#adashino x reader

[star-spacer]

Let's Go Fishing!

Adashino x reader x Ginko (can be read as platonic or romantic)

You and the boys take a dip in the river. When you're half yokai and have inhuman reflexes, a few fishes aren't a problem for you.

Summer heat was the worst heat.

Second only to the heat of drought-dried reeds going up in flames and the burning tinder of beloved houses, the summer heat pressed down upon everything, rendering the far-off mountain tops into hazy, quivering mirages. Your yukata stuck to your skin uncomfortably as you shifted from your spot on the wooden floor. The rhythmic pounding of Ginko’s mortar and pestle sounded through the air and you groaned, turning your head to look at him.

“How can you stand to work in this heat?”

“‘M used to it,” he grunted. “One time I went with a guy to chase down a rainbow. This was during that heatwave we had a while ago so we had to travel during the hottest time of the day to catch up to the rainclouds.”

“Yikes,” you muttered. “Can’t imagine doing that at all.”

Ginko tilted his head, one single emerald eye looking at you through the haze of his cigarette smoke. “Then what’d you do during the heatwave then?”

You grinned lazily at him, swiping the sweaty baby hairs off your forehead. “Why I slept, of course! I’d find some river bank, a nice shady tree, and I’d sleep in its branches.”

“Wish all of us would have that luxury,” he grunted, lifting the pestle and tapping it against the side of the marble pestle. Fine golden grains shifted around as he tilted it into a vial, carefully scraping the powder into it with a stiff reed. Once done, he plugged it up with a cork and searched for something around him. Spotting your lazy form sprawled out where you were, he pointed to a stack of labels next to you.

Ginko pointed at them. “Hey, can you hand me those?”

A flick of your fingers summoned a gust of wind, sending the paper fluttering past you and toward the Mushishi. They danced around his form and he deftly plucked them from the air, swiping a brush and ink from his cabinet and popping the ink bottle open. With a deft hand, the mystery vial soon received a label as he wrote it on the paper you sent.

“What’s that?” You hummed.

“Pollen from flowers that the Usobuki frequent,” Ginko hummed. The familiar name was that of the butterfly mushi he told you about, one that would make those afflicted by it fall asleep with it until a false spring started. 

It was the same one responsible for the summer and spring that he went missing in when you search until your feet bled and your voice gave out from yelling his name. So hearing that he was dealing with it again made your hackles raise, a dangerous look on your face.

Ginko didn’t notice, too busy tucking the bottom away into his little medicine cabinet. “The mushi itself puts people to sleep but I discovered that if a small dose of the flower pollen is taken with water, it could be an effective sleep remedy, especially for mushi-related problems.”

“I see.” The thought of a sleeping draught sounded appealing because, despite all the jokes you make about naps, any semblance of sleep for you was haunted by memories you’d rather forget. You opened your mouth, almost tempted to ask him for a bit but hesitated.

Ginko glanced at you, a verdant eye picking up the expression on your face. “Hm?”

“I–”

The shoji door slammed open, Adashino behind it using his foot to move the screen. “Drinks here.”

You did a complete shift, hiding your turmoil as you cheered and flipped over to your front, thin yukata riding up to what would’ve been an indecent length if you were an upstanding citizen in society. Adashino didn’t say anything but groaned as he set down the tray and sat next to you. Ginko snuffed out the cigarette, allowing the smoke to waft away so it wouldn’t bother you before shuffling closer. Though it still lingered on his person as he sat down with you and Adashino, it thankfully didn’t bother you like usual.

The dark-haired man took off his lens and began polishing the circle of glass.“I knew it would get hot so I put some amazake in to chill in the icebox. There’s also ice in there too.”

“Thanks, Adashino! Maybe we can have some cold soba later then.” Propping your head up in one arm, you reached for the cups filled with the fermented rice liquid as the other did too. The creamy, sweet taste of the drink filled your mouth as you took a sip and you sighed happily. “Ahh, Ginko, what’s the use of going at each other’s throats about who’s doing what in the heat when it’s Adashino who’s the privileged one? He’s got a nice big house and an icebox of all things.”

“Being a doctor, and living by the waterfronts has its perks,” Adashino replied dryly. “I do say that you two are always welcomed to stay here.”

Ginko simply took a pointed, obnoxious sip of his rice drink, letting the noise draw out in the hazy air. You snorted and Adashino shot a dirty look at you both. Quiet filled the hot air as everyone settled down to enjoy their drinks, accompanied by the sounds of nature around you all. Every breath you took filled your lungs with uncomfortable warmth and you cursed the neverending sun.

The calmness of the summer day brought back long-faded memories of your mother teaching you how to fish in the stream, helping fight off the heat and simultaneously bringing food home for the day. The thought of cooling down made you give a wistful sigh as you finally sat up. “I could go for a dip right now…”

Then the thought hit you and you gasped, sitting up straigh and making the other two look at you with startled–if not slightly irritated–expressions.

You pushed your sweaty hair back from your face, eyes alight in excitement. “The fishermen should be done for the day, right? Then we won’t be bothering anybody if we go to the river to cool off then. You also said you wanted to get some fish for later so I can catch some too.”

Ginko raised his eyebrow. “We don’t have a boat though.”

“I can swim,” you volunteered excitedly. “I would love to be in the water right now.”

Adashino leaned back on his arms, a thoughtful look on his face. “Hmmm… I think that’ll be alright. Besides, I won’t mind spending a little time in the water.”

You popped to your feet excitedly, eagerness overtaking the sluggish haze of the heat.

“Come on! My mom–I was taught how to fish when I was younger. With the fish that the Suiko’s body brought in, I can promise we’ll have fish in no time.”

“The river is calm this time of year…” Adashino agreed. “I wouldn’t mind soaking my feet for a while.”

Both of you turned your expectant gaze onto Ginko, who gave a long-suffering sigh and knocked back the last dredges of his drink before slamming the wooden cup back down onto the tray. “Never say I don’t do anything for you two.”

Cheering, you swooped down to gather up the cups into the tray to whisk them away, prancing ahead of the males as they slowly got up from their spots. The sun beat down upon you again as you moved to the front of the house to wait for them. Thankfully, you stood under the engawa so most of the heat was kept off as you fixed your yukata.

“Hurry up, you two!!!”

“Coming.”

In a few short moments, both Ginko and Adashino joined you, the latter with a woven straw hat on his head as he handed a shallow basket to the white-haired man. The three of you made your way down the path to Adashino’s residence, greeting the occasional villagers who passed by. It wasn’t a long walk to the beach, but the three of you opted for a detour to a more secluded area by the river deeper into the forest. But that meant that by the time you reached your destination, sweat had begun to stain your dark yukata. Maroon was not a good color in the heat, no matter how much you liked the color.

“At last,” you sighed, flopping down on the grass beneath a dappled shade of a tree.

“Tell me why we like to go here when we have a perfectly good beach at a much shorter distance?” Ginko sighed as he set down the basket.

“We’d roast alive if we went out there in this sun,” Adashino replied.

You sat up, sharp eyes scanning the water and spotting the almost imperceptible flickers of scales underneath the surface. A sharp grin spread over your face as you stood up, pulling up your sleeves and rolling them back. “Water’s shallower here and the fishes like to stay in the coverage. I can catch them easier.”

Closing your eyes, you took a deep breath, sighing out deeply as your fingers came up to press over the lids of your eyes. The telltale smell of ozone filled the air as your magic activated. For a moment, your full visage was revealed and you heard Ginko and Adashino shifting behind you. Black fox ears flashed into existence, hung low on either side of your head, a flicker of unearthliness surrounding you. Then they disappeared. With any other person you would not have allowed the thought of letting your true appearance show, but your trust in the two males was unshakable. You knew there was nothing that would make them betray your trust out of their own free will.

A moment passed and then you took your fingers away from your eyes, turning around to blink at the two as the golden glow faded away from your eyes. 

“Everyone okay?”

“What did you use your magic for?” Ginko asked.

You kicked your sandals off. “To keep the debris out of my eyes.”

Keeping an eye on the river in front of you, you began stepping into the cool flowing waters. Before you can get far, your shoulder was grabbed and you jolted.

“Wait.”

Ginko had walked in after you, his face serious. A single, piercing green eye looked into yours.

You tilted your head. “Yes?”

“How are you sure it’s safe?”

Realizing his concern for what it was, you relaxed and gave him an easy smile, hand raising up to pat the one on your shoulder. “I’ve gone into this part of the river before during worse conditions. In fact, this part is one of the safest areas of the river, I made sure of it before showing it to you guys.”

You had met a local river yokai around here to help it save some of the members of its family. A grateful family, a game of stone skipping, and a favor later ensured that this area would be in their blessing and be safe for you and those you brought with you.

Despite your reassurances, his eyes roved over the still surface behind you. “Hm.”

“I’ll be fine, Ginko. I’m a very good swimmer,” you said, patient with him as you shared a look with Adashino. Though you weren’t there for the event itself, you had arrived just days after the event with the Suiko had gone down and had heard Io’s story in its entirety. The race to catch a girl who swam with the swamp and bountiful fish that lasted till this day. You were also there in the aftermath with Adashino, seeing Ginko’s haunted looks as he regarded the waters around him.

No matter how hard he tried, he could not hide his demons from one who was considered a half-demon too.

“If anything happens, I’ll shout for you alright? I won’t go far.”

“We can stick in the shallows, Ginko. Just in case,” Adashino said from his spot leaning up against the tree. “There isn’t anything large in these waters so we’ll be the most dangerous fish around.”

Ginko finally let go of you, sighing. “Be careful.”

You short him a reassuring grin, turning to wade deeper into the water. Your dark yukata spread out around you, wine red against the sparkling water. Behind you, you heard the two splashing around against the shore, but they did not follow you. Slowly, the water rose to waist level, and then a bit more. You went out until you reached the middle of the river, treading water as you turned around.

“I’m going down now. Get the basket ready!”

There was an affirmative call and you waited until you saw Adashino fetch the item, giving you a nod from across the bank. Giving the two males a wave, you took a deep breath and dove under the water.

The world silenced, cutting away into the dull, muffled noise of water rushing overhead. You drifted in the peace for a moment before opening your eyes.

Another world greeted you, blue-tinted and sparkling with sunbeams filtering down from above. It fluttered with the creatures down here, a dance of life.

You wondered if this was what Ginko saw when he talked of the Koumyaku, the glittering, living river of light.

A silver streak flashed by the corner of your vision and you snapped your head to it. A school of fish, unaware of the danger now within their mist. A slow grin stretched across your face, teeth losing their human flatness as your heart picked up in anticipation of the hunt. 

Thank you for this offering.

Like the silt of the river, your illusion slipped away in the flowing streams of the water. Your dark form sliced through the water, chasing after the fish. Nails, too sharp to belong to a normal human, swiped at glittering, silver-scaled bodies and snatched them up faster than they could react. Once you hand a handful of squirming fish by the tails, you shot off towards the bank. Surfacing with a gasp and a splash, you waved at them with the fish dangling from your grip.

“Hey! I got them!”

“Bring them in!”

You began kicking off towards the pair, slower now that you had to rely mostly on your legs. Adashino and Ginko began wading out to meet you too and a brilliant idea hit you. As your toes touched the bottom of the river, you reared back a fish in hand as the remainings were moved to your other one.

“Catch!”

Adashino’s eyes widened as the fish went sailing through the air. He yelped, lunging forward with his basket to let the fish flop down into it. Thankfully, Ginko’s hand snapped out to grab him by the back of Adashino’s yukata and his quick action prevented the dark-haired man and the fish from toppling down into the water. But unfortunately, that still soaked the entire front of his clothes

Adashino glared at you, front of his blue yukata now dripping. “Hey!”

“Oops–Sorry!” You laughed, totally unrepentant as you waded closer. The rest of the fish–thankfully–was gently placed into the basket. You faced both of them, hands on your hips as you regarded the pair. “It’s only a bit of water, y’know. It’ll help you cool off more if anything.” 

A drop of water trailed down your face from your dripping wet hair right after that statement.

“Yeah, yeah,” Adashino grumbled as he moved to hang the basket from the branches so it could trail in the water. That freed up his hands to fix his water-laden yukata, futilely wringing the fabric.

“Heh, heh. You can’t deny it does feel nicer though…” You turned to Ginko, who immediately picked up the shift in your person.

His lidded eye widened, taking a step back.

You launched at him, hands outstretched and water spraying out behind you as you splashed toward the male.

“Hey, hey, hey, hey leave me alone—”

“Adashino catch him! He’s the driest out of all of us!!”

“Adashino don’t you dare.”

Your bright laughter and splashing filled the air as the three off you ran around the quiet alcove meant just for you three and you were grateful to have another day like this with them.

[yoimiia]

yuto : roku, listen

yuto : i'm not "jealous" but in fact territorial

yuto : being jealous is being upset over something you don't possess

yuto : territorial is protecting something that belongs to you

rokuro :

rokuro : are you perhaps referring to [name]

[kakusu-shipping]

Emile Hides - He/She

Agender - Fray/Panromantic - Asexual - Polyam

23 years old

Autistic - OCD - Major Anxiety

Age Regressor (4-8 years old)

Proship/Comship

Art Tag: Emile’s Arts

Writing Tag: Emile’s Writing

This is my Ship and Let Ship blog, where I post about ships I like, Self Ship an entirely healthy amount, write X Readers curated to me and me alone, and ramble about my F/Os in the tags of other people’s posts.

PLEASE INTERACT IF WE SHARE AN F/O!!

I love self inserting, probably more than self shipping. Writing lore and weaving myself into the plot of my favorite media is the best part to me, so please ask about my Self Inserts and their plot because I love to talk about it! And let me know if you want me to ask about yours as well because I always want to know about other’s S/Is and love sending asks!!

Very long F/O list under the cut, along with some navigational links at the bottom. Thankyou for reading.

Romantic F/Os

Koro-Sensei - Assassination Classroom (+Friendship Irina, Karasuma)

Kazuaki + Hitori - Hatoful Boyfriend (+Familial Nageki)

Toko Fukawa - Danganronpa (+Familial Masaru, Jataro, Kotoko, Nagisa)

Hifumi + Celeste - Danganronpa (+Friendship Chihiro, Taka, Mondo)

Teruteru Hanamura - Daganronpa (+Friendship Kazuichi, Sonia, Gundham)

Ryoma + Gonta - Danganronpa

Shirokuma - Danganronpa

Mario + Luigi - Super Mario

James - Pokemon the Series (+Friendship Jessie, Meowth, Wobbuffet)

Guzma - Pokemon Masters (+Friendship Kukui, Molayne)

N - Pokemon BW (+Friendship Cheren, Bianca)

Drayden - Pokemon BW

Wilkstrom - Pokemon XY

Lillie - Pokemon SuMo (+Familial Molayne, Sophocles)

Molayne + Sophocles - Pokemon SuMo (+Friendship Kuikui, Guzma)

Milo + Gordie - Pokemon SwSh (+Familial Opal, Bede, Allister)

Clavell - Pokemon SV

Salvatore - Pokemon SV

Inteleon - Pokemon SwSh (+Familial Mincinno)

Chesnaught - Pokemon XY

Armarouge (Charlos) - Pokemon SV (+Platonic Koraidon)

Ghetsis’ Hydreigon - Pokemon BW2

Ted B. Grizz - Splatoon

Jel La Fleur - Splatoon 3

Papyrus - Undertale (+Familial Sans, Gaster)

Vulkin - Undertale

Spamton - Deltarune

Swatchlings - Deltarune

Dick Gumshoe - Ace Attorney

Raymond Shields - Ace Attorney

Phineas Filch - Ace Attorney

Ginko - Mushishi (+Familial Adashino)

Muta - The Cat Returns

Scorpia - She-Ra

Bismuth - Steven Universe (+Friendship Peridot)

Eda + Raine - The Owl House

Hieronymus Bump - The Owl House

Billions and Billions - Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts 

Tad Mulholland - Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts

Alfur - Hilda

The Snork - Moominvalley 2019

Zenyatta - Overwatch (+Familial Genji, Mondatta, Ramattra)

BOB - Overwatch (+Friendship Ashe, McCree, Bars)

Maximilien - Overwatch (+Familial Ramattra, Mondatta)

Ramattra - Overwatch (+Familial Zenyatta, Mondatta)

Lynx17 - Overwatch (+Friendship Hana, Lucio, Jamison)

Iggy - Overwatch (+Friendship Lena, Emily)

Brooster - Animal Crossing

Toshinori Yagi - My Hero Academia (+Friendship Hizashi, Aizawa, Midnight)

Taishiro Toyomitsu - My Hero Academia (+Familial Tamaki, Kirishima, Tetsutetsu, Momo)

Atsuhiro Sako + Jin Bubaigawara - My Hero Academia (+Familial Tomura, Himiko)

Ojiro + Monoma + Shinso - My Hero Academia (+Familial Nezu)

Makarov Dreyar - Fairy Tail (+Familial Erza, Juvia, Laxus)

Jackpot - Fairy Tail

Toma E. Fiore + Mato - Fairy Tail

Chushaku Kometani - Komi Can’t Communicate (+Queerplatonic Naruse)

Riri - Romantic Killer

Junta Hayami - Romantic Killer

Otsu - Manly Appetites (+metamour Minegishi)

Anna - Dead by Daylight

Sun - FNaF Security Breach (+Platonic Moon, Freddy, Gregory)

Funtime Freddy + Toy Freddy - Five Nights At Freddy’s

Leshy - Inscryption (+Familial Magnificus, P03)

Magnificus - Inscryption

Candyman - Lethal League

Gabocha - Suikoden 2 (+Familial Ridley, Boris)

Mae Browski - Night in the Woods

Viktor Humphries - Slime Rancher

Sisu - Raya and the Last Dragon

Rockhoof - My Little Pony

Tadano + Haida - Aggretsuko

Takashi Morinozuka - Ouran Highschool Host Club (+Familial Kyoya)

Harunobu Nikaidou - March comes like a lion

Franky Franklin - Spy X Family

Tetsuo Takahashi - Interviews with Monster Girls

Lynn - All Saints Street (+Familial Ira)

Skull Boy - Ruby Gloom

Al-An - Subnautica Below Zero

Peter - Your Boyfriend Game

Robot Husband - 10 Billion Husbands

Zach Binspin - Moshi Monsters

Isaac - Castlevania the Animated series

Teddy - Bob’s Burgers

York + Grendan + Rose - Drawtectives

Allhands - Drawga

Leuvis - The Promised Neverland

Theodore DaCabe/The New Prince - Chzo Mythos

Kyle + Brett - Drive Time Radio

Andras - Hell’s Library

Reed + Leigh - Middle Game

Vermont + Kass - My friend Gabe’s OCs

Platonics

Toshimitsu Kubo - Baka and Test

Chihiro + Taka + Mondo - Danganronpa

Kazuichi Soda - Danganronpa

Shirokuma - Danganronpa

Winston - Overwatch

Peridot - Steven Universe

Grime - Amphibia

Queen - Deltarune

Entrapda + Hordak - She-Ra

Skull Boy - Ruby Gloom 

Snufkin - Moominvalley

Flug Syls - Villainous

Irina + Karasuma - Assassination Classroom

Hunny + Reiko - Ouran Highschool Host Club

Hizashi + Shota + Nemuri + Sekijiro + Ryo - My Hero Academia

Nezu - My Hero Academia

Fafnir + Makoto Takiya - Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid

Taurus - Fairy Tail

Gildarts Clive - Fairy Tail

Samuel - Fairy Tail

Tsukasa Kazuki - Romantic Killer

Professor Elvin Gadd - Mario

Metal Mario + Gooigi - Mario

Doctor Mario + Mr. L - Mario AU

Cheren + Bianca + Hilbert + Hilda  - Pokemon BW

Jessie + Meowth + Wobbuffet - Pokemon the Series

Hau + Gladion - Pokemon SuMo

Penny + Giacomo + Mela + Atticus + Ortega + Eri - Pokemon SV

Jacq + Raifort + Tyme + Salvatore + Dendera + Miriam + Hassel + Saguaro - Pokemon SV

Koraidon - Pokemon Scarlet

Jaques - Animal Crossing

Riou + Joey + Nanami - Suikoden 2

Nina - Suikoden 2

Klaus + Sierra - Suikoden 2

Chaco + Tuta + Yuzu - Suikoden 2

Hero + Ramiel + Claire + Brevity - Hell’s Library

Goobert - Inscryption

The Mycologist - Inscryption

Anghel Higure - Hatoful Boyfriend

Shuu Iwamine - Hatoful Boyfriend

Freddy + Gregory - FNaF Security Breach

Moon - FNaF Security Breach

Bon Bon - FNaF Sister Location

Helpy - FNaF Pizzeria Simulator

Steve + Dustin + Eddie - Stranger Things

Makoto Katai - Komi Can’t Communicate

Watanuki + Domeki - XXXHolic

Liontari - Children of the Whales

Ayato Naoi - Angel Beats

Familials

Tony + Pauline - The Mario Movie (Parents)

Entei + Heatran - Pokemon (Parents)

Ginko + Adashino - Mushishi (Parents)

Toadsworth - Super Mario (Parental Figure)

Captain Craig Cuttlefish - Splatoon (Parental Figure)

Iroh - Avatar (Parental Figure) 

Gaster - Undertale (Parental Figure)

Nezu - My Hero Academia (Parental Figure)

Mondatta - Overwatch (Parental Figure)

Reaper Leviathan - Subnautica (Mother)

Opal - Pokemon SwSh (Mother)

Beware - Pokemon the Series (Mother)

Alder - Pokemon BW (Father)

Ganon - Legend of Zelda The Windwaker (Father)

Mr. Grizz - Splatoon 3 (Father)

Ridley Wizen - Suikoden 2 (Father)

Columbo - Columbo (Father)

Sekijiro + Mitsuki - My Hero Academia (Siblings)

Mirai Sasaki - My Hero Academia (Twin Brother)

2P!Canada - Hetalia (Brother)

Victini - Pokemon BW (Brother)

Molayne - Pokemon SuMo (Brother)

Arven - Pokemon SV (Brother)

Boris Wizen - Suikoden 2 (Brother)

Ramattra - Overwatch (Brother in the monk sense)

Genji Shimada - Overwatch (Close enough to be Brothers)

Kyoya Ootori - Ouran Highschool Host Club (Close enough to be Brothers)

Kaoru Toudou - Baka and Test (Grandmother)

Clavell - Pokemon SV (Grandfather)

Elvin Gadd - Mario (Uncle)

Burgh - Pokemon BW (Uncle)

Drayden - Pokemon BW2 (Uncle)

Sophocles - Pokemon SuMo (Cousin)

Ingo + Emmet - Pokemon BW2 (Cousins)

Mario + Luigi - Mario (Cousins)

Gooigi + Metal Mario +Robot Mario - Mario (Cousins)

Ira - All Saints Street (Cousin)

Snufkin - Moominvalley 2019 (Nephew)

Katsuki Bakugo - My Hero Academia (Nephew)

Sonic + Tails - Sonic (Nephews)

Masaru + Jataro + Kotoko + Nagisa - Danganronpa (Adopted Kids)

Luz + Hunter + King - The Owl House (Adopted Kids)

Tamaki + Eijiro + Tetsutetsu + Momo - My Hero Academia (Adopted Kids)

Himiko + Tomura + Suichi + Dabi - My Hero Academia (Adopted Kids)

Cohozuna + Horroboros - Splatoon (Adopted Kids)

Koopalings + Bowser Jr - Super Mario (Adopted Kids)

Juvia + Erza + Lucy - Fairy Tail - (Daughters)

Bede + Allister - Pokemon SwSh (Sons)

Neito Monoma - My Hero Academia (Son)

Inasa Yoarashi - My Hero Academia (Son)

Ichiban Natsuno - Mix; Meisei Story (Son)

Ryoma Terasaka - Assassination Classroom (Son)

Berdly - Deltarune (Son)

The Collector - The Owl House (Son)

Hastur - The Baby in Yellow (Son)

Black Hat - Villainous (Son)

505 - Villainous (Grandson)

Laxus Dreyar - Fairy Tail (Grandson)

P03 - Inscrypton (Grandchild)

Drayden - Pokemon BW (Trainer)

Wilkstrom - Pokemon XY (Trainer)

Salvator - Pokemon SV (Trainer)

Weavile - Pokemon BW (Partner)

Castform (Bozu) - Pokemon SuMo (Partner)

Mincinno - Pokemon SwSh (Partner)

Armarouge (Charlos) - Pokemon SV (Partner)

Shiintonic - Pokemon the Series (Partner)

Queerplatonics/Metamours

Aguri Yukimura - Assassination Classroom

Kendo Rappa - My Hero Academia

Rikiya Yotsubashi - My Hero Academia

Mei Hatsume - My Hero Academia

Shisuto Naruse - Komi Can’t Communicate

Reedus Jonah - Fairy Tail

Minegishi - Manly Appetites

Baron Humbert von Gikkingen - The Cat Returns

Peach + Daisy - Super Mario

Bowser - Super Mario

Prince Peasely - Superstar Saga

Cheren - Pokemon BW2

Nemona - Pokemon SV

Cobb + Doc + Raddle + Petri - Animal Crossing

Tom Nook + Isabelle - Animal Crossing

Rouxls Kaard - Deltarune

Genocide Jack/Jill - Danganronpa

Genji Shimada - Overwatch

Winston - Overwatch

Crushes

Metal Mario - Mario

Emmet - Pokemon BW/BW2

Hassel - Pokemon SV

Saguaro - Pokemon SV

Ash’s Sirfetch’d - Pokemon the Series

Lady Sneasler - Pokemon

CQ Cumber - Splatoon 2

Marco Pagot - Porco Rosso

Ryutaro - Pom Poko

Baptiste - Overwatch

Doomfist - Overwatch

Roadhog - Overwatch

Sid - Suikoden 2

Richmond - Suikoden 2

Humphery - Suikoden 2

Luca Blight - Suikoden 2

Hugo Oak - Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts

The Nowhere King - Centaur world

Masaru Bakugo - My Hero Academia

Katsuki Bakugo - My Hero Academia

France - Hetalia

Souichi Nishimura - Baka and Test

Nokoko Inaka - Komi Can’t Communicate

Pantherlily - Fairy Tail

Gaster - Undertale

Siren Dogen - Ace Attorney

Iroh - Avatar the Last Airbender

Shigure Souma - Fruits Basket

Kyubey - Madoka Magica

Alastor - Hazbin Hotel

Exes

Neclord - Suikoden - Ex-Husband

Monokuma - Danganronpa - Ex-Husband

Mask Seller - A Whisker Away - Ex-Husband

Redd - Animal Crossing - Ex-Husband

Alan Ituriel - Villainous - Ex-Husband

All For One - My Hero Academia - Ex-Husband

Belos - The Owl House - Ex-Boyfriend

Jacques - Animal Crossing - Ex- Boyfriend

Big Mac - My Little Pony - Ex-Boyfriend

Hizashi Yamada - My Hero Academia - Ex-Boyfriend

Thankyou very much for reading.

More stuff you should check out:

Fictional Foe List - Kin List - Ship List - Koro-Sensei’s F/O List - Fanfic Request Rules - Pro-Ship Self-Ship Discord Server

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Parts of a Whole

Ok I regret starting a new writing blog during what's probably one of the busiest periods of my life but yolo

Adashino x reader x Ginko (Platonic/romantic friendly)

For as close as you are to someone, sometimes there are some minor hiccups.

If someone were to ask you, you would say that Adashino was the day and Ginko was the night.

Someone less familiar with hem would look at their physical features and say otherwise, but you knew differently.

Adashino was the ever-reliable sun, a constant never wavering and never changing. His medicine may have felt too warm at times, but it burned off the sick. Ginko was the soothing balm of the moonlight’s hand caressing your cheek. Sometimes his medicine nipped at you with a biting cold, but it chased away the crawling maladies and kept them away.

Either way, you don’t think you would have been the same without them by your side. Conversely to the laws of nature, your world revolved around them, even though they might not know it. Kitsunes were known to be solitary Yokais, but to them, family was one of the most important things. That was a trait that you shared in both of your bloodlines, the trait that your parents imparted to you before their passing. And Adashino and Ginko were your family, even though you never told them so. And that put them on a pedestal far above anybody else.

(There wasn’t anybody else, but you were terrified to admit it, terrified of the implications of that.)

That’s why you let them get away with too much, sometimes.

Like smoking cigarettes that were mildly toxic to you. Mildly. Supposedly.

But based on the wracking coughs hitting you now, and the arrays of other symptoms, whatever the seller put into this new blend was a little more than mildly toxic.

“Ginko,” you managed through your growing headache, suppressing a dry heave. “Put that thing out right now or–hrk–you’re going to be cleaning up my sick from all over our sleeping spot.”

“Hm?” Ginko’s half-lidded gaze locked onto your sweaty face and his eyes widened, immediately leaning forward to stub out his smoke in the tray. “Oh.”

Adashino stepped into the room at that moment, arms full of bedding. He took a moment to sniff the air. “I know that smell anywhere. Why is it worse than usual??”

His voice sent a pulse of pain through your head and you wince, exhaling slowly as a wheeze rattled your chest.

Your white-haired friend silently draped a rag over the ashtray, stifling the smoldering embers despite the smoke already in the air. “I tried this new tobacco blend.”

“I-It’s bad.” You tried to get to your feet, only managing to get to your knees before the nausea stopped you.

Adashino gave a long-suffering sigh. “Oh for goodness’s sake, I thought I told you–Wait there.”

He stepped back out of sight for a few moments and then returned, arms empty of the bedding, presumably to keep the smoke from seeping into it. Raking a hand through his hair, he kneeled down to help you to your feet as you struggled to take a full breath. 

Ginko was as apologetic as you’ve ever seen him, hand reaching out to you before he caught himself and pulled back. Already, you could see him withdrawing from you, pulling away from everyone and preparing to flee.  “I didn’t realize how much more potent this new blend was. If I knew I wouldn’t have used it.”

No…

“I told you to stop testing them out inside and before bed,” Adashino grumbled, sharper than intended as he focused on trying to get you to your feet without throwing up dinner.

Please don’t fight…

“Stop it,” you mumbled. 

Adashino realized that the other man was closing himself up and quickly acted to amend things before he could physically run away. “Ginko stay there, I’ll be right back.”

With his help, you managed to hobble your way outside to the cool night air without making a mess all over Adashino’s wooden floors. The man gingerly sat you down on the engawa and–after a moment of double-checking–moved back inside. There was a dull mutter in the background as you focused on taking deep breaths, closing your eyes to try to ease the headache. Now in the open, the clear air did wonders for your symptoms, lungs able to work fully without the smoke wrapping around them. The sliding door was left open but thankfully you were settled far enough to be unaffected as the room aired out. 

It was no sooner that your symptoms subsded when Adashino reappeared. He offered an arm that you eagerly latched onto, still a bit shaky. His presence brought back the warmth into your body that you didn’t realize had seeped out of you body.

“Futon’s ready,” he said airily. “I forced Ginko to beat the smoke out of the sheets, change his clothes, and get new sheets. The room’s been aired too.”

“Did you two make up?” You asked hoarsely.

The man paused, taking off his monocle to wipe it down. “Yeah. I didn’t mean to be so harsh with him. We talked it out though. Safe to say there will be no more smoking inside the house. And all the sheets were changed.”

True to Adashino’s earlier words, three new futons were rolled out in the middle of the floor, pushed closer to the doors than where they usually were. Thanks to the fact that the three of you were spreading out over the large front room of him adobe, there was plenty of space to go around instead of the bedrooms. You gratefully plopped into the nearest one and pulled the blanket up into your lap while Adashino went to move the lit lantern away.

(You don’t know when it started being a regular thing, the three of your piling together in Adashino’s large greeting room, waking up in the morning to find one person or another sprawled all over the place. But what you did know that you slept easier with them by your side when you were here.)

As Ginko stepped back into the room in a pair of Adashino’s sleep clothes instead of his, the fringes of his bangs weightened down by water and dripping onto the clothes. He paused upon seeing you and Adashino, remaining right by the doorway.

Adashino was the first to speak. “Ginko you’re back–why is your hair wet?”

“I washed myself.”

You frowned. “But I thought we used up all the heated water?”

“We did. I just used our regular water.”

You could hear Adashino’s patience getting ready to snap. “I-It’s cold! You might get sick!”

“If I have to end up taking care of the both of you for being ill, I will break out the most bitter blend I have to treat you,” the doctor grumbled, putting out the lantern and walking over to drag Ginko to the futons by the collar of the man’s borrowed shirt.

You yawned placidly and shuffled over as Ginko settled into the futon next to yours. “Are you feeling better now?” The man murmured.

“Yep,” you replied, easing back on your back as your friend was too. “Thankfully, my symptoms cleared up pretty quickly after the smoke got cleared out.”

Adashino pulled the sliding doors closed, shutting out the moonlight. In the darkness, your sharp eyes saw him gingerly picking his way over to the last futon on your other side. You closed your eyes, fox ears flicking as you heard him get into bed and lie down.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you,” Ginko murmured.

“I know,” you replied. “You didn’t hurt me.”

“I won’t smoke inside again.”

“I know,” Adashino said. “There are no hard feelings. Go to sleep you two,”

You burrowed deeper into your sheets, banked on either side by the safety of the two you knew best. A final yawn left you as sleepiness finally seeped back in to your body.

“Good night you two,” you mumbled.

“Good night.”

“Night.”

A sleepy smile stretched over your lips and it remained there as rest finally claimed you. Yes, Adashino was your day and Ginko your night, and life wouldn’t be whole without them by your side.

[star-spacer]

Pickled Plums

Adashino x reader x Ginko (can be read as platonic or romantic)

You loved the noise of cicadas in the ripe summer air.

Gravel crunched beneath your sandals as dappled sunlight filtered down from the canopy of green. It was the apex of summer and the forest was ripe and heavy with life and heat. From your peripherals, you could see the glowing forms of the familiar mushi dancing through the air. They were the same types that often frequented the village, a sure sign that your journey was coming to an end. You wondered if Ginko had yet to see them from wherever he was behind you.

The satchel sitting on your hip alongside the pack on your back was a reminder of the gifts wrapped lovingly in twine and leaves. Gifts for Adashino and Ginko both, picked specifically with them in mind as well as the food carefully preserved by a bit of yokai magic and plenty of salt. The thought of rice and Adashino’s pickled radish made you drool, and you had no doubts that Ginko’s endless stomach would appreciate some food as well.

 Cries of seabirds and waves crashing against the shore slowly began to replace cicadas as the forest opened up to show a fishing village in the distance. Your speed picked up, eagerly scattering pebbles at the sight of the clay-shingle roofs. As you passed through the dirt streets, villagers caught sight of you and an excited wind began to catch the sleepy adobes.

Calls of your name began to echo through the air as those living there went out to greet you.

“It’s you!”

“Welcome back!”

“Oho going to see the doctor aren’t we?”

The last one was met with a delighted laugh, your eyes twinkling with mirth at the old man. “Of course! Is he home right now?”

“He should be!” Another woman called, her child waving at you from behind her. “He just finished treating Aoi’s son a little bit ago.”

“Thank you,” you called back gratefully. Turning around to the villagers, you put a finger to your lips and winked. “I think Ginko is arriving soon, don’t tell any of them that I’m here, alright?”

“Cheeky!”

“We won’t,” The old man chuckled. “Good to know all three of you are back in town for a while. We were beginning to wonder when we’d see you two wanderers again.”

You shrugged as your eyes caught sight of a minuscule movement from the alleyway.

“We can never stay for long,” you said. “But we’ll always come back, of course. If you don't mind…” Your head tilted towards the alleyway, indicating your wish to leave.

“Of course!” He guffawed, stepping aside. 

“Here, here!” A man said, shoving an earthenware jar into your arms. “For you all. A thank you to the doctor for treating my little Tsumiki last month.”

“O-Oh thank you so much.” You bowed your head, clutching the clay pot in your arms. “I'll be on my way then.”

“Eager huh? I know how it was when I was your age. Ah, younguns…Always have one place or another to be.”

You brushed past them with a smile and a parting promise. “I’ll come back down to visit later.”

“You better!”

“We’ll be waiting, young lady.”

You threw back a wave, attention focused on the alleyway where you saw it. Stepping into the shade, you stopped to listen for the quiet noise of something moving. Your sharp ears finally picked up something.

There. To your left.

“Here you are, little one,” you murmured crouching down and setting the jar down next to you with a soft ‘thump’. Reaching forward, you cupped the spirit in your palms. There was an offended squeak and the flower yokai opened a bulbous, yellow eye in the middle of its petals. Upon seeing your face, its petals snapped back close with a quiver and another squeak. A nature yokai then.

“Sssh, it’s okay,” you soothed, stroking a finger down its body. It was smooth and lumpy, like one of those sea anemones Ginko showed you on the coast that you both went to once. After a moment, the petals crept back open and the yokai peeked back out, its big watery eye staring back at you. 

You gave it a soft smile and it quivered before wiggling back and forth before unfurling completely.

“There you are…You shouldn’t be here,” you told it. “It’s not safe for you to be here. Come with me and I’ll bring you somewhere safer, alright?”

You put the yokai on your shoulder, where it snuggled into the shoulder of your traveling yukata. You smiled and picked up the jar before setting off again for Adashino’s house at the other edge of the village. There would be nature there, where it could thrive and survive better than the streets of mankind. Yokais like these ones never survived for long in human settlements, dependent on green life to draw their energy source. Without it, they would wither and fade away. You were glad that you came across it when you did.

Slowly, the slope of the road increased as you reached the edge of the village. Yet your speed picked up all the same. Home was so close, you could almost taste it, that house upon the hill with its shelves of artifacts and rosewood-scented halls. 

Brown shingles peeked over the crest of the hill and you grinned, shifting the jar to one arm and placing your free one on the bag at your hip.

“Hang on,” you told the yokai on your shoulder.

An affirmative squeak was given and you broke into a full sprint over the ground, kicking up dust behind your sandals. At the new pace, it took no more than a few minutes to finally reach Adashino’s house. A jump cleared the stones at the foot of his house and you clattered onto the engawa, kicking your sandals off noisily.

“Adashino!!!!!” You yelled, letting your voice echo through the halls.

There was a clatter and someone yelping before Adashino stumbled out from an adjoining hallway, fixing his monocle. “Huh?”

He squinted at you, vision adjusting to the stark sunlight after being inside for so long. After a moment, his eyes widened as it clicked. He said your name sharply.

“You’re back!”

You nodded, shifting the earthenware jar to both your arms and showing it to him as well as the satchel to your side. “And I brought gifts too!”

Adashino tilted his head and moved forward, reaching out to take the vase away from you. “What's all this?” 

Shrugging, you relinquished it to the dark-haired man’s grasp. “Haven’t looked yet. Tsumiki’s father gave it to me just earlier as thanks for you treating her.”

He hummed, lifting the lid and you stuck your head over the opening to peer into it with him. Seeing the sight of green in pickling sauce made you gasp.

“Kyurizuke!”

“Ah… It is cucumber season, after all.”

“This could go really well with some of the stuff you have, Adashino!” You turned to him excitedly. “We should make some food! I also brought back some things too! Ginko should be arriving at the end of the day so maybe we can all eat together.”

“Are you sure this isn’t just a ploy to get into my cabbage stock?” The doctor asked you, raising one eyebrow. He startled as he made eye contact with the yokai on your shoulder, jolting back. “Ah–”

“Oh right!” You chirped. “I saw this yokai on the streets heading here. I’m going to release it near the treeline so it can go back to the forest.”

Adashino sighed, stepping aside and flapping a hand towards the back entrance of the home. “Go on do that then. Leave your bags here. I can get started on lunch.”

You grinned gratefully, carefully singing the bags of your shoulders. “Sounds good!”

“Oh, and stop bringing strays back to my house! I keep on having to redirect them away when you’re not here.”

You laughed and departed for the clearing, bare feet slapping against the warm ground, humming a jaunty tune. The yokai on your shoulder swayed along to your movement as you stepped into the shadows of the trees and kneeled down at the base of one. Your hands came up to move the spirit off your shoulders and it was brought to the front of your face.

It chirped and you smiled, letting out an animal-like coo in return. “Be safe, alright? Don’t wander into the human settlements like today, it’s not good for you.”

Your hand lowered and allowed the yokai to hop off, stubby limbs wiggling happily and it hopped into the underbrush. Just before it completely ducked under the leaves, it turned around to wave at you. You waved back and with a final cry, it turned around and vanished into greenery like it was never there. A moment passed as you stared at that spot with a bittersweet smile. Your job was done, fulfilling your duty as the bridge between yokai and humans once more. Like the others, you would never see it again, but there was solace in the knowledge that it was able to live its existence. With that, you quietly got to your feet and padded away.

***

“Come here help me get all of this onto the tray,” Adashino instructed, jerking his head to the various bowls as he picked up his own wooden board. “You wanted to have all these side dishes so you’re carrying them all. Come on, we’ll set stuff out on the engawa in the front.”

You hefted the plate up in one hand, pilling the dishes onto it easily. “On it.”

Adashino gawked and grumbled as you swept past him easily.

The pair of you made a few more trips before settling down at the edge of the doorway, midway between the engawa and the house. Adashino tugged the rag under the miso soup, moving the whole pot into the middle between you two and you rearranged the rest of the pickle bowls around that, the rice, and the cooked fish.

“Ah, hold on…” You said, leaning over to grab your satchel. You flipped the woven lid up and reached in to withdraw several wrapped packages and set them alongside the food. “I got us some stuff from one of the towns I was at.”

“How long ago was that?”

“Oh don’t worry. You should know that I’m well-versed enough in magic to preserve a little bit of food.”

“What’s this about food without me?”

The both of you perked up at that voice, attention snapping to the edge of the yard where a white-haired man stood.

“Ginko!” Adashino called. “Hey!”

You shot to your feet with another cry of his name, ditching your sandals where they were and launching yourself at him. Ginko grunted as you crashed into him, staggering at the force of your collision.

“Geez,” he grumbled, wheezing as you squeezed him in a hug. “Missed me much?”

The smoke of his mushi warding cigarette tickled your nose and you pulled back, sneezing heavily. However, despite the warding affecting you to some extent, it didn’t stop your face from splitting into a wide grin. “Duh. Come on, put your pack down, and let’s eat. No matter what you think, we were waiting for you.”

Adashino made a sound. “Maybe you should be quicker next time.”

“Hmph.” Ginko took his cigarette out, snubbing it and tossing the butt into the shrubbery to the dark-haired man’s dismay. As you pranced back to where Adashino was sitting, Ginko slung off his traveling case and set it down next to your own bags. He settled down with a groan, relieved to be off his feet after a long day.

As Adashino began to portion out the soup and rice, your deft fingers unknotted the twine trying up your first bundle of food. There was an electric crackle in the air that made both men pause, and a snap as verdant leaves opened to reveal pristine triangles of plump rice.

“Your magic?” Ginko asked as you reached to undo the other bundle.

You nodded. “Just a simple one for these to keep as I traveled back.”

There was a second snap and this time it revealed wrinkly dried fruits, the sour smell of pickled plums wafting up to join the other food odors in the air. Both of them immediately knew what those were and Adashino winced.

“I’m not touching those,” Ginko declared, reaching for one of the rice balls from the first bundle. He took a bite from it, not seeing Adashino trying to stop him. “I know that whatever you brought home, those are not normal umeboshi and–”

His expression deadpanned, lips thinning and eye twitching as the flavor finally hit him. Seeing that, you cracked.

“I tried to stop you…” Adashino sighed while you cackled. “But you weren’t paying attention.”

“I was going to say…” You began, trying to find air between your laughter as you scooped up your own rice ball. “I visited the Valley of the Plums. There was a seasonal shop there known for its intensely sour plums, so I got some to take home.”

A massive bite was taken out of yours, you humming in delight as you finally indulged in the treats after so long. Though you favored the sour flavors the same couldn’t be said for either of the men, who stared at you warily as you ate your rice ball with no reaction.

Adashino, fooled by your lack of response, tentatively reached for one of his own. “It can’t be that bad right…?” He picked it up and brought it closer to inspect it. Like he would one of his mushi items,

“Do it,” Ginko demanded.

The man, fool as he was, gave into his temptations and bit into it. His face puckered up, such a comical expression that sent you into another round of raucous laughter and even sparked Ginko to chuckle too.

“By the gods!” Adashino exclaimed once he got his mouthful down. “People eat this? This should belong on the shelves of my collectibles. Ginko why did you tell me to eat it?”

The said man forced himself to take another bite. “If I have to go through it, so do you. Someone has to go through this with me since this one–” he jerked a thumb to you, innocently sipping your miso soup to wash down your finished rice ball, “–is completely immune to everything.”

You smiled peacefully. “There are just the plain plums too if any of you want to eat them with the rest of the food."

“No way!!”

[star-spacer]

Green with Envy

Adashino x reader x Ginko (can be read as platonic or romantic)

Oh dear half-child, how do you feel? Does your sharp teeth scare away mortals with softer features? Is your too-human face too unlike that of your spirit friends? Oh if only you knew how loved you were.

Yokai and humans.

They were both different.

       Though you spent a fair amount of time among the yokai, intrinsically familiar with the customs of a world that laid parallel to the human world, the daily company you kept cemented you deeply into the world of mortals. So long spent among them made you maintain a constant front, dulling down yourself to appear palatable. Thus, it wasn’t hard to forget that you were not fully human.

But then there’d be inevitable moments that remind you of what you were and what you weren’t. Claws not fit to be on a normal person that would leave scratches on Adashino’s precious dark wood doorways. A stamina level surpassing even that of Ginko, the ever-wandering man asking to take a break long before the effects of traveling hit you. But nothing reminded you of your otherness as much as watching Adashino and Ginko interact with others.

Sometimes you loved to punish yourself by forcing yourself to watch things as they unfold.

(Because that was what you did, ever since you were a kid.)

(Watch. All you knew was how to watch)

(Even as your family house went up in smoke and flames and your mother died protecting your father in front of you, all her Yokai glory forever stained by dirt and blood.)

(Even as your father perished, too, at the hands of the village he called his own when trying to get her body back.)

Your throat itched with the sensation of phantom smoke and screaming and you knew that today would be a bad day. A day without words as they would stay locked up tight in your throat no matter how much you tried. Bad days like these used to be common, back when wounds were fresher. But since the arrival of two humans in your life, they’d become few and far in between.

(Few but not gone. And today was going to be one of them.)

The sounds of brass bells being rung and cheers rising up from the streets drew your attention from the dark musings of your thoughts and outwards. From your viewpoint up in the trees and surrounded by their foliage, you had a bird’s eye view of the bustling town market from where you sat. A small festival, that’s what it was. A child had just won a prize for successfully scooping up a turtle with his net. Now the parents cheered as the vendor gave the child a sewn turtle animal. Your gaze stayed locked on the idyllic scene, of a precious family moment.

Oh, how you envied them.

If anybody were to look up at your hiding spot at the moment, they would have seen the golden gleam of slit-like eyes and a dark, blurry shadow among the leaves and nothing more. The weak illusion spell that you managed to cast ensured that they couldn’t see you, despite being so near to others. Festivals like these were rare, the village too small to host frequent ones so when they happened it was a special treat. Both you and Ginko had traveled back for this occasion to be able to help out the townsfolks and enjoy it too. But as the days approached it only got busier and busier. You, when not helping out with the village these past few days, had taken up the mantle of talking to the local forest Yokai. A few liked to mingle among humans during this time, taking in the sights and sounds, and a few appreciated the warnings of more frequent traffic occurring in their zones and it was your job to let them know. 

On the other hand, Adashino, being the doctor and honorary member of the village council, was pulled in all sorts of directions. Budgeting, setup, deliveries form the incoming boats. Even now, he was off helping oversee any problems and keep the peace. And Ginko—

Ginko was passing right in front of your line of sight, deep in conversation with Io.

Ah, Io, the girl who swam with the Suiko. The girl who was saved by the collective efforts of the village. You remembered seeking out the Yokai remedies in the forest to help reverse the effects. A kind, kind girl. Sometimes a bit too selfless, but always eager to help. She had felt indebted to you all, even though all of you had seeked no payment except for her good health and happiness. Despite Ginko’s insistence that he didn't want to take anything from her, she still stopped by Adashino’s to occasionally drop off catches of fish when she had some to spare.

Your eyes tracked the pair as they stopped in front of a stall, Ginko helping Io lift up a case of ice. The slick surface of stray ice under his feet made him slip, almost sending him tumbling down, case and all. His limbs flailed for a moment before he steadied himself. The sight of the usually composed man flustered made Io and some of the locals break into well-natured laughter. Ginko ducked his head, rubbing the nape of his neck in embarrassment as he chuckled.

An ugly feeling flared within your chest at the joyous scene, the longing for closeness making your chest ache. On a normal day, you would’ve been down there already, flitting among the stalls and indulging in the treats. But the work the last few days had forced you to expend more magic than you realized. It didn’t hit you how bad it was until this morning when you nearly ripped a crate apart after getting spooked. Thankfully, only Adashino noticed before you quickly excused yourself to slink away before you could hurt anybody. Even now, as you had dropped the exhausting human mirage in favor of the much easier hiding spell, it still made you twitchy and tired.

Such was your hand deal in life, not enough Yokai blood to wield magic extensively like your brethren but with just enough in you to irreversibly put you apart from all mortal men.

The sounds of goodbyes rose up and you watched Ginko and Io depart back to where they came from. Your feet itched to hop down and pursue them, to join the streams of people moving through the village.

But you were tired.

Tired tired tired.

***

Sometimes, Adashino regretted stepping into such an influential position in the village. Despite there being the officials and the elders who made the major decisions, many of them relied on him for aid. Especially with big events such as these when all he wanted was to spend some time in his archives and organize his collections with Ginko, listening to you chattering their ears off with your tales. 

Don’t get him wrong, he loved where he was now, and if given the chance, he would have done it all over again. He loved being able to contribute his knowledge to the people and help them with everything he could. But he just wished they didn’t make him out to be such an important figure. He was just a humble doctor who liked to collect the unusual, after all.

Well–compared to you and Ginko, he wasn’t exactly humble. But he tried to live an honest life. A life that his parents would be proud of too. It was why he moved out to this village in the first place.

(A desperate fisherman coming to the family apothecary. The village was just beginning to pop up then and was hoping to be able to have a physician who could manage the sickness that had fallen over the town)

His mother had encouraged him to go. Sent him off with a small fortune in his hands left behind by his father. She had reassured him she’d be alright. His father’s time as the most successful physician in their town ensured that landed the family with good graces and good fortune, covering for his wife and two sons even after his death.

(Even now, she continued to send parcels, bigger than before ever since he started mentioning two other individuals in his mail.)

But the responsibilities heaped upon him made it impossible to seek you out after he saw what occurred that morning. It happened so quickly, not even the roughhousing boys who crashed into you realized it, but for a second Adashino’s sharper eyes caught the flicker in your appearance as it slipped to reveal snapping teeth and slitted eyes. He saw the way the crate in your hands began to splinter but as soon as it happened you had shut everything down under tight lock and key, expression freezing over like ice over a winter pond. Nobody noticed as you finished, laughing a laugh with no joy in it towards a joke before you slipped away.

Nobody except him.

And he wasn’t able to grasp a moment with you before you slipped away like mist through his fingers.

A voice called out for him and Adashino cursed his altruistic nature, wishing he had his tobacco pipe in hand. “Coming!”

“....ut it here, Ginko. Thank you for your help, I don’t what I’d have done without you.”

“Anytime.”

The familiar tenor made Adashino stop in his tracks, heading whipping back to seek out its owner. Seeing the white mop of hair, the doctor quickly adverted his course and headed straight for the Mushishi. He skidded to a stop in front of him, monocle nearly falling off. “Ginko! There you are. Please tell me you have a moment.”

Ginko tilted his head, blinking slowly through the haze of his cigarette smoke. “Sure do.”

“Okay good, good. Have you seen–” His eyes flitted to the left as he thought he saw you, uttering your name. “–anywhere?”

“Can’t say I have. Why? Dodging responsibilities?”

Adashino shook his head, worry surging back to the forefront of his mind. Why were you not there? Usually, you’d be among the streets already; if not, Ginko should’ve spotted you in the crowd. But to not see hide nor hair of you this entire time? 

It must have shown on his face because Ginko stepped forward. “Is something wrong?”

Despite the responsibilities weighing down his shoulders, he grabbed the man’s arm and began dragging him to the side. “Come on give me a moment and I’ll explain to you. Can you do me a favor?”

***

Ginko was troubled.

The worried look on Adashino’s face as he left the doctor to resume his responsibilities stuck with the white-haired man as he set off to take a lap around the town, looking for you. Now that the doctor brought up his concerns about you, Ginko couldn’t help but re-analyze the entire day so far, recalling a very distinct lack of your sharp laughter and crimson kimono that you loved to wear for festivals. The entire time he attributed your absence to you being busy helping Adashino but when the doctor had asked him if he had seen you it threw him for a loop. And then the short explanation that entailed, Adashino’s concerns about your appearance–which you usually kept under lock and key–nearly being shown in the middle of the market.

So there he was, trying to seek out a flighty little half-spirit like the way he seeked out Mushi. It reminded him of the first time he met you when you both were younger and less experienced in life. It was a Mushi report that turned out to be a Yokai, one that you were also in the region to deal with, and he had accidentally tracked you down instead of the actual issue. Luckily, you were agreeable enough to aid him in finding the Yokai, and your help was crucial in asking it to move out from the river the village used. The rest was history.

Through the length of time that the three of you have known each other, there were things that were shared among you three that no outsiders knew. Moments reserved only for each other and no one else. You had seen him at his worst and he had seen you at yours and thus he was adept at spotting when you were running yourself ragged.

Usually.

Ginko muttered a curse under his breath as he thought about you in the past few days. The ozone smell of your magic fluctuating wildly when you three spent time with each other at home, how your appetite had waned despite it usually increasing when you used a lot of powers, the way you were tenser around open fires lately. But because of the work occupying you all, he had missed all the signs.

His feet picked up the pace as he scanned the area around him. He knew you were smart and capable enough to care for yourself but he didn’t want you to spend your time alone with your thoughts.

(And Adashino would have his sorry hide if Ginko didn’t find you before the end of today.)

An inquiry from a local made him stop as they roped him into a conversation and he tried his best to entertain it without drawing it on for too long. Thankfully his practice in patience paid off and they soon excused themself to send him on his way. Pulling a cigarette out, he lit it up and inhaled the calming smoke. While the festival was entertaining, he couldn’t wait until it was over so he could actually spend some time with you and Adashino beyond hurried conversations as you guys carried stuff past each other on the street.

(Though he lamented that he’d have to leave very soon after the festival, lest he attracts any unsavory Mushi close to people he held so dear.)

With a sigh, the man took another drag and moved on. 

Now… If he was his sneaky little fox spirit, where would he hide?

***

The sun had shifted to shine directly on your face in the time you woke up from your daze and now your skin felt flushed and tacky. Hot and feverish with heat. Despite your state, you still managed to pick up the sounds of a throat clearing at the base of your tree. You shifted, an eye peering down through the fringes of your hair.

“You’ve been here the whole time?” Ginko asked, hands tucked in his pocket and face upturned to smile at you in his small, signature smile. “How long have you been up there, huh? ‘Shino’s been searching around for you.”

You didn’t answer–couldn’t answer as words refuse to give way–but a deliberate shift making the leaves around you rustle was enough of an answer for the man as he let out a good-natured sigh, stepping up to under where you were sitting and extending his arms out to beckon you.

Ginko called your nickname, short and sweet as it fell from his mouth, arms beckoning you. “C’mere. Let’s go back before it gets dark and Adashino decides to lock us in his shed. I’ll catch you.”

There was hesitation in your actions as you began to untuck from the ball that you’d curled up into, but the endless patience in Ginko’s face and his calm demeanor reassured you. As one leg dangled over the branch, you peered down at him with tired eyes.

“As scrawny as I may seem, I’m stronger than I look. I won’t drop you. Don’t you trust me?”

You did.

Gravity swept you down toward him as you pushed off, clenching your eyes shut in anticipation. Lithe arms caught you with a grunt and you let out a quiet wheeze at the impact. Miraculously, the man didn’t topple under the weight and force of your landing. You clambered off him, ready to head back but the moment your feet touched the ground the consequences of perching in a tree the whole day caught up to you. Ginko saw you toppling and quickly went to support you. 

“Don’t think you can make it back to Adashino’s, huh?”

You pursed your lips, shaking your head. To your surprise, Ginko began pulling away from you. There was a moment of panic as you thought he was leaving you before he crouched down in front of you.

“Up you go.”

A moment passed as you stared at him in confusion. Ginko glanced back at you as he raised an eyebrow after seeing you still standing there.

“Come on. You’re really gonna walk all the way home and up the hill?”

That question helped you make up your mind. Quickly, you clambered up, locking your arms around his shoulders and he grabbed the underside of your thighs.

“You’ll be my medicine cabinet for today,” Ginko said as he stood up. “A bigger, livelier one.”

You gently pat him on top of his head, messing with the hair there.

“I’ll drop you if you don’t stop that,” Ginkgo warned, jostling you jokingly.

A small amused huff escaped you at that, knowing full well that he wouldn't do that, and resting your chin on his shoulder. The walk back was peaceful, with Ginko pointing out a few of the harmless Mushi floating around and remarking on some of the Yokai visitors he saw arrive today.

(Some of them, he told you, asked after your wellbeing.)

With his presence came the feeling of your soul settling down, your skin feeling more right on your body. You weren’t like them, but that didn’t matter. There was still a place for you in their world and them in yours.

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Know It Like the Back of Your Hand

Adashino x reader x Ginko

Their hands. You've memorized every facet of it.

For someone like you, tactile touches came easily, hugs, and grazes of skin against skin like second nature to you. Whether it be because of the loving environment you’d grown up in so, so long ago, or a desperate burning need to recreate it, you’d never know. But what you knew was that you relied on it like a drug, stealing touches from Adashino and Ginko like a drug.

It wasn’t uncommon for the villagers to see you hanging off of either one’s shoulders or arms, each time received with chuckles and knowing looks, any sense of impropriety long gone with how closely you all stuck to the other. Times where you jumped out to wrap around them were attributed to the spirit half of your heritage.

But more than the actions disguised as joking hugs and your mischievous Yokai nature, was the handholding.

Something you cherished viciously, a dragon hoarding its treasure. It was almost second nature, for yours to seek out theirs whenever the moment arose. For such a simple, nondescript act, it satiated that hungry, hollowed-out part of you. And it was like the men knew, offering their own hands for you to latch on, gorging and gorging yourself on the delicacy that was their love. You knew you were being greedy, but neither of them ever pulled away from your monstrous hands, even when your claws pricked and scratched at them.

Adashino’s hands held the smoothness that stemmed from a value of those limbs. Fingers long and nails well-trimmed, with a writing callous from the records he kept on his patients’ health. He was more prone to getting cold, and you always liked reaching for him on hot summer days.

Ginko’s hands were more calloused, though both bearing almost similar, parallel trades—doctor of the mundane, doctor of the arcane—he was out in far more fields in far more environments, so he gained callouses almost as fast as he did experience. The work-roughened palms made you feel soothed by your own not-quite-genteel hands, made you happy to be close to someone so intimately intertwined in another world like you were.

Sometimes, when Adashino’s work would get the best of him, you would take an ink or herb-stained hand into yours, cold and stiff from overworking, and worked away the aches and pains you knew would be there.

Sometimes, after a particularly harsh case, a minutely trembling hand would seek yours out, fingers entangling with yours in lieu of a cigarette that Ginko so badly wanted to smoke. During particularly bad cases where he sought you out, you would hold his hands, and squeeze, silently offering him your support.

Sometimes, when nightmares kept you half-ensnared in their grips, refusing to let you fully wake, hands slipped into yours from the men sleeping on either side of you. One calloused and broad, the other warm and soothing.

And when blinded and deafened, hands were the only things you could identify, touches from them were usually the first thing that hit.

It was those very same hands now, that tipped your head back, fingers beneath your chin. You struggled a bit, shaking your head and dislodging them from your face as you hissed and swiped blindly at the assailant. Your eyes were clenched shut, unable to be used due to the explosive that burned at your retinas and for fear of the blood from your head wound trickling in.

A groan vibrated out from someone and after a moment, you realized it was coming from you, everything sounding like they were underwater. Buzzes of voices echoed in your ears, but you couldn’t tell who exactly surrounded you. Animal instincts flared up, sharp and hot terror as you bared your teeth blindly, hands and feet scrambling to push yourself back on the dirt, too weak from the explosive light trap to stand up.

A faint call, something like your name. You brought a shaking up, claws extended, only to find it seized by warmer, broader hands. Ready to jolt away, it wasn’t until your fingers grazed across a rougher patch of skin by the meat of the thumb that you froze. It was Ginko’s hand, that callous you knew from him using a chipped pestle that he refused to replace to grind his remedies.

“Ginko?” The vibrations of your own voice followed by its familiar sound was barely heard beneath the ringing of your ears, and you hoped your voice didn’t garble up his name. 

The hands squeezed, responding to your words, and you knew it was him.

Then that meant the other hands…

Your head swung around, the less blood-covered eye peeking open to try and catch sight of the good doctor. Only for you to slam it shut again as bright light pierced it painfully.

Once more, cool, smooth fingers tipped your face up. Only this time, you didn’t resist, lips pulling up into an unrepentant grin in an effort to stave off the scolding you knew you’d face soon.

Slowly, as Adashino and Ginko worked on your injuries, the fear turned into sedation, your body, and senses going lax as you put your trust into their hands, content to allow them to take stock while your senses were scrambled.

You flinched when the hand abruptly left, a noise of fear bubbling up in your throat. But there wasn’t a need to worry as two warm presences sat on either side of you. Their weight pressed into either side of you, and you relaxed, a sigh escaping your nose.

Eyes were the windows to the soul, and furthermore, hands were their vessels, tasked with putting the will to the world, the way in which their identity formed and in which the world knew them. For you, it was the marker in which you’d identify friend or foe, it was your connection to the world.

And, despite both Adashino’s and Ginko’s lesser proclivities to physical touch, you were infinitely grateful that they never denied you when you slipped your hands into theirs.

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Year's End Brings New Beginnings

Adashino x reader x Ginko

As per tradition, the town celebrates the new year.

The turn of the year. Significant not only to humans but to that of the spirits bordering beyond their world. With such reverence placed on the day, it had coalesced enough power to draw in the likes of Yokai and Mushi alike, using that energy to execute their own festivals and activities.

“Thank you for the ride and the trade,” you said, carefully sliding off the smooth back of the dragon you were riding.

The juvenile Tatsu rumbled, shaking its head dismissively. “It was of no concern. Since we were both traveling in the same direction, I don’t see why I couldn’t offer you a lift. After all, you always bring the best trinkets in exchange for my wares.”

Said items rested safely wrapped in your travel satchel, faintly warm from the imbued powers of the Tatsu. Gifts for Adashino and Ginko, something so that the three of you could match. You grinned, all sharp teeth and yellow eyes peeking out from underneath your fox mask. “Heading back to your family, yes?”

“Of course. The gates to our skies open today. I’ll be staying with them until it reopens again.”

“So you’ll be gone for a while, then. I’ll miss bartering with you.”

“And I’ll miss my little lupine trader. Don’t get into trouble while I’m away. Make sure to be here when I get back.”

“I’ll try my best,” you chuckled. “Safe travels.”

The Tatsu dipped its head in a bow, you following with one of your own before the spirit reared up and spiraled into the night sky. In the peace left after, you took a deep breath of the crisp air before setting off. Floating Mushi began to drift into the air around you, undulating and providing a soft glow of their own. Faint rustles of far-off movements alerted you to the ongoings of other nightlife, many most likely Yokais heading about, all with destinations to go just like you. The few you glimpsed wore masks of their own, drawn and decorated to their liking. You exchanged greetings to those who gave you one, well-wishes, and familiar conversations with those in the area that you knew well.

However, as you got closer to the town, Yokai presence got less. When then the edges of the forest opened up, you took off your mask and admired the view below you. The small seaside town was strung up with glowing lanterns, labor-intensive craftsmanship from the committee of elders that liked to weave in their spare time. They bobbed and swayed gently from the ocean breeze heading inland, one that rustled the strands of hair by your cheek. Music carried up from below, voices and chatter of a tight-knit community intermingling. Tonight, the villagers would spend time amongst each other, celebrating the teamwork and collaboration that brought them this far. It was vital, in a village like this, that people worked well together. Then, as the night wore on, the townsfolk would split into their own houses, winding down the clock with their own families.

Footsteps approached from behind you, a call of your name from the owner in a familiar voice. “Ah, there you are. Ginko was spot on.”

You turned around, fox ears perking up in surprise. “Adashino,” you fussed, leaving your view and approaching to fuss over the doctor. “What are you doing here? It’s dangerous.”

The man shrugged, falling into step with you. “You were running late. Ginko couldn’t come because he was caught up in helping old woman Shiozaki bring out the treats for the kids.”

“I would’ve made it back eventually. Be more careful next time. You know that spirit activity rises with the peak of the moon today,” you scolded, hand delving into your satchel to rummage and carefully pull out your gift for Adashino. “But since you’re here already, I guess your gift will come in handy now.”

A hand-painted fox mask very similar to yours, but instead of the dark red details circling up the forehead and cheeks, his was a wood-brown base with a thin white ring over the eyehole where he wore his monocle. On the opposing side was a bundle of painted herbs that trailed up the cheek.

Adashino gaped at the item in your hand as you showed it to him. “Did you–Did you make that?”

“I had some help with making the charms stick,” you admitted. “But I got it done in the end. Warding and protection masks. Nothing big but it’ll allow your human status to remain somewhat unnoticed by lower-level Yokais. For you and Ginko, since you two just don’t know how to keep yourself out of trouble.”

As if demonstrating your point, a ratlike Yokai lunged out of the forest straight at your friend. You snarled and snapped your teeth at the offending spirit, a spike of ozone and wind blasting it back into the undergrowth. Grumbling, you beckoned to Adashino.

“C’mere, let me put it on you.”

The man brought his face closer to yours and you brought the mask to it, unfurling heather-gray cording and wrapping it around the man’s head. A neat bow and you adjusted it so it rested on the bridge of his nose correctly, covering up the top half of his face down to his upper lip as intended. You stepped back, looking at him before you took yours off the hook of your belt and put it on too.

“How does it feel?” You asked, looking at him through the eyeholes of your own.

His fingers were almost reverent as he ghosted them over the item on his face. “It’s�� wow.”

“Articulate,” you laughed, turning back to keep your eyes on the pathway. “I thought I’d never see the day when I render great doctor Adashino-sensei speechless.” 

He straightened, clearing his throat in embarrassment. “Well, it’s just…. I have to admit that this is one of the best gifts I’ve received. I definitely have to take a closer look at this thing later.”

Grinning bashfully, you kept your eyes on the path. “Aha, you flatter me.”

Mushi flitted through the air, lining both sides of where you two were walking. They cast a glow on the otherwise dark forest, natural lanterns that made a path leading back to civilization. Gradually, their soft, bright glow fell into companionship with that of the human-made lanterns strung up, a sign that you two were near the town entrance. Down here, the music and celebration were much louder, and soon the golden glow of a celebrating community took over the forest. A quick shake of your head and all your Yokai features slipped back under the illusory spell, and you were reading to head into the town. Stepping through the entrance, it greeted you with a full display of festivities. 

Children chased each other, some dressed in their finest and some wearing oni masks. Sparklers were seen in every other hand and adults moved to and fro in chattering groups. There was an undeniable sense of warmth in the air and you could see why so much power had accrued on this day.

Your arrival was not left unnoticed, one of the men delivering jugs of sake pointing out your presence. “Hey, it’s the doctor and his friend! They’re back in town!”

There was a cheer that went up, nobody minding the masks on both of your faces since a few others were walking around similarly. You grinned and waved back at the townsfolk enthusiastically.

“Just in time, you know,” a soup stall owner said, pressing a cup of steaming broth with lotus into your hand as you passed. “I saw poor Ginko being ferried around by Tsumiki-san. The woman’s got him in a chokehold trying to put up the new year’s good fortunes around the town.”

“We’ll have to come to help them, then,” you said, lifting your cup in thanks. Taking a sip you hummed at the rich brothy liquid and passed it along to Adashino. Later you’d have to return the cup with a gift, but for now, you had a Mushi master to find. The doctor took the cup from your hand and you two traded sips until the entire thing was drained. Warmth spread inside of you, blooming in a mixture of happiness and contentment.

It wasn’t long until you two found your target, Ginko having escaped the older woman as he made his way towards you two. Your eyes lit up and you rushed toward the man. “Ginko!”

The man was out of his normal traveler’s wear, now in a green kimono that complimented his unique eyes. A small smile graced his face upon seeing you two. “I thought you got lost.”

“You know I have an impeccable sense of direction, idiot,” you replied affectionately, reaching into your bag. “Besides I come with something special.”

Pulling the item out with a flourish, you presented Ginko’s mask. His was a dampened teal-green, a semicircle of while swooping down over the left eyehole. Around the borders of the mask and other eyehole were carefully drawn depictions of the floater Mushis that inhabited the forest around here. 

There was a moment of stunned surprise. You shook it invitingly, waiting for the man to make a move. Gently, Ginko took it from you, turning it this way and that and paying special attention to the paint strokes making up the colorful Mushi. He glanced at the matching mask on your face and Adashino’s, who had caught up with you two, the faintest smile on his face.

Ginko tilted his head forward, offering you back the mask as he saw your barely contained excitement. “Help me put it on?”

You launched into action, slipping the mask from his grasp and expertly wrapping the cording around his head and tying it off in a neat little bow. Your cheeks ached under the weight of your indulgent smile.

“There,” you said softly. “Now we all match.”

“They’re lovely,” Adashino said.

“Thank you,” Ginko added.

“I’m no artist, the Yokai that was helping me could do much better but I wanted to paint them for you guys,” you admitted.

There was a small ruckus at the end of the street that brought your attention, one of the council elders traversing down the path ringing a bell in hand.

“Kei-san’s setting up the fireworks now! It’ll be ready in a few hours Remember to go to the beach if you wish to view them.”

“There’s our destination,” Adashino said. “We should go before it gets too crowded.”

Following the flow of the crowd, you three eventually ended up spat out at the edges of the building bordering the beach, fine sand underneath your feet. Lights were put up around the area too, torches throwing their orange glow into the dark waters behind. You found a seat on a low rock outcropping, enough space for all three of you to sit and flat enough that you could set down the earthen sake cup and bottle. Along the way, the sake vendor who first spotted your arrival had caught the three of you, shoving the drinks into Ginko’s hands before moving on to accost other folks with the same action.

“I heard Kei-san managed to get his hands on some big ones this year,” Ginko said.

“How he can find such things out where we are is a feat within itself,” Adashino sighed, lifting up his mask to reast by his temple. You and Ginko followed suit as you picked up the sake vase.  “But I’m going to be upset if I have to patch anybody up tonight.”

You ‘pssh’ed, pouring the liquid out for the three of you. “Relax. They’ve been doing this for… how long now? Everything will be fine.”

Ginko hummed in agreement, eyes scanning the gathering and landing on food cart when he heard your stomach rumble. “Hungry?” he asked, a glint of amusement in his eyes.

“A little bit,” you admitted, scratching the back of you head. “In my defense, I’ve been travelling.”

“I’ll get something for us to eat then,” the Mushishi said as he unfurled himself form his perch.

“Oh, oh wait! Here’s some coin!” Scrambling for your bag, you reached for your money pouch before Adashino slung an arm around your shoulders and pulled you short.

“Just let him do it,” the man said jovially, already halfway done with is first cup. “He just came back from a lucrative trip after all.”

You didn’t miss the look Adashino exchange with Ginko as he left and huffed, leaning into his side as you crossed your arm. “Fine. Don’t think I didn’t notice that. I’ll get you guys later.”

“It’s the least we can do,” Adashino said, draining the last of his sake and reaching to refill it, arm still resting around you. “After you gave us these.” He tapped the maskresitng on his head.

Sticking your nose in the air, you teased, “What if I did it for selfish reasons, hm? What if this was a ploy and now that you accepted my gifts, I’m going to spirit you two away forever and ever?”

You could feel him shrug from beside you. “It can’t be that bad, being with you and Ginko. It’ll feel like home.”

That casual admittance made your heart squeeze, breath hitching as you took an obnoxiously loud sip of your sake to cover up. “I’m sure you two would get bored. Especially of me.”

“I don’t think so. Telling Ginko to stop wrecking his lungs would get old fast, sure. But the good partswould outweigh the bad.”

The thought of a life where you three could travel together, beholden to where the wind would take you made a sickly sweet smile stretch over your features. One tinted by the slightest bit of sorrow. Because of what you were, it would be no surprise if you ended up outliving your two dear companions, forced to bury their bones while you would be locked into centuries of youth before your father’s blood made short of your life. But at a time of celebration like this, there was no room for thoughts like that. So you shook it away, downing your drink and pouring a second.

As Adashino went for a third drink, Ginkgo returned ladden with food. A space was cleared for the man to set it down and your mouth watered at the sight. Steaming bowls of toshikoshi soba met your gaze and alongside them were also bowls of Ozoni. In it, pillowy mochi floated with witht the bright greens of komatsuna, one of the few winter vegetables grown here. To top it all off were the iconic fishcakes made local here and no where else.

A gentle bop to the top of your head made you snap out of your oogling. “Stop drooling or else the food will get cold,” Ginko chuckled.

Food was passed around, a few sips taken from your sake cup to wet your appetite. The first sip of broth was savored and you closed your eyes in bliss, leaning back against the outcropping behind you. “Just perfect,” you sighed.

The three of you spent the time in companionable conversation, passing the hours away. The vase of sake was drained and a second one obtained, that one nearly done when the murmurs of the firework show beginning spread through the crowd. You sat up, a little wobbly as you split up the final dredges of the sake into three even servings and once more passed them out. Adashino missed his cup the first time, but shushed your chuckles as he grabbed it on his second go. Ginko was quiet, but his tan skin was darkened in a drunk flush, watching with wrapt attetion as torches were brought up to the front where Kei-san and his helpers were waiting.

Chatter fell into a lull as the village chief walked to the front, holding the bells with him. He lifted them up into the air. They chimed and torches were brought down on the fuse. A sizzle and whoops as the sharp pop of the fireworks leaving their tube. Sparks flew as projectiles were launched into the air, a ring of bells accompanying as the chief swung them down.

“To a prosperous year!” You cheered, cheeks warm. The weights of Adashino and Ginko were comforting as they leaned into youChildishly, you thought of the things you did with your parents when you were little before everything fell apart.

(Your mother’s hand, smooth and cold. Your father’s shoulders supporting you from below.)

(Make a wish.)

Your blood thrummed with happiness, the power of generations of celebration singing in the air around you. They say that wishes made during these festivals held a weight that no other days compared to. Glancing to either side at your friends, and to the townspeople around you, you made a simple wish.

You wished to have this preciousness in your heart for as long as you could. 

As the trail of lights reached its peak, you thrust your sake cup in the air and yelled, “Kanpai!!”

The sky bloomed in a brilliant blaze of lights and colors, sounds of awe and cheers going up.

“Kanpai.”

“Kanpai!”

Twin cups clinked against yours, sake sloshing over the edges and catching in the vivid fireworks in front of you three.