Once A Tale (MXM, BXB)

The Snow Rabbit: Bonus Short

"I think," said Nagi one day, with uncharacteristic seriousness, "I want to go find the lady who gave me life."

Ichijo nearly dropped his bowl of miso soup, cursing as some splashed over his sleeves. Even Azume paused, regarding the young man with surprise, her head tilted on an angle. "You're referring to the yuki-onna," she said softly, but was quick to understand. "I suppose she is, in a sense, your mother."

"Yes! I want to see her. I have so much to tell her!" Nagi gushed, spreading apart his hands, his eyes glimmering with excitement. "I want to tell her about what her parent did for me, and about Ichijo, and about you, and about the inn and—everything!"

Ichijo looked—in a word—absolutely blindsided. His mind was racing on a number of different tracks at the moment, and his mouth kept flapping open and shut as though he couldn't decide what track he should board. At last, he sputtered, "Do you even know where you can find her?"

At this, Nagi paused, tugged one of his fringes of green hair. "Um," he said, "not really. I have an idea, though! Or maybe it's a feeling?"

Ichijo's eyebrow ticked up.

Nagi leaned back slightly, folding his arms over his chest. "It's like I can feel her," he said. "Sometimes, not all the time. I feel like sometimes she's close but other times, she's further away. Like when I went to the mountain! I couldn't feel her at all. But the last time we went down to the village, I could feel her! She wasn't far away then, but I couldn't tell exactly how far."

Azume cupped her chin, contemplative. "I don't think that's unusual," she murmured. "You do have a connection to her and to the god of the mountain. It would make sense you could feel her, or her magic, with the magic she left in you."

"Exactly! That's why I want to go and meet her. I want to see if she's happy too," Nagi said earnestly. "And... I never ever got her name. I want to know it."

Ichijo groaned softly, scratching his fingers through his hair. "This sounds dangerous," he said flatly. "We've got to go and roam around that village 'til you feel her? Knocking on doors and whatnot?"

"Yes!" Nagi said energetically, giving two thumbs-up.

Ichijo looked at his mother in supplication, but she chuckled.

"As long as you go with him, Ichijo," she said, "I think it would be fine. Don't you?"

Ichijo blushed slightly, ducked his head down and rubbed his cheek. "I mean... of course I'll keep this idiot out of danger! But still..."

"Oh, please? Please, Ichijo!"

Nagi was an expert at pleading. Whether it was due to his utter lack of shame, or his certainty he'd get his way in the end, he was skilled at it. He scooted closer to where Ichijo sat, nestling into his side as he peered up at his reddening face. Worse yet, Azume watched them fondly, lips curved in an affectionate smile.

"Okay! Okay! Damn it... fine... We'll go look for her! Stop cuddling into me like that, have some shame!"

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The village was not an unfamiliar sight to Nagi. More than once, he had begged Ichijo to take him down the mountain with him. Ever since that one horrible trip, he'd been quite anxious about Ichijo travelling alone. So they went together again and again, until it became a habit for the two of them to commute together and buy supplies.

Villagers still stared at the young man with snow-white hair with green fringes like two leaves, but Ichijo's hard stare always warned them off. Some nodded to them as they passed, familiar with the unusual visitors, while some others gave them a wide berth for they felt they were a manner of spirit or yokai.