~Tomoe X Reader: Book One~

21. Resolve

Mikuki's smirk widened into a grin that put the Cheshire Cat to shame.

"Have you given up yet, Tomoe~?" He purred, and the fox yokai beneath him sneered.
Tomoe's ears were flattened against his head, his tail pinned beneath the tail of one of the two beasts crushing him into the ground. Mizuki clicked his tongue.

"I see all it takes is two... how disappointing."

Mizuki was referring to two large albino snakes that were pinning Tomoe to the ground, each baring their fangs and hissing at the blue fox-fire that did little to penetrate their scales. A drip of blood, bright, almost neon red, had rolled down his cheek and dried, leaving a line that looked like paint. It was an unnatural color, the exact shade of snake blood.
Tomoe was not as battered, though his hair was frizzy and he was breathing hard, and looked like a cat that had been doused in water, scowling so much his face was almost distorted.

Mizuki crouched down and touched the tip of his silver pocketknife to Tomoe's Adam's apple, and which he had only recently found who-knows-where.
Mizuki flicked a bead of sweat off his brow with his other hand, narrowing his emerald eyes.

"Now that I've finally got you here, I'm not sure what to do!" He said airily, and the intensity of Tomoe's blue flames increased tenfold, the snakes hissing and shifting around, but not recoiling yet.

"Quiet, snake," Tomoe hissed, and the snakes erupted into blue flames. Mizuki didn't seem fazed.
"Another round, I presume?" Mizuki purred.

Tomoe tched, standing up and dusting himself off. "I still-"

A bolt of orange-yellow fire erupted between the two familiars, forming a barricade of flame that sent both of them stumbling back in surprise.

The fire, of course, fizzled out immediately, but it shocked everyone in the room to silence.

Tomoe and Mizuki's heads turned to look at you, and you grinned, face flushed, arm still outstretched, the fingerless leather glove on your right hand releasing a curl of silver smoke into the air.

You waved your arms around, no longer feeling tired.

"That was cool as hell!" You exclaimed, and then dropped to your knees, dramatically thrusting your gloved hand into the air. "Science and magic! Behold!"

God, I'm a dork.

Tomoe buried his face in the palm of his hand, his disheveled hair becoming even more messed up. "At first I was amazed, but now I'm just disappointed," he said flatly, though beneath his hand you saw the corners of his mouth were crinkled into a smirk.

Mizuki clapped twice, snickering, and you narrowed your eyes.

You held up a hand, gesturing towards the absolutely destroyed main room.
Every piece of furniture was flipped, scorch marks all over the walls, patches where snake venom had damaged the wood flooring,

"Well, everything else aside, this needs to stop."

"You know what? I declare Tomoe the winner of every battle you two ever fight, or have ever fought."
You crossed your arms.
"Logically, he would be the alpha out of you two, because though it's hard to decide exactly who has the greatest power, Tomoe was mine and Mikage's familiar first."

"Tomoe has more experience with the shrine, and this specific sort of work and divine duties, and though he has quite the temper, he's proven to be loyal and competent for this type of job. He's also good at keeping the shrine spirits in line."

Mizuki had turned almost white, while Tomoe had seemingly forgotten how to do anything but look like a tsundere.

You pointed a finger at Mizuki.

"You've definitely got a significant amount of power, appear to have some loyalty to me, but, you've got nothing else going for you. You're manipulative, controlling, not to mention that we met by you kidnapping me, and honestly, it isn't your place to kill Tomoe, even if you could."
Your voice grew a bit louder, more stern, and you suddenly felt like a mother disciplining her child.
"You're free to stay in here, but if you continue to act so violently, I will have no choice but to kick you and all of your snakes out of this shrine."
Tomoe locked eyes with Mizuki, a smug expression on his face.
"Damn right."