Disclaimer
I do not own the K Project characters.
K Project belongs to Gora.
Lipstick Vixen
by chickypeg
Frienship/Humour
It was all Tatara's fault really.
He was an enigma of madness, weirdness and chaos that had an underlying nature of warmth and gentleness.
Oh, and Tatara was fully conscious of his strange character, which in a sense made him dangerous as he was fully capable of manipulating those around him. Furthermore, he was also aware of how they reacted to him.
Even more disturbing was his willingness to accept punishment for his actions, regardless of how much physical damage he incurred.
Today was just one of those days that Totsuka Tatara's one-track mind of the unfathomable happened upon a crate of lipsticks.
Not merely lip balm or lip gloss.
No; it was an array of various shades of womanly rouge.
While it wasn't hard for him to give it to a feminine creature who would accept it with much gratitude, Tatara did not want to do that.
Not when a certain doll of a child muttered earlier that it was a rather quiet day. Ah, but Tatara lived for this waif of a girl! To the misfortune of everyone at Homra, Tatara's mind was set on making today exciting for that white haired child, even if it was at the cost of everyone else!
"Mikoto...what's all the noise about?" Anna asked softly as she stepped out of her room. Mikoto had just come out as well and was quite annoyed that his nap had been disturbed. Looking down at the small child, he frowned because she was rubbing her eyes sleepily.
She had been napping as well. There hadn't been much else to do on this boring day.
"No too sure," he answered before lighting a cigarette.
Someone was yelling and it sounded like Yata. There was a crash.
Anna and Mikoto waited a moment and as expected, Izumo's horrified scream greeted their ears. The two glanced at each other and then sighed.
"Calm down, Yata-chan!" Izumo roared.
"Look at what he did to me! Just look!" Yata cried, pointing to his mouth. It was perfectly painted apple red.
"But you look so pretty! Like a girl," was Tatara's attempt to comfort him.
Yata snarled like a dog and might have jumped Tatara in a fit of rage if Mikoto and Anna hadn't walked in.
The poor fellow screamed in fright and backed away in the corner upon sight of his clansmen.
"Oh no! Mikoto-san has seen me! Now he'll be ashamed of me!" he cried, "I'm so embarrassed!"
"You're over-reacting," Izumo admonished from behind the counter. He bent to scoop up what sounded like shattered glass.
Whatever antics had transpired earlier must have led to him dropping a glass and then yelling in a rage.
Indeed, Mikoto merely cocked an eyebrow at Yata, then walked over to the couch in the closed bar area. He sat down, swung his long legs up, put his arms behind his head and closed his eyes.
Yata was still not convinced.
As if a dark cloud was hanging over his head, the poor fellow began to mumble, "I've been robbed of my dignity...my self-respect..."
"Look on the bright side, Yata, at least Saru-chan didn't see you."
Yata flew into a fit of rage then and grabbed his comrade by the collar, "If you think that's going to make me feel better, you're dead wrong!"
Normally Yata was more respectful to Tatara but today his dear friend had gone overboard!
"Now, now Yata, let's not get annoyed," Tatara said, lifting his hands in defense.
Izumo sighed and came around the counter. He grabbed Yata from the back of his collar and pulled him away. He was a tall man and more strong than expected as he was able to lift Yata off the ground and hold him a distance from him.
"Oh stop it, both of you!" he snapped.
"Izumo, why does Misaki look like a girl?" Anna asked innocently.
He was a short for a male on the verge of manhood and retained much of his boyishness. However, his small body combined with that shade of lipstick gave him a feminine quality.
He turned to Tatara with a heartbroken expression.
"Look at what you did. You robbed me of my masculinity. Even Anna doesn't see me as a man anymore," he wept.
"Oh stop that, Yata-chan. Anna's already seen evidence of it," Izumo cackled.
"Kusanagi-san!" Yata protested, mortified at the memory of one of his worst life moments.
Anna cocked her head to the side.
"Izumo?"
Izumo patted her head nicely.
"Don't worry, Anna. Tatara just played a mean trick on Yata-chan. He put some lipstick on him while he was asleep. Good thing he wasn't Mikoto, or...Tatara?" he said, looking around for his friend.
Izumo dropped Yata and slapped his palm to his face.
"You moron!" he hissed at Tatara who stooping beside Mikoto and lightly touching a dark shade of red lipstick to his mouth.
Tatara grinned and stood up. Towering over the slumbering king, he felt proud of the way he had smeared lipstick all over his mouth.
"What's the matter with you today?" Izumo demanded as he walked over to his friend and whacked him on the head.
"That hurt! Sorry, Kusanagi-san. But look, the darkest red, I gave to Mikoto. What do you think Anna? Is Mikoto's red lipstick the prettiest of them all?"
Anna wandered over too to see Mikoto's face.
The young man was probably in a coma as he had no awareness that anyone had painted his mouth rouge and that three pairs of eyes were scrutinizing him.
Anna glanced from the king to her Tatara.
"It's pretty," she admitted, "but why is Tatara putting lipstick on everyone?"
He grinned then and pulled a magazine out from seemingly nowhere.
"Look! These are expensive brands that Natsuko has been modelling!"
Natsuko was a famous model whose clothing was gothic lolita – Anna's favourite style. Anna reached up took hold of the magazine where a pretty Japanese woman's headshot occupied a full page. On the page advertised were the shades of lipstick Tatara had found.
"Isn't this cool? Would you like to try it out?" Tatara asked excitedly.
"Mm," she agreed with a nod.
"Now wait a moment, she's a little too young for lipstick," Izumo argued.
"Oh, it's just for fun. We'll do a little photoshoot," Tatara countered. He was too excited about it for anyone to try to stop him and Anna had already agreed.
Izumo sighed and relented.
He observed as Tatara went to the counter and pulled a shade of lipstick slightly lighter than the one he had used to Mikoto. He then got out another one that was much paler.
"Hmm pink or red?" he muttered.
Anna was standing next to him.
"Red," she answered.
He chuckled.
"Ah, that was a foolish question."
Yata, likewise to Izumo, watched their friends' activities.
A very short time later, Anna was lying on the table next to where Mikoto was sleeping on the couch. Tatara had removed all the items from it and had instructed she lie on her stomach on it.
"Ah ka-wa-iiiii Anna!" Tatara commended as he put his fingers together as if they were a camera lens and focused them on her bemused face.
Anna was wearing the lipstick on her pretty mouth. Nevertheless, she was merely a child and a very cute one, therefore was more akin to a Western baby doll with very long alabaster hair.
She had her hands pressing flat on the table and her cheek lay against them. She was so small, cute and cuddly looking and hadn't had much of a nap earlier. It was evident with the tired lines under her eyes.
His Anna was so adorable! But she needed rest and he no qualms about letting Tatara become aware of that.
"That's enough. Let her alone," he said to his friend and tapped his head lightly.
Tatara shrugged off his hand.
"I can't! She's not quite Natsuko yet!" he said with a burst of emotion that startled everyone and even made Mikoto stir a bit.
"What are you talking about?" Izumo demanded.
Tatara whipped out the magazine again and pointed to a centerfold spread with the model lying on her tummy but propping her face in her hand.
"Anna's a child! What the heck do you expect her to do?" Izumo snapped.
Tatara ignored him and showed Anna the picture by holding it in front of her face.
"Anna is cute and pretty and adorable! But we do not want adorable!"
"What do we want then?" Yata asked, quite curious.
"Vixen!"
Everyone went silent and just stared at the over-enthusiastic young man.
"You want Anna to become...a vixen?" Izumo repeated slowly.
"Yes!" he responded, clenching his fist in determination as he showed Anna the magazine, "Anna will become a vixen! Look at those eyes – there is no innocence there. Just womanliness. Try it, Anna...that's perfect!" he complimented her.
Indeed, Anna had somehow narrowed her eyes slightly and had a slight smirk about her mouth as she fixed her position, propping her upperbody up and appearing somewhat more 'vixenish.'
"I have to get the camera!" Tatara gasped.
Before he could, someone hit him hard atop his head.
"Ow!" he moaned and grasped it.
"What the hell are you doing?" Mikoto growled. Twice already his nap had been interrupted thanks to his friend's tricks! And the second time involved innocent Anna!
"I was getting Anna to be a vixen!" he answered without a shred of fear or shame.
Yata and Izumo almost slapped their hands to their faces. Mikoto used to work at a nightclub as a bodyguard. He damn well knew what being a vixen meant and wouldn't take it too well what his clansman was doing, even if it was a joke and didn't mean any harm.
"Oh really?" he repeated softly.
This made Tatara pause and realise that perhaps he had pushed a bit much this time...
"Ah, King. It's meant to be funny."
He received another whack on the head.
"Ouch!"
"Don't play dirty jokes on little kids!" he growled, then turned to Anna, "what is that?"
She showed him.
It was the lipstick Tatara had pasted on her mouth.
"Mikoto has some too," she said.
He frowned and lifted his thumb to his mouth. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he remembered feeling something touching his lips.
"Mikoto, you're smearing it all over!" Izumo warned.
It was too late, a long streak of red was across the King's face.
"Oh, there's two more," Tatara remarked as he picked up the small box containing the remaining lipstick. He took one out and uncapped it. It was the pink he hadn't tried earlier. Everyone felt rather disturbed by the man's actions thereafter; as if it was the most normal thing in the world, this healthy young male twisted the tube and pushed up the pink lipstick.
"What a charming colour!" he commented and showed to Anna, "don't you think?"
She nodded.
"Anna, don't agree with him!" Yata chided but was further taken aback when Tatara began to hum and paste the pretty colour on his mouth rather perfectly and without the use of a mirror.
"How does it look?"
"It looks good on Tatara," Anna answered.
"Disgusting," Mikoto muttered and sat down. He grabbed Anna by the back of her dress and tugged her off the table. Holding her up in his hand the way a lioness might grasp its cub, the observed her face. She returned a quiet look.
Mikoto frowned and gently set her down beside him.
"Don't get any funny ideas from him. He's weird," he informed her.
Tatara pouted upon hearing his words, which only served to enhance the pinkness of his mouth.
"King! That's not nice!" he huffed but quickly cast his attention on the last lipstick. He removed it and tossed aside the box.
"Here," he said, handing it to Izumo.
Izumo accepted it unthinkingly.
"What do you want me to do with it?"
"Wear it," he responded cheerfully.
"Are you out of your damned mind?!"
"Go on. You're the only one who isn't wearing any. Isn't that right, Anna?" Tatara asked the little girl who nodded in agreement.
"Not you too!" Izumo moaned.
He turned away, wanting to avoid Anna's gaze.
That gaze was a strong look that no man, woman or animal could resist! It was more destructive than Medusa's glare!
It made everyone just...obey her!
Anna's gaze was more powerful than anything else and Izumo turned around, foolishly meeting it.
"You want me to try it on, don't you?" he lamented.
She nodded.
"Damn it," he mumbled but uncapped the lipstick anyway. Wearily, he lifted it up. This was the palest colour of them all.
Then, he gave a slight smile as an idea dawned upon him.
Of course he could wear it!
He twisted the tube and then brought the lipstick to his face. However, instead of running it along his full lips, he moved it to his cheek where he stroked once across, then again making an 'X' and then another line underneath.
"Look Anna, I'm Kenshin," he said with a proud grin, in reference to the popular Rurouni Kenshin anime.
Anna gave him an unimpressed look.
"That's the wrong symbol and you don't have fiery red hair!" Tatara chided and grabbed the lipstick from him.
"What are you doing?! Hey!" Izumo shouted as he and Tatara began to grapple with each other.
Kosuke Fujishima had wandered the streets today without the intention of doing anything exciting. However, he had happened upon a cat.
A big, fat kitty with a white body, a large black spot on his back and another over his head and on his fuzzy ears but not quite going over his nose. It looked almost like a mask.
The poor obese creature had no owner as he had no collar on him.
Fujishima was a way from home but Homra was close by.
So, he headed in that direction.
"You'll like it there. They're strange but they'll accept you," he said with his usual stoic expression on. The cat didn't particularly care as long as he had food and a warm place to sleep. He liked this fellow though. Although he was being held under his arms, and his furry belly was exposed, the young man's hold was gentle.
Fujishima had a slight smile about his mouth now.
He arrived at the bar and could hear commotion from outside. This was normal. One could always count on excitement at Homra!
He opened the door and the bell clanged, signaling his entrance.
"Oha...yo...u...?"
Kosuke Fujishima's voice faded away as he stared at the scene before him expressionlessly. Izumo and Tatara were wrestling each other on the floor.
"Vixen! If Anna can't become the vixen, then it needs to be you!" Tatara insisted as he struggled to press the lipstick on Izumo's mouth.
Izumo caught him by his cheeks and shoved him off.
"I'm gonna kill you, Totsuka!"
Both men's faces bore lipstick. Tatara's was neat and lovely. Izumo's was pasted on his face.
"Aw man, this is so exciting!" Yata exclaimed as he watched two men he respected so much fighting.
He appeared somewhat feminine as he wore a different shade of lipstick.
Anna and Mikoto were sitting on the couch, just looking on. Anna was silent while Mikoto was yawning and scratching his stomach absently.
Both also had lipstick on their faces. Anna's was neat but Mikoto's had a long streak.
"Kosuke."
Anna took notice of him and her voice apparently reached the others as everyone paused and stared at the quiet young man who stood in the doorway with a fat cat in his hands.
Although he appeared undaunted, it was likely he was as he suddenly stated, "I'll come back later," spun on his heel and walked away, still carrying the overweight cat with him.
Ah yes, Homra was indeed a very exciting place.
But perhaps it was a little too exciting sometimes.
"Really, what was the purpose of your behaviour today? And having Anna do something stupid like that?" Izumo asked Tatara as he polished a glass. Tatara was observing Anna who was eying Mikoto with rare jealousy, over the fact that the fat cat Kosuke had brought in earlier had a preference for him.
Tatara smiled fondly.
"It was a fun day, Kusanagi-san. Wouldn't you agree?"
"It depends on your definition of fun," his friend returned.
Anna reached down and pet the fat cat who rolled onto his back on Mikoto's lap and began to purr. Her face brightened a little.
"Well, if we see it through Anna's eyes, what do you think?"
Izumo paused then. He snorted.
"You really are a piece of work, aren't you Tatara?"
Then, he added wistfully as he observed the small child, "May there only be beautiful things reflected in her eyes."
A/N: Hope you enjoyed.