Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Tactics. They are the property of Kinoshita Sakura and Higashiyama Kazuko.
A/N: Here is the second chapter. Hope ya'll enjoy and please give me feedback. You know I'll appreciate it!
REVISED: May 27, 2010
Wow, feels weird re-reading this after a few years has gone by. I'm not as embarrassed about it as I thought I would be. XD
Breathe
Chapter 2: Troublemaker
By: LadyYuina
I guess it should be me. There's no point in pretending when I know the truth.
This was the life of Ichinomiya Kantarou. He was bestowed with this magnificent gift that all others either feared or despised him for. As a child he didn't have any human friends - youkai were the ones he knew he could turn to. However, despite this accommodation, there were youkai that disapproved of this sort of bond just as the humans did.
"A human shouldn't interact with a youkai! We are of not the same kind!"
Kantarou knew better than anyone that he was a misplaced being within this world. Suffice to say, he at times wished that he didn't exist. He . . .
"Arrrggghhhh . . . I give up; this is too depressing." Kantarou placed his pen down and re-read his writing. "Feelings flowing into words on paper . . . hmmm."
"Here's your tea, Kan-chan." As Youko entered his room Kantarou made sure to keep the sheet of paper hidden from her view. For as long as Youko has been with him even she didn't know about his past. She had asked . . . several times before, but his answer was always the same.
"Thank you, Youko. It's the usual, right?" he asked. She nodded. "Good."
"Kan-chan."
Kantarou took a sip of his tea before saying, "yes?"
"Haruka told me about . . . about yesterday. He told me-"
"It's okay, Youko, I was a little emotional, that's all."
Youko frowned as she clutched tightly at the tea tray she was carrying. Kantarou was acting as if it wasn't a big deal. Whenever Kantarou cried it was always a big deal since he rarely shed tears. Youko's Master continued to sip his tea without acknowledging the fox youkai's presence any further.
"Kan-chan, you-"
"Don't even start with me, Youko," Kantarou warned, giving her the eye. Youko gulped when noted how chilling of a glare he was showing her. It made her wonder if he was mad at Haruka now.
It was not like Youko to back down when she battled it out with words, but this time she was going to let it be. Did Suzu's death affect Kantarou this badly? Haruka was really concerned . . . what should they do? "Um . . . I'm gonna get out then. . ."
When Youko left his room, Kantarou sighed and placed both of his hands to his forehead. He was touched by Youko's concern, and yet he also despised it. It was easy for the silver-haired man to deal with matters of the heart - ones that did not pertain to him were considerably easy. But when it came to him he was like the biggest grown baby in the world. Sorting through his heart was like going through a messy jig-saw puzzle.
Haruka was at his usual post - the rooftop. His mind went adrift as he looked to the sky above him. Kantarou's reaction yesterday was not abnormal at all, but the silver-haired man's disregard for his own feelings about the issue bothered the dark-winged Tengu.
From a distance Haruka picked up the sound of Muu-chan's voice. It rung out loud and clear. He knew that her aim for the day was to sit and snuggle with Kantarou. The Tengu didn't know whether she was trying to cheat on her husband or make him jealous for the fun of it all. Haruka was slightly ticked off now, his own musings causing his annoyance to surface. There was no way he was going to let Muu-chan take his Kantarou away from him.
"Muuuuu! Mu, mu, muuuuuu!" Muu-chan was like a hurdling ball of green light energy when Haruka caught sight of her. Her beady black eyes sparkled with determination today - Sugino, her husband, was not going to interfere this time. Muu-chan smiled, knowing that her husband was chained down safely at home.
:BACK AT MUU-CHAN'S HOME:
"Muu-chan, how could you do this to me! Your own husband!" Sugino struggled under the embrace of the magical chains. Muu-chan looked like a simple, carefree creature but in actuality she possessed strong magic that only Sugino knew about. Perhaps that was what he found so loveable about her - her powerful magic easily overrode his own. Now . . . now Sugino regretted ever praising it . . . His dearest Muu-chan used her oppressive magic upon her own kin, her love and husband, her other half.
"Muu-chaannnn!" Sugino's cry could be heard for miles around. Birds frightened by the sudden shout took off into the air from amongst the treetops.
:BACK TO HARUKA:
From his position on the roof, Haruka grimaced when he heard his Master yelp in surprise. Muu-chan could be heard also. Based on the sounds, Haruka suspected Muu-chan hurdled herself onto Kantarou, causing him to shout out in surprise over the green youkai's affectionate nuzzling.
"I better go check this out."
Haruka set foot into Kantarou's room to see his Master laughing, as he said, "Muu-chan, you made a hole in my bedroom wall! You naughty youkai!"
Haruka sweat dropped then, because he wanted Kantarou to say that to him. Only him. Not in a angry way but in an affectionate way, in a way where lovers disciplined each other. He'd love it if Kantarou disciplined him like such . . . with love.
Muu-chan looked to the Tengu, which, like a chain reaction, made Kantarou do the same. The raven-haired creature stared back at them dumbly, not quite sure what to do or say since he barged in on them. Muu-chan broke the untimely silence.
"Mu-mu, muuu, mu," Muu-chan spoke. She got off Kantarou's lap and patted the man on his shoulder. Kantarou blinked a couple of times, wondering what was going on.
"Kantarou-"
"What is all that noise?" Haruka was interrupted by Youko as she appeared onto the scene. Youko looked to the wall and gaped. Her fox ears popped out, stiff as a nail board. "Who made a hole in the wall! Now we need to waste money to fix it!"
"Calm down, Youko, I'm sure Muu-chan didn't mean to break it," Kantarou blurted.
"So this was Muu-chan's doing, eh? I'll see to it that her husband pays for the damage," Youko replied. She strapped up the magenta-colored sleeves of her kimono with a cloth rope before getting to work on picking up the crumbled wall pieces that littered the bedroom floor. Turning her head around, Youko added, "you two can at least help me, Kan-chan and Haruka. Besides, it's your room, Master Ichinomiya!"
"I think I'll go write something outside. I need to get some work done anyway," Kantarou said. He stood up to leave but Haruka blocked his way. "Excuse me, Haruka."
"Don't think you can always get your way just because you are our Master," Haruka reminded him/
"There's nothing you can do to stop me from leaving," Kantarou countered.
Haruka raised an eyebrow at him. "Is that so?"
"Damn right."
Haruka felt he wasn't going to regret doing this (for obvious reasons) . . . Coming closer to his Master, the Tengu slid his hand down Kantarou's gi and brushed a hand over his bellybutton. Kantarou's reaction was to pull back as he tugged Haruka's hand out. His face was beet red just like Youko's. Muu-chan watched with avid interest.
"H-Haruka, what are you trying to do!" Kantarou exclaimed, backing up some more. His blush deepened when he saw Haruka smirk.
"Get to work, Kantarou," Haruka said. Still blushing, Kantarou did as he was told. The black-winged Tengu inwardly groaned - Kantarou's reaction was easy to predict, but now that he had gone and done it, the thought of 'I won't regret it' was beginning to fade away. He couldn't help but 'now' feel he overstepped Kantarou's boundaries, thus distancing himself a bit more from his Master, when all he actually wanted to do was get closer.
"Haruka, you need to help, too," Kantarou whined. His cheeks were no longer red, but when Haruka got close he scooted a good three inches away.
Kantarou rubbed at Muu-chan's head as she nuzzled him in the abdomen. Youko and Haruka sat across from the two, watching as the human and youkai interacted. Youko nudged Haruka and raised her eyebrows when the black-haired Tengu looked to her - he merely shrugged and shook his head. Youko had the mindset to notice that Haruka was in love with their Master and Kantarou was oblivious to the fact . . . Or did he just not care . . .?
"Where's Sugino, Muu-chan?" Kantarou asked.
"Muuu-mu-mu, muuu," Muu-chan replied. She moved her tiny arms up and down for emphasis. Kantarou looked to Haruka expectantly.
"What?" Haruka asked.
"Translate, will you?"
"She said he's at home watching over the place while she went out."
"Odd, Sugino has never done that before; usually he'd come after Muu-chan if he found out she went missing," Kantarou reasoned. He removed Muu-chan from his lap as he stood up. The bells on his bracelet started jingling; it was very faint and wasn't audible to the ears, but it could be felt by touch.
"Mu?" Muu-chan looked up at him.
Without looking at the others, Kantarou made his way out of the room and into the garden. Haruka made a move to follow, but Youko stopped him with a discerning shake of her head. Haruka did not know what overcame their Master - it was so sudden, yet, it looked like Youko understood. After all, she has been with Kantarou far longer than he has. Muu-chan was about to follow after Kantarou too when Youko grabbed her by the scruff of her neck. Muu-chan looked at her questioningly.
"Kan-chan needs some time alone . . . This may sound weird but Kan-chan rarely has these moments anymore. I'm surprised it's happening again, because ever since he met you, Haruka, it hadn't happened since."
"In other words . . . Is there something bothering him right now?" Haruka crossed his arms together and frowned when Youko told him she didn't know what was causing his distress. "I believe Suzu's death might be the problem. I've never seen Kantarou cry before except yesterday, but . . ."
"Kan-chan has a tendency to cry sooner or later after he's lost a loved one or cherish posession," Youko informed him.
While Haruka and Youko were talking they didn't notice that Muu-chan had slipped out of the room. Being the little troublemaker that she was, Muu-chan started to search for Kantarou. To her dismay, he was nowhere to be found. She made sure to look through the house thoroughly.
:BACK AT MUU-CHAN'S HOME:
"If I can slip this arm out I'll be able to free myself . . .!" Sugino licked his lips as he fumbled around with his chained down arms. The white-winged youkai gasped with relief when he finally freed his left arm. Now it was much easier to escape his confinement to the kitchen table. "Muu-chan, I won't forgive so easily this time!"
Kantarou found himself wandering back to the gravesite. Before heading towards Suzu's grave, Kantarou decided to go behind the bushes again. To his surprise he found the woman from yesterday already occupying the area. Kantarou's actions from just moments ago were connected to this woman - she had called for him. Kantarou knew that whatever Youko thought of his sudden absence was wrong . . . It was predictable as to what she told Haruka . . .
"You have finally arrived," the mysterious woman said. "You're pretty quick on your feet."
Kantarou's bracelet started to shake again and it was even more faint than last time; he could barely sense it. "Those eyes . . . By any chance, have we met before?" He wasn't exactly sure why he was asking this, but all of a sudden, it was as if nostalgia hit him hard.
"Of course, yesterday was when we met," she replied.
"Gah! Err . . . that wasn't what I meant . . . I should rephrase that!" A strong gust of wind blew by, forcing Kantarou to shield his eyes. The woman, however, looked unhindered and untouched by the breeze. When Kantarou looked up she was nowhere to be seen. "Huh? Where did she go?"
Kantarou turned around to come face to face with none other than his black-haired Tengu, Haruka. He towered over the other man's small frame, unwavering. Before Kantarou could say anything Haruka hugged his Master to himself. He wanted nothing more than to take away Kantarou's pain. He had never felt so much love for someone before (especially a human). If this was destiny, then he knew his destiny was a good one.
Wrapping his own arms around the Tengu, hesitantly, yet firmly afterwards, Kantarou asked, "Haruka, what's the matter?"
"I should be asking you that," Haruka replied. "What is causing you pain? Are you still clinging onto Suzu?" Kantarou buried his face into Haruka's right shoulder then - his life was much more messed up than he thought it was. Now, taking comfort from Haruka didn't seem like an embarrassing thought - his shoulder felt soothing and warm. Whatever action he did earlier was forgiven. "What can I do to help you release this hurt?"
"You're really concerned about me, aren't you?" Kantarou tightened his grip ever so slightly. In response, Haruka held on all the more fiercely; he wanted to tell him there and then that he loved him, but despite the overwhelming urge to confess he knew this wasn't the time and place to. Haruka reluctantly let go when Kantarou tried to move away. The silver-haired man sighed as he looked at the Tengu. "You must be wondering what I'm doing here, huh?"
"More or less."
"I came here to see someone but she's gone now. There was something I wanted to ask her, though I didn't get the chance to . . ."
Haruka's first reaction was jealousy. He wanted to hammer Kantarou with personal questions but what was the point? In his eyes he couldn't see Kantarou loving him the way he did. What would other Tengu think of this? What would other youkai think of this? Muu-chan? Sugino?
Youko's fox ears perked up when she picked up someone's shouting, though from this distance it was incoherent. The fox youkai cringed when Muu-chan started running in circles, shouting as she did so.
"Sugino must be coming . . . Great . . ." Youko waited for the worst to happen. Peering out of Kantarou's bedroom hole in the wall she could make out Sugino and Haruka in the distance. She burst out laughing when she caught sight of her Master; he was being carried by Sugino. The white-winged youkai was heading towards their home. Haruka looked as though he was ready to tear Sugino up alive, but made no such move (of course).
"Muu-chan, I'm coming! I'm going to settle this once and for all!" Sugino shouted.
Chapter 2: END
