I am pleased that you have enjoyed the first chapter of Jealous Rikuo? :) And I hope you will continue to do so in this last chapter. Yes, did I mention this was meant to be a twoshot? Hehe. Oh and since I have not received complaints regarding the Japanese words and meanings, I have not tampered with them in this chapter. Comments towards the reviews received will be written after this. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Nurarihyon no Mago nor its characters. I just love playing with them!

Jealous Rikuo?

Chapter 2: Ii kana...?

Rikuo and Tsurara walked along the streets. It was a hot summer day, and few people lurked around under the sweltering heat, preferring to be under the shelter of their cool homes with their cool air conditioners.

Rikuo had no time to change his clothes, though thankfully he was not wearing his regular black kimono with the blue haori, and instead wore a regular black shirt under his favourite maroon jacket and long black trousers.

He glanced at his companion beside him, who was walking along quietly, humming softly in the simmering hot air. He turned away quickly.

"Ne, Waka," asked Tsurara after a while. "What did Nurarihyon-sama actually asked you to buy? He could have asked someone else to do a simple errand like this?"

"Ah! Let's not worry about that, shall we!" Rikuo laughed nervously, and walked a little bit farther away from Tsurara, ahead of her.

"Ah, Tsurara,"

"Hai?"

"How-How does this guy look like?"

"Eh?"

"Just curious?"

"Well, uhm," Tsurara placed a finger to her chin, looking skywards in the classic thinking pose. "He has black hair that is quite messy I think. And he's got this expression that gives a first impression of a fierce person, but he's actually really sweet and kind. Etto - he has deep emerald-green eyes and I think he's quite tall -"

"H-How tall?"

"Uhm, perhaps a foot or two above me?"

Rikuo slowed down, calculating the numbers. He has a fair height for his age, but he was no more taller than Tsurara in his day form, and this boy seemed to tower over both of them.

Too distracted in his thoughts, he did not see a boy running towards him, holding high a toy airplane which wings were broken. He banged straight into Rikuo, and thrown off balance, Rikuo collapsed in a heap on the ground, the little boy on top of him.

"Ittetetete! (Ow ow ow ow)" exclaimed Rikuo, one of the places where the toy plane's wings were broken, poked his hip hard.

"Waka!" Tsurara rushed to his aid, and helped him remove the little boy from the tangle of limbs.

Said child allowed himself to be removed, and looked innocently at Tsurara. Setting him down on the ground gently, she smiled at him, reassuring him that she meant no harm.

"Look when you run," she said softly to him. Smiling back, he raised his arms in a half-feat to hug Tsurara, and noticing this, she bent down. He reached up and tugged her hair hard, earning him a squeal from the blue-and-black-haired attendant.

"Tsurara!" Rikuo cried, and hopped to his feet. He pulled at the little boy's hands, at the same time scolding him and to remove his hold on Tsurara's hair. Instead, the boy pulled harder, and Tsurara was forced on her knees, squealing. Running out of patience, he shouted,

"That's enough, kid!" loudly. Loud enough to stop the boy from hurting Tsurara anymore, and he let go of his hold slowly, his face crumpling.

Helping Tsurara to her feet, the boy dropped his toy plane and screamed to the sky, tears falling from his eyes and onto his cheeks. Alarmed, Rikuo and Tsurara tried to coax him, which resulted another high-pitched squeal from the kid. Rikuo picked up his plane and handed it to him in the feat of trying to stop him crying, but the boy took it and hit Rikuo in the head instead. Furious at the child, he stepped forward to scold him again when he was stopped by a look from Tsurara.

The girl approached the boy slowly and knelt to meet his eyes. She grasped his shoulders gently. "Mou, mou. (Enough, enough.)" She cooed at him softly. "Are you lost, sweetie? Cannot find your Mummy?"

To Rikuo's surprise, the little boy nodded, and calmed down a little, sniffing, tears still falling from his eyes.

"Now, what's your name?" Tsurara cupped the little boy's chin. "What is your name, darling?"

"Fu-Futa desu," sniffed the boy.

"Ara, Nakami-san's Futa-kun?" Tsurara asked.

Futa nodded slowly.

Tsurara smiled. "It is a quarter of a mile from here. Come, let us get you home. Right, Rikuo-sama?"

Rikuo, who was baffled at Tsurara's sudden warmth and gentleness to this little stranger who pulled her hair without warning, nodded.

"All-All right. How did you -"

"- know Nakami-san? Oh she used to walk by in front of our house in the afternoons when I do the laundry sometimes. We chat ocassionally."

"Ah, sou ka."

"Ah, are you all right, Waka? That bump on your head is rather noticeable," she moved forward, but Rikuo shook his head.

"I'm fine, Tsurara."

She patted Futa's shoulder. "Now, what must you say to Rikuo-nii-san?"

Futa looked up at Rikuo, his eyes as innocent as ever. "Gomenasai (I'm sorry) onii-san!" He said in his little boy voice, then he turned to Tsurara. "I am sorry too, Tsulala-nee-sama."

Tsurara smiled, and started walking, gesturing for her master to go ahead first, her hand-in-hand with Futa.

"That's all right. But do not repeat it, okay?"

"Hai!"

Rikuo glanced at them, wondering if Tsurara had secretly blew Futa some sort of ice magic spell so that he would remain obedient to her only.

"Futa-kun! You naughty little boy! I've been looking for you everywhere!"

A middle-aged woman knelt, her arms open as her little boy collapsed in her arms, crying softly. Patting Futa's back, she looked up at Tsurara, her eyes puffy and red.

"Thank you oh thank you, Oikawa-san! I meant to call the police just now oh I was so worried! Thank you so much!" Futa's mother exclaimed, grateful tears springing to her eyes.

"Ah, daijoubu desu(It's all right)! Why did he run away though, Nakami-san? Is everything all right?"

Nakami shook her head tearfully. She removed Futa from her embrace and gestured for him to go inside the house. She turned to Tsurara once more. "He misses his father so. My-My husband died a few days ago, and Fu-Futa cannot seem to grasp the truth. Now he acts very naughtily but the truth is, he just misses his dear father. I-I am truly sorry, Oikawa-san."

"No, it is I who should be sorry. My deepest condolences, Nakami-san. I did not know he passed away. Is that the reason why we have not crossed paths anymore?"

Nakami nodded. "Thank you, Oikawa-san. I have simply no time on my hands now that I have to assign myself on a twenty-four-hour watch on Futa. Again, thank you, Oikawa-san."

"You can seek my help any time you need, Nakami-san."

"Thank you. Thank you so much."

"You are very good with children, Tsurara," commented Rikuo as they journeyed back to their original path, having returned the little boy to his house. "If he had run and bumped into someone else, he would probably get a slap on the face for being so..." Rikuo rubbed his head, feeling the big bump. "...very naughty."

Tsurara laughed. "And all thanks to you, Waka!"

"Thanks to me? What did I do?"

The blue-eyed girl laughed once more. "Did you not remember when you were a child? You used to put out traps to catch all of us! Bright you were those days. You successfully caught me, Gozu and Mezu, as well as Kubinashi and Ao I think!"

Rikuo chuckled. "Now, did I? But well, anyone would have lost their temper if faced with Futa. How's your head?"

"I'm fine. But it's not his fault, really. Children tend to seek attention when they haven't got enough. They are adorable once you get to know them. "

Rikuo sneaked a look at Tsurara, awing at her gentleness and kindness. He understood that from myths, Yuki-Onnas are supposed to be cold and unforgiving for their element is snow and ice; and their hearts from rock-hard ice, unbreakable and not at all penetrate-able.

But Tsurara... She is different. Rikuo thought as he walked along. Instead of emitting coldness, she radiates sunshine and warmth. Just like her amber eyes. Full of life.

He clenched his fist suddenly.

They crossed another street and they could see the town center, now quite empty of people. He glanced at the mall, and sneaked another glance at Tsurara. She was still humming, but her face did not betray her excitement for today's date, if she did have any. When they reached the front doors of the mall, they stopped. The sun had reached its peak, and was now a couple of inches down in the sky, literally. It was about three in the afternoon. Dinner will be at seven.

Tsurara has four hours starting from now with that guy. Rikuo thought, and no matter how much he tried, he could not dispel that fact that she would be alone with another guy that he had not met, let alone know him.

"Saa, I guess this is where we would part, then," Tsurara turned to him, a small smile on her lips.

"Ah, I... I guess so," Rikuo muttered back. He looked around as they entered the mall. "So, where is he?"

Tsurara looked around, and brightened as she saw a figure not far off from them. Rikuo looked at where she was looking. She opened her mouth to call out at her 'boyfriend' when Rikuo grabbed her hand and pulled her behind a popcorn stand, concealing her from view.

"Ri-Rikuo-sama?" Tsurara exclaimed.

"I - uh - I need your - uhm - help?" Rikuo quickly racked his brains for an excuse, but he could not forget the feeling of her soft cold hand in his.

"Help with what?" Tsurara asked, confused at her master's sudden behaviour.

"Bo-Boku wa (I...) -" stuttered Rikuo.

Spill it out, baka. A deep male voice rung out within his thoughts.

You try doing it then!

I can't. The sun has not gone down yet. You're on your own.

"Rikuo-sama?" Tsurara inquired, more puzzled than ever.

Rikuo broke out of his reverie and laughed nervously. "J-Just forget it. I - uhm - I wanted to talk to you, for a moment."

Tsurara giggled. "You just did, Waka!"

Rikuo blinked, and grinned sheepishly. "So I did. Well, could we?"

"Mochiron desu (Of course)! Here? Now?" Tsurara appeared simultaneously puzzled and excited at Rikuo's words.

"Uh, ye-"

'Fool! You want to propose her in the middle of the mall, behind a smelly popcorn stand and sweating like you have just run a mile? Fantastic impression.' Yoru's voice disturbed him once more.

Rikuo fumed. 'First off, Yoru, I'm not proposing to her. Second, I'm not sweating. Third, I am absolutely not -"

"...ma? Rikuo-sama? You're spacing out again!" exclaimed Tsurara, waving her hands in front of Rikuo.

Rikuo blinked rapidly, and looked at Tsurara's innocent blue eyes. He stepped forward and leaned his face close to hers, scrutnizing her face and eyes, frowning.

Instantly, Tsurara boiled under his gaze, turning extremely red as she met his dark-brown eyes.

"W-Waka!" Flustered at the sudden intimacy, she took a step backwards.

"Tell me, Tsurara. Why is there not the usual twinkle in your eyes whenever something exciting occurs?" Rikuo asked, appearing calm and relaxed at their closeness, and instead curious to what Tsurara would answer.

"Is this not exciting?"

"Eh?" Tsurara turned redder than ever as she fumbled mentally for an answer.

Itsuka (Since when)... Since when did he take so much notice of me?

Something vibrated and rung through the air, cutting the silence. Rikuo blinked confusedly, and leaned away from Tsurara, looking at the source of the sound.

"You have a phone now, Tsurara?" He asked rather incredulously, staring at the bulge in one of her legging's pockets.

"Ah, he - he gave it to me, so that we could - communicate."

"Sou ka. Aren't you going to answer that?"

"He's - he's probably looking for me, Waka. I - I should go now!" She bowed a little, strands of her hair cascading down past her shoulders and hung by her bowing head, her hands neatly folded to her thighs. "Thank you, Waka!"

And in that moment, Rikuo never knew why he did it, but as she turned away to join the boy he did not like very much, he reached out and grabbed her hand and pulled her away, running. Tsurara who was surprised at this, protested for a bit but her master remained quiet as they ran through crowds and dodged people.

"Chotto (Wait) , W-Waka!" She exclaimed as he ran out of the mall, and poured out into an empty street. The sun had nearly set.
Rikuo came to an abrupt halt, bringing Tsurara to a stop just beside him, panting and breathing hard.

"Wa-Waka! Why did - "

"Tsurara. I - I don't know. I'm -" Rikuo glanced at his own hands, disbelief filling his face as he fully realized his actions.

What am I doing? This - This is not me, Rikuo thought. He looked up once more, looking at Tsurara's puzzled face.

"I'm - I'm sorry, Tsurara. I'm sorry I dragged you here. I-I did not know what I was thinking."

"Waka..."

"He must have been waiting for ages. You - you... You should go back inside."

"Waka, are you all right?"

Rikuo shook his head slowly. "I'm fine. Take... Take care."

Tsurara stared at her master's brown eyes, her own deep-blue orbs wide and curious. Her heart thudded faster than normal, now seeing that they were alone on the streets with the sun creeping closer to the horizon, threatening to dip out of the skies and allow the darkness to slip in. She could not understand her master. First, he lied about getting here. Did buying things for the Supreme Commander not deemed important? Why did he stutter so often today? And why... Why bother?

"You know, Tsurara. You are - You are like a kazoku (family member) to me. You are so important to us - to me, and if we - I lose you or be harmed in any way, I would never be able to forgive myself. That is why... That is why I have been so hesitant for you to - to...walk out-" He gestured at their surroundings; at the mall; at the people crowding in the park not far off from them. "- to all this." he finished.

Tsurara kept quiet for a while. Then she smiled. She shook her head and beamed. "Waka! I will be okay. I am a yokai, am I not? I am able to defend myself, and isn't that why you appointed me as your head bodyguard? I am happy that you regard me as one of your family, and I am extremely glad that I...can be of assistance to you."

My heart feels like being torn and glued back again, she thought quietly. I make no sense with my words and neither his, but...I will keep this to myself.

"Shitsurei shimasu! (Excuse me!)" She bowed her head a little, turned and walked away.

After a few seconds of walking, she slowed down. What was she doing? Expecting him to turn and stop her? This was her choice, and her choice alone.

As she reached the door that led back to the mall, everything turned dark. There was a soft sound, and suddenly, strong warm arms were around her neck, holding her close and enveloping her like a hot blanket. She stopped abruptly, her breathing slowed; her heart feeling as if there were a thousand yo-yos bouncing back and forth in it. Her eyes slowly widen.

"Tsurara," he spoke out in the dark, precisely near her ear. Everything multiplied by a dozen; their breathing sounded magnified, the extremely conscious feeling of another body leaning behind her and the promising scent. Her human disguise fell off and suddenly she was simply a Yuki-Onna; a girl in that plain patterned white furisode, within the Third Head of the Nura Gumi's embrace, towering above her; behind her. She could barely breathe with the feeling of his solid broad chest close to her back.

"Let us leave that boy to daydream on having a girl like you." He murmured softly in Tsurara's ear.

"Rikuo-sama!" Tsurara whispered back, her mouth open.

He chuckled softly in her ears. Then his voice turned serious. "I am not allowing you."

"Na-nani?"

"I will not allow you to meet that boy. This is... Well. Do you want to?"

"I - I ..." Tsurara appeared extremely flustered at their close contact, and she had difficulty to just breathe with him so close behind her.
Her master chuckled again, all tension lost. "That was rhetorical."

He let go of her, stepping backwards a few steps, but Tsurara simply stood still, wishing to drink in the thick suspense; to drown in the atmosphere.

Rikuo stared at her silhouette, smirking that same infamous smirk he often gave to his attendant. Unable to resist himself, he reached forward and lifted her off the ground.

"Wa-Waka!" Tsurara squealed.

He gave another smirk at her fluster and disappeared into the night, carrying his precious kazoku-to-be.

Over and over, over and over, I fall for you.
Over and over, over and over, I try not to.
Over and over, over and over you make me fall for you.
Over and over, over and over, you don't even try to.

~ Over and Over by Three Days Grace

I know. Rather sucks right? *sigh* SO OOC. *slaps oneself* Sorry for the Futa part. I just wanted to show how Tsurara is HEAPS BETTER THAN KANA. YOU HEAR THAT? Anyway *ahem*

Here you go, my comments towards some of the reviews:

Ai no Batafurai: Thank you! I hope you liked this chapter as well :)

Meiwaa: Hello! Thank you for pointing out those mistakes. I really appreciate them, I really do. I have consulted my friend who has inhabited Japan for quite a while now. About mou, my friend also states that it means enough. It is also used to express annoyance just like you have stated. So I stand corrected :) About domo, yes that relates to thank you. For hontou ni sumimasen, I stand corrected as well, as it means I am very sorry/I am really sorry. And I will keep the last one in mind. Thank you again for pointing them out! I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

DennouWriter: Haha. Perhaps that's because the first chapter doesn't have enough plot to cover. I hope this chapter explained everything.

And to those who reviewed, thank you thank you thank you. Now, why don't you take a little rest and review this, for me? I'll be posting another oneshot soon! To those who wanted a sequel to Departure, it is coming soon!

Adios!