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Jirou was strong, the strongest Tengu that had ever been seen on Karama Mountain. He knew it, all the other Tengu knew it, but it had almost not been enough. The lightning beast was a fierce predator, and if the Celestial Nymph had not been there with her magic, he might have returned just as crippled as Suirou. The very thought made him shudder. The large Tengu folded his fingers into a fist, ridding himself of the dark thoughts that ran through him. He had more pleasant matters to dwell on now. He had confessed his deep feelings to her, and though she had not said she returned them, she neither laughed nor turned him away. There was hope there.
The Celestial Nymph. Never before in his knowledge had a female come to Karama Mountain, and she was clearly the most luminous of the fragile gender. Her big eyes looked at him not with fear, but concern, stirring depths of emotion he had not been aware existed within him. He wished to hold her, guard her, to call her his for all eternity. Unfortunately, that cursed fox yokai had some hold on the beautiful woman’s heart. He knew how to bide his time, had worked towards his goals for years with utter patience. When the great Soujoubou eventually passed, he would lead the Tengu, regardless of what the flighty Shinjirou might attempt. They had peace between them currently, another gift of the divine maiden, but Jirou knew it could not last. Not unless the right man held her heart.
Those that desire the person can not truly be friends, not while that individual is free and not yet promised to another. At the feast, all eyes were on Nanami. Even the younglings adored her, calling her ‘Elder Sister’. It was good, and if Jirou had his way, she would be their elder sister in truth. He wished to bind her to him with chains of love and duty. Acting on impulse, he flew her into the Great Sakura, absorbing the beauty of the celestial nymph amidst the blossoms. He cherished the moment, delighted in her joy. She appreciated the loveliness of his home, enhanced it with her own unique charm. “You could stay.”
His words hung heavy in the air between them, filled with all his hope and longing. They were not eloquent words of love, he was not built for that kind of flowery speech, but they carried an intensity to them that caught Nanami’s attention. She turned those big brown eyes on him, and he saw no rejection there, but consideration. He held his breath as she deliberated, his love for her a warm light in his chest. He knew she had duties, and others relying on her, but she considered his offer regardless. Her voice was gentle, but for she declined. Jirou had not even expected her to consider, so he accepted her words graciously, and returned her to the feast.
All hope was not lost. Clearly she harbored feelings for him as well, to consider his offer so thoroughly. He watched as the feast progressed, attentively offering her the choicest tidbits as one would do for a valued mate. As the sake-soaked buns began to effect her, the beginnings of a plan swirled in his head. Perhaps he had spent too long in dark places, but she would be his light. All it would take was a little persuasion and Nanami would come around. A smirk danced across his scarred face. He could be very persuasive when he wanted to be.
When Nanami woke she was in an unfamiliar bed, her head fuzzy and heavy with the aftereffects of the sake buns from the previous night. She had never imagined that something so tasty could make her feel so awful. Rubbing the side of her head she sat up slowly, pausing as the room spun. “Uhhhgh…. Tomoe?” She moaned, clutching her temples to try to keep her brain inside her head. The door to the room she was in slid open, and to her surprise Jirou entered, not Tomoe. He had a cup of tea in his hands, and knelt to offer it to her with a gentle smile.
“Good morning, Celestial Nymph. I hope that last night’s festivities did not take too hard a toll on you. I am not familiar with the tolerance levels of humans as compared to the Tengu.” His voice was warm and reassuring, but Nanami looked confused as she accepted the cup of fragrant tea from him. She took a sip, feeling it clear the cobwebs from her mind as she looked around.
“I think I might have overdone it. Where is Tomoe? He usually brings me things like this in the morning.” For a moment, it seemed as if Jirou’s face was dark and angry, but then it was gone, replaced by a pleasant smile. He patted her shoulder gently and Nanami decided that it must have been a trick of the shadows. Since the truth about what happened to Soujoubou had been revealed, Jirou had been nothing but pleasant and patient.
“After seeing how you were in bad shape last night, he took the others back down the mountain to your shrine and left you in our care for a few days. I wanted to ensure that there was no lasting damage after you fell unconscious. The younglings were quite worried about you, after all.” His words eased her fears, and she finished her tea before moving to rise. Jirou stood gracefully, helping her to her own feet and then placing one large hand on the small of her back, steering her to a small dresser. “You should find something comfortable within these drawers, one of the half-grown Tengu has leant you some things until we can find something more appropriate. He is your size, though I am afraid the clothing is hardly worthy of your beauty."
Nanami blushed as she pulled a dark green yakata from the drawer. “I will have to thank him, these are more than enough. I’m really feeling quite well so I won’t need anything else since I can probably go home today. I just need to contact Tomoe.”
Again the darkness crossed Jirou’s face, and this time Nanami was sure it was no trick of the shadows. Lightning fast the massive Tengu had her pressed against the wall, one hand to either side of her face, trapping her there. She trembled, but raised her chin in defiance. If Tomoe could not suppress her with his bluster, then Jirou had no chance of doing so either. “You will not ask for Tomoe again, I am taking care of you now.” His voice was low and threatening, but when he reached a hand to her face, his touch was gentle, and he grasped her chin, brushing a light kiss on her cheek. “The sooner you accept that you are staying here, little one, the better it will be for everyone.”