Guess I’ll worry about life tomorrow…
"How do I make them disappear?" I whined. I pouted at Aki, who was midway through putting his shirt on.
"Hmm, can't you just walk around like that?" he teased.
"No, because I'll attract attention, and I don't think you'd like other men seeing me in this form either!" I defended.
"Hmm, good point," Aki said, looking deep in thought.
I groaned, turning around to search for an outfit decent enough to meet the Emperor of Homatomashi, or in other words, Yoshimitsu’s father. First impressions. Need to look presentable and not have my ears and tails out.
My Kitsune sounded like she was giggling at me as she began to roll around in my mind. I could only imagine how she'd react if she took full control. I figured she'd be best buddies with Urufu, chasing butterflies and ripping men's balls off.
"I need to know how to return to human me so that I can wear pants," I pointed out. I looked over to see Aki walking towards me.
"You don’t need pants,” he suggested.
"Did our lovemaking leave you confused? I also think it's illegal to walk around half naked at eight in the morning," I insisted, turning around to face him.
He slid his arms around my waist and pulled me into an embrace. I didn't fight it, needing the contact to help ease my nerves.
"Are you nervous?" he asked.
"Hai," I replied, seeing no point in lying to him.
"Don't be. The Emperor is rather laid back, and he'll love you," Aki reassured me.
"You can't be so sure. What if I'm not good enough?" I whispered the last part. My tails curled around Aki, who rubbed my back soothingly.
"You are certainly good enough, Crim. Please don't think otherwise," Aki murmured, placing a soft kiss on my shoulder before tightening his hold around me.
"Is Crimson okay?" I heard the sound of Yoshi's voice as he quietly entered the room. I remained still, but I felt Aki lift his head from my shoulder.
"She's fine, just nervous," Aki replied. I heard Yoshi's footsteps approach us before another hand settled on my upper back.
"Crimson, don't be worried. My father will adore you," Yoshi said in a soothing voice.
I pulled back slightly and turned my head to face him. Those sapphire jewels of his looked well rested, and his soft expression helped calm me down.
"But..." I trailed off and Yoshi smiled, leaning in to place his soft lips against mine. The kiss was slow and gentle, making me want to kiss Yoshi all day instead of heading to the Empire to face his dad. My nervousness was more based on meeting the expectations of an Emperor who ruled all of Homatomashi and had already heard so many good things about me from Yoshi. What if I disappoint him?
I moaned rather loudly when a second pair of lips pressed against the base of my neck on my left, making me shudder while Yoshi's lips continued to devour mine. I broke the kiss to look into Yoshi's eyes, noticing the way the specks of gold twinkled, and how his eyes lowered to my lips with an intense desire.
Aki pulled back from kissing my neck, and I turned my head toward him just as he lowered his lips to mine. This time it was Yoshi's turn to kiss the right side of my neck, slowly sucking the flesh before gently nibbling on it, which made me whimper.
"Guys! Are you dressed yet? Breakfast is ready!" Malachi called out. I noticed I couldn't hear as sharply as before, but I was too into finishing my kiss with Aki, who didn't stop kissing me at the announcement, to pay much thought about it.
"Are they making out or something?" Malachi yelled.
"Yoshi's gonna get them. Come and help me set the table," Itsuki exclaimed from the hall before I heard his fading footsteps.
We finished our sweet exchange, pulling back to stare into one another's eyes. Yoshi gave one final suck to my flesh before he pulled away, a satisfied grin on his face. I looked between the two, seeing how happy and proud they were, like they won a competition of some sort.
"Why do you two look so happy?" I mumbled, noticing how hot my cheeks felt as I blushed. I just registered that I'd just been making out with the both of them at the same time, which made me excited for the future possibilities, though I was bummed we couldn't continue.
"We calmed you down enough for your tails and ears to go away," Yoshi announced. Nani?
I peered behind me to see my tails were gone and lifted my hand to touch where my ears were before, but only felt my black and silver hair.
"How?" I asked, glancing between the two of them.
"It's hard to shift back when you’re nervous or distressed. Your body thinks it needs to defend itself from something or someone, which is why you can't switch back until you've calmed down," Aki explained.
Before I could answer, he gave me a quick peck on the lips and slapped my ass lightly.
"H...hey!" I stuttered, knowing my whole face was red. Aki laughed as he walked over to grab the hairbrush off the top of the dresser.
"Yoshi, comfort Crim while I fix my hair. And Crimson, you can wear pants now." Aki winked. I gawked at him as he left the room, closing the door behind him.
"He...ugh. There are no words for him," I huffed.
Yoshi grinned. "He doesn't want you to be nervous or worried. You know him teasing you is just his way to cheer you up,” he reminded.
I sighed, nodding my head in agreement. "So...you sure I don't need to wear something traditional or fancy? Do I need to wear a kimono?" I asked, debating if blue jeans, a top, and my leather jacket would do, or if I’d feel completely underdressed.
"Anything is fine, Crimson. We are all wearing casual clothing, and if it makes you feel better, we're all wearing jeans too," he stated with a grin.
I smiled widely. "You...are?!" Yoshi, Haru, and Itsuki normally wore pants at home, such as jeans and sweatpants. Outside though, they liked to wear their traditional garments, or montsuki, which was a black silk kimono with white interior lining.
Yoshi nodded and moved to stand behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist. He rested his chin on my shoulder.
"We want you to be comfortable. Also seeing as it's an informal meeting, I don't see the point in dressing up for it. I know you see my father as the Emperor, someone who holds a lot of power in his hands, but to me, he's just my dad. He's very approachable behind the scenes. Trust me, it will be just fine,” he assured me.
I moved my head to my right to look at him. He took the opportunity to press his lips against mine again. When we pulled away, he smirked. "By the way, your Kitsune half form is a good turn on in the morning."
I blushed at his compliment and shyly glanced away. "Arigato," I mumbled.
Yoshi laughed, kissing me on the cheek before unwrapping his arms from around me. "You going to wear pants now that your tails are gone?" he questioned, a hint of amusement in his eyes.
I rolled my eyes but couldn't help but smile. "Ya. I'll get changed. Are we all going together? Is Hakua going as well?" I asked.
My best friend was currently staying with her new boyfriend, Jeff the bartender. He'd tried calling her every single day since she left but due to the signal up in the mountains, Hakua had missed everyone. When she came down for my birthday, I encouraged her to leave and see him before the bar closed after my surprise party. Sure enough, things went well, and she hadn't come home after.
"Hakua will most likely meet us there. Father offered her family a contract in one of the best training schools. It’s near the palace so she won't be too far away. Her parents just need to finalize the classes in the mountains and find replacements," Yoshi explained.
"I'm glad, though the children will probably miss Hakua."
"I believe Father is working on transferring those who would like their children to continue classes down to a few areas in Homatomashi. The mountain has always been a risky place to live. Even if we haven't had an avalanche in years, it's still dangerous, and we don't want innocent families getting killed if it does happen. The relocation is a long process, but we'll be working on it," Yoshi exp
lained.
I stared at him in awe, surprised he knew so much about the country and the cities within it when he'd been here protecting me for more than two months. He noticed my gaze and tilted his head in confusion.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"I'm just in awe that you commit so much to your people, even though they don't know who you really are," I whispered.
He smiled, reaching out to move a few strands of hair out of my face. "Working in silence is more rewarding. Sometimes it's hard to stay quiet when so much crime happens around you, but I know we'll change that sooner rather than later. The satisfaction of being successful is more rewarding than verbal praise."
I took a step forward, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling him down for a deep, intimate kiss. "And I love you for that. Even if you have to keep who you are hidden, I'll always be here to praise the kindness you show your people every day."
"Thank you, Crimson."
"You're welcome," I replied, giving him one last kiss before I pulled away and began looking for my favorite blue jeans. I liked them since they had black zippers and worked well when combined with my favorite black leather jacket.
The guys had gotten it cleaned and fixed up after the mountain incident, which had left it a little damaged with cuts and tears. Not to mention the blood that lingered in the lining of it, which led to it needing some major dry cleaning.
The door opened, and Itsuki poked his head inside. He looked at me first, his purple eyes taking an appreciative look up and down my body. His lips curled up in a smile as he met my gaze, obviously seeing the hint of red that formed on my cheeks thanks to his leisurely assessment.
"Breakfast is going to get cold, guys. Morning, Crimson. You look beautiful as always," Itsuki greeted quietly.
"Morning, Itsuki," I replied.
"You should see her in her half Kitsune form. Malachi would name her Sizzling Hottie, and I don't even think that nickname would do her justice," Yoshi commented, which made me blush harder. I tried to distract myself by continuing my jean search.
"Sizzling Hottie Kitsune Shifter. Damn, I missed out. Crimson, next time you have to show Haru, Malachi, and I," Itsuki stressed. The boyish excitement that leaked off his voice made me giggle.
"Hai, hai. I'll have to ask Aki how to do that. I shifted by accident yesterday," I admitted as I pulled open the bottom drawer. "Ah, there it is!" I exclaimed, pulling out my favorite jeans in glee before I began sliding them on.
"Do we need to pack anything major, Yoshi?" Itsuki asked.
"Nope. I've ensured we have both traditional and casual clothes waiting for us at our place, and the Homatomashi mall isn't too far a walk, so we can always go there for other stuff. Meals are all covered, so we should be good," Yoshi confirmed.
"Sounds good to me." Itsuki nodded in approval. I heard little quick steps. Urufu slipped past Itsuki and raced towards me, practically tackling me.
"Ah. Morning, Urufu! How are you, my sweet girl?" I said happily. I quickly pulled my jeans up before I knelt down to ruffle her white fur. She began licking my face, which made me laugh.
"WOOF!" she replied, nestling herself in my arms as she rested her head on my shoulder.
"She missed you," Itsuki pointed out.
"She likes sleeping in my room, that's why. Right, Uru?" I asked, and she began to howl in reply.
"Let's go eat. We're gonna need a big breakfast for the journey ahead," Yoshi suggested. Itsuki and I exchanged confident looks before we both nodded. Urufu barked before running over to greet Yoshi. I rose up and grabbed my leather jacket from my vanity chair. My gaze landed on my image in the standing mirror, noticing how long my hair had become in such a short period of time.
"Now that I'm a shifter, is my hair supposed to grow so quickly?" I asked. It wasn't like it didn't compliment my features, but if it got any longer, I'd definitely have to put it up so it wouldn’t get in my way.
Itsuki walked over to where I stood and ran his hands through my hair. "Hmm, not sure. It could be because you have both your powers and Storm's? Maybe the combination of the two is accelerating your hair growth. Storm had to cut her hair regularly because it would get too long," Itsuki revealed.
"Could be. It would make sense. It does suit you though, Crimson," Yoshi added.
"I guess, but I do like shorter hair," I mumbled with a pout.
Itsuki grinned, and his hands gathered my hair up in a little ponytail. "Either way, you look beautiful, Crimson. For the sake of it being out of your way, let's do this,” he suggested. I side glanced to the mirror and gasped at the purple and silver magic circles that formed at his fingertips.
In seconds, two silver hair ornaments were in my hair, holding the long black and silver strands in place. He stepped back, letting go of the bundle, which stayed in place. I rushed over to the mirror to get a closer look. A broad smile formed on my lips as I analyzed the little cherry blossom charms that hung on the ends of each silver stick.
"How did you do that?" I asked, whipping my head to Itsuki who looked pleased.
"Scholarship in magic crafting, remember? I can make anything with just my fingertips."
"The luxury," I sighed in admiration, returning to admire at the hairpiece one more time before looking back at him again. "Can you make me more?"
"I'll make as many as you want,” he assured me.
At that point, Haru and Quil entered the room. "You guys are taking too long, so we brought breakfast," Quil announced.
"Morning, Crimson. You look really pretty this morning," Haru complimented.
I smiled widely at him. "Thank you and morning, you two. Sorry for the wait," I greeted, before turning my attention to the platter of food. The moment the scent of rice and miso soup hit my nose, my stomach rumbled.
"I'm starving," I announced.
"I brought more food," Malachi declared, entering the room with Aki behind him.
"Are we having a breakfast picnic in Crimson's room?" Aki asked.
"Sure. Sounds fun," Haru encouraged.
"I'll go bring our food," Itsuki stated cheerfully.
"I'll help," Yoshi added.
I smiled, enjoying their exchange of morning greetings with one another. Urufu sat at my feet, watching with me. I crouched down to pet her and stared at the six men in my room, all of them looking happy and refreshed.
"Storm was really lucky...and I guess I'm the bearer of such luck now. Arigato, Storm," I whispered. Urufu brushed her nose along my cheek in a comforting motion.
We were about to begin another journey that would bring us closer to finding White Eyes and James, and closer to figuring out who was really pulling the strings at N.R.O.
All I hoped was that we would be strong enough to survive whatever trials awaited us.
"You sure you're okay?" Yoshi whispered to me as we stood in front of the door to the Emperor's private office. I nodded, but my hands trembled with worry. I didn't get why I was so nervous about this confrontation. I'd mentally prepared myself the best I could during the train ride and while we were in the royal carriage that was designed to take visitors inside the Empire grounds. Now that I was standing here, I was afraid.
My Kitsune was being affected by my fear; she lay curled up as she stared at the door through my eyes, waiting in anticipation for us to face the Emperor. Meeting the Emperor was a shifter’s dream, especially when they wanted to become a mage or warrior, either in Homatomashi or abroad. It was an acknowledgment of their power, and those privileged enough to meet him would ensure everyone knew that they were strong enough to meet him in the flesh, even if it was just for a delivery of goods.
Yoshi moved to face me, checking the halls to make sure no one else was around before he lifted his hands, cradling my face. "Crimson. Look at me,” he whispered. His inviting voice motivated me to meet his gaze. I didn't hide the fear that lingered in my eyes as I stared back at him.
"Crimson Jiyuna, you are one of the strongest women I've had the privilege to know. Please
don't question your strength. I know you’re worried because this entire shifter situation is something you never got to rightfully experience. Due to the wrongful actions committed against you by Konashi’s selfishness, you were robbed of learning about your true self and abilities. I understand this is scary, and your reaction is completely normal. I just want you to know I'm right here with you. I love you and won't leave your side. I know my father, and I’m sure he’ll adore you. All you need to do is be yourself. Don't worry about anything else,” he reassured me before placing a tender kiss on the lips.
I closed my eyes, letting the press of those soft lips help calm my racing heart. We kissed for what might have been a full minute before he broke away, dropping his arms and sliding his right hand into mine.
"I'm confident in you, Crimson. You will be just fine."
"Thanks, Yoshi," I said quietly.
He nodded before squeezing my hand. "Let's go?"
I nodded once. "Yes," I replied. We both turned to face the door once more, our hands still joined together. Yoshi stepped forward, knocking three times.
"Enter,” a voice called from the other side of the door. Yoshi and I exchanged glances one more time before he turned the knob and entered the office. I followed, squeezing his hand as I scanned the massive area before us.
The theme of the room was dark blue and gold, the combination reminding me of Yoshi's eyes and normal color preference for his clothing. On both sides of us were gold chairs, giving me the impression they were there to accommodate more individuals should the need arise.
I turned my attention back to the center of the room, lowering our gazes to the navy blue tiled floor that had little flowers designed on each square.
I lifted my gaze to look at the desk that was about ten steps from us, where two guards were standing at attention. A man sat at the desk, his eyes focused on a paper while his hand wrote swiftly on the page.
"I hope this is important,” the man stated, not pulling his eyes from his work. I imagined it must have been an important document to require so much concentration on his part. He sounded a little irritated, which made my anxiety begin to spike, unsure if today would be the best day to meet him.
Calming the Storm (Crimson Storm Chronicles Book 2) Page 7
