/jp/ - Otaku Culture

The winter was rather mild today as the low hanging gray clouds lazily sprinkled snow on the monochrome landscape that lacked the sounds of animal life you've grown used too hearing over the warmer months of spring and the summer. You dealt with the cold the best you could, footwraps swaddled your feet and your yukata was a thick one that had its interior padded with thick cotton treated to repel water, you wore a battered scarf that was once knitted for you by your miko wife during the happier times of your marriage that kept your mouth and neck warm enough. The path before you was pure white and without footsteps disturbing the thin layer of snowfall that fell across it, only the occasional animal track seemed to disturb the stream of white that flowed from the base of the stairs leading up to the shrine directly to the approach to the village gate.
It was shortly after breakfast and while cooking today's bounty for the shrine's temporary residents you realized that you were out of some vital supplies for the next week of meals and mounted an expedition to remedy this. Your mind was quiet, simply taking in the scenery before you and trying not to reflect too much as you knew it'd only ruin your mood to think on things for overlong. The weight of the coins weighed noticeably in your purse as it hung on the inside of your yukuta safe from any potential thieves of mischief makers although it felt wrong to not have your dagger on you. Your familiar dagger was taken from you quietly after the incident and never returned, you didn't ask for it either knowing you'd never get it back although you're sure Reimu hid it somewhere. Perhaps it was better that you didn't, although you hadn't felt the urge let yourself bleed again sometimes the weight of things seemed to weigh on you in such a way that you wondered if you could make out with a kitchen knife in the dark of night.
As those dark thoughts crept up on you again you heard a wooshing through the skies somewhere behind and far above you sounding through the quiet of the day around you that made your footfalls loud. You didn't have to turn know what it was but you did anyways as you figured it was the polite thing to do and sure enough what greeting you was in stark contrast to the monochrome of the her surroundings, the red dress of the miko you once loved more then world stood there after landing gracefully. Reimu trotted up to you quickly, "There you were, I was worried when I couldn't find you!" she practically leapt forward to wrap her arms around your neck as she clung to you as if affirming you were still alive. "You know you shouldn't leave without telling me, I never want to see you do things like that again okay?!" Her voice was cross but you knew her better and were able to see past her carefully constructed mask of anger to spot the deep worry below that and the subtle way her voice insecurely wavered.
Of course her reasons were obvious and you didn't need nor want to throw your own problems in her face so you simply apologized and consoled her, "of course, I was just in a hurry so I didn't want to bother you as you napped..." You returned her hug which seemed to mollify and reassure her and soon she found it hard to even project light annoyance. Reimu took your arm wrapping it in her own and leaning into you as if to warm her always exposed shoulders and upper arms, "So... Where are we going today Anon?" she asked you her voice still slightly uneasy and you responded, "We're low on a couple of things so I thought i'd stop by the village before all the deals are gone." to which Reimu merely nodded knowing the game of deal chasing well enough and with that mundane conversation a silence fell between you two.
Despite the slightly lengthy walk to the approach of the village Reimu seemed unwilling loosen her hold on you and only after a short comment of how its a bit difficult to walk did she relent in merely holding your hand as if she was scared you'd go off and leave her once she took her eyes off you. You didn't mind the clingy miko honestly and a part of you felt a forgotten emotion stirring in your heart for her the longer you were connected by skin contact even if it was just hand holding. As you approached the village you couldn't help but steal side glances at the raven haired miko who's soft cream colored skin seemed to be contrasted by the snow and her own jet black hair that framed her small and comely face. Your eyes were drawn to her thin but almost cherry red lips that seemed slightly flushed in this chill, small puffs of vapor from her slightly parted lips seemed to demand your attention. However you soon reached the village gates and Reimu feeling your gaze turned to you with a light look of puzzlement on her face and asked, "is something wrong Anon?". All at once the bubble your little world was in popped and you shook your head "Its nothing I was just thinking..." Reimu seemed scared to ask what those thoughts were and merely nodded.