Enchanted by His Beauty; Kamisato Ayato X Reader

Chapter 39: Only You; You and I

In the heart of a rural area, far from the bustling thoroughfares of the main city of Inazuma, nature held sway in a gentle, unbroken dance. 

Colorful wildflowers swayed in the breeze, surrounded by lush greenery. Butterflies fluttered around, showcasing a mosaic of colors. The air was alive with the soft murmur of a nearby stream, its crystal waters winding through the green landscape. Nimble and curious, foxes wove through the brush, adding a touch of enchantment to the serene scene.

Nestled within this peaceful landscape, there resided an elderly woman, her years etched upon her kind and weathered face. With the grace of her age, a fusion of late sixties and early seventies, she seemed to emanate a quiet wisdom filled with countless stories and experiences.

For nearly a week and a half, she had diligently tended to the needs of two severely injured souls, sheltering them beneath the sanctuary of her humble home.

As consciousness began to stir, a soft groan escaped your lips, a weak echo against the calm ambiance. The touch of a cool, damp cloth against your brow pulled you gently from the depths of slumber. With hesitance, your eyes fluttered open, revealing a world still blurred by the haze of dreams.

Your voice when it finally emerged, carried the rasp of an arid desert wind. "W-where...am I...?"

The elderly woman's words, spoken with a voice that seemed to resonate from the very soul of Teyvat, were a balm to your disoriented senses. "Shh, darlin," she hummed, her tone a lullaby from warmth and comfort, "You're in my home."

As you lay in the cocoon of softness and warmth, the world beyond your eyelids remained a gentle blur. The memories of the daring leap with Ayato still clung to your senses, a mingling of surreal dread and relief that danced along the edges of your consciousness. The magnitude of the act of willingly jumping still reverberated through your every fiber, leaving you suspended between the realms of wakefulness and dreams. 

Did you really make it out alive?

You observed the elderly woman shuffling out of the room, her presence a whisper against the backdrop of wooden floors that had borne the weight of countless years. 

For what felt like an eternity, your gaze lingered on the ceiling, immobile, similar to a dog playing dead, except there was no game, only the stillness that surrounded you. Your mind echoed with emptiness, devoid of thoughts that usually wandered through the maze of your consciousness.

The floor creaked as the woman walked, breaking the silence. With delicate precision, she returned, cradling a tray bearing the promise of warmth, adorned with two ceramic cups and a pot, likely holding a comforting infusion of herbal tea.

As the woman carefully placed the tray on the floor, you shifted, sitting up with a quiet groan. It was as though your muscles had been still for an untold amount of time. Expressing silent gratitude with a nod, you reached for the ceramic cup, your movements sluggish and your senses still veiled by a fog of haziness. 

The elderly woman, her eyes kind yet brimming with curiosity, posed a question that seemed to cut through the mist, "What happened to you two?" 

As the cup met your lips, a sudden uncertainty seized you, prompting a witty internal debate. Revealing the slightly psycho truth--that you and Ayato took a plunge off the highest peak--was out of the question. 

The last thing you needed was a judgy side-eye, with the elderly woman pondering whether the younger generation had collectively decided to take a detour into the realms of insanity and become a bunch of daredevil suicidal seekers.

"Umm..." Your expression took on a subtle shade of pale, and you hesitated, buying a moment to develop a tale that wouldn't raise too many eyebrows. "Well..."