A human yokai (Tomoe love story)

Helping out

After school Hikari went to her apartment by herself and grabbed some of her stuff. She didn't have much but what she did have she took with her. When she got back to the shrine Nanami showed her to her new room. It was right next to Tomoe's who had also been the one to prepare her room for her. It was nice and more than enough room for her. She and Nanami had then proceeded to eat dinner together whilst they helped each other with homework. Hikari was very smart but she had missed a lot of school and Nanami helped to explain the homework. Hikari picked it up very quickly and soon it was she that was helping Nanami with the homework. Tomoe was walking around the shrine in a kimono with his tail and ears out. Onikiri and Kotetsu were in the room opposite and Mizuki was most likely somewhere making more sake. It was clear that even though a familiar he didn't do much around the shrine. It was left to Tomoe to do it all. The only thing Mizuki was good at was making sake which Nanami could drink because she was under age. Hikari could not drink it either as she was posing as a 17 year old girl. In reality she was so much older than that and was a little annoyed at not being aloud to drink. She also hated having to eat three times a day. Yokai and Gods never get hungry and have no desire to eat but as she was pretending to be human she had to eat. Tomoe's cooking was delicious which did make it a little easier on her. Nanami laid on her back with a book on her face, Hikari looked up from her own work and knew that her friend was deep in sleep. Not wanting to wake her she left the room. She passed the kitchen and heard clamming noises, when she peeked in she saw Tomoe washing the dishes from dinner. He looked up at her when she entered.

"What is it?" He asked and not in his usual cold way.

"Nothing I just wanted to thank you for dinner and would like to help you clean up if that's alright."

"And why would you want to do that?" He asked a little confused.

"I know that I'm not Nanami's familiar or anything but you did make me dinner and I'm staying here now. I would feel bad if I did nothing." There was silence as Tomoe considered this.

"Grab a towel." He said to her after a while. She nodded and did as she was told and began to dry the dishes with he washed up. They two did there task in silence until Tomoe placed a bowl on the rack. As Hikari went to pick it up Tomoe grabbed her hand. Hikari froze, she didn't know what to do. "You are cold." He said sounding almost worried. Hikari pulled her hand out of his.

"I am fine. I am usually cold."

"Perhaps you should place more layers on."

"No honestly it is fine. I was wondering do you do all this by yourself?" She said changing the subject. Tomoe noticed this but did not mention anything.

"Mostly yes I do."

"Mizuki does not help much then?"

"That useless snake, what can he possibly do?" Tomoe said angrily. "He kidnapped Nanami after she saved him from the school kids and he planned to marry her." Hikari felt her blood begin to boil.

"He did what?" She huffed ready to go and find the snake and ring him out like a wet cloth. Tomoe watched her reaction.

"You are very protective over Nanami aren't you?" This seemed to snap Hikari back to reality and she looked into Tomoe's purple eyes but immediately looked away and began to dry the dishes again.

"Yes I suppose I am. She does tell me that an awful lot but I cannot help it. Nanami is my first and only friend and I care for her."

"Then I must thank you for taking care of my mistress in my absence. I know that she can not be the easiest to protect."

"That is true she can get herself into a lot of trouble at times. It's a full time job but I guess that you will do everything for her now. Perhaps there is no need for me to be here at all."

"There is, Nanami wishes you to stay. Even though I might do everything to ensure her comfort I am here familiar not her friend that is why you are just as important than I."

"Strange for someone that understands that to say something like that after they have rejected her love so harshly."

"I warned her several times that I will never love a human. She knew this and yet she still indulged in such wild fantasies."

"You cannot stop someone falling in love. Even if they do not want to if it is going to happen it will, no matter what knowledge you hold." Her voice seemed sad as she said this. "If fire and ice met and they knew they could never be together, knew that it was much to dangerous do you think that that would stop them from falling for each other?" Tomoe was silently. He couldn't speak or take his eyes of her. She looked so pained but also like she was remembering someone she loved. "The answer is no. That would not stop them because no matter what you are love is still love. It can bring joy but it can also bring great pain."

"I assume you speak from past experience." Hikari snapped back out of it. She had said way too much. She shook her head.

"No it was just a little story to prove my point. There was no meaning behind it..." She said with a little nervous laugh. They two went back to doing the dishes in silence but Tomoe knew better than to believe that there was no meaning behind a story like that...