Chapter Thirteen – The Distance of the Moon
"I knew Tsukito was taking his "duties" seriously" Misaki commented in a whisper to Yui. "But I didn't think it was like that." The other girl acquiesced, unable of not being taken aback. When they arrived by morning, they had met with Tsukito examining some students to make sure they were following the school rules in every aspect.
By Thoth's orders, the Moon god had assumed the new "duty" of "watching over school discipline", as he put it. Yui hadn't said anything when hearing about it, but she was well aware that Tsukito would take some things by the letter. A confirmation she had at the very moment when the god, wanting to measure the distance between her knees and the skirt to be sure it was according to the rules, had got down in one knee and held the hem.
And right after that, he had contested how Ren and Arisu weren't wearing the school skirts, but pants.
"You've seen them wearing it every day, what difference does that make now, Tsuki-Tsuki?"
Tsukito's reasoning had been that now he had to make sure everything was following the norms and therefore, it was different from before. The explanation had made Arisu shake her head (later, she joked to Yui how she would have said "sue me" if there wasn't the chance the god wouldn't understand the irony).
"The rules say the students must be wearing the school uniform" Ren had said with a calmness that made Yui wonder if she had already dealt with a similar scene in her other school. "Those are the school uniform pants, so we're not disrespecting anything" Tsukito had checked his manual as Arisu confirmed that there was nothing there that specified the girls had to wear the feminine uniform.
The lilac-haired god had been about to say something to this when his eyes became pale with weakness as he fell. Hey had realized they just hadn't noticed fully how there was no color in his face due to his natural paleness.
Takeru, who had been nearby searching for his brother, had helped them to carry him over to the infirmary with mumbles of how he had expected that something like this would end up happening. Truth was, Tsukito had been staying up until far late due to his insistence in organizing the Moon Gazing Event that would be late on that same day. And he also had been in the front gates since five in the morning due to his assumption that some students could arrive early.
"Only someone crazy would do that" Arisu trembled with the idea of arriving at such a time in school when the classes started hours later. "Following the rules is one thing, but there is no need to get obsessed" She had known he could be a methodic person and it had never bothered her, yet the Moon god's efforts were starting to become reason for worry. Not the most perfectionist or straitlaced student from her old school was like this…
For a moment, she truly wondered if gods could have something like OCD. Then she brushed the thought aside, it was stupid to think so.
As if that wasn't enough, right after Tsukito woke up, Thoth had come over and reprimanded him for leaving his post. Which led to now, with Tsukito seated in his desk and wondering what he was doing wrong, looking genuinely confused about it.
It was when Yui asked what he meant and it had been one of the few times the god had spoken so much and it hadn't done a thing to make things better.
He understood that they were all supposed to be having a human school life. Logic followed that if he gave his absolute best and performed all his tasks with most success, then he could guarantee his graduation. The duties that appeared also worked as welcome distractions he could set his mind into (and also took his thoughts out of the sensations he was subjugated to in this human condition), though he didn't say this last part as he deemed unnecessary.
Takeru stayed in silence to this, as he knew his brother's feelings regarding their situation. Truth to be told, there was no such thing as "getting used to it". Being sealed in a human's body didn't mean their nature changed. It felt as a soft layer constantly covering their bodies while inside they remained the same.
And just now Caduceus Thoth had said that if Tsukito continued as he was, he wouldn't be able to graduate. Even when Tsukito had affirmed that the Moon Gazing Event would be a success, the Egyptian had merely said that this was why he was an imbecile.
It made no sense to the Japanese deity.
He was taking part in the necessary activities and events, he didn't miss any class and dedicated all of his to the "school life".
So how come?
"I do not understand what I'm lacking to be able to graduate" He muttered more to himself than to any of his classmates.
"Don't worry" Yui stood next to him, not liking how he sounded, as if viewing this the same way as a mathematic equation as it would probably make him push himself even more, so she tried to find a way of saying what she meant gently. "Look… Don't you think you kinda going overboard with your sense of responsibility?"
Tsukito turned to her and his absence of answers, more than of emotions, denounced he didn't get what she meant by this. Yui sighed.
"You're harming yourself. Like today, waking up too early and getting here by five of morning? And standing by the gates all this time? It was exaggeration, no wonder you fainted."
"She is right, Totsuka" Balder agreed, seeing how Tsukito's expression still held some of confusion. It was the closest to being upset he had ever showed until now. "You can't neglect your health" He almost commented that human healthy was very different from theirs, but he didn't want the girls to think he was diminishing them, so he tried another route. "Think that taking care of yourself is also one of your responsibilities, see?"
The other's eyes went back to the table, going through it as if it wasn't truly there.
"But I don't understand how following my obligations can be wrong. Or it is something I'm lacking?"
"Only if it is common sense" Arisu's grunt earned her a dark look from Takeru, but the girl raised a shoulder as if to say there was no other way of saying so. "Not everything can be solved by just "following your obligations". Life is not like that."
Sitting in front of her, Isuzu shook her head, eyes on Tsukito. Even Apollon and Balder, who could get overexcited over something new and didn't seem to dislike the school very much, were aware that Tsukito was taking things too far.
And lately more than never and had just had the first clear impact.
"See, Tsuki-Tsuki, it isn't something you don't have, but…"
"I think I know what it is!" With a jump, Loki stood and the other's attention was now in him. "It must be love!"
Misaki stopped leaning her face on her hand, turning to hide it, fingers pressing the bridge of her nose as Arisu and Takeru rolled their eyes, thinking it would have been too much to hope the red haired would come with a decent suggestion. None of the others seemed to take the Nordic seriously either, though Tsukito looked at him as if wondering what he meant.
"Hey, Loki…" Thor called the other in a tone that was like telling him to think better, being ignored. Tsukito, however, asked what he could do to understand love.
"And what love has to do with the whole deal?" Misaki asked looking from the Moon deity to the red haired as if they were both insane in the head, aware Loki couldn't possibly mean anything such as doing what you like and having passion about life. Isuzu and Arisu exchanged glances. Loki didn't use to prank Tsukito, but they doubted he was making suggestions without second intentions.
"Tsukito…" Isuzu started with a warning tone she tended to reserve to Arisu, but Loki acted as if she wasn't there.
"A romantic feeling of attachment! Lovey-dovey, smooch things and all that! Wait, I have something perfect to help!" Things started to pile on a table as he started to take them off his coat's pockets in search. Marbles, a cube of Rubik, something that looked like a snake toy… Then he lifted two little rings, connected as if they had magnets inside. "Tcharam! Lover Rings! Perfect solution!"
He spoke like a salesman and as if it was a great and rare thing, but none of the others had the slightest idea of what this was about. Nonetheless, upon hearing the name, Misaki giggled and leaned the upper part of her body back, hands up.
"Woah! Keep that well away from me!" She joked, though she wasn't sure those rings would be of any help anyway, as they did the others judging from their sighs, some probably imagining what Loki's objective was. Balder approached his friend as if meaning to hold him back, but Loki was faster, going over to Tsukito and, before anyone could intervene, forced one of the rings on him before moving to Yui.
"Hey, Loki, wait a minute, wh…" The girl protested and tried to get free, but he held her as he made her wear the other ring.
Both rings gave birth to curious reddish light before Yui and Tsukito felt a force outside their bodies that pulled them until their hands touched, fingers down and the rings attached to each other. Yui promptly tried to pull her hand away or slid her finger off the ring, without any success.
"You got to be kidding… Loki!" She turned to the Nordic, who just chuckled. Arisu facepalmed as Ren blinked, looking from Tsukito to Yui, barely believing he had actually used a trick of this nature.
"What?" Apollon came to her and Yui showed, pulling her hand once more.
"I told you shouldn't listen to him" Isuzu told Tsukito, who ignored her as Loki just watched with a smirk.
"Laevatein Loki, I am done with your games. Take those rings off at once" His demand didn't surprise the other, who just dismissed him as Takeru and Apollon tried to release him and Yui after seeing they couldn't do it by themselves.
They had barely touched the rings when a wave of electricity ran through both.
"That hurt!" Takeru half groaned, almost growling, more out of indignation than due to pain, though his hand throbbed a little. "Loki, you fucking cretin! What is the deal of those things anyway?"
Misaki turned to Thor, unsure if this had some amusement to it, or if it was just a new source of headaches.
"I'll make an educated guess that the answer this time is not vinegar?" She asked remembering meeting Loki and his first trick. The thunder Nordic god just stared at her and the blonde didn't even expect a true reply, but he nodded with something in his eyes that was different from the usual apathy.
"The same method rarely works to solve his games…"
"Hey!" The red haired looked at him with an indignant expression, ruined by the playful grin. "I'm merely trying to help our dear classmates, that's all"
"So why don't you help by taking those things off them? Before someone else gets zapped." Isuzu asked with all sarcasm she could put in her voice. Tsukito was reflecting seriously about his issue and Loki thought it to be a propitious occasion for a silly joke such as this! If it was an attempt to cheer anyone up, it was awful.
"Well, that's what they get for not listening to me!" He wasn't at all bothered by the fact. "And it's just a little shock, no one dies from it. And those are "Lovers' Rings" like I said. They have a magic that make two people inseparable, obviously, therefore falling in love almost instantaneously and becoming enamored"
Yui had no belief whatsoever that objects (even coming from deities) had power to mess with feelings and just wanted those rings off. She tried to push them away with her free hand, soon a wave running over her at once, taking all her senses.
As Loki had said, it wasn't strong enough to actually cause pain. It felt more like a light slap over all her nerves, a shock that made the area feel lighter and then prickling. It didn't make a difference if the one trying to get those things off were outsiders or one of the people wearing them, the result was just the same.
"Loki, c'mon, just take those rings off them" Balder asked, hoping his friend would see the joke was going too far and that it wasn't the time. Loki didn't seem bothered by this either.
"Balder… Even if I wanted to, which I don't, I wouldn't be able to. See, once put on, no one "can take them off", that's how it works" And he shrugged, looking to the others as if not knowing the reason for such reactions. "But it isn't that complicated! They just need to understand each other's hearts, I'm not telling them to make a trip to Asgard or anything like that."
"But…" Yui started, the words dying in her throat for there was no way this could be taken as a simple solution as the god seemed to consider. People could live together for a long time and never truly comprehend each other and it wasn't something that could be truly done in just a couple of hours. The interruption this time came from Tsukito, who stood up.
"Very well then" Those words called the others' attention as they had expected him to join Yui in a protest and not just resign himself to what Loki was saying. "This is my new duty, so I shall accept it."
"But this is what we were saying that is the root of your problem" Arisu grumbled, hiding her face in one of the hands upon realizing the Moon god hadn't understood a thing of what had been said to him as Yui faced him, shocked that he was just bowing his head to this. Ren groaned to herself, judging this was something Tsukito would have difficulties to deal with, if the few times they had truly talked were any indicative.
The god's next question just served to confirm her suspicions.
"By the way, what do you mean by "enamored"? I'm not sure I understand"
Isuzu turned to him with such a movement that her neck almost made a crackling sound as Apollon and Arisu exchanged looks, unable to hide their reaction.
"Of what planet are you from?" Misaki couldn't avoid the question. There was no way on Earth there could be anyone in that classroom who didn't know such things! Even in the case that Tsukito had no experience with romantic relationships, it wasn't impossible that he didn't know of other people involved in such. And the fact that he was a god, alive since millennia ago was just a more aggravating factor.
Yui felt a wave of heat up her body and face. To explain to any of the gods anything related to this particular subject wasn't something she or the other girls had ever thought that would happen and even as stoic as Tsukito was… At the least he should know something even if just by theory…
"Uh, Tsukito… "Enamored" is one of the possible terms to call people who are… Well, you know, in love… Therefore…" She tried to explain, feeling more awkward at each word and still hoping to avoid more misunderstandings while also showing him that it was not their case. Her face felt warmer to the point her body shivered inside.
"I see what you mean" Tsukito continued in the same tone as if the discussion was a banal thing. There was relief in understanding that the god just wasn't familiar with that particular term and not the concept.
"And since they are not…" Misaki started, being cut this time by Loki.
"Nothing to worry about!" He raised his hand and dismissed her words. "I'll teach him!"
This made Balder and Thor to look at each other, both with similar memories going through their minds of Loki's tricks.
"Don't do this for the sake of others' sanity!" Isuzu hissed, her attention back to Tsukito as she tried to pass through her own discomfort of speaking of this matter with the gods (though she knew they must have better experience). It wasn't as if she had a problem with the subject of dating or sex, but like Yui, she didn't think they were at this level of familiarity with the deities.
However, this was better than to let Loki to make things even more complicated.
"Look, you know about… Well, people who are interested in each other go on dates, like just taking a walk or go to movies or anything that…"
Loki placed his hand on her head and forced it down gently.
"Booo-ooo-oooring!" He said in a sing-sung way. "That's not going to help at all, the best way is to just go straight to the action! Affectionate gestures and all this! Isn't the quickest solution?"
"No, it isn't! This has gone far eno…"
Tsukito interrupted Yui by turning to her suddenly.
"Kusanagi Yui, kiss me, please"
It all happened too fast.
Shock closed her throat and a wave of liquid fire ran up between her skin and flesh, words of protest stopping in the way. Without actually waiting for an answer or changing his expression, the god leaned to her as Takeru, Apollon and Balder jumped over them while Ren pulled back by the collar of his shirt, managing to avoid a shock on the contrary of the three gods.
"Just kissing her won't make you "enamored" automatically, just so you know" Her hiss had some irony as she let him go. "And it won't make the rings release you guys either."
The other three gods had fallen in the floor and now stood, yelling to Loki with anger, indignation or lack of patience. The red haired didn't mind and just laughed.
XxX
Thoth at first ignored that Yui and Tsukito were seated next to each other when the Japanese god just asked him to not mind. Apparently, Thoth decided he was better off not knowing anyway and started the class at first without problems until Yui accidentally let a pen fall and when she leaned to get it, Tsukito was too focused in his own notes.
In result, they both had fell (Tsukito not letting out even a sound) and then Thoth had demanded an explanation for that mess.
After learning what this was about, the Egyptian had had just gave them his back and saying the classes were done for today. Upon seeing Kusanagi holding her hand to her chest and trying to call him, he guessed she meant to ask for his help in finding a way to fix what Loki had done and was absolute: He had no obligations whatsoever of fixing other's mess.
Without a choice, Tsukito somehow insisting that being her "boyfriend" was his duty, they now continued with the last preparations for the night event, including the dumplings. Both were caught up and unaware that the other gods and girls spied from afar.
There was a moment in which they saw Tsukito offering a dango to Yui and afterwards pulling a book and seeming to comment about what he had read about girls. Even with their distance, Isuzu could make out the cover and get an idea of what it was about, although they couldn't truly hear Tsukito or Yui's words.
"Where did he get that book?" She whispered to Misaki, who just blinked and shook her head. Loki, however, was nearby and leaned forwards to look at her.
"I suggested it to him!" His innocent was of saying made one wonder if he actually thought it was going to help while the gleam in his eyes said he had done it because he was well aware of how it would be of no help whatsoever.
"Of course you did…" She shook her head. If Tsukito kept following that book, it would only work to worsen the situation as there was no help to be found there. "Tsukito has a lot to learn about women"
She had muttered more to Misaki and Arisu, but it seemed the gods nearby, who were also hiding in the bushes with the three, heard it.
"What do you mean, Suzu-Suzu?" Apollon sounded curious, though it was difficult to know about what specifically. It couldn't be about the nature of such relationships, it was no secret he had had several lovers. Isuzu blushed a little, but it came to her mind that their behavior should be very different than the women of his time (even if they could observe the mortal world from wherever they lived).
"Well, you can't learn everything about relationships and women in books. Let alone of that kind…" She completed indicating the book Tsukito had in his free hand with her chin. For what she could see, Yui also seemed unable to believe the god was actually leaning in this sort of reading to try to understand things.
Apollon blinked and chuckled. Takeru, who was between him and Isuzu, frowned and even Isuzu didn't see the reason for this reaction. Had she said something funny? But then the Sun god threw her one of his warm smiles.
"Wow, Suzu-Suzu… Now you sounded just like my sister!" Ahead, Yui spoke something to Tsukito as she picked a dumpling and offered him. Seeing this, Apollon moaned that he would have liked if the girl did this to him…
This just made Misaki and Arisu exchange glances.
A bit more away than the others, near some columns, were Hades, Dionysus, Thor and Ren. As they watched, Takeru seemed to be about to go to Tsukito and Yui until they saw him catching something in the floor and hiding behind some boxes, a white shadow in his arms that Ren recognized as Usamaro.
Tsukito and Yui spoke of something and, having to help each other, took off their aprons before walking away.
"Where do you think they are going to?" Apollon asked standing, but Takeru came back holding Usamaro, though his eyes were in the direction his brother had gone off to. As much as he tried to keep control, he couldn't help worrying about Tsukito, who would forget to eat sometimes until the hunger was too strong to be ignored or Takeru remembered him.
He could only hope that once this whole mess was over, the Moon god would finally understand that he was exaggerating.
"I think they went to get pampas grass, Tsukito said that he would rather get them on the day of the event."
"Okay then" Misaki stood and stretched her shoulders. "So meanwhile, let's get the tables ready" Since they all were ignoring their club activities to spy on Tsukito and Yui to see how they would deal with their problem, the least they could do was to help somehow.
"But Totsuka said he wanted to do all by himself" Standing up as well, Balder seemed a bit in doubt. Not because he didn't want to do anything, but because he wasn't sure Tsukito would appreciate it. "Won't he think we're intruding?"
There was this chance. As they had watched Tsukito trying to build the tables, he had struggled with having to use practically one hand and though Yui had tried to make it less complicated and offered help, he had been firm in his refusal. The result had been several twisted nails and wasted boards until he got some rights.
"I don't know… But I guess we should just do it" Like Balder, Apollon didn't mean to bother his colleague, but he also didn't like the idea of not doing anything, specially taking in account that the god had fainted some hours ago. It hadn't been serious, but it didn't change the reason Tsukito had reached this point.
"I agree" Isuzu decided, turning to Balder. "Plus, Tsukito doesn't need to do all by himself, no matter what he believes it. If he doesn't like it, too bad"
While Loki, Thor, Arisu and Misaki picked the tablecloths and plates, Takeru, Hades, Ren, Isuzu, Balder and Dionysus split in groups to carry the tables upstairs to the balcony that Tsukito had chosen to be the event's point. Loki and Thor at first hadn't seemed very willing to help, but for some reason had gone along.
Hades tried to carry a side of the table they carried as Ren and Dionysus held the opposite side, but somehow Dionysus hands slipped out of his control and the table fell, its leg hitting his foot. The god of the Underworld had apologized profusely, even when his nephew tried to say all was fine, voice between gritted teeth of pain.
So, they decided it would be better if Isuzu and Ren held a side as Dionysus the other. Hades limited himself to guide them, not wanting to cause another accident and staying away as they, Takeru and Balder, carried the tables in line through the stairs.
While they were heading downstairs, Hades asked how they thought Totsuka and Kusanagi were, still a bit upset that his curse stopped him from even helping as much as he would have liked.
"They must be fine…" Dionysus commented, sounding a little uncertain (or perhaps it was his throbbing foot). "They just went to get herbs, it's easier than trying to cook with just one hand" Which Tsukito had really tried to do it, just accepting Yui's help after a pan had fallen and realized he wouldn't be able to make the dumplings in the current situation.
"It is related to harvest, isn't it? The grass, I mean." Dionysus asked. There were plants offered to them in festivals in their names and he supposed it was a similar thing with the pampas grass.
"Yeah… In the Tsukimi" One of the names for the event. "People celebrate the full moon of autumn, the harvest moon. The dumplings are traditional food and the grasses are part of the decoration. Like offerings to the moon"
Takeru joined in the explanation.
"And the pampas grasses are associated with Autumn in Japan. There are also the sweet potatoes and other foods of the season." It was a part of the festival tradition and it had continued over the years. "People use to drink, recite poetry, those things…"
"But I don't think we'll be having sake, so perhaps another drink." Isuzu commented as they continued their work.
XxX
The top of the trees looked covered in liquid gold and the breeze among the leaves created the illusion of waves. The clothes, touched by the sunset light, lost the white to gain a more orange-like shade.
Picking the tall grass, after they had got the hang of it, had been easier than Yui had anticipated and had been a little surprised to realize the sun was already going down and it would be better if they returned to the school.
Around, the grass stood high, some up to their waists and trembling around. It was as if they were walking through another sort of sea and the smell of the grass was strong, but not to the point of being an attack to the senses. Yui had always loved the afternoon. Living in a temple with a great garden and trees around, she had always felt something that was both relaxing and nostalgic during such hours and from early life took a liking to watch the changing colors of the sunset.
With her free arm holding several talons of grass, Yui paid attention to her footing. The ground here wasn't slippery or rocky, but there were fallen leaves and the earth felt slightly humid and would slip under their shoes. It would have been better if she were barefoot or with sandals.
She thought that if she wasn't tied up to Tsukito, long ago would she have taken off her shoes and ran around a little, just for the fun of it.
The god walking at her side kept his silence as he held her hand firmly. Yui was well aware there was nothing special in the gesture, he had said it just would be safer this way considering the ground and Yui wondered if he was remembering of earlier, when she had made them both fell in the class… Even now, she was embarrassed with the memory even if she had apologized.
"Is that in the book too?" It was a chance, maybe it would be something like "girls like to walk holding hands" (which wasn't quite false in her case), but considering the passages that Tsukito had commented about, probably it would be more in the lines of "sensation of protection in the firm hand of a man" or something in this style. She would have laughed before if she didn't think it would be even more complicate to explain to Tsukito how there was no help to be found in that book.
"Hm?" Tsukito turned to her.
"Uh, I thought it out loud"
"No, nothing." She hurried to say, avoiding his eyes and deciding to say something else. "Before coming here, did you watch the moon a lot?" Considering his position, Yui knew this was a silly question but it was better than to keep the silence.
They all knew Tsukito to be a reserved god, perhaps if it was a subject of his interest, then he would open a bit more.
During the day, one thing she had noticed more was how his concentration could be intense. Truth to be told, it was admirable.
"Being the Tsukiyomi god, it was my responsibility to watch over the moon" His response had the tone of always, they could have been speaking of any other matter and it would have been impossible to notice. "However, it is the first time I'll do it as a school event. I never practiced other activities similar to school ones" He added when Yui looked at him as if expecting more.
Yui couldn't discern the reason yet, somehow, what Tsukito was saying bothered her as if there was more to those words, a meaning intertwined in them and hidden in the yarn of sounds.
"None?" She commented, though this wasn't the cause of her reaction. After all, why would a god follow school activities anyway? An idea passed by her mind and she caught herself saying. "So it will be the first time you do it from another point of view! This can be fun" Or at least interesting. For the other gods too, since their festivals were different and…
"Fun?" Tsukito repeated the term as if it was from a foreign language.
"Don't you think so?" Looking at him, Yui knew that he didn't care about this particular detail at all. "Even… Even with all the preparations?"
He had dedicated himself so much that… That she had assumed the obvious: That while he didn't show, Tsukito was anxious for the event and hoped all would go well and not just in a "professional" way, per say. And due to being the Moon god, she had also assumed he liked those events.
In his gaze, she found the essence of denial to all she had imagined.
"Or… Or is Tsukito saying that…"
"I have no care for whether it will be pleasurable or fun." The firmness of his voice left no doubts of truth, confirming the girl's line of thought. "It is just a duty to be performed." Seeing the girl frowning as if not understanding what she meant, he decided to indulge her this time, not knowing this was not the reason underneath her expression. "To fulfill my obligations as a deity is what gives my existence a meaning, so I follow them. Anything else doesn't interest me"
It was how things worked and it was simple: He had his position as the god of the Moon, just like Susanoo had his as the god of Sea and the connection this entitled was far more complex than it sounded when placed in such simple terms. They had their duties as such and those were all that mattered to him. Otherwise, their positions, their existence, everything they were… It just wouldn't have a meaning.
However, it wasn't something he thought the human girl could understand and her next words confirmed his suspicions.
"That's not true!" Her words escaped her mouth as Yui realized why his words acted in a way similar to bullets. It wasn't different from finding a needle in the middle of a yarn ball of harsh texture.
His eyes reflected the sunset light and had an almost liquid aspect (which she had seen to be frequent with the gods who had eyes of that color) when they landed on her, with a light and polite inquisitiveness among the lack of expression, part of her mind whispered that whatever she said now wouldn't truly matter to Tsukito, he was just listening because it would be impolite not to.
"You don't need something to give you value. No one does" Yui went on, feeling the distance of his inquisitiveness while wishing she could make him understand what she was trying to convey. With a sight, she searched for the right words. She had to try, it wasn't possible that he wouldn't understand her "Look… I don't know how it is with the gods, but I believe no one is born with a motive or reason. You're just born, that's all"
"Of course" She added quickly when he seemed to be about to say something. "That you have your obligations, everyone does. And… I can imagine how yours must be very different from what I'm used to… I know it's different… But even so, that doesn't mean those are what give you value, this is something you have just by being yourself."
All those words felt empty, unpardonable clichés that weren't enough to express a truth as complex as the mysterious element that made hearts and minds work in a certain way that had nothing to do with hormones or body reactions. Yui didn't know why, but the idea of Tsukito living completely guided by his duties to the point of ignoring whether he liked things around or not… It created an image of chains that were inside him, turning his body not a home for the soul, but a cage.
And she hated it.
"See, your life has value by itself. So, you should enjoy it… Have fun, do things that you like." She tried to dismiss a question made of ice: When you lived forever and was in such a position, what had the world to offer that wouldn't grow boring and old? "I'm just saying that there is more in living than the duties…"
Tsukito stopped walking and Yui became quiet, heart pounding and feeling small and silly.
He looked ahead, not even blinking. More than never, Yui could see past his youthful looks. There was no mark of the years and it wasn't an "ageless look" either… What she found was more terrifying: The true look of a being untouched by the promise of death's release.
"I do not understand"
He felt her hand in his, not knowing why she seemed so agitated or why her flesh shivered. His mind went over her words in analyze as he hadn't expected a short-lived being like her to comprehend what he meant, but neither had he expected an answer of this nature. There was a meaning here, he knew, but it felt so alien he couldn't decipher it.
"Should one eat what one likes? Laugh when one is having fun? What value is in such simple actions? Nothing that you say has any sense" He supposed it made sense for a human, whose life was short like a butterfly's, never living enough to see all the world allowed humans to see and understanding even less, but it was different for him. Those things couldn't be enough to give existence a meaning of any sorts. "I am the god Tsukiyomi. Since my birth, I spent my time watching over the moon, fulfilling the duties of my existence as such. This is my position and this is what I am. I do not know anything besides this and I am not interested in learning"
The coldness of now had slithered in his voice or had it just always been there and she had just been mistaking it for aloofness all this time?
Tsukito was just putting this much effort in attending the school due to being the only way to free himself. Truth was, he didn't feel a mere dislike for the predicament he found himself in: His displeasure was of such intensity that it edged what he could feel of loathing, not only for the situation itself but specially for being forced into a human life of any sort (his brother commented how human bodies were bothersome and Tsukito thought they were even worse than this).
His self control didn't allow him to show others this (not that he would have been sure of how anyway and it was of no matter in the end, since it wouldn't change a thing), but it was so different than his millennia existence that one couldn't not be affected by it in a negative sense.
He didn't like humans.
Nothing would change it.
"Aren't you interested?" Whatever force had been behind Yui's words had faded as a star with the approaching sun and her whisper now was quiet. Her heart felt heavier and the setting sun didn't feel as beautiful anymore. "Not even… A little bit?"
Why was she even asking? His words made it clear that he meant to learn only the essential to achieve graduation. Any other thing that wasn't strictly necessary for such held no importance to him.
The moments they had spent together passed by her mind and gained another shade. She had always thought about Tsukito as someone who was quiet and reserved, and only now she realized the true nature of distance between them… Or at least part of it.
"But… I enjoyed it…" She muttered, almost to herself and turned to him, some heat coming back to her words as if her voice wanted to warm her body again. "Today, while we got things ready? Trying to make the tables, the dumplings, just spending time together? I had fun! I really enjoyed it…" The worry of not getting free and difficulties that having their hands stuck together provided hadn't been forgotten or ignored, but they hadn't been the only elements present during the day either.
The Moon god just stayed in silence.
XxX
From the balcony, the top of the trees and the grass were even more like a lake seeing from above that grew darker quickly, though one still could see the traits of gold hiding among the leaves as the sunlight became fragile and gave place to the night fall. Arisu and Misaki were getting a tablecloth ready as Loki and Thor placed other over the table. Yui and Tsukito would probably be back soon.
"And Isuzu went to see some kimonos" Arisu was telling Misaki. The small school store had an area for clothes and had opened a section with suitable clothes for this event. The question in their minds, however, had nothing to do with picking a model that they liked. "But I have no idea how Yui will manage it"
Neither the girl nor Tsukito would be able to change if their hands remained stuck together like that.
"Maybe they will get free until they come back?" The blonde suggested with a thoughtful look, even if she doubted this would be the case and, picking a fine tablecloth, she threw it over another of the tables as Arisu went to pull the corners and setting it straight. "I can only imagine what Thoth will say if tomorrow they are still stuck like that"
Both could imagine, actually.
As they took the clothes and some dishes up (leaving the dumplings and other foods in the kitchen, as it would be better to take them with the sauces), Thoth had passed by them and asked what they were doing.
Their explanation of how they were setting things ready was well accepted, but Thoth had wanted to know if the problem between Kusanagi Yui and Totsuka Tsukito had been solved (casting a severe stare at Loki, who didn't even blink) and asked to be informed once they were back and also about the rest of the event's organization.
"I explained very well what they are supposed to do" Loki said, walking back and examining the table one last time, seeming satisfied and coming over to the two girls. Honestly, both girls had been somewhat surprised to see him truly helping, even if it was something so simple. The impression they had of Loki hadn't just disappeared with this and he still didn't seem someone that would go out of his way to help others (Arisu hadn't forgotten how he had refused to help Takeru some days ago and doubted the Nordic had forgotten either, even if he behaved as if he didn't care for how she had called him a selfish bastard).
"Maybe it's just because Thor and Balder are into it, too" Misaki reflected with herself, looking to the orange and yellow sky that became blue and the fields. For an instance, it made her remember an afternoon back of when she was a child and had gone over to the park to play, and then she had come home… And yeah, she remembered.
"You speak as it was the easiest thing in the world" Arisu shook her head to Loki. Though that was a prank she had seen before in stories, it wasn't that funny when it happened with people she knew and neither when the "key" to solve it all didn't lie in a trick or secret like actually coming closer than pulling apart or anything like that.
"Hey, would you rather have them going to Asgard or any other place to find golden apples or something like that?"
Arisu started to think even that would be easier, and also faster.
"Why in hell you would have those rings, anyway?" There was no sarcasm or irony in her words, but a real (if exasperated) curiosity. Something whose solution would be a crazy travel sounded more like Loki's style than this. Misaki, on another hand, exchanged looks with Thor, meaning to ask him if he had seen Loki using those rings in other gods. If so, she could imagine none of the involved had been very happy.
Somehow, the Thunder god must have understood her gaze, for he gave an almost imperceptible shake of denial.
The redheaded just started to play with his hair as he often did, smirking at Arisu, the grey eyes seeming to gleam in contrast with the sun in the fire strands.
"Why, are you jealous?" He asked interested. "Of Totsuka or of thinking I may have used this on myself and some other goddess?"
Arisu rolled her eyes. Was it impossible to have one serious conversation with him? No wonder he got on her nerves! She enjoyed jokes, sure, but this guy had no limits whatsoever!
"Dream on"
Thor and Misaki were more interested in watch the conversation than in taking part. Loki, ignoring her answer, went back to consider her question and said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"What best way to understand love?"
"I can think about several" Misaki commented to Thor and went to the door, being followed by the Nordic god of Thunder. Once at the door to the stairs, she turned to the others. "Hey, I guess we better go?"
Arisu nodded to her once before staring at Loki down and up, evaluating the red-haired deity before shaking her head in the manner of someone dealing with a hopeless case (which perhaps it wouldn't be far from what he was).
"As if you knew much about it" She was going to turn away and follow Misaki (who was already going downstairs with Thor) when Loki leaned to her, whispering.
"You might be sur-pri-sed" Standing straight with the looks of being illuminated by an idea, he suggested with a smile that could be of amusement or mockery alike. "Or would you have liked it more if I had put those rings in us?"
Arisu's response was a sarcasm-filled stare. Had he really gone to the point of saying this?
"Then we would never be able to take them off, I bet." She opened a deadly smile. "And if you have a death-seeking nature, then that's your problem" Honestly, was he truly a god? It wasn't as if she expected or wanted them to behave all royal and might (okay, in their first day here before knowing them, this was what she had expected), but no matter how laidback the others seemed to be, it was way different with Loki.
It was as if he was more indicated to be a god of madness than Dionysus…
Only thinking of his idea was already enough to make her feel tired and honestly, had he used those rings on them Arisu thought she would soon lose her control and truly tried to punch him. It wouldn't have solved a thing, of course, but it would have been a way to relief the stress she would have felt.
"I can't figure this guy out!"
As if to confirm her thoughts, her face was pulled up and forwards when Loki held her chin as he leaned to her enough so the girl would feel his breathing in her face. When the god's index finger brushed her face in a mocking caress, a corner of her mouth twisted.
"Hmmm, and would that be that bad?" He whispered in a way that Arisu was just able to hear due to their proximity and thanked the Creator that neither Misaki nor Thor were here to see this.
Aware than Loki was just teasing her for the fun of it and hating that he would hold her face like that, Arisu lifted her eyebrows before showing her gritted teeth, word slithering between.
"Believe me, Red, that would be Hell" With a sharp move she released herself, not even looking at him when she headed to the stairs. She knew this had just been a joke to him, but she hadn't liked it.
Loki didn't seem at all intimidated, more like amused.
XxX
"Aihara" Thoth greeted as he took his eyes off a book he had on his hands once noticing Misaki entering the library and then going back to reading when the girl approached.
"Thoth-sama" The girl replied with a polite nod, adding just in case. "I'm sorry if I took too long, we were getting the tables ready" The god didn't even raise his eyes from his book, but Misaki wasn't bothered as this was actually normal and knew he was hearing. The proof was when he asked.
"Wasn't Totuska Tsukito going to take care of it?"
Misaki looked from him to the shelf, reading some book titles or merely observing. She didn't know for sure what Thoth meant by such, if he was just asking or making an insinuation of sorts. Back in that morning, he had said that Tsukito was an imbecile, anyway.
"Regarding Thoth, you never know what he truly means…"
"Tsukito gets too focused in what he has to do" Since the Egyptian was also one to value responsibilities, Misaki picked her next words with care. "Take today, he was there at the gates since five of morning! There are things he doesn't need to do alone, so we're helping. Plus, I doubt he would be able to carry those tables alone anyway."
Misaki felt the intense stare of the god and looked back at him, confirming the sensation. For some minutes, they just looked at each other.
"Has he separated from Kusanagi Yui?"
Misaki knew well that this was what he truly wanted to know and there was no point in avoiding the subject. She also could guess, more surely this time, that he wouldn't be at all pleased. But it wasn't as if any of them could do anything about it and if Thoth wanted to blame someone, let him blame Loki.
"Of all times for him to try a prank like this"
"Well… They are not back yet" Not as far as she knew. But there was no point, Arisu was right, they probably wouldn't manage to get free of those rings in just some hours… Thoth didn't say a thing to this, but his hands seemed to hold the book more firmly.
"Has Loki Laevatein informed them of what is necessary to do?" It was the least the dunce could have done to compensate the problem he had created. It wasn't as if he didn't know the Nordic's prankster nature, but this was far too much.
Misaki let out a sound that could be either a giggle or a scoff.
"His words? "To comprehend each other's hearts" exactly" She made quotations signs in the air and almost jumped when Thoth closed his book suddenly, the sound echoing in the library and the iron of his eyes burning in annoyance. Misaki kept her head high, even if she did feel as if her organs had exchanged places.
"An idiocy such as this…" He hissed and the girl couldn't say what to say in this situation, but thought about trying something anyway.
"No denying that. But we can think of a way around this, I guess…" Eventually, at least. Maybe they could try talking to Zeus directly… He would probably be furious (or maybe he would find it amusing, he was another one whose reactions she didn't think anyone could predict), but he probably had power to free Yui and Tsukito.
"Yeah, casting a mini lightening in those stupid rings would be a good idea" She controlled herself to not laugh, however some of her amusement must have shown in her eyes for Thoth's features became more than never like smooth stone when he leaned to her.
"Perhaps you find this funny" So close the god was that his words touched the face of the girl cornered to the shelf. "But I don't see how you can just go and make such affirmations"
Misaki felt her mouth dry. To stay quiet seemed no doubt like the most sensate route and she knew it. Yet, something in her pushed an argument up her throat.
"All the issues we've met, we managed to solve" She tried to explain to the god of knowledge. "I just meant to say that we're going to find a way around this as well, in a way or another, we won't sit and give up. And considering how Loki is, it must be a solution involving a kind of trick." And to avoid wasting time going after the Nordic, should Yui and Tsukito not get rid of those things, they would try going to Zeus and that was it. It was impossible that there was no other way.
"Besides, he is the one without shackles and all, isn't him? To someone who could change people into animals, to turn those rings into dust must be a piece of cake"
The blue eyes of Thoth, so different in their shade of Balder's, didn't set her free, turning into knives in her own eyes. Misaki felt smaller under this iron and didn't like this at all.
"That's what you say" He carried on. "I do wonder where you take all this conviction from and if this is how you attempt to deal with every problem in your life. I do hope you're sensate enough to know this, but a positive attitude isn't the answer for everything"
"I know, I never…" There was no helping the sensation of indignation. What did he think she was? The intention of saying how they would go to Zeus themselves lost the intensity with Thoth's words.
"If you do know, how can you even affirm things just will be solved? If the dunce is telling the truth, do you have any idea of how long can it take for those two to be rid of those stupid rings? And what a waste of time it is?" He interrupted her, measuring her up and down.
"If you're going to talk about the graduation" Misaki hurried to say, trying to keep her patience, though her nerves were suffering waves that threatened her self control. The fact that Thoth kept going back to the same damn subject didn't help. "We are getting progress, maybe not very fast, but we are"
"I do not deny this, however it doesn't imply you can afford such nonsense" He carried on, still staring at her. The closure, the way he hissed the words, all made Misaki see him as a bird of prey while she was the mouse. "And if you know this, you should also know that insisting that things will be fine isn't a solution in itself. Have you stopped to think that the chances of it not happening shouldn't be ignored?"
Something in his way of saying this heated her blood up.
"I've never said anything like this, but the chance of it happening shouldn't be ignored either!" Her mouth was dry, words came with difficult, while others pressed her throat. Nothing had happened yet, right? The path was still open, so until there they had a chance to do something, they should keep pursuing it. It wasn't like living focused in "positive thought solves all", it was keeping in mind that the window of possibility was still open!
"And yet you don't seem at all worried. Do you have any idea of how inconvenient all this is?" Thoth insisted, for he couldn't believe that she comprehended some things when displaying such behavior. To keep the control and clear mind was one thing and, depending of the person, it helped to seek for solutions. However in Aihara's case it wasn't calmness what he felt.
"Thoth-sama! I know this, but there is nothing we can do at the moment! Tsukito is worried with this event, Yui is glued to him, so we decided to help with what we can. Do you think he would sit down and discuss the ring business? He would say it is a duty, he has to follow it and carry on!" Her voice elevated a bit and she realized at some point that she sounded almost like a child trying to justify herself to her parents.
This opened a hole in her as a bleeding sensation of nausea filled her stomach.
Something deep and sick agitated in her, in a point so hidden in her body that it felt as if belonging to someone else.
"However, you tend to act carelessly, as if closing your eyes to your problems made them vanish and if by being happy, you won't have to deal with issues" He said in an almost studying tone, of one taking mental notes about the behavior of a strange animal. "With such behavior, it makes one wonder if you care about your predicament at all or if you have notion that there is far more at stake than your mere return. You should realize this and take things more seriously rather than being so childish, as it will only lead to more trouble, which we all could do without."
Whatever vein kept Misaki in place was ripped and the girl was shattered.
Fire came up her throat, opening way to words that got free and left a bitter taste in their wake. For a moment, her hand trembled with the desire of slapping him and it was just the fact she was no longer in her own body that stopped it from happening.
"Just because I "act carelessly" to use your own terms" Her tone was cutting ice. "It doesn't actually mean a thing. I'm not blind to the world, just so you know. I'm not ignoring what's happening and the only thing that matters to me is going home. I'm not a "Pollyana" playing the "Cheer Game", however sulking about things and bitching about them is no solution either, last time I checked. I have my way of dealing with "issues", that's all" It wasn't being positive or negative, but a way of being realist. What she made a conscious effort was to not fall in the gray ocean of giving up, of letting that take over. If she did, she knew she would drown. "And you don't know what I truly fucking think, so how about not judging me?"
The gush of words made Thoth without reaction, even if she wasn't yelling and her tone remained polite enough. When he opened his mouth, Misaki guessed he was about to let out a lecture or reprimand her and, not up to hear him anymore, she waved in a gesture of dismissal.
"Whatever. I'm just a human, am I not? In the end, this is what this all comes down to." She should have know, she and the others had gone over this and now she felt a kind of confirmation and her whole being felt cold. "But I won't go around acting as the others think I should anymore. I'm just a silly, ignorant human and you're a deity, fine, cool, more power to ya, be happy, be praised. But I don't care."
Thoth's harsh face flashed with rage before her words and just the shock allowed the lack of reaction for a second, enough for Misaki to turn, hair whipping her back with the movement, herself lost in waves of heat and cold and mind taken by mist.
"Aihara!" Thoth roared to her in warning, but the girl ignored and left the library without looking back. The silence now devoured all around. Thoth knew this was merely sensory contrast coming to.
For an instance, he still looked at the door, mind going over what had just happened. Everything had happened too fast, as a summer sky being dominated by the darkness of a storm out of sudden.
"What in the name of Ra was all that?" He grumbled to himself, placing his book over a table and sitting down. A small rustle came from one of the shelves nearby and a shadow with huge eyes of a light color spied in his direction.
"Bara?" The whisper was so low that it wouldn't have been possible to identify the other god by his voice. Thoth kept a sigh that he hadn't realized forming in his throat.
"She was upset" He limited to reply as the other god, still hiding behind the shelf, glanced to the doors as if confirming that Aihara had left. Thoth knew this wasn't quite the case: Anubis had a hearing far too good to be fooled and had heard all, even if Aihara hadn't yelled once.
"Bara. Bara kabara?" He turned back to Thoth, head tilted in an animal-like curiosity.
"It matters not" The god of knowledge felt his mouth bitter with his own annoyance that wasn't directed to Anubis or his question. Truth was, he didn't know why Aihara had had such a reaction. And he didn't want to admit it out loud not even to himself. "She must have misinterpreted something that I said, it is not uncommon to happen."
Anubis looked at the floor and shrugged.
"Bara kabara bara bara." He muttered, going back to where he had been and settling there. He always spoke in that strange way, a language of his own whose words itself had no true meaning. This was transmitted by the sound itself rather than the shape, like musical notes may transmit emotions.
Thoth agreed with Anubis, this had been a most atypical behavior… Anubis knew because he had observed Aihara and the other students from afar. Sometimes out in the campus and sometimes when some of them came to the library to read or choose/give books back or when they needed to talk about classes.
Aihara never had seemed the temperamental type. If someone asked Thoth, he would judge Hironezumi Arisu to be more prone to reactions of this nature. Besides, there had been very few who had once spoken to him in such way and none had been a human. He had been speechless more due to the surprise that she would dare to behave like this than due to what had been said.
And that was one of the things that bothered him about what had just happened: How had things reached this point? In a moment, she was talking about how they had set the tables ready for the Moon event and how Totsuka and Kusanagi were still stuck… Then the next thing was she getting annoyed, speaking quickly and suddenly turning away from him.
How did the conversation (well, it wasn't the ideal term, but the closest one) end up like this?
The god groaned to himself. It didn't make any sense.
XxX
"So great, aniki! It all looks so amazing!" Takeru was commenting to Tsukito. The moon was full in the dark sky and the veil over the woods had passed from gold to silver. Lights shined softly in the balcony, just enough to it wouldn't be too dark and wouldn't rival the moonlight (which didn't seem to be even possible this night). Tsukito had been taken aback when returning and finding the things set, but Yui thought he had realized it would be impossible to carry the tables by himself, for the Moon god had limited to thank the others for their help.
Then they had taken the dumplings up after getting ready, decided it would be better like this than going up and down more than once. Yui and Tsukito had indeed found it hard, since there was no way to change with their hands stuck, but the girls had thought about the case and found a solution that, while not ideal, seemed the only one possible for now.
To take the uniform out hadn't been the issue, just a cut in the sleeves would solve it. They would have to ask new jackets and blouses in the school store, but this was far from being a problem. In the case of the kimonos, the girls had suggested doing the same, sewing after Yui and Tsukito had dressed them.
Not seeing other way around it, they had accepted it (each closing their eyes when it was the other's turn). Isuzu had helped Yui and Takeru had helped his brother.
To sew the sleeves had been another point, since none of the girls or gods was exactly great at it. Even now, while Apollon complimented Yui (he had liked the kimonos and thought it would be a pity if she and Tsukito couldn't wear them in the celebration), Isuzu reflected how the work wasn't very good, thought it didn't seem that any of them would complain…
"Thank you, Apollon!" Yui placed a loose strand of hair behind her ear, a light blush in her face due to the praises. She had picked a wine-colored kimono with a yellow sash. "You all look great too!" Being a Japanese festival, all other gods had decided to dress as such.
Near the tables, the smell of the dangos became more noticeable and Dionysus was admiring the variety of flavor: Sweet beans, caramel sugar and more.
"Totsuka and Kusanagi did an amazing work" He commented to his uncle. He hadn't doubted that the event would be interesting seeing the preparations, but it was one thing to imagine and other was to see the final effect. In some aspects, it was like the festivals he was used to (with elements such as typical garments and foods), but in others it was completely different.
At his side, Ren picked one of the dumplings with a chopstick. Her kimono slowly turned blue in the hem and sleeves, adorned by what seemed veins and her sash was darker shade of blue, almost black.
"They are really great!" Remembering of how, earlier as they watched, Tsukito had given the impression of now knowing a thing about cooking, Ren thought that it had been a good thing that Yui was with him.
"It is really beautiful, Totsuka" Balder commented meanwhile. "It is the Japanese wasabi"
Apollon, Takeru, Tsukito, Yui and the twins just looked at him at very moment, not understanding what the Nordic god of light meant with that.
"What are you talking about?" Arisu asked as she tried to understand what a sauce had to do with all that, however Tsukito had a better idea of what his classmate was really referring to.
"Balder Hringhorni, don't you want to mean the concept of wabi-sabi?" He emphasized, not very sure that the blonde knew of what he was talking about anyway. Apollon then remembered that wasabi was a spicy sauce just so a muffled yell would interrupt him.
"TOO SPICY!" Dionysus scream cut all other sounds and attracted attention of the others. The god was shaking, a chopstick with a bitten dumpling in one hand and the other in his throat, voice muffled by cough. "Sake, sake!"
Takeru went to him with the others to see what was going on as Ren inspected the dumpling in question, Hades getting water for his nephew. What Dionysus had thought to be a sort of soybean was wasabi flavored. Upon hearing this, Arisu twisted her face just thinking of how that should taste and no one had to think much to know what had happened.
"Success" Loki chuckled to himself as Misaki rolled her eyes.
"Doesn't he ever get tired?" She asked Thor in an amused tone, to which the god shook his head. Even being right at their side, Loki paid no attention to the comments until the blonde turned to him. "When did you have time to make and change the dangos?"
"That's my secret" He replied with a malicious smile, making the blonde girl roll her eyes again and raise her hands in a signal of giving up, still smiling. She was still a bit upset with Thoth (more due to the things said than due to being him), however now the irritation had diminished enough so she thought over it and felt a little worried with the god's reaction. She was surprised he hadn't come after her with a detention or lecture for her behavior.
"It's probably because I left too quickly, I'll probably hear about it later and a lot… Damn…" She reflected holding the sleeve of the light pink kimono she wore with a lilac sash, just due to her wish of holding something. She sighed with herself. Great, she could do with a night of a calm event, trying to not think about problems and stuff, but no… Damn Thoth.
"Something wrong?"
There were no words to how surprised she was to notice that it was Thor who had asked. Not that he was unpleasant to her or the others and he tended to answer when people tried to talk to him, but it was rare of the thunder god to be the one starting a conversation, let alone making a question.
Even after months, he managed to be quieter than Tsukito.
"Well… It's nothing…" Under a stern look that held a clear warning that he wouldn't appreciate an outright lie, Misaki sighed. "Not "nothing", yeah, but just a couple of things in my mind… You know how it is, sometimes things can feel like too much." There was no way of knowing what he thought of that, but she didn't want to go talking about what had happened just yet, and it wasn't as if they were close friends... The sharpness was gone from his eyes and replaced by the usual emotionless, yet his gaze kept weighting over her body.
Instead of insisting, the god seemed to accept this better since it wasn't a lie.
When Misaki felt his hand on her head, she could just look at him and blink as his strong fingers caressed her.
The message in the gesture was clear enough: Whatever it was bothering her, she should relax now. Misaki answered with a small smile of thankfulness, still surprised. Such actions weren't very usual of Thor… Not implying that she didn't appreciate it. Despite being one of the strongest-looking gods, his touch was gentle and even soothing.
Her thoughts weren't far from his own. He didn't care much for those humans, having learnt to at least tolerate their presence. Like Loki, he still followed the "school" more out of need than true involvement (although Loki seemed to be more amused lately for some reason) yet somehow he had started to caress the small girl in front of him before realizing what he was doing at all.
He didn't regret it. It was done and there was no harm in offering some comfort anyway. Plus, Aihara didn't seem much like herself when she had that dull veil over her eyes.
Some steps away, Balder were taking Apollon to the table, suggesting they gave the dumplings a try for the fun of it as he ignored the Sun god's protests.
"Good one, everyone should taste one!" Loki laughed at the idea of making this a kind of challenge game.
"You can only be crazy" Arisu muttered as Balder approved the idea. The redheaded was about to call her a killjoy when he noticed that her expression had amusement and that she was joking (though he knew she would take off running if someone tried to force her to taste one of those wasabi dangos). Balder still tried to convince Apollon to join the game as Isuzu seemed to decide it was better to watch it than interfere.
Her choice of kimono had been a black one with a single figure of a grey fish in the hem and Arisu thought she looked beautiful, but then again, it was almost everything fitted Isuzu well… Instinctively, Arisu ran her hand over her lilac kimono without figures except in the black sash that had a purple line in the middle and a drop of the same color in the center.
She knew she wasn't like her sister…
"Oh, c'mon, think about it as challenge!" Loki's laughter cut her thoughts as he passed his arm around her shoulders. Arisu raised one brow as she looked at him in a way that seemed to ask if he was truly crazy, but with a smile hiding in the corner of her mouth as she shook her head and delicately pushed his hand out of her shoulder.
"Yeah, yeah, who doesn't know you may even believe that little innocent face" She commented with a chuckle, still watching Balder and Apollon who kept shaking his head and pressing his lips together so strongly that they were white. "But I don't fall for it anymore"
A white figure passed between feet, going to the bank where his owner was seated watching the sky. Despite the long day, Yui felt at peace, with the satisfaction of seeing the positive results and like all gods, also enjoying the event.
A movement catching her eye, she looked down and saw the white rabbit she had seen in the first day here. The animal moved its ears, staying near his owner feet and rubbing a paw in his muzzle.
Tsukito looked to Usamaro. The animal lifted its head, looking back to him and then jumping to the bank at Yui's side and then to the girl's lap, who giggled and started to pet his long ears. The rabbit settled himself there, making himself more comfortable and closed his eyes.
The Moon god kept watching in silence for some seconds. Usually, Usamaro was a lot more reserved, let alone when dealing with humans (who he tended to avoid, actually). But seeing the white rabbit nestling in Yui's lap without a single signal of worry, moments of that day passed by his mind and he compared them to the standards he knew, regarding both divine and mortals he had watched over the decades.
"Kusanagi…"
Yui looked to him, not stopping petting the bunny whose fur was the softest she had ever felt. Taking in how still Usamaro was, she thought the animal was enjoying it too.
"You asked earlier if there is nothing I enjoy just for the sake of it" The god recalled, not once taking his eyes off her or changing his serene tone. "I didn't comprehend what you meant by then…"
Even used to it as she was, Yui had to admit that Tsukito's eyes were among the most piercing of the gods, which sounded almost as a paradox considering they were so empty of emotions.
It was a different sort of strength, she supposed.
"Even now, I don't know if I comprehend your words or your reasoning" He had revised her words as one would to a complex explanation, trying to make sense out of it. The way Kusanagi had put things sounded simple, but to him it felt something deeper in whose meaning he had stopped thinking since ages and ages ago.
She had remembered him of something, but only partially.
For a moment, he watched the other gods and the humans. Balder Hringhorni had dared to taste of the wasabi dumplings and now was taking deep gulps of water, face growing red and making others laugh. Takeru held a chuckle as well, seeming unsure if he accepted the challenge. The Hironezumi twins watched and talked to Apollon Agana Belea and Loki Leavatein, seeming also unsure if they wanted to take the risk or not. Aihara was saying something to Thor Meginjord (as always he kept silence and no one could tell if he was listening or bored by her), about a festival of her old school it seemed. Aidoneus and Thyrsos were sitting with Amaya.
Gods and humans.
The days passed by in this Academy could perhaps bring some of them closer (even if he hadn't believed it possible at first), but the truth was they would never be of the same species.
Yet…
"However… Somehow" His gaze went the silver light spreading in the sky and raining over them. "The moon seems to be more beautiful today" Was it because they were all together like this? It went according to what some humans said in their poems that were recited in such festivities. Maybe that had been what Kusanagi had been trying to say…
"Perhaps I would like to understand what you said…" He realized it. And it wasn't as a duty… He just… He just did.
He didn't notice the flesh under his skin moving, the muscles pulling a little.
A slow smile appeared in his face.
It was the first time Yui ever saw a smile from him.
The change was subtle, but potent all the same. His features became softer, the eyes remained ones that don't miss details, yet the emptiness was lessened… Whatever there was in their felt closer to the surface of his being.
He was immortal… Thinking about how he had spoken of his duties as a god, Yui imagined what would be if she was immortal as well. She couldn't fully imagine it, as a fish can't imagine what is like to fly, however…
Eternity.
Never stopping.
Never dying.
The idea made her shiver and with this idea, the meaning of a lot of this felt lost if you didn't have a limited time of life to appreciate them. If she didn't have a position, a duty, just something that justified her immortality (as well as something to do), then she would probably find her existence useless… Among gods, they all had a place and a domain to watch over, be it love, war, anything.
For someone immortal, perhaps that meant everything. And it was also as part of them as an organ…
A light warmth came to her face again, however it was different.
"I think that too" The girl said, not meaning just the moon but also that she wanted to be able to understand the gods and their positions and what those meant for them. And understand Tsukito, how he saw things. Perhaps, if she truly wanted to help them (and this had nothing to do with going home or not), she also should be open to learn about them, not just the other way around.
There was a gleam of red light covering their fingers and suddenly they felt the muscles relaxing as the rings separated as if they had never been stuck together in the first place.
"Hey?"
They lifted their hands, as if confirming it was true. Loki's words about the rings came back to Yui's mind, but she didn't understand…
"But… Why they just let go now?" Following the Nordic's terms, it made no sense.
"Because you understood each other, why else?" A known voice sounded behind and Yui turned to the grey eyes, still confused as Loki seemed absolutely calm.
"Wait a minute, we're not dating. You said they would…"
The god assumed a look of suave surprise, blinking to her words.
"No, I never said anything of such nature. I explained that they would let go once you understood each other. Anyway, why would I say something like that?"
"But… Wait, but you said that the rings…"
"Oh, the rings do "have a magic that make two people inseparable, therefore falling in love almost instantaneously and becoming enamored", that's all. It's just the common chain of events that follow each other. And I told you how you "just need to understand each other's hearts", remember?" Loki repeated the words from before in a sing sung way, his eyes gleaming in the night.
Yui was shocked and about to say something else, even if she had already realized this habit of Loki (hard not to after those months), but upon hearing Takeru's voice, the Nordic god just mumbled a "uops" and jumped away like a cat.
"Loki, eat those dangos, too! You're the one who put them with the others!"
Yui about to call Loki again, still in shock thought not truly wanting to stand up and pursue him. As if sensing this or merely missing the attention, the rabbit curled up and hid his muzzle on her stomach. Tsukito sighed.
"As it seems" He muttered, not showing anything regarding the matter. "He was tricking us" He wasn't sure this bothered him or not. On a side, they should have realized the trick in the words, on another he couldn't say that the joke (although silly) hadn't had something positive to come out of it.
Yui hid her face in her free hand, the other still busy petting Usamaro.
"Oh, we should have seen what he was…"
But she didn't complete the phrase as a pair of hands held her shoulders and made Usamaro jump from her lap with a fright.
"Fairy!" Apollon said loud, eyes wide once he realized Tsukito and she had been released from each other. "Does this mean you guys are dating?"
Yui had no chance of explaining, since Takeru was also there now. Tsukito didn't understand why they now seemed to be getting all agitated with the chance of him and Yui starting a relationship of this nature.
"Is that true, aniki?"
"Guys, we're not dating" Yui tried to explain as Balder came over to Tsukito, also insisting in knowing if that was true. The girl turned around in search of support, but Misaki seemed to be finding this even funnier than before and Arisu shook her head while watching, as if thinking there was just no hope, Ren was covering her mouth with her hand, yet Yui could see a laugh in her eyes.
"A little help here?"
Ana: Whew, this chapter was NOT easy. But to be honest, I'm quite pleased with how it turned out!
Yui: Let's hope Tsukito won't keep pushing himself like this.
Arisu: Well, not to be mean, but some of those gods -looks at Loki- Can be... Let's say... Thick-headed.
Loki: What? What are you looking at me? I know I'm handsome, but...
Arisu: Honestly, he is impossible.
Yui: You're telling me? See what he did to me and Tsukito.
Ana: Well, quality time with the Moon god. Better than Misaki and Thoth.
Misaki: He is going to kill me later for the things I said, right?
Ana: Can't say.
Misaki: Damn... I'm dead.
CameronEmma: Don't worry about sending reviews right after I post them or anything! Yeah, we checked the elections, even if we're not from USA or even live there. Glad it comforted you! Hope this chapter was good too, even if it is one of the "following-events-of-the-anime" thing (I did try to make the interaction of Yui and Tsukito more serious, though).
Loki: I was just trying to help and this is the thanks I get?
Ana: Thanks for what? You weren't truly trying to help.
Loki: ... Fuel for their relationship to grow and also adding fuel to the shipping?
Ana: ...
Misaki: ...
Yui: ... He actually has no idea of what he is saying, right?
Ana: On one thing we all agree: No one can ever say they truly know what Loki thinks. Yeah, Isuzu went through some really bad situations and Arisu doesn't feel like she is doing enough. And yes, Takeru is starting to see that the girls don't truly fit what he believes of humans, so he is starting to be a little more friendly...
Arisu: Who would ever think the Porcupine had a nice side to him?
Ana: He did try to make Arisu feel better, that's for sure. He will never stop being the Takeru we know, of course, but the hostility of before can start to fade now. Like I said in the first chapters, those issues won't be solved in just a day. And yes, I will do my best to develop the past and reasons of all of the gods, including Thor and Dionysus. I don't know how well I'll be able to handle them, since there are so many characters, but I'll do my best.
Misaki: What's the deal with gods and humanity?
Yui: That's kinda what we're supposed to solve here, remember?
Ana: To be honest, what I have planned now is indeed horror XD It will take a time, due to me being driven to insanity thanks to college. As for other places... Well, fanfics I always post here, but I also have an account on Deviantart (sometimes I post drawings of my characters there, though I still haven't made any of Kamigami) and a facebook account, so if you want to follow me there, I can send you the links n.n
Once again, thanks a lot for your reviews! They make keep this fic up!