The healing touch (closed)

[Kohana_Xavior19]

Leaving him to get comfortable once again, Michiko cleaned up and returned her somewhat first aid kit to her washroom. When she returned to him, she saw he had left her space beside him to sleep so as to avoid being kicked or possibly injured if he had a other night terror. He already seemed half asleep and Michiko saw the logic in laying beside him. She'd be able to feel him stirring in his sleep if another nightmare struck and she could react quick enough to settle him so his quick movements would not pop anymore stitches or straight. His wounds. Quietly moving to the space left for her, she laid down and got comfortable herself. Her tail drapping over her waist to avoid it getting accidentally laid apon as she curled up. Her ears twitched a few times as she listened for his breathing to even out. Then, and only then, did she allow for herself to follow him into the welcoming comfort of sleep.

 

[jc199123]

Gabriel laid still not making a sound or stirred during the night. He didn't know why having Michi beside of him in bed had made the difference but he was glad that she had laid beside of him during the night. He liked around and didn't see anyone there and wondered where she had went to or how long he had slept. He could hear his stomach growl again and wondere what was for breakfast or at least his breakfast today. He wanted to get up but he knew more than likely Michinwould be near byband walk in on him trying to get up by himself.

 

[Kohana_Xavior19]

Michiko woke early the next morning and readied several buckets of boiling water for a bath after making sure she'd had enough firewood stoked to keep the tub warm. After she was bathed and dressed, Michiko had set about collecting herbs, wheat, and vegetables from the gardens or fields close by before stopping by the rice fields to trade for rice. When she had what she needed, she returned as he was waking and went about making tea and rice balls wrapped with edible seaweed.

Her ears would twitch as she heard him stirring awake and groaning softly as he attempted to sit himself up. Not yet realizing he was not alone in her home. For a brief moment, Michiko, who had noticed his fever had broken in the middle of the night when she heard him almost wake from its chills and sweats, wondered if his still waking mind would think the day before to be nothing but a dream. But surely it wasn't so. With the herbal tea and food ready, Michiko carefully carried the tray containing the teapot and cups, as well as their food, over to the bed and knelt down to sit. The fabric of her kimono dress pooling around her as she did so. "Ohaio!" [Eng. Trans: Good morning] She reached forward and carefully helped him to sit up as her tail settled to softly twitch at her side. "I am glad to see your fever has broken, but you still must take things slow. For your bodies sake more than mine." Michiko tells him, handing him his cup of tea.

 

[jc199123]

Gabriel said nothing about what he seen to her the fact that what he was seeing now and what he seen yesterday hadn't changed in the slightest besides the fact she was in a different dress. He was actually relieved that nothing had changed because he feared that maybe the fever would have done more damage than it did good. "This is nothing if you hadn't put my stuff somewhere I woiluld be up right now practicing with my sword." he said to her as he took the rice ball and bit into it. He soon started eating like an animal he was hungry and at this point all he was worried about was filling his stomach. "Sorry for eating like this." he said as he began to blush hoping not to offend her.

 

[Kohana_Xavior19]

Michiko blinked a few times before she covered her mouth and giggled. "It is no bother." She said, handing him her own riceball to eat. Glad to see that he had such an appetite. "The fact you have an appetite bodes well for your healing." Michiko tells him with a smie. Her ears twitching a bit.

 

[jc199123]

"Why does your ears twitch like that?" Gabriel asked when he paused from eating. He understood why her tail would twitch but he didn't understand why her ears was doing the same. He hoped that he didn't embarrass her by asking questions about her.

 

[Kohana_Xavior19]

"They twitch occasionally because I can hear more than a Human can. They twitch as a way to alert me to different sounds. Like the sound of your heart beat or breathing. The singing of a bird outside." Michiko explained, her head tilting to the side a little bit. "They also act as a mood indicator. You can always tell an animals mood by their ears."

 

[jc199123]

"What mood are you in now?" Gabriel asked as he seen her ears twitch more. He looked down and seen her tail twitch uber her kimono and he wanted to touch it but refrained from doing so. "Would so you be offended if I asked to touch your tail?" he asked blushimg a bit because he knew he was more than likely asking questions only a child would ask.

 

[Kohana_Xavior19]

Michiko's ears perked as she laughed and shook her head. "I am in a happy mood, and no I would not be offended if you touched me tail." She replied with a bright smile. A light blush stained her cheeks. Having someone touch her tail or ears was.....Well it was seen as intimate and personal. A touch of affection meant to be expected or seen of a loving mate. Michiko knew that it wasn't always so. Some we're not as lucky to mate for love. Some matings were arranged, some happen because a fox in heat is taken advantage of. Making the whole process purely animal instict. She didn't want to end up so unlucky. Hence why she lived so secluded from the others of her village yet still stayed within the villages protection.

Michiko shook herself from her dark thoughts and moved closer to Gabriel so he could reach her tail without straining himself. He would find her fur rather soft and would most likely miss the soft sigh of content escaping her pale pink lips.

(( Sorry for late reply. I was away for the weekend. A much needed chance to physically relax and mentally refresh myself. ))

 

[jc199123]

Gabriel slowly reached out and ran his hand over her tail lighrly. He knew that her fur was going to be soft but it still surprised him that it was. He didn't want to embarrass her or do anything to make her feel uncomfortable so he stopped what he was doing and thanked her for letting him touch her tail. When he touched her tail something made his heart flutter a bit like when you see your crush somewhere.

 

[Kohana_Xavior19]

It surprised Michiko how easily she was able to relax under his touch. Her eyes closed as she felt his fingers drift over her fur. She gave a small noise of happiness from his touch but all too soon he stopped and she blushed. Clearing her throat, she nodded and moved back so there was enough appropriate space between them. "Allow me to fetch you a Yukata, then we may go walking about the village for a while. I think the fresh air will help you."

 

[jc199123]

Gabriel paused for a bit before saying "I can tell you enjoyed that and if you ever want me to do it again you can ask me to I won't mind at all." He waited for her to get the thing she saidnshe would get. He wanted her to ask him to touch her tail again when ever he wanted because he didn't know if it ment anything and if it Did she would know thus if it was something that two strangers shouldn't be doing she wouldn't let it happen.

 

[Kohana_Xavior19]

Michiko got up to her feet and wondered off. Letting her mind wonder as she fetched him clothing. Even know just staring at the clothing that once belonged to a male member of her family, gave her pause. She had always wondered why she held onto it. Claiming for so long that it was because it still held her father's scent, even though now it just smelled like her and her scented oils about her home. Shaking her head, she picked up the yukata and brought it back to Gabriel with a decision unknowingly made. "Anytime you wish to touch my tail...You may do so." She said, handing him the clothes and nudging him towards her changing curtain where his sword(s) was being kept.

 

[jc199123]

He changed into what she had given him and walked out from behind the curtain and asked "Well were exactly are we going to walk to?"

 

[Kohana_Xavior19]

Michiko smiled and turned back to him once he was dressed. Holding out her hand, she would lead him out of the home. Once outside, he would be greeted with a rather breathtaking sight. "Just around the village, if you are up for it." She said, turning to look at him. She got never got tired of seeing this every day, but she wanted to see his reaction.

He was an outsider. Someone who had never seen her village before. To see the look on an outsider's face was special. And Michiko didn't know why seeing his reaction, to see if he loved the sight as much as she, was so important to her. She felt like she was holding her breath as she waited.

 

[jc199123]

The view was amazing an he couldn't hold back the fact from showing on his face. He soon said to her "wow what a view." He held onto her hand a bit tighter and walked with her leading the way. He didn't know where all they were going to go but it didn't care because he was with Michi.

 

[Kohana_Xavior19]

Michiko would glance over and smile. She had been rather satisfied with his reaction and it filled her with a sense of warmth she wasn't familiar with. Leading him into the village by his hand, they would be greeted by the sound of gossiping whispers of the other villagers. All of which she ignored.

 

[jc199123]

Gabriel could hear the whispers that was going on around him and seeing how Michi did show it was bothering her he ignored it. He took in the sights and sounds of the village. He soon seen something that caught his eye it was a fox mask like he had seen before. He wanted to get it but he didn't have any money with him. He stops Michi and asks "Michi can I borrow some money I want to get something?" He wanted to surprise her with it and if ahe like it give it to her.

 

[Kohana_Xavior19]

The whispers we're mostly about Gabriel and how he was a Human. An outsider. A stray among their village. For many their whispers we're of fear and worry that if one human was among them then it would soon mean their discovery and their downfall. But all the nonesense wasnt why Michiko ignored them. Her ears would twitch as she heard some of them whisper rumor of Gabriel only being here to be her playmate. A temporary play thing for her sexual heat and then would soon be disposed of with an herbal drug to make him think he had dreamt the village and it's occupats up.

This was mainly some of the jealous men who felt confident enough, despite Michiko turning them all down time and time again, that she would see fault and mate for life with one of them. Any and all eligible female saw him as something exotic. Something to try once and then be forever able to brag about. These were the whispers she ignored the most as it took much of her focus to keep herself from lashing out in either anger or territorial jealousy.

Thankfully Gabriel, whose voice stirred her from her inner working, seemed either blissfully unaware of the whispers or ignored them as she had. Her head tilted as she heard him ask for coins and reached into the sash about her waist for the small silk pouch with her gold coins. She wondered what it was he after and why he wanted whatever it was, but she didn't want to fault him on his need to have something that would prove to the outside that he had seen this village, been within the forest, and lived. "What are you after Gabriel?" She asked, giving him the pouch.

 

[jc199123]

Gabriel gave her a coy smile before saying "it's a secret." He could tell that Michi thought that there was more to what he was wanting to than just him getting something. Though she was right to thunk that there was more ro him gerting the mask. He wanted to get the mask for her but if it made her feel uncomfortable he wouldn't give it to her so he needed her to be in the dark about why he was getting it.

He took out the amount of coin it cost for the mask and he walked up to the vendor. He could tell that the vendor was nervous about him being there and so Gabriel made it easy he pointed to the mask he seen and then held out the coins once the transaction was done he grabbed the cloth bag and headed out.

"Thanks for the money Michi" He said to her joining her again. He hoped that she didn't see what he had bought because it would either ruin the surprise or disgust her thus making things awkward between them.

 

[Kohana_Xavior19]

Michiko watched him walk over to one of the stalls but couldn't see what the vendor was selling over everyone else shuffling through the busy market. Staying where she had been left, Michiko busied herself looking about the village. Her ears twitching at almost every sound. As she heard Gabriel approach her, she looked back to him and tilted her head to the side. "You are welcome, but I am curios. What did you get?" She asked, taking her pouch and tucking it back into her obi at her waist.

 

[jc199123]

"It's a mask." Gabriel said to her tucking the draw strings of the bag to the waist of the yukata Michi let him barrow. He took her hand again and said "Well let's go." He was ready to continue their walk with her. He could tell that something was eating her on the inside and it wasn't what he had bought either though he wanted to ask he figured it was best to just let it be and wait to see if she would talk about it later.

 

[Kohana_Xavior19]

Michiko actually laughed at his answer. But it wasn't one of those 'shes laughing at you' sort of laughs. It was more of a 'of all the things he could have bought' type of laughs. It surprised her, to say the least. She thought perhaps he wanted to try food or something to drink, but a mask? She couldn't understand why or what he needed the mask for but if it made him happy, she wouldn't take that from him.

With her hand in his, they continued their walk. She figured she'd bring up the whispers and rumors later when they got back to her home. But for now, she was happy to point out her favorite places to eat and introduce him to various foods and sights among the village while he still had the energy to be up and about. Michiko even got more tea while she was out, since she had noted that she was running low on her favorite kind.

 

[jc199123]

When Michi laughed at him he gave her a smile before sticking his tongue out playfully at her. He enjoyed his time with her walking through ththe village butbhebsoon felt his strength startingnto drain and after she grabbed the tea he said "we need to be heading back I don't know if I am going to be able to make it back before to long." He hated to have to end this for her but he knew she would get mad at him for not telling her about it.

 

[Kohana_Xavior19]

Michiko turned to him and nodded her head in understanding. She was happy he had told her that he was beginning to feel the drained of energy. It wasnt a bad thing, and if he hadn't been as wounded as he she would have seen it as odd. But to be so easily fatigued was common for Humans with severe injuries. They healed slower than someone like her or the other Demons of the forest. With her tea in hand, Michiko took his hand and brought him back to her home. She prepared a light snack of sushi while he made himself comfortable once more.