ƜITH every passing battle following the truce between Nohr and Hoshido, Niles had noticed something annoying about the famed pegasus knight from Hoshido. He wasn’t referring to the Hoshidan princess – even if her skill with the naginata was about as impressive as the people sung praises of. No. His interest was in Subaki, one of the retainers of the youngest princess in Hoshido. While he couldn’t care less about the truce, his conversations with the younger redhead sparked a dark fascination within him, for it was exactly his desire, his NEED for perfection that made him imperfect. A twisted little man, whose story only played PERFECTLY into his hands. The annoying thing was his sheer STUBBORNESS. While the other had never actually divulged the story of his past to Niles, the former thief himself was good at digging up juicy bits of history. He had links to the slums in Nohr, after all, and finding information about one pegasus knight wasn’t exactly a difficult task. But while he knew about the other’s past, he wasn’t going to rub salt in Subaki’s wounds. Not today, and likely not any other, either. Such information was for his ears only, and knowing that much would give him that edge over the other.
ЛILES watched from the cover of a huge tree from across the tent which was but a temporary residence for Subaki as the young male stumbled out of it, his countenance uneasy, his pallor a stark contrast to the vibrant shade of hair framing his face. Such habits were hard to kick, he supposed, especially when the seeking of perfection had essentially become a livelihood, much like the traits that defined Niles – specifically his peculiar sadistic streak. He crossed the distance between the tree and the tent with ease and litheness, a smug grin upon his face at the other’s OBVIOUS discomfort. “That’s a nice face you got there, Subaki – crumpled in suffering, your brows furrowed in muted agony…”
ℬUT instead of continuing to prod at the other, his brows furrowed as he crossed his arms, watching Subaki with a calculated eye. “How far do you think you’re going to go with an illness like that? You’re only going to get yourself injured on the battlefield, or even patrolling, for that matter. But if pain is what you’re looking for, I’ve got several ideas in mind.”
♘|| It wasn’t long before that familiar damn Nohrian was standing before him, that smirk pressed onto his face as if he’d been waiting the whole morning for Subaki to release himself from his tent and reveal his disgusting pallor illness to the one standing before him. Scoffing annoyingly through the retainer’s callous remarks the sky night put up a hand tired and weak to shut the other up. He wasn’t up for this banter today, his head was already throbbing in undefinable pain, and his body felt ready to crumple up and fail for the day. Moving aside the other, the red-headed knight couldn’t deny he was ever so slightly surprised when he’d heard the words of the other. Remonstrating him for acting so recklessly, casting his eyes over to the other the knight huffed. Subaki wasn’t up for talking but the sound what he believed was borderline on worry. For what his sadistic accomplice was even capable of pretending to fell made the male stop and feel as if he had to prove why he was going out in such a state of disarray.
“ Unlike you, some of us have duties that we have to complete. We can’t just shove them aside because something as silly as a cold is holding us back. “
♘|| Taking a step forwards he felt as if the whole world was rushing forwards. It was strange and disorienting, however he couldn’t allow it to hold himself back. Reclaiming a breath the male pulled himself together again, all he had to do was get out of Niles’s sight and he’d be free to take a breath for a moment and readjust himself to how the day was going to press on. Continuing to move forwards the sky knight finally reached the stables. Pressing his warm and fevered forhead to the side of his Pegasus. Deep breaths in and out from his body as he slowly slid down from holding onto the saddle to the hay pile beside the white creature. Having a hard time even allowing his eyelids to stay open as he panted and watched the world spin in a hazy fog.
♘|| He muttered gently into the air, before the male pushed himself weakly off the hay and towards the horse. Grabbing onto the saddle again and trying to pull himself up onto the back of the animal. As he reached however he’d grabbed ahold of her mane and accidentally gave it a thorough yank causing the stead to buck the male off of her and give him a swift kick in the gut.
♘|| There went one of his ribs, groaning in misery the male rested his head against the hay stack and tried to regain his breath from the kick. He’d have to take a vulnerability potion once he became cognoscente of the world again. After his duties he’d ask Sakura to patch him up if she had the free time, for now he took sharp breaths in and out not to disrupt the already pain-filled abdomen.
