Reincarnated Into A Dead Woman's Body In Another World-Chapter 465: Arc 6, - 81: Avowal

Steady waves and ocean breeze—the Sun had set over the horizon. The voyage home took a slow pace now that time was not against them.

The ship rocked to the sea’s rhythm; back by lunch they said and here they were lucky to be returning by midnight—lucky to be returning at all.

And swaying along with that rhythm was Fumeko Namora. Her hands crossed over the stern of the ship, looking back from whence they managed to smite a god down from their throne.

For a moment the brunette wondered; was it madness? Was it that she had a quick wit and was able to seek her victory through a cloud of uncertainty. So many things had to go right for her to succeed and even when they did not, she kept going until it did.

The ’she’ in question walked into Fumeko’s periphery, almost as if her thoughts called for her. The brunette lazily turned her head to the left, "How long- What are you wearing...?" her brow rose.

"The only thing they had," Jotou wore a white t-shirt too big for her frame and the white trousers of presumably a sailor’s uniform. "We’re about an hour away," she stood next to the brunette and glanced over at the sea.

"It’s already ten," Fumeko fought back a yawn. "What’s Hotaru doing?"

"Documenting," Jotou made a face, almost mocking the redhead. "Saw Tiffany as I came up."

"She went to curl her hair up, she’s been fussy about it ever since we left last night. Apparently she wants to look her best when she returns triumphant," Fumeko said mockingly.

Both of them smirked at each other. Jotou pressed herself against the stern of the ship and leaned onto it; her arms dangled over the edge before she crossed them. "What were you two talking about?"

"Nothing much. Just surprised we managed to do everything we did," Fumeko looked the blonde over—there were no scars nor even marks left to speak of. "I’m glad you made it," she muttered.

"I’m glad we all made it," Jotou chuckled.

Behind the both of them, a few clucks and screeches caught their attentions. Perched atop the top of the ship was Kira who spread her wings out and looked towards the bow of the ship.

"Has she been here the whole time?" Jotou queried.

"She was flying over the ship near Malecise so I’d say yeah. Probably best she was far from Beauregard and the storms," the brunette replied. Kira ran across the top and took flight westwards, back to Burnetrout no doubt.

"At least Morgana knows what happened then; can’t wait to tell Aru," her eyes sparked with mischief. ’Wonder if everything’s already been reported to Burnetrout. Well, I’m sure Aru would say multiple accounts don’t hurt.’

They both still watched the sea. However, Jotou’s head slowly cocked back and she watched the stars and dust of a cloudless night, with a moon beaming in sight; her mouth was slightly agape.

Fumeko on the other hand, started to study the blonde’s face. "I don’t know how you do it," she gave a shake of her head.

"Huh? Do what?" Jotou tucked her hair behind her ear.

Fumeko sighed, "Just... be you. I mean, I know the answer, I’ve known you since you got here. I guess I’m just, a bit jealous of everything you manage to do; especially when I know you complain like a child half the time."

"Hey," her eyes waned.

"I just know you paranoiac," Fumeko smirked. "I’m trying to figure out what gives you your spark, even when everything around you feels hopeless."

"You know me best detective, so you tell me," the blonde giggled. "I just keep doing whatever I feel like; whatever feels right to me. Let the world do whatever it wants around me, hopeless or hopeful; it’s still up to me to dictate my choice, not anyone else."

Fumeko saw Jotou’s eyes spark as she spoke. Does the world just bend to her favour? No. The brunette knew it was not that; otherwise she would not face any adversity in her endeavours.

The girl staring at the stars next to her, has been through great pain and torment of her own. Perhaps luck was involved, and lots of it, but it does not take away from her resolve. A hope for the hopeless, even when she did not know what she was doing.

That was the puzzle that she slowly solved. Such a method may not work for Fumeko herself, but that was what worked for the blonde. Even so, admiration filled Fumeko’s eyes as her heart skipped a beat.

Only then did the brunette returned to clarity and shook her head. She looked back at the sea, exhaling a deep breath in an attempt to hide the blood rushing to her cheeks.

"What has you so gloomy hm? We won didn’t we?" Jotou kicked Fumeko in the side of the knee.

The brunette’s back straightened up although she leaned against the ship’s edge. "I’m sorta worried about the others. Sobi, my dad, Mrs Aetherton... Kineko. Hopefully Alicia’s alright. One more god down, but the cult’s still around."

"I’m not saying we celebrate silly," Jotou smiled. "Practically speaking, we’re gonna have to survey the situation and plan accordingly."

"Yeah, yeah, I’m happy about winning. I’m more so weirded out by something else. I went all the way to Kria and spent over half a year with all of you without giving a flying fuck what was happening here.

Then now I’m here and suddenly it’s all that’s in my head. I don’t like worrying this much, that’s Aru’s job," she groaned.

"Aww, Meko cares, like we all know you do~"

Fumeko gave no response to Jotou’s taunt.

The blonde pouted, perhaps with a little remorse. "I don’t think it’s anyone’s job to worry. But for what it’s worth, it doesn’t sound weird to me, sounds perfectly normal.

Besides, you’re physically here, so that’s where your head’s at. For the past however many months, Burnetrout was just your past, existing in the back of your mind. Now there’s," Jotou slanted her head to one side, "More people in your life."

"People who’re dealing with much worse things with much less ability of dispatching it," Fumeko reasoned. "I know you’re right, but it doesn’t make me feel less odd for thinking about it."

"Change of topic then; you and Tiffany seem to be getting along again."

Fumeko winced an eye; she knew Jotou was not being malicious... "Sure. There’s still some unresolved feelings, but it’s all, blyeh..." an exasperated sigh was all she could give. "You and Aru made up, better than ever," she stated.

Jotou raised her brows, "Yeah, that mess. I’m glad we figured it out."

"How did you? What happened I mean."

"We set some boundaries, I suppose. I think," Jotou knitted her brows and contemplated her answer for a moment. "We accepted the fact that we each have our needs, that they can change at any time and whatever happens in the future, although we may have our own plans, that we should be open to possibilities.

Adventuring alone’s unpredictable; add the war and a relationship, it becomes hard to juggle. But, I’m not worried anymore; whatever happens will happen and me Aru will just have to reassess and reestablish, and that’s that," she gave a shrug.

"Hmh. When you put it like that, it sounds simple," Fumeko turned her head to face the blonde. "I was wondering; have you told Aru about Frost? About her in the Last Stand?" she furrowed her brows.

Jotou’s eyes scanned the sky, "I haven’t thought to mention it to her."

"She has absolutely no clue about your connection to her?" Fumeko checked over her shoulder, as if Hotaru was anywhere nearby to hear. "She had no idea what we were talking about with Feather in her jail cell."

"I don’t see what telling her does? And don’t say ’connection’ as if we talk on a daily basis, she comes to me out of nowhere."

Fumeko leered, "You’re not still trying to protect Frost, are you?"

Jotou knitted her brows while she rubbed her arms uncomfortably, "Absolutely not. If the circumstances today weren’t what they were I would’ve-

Well, I wouldn’t’ve killed her unprovoked, but as long as she can help what we’re trying to do, why ’stop’ her? I mean, I know what she did to you and there’s no way of justifying it, but also, ugh- What?" she said louder.

Fumeko watched with a playful grin, "I realize why you like taking the piss out of people. Relax, no need to get defensive. If you think that’s the right call, I’m not gonna question your judgement."

Jotou made an annoyed noise and contemplated shocking the brunette where she stood.

"I’ll keep your secret; I’m always on your side," she smirked. "I’m only slightly content I know a secret of yours that Aru doesn’t."

The blonde giggled, "Honestly, you know everything about me detective. Not even Daiyu knows every secret."

"Really? You don’t keep secrets from me?" she expressed doubt with a side-eye.

"I tried, but I can’t keep anything with your nose snooping around."

"Your girlfriend’s the one who eavesdrops."

"Like you don’t," Jotou rolled her eyes. "Actually, maybe Sobi knows more?"

"How much have you told her?"

"It’s less said and more seen. She saw a lot on our birthday when Iridina messed with our heads; I don’t know how much is a lot though. And I didn’t get much on Asobi’s memories," Jotou knocked herself on the side of the head.

"Right," Fumeko noticed the tailfin of a whale in the distance; in the dark it was barely noticeable, but it took her mind away for a moment, leading to a moment of silence between the two.

While Jotou glanced back up at the stars, the brunette began to ponder something. Her brows furrowed and then she took a breath, "There is something that still bothers me; something I don’t understand."

"What is it?" Jotou glanced over at her.

"It’s about how you’d reject me. I don’t know if I realized it at the time."

"That realization being?"

"You always asked me to get over you, like you were trying to force me to make that choice." Fumeko turned to face the blonde.

Jotou tapped her foot on the floor—the same direction her eyes were facing.

The brunette squinted, "Why didn’t you just say you’re not interested? Or just a no? You always used Aru as an excuse almost, or that it wouldn’t work out between us. You care to explain that to me?" she softly glared.

Jotou eyes darted to the side and met Fumeko’s gaze for the briefest moment. "..." The blonde gulped and let out a small giggle, "Hell detective, why the need to be so serious? Don’t look at me like that," she put on an accent.

"If it was just a coincidence, now’s your chance to clear it up," her eyes relaxed. "Go on, reject me properly," she challenged the blonde.

Jotou sighed and slowly stepped away from the edge of the ship. Fumeko quickly grabbed the blonde by her wrist. Jotou did not do much to protest as her hand limply hung in the other’s grasp.

...

Jotou closed her eyes, "I love you Fumeko Namora."

The brunette’s eyes waxed open and the grip on Jotou’s wrist softened to a point it was not even holding it. Sure, her deductive reasoning supposed this was the real answer, but she had made so many bets in her own mind that she was wrong, that it stunned her for a moment.

"You kept pursuing me over and over again without relent," the blonde blushed pink and looked to the side. "I was lonely for a long time Meko; and someone with your qualities—qualities that I honestly adore—to never give me up... How could I say no?" Jotou voice was barely a whisper.

Fumeko studied the blonde’s face, every movement of her lips. Was this some prank? Some teasing remark that was going to follow this supposed confession?

Jotou’s wrist did not retract from her hand, "I’m sorry I wasn’t in the right headspace to accept when you first asked. I feared romance and yet I wanted it too," Jotou chuckled. "I’m sorry I couldn’t say no; maybe I didn’t want to lie to you.

Though, I hardly can get one over you detective—congratulations," she gave an embarrassed laugh. "I don’t know if this truth’ll bring you comfort or pain; I’m sorry if it’s the latter." Jotou finally pulled her wrist away with no resistance.

...

...

Fumeko’s mouth stayed agape for a good while. Her eyelashes fluttered and several shadows glimmered in her irises. It was the truth; there was no trick.

"Al...alright," she averted Jotou’s gaze as she went back to cross her arms over the edge of the ship; except this time she stared into the void. A moment later she sighed, letting out a small chuckle and her shoulders slumped.

"You’re, taking this better than I expected," Jotou stood next to her at the ship’s stern, but was too bashful to get any closer.

"Honestly, it’s a relief," Fumeko brushed some of her brown locks at the back of her neck as she looked at the blonde and blushed. Her nasally tone had disappeared into a softer one, "Thank you for saying it."

Jotou more comfortably leaned onto the edge of the ship next to her, "Well, I’m still with Hotaru, no matter what I said or feel; I love Aru and am in a happy relationship, so."

"I’m not getting any ideas, don’t worry," she remarked.

"Thanks detective."

Fumeko smiled at the sea, before she pursed her lips. "I think it’s better this way. By you telling me now, cause, I don’t know how the old me would’ve handled it. I prefer if you loved the me now as opposed to back then."

"Finally figured out your feelings?"

"I’m not too sure," Fumeko examined Jotou’s face again. "Let’s just say Tiffy’s not the blonde for me," she laughed under her breath.

"Good, I was getting jealous of her," Jotou giggled a little louder as she bumped shoulders with the brunette. Their little laugh died down for Jotou to say, "You’re cute."

"Don’t say that," suddenly the teasing had a much different meaning to the detective. "I know we can’t be together."

"Yeah," Jotou leaned into the brunette’s shoulder with her own. "What’re you gonna do with the truth now Meko?"

Fumeko pondered the question for a second; she smiled warmly, "We keep doing what we do, knowing our boundaries. Maybe not Tiffy, but there’ll be someone for me. I hope I’ll feel strongly about them as much as I do you."

"Good luck Meko. Don’t expect the teasing to stop anytime soon~" Jotou stuck her tongue out.

"Yeah, yeah," she spoked and faced the sea with a smile that she could not let go of. "I’m liking the taste of truth more and more," she leaned her shoulder into Jotou’s more.

As the two watched the stars in blissful silence in each other’s company, glimmering mulberry shadows wisped around Fumeko’s eyes.