A True Lover's Embrace

Nanami finally came out of her room, to be greeted by Mizuki. His green eyes shone brightly in the morning light. Nanami smiled at him.

"Hello, My lady. I finished all the duties around the shrine. Is there anything you want to eat this morning?" Mizuki asked with a big smile.

"Just some rice and eggs are fine. Thank you Mizuki, I do appreciate you doing the duties around the shrine." Nanami said with a small smile. Mizuki noticed a change in her demeanor.

"My lady, is something troubling you? If it's that no good fox making you worry, I'll make him pay. Honestly, making our lady stress over him." Mizuki pouted at the sight of his lady worrying over the stupid fox.

"No, I'm fine. I'm just thinking about school work." Nanami lied. She didn't want Mizuki to worry to much about her. In fact, she didn't want anyone to know what she was thinking about. Tomoe thinking about giving up his powers for her. Nanami walked into the dinning room and grabbed her textbooks. She needed something to take her mind off of Tomoe.

Mizuki quiely prepared his lady's breakfast, he'd look back at her every so often. He knew she was worrying about something, but he didn't want to risk making her worry more or worse, make her cry. Nanami looked into her English book and sighed as she stared at the same page until Mizuki placed a bowl of rice in front of her. Nanami was trying so hard to calm her mind, but nothing was helping. She grabbed the bowl and smiled.

"Thank you Mizuki." She took a small bite. "Its good."

"The eggs will be done in a moment, Nanami." Mizuki smiled as he went back to the fire.

"Okay." Nanami quietly ate the bowl of rice as Mizuki placed a small plate of eggs beside her textbook. Mizuki looked at the book.

"You've been on that same page for a while now, Lady Nanami. Are you sure nothing is bothering you?" Mizuki's curiousity was getting the best of him.

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine. English is just hard. With final exams coming up, I need all the practice I need." She replied as she took a bite of egg.

"I see. If something were to be bothering you, you can tell me about it. I want to help you in anyway I can. That's my duty as your familiar." Mizuki said as he peered into her eyes.

"I know, thank you Mizuki." Nanami replied.

"My Lady~!" Onikiri smiled as she came into the room. "Tomoe just sent a message. He said he'll be back in the next hour or so."

"Oh good! I didn't want him overdoing things." Nanami breathed a sigh of relief. 'Once less thing to worry about for now.' She began to read her textbook once more, and was actually making some progess. Nanami knew that she couldn't spend her whole day worrying about Tomoe. Whatever he was doing, whatever he was going to ask, she was going to cross that bridge when he got home. Mizuki tried his best to keep Nanami focused on her schoolwork. Mizuki looked at the sun as it rolled across the ground, and finally, around four o'clock, the sliding door opened and Tomoe came in.

"Tomoe!" Nanami smiled big as she got up from the table and hugged him tightly. "Welcome home!"

"Hello, Nanami." Tomoe smiled as he wrapped his slender arms around her. "Did you sleep well?" He looked over her face and noticed her eyes were troubled. "Nanami, what's wrong?"

"I slept well. And I'm fine, Tomoe. I was studying my English when you came in." Nanami lied smoothly. She hates to lie to him, but she didn't want to bring up her corcerns, not now. Tomoe shot a look at the snake that was at the table, staring at the couple in their embrace I the front entryway.

"Mizuki, do you have a problem with something?" Tomoe looked at the snake more harshly now.

"Yes, I have a problem with you touching our lady in such a way. You're still her familiar." Mizuki spoke coldly at the fox.

Tomoe growled at the snake, but had no rebuttle. The snake was right, he was still her familiar. Nanami looked at Tomoe's angry expression and saw it would be best if she took him into another room.

"Tomoe, will you come with me for a moment?" Nanami asked timidly.

"Lady Nanami, I know you love him, but you are still the land god of this region. As you are his lady, he must hold some modesty around you. No matter how hard it is." Mizuki shot a dirty look to Tomoe.

"Look you stupid snake, what I do is my business! I am aware of my position as a familiar. I will not do any my lady will not allow. Unlike a certain snake that kidnapped her, then tried to make a move on her." Tomoe's eyes filled with anger as he recalled the incident that happened when they first met Mizuki.

"Tomoe, please! Come with me." Nanami pulled Tomoe by the arm into her bedroom and closed the door behind her.

"I'm sorry, Nanami. I didn't mean to upset you." He held her hand as he spoke.

"You didn't. I just didn't want to see you two fighting in the shrine again."

Tomoe looked at his lover with his voilet eyes. He found himself wondering if that was her true intention of bringing her into her chambers. Nanami looked into his eyes and smiled as she spoke.

"I missed you. I was wondering where you went. I didn't want you to hurt yourself..."

"Hurt myself? I'm not as clumsy as that snake." Tomoe stated with his usual tone.

"It's only been three days since the curse was broken." Nanami stated with a serious tone. Tomoe looked at Nanami's face, which was now hanging low and hidden by her long brown locks. "You were hurting for so long..." Her voice trailed off.

"Nanami..." He gently grabbed her chin and made her look him in the eyes. Her eyes were trying so hard to hold back tears. He carefully moved her thumb over her cheek kindly and slowly, be cautious not to cut her with his long claws. "I'm fine now that I'm with you. You freed me. So, please do not cry over that." He pulled her into a tender embrace.

"Tomoe...I'm sorry I took so long..." She whispered into his left shoulder as she let the tears fall. The sudden wetness on his shoulder took Tomoe by surprise, only for a moment.

"Nanami, I would've waited 500 more years just to see you once more. I'm glad I get to be with you again. Now that I have you I'm never letting you go." His grip on her got slightly tighter.

Nanami simply nodded as she cried into his shoulder. Tomoe rubbed her back sweetly and gently as she cried. He knew that ever since the curse beared its ugly face, she was worried sick over him. He hated how she worried over him so much, but he also loved it. He knew it meant she cared for him deeply.