Chapter Text
A light summer breeze blows through the leaves of the large oak tree. It also moves the two papers tied to one of its lower branches. The way they danced on the wind was magical to your seven year old mind. It was as if something or someone was reading them, invisible hands gently holding the paper and watching over you in the process.
You had been too short to tie your paper to the tree so your grandmother had done it for you. She had tied one of her own as well next to yours on the branch. Her nimble hands knot the string on the branches and look at it in contentment.
“The Gods of this mountain are always watching over us.” She says with her hands crossed in front of her.
You look over in curiosity under the swaying branches to a statue. It was technically two but they were intertwined together.
A pitch black fox with one purple eye is caught leaping up. It looks mischievous, much like the stories you have heard of trickster spirits that lure people away from their homes. The other being was a large white dragon. It leaps down, following the fox with a look of glee. Its bright blue eyes follow the fox’s next move. The statue reminds you of Ying and Yang, these two beings that encompass that watch over this mountain.
“I will make us tea.” She says gently. You look back at her as she turns and walks into the house. Once she is gone you cautiously walk up to the statues.
“Um-” You start nervously, “I know that you guard this mountain but could you guard my grandmother too? She is alone up here and I can’t visit often. You don’t have to grant my other wish! Just- just this one.”
There is no reaction from the statue, no voice telling you that it knows you are there or heard you. You lower your eyes and turn around to walk away. Maybe the gods don’t exist-
A gust of wind swirls around you suddenly. You whip your head back at the statue and it seems as if the eyes of the two gods are staring at you. In any other situation you would feel uncomfortable to be stared at but this was different. You swear you hear faint laughter on the wind that lightly brushes past you.
Taking this as a promise you grin, “Thank you!”
Once again there is no reaction but you feel better than before. Your Grandmother calls your name and you rush back inside the house to her, leaving behind the two gods.
______
Death is hard to explain to a ten year old.
Your parents try their best but your inquisitive mind makes it harder then it should be.
“When is Grandma getting back?” You ask your mother. She holds back her flinch as she answers,
“She won’t be back,” You see tears well up in her already red eyes, “but she did leave you a letter when she left.”
Gently she hands you a letter. It has your name written on the front in your Grandmother’s handwriting. Many times you would be fascinated at her elegant hand writing. You take it with reverence and begin to slowly open it.
To my dearest Grandchild
I am leaving, it will be a long journey but I hope you will look after the house and shrine in my
absence. The entirety of it will be given to you on your twenty-fifth birthday, I hope you will enjoy this last gift from me. Please know that I will always love you and will be looking after you even when I am gone.
With love,
Your Grandmother
It is a lot to look after but you will honor her request as best you can. You hug the letter to your chest and you can smell her perfume on the paper.
Your twenty-fifth birthday is so far away.
______
The tall mountain looms over you as the car drops you off at the bottom. A large red torii gate marks the entrance to the stone path. You smile as you remember touching the right pillar every time you ascend the stairs when you were younger.
“Are you sure you will be alright? No one has lived there for years.” The older man says as he hands you your bags from the trunk.
“Don’t worry! This place was my Grandmother’s, it was her last wish for me to have it.” You explain as you take the last bag.
The man looks skeptical but just sighs at your determination.
“There is a town a few minutes from here, if you need help contact me. Me and my grandson will come and help you.” He says with a stern look as he climbs back into the cab.
“I will keep that in mind, Thank you Mr-” You pause, giving him time to respond.
“-Itadori, Wasuke Itadori.”
“Thank you Mr. Itadori.” You say. He just shakes his head and closes the car door.
As he drives away you wave at him and when his car is a speck of black on the horizon you turn back to the mountain. Hauling your backpack over your shoulder and picking up your other bag you walk to the first gate. Once you stand under the gate you put your right hand on the right pillar.
“I am back.” You whisper to the mountain like an old friend. When you pull your hand back it feels tingly, like tv static is under your skin. You blink down at it for a second but shake it off.
Halfway up the mountain the stone path splits into three. Each path is overgrown with weeds, two of them you can’t even see the stone that you know lay underneath. But the one in the center is more clear then the others, Grass and weeds peek out between the stones but haven’t fully taken over.
That is the path up to the house and shrine. You remember the many times when you were young when you would run up the stones, leaving your parents chasing after you, to run into your Grandmother’s arms. A grief long since buried wakes up in your chest as you start up the path. You don’t cry but it is an emotional walk up.
Soon the trees part and you are met with the sight of the house. It is a one story house with an engawa that wraps around the house. You remember drinking tea in the summer sitting on the engawa looking out at the trees. Cherry trees line the clearing and to the left is the large ginkgo tree that has the statue under it. The statue is facing the house but it feels like the eyes are staring at you. You glance over at it. It makes for a peaceful picture, a swaying ginkgo tree and a statue that has rested there for a hundred years.
Breaking eye contact with the dragon and fox you walk up the stairs and into the house.
You have long since lost your belief in gods.
______
The house is a mess. You curse that damn lawyer who had assured you that it was looked after. Everything is in its place but years worth of dust coat everything in sight. Along with the dust is dirt, it seems that maybe an animal had gotten in here at some point. You just hope there is no mold. If there is, you will be suing the lawyer, which sounds ironic.
You put your two bags down with a sigh. Luckily you had brought cleaning supplies in case this happened. Digging through your bag you pull out the supplies and a few towels. You should probably start in the kitchen.
The kitchen is old fashioned but large. You move past the central island and stare at the sink. ‘It is better to cover all the bases first.’ You think as you turn the knob for the sink. When water comes gushing out you sigh in relief, you are happy that you won’t have to bathe in the river.
You put the supplies on the counter and get to work. The counter and sink are scrubbed thoroughly, the cabinets and fridge are gone through and all the out of date food is thrown out, you also clean the window above the sink that looks out at the forest. In that time you go through at least three trash bags and a few of your towels need to be thrown out.
It is all worth it to see the kitchen back to its former glory.
Next you check the electricity. You plug in your phone charger and cheer when the little green lightning bolt flashes on your screen. This means you can use the washer and dryer which fills you with glee. Picking up the towels you make your way to the laundry room and open the dusty washer lid. You quickly dust off the lid and drop the towels in. This will be the first of many loads of laundry.
Venturing into the master bedroom you find a dresser, a bed and two sliding shoji doors out to the engawa. You open up the two doors and let the air come in. A nice breeze fills the room and you breathe a bit easier. You pull the sheets off of the bed and put them in the steadily growing pile of laundry. When all the sheets are off you pull the mattress off the bed frame and lean it on the railing of the porch. Hopefully that will air it out so you can use it tonight.
You find a broom in one of the closets and sweep the room. After that you mop until the floor sparkles. Hearing the washer buzz you lean the mop against the wall and switch the towels into the dryer. Coming back to the bedroom you grab the sheets and put them in. You check on the mattress and are pleased to see it is better than before, some of the dust has been cleaned off but you shake it to make sure. Some dust falls off and you drag it back in when you are satisfied. You will probably buy a new mattress in the next few days but for now it will do.
Making your way back into the kitchen you look out the door to see that the sun is setting. It dips under the trees and most of your natural light leaves with it. You turn on the lights in the kitchen and eat the food you had bought from a fast food place on your way here. It is not a lot but it is enough for tonight. There is food you brought in the cabinets but you don’t feel like cooking at this point.
When you are done eating you shut the front door and check on the laundry. The dryer is done and you begin to fold the towels as the sheets dry. You stack them in the corner of the now clean bedroom, not trusting anywhere else. In anticipation for the clean sheets you put the mattress back on the cleaned bed frame.
The dryer buzzes and you get up off the mattress and rush to it. Pulling out the now clean sheets you sigh in contentment. It is the easiest thing you have done all day to put the sheets onto the bed.
“Fuck yeah.” You exhale as you finally lay back on the bed.
Exhaustion takes over your body as you practically sink into the mattress. As you look up at the dark ceiling you are proud of your accomplishments and hope that you will get more done tomorrow.
---*---
Sunlight hits your face and you bask in the warmth of it. You move over slightly to feel more of it and you hear a chuckle. A hand runs through your hair and you lean into the touch. Your groggy brain registers the motion but then remembers that you were alone on the mountain last time you checked. Brows furrowing you open your eyes.
Sunlight shines down on you but it is blocked by someone, a man you think, your eyes are still adjusting to the light. His hand stops momentarily and you mourn the loss.
“You need rest,” He says. His voice is deep and sweet, “you have worked hard today.”
Your eyes focus and you see a pair of deep purple eyes staring back at you. That can’t be right, no one can have purple eyes. You want to speak, you want to question this man but sleep has you. Slowly your eyes close again and you drift off.