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themoonandfox · 6 years

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The Moon and The Fox (Kogi/Mika) Chapter 3: The Gardens

Ao3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12560736/chapters/34727231

Mikazuki cups the ceramic fox in his hand, his thumb gently brushes over the large exaggerated swooped tail. The design lacks realism, but perhaps it symbolizes the sculptor's own vision of the fox god Inari. But still, it is a gift in exchange for a gift, and Mikazuki treasures it as such. He draws the small trinket to his chest as they walk along outside. He does not dwell on it, knowing that he could easily get lost in his thoughts.

With Kogitsunemaru now properly dressed, they could eat breakfast on his veranda as promised. Thus, Mikazuki leads Kogitsunemaru the way. As stated before, it is not far. If anything it is practically across from Kogitsunemaru’s room. Mikazuki stops in front of the rice paper shoji doors and turns his head with a small cocky smirk. "Now then, Kogitsunemaru. I think you know the way now, don't you? Ahaha!" He gives Kogitsunemaru a light ribbing jest. Kogitsunemaru pouts lightly but smiles with a small amused chuckle.

Mikazuki reaches out and gives the door a light pull; the wood slowly slides across the track. As the door slowly slides open, it reveals the vast expanse of his living quarters. The wooden floor shines like a mirror. Unlike Kogitsunemaru's room, simplistic furniture sparsely decorates the large area. A canopied area covers his well made futon, while next to it sits a hand painted dressing screen. A simple wooden closet sits at one corner, while a weapons rack sits in the other. Lastly, in the middle lays a low table with simple floor cushions underneath. Despite the large elaborate space, Mikazuki's preference is to keep things simple. Though in his mind, he would have settled on a smaller room, but Hasebe insisted that any of the five Tenka-Goken must inhabit only the best in the citadel, as ordered by The Saniwa. Mikazuki wonders if such an order truly came from The Saniwa, or if it is Hasebe's constant need to fret over the smallest things.

"Excuse me..." He pads lightly into the room, opening the other side of the door to let Kogitsunemaru in. Most importantly, he wishes to set his new gift down in a safe spot. He settles it on the table, down in the center, and gives the tail one last caress. "Now then..." He slowly turns on his heels. "I promised you breakfast and a view of the garden. Shishiou always insists bringing in my breakfast. He enjoys taking care of the elderly. Ahahaha! Although, Shishiou isn't here yet, we can at least admire the gardens for now."

Mikazuki clasps his hands behind his back and saunters across the room. Though his movements deliberately slow, he walks with the grace and elegance of a trained dancer. "I hadn't had the chance to open the garden doors yet." His hands reach out and grasp the handles of the doors, sliding them open with a strong push. Bright sunlight floods the room, opening the air out towards the immaculate garden.

A multitude of small red, pink, yellow, violet, and white flowers decorate the crown of meticulously trimmed bushes. From across the room, they look like colorful fluffs on top of an expanse of dark green hills. Each individual flower a stroke of color on a canvas. “Breathtaking,” Kogitsunemaru’s eyes sparkle at the wonderful sight. Such a beautiful array of hues among a sea of green. The wonderful colors of nature. This must certainly be another form of human pleasure. Wanting to get closer, he quickly slips off his sandals before he enters Mikazuki’s room.

“Mikazuki-dono, I did not know such beautiful flowers bloomed so late in the season.” He ignores the loud gurgle of his stomach. Like Mikazuki said, Shishiou shall bring their food when it is ready. Instead, he focuses on the feast in front of him.

Even with the large expanse of Mikazuki’s room, he reaches the opening to the garden on the other side of the room with a few quick strides of his legs. Just like the tops of the bushes sparkle in color, flowers paint the weaving sand path below. The colors of the fallen flowers a wonderful assortment of earth brown. Bamboo spike up behind the colorful array of flowering bushes like strong organic spears. Each shoot trying to reach the heavens in a vain attempt to pierce the sky. Their dark green stalks just as smooth as his silky white hair. He fully takes in the beauty of the gardens.

Just beyond the thickness of the bamboo, Kogitsunemaru hears the soft rushing of a stream and the faint splash of leaping fish. The sound confirmed by the lingering smell of damp earth under the overpowering fruity scent of the blooming flowers. “It’s quite beautiful. Is this your private garden, Mikazuki?” He takes a seat on the veranda and pats the empty space next to him. A signal for Mikazuki to take the seat next to him. As much as he would love to explore the garden to its full extent, he could do so after a nice hearty breakfast. A white flower falls on his lap with the help of a small gust of mildly chilly wind. Gently, he takes the small delicate flower between his fingers and brings it up near his eyes for a better look. Five partially fused petals surround long wispy stamens. The flower, he muses, looks just like a twinkling star.

Mikazuki admires Kogitsunemaru examining the flower in his hand but quickly snaps back to reality. He does not want to ignore the invitation to join Kogitsunemaru on the adjoining cushion. After making his way to the veranda, he kneels down on the soft cushion and rests his palms on top of his thighs. Kogitsunemaru's question dwells in his thoughts for a moment.

"My garden...No...." His eyes, as dark as the early evening sky, dwell over the environment in front of him. The color of the leaves that decorate the trees a deep red from the changing of the seasons. Autumn not too far behind. A light breeze brushes through the air, sending the branches swaying in a hypnotic dance. "If it were my own private garden, I wouldn't be able to enjoy watching the young ones at play or have someone just randomly join this old man for a cup of tea. Ahahaha!" He tilts his head back with a hearty chuckle before shaking his head. "No, this garden is for everyone, all are welcome.” He turns to face Kogitsunemaru, still keeping his upright posture and hands placed on the top of his thighs. "As are you, Kogitsunemaru." He says with a light bow of his head.

“Ah..” Loud rhythmic creaks and thuds in the floorboards disrupt Kogitsunemaru’s thoughts. The footsteps quick and almost frantic as someone rushes towards them. Mikazuki knows who those footsteps belong to. "Ahaha..." Mikazuki chuckles once more, turning his attention away from Kogitsunemaru. "Shishiou, there is no need to rush, we all got a bit of a late start this morning.”

Shishiou is another fellow tachi, however, he is much smaller in size compared to the both of them. His body lithe in form, and he sweeps his wavy blond hair into a ponytail. He wears the popular tracksuit attire but with the pant leg on his right rolled up to near his knee in a rather unusual style. He carries a rather large tray with an assortment of dishes and one large pot of tea. The amount twice as more than what he usually uses to serve Mikazuki's breakfast.

While it is not necessary for Mikazuki to need an attendant to bring him his daily breakfast, Shishiou insists on it. Afterall, Shishiou exclaims, “Taking care of the elderly is what I do best!!” Mikazuki does not deny the he enjoys the utmost care that he receives from the other swords. Though he wonders if perhaps he might be a little over spoiled in a sense.

"Mikazuki-san!! Oh, and Kogitsunemaru-San!!" Shishiou greets them both with a large toothy grin brighter than the morning sun. "Shokudaikiri said that Kogitsunemaru-san just arrived and that you are showing him around! So, I brought breakfast for the both of you!" With that, he kneels down and places the tray between them. "Shoukudaikiri also told me something about how foxes really love fried tofu?" He asks in a perplexed tone with a small tilt of his head. The tray contains two bowls of rice, miso soup, fried salmon fillets, small plates of tamago, and, as mentioned, a plate of fried tofu.

Even before Shishou mentioned foxes love of fried tofu, the mere smell of the food brought Kogitsunemaru’s stomach from a low hungry purr to a loud roar. He desires to shove as many pieces of the food inside of his mouth right away. He did not need to ask Shishou or Mikazuki for the location of the fried tofu among the nicely arranged plates on the large silver tray. His hands pick up the the plate with no hesitation. “Ahaha, well we will soon find out.”

Without using a pair of chopsticks, he takes a large piece of fried tofu between his fingers and shoves it into his mouth. Immediately, the perfect flavor combination of umami and a light nutty flavor send his taste buds to a world all their own. A balance that compliments each other without one flavor overpowering the other. Its crispy outer shell hides a more silky smooth soft center. Texture, just like taste, simply in perfect harmony. The look of pure bliss on his face says it all. He simply nods in excitement as he shoves an even larger piece of fried tofu into his mouth. The ends of the piece of tofu dangle outside of his lips.

Shishou gasps, “Wow, you really like it, Kogitsunemaru-san! I will tell Shoukudaikiri to make you some more! He was already quite confident that you will like it, hehehe.” Excitedly, he bounces down the hallway he came from. Just as he reaches a corner, he turns around and bows. “Ah! Kogitsunemaru-san. Welcome to the citadel!” Kogitsunemaru returns the welcome with a polite nod of his head. His mouth far to busy chewing fried tofu. With that Shishou runs back towards the kitchen to tell Shoukudaikiri the good news.

Kogitsunemaru returns his attention back to the tray of food. He already managed to eat almost half of the fried tofu. As much as he wanted to simply keep eating the food without as much as even a breath between bites, he places the plate back where he got it from. “Mikazuki-dono,” he finally finishes his last bite before he speaks again, “take some before I finish it all, hahaha.” The other plates look quite appetizing on their own. Not as much as the delicious golden pieces of fried tofu but enough for him to be curious on the other flavors of food. Curiously, he picks up a plate of salmon fillets. However, he stops himself from taking a piece of the fish with his fingers like he did with the fried tofu. If memory serves him right, humans use chopsticks in order to eat. “Where are these ‘chopsticks’?”

Mikazuki reaches for a pair of polished wooden sticks, holding them up between his delicate fingers. "Ahaha, I believe you mean these?" He clicks the two wooden sticks together causing the sticks to move in a pinching motion. He took note of how Kogitsunemaru stuffed the pieces of fried tofu into his mouth using his bare hands. Such behavior may be seen as rude and uncouth in front of the other blades, such as Hasabe or Kasen, but Mikazuki decides not to berate him. Since taking human form, some of the swords took longer than others to adjust into their new bodies. However, Mikazuki is a patient man. After all, after existing this long as a blade, what trouble would it be to teach Kogitsunemaru the proper ethics of using a pair of chopsticks?

With expert skill, Mikazuki demonstrates how to use the utensils. He reaches down and plucks one of the offered pieces of fried tofu. The piece of food sits snugly between the pair of wooden sticks before it slips past Mikazuki's lips. "Mm....Shokudaikiri does wonderfully as usual." The soft slightly crunchy texture coats his tongue as he chews thoughtfully.

Deciding to give Kogitsunemaru another example, he draws the sticks down once more towards the plate. Using the ends as if he was using a knife, he pushes through the flakey meat of the fried salmon fillet. The pink flesh easily breaks apart, allowing Mikazuki to pick up a chunk and place it on top of a bowl of rice. "It'll take some practice, one cannot be expected to pick up such a skill so quickly." He picks up the bowl in one hand and scoops the fish and rice into his mouth with ease.

"Just remember Kogitsunemaru," he responds between bites. His voice takes on a more serious tone as he locks eyes with Kogitsunemaru, "We are now in human bodies, and the most important need in these human vessels is nourishment. One cannot go more than a day without the body feeling weak. According to Yagen, food serves as a fuel that powers our bodies and keeps us strong." Mikazuki pauses for a moment to tap the end of his chopsticks on his delicately pointed chin,"And most importantly water." The serious tone soon drifts away back to his aloof nature. “Who knew such a liquid that cooled our blades would also serve as something to keep us functioning? Ahaha! Perhaps that is why I enjoy tea so much, but then again, it's never out of fashion to enjoy a cup of tea!"

Another pair of chopsticks rests near Kogitsunemaru. "Would you like to try them out now?" He nudges towards them with his own chopsticks. "I can tell you are quite hungry already. Perhaps I should leave the rest of the food to you or perhaps ask Shokudaikiri for bigger portions? Perhaps a mountain of fried tofu is in order?" He gives Kogitsunemaru a sly wink.

Kogitsunemaru did practically inhale half of the pile of fried tofu in a wink of an eye. Large pieces now gone and digesting in his stomach. However, he stopped himself from completely finishing the plate. Like a light rush of electricity, his stomach flutters warmly in his chest. Mikazuki’s teasing twists his stomach in a way that differs from hunger. He watches the way Mikazuki’s hair flops over to the side and a faint smile to spreads on his lips. How he wishes to reach over and touch it between his fingertips. Kogitsunemaru’s feels the heat spread on his cheeks. “Ah….” Kogitsunemaru tears his gaze away from Mikazuki’s rather endearing grin and rubs the back of his neck. “Well, I won’t oppose some more fried tofu, haha! Or maybe even that mountain!” He winks back at Mikazuki. His own wink quite clumsy.

“For now I want to try everything else.” Everything else looks rather delicious on its own. The scent of the perfectly grilled fish gains his attention next. With the rumble of his stomach, he picks up the chopsticks near him and attempts to hold them like Mikazuki. He takes what he remembers from memory and from what he observes Mikazuki doing right now to hold them. He thinks he got it down, with three of his fingers pinching the wood between them, but as soon as he tries to move the chopsticks one of them slip and clatter against the floor under him. “Ah,” the bright red blush spread onto the tips of his ears, “I shall try that again.”

After wiping the stick on his clean clothes, he firmly holds the chopsticks between his fingers. Concentrating hard, he slowly moves one of the sticks. Good. None of the sticks fall from his grip this time. Carefully, he pinches a piece of salmon to place on top of his bowl of rice. In essence, he mimics what Mikazuki did. He has success. A small piece of fish stays stuck between the sticks. With careful movements, he moves the fish across the tray and towards his rice bowl. But it falls midway into a bowl of miso soup and sinks to the bottom.

“Haha...Mikazuki-dono. How do humans do this?” He tries to laugh it off with a powerful chuckle. However, a hint of embarrassment still shows through the cracks. The technique to hold and use chopsticks much harder than using his blade in battle. The art of using chopsticks must be a form of deadly martial arts. “Um, Mikazuki-dono. I suppose I can ask you for more help?” He looks at Mikazuki’s hand and tries to mimic how he holds the chopsticks. Though, he lacks any form of success. The scent of grilled fish almost taunting him with its delicious smell. He does not hide how he eyes the left over piece of fish in Mikazuki’s rice bowl. Its delicious white surface calls out to him. He wonders if foxes eat such fish in the wild.

Mikazuki observes Kogitsunemaru's dire situation. He notices the clumsy way Kogitsunemaru holds the chopsticks between his fingers. "Hmm," an idea suddenly strikes, "excuse me a moment Kogitsunemaru." He bows his head respectfully and stands up from his spot, heading back into the room. He knows what he needs, it is just a matter of remembering what drawer it is in. "Hmmm," he hums softly to himself once more as he stands in the middle of the room.

"Ahaha! Of course, how silly of me!!" He spins quickly on his heels and slips behind the curtain that shelters his futon. He heads straight for the wooden night stand that sits near it. Upon arriving to the citadel, the saniwa requests that every blade writes in a personal journal each night. Along with the journal, the drawer contains an arrangement of old and modern supplies. Mikazuki does not quite understand the usage of some of the more modern items. But then again, he lacks interest in many modern conveniences. While some of the others happily learn how to operate tractors or trade stocks on a computer, his desires are much more simple and sensible.

Mikazuki quickly pulls the drawer open and procures a rubber band. He is not quite sure why the Saniwa gave him these in the first place, but they appear to come with the rest of the supplies. Though Kasen mentioned in passing that rubber bands wonderfully secure pieces of rolled up paper. A piece of paper is exactly what he needs next for this puzzle. He quickly flips his journal to an empty page and tears out a page before shutting the drawer.

"That should do it," he mutters to himself. Mikazuki quickly emerges from his sleeping area and makes his way back to the veranda. "If I could see your chopsticks for a moment Kogitusunemaru." He kneels back down on the cushion and before Kogitsunemaru can even question it, he snatches the chopsticks from Kogitsunemaru’s grip to begin his work.

"Now, if my old memory serves me right, ahahaha! I saw Shokudaikiri put something together like this for the small ones." He folds up the piece of journal paper and places it between the two chopsticks. Within a matter of moments using quick fingers, Mikazuki wraps the rubber band around the ends containing the piece of paper. "This should be correct." He mutters quietly as he concentrates on the task at hand. "Ah...." Eventually, the contraption comes together with the snap of the rubber band. "Perhaps these will work to your advantage now?" He holds the chopsticks out to Kogitsunemaru.

Taking the chopsticks back from Mikazuki, Kogitsunemaru gingerly inspects the new contraption. The rubber band firmly closes one end of the chopsticks while the folded paper keeps it opened. To test it, he pinches the ends of the chopstick open and closed several times over small grains of rice in his bowl. Carefully, he pinches up a decent portion of rice and shoves it into his mouth. Unlike before when the food fell out, this time the chopsticks keep the grains trapped between their ends.

“Hmmm,” he swallows the rice in quick gulps. Rice, like the tofu, quite mild in flavor. “Such a simple solution, hahah! Thank you, Mikazuki-dono.” He politely bows in gratitude but quickly snaps up when the ends of his long white hair almost touch the surface of his miso soup. Swiping his hair behind his shoulders, he clasps his hands together in prayer. “Thank you for the meal.” Now it is time to really dig in. With a happy hum to his voice, he serves himself pieces of fried salmon on top of his rice. All but one piece make it to the top of his bowl. He barely has time to feel any sadness over the piece of pink salmon that he dropped before he tips the edge of the bowl on his lips and pushes the mix of rice and meat into his eager mouth.

The light taste of the rice compliments the rich and full flavor of the salmon. While not as delicious as the fried tofu, this combination still quite satisfying. He easily clears around half of his bowl with large mouthfuls of food. While chewing, he hears the soft chirping of the birds out in the garden. Its cries musical in nature.“Ah,” the cries remind him of what he held before he started to eat, “the flower.” He takes the white flower between his fingertips once more.

Holding the flower in arms length, he spins it between his fingers. Such delicate petals almost feel like thin sheets of mulberry paper. If he wants, he could easily snap it in half with a quick pinch of his fingers. Instead, he gently tucks the long and delicate stem behind Mikazuki’s ear. The soft white petals contrast nicely against the dark blue strands of Mikazuki’s hair. “I think it looks quite nice on you.” It quickly hits him. The action much more intimate than he intended. A furious blush spreads on his cheeks, ears, and down his chest. Quickly, he covers it by shoving more of the rice and salmon into his mouth. Though, this time, he can barely taste the food.

Mikazuki barely bites into his meal once again when he feels the sudden brush of fingertips on his hair. The gesture quite simple, however it brings a whole new feeling into his chest. Warmth crashes over in a thick wave and diverts his attention elsewhere. Before he knows it, his façade crumbles. "Ah..." A small sound emits from his lips as he sets his chopsticks down on the tray. Reaching up, he touches the flower tucked behind his ear. The petals soft and velvety against his fingertips.

Under every watchful eye in the citadel, Mikazuki's actions and mannerisms resemble that of an old man. Often, he laughs and brushes things off in an aloof manner, but at that very moment, Mikazuki exposes a certain vulnerability and confusion. However, the gears in his mind click right back. Mikazuki blinks and releases the flower from his grip. "Ahaha, my thanks, Kogitsunemaru." He gives a small bow of his head before he returns back to his meal. Though a crimson color remains on his pale cheeks.

'A fever?' He wonders as he stuffs a bit of rice and salmon into his mouth. Amongst the ‘fever’ the strange fluttering in his belly returns. Perhaps this is what Yagen described as a stomach ache? He remembers hearing something of this in passing when one of the tantous consumed too many sweets in one sitting. Perhaps he will make a visit to infirmary later and have a word with him after all.

Mikazuki eats in silence. He normally absorbs the atmosphere around him as he eats. The gentle chirp of the birds in the trees and the gentle sway of the breeze through the leaves bring him personal peace. His mind drifts to such a state until he remembers that he is eating with Kogitsunemaru. His usual morning breakfast routine wouldn't be so bad with company. "Are you enjoying your new found human pleasure, Kogitsunemaru?" He inquires while tilting his head. "You are always welcomed to join me. I believe the first meal of the day should be enjoyed in the peaceful solitude of nature. It gives me time to think since this old man tends to have a lot on his mind." He turns his attention back towards the gardens. A gentle breeze blows by and causes the fine strands of dark blue hair to sway back and forth. "The company would be most welcomed."

“Hmmm…” Kogitsunemaru shifts his attention from emptily staring at the wooden chopsticks in his hands to Mikazuki. The brightness of the crimson blush on his cheeks and chest still linger with a dull warmth. However, such a feeling feels rather nice in a weird way. Tapping his chopsticks on his chin, he flashes Mikazuki a semblance of a small soft smile. “I would love to join you during meal times.” Would it be necessary to limit it to such an extent? Afterall, he spent most of his time in his human form in the company of Mikazuki. Not that he minded. Perhaps this kind of feeling simply natural among humans.

“Mikazuki-dono,” he adds after a while of simply eating more delicious food in a calm silence, “I am finding that I quite enjoy these simple human pleasures. This food is rather delicious and amazing in its own way.” He pauses to set down his chopsticks on the mostly empty tray of dishes. Only small crumbs decorate the plate with an array of white and brown colors like the soil poking out underneath a large pile of fallen flowers. He leans over to pluck another white flower on a nearby bush. Its white color delicate between his fingertips. “But, even holding this white flower between my fingertips is a joy within itself.”

The same hands that delicately hold a small flower between their fingertips also end the life of so many others. He muses the irony of it. Originally built as a deadly weapon, he now dreads the thought of crushing such a small flower. Maybe irony is not the best way to put it. Kogitsunemaru holds out the white flower near Mikazuki’s hands. “Here, give me your palm.” He tilts his head to the side to expose his own ear lost in a sea of white fluffy hair. The faintest of blushes visible on the tip of the soft shell. The white hair trickles down over his shoulder and the ends gather on to the woven floor. “This way we can match,” he adds. His cheeks still burn with a red crimson but at least for now he shuts down any lingering thoughts while he waits for Mikazuki’s delicate fingers to brush against his skin.

Mikazuki draws out his hands to accept Kogitsunemaru's gift. The pads of his fingers linger over the skin of Kogitsunemaru’s warm palm. The skin feels smooth and unmarred by the heavy burden of wielding a sword. No calluses or blisters have broken such fresh skin. Even his own palms, though smooth and soft in their own right, still bare a blemish here and there.

To his surprise, he also notices that unlike his own short trimmed nails, Kogitsunemaru's are long and sharply pointed. 'The fox has claws.' Mikazuki muses quietly to himself. For a brief moment, his imagination briefly takes his thoughts away as he pictures Kogitsunemaru running them through his short-cropped hair.

"Mikazuki-Dono?" Kogitsunemaru furrows his eyebrows in both confusion and a slight worry.

Mikazuki blinks when he realizes his mind drifted away once more. "Ahahah! Apologies, Kogitsunemaru!!" He takes hold of the flower and runs his fingertips over the soft velvety petals once more. He has been so lost in his thoughts that he fails to notice that his face flushes pink.

"You wish to match now was it!?" Mikazuki chuckles and returns back to the matter at hand. He draws the flower up to decorate Kogitsunemaru's own ear. Curiosity crosses his mind. Kogitsunemaru contains numerous fox like attributes. The ear like tufts on the top of his head, the cat like red irises of his eyes, the fangs that peak out each time he speaks, and his claws that emerge from his fingertips remind Mikazuki of the wild creature. Mikazuki wonders if the long cascading white hair is just as soft as fox fur.

Strands tucked behind Kogitsunemaru’s ear seem rather loose. Mikazuki draws his fingertips and brushes the hair back. As he suspected, its texture soft and silky like that of fluffy fox fur. "Oh!" Mikazuki beams in amusement. "Kogitsunemaru, your hair is quite soft!" He chuckles out loud as he tucks the flower behind Kogitsunemaru’s ear. His fingers itch to touch the snowy white locks some more. Does he dare? Well, perhaps he does. He brushes his fingers through the ear like tufts on the top of Kogitsunemaru’s head.

The warmth of Mikazuki’s fingers upon his skin left him breathless. Time seems to briefly stop. He simply expected Mikazuki to place the flower behind his ear. Maybe in a similar fashion to how he absentmindedly placed the flower behind Mikazuki’s ear. Something quick and simple. Or he thinks it was quick and simple. But he did not expect the spine tingling warmth that lightly whisks across his skin from such a simple brush along his hair. Each small brush of Mikazuki’s fingertips along his long white strands of hair pleasurable and addicting.

“Ah…Is it?” He hears his own voice barely break through the loud rapid thuds of his heart. Though, he already knew. He already brushed through the strands himself, and he often happily muses to himself over its shiny quality. Its softness not lost on him. He prides himself as a sword forged by the fox god Inari. The feeling of Mikazuki’s fingers upon his skin and hair softer than any of the strands. He tries to laugh off some of the tension from his chest but ends up eating any words that may come out. On top of his head, Mikazuki runs his fingertips over the tufts of hair that resemble fox like ears. It is simply the tip. The very edges of the strands of hair that stick upwards in small spikes. No matter how little contact, his knees immediately twitch and a soft fox like purr vibrates from the center of his chest.

In a blissful and comforting daze, he leans his head downwards so Mikazuki could better access the tufts of hair on his head. His eyes slowly flutter closed as he slumps forward and purrs. At first, his soft purrs sounds like small exhales, but the longer Mikazuki keeps his fingers on his hair, the louder his purrs become. If anyone passes by the door to Mikazuki’s room, they may wonder when Mikazuki obtained a pet fox. “That feels…..nice…” His own words slow and soft to his own ears. Once he quickly pushes the tray away from between their bodies, he flattens himself on the ground and rests his chin on the firm meat of Mikazuki’s thigh. Mikazuki might as well have a pet fox resting on his lap.

Mikazuki's lips twitch upwards as Kogitsunemaru practically melts onto the floor. "Kogitsunemaru, have I acquired a pet fox along with an old companion?" His words speak in a simple teasing matter that hold no real merit. His long elegant fingers dance along the soft tresses of Kogitsunemaru’s hair by gently combing through the thick snowy white strands. His movements slow and exploratory, as if stroking a cat, until he finds his pace. His nails rake gently against Kogitsunemaru's scalp.

He did not notice the odd purring sound until it grew louder. Mikazuki's hand pauses and his eyebrow twitches upwards over the perplexing sound. "Ho?" His fingers slow once more as he rakes over the thick strands of hair. "Ahahaha. Kogitsunemaru, normally I only hear a sound like this when Gokotai offers his tigers to keep me warm." The tips of his elegant fingers stop at the edge of Kogitsunemaru’s forehead, the pads gently circling over it. "But with the changing of seasons, you may keep me warmer than any tiger cub."

“Hnn….” Kogitsunemaru purrs out some form of response, but, the words far too muffled to be made clear.

Kogitsunemaru's weight and warmth against Mikazuki’s lap provides even more comfort than Gokotai’s cubs. Occasionally, Kogitsunemaru’s soft hot breath tickles the fabric of his jinbei. While Kogitsunemaru melts on his lap, Mikazuki's own aloof façade crumbles. A warm smile spreads across his lips and his eyes soften in contentment. Kogitsunemaru looks at home in this new position. Though it may look ridiculous to some, to Mikazuki, he could grow used to this.

Mikazuki turns his eyes back up to the gardens. He watches as occasionally a red hued leaf breaks off from a tree branch and slowly joins the rest of its fallen comrades on the citadel's grounds. His thoughts drift like the leaves themselves. Kogitsunemaru finally returns home to the citadel after being lost for so long, and an emptiness in Mikazuki’s chest disappears. The Sanjou team is now complete, and at that moment, so is he.

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