Kasaru and Suzuno in the Desert: Day 6 - The oasis
Kasaru hadn’t slept deeply, but the little he did was haunted by the feeling of her breath in his neck, the warmth of her hair, the memory of her lashes fluttering against his skin. He woke early, berating himself. He should have kept her warmer. He should have kept his hands to himself. Touching her cheek like that—what had he been thinking? They were strangers bound by necessity, nothing more. Surely she must feel uncomfortable.
He opened his mouth to apologize, but Suzuno sat up first, her eyes squinting against the horizon.
“There—do you see that? Something’s there,” she whispered, pointing toward the wavering shimmer of light.
Kasaru frowned. “It could be nothing. Mirage. Or worse.”
“I’ll check.” She gathered her things, her hair wild from sleep, but her movements confident.
“By yourself? Suzuno, wait—”
But she was already atop her camel, her lilac scarf fluttering as she spurred forward. Kasaru cursed under his breath, heart hammering. Had she ridden off to escape him? To shake off the awkwardness between them? Or was she just that stubborn? Either way, she was gone, and he couldn’t let her vanish into the desert alone.
He followed, urging his camel faster, Karumu and Sireni clutching onto his sides. In the distance, a sudden crackle of light burst across the pale sky. His gut clenched—then he realized it was flare magic. Suzuno’s signal.
They caught up and found her waving them down from between a cluster of rocks. “Here! Over here!”
Kasaru rounded the bend and nearly fell off his saddle. A pool of crystalline water stretched before them, shaded by palms. Fish shimmered in the shallows. Paradise in the wasteland.
And atop a boulder, framed by sunlight and desert sky, stood Suzuno—barefoot, her pale lilac undergarments clinging to her slim frame. She gave him the cheekiest smile he had ever seen.
“Watch this!” she called, and dove into the pool with a graceful flip.
“Suzuno—!” Kasaru called, his voice cracking in disbelief. But it was too late—she broke the surface in a spray of diamonds, hair slicked back, cheeks flushed.
The children didn’t hesitate. Sireni and Karumu were laughing, already stripping down and splashing into the water, their joy infectious.
Kasaru stayed rooted to the spot, fists clenched. He scanned the pool for ripples, shapes, anything unnatural. “There could be water pests. Leeches. Serpents—”
“I checked!” Suzuno interrupted, grinning ear to ear as she floated lazily on her back. “It’s safe. Come on in, Kasaru! You need this more than anyone.”
Her laugh rang across the oasis. She dove again, and this time when she surfaced, she gathered a mouthful of water—then sent it arcing in a perfect spray right into his face.
Kasaru sputtered, utterly frozen. She had just—she dared—
Boots half undone, tunic tossed aside, he charged toward the water with a determination that startled even him. “Oh, you’ll regret that!”
Suzuno squealed with delight and darted away through the pool, her laughter bubbling louder than the splashes.
The water was cool against Kasaru's legs, and he blinked against the glare of sunlight off the oasis. He had come expecting trouble, danger, maybe a trap or a sudden desert ambush. Instead… this. Crystal-clear water, palm shadows dancing across the surface, the laughter of children ringing like chimes, and Suzuno—Suzuno—diving, twirling, radiant and untethered, her caramel skin glistening in the sunlight. And in… that. His breath hitched. He scolded himself silently: focus, Kasaru. She and Sireni are lost. This isn’t a playground. Keep your head straight.
But even as he told himself that, she splashed water at him with a teasing grin, beckoning him with her hand. Her laughter was too light, too musical, to resist. And when her dark green eyes met his, sparkling like the pool itself, something inside him loosened. The tense, careful man he had been in the desert—the protector, the guide—was suddenly… free. Uncharacteristically free.
He lunged, splashing through the shallow water, and she darted ahead, laughing and spinning, agile and impossibly graceful. His mind tried to stay disciplined—remember the desert, the mission, the children—but every glance at her pulled him deeper into distraction. She was so alive, so present, so… herself, and it struck him how captivating that was. His pulse thumped painfully, betraying the absurdity of it.
She turned sharply, splashing water deliberately in his direction, and he barely caught her wrist in a sweep, spinning her around in a quick arc as she shrieked with delight. He laughed almost involuntarily, startled by the sound of his own voice mixing with hers. She splashed him again, ducking under his arms, teasing him. And in that instant, all his desert anxieties—the cold, the fear, the endless survival—slipped away.
Kasaru felt it keenly, the warmth of her against him, the playful trust in her gaze, the soft press of her body as they collided mid-spin. His mind reeled between the absurdity of the situation and the undeniable pull he felt toward her. She’s reckless. She’s brilliant. She’s… dazzling. He could feel his own grin matching hers, a warmth spreading from chest to fingers to toes that had nothing to do with the sun.
Even as he caught her again, arms circling her waist instinctively, heart hammering, he reminded himself—discipline. Protect. Survive. But the grin didn’t fade. He spun her once more, water flying around them in a sparkling arc, and for the first time in days, Kasaru felt the desert vanish around him. He was simply chasing Suzuno, laughing, entirely present, and yet painfully aware of how beautiful, how alive, how intoxicating she was.
How is a stranger—how is she—so completely… captivating?
The thought made him swallow hard, cheeks warming, but he didn’t let it stop him. He splashed again, and she squealed, ducked, twirled. He pursued, delighted, helpless, and entirely enchanted.
[Suzuno resurfaces with a splash, holding up a faintly glowing pebble between her fingers.]
Suzuno: [breathless, grinning] “Alright! Game time. I’ll toss this pebble to the bottom, dive after it, and when the bubbles rise—keep your eyes sharp. The pebble will follow. Whoever catches it first wins.”
Sireni: [already bouncing excitedly] “And if we don’t?”
Suzuno: [playful grin] “Then you do whatever the winner says.”
Karumu: [snorts] “Hah. Easy. I’ll win every time.”
Kasaru: [arching a brow, crossing his arms, but a little smile tugs at his lips] “Big words. Careful you don’t swallow half the oasis in your rush.”
Karumu: “We’ll see about that!” [he and Sireni crouch eagerly at the water’s edge]
Suzuno: [turns, dripping, hair plastered down her freckled cheeks, water streaming over her caramel shoulders as she climbs back onto the rock] “Alright… everyone ready?”
Kasaru: [intended to focus on the water—really, he did—but his eyes betray him, following the shimmer down her thighs as droplets run, catching sunlight like jewels]
(Oh, gods… what am I staring at?)
Suzuno: [glancing back, catching his gaze, and giving a small teasing tilt of her head before tossing the pebble] “And… go!”
[Everyone leans forward as bubbles begin to shimmer on the surface.]
Sireni: “There!” [leaps with a splash, arms out]
Karumu: “No, I saw it first!” [dives in beside her, both arms flailing]
[They both resurface moments later, empty-handed and wailing.]
Sireni & Karumu (together): “No fairrr!”
Suzuno: [laughing, shoulder bumping Kasaru as she crouches at the edge] “Looks like it’s between us.”
Kasaru: [gruff, but can’t hide the grin] “Then don’t expect mercy, Suzuno.”
Suzuno: [eyes sparkling] “Oh, I wouldn’t dream of it.”
[The bubbles burst again, and in perfect sync, both leap—colliding midair with a loud splash.]
Kasaru: [underwater, wide-eyed as his hands instinctively find her waist and—oh gods—her chest. His thoughts tumble, panicked, mortified.]
(No no no no no—)
[They both surface, Suzuno grinning, Kasaru red as the sun, sputtering words in a frantic rush.]
Kasaru: “I—I’m sorry! That wasn’t—! I didn’t—! Suzuno, forgive me, I—”
[Suzuno flicks her hair back, then sticks out her tongue—where the translucent pebble glistens smugly. She muffles through it with a lisp.]
Suzuno: “Now you guyth havth to do whath I thay!”
[Kasaru blinks… and then bursts out laughing, helplessly clutching his stomach.]
Kasaru: “Gods above—you look ridiculous!”
Sireni & Karumu: [screeching in outrage, splashing them both] “Rematch! Rematch!”
Suzuno: [winking at Kasaru, laughter dancing in her green eyes] “What’s the matter, Kasaru? You were so close to catching me.”
Kasaru: [groaning, still chuckling, though his gaze lingers on her longer than he intends] “Closer than I should have been…” [muttering under his breath, flustered] “By the heavens, you’re impossible.”
Suzuno: [softly, almost just for him, though mischief still in her voice] “And yet, you followed me in.”
[Before Kasaru can reply, the children splash water in their faces, shrieking demands for another round. Suzuno throws her head back in laughter, and even Kasaru, cheeks burning, finds himself laughing with them—so much lighter than he’s felt in years.]
Suzuno (grinning, holding the pebble up high): “Alright! Round two! This time, no mercy!”
Karumu (snorting): “You say that like you didn’t cheat last time.”
Suzuno (gasps dramatically, placing a hand on her chest): “Cheat? Excuse me! That was called strategy. Perhaps you should try it sometime.”
Sireni (poking her tongue out at Karumu): “Yeah, Karumu. Don’t be a sore loser.”
Karumu (rolling his eyes): “You were the one who missed first, Sireni!”
Sireni (shoving him): “Only because you splashed water in my eyes, you big oaf!”
Kasaru (groaning, pinching the bridge of his nose): “Children, please—”
Suzuno (teasing, bumping his shoulder): “Don’t act like you’re above this, Kasaru. You’re just as competitive as they are.”
Kasaru (arching a brow): “Am I?”
Suzuno: “You are. And you’re going down.”
Kasaru (snorts, trying to play serious but his mouth twitches into a grin): “We’ll see.”
Suzuno tosses the pebble dramatically into the water. Everyone leans forward, eyes scanning the surface.
Karumu (squinting): “There! By the bubbles!”
Kasaru (diving instantly): “Got it!”
Suzuno (laughing as he resurfaces empty-handed): “Ohh, not so fast, mighty warrior!” She dives in after him.
Sireni (chanting from the side): “Go, Suzuno! Get it! Get it!”
Karumu (grumbling): “She’s going to miss—just watch.”
Suzuno (bursts up, sputtering water): “I… I pushed it further!”
Kasaru (mock groan, shaking his head): “Brilliant strategy.”
Suzuno (giggling, flicking water at him): “Quiet, you.”
Now everyone’s splashing, diving, popping up again in chaotic turns.
Sireni (diving headfirst): “I see it—I see it—!” resurfaces with nothing but weeds in her hair “…Never mind.”
Karumu (laughing so hard he can’t breathe): “Pfft—what is that on your head?!”
Sireni (swats him with the weeds): “Shut up!”
Kasaru (dives, resurfaces gasping): “It’s like chasing smoke. Impossible.”
Suzuno (grinning with wild energy, hair plastered to her cheeks): “Not impossible. Just requires skill.”
Kasaru (smirking): “And yet… you missed.”
Suzuno (narrowing her eyes, splashing him full in the face): “Did not!”
Kasaru (splashes her back, finally laughing freely): “Did too!”
Karumu (suddenly pointing): “Wait! I see it!” dives so recklessly he belly-flops into the water.
Sireni: “Ha! You missed again!”
Karumu (emerging, coughing): “I was close! Closer than you, shrimp.”
Sireni (with hands on hips): “Am not!”
Suzuno (laughing so hard she doubles over): “This is… hopeless!”
Kasaru (finally giving in, laughter shaking his chest): “Chaos. Absolute chaos.”
Suzuno (beaming at him, cheeks flushed, water dripping down her jaw): “But fun, isn’t it?”
Kasaru (heart stuttering at the sight, quickly looking away): “…Yes. Very fun.”
Kasaru (eyes closed, hand skimming the water, voice low but amused):
“…Marco.”
Children (in unison, giggling):
“Polo!”
Kasaru (turning sharply toward the splash, grin tugging at his lips):
“I heard that…”
Sireni (whispering frantically to Karumu):
“Shhh! Don’t breathe so loud, he’s gonna—ahh!”
Kasaru (lunges, hands grazing the water where the kids are, their shrieks echoing):
“…Got you—no, wait…”
Sireni (escaping just in time, laughing):
“You missed! Too slow, Kasaru!”
Suzuno (from across the water, sing-song teasing):
“Maybe the great warrior has gone soft in the desert sun~?”
Kasaru (freezes, the sound of her playful voice making his chest tighten):
“…Marco.”
Suzuno (pausing, grinning, then answering coyly):
“Polo…”
Kasaru (pretends to head toward the children, deliberately heavy splashes):
“Ohhh, I hear you, little ones. Better hide before I catch you.”
Children (sputtering, half laughing, half panicked):
“Stay away! Don’t lead him here, Suzuno!”
Suzuno (giggling, whispering under her breath as she tries to sneak away):
“He’s not even close…”
Kasaru (sharp turn, striking fast toward her ripples, voice low and amused):
“Got you.”
Suzuno (gasping, squealing as his arms catch around her waist underwater):
“Ahh! No, no—!”
Kasaru (opening his mismatched eyes at last, face inches from hers, her wet hair clinging to her cheeks as she laughs breathlessly):
“…Suzuno.”
Suzuno (still giggling, but slowing as she notices his gaze, cheeks flushed):
“You—you tricked me… I thought you were chasing the children…”
Kasaru (soft chuckle, still holding her, voice lower than before):
“Let them think they’re safe for once.”
Children (from the other side, still shrieking with laughter, totally oblivious):
“Kasaru! You’re supposed to say Marco again! Don’t cheat!”
Kasaru (unable to tear his gaze from her, murmuring):
“…Dangerous games, Suzuno.”
Suzuno (catching her breath, her smile softening as her hands rest against his chest):
“Maybe the most fun ones are.”
Kasaru (closing his eyes again, smug grin tugging at his lips):
“…Marco.”
Suzuno (darting around him, splashing quietly, her voice pitched sweet and taunting):
“Polo~”
Kasaru (turning sharply at the ripple, nearly catching her):
“Hm. Almost.”
Suzuno (ducking under with a squeak, then surfacing further away):
“You’re too slow, Kasaru!”
Kasaru (snorting):
“Too slow? You’re the one cornered already.”
Suzuno (puffing her cheeks, whispering fiercely to herself):
“No… not this time… I’ll get you!”
She lunges. Misses. Splashes.
Suzuno (sputtering, frustrated but laughing):
“Ughhh! Stand still, you big meanie!”
Kasaru (hearing her frantic approach, leaning in close, his voice brushing against her ear just before she can grab him):
“…I’m right here, Suzuno.”
Suzuno (gasps, spins around, but he’s already slipped away, laughing under his breath):
“You—you trickster! Don’t you dare run!”
Kasaru (chuckling, circling with effortless grace, keeping his distance):
“I thought you liked the chase.”
Suzuno (throwing water at him wildly, her laughter ringing):
“You’re insufferable! Hold still!”
Children (hooting from the other side of the pool):
“Get him, Suzuno! Get him! Don’t let him win again!”
Suzuno (grinning, breathless, lunges one last desperate time—Kasaru’s slowed by his own laughter, and she finally grabs him around the waist):
“Got you!”
Kasaru (surprised, tumbling down with her in a splash, surfacing with Suzuno still clinging to him, both laughing uncontrollably):
“…Haha! You actually did it.”
Suzuno (beaming, water dripping from her hair, gasping between giggles):
“I caught you finally! You sneaky, sneaky man!”
Kasaru (looking at her, joy softening into something warmer, voice low but playful):
“Yes… you caught me, Suzuno. And it was so, so fun… teasing you the entire time.”
Suzuno (still holding onto him, cheeks flushed as she laughs):
“Next time, I’ll catch you faster!”
Kasaru (quiet chuckle, mismatched eyes drinking in her smile):
“…I almost hope not.”
The sun dipped low, painting the desert sky in rose and amber. The children had collapsed on the smooth, sun-warmed stones by the shore, damp hair plastered to their foreheads, their laughter softening into lazy giggles and half-hearted squabbles about who cheated the most during Marco Polo.
Suzuno crouched at the water’s edge, her caramel skin still gleaming with droplets, hair clinging to her back. Her hands darted through the current, and to Kasaru’s amazement, she emerged with a wriggling fish clutched tight.
He barked out a laugh, stabbing down with his sharpened stick to spear another. “You’re full of surprises, Suzuno. That’s the third one you’ve snatched bare-handed.”
“And you’ve caught five with your stick,” she countered warmly, slipping the fish into their shared basket. “It seems we make a good team.”
Her words made him pause for a heartbeat too long. A good team. The ease of her smile tugged at something in his chest, something unfamiliar and frightening in its comfort.
By the time the fire crackled to life, the children drowsing in its glow, Kasaru found his gaze drifting again—helplessly. The flickering light traced every line of the tattoos that marked her skin. Dark ink flowed in intricate designs from her nape down her back, the centerpiece a crescent moon encircling a radiant star. Lines curled outward across her shoulders, down her arms to her palms, mirrored again on her calves.
His throat tightened. They were beautiful. She was beautiful.
At last, curiosity pressed harder than his restraint. “…Suzuno. Forgive me if this is too forward, but—your markings. What do they mean?”
She tilted her head, surprised, then turned slightly so the firelight illuminated the star. Her voice softened, filled with a quiet pride. “They are the marks of a Gerudo sage. A woman who has dedicated her life to mastering our ways.”
Kasaru blinked, struggling to reconcile the playful girl from the water with the formidable title. “A sage?”
Suzuno nodded, tucking a damp strand of hair behind her ear. “I trained in our ancient martial art, Capoeira. To outsiders, it looks like a dance. But each movement holds power, grace, and defense. It is both rhythm and combat. Beyond that, I endured the tests of strength and spirit—trials meant to measure a Gerudo’s heart and mind. Passing them earns these tattoos, forever etched in ink.”
Kasaru stared, awe washing over him. A summoner… and a sage? Meanwhile, he was just a man scraping by, surviving one desert skirmish after another. He chuckled low, shaking his head. What am I compared to her? She outshines me a hundredfold.
Karumu’s voice cut through his thoughts. “Could we—maybe—see some Capoeira moves?” His eyes were wide, eager, like a boy begging for a story.
Kasaru turned on him sharply. “Karumu! She isn’t here to perform for our amusement. Show some respect.”
But Suzuno only laughed, the sound soft and forgiving. “I don’t mind.” She rose gracefully, the fire painting her silhouette in bronze light. “I can even teach you both, if you wish.”
Kasaru hesitated, jaw tight. “Suzuno… I fear I would insult your customs. I have no right to intrude.”
She shook her head, eyes gentle as they found his. “A man who has helped Sireni and I from the very beginning could never insult our ways. You’ve already earned my trust, Kasaru. Learning from me would honor, not offend.”
The sincerity in her gaze nearly undid him. Respect, admiration—even warmth. All aimed at him.
For a moment, he could only swallow hard, heart pounding like a war drum. What have I done to deserve such a woman’s faith?
Kasaru sat cross-legged by the fire, fish sizzling on the stones. He’d thought Suzuno meant a simple demonstration—perhaps a kick or two, a stance, something ceremonial. But what unfolded before him was something else entirely.
Suzuno stood barefoot on the smooth shore, Sireni beside her, both poised with a dancer’s grace.
“Capoeira begins not with fighting,” Suzuno said softly, her hair gleaming in the firelight, “but with rhythm. With harmony. We dance to know ourselves, to feel our balance. The power comes after.”
Sireni mirrored her posture perfectly—arms curved, knees bent, swaying like reeds in the desert wind. Suzuno nodded with approval.
“Very good, little love,” she praised. “Now—let us show them the ginga.”
They began to move in tandem: a flowing step back, swing forward, arms shifting defensively in front of their faces. It was mesmerizing, a constant pendulum, their feet whispering across the ground in a steady rhythm. Kasaru and Karumu exchanged baffled looks.
“That’s… fighting?” Karumu muttered, scratching his head. “Looks like they’re about to start singing.”
“Hush,” Kasaru said, though he couldn’t tear his eyes away either. The fluidity was… intoxicating.
Suzuno and Sireni’s steps grew sharper. They flowed into spins, into rising kicks that sliced the air with precision. Sireni, small but fierce, nearly knocked a pebble off the ground with a sweeping leg. Suzuno’s body arced with effortless control, spinning low, then flipping back to her feet like a ribbon caught in the wind.
Finally, the two rose together into a synchronized cartwheel. Suzuno carried hers into a soaring flip, her leg extending in a sharp, controlled kick that sent a gust of air across the fire. Both girls landed smoothly, bowing their heads as if nothing unusual had happened.
The boys sat in stunned silence. Karumu’s jaw actually hung open.
“…Those were the basics?” he blurted.
Sireni wiped sweat from her brow and grinned mischievously. “Yes! Do you think I could break your jaw now, Karumu?”
The younger boy recoiled dramatically. “Break it?! You looked like you could knock my head clean off!”
Kasaru ignored his brother’s theatrics, his gaze lingering on Suzuno—her calm, steady breaths, the faint gleam of sweat tracing her temple, the absolute pride glowing in her eyes. He bowed his head slightly without thinking.
“You honor us with this,” he murmured.
Suzuno blinked, then shook her head with a laugh. “Do not look at me so gravely, Kasaru. It is only our way.”
“Your way is…” he struggled, searching for the right word. “…terrifying. And beautiful.”
She smiled, and the firelight caught in her green eyes. “That is the Gerudo way: power without cruelty, grace without arrogance. Sireni will learn this, as I did. And one day, she will surpass even me.”
Sireni straightened her back proudly, though she giggled under the weight of such praise.
Kasaru exhaled slowly, shoulders sinking, his heart tightening in quiet awe. He’d thought Suzuno was merely gentle and sweet. But now, watching her spin strength and elegance into the same breath, he realized she was—utterly—beyond his measure.
And that thought both unsettled and enthralled him.
Kasaru was catching on quickly, his long frame flowing into the sweeping spins and cross-steps Suzuno demonstrated. She corrected his footing with the lightest touch at his ankle, adjusted his arm so the lines of his body were sharper, more balanced. He tried not to notice how warm her hand felt against his skin, but his pulse betrayed him, thundering in his ears.
Karumu, on the other hand, looked like he was fighting a swarm of bees. His arms flailed, his feet stomped out of rhythm, and he nearly toppled into Sireni more than once.
“You’re too stiff!” Sireni scolded, puffing her cheeks. She planted her hands on her hips like the little queen she was. “Relax your knees, let the music flow in your head.”
“What music?” Karumu muttered, tripping over himself again. “All I hear is the sound of me dying.”
Sireni giggled and demonstrated again, spinning neatly and sliding back into the basic stance. “See? Like this. Just imagine you’re—” she paused, then brightened, “—like sand in the wind! Always moving, never stuck!”
Kasaru and Suzuno both chuckled at the apt metaphor.
Karumu, red-faced, tried again—only to wobble and nearly topple over. He caught himself and groaned. “Sand in the wind? I’m more like… a sack of rocks.”
“That’s because you’re thinking too much,” Sireni said, tugging his sleeve to steady him. “I started when I was four. You can’t expect to move like me right away.”
Both brothers froze. “…I’m sorry, WHEN did you start?” Karumu demanded.
Sireni blinked innocently. “Four. Suzuno started even earlier.”
Kasaru pinched the bridge of his nose. “You’ve been doing this nearly your whole life.”
Sireni huffed. “That’s not the point! The point is you have to feel it. Don’t stomp—glide!”
She clapped her hands sharply, cueing him like a teacher.
Meanwhile, Suzuno was guiding Kasaru closer, her palm pressed between his shoulder blades as she whispered corrections. “Here—shift your weight… bend lower, yes, like that.”
He obeyed, but the heat in his cheeks betrayed how her nearness disarmed him far more than any spin or kick. He dared a glance at her, and nearly lost the rhythm altogether when she gave him one of her radiant, encouraging smiles.
“You learn quickly,” she praised, her voice soft as falling water.
Kasaru swallowed hard. “Only because my teacher is patient.”
Suzuno tilted her head, clearly pleased by the answer, though she didn’t tease him for it. She stepped back gracefully, launching into a fluid cartwheel and snapping into another ready stance. “Again,” she called, her tattoos gleaming faintly in the firelight. “Both of you—together this time.”
Karumu groaned, but squared up beside his brother, muttering under his breath, “One of us is going to break something.”
“Hopefully not me,” Kasaru murmured, though his lips curved into a smile he couldn’t quite suppress.
Kasaru and Karumu squared up side by side, mimicking Suzuno’s stance. The problem was, Karumu kept edging half a step behind his brother like he was bracing for disaster.
“On my mark!” Sireni chirped, clapping once. “Step—spin—kick!”
Kasaru actually pulled it off—his leg swept up in a decent arc, foot cutting cleanly through the air.
Karumu… spun in the wrong direction, collided shoulder-first into Kasaru, and ended up flat on his back in the sand.
“Byakko’s mane—Karumu!” Kasaru snapped, stumbling to regain his balance.
“I was spinning!” Karumu groaned, flailing like an overturned beetle. “Just not your way!”
Suzuno covered her mouth with her hand to hide her laugh. Sireni did not bother. She doubled over, clutching her sides, wheezing, “You looked like—you looked like a—like a flopping fish!”
Karumu sat up, scowling, sand stuck in his hair. “I don’t see you teaching fish ballet, Your Highness.”
“Oh, but I could!” Sireni shot back, planting her fists on her hips. “Better than you, at least.”
Kasaru extended a hand to his brother, sighing. “Little love, I think perhaps we should—”
“No!” Karumu cut him off, slapping Kasaru’s hand away and stumbling to his feet on his own. “I’m not giving up. If he can do it, I can too.”
“Not with those feet,” Kasaru muttered.
Karumu glared. “What’s wrong with my feet?”
“They’re… loud.” Kasaru arched a brow. “Like boulders falling down a hill.”
“Oh, and suddenly you’re an expert?” Karumu snapped. “What are you now, a Gerudo master? Maybe I should bow and call you ‘sensei.’”
Suzuno giggled softly, cheeks pink at the thought. “He is doing very well…”
That, of course, only made Karumu’s jaw clench tighter. “Yeah, yeah, Mr. Perfect.” He tried the spin again, over-exaggerating, arms flailing like sails in a storm.
This time, he managed to stay upright—but toppled straight into Sireni, who squeaked and shoved him back with surprising strength.
“Focus, Karumu!” she barked, wagging her finger at him. “Legs apart, knees bent, no floppy arms!”
“I don’t have floppy arms!” he protested, flapping them just to prove the opposite.
Kasaru pinched his nose again, muttering, “This is unbearable.”
“Unbearably fun!” Sireni corrected brightly, clapping. “Again! Both of you! Together this time, or I’ll make you play Marco Polo blindfolded!”
The brothers exchanged a glance—Kasaru’s exasperated, Karumu’s stubborn—and then squared up again.
The fire burned low, its last embers casting a soft glow across the tent. Sireni had curled up instantly, breathing in slow, even puffs, and Karumu’s restless energy had finally given way to sleep, one hand flopped dramatically above his head as if even in dreams he was still playing. Suzuno bent low, brushing Sireni’s hair back and pressing a kiss to her brow. Then, after a hesitation, she leaned over Karumu and gave his temple the lightest kiss too.
Kasaru, half-leaning against one of the tent poles, smiled faintly. Her tenderness had a way of softening the entire air.
When she straightened, he turned his gaze away to give her privacy as she reached for her robes, still in that lilac undergarment that had been tormenting his peripheral vision all day. But his voice, steady and warm, carried between them:
“You care for them beautifully. As if they were your own.”
Suzuno’s head peeked up from behind her curtain of red hair, eyes glowing. “I love children! They’re precious and cute and sweet and—oh Kasaru, you have no idea how cute I find Karumu!”
Kasaru huffed a quiet laugh, watching her tug her robe around her shoulders with an almost comical urgency as she continued gushing.
“He’s so cute and full of energy, and those eyes! They sparkle, Kasaru, they truly do! Like the sun on water!”
Kasaru raised a brow, smirking lightly. “You know I have the same eyes as Karumu, don’t you?”
“Yes, of course.” Suzuno turned toward him fully, tugging her belt taut, her face open and earnest. “And I love your eyes too.”
“They’re warm, comforting… kind. The eyes of the man who helped me when I was lost. From the moment I looked into them, I thought they were beautiful.”
For once, Kasaru had no immediate reply. He stood rooted, his chest tight, watching the unguarded honesty pour from her lips. No jest. No playful tease. Just truth.
He swallowed hard, lowering his voice as though afraid the children might wake and steal the fragile moment. “Suzuno… you and Sireni are a miracle to me. Everything you feel about me… I return. From the bottom of my heart.”
Her lips parted softly, green eyes shimmering in the half-light.
He shifted closer, not daring to touch her, but unable to remain distant. “We’ve only known each other a few days, but—” He exhaled, wrestling down something that threatened to burst free. “I would do anything to keep you safe. To see you both returned happily to your families.”
The words were true. And yet the last ones dragged like chains across his heart.
Her smile was small, touched with the same bittersweet weight. “You speak as if you won’t be there to see us off.”
He pressed his lips into a tight line. How could he explain? That the thought of parting already stung like loss? That this strange, shining girl from another world had become something he couldn’t name but couldn’t imagine living without?
Instead, he gave her the only vow he could manage. “So long as I draw breath, I will be there.”
Suzuno’s gaze lingered on him, tender and searching. Then, as if the moment itself grew too large to bear, she folded her hands and glanced back at the children.
But Kasaru… he was left breathless, his heart pounding in silence.
Suzuno tilted her head, green eyes sparkling in the dim firelight. “Kasaru… there’s another thing I find cute about both you and Karumu.”
Kasaru blinked, trying to keep his composure. “Oh? Another thing…?” He straightened, chest puffing a little, though his heart was thumping. “Uh… is it… our braid? Charm? Dashing good looks?”
Suzuno laughed outright at the last one, and Kasaru’s ears burned. Did I just say that out loud? He cringed, silently hoping she didn’t think he was a narcissist.
“No, silly!” she giggled, leaning a bit closer. “It’s your… cute little round ears!”
Kasaru froze. “…My ears?” He reached up hesitantly, feeling the familiar shape. “…Wait…how did I not notice your ears all this time?” His eyes widened as he realized hers were…long, delicate, and pointed. My word… she really is from another world.
Suzuno’s ears twitched with amusement at his stunned expression, and something in Kasaru’s chest tightened. Those little twitches… are probably one of the cutest things I’ve ever seen, he thought, and immediately flushed.
Emboldened by her recent honesty, he decided to be brave. “You think my ears are cute?” He edged closer, voice low. “…Yours… they’re easily cuter.”
“I beg your pardon?” Suzuno gasped, her face lighting up with playful indignation. “Mine?! Why, your ears are far superior! Round is balanced. Round is charming. Nothing like these long things, I fear." Suzuno flicked the ends of her ears gently with each point.
Kasaru chuckled, shaking his head, a blush still on his cheeks. “Perhaps, but yours are uniquely alluring. They’re elegant, delicate—perfect for a Gerudo lady.”
Suzuno scrunched her nose, leaning in closer, her voice teasing. “Charming? Elegant? I think you’re just trying to flatter me now!”
“Is that right?” He smirked, daringly. “Since you're so certain of the quality of my ears…Would you like to touch them?”
Her eyes went wide, and he immediately cursed himself internally. Kasaru, what are you doing?
For a heartbeat, she hesitated, shyly raising her hand. Then she gently reached up and rubbed his ear between two fingers, letting out a tiny squeak. “Kasaru—!! They’re so cute and round! Adorable!!”
Kasaru felt heat rush to his face. Her tiny squeaks, the soft pressure of her fingers… it was too much. “Y-you think that is cute?!”
“Yes!!” she beamed, not backing away at all. “I… I can’t help it… your ears! And you… you’re so sweet!”
He swallowed hard, still blushing, but now emboldened. “Well… your ears…” He reached gently toward her pointed tips, mimicking her touch, “—they’re perfect. And cute. And… irresistible.”
Suzuno froze for a moment, then laughed softly, a little squeak escaping as she leaned into his fingers. “You… you’re terrible, Kasaru! But… yes… you’re right… they are cute.”
And there, beneath the soft glow of the fire and the desert night, their tender, teasing game became a quiet, shared joy—a strange, heart-pounding intimacy born from ears, laughter, and trust.
Kasaru’s chest felt warm, as if the chill of the desert night had vanished. He looked at her, her face flushed softly in the firelight, her green eyes wide and sparkling with something between surprise and wonder.
“Suzuno,” he began carefully, “in the spirit of naming things we find… charming…” He paused, searching for the right words, “I would like to share that I find your eyes to be… a source of comfort too.”
Suzuno blinked, startled, a faint gasp escaping her lips. “Really?? No man has ever said that about me before…”
Kasaru froze for a moment, thinking, No man? Huh?? “…Are the men of your world blind?” He shook his head slowly, as if in disbelief, his voice low but steady. “We may have different ears… but I know a radiant young woman when I see one.”
Her cheeks flushed deeper now, the green of her eyes almost luminous in the firelight. She opened her mouth, then hesitated, and finally whispered, “The city I live in… it’s only women. We’re all Gerudo. Red hair, green eyes… I’ve never spoken to a man outside my family before.”
Kasaru’s gaze softened, and he felt an odd, thrilling sense of responsibility. She was utterly new to the world he came from, unpracticed in its intimacies, and yet… she shone with a quiet, natural grace that made him ache to keep her safe.
He leaned slightly closer, voice tender, but still formal, “Well… I am constantly learning new things about you, Suzuno. And for what it’s worth, I find everything about you… admirable. Your heart, your courage… the gentle way you care for Sireni… it is… extraordinary.”
Suzuno blinked, startled again, a quiet smile tugging at her lips. “C-courage…?”
“Yes,” Kasaru said, his tone softening further, almost reverent. “Even in the face of hardship, even in this desert, you remain gentle, thoughtful… and your very presence brings comfort. You are… remarkable, Suzuno.”
Her hand lifted almost instinctively, brushing a strand of red hair from her face, and she looked down shyly. “Kasaru… you… you really think so?”
“I do,” he said without hesitation, voice earnest. “I want you to know that, even if I am the first man to ever tell you. You are beautiful… in every way that matters. And I hope you feel that truth within yourself, as strongly as I feel it when I look at you.”
Her breath caught, and she looked up, their gazes locking. It was quiet for a long moment, the only sounds the crackling fire and the faint whisper of the desert wind.
“I… I think I’ve never heard anyone speak like that to me,” she admitted softly.
“And yet,” Kasaru said, his voice barely above a whisper, “you deserve to hear it. Always.”
Suzuno’s lips curved into a shy, warm smile, and though their hands weren’t touching, a quiet, unspoken understanding passed between them. In this strange, harsh desert, amid ruins and survival, they had found a tender, mutual recognition. A fragile beginning of something neither had a name for yet—but both felt in full.
Suzuno: softly, after a pause in their practice
“Kasaru… when you reach Sairou, what do you plan to do?”
Kasaru: hesitates, his eyes drifting toward the desert horizon
“…Truthfully? I’m not entirely sure. I never said before but… Karumu and I weren’t born in Sairou. Our home was a place called Sasu. A satellite state. Green, lush, filled with life. Until an earthquake and sandstorm destroyed it. Only Karumu and I survived.”
Suzuno: gasps, hands flying to her lips
“Oh… Kasaru, I didn’t know…”
Kasaru: shakes his head gently, trying to steady his voice
“There wasn’t much time to grieve. We just… kept moving. The desert hardened me. All I can think about now is giving Karumu a better life.” He reaches under his tunic and shows her a thin cord around his neck, strung with seeds.
“These are from Sasu’s flora. I keep them with me, to plant wherever we settle. So Karumu can grow up surrounded by something alive. Something… of home.”
Suzuno: eyes misting, her voice tender
“That’s… so beautiful, Kasaru. I understand, truly. My own devotion to others is why I became a sage… and a summoner.” She smiles faintly, embarrassed.
“Well… an ex-summoner.”
Kasaru: brows raise with curiosity
“Ex-summoner?”
Suzuno: nods, twiddling her fingers nervously
“Yes… I was meant to serve an important role, but… I faltered. At the last moment, I lost my courage. I… I chickened out.” She laughs shyly, covering her mouth.
“When I go home, I don’t know if I’ll be a summoner again. But I want to be many things. An architect. An art teacher. A botanist.”
Kasaru: studies her softly, sensing more unspoken pain, but not pressing
“…Those dreams sound wonderful.”
Suzuno: suddenly brightening, eyes lighting up
“Maybe… maybe we could co-found a greenhouse together, Kasaru! You’d plant your seeds, and I could design it. A place of beauty. Of peace.”
Kasaru: blinks, then slowly smiles—warm, almost boyish
“…A greenhouse.” He chuckles under his breath, the thought settling in his chest.
“That actually sounds really nice. A simpler life. With plants, with you building walls of glass and light. Karumu running between the rows.”
Suzuno: grins widely, cheeks pink, hugging herself with excitement
“Yes! Exactly! Then no matter what storms may come… we’d have a little piece of Sasu. And maybe even a little piece of Gerudo, too.”
Kasaru: softly, watching her glow with that vision
“…A little piece of you, Suzuno.”
Suzuno (hugging her knees, her eyes bright):
"Voltfruit, hydromelons...they sound so normal to me, but when I say them out loud, they must sound strange to you."
Kasaru (chuckling softly):
"Mm, perhaps. But I like the way you say them. Like they’re treasures worth guarding."
Suzuno (teasingly):
"And your longans and mangosteens don’t sound strange at all? They sound like magical creatures."
Kasaru (grinning, leaning back on his hands):
"Magical creatures that grow sweet and round, if you’re patient enough. You’d like them."
Suzuno (eyes lighting up):
"I would! Especially if we grew them together. A greenhouse...with flowers, fruits, vines crawling along the walls—oh, Kasaru, can you imagine it? A place that’s ours, where life just keeps blooming."
Kasaru (gazes at her quietly for a beat, then with a soft sincerity):
"I can. And I think...you’d make it beautiful. I’d only need to keep things green and alive. That’s easy when someone like you is around."
Suzuno (startling, a faint blush rising):
"...You make it sound so simple."
Kasaru (voice lowering, earnest):
"That’s because it is. You bring color and joy into every word you say. I just want to see that keep blooming."
(Silence lingers, warm and gentle. They both realize they’ve scooted closer without noticing. Their shoulders nearly brush.)
Suzuno (smiling softly, voice trembling with warmth):
"Kasaru...thank you. Our situation isn’t ideal, but I can’t remember the last time I had this much fun. I have you to thank. I hope...we can be friends for a long time."
Kasaru (meeting her gaze, steady and soothing):
"Yes. I’d like that very much too. A long time...and maybe longer."
