*** There's Something Different About Sam Today. ***
"There's something different about you today..." Mary said, looking at Sam. "Don't you think so?" She asked Tony.
"Hmmm..." The Italian rubbed his chin and began nodding in understanding. "No." He finally said in a definitive tone.
"You don't think he has a sort of glow to him or something?"
"I left my pip-boy at home. Remember to purify your water before you drink it, Sam." Tony said.
Mary hit Tony's arm, "I'm serious you goof! Jesus, forget it."
"Uh..." Sam grinned. The comedy act was entertaining, but Mary was right. He felt good. "I had a good breakfast today, maybe that's why?"
"You never eat breakfast... Is something wrong with you?" Mary asked.
"Doctor Mary, a human being eating breakfast is abnormal. Something must be wrong!" Tony exclaimed in a mock English accent.
"You're more annoying today than normal," Mary deadpanned at Tony.
"My uh... cousin moved in recently, and she insists I eat healthily."
"She hot?" Tony asked. He looked at Mary as if he was waiting for her to hit him. Surprisingly, she was looking at Sam awaiting an answer to Tony's question.
"I," Sam didn't appreciate the scrutinous looks, but it was own fault for saying anything in the first place. Why did he even mention that? There was no need for it. "Well, she's my cousin so I wouldn't know."
"Right... Well, I'll have to come and see this cousin of yours for myself someday soon." Tony said.
"No, you don't have to," Sam said, attempting to dissuade his friend.
The conversation would have continued, but Mitch opened the sliding glass door. "Hey! Break's over, get back to work already!"
They all looked at Mitch in surprise, then checked their phones. Their lunch break ended two minutes ago.
*** I Can't Believe She's Real. ***
When work finished, Sam tried to be the first one to leave. But again, Tony stopped him.
"Hey man, we're hitting the pub again. Come with us!"
Sam was halfway out the door. Fortunately, he prepared an excuse this time. "I can't, man; I promised my cousin that I'd watch anime with her."
Tony was unhappy with the answer, and for a second Sam thought there was going to be a confrontation.
"Saaaaam!" A familiar voice called out from down the hall. Sam felt his heart freeze. He slowly turned his head, unable to hide the shock on his face as Ahri ran down the hallway toward him. Thankfully, she was wearing jeans, but her top was more revealing than he'd like. Ahri lacked the markings on her face characteristic of the video game heroine, nor did she have her fluffy ears. Sam guessed she wanted to normalise herself - at least she had common sense. However, Sam hoped his co-workers would never meet the fox deity with whom he lived.
"Who's that?" Tony asked his friend while Ahri was still out of earshot.
"My... My cousin." Sam lied. What the hell is she doing here?!
"No way," Tony said and moved around Sam to get through the doorway. "She's real..." Tony stared in disbelief at the bombshell that stopped in front of him.
"What's going on?" Mary called out from the other side of the office as she gathered her things to leave.
Sam sheepishly smiled and replied: "My cousin is here."
"You mean she's real?!" Mary asked in shock.
"Yes!" Sam said, annoyed that neither of his friends believed he had a female cousin living with him even though Ahri wasn't his cousin.
"Umm... Hi, you must be Sam's friend Tony?" Ahri asked.
"U-uh, yeah, how do you know me?" Tony asked, furiously blushing as he struggled to avoid looking down at Ahri's chest.
"Oh, Sam's told me all about his friends. So, you're Tony... The voice I just heard must be Mary." Ahri moved up beside Tony, knowing what a view he'd have of her breasts as she peaked into the office. "Hi, Mary!"
"Hi..." Mary waved.
Tony averted his eyes just as Ahri stood up straight again.
"And there's also Mitch - Sam's boss and friend from college."
"Right," Tony nodded.
"Anyway, are you ready, Sam?" Ahri asked.
"Ready...?" Sam asked, unsure what the woman meant.
"To go! You were going to show me some anime today! I was in town shopping so I thought I'd ride home with you." To emphasise this, Ahri held up a bag of groceries in her right hand.
"Oh, uh, yeah! Of course." Sam said and walked out into the hallway with Tony and Ahri.
"I never got your name by the way," Tony said, extending a hand for the woman.
"Ahriya, but just call me Ahri," Ahri said, shaking the tall man's hand.
"Ahri, you should talk your cousin into coming with us for after-work drinks sometime. He's always turning me down! A guy can only handle rejection so many times, you know?" Tony looked at Sam as he said this.
"Oh, of course! Sam was telling me yesterday how he was planning on going out with you guys this weekend!" Ahri said, hiding a devious grin that she only allowed Sam to see.
"For real? That's great!" Mary said, having just left the office as well. The four of them stood in the hallway.
"Yep! But tonight, it's all anime for us cousins." Ahri said, grabbing Sam by the wrist to drag him away.
"Hey wait - what anime?" Tony asked before they could leave.
What was it again? Ahri thought. She could only remember the first part of the name. "BoBo!"
"BoBo's Strange Journey. Should have known, Sam loves that anime." Tony rolled his eyes. "Well, it looks like it's you and me again, Mary."
"Looks like," Mary agreed. "But this Friday, huh? It's been ages since we all drank together! I can't wait!"
*** Home Sweet Home. ***
After Sam showered and got into something more comfortable, he sat on the couch and rested his head against the lounge. "Thanks again for saving me back there."
"It's okay," Ahri said, as she began serving dinner.
"But how did you know...?"
"I just happened to be in the area..." Ahri said.
Sam stood up and took a seat at the table. "This looks and smells so good... Stew?"
"Yep! I've had it cooking slow and on low since you left for work. You won't even believe how tender the meat is."
Sam scooped up a block-shaped piece of meat and popped it in his mouth. "Mmmm..." He moaned as he chewed. "It falls apart in your mouth like it's melting..."
Ahri joined him and ate as well.
"Ahri... I'm not stupid." Sam said quietly.
"What? Why would you say that?" Ahri asked.
"I've seen you... do your thing before."
Ahri blushed, "Y-you have? You shouldn't peak on a girl when she's in the bath!"
It was Sam's turn to feel embarrassed. "Huh? What are you - N-no! That's not what I mean. I mean I've seen how you move things without touching them."
On several occasions, when Sam had either left for work or was asleep, Ahri performed chores using otherworldly powers. Sam witnessed these occurrences by accident. Or rather, Ahri was quite careless.
"You're not freaked out by that?" Ahri asked.
"Well... Yeah, I was, but I've come to trust you, you know?" The man felt awkward saying something so intimate, but he had grown fond of the woman.
Ahri smiled as a warm feeling came over her. "I'm a Fox Deity," she said, looking sheepishly at Sam.
"A Fox Deity? What does that mean?"
"Well... Every five hundred years the Fox Deity Event occurs. Like many other deities, my superiors assigned me to combat the darkness surrounding a specific individual."
"So there are others like you?" Sam asked, struggling to process the otherworldly confession.
"Yup! There are others like me."
"So... earlier, when you appeared at work, was that some power of yours?"
Ahri smiled, "Yeah. We deities possess unique powers individually but share similar capabilities as well. The ability to sense when my charge is in trouble - meaning you - all deities can do that.
"That's amazing... So we're like Kiznaivers."
Ahri smiled and dismissed yet another anime reference.
Sam recalled when they first met and realised how easily he accepted Ahri. He was glad to have a proper explanation finally, but he wanted to know more. "So what is the Darkness, exactly?"
Ahri shook her head, "Even I don't know what it is, but I can see it right now. It's like a black fog, clinging to you like a thick smog."
Sam flailed his arms around, "Did that do anything?"
Ahri giggled, "No, silly. You can't just wave it away. Stress and negative emotions cause the darkness, and as long as you feel those things, the Darkness will grow stronger.
Understanding the seriousness of the situation, Sam asked: "And what happens if the Darkness gets too strong?"
"That won't happen," Ahri said with finality, then smiled. "We won't let it."
After dinner, Sam rubbed his belly in content. "That was amazing, Ahri. That was the best meal I've had in a long time. The Darkness won't stand a chance if I get to eat food like that."
Ahri smiled as she collected their dishes and began washing them.
"I can help you with that," Sam said as he stood up.
"Don't be silly," Ahri said as she turned to face him, smiling still. "You work hard enough at your job. Just let me pamper you. I'm happy to do it!"
"Well... If you say so. I appreciate it, Ahri." As Ahri turned to continue cleaning the dishes, Sam returned to the couch and sat down. His Playstation 4 Pro beeped to life when he pressed the PS button on his controller. He scrolled through various games and apps on the screen until he found it. AnimeLab.
When Ahri finished cleaning, she sat beside Sam. She saw the TV screen was paused and asked Sam what he was doing.
"I was waiting for you," Sam said. "Watch this."
