They Can Hear Our Hearts Beat

Kotori settled down beside her, giving an amiable bump of shoulders and a bit of heat flared in the pale lady's cheeks. She'd never been this close to anyone that wasn't family. It was a strange feeling and Ikigai didn't quite understand it. All around them the fireflies and gems pulsed and as the princess focused on the gems, they seemed to pulse in tune with the beating of her own heart. Iki gasped lightly and sat up just as Kotori rose and looked alarmed. Why was it doing that? "Do you... Oh, of course not." Iki's ears dropped dejectedly. Of course he wouldn't know if the gems were pulsing to her own heartbeat. He couldn't feel her heartbeat.

Kotori batted one of the crystals and pulled his paw back in alarm. Iki noted the droplet of blood clinging to the crystal and somehow it seemed to glow more brightly because of it. "Oh, Kotori..." Iki spoke sympathetically. Scanning about, the girl plucked a clump of moss and moved back to the boy. Sitting on her slender haunches, the young fae took the earthen boys paw in her own dexterous appendage and turned it over. She placed the moss against the small cut on his paw and applied a bit of pressure.

As Kotori continued to speak, Iki raised her mercuric gaze to meet his. They were so close that she once again felt heat in her cheeks, but she answered him in her soft, even tones. "I didn't believe in spirits either until I saw the boar. I had heard stories though. Stories from my father's homeland." Ikigai's gaze shifted and she looked at the crystals again. It was difficult to avoid looking at them. She felt compared to stare into their rhythmic, pulsating luminescence.

The boy asked if she knew stories and myths and Iki nodded, though she was still looking at the gems. "I know many myths and stories. I'm named after a story, actually. Legends and tales are very important in my heritage." Not able to help herself, Iki reached out one paw and gently stroked the nearest crystal, bringing the gem thrumming brightly to life once more.

"X"