Last Chances | Kazuha x reader

~2~

“Y/n,” Kazuha nodded. “You have a nice name.”

“What's your name?” You wondered now that the white-haired boy Kazuha knew your name.

“Kaedehara Kazuha,” the boy replied. “Though just call me Kazuha.”

 “Nice to meet you Kazuha,” you hummed.

Kazuha looked at you once again, wondering just who the real you was. Was it the current person being shown as of right now or was it the other cold person? What had made you become so dark like that?

 “Oh,” Kazuha just came to a realization.  “I forgot to tell Beidou that you’re awake now. She is the captain of the ship we are on right now and she told me to notify her the moment you wake up.”

"Ok," you nodded in understanding as Kazuha opened the door for you to pass through.

"Follow me."

After you walked through the door, Kazuha passed you and led you up the stairs. All around you were the crew walking about the deck doing their jobs. Near the wheel of a ship stood a strong-looking woman looking out at the ocean. Proudly standing near the wheel, it was easy to deduce that the lady was none other than the infamous captain of the Crux Fleet, Beidou.

"Beidou," Kazuha called out. "She’s awake."

Beidou looked at you, her surprisingly calculating eyes watching you as if she was reading into your soul. It was an awkward silence of the captain’s watchful eye scanning you.

"Thank you for saving me," you broke the silence.

"You’re welcome," Beidou smiled before looking down at you with suspicion. "So, how did you get out to sea? Kazuha found you in the middle of the ocean without anything. How did you not drown and how in the world are you not dead right now?

Avoiding the suspicious eyes of Beidou, you looked down at your shoes not wanting to answer her question. The rocking of the ship from the waves made you sway as an awkward silence filled the ship from your refusal to answer the questions. The only thing that could be heard was the strong waves hitting the ship with the blow of the wind.

"Fine," Beidou looked at you after reading you. "If you don’t wanna tell us then I guess it’s a tough topic for you to talk about."

"Thank you," you gave the captain a forced smile.

If you could share your situation and how it had come to be, you would have. Though, you couldn’t bring yourself to do so mainly because of the belief the people who heard you wouldn’t believe you and would find you to be crazy. Even if the world was filled with visions and archons, you were hated because of your situation despite it not being out of the ordinary. It was simple really, you were an anomaly that didn’t fit in.

"Is there anywhere you were headed?" Beidou asked you. 

"Nowhere really," you shrugged. "Wherever you are headed, you can drop me off there."

"It’s fine if you wanna stay here with us in the Alcor," Beidou started walking away from you, her hand waving at you. "A lot of us here are outcasts so if you wanna join us, what’s one more outcast to add to the party."

“Welcome aboard,” Kazuha nodded at you before also walking away to his earlier post. “You can ask anyone here if you have any questions or need any help with something.”

Now there you were left on the deck of the ship alone while everyone else went to work on their own assignments. Walking to the edge of the ship, you looked out at the ocean and how it never seemed to end. It reminded you of all your painful memories. The painful memories of unending solitude and sorrowful loss.

Eyes glazing over, you looked up at the sky to hold in your tears that were threatening to fall. No matter how much you said to yourself that you would be able to handle it, it was still painful. It still hurt you. It still broke you.

This is the suffering of the immortal.

Memories that plagued your mind. Memories of joy and happiness turn to pain and sadness. 

"Miss," a man came up to you, disturbing your moment of thought. "I'm the second mate of this ship. Are you good at anything? Everyone on this ship has a job and responsibility."

"Hmm," you wondered about what you would be able to help with. "I'm good at fighting even though I don’t have a vision and I’m fairly good at cooking.”

“Then you can go to the bottom of the ship to the kitchen to help out our chef. Go down the stairs, go straight, and on the last door at the very end is the kitchen,” the man told you.

“Ok,” you smiled before waving your hand to go down to the kitchen like he had said.

Following his instructions, you went to the kitchen and saw a black-haired young man chopping vegetables and humming to himself. Knocking on the door, the man immediately looked up to you in shock and almost cut his finger.

“Hello,” you waved awkwardly. “Sorry for that.”

“It’s fine…” the man scratched his neck, not knowing how to reply to you.

An awkward silence filled the room as neither of you knew how to talk to each other. This was the effect of having two fairly socially awkward people meet each other. Not knowing how to progress the conversation, you just gave a small smile.

“Sorry to surprise you but the second mate told me to come down here to help you with cooking. I’m y/n.”

“Oh,” the man stuttered before looking down at the floor, ashamed. “I-I’m Ya-Yashiro. I’m just p-preparing the ingredients for di-dinner tonight if you want to help me. S-sorry… I-I have a na-natural stu-stutter.”

“It’s fine,” you walked up to the table where he was chopping vegetables. “Is there anything you want me to start helping with?”

“C-can you mi-mince up the garlic and g-ginger? It’s o-on one of th-the shelves. You c-can also find so-some knives and c-chopping b-boards there.”

“Ok,” you nodded and went to the area where he pointed to look for the things that he said.

After finding all of the items that you needed to find, you washed your hands, rolled your sleeves, and started with your knife work. Quickly peeling the outside of the garlic and ginger, you minced fairly large amounts and placed it into separate bowls.

Both you and Yashiro continued to work, him instructing you on what you should chop and you completing it nearly perfectly. Soon enough, dinner time came and after helping him cook some Bamboo Shoot Soup and Braised Meat, the two of you served it to the crew members at the top deck.

~~~~~

Thank you for your patience and for waiting for this book to come out. Chapter 2 is officially posted and now, I'll be updating this book weekly. I hope you'll support me once again so thank you for everything!