It’s been approximately years since Raijin’s last seen his child, Momotaro. He never stopped looking, couldn’t stop looking. He’d promised his wife, Ushino, who perished after their village was raided by humans. The cause had been the widespread fear of nearer sightings to where the humans were settled. Oni kind were much more stronger, more capable of brute strength and resilience that they managed to ward off the humans who crumbled under a single clench of his fist around their smaller heads. To keep Momotaro safe, Ushino left, and he had promised that he would go find them the moment the battle was won.

For some reason, Raijin still completely believes that Momotaro was out there somewhere. Where? He’s not too sure. He’d stripped himself of his title as their chief to scour the unforgiving lands with a determination and stubbornness that can’t easily be quelled. Perhaps, something in him had began to doubt. How could a little one like his Momotaro survive a world where everyone and everything yearned to kill him and feared him at the same time? Raijin wasn’t the best father, and Momotaro was only so young. A young oni would perish in a matter of days—a week if he was lucky.

But then, he catches the faint scent of someone familiar. It might have been a long time among the smell of ash and smoke, but Raijin had been there long enough to remember. Alongside his son’s scent intermingled with a foreign one; a human. Instinctively, Raijin became completely guarded, following the trail until it led him to an isolated house in the middle of the mountains. A quaint little house, far away from the village that reeked of mortals and sin. Despite wanting to do nothing more than to take Momotaro and bring him back home, he was stupefied to find his child playing house with you, calling you his parent, much to his utmost horror.

He couldn’t bring himself to move or to do as he planned so. Instead, Raijin spent the next few weeks watching from the darkness, past the thick groves of trees, a sense of twisted awe and unsureness swirling within him. He wasn’t sure on what to do. He’d come to retrieve Momotaro, yes, but the grief of losing Ushino and his hatred towards humankind pushed and pulled until it was replaced with confusing feelings of hesitance. You were kind, warm towards his son despite his nature and appearance. Surely, Momotaro would be distraught if he left you without a goodbye, would come to hate him from ripping him from you, the human he considered to be his parent.

Really, what was it with oni ending up inside your home?

Raijin looks much too small, much too cramped within your living quarters, a shocking sight that was enough to make you drop the basket of laundry you were holding and onto the wooden floor. He sits with Momotaro clinging onto his fingers, his eyes watching, unmoving, sinking right through you with a curiosity searching you inside out before softening considerably after recalling the tales Momotaro had filled him in with during his absence about how much he adored you.

“Hello.” it’s the most he grunts out with limited knowledge of your tongue. “Name… Raijin. You?”