Samickle wanted to stay there, holding Reiko close to him, to savor the moment… but he knew he had to put an end to it.
"I'm sorry, Reiko." He murmured, his voice trembling. "I can't keep you here any longer." Gently, he shifted, pushing her away from his chest. She stirred, her eyes fluttering open.
"H-huh..? Oh, you're awake." She murmured, her voice groggy.
"Y-yes. Sorry, I didn't want to wake you." Samickle quickly averted his gaze, trying his best to act as if nothing was wrong.
"Oh, it's fine." She rubbed her eyes, yawning. "I was just so exhausted that I fell asleep here. I'm sorry."
"N-no, it's okay." Samickle's cheeks were still slightly flushed, his hand tugging at his robes as he sat up, trying to hide his lingering erection.
"So, how are you feeling?" Reiko asked. Thankfully, she didn't seem to notice his embarrassment, too distracted by the aftermath of the treatment.
"Much better." He smiled, his voice filled with relief. "Thank you."
"Oh my god..! It worked." Reiko gasped, her eyes shining. "So, you're not feeling so... uhm… Well, you're feeling normal?"
"Yes. The worst of the heat has passed."
"Thank goodness!" Reiko clapped her hands, her shoulders slumping.
"I'm just glad it's finally over." Samickle let out a soft sigh, seemingly also relieved that the treatment had worked.
"Me too. And I'm so glad it worked. I was so scared that I wouldn't be able to help." She laughed, her voice filled with joy. "You haven't tried shifting into a wolf yet, right? Maybe you should go and try it, just to make sure. Just... don't do it inside." She added, scratching her cheek a bit awkwardly. "I don't think these tatami mats are made for wolf claws."
"Yeah, I understand." Samickle nodded. "I'll do it outside, in the garden. Thank you again, Reiko."
"You're welcome. Just let me know if you feel any kind of discomfort, okay?"
"Of course. I'll be right back." He smiled, standing up.
Reiko watched him go, a soft sigh escaping her lips. She was relieved, her heart feeling lighter. Finally, the worst of the heat was over, and things could go back to normal. She knew Samickle wouldn't be completely free of his urges, the heat would still come and go, but at least he would no longer suffer as he had been for the past weeks.
"Phew, I'm so relieved." She took a deep breath, her shoulders slumping. "It's finally over. Now, we can finally focus on our journey."
Reiko could still feel her heart pounding, her body slightly shaky. She couldn't stop thinking of him, her mind filled with images of his naked body, the outline of his erection, and his lips…
"Stop, Reiko. You're not supposed to think like that." She scolded herself, shaking her head.
Then again, if she was to accept Samickle's proposal, she'd get to see him like that again, and more. Reiko felt her chest tighten, her cheeks warming. She wasn't hesitant because she'd dislike him, no, not at all... but, when thinking about a marriage overall, there were many things that scared her, the intimacy being just one of them. She wasn't naive; she was aware that a marriage had much more than just romantic and physical aspects, and the thought of having someone so close to her, so deeply intertwined with her own life, was terrifying. She was used to traveling, so marrying into the tribe would mean that she'd most probably spend the rest of her life in Kamui, and she wasn't sure if she wanted that.
"It's not that I don't want to marry him. I'm just... scared." Reiko thought, a nervous lump forming in her throat. "I... I can't think about this right now. I need some time to sort out my feelings." She still wasn't sure what she thought about the idea of marrying Samickle, but something had definitely changed. She didn't know what, but she couldn't ignore the tingling feeling in her chest, the butterflies in her stomach.
"Maybe the rest of the journey will help me figure out what I want. Or maybe... maybe it'll just make things more confusing." Reiko sighed, running her fingers through her hair. Her heart was pounding, her body feeling a bit restless.
Taking a deep breath, Reiko stood up, straightening her robes. Then, she heard a loud bark from the garden. She walked towards the door, sliding it open. She looked around, a smile already on her lips.
"It worked!" She spotted Samickle in the corner of the garden, standing by the pond. His wolf form was as magnificent as ever, his heather coat shimmering in the sunlight. "Samickle, come here." Reiko waved at him as she made her way down the patio and over to the garden, a big grin on her face.
The wolf approached her, his tail wagging happily.
"So, you're feeling fine, huh? I'm glad." She smirked, her hand reaching down to give him a good rub behind his ears.
Samickle nodded, a happy growl rumbling in his chest. Reiko took a step back in surprise, when he turned back into his human form, still in the same place as where the wolf had been a moment ago.
"It feels so good to be able to do that again." Samickle smiled, his expression softening. "Thank you, Reiko."
"You're welcome." Reiko blushed, her cheeks warming. She somehow had expected Samickle to want to stay in his wolf form, like he had in the beginning of their journey. Looking at him, standing there in front of her, without his mask... The change was palpable. Only a few days ago, Samickle had been a bundle of nerves, avoidant and distant. The man standing in front of her was a different one, his aura calm and confident. That soft smile, the kindness in his eyes... it was all there, and it was genuine, and it made Reiko's heart race.
"I can't thank you enough." Samickle smiled.
"Oh, you don't have to. I'm happy I could help." Reiko replied, her smile faltering a bit. She felt awkward, her heart hammering in her chest.
"You did. More than you know." He murmured, his cheeks slightly flushed.
Reiko blushed, her heart skipping a beat. His words caught her off guard, her stomach lurching.
"I-I'm glad, then."
They spent one more day at the resort, Reiko gathering her strength after the exhausting task of dealing with Samickle's chakra knots. They had both agreed that the best thing would be to wait until she was feeling a bit better before setting off, so they could continue their journey in peace. Finally, it was time; They had gathered their things and were now ready to go.
"So, you're feeling well enough to travel?" Samickle asked as they made their way to the front gate of the Sasa Sanctuary, a worried look on his face.
"Yup. Don't worry, I'm fine." Reiko smiled, giving him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "It'll take us a few days to reach Sei'an city, so we really have to get going if we want to- Eek!" Her sentence ended with a yelp of surprise when something tugged her robes. "Ah! Chun..?!"
"Big sister Reiko..!" Little sparrow girl sobbed. "Please, don't leave."
"Chun, it's okay." Reiko kneeled, giving the little girl a gentle pat on the head. "I'll be back again, you know that."
"B-but, I'm gonna miss you." She hiccuped, wiping her eyes.
"I'll miss you too, Chun. But I promise I'll come back. Until then, you gotta take good care of everyone, okay?"
"O-okay..."
"You're a brave little bird, aren't you? You're such a sweet little girl."
Still rubbing the tears from her eyes, Chun turned to look at Samickle. "Mr. Mask Man..! You have to come back, too!" She sniffled, her lower beak trembling.
"Me? Uhm..." Samickle's cheeks warmed.
"Y-you have to, okay? Or else I'll be sad."
Samickle didn't know what to say. As a future chief of the tribe, he had no way of knowing if he'd be able to wander outside Kamui for the rest of his life. After all, the safety and well-being of the tribe would be his responsibility. "Well, Chun, I'm not sure if-"
"Mr. Mask Man! Please!" Chun wailed, her feathers puffing up.
"A-ahh, okay, okay." He gave in, unable to resist the pleading look on the little sparrow's face. "I will. I promise."
"Okay." Chun sniffled, nodding her head. "Big sister Reiko would be sad, too, if you didn't come back with her."
"Uh..?" Samickle's cheeks reddened even more.
"You know, she really likes you, right?"
"Chun..! Hush!" Reiko quickly interrupted her, her cheeks burning.
"H-huh?" Samickle was shocked. Was the little bird telling the truth?
"Ah! I mean, well, uh, ahh..." Reiko fumbled, her heart racing. "He's my friend, so of course I'm fond of him. Right?"
"Oh... Is that so." Samickle felt a pang in his chest, a heavy weight settling in his stomach.
"Y-yes. We are friends, right?"
"I, umm, yes. Of course."
Reiko looked away, unable to meet his eyes. The tension in the air was palpable, the silence heavy. "W-well, anyway. We gotta go. So, take care, Chun."
"Big sister Reiko, please be careful." Chun hugged her, squeezing her tightly.
"I will. Don't worry, Chun." Reiko hugged her back, stroking the little girl's back.
"I'll miss you, big sister Reiko."
"Me too, Chun. Me too." With a last hug, Reiko stood up and turned to look at Samickle, her cheeks still slightly flushed. "Ready to go?"
"Yes. Let's go." Samickle nodded, his eyes lingering on her for a moment before he turned away, following her down the path.
With that, the two of them set off, heading for the torii gate. Both of them deepened into their thoughts, they didn't speak much, the silence hanging between them.
"Was what Chun said true..? Does she like me?" Samickle couldn't help but feel a bit hopeful, his chest fluttering.
Reiko had always been kind and caring towards him... but what if she truly thought of him only as a friend, unable to ever see him in a different light? The thought stung, a pang of pain spreading in his chest. The proposal was still hanging in the air, Reiko still hadn't given him an answer. He couldn't really blame her; The only time he had asked her about the subject was when he had been upset about the mess with Kohu, and he hadn't exactly been in a good mindset back then.
"What should I do..? Should I just ask her, or wait until she's ready?" Samickle bit his lip, his stomach clenching. The last thing Samickle wanted to do was to push her, or to put her in an uncomfortable situation— They were far away from home, and the journey back to Kamui would be unbearable if they'd be on awkward terms. Did Reiko have any idea how he felt about her? How long had he liked her? The thought of telling her everything was scary, it could ruin their friendship, their journey, everything. Could she ever feel the same way about him, or was he just deluding himself, hoping for something that would never come to pass?
"What if she says no, when the time comes?" The mere thought made his heart ache.
He should've just tried to court Reiko back in Kamui, trying to figure out if she had any interest in him, before going all in. But, he had been too much of a coward to approach her directly. What had made him even more nervous was the fact that she was an outsider, and he wasn't sure of their customs. Samickle's status also had a lot to do with his approach in the matter; Being the next in line to lead the tribe, he was a prime husband candidate, and he had gotten a bit too hopeful that alone would've been enough to capture Reiko's attention. But again... she was an outsider, the very only person in the tribe who couldn't care less about his position and status.
"I should've taken it slow, instead of rushing into things like this. What was I thinking..?" Samickle sighed, his shoulders slumping. "Stop it, Samickle. She'll probably say no, either way. No use crying over spilled milk."
Reiko, being preoccupied with her own troubles, looked down, her eyes fixed on the road ahead.
"What am I supposed to do..?" She thought, a nervous lump forming in her throat as Chun's words kept ringing in her mind. "I-it's not true. I can't possibly..." Could she, though? She had to admit that she'd grown rather fond of Samickle, and his company had become a welcome relief during their long travels.
"Is it true..?" She wondered, her heart pounding. "Am I... attracted to him..?" Reiko felt her face heat up even more. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye, taking a moment to appreciate his appearance. "I mean, he is very handsome, and tall..." Reiko blushed, a fluttery feeling settling in her stomach. She had to admit that she had been a bit disappointed to see Samickle put his mask back on upon leaving the resort; She had started to get used to seeing his face, and had grown quite fond of the sight."Oh, Reiko. Snap out of it." She scolded herself, biting her lip. "You're not supposed to think like this. Just because you found him attractive, doesn't mean you have feelings for him." Reiko felt her stomach twist, her heart sinking. But... was it just physical attraction? "He's strong and kind, and... I do enjoy spending time with him. He's always so sweet and considerate. Always looking after me, taking care of me. Like... a good husband should." Reiko's cheeks warmed even more.
"But I'm not ready to marry anyone. Am I? I'm just so confused..." She sighed, running her fingers through her hair. "I've never even dated anyone, and he's probably already had relationships. I'm sure of it." She felt her chest tighten, her mind racing. "Would we work..? Would it even be possible..?" She was a little nervous, but she couldn't deny the fact that she liked him. Samickle was an amazing man, and she would be a fool not to be attracted to him.
"It's not a matter of 'like'. If it was, I would've told him yes the moment he asked." She thought, biting her lip. "It's the responsibility, the commitment... The fact that my life would change completely." She let out a soft sigh, her gaze lingering on him. "And he's the future chief of the tribe, not to mention. That makes things even more complicated." She knew Samickle wasn't the type to care about social standing, but still, he had duties to attend to, and marrying an outsider would complicate things. "It would've been easier, if I didn't feel this way about him." Reiko couldn't help but wish her feelings were simpler.
The situation was complex, and she wasn't sure if she was ready to face the reality of it.