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Sara doesn't know when it started. Perhaps it was during a battle where their eyes met for a brief, 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘧 second. Or perhaps it was way, way back, before this russ started.

𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘚𝘢𝘳𝘢 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘤𝘬 𝘳𝘶𝘯 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘴𝘵. 𝘐𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘤, 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘩𝘦'𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘳𝘰 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯.

Kokomi's stay on the Tengu's mind only longers when Sara was out patrolling Natsui Beach one night. It was a chance meeting, one that happens only in a blue moon. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘰𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘣𝘭𝘶𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘒𝘰𝘬𝘰𝘮𝘪'𝘴 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘴.

Neither knew what to do as they both stand there, guards raised higher than Mt.Yogou but neither pulling out weapons.

“𝘚𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘺𝘢.” The Tengu 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘴, or that was what she hoped. Instead, it comes out softer, as if addressing someone close.

“General, quite a surprise to find you here.” Kokomi replies, and for a moment, everything seemed to disappear except for the Priestess in Sara's eyes. Her voice is soft, like a gentle wave that splashes at the shore.

𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘒𝘶𝘫𝘶𝘰 𝘚𝘢𝘳𝘢 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘳, 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘵.

Said General pulls herself together. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘯'𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯, 𝘚𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘺𝘢 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘭, 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘺. A voice in the back of her head whispers.

“Not with your soldiers or that loyal General of yours? Quite rare, indeed.” Something in her shifts, as if her body relaxes at the thought of Gorou not being with Kokomi.

𝘎𝘰𝘳𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘢 𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘚𝘢𝘳𝘢, 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘒𝘰𝘬𝘰𝘮𝘪'𝘴 𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘧 𝘢𝘯 𝘖𝘯𝘪𝘬𝘢𝘣𝘶𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘦. 𝘐𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘪𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺-

“I could say the same for you, 𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭. It seems your strict nature is reigning in again, patrolling in the dead of the night despite your soldiers just rounding up this corner.” There was something in her laced in her voice that Sara couldn't put a finger on. Perhaps, it was worry— 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘺? Is the Priestess-

𝘖𝘩, 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦. 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘢𝘳𝘢'𝘥 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘴.

“I shall not speak of this meeting to anyone, since we are destined to only meet in the battlefield, Sangonomiya.” And with that, Sara turns to leave, feeling the burning sensation of eyes boring in her back.

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Yet their meetings continued. Sara considers it as a coincidence but it went on for 𝘰𝘯𝘦, 𝘵𝘸𝘰, 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰 𝘰𝘯. Their rendezvous at nights continuing on for countless times.

There was a time that after a battle, the two would meet, Kokomi silently treating the General's wounds.

𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘵. 𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺'𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘳, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘴, 𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴.

But it's ok, the two thinks. They can just leave their responsibilities for tomorrow, as they revel in the moment.

𝘚𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴, 𝘣𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘵, 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘦.

𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘭𝘰𝘸, 𝘴𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦. 𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘴. 𝘈 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘯.

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This continues on for as long as the decree lasts. There are nights where the two of them spends, tangled in each other's arms, only for the moon to bear witness. Away from war, despair— away from everything.

There are nights where their nightly escapades lasts until the morning. The night air filling with the smell of 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦, 𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭'𝘴 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘭𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘰𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘮 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵.

There are times in battle where their eyes would stay on each other for longer, but not long enough for anyone to notice.

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It's one of those nights, where they're tangled in each other's embrace. Sara lies awake, unable to sleep despite the comfort of her 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳.

'𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨. 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘺.' The pestering voice in her mind whispers. '𝘊𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯'𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴.' It continues. 𝘐𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘶𝘭𝘵? When they are only following principles.

'𝘈𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝙎𝙝𝙤𝙜𝙪𝙣'𝙨 𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨? 𝘋𝘦𝘧𝘺 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝘈𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘯?' She isn't, she won't. They'll— she'll find a way around this. Find a way to make Kokomi's forces surrender. But for now, she just wants live in the moment.

'𝘏𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘯𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘦? 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴? 𝘙𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳, 𝘪𝘧 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥'𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘯𝘰𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺.' The voice grows vicious, vicious enough to rattle the Tengu.

'𝘙𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘒𝘶𝘫𝘶𝘰 𝘚𝘢𝘳𝘢, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧-'

An arm slithers around her waist, cutting off her thoughts. “Up and overthinking again, General?” Kokomi says in a drowsy voice, and it makes Sara's heart flutter.

“I was just-”

“Shush. Look at me, Sara.” And she does.

Sangonomiya's eyes are like the ocean, deep, and hides 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺, 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘴. And it pulls her in, to dive right into it. Kujou Sara blames it on the Priestess' vision.

“Everything's going to be okay. Soon, we'll be able to end this war and walk around the streets of Narukami freely. So, close your eyes and rest, General. We have a long day ahead of us both.” The Priestess plants a kiss on Sara's forehead, the gesture calming her nerves down.

𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘪𝘯. 𝘚𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘚𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘺𝘢 𝘒𝘰𝘬𝘰𝘮𝘪 𝘪𝘴.