Shards

Chapter 3

The bitter salty taste of sweat rolled on to his dry lips. His eyes felt heavy as he tried to open them, as much as he tried, its as if his eyes did not want to open at all. Tomoe suddenly noticed a cool wet sensation covering his bare forehead. He lifted the cool rag off of his head and soon felt the burning heat crawl its way back to his face. He slowly picked himself up to his feet and gazed around the empty room. 'It was only a dream..'

The taste of his sweat made him sick to his stomach. Tomoe didn't feel any better than before, and felt his body grow heavier as he endured the truth that she really wasn't here next to him.

Tomoe wiped the cold sweat from his neck with the damp rag and he squeezed it tightly in his palm feeling a stinging pain in his chest. 'I wish it wasn't just a dream...' He slid his feet across the floor as he walked to the door, not bothering to use the tiniest muscle to pick up one foot at a time. He threw the damp cloth to the floor and took his time to open the paper sliding door. His nose then twitched to the slightest scent and looked up when his heart nearly flew out his chest.

There waiting at the door glowed the eyes of a new demon-god, and Tomoe's eyes widen as if they were about to pop out of his head. "May I come in," she spoke with soft but harsh words."Nanami.." Without even an answer she shoved herself right through the door and she heard it shut behind her. Tomoe's heart started to race in with excitement. "You're actually here... you're really here."

Tomoe reached out to touch her shoulder, but she smacked his hand away leaving him puzzled and confused.

Not even looking at his face she opened her mouth and drew out her voice. "It's been awhile Tomoe-san." He looked straight at the back of her head.

'San..? What..?' Tomoe's excitement fell back into his stomach, he had missed her so much, but yet Nanami did not seem she missed him at all. Did she not feel the same anymore? Was she not the same sweet Nanami he used to know and care for?

"You were gone for so long..," Tomoe whispered softly. He was getting more confused as he started to realize Nanami had a tail and fox ears. 'She became a kitsune.. but how?!'

"You let the place run down Tomoe, what made you think that I wouldn't be back?" Nanami said without responding to Tomoe's words.

'Because you abandoned me here.. and you became a demon instead of being with me.'

"Hmphh, I knew you wouldn't be able to take care of this shrine without me," Nanami said sarcastically.

Tomoe could feel the vein in his head popping out. He felt so irritated by her new found personality. All cocky and rude, she had a harsh tongue to the boot. Tomoe wanted to yell at her so much , but yet he wanted to hold her close, smell her hair, and feel her silky soft skin.

Tomoe's stoned cold heart had melted in to a beating organ every time he looked at Nanami's smiling face. Her presence was the reason why Tomoe's heart became softer, but now this beating heart that only beat for her, was being ripped to shreds by rejection and doubt.

"Stop with this damn act Nanami," Tomoe bared his sharp fangs that ripped through the thin layer of skin on his lips.

"Tomoe-" Nanami began to speak, but Tomoe's fast tongue cut her off.

"Where the hell were you..." He forcefully turned her around for her to look at him directly. He took her wrists and pushed her against the wall so she couldn't escape him. Although she was now demon, she still was no stronger than him.

Nanami didn't want to look him in the eye and turned her head to look away. "Why can't you even look at me in the eye?"

"..." Nanami didn't answer, trying hard to keep a straight face.

"How much are you going to do that will only tear me apart! Tell me!"

Nanami still didn't answer him, only making him cringe more and more. Tomoe took his hand and forced her face to look straight at him.

"Look at me! It only hurts more when you don't look at me! I love you!"

Nanami's face looked hurt when he spoke those three words, but she still didn't gave him an answer.

Impatient as he was, Tomoe started to panic when his feelings weren't returned. "You love me don't you? Please... please say you love me too.."

Nanami only shook her head and Tomoe just stepped back, in-denial of his pain. "No.. you're lying!" Roughly pressing his lips against hers he poured every bit of emotions he had to keep him standing. Nanami tried to resist him by telling him to stop, but his lips muffled out her protests. It was no use, she eventually gave in to the taste of his lips. No matter how much she tried to lie, every bit of action would break through its barrier showing the truth. Both of them felt their faces heat up from satisfaction, but there was still a glint of sadness lingering in Tomoe's eyes as he broke away from Nanami's lips.

"Don't tell me you don't love me.."

Nanami glistened her eyes back at him, surprised by his actions. "Tomoe..," She began to say.

All of a sudden, Nanami's body began to shift painfully. "Aggghhhh," she moaned in pain.

"Nanami, what's wrong?" As confused and hurt as he was, he gasped to what was happening in front of his eyes. Nanani's baring fangs shortened back into her gums, her pupils swirled and curved as her eyes went back to brown, her strong muscles weakened, and her body sucked her tail and ears right back into her. Her demon scent dissipated and her rough skin went back to being fair.

"Agghh.. ahhh.. aughh," Nanami groaned in a painful exhaustion. "What the hell," Tomoe whispered between his lips. He was so stunned at what just happened. All he did was kiss her and she started to change in a gruesome way.

Nanami's demon form was gone with all that left her was her human form. Though it was so quick she became a human, her body began to shift again as her fox ears and tail grew back out of her body.

"Nanami..? What the hell is going on?" He demanded an answer. He wanted to know now. Why did she do this to herself and what reason did she do this? What was her purpose?

Exhausted as she was, she finally huffed out her answer, "This.. is why.. I can't love you."