A Forest on Fire (KuramaxOc)

Ch 13: New Beginnings

A few people turned to look at him as he entered the bar, but no one said anything, simply returning to their own business. It was busier today, due to some sports game on the screen in the corner, but still... this bar was usually more quiet than most, and gave the tomcat a place to clear his head.

He had always known this was coming, but he was still just not prepared for the pain in his chest. The little fox was like the daughter he never had, and now, she was learning to stand on her own paws. He let out a sigh as he sat down at the bar, and raised a hand to get the barkeep's attention. He needed a drink....

"You look like you could use a drink more than I can!" A somewhat tired voice spoke next to him, and he glanced to the side to see a young woman with long strawberry blonde hair, and chocolate brown eyes. He grunted in greeting, not quite feeling up to talking.

She gave him a small, sympathetic smile and raised her own hand towards the barkeep. "What's your poison? I'll buy."

He glanced again, taking in her expression. Usually when humans tried to buy him a drink they wanted more than simple conversation, but this woman's tired eyes held little emotion at all, much less lust. He observed her for a moment longer, then resolved some simple company might serve him well.

"Bourbon... Mako." He said simply.

Her lip twitched up slightly, and she raised her hand again. "Hey Tyler! Two bourbons down here please!" Her voice was a strange mixture of exhaustion and sing-song as if she were someone trying quite hard to cling onto hope, but there was no desperation in her gaze.

"Hey, Shizuru!! Where ya been? It's been what, three weeks since we saw you?" The barkeep asked as he grabbed two glasses and began to pour.

The woman nodded, leaning an elbow against the bar and placing her head in her hand.

"Same old thing, trying to keep my idiot brother from getting expelled. Get this, he actually studied for a test! I thought he had gotten possessed..." She responded with that same tired voice, a similar smile on her face, though a flicker of emotion reached her eyes then.

'Was that pride?' He thought, watching her from the corner of his eye as he laid his head across his arms.

"Oh wow! You know, I hear his name talked about just about as much as that Uremeshi kid! One day they're gonna pick a fight with an adult and realize they've been stuck in the minor leagues!"

"Geez Ty, thanks for the vote of confidence..."

Mako couldn't help the snort that escaped his lips at her mix of monotone and sarcasm, and felt the edges of his lip twitch in the beginnings of a smile.

"Oh, you think that's funny huh?" The woman asked, taking the shot and drinking it down in one fluid motion before gesturing to the bartender for another. "You got kids?"

Despite himself, Mako let out a single chuckle and raised his own cup. "A sister, sixteen in a couple weeks, and half the time I can't decide if she's the best, or worst thing to ever happen in my life.."

He said dryly before slamming his own shot, and gesturing for another as well. For a moment, neither spoke, then the barkeep Tyler shrugged.

"Dead, or out of the picture?" He asked, and Mako could feel the woman's chocolate eyes on him as he sighed.

"Dead, for about ten years now. I'm all the kid's got..."