Kayk

75% frosting 25% cake ฅ^>⩊<^ ฅ 9teen :> Me like interacting with ask blogs🚂

[kabooseye]

I PRESENT TO YOU MY NEW BABY YUTO

(everyone cheer)

hes part of a rp im in w Douma ٩( 'ω' )و

I feel so maternal over him☹️☹️☹️ he has a little sister who passed when he was young and he has a crush on another kny oc Tohru and theyre so cute i love them anyways yuto brainrot heres my drawings

Hes gonna either find his sister or die trying stay tuned ᵒ̴̶̷̥́ ·̫ ᵒ̴̶̷̣̥̀ ….

[douma-upper2]

A small child’s sobs and hiccups can be heard from the hallways of your palace

"Hm?" *He follows the sound in search of the poor little dear that needs comforting. Eventually he finds the source*

[kabooseye]

I marvel at your words, my eyes glimmering with admiration. I nod along, my mouth slightly ajar. I pull the blanket closer to me.

I giggle hearing about Yuto and Tohru, “Just like you found me! It was fate!!!”

My face turns more serious as I reflect on my own words. 

It was fate…

“When my Mommy was on the ground, I was really scared. But when I saw you, I knew I could trust you. Something in my heart told me I could! And we’re gonna find Auntie Bou-Bou, she’s gonna help us find my Mommy, and then we’ll defeat the mean evil demon who hurt her! I’ll train suuuper hard with you, and with Auntie, and everything will be okay!” A soft smile reaches my lips as I blink up at you with hope. 

“I know it was fate for me to find you, Douma! Everything’s going to be okay now that I’ve met you! I promise!” I snake out my hand from the warm blanket, finding your hand and squeezing it, sealing in my vow.

A chill runs up my body from the frigid breeze, despite the blanket that you hold close around me. I shiver slightly. “Maybe we can go inside now? Tomorrow, we can plan the wedding for Kitty Yutohru!” I jump up, tugging on your arm as you get up and hold out a hand to help me do the same.

On the way back, I talk about other things from my life before meeting you, the excitement in my voice palpable as I feel ever closer to getting back to the Corps.

I pause my steps as I hear two familiar voices. I tilt my head in their direction before turning. “Kit- I-I mean, Yuto and Tohru!!! EEE!!” I sprint over to them, jumping around them with glee. I babble on about their wedding, not ceasing to spew out congratulations despite their nervous laughter and insistence that they are not getting married. Tohru and Yuto’s faces are both bright red by the time you make your way over.

“Hehe, you guys look silly,” I point up at their faces.

Yuto chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck shyly. Tohru gently rubs my head, giving me a shy smile. I melt into her warm touch, a yawn coming out of nowhere. I slump against her legs, all of my energy zapped out of me all of a sudden. 

“Founder, would it be okay if I had a word with you?” Yuto glances at Tohru briefly, sharing a look. Tohru scoops me up into her arms, my eyes shutting instantly as I rest my head into the crook of her neck.

“And you Miss Sayaka, are way past your bedtime,” she boops my nose.

“Nooo, I’m awake…we need to pl… Kitty… mm…cake…” I make a futile attempt to wave her off, but my arm falls to the side.

Tohru smiles at you, a grateful look on her face, “Thank you for everything, Savior. I’ll take the little one back to her room as well as check on her wounds.” She pauses, hesitant as she looks at Yuto, “Um…Yuto…darling…I-I’ll…see you tomorrow?” She shifts her weight to her other foot, fidgeting slightly with the hem of my outfit.

Yuto’s face breaks into a joyful smile, nodding excitedly, “Absolutely, Tohr- ah, um… darling!” He gives a chuckle, his face bright, full of life. Tohru nods, her face heating up once more as she turns on her heel, heading towards my room.

✧.°

Tohru sets me down on my bed, humming softly as she rearranges my pillows and blankets. I sit and watch her, blurry-eyed with my sudden onset of fatigue. I rub my eyes and squint, trying to clear my vision. But now my eyes want to shut…

Tohru’s humming is so lulling. I wonder what the song is. I wonder if Tohru wants to be a mommy too, one day. I think she would be a good one. I think this song would be a good one to hum or sing to her kids.

Tohru guides my sleepy self under the covers and tucks me in, handing me my ram plushie. I look at her as she gently tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. Through my half-lidded eyes, she looks vaguely like Mama, humming me to sleep.

But…I don’t want to go to sleep yet! I have to tell Tohru the plan to find Auntie Bou-Bou!

“Mm..Mama! Stop humming!! You’re making me so sleepy!” I protest with all my might, but my cheek is pushed into the pillow, and my breath has started to even.

Tohru pauses, her eyes widening in the process. Her eyes trace my serene face. She lets out a small breath as her shoulders weigh down and her fluttering heart sinks slightly. Sorrow fills her soul as her gentle fingertips brush against my cheek. She doesn't have the heart to correct me, letting me dream, just this once. 

She clears her throat.

“Well, good, Ms. Sayaka!” she whispers. “You need to sleep. You’re still recovering from being sick. And you’ve been up much too late tonight.” She boops my nose.

The fire in me reignites. “But–” I push off my blankets in protest. “But I want to tell you about my Auntieee,” I whine. “Douma and I are gonna find her. We didn’t see her home from the roof, but that’s okay. We’ll find her soon! Maybe Douma can go on a searching adventure with me!”

“That sounds like a wonderful idea, Lady Sayaka. Why don’t you dream alllll about your plan? And you can tell me– and Yuto, and the Founder– in the morning, after you’ve gotten plenty of rest.”

“Okay!!” My bright smile turns into another yawn as I turn and curl up in my blanket once more. “Hmm…but how will I get my dreams to be…about Bou-Bou…?”

Tohru smiles sweetly as I finally give in to resting. “Maybe think about something that reminds you of her?”

I nod subtly as the last of my energy seeps from my body. “Butterflies…she loves butterflies.” I close my eyes and drift off to sleep.

Tohru turns out the lamp next to my bed, leaving herself with only silence and her own heartbeat for company in the dark room. A few scattered plastic stars glow dimly above her, casting the faintest light upon my face, leaving the rest obscured in gentle shadow. She watches me through half-lidded eyes as my breathing slows even more, into a calm, contented rhythm. Not unlike the rhythm of a slow, aching song that one listens to when all seems lost.

Tohru’s eyes drift up my face, a small frown adorning hers as she notices my dark, heavy eye bags, a product of all the stress. Her heart aches as she reaches to drag her fingerpads gently along them, trying to smooth them out to null the pain, erase all the trauma, keep only the happy, safe memories, just as it should be. Something deep within her wails.

"Oh, my sweet baby..." Her voice is a mere wisp in the air. She lets herself dream, just this once. Her fingers drop down, opting to brush against my cheek. A tender, affectionate, featherlike touch.

She lets herself stay like this for a few moments before clearing her throat, knowing better.

She pulls her hand back, a slight tremble in them. She folds her hands, tightly lacing her fingers together. 

Safe, contained, at a distance.  

Don't let yourself get too close to the patient, she reminds herself. Years of strict nursing training have instilled this into her. 

But... but... her walls start to crack, her emotions start to break through. Consuming her thoughts, her actions. Letting herself slip.  

She turns her body, pushing her face into her elbow, muffling a cry, tears dripping from her eyes. 

Guilt furls in the pit of her stomach. She knows she shouldn't. She can't.

I’m not hers. 

No matter how hard she hopes or tries. No matter how much she can provide or give. 

It will never be enough.

Another sob is muffled as Tohru lets herself dream. Lets herself take a small part of me as her own. She deserves that much happiness, even if she’s…damaged…right?

Tohru steps slightly back, regaining her composure, taking as deep breaths as she can, her mouth still covered. She wipes her tears quickly, choosing to shove this down and deeming this day perfect. 

She is finally in a relationship with a sweet guy. What more can she ask for? She has everything she needs.

✧.°

“So, Savior- about what I wanted to say. Only if you have a moment.” Yuto smiles and shifts from side to side.

[douma-upper2]

A small child’s sobs and hiccups can be heard from the hallways of your palace

"Hm?" *He follows the sound in search of the poor little dear that needs comforting. Eventually he finds the source*

[kabooseye]

I make my way over to a tree and crouch down behind it, peering around the trunk. I get distracted from our mission…because suddenly, this is my tree! And there’s an (imaginary) angry beast trying to claim it as their territory! My hands and feet are firmly planted on the ground, and a growl comes out of me. I narrow my eyes at the imaginary enemy. I rear back onto my feet, raising my chest and clawing at the air. I suck in air rapidly, barking furiously. I lower my paws, or rather, hands, back onto the ground, returning to all fours as the creature cowers away. I chuckle at the sight, proud that I took control of this area. I swivel my head towards your direction as I notice you beckon me over through the corner of my eye. I sprint to you on all fours, almost tumbling into you.

You’re shocked that Yuto and Tohru didn’t notice me with all that noise. 

“Hi!” I say, with the most joyful grin on my face. “Sayaka- I mean, Mister Wolf is a dog. I like dogs.”

[douma-upper2]

*Douma looks over at you curiously hearing the ruckus and had to refrain from laughing out-loud once he realized you were playing pretend but he has to cover his mouth as he laughs, finding the entire thing adorable. Though he is a bit surprised that you can run on all fours so well, as it isn't something that many humans can do and is a bit more common among demons. He catches you as you almost crash into him and is a bit surprised that Tohru and Yuto are either doing so well at ignoring the chaos or are actually not noticing it.* "Is that so? Not a wolf-pup eh? Miss sheep is well a big-horned sheep naturally" *He replied with a smile deciding to play along.*

[kabooseye]

I pant, my tongue sticking out. “A wha..??” 

I spring up, grabbing onto your leg, “C’mon, c’mon, Miss Sheep, you aren’t spying correctly!!! We need to find a new hiding spot, or else the bad guys will catch us!” I tug as hard as I can, trying to pull you into a sunny grass patch. I whip my head back, shushing you loudly, placing my finger in front of my lips even though you hadn’t said anything...for the second time. I dive into another somersault, hiding behind a new tree.

I lean against this tree, squinting my eyes as I try to get a closer look at Kitty Yutohru, but they’re too far to spy on. I dive for another tree, determined to be a good spy. 

On the fifth tree, I’m panting wildly, my body swaying slightly from all of the rolls and constant movement up and down, “Mister Wolf can’t see anything! Mister Wolf isn’t a good spy…” 

I bring my hand exhaustedly to my forehead, sitting down with a thud, slumping up against the tree. I tilt my head towards the bark, letting my hot forehead and face rest on the cool tree. My eyes feel heavy as I try to fight fatigue off, doing my best to force my eyes open, “feelzz… hot…I tie…” 

A yawn pushes out of me. I smack my lips a couple more times before truly relaxing against the tree, “Mister Wolf will… tr…try… thisssss…” My eyes close.

[douma-upper2]

*Try as you might, you are unsuccessful in dragging him right through a sunny patch and instead roll yourself right next to another shaded tree. Douma quickly but carefully makes his way through the trees and shady areas of the garden to catch up with you, reaching you right as you lay down. He looks at you with concern as he scoops you into his ever-chilly embrace and rests the back of his hand against your forehead checking for a fever. He then sets up a couple of his ice-minions disguised as rabbits to keep an eye on Tohru and Yuto while he brings you inside to cool down, rest and drink some water. Once inside he perched on a bench near one of the windows that didn't let the suns light into the temple but still faced the garden after grabbing a sturdy wooden mug from the kitchen and filling it with water which he had sitting beside him as he gently rocked you in his arms like he had many times before with a certain piglet.*

[kabooseye]

I nuzzle my cheek into the soft fabric of your shirt, drooling slightly as another snore exits my lips. I jolt with a start, whirling my head around, unsure of my surroundings. My hand sloppily brushes against the corner of my lip, smudging off the drool. My brows knit in worry as I glance out the window. A few hours have passed since I was last conscious. The sun has already set, and stars now flicker against the dark sky.

Why does that make me worry? I like stars.

As I continue to fight the grogginess away, I become more aware of where I am. We’re in my room again, and you’re holding me close atop your chest. You aren’t warm, you never are. But you’re so comfy…

What were we doing before this, again?

Wait…

Why am I inside?! Where’s Kitty Yutohru?! A good spy never falls asleep on their mission! Mister Wolf and Miss Sheep need to get back to the mission!!!

I twist my head around, my big eyes meeting your curious ones that have just spotted me waking up. 

I pat your arm urgently, “Dou- I-I mean, Miss Sheep, I’m late, I’m late, for a very important date! Did the fireworks happen already? Sayaka wanted to see them!!!”

[douma-upper2]

*While you slept against him Douma carried you along with him as he went about his usual daily activities. Sure some of his followers had questioned why you were sitting in on the daily meeting but once he explained that he was caring for you while you had a small cold they understood. He was surprised you slept for so long but it also gave him time to collect your medicine for the day (which he snuck into your soup after making sure it was safe to do so) and make you some warm tea and some nutritious chicken soup and some bread-rolls to go with it; finishing making it not long before you woke up so it was still warm. He smiles calmly and a bit relieved as you woke up* "Easy little one; you overheated and passed out while we were outside so I had to bring you inside to cool down. The fireworks have not gone off yet since it's still too early, and I asked some of my rabbit friends to keep an eye on them while I took care of you. However since I figured my little spy would probably be hungry and thirsty when she woke up, I made you something to eat and drink once you have a drink of water" *He explains reassuring you that everything was fine as he handed you the mug of water, you can see a ramen bowl with a lid on it and a mug of tea which also had a lid on it.*

[kabooseye]

“But we need to get back to the mission!” I pout, taking the mug of water you hand me. I cast a forlorn glance at the amount of food you had prepared for me. It smells delicious, but it would take so long to eat! There’s definitely no time!

“Maybe I’ll just have a tiny bit and then we go!” I take a quick sip of the water, then crawl out of your lap and lean over to the wooden western-style nightstand next to the bed to set it down. I grab the ramen bowl and undo the lid, then take a small sip of the broth, which tastes funny and mediciney and reminds me of Auntie Bou-Bou. Maybe you just aren’t good at making food. I reach for the mug of tea and undo the lid on that one as well, chugging as much as I can manage before setting it down again. I grab one of the bread rolls and shove it in my mouth before jumping fully off the bed.

“Mister Wolf is ready to go! Where is Kitty Yutohru??” I ask through hasty munches of the bread. “Are they already in the library?? On the… 'terra ace' or whatever you said?” My eyes brighten as I remember our conversation from earlier. “We should go on the roof like you said! So we can spy and so I can look for Auntie Bou-Bou’s home!! So we can visit them!”

[douma-upper2]

*The medicinal taste is barely noticeable since it's only one small dose of medicine in a decently sized bowl. Perhaps your mind was playing tricks on you because you were sick?* "Sayaka, you havent eaten anything at all since this morning my little one. You really do need to eat more than just a little bit so you can get better faster" *Douma explains, lightly patting you on the head as you finish your water. He had figured out a while back that much like how demons needed to eat after getting injured to heal or recover from poisons faster, Humans needed to eat after getting injured or getting sick so they can recover faster.* "Ah ah ah, I need you have more than one tiny sip of soup since it is going to be cold later tonight. And they are in the library but they are not on the terrace just yet, they got rather distracted reading infront of the fireplace. We can go on the roof after you eat okay?"

[kabooseye]

I chew my lip nervously as I look between the door, the food, and your stern expression.

“Um um… but but we have to go! I wanna see Kitty Yutohru!!” I huff, stomping my foot slightly. I cross my arms, my pout growing deeper. I mumble things to myself, figuring out a plan. A lightbulb pops over my head.

I dash for the ramen bowl, slapping the lid on, “I will eat but only on the roof!” I race out the door before you can stop me, pure stubbornness taking over, something I picked up from Auntie Bou-Bou.

I pant wildly as I reach the library and run up the spiral staircase, spotting a hatch on the ceiling that seemingly leads to the rooftop. I climb up the small ladder without fear, and push the door up and open. My entire body flops onto the clay tiles. I rest my cheek on the cool smooth surface as I place my ramen next to me. I rest my eyes for a moment, letting the fresh air fill my lungs.

I turn over, finally catching my breath. I peal my eyes open, all the stars twinkling up above, smiling, shining, singing, speaking to me. I reach out instinctively, reaching them, touching them, touching her.

I turn my head towards the hatch as you climb up. I give you a soft smile, “Thank you Miss Sh- I mean, Douma.”

[douma-upper2]

*As you go racing out the door he picks up the mug and the lid, closing the lid onto the mug as he chases after you to make sure you did not accidentally trip and hurt yourself. He was still surprised that you managed to outrun him, true he wasn't using his full speed so he didn't give himself away but he still had rather long legs and could run faster than the rest of the humans in his care without going full speed. As he catches up to you on the ladder he helps you up onto the roof of the temple where there is a safe area to perch. Douma gently pats you on the head as you reach for the stars and sat beside you. Though he knew the butterfly estate was somewhere at the base of mt.natagumo which was the next mountain over, He could not see it through the trees even from up here.* "You're welcome sayaka-chan"

[kabooseye]

I blink up in wonder at the stars once more before propping myself up and looking out at the horizon. Not that the horizon line can really be seen anymore; it’s definitely too dark. It’s like a black woolly blanket had been draped comfortingly over the sky and now rests gently against the treetops. 

I squint my eyes hard, trying to focus on the glimmering lights of a city a little ways away. It’s too far from here to obscure the night sky with much haze, though. It’s really dark here. The stars are so bright…Mama would like this place. 

I hold my hand flat up above my eyes instinctively as if I’m blocking out the sun to see better, despite it being nighttime. I lean forwards, struggling to see through the darkness. 

“Sayaka can’t see any houses.” My shoulders droop disappointedly. “Especially not Auntie Bou-Bou’s. Her mansion is really big and has pretty lights and butterflies. I can’t find it. I can’t do it.” My lips form a pout as they start to tremble, and I look down dejectedly. 

A little flutter of wings by my face makes me shriek and scramble back hastily. I retreat behind you, crouching and grasping your shirt, almost knocking over my bowl of soup. My heart pounds as I calm down. It’s just a little bug! A butterfly? 

No, a moth!

Of course it would be a moth. All the butterflies must be sleeping right now! 

I peek my face around your side, admiring the fluffy moth, a little wary. The patterns on its soft wings are pretty. I smile a little bit as it flutters up and down near me and then loops away. It’s no butterfly, but it still reminds me of my Auntie. I step out from behind you.

“Look, Douma!” I pull on your pant leg, as I always do. “It’s a moth! Kinda…s-sorta like Auntie Bou-Bou! A wittle bit!”

Wait…I keep losing my train of thought!!! Sayaka has no time for fuzzy bugs! But instead…it’s Mister Wolf’s time to shine for spying!!!

Before you can do or say anything, I skitter over to the edge of the roof, scrambling much too close for comfort to what would be a fatal fall for something as small and fragile as me. I dart across the side until I hear voices coming from somewhere below. 

“She also said we should, and I quote, ‘make pretty star pictures like the belt or the dippy.’” 

I can hear Kitty Yuto’s voice, from somewhere over this edge…Aha! I lay down on my stomach and lean over to grab the edge of the last tile on the roof, peering past it and below. They aren’t on a “terra ace,” whatever that is, it’s just a balcony! 

Awwww, Kitty Yuto has a rose! Is it for Kitty Tohru? Is it from Kitty Tohru??

“As a matter of fact, I believe that’s the Big Dipper right there. Oh! And there’s the little one below it.” 

I watch as Yuto continues pointing out constellations to Tohru. Yay!!! They’re talking about the stars like I said! But…Tohru’s not even looking at them!!! So annoying! She’s just staring at Yuto! She has such a weird expression on her face…like she’s in a trance, or something. Mama had that face once, when she was looking at–

“Oh my gosh, a shooting star! Tohru, make a w-”

She. Kissed. Him.

My jaw goes slack and I gasp, slapping one hand over my mouth to stay quiet.

What??? But Auntie Bou-Bou said–

Now he’s kissing her!!!!!! I flinch back, startled.

He can’t do that! Not unless–

I decide I need to air out my grievances to you immediately. I skitter back towards the center of the roof and point sternly in the general direction of the balcony, my eyes still wide.

“Douma!!! Mission over!!! They kissed!!! They CAN’T do that!” I stomp my foot down with resolve. “Auntie Bou-Bou told me you can only kiss someone if you’re married!!! And Yuto and Tohru–”

Wait. A. Minute. Does that mean…?????

I gasp even louder than before, and my slackjaw turns to a wide open smile. “Douma??! Does that mean that Yuto and Tohru are getting married??? Already?!” I giggle and jump up and down, making some of the roof tiles clatter beneath my feet. 

As if my elation isn’t already enough, fireworks begin to go off overhead. I throw my head up to watch in awe. “Yayyy!!!” I squeal. “The ice-spy animals did it! We did it!!!” I flop back down on the roof on my back and watch as a rainbow of colors and light explode overhead. 

Pretty…

Today has been such a good day.

[douma-upper2]

*Douma smiles softly as he watches you while you scurry around. He is both relieved and a little guilty in knowing you can't see the butterfly mansion but he figured that would be for the best.* "It's alright little one I'm sure we'll find them eventually" *He explains, gently patting your shoulder and then watching as a moth nearly lands on your nose. He chuckles softly as you tug on his pant-leg to show him* "Ah rather cute little creature isn't it?" *He has to dart near the edge as well and stick his arm in-front of you so you don't accidentally fling yourself from the roof, relieved as you stop yourself and lay on the roofs tiles instead. He also observes the pair and grins as their date seems to be going well but when he moves to cover your eyes before it starts getting awkward he notices you seem rather distressed before you skitter back. A laugh tumbles out of him before he can stop himself, finding your question rather adorable.* "My dear I do not know why your auntie would have told you that but that is not the case at all. Grown-up's like Tohru and Yuto are allowed to kiss the people that they are dating or have a crush on as well. That said I think they might someday" *Douma explains chuckling softly. The fireworks start going off and he watches the fireworks with you*

[kabooseye]

I frown even more. “Auntie Bou-Bou said it’s wrong because it’s BAD! And that people better not break that rule…or else…” I whisper and stare off into the distance with wide eyes as if remembering something scary. Little do I know that that was just Shinobu’s way of being overprotective and overprepared, to make sure I don’t go kissing someone or vice versa as I eventually get older. Not that there are really any other children around my age within the Corps, except maybe the love hashira’s youngest brothers, but I haven’t interacted with them much.

The fireworks begin and cast light on the trees ahead of us. I settle down after my excited outburst and tug on your shirt sleeve, wordlessly asking if I can crawl into your lap. You lift your arm and shift your position so I can wriggle close. Once I’m settled in your lap I pull your arm back down towards me and hold your hand with mine; well, as much as I can, anyway. My hands are too small to fully hold or interlock with yours, so I end up just grasping onto a couple of your fingers. They’re still so cold. I wonder if you ever mind that. If you want to be warm. Why aren’t you warm?

I glance up at you, watching the stars and explosions of light dance around in the reflection of your eyes. You turn your colorful gaze back down to me when you catch me staring.

“Sayaka wonders,” I start, blinking curiously. “Sayaka wonders about you. Sayaka talks a lot about herself.” I lower my voice, feeling a little sheepish. “But!! Now she wants to know more about you!” I smile softly, seeing myself reflected in the glistening rainbow of your eyes, the kanji missing.

[douma-upper2]

"Ah I think I know where the misunderstanding is, grownups are allowed to kiss other grownups and only other grownups as much as they want, However kids like you are not; doss that make sense?" *He figured that the insect hashira was just being overly protective of her adoptive niece and made up a story to make sure nothing strange happened. Douma adjusted how he sat as you cuddled up to him to watch the fireworks and held one of your tiny hands in his. He wondered what exactly Shinobu had told you that would be so scary that even he could tell you were a bit spooked and held you protectively. He wasn't bothered by the cold even though he did find that being warm was rather nice, for some reason he had always been physically colder than most people though that was only heightened by becoming a demon. He pulls himself from his own thoughts when he notices you staring and smiles softly. Douma hums curiously as you ask him about himself. He rarely talked about himself, usually needing to focus either on his followers or on his position as a moon* "Is that so? What would you like to know my little lamb?" *He asks curiously. Douma always made sure to hide the kanji that was emblazoned across his eyes and declared his ranking around his followers before but he made especially sure to hide them around you.*

[kabooseye]

I continue to look up at the sky, marveling at the pretty sights. I squeeze your hand, trying to warm yours in mine.

“Umm… I dunno! Whatever you wanna talk about, Douma!! Mama says a good way to get to know someone is to ask about things they don’t really talk to about!! So Sayaka wants to listen! And learn more about you!”

[douma-upper2]

*Though it doesn't do much, Douma does appreciate the effort. The sky is quite pretty as are the fireworks. He was far from used to talking about himself, he didn't even know what to talk about in terms of telling her about himself. There was to much that he couldn't tell her for various, obvious reasons and not enough that he could tell her about himself that he was actually even sure of himself.* "I-....Hm....I admit there isn't much to tell per-say...At least not that I can think of off the top of my head...I like dancing?" *He said, deciding uncertainly to start there. It wasn't un-true; Douma did find dancing entertaining but it did feel a little silly to him to start there.*

[kabooseye]

Before I’m able to stop myself a fit of giggles escapes me. “Douma can dance? Really?? Sayaka wants to see that! Maybe Douma can do a show for Sayaka!!! And-and I know how to do a cartwheel! I can teach you later!” I lift my chin proudly. “I’m reeeeally good at it.”

My eyes continue to follow the bursts of color in the sky, and I ooh and ahh at them as we fall into a comfortable silence. The night starts to quiet more as the bright lights lessen, the last of the fireworks now being set off. I let out a content sigh. Today was a good day.

But being so close to the stars always reminds me of my mommy. I can’t help but bring her up.

“Sayaka is good at cartwheels…But Mama is better at dancing than me. She does silly dancing with me when I want to, but one time I saw her do real dancing! Well, actually, Sayaka doesn’t know what ‘real dancing’ is. But it looked really pretty and flowy and stuff. When was that again…”

I look upwards, tapping one finger to my chin, trying to remember that occasion. “Oh! It was for this New Year! There was a biiiiig party on New Years with all of the hashira! Sayaka got to see Auntie Bou-Bou in the prettiest kimono ever! And-And Mommy too! Mommy made Sayaka a new one! It was a little itchy... But the party was soooo fun. But then I got sleepy and we had to go home early.” I snuggle a little closer to you, trying to find some semblance of warmth. The rooftop breeze is beginning to send chills down my spine.

I trace random shapes against your palm absentmindedly as my big eyes follow the last few trails of the sparks still being sent into the night sky. I hum as I continue to relay my story. “Mama danced with me first, and then Mister Rengoku came and asked her if they could dance together too! He looked really shy. And so did Mommy. But she said yes and they did!” I giggle, “It was like a fairytale…” I let out a dreamy sigh, slumping my shoulders. I lean my head backwards to look up at you, and throw up my hands enthusiastically. “I think she was really happy, because one time she told me Papa would never dance with her and it made her sad. But she was smiling a lot that night.”

I shake myself out of those thoughts by the sudden realization that this whole time…you were supposed to be talking about yourself!

“Uh oh!” I gasp, genuine remorse on my face as I turn to you again. “Sayaka kept talking about herself! And her Mama! I’m sorry!” I blink up at you with big puppy eyes. “But it’s okay! I can fix it! Sayaka just has to think of another question for Douma…hmmm….” I scrunch my face, contorting it with total concentration.

“Douma, how did you meet everyone? Everyone here?”

[douma-upper2]

A small child’s sobs and hiccups can be heard from the hallways of your palace

"Hm?" *He follows the sound in search of the poor little dear that needs comforting. Eventually he finds the source*

[kabooseye]

I make my way over to a tree and crouch down behind it, peering around the trunk. I get distracted from our mission…because suddenly, this is my tree! And there’s an (imaginary) angry beast trying to claim it as their territory! My hands and feet are firmly planted on the ground, and a growl comes out of me. I narrow my eyes at the imaginary enemy. I rear back onto my feet, raising my chest and clawing at the air. I suck in air rapidly, barking furiously. I lower my paws, or rather, hands, back onto the ground, returning to all fours as the creature cowers away. I chuckle at the sight, proud that I took control of this area. I swivel my head towards your direction as I notice you beckon me over through the corner of my eye. I sprint to you on all fours, almost tumbling into you.

You’re shocked that Yuto and Tohru didn’t notice me with all that noise. 

“Hi!” I say, with the most joyful grin on my face. “Sayaka- I mean, Mister Wolf is a dog. I like dogs.”

[douma-upper2]

*Douma looks over at you curiously hearing the ruckus and had to refrain from laughing out-loud once he realized you were playing pretend but he has to cover his mouth as he laughs, finding the entire thing adorable. Though he is a bit surprised that you can run on all fours so well, as it isn't something that many humans can do and is a bit more common among demons. He catches you as you almost crash into him and is a bit surprised that Tohru and Yuto are either doing so well at ignoring the chaos or are actually not noticing it.* "Is that so? Not a wolf-pup eh? Miss sheep is well a big-horned sheep naturally" *He replied with a smile deciding to play along.*

[kabooseye]

I pant, my tongue sticking out. “A wha..??” 

I spring up, grabbing onto your leg, “C’mon, c’mon, Miss Sheep, you aren’t spying correctly!!! We need to find a new hiding spot, or else the bad guys will catch us!” I tug as hard as I can, trying to pull you into a sunny grass patch. I whip my head back, shushing you loudly, placing my finger in front of my lips even though you hadn’t said anything...for the second time. I dive into another somersault, hiding behind a new tree.

I lean against this tree, squinting my eyes as I try to get a closer look at Kitty Yutohru, but they’re too far to spy on. I dive for another tree, determined to be a good spy. 

On the fifth tree, I’m panting wildly, my body swaying slightly from all of the rolls and constant movement up and down, “Mister Wolf can’t see anything! Mister Wolf isn’t a good spy…” 

I bring my hand exhaustedly to my forehead, sitting down with a thud, slumping up against the tree. I tilt my head towards the bark, letting my hot forehead and face rest on the cool tree. My eyes feel heavy as I try to fight fatigue off, doing my best to force my eyes open, “feelzz… hot…I tie…” 

A yawn pushes out of me. I smack my lips a couple more times before truly relaxing against the tree, “Mister Wolf will… tr…try… thisssss…” My eyes close.

[douma-upper2]

*Try as you might, you are unsuccessful in dragging him right through a sunny patch and instead roll yourself right next to another shaded tree. Douma quickly but carefully makes his way through the trees and shady areas of the garden to catch up with you, reaching you right as you lay down. He looks at you with concern as he scoops you into his ever-chilly embrace and rests the back of his hand against your forehead checking for a fever. He then sets up a couple of his ice-minions disguised as rabbits to keep an eye on Tohru and Yuto while he brings you inside to cool down, rest and drink some water. Once inside he perched on a bench near one of the windows that didn't let the suns light into the temple but still faced the garden after grabbing a sturdy wooden mug from the kitchen and filling it with water which he had sitting beside him as he gently rocked you in his arms like he had many times before with a certain piglet.*

[kabooseye]

I nuzzle my cheek into the soft fabric of your shirt, drooling slightly as another snore exits my lips. I jolt with a start, whirling my head around, unsure of my surroundings. My hand sloppily brushes against the corner of my lip, smudging off the drool. My brows knit in worry as I glance out the window. A few hours have passed since I was last conscious. The sun has already set, and stars now flicker against the dark sky.

Why does that make me worry? I like stars.

As I continue to fight the grogginess away, I become more aware of where I am. We’re in my room again, and you’re holding me close atop your chest. You aren’t warm, you never are. But you’re so comfy…

What were we doing before this, again?

Wait…

Why am I inside?! Where’s Kitty Yutohru?! A good spy never falls asleep on their mission! Mister Wolf and Miss Sheep need to get back to the mission!!!

I twist my head around, my big eyes meeting your curious ones that have just spotted me waking up. 

I pat your arm urgently, “Dou- I-I mean, Miss Sheep, I’m late, I’m late, for a very important date! Did the fireworks happen already? Sayaka wanted to see them!!!”

[douma-upper2]

*While you slept against him Douma carried you along with him as he went about his usual daily activities. Sure some of his followers had questioned why you were sitting in on the daily meeting but once he explained that he was caring for you while you had a small cold they understood. He was surprised you slept for so long but it also gave him time to collect your medicine for the day (which he snuck into your soup after making sure it was safe to do so) and make you some warm tea and some nutritious chicken soup and some bread-rolls to go with it; finishing making it not long before you woke up so it was still warm. He smiles calmly and a bit relieved as you woke up* "Easy little one; you overheated and passed out while we were outside so I had to bring you inside to cool down. The fireworks have not gone off yet since it's still too early, and I asked some of my rabbit friends to keep an eye on them while I took care of you. However since I figured my little spy would probably be hungry and thirsty when she woke up, I made you something to eat and drink once you have a drink of water" *He explains reassuring you that everything was fine as he handed you the mug of water, you can see a ramen bowl with a lid on it and a mug of tea which also had a lid on it.*

[kabooseye]

“But we need to get back to the mission!” I pout, taking the mug of water you hand me. I cast a forlorn glance at the amount of food you had prepared for me. It smells delicious, but it would take so long to eat! There’s definitely no time!

“Maybe I’ll just have a tiny bit and then we go!” I take a quick sip of the water, then crawl out of your lap and lean over to the wooden western-style nightstand next to the bed to set it down. I grab the ramen bowl and undo the lid, then take a small sip of the broth, which tastes funny and mediciney and reminds me of Auntie Bou-Bou. Maybe you just aren’t good at making food. I reach for the mug of tea and undo the lid on that one as well, chugging as much as I can manage before setting it down again. I grab one of the bread rolls and shove it in my mouth before jumping fully off the bed.

“Mister Wolf is ready to go! Where is Kitty Yutohru??” I ask through hasty munches of the bread. “Are they already in the library?? On the… 'terra ace' or whatever you said?” My eyes brighten as I remember our conversation from earlier. “We should go on the roof like you said! So we can spy and so I can look for Auntie Bou-Bou’s home!! So we can visit them!”

[douma-upper2]

*The medicinal taste is barely noticeable since it's only one small dose of medicine in a decently sized bowl. Perhaps your mind was playing tricks on you because you were sick?* "Sayaka, you havent eaten anything at all since this morning my little one. You really do need to eat more than just a little bit so you can get better faster" *Douma explains, lightly patting you on the head as you finish your water. He had figured out a while back that much like how demons needed to eat after getting injured to heal or recover from poisons faster, Humans needed to eat after getting injured or getting sick so they can recover faster.* "Ah ah ah, I need you have more than one tiny sip of soup since it is going to be cold later tonight. And they are in the library but they are not on the terrace just yet, they got rather distracted reading infront of the fireplace. We can go on the roof after you eat okay?"

[kabooseye]

I chew my lip nervously as I look between the door, the food, and your stern expression.

“Um um… but but we have to go! I wanna see Kitty Yutohru!!” I huff, stomping my foot slightly. I cross my arms, my pout growing deeper. I mumble things to myself, figuring out a plan. A lightbulb pops over my head.

I dash for the ramen bowl, slapping the lid on, “I will eat but only on the roof!” I race out the door before you can stop me, pure stubbornness taking over, something I picked up from Auntie Bou-Bou.

I pant wildly as I reach the library and run up the spiral staircase, spotting a hatch on the ceiling that seemingly leads to the rooftop. I climb up the small ladder without fear, and push the door up and open. My entire body flops onto the clay tiles. I rest my cheek on the cool smooth surface as I place my ramen next to me. I rest my eyes for a moment, letting the fresh air fill my lungs.

I turn over, finally catching my breath. I peal my eyes open, all the stars twinkling up above, smiling, shining, singing, speaking to me. I reach out instinctively, reaching them, touching them, touching her.

I turn my head towards the hatch as you climb up. I give you a soft smile, “Thank you Miss Sh- I mean, Douma.”

[douma-upper2]

*As you go racing out the door he picks up the mug and the lid, closing the lid onto the mug as he chases after you to make sure you did not accidentally trip and hurt yourself. He was still surprised that you managed to outrun him, true he wasn't using his full speed so he didn't give himself away but he still had rather long legs and could run faster than the rest of the humans in his care without going full speed. As he catches up to you on the ladder he helps you up onto the roof of the temple where there is a safe area to perch. Douma gently pats you on the head as you reach for the stars and sat beside you. Though he knew the butterfly estate was somewhere at the base of mt.natagumo which was the next mountain over, He could not see it through the trees even from up here.* "You're welcome sayaka-chan"

[kabooseye]

I blink up in wonder at the stars once more before propping myself up and looking out at the horizon. Not that the horizon line can really be seen anymore; it’s definitely too dark. It’s like a black woolly blanket had been draped comfortingly over the sky and now rests gently against the treetops. 

I squint my eyes hard, trying to focus on the glimmering lights of a city a little ways away. It’s too far from here to obscure the night sky with much haze, though. It’s really dark here. The stars are so bright…Mama would like this place. 

I hold my hand flat up above my eyes instinctively as if I’m blocking out the sun to see better, despite it being nighttime. I lean forwards, struggling to see through the darkness. 

“Sayaka can’t see any houses.” My shoulders droop disappointedly. “Especially not Auntie Bou-Bou’s. Her mansion is really big and has pretty lights and butterflies. I can’t find it. I can’t do it.” My lips form a pout as they start to tremble, and I look down dejectedly. 

A little flutter of wings by my face makes me shriek and scramble back hastily. I retreat behind you, crouching and grasping your shirt, almost knocking over my bowl of soup. My heart pounds as I calm down. It’s just a little bug! A butterfly? 

No, a moth!

Of course it would be a moth. All the butterflies must be sleeping right now! 

I peek my face around your side, admiring the fluffy moth, a little wary. The patterns on its soft wings are pretty. I smile a little bit as it flutters up and down near me and then loops away. It’s no butterfly, but it still reminds me of my Auntie. I step out from behind you.

“Look, Douma!” I pull on your pant leg, as I always do. “It’s a moth! Kinda…s-sorta like Auntie Bou-Bou! A wittle bit!”

Wait…I keep losing my train of thought!!! Sayaka has no time for fuzzy bugs! But instead…it’s Mister Wolf’s time to shine for spying!!!

Before you can do or say anything, I skitter over to the edge of the roof, scrambling much too close for comfort to what would be a fatal fall for something as small and fragile as me. I dart across the side until I hear voices coming from somewhere below. 

“She also said we should, and I quote, ‘make pretty star pictures like the belt or the dippy.’” 

I can hear Kitty Yuto’s voice, from somewhere over this edge…Aha! I lay down on my stomach and lean over to grab the edge of the last tile on the roof, peering past it and below. They aren’t on a “terra ace,” whatever that is, it’s just a balcony! 

Awwww, Kitty Yuto has a rose! Is it for Kitty Tohru? Is it from Kitty Tohru??

“As a matter of fact, I believe that’s the Big Dipper right there. Oh! And there’s the little one below it.” 

I watch as Yuto continues pointing out constellations to Tohru. Yay!!! They’re talking about the stars like I said! But…Tohru’s not even looking at them!!! So annoying! She’s just staring at Yuto! She has such a weird expression on her face…like she’s in a trance, or something. Mama had that face once, when she was looking at–

“Oh my gosh, a shooting star! Tohru, make a w-”

She. Kissed. Him.

My jaw goes slack and I gasp, slapping one hand over my mouth to stay quiet.

What??? But Auntie Bou-Bou said–

Now he’s kissing her!!!!!! I flinch back, startled.

He can’t do that! Not unless–

I decide I need to air out my grievances to you immediately. I skitter back towards the center of the roof and point sternly in the general direction of the balcony, my eyes still wide.

“Douma!!! Mission over!!! They kissed!!! They CAN’T do that!” I stomp my foot down with resolve. “Auntie Bou-Bou told me you can only kiss someone if you’re married!!! And Yuto and Tohru–”

Wait. A. Minute. Does that mean…?????

I gasp even louder than before, and my slackjaw turns to a wide open smile. “Douma??! Does that mean that Yuto and Tohru are getting married??? Already?!” I giggle and jump up and down, making some of the roof tiles clatter beneath my feet. 

As if my elation isn’t already enough, fireworks begin to go off overhead. I throw my head up to watch in awe. “Yayyy!!!” I squeal. “The ice-spy animals did it! We did it!!!” I flop back down on the roof on my back and watch as a rainbow of colors and light explode overhead. 

Pretty…

Today has been such a good day.

[douma-upper2]

*Douma smiles softly as he watches you while you scurry around. He is both relieved and a little guilty in knowing you can't see the butterfly mansion but he figured that would be for the best.* "It's alright little one I'm sure we'll find them eventually" *He explains, gently patting your shoulder and then watching as a moth nearly lands on your nose. He chuckles softly as you tug on his pant-leg to show him* "Ah rather cute little creature isn't it?" *He has to dart near the edge as well and stick his arm in-front of you so you don't accidentally fling yourself from the roof, relieved as you stop yourself and lay on the roofs tiles instead. He also observes the pair and grins as their date seems to be going well but when he moves to cover your eyes before it starts getting awkward he notices you seem rather distressed before you skitter back. A laugh tumbles out of him before he can stop himself, finding your question rather adorable.* "My dear I do not know why your auntie would have told you that but that is not the case at all. Grown-up's like Tohru and Yuto are allowed to kiss the people that they are dating or have a crush on as well. That said I think they might someday" *Douma explains chuckling softly. The fireworks start going off and he watches the fireworks with you*

[kabooseye]

I frown even more. “Auntie Bou-Bou said it’s wrong because it’s BAD! And that people better not break that rule…or else…” I whisper and stare off into the distance with wide eyes as if remembering something scary. Little do I know that that was just Shinobu’s way of being overprotective and overprepared, to make sure I don’t go kissing someone or vice versa as I eventually get older. Not that there are really any other children around my age within the Corps, except maybe the love hashira’s youngest brothers, but I haven’t interacted with them much.

The fireworks begin and cast light on the trees ahead of us. I settle down after my excited outburst and tug on your shirt sleeve, wordlessly asking if I can crawl into your lap. You lift your arm and shift your position so I can wriggle close. Once I’m settled in your lap I pull your arm back down towards me and hold your hand with mine; well, as much as I can, anyway. My hands are too small to fully hold or interlock with yours, so I end up just grasping onto a couple of your fingers. They’re still so cold. I wonder if you ever mind that. If you want to be warm. Why aren’t you warm?

I glance up at you, watching the stars and explosions of light dance around in the reflection of your eyes. You turn your colorful gaze back down to me when you catch me staring.

“Sayaka wonders,” I start, blinking curiously. “Sayaka wonders about you. Sayaka talks a lot about herself.” I lower my voice, feeling a little sheepish. “But!! Now she wants to know more about you!” I smile softly, seeing myself reflected in the glistening rainbow of your eyes, the kanji missing.

[douma-upper2]

"Ah I think I know where the misunderstanding is, grownups are allowed to kiss other grownups and only other grownups as much as they want, However kids like you are not; doss that make sense?" *He figured that the insect hashira was just being overly protective of her adoptive niece and made up a story to make sure nothing strange happened. Douma adjusted how he sat as you cuddled up to him to watch the fireworks and held one of your tiny hands in his. He wondered what exactly Shinobu had told you that would be so scary that even he could tell you were a bit spooked and held you protectively. He wasn't bothered by the cold even though he did find that being warm was rather nice, for some reason he had always been physically colder than most people though that was only heightened by becoming a demon. He pulls himself from his own thoughts when he notices you staring and smiles softly. Douma hums curiously as you ask him about himself. He rarely talked about himself, usually needing to focus either on his followers or on his position as a moon* "Is that so? What would you like to know my little lamb?" *He asks curiously. Douma always made sure to hide the kanji that was emblazoned across his eyes and declared his ranking around his followers before but he made especially sure to hide them around you.*

[kabooseye]

I continue to look up at the sky, marveling at the pretty sights. I squeeze your hand, trying to warm yours in mine.

“Umm… I dunno! Whatever you wanna talk about, Douma!! Mama says a good way to get to know someone is to ask about things they don’t really talk to about!! So Sayaka wants to listen! And learn more about you!”

[douma-upper2]

A small child’s sobs and hiccups can be heard from the hallways of your palace

"Hm?" *He follows the sound in search of the poor little dear that needs comforting. Eventually he finds the source*

[kabooseye]

I make my way over to a tree and crouch down behind it, peering around the trunk. I get distracted from our mission…because suddenly, this is my tree! And there’s an (imaginary) angry beast trying to claim it as their territory! My hands and feet are firmly planted on the ground, and a growl comes out of me. I narrow my eyes at the imaginary enemy. I rear back onto my feet, raising my chest and clawing at the air. I suck in air rapidly, barking furiously. I lower my paws, or rather, hands, back onto the ground, returning to all fours as the creature cowers away. I chuckle at the sight, proud that I took control of this area. I swivel my head towards your direction as I notice you beckon me over through the corner of my eye. I sprint to you on all fours, almost tumbling into you.

You’re shocked that Yuto and Tohru didn’t notice me with all that noise. 

“Hi!” I say, with the most joyful grin on my face. “Sayaka- I mean, Mister Wolf is a dog. I like dogs.”

[douma-upper2]

*Douma looks over at you curiously hearing the ruckus and had to refrain from laughing out-loud once he realized you were playing pretend but he has to cover his mouth as he laughs, finding the entire thing adorable. Though he is a bit surprised that you can run on all fours so well, as it isn't something that many humans can do and is a bit more common among demons. He catches you as you almost crash into him and is a bit surprised that Tohru and Yuto are either doing so well at ignoring the chaos or are actually not noticing it.* "Is that so? Not a wolf-pup eh? Miss sheep is well a big-horned sheep naturally" *He replied with a smile deciding to play along.*

[kabooseye]

I pant, my tongue sticking out. “A wha..??” 

I spring up, grabbing onto your leg, “C’mon, c’mon, Miss Sheep, you aren’t spying correctly!!! We need to find a new hiding spot, or else the bad guys will catch us!” I tug as hard as I can, trying to pull you into a sunny grass patch. I whip my head back, shushing you loudly, placing my finger in front of my lips even though you hadn’t said anything...for the second time. I dive into another somersault, hiding behind a new tree.

I lean against this tree, squinting my eyes as I try to get a closer look at Kitty Yutohru, but they’re too far to spy on. I dive for another tree, determined to be a good spy. 

On the fifth tree, I’m panting wildly, my body swaying slightly from all of the rolls and constant movement up and down, “Mister Wolf can’t see anything! Mister Wolf isn’t a good spy…” 

I bring my hand exhaustedly to my forehead, sitting down with a thud, slumping up against the tree. I tilt my head towards the bark, letting my hot forehead and face rest on the cool tree. My eyes feel heavy as I try to fight fatigue off, doing my best to force my eyes open, “feelzz… hot…I tie…” 

A yawn pushes out of me. I smack my lips a couple more times before truly relaxing against the tree, “Mister Wolf will… tr…try… thisssss…” My eyes close.

[douma-upper2]

*Try as you might, you are unsuccessful in dragging him right through a sunny patch and instead roll yourself right next to another shaded tree. Douma quickly but carefully makes his way through the trees and shady areas of the garden to catch up with you, reaching you right as you lay down. He looks at you with concern as he scoops you into his ever-chilly embrace and rests the back of his hand against your forehead checking for a fever. He then sets up a couple of his ice-minions disguised as rabbits to keep an eye on Tohru and Yuto while he brings you inside to cool down, rest and drink some water. Once inside he perched on a bench near one of the windows that didn't let the suns light into the temple but still faced the garden after grabbing a sturdy wooden mug from the kitchen and filling it with water which he had sitting beside him as he gently rocked you in his arms like he had many times before with a certain piglet.*

[kabooseye]

I nuzzle my cheek into the soft fabric of your shirt, drooling slightly as another snore exits my lips. I jolt with a start, whirling my head around, unsure of my surroundings. My hand sloppily brushes against the corner of my lip, smudging off the drool. My brows knit in worry as I glance out the window. A few hours have passed since I was last conscious. The sun has already set, and stars now flicker against the dark sky.

Why does that make me worry? I like stars.

As I continue to fight the grogginess away, I become more aware of where I am. We’re in my room again, and you’re holding me close atop your chest. You aren’t warm, you never are. But you’re so comfy…

What were we doing before this, again?

Wait…

Why am I inside?! Where’s Kitty Yutohru?! A good spy never falls asleep on their mission! Mister Wolf and Miss Sheep need to get back to the mission!!!

I twist my head around, my big eyes meeting your curious ones that have just spotted me waking up. 

I pat your arm urgently, “Dou- I-I mean, Miss Sheep, I’m late, I’m late, for a very important date! Did the fireworks happen already? Sayaka wanted to see them!!!”

[douma-upper2]

*While you slept against him Douma carried you along with him as he went about his usual daily activities. Sure some of his followers had questioned why you were sitting in on the daily meeting but once he explained that he was caring for you while you had a small cold they understood. He was surprised you slept for so long but it also gave him time to collect your medicine for the day (which he snuck into your soup after making sure it was safe to do so) and make you some warm tea and some nutritious chicken soup and some bread-rolls to go with it; finishing making it not long before you woke up so it was still warm. He smiles calmly and a bit relieved as you woke up* "Easy little one; you overheated and passed out while we were outside so I had to bring you inside to cool down. The fireworks have not gone off yet since it's still too early, and I asked some of my rabbit friends to keep an eye on them while I took care of you. However since I figured my little spy would probably be hungry and thirsty when she woke up, I made you something to eat and drink once you have a drink of water" *He explains reassuring you that everything was fine as he handed you the mug of water, you can see a ramen bowl with a lid on it and a mug of tea which also had a lid on it.*

[kabooseye]

“But we need to get back to the mission!” I pout, taking the mug of water you hand me. I cast a forlorn glance at the amount of food you had prepared for me. It smells delicious, but it would take so long to eat! There’s definitely no time!

“Maybe I’ll just have a tiny bit and then we go!” I take a quick sip of the water, then crawl out of your lap and lean over to the wooden western-style nightstand next to the bed to set it down. I grab the ramen bowl and undo the lid, then take a small sip of the broth, which tastes funny and mediciney and reminds me of Auntie Bou-Bou. Maybe you just aren’t good at making food. I reach for the mug of tea and undo the lid on that one as well, chugging as much as I can manage before setting it down again. I grab one of the bread rolls and shove it in my mouth before jumping fully off the bed.

“Mister Wolf is ready to go! Where is Kitty Yutohru??” I ask through hasty munches of the bread. “Are they already in the library?? On the… 'terra ace' or whatever you said?” My eyes brighten as I remember our conversation from earlier. “We should go on the roof like you said! So we can spy and so I can look for Auntie Bou-Bou’s home!! So we can visit them!”

[douma-upper2]

*The medicinal taste is barely noticeable since it's only one small dose of medicine in a decently sized bowl. Perhaps your mind was playing tricks on you because you were sick?* "Sayaka, you havent eaten anything at all since this morning my little one. You really do need to eat more than just a little bit so you can get better faster" *Douma explains, lightly patting you on the head as you finish your water. He had figured out a while back that much like how demons needed to eat after getting injured to heal or recover from poisons faster, Humans needed to eat after getting injured or getting sick so they can recover faster.* "Ah ah ah, I need you have more than one tiny sip of soup since it is going to be cold later tonight. And they are in the library but they are not on the terrace just yet, they got rather distracted reading infront of the fireplace. We can go on the roof after you eat okay?"

[kabooseye]

I chew my lip nervously as I look between the door, the food, and your stern expression.

“Um um… but but we have to go! I wanna see Kitty Yutohru!!” I huff, stomping my foot slightly. I cross my arms, my pout growing deeper. I mumble things to myself, figuring out a plan. A lightbulb pops over my head.

I dash for the ramen bowl, slapping the lid on, “I will eat but only on the roof!” I race out the door before you can stop me, pure stubbornness taking over, something I picked up from Auntie Bou-Bou.

I pant wildly as I reach the library and run up the spiral staircase, spotting a hatch on the ceiling that seemingly leads to the rooftop. I climb up the small ladder without fear, and push the door up and open. My entire body flops onto the clay tiles. I rest my cheek on the cool smooth surface as I place my ramen next to me. I rest my eyes for a moment, letting the fresh air fill my lungs.

I turn over, finally catching my breath. I peal my eyes open, all the stars twinkling up above, smiling, shining, singing, speaking to me. I reach out instinctively, reaching them, touching them, touching her.

I turn my head towards the hatch as you climb up. I give you a soft smile, “Thank you Miss Sh- I mean, Douma.”

[douma-upper2]

*As you go racing out the door he picks up the mug and the lid, closing the lid onto the mug as he chases after you to make sure you did not accidentally trip and hurt yourself. He was still surprised that you managed to outrun him, true he wasn't using his full speed so he didn't give himself away but he still had rather long legs and could run faster than the rest of the humans in his care without going full speed. As he catches up to you on the ladder he helps you up onto the roof of the temple where there is a safe area to perch. Douma gently pats you on the head as you reach for the stars and sat beside you. Though he knew the butterfly estate was somewhere at the base of mt.natagumo which was the next mountain over, He could not see it through the trees even from up here.* "You're welcome sayaka-chan"

[kabooseye]

I blink up in wonder at the stars once more before propping myself up and looking out at the horizon. Not that the horizon line can really be seen anymore; it’s definitely too dark. It’s like a black woolly blanket had been draped comfortingly over the sky and now rests gently against the treetops. 

I squint my eyes hard, trying to focus on the glimmering lights of a city a little ways away. It’s too far from here to obscure the night sky with much haze, though. It’s really dark here. The stars are so bright…Mama would like this place. 

I hold my hand flat up above my eyes instinctively as if I’m blocking out the sun to see better, despite it being nighttime. I lean forwards, struggling to see through the darkness. 

“Sayaka can’t see any houses.” My shoulders droop disappointedly. “Especially not Auntie Bou-Bou’s. Her mansion is really big and has pretty lights and butterflies. I can’t find it. I can’t do it.” My lips form a pout as they start to tremble, and I look down dejectedly. 

A little flutter of wings by my face makes me shriek and scramble back hastily. I retreat behind you, crouching and grasping your shirt, almost knocking over my bowl of soup. My heart pounds as I calm down. It’s just a little bug! A butterfly? 

No, a moth!

Of course it would be a moth. All the butterflies must be sleeping right now! 

I peek my face around your side, admiring the fluffy moth, a little wary. The patterns on its soft wings are pretty. I smile a little bit as it flutters up and down near me and then loops away. It’s no butterfly, but it still reminds me of my Auntie. I step out from behind you.

“Look, Douma!” I pull on your pant leg, as I always do. “It’s a moth! Kinda…s-sorta like Auntie Bou-Bou! A wittle bit!”

Wait…I keep losing my train of thought!!! Sayaka has no time for fuzzy bugs! But instead…it’s Mister Wolf’s time to shine for spying!!!

Before you can do or say anything, I skitter over to the edge of the roof, scrambling much too close for comfort to what would be a fatal fall for something as small and fragile as me. I dart across the side until I hear voices coming from somewhere below. 

“She also said we should, and I quote, ‘make pretty star pictures like the belt or the dippy.’” 

I can hear Kitty Yuto’s voice, from somewhere over this edge…Aha! I lay down on my stomach and lean over to grab the edge of the last tile on the roof, peering past it and below. They aren’t on a “terra ace,” whatever that is, it’s just a balcony! 

Awwww, Kitty Yuto has a rose! Is it for Kitty Tohru? Is it from Kitty Tohru??

“As a matter of fact, I believe that’s the Big Dipper right there. Oh! And there’s the little one below it.” 

I watch as Yuto continues pointing out constellations to Tohru. Yay!!! They’re talking about the stars like I said! But…Tohru’s not even looking at them!!! So annoying! She’s just staring at Yuto! She has such a weird expression on her face…like she’s in a trance, or something. Mama had that face once, when she was looking at–

“Oh my gosh, a shooting star! Tohru, make a w-”

She. Kissed. Him.

My jaw goes slack and I gasp, slapping one hand over my mouth to stay quiet.

What??? But Auntie Bou-Bou said–

Now he’s kissing her!!!!!! I flinch back, startled.

He can’t do that! Not unless–

I decide I need to air out my grievances to you immediately. I skitter back towards the center of the roof and point sternly in the general direction of the balcony, my eyes still wide.

“Douma!!! Mission over!!! They kissed!!! They CAN’T do that!” I stomp my foot down with resolve. “Auntie Bou-Bou told me you can only kiss someone if you’re married!!! And Yuto and Tohru–”

Wait. A. Minute. Does that mean…?????

I gasp even louder than before, and my slackjaw turns to a wide open smile. “Douma??! Does that mean that Yuto and Tohru are getting married??? Already?!” I giggle and jump up and down, making some of the roof tiles clatter beneath my feet. 

As if my elation isn’t already enough, fireworks begin to go off overhead. I throw my head up to watch in awe. “Yayyy!!!” I squeal. “The ice-spy animals did it! We did it!!!” I flop back down on the roof on my back and watch as a rainbow of colors and light explode overhead. 

Pretty…

Today has been such a good day.

[douma-upper2]

*Douma smiles softly as he watches you while you scurry around. He is both relieved and a little guilty in knowing you can't see the butterfly mansion but he figured that would be for the best.* "It's alright little one I'm sure we'll find them eventually" *He explains, gently patting your shoulder and then watching as a moth nearly lands on your nose. He chuckles softly as you tug on his pant-leg to show him* "Ah rather cute little creature isn't it?" *He has to dart near the edge as well and stick his arm in-front of you so you don't accidentally fling yourself from the roof, relieved as you stop yourself and lay on the roofs tiles instead. He also observes the pair and grins as their date seems to be going well but when he moves to cover your eyes before it starts getting awkward he notices you seem rather distressed before you skitter back. A laugh tumbles out of him before he can stop himself, finding your question rather adorable.* "My dear I do not know why your auntie would have told you that but that is not the case at all. Grown-up's like Tohru and Yuto are allowed to kiss the people that they are dating or have a crush on as well. That said I think they might someday" *Douma explains chuckling softly. The fireworks start going off and he watches the fireworks with you*

[kabooseye]

I frown even more. “Auntie Bou-Bou said it’s wrong because it’s BAD! And that people better not break that rule…or else…” I whisper and stare off into the distance with wide eyes as if remembering something scary. Little do I know that that was just Shinobu’s way of being overprotective and overprepared, to make sure I don’t go kissing someone or vice versa as I eventually get older. Not that there are really any other children around my age within the Corps, except maybe the love hashira’s youngest brothers, but I haven’t interacted with them much.

The fireworks begin and cast light on the trees ahead of us. I settle down after my excited outburst and tug on your shirt sleeve, wordlessly asking if I can crawl into your lap. You lift your arm and shift your position so I can wriggle close. Once I’m settled in your lap I pull your arm back down towards me and hold your hand with mine; well, as much as I can, anyway. My hands are too small to fully hold or interlock with yours, so I end up just grasping onto a couple of your fingers. They’re still so cold. I wonder if you ever mind that. If you want to be warm. Why aren’t you warm?

I glance up at you, watching the stars and explosions of light dance around in the reflection of your eyes. You turn your colorful gaze back down to me when you catch me staring.

“Sayaka wonders,” I start, blinking curiously. “Sayaka wonders about you. Sayaka talks a lot about herself.” I lower my voice, feeling a little sheepish. “But!! Now she wants to know more about you!” I smile softly, seeing myself reflected in the glistening rainbow of your eyes, the kanji missing.

[douma-upper2]

A small child’s sobs and hiccups can be heard from the hallways of your palace

"Hm?" *He follows the sound in search of the poor little dear that needs comforting. Eventually he finds the source*

[kabooseye]

I make my way over to a tree and crouch down behind it, peering around the trunk. I get distracted from our mission…because suddenly, this is my tree! And there’s an (imaginary) angry beast trying to claim it as their territory! My hands and feet are firmly planted on the ground, and a growl comes out of me. I narrow my eyes at the imaginary enemy. I rear back onto my feet, raising my chest and clawing at the air. I suck in air rapidly, barking furiously. I lower my paws, or rather, hands, back onto the ground, returning to all fours as the creature cowers away. I chuckle at the sight, proud that I took control of this area. I swivel my head towards your direction as I notice you beckon me over through the corner of my eye. I sprint to you on all fours, almost tumbling into you.

You’re shocked that Yuto and Tohru didn’t notice me with all that noise. 

“Hi!” I say, with the most joyful grin on my face. “Sayaka- I mean, Mister Wolf is a dog. I like dogs.”

[douma-upper2]

*Douma looks over at you curiously hearing the ruckus and had to refrain from laughing out-loud once he realized you were playing pretend but he has to cover his mouth as he laughs, finding the entire thing adorable. Though he is a bit surprised that you can run on all fours so well, as it isn't something that many humans can do and is a bit more common among demons. He catches you as you almost crash into him and is a bit surprised that Tohru and Yuto are either doing so well at ignoring the chaos or are actually not noticing it.* "Is that so? Not a wolf-pup eh? Miss sheep is well a big-horned sheep naturally" *He replied with a smile deciding to play along.*

[kabooseye]

I pant, my tongue sticking out. “A wha..??” 

I spring up, grabbing onto your leg, “C’mon, c’mon, Miss Sheep, you aren’t spying correctly!!! We need to find a new hiding spot, or else the bad guys will catch us!” I tug as hard as I can, trying to pull you into a sunny grass patch. I whip my head back, shushing you loudly, placing my finger in front of my lips even though you hadn’t said anything...for the second time. I dive into another somersault, hiding behind a new tree.

I lean against this tree, squinting my eyes as I try to get a closer look at Kitty Yutohru, but they’re too far to spy on. I dive for another tree, determined to be a good spy. 

On the fifth tree, I’m panting wildly, my body swaying slightly from all of the rolls and constant movement up and down, “Mister Wolf can’t see anything! Mister Wolf isn’t a good spy…” 

I bring my hand exhaustedly to my forehead, sitting down with a thud, slumping up against the tree. I tilt my head towards the bark, letting my hot forehead and face rest on the cool tree. My eyes feel heavy as I try to fight fatigue off, doing my best to force my eyes open, “feelzz… hot…I tie…” 

A yawn pushes out of me. I smack my lips a couple more times before truly relaxing against the tree, “Mister Wolf will… tr…try… thisssss…” My eyes close.

[douma-upper2]

*Try as you might, you are unsuccessful in dragging him right through a sunny patch and instead roll yourself right next to another shaded tree. Douma quickly but carefully makes his way through the trees and shady areas of the garden to catch up with you, reaching you right as you lay down. He looks at you with concern as he scoops you into his ever-chilly embrace and rests the back of his hand against your forehead checking for a fever. He then sets up a couple of his ice-minions disguised as rabbits to keep an eye on Tohru and Yuto while he brings you inside to cool down, rest and drink some water. Once inside he perched on a bench near one of the windows that didn't let the suns light into the temple but still faced the garden after grabbing a sturdy wooden mug from the kitchen and filling it with water which he had sitting beside him as he gently rocked you in his arms like he had many times before with a certain piglet.*

[kabooseye]

I nuzzle my cheek into the soft fabric of your shirt, drooling slightly as another snore exits my lips. I jolt with a start, whirling my head around, unsure of my surroundings. My hand sloppily brushes against the corner of my lip, smudging off the drool. My brows knit in worry as I glance out the window. A few hours have passed since I was last conscious. The sun has already set, and stars now flicker against the dark sky.

Why does that make me worry? I like stars.

As I continue to fight the grogginess away, I become more aware of where I am. We’re in my room again, and you’re holding me close atop your chest. You aren’t warm, you never are. But you’re so comfy…

What were we doing before this, again?

Wait…

Why am I inside?! Where’s Kitty Yutohru?! A good spy never falls asleep on their mission! Mister Wolf and Miss Sheep need to get back to the mission!!!

I twist my head around, my big eyes meeting your curious ones that have just spotted me waking up. 

I pat your arm urgently, “Dou- I-I mean, Miss Sheep, I’m late, I’m late, for a very important date! Did the fireworks happen already? Sayaka wanted to see them!!!”

[douma-upper2]

*While you slept against him Douma carried you along with him as he went about his usual daily activities. Sure some of his followers had questioned why you were sitting in on the daily meeting but once he explained that he was caring for you while you had a small cold they understood. He was surprised you slept for so long but it also gave him time to collect your medicine for the day (which he snuck into your soup after making sure it was safe to do so) and make you some warm tea and some nutritious chicken soup and some bread-rolls to go with it; finishing making it not long before you woke up so it was still warm. He smiles calmly and a bit relieved as you woke up* "Easy little one; you overheated and passed out while we were outside so I had to bring you inside to cool down. The fireworks have not gone off yet since it's still too early, and I asked some of my rabbit friends to keep an eye on them while I took care of you. However since I figured my little spy would probably be hungry and thirsty when she woke up, I made you something to eat and drink once you have a drink of water" *He explains reassuring you that everything was fine as he handed you the mug of water, you can see a ramen bowl with a lid on it and a mug of tea which also had a lid on it.*

[kabooseye]

“But we need to get back to the mission!” I pout, taking the mug of water you hand me. I cast a forlorn glance at the amount of food you had prepared for me. It smells delicious, but it would take so long to eat! There’s definitely no time!

“Maybe I’ll just have a tiny bit and then we go!” I take a quick sip of the water, then crawl out of your lap and lean over to the wooden western-style nightstand next to the bed to set it down. I grab the ramen bowl and undo the lid, then take a small sip of the broth, which tastes funny and mediciney and reminds me of Auntie Bou-Bou. Maybe you just aren’t good at making food. I reach for the mug of tea and undo the lid on that one as well, chugging as much as I can manage before setting it down again. I grab one of the bread rolls and shove it in my mouth before jumping fully off the bed.

“Mister Wolf is ready to go! Where is Kitty Yutohru??” I ask through hasty munches of the bread. “Are they already in the library?? On the… 'terra ace' or whatever you said?” My eyes brighten as I remember our conversation from earlier. “We should go on the roof like you said! So we can spy and so I can look for Auntie Bou-Bou’s home!! So we can visit them!”

[douma-upper2]

*The medicinal taste is barely noticeable since it's only one small dose of medicine in a decently sized bowl. Perhaps your mind was playing tricks on you because you were sick?* "Sayaka, you havent eaten anything at all since this morning my little one. You really do need to eat more than just a little bit so you can get better faster" *Douma explains, lightly patting you on the head as you finish your water. He had figured out a while back that much like how demons needed to eat after getting injured to heal or recover from poisons faster, Humans needed to eat after getting injured or getting sick so they can recover faster.* "Ah ah ah, I need you have more than one tiny sip of soup since it is going to be cold later tonight. And they are in the library but they are not on the terrace just yet, they got rather distracted reading infront of the fireplace. We can go on the roof after you eat okay?"

[kabooseye]

I chew my lip nervously as I look between the door, the food, and your stern expression.

“Um um… but but we have to go! I wanna see Kitty Yutohru!!” I huff, stomping my foot slightly. I cross my arms, my pout growing deeper. I mumble things to myself, figuring out a plan. A lightbulb pops over my head.

I dash for the ramen bowl, slapping the lid on, “I will eat but only on the roof!” I race out the door before you can stop me, pure stubbornness taking over, something I picked up from Auntie Bou-Bou.

I pant wildly as I reach the library and run up the spiral staircase, spotting a hatch on the ceiling that seemingly leads to the rooftop. I climb up the small ladder without fear, and push the door up and open. My entire body flops onto the clay tiles. I rest my cheek on the cool smooth surface as I place my ramen next to me. I rest my eyes for a moment, letting the fresh air fill my lungs.

I turn over, finally catching my breath. I peal my eyes open, all the stars twinkling up above, smiling, shining, singing, speaking to me. I reach out instinctively, reaching them, touching them, touching her.

I turn my head towards the hatch as you climb up. I give you a soft smile, “Thank you Miss Sh- I mean, Douma.”

[douma-upper2]

*As you go racing out the door he picks up the mug and the lid, closing the lid onto the mug as he chases after you to make sure you did not accidentally trip and hurt yourself. He was still surprised that you managed to outrun him, true he wasn't using his full speed so he didn't give himself away but he still had rather long legs and could run faster than the rest of the humans in his care without going full speed. As he catches up to you on the ladder he helps you up onto the roof of the temple where there is a safe area to perch. Douma gently pats you on the head as you reach for the stars and sat beside you. Though he knew the butterfly estate was somewhere at the base of mt.natagumo which was the next mountain over, He could not see it through the trees even from up here.* "You're welcome sayaka-chan"

[kabooseye]

I blink up in wonder at the stars once more before propping myself up and looking out at the horizon. Not that the horizon line can really be seen anymore; it’s definitely too dark. It’s like a black woolly blanket had been draped comfortingly over the sky and now rests gently against the treetops. 

I squint my eyes hard, trying to focus on the glimmering lights of a city a little ways away. It’s too far from here to obscure the night sky with much haze, though. It’s really dark here. The stars are so bright…Mama would like this place. 

I hold my hand flat up above my eyes instinctively as if I’m blocking out the sun to see better, despite it being nighttime. I lean forwards, struggling to see through the darkness. 

“Sayaka can’t see any houses.” My shoulders droop disappointedly. “Especially not Auntie Bou-Bou’s. Her mansion is really big and has pretty lights and butterflies. I can’t find it. I can’t do it.” My lips form a pout as they start to tremble, and I look down dejectedly. 

A little flutter of wings by my face makes me shriek and scramble back hastily. I retreat behind you, crouching and grasping your shirt, almost knocking over my bowl of soup. My heart pounds as I calm down. It’s just a little bug! A butterfly? 

No, a moth!

Of course it would be a moth. All the butterflies must be sleeping right now! 

I peek my face around your side, admiring the fluffy moth, a little wary. The patterns on its soft wings are pretty. I smile a little bit as it flutters up and down near me and then loops away. It’s no butterfly, but it still reminds me of my Auntie. I step out from behind you.

“Look, Douma!” I pull on your pant leg, as I always do. “It’s a moth! Kinda…s-sorta like Auntie Bou-Bou! A wittle bit!”

Wait…I keep losing my train of thought!!! Sayaka has no time for fuzzy bugs! But instead…it’s Mister Wolf’s time to shine for spying!!!

Before you can do or say anything, I skitter over to the edge of the roof, scrambling much too close for comfort to what would be a fatal fall for something as small and fragile as me. I dart across the side until I hear voices coming from somewhere below. 

“She also said we should, and I quote, ‘make pretty star pictures like the belt or the dippy.’” 

I can hear Kitty Yuto’s voice, from somewhere over this edge…Aha! I lay down on my stomach and lean over to grab the edge of the last tile on the roof, peering past it and below. They aren’t on a “terra ace,” whatever that is, it’s just a balcony! 

Awwww, Kitty Yuto has a rose! Is it for Kitty Tohru? Is it from Kitty Tohru??

“As a matter of fact, I believe that’s the Big Dipper right there. Oh! And there’s the little one below it.” 

I watch as Yuto continues pointing out constellations to Tohru. Yay!!! They’re talking about the stars like I said! But…Tohru’s not even looking at them!!! So annoying! She’s just staring at Yuto! She has such a weird expression on her face…like she’s in a trance, or something. Mama had that face once, when she was looking at–

“Oh my gosh, a shooting star! Tohru, make a w-”

She. Kissed. Him.

My jaw goes slack and I gasp, slapping one hand over my mouth to stay quiet.

What??? But Auntie Bou-Bou said–

Now he’s kissing her!!!!!! I flinch back, startled.

He can’t do that! Not unless–

I decide I need to air out my grievances to you immediately. I skitter back towards the center of the roof and point sternly in the general direction of the balcony, my eyes still wide.

“Douma!!! Mission over!!! They kissed!!! They CAN’T do that!” I stomp my foot down with resolve. “Auntie Bou-Bou told me you can only kiss someone if you’re married!!! And Yuto and Tohru–”

Wait. A. Minute. Does that mean…?????

I gasp even louder than before, and my slackjaw turns to a wide open smile. “Douma??! Does that mean that Yuto and Tohru are getting married??? Already?!” I giggle and jump up and down, making some of the roof tiles clatter beneath my feet. 

As if my elation isn’t already enough, fireworks begin to go off overhead. I throw my head up to watch in awe. “Yayyy!!!” I squeal. “The ice-spy animals did it! We did it!!!” I flop back down on the roof on my back and watch as a rainbow of colors and light explode overhead. 

Pretty…

Today has been such a good day.

[douma-upper2]

A small child’s sobs and hiccups can be heard from the hallways of your palace

"Hm?" *He follows the sound in search of the poor little dear that needs comforting. Eventually he finds the source*

[kabooseye]

I make my way over to a tree and crouch down behind it, peering around the trunk. I get distracted from our mission…because suddenly, this is my tree! And there’s an (imaginary) angry beast trying to claim it as their territory! My hands and feet are firmly planted on the ground, and a growl comes out of me. I narrow my eyes at the imaginary enemy. I rear back onto my feet, raising my chest and clawing at the air. I suck in air rapidly, barking furiously. I lower my paws, or rather, hands, back onto the ground, returning to all fours as the creature cowers away. I chuckle at the sight, proud that I took control of this area. I swivel my head towards your direction as I notice you beckon me over through the corner of my eye. I sprint to you on all fours, almost tumbling into you.

You’re shocked that Yuto and Tohru didn’t notice me with all that noise. 

“Hi!” I say, with the most joyful grin on my face. “Sayaka- I mean, Mister Wolf is a dog. I like dogs.”

[douma-upper2]

*Douma looks over at you curiously hearing the ruckus and had to refrain from laughing out-loud once he realized you were playing pretend but he has to cover his mouth as he laughs, finding the entire thing adorable. Though he is a bit surprised that you can run on all fours so well, as it isn't something that many humans can do and is a bit more common among demons. He catches you as you almost crash into him and is a bit surprised that Tohru and Yuto are either doing so well at ignoring the chaos or are actually not noticing it.* "Is that so? Not a wolf-pup eh? Miss sheep is well a big-horned sheep naturally" *He replied with a smile deciding to play along.*

[kabooseye]

I pant, my tongue sticking out. “A wha..??” 

I spring up, grabbing onto your leg, “C’mon, c’mon, Miss Sheep, you aren’t spying correctly!!! We need to find a new hiding spot, or else the bad guys will catch us!” I tug as hard as I can, trying to pull you into a sunny grass patch. I whip my head back, shushing you loudly, placing my finger in front of my lips even though you hadn’t said anything...for the second time. I dive into another somersault, hiding behind a new tree.

I lean against this tree, squinting my eyes as I try to get a closer look at Kitty Yutohru, but they’re too far to spy on. I dive for another tree, determined to be a good spy. 

On the fifth tree, I’m panting wildly, my body swaying slightly from all of the rolls and constant movement up and down, “Mister Wolf can’t see anything! Mister Wolf isn’t a good spy…” 

I bring my hand exhaustedly to my forehead, sitting down with a thud, slumping up against the tree. I tilt my head towards the bark, letting my hot forehead and face rest on the cool tree. My eyes feel heavy as I try to fight fatigue off, doing my best to force my eyes open, “feelzz… hot…I tie…” 

A yawn pushes out of me. I smack my lips a couple more times before truly relaxing against the tree, “Mister Wolf will… tr…try… thisssss…” My eyes close.

[douma-upper2]

*Try as you might, you are unsuccessful in dragging him right through a sunny patch and instead roll yourself right next to another shaded tree. Douma quickly but carefully makes his way through the trees and shady areas of the garden to catch up with you, reaching you right as you lay down. He looks at you with concern as he scoops you into his ever-chilly embrace and rests the back of his hand against your forehead checking for a fever. He then sets up a couple of his ice-minions disguised as rabbits to keep an eye on Tohru and Yuto while he brings you inside to cool down, rest and drink some water. Once inside he perched on a bench near one of the windows that didn't let the suns light into the temple but still faced the garden after grabbing a sturdy wooden mug from the kitchen and filling it with water which he had sitting beside him as he gently rocked you in his arms like he had many times before with a certain piglet.*

[kabooseye]

I nuzzle my cheek into the soft fabric of your shirt, drooling slightly as another snore exits my lips. I jolt with a start, whirling my head around, unsure of my surroundings. My hand sloppily brushes against the corner of my lip, smudging off the drool. My brows knit in worry as I glance out the window. A few hours have passed since I was last conscious. The sun has already set, and stars now flicker against the dark sky.

Why does that make me worry? I like stars.

As I continue to fight the grogginess away, I become more aware of where I am. We’re in my room again, and you’re holding me close atop your chest. You aren’t warm, you never are. But you’re so comfy…

What were we doing before this, again?

Wait…

Why am I inside?! Where’s Kitty Yutohru?! A good spy never falls asleep on their mission! Mister Wolf and Miss Sheep need to get back to the mission!!!

I twist my head around, my big eyes meeting your curious ones that have just spotted me waking up. 

I pat your arm urgently, “Dou- I-I mean, Miss Sheep, I’m late, I’m late, for a very important date! Did the fireworks happen already? Sayaka wanted to see them!!!”

[douma-upper2]

*While you slept against him Douma carried you along with him as he went about his usual daily activities. Sure some of his followers had questioned why you were sitting in on the daily meeting but once he explained that he was caring for you while you had a small cold they understood. He was surprised you slept for so long but it also gave him time to collect your medicine for the day (which he snuck into your soup after making sure it was safe to do so) and make you some warm tea and some nutritious chicken soup and some bread-rolls to go with it; finishing making it not long before you woke up so it was still warm. He smiles calmly and a bit relieved as you woke up* "Easy little one; you overheated and passed out while we were outside so I had to bring you inside to cool down. The fireworks have not gone off yet since it's still too early, and I asked some of my rabbit friends to keep an eye on them while I took care of you. However since I figured my little spy would probably be hungry and thirsty when she woke up, I made you something to eat and drink once you have a drink of water" *He explains reassuring you that everything was fine as he handed you the mug of water, you can see a ramen bowl with a lid on it and a mug of tea which also had a lid on it.*

[kabooseye]

“But we need to get back to the mission!” I pout, taking the mug of water you hand me. I cast a forlorn glance at the amount of food you had prepared for me. It smells delicious, but it would take so long to eat! There’s definitely no time!

“Maybe I’ll just have a tiny bit and then we go!” I take a quick sip of the water, then crawl out of your lap and lean over to the wooden western-style nightstand next to the bed to set it down. I grab the ramen bowl and undo the lid, then take a small sip of the broth, which tastes funny and mediciney and reminds me of Auntie Bou-Bou. Maybe you just aren’t good at making food. I reach for the mug of tea and undo the lid on that one as well, chugging as much as I can manage before setting it down again. I grab one of the bread rolls and shove it in my mouth before jumping fully off the bed.

“Mister Wolf is ready to go! Where is Kitty Yutohru??” I ask through hasty munches of the bread. “Are they already in the library?? On the… 'terra ace' or whatever you said?” My eyes brighten as I remember our conversation from earlier. “We should go on the roof like you said! So we can spy and so I can look for Auntie Bou-Bou’s home!! So we can visit them!”

[douma-upper2]

*The medicinal taste is barely noticeable since it's only one small dose of medicine in a decently sized bowl. Perhaps your mind was playing tricks on you because you were sick?* "Sayaka, you havent eaten anything at all since this morning my little one. You really do need to eat more than just a little bit so you can get better faster" *Douma explains, lightly patting you on the head as you finish your water. He had figured out a while back that much like how demons needed to eat after getting injured to heal or recover from poisons faster, Humans needed to eat after getting injured or getting sick so they can recover faster.* "Ah ah ah, I need you have more than one tiny sip of soup since it is going to be cold later tonight. And they are in the library but they are not on the terrace just yet, they got rather distracted reading infront of the fireplace. We can go on the roof after you eat okay?"

[kabooseye]

I chew my lip nervously as I look between the door, the food, and your stern expression.

“Um um… but but we have to go! I wanna see Kitty Yutohru!!” I huff, stomping my foot slightly. I cross my arms, my pout growing deeper. I mumble things to myself, figuring out a plan. A lightbulb pops over my head.

I dash for the ramen bowl, slapping the lid on, “I will eat but only on the roof!” I race out the door before you can stop me, pure stubbornness taking over, something I picked up from Auntie Bou-Bou.

I pant wildly as I reach the library and run up the spiral staircase, spotting a hatch on the ceiling that seemingly leads to the rooftop. I climb up the small ladder without fear, and push the door up and open. My entire body flops onto the clay tiles. I rest my cheek on the cool smooth surface as I place my ramen next to me. I rest my eyes for a moment, letting the fresh air fill my lungs.

I turn over, finally catching my breath. I peal my eyes open, all the stars twinkling up above, smiling, shining, singing, speaking to me. I reach out instinctively, reaching them, touching them, touching her.

I turn my head towards the hatch as you climb up. I give you a soft smile, “Thank you Miss Sh- I mean, Douma.”

[douma-upper2]

A small child’s sobs and hiccups can be heard from the hallways of your palace

"Hm?" *He follows the sound in search of the poor little dear that needs comforting. Eventually he finds the source*

[kabooseye]

I make my way over to a tree and crouch down behind it, peering around the trunk. I get distracted from our mission…because suddenly, this is my tree! And there’s an (imaginary) angry beast trying to claim it as their territory! My hands and feet are firmly planted on the ground, and a growl comes out of me. I narrow my eyes at the imaginary enemy. I rear back onto my feet, raising my chest and clawing at the air. I suck in air rapidly, barking furiously. I lower my paws, or rather, hands, back onto the ground, returning to all fours as the creature cowers away. I chuckle at the sight, proud that I took control of this area. I swivel my head towards your direction as I notice you beckon me over through the corner of my eye. I sprint to you on all fours, almost tumbling into you.

You’re shocked that Yuto and Tohru didn’t notice me with all that noise. 

“Hi!” I say, with the most joyful grin on my face. “Sayaka- I mean, Mister Wolf is a dog. I like dogs.”

[douma-upper2]

*Douma looks over at you curiously hearing the ruckus and had to refrain from laughing out-loud once he realized you were playing pretend but he has to cover his mouth as he laughs, finding the entire thing adorable. Though he is a bit surprised that you can run on all fours so well, as it isn't something that many humans can do and is a bit more common among demons. He catches you as you almost crash into him and is a bit surprised that Tohru and Yuto are either doing so well at ignoring the chaos or are actually not noticing it.* "Is that so? Not a wolf-pup eh? Miss sheep is well a big-horned sheep naturally" *He replied with a smile deciding to play along.*

[kabooseye]

I pant, my tongue sticking out. “A wha..??” 

I spring up, grabbing onto your leg, “C’mon, c’mon, Miss Sheep, you aren’t spying correctly!!! We need to find a new hiding spot, or else the bad guys will catch us!” I tug as hard as I can, trying to pull you into a sunny grass patch. I whip my head back, shushing you loudly, placing my finger in front of my lips even though you hadn’t said anything...for the second time. I dive into another somersault, hiding behind a new tree.

I lean against this tree, squinting my eyes as I try to get a closer look at Kitty Yutohru, but they’re too far to spy on. I dive for another tree, determined to be a good spy. 

On the fifth tree, I’m panting wildly, my body swaying slightly from all of the rolls and constant movement up and down, “Mister Wolf can’t see anything! Mister Wolf isn’t a good spy…” 

I bring my hand exhaustedly to my forehead, sitting down with a thud, slumping up against the tree. I tilt my head towards the bark, letting my hot forehead and face rest on the cool tree. My eyes feel heavy as I try to fight fatigue off, doing my best to force my eyes open, “feelzz… hot…I tie…” 

A yawn pushes out of me. I smack my lips a couple more times before truly relaxing against the tree, “Mister Wolf will… tr…try… thisssss…” My eyes close.

[douma-upper2]

*Try as you might, you are unsuccessful in dragging him right through a sunny patch and instead roll yourself right next to another shaded tree. Douma quickly but carefully makes his way through the trees and shady areas of the garden to catch up with you, reaching you right as you lay down. He looks at you with concern as he scoops you into his ever-chilly embrace and rests the back of his hand against your forehead checking for a fever. He then sets up a couple of his ice-minions disguised as rabbits to keep an eye on Tohru and Yuto while he brings you inside to cool down, rest and drink some water. Once inside he perched on a bench near one of the windows that didn't let the suns light into the temple but still faced the garden after grabbing a sturdy wooden mug from the kitchen and filling it with water which he had sitting beside him as he gently rocked you in his arms like he had many times before with a certain piglet.*

[kabooseye]

I nuzzle my cheek into the soft fabric of your shirt, drooling slightly as another snore exits my lips. I jolt with a start, whirling my head around, unsure of my surroundings. My hand sloppily brushes against the corner of my lip, smudging off the drool. My brows knit in worry as I glance out the window. A few hours have passed since I was last conscious. The sun has already set, and stars now flicker against the dark sky.

Why does that make me worry? I like stars.

As I continue to fight the grogginess away, I become more aware of where I am. We’re in my room again, and you’re holding me close atop your chest. You aren’t warm, you never are. But you’re so comfy…

What were we doing before this, again?

Wait…

Why am I inside?! Where’s Kitty Yutohru?! A good spy never falls asleep on their mission! Mister Wolf and Miss Sheep need to get back to the mission!!!

I twist my head around, my big eyes meeting your curious ones that have just spotted me waking up. 

I pat your arm urgently, “Dou- I-I mean, Miss Sheep, I’m late, I’m late, for a very important date! Did the fireworks happen already? Sayaka wanted to see them!!!”

[douma-upper2]

*While you slept against him Douma carried you along with him as he went about his usual daily activities. Sure some of his followers had questioned why you were sitting in on the daily meeting but once he explained that he was caring for you while you had a small cold they understood. He was surprised you slept for so long but it also gave him time to collect your medicine for the day (which he snuck into your soup after making sure it was safe to do so) and make you some warm tea and some nutritious chicken soup and some bread-rolls to go with it; finishing making it not long before you woke up so it was still warm. He smiles calmly and a bit relieved as you woke up* "Easy little one; you overheated and passed out while we were outside so I had to bring you inside to cool down. The fireworks have not gone off yet since it's still too early, and I asked some of my rabbit friends to keep an eye on them while I took care of you. However since I figured my little spy would probably be hungry and thirsty when she woke up, I made you something to eat and drink once you have a drink of water" *He explains reassuring you that everything was fine as he handed you the mug of water, you can see a ramen bowl with a lid on it and a mug of tea which also had a lid on it.*

[kabooseye]

“But we need to get back to the mission!” I pout, taking the mug of water you hand me. I cast a forlorn glance at the amount of food you had prepared for me. It smells delicious, but it would take so long to eat! There’s definitely no time!

“Maybe I’ll just have a tiny bit and then we go!” I take a quick sip of the water, then crawl out of your lap and lean over to the wooden western-style nightstand next to the bed to set it down. I grab the ramen bowl and undo the lid, then take a small sip of the broth, which tastes funny and mediciney and reminds me of Auntie Bou-Bou. Maybe you just aren’t good at making food. I reach for the mug of tea and undo the lid on that one as well, chugging as much as I can manage before setting it down again. I grab one of the bread rolls and shove it in my mouth before jumping fully off the bed.

“Mister Wolf is ready to go! Where is Kitty Yutohru??” I ask through hasty munches of the bread. “Are they already in the library?? On the… 'terra ace' or whatever you said?” My eyes brighten as I remember our conversation from earlier. “We should go on the roof like you said! So we can spy and so I can look for Auntie Bou-Bou’s home!! So we can visit them!”

[douma-upper2]

A small child’s sobs and hiccups can be heard from the hallways of your palace

"Hm?" *He follows the sound in search of the poor little dear that needs comforting. Eventually he finds the source*

[kabooseye]

I make my way over to a tree and crouch down behind it, peering around the trunk. I get distracted from our mission…because suddenly, this is my tree! And there’s an (imaginary) angry beast trying to claim it as their territory! My hands and feet are firmly planted on the ground, and a growl comes out of me. I narrow my eyes at the imaginary enemy. I rear back onto my feet, raising my chest and clawing at the air. I suck in air rapidly, barking furiously. I lower my paws, or rather, hands, back onto the ground, returning to all fours as the creature cowers away. I chuckle at the sight, proud that I took control of this area. I swivel my head towards your direction as I notice you beckon me over through the corner of my eye. I sprint to you on all fours, almost tumbling into you.

You’re shocked that Yuto and Tohru didn’t notice me with all that noise. 

“Hi!” I say, with the most joyful grin on my face. “Sayaka- I mean, Mister Wolf is a dog. I like dogs.”

[douma-upper2]

*Douma looks over at you curiously hearing the ruckus and had to refrain from laughing out-loud once he realized you were playing pretend but he has to cover his mouth as he laughs, finding the entire thing adorable. Though he is a bit surprised that you can run on all fours so well, as it isn't something that many humans can do and is a bit more common among demons. He catches you as you almost crash into him and is a bit surprised that Tohru and Yuto are either doing so well at ignoring the chaos or are actually not noticing it.* "Is that so? Not a wolf-pup eh? Miss sheep is well a big-horned sheep naturally" *He replied with a smile deciding to play along.*

[kabooseye]

I pant, my tongue sticking out. “A wha..??” 

I spring up, grabbing onto your leg, “C’mon, c’mon, Miss Sheep, you aren’t spying correctly!!! We need to find a new hiding spot, or else the bad guys will catch us!” I tug as hard as I can, trying to pull you into a sunny grass patch. I whip my head back, shushing you loudly, placing my finger in front of my lips even though you hadn’t said anything...for the second time. I dive into another somersault, hiding behind a new tree.

I lean against this tree, squinting my eyes as I try to get a closer look at Kitty Yutohru, but they’re too far to spy on. I dive for another tree, determined to be a good spy. 

On the fifth tree, I’m panting wildly, my body swaying slightly from all of the rolls and constant movement up and down, “Mister Wolf can’t see anything! Mister Wolf isn’t a good spy…” 

I bring my hand exhaustedly to my forehead, sitting down with a thud, slumping up against the tree. I tilt my head towards the bark, letting my hot forehead and face rest on the cool tree. My eyes feel heavy as I try to fight fatigue off, doing my best to force my eyes open, “feelzz… hot…I tie…” 

A yawn pushes out of me. I smack my lips a couple more times before truly relaxing against the tree, “Mister Wolf will… tr…try… thisssss…” My eyes close.

[douma-upper2]

*Try as you might, you are unsuccessful in dragging him right through a sunny patch and instead roll yourself right next to another shaded tree. Douma quickly but carefully makes his way through the trees and shady areas of the garden to catch up with you, reaching you right as you lay down. He looks at you with concern as he scoops you into his ever-chilly embrace and rests the back of his hand against your forehead checking for a fever. He then sets up a couple of his ice-minions disguised as rabbits to keep an eye on Tohru and Yuto while he brings you inside to cool down, rest and drink some water. Once inside he perched on a bench near one of the windows that didn't let the suns light into the temple but still faced the garden after grabbing a sturdy wooden mug from the kitchen and filling it with water which he had sitting beside him as he gently rocked you in his arms like he had many times before with a certain piglet.*

[kabooseye]

I nuzzle my cheek into the soft fabric of your shirt, drooling slightly as another snore exits my lips. I jolt with a start, whirling my head around, unsure of my surroundings. My hand sloppily brushes against the corner of my lip, smudging off the drool. My brows knit in worry as I glance out the window. A few hours have passed since I was last conscious. The sun has already set, and stars now flicker against the dark sky.

Why does that make me worry? I like stars.

As I continue to fight the grogginess away, I become more aware of where I am. We’re in my room again, and you’re holding me close atop your chest. You aren’t warm, you never are. But you’re so comfy…

What were we doing before this, again?

Wait…

Why am I inside?! Where’s Kitty Yutohru?! A good spy never falls asleep on their mission! Mister Wolf and Miss Sheep need to get back to the mission!!!

I twist my head around, my big eyes meeting your curious ones that have just spotted me waking up. 

I pat your arm urgently, “Dou- I-I mean, Miss Sheep, I’m late, I’m late, for a very important date! Did the fireworks happen already? Sayaka wanted to see them!!!”

[douma-upper2]

A small child’s sobs and hiccups can be heard from the hallways of your palace

"Hm?" *He follows the sound in search of the poor little dear that needs comforting. Eventually he finds the source*

[kabooseye]

I make my way over to a tree and crouch down behind it, peering around the trunk. I get distracted from our mission…because suddenly, this is my tree! And there’s an (imaginary) angry beast trying to claim it as their territory! My hands and feet are firmly planted on the ground, and a growl comes out of me. I narrow my eyes at the imaginary enemy. I rear back onto my feet, raising my chest and clawing at the air. I suck in air rapidly, barking furiously. I lower my paws, or rather, hands, back onto the ground, returning to all fours as the creature cowers away. I chuckle at the sight, proud that I took control of this area. I swivel my head towards your direction as I notice you beckon me over through the corner of my eye. I sprint to you on all fours, almost tumbling into you.

You’re shocked that Yuto and Tohru didn’t notice me with all that noise. 

“Hi!” I say, with the most joyful grin on my face. “Sayaka- I mean, Mister Wolf is a dog. I like dogs.”

[douma-upper2]

*Douma looks over at you curiously hearing the ruckus and had to refrain from laughing out-loud once he realized you were playing pretend but he has to cover his mouth as he laughs, finding the entire thing adorable. Though he is a bit surprised that you can run on all fours so well, as it isn't something that many humans can do and is a bit more common among demons. He catches you as you almost crash into him and is a bit surprised that Tohru and Yuto are either doing so well at ignoring the chaos or are actually not noticing it.* "Is that so? Not a wolf-pup eh? Miss sheep is well a big-horned sheep naturally" *He replied with a smile deciding to play along.*

[kabooseye]

I pant, my tongue sticking out. “A wha..??” 

I spring up, grabbing onto your leg, “C’mon, c’mon, Miss Sheep, you aren’t spying correctly!!! We need to find a new hiding spot, or else the bad guys will catch us!” I tug as hard as I can, trying to pull you into a sunny grass patch. I whip my head back, shushing you loudly, placing my finger in front of my lips even though you hadn’t said anything...for the second time. I dive into another somersault, hiding behind a new tree.

I lean against this tree, squinting my eyes as I try to get a closer look at Kitty Yutohru, but they’re too far to spy on. I dive for another tree, determined to be a good spy. 

On the fifth tree, I’m panting wildly, my body swaying slightly from all of the rolls and constant movement up and down, “Mister Wolf can’t see anything! Mister Wolf isn’t a good spy…” 

I bring my hand exhaustedly to my forehead, sitting down with a thud, slumping up against the tree. I tilt my head towards the bark, letting my hot forehead and face rest on the cool tree. My eyes feel heavy as I try to fight fatigue off, doing my best to force my eyes open, “feelzz… hot…I tie…” 

A yawn pushes out of me. I smack my lips a couple more times before truly relaxing against the tree, “Mister Wolf will… tr…try… thisssss…” My eyes close.

[douma-upper2]

A small child’s sobs and hiccups can be heard from the hallways of your palace

"Hm?" *He follows the sound in search of the poor little dear that needs comforting. Eventually he finds the source*

[kabooseye]

I make my way over to a tree and crouch down behind it, peering around the trunk. I get distracted from our mission…because suddenly, this is my tree! And there’s an (imaginary) angry beast trying to claim it as their territory! My hands and feet are firmly planted on the ground, and a growl comes out of me. I narrow my eyes at the imaginary enemy. I rear back onto my feet, raising my chest and clawing at the air. I suck in air rapidly, barking furiously. I lower my paws, or rather, hands, back onto the ground, returning to all fours as the creature cowers away. I chuckle at the sight, proud that I took control of this area. I swivel my head towards your direction as I notice you beckon me over through the corner of my eye. I sprint to you on all fours, almost tumbling into you.

You’re shocked that Yuto and Tohru didn’t notice me with all that noise. 

“Hi!” I say, with the most joyful grin on my face. “Sayaka- I mean, Mister Wolf is a dog. I like dogs.”

[ask-locomotive-enthusiast]

HIII ENMUUU ITS BEEN SO LONG

CAN YOU GIVE ME A MOTIVATIONAL SPEECH ABOUT SCHOOL PLEASE

Oh...school...?

Well, make sure it's even more of a nightmare than it is already~! Long live schools that make most people upset!

[kabooseye]

NOO I MEANT MOTIVATIONAL SPEECH FOR ME AS A STRUGGLING STUDENT NOT FOR SCHOOLS

[douma-upper2]

A small child’s sobs and hiccups can be heard from the hallways of your palace

"Hm?" *He follows the sound in search of the poor little dear that needs comforting. Eventually he finds the source*

[kabooseye]

I run to the base of the tree, right up to where Yuto stands, only a foot or two in front of him.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” I yell excitedly, before slapping my hand over my own mouth. That was probably too loud. I smile sheepishly, rubbing the back of my neck.

“What are you doing, Mister Yuto?” I whisper, trying to be as polite as possible to offset my previous outburst.

[douma-upper2]

*Yuto chuckles softly and pats you on the head as Douma strides over to you as he is curious as well. He looks up in the tree curiously but does not immediately find anything out of the norm so he wait's for Yuto to answer* "Ah, this little bird fell out of their mothers nest so I was helping it back up" *He explains, gently plucking a fledgeling sparrow out of his hair; which in turn looks up at both of you curiously* "I see, the poor little bird...Is it alright?"

[kabooseye]

I hold out my hands gently, wanting to hold the poor sparrow. A frown creases my lips. “It’s like me… before Douma found me. We have to get it back to its mom!”

I softly pet the sparrow, smoothing out the feathers on its head, “Everything’s going to be okay, we’ll find your mommy. Mister Yuto can help!”

I glance up at the tree, “Where’s its nest? Do you need help?”

[douma-upper2]

*Yuto gently holds the little bird out for you to pet. The small sparrow chirps at you. Since it still has its downy baby feathers it probably wasn't attempting to fly just yet. Douma crouches beside you and gets a better look at the little bird* "I'm not sure, thats why I was letting it sit in my hair so it would be safe while I look" *Douma stood and approached the tree, and instead of looking up to the branches he walks around it looking for a hole in the trunk soon finding one at about chest height to him on the left side of the tree* "ah here it is" *He confirms by peeking into the hole and finding two more young sparrows looking back at him and peeping quietly. He gently lifts you up to see* "see there are it's siblings"

[kabooseye]

I smile at the little sparrow, chirping back to it.

“Can we keep it pleaseeee?” I tug on your sleeve, the biggest puppy dog eyes shining up at you. “Sayaka will take very very good care!!! I promise!”

I tilt my head as I watch you looking around the tree. Wouldn’t the nest be up there? I let out a small gasp as you spot its nest and siblings.

I jump up and down, “Sayaka wants to see!” I reach my arms up, wiggling my fingers. As you pick me up to look I squirm in your arms, wanting an even closer look. I close one eye, smushing my cheek into the small hole.

I let out a gasp, pushing back against the tree trunk. My eyes are wide at you as I shush you. “Too loud,” I whisper even though it was my own gasp making the noise. I set my feet on the ground as you set me back down. I gently cup the sparrow from Yuto’s hands.

“Aw, you gotta go home, little birdie. I can’t keep you. You have a family.” I pet the sparrow again. The small bird nuzzles my finger, chirping happily. A small pang hits my heart and my eyes gloss over unwillingly. I sniffle, a bittersweet smile on my lips. The sparrow turns towards its nest, chirping at its siblings. Excited chirps echo back from above.

“I have to let you go. You belong with your family. No matter how much I want to keep you.” I give a tender kiss to the top of the sparrow’s head, swiping my eyes with the back of my hand.

I turn, glancing up at you, “Can Sayaka help the sparrow back home please?”

[douma-upper2]

*Douma smiles softly in your response to wanting to keep it and gently strokes your hair. He holds you up so that you can see the little birds siblings. The birds chirp at you curiously and Douma chuckles softly when you shush him* "Mhm, have to be very quiet because they are still small and not used to loud sounds yet" *Douma says quietly as he sets you back on the ground. Yuto gently hands you the little sparrow* "It will be alright my little one, they will stay here for a while yet and once they are all grown up they and their siblings will probably move into this same tree" *Douma gently explains, crouching to your height and carefully petting the small bird with his pointer finger. Yuto peaks inside the nest, expecting to find atleast one of the parent sparrows but upon not finding any he looks around the branches of the tree and around the garden nearby for either one but none are found* "Actually, If I may lord founder; It might be for the best to keep them, birds don't usually leave their babies unguarded before they can fly and I do not see any adult sparrows around" *Yuto explains, gesturing around and prompting Douma to take a better look as well. Infact he did not see any adult birds around at all, though he did catch a glimpse of a snakes tail on one of the higher branches, but he chooses not to mention it.* "Ah good point...Well then" *He turns to face you once more* "I think we can keep them until their parent's come back" *He remarks before standing once more, reaching a hand into the nest and gently scooting the other two baby birds into his hand* "Let's get them inside where its warm" *Douma suggests, knowing he will probably be the main one taking care of the little birds*

[kabooseye]

The biggest smile spreads across my face as I hear I get to keep the birdie. I nod rapidly, hopping and giggling as I walk.

“Yay!! Sayaka can keep you all! I’ll be such a good bird mommy! Just like my mommy!! I’ll-I’ll give you baths and feed you, and we can play dress up! Wait, do birds even—It’s okay, Sayaka will get you clothes! We can all be pretty pretty prin-” My steps falter as I cough into my elbow.

“Eugh…” I huff, “Hate being sick…” I grumble as I cough again. I slow down into shorter steps, waiting for the two of you to catch up. 

“Douma!” I chirp, “I told the birdies we can play dress up! Do you know where Sayaka can buy birdie clothes? We wanna play princess and dragons!” The sparrow looks at me curiously before pointing its beak straight up. Loud, insistent chirps spew out from all three of the sparrows in the same second, like clockwork. I grimace, the shrill noise pounding against my skull. I hold the sparrow farther away from me, but the sound doesn’t quiet.

“Douma, what is- Ah!” I pull my cupped hands apart, the sparrow’s mouth now latched onto my fingertip. It tries to close its tiny beak, its throat sucking on my finger.

“What do I do?!” I panic. Could the sparrow really eat me whole?! I’m no worm nor bird food!

“Here, little one, let me help—“ Yuto picks up his pace to meet me and crouches down to my level. He gently scoops up the small sparrow again, holding it high enough so its head is pushed horizontally back to a normal position. It lets go of my finger almost instantly. 

“See? It doesn’t want to eat you; it just thinks you have food. It thinks you’re its mama, so when it saw your finger…peck!” Yuto darts forward just slightly, raising his one free hand and closing his fingers together like a beak. He playfully jabs at my soft hair, making me giggle incessantly.

“Y-Yuto…stop!!” I squeal, softly swatting away his mischievous attacks. “You’re not a bird!”

He lets out a laugh, too, finally stopping his antics and focusing back on the baby sparrow. He takes up a more serious but just as gentle tone as he continues to explain. “Did you see how it raised its head and opened its mouth? That means it’s hungry! Let's go find it some food, yeah?” He tilts his head at me and smiles, standing up once more and holding his hand out for me to take.

“Okay!! Let’s go find some!” I hop excitedly as I take his hand, only for a sharp pain to shoot through my own.

“Owie!” I yank my hand back close to me, and Yuto whips around, fear on his face as for a moment he thinks he’s accidentally hurt me. But as he sees my bandaged fingers, his face softens to one of mere concern.

“Are you alright, Sayaka? How are your nails? Tohru patched you up nicely, right? Do you want me to find her again so you can get more ointment?” His slew of questions tumbles from his mouth as he grows more troubled, remembering whenever his own little sister would get hurt. 

“N-no, I’m okay. I just squeezed your hand too hard. It’ll go away in a second, I think.” I look down at my bandages, particularly on the hand I just hurt. No blood, that’s good. I’m okay.

“Okay! Sayaka is ready to go again!”

Yuto chuckles softly, some worry still apparent but mostly fading with my infectious enthusiasm. He holds his hand out, even more tenderly this time. “Okay…be gentle to yourself now, or else the pecky birds are going to come back!”

“Noooo!” I start to giggle again, before I remember…

“Oh yeah! Yuto! How was your dinner with Tohru?”

Yuto’s steps falter momentarily, and he lets out a small gasp, as if he didn’t expect to be asked that question. He probably thought I forgot! How silly!

He laughs somewhat sheepishly, looking down at me with an all-too-big grin and his face, and clearly blushing. “Oh, you remembered that! Thank you for asking, Sayaka! Well…it was really nice! Tohru is a very sweet woman, and she is an amazing cook too…you know, my favorite food is katsudon, and guess what, that just so happened to be the food she made! I didn’t even tell her that! I told her, I said—‘You’re already being so kind, offering me food to repay me for something I’d have done anyway, so please, just make anything you want…’—and she made katsudon! It was perfect! What a coincidence, right, Saya—” Yuto stops abruptly as he suddenly remembers who he’s talking to, realizing that he’s rambling on giddily to someone so young, who probably just wanted a simpler ‘It was great!’ type of answer. But I just look up at him with shining eyes, smirking and humming contentedly. 

“That sounds like it was sooo nice! Katsudon is so yummy! Mama used to make it for me sometimes, but I still like omurice better!”

A wonderful idea suddenly hits me. I stop in my tracks and gasp loudly with a long inhale, and spin around towards you, following a few paces behind and listening to the entertainment quietly.

“Oh my goodness! I have a great idea! Yuto! Yuto!” I jump up and down, clinging onto his hand and the edge of his white sleeve. “Douma and I should plan a date for you and Tohru!”

Yuto suddenly looks like all the wind had been knocked out of him. He takes a few seconds before saying anything, and the silence is almost comical.

“A…A-a date? Why do—why do you—you think, um—” He clears his throat and grabs at his collar to get some air. “Tohru and I are just friends. A-acquaintances, even.” 

I look up at Yuto with a deadpan expression. How could he be such a dummy? He’s acting just like Uncle Gi-Gi; being so obvious, but never doing anything about it.

“Yuto. She invited you to dinner. She made food for you.”

You snicker behind us amusedly as Yuto gasps, shocked to hear me talking in such a matter-of-face way about something so adult. ‘I guess kids really are perceptive…’ he thinks to himself.

“I—I guess. But—you don’t think it’s too soon?” He looks between me and you. He feels so silly, asking this sort of thing to a five-year-old girl and his religious leader, of all people. 

“No!! You gotta do it now, Yuto!” I shake his arm vigorously. “Who knows what’s gonna happen! That’s what my mommy would always say. You have to spend today like there’s no tomorrow! Follow your heart!” I smile with my eyes closed, remembering the inspiring words my mother would tell me when I’m down. 

“O…okay! I will! I’ll plan a wonderful day and…tell her how I feel! Thank you, Sayaka!” He smiles so brightly. I keep thinking it…He really reminds me of Mister Rengoku. 

His smile drops. “But I don’t…I don’t really have any ideas. I don’t know all her favorite things…I haven’t done this sort of thing in a long time…”

“I told you, silly! Douma and I can help you!! We’ll help plan! It’ll be epic!” I grin from ear to ear, excitedly.

[douma-upper2]

*Douma is mostly focused on keeping his hands and open and stable as he can to avoid hurting the other two baby birds, as even compared to humans; they are extremely fragile. He looks up and strides over as you cough before addressing him. Birds playing dress up? That was certainly a new one...did humans with pet birds usually dress their birds up? Though now that he thought about it he occasionally saw some slayers crows with little accessories...but crows were much bigger than baby sparrows...* "Hmm...I cant say that I do, perhaps some can be made- ?!" *His eyes widen slightly in surprise to the little bird seems to mistake your finger for prey. Though being rather unfamiliar with young birds he is not sure how to help and is concerned he might accidentally injure it, Thankfully Yuto steps in and seems to know what he's doing.* "Are you alright my little one?" *Douma gently takes a look at your finger and is relieved to find that aside from the previous nights injuries; you are no worse for wear. He then very gently moves the little bird you were holding into his cupped hands with its siblings while Yuto suggests helping you find the little birds something to eat* "They usually eat bugs but if I am not mistaken they are also old enough to start eating small seeds as well-" *He looks over at you once more as you yelp, he also checks over your fingers with you* "Yes, please be gentle with yourself Sayaka" *Douma requests, gently petting your hair with his free hand. He then stands and continues on the pathway through the garden, listening curiously to your conversation about Yuto and Tohru's little date. Admittedly the way both of you talk about human food makes him wish he could try it, however he wasn't exactly sure how he would be able to fit in enough blood to the recipes to make any of them safe for himself. Hearing Yuto's rather oblivious response he tries his hardest not to laugh outloud but a small snicker does manage to escape him* "I think that is a splendid idea Sakaya, We'll help him plan the date. After all Yuto you and Tohru are rather adorable together" *He remarks, paying you a well deserved compliment*

[kabooseye]

I jump up and down at your compliment, squeezing your legs in my arms for a quick but fierce hug.

“There’s no time like the preheat!” I squeal, sprinting off to the end of the hallway.

Yuto turns to you, brow slightly raised, “Does she mean ‘there’s no time like the present’…?”

I turn back, expecting you both to be right on my heels, but you both have barely moved an inch in the millisecond that I ran here. My brows furrow as I thump my foot on the ground. I curl my hand, palm facing me, ushering you both to hurry in a frantic gesture. You and Yuto make your way over in what feels like forever. I squeal again, running into my big room. As you both enter, you find me grunting, trying to push a small desk into the middle of the room. 

Yuto chuckles and helps me push it. “What are you doing, little one?”

I ignore him, far too focused on my task. “Douma! Two Chairs! Umm, ummm- papers and markers too!! Poof!” I say sternly, messing up the word pronto. “Yuto, a board! Poof!” You and Yuto return with the items I requested in record speed. Yuto wheels in a medium-sized cork bulletin board as well, usually used when any of the kids want to display their artwork. You had gotten these art supplies a while back when you first learned that human children need a lot of things to keep them entertained, or else chaos ensues.

You scoot one of the bean bags by the bed over towards the desk, and I take a seat across from the two of you as you sit down in the chairs. I grab a green marker and go to town, furiously scribbling and mumbling to myself. My tongue darts out as imaginary fire flares behind me, and made-up smoke flows from the papers in my intense determination. 

“Got it! Douma! Post this, poof!” I hand you my drawings to pin to the bulletin board, and I get up as you sit back down. I drag over my beanbag closer to the board and stand on it. I balance unsteadily on the uneven surface, now eye level with the drawings. I slap my hand against the board for emphasis. The top one is labeled “Yutohru’s purrfect date!!!” with some kitties and flowers decorating the blank space.

“Yutohru’s purrrrrfect date!!” I boom, pointing to two orange and pink kitties, in my mind representing Yuto and Tohru. My mannerisms and volume feel similar to a military leader, or even to the flame hashira, my heart blazing with passion. 

I pull the paper, revealing my next drawing under it. On it, a hastily drawn orange cat stands at a door with a basket in hand. “Yuto will ask  Miss Tohru out on a picnic date! Inside the basket is……” I pull down to the next drawing. On this one is a messy drawing of fruit sandos, steamed pork buns, honeydew, books, and a blanket.

“You guys can eat yummy yummy food! Looking at this is making Sayaka a little hungry…And then, after, you guys can read! ‘Cause I think Miss Tohru likes reading…she’s very smart…” I pause while looking at Yuto questioningly, hoping for some sort of confirmation.

He beams, excitement sparkling in his eyes. “Oh, that’s a wonderful idea, actually! Tohru was telling me that she likes reading out in the garden. So I’m sure she’d really like it at a picnic! And she loves fruit, and- and I love steamed pork buns actually, I can make some for her, and hopefully she’ll like them-” He cuts himself off as his expression turns to a more bashful one, blushing as he softly laughs at himself as the self-awareness hits of just how giddy he sounds.

“Perfect! Sayaka’s so smart!!” I grin from ear to ear, proud that I had made such a good guess.

I pull the paper down again to reveal the next drawing; on this one is the temple’s rooftop and two kitties sitting, leaning their heads together as they watch the stars.

I jump up and down on the beanbag, my excitement uncontainable, “This is my favorite part!!!!! My mommy says the stars are the most romantic, happiest, calmest place in the wholeeeee wideeeeee world!!!! We would watch the stars every night, and I would make a wish when I saw shooting stars!!!! You can take Miss Tohru up to the rooftops and sit!!! Then you guys can make the pretty star pictures like the belt or the dippy! And maybe you guys can make a wish!!! She will love it!! My momma approved!!!” 

I glance over to you. “And that’s our plan! Right, Douma?” You let out a small snicker as you nod, finding it hilarious that “our plan” consisted solely of my ideas.

I jump down from the plush surface, running in excited circles around Yuto. “So, so so so!?!!?!? Whatcha think!?!?!” I run towards your chair too, tugging on your pant leg. “Awesome, right!?!?” A few coughs rumble in my chest, but I continue, my excitement unbothered.

You can’t help but laugh at the silly irony of the whole scene as I stand there, clinging to your pants with the most joyful look on my face. Only yesterday, that new and bothersome Upper Five killed the poor bandit girl, and you had to confront her as she had some weird and potentially dangerous fascination with me. You went so far as to request an Upper Moon meeting. Not that it changed anything for the better…the way Muzan seemed to be on her side almost immediately was rather strange. And why had she walked off with him? Where is she now?

The previous night’s worries try their best to seep into you now, but as confusing and dire as they are, the sheer difference between yesterday and today made it almost impossible. How was that only one night ago? It doesn’t feel like it, not with your little lamb making new friends during a pancake breakfast, and planning a date of all things for two of your followers, that’s for sure. The absurdity of the past week or so has been almost comedic. You can’t help but smile.

I fall back onto the floor, panting, “So?” I repeat, brushing a few stray hairs that are sticking to my sweaty face.

“That all sounds so nice, Sayaka! And I really mean it, too.” He turns to you curiously. “Savior, I know the temple is pretty secluded here, but do you know if there are any distant city lights that can be seen from the top roof?” He smiles sheepishly. “Tohru and I were talking at dinner about where we grew up, and she told me about how, before she moved to live here, she lived in a town a little elevated on a hill, and she misses being able to see lights from the big city below. Along with the stars, it would be nice if I could give her just a glimpse of something similar to that, you know?” 

He’s so hopeful. So full of life.

“Let me think, did she mention any other of her favorite things…Oh! She said her favorite sweet is castella, I could make that as dessert…” He trails off as his eyes light up with the ideas running through his head.

[douma-upper2]

*Douma reaches down to pat you on the head but you have already scurried down the hallway and were waiting for him and Yuto to catch up; You certainly were your mother's daughter...her fellows would certainly be proud with how fast you have become...He certainly was. He chuckles softly at Yuto's question and nods* "Indeed she does" *He swiftly strides over to you, deciding not to keep you waiting leaving Yuto to follow behind. He also jumps in to help you move your desk after setting the baby birds somewhere safe so they do not get lost or injured and decides to humor you and get what you requested, coming back before Yuto. He was well aware of childrens need to be entertained to keep them out of trouble, having bore witness to and occasionally aiding in said chaos many times.* "Here you go my little one." *He hands you the paper and markers before setting down the chairs. He sits down as Yuto wheels in the cork-board and you get to work on the drawings* "Alright, how about like this?" *He suggests, pinning the drawings into place before sitting back down, a smile cracking across his face as a result of your adorable yet efficient planning. He thought this whole scenario was rather precious. He listens to you curiously, getting his own ideas to add.* "It is a very good plan, although I have a couple of ideas to add if you would both like to hear them?" *He suggests, though a giggle does manage to escape him as he notices that at the moment the plan was entirely your ideas, although it was a pretty good plan thus far. He gently scoops you into his arms so that you can see what he's doing before grabbing a bright red marker and adding his own ideas to paper before pinning them to the board as well.* "How about, along with the honeydew melon; we add cherries and strawberries as well since they are easily cut into heart shapes?" *He suggests pinning it up a drawing of strawberries and cherries some whole, others cut into shapes beside your drawing of a picnic basket.* "And then how about instead of the roof; how about somewhere that is just as beautiful? The libraries terrace?" *He suggests, pinning a quick sketch of the library terrace which is close to books, has a small table, is visible to the stars, has a view of the entertainment districts lights and has miniature rose bushes growing in flower-boxes. The previous nights troubles clawed at his mind against his will but he forced them back for the time being. He had his suspicions as to what was going on behind closed doors between the two, but he wasn't sure which was the correct one. He suspected that either his ego got to his head and she took advantage of his guard being down toward his minions and focused on the slayers to mind-fuck him, or they were in cahoots with her unaware of his eventual double crossing....there was a chance that he was just to busy with the slayers to put any more of his brainpower toward his moons shenanigans and was generally being foolish...but he would never let any of his colleagues let alone his current master know that was a suspicion.* "Ah that sounds like a good idea. Very well done Sayaka-chan" *He says with a grin, gently ruffling your hair*

[kabooseye]

“That sounds wonderful, Lord Founder! I haven’t been back to the library in awhile…besides yesterday, of course…and I don’t believe I’ve ever been on any of the balconies. I didn’t realize we could see the Entertainment District from here, that will be perfect!” He beams, and I dart up from the floor to watch him take a marker and paper for himself and quickly jot down a few abridged notes with far less (no) kittens, much to my disappointment. He finishes and grins proudly at the list, tapping the marker against the table a few times before standing up.

“Alright, I have a lot to do before later then, so I’m going to get started right now. I’ll see you later, Lady Sayaka.” He smiles sweetly at me while patting my head. “And Founder, you too. Thank you for your help.” 

As he leaves the room, small chirps echo from a corner. I whip my head around, remembering my new feathery friends and my responsibilities to care for them.

“Douma! Come on, we have work to do too!” I squeal excitedly as I run up to the small box with towels you had set aside as the fledgelings’ very temporary nest until you could make something more properly suited for them. “Let’s go find some birdie food! And make some birdie clothes!”

♡ *:･ﾟ⊹˚₊‧⁺

It is now late afternoon, and Yuto’s nerves are shot, but he’s buzzing with excitement too. He’s lucky that this plan had been made early in the morning, or else he probably wouldn’t have had enough time to pull everything off. 

Now he’s walking down the last few hallways leading to Tohru’s room, a large basket of food in one hand and a small cloth backpack slung over one shoulder, with blankets and books for the picnic. He feels almost dorky with how much stuff he has packed, for a date that Tohru hasn’t even yet agreed to…what if she’s busy? What if she’s already eaten and isn’t hungry? It is already going to be evening soon…What if she’s taking a rest day for herself? That would make sense, given how traumatic yesterday was. Yuto himself is still pretty shaken. But that’s another reason why doing this today is a good idea – to take her mind off of everything. As the only nurse, she’s always so focused on others’ well-being. Which is lovely, of course, but she deserves a break, to have someone else take care of her for once.

But the worst possibility of all still coils knots in his stomach…

What if she just doesn’t want to spend time with me? What if dinner last night really was just polite courtesy, and nothing more? Am I overstepping?

He shakes the thought away as he turns down the last hallway and spots the door where Tohru had led him yesterday. He remembers he tried to make small talk on the way there, and she tried her best to engage…but she had still been visibly distressed from the events prior that day. What was it he had said again? What was it she had said in return?

✧.°

“You know, we don’t have to do this right now. Or at all. You’ve- we’ve all had an awful day today.” Yuto smiled understandingly and tried to catch Tohru’s eye, but she kept her face tilted down. Oh no…was she getting sad? That wasn’t his intention at all. “Just- There’s no need to rush into something else that’s going to burden you with more work. It’s okay to rest and take things easy for a little while.”

She suddenly snapped her head upwards in protest, eyes meeting his gaze and blazing for a moment before her face returned to her usual calm nature. “No, no, Yuto! I promise you are not a burden. Making food is not a burden. I appreciate it, really. I- I am sorry that I’m still out of sorts. But this will be good for me, too. I haven’t really interacted with many of the other followers here in a while, aside from medical matters, and, well…after a day like today, the company is bound to do me good. Your company, in particular, has been nice. Even just in the past few days.” She returned Yuto’s sweet smile. 

That last comment had made him blush profusely, though he tried his best to hide it as they made their way inside her room, which was more like a tiny apartment in itself, with two connected rooms instead of just one. The main area that all the followers had was a room with tatami mat flooring and a futon for every resident, with a small kitchen area with a low stove off to the side. Though there were already a few infirmary-type rooms throughout the temple, Yuto could see through an open shoji door that Tohru had her own room further back where several raised hospital beds lay, with other medical equipment surrounding them. 

It looked so sterile and felt jarringly different from the warm atmosphere that the main room had. The beds were empty now, with no patients to treat…but how weird that must be, for Tohru to have a constant reminder of her job here. How sad, having to bring that stress and responsibility into her home – which in his opinion, should be kept separate, so she could enjoy her space and keep it safe for her own heart and mind.

✧.°

“Your company, in particular, has been nice.”

Yuto shakes off the memory as his own subconscious interrupts his thoughts, repeating what Tohru had said to him the night before.

Why am I still thinking about that?

He feels so silly, letting himself get caught up on one phrase like it’s some sort of confirmation of her having feelings, too. But it’s just stuck, for some reason. Maybe it’s the way she said it? Maybe it’s the way her golden eyes had shined so beautifully as she looked up at him through her dark lashes, like a warm sunrise glowing even brighter as it reaches its brilliant rays through summer leaves?

That last thought makes him shiver in a gross amount of sudden self-awareness, and he makes a sour face, hanging his head defeatedly.

Maybe it’s just because I’m delusional.

He hadn’t felt this way about anyone since…since he was a young teen? Maybe? He can’t even remember. This feels different, anyway. This feels like more. 

How utterly hopeless.

Yuto pauses at Tohru’s door, brows creased upwards in anxiety. 

Pull it together, Yuto. It’s not that hard of a task. Just knock, ask if she’d like to spend the rest of the day together, and take her to the garden for a picnic. Then you can go from there.

He takes a deep breath, standing a little straighter, and knocks.

It’s only a few moments before Tohru slides open the door. Her face lights up immediately, and it makes Yuto’s heart melt and tongue tie, the rehearsed script in his mind turning to nothingness.

“Oh, hello Yuto! I was hoping it was you.” She smiles softly and tilts her head to the side. “How are you today? Do you need anything?” Her eyes wander curiously over the basket in his hand.

He can’t believe how much her demeanor has changed since he first met her, though it was merely a couple of days ago. She spoke so formally, and seemed reserved and almost closed off…and while she is definitely still the quiet type, she has – at least to Yuto – opened up a lot more, and become much more comfortable with being casual. She’s even sweeter than he initially thought. Like last night, when…

✧.°

Tohru took the pan off the top of her stove and slid the food into two bowls already filled with rice. She was just about done…

“Alright, you asked me to surprise you, so…we’re having katsudon! I know it is not typically a dinner dish, but I figured metaphorically starting the day over would be nice–”

She cut off as she saw Yuto’s face. His mouth was open in shock and he gasped.

“What, what?! Is something wro-”

“No no no, not at all! I’m–” he laughed at the absurdity of his own reaction. “I’m so sorry to have worried you, Tohru. No, I’m just surprised – you’ll never believe what my favorite food is…”

Tohru let out a sigh of relief. She stared at him for a few moments in curiosity, blinking.

“Umm…what is it?”

“Katsudon, silly! Really, it is! There’s just no way, this is such a cool coincidence, you must’ve read my mind…”

Yuto rambled on excitedly while Tohru blushed, though he didn’t notice.

“Silly.” That sounds pretty endearing, doesn’t it?

She smiled at the thought and let out a small giggle.

Yuto stopped mid-sentence and tilted his head inquisitively. “What’s so funny?” He asked teasingly, grinning from ear to ear. 

“Oh, nothing- I just think that’s a pretty amazing coincidence, too.” 

Yuto beamed even brighter, his face flushing. “Right?! I think you’re pretty amazing–” He cut himself short and immediately reddened even more, eyes widening in sudden panic. “Uh, sorry, I just– well, with this whole dinner and everything, you know, it would be rude of me t-to not think you’re amazing, objectively, anyone would–” He decided to stop talking before he made himself sound even more stupid. He subconsciously averted his gaze and focused on his hands held nervously together on the small wooden kotatsu in front of him.

Tohru walked over to sit across from him, bringing the bowls of katsudon with her and setting one down in front of Yuto, who was now quiet with embarrassment.

She leaned her head forward to catch his eyes, extending one hand out to lay gently on top of his own. He stiffened and looked at her.

“You’re okay, Yuto. You don’t have to apologize. It actually means a lot, especially coming from you.”

His nerves calmed, and he relaxed his shoulders in relief, his smile slowly returning and making its way into his eyes. Tohru couldn’t help but notice what a rich, gorgeous color they were. A red-brown, unlike any she’d seen before. They were fascinating.

Yuto twisted his hand around to hold hers delicately, just for a moment. “Okay. Thank you, Tohru. You’re very sweet.” He let go and grabbed his chopsticks, looking in awe at the delicious meal in front of him. It smelled tantalizingly tasty, more so than the kind he usually made for himself, and he knew it would remind him of the katsudon that his mother used to make for him when he was young. 

The kind never got to make for his little sister, since she was always feeling too sick to eat. 

A warm and homely flavor, laced with grief.

He glanced up at Tohru. 

Maybe I’ll remember it differently now.

✧.°

“Yuto?”

Tohru is still smiling at him in the doorway. He’d blanked out for a second, at a loss for words.

“Oh- uh, hi Tohru! Good afternoon! I’m doing well, and I was just wondering,” – he clears his throat – “if you would like to, um, maybe join me in the garden? For a picnic? I made the food this time.” He smiles sheepishly, lifting up the basket slightly.

“And! And, if you’d like, I was hoping to steal you away for the rest of the day…I had an idea for how we could spend some time together afterwards, too, if you’d be willing…” His blushing face is angled down, but his eyes peer up at hers hopefully.

She brightens even more, surprise etched on her face. “Oh, I would love to! Are we going now? Is the later portion a surprise?”

Her immediate agreement stuns Yuto, but only momentarily, as the feeling is quickly overtaken by joy. 

She seems so excited!

“Yes, yes, we can go now! Come on!” He laughs, gesturing for her to follow him, and she does so, closing the shoji door to her room. “I’d like the plan for later to be a surprise, but I’ll tell you now if you’d rather know.”

“No, please.” She laughs too. What a beautiful sound. “I love surprises.”

As the two stroll down to the garden, they continue chatting, the conversation flowing naturally. They pass by the tree that Yuto helped the birds from, and he looks up, remembering this morning.

They walk a few paces farther as Yuto makes his way to the spot that he had scoped out a bit earlier, underneath the garden’s old weeping willow. He had debated between it or one of the cherry blossom trees, but while the latter would be nice, it felt a bit cliché. In his mind, the willow is just perfect. Its hanging leaves are still a bright yellow-green somehow, despite it being winter, and they almost graze the floor, making it feel enclosed and almost dome-like from beneath. It feels warmer, too. The light from above filters through its leaves and coats everything in a gentle green summery haze, including the tiny stream that runs alongside it, dappling the water’s surface and the lotuses that flow slowly atop it with a glow.

He approaches the tree and pushes some of the dangling tendrils of leaves aside as if he’s opening a door. “After you,” he smiles, bowing his head slightly. Tohru returns it and thanks him as she walks underneath the leaves, and he follows, setting down the basket of food on the soft grass at their feet. He takes the pack off his shoulders, grabbing the first blanket from on top, folded compactly and neatly. It’s large, and has a kiku-hanabishi pattern, pale yellow chrysanthemum diamonds against a golden-yellow background. He puts down the bag as he shakes the blanket out flat and sets it on the ground, making sure to smooth out the annoying corner that always seems to fold back over itself. 

He moves the basket and bag onto the blanket, and sits down with his legs criss-crossed, patting the space next to him to gesture to Tohru that she could too. She does, sitting on her knees, and looks on in curiosity as Yuto begins taking out food.

It all looks delicious. Nikuman in a seiro, a small bamboo basket with several fruit sandos filled with strawberries, kiwis, and mangoes, a ceramic bowl with a sakura flower pattern filled with honeydew, and strawberries and cherries cut into little heart shapes.

Tohru’s heart leaps, and she puts her hands against her mouth to cover a small gasp as Yuto takes out another basket and opens it, revealing mouthwatering castella.

“You remembered! That’s my favorite!” 

Yuto chuckles as he sets it down next to the rest of the food spread. “Well, of course I did. You told me that only a day ago, anyway. I hope I made it well.” He gives her a hopeful smile before turning his gaze towards the fruit. “Oh- and the fruit, I was debating on putting something else together, because between that and the sandos, I was thinking to myself, ‘Is this too much fruit?’ But I opted to just keep them, they’re really ripe and tasty- Oh! And, also, the strawberries were pretty easy to cut into hearts, they’re kind of already that shape, but I severely underestimated how difficult it would be to do the same with the cherries- I kind of had to carve them since they kept coming out too round, so I apologize since some of them look kind of wonky–”

In an instant, Tohru scoots close and throws her arms around Yuto in a hug, catching him off guard and making him stick one hand out against the blanket to catch himself from falling backwards. His face flushes as his brows raise and mouth drops slightly in flustered shock before turning to a wide smile as he returns the embrace. “Aw, I- uhm…” He’s too giddy to even get any words out.

Tohru leans back and sits down once again, this time settling a little closer to Yuto. “Oh Yuto, I can’t believe you did all of this for me! Thank you! And you had so little time, too, how did you manage to pull it off?”

Yuto shrugs and smiles. “I don’t even know. It’s a little embarrassing to admit, but Sayaka and even the Founder helped me with planning. I can’t take all the credit.” He laughs bashfully. “Most of the time was spent on the shokupan for the sandos. I was really struggling, if I’m being honest. I haven’t made fresh bread in a long time.” 

His eyes dart back to his cloth bag as he remembers something. “Oh yeah, here–” He takes out another blanket, keeping it folded, and hands it to Tohru. This one has a light blue and white seigaiha pattern, like waves in an ocean. “I brought it just in case you get cold. I know it’s a little warmer under this tree for now, but if we’re out for a while, it might get chillier. It is winter, after all.”

Tohru takes it gratefully and smiles, running her fingers along the fabric and observing the pattern. 

He really thought of everything.

“One more thing,” Yuto begins. He reaches into the bag again and pulls out a few books. “I brought some books as well, for if I get too boring to talk to,” he laughs half-jokingly, sounding nervous. 

“But even then, just spending time with you in silence is something I’d be grateful for.” His eyes lock with hers, and he suddenly feels warm. He hopes he isn’t being overly sentimental. 

He clears his throat and continues more casually, “I know you like to read in the garden, but I wasn’t sure what kind of books you like to read, so I brought a few different genres as options…”

Tohru still can’t believe it. Just a few days ago, she hadn’t ever interacted with Yuto, and now here she was, practically on a date with him, spoiled beyond her heart’s content. 

She laughs. “You’re not boring, Yuto.”

✧.°

They end up talking and eating for far too long to get into books, though. Hours pass, and the light from above dims to a cool heathery blue as dusk sets in. 

They both lie down now on the blanket in opposite directions, face up, looking through the willow’s canopy overhead. The stream beside them bubbles lullingly underneath the sound of their chatter.

Yuto squints as he sees the glint of a star peak through the leaves. 

“You know what, it should be dark enough now.” He turns his head over towards Tohru’s face across from his. “Are you ready to go? Or do you want to stay here longer?” 

Tohru raises a brow in curiosity. “Dark enough for what? Ready to go where?”

Yuto smiles back. “Your surprise.”

She brightens with excitement as she sits up. “Let’s go now!”

“Okay! Perfect!”

Yuto gets up onto his knees and starts putting away everything into the large basket that he had brought the food in, and the books back into the small bag. Tohru offers him the blanket he had given her, still neatly folded. She hadn’t ended up getting cold after all. But he took it, and instead of putting it back in the cloth bag, opened it up and draped it around her shoulders.

“You’ll need this. It’ll be cold.”

Yuto stands and holds out his hand to Tohru to help her up. She smiles and takes it, deciding to keep it there, intertwining her fingers with his as his face flushes. He grabs the large blanket with the kiku-hanabishi pattern on it from the floor, deciding to just tuck it unfolded under one arm so he doesn’t have to let go of Tohru’s hand.

They stroll back inside the temple, and Yuto stops by his room quickly to drop off the baskets, grabbing something from the small bag and putting it in his pocket.

“Alright. Are you ready?”

Tohru nods eagerly.

He leads her back through a few corridors, and she follows curiously, walking close to him, hand in hand. He eventually reaches the library’s entrance and holds open the door for her.

“We’re going to catch up on the reading we didn’t do, hm?” Tohru smiled amusedly. 

Yuto shakes his head, laughing. “No. We’ve got to go upstairs for this.”

His laugh turns to excited giggles as he turns to face her and walks backwards, pulling her gently towards the spiral staircase that leads to the upper levels of the library. They make their way to the highest floor, heading towards one of the balconies.

He lets go of Tohru’s hand to step ahead to open the door for her, cool air rushing to meet them. She gives him a grateful smile, pulling the blanket around her tighter as she steps out into the breeze.

The balcony is wide, furnished with a few outdoor wooden tables and chairs. Large rose bushes line the sides in flower boxes, and some had grown to snake around the stone balusters. Yuto strides over to the edge, turning on a small gas lamp that’s set on one of the tables, casting everything in a warm glow. Tohru follows him, noticing just how high up they are as she sees the tops of trees below them. Yuto grabs onto the balustrade, leaning against it, and points to a spot in the distance.

“Look.”

Tohru gasps as her eyes follow his hand, and she sees bright city lights. 

“Is- is that the Entertainment District? I had no idea we could see it from the temple! It’s just like…” She trails off as she looks up excitedly at Yuto, who has a knowing smile on his face.

He remembered.

“...just like the city I used to see from my home.”

Yuto nods with enthusiasm. “Yes! You can only see it from this one balcony, though. The rest are positioned at too odd an angle. But here, you get a wonderful view, though I’m sure it's a bit farther than the one you’re used to, unfortunately…”

Tohru shakes her head, turning her attention back to the city lights. “No, no…that’s fine, it’s perfect,” she breaths. “The last thing I ever saw of my home was the fire that took the town. But this brings back much nicer memories. Thank you, Yuto.”

“Of course.”

“I never longed to live there myself, you know. The city. I was perfectly happy in my little town. But for some reason, those lights just fascinated me. I thought they were beautiful.” She laughs. “The one problem with them, though, was that they were close enough to my home that it lit up the sky a bit, and it was hard to see the stars.”

Yuto’s eyes sparkle. “Well, you know what else is great about this balcony?”

“What?”

He reaches over to the small table and turns off the lamp, pointing upwards. “The overhang is missing.”

Tohru looks up. He’s right. She hadn’t even noticed before. Where there had once been an overhang, the temple stone is broken away with age, and is now open to the sky. 

Her eyes take a moment to adjust to the darkness, and she gasps as her vision clears.

The stars. There are so many of them. She can even see a faint streak of blue against the pitch black sky where the Milky Way shines. 

She stares, slack-jawed in awe.

“I- I don’t usually go outside at night anymore. And the view from the garden is so small. This- this is gorgeous.”

She looks back down at Yuto, who is not watching the stars, but her, with the same look of wonder in his eyes.

He looks away as his face reddens, and he shivers a little. Tohru notices and frowns with concern.

“Are you cold? It’s windy up here. Why didn’t you bring a blanket for yourself?”

He shrugs. “I don’t usually get cold. I didn’t think I would need one.”

She huddles right next to him and his eyes widen in surprise as she drapes half of the blanket he had given her around his shoulders, now covering the both of them. 

“Is this better?”

He stiffens and looks down at Tohru flusteredly as his breath hitches. Her being pressed up against him is giving him more warmth than the blanket is. Her golden eyes shine even brighter with the light of the stars reflected in them. 

She’s so beautiful.

“Y-yes. Thank you,” he murmurs, unable to look away.

She breaks eye contact first, Yuto following suit, looking back at the city lights, and then the stars. They stand in silence for a few moments, enjoying the view together, and Yuto relaxes his shoulders and leans into her just a tiny bit.

Tohru suddenly has an idea. She looks down and sees the roses that had overgrown into this section of the balusters, and discreetly reaches to pick one, holding it behind her back.

“Yuto,” she starts, turning to face him again with a wide smile.

“Mm?” 

She sets one hand on his chest and leans close to his face teasingly. “I have a surprise for you now.” 

Yuto is caught off guard, and is sure he probably looks stupidly flustered right now, with how much he’s blushing. He feels so nervous, for some reason. He can’t even get any words out, and he doesn’t know what to do or what’s going on. 

But he knows he doesn’t want to be so stiff, to shy away from her touch. He tentatively brings one hand up to hold her back softly near her shoulder, and the other instinctively heads towards her waist, but he stops himself indecisively. 

Tohru giggles playfully as she brings her arm forward and puts the rose between their faces, the velvety petals lightly brushing Yuto’s nose.

“A flower. For you.” She moves the rose away slightly so it doesn’t touch Yuto’s face, and leans back a bit, her closeness to him now making her nervous too. She looks down sheepishly. “It’s not a whole garden picnic with city lights and the stars, but…”

“Thank you.” Tohru can barely hear his words with how quietly he whispers them. He takes it delicately in both of his hands, and he looks down reverently at it as if he had just been handed the world. “I love it.”

Yuto breaks his gaze from the rose and gives Tohru a giddy smile, one hand reaching into his pocket.

“I have something for you, too.”

He takes her hand gently and holds it open, placing in her palm what was in his pocket and closing her fingers around it before she can fully see it. 

Tohru is shocked not only at the fact that Yuto has a gift for her, but also by how cool it feels, almost like ice. She opens her hand and gasps.

It’s a necklace, with a thin gold palma chain. It doesn’t have just one pendant, but rather several charms of a blue stone towards the center, leading to the biggest piece in the middle. It’s carved into the shape of a dragonfly.

Tohru gasps in amazement, her cheeks starting to heat up.

“This is…this is for me?” she breathes. She can’t even process the situation enough to thank him yet. 

The stones are beautiful and ornate. They’re an icy blue, with a hint of aquamarine shining through their semi-transparent frosty surfaces. Though Tohru is holding them in her warm hands, they remain cold against her skin. They aren’t melting. It feels like ice, but it certainly can’t be.

“Wh…what is this? This stone?”

Yuto shrugs softly. “To be honest,” he whispers, “I don’t know. I found it in the hallway outside the library. But it looked beautiful, and by then I knew it was your favorite color, so it reminded me of you…and the gold, well, it complements your eyes.” 

Tohru just stares at him in disbelief, too awestruck to even say or process anything.

“I wasn’t sure what to make the main pendant, what you’d like best,” he continues. “But I think a dragonfly is pretty relevant right now. It symbolizes happiness and good fortune. Change, but the courage to go with it. The strength to move forward when all seems lost. Like a dragonfly. They can fly in any direction, choose any path, but always move forward.” He smiles, a little tiredly, a little uneasily. “I don’t know what’s going on here. Why we were attacked. It was scary. Terrifying. And who knows what’s to come.”

Tohru’s brows crease a little in worry, unsure where he’s going with this.

“But we can’t let fear take over our lives. Stop us from following our hearts.” He reaches for her hands, being careful not to let the rose in his hand prick her. He holds them tenderly, curling her fingers around the necklace once more as he closes the rest of the small distance between them. “We don’t know what tomorrow will bring, Tohru. But all I hope is that, even if things get worse…with each day, you can find a little happiness amidst the change. I…I want to bring you happiness. If you…if you’ll let me.”

Her eyes sparkle with wonder as she gives him a sweet, surprised smile. 

She looks so beautiful.

 I wish I could just…

“We’re here to get to the Eternal Paradise. Each for our own reasons. And I’m not saying to let that go. But maybe…maybe we should focus a little more on spending each day working towards making our lives now a bit more like paradise.” Yuto pauses, glancing down at the necklace before flickering his eyes back up to hers, his throat suddenly dry. He swallows, “And…and maybe for me…my paradise starts with you.”

Tohru can hear her heart pounding in her ears. It’s beating quicker and quicker, as his words make their way into her mind.

“Maybe my paradise starts with you”...?

 Is he saying…?

She peers into his eyes with intrigue and fascination. The coolness from the stones in her palm battles against the warmth from his hands on hers.

“Maybe my paradise starts with you.”

Her mind whirls with joy, hope, courage, giddiness…and maybe something more, as Yuto’s words echo in her head. Could this truly even be real? Could this finally be the start of her happy ending? After all the care she’s given to other people…to have someone care about her in the same way? No, no…in a way that means something more, even?

Yuto starts to feel self-conscious amidst the silence, and worries that maybe he is being too forward. He pulls back gently, the blanket covering his shoulders nearly falling off, and he leans over the balustrade again.

He clears his throat, his gaze locked onto the roses curling along the balusters. “N-nevermind! For-forget I said anything…” He clears his throat again, his hands starting to fidget with the rose Tohru had given him. He spins it between his fingers over the balcony absent-mindedly, watching the crimson petals create flowering kaleidoscopic patterns as they zip around in a circle. The silence is killing him. Oh god, how was he going to save this date? It was going so well, until he decided to spill his guts…

“Did you like the lights? And the stars? Like…that I brought you here to see them?” He means to change the subject to sound more casual, but his nerves end up making it seem like he is looking for reassurance. Which he is, but he doesn’t want to make that obvious. 

Tohru blinks a few times, escaping from the rapid barrage of her thoughts, as she notices Yuto’s change in demeanor, finally mustering up the ability to speak. “Y-yes, of course, Yuto. I love them.” She feels so dumb, being too flustered that she can’t even properly accept a gift. 

“And…and thank you so much, really, for this. I don’t know what to say. I just can’t believe you made it for me.” She holds the necklace in her palm once more before laying it onto her collarbone, feeling it cool against her warm skin. Yuto’s face softens again with a little relief as he watches her clasp it around her neck.

“You look lovely,” Yuto muses.

She flushes, smiling brightly in response, and leans against him once more. “I’ll treasure it always. Thank you, Yuto, thank you for today…the garden, the food, the city, the stars, and this…Thank you so much. You truly have made today so, so special to me. I’ll never forget it.”

He hesitates, feeling shy, but decides to put his arm around her shoulder and pull her in closer. She doesn’t resist in the slightest. If anything, she sinks deeper against him, leaning her head gently on his shoulder.

“This was part of Sayaka’s idea. The stars, I mean,” he laughs quietly, happily, his breath stirring the air in the cold. “She said that her mother told her that anywhere you watch them is the most romantic place in the whole world.”

Tohru’s breath catches at the word.

“Romantic?”

She feels Yuto stiffen a little once again. He looks at her just barely, out of the corner of his eye, not wanting to fully see her face. Not wanting to crush his hopes if she looks disappointed or disgusted. But he’s reassured by the way she doesn’t leave his side.

“Romantic. Yes.”

There’s her confirmation. That he’s not doing all this just to give her a nice distraction. But that he feels something more for her, too. She had thought so, but wasn’t completely sure until now.

“She also said we should, and I quote, ‘make pretty star pictures like the belt or the dippy.’” He smirks in amusement, squinting and looking upwards, searching the night sky. “As a matter of fact, I believe that’s the Big Dipper right there. Oh! And there’s the little one below it.” He points upwards, tracing his finger along the constellations to show Tohru, feeling himself getting giddy again.

But she doesn’t look up at the stars. Her eyes remain on Yuto’s, their brilliant auburn glowing in stark contrast against the indigo-to-black gradient of the sky. She still finds them so captivating.

He did all of this for me…

Her feelings suddenly rush over her like a wave. She knows it’s so soon, but she just wants to- no, she shouldn’t, but- like Yuto was saying, they don’t know what tomorrow holds, what if she just—

Yuto gasps excitedly. “Oh my gosh, a shooting star! Tohru, make a w-“

He turns back to face her and is met with a quick peck of her lips against his. 

They both instantly redden. Yuto drops his rose on the balcony floor as his hands weaken. Tohru turns away quickly, looking sheepish, even taking a step back.

“I’m so sorry! Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry, Yuto, I don’t know why—”

But she can’t get another word of her apology out before Yuto pulls her to face him fully with the arm around her shoulders, and brings the other to her waist, delicately, reverently. 

He brings his face down to hers, mere inches apart. His next words are barely a whisper, just a breath.

“Please…Please don’t apologize.” 

He kisses her. Softly. With the gentleness of a breeze just barely brushing along her lips. And she melts. 

Tohru lets out a sigh as her eyes close, her heart nearly jumping to her throat with a mix of relief and disbelief and exhilaration and joy. She puts one hand against his chest, raising the other to his face, cradling his cheek, pulling him closer. 

He practically melts under her touch, too, feeling weak in the knees as she leans in deeper. He brings his hand against her back up to the nape of her neck and behind her head, her soft brown hair catching in his fingers. 

They break apart slowly, keeping their foreheads pressed together. A few moments of quiet pass, the only sounds their own breaths and the last of the crickets still chirping their songs this deep into winter. 

Yuto cups Tohru’s face in his hands, caressing one side of it as he moves his thumb gently back and forth. 

“I’ll keep your heart safe,” he whispers, barely audible against the sound of leaves dancing in the wind. “I don’t know what’s going to happen. I’m scared. I can’t stop thinking about what happened yesterday,” he admits, his voice trembling a bit. “But I know that tomorrow, when I wake up, I won’t be able to stop thinking about today.”

Yuto pulls back his head just enough to fully see Tohru’s face, and he wipes away a small tear that had begun to fall down her cheek. In the reflection of her eyes, he sees fireworks beginning to erupt above, casting waves of luminous color down onto the balcony. They both hear them, but the booming is dull compared to the sound of their own heartbeats. They don’t look up to watch. This moment between the two of them is far more sacred.

“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be than here, under the stars, with you, Tohru.”

She cracks a playful smile through watery eyes.

“Because it’s the most romantic place to be, right?”

He beams back, leaning his head against hers again, looking into her dazzling golden eyes. He lets out a soft chuckle and nods. 

“Right.”

[kabooseye]

- earlier that afternoon -

I suddenly stop abruptly, mid-sewing, and stare at the wall.

You pause from sewing the tiny scarf in your hands and look down at me in your lap, concern filling your gaze as you worry if I’ve accidentally poked myself with the needle.

But instead, I drop my supplies, turn towards you, and tackle you backwards, excitement sparkling in my gaze. You drop your scarf to the side, smiling at me.

“Douma!! I just had the best idea ever!!!”

I roll off of you, scrambling upwards, stepping on your chest as I make my way back to the corkboard that you had dragged to the side of my room earlier. I pull over a small wooden chair that you brought in for our birdie-princess-tea party next to the bulletin board. I step on the seat, standing proudly.

“No more making birdie fashion!! They already have three outfits with matching shoes, jewelry, ANDDDD accessories each! Sayaka thinks she’s truly outdone herself!” I say, bringing my hand to my chest and puffing it out proudly. I don’t currently understand that little bird shoes and jewelry are probably not the most functional ideas, but you’ve decided to leave that problem for future you to handle. 

“Sayaka’s birdie boof is oh-fish-ally closing!” Ten ice animals get up from where they had been stationed to help, shuffling out the door. 

As they leave, I wave to all of them from the chair, “Thank you, Mister Frog! Thank you, Ms. Cheetah! Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Toad! Thank you, Mister Sea Lion! Thank you, Miss Kitty! Thank you, Miss Phoenix! Thank you, Mister Ferret! Thank you, Mister Panda! Thank you, Miss Fox!”

I turn back to you, “Instead,” I begin, a mischievous smile spreading across my face as I point at my doodles from earlier, “we should spy on Kitty Yuto and Miss Kitty Tohru!!”

I immediately make my way back to you and lean onto your knee, hopping eagerly. “I just want to make sure it goes well!”

I blink innocently, all the sweetness in the world in my big blue eyes. “Sayaka-would-also-like-new-spy-outfits-too,” I say all too quickly with the most precious smile on my lips. How could you ever say no to me? You are in for a wild, wild ride; or rather, a long, long day.

[douma-upper2]

*Douma smiles kindly at Yuto, another odd, bright feeling flaring up in his chest; though he could not quite tell what it was yet. He was glad you were both so excited and was sure that Tohru would be as well assuming Yuto didn't back out at the last second.* "You are welcome Yuto, I hope you both have fun and please let me know if you need any assistance" *Douma said with an excited looking grin. As Yuto left Douma knelt back down beside you and nodded in agreement to your suggestion to find the baby birds something to eat and then make them their little outfits* "It seem's like we may need some help doing both at once, how about I summon some of my little friends?" *He suggests before whistling in the direction of the door which calls over some of his ice-minions in their animal forms. Naturally his ice-fox and ice-panda return but they have some "new friends" following behind them, in the forms of various animals. He requested the ice-peacock who you believe to be a phoenix as well as the two ice-toads and the ice-frog to come with both of you to get the baby birds some food while the others started working on the little birds outfits*

Later in the afternoon

*Douma noticed your abrupt pause and, worried that you had accidentally jabbed yourself with the sewing needle; finished working with the miniature scarf and gently took your hands in one of his to look them over while giving you a gentle smile.* "Are you alright-? Eh?" *He appears to be caught off guard as he allows you to tackle-pounce him into falling backwards, making sure to keep any sharp things well out of your way as you crash-land against his chest. He chuckles softly as he reaches to pat you on the head* "And what would that be my dear?" *He asks, curious as to what you are plotting. He watches you scramble to your feet and over toward the corkboard, giving a quiet-* "Uph" *-as you step on his chest before he sits back up and watches you with a curious smirk playing across his face. He had indeed tried to explain that the little birds might not be able to wear the jewelry or shoes until they were much bigger but naturally that didn't stop you and he had also tried to make them atleast semi-functional, the "shoes" were more akin to soleless socks and the "jewelry pieces" were more like long, colorful bits of string that had been woven together.* "You truly have my little one" *Though he had been mostly helping insure the outfits would be both safe and functional for the birds. He allows the ice-minions to leave once you announce that you are done making the birds clothes for the time being and watches you thank them as they leave* "Yes thank you all very much" *The little birds were taking a nap at the moment after having their own tiny feast, So he figured it would probably be fine to go and see how Yuto and Tohru were doing. He gently pats you on the head again as you lean against him after scampering back over to him* "I suppose they wouldn't mind if we were to go check on them" *He hums curiously as you suggest new spy outfits, getting a quiet laugh out of him. He couldn't possibly say no to you now; besides dressing you up as a little ninja and watching you scurry around would be absolutely adorable* "Haha, Alright then lets find you a little ninja costume then"

[kabooseye]

I throw my hands in the air in triumph, “Yay!” I somersault away from you, heading towards the door. I stop after a few, sitting up right. My head sways slightly.

“Wait.. where do we get spy outfits? And and we need spy names!”

[douma-upper2]

*He watches you as you roll over toward the door, chuckling softly as he stands and strides beside you, pausing just in-front of you incase he needs to stop you from crashing into the door. He then gently scoops you up and sits you on his shoulder* "Hmm good point... Ah I know, Let's go check storage, sometimes the other kids that live here pretend to be ninjas and spies in their games so there might be a couple of extras" *He was pretty sure there was only one extra and that it would only fit you considering his uncommon height. But that would be okay, he could be sneaky if he needed to. He hummed curiously at the suggestion of "spy names" not having heard the term before* "Spy names? Like what?"

[kabooseye]

I pick two tufts of your hair in my left and right hands, pretending they’re handles, “Goooo this way!” I tug on the left tuff, taking you in the completely wrong direction. I duck my head under the door frame.

“Yayyy! Spy costumes! And and I dunnoooo… you choose! Sayaka doesn’t know spy names. You come up with them! Sayaka can touch the stars now! Lalalala!” I continue to tug mindlessly at your hair.

[douma-upper2]

*Douma smirks softly as you decide his hair would make for an appropriate set of reigns and decides to go left as you request, even though it is the wrong way* "Alright but we'll be going the long way" *He explains while making sure that you do not bonk your head. He hummed softly as he made his way toward the storage room while still somewhat following your directions. Some of his followers passing by happen to notice this sight and respond with quiet laughter and cheerful smiles* "Hmm I don't know much about spy names either i'm afraid..." *He chuckles softly as some of his ice-minions in the shapes of sootsprites jump overhead, just high enough for you be able to reach out and touch them before they land* "maybe....mister wolf and miss lamb?" *He suggests, thinking aloud. Though now that he thought about it, wasn't there a game by the name "Mister Wolf"? Or was it "Mister Fox"? He couldn't remember, but he remembered that some of the other children played it some times and it sounded like a version of tag of some sort. Upon finally reaching the storage room, something very sparkly demands your attention from the wall beside the door. A large sprinkling bottle of translucent, bright pink glitter shimmers in the lamplight. Perhaps Douma might let you keep it? He sets you on the ground beside him and starts pawing through the boxes of spare clothing* "Let me know if you find anything else that you find interesting, alright?"

[kabooseye]

My hands let go of your hair as they travel to your face, opening and closing your eyelids. I cup my palms over your eyes.

“Preeettyyy…” I muse, watching the sootsprites jump around. I let out a giggle, leaning up impulsively to chomp one. It crackles in my mouth and feels cold.

“Yes yes! I will beeee… Mister Wolf! And you can be Miss Sheep! Hahahaha!”

As you enter the room I see something sparkly gleaming from the corner of my eye. I whip my head towards the color, tugging your hair gently in that direction before you set me down. I wander around, my eyes swirling around the room to try to find the sparkle again. My eyes widen at the sight of pink glitter and I scramble for it, stepping over old artifacts, dust coating the air. A tumble of coughs rumble through my lungs. I wave my hands through the air to clear it.

“Douma? What’s this?” In the same moment, you spot a box of black clothing.

[douma-upper2]

*Hearing the crunch of ice, Douma swiftly disperses that ice-minion before any of his blood, from the blood demon art he used to create them; could get into your system. Perhaps he ought to suggest that you refrain from eating the ice-golems? It wouldn't do to eventually return you to your mother's friends as a little imp. Though the thought of having a younger, newly turned demon in his care again and the fact that you would be positively adorable as an imp, with little baby fangs and little baby claws; was annoyingly tempting. But he knew that not only would it make you extremely stressed, you would probably be furious and broken hearted at the same time. He chuckles softly at your guess* "Good idea...but let's switch those, they'll never see it coming" *Douma suggests, reaching up to gently pat you on the head. As he sets you down he flicks his eyes in the direction you were pulling his hair towards and swiftly spies the glitter before a box of black clothing labeled "Costumes" catches his attention* "Ah there they are- Eh?" *The room had a great many treasures and items scattered about half organized. A round basket as tall as you are is full of parasols, a shorter square one is has an assortment of masks, a box in the corner has what look like fans poking out of it, some large, wooden chests crammed in a corner looked to be filled with actual jewelry, fancy hair-pins and gemstones, on a tall bookshelf there was a multitude of candles of various heights and other knickknacks, there were toys and crafting supplies scattered about, a mannequin in suit of samurai armor stands tall in a corner surrounded by pots of various size and height, stacks of books were everywhere you looked, boxes and racks of clean, mended, folded clothing lined the walls, and the glitter sat atop a jar of marbles that reached your waist and behind it was large vase filled with decorative silk flowers.* "Ah that would be glitter, it is often used in making masks, fans and other crafts sparkly when metal shavings or gemstone dust is to expensive. But sometimes people like to sprinkle it around because they think it looks pretty" *Douma explains as he helps fan the dust away. Admittedly it has been a while since he had dusted in here, but that was largely because he didn't mind the dust and it didn't seem like anyone else had.....but now that he thought about it he probably should...*

[kabooseye]

“Wow…it’s so pretty,” I breathe in wonder, holding the jar of glitter up to the light, “Sayaka likes it.” I scamper back to you, grasping your pant leg with one hand and holding the bottle up high with the other so you can see it sparkle.

“My mommy would like this stuff too!! Especially if it was shiny and silver!!! Like little stars!”

I tilt my head at you, craning my neck to look up at your colorful eyes as I stand on my tippy toes. I gently tug your pant leg.

“Can we bring her some for when we go visit her, Douma?? Or when she visits us? She’ll come see me from paradise, right? She didn’t forget about me, right?”

My lips twist into a wobbly smile, clinging onto hope.

[douma-upper2]

"It is indeed, though be careful where you sprinkle it, it likes to stick onto anything it can and tends to get absolutely everywhere" *Douma makes sure to warn her of what he has noticed about the sparkly flakes. He crouches down to your height and smiles at you gently* "I'm sure she would like it very much, maybe I can find you some that is star shaped next time I am able to head into town" *He suggests gently stroking your hair as you ask if you can bring some to your mother she visits or if you can visit her* "No my dear, she would never forget about you. No mother would be able to forget a daughter as sweet as you. I'm sure we'll be able to visit her someday but it might take a while, and she might visit you in your dreams first" *He explained. Although it was, as far as he knew; another lie fabricated from what he knew humans believed about spirits, dreams and the afterlife to avoid breaking your heart by telling you the cold, hard truth of the matter. It was odd to him, his whole life part of him wanted to talk some common sense into those who believed such things but now he did not think he would be able to bear you finding out the truth as he was certain it would bring back that odd, watery, painfully heavy sensation that took root in his chest when he first tried to explain it to you.* "I'm sure you will be able to show her any glitter you can imagine in your dreams"

[kabooseye]

I gasp, “Toooown?! When, when? Sayaka wants to come!! Mama and I would always buy food for birdies and we would sit on a bridge and she would sing!!” I lean into your touch, pressing my cheek to your thigh, nuzzling slightly. I pocket the glitter, maybe I’ll use it later. Maybe I can sprinkle it on my drawings, or even sleep with it under my pillow so I can show it to my mommy in my dreams!

“Yay! I can’t wait to tell her all about you Douma! She’ll really like you. And we can play forever!”

I open my eyes and squint in deep thought, “If Mama is in paradise right now, and we can’t get to her, I bet Auntie Bou-Bou and Uncle Gi-Gi are pretty sad too. Maybe…after we spy on Kitty Yuto and Kitty Tohru, we can go visit them? Together? That way they won’t be so sad! We can tell them the good news about where Mama is!!”

I suddenly spot an odd wooden crate that drags my attention from my thoughts. On it, the word “FIREWORKS” is written in big bold letters. I jump, tugging into your hand again, “Ooh-Ooh!! Fireworks! Fire!! Like-like Mister Rengoku! We should use them!! And put on a show! For Yuto and Tohru!!! Oh please please please pleaseee?” I start to sink to my knees like I would do for my mama when I wanted to get my way.

[douma-upper2]

"It may be a few days my dear...You know I heard that one of the nearby towns will be hosting a night-market in a couple of days, It might be fun" *Douma suggests, gently petting your hair and smiling softly as you decide to hold onto the glitter for safe keeping. He gently scoops you up into his arms* "I hope she does... and I'm sure her friends miss her too, however I still don't know where we can go to find them" *He reminds you that as far as you know he has no idea where to find any of the hashira, and during the last few days neither of you have had time to really get your bearings. Though now that he think's about it, it may be for the best for you to get better before taking you beyond the temple.* "Hmm...I'll tell you what, once we are done checking on Tohru and Yuto, we can go up to the roof and take a look around and if you see anything familiar we can go visit them once you start feeling better, okay?" *Douma suggests though he is unsure if you heard him due to your attention being distracted by a box labeled "Fireworks" making him chuckle softly* "Maybe if we can find a big enough pond that is further away from the temple, fireworks are very dangerous in forests with big trees like this" *He explains, wanting to be safe and not cause a forest fire but also not wanting to disappoint you. He holds up a ninja costume that looks like it's the right size to fit you*

[kabooseye]

“Okay!! Maybe I could see the Butterfly Mansion from so high! I bet I could! Sayaka has bigggg eyes! Like an owl!” I giggle and part my eyelids wide so you can see more of the whites of my eyes, not realizing how silly I’m making myself look. “Mister Rengoku says I have very pretty eyes just like my Mama!!”

I let go and blink a few times, redirecting my attention to the costume you now hold in your hands.

“IT’S PERFECT!! SAYAK- I MEAN, MISTER WOLF, WILL PERFORM HER MISSION UNDETECTED!!” I point theatrically towards you. “Along with sidekick ninja Miss Sheep!! We are the best spy team there is!”

I scamper over to the box of fireworks, trying my best to pry it open but stepping back and plopping down to sit with a melodramatic sigh when it doesn’t budge. My hair falls in front of my eyes, and I swipe my hands across my sweaty face.

I shake out my hands a bit at the ache in my still-injured fingers, though I am more frustrated than hurt, “Miss Sheep, this is your job now! Mister Wolf will go change into spy clothes!”

I unceremoniously get up, grabbing the costume from you and running to find some privacy behind a few large crates. One short arm reaches behind my back, trying to tug my tight obi loose. “This is hard work…Mister Wolf is tireddd.”

[douma-upper2]

*Douma chuckles and gently strokes your hair* "I bet you probably could" *he holds the costume up for your inspection* "He would be correct then, they are adorable" *Douma gently sets you down on the ground before handing you the costume* "Thats right! We'll be so stealthy they won't even know we're there" *He watches as you try to open the crate labeled fireworks, allowing you to try despite knowing that you couldn't possibly open it. He then carefully tucks your bangs behind your ears, his hands cool against your forehead.* "Alright, I think I can handle it, might be a bit tough though" *He was rather concerned that your fever might be picking back up again but he wasn't exactly sure how to convince you to rest without disappointing you. He steps infront of the firework crate while you duck behind others to change* "Remember what I showed you? Move the knot around to your frontside so you don't have to struggle to reach it" *He reminded you as he pretended to struggle to pry the crate open before easily prying it open, nearly snapping the lid in half* "Ah I got it, lets see here...Oh they have dragon shaped ones"

[kabooseye]

“Mister Fox and Miss Sheep goin’ on a journey,” I sing as I shimmy the obi towards my front, “To spy- uh, I mean, to make sure Yuto and Tohru have a great day!” I pull the end of the obi loose, pushing the navy kimono off my body. I leave everything on a heap on the floor before jumping into my new black keikogi and hakama.

“With us on the case, nothing can go wrong!” I pick up the new black obi and skitter back over to you, not even attempting to put it on myself.

“Miss Sheep!” I hop into a salute, my limbs stiff at my sides, eyes sharp. I’m unable to keep a serious expression as I fall into giggles. I hold out one arm as if bestowing the obi to you.

I throw my arms out to the sides, letting you tend to the belt. I rise on my tippy toes, looking over at the crate with the fireworks once again. “Hmmmm…fireworks sound sooo romantic, so we don’t wanna miss the date when they see them!! Maybe another spy can set them up? Maybe an ice-spy?” I gasp with realization at my unintentional joke. “Ice-spy! Like “I Spy”! The game! Sayaka is sooo funny!!”

[douma-upper2]

*Douma continues looking through the fireworks to see what all was in the crate since he didn't remember when he got them but presumably he had taken them from bandits he has long since devoured and just shoved the fireworks in here not knowing what else to do with them.* "Make sure you collect your kimono and obi from the ground over there please" *he reminds you before you come scampering over for him to tie your costumes matching obi-belt* "Thats right my little one" *He says, chuckling softly as he ties your obi belt for you before reaching to tickle your sides to make you laugh some more* "there we go" *He boops your nose before returning his attention to the fireworks* "Hm? Ah that could work, my spirit friends could lend us a hand" *He whistles and a trio of ice-raccoons made to look like Tanuki spirits come scampering into the room and he explains that he needs them to find a reasonably sized pond or lake nearby for them to set up the fireworks and set them off at*

[kabooseye]

The ice-tanuki grab bundles of fireworks with their icy little paws and hobble off on two legs to fulfill their mission. I watch them go, still giggling a bit after being tickled, and dart back behind the crate to grab my kimono and obi. I bring them and hold them up to you, standing on my tippy-toes.

“Ack! H-here, Douma!” I stutter as part of the long, thick kimono sleeve falls onto my face. “Sayaka doesn’t know what to do with them,” I mumble into the fabric. 

“You need to find something to wear, too! So we can be matching spies!” I lean over a wooden crate, my hands hanging onto the sides as I rise on the balls of my feet.

“Outfit for Douma… outfit… where…” I mumble to myself.

[douma-upper2]

*As you toddle up to him with your clothing in hand, Douma gently scoops you into his arms, gently taking the clothing in one hand* "Ah don't worry about it, Today is wash day so I will just wash them once we are done checking in on Tohru and Yuto and they will by dry by daybreak; okay?" *Douma watches you as you look around trying to find a matching outfit that will fit him; unfortunately you have no luck, everything in here looks to small... He smiles softly* "Don't worry my dear, if I do have a match it will probably be in my closet" *He explains, giving you a gentle pat on the head* "Would you like to wait in your room while I look?"

[kabooseye]

“Yeah!! Let’s go! And then we can finally go spy on the kitties!” I laugh mischievously as I give you a tight hug around your neck, “I’m having so much fun already!”

[douma-upper2]

"Alright my dear" *He says with a chuckle as he carries you back to your room so that you can wait for him there. He was uncertain about leaving you by yourself even momentarily but considering the sun had yet to fully sink below the horizon he figured that you should be safe.*

[kabooseye]

You place me down gently on my bed and I swing my feet back and forth over the edge. I plop onto my back as you leave, looking up at the fake stars on the ceiling. I just sit in the quiet in a rare moment of patience as I wait for you.

[douma-upper2]

*After setting you safely in your room, Douma strode back to his considerably darker corner of the temple. Entering his room he had one out of the small army of mini-douma's that he had at the ready; go into his storage closet and grab him one of the bottles of blood he had stowed away while he entered his clothing closet and began pawing through his extra clothing to see if he could find any that were fully plain black.*

[kabooseye]

The silence becomes oddly apparent the longer I sit and wait. It feels deafening, too loud, too thick, too close. I shiver, getting a little cold, and scooch myself over to where I can tuck myself under a blanket and grab my ram plushie too. I start to hum subconsciously. I suddenly remember the warmth I would feel when Mommy would curl herself up against me to keep me cozy on chilly winter nights. Or when I was sad. Or really just whenever I wanted to be next to her. 

I look up at the plastic stars.

I miss the real stars. 

I miss how my mommy’s eyes sparkled like them, too. I just miss Mama. I miss her and I’m confused and I don’t know what to do. She’s in paradise, but…what does that really mean?

“Mommy,” I sniffle, blinking up hopefully at the artificial glow of the fake stars above me, “I kn-know I have to wait to see you. A wh-while.” My lip starts quivering as tears begin to streak down my cheeks. “I’m trying to b-be strong like y-you, Mama. Pl-please…” my tiny voice cracks. “Please come see Sayaka s-soon in my dreams. So I can give you a hug.”

I wipe my reddened face and clutch at my ram tighter. Surely she has to have heard that. You told me she was always watching over me now, anyway.

The silence drones on. I begin to feel hopeless. I don’t know what I was expecting, anyways. 

I turn into my pillow, letting the plush soak up my tears. 

Splat.

I sniffle, touching my cheek gently, removing something foreign. I turn back, staring at the ceiling, holding up a… a star? My eyes burst open, and I jump up in bed, sitting straight up. A gasp echoes through the room as I feel my heart pounding.

“Mama?!” I shout, “Is it… Is it you?” I hold the star up to the ceiling, “Mama, are you here?” I blink, and I swear it twinkles as I do. I hug the star closely to my heart, feeling it pump against the plastic. It must be, she’s telling me to hold onto hope.

“Okay, Mama,” I whisper, “I’m waiting for you. I love you. I miss you.” I jump off the bed, running to the doorframe, looking to my left and right for you.

[douma-upper2]

*A small, ornately carved wooden music box with a brass crescent moon and pearl stars on its lid was sat on one of the book shelves, currently unopened; perhaps that would help alleviate the uncomfortable silence? Though Douma had never forbade you from going out into the garden and looking at the night sky or opening the curtains of your window to look outside, he had forgotten to mention that you were allowed to. Though he wouldn't quite understand missing them he did find looking at the stars peaceful. Odd as it was one of the plastic star shaped decorations fell, landing right on your face; though it had been firmly attached to the ceiling earlier. After finishing off the bottle of blood his ice-golem had brought him, making 100% certain that none had spilled on him in the mirror and changing into his now all black outfit, Douma quickly strode back down the hall to get you, nearly crashing into you as you run to the door frame* "I'm back my dear, are you ready?"

[kabooseye]

“Ready, Miss Sheep!! Mister Wolf is reporting for duty!” I jump into a salute, my entire body stiff.

My eyes go wide as I whip my head from right to left, “SHHHHHH! This is a secret mission. Gotta be quiet, shhh….” I zip my lips and raise my hand to zip yours before tossing away the key but not before a few giggles spill out. I launch out of the room, narrowly missing your legs. What I thought was a perfect somersault was more of a mess of tumbling limbs. My cheek rests on the cold wood floor. I let out a sigh. Being a spy is a lot of work.

“OOH-OOH IT’S KITTY YUTO!!” I scramble up pointing to the end of the hall. I hastily grab your hand and start tugging.

“OH! But wait! Mister Wolf forgot we need to be stealthy.”

[douma-upper2]

*Douma gently pats you on the head with a chuckle* "Ready when you are my dear" *He says with a laugh, finding your antics absolutely precious; he then quiets his voice a bit* "That is a good point, Ninja's are supposed to be very stealthy" *He watches as you dart around him before going into a tumble, he reaches for you thinking it was an accident but upon realizing you were doing so on purpose he covers his mouth to prevent himself from laughing out loud though a light snicker manages to sneak past his hand. He sneaks over to you, gently helps you up and dusts you off* "Are you alright my little one?" *His senses confirmed that aside from your cold you were physically fine, though he wanted to check just incase your pride was hurt. He noticed Yuto notice you shout and glance back, but then notice the costumes and tries to hide his smile before deciding to play along, musing aloud-* "How odd, I thought I heard sayaka nearby but there's no one there" *-before turning back around and continuing on his way. Douma starts snickering again before nodding in agreement* "Yes indeed we do, we must be very quiet and sneaky"

[kabooseye]

As Yuto mentally lists off everything he packed he hears my voice in the hallway. He looks over, noticing the all black attire. He suppresses a laugh as he continues on his way.

My eyes widen at the sudden eye contact with Yuto and I dive behind your legs, hoping your body hides mine, “You… you don’t think he saw us, right Douma??”

I step in front of you, tugging on your pant leg, “We gotta keep a close eye on him! But quiiietly!” I tiptoe carefully, my heart pumping.

[douma-upper2]

*Douma smirks, knowing he saw them and was playing along. Of course you were well hidden behind him, but he was rather obvious especially since his large frame couldn't possibly be mistaken for anyone else* "very much so" *Douma quietly tiptoes behind you. Being a demon he was a natural at this so he was of course practically silent*

[kabooseye]

I turn, looking at you over my shoulder. My face puckers, distaste apparent on my features, “Miss Sheep! You’re too tall! Kitty Yutohru is gonna see you!” I whine, shaking your lanky leg.

I glance down at an imaginary watch, huffing, “We don’t have a lot of time but maybe Auntie Bou-Bou could do a knee artee-plasty on you right now.” I tap on my chin, mumbling more details to myself.

In the corner of my eye I spot Yuto and Tohru leaving, a blush on both of their faces.

“No time!” I grab your wrist and start bolting it out of the hallway, all stealth thrown out the window. I drag you like a ragdoll, catching up to the happy couple.

A big smile grows on my face as I see them talking happily. Yuto’s clutching a basket while Tohru fidgets with her fingers. They look just like Auntie Bou-Bou and Uncle Gi-Gi! Maybe I can try this with them…

We continue trailing them from afar, giggles and whispers are exchanged between us. We head outside to the garden. I look up, the bright shining sun beaming down at me. I burst into laughter as I race into the grass, running past Yutohru, somehow going unnoticed.

[douma-upper2]

A small child’s sobs and hiccups can be heard from the hallways of your palace

"Hm?" *He follows the sound in search of the poor little dear that needs comforting. Eventually he finds the source*

[kabooseye]

I run to the base of the tree, right up to where Yuto stands, only a foot or two in front of him.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” I yell excitedly, before slapping my hand over my own mouth. That was probably too loud. I smile sheepishly, rubbing the back of my neck.

“What are you doing, Mister Yuto?” I whisper, trying to be as polite as possible to offset my previous outburst.

[douma-upper2]

*Yuto chuckles softly and pats you on the head as Douma strides over to you as he is curious as well. He looks up in the tree curiously but does not immediately find anything out of the norm so he wait's for Yuto to answer* "Ah, this little bird fell out of their mothers nest so I was helping it back up" *He explains, gently plucking a fledgeling sparrow out of his hair; which in turn looks up at both of you curiously* "I see, the poor little bird...Is it alright?"

[kabooseye]

I hold out my hands gently, wanting to hold the poor sparrow. A frown creases my lips. “It’s like me… before Douma found me. We have to get it back to its mom!”

I softly pet the sparrow, smoothing out the feathers on its head, “Everything’s going to be okay, we’ll find your mommy. Mister Yuto can help!”

I glance up at the tree, “Where’s its nest? Do you need help?”

[douma-upper2]

*Yuto gently holds the little bird out for you to pet. The small sparrow chirps at you. Since it still has its downy baby feathers it probably wasn't attempting to fly just yet. Douma crouches beside you and gets a better look at the little bird* "I'm not sure, thats why I was letting it sit in my hair so it would be safe while I look" *Douma stood and approached the tree, and instead of looking up to the branches he walks around it looking for a hole in the trunk soon finding one at about chest height to him on the left side of the tree* "ah here it is" *He confirms by peeking into the hole and finding two more young sparrows looking back at him and peeping quietly. He gently lifts you up to see* "see there are it's siblings"

[kabooseye]

I smile at the little sparrow, chirping back to it.

“Can we keep it pleaseeee?” I tug on your sleeve, the biggest puppy dog eyes shining up at you. “Sayaka will take very very good care!!! I promise!”

I tilt my head as I watch you looking around the tree. Wouldn’t the nest be up there? I let out a small gasp as you spot its nest and siblings.

I jump up and down, “Sayaka wants to see!” I reach my arms up, wiggling my fingers. As you pick me up to look I squirm in your arms, wanting an even closer look. I close one eye, smushing my cheek into the small hole.

I let out a gasp, pushing back against the tree trunk. My eyes are wide at you as I shush you. “Too loud,” I whisper even though it was my own gasp making the noise. I set my feet on the ground as you set me back down. I gently cup the sparrow from Yuto’s hands.

“Aw, you gotta go home, little birdie. I can’t keep you. You have a family.” I pet the sparrow again. The small bird nuzzles my finger, chirping happily. A small pang hits my heart and my eyes gloss over unwillingly. I sniffle, a bittersweet smile on my lips. The sparrow turns towards its nest, chirping at its siblings. Excited chirps echo back from above.

“I have to let you go. You belong with your family. No matter how much I want to keep you.” I give a tender kiss to the top of the sparrow’s head, swiping my eyes with the back of my hand.

I turn, glancing up at you, “Can Sayaka help the sparrow back home please?”

[douma-upper2]

*Douma smiles softly in your response to wanting to keep it and gently strokes your hair. He holds you up so that you can see the little birds siblings. The birds chirp at you curiously and Douma chuckles softly when you shush him* "Mhm, have to be very quiet because they are still small and not used to loud sounds yet" *Douma says quietly as he sets you back on the ground. Yuto gently hands you the little sparrow* "It will be alright my little one, they will stay here for a while yet and once they are all grown up they and their siblings will probably move into this same tree" *Douma gently explains, crouching to your height and carefully petting the small bird with his pointer finger. Yuto peaks inside the nest, expecting to find atleast one of the parent sparrows but upon not finding any he looks around the branches of the tree and around the garden nearby for either one but none are found* "Actually, If I may lord founder; It might be for the best to keep them, birds don't usually leave their babies unguarded before they can fly and I do not see any adult sparrows around" *Yuto explains, gesturing around and prompting Douma to take a better look as well. Infact he did not see any adult birds around at all, though he did catch a glimpse of a snakes tail on one of the higher branches, but he chooses not to mention it.* "Ah good point...Well then" *He turns to face you once more* "I think we can keep them until their parent's come back" *He remarks before standing once more, reaching a hand into the nest and gently scooting the other two baby birds into his hand* "Let's get them inside where its warm" *Douma suggests, knowing he will probably be the main one taking care of the little birds*

[kabooseye]

The biggest smile spreads across my face as I hear I get to keep the birdie. I nod rapidly, hopping and giggling as I walk.

“Yay!! Sayaka can keep you all! I’ll be such a good bird mommy! Just like my mommy!! I’ll-I’ll give you baths and feed you, and we can play dress up! Wait, do birds even—It’s okay, Sayaka will get you clothes! We can all be pretty pretty prin-” My steps falter as I cough into my elbow.

“Eugh…” I huff, “Hate being sick…” I grumble as I cough again. I slow down into shorter steps, waiting for the two of you to catch up. 

“Douma!” I chirp, “I told the birdies we can play dress up! Do you know where Sayaka can buy birdie clothes? We wanna play princess and dragons!” The sparrow looks at me curiously before pointing its beak straight up. Loud, insistent chirps spew out from all three of the sparrows in the same second, like clockwork. I grimace, the shrill noise pounding against my skull. I hold the sparrow farther away from me, but the sound doesn’t quiet.

“Douma, what is- Ah!” I pull my cupped hands apart, the sparrow’s mouth now latched onto my fingertip. It tries to close its tiny beak, its throat sucking on my finger.

“What do I do?!” I panic. Could the sparrow really eat me whole?! I’m no worm nor bird food!

“Here, little one, let me help—“ Yuto picks up his pace to meet me and crouches down to my level. He gently scoops up the small sparrow again, holding it high enough so its head is pushed horizontally back to a normal position. It lets go of my finger almost instantly. 

“See? It doesn’t want to eat you; it just thinks you have food. It thinks you’re its mama, so when it saw your finger…peck!” Yuto darts forward just slightly, raising his one free hand and closing his fingers together like a beak. He playfully jabs at my soft hair, making me giggle incessantly.

“Y-Yuto…stop!!” I squeal, softly swatting away his mischievous attacks. “You’re not a bird!”

He lets out a laugh, too, finally stopping his antics and focusing back on the baby sparrow. He takes up a more serious but just as gentle tone as he continues to explain. “Did you see how it raised its head and opened its mouth? That means it’s hungry! Let's go find it some food, yeah?” He tilts his head at me and smiles, standing up once more and holding his hand out for me to take.

“Okay!! Let’s go find some!” I hop excitedly as I take his hand, only for a sharp pain to shoot through my own.

“Owie!” I yank my hand back close to me, and Yuto whips around, fear on his face as for a moment he thinks he’s accidentally hurt me. But as he sees my bandaged fingers, his face softens to one of mere concern.

“Are you alright, Sayaka? How are your nails? Tohru patched you up nicely, right? Do you want me to find her again so you can get more ointment?” His slew of questions tumbles from his mouth as he grows more troubled, remembering whenever his own little sister would get hurt. 

“N-no, I’m okay. I just squeezed your hand too hard. It’ll go away in a second, I think.” I look down at my bandages, particularly on the hand I just hurt. No blood, that’s good. I’m okay.

“Okay! Sayaka is ready to go again!”

Yuto chuckles softly, some worry still apparent but mostly fading with my infectious enthusiasm. He holds his hand out, even more tenderly this time. “Okay…be gentle to yourself now, or else the pecky birds are going to come back!”

“Noooo!” I start to giggle again, before I remember…

“Oh yeah! Yuto! How was your dinner with Tohru?”

Yuto’s steps falter momentarily, and he lets out a small gasp, as if he didn’t expect to be asked that question. He probably thought I forgot! How silly!

He laughs somewhat sheepishly, looking down at me with an all-too-big grin and his face, and clearly blushing. “Oh, you remembered that! Thank you for asking, Sayaka! Well…it was really nice! Tohru is a very sweet woman, and she is an amazing cook too…you know, my favorite food is katsudon, and guess what, that just so happened to be the food she made! I didn’t even tell her that! I told her, I said—‘You’re already being so kind, offering me food to repay me for something I’d have done anyway, so please, just make anything you want…’—and she made katsudon! It was perfect! What a coincidence, right, Saya—” Yuto stops abruptly as he suddenly remembers who he’s talking to, realizing that he’s rambling on giddily to someone so young, who probably just wanted a simpler ‘It was great!’ type of answer. But I just look up at him with shining eyes, smirking and humming contentedly. 

“That sounds like it was sooo nice! Katsudon is so yummy! Mama used to make it for me sometimes, but I still like omurice better!”

A wonderful idea suddenly hits me. I stop in my tracks and gasp loudly with a long inhale, and spin around towards you, following a few paces behind and listening to the entertainment quietly.

“Oh my goodness! I have a great idea! Yuto! Yuto!” I jump up and down, clinging onto his hand and the edge of his white sleeve. “Douma and I should plan a date for you and Tohru!”

Yuto suddenly looks like all the wind had been knocked out of him. He takes a few seconds before saying anything, and the silence is almost comical.

“A…A-a date? Why do—why do you—you think, um—” He clears his throat and grabs at his collar to get some air. “Tohru and I are just friends. A-acquaintances, even.” 

I look up at Yuto with a deadpan expression. How could he be such a dummy? He’s acting just like Uncle Gi-Gi; being so obvious, but never doing anything about it.

“Yuto. She invited you to dinner. She made food for you.”

You snicker behind us amusedly as Yuto gasps, shocked to hear me talking in such a matter-of-face way about something so adult. ‘I guess kids really are perceptive…’ he thinks to himself.

“I—I guess. But—you don’t think it’s too soon?” He looks between me and you. He feels so silly, asking this sort of thing to a five-year-old girl and his religious leader, of all people. 

“No!! You gotta do it now, Yuto!” I shake his arm vigorously. “Who knows what’s gonna happen! That’s what my mommy would always say. You have to spend today like there’s no tomorrow! Follow your heart!” I smile with my eyes closed, remembering the inspiring words my mother would tell me when I’m down. 

“O…okay! I will! I’ll plan a wonderful day and…tell her how I feel! Thank you, Sayaka!” He smiles so brightly. I keep thinking it…He really reminds me of Mister Rengoku. 

His smile drops. “But I don’t…I don’t really have any ideas. I don’t know all her favorite things…I haven’t done this sort of thing in a long time…”

“I told you, silly! Douma and I can help you!! We’ll help plan! It’ll be epic!” I grin from ear to ear, excitedly.

[douma-upper2]

*Douma is mostly focused on keeping his hands and open and stable as he can to avoid hurting the other two baby birds, as even compared to humans; they are extremely fragile. He looks up and strides over as you cough before addressing him. Birds playing dress up? That was certainly a new one...did humans with pet birds usually dress their birds up? Though now that he thought about it he occasionally saw some slayers crows with little accessories...but crows were much bigger than baby sparrows...* "Hmm...I cant say that I do, perhaps some can be made- ?!" *His eyes widen slightly in surprise to the little bird seems to mistake your finger for prey. Though being rather unfamiliar with young birds he is not sure how to help and is concerned he might accidentally injure it, Thankfully Yuto steps in and seems to know what he's doing.* "Are you alright my little one?" *Douma gently takes a look at your finger and is relieved to find that aside from the previous nights injuries; you are no worse for wear. He then very gently moves the little bird you were holding into his cupped hands with its siblings while Yuto suggests helping you find the little birds something to eat* "They usually eat bugs but if I am not mistaken they are also old enough to start eating small seeds as well-" *He looks over at you once more as you yelp, he also checks over your fingers with you* "Yes, please be gentle with yourself Sayaka" *Douma requests, gently petting your hair with his free hand. He then stands and continues on the pathway through the garden, listening curiously to your conversation about Yuto and Tohru's little date. Admittedly the way both of you talk about human food makes him wish he could try it, however he wasn't exactly sure how he would be able to fit in enough blood to the recipes to make any of them safe for himself. Hearing Yuto's rather oblivious response he tries his hardest not to laugh outloud but a small snicker does manage to escape him* "I think that is a splendid idea Sakaya, We'll help him plan the date. After all Yuto you and Tohru are rather adorable together" *He remarks, paying you a well deserved compliment*

[kabooseye]

I jump up and down at your compliment, squeezing your legs in my arms for a quick but fierce hug.

“There’s no time like the preheat!” I squeal, sprinting off to the end of the hallway.

Yuto turns to you, brow slightly raised, “Does she mean ‘there’s no time like the present’…?”

I turn back, expecting you both to be right on my heels, but you both have barely moved an inch in the millisecond that I ran here. My brows furrow as I thump my foot on the ground. I curl my hand, palm facing me, ushering you both to hurry in a frantic gesture. You and Yuto make your way over in what feels like forever. I squeal again, running into my big room. As you both enter, you find me grunting, trying to push a small desk into the middle of the room. 

Yuto chuckles and helps me push it. “What are you doing, little one?”

I ignore him, far too focused on my task. “Douma! Two Chairs! Umm, ummm- papers and markers too!! Poof!” I say sternly, messing up the word pronto. “Yuto, a board! Poof!” You and Yuto return with the items I requested in record speed. Yuto wheels in a medium-sized cork bulletin board as well, usually used when any of the kids want to display their artwork. You had gotten these art supplies a while back when you first learned that human children need a lot of things to keep them entertained, or else chaos ensues.

You scoot one of the bean bags by the bed over towards the desk, and I take a seat across from the two of you as you sit down in the chairs. I grab a green marker and go to town, furiously scribbling and mumbling to myself. My tongue darts out as imaginary fire flares behind me, and made-up smoke flows from the papers in my intense determination. 

“Got it! Douma! Post this, poof!” I hand you my drawings to pin to the bulletin board, and I get up as you sit back down. I drag over my beanbag closer to the board and stand on it. I balance unsteadily on the uneven surface, now eye level with the drawings. I slap my hand against the board for emphasis. The top one is labeled “Yutohru’s purrfect date!!!” with some kitties and flowers decorating the blank space.

“Yutohru’s purrrrrfect date!!” I boom, pointing to two orange and pink kitties, in my mind representing Yuto and Tohru. My mannerisms and volume feel similar to a military leader, or even to the flame hashira, my heart blazing with passion. 

I pull the paper, revealing my next drawing under it. On it, a hastily drawn orange cat stands at a door with a basket in hand. “Yuto will ask  Miss Tohru out on a picnic date! Inside the basket is……” I pull down to the next drawing. On this one is a messy drawing of fruit sandos, steamed pork buns, honeydew, books, and a blanket.

“You guys can eat yummy yummy food! Looking at this is making Sayaka a little hungry…And then, after, you guys can read! ‘Cause I think Miss Tohru likes reading…she’s very smart…” I pause while looking at Yuto questioningly, hoping for some sort of confirmation.

He beams, excitement sparkling in his eyes. “Oh, that’s a wonderful idea, actually! Tohru was telling me that she likes reading out in the garden. So I’m sure she’d really like it at a picnic! And she loves fruit, and- and I love steamed pork buns actually, I can make some for her, and hopefully she’ll like them-” He cuts himself off as his expression turns to a more bashful one, blushing as he softly laughs at himself as the self-awareness hits of just how giddy he sounds.

“Perfect! Sayaka’s so smart!!” I grin from ear to ear, proud that I had made such a good guess.

I pull the paper down again to reveal the next drawing; on this one is the temple’s rooftop and two kitties sitting, leaning their heads together as they watch the stars.

I jump up and down on the beanbag, my excitement uncontainable, “This is my favorite part!!!!! My mommy says the stars are the most romantic, happiest, calmest place in the wholeeeee wideeeeee world!!!! We would watch the stars every night, and I would make a wish when I saw shooting stars!!!! You can take Miss Tohru up to the rooftops and sit!!! Then you guys can make the pretty star pictures like the belt or the dippy! And maybe you guys can make a wish!!! She will love it!! My momma approved!!!” 

I glance over to you. “And that’s our plan! Right, Douma?” You let out a small snicker as you nod, finding it hilarious that “our plan” consisted solely of my ideas.

I jump down from the plush surface, running in excited circles around Yuto. “So, so so so!?!!?!? Whatcha think!?!?!” I run towards your chair too, tugging on your pant leg. “Awesome, right!?!?” A few coughs rumble in my chest, but I continue, my excitement unbothered.

You can’t help but laugh at the silly irony of the whole scene as I stand there, clinging to your pants with the most joyful look on my face. Only yesterday, that new and bothersome Upper Five killed the poor bandit girl, and you had to confront her as she had some weird and potentially dangerous fascination with me. You went so far as to request an Upper Moon meeting. Not that it changed anything for the better…the way Muzan seemed to be on her side almost immediately was rather strange. And why had she walked off with him? Where is she now?

The previous night’s worries try their best to seep into you now, but as confusing and dire as they are, the sheer difference between yesterday and today made it almost impossible. How was that only one night ago? It doesn’t feel like it, not with your little lamb making new friends during a pancake breakfast, and planning a date of all things for two of your followers, that’s for sure. The absurdity of the past week or so has been almost comedic. You can’t help but smile.

I fall back onto the floor, panting, “So?” I repeat, brushing a few stray hairs that are sticking to my sweaty face.

“That all sounds so nice, Sayaka! And I really mean it, too.” He turns to you curiously. “Savior, I know the temple is pretty secluded here, but do you know if there are any distant city lights that can be seen from the top roof?” He smiles sheepishly. “Tohru and I were talking at dinner about where we grew up, and she told me about how, before she moved to live here, she lived in a town a little elevated on a hill, and she misses being able to see lights from the big city below. Along with the stars, it would be nice if I could give her just a glimpse of something similar to that, you know?” 

He’s so hopeful. So full of life.

“Let me think, did she mention any other of her favorite things…Oh! She said her favorite sweet is castella, I could make that as dessert…” He trails off as his eyes light up with the ideas running through his head.

[douma-upper2]

*Douma reaches down to pat you on the head but you have already scurried down the hallway and were waiting for him and Yuto to catch up; You certainly were your mother's daughter...her fellows would certainly be proud with how fast you have become...He certainly was. He chuckles softly at Yuto's question and nods* "Indeed she does" *He swiftly strides over to you, deciding not to keep you waiting leaving Yuto to follow behind. He also jumps in to help you move your desk after setting the baby birds somewhere safe so they do not get lost or injured and decides to humor you and get what you requested, coming back before Yuto. He was well aware of childrens need to be entertained to keep them out of trouble, having bore witness to and occasionally aiding in said chaos many times.* "Here you go my little one." *He hands you the paper and markers before setting down the chairs. He sits down as Yuto wheels in the cork-board and you get to work on the drawings* "Alright, how about like this?" *He suggests, pinning the drawings into place before sitting back down, a smile cracking across his face as a result of your adorable yet efficient planning. He thought this whole scenario was rather precious. He listens to you curiously, getting his own ideas to add.* "It is a very good plan, although I have a couple of ideas to add if you would both like to hear them?" *He suggests, though a giggle does manage to escape him as he notices that at the moment the plan was entirely your ideas, although it was a pretty good plan thus far. He gently scoops you into his arms so that you can see what he's doing before grabbing a bright red marker and adding his own ideas to paper before pinning them to the board as well.* "How about, along with the honeydew melon; we add cherries and strawberries as well since they are easily cut into heart shapes?" *He suggests pinning it up a drawing of strawberries and cherries some whole, others cut into shapes beside your drawing of a picnic basket.* "And then how about instead of the roof; how about somewhere that is just as beautiful? The libraries terrace?" *He suggests, pinning a quick sketch of the library terrace which is close to books, has a small table, is visible to the stars, has a view of the entertainment districts lights and has miniature rose bushes growing in flower-boxes. The previous nights troubles clawed at his mind against his will but he forced them back for the time being. He had his suspicions as to what was going on behind closed doors between the two, but he wasn't sure which was the correct one. He suspected that either his ego got to his head and she took advantage of his guard being down toward his minions and focused on the slayers to mind-fuck him, or they were in cahoots with her unaware of his eventual double crossing....there was a chance that he was just to busy with the slayers to put any more of his brainpower toward his moons shenanigans and was generally being foolish...but he would never let any of his colleagues let alone his current master know that was a suspicion.* "Ah that sounds like a good idea. Very well done Sayaka-chan" *He says with a grin, gently ruffling your hair*

[kabooseye]

“That sounds wonderful, Lord Founder! I haven’t been back to the library in awhile…besides yesterday, of course…and I don’t believe I’ve ever been on any of the balconies. I didn’t realize we could see the Entertainment District from here, that will be perfect!” He beams, and I dart up from the floor to watch him take a marker and paper for himself and quickly jot down a few abridged notes with far less (no) kittens, much to my disappointment. He finishes and grins proudly at the list, tapping the marker against the table a few times before standing up.

“Alright, I have a lot to do before later then, so I’m going to get started right now. I’ll see you later, Lady Sayaka.” He smiles sweetly at me while patting my head. “And Founder, you too. Thank you for your help.” 

As he leaves the room, small chirps echo from a corner. I whip my head around, remembering my new feathery friends and my responsibilities to care for them.

“Douma! Come on, we have work to do too!” I squeal excitedly as I run up to the small box with towels you had set aside as the fledgelings’ very temporary nest until you could make something more properly suited for them. “Let’s go find some birdie food! And make some birdie clothes!”

♡ *:･ﾟ⊹˚₊‧⁺

It is now late afternoon, and Yuto’s nerves are shot, but he’s buzzing with excitement too. He’s lucky that this plan had been made early in the morning, or else he probably wouldn’t have had enough time to pull everything off. 

Now he’s walking down the last few hallways leading to Tohru’s room, a large basket of food in one hand and a small cloth backpack slung over one shoulder, with blankets and books for the picnic. He feels almost dorky with how much stuff he has packed, for a date that Tohru hasn’t even yet agreed to…what if she’s busy? What if she’s already eaten and isn’t hungry? It is already going to be evening soon…What if she’s taking a rest day for herself? That would make sense, given how traumatic yesterday was. Yuto himself is still pretty shaken. But that’s another reason why doing this today is a good idea – to take her mind off of everything. As the only nurse, she’s always so focused on others’ well-being. Which is lovely, of course, but she deserves a break, to have someone else take care of her for once.

But the worst possibility of all still coils knots in his stomach…

What if she just doesn’t want to spend time with me? What if dinner last night really was just polite courtesy, and nothing more? Am I overstepping?

He shakes the thought away as he turns down the last hallway and spots the door where Tohru had led him yesterday. He remembers he tried to make small talk on the way there, and she tried her best to engage…but she had still been visibly distressed from the events prior that day. What was it he had said again? What was it she had said in return?

✧.°

“You know, we don’t have to do this right now. Or at all. You’ve- we’ve all had an awful day today.” Yuto smiled understandingly and tried to catch Tohru’s eye, but she kept her face tilted down. Oh no…was she getting sad? That wasn’t his intention at all. “Just- There’s no need to rush into something else that’s going to burden you with more work. It’s okay to rest and take things easy for a little while.”

She suddenly snapped her head upwards in protest, eyes meeting his gaze and blazing for a moment before her face returned to her usual calm nature. “No, no, Yuto! I promise you are not a burden. Making food is not a burden. I appreciate it, really. I- I am sorry that I’m still out of sorts. But this will be good for me, too. I haven’t really interacted with many of the other followers here in a while, aside from medical matters, and, well…after a day like today, the company is bound to do me good. Your company, in particular, has been nice. Even just in the past few days.” She returned Yuto’s sweet smile. 

That last comment had made him blush profusely, though he tried his best to hide it as they made their way inside her room, which was more like a tiny apartment in itself, with two connected rooms instead of just one. The main area that all the followers had was a room with tatami mat flooring and a futon for every resident, with a small kitchen area with a low stove off to the side. Though there were already a few infirmary-type rooms throughout the temple, Yuto could see through an open shoji door that Tohru had her own room further back where several raised hospital beds lay, with other medical equipment surrounding them. 

It looked so sterile and felt jarringly different from the warm atmosphere that the main room had. The beds were empty now, with no patients to treat…but how weird that must be, for Tohru to have a constant reminder of her job here. How sad, having to bring that stress and responsibility into her home – which in his opinion, should be kept separate, so she could enjoy her space and keep it safe for her own heart and mind.

✧.°

“Your company, in particular, has been nice.”

Yuto shakes off the memory as his own subconscious interrupts his thoughts, repeating what Tohru had said to him the night before.

Why am I still thinking about that?

He feels so silly, letting himself get caught up on one phrase like it’s some sort of confirmation of her having feelings, too. But it’s just stuck, for some reason. Maybe it’s the way she said it? Maybe it’s the way her golden eyes had shined so beautifully as she looked up at him through her dark lashes, like a warm sunrise glowing even brighter as it reaches its brilliant rays through summer leaves?

That last thought makes him shiver in a gross amount of sudden self-awareness, and he makes a sour face, hanging his head defeatedly.

Maybe it’s just because I’m delusional.

He hadn’t felt this way about anyone since…since he was a young teen? Maybe? He can’t even remember. This feels different, anyway. This feels like more. 

How utterly hopeless.

Yuto pauses at Tohru’s door, brows creased upwards in anxiety. 

Pull it together, Yuto. It’s not that hard of a task. Just knock, ask if she’d like to spend the rest of the day together, and take her to the garden for a picnic. Then you can go from there.

He takes a deep breath, standing a little straighter, and knocks.

It’s only a few moments before Tohru slides open the door. Her face lights up immediately, and it makes Yuto’s heart melt and tongue tie, the rehearsed script in his mind turning to nothingness.

“Oh, hello Yuto! I was hoping it was you.” She smiles softly and tilts her head to the side. “How are you today? Do you need anything?” Her eyes wander curiously over the basket in his hand.

He can’t believe how much her demeanor has changed since he first met her, though it was merely a couple of days ago. She spoke so formally, and seemed reserved and almost closed off…and while she is definitely still the quiet type, she has – at least to Yuto – opened up a lot more, and become much more comfortable with being casual. She’s even sweeter than he initially thought. Like last night, when…

✧.°

Tohru took the pan off the top of her stove and slid the food into two bowls already filled with rice. She was just about done…

“Alright, you asked me to surprise you, so…we’re having katsudon! I know it is not typically a dinner dish, but I figured metaphorically starting the day over would be nice–”

She cut off as she saw Yuto’s face. His mouth was open in shock and he gasped.

“What, what?! Is something wro-”

“No no no, not at all! I’m–” he laughed at the absurdity of his own reaction. “I’m so sorry to have worried you, Tohru. No, I’m just surprised – you’ll never believe what my favorite food is…”

Tohru let out a sigh of relief. She stared at him for a few moments in curiosity, blinking.

“Umm…what is it?”

“Katsudon, silly! Really, it is! There’s just no way, this is such a cool coincidence, you must’ve read my mind…”

Yuto rambled on excitedly while Tohru blushed, though he didn’t notice.

“Silly.” That sounds pretty endearing, doesn’t it?

She smiled at the thought and let out a small giggle.

Yuto stopped mid-sentence and tilted his head inquisitively. “What’s so funny?” He asked teasingly, grinning from ear to ear. 

“Oh, nothing- I just think that’s a pretty amazing coincidence, too.” 

Yuto beamed even brighter, his face flushing. “Right?! I think you’re pretty amazing–” He cut himself short and immediately reddened even more, eyes widening in sudden panic. “Uh, sorry, I just– well, with this whole dinner and everything, you know, it would be rude of me t-to not think you’re amazing, objectively, anyone would–” He decided to stop talking before he made himself sound even more stupid. He subconsciously averted his gaze and focused on his hands held nervously together on the small wooden kotatsu in front of him.

Tohru walked over to sit across from him, bringing the bowls of katsudon with her and setting one down in front of Yuto, who was now quiet with embarrassment.

She leaned her head forward to catch his eyes, extending one hand out to lay gently on top of his own. He stiffened and looked at her.

“You’re okay, Yuto. You don’t have to apologize. It actually means a lot, especially coming from you.”

His nerves calmed, and he relaxed his shoulders in relief, his smile slowly returning and making its way into his eyes. Tohru couldn’t help but notice what a rich, gorgeous color they were. A red-brown, unlike any she’d seen before. They were fascinating.

Yuto twisted his hand around to hold hers delicately, just for a moment. “Okay. Thank you, Tohru. You’re very sweet.” He let go and grabbed his chopsticks, looking in awe at the delicious meal in front of him. It smelled tantalizingly tasty, more so than the kind he usually made for himself, and he knew it would remind him of the katsudon that his mother used to make for him when he was young. 

The kind never got to make for his little sister, since she was always feeling too sick to eat. 

A warm and homely flavor, laced with grief.

He glanced up at Tohru. 

Maybe I’ll remember it differently now.

✧.°

“Yuto?”

Tohru is still smiling at him in the doorway. He’d blanked out for a second, at a loss for words.

“Oh- uh, hi Tohru! Good afternoon! I’m doing well, and I was just wondering,” – he clears his throat – “if you would like to, um, maybe join me in the garden? For a picnic? I made the food this time.” He smiles sheepishly, lifting up the basket slightly.

“And! And, if you’d like, I was hoping to steal you away for the rest of the day…I had an idea for how we could spend some time together afterwards, too, if you’d be willing…” His blushing face is angled down, but his eyes peer up at hers hopefully.

She brightens even more, surprise etched on her face. “Oh, I would love to! Are we going now? Is the later portion a surprise?”

Her immediate agreement stuns Yuto, but only momentarily, as the feeling is quickly overtaken by joy. 

She seems so excited!

“Yes, yes, we can go now! Come on!” He laughs, gesturing for her to follow him, and she does so, closing the shoji door to her room. “I’d like the plan for later to be a surprise, but I’ll tell you now if you’d rather know.”

“No, please.” She laughs too. What a beautiful sound. “I love surprises.”

As the two stroll down to the garden, they continue chatting, the conversation flowing naturally. They pass by the tree that Yuto helped the birds from, and he looks up, remembering this morning.

They walk a few paces farther as Yuto makes his way to the spot that he had scoped out a bit earlier, underneath the garden’s old weeping willow. He had debated between it or one of the cherry blossom trees, but while the latter would be nice, it felt a bit cliché. In his mind, the willow is just perfect. Its hanging leaves are still a bright yellow-green somehow, despite it being winter, and they almost graze the floor, making it feel enclosed and almost dome-like from beneath. It feels warmer, too. The light from above filters through its leaves and coats everything in a gentle green summery haze, including the tiny stream that runs alongside it, dappling the water’s surface and the lotuses that flow slowly atop it with a glow.

He approaches the tree and pushes some of the dangling tendrils of leaves aside as if he’s opening a door. “After you,” he smiles, bowing his head slightly. Tohru returns it and thanks him as she walks underneath the leaves, and he follows, setting down the basket of food on the soft grass at their feet. He takes the pack off his shoulders, grabbing the first blanket from on top, folded compactly and neatly. It’s large, and has a kiku-hanabishi pattern, pale yellow chrysanthemum diamonds against a golden-yellow background. He puts down the bag as he shakes the blanket out flat and sets it on the ground, making sure to smooth out the annoying corner that always seems to fold back over itself. 

He moves the basket and bag onto the blanket, and sits down with his legs criss-crossed, patting the space next to him to gesture to Tohru that she could too. She does, sitting on her knees, and looks on in curiosity as Yuto begins taking out food.

It all looks delicious. Nikuman in a seiro, a small bamboo basket with several fruit sandos filled with strawberries, kiwis, and mangoes, a ceramic bowl with a sakura flower pattern filled with honeydew, and strawberries and cherries cut into little heart shapes.

Tohru’s heart leaps, and she puts her hands against her mouth to cover a small gasp as Yuto takes out another basket and opens it, revealing mouthwatering castella.

“You remembered! That’s my favorite!” 

Yuto chuckles as he sets it down next to the rest of the food spread. “Well, of course I did. You told me that only a day ago, anyway. I hope I made it well.” He gives her a hopeful smile before turning his gaze towards the fruit. “Oh- and the fruit, I was debating on putting something else together, because between that and the sandos, I was thinking to myself, ‘Is this too much fruit?’ But I opted to just keep them, they’re really ripe and tasty- Oh! And, also, the strawberries were pretty easy to cut into hearts, they’re kind of already that shape, but I severely underestimated how difficult it would be to do the same with the cherries- I kind of had to carve them since they kept coming out too round, so I apologize since some of them look kind of wonky–”

In an instant, Tohru scoots close and throws her arms around Yuto in a hug, catching him off guard and making him stick one hand out against the blanket to catch himself from falling backwards. His face flushes as his brows raise and mouth drops slightly in flustered shock before turning to a wide smile as he returns the embrace. “Aw, I- uhm…” He’s too giddy to even get any words out.

Tohru leans back and sits down once again, this time settling a little closer to Yuto. “Oh Yuto, I can’t believe you did all of this for me! Thank you! And you had so little time, too, how did you manage to pull it off?”

Yuto shrugs and smiles. “I don’t even know. It’s a little embarrassing to admit, but Sayaka and even the Founder helped me with planning. I can’t take all the credit.” He laughs bashfully. “Most of the time was spent on the shokupan for the sandos. I was really struggling, if I’m being honest. I haven’t made fresh bread in a long time.” 

His eyes dart back to his cloth bag as he remembers something. “Oh yeah, here–” He takes out another blanket, keeping it folded, and hands it to Tohru. This one has a light blue and white seigaiha pattern, like waves in an ocean. “I brought it just in case you get cold. I know it’s a little warmer under this tree for now, but if we’re out for a while, it might get chillier. It is winter, after all.”

Tohru takes it gratefully and smiles, running her fingers along the fabric and observing the pattern. 

He really thought of everything.

“One more thing,” Yuto begins. He reaches into the bag again and pulls out a few books. “I brought some books as well, for if I get too boring to talk to,” he laughs half-jokingly, sounding nervous. 

“But even then, just spending time with you in silence is something I’d be grateful for.” His eyes lock with hers, and he suddenly feels warm. He hopes he isn’t being overly sentimental. 

He clears his throat and continues more casually, “I know you like to read in the garden, but I wasn’t sure what kind of books you like to read, so I brought a few different genres as options…”

Tohru still can’t believe it. Just a few days ago, she hadn’t ever interacted with Yuto, and now here she was, practically on a date with him, spoiled beyond her heart’s content. 

She laughs. “You’re not boring, Yuto.”

✧.°

They end up talking and eating for far too long to get into books, though. Hours pass, and the light from above dims to a cool heathery blue as dusk sets in. 

They both lie down now on the blanket in opposite directions, face up, looking through the willow’s canopy overhead. The stream beside them bubbles lullingly underneath the sound of their chatter.

Yuto squints as he sees the glint of a star peak through the leaves. 

“You know what, it should be dark enough now.” He turns his head over towards Tohru’s face across from his. “Are you ready to go? Or do you want to stay here longer?” 

Tohru raises a brow in curiosity. “Dark enough for what? Ready to go where?”

Yuto smiles back. “Your surprise.”

She brightens with excitement as she sits up. “Let’s go now!”

“Okay! Perfect!”

Yuto gets up onto his knees and starts putting away everything into the large basket that he had brought the food in, and the books back into the small bag. Tohru offers him the blanket he had given her, still neatly folded. She hadn’t ended up getting cold after all. But he took it, and instead of putting it back in the cloth bag, opened it up and draped it around her shoulders.

“You’ll need this. It’ll be cold.”

Yuto stands and holds out his hand to Tohru to help her up. She smiles and takes it, deciding to keep it there, intertwining her fingers with his as his face flushes. He grabs the large blanket with the kiku-hanabishi pattern on it from the floor, deciding to just tuck it unfolded under one arm so he doesn’t have to let go of Tohru’s hand.

They stroll back inside the temple, and Yuto stops by his room quickly to drop off the baskets, grabbing something from the small bag and putting it in his pocket.

“Alright. Are you ready?”

Tohru nods eagerly.

He leads her back through a few corridors, and she follows curiously, walking close to him, hand in hand. He eventually reaches the library’s entrance and holds open the door for her.

“We’re going to catch up on the reading we didn’t do, hm?” Tohru smiled amusedly. 

Yuto shakes his head, laughing. “No. We’ve got to go upstairs for this.”

His laugh turns to excited giggles as he turns to face her and walks backwards, pulling her gently towards the spiral staircase that leads to the upper levels of the library. They make their way to the highest floor, heading towards one of the balconies.

He lets go of Tohru’s hand to step ahead to open the door for her, cool air rushing to meet them. She gives him a grateful smile, pulling the blanket around her tighter as she steps out into the breeze.

The balcony is wide, furnished with a few outdoor wooden tables and chairs. Large rose bushes line the sides in flower boxes, and some had grown to snake around the stone balusters. Yuto strides over to the edge, turning on a small gas lamp that’s set on one of the tables, casting everything in a warm glow. Tohru follows him, noticing just how high up they are as she sees the tops of trees below them. Yuto grabs onto the balustrade, leaning against it, and points to a spot in the distance.

“Look.”

Tohru gasps as her eyes follow his hand, and she sees bright city lights. 

“Is- is that the Entertainment District? I had no idea we could see it from the temple! It’s just like…” She trails off as she looks up excitedly at Yuto, who has a knowing smile on his face.

He remembered.

“...just like the city I used to see from my home.”

Yuto nods with enthusiasm. “Yes! You can only see it from this one balcony, though. The rest are positioned at too odd an angle. But here, you get a wonderful view, though I’m sure it's a bit farther than the one you’re used to, unfortunately…”

Tohru shakes her head, turning her attention back to the city lights. “No, no…that’s fine, it’s perfect,” she breaths. “The last thing I ever saw of my home was the fire that took the town. But this brings back much nicer memories. Thank you, Yuto.”

“Of course.”

“I never longed to live there myself, you know. The city. I was perfectly happy in my little town. But for some reason, those lights just fascinated me. I thought they were beautiful.” She laughs. “The one problem with them, though, was that they were close enough to my home that it lit up the sky a bit, and it was hard to see the stars.”

Yuto’s eyes sparkle. “Well, you know what else is great about this balcony?”

“What?”

He reaches over to the small table and turns off the lamp, pointing upwards. “The overhang is missing.”

Tohru looks up. He’s right. She hadn’t even noticed before. Where there had once been an overhang, the temple stone is broken away with age, and is now open to the sky. 

Her eyes take a moment to adjust to the darkness, and she gasps as her vision clears.

The stars. There are so many of them. She can even see a faint streak of blue against the pitch black sky where the Milky Way shines. 

She stares, slack-jawed in awe.

“I- I don’t usually go outside at night anymore. And the view from the garden is so small. This- this is gorgeous.”

She looks back down at Yuto, who is not watching the stars, but her, with the same look of wonder in his eyes.

He looks away as his face reddens, and he shivers a little. Tohru notices and frowns with concern.

“Are you cold? It’s windy up here. Why didn’t you bring a blanket for yourself?”

He shrugs. “I don’t usually get cold. I didn’t think I would need one.”

She huddles right next to him and his eyes widen in surprise as she drapes half of the blanket he had given her around his shoulders, now covering the both of them. 

“Is this better?”

He stiffens and looks down at Tohru flusteredly as his breath hitches. Her being pressed up against him is giving him more warmth than the blanket is. Her golden eyes shine even brighter with the light of the stars reflected in them. 

She’s so beautiful.

“Y-yes. Thank you,” he murmurs, unable to look away.

She breaks eye contact first, Yuto following suit, looking back at the city lights, and then the stars. They stand in silence for a few moments, enjoying the view together, and Yuto relaxes his shoulders and leans into her just a tiny bit.

Tohru suddenly has an idea. She looks down and sees the roses that had overgrown into this section of the balusters, and discreetly reaches to pick one, holding it behind her back.

“Yuto,” she starts, turning to face him again with a wide smile.

“Mm?” 

She sets one hand on his chest and leans close to his face teasingly. “I have a surprise for you now.” 

Yuto is caught off guard, and is sure he probably looks stupidly flustered right now, with how much he’s blushing. He feels so nervous, for some reason. He can’t even get any words out, and he doesn’t know what to do or what’s going on. 

But he knows he doesn’t want to be so stiff, to shy away from her touch. He tentatively brings one hand up to hold her back softly near her shoulder, and the other instinctively heads towards her waist, but he stops himself indecisively. 

Tohru giggles playfully as she brings her arm forward and puts the rose between their faces, the velvety petals lightly brushing Yuto’s nose.

“A flower. For you.” She moves the rose away slightly so it doesn’t touch Yuto’s face, and leans back a bit, her closeness to him now making her nervous too. She looks down sheepishly. “It’s not a whole garden picnic with city lights and the stars, but…”

“Thank you.” Tohru can barely hear his words with how quietly he whispers them. He takes it delicately in both of his hands, and he looks down reverently at it as if he had just been handed the world. “I love it.”

Yuto breaks his gaze from the rose and gives Tohru a giddy smile, one hand reaching into his pocket.

“I have something for you, too.”

He takes her hand gently and holds it open, placing in her palm what was in his pocket and closing her fingers around it before she can fully see it. 

Tohru is shocked not only at the fact that Yuto has a gift for her, but also by how cool it feels, almost like ice. She opens her hand and gasps.

It’s a necklace, with a thin gold palma chain. It doesn’t have just one pendant, but rather several charms of a blue stone towards the center, leading to the biggest piece in the middle. It’s carved into the shape of a dragonfly.

Tohru gasps in amazement, her cheeks starting to heat up.

“This is…this is for me?” she breathes. She can’t even process the situation enough to thank him yet. 

The stones are beautiful and ornate. They’re an icy blue, with a hint of aquamarine shining through their semi-transparent frosty surfaces. Though Tohru is holding them in her warm hands, they remain cold against her skin. They aren’t melting. It feels like ice, but it certainly can’t be.

“Wh…what is this? This stone?”

Yuto shrugs softly. “To be honest,” he whispers, “I don’t know. I found it in the hallway outside the library. But it looked beautiful, and by then I knew it was your favorite color, so it reminded me of you…and the gold, well, it complements your eyes.” 

Tohru just stares at him in disbelief, too awestruck to even say or process anything.

“I wasn’t sure what to make the main pendant, what you’d like best,” he continues. “But I think a dragonfly is pretty relevant right now. It symbolizes happiness and good fortune. Change, but the courage to go with it. The strength to move forward when all seems lost. Like a dragonfly. They can fly in any direction, choose any path, but always move forward.” He smiles, a little tiredly, a little uneasily. “I don’t know what’s going on here. Why we were attacked. It was scary. Terrifying. And who knows what’s to come.”

Tohru’s brows crease a little in worry, unsure where he’s going with this.

“But we can’t let fear take over our lives. Stop us from following our hearts.” He reaches for her hands, being careful not to let the rose in his hand prick her. He holds them tenderly, curling her fingers around the necklace once more as he closes the rest of the small distance between them. “We don’t know what tomorrow will bring, Tohru. But all I hope is that, even if things get worse…with each day, you can find a little happiness amidst the change. I…I want to bring you happiness. If you…if you’ll let me.”

Her eyes sparkle with wonder as she gives him a sweet, surprised smile. 

She looks so beautiful.

 I wish I could just…

“We’re here to get to the Eternal Paradise. Each for our own reasons. And I’m not saying to let that go. But maybe…maybe we should focus a little more on spending each day working towards making our lives now a bit more like paradise.” Yuto pauses, glancing down at the necklace before flickering his eyes back up to hers, his throat suddenly dry. He swallows, “And…and maybe for me…my paradise starts with you.”

Tohru can hear her heart pounding in her ears. It’s beating quicker and quicker, as his words make their way into her mind.

“Maybe my paradise starts with you”...?

 Is he saying…?

She peers into his eyes with intrigue and fascination. The coolness from the stones in her palm battles against the warmth from his hands on hers.

“Maybe my paradise starts with you.”

Her mind whirls with joy, hope, courage, giddiness…and maybe something more, as Yuto’s words echo in her head. Could this truly even be real? Could this finally be the start of her happy ending? After all the care she’s given to other people…to have someone care about her in the same way? No, no…in a way that means something more, even?

Yuto starts to feel self-conscious amidst the silence, and worries that maybe he is being too forward. He pulls back gently, the blanket covering his shoulders nearly falling off, and he leans over the balustrade again.

He clears his throat, his gaze locked onto the roses curling along the balusters. “N-nevermind! For-forget I said anything…” He clears his throat again, his hands starting to fidget with the rose Tohru had given him. He spins it between his fingers over the balcony absent-mindedly, watching the crimson petals create flowering kaleidoscopic patterns as they zip around in a circle. The silence is killing him. Oh god, how was he going to save this date? It was going so well, until he decided to spill his guts…

“Did you like the lights? And the stars? Like…that I brought you here to see them?” He means to change the subject to sound more casual, but his nerves end up making it seem like he is looking for reassurance. Which he is, but he doesn’t want to make that obvious. 

Tohru blinks a few times, escaping from the rapid barrage of her thoughts, as she notices Yuto’s change in demeanor, finally mustering up the ability to speak. “Y-yes, of course, Yuto. I love them.” She feels so dumb, being too flustered that she can’t even properly accept a gift. 

“And…and thank you so much, really, for this. I don’t know what to say. I just can’t believe you made it for me.” She holds the necklace in her palm once more before laying it onto her collarbone, feeling it cool against her warm skin. Yuto’s face softens again with a little relief as he watches her clasp it around her neck.

“You look lovely,” Yuto muses.

She flushes, smiling brightly in response, and leans against him once more. “I’ll treasure it always. Thank you, Yuto, thank you for today…the garden, the food, the city, the stars, and this…Thank you so much. You truly have made today so, so special to me. I’ll never forget it.”

He hesitates, feeling shy, but decides to put his arm around her shoulder and pull her in closer. She doesn’t resist in the slightest. If anything, she sinks deeper against him, leaning her head gently on his shoulder.

“This was part of Sayaka’s idea. The stars, I mean,” he laughs quietly, happily, his breath stirring the air in the cold. “She said that her mother told her that anywhere you watch them is the most romantic place in the whole world.”

Tohru’s breath catches at the word.

“Romantic?”

She feels Yuto stiffen a little once again. He looks at her just barely, out of the corner of his eye, not wanting to fully see her face. Not wanting to crush his hopes if she looks disappointed or disgusted. But he’s reassured by the way she doesn’t leave his side.

“Romantic. Yes.”

There’s her confirmation. That he’s not doing all this just to give her a nice distraction. But that he feels something more for her, too. She had thought so, but wasn’t completely sure until now.

“She also said we should, and I quote, ‘make pretty star pictures like the belt or the dippy.’” He smirks in amusement, squinting and looking upwards, searching the night sky. “As a matter of fact, I believe that’s the Big Dipper right there. Oh! And there’s the little one below it.” He points upwards, tracing his finger along the constellations to show Tohru, feeling himself getting giddy again.

But she doesn’t look up at the stars. Her eyes remain on Yuto’s, their brilliant auburn glowing in stark contrast against the indigo-to-black gradient of the sky. She still finds them so captivating.

He did all of this for me…

Her feelings suddenly rush over her like a wave. She knows it’s so soon, but she just wants to- no, she shouldn’t, but- like Yuto was saying, they don’t know what tomorrow holds, what if she just—

Yuto gasps excitedly. “Oh my gosh, a shooting star! Tohru, make a w-“

He turns back to face her and is met with a quick peck of her lips against his. 

They both instantly redden. Yuto drops his rose on the balcony floor as his hands weaken. Tohru turns away quickly, looking sheepish, even taking a step back.

“I’m so sorry! Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry, Yuto, I don’t know why—”

But she can’t get another word of her apology out before Yuto pulls her to face him fully with the arm around her shoulders, and brings the other to her waist, delicately, reverently. 

He brings his face down to hers, mere inches apart. His next words are barely a whisper, just a breath.

“Please…Please don’t apologize.” 

He kisses her. Softly. With the gentleness of a breeze just barely brushing along her lips. And she melts. 

Tohru lets out a sigh as her eyes close, her heart nearly jumping to her throat with a mix of relief and disbelief and exhilaration and joy. She puts one hand against his chest, raising the other to his face, cradling his cheek, pulling him closer. 

He practically melts under her touch, too, feeling weak in the knees as she leans in deeper. He brings his hand against her back up to the nape of her neck and behind her head, her soft brown hair catching in his fingers. 

They break apart slowly, keeping their foreheads pressed together. A few moments of quiet pass, the only sounds their own breaths and the last of the crickets still chirping their songs this deep into winter. 

Yuto cups Tohru’s face in his hands, caressing one side of it as he moves his thumb gently back and forth. 

“I’ll keep your heart safe,” he whispers, barely audible against the sound of leaves dancing in the wind. “I don’t know what’s going to happen. I’m scared. I can’t stop thinking about what happened yesterday,” he admits, his voice trembling a bit. “But I know that tomorrow, when I wake up, I won’t be able to stop thinking about today.”

Yuto pulls back his head just enough to fully see Tohru’s face, and he wipes away a small tear that had begun to fall down her cheek. In the reflection of her eyes, he sees fireworks beginning to erupt above, casting waves of luminous color down onto the balcony. They both hear them, but the booming is dull compared to the sound of their own heartbeats. They don’t look up to watch. This moment between the two of them is far more sacred.

“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be than here, under the stars, with you, Tohru.”

She cracks a playful smile through watery eyes.

“Because it’s the most romantic place to be, right?”

He beams back, leaning his head against hers again, looking into her dazzling golden eyes. He lets out a soft chuckle and nods. 

“Right.”

[kabooseye]

- earlier that afternoon -

I suddenly stop abruptly, mid-sewing, and stare at the wall.

You pause from sewing the tiny scarf in your hands and look down at me in your lap, concern filling your gaze as you worry if I’ve accidentally poked myself with the needle.

But instead, I drop my supplies, turn towards you, and tackle you backwards, excitement sparkling in my gaze. You drop your scarf to the side, smiling at me.

“Douma!! I just had the best idea ever!!!”

I roll off of you, scrambling upwards, stepping on your chest as I make my way back to the corkboard that you had dragged to the side of my room earlier. I pull over a small wooden chair that you brought in for our birdie-princess-tea party next to the bulletin board. I step on the seat, standing proudly.

“No more making birdie fashion!! They already have three outfits with matching shoes, jewelry, ANDDDD accessories each! Sayaka thinks she’s truly outdone herself!” I say, bringing my hand to my chest and puffing it out proudly. I don’t currently understand that little bird shoes and jewelry are probably not the most functional ideas, but you’ve decided to leave that problem for future you to handle. 

“Sayaka’s birdie boof is oh-fish-ally closing!” Ten ice animals get up from where they had been stationed to help, shuffling out the door. 

As they leave, I wave to all of them from the chair, “Thank you, Mister Frog! Thank you, Ms. Cheetah! Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Toad! Thank you, Mister Sea Lion! Thank you, Miss Kitty! Thank you, Miss Phoenix! Thank you, Mister Ferret! Thank you, Mister Panda! Thank you, Miss Fox!”

I turn back to you, “Instead,” I begin, a mischievous smile spreading across my face as I point at my doodles from earlier, “we should spy on Kitty Yuto and Miss Kitty Tohru!!”

I immediately make my way back to you and lean onto your knee, hopping eagerly. “I just want to make sure it goes well!”

I blink innocently, all the sweetness in the world in my big blue eyes. “Sayaka-would-also-like-new-spy-outfits-too,” I say all too quickly with the most precious smile on my lips. How could you ever say no to me? You are in for a wild, wild ride; or rather, a long, long day.

[douma-upper2]

*Douma smiles kindly at Yuto, another odd, bright feeling flaring up in his chest; though he could not quite tell what it was yet. He was glad you were both so excited and was sure that Tohru would be as well assuming Yuto didn't back out at the last second.* "You are welcome Yuto, I hope you both have fun and please let me know if you need any assistance" *Douma said with an excited looking grin. As Yuto left Douma knelt back down beside you and nodded in agreement to your suggestion to find the baby birds something to eat and then make them their little outfits* "It seem's like we may need some help doing both at once, how about I summon some of my little friends?" *He suggests before whistling in the direction of the door which calls over some of his ice-minions in their animal forms. Naturally his ice-fox and ice-panda return but they have some "new friends" following behind them, in the forms of various animals. He requested the ice-peacock who you believe to be a phoenix as well as the two ice-toads and the ice-frog to come with both of you to get the baby birds some food while the others started working on the little birds outfits*

Later in the afternoon

*Douma noticed your abrupt pause and, worried that you had accidentally jabbed yourself with the sewing needle; finished working with the miniature scarf and gently took your hands in one of his to look them over while giving you a gentle smile.* "Are you alright-? Eh?" *He appears to be caught off guard as he allows you to tackle-pounce him into falling backwards, making sure to keep any sharp things well out of your way as you crash-land against his chest. He chuckles softly as he reaches to pat you on the head* "And what would that be my dear?" *He asks, curious as to what you are plotting. He watches you scramble to your feet and over toward the corkboard, giving a quiet-* "Uph" *-as you step on his chest before he sits back up and watches you with a curious smirk playing across his face. He had indeed tried to explain that the little birds might not be able to wear the jewelry or shoes until they were much bigger but naturally that didn't stop you and he had also tried to make them atleast semi-functional, the "shoes" were more akin to soleless socks and the "jewelry pieces" were more like long, colorful bits of string that had been woven together.* "You truly have my little one" *Though he had been mostly helping insure the outfits would be both safe and functional for the birds. He allows the ice-minions to leave once you announce that you are done making the birds clothes for the time being and watches you thank them as they leave* "Yes thank you all very much" *The little birds were taking a nap at the moment after having their own tiny feast, So he figured it would probably be fine to go and see how Yuto and Tohru were doing. He gently pats you on the head again as you lean against him after scampering back over to him* "I suppose they wouldn't mind if we were to go check on them" *He hums curiously as you suggest new spy outfits, getting a quiet laugh out of him. He couldn't possibly say no to you now; besides dressing you up as a little ninja and watching you scurry around would be absolutely adorable* "Haha, Alright then lets find you a little ninja costume then"

[kabooseye]

I throw my hands in the air in triumph, “Yay!” I somersault away from you, heading towards the door. I stop after a few, sitting up right. My head sways slightly.

“Wait.. where do we get spy outfits? And and we need spy names!”

[douma-upper2]

*He watches you as you roll over toward the door, chuckling softly as he stands and strides beside you, pausing just in-front of you incase he needs to stop you from crashing into the door. He then gently scoops you up and sits you on his shoulder* "Hmm good point... Ah I know, Let's go check storage, sometimes the other kids that live here pretend to be ninjas and spies in their games so there might be a couple of extras" *He was pretty sure there was only one extra and that it would only fit you considering his uncommon height. But that would be okay, he could be sneaky if he needed to. He hummed curiously at the suggestion of "spy names" not having heard the term before* "Spy names? Like what?"

[kabooseye]

I pick two tufts of your hair in my left and right hands, pretending they’re handles, “Goooo this way!” I tug on the left tuff, taking you in the completely wrong direction. I duck my head under the door frame.

“Yayyy! Spy costumes! And and I dunnoooo… you choose! Sayaka doesn’t know spy names. You come up with them! Sayaka can touch the stars now! Lalalala!” I continue to tug mindlessly at your hair.

[douma-upper2]

*Douma smirks softly as you decide his hair would make for an appropriate set of reigns and decides to go left as you request, even though it is the wrong way* "Alright but we'll be going the long way" *He explains while making sure that you do not bonk your head. He hummed softly as he made his way toward the storage room while still somewhat following your directions. Some of his followers passing by happen to notice this sight and respond with quiet laughter and cheerful smiles* "Hmm I don't know much about spy names either i'm afraid..." *He chuckles softly as some of his ice-minions in the shapes of sootsprites jump overhead, just high enough for you be able to reach out and touch them before they land* "maybe....mister wolf and miss lamb?" *He suggests, thinking aloud. Though now that he thought about it, wasn't there a game by the name "Mister Wolf"? Or was it "Mister Fox"? He couldn't remember, but he remembered that some of the other children played it some times and it sounded like a version of tag of some sort. Upon finally reaching the storage room, something very sparkly demands your attention from the wall beside the door. A large sprinkling bottle of translucent, bright pink glitter shimmers in the lamplight. Perhaps Douma might let you keep it? He sets you on the ground beside him and starts pawing through the boxes of spare clothing* "Let me know if you find anything else that you find interesting, alright?"

[kabooseye]

My hands let go of your hair as they travel to your face, opening and closing your eyelids. I cup my palms over your eyes.

“Preeettyyy…” I muse, watching the sootsprites jump around. I let out a giggle, leaning up impulsively to chomp one. It crackles in my mouth and feels cold.

“Yes yes! I will beeee… Mister Wolf! And you can be Miss Sheep! Hahahaha!”

As you enter the room I see something sparkly gleaming from the corner of my eye. I whip my head towards the color, tugging your hair gently in that direction before you set me down. I wander around, my eyes swirling around the room to try to find the sparkle again. My eyes widen at the sight of pink glitter and I scramble for it, stepping over old artifacts, dust coating the air. A tumble of coughs rumble through my lungs. I wave my hands through the air to clear it.

“Douma? What’s this?” In the same moment, you spot a box of black clothing.

[douma-upper2]

*Hearing the crunch of ice, Douma swiftly disperses that ice-minion before any of his blood, from the blood demon art he used to create them; could get into your system. Perhaps he ought to suggest that you refrain from eating the ice-golems? It wouldn't do to eventually return you to your mother's friends as a little imp. Though the thought of having a younger, newly turned demon in his care again and the fact that you would be positively adorable as an imp, with little baby fangs and little baby claws; was annoyingly tempting. But he knew that not only would it make you extremely stressed, you would probably be furious and broken hearted at the same time. He chuckles softly at your guess* "Good idea...but let's switch those, they'll never see it coming" *Douma suggests, reaching up to gently pat you on the head. As he sets you down he flicks his eyes in the direction you were pulling his hair towards and swiftly spies the glitter before a box of black clothing labeled "Costumes" catches his attention* "Ah there they are- Eh?" *The room had a great many treasures and items scattered about half organized. A round basket as tall as you are is full of parasols, a shorter square one is has an assortment of masks, a box in the corner has what look like fans poking out of it, some large, wooden chests crammed in a corner looked to be filled with actual jewelry, fancy hair-pins and gemstones, on a tall bookshelf there was a multitude of candles of various heights and other knickknacks, there were toys and crafting supplies scattered about, a mannequin in suit of samurai armor stands tall in a corner surrounded by pots of various size and height, stacks of books were everywhere you looked, boxes and racks of clean, mended, folded clothing lined the walls, and the glitter sat atop a jar of marbles that reached your waist and behind it was large vase filled with decorative silk flowers.* "Ah that would be glitter, it is often used in making masks, fans and other crafts sparkly when metal shavings or gemstone dust is to expensive. But sometimes people like to sprinkle it around because they think it looks pretty" *Douma explains as he helps fan the dust away. Admittedly it has been a while since he had dusted in here, but that was largely because he didn't mind the dust and it didn't seem like anyone else had.....but now that he thought about it he probably should...*

[kabooseye]

“Wow…it’s so pretty,” I breathe in wonder, holding the jar of glitter up to the light, “Sayaka likes it.” I scamper back to you, grasping your pant leg with one hand and holding the bottle up high with the other so you can see it sparkle.

“My mommy would like this stuff too!! Especially if it was shiny and silver!!! Like little stars!”

I tilt my head at you, craning my neck to look up at your colorful eyes as I stand on my tippy toes. I gently tug your pant leg.

“Can we bring her some for when we go visit her, Douma?? Or when she visits us? She’ll come see me from paradise, right? She didn’t forget about me, right?”

My lips twist into a wobbly smile, clinging onto hope.

[douma-upper2]

"It is indeed, though be careful where you sprinkle it, it likes to stick onto anything it can and tends to get absolutely everywhere" *Douma makes sure to warn her of what he has noticed about the sparkly flakes. He crouches down to your height and smiles at you gently* "I'm sure she would like it very much, maybe I can find you some that is star shaped next time I am able to head into town" *He suggests gently stroking your hair as you ask if you can bring some to your mother she visits or if you can visit her* "No my dear, she would never forget about you. No mother would be able to forget a daughter as sweet as you. I'm sure we'll be able to visit her someday but it might take a while, and she might visit you in your dreams first" *He explained. Although it was, as far as he knew; another lie fabricated from what he knew humans believed about spirits, dreams and the afterlife to avoid breaking your heart by telling you the cold, hard truth of the matter. It was odd to him, his whole life part of him wanted to talk some common sense into those who believed such things but now he did not think he would be able to bear you finding out the truth as he was certain it would bring back that odd, watery, painfully heavy sensation that took root in his chest when he first tried to explain it to you.* "I'm sure you will be able to show her any glitter you can imagine in your dreams"

[kabooseye]

I gasp, “Toooown?! When, when? Sayaka wants to come!! Mama and I would always buy food for birdies and we would sit on a bridge and she would sing!!” I lean into your touch, pressing my cheek to your thigh, nuzzling slightly. I pocket the glitter, maybe I’ll use it later. Maybe I can sprinkle it on my drawings, or even sleep with it under my pillow so I can show it to my mommy in my dreams!

“Yay! I can’t wait to tell her all about you Douma! She’ll really like you. And we can play forever!”

I open my eyes and squint in deep thought, “If Mama is in paradise right now, and we can’t get to her, I bet Auntie Bou-Bou and Uncle Gi-Gi are pretty sad too. Maybe…after we spy on Kitty Yuto and Kitty Tohru, we can go visit them? Together? That way they won’t be so sad! We can tell them the good news about where Mama is!!”

I suddenly spot an odd wooden crate that drags my attention from my thoughts. On it, the word “FIREWORKS” is written in big bold letters. I jump, tugging into your hand again, “Ooh-Ooh!! Fireworks! Fire!! Like-like Mister Rengoku! We should use them!! And put on a show! For Yuto and Tohru!!! Oh please please please pleaseee?” I start to sink to my knees like I would do for my mama when I wanted to get my way.

[douma-upper2]

"It may be a few days my dear...You know I heard that one of the nearby towns will be hosting a night-market in a couple of days, It might be fun" *Douma suggests, gently petting your hair and smiling softly as you decide to hold onto the glitter for safe keeping. He gently scoops you up into his arms* "I hope she does... and I'm sure her friends miss her too, however I still don't know where we can go to find them" *He reminds you that as far as you know he has no idea where to find any of the hashira, and during the last few days neither of you have had time to really get your bearings. Though now that he think's about it, it may be for the best for you to get better before taking you beyond the temple.* "Hmm...I'll tell you what, once we are done checking on Tohru and Yuto, we can go up to the roof and take a look around and if you see anything familiar we can go visit them once you start feeling better, okay?" *Douma suggests though he is unsure if you heard him due to your attention being distracted by a box labeled "Fireworks" making him chuckle softly* "Maybe if we can find a big enough pond that is further away from the temple, fireworks are very dangerous in forests with big trees like this" *He explains, wanting to be safe and not cause a forest fire but also not wanting to disappoint you. He holds up a ninja costume that looks like it's the right size to fit you*

[kabooseye]

“Okay!! Maybe I could see the Butterfly Mansion from so high! I bet I could! Sayaka has bigggg eyes! Like an owl!” I giggle and part my eyelids wide so you can see more of the whites of my eyes, not realizing how silly I’m making myself look. “Mister Rengoku says I have very pretty eyes just like my Mama!!”

I let go and blink a few times, redirecting my attention to the costume you now hold in your hands.

“IT’S PERFECT!! SAYAK- I MEAN, MISTER WOLF, WILL PERFORM HER MISSION UNDETECTED!!” I point theatrically towards you. “Along with sidekick ninja Miss Sheep!! We are the best spy team there is!”

I scamper over to the box of fireworks, trying my best to pry it open but stepping back and plopping down to sit with a melodramatic sigh when it doesn’t budge. My hair falls in front of my eyes, and I swipe my hands across my sweaty face.

I shake out my hands a bit at the ache in my still-injured fingers, though I am more frustrated than hurt, “Miss Sheep, this is your job now! Mister Wolf will go change into spy clothes!”

I unceremoniously get up, grabbing the costume from you and running to find some privacy behind a few large crates. One short arm reaches behind my back, trying to tug my tight obi loose. “This is hard work…Mister Wolf is tireddd.”

[douma-upper2]

*Douma chuckles and gently strokes your hair* "I bet you probably could" *he holds the costume up for your inspection* "He would be correct then, they are adorable" *Douma gently sets you down on the ground before handing you the costume* "Thats right! We'll be so stealthy they won't even know we're there" *He watches as you try to open the crate labeled fireworks, allowing you to try despite knowing that you couldn't possibly open it. He then carefully tucks your bangs behind your ears, his hands cool against your forehead.* "Alright, I think I can handle it, might be a bit tough though" *He was rather concerned that your fever might be picking back up again but he wasn't exactly sure how to convince you to rest without disappointing you. He steps infront of the firework crate while you duck behind others to change* "Remember what I showed you? Move the knot around to your frontside so you don't have to struggle to reach it" *He reminded you as he pretended to struggle to pry the crate open before easily prying it open, nearly snapping the lid in half* "Ah I got it, lets see here...Oh they have dragon shaped ones"

[kabooseye]

“Mister Fox and Miss Sheep goin’ on a journey,” I sing as I shimmy the obi towards my front, “To spy- uh, I mean, to make sure Yuto and Tohru have a great day!” I pull the end of the obi loose, pushing the navy kimono off my body. I leave everything on a heap on the floor before jumping into my new black keikogi and hakama.

“With us on the case, nothing can go wrong!” I pick up the new black obi and skitter back over to you, not even attempting to put it on myself.

“Miss Sheep!” I hop into a salute, my limbs stiff at my sides, eyes sharp. I’m unable to keep a serious expression as I fall into giggles. I hold out one arm as if bestowing the obi to you.

I throw my arms out to the sides, letting you tend to the belt. I rise on my tippy toes, looking over at the crate with the fireworks once again. “Hmmmm…fireworks sound sooo romantic, so we don’t wanna miss the date when they see them!! Maybe another spy can set them up? Maybe an ice-spy?” I gasp with realization at my unintentional joke. “Ice-spy! Like “I Spy”! The game! Sayaka is sooo funny!!”

[douma-upper2]

*Douma continues looking through the fireworks to see what all was in the crate since he didn't remember when he got them but presumably he had taken them from bandits he has long since devoured and just shoved the fireworks in here not knowing what else to do with them.* "Make sure you collect your kimono and obi from the ground over there please" *he reminds you before you come scampering over for him to tie your costumes matching obi-belt* "Thats right my little one" *He says, chuckling softly as he ties your obi belt for you before reaching to tickle your sides to make you laugh some more* "there we go" *He boops your nose before returning his attention to the fireworks* "Hm? Ah that could work, my spirit friends could lend us a hand" *He whistles and a trio of ice-raccoons made to look like Tanuki spirits come scampering into the room and he explains that he needs them to find a reasonably sized pond or lake nearby for them to set up the fireworks and set them off at*

[kabooseye]

The ice-tanuki grab bundles of fireworks with their icy little paws and hobble off on two legs to fulfill their mission. I watch them go, still giggling a bit after being tickled, and dart back behind the crate to grab my kimono and obi. I bring them and hold them up to you, standing on my tippy-toes.

“Ack! H-here, Douma!” I stutter as part of the long, thick kimono sleeve falls onto my face. “Sayaka doesn’t know what to do with them,” I mumble into the fabric. 

“You need to find something to wear, too! So we can be matching spies!” I lean over a wooden crate, my hands hanging onto the sides as I rise on the balls of my feet.

“Outfit for Douma… outfit… where…” I mumble to myself.

[douma-upper2]

*As you toddle up to him with your clothing in hand, Douma gently scoops you into his arms, gently taking the clothing in one hand* "Ah don't worry about it, Today is wash day so I will just wash them once we are done checking in on Tohru and Yuto and they will by dry by daybreak; okay?" *Douma watches you as you look around trying to find a matching outfit that will fit him; unfortunately you have no luck, everything in here looks to small... He smiles softly* "Don't worry my dear, if I do have a match it will probably be in my closet" *He explains, giving you a gentle pat on the head* "Would you like to wait in your room while I look?"

[kabooseye]

“Yeah!! Let’s go! And then we can finally go spy on the kitties!” I laugh mischievously as I give you a tight hug around your neck, “I’m having so much fun already!”

[douma-upper2]

"Alright my dear" *He says with a chuckle as he carries you back to your room so that you can wait for him there. He was uncertain about leaving you by yourself even momentarily but considering the sun had yet to fully sink below the horizon he figured that you should be safe.*

[kabooseye]

You place me down gently on my bed and I swing my feet back and forth over the edge. I plop onto my back as you leave, looking up at the fake stars on the ceiling. I just sit in the quiet in a rare moment of patience as I wait for you.

[douma-upper2]

*After setting you safely in your room, Douma strode back to his considerably darker corner of the temple. Entering his room he had one out of the small army of mini-douma's that he had at the ready; go into his storage closet and grab him one of the bottles of blood he had stowed away while he entered his clothing closet and began pawing through his extra clothing to see if he could find any that were fully plain black.*

[kabooseye]

The silence becomes oddly apparent the longer I sit and wait. It feels deafening, too loud, too thick, too close. I shiver, getting a little cold, and scooch myself over to where I can tuck myself under a blanket and grab my ram plushie too. I start to hum subconsciously. I suddenly remember the warmth I would feel when Mommy would curl herself up against me to keep me cozy on chilly winter nights. Or when I was sad. Or really just whenever I wanted to be next to her. 

I look up at the plastic stars.

I miss the real stars. 

I miss how my mommy’s eyes sparkled like them, too. I just miss Mama. I miss her and I’m confused and I don’t know what to do. She’s in paradise, but…what does that really mean?

“Mommy,” I sniffle, blinking up hopefully at the artificial glow of the fake stars above me, “I kn-know I have to wait to see you. A wh-while.” My lip starts quivering as tears begin to streak down my cheeks. “I’m trying to b-be strong like y-you, Mama. Pl-please…” my tiny voice cracks. “Please come see Sayaka s-soon in my dreams. So I can give you a hug.”

I wipe my reddened face and clutch at my ram tighter. Surely she has to have heard that. You told me she was always watching over me now, anyway.

The silence drones on. I begin to feel hopeless. I don’t know what I was expecting, anyways. 

I turn into my pillow, letting the plush soak up my tears. 

Splat.

I sniffle, touching my cheek gently, removing something foreign. I turn back, staring at the ceiling, holding up a… a star? My eyes burst open, and I jump up in bed, sitting straight up. A gasp echoes through the room as I feel my heart pounding.

“Mama?!” I shout, “Is it… Is it you?” I hold the star up to the ceiling, “Mama, are you here?” I blink, and I swear it twinkles as I do. I hug the star closely to my heart, feeling it pump against the plastic. It must be, she’s telling me to hold onto hope.

“Okay, Mama,” I whisper, “I’m waiting for you. I love you. I miss you.” I jump off the bed, running to the doorframe, looking to my left and right for you.

[douma-upper2]

*A small, ornately carved wooden music box with a brass crescent moon and pearl stars on its lid was sat on one of the book shelves, currently unopened; perhaps that would help alleviate the uncomfortable silence? Though Douma had never forbade you from going out into the garden and looking at the night sky or opening the curtains of your window to look outside, he had forgotten to mention that you were allowed to. Though he wouldn't quite understand missing them he did find looking at the stars peaceful. Odd as it was one of the plastic star shaped decorations fell, landing right on your face; though it had been firmly attached to the ceiling earlier. After finishing off the bottle of blood his ice-golem had brought him, making 100% certain that none had spilled on him in the mirror and changing into his now all black outfit, Douma quickly strode back down the hall to get you, nearly crashing into you as you run to the door frame* "I'm back my dear, are you ready?"

[kabooseye]

“Ready, Miss Sheep!! Mister Wolf is reporting for duty!” I jump into a salute, my entire body stiff.

My eyes go wide as I whip my head from right to left, “SHHHHHH! This is a secret mission. Gotta be quiet, shhh….” I zip my lips and raise my hand to zip yours before tossing away the key but not before a few giggles spill out. I launch out of the room, narrowly missing your legs. What I thought was a perfect somersault was more of a mess of tumbling limbs. My cheek rests on the cold wood floor. I let out a sigh. Being a spy is a lot of work.

“OOH-OOH IT’S KITTY YUTO!!” I scramble up pointing to the end of the hall. I hastily grab your hand and start tugging.

“OH! But wait! Mister Wolf forgot we need to be stealthy.”

[douma-upper2]

*Douma gently pats you on the head with a chuckle* "Ready when you are my dear" *He says with a laugh, finding your antics absolutely precious; he then quiets his voice a bit* "That is a good point, Ninja's are supposed to be very stealthy" *He watches as you dart around him before going into a tumble, he reaches for you thinking it was an accident but upon realizing you were doing so on purpose he covers his mouth to prevent himself from laughing out loud though a light snicker manages to sneak past his hand. He sneaks over to you, gently helps you up and dusts you off* "Are you alright my little one?" *His senses confirmed that aside from your cold you were physically fine, though he wanted to check just incase your pride was hurt. He noticed Yuto notice you shout and glance back, but then notice the costumes and tries to hide his smile before deciding to play along, musing aloud-* "How odd, I thought I heard sayaka nearby but there's no one there" *-before turning back around and continuing on his way. Douma starts snickering again before nodding in agreement* "Yes indeed we do, we must be very quiet and sneaky"

[kabooseye]

As Yuto mentally lists off everything he packed he hears my voice in the hallway. He looks over, noticing the all black attire. He suppresses a laugh as he continues on his way.

My eyes widen at the sudden eye contact with Yuto and I dive behind your legs, hoping your body hides mine, “You… you don’t think he saw us, right Douma??”

I step in front of you, tugging on your pant leg, “We gotta keep a close eye on him! But quiiietly!” I tiptoe carefully, my heart pumping.

[douma-upper2]

A small child’s sobs and hiccups can be heard from the hallways of your palace

"Hm?" *He follows the sound in search of the poor little dear that needs comforting. Eventually he finds the source*

[kabooseye]

I run to the base of the tree, right up to where Yuto stands, only a foot or two in front of him.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” I yell excitedly, before slapping my hand over my own mouth. That was probably too loud. I smile sheepishly, rubbing the back of my neck.

“What are you doing, Mister Yuto?” I whisper, trying to be as polite as possible to offset my previous outburst.

[douma-upper2]

*Yuto chuckles softly and pats you on the head as Douma strides over to you as he is curious as well. He looks up in the tree curiously but does not immediately find anything out of the norm so he wait's for Yuto to answer* "Ah, this little bird fell out of their mothers nest so I was helping it back up" *He explains, gently plucking a fledgeling sparrow out of his hair; which in turn looks up at both of you curiously* "I see, the poor little bird...Is it alright?"

[kabooseye]

I hold out my hands gently, wanting to hold the poor sparrow. A frown creases my lips. “It’s like me… before Douma found me. We have to get it back to its mom!”

I softly pet the sparrow, smoothing out the feathers on its head, “Everything’s going to be okay, we’ll find your mommy. Mister Yuto can help!”

I glance up at the tree, “Where’s its nest? Do you need help?”

[douma-upper2]

*Yuto gently holds the little bird out for you to pet. The small sparrow chirps at you. Since it still has its downy baby feathers it probably wasn't attempting to fly just yet. Douma crouches beside you and gets a better look at the little bird* "I'm not sure, thats why I was letting it sit in my hair so it would be safe while I look" *Douma stood and approached the tree, and instead of looking up to the branches he walks around it looking for a hole in the trunk soon finding one at about chest height to him on the left side of the tree* "ah here it is" *He confirms by peeking into the hole and finding two more young sparrows looking back at him and peeping quietly. He gently lifts you up to see* "see there are it's siblings"

[kabooseye]

I smile at the little sparrow, chirping back to it.

“Can we keep it pleaseeee?” I tug on your sleeve, the biggest puppy dog eyes shining up at you. “Sayaka will take very very good care!!! I promise!”

I tilt my head as I watch you looking around the tree. Wouldn’t the nest be up there? I let out a small gasp as you spot its nest and siblings.

I jump up and down, “Sayaka wants to see!” I reach my arms up, wiggling my fingers. As you pick me up to look I squirm in your arms, wanting an even closer look. I close one eye, smushing my cheek into the small hole.

I let out a gasp, pushing back against the tree trunk. My eyes are wide at you as I shush you. “Too loud,” I whisper even though it was my own gasp making the noise. I set my feet on the ground as you set me back down. I gently cup the sparrow from Yuto’s hands.

“Aw, you gotta go home, little birdie. I can’t keep you. You have a family.” I pet the sparrow again. The small bird nuzzles my finger, chirping happily. A small pang hits my heart and my eyes gloss over unwillingly. I sniffle, a bittersweet smile on my lips. The sparrow turns towards its nest, chirping at its siblings. Excited chirps echo back from above.

“I have to let you go. You belong with your family. No matter how much I want to keep you.” I give a tender kiss to the top of the sparrow’s head, swiping my eyes with the back of my hand.

I turn, glancing up at you, “Can Sayaka help the sparrow back home please?”

[douma-upper2]

*Douma smiles softly in your response to wanting to keep it and gently strokes your hair. He holds you up so that you can see the little birds siblings. The birds chirp at you curiously and Douma chuckles softly when you shush him* "Mhm, have to be very quiet because they are still small and not used to loud sounds yet" *Douma says quietly as he sets you back on the ground. Yuto gently hands you the little sparrow* "It will be alright my little one, they will stay here for a while yet and once they are all grown up they and their siblings will probably move into this same tree" *Douma gently explains, crouching to your height and carefully petting the small bird with his pointer finger. Yuto peaks inside the nest, expecting to find atleast one of the parent sparrows but upon not finding any he looks around the branches of the tree and around the garden nearby for either one but none are found* "Actually, If I may lord founder; It might be for the best to keep them, birds don't usually leave their babies unguarded before they can fly and I do not see any adult sparrows around" *Yuto explains, gesturing around and prompting Douma to take a better look as well. Infact he did not see any adult birds around at all, though he did catch a glimpse of a snakes tail on one of the higher branches, but he chooses not to mention it.* "Ah good point...Well then" *He turns to face you once more* "I think we can keep them until their parent's come back" *He remarks before standing once more, reaching a hand into the nest and gently scooting the other two baby birds into his hand* "Let's get them inside where its warm" *Douma suggests, knowing he will probably be the main one taking care of the little birds*

[kabooseye]

The biggest smile spreads across my face as I hear I get to keep the birdie. I nod rapidly, hopping and giggling as I walk.

“Yay!! Sayaka can keep you all! I’ll be such a good bird mommy! Just like my mommy!! I’ll-I’ll give you baths and feed you, and we can play dress up! Wait, do birds even—It’s okay, Sayaka will get you clothes! We can all be pretty pretty prin-” My steps falter as I cough into my elbow.

“Eugh…” I huff, “Hate being sick…” I grumble as I cough again. I slow down into shorter steps, waiting for the two of you to catch up. 

“Douma!” I chirp, “I told the birdies we can play dress up! Do you know where Sayaka can buy birdie clothes? We wanna play princess and dragons!” The sparrow looks at me curiously before pointing its beak straight up. Loud, insistent chirps spew out from all three of the sparrows in the same second, like clockwork. I grimace, the shrill noise pounding against my skull. I hold the sparrow farther away from me, but the sound doesn’t quiet.

“Douma, what is- Ah!” I pull my cupped hands apart, the sparrow’s mouth now latched onto my fingertip. It tries to close its tiny beak, its throat sucking on my finger.

“What do I do?!” I panic. Could the sparrow really eat me whole?! I’m no worm nor bird food!

“Here, little one, let me help—“ Yuto picks up his pace to meet me and crouches down to my level. He gently scoops up the small sparrow again, holding it high enough so its head is pushed horizontally back to a normal position. It lets go of my finger almost instantly. 

“See? It doesn’t want to eat you; it just thinks you have food. It thinks you’re its mama, so when it saw your finger…peck!” Yuto darts forward just slightly, raising his one free hand and closing his fingers together like a beak. He playfully jabs at my soft hair, making me giggle incessantly.

“Y-Yuto…stop!!” I squeal, softly swatting away his mischievous attacks. “You’re not a bird!”

He lets out a laugh, too, finally stopping his antics and focusing back on the baby sparrow. He takes up a more serious but just as gentle tone as he continues to explain. “Did you see how it raised its head and opened its mouth? That means it’s hungry! Let's go find it some food, yeah?” He tilts his head at me and smiles, standing up once more and holding his hand out for me to take.

“Okay!! Let’s go find some!” I hop excitedly as I take his hand, only for a sharp pain to shoot through my own.

“Owie!” I yank my hand back close to me, and Yuto whips around, fear on his face as for a moment he thinks he’s accidentally hurt me. But as he sees my bandaged fingers, his face softens to one of mere concern.

“Are you alright, Sayaka? How are your nails? Tohru patched you up nicely, right? Do you want me to find her again so you can get more ointment?” His slew of questions tumbles from his mouth as he grows more troubled, remembering whenever his own little sister would get hurt. 

“N-no, I’m okay. I just squeezed your hand too hard. It’ll go away in a second, I think.” I look down at my bandages, particularly on the hand I just hurt. No blood, that’s good. I’m okay.

“Okay! Sayaka is ready to go again!”

Yuto chuckles softly, some worry still apparent but mostly fading with my infectious enthusiasm. He holds his hand out, even more tenderly this time. “Okay…be gentle to yourself now, or else the pecky birds are going to come back!”

“Noooo!” I start to giggle again, before I remember…

“Oh yeah! Yuto! How was your dinner with Tohru?”

Yuto’s steps falter momentarily, and he lets out a small gasp, as if he didn’t expect to be asked that question. He probably thought I forgot! How silly!

He laughs somewhat sheepishly, looking down at me with an all-too-big grin and his face, and clearly blushing. “Oh, you remembered that! Thank you for asking, Sayaka! Well…it was really nice! Tohru is a very sweet woman, and she is an amazing cook too…you know, my favorite food is katsudon, and guess what, that just so happened to be the food she made! I didn’t even tell her that! I told her, I said—‘You’re already being so kind, offering me food to repay me for something I’d have done anyway, so please, just make anything you want…’—and she made katsudon! It was perfect! What a coincidence, right, Saya—” Yuto stops abruptly as he suddenly remembers who he’s talking to, realizing that he’s rambling on giddily to someone so young, who probably just wanted a simpler ‘It was great!’ type of answer. But I just look up at him with shining eyes, smirking and humming contentedly. 

“That sounds like it was sooo nice! Katsudon is so yummy! Mama used to make it for me sometimes, but I still like omurice better!”

A wonderful idea suddenly hits me. I stop in my tracks and gasp loudly with a long inhale, and spin around towards you, following a few paces behind and listening to the entertainment quietly.

“Oh my goodness! I have a great idea! Yuto! Yuto!” I jump up and down, clinging onto his hand and the edge of his white sleeve. “Douma and I should plan a date for you and Tohru!”

Yuto suddenly looks like all the wind had been knocked out of him. He takes a few seconds before saying anything, and the silence is almost comical.

“A…A-a date? Why do—why do you—you think, um—” He clears his throat and grabs at his collar to get some air. “Tohru and I are just friends. A-acquaintances, even.” 

I look up at Yuto with a deadpan expression. How could he be such a dummy? He’s acting just like Uncle Gi-Gi; being so obvious, but never doing anything about it.

“Yuto. She invited you to dinner. She made food for you.”

You snicker behind us amusedly as Yuto gasps, shocked to hear me talking in such a matter-of-face way about something so adult. ‘I guess kids really are perceptive…’ he thinks to himself.

“I—I guess. But—you don’t think it’s too soon?” He looks between me and you. He feels so silly, asking this sort of thing to a five-year-old girl and his religious leader, of all people. 

“No!! You gotta do it now, Yuto!” I shake his arm vigorously. “Who knows what’s gonna happen! That’s what my mommy would always say. You have to spend today like there’s no tomorrow! Follow your heart!” I smile with my eyes closed, remembering the inspiring words my mother would tell me when I’m down. 

“O…okay! I will! I’ll plan a wonderful day and…tell her how I feel! Thank you, Sayaka!” He smiles so brightly. I keep thinking it…He really reminds me of Mister Rengoku. 

His smile drops. “But I don’t…I don’t really have any ideas. I don’t know all her favorite things…I haven’t done this sort of thing in a long time…”

“I told you, silly! Douma and I can help you!! We’ll help plan! It’ll be epic!” I grin from ear to ear, excitedly.

[douma-upper2]

*Douma is mostly focused on keeping his hands and open and stable as he can to avoid hurting the other two baby birds, as even compared to humans; they are extremely fragile. He looks up and strides over as you cough before addressing him. Birds playing dress up? That was certainly a new one...did humans with pet birds usually dress their birds up? Though now that he thought about it he occasionally saw some slayers crows with little accessories...but crows were much bigger than baby sparrows...* "Hmm...I cant say that I do, perhaps some can be made- ?!" *His eyes widen slightly in surprise to the little bird seems to mistake your finger for prey. Though being rather unfamiliar with young birds he is not sure how to help and is concerned he might accidentally injure it, Thankfully Yuto steps in and seems to know what he's doing.* "Are you alright my little one?" *Douma gently takes a look at your finger and is relieved to find that aside from the previous nights injuries; you are no worse for wear. He then very gently moves the little bird you were holding into his cupped hands with its siblings while Yuto suggests helping you find the little birds something to eat* "They usually eat bugs but if I am not mistaken they are also old enough to start eating small seeds as well-" *He looks over at you once more as you yelp, he also checks over your fingers with you* "Yes, please be gentle with yourself Sayaka" *Douma requests, gently petting your hair with his free hand. He then stands and continues on the pathway through the garden, listening curiously to your conversation about Yuto and Tohru's little date. Admittedly the way both of you talk about human food makes him wish he could try it, however he wasn't exactly sure how he would be able to fit in enough blood to the recipes to make any of them safe for himself. Hearing Yuto's rather oblivious response he tries his hardest not to laugh outloud but a small snicker does manage to escape him* "I think that is a splendid idea Sakaya, We'll help him plan the date. After all Yuto you and Tohru are rather adorable together" *He remarks, paying you a well deserved compliment*

[kabooseye]

I jump up and down at your compliment, squeezing your legs in my arms for a quick but fierce hug.

“There’s no time like the preheat!” I squeal, sprinting off to the end of the hallway.

Yuto turns to you, brow slightly raised, “Does she mean ‘there’s no time like the present’…?”

I turn back, expecting you both to be right on my heels, but you both have barely moved an inch in the millisecond that I ran here. My brows furrow as I thump my foot on the ground. I curl my hand, palm facing me, ushering you both to hurry in a frantic gesture. You and Yuto make your way over in what feels like forever. I squeal again, running into my big room. As you both enter, you find me grunting, trying to push a small desk into the middle of the room. 

Yuto chuckles and helps me push it. “What are you doing, little one?”

I ignore him, far too focused on my task. “Douma! Two Chairs! Umm, ummm- papers and markers too!! Poof!” I say sternly, messing up the word pronto. “Yuto, a board! Poof!” You and Yuto return with the items I requested in record speed. Yuto wheels in a medium-sized cork bulletin board as well, usually used when any of the kids want to display their artwork. You had gotten these art supplies a while back when you first learned that human children need a lot of things to keep them entertained, or else chaos ensues.

You scoot one of the bean bags by the bed over towards the desk, and I take a seat across from the two of you as you sit down in the chairs. I grab a green marker and go to town, furiously scribbling and mumbling to myself. My tongue darts out as imaginary fire flares behind me, and made-up smoke flows from the papers in my intense determination. 

“Got it! Douma! Post this, poof!” I hand you my drawings to pin to the bulletin board, and I get up as you sit back down. I drag over my beanbag closer to the board and stand on it. I balance unsteadily on the uneven surface, now eye level with the drawings. I slap my hand against the board for emphasis. The top one is labeled “Yutohru’s purrfect date!!!” with some kitties and flowers decorating the blank space.

“Yutohru’s purrrrrfect date!!” I boom, pointing to two orange and pink kitties, in my mind representing Yuto and Tohru. My mannerisms and volume feel similar to a military leader, or even to the flame hashira, my heart blazing with passion. 

I pull the paper, revealing my next drawing under it. On it, a hastily drawn orange cat stands at a door with a basket in hand. “Yuto will ask  Miss Tohru out on a picnic date! Inside the basket is……” I pull down to the next drawing. On this one is a messy drawing of fruit sandos, steamed pork buns, honeydew, books, and a blanket.

“You guys can eat yummy yummy food! Looking at this is making Sayaka a little hungry…And then, after, you guys can read! ‘Cause I think Miss Tohru likes reading…she’s very smart…” I pause while looking at Yuto questioningly, hoping for some sort of confirmation.

He beams, excitement sparkling in his eyes. “Oh, that’s a wonderful idea, actually! Tohru was telling me that she likes reading out in the garden. So I’m sure she’d really like it at a picnic! And she loves fruit, and- and I love steamed pork buns actually, I can make some for her, and hopefully she’ll like them-” He cuts himself off as his expression turns to a more bashful one, blushing as he softly laughs at himself as the self-awareness hits of just how giddy he sounds.

“Perfect! Sayaka’s so smart!!” I grin from ear to ear, proud that I had made such a good guess.

I pull the paper down again to reveal the next drawing; on this one is the temple’s rooftop and two kitties sitting, leaning their heads together as they watch the stars.

I jump up and down on the beanbag, my excitement uncontainable, “This is my favorite part!!!!! My mommy says the stars are the most romantic, happiest, calmest place in the wholeeeee wideeeeee world!!!! We would watch the stars every night, and I would make a wish when I saw shooting stars!!!! You can take Miss Tohru up to the rooftops and sit!!! Then you guys can make the pretty star pictures like the belt or the dippy! And maybe you guys can make a wish!!! She will love it!! My momma approved!!!” 

I glance over to you. “And that’s our plan! Right, Douma?” You let out a small snicker as you nod, finding it hilarious that “our plan” consisted solely of my ideas.

I jump down from the plush surface, running in excited circles around Yuto. “So, so so so!?!!?!? Whatcha think!?!?!” I run towards your chair too, tugging on your pant leg. “Awesome, right!?!?” A few coughs rumble in my chest, but I continue, my excitement unbothered.

You can’t help but laugh at the silly irony of the whole scene as I stand there, clinging to your pants with the most joyful look on my face. Only yesterday, that new and bothersome Upper Five killed the poor bandit girl, and you had to confront her as she had some weird and potentially dangerous fascination with me. You went so far as to request an Upper Moon meeting. Not that it changed anything for the better…the way Muzan seemed to be on her side almost immediately was rather strange. And why had she walked off with him? Where is she now?

The previous night’s worries try their best to seep into you now, but as confusing and dire as they are, the sheer difference between yesterday and today made it almost impossible. How was that only one night ago? It doesn’t feel like it, not with your little lamb making new friends during a pancake breakfast, and planning a date of all things for two of your followers, that’s for sure. The absurdity of the past week or so has been almost comedic. You can’t help but smile.

I fall back onto the floor, panting, “So?” I repeat, brushing a few stray hairs that are sticking to my sweaty face.

“That all sounds so nice, Sayaka! And I really mean it, too.” He turns to you curiously. “Savior, I know the temple is pretty secluded here, but do you know if there are any distant city lights that can be seen from the top roof?” He smiles sheepishly. “Tohru and I were talking at dinner about where we grew up, and she told me about how, before she moved to live here, she lived in a town a little elevated on a hill, and she misses being able to see lights from the big city below. Along with the stars, it would be nice if I could give her just a glimpse of something similar to that, you know?” 

He’s so hopeful. So full of life.

“Let me think, did she mention any other of her favorite things…Oh! She said her favorite sweet is castella, I could make that as dessert…” He trails off as his eyes light up with the ideas running through his head.

[douma-upper2]

*Douma reaches down to pat you on the head but you have already scurried down the hallway and were waiting for him and Yuto to catch up; You certainly were your mother's daughter...her fellows would certainly be proud with how fast you have become...He certainly was. He chuckles softly at Yuto's question and nods* "Indeed she does" *He swiftly strides over to you, deciding not to keep you waiting leaving Yuto to follow behind. He also jumps in to help you move your desk after setting the baby birds somewhere safe so they do not get lost or injured and decides to humor you and get what you requested, coming back before Yuto. He was well aware of childrens need to be entertained to keep them out of trouble, having bore witness to and occasionally aiding in said chaos many times.* "Here you go my little one." *He hands you the paper and markers before setting down the chairs. He sits down as Yuto wheels in the cork-board and you get to work on the drawings* "Alright, how about like this?" *He suggests, pinning the drawings into place before sitting back down, a smile cracking across his face as a result of your adorable yet efficient planning. He thought this whole scenario was rather precious. He listens to you curiously, getting his own ideas to add.* "It is a very good plan, although I have a couple of ideas to add if you would both like to hear them?" *He suggests, though a giggle does manage to escape him as he notices that at the moment the plan was entirely your ideas, although it was a pretty good plan thus far. He gently scoops you into his arms so that you can see what he's doing before grabbing a bright red marker and adding his own ideas to paper before pinning them to the board as well.* "How about, along with the honeydew melon; we add cherries and strawberries as well since they are easily cut into heart shapes?" *He suggests pinning it up a drawing of strawberries and cherries some whole, others cut into shapes beside your drawing of a picnic basket.* "And then how about instead of the roof; how about somewhere that is just as beautiful? The libraries terrace?" *He suggests, pinning a quick sketch of the library terrace which is close to books, has a small table, is visible to the stars, has a view of the entertainment districts lights and has miniature rose bushes growing in flower-boxes. The previous nights troubles clawed at his mind against his will but he forced them back for the time being. He had his suspicions as to what was going on behind closed doors between the two, but he wasn't sure which was the correct one. He suspected that either his ego got to his head and she took advantage of his guard being down toward his minions and focused on the slayers to mind-fuck him, or they were in cahoots with her unaware of his eventual double crossing....there was a chance that he was just to busy with the slayers to put any more of his brainpower toward his moons shenanigans and was generally being foolish...but he would never let any of his colleagues let alone his current master know that was a suspicion.* "Ah that sounds like a good idea. Very well done Sayaka-chan" *He says with a grin, gently ruffling your hair*

[kabooseye]

“That sounds wonderful, Lord Founder! I haven’t been back to the library in awhile…besides yesterday, of course…and I don’t believe I’ve ever been on any of the balconies. I didn’t realize we could see the Entertainment District from here, that will be perfect!” He beams, and I dart up from the floor to watch him take a marker and paper for himself and quickly jot down a few abridged notes with far less (no) kittens, much to my disappointment. He finishes and grins proudly at the list, tapping the marker against the table a few times before standing up.

“Alright, I have a lot to do before later then, so I’m going to get started right now. I’ll see you later, Lady Sayaka.” He smiles sweetly at me while patting my head. “And Founder, you too. Thank you for your help.” 

As he leaves the room, small chirps echo from a corner. I whip my head around, remembering my new feathery friends and my responsibilities to care for them.

“Douma! Come on, we have work to do too!” I squeal excitedly as I run up to the small box with towels you had set aside as the fledgelings’ very temporary nest until you could make something more properly suited for them. “Let’s go find some birdie food! And make some birdie clothes!”

♡ *:･ﾟ⊹˚₊‧⁺

It is now late afternoon, and Yuto’s nerves are shot, but he’s buzzing with excitement too. He’s lucky that this plan had been made early in the morning, or else he probably wouldn’t have had enough time to pull everything off. 

Now he’s walking down the last few hallways leading to Tohru’s room, a large basket of food in one hand and a small cloth backpack slung over one shoulder, with blankets and books for the picnic. He feels almost dorky with how much stuff he has packed, for a date that Tohru hasn’t even yet agreed to…what if she’s busy? What if she’s already eaten and isn’t hungry? It is already going to be evening soon…What if she’s taking a rest day for herself? That would make sense, given how traumatic yesterday was. Yuto himself is still pretty shaken. But that’s another reason why doing this today is a good idea – to take her mind off of everything. As the only nurse, she’s always so focused on others’ well-being. Which is lovely, of course, but she deserves a break, to have someone else take care of her for once.

But the worst possibility of all still coils knots in his stomach…

What if she just doesn’t want to spend time with me? What if dinner last night really was just polite courtesy, and nothing more? Am I overstepping?

He shakes the thought away as he turns down the last hallway and spots the door where Tohru had led him yesterday. He remembers he tried to make small talk on the way there, and she tried her best to engage…but she had still been visibly distressed from the events prior that day. What was it he had said again? What was it she had said in return?

✧.°

“You know, we don’t have to do this right now. Or at all. You’ve- we’ve all had an awful day today.” Yuto smiled understandingly and tried to catch Tohru’s eye, but she kept her face tilted down. Oh no…was she getting sad? That wasn’t his intention at all. “Just- There’s no need to rush into something else that’s going to burden you with more work. It’s okay to rest and take things easy for a little while.”

She suddenly snapped her head upwards in protest, eyes meeting his gaze and blazing for a moment before her face returned to her usual calm nature. “No, no, Yuto! I promise you are not a burden. Making food is not a burden. I appreciate it, really. I- I am sorry that I’m still out of sorts. But this will be good for me, too. I haven’t really interacted with many of the other followers here in a while, aside from medical matters, and, well…after a day like today, the company is bound to do me good. Your company, in particular, has been nice. Even just in the past few days.” She returned Yuto’s sweet smile. 

That last comment had made him blush profusely, though he tried his best to hide it as they made their way inside her room, which was more like a tiny apartment in itself, with two connected rooms instead of just one. The main area that all the followers had was a room with tatami mat flooring and a futon for every resident, with a small kitchen area with a low stove off to the side. Though there were already a few infirmary-type rooms throughout the temple, Yuto could see through an open shoji door that Tohru had her own room further back where several raised hospital beds lay, with other medical equipment surrounding them. 

It looked so sterile and felt jarringly different from the warm atmosphere that the main room had. The beds were empty now, with no patients to treat…but how weird that must be, for Tohru to have a constant reminder of her job here. How sad, having to bring that stress and responsibility into her home – which in his opinion, should be kept separate, so she could enjoy her space and keep it safe for her own heart and mind.

✧.°

“Your company, in particular, has been nice.”

Yuto shakes off the memory as his own subconscious interrupts his thoughts, repeating what Tohru had said to him the night before.

Why am I still thinking about that?

He feels so silly, letting himself get caught up on one phrase like it’s some sort of confirmation of her having feelings, too. But it’s just stuck, for some reason. Maybe it’s the way she said it? Maybe it’s the way her golden eyes had shined so beautifully as she looked up at him through her dark lashes, like a warm sunrise glowing even brighter as it reaches its brilliant rays through summer leaves?

That last thought makes him shiver in a gross amount of sudden self-awareness, and he makes a sour face, hanging his head defeatedly.

Maybe it’s just because I’m delusional.

He hadn’t felt this way about anyone since…since he was a young teen? Maybe? He can’t even remember. This feels different, anyway. This feels like more. 

How utterly hopeless.

Yuto pauses at Tohru’s door, brows creased upwards in anxiety. 

Pull it together, Yuto. It’s not that hard of a task. Just knock, ask if she’d like to spend the rest of the day together, and take her to the garden for a picnic. Then you can go from there.

He takes a deep breath, standing a little straighter, and knocks.

It’s only a few moments before Tohru slides open the door. Her face lights up immediately, and it makes Yuto’s heart melt and tongue tie, the rehearsed script in his mind turning to nothingness.

“Oh, hello Yuto! I was hoping it was you.” She smiles softly and tilts her head to the side. “How are you today? Do you need anything?” Her eyes wander curiously over the basket in his hand.

He can’t believe how much her demeanor has changed since he first met her, though it was merely a couple of days ago. She spoke so formally, and seemed reserved and almost closed off…and while she is definitely still the quiet type, she has – at least to Yuto – opened up a lot more, and become much more comfortable with being casual. She’s even sweeter than he initially thought. Like last night, when…

✧.°

Tohru took the pan off the top of her stove and slid the food into two bowls already filled with rice. She was just about done…

“Alright, you asked me to surprise you, so…we’re having katsudon! I know it is not typically a dinner dish, but I figured metaphorically starting the day over would be nice–”

She cut off as she saw Yuto’s face. His mouth was open in shock and he gasped.

“What, what?! Is something wro-”

“No no no, not at all! I’m–” he laughed at the absurdity of his own reaction. “I’m so sorry to have worried you, Tohru. No, I’m just surprised – you’ll never believe what my favorite food is…”

Tohru let out a sigh of relief. She stared at him for a few moments in curiosity, blinking.

“Umm…what is it?”

“Katsudon, silly! Really, it is! There’s just no way, this is such a cool coincidence, you must’ve read my mind…”

Yuto rambled on excitedly while Tohru blushed, though he didn’t notice.

“Silly.” That sounds pretty endearing, doesn’t it?

She smiled at the thought and let out a small giggle.

Yuto stopped mid-sentence and tilted his head inquisitively. “What’s so funny?” He asked teasingly, grinning from ear to ear. 

“Oh, nothing- I just think that’s a pretty amazing coincidence, too.” 

Yuto beamed even brighter, his face flushing. “Right?! I think you’re pretty amazing–” He cut himself short and immediately reddened even more, eyes widening in sudden panic. “Uh, sorry, I just– well, with this whole dinner and everything, you know, it would be rude of me t-to not think you’re amazing, objectively, anyone would–” He decided to stop talking before he made himself sound even more stupid. He subconsciously averted his gaze and focused on his hands held nervously together on the small wooden kotatsu in front of him.

Tohru walked over to sit across from him, bringing the bowls of katsudon with her and setting one down in front of Yuto, who was now quiet with embarrassment.

She leaned her head forward to catch his eyes, extending one hand out to lay gently on top of his own. He stiffened and looked at her.

“You’re okay, Yuto. You don’t have to apologize. It actually means a lot, especially coming from you.”

His nerves calmed, and he relaxed his shoulders in relief, his smile slowly returning and making its way into his eyes. Tohru couldn’t help but notice what a rich, gorgeous color they were. A red-brown, unlike any she’d seen before. They were fascinating.

Yuto twisted his hand around to hold hers delicately, just for a moment. “Okay. Thank you, Tohru. You’re very sweet.” He let go and grabbed his chopsticks, looking in awe at the delicious meal in front of him. It smelled tantalizingly tasty, more so than the kind he usually made for himself, and he knew it would remind him of the katsudon that his mother used to make for him when he was young. 

The kind never got to make for his little sister, since she was always feeling too sick to eat. 

A warm and homely flavor, laced with grief.

He glanced up at Tohru. 

Maybe I’ll remember it differently now.

✧.°

“Yuto?”

Tohru is still smiling at him in the doorway. He’d blanked out for a second, at a loss for words.

“Oh- uh, hi Tohru! Good afternoon! I’m doing well, and I was just wondering,” – he clears his throat – “if you would like to, um, maybe join me in the garden? For a picnic? I made the food this time.” He smiles sheepishly, lifting up the basket slightly.

“And! And, if you’d like, I was hoping to steal you away for the rest of the day…I had an idea for how we could spend some time together afterwards, too, if you’d be willing…” His blushing face is angled down, but his eyes peer up at hers hopefully.

She brightens even more, surprise etched on her face. “Oh, I would love to! Are we going now? Is the later portion a surprise?”

Her immediate agreement stuns Yuto, but only momentarily, as the feeling is quickly overtaken by joy. 

She seems so excited!

“Yes, yes, we can go now! Come on!” He laughs, gesturing for her to follow him, and she does so, closing the shoji door to her room. “I’d like the plan for later to be a surprise, but I’ll tell you now if you’d rather know.”

“No, please.” She laughs too. What a beautiful sound. “I love surprises.”

As the two stroll down to the garden, they continue chatting, the conversation flowing naturally. They pass by the tree that Yuto helped the birds from, and he looks up, remembering this morning.

They walk a few paces farther as Yuto makes his way to the spot that he had scoped out a bit earlier, underneath the garden’s old weeping willow. He had debated between it or one of the cherry blossom trees, but while the latter would be nice, it felt a bit cliché. In his mind, the willow is just perfect. Its hanging leaves are still a bright yellow-green somehow, despite it being winter, and they almost graze the floor, making it feel enclosed and almost dome-like from beneath. It feels warmer, too. The light from above filters through its leaves and coats everything in a gentle green summery haze, including the tiny stream that runs alongside it, dappling the water’s surface and the lotuses that flow slowly atop it with a glow.

He approaches the tree and pushes some of the dangling tendrils of leaves aside as if he’s opening a door. “After you,” he smiles, bowing his head slightly. Tohru returns it and thanks him as she walks underneath the leaves, and he follows, setting down the basket of food on the soft grass at their feet. He takes the pack off his shoulders, grabbing the first blanket from on top, folded compactly and neatly. It’s large, and has a kiku-hanabishi pattern, pale yellow chrysanthemum diamonds against a golden-yellow background. He puts down the bag as he shakes the blanket out flat and sets it on the ground, making sure to smooth out the annoying corner that always seems to fold back over itself. 

He moves the basket and bag onto the blanket, and sits down with his legs criss-crossed, patting the space next to him to gesture to Tohru that she could too. She does, sitting on her knees, and looks on in curiosity as Yuto begins taking out food.

It all looks delicious. Nikuman in a seiro, a small bamboo basket with several fruit sandos filled with strawberries, kiwis, and mangoes, a ceramic bowl with a sakura flower pattern filled with honeydew, and strawberries and cherries cut into little heart shapes.

Tohru’s heart leaps, and she puts her hands against her mouth to cover a small gasp as Yuto takes out another basket and opens it, revealing mouthwatering castella.

“You remembered! That’s my favorite!” 

Yuto chuckles as he sets it down next to the rest of the food spread. “Well, of course I did. You told me that only a day ago, anyway. I hope I made it well.” He gives her a hopeful smile before turning his gaze towards the fruit. “Oh- and the fruit, I was debating on putting something else together, because between that and the sandos, I was thinking to myself, ‘Is this too much fruit?’ But I opted to just keep them, they’re really ripe and tasty- Oh! And, also, the strawberries were pretty easy to cut into hearts, they’re kind of already that shape, but I severely underestimated how difficult it would be to do the same with the cherries- I kind of had to carve them since they kept coming out too round, so I apologize since some of them look kind of wonky–”

In an instant, Tohru scoots close and throws her arms around Yuto in a hug, catching him off guard and making him stick one hand out against the blanket to catch himself from falling backwards. His face flushes as his brows raise and mouth drops slightly in flustered shock before turning to a wide smile as he returns the embrace. “Aw, I- uhm…” He’s too giddy to even get any words out.

Tohru leans back and sits down once again, this time settling a little closer to Yuto. “Oh Yuto, I can’t believe you did all of this for me! Thank you! And you had so little time, too, how did you manage to pull it off?”

Yuto shrugs and smiles. “I don’t even know. It’s a little embarrassing to admit, but Sayaka and even the Founder helped me with planning. I can’t take all the credit.” He laughs bashfully. “Most of the time was spent on the shokupan for the sandos. I was really struggling, if I’m being honest. I haven’t made fresh bread in a long time.” 

His eyes dart back to his cloth bag as he remembers something. “Oh yeah, here–” He takes out another blanket, keeping it folded, and hands it to Tohru. This one has a light blue and white seigaiha pattern, like waves in an ocean. “I brought it just in case you get cold. I know it’s a little warmer under this tree for now, but if we’re out for a while, it might get chillier. It is winter, after all.”

Tohru takes it gratefully and smiles, running her fingers along the fabric and observing the pattern. 

He really thought of everything.

“One more thing,” Yuto begins. He reaches into the bag again and pulls out a few books. “I brought some books as well, for if I get too boring to talk to,” he laughs half-jokingly, sounding nervous. 

“But even then, just spending time with you in silence is something I’d be grateful for.” His eyes lock with hers, and he suddenly feels warm. He hopes he isn’t being overly sentimental. 

He clears his throat and continues more casually, “I know you like to read in the garden, but I wasn’t sure what kind of books you like to read, so I brought a few different genres as options…”

Tohru still can’t believe it. Just a few days ago, she hadn’t ever interacted with Yuto, and now here she was, practically on a date with him, spoiled beyond her heart’s content. 

She laughs. “You’re not boring, Yuto.”

✧.°

They end up talking and eating for far too long to get into books, though. Hours pass, and the light from above dims to a cool heathery blue as dusk sets in. 

They both lie down now on the blanket in opposite directions, face up, looking through the willow’s canopy overhead. The stream beside them bubbles lullingly underneath the sound of their chatter.

Yuto squints as he sees the glint of a star peak through the leaves. 

“You know what, it should be dark enough now.” He turns his head over towards Tohru’s face across from his. “Are you ready to go? Or do you want to stay here longer?” 

Tohru raises a brow in curiosity. “Dark enough for what? Ready to go where?”

Yuto smiles back. “Your surprise.”

She brightens with excitement as she sits up. “Let’s go now!”

“Okay! Perfect!”

Yuto gets up onto his knees and starts putting away everything into the large basket that he had brought the food in, and the books back into the small bag. Tohru offers him the blanket he had given her, still neatly folded. She hadn’t ended up getting cold after all. But he took it, and instead of putting it back in the cloth bag, opened it up and draped it around her shoulders.

“You’ll need this. It’ll be cold.”

Yuto stands and holds out his hand to Tohru to help her up. She smiles and takes it, deciding to keep it there, intertwining her fingers with his as his face flushes. He grabs the large blanket with the kiku-hanabishi pattern on it from the floor, deciding to just tuck it unfolded under one arm so he doesn’t have to let go of Tohru’s hand.

They stroll back inside the temple, and Yuto stops by his room quickly to drop off the baskets, grabbing something from the small bag and putting it in his pocket.

“Alright. Are you ready?”

Tohru nods eagerly.

He leads her back through a few corridors, and she follows curiously, walking close to him, hand in hand. He eventually reaches the library’s entrance and holds open the door for her.

“We’re going to catch up on the reading we didn’t do, hm?” Tohru smiled amusedly. 

Yuto shakes his head, laughing. “No. We’ve got to go upstairs for this.”

His laugh turns to excited giggles as he turns to face her and walks backwards, pulling her gently towards the spiral staircase that leads to the upper levels of the library. They make their way to the highest floor, heading towards one of the balconies.

He lets go of Tohru’s hand to step ahead to open the door for her, cool air rushing to meet them. She gives him a grateful smile, pulling the blanket around her tighter as she steps out into the breeze.

The balcony is wide, furnished with a few outdoor wooden tables and chairs. Large rose bushes line the sides in flower boxes, and some had grown to snake around the stone balusters. Yuto strides over to the edge, turning on a small gas lamp that’s set on one of the tables, casting everything in a warm glow. Tohru follows him, noticing just how high up they are as she sees the tops of trees below them. Yuto grabs onto the balustrade, leaning against it, and points to a spot in the distance.

“Look.”

Tohru gasps as her eyes follow his hand, and she sees bright city lights. 

“Is- is that the Entertainment District? I had no idea we could see it from the temple! It’s just like…” She trails off as she looks up excitedly at Yuto, who has a knowing smile on his face.

He remembered.

“...just like the city I used to see from my home.”

Yuto nods with enthusiasm. “Yes! You can only see it from this one balcony, though. The rest are positioned at too odd an angle. But here, you get a wonderful view, though I’m sure it's a bit farther than the one you’re used to, unfortunately…”

Tohru shakes her head, turning her attention back to the city lights. “No, no…that’s fine, it’s perfect,” she breaths. “The last thing I ever saw of my home was the fire that took the town. But this brings back much nicer memories. Thank you, Yuto.”

“Of course.”

“I never longed to live there myself, you know. The city. I was perfectly happy in my little town. But for some reason, those lights just fascinated me. I thought they were beautiful.” She laughs. “The one problem with them, though, was that they were close enough to my home that it lit up the sky a bit, and it was hard to see the stars.”

Yuto’s eyes sparkle. “Well, you know what else is great about this balcony?”

“What?”

He reaches over to the small table and turns off the lamp, pointing upwards. “The overhang is missing.”

Tohru looks up. He’s right. She hadn’t even noticed before. Where there had once been an overhang, the temple stone is broken away with age, and is now open to the sky. 

Her eyes take a moment to adjust to the darkness, and she gasps as her vision clears.

The stars. There are so many of them. She can even see a faint streak of blue against the pitch black sky where the Milky Way shines. 

She stares, slack-jawed in awe.

“I- I don’t usually go outside at night anymore. And the view from the garden is so small. This- this is gorgeous.”

She looks back down at Yuto, who is not watching the stars, but her, with the same look of wonder in his eyes.

He looks away as his face reddens, and he shivers a little. Tohru notices and frowns with concern.

“Are you cold? It’s windy up here. Why didn’t you bring a blanket for yourself?”

He shrugs. “I don’t usually get cold. I didn’t think I would need one.”

She huddles right next to him and his eyes widen in surprise as she drapes half of the blanket he had given her around his shoulders, now covering the both of them. 

“Is this better?”

He stiffens and looks down at Tohru flusteredly as his breath hitches. Her being pressed up against him is giving him more warmth than the blanket is. Her golden eyes shine even brighter with the light of the stars reflected in them. 

She’s so beautiful.

“Y-yes. Thank you,” he murmurs, unable to look away.

She breaks eye contact first, Yuto following suit, looking back at the city lights, and then the stars. They stand in silence for a few moments, enjoying the view together, and Yuto relaxes his shoulders and leans into her just a tiny bit.

Tohru suddenly has an idea. She looks down and sees the roses that had overgrown into this section of the balusters, and discreetly reaches to pick one, holding it behind her back.

“Yuto,” she starts, turning to face him again with a wide smile.

“Mm?” 

She sets one hand on his chest and leans close to his face teasingly. “I have a surprise for you now.” 

Yuto is caught off guard, and is sure he probably looks stupidly flustered right now, with how much he’s blushing. He feels so nervous, for some reason. He can’t even get any words out, and he doesn’t know what to do or what’s going on. 

But he knows he doesn’t want to be so stiff, to shy away from her touch. He tentatively brings one hand up to hold her back softly near her shoulder, and the other instinctively heads towards her waist, but he stops himself indecisively. 

Tohru giggles playfully as she brings her arm forward and puts the rose between their faces, the velvety petals lightly brushing Yuto’s nose.

“A flower. For you.” She moves the rose away slightly so it doesn’t touch Yuto’s face, and leans back a bit, her closeness to him now making her nervous too. She looks down sheepishly. “It’s not a whole garden picnic with city lights and the stars, but…”

“Thank you.” Tohru can barely hear his words with how quietly he whispers them. He takes it delicately in both of his hands, and he looks down reverently at it as if he had just been handed the world. “I love it.”

Yuto breaks his gaze from the rose and gives Tohru a giddy smile, one hand reaching into his pocket.

“I have something for you, too.”

He takes her hand gently and holds it open, placing in her palm what was in his pocket and closing her fingers around it before she can fully see it. 

Tohru is shocked not only at the fact that Yuto has a gift for her, but also by how cool it feels, almost like ice. She opens her hand and gasps.

It’s a necklace, with a thin gold palma chain. It doesn’t have just one pendant, but rather several charms of a blue stone towards the center, leading to the biggest piece in the middle. It’s carved into the shape of a dragonfly.

Tohru gasps in amazement, her cheeks starting to heat up.

“This is…this is for me?” she breathes. She can’t even process the situation enough to thank him yet. 

The stones are beautiful and ornate. They’re an icy blue, with a hint of aquamarine shining through their semi-transparent frosty surfaces. Though Tohru is holding them in her warm hands, they remain cold against her skin. They aren’t melting. It feels like ice, but it certainly can’t be.

“Wh…what is this? This stone?”

Yuto shrugs softly. “To be honest,” he whispers, “I don’t know. I found it in the hallway outside the library. But it looked beautiful, and by then I knew it was your favorite color, so it reminded me of you…and the gold, well, it complements your eyes.” 

Tohru just stares at him in disbelief, too awestruck to even say or process anything.

“I wasn’t sure what to make the main pendant, what you’d like best,” he continues. “But I think a dragonfly is pretty relevant right now. It symbolizes happiness and good fortune. Change, but the courage to go with it. The strength to move forward when all seems lost. Like a dragonfly. They can fly in any direction, choose any path, but always move forward.” He smiles, a little tiredly, a little uneasily. “I don’t know what’s going on here. Why we were attacked. It was scary. Terrifying. And who knows what’s to come.”

Tohru’s brows crease a little in worry, unsure where he’s going with this.

“But we can’t let fear take over our lives. Stop us from following our hearts.” He reaches for her hands, being careful not to let the rose in his hand prick her. He holds them tenderly, curling her fingers around the necklace once more as he closes the rest of the small distance between them. “We don’t know what tomorrow will bring, Tohru. But all I hope is that, even if things get worse…with each day, you can find a little happiness amidst the change. I…I want to bring you happiness. If you…if you’ll let me.”

Her eyes sparkle with wonder as she gives him a sweet, surprised smile. 

She looks so beautiful.

 I wish I could just…

“We’re here to get to the Eternal Paradise. Each for our own reasons. And I’m not saying to let that go. But maybe…maybe we should focus a little more on spending each day working towards making our lives now a bit more like paradise.” Yuto pauses, glancing down at the necklace before flickering his eyes back up to hers, his throat suddenly dry. He swallows, “And…and maybe for me…my paradise starts with you.”

Tohru can hear her heart pounding in her ears. It’s beating quicker and quicker, as his words make their way into her mind.

“Maybe my paradise starts with you”...?

 Is he saying…?

She peers into his eyes with intrigue and fascination. The coolness from the stones in her palm battles against the warmth from his hands on hers.

“Maybe my paradise starts with you.”

Her mind whirls with joy, hope, courage, giddiness…and maybe something more, as Yuto’s words echo in her head. Could this truly even be real? Could this finally be the start of her happy ending? After all the care she’s given to other people…to have someone care about her in the same way? No, no…in a way that means something more, even?

Yuto starts to feel self-conscious amidst the silence, and worries that maybe he is being too forward. He pulls back gently, the blanket covering his shoulders nearly falling off, and he leans over the balustrade again.

He clears his throat, his gaze locked onto the roses curling along the balusters. “N-nevermind! For-forget I said anything…” He clears his throat again, his hands starting to fidget with the rose Tohru had given him. He spins it between his fingers over the balcony absent-mindedly, watching the crimson petals create flowering kaleidoscopic patterns as they zip around in a circle. The silence is killing him. Oh god, how was he going to save this date? It was going so well, until he decided to spill his guts…

“Did you like the lights? And the stars? Like…that I brought you here to see them?” He means to change the subject to sound more casual, but his nerves end up making it seem like he is looking for reassurance. Which he is, but he doesn’t want to make that obvious. 

Tohru blinks a few times, escaping from the rapid barrage of her thoughts, as she notices Yuto’s change in demeanor, finally mustering up the ability to speak. “Y-yes, of course, Yuto. I love them.” She feels so dumb, being too flustered that she can’t even properly accept a gift. 

“And…and thank you so much, really, for this. I don’t know what to say. I just can’t believe you made it for me.” She holds the necklace in her palm once more before laying it onto her collarbone, feeling it cool against her warm skin. Yuto’s face softens again with a little relief as he watches her clasp it around her neck.

“You look lovely,” Yuto muses.

She flushes, smiling brightly in response, and leans against him once more. “I’ll treasure it always. Thank you, Yuto, thank you for today…the garden, the food, the city, the stars, and this…Thank you so much. You truly have made today so, so special to me. I’ll never forget it.”

He hesitates, feeling shy, but decides to put his arm around her shoulder and pull her in closer. She doesn’t resist in the slightest. If anything, she sinks deeper against him, leaning her head gently on his shoulder.

“This was part of Sayaka’s idea. The stars, I mean,” he laughs quietly, happily, his breath stirring the air in the cold. “She said that her mother told her that anywhere you watch them is the most romantic place in the whole world.”

Tohru’s breath catches at the word.

“Romantic?”

She feels Yuto stiffen a little once again. He looks at her just barely, out of the corner of his eye, not wanting to fully see her face. Not wanting to crush his hopes if she looks disappointed or disgusted. But he’s reassured by the way she doesn’t leave his side.

“Romantic. Yes.”

There’s her confirmation. That he’s not doing all this just to give her a nice distraction. But that he feels something more for her, too. She had thought so, but wasn’t completely sure until now.

“She also said we should, and I quote, ‘make pretty star pictures like the belt or the dippy.’” He smirks in amusement, squinting and looking upwards, searching the night sky. “As a matter of fact, I believe that’s the Big Dipper right there. Oh! And there’s the little one below it.” He points upwards, tracing his finger along the constellations to show Tohru, feeling himself getting giddy again.

But she doesn’t look up at the stars. Her eyes remain on Yuto’s, their brilliant auburn glowing in stark contrast against the indigo-to-black gradient of the sky. She still finds them so captivating.

He did all of this for me…

Her feelings suddenly rush over her like a wave. She knows it’s so soon, but she just wants to- no, she shouldn’t, but- like Yuto was saying, they don’t know what tomorrow holds, what if she just—

Yuto gasps excitedly. “Oh my gosh, a shooting star! Tohru, make a w-“

He turns back to face her and is met with a quick peck of her lips against his. 

They both instantly redden. Yuto drops his rose on the balcony floor as his hands weaken. Tohru turns away quickly, looking sheepish, even taking a step back.

“I’m so sorry! Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry, Yuto, I don’t know why—”

But she can’t get another word of her apology out before Yuto pulls her to face him fully with the arm around her shoulders, and brings the other to her waist, delicately, reverently. 

He brings his face down to hers, mere inches apart. His next words are barely a whisper, just a breath.

“Please…Please don’t apologize.” 

He kisses her. Softly. With the gentleness of a breeze just barely brushing along her lips. And she melts. 

Tohru lets out a sigh as her eyes close, her heart nearly jumping to her throat with a mix of relief and disbelief and exhilaration and joy. She puts one hand against his chest, raising the other to his face, cradling his cheek, pulling him closer. 

He practically melts under her touch, too, feeling weak in the knees as she leans in deeper. He brings his hand against her back up to the nape of her neck and behind her head, her soft brown hair catching in his fingers. 

They break apart slowly, keeping their foreheads pressed together. A few moments of quiet pass, the only sounds their own breaths and the last of the crickets still chirping their songs this deep into winter. 

Yuto cups Tohru’s face in his hands, caressing one side of it as he moves his thumb gently back and forth. 

“I’ll keep your heart safe,” he whispers, barely audible against the sound of leaves dancing in the wind. “I don’t know what’s going to happen. I’m scared. I can’t stop thinking about what happened yesterday,” he admits, his voice trembling a bit. “But I know that tomorrow, when I wake up, I won’t be able to stop thinking about today.”

Yuto pulls back his head just enough to fully see Tohru’s face, and he wipes away a small tear that had begun to fall down her cheek. In the reflection of her eyes, he sees fireworks beginning to erupt above, casting waves of luminous color down onto the balcony. They both hear them, but the booming is dull compared to the sound of their own heartbeats. They don’t look up to watch. This moment between the two of them is far more sacred.

“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be than here, under the stars, with you, Tohru.”

She cracks a playful smile through watery eyes.

“Because it’s the most romantic place to be, right?”

He beams back, leaning his head against hers again, looking into her dazzling golden eyes. He lets out a soft chuckle and nods. 

“Right.”

[kabooseye]

- earlier that afternoon -

I suddenly stop abruptly, mid-sewing, and stare at the wall.

You pause from sewing the tiny scarf in your hands and look down at me in your lap, concern filling your gaze as you worry if I’ve accidentally poked myself with the needle.

But instead, I drop my supplies, turn towards you, and tackle you backwards, excitement sparkling in my gaze. You drop your scarf to the side, smiling at me.

“Douma!! I just had the best idea ever!!!”

I roll off of you, scrambling upwards, stepping on your chest as I make my way back to the corkboard that you had dragged to the side of my room earlier. I pull over a small wooden chair that you brought in for our birdie-princess-tea party next to the bulletin board. I step on the seat, standing proudly.

“No more making birdie fashion!! They already have three outfits with matching shoes, jewelry, ANDDDD accessories each! Sayaka thinks she’s truly outdone herself!” I say, bringing my hand to my chest and puffing it out proudly. I don’t currently understand that little bird shoes and jewelry are probably not the most functional ideas, but you’ve decided to leave that problem for future you to handle. 

“Sayaka’s birdie boof is oh-fish-ally closing!” Ten ice animals get up from where they had been stationed to help, shuffling out the door. 

As they leave, I wave to all of them from the chair, “Thank you, Mister Frog! Thank you, Ms. Cheetah! Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Toad! Thank you, Mister Sea Lion! Thank you, Miss Kitty! Thank you, Miss Phoenix! Thank you, Mister Ferret! Thank you, Mister Panda! Thank you, Miss Fox!”

I turn back to you, “Instead,” I begin, a mischievous smile spreading across my face as I point at my doodles from earlier, “we should spy on Kitty Yuto and Miss Kitty Tohru!!”

I immediately make my way back to you and lean onto your knee, hopping eagerly. “I just want to make sure it goes well!”

I blink innocently, all the sweetness in the world in my big blue eyes. “Sayaka-would-also-like-new-spy-outfits-too,” I say all too quickly with the most precious smile on my lips. How could you ever say no to me? You are in for a wild, wild ride; or rather, a long, long day.

[douma-upper2]

*Douma smiles kindly at Yuto, another odd, bright feeling flaring up in his chest; though he could not quite tell what it was yet. He was glad you were both so excited and was sure that Tohru would be as well assuming Yuto didn't back out at the last second.* "You are welcome Yuto, I hope you both have fun and please let me know if you need any assistance" *Douma said with an excited looking grin. As Yuto left Douma knelt back down beside you and nodded in agreement to your suggestion to find the baby birds something to eat and then make them their little outfits* "It seem's like we may need some help doing both at once, how about I summon some of my little friends?" *He suggests before whistling in the direction of the door which calls over some of his ice-minions in their animal forms. Naturally his ice-fox and ice-panda return but they have some "new friends" following behind them, in the forms of various animals. He requested the ice-peacock who you believe to be a phoenix as well as the two ice-toads and the ice-frog to come with both of you to get the baby birds some food while the others started working on the little birds outfits*

Later in the afternoon

*Douma noticed your abrupt pause and, worried that you had accidentally jabbed yourself with the sewing needle; finished working with the miniature scarf and gently took your hands in one of his to look them over while giving you a gentle smile.* "Are you alright-? Eh?" *He appears to be caught off guard as he allows you to tackle-pounce him into falling backwards, making sure to keep any sharp things well out of your way as you crash-land against his chest. He chuckles softly as he reaches to pat you on the head* "And what would that be my dear?" *He asks, curious as to what you are plotting. He watches you scramble to your feet and over toward the corkboard, giving a quiet-* "Uph" *-as you step on his chest before he sits back up and watches you with a curious smirk playing across his face. He had indeed tried to explain that the little birds might not be able to wear the jewelry or shoes until they were much bigger but naturally that didn't stop you and he had also tried to make them atleast semi-functional, the "shoes" were more akin to soleless socks and the "jewelry pieces" were more like long, colorful bits of string that had been woven together.* "You truly have my little one" *Though he had been mostly helping insure the outfits would be both safe and functional for the birds. He allows the ice-minions to leave once you announce that you are done making the birds clothes for the time being and watches you thank them as they leave* "Yes thank you all very much" *The little birds were taking a nap at the moment after having their own tiny feast, So he figured it would probably be fine to go and see how Yuto and Tohru were doing. He gently pats you on the head again as you lean against him after scampering back over to him* "I suppose they wouldn't mind if we were to go check on them" *He hums curiously as you suggest new spy outfits, getting a quiet laugh out of him. He couldn't possibly say no to you now; besides dressing you up as a little ninja and watching you scurry around would be absolutely adorable* "Haha, Alright then lets find you a little ninja costume then"

[kabooseye]

I throw my hands in the air in triumph, “Yay!” I somersault away from you, heading towards the door. I stop after a few, sitting up right. My head sways slightly.

“Wait.. where do we get spy outfits? And and we need spy names!”

[douma-upper2]

*He watches you as you roll over toward the door, chuckling softly as he stands and strides beside you, pausing just in-front of you incase he needs to stop you from crashing into the door. He then gently scoops you up and sits you on his shoulder* "Hmm good point... Ah I know, Let's go check storage, sometimes the other kids that live here pretend to be ninjas and spies in their games so there might be a couple of extras" *He was pretty sure there was only one extra and that it would only fit you considering his uncommon height. But that would be okay, he could be sneaky if he needed to. He hummed curiously at the suggestion of "spy names" not having heard the term before* "Spy names? Like what?"

[kabooseye]

I pick two tufts of your hair in my left and right hands, pretending they’re handles, “Goooo this way!” I tug on the left tuff, taking you in the completely wrong direction. I duck my head under the door frame.

“Yayyy! Spy costumes! And and I dunnoooo… you choose! Sayaka doesn’t know spy names. You come up with them! Sayaka can touch the stars now! Lalalala!” I continue to tug mindlessly at your hair.

[douma-upper2]

*Douma smirks softly as you decide his hair would make for an appropriate set of reigns and decides to go left as you request, even though it is the wrong way* "Alright but we'll be going the long way" *He explains while making sure that you do not bonk your head. He hummed softly as he made his way toward the storage room while still somewhat following your directions. Some of his followers passing by happen to notice this sight and respond with quiet laughter and cheerful smiles* "Hmm I don't know much about spy names either i'm afraid..." *He chuckles softly as some of his ice-minions in the shapes of sootsprites jump overhead, just high enough for you be able to reach out and touch them before they land* "maybe....mister wolf and miss lamb?" *He suggests, thinking aloud. Though now that he thought about it, wasn't there a game by the name "Mister Wolf"? Or was it "Mister Fox"? He couldn't remember, but he remembered that some of the other children played it some times and it sounded like a version of tag of some sort. Upon finally reaching the storage room, something very sparkly demands your attention from the wall beside the door. A large sprinkling bottle of translucent, bright pink glitter shimmers in the lamplight. Perhaps Douma might let you keep it? He sets you on the ground beside him and starts pawing through the boxes of spare clothing* "Let me know if you find anything else that you find interesting, alright?"

[kabooseye]

My hands let go of your hair as they travel to your face, opening and closing your eyelids. I cup my palms over your eyes.

“Preeettyyy…” I muse, watching the sootsprites jump around. I let out a giggle, leaning up impulsively to chomp one. It crackles in my mouth and feels cold.

“Yes yes! I will beeee… Mister Wolf! And you can be Miss Sheep! Hahahaha!”

As you enter the room I see something sparkly gleaming from the corner of my eye. I whip my head towards the color, tugging your hair gently in that direction before you set me down. I wander around, my eyes swirling around the room to try to find the sparkle again. My eyes widen at the sight of pink glitter and I scramble for it, stepping over old artifacts, dust coating the air. A tumble of coughs rumble through my lungs. I wave my hands through the air to clear it.

“Douma? What’s this?” In the same moment, you spot a box of black clothing.

[douma-upper2]

*Hearing the crunch of ice, Douma swiftly disperses that ice-minion before any of his blood, from the blood demon art he used to create them; could get into your system. Perhaps he ought to suggest that you refrain from eating the ice-golems? It wouldn't do to eventually return you to your mother's friends as a little imp. Though the thought of having a younger, newly turned demon in his care again and the fact that you would be positively adorable as an imp, with little baby fangs and little baby claws; was annoyingly tempting. But he knew that not only would it make you extremely stressed, you would probably be furious and broken hearted at the same time. He chuckles softly at your guess* "Good idea...but let's switch those, they'll never see it coming" *Douma suggests, reaching up to gently pat you on the head. As he sets you down he flicks his eyes in the direction you were pulling his hair towards and swiftly spies the glitter before a box of black clothing labeled "Costumes" catches his attention* "Ah there they are- Eh?" *The room had a great many treasures and items scattered about half organized. A round basket as tall as you are is full of parasols, a shorter square one is has an assortment of masks, a box in the corner has what look like fans poking out of it, some large, wooden chests crammed in a corner looked to be filled with actual jewelry, fancy hair-pins and gemstones, on a tall bookshelf there was a multitude of candles of various heights and other knickknacks, there were toys and crafting supplies scattered about, a mannequin in suit of samurai armor stands tall in a corner surrounded by pots of various size and height, stacks of books were everywhere you looked, boxes and racks of clean, mended, folded clothing lined the walls, and the glitter sat atop a jar of marbles that reached your waist and behind it was large vase filled with decorative silk flowers.* "Ah that would be glitter, it is often used in making masks, fans and other crafts sparkly when metal shavings or gemstone dust is to expensive. But sometimes people like to sprinkle it around because they think it looks pretty" *Douma explains as he helps fan the dust away. Admittedly it has been a while since he had dusted in here, but that was largely because he didn't mind the dust and it didn't seem like anyone else had.....but now that he thought about it he probably should...*

[kabooseye]

“Wow…it’s so pretty,” I breathe in wonder, holding the jar of glitter up to the light, “Sayaka likes it.” I scamper back to you, grasping your pant leg with one hand and holding the bottle up high with the other so you can see it sparkle.

“My mommy would like this stuff too!! Especially if it was shiny and silver!!! Like little stars!”

I tilt my head at you, craning my neck to look up at your colorful eyes as I stand on my tippy toes. I gently tug your pant leg.

“Can we bring her some for when we go visit her, Douma?? Or when she visits us? She’ll come see me from paradise, right? She didn’t forget about me, right?”

My lips twist into a wobbly smile, clinging onto hope.

[douma-upper2]

"It is indeed, though be careful where you sprinkle it, it likes to stick onto anything it can and tends to get absolutely everywhere" *Douma makes sure to warn her of what he has noticed about the sparkly flakes. He crouches down to your height and smiles at you gently* "I'm sure she would like it very much, maybe I can find you some that is star shaped next time I am able to head into town" *He suggests gently stroking your hair as you ask if you can bring some to your mother she visits or if you can visit her* "No my dear, she would never forget about you. No mother would be able to forget a daughter as sweet as you. I'm sure we'll be able to visit her someday but it might take a while, and she might visit you in your dreams first" *He explained. Although it was, as far as he knew; another lie fabricated from what he knew humans believed about spirits, dreams and the afterlife to avoid breaking your heart by telling you the cold, hard truth of the matter. It was odd to him, his whole life part of him wanted to talk some common sense into those who believed such things but now he did not think he would be able to bear you finding out the truth as he was certain it would bring back that odd, watery, painfully heavy sensation that took root in his chest when he first tried to explain it to you.* "I'm sure you will be able to show her any glitter you can imagine in your dreams"

[kabooseye]

I gasp, “Toooown?! When, when? Sayaka wants to come!! Mama and I would always buy food for birdies and we would sit on a bridge and she would sing!!” I lean into your touch, pressing my cheek to your thigh, nuzzling slightly. I pocket the glitter, maybe I’ll use it later. Maybe I can sprinkle it on my drawings, or even sleep with it under my pillow so I can show it to my mommy in my dreams!

“Yay! I can’t wait to tell her all about you Douma! She’ll really like you. And we can play forever!”

I open my eyes and squint in deep thought, “If Mama is in paradise right now, and we can’t get to her, I bet Auntie Bou-Bou and Uncle Gi-Gi are pretty sad too. Maybe…after we spy on Kitty Yuto and Kitty Tohru, we can go visit them? Together? That way they won’t be so sad! We can tell them the good news about where Mama is!!”

I suddenly spot an odd wooden crate that drags my attention from my thoughts. On it, the word “FIREWORKS” is written in big bold letters. I jump, tugging into your hand again, “Ooh-Ooh!! Fireworks! Fire!! Like-like Mister Rengoku! We should use them!! And put on a show! For Yuto and Tohru!!! Oh please please please pleaseee?” I start to sink to my knees like I would do for my mama when I wanted to get my way.

[douma-upper2]

"It may be a few days my dear...You know I heard that one of the nearby towns will be hosting a night-market in a couple of days, It might be fun" *Douma suggests, gently petting your hair and smiling softly as you decide to hold onto the glitter for safe keeping. He gently scoops you up into his arms* "I hope she does... and I'm sure her friends miss her too, however I still don't know where we can go to find them" *He reminds you that as far as you know he has no idea where to find any of the hashira, and during the last few days neither of you have had time to really get your bearings. Though now that he think's about it, it may be for the best for you to get better before taking you beyond the temple.* "Hmm...I'll tell you what, once we are done checking on Tohru and Yuto, we can go up to the roof and take a look around and if you see anything familiar we can go visit them once you start feeling better, okay?" *Douma suggests though he is unsure if you heard him due to your attention being distracted by a box labeled "Fireworks" making him chuckle softly* "Maybe if we can find a big enough pond that is further away from the temple, fireworks are very dangerous in forests with big trees like this" *He explains, wanting to be safe and not cause a forest fire but also not wanting to disappoint you. He holds up a ninja costume that looks like it's the right size to fit you*

[kabooseye]

“Okay!! Maybe I could see the Butterfly Mansion from so high! I bet I could! Sayaka has bigggg eyes! Like an owl!” I giggle and part my eyelids wide so you can see more of the whites of my eyes, not realizing how silly I’m making myself look. “Mister Rengoku says I have very pretty eyes just like my Mama!!”

I let go and blink a few times, redirecting my attention to the costume you now hold in your hands.

“IT’S PERFECT!! SAYAK- I MEAN, MISTER WOLF, WILL PERFORM HER MISSION UNDETECTED!!” I point theatrically towards you. “Along with sidekick ninja Miss Sheep!! We are the best spy team there is!”

I scamper over to the box of fireworks, trying my best to pry it open but stepping back and plopping down to sit with a melodramatic sigh when it doesn’t budge. My hair falls in front of my eyes, and I swipe my hands across my sweaty face.

I shake out my hands a bit at the ache in my still-injured fingers, though I am more frustrated than hurt, “Miss Sheep, this is your job now! Mister Wolf will go change into spy clothes!”

I unceremoniously get up, grabbing the costume from you and running to find some privacy behind a few large crates. One short arm reaches behind my back, trying to tug my tight obi loose. “This is hard work…Mister Wolf is tireddd.”

[douma-upper2]

*Douma chuckles and gently strokes your hair* "I bet you probably could" *he holds the costume up for your inspection* "He would be correct then, they are adorable" *Douma gently sets you down on the ground before handing you the costume* "Thats right! We'll be so stealthy they won't even know we're there" *He watches as you try to open the crate labeled fireworks, allowing you to try despite knowing that you couldn't possibly open it. He then carefully tucks your bangs behind your ears, his hands cool against your forehead.* "Alright, I think I can handle it, might be a bit tough though" *He was rather concerned that your fever might be picking back up again but he wasn't exactly sure how to convince you to rest without disappointing you. He steps infront of the firework crate while you duck behind others to change* "Remember what I showed you? Move the knot around to your frontside so you don't have to struggle to reach it" *He reminded you as he pretended to struggle to pry the crate open before easily prying it open, nearly snapping the lid in half* "Ah I got it, lets see here...Oh they have dragon shaped ones"

[kabooseye]

“Mister Fox and Miss Sheep goin’ on a journey,” I sing as I shimmy the obi towards my front, “To spy- uh, I mean, to make sure Yuto and Tohru have a great day!” I pull the end of the obi loose, pushing the navy kimono off my body. I leave everything on a heap on the floor before jumping into my new black keikogi and hakama.

“With us on the case, nothing can go wrong!” I pick up the new black obi and skitter back over to you, not even attempting to put it on myself.

“Miss Sheep!” I hop into a salute, my limbs stiff at my sides, eyes sharp. I’m unable to keep a serious expression as I fall into giggles. I hold out one arm as if bestowing the obi to you.

I throw my arms out to the sides, letting you tend to the belt. I rise on my tippy toes, looking over at the crate with the fireworks once again. “Hmmmm…fireworks sound sooo romantic, so we don’t wanna miss the date when they see them!! Maybe another spy can set them up? Maybe an ice-spy?” I gasp with realization at my unintentional joke. “Ice-spy! Like “I Spy”! The game! Sayaka is sooo funny!!”

[douma-upper2]

*Douma continues looking through the fireworks to see what all was in the crate since he didn't remember when he got them but presumably he had taken them from bandits he has long since devoured and just shoved the fireworks in here not knowing what else to do with them.* "Make sure you collect your kimono and obi from the ground over there please" *he reminds you before you come scampering over for him to tie your costumes matching obi-belt* "Thats right my little one" *He says, chuckling softly as he ties your obi belt for you before reaching to tickle your sides to make you laugh some more* "there we go" *He boops your nose before returning his attention to the fireworks* "Hm? Ah that could work, my spirit friends could lend us a hand" *He whistles and a trio of ice-raccoons made to look like Tanuki spirits come scampering into the room and he explains that he needs them to find a reasonably sized pond or lake nearby for them to set up the fireworks and set them off at*

[kabooseye]

The ice-tanuki grab bundles of fireworks with their icy little paws and hobble off on two legs to fulfill their mission. I watch them go, still giggling a bit after being tickled, and dart back behind the crate to grab my kimono and obi. I bring them and hold them up to you, standing on my tippy-toes.

“Ack! H-here, Douma!” I stutter as part of the long, thick kimono sleeve falls onto my face. “Sayaka doesn’t know what to do with them,” I mumble into the fabric. 

“You need to find something to wear, too! So we can be matching spies!” I lean over a wooden crate, my hands hanging onto the sides as I rise on the balls of my feet.

“Outfit for Douma… outfit… where…” I mumble to myself.

[douma-upper2]

*As you toddle up to him with your clothing in hand, Douma gently scoops you into his arms, gently taking the clothing in one hand* "Ah don't worry about it, Today is wash day so I will just wash them once we are done checking in on Tohru and Yuto and they will by dry by daybreak; okay?" *Douma watches you as you look around trying to find a matching outfit that will fit him; unfortunately you have no luck, everything in here looks to small... He smiles softly* "Don't worry my dear, if I do have a match it will probably be in my closet" *He explains, giving you a gentle pat on the head* "Would you like to wait in your room while I look?"

[kabooseye]

“Yeah!! Let’s go! And then we can finally go spy on the kitties!” I laugh mischievously as I give you a tight hug around your neck, “I’m having so much fun already!”

[douma-upper2]

"Alright my dear" *He says with a chuckle as he carries you back to your room so that you can wait for him there. He was uncertain about leaving you by yourself even momentarily but considering the sun had yet to fully sink below the horizon he figured that you should be safe.*

[kabooseye]

You place me down gently on my bed and I swing my feet back and forth over the edge. I plop onto my back as you leave, looking up at the fake stars on the ceiling. I just sit in the quiet in a rare moment of patience as I wait for you.

[douma-upper2]

*After setting you safely in your room, Douma strode back to his considerably darker corner of the temple. Entering his room he had one out of the small army of mini-douma's that he had at the ready; go into his storage closet and grab him one of the bottles of blood he had stowed away while he entered his clothing closet and began pawing through his extra clothing to see if he could find any that were fully plain black.*

[kabooseye]

The silence becomes oddly apparent the longer I sit and wait. It feels deafening, too loud, too thick, too close. I shiver, getting a little cold, and scooch myself over to where I can tuck myself under a blanket and grab my ram plushie too. I start to hum subconsciously. I suddenly remember the warmth I would feel when Mommy would curl herself up against me to keep me cozy on chilly winter nights. Or when I was sad. Or really just whenever I wanted to be next to her. 

I look up at the plastic stars.

I miss the real stars. 

I miss how my mommy’s eyes sparkled like them, too. I just miss Mama. I miss her and I’m confused and I don’t know what to do. She’s in paradise, but…what does that really mean?

“Mommy,” I sniffle, blinking up hopefully at the artificial glow of the fake stars above me, “I kn-know I have to wait to see you. A wh-while.” My lip starts quivering as tears begin to streak down my cheeks. “I’m trying to b-be strong like y-you, Mama. Pl-please…” my tiny voice cracks. “Please come see Sayaka s-soon in my dreams. So I can give you a hug.”

I wipe my reddened face and clutch at my ram tighter. Surely she has to have heard that. You told me she was always watching over me now, anyway.

The silence drones on. I begin to feel hopeless. I don’t know what I was expecting, anyways. 

I turn into my pillow, letting the plush soak up my tears. 

Splat.

I sniffle, touching my cheek gently, removing something foreign. I turn back, staring at the ceiling, holding up a… a star? My eyes burst open, and I jump up in bed, sitting straight up. A gasp echoes through the room as I feel my heart pounding.

“Mama?!” I shout, “Is it… Is it you?” I hold the star up to the ceiling, “Mama, are you here?” I blink, and I swear it twinkles as I do. I hug the star closely to my heart, feeling it pump against the plastic. It must be, she’s telling me to hold onto hope.

“Okay, Mama,” I whisper, “I’m waiting for you. I love you. I miss you.” I jump off the bed, running to the doorframe, looking to my left and right for you.

[douma-upper2]

*A small, ornately carved wooden music box with a brass crescent moon and pearl stars on its lid was sat on one of the book shelves, currently unopened; perhaps that would help alleviate the uncomfortable silence? Though Douma had never forbade you from going out into the garden and looking at the night sky or opening the curtains of your window to look outside, he had forgotten to mention that you were allowed to. Though he wouldn't quite understand missing them he did find looking at the stars peaceful. Odd as it was one of the plastic star shaped decorations fell, landing right on your face; though it had been firmly attached to the ceiling earlier. After finishing off the bottle of blood his ice-golem had brought him, making 100% certain that none had spilled on him in the mirror and changing into his now all black outfit, Douma quickly strode back down the hall to get you, nearly crashing into you as you run to the door frame* "I'm back my dear, are you ready?"

[kabooseye]

“Ready, Miss Sheep!! Mister Wolf is reporting for duty!” I jump into a salute, my entire body stiff.

My eyes go wide as I whip my head from right to left, “SHHHHHH! This is a secret mission. Gotta be quiet, shhh….” I zip my lips and raise my hand to zip yours before tossing away the key but not before a few giggles spill out. I launch out of the room, narrowly missing your legs. What I thought was a perfect somersault was more of a mess of tumbling limbs. My cheek rests on the cold wood floor. I let out a sigh. Being a spy is a lot of work.

“OOH-OOH IT’S KITTY YUTO!!” I scramble up pointing to the end of the hall. I hastily grab your hand and start tugging.

“OH! But wait! Mister Wolf forgot we need to be stealthy.”

[douma-upper2]

A small child’s sobs and hiccups can be heard from the hallways of your palace

"Hm?" *He follows the sound in search of the poor little dear that needs comforting. Eventually he finds the source*

[kabooseye]

I run to the base of the tree, right up to where Yuto stands, only a foot or two in front of him.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” I yell excitedly, before slapping my hand over my own mouth. That was probably too loud. I smile sheepishly, rubbing the back of my neck.

“What are you doing, Mister Yuto?” I whisper, trying to be as polite as possible to offset my previous outburst.

[douma-upper2]

*Yuto chuckles softly and pats you on the head as Douma strides over to you as he is curious as well. He looks up in the tree curiously but does not immediately find anything out of the norm so he wait's for Yuto to answer* "Ah, this little bird fell out of their mothers nest so I was helping it back up" *He explains, gently plucking a fledgeling sparrow out of his hair; which in turn looks up at both of you curiously* "I see, the poor little bird...Is it alright?"

[kabooseye]

I hold out my hands gently, wanting to hold the poor sparrow. A frown creases my lips. “It’s like me… before Douma found me. We have to get it back to its mom!”

I softly pet the sparrow, smoothing out the feathers on its head, “Everything’s going to be okay, we’ll find your mommy. Mister Yuto can help!”

I glance up at the tree, “Where’s its nest? Do you need help?”

[douma-upper2]

*Yuto gently holds the little bird out for you to pet. The small sparrow chirps at you. Since it still has its downy baby feathers it probably wasn't attempting to fly just yet. Douma crouches beside you and gets a better look at the little bird* "I'm not sure, thats why I was letting it sit in my hair so it would be safe while I look" *Douma stood and approached the tree, and instead of looking up to the branches he walks around it looking for a hole in the trunk soon finding one at about chest height to him on the left side of the tree* "ah here it is" *He confirms by peeking into the hole and finding two more young sparrows looking back at him and peeping quietly. He gently lifts you up to see* "see there are it's siblings"

[kabooseye]

I smile at the little sparrow, chirping back to it.

“Can we keep it pleaseeee?” I tug on your sleeve, the biggest puppy dog eyes shining up at you. “Sayaka will take very very good care!!! I promise!”

I tilt my head as I watch you looking around the tree. Wouldn’t the nest be up there? I let out a small gasp as you spot its nest and siblings.

I jump up and down, “Sayaka wants to see!” I reach my arms up, wiggling my fingers. As you pick me up to look I squirm in your arms, wanting an even closer look. I close one eye, smushing my cheek into the small hole.

I let out a gasp, pushing back against the tree trunk. My eyes are wide at you as I shush you. “Too loud,” I whisper even though it was my own gasp making the noise. I set my feet on the ground as you set me back down. I gently cup the sparrow from Yuto’s hands.

“Aw, you gotta go home, little birdie. I can’t keep you. You have a family.” I pet the sparrow again. The small bird nuzzles my finger, chirping happily. A small pang hits my heart and my eyes gloss over unwillingly. I sniffle, a bittersweet smile on my lips. The sparrow turns towards its nest, chirping at its siblings. Excited chirps echo back from above.

“I have to let you go. You belong with your family. No matter how much I want to keep you.” I give a tender kiss to the top of the sparrow’s head, swiping my eyes with the back of my hand.

I turn, glancing up at you, “Can Sayaka help the sparrow back home please?”

[douma-upper2]

*Douma smiles softly in your response to wanting to keep it and gently strokes your hair. He holds you up so that you can see the little birds siblings. The birds chirp at you curiously and Douma chuckles softly when you shush him* "Mhm, have to be very quiet because they are still small and not used to loud sounds yet" *Douma says quietly as he sets you back on the ground. Yuto gently hands you the little sparrow* "It will be alright my little one, they will stay here for a while yet and once they are all grown up they and their siblings will probably move into this same tree" *Douma gently explains, crouching to your height and carefully petting the small bird with his pointer finger. Yuto peaks inside the nest, expecting to find atleast one of the parent sparrows but upon not finding any he looks around the branches of the tree and around the garden nearby for either one but none are found* "Actually, If I may lord founder; It might be for the best to keep them, birds don't usually leave their babies unguarded before they can fly and I do not see any adult sparrows around" *Yuto explains, gesturing around and prompting Douma to take a better look as well. Infact he did not see any adult birds around at all, though he did catch a glimpse of a snakes tail on one of the higher branches, but he chooses not to mention it.* "Ah good point...Well then" *He turns to face you once more* "I think we can keep them until their parent's come back" *He remarks before standing once more, reaching a hand into the nest and gently scooting the other two baby birds into his hand* "Let's get them inside where its warm" *Douma suggests, knowing he will probably be the main one taking care of the little birds*

[kabooseye]

The biggest smile spreads across my face as I hear I get to keep the birdie. I nod rapidly, hopping and giggling as I walk.

“Yay!! Sayaka can keep you all! I’ll be such a good bird mommy! Just like my mommy!! I’ll-I’ll give you baths and feed you, and we can play dress up! Wait, do birds even—It’s okay, Sayaka will get you clothes! We can all be pretty pretty prin-” My steps falter as I cough into my elbow.

“Eugh…” I huff, “Hate being sick…” I grumble as I cough again. I slow down into shorter steps, waiting for the two of you to catch up. 

“Douma!” I chirp, “I told the birdies we can play dress up! Do you know where Sayaka can buy birdie clothes? We wanna play princess and dragons!” The sparrow looks at me curiously before pointing its beak straight up. Loud, insistent chirps spew out from all three of the sparrows in the same second, like clockwork. I grimace, the shrill noise pounding against my skull. I hold the sparrow farther away from me, but the sound doesn’t quiet.

“Douma, what is- Ah!” I pull my cupped hands apart, the sparrow’s mouth now latched onto my fingertip. It tries to close its tiny beak, its throat sucking on my finger.

“What do I do?!” I panic. Could the sparrow really eat me whole?! I’m no worm nor bird food!

“Here, little one, let me help—“ Yuto picks up his pace to meet me and crouches down to my level. He gently scoops up the small sparrow again, holding it high enough so its head is pushed horizontally back to a normal position. It lets go of my finger almost instantly. 

“See? It doesn’t want to eat you; it just thinks you have food. It thinks you’re its mama, so when it saw your finger…peck!” Yuto darts forward just slightly, raising his one free hand and closing his fingers together like a beak. He playfully jabs at my soft hair, making me giggle incessantly.

“Y-Yuto…stop!!” I squeal, softly swatting away his mischievous attacks. “You’re not a bird!”

He lets out a laugh, too, finally stopping his antics and focusing back on the baby sparrow. He takes up a more serious but just as gentle tone as he continues to explain. “Did you see how it raised its head and opened its mouth? That means it’s hungry! Let's go find it some food, yeah?” He tilts his head at me and smiles, standing up once more and holding his hand out for me to take.

“Okay!! Let’s go find some!” I hop excitedly as I take his hand, only for a sharp pain to shoot through my own.

“Owie!” I yank my hand back close to me, and Yuto whips around, fear on his face as for a moment he thinks he’s accidentally hurt me. But as he sees my bandaged fingers, his face softens to one of mere concern.

“Are you alright, Sayaka? How are your nails? Tohru patched you up nicely, right? Do you want me to find her again so you can get more ointment?” His slew of questions tumbles from his mouth as he grows more troubled, remembering whenever his own little sister would get hurt. 

“N-no, I’m okay. I just squeezed your hand too hard. It’ll go away in a second, I think.” I look down at my bandages, particularly on the hand I just hurt. No blood, that’s good. I’m okay.

“Okay! Sayaka is ready to go again!”

Yuto chuckles softly, some worry still apparent but mostly fading with my infectious enthusiasm. He holds his hand out, even more tenderly this time. “Okay…be gentle to yourself now, or else the pecky birds are going to come back!”

“Noooo!” I start to giggle again, before I remember…

“Oh yeah! Yuto! How was your dinner with Tohru?”

Yuto’s steps falter momentarily, and he lets out a small gasp, as if he didn’t expect to be asked that question. He probably thought I forgot! How silly!

He laughs somewhat sheepishly, looking down at me with an all-too-big grin and his face, and clearly blushing. “Oh, you remembered that! Thank you for asking, Sayaka! Well…it was really nice! Tohru is a very sweet woman, and she is an amazing cook too…you know, my favorite food is katsudon, and guess what, that just so happened to be the food she made! I didn’t even tell her that! I told her, I said—‘You’re already being so kind, offering me food to repay me for something I’d have done anyway, so please, just make anything you want…’—and she made katsudon! It was perfect! What a coincidence, right, Saya—” Yuto stops abruptly as he suddenly remembers who he’s talking to, realizing that he’s rambling on giddily to someone so young, who probably just wanted a simpler ‘It was great!’ type of answer. But I just look up at him with shining eyes, smirking and humming contentedly. 

“That sounds like it was sooo nice! Katsudon is so yummy! Mama used to make it for me sometimes, but I still like omurice better!”

A wonderful idea suddenly hits me. I stop in my tracks and gasp loudly with a long inhale, and spin around towards you, following a few paces behind and listening to the entertainment quietly.

“Oh my goodness! I have a great idea! Yuto! Yuto!” I jump up and down, clinging onto his hand and the edge of his white sleeve. “Douma and I should plan a date for you and Tohru!”

Yuto suddenly looks like all the wind had been knocked out of him. He takes a few seconds before saying anything, and the silence is almost comical.

“A…A-a date? Why do—why do you—you think, um—” He clears his throat and grabs at his collar to get some air. “Tohru and I are just friends. A-acquaintances, even.” 

I look up at Yuto with a deadpan expression. How could he be such a dummy? He’s acting just like Uncle Gi-Gi; being so obvious, but never doing anything about it.

“Yuto. She invited you to dinner. She made food for you.”

You snicker behind us amusedly as Yuto gasps, shocked to hear me talking in such a matter-of-face way about something so adult. ‘I guess kids really are perceptive…’ he thinks to himself.

“I—I guess. But—you don’t think it’s too soon?” He looks between me and you. He feels so silly, asking this sort of thing to a five-year-old girl and his religious leader, of all people. 

“No!! You gotta do it now, Yuto!” I shake his arm vigorously. “Who knows what’s gonna happen! That’s what my mommy would always say. You have to spend today like there’s no tomorrow! Follow your heart!” I smile with my eyes closed, remembering the inspiring words my mother would tell me when I’m down. 

“O…okay! I will! I’ll plan a wonderful day and…tell her how I feel! Thank you, Sayaka!” He smiles so brightly. I keep thinking it…He really reminds me of Mister Rengoku. 

His smile drops. “But I don’t…I don’t really have any ideas. I don’t know all her favorite things…I haven’t done this sort of thing in a long time…”

“I told you, silly! Douma and I can help you!! We’ll help plan! It’ll be epic!” I grin from ear to ear, excitedly.

[douma-upper2]

*Douma is mostly focused on keeping his hands and open and stable as he can to avoid hurting the other two baby birds, as even compared to humans; they are extremely fragile. He looks up and strides over as you cough before addressing him. Birds playing dress up? That was certainly a new one...did humans with pet birds usually dress their birds up? Though now that he thought about it he occasionally saw some slayers crows with little accessories...but crows were much bigger than baby sparrows...* "Hmm...I cant say that I do, perhaps some can be made- ?!" *His eyes widen slightly in surprise to the little bird seems to mistake your finger for prey. Though being rather unfamiliar with young birds he is not sure how to help and is concerned he might accidentally injure it, Thankfully Yuto steps in and seems to know what he's doing.* "Are you alright my little one?" *Douma gently takes a look at your finger and is relieved to find that aside from the previous nights injuries; you are no worse for wear. He then very gently moves the little bird you were holding into his cupped hands with its siblings while Yuto suggests helping you find the little birds something to eat* "They usually eat bugs but if I am not mistaken they are also old enough to start eating small seeds as well-" *He looks over at you once more as you yelp, he also checks over your fingers with you* "Yes, please be gentle with yourself Sayaka" *Douma requests, gently petting your hair with his free hand. He then stands and continues on the pathway through the garden, listening curiously to your conversation about Yuto and Tohru's little date. Admittedly the way both of you talk about human food makes him wish he could try it, however he wasn't exactly sure how he would be able to fit in enough blood to the recipes to make any of them safe for himself. Hearing Yuto's rather oblivious response he tries his hardest not to laugh outloud but a small snicker does manage to escape him* "I think that is a splendid idea Sakaya, We'll help him plan the date. After all Yuto you and Tohru are rather adorable together" *He remarks, paying you a well deserved compliment*

[kabooseye]

I jump up and down at your compliment, squeezing your legs in my arms for a quick but fierce hug.

“There’s no time like the preheat!” I squeal, sprinting off to the end of the hallway.

Yuto turns to you, brow slightly raised, “Does she mean ‘there’s no time like the present’…?”

I turn back, expecting you both to be right on my heels, but you both have barely moved an inch in the millisecond that I ran here. My brows furrow as I thump my foot on the ground. I curl my hand, palm facing me, ushering you both to hurry in a frantic gesture. You and Yuto make your way over in what feels like forever. I squeal again, running into my big room. As you both enter, you find me grunting, trying to push a small desk into the middle of the room. 

Yuto chuckles and helps me push it. “What are you doing, little one?”

I ignore him, far too focused on my task. “Douma! Two Chairs! Umm, ummm- papers and markers too!! Poof!” I say sternly, messing up the word pronto. “Yuto, a board! Poof!” You and Yuto return with the items I requested in record speed. Yuto wheels in a medium-sized cork bulletin board as well, usually used when any of the kids want to display their artwork. You had gotten these art supplies a while back when you first learned that human children need a lot of things to keep them entertained, or else chaos ensues.

You scoot one of the bean bags by the bed over towards the desk, and I take a seat across from the two of you as you sit down in the chairs. I grab a green marker and go to town, furiously scribbling and mumbling to myself. My tongue darts out as imaginary fire flares behind me, and made-up smoke flows from the papers in my intense determination. 

“Got it! Douma! Post this, poof!” I hand you my drawings to pin to the bulletin board, and I get up as you sit back down. I drag over my beanbag closer to the board and stand on it. I balance unsteadily on the uneven surface, now eye level with the drawings. I slap my hand against the board for emphasis. The top one is labeled “Yutohru’s purrfect date!!!” with some kitties and flowers decorating the blank space.

“Yutohru’s purrrrrfect date!!” I boom, pointing to two orange and pink kitties, in my mind representing Yuto and Tohru. My mannerisms and volume feel similar to a military leader, or even to the flame hashira, my heart blazing with passion. 

I pull the paper, revealing my next drawing under it. On it, a hastily drawn orange cat stands at a door with a basket in hand. “Yuto will ask  Miss Tohru out on a picnic date! Inside the basket is……” I pull down to the next drawing. On this one is a messy drawing of fruit sandos, steamed pork buns, honeydew, books, and a blanket.

“You guys can eat yummy yummy food! Looking at this is making Sayaka a little hungry…And then, after, you guys can read! ‘Cause I think Miss Tohru likes reading…she’s very smart…” I pause while looking at Yuto questioningly, hoping for some sort of confirmation.

He beams, excitement sparkling in his eyes. “Oh, that’s a wonderful idea, actually! Tohru was telling me that she likes reading out in the garden. So I’m sure she’d really like it at a picnic! And she loves fruit, and- and I love steamed pork buns actually, I can make some for her, and hopefully she’ll like them-” He cuts himself off as his expression turns to a more bashful one, blushing as he softly laughs at himself as the self-awareness hits of just how giddy he sounds.

“Perfect! Sayaka’s so smart!!” I grin from ear to ear, proud that I had made such a good guess.

I pull the paper down again to reveal the next drawing; on this one is the temple’s rooftop and two kitties sitting, leaning their heads together as they watch the stars.

I jump up and down on the beanbag, my excitement uncontainable, “This is my favorite part!!!!! My mommy says the stars are the most romantic, happiest, calmest place in the wholeeeee wideeeeee world!!!! We would watch the stars every night, and I would make a wish when I saw shooting stars!!!! You can take Miss Tohru up to the rooftops and sit!!! Then you guys can make the pretty star pictures like the belt or the dippy! And maybe you guys can make a wish!!! She will love it!! My momma approved!!!” 

I glance over to you. “And that’s our plan! Right, Douma?” You let out a small snicker as you nod, finding it hilarious that “our plan” consisted solely of my ideas.

I jump down from the plush surface, running in excited circles around Yuto. “So, so so so!?!!?!? Whatcha think!?!?!” I run towards your chair too, tugging on your pant leg. “Awesome, right!?!?” A few coughs rumble in my chest, but I continue, my excitement unbothered.

You can’t help but laugh at the silly irony of the whole scene as I stand there, clinging to your pants with the most joyful look on my face. Only yesterday, that new and bothersome Upper Five killed the poor bandit girl, and you had to confront her as she had some weird and potentially dangerous fascination with me. You went so far as to request an Upper Moon meeting. Not that it changed anything for the better…the way Muzan seemed to be on her side almost immediately was rather strange. And why had she walked off with him? Where is she now?

The previous night’s worries try their best to seep into you now, but as confusing and dire as they are, the sheer difference between yesterday and today made it almost impossible. How was that only one night ago? It doesn’t feel like it, not with your little lamb making new friends during a pancake breakfast, and planning a date of all things for two of your followers, that’s for sure. The absurdity of the past week or so has been almost comedic. You can’t help but smile.

I fall back onto the floor, panting, “So?” I repeat, brushing a few stray hairs that are sticking to my sweaty face.

“That all sounds so nice, Sayaka! And I really mean it, too.” He turns to you curiously. “Savior, I know the temple is pretty secluded here, but do you know if there are any distant city lights that can be seen from the top roof?” He smiles sheepishly. “Tohru and I were talking at dinner about where we grew up, and she told me about how, before she moved to live here, she lived in a town a little elevated on a hill, and she misses being able to see lights from the big city below. Along with the stars, it would be nice if I could give her just a glimpse of something similar to that, you know?” 

He’s so hopeful. So full of life.

“Let me think, did she mention any other of her favorite things…Oh! She said her favorite sweet is castella, I could make that as dessert…” He trails off as his eyes light up with the ideas running through his head.

[douma-upper2]

*Douma reaches down to pat you on the head but you have already scurried down the hallway and were waiting for him and Yuto to catch up; You certainly were your mother's daughter...her fellows would certainly be proud with how fast you have become...He certainly was. He chuckles softly at Yuto's question and nods* "Indeed she does" *He swiftly strides over to you, deciding not to keep you waiting leaving Yuto to follow behind. He also jumps in to help you move your desk after setting the baby birds somewhere safe so they do not get lost or injured and decides to humor you and get what you requested, coming back before Yuto. He was well aware of childrens need to be entertained to keep them out of trouble, having bore witness to and occasionally aiding in said chaos many times.* "Here you go my little one." *He hands you the paper and markers before setting down the chairs. He sits down as Yuto wheels in the cork-board and you get to work on the drawings* "Alright, how about like this?" *He suggests, pinning the drawings into place before sitting back down, a smile cracking across his face as a result of your adorable yet efficient planning. He thought this whole scenario was rather precious. He listens to you curiously, getting his own ideas to add.* "It is a very good plan, although I have a couple of ideas to add if you would both like to hear them?" *He suggests, though a giggle does manage to escape him as he notices that at the moment the plan was entirely your ideas, although it was a pretty good plan thus far. He gently scoops you into his arms so that you can see what he's doing before grabbing a bright red marker and adding his own ideas to paper before pinning them to the board as well.* "How about, along with the honeydew melon; we add cherries and strawberries as well since they are easily cut into heart shapes?" *He suggests pinning it up a drawing of strawberries and cherries some whole, others cut into shapes beside your drawing of a picnic basket.* "And then how about instead of the roof; how about somewhere that is just as beautiful? The libraries terrace?" *He suggests, pinning a quick sketch of the library terrace which is close to books, has a small table, is visible to the stars, has a view of the entertainment districts lights and has miniature rose bushes growing in flower-boxes. The previous nights troubles clawed at his mind against his will but he forced them back for the time being. He had his suspicions as to what was going on behind closed doors between the two, but he wasn't sure which was the correct one. He suspected that either his ego got to his head and she took advantage of his guard being down toward his minions and focused on the slayers to mind-fuck him, or they were in cahoots with her unaware of his eventual double crossing....there was a chance that he was just to busy with the slayers to put any more of his brainpower toward his moons shenanigans and was generally being foolish...but he would never let any of his colleagues let alone his current master know that was a suspicion.* "Ah that sounds like a good idea. Very well done Sayaka-chan" *He says with a grin, gently ruffling your hair*

[kabooseye]

“That sounds wonderful, Lord Founder! I haven’t been back to the library in awhile…besides yesterday, of course…and I don’t believe I’ve ever been on any of the balconies. I didn’t realize we could see the Entertainment District from here, that will be perfect!” He beams, and I dart up from the floor to watch him take a marker and paper for himself and quickly jot down a few abridged notes with far less (no) kittens, much to my disappointment. He finishes and grins proudly at the list, tapping the marker against the table a few times before standing up.

“Alright, I have a lot to do before later then, so I’m going to get started right now. I’ll see you later, Lady Sayaka.” He smiles sweetly at me while patting my head. “And Founder, you too. Thank you for your help.” 

As he leaves the room, small chirps echo from a corner. I whip my head around, remembering my new feathery friends and my responsibilities to care for them.

“Douma! Come on, we have work to do too!” I squeal excitedly as I run up to the small box with towels you had set aside as the fledgelings’ very temporary nest until you could make something more properly suited for them. “Let’s go find some birdie food! And make some birdie clothes!”

♡ *:･ﾟ⊹˚₊‧⁺

It is now late afternoon, and Yuto’s nerves are shot, but he’s buzzing with excitement too. He’s lucky that this plan had been made early in the morning, or else he probably wouldn’t have had enough time to pull everything off. 

Now he’s walking down the last few hallways leading to Tohru’s room, a large basket of food in one hand and a small cloth backpack slung over one shoulder, with blankets and books for the picnic. He feels almost dorky with how much stuff he has packed, for a date that Tohru hasn’t even yet agreed to…what if she’s busy? What if she’s already eaten and isn’t hungry? It is already going to be evening soon…What if she’s taking a rest day for herself? That would make sense, given how traumatic yesterday was. Yuto himself is still pretty shaken. But that’s another reason why doing this today is a good idea – to take her mind off of everything. As the only nurse, she’s always so focused on others’ well-being. Which is lovely, of course, but she deserves a break, to have someone else take care of her for once.

But the worst possibility of all still coils knots in his stomach…

What if she just doesn’t want to spend time with me? What if dinner last night really was just polite courtesy, and nothing more? Am I overstepping?

He shakes the thought away as he turns down the last hallway and spots the door where Tohru had led him yesterday. He remembers he tried to make small talk on the way there, and she tried her best to engage…but she had still been visibly distressed from the events prior that day. What was it he had said again? What was it she had said in return?

✧.°

“You know, we don’t have to do this right now. Or at all. You’ve- we’ve all had an awful day today.” Yuto smiled understandingly and tried to catch Tohru’s eye, but she kept her face tilted down. Oh no…was she getting sad? That wasn’t his intention at all. “Just- There’s no need to rush into something else that’s going to burden you with more work. It’s okay to rest and take things easy for a little while.”

She suddenly snapped her head upwards in protest, eyes meeting his gaze and blazing for a moment before her face returned to her usual calm nature. “No, no, Yuto! I promise you are not a burden. Making food is not a burden. I appreciate it, really. I- I am sorry that I’m still out of sorts. But this will be good for me, too. I haven’t really interacted with many of the other followers here in a while, aside from medical matters, and, well…after a day like today, the company is bound to do me good. Your company, in particular, has been nice. Even just in the past few days.” She returned Yuto’s sweet smile. 

That last comment had made him blush profusely, though he tried his best to hide it as they made their way inside her room, which was more like a tiny apartment in itself, with two connected rooms instead of just one. The main area that all the followers had was a room with tatami mat flooring and a futon for every resident, with a small kitchen area with a low stove off to the side. Though there were already a few infirmary-type rooms throughout the temple, Yuto could see through an open shoji door that Tohru had her own room further back where several raised hospital beds lay, with other medical equipment surrounding them. 

It looked so sterile and felt jarringly different from the warm atmosphere that the main room had. The beds were empty now, with no patients to treat…but how weird that must be, for Tohru to have a constant reminder of her job here. How sad, having to bring that stress and responsibility into her home – which in his opinion, should be kept separate, so she could enjoy her space and keep it safe for her own heart and mind.

✧.°

“Your company, in particular, has been nice.”

Yuto shakes off the memory as his own subconscious interrupts his thoughts, repeating what Tohru had said to him the night before.

Why am I still thinking about that?

He feels so silly, letting himself get caught up on one phrase like it’s some sort of confirmation of her having feelings, too. But it’s just stuck, for some reason. Maybe it’s the way she said it? Maybe it’s the way her golden eyes had shined so beautifully as she looked up at him through her dark lashes, like a warm sunrise glowing even brighter as it reaches its brilliant rays through summer leaves?

That last thought makes him shiver in a gross amount of sudden self-awareness, and he makes a sour face, hanging his head defeatedly.

Maybe it’s just because I’m delusional.

He hadn’t felt this way about anyone since…since he was a young teen? Maybe? He can’t even remember. This feels different, anyway. This feels like more. 

How utterly hopeless.

Yuto pauses at Tohru’s door, brows creased upwards in anxiety. 

Pull it together, Yuto. It’s not that hard of a task. Just knock, ask if she’d like to spend the rest of the day together, and take her to the garden for a picnic. Then you can go from there.

He takes a deep breath, standing a little straighter, and knocks.

It’s only a few moments before Tohru slides open the door. Her face lights up immediately, and it makes Yuto’s heart melt and tongue tie, the rehearsed script in his mind turning to nothingness.

“Oh, hello Yuto! I was hoping it was you.” She smiles softly and tilts her head to the side. “How are you today? Do you need anything?” Her eyes wander curiously over the basket in his hand.

He can’t believe how much her demeanor has changed since he first met her, though it was merely a couple of days ago. She spoke so formally, and seemed reserved and almost closed off…and while she is definitely still the quiet type, she has – at least to Yuto – opened up a lot more, and become much more comfortable with being casual. She’s even sweeter than he initially thought. Like last night, when…

✧.°

Tohru took the pan off the top of her stove and slid the food into two bowls already filled with rice. She was just about done…

“Alright, you asked me to surprise you, so…we’re having katsudon! I know it is not typically a dinner dish, but I figured metaphorically starting the day over would be nice–”

She cut off as she saw Yuto’s face. His mouth was open in shock and he gasped.

“What, what?! Is something wro-”

“No no no, not at all! I’m–” he laughed at the absurdity of his own reaction. “I’m so sorry to have worried you, Tohru. No, I’m just surprised – you’ll never believe what my favorite food is…”

Tohru let out a sigh of relief. She stared at him for a few moments in curiosity, blinking.

“Umm…what is it?”

“Katsudon, silly! Really, it is! There’s just no way, this is such a cool coincidence, you must’ve read my mind…”

Yuto rambled on excitedly while Tohru blushed, though he didn’t notice.

“Silly.” That sounds pretty endearing, doesn’t it?

She smiled at the thought and let out a small giggle.

Yuto stopped mid-sentence and tilted his head inquisitively. “What’s so funny?” He asked teasingly, grinning from ear to ear. 

“Oh, nothing- I just think that’s a pretty amazing coincidence, too.” 

Yuto beamed even brighter, his face flushing. “Right?! I think you’re pretty amazing–” He cut himself short and immediately reddened even more, eyes widening in sudden panic. “Uh, sorry, I just– well, with this whole dinner and everything, you know, it would be rude of me t-to not think you’re amazing, objectively, anyone would–” He decided to stop talking before he made himself sound even more stupid. He subconsciously averted his gaze and focused on his hands held nervously together on the small wooden kotatsu in front of him.

Tohru walked over to sit across from him, bringing the bowls of katsudon with her and setting one down in front of Yuto, who was now quiet with embarrassment.

She leaned her head forward to catch his eyes, extending one hand out to lay gently on top of his own. He stiffened and looked at her.

“You’re okay, Yuto. You don’t have to apologize. It actually means a lot, especially coming from you.”

His nerves calmed, and he relaxed his shoulders in relief, his smile slowly returning and making its way into his eyes. Tohru couldn’t help but notice what a rich, gorgeous color they were. A red-brown, unlike any she’d seen before. They were fascinating.

Yuto twisted his hand around to hold hers delicately, just for a moment. “Okay. Thank you, Tohru. You’re very sweet.” He let go and grabbed his chopsticks, looking in awe at the delicious meal in front of him. It smelled tantalizingly tasty, more so than the kind he usually made for himself, and he knew it would remind him of the katsudon that his mother used to make for him when he was young. 

The kind never got to make for his little sister, since she was always feeling too sick to eat. 

A warm and homely flavor, laced with grief.

He glanced up at Tohru. 

Maybe I’ll remember it differently now.

✧.°

“Yuto?”

Tohru is still smiling at him in the doorway. He’d blanked out for a second, at a loss for words.

“Oh- uh, hi Tohru! Good afternoon! I’m doing well, and I was just wondering,” – he clears his throat – “if you would like to, um, maybe join me in the garden? For a picnic? I made the food this time.” He smiles sheepishly, lifting up the basket slightly.

“And! And, if you’d like, I was hoping to steal you away for the rest of the day…I had an idea for how we could spend some time together afterwards, too, if you’d be willing…” His blushing face is angled down, but his eyes peer up at hers hopefully.

She brightens even more, surprise etched on her face. “Oh, I would love to! Are we going now? Is the later portion a surprise?”

Her immediate agreement stuns Yuto, but only momentarily, as the feeling is quickly overtaken by joy. 

She seems so excited!

“Yes, yes, we can go now! Come on!” He laughs, gesturing for her to follow him, and she does so, closing the shoji door to her room. “I’d like the plan for later to be a surprise, but I’ll tell you now if you’d rather know.”

“No, please.” She laughs too. What a beautiful sound. “I love surprises.”

As the two stroll down to the garden, they continue chatting, the conversation flowing naturally. They pass by the tree that Yuto helped the birds from, and he looks up, remembering this morning.

They walk a few paces farther as Yuto makes his way to the spot that he had scoped out a bit earlier, underneath the garden’s old weeping willow. He had debated between it or one of the cherry blossom trees, but while the latter would be nice, it felt a bit cliché. In his mind, the willow is just perfect. Its hanging leaves are still a bright yellow-green somehow, despite it being winter, and they almost graze the floor, making it feel enclosed and almost dome-like from beneath. It feels warmer, too. The light from above filters through its leaves and coats everything in a gentle green summery haze, including the tiny stream that runs alongside it, dappling the water’s surface and the lotuses that flow slowly atop it with a glow.

He approaches the tree and pushes some of the dangling tendrils of leaves aside as if he’s opening a door. “After you,” he smiles, bowing his head slightly. Tohru returns it and thanks him as she walks underneath the leaves, and he follows, setting down the basket of food on the soft grass at their feet. He takes the pack off his shoulders, grabbing the first blanket from on top, folded compactly and neatly. It’s large, and has a kiku-hanabishi pattern, pale yellow chrysanthemum diamonds against a golden-yellow background. He puts down the bag as he shakes the blanket out flat and sets it on the ground, making sure to smooth out the annoying corner that always seems to fold back over itself. 

He moves the basket and bag onto the blanket, and sits down with his legs criss-crossed, patting the space next to him to gesture to Tohru that she could too. She does, sitting on her knees, and looks on in curiosity as Yuto begins taking out food.

It all looks delicious. Nikuman in a seiro, a small bamboo basket with several fruit sandos filled with strawberries, kiwis, and mangoes, a ceramic bowl with a sakura flower pattern filled with honeydew, and strawberries and cherries cut into little heart shapes.

Tohru’s heart leaps, and she puts her hands against her mouth to cover a small gasp as Yuto takes out another basket and opens it, revealing mouthwatering castella.

“You remembered! That’s my favorite!” 

Yuto chuckles as he sets it down next to the rest of the food spread. “Well, of course I did. You told me that only a day ago, anyway. I hope I made it well.” He gives her a hopeful smile before turning his gaze towards the fruit. “Oh- and the fruit, I was debating on putting something else together, because between that and the sandos, I was thinking to myself, ‘Is this too much fruit?’ But I opted to just keep them, they’re really ripe and tasty- Oh! And, also, the strawberries were pretty easy to cut into hearts, they’re kind of already that shape, but I severely underestimated how difficult it would be to do the same with the cherries- I kind of had to carve them since they kept coming out too round, so I apologize since some of them look kind of wonky–”

In an instant, Tohru scoots close and throws her arms around Yuto in a hug, catching him off guard and making him stick one hand out against the blanket to catch himself from falling backwards. His face flushes as his brows raise and mouth drops slightly in flustered shock before turning to a wide smile as he returns the embrace. “Aw, I- uhm…” He’s too giddy to even get any words out.

Tohru leans back and sits down once again, this time settling a little closer to Yuto. “Oh Yuto, I can’t believe you did all of this for me! Thank you! And you had so little time, too, how did you manage to pull it off?”

Yuto shrugs and smiles. “I don’t even know. It’s a little embarrassing to admit, but Sayaka and even the Founder helped me with planning. I can’t take all the credit.” He laughs bashfully. “Most of the time was spent on the shokupan for the sandos. I was really struggling, if I’m being honest. I haven’t made fresh bread in a long time.” 

His eyes dart back to his cloth bag as he remembers something. “Oh yeah, here–” He takes out another blanket, keeping it folded, and hands it to Tohru. This one has a light blue and white seigaiha pattern, like waves in an ocean. “I brought it just in case you get cold. I know it’s a little warmer under this tree for now, but if we’re out for a while, it might get chillier. It is winter, after all.”

Tohru takes it gratefully and smiles, running her fingers along the fabric and observing the pattern. 

He really thought of everything.

“One more thing,” Yuto begins. He reaches into the bag again and pulls out a few books. “I brought some books as well, for if I get too boring to talk to,” he laughs half-jokingly, sounding nervous. 

“But even then, just spending time with you in silence is something I’d be grateful for.” His eyes lock with hers, and he suddenly feels warm. He hopes he isn’t being overly sentimental. 

He clears his throat and continues more casually, “I know you like to read in the garden, but I wasn’t sure what kind of books you like to read, so I brought a few different genres as options…”

Tohru still can’t believe it. Just a few days ago, she hadn’t ever interacted with Yuto, and now here she was, practically on a date with him, spoiled beyond her heart’s content. 

She laughs. “You’re not boring, Yuto.”

✧.°

They end up talking and eating for far too long to get into books, though. Hours pass, and the light from above dims to a cool heathery blue as dusk sets in. 

They both lie down now on the blanket in opposite directions, face up, looking through the willow’s canopy overhead. The stream beside them bubbles lullingly underneath the sound of their chatter.

Yuto squints as he sees the glint of a star peak through the leaves. 

“You know what, it should be dark enough now.” He turns his head over towards Tohru’s face across from his. “Are you ready to go? Or do you want to stay here longer?” 

Tohru raises a brow in curiosity. “Dark enough for what? Ready to go where?”

Yuto smiles back. “Your surprise.”

She brightens with excitement as she sits up. “Let’s go now!”

“Okay! Perfect!”

Yuto gets up onto his knees and starts putting away everything into the large basket that he had brought the food in, and the books back into the small bag. Tohru offers him the blanket he had given her, still neatly folded. She hadn’t ended up getting cold after all. But he took it, and instead of putting it back in the cloth bag, opened it up and draped it around her shoulders.

“You’ll need this. It’ll be cold.”

Yuto stands and holds out his hand to Tohru to help her up. She smiles and takes it, deciding to keep it there, intertwining her fingers with his as his face flushes. He grabs the large blanket with the kiku-hanabishi pattern on it from the floor, deciding to just tuck it unfolded under one arm so he doesn’t have to let go of Tohru’s hand.

They stroll back inside the temple, and Yuto stops by his room quickly to drop off the baskets, grabbing something from the small bag and putting it in his pocket.

“Alright. Are you ready?”

Tohru nods eagerly.

He leads her back through a few corridors, and she follows curiously, walking close to him, hand in hand. He eventually reaches the library’s entrance and holds open the door for her.

“We’re going to catch up on the reading we didn’t do, hm?” Tohru smiled amusedly. 

Yuto shakes his head, laughing. “No. We’ve got to go upstairs for this.”

His laugh turns to excited giggles as he turns to face her and walks backwards, pulling her gently towards the spiral staircase that leads to the upper levels of the library. They make their way to the highest floor, heading towards one of the balconies.

He lets go of Tohru’s hand to step ahead to open the door for her, cool air rushing to meet them. She gives him a grateful smile, pulling the blanket around her tighter as she steps out into the breeze.

The balcony is wide, furnished with a few outdoor wooden tables and chairs. Large rose bushes line the sides in flower boxes, and some had grown to snake around the stone balusters. Yuto strides over to the edge, turning on a small gas lamp that’s set on one of the tables, casting everything in a warm glow. Tohru follows him, noticing just how high up they are as she sees the tops of trees below them. Yuto grabs onto the balustrade, leaning against it, and points to a spot in the distance.

“Look.”

Tohru gasps as her eyes follow his hand, and she sees bright city lights. 

“Is- is that the Entertainment District? I had no idea we could see it from the temple! It’s just like…” She trails off as she looks up excitedly at Yuto, who has a knowing smile on his face.

He remembered.

“...just like the city I used to see from my home.”

Yuto nods with enthusiasm. “Yes! You can only see it from this one balcony, though. The rest are positioned at too odd an angle. But here, you get a wonderful view, though I’m sure it's a bit farther than the one you’re used to, unfortunately…”

Tohru shakes her head, turning her attention back to the city lights. “No, no…that’s fine, it’s perfect,” she breaths. “The last thing I ever saw of my home was the fire that took the town. But this brings back much nicer memories. Thank you, Yuto.”

“Of course.”

“I never longed to live there myself, you know. The city. I was perfectly happy in my little town. But for some reason, those lights just fascinated me. I thought they were beautiful.” She laughs. “The one problem with them, though, was that they were close enough to my home that it lit up the sky a bit, and it was hard to see the stars.”

Yuto’s eyes sparkle. “Well, you know what else is great about this balcony?”

“What?”

He reaches over to the small table and turns off the lamp, pointing upwards. “The overhang is missing.”

Tohru looks up. He’s right. She hadn’t even noticed before. Where there had once been an overhang, the temple stone is broken away with age, and is now open to the sky. 

Her eyes take a moment to adjust to the darkness, and she gasps as her vision clears.

The stars. There are so many of them. She can even see a faint streak of blue against the pitch black sky where the Milky Way shines. 

She stares, slack-jawed in awe.

“I- I don’t usually go outside at night anymore. And the view from the garden is so small. This- this is gorgeous.”

She looks back down at Yuto, who is not watching the stars, but her, with the same look of wonder in his eyes.

He looks away as his face reddens, and he shivers a little. Tohru notices and frowns with concern.

“Are you cold? It’s windy up here. Why didn’t you bring a blanket for yourself?”

He shrugs. “I don’t usually get cold. I didn’t think I would need one.”

She huddles right next to him and his eyes widen in surprise as she drapes half of the blanket he had given her around his shoulders, now covering the both of them. 

“Is this better?”

He stiffens and looks down at Tohru flusteredly as his breath hitches. Her being pressed up against him is giving him more warmth than the blanket is. Her golden eyes shine even brighter with the light of the stars reflected in them. 

She’s so beautiful.

“Y-yes. Thank you,” he murmurs, unable to look away.

She breaks eye contact first, Yuto following suit, looking back at the city lights, and then the stars. They stand in silence for a few moments, enjoying the view together, and Yuto relaxes his shoulders and leans into her just a tiny bit.

Tohru suddenly has an idea. She looks down and sees the roses that had overgrown into this section of the balusters, and discreetly reaches to pick one, holding it behind her back.

“Yuto,” she starts, turning to face him again with a wide smile.

“Mm?” 

She sets one hand on his chest and leans close to his face teasingly. “I have a surprise for you now.” 

Yuto is caught off guard, and is sure he probably looks stupidly flustered right now, with how much he’s blushing. He feels so nervous, for some reason. He can’t even get any words out, and he doesn’t know what to do or what’s going on. 

But he knows he doesn’t want to be so stiff, to shy away from her touch. He tentatively brings one hand up to hold her back softly near her shoulder, and the other instinctively heads towards her waist, but he stops himself indecisively. 

Tohru giggles playfully as she brings her arm forward and puts the rose between their faces, the velvety petals lightly brushing Yuto’s nose.

“A flower. For you.” She moves the rose away slightly so it doesn’t touch Yuto’s face, and leans back a bit, her closeness to him now making her nervous too. She looks down sheepishly. “It’s not a whole garden picnic with city lights and the stars, but…”

“Thank you.” Tohru can barely hear his words with how quietly he whispers them. He takes it delicately in both of his hands, and he looks down reverently at it as if he had just been handed the world. “I love it.”

Yuto breaks his gaze from the rose and gives Tohru a giddy smile, one hand reaching into his pocket.

“I have something for you, too.”

He takes her hand gently and holds it open, placing in her palm what was in his pocket and closing her fingers around it before she can fully see it. 

Tohru is shocked not only at the fact that Yuto has a gift for her, but also by how cool it feels, almost like ice. She opens her hand and gasps.

It’s a necklace, with a thin gold palma chain. It doesn’t have just one pendant, but rather several charms of a blue stone towards the center, leading to the biggest piece in the middle. It’s carved into the shape of a dragonfly.

Tohru gasps in amazement, her cheeks starting to heat up.

“This is…this is for me?” she breathes. She can’t even process the situation enough to thank him yet. 

The stones are beautiful and ornate. They’re an icy blue, with a hint of aquamarine shining through their semi-transparent frosty surfaces. Though Tohru is holding them in her warm hands, they remain cold against her skin. They aren’t melting. It feels like ice, but it certainly can’t be.

“Wh…what is this? This stone?”

Yuto shrugs softly. “To be honest,” he whispers, “I don’t know. I found it in the hallway outside the library. But it looked beautiful, and by then I knew it was your favorite color, so it reminded me of you…and the gold, well, it complements your eyes.” 

Tohru just stares at him in disbelief, too awestruck to even say or process anything.

“I wasn’t sure what to make the main pendant, what you’d like best,” he continues. “But I think a dragonfly is pretty relevant right now. It symbolizes happiness and good fortune. Change, but the courage to go with it. The strength to move forward when all seems lost. Like a dragonfly. They can fly in any direction, choose any path, but always move forward.” He smiles, a little tiredly, a little uneasily. “I don’t know what’s going on here. Why we were attacked. It was scary. Terrifying. And who knows what’s to come.”

Tohru’s brows crease a little in worry, unsure where he’s going with this.

“But we can’t let fear take over our lives. Stop us from following our hearts.” He reaches for her hands, being careful not to let the rose in his hand prick her. He holds them tenderly, curling her fingers around the necklace once more as he closes the rest of the small distance between them. “We don’t know what tomorrow will bring, Tohru. But all I hope is that, even if things get worse…with each day, you can find a little happiness amidst the change. I…I want to bring you happiness. If you…if you’ll let me.”

Her eyes sparkle with wonder as she gives him a sweet, surprised smile. 

She looks so beautiful.

 I wish I could just…

“We’re here to get to the Eternal Paradise. Each for our own reasons. And I’m not saying to let that go. But maybe…maybe we should focus a little more on spending each day working towards making our lives now a bit more like paradise.” Yuto pauses, glancing down at the necklace before flickering his eyes back up to hers, his throat suddenly dry. He swallows, “And…and maybe for me…my paradise starts with you.”

Tohru can hear her heart pounding in her ears. It’s beating quicker and quicker, as his words make their way into her mind.

“Maybe my paradise starts with you”...?

 Is he saying…?

She peers into his eyes with intrigue and fascination. The coolness from the stones in her palm battles against the warmth from his hands on hers.

“Maybe my paradise starts with you.”

Her mind whirls with joy, hope, courage, giddiness…and maybe something more, as Yuto’s words echo in her head. Could this truly even be real? Could this finally be the start of her happy ending? After all the care she’s given to other people…to have someone care about her in the same way? No, no…in a way that means something more, even?

Yuto starts to feel self-conscious amidst the silence, and worries that maybe he is being too forward. He pulls back gently, the blanket covering his shoulders nearly falling off, and he leans over the balustrade again.

He clears his throat, his gaze locked onto the roses curling along the balusters. “N-nevermind! For-forget I said anything…” He clears his throat again, his hands starting to fidget with the rose Tohru had given him. He spins it between his fingers over the balcony absent-mindedly, watching the crimson petals create flowering kaleidoscopic patterns as they zip around in a circle. The silence is killing him. Oh god, how was he going to save this date? It was going so well, until he decided to spill his guts…

“Did you like the lights? And the stars? Like…that I brought you here to see them?” He means to change the subject to sound more casual, but his nerves end up making it seem like he is looking for reassurance. Which he is, but he doesn’t want to make that obvious. 

Tohru blinks a few times, escaping from the rapid barrage of her thoughts, as she notices Yuto’s change in demeanor, finally mustering up the ability to speak. “Y-yes, of course, Yuto. I love them.” She feels so dumb, being too flustered that she can’t even properly accept a gift. 

“And…and thank you so much, really, for this. I don’t know what to say. I just can’t believe you made it for me.” She holds the necklace in her palm once more before laying it onto her collarbone, feeling it cool against her warm skin. Yuto’s face softens again with a little relief as he watches her clasp it around her neck.

“You look lovely,” Yuto muses.

She flushes, smiling brightly in response, and leans against him once more. “I’ll treasure it always. Thank you, Yuto, thank you for today…the garden, the food, the city, the stars, and this…Thank you so much. You truly have made today so, so special to me. I’ll never forget it.”

He hesitates, feeling shy, but decides to put his arm around her shoulder and pull her in closer. She doesn’t resist in the slightest. If anything, she sinks deeper against him, leaning her head gently on his shoulder.

“This was part of Sayaka’s idea. The stars, I mean,” he laughs quietly, happily, his breath stirring the air in the cold. “She said that her mother told her that anywhere you watch them is the most romantic place in the whole world.”

Tohru’s breath catches at the word.

“Romantic?”

She feels Yuto stiffen a little once again. He looks at her just barely, out of the corner of his eye, not wanting to fully see her face. Not wanting to crush his hopes if she looks disappointed or disgusted. But he’s reassured by the way she doesn’t leave his side.

“Romantic. Yes.”

There’s her confirmation. That he’s not doing all this just to give her a nice distraction. But that he feels something more for her, too. She had thought so, but wasn’t completely sure until now.

“She also said we should, and I quote, ‘make pretty star pictures like the belt or the dippy.’” He smirks in amusement, squinting and looking upwards, searching the night sky. “As a matter of fact, I believe that’s the Big Dipper right there. Oh! And there’s the little one below it.” He points upwards, tracing his finger along the constellations to show Tohru, feeling himself getting giddy again.

But she doesn’t look up at the stars. Her eyes remain on Yuto’s, their brilliant auburn glowing in stark contrast against the indigo-to-black gradient of the sky. She still finds them so captivating.

He did all of this for me…

Her feelings suddenly rush over her like a wave. She knows it’s so soon, but she just wants to- no, she shouldn’t, but- like Yuto was saying, they don’t know what tomorrow holds, what if she just—

Yuto gasps excitedly. “Oh my gosh, a shooting star! Tohru, make a w-“

He turns back to face her and is met with a quick peck of her lips against his. 

They both instantly redden. Yuto drops his rose on the balcony floor as his hands weaken. Tohru turns away quickly, looking sheepish, even taking a step back.

“I’m so sorry! Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry, Yuto, I don’t know why—”

But she can’t get another word of her apology out before Yuto pulls her to face him fully with the arm around her shoulders, and brings the other to her waist, delicately, reverently. 

He brings his face down to hers, mere inches apart. His next words are barely a whisper, just a breath.

“Please…Please don’t apologize.” 

He kisses her. Softly. With the gentleness of a breeze just barely brushing along her lips. And she melts. 

Tohru lets out a sigh as her eyes close, her heart nearly jumping to her throat with a mix of relief and disbelief and exhilaration and joy. She puts one hand against his chest, raising the other to his face, cradling his cheek, pulling him closer. 

He practically melts under her touch, too, feeling weak in the knees as she leans in deeper. He brings his hand against her back up to the nape of her neck and behind her head, her soft brown hair catching in his fingers. 

They break apart slowly, keeping their foreheads pressed together. A few moments of quiet pass, the only sounds their own breaths and the last of the crickets still chirping their songs this deep into winter. 

Yuto cups Tohru’s face in his hands, caressing one side of it as he moves his thumb gently back and forth. 

“I’ll keep your heart safe,” he whispers, barely audible against the sound of leaves dancing in the wind. “I don’t know what’s going to happen. I’m scared. I can’t stop thinking about what happened yesterday,” he admits, his voice trembling a bit. “But I know that tomorrow, when I wake up, I won’t be able to stop thinking about today.”

Yuto pulls back his head just enough to fully see Tohru’s face, and he wipes away a small tear that had begun to fall down her cheek. In the reflection of her eyes, he sees fireworks beginning to erupt above, casting waves of luminous color down onto the balcony. They both hear them, but the booming is dull compared to the sound of their own heartbeats. They don’t look up to watch. This moment between the two of them is far more sacred.

“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be than here, under the stars, with you, Tohru.”

She cracks a playful smile through watery eyes.

“Because it’s the most romantic place to be, right?”

He beams back, leaning his head against hers again, looking into her dazzling golden eyes. He lets out a soft chuckle and nods. 

“Right.”

[kabooseye]

- earlier that afternoon -

I suddenly stop abruptly, mid-sewing, and stare at the wall.

You pause from sewing the tiny scarf in your hands and look down at me in your lap, concern filling your gaze as you worry if I’ve accidentally poked myself with the needle.

But instead, I drop my supplies, turn towards you, and tackle you backwards, excitement sparkling in my gaze. You drop your scarf to the side, smiling at me.

“Douma!! I just had the best idea ever!!!”

I roll off of you, scrambling upwards, stepping on your chest as I make my way back to the corkboard that you had dragged to the side of my room earlier. I pull over a small wooden chair that you brought in for our birdie-princess-tea party next to the bulletin board. I step on the seat, standing proudly.

“No more making birdie fashion!! They already have three outfits with matching shoes, jewelry, ANDDDD accessories each! Sayaka thinks she’s truly outdone herself!” I say, bringing my hand to my chest and puffing it out proudly. I don’t currently understand that little bird shoes and jewelry are probably not the most functional ideas, but you’ve decided to leave that problem for future you to handle. 

“Sayaka’s birdie boof is oh-fish-ally closing!” Ten ice animals get up from where they had been stationed to help, shuffling out the door. 

As they leave, I wave to all of them from the chair, “Thank you, Mister Frog! Thank you, Ms. Cheetah! Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Toad! Thank you, Mister Sea Lion! Thank you, Miss Kitty! Thank you, Miss Phoenix! Thank you, Mister Ferret! Thank you, Mister Panda! Thank you, Miss Fox!”

I turn back to you, “Instead,” I begin, a mischievous smile spreading across my face as I point at my doodles from earlier, “we should spy on Kitty Yuto and Miss Kitty Tohru!!”

I immediately make my way back to you and lean onto your knee, hopping eagerly. “I just want to make sure it goes well!”

I blink innocently, all the sweetness in the world in my big blue eyes. “Sayaka-would-also-like-new-spy-outfits-too,” I say all too quickly with the most precious smile on my lips. How could you ever say no to me? You are in for a wild, wild ride; or rather, a long, long day.

[douma-upper2]

*Douma smiles kindly at Yuto, another odd, bright feeling flaring up in his chest; though he could not quite tell what it was yet. He was glad you were both so excited and was sure that Tohru would be as well assuming Yuto didn't back out at the last second.* "You are welcome Yuto, I hope you both have fun and please let me know if you need any assistance" *Douma said with an excited looking grin. As Yuto left Douma knelt back down beside you and nodded in agreement to your suggestion to find the baby birds something to eat and then make them their little outfits* "It seem's like we may need some help doing both at once, how about I summon some of my little friends?" *He suggests before whistling in the direction of the door which calls over some of his ice-minions in their animal forms. Naturally his ice-fox and ice-panda return but they have some "new friends" following behind them, in the forms of various animals. He requested the ice-peacock who you believe to be a phoenix as well as the two ice-toads and the ice-frog to come with both of you to get the baby birds some food while the others started working on the little birds outfits*

Later in the afternoon

*Douma noticed your abrupt pause and, worried that you had accidentally jabbed yourself with the sewing needle; finished working with the miniature scarf and gently took your hands in one of his to look them over while giving you a gentle smile.* "Are you alright-? Eh?" *He appears to be caught off guard as he allows you to tackle-pounce him into falling backwards, making sure to keep any sharp things well out of your way as you crash-land against his chest. He chuckles softly as he reaches to pat you on the head* "And what would that be my dear?" *He asks, curious as to what you are plotting. He watches you scramble to your feet and over toward the corkboard, giving a quiet-* "Uph" *-as you step on his chest before he sits back up and watches you with a curious smirk playing across his face. He had indeed tried to explain that the little birds might not be able to wear the jewelry or shoes until they were much bigger but naturally that didn't stop you and he had also tried to make them atleast semi-functional, the "shoes" were more akin to soleless socks and the "jewelry pieces" were more like long, colorful bits of string that had been woven together.* "You truly have my little one" *Though he had been mostly helping insure the outfits would be both safe and functional for the birds. He allows the ice-minions to leave once you announce that you are done making the birds clothes for the time being and watches you thank them as they leave* "Yes thank you all very much" *The little birds were taking a nap at the moment after having their own tiny feast, So he figured it would probably be fine to go and see how Yuto and Tohru were doing. He gently pats you on the head again as you lean against him after scampering back over to him* "I suppose they wouldn't mind if we were to go check on them" *He hums curiously as you suggest new spy outfits, getting a quiet laugh out of him. He couldn't possibly say no to you now; besides dressing you up as a little ninja and watching you scurry around would be absolutely adorable* "Haha, Alright then lets find you a little ninja costume then"

[kabooseye]

I throw my hands in the air in triumph, “Yay!” I somersault away from you, heading towards the door. I stop after a few, sitting up right. My head sways slightly.

“Wait.. where do we get spy outfits? And and we need spy names!”

[douma-upper2]

*He watches you as you roll over toward the door, chuckling softly as he stands and strides beside you, pausing just in-front of you incase he needs to stop you from crashing into the door. He then gently scoops you up and sits you on his shoulder* "Hmm good point... Ah I know, Let's go check storage, sometimes the other kids that live here pretend to be ninjas and spies in their games so there might be a couple of extras" *He was pretty sure there was only one extra and that it would only fit you considering his uncommon height. But that would be okay, he could be sneaky if he needed to. He hummed curiously at the suggestion of "spy names" not having heard the term before* "Spy names? Like what?"

[kabooseye]

I pick two tufts of your hair in my left and right hands, pretending they’re handles, “Goooo this way!” I tug on the left tuff, taking you in the completely wrong direction. I duck my head under the door frame.

“Yayyy! Spy costumes! And and I dunnoooo… you choose! Sayaka doesn’t know spy names. You come up with them! Sayaka can touch the stars now! Lalalala!” I continue to tug mindlessly at your hair.

[douma-upper2]

*Douma smirks softly as you decide his hair would make for an appropriate set of reigns and decides to go left as you request, even though it is the wrong way* "Alright but we'll be going the long way" *He explains while making sure that you do not bonk your head. He hummed softly as he made his way toward the storage room while still somewhat following your directions. Some of his followers passing by happen to notice this sight and respond with quiet laughter and cheerful smiles* "Hmm I don't know much about spy names either i'm afraid..." *He chuckles softly as some of his ice-minions in the shapes of sootsprites jump overhead, just high enough for you be able to reach out and touch them before they land* "maybe....mister wolf and miss lamb?" *He suggests, thinking aloud. Though now that he thought about it, wasn't there a game by the name "Mister Wolf"? Or was it "Mister Fox"? He couldn't remember, but he remembered that some of the other children played it some times and it sounded like a version of tag of some sort. Upon finally reaching the storage room, something very sparkly demands your attention from the wall beside the door. A large sprinkling bottle of translucent, bright pink glitter shimmers in the lamplight. Perhaps Douma might let you keep it? He sets you on the ground beside him and starts pawing through the boxes of spare clothing* "Let me know if you find anything else that you find interesting, alright?"

[kabooseye]

My hands let go of your hair as they travel to your face, opening and closing your eyelids. I cup my palms over your eyes.

“Preeettyyy…” I muse, watching the sootsprites jump around. I let out a giggle, leaning up impulsively to chomp one. It crackles in my mouth and feels cold.

“Yes yes! I will beeee… Mister Wolf! And you can be Miss Sheep! Hahahaha!”

As you enter the room I see something sparkly gleaming from the corner of my eye. I whip my head towards the color, tugging your hair gently in that direction before you set me down. I wander around, my eyes swirling around the room to try to find the sparkle again. My eyes widen at the sight of pink glitter and I scramble for it, stepping over old artifacts, dust coating the air. A tumble of coughs rumble through my lungs. I wave my hands through the air to clear it.

“Douma? What’s this?” In the same moment, you spot a box of black clothing.

[douma-upper2]

*Hearing the crunch of ice, Douma swiftly disperses that ice-minion before any of his blood, from the blood demon art he used to create them; could get into your system. Perhaps he ought to suggest that you refrain from eating the ice-golems? It wouldn't do to eventually return you to your mother's friends as a little imp. Though the thought of having a younger, newly turned demon in his care again and the fact that you would be positively adorable as an imp, with little baby fangs and little baby claws; was annoyingly tempting. But he knew that not only would it make you extremely stressed, you would probably be furious and broken hearted at the same time. He chuckles softly at your guess* "Good idea...but let's switch those, they'll never see it coming" *Douma suggests, reaching up to gently pat you on the head. As he sets you down he flicks his eyes in the direction you were pulling his hair towards and swiftly spies the glitter before a box of black clothing labeled "Costumes" catches his attention* "Ah there they are- Eh?" *The room had a great many treasures and items scattered about half organized. A round basket as tall as you are is full of parasols, a shorter square one is has an assortment of masks, a box in the corner has what look like fans poking out of it, some large, wooden chests crammed in a corner looked to be filled with actual jewelry, fancy hair-pins and gemstones, on a tall bookshelf there was a multitude of candles of various heights and other knickknacks, there were toys and crafting supplies scattered about, a mannequin in suit of samurai armor stands tall in a corner surrounded by pots of various size and height, stacks of books were everywhere you looked, boxes and racks of clean, mended, folded clothing lined the walls, and the glitter sat atop a jar of marbles that reached your waist and behind it was large vase filled with decorative silk flowers.* "Ah that would be glitter, it is often used in making masks, fans and other crafts sparkly when metal shavings or gemstone dust is to expensive. But sometimes people like to sprinkle it around because they think it looks pretty" *Douma explains as he helps fan the dust away. Admittedly it has been a while since he had dusted in here, but that was largely because he didn't mind the dust and it didn't seem like anyone else had.....but now that he thought about it he probably should...*

[kabooseye]

“Wow…it’s so pretty,” I breathe in wonder, holding the jar of glitter up to the light, “Sayaka likes it.” I scamper back to you, grasping your pant leg with one hand and holding the bottle up high with the other so you can see it sparkle.

“My mommy would like this stuff too!! Especially if it was shiny and silver!!! Like little stars!”

I tilt my head at you, craning my neck to look up at your colorful eyes as I stand on my tippy toes. I gently tug your pant leg.

“Can we bring her some for when we go visit her, Douma?? Or when she visits us? She’ll come see me from paradise, right? She didn’t forget about me, right?”

My lips twist into a wobbly smile, clinging onto hope.

[douma-upper2]

"It is indeed, though be careful where you sprinkle it, it likes to stick onto anything it can and tends to get absolutely everywhere" *Douma makes sure to warn her of what he has noticed about the sparkly flakes. He crouches down to your height and smiles at you gently* "I'm sure she would like it very much, maybe I can find you some that is star shaped next time I am able to head into town" *He suggests gently stroking your hair as you ask if you can bring some to your mother she visits or if you can visit her* "No my dear, she would never forget about you. No mother would be able to forget a daughter as sweet as you. I'm sure we'll be able to visit her someday but it might take a while, and she might visit you in your dreams first" *He explained. Although it was, as far as he knew; another lie fabricated from what he knew humans believed about spirits, dreams and the afterlife to avoid breaking your heart by telling you the cold, hard truth of the matter. It was odd to him, his whole life part of him wanted to talk some common sense into those who believed such things but now he did not think he would be able to bear you finding out the truth as he was certain it would bring back that odd, watery, painfully heavy sensation that took root in his chest when he first tried to explain it to you.* "I'm sure you will be able to show her any glitter you can imagine in your dreams"

[kabooseye]

I gasp, “Toooown?! When, when? Sayaka wants to come!! Mama and I would always buy food for birdies and we would sit on a bridge and she would sing!!” I lean into your touch, pressing my cheek to your thigh, nuzzling slightly. I pocket the glitter, maybe I’ll use it later. Maybe I can sprinkle it on my drawings, or even sleep with it under my pillow so I can show it to my mommy in my dreams!

“Yay! I can’t wait to tell her all about you Douma! She’ll really like you. And we can play forever!”

I open my eyes and squint in deep thought, “If Mama is in paradise right now, and we can’t get to her, I bet Auntie Bou-Bou and Uncle Gi-Gi are pretty sad too. Maybe…after we spy on Kitty Yuto and Kitty Tohru, we can go visit them? Together? That way they won’t be so sad! We can tell them the good news about where Mama is!!”

I suddenly spot an odd wooden crate that drags my attention from my thoughts. On it, the word “FIREWORKS” is written in big bold letters. I jump, tugging into your hand again, “Ooh-Ooh!! Fireworks! Fire!! Like-like Mister Rengoku! We should use them!! And put on a show! For Yuto and Tohru!!! Oh please please please pleaseee?” I start to sink to my knees like I would do for my mama when I wanted to get my way.

[douma-upper2]

"It may be a few days my dear...You know I heard that one of the nearby towns will be hosting a night-market in a couple of days, It might be fun" *Douma suggests, gently petting your hair and smiling softly as you decide to hold onto the glitter for safe keeping. He gently scoops you up into his arms* "I hope she does... and I'm sure her friends miss her too, however I still don't know where we can go to find them" *He reminds you that as far as you know he has no idea where to find any of the hashira, and during the last few days neither of you have had time to really get your bearings. Though now that he think's about it, it may be for the best for you to get better before taking you beyond the temple.* "Hmm...I'll tell you what, once we are done checking on Tohru and Yuto, we can go up to the roof and take a look around and if you see anything familiar we can go visit them once you start feeling better, okay?" *Douma suggests though he is unsure if you heard him due to your attention being distracted by a box labeled "Fireworks" making him chuckle softly* "Maybe if we can find a big enough pond that is further away from the temple, fireworks are very dangerous in forests with big trees like this" *He explains, wanting to be safe and not cause a forest fire but also not wanting to disappoint you. He holds up a ninja costume that looks like it's the right size to fit you*

[kabooseye]

“Okay!! Maybe I could see the Butterfly Mansion from so high! I bet I could! Sayaka has bigggg eyes! Like an owl!” I giggle and part my eyelids wide so you can see more of the whites of my eyes, not realizing how silly I’m making myself look. “Mister Rengoku says I have very pretty eyes just like my Mama!!”

I let go and blink a few times, redirecting my attention to the costume you now hold in your hands.

“IT’S PERFECT!! SAYAK- I MEAN, MISTER WOLF, WILL PERFORM HER MISSION UNDETECTED!!” I point theatrically towards you. “Along with sidekick ninja Miss Sheep!! We are the best spy team there is!”

I scamper over to the box of fireworks, trying my best to pry it open but stepping back and plopping down to sit with a melodramatic sigh when it doesn’t budge. My hair falls in front of my eyes, and I swipe my hands across my sweaty face.

I shake out my hands a bit at the ache in my still-injured fingers, though I am more frustrated than hurt, “Miss Sheep, this is your job now! Mister Wolf will go change into spy clothes!”

I unceremoniously get up, grabbing the costume from you and running to find some privacy behind a few large crates. One short arm reaches behind my back, trying to tug my tight obi loose. “This is hard work…Mister Wolf is tireddd.”

[douma-upper2]

*Douma chuckles and gently strokes your hair* "I bet you probably could" *he holds the costume up for your inspection* "He would be correct then, they are adorable" *Douma gently sets you down on the ground before handing you the costume* "Thats right! We'll be so stealthy they won't even know we're there" *He watches as you try to open the crate labeled fireworks, allowing you to try despite knowing that you couldn't possibly open it. He then carefully tucks your bangs behind your ears, his hands cool against your forehead.* "Alright, I think I can handle it, might be a bit tough though" *He was rather concerned that your fever might be picking back up again but he wasn't exactly sure how to convince you to rest without disappointing you. He steps infront of the firework crate while you duck behind others to change* "Remember what I showed you? Move the knot around to your frontside so you don't have to struggle to reach it" *He reminded you as he pretended to struggle to pry the crate open before easily prying it open, nearly snapping the lid in half* "Ah I got it, lets see here...Oh they have dragon shaped ones"

[kabooseye]

“Mister Fox and Miss Sheep goin’ on a journey,” I sing as I shimmy the obi towards my front, “To spy- uh, I mean, to make sure Yuto and Tohru have a great day!” I pull the end of the obi loose, pushing the navy kimono off my body. I leave everything on a heap on the floor before jumping into my new black keikogi and hakama.

“With us on the case, nothing can go wrong!” I pick up the new black obi and skitter back over to you, not even attempting to put it on myself.

“Miss Sheep!” I hop into a salute, my limbs stiff at my sides, eyes sharp. I’m unable to keep a serious expression as I fall into giggles. I hold out one arm as if bestowing the obi to you.

I throw my arms out to the sides, letting you tend to the belt. I rise on my tippy toes, looking over at the crate with the fireworks once again. “Hmmmm…fireworks sound sooo romantic, so we don’t wanna miss the date when they see them!! Maybe another spy can set them up? Maybe an ice-spy?” I gasp with realization at my unintentional joke. “Ice-spy! Like “I Spy”! The game! Sayaka is sooo funny!!”

[douma-upper2]

*Douma continues looking through the fireworks to see what all was in the crate since he didn't remember when he got them but presumably he had taken them from bandits he has long since devoured and just shoved the fireworks in here not knowing what else to do with them.* "Make sure you collect your kimono and obi from the ground over there please" *he reminds you before you come scampering over for him to tie your costumes matching obi-belt* "Thats right my little one" *He says, chuckling softly as he ties your obi belt for you before reaching to tickle your sides to make you laugh some more* "there we go" *He boops your nose before returning his attention to the fireworks* "Hm? Ah that could work, my spirit friends could lend us a hand" *He whistles and a trio of ice-raccoons made to look like Tanuki spirits come scampering into the room and he explains that he needs them to find a reasonably sized pond or lake nearby for them to set up the fireworks and set them off at*

[kabooseye]

The ice-tanuki grab bundles of fireworks with their icy little paws and hobble off on two legs to fulfill their mission. I watch them go, still giggling a bit after being tickled, and dart back behind the crate to grab my kimono and obi. I bring them and hold them up to you, standing on my tippy-toes.

“Ack! H-here, Douma!” I stutter as part of the long, thick kimono sleeve falls onto my face. “Sayaka doesn’t know what to do with them,” I mumble into the fabric. 

“You need to find something to wear, too! So we can be matching spies!” I lean over a wooden crate, my hands hanging onto the sides as I rise on the balls of my feet.

“Outfit for Douma… outfit… where…” I mumble to myself.

[douma-upper2]

*As you toddle up to him with your clothing in hand, Douma gently scoops you into his arms, gently taking the clothing in one hand* "Ah don't worry about it, Today is wash day so I will just wash them once we are done checking in on Tohru and Yuto and they will by dry by daybreak; okay?" *Douma watches you as you look around trying to find a matching outfit that will fit him; unfortunately you have no luck, everything in here looks to small... He smiles softly* "Don't worry my dear, if I do have a match it will probably be in my closet" *He explains, giving you a gentle pat on the head* "Would you like to wait in your room while I look?"

[kabooseye]

“Yeah!! Let’s go! And then we can finally go spy on the kitties!” I laugh mischievously as I give you a tight hug around your neck, “I’m having so much fun already!”

[douma-upper2]

"Alright my dear" *He says with a chuckle as he carries you back to your room so that you can wait for him there. He was uncertain about leaving you by yourself even momentarily but considering the sun had yet to fully sink below the horizon he figured that you should be safe.*

[kabooseye]

You place me down gently on my bed and I swing my feet back and forth over the edge. I plop onto my back as you leave, looking up at the fake stars on the ceiling. I just sit in the quiet in a rare moment of patience as I wait for you.

[douma-upper2]

*After setting you safely in your room, Douma strode back to his considerably darker corner of the temple. Entering his room he had one out of the small army of mini-douma's that he had at the ready; go into his storage closet and grab him one of the bottles of blood he had stowed away while he entered his clothing closet and began pawing through his extra clothing to see if he could find any that were fully plain black.*

[kabooseye]

The silence becomes oddly apparent the longer I sit and wait. It feels deafening, too loud, too thick, too close. I shiver, getting a little cold, and scooch myself over to where I can tuck myself under a blanket and grab my ram plushie too. I start to hum subconsciously. I suddenly remember the warmth I would feel when Mommy would curl herself up against me to keep me cozy on chilly winter nights. Or when I was sad. Or really just whenever I wanted to be next to her. 

I look up at the plastic stars.

I miss the real stars. 

I miss how my mommy’s eyes sparkled like them, too. I just miss Mama. I miss her and I’m confused and I don’t know what to do. She’s in paradise, but…what does that really mean?

“Mommy,” I sniffle, blinking up hopefully at the artificial glow of the fake stars above me, “I kn-know I have to wait to see you. A wh-while.” My lip starts quivering as tears begin to streak down my cheeks. “I’m trying to b-be strong like y-you, Mama. Pl-please…” my tiny voice cracks. “Please come see Sayaka s-soon in my dreams. So I can give you a hug.”

I wipe my reddened face and clutch at my ram tighter. Surely she has to have heard that. You told me she was always watching over me now, anyway.

The silence drones on. I begin to feel hopeless. I don’t know what I was expecting, anyways. 

I turn into my pillow, letting the plush soak up my tears. 

Splat.

I sniffle, touching my cheek gently, removing something foreign. I turn back, staring at the ceiling, holding up a… a star? My eyes burst open, and I jump up in bed, sitting straight up. A gasp echoes through the room as I feel my heart pounding.

“Mama?!” I shout, “Is it… Is it you?” I hold the star up to the ceiling, “Mama, are you here?” I blink, and I swear it twinkles as I do. I hug the star closely to my heart, feeling it pump against the plastic. It must be, she’s telling me to hold onto hope.

“Okay, Mama,” I whisper, “I’m waiting for you. I love you. I miss you.” I jump off the bed, running to the doorframe, looking to my left and right for you.

[douma-upper2]

A small child’s sobs and hiccups can be heard from the hallways of your palace

"Hm?" *He follows the sound in search of the poor little dear that needs comforting. Eventually he finds the source*

[kabooseye]

I run to the base of the tree, right up to where Yuto stands, only a foot or two in front of him.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” I yell excitedly, before slapping my hand over my own mouth. That was probably too loud. I smile sheepishly, rubbing the back of my neck.

“What are you doing, Mister Yuto?” I whisper, trying to be as polite as possible to offset my previous outburst.

[douma-upper2]

*Yuto chuckles softly and pats you on the head as Douma strides over to you as he is curious as well. He looks up in the tree curiously but does not immediately find anything out of the norm so he wait's for Yuto to answer* "Ah, this little bird fell out of their mothers nest so I was helping it back up" *He explains, gently plucking a fledgeling sparrow out of his hair; which in turn looks up at both of you curiously* "I see, the poor little bird...Is it alright?"

[kabooseye]

I hold out my hands gently, wanting to hold the poor sparrow. A frown creases my lips. “It’s like me… before Douma found me. We have to get it back to its mom!”

I softly pet the sparrow, smoothing out the feathers on its head, “Everything’s going to be okay, we’ll find your mommy. Mister Yuto can help!”

I glance up at the tree, “Where’s its nest? Do you need help?”

[douma-upper2]

*Yuto gently holds the little bird out for you to pet. The small sparrow chirps at you. Since it still has its downy baby feathers it probably wasn't attempting to fly just yet. Douma crouches beside you and gets a better look at the little bird* "I'm not sure, thats why I was letting it sit in my hair so it would be safe while I look" *Douma stood and approached the tree, and instead of looking up to the branches he walks around it looking for a hole in the trunk soon finding one at about chest height to him on the left side of the tree* "ah here it is" *He confirms by peeking into the hole and finding two more young sparrows looking back at him and peeping quietly. He gently lifts you up to see* "see there are it's siblings"

[kabooseye]

I smile at the little sparrow, chirping back to it.

“Can we keep it pleaseeee?” I tug on your sleeve, the biggest puppy dog eyes shining up at you. “Sayaka will take very very good care!!! I promise!”

I tilt my head as I watch you looking around the tree. Wouldn’t the nest be up there? I let out a small gasp as you spot its nest and siblings.

I jump up and down, “Sayaka wants to see!” I reach my arms up, wiggling my fingers. As you pick me up to look I squirm in your arms, wanting an even closer look. I close one eye, smushing my cheek into the small hole.

I let out a gasp, pushing back against the tree trunk. My eyes are wide at you as I shush you. “Too loud,” I whisper even though it was my own gasp making the noise. I set my feet on the ground as you set me back down. I gently cup the sparrow from Yuto’s hands.

“Aw, you gotta go home, little birdie. I can’t keep you. You have a family.” I pet the sparrow again. The small bird nuzzles my finger, chirping happily. A small pang hits my heart and my eyes gloss over unwillingly. I sniffle, a bittersweet smile on my lips. The sparrow turns towards its nest, chirping at its siblings. Excited chirps echo back from above.

“I have to let you go. You belong with your family. No matter how much I want to keep you.” I give a tender kiss to the top of the sparrow’s head, swiping my eyes with the back of my hand.

I turn, glancing up at you, “Can Sayaka help the sparrow back home please?”

[douma-upper2]

*Douma smiles softly in your response to wanting to keep it and gently strokes your hair. He holds you up so that you can see the little birds siblings. The birds chirp at you curiously and Douma chuckles softly when you shush him* "Mhm, have to be very quiet because they are still small and not used to loud sounds yet" *Douma says quietly as he sets you back on the ground. Yuto gently hands you the little sparrow* "It will be alright my little one, they will stay here for a while yet and once they are all grown up they and their siblings will probably move into this same tree" *Douma gently explains, crouching to your height and carefully petting the small bird with his pointer finger. Yuto peaks inside the nest, expecting to find atleast one of the parent sparrows but upon not finding any he looks around the branches of the tree and around the garden nearby for either one but none are found* "Actually, If I may lord founder; It might be for the best to keep them, birds don't usually leave their babies unguarded before they can fly and I do not see any adult sparrows around" *Yuto explains, gesturing around and prompting Douma to take a better look as well. Infact he did not see any adult birds around at all, though he did catch a glimpse of a snakes tail on one of the higher branches, but he chooses not to mention it.* "Ah good point...Well then" *He turns to face you once more* "I think we can keep them until their parent's come back" *He remarks before standing once more, reaching a hand into the nest and gently scooting the other two baby birds into his hand* "Let's get them inside where its warm" *Douma suggests, knowing he will probably be the main one taking care of the little birds*

[kabooseye]

The biggest smile spreads across my face as I hear I get to keep the birdie. I nod rapidly, hopping and giggling as I walk.

“Yay!! Sayaka can keep you all! I’ll be such a good bird mommy! Just like my mommy!! I’ll-I’ll give you baths and feed you, and we can play dress up! Wait, do birds even—It’s okay, Sayaka will get you clothes! We can all be pretty pretty prin-” My steps falter as I cough into my elbow.

“Eugh…” I huff, “Hate being sick…” I grumble as I cough again. I slow down into shorter steps, waiting for the two of you to catch up. 

“Douma!” I chirp, “I told the birdies we can play dress up! Do you know where Sayaka can buy birdie clothes? We wanna play princess and dragons!” The sparrow looks at me curiously before pointing its beak straight up. Loud, insistent chirps spew out from all three of the sparrows in the same second, like clockwork. I grimace, the shrill noise pounding against my skull. I hold the sparrow farther away from me, but the sound doesn’t quiet.

“Douma, what is- Ah!” I pull my cupped hands apart, the sparrow’s mouth now latched onto my fingertip. It tries to close its tiny beak, its throat sucking on my finger.

“What do I do?!” I panic. Could the sparrow really eat me whole?! I’m no worm nor bird food!

“Here, little one, let me help—“ Yuto picks up his pace to meet me and crouches down to my level. He gently scoops up the small sparrow again, holding it high enough so its head is pushed horizontally back to a normal position. It lets go of my finger almost instantly. 

“See? It doesn’t want to eat you; it just thinks you have food. It thinks you’re its mama, so when it saw your finger…peck!” Yuto darts forward just slightly, raising his one free hand and closing his fingers together like a beak. He playfully jabs at my soft hair, making me giggle incessantly.

“Y-Yuto…stop!!” I squeal, softly swatting away his mischievous attacks. “You’re not a bird!”

He lets out a laugh, too, finally stopping his antics and focusing back on the baby sparrow. He takes up a more serious but just as gentle tone as he continues to explain. “Did you see how it raised its head and opened its mouth? That means it’s hungry! Let's go find it some food, yeah?” He tilts his head at me and smiles, standing up once more and holding his hand out for me to take.

“Okay!! Let’s go find some!” I hop excitedly as I take his hand, only for a sharp pain to shoot through my own.

“Owie!” I yank my hand back close to me, and Yuto whips around, fear on his face as for a moment he thinks he’s accidentally hurt me. But as he sees my bandaged fingers, his face softens to one of mere concern.

“Are you alright, Sayaka? How are your nails? Tohru patched you up nicely, right? Do you want me to find her again so you can get more ointment?” His slew of questions tumbles from his mouth as he grows more troubled, remembering whenever his own little sister would get hurt. 

“N-no, I’m okay. I just squeezed your hand too hard. It’ll go away in a second, I think.” I look down at my bandages, particularly on the hand I just hurt. No blood, that’s good. I’m okay.

“Okay! Sayaka is ready to go again!”

Yuto chuckles softly, some worry still apparent but mostly fading with my infectious enthusiasm. He holds his hand out, even more tenderly this time. “Okay…be gentle to yourself now, or else the pecky birds are going to come back!”

“Noooo!” I start to giggle again, before I remember…

“Oh yeah! Yuto! How was your dinner with Tohru?”

Yuto’s steps falter momentarily, and he lets out a small gasp, as if he didn’t expect to be asked that question. He probably thought I forgot! How silly!

He laughs somewhat sheepishly, looking down at me with an all-too-big grin and his face, and clearly blushing. “Oh, you remembered that! Thank you for asking, Sayaka! Well…it was really nice! Tohru is a very sweet woman, and she is an amazing cook too…you know, my favorite food is katsudon, and guess what, that just so happened to be the food she made! I didn’t even tell her that! I told her, I said—‘You’re already being so kind, offering me food to repay me for something I’d have done anyway, so please, just make anything you want…’—and she made katsudon! It was perfect! What a coincidence, right, Saya—” Yuto stops abruptly as he suddenly remembers who he’s talking to, realizing that he’s rambling on giddily to someone so young, who probably just wanted a simpler ‘It was great!’ type of answer. But I just look up at him with shining eyes, smirking and humming contentedly. 

“That sounds like it was sooo nice! Katsudon is so yummy! Mama used to make it for me sometimes, but I still like omurice better!”

A wonderful idea suddenly hits me. I stop in my tracks and gasp loudly with a long inhale, and spin around towards you, following a few paces behind and listening to the entertainment quietly.

“Oh my goodness! I have a great idea! Yuto! Yuto!” I jump up and down, clinging onto his hand and the edge of his white sleeve. “Douma and I should plan a date for you and Tohru!”

Yuto suddenly looks like all the wind had been knocked out of him. He takes a few seconds before saying anything, and the silence is almost comical.

“A…A-a date? Why do—why do you—you think, um—” He clears his throat and grabs at his collar to get some air. “Tohru and I are just friends. A-acquaintances, even.” 

I look up at Yuto with a deadpan expression. How could he be such a dummy? He’s acting just like Uncle Gi-Gi; being so obvious, but never doing anything about it.

“Yuto. She invited you to dinner. She made food for you.”

You snicker behind us amusedly as Yuto gasps, shocked to hear me talking in such a matter-of-face way about something so adult. ‘I guess kids really are perceptive…’ he thinks to himself.

“I—I guess. But—you don’t think it’s too soon?” He looks between me and you. He feels so silly, asking this sort of thing to a five-year-old girl and his religious leader, of all people. 

“No!! You gotta do it now, Yuto!” I shake his arm vigorously. “Who knows what’s gonna happen! That’s what my mommy would always say. You have to spend today like there’s no tomorrow! Follow your heart!” I smile with my eyes closed, remembering the inspiring words my mother would tell me when I’m down. 

“O…okay! I will! I’ll plan a wonderful day and…tell her how I feel! Thank you, Sayaka!” He smiles so brightly. I keep thinking it…He really reminds me of Mister Rengoku. 

His smile drops. “But I don’t…I don’t really have any ideas. I don’t know all her favorite things…I haven’t done this sort of thing in a long time…”

“I told you, silly! Douma and I can help you!! We’ll help plan! It’ll be epic!” I grin from ear to ear, excitedly.

[douma-upper2]

*Douma is mostly focused on keeping his hands and open and stable as he can to avoid hurting the other two baby birds, as even compared to humans; they are extremely fragile. He looks up and strides over as you cough before addressing him. Birds playing dress up? That was certainly a new one...did humans with pet birds usually dress their birds up? Though now that he thought about it he occasionally saw some slayers crows with little accessories...but crows were much bigger than baby sparrows...* "Hmm...I cant say that I do, perhaps some can be made- ?!" *His eyes widen slightly in surprise to the little bird seems to mistake your finger for prey. Though being rather unfamiliar with young birds he is not sure how to help and is concerned he might accidentally injure it, Thankfully Yuto steps in and seems to know what he's doing.* "Are you alright my little one?" *Douma gently takes a look at your finger and is relieved to find that aside from the previous nights injuries; you are no worse for wear. He then very gently moves the little bird you were holding into his cupped hands with its siblings while Yuto suggests helping you find the little birds something to eat* "They usually eat bugs but if I am not mistaken they are also old enough to start eating small seeds as well-" *He looks over at you once more as you yelp, he also checks over your fingers with you* "Yes, please be gentle with yourself Sayaka" *Douma requests, gently petting your hair with his free hand. He then stands and continues on the pathway through the garden, listening curiously to your conversation about Yuto and Tohru's little date. Admittedly the way both of you talk about human food makes him wish he could try it, however he wasn't exactly sure how he would be able to fit in enough blood to the recipes to make any of them safe for himself. Hearing Yuto's rather oblivious response he tries his hardest not to laugh outloud but a small snicker does manage to escape him* "I think that is a splendid idea Sakaya, We'll help him plan the date. After all Yuto you and Tohru are rather adorable together" *He remarks, paying you a well deserved compliment*

[kabooseye]

I jump up and down at your compliment, squeezing your legs in my arms for a quick but fierce hug.

“There’s no time like the preheat!” I squeal, sprinting off to the end of the hallway.

Yuto turns to you, brow slightly raised, “Does she mean ‘there’s no time like the present’…?”

I turn back, expecting you both to be right on my heels, but you both have barely moved an inch in the millisecond that I ran here. My brows furrow as I thump my foot on the ground. I curl my hand, palm facing me, ushering you both to hurry in a frantic gesture. You and Yuto make your way over in what feels like forever. I squeal again, running into my big room. As you both enter, you find me grunting, trying to push a small desk into the middle of the room. 

Yuto chuckles and helps me push it. “What are you doing, little one?”

I ignore him, far too focused on my task. “Douma! Two Chairs! Umm, ummm- papers and markers too!! Poof!” I say sternly, messing up the word pronto. “Yuto, a board! Poof!” You and Yuto return with the items I requested in record speed. Yuto wheels in a medium-sized cork bulletin board as well, usually used when any of the kids want to display their artwork. You had gotten these art supplies a while back when you first learned that human children need a lot of things to keep them entertained, or else chaos ensues.

You scoot one of the bean bags by the bed over towards the desk, and I take a seat across from the two of you as you sit down in the chairs. I grab a green marker and go to town, furiously scribbling and mumbling to myself. My tongue darts out as imaginary fire flares behind me, and made-up smoke flows from the papers in my intense determination. 

“Got it! Douma! Post this, poof!” I hand you my drawings to pin to the bulletin board, and I get up as you sit back down. I drag over my beanbag closer to the board and stand on it. I balance unsteadily on the uneven surface, now eye level with the drawings. I slap my hand against the board for emphasis. The top one is labeled “Yutohru’s purrfect date!!!” with some kitties and flowers decorating the blank space.

“Yutohru’s purrrrrfect date!!” I boom, pointing to two orange and pink kitties, in my mind representing Yuto and Tohru. My mannerisms and volume feel similar to a military leader, or even to the flame hashira, my heart blazing with passion. 

I pull the paper, revealing my next drawing under it. On it, a hastily drawn orange cat stands at a door with a basket in hand. “Yuto will ask  Miss Tohru out on a picnic date! Inside the basket is……” I pull down to the next drawing. On this one is a messy drawing of fruit sandos, steamed pork buns, honeydew, books, and a blanket.

“You guys can eat yummy yummy food! Looking at this is making Sayaka a little hungry…And then, after, you guys can read! ‘Cause I think Miss Tohru likes reading…she’s very smart…” I pause while looking at Yuto questioningly, hoping for some sort of confirmation.

He beams, excitement sparkling in his eyes. “Oh, that’s a wonderful idea, actually! Tohru was telling me that she likes reading out in the garden. So I’m sure she’d really like it at a picnic! And she loves fruit, and- and I love steamed pork buns actually, I can make some for her, and hopefully she’ll like them-” He cuts himself off as his expression turns to a more bashful one, blushing as he softly laughs at himself as the self-awareness hits of just how giddy he sounds.

“Perfect! Sayaka’s so smart!!” I grin from ear to ear, proud that I had made such a good guess.

I pull the paper down again to reveal the next drawing; on this one is the temple’s rooftop and two kitties sitting, leaning their heads together as they watch the stars.

I jump up and down on the beanbag, my excitement uncontainable, “This is my favorite part!!!!! My mommy says the stars are the most romantic, happiest, calmest place in the wholeeeee wideeeeee world!!!! We would watch the stars every night, and I would make a wish when I saw shooting stars!!!! You can take Miss Tohru up to the rooftops and sit!!! Then you guys can make the pretty star pictures like the belt or the dippy! And maybe you guys can make a wish!!! She will love it!! My momma approved!!!” 

I glance over to you. “And that’s our plan! Right, Douma?” You let out a small snicker as you nod, finding it hilarious that “our plan” consisted solely of my ideas.

I jump down from the plush surface, running in excited circles around Yuto. “So, so so so!?!!?!? Whatcha think!?!?!” I run towards your chair too, tugging on your pant leg. “Awesome, right!?!?” A few coughs rumble in my chest, but I continue, my excitement unbothered.

You can’t help but laugh at the silly irony of the whole scene as I stand there, clinging to your pants with the most joyful look on my face. Only yesterday, that new and bothersome Upper Five killed the poor bandit girl, and you had to confront her as she had some weird and potentially dangerous fascination with me. You went so far as to request an Upper Moon meeting. Not that it changed anything for the better…the way Muzan seemed to be on her side almost immediately was rather strange. And why had she walked off with him? Where is she now?

The previous night’s worries try their best to seep into you now, but as confusing and dire as they are, the sheer difference between yesterday and today made it almost impossible. How was that only one night ago? It doesn’t feel like it, not with your little lamb making new friends during a pancake breakfast, and planning a date of all things for two of your followers, that’s for sure. The absurdity of the past week or so has been almost comedic. You can’t help but smile.

I fall back onto the floor, panting, “So?” I repeat, brushing a few stray hairs that are sticking to my sweaty face.

“That all sounds so nice, Sayaka! And I really mean it, too.” He turns to you curiously. “Savior, I know the temple is pretty secluded here, but do you know if there are any distant city lights that can be seen from the top roof?” He smiles sheepishly. “Tohru and I were talking at dinner about where we grew up, and she told me about how, before she moved to live here, she lived in a town a little elevated on a hill, and she misses being able to see lights from the big city below. Along with the stars, it would be nice if I could give her just a glimpse of something similar to that, you know?” 

He’s so hopeful. So full of life.

“Let me think, did she mention any other of her favorite things…Oh! She said her favorite sweet is castella, I could make that as dessert…” He trails off as his eyes light up with the ideas running through his head.

[douma-upper2]

*Douma reaches down to pat you on the head but you have already scurried down the hallway and were waiting for him and Yuto to catch up; You certainly were your mother's daughter...her fellows would certainly be proud with how fast you have become...He certainly was. He chuckles softly at Yuto's question and nods* "Indeed she does" *He swiftly strides over to you, deciding not to keep you waiting leaving Yuto to follow behind. He also jumps in to help you move your desk after setting the baby birds somewhere safe so they do not get lost or injured and decides to humor you and get what you requested, coming back before Yuto. He was well aware of childrens need to be entertained to keep them out of trouble, having bore witness to and occasionally aiding in said chaos many times.* "Here you go my little one." *He hands you the paper and markers before setting down the chairs. He sits down as Yuto wheels in the cork-board and you get to work on the drawings* "Alright, how about like this?" *He suggests, pinning the drawings into place before sitting back down, a smile cracking across his face as a result of your adorable yet efficient planning. He thought this whole scenario was rather precious. He listens to you curiously, getting his own ideas to add.* "It is a very good plan, although I have a couple of ideas to add if you would both like to hear them?" *He suggests, though a giggle does manage to escape him as he notices that at the moment the plan was entirely your ideas, although it was a pretty good plan thus far. He gently scoops you into his arms so that you can see what he's doing before grabbing a bright red marker and adding his own ideas to paper before pinning them to the board as well.* "How about, along with the honeydew melon; we add cherries and strawberries as well since they are easily cut into heart shapes?" *He suggests pinning it up a drawing of strawberries and cherries some whole, others cut into shapes beside your drawing of a picnic basket.* "And then how about instead of the roof; how about somewhere that is just as beautiful? The libraries terrace?" *He suggests, pinning a quick sketch of the library terrace which is close to books, has a small table, is visible to the stars, has a view of the entertainment districts lights and has miniature rose bushes growing in flower-boxes. The previous nights troubles clawed at his mind against his will but he forced them back for the time being. He had his suspicions as to what was going on behind closed doors between the two, but he wasn't sure which was the correct one. He suspected that either his ego got to his head and she took advantage of his guard being down toward his minions and focused on the slayers to mind-fuck him, or they were in cahoots with her unaware of his eventual double crossing....there was a chance that he was just to busy with the slayers to put any more of his brainpower toward his moons shenanigans and was generally being foolish...but he would never let any of his colleagues let alone his current master know that was a suspicion.* "Ah that sounds like a good idea. Very well done Sayaka-chan" *He says with a grin, gently ruffling your hair*

[kabooseye]

“That sounds wonderful, Lord Founder! I haven’t been back to the library in awhile…besides yesterday, of course…and I don’t believe I’ve ever been on any of the balconies. I didn’t realize we could see the Entertainment District from here, that will be perfect!” He beams, and I dart up from the floor to watch him take a marker and paper for himself and quickly jot down a few abridged notes with far less (no) kittens, much to my disappointment. He finishes and grins proudly at the list, tapping the marker against the table a few times before standing up.

“Alright, I have a lot to do before later then, so I’m going to get started right now. I’ll see you later, Lady Sayaka.” He smiles sweetly at me while patting my head. “And Founder, you too. Thank you for your help.” 

As he leaves the room, small chirps echo from a corner. I whip my head around, remembering my new feathery friends and my responsibilities to care for them.

“Douma! Come on, we have work to do too!” I squeal excitedly as I run up to the small box with towels you had set aside as the fledgelings’ very temporary nest until you could make something more properly suited for them. “Let’s go find some birdie food! And make some birdie clothes!”

♡ *:･ﾟ⊹˚₊‧⁺

It is now late afternoon, and Yuto’s nerves are shot, but he’s buzzing with excitement too. He’s lucky that this plan had been made early in the morning, or else he probably wouldn’t have had enough time to pull everything off. 

Now he’s walking down the last few hallways leading to Tohru’s room, a large basket of food in one hand and a small cloth backpack slung over one shoulder, with blankets and books for the picnic. He feels almost dorky with how much stuff he has packed, for a date that Tohru hasn’t even yet agreed to…what if she’s busy? What if she’s already eaten and isn’t hungry? It is already going to be evening soon…What if she’s taking a rest day for herself? That would make sense, given how traumatic yesterday was. Yuto himself is still pretty shaken. But that’s another reason why doing this today is a good idea – to take her mind off of everything. As the only nurse, she’s always so focused on others’ well-being. Which is lovely, of course, but she deserves a break, to have someone else take care of her for once.

But the worst possibility of all still coils knots in his stomach…

What if she just doesn’t want to spend time with me? What if dinner last night really was just polite courtesy, and nothing more? Am I overstepping?

He shakes the thought away as he turns down the last hallway and spots the door where Tohru had led him yesterday. He remembers he tried to make small talk on the way there, and she tried her best to engage…but she had still been visibly distressed from the events prior that day. What was it he had said again? What was it she had said in return?

✧.°

“You know, we don’t have to do this right now. Or at all. You’ve- we’ve all had an awful day today.” Yuto smiled understandingly and tried to catch Tohru’s eye, but she kept her face tilted down. Oh no…was she getting sad? That wasn’t his intention at all. “Just- There’s no need to rush into something else that’s going to burden you with more work. It’s okay to rest and take things easy for a little while.”

She suddenly snapped her head upwards in protest, eyes meeting his gaze and blazing for a moment before her face returned to her usual calm nature. “No, no, Yuto! I promise you are not a burden. Making food is not a burden. I appreciate it, really. I- I am sorry that I’m still out of sorts. But this will be good for me, too. I haven’t really interacted with many of the other followers here in a while, aside from medical matters, and, well…after a day like today, the company is bound to do me good. Your company, in particular, has been nice. Even just in the past few days.” She returned Yuto’s sweet smile. 

That last comment had made him blush profusely, though he tried his best to hide it as they made their way inside her room, which was more like a tiny apartment in itself, with two connected rooms instead of just one. The main area that all the followers had was a room with tatami mat flooring and a futon for every resident, with a small kitchen area with a low stove off to the side. Though there were already a few infirmary-type rooms throughout the temple, Yuto could see through an open shoji door that Tohru had her own room further back where several raised hospital beds lay, with other medical equipment surrounding them. 

It looked so sterile and felt jarringly different from the warm atmosphere that the main room had. The beds were empty now, with no patients to treat…but how weird that must be, for Tohru to have a constant reminder of her job here. How sad, having to bring that stress and responsibility into her home – which in his opinion, should be kept separate, so she could enjoy her space and keep it safe for her own heart and mind.

✧.°

“Your company, in particular, has been nice.”

Yuto shakes off the memory as his own subconscious interrupts his thoughts, repeating what Tohru had said to him the night before.

Why am I still thinking about that?

He feels so silly, letting himself get caught up on one phrase like it’s some sort of confirmation of her having feelings, too. But it’s just stuck, for some reason. Maybe it’s the way she said it? Maybe it’s the way her golden eyes had shined so beautifully as she looked up at him through her dark lashes, like a warm sunrise glowing even brighter as it reaches its brilliant rays through summer leaves?

That last thought makes him shiver in a gross amount of sudden self-awareness, and he makes a sour face, hanging his head defeatedly.

Maybe it’s just because I’m delusional.

He hadn’t felt this way about anyone since…since he was a young teen? Maybe? He can’t even remember. This feels different, anyway. This feels like more. 

How utterly hopeless.

Yuto pauses at Tohru’s door, brows creased upwards in anxiety. 

Pull it together, Yuto. It’s not that hard of a task. Just knock, ask if she’d like to spend the rest of the day together, and take her to the garden for a picnic. Then you can go from there.

He takes a deep breath, standing a little straighter, and knocks.

It’s only a few moments before Tohru slides open the door. Her face lights up immediately, and it makes Yuto’s heart melt and tongue tie, the rehearsed script in his mind turning to nothingness.

“Oh, hello Yuto! I was hoping it was you.” She smiles softly and tilts her head to the side. “How are you today? Do you need anything?” Her eyes wander curiously over the basket in his hand.

He can’t believe how much her demeanor has changed since he first met her, though it was merely a couple of days ago. She spoke so formally, and seemed reserved and almost closed off…and while she is definitely still the quiet type, she has – at least to Yuto – opened up a lot more, and become much more comfortable with being casual. She’s even sweeter than he initially thought. Like last night, when…

✧.°

Tohru took the pan off the top of her stove and slid the food into two bowls already filled with rice. She was just about done…

“Alright, you asked me to surprise you, so…we’re having katsudon! I know it is not typically a dinner dish, but I figured metaphorically starting the day over would be nice–”

She cut off as she saw Yuto’s face. His mouth was open in shock and he gasped.

“What, what?! Is something wro-”

“No no no, not at all! I’m–” he laughed at the absurdity of his own reaction. “I’m so sorry to have worried you, Tohru. No, I’m just surprised – you’ll never believe what my favorite food is…”

Tohru let out a sigh of relief. She stared at him for a few moments in curiosity, blinking.

“Umm…what is it?”

“Katsudon, silly! Really, it is! There’s just no way, this is such a cool coincidence, you must’ve read my mind…”

Yuto rambled on excitedly while Tohru blushed, though he didn’t notice.

“Silly.” That sounds pretty endearing, doesn’t it?

She smiled at the thought and let out a small giggle.

Yuto stopped mid-sentence and tilted his head inquisitively. “What’s so funny?” He asked teasingly, grinning from ear to ear. 

“Oh, nothing- I just think that’s a pretty amazing coincidence, too.” 

Yuto beamed even brighter, his face flushing. “Right?! I think you’re pretty amazing–” He cut himself short and immediately reddened even more, eyes widening in sudden panic. “Uh, sorry, I just– well, with this whole dinner and everything, you know, it would be rude of me t-to not think you’re amazing, objectively, anyone would–” He decided to stop talking before he made himself sound even more stupid. He subconsciously averted his gaze and focused on his hands held nervously together on the small wooden kotatsu in front of him.

Tohru walked over to sit across from him, bringing the bowls of katsudon with her and setting one down in front of Yuto, who was now quiet with embarrassment.

She leaned her head forward to catch his eyes, extending one hand out to lay gently on top of his own. He stiffened and looked at her.

“You’re okay, Yuto. You don’t have to apologize. It actually means a lot, especially coming from you.”

His nerves calmed, and he relaxed his shoulders in relief, his smile slowly returning and making its way into his eyes. Tohru couldn’t help but notice what a rich, gorgeous color they were. A red-brown, unlike any she’d seen before. They were fascinating.

Yuto twisted his hand around to hold hers delicately, just for a moment. “Okay. Thank you, Tohru. You’re very sweet.” He let go and grabbed his chopsticks, looking in awe at the delicious meal in front of him. It smelled tantalizingly tasty, more so than the kind he usually made for himself, and he knew it would remind him of the katsudon that his mother used to make for him when he was young. 

The kind never got to make for his little sister, since she was always feeling too sick to eat. 

A warm and homely flavor, laced with grief.

He glanced up at Tohru. 

Maybe I’ll remember it differently now.

✧.°

“Yuto?”

Tohru is still smiling at him in the doorway. He’d blanked out for a second, at a loss for words.

“Oh- uh, hi Tohru! Good afternoon! I’m doing well, and I was just wondering,” – he clears his throat – “if you would like to, um, maybe join me in the garden? For a picnic? I made the food this time.” He smiles sheepishly, lifting up the basket slightly.

“And! And, if you’d like, I was hoping to steal you away for the rest of the day…I had an idea for how we could spend some time together afterwards, too, if you’d be willing…” His blushing face is angled down, but his eyes peer up at hers hopefully.

She brightens even more, surprise etched on her face. “Oh, I would love to! Are we going now? Is the later portion a surprise?”

Her immediate agreement stuns Yuto, but only momentarily, as the feeling is quickly overtaken by joy. 

She seems so excited!

“Yes, yes, we can go now! Come on!” He laughs, gesturing for her to follow him, and she does so, closing the shoji door to her room. “I’d like the plan for later to be a surprise, but I’ll tell you now if you’d rather know.”

“No, please.” She laughs too. What a beautiful sound. “I love surprises.”

As the two stroll down to the garden, they continue chatting, the conversation flowing naturally. They pass by the tree that Yuto helped the birds from, and he looks up, remembering this morning.

They walk a few paces farther as Yuto makes his way to the spot that he had scoped out a bit earlier, underneath the garden’s old weeping willow. He had debated between it or one of the cherry blossom trees, but while the latter would be nice, it felt a bit cliché. In his mind, the willow is just perfect. Its hanging leaves are still a bright yellow-green somehow, despite it being winter, and they almost graze the floor, making it feel enclosed and almost dome-like from beneath. It feels warmer, too. The light from above filters through its leaves and coats everything in a gentle green summery haze, including the tiny stream that runs alongside it, dappling the water’s surface and the lotuses that flow slowly atop it with a glow.

He approaches the tree and pushes some of the dangling tendrils of leaves aside as if he’s opening a door. “After you,” he smiles, bowing his head slightly. Tohru returns it and thanks him as she walks underneath the leaves, and he follows, setting down the basket of food on the soft grass at their feet. He takes the pack off his shoulders, grabbing the first blanket from on top, folded compactly and neatly. It’s large, and has a kiku-hanabishi pattern, pale yellow chrysanthemum diamonds against a golden-yellow background. He puts down the bag as he shakes the blanket out flat and sets it on the ground, making sure to smooth out the annoying corner that always seems to fold back over itself. 

He moves the basket and bag onto the blanket, and sits down with his legs criss-crossed, patting the space next to him to gesture to Tohru that she could too. She does, sitting on her knees, and looks on in curiosity as Yuto begins taking out food.

It all looks delicious. Nikuman in a seiro, a small bamboo basket with several fruit sandos filled with strawberries, kiwis, and mangoes, a ceramic bowl with a sakura flower pattern filled with honeydew, and strawberries and cherries cut into little heart shapes.

Tohru’s heart leaps, and she puts her hands against her mouth to cover a small gasp as Yuto takes out another basket and opens it, revealing mouthwatering castella.

“You remembered! That’s my favorite!” 

Yuto chuckles as he sets it down next to the rest of the food spread. “Well, of course I did. You told me that only a day ago, anyway. I hope I made it well.” He gives her a hopeful smile before turning his gaze towards the fruit. “Oh- and the fruit, I was debating on putting something else together, because between that and the sandos, I was thinking to myself, ‘Is this too much fruit?’ But I opted to just keep them, they’re really ripe and tasty- Oh! And, also, the strawberries were pretty easy to cut into hearts, they’re kind of already that shape, but I severely underestimated how difficult it would be to do the same with the cherries- I kind of had to carve them since they kept coming out too round, so I apologize since some of them look kind of wonky–”

In an instant, Tohru scoots close and throws her arms around Yuto in a hug, catching him off guard and making him stick one hand out against the blanket to catch himself from falling backwards. His face flushes as his brows raise and mouth drops slightly in flustered shock before turning to a wide smile as he returns the embrace. “Aw, I- uhm…” He’s too giddy to even get any words out.

Tohru leans back and sits down once again, this time settling a little closer to Yuto. “Oh Yuto, I can’t believe you did all of this for me! Thank you! And you had so little time, too, how did you manage to pull it off?”

Yuto shrugs and smiles. “I don’t even know. It’s a little embarrassing to admit, but Sayaka and even the Founder helped me with planning. I can’t take all the credit.” He laughs bashfully. “Most of the time was spent on the shokupan for the sandos. I was really struggling, if I’m being honest. I haven’t made fresh bread in a long time.” 

His eyes dart back to his cloth bag as he remembers something. “Oh yeah, here–” He takes out another blanket, keeping it folded, and hands it to Tohru. This one has a light blue and white seigaiha pattern, like waves in an ocean. “I brought it just in case you get cold. I know it’s a little warmer under this tree for now, but if we’re out for a while, it might get chillier. It is winter, after all.”

Tohru takes it gratefully and smiles, running her fingers along the fabric and observing the pattern. 

He really thought of everything.

“One more thing,” Yuto begins. He reaches into the bag again and pulls out a few books. “I brought some books as well, for if I get too boring to talk to,” he laughs half-jokingly, sounding nervous. 

“But even then, just spending time with you in silence is something I’d be grateful for.” His eyes lock with hers, and he suddenly feels warm. He hopes he isn’t being overly sentimental. 

He clears his throat and continues more casually, “I know you like to read in the garden, but I wasn’t sure what kind of books you like to read, so I brought a few different genres as options…”

Tohru still can’t believe it. Just a few days ago, she hadn’t ever interacted with Yuto, and now here she was, practically on a date with him, spoiled beyond her heart’s content. 

She laughs. “You’re not boring, Yuto.”

✧.°

They end up talking and eating for far too long to get into books, though. Hours pass, and the light from above dims to a cool heathery blue as dusk sets in. 

They both lie down now on the blanket in opposite directions, face up, looking through the willow’s canopy overhead. The stream beside them bubbles lullingly underneath the sound of their chatter.

Yuto squints as he sees the glint of a star peak through the leaves. 

“You know what, it should be dark enough now.” He turns his head over towards Tohru’s face across from his. “Are you ready to go? Or do you want to stay here longer?” 

Tohru raises a brow in curiosity. “Dark enough for what? Ready to go where?”

Yuto smiles back. “Your surprise.”

She brightens with excitement as she sits up. “Let’s go now!”

“Okay! Perfect!”

Yuto gets up onto his knees and starts putting away everything into the large basket that he had brought the food in, and the books back into the small bag. Tohru offers him the blanket he had given her, still neatly folded. She hadn’t ended up getting cold after all. But he took it, and instead of putting it back in the cloth bag, opened it up and draped it around her shoulders.

“You’ll need this. It’ll be cold.”

Yuto stands and holds out his hand to Tohru to help her up. She smiles and takes it, deciding to keep it there, intertwining her fingers with his as his face flushes. He grabs the large blanket with the kiku-hanabishi pattern on it from the floor, deciding to just tuck it unfolded under one arm so he doesn’t have to let go of Tohru’s hand.

They stroll back inside the temple, and Yuto stops by his room quickly to drop off the baskets, grabbing something from the small bag and putting it in his pocket.

“Alright. Are you ready?”

Tohru nods eagerly.

He leads her back through a few corridors, and she follows curiously, walking close to him, hand in hand. He eventually reaches the library’s entrance and holds open the door for her.

“We’re going to catch up on the reading we didn’t do, hm?” Tohru smiled amusedly. 

Yuto shakes his head, laughing. “No. We’ve got to go upstairs for this.”

His laugh turns to excited giggles as he turns to face her and walks backwards, pulling her gently towards the spiral staircase that leads to the upper levels of the library. They make their way to the highest floor, heading towards one of the balconies.

He lets go of Tohru’s hand to step ahead to open the door for her, cool air rushing to meet them. She gives him a grateful smile, pulling the blanket around her tighter as she steps out into the breeze.

The balcony is wide, furnished with a few outdoor wooden tables and chairs. Large rose bushes line the sides in flower boxes, and some had grown to snake around the stone balusters. Yuto strides over to the edge, turning on a small gas lamp that’s set on one of the tables, casting everything in a warm glow. Tohru follows him, noticing just how high up they are as she sees the tops of trees below them. Yuto grabs onto the balustrade, leaning against it, and points to a spot in the distance.

“Look.”

Tohru gasps as her eyes follow his hand, and she sees bright city lights. 

“Is- is that the Entertainment District? I had no idea we could see it from the temple! It’s just like…” She trails off as she looks up excitedly at Yuto, who has a knowing smile on his face.

He remembered.

“...just like the city I used to see from my home.”

Yuto nods with enthusiasm. “Yes! You can only see it from this one balcony, though. The rest are positioned at too odd an angle. But here, you get a wonderful view, though I’m sure it's a bit farther than the one you’re used to, unfortunately…”

Tohru shakes her head, turning her attention back to the city lights. “No, no…that’s fine, it’s perfect,” she breaths. “The last thing I ever saw of my home was the fire that took the town. But this brings back much nicer memories. Thank you, Yuto.”

“Of course.”

“I never longed to live there myself, you know. The city. I was perfectly happy in my little town. But for some reason, those lights just fascinated me. I thought they were beautiful.” She laughs. “The one problem with them, though, was that they were close enough to my home that it lit up the sky a bit, and it was hard to see the stars.”

Yuto’s eyes sparkle. “Well, you know what else is great about this balcony?”

“What?”

He reaches over to the small table and turns off the lamp, pointing upwards. “The overhang is missing.”

Tohru looks up. He’s right. She hadn’t even noticed before. Where there had once been an overhang, the temple stone is broken away with age, and is now open to the sky. 

Her eyes take a moment to adjust to the darkness, and she gasps as her vision clears.

The stars. There are so many of them. She can even see a faint streak of blue against the pitch black sky where the Milky Way shines. 

She stares, slack-jawed in awe.

“I- I don’t usually go outside at night anymore. And the view from the garden is so small. This- this is gorgeous.”

She looks back down at Yuto, who is not watching the stars, but her, with the same look of wonder in his eyes.

He looks away as his face reddens, and he shivers a little. Tohru notices and frowns with concern.

“Are you cold? It’s windy up here. Why didn’t you bring a blanket for yourself?”

He shrugs. “I don’t usually get cold. I didn’t think I would need one.”

She huddles right next to him and his eyes widen in surprise as she drapes half of the blanket he had given her around his shoulders, now covering the both of them. 

“Is this better?”

He stiffens and looks down at Tohru flusteredly as his breath hitches. Her being pressed up against him is giving him more warmth than the blanket is. Her golden eyes shine even brighter with the light of the stars reflected in them. 

She’s so beautiful.

“Y-yes. Thank you,” he murmurs, unable to look away.

She breaks eye contact first, Yuto following suit, looking back at the city lights, and then the stars. They stand in silence for a few moments, enjoying the view together, and Yuto relaxes his shoulders and leans into her just a tiny bit.

Tohru suddenly has an idea. She looks down and sees the roses that had overgrown into this section of the balusters, and discreetly reaches to pick one, holding it behind her back.

“Yuto,” she starts, turning to face him again with a wide smile.

“Mm?” 

She sets one hand on his chest and leans close to his face teasingly. “I have a surprise for you now.” 

Yuto is caught off guard, and is sure he probably looks stupidly flustered right now, with how much he’s blushing. He feels so nervous, for some reason. He can’t even get any words out, and he doesn’t know what to do or what’s going on. 

But he knows he doesn’t want to be so stiff, to shy away from her touch. He tentatively brings one hand up to hold her back softly near her shoulder, and the other instinctively heads towards her waist, but he stops himself indecisively. 

Tohru giggles playfully as she brings her arm forward and puts the rose between their faces, the velvety petals lightly brushing Yuto’s nose.

“A flower. For you.” She moves the rose away slightly so it doesn’t touch Yuto’s face, and leans back a bit, her closeness to him now making her nervous too. She looks down sheepishly. “It’s not a whole garden picnic with city lights and the stars, but…”

“Thank you.” Tohru can barely hear his words with how quietly he whispers them. He takes it delicately in both of his hands, and he looks down reverently at it as if he had just been handed the world. “I love it.”

Yuto breaks his gaze from the rose and gives Tohru a giddy smile, one hand reaching into his pocket.

“I have something for you, too.”

He takes her hand gently and holds it open, placing in her palm what was in his pocket and closing her fingers around it before she can fully see it. 

Tohru is shocked not only at the fact that Yuto has a gift for her, but also by how cool it feels, almost like ice. She opens her hand and gasps.

It’s a necklace, with a thin gold palma chain. It doesn’t have just one pendant, but rather several charms of a blue stone towards the center, leading to the biggest piece in the middle. It’s carved into the shape of a dragonfly.

Tohru gasps in amazement, her cheeks starting to heat up.

“This is…this is for me?” she breathes. She can’t even process the situation enough to thank him yet. 

The stones are beautiful and ornate. They’re an icy blue, with a hint of aquamarine shining through their semi-transparent frosty surfaces. Though Tohru is holding them in her warm hands, they remain cold against her skin. They aren’t melting. It feels like ice, but it certainly can’t be.

“Wh…what is this? This stone?”

Yuto shrugs softly. “To be honest,” he whispers, “I don’t know. I found it in the hallway outside the library. But it looked beautiful, and by then I knew it was your favorite color, so it reminded me of you…and the gold, well, it complements your eyes.” 

Tohru just stares at him in disbelief, too awestruck to even say or process anything.

“I wasn’t sure what to make the main pendant, what you’d like best,” he continues. “But I think a dragonfly is pretty relevant right now. It symbolizes happiness and good fortune. Change, but the courage to go with it. The strength to move forward when all seems lost. Like a dragonfly. They can fly in any direction, choose any path, but always move forward.” He smiles, a little tiredly, a little uneasily. “I don’t know what’s going on here. Why we were attacked. It was scary. Terrifying. And who knows what’s to come.”

Tohru’s brows crease a little in worry, unsure where he’s going with this.

“But we can’t let fear take over our lives. Stop us from following our hearts.” He reaches for her hands, being careful not to let the rose in his hand prick her. He holds them tenderly, curling her fingers around the necklace once more as he closes the rest of the small distance between them. “We don’t know what tomorrow will bring, Tohru. But all I hope is that, even if things get worse…with each day, you can find a little happiness amidst the change. I…I want to bring you happiness. If you…if you’ll let me.”

Her eyes sparkle with wonder as she gives him a sweet, surprised smile. 

She looks so beautiful.

 I wish I could just…

“We’re here to get to the Eternal Paradise. Each for our own reasons. And I’m not saying to let that go. But maybe…maybe we should focus a little more on spending each day working towards making our lives now a bit more like paradise.” Yuto pauses, glancing down at the necklace before flickering his eyes back up to hers, his throat suddenly dry. He swallows, “And…and maybe for me…my paradise starts with you.”

Tohru can hear her heart pounding in her ears. It’s beating quicker and quicker, as his words make their way into her mind.

“Maybe my paradise starts with you”...?

 Is he saying…?

She peers into his eyes with intrigue and fascination. The coolness from the stones in her palm battles against the warmth from his hands on hers.

“Maybe my paradise starts with you.”

Her mind whirls with joy, hope, courage, giddiness…and maybe something more, as Yuto’s words echo in her head. Could this truly even be real? Could this finally be the start of her happy ending? After all the care she’s given to other people…to have someone care about her in the same way? No, no…in a way that means something more, even?

Yuto starts to feel self-conscious amidst the silence, and worries that maybe he is being too forward. He pulls back gently, the blanket covering his shoulders nearly falling off, and he leans over the balustrade again.

He clears his throat, his gaze locked onto the roses curling along the balusters. “N-nevermind! For-forget I said anything…” He clears his throat again, his hands starting to fidget with the rose Tohru had given him. He spins it between his fingers over the balcony absent-mindedly, watching the crimson petals create flowering kaleidoscopic patterns as they zip around in a circle. The silence is killing him. Oh god, how was he going to save this date? It was going so well, until he decided to spill his guts…

“Did you like the lights? And the stars? Like…that I brought you here to see them?” He means to change the subject to sound more casual, but his nerves end up making it seem like he is looking for reassurance. Which he is, but he doesn’t want to make that obvious. 

Tohru blinks a few times, escaping from the rapid barrage of her thoughts, as she notices Yuto’s change in demeanor, finally mustering up the ability to speak. “Y-yes, of course, Yuto. I love them.” She feels so dumb, being too flustered that she can’t even properly accept a gift. 

“And…and thank you so much, really, for this. I don’t know what to say. I just can’t believe you made it for me.” She holds the necklace in her palm once more before laying it onto her collarbone, feeling it cool against her warm skin. Yuto’s face softens again with a little relief as he watches her clasp it around her neck.

“You look lovely,” Yuto muses.

She flushes, smiling brightly in response, and leans against him once more. “I’ll treasure it always. Thank you, Yuto, thank you for today…the garden, the food, the city, the stars, and this…Thank you so much. You truly have made today so, so special to me. I’ll never forget it.”

He hesitates, feeling shy, but decides to put his arm around her shoulder and pull her in closer. She doesn’t resist in the slightest. If anything, she sinks deeper against him, leaning her head gently on his shoulder.

“This was part of Sayaka’s idea. The stars, I mean,” he laughs quietly, happily, his breath stirring the air in the cold. “She said that her mother told her that anywhere you watch them is the most romantic place in the whole world.”

Tohru’s breath catches at the word.

“Romantic?”

She feels Yuto stiffen a little once again. He looks at her just barely, out of the corner of his eye, not wanting to fully see her face. Not wanting to crush his hopes if she looks disappointed or disgusted. But he’s reassured by the way she doesn’t leave his side.

“Romantic. Yes.”

There’s her confirmation. That he’s not doing all this just to give her a nice distraction. But that he feels something more for her, too. She had thought so, but wasn’t completely sure until now.

“She also said we should, and I quote, ‘make pretty star pictures like the belt or the dippy.’” He smirks in amusement, squinting and looking upwards, searching the night sky. “As a matter of fact, I believe that’s the Big Dipper right there. Oh! And there’s the little one below it.” He points upwards, tracing his finger along the constellations to show Tohru, feeling himself getting giddy again.

But she doesn’t look up at the stars. Her eyes remain on Yuto’s, their brilliant auburn glowing in stark contrast against the indigo-to-black gradient of the sky. She still finds them so captivating.

He did all of this for me…

Her feelings suddenly rush over her like a wave. She knows it’s so soon, but she just wants to- no, she shouldn’t, but- like Yuto was saying, they don’t know what tomorrow holds, what if she just—

Yuto gasps excitedly. “Oh my gosh, a shooting star! Tohru, make a w-“

He turns back to face her and is met with a quick peck of her lips against his. 

They both instantly redden. Yuto drops his rose on the balcony floor as his hands weaken. Tohru turns away quickly, looking sheepish, even taking a step back.

“I’m so sorry! Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry, Yuto, I don’t know why—”

But she can’t get another word of her apology out before Yuto pulls her to face him fully with the arm around her shoulders, and brings the other to her waist, delicately, reverently. 

He brings his face down to hers, mere inches apart. His next words are barely a whisper, just a breath.

“Please…Please don’t apologize.” 

He kisses her. Softly. With the gentleness of a breeze just barely brushing along her lips. And she melts. 

Tohru lets out a sigh as her eyes close, her heart nearly jumping to her throat with a mix of relief and disbelief and exhilaration and joy. She puts one hand against his chest, raising the other to his face, cradling his cheek, pulling him closer. 

He practically melts under her touch, too, feeling weak in the knees as she leans in deeper. He brings his hand against her back up to the nape of her neck and behind her head, her soft brown hair catching in his fingers. 

They break apart slowly, keeping their foreheads pressed together. A few moments of quiet pass, the only sounds their own breaths and the last of the crickets still chirping their songs this deep into winter. 

Yuto cups Tohru’s face in his hands, caressing one side of it as he moves his thumb gently back and forth. 

“I’ll keep your heart safe,” he whispers, barely audible against the sound of leaves dancing in the wind. “I don’t know what’s going to happen. I’m scared. I can’t stop thinking about what happened yesterday,” he admits, his voice trembling a bit. “But I know that tomorrow, when I wake up, I won’t be able to stop thinking about today.”

Yuto pulls back his head just enough to fully see Tohru’s face, and he wipes away a small tear that had begun to fall down her cheek. In the reflection of her eyes, he sees fireworks beginning to erupt above, casting waves of luminous color down onto the balcony. They both hear them, but the booming is dull compared to the sound of their own heartbeats. They don’t look up to watch. This moment between the two of them is far more sacred.

“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be than here, under the stars, with you, Tohru.”

She cracks a playful smile through watery eyes.

“Because it’s the most romantic place to be, right?”

He beams back, leaning his head against hers again, looking into her dazzling golden eyes. He lets out a soft chuckle and nods. 

“Right.”

[kabooseye]

- earlier that afternoon -

I suddenly stop abruptly, mid-sewing, and stare at the wall.

You pause from sewing the tiny scarf in your hands and look down at me in your lap, concern filling your gaze as you worry if I’ve accidentally poked myself with the needle.

But instead, I drop my supplies, turn towards you, and tackle you backwards, excitement sparkling in my gaze. You drop your scarf to the side, smiling at me.

“Douma!! I just had the best idea ever!!!”

I roll off of you, scrambling upwards, stepping on your chest as I make my way back to the corkboard that you had dragged to the side of my room earlier. I pull over a small wooden chair that you brought in for our birdie-princess-tea party next to the bulletin board. I step on the seat, standing proudly.

“No more making birdie fashion!! They already have three outfits with matching shoes, jewelry, ANDDDD accessories each! Sayaka thinks she’s truly outdone herself!” I say, bringing my hand to my chest and puffing it out proudly. I don’t currently understand that little bird shoes and jewelry are probably not the most functional ideas, but you’ve decided to leave that problem for future you to handle. 

“Sayaka’s birdie boof is oh-fish-ally closing!” Ten ice animals get up from where they had been stationed to help, shuffling out the door. 

As they leave, I wave to all of them from the chair, “Thank you, Mister Frog! Thank you, Ms. Cheetah! Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Toad! Thank you, Mister Sea Lion! Thank you, Miss Kitty! Thank you, Miss Phoenix! Thank you, Mister Ferret! Thank you, Mister Panda! Thank you, Miss Fox!”

I turn back to you, “Instead,” I begin, a mischievous smile spreading across my face as I point at my doodles from earlier, “we should spy on Kitty Yuto and Miss Kitty Tohru!!”

I immediately make my way back to you and lean onto your knee, hopping eagerly. “I just want to make sure it goes well!”

I blink innocently, all the sweetness in the world in my big blue eyes. “Sayaka-would-also-like-new-spy-outfits-too,” I say all too quickly with the most precious smile on my lips. How could you ever say no to me? You are in for a wild, wild ride; or rather, a long, long day.

[douma-upper2]

*Douma smiles kindly at Yuto, another odd, bright feeling flaring up in his chest; though he could not quite tell what it was yet. He was glad you were both so excited and was sure that Tohru would be as well assuming Yuto didn't back out at the last second.* "You are welcome Yuto, I hope you both have fun and please let me know if you need any assistance" *Douma said with an excited looking grin. As Yuto left Douma knelt back down beside you and nodded in agreement to your suggestion to find the baby birds something to eat and then make them their little outfits* "It seem's like we may need some help doing both at once, how about I summon some of my little friends?" *He suggests before whistling in the direction of the door which calls over some of his ice-minions in their animal forms. Naturally his ice-fox and ice-panda return but they have some "new friends" following behind them, in the forms of various animals. He requested the ice-peacock who you believe to be a phoenix as well as the two ice-toads and the ice-frog to come with both of you to get the baby birds some food while the others started working on the little birds outfits*

Later in the afternoon

*Douma noticed your abrupt pause and, worried that you had accidentally jabbed yourself with the sewing needle; finished working with the miniature scarf and gently took your hands in one of his to look them over while giving you a gentle smile.* "Are you alright-? Eh?" *He appears to be caught off guard as he allows you to tackle-pounce him into falling backwards, making sure to keep any sharp things well out of your way as you crash-land against his chest. He chuckles softly as he reaches to pat you on the head* "And what would that be my dear?" *He asks, curious as to what you are plotting. He watches you scramble to your feet and over toward the corkboard, giving a quiet-* "Uph" *-as you step on his chest before he sits back up and watches you with a curious smirk playing across his face. He had indeed tried to explain that the little birds might not be able to wear the jewelry or shoes until they were much bigger but naturally that didn't stop you and he had also tried to make them atleast semi-functional, the "shoes" were more akin to soleless socks and the "jewelry pieces" were more like long, colorful bits of string that had been woven together.* "You truly have my little one" *Though he had been mostly helping insure the outfits would be both safe and functional for the birds. He allows the ice-minions to leave once you announce that you are done making the birds clothes for the time being and watches you thank them as they leave* "Yes thank you all very much" *The little birds were taking a nap at the moment after having their own tiny feast, So he figured it would probably be fine to go and see how Yuto and Tohru were doing. He gently pats you on the head again as you lean against him after scampering back over to him* "I suppose they wouldn't mind if we were to go check on them" *He hums curiously as you suggest new spy outfits, getting a quiet laugh out of him. He couldn't possibly say no to you now; besides dressing you up as a little ninja and watching you scurry around would be absolutely adorable* "Haha, Alright then lets find you a little ninja costume then"

[kabooseye]

I throw my hands in the air in triumph, “Yay!” I somersault away from you, heading towards the door. I stop after a few, sitting up right. My head sways slightly.

“Wait.. where do we get spy outfits? And and we need spy names!”

[douma-upper2]

*He watches you as you roll over toward the door, chuckling softly as he stands and strides beside you, pausing just in-front of you incase he needs to stop you from crashing into the door. He then gently scoops you up and sits you on his shoulder* "Hmm good point... Ah I know, Let's go check storage, sometimes the other kids that live here pretend to be ninjas and spies in their games so there might be a couple of extras" *He was pretty sure there was only one extra and that it would only fit you considering his uncommon height. But that would be okay, he could be sneaky if he needed to. He hummed curiously at the suggestion of "spy names" not having heard the term before* "Spy names? Like what?"

[kabooseye]

I pick two tufts of your hair in my left and right hands, pretending they’re handles, “Goooo this way!” I tug on the left tuff, taking you in the completely wrong direction. I duck my head under the door frame.

“Yayyy! Spy costumes! And and I dunnoooo… you choose! Sayaka doesn’t know spy names. You come up with them! Sayaka can touch the stars now! Lalalala!” I continue to tug mindlessly at your hair.

[douma-upper2]

*Douma smirks softly as you decide his hair would make for an appropriate set of reigns and decides to go left as you request, even though it is the wrong way* "Alright but we'll be going the long way" *He explains while making sure that you do not bonk your head. He hummed softly as he made his way toward the storage room while still somewhat following your directions. Some of his followers passing by happen to notice this sight and respond with quiet laughter and cheerful smiles* "Hmm I don't know much about spy names either i'm afraid..." *He chuckles softly as some of his ice-minions in the shapes of sootsprites jump overhead, just high enough for you be able to reach out and touch them before they land* "maybe....mister wolf and miss lamb?" *He suggests, thinking aloud. Though now that he thought about it, wasn't there a game by the name "Mister Wolf"? Or was it "Mister Fox"? He couldn't remember, but he remembered that some of the other children played it some times and it sounded like a version of tag of some sort. Upon finally reaching the storage room, something very sparkly demands your attention from the wall beside the door. A large sprinkling bottle of translucent, bright pink glitter shimmers in the lamplight. Perhaps Douma might let you keep it? He sets you on the ground beside him and starts pawing through the boxes of spare clothing* "Let me know if you find anything else that you find interesting, alright?"

[kabooseye]

My hands let go of your hair as they travel to your face, opening and closing your eyelids. I cup my palms over your eyes.

“Preeettyyy…” I muse, watching the sootsprites jump around. I let out a giggle, leaning up impulsively to chomp one. It crackles in my mouth and feels cold.

“Yes yes! I will beeee… Mister Wolf! And you can be Miss Sheep! Hahahaha!”

As you enter the room I see something sparkly gleaming from the corner of my eye. I whip my head towards the color, tugging your hair gently in that direction before you set me down. I wander around, my eyes swirling around the room to try to find the sparkle again. My eyes widen at the sight of pink glitter and I scramble for it, stepping over old artifacts, dust coating the air. A tumble of coughs rumble through my lungs. I wave my hands through the air to clear it.

“Douma? What’s this?” In the same moment, you spot a box of black clothing.

[douma-upper2]

*Hearing the crunch of ice, Douma swiftly disperses that ice-minion before any of his blood, from the blood demon art he used to create them; could get into your system. Perhaps he ought to suggest that you refrain from eating the ice-golems? It wouldn't do to eventually return you to your mother's friends as a little imp. Though the thought of having a younger, newly turned demon in his care again and the fact that you would be positively adorable as an imp, with little baby fangs and little baby claws; was annoyingly tempting. But he knew that not only would it make you extremely stressed, you would probably be furious and broken hearted at the same time. He chuckles softly at your guess* "Good idea...but let's switch those, they'll never see it coming" *Douma suggests, reaching up to gently pat you on the head. As he sets you down he flicks his eyes in the direction you were pulling his hair towards and swiftly spies the glitter before a box of black clothing labeled "Costumes" catches his attention* "Ah there they are- Eh?" *The room had a great many treasures and items scattered about half organized. A round basket as tall as you are is full of parasols, a shorter square one is has an assortment of masks, a box in the corner has what look like fans poking out of it, some large, wooden chests crammed in a corner looked to be filled with actual jewelry, fancy hair-pins and gemstones, on a tall bookshelf there was a multitude of candles of various heights and other knickknacks, there were toys and crafting supplies scattered about, a mannequin in suit of samurai armor stands tall in a corner surrounded by pots of various size and height, stacks of books were everywhere you looked, boxes and racks of clean, mended, folded clothing lined the walls, and the glitter sat atop a jar of marbles that reached your waist and behind it was large vase filled with decorative silk flowers.* "Ah that would be glitter, it is often used in making masks, fans and other crafts sparkly when metal shavings or gemstone dust is to expensive. But sometimes people like to sprinkle it around because they think it looks pretty" *Douma explains as he helps fan the dust away. Admittedly it has been a while since he had dusted in here, but that was largely because he didn't mind the dust and it didn't seem like anyone else had.....but now that he thought about it he probably should...*

[kabooseye]

“Wow…it’s so pretty,” I breathe in wonder, holding the jar of glitter up to the light, “Sayaka likes it.” I scamper back to you, grasping your pant leg with one hand and holding the bottle up high with the other so you can see it sparkle.

“My mommy would like this stuff too!! Especially if it was shiny and silver!!! Like little stars!”

I tilt my head at you, craning my neck to look up at your colorful eyes as I stand on my tippy toes. I gently tug your pant leg.

“Can we bring her some for when we go visit her, Douma?? Or when she visits us? She’ll come see me from paradise, right? She didn’t forget about me, right?”

My lips twist into a wobbly smile, clinging onto hope.

[douma-upper2]

"It is indeed, though be careful where you sprinkle it, it likes to stick onto anything it can and tends to get absolutely everywhere" *Douma makes sure to warn her of what he has noticed about the sparkly flakes. He crouches down to your height and smiles at you gently* "I'm sure she would like it very much, maybe I can find you some that is star shaped next time I am able to head into town" *He suggests gently stroking your hair as you ask if you can bring some to your mother she visits or if you can visit her* "No my dear, she would never forget about you. No mother would be able to forget a daughter as sweet as you. I'm sure we'll be able to visit her someday but it might take a while, and she might visit you in your dreams first" *He explained. Although it was, as far as he knew; another lie fabricated from what he knew humans believed about spirits, dreams and the afterlife to avoid breaking your heart by telling you the cold, hard truth of the matter. It was odd to him, his whole life part of him wanted to talk some common sense into those who believed such things but now he did not think he would be able to bear you finding out the truth as he was certain it would bring back that odd, watery, painfully heavy sensation that took root in his chest when he first tried to explain it to you.* "I'm sure you will be able to show her any glitter you can imagine in your dreams"

[kabooseye]

I gasp, “Toooown?! When, when? Sayaka wants to come!! Mama and I would always buy food for birdies and we would sit on a bridge and she would sing!!” I lean into your touch, pressing my cheek to your thigh, nuzzling slightly. I pocket the glitter, maybe I’ll use it later. Maybe I can sprinkle it on my drawings, or even sleep with it under my pillow so I can show it to my mommy in my dreams!

“Yay! I can’t wait to tell her all about you Douma! She’ll really like you. And we can play forever!”

I open my eyes and squint in deep thought, “If Mama is in paradise right now, and we can’t get to her, I bet Auntie Bou-Bou and Uncle Gi-Gi are pretty sad too. Maybe…after we spy on Kitty Yuto and Kitty Tohru, we can go visit them? Together? That way they won’t be so sad! We can tell them the good news about where Mama is!!”

I suddenly spot an odd wooden crate that drags my attention from my thoughts. On it, the word “FIREWORKS” is written in big bold letters. I jump, tugging into your hand again, “Ooh-Ooh!! Fireworks! Fire!! Like-like Mister Rengoku! We should use them!! And put on a show! For Yuto and Tohru!!! Oh please please please pleaseee?” I start to sink to my knees like I would do for my mama when I wanted to get my way.

[douma-upper2]

"It may be a few days my dear...You know I heard that one of the nearby towns will be hosting a night-market in a couple of days, It might be fun" *Douma suggests, gently petting your hair and smiling softly as you decide to hold onto the glitter for safe keeping. He gently scoops you up into his arms* "I hope she does... and I'm sure her friends miss her too, however I still don't know where we can go to find them" *He reminds you that as far as you know he has no idea where to find any of the hashira, and during the last few days neither of you have had time to really get your bearings. Though now that he think's about it, it may be for the best for you to get better before taking you beyond the temple.* "Hmm...I'll tell you what, once we are done checking on Tohru and Yuto, we can go up to the roof and take a look around and if you see anything familiar we can go visit them once you start feeling better, okay?" *Douma suggests though he is unsure if you heard him due to your attention being distracted by a box labeled "Fireworks" making him chuckle softly* "Maybe if we can find a big enough pond that is further away from the temple, fireworks are very dangerous in forests with big trees like this" *He explains, wanting to be safe and not cause a forest fire but also not wanting to disappoint you. He holds up a ninja costume that looks like it's the right size to fit you*

[kabooseye]

“Okay!! Maybe I could see the Butterfly Mansion from so high! I bet I could! Sayaka has bigggg eyes! Like an owl!” I giggle and part my eyelids wide so you can see more of the whites of my eyes, not realizing how silly I’m making myself look. “Mister Rengoku says I have very pretty eyes just like my Mama!!”

I let go and blink a few times, redirecting my attention to the costume you now hold in your hands.

“IT’S PERFECT!! SAYAK- I MEAN, MISTER WOLF, WILL PERFORM HER MISSION UNDETECTED!!” I point theatrically towards you. “Along with sidekick ninja Miss Sheep!! We are the best spy team there is!”

I scamper over to the box of fireworks, trying my best to pry it open but stepping back and plopping down to sit with a melodramatic sigh when it doesn’t budge. My hair falls in front of my eyes, and I swipe my hands across my sweaty face.

I shake out my hands a bit at the ache in my still-injured fingers, though I am more frustrated than hurt, “Miss Sheep, this is your job now! Mister Wolf will go change into spy clothes!”

I unceremoniously get up, grabbing the costume from you and running to find some privacy behind a few large crates. One short arm reaches behind my back, trying to tug my tight obi loose. “This is hard work…Mister Wolf is tireddd.”

[douma-upper2]

*Douma chuckles and gently strokes your hair* "I bet you probably could" *he holds the costume up for your inspection* "He would be correct then, they are adorable" *Douma gently sets you down on the ground before handing you the costume* "Thats right! We'll be so stealthy they won't even know we're there" *He watches as you try to open the crate labeled fireworks, allowing you to try despite knowing that you couldn't possibly open it. He then carefully tucks your bangs behind your ears, his hands cool against your forehead.* "Alright, I think I can handle it, might be a bit tough though" *He was rather concerned that your fever might be picking back up again but he wasn't exactly sure how to convince you to rest without disappointing you. He steps infront of the firework crate while you duck behind others to change* "Remember what I showed you? Move the knot around to your frontside so you don't have to struggle to reach it" *He reminded you as he pretended to struggle to pry the crate open before easily prying it open, nearly snapping the lid in half* "Ah I got it, lets see here...Oh they have dragon shaped ones"

[kabooseye]

“Mister Fox and Miss Sheep goin’ on a journey,” I sing as I shimmy the obi towards my front, “To spy- uh, I mean, to make sure Yuto and Tohru have a great day!” I pull the end of the obi loose, pushing the navy kimono off my body. I leave everything on a heap on the floor before jumping into my new black keikogi and hakama.

“With us on the case, nothing can go wrong!” I pick up the new black obi and skitter back over to you, not even attempting to put it on myself.

“Miss Sheep!” I hop into a salute, my limbs stiff at my sides, eyes sharp. I’m unable to keep a serious expression as I fall into giggles. I hold out one arm as if bestowing the obi to you.

I throw my arms out to the sides, letting you tend to the belt. I rise on my tippy toes, looking over at the crate with the fireworks once again. “Hmmmm…fireworks sound sooo romantic, so we don’t wanna miss the date when they see them!! Maybe another spy can set them up? Maybe an ice-spy?” I gasp with realization at my unintentional joke. “Ice-spy! Like “I Spy”! The game! Sayaka is sooo funny!!”

[douma-upper2]

*Douma continues looking through the fireworks to see what all was in the crate since he didn't remember when he got them but presumably he had taken them from bandits he has long since devoured and just shoved the fireworks in here not knowing what else to do with them.* "Make sure you collect your kimono and obi from the ground over there please" *he reminds you before you come scampering over for him to tie your costumes matching obi-belt* "Thats right my little one" *He says, chuckling softly as he ties your obi belt for you before reaching to tickle your sides to make you laugh some more* "there we go" *He boops your nose before returning his attention to the fireworks* "Hm? Ah that could work, my spirit friends could lend us a hand" *He whistles and a trio of ice-raccoons made to look like Tanuki spirits come scampering into the room and he explains that he needs them to find a reasonably sized pond or lake nearby for them to set up the fireworks and set them off at*

[kabooseye]

The ice-tanuki grab bundles of fireworks with their icy little paws and hobble off on two legs to fulfill their mission. I watch them go, still giggling a bit after being tickled, and dart back behind the crate to grab my kimono and obi. I bring them and hold them up to you, standing on my tippy-toes.

“Ack! H-here, Douma!” I stutter as part of the long, thick kimono sleeve falls onto my face. “Sayaka doesn’t know what to do with them,” I mumble into the fabric. 

“You need to find something to wear, too! So we can be matching spies!” I lean over a wooden crate, my hands hanging onto the sides as I rise on the balls of my feet.

“Outfit for Douma… outfit… where…” I mumble to myself.

[douma-upper2]

*As you toddle up to him with your clothing in hand, Douma gently scoops you into his arms, gently taking the clothing in one hand* "Ah don't worry about it, Today is wash day so I will just wash them once we are done checking in on Tohru and Yuto and they will by dry by daybreak; okay?" *Douma watches you as you look around trying to find a matching outfit that will fit him; unfortunately you have no luck, everything in here looks to small... He smiles softly* "Don't worry my dear, if I do have a match it will probably be in my closet" *He explains, giving you a gentle pat on the head* "Would you like to wait in your room while I look?"

[kabooseye]

“Yeah!! Let’s go! And then we can finally go spy on the kitties!” I laugh mischievously as I give you a tight hug around your neck, “I’m having so much fun already!”

[douma-upper2]

"Alright my dear" *He says with a chuckle as he carries you back to your room so that you can wait for him there. He was uncertain about leaving you by yourself even momentarily but considering the sun had yet to fully sink below the horizon he figured that you should be safe.*

[kabooseye]

You place me down gently on my bed and I swing my feet back and forth over the edge. I plop onto my back as you leave, looking up at the fake stars on the ceiling. I just sit in the quiet in a rare moment of patience as I wait for you.