( short and angsty )
Narumi knows they all usually despise him or hate him or at the very least wish he could be more serious. He can’t help himself.
He’s perfectly capable. That’s how he’d been, before his ‘retirement’. He hates the flashbacks, the cold killer he could be, if he put his mind to the task, and instead he’s a fop, a dandy, whatever they choose to call him. He’ll only willingly break those rules and put a gun back in his hand for one man. Or boy.
The Yatagarasu doesn’t know that he can see demons. There’s nothing he can do against them, not without weapons in his hands, and he doesn’t want that. He suspects Raidou and the cat know, but they haven’t said anything, which just earns his loyalty more.
Kid looks like a twig on a good day.
“Stay with me, Raidou,” Narumi mutters. Their hats got lost at some point. It doesn’t really matter.
That doesn’t stop him from being heavier than a tree, roots, leaves, and all.
The Summoner moans. It gives him the heebie-jeebies, it does. The kid might be young, but he does his absolute best to appear hard-boiled. To see him actually in pain is anything but jake.
It’s actually a little difficult to carry him. Maybe Tae’s got a point and he really should hike now and then.
“Jōhei,” the kid moans, and he honestly has no idea what it means. It could be anything from a regular fella getting caught up in this whole mess to the one who caused all this in the first place.
“Pipe down. Save your strength, kid. I’ve got to get you somewhere safe,” he mutters, aware that it’s not an easy road ahead. The hospital’s too far away, and he’s certainly no Devil Summoner. Raidou might have his tubes on him, but there’s no way Narumi can use them. The only thing he knows is a little battlefield medicine, and he can’t do that here, not when they might be attacked at any point.
The rumble of thunder along with the darkening skies is offset by a glimpse of what looks like a traditional cabin in the mountains. He’s breathing heavily, and his suit will probably have to get dry-cleaned if it’s not ruined already, but he still perks up anyway. “See that? We’ve got a chance…”
His voice trails off. There’s a woman in a white and blue kimono, face like bleached bone, hair the deepest ebony. He’d never heard her approach. His heart sinks.
“Look, doll, I don’t much like hitting a lady, but given that you and I both know you’re not even human…” He trails off at the beautiful smile, and reminds himself that’s a Yuki-onna.
“I am in the service of the Yatagarasu, as are you. You’re Narumi Shōhei, formerly in the army and now owner of a detective agency, are you not? You could do nothing to me with your fists, as you know well, but the sword of a Kuzunoha in your hands could do a great deal of damage.” Despite her words, she doesn’t appear at all worried. “My home is safe for you, but I may not be. I will go elsewhere.”
She walks away, her bare feet on the leaves, and Narumi swallows. “Too bad you’re missing this, Raidou. I’d like to have your input, here. Without that, though…”
He grits his teeth and shoulders his burden. The young summoner and his past. Those are the only responsibilities he’ll take on willingly, without even a hint of complaining. Even Tae gets a grumble, though that’s half because she’s a troublesome dame and half because it’s a hoot to pull her chain. She makes it too easy.
( Duty is all... )
The stupid cat wouldn’t stop staring at him. No, not a stare. A stare didn’t cover the murderous hate within those green eyes. Somehow, he’d invited the vengeance of Gouto, and he didn’t even know why. Cat was pretty good at telling him he wasn’t appreciated, period, but this vendetta seemed personal.
The meows also didn’t seem to be doing their owner any good. From his usual place by the front, leaning against the railing, the cap was pulled low over the devil summoner’s eyes, and he literally flinched at what appeared to be one particularly anger-filled meow. Sometimes, the kid acted as if he could understand feline, but then, it wouldn’t be all that surprising from a devil summoner. He didn’t have much idea of how that worked.
Eventually, it seemed the young man had had enough. He was gone pretty quickly, but he closed the door right behind him when he left, leaving Gouto in the room with the man he’d sworn to…what? Claw the detective’s handsome face off?
Narumi swallowed, a nervous smile appearing on his lips. He’d been in plenty of dangerous situations, but he could only think of one or two that scared him more.
( and Raidou's upset... )
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