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"No, I am not."
Hayabusa approaches Hanzo first, prepared with that particular praise.
The look on Hanzo's face after he tells him such words makes him chuckle, almost loud enough for the other man to hear.
He finds it all so endearing, though, that he could not help it: The red that immediately paints Hanzo's cheeks, the mouth that is slightly agape, electric blue eyes wide as plates as he stares back at him with shock in his face. It only makes his heart melt and his eyes soften, staring back at him.
Seconds pass, however, and in this time the Akuma Ninja looks away, face changing into a dejected look.
"...No, Haya-kun. You are wrong."
His eyebrows quirk in surprise. He did not expect such a response, though his actual answer can probably be taken from this alone.
"...And what makes you say that?"
Hanzo turns to look at him directly, the expression on the ninja's face now finally visible for Hayabusa to see.
"Look at me." Hanzo begins, slowly raising two shaky arms in front of him as a demonstration, flinching when he finds himself staring back at demonic markings and black scabs that had come from the trials he was forced to face. "Scars. Everywhere. Hanekage's binds cover me from head to toe. I look incredibly hideous, from appearance to the clothes I wear."
Hanzo rubs his arms and sighs shakily. "Where do you even see the beauty from all that?"
Hayabusa frowns. "Beauty does not just come from the outside—"
"And you think there's any beauty from me in here?" Hanzo interjects, banging a hand on his chest, clutching at it as he struggles to keep himself from trembling.
"My hands are covered in blood that belonged to the innocent, all in an effort to feed the greedy demon that resides in me and owns my soul. I have become what I've become because of my own thirst for power— I am a heartless, ruthless killer and you of all ninjas of Iga should know that, as you've been taught—"
As the words are said, the tears that he had desperately tried to keep at bay escape him in rapid speed, falling down his cheeks. The Akuma Ninja turns away from the other man, taking in shaky breaths.
"I can't- understand how you can say I am beautiful, because I am not, Hayabusa. Please, don't tell me such lies again."
Hayabusa's frown deepens as he watches the older man's composure break, sniffles becoming louder as he raises an arm to wipe the tears away, but to no avail. It was a pitiful image, one he did not ever wish to see; one he did not expect to be the cause of.
Responsibility for the situation, as a trait, comes naturally for him.
Hayabusa approaches Hanzo while he is unaware, taking his hands gently against his own. Hanzo stiffens and looks back at him with wide eyes; exactly the same reaction he'd gotten a few moments ago. It makes him chuckle again, and though the Akuma Ninja's face remains the same, his body suddenly becomes as still as a statue.
Soon enough, he realizes how close he is to the other male; seeing Hanzo's sharp nose, the deathly pale skin, his lips a bit chapped but just as supple as any other, accented by sunlight that seems to tease them from above. It's all fascinating to him, the other male's face, that he could not bring himself to turn around- Even as electric blue eyes gawk back bashfully at his own sly ones.
...So beautiful.
He could stare at him all day.
Staring for too long, however, makes him ignorant of the way Hanzo almost stumbles as he takes a few clumsy steps back, at least for a few seconds. But he comes back to consciousness again and smirks, drawing himself near, chuckling yet again while hearing the panicked muttering coming from the other ninja.
"H-Haya-" A tree meets with Hanzo halfway, and this is where Hayabusa pins him against, their faces close to each other once more. Tears spring out of Hanzo's eyes, but they remain fixated to Hayabusa's, despite the sniffles and the attempts to get away from him one last time.
"Haya, please-"
He simply blinks, not saying a word.
All he can do is cup Hanzo's cheeks with his hands, gently tracing his thumbs along the pale skin, wiping the tears that stain his flushed cheeks.
"You're beautiful."
He doesn't know what Hanzo is thinking, but he can probably guess.
Silence comes between them and requests a time out, joined by the nosy birds and animals, their shrewd eyes watching them from the trees and bushes. However, Hanzo's heavy breathing is the only thing he is able to pay attention to. For a moment, he worries if there truly is something wrong with Hanzo, and maybe he'd taken it too far. He knows the panic attacks that the man can get sometimes. They keep worsening every day.
Finally concerned, and done with teasing Hanzo for now, he opens his mouth to offer to take him back to camp-
But Hanzo beats him to it.
"...I am not."
Hayabusa can only manage a huff.
How long must he have to deny it?
Regardless, he's beyond accepting such an answer. "You're beautiful," He repeats, removing his head from Hanzo's own and shifts instead to his neck, planting soft touches on the other male's skin, his gloved hand caressing his cheek. "Believe it or not, Han... you are the most beautiful man I've ever met."
He swears the purple skin begins to heat up, coupled by the small breaths and sounds that escape Hanzo's lips. But he still sees the way Hanzo's eyebrows furrow in disagreement, through the corner of his eye. "Y-You're wrong, Hayabusa."
"No, I am not."
"You are-" Hanzo tries to make his voice firm, an attempt to sound more authoritative, but the way his hands press against Hayabusa's chest in a feeble attempt to push him away seems to tell otherwise. "I'm- I'm not beautiful-"
"But you are." He denies Hanzo's efforts and refuses to budge, seizing the other male's waist and pulling it against his own, earning a surprised gasp. "A lovely rose among the thorns of Hanekage's curse."
"I'm... not perfect... I'm ugly, Haya..."
"Your imperfections only make it so much better, my love."
It seems Hanzo has given up the argument, as he only hears a tired sigh as a response. Hayabusa focuses on pressing more gentle kisses on the flushed skin again, moving along the crook of his neck.
"You do not realize... how beautiful you truly are, Han." He ascends from the neck and reaches his ear, muttering against it. Hanzo's body shivers under his touch. "How wonderful you are as a person... inside and out."
Hanzo seems like he wants to protest, but Hayabusa does not offer him a chance. He presses his forehead against Hanzo's, red eyes boring into teary electric ones. "It's unfortunate, really, how Hanekage has ruined you to his fullest potential, and used you as a puppet for his own personal gain... and maybe, for your own."
As Hanzo stares up at him, waiting for him to finish, a sad smile graces Hayabusa's lips for a moment. "I cannot ever excuse your actions. The crimes you have committed are wrong and must be atoned for. But... you did exactly that. Iga made sure of it."
His hand brushes against Hanzo's cheek tenderly; Hanzo grips it tightly and gives in to the comfort of it.
"People become foolish when they hunger for power. I was there, and you were too. Stupid young men who did not know any better. Maybe... maybe we still are." Hayabusa shakes his head, a faint sigh escaping his lips. Hanzo's eyes soften in contemplation.
"But... three years have passed already and you have not touched any innocent lives since you met us. That's why... I want to give you a chance."
Hayabusa closes his eyes, letting slip another small sigh he'd been holding back.
"I want to know who you truly are, without the interference of that demon. That is where I find the beauty in you; to get to know you more as time passes."
Silence decides to interfere again, but Hanzo won't allow it, seizing this chance to talk.
Hayabusa lets him.
"Yet what if Hanekage strikes again? What if... you won't get the chance to know me any better?"
He simply smiles, kissing his cheek.
"Then... I'll- we'll be there to stop you both from getting any ideas."
He takes one of Hanzo's hands and locks fingers with it, and notices how Hanzo immediately tightens his grip. The smile on his face widens.
It's easy to return the favor.
With another hand he tips Hanzo's chin upward, staring intently yet again at two electric blue orbs; stunningly gorgeous eyes that he so absolutely loves.
Hayabusa plants a gentle kiss on his forehead.
Hanzo's lips, throughout this whole conversation, finally curve upward for the first time.
"...Thank you."
He does not need to reward it with another smile.
There already is one on him.
"Of course I am!"
Hanabi is next in line for the compliment, but he finds difficulty finding her today.
It should have been expected, really. That woman was known for her agility and exemplary stealth, as well as her speed and precision, making her suitable for sneaking away easily while on missions. And while she is only secondary to him when executing such abilities (he insists he isn't bragging), they also serve as reasons as to why she has gained his respect and that of their former colleagues.
She was a sight to behold, albeit rarely seen, as she often works alone.
After all, Hanabi is still a ninja, and while raised by a different faction from his, is side by side with him on the same clan.
( yet now they are no longer part of that clan. now they have run away to live independently from it and its overbearing rules and ideologies. now only four of them traverse these unknown lands and forests, making sticking together a stern rule that they must abide to, no matter what the cost. now they must take care of each other, and not cause trouble and harm to one another. )
And yet now, she remains as stubborn as she can be.
Hayabusa scratches his head in irritation, scanning in between the leaves of every tree, keeping a close eye on any movement nearby. It does not help matters. Only a few small animals can be found scurrying away as they sense his presence. Sometimes he questions himself if they were only truly small animals, or if the movements were made by something... or someone else.
Then again, he cannot make out exact figures. He is no Kagura.
Using his voice won't do, as well; at best, it will attract either Hanzo, Kagura, or the one he is searching for in the first place, Hanabi... It will lure in monsters, at worst. And forests in the Cadia Riverlands house the most devilish monsters known to the Land of Dawn.
No. Calling her name is not plausible.
I will have to tire myself by searching for her for a few more minutes, then.
An annoyed grunt escapes his lips, as he realizes he has no other choice for the matter. But he continues to walk through the forest path anyway, in hopes of spotting the Scarlet Flower, or at least the red glow of the Higanbana.
Time passes by and refuses to rest itself for Hayabusa's sake. Yet there is no sign of Hanabi, no glimpse of her figure anywhere, no movement that signifies that she may be nearby. He heaves a frustrated sigh and, taking one last look at the forest path, turns around.
Hayabusa decides to end the search for her and call it a day. Hanzo and Kagura will be worried and he refuses for the situation to come to that. If not today, she might be back tonight; he trusts her enough to make it around these woods. The camp is only a few distances away, and he knows she's explored a great expanse of these forests to know where to go.
But he spots her at the exact moment he is about to turn and leave.
She sits on the edge of a dangerously elevated cliff, her figure unmoving, save for the fingers that tap idly on the Higanbana that lies just beside her on the ground. The wind passes through with a sharp whistle, leaves rustling in its wake, sweeping along her ebony hair, tied by a red ribbon in her signature ponytail.
A sigh of relief escapes his lips, followed by a smirk.
The search hadn't gone for hours after all.
Proceeding with careful steps, he approaches her from behind, careful not to make a sound. Up close, he sees that the Scarlet Flower's eyes are closed shut, a solemness on her face. No sound comes out of her, not even a hum.
Thinking. Processing her thoughts. Meditating.
He finds a seat next to her, nonetheless, feet dangling off the cliff. He lets silence pass between them for now, allowing Hanabi a moment to collect her thoughts.
He knows she will notice him eventually.
That she does.
One eye flashes open, revealing an orb of turquoise blue. Then, a gasp of surprise as she stands abruptly from where she is sitting – her foot almost slips, but she is able to balance herself, thankfully – and backs away, looking at him with wide eyes.
"H-Hayabusa?!"
He only smirks underneath his mask, red eyes meeting with hers, which glint with shock and the obvious mixture of confusion. "How'd you do, Scarlet Flower?" He asks, standing up and dusting himself. "Gods, was it a feat to search for you. I never thought I'd find you here."
Hanabi looks him up and down, blinking, followed eventually by the furrow of her eyebrows, as she glares at him with crossed arms. "You were looking for me."
"You always state what should have been obvious, Hanabi, it's becoming much of a trait for you already. Now come on, let's head back." Hayabusa beckons the female ninja, who in turns rolls her eyes and groans, like a child being reprimanded. "You wouldn't want Hanzo and Kagura to worry, now would you?"
Her eyes seem to soften at the mention of those two names, but the glare remains, as is the arms that are still crossed. "No, of course not. I don't have problems worrying you, though." She retorts as she follows him out of the cliff.
"Oh, how incredibly mean-spirited of you."
"Likewise to you. Asshole."
He returns the insult with a chuckle. Hanabi stares at him for a few moments, then does the same.
He wonders if they both could truly make it work, what with all this squabbling about.
Afternoon begins its reign and casts shadows on the ground and trees, paying homage to the golden crown that is the sun, descending into the mountains in preparation for a long day's rest. Pink leaves fall from sakura trees that surround them at every bend, guided to the ground by the wind, who comes to visit again, passing by everything it touches gently and without rush.
Hayabusa and Hanabi walk together, side by side, with minds wandering different paths.
He heeds his own thoughts for now, as he is no ninja who can read minds. These thoughts, in particular, concern the woman beside him. A turn of his head is greeted with the profile of her face; her sharp nose, turquoise blue eyes that are keen and focused as they look around the forest, fully alert; her soft lips, only ruined by the usual scowl or smirk on her face—
Yet despite that, all of this makes her beautiful, and he finds no other way around it.
Orange skies are soon exchanged with bluish-purple colors, a signal that night is about to rise. At this time, they almost arrive at camp, but they stop for now in front of a small stream, where they drink water from to quench their thirst. Hanabi gathers water from her hands and splashes it across her face. The hair in front of her becomes stuck, prompting her to pick them off of her skin strand by strand with sharp nails.
All Hayabusa can do from the rock he is sitting on is stare, almost in awe of the woman a few distances from him.
When Hanabi's gaze switches from her hair to him, however, he knows he is too late to look away. She rewards him with a glare, from all that staring; he supposes it right for her to do. No one likes being stared at, after all.
"Hey, what're you looking at?" She asks, an intimidating tone to her voice.
It only makes Hayabusa snort.
Hanabi stands up from where she is and stomps toward him, placing both hands on her hips. "I'm asking you a question, Hayabusa!"
When Hayabusa answers her with a louder chuckle, she slaps him on the shoulder. "What were you looking at me for back there?! Tell me!"
He finds himself trying to stifle his laughter before he can even answer her properly. "If I told you, your reactions would probably be more aggressive than that swat," He states, watching as the woman's eyes twitch in annoyance.
"Maybe tell me about it before you won't even have the chance to!"
"I have not told you a single word yet and you're about to burst like a volcano. Your face is so red."
He receives another slap, still on the same shoulder; it only makes him laugh harder, holding onto his stomach. Ah, the joys of teasing Hanabi 'til her impatience flares... he remembers the bickering from when they were children, and the face she always makes when he teases her to no end. Even as a grown-up woman she still hasn't changed even a single bit.
Hanabi looks away with a huff, and he swears smoke blows out of her ears as emphasis. "Just... tell me what you were staring at me for! Then I'll stop asking!"
"Fine."
His tone surprises him all of a sudden, so does Hanabi, who turns to look at him when he stands up from the rock he was sitting on and walks towards her. The look of surprise on her face is still there even as he closes the distance between them.
Fingers move on their own as they reach for Hanabi's chin, tipping it upward. Light hits the pupils of her eyes, his breath catching as they glaze over, making turquoise twinkle brilliantly than the brightest stars. He doesn't find his words for a moment.
But only for a moment.
"You're beautiful, Hanabi. That's why I've been staring at you."
The crickets in the bushes answer gleefully in exchange for Hanabi's silence.
It would have been quiet for too long; the moon has risen and has replaced the sun, taking its place in the sky, bathing them both in white light. And from the white lines that the moon traces on their figures, he sees them again, the delicate features of her face, as well as the curves of her slim, yet strong body, as her dress and decorations hug her form tightly.
Hanabi's lips are becoming too enticing to ignore, and he wants to close the distance between them soon, press his lips against hers—
But she pushes his hand away, and he has no choice but to let go.
...Then, she laughs. Triumphantly.
"Ha! Of course, I am beautiful!" She flicks back the strands of her hair in a showy act and leans in, a flashy grin on her face. "I can't believe you'd actually fall for me like that! Ah, and of all the things you could have said..."
Her cackles become louder than those of jade wolves; he finds his eyes narrowing, suddenly disinterested. Well, so much for the shocked look on her face, and so much for the kiss he was about to give her. Granted, he did not expect such an outburst, so she may have bested him in the element of surprise, but...
Suddenly, though, her laughter dissipates, and what replaces it is an expression of anxiousness. It makes Hayabusa's eyebrow raise, and he is about to ask what the deal is.
Hanabi speaks first, however.
"At least... I've beaten you in something for the first time, huh?"
It all comes crashing in front of him like a pile of old bricks, all from that one single statement.
Lingering in the past for a moment, he remembers everything; that before all this, he and Hanabi were rivals; opposite sides of the same coin that clash swords whenever they meet, competing for the highest title of Shadow Grandmaster. The title was fated to be his, but Hanabi was still there, fighting for the throne. Taunts were occasionally thrown at each other, whenever weapons aren't used. Words that may have hurt them more than anything.
And he remembers, clearly enough, that of the two of them, he was the one who used the worst insults against her, utilized the worst tactics to degrade her worth. She did not seem to be bothered about all of it before, just as he was uncaring of how she felt.
But now—
Now, it is reality's turn to be cruel to him. Now, he can finally see the hurt on her face. Now, he can see the disparage that had come from speaking that single sentence.
Suddenly, his heart aches, realizing what he'd done to her.
"...Hanabi, I..."
She only looks away, rubbing her arms with trembling hands and breathing shakily. He reaches an arm toward her, but withdraws it, as he has nothing more to say.
...Except.
"...I'm sorry."
Hanabi doesn't respond to this, instead walking away.
Hayabusa runs over to her and quickly takes her arm, making her stop. But she does not turn her head to look at him.
"Hanabi, I... I'm sorry."
She huffs and brings a hand up to her face. "Maybe you should have thought about that before telling me such awful things." Then, a sad sigh as her hand descends. "...And maybe I should have thought about what I said, as well."
Hayabusa's face softens as he lowers his head, his grip on her arm loosening.
He can't lose her. Not now.
Not when you're one of the people I need the most.
Thinking of nothing else, and before she can even pull her arm away from his hand—
He pulls her towards him, bodies colliding, and encloses her in his arms.
Hanabi's surprised gasp comes out muffled against his upper garments, eyes wide with surprise. But soon, he feels a fist knocking against his chest.
"Let... Let go of me, Hayabusa."
Her voice seems to crack. Muffled sniffling soon follows, rumbling against the cloth of his vest.
Hayabusa swallows, biting back a sob.
"...I'm sorry for hurting you."
She hits him on the chest again.
"I don't... I don't care anymore. Let go of me, Haya."
"I'm sorry." Despite the increasing pain of being hit square on the chest again from this answer, Hayabusa does not let go. He wraps her tighter in his arms instead. "I'm sorry for the things I said."
"Haya, I don't care! I'm past caring about it!" She tries to look up, but hits his chin instead. "Let go of me! We don't have time for this...!"
"I'm sorry for not recognizing your strength." He continues, caressing her hair; he feels Hanabi stop moving, yet her hands clutch his clothes tightly. "I'm sorry. For ruining your chances to become Grandmaster. For not noticing your efforts. For... rejecting you before."
Hayabusa looks down to check on his vest that is starting to dampen, and sees Hanabi sobbing softly on his chest. Her nails claw at him, but they are not painful, only... desperate. Yearning.
"I'm sorry for making you think I see you as nothing more than a nuisance. Hanabi..." He swallows again, feels his voice crack as he says so and closes his eyes, letting a miserable sigh escape him. "You are not that to me. You are so much more than that. Please... believe me when I say this."
He feels Hanabi's shoulders wrack, as her voice escalates into louder sobs; it makes his heart break tenfold. He continues holding on to her, guiding his hands gently through thick strands of hair. Hanabi does not try to break out of his touch.
"...You... you took so long." Hanabi whispers, rubbing her face against the cloth. "All I wanted... was for you to find some value in me. To me, you are priceless than anything the clan could afford, more important than that stupid title. But, you... you only view me as..."
She sniffs, and doesn't finish her sentence; she cries out loud, hugging Hayabusa tighter.
Hayabusa finds himself smiling sadly.
"...I'm sorry. I hope you forgive me."
The crickets that had come out of the bushes to watch the scene unfold fill in the silence, chirping noisily and happily in an attempt to take the two out of their reverie. The forest is dark, with the moon serving as a lamp, seemingly mocking them as she bathes the two mortals with white light. Hanabi's tears glint as they trickle down her cheeks, reduced to a wet mess as they reach Hayabusa's vest.
Hanabi has no need for those pesky insects.
"I'm... I'm sorry too." She pushes herself away from Hayabusa and wipes a hand through her eyes, a few sniffles escaping her here and there. Her gaze still remains away from the man in front of her, cheeks dusted with red as she speaks. "For what I've said before. For hurting you like you hurt me. Maybe... I did worse."
Hayabusa shakes his head. "No, don't apologize. I'm the one who's mostly at fault here."
"I've done a lot of wrongs against you too, Haya. Don't give yourself too much credit." Hanabi protests, but there is no anger in her voice, only a soft smile on her lips. "Anyhow, it feels good to finally take it out of you. And I've... I've forgiven you. A long time ago."
At that, he blinks. He swears something behind his eyes are burning, but he ignores it, assuming it to be dust.
"I'm glad."
He does not notice the single tear that rolls down his cheeks.
But Hanabi is the first to see it. "Hey, are you... okay?" She approaches him and leans in, a worried look on her face. "Your eyes are all red. The fog must be getting to you."
"R-Red?" He would like to believe it were the fog causing the burning in his eyes, but it did not seem right. There is a wetness in his cheek, prompting him to wipe it with a gloved hand. Looking down at his glove, what greets him seems to confirm his suspicions.
Hanabi voices it out loud.
He honestly preferred if she did not.
"Wait— Were you—" Hanabi's cheeks puff up, almost in an attempt to stifle her laughter. But she fails, anyway. "Were you... crying?!"
Soon enough she is clutching her stomach to stop it from hurting. But that does not prevent the loud guffaws that come out of her mouth. "I can't believe it! The Crimson Shadow, Hayabusa, crying in front of his rival! I can't believe it!"
"You know," He looks back at her with bemused eyes, wiping the rest of the tears away before they even have a chance of escaping. "with how you're acting, you ought to be a pack member of those jade wolves. What with all that annoying laughter and all."
"What did you say?!" She stomps towards him like a child, face red with irritation. "And right when you've finally apologized to me!"
"To the gods of Iga, you really can't tell a joke from an insult, can you?" Hayabusa chuckles, poking Hanabi's nose. She only grumbles in response. "Now let's go back. We've spent quite an awful lot of time here; Hanzo and Kagura will be worried."
At the mention of Hanzo and Kagura, Hanabi's eyes widen with worry. "Ah, right...! And I promised those two that I'd be the one cooking fish tonight..." She runs ahead of him, then stops to turn around, shooting him a playful glare. "This is all your fault!"
He returns it with a smirk, then shrugs with a bow. "I'm sorry..."
She walks off with another huff, rolling her eyes. But she is unsuspecting of the way Hayabusa suddenly disappears from behind and catches up to where she is in the flash of an eye.
Before she can express her surprise, Hayabusa leans in close to her ear.
"...Beautiful."
What follows is a kiss on her cheek.
She freezes on the spot, unable to think for a few moments.
Hayabusa goes ahead of her, yet keeps an eye behind his shoulder, a lopsided grin on his face. Walking out of that forest, the last thing he remembers is Hanabi screaming at him from behind, her face red and heated, fist raised and yelling profanities he does not care to remember.
Only a soft chuckle serves as a response to her hysterics.
It annoys her even more.
"Are you for certain that I am?"
Kagura sits on an old log, her hair swaying carelessly as it is touched by the breath of wind.
The sight makes Hayabusa's heart jump, a feeling he has long since been used to. He has been in a relationship with the young woman far longer than with Hanzo and Hanabi both; while feeling cartwheels in his chest when around those two is a new feeling, with Kagura, it almost feels like a natural occurrence.
Apparently, having been childhood sweethearts with her helps with these matters.
Sunlight strikes the ground and illuminates the features of her face, allowing Hayabusa a wonderful sight to behold: White pristine skin that seems to glow like pearls from the heart of the ocean; blue eyes that twinkle like stars in the night sky; a nose that is shaped like that of a child, one he'd always loved to poke and tease her with whenever she and him tell jokes to one another; delicate, rosy lips that produce the most wonderful smiles he's ever seen.
For some, 'cute' as a compliment would suffice. But for him, 'beautiful' suits her better.
Yet he is forced to turn away quickly with red dusting his cheeks, when Kagura turns, tilting her head and blinking curiously at him. He forgets how easily the mage is able to pay attention to everything around her; even a small bat of the eye will not keep yourself hidden as long as she's around. It's almost as if she sees everything, somehow.
Proof of this is the smirk that forms from her lips, as she shakes her head and chuckles slyly. "I know you've been staring at me, Haya-kun."
Hayabusa sighs in defeat, knowing he'd been caught. With a resigned smile, he joins her on the log. "I'm sorry. I just find you captivating to look at, that's all."
The smirk disappears as quickly as it had emerged, replaced by wide eyes and the reddening of her cheeks, coupled by the tightening of her grip on the Onmyouji Umbrella. Kagura looks away, chuckling bashfully. "Wh-What are you trying to get at?"
"I only said you are beautiful, Kagura."
"That's not what you said."
"It still means the same thing."
"...A-Are you for certain? Do you even hear yourself?"
"Yes I am, Kagura." He turns to her, and she does the same, resolute crimson eyes boring into cerulean ones, still wide with disbelief. "You're beautiful, and that's all you need to know."
Kagura stiffens to a whole new level, but she manages to tear her gaze away from him – albeit slowly – covering her mouth with a fist and muttering unintelligible things to herself, staring at the ground with wide eyes, as if it were an avid listener.
All the while, he comes to a realization that Kagura is not so good at taking compliments, especially if they concern her appearance. She either brushes it off with a flick of the hand and denies it as an untruth, adding it might have been for someone else instead... or she would act exactly like this, a shy puppy trying her best to think straight, with whole attempts to process the flowery words she had just received. The latter, though, only happens with Hanzo, Hanabi, or himself.
He is so glad to be part of the latter.
Kagura heaves a deep breath, raising her head from the ground, fanning a hand nervously on her face. Her cheeks are still overwhelmingly red, from the tips of her ears to the edge of her neck, but she is still able to move her mouth accordingly.
"Haya-kun..." She begins, eyes roaming around for anything to look at other than the man beside her, who waits for her words. A smile remains well-hidden in his face mask, eyes filled with anticipation.
But the next words that escape her lips were far from expected.
"I don't... believe you."
It makes him blink, a few times, eyes widening in disbelief.
"...What?"
Kagura heaves a deep breath and, with new-found courage, finally turns to face Hayabusa. From there, he sees a certain glint in her eyes, something he can't exactly pinpoint. It almost seems like she was... hesitant. Uncertain of what she had said. It came just as quick as the coy smirk she had displayed only a few moments ago, the red blush on her face out of embarrassment.
Then he remembers, again, that Kagura has many faces, and they come around just as quick as they go.
The doubt on her face seems to last a long while, though, and it's somehow contagious; his eyebrows furrow into the same expression on Kagura's face.
It hurt, too. A bit. He's not sure if the mage is able to see that, but right now he's past caring for his own emotions, only curious as to Kagura's reasons.
She heaves a deep breath and turns away from him, for the third time. He wishes she won't do that again. He wants to see more of her, wants to look at her face and keep admiring it for who knows how many times. But his wishes are not granted, as Kagura's gaze is far away from him once again. He does the same, then, lowering his head and turning away from her, staring at the ground.
Kagura's shy chuckle breaks the short silence between them.
"I... I hope you don't take it wrongly, Haya-kun." She mutters, though loud enough for him to hear, staring into oblivion. "But I... I don't think you mean what you said."
He manages a small (awkward) chuckle, shrugging his shoulders.
"And why do you say that?"
Kagura tilts her head, eyes now cast to the side. "You... were not exactly the kind of ninja who would take the time to compliment their lover." A sad smile graces her lips for a moment. "Always so busy, time always stressing you out, the pressures of becoming Grandmaster... personal relationships were out of the list for you."
He nods slowly, a show of contemplation. "That's... that's true."
"At least... at least that was before." She continues, twirling the handle of the Onmyouji Umbrella around her palms, staring at it while it spins. "It was before, but... still, it's unexpected. Flowery words out of your mouth? That's not the Crimson Shadow that I knew."
As she says this, she giggles, a faint pink on her cheeks as she brings a hand to her mouth to try to stifle her laughter. Hayabusa smirks, and couldn't help but join her. There's always something about Kagura that draws him in, always in his head no matter how much he tries to think about anything else.
Contagious.
That's why he loves her.
He shakes his head in an effort to bring himself out of his reverie. "Well... now I'm no Crimson Shadow, am I?" He turns to her and winks, followed by a soft smile. "I want to try new things."
Kagura's laughter increases volume, pressing a hand against her chest. "Ah! Well, there's that." The soft smile is returned with another of her own. "Now I can believe you."
Both of them erupt in a silent laughter, one that only they have shared over the years. It's the result of the jokes they tell to each other as they sat on the hills next to the clan, as they had their picnics when they were children. It's a common bond that keeps them from being separated, even with the stresses and pressures and everything in between that tries to tear them apart.
Few minutes pass by until finally, they succumb to silence. An unbearable one.
As the wind blows through them with soft whistles to its breath, Hayabusa removes his mask, revealing the small smile still on his face. But there is a cheerless aura in his eyes that seems to defeat that smile's purpose.
He sees Kagura frown from the corner of his eye, a look of concern.
"I've... never told you about some of my secrets, have I?"
He sees her blink.
"What do you mean?"
"You've always told me about your secrets while I've kept most of my own. It's quite unfair, now that I think of it." He leans back on the old log and looks at the sky, staring at the ignorant dragon birds roaming through its endless horizon. "How much should I tell you?"
The Onmyouji Master blinks, but she understands. She knows where he is headed for this discussion. There is that curious glint in her eyes as she stares at him, too. He recognizes such a look.
A smirk forms from her lips as she quirks an eyebrow slightly at him.
"Tell me everything."
Hayabusa does the same as he looks back at her.
"Alright then."
As he leans in, the wind blows much harder than it had before, moving the strands of his hair. He remains unbothered by this, and as he tries to collect his thoughts and find his words, he keeps staring at his intertwined fingers. If they had come untangled they would have been shaking.
He closes his eyes and huffs nervously, almost surprising himself with the secret that comes out of his lips, finally revealed.
"I wanted... to run away with you."
Kagura's eyes widen, astonished.
"What?"
"I wanted to run away with you." He repeats, staring at the sky again, but this time, no dragon birds soar through the heavens for the opportunity of a distraction. "The clan... it became overbearing. There's no freedom for me to explore new things; they only focused on my abilities and how to improve it, and kept giving me the weight of being the next leader, every single day of my life."
He frowns, fingers gripping each other tighter. "Eventually... I grew tired. The pressure was torturous. The results were dire."
For a moment, images flash before his eyes; but only the picture of the Scarlet Flower remained.
"...I ended up hurting people who were important to me."
As Kagura looks on to him in silence, Hayabusa seizes this chance to carry on. "Of course, I expected everything to go down. I grew sharp, I trained harder than ever before, until I reached the pinnacle of my ability." He bangs a fist on his chest, furrowing his eyebrows.
"But I also still wished... to live a simple life with just you in it, and the other people I love."
As he finishes his statements, he swallows. And, just like Kagura, he is unable to look at her out of the fear of being judged.
But there is only a giggle, and as he turns, he sees Kagura's shoulders wracking from laughter, with the usual fist against her lips to try to stifle herself.
"What a lame secret."
There is sarcasm in her voice. He knows it when he hears it.
"Do tell me why."
"Because it's actually no secret, it's a goal." She says with a knowing smile, tilting her head. "You were able to do what you wanted to do. You ran away with me, and you tried new things. You took Hanabi and Hanzo with us, and now we're a happy couple of four." Kagura casts her eyes down to the ground, another new fresh paint of pink on her cheeks.
"And when you were unable to call me beautiful before, you are able to do it now."
No words were added to counter her statements, because they were all true. Only the slight widening of his eyes and his mouth that is slightly agape serve as a response.
But he manages to look away with a proud, lopsided grin.
As expected of the Onmyouji Master.
"Is it one of your secrets, too?"
He raises an eyebrow at the sudden question, staring at Kagura who now wears a childish curiosity in her face.
"What is?"
"Me being beautiful."
Kagura does not look away from him this time. Now there is a certain level of confidence in her as she gazes at him with expectancy, clear as day.
He lets the breath he'd been keeping escape, before shaking his head.
"Calling you beautiful should not have been a secret." He answers, before staring back at her with a gentle smile. "Like you said, I've been holding myself back before."
Curiosity escalates into joy; Kagura's cheeks flare pink, and the grip on her Onmyouji Umbrella tightens, but it's not out of embarrassment.
"I'm glad!"
It makes him smile wider, too, looking at that face.
"That's good to hear."
She erupts into giggles, pink, luscious lips curved upward into a charming grin. It's the sweetest one he's ever seen, an expression that fills him up with delight no matter how much he tries to stop himself.
For some, 'cute' as a compliment would suffice. But for him, 'beautiful' suits her better.