CAN YOU SEE THEM?

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Disclaimer: Natsume Yuujincho belongs to Yuki Midorikawa and Iron Man belongs to Marvel

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Genre: Humor

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Warning: Typo is my most loyal fan. Spelling mistakes because English is not my mother OOC. Fluff. NOT BETA so beware of grammar mistakes

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Summary: Takashi thought, hey, this is just a normal school trip, right? But maybe he shouldn't count on his crappy luck, as it always landed him right on the face of the Problem.

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Ever since I was a kid, I'd sometimes see weird things

Since it doesn't seem like other people can see them, maybe...

They're what you'd call Youkai*

Today is the day in which every student in the school he's attending was most excited for.

A school trip.

From the females students in his class daily gossips, he heard that some of the teachers are complaining when the headmaster decided to visit Kyoto, the famous place in Japan for its historic phenomenon. They said it was too overrated and their school was situated in the middle of nowhere already, so the students should've seen something that is more sophisticated. And so, with the headmaster outvoted, their destination change from Kyoto to Tokyo; the big city with over-populated citizen and newer to newer technology sprouted almost every day like a never-ending spring.

And speaking about technology—

"Hey, hey, Natsume, can you believe it?" Nishimura Satoru shook Takashi's hand, trying to get his attention. His eyes sparkling with delight and body vibrated like an earthquake, "we will meet Tony Stark. That Tony Stark! You know, Iron Man!"

Yes. Takashi amusedly guesses the real reason why the teachers wanted to visit Tokyo was that Tony Stark—an ex CEO of Stark industry, the head of R&D, and donned the second persona of superhero a.k.a Iron Man—is here. From the news he watched several days ago, Tony was currently in his traveling binge, meeting with other company and signing another friendship contract. And, because he can, he decided to hold a science expo at Tsukuba Expo Center.

Takashi didn't refuse. He never cares about famous people (you can definitely see his unimpressed stare whenever Natori Shuuichi decided to visit), but if their school chose to visit Tsukuba just for the sake of meeting the Iron Man, he's not complaining. He always wanted to go to the Center anyway, because he wants to visit the planetarium and see some beautiful stars. He remembered when he was still a kid, he always went to star-gazing whenever the Youkai bugged him too much and he didn't want his foster family to watch him weirdly any longer. So star-gazing become his favorite activity to pass time.

When they finally arrived at the said Center, the man in question was already there. He looks like he was being scolded by the fierce looking woman—Virginnia Potts, or Pepper, Tony always called her (why, he didn't know)—fixing his crooked tie and glaring dagger at him. While Tony was looking anywhere but her, whistling some random tune. Takashi was not very good with English, although he caught some words from their conversation.

"—try to look presentable—"

"—I am!"

"—a T-shirt is not—"

"—wear Jeans—"

Huh, it sounded like he was trying to come out and meet the spectator wearing T-shirt and jeans only. He chuckled. It looked like when the media said he doesn't care about other people saying bad things about him was correct. At least he was honest with himself, and Takashi respects that kind of people.

(Because he was tired of lying. Tired of hiding)

(But if he didn't, they'll be worried and they'll never smile again)

Tony's brown eyes caught the sight of the gaping teachers and students as he smiles; a playful grin, the girl swoon, even Satoru. He patted Potts's shoulder, in which the woman only sighed in exasperation, and walked—or rather, swaggered—to the front, catching everyone attention. With one cough he finally said, "welcome everyone. To the Stark Science Fair~"

He detected some accent in there, yet Takashi was impressed otherwise. Maybe for a genius, learning another language was a piece of cake. Shuuichi was like that too, as he spoke English and Chinese rather fluently. Though he was still questioning if the said narcissistic man is really a genius (Natori cried crocodile tears).

"I smell Death."

Takashi almost shrieks. Though fortunately, he held back at the very last second. As he speed-walk to the very back of the crowd, he rummaged his bag and fished out—

"Nyanko-sensei! Why are you here?"

The rotund cat smirk defiantly, chubby paws folded in front of his tummy, "of course I'm here, I'm your bodyguard after all."

Yeah, sure. What a great bodyguard you are. When I'm almost get eaten by a Youkai yesterday, you just sat there and drink sake. Takashi grumbled.

The actually-very-large-white-fox-with-long-tail turned serious however, he jumped onto Takashi's head—gaining some looks from his classmate. But they just shrugged it off because it was already an everyday thing, that Takashi's cat is really 'fond' with his owner—Nyanko whispered, "rather than me being here, I smell Death, Natsume."

"Death?" his honey-brown eyes widened, he surreptitiously watches his surroundings more carefully, "you mean, someone is going to die today?"

(Is it because of him, that some dangerous Youkai decided to come bearing the bad omen to them? Nyanko-sensei said his spiritual energy is rather large for a human. A very delicious meal for a Youkai, he said)

(Oh God, please. Please, not one of his classmate)

"No, not that kind of death, Natsume," Nyanko smack his head, trying to calm the boy, "Death. With capital 'D'. What I mean is, I smell the Mistress of Death here."

"Mistress of Death?" Takashi never heard that. Another God?, "you mean Shinigami?"

"Kind of. But she's not a mere shinigami," Nyanko's voice sounded grim, "the Mistress of Death is their mistress. You can say that she's the boss of all Shinigami."

Takashi gulped, face pale. Then, does that mean a very, very big incident will rain upon them? It's the leader of Shinigami, of course, it means something right?

(It's his fault. His fault his fault his fau—)

"Natsume!" the white fortune-cat suddenly hissed, claws almost skewered his nose. He pointed to the front of the crowd and nearly shouted, "look. Over there!"

And Takashi complied. As he rolled his orbs to see what is it that made Nyanko-sensei so uncomfortable, he suddenly froze.

There, it's vague at first, but it becomes visible to his naked eyes. On Tony Stark shoulder, a skeleton donned in black garb floated lazily. Her beautiful complexion (something that Takashi gaped over. How can a skeleton be beautiful? No, it's not racist. He just thought a skeleton, without skin, could never form an elegant smile, but there it is) radiated its own light; it calmed but also stressed his own being. Her hand was on Tony's brunette lock, messing it playfully like a mother to a child.

The Mistress of Death. Is on Tony Stark shoulder.

THE MISTRESS OF DEATH IS ON TONY STARK SHOULDER!

He almost hyperventilated, he did, if Nyanko-sensei didn't slap him back to reality. Chill ran down his back, dread overcome his entire figure. What does this suppose to mean? Is Tony Stark going to d-die today? But he's a superhero! And, from the news he watched, he just recovered from the palladium poisoning (that news appalled the whole world, even the town Natsume currently residing at. That was how wide Tony's influence is). Does...does that mean something is wrong? That Tony is actually still sick? Or maybe some other, physical force? Something like a villain will strike him down today and finally...finally killed the Iron Man?

He realized, at that moment, the Mistress of Death sensed his stare. She smiles and waves.

Okay, fix. Takashi really hyperventilates at that second.

The teacher saw his condition and hurriedly ask if he was okay. Takashi shook his head, asked if he could sit somewhere and catch his breath. She looks worried, but nodded otherwise, and guided him to the nearest bench. As he peeks a glance toward the otherworldly-being, he tought—

Did Tony just stare at me?

But why?

;;;

Takashi sighed dejectedly as he walked toward the exit of the Center, vaguely heard his friend asking his well-being and him weakly laughing to calm them, albeit a little bit. He was mentally tired. His gaze could never leave the Mistress of Death, even though he was trying to rest his body. Even Nyanko-sensei, still perched on the top of his head, never leave the Mistress from his sight either.

The mistress is still...overshadowing (?) Tony, floating near him. Sometimes she hugged him from behind, sometimes she rested her chin on Tony's head. While the overshadowed man never react (because Tony is normal. He's not weird. Not like Natsume), still talking and describing every bit of technology scattered neatly across the Center tiled floor. Answering every question his classmates asked and laughing at his own joke; it was funny, so Takashi also laughed, even though he was not in the mood. As the day goes by and nothing major happens, his tense shoulder started to relax.

But it still drained his energy, so he didn't have time to visit the planetarium. A pity, really.

"Hey, you with platinum-blonde hair!" he startled. Someone called...him? "yeah. You. You dropped your wallet!"

Takashi turned his head. And his breath hitched when he saw Tony Stark stood at the door, wearing his charming grin and waving the familiar wallet.

(His friend clapped his back for successfully garnering Tony's attention, even though it was just for giving his wallet back—Satoru pouted, said that it was not fair that Takashi 'accidentally' dropped his wallet only and not his too. While the said lucky teen was struck speechless because it was not for that. Not for that petty reason)

(Tanuma knead his head. So, even he sensed the Mistress presence)

Kitamoto Atsushi pushed Natsume to the front, waking him out from his stupor. They said they'll wait for him on the bus, have fun talking with Tony and don't forget to ask for an autograph. Takashi robotically walked to the porch, gaze still warily linger to the Mistress yet tried not to openly staring or else Tony will be the one who watches him weirdly.

"Thank you, Tony-san. I appreciate it." He readied his (fake) smile, hand reaching for the wallet.

But Tony dangled the brown wallet out from his reach, it startled Takashi into focusing his full attention to the pouting hero, "just that? No 'please, can I have your autograph' or 'please, take a photo with me'?"

Takashi unconsciously gave him his best deadpan gaze, in which Tony laugh uproariously, "I like you, kid. You look like the polite type, but you're actually a wolf in sheep clothing, huh?"

He's just like Natori-san, Takashi amusedly thought, But less annoying and more like an overgrown kid.

"Oh, before that can I ask you something?"

"You just did."

Tony blinked before he chuckled. Eyes wrinkled in bliss, "nice one, kid. But joke aside. I wanna ask you..."

His index finger slowly moves, like the world decided it was the perfect time to add the slow-motion effect. As it pointed to the intended direction, Takashi eyes slowly widened, complexion turned whiter, and the vanished dread was back with full force.

It pointed to his shoulder.

It pointed to the waving Mistress of Death.

And Tony cheekily grin.

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"Can you see her?"

TO BE CONTINUE

(A/N): *Youkai: Demon/Spirit

Fun fact. At first, I wanted to call the demon Ayakashi. But then Youkai have less words than Ayakashi so I used that instead. Oh, and when I use Grammarly to correct some of the grammar mistakes, the Grammarly offered me to use another word; instead of AYAKASHI, why not use KAKASHI?

Lol. Kakashi is so famous, Grammarly decided it's not just a name, but an actual, legit word :'D

Reviews are appreciated

Best Regards

Akabane Kazama