Ink Stained With Blood (Yokai!Ichimatsu x Reader)

Chapter 10

I didn't know when I fell asleep, but I opened my eyes to see a wooden ceiling standing high above my head, red and black sheets of fabric strewn along the length of the beams. Gripping the cloth that was covering my body tightly, I slowly sat up and looked around the room, finding myself alone in what appeared to be a study that had long been abandoned.

Bookshelves lined the walls, many of their shelves collapsed from disuse and rot while sending their written loads spilling onto the floor. Some of the books and scrolls had been collected into organized piles, but most of them still lay on the floor, their spines crooked from the fall damage or some pages laying open towards the ceiling. The only part of the room that wasn't covered by shelves was the sliding door that was heavily damaged, some of the paper torn up by insects.

I heard something clatter down a hallway outside the door, a muffled groan sounding out before I could hear padded feet shuffle closer towards the room. Withholding a gasp, I wrapped the cloth around me tightly and lay on my side, trying to appear like I hadn't woken up yet.

The door rattled a little bit before giving way in its well-worn track, sliding open as the feet came into the room. Whatever it was stopped near me and I strained my ears to hear anything else from them.

"I know you're awake."

I bolted up and looked behind me to see Ichimatsu, his yokai form plain for me to see as his ears were perked forward, an eyebrow raised in a small arch as his eyes partially closed into a hooded stare. The red marks on his face blazed brightly as they matched the ferocity of his winter blue eyes. Ichimatsu quickly sat on the ground and pushed something towards me, freeing his hands.

"I figured you'd be hungry when you woke up, so I made something that I thought you could eat," The long red talons on his fingers pulled away before I could reach for the food tray that was shoved in front of me, his index finger reaching up and scratching his right cheek lightly, "I tried."

Loosening my grip on the cloth around me, I reached out and took the food tray, smelling the herbs that were cooked into the fish and rice. Taking the pair of chopsticks that were offered, I forced myself to slow down so I couldn't choke on the food.

"It tastes wonderful, Ichimatsu," I spoke when my mouth wasn't full of food, looking up at meeting his gaze with a smile, "It's almost as good as your mom's cooking."

Ichimatsu's ears lowered a little, his gaze falling from my face before he looked back up at me, "I'm sure she would've loved to teach you, (y/n)."

The white fish was wonderful to eat and the rice was just as flavorful as the fish. If Ichimatsu -- if I hadn't changed the brothers into yokai, then I'm sure that Ichimatsu would've made a wonderful cook.

My eyes dropped their happiness as my focus lowered to the wooden floor beneath me, the taste souring in my mouth as I pulled the chopsticks from my lips.

That's right...this is all my fault, I heard Ichimatsu shift around and glanced up to see his left side facing me, his focus on several books that were open on the ground in front of him. I looked down at my food, shoveling the rest into my mouth and drinking the warm tea that was served alongside the food.

If I had time to feel sorry for my actions, I had time to find answers.

Setting the plate and cup down on the tray, I brought the blanket around my shoulders and scooted over to the other side of the room where more books had been left on the ground. Blowing off the dust on the covers, I gently opened them to see that they were old records of the old Imperial court and their hired help, including their names, dates they were hired and retired, and what work they were contracted to do.