As Things Should Be

-5- Anger

Doma brought Kotoha into the dining hall with a protective arm around her shoulder. He saw Kotoha's husband before she did. He was sitting in the corner of the room angrily glaring at everything with his beady eyes. An old woman sat by his side - his mother, Doma assumed. The old woman matched her son's scowling face and the crone looked ready to snap at anyone who came near. It was obvious that the duo was given a wide berth by the other cultists. Honestly, who wouldn't, even a human would recognize their stench.

For a moment, their eyes met. The poor things tried to glare at him and Doma almost laughed at their audacity. Maybe they saw something in his gaze because suddenly they were both looking away, unable to glare at him any longer. Unfortunately, that meant Kotoha was the subject of their gaze and that just wouldn't do at all.

Doma felt Kotoha tense, drawn up tight like a bowstring as she hugged Inosuke closer to her. Her husband must've met her gaze because he stood up and almost looked like he was going to storm over. Doma dared him to and, for the second time that day, the human made a smart decision and retreated, backing down into his seat. Doma only gave Kotoha's shoulder a reassuring grip and he thought he felt her shoulders relax as they grew closer together.

"Don't be afraid," he whispered to her leading her towards his grand chair. "This is my domain, he can not harm you here unless, of course, he has a death wish."

Doma almost hoped he had a death wish. Then again - perhaps it wouldn't do well to have Inosuke witness decapitation at his age. 

Kotoha took a deep breath and stared at the floor as she walked beside Doma. The Upper Moon walked up to his chair which was covered in comfortable pillows and grabbed two before placing them on the ground before his chair. He led Kotoha to one and sat down on the other, right beside her.

A few cultists noticed and they all smiled. A few giggled at the sight and began gossiping to each other. One man gave Kotoha a thumbs up which made her blush in the very slightest despite the circumstance. Inosuke, seeing his mother smile, let out a huge screech of happiness earning a laugh from a few cultists as they ate and brought a smile to Doma's face.

Ah, he really didn't give the humans he surrounded himself with credit. They were all kinder to Kotoha than he could ever be.

A meal was brought for Kotoha but, as Doma expected, she hardly touched it. Instead her every moment was focused on feeding Inosuke who seemed to hate everything except shrimp tempura. Doma could respect the boy's pickiness, he had been the same with his meals not too long ago. 

The boy got tired of the slow rate he was being gifted small bits of shrimp and proceeded to snatch and stuff an entire shrimp into his mouth before giggling at his mother's horrified expression. Somehow, Inosuke didn't choke but that didn't keep Kotoha from scolding him gently. As she ranted, Doma let his eyes wander upwards and rest on her husband.

The human was fuming in the back. His mother placed a hand on his arm but she too glared at Kotoha as if she was trying to plant daggers in the woman's back. Doma instinctively leaned into Kotoha and relished her scent as he hid what he could from their gazes. He almost forgot about them for a moment as he breathed in her presence. It was like a meadow, natural; she smelled like the woods and the river after a rain. She must've taken Inosuke for a walk this morning before all hell broke loose.

"They're glaring at me, aren't they?" Kotoha murmured as she fed Inosuke.

"Uh... no, in fact, most of them are grinning at you," Doma whispered in her ear looking to his followers who just wouldn't stop giggling. Why were they laughing? What was comical about this situation?

Kotoha gave a small smile, thinking Doma was joking.

"Oh... you meant those two," Doma realized, looking back up. He met the gaze of Kotoha's husband who seemed to be trying to kill Doma with a look. Ha, good try but even if the man did have a sword he'd be dead before he could draw it.