Chapter Text
Beneath the soft sunlight and the gentle breeze that carried the fragrance of wildflowers across the air, there lay a meadow hidden deep within the forest. It was not a place of grandeur, nor a sight that demanded attention. Yet in that quiet solitude, away from human dwellings and disturbances, two figures stood among the colors of the blossoms, gazing at each other in silence.
It was not the look of strangers meeting for the first time, but of two shadows who had come together countless times before—as though their meetings had long become a daily ritual.
A faint smile curved upon their lips. The silence between them was not suffocating but gentle, comforting. It was as if they had been waiting all day just for this moment. At last, a voice broke the stillness, no louder than a whisper that dared not disturb the calm.
"Do you still want to continue reading that book?"
The man in the oversized cloak and a pointed wizard’s hat adorned with scattered purple nightshade reached into the satchel at his hip and pulled out a thick book. He offered it to the other.
The silver-haired man with pale skin, wearing a sleeveless green tunic, lifted his crimson eyes to meet his gaze. Soft feathers of white and grey twitched faintly against his ears as he looked.
"Mm…" A low hum rumbled from his throat as his bandaged hand reached out for the book.
"You’ve been training with your sword again today, haven’t you?"
"...Just like every other day."
Worry flickered across the wizard’s face before he pulled the book away.
"Hey! What are you—"
"Let me rewrap those bandages for you. I can’t stand seeing them all loose and messy like that. We’ll read afterwards."
"...Tch, fine. Do what you want." His tone carried irritation, yet he allowed himself to be guided.
They settled under the shade of a tall tree. A faint trace of blood seeped through the worn bandages on the swordsman’s arm as he extended it. The larger man crouched close, setting the book aside, rummaging once more in his satchel. He produced a fresh roll of white bandages and a small vial of saline, then carefully took the rough, scarred hand in his own.
He turned it over gently, then tightened his hold. His voice, soft as a balm, slipped into the quiet air.
"No matter how hard you train… I wish you’d take better care of yourself, 1x4." His words were tender, yet his eyes carried a shadow.
"I… I’ll try not to get hurt so much." The crimson gaze faltered, sliding away from the heavy sorrow in his companion’s eyes. Cool air touched his bare skin as the old bandages were unraveled, revealing scars old and new, the still-bleeding wounds marring pale flesh.
"Azure."
"Hm…?"
"Thank you."
"It’s nothing, 1x4. Like I’ve told you before." Azure finished tying the clean bandages snugly, lowering the other’s arm back into place. He then placed the book carefully into the swordsman’s lap.
"I left a marker where you stopped last time."
When the pages were turned, a single dried daisy stem was pressed neatly within. A small smile broke across 1x4’s face.
"Azure, it’s only a book on floral botany. You don’t need to treat it like one of those novels I used to read."
He lifted the fragile flower between his fingers, careful not to crush it. A soft chuckle escaped him, wings at his ears fluttering slightly. Azure, watching him with quiet, leaned closer until 1x4’s head rested on his shoulder.
His gaze drifted to the open page. The flower illustrated there was the same as the dried daisy resting in 1x4’s hand. A faint smile touched Azure’s lips when he realized that 1x4 seemed more absorbed in the flower than in the fact that he was leaning against his shoulder.
Because of that, Azure made no move to pull away. He simply let the warmth of the sunlight and the breeze wash over them both. Softly, he began to hum a familiar tune, careful not to disturb the moment, and could only wish that every day might continue on just like this.
Chapter 2: Rough art for ch1
Notes:
just rough line i draw for ch.1
Chapter Text
