Not looking your best

Kotori was concerned when she seemed to zone out.  Was she catching his sickness, or was this a spirit’s doing? They had been having, something, together and now she was there but not there. Then from wherever her mind had been, it returned, prompting a sigh of relief from the concerned boy.

When Iki mentioned spirits and showed him the wirey thingy his face scrunched up, leaning his nose in to sniff at it, tap it with a paw before looking at her in confusion “what is it?”

Interest in the metal thingy was tossed aside as Ikigai tucked in against his side and he just looked at her aware of how small she seemed at that moment, small and fragile.  His little princess.   He had been shocked when they first met and he’d learned she had no intent to learn to fight or hunt.  The surprise of how princesses, where she was from apparently, didn’t do those things.  Now, looking at her he couldn’t imagine her doing such things.  She needed to be protected and let others do the work.

Carefully he tilted his weight enough that he could raise up his front leg, wrapping it around her neck in an embrace. Licking her ear again gently.  “Me too,” he agreed on wanting it over. “Go to sleep.  I’ll stay with you and keep you safe.  No one can harm you right now.”

"Kotori Fatalis"