The Walk Home
~ Itto x Reader ~ Pt. 2 (Fluffy, Slow Burn)
(Read Pt. 1 here!)
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I watched in slight awe of the man before me, enjoying the second meal i’d prepared for him which i had triple checked to make sure none of my bean like or based ingredients were in it i could only terrify myself with the idea of going out of business over a customer losing his life from my cooking.
he seemed ecstatic once again when i’d brought it out, his mouth practically drooling as he gripped his chopsticks from the previous bowl. i could already see half the bowl gone once id set it down on the counter. i had to fight back the grin as to keep up the “not so creepy restaurant owner” persona i used for business.
this time, with not so many eyes on me and an interest in the person who seemed to be so important (self proclaimed or otherwise) and let alone not even human who’d come to my shop. hugging my tray to my chest and ignoring the slight heat radiating from the spot the ramen bowl was on, tilted my head to get a better view of his face.
what i could see of it anyway, he was so busy stuffing it, it wasn’t until most of the bowl was gone and he had to pick something from his teeth that he noticed me.
“Ah! sorry, i totally didn’t see you there, this ramen is just.. ugh! it’s so good!” he grunted with a smile and a laugh, once again lifting the bowl and tilting back his head.
i swore i must check the quality of my bowls once he leaves i could hear the cracking and shaving of the porcelain.
i didn’t bother responding, continuing my people watch as i found my eyes drawn to his throat, the rapid movement of him swallowing the broth and whatever else was left into his gullet. it was impressive, almost scary, but i figured him not being human was the cause of that.
i scanned the rest of his body from what i could see from behind the counter, his toned figure down to the markings on his body and where they led. i wondered if his entire body was as toned as his upper half seemed. i wondered if he had tan lines from his clothing, it was obvious he was out and about a lot, and judging by the slight dirt stains along us arms, the shoulders and back of his clothes, i assumed he was one to be outdoors.
but, due to a lack of awareness and a quickly rising interest in him, i hadn’t noticed him watching me, same as he hadn’t noticed me before this.
i let out a small yelp in realization, looking up at his face as “be professional! be professional! BE PROFESSIONAL!” rang like alarm bells in my head. but seeing as i’d been caught there was no real way to deny it now.
“I am so sorry, i promise i don’t usually stare i’ve just never seen someone enjoy my food as much as you seem to.” i said slightly shakily, a little worried that i had offended him with my staring.
he rose a brow with a smirk, putting his chopsticks in his bowl and stretching up his arms behind his head, his mouth curling up into a content smile from the stretch.
“no need to apologize i know my presence can be star stuckening.. or is star strikening… star striking? whatever it is you like what you see.” he teased, earning a slightly less friendly smile from me but a smile nonetheless.
“i must admit you are very interesting, Itto, what are you if that’s okay to ask? i don’t mean to offend.”
“Oh!” he seemed surprised if even asked such a question. “well i’m an oni! arataki numero uno itto, the one and oni of course. i’m a red oni to be specific.”
“an oni? a full blooded oni? that’s incredible! excuse my ignorance but i thought that oni’s had.. y’know.. died out a while ago. i’ve never met or heard of one before.” i placed down my tray, walking closer to the counter to be more in tune with their conversation.
he seemed taken aback by my approach, leaning back from the counter as a result as he shrugged.
“nah! sure i mean there definitely aren’t as many but it’s not like there aren’t ANY left, i mean you’re looking at one!” he laughed, crossing his arms over his chest. “i was raised by my granny so i learned a lot about humans growing up, it’s why im such a hot shot with—“
suddenly, heavy, metal rattling footsteps could be heard from atop the wall that had the main roadway on the top, the Hatamoto guards making their rounds. they’d come every other hour or so, depending on the day. just walking around looking at different people who they found in the streets of the city.
but when the same man who had been busy bragging about his awe installing reputation practically leaped over my counter onto my side, grab my face with both hands with one over my mouth and the other at the back of my head, pull me down behind the counter with my back to his chest and sitting between his legs, i couldn’t tell if this would be my death bed or my next bleaching area.
my gasp was muffled by the sudden large hand over my mouth, smelling of dirt and slightly too fragranced soap which i assumed was used to try and get rid of the dirt smell. didn’t work well.
he held me close to him, his head facing the top of the counter as if he was listening for something. although, i couldnt really process what he could be listening for because i could barely process the fact a man i knew nothing of was currently holding me down and covering my mouth.
was it the guards? was he trying to avoid them? was he a fugitive? did he commit some heinous crime that they were going to throw him in prison for? would i be considered his accomllice simply for giving him the meal he paid for and having him hiding in my shop?
so many thoughts ran through my head until the sound of his soft laughter filled my ears, turning my head the little i could to look up at him and find his head hung, his nose practically in my hair as he laughed. my chest heaved with every breath, adrenaline slowly subsiding as it turned into confused anger. why was he touching me like this?!
i almost bit his hand before he removed it himself with a small gasp.
"oh gosh, i am so so sorry, i should've said something before i dragged you down," he said, his hands behind him at his sides as he looke down at me.
I turned my upper body to look up at him, realizing just how large he was, even if he was sitting down. then again, he seemed bigger close up with me sitting between his legs.
"you.. why did you.. GUARDS--"
"Hey! shhh!!" he slapped another hand to my mouth and held a finger to his lips, a slightly pleading look in his eye as he once again checked above him, his ears seeming to droop a bit when the heavy footsteps got louder, approaching the shop.
"please please i promise ill explain if you just tell them in not here," he quietly pleaded, his hand slowly coming off my mouth. "i swear on my oni blood that i will just please.. dont tell them im here." he repeated, clasping his hands together. his eyes became fuller, as if a cat's.
ugh.. i hate that it worked.
i stood up on my feet, finding two guards walking down my walkway up to my shop. itto sat by my legs, looking up at me as i talked to the guards. i could feel him lean against my leg, his cheek pressing against my thigh as his hand placed itself on the ground between my legs.
the conversation was short, the guards saying they heard a voice down here and came to investigate, and proceeding to ask if i had seen an oni that fit the description of itto a bit too well. with a knot in my throat i shook my head to tell them i hadnt. i couldnt remember the last time i had lied, not to a friend, not to a professor, not even my own parents. so lying to the authorities made my stomach churn and i could only pray that the guards wouldnt take notice of my nervous demeanor.
they didn't, and with a simply thank you and one taking a menu for what i assumed to be futher notice, walked away, so did the rest of the guards down the road until their steps became faint and then nonexistent.
i exhaled as heavy as a marathon running danuki. a hand over my chest as i felt the weight on my thigh remove itself and said weight stand to his full height.
"haha! phew that was a close one, i really owe you one i cant thank you eno... oh." he said, cutting himself off as i looked up at him clearly distraught.
"i suggest you get to explaining. im not above running to go get them back and say i found you squatting in my kitchen by the radishes and carrots."
"no! no! ill tell you, i swear im not a criminal and im not a robber, stealer, kidnapper, murderer or anything! i just might of uh.. set off my collection of onikabuto on the training ground of the Hatamoto guards and uh.. may have caused a bit of damage." he let out a sheepish chuckle as if that would entirely explain everything.
"... so youre just trying to get away from accountability." I replied, leaning my weight on the counter with my arms crossed. he released another sigh.
"of course not, well i mean i run from them a lot cuz theres apparently a bunch of different laws the shogun put in place that id never even heard of before until i broke them but the real reason is because that woman that was here a little while ago, shinobu? yeah shes tired of paying my bail so i promised id never get caught again! and well.. im not!"
he flashed that damned grin that i was starting to think he knew the effect of the entire time again, making me groan as i shook my head.
"well if thats your story then i guess.. but this is a one time thing im not gonna put myself or my business in danger because you want to be reckless!" i scolded him, as if i hadnt met him not even two hours ago.
he hung his head in defeat and nodded, accpeting the scolding and effectively dropping the topic.
he found his way back to the other side of the counter, sitting himself down as we continued to chat while i got another customer or two. soon, closing time rolled around and although itto had realized he'd not only the meeting shinobu had tried to remind him to show up to, but as the sun set and i told him i needed to close, he refused to leave until he "used his oni ability to make sure i got home safe! the owner of such a delicious ramen shop needed the utmost protection of course."
i was too entertained to say no.
closing time took a lot less time than it usually did, with itto's help of course. new crates were put safely in storage and any unused ingredients were either trashed or put back into storage. the bowls which did in fact have a few tiny insignificant fractures in them were cleaned. the counters and floors were wiped and swept and every door and lock (that could be anyway) was locked. i noticed the oni stare particularly hard at the rusted lock on the main door, but figured he was simply asking why i even had it still, which i often asked myself at times.
then came the treck home, walking home was a little more pleasant than that of the walk to the shop in the morning. the many monsters and creatures a like found sweet slumber in the blanket of midnight air. the moon illuminating all of what would need to see to walk peacefully.
the walk was silent at first, only the mismatched footsteps of us both as he struggled to keep at pace with me. his stride allowed him much more room to walk ahead, along with his obvious leg muscle which i could only imagine meant how far and fast he could run when it counted.
i started to notice how he'd always end up a few steps ahead of behind him, his tongue sticking out from his tightly pressed lips as he stared at my shoes, seemingly trying to match my speed and stride, although that was obviously a bit uncomfortable for him as he could barely pull his shoes apart from hitting one another in every step.
"what are you doing?" i asked with a soft laugh, admiring his focus.
"trying to walk with you." he replied matter of factly, still keeping his eyes on my shoes.
"but youre already walking with me."
"i mean walk in sync! like everytime your foot steps down so does mine. here," he put out an arm in front of me, stopping me from walking as i looked down at it in front of me, then running my eyes up to his shoulder. were the veins always there? i surely couldnt have missed them if they were.
"just wait a second, here," he removed his arm and held onto my shoulder, pulling me closer as he tapped my left thigh, telling me to take a step, to which he did the same.
he then tapped my right thigh and so on, sending me into a laughing fit from how articulated he was being compared to what he seemed to have been doing just a few hours ago.
"hey dont laugh! walking in sync is fun once you get the hang of it!" he chuckled, his hands on his hips and a smirk on his face as he shook his head.
another 20 minutes of laughing and joking about whatever came up, it almost saddened me as we reached my front door step.
"thank you for walking me home, itto, and for helping me close up the shop." i finally said, accepting the day was over, and i couldnt wait to get in the shower and wash the day's efforts off my skin.
itto smiled and took a step back, bowing with a smirk and a hand at his stomach. "my pleasure, m'lady! it was definitly worth the fright of having a mouse scatter across my foot."
i shrieked, jumping as i looked along the ground, itto letting out belting laughs as he held his stomach. i tossed a pebble at his horn and rolled my eyes, turning to my house. "good night, arataki itto." i smiled, waving as he stood up with a cheerful wave.
"good night!" he called, and with a small pep in his step, got a full ten steps from my door before he fell to his knees, only imagining how upset shinobu could be when he went back for missing the meeting. hopefully it wasnt anything toooo important.
