3. The Festival Of Lights
Tomoe sat down the ingredients that he had gotten from Nanami. The woman had asked him about the festival again and he had brushed it off, saying that is was simple for him to go. He of course knew this was a flat out lie.
Mikage had made it clear that once the sun set Tomoe wasn't allowed to go anywhere. To be truthful it was a stupid lie since Tomoe knew he could take care of himself but he just threw the little rule off to the side for later...
This was later;
The fox ground his teeth as he pulled at some of the ingredients and rolled his sleeves to his elbows. Two seconds later he was up to his elbows in dumpling dough.
He hadn't really cooked for the shrine before; everytime he did Mikage would embarrass him and coo about how he could cook like a woman. It was irritating to say the least...
The fox kneeded the dough and paused, Did he have enough money for the festival tonight? He paused but then sighed harshly before pulling at the dough. Thats when Mikage walking and gasped in glee.
" Yay! Tomoe's cooking!" He patted his sons head and then grabbed some tea herbs as he put the tea pot on the fire. Tomoe pulled at the dough and paused as he stopped kneeding..
He didn't know what he was doing but he wanted out of the shrine. Just for once.
He would ditch the human and then enjoy himself for once. It had two months since he had been having fun. He had his hair cut and was expected to be normal...
He coudl have laughed at that; What was wrong with wanting have some teenage fun? He huffed out a breath and looked at Mikage.
" Hey..." Tomoe paused and Mikage looked at him.
" Huh?" He smiled with glee and Tomoe bit his lip. His ears perked as he glanced at the man and opened his mouth slowly,
" There's this thing going on tonight and...Um.. I was wondering if I could-"
Mikage sighed and shook his head maybe the fox sigh at his fleeting chance.
He growled under his breatha and started to kneed while mikage looked at him.
" Kido, We've had this discusion. Night is dangerous even for Yokai like yourself; also... Your a familiar now. There's nothing to do in the dark; I won't have you partying like you used too.. Your better then that."
He patted the foxes head before he walked out leaving Tomoe to sulk slightly.
He just got the, Your not going because your too young, talk. He was eighteen in human years so what the crap was this man going on about!?
Tomoe continued to kneed his dough in frustration, then he paused...
Yes, Mikage was his father but he had been on his own, living as an adult would for many years. No, Most of the time he didn't act like an adult but he wasn't going to let his ''Father'' Stop him from going to a festival.. That was just stupid.
The fox smirked to himself and fixed the dough with his hands, Rolling them and stuffing them as he pintched the corners. The rest of the dough would be used for something sweet, He smiled to himself as he started to steam the food...
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Mikage cheered gleefully as Tomoe blushed in embarrassment. The god was ranting about how good his food was again and to be truthful it was embarrassing. Given that he was alone for so any years without anyone around...
Inari nodded his prasie as he chewed a dumpling and stared down the pie in the middle of the table. Tomoe bit his lip and looked away, ignoring their embarrassing praises. He wasn't used to being actually wanted in the world so he just had to keep his mouth shut.
When the prasies calmed down Mikage said goodnight and Inari went home to two hundred plus, familiars.
Tomoe looked around the shrine and purred at its warmth; if he wasn't thinking about the festival at the time? He might have of actually called himself happy.
The fox skidded to his room and opened a drawer quietly. He grabbed a dark blue hakamashita and then a matching haori.
He slipped it on over his shoulders and quickly grabbed his fan.
Tomeo stuffed it in his pocket and sighed heavily; he looked around his room and then with the agile of a soft feline, slipped out the window. His feet hit the ground softly and he looked around as his teeth ground, he hoped that no one ( Mikage ) Heard that.
He closed his eyes for a few deadly seconds but then breathed out when no one came.
The fox bit his lip as he slowly made his way to the steps and looked down; His eyes grew wide as he quickly walked down, when he reached the bottom he was greeted by a girl...
Tomoe furrowed his brow as he looked at her, she was smiling and wearing a beauitful silk kimono. To be honest he liked the style, but that was mostly because he liked things that were soft and easy to handle; but also ornate with a beautiful design.
When his eyes traveled over her he suddenly felt self conscience in a strange, almost shamed way.
His eyes shot up to hers and she looked at him blankly as his face heated.
Meh... She caught him..
He looked away and tried to stop the burn on his face from spreading to his neck and ears, but sadly the burn cassaced like hot water to his collar bone. He looked at the road stubbornly and then swore to himself as Nanami sighed and rolled her eyes...
" What took you so long?" She looked at him and he sighed heavily, glad that she ignored the whole, You were checking me out, thing. He sighed and the looked at her annoyed before scoffed at her.
" I had things to do; you may not have duties but I do." He looked away as the girl smiled and sighed as they started to walk down the road. After a few minutes of silence Nanami looked the the fox and giggled.
" You look very handsome tonight." She started to snort when Tomoe gave her an evil, embarrassed glare.
Stupid human; he couldn't wait to ditch her. He looked forward and clecnhed his fists in hatred.
Then he was suddenly stopped by something running by him in full speed. He blinked in shock and realized it was a kid; he looked up and then blinked as people rushed around. They were talking and singing was everywhere, this made Tomoe stop in shock...
Nanami looked at him and then paused, for a god's son he looked innocent to the world. Tomoe gasped with parades of people rushed by blowing out fire; his eyes grew wide and Nanami giggled.
Tomoe could hear her but he didn't look away; he was too amazing. Humans rushed by and blowed out fire as Tomoe hid his ears and tail. His eyes grew wide as people cheered and large paper like dragons danced by. He didn't know if this was a festival or not but it was incrediable..
His eyes grew wde and Nanami smiled as he looked at a paper dragon.
His violet eyes sparkled with amazment and his mouth was open just enough to show his enjoyment. He looked innocent for a moment, and his jerky persoanlity fled rather quickly. In fact Nanami saw something like a child with innocence...
Even though he was a demon that people had once called great; he seemed okay...
Nanami smiled as the parade passed; laughing to herself as it passed...
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Tomoe tried to edge awaybut Nanami tightened her grip on his hand; his nerves started to get to a new high. She couldn't notice he was trying to sneak away?
He chewed his lip as she tugged him along; ticking him off even more.
He liked to have his hands free; not captured in some humans. Plus all he saw at the moment was blood.
A strange, disgusting blood... and he knew it wasn't there. It was just eating away at his memory.
The fox swallowed in hate as her fingers tugged at his; he finally had enough and wiggled his hand away from hers. She looked at him and to his surprise she was pointing at a Sasamochi booth. He blinked as she skipped towards it.
Tomoe sighed heavily before following her as well... When they got there Nanami got a Sasamochi and then looked at Tomoe.
" I'll get you one too. Its your first time out in a while right?" She started to hand money to the vendor when Tomeo blinked. He reached out and glared at the gilr as his teeth bared in annoyance,
" I will not take charity from a helpless huma-"
The vendor lifted his brow as Tomoe started to say human out loud in front of everybody.
Nanami gasped, Took a bite of her sasamochi and then put the rest in Tomoe's mouth. His eyes grew wide as the sweet trailed from her to mouth to his...
The vendor chuckled as Tomoe turned a lite pink. He jerked his head away as the sticky cake stuck to his lips, making his taste buds water. Nanami blinked and chewed her half as Tomoe folded his arms and growled under his breath.
He swallowed the Sasamochi in his mouth and bit the inside of his mouth when he was suddenly scared out of his skin. he jumped as a loud noise sounded and when he looked up he saw lights skattering in the sky. Tomoe blinked in awe as Nanami cheered,
" Yes! The two o' clock fireworks!" She smiled as Tomoe's body went stiff. No way.. that couldn't be the time.
He looked ahead and notcied how many people weren't there anymore. His face went pale and he swallowed as his throat went dry.
" Oh Crap.." He muttered slightly and then started to walk away. Nanami blinked as she walked after him, She grabbed his hand as the fireworks burst behind them.. The air was warm as it played with both the teens hair..
" Where are you going?" Nanami looked at him surprised and Tomoe looked behind his shoulder. He swallowed and then sighed heavily,
" I have to get home..I'm not supossed to be here.." Tomoe winced out and watched the path and how people were leaving so quickly; leaving him and Nanami to stand in the square of the town.
" Thats right, No human would have white hair, correct Tomoe of the west?"
Both teens froze as they turned to see men fron their village; they both blinked as the men scoffed at Tomoe and gently patted Nanami's head.
The girl blinked but kept her face hidden behind a fan; she did't want them to know who she was so she said nothing.
Tomoe was frozen though and he winced as he backed up; Oh god.. They were back. Again, What was he going to do?
If Mikage found out he was out of the shrine at night? he would be in unexplainable trouble.
The white haired teen swallowed as the men got closer to him; Then Nanami grabbed Tomoe's hand; shocking him, then pulled him ahead.
They both sprinted and weaved in and out of the crowd while the men tried to go after them.
Nanami grabbed Tomoe's shoulder and grimaced when she looked around. They were in a crowd but there was no place to hide with Tomoe's white hair..
The girl panicked, not sure as to what to do. She could't be caught with a fugitive; he was a god's familiar but that didn't get him out of the thick and thin.
" GET BACK HERE RUNTS!"
The men screamed out and Nanami kept her face ahead; Tomoe tried to wiggle his hand out of her and she noticed how his palm was shaking. She wondered what they did to him..
Other then dunk his head under water and try to drown him..
" I'll carve your name into your corspe!" One man held up a dagger and Nanami blinked..
Question answered.
Tomoe panicked although he didn't say anything. He tried to get free and he tried to get out of her grasp; but they kept running idoly and Tomoe knew if they got stuck they would get caught and no one would find their bodies.
He wanted this human to let him go; what possed him to leave the shrine anyway? The lust for freedom?
He didn't know; but he did know that he had to get her away from him.. so He didn't accused of anything else wrongly.
He tried to wiggle his hand out but sadly he had skin splintering claws; if he moved to much the girl woudl hiss out in pain.
He had to think straight but he really coudln't! She was a human.. A village girl tha he had suck out with. He was going to ditch her but somehow that didn't happen at all.
All of this was giving him a thrill; a thrill that went up his spine and through his tail; he hadn't felt this since he was killing people in the west. Now he had snuck out and was feeling it again; was it rebellion? Or was it freedom? He wasn't sure.
" This way!" Nanami didged behind a person, pulling Tomeo with her. They cut across a busy road and then darted into an ally between huts.
Thats when she cursed,
" A dead end!?" She winced out and tried to breath; her sides hurting her as Tomoe looked at her blanky.
They heard the men coming; screaing and barking at each other as to what way the teens had went.
Tomeo froze, what were they going to do? They coudln't run back out! That was suicide! The fox winced and breathed as the fire-works exploded over their heads.. He was in human form but he didnt care at the moment.
The fire-works gave his hair a blondish hue as he winced and looked down.
Then he paused as Nanami leaned against the hut wall and pulled him over; his eyes grew wide as she put her hnds on both sides of his face and pulled his face down to hers;
Their lips crashed into each other and the fox blinked at her plump red lips taste. He hadn't kissed anyone in a long time and it made him feel somewhat self conscience. his violet eyes grew wide and it took him a minute to understand why she was doing this.
But then the screams off the men reached his ears and he understood; if a grown man caught two teens making out ( And they weren't his kids.. ) He would mutter a few words and ignore them. He understood..
But that didn't stop his mouth from tiggling and burning in shock. He let her lips move against his and he tried to mimic the movements; soon their mouths moved in rythem. It seemed strange for him but the kiss was far from soft and careful..
It was rapid and silky; their lips pushed and pulled and Tomoe gasped when Nanami reached up and gripped her fragil fingers in his white hair.
He kissed her harder; fully knowing that this was just a show... But that didn't stop him from cursed at himself and enjoying it by accident.
Nanami's back pressed into the hut as Tomoe groaned out for air. He heard foot prints.. And then little remarks, like.. ' Ew gross..' Or, ' Some blond kid and his girl friend..'
Tomeo blinked, He was not a blond.. His father was; but not him! He paused as a man stayed and looked for a minute and the fox panicked; if he looked close enough he would know.
Thats when he felt Nanami panic.. She gripped his Yukata and pulled at his collar; he blinked in completel shock as she nipped at his mouth and let her tongue push into his mouth.
The fox gasped out as her tongue swiflty likced at the roof of his mouth; his eyes grew wide in shock at the feeling, Their tongues rubbed toegther allowing Tomoe to moan out and give in to the kiss completely.. He gripped at her beautiful hair and yanked her head to the side so that he could kiss her better.
Thats when the man paused in embarrassment and walked away; as soon as he did the teens pulled away; the moisture on the lips pulling slighlty..
Their breaths came out in pants and Tomoe felt himself freeze up. His eyes grew wide in shock as he stepped back and looked at Nanami utterly appalled at what just happened.
What was he thinking; he hadn't kissed a human in a LONG time.
If he continued to do that he would end up loosing his familiar position. He couldn't do that! He backed away and walked out before Nanami coudl catch him. He made sure to stay out of sight as Nanami trailed behind him. She gasped at his fast pace as she shuffled along after him.
" Tomoe!" She gasped out and he stopped and looked at her; the wind blew their hair before she swallowed,
" Sorry.." She winced and looked down, " I am; but those men were coming for us! And we would have died!" She pouted making Tomoe pause..
What type of human was this? Who was she and what was she thinking when she did that? He swallowed and looked away; Thsi wasn't his fault. He just wanted to live a little, but instead his father coudl find out what he had done.
He swallowed as the fire-works went off and he looked up,
" I have to go!" He gorlwed out and ran a hand through his hair; Nanami paused and then walked up beside him. His eyes grew wide as she smiled at him,
" I'll walk with you..'
And with That? Tomoe felt himself swallow and look away; a blush burning against his face, and down his neck.
He cursed under his breath and glared ahead. He 'Hmphed' To himself and dropped what ever was ebbing into his mind.
He was a familiar...
And an ex murderer..
So why was this village girl not running? It confusing him as to why...
Why she would walk him home for no reason..