Kojiro strolled beside the Kitsune. The soft long fingered hand rested on his arm. From time to time he glanced down at it, each time he fought the smile that spread over his face. His other hand held the umbrella. The sun was hot, too bright or in some other way annoying to the Pink Princess beside him. Either way, the Kitsune won the argument over taking the umbrella along with them.
Currently, they were walking along an outdoor flea market. Kaoru had chuckled at the name, until he found actual fleas for sale, well ants, but he didn't care! He exclaimed that they had everything here. Kojiro just laughed as he glided along at his side.
Somewhere around the food are, the panda rushed up to them. The Yeti was lumbering by his side sipping an icee. He held three in his hands. Already his lips were blue, teeth red and tongue an odd green from the drinks. Reki cried a happy greeting. Langa turned to look at some glistening wind chimes that had prisms that caught the light under it. Kaoru went to check these out as well.
"Hey, help me keep an eye on him. I'm thinking we may need to fight to free him from the demon." Kojiro informed the wide eyed red head.
"No problem. I'll tell Miya he is close by." Reki pulled his phone out as he joined his boyfriend at the stand.
There, three tables down, Kojiro saw some other friends. He walked dup to them. The bright orange hair of Hiromi stuck out among the duller colors around. Oka sat at the counter talking to a young boy who seemed to he getting interested in the sport of skateboarding. Kojiro waited.
The boy walked off happy with his purchases. Kojiro moved to the man behind the counter.
"So, that's him." Oka nodded to where Reki and Langa were fighting over who should hold the handle of the umbrella. Kaoru smacked them both over the head with it, taking it back so he carried it.
"Yep. Look, I need...." Oka held his hand up.
"You don't need to ask. We will be at the diner after hours tonight. Make sure you whip up something to eat!" The lanky man smirked.
"Sure thing." Kojiro waved to them. He then went back to Kaoru.
"Where were you?" Kaoru demanded without looking up at him.
Kojiro slipped an arm around his waist as he took the umbrella back. He then had a bunch of bags thrust onto him. With a chuckle he took them all.
"You're lucky you're so cute!" He chided.
"I was talking with a friend, about earlier." He hinted.
"Oh, sex?" Kaoru purred.
"What no! The other thing!" Kojiro cried.
Kaoru giggled, hiding his face behind a decorative fan. Kojiro caught his hand. He looked at the painted fan. It was beautifully done. There were blowing cherry blossoms around it. In the distance was a mountain, at the top sat a shrine.
"Where did you get this?" He asked.
Without speaking, Kaoru pointed to where there were more decorated fans on display at the stall before them. Kojiro stepped up to address the woman behind the table. He paid for that fan. Kaoru looked shyly up at him.
"You didn't have to..." He whispered.
"Count it as part of the money I was going to pay you for making my sign." Kojiro held his arm out as he turned.
Kaoru smiled softly, hiding it behind the fan, as he took the offered arm. They walked around the market. From time to time various eyes seemed to peer out at them. Kojiro simply nodded and small heads would duck away. The Kitsune didn't appeared to notice any of this. They walked on.
Suddenly the Kitsune began to sniff at the air. Kojiro laughed as the other's stomach rumbled.
"Do you want lunch?" He asked.
"It doesn't smell as good as yours." Kaoru pouted.
Kojiro roared out a loud laugh. Many turned to stare at him. He clasped his hands together, bowing over them as he apologized for startling everyone. Catching Kaoru's hand, he pulled the Kitsune through the market. They reached a roped off area for food sales.
"Some are better than what I can make." Kojiro insisted.
Kaoru's nose went up in the air. The fan pressed under his chin, he gazed around.
"I doubt that. No one cooks with the love you put into everything you make for me." He insisted.
Kojiro didn't have an answer for that. He gaped at him feeling a wild mix of emotions. First off, no one expressed their liking for his cooking just that way, then there was the whole idea that this person knew from the beginning that he, Kojiro Nanjo had been falling in love with him this entire time. Without much to think of to say, Kojiro leaned in.
The fan flashed out, hiding them behind it. Kaoru turned to lock his golden gaze to the red one. Kojiro smiled.
"Can Kitsune's read minds?" He whispered.
"Only when simple gorilla's think the same way we do." Kaoru teased.
Their lips touched in a soft melding of care. Kojiro wanted nothing more than to pull the slim body against his, but he knew that would be too much. He enjoyed the secret kiss, before pulling away. Kaoru covered his lips, but his eyes danced with a delightful air. Kojiro led the way around the stalls.
They bought little pieces of a meal from several different stalls. Kaoru piling the food on a tray Kojiro balanced in one hand while he paid with he other. Finally they got to a table. Reki sat saving it for everyone as Langa came back with the cat boy trailing behind him. They sat down.
There was the good vibe of gentle teasing over different food preferences, or other small slights as they ate. Once the meal was gone, Kojiro invited them all over to the restaurant after closing.
"Its time we decided how to free Kaoru." He insisted rubbing a hand over the slim, taunt back of the Kitsune.
"See you there, slimes." Miya called as he skated away.
Together Langa and Reki disappeared into the crowd. Kaoru saddled closer to Kojiro.
"Do you think this is a good idea?" he asked. His voice trembled slightly.
"It is, now that Kari is home." He smiled down at the Kitsune.
For a time Kaoru was silent as they walked back through the rows of stalls on the other side of the food area. He barely glanced at the wares for sale. It wasn't until Kojir9 held up a beautifully painted robe that Kaoru blinked back at him. Kojiro lowered the garment.
"Where is your mind at?" He asked softly.
"I'm worried. Something bad may happen." Kaoru whispered.
He blinked focusing on Kojiro. "You were bidding your time until Kari came home, weren't you?" he demanded.
"Mostly, yeah." Kojiro folded the robe up. He took the Kitsune's hand, walking away.
"You see, without her, I am capable of defending my, uh, our home. But that's about it. Most of my power was used up to take care of the house and restaurant." He added as they made their way toward the exit.
"Now that she is home?" Kaoru pressed.
"We are at full power." He turned those red eyes to the delightfully beautiful Kitsune.
"I think I see." Kaoru nodded.
They were nearing the door to the outside parking lot. It was a wooden barrier that kept the stalls from being dirtier by the car smoke or exhaust fumes. Kojiro reached out to open it, when it was opened from the other side.
Ainosuke Shindo stepped one foot inside. He saw his Kitsune on the arm of the Fu dog. His nostrils flared at the stench of the lion over powered the delightful fragrance of the Kitsune. He snarled at the pair, drawing back away from them.
"What have you done?" He demanded.
"I've claimed what was given to me freely." Kojiro hissed.
"You besmirched him!" Ainosuke wailed.
"I will get him back. Cleanse him of your foulness!" He vowed.
"Never." Kojiro insisted.
He pressed forward, forcing the heir to over half the town's wealth backward. Pulling Kaoru behind him, Kojiro stepped from the flea market. He kept his eyes locked to the demon in man's clothing before him.
"I will protect everything that is mine. Just so you know, the next time we met, it will be war." Kojiro vowed.
"You would tear this town apart, for a lousy three tailed rat!" Ainosuke cried.
"If you insist upon it. Or we could be more civilized. I hear you are good at racing?" Kojiro tipped his head to one side.
He felt Kaoru press into his back. Shifting his gaze, Kojiro made sure he could see the servant of Ainosuke's as well as the man himself. They four looked around at each other.
"A race? On the forbidden grounds?" Ainosuke smirked.
Kojiro knew he wasn't up to that skill level. Yet, if he played it right, just maybe, he would have the time.
"Say two weeks from tonight?" Kojiro offered.
"Why wait that long?" Ainosuke rose one strongly styled eyebrow.
"I'm ready now." He cooed.
"You know we would need time to get the track ready, sir." Tadashi offered.
Ainosuke sighed. His warm breath wafted over the other's faces. His eyes grew a deeper darker red as his hunger rose up inside them.
"Two weeks. We will race for the right to own the Kitsune and all of his powers." Ainosuke demanded.
"Sound right." Kojiro agreed.
Ainosuke began to walk away, but Kojiro's next words stopped him.
"I will race you, and only you for the Kitsune's hand. You will not allow your servant to interfere." He demanded.
"Of course not!" Ainosuke's nostrils flared.
"Then I will get to race you." Kaoru spoke up.
"What? You don't even know how to stand on a skateboard!" Kojiro hissed.
Kaoru didn't back down. He drew himself up to his full height as he matched the bravado before him.
"You, and you alone, Ainosuke Shindo, must defeat us both in order to win my talents." Kaoru insisted.
"So be it." The demon growled fire raging in the pit of his dark red eyes.
Tadashi reached for the door again. He glanced over the other two as Ainosuke walked through into the flea market.
"You know, he grew up on that track. He knows it better than his own hand." Tadashi sighed tur ing away.
"Well, he doesn't know us."
"This is just going to end in a fight. Why don't we just duke it out then?" Kojiro offered.
"A feat of strength?" Ainosuke was back.
"If you wish." Kojiro smirked.
"No. I wish the race. Who would be stupid enough to take on a Fu dog Ina test of strength. Even without your sister." Ainosuke spun round to walk away. The closing od the door ended their discussion.
"Lets go home. We have some planning to do." Kojiro stated.