Oni Boyfriends: Mori & Uji (rough draft)

I grew up in Rakshasa Country, far away from my family’s ancestral lands. My mother had left there before I was born, traveling with a small band of other women to form a brothel there. They traveled from their native island of Shimokobe which rested between the ocean and the Cobra Strait. I was born in Rakshasa Country some years later. Aside from the other women there, I never knew any other Oni. I was separated from my heritage, and I grew up knowing more about the Rakshasa than anything else.

When my mother passed away, Madam Seki taught me a traditional craft from back home. She made beautiful ornate masks which she sold to customers who wanted to keep their anonymity. Granted, the ones she made for them were quite simple compared to the ones she taught me how to make. She started me out making them from clay, then she taught me how to carve. I was so passionate about the craft, I learned all I could. I learned what different faces meant, what the colors represented. I even went out into a part of the market and had one of the old Rakshaa women teach me to make paints from pigments and spices.

I set up a small shop during the Festival of Color to sell my wares; hoping to make enough money to travel to Shimokobe and continue my education about my beloved craft. At first, it seemed no one was interested in them, but once the festival started I began to sell quite quickly. By the end of the night, I had nothing left and plenty of money to begin my journey to my native home.

Madam Seki was hesitant to see me go, she warned that back home I might be well received, and in fact, I should try to hide my identity and past. She told me I should claim to be Half-Orc rather than Half-Oni. She then gave me some clothes that had once belonged to my mother and gave me her hair pin for good luck and protection. I had seen her threaten several customers with that pin, so I knew how to use it.

I bought passage across the Cobra Strait to Shimokobe. Unfortunately I could not enjoy the journey as I discovered I suffered horribly from sea sickness. I wasn’t quite right even when we docked, it took me a couple of days and some thin broth to get me on my feet to travel again.

The port of Shimokobe was only my first stop. Most of the Oni lived further into the island and along the mountains further north. I was able to find out that a lot of the master crafters I was looking for would be closer to the mountains where clay and wood were more readily available, but right now the weather would be frightfully cold. I wasn’t worried, not taking into consideration that all my life all I knew was the hot sun of Rakshasa Country.

The further north I went, the more I understood the folly of my mistakes. I used my mother’s clothes to bundle up, but that did me very little. The caravan I was on stopped in a small village to pick up supplies, so I went to go find warmer clothing for myself. That was when I saw a vision of my mother. I saw her standing beside a building, wearing that beautiful dress covered in blossoms and butterflies.

“Come here, my darling Kiri. You look so cold.” Her voice was faint against the wind, but I recognized it instantly.

“Mama,” I step towards her, reaching out my hands. “Mama-” I take another step and crack through thin ice. I sink like a stone with all the clothes bundled around me.

I wake to warmth and a weight upon me. There is also a bright light swinging above me, so this must be the afterlife. I did not think the light would be moving so much. I raise my hand to try and catch it, but it feels too far out of reach. Something falls from the light and hits my chest and I see a red face surrounded in white comes into my vision, although it is quite blurred.

“God?” My voice cracks. I reach up and touch. “Your fur is much softer than I thought.”

“Soso, get off of her this instant.” A deep, powerful voice shoos away God, and then a big red hand falls onto my forehead. “Good to see you awake, little stranger.”

I grunt and turn my head, chasing the warmth of their palm. “Where am I? Am I dead?”

“Almost were, but I think we got you out of the woods.” The big red shape sits down beside me and I can start to make out their appearance. “You were lucky I was close by when you fell through the ice, young lady.”

“I thought I saw my mom,” I murmur. “I was so cold.”

“You were probably hypothermic before you even went through the ice,” he says. “But not to worry, Uji and I have been taking good care of you.”

I rub my eyes and I can finally made out his big, moon like head. His skin is blood red, shocking at first. He has huge tusks jutting out of the side of his mouth and curling upwards. His sharp red ears are dotted with jewelry, as is the center of his flat nose. His white hair is pulled back into a ponytail at the back of his head, accentuating his massive widow’s peak where spiked horns sit in the peaks. He has really long, thick arms, and he’s quite rotund in the middle.

“Uji went out to get some ginger for you, he’ll be back shortly.”

I know I am staring, but I have never met a male Oni before. “And you are?”

“Morikazu,” he chuckles. “But you can call me Mori.” He lays a thick hand on his chest. “Who might you be?”

“Kiri,” I say as I sit up in bed. Mori instantly puts a blanket around my shoulders so I stay warm.

“What on earth are you doing here Kiri?” Mori asks. “So unprepared for the cold weather here.”

I frown, seeing that red face again at the foot of the bed. “I make masks, I was told the master crafters lived here so…” I squint as the red face continues to stare at me. “What is…”

“Soso, be polite.” Mori chuckles. He holds his hand out and a monkey climbs up his arm, still staring at me with beady, black eyes. “This is Soso, he’s a little awkward but he’s also a greedy ass.”

“Oh!” I marvel at the monkey just as much as I did Mori. “He’s cute!”

“Saved him the same way I saved you,” Mori laughs. “Found him in the ice and nursed him back when he was just a baby. Perhaps he was just practice for this moment,” he continues to chortle.

“I’m home,” a gentler voice calls. “How is she doing?” Another Oni walks into the room, only he is blue and much taller. His long and lean compared to Mori, and his long black hair hangs down his shoulder in a loose plait. He has golden eyes where Mori has brown, and he has two sets of crescent shaped tusks. “She’s awake!” He sounds elated when he sees you.

“Kiri, this is Ujimasa, but you can call him Uji.” Mori holds his hand out as Uji comes to stand by the bedside. “He’s been doing the brunt of taking care of you.”

Uji smiles, and shows off the deep curvature of his cheekbones. “Now, now, don’t let him undersell all the hard work he put in. After all, he was the one who went into the ice to save you.” he sets aside a small box by the bed then places his long, willowy hand upon my forehead. “She’s still a touch cold.”

“I grew up in Rakshasa Country,” I say hurriedly. “I’m not used to the cold down here.”

“Even still,” Uji clicks his tongue. “Mind if I see your feet?”

That feels like such a strange question to be asked. Who would want to see feet? “Uh, sure. What for?”

Uji pulls back the blankets, revealing my feet wrapped up in a compress. He peels back the wrapping, revealing wet leaves and a weird jelly underneath. He pinches my toe, wiggling it back and forth. “Do you feel that?”

“Yeah but it feels...weird,” I answer.

“Still a bit of damage.” He wraps my foot back up. “It might take a bit for you to recover. Do you have anyone we can contact for you?”

I frown and shake my head. “I came here alone, and the only people I know are in Rakshasa Country.”

“She’s a mask maker,” Mori says quietly to Uji.

Uji turns towards Mori and I notice he is missing an arm. His long sleeve hangs loose and billows, and Soso tugs on it in a way that shows there is nothing inside. “Mask maker?” He says as he looks back at me.

Nervously I begint o blurt. “Half Orc!”

Uji and Mori both make a face.

“I am,” I say breathlessly. Half Orc that is.”

Uji nods as he looks me over with a curious glint to his eye. Most of my life I had been confused as Half Orc. Like my mother, I had green skin and dainty ears. But my tusks only jutted from my bottom lip, and I wasn’t as tall as most Oni. I never knew who or what my father was, but I always knew I was Oni from my mother.

“Well then, Kiri the Half Orc, I assume from your trade you were trying to come and study under the master crafters,” Uji says gently. “Is that correct?”

“Making masks in my passion,” I say staunchly. “I wanted to learn from a master in hopes of becoming one myself.”

“Were you not warned of the winter here?” Mori seems angry. “It’s not like the winter in the southern continents. Our winters are like those in the Polar.”

“I wasn’t aware,” I confess. “I guess I should prepared better.”

Uji gives Mori a scolding look. “You had with you silk dresses and robes, what did you bring them for?”

“They were my mother’s,” I say weakly. “I don’t have to explain anything to you. I admit I was foolish and under prepared, okay!”

Uji smiles. “We should let you rest anyways. I’m sure you’re still quite tired. If you’re hungry, Mori will go fetch you something to eat. Meanwhile-” He picks up the small box he had brought in. “I will be making you something with this ginger.”

As they both turn to leave the room I reach up into my hair and find it’s down. I gasp in alarm and begin searching around the pillow in a panic. “Oh no! Where is it?”

Mori stops and looks back at me. “What’s the matter?”

I feel tears welling up in my eyes. “My hair pin! It’s important!”

Mori comes back into the room, kneeling down beside the bed he picks up a small bag. He dumps it into his palm, revealing the hair pin inside. “We took it out when I brought you here.”

I grab the pin and clutch it close, breathing a deep sigh of relief. “Oh thank goodness!”

“We kept it covered because Soso loves shiny things.” he watches me curiously. “That doesn’t look like anything Orc. In fact, my grandmother had something similar to that. What with the butterfly enamel and-”

I glare up at him. “It was a gift from someone who wasn’t Orc.” I then look at it in my hands. “I’m just glad it’s okay.”

Mori nods with a slight frown on his face. “I’ll go fetch you something to eat now. You’re going to need some weight to survive this cold,” he chuckles.

Once he leaves I look back down at madam Saeki’s hair pin and sigh heavily. “Some luck this has brought me so far,” I grumble. “Being sick the entire boat trip. Nearly freezing death. I sure hope all of this is worth it in the end.” I look around the room, seeing scrolls and prints on the wall. There’s a desk in the corner with massive ink pots all over it and a shelf made of cubbies that are full of quills, parchment, and various other tools.

Uji comes in a moment later, carrying a tray with one hand. He places the tray on my lap, which is nice and warm from the tea set. “I hope you don’t mind if I join you for tea, Mori is busy making something special for dinner.”

“He cooks?” Back home I never knew a man to cook.

Uji smiles softly. “Too bad you did not come here to study the art. My Mori is a master chef. Studied under his grandmother most of his life.” He pours tea surprisingly elegantly using only one hand. “Before we had the war that is.”

I had never heard of a war before. “What war?” I ask.

Uji looks at me with another curious stare. “Some years ago. There was a dispute with the Cyclops’ over territory. That is how Mori and I met. We were both warriors.”

“Oh,” I gasp in surprise.

“I know I do not look it,” he chuckles and hands me a cup of tea.

I shake my head. “That’s not it at all.” I take the tea into my hands and marvel at the warmth.

“We were both young men, boys really.” He smiles gently as he pours another cup. “This tea will help build you stamina again and support what the cold has weakened.”

“Thank you.” I sniff the cup, finding there to be a spicy herbal note to it. “Is it bitter?”

“Only a little.” Uji takes a drink.

I take a sip, half expecting an experience that would connect me to my roots and teach me about my lineage. Instead, it is the most utterly disgusting thing I have ever put in my mouth, and I am including the mud pie I ate as a toddler. I almost spit it out but I gulp it down painfully. Uji is holding back a smile and trying to remain polite.

“No,” I whimper and cover my mouth. “Oh no!”

“Not to your liking, Kiri?” Uji sets his cup down.

I set mine down with his. “Thank you,” I say simply. “But that was quite enough for today.”

“I’m afraid I have to insist you endure that cup and another.” Uji is still stifling back his laughter. “It’s for the best in terms of your recovery.”

“You’re mocking me!” I throw at him.

Uji breaks into a bg, beautiful grin. “No. I would not do such a thing. But your expression on the other hand, it hit a soft spot inside me. Reminds me of my Mori.”

I scowl at him.

“It made me instantly fond of you. Come now.” He picks his cup up again. “I will drink as much as you drink. There is a reward for finishing this. That is why I got the ginger.”

I scowl at him. “If it wasn’t so hot I would take it in one go.” I take the cup up, enjoying the warmth of it at the very least. I take another drink, as does Uji. “it’s horrible!”

Uji nods, only his nose wrinkling. “It does not get any better with age like my grandfather told me.” He shakes his head. “I do apologize.”

“You make Mori drink this too?”

“He gets congestion easily during the cold months. I make him drink it every morning to assure his health. Somehow, he still loves me.”

I stick my tongue out as I see I still have over half a cup. “Wait?” I blink at him. “Are you and Mori…?”

“Mori is my brother in arms,” Uji replies. “As well as my partner in life.”

My mouth opens wide. “So you two...oh!”

Uji chuckles. “Is that rare where you come from?”

I shake my head. “Not exactly. I just didn’t expect-” I cut myself off just to be safe. “You make a very handsome couple, really.”

“Well thank you, Kiri. I do consider my Mori to be very handsome.”

“And you, my Uji, are very beautiful.” Mori comes and looks down at the tea in your lap. “I see, you’re making her drink that now?”

“She’s still got one and a half cups to go. She needs to finish it before she eats your wonderful cooking.” He looks at me and smiles. “Hurry up, he worked hard.”

I manage to finish the tea, as horrible as it is. Mori then carries me to the dinner table, which is quite low to the floor. He has a massive spread of food prepared, which awakens the hunger deep inside of me. Ever since I left home, I haven’t had anything solid to eat. Due to the sickness and travel, I had only supped on thin broth. I eat so much that I fall into a deep sleep as soon as Mori takes me back to bed.

From then on, each morning Uji wakes me to serve me that awful tea. Afterwards, Mori comes and gets me to have a big, hearty breakfast. After that, I’m carried back to that room and Uji sits at the desk where he does calligraphy. Mori sometimes takes me into the kitchen when Uji is working though, as Soso tends to try and cause havoc. I am having wishful daydreams, thinking on how nice it would be to continue being part of this world. To be included in Mori and Uji’s lives so lovingly. I’ve grown quite fond of both Uji and Mori, they’ve both been so kind to me. I’ve found myself growing attracted to them, which is quite a shock to me. I’ve never had a crush before, but Mori is so warm and affectionate, while Uji is so beautiful and calming. I’ve found myself feeling quite giddy and silly around them, even though I have been fine up until this point. I often have silly day dreams while making masks of kissing Mori and Uji. I have to shake these thoughts from my head, I have to keep my mind still on such things.

Back home, I never really had a comfortable homelife. Growing up in the brothel I wasn’t exactly coddled or babied, even when my mother passed away it felt like after the funeral things went on as usual. Madam Saeki treated me well, but I think it was just in favor of my mom sometimes. That’s why I poured everything I had in me into the masks. It brought me comfort, it gave me peace.

“Back during the war, Uji was our leader. He planned everything.” Mori has been telling me stories about him and Uji from their youth, while also feeding me bites of what he’s cooking. “He helped me to keep cool, to not lose my temper.”

“Have a temper do you?” I ask.

He laughs. “Family trait. Used to get so angry I’d go blind with it.” He looks up from the counter for a moment. “But Uji, he helped me to see clearly, to see through the anger. Taught me not to rely on it. You’re Half-Orc I’m sure you understand the importance of such discipline”

I fidget in my seat as the lie is brought back to me. “Oh uh...yeah! Yes of course,” I chuckle nervously. I am eager to change the course of the conversation away from me. “Is that why you fell in love with him?” I ask dreamily.

Mori chuckles. “Well, not exactly. Uji and I didn’t really start all that until after we came home.” He then hands me a steamed bun to eat. “See, he had lost his arm, and he didn’t want to go to his home, so I brought him here to mine to heal.”

I gaze starry eyed at him, wondering just how romantic that must have been. I would so love to be taken care of like that. Or well, I guess I am right now. But surely there is nothing romantic about this. I’m just some poor fish they pulled out of the river.

“That’s enough storytelling, Mori.” Uji comes into the kitchen holding a scroll in his hand.

“I wasn’t storytelling,” Mori chortles.

Uji just half smiles and he lays the scroll down on the table. “I just received word back from Oyama, he says once winter passes, he will consider taking on Kiri as an apprentice.”

I look between Mori and Uji who both have soft smiles on their faces. “Who is Oyama?”

Uji places his hand on my shoulder. “A master mask maker we both knew. Mori and I discussed it one evening and we sent him a letter asking if he was interested in taking a new apprentice. We told him about you of course. Sometimes the masters are reluctant to teach outside their clans.” He shrugs at this and frowns but slowly his smile returns. “Anyways, Oyama said he’d be happy to take you on if he approves of your work. He requests you make ten masks for him between now and spring, that will help him decide if he will take you as his apprentice.” He looks at me seriously. “You can stay here of course, but since it will be for a few months, you will have to earn your keep around here once you’re strong enough.”

The excitement inside me is fit to burst. I can barely contain myself. “Of course!” I jump up in excitement. “This is wonderful! Thank you so much!” I don’t realize until I’m hugging Uji that this is the first time I have stood on my own, which causes another burst of joy from me. I begin to fall even more for Uji and Mori then.