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Eijirou Kirishima had never really thought he’d own a pet. He was a wanderer, and he’d never stayed in one place long enough to ever really consider getting himself a companion. He liked to sleep under the stars on mountainsides, in the woods next to low burning fires, beside the waters of lakes and babbling brooks as he journeyed all over the country.
He’d certainly never expected to own a fox of all things.
Well, maybe own was the wrong word.
It had been a humid night when they met, the twilight slowly giving way to an almost muggy darkness when a shriek had rent the air, jolting Eijirou up from his bed roll just as he had gotten comfortable. It was angry, indignant, and for a split second Eijirou had thought it was a human cry. He’d quickly grabbed his bow and hunting knife and took off in the direction of the sound.
What he found had been a small, white-gold fox bolting away from a boar, its fur almost glinting in the brightening moonlight that shone upon it at the base of the hill where it ran for its life.
Eijirou, as a rule, never messed with the natural order of things, but he found himself notching an arrow and pulling his bow string back before he could think, letting it sing through the night and straight into the boar’s head, behind the back of its ear where he knew it was weakest. The creature dropped as dead weight, and the fox stopped in its tracks, loose dirt and forest debris kicking up as it skidded around to look up the embankment, straight at him.
It’s eyes seemed to glow for a moment, bright red and shocked, before it turned and bolted once again into the underbrush.
Eijirou huffed a sigh to himself and found a way down to his kill, gutting and prepping it as best as he could right there, before hefting the animal up to carry back to his temporary camp. He’d been hungry anyway, but it looked like he was staying in the forest for another couple of days, simply because he couldn’t carry the large animal along with all of his other belongings. He’d have to eat as much of it as he could here, maybe dry some, and cook or salt some to last a little longer.
That night, Eijirou had fallen asleep, absolutely stuffed, thinking about that ethereal fox.
The next morning he blinked himself awake, frowning at the odd weight on his chest as he lifted a hand to rub over his face. A strange, high pitched whining sound that turned into a yawn had him tensing and looking down. Red eyes stared straight back at him as the fox from the night before smacked its chops and blinked unevenly, before it clearly became aware that Eijirou was awake too.
It scrambled straight off his chest and bolted away, even as Eijirou sat up and reached an arm out after it. “Wait!” He shouted into the early dew laden air, but the fox didn’t wait, and when the scampering of paws disappeared, only birdsong could be heard over the rustling of leaves.
For three days Eijirou awoke to the little silver-gold fox laying either on his chest or next to his head, but each time the little thing ran from him at the first sign of his eyes opening.
He almost didn’t want to leave the forest, but his feet had already begun to itch with the need to move on, to see more of the country, and Eijirou packed up all of his belongings and hefted his heavy pack up after clearing the area. The only sign that he had ever been there were the animal bones at the edge of the clearing, now gathering flies, but the wildlife would take care of those for him.
Each night Eijirou had left a little clay saucer of cubed up cooked boar near his bed for the little fox, and each morning it was licked clean when the animal bolted.
At the edge of the first thick patch of forest a mountain path led down, so Eijirou followed it, breathing in crisp morning air this time as he made his way towards what he knew was a small town nearby. When he reached the base of the mountain, he stopped at a shrine, a smile curving his lips as he took in the fox statues that flanked it.
He dropped his pack and fetched out a wrapped, already cooked hunk of boar, and cut a few cubes to place on the offering plate. He knew fox spirits were supposed to like sweet things, but all he had left were a few sugar cubes, so he put a couple beside the meat and set off again.
Eijirou enjoyed his night at a small onsen, lounging in the water as he watched thunder clouds roll in over the mountain. It was a good thing he’d decided to move on, he thought, rising from the hot spring as the first flash of lightning lit the sky and rain began to pour down.
Hopefully the little fox had a nice deep den to keep it safe.
“One of the fox spirits must be angry…” he heard the old owner mutter to his wife, shaking his head as he took Eijirou’s payment for dinner and sake.
“We should leave more offerings in the morning.” His wife smiled, setting a sake cup on a tray and moving to warm a bottle in water. “I’ll make some cakes in the morning. We always get such good weather when we offer cakes.” She turned and told Eijirou she would serve him in his room with a bow that he returned, before taking his leave.
Eijirou wasn’t sure if he completely believed fox spirits existed, but if they did, he hoped they weren’t annoyed at his measly offering of meat and sugar cubes. He’d hate to be the reason for the thunderstorm currently shaking the little town on it’s foundations.
After a hearty meal that didn’t consist of days old boar, Eijirou settled into a nice soft futon and fell almost immediately to sleep, skin warmed by alcohol and the thick blanket that he pulled right up to his chin as he turned on his side and snuggled down.
“I can’t believe you’re going to leave me…” a rough voice caressed Eijirou’s ears, even as the back of a pale finger skimmed up his cheek. “I don’t know the world outside of that mountain, why would you make me leave to follow you?” Fingers slipped into rust coloured hair, combing out the few tangles he hadn’t paid enough attention to after his bath.
Eijirou blinked in his dream, but he couldn’t focus his eyes, all he could see was the almost glowing outline of a person leaning over him. The air sparkled around them, light seemingly coming right from whoever it was that stroked his head again. He opened his mouth to speak, but found he couldn’t.
What kind of dream was this?
“You can’t speak because I don’t want you to yet.” The figure told him, and his brow creased in confusion. How had they- “I’m in charge of this dream, human. I’m a man of honour, I don’t take without giving back. I came to ask you what you want in return for your kindness, and your offerings. For your warmth and life energy.” Faint red dots that might be eyes appeared on the blurry man’s face, before disappearing a moment later when he blinked.
They reminded him of that little albino fox.
“I don’t need anything.” Eijirou said when he found he could finally speak.
The man beside his bed chuckled, and it was low, rough, and clearly amused.
“I didn’t ask you what you needed, I asked you what you wanted.”
Eijirou thought for a moment. He could feel the bed beneath him, but he felt floaty and light, as though he could drift away at any moment. “Can you make sure that fox I met is okay then? That’s what I want. It’s so small, I don’t want it getting hurt.” He said, and the figure stopped all movement, before glowing just a little brighter.
“Don’t waste a boon on a creature that can look after itself. I’ll ask again another time. Now rest, I’ll give you a good dream.”
The figure disappeared and the room around Eijirou melted away, the floor changing to soil and dry leaves as trees sprung forth, sprouting branches and creaking as they grew up towards a star speckled, moonlit sky. He stared, suddenly standing. He could feel the earth beneath his bare feet and smell the heavy scent of rain before he even felt it on his skin, pattering down from the leaves above.
A silvery golden fox danced through the air above Eijirou’s head, before seeming to almost swim away through the trees. He followed, feeling no pain as twigs and branches crunched and broke under his feet, until he came to a large lake that reflected the full moon on its oddly calm surface. It was only raining in the forest, and as he stepped onto the dirt and rock beach, he found himself dry and warm.
There were several foxes bathed in light along the beach, yipping and chittering at one another as they pranced and bounced into the air as though untethered to the earth, and Eijirou simply stood to watch them play. Everytime he blinked he could swear they each had different numbers of tails, and the odd blurred light that surrounded them pulsed with different colours.
It was otherworldly, strange, and magical, and Eijirou found himself lost to the majesty of the creatures as they came to dance around him.
Eijirou awoke slowly, a smile on his face as he blinked up at the wooden ceiling of his room, feeling more rested than he had his whole life. His eyes blew wide when he heard a high pitched yawn and felt small paws dig into his chest as the little fox from the forest stretched, sticking its butt up as it dipped its back and yawned again, pale pink tongue stretching out of its wide open mouth before it shook its head and looked down at him.
It hopped off his chest immediately and made to run for the window, and Eijirou scrambled from the bed. “Wait! Please wait!” The fox stopped on the sill and cocked its head at him, one paw already out of the sliding shutter it must have pried open in the night. “Do you like fish? I’ll order extra for breakfast before I set off.” He offered, knowing the animal couldn’t understand him, but hoping his tone didn’t sound threatening.
The fox’s tail wagged and it wiggled its ass for a few seconds along with it, before hopping down and sitting right beside the window, still a distance from him.
Eijirou smiled and slowly changed, trying not to startle it as he moved to the sliding door to head to place his order. “Please be here when I get back.” He whispered, and the fox cocked its head to the other side, before making a high, almost grinding trilling sound that had him chuckling as he closed the screen door.
The fox was there, and Eijirou placed small pieces of salmon and mackerel on the floor between them, until the animal slowly inched across the tatami mats to eat, eyeing him as though expecting to be grabbed any minute. But Eijirou simply smiled encouragingly and offered over more fish, until the little fox made a whining sound and turned in a circle a few times, before flopping to the floor to watch him finish his breakfast.
“Did you enjoy that?” Eijirou chuckled as the fox stared at him, red eyes still assessing and perhaps a little apprehensive. “Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you. Do you have a mamma somewhere? You’re so tiny, you look like a kit.”
The fox growled at him, somehow managing to look both annoyed and insulted, even as it lounged a short distance away, clearly too full to want to move right then.
Eijirou lifted both hands in a gesture of surrender as he chuckled again. “Sorry, did I touch a nerve?” He asked, knowing he was essentially just talking to himself. But this town was known for worshipping foxes, and this one almost seemed like it could understand him. It had him almost entertaining the idea of a hike back up to that mountain shrine to leave more food.
But he was heading in the opposite direction to the shrine next.
Eijirou finished his breakfast and slowly lowered himself to lay on the floor, watching the little fox watching him. They remained silent, the fox’s gaze almost unnerving after several seconds ticked by, so Eijirou closed his eyes and breathed slowly, relaxing into the tatami mats as he waited for the fox to decide if he was a threat or not.
He had almost slipped back to sleep by the time he felt a tiny wet nose sniffing at his neck and temple. He fought a victorious smile, but flinched when the fox licked right into his ear and sniffed harder. “Oh, eww.” He wrinkled his nose and rolled onto his back, sticking his little finger in his ear and wiggling it.
A high, growling whine had Eijirou looking at the little fox, only to flinch again when it slapped a clawed paw to his forehead and stormed to the window.
“W-wait, why are you mad? You licked my ear, how was I supposed to…and he’s gone…” Eijirou huffed a sigh and flopped back to the floor, frowning up at the ceiling as he tried to figure out how a tiny albino fox had even seemed angry in such a human way.
Oh well, it’s not like he was sticking around to make friends with a fox anyway.
Eijirou shamelessly soaked in the hot spring bath for an hour, before dressing in fresh clothes and gathering his belongings. He gave the last of the cooked boar to the dogs at the inn, and bought himself some dried beef to go with the boar he had dried in the forest. He set out, whistling a tune to himself as he checked a hand drawn map he’d gotten a few towns back, slowly making his way down a worn dirt road outside of the village.
At the end of it stood another fox shrine, at the edge of the village’s land. Eijirou placed half a sweet pastry in the offering bowl, munching the rest as he walked.
He hoped that the fox was doing okay. Even if it had kind of hit him before running away earlier.
That night Eijirou slept in an open field, staring up at the stars until his eyes finally slipped closed. He dreamt of the blurry figure again, but this time the man only asked what he wanted in return for his life energy and warmth, and when Eijirou responded that he didn’t need anything, he had simply turned into smoke and drifted away.
Eijirou had to admit that he was disappointed when he awoke without the little fox on his chest, but he ate and packed up his things once more. He’d never had a travelling companion before, there was no need for him to lament the loss of one he’d known so briefly.
And he honestly wasn’t sure a fox would make a good pet anyway.
A few days later Eijirou finally reached a stretch of forest between him and the next town. He set traps and tied his pack up a tree, before settling with his back against rough bark as his small fire crackled and spat sparks into the evening air. He watched the flames dance and flicker, slowly becoming aware of his own body now that he had time to relax.
It had been a while since he’d touched himself…
Eijirou skimmed a hand down his torso to the already growing bulge at his crotch. He bit his lip and untied the laces at the mostly western style trousers he wore while hiking to free himself. His head dropped back to the tree he leaned against as he closed his eyes and sank sharp teeth into his bottom lip.
“Oh yeah, that’s it…” he praised his own hand as he twisted it mid stroke and his toes curled in his fur covered boots. Eijirou should have grabbed a cloth, but he could simply turn to come on the ground when he got close, so it really didn’t matter.
Quiet rustling a few moments later had Eijirou’s eyes flicking open. The last thing he needed was to get caught by a bear with his pants down, but piercing red eyes stared at him from the other side of his little clearing as the albino fox sat, tail slowly swishing back and forth. The fox licked its chops, staring at Eijirou’s now still hand, and he flushed, hurriedly stuffing his cock away before rising to his feet and clearing his throat.
“Uhh, sorry about...that. I didn’t think you’d actually followed me.” He mumbled under his breath, wondering why his face was so hot all of a sudden.
As if the fox had caught him touching himself. Then again, why would that matter? It was just an animal, it probably didn’t even know what he was doing.
Eijirou turned his back and rearranged himself none-too-subtly, before marching straight from the clearing to check his traps for dinner. When he returned, the fox was rolling around beside the fire, nosing at dried leaves as it chittered and whined to itself. The second Eijirou made a noise, the little thing snapped to a stand and barked once in surprise, but shook its head at itself and settled again, eyeing the rabbit in his hands.
“Hungry, Kit?” Eijirou offered, and the fox half hissed at him, baring its fangs for a moment, before walking out of the clearing. “Wh- but I didn’t do anything wrong…” he grumbled after his huffy companion, before sitting down to skin and prep his dinner.
His new foxy friend must have thought his catch wasn’t good enough though, because a little while later he walked backwards into the clearing, growling as he dragged a second dead rabbit by the leg. Eijirou stared, mouth hanging open for several seconds, before he snapped out of it and rose to gently lift the rabbit up.
“Did you kill this? There’s no way something as small as you took down a rabbit… I meant no offence!” He added quickly when the fox snapped its teeth at him, very clearly glaring this time. “Sorry, sorry! You’re obviously a great hunter, I should have kept my mouth shut…” Eijirou grimaced and simply carried the rabbit back to the fire to prepare it too.
Had he really been alone for so long that he was personifying a fox and acting like it could understand him?
Eijirou skewered both rabbits to let them cook beside the fire, before excusing himself to wash his hands in a small stream he’d passed earlier in the day. He looked around as he dried his hands, and bit his bottom lip. He unfastened his trousers and slowly pumped his cock to hardness. He still wanted to come, but it felt almost wrong to touch himself in the presence of the fox.
Eijirou worked himself quickly, until he was spilling over his hand and on the ground, eyes closed and bottom lip caught between his teeth as he came down. Oh, he’d definitely needed that. He cleaned himself up again and headed back to his temporary camp, refreshed and feeling lighter after his release.
He frowned when he noticed the two rabbits seemed as though they had been turned, but piercing red eyes snatched his attention as the albino fox sat up and sniffed at the air.
“Hey, Kit. Sorry I took a while. Are you hungry?” Eijirou asked as he sat near the fire, keeping his distance from his new companion. The fox cocked his head and rose to his feet, hurrying over before blatantly sniffing Eijirou’s crotch and scowling at him. He trotted right to the other side of the fire and sat with a huff when Eijirou shoved his head away and flushed red, embarrassed.
And then the fox turned his back on him and flopped down with a clearly annoyed growl, closing his eyes pointedly as he ignored Eijirou.
“What are you even mad about now??” Eijirou burst out, confused, before rolling his eyes at himself.
Okay, he was definitely going crazy. A wild fox wouldn’t throw a tantrum and give him the silent treatment out of nowhere, he was overthinking things.
After eating and slowly coaxing the fox to share his meal, Eijirou climbed into his bedroll and closed his eyes with a sigh, enjoying the chill to the night air as the dying fire crackled and hissed. He jolted when a wet nose shoved into his face, before the little fox boldly flipped the covers back and jumped on his chest, turning in circles. He chuckled when the animal lay down heavily and whined, scratching at the cover.
“So being warm is more important than ignoring me, huh?” Eijirou teased, fighting a smile when a high growl sounded in the darkness. “Okay, okay, you’re the boss.” He conceded, pulling the blanket up and settling.
“If you don’t choose a boon I’ll choose one for you, human, and you’ll end up signing your life over to me.” The blurry figure sounded frustrated, his voice rougher and more gravelled than in Eijirou’s previous dreams.
Eijirou sat in a field of wildflowers beneath a shower of falling stars. He couldn’t speak again when he tried, but his eyes blew wide when the glowing man leaned right in his face and he saw a flash of canines. Pale fingers tipped with white claws gripped the front of his shirt, shimmering as they finally came into focus.
“Who are you?” Eijirou whispered, voice cracking in his throat as he squinted, trying to make out features on the dream man’s face.
“Your fox’s name is Katsuki. Not Kit. Do not insult him again, or I’ll never show you my face.”
“But Kit is a good name. He’s so small and pretty-”
“Pretty?” Golden tattoo-like lines burst forth over pale, blurred skin, glowing for a moment before fading. “What do you want in return for your warmth and life energy, Eijirou Kirishima?” Claws released Eijirou’s shirt, skimming up his neck and into his hair as the man leaned in until their lips almost touched. “I don’t like the cold, and you’re warm. For a human…” he breathed in, and the air sucked right out of Eijirou’s lungs as the man shivered and made a strange, almost high pitched rumbling whine that contrasted his usually rough voice. “I want…”
The man leaned in, but burst into smoke that filled Eijirou’s empty lungs as he gasped in a breath at smouldering hot lips and the zap of electricity.
His eyes snapped open and he sat up, breathing heavily as he yanked off his shirt desperately to grab at his chest. There was a thump on his crotch and an indignant yip, and for a split second Eijirou was sure Kit the fox was glowing, but he blinked a few times as he caught his breath for a moment.
Eijirou grabbed the little fox to check if he was okay, surprised when he wasn’t immediately bitten. “Sorry! I- I had the strangest dream…” he stopped short, staring down into unimpressed ruby coloured eyes that seemed to flicker with inner light, “is your name…Katsuki?” He whispered, and then groaned when the fox gave a short bark in confirmation. “Oh gods, I really am losing my mind.” He lamented.
Eijirou barely managed to get back to sleep that night, and Katsuki didn’t help at all. He chittered and ran around the clearing, before screeching several times and bolting into the woods while Eijirou tried to make sense of his bizarre dream. He got a few more hours and packed up his stuff in the early hours of the morning, before setting off again. The forest he was in would take several days to trek though, but he knew where he was going, so he simply carried on as he normally would.
The glowing man didn’t appear again in his dreams for almost a week, or if he did, he didn’t recall when he awoke each morning.
“Katsuki, where are you?” He called as late afternoon approached once again, only to snort a short laugh when a furry white blur raced from somewhere behind him and shot straight through the trees in front, excited fox noises echoing through the woods. It almost sounded like he was yelling about something, and Eijirou shook his head to himself as he walked a little further and dropped his bedroll to the ground just inside the edge of trees beside a small lake. “You’re excited for fish, aren’t you? I have to catch them first.” He teased when Katsuki ran back and immediately rolled around beside his still packed up bed.
Katsuki made a chirruping noise and bit the ties on Eijirou’s bedroll, growling as he shook his head from side to side and yanked, small paws digging into the ground until the redhead untied the other side and pushed the fox away. As soon as the bed was laid flat, Katsuki flopped down on it with a clearly pleased huff. Eijirou turned to hide his amusement, walking instead to the dirt and gravel beach to clear a space for a small fire.
After setting the fire Eijirou grabbed his bow and quiver of arrows, walking slowly around the lake as he watched fish swim in the crystalline water. The sound of the waterfall at the far end was the perfect natural music to help him focus as he notched an arrow and steadied his breathing. Hunting almost anything with a bow was easier for Eijirou than using a makeshift rod, finding worms, and then waiting around for however long. He simply used a barbed arrow that he tied string beneath the feathers to, so he could easily retrieve his catch.
Besides, he didn’t know if his cheeky fox would simply eat the worms. He’d seen the animal hunting lizards and bugs in the mornings, so any bait probably wouldn’t be safe.
It took less time than Eijirou had expected, and before long he had three good sized fish scaled, gutted, and skewered beside the fire. He rinsed his hands before stripping naked and walking into the cool lake to bathe.
Katsuki’s head snapped up when he heard a splash, red eyes flicking between Eijirou’s discarded clothes and the water, before he was scrambling up and running towards him. The fox once again kicked up a fuss, paws splashing into the tiny waves Eijirou made at the edge of the lake as he swam around and enjoyed the deep, refreshing water.
“Wanna swim with me?” Eijirou joked as he moved a little closer, before treading water. “Actually, can foxes even swim? I don’t think I’ve ever seen one swim before…maybe red foxes do, but you’re definitely not a red fox…I don’t think you’re suited to-” he mused almost to himself, before a surprised yip sounded, followed by a splash. “Oh gods!” Eijirou swam forward a few feet to shove Katsuki back onto the bank where he’d been scrambling to get back out after he had slipped into the water.
Maybe Eijirou shouldn’t have gone straight to the rocky deep end of the lake…
Katsuki shook himself violently when he was back on dry land, splattering Eijirou’s face with water as he made a high pitched, very unimpressed sound. The little fox looked right into Eijirou’s eyes for a long moment, before turning to make a beeline for the bed.
“Not while you’re wet!!” Eijirou shouted, hefting himself straight out of the water to chase the little fiend down, naked. He snatched up the fox just before he could burrow into the nice dry bed, and quickly grabbed for the large square of soft fabric he always used to dry himself off.
It took some wrestling, but he managed to wrap Katsuki up in it, rubbing at him as annoyed growling came from the bundle in his arms, before it suddenly stopped. Katsuki’s head popped straight out of the top and he yipped, before he wriggled until he was free, jumping to the floor. Red eyes instantly roved over Eijirou from head to toe as the fox sat up to stare up at him, gaze almost unnervingly human for a moment.
Eijirou turned his back, quickly drying himself as he padded to his clothes to dress. He wrapped his underwear around himself first and tied it, before stepping into his trousers and shoving his feet into his boots. He grabbed and donned his shirt as the scent of charred fish skin reached his nostrils, and made his way over to the fire to carefully turn the skewers, leaning them a little further away from the flames.
As Eijirou adjusted the last fish a sharp nip at his backside had him flinching and rising from his haunches to rub at it. “Did you just bite my butt??” He demanded, but found himself fighting a snort when Katsuki flopped to his back beside the fire, mouth slightly open as he made an almost wheezing laughing sound, whole body wiggling as his tail wagged. “You’re a menace, you know that, right?” He shook his head, still smiling as he retrieved his drying cloth and a comb, before sitting near the fire. “Come here, let’s dry you properly so you don’t catch a cold.” He patted his thigh.
Katsuki snapped to sit straight away, eyeing up the comb, before walking over to use Eijirou’s leg as a perch. He’d become much more familiar and trusting over the last week or so.
Eijirou detangled his own hair quickly before he fluffed and dried the little fox’s. He stared down as he carefully combed through soft, damp fur, finding himself almost mesmerised by the way some strands seemed to glow gold and silver in the fire light.
He had no idea what kind of fox Katsuki was, but it was clear he was something special.
The next couple of days passed without much incident, outside of Eijirou accidentally insulting his foxy companion by telling him he was like a fluffy little dog after his dip in the lake; which had, almost predictably at this point, earned him the silent treatment from the wild animal again.
Eijirou wasn’t sure if he was going crazy, but the more time he spent with Katsuki, the more it seemed that the little albino fox was…different.
He was almost sure now that the fox could understand him when he spoke, but he wasn’t sure how. Was it his tone? His body language? How was Katsuki capable of understanding the word ‘dog’ when Eijirou had never used it in front of him before?
They stood at the end of a dirt road that led down into another village, and Eijirou chewed at his bottom lip, adjusting his pack before looking down at Katsuki. “I’m pretty sure most inns and onsen aren’t welcoming to pets, or…wild animals? But you snuck into my room before, right? If I leave the shutters open, will you be able to smell which room is mine?” He asked, before adding that he’d ask for a room on the ground floor.
Katsuki cocked his head and made an almost contemplative sound, before that strange fox-laugh burst forward and he trotted down the road, feet padding rapidly as he headed straight toward the town.
“Wait, won’t people be confused if a fox just- Katuski? Oh gods, where did he go?” Eijirou spun in a circle, looking around into sparsening trees before he continued down the path. He pursed his lips and sighed through his nose.
Well, if there was one thing he knew, it was that his little albino fox would find him again when he wanted to.
He continued into the town and found a reasonably priced inn. It didn’t have natural hot spring baths this time, but that wasn’t an issue. It did have a bar though, and it had been a while since Eijirou had indulged in alcohol and drinking snacks. He deserved a treat before moving on.
Eijirou asked around about any temporary work that might be available, to earn a little more money before he left the town, and was told to ask around a few local businesses that had been a little short staffed lately. One woman told him her husband was in charge of building three new houses in the village, and that a man of Eijirou’s stature could come in handy. He thanked her and promised that he would be back to work when he’d rested from his travels.
But tonight, he was enjoying himself.
As evening fell Eijirou dressed in the traditional black yukata he fished from the bottom of his pack and asked to be pressed with hot irons, before making his way to the inn bar. He enjoyed his first drink and ordered a second with some snacks, just as the bar door opened.
Someone walked in wearing a floor length white cloak with a heavy hood, trimmed with orange thread, and sat at the bar. “Sake, and four orders of sweets. Pastries, mochi, a bowl of sugar, I don’t care. Gimme.” The man’s voice was rough and gravelled, and Eijirou’s attention snapped straight to him as his stomach flipped. Had he heard that voice before? It sounded so familiar. The hooded man lifted his head just enough to grin at him, flashing very slightly pointed canines as he tapped at the bar with pale, pale, rounded nails. His eyes were still hidden. “What’s the matter, traveller, want me to treat you too?”
Eijirou opened his mouth to tell the man that he was perfectly capable of buying his own drinks, when the woman at the bar spoke, “you sound like a kitsune. There's a village up in the mountains that worships fox spirits, if you’re interested.” She smiled and grabbed a warmed bottle of sake to pour the man a drink. “Here we only leave offerings on special occasions.” She poured the drink before biting her lip. “We have some red bean mochi, if that’s okay? Four orders did you say?”
The hooded man curled his top lip back in a sneer and leaned forward. “You should leave more offerings, I’m sure a few spirits from the mountain aren’t happy with what you give. And that’s fine, give me all of them, and a bowl of sugar cubes or rock sugar, if you have it, I like sweet things while I drink.” The man lifted his hand to examine his nails as the woman rushed to complete his order.
“I don’t trust those kitsune, they’re tricksters.” An old, slightly drunk man slurred at Eijirou’s side, and he saw the hooded man lift his chin as he snickered.
“What’s the matter, geezer? Did one of them steal your wife or something?” He asked, the lilt at the end making the question teasing. “Wait, lemme guess, your crops failed once so you want somebody to blame…don’t blame the animal that brings lightning and rain.” He snorted and took a sip of his drink as Eijirou watched. “Or fire…if you’re stupid enough…” was said so quietly he almost didn’t catch it.
Eijirou ordered more to drink as he watched the cloaked man tease the old regular, making him stumble over his words. He was drunk by the time the hooded man laughed and stood, after drinking four bottles of sake and eating everything sweet the young bar-woman bought him.
“Don’t think I’m waiting up for you.” The man whispered in his ear with a clap to Eijirou’s shoulder as he passed, on his way out.
Eijirou jolted and turned on his stool, but only saw the door closing with a decisive thud. Wait, what?
“That was definitely a kitsune spirit.” Another old man said on Eijirou’s other side, before a chuckle sounded. “We don’t worship them here, but I once met one that took a liking to my brother. He electrocuted me with a fork of lightning for insulting his hair. It was very yellow. I hadn’t seen my brother in almost fifty years, but last year…he looked almost the same…”
Eijirou turned to frown at the man, lifting his own drink to sip. “Your brother…?” He asked, definitely more than a little tipsy. Had that man before been coming on to him or something? Wait up for him…
Eijirou hiccuped as the old man nodded solemnly and told the story of his brother adopting a playful yellow fox, before he never saw him again. Until the year before apparently, when his brother had sported silver-grey hair and told him not to worry, that he was doing fine.
Strange.
“Yeah, I don’t think I believe in all that stuff, but it’s a nice story.” Eijirou said as he finished his last but one drink. He thought for a moment and paused, before leaning a little closer to the old man. “Wait, I have questions. Do all foxes turn into humans? Or spirits? Because I have a fox…”
The old man rolled his eyes and sipped his own drink, before telling Eijirou that he was obviously being courted by a fox spirit. Eijirou frowned and shook his head in disbelief, before downing his last sake and heading up to his room.
Katsuki lay on his back, mouth open and tongue lolling out as he snored, right in the middle of Eijirou’s bed.
“You’re not a fox spirit…are you?” Eijirou chuckled as he climbed into bed, trying not to jostle the little fox as he got comfortable. “But if you are...thank you. I’ve never had such good company.” He settled to sleep with a contented sigh, Katsuki’s back and butt against his belly as he drifted off.
“Is that the drifter? He’s rather tall.” Eijirou heard a middle aged woman in a floral patterned kimono whisper to a younger woman with long black hair, who nodded in confirmation.
“It is, there’s rumours all over town that he’s been marked by a kitsune. I left an offering at the shrine last night and it was gone this morning, eight red bean mochi. Everyone’s offerings have been taken the last couple of weeks, and the weather has been so good too, it must be true.”
“Has anyone seen the kitsune? I’ll leave an offering just for some rain at this point, it’s so warm…”
Excited yipping and screeching had Eijirou whipping his attention behind himself, a heavy bag of sand propped on one shoulder as he sweated beneath the beating sun at the construction site he’d been working at for two weeks now. He’d almost saved enough money to move on soon. A happy smile split his face as Katsuki came tearing towards him, kicking up dirt and dust, before zooming straight past him and through the currently half built house.
“Katsuki, don’t make life difficult for everyone!” He called, before fighting back a laugh when another worker yelled in surprise and dropped a bundle of sticks when the little albino fox came bolting back out of the building, still shouting his head off.
Katsuki skidded through dusty earth beside Eijirou, before running circles around him, barking excitedly. He was almost too cute when it was time for food.
“I know, I know. Let me just take this over and we can eat.” He chuckled, and the two women that had been watching him work for the past hour leaned in towards one another, whispering hurriedly.
“That has to be a spirit! Look at that fur, it’s like white gold!”
“I need to buy more sugar, right now. I’ve never seen a fox spirit in person, my husband was right. I have to go.”
The pair hurried away, still muttering as Eijirou dropped the bag of sand near a half constructed wall and wiped the sweat from his brow. He walked into the shade around the side of the new house and sat, picking up the lunch box he had left there that morning as Katsuki sat before him, pale tail swishing as it wagged.
“If you are a kitsune spirit, could you make it rain? It really is warm…” Eijirou asked as he opened his bamboo lunch box and handed over a small piece of dried beef, that Katsuki took and settled to gnaw on, whining to himself contentedly as Eijirou lifted a rice ball to his lips to take a bite. He smiled as he swallowed. “There’s a man I keep dreaming about, but I never see his face. Is that you? I feel a little crazy for even entertaining the idea, but the people in this village really seem to think you’re a spirit, so…”
Katsuki swallowed his beef and huffed, before slapping his paw against Eijirou’s knee with a loud yip, clearly demanding more food.
“I told you I don’t like being cold…but for you, and the crops…”
Rumbling thunder snapped Eijirou from a vague dream with a gasp, and he turned his head to look out of the open wooden shutters in his temporary room as lightning forked through the sky, illuminating the night as heavy rain poured from dark clouds. A sleepy smile curled his lips as he settled a hand on Katsuki’s back, stroking gently as the little fox snored on his belly.
Had he really made friends with a fox spirit? Was he going to disappear like that old man’s brother had fifty years ago? Eijirou wasn’t sure he minded that thought, if it meant he and Katsuki could travel and have fun together, even if other people couldn’t see him.
Before meeting the little fox he had never thought that he was lonely, even travelling by himself, but now he realised that he really had been alone for a long time.
Eijirou stayed and worked in the village for just over another week, before finally packing up his belongings and moving on. He and Katsuki slept beneath the stars for the first time in almost a month, and Eijirou felt like he was home for the first time since he’d stepped foot in that village.
The people there had been kind and welcoming, but were nothing compared to the breeze that tickled at his hair as he snuggled down in his bedroll and pulled Katsuki a little closer to keep him warm and closed his eyes, waiting for sleep.
“I’m getting sick of waiting for you, Eijirou Kirishima…” pale clawed fingers skimmed up the back of Eijirou’s neck and into rust coloured hair as the glowing man leaned in until their lips almost touched. “How long does it take for a human to fall in love? You’re annoying me.”
“Are you…Katsuki? My fox?” Eijirou asked against pale lips, as the full moon illuminated blurred, glowing skin.
“I can’t believe I fell for an idiot.” The man snorted, sharp canines flashing as he leaned back on Eijirou’s lap. “Hurry up and love me already, more than anything you’ve ever loved before, I want to touch you outside of your dreams. You sure know how to make a fox wait…”
Eijirou’s breath hitched as his eyes widened. “So you are Katsuki? Why can’t I see your face?” He whispered, slowly lifting a hand to finally touch the other man.
“Because you have to earn that right. Feeding me isn’t enough, you have to offer me more than any other human; you have to offer me yourself.” Katsuki leaned in again, and a pink tongue slid over the front of white teeth. “You shared your warmth and life energy without asking for anything in return, but I’ll only share mine in return for love. That’s how my people work.” Burning hot lips pressed against Eijirou’s and he jolted awake with a gasp, sitting up sharply.
He touched fingertips to his lips as he blinked rapidly, eyes blown wide against the darkness as the crescent moon shone in the starlit sky above. Oh, it had been full in his dream…
Eijirou looked around when he didn’t hear Katsuki growling and grumbling, frowning when he realised his fox wasn’t there. He froze when he saw a glowing figure in the distance, bathing in the river they had camped beside.
“Katsuki…” he whispered, squinting to try and make out the man’s features as he rose to sit on his knees. He was almost as bright as the moon…
Eijirou knew without a doubt the kitsune had to be beautiful, even without being able to see him properly.
He bit his lip, debating going over as he watched, eyes widening and heart thudding wildly when Katsuki turned and no less than nine glowing tails swished against the darkness.
“Oh gods, he’s a kyuubi…” Eijirou said breathlessly, even quieter than before as he slowly lowered himself back to his pillow. That meant he was at least a thousand years old, and incredibly powerful.
And he wanted Eijirou’s love.
Somehow that didn’t seem like a steep price to pay at all, just to be able to look upon the spirit…
But Eijirou couldn’t simply give his love away, love was something that grew like a flower when fed and fostered. He didn’t know Katsuki outside of his fox form, and as much as the Katsuki in his dreams was beautiful and ethereal, they knew almost nothing about one another in the grand scheme of things.
Surely kyuubi kitsune didn’t fall in love that quickly.
The following night Eijirou steeled himself in his dream and asked to know more about Katsuki.
He had been gifted with a dream where he floated above the clouds, feeling almost as though he were about to catch fire as he looked down upon towns, forests and grasslands. And then he had been yanked to earth to crawl from a dirt burrow and forage for himself, the trees so much taller than he had ever remembered. The earth was rich and beautiful, and it thrummed with a life energy that he had never felt before.
He could taste the humidity in the air, the leaves, the moss.
Eijirou awoke with a sharp inhale, but released it immediately in a rush of breath as he sat up and calmed himself, before rising to pack away. He turned to his little companion. “Thank you. That’s- that’s not really what I meant though…” he rolled his bed up tight as Katsuki stared, cocking his head to one side as he made an odd chirruping sound. “I meant things like: do you have family? What are your favourite things to do…why did you choose me of all people…stuff like that.” Eijirou murmured, but the little fox growled, before biting his thigh and yipping at him frustratedly.
Eijirou stood, chuckling as he slung his pack over his shoulder and stepped forward. “I wasn’t being mean to myself, don’t worry. I’ve outgrown that stage of my life. I was just saying…maybe we should get to know each other a little more.” He set off at a steady pace and took a deep breath as he began; “I never knew my father…”
Eijirou had never been ashamed of his past. His mother had worked at a brothel, and he had never known who his father was. He was lucky to have been born at all honestly, because of how most brothels dealt with…problems.
But he had been born, apparently giving his mother grief with how big he was. He had been about twelve pounds at birth, and by all accounts his mother shouldn’t have survived, but she did, and she kept and raised him.
There was always talk about how tall and big he was growing up, how he grew like a weed and ate all the food and meat he could get his hands on. There was talk about his odd, rust coloured hair. Folks in his birth village used to speculate that he was the son of a yokai, while others speculated that his father must have been some kind of foreigner.
Eijirou had long since grown past the need to know which rumour was true, if any.
He had simply been brought up by members of the brothel and his mother, and had left when she had died of a plague when he’d been in his late teens.
He simply wasn’t a product of love, and he’d never given much thought to the emotion before.
He liked people.
He liked companionship.
But more than that, he liked nature and travelling.
And he had never been told to love a fox spirit before…
Katsuki whined when Eijirou finished his story, and he stopped to glance down at him. “What’s wrong?” He asked, but frowned when the little fox flopped to the floor and refused to move, even when he nudged at him with a cloth wrapped boot. “You can’t just flop there.” He admonished, but Katsuki turned his snout away and stayed exactly where he was, until Eijirou scooped him up and held him to his chest as he continued on. “Two can play that game.” He chuckled, before sighing lightly. “I didn’t tell you to make you sad, you know. Life is life. I don’t regret mine, so you shouldn’t feel bad for me. I’m not running from anything either, I just like to travel.” He smiled down at Katsuki, before hefting him up to his shoulder. “Sit here, it’s easier to walk like this.”
Katsuki growled and bit his head a moment later with a clearly unimpressed foxy grumble, but he settled between Eijirou’s pack and shoulders with a huff, looking ahead to their path, soft white gold fur brushing his cheek.
A little while later they came to a rock formation that jutted out above a sheer, but not deadly, drop in the terrain. Katsuki jumped from his perch and sat beside him as they both peered down.
Eijirou chewed the inside of his cheek for a moment, before dropping his pack to unwind the length of rope he had coiled and secured to its side. He tied it around his pack, bow, and quiver, before opening the top flap.
“I can lower you down with my stuff, and then scale down afterwards, sound good?” Eijirou offered, but the little fox growled at him and flicked his nose away into the air pointedly. He chuckled and closed the flap. “So I managed to offend you again, huh? Sorry. I’m sure you’re more than capable of getting down yourself.”
Eijirou lowered his belongings, before dusting off his hands and turning to begin climbing down. Katsuki watched him intently until he was halfway down, before stepping back from the ledge. Eijirou dropped the last few feet to the ground and looked up, but jumped a little when a loud yip at his side sounded.
Katsuki spun in a few rapid circles on the spot as though he were bragging, before tearing away into the underbrush at the edge of the next patch of forest, leaving Eijirou to stare after him with a soft smile on his face as he shook his head to himself.
“Show off.” He whispered affectionately as he re-wound the rope and donned his pack, following the direction of the clearly excited fox calls.
“I like the orange of the sunset and sunrise, the gold that humans dig and pan to hoard. I like sweet things and Abura-age…”
Eijirou blinked a few times, sitting up slowly as another full moon shone down upon him and the blurred Katsuki from his dreams. This time they were sitting on a small grassy island in the centre of a large, shimmering lake, as glowing foxes pranced and played along the shore, far away.
Katsuki was on his knees between Eijirou’s legs, and white clawed fingers lifted to trace along his collar bone, before the fox spirit pointed to the shore with the same hand. “They are my family, and our mother is Inari. We’re often made out to be demons or tricksters, but no one loves like a fox spirit does.”
Eijirou couldn’t speak when he opened his mouth, so he simply closed it again and nodded. Katsuki was clearly repaying him for telling him about his life earlier that day, and it would be rude to interrupt him.
The blurred man leaned forward, ruby eyes almost crystal clear for a moment, before he blinked and they were simply red lights again. “If you destroy a Kitsune’s heart, you kill it. But you don’t just have to use a dagger.” Fangs flashed as Katsuki sneered, or grimaced, it was hard to tell. “I’m draining your life energy away, being around you. It’s only a little at a time, but if I kill you, know that I’ll follow, because losing you will end me too.” Scalding hot lips pressed gently to Eijirou’s, before Katsuki skimmed his cheek along his to whisper in his ear. “Now let me show you how I fly…”
Eijirou stared up as Katsuki stood, surprised when his outline became just a little clearer. A pale clawed hand unfurled before him as the fox spirit offered it, palm up.
Eijirou smiled as he took it and pulled himself to a stand, but gasped a moment later when wind whipped and swirled around them as they rose into the air, Katsuki giving a rough, almost unpracticed laugh when he grabbed his shoulder with his other hand to hold on. The tiny island in the centre of the lake became a dot, the canopy of trees a sea of dark green, and the moon a giant orb that lit them both as a very clear grin slashed his fox’s face.
“You think I’d drop you, Eijirou?” He teased, before pressing their chests together and nipping at his jaw. “Have a little more faith in me, I can do anything. Including winning your heart.”
Eijirou couldn’t tell if Katsuki believed his own words, or if he was simply boasting by his tone, but he found himself smiling as he nodded once more and looked around at the stars and clouds that seemed to float just above them.
“I think I’m looking forward to falling.” He said when he found he could speak again.
Eijirou blinked himself awake and yawned, hand automatically lifting to stroke over soft silver-gold fur. “Katsuki, it’s time to get up.” He said quietly, before yawning widely again. He patted his little fox a couple of times when he didn’t respond, earning a disgruntled whine as Katsuki shifted and finally lifted his head.
Katsuki stood and stretched on his chest as Eijirou waited, before hopping down and stretching again, small front paws digging into dead leaves and debris, before he turned in a circle and sat.
Eijirou huffed a short laugh and rolled up his bed after climbing out of it, but chewed at his bottom lip a moment later. “What happens if I don’t fall for you? Do I just die?” He asked, before fighting a smile when his little fox turned to growl at him.
“Sorry. You can do anything, right?” He chuckled as Katsuki rolled his eyes and walked to his pack, growling as he bit and pulled at one of the strings. “Hey! Don’t destroy my stuff!” Eijirou crawled forward and snatched the little fox up, before laughing lightly. He held Katsuki against his chest with one big hand and one under his butt, before smoothing it up and down his belly. “It’s weird, yanno? You being a fox and a man. I just want to protect you like this, but in my dreams you seem so…capable, I guess?” He chewed at his bottom lip as Katsuki grumbled and wriggled to free himself. He apologised quickly, but the little fox bared its teeth, before running straight into the underbrush.
Eijirou sighed and packed away: he’d clearly annoyed his fox again, and he wasn’t sure how he could fix it. He had never been great with words, but having to decipher fox noises made it so much worse. How was he supposed to make a fox spirit happy, when all it did was growl at him and use him as a bed?
Eijirou packed away all of his belongings, and sat to wait for his furry companion, but jolted to a stand when the little fox came back, dragging a game bird by the foot.
He grabbed for the kindling and dry twigs he had gathered the night before and set to making a new fire immediately, leaving his little fox to pull their breakfast closer. “I don’t normally eat meat in the morning, but you caught it, so…”
“We’re close to a town, right?” Katsuki skimmed white claws up Eijirou’s arm, cupping his hand at the back of his neck gently as he leaned in.
Eijirou swallowed thickly and nodded as the blond straddled his hips and pressed their lips together briefly, before pulling away to glare down at him. His outline was still blurry, but much clearer than it had been before. Every inch of skin that touched him still felt scalding though.
“Fall for me.” Katsuki demanded in a low growl as he leaned in for another peck. “I’m getting tired of waiting for you.”
“But you’re a fox…” Eijirou’s voice came out as a whisper as his fingers dug into the soft grass of the open field they were sitting in.
Katsuki chuckled as he leaned back in, skimming pale fingers along Eijirou’s jaw. “We both know I’m not just a fox. I’ll know when you love me the way I love you. I hope you’re ready.” He whispered, before pressing scalding hot lips against Eijirou’s in a firm kiss.
Three weeks passed as they traversed the countryside and mountains, stopping by small towns for Eijirou to bathe and work. Katsuki appeared in his dreams every night…until he suddenly stopped.
“Are you okay?” Eijirou asked the little fox in his arms as he walked beside a stream in a forest he’d never visited before. Katsuki whined and buried his face between his bicep and side, and Eijirou felt his heart twinge. “You’re worrying me, Katsuki.” He admitted quietly, stroking gently over silver-gold fur that looked a touch less vibrant than it had before.
Katsuki huffed and closed his eyes, falling asleep as Eijirou walked.
Eijirou felt his throat constrict as water flooded his lower eyelids. “Please be okay.” He whispered, blinking rapidly to clear the would-be tears as he drew in a slow breath in an attempt to steady himself.
He didn’t know what was wrong but he could guess.
He’d begun feeling weak a few days ago, but after a dream he couldn’t recall clearly he started to feel better…and his little fox had grown weaker.
Katsuki was clearly saving him from whatever ailed him.
Or…
Or maybe the fox was giving up on waiting for Eijirou’s love.
Would that hurt him like this?
He’d told him in a dream that you didn’t have to use a blade to kill a Kitsune, but Katsuki was strong, right?
Eijirou had never loved anyone before, but the thought of losing the tiny fox in his arms hurt his heart. His mind was finally closing the gap between the physical fox he held and the ethereal man he dreamt about, and he wasn’t ready to lose either of them.
What was love?
What did being in love mean?
Eijirou had heard it likened to ‘falling’ and that thought was almost terrifying. What if the person that fell had no one to catch them?
But…
Katsuki was waiting at the bottom of that imaginary cliff.
For him.
“Please be okay, Katsuki.” He whispered, gently stroking over soft gold fur as the ground became a light decline.
His heart ached in a way he’d never felt before.
He ached.
Eijirou didn’t dream of Katsuki the ‘human’ again that night, and he felt as though his heart was twisting in his chest as he awoke and pulled fox Katsuki closer. “I don’t want you to leave me.” He admitted quietly. He felt like he was in physical pain at the thought.
Was that love? Was he in love?
If it was, he wasn't sure he liked it.
Katsuki growled and wiggled, pulling himself from Eijirou’s grasp with effort. He turned and Eijirou felt his face split into a relieved smile. “Were you tricking me?” He asked, though he knew the Kyuubi would never stoop so low. Katsuki licked the tears from his cheeks and he chuckled, despite the fact that more water leaked from his eyes. “I thought I’d lost you.” He said softly, before burying his face in his bedroll to cry properly.
Katsuki whined and nosed insistently at the side of his face for a long moment, before walking away.
He came back a while later, dragging a rabbit and growling loudly, and Eijirou huffed a small chuckle of amusement as he rose from his bed to cook it.
“You know I don’t usually eat meat in the morning. Are you trying to make me even bigger?” He asked teasingly through another sniffle and Katsuki yipped, though the sound was a little muted too.
His fur looked brighter again, at least.
It took Eijirou three more days to sort through his new feelings, but every time he looked at Katsuki the fox he seemed a little stronger, a little brighter, until he was almost back to his usual self.
Maybe Eijirou really had fallen in love.
Maybe ‘love’ wasn’t the hard fall he’d heard about in poetry and songs. Maybe it was like descending a mountain, slow and steady, always checking your footing.
He…he loved his little fox.
He couldn’t imagine life without him now.
They arrived in a new town, but this time Katsuki didn’t hop down from between his pack and shoulders and run off like he usually did. Eijirou had to plead with an innkeeper to let the little fox stay with him, and the old man eventually caved.
After a bath and a couple of sake Eijirou made his way back to his room, only to freeze in the doorway.
“You’re real.” He whispered, before glancing over his shoulder and pulling the sliding door closed behind himself. “I half thought I was crazy this whole time.” He admitted with a chuckle as a smile spread across his face.
“Took you forever. You really do know how to make a fox wait.” Katsuki growled from the futon on the floor, a grin slashing his stunningly clear face to reveal the sharp canines from Eijirou’s dreams.
“You’re…naked…” Eijirou whispered and Katsuki chuckled, lifting a pale clawed hand to crook a finger at him.
“I am.” Was all he said.
Eijirou stumbled to the bed as though pulled by an invisible rope, “you’re beautiful…”
“I know.”
Eijirou dropped to his knees at the end of the futon, crawling the rest of the way until he was over Katsuki. “You’re tiny.” He pointed out, and the kyuubi bared his teeth and growled.
“You’re just huge, stupid.” He countered, clearly unimpressed.
The fox and man melded together in Eijirou’s mind immediately and he laughed. An ugly snorting laugh that earned him a smack upside the head before Katsuki grabbed him by the shoulders and flipped their positions easily.
“Stupid, stupid human. I thought I was going to die because of you.” He growled, before smashing their lips together roughly. Eijirou gasped into his mouth before kissing back just as fervently, just as desperately. “I- I should- should smack you harder. Idiot.” Katsuki growled and yanked at his clothes, before simply shoving his yukata up and tugging his fundoshi aside to free his already embarrassingly hard cock. “You love me.” He growled, diving immediately in for another kiss. “You love me.” He reiterated and Eijirou nodded rapidly before fixing their kiss.
He did.
“I love you.” He said the words out loud for the first time in his life, before choking on a moan as Katsuki forced himself down on his length, sinking halfway down in one oil-slicked glide. “You- you-” he couldn’t find the words to point out that Katsuki was clearly prepped, the base most part of his brain far too focused on the heat around his cock.
Katsuki keened as he sank down further, shoving himself up with a hand between Eijirou’s pecs. He rolled his hips and his skin began to glow with a low ethereal light as his head dropped back on his shoulders.
“Been waiting…so long…” he whispered, before rocking his hips back and forth, his rhythm already broken and off in his desperation.
It was perfect.
Eijirou snapped to sit, wrapping his arms around his love as he dropped his face to a pale glowing shoulder and groaned. “I’m yours now.” He assured, pulling Katsuki down as he rolled his hips up.
Katsuki screeched like a fox and bit him as he finally sheathed himself fully, but he didn’t pull away. No, he simply sank his claws into Eijirou’s biceps and growled as he picked up the pace and took him.
Katsuki’s body grew hot, until that heat, that energy, began to flow into Eijirou. Their lips met and blood flowed when the Kyuubi’s fangs nicked his tongue. But he didn’t care and it barely hurt; whatever energy his fox was pouring into him healing the small cut rapidly until the blood was only a taste in their mouths.
“You’re mine.” Katsuki growled as he broke the kiss, and Eijirou nodded again, panting as his fox sank down again.
“I’m yours.” He agreed easily, vaguely registering his own hand glowing as he gripped Katsuki’s shoulder and thrust up harder.
“Forever.”
Golden tattoo-like lines appeared on Katsuki’s face, running from his eyes, down and down to kiss his collar bones as Eijirou nodded again, pleasure and power and love filling him until he thought he might split right open with it.
“Forever.”
Katsuki gave a high pitched whine like a fox and rolled his hips even faster, bouncing on his cock until he was slamming himself down on it. Eijirou had never seen anything more beautiful in his life, and the moment Katsuki’s back arched and hot white shot from his untouched cock, he was lost.
Eijirou spilled deep inside his love with a choked moan, before his back thumped into their futon. He gasped in air that somehow felt heavier than it ever had as Katsuki leaned down until their noses almost touched.
“Mine.” He said softly, before nuzzling at the side of Eijirou’s face affectionately.
“Yours.” He agreed with a smile, adjusting his face to steal a kiss.
The next morning Eijirou awoke to birdsong outside and rose to sit, rubbing at one eye blearily. Katsuki, ‘human’ Katsuki lay beside him, snoring and whining like his little fox-self usually did. Eijirou’s heart felt so incredibly full that he wasn’t sure what to do with himself, so he simply snuggled down beneath the cover and pulled his now not glowing love closer.
When it came time for them to leave Katsuki was dressed in a bright red Kimono that trailed behind him as Eijirou followed. It matched his own now vibrantly red locks. “Leave the money there. They can’t see you now.” He pointed to the counter and Eijirou felt his brows pinch.
“Will it wear off?” He asked, even as he took the money from his coin purse and set it on the worn wooden counter.
“Eventually. It’ll take a while though.” Katsuki turned and offered Eijirou a pale, clawed hand as a beautifully feral grin slashed his face once more. “Do you want to walk, or fly?” He asked simply, and Eijirou whet his lips with a slide of his tongue, before taking it easily.
“Show me how you fly, Katsuki.” He said, barely contained excitement bubbling just below the surface as the old inn keeper turned and frowned at the coins that had mysteriously appeared on the counter.
That day Eijirou flew for the first time.