Chapter Text
“Trying another perspective?”
Kyubei’s breath is warm in my ear as he peers down the board from over my shoulder.
(How!)
Startled I twist around too quickly, my sleeve sweeping over the board as I wipe off the entire field. A warm arm wraps around my waist, preventing me from doubling over and causing further damage.
“Careful, I didn’t mean to startle you.”
Kyubei doesn’t seem one bit apologetic for startling me, a gentle smile crossing his features as he turns his eyes on the emptied field, a chuckle escaping him.
“That is one way to ensure victory. Mind if I borrow your sleeve for the next war?”
Hitting him on the shoulder I pout back at the man, not appreciating the joke before realising how close we are. A realisation that seemed to set belatedly with Kyubei as well, who slowly loosens his grip on me.
“We seem to find ourselves in this position a lot.”
Kyubei chuckles at that, another rumble rising up from his chest as he starts to clean up the pieces thrown across the floor.
(I don’t dare to say anything, my voice might betray my heart.)
Quickly kneeling down as well I start to help pick up the black and white stones, sorting them into the right boxes as I try to distract my wayward mind. That until my hand brushes against something warm.
(Huh?)
Looking down at my hand I notice the sweets Kyubei had brought earlier, not too far from it Kyubei himself who is already enjoying one sweet.
“Since neither of us won we might as well share, not? There are two anyway.”
He says it so casually, I would have almost dismissed it as easily as he did.
(Kyubei, you were planning on sharing all this time, right?)
Feeling my heart beat go a little faster I drop the last stones in their respective boxes before joining in with the treat.
The treat that he got me tasted even sweeter than it had looked like, a warmth spreading across my chest as I stared at Kyubei.
(Kyubei, thank you for making my time in the Sengoku era a little easier.)
“I will grow nervous if you stare at me too long, [Name].”
Choking on my bite I quickly turn away from Kyubei who quickly leaps over to pat me on my back, a cup of water in his other hand.
“My apologies, I seem to enjoy flustering you.”
Once again his voice didn’t sound one bit sorry. Though, try as I might I couldn’t be angry, or even fake a glare at him.
(I like his warmth. In both character and person.)