tomoko?!?!?! small little drabble because I love her tons (and her mom drives me nuts)
Koi jumped at her fingers, still painted with the grease of chopped meats. Her knees aching slightly from how long they've been bent, pale skin biting into the polished wood of the bridge.
They haven't been fed since she was last thereβ so she's noticed. It seems the servants of the shrine had more pressing duties than tending to spotted fish. The thought made her scoff. She tucked sound complaints away in the locket of her throat, assuring herself that her mother would hear them later.
Her head lifted at the thought of him, twisting her head to look over her shoulder at the shrine in the distance. These were merely the gardens, untouched by the talismen that were so thoughtfully caked across every pillar that surrounded the area.
Briefly, she wondered what he was doing right now.
Then she let the thought slip from her mind, shifting to stand with a nasally huff. How terribly uneventful this could be, a life like this. Like hers. Perhaps she should be grateful? She's heard enough claims like those from the eldersβ
Her mind fell silentβ or maybe erupted in sound as twigs broke at the tree-line just infront of the pond.
She dared not move for a moment. Head held high in defiant reflex, eyes trained to the overgrowth. Whispers of nothing, flickers of something.
Pearly white simmered through the trees, a figure obstructed by oak and shadow pressed to thick barkβ staring back in equal caution.
Tomoko couldn't help but squint.
"You can't feed them from there," she finally spoke, her voice carrying a lilt of wariness. One of her hands clutched the front of her yukata, the other limp at her side.
They didn't respond for a moment, simply glancing down to the speckled fish swimming in the pond. True, too far to feed themβ not like they had anything to give them, anyways.
"They're overweight," the sorcerer blurted out, a blank look in their eyes before they shimmyed closer to the tree.
The koi were infact, not overweight.
Tomoko's lips parted, brow furrowing for a split second before her expressioned softened into something playful. She wouldn't be surprised if the poor fish were underweight, actually. She needed to spoil them more often...
"Come here, you look like a pervert standing in the trees like that." She held her hand out, curling it in a beckoning motion as she took a step back on the bridge.
Despite the humor in her tone, she could practically hear her mother's voice in the back of her headβ scolding her for inviting the company of a stranger. Danger this, danger that.
She had to hold herself from rolling her eyes again.
The figure barely managed to stifle a gasp, shoulders hunching by their ears as a bright flush crossed their cheeks. "I do not!" They immediately choked out, fingers curling into their palms.
Despite their embarrassment, they stepped away from the lines of leafy shadows and towards the pond. Their steps carefulβ stride almost begrudging.
Naive; showing lack of experience, wisdom, or judgement.
A finely calibrated word to describe the scene between them.
Tomoko's head tilted, a teasing smirk gracing her features even as her eyes twisted towards something far more analytical. Short white hair, white robesβ no older than herself, it seemed. Eyes that sparkled the color of deep pink hibiscus.
"What's your name?" Her mouth spoke before her mind could catch it by the lipsβ another dancing just at the tip of her tongue; where did you come from?
They debated lying. The king said they weren't very good at that, unfortunately.
"Uraume," they spoke, they body loosening slightly at the feeling of sun hitting their skin. The garden was pleasant, that was for sure. Before they could second-guess themselves, they began to cross the bridge, opening their mouth to speak again.
Tomoko watched them with unfiltered interest, tucking her arms comfortably around her body. "Tomoko," she chirped back, as if it'd been the most obvious thing ever. "Do you want to feed them with me?"
Uraume glanced to the fish, then to the trees, then back to the girl before them. Something like subtle alert choked the back of their mindβ nevertheless, they nodded.
Servants were already gossiping about the young, snow-haired child that accompanied the prophet before dusk even broke.
Four crimson eyes watched from the evergreen shade Uraume had emerged from, glittering with the slow thrum of intrigue.
Another six supervised the two from the heart of the shrineβ gentle in waves of gold, but cautious nonetheless.
tomoko get the FUCK out of there
andulkaphoto
discoholicmusic
annaxmalina
tangentwithtanner
prguitarman
baratheonpilled
