Leaving Ben and Bail’s workshop, Shizu crossed down a few rows of houses to a stop out front of a nearby inn. Ascending the snow laden steps with Azi fast asleep in her arms, she made sure to hold onto him tightly. The poor little guy was tuckered out, and so limp that he threatened to spill out if he leaned a certain way in his sleep. From time to time, he gave off a soft snore with that usual dumb smile on his face, probably dreaming about something that she could only guess at. Perhaps about books. Or maybe his past. She listened closely. There was some kind of mumbling coming from him.
"Hmmm.. so.. soft.. hehehe.. Moofu moofu..”
He began to nuzzle his head closer into the crook of her neck. The slight brush of his cheek touched one of her ears. Unable to help herself, a blush came out. Again, she had to admit it. He can be so cute sometimes. I could just.. NO! Quickly pushing back those rather promiscuous thoughts she stepped ahead briskly. She was glad it was late; no one saw her break her composure.
Stepping past the double door frame, Shizu called out into the lightly candle lit reception area to get the attention of any of the staff on duty. The establishment in this part of the village was known for operating at all hours, so there should be someone here.
"Hello! Innkeeper, are you up?"
Shuffling in, as to not make too much noise, she made for a wide desk that was pushed to one side of the establishment’s inner entrance. Out from a blind spot behind a tall bookshelf set to the wall, a door adjacent the corner slid open. A young woman in white servant’s yukata gave a small bow, and immediately recognized who Shizu was.
"Oh.. My lady, what can I do for you? And at such a late hour."
Shizu returned the bow as courtesy. "I do apologize for the commotion, but I am in need of room and board tonight. Do you have any available rooms, and can you provide a meal? Also, is the bath still open?"
The proprietor shook her head sadly. "Unfortunately, the baths are closed and are no longer usable at the moment. We don’t heat water at night to save on upkeep, fortunately, our cook is up and about, and we do have a room available. It only fits one person, so if you desire, I can bring your sleeping friend to another nearby inn for a room of his own."
It was too bad about the bath, though Shizu thought that that was a given as water was essential everywhere. Rationing it was smart for a business like this. Only well off individuals like herself, her uncle, or the village chief had the luxury to bathe with warm water at their leisure. Now came the concern of sharing a room with Azi. She spent a few seconds mulling it over and decided it would be fine.
We’ve slept in the same bed before, and we slept when we camped that one time. This should be fine.. And.. after that time in the hag’s shop I.. Mentally shaking that train of thought off its track, she kept up her air of nobility.
“There will be no need, the current arrangement will be sufficient,” Shizu said calmly. “My apprentice is quite small so we can make do in a single sized room.” She shook Azi to see if he could wake up. “Azi? Can you stand?”
All Azi gave was a low groan as a reply and mumbled, "Hmmm.. just.. 5 more minutes.. please.” And then he went back to sleep, pressing himself closer to Shizu without any care of who was watching.
The proprietor smiled, she looked delighted at how wholesome this all seemed. "Ara Ara, perhaps a one-person room will do.”
Inwardly flustered, Shizu hoped that her cheeks had only reddened to a small degree. After a bit of rough handling and a good pinch to Azi’s cheek, he was eventually awake enough to walk on his own. She set him down and he clung to her hand with one of his own, as the other wiped at his drowsy eyes. The proprietor, after Shizu exchanged a few coins for room and meal, handed over a wooden tag with a room number on it. Shizu gave her thanks and led Azi off like a doddering child.
Before the pair got out of ear shot, the innkeeper spoke up. "We may not have a hot bath, but if you can bear with it, you can help yourself to the built-in bathing room. The water will be cold, so I’ll bring you some hot towels to help warm you up. And I'll bring the food after you’ve cleaned up. Was there anything in particular you’d like the cook to make?”
It was awfully nice of her for the extra attention and service. Shizu waved and craned her neck to say, “That is greatly appreciated. Please, tell the cook to make what he can. I do not want to burden you so much as I already have.” With that, she tugged on Azi’s arm to get him to walk straight.
As the pair walked off hand in hand, the innkeeper went on to work the tasks ahead. Though, she was somewhat distracted. Seeing Lady Shizu here had taken her aback, and she was asking herself why a high noble of Shizu’s caliber would come here of all places. The innkeeper had her suspicions of why, except they seemed to be too out of base from what the rumors had said. If it was as she suspected.. Then..
"It is a good thing their room is a private one,” she muttered. “At least the sound won't leak out."
***
Just as the innkeeper had said, the bath water was cold, so a nice dip wasn’t going to happen. If they wanted a cold, then yes, but it was a hard no. Although this wasn’t the real issue at hand. The real problem Shizu had to deal with was how Azi had fallen asleep, again.
“I swear, you are such a handful.” Shizu grumbled as she got to work in undressing him.
Most would question her if this was immoral or not, the answer was that she didn’t care. From here on, Azi was her apprentice, so they were practically family per the traditions of Kujurian culture. A little skinship wasn’t all bad and she had bathed Yashimu when he was younger.
Shizu sighed and was fighting the urge to blush. “Come on, get it together, he’s just a..”
Her voice fell silent as she got the last layer of Azi’s clothes off. It was stunning how fair skinned and thin he was. It was a given he was smaller than the average man, so his arms and legs didn’t have the log-like sturdiness like her Uncle Kajima, or most men for that matter.
But how could he do all that before? From recent events, she pondered how he was able to bring out such incredible strength during their duel. He had left craters and holes in the ground from his punches, and deflected the rock shattering strikes from an iron mace, not even a katana could cut his skin. Given, it was all thanks to his unnatural and potent use of physical enhancement thaumaturgy, but still. His showing left an impression. Now, it seemed like he was as fragile as paper. Shizu, having seated him on a bath stool, ran a finger along his arm from behind. The blemishes of red on his hands told of how much effort he had put into their bout.
“You truly gave it your all, didn’t you.” Shizu carefully cleaned him, rubbing him down with a cold cloth to get the sweat and grime off. The small shivers Azi made told her that the cold water was at least bearable. “Alright, on to the next part.” She moved around him and scrubbed down his front.
The certain.. Asset.. He had between his legs were.. well.. normal. What was I expecting? Shizu wondered why she had thought otherwise, maybe because he came from a different nation, or that he didn’t fit the usual mold of a normal man his age. Azi said he was 27 years old, so.. She was expecting.. Well, nevermind. She carried on.
With the last of him scrubbed down, Shizu filled a bucket of water. Icey cold to the touch, this was going to wake him up. She tipped it over his head, letting streams of water spill down his hair and off his shoulder.
“Wah!” Azi gave a startled cry as he heaved a harsh breath. “Wah, where.. Where am I?”
Shizu steadied him with a hand to his shoulder. “The inn,” She said matter of factly. “Now hold still, I have to wash your hair.”
“Uh? An inn?” By how confused Azi sounded, it seemed that his brain needed more time to wake up.
“Yes, an inn.” Shizu reassured him. “Now, listen to me and hold still.” Lathering her hands with soap, she scrubbed his scruffy hair.
Azi glanced down at himself, then asked, “Am I.. naked?”
Again, he didn’t sound like he had himself all together, he was dazed, either from getting hit so many times or just plain exhausted.
Shizu continued to scrub as she explained, “I took us to an inn since it would be more convenient with how late it was. Food will be ready shortly, so we have to get cleaned up. I’m guessing you’re about ready to fall asleep again?”
“N-No.” Azi stuttered. “I can.. Stay.. awake.. A little.. Zzz.”
And there he went, snoring. Shizu found it funny and chuckled. Finished up, she splashed another bucket of cold water to get him a bit more conscious.
“Come on,” Shizu said, giving him a few gentle slaps on the cheek. “It’s your turn.”
“My turn?” Azi asked as he wiped the water from his eyes. “To do what?”
“To wash me off.”
For a second, Azi stared at her with a half tired and half bewildered expression. “I.. I can’t do that.”
“Why not? I did it for you?”
Shizu had a point, she could tell Azi knew it.
Azi gave her a reluctant nod. “Fine, but.. Can you keep your..”
Before he could finish, Shizu shed her clothes without warning and seated herself. “Well?” she said pointedly. “Come on, my back isn’t going to wash itself.” She handed Azi a clean wet cloth.
The audibly gulp he made was satisfying, it was nice to relish in his fresh embarrassment. It wasn’t fake and it was fun to torment him with these kinds of teasing. Azi didn’t have much issue with her back or her hair. While not in the right order of things, he had left cleaning her front last, likely because it was going to be uncomfortable for him.
Azi didn’t know where to look, a fact Shizu snickered at and egged him on by pushing her breasts up to show them off. For a guy who said he was an adult, he was so pure and innocent to these kinds of things. Or perhaps he’s being respectful. She’d give him the benefit of the doubt.
“I’m waiting,” Shizu pulled one of Azi’s idle hands closer, feeling his hesitation in the slight tremors, plus the wariness in his eyes. “What? We’re just bathing.”
“I know.” Azi said. “I just.. I’m just tired.”
“Then let’s finish up.”
More hesitation. There was definitely something going on in Azi’s head, and it wasn’t the fact she was naked right in front of him. He had returned to having that subservient attitude of his where he’d think ahead and try to understand the consequences of his next words and actions. After a few seconds, he finally gained some nerve. He did what he could to be gentle while averting his gaze. The light touches he made were.. In a way.. Tepid and.. featherlike.
“Can you rub a little harder?” Shizu asked. “This barely even tickles, and we’ll be here forever at this rate.”
“I-I’ll try.” Azi carefully clasped one of Shizu's breasts and wiped her down with the towel in his right hand. He then lifted her bosom to get to the previously inaccessible areas.
His grip tightened, and Shizu stifled a soft moan that unintentionally came out.
"Be gentler, you dolt!" She wondered if he had done it on purpose. It didn’t seem so. There was a guilt behind those drooping lips of his. “S-sorry,” she said. “I.. I didn’t mean to yell. If you want.. I can finish..”
“No, it’s alright..” Azi interrupted. “I can do this.. It’s.. just a bath.” He moved on, scrubbing Shizu down in stoic silence.
He put some more effort into it. Outwardly, he looked like he was manning up, but Shizu could sense his inner frustration. There was a pain behind those eyes of his, a pain that was holding on from the past.
Taking a bucket of cold water, Azi doused Shizu down. When he went to pour out one more dousing, his arms faltered and shook. He was on the brink of exhaustion. Hurriedly, Shizu went to grab his shoulder. Before she could, Azi’s eyes lost their focus and the bucket of water fell away from his hands.
Shizu made a surprised yelp when Azi’s face fell pressed between her breasts.
“Ah.. wah!” She frowned, squinting down at him. “Of all the places you could fall into, you choose there? I would’ve punched you if you tried this if you were awake.” There was no reply, so he was quite down for the count.
“You could’ve just asked,” Shizu mumbled, her voice trailing to a low and hushed tone, hoping Azi didn’t hear. “Of all the people I’ve met, you're the most troublesome of them all. But.. in spite of that.. you’re the only one to have actually.”
No, she couldn’t say it. She changed tact, giving Azi a squeeze to get his face to scrunched a bit. The little groan he made was entertaining, though it didn’t help to take her mind off what had happened. Admittedly, she had been unintentionally asking for this to happen. A man and a woman, sharing a bath? It was obvious things could’ve gone in this direction. She let him rest there, between her breasts with that blissfully exhausted look on his face.
Giving his head a pat, Shizu was reminded of how the only other person she was this intimate with was her little sister Rulu. She imagined if Azi was her little brother. It fit, he was the right size, though he was a rascally handful. But age? He says he’s 27.. I believe it.. But.. She compared him to Yashimu and when he had been this small.
That younger brother of her’s had never been so willing to cuddle or share a bath back then. He was prude, a dignified prude. Azi was almost a prude too, though she now understood he had a wild side to him behind that academic prowess and outlook of his. This was odd, she had a kind of parental protectiveness for Azi and a kind of.. Equally respect and admiration for him, like she would for a fellow comrade.
She glanced around, peering at the shut door and then to the walls to see if there were any holes. This was a private room, so this space was safe, still, it was important to be careful, especially as a noble. Satisfied that there were no eyes on them, she leaned her chin down and drew her cheek close to the top of Azi’s head. It was a jumble, a straight, thinly vined jungle of messy hair. Each strand lightly pricked her. It didn’t hurt, they were.. Smooth.. A smidge irritable.. though fluffy.
Shizu didn’t know how much time she spent holding him. It was only until she heard a knock did she come back to herself and remembered that the door wasn’t locked.
“Y-Yes? Who is it?” She shifted on the bath stool to make it sound like she was occupied, hoping that would deter whoever it was from coming in. “Is there something that you need?”
“Apologies my lady.” It was the innkeeper on duty. “I only wanted to inform you that your food is prepared. Please, finish at your leisure.”
“Much appreciated.” Shizu discreetly picked Azi up and moved over to hold the handle of the bathroom door. If the innkeeper tried to come in, she’d hold it tight, and explain that she locked it. “You can go now. I will call you to pick up the dishes.”
A long second passed. She wondered if the innkeeper would ask where Azi was. There wasn’t a peep, it was good form for a servant. The clack of the room’s sliding door was the signal that it was all clear. Reaching the shelf next to the door, she listened in as she grabbed a set of clothes.
“Phew.”
Shizu let out a breath, then put her attention back down at Azi, who was completely unaware of the trouble he was causing her heart. Giving him a vengeful hug, she pecked the top of his head. He was so out of it, so there was no harm if he wouldn’t remember.
“From now on, you’re mine,” Shizu giggled to herself, content with her choice, or should she say, her potential choice. “Guess my father really found a good one, not that I’ll tell him that. To think.. A foreigner like you has a chance.”
***
“Uh?” Azi blinked, surprised to find that a spoonful of what looked like soup was being tipped to his lips.
He let it pass, swallowing the savory and salty flavors of what tasted of beef or a kind of poultry, then glanced around. There was a spread of food on a low table right in front of him and he seemed to be in a room big enough for one. By how there wasn’t a crackle of fire, there was no hearth to warm the place.
If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
He noted his attire, and that he wouldn’t need to worry about being cold. Someone had put him into a sleeping yukata, it was warmer than usual nightwear since the fabric was denser by how stiff it felt when he rubbed his thumb and finger to pinch at it. When the spoon moved away, he looked up.
“S-shizu?”
The question drew a feline-like smile from the person in question. “Well, good morning to you too,” She reached for a bowl at the table and scooped a spoon full of what looked like stew. “Now that you’re awake, how does eating something solid sound?”
Did that question really apply now? Azi could think of a mountain of other things she could’ve said or explained, like what was happening. He had passed out mid bath, and now this? Being fed as if he were a child?
Shizu touched the spoon to his lips. “Come on, say ah.”
I am not a kid. Azi gobbled the proffered stew without making a sound. The wooden walls of this room weren’t like the usual ones at Kajima’s, the smell was also different, there was a floral scent in the air.. An air freshener? Maybe?
“Why am I sitting in your lap?” Azi asked.
Shizu only offered another spoonful of stew to his lips. Azi waited for an answer as he chewed it down. Shizu squeezed his side and he noticed that she had one arm around his stomach, he couldn’t get out of her lap.
“I’m just tending to you,” Shizu said. “You passed out after the duel and in the bath, so I suspected that you were probably both hungry and tired. Fighting like you did, you must’ve burnt a lot of energy, especially since you used magic to fight me. You should be glad that you didn’t get hurt, it could’ve ended badly if you didn’t have a natural knack for thaumaturgy.”
Azi nodded, that made sense, but it didn’t explain why he had to be in her lap. Putting that aside, he deliberated about the duel. If he had been faster at that crucial moment towards the end of the duel, he could’ve won, and it meant much to him. Her sudden proclamation of giving him a lesson had rang an alarm in him, it was a do or die moment, emphasis on the die with how vicious she was being. That was a chance she was giving him, and he failed, which means that.. I can’t be with her.
Although he had given it his all in the duel, Shizu was still holding back. She didn’t have her personal weapon and she was even pulling her punches, getting him to attack and examine how he countered. She was toying with me. Even after I used magic. It was no wonder she was considered to be a fierce warrior, and why men feared her.
Azi’s mood changed, he became awkward, not knowing what to say. Questions were on the tip of his lips, except what was the point? It’s over, I’m not even worth her time. He occupied himself in munching away at the meal. The odd position he was in, on her lap, was something he tried to ignore.
With their stomachs full, Shizu helped Azi lay down and had a conversation with who he suspected to be the innkeeper. He was startled when Shizu crawled under the covers next to him.
“What?” Shizu grinned as she patted the pillow for her head. “Don’t look at me like that, you were the one asleep when we were checking, and this is all they had available. We’ll just have to make do.”
Azi sighed, he didn't have the energy to argue and his body ached all over. Shutting his eyes, he let the time pass. He could’ve slept, except he wasn’t tired mentally, just physically, and he wanted to think. When Shizu was fast enough asleep, he turned on his side to stare at his hand. A new set of bandages were applied over his old injuries.
Probably Shizu’s doing. And again she makes an exception for me.. He thought somberly. This isn’t right.. I’m only a commoner to her now.. So why? He scrunched his brow. No.. No.. forget it.. What was I expecting.. I’m not a fighter.. And I can’t keep up with her.
Azi focused on his hand lit by the moonlight, trying to draw his thoughts to what he had recalled during the duel. Why did I do that? Why did I.. use my hands? It felt.. So natural. It was an arduous task to relive those moments, and even when he glimpsed a little, there wasn’t enough clarity. It was as if the whole picture were now missing too many pieces. All that was left was the sensation of when he was punching something.
Strangely, the memory, the moment, gave him.. relief? What for? He didn’t have a clue. A kind of exercise? But I get the feeling it was a kind of.. Outlet. There was something vindicating about it. So much pent up rage, all of it coming out all at once. Was I violent in my past? Was I.. The scene of a crying mother and father frowning down at him gave him pause. A deep regret tore into him. I hurt them, didn’t I? Was I a horrible person? A horrible son?
He put his head in his hand, rubbing at his watering eyes. He hadn’t realized how much he hated not knowing his past. Stifling a sniffle, his eyes followed the pale light from the window. The stars in the night sky shone brightly alongside the moon. They were all like a calming beacon that struck a chord in him.
Pretty.. When was it? The last time I could see these? The answer to that was last night, except he knew what he actually meant. Of all things he could recall, it was that it had been years since he last saw stars in his homeland, wherever it was. He could picture that dreary starless sky, caused by something called light pollution–a typical effect of urban development.
It all implied change, and Azi had witnessed it first hand. The stars he could once view freely from his old childhood bedroom started to slowly disappear from the night sky as the surroundings grew bigger, taller, brighter, and wider. All the while, he grew slowly sadder every night as more and more stars disappeared, it was like a sudden farewell. At one point there were so few in the night sky that he could count them all on his hands, and they too eventually disappeared.
This memory wasn’t helping, neither were these stars, these oh so familiar stars. He did feel grateful that he could see such a sight, perhaps that’s why he liked it here, this village was rather cozy. There was a silver lining to his life in this foreign land.
Foreign? The word rolled sourly on his tongue, it made him shiver a little. Yeah.. foreign. It scared him at how he was the odd one out, how he knew so little of local customs. I couldn’t have made it out here without them. Without Ozen, or Kajima, or Shizu? Will I be alright on my own? When I want to.. Fly the coop? Can I make it out there? Without.. any help?
Was there anyone he could lean on? The face of a mentor flashed across his eyes, a disdainful smile on their face made him doubt himself.
Can I really start anew?
“If you're going to cry, you shouldn’t hide it.” Said a voice behind him.
It was a given that she of all people overheard. The futon was originally for one, and with two people in it, it was going to be cramped.
Azi wiped the last of his tears away. “I’m not crying.”
Shizu shifted under the covers and came closer.
“What are you doing?” Azi didn’t dare to turn around, not when the soft sensation on his back tempted him. He put on a mask of calm by toning his voice into that mock noble attitude. “Lady Shizu, if you would like, you can have the bed for yourself. I will be content to sleep on the ground.”
Shizu let out a scoff as she nestled her chin on his shoulder. “You can drop the tone, it doesn’t suit you.”
“But.. Lady Shizu.. I must.”
“Quit it.” Shizu’s voice turned dead serious. “It really doesn’t suit you.”
Azi’s face dropped as he exhaled to change tact. “You got me there. I swear, how are you of all people able to put up with keeping that tone for so long.”
“Discipline, and grit.” Shizu replied, reaching her arm around him. She was teasing him again. “But I do admit, using that tone puts a strain on my usual good mood.”
Azi stayed silent. Shizu was being increasingly intimate, possessive even. He had to ask, “Why are you giving me special treatment? Especially now?”
“Because you are my apprentice.”
Azi wasn’t expecting that. He watched from the corner of his eye as Shizu leaned her head to leer at him. Her chin nudged him, tauntingly.
Azi tucked his head to the pillow, hoping she didn’t see how caught off guard he looked. “And how long will that be for?” He asked, the pillow muffling his words. “Must be temporary since I’ve practically let you down in all our spars.”
“Mostly, but not all,” Shizu said, her hand sliding up to his chest. “You're troubled, aren’t you? What’s wrong? Do you miss home? Your old friends?”
Azi bit his lip. “No.. Not that I remember it much, and I.. I don’t think I had friends.”
“I see,” Shizu squeezed, gently letting her body press to his back. She was comforting him.
But why?
“Are we friends?” Azi knew it was abrupt, he wished he hadn’t said it. “I-I mean, I know this is weird of me to ask and it definitely oversteps with how you’re a noble, but I wanted to see if we could stay in contact after you.. Well..”
“After I what?” Shizu asked.
Azi untucked his head, letting the words trail off. “When you.. remove me as your apprentice.. One day.”
Shizu paused for a second, then let out a sigh that was a tangle of being annoyed and a little guilty. "And why would I do that any time soon?” She said. “I told you, you’re my apprentice now, and I don’t admit that so easily. Also, I think it's obvious that we are friends. We’ve probably already gone past that point with how we’re sharing a bed. And another thing!” By her punctuation, she was getting riled up. “Don't think about trying to weasel out of your responsibilities for kissing me."
"T-That was an accident!" Azi stammered. "It was Elder's Sung's fault, remember how she was grinning at us when we left."
"I do, but that doesn't mean you can get away from your responsibilities. That goes the same for me since that was a two-way deal."
Huh? What the heck is she talking about? Azi hadn’t a clue of what she meant. “A two way deal? What do you mean?” He asked.
"Didn't Elder Sung tell you?"
"No, she only told me how to do the steps, she didn’t tell me about their meanings or what they entailed. And I wasn’t really in the presence of mind to ask after we.. you know..”
Shizu grumbled indiscernibly to herself. “Guess I’ll have to get back at those two later.”
Wanting to get back on topic, Azi asked. "Umm, so? What are the details of this deal? Is there more to being your apprentice? Or.. to that.. Thing we did?"
"It’s not a deal per say,” Shizu explained. “That kiss we did was a way to show loyalty to each other between nobles. It entails that each party would be willing to serve and protect each other whenever called upon. Whenever I call upon you or you call upon me, we are obligated to come to the aid of the one making the request."
Azi thought that was very knightly. “Okay, seems simple enough to understand. But what I can’t understand is why you still chose me as your apprentice. Haven’t I let you down enough already? Anyone can see that I’m terrible with a sword.”
“Oh, no argument there.” Shizu was rather blunt, it stung. Her tone suddenly went apologetic. “Azi.. I know you’ve been somewhat.. Different after that incident at Elder Sung’s. You must’ve felt pressured, you must’ve been.. hurting.”
“Yeah, those beatings you put me through clearly did,” Azi said. “And the bruises hurt to this day.”
Shizu grunted, obviously she hadn’t meant to be so mean. “Yeah, I was rough, but I wanted to take back what I said before.”
“About what?”
“About how.. I.. mumbled a few things that I shouldn’t have.. Like.. not kissing you that one time.”
“You remember that?”
“Y-yeah, I recall your rather depressed reaction,” Shizu said scoldingly, she was back to being a little annoyed. “Just because I said it was wrong doesn’t mean you should agree with me, plus I was drunk.”
“I.. I understand.”
“You understand?” Shizu pressed him as if his reply was rather lackluster.
Azi gulped. “I.. Yes.. I understand,” He then asked, “So? About that thing we did. I know you said it's a promise of loyalty between nobles, but what meaning does it have between us? I’m a commoner and you're a noble, is there a difference?”
Shizu grew quiet, her hands around his chest fidgeted. "Ummm, in our case.. It’s.. it’s nothing too different," She said slowly. “Normally, if taken into our context, it was.. a way for.. Lovers.. To..”
She didn’t need to say the rest. The word lovers gave Azi all the context he needed.
"Wait? Does that mean.. We’re a couple?”
Shizu didn’t like how his tone was troubled, as if he had stepped on something. "Do you have a problem with that, Azi?!" She forcefully turned him around to give him a harsh stare, her cheeks puffing angrily.
Azi reeled back, scooting his way out from the covers. But Shizu’s arms were already around his back. As always, she was a step ahead of him, whether in or out of a fight. She silently demanded an answer with that signature glare of hers, wordlessly pushing pressure on him. With no escape, Azi gave the most truthful answer he could. A lie probably couldn’t escape her sight, even if it was a well made half truth.
"I.. I have no problems with it."
Shizu nodded, amused. "Good! But you will need to pass my trials to have a chance of marrying me."
Azi felt his face heat to several shades of red. He covered his face with his hands, to which Shizu smiled at in satisfaction.
After calming down, and wanting to contend with that smarmy look from her, Azi decided to push back a little, and said, “It sounds more like you’re a picky woman. After hearing this and the rumors, it’s no wonder you’re single.”
Shizu huffed. “Well, I don’t like weak men, especially the pompous types who use their status. All the suitors my father and brother have shown to me are just fledglings, boys with thick heads full of coins.”
“And what am I? Do I even have a chance?”
Shizu shook her head, exasperated. “I’m beginning to think that you aren’t as smart as you look. Our last duel was your test, in fact, I’ve been testing you ever since we started sparring. And my interest was.. So to say.. Piqued today. So you passed the first hurdle, but barely.”
"But I didn’t win. How does that warrant passing?”
“Winning wasn’t the goal of what I was looking for. I wanted to see what was within you. I told you before that you have a talent inside you. Perhaps even a beast locked away, a warrior waiting to be molded out from under all that pale skin, imagine the heights you can go.”
Azi blinked several times before understanding just how she evaluated him, how she believed in him. A new giddy embarrassment rose deep in his chest and made him chuckle as he turned to lie on his back.
“This is starting to sound like a heroic tale,” He joked. “Don’t tell me you think it’s going to end up like those Knightly romance stories?” He shot a cheeky smile at Shizu. “Or is that what you want?”
Shizu flicked his nose. “That’s only if you’re willing to put in the work, and I’m not an easy woman.”
“You don’t have to tell me that,” Azi rubbed his nose, damn was it sore. “The way you like to smack me around tells me you're unlike any normal woman.”
“Hey! Don’t make it sound like I’m weird.”
“Oh, but you are. You very much are, and very unfair in how you teach.”
Shizu knitted her brows begrudgingly as she turned over onto her side to pout at him. “How about this then? Because you passed my first test, I’ll let you have a reward. This should make up for all the hard times I put you through. What do you say?”
"And what is this reward?" Azi asked. “And there better not be a catch to all this.”
Shizu chuckled and decided to humor him. “I’ll let you choose. So go ahead, think about it and then come to me when you know what you want. It could be anything.. But if I can’t get it for you I’ll get you the next best thing.”
It was awfully generous of her, but there wasn’t really anything Azi wanted. He had a place to stay, was her apprentice for the foreseeable future, and even felt that the recent muddled barrier between them had cleared up. If anything, he wanted things to stay the way they were. What about that? Memories. He wanted his memories back, except that would be a stretch for Shizu. How would you even help a person get their memories back?
What if I asked her to do that again? Azi thought. It did.. Help a little.
“Don’t think too hard,” Shizu said. “Take your time.”
Azi didn’t need to, he steeled his heart. Slowly, he shifted on his side to face her and wrapped his arms around her waist. With a gentle tug she came closer as he stared into those red eyes of her’s. Truly, a pair of unique stars, captivating and alluring.
“I know what I want,” Azi said. “If.. if it’s overstepping my boundaries, you can refuse.”
Shizu seemed flushed for a beat, then smiled and nodded. Inch by inch, Azi drew his face closer. Shizu’s eyes widened, figuring out the direction of his request. Her gaze then softened as she stayed still. The sound of their breath filled their ears before that nostalgic calming sensation from the last time they kissed resurfaced.
Azi was the one to make the first move. It was bold to demand a kiss as a reward, nevertheless, he was going to take it. This was his new start, and he wasn’t going to be cowed by some past restraint. He leaned over and rolled Shizu onto her back. His lips moved away as he touched his forehead with her’s, locking their gazes to ask if he should go on.
Azi didn’t get any denial and went in for another kiss a breath later. His lips pressed down, going slowly as his warmth spread across Shizu’s face. He could feel her face heat up as her arms wrapped around his back, fingers pressing into his yukata as she squirmed. It was like getting lost in time, this moment stretched on and on.
When Azi finally realized he was losing control of himself, he pulled away. Staring down at Shizu, he saw her in a new light. Gone was the merciless warrior, the high noble, and the man killer of Kujyuri. All there was, was a girl blushing with eyes filled with content emotions, as if fulfilled.
Azi was too. Initially, he did it because he wanted to recall more of his past, and to fill an uncomfortable hole in his heart. One of those things happened, and he was glad that it was the latter desire.
“S-Sorry,” He said, flustering. “I.. I didn’t mean to.. Uh, well.. I did, but..”
Shizu’s lips pressed into a thin line as she clasped both of his pink cheeks. “Was that all?” She asked forwardly. “By how intense you were, I thought you were going to.. Perhaps.. Take all my firsts.”
Azi was taken back, finally noticing how disheveled Shizu was in her yukata. She was spilling out of it and so was he.
Azi vigorously shook his head. “N-No. I wasn’t going to go that far.”
“Hmm, I suppose you wouldn’t,” Shizu eased into a smile, a teasing one. “I’d prefer it if you were bolder.”
Before Azi could say anything, she rolled him onto his back.
Azi winced. “Huh? S-Shizu? What are you..”
Shizu silenced him with a kiss of her own. As if to top him, she went further than he did. Her tongue pushed past the boundary of his lips. It was a knockout punch that had him whimpering in overwhelmed shock, yet he was forced to relish in the blissfulness that bloomed on his face.
Shizu drew back to let him breathe, then said, “Remember, I let you kiss me because it was a reward. Don’t get the wrong idea that you can kiss me anytime. But in my case,” She locked her arms around him. “Since I’m your knight, you are now mine, so I get to do whatever I want, even if you don’t like it.”
Azi had a retort, except he was panting, his tongue limp as saliva dribbled from his lips. He wanted to tell her that it wasn’t fair, then Shizu cut him off with a kiss before he could get his wits together. She was cunning, if not well adept in catching people off guard, and she did more than break his defenses, she out right invaded and routed him.
Azi pushed, trying to get a little room. At the rate this was going, he was sure he was going to pass out from how hard she was making his heartbeat. Shizu kept kissing him and only let him have the briefest of moments to get a mouthful of air. Farther and farther, he fell deeper into a haze as tears welled in his eyes.
Shizu backed off, her eyes somewhat cloudy as she scrutinized him. “What? Don’t tell me you’re not enjoying it.”
Azi gasped, wiping his mouth. “It’s.. it’s not that..” He rasped. “This.. This is.. Just a lot..”
Shizu grinned, giving him a peck on the cheek. “Do you like this better?”
“That’s not what I meant,” Azi mumbled. “Now you’re messing with me.”
“Then how about this?” Shizu reached over and clasped both of Azi’s hands. As their fingers interlaced, she leaned in slowly, their lips a smidge away from touching. “Just squeeze my hand if I’m being too rough, got it?”
Azi hesitated to nod, in the end he did. Shizu was convincing, if not persistent. She closed her eyes, and this time Azi didn’t fight it. He let her in, and it was as if he was thrust into a dream. Going through the lucid motions sent a wave of joy in his leaping heart.
Time became a blur. Back and forth it went, and by the time Azi realized how hot things had gotten, he realized he hadn’t even squeezed his hand once. The two of them had seemingly thrown themselves into this and were mindlessly embracing each other to bask in the fervor of whatever welling emotions thrummed in their exchange.
Soon, exhaustion began to slow them down. Azi nestled into Shizu’s chest, hearing every thump of her chest with his ear pressed to her bosom. Shizu embraced him, burying her face in the fluff of his hair. Their once labored breaths become softer and then quelled to quiet snoring.