[KIYOMI]
When she had seen Sakura earlier, Kiyomi knew this was too soon. She had known that time had to be the reason she had come out of there, and more than anything, Kiyomi had known that this was some sort of grace.
They had been out of touch for months, and suddenly her Erasthai had crossed the borders. She knew Saki had done this for her, but she had known back at the hospital that there had to be more than just Izanami and Saki crossing over.
Besides, if the kingdom wanted to really bring Izanami to this side, they didn't need the high guards that Izanami had come with. Sakura alone was enough to put her mother in line.
She was deadlier than all the Lycans combined, and she was a much greater threat to her mother than anyone would ever be.
And yet she has crossed over.
Of course, a part of Kiyomi had been hopeful, silently beaming, and glad that Sakura had chosen to come for her, and not whatever mission had brought her to this side. But now that Sakura spoke, Kiyomi couldn't help but sigh.
She didn't know what to say to that.
On one end it was horrifying as fuck, because no one who had ever been hunted by Sakura Watanabe had ever lasted longer than the woman wanted her to. And she wondered if Saki would give her a head start or let her fix whatever she had to do here.
She wondered if Saki would let her wrap things up in Odanera.
But on the other hand, she was glad that her Erasthai had come clean to her. It was clearly weighing on Saki, and the way that she had eaten out Kiyomi at the hospital was a desperate call for help, and Kiyomi had sensed it.
But what the fuck was she to say to Saki now?
"I swear, I don't want to… I tried to fight it, but—" Sakura struggled as he tripped over her words. Of course, she had tried to slow down the process of bringing Kiki home. She had struggled against the faction she had built up to hunt down rogues.
She had tried to hold them back, but at the end of the day, she had been made a queen for her objectivity. She was always the one with a straight mind even when everyone was losing their shit.
That was why Doiwa hadn't opposed her rise to the throne.
Granted, there was also the mere fact that she was crazier and eviler than half the realm anyway. Right now, she was just a girl, though. A girl who had come to tell her beloved that the clock on their love had finally started talking in the negative direction.
It wasn't the first of things, but what the hell was Saki to say to Kiyomi? Was she supposed to come up with another lie when they had never lied to each other since the beginning?
Was she to act like the world wasn't burning with their garage when the sun and skies had seen them come apart? It was not the easiest of things and even Kiki knows what too.
"I trust you so much. I need you to always remember that," Kiyomi said softly, her hands editing with Saki's. She could feel the way the queen was worried about the state of their bond, and frankly, she couldn't blame Sakura for that.
Hell, even Kiyomi didn't know where she stood and that scared the hell out of her. She was supposed to know everything that was expected and yet as they lay on the couch, they knew there was only so much that they had to do.
This was the hardest thing for Sakura and Kiyomi could tell with the defiance in Saki's eyes.
"Don't. Let it happen. Promise me you won't hurt yourself while hunting me," Kiyomi said.
Sakura looked up at her Erasthai. She wondered how many times Kiyomi had to have been so close to death for her to consider this another day and another attempt at her life.
Granted, she had to have known by known that Sakura Watanabe never missed targets, but fuck was it harder for Sakura.
It was like the world was giving her hope and taking the hope in the worst of ways, in a world where she had never dared to dream of being loved, she had found love and had been loved intensely.
She had been taught that life was, and in the ten months she had been with Kiyomi in Odanera, she had never imagined that this day would come. All she had had in mind back then was just Kiyomi.
The beautiful doctor who had made her feel wanted without having to give up something.
Kiyomi loved her with all of her flaws.
She had loved her despite the way that their bond had begun, it was the hardest of things, and right now, as Sakura pushed herself deeper into Kiyomi's embrace, she couldn't help but wonder if there was a relief for them.
The sun and stars were cruel to her.
She had seen it more than once now; she was looking at them like the world had decided that this was the end of the road for him. The universe was a bitch and that was a truth that Sakura had gotten to learn in the worst of ways.
She had hated it at first, but now, it was inevitable. It didn't matter what she felt. Because once the sun rose, they would be back to being enemies again. They would be a hunter and a prey and fuck was it a curse for them.
"I never thought it would hurt this much," Sakura whispered softly. She was scared of what the future would be like. This was the first time she felt her heart on her hands and she wasn't even sure of what to do with it anymore.
Without Kiyomi, life would be meaningless, way more meaningless than a life dedicated to hunting that gave her peace. She was a warrior, and Kiyomi was a rogue.
Their paths shouldn't have crossed, not at least in love, and it seemed like the choice had long been made for both of them. It was a cruel one, nonetheless, but it was their fate. Perhaps this was the end of them, right?
"Then don't let it hurt, baby. If you think it will hurt as badly, switch off your humanity, Saki. For as long as you hunt me, switch it off. You can switch it back once you deliver your judgment on me, and I promise I won't blame you for it.
"I won't stop loving you, nonetheless. I will always, always love you," Kiyomi promised, and Sakura felt her heart shatter for the second time. She didn't want this, not for Kiyomi.
She didn't want to be the one who broke her dear Erasthai's heart, but the universe was a bitch and they were trapped in the damn cycle. It wasn't going to be easy for them, and it was pointless fighting it… was it though?
"That's harsher than what I had in mind," Sakura whined, and Kiomi just kissed her forehead gently. She knew that this was not going to be easy for Saki either.
"Do what you have to do, baby. For your people. I'll be fine, I swear it," Kiyomi said before she pressed her lips against Saki's.