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How to Seer, Part 6

copyright comidacomida 2019

All I could think about on the way home was Kon; he was on my mind through the entire bus trip-- that, and settling into the realization that I'd almos been mugged. My brain kept doing flips in my skill as I contemplated what might have happened to me if Kon hadn't been there. In the end, I think I fell into a numbness a few blocks from home. By the time I got off the bus I didn't really take in the world around me... not until I saw Kon.

The Fox was sitting on the bench at the bus stop, but he definitely didn't look like his usual lively self. Kon's fur was a dull reddish-brown and the white fur along his throat was dingy and gray. The lustrous, gleaming black fur of the Yokai's paws was dull and matte, and it looked like his claws were cracked and dulled. Looking up to meet my gaze, he offered what appeared to be an exhausted smile. "Ossu, Billy-kun."

I wasn't able to remember ever seeing Kon so out-of-character; not only was his usual liveliness and vivaciousness muted but he looked exhausted. "You don't look so good... are you okay, Kon?"

His follow-up smile looked much more like his usual one but it was still easy for me to tell that he was using it to hide something. Regardless, he moved to get up. "What a thing to say to someone who saved your--" The Fox fell back onto the bench noiselessly with a huff. He paused for a moment before adding "--life."

I sat down right next to him and reached out to rest a hand on his paw; there were rare occasions when I could feel and interact with my Spirits, usually when I focused. It took a lot more focus that time and, when I felt him, he felt cold. "What's wrong?"

His smile slowly faded as he turned to regard me with tired-looking eyes. "Skin-Riding is easiest when Humans do something to invite you in... but even then it takes a lot of energy. Antonio would have resisted, which is why I had to surprise him with it."

I had trouble coming to terms with what he was saying. "Antonio? Y-you mean that guy from the alley? With the bat?"

The Fox offered a nod. "The other guy ran, but Antonio was gonna put up a fight. Heh... he thought you were a witch."

For whatever reason, I was still a little worried about the whole 'Skin-Riding' thing. "And you didn't hurt him?"

Kon shook his head, lowering his eyes as he rubbed his free paw on his leg; bits of fur shed under the simple touch. "No... I wanted to... but I just walked him to the police station and released him into their custody after going 'soutsu'. He won't cause any trouble for anyone any time soon."

I didn't understand the Japanese word he used, but I could guess well enough what it meant. To be honest, I was a lot more concerned about how my friend looked at that moment. Still holding his paw I gave it a gentle squeeze. "Thank you, Kon."

His free paw made a dismissive gesture in the air and, for a moment, his eyes glimmered faintly and he cracked a much more self-assured smirk. "Well of course... I couldn't very well let my favorite Human get hurt, now could I?"

His smiles had always been contagious and I couldn't help but return in that time either. We were both quiet for awhile as we sat in the street light that loomed over the bus stop. After awhile when I realized that Kon was still obviously exhausted, I couldn't avoid asking "Are you going to be alright?"

Kon took his paw back after I questioned him and he cleared his throat, pulling his three tails into his lap as he started petting them as if trying to calm himself; I didn't miss the way that they shed fur with each stroke. "We Yokai are resilient Spirits, Billy-kun... don't worry about me."

I didn't like the answer, and my hand sought out his paw again; he jumped when my fingers made contact but he didn't resist when I took it off his tail and gave it a little squeeze. "You're my friend, Kon; of COURSE I'm going to worry about you."

He murmured something even as I caught my gaze with his own. "Kon, anata wa bakadesu..."

Unwilling to look away from him, I asked him to his face. "What does that mean?"

Kon sighed, looking away. "It means that I either have far more luck than I deserve, or else I am cursed."

I couldn't help but chuckle a little at the statement. "Those sound like they're polar opposites."

The Fox nodded. "Yokai are often perfect examples of living dichotomies."

We continued sitting quietly for many more moments until I broke the silence. "Why do you switch back and forth between English and Japanese?"

Kon issued a faint snort before glancing my way and asking "Why don't YOU?"

My answer was pretty to-the-point. "Because I don't speak Japanese."

The Fox offered a cryptic reply. "And that is my answer as well."

It didn't really clear anything up. "Uh... okay."

Silence prevailed again but, finally, Kon was the one who ended the pause. "Suki desu, Billy-kun. Issho ni Iru to Tanoshii."

Although I didn't speak Japanese I'd seen my fair share of anime, and those first two words he'd said were used time and time again in teen romantic comedy shows; it was a confession. "You... like me?"

His tails curled in his lap, braiding together as he looked down at them. Clearing his throat, Kon offered up a faint shrug before stating "It's just a feeling, Billy-kun... feelings don't always have to make sense. You don't have to say anything; I know that you have a lot on your mind, and the last thing you need to complicate things is--"

Although I was holding his paw with one hand my other one was free to reach up and touch his cheek. It only took gentle pressure to get him to look toward me and, from there, only a few inches separated my lips from his muzzle. I'd never kissed any of my Spirits before, or anyone for that matter. A lot of thoughts went through my mind in the split second before my skin touched the fur of his muzzle but the moment his quivering whiskers brushed across my lips every one of those thoughts disappeared and then it was just the two of us... until someone shouted from across the street.

An officer yelled "Hey! Go home! No loitering!"

It wasn't exactly what I planned as far as my first kiss but Kon's recovery was instantaneous and he joined me on the short walk home with a spring in his step, his four tails fanning out behind him in joy. His eyes had turned Golden that day, and only later did I realize the significance... but, despite growing closer with the Yokai, my relationship with him wasn't the only friendship to change that week.