#yuki with his paw on his hip is just something else

[roxi-chan]

Yuki: I'll walk on two legs and keep my human posture because I'm too dignified to behave like a rat.

Kyo: I'll hiss like a cat, scratch like a cat, and likely groom like a cat because I don't give a damn about being proper.

[tact-and-impulse]

Shinkane Week Day 4

I love how it’s essentially canon that Kougami’s the only one who tolerates and likes her cooking.

Prompt: Sweetness

“I’m so grateful you’re taking care of the house, Acchan. But I do feel bad that you won’t be with your friends during your summer break.”

Akane moved the phone to her other hand as she took off her shoes. “It’s okay, Kaori’s busy with her internship and Yuki’s going to be overseas. Just focus on getting better, Obaa-chan.”

“Yes. Oh, and don’t forget to leave some wagashi on the front porch.”

“Eh? What for?”

“For the youkai, of course!”

She wryly smiled. “Obaa-chan, you still believe in that superstition?”

“It doesn’t hurt. And I still haven’t forgotten how you survived falling in the river, when you couldn’t swim. Something must have rescued you.”

“That was a long time ago. Your accident was much more recent.”

“Well, my injuries could have been worse. The nurse is here, so I have to hang up. Good night, Acchan.”

“Good night.”

She finished unpacking first, assuming there’d be mochi or konpeito lying around. However, she was soon proven wrong. She looked in the refrigerator, then the cupboards, with growing concern. How strange, there weren’t any sweets left. Well, she could probably make some instead. Obaa-chan had plenty of cookbooks, and she was good at following instructions. She rolled up her sleeves and set to work.

***

“Finished it off again, huh?” She couldn’t help smiling as she looked at the empty plate on the porch. Over the past week, she had made yokan, leaving a handful of cubes out every night. And every morning, they were gone. She assumed some animal must have eaten them, but she was growing fond of whatever it was. It had a good appetite; nothing was left behind.

As she was hanging the laundry out to dry, she noticed something strange. A misshapen indent in the ground. Drawing closer, she slowly realized it was a footprint.

It looks like a dog’s, but it’s very big. If one paw is bigger than my hands…

Aware that she was alone in the countryside, she desperately looked around. Dense foliage met her gaze. But…other than the footprint, there were no other signs of a large creature. Perhaps, it was a youkai. Akane pressed her lips together and tried not to laugh at herself. She was being silly for even entertaining such a thought.

Nevertheless, she decided to switch it up.

In the middle of the night, Akane woke to a dry throat. She poured herself a glass of water in the kitchen and for some reason, she thought of checking the plate of dango. Groggily, she made her way through the dark house and opened the door to the porch.

What she saw instantly dispelled her sleepiness. In the yard, a weasel was lying belly up, pink tongue lolling out. A fox urgently patted its face.

But Akane was drawn to the figure sitting on the porch. He was strikingly handsome in the moonlight. One hand held a half-eaten skewer, and sharp teeth gleamed as he bit into the syrupy dumplings. A fluffy black tail swished in the air, brushing the fabric of his dark gray yukata.

The fox gave a mournful cry and it almost sounded human. “Kagari!!!”

“Oi, Gino, quiet down.” Then, the stranger looked at her, and pointed canine ears perked up above his wayward hair. “Ah…”

Akane grasped the sliding door, needing something to anchor herself. This was real, this was actually happening. “Are you…a youkai?”

“Yeah. Are you the one who’s been making the wagashi?” He finished off the dango.

“Only this past week.” She dazedly replied. “My grandmother’s usually the one who leaves them out, but I’m taking care of the house in her absence. But um, is there something wrong with your friend?” She pointed to the fallen weasel.

“He’s fainted!” The fox glared at her. “What did you put in those dumplings?!”

“Oh, you can talk!” Akane blinked in surprise. “And I just tweaked the recipe. I didn’t have enough ginger so I added horseradish.”

“That’s it! The wasabi. Kagari can’t handle spicy food.”

“Is that so? Should I add milk?”

“Mi…why?!”

The only one eating interjected, licking syrup off his fingers. Akane had trouble focusing as he said. “Gino, calm down. Her cooking’s just fine.”

“Well, now I can’t change back because I had one too. Seriously, Kougami, how are you alright and maintaining human form?”

“What’s the matter with you?” He retorted. “The wagashi taste great.”

Akane blushed, but the fox grabbed the weasel by the scruff. With one last glare, the two vanished into the undergrowth.

“Don’t mind them. Gino’s a stickler for tradition, even though the offerings don’t mean anything. It’s not like we’ll starve if we don’t have them and our group will protect this area regardless.”

She mulled over his words. “If it’s not to promote good fortune, why do you eat the sweets?”

“Anybody can appreciate a snack. Plus, it’s nice to know that our existences haven’t been forgotten. By the way, I’m Kougami. The fox is Ginoza and the weasel is Kagari.”

“I’m Tsunemori Akane. I’m here for the summer, for the first time in years. As long as I’m staying in this house, I won’t forget the wagashi for all of you.” She watched him polish off the last skewer.

He wiped his mouth and bowed his head. “Thank you for the dango. You probably won’t see us around but just know we’re nearby.”

“Then, that makes us neighbors. I hope to meet everyone again soon.” And she meant it.

His smile was surprisingly gentle. He stepped off the porch, and his figure transformed in a flash. One moment, he was a man. The next, he was a massive black wolf, easily towering above her. In a single leap, he crossed the yard and sprinted deeper within the forest.

How could she possibly sleep after such an encounter?

***

She never told Obaa-chan; it was better that her grandmother recover without distractions. Akane was also becoming more self-sufficient. One morning at dawn, she finally gathered enough courage to traverse the mountainside, resting a woven basket on her hip. A familiar river ran adjacent to the worn path and she gave it a wide berth.

A shadow rose from the water with a loud splash. She recognized Kougami in his partly human form; only this time, he was shirtless from the waist up. His hakama clung to his legs, and he ran a hand through his drenched hair. Water droplets slid over his well-defined abdominal muscles. When he caught her gaze, she almost dropped her basket.

“Tsunemori! Are you here to cool off too?”

She shook her head. “I was looking for wild herbs. I can’t swim. It’s probably because of my bad memory associated with this river.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Really? What happened?”

“When I was little, I was ‘adventuring’ and fell in. I don’t remember much of it, but I held onto something. Whatever it was, it was solid enough. I was pulled out of the water and carried home, because the next thing I knew, I was on the porch and my family was rushing to me.”

He was giving her a rather contemplative stare, but before she could ask, he turned away. “I’m a little hungry. I’m off to go hunting.”

“Do you hunt people, Kougami-san?” Maybe that was a childish question, though he tossed a smirk in her direction.

“No, I prefer burgers over people. See you later.” In a flash, he was a wolf again and bounded away. Her grandmother did think her savior was a youkai and now that she met a few…Obaa-chan could be right. But that didn’t mean Kougami was that youkai.

In the evening, she set out a plate of cream puffs, flavored with some of the mint she had harvested. Her attempt at Western sweets wasn’t too bad to look at, and it wasn’t long before Kougami visited. He immediately shoved a cream puff into his mouth and gave her a thumbs up.

“I’m happy they turned out well. It’s a shame no one else came with you tonight.” She noted.

“They all had things to do. Well, more for me. I like your sweets.” Kougami enthusiastically swallowed another cream puff.

Akane beamed. “Thank you! I’ll definitely make more.”

Anmitsu, pudding, daifuku, melon bread. The possibilities were suddenly endless, and her summer vacation seemed a lot more exciting.