Where Trouble Won't Look

Running through the streets of Tokyo with the constant fear of being attacked was harrowing for a foreigner.

Running while half-dragging a blind fox-girl who was suddenly wanted by almost everyone was worse.

Braith’s only coherent thought was get out of the city.

Thankfully, a train station loomed ahead, barely a minute’s sprint away. They bolted up the stairs to the overhead platforms, Braith’s lungs burning as Yumie struggled to keep pace behind him. He tapped his credit card at the gate without slowing - but the way the security guard’s Mahotona locked onto them made his skin crawl, forcing him to ease his pace.

Yumie panted hard as they rode the escalator up, her breath uneven.

They couldn’t run anymore.

Running would draw eyes. And once they were inside the station, there was nowhere to run - only a single escalator back down. The rest of the platform was sealed behind glass doors that would only open once a train aligned perfectly with them.

If trouble arrived before then, they’d be trapped.

Only as they reached the top did Yumie have the presence of mind to pull her hood up, flattening her ears against her head. It helped - but only a little. Her tail was impossible to hide, especially since she stubbornly refused to wear anything resembling pants or a proper skirt. Still, by staying close to Braith she could at least keep it partially concealed.

It wouldn’t fool a Mahotona.

Several were already staring.

But to everyone else, she was just a blind cosplayer clinging to her boyfriend.

Braith guided her to a cold metal bench and sat beside her. The moment he did, she leaned into him, her body trembling through the layers of fabric between them. He slipped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.

For the first time since they’d fled, he felt… still.

There was nothing more they could do now but wait.

He leaned closer and spoke a little louder than usual, accounting for her covered ears - though he wasn’t entirely sure she even needed the adjustment.

“Are you okay?”

She shook her head immediately.

“The dark is scary…”

The words hit him harder than he expected.

“What do you mean?” he asked softly.

She shivered.

“Anything could be hiding in it,” she whispered. “Anything could be watching…”

Braith’s chest tightened.

She lived in darkness. Constantly. Permanently.

And now she was afraid of it.

“I’m always here,” he said without hesitation.

She nodded, sniffing quietly.

“I know… I’m sorry. I just feel really lost.”

He didn’t answer with words this time.

Instead, he focused. He pictured her wrapped in a light, semi-transparent robe, thin enough to flutter with every movement.

Yumie inhaled sharply as an image of their surroundings bloomed in her mind.

She clutched him, arms wrapping tight around his waist as silent tears slipped down her cheeks.

“Thank you…” she whispered. “I’m sorry…”

She didn’t ask what he’d imagined.

She didn’t need to.

They held each other as the station hummed around them, waiting - until the gentle hydraulic hiss of a well-maintained train announced its arrival.

The train hummed as it carried them along the elevated tracks, the city scrolling past beneath them in a blur of lights and concrete. The ride was smooth, almost soothing - and despite the rush-hour crush, there were still enough seats for most of the passengers. The rest stood willingly, hands looped around poles, faces buried in phones.

Yumie leaned her full weight against Braith as the train slowed into another station.

He knew, distantly, that he was the one in charge of this escape.

He also knew he had no idea where they were going.

His phone rested in his palm like a lifeline. As the route map slid past beneath his thumb, a single, simple objective formed in his mind:

Find somewhere to sleep where no one would think to look.

He wasn’t having much luck.

Still, he took some comfort in the knowledge that Yumie’s stamina mirrored his own. She wouldn’t tire until he did. Between the nap they’d shared earlier and the lingering adrenaline still buzzing through his veins, sleep felt like a distant problem. The sprint had taxed him - but the steady motion of the train should have eased it.

Should have.

The next station was a major one. The doors slid open, and the carriage began to fill rapidly. Bodies pressed closer. Voices rose. The air grew warmer.

It wasn’t a concern - until a heavily pregnant woman boarded.

She paused just inside the doorway, one hand braced against her lower back as her eyes searched for an open seat. There were none.

Braith didn’t hesitate.

He stood as she approached, offering a smile and gesturing to the place he’d been sitting. Relief softened her face as she thanked him and lowered herself carefully into the seat.

Yumie startled the instant she felt him rise.

Her grip tightened, breath hitching - until she realized he was still holding her hand. The tension drained from her almost immediately. Braith reached out with his free hand and caught a nearby pole, fingers curling tight as the train lurched back into motion.

With both hands occupied, he couldn’t search for lodgings anymore.

So instead, he watched her.

Her unseeing eyes shifted, searching for him instinctively. Her hood hid most of her messy hair, but flecks of orange-blonde still caught the light as the train passed beneath open evening sky. He felt a smile tug at his lips.

He squeezed her hand gently and leaned closer.

“I’m here.”

She turned toward his voice at once, relief evident even without her sight. She nodded, lips pressed together as if anchoring herself to the sound.

The train glided onward.

It carried its passengers toward their destinations - nearly a third of them Mahotona, the other two-thirds of them blissfully unaware.

And among them, travelling quietly between stops, were two fugitives no one had thought to look for.

Yumie tightened her grip on Braith’s arm as they moved down the busy night street, instinctively angling her head away whenever she felt the weight of another Mahotona’s attention. Some gazes lingered too long - curious, hungry, calculating - and Braith did his best to steer them clear without looking like he was doing exactly that.

They hadn’t gone far.

That was intentional.

If anyone was looking for them, they’d expect distance. Trains, highways, borders. Running as far as possible made sense. Finally Braith’s head had begun to think clearly.

Staying in Tokyo, tucked between millions of people and a thousand blind spots, felt safer.

Braith had the route memorized. He hadn’t told Yumie where they were going for two reasons.

First, because he was embarrassed.

Second, because she would almost certainly be delighted.

So he kept quiet until they stopped in front of a tall, windowless building washed in sleek neon signage. It looked almost futuristic - polished metal, soft lighting, no visible entrances from the street. The kind of place people pretended not to notice as they passed.

Braith slowed, then stopped.

“We’re here,” he whispered.

Yumie tilted her head slightly.

“Where’s here?”

He swallowed.

“…A love hotel.”

Her expression shifted instantly - surprise flashing across her face, followed by a slow, delighted smile.

“Oh.”

A beat.

“You’re clever.”

Then she shuffled just a little closer to him, cheeks warming.

“Although…” she added, voice teasing, “you could’ve taken me out to dinner first.”

He groaned softly.

“That’s exactly what I thought you’d say.”

He sighed, rubbing his face with his free hand.

“It’s just somewhere to spend a night or two. Until we find something better.”

She smiled wider.

“Or,” she said brightly, “the place where history is made.”

He shot her a look.

“I’m not sure there’s an award for the first conception between a human and a Mahotona.”

She shivered, all earlier tension evaporating as a very specific train of thought took over. Her grin turned mischievous.

“Ooooo,” she hummed, clearly enjoying herself. “You’re very forward tonight.”

He exhaled.

“Well, I’m glad someone is having a good time.”

She nodded solemnly.

“Making the most of the little things.”

Then her head dipped, ears twitching as a very questionable idea crossed her mind.

“Although,” she added sweetly, “I do hope yours isn’t too little.”

Braith’s heart skipped.

He grabbed her hand and tugged her toward the entrance before she could say anything else.

“Inside,” he muttered.

Her laughter followed them, light and unburdened - ringing far too brightly for two people who were supposed to be on the run.

The hotel room greeted them with a soft waft of perfume as Braith closed the door behind them - something floral and faintly sweet, clearly designed to heighten the senses. He guided Yumie forward, the room revealing itself quickly: a bed, a bathroom, and a wardrobe. Nothing else. But everything - from the lighting to the textures - was unmistakably luxurious, crafted for nights meant to be remembered rather than repeated.

Braith glanced at the wardrobe once and immediately knew what he’d find inside if he opened it.

Then Yumie hummed.

“This is a nice room.”

He shook his head, forcing himself to clear the thought that had briefly sparked a telepathic image - her in a gartered bodysuit.

Her hood slipped back as she tilted her head up, fox ears springing upright as if freed from restraint. The knowing smile tugging at her lips told him she was fully aware of what she’d done.

“Are you feeling a little nervous?” she asked sweetly.

He sighed, then let out a quiet chuckle.

“I can’t hide it from you. But honestly… I can’t believe you’re able to think about things like that right now.”

She grinned wider.

“But you can too, can’t you?” she replied. “Otherwise you wouldn’t be able to send me pictures.”

He groaned.

She giggled, thoroughly pleased with herself, then her expression softened as she exhaled.

“…I’m kinda hungry.”

He nodded. The room, unsurprisingly, had no kitchen - this wasn’t a place meant for long stays. They’d have to go out. That meant Yumie would need to hide her kemonomimi features, at least well enough to avoid attention.

Braith sighed and approached the wardrobe he’d been dreading.

Inside was exactly what he expected: lingerie, costumes, and outfits that ranged from playful to outright scandalous. He ignored most of it, scanning until he found what he was looking for - a school uniform skirt. Far too short to be modest, but just long enough that Yumie could curl her tail inside it if she tried.

It would be uncomfortable if they walked far. But for a short trip, it would work.

He handed the waistband to her.

“Here. Wear this. Then we can go get food. You’ll be able to hide your tail.”

She nodded and, using him for balance, stepped into it and pulled it up. He smiled faintly - until she spoke again, quieter this time.

“Can… can we call this a date?”

His chest tightened.

“A… date?”

She nodded.

“Our first.”

He hesitated only for a moment before smiling.

“Of course.”

Her smile in return was bright and warm, like the weight of the day had already drifted into the past. Like the fear, the running, the uncertainty were scars from another lifetime entirely.