As the days went on, we had managed to create a guest house a bit further up the path from the hot springs bath. Himari and Seiichi, and Fija alongside Leo, would stay there. It was a small one-story guest house with a small hearth and some amenities; it went by exceedingly quick with Leo’s help, as well as Gaelan being able to build things. With several supernatural creatures moving, hammering, and designing. The place was ready in under a day.

“Ugh, if only it was that easy back on earth,” I grumbled, relaxing under a tree.

“If what was so easy?” Himari asked, hovering over me.

“Well, things were done different back where I am from, it took a lot longer to build things, make things, stuff like that, and here it’s just ridiculous how fast it can be done.”

Himari nodded, “well, we do have Fija; she’s firm and capable.”

“I heard that ya, adorable fluff!”

She giggled, her large ears flattening against her skull, embarrassed.

Moto had finished getting the floors polished with Freya and Fauna and collapsed near me, his face tucked into my shoulder. “Hello, little vixen.”

“Ha! Hey, you tired?” He nodded, nuzzling my neck before yanking me over to him. “Wah! Moto!” He glared at Himari, who just rolled her eyes heavenward.

“Ugh, nothing more sickly sweet than bonding.” She teased.

Himari was a blacksmith much like Fija, except her’s were forged in foxfire. This imbued anything she created with protective magic. Which was great considering she helped Fija make much of the guest house, it was no Shrine, but it would certainly do. The two had become fast friends, spending their nights drinking and their days pouring over plans with Leo to prep the piping and bring it down to the village. The next step would be acquiring slimes to get rid of waste. It would be ridiculous to make piping for a sewage system; I thought once Moto had informed me some creatures ate everything, he really did mean everything. I shuddered ew.

We would also create a dump with said slimes to get rid of the trash.

Satisfied with our hygiene plan, we all set to work. Motoyuki was assisting me with the finer details while Gaelan was trapping slimes. Freya helped Aramil speak with the villagers about the changes, and Fija and Himari were creating metal sheets to coat the buildings and pits for refuse.

But I was feeling a bit restless and fidgeted at night, trying to get to sleep.

“What is it?” Moto groaned and flopped over on his futon in fox form; he was my own personal tail pillow. I hugged a large fox tail and sighed.

“I don’t know, I feel restless; I want to go somewhere,” I said, tilting my head when he looked at me, knowing. “What?”

“You’re a fox. You are meant to have some fun, Taka.” He said firmly and stretched. “Why don’t I take you to the woods tomorrow, and we do some hunting?”

“Really?” I bounced a bit on my futon and looked him over as he rolled upside down, his tails swishing back and forth as paws stretched again.

“But it’s time for foxes to go to sleep.” He yawned, obviously tired from the day’s hard work.

But I still fidgeted. “But I thought foxes were nocturnal.”

“We are, but this fox is very sleepy.”

“But I’m too excited.”

A low laugh. “Takara.” He chided before getting up, walking over and wrapping his entire fox form about me. “Sleep now.” His muzzle rested near my head, and he gave me a soft lick on the cheek before dozing off.

I squirmed deeper into the warm fur that enveloped me and drifted into sleep after wrapping my arms around his large fox neck.

Morning came, and I was entangled somehow. I blinked rapidly as the situation dawned upon my sleep-addled brain. Long limbs had flung about my personage, and a hand was buried in my locks, anchoring my head to a firm chest. It rumbled when I looked up and around; Moto’s long hair was spread across the futon and pillows, his face drawn in peaceful sleep, deep billows of breath ruffling my ears. I glanced down and felt my whole face explode in red. My limbs were locked under his leg, and his arm had flung about my waist, keeping me close. While the other was a makeshift pillow. “M-Moto?”

“No moving, sleep.” He grumbled into my hair, yanking me closer where I could feel his heart thumping against me. I blinked. I was trapped and not necessarily upset by that. “Moto!” I whispered, tapping his jaw. He furrowed his brow and grumbled.

He looks cute when he sleeps. Even unconsciously, his tails were practically a bed underneath me and a blanket over me. I was warm and felt my chest constrict. He had stayed like this all night?

I tentatively reached up and gave him a soft kiss on the mouth.

I opened my eyes and squeaked. A smirk was across his sleepy face; half-lidded eyes regarded me with mischief as his tails tightened about me.

“H-Hi!”

He snatched me closer and nuzzled my cheek, “someone is very snuggly in her sleep. Come here.”

“Moto!” I smacked at him as his teeth gently worried my jaw. “Hey!” I bonked his head.

“Ouch!” A chuckle, “Alright.” He smiled. “No more teasing.” Sitting up, he stretched languidly and sighed, trying to figure out the hour.

“My word, it’s early!” He grumbled. “We’re going back to bed.” He yanked my arm as I had tried to get up, and I choked off a laughing scream falling backward into a nuzzling, semi-awake kitsune.

“No! We need to get up there is so much,” I struggled to wriggle out of his grip, “to do!” I was not getting anywhere from the firm grip about my waist.

“We don’t have anywhere to be.” I felt my brain turn blank as he nuzzled the juncture of my neck and shoulder.

“Moto, that’s sensitive!” I grumbled, smacking at his arm.

“I know that’s why I did it.” It was a simple answer, and I laughed at how brazen he was.

“You’re a naughty fox! No! Off! Bad!”

He released me and was grumbling the entire time as we got up and got ready. He assisted me with braiding my hair, a ritual we now had every morning, but not without the faint touches and nuzzling kisses.

It was becoming another part of our daily schedule to try to have time to ourselves, either picking summer berries, reading the multitude of scrolls about Ileria within the Shrine, or cooking together. As the others continued to gather the needed materials, it was a reprieve from the chaos that had been ongoing from when I first began my journey as a Messenger.

Moto was also exceptionally considerate; it astonished me, given that I was never used to someone treating me properly. He always ensured that I had what I needed, asked me if I was uncomfortable. His touches were tentative, and it was becoming a bit bothersome. I wasn’t even the slightest bit sure how to pressure him to go a bit further. In fact, I would get so embarrassed and flustered he seemed to take it as the exact opposite that I was rejecting him. This was horrible.

It got to the point now that he was avoiding me.

Sighing into my tea later that afternoon when Himari sat down next to me. “Something bothering you, little sister?”

“Yes.” My ears drooped. What was worse was Moto had taken this as a sign of being uncomfortable with him and had distanced himself slightly.

“Oh!” Himari glowed practically when I explained, “that is SO CUTE.” She hugged me, rubbing our cheeks together. “You’re such an innocent little fox!”

“Hey! I’m not exactly that innocent, I just…I don’t know…”

“You do, but you’re nervous.”

I nodded, hugging Himari back, and felt my tail droop further down to the floor.

“Don’t be sad!” Himari got herself a cup of tea and sat close to me. “So foxes are by nature what would one call it…hot-blooded…” she nodded, “that’s the word. “We tend to be very affectionate to our loved ones.”

“L-loved ones?” I felt my face poof into pink, and I inhaled sharply. “But he’s been avoiding me!”

“Because he is concerned he’s pushing you too much.”

I stammered, “but… h-how do I tell him he isn’t?”

“You just tell him.” Himari sighed, “you’re embarrassed. It’s natural, especially if you were human before, humans are very…delicate…”

I glared at her, “I’m not that delicate!”

Himari just shook her head and watched me fiddle with my teacup. I was grateful to have another fox here; she and I had become exceptionally close in a short period. I almost felt like I had known her my entire life. She reminded me of my close friend, and I had attached myself to the tiny kitsune eagerly, and she to myself. “Something about you just makes me happy!” she said one day smiling up at me. “Now go get your fox!” She shoved me towards Moto’s room.

I found Moto reading on his futon lounging as usual, but he froze when I stomped in and shut the door firmly. “Why are you avoiding me!” I snapped.

His ears flattened down warily, and he glanced at me, overtaking in my body language. I was obviously an angry female, and he was to tread lightly. “T-Taka, I was just giving you space.”

“Why!”

“Because you were getting uncomfortable!” He leaned his chin on his hand as he tilted his head. “I mean unless I was reading this wrong, which is entirely possible.”

I blinked, he was admitting that he was more than likely wrong? Wait, what? I gaped at him. “Wait, what?”

“I mean, did I?” He asked, genuinely concerned. I was still trying to process that someone would so readily concede and ask me what to do. Sitting down in front of him, I looked him over, feeling tears well up. “Taka! What are you crying for?”

“B-because you treat me well?” I squeaked as I hiccuped. No one had ever treated me this well, and there was something that had been wounded a long, long time ago that was just now starting to heal.

He looked flabbergasted, but then it dawned on him. “Oh, little fox.” He moved closer and wiped away tears while smiling. “What on earth did you come to say then?”

“I- I just get nervous,” I babbled, “I don’t know what to do, and I…I really like when you get affectionate, but I don’t want to mess anything up, and you’re the first relationship I’ve had, and I feel really dumb sometimes not understanding—“

“Hey, easy,” a laugh and a soft expression crossed his face. “There is nothing you ‘need’ to do or are required to know. Are you comfortable?” He asked, pulling me flush against him.

“Mmhm.” I nodded franticly.

“Then that’s all I need to know. But you need to know that if you are not, you must say so. Do you understand?”

“Yes!” I nodded again, snuggling into him.

“Thank the gods because I missed you.”

“I WAS RIGHT HERE!” I smacked him, earning a laugh.

Himari was at the door, sighing, “ah, young love.”

“HIMARI QUIT EAVESDROPPING.” Moto snarled at her.

“Yes, Yes, I know!” She said, tossing her hair back, her tails flickering back and forth, “one side, I want some hugs too!” We were knocked over by the tiny fox and enveloped her in a hug as well. “YAY!” She squealed happily like a kit rather than a full-grown fox. “I missed stuff like this!” We began laughing at her, and I realized that foxes really were familial based. They shared experiences like other people shared secrets; it was meant for those that could be trusted and gifted such a precious commodity such as closeness and kinship.

So we bundled ourselves up and began to chat about the goals we had; Himari wanted me to make a trip to the Heavenly Realm, I met Yuna in person finally and met Inari herself. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that but looking over Himari’s head Moto nodded reassuringly; he didn’t even like the Heavenly Realm, but apparently, he was more than willing to take me should I want to go.

“It’s amazing, Takara!” Himari crowed to me as we lay looking at the ceiling. “The rice fields never wither, and it always springs unless we want a day of winter, then we go to the fields of snow! But the sun shines every day, and it’s warm, and we have cherry blossoms and mocha and tofu!” She squealed happily, hugging herself, “it’s the most beautiful place in the entire of the realms!” Glancing at Moto, “only a fool would leave.”

“I’m not so sure.” He murmured, running his fingers through my hair and smiling lovingly. “What if I had stayed and never had a fox fall from the sky practically on my head.”

“I did not!” I cried, scandalized.

He threw his head back and laughed. “Oh, you are fun to tease, Taka.”

“She really is,” Himari agreed.

I settled between the two foxes as they hugged me, feeling the warmth seep into the old part of my soul that had long since been damaged, a small green sprout of love and acceptance blooming where fires had once run rampant, destroying everything in its path.

“I love you guys,” I whispered.

Both foxes paused, and with warm humming, bundled me closer.

“We love you too.” They both said, nuzzling my face together.