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Foxfire
Oct 22, 2010 23:56:24 GMT -5
Post by Hitoshi Gilespi on Oct 22, 2010 23:56:24 GMT -5
Hitoshi slid under the covers and lay on his side, the blankets pulled tight around him. Though he was tired, his eyes refused to stay closed; his mind began rapidly replaying the events of the last few hours. Had he made the right choice? What if someone noticed the kitsune? How in the world was he going to manage to provide for him all winter?
Hitoshi was unsure whether he should view the kitsune as a small animal he had rescued from the cold or a human guest, which made it quite difficult to decide how to react to him.
He was unsure what possessed him to do it, and he might have thought better of it were the fox awake, but Hitoshi reached out and gently ran the back of his fingers across the fox's fur. Hitoshi was unsure at what point he fell asleep, but he was vaguely aware of finding himself pillowed against something soft and warm in the night.
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Foxfire
Oct 23, 2010 0:07:25 GMT -5
Post by Alex Meriweather on Oct 23, 2010 0:07:25 GMT -5
During the night, the fox had curled closer and closer to the source of warmth near him, eventually ending up as a furry foot-warmer with his nose still just outside the blankets.
He woke up slowly, unsure where he was, why he was so happy, and why everything smelled so damn strange. He flicked one ear and opened his eyes.
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Foxfire
Oct 23, 2010 0:19:56 GMT -5
Post by Hitoshi Gilespi on Oct 23, 2010 0:19:56 GMT -5
Normally, Hitoshi was a morning person. But then again, normally Hitoshi went to bed several hours earlier than he had last night. He was unsure what had kept him up so late, except that he was fairly certain it had something to do with custard tarts, and Hitoshi had no intention of leaving the warmth of the bed any time soon.
Something warm and and soft was resting against his feet, and Hitoshi moved to bury his toes beneath the warmth.
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Foxfire
Oct 23, 2010 0:40:25 GMT -5
Post by Alex Meriweather on Oct 23, 2010 0:40:25 GMT -5
The fox yipped and stood up quickly, then, remembering where he was, turned his head around to look at the young man, realized he was still sleepy, and flomped back onto his feet.
He considered licking him affectionately, but decided that would be weird. Instead, he yawned again and curled his tail further around Hitoshi's legs.
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Foxfire
Oct 23, 2010 1:05:08 GMT -5
Post by Hitoshi Gilespi on Oct 23, 2010 1:05:08 GMT -5
A moment or two later, it finally occur to Hitoshi just what was curled around his feet, which reminded him of exactly what had transpired the day before.
Hitoshi pushed himself upright slowly, feet still nestled underneath the soft pile of fur that had been sharing his bed. The fox, it appeared, was still sleeping. Hitoshi was hesitant to move too much for fear of waking him, and he wondered just how long he should wait before going to get breakfast. He had promised the fox a custard tart, after all.
Hitoshi gently stroked his fingers across the soft fur of the fox's back. Hitoshi had never had a pet before, but he imagined it would be something like this, at least if said pet just so happened to be able to talk and take the shape of an attractive young man. (Not that Hitoshi was paying attention to that, of course. What reason would he have for that?)
He wonder if the fox found this half as strange has he did. Hitoshi doubted it.
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Foxfire
Oct 23, 2010 21:52:26 GMT -5
Post by Alex Meriweather on Oct 23, 2010 21:52:26 GMT -5
Something else happened.
Specifically- the fox realized, as he slowly came back to wakefulness- the man was touching him. What was-
If he were a cat, he would be purring. As he was not at all a cat, he simply rolled over so that his feet were under him and resisted the urge to leap up onto the boy's chest, change forms, and kiss him. (This perhaps had not been the best idea for sleeping arrangements.)
He yawned, stood up, hopped off the bed, and began to stretch.
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Foxfire
Oct 23, 2010 23:56:03 GMT -5
Post by Hitoshi Gilespi on Oct 23, 2010 23:56:03 GMT -5
Hitoshi pushed himself out of bed and glanced over at the fox. Hitoshi was starting to get hungry already, and he doubted that his guest would be horribly opposed to breakfast. And maybe after breakfast, Hitoshi would be awake enough to stop trying to pet his guest.
"I'm going to get food." Hitoshi glanced back at the fox. "I shouldn't be gone for more than a few minutes."
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Foxfire
Oct 24, 2010 0:02:44 GMT -5
Post by Alex Meriweather on Oct 24, 2010 0:02:44 GMT -5
The fox nodded, and became a young man again, sitting on Hitoshi's bed. He smiled.
"Thank you. Do you mind if I continue looking around today, or should I stay put?"
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Foxfire
Oct 24, 2010 1:02:52 GMT -5
Post by Hitoshi Gilespi on Oct 24, 2010 1:02:52 GMT -5
Hitoshi considered that for a moment, chewing gently on his lip. Normally he would have been worried about someone he barely knew prowling through his things, but he would only be gone for a few minutes.
"Alright, but if anything is damaged, I won't give you your custard tart." Hitoshi's smile was almost friendly.
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Foxfire
Oct 24, 2010 1:24:07 GMT -5
Post by Alex Meriweather on Oct 24, 2010 1:24:07 GMT -5
"Hmmph." The fox didn't quite look offended, but it was close. "I want to read your scrolls, not chew on them. I won't pry if you don't want me to..." He smiled back.
"Thank you again."
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Foxfire
Oct 24, 2010 2:02:02 GMT -5
Post by Hitoshi Gilespi on Oct 24, 2010 2:02:02 GMT -5
Hitoshi slipped on his sandals and headed off to the kitchen, running over a mental list of what he should get. Rice porridge was easy enough to acquire, and there should still have been plenty of bread. He doubted he could get away with getting meat again, but he could get eggs instead; add a custard tart and tea, and that would be more than enough for both of them.
The trick would be getting enough so that both of them could eat, while still not drawing too much attention. He wondered if the servants would find it suspicious that he was suddenly eating more than his older brother.
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Foxfire
Oct 24, 2010 2:20:33 GMT -5
Post by Hitomi Gilespi on Oct 24, 2010 2:20:33 GMT -5
Hitomi had been up for hours, and she was dangerously bored. And when Hitomi was bored, it typically meant trouble for someone; she was plagued with the incurable condition of being incapable of entertaining herself without the aid of others.
Some days, this just meant that she insisted on talking to the cook, who had become rather fond of the girl in the years that she had been there. Other times, Hitomi took to playing go with anyone who would oblige her, though these numbers were becoming fewer and fewer. It was terribly unfortunate, and Hitomi had no idea who was spreading the vicious rumors that she cheated at the game. (Not that they were false, of course, but they were still hurtful.)
Other times, however, Hitomi decided to intrude upon the solitude of her anti-social twin brother; it was then that danger usually struck.
The young woman tapped gently on the door to her brother's chambers, listening for any hint of movement behind the door. Something felt off, though she couldn't place it. Her skin prickled, and she hugged her arms to herself. She was unsure how she knew, but there was someone--or something--in there.
"Hitoshi?" she called, only the slightest hint of uncertainty creeping into her voice. There was probably nothing to worry about. "Hey, Toshi, are you there?"
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Foxfire
Oct 24, 2010 2:44:47 GMT -5
Post by Alex Meriweather on Oct 24, 2010 2:44:47 GMT -5
The fox looked up from the scroll on history he had been reading with a start; quickly, he rolled it back up, sat it back down, and dashed back into the bedroom.
It was a woman's voice, or a girl's; rather like Hitoshi's, come to think of it. She sounded nice, but he had no desire to be seen.
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Foxfire
Oct 24, 2010 16:30:21 GMT -5
Post by Hitomi Gilespi on Oct 24, 2010 16:30:21 GMT -5
Hitomi received no answer, and she frowned; she had no idea how she knew, but there was something in there. She was certain.
Hitomi worried her lip, hands resting on the door. She should have left well enough alone. She really should.
She slid the door open, peering into the chambers. "Hello?" she called softly. "Is anyone here?"
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Foxfire
Oct 24, 2010 19:49:34 GMT -5
Post by Alex Meriweather on Oct 24, 2010 19:49:34 GMT -5
Why was she so persistent? Poor girl, was there something wrong? He thought quickly; he had very few options. He didn't really want to turn back into a fox, in case she would think he was a pest and shoo him out. He didn't really see anyplace great to hide.
The fox slipped back under the covers, covered his head with a pillow, and hoped he looked like an unassuming, unmade bed.
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Foxfire
Oct 24, 2010 21:14:07 GMT -5
Post by Hitomi Gilespi on Oct 24, 2010 21:14:07 GMT -5
The room looked mostly as it should, though there was something off about it. Someone had been here.
She peered inside the wardrobe, and around the shogi table. Nothing.
That just left the bedroom. Hitomi rested her hands gently on the shoji screen, her heart thudding in her chest. Maybe she was wrong. Maybe there was nothing there.
But she had to know. She started to push back the door.
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Foxfire
Oct 24, 2010 21:26:24 GMT -5
Post by Hitoshi Gilespi on Oct 24, 2010 21:26:24 GMT -5
Even as Hitoshi rounded the corner, he could see the open door to his room. His fingers tensed on the tray of food. Either someone had been in his room, or the fox had decided to go outside. Hitoshi moved as quickly as he could without spilling any of the food. If he was lucky, he could catch whoever was in his room before the fox was discovered.
Hitoshi halted at the threshold of the door. He scowled. "Hitomi!" he snapped. "What are you doing?"
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Foxfire
Oct 24, 2010 21:29:14 GMT -5
Post by Hitomi Gilespi on Oct 24, 2010 21:29:14 GMT -5
Hitomi squeaked and wheeled around, clutching at her throat.
"Oh!" she breathed. "Hitoshi." She blushed, not quite looking her brother in the face. "I thought I heard someone in your room, and... I just thought..." She faltered slightly, her gaze falling on the tray of food.
"Hitoshi, you have enough food to feed an entire peasant family." She blinked and stared at her brother, quickly putting the pieces together. He was hiding someone.
Hitomi spun back around and threw open the door to the inner chamber.
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Foxfire
Oct 24, 2010 21:42:53 GMT -5
Post by Alex Meriweather on Oct 24, 2010 21:42:53 GMT -5
There was nothing else the fox could do.
In the moment that the girl was turned around- she looked remarkably like Hitoshi, come to think, though that might have been a bit his unfamiliarity with humans- he sat up, rearranged himself, and the moment she turned back to see him, she met the most absolutely, gobsmackingly adorable puppy-eyes he could possibly make.
He was cute, harmless, sweet, hungry, and cold. Surely she couldn't resist.
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Foxfire
Oct 24, 2010 21:52:58 GMT -5
Post by Hitomi Gilespi on Oct 24, 2010 21:52:58 GMT -5
Hitomi yelped slightly and jumped back, nearly bumping into her brother. Even thought all the evidence had suggested it, she hadn't entirely believed it until she saw it with her own eyes.
Hitomi tried to draw some sort of conclusion other than the painfully obvious, and she came up blank.
"Hitoshi..." She glanced back at her brother. "Did you know there's a boy in your bed?"
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Foxfire
Oct 24, 2010 23:36:46 GMT -5
Post by Hitoshi Gilespi on Oct 24, 2010 23:36:46 GMT -5
"How observant of you." Hitoshi glanced back at his sister disdainfully. "Would you also like to comment on the season or the color of my hair, in case it has changed since last I checked?"
Hitoshi had hoped against the odds that the kitsune would be in fox shape. It would be much less awkward to explain to his sister why he was keeping an animal than a person. Hitoshi had no such luck.
Instead, the fox was poised on his bed, swathed in Hitoshi's blankets, and staring up at them with a look that made Hitoshi want to slam the bedroom door in his sister's face and keep the kitsune to himself. Unfortunately, Hitoshi had a feeling that would just make his predicament worse than it already was.
He brushed past his sister and set te tray of food on the edge of his bed, working through a million different explanations he could give her. Given his sister, he wondered if the truth might be the safest option.
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Foxfire
Oct 25, 2010 0:01:59 GMT -5
Post by Alex Meriweather on Oct 25, 2010 0:01:59 GMT -5
The fox looked up at Hitoshi, then back at the girl (Hitomi, he had said). He didn't know what Hitoshi wanted to explain this as, but he could make it easier.
"I apologize if I've startled you," he said smoothly. "It was not my intention to cause any inconvenience. Would you like part of my custard tart?"
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Foxfire
Oct 25, 2010 0:19:17 GMT -5
Post by Hitomi Gilespi on Oct 25, 2010 0:19:17 GMT -5
Hitomi blinked, then plopped down on the edge of her brother's bed and plucked a persimmon from the tray.
"Hitoshi, what on earth is going on?"
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Foxfire
Oct 25, 2010 0:47:30 GMT -5
Post by Hitoshi Gilespi on Oct 25, 2010 0:47:30 GMT -5
Hitoshi hesitated for a moment. "He's a guest. I found him in the gardens last night. He was hungry, and he needed a place to stay."
Hopefully his sister could except that, and if she needed to know more, he would perhaps tell her in time.
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Foxfire
Oct 25, 2010 0:49:33 GMT -5
Post by Hitomi Gilespi on Oct 25, 2010 0:49:33 GMT -5
Hitomi pursed her lips, glancing between her brother and the white-haired boy beside her. She wondered if her brother was telling her the truth.
"And does our guest have a name?" she asked, looking back at the boy.
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