Prompt 282-Hometown

Why do you live in the city or state that you do?

“You should just move in with me at this point,” Nikkie teased as Yuki stood in the doorway of the cabin, preparing to depart once again.

The blond tightened his grip on the duffle bag on his shoulder. “Do my comings and goings bother you?”

She rushed to help him adjust the bag and assure him that she was happy to have him whenever he wanted to visit. “Not in the slightest, my heart.” She planted a quick kiss on his cheek. “It’s just, it’s been four years now with you spending half your time between the Sanctuary and the human world. Wouldn’t you be happier in one place?”

His golden wolf ears twitched agitatedly. He much preferred the demon world to the one of humans, where he could be his true self, but it had not been kind to him either. The Makai had all but erased his people from existence. He had endured years of torture at the hands of monsters who wanted to find his cousins, the twins, without ever knowing if they even lived. Until the day they reappeared and had their battle to the death.

He had remained in the human world with Rin—no, she was Ali now—and the other humans who had helped her through her darkest day. He had taken a human form and lived as a human for four years, though he spent many weekends and holidays in the Sanctuary with her.

The Sanctuary was the best of both worlds, and really he came whenever he grew overwhelmed on the other side. Which was more frequently, of late. Not that Nikkie minded. She enjoyed having him around. And sometimes Ali came with him. Nikkie harbored a small grin at that. The Sanctuary was Ali’s home, after all, not hers.

“I can’t,” he said quietly. “I can’t leave her.”

Nikkie nodded. She knew his fears. He still cried out in his sleep sometimes. “This will always be her home,” she said, “even if she doesn’t live here right now. She’ll always come back here.” He looked over his shoulder towards the woods, towards the portal that would take him back to the human realm, to Ali. He was always afraid she would disappear again if he stayed away for too long. He didn’t want to be left alone again. “It’s your home too,” she added. “So, come home soon, ok?”

His eyes softened as he let her words tumble over in his mind. Nikkie hoped he knew he wasn’t alone anymore, Ali or no Ali. He nodded as he embraced her. “I’ll be back soon,” he grinned.

Nikkie waved as he jogged down the path towards the woods. He wasn’t ready to leave Ali’s side yet. Nikkie was ok with that. She still had work to do, after all.

Notes: When I read this prompt, I couldn’t get Yuki out of my head. He’s a wolf demon disguised as a human living in the human world and he seemed the perfect candidate to ask that question, “why though?” And it all boils down to the fact that he’s been reunited with the last remaining member of his race and he will go wherever she goes. He lives in the city in the human world because that is where Ali is and he’ll be damned if he’s going to lose her again.

I haven’t actually written much from his or Nikkie’s points of view, let alone a scene with just the two of them, so I thought it’d be a fun little exercise to get into their heads. See what kind of a couple they are. I initially ended this piece with Nikkie vowing to always wait for him, but I scrapped it because Nikkie isn’t just some frivolous woman who will stand around doing nothing until her man returns. She’s actually got a lot going on and is quite a badass in her own right, so I couldn’t write such a flimsy ending for her character. Patient, yes (he’s been through a lot and she acknowledges that), but she’s got shit to do when he’s not around.

I live in my town because it is where I bought my house. And I bought my house because my husband and I both work nearby so it was only logical. We don’t care for long commutes.

What about you? Your characters? Why are they where they are? Write it down! I’ll see you tomorrow!

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