Work Text:
Inspired by “In Case You Don’t Live Forever” by Ben Platt
Akimiya Noboru had just turned twenty when the two first met in Inarizaki. Rumors flew around about a girl, cursed to never have companions because she was fated to bring death to those around her. No one knew how this came to be, but out of caution, the citizens of the village kept away from her. Only a few who were brave enough dared to visit her.
The explorer was too curious for his own good and never turned down a challenge.
The house she lived in was a quaint little cabin on the edge of the Sleepy Fox Hollow. It was covered from top to bottom in vines and blossoms. In front of the cabin was an expansive garden with flowers and herbs of all sorts, perfect for trading, medicine, and consumption. The entire area smelled heavenly with the floral aura (aside from the one plant growing in the corner that stunk of something similar to rotten eggs). The woman herself was squatting near the rose bushes, watering the plants with a tender touch.
He hadn’t seen such beauty before.
Where to begin describing her? The shapeshifter thought about it with uncertainty. The first word that came to mind: enchanting. She had been enchanting at first glance, not for her looks, but her spirit. Noboru had sensed something gentle in the midst of the wood when he met her, a gentle feeling he hadn’t sensed anywhere before. That was what brought him to her. It was her aura that attracted him.
Her looks were a bonus. The long, wavy, soft lavender hair of hers that was lifted like a blanket in the wind, appearing soft to the touch. Those small but precious copper eyes were like the ore from the mines after it had been stripped of its impurities, eyes that told him all her secrets with a single gaze of pure emotion. Her physique: a short girl who was slightly chubby - which he found out later was due to her love of snacks. But the best part about her was her face. The gorgeous, beaming smile she wore. The way her face emanated with warmth. Fair skin that glowed beautifully under the light of the setting sun. Faint freckles, freckles that he used to find constellations on the sky known as her face.
If Akimiya Noboru had been the world, she had been the universe.
Oh he had been so naive back then.
”Hello?”
The girl glanced up, surprised to see a visitor. Brushing her hands off on her dress, she made her way over to the explorer. ”Hello, what brings you to my home?”
”I got curious after hearing the townspeople talk about this place.” Akimiya tugged at his shirt. ”I hope I’m not bothering you.”
”Oh no, in fact, it’s quite nice to have a visitor today.” She spun around to go grab a bouquet from near the house, her steps so light she seemed to be walking on air. The girl chose a bouquet of forget-me-nots, then made her way back over to the explorer. ”For you.”
”Thank you.” He grasped the bouquet and took a whiff. Lovely. Now that he stood closer to her, he noticed her haid had been put into a neat ponytail and that she wore a dress with some gold lacing. ”Is there a special occasion today that you’re dressed so nicely for?”
”It’s my birthday today,” she mentioned quietly, her grip loosening on the bouquet as she allowed him to take it from her. ”Nobody came again.” The girl tried to smile, but Akimiya saw right through the act. The explorer placed the bouquet under his arm and took her hands in his.
”Then I’ll celebrate it with you.”
”H-huh?!”
Akimiya smiled. ”I’ll spend your birthday with you! You deserve to have a good one.”
”Th-thank you.” She flushed red. ”What’s your name, kind sir?”
”Akimiya Noboru, and yours?”
He swore in that moment she bloomed.
”Uchida Orchid.”
~~~
It had been a few months since they started traveling together. Their travels eventually landed them inside the walls of the infamous iron kingdom of Dateko. The empath had to adjust to the cold, but he and Orchid took it in stride. Although the kingdom definitely took Akimiya’s breath away, the girl and her fluffy coat were a much more beautiful sight to behold.
The night of their arrival, music was pouring into the streets. Military ballads of all kinds were sung by the citizens and dances had begun. Orchid gazed in excitement. Despite the ongoing war in Wakutani, it was hard to resist the atmosphere of celebration. How often did this kingdom’s people get to celebrate, the empath wondered? Before he could ponder further, the lavender-haired girl tugged his wrist and urged him to dance with her.
”B-but I don’t know how to dance!”
”Oh, come on! It’s not that difficult, I’ll teach you!”
Grabbing him by the hand, she led him to the square. The fireflies had come out now, providing the light they needed for their dance. When they reached the center, Orchid took his hand and placed it on her shoulder, then took the other and placed it on her waist. The young woman giggled as Akimiya became a bright pink.
”You look cute when you’re flustered, Noboru.”
”O-Orchid!” He desperately wanted to hide his face, but it would be strange if he suddenly hid his face in her shoulder. ”I don’t know if I can do this!”
”Think of it like this,” she said, tapping his nose. ”Destiny is like a dance. Someone leads, someone follows, but sometimes there will be twists in the dance you don’t expect.”
Step by step, she led him in an Inarizaki dance she learned growing up. At first, the shapeshifter stumbled through the movements, but it began to make more sense the more he did it and eventually he could decently lead her in the dance instead of her leading him. The two shared smiles and laughs during the celebration and Akimiya found he didn’t want any of this to end.
He wanted to stay in these moments with her, see how much more he could learn about this woman before him.
When the dances came to an end, the two of them traveled to the edge of town, taking shelter under some trees as they stared up at the stars above, each one telling a story of someone’s destiny. The sounds of the night almost lulled him to sleep, but Orchid’s voice kept him awake. It was soothing to listen to, motherly, kind.
Then she stood up, brought her hands to her chest, and began to sing.
”Lavender's blue, dilly dilly, lavender’s green. When you are king, dilly dilly, I shall be queen.”
The way she stood under moonlight. The way her voice rang out above the rest.
He supposed that was the moment he fell in love with her.
~~~
During their stay, they encountered a nobleman there who initially turned them away, but eventually accepted their help in trying to find his missing cousin. He had been kind enough to find them a place to stay during the duration of their time in the kingdom. The two of them quickly made it home. Some nights, they found themselves sitting on the hillside, gazing at the heavenly bodies above them and contemplating life and all its mysteries.
On one of those nights, they had discussed the issue of destiny.
”Do you ever wonder what your future will be like?”
”I already know my future. The stars tell me everything I need to know.” She scanned the skies, searching the stars for something new. Her gaze became dull. ”Our destinies are written. We cannot change it.”
”Fate can change if you’re willing to do what it takes to make it yours.”
Orchid tilted her head, skeptical. “You truly believe that?”
”Absolutely.” He scooted closer to her, pointing at the stars above with a wide-eyed gaze. ”Perhaps those stars are set constellations, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make out new images. We can always make new maps.”
”Huh. I never thought about it like that.”
”That’s the beauty of time. We can still affect it.”
”If only I were as hopeful as you are, Noboru.” She smiled sadly. ”Perhaps things could be different.”
”They still can be.”
If he had been paying better attention, he would have seen the dull gaze in her eyes light up with a new beacon of hope.
But again, if only he knew how naive he had been.
~~~
“Nobu, don’t you think you should take a break?”
The shapeshifter had been so caught up in his work, he hadn’t even sensed the arrival of his companion. Orchid had a basket of goodies in hand, her eyes expectant and hopeful.
“But there’s so much to do,” Noboru said, scratching his head. He sighed, staring at the pile of papers on the table. “I can’t get through these fast enough.”
“Then take a break. The work can wait a little bit.”
“But-”
Orchid placed her hands on her hips, frowning at him. “No ‘buts’, we’re going.”
Noboru tried darting out of reach, but Orchid was faster, grabbing his wrist and dragging him out the door with a determined will. Though he fought against her grasp, the girl didn’t relent. Eventually the empath surrendered, allowing her to lead them to a grassy area just outside the woods of Dateko. In one swift motion, she released Noboru and dropped the basket onto the ground. He stood awkwardly as he watched her open the basket and pull out a small blanket. Orchid glanced up at him, a smile on her face beckoning him over. After a moment of hesitation, he came over and helped her with the food, placing each goodie on the blanket with care. When they had finished the preparations, Orchid took a seat beside him and leaned back on her arms, basking in the sunlight.
“Doesn’t it feel good to relax?”
The empath shifted. “I guess? I feel kind of useless right now.”
“That’s because you’re always moving around, doing something.” Orchid sighed. “You need to stop for a moment and enjoy the view sometimes. Otherwise, you miss the beauty of the world.”
Heeding her advice, Noboru glanced up at the sky and gaped in awe as he saw the rainbow formed from the final drops of rain from the recent storm. To think, I would have missed this if I hadn’t looked up.
Then he gazed at her, noticed the smile growing on her lips, the sparkle forming in her eyes.
But I like this view better.
~~~
“Oh my word…”
The two had arrived in the kingdom of Wakutani, staring at the war-ravaged land in horror. Fire were still alive, burning through the area faster than people could put them out. Many of the mages were using their magic to contain the fires, but the damage from the war and the fires was irreversible. Lives had already been lost. Homes demolished. Nothing could be brought back, only buried with the past.
Noboru struggled to hold back tears. How is Kazu feeling right now? “How could a whole military do this without remorse?”
Orchid clenched her fists, biting down on her lip. “I’m not sure…”
The empath’s emotions grew in intensity as his anger flared. “How could people think this is okay? Why didn’t anyone do something to stop it?” The tears flowed freely now as his aura began to spread. “How could Dateko be so heartless?” How could Towada simply watch the carnage? I don’t understand.
“Not all of Dateko is like this.”
“Then why didn’t they-”
Orchid gently placed a hand on his shoulder. “Some don’t have a choice. Others might have tried to stop this. Many more simply didn’t have the power to do anything to cause a change. Not everyone is at fault. There’s still good in others.”
“Where is it, then?” Noboru’s face revealed hate. “Where is the good in this world that thinks it’s okay to do such things?”
“It’s in people like you and me.” The girl moved to his front and laid her right hand on his chest, staring at her hand thoughtfully. “It’s in the hearts of people trying to do what they can, even if it’s something small. Maybe we couldn’t stop a war, but we can certainly help those affected by it.” Her gaze trailed up to his eyes. “We can still do some good in this world, but you have to be willing to try.”
Noboru’s face softened, nodding. “Okay. I’ll try.”
“That’s my Noboru.”
She beamed, but there seemed to be something much more sad behind that smile of hers.
What was it?
~~~
”Noki, there’s something I should tell you.”
After they helped as many as they could, the two companions made their way to the Duskfire Cliffs, watching the sun set on the old kingdom. He thought it’d be a peaceful talk, which would be a much needed change from the things he had seen, but it turned into something much more worrisome.
”A year from now, I’m fated to die.”
Had he heard that correctly?
”What…”
”It’s been prophesied in the stars since my fifth birthday.” She folded her hands and bit her lip. ”The mages of Inarizaki told me that before I turn twenty, I’ll find my true love and then I’ll join the stars.”
”...I guess I can’t question it too much. Your stars have proven right so far...” Noboru twiddled his thumbs, sighing. ”If we’re sharing secrets, then let me tell you one.” Slowly, he reached out for her hand, caressing it, bringing it up to his chin. ”I love you.”
Orchid blinked. The sparkle in her eyes disappeared. ”Are you sure?”
“W-what do you mean?”
”Are you sure you’re not just saying that because you want to change my fate?”
The empath stared, puzzled. ”Orchid, I don’t understand-”
She jerked her hand away from him. ”Noboru, I know how you are on the subject of fate. A chance like this, to change the fate of a girl who’s destined to die, imagine the glory you’d get if you were successful.”
”What-”
”Don’t lie. The reason you sought me out initially was because of my curse, wasn’t it?”
The shapeshifter remained silent, cautiously watching the gaze in her eyes. He didn’t dare let his magic do its work for fear of what she’d say next. There was a blaze in those copper eyes that he hadn’t seen ever, and he knew that blaze was directed at him, intended to swallow him alive if he didn’t tread his next steps carefully.
”I knew it.” She stood up, eyes closed and face turned away from him. ”This was all a lie, wasn’t it? A ploy to use me for your own gain.”
”You know that’s not true.”
It was now his turn to stand up. A determined gaze burning in his eyes, he reached out once more, hoping to gently touch her shoulder. She slapped his hand away, but he took it as an opportunity to launch himself at her and pull her into a tight embrace.
”Noboru-”
”None of this was fake, it was all real, Orchid!” he shouted, clenching his eyes shut so he wouldn’t have to see her expression. ”It was never my intention to make you feel that way! I never had an ultimatum, so why are you accusing me of one now?! Do you not trust me?”
”No, I don’t!”
With all her strength, she shoved him away, Noboru stumbling backwards toward the edge of the cliff. The distance was just enough to let him see.
She had been crying.
”I know better than to trust people!”* she screamed as she squeezed her fists shut. ”Every person who has ever come near me has always met some kind of misfortune! Anyone who hasn’t has always used me! There, there has to be an ulterior motive from you! There has to be! No one can be this nice and not have their reasons.”
”Then why did you stay all these years?”
”Because...because...”
He rendered her speechless and he knew. He already knew what the answer was. She knew it too.
In her loneliness, she finally found a friend she desperately wanted to keep in her life. Her curse prevented such a dream, however.
If only I could break you away from such a fate.
Neither of them had to speak the words that created the red threads which connected them. Instead, the lavender-haired woman wrapped herself in her shawl, turning away from the empath.
”I shouldn’t have trusted you.”
Oh how he wished to reach out and hug her, tell her it would all be okay, remind her that he was here.
“Orchid, why are you pushing away?”
I don’t understand…
“Just go.”
”Orchid-”
The girl swung around and threw her arms back, her tears growing more apparent. ”Just go!”
Unable to take more of the scene, he did as she asked.
~~~
I shouldn’t have left.
Noboru found himself in the house of his cherished friend, Narita Kazuhito, bawling his eyes out from the guilt of leaving Orchid alone on the cliffs. How could he just abandon her like that? Leave her to suffer a fate alone? Yet, he figured, she probably wouldn’t take him back after doing such a thing. Uchida Orchid deserved better.
Better than him.
”I’m a coward. I ran away.” Akimiya buried his face in his hands. “She doesn’t deserve this.”
”You’re right. She doesn’t.”
Wow, way to be helpful.
However, when Noboru expected a stern face, he was surprised to see a softer one from Kazuhito. The elf stood over him, his aura strong and confident.
”What she needs right now isn’t someone who will try to change her fate.” Kazuhito’s gaze was the same as the night his magic went haywire. ”What she needs is someone who will stay by her side no matter what happens.”
“That’s not me.”
“Perhaps not right now.” The man smiled knowingly. “But it can be who you become.”
At the realization those words brought, Noboru sprang up and dashed over to the town square, knowing what he had to do. He had no certain destination, but he had an idea of where to go. When he arrived at the shop he had in mind, he scanned the shelves anxiously for his desired ware. Noboru almost lost hope until he found it, excitement rising in his system. He pointed to the object, desperately hoping it wouldn’t be out of his budget.
”How much for it?” The shopkeeper wrote down a price and handed it to him. Noboru’s eyes widened at the cost and he realized he wouldn’t be able to afford it. ”A-ahh...Thank you.”
”I’ll pay.”
The empath turned and gaped in shock when he realized who was standing beside him. A nobleman he had come to know well, that familiar red hair being blown back by the breeze, the cold but kind chocolate eyes that scrutinized every detail for perfection
”Hisoka?”
The redhead grinned. ”Good evening, Noboru. I didn’t expect to run into you tonight. Kazu told me you’d be with your friend by the cliffs.”
”I was, but…”
”But?”
”I ran away like an idiot.” Noboru covered his face with shame. ”She told me something about next year that just made me react.”
”I suppose emotions can be like that at times. However, I’m sure she understands. Perhaps she was expecting you’d react in that way. Testing you even.” Hisoka handed some gold coins to the shopkeeper, who then motioned to the object and permitted the nobleman to take it. ”Whatever it might have been, I trust that you two will work it out.” Admiring the object for a moment, he placed it gently into Noboru’s gloved hands. ”Whoever is getting that is very lucky.”
The empath beamed, tears sliding down his cheek. ”She is, but me even more so. I don’t deserve her.”
Hisoka smiled softly. ”Then love her the way she deserves.”
~~~
He found her on the cliffside the following night. Her eyes glimmered in the starlight, but the light also revealed how much she had cried. It pained him to know he had hurt her. He’d right this wrong though. He had to.
”Orchid?”
She faced him with a silence he had never known from her. The smile wasn’t there.
”So, you came back.”
”I did.” Noboru took a deep breath. ”I don’t know what will happen, but I want you to know that I...I can’t imagine my life without you.”
A fake grin. ”You’ll have to eventually. I won’t always be here for you, Noki. Better to leave now while you can.”
”I know, but,” he gave her an earnest expression, ”I love you, Uchida Orchid.”
The words frightened her. He didn’t have to see her aura to know. The gleam in her eyes was enough to reveal it.
”Noboru, please, don’t make this harder than it needs to be...I don’t want to make you go through this,” she replied, standing up. As she stepped toward him, she brought her arms to her chest and turned her body slightly away from him. ”I’m sorry for reacting the way I did, but for your own good, perhaps it’s best you-”
”I’m not leaving.”
The empath gazed at her, scanning her face for any sort of emotion. Anguish. Relief. Anxiety. Hesitation. Joy. Sorrow.
Love.
Slowly, he pulled an object out of his pocket, a black leather box. Opening it, he revealed a simple silver ring inside.
”I know it’s not ideal, but I want to live the rest of your life with you.” Noboru’s eyes watered. ”I love you too much to let you leave. I don’t want you to die alone. I’ll go through the pain with you. I’ll find a way to change your destiny. Just please, don’t leave. Don’t push away.” He closed the ring box and pulled her into a close embrace, the tears flowing onto her shoulders. ”Orchid, will you marry me?”
Her silence was agonized. She gave no sign of her thoughts. She hadn’t dared to return his embrace. There wasn’t a tear that fell from her eyes. It was as if she had turned to ice, doomed to be frozen for all time. His thoughts ran, almost convincing him he had ruined everything, that he had lost the very person he had sought to cherish these two years. Could this truly be the end?
”Noboru…”
Pulling back, Noboru finally saw the hopeful gaze in those copper gems, a gaze that saw the stars and desired to bring them down. The ice had melted, rivers flowing freely from her eyes. She brought her hands to her mouth, desperately trying to keep from sobbing, but her attempt failed and she threw herself into his arms, crying into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her protectively, kissing her on the forehead.
”Of course I’ll marry you.”
She accepted. She had accepted. Relief washed over him like a waterfall.
”I love you, and this is my promise to you.” He pulled out of the hug, opening the box once more and slipping the ring onto her left ring finger. The ring shined, illuminating the scene. Releasing her hand, Noboru cupped her face, wiped her tears. ”No matter what happens, I’ll stay.”
”Promise?”
”Promise.”
Then he leaned in and they finally closed the gap.
~~~
Those had been dreams, dreams of what should have been, could have been.
But never came to be.
They took one last journey to Shiratorizawa, her father’s homeland, before returning to Dateko, intent on living out the rest of that year quietly in the company of each other. Yoshiki popped in from time to time with gifts and food, simply offering his company during this time. Noboru and Orchid enjoyed their quiet life, but with each passing day, the shapeshifter knew what was coming and silently hoped to do something before it was too late.
It was this desire which set him on the path to ruin.
While Orchid ran errands in town, Noboru did research in the forest, surrounded by all sorts of books about magic. He became absorbed in the knowledge he tried to keep in, to the point he hardly noticed the strange aura which entered the vicinity. However, when he did notice it, Noboru shot up from his spot and prepared to grab his sword for self-defense, but it was already too late. An arrow shot his coat and pinned him to one of the trees, a man appearing from the shadows right after.
”Do you realize the dangers of defying destiny?”
He had no idea who this man was that had suddenly cornered him in the forest of Dateko. The empath struggled to breath as the man kept a tight grip on his neck. The hood of a black cloak covered the man’s face, but Akimiya could sense the man’s glare twisting daggers into his heart.
”What do you mean?”
The man huffed. ”The stars have always defined the paths of the chosen. Those who are not must face their fate. You dare try to attempt to change this girl’s path?”
Akimiya glowered, his hand rising to clench the man’s wrist. ”I don’t know what you’re on about concerning my fiancée. You all may say that she’ll die, but the future isn’t written in stone. Your stars may tell you the events, but until it actually happens, the future is still a blank slate.”
”You cannot go against the will of the heavens. They know everything from the beginning.”
”How can you be so reliant on objects in the sky to tell you what to do?” he answered in exasperation. ”They don’t tell you what to eat everyday or what places to go. Those are things you have to do yourself. You have to choose your path each day.”
Now irritated, the man gripped tighter onto his neck. ”You dare question our way of life?”
”I won’t abide by your rules considering we’re in Dateko right now.”
”How dare-”
”That’s enough!”
Before the man could retaliate against Noboru, the two of them turned to see the newcomer. Orchid had a bow and arrow in hand, ready to fire.
”You will leave, and you will not return. Understand?”
The man’s aura grew darker. ”Uchida, you’ll meet your fate soon enough.”
”I’ll meet it when I wish. The stars don’t deem it time yet.” She narrowed her eyes and took a step close to the stranger. ”Now step away from him.”
The man backed away as demanded, his hands up when she could see them. However, it didn’t stop him from shooting a glare at the empath.
”You’ll abandon her soon enough,” Noboru swore the man’s eyes glimmered with something more ominous, “when you realize that you are unable to handle the consequences.”
He disappeared without a trace, leaving the couple and the books behind. Orchid dashed over to him, tearing the arrow out of the tree to free Noboru. Taking him in her arms, she scanned his body for injuries. “Are you alright, love? Did he do anything?”
“N-no, I’m fine,” he replied, pulling her into a hug. “Do you know who he is?”
“No one of importance.”
“Orchid.”
She evaded his gaze, her kind expression changing to something more irritated. “He’s one of the mages who told me my fate. I don’t know how or why he followed me all this way, but he shouldn’t be snooping around anyway.” Orchid’s demeanor quickly returned to her happy self, placing a kiss on his lips. “Don’t worry about it, dear. He can’t hurt us while he’s on enemy territory.” She pointed at his books, then folded her arms. “And you shouldn’t be worrying about this either, alright? We’ll deal with it when the time comes.”
Somehow, Noboru doubted all of that.
~~~
The mages had said she’d succumb to her magic. She wouldn’t be able to handle the mana, or something of the sort.
That wasn’t how she died, but at the time, he didn’t know that wasn’t how she was meant to die.
What was the truth of that night? What truly happened that caused her to die a painful death?
It should have been me.
Akimiya Noboru was the answer.
He had gotten too caught up with his research, stayed up much too late night after night since the incident. Orchid noticed and confronted him about it on the night that became her death.
”Noki, please, you need to rest.”
The empath shook his head, his eyes glued to the book on the table. ”I’m running out of time. I need to-”
”You don’t need to do anything.” She walked behind him and wrapped him in a blanket, hugging him around the neck. ”Let’s just enjoy these last few moments together.”
*”Orchid, I can’t. I have to-”
”Just rest.”
”How can I rest when I’m about to lose you?!”
The man slammed his fist against the table, covering his face afterward. The atmosphere had grown more eerie, filled with a strange aura that neither of them could explain. Noboru shook, staring at his palms, which were beginning to turn a deep static obsidian from his aura. His fiancée stepped around to take his hands in hers and upon touching him, she shrieked, pulling away immediately.
”Noki…”
Noboru stood up, tried to step toward her, but his magic began going haywire, quickly flooding the surrounding area. Orchid stumbled backward to the ground, grabbing her chest as if she were in pain. As she struggled to breath, the empath realized that his emotions were growing out of control. Try as he might, he attempted to cancel out his feelings, but to no avail. Desperation took hold. Fear tormented his head.
”Orchid…”
He ran.
Noboru burst out the door of that tiny home, frightened by the idea that his powers would cause his beloved to die. He didn’t wish to be the reason she suffered to the end.
”Noboru!”
He couldn’t let her suffer anymore.
“Noki! Please, wait!”
A strange smell entered his nose.
Was that smoke?
Unbeknownst to them, a fire roared from the forest of the kingdom, intentionally started by someone. Noboru hadn’t even realized he ran straight into it until the smoke began to fill his lungs, the heat threatening to burn him alive. He coughed, harder and harder, rushing away from the fire in hopes of getting back to Orchid alive
His tiny body wasn’t accustomed to this, however. His lungs were ready to give out, both from exhaustion and the smoke.
He’d die here from lack of oxygen. This was the end.
”Or...Orchid.”
He stumbled to the ground, hitting it face first. His mind pleaded with him to rise again, but his body felt sluggish. Please Nobu, come on.
“Noboru!”
Suddenly he found himself dragged by someone. Two people. One with soft hands, soft as the snow during the Fukurodani winters, which brought comfort and warmth to him on quiet nights. One with rougher fingers, which had dealt with paperwork and dangerous men in an effort to find his cousin.
Once safely away from the fire, Noboru dared to open his eyes and gaze upon the two people he had grown close to all this time. Orchid shed tears, her hands covering her mouth. Finding his strength, he pushed himself up and held her face, caressed her cheeks.
“You came.”
She held his face, rubbing it gently. “Of course I did. I wouldn’t leave you to suffer alone.”
A quiet tsurune.
A gasp.
The man who warned him had come to try and make everything happen himself.
Orchid stood there, smiling through the pain she was experiencing, but Noboru read her eyes, sensed her emotions, saw her tears. He could see clear as day the arrow that had been shot into her stomach, the arrow that had been intended for him. He saw the blood that was dripping from her wound and from her mouth, ruining the blue satin dress he had gotten for her not too long ago. As everything around him froze, the only thing moving in his sight was Orchid beginning to fall to the ground, her consciousness beginning to fade.
“No!”
He rushed out to catch her, being careful not to let the arrow injure himself too. The blood got all over his clothes and hands, but it didn’t matter to him, not when his beloved was about to die from his mistakes.
“Orchid...I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have-”
“Noki, it’s okay…”
His emotions blocked out all sound reasoning. Gently laying her on the grass, he approached the mage in his fury, his aura swirling with fiery colors all around him. Raising his hands, Noboru allowed his magic to intentionally target a person, making the mage suffer from the onslaught of the empath’s emotions. Noboru grimaced as tears streamed down his cheeks, screaming in pain from the intensity of his own emotions. The cries of the mage were sadistically satisfying. Suffer. Suffer. Suffer.
“Noki…”
Upon feeling her careful touch, the empath halted his actions and froze, slowly turning to see Orchid behind him, using the last of her strength to stand and stop him from making an even worse mistake than the one he just made.
”Please, promise me that you will never use your powers to hurt others.”
Her smile broke through his anguish, bringing him back to himself long enough to catch her as she finally gave in to exhaustion and pain.
“N-no, wait…”
Silence. Horrifying silence.
She wasn’t breathing.
“No…”
His hands shook. He fell over, Orchid landing in his lap, quiet. Noboru tried to shake her awake, screamed for her to awaken, cried for whatever gods were out there to save her, bring her back. He’d take the hit for bringing her back to life.
”Orchid, please, don’t leave me alone here…” Noboru cradled her in his arms. “Please, don’t go yet. Please. Please.”
I love you too much to let you go.
~~~
The memory came back full force. Their last, happy moments together before all had gone wrong.
She had been standing by the window, waiting for what would turn out to be her last sunset. The sky had turned a deep scarlet mixed with tangy oranges and sprinkled with shades of lilac. A breeze was coming in to make the room slightly chilly, but his fiancée hardly minded. Closing her eyes, she allowed the breeze to lift her hair, reveled in its coolness, breathed in its wonders, its whispers. Noboru himself had been sitting on the bed observing the whole scene, silently praying to whatever gods were out there that some way, somehow, they could have a miracle.
“Please don’t be disappointed, my love.”
The empath glanced up at her and admired the warm glow of the sunlight on her face, which illuminated her blush and tiny freckles. Orchid still held that soft smile that had brought him so much encouragement and comfort over the years.
“Even though you may not be able to change my fate, you’ve done so much for others,” she said, hands still resting on the windowsill. ”I’m honored that I had the chance to travel with you all these years. Fate has been kind to me in that regard.” Her attention returned to the setting sun. ”Noki, you’re destined for great things. I truly believe it. I’ve seen it written in the stars since the day we met.”
Noboru leaned back, sighing, wondering. ”I’d rather not experience it without you.”
”I know, but what shall we do at this point? If fate deems I die tonight, then I cannot argue against it.” She stepped away from the window and made her way to him, her feet almost floating on air. Taking a seat beside her lover, Orchid rested her head on his shoulder and placed his hand on her waist. ”I have loved every moment with you, Akimiya Noboru. You’ve made this a very wonderful life.”
”Could we not talk about this?”
”Mmm, I suppose we don’t have to.” She lifted her head and pressed a kiss to his cheek. ”I just want you to know how grateful I am to have you by my side.”
Noboru caressed her cheek, lowering his head to meet her gaze, then gently placed his lips on hers. The moment made him forget, but he couldn’t bring himself to pull away. His face remained near hers. “I don’t want you to go. The future can’t be set in stone.”
Orchid grinned, her forehead leaning against his. “You’re right. It’s not, at least not in that way. It’s like a flowing river, always changing course, but it has its destination. Water is flexible, it can erode away at the hardest stone given enough time. You’ve changed the path of my life. Although it may end here, please know that you did change the river’s course for the better.” Another kiss, this time more passionate. ”I can live knowing I won’t have any regrets left in this life other than not being able to spend the rest of it with you.”
Her last smile.
”I love you, Noboru. I wish your name had been mine.”
~~~
”Aki-kun?”
It had been three days. He hadn’t eaten. He hadn’t slept. He barely drank any sustenance.
Akimiya Noboru was a mess in front of the nobleman known as Towada Yoshiki.
Yoshiki couldn’t find the words to say as he stared silently at the broken-hearted empath laying on his bed, who gazed at the ceiling with a blank expression, almost as if he was in denial over the entire event, an event that he desperately wished to erase from his memories forever. If only memory wasn’t so persistent. Maybe he’d forget sooner.
But he didn’t wish to forget. How could he wipe away these past few years of joy and sorrow? The shapeshifter had loved her so dearly that any temptation of wiping away those memories seemed like such a horrid thought, which intensified the feelings of guilt that continued to grow inside him. The guilt swirled, twisted and turned, tore away at the very essence of his being, creating a hurricane that ate him up whole, a disaster just as terrible, if not more so, than that night with Kazuhito’s magic, and that had already been a terrible night.
How he wished to cry more, but his eyes had dried up, puffy, red. His cheeks had grown rough due to the extensive salt from the tears that had streamed down his face and dried up without being wiped away. His nose had clogged up so much that he had difficult breathing, but he was too stubborn to sit up and clear his sinuses. He’d much rather stay in bed, letting the world pass him by, content to simply stay here and pretend, let his mind wander, find something to occupy his thoughts so he didn’t have to think of that night. He didn’t dare sleep for fear of having nightmares of her death haunt him.
”Aki...you can’t stay here forever. Please.” The nobleman folded his arms, frowned, but the frown was filled with empathy and concern. ”You need to get up and eat.”
”I don’t want to.”
”Your stomach is growling.”
”I’m not hungry.”
Sighing, Yoshiki went to sit on the bed. Noboru rolled over and hid his face in his pillow. ”Noboru, I understand you’re upset, but you still need to take care of yourself. She wouldn’t want you to starve. I have soup cooking for you.”
“No,” the empath grumbled, though his answer was muffled.
Yoshiki gave up, getting up to leave the house to give him some more space. Noboru rolled around in his bed a few minutes, bothered by the missing presence of his friends and his beloved. Unable to bear it anymore, he forced himself up and trudged out the door, intent on making his way to the forest without interruption. It took all his strength to make it to the cliffside where his love for her began. He stared blankly at the sky, froze at the wind’s cold touch, shook at the voices which filled his head.
It’s all your fault.
She’d still be here if it weren’t for you.
Monster.
Traitor.
‘I love you.’
”I love you!” the shapeshifted cried out into the wind, tears running down his cheeks. His hands grabbed at his head as his mind tried to shut out the voices in order to hear hers.
How could you leave her?
Everything she did was for you! Why would you betray her like that?
Inconsiderate.
Liar.
Murderer.
Noboru screeched, collapsing to his knees and wrapping himself with his arms. There were no tears this time.
”Please, Orchid, come back to me!”
His cries went unheard. His scars were left open.
He was left with only one question.
Why did you have to go?