Page 93 of Dragon 7

Yuki shrugged. "He’s mad that our kitsune masks are better than his."

“Much better.” Aki nodded.

The gold kitsune mask did not move. Yoichi's voice, when it came, was tighter than I had ever heard it. "Your masks are not better than mine. It would be impossible."

"They are."

"Trust me on this.” Yoichi pointed at them. “Those masks of yours do not even look like kitsune."

The twins held Yoichi's gaze through the eye slits of their masks.

Aki spoke first. "They do."

Yuki finished. "Exactly."

A low growl came out of Yoichi.

And to my surprise, they both laughed.

I blinked behind the Hannya. I had never heard Yoichi growl. The man recited haikus while reloading sniper rifles. He flirted with women in champagne lounges with his hands full of weapons. He gambled with his own life as a hobby.

But, the man did not growl. He did not lose his cool. Yoichi always stayed warm, elegant, and faintly amused even when his bullets were already in flight.

But for some odd reason the twins’ masks were undoing him.

Chuckling some more, the twins continued to stare at him through the matching kitsune masks as if daring Yoichi to fight them on this.

And honestly. . .Yoichi looked like he was about to tear those masks off their faces and battle.

Reo cleared his throat. “Everyone’s masks are just fine. What’s over your face is not important. It’s the violence in your hearts that we need tonight. Focus on the war with our enemy and do not battle with each other.”

Kenji added, “Basically, shut the fuck up about the masks.”

“Hmmm. You’ll regret this, you two.” Yoichi's gold kitsune held the look for three full seconds. Then he turned his head forward and faced the field again.

What the fuck?

The twins exchanged glances and looked back at the field too. They did not say another word, but I knew they were holding in more laughter.

Through the Namahage, Toma cracked his neck once on each side. "After we win this thing, I’m sure our Tiger will throw the Claws a victory party. Do you think she’s cooking right now?"

"Of course." Aki nodded behind his kitsune.

"Absolutely," Yuki confirmed.

Kaede tilted his Tengu mask. "Like the Claws party, it will be tasteful with lots of champagne and proper plates."

"Tasteful?" Toma snorted. "After this, I want bottles broken open with sabers and naked women in my lap by the third drink. Our Tiger will already know this. She’s good that way."

Kaoru's Kuchisake mask turned toward the group. His voice came out smooth and dry under the slit-mouth woman. "Brothers, I appreciate the enthusiasm. But you are clearly mistaken."

Toma's ogre eyes angled his way. "About what?"

"It will not be a Claws victory celebration after the war."

Toma groaned. "Oh, here we go."

"It will be a Fangs party. What she did with you all was merely practice. She wanted to make sure that our celebration would be top notch."