Channels (MizukixOC)

Chapter 15: Rescued

It was a blur as water flooded the cave and crashed down on the yokai. Even Mizuki hadn't thought he could summon so much water at once, but as it crashed in waves on the large yokai like a stormy sea and his focus was on watching the yokai gasp and sputter for air, he didn't notice Ume had moved. Not until he felt a tug on the leg of his pants. He looked down and saw her clinging onto his legs, curled up into a small ball and even with the rushing water, he could hear her sniffling. In one final rushing blast of water, he knocked the large yokai down into the deep pit he had pulled Ume from and allowed the water to fill it somewhat so the yokai would have to swim and keep himself afloat.

He glared down at the disgusting creature before his face softened and he dropped to his knees. He was shaking as he hugged Ume into his chest. He had never pictured himself being so violent. So much like Tomoe had been. What worried him was that part of himself had liked knowing the yokai that hurt Ume had suffered.

"Mizuki," Ume whimpered, snapping him from his thoughts.

He shushed her and started stroking her hair as tears trickled down his cheeks. He had let her go again and look what happened.

"I, I remembered him! Father!" Ume cried, squeezing Mizuki tightly, "I remembered how he hurt me. I remember the way he beat me and, and mother."

Mizuki covered her mouth gently with his hand and shook her head.

"No. You shouldn't have. You shouldn't have had to remember," Mizuki said shakily, smiling weakly and trembling, "I'm sorry. I should've followed you. As soon as Nanami told me you left, I should've followed you. I'm sorry."

"Protect me. Make me feel safe again," Ume shuddered.

Mizuki wiped his tears and steeled himself. He would be strong for her so she could be weak. He pulled her to rest her head on his chest and gently ran his hands up the cuts on her arms and legs, gently soaking them with water and rinsing away the dirt covering her body. He didn't know what to say, so he did what he could to clean her up.

"Close your eyes," he said. She did and he gently letting water run down over her face and then wiped the dirt with his hands. He was calmly focused on washing cuts on her cheeks when he realized she was smiling.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked eagerly, a little bit of a happy light in his eyes.

"I remember how it felt when you cared for me," Ume said, "I like the look on your face when you're so focused and looking at me so kindly."

He smiled lovingly and tucked a strand of her tangled hair behind her ear, "Do you want to go home?"

Ume nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck. He smiled and picked her up bridal style and left the cave.

"Who do you think you are?" the leader yelled from in the pit.

"Mizuki, servant of gods," Mizuki called back down before leaving the cave. 

He paused before kissing Ume's forehead and then looking away from her with a little bit of a pink blush on his cheek.

"What was that for?" Ume asked, looking up at him with big eyes.

"I want you to know I love you," he said softly, "That would be the excuse, but right now in this moment, I wanted to selfishly claim you with my love like I should've been able to do after saving you five hundred years ago."

"I love you, Mizuki," Ume said, "It's still so hazy when I think of the past, but I can't describe how beautiful of a feeling I get when I'm with you."

"I'm sorry that I'll have to leave as soon as I take you back," Mizuki said.

"Why is that?" Ume asked.

"I'm supposed to be escorting Nanami and a new friend to the Divine Assembly and I became sidetracked saving you," he said, slightly embarrassed to admit he had forgotten his duties as a familiar.

"Mizuki," Ume said in a chiding tone before giggling, "That's fine. I'll come visit you again soon."

"Which way to your shrine?" he asked, sitting Ume down on his flying snake.

"That direction," she said, pointing to the right of the cave. Mizuki nodded and sat in front of her before letting the snake take off. Ume leaned on Mizuki's back and wrapped her arms around his waist, holding him tightly and closing her eyes.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too," Mizuki said, resting a hand on the hands clasped on his stomach.

When they arrived at her shrine, which Mizuki thought was beautiful, covered in carefully trimmed flowers and vines, he tried to stand up but Ume wouldn't move from him back. He looked back and managed to catch a glimpse of her sleeping face.

"Ume, dear," Mizuki said softly, carefully turning around and letting her lean on his chest. She gripped onto his clothes and he thought she was having a nightmare, but she was smiling slightly and cuddled into him. He couldn't help the wide smile that spread across his face as he squeezed her tightly and kissed her forehead. He picked her up and walked inside. He found two downtrodden shrine spirits waiting in her room.

"Lady Ume!" they cried.

"Shh," Mizuki shushed them quickly, checking if Ume had woken up. She stirred but just curled further into his chest. The shrine spirits nodded and pulled back the blankets on Ume's bed. Mizuki laid her down and covered her with the blankets, then laid beside her on his crossed arms as he had every night while Ume slept. His eyes started to drift closed and he nearly fell asleep, but he remembered he had duties to attend to. 

"I love you," he whispered, kissing her cheek, "Ai, Etsuko, do you have any spare paper?"

Ai hurried away and came back with a blank paper and a pen. He quickly wrote down a note telling her he would be in Izumo for the Divine Assembly and inviting her to come to the shrine to meet Raya, a may-be god.

"Goodbye Ai, Etsuko," Mizuki said, giving them a genuine smile as he couldn't help but explode with joy. He got on the back of his snake and was back in Izumo as soon as he could be. They weren't late for the assembly yet and he found Nanami shopping. He took their bags to the hotel before joining them, apologizing for keeping them waiting.

'Take that, Tomoe,' Mizuki thought as he helped Nanami onto the snake, 'I saved my love, took the luggage to the hotel, and have time to spare to deliver Nanami to the Divine Assembly.