42. How Do You Know Me?
Tomoe was running as fast as he could, his breath was fleeting and he knew if he kept running in such a way he would collapse.
'You make me sick'
The fox closed his eyes and pushed himseld furthur. The pain was to great; he didn't want to go back and see him!He didn't want to go back to a house where his father was sick of him and faulsly asscusing him. No, he couldn't take that.
It was raining to make matters worse, and all he was wearing was denum jeans and a wet jacket. His shirt was to thin to be concidered anything. The fox whimpered as he ran; his lungs started to hurt as his feet slowed and he started to cough.
God, It hurt.
Tomoe looked up at the dark lamp-post and the mucky rainy road. The only light was the lamps themselves and the moon. The lamps were dull and lit the streets with a brillent orange color. He was alone in a place like this...
Tomoe winced as he continued to walk, cars passed bye and whipped cold air by; chilling him to the bone an dmaking him shake uncontrollably. He was so cold.. but he wouldn't turn back.
He wasn't wanted.. His mother had said so long ago. She was his mother.. And he looked like her. Never did he think that his fox like appendages made his father hate him. Never did he wish to be something different than what he was...
Expect now..
Tomoe looked down into a puddle and swallowed as his sopping wet hair reflected back at him. He shuddered in hate... No.. He looked up in hurt. He liked who he was.. He didn't just look like his mother; he looked like Mikage to. The eye shape, the body.. It was like his dads; but..
He had his mom's eyes.
The fox swallowed and kept walking, not really sure where he wanted to go. Before he really understood where he was? He found himself in front of the grave yard. He looked at the fence and cursed..
Of course it would be closed, it was late.. One o'clock in the morning late. The fox swallowed and grabbed the iron bar in his hand. To be truthful he wished that his mother would come up behidn him and ask him why e was staring at people's resting places.. But sadly she wasn't on his side. She was on the other side.. In the ground..rotting away to nothing...
Tomoe choked; he wanted to see her. He wanted her to tell him everything was okay! He felt so alone. So alone that it hurt and dug into him. What type of teenager cried themselves to sleep often? Ha... Him. He did..
The fox leaned his head against the bar and breathed out. He had to get in there;he had to see her grave and try to think. Tomoe backed up a bit and looked around.
He didn't see secutiy cameras; It made him mad but also happy. Mad for the lack of protection and happy because he was one of those stupid people that was going to break in. The fox ran back and then ran towards the gate. He jumped and clung to the bars..
The gate shook against his weight and he held on until it stopped shaking; then he reached up and pulled himself over the sharp arrow like top. He landed on the jump and gasped out as his ankle twisted and cracked. The fox yelped but then covered his mouth as he looked around.
He only popped it.. Hopefully. He limped forward and looked around. it was hard t see in the dark but he knew the path like the back of his hand; all he had to do was find the weeping willow tree.. his mother's favorite tree.
The fox felt his way around and then with relief found his mother's tree. He pulled at its branches and rubbed ac cousre leaf over his cheek. Tomoe sighed at its smell; it comforted him.. giving that his mother always smelled this way.
Tomoe felt pain go through his leg and then his body. He yelped out and dropped to his knees heavily. Maybe his ankle was far off... he didn't think he had done something stupid but right now he was in servre pain.
He leaned his head against his mother's grave and huffed out deepm ragged gasps. His breath fogged throughout the old air; he pulled his head away after a few minutes and then leaned his back against the tall stone. He yanked his hood off with a heavy arm and winced out.
Tomoe's pain increased and he started to growl and hiss, " Ah..: He screamed slightly and gripped the ground in pain. Tears welled up in the foxes eyes when it finally donned on him where he was. He pulled his knees to his chest, hoping his pain would leave..
" Hey M-Mom." He winced, " How are you?" He whispered slightly but did not get a reply. Why woudl he? She was dead...
The fx winced when he felt memoires bioling up and making him sick to the stomach. The memoires were horrible. Draining him from his emotions; even after trying not to cry he has failed to do so.
And now his father was disgusted with him; Tomoe wondered how long he had looked at him and snubbed up his nose; the one person Tomoe trusted? Was a liar..
"Mom, You know how." Tomoe coughed on the cold air and shivered, " When you said life would get hard; and I had to cope with it?" Tomoe paused as his fathers words flashed through his mind. He felt a bitter laugh come ut of his chest and he turned his head to look up, " I can't.., I can't, I can't, I can't.." He started to mutter this rather quickly; as if he was trying to get it lodged in his head.
Tomoe mind flahed back to what his father said and his breath hitched in pain. His chest started to hurt as tears started to run down his face and collect in a puddle under his chin; and Thats when Tomoe screamed...
He screamed loudly; not careing because he was alone. Tears streaked down his face as is screams turned to wails and he choked on his sobs.
" y-You.. BACKSTABBER!' Tomoe screamed, His cest hurting and stabbing at him. He wanted to puke.. He wanted this pain to go away. He wanted to pain to stop! He screamed again and shook his head.. It wouldn't go away!
" M-Mom..I..." Tomoe grabbed his chest in pain and whimpered loudly, His ears flattened to his head and he looked at the grave, " I hate myself, Mom!" Tears ran down his face, hot ones... They stung his eyes and made his skin cold after they were done runnign down his face..
The fox winced and froze as he remembered something; he had thrown his rubber band at his father.. He didn't have it. CRAP! Tomeo hands trembled as he grabbed his sleeves and yanked them up slowly. His skin looked back at him with its pale marks.
He swallowed as his chest contracted.. Tomoe narrowed his eyes as new tears formed and without warning.. With hesitation... He lifted his wrist and titled it; his ran his sharp claw over his arist and maoned and hissed as a cut was made.
He hadn't done this in so long.. So it stung badly; the blood ran down his wrists and started to drip on the ground underneath it.. that was until Tomoe started to lick at it, smearing it over his mouth and chin. He gagged atits metallic taste but kept doing it... He moaned at the wonderful senstion of the cuts sting.
He didn't want anyone to see him like this. No one could see him breaking down like this; he didn't want pity. He didn't want them to see him as a disgusting person.. No one would understand his pain anyway..
" Mom.." Tomoe maoned out along with a whimper, " I'm so so..." He choked and coughed, " Sorry." He whimpered in pain and shock. He licked again and moaned..
" Ah..." He yelped in pain; blood dripped off his lips as he licked again. If his mother saw him he would be ashamed. What would he do? He didn't know...
The bleeding stopped slightly and the fox whimpered as the real pain set in. He yelped and chewed his lip as tears streamed down his cheeks and collected on his arm. It puddled and then dripped down slightly.. running down to the already wet ground.
Tomoe cursed and started to slit his arm again; But for some reason... A strange pain went through his arm. Tomoe yelped harshly and looked at the cut... What was that about? Blood started to flow out quicker then usual and the fox felt himself go lightheaded. He blinked and then shuddered..
'No, god please.. No, NO!'
He started to lick frantically, his heart pounding; hoping that it wasn't so. Hopeing that he didn't cut to deep and that it was all over. He didn't want to bleed to death! He didn't want to die! Tomoe hissed in pain and he started to wail and shake in fear.. NO! He didn't want to die! He didn't want to! He whimpered and then froze..
" HEY! What are you doing here at a time like this?" Tomeo froze and jerked his gaze up, he blinked away his tears as he saw a black kitsune standing before him. He looked atthe teen and titled his head slightly.
" Why are you here at THIS grave?" The man inquired, ' Huh Tomoe? " His voice softened and Tomoe went plae. Who was this guy? Why was he acting as if he knew him?
"I-It.." Tomoe voice cracked as he felt himself go dizzy, " The bleeding won't stop.." He whimpered out and started to shake in pain. The man blinked and looked at Tomoe. He smelt the blood as he looked down at the teens wrist..
He blinked in shock; He didn't think that Tomoe was a cutter. The man grimaced..
" My name is Areno, " He sighed and gently grabbed Tomoe wrists. He shook his head and then tapped it slightly.. Blood was gushing out and Tomoe looked lite headed. He coughed on his tears and the man could see how terrified Tomoe was.
" P-Please.. " The younger fox whimpered, " I don't want to die, yet.." He winced out in pain as the man pressed down on his wrist and then looked up.
" I don't think you will; you better be glad you found me." Areno stood and helped the trembling teen to his feet, " I am the yokai of the dead. I guard this place..." He paused and pursed his lips before moving forward," I have a shack nearbye. Since I guard the dead.. I can prevent death.."
Tomoe looked up him with glassy eyes and then man knew what was going to happen. Tomoe gasped in pain and then went limp, his wrist still bleeding fully..
Areno winced; he had to help him.. He had to now... Or he would be too late.
Tomoe moaned, his heart throbbing as bright light surrounded him. He blinked in fear and placed his hands down to feel grass.. Where was he?
He looked around and was shocked suddenly by something beside him. He looked and blinked as Nanami giggled and waved her hands around towards the sky. Tomoe gasped.. where did she come from?
They were laying on a picnic blanket and watching the clouds pass by; Nanami was blabbing about a cloud and how it looked. She giggled and then looked at him.
" You spaced out.." She pouted and for some reason grabbed his hand. Tomoe froze at the conduct.. and he looked at her confused as to why she was grabbing him like this, " Are you okay?"
Tomoe blinked; actaully his head hurt.. And he was dizzy. He felt hot all over and his body was screaming out in pain. Nanami flipped over on her stomach and loomed over him; making the fox freeze on the spot. he looked up at her eyes and they both blinked...
His skin started to burn more then usual as she leaned down and their mouths connected.. Tomoe was shcoked but his body moved on its own. He moaned and kissed fervantly. Open mouth kisses where being placed and stolen.. moans could be heard. Tomoe sighed as her mouth moved against his... The windb lew their hair about and his hands trailed through her brown silk like hair.
He sighed loudly and Nanami giggled agaisnt his mouth. It made his lips vibrate which only made him want to kiss her more and more.. The fox deepened the kiss and sighed heavily as their tongues danced...
Then?
Nanami looked at him and for some reason grabbed his wrists. She bit down and Tomoe yelped in serve pain; Then his eyes flew open for real.. the dream fled and he blinked in shock. What the crap? Why did he dream that? He would have blushed if it wasn't for a bright lit in his eyes and a strange pain on his arm.
Tomoe turned his head to see that Areno guy rubbing something on his wrist. Tomoe screamed in pain; tears welled upand running down his face as reality hit him square in the face. he didn't even want to think about that dream.. it was just a dream and it didn't mean a thing! He coudln't control them at all.
Areno looked at Tomoe and dabbed at his wrist lightly; watching his demon healing powers seep in and seal the cut up. Tomoe whined loudly and it tore at Areno's heart.. It had been years since he seen this kid.
Now when he saw him he was cutting himself and crying out at a gravesite as if he wanted to die. His medicine didn't heal the cut completely. it only healed the life threat. Now he was bleeding a little.
" Dab at your cut until it stops Tomoe."
The young fox gave him a tired and confused look but he did as he was told. He dabbed at it and sighed lightly as the pain started to subside but sting slightly. This was the feeling he was addicting to.. But he wasn't sure anymore. Not after passing out from so much blood loss..
He didn't even know why he was awake; but then again that Areno guy could have done something to help him. Tomoe looked at him and slowled narrowed his eyes. he sniffed and rubbed at his red eyes and looked at the man..
" Thanks.." He whispered, " I thought that I was going to di-"
"Why are you cutting yourself?" The man suddenly sat out and then sighed heavily. He ran a hand through his black hair and then looked at the teen. Tomoe started to whimper as teas welle dup in his violet eyes. The man winced.
" Why S-Should I tell you?" Tomoe slurred; probably from his blood loss. He would be light headed for a while.. Plus he had blood on his jacket and pants. He was also limping.. which meant he must have hurt himself in another way, " I want to know how you know my name.." Tomoe stared at him; his violet eyes staring the man down.
Areno winced. Those eyes and that hair.. It brought back to many painful memories.. He looked so much like Elisa; but after the family disowned her he never really saw her anymore; and now he was staring at her son.. He blinked and then paused before leaning on a counter,
" I called your dad." he whispered slightly. He watched Tomoe tense and the older fox wondered what was going on at home...
Tomoe suddenly looked up, I don't want to see him; " He narrowed his eyes in determination and the older man chuckled. He was just like his mom, wasn't he? He had an innocent glow but his body shape wasn't exactly from his mother..
" Tell me how you know me." The kitsune spat out rather quickly. The man pasued and smirked.. He wasn't going to give up; and even though Tomoe was dizzy he was clenching his fists. He tried to step forward but he stumbled and went rigged.
His eyes glased over suddenly and his legs locked; making him topple over. Areno winced and caught the fox befroe hit the ground and he helped him sit down on the medical table in the room. The man sighed and sat back on the counter.
Yep, Just like his mother..
" Alright, Alright, Alright." Areno waved his hands about when Tomoe glared at him and tried to get up again. The man was starting to worry for this teens safety, " I'll tell you if you sit down!"
Tomoe blinked but to the older foxes relief he stayed seated. He grabbed a bandage as he started to wrap his arms; then he looked at Areno and glared, a little pout formed and Areno sighed... Yep.. He even had her atittude.
" Okay, I'll tell you.." Areno paused, " Tomoe-Mikage.."
Oh! What is Areno to Tomoe? Duh, Duh, Duh.. Hehe. I bet you want to know! XD Welp.. Not yet! But here are the opinions. Lets see if you can guess it, Neh?
1. He's Tomoe's Cousin.
2. He's Elisa's Brother ( Tomoe's Uncle )
3. He's Tomoe's Real Father.
Lets see if you guys can guess it! Can you guys guess who he is? M'HAHAHAH! Until Next Time guys! XD