The Light of my Life

Eyes Wide Open

The table was set with their morning meal. It was now nearly seven in the morning. Tamotsu had said they would be leaving half past seven so they wouldn't be eating in leisure. Still she had a lot to choose from. Warm rice and baked fish, a dish of super fluffy scrambled eggs, a salad of greens, and --!

"Oop, almost forgot!" Tamotsu stood and walked back into the kitchen while Lily focused on filling her plate. 

She was a little greedy when it came to Tamotsu's eggs. She had yet to learn his secret to making them so light and fluffy, but she would shamelessly leave him rough almost none. Payback for them being so delicious and he never divulging his secrets to her! That was one of the many amazing things about Tamotsu. He was an amazing cook. He said he learned from his mother, who was a homemaker. 

First Tamotsu set her glass of juice beside her. She squealed softly. She loved when Momo made her juice! It was always tasty! Just as she popped a chopstick full of eggs on her mouth Lily would freeze at the sight of honey and manna being placed before her. A stack of Tamotsu's homemade pancakes. Her eyes glittered with untold love, as if she was being presented with a dragon's trove of treasure. 

"Surprise!" He smiled warmly upon noticing her gaze. 

She seemed happy, good! He wanted her to have a pleasant mood today. It'll be easier to give her the bad news. If it was up to Tamotsu he would never tell her and handle it all himself. But he didn't believe that it would be healthy for their relationship to withhold such things. It was tantamount to lying. He would instead try to present her with such harsh things with a gentle touch. It was kinder. 

After the shock of the presentation wore off and Lily had piled several pancakes on her plate her awareness returned. Momo rarely made pancakes, and when he did there was usually something behind it. Momo wasn't someone who told lies, but he did withhold information until he felt the fine was right. Sighing upon realizing the warm pancakes were a ruse, she sulked.

"Momo..." Lily called across the table. 

Tamotsu had served himself some rice, putting what remained of the eggs on top and drizzled sit sauce over it. He looked up when Lily summoned him with a rather concerning tone... Tamotsu scanned the room, the table, Lily. He's realized she's likely noticed. Kami damn Silvia for being right! He was a creature of habit! He always made Lily a treat when he had some bad news to break to her. She was wise to his games, so he had to distract her!

Swallowing his mouthful of food Tamotsu held up his hand to half her words. "No, you're right." He cleared his throat. 

He set down his hand empty bowl, his chopsticks on their rest. Lily, though a little perturbed with Tamotsu, but she wasn't about to let the pancakes go cold and began to pour the syrup over her stack. She awaited his words, bracing herself for the inevitable. 

"I apologize for not saying it sooner." Lily smugly grinned, with a cheek full of pancake. "That outfit is cute. 

She was caught off guard by his compliment. Looking down at her clothes she made sure her mouth was free from any bits of food. 

"You mean it, Tamotsu?" She was so bewildered she dropped his nickname, her mind turning down various avenues of self-doubt. "I wanted to pick something out cute, but..." She laid her hands on her chest. "I don't look sexy or magical?"

Tamotsu snorted and turned his head away to laugh. 

Lily would pout. "What's so funny?!" 

"You're funny, dear." His words were enough to make her blush. "Such a darling Lily. Of course you look cute. Honestly if we play our cards right: with your new anime debut your label could change and you'll become multifaceted, like the gem you are and deserve to feel like."

Lily sat with her eyes wide and mouth slightly agape.

'This smooth son of a bastard. How dare you make me fall for the unattainable!' Lily lamented in her thoughts. 

If Momo was straight she'd have to fight other women off with a stick! He was good looking, dressed clean and neat, was well mannered, he could cook and keep a schedule. Of course the one person she falls for. Whether anyone could believe it: Lily did once have an arranged marriage. 

The betrothed in question had been so cute and a gentleman when they were kids, but he grew up to be a complete sleaze. The paparazzi she had attacked a few years ago? His life of questioning was a direct result of her ex. He had wanted to take their relationship further. He thought bribing Illyana would be easy because her mother was a daughter of Lilith.

Lilitu, what Lilith's descendents were called, were similar to Succubus and her offspring only seemed to give birth to females. 

He somehow equated that to bring loose. Even Vampir were often viewed as promiscuous creatures. Hardly! Only hardly because with their partners they could be aggressively amorous. 

She liked the boy, but she wasn't in love. Not at the time anyway. It opened her eyes to the different perspectives people in the same relapsing could have. She broke off the engagement and he started to spread around nasty rumors about them doing... things. 

Sure couples did things... but those things were not cute and she was not even married or had ever -- never with another.

So Tamotsu's words hit her in her weak spot for critical damage.

"... so that's why forget what the paparazzi says. You'll never be anything but cute in my eyes." He leaned back in his chair with his bowl, continuing to eat. "Any mongrel that can't see that deserves to have their eyes gouged out." He shoveled some rice into his mouth. "Artistic expression my ass."

"Wait, what did they say now?!" Lily flustered.

"Same old shit. They're trying to push that I'm in a relationship with you." He continued to eat. 

Lily let out a sigh. "As if that could ever happen." Way to salt the wound you damn vultures!!

Tamotsu paused between movements, chewing a bit on his bite to think. After mulling it over he felt her comment wasn't necessary. He already knows she was far above his grade. He was an E, C if he was generous, while she was a S-Class cutie. Not that it mattered. He was her manager! It was highly unprofessional. He respected Illyana as a pro in her field. He would never do anything that can jeopardize that!

"... so that's why Silvia called me. The plan is we keep the ruse up until such a time we can spring our trap." He filled the silent space with more food shoveling. 

Illyana dropped her chopsticks on the table. "W-what?!"

Her thoughts ran a mile a minute. 

'No way! It was a dream come true! Sure I can't be his girlfriend for real but a little role-playing never hurt anyone! Way to go onee-san!'

But then it hit her. "But Momo, you don't like lying." 

"You're right... lying is something only a scum of a man would do." He agreed. 

Well, there went her dreams. Was just a slice of heaven took much to ask for? To pretend just for a little bit? But Illyana couldn't ask Tamotsu to warp his moral code for her. Even if it would have made her day. Week. No, year!

Tamotsu let out a wry sigh. "Well--" He folded his hands together and rested his chin on the top of his knuckles. "... there's no harm in a little role-playing."

Illyana looked up towards Tamotsu. "You mean...?"

He nodded. "I don't like it, but we're only delaying things until everything is settled. Your sister is handling it."

Lily took a deep breath and nodded. She was about to open her mouth and speak up, but Tamotsu's phone let out an alert. Pulling it from his pocket he checked it over. He pushed to stand from the table. 

"Alright, ten til. Get your stuff and let's go." Pushing to stand Tamotsu would eye his phone's screen before pocketing it.

"Alright!" Illyana cheered and took one last bite of the pancake and followed Tamotsu to the door. 

The young man sat on the edge of the genkan and slipped on his shoes, the Vampir following him and putting on her sneakers. Tamotsu glanced over towards Illyana, a smile drawing upon his face. She seemed really upbeat despite the troubling news.  He was glad.

Opening the door he would stand aside so she could exit as well. "You're much cuter when you smile, Lily. You should do it more." He encouraged. "Since, for the time being, we'll be dating. I'd prefer a cute girlfriend." It was a little cheesy but it was his honest thoughts, even if Lily wasn't aware of Tamotsu's true desires, or even where his interests lie.