Sweetness

[corinthian]

The land that sprawls from the castle to the sea is uneven. Villages break up the plains, the plains break up the forests and rivers cut across them all. One night the lady knight retires first — she could be tired of her companions, or perhaps she finds her rage exhausting. The scholar retreats to the far side of the fire, the book heavy in his hand. Kaito bends before the river, his palm flat against the cold water's surface.

"Len, do you know anything about currents?" He asks, his fingers curl and break his reflection into ripples.

Len, who had not yet gone to sleep and had not asked what was written inside the book, turns from where he is sitting. Curiosity moves him, and he goes to stand next to the river's edge.

Kaito takes his silence to mean, no, not yet: "Water always takes the path of least resistance. You could say. . . water takes what is simply in front of it." The moment seems heavy, until Kaito laughs. "The coldest water, from the north, can be routed into the ground. I've heard the colder the water the sweeter the fruits a tree will bear."

"You want to talk about sweet things?" Len is difficult to impress.

"There is always time for sweetness," Kaito's smile doesn't change. "If there is a rock in the way, water will go around. But if there is a wall, it will go over."

"I'd just put a hole in the wall." Len says, wondering if this was another metaphorical tangent. During their journey Kaito had put forth several, mostly to Meiko and Kamui's annoyance. Len didn't mind them, if they were true.

Kaito lifts his hand out of the water, and shakes his fingers at Len. The water droplets are cold when they hit Len's face, and he frowns.

"Good night." Kaito says.




It is hard to dream out of tune. Len has never dreamed in atonals, but he finds this dream to be cracking at the edges. He knows he is dreaming because in his hand he holds her hand. He also knows that if he turns his head, if he catches more than her smile out of the corner of his eye, she will vanish and he will be left with her echoes.

"I'm dreaming of you again," she says. He hears orange overlaying into yellow.

"I'm going to you," he says. His own voice makes no color appear, the air does not sing back to him when he speaks. He thinks that this must be because he misses her music.

"Will you listen to me sing?" She squeezes his hand.

He doesn't answer her, but he squeezes her hand back.

She sings, and he never lets go of her hand.




Waking is a heavy process. He opens his eyes, and he feels his breath speed up. He sits up, and waits for sleep to give him back his speed and alertness. "It's so quiet." Len says.

"Ah, you're awake." Kamui is meticulously folding a traveling blanket, his expression is closed. Len doesn't see Meiko or Kaito, but the fire pit has been covered.

"We need to hurry."

"As soon as they return. . ." Kamui's frown deepens as he speaks. It quickly becomes apparent why, as there is a crash in the underbrush. The noise is quickly followed by a "Ah! Ow!" and then Kaito rolls out of the bushes. He's holding a branch of flowers and looks more than pleased with himself. A few seconds later Meiko strides out of the trees, not sparing anyone a second glance.

"Let's go." She picks up her traveler's cloak and headed downstream, boots grinding into the rocky soil.

Len follows Meiko, he doesn't have time to waste.

"They make quite a pair, hm, Kamui?" Kaito asks, picking himself off the ground and pulling the bottoms out of the flowers.

". . . . honeysuckle." Kamui only makes one comment, before following the rest of his traveling companions.

Comments

[lluvia]

AAAHHHH BEST PARTY ♥

[corinthian]

All I can ever say is Poor Meiko. . . .

[nekokoban]

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH this was adorable and amazing and I love how you write Kaito, so much :'D!!