Hello everyone ! sorry I was gone for some time, I have been writing chapters that are way ahead in the story and also went on a long vacation.

not sure how much of a schedule I will hold, hope you like this chapter !

Chapter 7

Sun and Rain.

Hao wakes up late. He feels nice under the warm covers. He dreamt of Asahana, he's not sure how so, but he feels her presence in his mind as if he had shared the futon with her.

Opacho is still dreaming beside him. Last night they came back well after midnight, she would probably be sleeping late. The future King stretches and grunts, he wants to lay around in the comfort of his tent with the sound of raindrop surrounding him . However in half an hour or so the water will start to drip inside, he should probably undo it now. Hao sighs. His usual tent is hosting his wife… he could theoretically slide in and rest there but he doesn't feel comfortable doing that. He huddles in a foetus position, thinking back on last night in the bath, when she got close to him her every movement made the water ripple on him… She was so familiar yet something was amiss to him, he couldn't just start a relationship so casually. She had arrived in his world less than two days ago, it's sensical not to trust her. Even if she spent hours spilling her whole story, even if with Opacho's reishi he could confirm she only wanted the best for him. He is being told he is married to another superpowerful marvelous shaman and should just accept it ? But to her, he was her husband for centuries. When she talked about their time as rulers she would praise him, reishi was not needed to understand how deep her feelings are for him. Her face lit up and she would giggle sometimes to memories she wouldn't voice. The millenial teen pulls the blanket over his head, he can't deny that he likes her, he felt a peng in his heart during their very first encounter. So why not let himself go ?

He's pulled back to the moment she lost it to a mere question about children… it didn't really bother him. He understands people have buttons that shouldn't be touched, she seemed to have more than a few and he finds it… endearing ? There's no deceit, her reactions are raw, while he spends so much effort keeping a cool composure even when his triggers are pushed. So what else ? At breakfast the day before she went ahead and declared herself head coach, she made revelations he was not comfortable with, even when he warned her she brushed it off and then managed to convince him to let his recruits in her hands in mere minutes. Convinced? no she just did, she would have done it no matter what he said. Hao huffs, he likes headstrong people, he knows that. Her attitude was that of someone who would handle matters for him, but on the other side she would ask bluntly for him to take care of her. Isn't that trope too cliché ? As far as he knew of marriage it fit perfectly in what society thought an ideal spouse should be. Just like his wife in the last life, Opali, She would sermon him on being serious of his officiant duties, and then drop in his arms when she was tired and needed comfort. The woman had been quite alright, she even fell in love with him, or rather with Hydro, the identity he assumed for over twenty years in the patch tribe. She would never have fallen for a man who stole one of the five great spirits and planned to kill the world, she's way too righteous for that. That love was based on deceit. What about Asahana ? It's the complete opposite. He aches. Her upbringing is tragic, even more than his own, she was the embodiment of spite and revenge. She had every right to smight all of humanity and deities for what they'd put her through. But she forgave, and most of the time she's joyful and easygoing, even surrounded by onis there's a halo of light surrounding her aura. That power… is that what's so enticing ? That mix of dark and light is what will make him fall in love with her? Is he already ?

The future king turns around and wriggles to get the tension out of his body, his heart is beating a bit fast. Opacho is tossing as well, his mind rumbling is probably waking her up. It would be best to go now. He wants to go to her, but once again he's reluctant to slip right into the husband's or lover's role now. He's frustrated with himself.

"Ao" Opacho mispronounces his name because she yawns at the same time.

"too complicated" she thinks clearly, in her mind there's bribes of ideas that the two are acting stupid and should just kiss.

"It's not that easy."

The little girl is annoyed. The air in the tent is becoming humid. Rain means most of the campers will stay hidden in their quarters for longer, especially with the cold there's nowhere else to keep shelter. the onmyo closes his eyes and sighs. Well, Asahana did barge into his tent yesterday…maybe she needs a little getback?

Opacho chuckles, her godfather sits up and put his cloak on. He folds the futons , dresses his goddaughter and heads out. The cold rain is not pleasant, he proceeds to take the wet blankets down. Just as he thought none of the shaman are out, the sky is gray and even if the sun has been up for a little while it's sombre on the camp. The little demons are fooling around, some are kicking trash around, other's even rub mud on their body which would make them visible to any human passerby.

"You." Hao orders to a group of onis playing bowling with tin cans, "Put these away."

The little demons look at each other and laugh, but when they look back at the onmyoji he's glaring with such intensity they understand he's not messing around. The group goes to the folded blankets and carry them, this amuse Opacho who leads them to the tarp behind Luchist's camper. She stumbles a few times doing so but makes her best effort to walk on two legs.

Hao goes to his wife's tent, he opens the zipper discreetly and sees the beauty sound asleep. She's half naked, not surprising, this husband has fully understood at this point she has an aversion to clothes. Asahana is not really underneath the duvet, her tall body is curled around the thick material, she's hugging it. "Adorable" he thinks, of course he's falling for her. But he is going to make her work for it.

Without any warning, The onmyoji summons another wind flare to lift the whole tent above ground, they are a good five meters in the air when he materializes his oversoul underneath them, Opacho catches the claw of Spirit of Fire. It's when the sleeping beauty hits the warm surface of Sof that she's awake. She understands immediately that Hao played the same trick on her she had the day before. Just like he was, she's entangled in the tent, she pulls it off and feels the rain pour on her. "Ugh" That is not a nice way to wake up. It's fair play though so she won't retaliate. She wriggles herself out fully, her torso fully exposed to the wind and rain, she doesn't care for cold but this kind of wet feels icky.

"Good morning !" beams her husband. He is so proud of himself. It's cute. but she's grumpy.

"I don't like this," she answers.

Opacho is dropped on the back of the oversoul as well, she crawls to the fallen tent and hides in it.

"Opacho is cold" she shrieks and pulls the duvet on her. The little girl notices her elder is bare if not for a pair of bloomers covering her butt. She thinks she should find something for her to cover up. Hao helps her by lifting the tent so she can rummage for a piece of clothing.

"We're almost there"

Spirit of fire is going way higher than their sunrise adventure had taken them the morning prior. When Opacho pulls out a hoodie covered with little stars print, they are piercing through a ceiling of clouds. The white mist clears and they are met with infinite blue above and a sea of white waves underneath. The two girls exclaim in amazement. Hao give them a proud grin. "Is that good enough for you ?" he asks.

"It's wonderful !" she yells and jumps to hug him.

The onmyo turns red immediately. Asahana was not awake enough to remember that this husband was a skittish cat, she seize his embarrassment through his goddaughter's mind reading. "Damn it, she gets the best of me everytime." The girl let's go and takes the sweatshirt she is handed swiftly.

"Sorry" she tries to save the mood "I'm really happy you brought me here"

"Hao-shama, I'm cold !" Opacho calls.

The temperature are well in the negatives at this altitude. The onmyoji now realize it never bothered him, he always thought Spirit of Fire was the one warming him, but evidently it's not working for his protégée. The dark skinned Asakura raises her hand to the little girl's chest. There's probably an exchange of energy happening, because she immediately relaxes and starts smiling.

"We should put her in the cockpit." They do so, and close it. Spirit of Fire is warm, and inside she will be okay. The two shaman rest a top and look at the horizon for a second, but the rays are too bright and they close their eyes and bask in the sun. Hao lays back. He might be able to enjoy the lazy morning he wanted. Asahana copies him but leans on her side so she can look at him. They stay here without saying a word. Opacho has fallen back asleep, the sun goes higher, the clouds below dissipate. Spirit of Fire goes down as the layers strip. Hao does his best not to ask himself to many questions, he knows she is watching him. Her body is so close he could just reach her, but he can't make that decision. He contents himself by the proximity and the security the gap between them gives him. He could pull back anytime. She on the other side, she's feeling love, she's not hiding it anymore. What is so scary about that ? His thoughts are about to spiral again, so he shifts to face her. She knows how he feels, they can't hide from each other. His eyelids feel heavy, it's hard for him to lift them. He's greeted with her wide orbs, deep blue, like an ocean, like a sky before the stars appear. His eyes are so sad, she's never seen him this fragile. Did she really scare him last night ? her inner monologue never cease:"It's not the same Hao that loves me unconditionally, this one is unsure, this one doesn't even know of all the people that will gather around him in his reign. He is so lonely, I want to reach him, but it's too early. How long did he wait for me..no, will he wait for me to be ready ? Can't I do the same for him now?"

"I wasn't ready to love, or be loved by you until I had ascended and we spent decades going back in forth. So if you want me to go, I'll go, I'll help you from afar." She declares suddenly.

He's taken by surprise, again, he can never predict her moves. The thought of her leaving pains him.

"It's a bit late to say that, after you took over my whole team." He banters.

Ah she grimaces, her impulsiveness always put her in trouble, she relied on him to reign her in most often.

"I can't give up on training, it's the most effective way I have to help you. But if you want I'll leave you alone the rest of the time…"

"Why do you say that after we spent all evening together and I flew you up here."

she marks a pause, then turns and looks at him above her shoulder.

"Because… I don't want to push you, I know you are scared now."

"I don't want you to go away."

The space between them is agonizing, it's so silly but he feels like it would destroy him if he crossed it. There's a lump in his throat.

He's in pain. She turns on her stomach, looking away to give him release. But instead he feels sadness. She waits a bit.

"What can I do to make it easier ?" his wife asks.

He flips on his back.

"Talk."

"Like last night. In my thousand years of existence, I never thought I would encounter someone like you. A revoked shaman queen who offers her help unconditionally, it seems too good to believe. I feel… disempowered by the whole situation. You know everything about me, about the years that in your mind we spent together, but haven't even started for me…"

Asahana turns her face to her husband.

"Thank you for your honesty."

"Thank you for crossing time and space for me but I feel… like I have to stick by my original plan."

"His need for control. Here I come saying he did everything wrong, of course he would think I'm here to stray him from his trajectory…" she continues aloud "So you want to know my powers so you can decide how to apply it to your plan."

"That would be preferable."

"I can grant you those wishes."

He chuckles. "Benevolent Goddess"

"So should I present my program for your troops, dear shaman king?"

"The shaman queen is incredibly generous today."

This was more to his liking, flirting jokingly.

"Meditation, concentration training, speed in integration and oversoul. Does this fit in your schedule of laziness, your highness ?" Saying that she turned around and took a nonchalant pose.

"Will you take the time to eat or continue in your strategy of overdoing it, dear master ?"

They hadn't bantered in a while, it was refreshing for Asahana.

"Hard boiled eggs and electrolyte water."

He didn't know what she was referring to but it didn't seem like a full meal. The sun is quite high and most of the clouds have dissipated, but are not completely gone. Is it time to go back yet ?

"Pull us down, I have to show you something" his wife answers his unspoken question.

" I don't want to go back yet" he pouts.

She gives a few seconds , he's unhappy about leaving her but staying here will not magically cure his mistrust and more importantly… It won't make his recruits ready to serve in their Kingdom !

"We'll have tomorrow, and the day after that, and after that. As long as you want. But now I have to answer your request."

Her words intrigue him. but he also remembers he said something similar to someone in the far past… someone who didn't stick around.

"As the queen wishes…"

Asahana feels the sorrow in his tone, she would want to console him but can't physically… it's so different from her habits with him. She has no other solution than to push down her own loneliness.

"We are just going about 50 meters above ground"

"..."

He is clearly disgruntled. Who was the one who changed mood fast ?

"Hao."

"Yes, we are going down".

It's true, Spirit of fire was losing elevation, but very slowly.

She sighs loudly. " Well if you don't want me to show you my powers we can just nap…"

Asahana is caught off by a sudden dip of the SoF oversoul. It jerks Opacho awake as well.

Very soon They are at the requested height, about where they were the first day they watched the sunrise together.