Chapter Text
“Are you certain this is a good idea Seiji?” Matobo can feel Nanase grin as she speaks. “you could use that as leverage to get his help in the future”
A small chuckle escaped the clan leader’s lips. “I could but I would rather have him feel like he owes me a bit” he stared at the envelope with a single photo inside. “besides he doesn’t want his family to find out no matter what, as long as they don’t know we can hold that over his head” he stated like it was simply fact as he opened the car door. The sky was threatening to open up but this wouldn’t take long, Matoba decided to walk to few blocks to the Fujiwara household.
While the house was not nearly as large as any of the manors the Matoba clan controlled it seemed too large for the three people and cat that lived here. One last look at the envelope and he could feel himself hesitate. Maybe he isn’t using this information in the best possible way. Perhaps he can use it to get something from the unnaturally powerful child. Perhaps-
His thought was broken by the sudden sound of rain hitting the overhang and the cawing of a nearby crow.
“Oh no!” he heard a woman’s voice rush out of the house towards the still hanging laundry, he can’t help but stare at the frantic woman when suddenly their eyes meet. “You! Please! Help me get the laundry inside!” she sounded desperate and without really comprehending what has happened he finds himself helping. While not a difficult task he certainly never had to do this kind of thing at home.
“Safe!” she giggles to herself. “thank you so much for helping” she bows towards him, pure gratitude radiating off her small frame. She then turned around to thank the crow that warned her “Thank you once again!” she giggled.
“an albino crow? Never seen one before” He mutters under his breath more so to himself then anyone else, he’s too preoccupied with the strange bird that he hardly notices the woman jump slightly.
“Oh! Where are my manners!” she turns to face Matoba “you simply must come in for some tea Mr…?”
“Matoba, Matoba Seiji… however I’m afraid I really must be going” he didn’t feel like being eaten by the child’s cat today.
“Nonsense! It’s pouring and I simply must thank you” she grabbed his wrist with surprising strength for a housewife and drags him inside. Something tells him that he would have an easier time dealing with Yokai then he would with this woman.
Before he could protest further he found himself seated in the Livingroom and shortly after he had tea and snacks handed to him. “Thank you” he tried to give a genuine smile but he is just thinking of a way to escape this house before the kid finds out.
“so…” she looks down at her tea for a second before gathering courage. “are you Takashi’s friend?”
He couldn’t help but be a little confused as to why she would ask that, he was dressed like a businessman today and he had made no signs that he was connected to Takashi so how could she have guessed. “I have met him a few times thanks to our Mutual acquaintance Natori Shuuichi” he paused choosing his next words carefully. “I don’t think Takashi considers me his friend though… I just stumbled on some information I heard he was looking for.” He pulls out the envelope and gently places it on the table.
“I see, he should be home shortly so you can give it to him yourself” she giggles and takes a sip of tea… again she pauses and takes another pensive moment as she looks out the window towards the helpful bird that has taken shelter from the rain. “assuming he is keeping out of trouble” she gave a heavy worried sigh.
He looked at the time, based on the information gathered about his school he should have been home a while back by now. “perhaps like me he took shelter from the rain” He didn’t know how to deal with this woman but he knew he needed to leave as soon as possible.
“Perhaps” she looked at him and back at her nearly empty cup of tea. “Mr Matoba… may I ask you a question?” she looks up at him with pleading in her eyes.
“I’m not sure if I could give you a proper answer.” He looked away, unable to look her in the face, yokai would have been easier to deal with after all.
“The things you and Takashi can see… are they dangerous?” the fear was apparent.
Matoba had to take a second to process what she said “I beg your pardon” he didn’t think he had given her any reason to ask about the yokai world. “I don’t know what you are talking about-“
“-I don’t see an albino crow…. But Takashi… and you” she was shaking, near tears. “I just want to help keep him safe but how can I help against things I can’t see?”
He just sat back and thought to himself ‘Well… considering I doubt his cat will let me live much longer’ he took a deep breath to make sure he wouldn’t misspeak. “You should ask him, not me” he looked her in the eyes. “but no matter what, know that he is surrounded by friends who will keep him as safe as possible when you can’t.”
Before she could interrogate the poor beaten exorcist anymore the door could be heard opening. “I’m home!” It was the one voice Matoba had been dreading. At least he had a good life. “Sorry I got caught in the rain-“ Takashi’s eyes landed on Matoba and his entire body froze and all the colour drained from his face.
“Ah Takashi, Welcome home!” she got up and handed him a towel to dry whatever the umbrella hadn’t covered. “This nice young gentleman helped me bring in the laundry when the rain started. It’s so nice that people still help each other.” She smiled and went into the kitchen.
The second she was out of earshot the boy stormed over… maybe he had been worried about the cat too much he forgot the boy could also go into a murderous rage. “What are you doing here?!” he spoke barely above a whisper.
Matoba just plastered on his best smile. “Me? Oh I was just stopping by to give you a photo of your grandfather I stumbled upon when I got… well dragged into your lovely house” he chuckled. “I had heard a rumor that you were looking for information on him but if it was mistaken I shall take my leave” he grabbed the envelope.
“What’s the catch?” Natsume was glaring with such ferocity that Motaba wondered if looks could kill after all.
“So untrusting, and here I was going out of my way and asking for nothing in return… it’s just a simple thank you for the help you’ve given me in the past… and perhaps in the future?” he grins and holds out the envelope. “it’s yours if you want it”
After what seemed like an eternity of standing still Takashi takes the envelope and opens it up. The picture is old and damaged, very blurry but there is a man who looks a little like Takashi in the photo. “I wasn’t able to find anything else… just rumors that he was very knowledgeable and your Grandmother saw him as a mentor.”
“Oh! a picture of your grandpa?” the housewife came out of nowhere, Matoba had nearly forgotten about her being there. “may I see?”
Without hesitation Takashi hands the photo over. “sure Touko” his smile is very kind and relaxed.
She looks but instantly furrows her brow. “Hm? I don’t see anyone… where is he?” Takashi froze again and just stared at her confused. However, before Takashi can say anything in protest Matoba acts first and snatches the picture out of her hand and looks at it.
“My mistake, I must have brought the wrong photo” he smiled and nodded to Takashi who was still processing what this all meant “Sorry to waste your time like this, if I find the right one I’ll be sure to deliver it” he looked outside and before any further protest could be mounted. “the rain has stopped an I must take my leave. Thank you, Mrs. Fujiwara, for the tea, it was delicious, Farewell” He rushes out the door and powerwalked to the car.
She just stood there stunned. “That’s odd…. I don’t remember giving him my name” she chuckled. “he must have gotten it off the name plate.
Takashi seemed to snap back to reality after that. “Hm? Oh… yeah, I better get changed out of my uniform” he headed upstairs mind racing. He would have to ask Matoba many things next time they met.
Matoba was just happy he made it out of the house in one piece. By the time he made it back to the car he felt like he had aged five years and Nanase couldn’t help but laugh at the rare haggard expression on her bosses face. “I guess it didn’t go well? No surprise.” She looked over her shoulder. “you didn’t even give him the photo? Too bad” she started the car and the two drove away. “a total waste of time”
“Well it was informative to say the least” He sat back and looked at the photo of the grandfather. “very informative”.