The Light of my Life

End of a Day

Illyana and Tamotsu rode the elevator up to the top floor of the building. The ride was long, silent, and dragging on Illyana's nerves the more time passed. It may have just been a three or five minute ride up, but it felt like an hour. Tamotsu stood behind her on his phone. She wasn't sure if he was playing a mobile game or doing something for work. Sometimes she felt a little too self conscious to ask because if it was a game, wasn't he allowed to play a little bit with all the things he does for her? And if it was work she would be embarrassed that she was the only one ending her day. He never seemed to take a break, and honestly that was how Tamotsu preferred it, little did she know. A workaholic, one to never cease. They say he was born and bred a salaryman like his father and was genetically inclined to punch-in and never punch-out until the day he died and transmigrated to another world. 

You couldn't kill Tamotsu that easily though. He was quite energetic and young. He took care of not only himself, but for Illyana's well being so he needed to be in top shape. He was, arguably, as fit, if not more so than she. Of course the rumors of Tamotsu being with the Yakuza or Triad didn't help any. He typically wore loose clothing that hid his physique, but when his sleeves were pulled up one could see the tattoos that were drawn on his forearms, of which he has assured Illyana that they are of a religious quality. She had no reason to doubt him. But in times like this -- she doubted herself. She had to depend on Tamotsu for her care. She didn't even have the capacity to do it on her own. She would often forget meals, forget appointments and completely disregard events when she became anxious and talked herself out of it. 

Tamotsu was there to whip her back into shape, in a sense. 

~ding~

Illyana jumped when Tamotsu moved. He walked forward as the elevator doors opened, despite having his face in his phone. He stopped and looked back, holding his arm over the door's sensor. 

"Are you coming, or do you want to go back down?" He was carrying the bag from the convenience store for her, because he knew she would have gobbled everything down in the elevator before they even made it back.

"A-ah, yes! Of course! I was just deep in thought!" She huffed, raising her nose in the air as she strode off the elevator, only to jump a little when the doors closed behind her.

She felt Tamotsu's hand press against her back. He had caught her hair and pinned it close to her body, lest it get caught by the doors. He was ever mindful of the world around her when she found herself utterly distracted most of the time. That was another bad habit of hers -- not the distraction, she was hopeless in that regard. But it was Tamotsu. Whenever he lent her a hand or got her out of a jam, though she was immensely thankful, she was also embarrassed. Everything he did for her reflected something she couldn't do for herself and it depressed someone her age.

Letting out a sigh she continued to walk beside Tamotsu until they arrived at her apartment door. She fished through her purse for her keys, but it was taking time as it seems to have fallen to the bottom of the sea of various knickknacks she kept flooding in her purse for just-in-case moments that rarely, if ever, happened. She would narrow her ruby eyes, annoyed at her own ineptitude. Did she lose her keys again? What would Tamotsu say? A soft chime caught her ears before the sound of her door opening caught her attention. She glared at her opened door, Tamotsu standing to the side, not once having looked up from his phone, standing with her keys in his hand.

They were her keys because that was her batty keychain. She did misplace her keys. "I-I knew you had them..." She held out her hand.

Tamotsu's dark eye drifted up from his phone's screen, leering at the woman who couldn't help but blush at the accusing look. She snatched her keys when he dangled them in the air and would cross the threshold. A slight smirk played on Tamotsu's features when she brushed passed, making sure she bumped his shoulder in the process. Someone was upset. 

"Maybe you shouldn't keep everything in your purse." He stepped in behind her, Illyana having seated herself on the genkan to slip off her sneakers. 

"Look, just because I drop my keys sometimes doesn't mean I need to empty my purse. I need those things." Her assertions fell on deaf ears as Tamotsu picked said keys up from the side table she dropped them on and hung them on the key hook. 

He closed the door behind him, kicking off his shoes before stepping into the apartment proper. Illyana sighed deeply before throwing herself onto her couch. She fell onto her stomach before rolling on her back, hand holding down her skirt. 

"Mooou! Can't you just let me suffer the consequences of my own irresponsibilities?! Maybe I'll learn!" Illyana sat up, opening her mouth to speak again, but Tamotsu was standing in front of her holding a wet napkin.

Despite her bellyaching she took the offered cloth and wiped the day's makeup off her face. "If I did that Lily, we'd never get anywhere. It's more efficient this way. Just depend on me and don't worry about it. A lot of people in your position have managers that help with these sorts of things. And if I were to let such a thing happen it would make it look like I don't do my job." He finally tucked his phone away into his vest pocket. Moving to kneel down in front of her he took the napkin from her hand and helped wipe down the rest of the gunk she missed. "Don't worry about it so much. I am quite proud to assist you in any way I can."

Tamotsu was too responsible! It frustrated Illyana that he was so dependable! "I'm not incompetent you know!" she clenched her hands into fists, watching as her manager stood and walked to the open kitchen to dispose of the wetnap. 

"I know you're not. Lily just has too many things to do and I help by organizing everything in smaller sets. Is working with me so awful?" He looked up from where he stood, dropping the used tissue into the refuse. "I mean if you really wanted you could let me go."

Fire Tamotsu? The thought never crossed her mind. But it did sound like she didn't want his help anymore.

"N-no! I didn't mean it like that. It isn't you." She shook her head, reaching her hand out in an attempt to amend the situation. "I was just a little frustrated at myself especially after the spectacle I made of myself today." She let her hands drop to her lap as she sulked.

Today was not a good day for her. Despite Tamotsu making a big breakfast for her she had dallied her time away playing a mobile game and before she knew it they had to leave. It was a busy day and she ended up collapsing. 

"I-it isn't your fault you have a Vampir for a client..." She jumped a bit when she felt Tamotsu sat beside her on the couch. "It isn't Momo's fault!"

Momo, huh? Did she really prefer to call him such a childish nickname? Only his mother had ever called him Momo. Mori Tamotsu. When written in kana his last name, Mori was spelled with mo~ri and his first name was spelled ta~mo~hi~~u. With mo~ sharing the same kana in this case, Momo became something his mother called him early in his life, though he could assure one it did not read also/also as it could. The common interpretation was far more embarrassing.

"But it is my fault I didn't check  your plate. We were both rushing and it's my responsibility to take care of you." Tamotsu's words made her blush. 

She shook her head. "I should know my limits. I should have taken a break. You can't take blame for this."  She couldn't let him burn for her stupid mistake. 

She closed her eyes feeling his hand come up to brush the side of her head. He had laid his arms across the back of the couch in a relaxed position. He seemed to be thinking, but when he smiled in that way he did she knew he was settled with the thought. Scratching slyly at his cheek he smirked weakly. "I was in a panic when she fainted, even if I looked very professional. My heart sank when Lily collapsed."

She felt guilty. She had fallen from the platform she was practicing on and Tamotsu was suddenly beneath her, holding her against his body. She remembers him shouting over her head at the others to get her some tomato juice and an ice pack. She was overheated and anemic from skipping breakfast. For a Vampir that could be dangerous and push them into a blind Bloodlust. The only thing that saved her in that moment was Tamotsu's fast thinking and her Devil blood. After all she was only half Vampir. But this incident definitely made her feel like a full idiot.

Tamotsu leaned forward towards the coffee table that sat between the couch and fireplace. Above the fireplace hung a flatscreen television. Turning it on, Tamotsu would move to stand. "Now, now. How about some evening dramas while I cook dinner? I'll make up for your missing breakfast."

She winced at that. He was still a little miffed at her for that overall. "I'll eat everything this time."

His eyes were pinched closed in a smile. "I'm glad, I'm glad. It's great that Lily appreciates my cooking!"