How Long is Forever [COMPLETED]

An Unexpected Visitor

It doesn't take longer than a second for Chishiya to pull himself together while you're still frozen in shock. Of course the King of Spades wouldn't just knock on a door, but the memories of your nightmare are still too fresh to think rationally.

"Who..." you start, but you don't have the time to continue as a voice outside starts to shout, accompanied by more and heavier knocks.

"Chishiya, you bastard!! Let me in, I know you're in there! Have you thrown a look out of the window? Word is going down, and what are you doing – painting your eyes??"

Your eyes grow big as you recognize the voice, but not out of fear. Chishiya has meanwhile put on his hoodie and unlocks the door just in time for the visitor to stumble inside, fist still raised for another knock.

A cold gust of wind blows inside before the door is closed again, and together with the rain drops dripping from the visitor's figure it painfully reminds you of your dream. Though this is not the King of Spades, and it's not an enemy at all.

While they huff at Chishiya and shove him aside, you hurry to wrap yourself out of the blankets and find yourself in a tight hug. The soaked clothes make you shudder, but it feels too good to see a friend again.

"Kuina!" You smile into the wet dreads sticking to her back, and the tall woman squeezes you for one last time before she lets go.

It's a visit you haven't expected at all, but it is more than welcome. Kuina looks quite battered, with bruises and grazes all over her body, but she's alive and smiling and that's what counts.

You quickly put on some shorts and lead Kuina back to the table where she sits down across from you. Chishiya sighs as he eyes the wet floor before he starts to fill a pot with water.

"Can you make enough for three?" you ask and take Kuina's hands from across the table.

"I'm so glad to see you! An told me you separated after the camp has been attacked, and I haven't heard anything from you since then. How did you find us?"

Kuina wipes away some rain drops that were about to run into her eyes. "I assumed it couldn't be wrong to change my location once in a while so the sniper King will have a harder time finding me. That's how I came across your caravan yesterday, and I recognized some of your stuff. But you were not around, and it was about to rain, so I left."

She lets out a heavy sigh, indicating at her completely soaked dreads. "Thought I could come around today again, since the weather didn't look that bad. Guess I was wrong."

You both laugh, and soon the water in the pot starts to boil. Chishiya makes a cup of tea for himself and leaves it to you to prepare coffee for Kuina and you, and soon the three of you sit on the table, all with a steaming cup warming your hands while the storm is raging outside once again.

Kuina blows into her cup and eyes you with a frown. "Are you alright? You look weird."

You haven't looked into a mirror yet, but you assume the shock is clinging to you even now. Your eyes still feel a bit sore and your hair must look like a total mess, not to mention the sweat-soaked sleepwear you're in.

"Yeah, it's just... your timing was a bit unfitting." Knocking at the door just after you had a nightmare about the King of Spades storming through the caravan's entrance to kill Chishiya.

Kuina's eyes grow big and she clasps her hand before her mouth. "Oh lord! Don't tell me you two were just about to –" her face sways from your barely dressed figure to Chishiya, hair tousled and hoodie revealing his bare chest, "oh shit, I'm SO sorry!"

Your face turns dark crimson immediately as it dawns on you what has to be going on inside of Kuina's head. Raising your hands soothingly, you make sure to set things right quickly.