Walk me through the Valley
Disclaimer: Characters and premise are the property of Kazue Kato. I'm just borrowing them for a little non-profit fun.
Chapter Fourteen: Date Night
On their fourth morning at Yoshikuni's Shima staged a lie-in against morning spars. When Izumo pounded on the door to the otherwise empty room that the boys were sharing he just pulled his pillow over his ears and tried to go back to sleep.
After seeing Rin and Izumo sneak off together the night before Shima found that the thought of sparring with Izumo; and maybe, accidentally-on-purpose sneaking in a grope; had lost much of it's motivating power.
'It could be worse I guess,' Shima thought to himself. He'd broached the subject of the new couple with Shiemi in hopes of finding a kindred spirit. Even though it turned out that Shiemi didn't have any expectations around Rin, talking to her had still provided a bit of solace. 'At least I'm not disgusted with myself for having a thing for Izumo-chan. Sort of jealous of Rin-kun, but…'
Shima rolled on his back and stared up at the ceiling. December had been freaky. Sitting in the hospital day after day, not knowing if Rin would live or die, not knowing if he'd wake up or if he'd still be Rin even if he did. Week upon week of waiting and worrying if Rin had suffered brain-damage from his suicide attempt or had gone mad from the agony of holy water circulating through his veins. Shima had never gone through anything like that before and he never wanted to go through it again. 'If being with Izumo-chan helps fix what Yukio broke, I guess I can't begrudge Rin-kun,' Shima decided with a sigh.
'Mom and Dad would probably say I should've already know how it felt to lose someone 'cause of Take,' Shima thought with a flare of irritation. 'But I don't remember Take. He's just a ghost that I can't ever live up to.' Shima remembered Bon's suggestion that he and Konekomaru could check in with their families and grimaced. 'If I never go home again it'll be too soon,' he thought. 'Hell, I wish Big Sis would go away. I love 'em but I'm so sick of everyone wondering if I'm worth Take's sacrifice every time they look at me. I hate Kyoto.'
When Shima finally rolled out of bed the rest of the group was just sitting down to lunch. "We were about to go up and check you for a pulse," Bon commented.
"We are on vacation!" Shima exclaimed. "All we've done since we got here is train! This is Spring Break! Where's the fun? Where are the skimpily clad girls?"
"You know, Shima-kun almost has a point," Paku said thoughtfully. "We need to get out and live a little. Any suggestions Yoshikuni? Anything that you've been dying to do but it's too corny for a local? Now you've got guests to entertain, the perfect excuse!"
"Hmmm," Yoshikuni tapped her chin thoughtfully. "There is a local yozakura this week. It's pretty small, Kyoto's close enough that it gets overshadowed, but it's nice."
"I remember it," Konekomaru said. "I don't think I've gone to that festival since we were eight."
"Yeah," Shima said. "Kinzo-ni would whine and whine until he convinced everyone to go to Kyoto instead. He said the music was better at the Kyoto festivals."
Yoshikuni giggled. "Last summer, his band played a set at our little festival."
"Guess they're not ready for the big times yet," Shima laughed. Then he asked "Do you think they'll be here again?"
"You're out of luck," Yoshikuni replied. "They've been working hard. They're getting bigger gigs these days." Then she whispered conspiratorially, "And the council felt their music wasn't exactly suited to the atmosphere of the festival, too rancuous. The city council's a stuffy bunch."
"Your brother is in a band?" Shiemi asked. "What sort of music does he play?"
"I've never actually heard his band play music. Back when they were practicing around the house I did everything I could NOT to hear them, it wasn't music, just a lot of noise…" Shima shrugged. "I guess they must have gotten better."
Bon laughed. "I bet your mom's overjoyed," he snickered. "She always complains about the two of you being slackers, and now Kinzo's 'slacking' sounds like it's taking off. So the festival's a go? I remember the fireworks were pretty impressive, but I was a kid back then so don't hold me to it."
Rin, Izumo and Shiemi all nodded.
"Then it's decided," Paku declared. "Festival, here we come."
Yoshikuni was the first of the girls to finish getting ready for the festival. She plopped down beside Bon on the veranda. "Throwing me over for a younger woman?" she asked teasingly.
"Are you ever going to let that go?" Bon sputtered. "I was six!"
"And only did it because you felt obligated. So no, never," Yoshikuni confirmed, her eyes sparkling. She nodded toward the room where Paku was getting ready. "Your eyes go to her every time she walks in a room, Ryu-chan."
"You and Rin are both nuts," Bon insisted. "I don't have a thing for Noriko. I don't have time for girls-"
"Too bad," Yoshikuni interjected.
Bon went right on. "I need to defeat Satan and restore our temple. Then we won't need the True Cross anymore."
"Awful long term goals." Yoshikuni shook her head. "You oughtn't let them get in the way of having a life."
Bon's expression turned mulish. "That's exactly what I should do," he stated. "It was my old man who got us into this mess and he's one of the few who doesn't face any consequences: It was his idea to merge us with the True Cross, but he didn't join and if he had his way I wouldn't have either. And then when the Order started trying to push us around my Dad refused to have me involved in any of the arranged marriages."
Bon's raised voice drew the other boys over. "You think the Myodha will resent it if you start dating?" Konekomaru asked with a frown. "Ryuji, the clans do expect you to produce an heir eventually; they're hardly going to have a fit if you make an effort to meet girls on occasion."
"You and Yoshikuni didn't get a choice, why should I?" Bon asked.
Rin's eyes popped open, "You're engaged?" he asked looking from Konekomaru to Yoshikuni.
"For nearly a decade now. We'll get married after I turn eighteen," Konekomaru replied. He glanced at Bon then added. "Not that we mind." Yoshikuni nodded in agreement.
"I don't get it," Rin said. "Why would the Order care about who you marry?"
"They care about who 'counts' as Myodhan," Konekomaru explained.
Rin still looked confused.
"Too many people abusing their negotiation skills instead of dealing in good faith," Bon said. "The Grigori doesn't actually like that they agreed to respect our hierarchy, but they promised. So as soon as the ink was dry they turned around and started restricting who could be counted as Myodhan."
Shima grinned sardonically. "So our parents, in all their wisdom, went and arranged a bunch of marriages to make sure that everyone we count as Myodhan counted as Myodhan by the True Cross' definition." He rolled his eyes. "Bunch of Tamers on both sides wrote the agreement; that there were holes in it means they were all planning on taking advantage but the Order got around to it first."
"I got out of it because I've got a ton of siblings," Shima continued. "Both my sisters are engaged and one of my older brothers. And before it was even an issue my oldest brother Takezo married the girl who would have been number one on anyone's list to keep in the clans; Take was just perfect like that."
"And my Dad got me out of it," Bon sighed. "Even though he caused the whole problem to start with."
"Ryu-chan's parents infamously married for love," Yoshikuni elaborated. She held two fingers up with a scant glimpse of air between them. "According to the gossip his grandfather came this close to disowning Ossama over it. It was a real Romeo and Juliet type thing."
"What was?" Paku asked as the other three girls joined them.
"Ryu-chan's parents," Yoshikuni said. She turned to Bon. "Which was why your dad was really careful about looking for compatible pairings. They did everything, including divination, to figure out who would make good marriages."
"So it's not some big conspiracy that you and Shima weren't paired off," Konekomaru said. "You just weren't compatible. I mean Shima… well, lets just say his taste in reading material was already set."
"And Ryu-chan, with you looking at the marriages as a penance..." Yoshikuni shook her head, "Well, I wouldn't want a husband who was with me out of misplaced guilt."
"So you're looking for someone?" Paku asked curiously.
"No," Bon said quickly then stammered, "I mean..." He turned and glared at Yoshikuni and Konekomaru. "I hate you two," he muttered.
Paku laughed. "So you're free for the taking? Assuming your books haven't already claimed you. Come on. Everyone's ready, let's go before the festival's over." She grabbed Bon's arm and dragged him off.
Amaimon fell in with them as they strolled toward the glow of the lanterns lighting the evening around the old shrine. "What are you all doing?" he asked.
"We're going to view the cherry blossoms," Shiemi explained. "There will be some booths, games, food-"
"Candy?" Amaimon asked his eyes lighting up.
"Big surprise," Shima remarked upon hearing Amaimon's interest.
Shiemi smiled gently. "There will be candy. Have you tried Anpan yet?"
Amaimon licked his lips. "Is it good?"
"You'll see," Shiemi giggled.
The conversation died out for a bit. Rin snuck a sidelong look at Shiemi then turned to Amaimon. "We should spar sometime."
Amaimon gave him a blank look.
"It's a practice fight," Rin explained. "We'd fight, except we'd stop short of really hurting each other and we wouldn't be mad and you wouldn't kidnap Shiemi-chan or threaten any of my friends."
"You fight like crap when you're not mad," Amaimon stated.
Rin flushed. "I'm better now!" he protested. "I bet I can beat you without going berserk."
"Yeah?" Amaimon replied, interest coloring his normally flat voice although it didn't quite animate his expression.
"Not tonight," Rin said glancing at Shiemi again. The blonde girl was chewing her lower lip pensively and refused to look at either of them. "But we should do it before the break ends."
When they arrived at the festival grounds Paku looked around at the clusters of booths under the lanterns strung between the cherry trees and the people milling about. The crowd seemed to be mostly families with small children and a number of older couples. "Maybe we should split up," she suggested. It didn't seem like the sort of place where a whole gaggle of teenagers would be appreciated. Besides... She glanced toward Izumo and Rin then grinned.
Amaimon didn't bother waiting for a consensus. He sniffed the air a few times then started tugging Shiemi off in the direction of the food.
Izumo shyly glanced toward Rin. Paku made a shooing gesture at the two of them. "I want to see the crafts," Izumo announced as she stared at Rin.
"Okay," he agreed and the two of them split off.
Bon waited a moment longer then gave Paku a surprised look. "You're not going to hang out with Kamiki?"
"And mess up her date?" Paku shook her head. "It's about time those two made some progress."
"I thought Rin was making plenty of progress," Shima muttered thinking of the two of them slipping away together the night before.
"Oh they've got the angsty, heart-felt confessions down-pat," Paku said. "But they need to learn to have some fun together. Speaking of fun, let's go play some games."
"This way," Yoshikuni replied.
Shima considered the other four remaining teens and wrinkled his nose at the thought of being stuck as the fifth wheel. "I'm gonna make sure Amaimon doesn't get Shiemi in trouble," he declared. "At the least someone's gotta make sure he doesn't bankrupt her buying him candy."
Shortly after Rin and Izumo split off from the others Mike and Uke materialized. "You guys can show up without being summoned?" Rin asked in surprise.
Mike gave a canine shrug. "Festivals are rift with spiritual energy. It's not hard to cross over in a place like this."
"Things like this are an invitation to the gods," Uke added. "The humans may have forgotten the purpose behind their traditions, but we haven't."
"Just behave yourselves," Izumo instructed trying to sound stern but with a warmth in her voice that wouldn't have been there a week earlier.
"Shouldn't it be us saying that to you?" Uke asked, his tail wagging as he looked from Izumo to Rin suggestively.
Izumo blushed and turned her back on the two byakko very deliberately. She held out her hand for Rin to take. "Since they've apparently nominated themselves our chaperones we shouldn't disappoint them," she declared.
Rin gulped. He tucked Izumo's hand into the crook of his elbow and escorted her through the rows of booths.
"Don't you think they're awfully close?" Mike asked several minutes later. He brushed past Izumo causing her to stumble into Rin.
Uke snickered. "Much better now."
When Izumo didn't immediately draw away Rin tentatively slid his arm around her waist. Izumo didn't say anything about it and they continued exploring the festival.
At a booth selling masks Izumo picked out a fox mask without hesitation. "I got it," Rin said quickly as she motioned the vendor over and reached for her purse.
"No, you don't have to," Izumo insisted.
They both pulled out a handful of coins. Eyes sparkling with hidden amusement the vendor turned and absorbed himself in straightening his wares while they resolved things.
Rin licked his lips nervously. "I-if I pay it's sort of like a date." He waited for Izumo's response with a look of near terror
Izumo dropped half her money in her hurry to put it up and the two teens laughed as they scrambled to pick them up.
Rin paid the man and Izumo put the mask on. As they left the stall Izumo slid close to Rin and he let his arm wrap around her again. Uke and Mike trotted over, their tails swishing with ill-concealed glee. They gave the pair an approving look. "I think they're mature enough to be trusted alone," Mike decided.
"At least until the fireworks end," Uke qualified.
/That means you've got until the last firework goes off to kiss her,/ Mike projected into Rin's mind.
/But if you go any further than that we'll have to rip you limb from limb,/ Uke added.
Rin turned alternately red and pale.
"What did you two say?" Izumo demanded.
"Be good little sister," Uke replied as the pair turned to leave.
"But not so good that you don't have any fun," Mike added.
"I order you to tell me what you said!" Izumo stomped her foot. The byakko laughed and vanished in a swirl of mist.
Izumo turned her glare on Rin.
"They're… um… direct," Rin said.
"I'm starting to remember," Izumo huffed. Then she shook her head, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Come on, our 'chaperones' have decided their work here is done. Let's enjoy."
They wandered through the booths, played a few games and shared a stick of dango. Somehow they found themselves at the edge of the festival where the booths thinned out and it was just the moonlight and dozens of paper lanterns strung between the trees illuminating the cherry blossoms.
As they wandered beneath the softly illuminated petals Izumo felt a velvety band wrap around her arm. She glanced down and saw Rin's tail looped about her wrist. Izumo bit back the urge to giggle as the fluffy bit on the end brushed the inside of her elbow.
Even around the other Exwires, even though they all knew and accepted him Rin rarely let his inhuman traits show. Unless he was in the heat of battle or if he thought he was alone Rin's tail stayed hidden under his shirt. Izumo felt a glow of warmth at the thought that he might not feel the need to hide himself around her.
As the first fireworks began going off the Exwires regrouped on the riverbank to watch.
Rin and Izumo wandered up the bank from deeper in the grove and settled close together. Amaimon trailed behind Shiemi and Shima, his cheeks bulging with sweets. Bon, Paku, Konekomaru and Yoshikuni came down the path leading to the abandoned Myodha Temple.
Bon was in a grim mood. He found a spot to stand in the shadow of the bridge crossing the river at stop where he was removed from the group, he kept a wary eye on their surroundings. "There was a Noderabo haunting the temple," Konekomaru explained quietly to Shima. "With the girls' help we dealt with it, but you know Bon."
Shima grimaced, "Yeah, knowing the temple's gotten run-down enough to attract one of those would ruin Bon's day."
"Paku did pretty well," Konekomaru commented. "She kept her head. Even if she doesn't want to be an Exorcist. She's okay with this world, being a part of it."
"Yeah, knew that ages ago," Shima replied. "Did you think she was just going to abandon Izumo-chan? So how'd Yoshikuni handle it?"
Konekomaru glanced over to where Yoshikuni and Paku were spreading a blanket on the gentle slope of the bank. He turned back to Shima with a look of surprised. "You have to ask? She was great, I thought that went without saying."
Shiemi put her hands on her hips and gave Amaimon a stern look. The Earth King pouted a bit then produced a bag of goodies, he set it beside the blanket. "I didn't eat them all," he said, crumbs falling out of his mouth as he spoke.
"Because even your mouth wasn't big enough to fit it all in, broccoli-head" Shima replied tartly.
"Your hair looks like cotton candy," Amaimon replied. "Maybe I'll see if it tastes like it too."
Shiemi gave the quarreling pair a stern look. Then she sat down and patted the blanket on either side of her. Amaimon and Shima quieted rather than sniping at each other over her.
Izumo and Rin seemed perfectly content just to sit together, so the other let them be.
Paku took a few of the treats over to Bon and tried to cajole him out of his mood while Yoshikuni and Konekomaru talked quietly. After a while Shima laid back on the grass to get a better view of the fireworks. Shiemi absently decorated his hair with sprigs of clover while Amaimon reached over the two of them to get more sweets every now and then.
Izumo cuddled close to Rin and he rested his cheek on her hair, wrapping his arms around her, but didn't quite get up the nerve to actually kiss her. Mike and Uke, watching from the shadows shook their heads and sighed. "Well, maybe next time," Mike commented.