Feeding Frenzy

Guess who's back, baby?
RIDE THE INSPIRATION TRAIN!!!

The wooden floorboards felt cool under my feet as I padded down the hallway. Nightfall blanketed the castle in a mist of darkness, and only the faint silver beams of the moon falling through the windows illuminated my path.

I turned the corner and was startled by voices, which started off as low mumbling and shortly escalated into angry shouts. Curiousity moved me to action, and I found myself searching for the source of the distressed shouts. Following the sound led me to the doorway of...

Takumi, the youngest Hoshidan prince.

I rapped my knuckles on the door.

"Prince Takumi?" I called out. "It's me, Kiran. Are you all right?"

The shouting ceased momentarily. A silence followed where each second stretched for an eternity.

"Takumi?" I repeated, leaning closer to the door. "Are you in there?"

There was another long pause before the lock clicked and the doorknob turned. Takumi's face appeared in the the doorway. His long hair shone in the dim light, released from the ponytail he so diligently tied up daily. His eyes, normally sharp and aware, looked haunted somehow.

"What do you want?" he grumbled.

"I heard you talking to someone. I was checking to see if you were safe," I explained. "It's fairly late, after all."

"I wasn't talking to anyone." He clutched a hand to his head. "You know I get nightmares... I've been told I sometimes talk in my sleep."

"Oh, right."

I felt sheepish, but in times of war, it was better to be safe than sorry. Assassination attempts from the enemy were entirely possible, especially since Takumi was Hoshidan royalty.

He looked at me wordlessly, but all I could notice was his bare chest peeking through the dishevelled opening of his kimono.

"Well, in that case, I'm really sorry to have bothered you," I stammered, momentarily distracted. "Good night!"

- Taco's POV -

"Well, in that case, I'm really sorry to have bothered you. Good night!"

This girl was so infuriating, this Summoner from another world. Was she truly so oblivious to everything, despite being one of Askr's best tacticians?

I found myself reaching out as she turned to leave, grabbing her by the arms. My body felt light, as if I were in a dream. Maybe this was still a dream?

I gazed into her eyes, wide brown orbs filled with confusion. Her cheeks were tinted pink and for a moment I found myself thinking how adorable she looked when she was flustered. It was a rare sight to behold.

I couldn't stop myself...

- Kiran's POV -

Before I could leave, Takumi grabbed me by the arms. I stared down at his hands, then back up to his face. His amber eyes were frozen on me with an unreadable expression.

"Prince Takumi? What are you--"

He leaned forward, so close that our noses brushed. He closed his eyes, the warmth of his breath tickling my face as he edged closer, his lips mere millimeters from mine.

"Takumi," I breathed, trying with difficulty to steady my composure, "What are you doing?"

Hearing my words, the trance holding him seemed to break; he quickly shrunk away.

"Good night, Kiran."

He quickly shut the door to his bedroom and disappeared, leaving me in the hallway with my pulse racing wildly.

- Kiran's POV -

"Hey, what's up with you?"

"Huh?"

Shiro smacked the sword out of my hands with his spear.

"What was that for!"

"You seem unfocused."

"You noticed, huh?" I chuckled slightly. "I already told you I'm not a fighter."

"Yeah, but your reaction times are even slower than usual!"

"I had a weird interaction with Takumi last night." I stopped to choose my words carefully. "I feel like he must have a lot on his mind."

"Takumi? You mean, my uncle-from-another-universe?"

I nodded. "Yup."

Shiro stuck his spear into the dirt. "Should I be concerned?"

"Concerned about what?"

"I don't know. You tell me."

"Oh Shiro, you're silly. There's nothing to be concerned about! I already put in a good word for you with Commander Anna."

"I wasn't talking about becoming a general."

I rolled my eyes to tease him. "Really? Because you've been talking about wanting that position non-stop for the past couple of months."

"Stop," he warned, his expression suddenly serious. "You know what I meant. About Takumi. What happened?"

"Nothing really," I lied. I picked up my sword and tightened my grip on the hilt. "Now weren't you going to show me that technique of yours? How did it go again?"

Shiro pursed his lips but remained silent. I suspected as much, since prying wasn't his style. He plucked his lance from the ground and steadied his stance.

"If I win, will you tell me what is going on?"

"No way! That's hardly fair."