Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

As Natsume sleeps, Madara studies the Book of Friends.

It would be so easy to grab it and go. Retreat deep into the mountains. Reclaim his old territories. He wouldn’t be able to do summons without Reiko’s blood, but he could still order all the contracted youkai around if the Book was in his possession.

He could find Misuzu’s name and tear the page. Just a little bit; just to teach the bastard a lesson on respect.

But it would be no fun. Too easy. And Madara doesn’t have to resort to stealing from a sleeping child.

He can wait.

Chapter Text

In the middle of doing his homework, Natsume reaches down and starts petting Madara.

Madara stops munching on his tempura—for a second—and opens an eye to glance up at the boy. Natsume seems focused on his book, tapping his lips with a pencil, but his left hand is stroking Madara absently.

Did this idiot forget Madara is a youkai?!

He’s about to snap at him that he’s not actually a cat… but Natsume’s fingers are gentle and warm, and this new body of his seems to buzz pleasantly at the boy’s ministrations.

Madara allows it. Just for today.

Chapter Text

Natsume seems fascinated by the revelation that he might lose the ability to see ayakashi one day. Madara wonders if he’s relieved.

It begs the question: what would Madara do?

Despite the firefly spirit’s comment, his relationship with Natsume is nothing like hers with her human. Madara couldn’t care less if the brat stopped seeing him or not.

(Life had become so much more entertaining since they’d met, though.)

(Obviously. He was trapped in a shrine for decades. He finds life fun now, so what. It doesn’t mean anything.)

He’d probably stick around regardless.

Just for the Book, of course.

Chapter Text

Madara opens a single eye. “I wouldn’t, if I were you.”

The youkai goes still. They don’t dare touch Natsume under Madara’s watchful eye, but their clawed fingers twitch above him.

“He smells soooo good,” they drawl.

Madara knows. Like Reiko, Natsume smells delicious, sweet and fizzy with raw—if barely tapped—spiritual power. It’s no wonder Madara is always ravenous around him.

“Could we share?”

“Do I look like an ayakashi who shares? Get lost before I decide to eat you.”

The pest eventually does scurry away.

Like always, Madara ignores the mouth-watering scent and goes back to sleep.

Chapter Text

Madara has a daily routine, now.

Having meals with the family, accompanying Natsume here and there, basking on the rooftop, drinking with the ayakashi of Yatsuhara, sharing a bath with Natsume, humming when the boy says goodnight, falling asleep to the sound of his breathing.

It’s nothing terribly exciting, but it’s new and interesting, and Madara—despite what he’d expected—is far from bored. He’s observed humans before, but never from this close.

All their clever inventions, their strange ways, their amusing habits, their delicious food. Natsume himself is a constant source of curious entertainment. (And headaches.)

Madara likes it.

Chapter Text

No matter what he lives through, the brat’s nightmares never seem to feature monstrous ayakashi. He doesn’t fear for his life.

But being left alone, unwanted? That terrifies him.

“Touko-san, p-please. Don’t send me away.”

After months together, Madara is no stranger to these broken whimpers. He’d never admit to becoming unable to ignore them, though.

Huddling close, he nudges the boy’s shoulder.

Natsume startles awake. His heartbeat is audible, his scent sickly and sour in the dark.

Madara feigns sleep as Natsume puts an arm around him and pulls him close.

They don’t speak of it in the morning.

Chapter Text

“What exactly is your plan with Natsume-sama, Madara-sama?”

“Hmm?” Madara chugs on a bottle of sake. “Same as always. Keep him in one piece until I get the Book. Then eat him.”

“I thought you won’t get the Book unless he dies?”

Oh. Right.

Whatever. “Whassit to you, Chuukyuu?”

“We were just wondering. Your scent is all over him these days. Like you’ve claimed him.”

“Claimed! Claimed!”

“Yeah. I did claim him. As my prey.” Madara drinks again, then burps. “S’only to keep ayakashi from getting ideas.”

The two youkai share a look.

Or maybe Madara’s going cross-eyed. Who knows.

Chapter Text

“Sorry, Nyangoro,” Shigeru says after stumbling over Madara.

Madara gives him the stink eye before turning back to his meal. The man is lucky Madara has such a soft spot for his wife...’s cooking.

“Touko-san, Takashi seemed really interested in the Aoshima Shrine history, right?"

“Hmm? Yes, he did.”

“I thought we could visit it together, the three of us. Spend a long weekend in Miyazaki.”

“What a wonderful idea! We’ve never been on a trip together. I think it would make Takashi-kun happy!”

Clearly, these people adore Natsume. They’ll never abandon him. Madara can tell.

Why can’t Natsume?

Chapter Text

Sitting on Natsume’s shoulders or being carried around in his arms feels familiar and comfortable by now. If anyone had told him this before he was sealed away, Madara would have laughed himself stupid, but it’s true.

Natsume’s scent wraps around him the same way his own scent clings to the boy’s skin.

Madara has gotten used to the constant feel of hunger. (Touko’s cooking definitely helps.) Underneath the mouth-watering fizz of power, Natsume smells of rainy days and freshly fallen autumn leaves. Of clean linen and sun-warmed skin. Of the blood and sweat of humanity.

Of Madara.

It’s nice.

Chapter Text

The sight of the adorable white fluffball licking Natsume’s cheek makes something cold and brittle shatter inside Madara’s chest.

He turns around and hurries away, but the horrible, thorny feeling stays lodged between his ribs.

What the hell. What the hell.

That ungrateful little brat replaced him after a single day! With a house cat, no less! Him, one of the most powerful daiyoukai of Kyūshū!

The insolence!

(He has never seen Natsume laugh so carefree. Not at him.)

He’s not—sad or disappointed or any of that nonsense. He’s—offended.

Retreating to the forest, Madara drinks himself blackout drunk.

Chapter Text

“You are not protecting my master well, pig-cat.”

“What?!”

“I heard you let him attend an exorcist meeting. Reckless. I might just take him. Natsume-dono would be safer with me.”

Madara transforms. Bares his fangs at Misuzu.

“Firstly, there’s no stopping the brat once he decides he wants to do something. Secondly, he wants to stay with the humans. Would you be willing to pretend to be his pet? Please. I’d love to see it.” His tail swishes menacingly. “Natsume’s mine. My prey. So stay out of it! I’m keeping him and the Book safe.”

“Hn. See that you do.”

Chapter Text

“Found you… Found you…”

They startle awake.

Shit. Is it another ayakashi coming for—

“Found you… Madara!”

—Huh?

“So he promised to drive away the pest youkai from your valley,” Natsume summarizes, “and then he never did.”

Madara scoffs. “I don’t make promises.”

“We had a deal! I paid you a wedding’s worth of sake, in advance! And you never came back!”

“I got sealed away!”

“Well, you have been free for a while.” Natsume gives Madara that rare smile that makes all his hair stand up. “Don’t worry, Yamabiko-san. I’ll make sure Nyanko-sensei fulfills his end of the deal.”

Chapter Text

Sometimes, Madara can smell Natsume getting aroused and spilling in his sleep.

Only ever in his sleep.

Natsume always grimaces in the morning, looking not just embarrassed but almost… disgusted.

Madara teased him about it once, but Natsume’s face—well, he never did it again.

He’s unfamiliar with the mating habits of humans, but Natsume’s at the age where these things happen, right? Madara makes a point of not always sharing a bath with him and going out in the evenings from time to time, just in case.

He never gets so much as a whiff unless Natsume is sleeping.

Chapter Text

“I need something to seal a youkai.”

“Hello to you, too. It’s been a whi—Oh! Been around humans a lot, have you, Madara? I can smell it on you.”

“I don’t have time for this. That thing threatened my prey! It was entertaining for a while, but now I want it gone. Do you have something?”

“There's a sealing mirror I snatched up from a monk. It’s going to cost you, though: your sense of taste, for a month.”

“Wha—?!”

“Or you can forget it.”

“… Tsk. Fine.”

“Excellent! Do come back sometime. We haven’t shared drinks in a while.”

Chapter Text

They argue a lot.

It’s unavoidable. Madara isn't used to living with humans, and Natsume rarely gives him the respect he deserves as a high-class daiyoukai and his bodyguard. Plus, in truth, Madara does enjoy annoying him sometimes.

The point is: arguments are familiar.

What he doesn’t know how to deal with are these… other moments. When Natsume smiles, and Madara gets this unfamiliar lightness in his chest.

One afternoon, Natsume laughs—bright and carefree and breathless with it—and even though it’s at Madara’s expense, he can’t do anything but look at the boy and revel in the sound.

Chapter Text

After Natsume gives another ayakashi her name back and they ready themselves to leave, a sudden rain starts falling from the sky.

“I can fly us home,” Madara suggests.

“Too late. We’ll get drenched in a second, and Touko-san thinks I’m at Nishimura’s.”

There’s nowhere to take shelter at.

They retreat to the edge of the meadow where the trees are the densest but Madara can still stretch out. He positions himself so Natsume is sitting between his forelegs, Madara’s huge head shielding the boy from the worst of the downpour.

Natsume leans against him and smiles. “Thank you, sensei.”

Chapter Text

“He’s a handful, isn’t he,” Tanuma says. They’re sitting on a bench, watching Natsume say goodbye to the ayakashi he’s just helped.

Well. Tanuma is only watching Natsume.

“You don’t know half of it,” Madara mutters.

“That’s it, though. I’d like to know more. I know I can’t be much of a help, but… I wish Natsume would feel safe counting on me.”

Natsume turns toward them. He’s wearing a gentle smile, his hair tinged gold with the sunset.

“He already does.”

Tanuma’s hand comes to rest on Madara’s head. “You’ll protect him, right, Ponta?”

Madara gives a noncommittal hum.

Chapter Text

Reiko was beautiful. Madara has no idea how other humans felt about it, but ayakashi tended to agree that scary and infamous Natsume Reiko was a beautiful person.

Her eyes were hard like diamonds though, with a smile just as cutting. Although human, she wore masks like an ayakashi.

Looking at Natsume—the sparkling blue of the lake reflected in his eyes, his hair dancing in the wind—, he’s beautiful, too. More so than Reiko, for his features grow softer with every week he spends in Hitoyoshi.

Perhaps it’s that peace of his soul Reiko was never able to find.

Chapter Text

He can smell Natsume’s blood. Hear his whimpers.

The boy tried to shield him from Matoba’s purifying arrow. Madara is the bodyguard, and yet Natsume leapt to protect him.

Red haze fills his mind, stirring up a bloodlust he hasn’t experienced in centuries. It’s thick and hot and vicious, and he lets himself sink into it.

The pulsing pain in his body all but forgotten, Madara rises and bares his fangs at the exorcist. He’ll tear him apart limb from limb, break his spine, feast on his—

“—sei! SENSEI!”

Madara glances at the boy.

Natsume’s expression is…

The rage recedes.

Chapter Text

Days blur together. The wound itself wouldn’t be a problem, but the remnants of Matoba’s spiritual powers are still eating at Madara’s very core. Lesser ayakashi would have perished from it.

Madara will heal, but it’s a slow and painful process. He spends most of his days sleeping.

One night, he wakes to the sound of Natsume’s barely stifled crying.

Typically, he’d move closer—the proximity usually settles the boy—but Natsume is awake now. Revealing that Madara noticed would be embarrassing for them both.

Although exhaustion is pulling at his eyelids, Madara stays awake until Natsume’s wet hiccups stop.

Chapter Text

“I haven’t seen you take an interest in humans since Reiko.”

“I was sealed away. And I wasn’t interested in her; just found her amusing.”

“Or before her,” Hinoe continues, ignoring Madara’s interjection. She takes a long drag of her kiseru. “I like him. He makes life interesting. I haven’t had this much fun in decades.”

“You just enjoy drinking and gossiping, you hag.”

“No, that’s you. Anyway. I’ll miss him when he dies.”

“Tsk.”

“You won’t?”

“Of course not.”

Hinoe blows cherry-scented smoke into Madara’s face. “You keep telling yourself that, kitten.”

He does.

Hinoe smirks like she knows.

Chapter Text

These days, Natsume’s nightmares are about his precious people getting hurt. “Leave them alone,” he’d beg.

It’s especially bad today. Having had enough, Madara headbutts him.

Natsume wakes with a wet gasp. His wild eyes eventually focus on Madara. “Nyanko-sensei. I—Did I wake you up?”

“Yes. You’re awfully loud!”

Natsume’s mouth curls into a horrible smile. “Sorry.”

Madara settles down on Natsume’s chest and starts grumping about needing his beauty sleep; about how the kappa has also annoyed him yesterday; then whatever else he can think of.

He talks until Natsume stops petting him and his breathing evens out.

Chapter Text

“This is good!” Madara chugs down half the can in one gulp. “Natsume! Tell Touko to buy some of this stuff!”

“What are—Nyanko-sensei! You can’t drink that!” Madara whines in protest as Natsume grabs the can out of his paws. “Energy drinks are toxic to pets. Really, they’re not good for people, either.”

“Ehh. Can’t be that bad. His fridge is stacked full of these.”

The boy’s expression has Natori shrugging sheepishly. “I’m working two jobs.”

Natsume looks so disapproving.

“A heart attack would save you the trouble of youkai attacks…”

Natori, chastised by a brat. What a sight.

Chapter Text

Natsume destroys the talisman and Madara can finally move again, except… he can’t. He still feels—wrong. There’s a tightness in his chest, the walls are pressing on him, his heartbeat is rapid, uneven—

Forever alone in a forever dark place, forever unmoving, frozen, frozen, frozen.

—Natsume’s mouth is moving, but Madara can’t make out a single word—

He runs.

“The talismans are all gone. Taki and I made sure of it.”

Good.

Madara doesn’t feel like being in his cat form tonight.

Natsume doesn’t comment on it—but he gently runs his palm over Madara’s snout before he sleeps.

Chapter Text

“Ponta? Is that you?”

“Tanuma?” Madara struggles to shift toward the voice. “Excellent timing! Do something!”

He can hear Tanuma chuckling as he kneels behind him. Madara considers going at him with his claws, but, well, he still needs help.

“What happened?”

“I was chasing a tasty-looking squirrel, it jumped between these roots so I followed… but it got past me and now my beautiful head is stuck!”

The boy is outright laughing now.

He does help Madara get free, though.

“You have served me well. You’d better not tell Natsume about this, though! Or else.”

Tanuma just laughs again.

Chapter Text

“That youkai is with you because he can gain from doing so. He does not like you. Nor does he feel any kind of affection.”

No.

Yes, but—

No.

Natsume’s arms just tighten around him.

“I protected the Book of Friends,” Natsume says, later, in their cell. Not you, is the implication.

Madara breathes a sigh of relief. Good. He doesn’t have to stop pretending.

“I was just protecting the Book of Friends,” he says it back, even later, as they soar through the sky.

Natsume smiles at him.

Madara turns away before he can find himself returning the gesture.

Chapter Text

The moment Natsume leaves the room, Madara takes the photo in his paw. The people in it might be complete strangers, but familiarity rushes through him at the sight. He studies the woman’s face intently.

This is Natsume’s mother. Reiko’s daughter.

Although he was aware of their blood relation, Madara never spared a thought for the person connecting the two.

She was born out of wedlock, raised by a woman barely out of her childhood, orphaned young… and then died at childbirth. Premature death seems to be a tendency for the Natsume bloodline.

Her gentle smile is just like Natsume’s.

Chapter Text

“Then you take the right section and cross it over the middle one. See? And continue in this manner.”

“Ugh. How do you keep the strands from sliding out of your hands?”

“Haha! Just practice. And loosen up your fingers; you’re too rigid.”

“Or,” Madara growls, “how about you go and practice on Misuzu instead?”

“Now, now, Madara-sama,” Benio says sweetly. “Help out your boy, would you? Besides, we are just making you even more beautiful than you already are.”

Flattery will get her nowhere.

But Natsume’s laugh…

Madara ends up with half a dozen little braids in his tail.

Chapter Text

They know what he looks like. Troublesome.

Madara considers shifting into his human-like from, but… nah. His facial markings would give him away just the same.

Plus—frankly, he dislikes it. Assuming the form of humans is one thing. But why should he mimic them when his true youkai form is so majestic? He’s only ever used that other body for drinking, and his conveniently sized, corporeal yorishiro has that covered now.

Going with Reiko’s familiar, fully human form and disguising it as an ayakashi is less demeaning, really.

Just for fun, he scribbles a maneki-neko face onto the mask.

Chapter Text

“We haven’t seen Natsume-sama in a while,” the one-eyed youkai says as he settles down by the heater, “so we thought we should drink here tonight!”

Madara perks up.

“We even brought some amazake for Natsume-sama, so he can join us!”

“I’m studying for an exam.” Natsume rubs his forehead. “Just… go, sensei. I’ll finish alone.”

It’s tempting. But… “Eh. We’ll drink tomorrow.”

The one-eyed blinks, surprised. “Are you helping Natsume-sama?”

Shit.

“I’m memorizing dates and events,” Natsume explains. “It helps if I can recite them out loud to someone.”

“Hmm. Alright. Then we shall help, too!”

And they do.

Chapter Text

Madara wonders what Natsume would be like if Reiko lived.

It’s shockingly easy to imagine her as a wrinkled old woman with the same spitfire personality, teasing gentle Natsume into playing her games. If her daughter and son-in-law died all the same, she’d probably have raised Natsume herself. He would’ve grown up without being ostracized.

…She’d have killed him, surely. That menace couldn’t be trusted with a plant, let alone a child.

And…

“Family… What’s that even supposed to mean?”

Did she ever learn?

Reiko and Natsume occupy such different folds of the universe. Imagining them sharing one is strange.

Chapter Text

“Wait. That youkai was… your child?!”

Natsume’s face is hysterical.

“She was of my blood,” Madara repeats. “Not a direct offspring, based on her scent.”

“Still! She—You guys barely even spoke!”

Madara sighs.

“Natsume, don’t think of us like humans. Most ayakashi don’t reproduce at all. When it comes to my kind, we mate once every hundred years or so, the mother cares for the offspring for a few decades, but that’s it. That youkai is not family. I’ve never even met her. She’s just blood.”

Madara has no concept of family.

(Three people in a peaceful old house.)

Chapter Text

Natsume high on youkai-produced incense is hilarious.

The boy has always refused to drink, though Madara suspects that tipsy Natsume would make a fun sight. If this is any indication, he’s right.

Natsume pets him and pulls him close, burying his nose in Madara’s fur, mumbling soft, unintelligent words. He is warm and pliant and happy-dazed, and he scratches Madara’s ears perfectly.

If he sprawls out in the boy’s lap to soak in his warmth, maybe even going as far as to lick the back of his hand and purr, it’s only because he knows Natsume won’t remember it tomorrow.

Chapter Text

“Humans are so weak. I can’t believe Natsume-sama got sick so easily!”

“Too easily!”

“I wish we could make him stronger.”

“Drinking the blood of powerful ayakashi has interesting effects on humans, I’ve heard,” Chobihige remarks.

“If only Natsume-sama was an ayakashi, too! He could come live with us; keep Yatsuhara safe forever!”

“Idiots,” Madara grunts at them. “He’s content to stay with the humans.”

“But…”

It’s not like Madara has never thought of it. He’d never admit it, but… sometimes, he does wonder.

(Is that mermaid still there?)

“I need him dead to get the Book, anyway.”

(Is she?)

Chapter Text

Old wood crackles as Madara sweeps the burning rubble aside and quickly assesses the situation.

Natsume, the sleeves of his jacket pressed to his mouth, coughing violently in one end of the room.

His bag lying on the floor in the other.

Both surrounded by flames.

“Here you go.” Hinoe raises the bag so Madara can gently grab it between his teeth. She glances at Natsume passed out on Madara’s back.

“I knew you would get the Book,” Madara says before she can open her mouth.

He hates the way Hinoe's watching him. “No, you didn’t.”

Madara averts his eyes.

Chapter Text

Madara has been smelling her for days. She’s lingering in a territory saturated with his own scent; she must know of him.

He intended to ignore her call, but… it’s been a while. Well before Reiko’s time. Why not?

He follows her scent into the mountains. She’s huge, silver-white, her eyes a deep indigo. Ready.

They fight.

They mate.

They part.

Madara takes a dip in the river before going home, but annoyingly, he can still smell her on his coat.

Natsume frowns as Madara, still wet, climbs through the window. “Where have you been?”

“Just lemme take a bath.”

Chapter Text

“Taki’s not bad, for a human. You should date her.”

Natsume sputters. “Sensei! Where did this come from?!”

Madara just had a stray thought this afternoon while the kids were chattering away. That Nishimura guy is always moaning about finding a girlfriend, and with Madara’s own recent encounter with that female…

He shrugs. “She likes you. And you like her.”

“Yes. We’re friends. But I’m not—I’m not interested in her like that.”

Hmm. Then maybe… “Tanuma?”

“No. Seriously, what’s up with these questions?”

Just—humans are more social than ayakashi. They always want to find long-term mates.

… Don’t they?

Chapter Text

Madara finds Natsume dozing against Hinoe’s shoulder under a tree. They’re wearing matching flower crowns.

Huh.

“Ah, Madara! Look!” Hinoe touches the pink flowers on top of her head. “Tooru-chan weaved one for me, too! Isn’t it pretty?”

“Taki?!”

“Mm. I was chatting with Natsume, she noticed him and came over. She couldn’t hear me of course, but we kind of talked through Natsume. Such a lovely girl!”

No, Hinoe is not allowed near Taki.

He is about to convey as much when Natsume hums and stretches. “Sensei...? O-oh! Sorry, Hinoe.”

Hinoe just gives him a sweet, gentle smile.

Huh.

Chapter Text

“It was quiet without you,” Natsume murmurs into his pillow.

I missed you, is what Madara hears.

They’ve just finished arguing, Natsume angry that Madara left him for days and Madara angry that Natsume carelessly got himself involved with strange ayakashi again. This sudden shift in tone is unbalancing.

Madara pretends he heard nothing.

The next morning, he goes to find what it was that Natsume threw out. It’s easy; the boy carried the stone long enough that it still smells strongly of him.

Huh. It looks remarkably like—

Well. It’s no wonder that Natsume got so embarrassed.

Madara smiles.

Chapter Text

“Oh no!”

A shirt is being blown away by the wind. Madara catches it and pins it to the ground with a claw.

“Ah! Lucky!” Touko comes to pick it up. “I have to wash this again, though.”

Madara scowls. There’s still another three days to go before he can transform again. Natsume’s explained away his cat’s absence, but it’s been torture not being able to go inside the house.

Even now, he can smell Touko’s delicious sukiyaki cooking. Madara might not need nourishment, but he certainly wants it.

As Touko continues hanging up clothes, Madara goes back to napping.

Chapter Text

“So that’s why you’re with him.”

Yes, though not for the reason Natori thinks.

Madara has nothing to gain from correcting his assumption, but… “My name isn't in the Book. He has no control over me.”

“Then what?” Natori’s eyes narrow. “You want the Book.”

“Yes.”

“Does he know?”

“Yes.”

Natori studies him.

His mouth eventually curls into an annoying smile. “I think he does have control over you. Because you care about him.”

“You’re delusional.” Madara stands. “If that was all, I’ll go find my prey.”

He pretends not to hear Natori’s parting words, “Let’s keep him safe, hm?”

Chapter Text

Since the dolls were destroyed, Shibata’s been stealing glances at Natsume with pink cheeks, murmuring under his breath whenever Natsume is out of earshot.

“When did he get so cool?”

“Ah, he smiled!”

“He’s cute. Shit.”

Madara finds it incredibly amusing.

After he accidentally reveals himself and Shibata gets over his shock, the kid pales. The moment Natsume steps away, he turns to Madara. “You. You could understand me this whole time.”

Madara smirks.

Shibata reddens.

“Don’t tell Natsume! It’s bad enough that I—Don’t tell him!”

Madara grins like the beast he is. “Have you ever heard of Nanatsuji’s?”

Chapter Text

Ayakashi have no concept of birthdays. Last year, Madara didn’t care.

He doesn’t care now, either. It’s just…

“What’s this about, again?”

“A celebration of another year he has spent on earth,” Chobihige answers. “Frankly, I do not see why humans bother.”

“Considering how short-lived they are, I guess it makes sense,” Benio muses. “They—Oh, here he comes!

The moment Natsume gets close enough, the Dog’s Circle jumps and whoops as instructed.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!”

Madara doesn’t join them; he just watches.

Natsume heard this already from the Fujiwaras. His friends. Natori.

His expression still turns brighter than the sun.

Chapter Text

“Ne, Madara. Still won’t give me your name?”

“You know my name.”

Curling her fingers into Madara’s thick coat, she tugs at his hair. He growls, but she’s not intimidated. She never is. “You know what I mean.”

“I’m not interested in your games. I’m not a prize to collect. I don’t want my name in your Book.”

“Hn.” She lets go. Her bruised skin smells of grass and wildflowers. “I guess I don’t need you in my Book.”

Because he usually does what she wants anyway? Because he’s a 'friend' anyway?

Madara is glad she doesn’t elaborate on it.

Chapter Text

“What are you doing here?” Madara says, lowering his sake cup.

“I heard you guys usually gather here to drink.” Tanuma looks around, squinting. “Um… Hello! I’m Tanuma. We’re basically neighbors.”

“The monk’s boy!”

“You know, we met them when they came to beg Natsume to kill your father.” At that, Tanuma pales. Madara eventually takes pity on him. “They’re harmless. They worship the ground Natsume walks on.”

“I see.” Tanuma bows. “I apologize for all the purification. And… thank you for always helping Natsume.”

“Polite boy,” Chobihige says. He turns to Madara. “Ask him if he wants a drink.”

Chapter Text

Madara collapses next to the little boy, wanting nothing more than to sleep until morning. All this running around was exhausting.

Fingers—much smaller than he’s used to—touch his head, soft and tentative.

“Nyanko-sensei,” young, memoryless Natsume says. “Are we friends?”

“No.” Madara doesn’t open his eyes. Doesn’t move. Pretends not to notice the boy holding his breath. “We’re just bound by fate.”

A second or two, and Natsume makes a happy little sound behind him. Madara can feel him lying back and snuggling close, his face pressed against Madara’s side, his soft hair tickling his fur.

They sleep.

Chapter Text

Natsume saved a statue from getting crushed. Since then, its spirit has been following him around. The boy’s none the wiser, but Madara is getting irritated.

“Talk to him or get lost,” he tells the ayakashi. “All this lurking around is annoying.”

They shake their head.

“What good would approaching him do? Natsume-sama is human. It would be pointless to let our paths cross any more. I just… want to watch him, for a while.” Black eyes follow Natsume, sad and wistful. “So that I may remember him even a century from now on.”

One more week, and they’re gone.

Chapter Text

“Someone fell into my swamp the other day.”

“Good for you. Free meals are great.”

“I let him go.”

Since Misuzu is resting his head on the grass, Madara can just about raise a metaphorical eyebrow at him. He doesn’t have to say anything for the other ayakashi to pick up on his thoughts.

“Natsume-dono would have been displeased.”

“He wouldn’t have known.” Madara clicks his tongue. “You’ve gone soft.”

Misuzu snorts. A gentle breeze catches in his hair, making the bells in his ear jingle. “You would know all about that.”

Madara drinks from his cup and doesn’t react.

Chapter Text

Madara gets to the island first, but…

“Sensei! Please wait!”

Even though he’s salivating at the prospect of being rewarded with sake, he can’t bring himself to open the shrine.

Tsk. He really has no business teasing Misuzu about going soft.

Natsume suggests returning through the underground path. “It’s beautiful; you’ll love it.”

The cave is full of carved patterns and sweet-smelling flowers. Precious stones twinkle like stars above their heads. It really is beautiful.

Natsume wanted to share this with him.

“Natsume-sama said he came looking for you because he was worried.”

The warmth in Madara’s chest is unsettling.

Chapter Text

A tiny youkai has been inconveniencing Touko. Breaking plates, leaving wet puddles on the floor, stealing clothes off the hanger—that sort of thing.

Madara takes care of if while Natsume’s at school.

Shigeru’s scent is wrong. He doesn’t seem to be acting any differently, but Madara can tell there’s a weak presence clinging to him.

He approaches the sleeping man at night. “You leave this body,” he says, low and dangerous, aura let loose, “or prepare to be devoured.”

The presence is gone by morning.

These people are not his, not like Natsume is… but Madara claimed them anyway.

Chapter Text

The moment the door slides open and he smells the guest, Madara knows.

Oh, it’s an ayakashi, alright. Tsk.

He’s never seen him in this form—and what a supremely irritating and punchable face, this is, even without the usual grin—but there’s no doubt.

Natsume won’t be happy when he finds out.

He’ll be furious.

Ah—that should be fun!

“What do you think? Sensei?”

Madara remains silent. The guy’s an asshole, but whatever he’s planning, the kids aren’t in danger with him. Probably.

Let’s just lie back and see how long it takes for Natsume to recognize him.

Chapter Text

Natori’s skin reeks of Matoba.

Madara waits until Natsume goes to the bathroom before narrowing his eyes at the exorcist.

“Did none of your shiki tell you to wash up? You reek of him.”

Natori can’t quite control his expression fast enough. “O-oh? Apologies.”

“Don’t,” Madara hisses. “I barely trust you, and I certainly don’t trust him. If you’re involved with Matoba, I won’t let you near Natsume.”

“Don’t worry. We’re not involved. He still hates me.”

“Idiot. You’re not beasts to lose yourself to heat!”

“No.” The man gets a faraway look on his face. “It was to nostalgia.”

Chapter Text

The barrier around the palace repelling Natsume is hardly surprising. But repelling Madara?

“This is a high society event,” a youkai wearing a fancy kimono tells them. “Beasts, even high-class, are unwelcome… unless they can act like civilized beings.”

What the—ah.

Natsume frowns after the ayakashi. “What did he mean?”

With a long-suffering sigh, Madara shifts into his other youkai form.

Natsume’s widening eyes take in Madara’s attire, the spill of long white hair, the facial markings… and finally settle on his eyes. His stunned expression softens. “You still look like you.”

Madara snorts. “So. Top floor, was it?”

Chapter Text

“Remind me why you’re dragging me around?”

“Because,” Taki says, “Sasada-san is sick, I don’t really have other girlfriends beside her, and it would be sad to go shopping alone.”

Right.

She takes his—currently Reiko’s—arm. “Come on, sensei! We’ll get your manjuu, too!”

“Would you like this for Natsume-kun?”

Madara looks up from the My Cat is My Boss mug he’s been eyeing. “Ah. No.”

Taki winks at him. “You know what? I’ll get this for him, and I won’t tell him it’s from you. As thanks for putting up with me!”

Madara can’t say no to that.

Chapter Text

“My bonds,” Natsume answers, unwilling—and that’s all the youkai needs before starting for the Fujiwara house.

Madara races after it.

The second he catches up, he grabs its neck and drags it away from the house. The bastard slithers out of his jaws, tilts its head, and blinks at Madara with six eyes.

“It doesn’t have to be him. What is your treasure?”

“Natsume Takashi,” Madara answers, the words pulled from his mouth without his consent.

He freezes.

They manage to seal away the youkai.

Madara desperately wishes he could go back to ignoring the truth of his heart.

Chapter Text

Madara has a high alcohol tolerance—of course he does—but tonight, he drinks until he can’t see straight anymore.

Fuck.

Fuck.

He knew he’s grown attached. Fond, even.

But love?!

When did that happen? How? Why?

Madara has thought himself above all those pathetic ayakashi who strain for a connection with humans…  but as it turns out, he’s not that different. When he’s with Natsume, he feels warm and content. He wants to keep the brat safe and happy.

Natsume is important. Natsume is… family.

Natsume is his fucking treasure, and damn that youkai for making him realize this.

Chapter Text

The air itself presses against the core of what Madara is. You have no place here, is what the heart of Fukuoka is telling him.

“No wonder only small-fries live here,” he mutters into Natsume’s ear. “Irritating.”

The boy glances at him. “Is it hurting you? I did notice that I ran into ayakashi less when I lived in metropolitan areas.”

“Mm. We live in synergy with nature. In central Tōkyō, I imagine I would have trouble staying tethered to the world.”

As Natsume watches the towering cityscape, he looks like someone who belongs in the forests and mountains, too.

Chapter Text

“Did you really kill humans, Nyanko-sensei?”

Madara meets Natsume’s gaze. “Yes.”

He will not apologize for what he is. He will not feel guilt over his past.

Even five centuries ago, when he was young and brash, he didn’t kill for fun. People with the Sight were more common. Youkai were routinely hunted down.

He will not feel guilt—but nor does he wish to revisit memories of bones snapping under his teeth, hot blood filling his mouth, the taste of human flesh on his—

He flinches when Natsume touches him, gentle and apologetic.

They never speak of it again.

Chapter Text

Madara knew something was up when he sensed the violent clash of energy, but he wasn’t expecting to find Misuzu and Natori on opposite sides, an exorcising circle glowing between them.

“Oi! Stop it, idiot. He’s one of Natsume’s.”

He was talking to Misuzu, actually, but they both whip their heads toward Madara.

Then they size each other up.

Eventually—reluctantly—Natori breaks the circle.

Misuzu pulls back, a smidgen. “If he is a friend of Natsume-dono, I shall let it go. Today. But he must leave.”

Natori’s eyebrows rise. He turns to Madara. Oh boy.

“Ask Natsume,” Madara grumbles.

Chapter Text

Natsume has been fighting low fevers ever since he fell into the river the other day. Even so, he stupidly gave back three names tonight. Now here he is, passed out by the window.

Idiot.

Shifting into Reiko’s form, Madara attempts to drag the half-dead boy back to his futon.

In a tangle of limbs, they fall.

Natsume sags against Madara, forehead against shoulder. As Madara puts his arms around the boy, he abruptly realizes that this is rather… like… a hug.

“Oi,” he grunts, strangely unsettled.

Natsume doesn’t react.

Madara counts to five, then shoves him onto the futon.

Chapter Text

“Nyanko-sen—!”

Natsume’s scream spears into him like a blade to the heart.

He runs, following the gurgling screams and increasingly horrid smell in blind panic.

He finds Natsume lying on his back with his eyes glazed over, tongue ripped out, scarlet blood pooling under his broken body. There’s a ghoulish youkai crouching by him.

“You wanted that, right?” The youkai nods toward the blood-splattered Book of Friends before chomping down on Natsume’s severed arm. “I care not for it. It’s yours.”

Madara—

—startles awake.

Natsume is sleeping peacefully, safe and unhurt, but Madara can’t—c-can’t—

He flies to the forest.

Chapter Text

Madara has realized two things.

1. He really is as selfish as others say.

2. He doesn’t want to inherit the Book.

He wants things to stay the way they are. Forever. He’d gladly give Natsume the mermaid’s blood, even knowing that Natsume would hate an immortal life.

It’s not even just supernatural danger. It could be sickness, an accident… old age. Madara can’t protect him from time. In a blink, Natsume’s going to be old, and then gone, leaving a gaping wound in Madara’s chest.

Even in human measures, Natsume’s but a babe.

But Madara is already grieving him.

Chapter Text

“My youkai friends are important to me,” Natsume tells Matoba. “Like my family. They are family. I’d do anything to protect them.”

The exorcist looks on, cold and detached. He says nothing.

“Don’t you have someone you’d want to protect like that, Matoba-san?”

For a fraction of a second, Matoba’s icy smirk gives way to a faraway expression Madara has seen on another exorcist recently. It makes him grit his teeth, dig his claws into the ground and pull Natsume closer with his tail.

Fucking idiots.

Can he allow Natsume to keep wandering the minefield that stretches between these two?

Chapter Text

“I didn’t like it,” Natsume whispers.

“What does it matter? She was joking.” Madara licks strawberry jam off his spoon. Sooo delicious. “Just kiss a human girl, too, sometime.”

“It’s not—” Madara looks up. Natsume is chewing on his lip. “I don’t want to.”

“Kiss girls?”

“Kiss anyone.”

Hmm.

“That’s… weird, right? I know it is. But I’m really not interested in… any of that stuff.”

Madara shrugs. “Sounds normal to me. The majority of my kind is the same.”

“I’m human.”

“Mm. But you’re kind of ours, too.”

Natsume digests that.

“Yeah,” he says with a sigh, eventually. “Yeah.”

Chapter Text

Touko is struggling with three grocery bags stuffed to bursting.

Without really thinking about it, Madara shifts into Reiko’s form and puts on some pace.

“Hey.” Touko jumps, so he softens his voice. “I’m heading in the same direction. Let me help.”

“O-oh! How nice of you! I usually don’t shop irresponsibly, but the deals were so good…"

As they walk, Touko happily chatters and Madara does his best to smile politely. He brightens when she mentions planning to make katsudon.

Before they part, she thanks Madara several times.

“No problem,” he says with a wave.

Shockingly, he means it.

Chapter Text

“Run that by me again?”

“Natori-san wants you to threaten Hinoe with whatever you can think of so she stops bothering Hiiragi.”

“Huh. Do they even know each other?”

“Apparently, Hiiragi saved her from an attack last month while we were busy setting up that ritual. Now Hinoe drops by at random times to visit.”

“She did always like strong women. Ugh. Why can’t you tell her to stop?”

“I tried! But she just laughed.”

“Well. That sucks. I find this hilarious, too.”

“Sensei!”

“Hiiragi can handle herself. At least while Hinoe’s there, she’s not bothering us.”

“You’re the worst.”

Chapter Text

“I'm sorry, ma’am. We’ve just sold the last of them.”

Annoyed, Madara turns—and blinks. That’s Taki’s brother, with a wide-eyed Taki behind him.

“Oi.” Madara holds out the banknotes he got from Natsume. “Give me those macarons.”

The boy eyes him up. “Nope,” he says, popping one into his mouth.

Madara grits his teeth.

“Nii-sa—”

“Come on, Tooru.”

“Ah! Natsume-kun’s adorable cat!”

Taki squeaks. Madara gives her a warning look as the macaron-thief squishes him to his chest. He’s on a mission.

“Oh! You’d like some? I don’t know if… Ah, you’re just too cute. Alright, here you go!”

Chapter Text

He’s okay. He’s okay.

Madara leans forward and drags his tongue over the side of Natsume’s face.

Then goes still as a statue.

Shit. He didn’t mean to—This hadn't happened since the early days when he wasn’t used to Natsume’s scent yet and occasionally tried to eat the boy in his sleep.

Under him, Natsume huffs a surprised, delighted chuckle.

“I knew you cared,” he says, all soft and smiley.

“Shut up.”

Natsume reaches up, puts his arms around Madara’s snout—and Madara can’t help but lick him again, a purr rumbling in his chest, feeling warm, so warm…

Chapter Text

“Why?”

Natsume shrugs. “You called my grandmother 'Reiko'.”

Names have power. Natsume should know that better than anyone. And because it’s Natsume, it would hold extra significance.

But Madara’s stupid sentimental heart can never deny him anything.

“Whatever,” he rumbles. He turns away. “Do you want to start calling me Madara, too?”

“Do you want me to?”

He looks back. “No.”

The boy smiles, the way he does these days, soft and genuine and pleased. “Alright.” He steps closer, pressing a warm palm to Madara’s nose. It tickles his whiskers. “Thank you, Nyanko-sensei.”

“Don’t be a sap.”

Takashi’s smile widens.

Chapter Text

“Shut up, Takashi.”

He doesn’t understand why everyone goes quiet all of a sudden until Benio grins. “Oh? It’s Takashi now?”

“I guess he’s really not going to eat the kid,” Komiya—the latest member of the Dog’s Circle—remarks. “A pity.”

“Natsume-sama! Should we start calling you Takashi-sama?”

“Takashi-sama! Takashi-sama!”

“Hn. I guess ‘Takashi-dono’ isn’t—”

“Stop it, guys!” Takashi is clearly embarrassed. “Natsume is fine. It’s fine.”

“Y-yeah! Don’t tease him!” Trust Kogitsune to always stand up for him.

Hinoe just snickers.

“Not. A. Word,” Madara grunts.

“It’s cute,” she says, immediately, and takes a drag of her kiseru.

Chapter Text

“Where is he?” Madara growls, towering threateningly over the exorcist.

She doesn’t so much as flinch.

“That boy can’t possibly be a worthy master to a daiyoukai like you. Contract with me! I’ve been looking for a shik—”

“Not interested.”

Madara raises his head and sniffs at the air. Takashi’s scent is faint, but he should be able to—

“Very well. Let’s give you some time to think on it, shall we?”

He underestimated her; he reacts too slow.

It’s like getting caught in a whirlpool. He is disintegrating, scattering, being sucked in…

No. Not again!

It’s tightness.

Blackness.

Nothingness.

Chapter Text

Tightness.

Blackness.

Nothingness.

Forever dark, forever unmoving, frozen, frozen, frozen…

Time passes.

Or maybe it doesn’t.

The only thing constant here is Madara’s despair.

And rage. Oh, so much rage! It boils in him, red-hot and vicious, wanting to snap and tear, shred and hurt.

Suddenly—voices.

And then an opening.

The moment he’s out, possessing a body again, he bares his fangs and lashes out with claws, ready to fight and rip and ki—

“Nyanko-sensei!”

Arms around his snout, thin and trembling, smelling of blood.

“I’ve got you. I’ve got you.”

Madara pants as Takashi’s blood soaks his fur.

Chapter Text

“Nyankichi-kun left his food again… Is he sick?”

Takashi strokes Madara’s head.  “Maybe.”

It’s been days, but Madara still feels shaken. Strange. The last time, he was fine the moment he got out.

Of course, he didn’t go on a crazed rampage then.

He didn’t hurt someone he… cared about.

Thanks to Natori and Hinoe’s combined efforts, they could forgo the hospital, but the deep slashes on Takashi’s arm are far from fully healed.

(Madara still can’t forget the coppery smell of his blood.)

“Get well, Nyangoro,” Shigeru says, flicking Madara’s ear.

Madara sighs, and burrows deeper into Takashi’s lap.

Chapter Text

The room is dark and quiet when Madara, drunk and somewhat disoriented, climbs through the window.

He doesn’t realize he has shifted until he sees long white strands falling onto the blanket, clawed human fingers pushing into Takashi’s hair.

The boy stirs. Opens his eyes.

Rather than stiffening at finding Madara like this, he just frowns. “Nyanko-sensei…?”

“I won’t hurt you again.”

Takashi’s forehead smooths out. “I know.”

Good. That’s… good. Madara exhales, finally feeling lighter.

Shifting back into his cat form, he curls up by Takashi’s head. The boy strokes his back, presses close, and goes back to sleep.

Chapter Text

The term opening ceremony was boring, but it was worth attending for the taiyaki they bought afterwards. Madara’s still munching as the kids chatter about their future plans.

“Otou-san said I could join them overseas, but I don’t think I’ll leave the prefecture,” Taki is saying. “Not sure what to study, though.”

“Yeah. Even if I go away for university, I’ll come back. I love it here. As for studies…”

“Yes?”

Takashi colors a bit. “Maybe creative writing? I’ve met so many people. Heard so many stories.” He scratches Madara’s ear. “I’ve got stories. I think I’d enjoy sharing them.”

Chapter Text

“Don’t look at me like that. You wanted to get involved.”

Takashi keeps glaring at him.

“You’re kind of cute, I’ll admit. Not as adorable as my cat form, but… not bad.”

Just then, Shigeru pokes his head in. “Taka—Oh! Who’s this?”

“I’m watching him for a friend,” Madara says sweetly. He strokes Takashi’s head, ignoring the way he bristles and hisses at him. “Just a day or two.”

The Dog’s Circle is already looking for the culprit; they’ll probably be able to turn Takashi back soon.

“That's kind of you. Anyway, Touko-san says dinner’s ready.”

Madara grins. “Coming!”

Chapter Text

“H-he’s not weaker at all!”

“That guy lied to us!”

The youkai disperse.

Defeating them wasn’t difficult, but Madara had better things to this evening. And their jibes that Madara became a puny human’s pet were really irritating.

At the sound of a chuckle, he whips around.

Chobihige is kneeling on a nearby rock, completely nonplussed.

Madara’s eyes narrow. “You set them on me.”

“Mm. They were bothersome.”

“Takashi doesn't make me weak,” Madara growls, not easing up on his stance.

“No.”

Is he mocking Madara, too? He can’t quite tell. “Oi. Watch yourself.”

Smiling, Chobihige raises a sake bottle.

Chapter Text

Taki is glaring, her cheeks puffed up and pink.

“Natsume-kun is friends with Natori Shuuichi, who’s apparently an exorcist, and even Tanuma-kun has met him—and it’s never occurred to either of you to tell me?”

Ah. It’s just about Natori. Disappointing.

“He came to our school once, didn’t he?” Tanuma says.

“Guys, oh my god!”

Takashi grimaces. “It’s not that—I keep forgetting he’s famous. To me, he’s just… Natori-san.”

“Taki.” They all turn to Madara. “How many manjuus would a personalized autograph be worth to you?”

Takashi punches him.

“Look, I’ll introduce you the next time, okay?”

“Ohmygod!”

Chapter Text

Takashi crashes into him the moment he lands. “Sensei! Are you okay?! I—I thought…”

A nasty bite, but nothing serious. Nothing that would warrant such an expression on Takashi’s face.

“Takashi,” Madara rumbles, pushing back against the boy’s hands. “Easy. I’m fine.”

Takashi sighs in relief. He presses his forehead to Madara’s cheek.

Then Madara feels a kiss brushed against the short fur by his eye.

His heart twists and tumbles, hot emotions flooding his chest and stealing his breath away. He’s left—speechless.

A gesture so human, and yet…

Closing his eyes, Madara nuzzles against Takashi and purrs.

Chapter Text

The exorcist takes aim. Madara, acutely aware that he is not going to be fast enough, jumps.

“Natsume!”

The ayakashi mask flutters on Takashi’s face as he turns around—and gets shoved away. Madara is there in a second, stepping above Takashi to shield him, but his mind has screeched to a halt, eyes glued to…

“Ouch,” Hinoe hisses. The arrow is buried deep in her chest.

No.

“Hinoe!” Takashi’s feet buckle as he tries to get up. His scent is sharp with fear. “Hino—"

A purifying arrow from an exorcist of that level…

Hinoe smiles at Takashi…

… and disintegrates.

Chapter Text

“I-I’m human, it w-wouldn’t have hurt m—”

“He was aiming for the heart,” Madara says, his own voice thick.

They shouldn’t have gotten involved. Takashi around larger groups of exorcists is always bad, let alone when he’s pretending to be an ayakashi.

And now Hinoe—

Natsume is hugging himself, face wet, body shaking. The sight has Madara’s heart all twisted up.

He shifts, then pulls the boy to his chest.

After a second, the shaky sobs start again. Takashi clings to Madara like a lifeline, a disgusting human mess, and Madara wouldn’t let go if the earth split beneath them.

Chapter Text

“Can I stay the night?” Takashi’s voice is scratchy. “I’m… not well.”

The flash of pride Madara feels at Takashi admitting he needs help is quickly overshadowed by sorrow.

“A friend has sacrificed herself to protect him,” he tells Tanuma, later, while Takashi’s washing up. “Call the Fujiwaras. He’s not ready to lie about her, and they’ll inevitably ask.”

Tanuma must call Taki, too; she shows up thirty minutes later. They spend the evening huddled up on the porch with Takashi.

“Are you okay, sensei?” Taki asks. Madara thought his yorishiro’s face was unreadable, but apparently not. “C’mere.”

He goes.

Chapter Text

Madara isn’t one to ponder mistakes.

That said, he’s painfully aware that this is the result of his failure.

He’s Takashi’s bodyguard. If he didn’t get separated from him… if he got back to him faster… He’s a daiyoukai; the arrow would’ve hurt him, but he’d have lived.

Takashi should be blaming him, but he just smiles with those horrible, sad eyes and scratches Madara’s ear.

Madara doesn’t know what to do—with Takashi’s pain; the guilt; the too-late admission that he liked Hinoe…

“My, aren’t you a softie.”

(If her death shook him so, Takashi’s would drive him mad.)

Chapter Text

Takashi is back to those fake smiles that Madara hasn’t seen in two years, the kind that never reaches his eyes. Days pass, and his guardians and friends watch Takashi with increasing worry.

Madara can relate.

“I have so much to lose,” Takashi whispers one night into the darkness of their room. “At least when I was alone, I wasn’t scared. Not like this.”

“Hinoe loved you.” Takashi’s breath hitches. “She wouldn’t want you to go back to being alone.”

Madara won’t make useless promises.

But he’ll do his damn best to make sure the kid doesn’t lose anyone else.

Chapter Text

“Takashi. Don’t pretend to be okay if you’re not,” Shigeru says gently one evening after witnessing a painfully awkward laugh from Takashi.

Touko approaches Takashi, slow and careful… and puts her arms around him.

Takashi goes rigid.

She keeps holding him.

“Tell us what you need, no matter what it is. Even if it’s just to listen, we’re here.” Hesitating only for a second, she presses a soft kiss to Takashi’s temple. “We love you, Takashi-kun.”

Madara can see Takashi’s eyes fogging over.

He thinks the boy won’t answer… but, quiet as the whisper of leaves, “I love you, too.”

Chapter Text

When Matoba takes the bow in hand, Takashi flinches.

Matoba—shockingly—pauses.

“I’m sorry about your friend,” he says.

Natori and his damn big mouth.

Takashi shakes off his stupor. “Are you really?”

“Whatever you may think of me, I don’t like you hurting. But we must destroy this youkai.”

Takashi swallows. “I know. It’s just…” He glances at the bow, then drops his gaze.

Madara’s about to interfere… but then Matoba sighs, puts away the bow, and reaches for a stack of talismans. “I’m not as efficient with these. You’ll have to help.”

Madara doesn’t often find himself stunned.

Chapter Text

Misuzu must think him an idiot if he believes Madara can’t tell that those are his frogs following Takashi around.

Benio fluttering above Takashi’s head as a butterfly is laughably obvious, too.

At least Chuukyuu and the rest are content to bother Madara alone during their gatherings. “How is he?” they keep asking—even Komiya, under the pretense of indifference.

“Still alive,” is all Madara can say.

Hinoe’s absence is palpable.

A month has to pass before Takashi laughs again. It’s just a burst of sudden giggles, at Madara’s expense, but Madara can’t bring himself to care.

Life goes on.

Chapter Text

The sky is pink and orange by the time Madara leaps into the air and flies for home.

Takashi is on his back, face buried in Madara’s fur, breathing slow. It’s ridiculous, really, how his arms can feel so insignificant and yet so all-encompassing around Madara’s neck. He’s a gentle weight Madara barely notices anymore—not just because it’s so light, but because it’s a part of him now. Takashi on his back is familiar. Comfortable. Welcome.

“Oi. Don’t fall asleep. I won’t catch you if you fall.”

Takashi just hums.

Madara could stay in the air with him forever.

Chapter Text

“Let’s go on a trip together,” Nishimura says. “Oh—Natsume, invite Shibata, too! The more the merrier.”

“A trip where?”

“Dunno. I was thinking of camping. This is going to be our last summer vacation as high schoolers; we should make some really cool memories!”

“My brother’s an expert hiker. He can give us suggestions on where to go.”

“Awesome! Kitamoto, you have a family-size tent, right?”

“Yep.”

“Nii-san’s got a three-person one. Plenty of space for Sasada-san and I.”

“Yay!”

“Then—”

Even as Madara shamelessly nudges Takashi’s hand for a sixth dango, the boy’s face remains bright and happy.

Chapter Text

These days, Madara usually wakes squished against Takashi’s chest, feeling long arms wrapped around him, hearing slow, even heartbeats under his ear.

Although nothing new, this arrangement used to be limited to nights when Takashi had particularly bad nightmares.

These days, they sleep like this even when Takashi suffers no bad dreams.

These days, the boy reaches for Madara even before he falls asleep. As if the proximity could keep any dark thoughts at bay.

These days, if Madara is the first one to wake, he just snuggles closer to Takashi’s warmth while waiting for the new day to start.

Chapter Text

“Seiji…?”

Madara opens an eye.

Matoba has gone still. In the meager light of their fire, he somehow looks impossibly young.

“Are you… okay?"

Matoba blinks, and the emotionless mask slides back into place. He changes the makeshift bandage on Natori’s arm. “You didn’t need to shield me. Are you an idiot?”

Natori huffs out a weak chuckle. “Probably.”

Madara wraps his tail tighter around the sleeping Takashi. Despite the fire and Madara lying right at the mouth of the cave, the air is chilly. He closes his eyes but keeps himself alert.

Just a few more hours until dawn.

Chapter Text

“Taki and Tanuma are a couple,” Takashi says. “Have been for a while, apparently, but they’ve just told me today.”

“Hmpf. I guess she could’ve done worse.”

Takashi smiles. He flicks Madara’s ear. “Are you feeling protective of her, sensei?”

“What! Of course not. That girl is a menace.”

She often brings him sweets, though, even when Takashi is being stingy. Aside from her annoying—if understandable—adoration for Madara’s cat form, she’s pretty okay. They both are.

“Tanuma said they bonded over their worry for me.”

“You mean exasperation.”

Takashi laughs. “They might’ve mentioned that, too.”

Yeah. They’re okay.

Chapter Text

“What’s this place?”

Madara’s old dwelling spot. There’s a gentle stream that cascades into a lake below. The sky is clear; the moon and the stars are all reflected on the lake’s surface.

“Happy birthday.”

“I’m glad our paths crossed.”

“I’ll remember you till the end of times.”

Madara can’t bring himself to say any of that.

“I thought you’d like it,” is the best he can manage.

“I do.” Takashi’s eyes are alit with wonder.

Settling down, Takashi leans against Madara’s side, and they watch as glittering silver slowly gives way to the colors of daybreak across the lake.

Chapter Text

“What are you guys doing here?”

The Dog’s Circle is crowding Takashi’s room. All of them, even Misuzu (in his human form).

“We heard you can finally drink alcohol!” The one-eyed youkai raises a sake bottle amidst whoops of birthday wishes. “Let’s celebrate!”

Takashi blinks. “Actually, I can’t drink until I’m twenty.”

“Whaaat?”

“But Madara-sama said—”

“Hey, what do I know about their stupid laws?!”

“Humans can marry at eighteen!”

“But I appreciate the thought,” Takashi interjects with a smile.

Kogitsune looks relieved. “Natsume, do you have ramune?”

Tipsy Takashi will have to wait… but still, it’s a nice evening.

Chapter Text

The woman keeps taking abandoned and injured animals home. She cares for them, nurses them back to health, and gives them a home.

She doesn’t realize that one of the cats she’s taken in is a spirit.

They grow close. The spirit follows her around and helps, even without her knowing.

After she dies in an accident, the spirit ends up assuming her form and helping creatures in her stead.

Madara pushes Takashi’s notebook away.

The story isn’t about him, yet his chest hurts at the idea of assuming Takashi’s form after he’s gone.

…He’d watch over the Fujiwaras, though.

Chapter Text

The ayakashi leaves while Takashi is still reliving her memories. Once he comes round, he turns to Madara.

“She’s watched Reiko-san for months,” he says, “and deliberately sought her out. She thought she looked lonely.”

Madara just hums.

“I saw you, too.”

“What?”

“Through Koharu’s eyes,” Takashi explains. “At that place you took me to on my birthday. Reiko-san was skipping stones across the lake. You were lying behind her and pretending you weren’t watching.”

Madara spent many days like that with Reiko. He isn’t sure how to respond.

Smiling, Takashi runs his fingers across the cover of the Book.

Chapter Text

“Do ayakashi have families?”

He studies her. She seems genuinely curious, but it’s always difficult to tell with her.

“Not really.” Madara lazily swishes his tail. “A small minority of us.”

“I bet that’s easier. I wish I didn’t have to deal with them, either.” She kicks up bits of dirt and grass. “Family… What’s that even supposed to mean? It’s not worth the trouble.”

She visibly swallows.

“Ah—the food’s great, though! She’s a good cook. I’ll bring you something the next time.”

She never comes back.

When Madara carelessly wanders closer to the town, he gets sealed away.

Chapter Text

“I love you, Nyanko-sensei. Madara.”

Madara freezes.

“I’m so glad I met you. So glad… you’ve been with me.”

The words twist around his ribcage like thorny vines, scratching his heart raw. Madara growls a wounded sound.

“Shut up, Takashi. You’re not dying. I won’t let you.”

Takashi smiles with bloodied lips. “I hope you knew, but… I wanted to say it. Words are… important.”

There are dozens of ayakashi nearby. (Takashi touched so many lives.) The Dog’s Circle is watching them from afar. (Sniffing, why are they sniffing, Takashi’s not going anywhere.)

Madara curls around his boy and howls.

Chapter Text

There’s a lump lodged in his throat.

He focuses on pouring his spiritual energy, his life force, his everything into Takashi. The boy’s skin blisters from it.

Madara bites into his foreleg, then makes blood drip between Takashi’s pale lips. Shifting, he uses human fingers to draw the swirls of his name onto the boy’s too-still chest in red.

“Bind me,” he hisses. “Say my true name and bind me!”

Madara doesn’t need all those remaining centuries. Whatever he can share with Takashi is enough.

Pressing their foreheads together, he swallows around the lump.

“I love you, too, Natsume Takashi.”

Chapter Text

The elegant swirls of Madara’s name stay tattooed on Takashi’s chest with blood and spiritual power.

Eventually, after some persuasion, an answering name appears under the fur on Madara’s chest: four kanji binding the non-youkai non-human to him.

They don’t know how it’s going to work out exactly—nobody’s ever attempted a contract quite like this—but they can stay with their family, for now.

Life goes on. The Book keeps getting thinner.

And it’s fine.

Takashi is the other half of Madara’s soul. When they go, they’ll go together.

Until then, they remain here, sharing precious days in Hitoyoshi.