✧█ ＳＴＡＲＬＩＧＨＴ ｆｕｒｕｂａ acc. 1

[frayedflower]

He knew, of course - he didn't know Eri through and through, but he knew enough to know she changed skins as often as her zodiac sign. But Naoki didn't fault her for it. What right did he have? Everyone was the way they were for a reason, and he knew her story was no exception. "Oh, no no, you're mistaken my dear lady, " he reassured her quickly, waving his free hand in the air. The smoke danced in a slow, winding trail after the cancer stick. "I'm actually quite happy today." Which just showed his habit went beyond the strain of his daily grind, but Chieko didn't need to hear that. She'd start flinging those abominable patches at him again and glaring.

"This one's for celebration! There's no reason for trouble today, " which was of course, why Eri was probably completely right and everything was going to go to hell. Still, so due him for being an optimist, right? "The blossoms are beautiful, the wedding will be soon... " The maid interrupted them, but it was just as well; he wanted to hurry there. After all, it had been ages since he'd seen Yasu, he had to wish Aka and Chouko the best, swing Ai up high in his arms so she could be closer to the low hanging branches, he had the dance with Chieko, and...

... the way the snake coiled around his arm did not escape his notice. His smile softened when she hung back, all too familiar with the signs that she was becoming fearful or overwhelmed. He caught sight of Aka - but he couldn't drag Eri over there, not knowing the kind of relationship they had. So he settled for a wave for now, motioning with his index finger that he'd be there in 'one'; one second, one minute, one whatever it took. He couldn't just abandon her like this; even if Chieko was there too.

So, he found a much safer target: Umeki, sitting apart from the crowd on a bench beneath the lanterns. The two weren't on terrible terms, as far as he knew. Absolutely perfect. "How about instead, you come with me to go say hello to Ume-chan? Would you like that?"

[frayedflower]

Ever hear of a self-fulfilling prophecy? Kouyou was about a thousand percent sure he was having one of those days. He knew today was going to suck, but because he knew it was about to suck, ninety percent of what had happened to him today was completely his own fault and no one else's. It was like God was ******** with him, and yes, this time that god could totally be Aka because that a*****e totally would screw around with him like this. And in front of Ira too... like that guy had to tell him this was just perfect! He was the one that had just grown a fur coat and started puking all over the goddamn guest room floor!

The tiger's fur bristled when Ira touched it, but Kouyou actually savored the contact. There were so many sarcastic responses he would have loved to give to that first question, but nope. Even if he was just spitting up traces of bile now, his throat was burning like it had just touched a flame and there was no way yet he was doing anything but groaning hoarsely. His head was still swimming bad, and when he was through, his head drooped forward almost as though he were falling asleep. Which he wasn't, not exactly. It was similar to that sense of dizziness just before sleep, but not quite the same. He was aware that Ira was petting him though; any other time he would have made a remark about how he wasn't a goddamn house cat (no offense to Hotaru), but this was different. Ever since he'd been a kid, Kouyou had rarely gotten sick. So when he had, it had always felt a thousand times worse than it was. First his mother had taken care of him, and then Chieko, and this... he just badly needed that small trace of reassurance.

"Could've told you that without the ******** mess, Captain Obvious, " he managed to choke out in response to the 'messed up' part, and at least he got his voice working again even if it hurt like a b***h. ******** he wanted a drink after that. God he wanted to fall over and curl in a ball for weeks after that. Hell, he was so damn mortified, he -- didn't really understand why Ira had stopped petting him until he realized he was trying to ask him something. Oh yeah, walking... because they should probably go find someone or... oh ********, did that mean everyone was going to see him like this? ******** hell. "Yeah, " and he leaned lightly against Ira as he took a deep breath, closing his eyes as the other man began to downright tenderly wipe off his cheeks; he had some bearings to regain and some more ******** butterflies to assassinate. "Just need a sec, just... "

His ears went back, tail low and eyes downcast as he said, somewhat suddenly, "I'm sorry, Ira." For what; ruining the sex, leading him on, for annoying him, dragging him into his messes: maybe everything and more. "I'm really, really sorry."

[xxPEACHFUZZ]

▉▉▉▉ ♔ ▉▉▉▉▉▉▉▉▉▉▉▉▉▉▉▉▉▉▉▉

* s - set ┇ mex❤xFREE ╯
leave me bexxxleave me bexxxleave me bexxxleave me bexxxleave me bexxx
xxxxxxxxxx→ i don't.WANNA 〈 f - fall ✿ 〉
xxANOTHER ⊱ M ✿ M E N T INTO!YOUR
g - gravityxxxxg - gravityxxxxg - gravityxxxxg - gravityxxxxg - gravity


✿ where: living room - gardenxxx✿ with: kisei, tamikoxxx✿ thoughts: yay festival.xxx✿ wearing x


Tamiko looked like a lamb in a lion's den. The brunette was flushed and fumbling with her words, it seemed like something had happened. Ai hugged Tamiko and gently brushed a stray hair out of her friend's eyes. "Thank you Tami-chan. You look incredibly beautiful too." The Rabbit opened her mouth to ask about Tamiko's trip to investigate the noise, but she closed it immediately. Her intuition wasn't always great, but Ai was almost certain something had happened. She decided not to ask, and cleared her throat. "I'm glad I found you, I was afraid you had gotten lost on your investigation." She giggled, and gave her friend a wink. Maybe it wasn't the best thing to say, but it wasn't the wrong thing either. If something happened, Ai would know by Tamiko's reaction. She shouldn't pry too much though, The Rabbit was aware of the fact that strange things went on in her home. It was Tamiko's right to process whatever happened or didn't happen in her own way. Ai grabbed her friend's hand affectionately and squeezed it. She prayed that Tamiko wouldn't be this nervous the rest of the evening, there were a few family members who would definitely eat her alive.

"Sorry, I have something I need to do. I'll see you three out in the garden." The Rabbit perked up at the sound of Umeki's voice. She had been so lost in her own head that she didn't notice The Ox standing right in front of her. "Ume-" Before she could greet her, Umeki was gone. How had she not noticed that her cousin was standing right there? Although she did have a way of being silent, to the point of being unnoticeable. The brunette bit her lip; she had hardly spoken to the Ox since she helped her the other day. Ai decided she would thank her later at the festival. With a small sigh, she turned to Tamiko and Kisei. It seemed like everyone was headed to the garden. "Why don't we go join everyone? It seems that the festival will be starting soon." She grabbed Tamiko and Kisei's hands and gently started to lead them out of the living room. Ai pushed her lips out in a small pout; she realized that she hadn't seen her beloved brother at all today. It had been a busy one, with Kisei and Tamiko, but she was excited to see her brother in his formal wear. She giggled, Yasu always looked sleek and cool to her.

Speak of the devil and he shall appear. Well, Yasu wasn't really a devil. Most of the time. The Rabbit spotted her brother as the three passed the kitchen. He was with Cas, and both of them looked like princes. "Yachan! Yachan!" Brown locks bounced as Ai waved excitedly at her brother. Her heart felt lighter, and she grinned from ear to ear; Yasu was the only one who could make her so energetic. After the crazy events that had happened today, it felt nice to see her brother looking so happy and calm. Even with her excitement, The Rabbit observed that Yasu seemed to be having a conversation with Cas...or something. She calmed down, and regained her peaceful manner. She didn't want to interrupt. "You both look like so handsome. A gentle smile. "I will see you at the festival." Another giggle, another smile, and a graceful wave. As she continued to guide Tamiko and Kisei to the garden, Ai wondered if her brother had heard about the crazy events of today. He probably had already heard; he had eyes and ears everywhere.

The garden was definitely a sight to see. Beautiful flowers everywhere, and bright lanterns hanging in trees. The whole place seemed to sparkle. Ai looked around in awe; everything was perfect. "Doesn't it look beautiful?" She gasped, looking at Kisei and then Tamiko. The garden was Ai's place of sanctuary, and it melted her heart to see it look so beautiful for tonight. She let go of her cousin's and friend's hands, and whirled around. Her face had an expression of excitement and satisfaction. "Tonight is going to be so much fun!"

ooc: sorry i got kinda lazy at the end ;_____; wanted to get something out before work!


┅ ┅ ┅ ( ❤ HERE ) iam &x&' I.S-STAND
xxxxxxxxxxxxs - so tall! s - so tall! s - so tall! s - so tall! s - so tall!
xxxxxjust!the W - WAY ⇡'M﹝ ✿ ﹞SUPPOSED to bex!
but you're on to mexxxbut you're on to mexxxbut you're on to mexxxbut you're on to mexxx
but you're on to mexxxbut you're on to mexxxbut you're on to mexxxbut you're on to mexxx
xxxxxxxxxxxx◟ A - AND allover ┇ ❤ me

[Alexa the White Rose]

Tamiko stood there trying to put on her best smile even after Umeki had left and Ai was dragging both her and Kisei to the garden. The way the girl held their hands was like a mother leading her two small children. At this point Tamiko did feel like a child with the way she just wanted to run and hide, but sadly she couldn't. She was rather glad that Ai had not pried into asking what had happened after she had left Ai's room to investigate the source of the commotion; after all what was she to say? That she witnessed her cousin Kouyou kissing and touching Ira in the hallway? Even Tamiko herself still couldn't believe that she had seen that with her own eyes, but then again maybe it was something Ai already knew about since Umeki didn't seem as shocked as Tamiko when she came upon the heated scene. Maybe she herself was overreacting to this whole ordeal and should just not let it bother her, but then again, why did it feel like someone had her heart under their foot and was slowly pressing down to squash it? The brunette simply shook it off, telling herself that it was probably whatever illness she was catching that was making her feel this way. She snapped out of her daze when she heard Ai call out her brother's name, looking over to see Yasu was with Cas - wow they were pretty handsome. Quietly she followed Ai as the girl led her and Kisei outside, where Tamiko's eyes grew wide in amazement over how beautiful it looked. It was like stepping into another world, the way everything was perfectly placed. The girl wondered if the family had hired a professional to do all of this decorating, because she'd be a thousand times more shocked if they did this all themselves.

Tamiko's attention turned back to Ai when she felt her hand be let go, watching as Ai seemed to glow with excitement as this huge smile lit up on her face. Again the brunette tried forcing a smile on her face, but even such a simple thing like that was becoming hard to do when she felt like all her energy was slowly being drained from her petite body. She wasn't sure if she was more hot or cold as she hid her shaking hands under the kimono's long sleeve, not wanting Ai to take notice of it - that girl has an eye for detail. 'Just a little longer...I don't want Ai to think that I don't want to be here.' The question was though if that was really true or not. After what had happened before, it seemed like Ira would most likely not want her here. Kouyou was another who would most likely not want her around either. 'Good job Tamiko, you made two people hate you in one day...' Internally sighing, Tamiko looked around to see if she spotted Akatsuki anywhere; Umeki had mentioned that he would possibly be here somewhere. The least Tamiko wanted to do was thank the young man for having invited her to something she only assumed was meant to be a private family function. It still rattled her mind over why she seemed to be the only family friend who came to this event. Didn't the other family members have friends of their own that they could have invited? Why would Tamiko be the only one to show up. Something seemed a little bit strange when she came to realize that. Was it possible that the family didn't socialize much? That was a question Tamiko would have to ask Ai at another time, since right now didn't seem like the appropriate time for that.

As she stood there she felt her head slowly becoming lighter and the ground was moving from under her. Looking around, Tamiko saw an empty seat, slowly walking over before taking a seat. Maybe if she sat down for a little while she would be alright, hopefully. The brunette sat there, looking around the garden and all it's wondrous beauty. This event was for a wedding right? Or was it an engagement? She couldn't remember what she heard from one of the maids who was gossiping with another maid as she wandered the halls before Ai ran into her with the cake. Tamiko had always thought about what her wedding would be like one day. Would it be a big wedding or a small one? Well, probably small since Tamiko's family was really only her father and whatever family on his side was left. Her mother's side of the family grew distant after her mother passed away. It really depends on the man Tamiko was liking to marry and if his family was big or not. She hoped he would have a big family, it would be nice to have more people she could grow close to. #691F01

[feuillemort]

Akatsuki felt dirty as the elders watched him. His skin crawled and he felt as though there wasn’t water hot enough to make the feeling go away. He did nothing but suffer them in silence, speaking only when it was appropriate. It disgusted him to comply with them in any measure but here… disobedience would only bring problems here. This was not the time to fight against them. That would come later, and all of them knew that this was nothing more than a show, an act that Akatsuki has mastered perfectly. And Akatsuki felt his knees nearly wobble with relief when he heard the golden sound of Chieko’s voice. Even angels could not have been sweeter at that moment. The Jade Emperor turned from the elders in a show of greeting his Dragon, only to find himself being pulled away. He would be the least one complaining.

Once they were far enough away, he could feel her eyes on him, holding him away from her so she could look at him properly. He couldn’t help but smile warmly at such compliments. Then, it was his turn to look over his Dragon. She was adorned exquisitely, and Akatsuki had a feeling she had help from a certain Horse. He could tell in the way she moved and walked that it felt unnatural, but she was truly beautiful. After her laughter had subsided, and inclined his head. “And you’re gorgeous.” He smiled lightly at the memory. He had been… in the best state of mind then. He hardly remembered the transaction between them. “Well, it seems you’ve repaid me.” He said, glancing back to where the elders stood. “Are you sure you aren’t my guardian angel?” When he turned back, he saw her sympathetic, concerned look. Akatsuki always wondered how she did that, how she always knew every time something was wrong, every time there was something off about him. And somehow, he always felt so young under that look, as though he were a child. To her eyes though, he still probably was.

However unintentional, Chieko’s words and actions had the right effect. Akatsuki began laughing once she realized she had smeared his cheek with makeup and then managed to get that lipstick on her kimono. [********] Aka gently pulled her hands apart to stop he fretting, and reached up to her lips, wiping some of the lipstick she had managed to smear off onto her own mouth. “You’re making a mess of yourself.” He said with a smile. Truly, Chieko was not made for things like this. It was endearing that she would go to such trouble for him. His smile faded when another woman approached.

Chouko was more beautiful than he had ever seen her, and that was an impressive statement as the Horse never looked anything less than graceful and lovely. She moved and spoke with practiced ease, the epitome of tradition. He could feel his stomach tighten as she walked towards them, looking as though she were floating. Her act before the elders was flawless. Akatsuki himself almost believed it. He almost wished she wouldn’t turn to him, but Chouko was too good not to. She was expected to greet her future husband. “Chouko-san” He returned her bow, properly, expectedly. “Yes, they must have known today was special, and bloomed all the brighter.” Despite knowing that most of the people in attendance, at least the ones he cared about, would rather be anywhere else but where they were, they truly could not have asked for a more lovely day for a celebration. The evening was turning out to be just as beautiful. A silence fell between them, and Akatsuki broke it. Many times when he and his future wife interacted, they were almost made of plastic. Their words and emotions were rehearsed, even faked, untrue to what they really thought, felt. They felt wooden, doing as expected, and nothing more. This time however, was one of the rare times that Akatsuki spoke the truth of his emotions, and he spoke quietly, out of range of the elder, and Chieko. Though small, moments like these were not meant for anyone else. “Earlier today, I would not have thought you could be even more beautiful than you already are. I was wrong.” And he was not speaking entirely of the way she looked. Her bravery in the face of her duty was something special. He would take her hairpieces and kimonos and burn them if he could, but he could not, so he let her go. He could not blame her for wishing to be away from the elders, away from him as soon as she could. “I will not keep you, lovely one.” It was all the permission she needed.

Akatsuki was suddenly aware of what time it was and he turned to Chieko. "It seems the festival is just about started." He said with a glance to the center of the beautiful decoration, where a floor had been laid out. "I suppose the dance will soon begin. Would you come with me to find Ai?" It was a similar dance to the one held at New Year's, except this time all of the Juunishi would be dancing, not just the Current and Past year signs. He took Chieko's hand for a moment to begin pulling her through the crowd of people. He had a hell of a time getting anywhere though. At every turn he was bombarded with family members congratulating him, wishing to speak with him. He was polite, but managed to get away without taking too long with each person. Finally, his eyes spotted a familiar mass of dark hair. As he approached the Rabbit, he noticed Kisei and the Outsider were with her. What was her name? Akatsuki had almost expected her not to show up. He paused for a moment to look at her, his thoughts running away with him for only a moment. She made him uneasy. They all did, every Outsider was a threat. It was what he had known ever since he was little. But there was an even greater threat coming from the inside and he knew that too. His mask once again slipped into place, the God moved forward, putting himself in their line of sight. He greeted Kisei first with a smile, and turned then to the Outsider. "What a pleasure, Tamiko-chan. I am so glad you were able to join us in our festivities today. I do hope you enjoy yourself." He then turned to Ai, and his smile softened, into a real, genuine smile. How he loved his Rabbit so. He put his hand on the top of her head, careful not to ruin her hair. "Are you ready, Ai? The dance is about to start."

[shinigamijuni]

The persistent ticking of the clock on the wall almost covered up the faint music accompanied by metal clicks that floated from the back room of the Eden of the East Funeral Home. A woman of short stature stood with a huff as she finished staring at the clock for ten minutes. In kitten heels, the woman made her way to the back of the home, shutting off every light and closing every door in her path. The music got louder and louder as she continued to walk. But it wasn't until she threw open the back-most door after entering in a keycode that she was almost blown back by the sheer volume of the grungy rock music that filled the room. Something that looked like a pink mop bobbed to the music. The woman tried not to look to long, but she couldn't help but take in the scene. The brightly lit room looked almost like a hospital, lined with stretchers and medial equipment, however these stretchers weren't filled with patients. Rather, they were filled with clients quite past their expiration date. An old man lay out to her right, and a couple in their forties to her left. In the center of this strange chaos was a single stretcher holding up what looked like an old woman. But the most interesting being in this room, by far, had to be the twentysomething year old wearing a surgeon's smock, face mask, and elbow-high gloves, pink hair jutting out messily from a ponytail, leaning over the woman as he dusted a clear powder over every exposed bit of her cold skin. As if he sensed her presence, silver eyes glanced up and spotted the woman. "Oh! Mia!" her name was yelled over the music and she rolled her eyes, "Good thing you're here! I'm terrible at old lady hair."

"Eiji-kun!" the woman yelled back, but the pink-haired anomaly went straight back to his work, using huge scissors to cut straight down the back of what looked like a rather nice purple suit jacket. "We closed the home a half hour ago! I would like to go home sometime before tomorrow." Without skipping a beat, the occupied undertaker yelled back, "Just come over here and throw some curls in her hair so the family doesn't string me up by my toes. It won't take long!" The sleeve of one half of the jacket was slipped on, "I even have a pretty recent photo for you," The other sleeve was slipped on and tucked under the small woman's torso, appearing as if the lanky mortician hadn't just cut her best suit in two. He stood back, admiring his handywork. "Sir, it's almost five o'clock. Let's please go home. You weren't even supposed to come in today. I thought you asked for the day off."

As if the woman had said a magic word, Eiji Miyamoto flicked his eyes upward, "You know, you're entirely right." The music was clicked off and an eerie silence filled the room. The mortician walked around the table that held the old woman and discarded his gloves and mask, "I'm about to be late to my love's engagement party!" There was no sense of urgency in his voice, just a matter-of-fact statement. "Err... what?" After some reflection, Eiji realized that statement probably hadn't been said... ever... But he had no time to explain. Early was on time and on time was late. And if the pink-haired Miyamoto didn't get home soon, he'd never be able to live with himself. The smock was thrown messily on a counter as the man took two seconds to shake out his ponytail and grab his personal items before whizzing past the poor receptionist. "Thanks again, Mia!" The woman turned and called after her supervisor, "W-w-wait! What about the... clients!"

"Don't worry, they're fine. And I doubt they've got anywhere to be anytime soon!" The front door slammed shut. The walk to the Miyamoto estate was a short one, and Eiji was extremely used to it by now. Having been so busy with work recently, he practically could walk to his place of business with his eyes closed. Upon arriving at the estate, Eiji quickly maneuvered himself to avoid all and any people at all costs. Usually, this wasn't his shtick, but he had to get ready quickly if he wanted to make it to the festival on time. After a quick shower, the boy threw on a simply patterned, blue yukata and popped in contacts to match. As part of the ring of zodiac, Eiji was required to be at the elaborate festival and he wasn't going to disappoint by wearing something boring, like a western suit he wore to work everyday. The whole premise of the festival was supposed to be secret, but the monkey already knew of course, given his best friend was the head of the Miyamoto household. It was all formalities. But the thing Eiji was most excited about was being out of his stuffy morgue and seeing all of his cousins. They'd all be together for the first time in a while, like one big happy family.

A flash of pink hair whizzed past a few busy maids. Eiji was on the estate often, but he never really stood still quite long enough for anyone to pin point his location. He had only been home for work for about thirty minutes, but he was already running through the halls like a child on a sugar rush. But as Eiji rounded the corner headed to Chouko's room, he screeched to a halt. One of the butlers stood in the hallway, collecting what looked like wood shrapnel. Holes lined the walls and a paper door was severely dismantled. Hmmm..." At first, the monkey was a little impressed. Then, realizing that is was probably one of his cousins that did this, Eiji pressed into the hallway. Okay, it was probably a single cousin in particular that did this... At least, Eiji had a pretty good idea. "Hey guy, what happened here?" Taking a closer look, Eiji grimaced at the sight of blood. Switching his blue orbs over to the butler, he waited for an answer. But he only saw the man glance towards one of the unoccupied guest rooms. The door was closed. "Excuse me, sir," the butler muttered as he started walking away.

The Monkey stuck out his tongue as he instinctively moved towards the mystery door. "Bleh. Since when did being twenty-one denote Sir-status," Eiji muttered under his breath, but as he reached out for the door handle, he didn't skip a beat. He wasn't sure what he was expecting to find behind the door, and he really had no idea why he needed to know. It could have been a wild man-eating hyena or something. Either way, he was opening the door. There was no stopping him. "OKAY I DIDN'T KNOCK BUT I'M COMING IN!' Eiji yelled for good measure. And the sight before him, oh what a surprise. His eyes locked onto those of the perpetrator. He almost laughed out loud. "Oh hey Ira! Are you sleeping at the estate now? That would explain the guest bedroom. But seriously, what did the wall do you to you to deser--" As the long-winded Monkey stepped into the room and closed the door he was cut off by the slightly unpleasant scent of vomit. Simultaneously closing the door and looking down at the ground, the Monkey immediately dropped to his knees and wrapped his arms around the furry creature in front of him. "Oh Kouyou. Brother, are you okay?" Rubbing his face in the soft fur, he knew there was only one reason for Kouyou's tiger form. He had gotten in a fight. And from the looks of it, it was with Ira. But somehow, his non-zodiac cousin didn't seem to be in a combative state at the moment.

Okay. Today was the day Chieko had trained him for since his boyhood. Time for Eiji to fix everything! Well most things. If something didn't happen quick, they were all going to be late for the start of the ceremonial dance. And that just really wasn't an option. If he were Chieko, he'd already be in the garden, so he couldn't bring Kouyou to her. But Eiji had a substantial deal of anatomy and medical training under his belt (thank you mortuary school). He would just have to patch these crazy kids up himself. No problem. Pulling away from the tiger, Eiji remained on his haunches. "Alright, twin. We're going to get you cleaned up. Patched up. The whole nine yards. And I will not be asking about the current state of your festival clothes, because I don't care and they appear to be gone. We're getting new ones for you. If you can't walk, Ira's going to help carry you back to Chieko's room. She has bandages there. And it's the least he can do." Eiji shot a glare up at Ira. The Monkey actually liked Ira a great deal. But this wasn't the time or the place. Plus, it was probably his fault his brother was currently in this state. Squishing Kouyou's furry tiger cheeks between his hands, he wrinkled up his nose, "Woah... And we need to take care of that kitty breath. Have you been drinking blood, twin? I don't think Ume-chan would appreciate that." Laying a gentle hand on the top of his head, Eiji stood and looked towards Ira, "I'm going to grab another yutaka from my room. You guys should meet me in Chieko's room so we can get the both of you patched up before the festivities start," And just as quickly as he had arrived, Eiji was gone.

His yutaka was hiked up to employ maximum walking speed, though sacrificing some dignity. But he was almost back to his room. He'd grab the first nice yutaka he saw and bolt to Chieko's room. The first half of the mission was completed in no time, but as he was bolting, he barely noticed he was about to-- SMACK! Eiji ran right into a small obstacle blocking the hallway. "Woah hey!" Grabbing a pair of narrow shoulders, Eiji spun around, miraculously not pulling them both to the ground. Two big, silver-blue eyes stared up at Eiji. "Oh! Chiasa~" Taking her hand, Eiji spun her around, "You look stunning! Let's go!" Without fully understanding that he hadn't even explained why he was running through the halls or holding an extra yutaka or why he dragged her along with him. No time. And soon, they both stood at Chieko's door. Before opening the door without caring to knock, as he had before, Eiji turned to the lovely Rat. "Kouyou is sick and transformed. Ira is with him. We're going to help fix him up for the festival, since Chieko is already in the garden." The Monkey's words ran muddled together as he spoke with out taking a single breath. The energy about him was far to high. If he got any more excited, the hyper Monkey would so be bouncing off the wall. Not to mention it, he was a little nervous about the duty he placed on himself to make his twin better. Kouyou could've been really sick, and Eiji had absolutely no idea if he'd be okay after a cup of water, some advil, and some bandages. But they'd soon have to find out. Missing the festival was just... not acceptable. And though Eiji could care less about how the elders viewed him, he had to be there for his best friend, Akatsuki, and his lovely Chouko. It was their engagement party after all, and he wouldn't miss it for the world.

ooc|| hi hello! This is Eiji the Monkey. Love him. Hate him. Get annoyed by him. xD his profile is here if you all want to take a gander. (Poke, Hana, and/or Sweets, please feel free to move Eiji as you see fit. You may assume, if you so choose, that he gives Kouyou his yutaka and helps patch him up~)

[Bre-Rabbit]

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxW H O ; Naoki and Umeki W H A T ; "I could use that girl.." W H E R E ; Garden O U T F I T ; Kimono

The snake looked up at the dog's serene eyes and gave him a reluctant nod at his suggestion to greet Umeki. The ox seemed to have secure a bench all to herself and Eri was wondering if it would really be okay to disturb her in her solitude. Nonetheless the two walked over to her passing by the guests as swiftly as possible.

"Good evening, do you mind if we join you Umeki?" Before the ox could answer Eri had already sat down comfortably next to her leaving Umeki no room to refuse the proposal. It felt good to actually sit down and take a breather and from where they were sitting they had a view of the entire garden. Eri patted the empty spot next to her on the bench indicating for Naoki to also sit down and enjoy the view. There were very few times where Eri could actually enjoy comfortable silence and take in the scenery with her family members. Umeki and Naoki were like that though, they took everything in stride unlike the meticulous snake.

Eri noticed Ai bounce through the garden with Kisei and what seemed to be the outsider from the other day. Eri had quite the puzzled look on her face as to why this girl had come to the estate again especially with the close call they had two days prior. She looked over to Aka to gauge his expression once he saw the outsider, but he seemed more delighted than anything to see her. Was he really that careless to let such a girl come to a private party especially when so many male zodiac members were around?

Whatever anxiety or fear she had towards the God disappeared in an instant as she began to wonder what repercussions the elders would take against Aka if this girl had discovered the curse. It would only prove how incompetent he was at being the head of the family. Eri had finally found a way to get to Aka and it was this young outsider who had unknowingly walked into a set-up.

"Nao-chan do you know who that girl is?" Eri asked inquisitively as she peered at the young brunette sitting by herself. She seemed to be a friend of Ai's from school so Naoki must've known who she was.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxO O C ; So sorry for this short post guys

[feuillemort]

The Rooster gently slid his arm under Yasu’s proffered one, pulling him close as he began leading them out of the kitchen and towards the front door. “Always ze gentleman, Yasu-chan.” Casimir could have just as easily lead them through the house, in fact, it might have been a straighter, quicker path, but the evening was just so lovely, he wanted to savor the cool air, and perhaps steal a little more alone time with the Keeper as they walked. “Ah, such a lovely night, no? But would I keep you to myself if I could.” He grinned playfully.

--------

Arriving at the celebration, the first thing the Rooster noticed were the lights and lanterns. They were beautiful against the flowers and evening sky. Keeping his arms interlocked with Yasu, he maneuvered his way between people, trying not to bump into anyone. They had, of course, gotten here quite a bit later than everyone else, seeing as they had caught up on their beauty sleep. Realizing what that meant, Casimir stopped dead in his tracks, allowing his companion to run right into his back. His cheeks lit up a bit, seeming even redder in the lantern light.

“How foolish of me… It zeems I completely forgot…” It hadn’t been until this moment that he remembered, all the members of the Juunishi were meant to dance, as a way of opening the festival. It was fortunate that it had not started yet, otherwise he could have been in some trouble with the elders. He turned to Yasu. “Ve must part, for I should find Chouko. Do not get too jealous.” He snickered and placed a quick kiss on Yasu’s lips, not caring who saw. After seeing the look on the white-haired man’s face, his own softened. “Do not worry, I vill save a dance for you.” Pulling back, he turned and disappeared into the crowd, looking for a certain, spectacular someone.

Fortunately, Chouko had never been easy to miss. Her elegance and fantastical attire made her quite easy to spot, and at the moment, she seemed to be alone. Approaching her, Casimir bowed a gentlemanly bow. “Milady.” She was stoic and beautiful as always and Casimir had to admit, he didn’t quite know how he was going to pull this off. She looked as though she could unravel entirely when he so much as touched her, let alone dance with her as she was his chosen partner. He smiled nonetheless.

“I must admit, if zis were a challenge, it is a fine one.” He said glancing over her attire. He tried not to seem too flustered, then suddenly laughed. “I am not even sure where to put my hands.” It was no secret that Casimir was more… attuned to holding men rather than women, but this was a new level entirely.

[shinigamijuni]

ａｎｄ ｙｏｕ ｗｅｒｅ ａ ｈｏｕｓｅ ｏｎ ｆｉｒｅ, ａｎｄ Ｉ ｃｏｕｌｄｎ'ｔ ｕｎｄｅｒｓｔａｎｄ ｗｈｙ
burn me all down to the ground, you said, the fire is on the inside, flames dancing like ghosts, behind the windows
pain jumping from the walls, you want to keep this private, i can see that, but you can't ask that of me, we've only just met, i said
we need hope now more than ever before, do you believe it? the answer was silence ... i'll take it as a no

✢ ✢ ✢ ✢ ✢

YASU MIYAMOTO
ᴛʜᴇ ᴋᴇᴇᴘᴇʀ


✢ ✢ ✢ ✢ ✢



ᙡe all want to be ɴᴏʀᴍᴀʟ anyways
ᙡe all want to be sᴏᴍᴇᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ᴇʟsᴇ than where we live
ᙖut that's not ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴛʏ, it's just point of view



Cas was adorable. Completely unaware of the amount of trouble just placed in Yasu's lap, dressed to the nines, and entirely excited to spend the evening with his cousins, plus a few extra moments with the Keeper, the Rooster's demeanor was almost intriguing to Yasu. He could only smile as Cas took him arm and pulled him close, walking towards the front door. The Keeper was almost jealous of his companion's carefree ways. He knew that his and his cousins' lives were anything but perfect, but it took a special kind of person to look past everything and still find the beauty in life. Just as that thought left his mind, a pixie that went by the name of Ai bolted past the pair, singing her pet name for him while she led two others that Yasu couldn't see away. Amazing. After a sheepish wave back, as the nymph disappeared again, his furrowed brow softened and Cas led the out into the crisp evening air. It was a beautiful night.

a short walk later...

The festival was bursting with life. It seemed to Yasu that every single family with the name Miyamoto etched into their family tree had shown up. Having this many people in such a confined space was a little nerve wrecking for the Keeper, knowing full well that not everyone in the Miyamoto family was aware of the curse. Hardly anyone was, and the elders liked to keep it that way. His eyes scanned the area, searching for his fourteen favorite people. He saw most of them right away, socializing with each other, mostly. Perhaps getting ready for the ceremonial dance that was about to take place. Kouji and the Cat over there, Ai bouncing around Akatsuki and Chieko with Kisei and someone else too short for Yasu to see, probably a non-cursed Miyamoto kid. He was about to give a wave to Naoki, Eri, and Umeki who sat nearby when he was interrupted.

All of a sudden, Yasu's mind was lost in thought and he didn't notice his company had stopped in his tracks. Ramming into the back of Cas's lanky body, Yasu took a step back, letting go of his arm. He didn't even get a chance to apologize before Cas turned around, his cheeks a flaming red. The white-haired Keeper couldn't help but let out a laugh as he pressed a hand over one of Cas's cheeks. He was apologizing for some reason. Then, Yasu realized he must have forgotten about the dance. And to top it all off, the fair Chouko was to be his partner. “Ve must part, for I should find Chouko. Do not get too jealous.” The Keeper laughed again, "Yes, of course. I'll try, Cas," After a last peck on the lips, which left Yasu flushed and slightly stunned, Cas had vanished in the sea of people.

Yasu wished he could have enjoyed those last moments with the handsome rooster more. However, a kiss was not just a kiss anymore for the prestigious Keeper. There were elders all around him, and it was no secret that they showed signs of dislike in Yasu having a romantic life. As his fingers lingered on the place where Cas had kissed him, he looked around for anyone that might have seen. There were people all around, but hopefully they were too enamored by the elaborate decor that they didn't see two towering, handsome males share a small kiss. Oh who was he kidding? Of course someone had seen. He'd have to write it off as a platonic farewell if anyone asked. Taking his hand and pressing it through his unruly locks, Yasu let out a held breath and turned to find a place to perch while the dance began.

Green orbs flicked to Ai who was still around Akatsuki, as they would be dance partners. Yasu frowned as he thought about the irony of his favorite person on this earth paired with his least favorite person. But Yasu knew how much Ai loved her god, and he wasn't about to upset her by souring the mood around the pair. But he would have to remember to tell her how proud he was of her today and how beautiful she looked. Moving away from his sister, Yasu's eyes landed on a group of people that made his frown disappear. An indifferent expression rested on his face as the Keeper took long strides towards Eri, Naoki, and Umeki who seemed to be waiting for the festivities to start. Biting the inside of his cheek, Yasu stepped up to the trio's bench, "Well it certainly is nice to see you guys." The remaining 2/3rds of his childhood trio along with his partner in crime and confidant? Yeah he could get used to this. Though his face was entirely unmoving, a blanket of warmth poured over the young Keeper. Perhaps his prayers were answered. Perhaps this festival was actually going to be a cordial one rather than Yasu attempting to herd cats the entire time.

Taking knee in front of Eri, Yasu absently straightened her obi as he let his eyes smile up at her, "You look stunning, Eri," the Keeper spoke simply, low enough for his Snake to hear. For a moment, Yasu took both of her hands in his as he tried to recall who she would be dancing with for the ceremony. The name popped into his head and he couldn't be happier, "Kisei is a lucky man." Letting go of her hands after a squeeze, Yasu stood once more and turned his attention to Naoki and Umeki. Straightening his own jacket, Yasu cocked his head, "The gang's all back, huh?" The Keeper honestly couldn't remember the last time the three of them were in the same room together, much less within five feet of each other. Umeki and Yasu were separated more often than not for more obvious reasons, but Naoki was just so preoccupied with his job, he barely had time to spend with the family as it were. Memories of their time spent at school together flooded back, Naoki and Yasu teasing Umeki until she turned black and started beating them up. A laugh almost slipped from his lips. The only thing the Keeper wanted was for this rare moment to last, but he knew the dance would start as soon as the rest of the zodiac arrived. "How have you all been?" The question was a grand one, perhaps taking hours to cover everything that Yasu wanted to hear. But he stepped closer to Eri, just hoping that they would at least humor him until the dance started.




ooc: Hmmm... I feel like every Yasu post is like those recap clips that they run at the beginning of television show episodes. xD Feel free to move Yasu, Neppy~ If anyone has any questions, shoot me a PM!

ʟᴏᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ: gαя∂єи || ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴀɴʏ: ςคร - єяι, иασкι, αи∂ υмєкι || ᴡᴇᴀʀɪɴɢ: ѕυιт υρ || ᴛʜᴇᴍᴇ: тнιик σf мє ℓιкє α ѕωαям σf вєєѕ



you're burning alive with sᴛʀᴇss and ʟɪғᴇ
both hands in flames trying to ʜᴏʟᴅ the fire inside
drop and roll, repeat line for ᴇᴍᴘʜᴀsɪs.
i'll ʀᴇᴘᴇᴀᴛ it and ʀᴇᴘᴇᴀᴛ it until you believe it
you're gonna be ᴏᴋᴀʏ, say it to me
the answer is still silence ... i'll take it as a ᴍᴀʏʙᴇ

[walking distance]

As much as Chieko tried to keep Chouko’s words in mind (don’t fight the kimono, don’t fight the kimono) the Dragon was more of a fighter than anything and she couldn’t help but kick at the traditional dress spitefully. The only thing that prevented her from doing that was reminding herself that the Horse should have the kimono in the condition it was in when it was first given to her.

“Gorgeous? You’re just trying to suck up to me,” Chieko laughed, although if she hadn’t already been wearing blush on her cheeks, it would have been obvious that she was turning a bit red anyway, especially being told that she was a guardian angel of all things. If anything she was just glad that Aka was away from the elders; he was like a plant, removed from a harmful environment full of weeds and into the light. He knew that she would do whatever she could to keep that smile on his face, that laugh—even if it meant making a fool of herself and a wreck of her clothes. He was her God and Chieko would always stay by his side. And he was barely an adult, she reminded herself, looking up at him as he wiped the lipstick from her mouth.

When he and Chouko exchanged pleasantries, she stepped to the side, not meaning to get in the way of the husband-and-wife-to-be. From the side she watched them like a proud mother, although she couldn’t hide the concern in her furrowed brows. She loved them both, it was true, for they were her close friends. But it was clear they didn’t love each other and…she sucked in a breath, closing her eyes. It was such a great duty to bear and Chieko knew that she wouldn’t have been able to accept the role so gracefully. And it did feel…superficial. No, no, they’ll learn to love each other, she thought, but it was difficult to even persuade herself. At its core it was a scheme by the elders and nothing they planned ended well.

Before she could linger long enough on the thought, Aka had snapped her out of her reverie and taken her hand. She barely had time to call out a ”Catch you later, Chouko!” before she was pulled away and into a stifling crowd of people. She didn’t know how Aka managed to weave between the many bodies and she couldn’t even name half of them. Careful not to trip on her kimono and drag the God down, she focused on following him and she gripped his hand tightly. He accepted the congratulations with such ease, although her heart ached for him, knowing that his words sounded hollow. After what seemed like an eternity, they arrived at their destination. There was Tamiko, Ai’s cute classmate from the few days before, along with Ai and Kisei and…wait, where was Kouyou? Chieko was sure he’d get flustered after seeing Tamiko all dolled up. Definitely Ai’s handiwork. “Damn, no one’s looked better!” Chieko commented with a smile. What with Ai in her lovely kimono, adorable as always; Tamiko looked sweet enough to give someone a cavity; Kisei in his yukata, he looked more mature than ever. Chieko was sure Naoki would have been proud.

Speaking of Naoki, the Dragon couldn’t help but comb the crowd with her eyes, searching for the Dog. Was the dance really supposed to start that soon? She hadn’t even gotten a chance to tease Kouyou in his traditional clothing yet, or Eiji, for that matter—where were her kids today? She knew she wasn’t supposed to worry for them in the middle of the festivities; they were grown men, after all, but the mother in her couldn’t help but feel concerned for them. “Has anyone seen Kouyou or Eiji?” she asked, trying to leave out the worry in her voice. Chieko masked it with a bit of a smile. Maybe she’d just go look for Naoki, because it would be so embarrassing if they were the last two to get to the dance floor. Her eyes flickered over to see him near Eri, and she was relieved that at least someone was taking care of the Snake. But Chieko wasn’t about to walk over just yet, because Yasu was right next to them, and she didn’t want to spoil the mood for herself.

ooc;; oh man, literal word barf i'm so sorry

[Neptoonn]

where: garden - side of the ouse tab with who: Naoki, Eri - now Yasu tab feeling: nervous tab wearing: outfit


Umeki continued to people watch and for the festival to start, until her concentration was broken by Eri. Umeki turned her head to look at the snake who asked if her and Naoki could join her, but sat down before Umeki could even get out an answer. Thankfully, Umeki didn't mind. "No, I don't mind at all." Umeki then gave a small smile to Eri and her childhood friend, Naoki. They sat in silence for a minute, none of them saying a word. Just watched the rest of their family members make their way into the garden. Well, most of them anyway.

Eri had then spotted the outsider that Umkei had helped earlier, it seemed. Umeki wondered if even Naoki knew who she was, but Naoki was a teacher at the local school, so there was actually a very good chance he did. Especially if she was a friend of Ai's.

Moment's later, out of the corner of her eye, Umeki had noticed someone else walking over to the bench the three were sitting on. Turning her head to see, it was none other than Yasu. At first it surprised her, the keeper coming over and greeting them, but then it made sense. Naoki and Eri were here; that was the main reason he came over, since Umeki and him hadn't really spoken in a few years. Words here and there, but not much else. The elders also didn't like Umeki around Yasu too much. Today would be different, but unfortunately, it would probably go back to how it had been for the past few years after the festival. Umeki hoped it wouldn't.

Umeki gave Eri and Naoki a chance to speak to Yasu, telling him how they were and having a small chat for a moment. Once they were finished, Umeki spoke up. Instead of telling him how she was, she had a question for him. "Yasu, can I speak with you for a moment?" The ox stood up, fixed her kimono, and nodded her head in the direction that she would be taking Yasu to have their talk. Umeki began to walk towards the side of the house, to where the two would be alone. This wasn't a conversation for anyone else but the two of them.

Once they were both by the side of the house, Umeki began to get nervous. She wasn't sure how Yasu would react, or what he would even say, but this had been on her mind for a while and it had to be said. It should have been said those few years ago, but the ox had so much guilt built up inside of her that she couldn't even look Yasu in the eye for the longest time. She barely could now, but it was getting easier. Hurting someone so much that you loved so dearly was a hard thing to get over, especially when you never really knew how they felt about you after the ordeal.

"This should have been said a long time ago, but... I couldn't say it." Her voice was quieter than normal, her nerves getting the best of her. It took a moment to muster up the courage to get the words to come out of her mouth. "I'm sorry..." Her hands began to shake from her nerves. To try to cover it up, she folded them together, the sleeves of her kimono covering them. "For what I did a few years ago." Her eyes kept looking into his eyes, looking around, looking into his eyes again, and repeating that same action. Trying to cover up how nervous she was, was obviously not working. Her 'white' side was always so calm, but Yasu had always brought something out in her, especially after their relationship got romantic those years ago. "I never wanted to hurt you. I also should have been more understanding of your position and your relationship with the elders." Someone had finally loved her, and look at how she repaid him. "You don't have to forgive me. It was just something I needed to say." Her eyes finally locked onto his, mustering up the courage to keep them there for a moment. She was wondering how the wound had healed up, but she wasn't sure if she wanted to see it. Ever.

[frayedflower]

Naoki was relieved that Eri took so easily to the chance to go sit down with Umeki - but the relief didn’t exactly last long. Not when the snake, whether out of concern or spite, turned Naoki’s attention to the outsider that had fallen amongst their ranks, just as more family began to arrive. His heart pounded in his ears, tension slipping back across his shoulders like an old glove. He knew her, too - whether that was better or worse - one of his students. Amasawa Tamiko. He knew she was a friend of Ai’s, but… to have her here, and so close to Kisei… and Aka was so easily allowing her in… with a smile on his face? What the hell was going on?

A half-formed snarl died in his throat as Yasu approached, and momentarily distracted by his friend’s arrival, he smiled brightly at him. “I see your sister more than I see you nowadays, Mr. Keeper, “ he teased, nudging him playfully in the side. “That’s how I’ve been. Seriously, it’s been too long, “ which was really more his fault than anyone else’s. “Some night, you and me, we’ve gotta grab a bite to eat or something.” He said this so often, but… the timing never really worked out, did it? Something always came up.

Then, Umeki asked Yasu to step aside to talk to her - which, for the record, he sort of thought was totally overdue and hoped the best would come of it - Chieko was asking where her boys were, and Naoki was already so on edge with the outsider there that he was quick to react. “Eri-chan, “ he said quietly, reaching out to place his hand gently on top of her head to he wouldn’t make a mess of her hair or anything else. “I’ll be back, I promise.”

He stepped forward, murmuring a quick greeting to Kisei of, “hey kiddo; looking good, “ as he subtly placed himself between his charge and Tamiko, flashing her an unreadable glance with his mismatched eyes. He made it a point to glance at Aka too, a silent question that he expected no answer to now. Instead, he slung an arm around Kisei’s shoulders as he turned to Chieko, a frown on his face. “I’m sorry; I haven’t seen either of them today. But I have my phone on me, so I could try giving them a call?” he offered. Anything to keep her from worrying.

[Bre-Rabbit]

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxW H O ; By herself W H A T ; "Where could they have gone.." W H E R E ; Garden O U T F I T ; Kimono

It wasn't strange to see Naoki look stressed out from time to time but as he looked over to the outsider he actually looked a tinge bit annoyed. Maybe he wanted to protect the family from any unwanted guest as much as she did? Before she could pry her cousin for any answers about the outsider she was soon distracted by her dashing keeper who finally showed up.

Her face quickly brightened at the sight of her best friend but Eri quickly stifled her excitement with a pout as she crossed her arms in front of her stubbornly once he straightened her obi. "Don't think compliments are going to get you anywhere, your late!", the girl said as a clear blush painted on her face in response to the compliment she was given. As he took her small hands into his own tenderly she squeezed his hands back not wanting to let go. She had completely forgot about the silly dance that the zodiac had to take part in and now that Yasu was finally here she didn't want to do it now more than ever.

As he let go of her hand and inquired how the three had been Eri had just stayed perfectly silent. She had certainly been through a lot since the start of the night and she wanted to tell Yasu everything but now wasn't the time for it. Eri was just glad she was here with him now, but that didn't seem to last long as Umeki asked to have a word with him privately. The snake couldn't help but feel a little bit worried of the two talking by themselves, Eri already had heard plenty from Yasu about their past relationship. She couldn't count how many times her finger had traced the star-shaped scar he had gotten from one of Umeki's rampages on his pale skin. Maybe it was part jealousy or part worry, but Eri certainly didn't trust the two of them together.

It was perfect timing that Naoki had indicated that he had other matters to attend to. She just gave him a smile and a nod as he left to go talk to Kisei. Eri quickly got up to follow where Yasu and Umeki had gone making sure to carefully avoid the crowd of people in the garden.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxO O C ; Tsundere Eri and Stalker Eri make an appearance!

[shinigamijuni]

ａｎｄ ｙｏｕ ｗｅｒｅ ａ ｈｏｕｓｅ ｏｎ ｆｉｒｅ, ａｎｄ Ｉ ｃｏｕｌｄｎ'ｔ ｕｎｄｅｒｓｔａｎｄ ｗｈｙ
burn me all down to the ground, you said, the fire is on the inside, flames dancing like ghosts, behind the windows
pain jumping from the walls, you want to keep this private, i can see that, but you can't ask that of me, we've only just met, i said
we need hope now more than ever before, do you believe it? the answer was silence ... i'll take it as a no

✢ ✢ ✢ ✢ ✢

YASU MIYAMOTO
ᴛʜᴇ ᴋᴇᴇᴘᴇʀ


✢ ✢ ✢ ✢ ✢



ᙡe all want to be ɴᴏʀᴍᴀʟ anyways
ᙡe all want to be sᴏᴍᴇᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ᴇʟsᴇ than where we live
ᙖut that's not ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴛʏ, it's just point of view



Yasu was a very lucky man. Yet, he wished it had never come to this. He wished he did not have to have luck in order to have healthy relationships with more than one of his family members. He learned at an early age that the zodiac should not have been able to consider him part of their own family. It was the Keeper's job to protect them, if even that meant denying them their rights and requests. It was his job to keep them all safe and sound, though it caused them all to hate him. Even after growing up with Naoki and Umeki, he never expected the pair to stick around as long as they did. And Eri, who was his confidant, showing up when she did and finally being able to see Yasu's point of view. His sweet sister to whom he owed everything. Cas, especially. They all should have hated him like the rest, but there was something different in all of them. Yasu was fortunate enough to have them in his life. So yes, he was a lucky man.

He let the slightest hint of a grin rest on his features as Eri squeezed his hands back before he stood, studying his cousins. Naoki stood with a huge smile on his face, Eri sat silent and stoic, Umeki upholding the same expression. It was all so comforting really. Yasu was letting his guard down, he knew this, but the white-haired Keeper couldn't help himself. Perhaps he was getting soft. At this thought, the slight grin left his lips and his brow furrowed, but he didn't move another muscle as Naoki spoke out. However, Yasu couldn't keep the expression as Naoki remarked on how often he saw Ai. It was true, the two had been far to busy to upkeep their relationship properly. Yasu would be lying if he said he didn't miss the man. His first friend all those years ago, and neither of them could hardly find the time to catch up, much less grab a drink. Absently letting his right hand fall soft onto Eri's shoulder as she sat, Yasu gave the faintest smile back to the Dog. "I will take you up on that offer, Naoki. You know how Ai's been bugging me for a family dinner with you and Kisei," he offered a chuckle. It really had been a while since the four of them got together in their little hodge-podge, mix n' match of a nuclear family created out of care and devotion, devoid of all preexisting formalities of the curse. He promised Ai he would make time for them all. And he would keep his word for his little sister of course. He always did.

He knew Eri had something to say. Her expressions weren't so easily hidden from Yasu, especially when she seemed so flustered. His hand swept off of her shoulder. She wouldn't speak now, not with everyone around her like this, but he would remember to ask her how she's doing later, perhaps steal her away from Kisei early once everyone else was involved with their own dance partner. But he wouldn't make her talk now. Even expecting a false "I'm fine" would have been cruel of him.

"Yasu, can I speak with you for a moment?" The voice almost seemed foreign to him. It was if he hadn't heard it in ages, but he remembered it well. Lifting his eyes from Eri, Yasu's green orbs locked onto Umeki's. "Yes, of course," the Keeper responded automatically, not even really getting a read on her body language or tone of voice. He didn't even think twice about following her as she motioned to a more confined area around the house. It wasn't until he was physically walking behind his childhood friend that he thought about the fact that the two had barely spoken for years. The immediate reason was obvious, considering the nature of their breakup, but the real reason was still unknown to Yasu. He could have supposed she was still mad at him for having to obey the Elders like he always did. He wouldn't blame her.

The roar of the festival diminished to a muffled din as the two rounded the corner. They were alone for now. And Umeki was grown visibly more nervous. For a moment, Yasu started worrying about what was wrong. What if she was in danger? What if something happened and she needed his help? She was Umeki, but she was still a zodiac member and it was Yasu's job to watch over her. Had it been stupid of him to assume she wanted to be left alone. He thought that she hated him, but maybe-- "This should have been said a long time ago, but... I couldn't say it." Yasu stopped thinking and just listened, waiting patiently as Umeki seemed to be fighting something inside of herself. "I'm sorry..." The words honestly surprised him. Sorry for what? For a moment Yasu caught a glimpse of her hands starting to shake, but she quickly covered them in her kimono sleeves. "Umeki...", he started, but she cut him off, still needing to get something off her chest. "For what I did a few years ago."

Immediately, Yasu's hand flew to his abdomen. Underneath all the formal fabric there was etched a baseball-sized start-shaped scar that had been a permanent mark of what had happened. He probably shouldn't have been calling attention to the area, giving he knew now Umeki was hurting over it. But the Keeper couldn't help it. It was as if a phantom pain coursed through his torso and it took every fragment of his being to keep his expression stoic. He remembered the day, but all he could think about was Umeki's blank stare as she entered her black state. And it was all his fault. He worked hard to listen to her words. He knew she didn't want to hurt him. He always knew that Black Umeki had nothing to do with the Umeki he knew and loved, even since he and Naoki were kids picking on her. His fingers absently put pressure on the place of the old injury, attempting to make some of this fake pain go away. He pretty much had to pry his own fingers from their place as he watched the Ox struggle in front of him. In a split second, her eyes locked onto his and he could almost feel every ounce of guilt she had been carrying with her for those long years. He thought she had hated him so truly, that he never saw this coming. He thought they were really over. But the Umeki from grade school was still there. He just hadn't seen her.

"It's not..." he didn't know where to start. Pausing for a moment, Yasu kept his eyes glued to hers, "Umeki, it's not your fault." He could have sworn it was like they were both teleported back to when they were kids. All he wanted to do was make her smile. As the Keeper, he was glad she was okay and she was well, but as her friend, he could see that he had been anything but. "I thought you hated me," A servant rushed by with a plate in her hands, stumbling as she came across the pair, offering an apology before hurrying on. Yasu took a step closer to Umeki to be able to lower his voice even further. "I forgave you a long time ago, you know," he wanted find some way to indicate just how sorry he was. How much he cared about her. His brain was overwhelmed with emotion and memories of the past. It was entirely like Umeki to surprise him like that and pull a fast one. He could have laughed, but the situation was far more serious. "Because it was all my fault. I deserved it for treating you like that." But the Elders had spoken, and when they did Yasu listened. He knew Umeki hated this about his job, his personality. It was the whole basis of their breakup. She knew he couldn't disobey them, but he knew she wished he could. He wanted to press his forehead to her shoulder, a replacement for an embrace, but he knew she probably wouldn't want that closeness right now. Instead, the Keeper lifted his hand and brushed some hair behind her ear, something he had done often when they were kids even.




ooc: Yasu is very out of character right now. xD So many emotions for his deadpan personality. ; o ;

ʟᴏᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ: gαя∂єи || ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴀɴʏ: єяι, иασкι, αи∂ υмєкι || ᴡᴇᴀʀɪɴɢ: ѕυιт υρ || ᴛʜᴇᴍᴇ: тнιик σf мє ℓιкє α ѕωαям σf вєєѕ



you're burning alive with sᴛʀᴇss and ʟɪғᴇ
both hands in flames trying to ʜᴏʟᴅ the fire inside
drop and roll, repeat line for ᴇᴍᴘʜᴀsɪs.
i'll ʀᴇᴘᴇᴀᴛ it and ʀᴇᴘᴇᴀᴛ it until you believe it
you're gonna be ᴏᴋᴀʏ, say it to me
the answer is still silence ... i'll take it as a ᴍᴀʏʙᴇ