Foxfire (Nine Tails, 1) by Yuki Edo

forest grew thicker as they walked, and soon
they had to weave in and out of the trees to move
forward.
    Masaki slowed but didn’t explain why.
He paused, as if listening, and then they continued on.
    “ What can we expect?” Hiro
asked quietly.
    “ Hard to say.”
    Despite his anxiety about what would
happen next, Hiro couldn’t stop thinking about Masaki’s declaration
of love. He still couldn’t process it properly, as the idea of
someone so experienced and handsome wanting him, let alone loving
him, made his mind boggle. Hiro inched up beside Masaki as they
climbed over a large tree root.
    “ I’m glad you told me how
you feel,” he said, keeping his voice soft. “It means a
lot.”
    Masaki smiled at him, but then he
returned his sharp gaze to their surroundings. “My life’s been one
of ease, for the most part, and it must look appealing from the
outside. But at times, there are dangers. Facing them makes you see
what truly matters.”
    “ Have you ever felt this
way before?”
    Masaki vaulted over a fallen tree and
then turned back to help Hiro over. “No, I haven’t.” They continued
walking, and Masaki kept his gaze darting between the shadows and
the treetops. “I was never a seducer, like some of my brothers, but
I’ve had many lovers. I cared for them, but I never felt more.
Neither did any of them.”
    “ How do you know that?”
Hiro asked, imagining it wouldn’t take anyone long to fall in love
with Masaki. He could already envision himself falling.
Hard.
    “ They all left me. Grew
tired of me.”
    “ I don’t understand that.
At all.” Hiro stumbled, wedging his foot under a root.
    Masaki went down on his knees right
away, holding Hiro’s ankle steady and then freeing him. He felt the
bone and guided Hiro over the next few feet. “I’m your first lover.
It’s easy to think that person is perfect.”
    “ Did you?”
    They came to a point where the trees
twisted around each other in such a way that they had to change
course. Masaki paused, orienting himself, though Hiro had no idea
how he did this without the light of a sun in the sky. Light
radiated from everywhere, but nothing floated in the sky above
them. Only bleak grayness hung there.
    “ Inari was my first lover.
I knew from the start that it was a different form of
love.”
    “ It’s odd.”
    “ What is?” Masaki asked,
tilting his head as he glanced back.
    “ Gods having sex. Just …
seems strange.”
    “ They have passions and
emotions as we do.”
    “ Since it’s a different
kind of love, do you still feel that way?” Hiro asked.
    “ I’ll always be devoted to
Inari, but we’ll never touch that way again. I promise.”
    “ I wasn’t jealous. Just
curious.”
    Masaki braced himself against a tree
and looked around. “Were you tempted by his seduction?”
    “ Curious. But not tempted.
Would’ve been cruel to run from you and then jump into bed with
him.”
    Masaki pointed in a new direction, and
they started again. “I’d have forgiven you, but it would’ve hurt,
after I’d told Inari how I felt about you.”
    “ He said he wouldn’t have
done it.” Hiro sighed and cleared his throat.
    “ You’ll lose your voice at
this rate,” Masaki said, reaching over and massaging the back of
Hiro’s neck.
    “ Helps me not be scared. I
trust you, but the longer we wait for an attack, the more worried I
feel.”
    Masaki stopped and kissed his
forehead. “Then let me distract you.” He transformed as soon as
he’d pulled away from Hiro, and after shaking himself, he knelt
before Hiro.
    Masaki had changed to his larger form,
and Hiro could do nothing but stare at first. Masaki gestured with
his head, and Hiro realized he was supposed to get on Masaki’s
back. He did so, and Masaki stood carefully. And then he took off,
bounding over the trees and roots at three times the speed they’d
been traveling.
    Hiro actually laughed for a moment,
the feeling of riding on Masaki’s back exhilarating. But soon,