THE ARCHAIC SKY

CHAPTER: THE DIFFUSING WARMTH

The natural enclosed hot spring built of smooth white stones is a great place to wash away her fatigue and relax her mind and body. The minerals in the water were equal to those in fumetsuhi's bathhouses. Amara has been soaking here for less than half and hour and all the fatigue she's accumulated dissipated into nothingness.

She leaned back against a nearby white stone. In her hand was a cup of nice sake and in the other was a smoking pipe floating off her fingertips. A hot spring folding screen separated her from the shower area made mostly of bamboo. And across her was a rather flustered oni soaking in the same water.

Doji grumbled before nearly shouting at her. "why you... why'd'ya have to pick this place out of all places to talk"

"what's wrong? Does the almighty doji feel vulnerable?" she tilted her head and giggled. Placing the tip of her smoking pipe to her lips, she breathed the purple smoke in, letting a trail of smoke leave her mouth after. "well we're both vulnerable here so I don't get why you're so shy"

He laughed again, slamming his fist to the white stone. "you're getting bold, harbinger, but yet so shameless that you even came to ask the yokai for help to make an escape" Amara let out a hissy sigh, her ears turning red out of embarrassment. "of course... it was a good deal... seeing as we had asked-"

"to strike a partnership with the seikatsu" Amara continued for him. she let out a large cloud of smoke. They mixed with the steam. A beautiful color of blue and purple. "I barely recall the last time you don't degrade the seikatsu... why now do you yokai wish to work with scum like us?"

He shifted his position, both his hands leaning back on the edge of the hot pool. He smirked. "we wish to work with you, not the council"

"and I thought with the council gone, we were weak and easy to get rid of" she cooed.

He deflated slightly, that constant arrogant grin fading from his lips. "you've changed" he began. "you were... more innocent... back then"

"we both have," she poured every sip of sake down her throat. Placing both items down she made her way to doji. "you've changed too, you grew... a lot" Amara stared him up and down through the steam and mist that floated right above the silky blue waters. Wide broad shoulders with a very strong build. Tattoos covered his back along with those red oni markings. "no longer a boy running away from problems"

He raised a hand to push back his hair. Through his spiky bangs he asked. "is orias..."

"yes..."

Doji laughed grabbing her shoulders and pushing her against the rocks instead of him. he towered over her. "why'd I even ask? Even without him... you've always..." the water dripped from his toned body, his glowing eyes gazing at her entire figure. It's not like they've never seen each other like this before. but this time it's different. "you always knew how to make others want you, Kannon" his grip on her bare shoulders loosened. "you never want others... you just want them to adore you when you could never do the same... always lying just to make others feel better..."

"and you? always running away..." Amara forced his eyes to meet hers with a hand to his cheek. "why did you leave me, doji?"

Doji brushed her hand away gently. Instead he grabbed her face. "you were fun, Kannon, but we both know your heart doesn't lie with me" his hands though large and full of callouses were gently when he brushed through her hair. "it was never with orias either... it was with..."

"stop it" Amara lowered her gaze. "you know why..."

"heh..." he guided her to the other side of the hot springs which held two bottles of sake meant for only her. he took one in hand while passing the other to her. "and here I thought ya' changed, but you're still just a girl who never drinks till gone"