Revised

Getting to Love You

Chapter 10

"Tadaima!" he called out shutting the door behind him. The smell of spices and tomatoes lingered in his nose but he did not recognize the food. Whatever it was, it smelled very good.

"Tamao?" he tried again receiving no answer. Lifting a brow he went into the kitchen where she normally was. Nothing was cooking and the table was already set. He looked in the living room, in the garden, in the stairs, in his room. Outside her room the door was ajar.

He peeked inside and finally found her. Kneeling in front of her board she was silently tracing a yen with her middle finger across the board, frowning and twitching her brows every now and then. Beside her on the floor there were cards extended with various figures and words in a language he didn't know.

"Why...?"

Her whisper made him tense knowing he shouldn't be there. He closed the door to her room and went to the bathroom to wash up. Deciding it would be best if he served dinner he went around inspection the different casseroles. Rice, salad and...

His eyes got very big and watery much like his mouth as he glanced over the counter. There, set beautifully across a cooling board, was the most exquisite chocolate cake he had ever set eyes on. Coloro looked to the cake in wonder, then back at her hypnotized master.

He moved clumsily over feeling the call of chocolate. He could actually smell the denseness of its flavor and almost taste it with his nose. His hand inched forward, twitching every now and then. Just a little swipe of the fudge on top, no one would notice, no one would see.

"YAHHHHHH!"

"AAAAH!"

"Cucurucu!"

There was a loud bang as the metal pan connected with his face and everything suddenly went black. Coloro screamed as her master fell flat faced to the floor and Tamao dropped the pan quite suddenly setting her hands over her mouth.

"Oh Horo-Horo!" she called out at his side immediately.

"I shwear I dinn tach da cake...!" he mumbled from over her back with swirly eyes.

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Fifteen minutes later they were sitting at the dinner table with Horo-Horo wolfing down his lasagna which he described to be "weird but wonderful" with a big band aid over his forehead and Tamao glancing up at him occasionally with a guilty look on her face.

"Wow! Italian food rocks! Much better than Chinese," he mumbled the last part. "Can I have some more?"

Smiling she took his plate and made her way to the tray for the third time. One of things she had most liked about staying with him was this. It was always a pleasure to cook for someone so enthusiastic about food. There hadn't been a day when he hadn't told her how delicious it was or that he hadn't had at least three servings.

"Here you go," she said setting it over his place.

"Thanks. So the plan for tomorrow," he explained between mouthfuls, "Is to leave at 6. You don't need to pack much, I'm sure you'll be provided with clothes by Huchi anyway. But uh, bring some bug spray if you want. They're not as bad cuz the cold is setting in but, just to be comfortable."

She smiled and went back to her nearly finished plate. It was strange that even though he was gone twelve hours a day she didn't feel as lonely as when she had lived with the Asakura's. Sometimes he reminded her of Yoh. They were very different but some things they did made her feel the same way, like compliment her food or smile warmly at her or simply say her name. It was... nice.

"Ne Tamao?" he woke her from her reverie.

"Yes?" she answered looking into hopeful eyes.

"Can I have some cake now?" he requested shyly.

Feeling something between tenderness and guilt she smiled back at him and gazed at the bandage over his forehead.

"You can have as much as you want," she laughed, "It's just for you."

"Hontou?" he asked hopefully with even bigger eyes. "Wait, but what about you?"

She shrugged and scrunched her nose, "I don't like chocolate."

She swore she heard him crack somewhere. He stared at her with unreadable eyes for nearly a minute before stuttering out a small, "W-What?"

She smiled and went to go get a glass of milk for him. From that look on his face, this was going to take a while.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

He was up about twenty minutes before his alarm clock was supposed to go off. It was inevitable. He was excited. It had been a year since he had seen his father and about a month and a half since he had seen Pilica. Being with Tamao was great but he missed his family, when he had enough time to remember them that is.

He got out of bed excitedly and made for the restroom. Occupied. What was she doing up so early?

"Kuru," Coloro appeared above him.

"She takes a shower in the morning. I forgot," he explained to the Koropocuru, "Well, might as well go make breakfast."

"Iie!"

He stopped in his tracks hearing her faint voice from inside the bathroom. "I'm already finished, I'll be out in a second, you can take a shower while I go and prepare for the trip," she finished.

"Ah, are you sure?" he asked looking back to the door.

"Yes yes, I'm coming out already," she affirmed.

"Ok, I'll go get my robe then."

Not a minute later he was walking back up to the bathroom with his robe in hand and his shirt discarded already in the dirty laundry. The door to the bathroom clicked open and coming out from the thick steam she emerged with a towel covering her figure and another over her head.

Hadn't she bought another robe? Both looked at each other... thoroughly, before Tamao cleared her throat and both blushed muttering apologies and switching places.

Well that was one fine way to wake up, he thought closing the door behind him.

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"We're riding your snowboard?" she asked incredulously as they stepped out of the house with their respective bags.

"Well it's not that far," he argued latching his backpack over the front of the board. "It won't take more than half an hour."

"30 minutes?" she asked giving him her bag so he could latch it on as well.

"Well I could make it in twenty but then you'd get mad at me for the hair thing," he smiled mounting his board. "Coloro! Oversoul in Snowboard!"

Tamao lifted her lips in a pout. She should have known better.

"Ikou!" he said handing her his bandana.

Realizing she didn't have much of a choice she tied it behind her bangs and accepted the hand he held out for her.

"Ok," he began and soon as she was planted firmly.

"I know, I know... hang on!" she finished as he took off towards the mountain.

Feeling the rush of wind in her face she snuggled closer to his back feeling him shift occasionally to keep balance.

"I know you're gonna love it up there!" he shouted back at her.

Realizing she was being addressed, she looked up to see him smiling at the scenery ahead of him.

"Don't let my father scare you; he's a little tall for city standards. My grandmother will probably want to tattoo you and everyone will want to know of your 'strange' customs, but other than that I know you'll like them. They're nice people. I'm not sure if Pilica is already going to be there or is going to arrive later tonight," he explained.

She blinked against the wind, there was one person he had mentioned to fail, "What about your mother?"

He paused, not blinking but still smiling. Tamao suddenly had a feeling she had said something stupid.

"Yeah I suppose we can go visit her too..." he finished.

She looked up at him, he was still smiling, but not like he was a second ago. Now she knew she had definitely said something she shouldn't have. But probably the best thing now would be to keep quiet.

Snuggling back into the safety of his back she had almost forgotten she didn't like this way of traveling. It really wasn't like going by car, but even though she was standing and had been for about ten minutes, she felt relaxed. Getting dizzy from the passing trees she closed her eyes and leaned in against him for the rest of the trip.

There was no doubt about when they had arrived. Pushed against his back she had to recover her breath as they braked suddenly.

"We're here!" he said excitedly latching himself off and jumping down.

"So I've noticed," she said looking around. They arrived at a small clearing of a river where there were several boats at the bank latched on with rope, all empty. The forest seemed a bit denser here.

"Come on!" he said leading her excitedly towards some unknown part of the forest.

"Oh wait!" he said stopping suddenly and apparently not noticing that Tamao crashed against him. When she recovered she saw him digging through his bag for something she couldn't guess.

"Aha!" he said victoriously with his bandana. This was one Tamao had never seen before. It wasn't too different but you could tell he didn't use it often.

"Huchi's rules. Gotta have a matanpushi every time we come into the village," he explained placing it over his forehead.

"Matanpushi?" she repeated.

"Yeah that's what it's called. I brought one for you too," he said tossing her a piece of white fabric. "Ok come on!"

It wasn't long before Tamao began to see in between the trees traces of yellow and brown. Grass and wood houses. Shortly after they received their first greeting.

"Horo-Horo!" called a voice to their left.

The mentioned turned and greeted the newcomer with a smile. A man about half a foot taller than Horo-Horo and a few years older came from the trees and embraced him like a brother. "Ukon!"

"I thought you were dead," answered Ukon releasing the younger man.

"You know I won't go that easily," replied Horo-Horo with a smile, "Besides, I'm too young to die. You on the other hand..."

"Funny. I'm still glad you could make it though. We thought you were gonna ditch us like with the Iyomante this year."

Pouting slightly he dropped his shoulders at the older Ainu.

"Ukon you know I had to be in Tokyo that time, damn Goro wouldn't leave off and I would have lost all my land if I—"

"Relax kid. I know you've got city obligations now. I bet it makes you miss the good old days when turf battles were fought with clubs and spears and—"

"Yeah, apparently that's frowned upon now."

"You're dad missed you though,"

Horo-Horo snorted before answering. "Yeah, that'll be the day."

"Come on, cut the guy some slack, both his kids basically abandoned him and he feels lonely sometimes."

"I brought him a present," he defended.

Tamao watched from the sidelines as the conversation went on for a few more minutes. Before 'Ukon' suddenly spotted her and shouted "Hitoi!" smacking Horo-Horo over the head.

"Ahh! What the hell was that for?" he questioned rubbing his scalp.

"Manners Horo-kun!" he said mentioning to Tamao.

Being the centre of their sudden attention she blushed as the big Ainu looked down at her smiling.

"He'll never change. I'm Ukonkep, nice to meet you miss...?" he introduced himself bowing before Tamao.

"Tamamura Tamao, the pleasure is mine," she bowed down quickly.

"Feh... I was getting there!" complained Horo-Horo standing beside Tamao, "Tamao this is one of my old friends from the village... very old," he added watching Ukon's eye twitch.

"You're getting there Horo-kun, don't you worry," Ukon replied maliciously. Horo-Horo smiled nervously.

"I'm still younger than you."

"Well at least you've finally got yourself a girlfriend," Ukon added happily ignoring his last comment.

Tamao gave a small gasp slowly going all red again while Horo-Horo tried to get his voice back before arguing back.

"I-Iie, she's not! We're—" he stuttered.

"We're not together," Tamao let out softly.

"Oh," said Ukon matter of factly. He stood looking from one red face to the other before asking, "Would you like to be?"

"Horo-Horo!" called a woman's elderly voice from the village.

Thanking the God's Horo-Horo was glad to push Ukon aside grabbing an unresisting Tamao towards the village.

"I'll kill you later Ukon!" he yelled back hurrying away.

Now heading directly to one of the houses where the voice had called Horo-Horo, Tamao made out an old woman in front of a house smiling warmly towards the approaching couple. Crossing through the village many people saluted them merrily as they passed. All dressed in traditional Ainu clothing. Tamao felt suddenly very out of place.

"Huchi he!" called Horo-Horo closing in on the older woman. The woman like everyone else was dressed in traditional clothing. Her eyes, dark like Horo-Horo's contrasted with her long silver hair. The staff she was using as a cane was decorated with what looked like the figure of a bear.

"Horo-Horo," she said sweetly as they approached.

The next thing Tamao saw was a blur of brown and after hearing a good and hard smack she saw Horo-Horo incrusted a few inches in the ground with the old woman's staff somewhat going through his skull.

"Eywanke ya?!" shouted the old lady diabolically. How could someone that old and small have that much strength?! Tamao looked terrified at the old lady shouting who knows what in the strange language she supposed was Ainu at the crippled Horo-Horo still etched in the floor. Everybody else in the village had turned their heads as well.

"Huchi!" yelled Horo-Horo finally lifting himself from the floor (though still with dirt all over it). He responded something at the lady again Tamao didn't understand, but given his expressions he was not happy about his greeting. Smacking him again with her staff, though with less force this time she shouted some more at him while he rolled his eyes and then gave a shy smile answering back in a quiet voice with a smile creeping up his face.

The old lady looked sternly at him before her face changed dramatically and she pulled him down into a tight hug smiling warmly. She muttered something in Ainu and Horo-Horo pulled back and planted a big kiss on her cheek.

Tamao, still trembling, quickly put on the matanpushi Horo-Horo had given her earlier. Just in case.

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Hope this wasn't too confusing for you. And FYI, what Horo and his grandma said to each other was real Ainu. I did my homework...