It had been a long time since I'd had a day like this—busy, chaotic, exhausting. The last time I could remember being this physically and emotionally drained was back at Rebecca and Lily's wedding. Gods, that day had been insane. Between the beautiful ceremony, the drunk confessions, the heart-to-hearts, and the terrifying party games—I narrowly avoided a few of those punishments, thank all the stars—I'd been emotionally wrung out by the end of it.
That day also revealed a horrifying truth: Rebecca's entire family consisted of sadists. The whole lot of them. Except, weirdly enough, her father. He was the lone masochist in a sea of twisted smiles and evil pranks.
But anyway—back to today.
After giving Kayda the flowers and seeing her face light up in a way that warmed my core, I returned to my squad. I half-expected them to still be stretching or discussing the last fight, but no—Brenda had already started swinging my ice odachi around like she owned it.
My brow twitched in surprise. She'd barely had it for an hour. I thought she'd at least hesitate before testing it out, considering its weight and the magic properties etched into the blade. But nope. Full swings, wide arcs. Like it was an extension of her arm.
Well, I guess that's why I picked her.
Our second sparring match of the day went much better—for them. Brenda was noticeably faster, her movements more fluid and more aggressive. That sword suited her better than her previous one. She fought like a dancer now, every step bringing her closer to a dangerous rhythm.
Apricot, meanwhile, didn't slack off either. Her coordination with Sirone was tighter. They were learning how to cover each other—properly, this time. I could see it in the way she shifted her stance slightly to cover her right flank or how she'd call out a number instead of a full sentence to direct Sirone's aim.
And speaking of Sirone—gods, the girl's aim had improved. Her bolts weren't just accurate; they were anticipatory. She wasn't aiming where I was. She was aiming where I'd be.
If I were being honest, I almost had to use a second sword. Almost.
Their speed and adaptability pushed me and forced me to stay sharp. But once I adapted to their improved movements, I could still dodge everything. My reaction speed was significantly faster than theirs. But they had made progress. A lot of it.
It wasn't a steamroll like the first time. They actually made me work for it.
By the end, I was smiling like a proud mentor. So far, I was very pleased with my choices for the squad.
We went another couple rounds before Apricot had to leave. Something about reporting to Trinity. That left just Brenda and Sirone with me.
And what if we couldn't spar?
We ran.
And ran.
And then we ran some more.
I might've overdone it.
Brenda appeared to be struggling to avoid vomiting halfway through the last lap, while Sirone collapsed as soon as I stopped calling out the times. I had to carry both of them back to their barracks—Sirone on my back and Brenda in a bridal carry that made more than one person do a double-take.
To make things worse, I was still in fox form.
A large white fox strutting through camp with a groaning tomboy princess in her arms and a sniper draped over her tail was... a sight, to put it mildly.
There were laughs. Loud ones. I took them in stride, even grinned a little. It was fine. Let them laugh. My squad was getting stronger, and that was all that mattered.
After dropping the girls off and having a quick family dinner, I finally went to sleep.
Or… I thought I would.
The stars were high when I stirred again. The air was still and quiet—too quiet. Then I heard footsteps.
Soft.
Unsteady.
I blinked an eye open to see Apricot approaching with a blanket cradled in her arms, her expression pale and worn out.
"Apricot?" I yawned. "Are you sleepwalking?"
"No." Her voice cracked, her frustration poorly veiled. "I can't even fall asleep. How am I supposed to sleepwalk then?"
I sat up, tail flicking once. I didn't need to ask—her eyes said enough.
"Nightmare again?" I asked gently.
She hesitated. Then nodded.
"Can I... please sleep with you tonight?" She mumbled, not meeting my eyes. Her fingers clutched the blanket tighter, knuckles white.
A small smile crept onto my face. "At least you asked this time."
"Is that a yes or a no?" she snapped, flustered.
"It's a yes." I chuckled, shaking my head. "But are you really sure? My tree isn't exactly five-star accommodation. The floor's hard, and I tend to shift in my sleep. And, well, fox fur gets hot."
"I'll be fine," she said quietly. "As long as I can sleep in your fur."
She didn't wait for permission. She simply walked around, stepped carefully between my front and back legs, and settled against my side with a soft sigh. Her back pressed into my belly, her shoulders trembling just slightly.
I curled around her protectively, wrapping my tail outward so it wouldn't bother her.
"Thank you," she murmured, curling tighter under the blanket.
"No problem," I said softly. "And… if you ever want to talk about it—I mean really talk—I have some experience with what you've gone through."
A pause.
"…You've been forced before?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
I winced. "Not quite."
"…You forced someone?"
"What? No!" I barked, ears folding back. "I might not have been a girl in my past life, but I would never force anyone."
"That doesn't help your case, Kitsu," she muttered, side-eyeing me.
"Listen here, you damn doggie—shut up and let me explain."
She huffed but went quiet.
"In my previous life, I was a man," I said slowly. "In my last life. A pretty tall one, actually. Scar over my eye, rough voice, the works. I lived with some... bad people. Real pieces of shit. Stayed with them until I turned fifteen. Then I finally got out."
Apricot didn't move, but I felt her breathing change.
"I wandered for a year," I went on. "Saw things. Bad things. Humans are hurting each other in every imaginable way, including murder, torture, and rape. You name it. And the worst part? That was still the best year of my life up to that point. Because I was free. I could breathe. I could release all the rage that those bastards had buried inside me.
Another pause.
She swallowed. "…Those awful people you lived with. What happened to them?"
I hesitated.
Then, with a sigh, "I killed them."
No drama. Just truth.
Apricot nodded slowly. "You mentioned rape. What… what did you do when you saw that?"
"The first time?" I said, voice flat. "I shot the bastards in the head. No hesitation. After that… I got worse. Started torturing any rapists I caught. I justified it for myself. Said it was justice. Said it was helping."
"And the girls?" she asked, hesitantly.
"They were scared of me," I admitted. "Big guy, scarred face, dead eyes. Even when I saved them, they didn't trust me. I never pushed. I just gave them what I could. Food. Directions. A way out."
"Did any of them... not make it?"
"Too many. Some killed themselves right after. Couldn't take it. Couldn't see a way forward."
Her breath hitched.
"But there was one girl," I continued. "She was different. After I saved her, I was going to call the cops. She stopped me. Asked if we could torture them first. I said yes. I didn't even think—I just nodded. She... she was terrifying. Brilliant. Cold. But after it was over, she broke. Cried for hours. I held her through it."
"Was she okay?" Apricot asked softly.
"In the end? Yeah. Not because she was strong—but because she had someone. Someone who understood."
Apricot was quiet.
Then: "Do you think I'm strong?"
I blinked. "You didn't kill your attacker when you had the chance. You haven't even mutilated his corpse. You've held everything in, bottled it all up. That's strength, yeah. But it's also dangerous."
A long silence.
"…Will you…" she started.
"I'll be your crying bag," I said without hesitation.
A weak chuckle escaped her lips. "Heh... whaa…"
And just like that, the dam broke.
She cried.
Gods, did she cry.
Her shoulders trembled, her breath hitched, and she buried her face into my fur like she was trying to disappear inside it.
"Let it out," I whispered, curling tighter around her. "It's fine. My fur's waterproof."
She wept until her voice gave out and her exhaustion claimed her.
I stayed there, awake, watching the stars through the branches.
If it hadn't been for Kayda's talk yesterday, I never would've thought to do this. To be this person. I probably would've just awkwardly patted Apricot on the head and left her to cry in a corner.
But Kayda believed in me.
So... I guess I could believe in Apricot.
Even if she hadn't left a note to say where she'd gone.
I snorted quietly.
'She better not make this a habit.'
Sleep claimed me not long after.
[Next morning]
"Kitsuna! We have a major problem—Apricot is missing!"
I groaned.
"No," I roared.
"FOR FUCK'S SAKE, WOMAN! How many times do I have to tell you—STOP SHOUTING ME AWAKE!"
The trees shook with the force of my killing intent. Birds scattered.
Mom didn't flinch. Of course she didn't.
"I don't care!" she snapped. "We need to find her!"
Before I could answer, a voice mumbled groggily beside me.
"Mmm… Kitsu? Why are you yelling?"
Apricot stirred, rubbing her eyes with one hand, still tangled in her blanket.
Mom froze.
"…What?" she spoke blankly.
"Ask her," I growled, standing up and stretching out my legs. "I'm going to the lake. See you in an hour."
I padded off, tail flicking in annoyance.
[Stacy POV]
I stared at Apricot.
Then at the nest of white fur she'd clearly been sleeping in.
Then back at her.
She blinked at me. "Uh… good morning, Lady Draig…"
Oh gods.
Please tell me this wasn't what I thought it was.
"…What are you doing here?" I asked cautiously.
"I, uh… I…" she fumbled.
"Don't tell me you've fallen in love with Kitsuna," I said, already facepalming.
"HUH?!" she squawked.
I squinted. "No?"
She sighed. "No! Kitsu's beautiful, sure—but she's not my type. And I'm pretty sure I'm straight."
I relaxed a little. "Thank fuck. The last thing I need is a yandere dragon fighting over a fox."
"I just... had a nightmare," Apricot admitted. "And she's… well, she's the closest person I have right now. She can be surprisingly kind when she wants to be."
I raised an eyebrow.
"She really can," Apricot insisted.
I nodded slowly. "Alright. Don't worry about it. Just... next time, let someone know, okay? And if you ever want to talk, I'm here. You're part of her squad now. That makes you mine too."
Apricot nodded, eyes soft. "Thank you."
"One last thing," I added, crossing my arms. "Figure out exactly what you want from Kitsu. Because she's taken. Romantically, spiritually, magically, all of it."
Apricot chuckled. "Don't worry. I won't be joining the harem."
"Good."
I turned to leave, then glanced over my shoulder one last time.
"Also… maybe you should avoid letting anyone else see you in this state. Just saying."
And with that, I vanished into the dining hall.