Don't you point your finger at me! I'm not gonna toy with Liana's feelings!" The nature ninja protested.
"Are you implying something!?" His fiery teammate glared at him.
"No! I just don't want to be intrusive on her!" The tall teen raised his hands in self-defense.
"You're one to talk! All of you are trying to make me do it!"
"We're just trying to get you to confess your feelings so you can kiss and get it over with!" The lightning ninja finally spilled it.
(*) "SUUDELLA!?" Forrest's 'protective brother instincts' kicked in.
"Not literally!" Chris shoved him aside.
"Hey! I don't wanna force myself on Liana! You know how she gets!" Akira tried to back off but the ninjas weren't having it.
"Ugh! You're so dense!" Kyle also grew frustrated by his cousin's thickheaded psyche.
"But how am I supposed to tell her how I feel!? It's not that simple!"
"Of course it's not," The metal ninja started, "The same thing happened with me and Melody."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! YOU already got hooked up!? And with MELODY!?" The fire wielder was beyond shocked that the metal and water wielders were officially a couple.
"Opposites attract. You're also the last person who should say that knowing Liana." Kyle said.
"Damn… You got me…"
"Don't worry. Your feelings are what matters most. Just talk to Liana and see if things will work out. If it doesn't, well… you tried."
"Gee, thanks…" Akira narrowed his eyes at his teammates.
"Anytime." Forrest responded with just as much sarcasm.
"Fine. But after this, you guys owe me. Got that?" The fiery ninja glared at his so-called allies.
"Loud and clear." And the sarcasm continued.
After a lengthy training session, Akira originally intended to take a siesta but he had a change of plans when he saw Liana lounging about by herself. Now that it was just the two of them, they might have a chance in sorting out their emotions…
"A-Akira…!" The ice wielder gasped once she lifted her head from her book to see him standing there, "W-w-what are you doing here!?"
"I just happened to walk in." He shrugged.
"Oh… okay then…"
The couple still felt extremely shy with one another but remembered the advice their comrades have given them. Liana still wanted to know what the feeling in her heart really was while Akira thought back on the advice he was given. There was no one to bother them but he didn't want to speak with Liana here. He wanted to be in a place where both of them won't be interrupted by a bunch of nosy teammates.
"Hey, Liana. I was thinking we should go out… and talk for a bit…" The red ninja offered.
"Okay." The pale girl accepted his offer, much to Akira's relief.
"But first, where would you like to go?"
"The Birchwood Forest…"
"Fine by me."
Misako can hear faint roars in the bridge while researching the evidence the ninjas have found so far and pointed her aged eyes towards the large round window. She was able to spot two of the dragons flying into the clouds and the riders atop them. It didn't take long for her to figure out who they were and gave a knowing smile in their direction.
'Looks like they finally found the courage…'
The Birchwood Forest was mostly barren but it was still a tranquil place. It was no surprise that such a quiet girl like Liana would want to come here to feel more comfortable. The air was chilly but Akira bore it all with a straight face, not wanting Liana to feel judged.
The couple walked through the woods towards the tree where Liana's grandfather lived. Almost out of instinct, the ice wielder crawled in taking in the memories of her father taking her to this very location when he revealed his origins to his children.
"Just to be curious, why did you pick this place?" Akira finally tried to start a conversation.
"Whenever I go to this place… I feel comforted…" Liana stared at the tools her grandfather used during his time, wondering what his life was like.
"Maybe because your family used to live here?"
"Perhaps…"
Akira darted his warm amber orbs around the small lair. All of Dr. Julien's possessions were still intact after all these years, albeit covered in dust. It wasn't much but it had its charm and Akira wasn't one to judge. From what he heard, Dr. Julien had it pretty rough for much of his life and he had to give him some credit for not breaking earlier than he did.
"Your grandfather… I think you would've gotten along with him…" Akira started.
"My dad says the same," Liana responded, "In fact, he was also the one that came up with my name long before I was born."
"How?"
"When my grandmother was pregnant, he said he would name his daughter Liana if their child was a girl."
"He has good taste."
"You really like my name…?"
"Yeah. It's unique… just like you…" Akira blushed as he gazed at her delicate figure.
The comforting heat radiating from Liana's heart grew and she knew she can no longer hold her feelings back nor hide them from the rest of the world any longer.
"Akira, I… had my own reasons to come with you… There's so much I want to say to you…" The kunoichi of ice confessed.
"Then say it." Akira goaded her.
"Akira, I'm going to be honest. Whenever I'm with you, I have this warm feeling in my heart and it's not just because of your element. You're not perfect but I really like being with you and I've never had these feelings when I am, not even with my family. I know what I'm feeling but at the same time, I don't know. What am I feeling?"
"I'm pretty much going through the same thing right now. But first, I have to tell you that Alex was right when she told you about me before… you know… Well… she was right. I don't have a good record for being committed outside of being a ninja but in the end, no one's perfect. But what I do know is that I've never felt this way towards all the girls I've flirted with. Liana, you're very important to me not just as a team member but… because you're you."
"Akira…!" Liana' hands flew to her mouth, wondering if he was going to say what a small part of her was thinking he'll say.
"You have your own little quirks and we're all special but… you stand out the most to me. Those quirks make me want to… want to…" Akira paused, trying to find the right words to say.
Liana was also having a tough time trying to pinpoint the emotion she was feeling right now.
Although Akira really didn't want to screw up in front of Liana, he just wanted to toss whatever society would think of him out the window. If he's going to end up looking like a fool, at least he will be an honest fool.
"I don't care if I sound like an idiot but I can't keep it in any longer! Liana, I'm in love with you!"
The chamber was so quiet the silence could be cut with a butter knife.
'Love…?'
All Liana knew about love was that it was an unbreakable bond that binds people together. She felt love for her family and the ninjas she now considered friends but the feelings she had with Akira were different. She heard so much about the romantic love portrayed in movies, shows, and books and they now had an uncanny similarity to what she was feeling now.
And then it finally hit Liana.
The emotion she felt in her heart whenever Akira was with her was love. That can only explain the warmth in her heart that were really the flames of love heating her soul, making her yearn for the fiery ninja. He may be far from perfect but his courage, loyalty to his comrades, and his open-minded attitude inspired her to let go of what society may think of her and be true to her real self that remained hidden from the rest of the world. She deeply admired him and then her respect for him evolved into what can only be defined as love.
"Akira… thank you…" A single tear leaked from her pale eyes but there were no hints of sadness in it because it was a tear of joy.
"What are you thanking me for?"
"Because of you, I've finally realized how I really feel for you… I… love you too."
Akira's heart skipped a beat when Liana confessed that her feelings were mutual before feeling a massive weight being lifted off his chest. All he wanted was to come clean with his emotions but he never expected the kunoichi of ice of all people to share those feelings with him.
Liana finally knew what her parents meant when they told her that love is the most important factor in a relationship. Even if Akira was not what society would call 'attractive', she would still be with him because of who he was inside and even with their differences, she still loved him, regardless of his flaws.
Before the couple knew what was happening, the space between them shrunk until they could feel each other's breaths against their faces. Even Akira's scent was warm with spices and citrus zest while Liana's was cool with peppermint and frosted flower petals. There was so much they still wanted to say to another but they found a way to express themselves without using words.
Their lips met each other's in their very first kiss.
Akira's heart and mind were like one big firework show. Nothing else mattered nor did anything else seem to exist except for him, Liana, and the roller coaster of emotions in him right now.
Liana had seen it happen between the couples in the movies and even her own parents but this was something she never expected. What she did know was that the thoughts, emotions, and feelings going off in her mind can never by conveyed in any work of art.
Like the start of a new relationship, Akira and Liana's first kiss was a modest one. There was no pushing or moaning, just savoring the touch of one's lips upon the other. It was only when their bodies grew tired of being in the same position that their lips finally parted and the wielders of ice and fire simply stared at each other with slightly flushed faces.
"I… I heard so much about first kisses but… nothing can really compare to what I'm feeling right now…" Liana placed her hand over her rapidly beating heart.
"You don't have to say anything." Akira placed his hand above hers.
"I'm guessing you went through this with those other girls…" The white kunoichi remembered that Akira didn't have a clean record prior to his confession.
"Actually, this is also my first kiss." Akira confessed.
"What? How? You saw other girls before me so didn't you get to kiss them?"
"No. All of my relationships have ended even before I had the chance to kiss them."
"How so?"
"Uh… you don't wanna know…" Akira blushed but Liana only chuckled.
"We should get going. The others are probably worried about us by now." Liana reminded him.
"Yeah…"
Once outside the hollow tree, the couple discovered that it started snowing in the cold forest.
"It's snowing already?" Akira caught a couple of snowflakes in his hand.
"The Birchwood Forest is a cold place so it snows here." Liana answered.
"I don't think that's the only reason."
"What else is there?"
"I like to think it's your grandfather. He would probably want you to find love and acceptance, just like you dad."
"So I guess this means we're a couple now…"
"Do you think our relationship will change?"
"Who knows? As Sensei Misako said, that's part of the beauty of forging your own path…"
"But whether or not things work out between us… at least we can find out together…"
"I know this may sound strange but I'm looking forward to it." Despite her tumult of emotions, Liana couldn't help but smile but her expression was sincere.
"Me too." Akira smiled back at her and held out his hand to her.
For the first time, Liana didn't hesitate to accept his offers to get close to her and gladly took it.
Like fire and ice, Akira and Liana were polar opposites but it because of those differences that their connected their hearts and forged the unique love shared between them.
(*) Suudella = Kiss (Finnish)
Only 2 words can sum up how I feel with this chapter: F&$k. Yes. This may not exactly be a wham chapter but it's still a pretty big one.
Akira & Liana FINALLY confessed but how will the ninjas react?
How will Forrest react?
Stay tuned to find out & remember, tell me what you think in the reviews!