Ten Miles of Autumn Leaves 十里秋叶 (Hana ✗ Sen)

[Mu]

Nishibyakko had forced himself to wake up in the early hours of the morning to make a decent breakfast for the still knocked out miko, snoring away on her futon. His head was still throbbing lightly, but he couldn't wake up the recovering maiden for such a trivial task. Groaning, he made his way to the kitchen with plans to make some porridge - something soft on the stomach and didn't require much chewing. He simmered down vegetables until they were soft, throwing in carrots and potatoes and some chopped up spring onions on top of the congee as garnish.

Not wanting to wake her up, the god silently slid open the door and stepped over his futon with caution, only to look up and see that Kiyoko was already awake and sitting up. Her finger was stained red, and she had pulled down her shirt to reveal a blossoming bruise. The god merely blinked at her before approaching, sitting down with his legs folded under as he placed the bowl of congee on a low table. "If you're not going to lie back down, you could at least stretch those joints." He reached for the basket of bandages and salves, pulling it closer to the bed before rummaging through it for the right salve. At least she knew how to take care of injuries while she was living here alone.

"How do you feel?" he asked, not looking up from the basket. He lifted one of the salves up, examining the color of the contents and the label she had stuck onto the front. Comparing it to another jar, he frowned lightly. "You humans are so fragile, you know that? Ah- I think this one is good..."

 

[Hana]

The god's approach was so quiet that the miko barely heard him slide the door open, lost in thought after pulling her hand back from her bruise...s. It hadn't been so long yet that she had forgotten the feeling of waking up like this, that it was more a recurring annoyance if the circumstances hadn't been so dire. She frowned, at least she had come out of that one alive. There's no really getting used to this, though. Making up her mind, the miko turned to face the door and haul herself up and off the futon with some difficulty - when she saw the god standing and looking down at her with a bowl of... "Porridge?" For a moment she blinked owlishly at the sight of him standing in her room, another futon just behind him.

"Like shit," Kiyoko replied a little dryly at his question. She did have the bruises to confirm that. And apparently somewhere along the way she had gotten roughed up more than she had noticed in the heat of the moment last night. The hunters probably didn't handle the miko gently when they had knocked her out and taken her to their hideout. "I probably look like it too." Forgetting about her modesty for a second - she hadn't pulled her shirt back on properly - the miko reached out to pluck a small jar from the basket, rolling it in between her fingers. "The small pot contains treated vinegar to clean cuts, that one you're holding is a finely ground paste to apply on bruises... Made from cabbage, tea leaves and wild herbs... And uh." She furrowed her brow. "Did you sleep in my room?" Her eyes lingered on the rumpled futon and the careworn look to Nishibyakko's clothes.

A meow made her dismiss the situation for a moment - though there was something really strange about Nishibyakko spending the night in her room. Looking to the slightly ajar door, her face brightened at her cat's appearance. "Yuta, c'mere! I missed you~" Grabbing the cat and putting it into her lap, she ran her fingers through his dark fur, something in her shoulders relaxing noticeably. Even if she had only been taken for not more than a day, there was still something about seeing her best friend that made the girl very happy after the ordeal last night. It was enough to make her forget about her own injuries as she rubbed her cheek against the small furry face with a happy sigh, the cat mewling and batting at her lightly with his paws.

 

[Mu]

He glanced behind him at the rumpled mess of his futon, pressed against the sliding doors as if it were a blockade. "Yes, I did. In fact, I'll be sleeping here until I think those dogs are gone," he stated leaving no room for any protests from the miko. Nishibyakko looked up at her before making a noise, hoping she wasn't thinking what he thought she was. "I actually have morals, girl. I'll just be by the door so I'll know when people are trying to sneak in." He opened the bottle of paste she had pointed out for him, sniffing at the green mush inside. It was medicinal, alright. "So make sure you have everything you need before you go to bed. Don't kick me awake or something."

The god's eyes flickered away. "And turn around and take off your top so I can put this on the bruises." She had been slammed around by those men, no doubt her back was going to be battered and bruised after such rough treatment. It would be hard for her to reach them on her own in the first place. As long as he didn't see her chest, it was fine. At least that dragon couldn't say anything - it was somewhat decent of the western god. After that, he needed to disinfect her cuts and treat them with bandages before they got worse. This temple needed to be clean and there was only one person here who was willing to do that.

 

[Hana]

"A-ano... what?" Pulling her purring cat away from her face and setting him down, Kiyoko turned to stare at the god once more. She wasn't sure if she heard right. Was he thinking he could sleep in here? She bit her cheek at his explanation. Even if the god hunters were still around, would they dare come into the temple grounds knowing Nishibyakko was empowered here? "I..." He did save her and bring her back home last night. But sleeping in the same room as him was different, somehow. She may have slept like a log last night but that was because her injuries made sure she was knocked out cold the moment she succumbed to sleep. But logically... Maybe he was right.

Yuta made himself at home on the girl's lap, staring at her patiently. Kiyoko shook herself and sighed. "Just make sure you don't snore or I will kick you to hell and back just to wake you up and we'll see who's not getting any sleep." Grumbling, she was almost pouting as she nodded in assent. She had a feeling he wasn't going to take no for an answer but saying that made her feel better. Running her hand over her cat's soft coat to soothe her wounded pride was something she very much did need after that. It wasn't very decent for him to sleep in her room... Right? Did common rules even apply to Nishibyakko?

Never mind, he's broken past many boundaries anyway. Let's just keep what we can and he was nice enough to save my sorry ass.

And, wait what? He was going to rub paste on her back? Why was he being helpful all of a sudden? "Don't peek," the girl warned with a small growl as she turned around, ears and cheek slightly red as she undid her white top and let it pool around her waist. The miko uniform actually made her form look more filled out, and without it it was pretty obvious that the miko had a small frame. Her shoulders were slightly tense again. "How does it look?"

 

[Mu]

He turned away politely as she undressed her upper half, turning back only to stare at her. She was... tiny. Incredibly small, smaller than he had originally thought. He swallowed his surprise, dipping his fingers into the paste and applying it onto the skin. It was a map of bruises in all shades of colour. Red, purple, even a bit of blue. It looked painful, and he was going to cause a bit of pain if he were to put any medicine on her. "It looks horrendous," he replied. Nishibyakko wasn't lying. It looked disgusting on her pale and otherwise unmarked skin. "This might hurt a bit."

Quietly, he began smoothing the paste over her wounds. He was surprisingly gentle, rubbing at the spots but not for too long. His fingers circled the bruises, rubbing it in to make sure it covered the whole mark but never pressing too hard. He kept an eye on the girl for her reactions and movements, instantly withdrawing whenever she made a sound to signify her discomfort and return with even softer dabbing motions instead. "You know, you're thinner than I thought," the god commented lightly, his tone was somber - unlike the usual sarcastic and jabbing sneers he could usually use to say such a thing. "Are you sure you've been eating enough?"

There was something peeking out of the bottom of her leftover clothing. A red mark on her skin, almost as if it had been inked onto it. Her face was turned away, she hadn't realized he had noticed. But something was telling him he didn't need to tell her what he had seen. As he examined it further, the more queasy the god began to feel. He blinked, he was... angry? Why would he be? Nothing had upset him. Letting his arm nudge against her clothing as he moved to get more paste, the clothing dipped slightly down to reveal a single character. Why would a girl like her have tattoos? How strange. Yet, as soon as he looked away, the anger subsided. Even stranger.

He needed to say something. The god had been quiet for too long, it was not in his character to be like this. This anger was uncalled for, was it even his? Or was it... "So you do not mind me sleeping in your room?" he forced a chuckle. "How naughty," Nishibyakko guffawed, his playful tone winding its way into his voice. "I don't snore. So don't worry. But don't you come crawling into my bed in the middle of the night, girl."

 

[Hana]

He didn't really have to do this, but applying it by herself would have been a pain to deal with... And having someone else's hands on her just was too weird to even consider. It was like having something nag on her but she was trying her best to ignore it when he stared at her, and the miko wondered what was the holdup. What did he think, that she was hideous underneath her clothes? She wouldn't put it past this man to say something like that. Biting the inside of her cheek, Kiyoko stared out the window with exaggerated interest as the god started applying the paste on her back. She didn't want to let him know that the touch made her almost leap off the floor if it weren't for the promise of pain that followed if she didn't get the bruises treated.

At least having Yuta under her hands was enough to keep her paranoia settled down. Having a pet friend really did do some wonders for the miko's temperament - whenever the cat was nearby, she had a tendency to lower her voice and she was more relaxed. Even around Nishibyakko. She ran her hands over the soft coat again, the cat's purring vibrating underneath her palms and making her smile - even if she made small sounds of discomfort whenever the god pressed on a painful spot. A small gasp here and there, but in general the miko kept quiet, only glancing over her shoulder when the god asked a question.

"Of course I do, I have that vegetable garden," she replied glibly, wondering what he was getting at. Kiyoko thought she was a pretty big eater considering she had to do it to keep up with her work. "... and the land takes care of me." It was the closest she'd admit that his blessings on this land took care of her.

She ate quite a lot of her own harvest if she didn't share it with the farmer's family and Hotaru, it was enough to put food on the table considering her crops never failed to produce enough for her. "Are you saying I'm small?" She muttered lowly to herself. It wasn't her fault she was the runt of the litter in the family even as a child. "It's not that I'm tiny, you're just freakishly big..." With that last petulant remark, she whipped around and stared at him in annoyance, startling Yuta off her lap.

"Why would I want to crawl into your bed?"

 

[Mu]

The god chuckled, shaking off that foreboding feeling. "But the land is an extension of me," he commented lightly. "Funny coming from you, you just said you would kick me." He was never going to let the girl go on this one, any compliments she made he would take highly and wear it like a medal. He was the one who had tended to this land and made it rich, she had him to thank for her plentiful crops. Even a drop of water could make the seeds grow into massive, fruit bearing plants. "Besides, even if you can grow a lot. Your cooking before was shit." Nishibyakko looked at the girl's arm, compared to his it was as thin as a stick. "Can't believe you're still standing."

He shrugged. "I'm not even the biggest of the gods, you're just a tiny little mortal." He barked out a laugh as he quickly finished covering the remains of the bruises, reaching for the bandages he had set aside - clean and white - and loosening them. While he was busying himself, the god failed to notice that she had whipped around to face him without pulling her shirt back on. He stared at her bare skin for a split second before turning away, using his hand to shield his eyes. "If you're bold enough to show me your chest, you'd want to sneak into my futon."

 

[Hana]

"I'm not tiny, I'm normal..." It was a bit breezy... And a moment too late, Kiyoko realized her mistake as the god's eyes rested briefly on the naked skin she forgot to cover up. She stared at him for a long, long moment, as he turned away to cover his eyes. Yet it had already happened. If only one could turn back time. His words caused her face to flush red as she yelped loudly, throwing her hands up to cover her breasts and whipping back around to hide her burning face. "It - It was an accident! Shut up!" Gods, how could she have been so stupid and absentminded? Shaking her head rapidly from side to side, she wanted to hide her face in her hands. Even that couldn't be excused in normal society, and she wasn't ignorant enough not to know. "I don't do t-t-that kind of thing, I don't even want to know what you're talking about."

Trying not to continue on rambling, she had let him see and hear enough of herself already, the miko stared down at her lap. What was she supposed to do after this? Pulling her shirt back up her arms and making sure she was well-covered, she turned around. And found that she couldn't meet the god's eyes or even look at his face without feeling that fresh mortification anew once again. "G-give me those, I'll do it myself." She didn't think she could handle staying in the same room with him and get even more flustered if he cracked one more joke about anything.

 

[Mu]

Watching her struggle with the embarrassment was surprisingly amusing, waiting until Kiyoko dressed herself before turning around. Although the miko was noticeably different from her, he wasn't going to deny that she did not look necessarily bad. But that was a thought he would rather keep to himself. Nishibyakko instead found himself thinking about whether or not she had tattoos in the front as well, as he had not looked enough to catch sight of any. He pursed his lips, still wondering what they were for or about. A girl like her with inked skin?

He pushed those intruding thought aside, turning to look at the congee he had set aside. It was getting cold, but there were things to do. Passing the bandages to the miko with a chortle, he picked up the jar for the salve to treat cuts. "Do you want me to treat your cuts as well?" The god's eyes twinkled at the miko, "Or do you want me to feed you instead? Choose." Him helping her out would be better than just Kiyoko working on her own. Besides... the amount of leaves covering the path to the front of the temple was beginning to annoy him. "Hurry up and get better so you can do your job, miko." There was a lick of worry in his tone, but it sounded almost mocking and teasing, the usual attitude the god had when he talked to her.

 

[Hana]

"I can treat myself," Kiyoko muttered in a huff, unwinding the bandages and laying the long strip on her lap. There was a small knife somewhere in the basket to cut the cloth, but the miko went for the salve first, deftly snatching it from the autumn god's fingers with a roll of her eyes. "But thanks for helping me with my back." She can treat the other stuff well enough by herself, and she'd appreciate it if he actually helped out with the rest of the temple instead of... Narrowing her eyes at him, the miko crawled closer in front of him. The pot of salve was briefly forgotten on the tatami floors as she poked a finger at his chest, digging in slightly. "'Puny little mortals' don't recover that fast even with just a meal, okami-sama."

Why was he even... Playing around with her embarrassment so easily? Her teeth bit down on her lip as she stared at him before trying to soften her red-eyed glare, not quite meeting his eyes. The embarrassment hadn't fully worn away yet, it was still too fresh and it showed. "I'm really grateful for yesterday and your help, but won't you sweep some of the leaves in the yard for this morning?" Because if he had been considerate enough to help treat her this morning, he probably wanted her to get well soon enough to get back to work. "And when I feel better later I'll try to make something good for you to have with your sake." There, a compromise.

 

[Mu]

The god snorted, "Would you rather go hungry then?" he stuck his tongue out at her, leaning back ever so slightly as she neared him. Kiyoko was a little too close wearing only a thin shirt to cover herself, but the god wasn't going to back down. "I can take back the congee and eat it myself, but you'll just whine about it." With a sigh, seeing as he wasn't needed right now, Nishibyakko relaxed, using his arms to prop up his back. "Eat it with relish, I don't cook everyday," he said dramatically, placing one hand on his chest like he was performing in an act.

At her trade, the god leaned back forward, a grin spreading on his face. "Your food is pretty shit, though. I don't think it's a fair trade." The teasing lilt to his voice refused to settle, he even tilted his head to the side slightly, regarding the priestess with cool and calculating eyes. Now that she had crawled closer, the god decided to try something else. He wanted to see that embarrassed fluster one more time. Using his index finger, he placed it under the girl's chin and lifted it up, gazing into her scarlet eyes without fear. "Give me something more, and I'll consider it fair."

Like the wind, the god shrank away and stood up, but not before his finger brushed against the smoothness of her skin. "Watch," he said like a command, before pushing the sliding doors open to show a side view of the gardens. Though the main path was out of view, this would be enough to show what he meant. The western god stood with his feet apart, gazing out at the orange and red scenery laid out before him. His hakama and yukata seemed to rustle like the wind was moving them, but there was not a breeze in the sky. Holding out a finger, his long hair shuffling against the silk of his clothes, he waved it across in front of him. "Tachisaru," Nishibyakko murmured, his eyes glowing with a mysterious but warm light. As if on command, the leaves began to move, swirling and gathering like a cyclone of scarlet. Like ribbons in the sky, they snaked across the open air. An aurora of leaves, fluttering away and taking all others like it with it. Soon, the grounds of the temple were clean, as if no leaves had fallen from the autumn season at all. He turned around, blinking at Kiyoko with a small smile and a shrug like what he had just done was no big deal. "You owe me."

 

[Hana]

Despite all the bluster and prickliness that made up a part of the girl, it was true that she was still naive in some areas. As isolated as she was, both by her own and the villagers' desires, she missed some things despite growing up in an inhospitable childhood in a life marked by the Hayashi officially adopting her. It showed in the subconscious way the miko had leaned in slightly, unaware of her own actions and what they could mean to a man as she noticed him leaning back. What was a childish assertion in jabbing her finger on his chest would have been seen as a coy flirtation from one of the prostitutes in larger settlements, and that was probably what Nishibyakko saw if it wasn't for the fact that the miko's red-eyed gaze was half belligerent, and the rest tentatively asking. Neither did she realize that looking at a man that way while biting her lip was meant as an invitation.

Obviously, Kiyoko knew nothing about what she was doing. All she was thinking now was how much she wanted to wipe the arrogant look that was spreading across the god's face once again, and the urge rose even worse as he insulted her cooking. Here she was, trying to cooperate with him and he once again called her cooking shit to her face. An angry flush rose to the miko's cheeks as she moved to pull back, ready to snap at him. And then Nishibyakko suddenly leaned forward this time, finger tipping up the girl's chin.

All thoughts immediately stuttered to a halt as he made her look into his eyes, something about his movements holding her captive as a strange shiver shot down her spine. She hadn't known he would suddenly do something like it, much like how he had surprised her the few other times he leaned into her space though this time she intruded purposely on his first. For a moment all she could do was stare as he spoke in a strangely smooth tone that called anyone's attention. "W-what?" The miko's voice cracked just a tad. He was confusing her, yet his words and actions had a far more stronger effect even in the miko's innocence. Her cheeks blushed red at his touch, as if a single touch of his finger could do such a thing-

He moved away with a parting brush of his finger to her skin, and she could not do anything but watch at his command. The sliding doors to the outside of the room slid open sharply and she could see the autumnal shades in the scenery outside. As Nishibyakko had said, even a missed afternoon or morning of sweeping fallen leaves had caused quite a mess. The numerous trees in the lush surroundings were a blessing and a curse in some ways. Her eyes widened as the god did a feat that likely no one in Ochiba had witnessed.

"E-eh." At his half-smile the girl's blush came back to life with a vengeance, Kiyoko avoiding his eyes, unnerved at what he had done and what she had seen. Her offer of a meal did seem awfully pitiable compared to what Nishibyakko was capable of with just a wave of his hand, but what could she give him? "I... I'll think of something," she offered lamely, blinking down at the tatami mats by his feet. "Once I'm well enough-" An idea popped up in her head, and she gasped slightly. "W-would you like a ceremonial rite done in your honor?" It had been a while since she had seriously done that dance to honor the god and the temple, but him watching made the girl anxious.

 

[Mu]

As the god held his hand out, a single leaf drifted from the flying ribbons of leaves, fluttering like paper into his hand. It looked quite beautiful and delicate, showing a fine gradient of a persimmon red to a sunset orange. It branched out into three sections and had a strong, sturdy stalk. Holding it, Nishibyakko twirled it in his fingers, staring at what used to define him as a god. The god of autumn, who was said to take a break from blacksmithing to run through the fields. A powerful tiger that raced across the land, even being able to walk on water, leaving the season in his wake. It was like he cast a spell for the trees to age and begin to wild, and the deep greens of summer would fade to replace it with a wash of the sunset. The crops would be blessed to grow well, and the people would leave a little of their harvests for him to feast and sleep through the winter months.

He sighed, remembering those days were no more. People feared him now. Autumn no longer represented change and growth, but of death and suffering. Famine, and their precious tools rusting into dust. That was all Nishibyakko now. If not for his followers... he turned to look at Kiyoko staring wide eyed at his performance, the god wasn't very sure what would happen to him. Gods who did not have followers were not gods, they were just powerful beings. Lonely beings.

Slowly, he stepped towards the girl, his eyes fixated on her face as if he wanted to memorize everything about it. Pale violet eyes gleamed as he leaned down, tucking the golden leaf just by her ear, fitting it into her hair. "It's been a long time since I watched a show," he murmured. "Will you even meet my standards?"

"Moreover... are you going to eat your food or not?!

 

[Hana]

Though she was avoiding his eyes, her stare wavered a bit upwards as the god stalked forward on the tatami floor. He was holding something in his hand, and in the brief glimpse of it she caught before he leaned down it was a reddish-golden leaf that shimmered unlike a normal one. The girl's breath stuttered lightly as she felt his fingers nestle the leaf into her hair, brushing against the back of her ear. She raised a hand to touch the leaf he settled there after he had pulled away, startled. What was that for? Kiyoko didn't take the strange leaf from her hair and instead raised her gaze to the god. "You'll be surprised," she remarked, for once determined to prove his low expectations of her wrong.

She blinked once again at his next remark, which sounded more like him as the annoyed tone returned to his words. Following his gaze to the steaming bowl he had set down on the low table, she shrugged. "Alright alright, I will." He sure was pushy. Crawling over to the table, she sat herself in front of it and looked down. Congee, something that should have been simple to make but knowing Nishibyakko... It was probably much better than if she tried to make the same dish. The smell that wafted up from the bowl and into her nose just backed that up.

"Aren't you also going to eat?" Kiyoko looked away from the food to raise a brow at him, taking up the spoon. He was the one usually hankering to get a bite to eat first, either from offerings or from cooking food. After muttering a thanks to the god for the food, she tasted it for the first bite. A pause. Then she dug in, eating faster and surprised at how hungry she was before she realized that they hadn't had supper the night before.

 

[Mu]

"Surprised?" Nishibyakko sat himself down, stretching out on the tatami mat until he was laying on his side, using one arm to prop his head up lazily. He yawned, tracing the patterns off the woven grass, feeling the repetition under his fingers. Silently, he watched Kiyoko dig into the meal he had prepared with effort. Woken up so early in the morning hours to find the ingredients needed and finding enough time to boil the rice long enough for it to be mushy. Unlike the miko, the god had not gotten his full day's worth of sleep. "I've already eaten," Nishibyakko rolled his eyes at her. "Unlike somebody, I woke up early."

He was staring at her with an amused tilt of his lips "You know, the biggest shrine dedicated to me had such well-endowed women," the god recalled with an exaggerated sigh. His eyes traveled up to the wall behind her, pupils fading out as he recollected certain memories and looked over scenes only he knew of, and were now in reality a whisper of the past. "They wore colorful silks and presented the best sake man could offer, and danced for hours and hours without tiring. It was interesting." His gaze fell back on her, "You need to work hard to impress me, since your chest is flatter than this tatami," he guffawed before bursting into laughter, having - in his opinion - cracked a hilarious joke.

 

[Hana]

Loathe as Kiyoko was to admit it, the congee was good. She scowled at him over her bowl, pointedly fixing her gaze on her food and digging the spoon just a little harder into the mushy goodness at his words. Why did I even ask? Of course he had already eaten, the sunlight flooding in through the window and the opened doorway told her how late it was in the morning already. "Never mind that I asked for you, then." With the same sarcasm he used lacing her voice, she sighed and continued on eating. It was a big bowl, that even as the girl ate ravenously she hadn't even gotten through it halfway. Scoping up a softened potato, she wondered how many ingredients he had just taken from the stock. She'd have to go to the vegetable garden later and see if there were ripened ones she could take.

Her eyes flickered to his face as he suddenly spoke out of turn, surprising her... And then once again ticking the miko off. It was curiosity at first as he spoke about a past shrine, then confusion as he spoke about 'well-endowed' women. What did he mean by that? Which then turned into simmering anger as he pointed out the flatness of her chest. Eyes flashing with ire, she set down the bowl on the table with a clatter and pointed at him. "What is it to you if my chest is flat? You-" She spluttered as she realized he had just commented on her chest after seeing it earlier.

She smacked her fist on the table and glared. "I'll make you eat your words!" Having no other better comeback as he laughed uproariously loud, she glowered at him. "If I surprise you, you had better help out more in the temple work. Kami no baka!"

 

[Mu]

"If you're wondering how many ingredients I used, don't worry." He waved his hand at her nonchalantly, shoving the question out of the window. He had used a lot of vegetables from the garden they had harvested to make the congee. There was still a huge vat of it left if she wanted to eat more, in fact, he wanted her to finish it. "Until you get better, you should stick to rice porridge. Or soup, if I can be bothered." The god shrugged where he lay, reaching back with a free hand to massage his shoulders. Working around the temple was hard work, not as a bad as the forges, but almost as tiring.

He had used a bit of his powers to force some of the crops to grow. They had swelled to full size, plump tomatos and potatoes almost erupting out of the rich earth. Pumpkins were fattening themselves up, drinking up the power that poured from his fingertips. Gathering everything he had managed to grow so he would not leave any evidence of his tampering, he restocked the larder so that they wouldn't starve during the winter months.

Though his eyes were closed, he smiled at the miko. "Bigger breasts are just more attractive..." As he rubbed away at the tense muscles, he suddenly stopped and opened his eyes, staring at Kiyoko with a surprised expression. "Kami no baka?" he spluttered, his eyes widening slightly. This was unexpected. But he burst into laughter at her name for him, a challenge twinkling his eyes. "Why are you even angry? What, you want me to be attracted to you? Orokashi onnanoko," he chortled. "Come back to me when you turn into a woman, I might consider it."

 

[Hana]

There was a brief taste of triumph somewhere in the way Nishibyakko suddenly spluttered at her words, but it died a quick and painful death when he just roared in laughter. Kiyoko fumed at him from the table, "Who the heck would want you to like them?" When he worded it like that, it sounded simply incriminating on her. And so arrogant. He thought he was funny, but he just sounded full of hot air. She turned away from him pointedly, focusing on finishing her food and picking up the bowl. He was just an irritating fly... Yes, she could pretend he was that. Especially when he just poked and prodded fun at her. One day, and soon, she was going to catch him off-guard and see how he liked that. It could start with the day she put together the kagura dance for him and made him eat his words, that was a promise.

The room was silent for some time, the miko focused on eating and regaining her strength and the god lounging about lazily inside. There was still the dubious thought of having him stay inside her room, but he had sounded so forbidding earlier that she couldn't breach the subject with him again. So she simply focused on the admittedly good congee, which was apparently made from ingredients he pulled out of his ass. She was still going to check later.

"What were you doing yesterday?" It was after she had finished most of the bowl that the miko spoke up, her hunger mostly sated for the time being. She stared at him from where he was laying with his eyes closed on the floor, his clothing rumpled as if he hadn't changed at all since yesterday. Come to think of it, she hadn't either... She had to go to the bath later, looking down at the smudges of dirt on her clothing.

But now she wanted to know what happened to him. She remembered him saying something about smelling her out last night, but what led him to think something was amiss and that he had to find her?

 

[Mu]

"Maybe you should have asked that to all of my followers a few centuries ago," the god said, letting his head drop onto the tatami, pulling a cushion closer for him to rest his head on. Nishibyakko yawned widely, flashing sharp white teeth, almost curling into where he was laying on the matting. It was obvious that the god was going to spend the rest of his afternoon sleeping away and possibly drinking, snoozing under the bright sunlight out on the patio. It would be a nice break after yesterday's ordeal.

For a moment, he was quiet with his eyes closed, chest heaving normally as he relaxed into a more comfortable position. "I was laying off my drinking and your cat came and talked to me," he murmured. "I noticed you weren't back yet, so I went looking." That was only a half truth, but she didn't need to know that. In reality, he hadn't been drinking at all. He had been sitting on the patio alone for hours, watching the sun set down into the mountains. Though her cat did come to voice his own worries, Nishibyakko had been concerned when he could not sense Kiyoko's presence during the sunset hours.

Now it was his turn to ask her questions. "What about you?" he turned to look at her with dark eyes. Gone was the joking attitude, now replaced with genuine concern and worry. But there was something else, a bubbling vat of darkness. The hint of madness that made him famous for what he was now - a rogue god.

 

[Hana]

He laid off of drinking more sake... Now that was new information. Kiyoko blinked at the almost trivial realization, before remembering that if he had been drunk, Nishibyakko might not have come in time to save her. What was actually trivial to the circumstances was that Yuta could apparently talk to the god, but she was going to ask him about that later. "So that's why you looked like you had a headache last night," the miko murmured to herself. It was dark, and she could only see him with the help of the moonlight if it even shined down at all in the area they had been in. But before she had fallen asleep, he had looked tired. He had been nursing a hangover yesterday.

Her eyes narrowed at his question as she remembered what happened. She had just been walking back home after spending the day learning at Hotaru's, exchanging her crop with rice at Hayato's, and then her memory went blank. Kiyoko pursed her lips at the furthest she could recall before everything went up in smoke. "I was walking back around or close to sundown, but when I was close enough to the temple entrance to see it..." Sheepishly, she lifted a hand and rubbed the back of her head gingerly. She didn't even see what was coming for her then.

Letting her gaze roam away from his and towards the open doors, she sighed. "I woke up in a locked cell. Bastard came to give me water, apparently prisoners can't go thirsty." She squinted at the trees outside. Now that she had time to think about it, all those things the god hunter said were very worrying. How many of them had actually gone after this god's head? "He went off about some shit like the emperor giving him rewards for your head. And how I should marry one of them fucks as if I'd ever do that."

"Well, I wasn't having any of that. I caught him off guard and snatched the keys from him -" With my teeth. Except that was unsaid. "And then I ran for it. Of course I got lost," she muttered the last bit, tone flat. She was wondering what could have happened if she hadn't... But the archer was outside. There was no telling if she could or could not have escaped if the archer was waiting. "But that bastard was still chasing after me and I lured him to a room where I blew some poison smoke into his face using that herb you taught me about. If it weren't for that archer I probably could have gotten away since he was staggering like a drunk behind me." All in all, an eventful night.