Umeko's face goes blank as his question sinks into the bottom of her heart, "I mean," pausing, she carefully thinks over his question.
Cringing, preparing herself for fallout from a follow up question, the walls to her defenses melt when his deep, happy-go-lucky tone becomes vulnerable and unsure.
Sanemaru's eyebrows bunch, "Are humans able to love demons?"
The fire in his afro mohawk burns to life in the morning sun as she hesitantly pats the back of his tough, russet hand.
How can someone that looks like him still be so. . .? I don't know. He's NOT what I imagine when I think, "demon."
Wrapping cider fingers around his hand while looking up into mysterious, glacier-gray eyes, "I don't think humans, or anyone, can help who or what they love, Sane."
A banished god and a horse yokai turns me into a hot spring! I'm sure humans can feel it all for anyone that gets them--.
Giving his hand a squeeze, "I barely know you and I already care A LOT about you," delicately emphasizing their relationship title, "Big bro. Over time, I'm sure it'll turn into love."
Taken aback when he throws her hand away, cloudy eyes darken like an incoming catastrophe.
Birthing fear in the girl, Umeko recognizes this is the first time she has felt uncomfortable around Sanemaru since meeting him.
Their eyes change when they're losing control!
Raising her arms helplessly in defense, glancing for escape routes in case she should fear him, she stares straight at him when his deep voice snatches her focus. A startling neigh breaks the sound barrier, "That's not a yes," he turns his back to her.
Wind picks up and twists around him, the fray locks in Umeko's hair whipping her face in the breeze.
In a confused, grumbling huff, "Could you ever love something like me?"
Turning his cheek to stare at her from over his shoulder, stormy irises have become black orbs with beaming blue pupils, "The way you love Tsukiyomi?"
The disturbing sight of his monstrous eyes has a momentary delay in registering through her rapidly panicking mind.
I love Tsukiyomi? . . .is that why I'm so looney about him? Fruck. He knew before I did?! How could he tell?! Who else knows?!
Her eyes widen in a daunting terror before quickly deadpanning to conceal everything beyond her initial shock; keeping her eyes locked on his magnetizing, distant eyes, the girl's mind works double time to figure out the best course of action.
Fark! What the piss did I do to get mixed up in this?!
Umeko swallows hard with a terrified tremble, "Sane, I'm sorry but--!"
Stumbling back, Sanemaru is instantly in her face. She tenses when he grabs her dress. Shifting to the balls of her feet as he drags her closer to him, the fabric holds strong against tearing.
Frowning, she inches her head back as much as possible.
Placing his free hand on his hip with a glower, "You didn't know Him long," he points in her face, "But I can tell you're in love by the way you look at him!"
You don't have to shout that, you ogre! What if He hears you?!
"I help you with everything," his husky voice cracks, "He makes you suffer because he suffers."
The steed's intimidating stare forces her to look away without a word. She grimaces amidst his painfully hard to swallow, yet equally valid point. Shaking her gently, "Am I not good enough because of what I am?"
Moving her until he can see her face, "Or," tilting his head, "Do you only understand love through pain?"
Wide nostrils flare, "Because if you do, that's okay."
White smoke swirls out of his nose, "I know how to hurt you in all the ways that feel good."
Mmmm. . .damn. I bet you do. Wait. . .WHAT?!
Shutting her eyes, she volleys his hands and forearms with slaps until he releases her. Turning her back to him, "No!"
Sanemaru dashes around her to see her face, but she turns away at every chance. Gripping her upper arms and lifting her until he can see her face, he finds closed eyes. Shaking her in frustration after she refuses to acknowledge him any longer, "Why won't you look at me?!"
Because I don't know what else to do!
Remaining as stiff as a board until her feet return to the ground and his grip is gone, she cautiously peeks through one eye. Catching sight of his terrifying gaze, she decides to look up at the serenity above, "Because you said you don't -do- humans! Why the fuck do you care if I love you the way I love Tsukiyomi?!"
Realizing what she shouted, toffee fingers overlap across her painted lips with a SMACK.
Groaning into her hands as she doubles over in embarrassment, she calms down and relaxes when his ears lay flat in her peripheral vision. Lowering her hands to her sides, she faces him and listens intently.
Sanemaru's eyebrows drop, "I thought I knew love. . .but the way I feel about Mizuki is different than how I feel about you," shrugging to cup air as though it's tangible, "I need to protect you. I need to see you smile."
Yelling in her face, distressed and visibly trying to comprehend the emotion, "Does this mean I love you and not her?!"
Blue green flames ignite around burnt sienna feet, "I can't figure out what I'm feeling!"
Stomping his right foot and dragging it back, swirls of darkening smoke exits his nose, "She's so much younger than me," he snatches Umeko up again.
Filling her face with the scent of eggs on his breath, "If Mizuki gets it then," her eyes water from the offensive odor as she scrunches her nose, "Then so should I."
Concentrating on not puking when her nose hairs curl, Umeko does her best to remain unphased during Sanemaru's impromptu temper tantrum.
I did like you but dammit all--don't kill me because you're confused!
Umeko grips his wrists with an uncertain fright before shutting her eyes and praying to Izanagi-no-Mikoto for protection. Watching her submit to prayer while in his grasp, Sanemaru releases her with an ashamed neigh.
Finding her balance, Umeko peeks through a squint to find the top of his lowered head. Breathing a hefty sigh of relief, she thanks the gods for watching over her and moving his heart. Fiery hair hides his eyes, shadowing his features with fluffy curtains. Subconsciously reaching to pet his head like a comforting sister would, she hopes regret does not soon follow.
Delicately placing his hand on top of hers, Sanemaru raises his head while leading her knuckles to his pillowy, hazelnut lips. Gaping at her apologetically, she examines the never-before-seen yokai cheek streaked by the burden of a lone tear.
Muttering bewildered, "Spirits cry?"
They told us yokai are unfeeling liars that leave death behind them. If Sane could find a way to change and want to know love, couldn't any of them?
Disturbed to the core by the very thought of such a deep misunderstanding between their kinds, she watches him swipe his cheek dry to dispose of the only evidence.
"I'm sorry, Ume," sucking up snot, "I don't know what came over me."
A strained, guilty smile graces his lips. Poofing up the hair on his forehead with an exhilarating breath of life, "Of course we cry! Everything in this realm lives to feel, feast, breathe and bleed in one way or the other."
Clearing his throat before sending her a suave smirk dipped in devilish charm, "That shit you think you just saw," rubbing his nose then clearing his throat, he chuckles wryly, "Isn't encouraged."
Shrugging it off, "So it never happened."
Stepping to embrace her faster than she can react, he buries his face into her hair, "I hope this doesn't scare you away. I've never felt this before so I don't know how to process it."
Kissing the side of her head, stroking her back, she remains quiet and still.
"A smart horse would hide this to keep it from ruining his reputation," inhaling sharply, "But I feel like I don't have to be like that with you."
Glancing from Umeko's smeared, pink lipstick then back to her outlined eyes, "Am I wrong?"
Chewing her bottom lip in contemplation, she withholds a helpless frown and gently shakes her head 'no'.
Forcing herself to hug him back in as soft and platonic a way as possible, she feels the joy in his reciprocal hug. Hearing his lips part to speak, she tenses. Shivering at the sensation of his lips moving against the hair bound tight to her scalp when he asks, "Can you teach me about love?"
Stunned, she can't find the right words.
You're asking the wrong person, guy. Looks like I know as much as you do. Of all the sick, twisted things I could've ended up in, how'd I leave Nobu for a love triangle between a royal-blooded demon and a banished moon god?!
Sanemaru's stronghold around her weakens, "If you don't wanna help, just say so."
Releasing her altogether, he takes a step back.
"You don't have to act like you didn't hear me to avoid saying anything," his murmured neigh echoes around them.
"Huh?"
Anxiously waving her hands between them, "I was thinking!"
Placing folded hands on her silver-belted belly, "I'm sorry, Sane. I can try," trailing off, she looks past his head at the mountain.
Returning her focus to the steed, her eyes land upon his chiseled jaw, "But I gotta be honest with you."
Raking her teeth nervously over her bottom lip, unknowingly coating the crest of her upper teeth in pink, "I'm making this all up as I go," her tone softens to a whisper.
Glancing around then back at him, "Since it's only a matter of time before I'm dead, I can't spend all my time thinking too hard about things."
Tawny cheeks burn under her painted blush as embarrassment multiplies the longer her lips flap uncontrollably from a vicious case of the verbal squirts, "All I have control over is making the best out of everything 'cause it could be worse."
A perplexed, dissatisfied frown sticks to her face until she remembers she must keep breathing. Sanemaru glances at the sky, "Oh."
Raising an eyebrow, unclear if his simple utterance means she's off the hook, a disheartened sigh follows.
"Yeah," staring into space, gray eyes remain on the horizon, "We should go."
Mentally fist-bumping air to celebrate her lack of confrontation, Umeko manages to keep her expression neutral.
It's about time! I did not like where this was going.
Umeko's mouth hangs open when the sun glimmers to fill every twister in his eyes; stark against glowing, cocoa skin and brazen hair, she grows momentarily hypnotized by him.
How can someone so weird be so. . .mmm. . . Gah! This wouldn't be a thing if it wasn't for that stupid, effing dream. . .and possibly all the delicious meals that make me think what Heaven's food tastes like.
Umeko groans, "Yep."
Tugging at her dress to raise the fabric above her knees for easy squatting, "Can't forget their flowers."
Sanemaru shakes out his limbs before stretching his spine, "Went a little overkill, didn't ya?"
Cradling the back of his head in both hands to twistingly pop his neck, "Guess it never hurts to have extra."
. . .extra. . .?