Bite Back

An Understanding

The days leading up to the Tea Party were grueling; Wyleen started her day at 3 am to work with the pastry chef, spending two days trying to get the mochi doughnuts just right for her bridegroom’s palate. Next was training that started after breakfast, upon Katakuri’s request. By noon, she was exhausted, but still had to press on, making decisions about something pertaining to the wedding. Her dress, the colours, the flowers, the frosting on the cake… “Miss Wyleen, what color would you like the sash?” “Would you like a dropped waist, or a supported bodice?” “Primroses are in bloom right now, wouldn’t that make a nice accent flower for your bouquet?”

Not having time to stop for lunch or a tea break, she wasn’t able to eat until dinner time, where she was practically falling asleep in her meal. Seeing Wyleen so exhausted made him thankful that, as the groom, the hardest part for him would be showing up to his own wedding. Though he did make a few decisions for the ceremony, “Dear, this is my little sister, Pudding. I would like her to be your flower girl at the ceremony.”

Wyleen had squatted down to be at eye level with the young girl, “Pudding, is it? What an adorable name, very fitting for a cutie like you. I would be honored if you were our flower girl.” She gave the little girl a kind smile, causing Pudding to come out from hiding behind Katakuri’s leg to procure a dandelion fresh-picked from the garden to give to her new sister. Wyleen would go on to press this flower in a book when she got back to her room to preserve the kind sentiment from the shy six-year-old.

Katakuri would invite Wyleen to his room to listen to her talk until she fell asleep. The rest of his night was spent leaning up against the headboard of his bed, protectively watching over her as he tried to rest. Her fingers tangled in his chest hair as she snored lightly into him, and he stroked her hair. “Such a good girl,” he yawned, propping his head up with his arm. He could tell she was dreaming by her mumbling and the slight twitching of her hand. He wondered what she could be dreaming about, or if it was a good dream, or perhaps a bad dream?

Daveed was keeping his distance from his daughter after the night he came to the island. Or was it the other way around? Big Mom wasn’t happy with the early guest to her château, but was gracious in order to keep the peace. Daveed would ask the nurses and servants about his daughter, her whereabouts, what she was doing, or where he could find her that particular time of day. Under strict orders from Katakuri, no one was supposed to say anything to this man about Wyleen.

“Rowe,” Katakuri’s edged voice called into the gymnasium as he walked through. “I can take it from here. I would like to spar with my wife to see her progress.”

“As you wish, master Katakuri,” Rowe bowed before moving aside.

Katakuri lifted his head slightly to show Wyleen the smirk he was hiding. “I will be your partner today, dear.”

Wyleen returned his with one of her own, “Sounds like fun.” She flexed her arm, positioning herself in a defensive stance. The black armament Haki flowed from her shoulders to the tips of her fingers, “Come on, then.”

“Don’t be so cocky, pet,” he said before running towards her, sending a punch towards her. “Edged Mochi!”

Crossing her arms in front of her to block Katakuri’s attack, Wyleen let out a grunt as she absorbed the blow and blocked the attack. She knew Katakuri was only testing her and not actually sparing with her, as he had an advantage. He had tried to teach her Observation Haki, but she couldn’t quite grasp it. Wyleen dug her heels in, pushing back his attack before attempting to land a hit on him. “Damnit,” she muttered as Katakuri blocked her blow.

“Again,” he demanded. “Again,” he would say after every attack Wyleen would try to give.

Squaring her stance, Katakuri was preparing to counter to give her a chance to block once more. “Birdline Mochi,” mochi flowed from him, his hands grasping the whip-like strand of mochi before he swung it towards Wyleen, “You need to learn to dodge attacks, not just defend against them.”

Letting the mochi tendril wrap against her forearm, Wyleen grabbed it to give it a yank. Instead of being met with resistance, her hands and arms were stuck to the mochi. “What the hell?”

“I told you to dodge; now I’ve caught you, and you’ve left yourself open and vulnerable to attack.”

Wyleen braced for the blow to block it when she heard her name being called, “Huh?” Her concentration broke, and before Katakuri could stop himself, he landed a blow square to the side of Wyleen’s head, knocking her unconscious.

Retracting his mochi, Katakuri walked over to come to Wyleen’s aid. “Damnit, I told you not to break concentration,” he muttered, wiping the blood from her lip where she cut herself with her teeth. “You’re alright,” he reassured the unconscious woman. Looking up, he shot Daveed a piercing gaze as he stood in the doorway in a state of shock after seeing what had happened to his daughter. “Don’t you know it’s rude to interrupt an honorable fight?”

“I’m terribly sorry, I—I didn’t mean…”

“Save it,” Katakuri replied coldly with Wyleen in his arms as he walked by to take her to the infirmary to make sure she was alright. He paused in the doorway, glancing down at Wyleen’s father before speaking, “I am the man in her life now. You would do well to know where you stand with her. A good man does not abandon a beautiful creature for convenience. Now, if you will excuse me,” he continued walking, the jingling of his attire grew faint as he left Daveed standing in place.

***

“Master Katakuri, you need to stop bringing this poor girl in with the injuries you inflicted.” The doctor raised an eyebrow at him when he brought Wyleen into the infirmary.

Katakuri glanced to the side, annoyed, his arms folding, “She broke concentration while we were sparing. It wasn’t entirely my fault.”

The doctor took his penlight, opening Wyleen’s heavy eyelids to check her dilating pupils, “If you had been using armament haki, you would have crushed this poor girl’s skull.”

“I know,” he sighed, looking out of the window. After a moment, Katakuri looked over at Wyleen, seeing that she would be waking up in a short time. Sure enough, she stirred, trying to sit up as she held her head. “I apologize for having you spar with me, dear.” Ashamed, he looked away from her.

“What happened?” Wyleen mumbled as she rubbed her head and stretched her jaw, as it felt sore.

“Your father broke your concentration, causing you to let your guard down. This is why I’ve always told you never to break your concentration in the midst of battle. It doesn’t matter what is going on in the background; you need to focus your attention on the problem in front of you. You were doing well up until that point.”

“Sorry,” Wyleen felt her face, feeling the soreness on the right side of her face; her lip was swollen, with a few stitches in her lip from the blow. Her eye was swollen and bruised, but nothing was broken, nor was she concussed. The doctor told Katakuri she was very lucky to just have superficial injuries.

“You’ll be alright,” he assured her, kneeling by her bedside. “I’m sorry I’ve hurt you.” Katakuri pulled his scarf down to pepper the injured side of her face with light kisses.

Wyleen couldn’t help but let a shy smile curl at her lips, “It wasn’t your fault, darling.” She placed a reassuring hand on top of his.

“But I should have seen it. I cannot let my guard down around you. I am getting much too comfortable around you.”

“Is that such a bad thing?”

Katakuri scowled at her, his brows knitting together, “If it ends with you getting injured, then yes, it is less than ideal.”

She sighed, knowing there was no fighting with him over this. “I understand.” Wyleen caressed his warm cheek in her hand, her thumb running over the scar on his cheek. “It’s alright to feel safe around me, you know. I can’t protect you as you can protect me, but I hope I can offer you some solace.”

He stood up quickly to leave. “I don’t think you do understand.”

“Katakuri, darling?” Wyleen called after him, her arm outstretched, as he quickly left the infirmary. Hearing the door slam behind him, she dropped her hand. Had she said something that upset him?

Trudging through the hallways, Katakuri tightened his scarf around his face. I never should have let that woman take such a hold on me. I can’t let her; I’m the one she is supposed to submit to, not I to her. I told myself that she would just get in the way of my duties…and I was right, but for the wrong reasons. She isn’t the one in charge. She doesn’t understand.