One Last Chance (A Kamisama Kiss Fanfic)

Chapter 23

"Nanami!"

"Tomoe!"

"Nanami!"

Blinking rapidly as the wind stung his eyes, Tomoe tore after Nanami and the tengu through the night sky, his hand outstretched as he desperately tried to grab hold of her. Sneering, the tengu banked abruptly to the left before circling behind Tomoe and flying in the opposite direction. Clenching his, Tomoe spun around and shot after them, hurling a ball of fire at the tengu's right wing in hopes of slowing him down.

"Let her go, fiend, and I might be willing to spare your life." he growled as he summoned more flames into his palm.

The tengu shot him a smug smile. "You sure that's what you want?"

"Yes, let her go!"

"No! Tomoe, wait!" Nanami shrieked but she one second was too late. With a loud cackle, the tengu released her and she freefell through the air, heading straight for the bed of foreboding trees beneath her. Tomoe's eyes bugged out in a look of horror.

"Nanami!" he shrieked, sending himself into a sharp nosedive as he flew after here.

"Tomoe!" Nanami cried, tears streaming down her cheeks as the wind roared in her ears and whipped through her hair.

"I've got you. I've got you, I promise! Just reach out for my hand!" Tomoe barked as he extended his arm towards her. Nanami feverishly wiped her eyes and reached out to grab his hand, but her fingers fell an inch too short.

"I can't reach." she wailed loudly.

"Nanami, you need to focus! Reach as far as you can!"

"I am!"

"Reach harder!"

Nanami bit her lip and stretched her limbs to the max but her fingers were still just out of Tomoe's reach.

"Stretch farther!"

"I can't!"

"Nanami!"

"Tomoe!"

Cursing under his breath, Tomoe concentrated all of his strength in his feet and somehow managed to push himself just enough to put Nanami within reach. Grabbing her wrist, he pulled her to his chest and came to an abrupt halt, flattening several trees beneath them due to the force of the stop.

"It's okay. I've got you." he cooed softly, hugging Nanami protectively in his arms as she clung to his robes. Descending slowly till they reached the forest floor, he gently set Nanami down, but the goddess still clung to him like her life depended on it, frightened whimpers escaping her lips as tears continued to blur her vision. To his surprise, a soft smile graced Tomoe's lips as he raised a hand to stroke her hair, his chin resting atop her head.

"Tomoe..."

"It's alright, Nanami. You're safe now."

"Tomoe...the battle...Atomu and Sakura! We need to go back!" Nanami suddenly exclaimed, abruptly pulling out of his arms and staring up at him with wide eyes.

Tomoe's face immediately twisted into a disapproving scowl. "We don't need to do anything. You are going to stay as far away from that battle as possible."

"What? No fair! I want to help!"

"Absolutely not. You will stay here where it is safe till Mizuki or myself come to fetch you."

"No way! You can't tell me what to do! I'm the goddess here and I order you to let me come alo-"

"I don't want to lose you!" Tomoe cut her off, his eyes gleaming with a fierceness of the likes which Nanami hadn't seen in awhile, causing her to fall silent.