I know I said I'd be back on Saturday, but this chapter was ready today so I decided to post it. I'll try to post chapter four tomorrow. And yes, Aomine is coming!
I'm also on AO3 !
[Kuroko No Basket belongs to Tadatoshi Fujimaki]
[English isn't my first language, so please be kind]
3
Tangled
Sana P.O.V.
It was already late at night and Kise still hadn't told me what exactly I would need to do for him to leave for good. After my ultimatum he gave me a playful smile and left me alone for the rest of the day, but I still felt like something was wrong.
In fact, I think I just wanted this situation to be resolved as quickly as possible. That's why I couldn't stay still, walking in circles in my room
The second floor was just for the family, so the fox stayed on the ground floor, in the biggest room due to the amount of coins he carelessly wasted. I groped my way through the night, careful that no one would hear me, dragging the sliding door and walking with light steps towards the fox's room. This whole situation wasn't letting me sleep and was annoying.
There was a dim light coming from the fox's room, so I didn't slam the door and went in at once. He had slept with one of the lamps lit, his clothes were a bit messy and I think he tried to get rid of them, but he couldn't do it alone.
I closed the door behind me and approached where the fox slept, placing the lamp close to his face.
The closer I got the more visible his real ears were to me. I shouldn't touch them, but I reached out anyway and let my fingers lightly touch his fur. That was... Pleasant, I guess.
Kise slept soundly on his back, with his arms stretched out, his face at peace. His features were so perfect and delicate that he seemed to have emerged from a painting, and his lips were pink and stretched, as if he were always smiling.
- He's really handsome - I said - that's really unfair.
I put the lamp aside and sighed. Why did the most handsome guy besides Kagami who was interested in me have to be a creature from a legend that shouldn't even be real?
When I looked at Kise again, his golden eyes were wide open.
-You're really here, Sanacchi - he said as if he was dreaming of me, and by his smile I started to think that he really was.
One moment Kise was lying down, the next he had already grabbed me and placed me under him, with one of his hands protecting my head.
- I knew you would forget this crazy story about ending our marriage!
- Do not misunderstand me! - I tried to get away from him, but Kise was too strong - I just came to talk!
- You came because I wanted you to - the fox didn't seem to be discouraged - that's how our bond works.
He lifted one of his hands and held mine.
- We are tangled, this will not change.
I think I should have been more emphatic about what I wanted, and maybe coming here late at night wasn't the best idea ever. Kise really knew how to be charming and the fact that even his breath was attractive to me was insane. I couldn't stop thinking that he had kissed me once and I started to wonder if this bond that he talked about so much would start to influence my life decisions.
- This won't change unless you undo this! - I said when he gave me time to breathe. His lips were too quick and skillful and were already playing around my neck.
I might be short on suitors, but I wasn't desperate, and I certainly wasn't going to live in the middle of the woods when I could barely manage work at the inn. Would it be too much to ask for a comfortable life without worries?
Kise grimaced, resting his head on my neck which I was sure was now marked. His nose seemed to move on its own.
- Okay - he looked up, then sat down and stretched out his arms - your first task is to help me undress.
- Really? -I got on my knees, but Kise didn't seem to be joking, on the contrary, he was pouting and avoiding looking at me - Didn't you get dressed by yourself?
- I got dressed because I remembered seeing humans getting dressed, but I tied so many knots in my clothes that I don't know how to undo them anymore.
This was funny and outrageous, but I helped him.
The clothes that Kise stole must have been too big for him, which is why he ended up tying so many knots around his waist, he just needed to be patient and he would be able to undo them, but the fox didn't seem to be a creature with that characteristic.
- Okay - I said - you can take off your clothes, but not in front of me!
I covered my face, but too late. Kise was already getting rid of the fabric so I threw him a blanket to cover himself. Kise placed a hand on his knee, then on his face. His hair was blonde and soft, and I still couldn't believe mine was the same color. To be honest, I was avoiding mirrors.
- We have a problem - Kise said.
- A big problem, yes - I agreed, peeking carefully to make sure he had indeed covered his private parts.
- I don't know how to undo our bond.
I blinked, silently.
- You are kidding.
- No I'm not.
- Of course you are! You came here, kissed me and attacked me naked and called me your wife! Of course you know how to undo that!
I pointed to my blonde hair, I was still mad about it.
Kise opened a beautiful smile, not malicious, almost innocent, despite what he was trying to do to me wasn't innocent at all.
- I think I hit my head too hard, or I never paid attention to how to undo this kind of thing, I just don't know.
I tried not to show any exaggerated reactions, I didn't want him to know how devastated I was. Would that be my destiny? Stuck with a lascivious, blonde fox?
Disappointment was visible on my face, and Kise approached me, holding my face gently. I don't think he liked seeing me sad.
- If I tell you I know someone who can give us some information, will you be happy?
- Do you? For real?
- He lives a few days away from here - Kise scratched his head, he seemed to really be trying hard to remember - maybe that's why I was nearby.
- A smart friend who can solve it all! Yes, I loved this idea!
I jumped for joy until I realized what I had agreed to.
- Wait a minute, a kitsune's friend can only be...
- He's not like me - Kise smiled - you'll see.
The fact that we had a plan made me sleep better, but we still woke up early, before the inn officially opened, to have breakfast before leaving.
My mother made miso soup and grilled fish that we had in storage, as well as a delicious rolled omelet and vegetables. I tried to enjoy it all since it would be the last time I would taste her food for a while. Everything seemed new to Kise and he repeated it twice. Speaking of Kise, he had dressed perfectly that morning without my help, I think he really only knew how to get dressed, but not how to take off his clothes.
- She will stop talking to you now - the fox said - until you return.
I nodded in silence. I didn't want to have to explain to my parents where I was going alone, but Kise said he could help. He snapped his fingers, and soon my mother didn't look at me anymore. For my mom and dad, I would be bedridden and sick for a while.
There was always a cart passing along the road and we decided to wait for one to ask for a ride to the next village where Kise said his friend lived. I had packed some food for the trip and hoped it would be enough.
As I walked away from the inn, I looked back one last time at the wooden wall and reddish roof, the wood carvings my grandfather had so carefully made, and the stone travelers' path that led to the entrance.
- You're looking at your house a lot, Sanacchi - Kise said - I thought you wanted some handsome man to take you away.
- I don't... How do you know that?
Kise smiled, I didn't want to admit it, but he looked really handsome in the morning sun.
- We are tangled, I can see your dreams.
- I doubt it - I crossed my arms. I was wearing a light blue kimono with a print of white flowers, there were waves printed on my belt. I was matching Kise's clothes, but it was an unintentional choice.
- Let me see - the fox put a hand to his chin - you don't like working, and you have a lot of fantasies about that shirtless lumberjack.
I let out a sigh of astonishment, how could he know that?
- I'm glad we're leaving - Kise said, a cart was coming - I don't want you to be near him.
- Is this a skill of yours? How can I... - I lost my voice, because my brother, Sota, was at the entrance of the inn, and he was looking directly at me.
Kise seemed to notice my change in mood, as he stopped smiling.
- Someone needs to remember you - he said - otherwise you won't be able to come back.
I waved to Sota when the cart stopped, it was big enough for two travelers to sit in the back next to the hay. I think it was the first time I almost cried for my brother.
The cart continued down the road and the driver was a friendly elderly man who was doing business in a town further away, he didn't mind giving us a ride as long as he didn't take any detours. I almost looked away when we passed near Kagami's residence, the biggest house in the village. He must still be sleeping.
Kise was silent as he watched me wipe away the tears I swore I wouldn't shed when I left home. He was right, I always wanted a handsome man to take me away, and now it was happening, even if temporarily.
The fox wiped my tears away with his sharp nails, and I let him, I didn't want to argue now.
- So - I was the first to speak after a while, I wanted to tell him that I was fine - where does your friend live?
- In the forests furthest from here, don't worry, this man will take us there.
- Distant forests? Oh, you mean in the village that is around the large forest that is said to be the home of an oni!
"What a coincidence", I thought, "Sota really wanted to go there".
- Not in the village - Kise said - in the forest, but we can go to the village if you want, there is a very good restaurant, I never went in, but humans always go there.
- If he doesn't live in the village then where does he live? There can't be many villages that way.
- He lives in the forest - Kise said, dangling his feet over the edge of the cart, like a naughty child.
- Impossible - I said, perhaps too soon - no one lives in the oni forest.
- That's the catch, Sanacchi - Kise pointed at me, and pronounced the next sentence in a lower tone, so the driver wouldn't hear us - my friend is the oni.