The Taisho fire

The end of the line

Honesty the universe conspires against me to prevent me from posting. But I did it, yeah !

The end of the road

Gwen fidgeted with the teaspoon, her thoughts completely wild as she tried to separate past and present. Taishō had yet to make an appearance in the tea shop, but he consumed the entirety of her mind for the moment. Even the whipped cream over her glorious hot chocolate felt bland in regards to her inner turmoil.

The story of his past life was as glorious as it was heartbreaking. The Yōkai world, in itself, was so different from the human one that she had trouble putting herself in his shoes. Did he suffer from the expectation of being the Great Dog General ? Did he thrive under the pressure, using it to become the DaiYōkai he'd been subbed to be ?

How much of the demon spirit remained ? Sure, her Captain enjoyed a good challenge, especially when it came to tossing Mark a few uppercuts. Would he be capable of such destruction, of destroying entire armies, of wielding a cursed sword and keeping it under wraps ?

How did he handle the duality ? The merging of whom he had been, and who he was today ? So many questions; it would take an eternity to answer them all, provided she dared asking them.

Were there any Yōkai left in the world, hidden in sanctuaries, or in plain sight ?

The bell tingled; the familiar aura of her Captain suddenly called her body to attention, but her mind still roiled with the harsh knowledge that this beloved face had been crushed and burnt to death, leaving behind a wife that loved him, and a son who would never know how much his father cherished him. When he settled in front of her with yet another blend of China tea, Gwen averted her eyes to keep her own feelings under wraps. How ridiculous he would think her if he spotted those unshed tears in her eyes ?

Fortunately, Taishō cut the chase.

"So ?"

"It was... awesome."

His smirk felt forced, this time.

"Every dog has its day, right ?"

Gwen smiled, heartened by his ability to make light of his past story.

"Yours are everyday, Taishō," she grinned. "But I'm glad you are the station commander rather than a Great Dog General."

"Why ? Wouldn't it be great to have a DaiYōkai at your beck and call ?"

At your beck and call ?

Gwen frowned, wondering what his words meant. For a moment, she watched the elegant lines of his face, admiring how his sun kissed skin complimented the gold of his eyes. Hidden emotions swirled in their depth, and she watched further, seeking for answers.

"Gwen," he growled, raising the teacup to his lips.

The young woman blinked, as if emerging from a thick fog.

"It is unfair if you use your gift on me."

The young woman was about to protest when he lifted an eyebrow, daring her to contradict his assessment. Rouge crept up her cheeks when she realised she had lost control, too adamant to find answers to consider how it might feel to be prodded.

"Gomen."

Taishō nodded.

"I guess it's my fault for dropping this in your lap."

Gwen took a deep breath, her heart flip flopping; she was losing sight of the too many lines he was sending, feeling completely lost. Only one thread remained clear enough, and she latched onto it with all her might.