AN: sorry about the wait

Chapter 9

Youko hummed to herself a tune as she prepared the breakfast for that morning. It was going to fish, rice, and miso soup again, but Kantarou would just have to accept the fact that until he brought home more money his palate would have to suffer.

Youko snorted at the thought.

As she finished up the last of the preperations someone entered the room. She assumed it was Haruka, coming down from the roof, and was surprised to see Hasumi at the doorway and not Haruka or Kantarou.

“Hasumi!” she gasped. “Why are you out of bed?”

“It’s morning and I woke up,” Hasumi replied, making his way over to the low table and taking a seat.

Youko eyes him suspiciously but sighed when she found no reason to chase him back to bed. He looked perfectly normal. He even gained most of his color back, which was always a good sign of health. Youko placed a breakfast on the table for Hasumi.

“Well, I hope you have an appitite!” she beamed.

Hasumi nodded, “Thank you Youko. It looks delicious.”

Youko blushed at the comment.

“No, no! I make do with what we have.”

Hasumi noticed the faint coloring on Youko’s cheeks and how it complimented her features so well. Youko was truly a beautiful woman, it was truly a shame that she was wasting her beauty and talent slaving for a no good employer like Ichinomiya. And yet, Hasumi could not bring himself to change his new budding feelings for the dimwitted folklorist, although Youko was clearly the more deserving of any affections from him.

For one, Youko was very good at keeping a house running smoothly and was in charge of finances, meals and cleaning. Actually, she was like a mother, taking care of Haruka and Ichinomiya, often scolding them when they weren’t doing what was expected of them. She was the type of figure Rosalie needed in her life so she too can become a respectable Japanese woman in mannerisms.

And yet… despite all of these things that Hasumi knew as fact his mind still was turned the opposite way towards Ichinomiya. It made utterly no sense how Ichinomiya’s laugh made his spirits heighten or how just his scent could send him into the clouds… oh and let’s not mention his touch. His casual caresses, sending prickles up and down his spine and making the hairs on his neck stand on end.

Hasumi wanted him. He couldn’t resist him and he couldn’t do a thing about it. They were rivals… enemies! Also, even if they didn’t have that hindrance between them, there was also the fact that Ichinomiya was with Haruka.

Hasumi began working on his breakfast, making sure to get every bit off of his fish bones. He was famished.

“Good morning!” Youko’s voice rang.

Hasumi looked up to see a sleepy looking Rosalie at the doorway.

“Good Morning, Rosalie,” Hasumi greeted.

Rosalie shuffled over towards him and bent down to give him a kiss on the cheek before taking her own seat. Youko set a breakfast in front of the young girl and she began to eat.

“Ryoukan, I’m glad that you’re all better…” Rosalie stated.

“Thank you, Rosalie. It’s thanks to you and Youko’s help,” Hasumi smiled.

Rosalie looked at her chopsticks working against the fish as she answered, “Haruka and Kantarou helped too.”

“Yes, they did help too,” Hasumi nodded.

“Are we going home now?” Rosalie asked.

“Well, not exactly right now.”

“Why?”

“Well,” Hasumi began, not really sure what to say. “You see, I have some business to look after.”

Was what he settled on telling her. Rosalie seemed satisfied with the answer and Hasumi was glad she was. He didn’t want to tell her that he was planning to go back to the scene of the fire to look for youkai. That wouldn’t be fitting at all.

--

Kantarou woke up alone in his room as usual. Haruka was already up and about, but took care not to wake his master. Kantarou would normally be grateful for not being bothered. However, today was different since he planned to go out with Hasumi to inspect the burnt remains of that house.

With a groan, Kantarou got up and prepared himself for the day. He made himself presentable and went down the greet the rest of the household.

“Good morning,” he yawned, taking a seat at the table.

“Why look who decided to wake up,” Hasumi said, before taking a sip of his tea.

Kantarou narrowed his eyes at the younger man, “And what are you doing up?”

“Unlike you, I remembered we had plans for the morning,” Hasumi replied curtly.

“Plans?” Haruka asked, coming in from the back.

Kantarou nodded, “Yes, Haruka. Don’t tell me you forgotten.”

Haruka only frowned. Of course he hadn’t forgotten, but Haruka thought that Hasumi was pushing himself too early. Besides, there was really no reason to pursue the case any further. The youkai in question was obviously no arsonist and was guilty of no crime other than being at the scene of the crime. It wasn’t possessed by any dark forces or anything. As far as Haruka saw it, Hasumi only wanted to visit for personal reasons. Why Kantarou was instigating the other human’s interest was beyond him.

Haruka merely shrugged the thought off, reasoning that what Kantarou and Hasumi did was not any of his concern.

Haruka took his seat at the table.

“When are we leaving?” Haruka inquired. He figured he might as well know that much.

“As soon as we finish eating I suppose,” Kantarou mused, taking a moment to gauge Haruka‘s interest and figured him to be apathetic at best. He turned to his Kitsune. “Youko, you will look after Rosalie.”

“Of course,” Youko smiled. It was no burden at all for her to look after the English lass.

Kantarou nodded, knowing his affairs for the day were in order and began to eat his food. He was disappointed to see fish in front of him, but there really was no complaining. They hadn’t received his payment for his last assignment, and he still had a ways to go on his next novel installment.

Kantarou ate of his fish and his eyes came to settle on Hasumi, who was currently reading the morning paper. It seemed strange to Kantarou that he would feel a certain new closeness to his former kouhai after all of this time. Normally all they did was argue, and granted they still did now too. However, Kantarou could feel a shifting in his feelings. Hasumi was showing more than just the stern serious wall that Kantarou knew for so many years, and Kantarou knew that he liked this different side of Hasumi. The Hasumi that had fears, expectations, and longings just like everyone else.

Ryoukan Hasumi could be vulnerable.

-to be continued-

AN: I have a lot of fics going on. I work a lot and I also taking a summer class. But my goal is to update at least one fic a day (crosses fingers) So i hope it all works out and I don't leave this fic stranded for NEARLY A MONTH ever again. It just doesn't settle well with me, you know? I am working on I think 5 different stories, 4 of them for Prince of Tennis. Anyway, thanks for being patient. Thanks for reading and please review.