Title: I don't hate you
"I don't hate you." Nanami stumbled over the words as she was stunned by Tomoe's request, yet relived that he agreed to stop killing the bandits. Tomoe and Nanami stood still as the mountain bandits screamed and fled the scene. Now alone, Tomoe clasped his hand over his face and turned away, ashamed he would ask such a thing from a mere human girl. In her delirium, Nanami almost forgot this was past Tomoe and followed him to give him her thanks.
Suddenly Tomoe blurted out, "you can return to wherever you came from now. I have no use for you." "Why am I saying this?" he thought. These new feelings she gave him left him flustered and he didn't know how to handle it. In attempt to subdue such thoughts he offered her the option of leaving. The absence of Nanami's response bewildered him, and as he turned around in a flash he recalled she still had poison in her body. He saw that she had passed out. His overwhelming desire to protect her welled up in him again, seeing her so helpless on the floor. He did not want Akura-ou, or any other man, to have her. Tomoe picked up Nanami, but this time with gentility. He traveled to his house while he carried the sleeping girl.
Nanami awoke in a daze and abruptly tried to sit up. Where was she? She looked around and found herself in a well kept house. A fire crackled and warmed the room. The rain pounded on the roof and the room smelled of Tomoe.
"Could this be Tomoe's house?"she thought aloud.
Pressing her hands on the tatami mats, Nanami wondered how she was so comfortable in this room. It was at this point that she realized Tomoe had left her sleeping in a pile of his kimonos. Nanami blushed and held her hands to her face. She had no idea how to think of this Tomoe. He was so….but maybe, he could be okay. She couldn't trust him just yet. Even so, her first priority was to find that fallen god and save Tomoe.
The shoji door slid open and Tomoe emerged into the room. He appeared deep in thought and did not address Nanami until she voiced a loud cough.
"Oh….Yukiji. I've brought you to my house so there's no escaping now." The fox yawned and sat himself down on the floor. In this sleepy state of his, he barely sounded threatening.
"I brought you some human food." Tomoe shrugged and pointed to the fire. Near it was a bowl of rice and one of soup. He then reclined haphazardly like there was absolutely nothing odd about this precarious scenario.
Nanami cautiously arose. She donned one of Tomoe's kimonos for warmth and slowly walked over to where he sat, near the fire. She looked at the food he brought her, wondering if perhaps it was poisoned, or simply a kind gesture. There was no way to tell with Tomoe's capriciousness whether he was being thoughtful or cruel. Nanami sat down and picked up the food, still unsure whether to eat it or not.
"Well, are you going to eat it or not?" demanded Tomoe
"I was just wondering if there was poison in the food, okay?!" Nanami retaliated.
"Stupid girl! Why would I poison the one I am trying to protect?" Tomoe and Nanami both flushed red at this sentence and looked at each other cautiously, but with curiosity. Maybe this wasn't so bad after all.