#342 - [1] - Fire Emblem - Yuzu/Shade - Elusive

[mayemerald]

Title: a simple solution
Fandom: Fire Emblem Echoes/FE Cipher
Pairing: Shade/Yuzu
Rating: G
Prompt: 342 - elusive
Word Count: 849

Summary: Shade has been avoiding Yuzu. Yuzu endeavors to understand why.

164! 165! 166! 167!

As Yuzu completed her morning swings, she could not help but feel that there was something amiss with their current situation.

168! 169! 170! 171!

Shade had been tranquilized. Celica and her allies had been quite welcoming of their presence. Among her band were even those with knowledge on the nature of the vile Duma Faithful and the practice of creating witches. It had been an amazing fortune that led to them crossing paths with her and Shade. That same fortune would surely lead them to Emma and Randal.

172! 173! 174! 175!

Sweat dripped from her brow as she pondered further. Something had been causing her to falter, causing her steps to fall short, causing a discomfort in her stomach.

176! 177! 178! 179!

It was a quiet morning. She alone awoke with the sun, a solitary figure slightly apart from the rest of Celica’s followers out of consideration for the early hour. Ah. That was it.

180. 181…

She finished a stroke and held it, blade poised in the air before her. Ever since separating from Emma and Randal, Shade had been fretting. Wherever Yuzu went, Shade followed, even as it clearly made her bristle with annoyance, waking when Yuzu did and tailing her to her early training, ever watching no matter where the pair went. Up until the incident that had led to her possession, that was.

Yet, Yuzu had seen neither hide nor hair of the other woman since they had been accepted into this new band. It was possible that Shade was holding a grudge over the methods Yuzu had been forced to resort to. There was only one way to find out.

Yuzu stood over a dozing Shade.

“Shade. It is obvious that you are conscious. I must speak with you.”

Shade grumbled and rolled over. “What do you want?”

“I must speak with you, privately.” Yuzu amended.

Shade silently rose and righted herself, another action out of character. She did not utter a single complaint.

“You have been avoiding me.” Yuzu stared at her, gaze intense.

“I’ve been getting to know the new faces. It’s been so long since we’ve met anyone.” Shade put forth, refusing to meet Yuzu’s eyes, instead idly examining the nails on her right hand.

“You did not deny avoiding me.”

“What reason would I have to avoid you? What would I tell Emma if I showed up alone?”

“You are still not denying avoiding me.”

“I’m looking at you right now! I see you in every battle. Or did you not notice your wounds healing?” Shade snapped, the early morning agitating her temper.

“You are looking at me, but you are not speaking to me.”

Shade fell silent. She looked down, letting her lavender hair, loose and unbrushed, fall and cloak her face.

“It… seemed wise. Just in case.”

“In what case?” Yuzu furrowed her brow.

“In case whatever possessed me was to come back.” Shade said shortly.

“It will not.”

“You can’t know that! I’ve been talking to Sonya and Saber. They’ve heard of things like this. It isn’t usually easily undone. Most cases are permanent.”

“So you would rather rely on this Sonya and Saber if you were to fall back into that state?” Yuzu had thought they were the most stalwart of allies. Friends, even. Someone who could be trusted in this situation.

“I’d rather hurt them than you,” she replied quietly.

“You are a fool.”

Shade puffed up, finally looking up. “I’m just looking out for you! If it were to happen again, if I snapped out of it and your blood was on my hands… I don’t know what I’d do.” Her hands were trembling. Yuzu reached out and stilled them.

“I know what I would do. I would not fall to one such as yourself. I am strong. Did I not stop you this time? I would merely do it again. My ancestor’s ration balls are made of readily found ingredients. My supply of them is as deep as my pockets.”

Shade snorted. “I suppose. There’s always the chance that I’d be stronger next time. Whatever it is, it isn’t within normal human limits, you know.” She squeezed Yuzu’s hands.

“Yet Celica has vanquished plenty of their kind from what I hear. If her and her people are strong enough, then I shall be too. I do not slack off. I would not lose to any of them in a fight. I train more frequently than them.”

“I suppose you have a point.” Shade breathed out. “And it would be rather bad form to end up killing one of them, when they’ve been so gracious to us.”

“I will keep ration balls at the ready,” she vowed.

Shade smiled, for an instant, before wrinkling her nose. “Just what is in those things, anyways? They came in handy, sure, but can’t you make a different kind for actual eating? A kind that tastes a bit more… elevated?”

“It would be an affront to my ancestor’s to modify the recipe.” Yuzu replied, face stoic.

“Of course it would be.”