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“Hold still!”
“It’s hard to do that when you’re yanking on my hair!”
“Boo-hoo, I’m not yanking that hard!” Matsu retorted happily to her brother, running her brush a bit gentler through his hair. “But sure, I’m sorry . Just stay still so I can finish up, you still need to get dressed!” She glanced up at the mirror, making eye contact with him for a brief moment as she reached for a proper hair pin to finish it up. She tucked it into his hair with a smile, fluffing out his hair before taking a step back.
Matsu had pinned the front back enough that he wouldn’t have to worry about messing with it all evening or obscuring his vision, leaving one strand out the way their father always did, with the back thoroughly brushed out to have a bit of a wave towards the end. She set her hands on her hips, nodding to herself.
“There, isn’t it nice? Now your face is all clear so when Denji sees you, your huge blush will be extra noticeable!” With a laugh she tossed her brush onto the vanity, missing the way his face slowly burned from his chin upwards since she was more interested in the knocking coming from the front door. “Now, go get your yukata on!”
Standing up on her toes to glance out the small window that adorned their front door, she took a look out and gasped. Quickly stepping back to unlock and pull open the door, she gave the woman there a bright grin.
“Hiyoriiii! Hello! You’re here!” She clasped her hands together and took a step back, inviting her in before quickly shutting the door. The family was well known for a few things-- mostly things that Hiyori didn’t need to be associated with.
Matsu understood that, and respected her status enough to protect her in any way she needed.
“You look so nice! Is this a new yukata?” She asked, although she already knew the answer, holding up the edge of her sleeve and running her fingers along the edge. It was a deep blue color, one of royalty, speckled with gold designs that contrasted well with her teal hair.
Which, in fact, was once again pulled up into her usual intricate hairstyle, adorned with roses and lacquer pins. Matsu found herself staring at her friend for a bit longer, just admiring her makeup and the way it always seemed to compliment her eye shape and the naturally rosy color of her cheeks.
Man, her aunt was pretty.
“Where is Izo? And your mother?” Hiyori took another few steps inside the house, taking a look around. She had expected everyone to be bustling around, getting ready, preparing to enjoy the festival! Instead, there was nothing. “Really, the house is so quiet!”
Matsu crossed her arms at that, huffing and popping her hip out. “Well, I just finished helping get Fuji ready, but I haven’t seen mom or dad all night. Dad likes to get ready alone, you know.” She turned then, waving Hiyori along. “Come along then, we’ll go check on them.”
Hiyori let out a delicate laugh, following the young woman through the house and back towards the master bedroom. The house was clean as always, the walls sparsely covered with typical paintings and traditional decor. It didn’t seem at all like the home of multiple underground Yakuza members.
Although, that was probably the point.
Matsu only gave a few knocks of warning before opening the bedroom door, pausing suddenly when she noticed the woman simply relaxing on the bed. She crossed her arms, huffing rather loudly.
“Mom! What are you doing!” She walked inside, gesturing to her with one hand. “What are you doing? Aren’t you and dad coming to the festival?”
“Izzy is.” She replied, not taking her eyes off her book. She simply flipped the page, adjusting her position to be more comfortable on the bed, as if to prove to her daughter that she wasn’t going anywhere. “I, however, am enjoying my book.”
The young girl frowned, leaning forward further and narrowing her eyes. “But moooom , you promised! You’re gonna let Izzy go by himself? That’s just sad!”
“I quite like festivals, I don’t see a problem in going alone if she doesn’t want to tag along.” Izo hadn’t made himself known before then, since he was busy getting ready in the attached bathroom. He stepped out of the bathroom a moment later, two hairpins held between his teeth and hands tangled in his hair as he worked on getting it up properly. He smirked around the pins, looking over to the woman on the bed. “But it would be rather nice if she did, kind of like a date. You know, ones we could have taken when we were younger if we weren’t starting our marriage on a pirate ship?”
B paused for a moment, contemplating his words before letting her book fall onto her chest, her lips pulled into a tight frown. “Izzy, are you trying to persuade me? Away from my book and my very comfortable bed?”
“It’ll be pretty lonely without me in it, wouldn’t you say?” Izo punctuated his words with a wink and turned back to the bathroom, disappearing through the doorway once again.
“Come on, mom. You can’t say no to some good treats, now can you?” Matsu leaned over the bed, her hands clasped behind her back. “You were just complaining the other day that you hadn’t had a good chocolate banana in a while….”
“And don’t you just miss watching me shoot?” Izo called out, his head popping around the doorway just a moment later. He stepped into the bedroom again, making his way over to her and sitting down on the edge of their bed. Reaching out, he gently pat her leg and gave her another sly grin. “Bet you miss shooting too.”
As badly as Matsu had wanted to convince her mother, watching the scene unfold between her parents like this was a bit… gross. With an over exaggerated groan and a roll of her eyes, she leaned back, putting her hands on her hips. “Uuuugh! You two are so gross! Are you coming with us or not?”
B took a few moments to think about it, staring at him with a blank expression. Was he serious? She raised her eyebrows, finally letting out a defeated groan. She knew she couldn’t say no to her daughter, let alone her husband .
“Fine, fine. I’ll get dressed.”
Finishing getting ready for the festival had been a lively affair; Matsu still hadn’t gotten dressed of course and B had to decide on what to wear. She didn’t have to think too hard, however, as Izo very much enjoyed picking outfits for people anyway. He’d chosen a floral yukata for her, stating something about her being a precious flower herself. It made Matsu gag, but B seemed to silently appreciate it.
She did, in fact, like being able to match her daughter. Matsu’s own yukata was a mix of a few colors, mainly reds and blues, but patterned with flowers just like her mother’s.
Fuji had decided on a plain, yet elegant styled yukata, one that gave off the exact vibe he carried with him at all times. He wanted people to find him intimidating; he was one to be respected.
And of course, that was easier when he wasn’t flustered to hell and back by a certain someone.
“Okay, now, where are the snack booths? I’m starving.”
“Of course that’s the first place your mind goes.” Matsu stepped up beside her brother, gently slapping his shoulder and looking around the booths that surrounded them. “That being said…I’m also pretty hungry. I’m thinking…”
“Matsu, Takoyaki!” Before the woman could finish her sentence her brother had grabbed her arm, pulling her off in a different direction. They stumbled only for a moment before the two of them remembered simultaneously that they were known for being much more composed and serious than the way they were acting.
In a moment the two of them were standing straight once again, making their way over to the booth with soft smiles and a glint of mischief in their eyes. They arrived at the booth and planted a pile of cash on the table, purchasing enough of the treat for their entire group.
Matsu gave an appreciative wave to the young woman running the booth before walking off, popping a piece in her mouth and just barely resisting the urge to skip a little in excitement.
“Mmm, it’s so good!” She nudged her brother happily, looking around the festival in search of other snacks or items that excited her. “Let's go look at the games! I’m sure there’s something fun we can play together.”
“Why do you always assume I want to play games with you?” Fuji rose an eyebrow at her, plucking a piece from her plate and continuing to examine the booths around them. He suddenly paused, pointing to a nearby game. “Hey, look. Mom found a game.”
Matsu turned her attention to the booth in question, stifling a laugh by taking another large bite of their snack. It was in fact a shooting game; she knew her mother was good, but there was no way her father was going to stand by and not try it as well. Izo was quite a competitive man, especially when it came to shooting.
“I wanna see this.” Matsu grabbed her brother’s arm and took off towards the booth, sliding to a stop just beside her mother. She looked between the game and the woman preparing to shoot, before turning her attention to her father.
Izo was standing a bit too close to the woman, his full attention on the gun she was holding. Matsu could tell he was holding back his extensive rifle knowledge; all he wanted to do was tell her all about the gun she was using.
He knew better, though. B was intelligent and didn’t need a whole essay on her rifle; no matter how badly Izo wanted to tell her.
“Which prize are you aiming for?” He asked, sliding both hands onto her hips, pulling the woman in a bit closer, not stopping until her back was flush with his chest. “Do you want help aiming, babe?”
“You touch the gun and I’ll shoot you in the dick, babe .”
The man blinked a few times, but made no move to step away from the woman. His hands stayed in place, however, he knew better than to try her after she’d set a boundary. “Feisty as always.” He laughed and leaned in a bit closer, planting a soft kiss just behind her ear.
B responded with an annoyed grunt, but the tips of her mouth turned upwards into a small smile. She loved him, and always appreciated the affection, whether she would show it or not.
“Yeah, yeah. Keep talking.” Breaking into a smug grin she brought the gun up once again, letting out a long breath and steadying herself.
“Don’t forget to-”
“If you value keeping your dick, I would advise you to shush.”
Izo’s eyes widened slightly in surprise, cheeks beginning to flush a bit from the comment. He swallowed hard, tightening his fingers on her hips and pulling her just a bit closer to himself.
B worked fast, but with skilled fingers and practiced movements that made shooting look incredibly easy. Years of practice and time spent on a pirate ship worked in her favor as she knocked over prize after prize; barely stifling a laugh from the cheering and whooping she could hear from the twins behind her.
With a grin she lowered her gun, turning to face her husband once more and teasingly blowing against the end of the gun, blowing away smoke that apparently only the two of them could see.
“Great job.” He planted a quick kiss against her cheek before pulling back, eyes blowing wide suddenly as a large bag of trinkets and other toys were dumped into his arms. “Ah, and I get to carry them!”
B nodded as if it was the most obvious thing ever, grabbing a few of the toys and tossing them over to Fuji. “Here, for you and your sister.”
“Oh cool, hey look we got matching--”
“Boo!”
Fuji suddenly screamed and dropped the two items he had been given, along with the final piece of Takoyaki that he had been saving. If Matsu asked, he would strongly deny that he had saved it in order to possibly share it with Denjiro, but they would both know that was a lie.
“I got you so good!” Matsu took a pleased step backwards, removing her mask and revealing the huge grin she was wearing underneath. “Aw man, you scaredy cat!”
“You just surprised me! And you made me drop my food!” He looked down at the sad, singular piece of takoyaki on the ground and pouted. “You owe me more food!”
“Yeah, yeah. But look! I bought you something.” She held out a mask to the young man, with the same design as hers but inverted colors. “A mask! Just like we wore as kids.”
Fuji gently took the mask from her and turned it around in his hands, raising a curious brow. “I’m not wearing this, you know.”
“Last time I ever buy you a present, then!” She stuck her tongue out teasingly to the man, making her way over to the rest of their group. “Great job, mom! I’m gonna need you to teach me to shoot like that sometime. Since you’re the greatest marksman there is, and no one else could ever get close to being as good as--”
“That’s enough, Matsu!” Izo held up one hand, cradling the bag of prizes in his other arm. “Yes, your mother is wonderful.” With another smile he leaned in, kissing her temple again and lingering there for a few moments.
The two weren't the most outwardly affectionate or loving couple, but every once in a while Izo just couldn’t seem to contain himself. B didn’t mind, or at least if she did she didn’t seem to show it.
“Now,” He pulled back slightly, wiggling the bag of prizes a bit and letting out a small chuckle. “What do you suppose we do with all of these?”
“Auntie B, there you are!”
B grinned and opened her arms to the woman approaching them, pulling her into a gentle hug. “Hello, Hiyori. You look wonderful.” She nuzzled against her cheek in a quick gesture of affection before pulling back, reaching for the bag that Izo was so carefully holding for her. “Here, take this. Prizes for you and Momo.”
“For us? Really?” She gasped and clasped her hands together, grinning widely at the woman. The two had spoiled her and her brother quite a bit growing up; while she didn’t remember the years of Izo babysitting her as a child, he told her many stories of the times he did. He was only 19 when she was born, but taking care of kids seemed to come naturally to him.
Taking care of Hiyori helped lessen the pain he felt when he missed Kiku, and he enjoyed getting to babysit her quite a bit. Being able to see her all grown up made him incredibly happy.
“I’ll just carry these around for you until you’re ready to take them home.” He smiled softly to her, wrapping his free arm around B’s waist and pulling her in closer. “Don’t worry, I don’t mind at all.”
B glanced upwards at him, her cheeks tinted the lightest shade of pink as she pressed a kiss against his cheekbone. “You’re doin’ good. Thank you.” She nuzzled against him, closing her eyes and enjoying the moment with him. She almost didn’t want to move away.
“Now… I think I’m in the mood for something sweet.” Pulling back just a bit she poked his chest, resting her forehead against his temple. “Care to help me find a chocolate banana in this maze?”
“I suppose I could be of service.” Izo gave her a wide grin, glancing up and taking a look around the nearby booths. They were still mostly surrounded by games, they would have to move further into the festival to find the rest of the snacks they had available.
The group moved together, making their way deeper into the crowd in search of snacks.
“Anything else you’re in the mood for?” He asked, rubbing her hip gently as they walked. He looked around the booths, humming softly to himself and taking note of the snacks and drinks that were available. “Ah, there we go. Chocolate bananas, over there!”
“Man, those look good.” Fuji stood a few feet away from the booth, rubbing his stomach a bit and debating his options. He could get one, or he could get the snack he truly wanted. He just had to find it.
Luckily for him, he didn’t have to look very far. Just as soon as he’d begun thinking about the custard Taiyaki he was craving so badly, it appeared like magic in his line of sight, dangling teasingly just out of reach. But who in the world could have known how badly he wanted it?
He turned, gasping suddenly and forcing himself to stay composed as he realized who was holding the snack. It was none other than Denjiro, the object of all of his daydreams and fantasies, offering to him the pastry he so desperately wanted.
“Denji, hi! Didn’t expect to see you here today!”
Denjiro paused and raised a curious brow, pulling the pastry a bit further away. “Really? You didn’t think I’d be here? And you say you know me well.”
“No no, I just mean-- well--” He frowned, pointing to the treat the man was holding. “Is that for me? Can I have it now?” Fuji was trying his hardest not to pout; but it was hard! He wanted the fish!
And, well, he really wanted Denjiro, too.
“Follow me then, Fuji.” Denjiro raised the pastry up above his head, beginning to walk backwards towards one of the alleys nearby. He winked towards the man and beckoned him closer, slipping into the darkened area and disappearing without a trace.
Fuji of course couldn’t contain his excitement, stumbling as he tried to follow close behind.
“Hey, Denji!” His words came as an excited whisper, hands finding the older man’s shoulders too easily; like it was a practiced motion they were built for. He held on like he was afraid the man would disappear again in a moment's notice. “How are you? I feel like I haven’t seen you in a while.”
“Well, you know how your dad gets when I come over.” Denjiro’s voice was soft and accompanied by a hint of laughter as he brought one hand up to cup the younger man’s cheek, rubbing the pad of his thumb over his lower lip. “Always wants to run off to spar, or shoot or something…”
“Mmmmhm. Sure, blame dad.” Fuji rolled his eyes and moved in just a bit further, rising up onto his toes so he could reach him properly. He flinched slightly at the sudden crack of fireworks in the distance, but ultimately didn’t let it stop him from closing the space between them. Sliding his hands up and over Denjiro’s cheeks, he threaded his fingers through his hair and tugged him just a bit closer. That was the problem with Denjiro; he was just as addictive as any of the snacks that surrounded them.
With a barely concealed whimper Denjiro slowly broke off, pulling away just far enough to catch a breath.
“Now,” Fuji pressed his chest up against Denjiro’s much broader one, rubbing his thumb against the soft skin just below his ear. “How about handing over that taiyaki you bought for me?”
“Oh, for you?” Denjiro tilted his head, holding the pastry up once again. “See, I figured this would be for me and you’d get one bite.” As if to prove his point, he brought it closer to his mouth and took a nice sized bite right over the eye of the poor fish.
Fuji took a step back, bringing one hand up to place on his chest as his expression changed to one of horror.
“Hey!”
“You’re so gullible!” bursting into a fit of laughter and wrapping an arm around his shoulders, Denjiro pecked the other man’s cheek and began leading him back to their group. He handed over the pastry, chuckling softly at the way Fuji took it so eagerly and dove right in without a second thought. In just a moment the fish had disappeared, leaving only a few crumbs and a spot of custard on the corner of his mouth.
The two emerged from the darkened alley embraced in each other's arms, sharing the laughter of a joke only the two of them would know. Fuji could barely take his eyes off of him, even when they finally made it back to their friends.
“Well, where have you two been?” Izo was the first one to notice their return, cocking a curious brow towards the two men. He had one gentle arm around B’s waist, holding her close against his side, a plate of multiple chocolate bananas resting in his free hand. “And what’s on your face?”
“Just in the alley, dad!” Reaching up with one hand as he spoke, Fuji gently wiped the corner of his mouth off with his thumb and licked up the spot of custard, beginning to talk to Matsu about some kind of plan he’d been thinking up for their next outing.
A few moments passed before Izo glanced down once again, noticing the way his wife’s shoulders had seemed to droop a bit. He frowned, giving her side a very gentle squeeze to get her attention.
B glanced up, silently wondering if the man had a damn good excuse for squeezing her side in that way. She raised an eyebrow, mimicking his earlier expression. “Can I help you?”
“Yeah, actually. You wanna get out of here?” He asked, nodding his head towards a nearby break in the crowd. He knew the woman had a limit for social interaction, and this festival was especially busy due to the promise of fireworks. “We can find a spot to go watch the show alone. You know, like we used to do when we were dating…”
“You sap .” B rolled her eyes at the sentiment but slowly hooked arm around his body, pulling him in a little bit closer. “Let’s go then, before the kids ask for something else.”
Izo didn’t need anything more than that, grinning brightly at the woman before pulling her away. He held her close against his side, beginning to ramble on as they walked. His story didn’t seem to have much of a point, seeming to be more about something that he had seen at one of the booths, mixed with a little bit of frustration at how the gun he’d watched her use wasn’t standard and it definitely looked broken.
B didn’t think to stop him, instead staying quiet while he spoke. It reminded her a lot of the early days in their relationship; back when Izo had his heart set on impressing the woman before he could feel confident enough asking her out.
Luckily for him, he didn’t have to.
He should have known from the start that B would be the one to ask.
“Ah, here we go! This is the spot I told you about.” He stepped up towards a nearby tree, gesturing to the blanket that was spread out on the grass beneath it. It was a light pink, made of a soft fabric that was perfect to sit on or snuggle with. It was his favorite.
“Oh, is this what you were doing out here this afternoon?” B let out a soft chuckle and crossed her arms, looking around the area. He had even put out candles for the two of them! “Who came out here and lit all these?”
“Matsu. I promised her extra dessert for the rest of the week if she helped.” He turned, grinning widely at the woman and holding his hand out for her. “Care to join me, love?”
Despite the romantic grin and goofy voice, B couldn’t help herself. She reached out and placed her hand on his, smiling at the way he closed his own around it and brought it up, gently kissing her knuckles.
But maybe that was just part of his charm. He was always like that; eager to impress her, ready with a joke or story to make her day better at the drop of a hat.
“Thank you, my dear.” With a quick curtsey she lowered herself onto the blanket, pulling him down with her. In no time at all he had her wrapped up in his arms, his chin planted nicely on her shoulder.
“Oh! I almost forgot.” He sat up just enough to reach for a nearby plate, grabbing it and happily presenting the contents to the woman beside him. On it were five chocolate bananas, each with a different topping﹣all of her favorites. “Here, got a bunch just for you.”
B only grinned, leaning in a bit and nuzzling her nose against his cheek. Oh, he was too sweet for his own good. Pulling back, she grabbed one of the bananas and got comfortable against his side, looking upwards towards the sky.
“You know, we are pretty alone out here. Not a soul to disturb us, or walk in on anything…” Izo rubbed her side softly, moving his hand upwards until his thumb had begun to rub against her ribs. “What do you think, eh?”
The woman didn’t answer at first, turning slowly until she was able to see his face properly. She stared at him and the dorky grin he wore, considering her next move carefully. Of course if she said no he would respect that; but why be so simple with it?
She kept direct eye contact, sliding the chocolate banana just a few inches past her lips and holding it there, watching his expression. He was beginning to get his hopes up, she could tell by the way his cheeks had begun to turn a soft pink, and the way his lips parted ever so slightly. He had something to say; the excitement was bubbling!
Narrowing her eyes, she waited just a moment longer before chomping down onto the banana as hard as she could. The cut was clean and more than half of the snack was gone.
“A respectable answer, of course.” Despite his response, Izo’s expression was closer to pure horror than acceptance. The color had faded from his cheeks almost instantly, brown eyes blown wide at his wife’s actions. “You know what, it’s really dirty out here anyway. I wouldn’t want to ruin our yukata with something like that.”
“Mhm, sure.” With a wink, the woman resumed her original position tucked against his side. “You are right, though. We are pretty alone out here.”
“Why do you think I brought you all the way out here?” Izo chuckled and leaned back a bit more, tucking a stray lock of hair behind his ear. The spot he’d found was one of his favorites for festivals like this; it was far enough away from the festivities that the sound of it all wasn’t completely overwhelming, but close enough that they still got a perfect view of the fireworks. “Normally this is just a pretty good spot. But tonight it’s perfect .”
B considered not even asking him to clarify that statement. She knew the answer would either be something totally dorky, or gun related, or incredibly sappy, and she wasn’t sure how well she could stomach any of those answers.
Although, she knew her husband. He never started a sentence he didn’t have a reason to finish.
“And why, my dear, is this spot so perfect tonight?” B asked, turning slightly so she could see his face once again.
She was sure that even if she hadn’t turned to see him, she would have heard the giant grin he wore in his voice. With another laugh he pulled her in a tiny bit tighter, as if he could never seem to get her close enough.
“Because, my love!” He dipped his head slightly, planting a kiss against her temple and holding himself there for a moment. “Today you’re here with me.”
B paused, blinking a few times at that answer. Just as she suspected: incredibly sappy.
“You’re a big dork, you know that?” She laughed and set her empty stick down off to the side, turning enough to be able to hold him properly. She rested their foreheads together, arms wrapped loosely around his neck. “Now, can I ask you for a favor?”
“Absolutely.” Izo brought one hand up, cupping her face gently and rubbing thumb against her cheek, “You just say the word, and I’ll get it for you!”
She rolled her eyes, pressing one finger against his lips to shush him. “Can I have a kiss from my husband, please?”
At the question he seemed to perk up, his eyes widening a bit. That was something he could definitely do; not to mention be excited to do! Without another word he leaned in, capturing her lips in a gentle kiss. He could never think of much when he was kissing her; nothing except how much he loved her, of course.
B was the one to break the kiss a moment later, smirking at the dazed look her husband wore. She reached up, poking his nose softly before turning in his arms once again. She did have to admit, he had picked a beautiful spot. “Thank you, Iz. This is nice.”
“Of course,” He started, unable to stop himself from pecking her temple once more. “Anything for you.”