Y/n pov:

"Well hello Aether." I said, walking towards the guy, Paimon right next to him as always.

"It's Y/n!" Said Paimon happily. "How are you? haven't seen you since the celebration." Aether said.

"I'm great. I've been in the sanctuary a lot. And although you might not see me a lot, trust me, I've got eyes outside." I said. Aether nodded understandably.

"So... how's it going with... him?" Aether asked, obviously talking about who he calls Scaramouche and who I call Kunikuzushi.

"Has he woken up yet?" Paimon asked as a follow-up question.

He has. I wanted to say so.
But I was unsure of whether I should tell him.
"It's complicated." I lied. It's not complicated at all. He's awake. And he wants out.

"Nahida thinks he can be reformed." I said. Hoping to tug out a reaction from Aether to figure out what he really thinks about Kuni. If he wants Kuni to have a chance, to walk around the city that he almost doomed.

"I doubt it." Paimon said quickly. I tried my best not to glare at her. Paimon had reason to hate my Kuni. Regardless of how Kuni favoritised me in the battle, he tried to kill Aether.

"What do you think?" I asked him, looking at Aether. Just tell me. What do you want?
It will help me. Or it might be of no use and I don't listen to you at all. And follow my own wishes.

Selfish again. That's all I could think about. I hated this side of me. The side that only cared about my own means and priorities. The side that will betray without batting an eye. Perhaps it was me looking down on people because I still saw this world as a game in my hand.

"Well... Paimon's right. No matter what. Just make sure to keep an eye on him. I believe that he shouldn't even be awake yet. Maybe to give us more time to figure out what to do with him." Aether spoke.

I see. So that's how it is.
What to do with him, he said. He wants us to have control over him, if that's it, he certainly doesn't want Kuni to walk around in the city.

"Y/n..." Aether continued. "Could you tell me about your past with him? Maybe... it will help me understand."

Not now. Not today.
I understand he wants to know. And I will tell him one day. After all I know this guy more than he knows. I trust Aether. He'll find out one way or another if I don't tell him anyways. Perhaps he'll find out on accident.

And if I'm going to spill the beans about Japan to Kuni. Then it'll be enough talking for me for now.

I gave Aether a gentle smile. "I promise, you'll know one day. Whether I tell you or not." I said. Surprisingly, Aether nodded understandably.

My smile grew.
That's right. Aether trusts me as well.

-

I walked through the big door of the sanctuary, into the main room with Nahida's carriage.

I didn't pay the surroundings much attention, and instead walked towards the room where Kuni would be resting.

My hands laid on the door handle, a small glow in my palm, unlocking the door as I opened it.

My eyes widened as they laid upon the room. A small gasp escaped my mouth. The room was empty. I felt my pulse rise.

Did I not pay enough attention?
Did I overlook what extent he would go to?

"There you are." I jumped slightly again. He had a tendency to speak at the most unpredictable moment.

I turned around, back into the main sanctuary. Kunikuzushi was leaning on one of the pillars, arms crossed. He has a smirk on his face.

"How... did you get out?" I asked him. I kicked the door closed behind me again and walked down the thin path towards him.

"The bird." He simply said as if it was the most obvious thing ever. His eyebrow raised at my surprised face.

"The bird???" I asked, confused.
"Uh... yeah?" He answered in an equally confused tone.

"How?" I asked again. His smirk fell. "You didn't plan it?" He asked. "What?" I asked back.
I had no idea what he was talking about or what was happening.

"The bird in my room, it was your bird, right?" He asked, he stood normally, no longer leaning on the wall.

"Well yes... but how did it let you out?" I asked.

His eyes widened. "Well, it wouldn't stop bothering me so I simply payed it a little bit of attention and it started circling the door. And then-" he snapped with his fingers, "the door opened. I simply walked out."

I looked at him confused. "The bird unlocked the door?" I asked. He nodded.

Then he sighed. "Now I'm hurt." He did a fake sad face. "I really thought you were planning on breaking me out." He crossed his arms.

I crossed my arms as well. "Hate to tell you, but I have no idea how the bird-" my thoughts stopped, and my eyes wandered to the said bird that was flying around the room.

I stretched out a finger and it flew towards me, landing on it.

This simple bird was able to unlock a door which you needed special powers to unlock. The door was for me and Nahida only to open and close as we wished.

"Maybe... it was Kusanali?" Kunikuzushi suggested.

I shook my head. "I doubt it. She put me responsible for you. It seems out of character for her to just let you out." I said.

Kunikuzushi stared at me. No expression on his face. I met his eyes curiously. "What?"
He smiled, a genuine smile. "You're cute when you're thinking."

I felt my face grow warmer, and I had to force myself to reject the smile that wanted to express itself on my face.

"Well, now that I'm outside the room. The first step is over anyways. Next step is that door." He said and pointed towards the main door; the exit of the sanctuary.

He smiled as if he tried to ignore the possibility that I wouldn't let him out. "What do you say?"
I gave him a small glare, trying to tell him his wish is rejected. He chuckled. He lowered his tone, almost in a whisper. "Aw come on, I'm not allowed to take you out?" He said teasingly.

"Take me out?" I raised an eyebrow at his choice of tone and words. "Yeah. A date, you know what that is right?" He answered.

My eyes widened. A date?!
He did NOT strike me as that kind of person.
Kuni started walking towards me with slow steps.

He stood in front of me now, pretty close to my face. Perhaps a little too close...
"After all. You do like me." He said in a whisper again. After he saw my shocked face, he could tell he was right. I liked him. A lot actually. In fact I loved him even.

So he leaned back towards me. "I'll tell you... I like you quite a bit as well." He said. He likes me? That's it? I'd prefer it if he said he loved me but knowing him, I won't be hearing those words.

If my face was warm before, I was overheating now.

There were two ways this could go:
One, he could be interested in me, and actually wanting to go on a date. Perhaps he loved me as well as I loved him? I thought that was it, I hoped that was the case.

Two, he could be totally using me and manipulating me to get out of the sanctuary. Or he could be gaining my trust to get his powers back. Perhaps I was simply a puppet for him to use, because he had long been over me.

I decided to take the risk.

"Alright alright!" I said, backing away from him. Not because I didn't want to be so close to him, quite the opposite actually. If he stayed that close to me for any longer I probably wouldn't be able to let him go.

"I'll take you out to the city, but when the sun goes down!" I said. There would be less people to witness him wandering around the city. Of course they did not know who he was, but Paimon and Aether did. And as far as I knew, they were in the city.

I just hoped they would be asleep when I took him out.