Tale of Yokais

Chapter 16

"Tch..Why won't this flame stop following me?" Kyuubi said, closing his hands on the flame. When he opened his hands again, the flame was still there.

He didn't mind the flame after it had first appeared. But it was starting to get annoying. Everywhere he went, the flame tagged along. Sometimes he had to hide the flame with his sleeve or carrying it in his closed hands whenever he went close to somewhere humans were. 

"Onibi..if you're going to stay with me..Please stay home where it's safe.  I can't keep an eye on you constantly" he said quietly to the small flame.

As usual it didn't respond. How could it? After all, it was nothing more than a flame currently.

At times he wished Onibi would just go away, but he was a flame created from him. A flame that kept him warm and company. Honestly, he didn't want to go back to being alone. For the first time in hundreds of years, he wasn't alone. 

Reaching over, Kyuubi grabbed a empty lantern he always had on a table by his bed. He never used it, so he placed the small flame in it. "There, you'll be safe in this lantern"

"Kyuubi"

"..Huh?" he tilted his head to the flame. 'Did..it just say my name?'

"Kyuubi-no-kitsune..!"

. . .

"Kyuu! Wake up!" 

Kyuubi groaned, lifting his head from his arms and looked around confused. He was still at his ramen stand, but it was only him and Onibi there at the moment. Onibi..that's right, he was trying to wake him up. Was he dreaming?

"You were mumbling in your sleeping!"

"Sorry, I was thinking back to when you were still a small flame" he smiled, reaching over and placing his hand on Onibi's cheek. "Did you need something?"

"Nope! If you're tired though we can just head home. Just close the stand early"

He considered doing just that. It was his stand, as well as his choice if it was open or not at the moment. The kitsune stood up and walked out from behind the stand, closing early won't hurt anyone. Onibi quickly grabbed his hand and began pulling him back home. Was he really the one taking care of Onibi? Or was it him taking care of the kitsune. 

Maybe it was both.

Once they were home, Kyuubi was immediately brought over to his bed so he could lay down. Something seemed off though. He made sure Onibi was always truthful with him, he could always tell if something was wrong.

"Onibi..you never work this hard to take care of me. What's going on?"

"I said I wanted to protect you now too right? So I'm trying to take of you more! You and Kamaitachi have both taken good of me"

"..It seems like there's more to it though.."

"There isn't, I promise Kyuubi-no-kitsune" Onibi replied, not making eye contact even once.

Now he was even more suspicious. Usually Onibi wouldn't hesitate to tell him about anything. Literally. He'd even rant about whatever came to mind sometimes. So what was holding him back now? 

Standing up, Kyuubi pulled Onibi over to him and hugged him. He could feel Onibi freeze at the sudden action. Something else that was strange, he'd return the embrace almost immediately. This time he didn't. 

"Tell me what's wrong"

"..I heard you and Mizuchi talk about how sometimes you didn't like raising me"

"Did you hear the full conversation of that topic?" Kyuubi asked.

"No..just that.."

The kitsune sighed, "Well if you had continued listening in on our conversation, you would of heard me say a majority of the time I loved having you around"

"R-Really?!" Onibi beamed with happiness.

"You're my precious little flame. The only one I created to become the young yokai I'd raise.."

The two happily hugged each others. There was no way Kyuubi would ever regret creating Onibi anymore. Perhaps he did when he was still young, but not anymore. Although it did get annoying with how many times young Onibi got in some trouble, he would go running to save him again if he could.

"Is this a bad time?"

Both jumped and looked over to the front door, standing there was Mizuchi. Hanabusa wasn't with him this time, he probably went to get back to his duties as a Katanashu. Though, there was a swarm of yokais with him.

"Pfff, you really can't go anywhere without being swarmed!" the fire spirit laughed, holding his sides.

"How annoying..if you don't mind leaving for a bit little yokais, I'm sure Mizuchi won't mind spending time with you after he talks with us"

The group of small yokai stayed for a moment before leaving Mizuchi alone. They desperately wanted to have human forms of their own. Of course, Mizuchi was the yokai they all went to try all day gain spiritual power from, he had plenty to spare. Plus, he just couldn't deny them. He was just too kind for his own good. Just like how Onibi was too risky for his own good, sneaking into the human world over and over.

"We have to talk about something Kyuubi-no-kitsune"