A Peaceful Silence (Akatsuki no Yona Shinah X OC)

Base in the East

First of all, I wanted to say sorry for being so MIA lately! This semester has been insane, and it's all I can do to keep up with my crazy classes (just for the record, for any of you currently attending or planning on attending university, don't take organic chemistry and biochemistry at the same time. It's not a good idea.). I'm afraid that school has my schedule all tied up for the entire foreseeable future, so I won't be posting as often. Try not to get too frustrated with me!

But wow. 10K reads?! You guys are truly amazing, and I appreciate each and every one of you. In the last chapter, I talked about giving you a flashback scene written in Ezra's perspective, and I've finally decided that you guys more than deserve it for your dedication and patience. In order to keep the storyline flowing a bit, though, I've decided to give it to you after this chapter. Give me another day or two to work on it; it's an important scene, and I need to make sure it's perfect. You all deserve nothing less. 

Again, thank you guys so much! I cannot express in words how much you all mean to me!

***

Ezra grinned as she headed back to the camp, Shinah at her heels. Relief was spreading its way through her veins, making her feel dizzy and lightheaded with happiness.

"He doesn't hate me," she breathed once they were well along the path that led to their camp. She danced out in front of Shinah and turned to face him, grabbing his hands in excitement. She walked backwards, swinging their arms between them with a large smile on her face. "My brother doesn't hate me!"

Shinah grinned at her, squeezing her hands.

"It's all thanks to you, Shinah." Ezra's amethyst eyes sparkled with joy. "You give me so much courage. I couldn't have done this on my own."

Shinah shook his head, still smiling. "You could've," he said.

Ezra stopped walking, casting her eyes down towards the ground in shame. She still clutched Shinah's hands in her own in the air between them. "No, really, Shinah... you seem to have too much faith in me. I'm not as strong as you think I am."

Shinah frowned down at her.

She raised her head to meet his gaze with a small smile. "I'm not strong, but... I'll try to be better. For you and for Yona and for Hak and for Yun and for all the others that know what kind of person I am, but who care about me anyways."

Shinah grinned gently at her, giving her hands another squeeze.

A moment of silence passed between them as they smiled at each other. After another second, though, Ezra's face grew red as she realized that she was still holding Shinah's hands. She quickly let go of them, turning her back on him to hide her blazing cheeks.

Shinah frowned as he watched her walk away, wondering why she was blushing.

"A-anyways," she stuttered. "Let's head back and try to come up with something for dinner."

She placed a hand over her racing heart, willing it to slow.

Stop it, Ezra. He deserves better.

She let out a deep breath, trying to reign in these unfamiliar and entirely unsettling emotions.

Ezra was finally beginning to understand why her heart beat faster every time he looked at her, why she blushed whenever he touched her and why she always felt the need to be near him and yet far away from him at the same time.

It was terrifying to realize just how much she cared about this incredible, selfless man walking next to her.

She sighed, hanging her head. She didn't need these complicated things called "feelings"; they would only make her life so much harder.