tsuki's true love

shirabu glared at you, and you avoided his gaze, instead looking at yachi. "i just don't understand." you told her. "why does it have to be me and shirabu?"

"well, the client came in right when we opened and told me what they needed, but when i was saying someone would pick it up soon, they said it specifically had to be you two." she shrugged. "they feel you would work together well."

"no way." shirabu said. "she has enough quest experience." you scoffed. he ignored it. "i'm positive i can do it on my own."

yachi shook her head. "it has to be both of you, or if you seriously refuse, somebody else can take it." she pushed the copies of the request to the both of them. "i think it might be really worth it though. plus, it could be a great way for you to bond!" she was clearly nervous just suggesting it.

you hummed, looking at the reward written on the request. it was probably the largest you had ever been offered. then you glanced at shirabu, who was glaring at the copy in his hand. he was thinking pretty hard himself.

maybe that client was right. both of your specializations did work well together, as you were both very stealthy and calculating, knowing exactly when to strike. this quest specifically seemed to call for it. first off, it was far. nearly three days' worth of travel far. and that was on a horse. second, there was only one monster you needed to defeat, but the monster was large, and a bit tough for either one of you to defeat on your own. you were a ranged fighter, which worked well until you were caught all the way up close. of course you had backup weapons, it was just very shocking if an enemy got too close too fast. shirabu was a melee fighter, and that was usually fine, but he worked best staying mostly hidden. if all he was doing was fighting head on, he'd get trampled.

he looked up at you, meeting your gaze. he seemed to understand the same thing you did, and held out his hand. "don't get in my way." he said simply.

you took it, shaking it. "don't get in mine." the two of you shared heavy eye contact, both refusing to be the one that looked away first. this was going to be a tough week.

ꐦ(¬`‸´¬)⚟

you were dreading getting out of bed the next morning. it was way too early, and you just weren't thrilled about spending the next week with a man who hated you.

everyone in the guild knew about your rivalry. due to the both of you being very hardworking and dedicated, you climbed the ranks very quickly. neither of you were s-rank just yet, but you still got the most requests out of anyone in the guild. it all started when you ranked up from g, the very bottom, to f. shirabu was there when it happened. of course, you were excited. you weren't even looking around to see who had seen, you were just focused on your first rank up. after that, you'd notice him side eyeing you nearly every time you saw each other. when he reached e-rank, he gave you an almost smug look. that was the day you really noticed he was challenging you. he seemed to think he was just so much better than you, and it worked out in his favor until recently. you were glad to have gained on him, even if it made him angrier.

but, you supposed that had to be put behind you now? the least you both could do was act civil. you weren't going to try and make friends with him by any means, but you did have to work together. you made the plan to try and be kind as you walked to the adventurer's guild.

shirabu sat on the steps out front, his things next to him. you cleared your throat as you got closer. "good morning." you said politely.

he stood, nodding. "there are no more horses left." he crossed his arms. "we'll have to walk to the next town."

you furrowed your brows. "what? seriously?" you frowned.

he handed you the map. "i also mapped out our route. the detour to the next town will take us an extra day, but it'll be worth it."

you looked over the map, then back up at him. "the next town is all the way east. we have to go south." you said. "can't we get the horses at this town?" you showed him the town on the map that was directly south. it seemed perfect.

"have you been there, lately?" he sneered at you. "it's packed. they're not gonna have any left either. plus, travel would take a lot longer if we got a horse later on the road." he held his hand out for the map. "the only logical option is to go east."

you rolled your eyes, pressing it into his hand. "fine." you grumbled. "shall we go then?" you asked. he wordlessly started walking towards the exit of the town, making you sigh. he was ridiculous. there went your plans to be civil.

"have you read up on the monster we're meant to fight?" he asked.

"i know what an ogre is." you crossed your arms.

he scoffed. "it isn't just an ogre. it's a cursed ogre. do you always go into quests without preparation?"

"i don't need preparation. i know i can handle myself." you spoke with confidence. you knew you could. ogres weren't too bad. you never fought one on your own, though. "if you know so much, tell me what you learned."

"i thought you didn't need preparation." he raised a brow. "or are you trying to seem tough?"

"i don't, but you already did the work."

"i did it for me."

"then why'd you ask?"

"because i need to know if the person i'm fighting with is capable. clearly i'm on my own."

"you could just tell me what you've learned." you scoffed. "you're so arrogant!" you exclaimed.

he widened his eyes at you. "i'm arrogant?!" he exclaimed. "just a couple days ago you were waving your b-rank card in my face all smug!"

"i was not!" you exclaimed.

"i'm not doing this." he shook his head, facing forward and taking a deep breath. "since i don't want to fail, i noted the ogre's weaknesses."

"cursed ogre." you corrected pointedly.

"are you a child?" he deadpanned, shaking his head. "i noted the cursed ogre's weaknesses. you can go over them when we stop to eat. you did bring food, didn't you?"

"of course i brought food." you rolled your eyes. you really hoped, deep down, maybe he was just envious of you that very first day. maybe he was curious about you. maybe he wanted to become friends. you hoped he was secretly a nice guy, who didn't know how to talk to people or something, but that hope was all gone. the only impression you had of him now was that he was an arrogant jerk who only cared about his own success. time is gonna fly by before you know it. then you'll have your money, be home, and never have to interact with him again.

"( – ⌓ – )=3

you were both giving each other the silent treatment the rest of the first day. during your break for food, shirabu wordlessly handed you the notes he took, and then when you were done looking them over, you wordlessly handed them back. they were definitely helpful, but he was smug enough already so you kept that to yourself. the rest of the walk to the town was silent too. you didn't like it, but you preferred it to the fighting. unfortunately, shirabu just looked grumpy the entire day. when you made it to the town, you each got your own rooms in an inn, and went to bed. the obvious plan was to go to the stables in the morning to look for the horses.

that was the exact thing you were preparing to do as you pulled a snack out of your bag and then left the room. you already saw shirabu waiting downstairs, arms crossed and eyes closed as he sat at a bench in the lobby. you slowed down, sighing and dragging your feet over to him.

he noticed you almost as soon as your feet hit the floor, eyes opening in your direction. you set the room key down at the counter by the owner, thanking them and making your way over to the door, where shirabu already stood. "took you long enough." he crossed his arms. you rolled your eyes, ignoring him and pushing the door open. "there aren't any horses." he stated, following behind you. you stopped suddenly, making him bump into you. "what is wrong with you?" he grumbled.

you looked at him with furrowed brows. "how do you know?" you asked.

"you were taking too long to get up. i checked." he said, like it was obvious.

"so your brilliant plan costed us an extra day for nothing?" you groaned. "where's the map?"

"the only town with stables we have left on the way is the big one. if there weren't horses here, there definitely aren't horses there."

"i didn't ask that. i said where's the map?" you glared up at him.

he rolled his eyes, handing it to you. "you're not going to find anything different than i did. it's gonna take us a lot longer now so–"

"shut up." you hissed, looking the map over. he scoffed, but still listened. he was right about not being able to find a horse. it wasn't that you didn't believe him. you just needed to find something that told you the rest of the way didn't need to be so long. a glimmer of hope. since you both started with his plan, you were farther east than you needed to be, and had to make it down southwest. halfway through, you'd reach the forest. then there would really be nothing. there was a town directly southwards, where there was maybe a farm and you could beg for horses, but that would take almost as long as it would to get to the ogre and there wasn't even a guarantee that you'd find anything. how could there be no horses anywhere? you knew it was a very busy time in the year for travel, but seriously! how greedy could people be?

you sighed. there was really no other way. you seriously had to spend two weeks now with shirabu. you looked up at him, at the stupid look on his face that told you he knew you weren't going to find anything. he looked smug. he looked like he wanted to say, "i told you," but his face was enough. he probably knew that too. smug asshole.

"we better go then." you grumbled.

"obviously." he deadpanned, leading the way. "we're getting more food first." you huffed. he scoffed, shaking his head. "do you want to starve?"

"obviously not." you snapped. "i want to hurry up though."

"i do too." he spoke pointedly. "i want to walk just as much as you. probably less." he glared at you. "there's nothing else we can do, though." you didn't respond, and he faced forward again, making his way to the markets.

two weeks. you tried to remind yourself of the reward. that would hopefully make it worth it.

(◞ ⸝⸝ ◟ )

after three long days of silently walking, resting, walking, resting, walking, camping, and slight arguing, you and shirabu made it to the edge of the forest. looking in, there was a strange energy that you weren't sure you liked very much. could the ogre's cursed energy spread this far? its camp was still around four days of walking away. you looked at your companion, if you could even call him that, seeing he was in deep thought. it was the first time you'd seen him not glare at or look displeased with something. it was an… intriguing look. it worried you a bit, actually, his almost grave expression at the forest. did he know something you didn't?

you spoke up first. "we should really stick together through this part." you crossed your arms. you spoke neutrally, trying to show him you were serious too.

he looked at you. not glared or deadpanned. he just looked. this intrigued you too. you weren't sure why… "i know." he said, looking in again. "there's something weird about the air. do you have a mask?" he asked. you shook your head, making him roll his eyes. "here." he handed you one just like his as lifted his own over his nose. "they have protection spells on them."

"oh." you blinked, taking it and putting it on. this was weirdly nice of him. did he plan on you not having one? did he bring it for you just in case? no, surely he already had them. either way, it was nice? shirabu was being nice? "um, thanks."

he turned away, starting to head into the forest. "it'd be a hassle if you got some weird spell on you."

you scoffed. shirabu was being nice? you mocked yourself. of course he wasn't. "jerk." you grumbled under your breath, following after him.

"what'd you say?" he furrowed his brows, turning to you.

"none of your business." you crossed your arms.

"whatever." he grumbled.

as you got deeper in the forest, the gaps in the trees seemed to show less and less, and it got dark fast. when you entered, it was early in the morning. you got out a lantern, but shirabu stopped you. you looked at him, and he shook his head. he had that serious look on his face again. you put the lantern away, trusting him. something was definitely up.

then he held his hand out to you. when all you did was stare at it, he huffed. "take it." he whispered. you furrowed your brows, completely taken aback. he rolled his eyes. "i'm serious, y/n!" he hissed. that definitely surprised you. you didn't think he ever said your name before. "you said it yourself. we have to stick together. take my hand." he kept his voice as low as possible. you slipped your hand into his, and then you kept walking.

his hand was rough, which wasn't surprising. yours definitely weren't the smoothest. it was just due to the line of work you were both in. you also noticed there was a bit of a large difference in the size of your hands. his were pretty big…

which meant nothing to you. it was just convenient that your hand fit so well into his. for comfort, of course.

you redirected your focus, a bit confused about why you were thinking about his hands in the first place. either way, the both of you, with shirabu leading, maneuvered through. he looked like he was searching for something. if only he just told you. you pulled his hand, startling him and making him glare at you as you pulled him behind a bush. "what's your plan?" you whispered. "you can't leave me in the dark. 'we need to stick together' doesn't mean you take my hand and drag me around a forest." you sort of snapped at him, but it was needed.

he stared at you for a minute, thinking. "i think i know what it is." he whispered, seeming to shake off whatever was going on in his head. "we have to get out fast. it must be some sort of concealment spell, which blocks out light and sound completely."

"nothing to do with the ogre?" you asked.

"no. i've mostly encountered concealment spells when dealing with bandits. they have a large radius, but there is an end, long before we get to the ogre's camp." he looked around. "the longer we're here, the easier it'll be for them to find us. the border should be obvious. you'll start to see light seeping in on the ground. that's what i'm looking for."

you nodded once. "got it." you said. "let's keep moving then." he nodded, face neutral. you stood together, both of you now scanning the ground for the path of light. you hoped you'd be finding it soon. you were in this spell way too long. you were starting to feel uneasy, like you were being–

just behind you, you barely heard the sound of a bow being drawn. you gasped, looking up in the trees behind you to try and spot whoever it was. at the same time, shirabu started pulling you in a different direction. "i see it." he whispered.

"wait–" you tried, gasping when you saw the arrow headed right for him. "shirabu, duck!" you exclaimed to him in a whisper, crouching down and pulling him down with you. he swore under his breath, glaring at the arrow just in front of him. "hurry!" you hissed, taking the lead and pulling him behind you as soon as you spotted the small path of sunlight. the both of you ran to follow it, an arrow brushing against your arm just as you made it out. you still ran though, making sure you were far enough.

"y/n." he called after you, pulling your hand to stop. "you're bleeding."

you both panted after the rush, and you sat yourself down on the ground, groaning.

"are you in pain?" he asked.

"no, that was just stressful." you lied back onto the grass, hissing a bit when your wound touched the dirt.

"now it's dirty." he rolled his eyes. "sit up." he crouched down next to you. when you didn't move, he deadpanned, "i'm going to clean it."

"okay, okay." you sighed, sitting up and showing him your arm. he ripped the tear on your sleeve more, making you gasp. "hey!"

he ignored you, getting a piece of cloth, a small bottle of alcohol, and bandages. he looked up from your wound with that deadpan look. "it's gonna sting." he warned.

"i know that." you huffed, watching him pour some of the alcohol on the cloth.

"don't complain when it does then." he said, holding your arm in his free hand. he started gently wiping at the blood on the outside. you didn't think he could be gentle. well, the only version of him you knew was the one that hated you. he was very gentle in his cleaning though, and he was also pretty meticulous. he replaced the cloth for the bandages when he was satisfied with its cleanliness and carefully wrapped them around your arm. "is it too tight?" he asked. during the process, his face morphed from angry to focused. you shook your head, so he tied the bandages and started putting his things away.

"thanks." you said, sighing. he didn't respond, and then it started to feel a little bit awkward. that was sort of a bonding moment? the only options from there were to further it, and try to become acquaintances, or ignore it. "um, so–"

"we should take a small break here then keep moving." he was sat down just a little bit away from you, staring at the map. actually, this was a different map. "we might find some shortcuts."

you sighed, crossing your arms. "are you gonna show me where those might be or what?" you raised a brow.

he looked up at you, nudging the map in his hands in your direction. it was a silent, 'i'm not going over there.' you rested your hands behind your back, sighing and ignoring the sting of your slightly injured arm. you sure weren't about to give in. you could tell he knew the exact game you were playing, but he started it. he was clearly growing exasperated at how lazily you sat there, waiting for him to bring the map to you. "you were the one who suggested communicating."

"you were the one who decided to sit so far." you shrugged.

"i'm two feet away from you." he deadpanned.

you smiled innocently. "two feet too far." you shrugged.

he now fully glared at you. "you're ridiculous."

this made you chuckle a bit. "fine. you win." you conceded, pleased at getting the reaction you wanted. then you went over to him and crouched down just behind him. "what are you lookin' at?" then you gasped, seeing a full map of the forest? "how did you get this?" you asked.

you saw a sparkle of arrogance pass through his eyes. he shrugged nonchalantly. "i know people."

you scoffed. "you know people?"

he sneered at you. "what does that mean?" he asked.

you motioned to his face. "you're always making grumpy faces like that or smirking." you crossed your arms.

he shook his head. "you don't know me." he said. "you only see me when you piss me off."

"then how do you look around everyone else?" you asked.

"that's none of your busine– can we focus on the plan?" he huffed, motioning to the map. "i haven't been through here before, but i've heard rumors of a shortcut. it's out of our way, but there's a cave leading underground and cutting through the tougher parts of the forest."

you hummed. "is the risk worth it?" you asked. "how dangerous is it underground?"

"shouldn't be too bad. nothing we can't handle." he pointed to a spot towards the ogre's camp. "plus, it'll give us a vantage point."

"coming from underground?" you furrowed your brows.

"he's huge and stupid. if we come up from under him and stay quiet, we'll be able to knock him down, or at least surprise him. he might be strong, but i doubt his recovery time is the best." he explained, pulling out his notes on the ogre and pointing at the curse's effects.

you nodded. "i guess that works then." you shrugged, standing up. "think it's about time to get going again?"

"yes. we should make it to the shortcut by tonight, and then that should only take us one day instead of the original three." he explained. "if we go through with no problems, it should also help us get out of the forest quickly."

you smiled a bit. "things are lookin' up for us aren't they?" you asked him.

he glanced at you, probably confused at the sudden cheeriness. then he shrugged. "that's my hope." he said.

(ᵕ—ᴗ—)

by the time it was dark, you made it to the cave with shirabu. you hummed, looking around. it was an interesting sight, but luckily it didn't look like anybody had been around lately. on the way, you discussed that you'd scout out the cave and then if it looked safe camp inside it. the outside looked safe at least. it was sort of an odd entrance, as it was like someone had blown a hole into a small hill to create it, but for all you knew, someone had. you weren't well-versed in magic yourself, but some of the sorcerers you met in your adventures had some very interesting spells.

"what do you think?" you asked him. "looks okay to me." you shrugged, each of you holding your respective lanterns as you searched.

"out here, it does." he said, slight attitude in his tone.

"well we have to look in the cave to make sure it's safe in there." you humphed, getting closer to the entrance and holding your lantern up. it looked deep. it had to be, you knew that. "who discovered this?" you asked as you examined the entrance for traps. you didn't want to be caught in a trap before walking in.

"i told you, i know people." he said, taking a step in. "let's go." he looked at you expectantly.

you nodded, walking in. "that doesn't really explain it. it looks like it grew out of the ground."

"it might've." he shrugged.

"so you don't know then."

"does it really mat–"

thud. behind you, after you and shirabu took a couple steps in, the cave entrance shut.

you gasped, setting your lantern down and feeling around the entrance. you just checked for traps! there weren't any! you still didn't feel anything that could trigger it, so what could it have been? you whirled around to him. "it definitely matters how it was found!" you exclaimed. "we don't have a way out now!"

"shut up." he hissed. you scoffed. "this place echoes." he crossed his arms. "no information i would've given you would've prevented this, nor will it solve it. i've done my research. you get the camp ready, and i'll look up ahead to see if it's safe."

you rolled your eyes. "you're taking first watch." you grumbled to him.

"fine. you need rest anyway." and then you heard his footsteps get slightly farther.

he was right though. your arm was stinging, despite how well he cleaned it. you groaned softly, starting to set up the camp. he was so gentle when he was caring for your wound. why couldn't he be like that more? what was his deal? it wasn't like you started this stupid rivalry! it was him, deciding to one up you over and over again. then when you finally got ahead of him, he was angry?! you could admit you overreacted a little, but it was deserved after his constant arrogance around you. he thought he was sooo much better than you, but you were the same rank!

you sat down on the bedroll, arms crossed as you watched shirabu come into your view. "it's safe." he said, looking at you and rolling his eyes. "why are you mad?" he grimaced.

"because you're arrogant and i have no idea what your problem is!" you furrowed your brows. "did i do something to hurt you?!" you stood. "or do you just think you're so much better than everyone else that you can't stand when someone beats you at something?!"

he glared at you. "you're the smug one here!" he exclaimed. "you go on adventures with anybody that asks, carry them through it, and walk around like you're the best in the guild! you obviously think you're so much better than everyone when you're not." he turned away from you, arms crossed.

you scoffed, a bit hurt that that was his impression of you. all you were doing was what you loved. you were helping and fighting, and ultimately keeping people safe. you were just having fun. what was so offensive to him about that? "i don't care if i'm better than anyone else." you stated. "i just do what i do for fun. if you're not having fun, that doesn't have anything to do with me." you huffed, laying down on the bedroll. "i'm going to bed." you grumbled to him. he didn't answer. there was definitely something more there, but if he didn't want to say anything, then he could just be mad for no reason. you decided right then and there that you'd be done with this ridiculous rivalry, that was built off of complete misconception, as soon as you got home.

( •̀⤙•́ )

the truth was, shirabu envied you greatly. even with him, who you seemed to hate, you joked and worked well. your teasing didn't bother him, unless you were truly trying to irritate him. you were very good at that. he didn't care that he had so little friends, but he hated that so many people wanted to work with you instead of him. you had such a large variety of requests. you were swimming in them! he felt like he wasn't doing his best if he wasn't ahead of you.

maybe you were right though. lately it'd been getting to him. he started getting stressed over it, even though he was excited when he first joined the guild.

you were also so… he brought his knees up to his chest and put his head down. you'd been plaguing his mind longer than you knew. it was getting ridiculous, actually. he felt stupid. he even asked his friends for advice, which wouldn't be a problem if he had friends that didn't endlessly tease him over it. their advice was useless too.

"just tell her!" goshiki had said, as if you didn't completely hate him.

"maybe she hates you because she likes you." semi attempted to reason, which made no sense. shirabu told him that too, but semi only responded that he was doing the same thing.

actually, now that he thought about it, was semi actually right? he furrowed his brows at himself. no. semi's an idiot. he sighed. realistically, there was nothing he could do but keep it to himself and just leave you alone.

(｡ᵕ ◞ _◟)

the morning walk held a heavy silence. you seemed to still be upset at him, and he was unfortunately embarrassed. you blew up at him, rightfully so, and then instead of apologizing he blew up right back. in his defense, he did what was expected. that was what he figured. he was a little concerned, though, as the two of you were supposed to be getting ready for a fight. this was your second to last night before it, and he'd have to spend the day strategizing on his own.

he felt so awkward. he hated feeling awkward. he wasn't the type of guy to beat around the bush. he still wouldn't be, but he felt it. "when we get there, i can distract him so you can get to higher ground." he said.

"wow, thanks for thinking of me." you grumbled sarcastically.

he rolled his eyes. "i want to put together a plan so we can rest easy." he glared at you.

"we can put a plan together later."

he groaned to himself, shaking his head. you were mad at him. he knew he could fix it, but his pride was getting in the way. he closed his eyes, quietly let out a breath, and then opened them again. "y/n." he stopped walking. you, brows still furrowed in anger, turned to him. "i'm sorry."

immediately, your brows shot up. shirabu was sorry?! was he serious? was he playing tricks? was he only saying it so you wouldn't be mad anymore? you studied his face, his eyes. they usually glared at you, but they weren't this time. he was serious. he was sorry. you didn't really know what to do in this situation. did you really want to forgive him, after all this time? was he even saying sorry for the whole big drama you caught yourselves in, or was he saying sorry for the fight before bed? "for what?" you asked hesitantly.

he paused, seeming like he was thinking about it. he sighed. "for everything." he shrugged. "you…" he sighed deeply, like he didn't want to say the next few words. "you were right."

you gasped. it wasn't to tease him or anything, it just came out. from the little you knew of him, he meant it when he was serious. whether or not he wanted to be perceived in this moment, you could see the guilt he held just in the way he looked at you.

he rolled his eyes, looking away. "i just mean i haven't been having fun. i guess i took that out on you. so, sorry."

you smiled to yourself while he wasn't looking. it made you happy, for him to admit this. then you cleared your face, taking a deep breath. "well, i'm sorry too. i guess i could've invited you along once or twice." you shrugged. he looked at you, curious. "but don't think this means you're off the hook!" you shook your head, starting to walk again. "you'll make it up to me next time." you smiled.

"next time?" he deadpanned, walking up next to you.

you hummed in confirmation. "everyone back home will be very excited that we've decided to work together, considering our strengths." you explained.

"we did?" he asked.

"why? still hate me?" you teased slightly.

"no." he grumbled. "i never hated you."

"don't worry, shirabu, i understand. not having friends can make somebody very bitter." you nodded.

he glared at you again. "i have friends."

"you don't have to lie to impress me!" you continued teasing.

he groaned. "i take it back." he shook his head.

you laughed softly. "you can't just take it back!"

"i can. i did." he crossed his arms.

"didn't you have a plan to discuss?" you hummed.

he sighed. "are you going to be serious?" he raised a brow.

"of course!" you nodded quickly. "i would never be anything less." he gave you a look of disbelief, making you laugh. "i'm done, i'm done. go on."

so he did, after one more doubtful look, and the two of you put together a plan. you were beyond relieved. you didn't really see yourself forgiving him when he first said it, but he seemed so genuine. he was truly remorseful. it still blew your mind.

you appreciated it. you didn't ever think he'd apologize, but he was apparently less arrogant than you originally thought, so you wanted to give him the chance to prove himself, and prove that he meant what he said. you also realized maybe you could've tried with him.

things were definitely looking up for you two.

(..◜ᴗ◝..)

at the end of the day, as promised, you made it to the end of the cave. he stopped you just before the exit. "wait here." he mumbled, putting his hood and mask up and disappearing into the night. you looked up towards where he left, then sighed, realizing there wasn't much you could do from where you stood. you didn't think you could do this sort of quest at all if you didn't have someone stealthy on your side. not too long later, shirabu came back and sighed, putting his mask and hood down. "he's asleep." he said. "i'd suggest taking him out now, but we've walked a lot today. it's not safe in case we make a mistake or something, and then we have to fight him."

you hummed. "alright, well we'll just go with the plan. i can take first watch this time." you offered. he nodded. the both of you walked slightly further in, just in case. then you started setting up camp together, setting up a small fire. "are you confident?" you asked him curiously.

"yes." he said, getting ready to sleep. "a c-ranker could've done this." he grumbled.

you smiled innocently. "good thing you were hired then."

he scoffed, glaring at you. "i'm b-rank now!"

you giggled at him. "good night." you sang, leaning against the cave walls.

"whatever." he grumbled, facing away from you. "good night." he spoke quietly enough that you almost didn't hear him. you smiled.

most of your watch was spent planning for the next day. shirabu saying a c-ranker could've done it provided you some ease of mind, so you weren't very worried about things going wrong. you weren't worried about anything really, but having some backup plans would be nice.

you did wonder if shirabu was really interested in doing more quests with you. he seemed it? sort of? he didn't look disgusted at the idea. would it be awkward though? time would tell, you supposed. the way back home would definitely be like sort of a test run. you hummed, bringing your knees up to your chest and hugging them. you were excited for what the next few days would bring.

(,,>﹏<,,)

"shirabu!" you exclaimed, tossing a healing potion down to him. he blinked, catching it with ease and hiding away in a tree. the confused ogre wasn't sure where to look, as you were up above behind him and shirabu was hiding down in the forest in front of him. you wasted an arrow to distract him from shirabu, who was healing after a pretty bad hit from the ogre's too-large club. the ogre spun around completely to look for the arrow, nearly stumbling. you aimed to shoot, but your aim faltered when you saw shirabu jump down from a tree to attack the ogre.

you'd never actually seen shirabu in action. you only knew he wasn't interested in 'boring' quests as he called them during one of your many arguments. he used to call any quest of yours that didn't include fighting boring. now you knew he was just a bit jealous. either way, your only knowledge of him was that all he did was fight. it was definitely showing. he had an intense, focused look on his face. he knew exactly what he was doing, every single move calculated hours prior. he planned every move, every backup move, and even every hiding spot. he was very dedicated and very good at what he did. you felt so weird, switching from being completely frustrated by him and admiring him in just one day. watching him fight thrilled you in a way you never expected from him. he was… intriguing. the right word was on the tip of your tongue, but you couldn't find it.

"y/n!" shirabu called with a bit of roughness in his voice, somehow having disarmed the ogre. "take the final shot!"

you gasped, immediately moving and taking aim to get the last hit on this ogre and claim the exact thing you'd need. you readied your bow until shirabu gave you the okay to come down. you jumped down, landing a bit roughly on your feet. "good work!" you smiled wide at him, holding a hand up for a high five.

he looked at you, nodding and high fiving you back. it was a bit light for a high five, but you accepted it. "while i was hiding," he panted, digging through his pockets, "i found this." he held up a slightly crumpled scroll. you looked at it, raising your brows. it wasn't what you were looking for, but the client would most likely appreciate it. you guessed it was one of theirs.

"good." you nodded. "i can't believe they came here on their own to find this thing." you walked away, going into the tent that seemed a little bit too small for an ogre which was odd. "is it big?" you asked.

"no, actually, but it glows!" shirabu called from outside, most likely searching the ogre's pockets. "it should be as big as your palm!"

you hummed, looking at your palm and then going through the whole tent. you went through the obvious locations first. there was a chest, with a couple random things in it, but nothing glowing. some blankets were folded neatly on one side, and some typical supplies on the other. again, odd. also slightly odd that the ogre had a tent? you hummed. the whole forest was weird so this wasn't too out of place you supposed.

you closed the chest, going under the bed and even looking through the sheets. there was nothing there. you looked up, trying to find something hidden. still nothing. you huffed, walking out. "any luck?" you asked.

"no." he furrowed his brows. "you didn't find anything?" you shook your head. "switch?" he asked.

"don't you trust me?" you teased. he rolled his eyes, going over to you. you were blocking his way. "what's the magic word?" you sang.

"come on." he crossed his arms. you smiled innocently. "no." he scoffed. you shrugged, getting comfortable where you stood. that familiar glare came back to his eyes, but there was something else there. "you're so childish." he groaned, shaking his head. lately, everything he was doing was intriguing. just now, he was standing intriguing. what did that even mean?

"you have bad manners, so i think you might be the–"

"please let me through." he frowned deeply.

you laughed, moving past him. "of course!" you exclaimed, going over to the ogre's body as shirabu grumbled on his way into the tent. you went through the pile of things shirabu left, humming to yourself. when you didn't find it, you went through the ogre's pockets.

"i found it!" shirabu called, coming out and holding a purple glowing orb. "it was in the blankets." he said. he seemed confused. "did the tent seem weird to you?"

"yes!" you exclaimed. "why would an ogre have a tent? a pretty well-organized tent, at that!"

shirabu hummed. "we'll have to let yachi know." he said. you nodded. "our job here is done though. let's go get our things and finally go home." he sighed deeply.

you frowned a bit. "we'll have to go the long way." you grumbled, following him back into the cave and helping him gather everything.

"well," he shrugged, "it won't be as bad for you now that you think you can tease me." he shot a glare at you.

you grinned. "you're right! i'm gonna have a great time." you teased. "i'm a delight, shirabu."

"sure you are." he grumbled sarcastically, getting his map out. "the concealment spell should hopefully be gone now, too. it'd take a lot of people and a lot of energy to keep it up for this long. i'm guessing we saw it at its peak."

"we should still be careful though." you stated, walking out with him. "who knows where they went?"

he nodded, getting closer to you and showing you the map. "this looks like the way out." he pointed to a path. "it seems pretty straightforward, so maybe it'll take less than we imagined." he pointed near where you guys were walking, maybe an hour's walk up ahead. "there's also a small waterfall here if we want to clean ourselves."

you hummed, nodding. "that would be very nice, especially after that fight." you said. "lead the way!" you smiled at him. he nodded, putting away his map, his face neutral. you didn't really expect a smile, but you were hoping for one soon. he couldn't put on an angry face forever!

when you started walking, you felt awkward again. what would be okay to say to him now that you were going to be friends? you glanced over at him, and he seemed to be peacefully walking like nothing was different. no, there were definitely some differences in the way he walked. he seemed just slightly lighter, and he wasn't glaring at everything ahead of him. he was still neutral, or at peace. he was calm. he looked much better like this. almost friendly! almost. of course, he was still shirabu.

you smiled, nudging him. "you're so excited to be friends." you teased.

he scoffed, his face reddening. "no i'm not." he glared at you. maybe he looked good when he was at peace, but you found it very funny when he glared. you could tell he wasn't really upset too. "clearly you are."

he rolled his eyes. "i'm excited to go home."

you gasped dramatically. "so you do feel positive feelings!"

"yes of course i feel positive feelings! i–" he studied your mischievous smile, groaning. "i don't know why i keep falling for you." he grumbled. you raised your eyebrows, and he blinked, looking at you. your cheeks were a little pink. he was clearly processing what he said, so he didn't mean it, did he? "y-your jokes!" he exclaimed. "your stupid tricks!" he looked ahead. "not you, i–not you." he shook his head quickly.

you looked ahead as well, nodding. "right." you mumbled. he didn't mean it. he was only nervous because that was a wild slip of the tongue. falling for you. he didn't mean it. you looked at some leaves, shaking your head at yourself. things like that happened to everyone, right? even you! not to that degree, though. it would probably happen if you liked someone, but shirabu didn't like you. he didn't like anyone. well, he had friends, but this was different. did he even want a romantic relationship?

okay, this was too much. you had to stop your train of thought before you turned it back on yourself. he made a common mistake that could've happened to anybody. no big deal.

"y/n." he called to you, a little bit too casually. "here's the waterfall." you looked over, seeing him point deeper into the woods. he led you through the trees—without looking at you once, you noted—into a very scenic lake at the bottom of a perfectly flowing waterfall. "you should go first so you can clean your wound." he said.

"what about all yours?" you asked.

he shook his head. "they're small. i'm fine." he went into his bag, handing you a pouch. "the bandages are in here. if you need help i can–" he paused. "uh, just finish up if you can't do it and i'll do it out here." you nodded, taking it. "i'll be here, um, facing away, but keeping watch." he said, sitting down facing opposite the waterfall.

"okay!" you nodded. "thanks." you sang, trying not to sound nervous as you went over to the waterfall. he definitely seemed nervous. his grumpy personality was falling right before your eyes! you were starting to think his words weren't merely a slip of the tongue. stop thinking about it! it'll only make things worse!

you took a deep breath, cleaning your wound last. it stung a bit, but it wasn't anything you couldn't handle. you got out of the water, looking around sort of anxiously as you used the rag that was in his pouch to dry around the wound.

then you gasped softly, looking around the grass. no, no, no. you groaned, peeking over at the pile of things next to shirabu. your bag sat right on top. i thought i grabbed it. "um, don't look!" you called to him. he froze. "i-i forgot my bag! i'm gonna hide under the water if you can bring it to me?" you called.

"yes." he called back, voice wavering. "let me know when you're hidden."

you watched him stand and carefully grab your bag, and then you got in the water, making sure you were closer to the deeper end and crouching down. "i'm ready!" you called. he turned around, looking up slightly and walking over to you. you sighed as he got closer. "you can just leave it right where you're standing." he nodded. "thanks." he nodded again. his face was tomato red as he walked off as fast as he could.

was he just acting like that because you were indecent or was he acting like that because he liked you? you couldn't tell, and it was making you lose your mind! now you'd be tortured for a whole other week while you got home, not because he hated you, but because he maybe liked you? what was going on? you just wanted it to not be awkward between you anymore!

you huffed at yourself. now this stupid bandage wasn't going on! of course it was your dominant arm that had to get injured.

you went over to him, now completely dressed and clean, holding out your wounded arm. "it's impossible." you grumbled, dropping your things and handing him the pouch.

he nodded, motioning for you to sit. of course, you did, getting in a comfortable position for both you and him. "since i'm here, i'm cleaning it more." he said, looking into your eyes. he seemed to get over his embarrassment fast, which just made you more frustrated for some reason. he furrowed his brows. "y/n." he said. "what are you mad at?"

you didn't even realizing your brows were furrowed angrily. "nothing." you sighed, clearing your face. "please, just do what you gotta do."

he hesitated, but started cleaning you up. you hissed, flinching away. he looked at you until you relaxed your arm again, getting back to work. he expertly wrapped your arm. "i'm going then." he said, grabbing his things. you nodded, looking ahead. he didn't leave yet, though. "are you mad at something?"

"no. go already. you reek of blood." you half-teased.

he sighed. "whatever." he grumbled. you could very clearly imagine him rolling his eyes. as a favor to him and you, you prepared everything so you could set out as soon as he was done. you'd probably stop for a food break a little bit later in the day.

as you finished packing up, you heard slight water splashes behind you. perfect timing! you got the map of the forest out of his bag, looking through the route again. it was straightforward, but so long. you sighed. "shirabu!" you called, not looking up.

"what?" he grumbled.

"you don't know any other secret shortcuts?" you asked.

"no." he sounded like he was getting closer. you turned to him, humming. he looked so casual. he grabbed his gear from his bag, standing straight to put it on. when he looked up, he met your eyes and furrowed his brows. "what?" he asked.

"i've never seen you so relaxed." you said, motioning to his body language.

"the water was nice." he shrugged. "you didn't think so?" you nodded. "i guess it wouldn't make a difference. you're always too relaxed." he teased, leaning down into his bag again. you scoffed, a shocked laugh escaping your lips. "what?" he smirked a bit at you. "you don't think i can tease too?"

you blinked. intriguing. he wasn't intriguing. he was attractive. your heart started pounding. "no, i don't." you grumbled. "you're too grumpy." you huffed, handing him back his map and starting to walk off. "come on!" you called, trying your best to act normal after discovering this new attraction. actually, apparently it wasn't new! you'd been subconsciously sitting on this for nearly three days! you racked your brain for every other time you might've thought he was intriguing before this quest. there were definitely a few. one, not too long ago, was when he got back from a seemingly difficult quest. he set the retrieved item on yachi's counter and had a very proud grin on his face. it was the day he ranked up to c. he was just so proud, you could now admit you admired his pride in his work. even though it didn't look like he was having fun with a lot of it, he was a very hard worker. if your main goal was to help, his was to get stronger. i can't believe i like shirabu kenjiro. you slightly shook your head at yourself, looking up at the sky. it was like the ridiculous idea that kids were mean to each other because they liked each other. that was what you two were!

oh. right. he likes me too. you blushed, looking ahead again. that was just your suspicion, though. it could still be untrue. that made you kind of nervous now. you didn't want to confess just to get rejected. especially by him. maybe you didn't know him well enough as a friend, but a week ago he would've laughed in your face if you told him you had a crush on him. you were probably going to drive yourself crazy before you got home trying to think about it, so you took a breath, and shook the thoughts away for now.

( •̀ - •́ )و

most of the walk was you teasing shirabu and making light conversation with him. you found out somewhere in these little conversations that you knew his friends, and for a moment he was mortified. you'd been on a couple quests with them that went well. he was being dramatic. then you told him they probably annoyed him because it was easy to and he got this angry pout on his face that made you giggle.

you also found out he was nicer than you originally thought. he didn't tell you that outright, of course, but little things in the stories he told you helped you figure it out. he also asked, later in the day, how your arm was feeling. it was like he was worried about you, which you appreciated.

"i'll take first watch." shirabu told you.

"that's okay." you said. "i'm not tired." you sighed. it was true. despite all the walking, you felt fine. "if you want to sleep, be my guest." you motioned to the bedroll.

"i'm not really tired either." he shrugged.

"oh." you said, looking into the fire quietly. then you gasped and smiled at him.

"i don't like that look." he said plainly. there was no bite to his words like there would've been just a couple days ago.

"let's tell spooky stories." you grinned.

he rolled his eyes. "that's childish."

"you think everything fun is childish!" you laughed.

"our definitions of fun are very different." he said.

you hummed. "then what's your definition of fun?" he opened his mouth to speak, but you quickly cut him off. "outside of doing quests."

he sighed. "i like reading but that doesn't mean we can tell spooky stories."

"whatever!" you sang. "what do you like to read?" you raised a brow at him.

"whatever i can find." he said. "usually i read about fighting tactics though."

you deadpanned. "you're a nerd." you teased.

he scoffed. you laughed. "you don't look for information on the quests you're about to do?" he asked.

"i do, but that's not the same as doing it for fun." then you hummed. "i mean, some of those books are interesting, and they definitely help me. there can be some really good strategies in them. i just prefer to learn by experience." you shrugged. "it's more fun that way." you said. quickly, you added, "for me." he hummed, nodding. "so, no fiction?" you raised a brow.

"not really. it's too predictable." he started sharpening one of his daggers idly as the two of you spoke. "do you read fiction?"

you smiled. "i love fiction." he hummed in acknowledgement. "i read a romance book lately that was very unpredictable." your heart rate went up a bit at this sudden idea you impulsively acted on.

"really?" he asked.

"yes! the two characters used to be friends, but had a terrible falling out." you explained. "then, um," you tried to think quickly, swallowing down your nerves, "then they started working together." you decided not to look at him, messing with your hands. "they didn't pay much attention to each other anymore, other than dreading the other's existence in the same room."

"well, if you say it's a romance, then it's obvious they end up together." he commented. "that's pretty predictable."

you shook your head. "but it's impossible to tell." you said. "they hated each other. every single time they saw each other they fought. they'd have to be separated constantly. i was reading it and wondering if romance was even possible. then their boss was completely fed up with it, and sent them on a trip."

"a trip?" he sounded confused.

"yes. they were, um, researchers." you nodded, glancing up at him. he was still sharpening his dagger, but he was definitely listening. you looked back down. you were starting to regret this, but you were too far in. "i know researchers usually send adventurers off to do their fieldwork, but these two are strong. anyway, um, they went off on this long journey, and they hated each other the entire time. it was hard to read, and i thought the romance might end up being between one of the characters and someone else they met on their journey! there was just no way to make either of them happy. one of them really wanted to try, but the other just didn't let her. he closed her off at every attempt." shirabu hummed, but his mhm came out almost stuttered. he was smart. he was starting to understand. "so, she stopped trying, and they had a bad fight. to her surprise, he was the one who apologized."

"i think i've read this before." he mumbled, sighing. you looked at him, hoping he didn't see the pink on your cheeks. his dagger was put away, and he was giving you his full attention. "but remind me how it ends?"

you inhaled deeply, nodding. "well, she accepted his apology, hoping this falling out from years ago could be put past them. they both put in their effort to reconcile their friendship." you looked down at your hands again, sighing. "as they continued their journey, she ended up falling for him. a-actually, she fell for him a while ago, but they were both just so awful to each other that she couldn't see it. she didn't want to think a single positive thing about him, until their journey. she realized that… maybe he fell for her too." you looked at him, at his pink cheeks. "uh, i forget the next part." you mumbled.

he nodded. "the next part goes into detail about how he's loved her for years." he looked at you, not one drip of uncertainty in his voice. it was the complete opposite of yours. "he felt terrible for messing up, and he told her that."

"yo–he loves her?" you asked. was he just adding on like you did, or did he–no. he couldn't have.

"he might." your heart pounded in your chest now. "he's–" he huffed, shaking his head. "i'm sorry for how things have been between us. i know i said it already, but it was childish." you smiled at the light joke. "i'm grateful that you accepted my apology."

"stop being so formal." you said softly, scooching next to him. he blinked. "dearest y/n, this letter is a formal request for your love. signed formally, shirabu." you teased, mocking his voice.

he scoffed. "i can't believe you." he grumbled.

you grinned, holding your hand out for his. he took it. "you looove me." you sang.

he rolled his eyes, but you saw a smile grow on his face. "i can't believe this is happening on a quest." he shook his head. "ridiculous." he sounded like he might be upset, but his smile told you everything.

"isn't it nice?" you asked. "now we have about four more days to be lovey-dovey." you joked.

"yeah, right." he raised a teasing brow at you.

you gasped. "don't act like you don't want to! what was that at the waterfall?"

he turned red. "don't bring that up." he groaned, his smile morphing into a frown. "that was extremely embarrassing. how do you just forget your clothes?!"

"you distracted me!" you laughed. "you basically confessed to me and–"

he groaned more. "don't bring that up either!"

"don't worry, shirabu, it was cute." you teased.

he glared at you. "i'm going to bed." he let go of your hand, standing up.

you laughed. "i don't get a kiss good night?"

he paused, then crouched down and pressed the softest kiss to your head. you were just teasing him!

you blinked up at him, unsure what to do. he kissed your forehead?! he chuckled, standing again and going over to the bedroll.

"that's not fair." you grumbled, leaning against the comfortable pile of both of your bags. "good night." you whispered.

"good night." he mumbled, yawning.

you pressed your hands against your warm cheeks, sighing softly. how had so much happened in a little less than a week? you hated each other before this! actually, according to his confession, he liked you the entire time?! it excited you and made you nervous all at the same time. you really wished to know what would come of this… relationship? the word made you smile nervously. you guessed the journey home would reveal that.

(⸝⸝⸝-﹏-⸝⸝⸝)

"we made it without killing each other!" you sang as you and shirabu stepped foot in the adventurer's guild for the first time in nearly two weeks. the last week of your adventure was spent very happily. there may have been an argument or two, but due to the new nature of your relationship, you were able to communicate properly and resolve it.

it was actually a very nice week. he was more romantic than you thought he might be, in little ways. he started setting up the campsite for both of you. he'd accept your help, but only after insisting he was fine. he shared his food without you needing to ask. he let you talk and talk without once complaining. he actually listened closely. you also found an inn on the way and shared a room, which both of you were obviously nervous about. sharing a bed with him was actually pretty nice, though. you woke up against his side, head on his chest, his arm around your shoulders.

but your favorite part of the way home was your first kiss.

"ready to go?" you yawned, gathering your things as he finished packing up camp. "just one more night away from home!" you smiled, looking over at him. his things were ready to go, but he had this uncertain look on his face. "shirabu?" you asked.

"i want to take you out when we get home." he said, getting a bit close to you. you nodded, looking up at him as he got closer. he took your hand, intertwining it in his. "you make me lose my patience though." he mumbled.

you smiled. "that's what i'm here for." you teased, as he leaned down. you furrowed your brows, blushing. "shirabu?" you whispered.

"kenjiro." he corrected, bringing his free hand up to your cheek. "i wanted to kiss you at the inn." you nodded. "i thought it'd be better to wait until i could do it right, but i can't." you took a shaky, nervous breath, and then he connected your lips together. your free hand reached up around his neck, the other squeezing his hand affectionately. he was so gentle in every way he touched you.

when you pulled back, you grinned. "let's go home, kenjiro." he smiled.

thinking about it still gave you butterflies.

yachi looked up at the two of you after hearing your declaration, smiling wide. you dragged shirabu over to her desk, nudging him. "here." he turned in the purple orb.

"perfect!" yachi grinned. "exactly what w-they were looking for! how'd it go?" she asked.

"well, we definitely don't hate each other anymore." you grinned. "the client was right."

shirabu nodded. "we found this." he pulled the spell scroll out, handing it to yachi. "we guessed it's probably theirs. there was also something weird about the ogre's campsite. it was too neat and a little small for an ogre."

yachi blinked, then sighed. "okay, there was no client. well, there was a client, and this artifact is actually needed, but the quest was made by me." she looked at you two nervously.

"made by you?" you furrowed your brows.

"you hated each other!" she exclaimed. "this was the only way i thought of to at least see if you would reconcile." she sighed. "sorry i kept it from you."

you smiled softly at her. "it's okay." shirabu didn't look very happy, but you patted his arm. "you're not happy with the way things went?" you teased him.

"i feel lied to." he grumbled.

"sorry." yachi sighed.

he nodded. "it's okay. y/n's right. if it weren't for you, we still would've been fighting for no reason."

you grinned. "so, you set up the camp?" you asked her.

"not by myself." she said, pointing behind you two at goshiki and semi, waiting at a bench towards the other side of the room. shirabu's eye twitched, making you laugh. "thank you guys for agreeing to go." she smiled.

"happy to help!" you exclaimed, handing your rank card over to her. shirabu did the same, and she scanned them and handed them back. "let's go see your friends now." you teased him, hugging his arm and dragging him away. he groaned, but let you lead him over.

shirabu was very happy you opened your heart to him. he knew he'd be in an entirely different place if you didn't, so he'd let you drag him around wherever you liked, as long as it meant he could be with you.

a/n ꕤ HAPPY SUMMER EXCHANGE!!!! stellar i got your wishlist and i stared at it for a second and EVERYTHING FELL INTO PLACE i swear. i was like 'maybe i should write ennoshita' and then i was like 'omg no im gonna write yachi' but i definitely knew i was writing fantasy au and then i saw rivals to lovers and then i saw shirabu kenjiro and i was LOCKED INN omg. i can't begin to explain to you how excited i was to write this when i got this request, it was so fun and the longest one shot ive ever written! the wc got away from me, i'm telling you the fic took over!!!! wow and we've been chattin more this whole time and it made me more excited LMFAO i really really really hope you enjoyed reading it and i hope i've done shirabu justice o7

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