Today he woke up by the sound of rain falling on his roof. Drop by drop made a plop noise. He rubbed his eyes and yawned. No sun went through his room's gauze windows, and it seems to be dark out. He crawled out of his blankets, the patterns on it sewed by Mitsuba-san, pretty waves and lilies. He made his movements light so he doesn't disturb his onee next door sleeping for she needs her rest. Smelling the humid air outside, he slide open the door in stealth.
The rain is not very harsh, though enough to make it colder. The sky is grey, a dull and ugly color, he thought. There is no blue sky today, and no sun.
Sitting on the wooden floor build outside his room, his feet not even reaching the ground but the tall green grass was tickling. No blue sky and no sun shining today.
The sun hurts.
He remembers Kamui saying that. He asked why would the sun hurt, it's warm and gentle, and it won't hate Kamui. Kamui has the most beautiful eyes.
But Kamui just shook his head. He says the sun hurts to all Yato. They can't live within its gaze.
He thinks how Kamui is abnormally pretty and pale and an Amanto and hates the sun. Kamui needs an umbrella to get away from it. But today is rainy and the sky is grey, no sun. But Kamui still needs an umbrella. Kamui will always need an umbrella, forever! He laughs at his little lame joke, giggling, red eyes watching the raindrops. One hits his face, he scrubs it off, the cool sensation spreads on his skin. He thought at least today the lily would be watered without Mitsuba-san doing any more work. And Kamui don't have to worry about the sun.
Maybe he and Kamui will become best friends.
Best friend.
The word tingles on his tongue. It's so new.
No one's been his best friend before. No one really liked him much, other then his beloved sister. His face turns a little sad, biting his lips.
I don't need friends. He thought bitterly. I have my onee.
And maybe soon, Kamui.
* * *
After breakfast of miso soup, rolled omelet and broiled fish, he's full and ready to get his day started with a full stomach. He thanked Mitsuba-san for the meal, promised he will come back before twilight today and wore extra clothing because Mistuba-san forced him. And off he goes with his blue umbrella to the little pond.
Kamui did tell him he will be there early. He skipped along and jumped in all the water puddles, though there were no big ones because the rain wasn't too big so he was still dry. The rich soil wet is rather sticky now, but his shoes is made for the rain. The umbrella dripped water from the edges. Misty air surrounding the forest, he smell the fresh grass and leaves, mixture with some wild flower. He picked one up from the ground, a red one with little tiny but many petals, and another blue one with five big petals.
Red and blue.
He smiles as holds the flower and walks deeper into the forest, sniffing the nectar's sweet smell. Though none of it will beat the vague and graceful smell of the lilies. The woods even dripped with rain from the healthy green leaves, replenishing the plants' life stream. He thinks how the lilies will be watered so onee doesn't have to do as much work. There was no birds or little animals, but butterflies sticked around because their wing is not afraid of the water, Mitsuba-san told him that once. As he gets closer to the pond, he heard a singing voice.
Okita of course recognize the soft and strong voice. In the form of a song, it was still very beautiful. He could not understand the words Kamui is singing in. But it was a very mystic melody, not like he knows much singing. He runs faster now, with more anticipation and excited.
Through the tiny curve in the route, turn left--
And there was Kamui sitting beside a big tree with a dry spot underneath, humming the song and still holding his new red umbrella, blue eyes staring the blocked sky above the weave of leaves.
"Kamui!"
He runs a little faster, seeing Kamui turning around and smiling a little, and didn't watch the tree branch in front him, he's falling ---
A cold hand grabbed his waist and he didn't fall into the sticky muddy ground but into Kamui, who's wearing black Qipao today and smelled like wild flowers. Okita's umbrella almost fall out of his hand but was caught by Kamui's free hand.
"How did get from there to here?" Blindingly staring up in Kamui's smiling blue eye, and in mere confusion on how on earth could Kamui move so fast. Earth. Kamui's not from earth, it just hits him now.
"Never mind that, it's you the clumsy one who can go from walking to running to falling?" And now to the old no eye smile, his eyes was still pretty.
"Hey! Who are you calling clumsy!?"
"The one that just almost fall into the mud." Kamui teased, handing back the umbrella, but not letting Okita out of his arms.
"What are you ding?!" Okita struggled to get out, except surprisingly Kamui's seemingly skinny weak arms are quite forceful and strong. Kamui digged his head into Okita's shoulder, sniffing the air.
"Stop it!" He tries to push away with some giggles. "It tickles..."
"The smell... It's lilies." Kamui looks up, sea blue eyes staring into his soul. He seems a little surprised that Kamui did smell him and hug him, and find out what he smells like. But he nods proudly because he love lilies.
"Yeah, it's lilies. Me and my onee Mitsuba-san grows them every summer."
"I noticed it yesterday. Just making sure I'm right." Kamui let go of Okita but took another sniff behind his ears. "It's a faint but nice smell."
"You have sensitive nose." Okita smiles. "You smell good too."
"It's not a pure smell, not like you, Sou-chan."
"Sou-chan!?!" He complained. "When did I let you call me that!?"
"Me and Sou-chan are friends now, right?"
Kamui is staring at him with those sea blue eyes. Look into it, Okita can almost see the waves of the ocean, soothing bells by the shore. He blushes. Friends. Best friends.
"Yeah..." He turned his head around so he didn't have to face the eyes. They almost see through his soul. His own red eyes.
"You can call me Kamui-kun. I will only allow you to call me that. And my sensei."
"Your sensei?"
"Uh-huh. He teaches me everything, and he bought me here. He's an important person."
"Hmm...." Just a tingle of envy, but he also thought of someone like that, and that's the only person he will allow to call him Sou-chan, other then Kamui. "My onee can call me that."
"And I can too." Kamui smiles. "Say, your onee has red eyes too, right?"
"Uh-huh." He nods. He wonders why Kamui likes red so much. It's a stingy color. "Do you want to meet her? You can see the lilies, too."
"Sure, I love to." Nods, neat pink braid swirls, swoosh swoosh. "Another person with red eyes. And she must resemble you."
"Why red eyes?" Okita tilts his head, now opening his umbrella.
"Red is my favorite color."
Because red is blood, and therefore it is what replenishes my soul as a Yato.
They walked out of the forest together, a red umbrella and a blue umbrella.