The Darkest of Darknesses!

Takeno looked down at the ground, her cheeks burning with heat. She didn’t expect the confession to go like this. But with the confession came Nue’s true character. Everything he was holding in began to spill out once she said the magic words.

She wished she could say “yes”. That she felt the same. She wanted to see him smile with joy and relief, seeing that his feelings were accepted and returned in the fullest. That they could hug it out and maybe even kiss but…

“I…I-I’m sorry Nue…but I don’t feel the same.” She couldn’t leave it at that. No, that would be too cruel. He must have fallen for her since he first met her. It would be mean to say nothing now.

“It’s not that I don’t like you. It’s like you said, we don’t know each other. You only know me from a distance. You never talked to me without becoming too embarrassed or Kino and Tengu getting in our way. My friend told me you were from the Grieving Grotto and that you and Kubanashi knew each other. But that’s it.”

“I…I can’t love someone I barely know.”

She finally raised her head and tears were in her eyes. She didn’t know why they were pouring out but she couldn’t stop them.

     Why was she so quiet? Why did she look like that - why wouldn’t she look at him? Was she... going to reject him? Did he just make a fool of himself yet again? Maybe this is cosmic payback for all that he’s done... for all of the evil he’s committed and the wrongs to both the living and the dead. Maybe if he just told her he could change---

      “Ta--...”

      No, before he could get a word in edgewise his nightmare started to unfold.

“I…I-I’m sorry Nue…but I don’t feel the same.”                  “I…I can’t love someone I barely know.”

     ...Why is he even surprised?

      “I’m sorry.” He cut in abruptly, bowing his head in shame and digging his nails into the fabric of his pants. “I’m sorry for discomforting you, i’m sorry for being selfish, i’m--... oh no, i’m doing IT again.”

      Self-realization washed over the ignorant godling when crimson hues painfully set upon Takeno’s crying face. He wasn’t used to people crying... no, he’s never seen anyone cry before - hencewise whenever he did, as was often, he’d form an inner hatred for himself - thinking it weakness weighed over with overwhelming guilt.

    He was doing It again. It being crying, It being weakness, It being putting himself and his own selfish feelings, thoughts, and needs above everyone and everything else. To think, he could be so heartless as to do this to Takeno... absentmindedly at that, maybe he really didn’t deserve her.

                                 ( It’s just the brat state of mind that makes ‘I get what I want’ law. )

   This time, he listened through without interruption.                Managing the thinnest of facades in an act of false strength. If not for himself, he needs to be strong for her.

     “..Hehe, I didn’t know life was so complicated.” Wiping the tears from his own eyes, he took a deep and shaking breath only to release it in attempt to fully calm down. “But if there’s one thing i’ve learned in my time here it’s that you can only mature with experiences, good or bad. I needed this one, just like I needed to be embarrassed by your friends. I wouldn’t be here if it didn’t happen, and I never would of met someone as perfect as you.”

     Maybe inappropriate by social queue, he decided to reach towards her - giving the warmest smile he’s ever managed before wiping gently at her tears with his sleeve. “You shouldn’t cry Takeno, i’m okay and you did nothing wrong... y-you know?”

     “I don’t know alot about life or society. I don’t know how to act or what to say in certain situations, and i’m only now learning of right and wrong or boundary lines in relationships. I’ve no one to properly teach me as Kubanashi became anti-social in death as did her men... and even then, all they’ve ever known is war.” A pause as he rolled up his now damp sleeve, for some reason finding a bit of irritation in just that feeling alone. It was such a small thing and yet it made him twitch... perhaps that’s just one of his many yet undiscovered quirks.

     “I want to take you up on that offer, Takeno. I want to be your friend, a-and friends... c-can hug each other, right? I d-don’t like seeing you so sad and... whenever i’m sad Kubanashi hugs me so... i-if you would allow me to....”

     Calm down, no stuttering, no need to be so shy. Just take a deep breath, and...

     “To burn away your sorrow with the flames of my dark soul! Let not these petty tears stain your precious face any longer, Takeno Konoko, for I - the almighty Lord of Dark Flame, am now your friend! May our friendship blossom like sakura in the spring.. and, like... stuff.”

     “Nooo... thank you!” Nue replied, deciding to sit down as he continued giving affections to his new precious little feline friend. “And worry not, whether you need nor don’t I still will pamper your little paws off! If allowed to, of course!”

      For extra emphasis, he’d lightly squish one of Mastema’s paws with his thumb and forefinger, giggling softly at how soft and fuzzy her mitts were.

     “A demon, you say?” Finally losing that childish coo in his voice, the godling shrugged.

Takeno had noticed how Nue acted around her. From what others say, he was an arrogant brat which put everyone underneath him. She thought that was why Kino and Tengu didn’t want her to be near him but Takeno wanted to help him act nicer to everyone and get to know him more. But whenever she got to talk to him, he always acted this way.

Ibaraki did say that Nue had an interest in her. Also when she was sick, Kino would always bring her books to read inside to keep her happy. They worked and the Shrine Maiden’s favorite books were romance novels. Love stories of two people meant to be and one of the many archetypes were of someone who was always nervous around the person they had a crush on.

Gulping, she interrupted the Godling as he stammered uncontrollably.

“Nue…do you…like me?” the words came out slow and with hesitation. Despite not having those type of feelings for him, it was still embarrassing to say but…it was important to get to it.

   His hectic stuttering came to an abrupt silence when she finished his unmanageable admittance for him, staggered breathes being the only sign of animation to the now sickly-looking boy. All this anxiety has made him ill to his stomach...

   What a good thing it is he hasn’t ‘’eaten’’ today.

     “T-Takeno, you...” He began, covering his face with still shaking hands in a defeated slump - elbows resting on his knees and posture overall bent upon his seat. “You’re... you’re perfect, Takeno. You’re kind and the most beautiful woman i’ve ever seen... and yet so humble! You help everyone and put them in front o-of yourself and your own well-being and I don’t understand but I admire it and that’s why... I... I-I’m...”

    His fingers pulled at mauve bangs, teeth grit with self-hate at how complicated such a simple thing had become. Why can’t he say the words? Why? Why?

    Whether he could or couldn’t didn’t matter anymore, he wouldn’t be a coward any longer. There was no other chance - this was the time, he had to admit it... he had to get those troublesome words out of his ever-drying throat.

    On a mental count of:

    one...           two...                three.

    He took a deep breath.

        “I’M IN LOVE WITH YOU, TAKENO KONOKO!”

    “I’ve never felt this way about anyone before, even a little- but I don’t want this feeling to ever stop! We might n-not know each other too much, but I want to change that - I want to know everything about you, and I want to make you happy - the same way you do for everyone else! ...Please accept my f-feelings!”

Thank goodness…Takeno thought that Nue would find this activity boring. She wasn’t sure what the other Youkai liked to do for fun so this was a huge risk for her. But she wanted to get closer to the new inhabitant of Mushroom Shrine but both Kino and Tengu always led her away, never giving her a chance. 

“Okay, just let me ask her if it’s okay.” Walking to her sister, it was obvious that Kino denied Takeno her permission but after a few moments of begging and puppy dog eyes, the Shrine Maiden made her way back to Nue.

“My sister said we can go. Just follow me and I’ll bring you to my favorite place to watch all types of mushrooms.” Making sure the Godling was following, she walked into the cherry blossom forest. They traveled together until they made it to a clearing with a fallen log in the middle of it.

     When Takeno began her return, he managed to do the ‘‘man’‘ thing and suck it up, crossing his arms over his chest and forcing a bit of a smile despite what seemed to almost be tears welled at each corner of his eyelashes, red eyes gleaming in sorrowful await of the inevitable bad news.

     “S-She did?” He stammered, finding it hard to believe his crushes’s statement, glancing over at Kino in disbelief only to quickly return his gaze to a much more beautiful and less ‘i’m-going-to-murder-you’ young woman. “A-Ah... right behind you my lov---lovely guide! Hahaha...” That was close.

    His feet heavy; body jittering. Was he sweating again? He moved his hands farther into his coat, gripping his own sides almost as if hugging himself; his walk portrayed the complications of this odd positioning.

     What felt like an eternity came to a stop; his trance broken by such a soft voice, said alluring hymn coaxing him to... to...

      “N-N-N-Ny....gh...”

     He looked away as he made his shaky approach, sitting beside the one who makes his ignorant heart skip a multitude of beats, knees hugged to his chest and head hung as low as it could be.

⌜ “It is a pleasure to have met you, Nue, God of The Dark Flame-

And of Death, if what you speak is correct~” ⸥

So cute. Though the presence of power around the child was fascinatingly higher than one would expect, Raven himself did not believe that a child of… twelve? Ten? Years old could have done the latter. Not without there being foul play… or a bluff.

     “Raven, huh? Like the bird? And here I thought one black       -feathered omen was more than enough in my life. Ah well,       it’s not as if complaining ever solved anything... at least you’re       a lot more respectful to I than that superstitious old crow.”

Oh, how he stood proud - chest puffed out in a manly stance, the most prideful smirk glued to his adolescent face. Yes... it felt wonderful to be called by his proper title by someone other than his specters, almost powerful... but of course it would be to a megalomaniac such as the demon Nue.