Shirou hesitated, his breath misting in the cold air as he gathered his thoughts. Adrian could see the internal struggle playing out in his friend's eyes, but he couldn't afford to wait any longer. His patience, already thin from the events of the past few days, was wearing dangerously close to snapping.
"Shirou, whatever it is, just spill it," Adrian urged, his tone edged with impatience. "I've had a weird enough week already without you adding to it."
Shirou's gaze flickered to the vine tattoo on Adrian's wrist, and his eyes widened slightly as if seeing it for the first time. "When did you get that?" he asked, his voice tight with something that sounded like concern—or fear.
Adrian glanced down at the tattoo, the dark green vine still stark against his pale skin. "Oh, this?" he replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Just a little something I picked up after being tossed through the air by some freaky robed ghost in the snow. Thought it would make a nice souvenir."
Shirou's expression turned serious, and he stepped closer, reaching out to gently touch Adrian's wrist. The moment his fingers brushed the vine, a faint pulse of energy surged through Adrian, making him flinch.
"That's not just a tattoo, Adrian," Shirou whispered, his eyes searching Adrian's face for any sign of recognition. "It's a mark... a connection."
Adrian raised an eyebrow, his sarcasm a defense against the unsettling feeling creeping into his gut. "A connection? What, to some ancient ghostly horticulturist? You're really not making any sense here, Shirou."
Shirou didn't smile. Instead, he looked away, his gaze distant as if recalling something from a long time ago. "That figure you encountered in the snow—it wasn't just a ghost. It's something far older, something that's been tied to you for longer than you know."
Adrian scoffed, though the growing unease in his chest made the sound hollow. "Great. So now I'm bound to some ancient, creepy vine spirit? Fantastic. Just what I needed."
"I'm serious, Adrian," Shirou said, his tone grave. "That mark—it's not random. It's a sign that you've been chosen... or maybe even claimed."
Adrian frowned, his sarcasm faltering as Shirou's words began to sink in. "Claimed? By what? Why?" Wondering is he's property now.
Shirou's fingers tightened around Adrian's wrist, and for a moment, his ethereal appearance seemed to waver, revealing a deep weariness underneath. "It's something I should have warned you about. I've known for years, but I... I didn't want to believe it was true. I thought if I kept my distance, if I didn't say anything, it might not happen."
Adrian pulled his wrist free, stepping back to put some distance between them. "Warn me about what, Shirou? What the hell have you been keeping from me?"
Shirou closed his eyes, his shoulders slumping as if the weight of his secrets had finally become too much to bear. "There's a legend—an old story that my family's been guarding for generations. It speaks of a spirit, a guardian of sorts, that binds itself to a chosen person. That figure you saw—it's the spirit from the legend."
Adrian's mind reeled as he tried to process Shirou's words. "So, what? I'm some kind of chosen one now? This is all just a bit much, don't you think?"
Shirou opened his eyes, his expression filled with a mixture of guilt and sorrow. "I'm sorry, Adrian. I should have told you sooner. That spirit, it's connected to your bloodline. The vine mark is proof that it's taken a special interest in you. And... I think it might be why you've always felt so drawn to the abandoned places, why you've felt so alone even in a city as lifeless as Nichitsu."
Adrian swallowed, the sarcasm finally slipping away as the gravity of Shirou's revelation hit him. "So, you're telling me that I've been marked by some ancient spirit, and now it's following me around? What does it want? Why me?"
Shirou's voice was soft, almost regretful. "I don't know why it chose you, Adrian. But whatever it wants, it's not something you can escape from. The spirit is bound to you, just as you are bound to it. You have to understand, this connection... it's for life."
Adrian stared at Shirou, the snow crunching underfoot as he shifted his weight. His mind was spinning, trying to reconcile the mundane struggles of his life with the bizarre, otherworldly truth Shirou was laying out before him. "So what do I do now? Just wait for this spirit to drag me off into the snow again? Or is there some way to get rid of it?"
Shirou shook his head slowly, a shadow passing over his features. "There's no getting rid of it. But you can learn to control it, to understand it. That's why I came back—to help you. To make sure you're not alone in this."
Adrian exhaled, a long plume of breath escaping into the cold night air. He glanced down at the vine tattoo, tracing its intricate design with his fingertips. The idea of being tied to something so ancient and mysterious made his skin crawl, but at the same time, a small part of him—buried deep beneath the sarcasm and skepticism—was curious.
"Alright, Shirou," Adrian said finally, his voice steady despite the turmoil churning inside him. "If you're here to help, then go back. You think telling me this now when i couldve died before i reached this age is going to make us all cupcake and rainbows?"
Shirou managed a small awkward groan, though it was tinged with sadness. "But i--"
"Shut it." Adrian scoffed before walking off. "I'll still help you even if you don't want my help!" Shirou would shout after him. "Not even in a Million years!" Adrian would yell back as he continued walking.
"You only say that but you know it's not what you mean!"
"Oh no, I'm sure I meant what I said!"
"Adrian!"
"Leave me alone, you creep!"
"I'm serious, you Teal asshole!"
"Right back at you, Snow Flake!"