Marry And Shintaro

Marry and I walked down the mountain path from her house. She looked up at the moon stopping to gawk at it. I heard her footsteps stop.

"Marry...?"

"Eh?!"

She ran toward me with a somewhat disappointed look on her face. Marry being as clumsy as she tripped over the long dress she always wore. She fell to the ground in a heap. Switching directions, I helped her to her feet.

"...Ow..."

She wiped her face as she tried to hold in the tears.

"Marry? Are you alright?"

She slowly nodded as she brushed of her dress. The night had grown somewhat darker with in that period. Probably because of the different orientation of the solar eclipse. I held my hand to my throat as I wished for a soda. Marry walked by my side pressing her shoulder next to my arm. Seto would have gladly gone with her but he worked from 8:00 until midnight. So being the loving and caring person I was I volunteered to go. I looked down at Marry who looked up at me. At the very second I made eye contacted she helped and looked down at the ground nervously playing with her hands. The stars shone more brightly as we made our way down the mountain. Marry yawned as we made our way across the bridge. She leaned over the side as she pointed.

"Kisaragi-kun! Look at the water."

I did what I as commanded to and was surprised. The moonlight shimmered of the water like a crystal ball.

"I'm amazed... Was it like this when you lived alone?"

Marry turned to me her head tilted at a 23.48685 degrees.

"Always ... The moon would always light the mountain."

I forced a smile. How did I get pushed into this? I motioned and Marry followed without hesitation. She really had warmed up to me ever since joining the Mekakishi Dan. All she would do was hiding from me. I guess I was scary. I don't blame her. Sitting in a room for two years might make one scary. The temperature started to cool down. We were less than half way down the mountain. Marry looked at me again as she stumbled. Recovering she smiled.

"Kisaragi-kun?"

I looked down ward Marry's eyes were as big as the moon. The light reflecting in her eyes.

"What is it...?"

She looked away as if ashamed and nervous to ask the question. She fiddled with her fingers looking at me then glancing down ward.

"I'm... Cold... Will you carry me on your back? Seto always carries me. "

"Out of the question."

I felt a nagging sense of cult as I took another step forward. Marry disappointed whimpered before walking next to me further away this time. Maybe five minutes later I felt the coolness of the air. I looked to Marry who was shivering holding her arms looking for some source of heat. I sighed to myself and took off my jacket handing it to Marry.

"Take it..."

I never made eye contact with her but she took it with a small squeal. She put it on smiling.

"You have a big body!"

I rolled my eyes. However, his time I looked down at her. She hadn't bothered to roll up the sleeves. She had them angling well past her hands and the bottom went to her thighs.

"Just keep warm ok?"

"So! Kisaragi-kun does care..."

Her voice was so childlike and innocent. I couldn't help but smile. Marry yawned as we passed a tall tree. The wind slightly from the east. I saw and heard Marry shutter. I felt a cold hand grasp my own. I kept walking thinking nothing of it. The little path felt as if it would go on forever. We rounded a corner which gave us a view of a neighboring mountain. The moon hung in the sky and looked as if would drop at any second. Marry clutched at the jacket and my hand as we rounded the corner.

"It's beautiful!"

I grunted in agreement. Off in the distance we could see the lights of the city but only for a moment. The trail led into a forest that had over grown the trail. It was bush whacking from here. I felt a tug on my hand as Marry rubbed her eyes with the sleeve. It was well after 10:00 and I judging by how far we had left I thought we had more than five miles till we were at the base of the mountain.

"Come one Marry... We still have to keep moving. "

She nodded yawning. I wasn't going to carry her. That was my final decision. I looked back at her. She looked pretty tired. A sound off the left sent her into frenzy. She latched onto my body whimpering.

"Marry?! What are you-"

She looked up at me and hugged me tighter. I attempted to walk but she anchored me to the ground.

"Marry it's nothing to worry about!"

She shook her head shutting her eyes tightly. I sighed rubbing her head trying to comfort her. Her grip relaxed as I knelt down to her face.

"Marry, are you going to be alright?"

I wiped a tear away from her eye. She nodded with a slight twitch as I touched her face. I took a step forward. Marry who still had a hold of my hand walked slowly then stopped again.

"Shin...Shintaro?"

That was the first time she used my first name since we met.

"Yes Marry, what is it."

"I-I'm s-scared."

I stared at her a moment. Was I really considering... Not it was out of the question. Her eyes were swelling with tears.

"I-I..."

I walked back to her kneeling down. I couldn't believe I was doing this. She climbed on my back wrapping her arms around me. Just from that I could feel how cold her skin was. I stood up looking at the moon. Marry set her head on my shoulder next to mine as we walked. Her hair slightly bobbing with every step. The trail increased in difficulty but by that time I assumed that Marry had already fallen asleep. I stumbled a few times but I never faltered. Almost an hour later I made it back to the base of the mountain. In a cold sweat I looked to my shoulder about to talk but stopped myself seeing Marry asleep. I walked forward toward base. Marry slightly moaned as I took the first step forward. She was a cute kid I had to give her that. With in another hour or so of walking I made my way up the stairs to the apartment room of the Mekakishi Dan. I knocked with my left hand. My other hand supporting Marry. I didn't expect anyone to come to the door. For it was well past midnight. When I saw a light being flipped on I smiled. A sleepy eyed Kido opened the door. Her hair pulled back into a pony tail. She took one look at me then noticed Marry.

"You've been gone all day... What did you guys do? "

I smiled and stretched. I lowered Marry into my arms and held her out to Kido.

"Here ... Take her..."

Kido looked at me as she started to take off the jacket.

"Let her sleep with it...I'll come back tomorrow to get it."

Kido nodded and smiled as she looked down to Marry who cuddled with the jacket in her arms.

"All right Kisaragi...We'll see you tomorrow."