Shard #12 Advice
Title:For a Future with You
Author ginnekomiko
Prompt: #12 advice
Rating: K
Word Count: 940
Summary: Kai gets advice on how to proceed.
Note: This was originally for
iy_unsung_heros so sorry if some of you see this twice. For background, The original series of fics with these guys as children is here The list for this series is is here For those curious about the Star Ceremony, the original fic is here.
For a Future with You
“So, Aniki, what’s your next move going to be?” Shinta asked.
“My next move?” he asked.
“You know, to nab Tsuki-chan’s heart!”
“Nothing. I’m just happy she’s openly calling me her boyfriend.”
“Yeah, but how long will that happiness last? You’ve been planning for the future, haven’t you?”
“Of course I have!”
“So do something about it! You finally have your chance! Grab it or her, whichever works!”
“It’s not like the old days, Shinta. Just nabbing a girl you’re interested in and taking her back to your den is frowned upon now,” he said. “Besides, she’d beat me up.”
Shinta paused. “Yeah…you’d be dead for sure if you did it that way. Besides, you probably wouldn’t have the guts to go through with something like that, you’re too nice.”
“I’m not going to force her into this. I want her to be mine willingly.”
“So?” Shinta asked.
“So what?”
“So how are you going to do that? If you wait for her to come to you, you’ll most likely be waiting for another eight years!”
“…True.”
“Then there’s the other matter.”
“What other matter?”
“She’s sort of become a symbol to our tribe. Do you suppose symbols can get married or have families? You do want a family, don’t you, Aniki?”
“We’d have to talk about that. I’d like to have pups with her, certainly, but she might not think she’s feminine enough for something like motherhood. I think she’d be fine at it though, she has the instinct when she’s around Kouga’s pups, but would she have to give up being a warlord if she was a mother? She wouldn’t like that…”
“Aniki, you might not even get to have pups! What if she is obligated to stay chaste as a bride of the Moon God?”
“If she was doing that for the God’s sake, I have a feeling she and I would have had an interesting conversation when she hit puberty and then we’d have an awkward moment that we’d try to never speak of again. Besides, Shinta, Ayame had two litters and she still has her sacred art. Why are we talking about this again?”
“Because I want you to be happy, Aniki,” Shinta said. “I want her to make you happy.”
“Hey! Kai!-kun!” Tsuki called.
“Yes?”
“I want you to meet my men, okay?” she said.
“Your men?”
“The men in our army, silly! They said they all want to meet you!”
“Are you going to come with me?” he asked.
“I can’t. I have to give lessons to the girls.”
“Aniki, you want me to go with you?” Shinta asked.
“Sure why not?”
***
When they arrived at the training grounds he was surrounded by huge men of varying tribal colors.
“So you’re Kai, huh?” one asked. He had scars all over his face.”Who’s this kid?”
“I’m Shinta I… help look after the pups of our tribe,” Shinta said shyly.
“Shinta? Oh, you’re the boy who takes such good care of my little girl! Thanks a bunch!” said one of the men.
“Listen kid, there’s no shame in a man wanting to look after the young ones if he’s good at it.” The man with the scars looked at him. “As for you, can you fight?”
“Well enough,” he said.
“Fine, but can you win?”
“I can.”
“We’d never allow our boss lady to wed a weakling, would we, boys? Listen you, you’re going to have to be strong enough to protect her when she needs you to, understand?”
Shinta smirked. “He’s got plenty of scars to prove that he can do that.”
“How many?”
“Eight. One for each year I’ve known her. We use to get into a lot of tough scrapes as kids. I even followed her to hell and back,” he said.
The men laughed.
“Yet you still chased her?”
He smiled a little. “She’s a natural leader and she’s cute in her own way, you know?”
“Yeah, at first we were weary of being lead by a girl pup, but she knows how to win wars and calm fights before they get out of control. Odd as it may seem, we’re loyal to her and only her. We don’t want some punk-ass boy to play with her girlish heart to take over her role as our warlord and then leave her high and dry. Kouga would be the least of his worries.”
“I have no interest in being our tribe’s main warlord. I only want to help her out.”
“Would you be against a fight with me?” the one with the scars asked.
“Not if it’s to prove myself,” he said.
“Go for it, Aniki!” Shinta said.
“You’re in for it kid!”
The large man came after him with everything he had. So he was serious about testing him. He had to give it his all, too.
“Not bad for a skinny kid,” the man said.
“KUROMORI! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU LOT THINK YOU’RE DOING?”
“Looks like you lucked out, kid,” Kuromori said.
“You weren’t picking on him, were you?” Tsuki demanded.
“No Ma’m. Not anymore than we would any guy who wanted to date any of our sisters or daughters. He’s lean, but he’s got a good head and enough guts to defend your honor. We’ve got no problem with this kid if he’s who you chose. Hey, Kai, you’re welcome to train with us any time you want.”
“Thank you,” he said. He turned to her. “Walk with me?”
“Sure!” Tsuki said.
“Oooo~ young love!” one of the men teased.
“Shut the hell up! I’m still a girl, you morons!” Tsuki barked.