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nyandereneko) wrote2019-07-24 08:00 am
nyandereneko) wrote2019-07-24 08:00 am
Entry tags:
Hospitality
Word Count: 1,153
Summary: Nova comes across a familiar figure during an afternoon storm and adopts the duty of ensuring said individual makes it home safe and sound.
*Author’s Note*: A different kind of fic from what I usually write, especially since it isn’t just about my selfship, but Nova actually interacting with other characters!! Or at least one other one. I think I get nervous about my characterization and personal hcs, as well as just ensuring I get dynamics right and don’t write something boring…so that’s why I tend to avoid fics like this. But it turned out pretty well this time so maybe it’ll encourage me to do more stuff like this in the future :P thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy!
The sky raged and roared with dark clouds and lashing rain. It’d been a while since Nova had seen a squall like this come through. As unpleasant as it may have been, people went about their daily lives as normally as they could, and she was no exception. She wished more than anything she could have done something to avoid it, but unfortunately for her, schedules and chores don’t tend to account for the interference of bad weather. Just as she was finishing up her bothersome errands, the young woman caught sight of something peculiar. She crossed the street and kept following the strange splash of color standing out against the afternoon’s dismal shadows, sensing something that inspired her to give chase.
More lightening flashed, illuminating the world like a camera shutter. The air was damp and heavy, and she did her best to avoid the deepening puddles that were already making their homes in the various depressions scattered across the ground. The gaps and gutters in the streets were swiftly turning into harsh, churning streams, and the thought that she’d rather be doing anything but pursing some random hunch through this staggering storm crossed her mind. But she could tell that her target was slowing down, and as it came more clearly into view, she swore she could see it frantically looking around for something.
“Hey, are you okay—?” While it may have seemed odd to address an animal so directly, this was no ordinary animal. On top of that, Nova was no ordinary human, but there were more pressing matters at hand. Upon closer inspection she realized she actually recognized the shivering, sopping ball of fluff sitting before her.
Her fur was still a striking, vibrant red despite the moisture soaking her to the bone. Nova scooped the creature up without a second thought, finding her own clothes quickly absorbing their fair share of the rain as she cradled it safely in her arms. This wasn’t the time to worry about something petty like that, though; she needed to get this stranded creature home. In the back of her mind she recalled the passing comment Yasaburo had made about his mother, although the original topic of conversation was absent from her recollection. Tanuki lose their form under certain circumstances, one of which happens to be if they’re too frightened to maintain said transformation. The Shimogamo matriarch was especially susceptible to the look and sound of fierce tempests, or really any display that involved some presence of lightning and thunder.
Were the boys out looking for her? After the loss of their father, Nova knew the brothers kept tabs on every member of the family as thoroughly as possible. The fact that this information had been passed to her at all kind of indicated that it was a fact imperative enough to share, lest they end up needing to seek her help for the very purpose she was already obliviously carrying out. Knowing how vulnerable they could be in this state, it was just better to keep loved ones close to avoid facing another heartbreaking misfortune. In her opinion, the Shimogamos had suffered enough—or really too much—to have to worry about such a deplorable tragedy happening again.
“I’ll take you home. I’m sure the boys are worried sick about you.”
Just as she was about to offer a reply of thanks, the sky rumbled like a cannon, causing the scarlet tanuki to burrow against Nova’s shirt in a sphere of self-defensive. Nova understood that kind of fear and felt both sympathetic and fortunate to have been the one to find her. She gave the trembling creature’s fur a few comforting strokes before setting off towards the shrine she knew the family called home, hoping at least one of the brothers would be there to receive and care for their currently helpless mother.
As fate would have it, none of them happened to be around. She supposed that was probably because they were all out frantically searching instead, and a simple text message or phone call would hopefully be enough to ease their concern. Taking a seat under the protection of one of the temple’s structures, the young girl was surprised when it seemed her companion wasn’t interested in abandoning her embrace just yet.
“I’ll send Yasaburo a message and he or one of the others should be back in no time,” she soothed, pulling out her phone to do just that.
“Thank you.” Words were finally able to make it out of the mother’s frightened form. “For saving me and bringing me back here. Usually my sons are the only ones that look out for me—”
“I know,” Nova replied promptly, hoping to diffuse the tension a bit. “But I also know you now, so I want to do what I can to help out as much as possible. I mean, I like to think I do that in general, but…you’re important to my friend, and your family, who I also happen to care about a lot. So, it’s no trouble, and I’m honestly glad I was able to do something useful for once.”
“I think you’re more useful than you give yourself credit for,” Tousen, as the tanuki was known, reassured. “I’m certainly very grateful for your kindness. And I’m grateful for all you do for my son.”
The subject was starting to bring a blush to her cheeks, and Nova attempted to quickly and subtly replace it with something less awkward. “Oh, well, I don’t think it’s really that big a deal—”
“Mother!” Another voice had arrived to save the day. Nova and Tousen perked up to see the image of Yasaburo and Yashiro entering the shrine, their human forms still intact, although they’d also clearly fallen victim to the rain’s damp clutches.
“You’re okay!” Yashiro was the first to reach them, and Tousen stood up enough that she could ruffle her son’s hair and give his forehead an affectionate lick.
“Yes, thanks to this young lady’s generous hospitality,” Tousen shifted the subject back to her, and Nova wasn’t really sure how to respond. “I’m sorry to have caused any trouble.”
As the conversation between she and Yashiro became a bit more focused, Nova looked up to catch the sight of Yasaburo’s relieved face. Wringing his hair out, he noticed her gaze and gave her a grateful smile, his eyes shining with the depth of his sincere relief and gratitude. Her cheeks lit up like a fresh flame, and she gave him a simple nod before quickly pinning her gaze on something else, anything else. Even without words, and in a situation as specific as this, he could still make her heart flutter with just a smile. That was probably one of the last things she needed to be thinking of right now, but the exchange wasn’t insignificant enough to escape a mother’s discerning eye.
Summary: Nova comes across a familiar figure during an afternoon storm and adopts the duty of ensuring said individual makes it home safe and sound.
*Author’s Note*: A different kind of fic from what I usually write, especially since it isn’t just about my selfship, but Nova actually interacting with other characters!! Or at least one other one. I think I get nervous about my characterization and personal hcs, as well as just ensuring I get dynamics right and don’t write something boring…so that’s why I tend to avoid fics like this. But it turned out pretty well this time so maybe it’ll encourage me to do more stuff like this in the future :P thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy!
_____
The sky raged and roared with dark clouds and lashing rain. It’d been a while since Nova had seen a squall like this come through. As unpleasant as it may have been, people went about their daily lives as normally as they could, and she was no exception. She wished more than anything she could have done something to avoid it, but unfortunately for her, schedules and chores don’t tend to account for the interference of bad weather. Just as she was finishing up her bothersome errands, the young woman caught sight of something peculiar. She crossed the street and kept following the strange splash of color standing out against the afternoon’s dismal shadows, sensing something that inspired her to give chase.
More lightening flashed, illuminating the world like a camera shutter. The air was damp and heavy, and she did her best to avoid the deepening puddles that were already making their homes in the various depressions scattered across the ground. The gaps and gutters in the streets were swiftly turning into harsh, churning streams, and the thought that she’d rather be doing anything but pursing some random hunch through this staggering storm crossed her mind. But she could tell that her target was slowing down, and as it came more clearly into view, she swore she could see it frantically looking around for something.
“Hey, are you okay—?” While it may have seemed odd to address an animal so directly, this was no ordinary animal. On top of that, Nova was no ordinary human, but there were more pressing matters at hand. Upon closer inspection she realized she actually recognized the shivering, sopping ball of fluff sitting before her.
Her fur was still a striking, vibrant red despite the moisture soaking her to the bone. Nova scooped the creature up without a second thought, finding her own clothes quickly absorbing their fair share of the rain as she cradled it safely in her arms. This wasn’t the time to worry about something petty like that, though; she needed to get this stranded creature home. In the back of her mind she recalled the passing comment Yasaburo had made about his mother, although the original topic of conversation was absent from her recollection. Tanuki lose their form under certain circumstances, one of which happens to be if they’re too frightened to maintain said transformation. The Shimogamo matriarch was especially susceptible to the look and sound of fierce tempests, or really any display that involved some presence of lightning and thunder.
Were the boys out looking for her? After the loss of their father, Nova knew the brothers kept tabs on every member of the family as thoroughly as possible. The fact that this information had been passed to her at all kind of indicated that it was a fact imperative enough to share, lest they end up needing to seek her help for the very purpose she was already obliviously carrying out. Knowing how vulnerable they could be in this state, it was just better to keep loved ones close to avoid facing another heartbreaking misfortune. In her opinion, the Shimogamos had suffered enough—or really too much—to have to worry about such a deplorable tragedy happening again.
“I’ll take you home. I’m sure the boys are worried sick about you.”
Just as she was about to offer a reply of thanks, the sky rumbled like a cannon, causing the scarlet tanuki to burrow against Nova’s shirt in a sphere of self-defensive. Nova understood that kind of fear and felt both sympathetic and fortunate to have been the one to find her. She gave the trembling creature’s fur a few comforting strokes before setting off towards the shrine she knew the family called home, hoping at least one of the brothers would be there to receive and care for their currently helpless mother.
As fate would have it, none of them happened to be around. She supposed that was probably because they were all out frantically searching instead, and a simple text message or phone call would hopefully be enough to ease their concern. Taking a seat under the protection of one of the temple’s structures, the young girl was surprised when it seemed her companion wasn’t interested in abandoning her embrace just yet.
“I’ll send Yasaburo a message and he or one of the others should be back in no time,” she soothed, pulling out her phone to do just that.
“Thank you.” Words were finally able to make it out of the mother’s frightened form. “For saving me and bringing me back here. Usually my sons are the only ones that look out for me—”
“I know,” Nova replied promptly, hoping to diffuse the tension a bit. “But I also know you now, so I want to do what I can to help out as much as possible. I mean, I like to think I do that in general, but…you’re important to my friend, and your family, who I also happen to care about a lot. So, it’s no trouble, and I’m honestly glad I was able to do something useful for once.”
“I think you’re more useful than you give yourself credit for,” Tousen, as the tanuki was known, reassured. “I’m certainly very grateful for your kindness. And I’m grateful for all you do for my son.”
The subject was starting to bring a blush to her cheeks, and Nova attempted to quickly and subtly replace it with something less awkward. “Oh, well, I don’t think it’s really that big a deal—”
“Mother!” Another voice had arrived to save the day. Nova and Tousen perked up to see the image of Yasaburo and Yashiro entering the shrine, their human forms still intact, although they’d also clearly fallen victim to the rain’s damp clutches.
“You’re okay!” Yashiro was the first to reach them, and Tousen stood up enough that she could ruffle her son’s hair and give his forehead an affectionate lick.
“Yes, thanks to this young lady’s generous hospitality,” Tousen shifted the subject back to her, and Nova wasn’t really sure how to respond. “I’m sorry to have caused any trouble.”
As the conversation between she and Yashiro became a bit more focused, Nova looked up to catch the sight of Yasaburo’s relieved face. Wringing his hair out, he noticed her gaze and gave her a grateful smile, his eyes shining with the depth of his sincere relief and gratitude. Her cheeks lit up like a fresh flame, and she gave him a simple nod before quickly pinning her gaze on something else, anything else. Even without words, and in a situation as specific as this, he could still make her heart flutter with just a smile. That was probably one of the last things she needed to be thinking of right now, but the exchange wasn’t insignificant enough to escape a mother’s discerning eye.