Chapter Text
a hard shiver runs down your spine at the thought of leaving the tree, and almost immediately jin's voice telling you to stay still and quiet echo in your head. but... you weigh your options. where was he?
you were beyond terrified, had even been warned, and yet… you were worried for him. maybe he could fit inside your hollow (of course he couldn’t, there was barely enough space for you). but the sound of that singular howl chilled you deeply.
taking a quick peek, your eyes scan the bright white snow, it was dark enough to be an issue, but bright enough for you to see jin was nowhere beneath you. body frozen still, you hesitate, moving from this tree could very well cause you the end of your life.
against your better judgement… you can barely stop yourself from scampering down the trunk. internally praying to whoever would listen that whatever danger was in the forest wouldn’t choose you next.
your feet crunch too loudly in the snow, and you take a quick look around, your breath coming in small, quick bursts, puffs of cold air forming small clouds.
the coast was clear, and honestly you felt a little silly, there was nothing! you give a small huff of laughter. your eyes go to the ground, seeing jin’s footsteps and following them. along the way you decide to use the bathroom, since all of your residual fear made it prevalent earlier.
refreshed and on your mission to find your traveling partner, you strain your ears, listening to the woodland noises (or the lack thereof). your best plan to get away from danger? climb the closest tree, use your sword for protection. and… wait for jin to find you, if it came to that. keeping your actual tree and campsite in your view, as dim as it was.
traveling along, you go in a deliberate circle, looking for any sign of him. until you step wrong, tripping over some uneven terrain- you curse, shooting upright, hand on your sword as you look around. truthfully, you weren’t the best at fighting with it.
your clan centered working with magical items- their manufacture, improvement etc. it was how you made your necklace, and it was a bit of a shame you would need to see a different specialist in karakura town to get help on honing its ability. however, a different branch of your family put an emphasis on fighting.
tracking your eyes back down to the ankle you rolled, you realize there's a giant paw print. wolf? no... bear, at least it was big enough.
instantly, you're on edge again, looking around quickly before booking it as much as you could in the deep snow without drawing any attention to yourself. the tree was so close, but you felt the sense of some sinister foreboding presence. like you were being hunted. not bothering to look back, and spurned on by fear, you push yourself faster, launching at the tree and scrambling upward as fast as you could.
right underneath you, a heavy thud, followed by a guttural growl. whatever it was wanted you. badly. you bite down on the inside of your cheek, drawing blood as you scrape yourself higher, praying whatever was down there wasn't a good climber or jumper.
you pray too soon, the jaws of the wretched beast get so close to your leg you can nearly feel the loud snap of it's teeth in your bones. with little ceremony you drag yourself into the hollow, forcing yourself into the back corner and pointing the tip of your blade at the opening. you would be ready for it. whatever it was.
*
the next morning, you realize you fell into a dreamless sleep. the sky was bright as you climb back down. one thing you absolutely couldn't ignore were the claw marked gashes all over the trunk of the tree. you reach out to touch it when you hear something approach, you turn around, ready to strike, only to relax soon after.
jin's hands were up, although he didn't really need to. he looked completely normal, even a tad bit relaxed.
unfortunately, you were pissed beyond belief.
"what the hell was that?"
he starts to speak but you continue over him, raising your voice. you point at the tree trunk with your sword, still looking at him with a scowl.
"some THING chased me up the tree! i almost died!"
you could hear the frown in his voice as he lowers his hands to his side, walking past you to look at the trunk of the tree, nearly halfway through the thick girth of the wood. whatever that beast was, wolf, bear, something worse... almost had you in its jaws.
"why did you leave the tree?" he asks, fingers brushing the claw marks, he seemed thoughtful, and even worse he didn't even sound upset or disappointed. something closer to concern and perhaps... guilt?
"i was looking for you. obviously." you huff, sheathing your sword roughly. you scowl some more, plopping down in the snow, finally daring to peek at your ankle. and what you saw wasn't good. swollen, slightly purple, and hurt as all get out.
scooping a handful of snow onto the spot to at least stop the swelling for a bit, jin was still at the tree, unmoving. pushing for answers- feeling like you deserved them since you nearly died- you speak up again.
"so... where were you? i went around the whole tree before that beast tried to make me dinner, and i didn't see hide nor hair of you." at this point, you didn't care if you sounded whiny. you almost died, trying to look out for him. although, to be fair, he hadn't asked you to do that, and that wasn't your agreement.
"i was scouting the perimeter like i always do." he answers cooly, and you can't tell if he's lying or not, but he did particularly seem to enjoy making sure there was nothing dangerous around.
"... alright." you grumble, holding the freezing snow to your ankle. "well, i rolled my left ankle."
that finally gets him to look, he turns towards you and takes two purposeful steps before kneeling down and locking eyes with you through his helmet, asking permission before he touches you.
you nod slightly, moving your hands out of the way to give him access. he gently takes you leg and sits it in his lap, and you avert your eyes, feeling an uncomfortable warmth bubbling up from your stomach to your face from his strong hands on your body again.
"... this isn't that bad," he murmurs, gently turning it over in his grasp.
you're about to object when he murmurs an incantation and healing light leaves his hands and sink into your skin. it's warm, and gradually the pain subsides. when he's finished, he pats your thigh, a signal for you to move your leg.
"you need to stay off it for a while, so i should at least carry you to town."
there's silence. he had already stood up and was dusting the snow off his clothes when he realized you hadn't said anything. your brain was overheating, had to be. maybe you'd hit your head last night and didn't know it.
"i- that's not necessary." you say hastily, doing your best to stand up.
"nonsense. if you walk on that injury it would undo my healing kido." he puts his bag on and attaches your tiny in comparison bag onto that, leaving both arms open for you, horrifyingly enough.
"but- i'm a man! i can't let you walk me into town like some princess! what will they think of us?"
jin shrugs. already a ronin- and now a bounty hunter, it wasn't like he was the holder of a stellar reputation in the first place. "you can just make it known you had an injury and i saved you, everyone would understand."
you tongue over the bitten spot on the inside of your cheek in thought, you didn't really care about what the townspeople caught, you just wanted as much space between you and jin as possible. he was a liability at best and downright dangerous to your cover at worst.
realizing you were out of any real arguments, you sigh, making your way over to him. you can only see his eyes, but they stare at you intensely. it was actually worrying how much he seemed to see through you.
effortlessly, he scoops you up into his arms, and gets going on some unseen trail. the hot warmth of his body leeched into yours chilled bones, and your head rests against him. he was carrying you bridal style, which- you weren't complaining. his warn breath fanned over your face occasionally, and you could feel his strong and steady heartbeat against your body.
warm, asleep, and being carried like some bride was how you entered the next town.
*
your ankle healed up enough in jin's opinion finally meant you could restock supplies and get some warm weather clothing. since jin was your official unofficial escort, you both met up again at the tavern- he had been standing there waiting for you. sitting across from him at a wooden table, you nurse your stew, savoring the warmth, even though the flavor was a bit bland.
he had arranged to get his food sent up to your accomodations, obviously because he wished to keep his helmet on.
"so..." you probe, looking up at him through your lashes. "any news on the missing girl?" absolutely you had to ask, hopefully it lead him in the opposite direction so you could go to karakura on your own.
"yes actually, someone fitting the description had been seen heading in our direction." he seemed pleased, happy to restore a family of their lost member. if only he knew. the thought made your stomach churn. hopefully he never found out. you couldn't go back, not now. possibly not ever.
"that's great, i'm glad." though it was nice to not have to cook tonight or for breakfast since the tavern did both, you were quite honestly pretty satisfied despite your near death encounter.
"also, the keeper of the tavern informed me we secured the last available room, for a reasonable price as well."
cringing, almost on reflex, you reach for your coin purse to pay him the difference and he immediately denied you, ignoring your gesture. "don't be like that, sparrow. i almost left you to that.... beast. the least i can do is pay."
you're unmoved. "you carried me all the way to town." you whisper yell, not wanting the nearby tables to hear you. "i can't let you pay for the room!"
he shrugs, "you can pay for the next one." jin shut the conversation down with seven words, his thick arms folded across his broad chest. to shut up your stumbling, you shoved some more stew into your mouth.
together you both head upstairs- jin to the room, and you decide a bath was in order, so you leave him to his devices- so he could eat. after your surprisingly lush bath, you knock on the door to the room.
there's shuffling before he opens the door, having to bend down a bit to see you clearly. he was too big, as usual. you duck past him, hearing the door close and you set your bag down before your eyes are drawn to the centerpiece of the room- the enormous bed.
the singular enormous bed.
