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(KNY) YANDERE PLATONIC! KOKUSHIBO x SISTER READER: You, Shibou. I, Kokoro (CHAPTER ELEVEN)

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CHAPTER ELEVEN: "He changed a lot after that and that this story had-"

In Chinese culture, A blue dragon is meant to represent new life, Healing, Peace, Growth and prosperity. A dragon representing the strength and wisdom.

The colour blue itself, While often associated with the sky and the seas can also mean the infinity. A never ending life, A new beginning and revival.

The smoke was pungent in the air.

The dark grey mist sizzled up into the star-speckled night sky like paper lanterns on the new years eve, Floating up into the sky and sizzling out in only a second.

There were hundreds of candles scattered about the forest clearing, The waxes wicks lit up with flickered embers and they burned with the hopes and dreams inscribed onto them. Not even the cold and unforgiving winds of the city could put them out.

The festival night was in full swing, Celebration games and market stalls were eagerly set up with the hopes of filling the wallets of their owners. The sweet yet savoury smell mixing with the smoke filled the noses of the girls entrapped within the city walls.

[F/N] held an unlit candle in her hands, The tinted wax was pristine and perfect amongst the molten of the clay surrounding them and the shrine they were dedicated to. Inari, The deity of foxes and industry, The most enshrined Shinto deity, They were the deity celebrated here tonight.

She watched as another local lighted a candle, The whisping ember combusting into a bright blaze of oranges and yellows within a second.

[F/N] scoffed under her breath as she did, The way the locals lit the wicks were without care and finesse unlike how she did it back in Aomori. It could burn down the nearby shrubbery or tufts of ferns growing from the cracks in the grass, And could especially burn the set-up altar.

She loathed it, She really did. Though the festival was bound to bring out reckless behaviour and attitude, [F/N] wished that they would at least respect the reason it was all happening in the first place.

Yet the saccharine smell of ambrosia was floating in the air was sweeter than the ripest of apples, It was something that flooded into her nose like a rushing tide and placated her venom if only for a moment.

"Sooo… What 'cha gonna wish for?" Mitsuri chimed in, Breaking [F/N]'s train of thought and the mindless gaze to the kitsune statues of andesite and rock laying about. [F/N] just shrugged as she looked at the candle, Only taking a brief glance at her friend.

"Don't know, There's a lot of stuff I could ask for you know.. Money, Strength, Power.. That sort of stuff" [F/N] replied to her as she examined the ebony string spouting from the wax, The clusters of people around her praying to the shrine didn't lead her focus astray from the wick in the slightest.

The people around her placed the inscribed candles of wax down onto the several altars surrounding the enshrinement. Each carried their own wishes of fortune and fame, Love and Lust to the wide spectrum of human desirum.

A tradition carried throughout the ages, A wish to the kami for good luck in the future and it was one the two girls participated in eagerly. One to practice her religion and the other in search of a fun time.

It was a struggle as Mitsuri leaned over to spot the contemplating stone of her friends face. Mitsuri could only huff lightly at her behaviour, Leave it to [F/N] to overcomplicate a simple task.

"How about all three then? I already lit mine and I asked for like.. A bajillion different things!" Mitsuri proclaimed as she pointed to the freshly placed candle sitting atop an andesite altar.

The wax was absolutely mangled with near a 'bajillion' roughly scribbled wishes onto it, [F/N] could barely make out the words 'Love' and 'Mochi' from the jumble of words. She chuckled slightly as her eyes turned up to look at Mitsuri.

"No, No.. I need to wish for one only, I can't be greedy with Inari, 'Tsuri.." [F/N] replied shortly as her brows furrowed. Her lips pursed into a tight frown, A sharp line that felt conflicted at the simple little candle cusped within her hands.

"Maybe I shouldn't wish for anything, I've not got really anything to wish for so it's fine.. I can just light the candle and go. Besides, Shinobu is waiting for us and we still need to slay that demon." [F/N] mumbled as she lowered the candle along with her frown, Putting it down onto the altar gently.

Mitsuri hummed, Tilting her head to the side as she pouted.

"Are ya' sure? We can leave it for now and come back later when you have an idea, You know?" Mitsuri offered, Resting a hand on [F/N]'s shoulder. The comfort of her body heat transferring over to the girl.

[F/N] shrugged.

"No, It's fine.. I just wanted to quickly pay my respects to Inari before heading out to slay the demon. You know, Just a quick thanks for everything.." [F/N] mumbled, A light raising of her shoulders signalled her shying away in embarrassment as she admitted it to Mitsuri.

Mitsuri in turn squealed, Red starting to powder her cheeks.

"Aaah! Cuuute!" She exclaimed with a dopey smile stretched upon her face, Her hands raising to squish her cheeks as an outlet for energy. "I love it when you look all shy like that! It really shows how dedicated you ar-"

Mitsuri's squeal however was cut off by the sudden covering of her mouth, [F/N]'s hands moved quickly to cover it entirely as she looked around as she suddenly became aware of her surroundings.

"Shh! Not so loud, 'Tsuri! People are gonna stare at us!" [F/N] said in a hushed whisper as she frantically looked back and forth at the groups surrounding them, Paranoid about their gazes and the possible scrutiny they could come under.

Mitsuri's hands raised up and gently wrapped around [F/N]'s wrist, A featherlight touch as she lowered [F/N]'s hold from her mouth to reveal a teasing smile.

"More than they already do?" Mitsuri giggled as she tossed a lock of watermelon coloured hair behind her, The brightly candy coloured kimono she wore danced in the breeze as her eyes looked kindly into [F/N]'s own.

[F/N]'s breath near slowed to a standstill as she dropped her arms to her side in defeat.

"Well.. Yeah, That's it. But you know it's just.. Actually, Never mind. It's fine, I'll just light the candle and we can go fight the demon, Can't keep Shinobu waiting. You know how she can be" [F/N] replied as she picked up the candle and tossed it up higher into her other hand with a half-hearted smile.

She tried to focus on the stained paper colour of the wax, A way to distract herself from her surroundings and the possible onlookers to the colourful sight. Among the watered crowd the two of them were like roses in a orchid bush.

From Mitsuri's strange yet seraphic waves of watermelon to the unwilling otherworldly appearance of [F/N]'s form they were both rather different to what you could call normal. It didn't help that their uniforms were designed to emphasise their already unusual get up.

[F/N] didn't enjoy the stares she got from it, She didn't like the way they would burn into her skin like charcoal and leave brandings like scars. [F/N] recalled back to a time where she didn't really care about it, And sometimes she questioned when that had changed.

Mitsuri suddenly gasped, Smile breaching the borders of her cheeks once more.

"That's what you can wish for! The mission's success!" She cheered as her hands rested on the stiff shoulders of [F/N] and looked at her with exuberant glee.

[F/N] blinked at the sudden exclamation, But her slight grimace slowly spread into a warm smile.

"..That's a good idea, Actually. I might actually do that.." [F/N] spoke as she looked back down at the candle. Her hand reaching out for the woven basket full of toothpick-like sticks to carve the wax with.

"Ooh! Make sure to wish that we get enough time to see the festival afterwards!" Mitsuri commented as she watched [F/N] lower the sharp point of the stick onto the clay and start to write.

[F/N] rolled her eyes with a smile as she wrote down the kanji like the flow of water, The strokes going up and down and leaving the calculated trail of [F/N]'s engravings.

She did want the mission to go well, She really did. She wanted them to come out of it uninjured with the demons head impaled onto the blade of her sword. [F/N] smiled as she wrote, Sending a small prayer to Inari in her head as she did.

[F/N] lowered the pick, The residue of leftover wax attached to the thin piece of bark was scraped off onto the boulder it was set on. She extended the candle out and up to her eyeline, Examining the kanji delicately described onto the candle.

Mitsuri leaned over, Reading the writing put down.

"May our mission go well with the demon dead by our swords, May our success to be something to ride home about. And may Mitsuri catch many goldfish and eat plentiful food to satisfy her ungodly appetite. Inari Bless her soul."

Mitsuri grinned.

"Perfection, You really captured my essence in there! Now light it so we can all go do that together, 'Kay?" Mitsuri nudged on as her hands lunged from a nearby lit candle in the cluster. Snatching it into her hands and held it up parallel to [F/N]'s unlit one.

[F/N]'s eyes lowered down to the inferno of an ember burning down the candle, Looking at the half-melted wax dripping down the sides and the molten kanji engraved onto the sides. It was about love, About a girl they met in the markets.

[F/N] shook her head and tilted the top of her candle towards the burning wick of the lit one, Her own mingling with the embers for only a split second before the tip started to sizzle and spit.

She watched the small pockets of smoke and the spark glimmer on the top of the wick, She watched as it started to pick up and burn, The remnants of a tiny fire starting to show until it formed into a mature flame.

[F/N] withdrew the candle and lowered it down, Carefully placing it among a bundle of its own kind and nestling it as the newest member. Her hand dropped to the side, Leaving [F/N] to only admire the sparks.

"..And that is how you light a candle!" [F/N] mumbled softly as she watched the dance of the flame, Her smile matching the warmth of the ember perfectly as her face was illuminated by the fire.

"..Huh?" Mitsuri asked, Tilting her head to the side.

"..Erm.. Don't worry about it." [F/N] said shaking her head, She turned back to face Mitsuri with that same smile.

"Come on, Let's go meet up with Shinobu." [F/N] said as she reached a hand over and gently patted Mitsuri's back, Encouraging her to follow as [F/N] started to march off back towards the more urban city.

"Right!" Mitsuri giggled, Taking one last glance towards the field of flames before prancing over to [F/N]'s side.

They walked towards the roaring festival with a newfound confidence, Both in themselves and the success of the mission. How could they not? [F/N] had sent her wishes and her praise to Inari.

And she knew that they were watching over her, In the safe hands of her patron.

☆♡☆

[F/N] blinked once, Then twice. The grogginess in her eyes still not worn off from her slumber.

Another dream..

She groaned, She tossed and turned before her hand hit her forehead. As always her sleep was conflicted, A rising headache throbbing in the side of her head. It didn't help how tired and weary her body still felt sprawled across the futon.

Her duvet was hanging off the side of it, Barely clinging onto dear life as it only covered a leg. The pillows weren't much better, They were half-out their cases and were flung around like a wild animal had rummaged through her room and used her pillows as chew toys.

Memories came back to her like a heeling dog, Of yesterday and the dream she had woken up from only moments ago.

The confrontation with Kokushibo. [F/N] groaned slightly but the phantom of a sly smirk was graced upon her face, If she was lucky at all and her prayers were answered Upper six would be taken out of the picture.

If so it would be much easier to escape from now on. [F/N] trusted in Inari that they would take care of it, Help her along and guide her out of the bone-chilling birdcage she was currently locked in.

[F/N] huffed, An arm reaching out and locking around a pillow before pulling it closer to herself. Both of her limbs wrapped around it and she proceeded to bury her head into the comforting cold that it held.

[F/N] sighed, Even though she had slept for at least a good few hours she was still absolutely exhausted. Her body as usual was tied to the bed like an anchor weighing her down, Keeping her trapped.

She wondered how long it would take until she would bite the bullet and get up this time, It was nice in the bed, As much it could be for a worn out mattress and aged pillows. [F/N] inhaled, Taking in the chalky smell of the cushion she clung onto.

Her eyes kept opening and closing, The lasting whisper of her sleep still not erased from her mind. Vison blurry and her eyelids heavy, She strained them open and held them up long enough for her eyeline to hone in on a shape sitting atop the nightstand.

[F/N] groaned, She already knew what it was from the smell underlying the scent of the pillow. It was savoury and earthy, Pungent and enticing. By the aroma alone she could tell that it was decorated ramen.

Great, Kokushibo had been here again and left her breakfast. Routine as usual, The enticement of the aroma was usually enough to get her out of bed. The flavour of the meal being one of the only highlights in her day, As pathetic as it was.

After the first period of only nibbling on her food she had tried to eat more, She'd need her energy to escape after all. It was still difficult to eat all of it though, So she tried to focus on the flavour, The only part she really enjoyed it for.

On the odd occasion that Kokushibo didn't deliver her food, [F/N] would often lie there for minutes if not hours. There wasn't anything to encourage her out from under her covers, So the flimsy comfort of her bedding had to suffice.

Though, The weights tied to her ankles seemed much more heavy today. It didn't prevent the way she hauled her top half into a sitting position, Nor did it prevent the way she draped her legs over the side of the bed.

But the hunch in her posture was noticeable as her hand swiped the food and sat the lukewarm bowl onto her lap, The chopsticks that came with it were quickly snatched and positioned in between her fingers.

With a bit of hesitation she began to slowly push the slimy noodles into her mouth, The salty taste invading her tongue as she started to chew. It was only once she savoured the food on her tongue was when she noticed the note.

It was sat neatly under the plate, A firm outline of the bowls bottom rim was indented to it but as [F/N] picked it up it was still very much readable.

Her eyes scanned over the words.

To [F/N].

Remember, As soon as you wake up you are to eat your food then make your way to the courtyard for your training.

This time, Make sure to wear something much more flexible.

-黒死牟

[F/N] groaned, Slumping her hand down to her side as she read. She wondered if he found some sadistic pleasure in kicking her to the ground, Some disgusting joy rooting from his demonic instincts. He disguised it as training but [F/N] guessed that it was more for his own benefit.

Really, Her skills were one of the only redeeming qualities about her. Redeeming, Not the correct word, Maybe something more along the lines of being the silver in the sand. There wasn't really much to describe it as.

Though pummelling her into the ground to show the gap in their craft was more than enough for the silver to rust. It's funny, Silver isn't even chemically able to rust yet somehow he made it work.

Guess that's what you have with such overwhelming strength, It was strange not to be the strongest in the room. So far above your peers that clouds circled your head, A weird existence and one that felt so very empty.

[F/N] chewed up the rest of the noodles, The chicken and beef toppings left lying at the bottom of the bowl along with the residue of the water.

If she was going to get embarrassed again she's going to do it on a full stomach, Doesn't matter if he hits her so hard that she just pukes it up again. Maybe if she time's it right she can really piss him off.

Either way she sat down the empty wooden bowl back onto the nightstand and got up. Her legs still half-asleep wobbled as she tried to secure her footing.

[F/N] sighed. Let's get this over with.

☆♡☆

"Gah!" [F/N] yelped, Her body convulsing and the taste of iron sputtered out her mouth.

Her entire form tussled around in the air. Launched back and hurtling until she hit the bare ground with a thump, Near leaving a dent in what seemed concrete hard dirt until now. She layed there sprawled out like a ran-over deer in the road, Her wooden sword laying beside her.

"Your legwork is lacking as usual.. You need to be much faster if you want to land a hit on me.." Kokushibo drawled out. If [F/N] wasn't in pain right now, His taunting voice left her in absolute agony.

Nails on a chalkboard, A silver fork hitting the kitchen floor. Hearing both of those would of been preferable to what he told her. He sounded so smug and she so desperately wanted to punch it off his face.

[F/N] breathed heavily, Her lungs ablaze with exhaustion and exertion. She looked back up at him with a bead of cold sweat running down her brow, Eyes narrowing in distaste.

"..I'm doing it perfectly, It's not my fault you've got demonic speed.." She huffed as she turned over, Rolling onto her back so she could stare up towards the gentle embrace of the light speckling through the tree leaves above.

Kokushibo's frown tightened as he moved over a few steps, A shadow casting over [F/N]'s face as her vision was blocked by the visage of Kokushibo.

"Blaming your faults onto me will do you no good.. While you are agile in your own right, It is your attitude that is holding you back.." Kokushibo remarked, His illuminated eyes from within the darkness honed in on her.

[F/N] felt the spark rise up in her as she stared up into his uncanny eyes, The same one that had been festering inside her like a rapidly growing virus for days now. She bit her tongue. Don't say anything, It isn't worth it.

It isn't worth it.

[F/N] sighed lightly.

"..Yes, Kokushibo-sama.." She said as she hauled herself up onto her knees. The plain ebony Samue she fished out of her closet was now stained with the dirt of both the ground and her defeat, Her feet were bare for ease to move yet somehow that was barely enough to fix her faults.

Kokushibo's hand which was resting lazily upon his sword tightened around the hilt ever so slightly.

"Get up.. We are done here for today." He chuffed. Taking one more scouring look at her before turning to stride off.

[F/N] sighed, Watching as he stopped on the other side of the tree's hill before scowling at him from behind. The bastard, The only grace he had was his ability to declare her beatdowns a wrap.

"Thank Inari.." [F/N] mumbled under her breath, Near heaving as she sent her quiet as a mouse prayer to her patron. Her was strong in her chest along with her expression, Eyelids lowering with a small smile on her face.

She barely caught onto the twitch of Kokushibo's ear, Or the side look he gave her glancing over.

"..I see you're not enjoying our sessions.. Coming from your words.." Her prayers were answered yet their receiver was more demonic than divine. Kokushibo's numerous eyes pierced her from behind his bangs, Which cast a heavy shadow under his face.

[F/N]'s head jerked over as soon as the words left his rotten mouth. Her widened eyes quickly composed into a averted calm towards him, Not quite wanting to engage in conversation yet not quite wanting to engage his ire either.

"..Not really no, I don't understand why I'm doing it in the first place and it feels tedious- Kokushibo-sama. Praying to Inari is just helps me through it." [F/N] said as politely and as shortly as he could, Hoping he doesn't ask anymore questions.

He turned his head a little more to the side, Now letting [F/N] get a better view of his grimace and tight-lipped scowl. His nose was slightly scrunched, [F/N] could almost smell the distaste radiating off him.

And it played on his tongue too, She could tell once he spoke.

"Praying to such a cruel god.. I'd advise against it." It was all Kokushibo said, A line he said like he was stating the weather or stating the sky was blue. Callous and casual, That was his tone.

Yet it was one that made [F/N] freeze. Her eyes expanding and her jaw snapping shut like a mechanised doll. The palm that was half pushed into the ground suddenly tensed up, Clenching a handful of dirt and clumps of grass in-between her fingers.

It was that spark, The one akin to the burning flames of the candles in Osaka. Bundled together and burning like a forests wildfire, Their fuel being the wishes and passion of what was inscribed into it.

It was only an ember though, Only the spritz of a lighter. But it was enough, Enough for her to feel the heat.

"..Excuse me? What do you mean by that?" [F/N] said. Though she was levelled and calm the waters were certainly stirring underneath, Her eyebrows were lowered and vision locked onto him to gauge his form.

Kokushibo fully turned around to face her now, Taking a few calculated steps towards her out from behind the hill.

"…I mean to say that the gods are cruel beings, [F/N].. They are unforgiving and uncaring.. Favouring and rejecting at their will.. They do not care." Kokushibo stated. It wasn't even a debate from how he said it, It was just gospel to him as ironic as that was.

[F/N] could only stare at him blank faced. What he was spouting was heresy, It was the words of a heretic only devoted to his disdain. Who was he to insult her religion? The one that has had a place in her heart and soul for decades now.

It was nothing she would accept on the regular, Back when she was free. Then she wouldn't hesitate to speak out and call the offender out on their disrespect, Then there would be no question.

But now that she was here it was a much more complicated matter. Weighing both the mass of her faith and her act of compliance on the scale tipped from side to side, Going up and down to determine the outcome.

The scale stilled, The decision had been made.

"..Maybe some of them, I will not deny that.. But Inari has been nothing but kind to me. They are my god and my guide, I wouldn't be alive today if it wasn't for them so I don't see how you could say that about them." [F/N] said, Her voice raised an octave.

By now the palm with a fistful of grass had pushed her to her feet, Her stance was wide and as strong as it could be in the face of him. While it was true in Shintoism that some of the gods weren't portrayed in the brightest of lights, It wasn't like they were all evil and unforgiving beings, Especially not Inari.

Not Inari.

Kokushibo breathed air out of his nose, Coming a few strides closer to meet her stance with an overpowering one of his own. Medallion eyes piercing through her with the sharpness of a thousand of his blades.

His jaw opened, Tongue laced with venom as he spoke.

"Inari is the worst of them all, [F/N].." He started, Taking another step forward. "Inari is cruel and sadistic.. Inari takes what you hold dear and gives you nothing in return.. They are nothing but a cold and unfeeling deity." He hissed.

"It doesn't matter how much you worship them or reveire them.. It doesn't matter if you're bleeding out on their altar and screaming for their help.. They don't care." Kokushibo finalized, The acidity near burning in his mouth.

[F/N] could barely respond. She just stood there, Stone cold as if she had stared into the eyes of an accursed snake. The way he spoke about her patron matched the venom of one too. It baffled her.

One moment she was lightly thanking her deity under her breath, The next it had lit the beginnings of what seemed to be his form of a rant, His words almost alluding to something she wasn't aware of. Why it set such a bonfire in the first place confused her to no end as well.

Though, What she did know is that the spark inside her grew into the one that would light that bonfire. The one that would start to rage on inside her.

"Do not talk about Inari that way. They are nothing but kind and benevolent and the god I have dedicated my life to, They have helped me through it all.." [F/N]'s voice came out as a low hiss. Her previous subservient demeanour on the lower end of the scale now as she spat out her words.

Kokushibo huffed, A mocking and smile starting to contort his face.

"..Really.. Then pray tell where they were when you were dying out in the snow.. Where were they when you needed them the most?" He tilted his head, His question rising in volume as he spoke more.

[F/N] gawked and opened her mouth.

"I-"

"-You worshiped them back when you were in your first life.. You adored them just as you do now.. Yet they let you wither away in a blizzard with nothing in return.. Though I don't suppose that has changed now, Has it?" Kokushibo cut in, Leaving her no time to respond.

[F/N]'s mouth snapped shut yet the fire swirling around in her eyes kept burning on him. The absolute anger and rage beginning to kick up inside of her was overflowing, It made her fingers curl and her teeth start to grind, Wanting to take a sword and drive it through his neck.

She opened her mouth once again, Ready to rebut him with everything she had.

But as she went to speak, She had found that nothing came out.

[F/N]'s mind was blank, As a devoted worshiper she should have mountains to say about Inari's good grace and their generosity to give, It was only natural.

But there were no words on her tongue, No memory she could pinpoint that would prove as her saving evidence.

A bead of sweat ran down the side of her head.

"You have nothing.. Don't you?" Kokushibo queried as he surveyed her clocked out form. The still shoulders to the frozen face, He could see it all even without transparent world. His eyes concentrating onto her.

"You.. That is.." [F/N] stammered. Her mind searching for the proper words, Something to say, Anything at all. She gulped, Swallowing down both her saliva and her doubt.

The bead of sweat dropped, Hitting the dried out floor.

"I don't have to tell anything to you" [F/N] finalised as she swayed her head to the side and turned away from him. "You wouldn't understand, A demon especially wouldn't understand the grace of a god."

Kokushibo didn't say anything as he watched her stride away. It was swift and fast paced, Almost as if she wanted to get away from him as quickly as she could as she headed towards the courtyard doors.

He hummed as he watched her go. In hindsight Kokushibo figured that he shouldn't of brought it up, He didn't know what came out of him in that moment. Perhaps it was the way she still unknowingly worshipped them after everything that they did to her.

The gods, They were horrible beings, To him anyways. Whatever admiration or faith he had towards them died when she did so long ago, If they let him get to her on time or didn't put her in that situation in the first place.

The only good they had ever done was bring her back, The only grace they held was her reincarnation. What he had done to deserve it in the first place he didn't know, The only thing he did was their reunion.

Either way it didn't change his opinion on them, They did one good thing out of a thousand atrocities. His mind was steel and his opinions adamant.

He huffed at the thought of them, Taking one last look at the courtyard scenery before disappearing into the air. Deciding that she needed to cool down from her anger and off to find a meal.

☆♡☆

The creaking of floorboards rung out inside the hallway, The reverberations causing the surrounding spiders and invertebrates to scuttle away from the force of it.

[F/N] was angry, She was offended. In all her life she had never heard such enraging words, Such vile insults to her patron and deity, The one she had been worshipping for so long.

Of course, Religion was always the low hanging fruit for younger kids and ignorant older folk to jab at. That, She could handle. She'd ignore it most of the time, Brush it off her shoulder like it was nothing and move on with her life.

It was just an unfortunate part of being in a religious doctrine, It wasn't a good nor was it an acceptable thing by any means but it was a part of a religious woman's life. She was use to it, She could deal with it.

But this? This was heresy.

Kokushibo spoke nothing but hatred and loathing, Nothing but acidity and venom. Not from any ignorance or youthful inexperience but it was a genuine distaste for Shintoism and that was something [F/N] just couldn't stand.

She didn't know why when it came from him specifically, His insults and his ire, Was what really ticked her off. [F/N] hated it, Hated the disrespect to her religion and by proxy herself. Perhaps it was the all-knowing look he gave her, Or it could've just been him himself as a demonic prescence defying the gods.

His expression burned into her, Stoked the flames of whatever was already festering inside her like a parasite. Her teeth gritted and the veins on the side of her hand started to swell up from how hard she was clenching it.

[F/N] screamed.

It was over in a moment. Bits of wood and lumber exploded out from the destroyed pillar, A hollering reverberation ran throughout the entire building as soon as [F/N]'s fist made impact with it.

[F/N] whined as she saw her fist stuck in the crater left in the pillar. Bits of the wood lodged into her skin, Digging into her and drawing trickles of blood that flowed down her fist.

She was breathing heavily, Sweat starting to dampen her brow. Her scrunched up examined her hands wound, Which started to sharply ache at her nerves and throb painfully.

[F/N] pulled it out with a tug. Letting it fall to the side like the blood droplets falling to the floor. She stood there for a few minutes, The isolating silence flooding in and invading her, Making her feel so small within the expansive halls.

[F/N] was left to her thoughts as the only noise going through her head. Her hand twitched from the pain, But she ignored it in favour of her own inner monologue.

That bastard, How she wished that it was him that she punched. How she envisioned his face beaten and bloody instead of her own hand. Though it hurt and ached, She didn't feel angry anymore, Instead only the aftertaste.

She exhaled, Letting the air turn into vapour in the cold draft.

What if it wasn't him that made her so angry though?

What if it was something else. She had ignored it so well before but then she wasn't in such a place she was. The cold chill running down her spine, The dusty floors and the near decayed foundations all contributed to her raging mood.

As she imagined his visage in her mind, She didn't feel anymore rage and disgust.

[F/N]'s breath hitched in her throat, Eyes suddenly snapping out of whatever train of thought she was enthralled in.

A dark shadow cast over from behind her, A presence becoming aware within her mind in a single moment.

Her head snapped around, Shoulders raising in guard as her body jerked round. Though gratefully her eyes softened from relief once she saw who it was.

"Akaza." [F/N] greeted normally, Well, As normally as she could with a bleeding fist and her clothing drenched in her own sweat. She looked at the demon, Staring into his own kanji-engraved eyes, All of which spoke of intermediate alarm.

"I smelt blood, What the hell happened?!" Akaza demanded as he quickly scanned over her body. His teeth were bared to reveal his fangs and his fists were clenched as if he was ready for a fight.

[F/N] sighed, Drooping her head down to ponder at her bare feet.

"Nothing, I'm not injured if that's what you're asking." She said, Shrugging him off. Her curled up fist was hidden behind her back, Of which was pressed up against the broken pillar to disguise the crater.

Akaza huffed, His nose scrunching up in disgust as his eyes locked onto the limb pushed behind her. In an instant, He threw his arm out and grabbed her shoulder, Making [F/N] yelp in surprise.

"H-Hey! The hell are you doing?!" She exclaimed as Akaza yanked out her hidden arm, Only to reveal the injuries and blood coating her knuckles like dripping paint. It was already swollen, The splinters still lodged within her flesh.

"Not injured?" Akaza drawled as he looked down at her knuckles, Examining the brushes and feeling the uncontrolled twitches and jerks of her hand within his hold. [F/N] wanted to argue back but with the evidence literally in the palm of his hands it was impossible to do so.

[F/N] yanked it away from him, Letting it swash to her side.

"..Fine, I punched a hole into the wall, See?" [F/N] admitted agitatedly as she stepped aside to display the crater. "I got a bit carried away and needed to let out some frustration. Don't worry, You haven't lost your ticket to number one yet."

Akaza rolled his eyes at her words and groaned.

"Good, I'd rather not risk it" Akaza said. [F/N]'s non-injured hand moved to massage her wrist in a half-successful attempt to soothe her pain as she looked at him, Scrutinizing him up and down while she did.

"Since you're here, Kokushibo's gone I assume?" [F/N] asked. Akaza nodded.

"Yeah, Came as soon as I sensed him leaving." He replied in kind. [F/N] sighed. At least he was out of here, Akaza was someone she could tolerate and Kokushibo was someone she couldn't. She could even say she enjoyed his company at times, Rarely, But she could.

"Great to hear that you're bright and early, Almost as if you like spending time with me." [F/N] drawled sarcastically as she looked back up at him, A teasing glint in her eyes that made Akaza scoff.

"Not in the slightest, I'm only here because I need to kill upper one." Akaza corrected for the hundredth time in the row, All shown in the way his voice just excreted exhaustion and annoyance.

[F/N]'s eyes widened however, That glint in here eyes flickering.

"Ah right! That reminds me!" [F/N] exclaimed as she snapped her fingers, His words sparking a sudden recollection inside of her. A smile blooming on her face like the lotuses in the water outside.

"Hm?" Akaza hummed curiously.

"I fixed our upper six problem, We won't need to worry about him anymore." [F/N] answered with her teeth bare in a grin. She stepped a few feet closer to him, The ghost of excitement running in her voice.

Akaza's eyes expanded.

"What?!" He exclaimed, Genuinely shocked.

"I took care of him. I confronted Kokushibo about where I was and I told him Upper six directed me to where the exit was. He won't be around anymore to impede my escape, Kokushibo will handle it." [F/N] explained, Mildly proud of herself.

Akaza blinked a few times, Almost as if he was baffled about what was in front of him. She took Upper six out of the picture? He was nearly impressed. Knowing Kokushibo he wouldn't hesitate to kill him for such insubordination, Especially against him himself.

Thank god. That little brat was barely strong enough for the upperrank's, Let alone the twelve moons in the first place. Besides, There was no one around to snitch on them now. She had skewered the rat, Taken him out and she didn't even need to lift a finger.

"…That's.. That's great." Was all Akaza could say yet his surprise was still evident in his tone, A tone that made [F/N]'s grin sharpen like knives as she looked at him. It was an expression that looked odd on her, Foreign, Like her own face wasn't accustomed to it.

"Of course it is, We'll be free to continue with the bridge construction now without anything to avoid." [F/N] said. She truly did look like the cat who caught the mouse, The moth on the lightbulb or the tiger in the tree.

It was strange. Akaza felt like he was in unfamiliar waters, Somehow out of practice with her mood. He stared at her for a moment or two, One that dragged out before snapping out of it and opening his mouth.

"…Yeah, Good to know. On topic the topic of that, The real reason I came here early is because I brought what you wanted or whatever." Akaza said as his eyes shifted to his pockets, His hands followed suits and shoved themselves into them.

[F/N] let out a small 'Oh' as she watched him rummage around in his pockets for what he had in there, All before he scavenged out a turn of rope and a cluster of spare nails in his coarse hands.

"Here you go, Enjoy whatever you're gonna do with it." Akaza shrugged as he dumped them into [F/N]'s arms, Of which looked down at the pile now stacking in her hold.

Her eyes ran over them, Scouring and examining every molecule of the acquired goods before her lip quirked. Brows furrowing in confusion.

"..This.. This isn't enough." [F/N] said as she looked down at the barely enough rope, Which looked to be cut off halfway and the nails that were few and far between. The rope was near laughably too small and the nails were half rusted and low quality.

Akaza huffed, Shaking his head.

"I told you, The biwa demon knows everything that comes in and out. If I brought anything more in she would've noticed and gotten suspicious." Akaza explained like he was talking to a small child.

[F/N] looked at him, Her face as blank as untouched paper in a pile. She blinked once, Before her lips tightly pursed and a vein swelling out from the side of her forehead.

"But.. But what the hell am I suppose to do with this..?! It's not even enough to get to the first arch" [F/N] exclaimed as her grip on the items grew tighter, Her knuckles popping out from the force as she looked at him.

Akaza scoffed, Looking her up and down.

"I don't know, Get creative? I said I can't bring you anything more, Alright?" Akaza spelt it out for her but she wasn't listening. She took a few steps towards him, Her noise pointing at his figure.

"Akaza.. I can't do shit with this, Inari knows you might as well've brought me string and thumbtacks because this is bloody useless! I don't even have any tools for the nails." [F/N] hissed as she pushed her face near his, Shoulders raised as if she was intimidating a bear.

The injured hand that was clutching the rope so tight started to bleed more profusely, Blood trickling out the splinter's punctures in ounces but [F/N] never felt it. That spark, That raging spark was with her once more.

It was the bonfire in the winters night, It was the storm within the clouds of her hazy mind as she thoughtlessly berated him. Her teeth were bared and she was near foaming at the mouth like a rabid dog.

Akaza stared back at her, This reaction was completely out of the blue. Though she had brought buckets of her own attitude to any of their reactions, Back then it was just sarcasm or annoyance.

But this? This was anger. It was completely unwarranted too, Her reaction did not fit the situation by any means and it made Akaza feel completely out of his own skillset. Though by instinct he raised his shoulders in return, Going to intimidate her right back.

"Well how about you do something about it yourself? How about you scavenge materials of your own instead of bitching about it to me. I don't know why you're so goddamn angry but fucking calm the hell down, You hear?" Akaza hissed, Near spitting in her face as his eyes locked onto hers.

[F/N]'s teeth bared wider, The veins on the side of her forehead starting to burn and pop out of place as she opened her mouth to yell at him.

But she stopped.

[F/N] looked at him, Suddenly freezing in place. Her eyes that held so much anger fell down, Softening to that of their original state. Her shoulders drooped down with her as she slowly stepped away from him.

[F/N] looked back up at him, Looking slightly puzzled.

"I.. I'm sorry. I don't know why I blew up at you there, I haven't really been myself lately.." [F/N] sighed as she pinched her brow with her healthy hand. She breathed in and out, The inordinate anger leaving her body with every rise and fall of her chest.

Akaza blinked. Looking back at her as his own shoulders fell, Yet his stone hard look stayed on him.

"Whatever, Just get it in check." Akaza huffed as he took a few steps away from her, Clenched hands falling to the side.

[F/N] whined as her hand jerked once more. By now, Droplets of blood dripped down onto the cold wooden floorboards and had created a noticeable mess. [F/N] brought her hand up to her lips, Pressing it against them she tasted the pungent iron.

Akaza's eyelids narrowed in on her hand. His lip quirked down at it before he sighed, Tossing his head to the side.

"Come on, We need to clean this up so Kokushibo doesn't think someone injured you." Akaza said, Turning away before walking down the hall. Beckoning her only once with a signalling of his head.

[F/N] blinked, Slightly surprised by him.

"Alright then.." She said. [F/N] took once last look at the blood puddling on the ground before stuffing the rope and nails into a pouch in her haori, Before stumbling on to follow him. Trailing behind him with an aching hand and a lingering thought on her mind about their interaction.

She didn't know why she had such an outburst, Why she had such an explosion of emotion and primal rage at one of the thousands of inconveniences she had faced before. She sighed as she followed Akaza along.

[F/N] would need to find out later.

☆♡☆

"Ah-! Easy there! Can't you go any slower?"

"Shut it, I'm trying to do it as painlessly as I can."

"Yeah- Obviously!" [F/N] hissed as Akaza pulled out another splinter from her bloody hand. Her teeth were bared and she sucked in a sharp breath of air with every pluck, Eyes glaring daggers into Akaza.

She sat perched upon the dusty kitchen counter, An old med kit was scattered across it with several needles and bandages overflowing from inside the small bamboo tub. It was obviously opened with very little care or finesse.

The kitchen, One of the rooms [F/N] never frequented often due to the very poor utilization of what a kitchen was suppose to do. It was a room that was longer than it was wide with cupboards lining the back wall, All filled with yarns of cobwebs and a myriad of insects [F/N] couldn't identify.

The grills that were sat below the cupboards above were out of use for a very long time, A glove of dust could appear on your hand if you chose to brush it against the top of it. Both that and the old rusty pans and pots in the cabinets were completely unusable.

There was no food here, Nothing edible anyways. Though the med kit was luckily found under one of the grills, Akaza had to shoo away the spiders who had made their home inside it but it was still usable.

"Ah.. Ah fuck!" And it was made obvious by [F/N]'s winces and whines of pain. It was funny, For a woman who had faced demons bigger than her, Took cuts and stabs to her gut with no reaction she sure did feel a lot of pain.

"Oh calm down, That was the last of it." Akaza exclaimed as he held up the tweezers in his hand, The splinter squeezed tightly in-between the two grips before being tossed away onto the floor by Akaza.

[F/N] groaned, Her free hand moving to her wrist to massage it as Akaza moved over to the splayed out med kit and started to rummage through it again. She sighed, The pain subsiding by only by a pitch.

She glanced over to Akaza as he pulled out a new myriad of items.

[F/N] sighed as she waited for him to finish. The pain was more bearable now, It was down to the levels she could tolerate.

Then, Why did she still feel an ache?

Though the majority of all her pain was gone there was still an undeniable thump in her chest, One that felt like a fist was squeezing her heart for all the bloody juices inside. [F/N] pushed her free hand onto her chest and pressed down, Not knowing why but knowing it wouldn't stop the ache.

It was sore, But didn't hurt her nerves. It was painful, But there was no visible injury to be found. It was strange to say the least.

She barely heard the words that were being spoken to her, Her brows only furrowing before snapping back into the current situation.

"Hey! Did you hear me or not, Give me your damn hand." Akaza barked, His own hand was presented and beckoning [F/N] to place hers in his. Akaza held a damp cloth in his other, His eyes waiting impatiently for her.

[F/N] blinked.

"Oh.. Right, Sorry.." She mumbled as she lain her hand down onto his palm. Akaza took no time in dabbing down the cloth onto her knuckles, Which instantly erupted a new kind of burning agony.

"Ah- Fuck!" [F/N] hissed as her body tensed up. The damp cloth, Which was now revealed to be drenched in some kind of alcohol was painful to the wounds splattered on her hand.

Akaza rolled his eyes and mumbled something about humans being weak under his breath. He shook his head and continued to clean and disinfect her wounds with an impatient streak in his movements.

[F/N] sighed, Trying to relax her shoulders and get use to the burning of the liquor.

"..Hey Akaza, Do you believe in a god?"

Akaza's movements stopped mid swipe. Of what focused attitude had enthralled and captured his attention before was now broken. His eyes darted up to meet [F/N], Whose head was swayed to the side and her gaze far off yonder.

"Where the hell did that come from?" Akaza said as the cloth pressing against her knuckles was suddenly withdrawn as tossed aside onto the counter of which she sat. [F/N] bit the inside of her lip, Thinking to herself for a moment.

"I don't know, I just noticed you had prayer beads around your ankles and thought I'd ask." [F/N] replied mindlessly as her entire self seemed to be somewhere else entirely. She seemed out of it entirely, Making Akaza raise an eyebrow.

He shrugged before continuing to patch up her wounds.

"Stuff from my human life, Might of been a Buddhist. I don't know." He said quickly. [F/N] took a glance to look back at him, Seeing his face dropped down from her higher point and focused right back onto cleaning her wounds.

[F/N]'s closed lips tightened and pursed together into a slight frown. "What about now? Do you still believe in Buddhism?" She asked again as she watched Akaza's form for any jerks or freezes. Akaza only shrugged as he continued his work.

"Don't know, Don't care. Religion isn't something I think about often." Akaza replied. He finished disinfecting her wounds, The sickly iron that was coating her hands before was now gone and the wounds freshly clean.

[F/N] nodded slowly as Akaza went to shuffle around in the med kit once more, Taking in his words.

"Why?" Akaza asked as he pulled out a roll of white bandages, Completely fresh and soft within the grip of the demon. [F/N] turned to look at him, Thinking over her words before speaking.

"I'm just a bit confused is all. I'm a Shintoist, I use to be a shrine maiden before this. I use to be really connected to my patron, Inari, But right now I just feel a bit out of it right now. It's nothing, Really." She commented absentmindedly.

Akaza's eyebrows knitted together as she spoke, He felt like there was a bigger rabbit hole than was being presented. He felt like there was more to dig through, Something underneath but whether he would chase it he didn't know.

So he stopped talking and opened his mouth, Letting that lead him along.

"You're in a literal shrine right now, I don't see how you could be disconnected from your religion" Akaza said as he lightly tugged [F/N]'s hand back into his grasp and started to bandage up her knuckles.

[F/N] sighed.

"..You probably don't know this, But this place is a replica of where I lived beforehand. The other one was better, It was well-kept and not decaying like this one.." She mumbled as she looked at the rotten wood and the spiders running along the side-lines.

"This place has been here for centuries, That's literally impossible." Akaza replied as he rolled the bandages.

"Yeah, I said that too, Akaza." [F/N] said in turn "But as I also said it's confusing, The other one was bigger too after it was fashioned into the kakushi base. It had another floor and much more rooms, It's just a bit of a downgrade.." [F/N] said.

She recalled the warmth of the rooms or the lively chatter which would be found in the halls, All the activities and the singing of crows from the aviary. The smell of fresh food that would come from the kitchen, Now turned into sawdust and sulphur.

Akaza's eyes however widened in recognition.

"..The Kakushi Base?" He questioned, Amber eyes like broken glass now staring up into her own irises. [F/N] blinked, Realising what she had said before she sighed.

"Yeah, It was a base of operations for the slayers. Kokushibo had attacked us a few weeks ago- No, Months now at this point. He had tried to kill me but.. You know" [F/N] said as she pointed down to the bandages around her mid-section, Still there and nearly healed entirely.

Akaza stared at her for a few minutes. His face going blank and something inside his head started to whirr, It started hit and turn before suddenly it clicked.

"Oh goddamnit, No fucking way.." Akaza said. The bandages in his hand were suddenly slammed down onto the kitchen counter, Akaza stepping a good few feet away from her. Looking at her like she had a dozen heads.

[F/N] looked back at him, Thinking for a second before it hit her.

"You heard about it?" She asked tiredly as she picked up the bandages beside her and tore them from the roll, Tying it around her knuckles into a knot and finishing her first aid.

Akaza however just gawked at her, No, Not at her, It was at her haori. The realisation of who this was from the patterns of dragons and cerulean blues painting the fabric, The one that was shown in his masters death warrant for them.

It was the same haori they both wore. Akaza could've just shrugged it off by similar patterns or they just happened to have the same kind, But by the way she reacted? No, She was aware.

[F/N] in turn just sighed and shook her head.

"Yes, I am the one who killed a thousand demons. Yes, I fought Kokushibo back at the real shrine. Any more questions?" [F/N] exasperated as she placed the bandage roll beside her and folded her arms, Looking at him prepared.

Akaza blinked. Back when he had gotten the call from his master to kill this slayer, The flash of who he was. The strong stature and the haori of blue flowing in the rushing winds as he slayed another one of his kind.

The mask, The kitsune mask with such electrifying eyes stared into the view of the vision with such power. He held such otherworldly grace even when taking a life, Akaza was absolutely thrilled.

A strong opponent, A truly strong opponent. As soon as Akaza was delivered the vision he was ecstatic, Finally someone he could battle against to test his own prowess in fighting. He couldn't wait to meet him, Which is why Akaza went straight out to find him.

Akaza had looked for ages, He had went to several towns and villages where the Hashira had been spotted in search of him. He had looked for ages, Scoured and sought after him for months but in the end coming up empty.

But now as that man now woman was sitting atop the kitchen counter infront of him, Hand injured and bandaged by Akaza himself, Akaza had no idea what to do.

"..I don't really know how you feel about this, But if you-"

"How the hell are you him?! How can someone like you kill one thousand demons, You don't even look like a man. How is that possible?!" Akaza yelled as he stepped a heavy foot closer to her, Of what force caused a minor tremor.

[F/N]'s brows furrowed, But she ultimately stayed calm. "Akaza, Look. It's complicated, I can explain it to you if you want alright? But I promise it's not that big of a thing" [F/N] said as she tried to placate his sudden detest towards her. It was surprising, She didn't expect him to react this way at all.

But as she looked at him, Seen his stance and raised shoulders and the way his wolfing eyes looked at her like an injured doe. [F/N] could tell he was enraged.

But why?

"Being the Hashira that killed one thousand demons? A strong swordsman turning out to be just some throwaway shrine-maiden? Not such a big thing.. Bull. Shit." Akaza chided as his eyes locked onto her with a burning fire.

"M-Mind your manners, Akaza-dono-!"

Both Akaza and [F/N] froze.

A voice called out from behind him, A shrill, pubescent tone.

Akaza's body jerked around in a near second, His raised shoulders which were held in anger were now on guard as his eyes met that of the intruder. [F/N] also peered round behind Akaza, Her eyes widening on the unfamiliar figure.

Kaigaku stood within the doorframe. He was hunched over slightly with a nervous grin plastered all over his face, His entire figure was reminiscent of some kind of rodent or hamster on their hind legs.

"I thought you got rid of him." Akaza hissed lowly under his breath, Not taking his eyes off Kaigaku.

"I thought I did." [F/N] hissed back as she recognised the kanji in his eyes.

Kaigaku's nervous grin widened slightly, His posture straightening out as he took a few steps towards the pair. His fingers were fidgety as he moved, [F/N] in turn finally hopped down from the kitchen counter and backed up against it besides Akaza.

"I- I mean I'm sorry to interrupt you, [F/N]-sama. Akaza-dono.." Kaigaku said, Only adding Akaza's name on as an afterthought and keeping his eyes upon [F/N]. Taking a few steps closer, [F/N] pushed herself further against the counter.

"Ah, right-! I should probably introduce myself, I'm sorry. Erm-.." Kaigaku dusted off his old slayer uniform by sticking out a clawed hand towards [F/N].

"M-My name is Kaigaku, I am upper rank six. I-It's great to meet you, Kokushibo-dono has spoke a lot about you-!" Kaigaku said, Lightly bowing down in front of her and ignoring Akaza entirely.

[F/N] stood there, Looking down at Kaigaku for the first time. She had only seen him in black and blue flashes before, Nothing else but seeing him in corporeal form? It wasn't even why she was surprised no, It was why he was here in the first place.

[F/N], She thought he would be dead. Kokushibo, From what little [F/N] knew about him she knew that he would most likely kill him or at least get rid of him. [F/N] thought, She really did.

Her hands grew clammy as she looked down at his taloned hands, Nails shining in the dim kitchen light, Her eyes widened and petrified at the sight of him.

Inari, I thought you'd take care of this..

Kaigaku, Who stood there for a good few seconds hesitantly withdrew his hand after realising she wasn't gonna take it. He raised back up, Fiddling with his hands skittishly as he smiled at her.

"I see.. Well that's fine then! I.. I hope we'll get along!" Kaigaku cheered lowly as his foot tapped rhythmically on the wooden floorboards, Closing his mouth and leaving all three of them in awkward silence.

Akaza on the other hand stood on guard, His teeth bared in preparation of a fight. [F/N] wouldn't lie about getting him out of the picture so Kokushibo must've let him go somehow, Especially if he was here right now. Why? He didn't know.

But as he looked at Kaigaku's new demeanour, His cheery and overly-friendly persona that he wore like a glove. Akaza knew exactly what he was doing.

He was sucking up to [F/N].

"I-I cleaned up the mess you made in the hallway, By the way!" Kaigaku explained as he moved even closer to her. [F/N] seethed through her teeth, Kaigaku becoming way too close for comfort.

"I.. I- Thanks but I-"

"How the hell are you here, Fucking leave you little brat." Akaza interrupted, Not giving [F/N] time to speak. His hands started to ball up into fists, Creating veins. Kaigaku, Only acknowledging his presence now, Peered over to him with the same attitude he gave [F/N].

"Akaza-dono.. I don't think that language is very appropriate.. W-We're all friends here right?" Kaigaku stuttered as he tilted his head towards Akaza, A sharp glint in his ebony eyes revealed everything Akaza needed to know.

But he barely focused on it as he pushed Kaigaku aside away from [F/N].

"Answer me. What the hell are you doing here?" Akaza spat at him as he pushed his face up into Kaigaku's, His taller stature straightened in an attempt to intimidate. The glint grew brighter, More malicious as it became between the two.

"Let me tell you then." Kaigaku hissed.

☆♡☆

"Wait no- Ack-!" Kaigaku hissed as he coughed up blood.

His body was launch, Tossing and turning in the air for only a minute before his back slammed against the nearby wall. Cuts of varying sizes littered his body, Barely regenerating under his ruined uniform.

Kaigaku slid down onto the ground, His body twitching and jerking while drenched in his own blood. A shadow was cast upon the wall as heavy footsteps slowly stalked towards him, Thumping loudly with every lowering of his foot.

"Stay quiet.. I don't want to hear your grovelling.. " Kokushibo spat as he looked down at his Tsuguko lying on the ground. His sword was drawn and held so tightly in his hand that his knuckles turned white.

All six of his eyes were locked onto him, Anger coursing through every one of his swollen veins as he looked at the young boy with such malice and disgust. He licked his lips like a lion about to strike the gazelle, His fingers itching to strike Kaigaku down.

Kaigaku's head raised weakly and looked up at his master, Several teeth were missing from his mouth and blood was rapidly flowing out of it. He bit back the tears, Fear enveloping his entire being.

"M-Master, Please wait-! I-It wasn't me.. It was-"

"I told you to stay quiet, Boy.."

A sharp kick to his stomach interrupted his speech. Kaigaku screamed as more blood shot out from his mouth and splattered across the ground. His stomach was on fire, Like all of his intestines were rearranged within his body.

Kaigaku's head fell right back onto the dirty flooring of the abandoned house they were in, His body was near mangled at this point. He had been called by Kokushibo to meet him here, On arrival he had been ambushed by the man.

Kokushibo stalked closer towards him, Getting down onto his knees and looming over the boy. Casting a heavy shadow over him as his taloned hand reached out towards him, Golden eyes gleaming with rage.

Kokushibo's hand firmly gripped Kaigaku by the scalp, His claws digging into the boys raven coloured locks and yanking his head up to meet him. Forcing his eyes to meet his masters own, Fire burning into him.

"You are lucky that I have chosen to spare you.. The only reason you are is because I know you didn't try approach her.. You wouldn't dare" Kokushibo told him, His grip on Kaigaku's scalp tightening making him whine out in pain.

"But.. You did let her spot you.. I told you to remain unseen, Did I not?" Kokushibo tilted his head as he watched Kaigaku's bloody and beaten body squirm within his grasp. He looked down almost sadistically, Almost enjoying his pain.

"I suppose it doesn't matter now.. However." Kokushibo commented as his hold on Kaigaku's hair was let go, Kaigaku falling back down onto the floor with a thump and a yelp as he lay there writhing.

Kokushibo got up from his kneeling position, Sheathing his sword into it's hilt.

"Though.. Let me tell you one thing." Kokushibo said as he turned back to look at Kaigaku, The cold night's air drying up the blood quickly upon both their bodies.

"You treat my sister with respect.. One day she will be your superior, And you will need to answer to her.. You will treat her as you treat me, With fear and submission." Kokushibo hissed as he turned back away and started to walk off, Leaving Kaigaku to suffer.

☆♡☆

Akaza let go of Kaigaku, Tossing him to the side like an unwanted children's toy.

"You disgusting brat.." Akaza hissed as he stared knives into the boy who stumbled back into the kitchen wall. Akaza backed off, Though his glare stood strong as he marched away, Swinging the door open and marching away.

It was slammed shut, The force so strong that it shook the foundations of the building. It left the two of them alone, [F/N] glancing nervously at Kaigaku and Kaigaku looking back at her with some faux admiration.

"[F-[F/N]-sama! I- Erm.. I'm so sorry for him.." Kaigaku said as he shuffled towards her with his hands clasped. [F/N], Now that she was up close to him could sense his soul aura much more pungently now. It was vile, It was rotten. It was an apple that was moulding from the inside out, His persona that he put on was completely fake and [F/N] could tell that from the feel of his aura alone.

[F/N] sucked in a deep breath through her nose.

"Yeah.. Um, It's fine.." [F/N] replied quickly as she backed away towards the doorway, Looking at him like he would pounce any second now. She moved slowly, Eyeing him down with a furrowed brow and bared teeth, Trying to mimic what Akaza did.

"Oh.. W-Where are you going?" Kaigaku said, Perking up as he noticed her movements to leave. [F/N] blinked once, Shaking her head before answering him.

"I.. I need to go do some stuff." [F/N] said quickly as her movements picked up, Her body now turning around as she started to make her way towards the door much more swiftly. Only taking a small glance back at him.

Kaigaku blinked, Before slowly nodding.

"Oh.. Okay then, H-Have fun, [F/N]-sama!" Kaigaku called out to her as he watched her stumble out of the kitchen in quick succession. [F/N] didn't dare look back after that, Only focusing on getting out of there.

☆♡☆

[F/N] ran.

As soon as [F/N] was out of his line of sight she bolted. She didn't care, She ran down the hallways and didn't dare to look back to see if he was following her at all. Not stopping for a second.

Her lungs burned, It felt as if she was breathing in fire with every breath. Every succession of her feet in front of her made her want to collapse onto the cold wooden floorings and never get back up.

But she continued onwards. [F/N] didn't know where she was going or how long she was going to run for, That didn't matter. It was a matter of escape is what it was. From what she had no clue either.

Why he was here, Upper six. Why it set her into a frenzy confused her, It was all confusing, Everything was. He was suppose to be out of her way entirely, His death was suppose to lighten her load.

But he was here, Kokushibo had let him go for some unknown reason.

Inari, You were suppose to take care of this, You're suppose to take care of me.

[F/N]'s thoughts ran miles per hour along with her legs, Tears speckled at her eyes but didn't dare to fall. Her eyes blinked, Her feet burned. She took in a sharp intake of oxygen, But it wasn't enough and it hurt too.

[F/N]'s sprint stuttered into a run, Then a jog then walk. All until she collapsed against one of the shrines doors in exhaustion.

Her body lain against it, Her lungs rising up and down and up and down. Over and over again to regain her lost stamina. She sighed, Her skin was bathed in sweat and it rolled down her in near buckets.

Things were suppose to go better, She was suppose to get out of here. She had faith that it was going to happen, But now she had no idea at all what she felt.

[F/N]'s hand which was placed against the wooden door lightly trailed along the timber, Her hand feeling the dips and the curves in the architecture until it hit a jut. [F/N] blinked, Taking one more deep breath in before pushing herself to her feet.

It was a sign that she felt, A small bump in the wood with carved out letters. [F/N] read it, Recognition flashing in her eyes.

The Haiden.

[F/N] stared at it for a few minutes, Seemingly breathless as she read the words over and over again like a sutra.

Out of all her time here she hadn't been to the haiden, She had passed it, Passed this room every now and then but never read the sign. Never took a glance towards the door or gain an interest to the contents inside.

But now? It was enticing, Something drawing her eyes to the doorknob. She looked down at it, Nervous as she grimaced.

[F/N]'s fingers twitched, Her hand slowly raising before resting it upon the silver of the doorknob. Her hand gripped onto it, Feeling the cold silver on her skin as she started to turn it.

The door opened with a squeak, One much louder than [F/N] was anticipating and making her wince. Though she didn't stop as she let the door swing open on its own, Letting the dark void of the room inside become visible to her.

[F/N] was hesitant, Looking at the light-devoid room with unfamiliarity before she took a step in slowly.

She walked into the haiden, Looking around at the shadow infested room with a distraught nostalgia. Her eyes ran over every wooden pillar near collapsing in on itself, Every woven basket empty and dusty.

It was cold in here, Freezing like a winters night and leaving a burning frostbite in it's wake. It felt so chilling, Making [F/N] shiver once she felt it run down her spine. At the end was the altar, The one that stood so high before.

But now it was a shell of it's former self. Of what grand and high form it took before was now abolished into a dirty wreck. [F/N] gasped lightly at the sight of it, Was this really how such a sanctity was kept?

There were only puddles of wax within the candle holders atop it, The spiders making home within the crevices. It didn't stop [F/N] as she made her way down to the front of it, Standing before it as she always did but now it was different.

[F/N] felt no more sense of wonder or comfort within the walls, That sense of protection and safety she felt while she was in here was long gone. Replacing it was only a faint remnant of what was, Of what use to be.

[F/N] lowered onto her knees in front of it, In a praying position. She had no proper candles or material to light them with so she decided to do without. She sat there for a few moments, Taking in the derelict room before she spoke.

"Inari.." [F/N] started, Watching as her words turn into mist in the cold air.

"Inari I don't know what I'm doing anymore.. I have served you my entire life, I have been your devoted servant, Your worshipper and your follower." She started to say, Her voice picking up in volume with every word.

She gulped, Swallowing down her hesitancy.

"I don't know why I'm here, In the haiden or in the shrine at all. You were suppose to keep me safe from harm or hurt but you haven't. I've been through so much, I've lost so much. I feel so much pain every second of the day but you aren't fixing that…" [F/N] said, Shaking her head as she remembered.

"Shizuko.. Mitsuri.. M-My siblings.. I.. I don't know why you aren't making it better? T-That's what you're suppose to do, R-Right?" [F/N]'s voice grew shaky, Something blocking her throat as she felt warm water tickle at her eyes.

"..Are you even real, Inari? Have I been following nothing but ink on paper my whole life..? Please, Inari.. Answer me.." [F/N] begged. Her hands pressed in a praying position below the altar, Putting her head down onto the carpet to bow.

The cold draft blew across the haiden, It stayed quiet. Only the scuttling of mice and the settling of the foundation was heard. [F/N] bit her lip, The hot water starting to trickle down her face and sting at her skin.

[F/N] blinked, Sniffling once.

"Why won't you answer me..?" [F/N] asked near pleadingly, Trying her best to keep her lips in a shaky smile as she tried not to cry.

"Please.. Just answer me.." [F/N] whispered, Pressing her hands even tighter together.

But she sat there, Head pressed against the old carpet as she waited for something to happen.

And waited and waited.

Next Chapter

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mortal-cupid · 5 months

Text

♡ Breaking Down Big Emotions ♡

⚠ Please Be Aware This Post Is Meant To Be Used In A Safe And Loving Environment Where You Can Allow Yourself To Feel And Heal ⚠ PLEASE READ THE FULL POST IF YOU NEED, IT WAS SHORTENED FOR THE SAKE OF PEOPLE'S FEEDS!! ⚠

► Questions For Yourself

• Am I In A Safe Place?

• What Triggered The Emotion?

• Why Does This Bother Me So Much?

• Has This Happened To Me Before?

• What Happened Last Time?

• Is This Emotion Bigger Than It Should Be?

► Letting Yourself Feel

~ The Best First Step To Healing Is To Be Gentle With Yourself And Allow Yourself To Feel All Of The Emotions You Need To In A Controlled And Safe Environment ♡ Next Are Some Tips For Safe Ways To Let It All Out

• Journaling: Not Necessarily In An Aesthetic Pretty Way, Let It Out! Rant And Metaphorically Scream Into The Journal Letting Yourself Be As Dramatic Or Over The Top Or Messy As You Need To

• Crying: In A Safe And Loving Space, Allow Yourself To Sob It Out. Light Some Candles, Play Some Sad Music, Watch A Sad Movie, Grab Some Stuffies, And Let It All Out The Best You Can

• Draw Your Emotions: You Don't Have To Be Artistic To Do This ♡ Doodle Symbols, Scribble, Draw Yourself, Draw A Persona, Anything You Need To

• Letting Out Physical Energy: Running, Safely Punching Things That Won't Hurt You Or Break, Working Out In A Way You Can Handle, Jump, Shake It Out, Use Fidget/Stress Toys

• Scream: If Your Environment Allows It, Scream Into A Pillow Or The Woods Or Anywhere You Can

► Letting It All Go

~ Now That You've Let It Out, Let It Go ♡ You Don't Need It, Take What You Can And Let It Be ♡ Next Are Some Examples Of How To Let Go

• Cloud Method: Visualize Your Emotions, Your Thoughts, The Event, Whatever It Is. Then Place That Thought Onto A Cloud. Now, Acknowledge The Thought While You Breath In And Blow It Away With The Exhale. You Can Rest Now ♡

• Try A Guided Meditation, Allowing Your Thoughts To Just Flow By ♡ Don't Force Your Thoughts Away; Just Let Them Flow Out Like Water

• Try A Tension Exercise; Slowly Isolate Parts Of Your Body, Tensing Then Releasing The Muscles In That Area (Main Spots Are Hands, Glutes, Eyes, And Core)

• Write Down All Of The Stressors From The Situation, Then Rip Up The Paper And Throw It Away

► Healing And Self Care

~ It Is Very Important To Let Yourself Heal And Feel Worthy Of Love No Matter What Happens ♡ You'll Be Okay, You're Amazing And I'm So Proud Of You ♡ Next Are Some Self Soothing And Self Care Activities

• Eat / Drink Something Heavy And Warm, The Quickest Way To The Heart Is Through The Stomach

• Take Some Deep Breaths Or Try Guided Breathwork (My Personal Favorite Is Holotrophic Breathwork As Well As The 6-4-6 Breathwork, Feel Free To Try Out As Many Techniques As You Need)

• Make Yourself More Comfortable In Your Skin, This Can Be Done By, Taking A Shower, Bathing, Haircare, Skincare, Dressing Up For No Reason, Play Around With Makeup Or Hairstyles, Whatever Makes You Feel Comfy

• Do Something Mindless Or Comforting Such As Coloring, Hiking, Any Hobbies You Have, Petting An Animal, Read A Comforting Or Nostalgic Book

• Most Importantly!! Take A Second To Be Proud Of Yourself. It Doesn't Matter If You Used Any Of The Techniques Or Not; You're Doing Great ♡ It'll All Be Okay! ♡ You're Loved ♡ I Promise

♡ YOU'VE DONE THE BEST YOU CAN, THAT'S ALL YOU CAN EVER ASK FOR ♡

#itll be okay #healing #emotions #self love #self healing #regulation #self soothing #big emotions #mania #love #stress management #stressrelief

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currentlyprocrastinating · 2 years

Note

🍂 and 🥀 for the oc ask game :D

🍂 Does your OC enjoy hugs? What do they do as a show of affection for: their friends, their family, their significant other(s) or for strangers? Over all what are they like with recieving affection from others?

🥀 How would your OC decorate a notebook or journal? What kind of things are written in there? Could you give an example of a nice entry?

🍂 — I answered this here! Short version? Hugs are one of her favourite things :)

🥀 — Oooh, how fun! She would probably litter it with doodles, whether in the margins, between lines, or on sticky notes she staples to the page. She emphasizes words or sections with boldened lines, different colours, highlights, circles, etc. — whatever she feels fits the particular tone she's aiming for. She'd keep the colours she uses aesthetic, too. For each entry, she would have a certain selection or range of colors she would stick to, so everything looks nice.

The exception would be if she ever recorded something negative or emotionally turbulent. In that case, she'd either use one pen the whole time, or clashing colors to represent how she feels. She's the type of artist who will sometimes doodle nonsense on an entire page to let out emotional energy — sharp, angry lines; loose, mindless scribbles; and so on...

But, from a realistic standpoint, she's not good at consistent journalism. So, she'd probably only ever record significant things in a journal, with some pages of random thoughts sprinkled in for whenever she happened to have the journal nearby and felt like recording the thought.

Squirrel also would definitely have moments of feeling awkward at the start of her entries, before her thoughts roll into motion and things smooth over. Other times, when she's so full of energy, it doesn't even occur to her to feel awkward about writing out her feelings lmao.

Oh, yeah, speaking of writing out her feelings, this could definitely be a place where she could think through things. She does write poetry, but has a specific notebook(s) for that. Sometimes her poetry just turns into talking to the page.

Anyways~

She probably has movie tickets or old receipts from a significant visit to even a place as common as a chain fast-food restaurant — because that was the first time she drove a friend somewhere, or something like that. A lot of seemingly insignificant items that hold sentimental value in her mind. And these particular entries aren't necessarily in chronological order! For the most part, she groups them by event or season, but there's a freedom to not having to stress herself about the particular dates.*

As for an example entry... Well, here's one (off the top of my head :P) from their post-AE vacation :) I imagine she did a lot more journaling (digitally, too, including plenty of photos) than usual during those months!

18 November 2032 — Thursday

lol what if I wrote a love song for lololol would that be crazy or what ahaha.

...what would I say? there's so much TO say. No way in hell am I going the cheesy route, blegh.

I could... be vague. Tell a story, be vague, talk about... Everything. There's too much!! My heart feels full. What do I say? I love him x10000?? LOL a song that is just "I love you." That would be awful. I love you... And his eyes... Ahah, no cheesiness. Um...

Where are my words when I need them? Ugh, why is HE so good with his words? Dude is a verbal poet, it's so not fair.

Girl, just say his name, stop being so weird.

Saeran. Saeran. Saeran. ♡

...I wrote that in pen. Oh no. I CAN'T ERASE.

Uh. Anyway!! Um...

Can't I just steal his talent? Steal his words? I've got my guitar in my lap and I can't even think. I have chords in my head but they're not clicking. Should I start with the WOW. You can't sing AND play a Wind Instrument AT THE SAME TIME, girl! smh, dude.

This is getting me no where. Big sigh. Not even worth exploring this, really... I can't help feeling all flustered when I start thinking too much. lol.

Maybe I'll just stick with hoping one day I'll have the courage to play someone else's love song for him lol

...oh God. has he seen my HS jazz ensemble videos? ARE THOSE PUBLIC? I THINK THEY'RE PUBLIC

FUCK

soRry for swearin g

but FUCK

GAH. Am I weird?? I don't like seeing my own Hands write that word lol...

yeah that's right focus on something else dumbass, not the fact that Ray cyberstalked you and has almost definitely heard your sem1 freshie concert where you FREAKING CAME IN A WHOLE SECOND EARLY

AAAA

Signing off to go scream into the pillow before Sae gets back ㅜwㅜ

bonus, tiny one:

Got my hand stabbed by a potted cactus cos my dumbass tried to catch it when it fell off the display :((

Saeran =tended to my wounds= lol

It was... nice. painful ㅠ but he made everything a lot less worse ♡

[Questions from here!]

#*my uncle does this and has encouraged me to do so as well #ive seen first hand how it brings so much joy to the others tied to those memories #like when he was showing me some of his books- his hubby was right there going 'omg i remember that!!' and such lmaooo #it was great #mystic messenger #mysme #squirrel x saeran #squirrel bakken #mysme-rifters au #rifters #ask game #original character #cmc #my cmc #mammonprotectionsquad

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angelfic · 2 years

Text

— SECRETS AND SKATEPARKS.

pairing: tasm!peter parker x reader

summary: you have a sneaking suspicion about your best friend and will apparently go to any lengths to prove yourself right.

warnings: mentions of violence/bruises, kissing, basically just a bunch of pg13 fluff, friends to lovers au.

author’s note: very much enjoying the andrew garfield spiderman love recently (don’t know where you all were 9 years ago but that’s not my business) so here’s a fic for my favourite spidey! i don’t think i’ve written for marvel in over a year and my writing is kinda rusty, but enjoy nonetheless!! ♡

“I wonder what Spider-Man looks like,” you absentmindedly mumble, scribbling down the answer to the Calculus question you were working on.

This piques your best friend Peter’s interest and his gaze quickly shoots from his own homework to you. “What, why? Wh-why does that, uh, matter?”

“No, I’m just saying, y’know?” You shrug, not thinking anything of it until you catch his expression. His head is tilted in confusion and he resembles a lost puppy with curiosity painted plain as day on his face.

God, why does your best friend have to be so cute. Okay, maybe a slightly inappropriate thought to be having, but it’s not like you’re hurting anyone! Other than yourself, that is, by not having your feelings returned. Collateral damage.

“He’s, like, super strong right?” you ask, turning back to your homework. Mostly to avoid looking at Peter, but also because you aren’t quite as good at calculus as him. He hums in answer, prompting you to continue. “Which means he’s probably super ripped. And if he’s super ripped, he’s gotta be like…”

You trail off, thinking he gets where you’re going. But when you look at him again, his brows are furrowed and you can’t help chuckling. “Spider-Man is probably really hot.”

Peter chokes on air.

“That’s not even-“ He cuts himself off, shaking his head which causes his hair to fall into his eyes, bringing more attention to the blush creeping it’s way onto his face. “I’ve always thought he was too… lanky.”

“Pfft!” You look at him like he’s gone crazy. “He’s not lanky. He’s tall. Tall guys are hot. He’s clearly got muscle. Probably was a popular jock or something in high school.”

“Yeah,” he says through a grin. He goes back to his homework and smiles like he’s sharing a private joke with himself, most likely at your mindless ramblings about Spider-Man. “That sounds about right.”

“And have you seen his ass?”

Peter chokes again.

“You good, Pete?” you inquire, raising an eyebrow at how awkward he is at the mention of Spider-Man’s ass. Just another aspect of his personality that you find irritatingly endearing.

“Just peachy,” he replies, through a strained voice.

You try, you really do, to keep in your laughter at his word choice. Unfortunately, you’ve never been good at that and as a result, you burst into a fit of giggles. Peter realises why you’re uncontrollably laughing soon enough and he groans, yet is unable to stop the corners of his mouth lifting. “You’re a child.”

“I can’t believe you said that. Of all phrases,” you say breathlessly, wiping a tear and finally calming down. This lasts a full five seconds and you don’t stop laughing again until you hear the click of a camera going off. “Hey!”

Peter had a habit of randomly taking photos of you, sometimes with him but mostly candid ones where you weren’t aware. A lot of the time he would print them out and stick them onto his collage inside his wardrobe, much to your protests.

“Delete that, I probably look hideous,” you whine, getting up to grab the device out of his hands as he looks at the picture he took, grinning. “Let me see!”

“Nope.” He pulls the camera out of your reach last minute, making you fall onto the bed with an indignant huff. “And you’ve never looked hideous a day in your life,” he mumbles under his breath, a hint of a scowl playing at his lips.

Pretending not to hear this, at the risk of him seeing your burning hot face, you go back to your homework. Curse Peter Parker and his stupid offhand comments that he doesn’t even know have an effect on you.

Somewhere in the eventual comfortable silence of your bedroom, Peter’s phone goes off and he shoots to his feet, collecting all his things into his backpack.

“Forgot I need to, uh, help Aunt May with some stuff,” he explains, already rushing out of the door, offering you an apologetic smile. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Yeah, okay see you-“ The door slams shut. “Later. I guess.”

And with that he’s gone, leaving your stupid heart still fluttering.

You see him the next day in school, just before second period. He missed first, as per usual. He never used to be late to class, but recently you’ve been catching him in the school hallways rather than outside your window on the fire escape so you can walk to school together.

“Parker!” you yell to get his attention as you make your way to his locker. He looks up, grins and gives you a little wave. There goes that heart again.

Just as you reach him, some girl bumps into you as she rushes to get to class, causing you to stumble and fall on Peter.

Immediately, Peter catches you by the waist, where you would otherwise have fallen face first. His hold on you is strong and steady, nothing like his old, clumsy self. That being said, your hand grips his upper arm and you gulp at the hard muscle beneath his jacket.

Woah, you think to yourself. When has he even had time to work out?

While you aren’t completely surprised since you’ve caught glimpses of his arms and peeks of his stomach as he’s taken his hoodies and jackets off in the last couple weeks, you didn’t think he was this jacked.

“Uh, fast reflexes there, Parker,” you nervously chuckle, still in the same position.

Your words seem to break him out of a trance and he clears his throat, gaze flickering down to your lips for a nanosecond and you almost miss it. You don’t, of course, since your face is mere inches away from his and you’re about to pass out from the smell of his intoxicating shampoo.

“You okay?” he asks with wide eyes, pulling you back up and you use everything within you not to complain about the loss of contact.

“Yeah, I’m f-“ you cut yourself off, properly taking in his face this time. A bruise is forming under eye his, directly on his cheekbone, and you gasp, tentatively reaching a hand out to trace it. Peter furrows his brows in confusion until you speak up, but your voice doesn’t raise above a whisper. “Peter, what happened…?”

“This little thing?” He looks away, pulling his hood up higher over his face, giving you a sheepish smile. Probably as an attempt to calm you down. It doesn’t work. “It’s nothing, really. I just… had a skating accident.”

“You didn’t have it last night!” you insist, struggling to see how and when it could have happened. “You also didn’t have your skateboard last night when you left, and you couldn’t have done it this morning because it’s already starting to bruise.”

Peter stares at you like a deer caught in headlights. “Since when did you become a detective?”

“That’s not the point! Did someone do this to you or something?” you demand, crossing your arms. “Because if they did, I’m going to seriously kick some ass!”

You can already imagine the steam coming out of your own ears, but when Peter starts to hide a smile behind his hand, you become furious.

“Is something funny about this?” you seethe, narrowing your eyes and taking a step closer in an attempt to intimidate an answer out of him. His smile grows.

“You’re just cute when you’re trying to be scary,” he says, grin on full display now. “Especially when you’re like, this tall.”

He looks at the tiny space between his fingers, showing you too.

“I can’t help it if you’re a tree,” you mumble angrily, practically looking up at him.

“Wasn’t it you who said tall guys are hot?” Peter rubs a hand across his jaw, pretending to be in deep thought. “Are you saying I’m hot?”

“Oh, shut up, you know you’ve got that hot skater boy thing going on. Don’t act like you don’t see those girls at the skate park ogling you! They don’t even skate!” you scoff, probably a little more annoyed than you should be at the idea of girls looking at your best friend. To your surprise, Peter looks like he’s just received brand new information.

“Those girls look at me?” he asks slowly, pointing a finger at himself. Then, as if he’s just taken in your words, he blinks. “You really think I’m hot?”

Spluttering, you refuse to answer the question, imagining the million ways that could go wrong. “Don’t change the subject, Parker! Now tell me h-“

“Shouldn’t you two be in class right now?” You’re interrupted by one of your teachers, looking at you expectantly.

“Y-yeah, sorry ma’am,” Peter quickly apologises, seeing his way out. You almost curse aloud when you remember your second period isn’t with him.

“This isn’t over,” you hiss, not looking back at his reaction before rushing to class. Unfortunately you can’t afford to have a detention on your record this early in the year.

You spend the whole school day without seeing Peter - big shocker - and when you get home you don’t bother inviting him round to study since he’s probably just going to be busy anyway.

Sighing, you throw your bag onto your bed and sink down into your desk chair to look at the news for a few minutes before inevitably getting lost in a Netflix binge marathon. The first thing that pops up is obviously the new vigilante and friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man, a clip of last night that was recorded by some passerby on the street.

Captivated by the way he swings around effortlessly, you marvel at him holding his own against eight grown men. That’s not the only thing you marvel at, remembering your conversation with Peter yesterday and laughing to yourself.

The footage is shaky, but shows clear as day every web shot by Spider-Man and the one hit he receives. That’s gotta hurt, you think, just as one of the guys swings a metal bar into the vigilante’s face, right under his eye.

That’s definitely going to bruise, you shudder, before switching it off and pulling up Netflix.

You’ll probably text Peter in an hour or so to check on him and make sure he’s putting ice on his own bruise.

Wait. His bruise… that’s in the same spot as where Spider-Man got hit last night…

No, you scoff. That’s just a coincidence. You’re just being fanciful because there’s no way your best friend is Spider-Man.

He would tell you, right?

Just like he told you where he got that bruise, you realise, swallowing harshly. You cant believe you’re even considering this, but he has been weirdly secretive. And it’s been around the time Spider-Man first started to show up. That explains the muscles and the weirdly fast reflexes and how he isn’t as clumsy as he used to be and how he doesn’t wear his glasses anymore.

“Contact lenses, my ass,” you mutter to yourself.

You look at one of the pictures you have of Peter pinned to the cork board above your desk. You had taken it recently with his camera, insisting that he had too many of you and you wanted some of your own. Studying the way he covers his face and his stance, you’re hit with the startling realisation that he has the same build as Spider-Man. The same height, the same lean body…

Oh, you’re going to kill Peter Parker.

An idea hits you with all the weight of a freight train and you abandon your laptop and Netflix plans to head to the skate park. Once you arrive, you head to the top of the ramp, thankful there’s no one there right now.

Whipping out your phone, you drop a quick text to Peter.

emergency @ skate park. get here quick.

You wait a couple minutes, looking down at the bottom of the ramp to calculate how badly you’d be injured if your suspicions weren’t correct.

Your internal debate over whether or not this whole thing is worth breaking an arm over is interrupted by Peter running up to join you on the ramp with a terrified expression on his face.

He definitely wouldn’t have gotten here in time if he wasn’t Spider-Man.

“Oh my god, are you okay?!” he practically yells, grabbing hold of your shoulders to inspect you. You almost break and tell him that you’re fine and you just wanted to test your theory. Until you see the bruise on his face again.

Taking his hands off your shoulders, you take a small step back, wobbling on the ramp. His worried eyes only narrow in confusion slightly, probably still shook up by your text.

“Here goes nothing,” you say, stomach churning as you turn your back to the edge of the ramp and fall.

You catch sight of Peter’s face about to yell out for you, but he doesn’t waste a second before starting towards you.

If your breath wasn’t already caught in your throat from falling, it definitely would have been when the webs shoot from his wrist and latch onto you.

Despite expecting this, you gasp, breathing heavily. Shit, you think. You had not thought about the rest of this plan.

Pulling you up with ease, Peter pulls you by the webs attached to your shirt and into his arms. “What the hell did you do that for? Were you trying to break your neck? What if I couldn’t have caught you? God, I hate you for doing that to me, I literally thought my heart was about to st-“

“You caught me,” you say, voice muffled by the fact Peter is holding you tightly against him. That doesn’t stop you from rambling though. “You actually managed to catch me with- with your webs. Oh my God, I was right.”

Pulling you away, he holds you by the arms in front of him, his mouth set in a grave line. “You knew? That I’m… that I could…”

Shrugging, you laugh nervously. “I mean, I had a suspicion, but I didn’t know that you’re actually- holy shit. My best friend is actually Spider-Man.”

“No, no, no,” Peter puts his face in his hands, very clearly stressed. “This is bad. This is very, very bad.”

“Yes, it is,” you scowl, snapping out of your shock and remembering that he never told you. “You should be very scared for your life right now. Because trust me, Peter Parker, it’s a mystery as to why I haven’t killed you yet for not telling me you’re a freaking superhero!”

You smack his arm which probably does more harm to your hand than to him. He doesn’t even flinch.

“Do you realise,” he pinches the bridge of his nose and takes a deep breath. “Just how much danger you’ve put yourself in by knowing I’m Spider-Man?”

“Peter, you don’t even realise how stupid you sound right now,” you shake your head, laughing without a trace of humour in your voice. “You are quite literally putting your life at risk every. Single. Day. And I had no idea! I can’t even imagine what I would do if you d-“

“Me?” Peter chuckles, incredulous. He groans, tugging on his hair in frustration before waving his arms around trying to get the words out. “Y/N. I can knock over 12 tonnes with a barely forceful poke of my finger. People are trying to kill me every. Single. Day. And failing. If they find out that the girl I’ve been in love with ever since I can remember even exists and is without superpowers?”

Peter cuts himself off, turning his back to you and standing deathly still.

“What did you say?” Your voice is hoarse when you ask this, not quite believing your ears. “The girl you’ve been in love with?”

“Forget I said that,” he mutters, still not looking at you.

As if.

“What about me, huh?” you demand, stepping around him to make him face you. “The guy I’ve been in love with my whole life is getting beat up every night by thugs with metal pipes and there’s nothing I can do to stop-“

“Stop talking,” Peter’s eyes flash and he webs the front of your shirt again. This time he pulls you impossibly close to him and presses his lips against yours feverishly. You make a noise of surprise in the back of your throat before reaching up on your tip toes and relaxing into the kiss, your hand snaking up into his hair. Peter’s lips move perfectly in sync with yours and you don’t know if it’s been seconds, minutes or days when you pull away for breath.

Resting your forehead against his own, you can’t stop the smile spreading on your face, mirroring Peter’s. He’s the first to speak, brushing his nose against yours. “You love me.”

“Yep,” you confirm, hand still playing with the hair at the nape of his neck. “So just be glad those girls weren’t here staring at you again. Otherwise I would probably have gathered the force to knock over a few high school girls with a very forceful poke of my finger.”

“Noted,” Peter nods in mock seriousness. “You should also be glad those guys that usually skate here to impress you, aren’t here today either. Otherwise I would probably web ‘em in the face.”

“Eh,” you shrug. “You were always a better skater than them anyway. Probably to do with your superhuman abilities and all.”

“Hey, I take offence!”

“Kidding, kidding,” you laugh, grabbing your bag off the floor and holding Peter’s hand, leading him off the ramp. He doesn’t even try to hide the way he looks at you anymore and it kinda, sort of makes your insides melt. “So… can you swing me across the city now?”

“Absolutely not.”

#peter parker x reader #tasm peter parker x reader #andrew garfield x reader #andrew garfield spiderman x reader #the amazing spider man #andrew garfield spiderman #spiderman #peter parker oneshot #peter parker imagine #peter parker x you #peter parker fanfiction #tasm peter x reader #tasm x reader #andrew garfield imagines #the amazing spiderman #the amazing spiderman x reader #the amazing spider man x reader

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forsworned · 2 years

Text

a mutually arranged attachment. (yoriichi tsugikuni x reader)

warning(s). mentionings of nudity, s3xual situations, profanity, violence

word count. 9.2k

categories. f/m

relationships. modern college student au! yoriichi tsugikuni x f!reader

characters. yoriichi tsugikuni, shinobu kocho , mitsuri kanroji

author’s note. HERE YALL FUCKIN GO BRO I HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS FUCKIN CHAPTER IT TOOK MY WHOLE SOUL TO WRITE IT AND YES THE ART IN THIS CHAPTER IS ALWAYS DONE BY ME LMK WHAT YALL THINK!!

chapters » one two three four five six seven eight nine ten

taglist: @scoven @salamiwrites @brightymir @stxrryemxlys @glrlnextdoor @coconois

『♡』 chapter eleven: vulnerability

“...and so as you can see westernization is a powerful force that is slowly deteriorating cultures across the world…”

You seemed to be in and out of the presentation that you and Yoriichi were currently giving because how could you focus on that? You had an endless list of things that you were not so eager to let your friends know and you had a meeting with Tengen that you were also less than exhilarated to have. Yoriichi’s mom was cheating on his dad with his own brother and you were set to get married to Yoriichi God knows when. Right, right, the world was crumbling under your feet…

You shook your head as the classroom began to clap.

“[name], did you not think your presentation was worthy enough?” Professor Garrison inquired.

“Huh?” You pulled yourself out of your stupor as you gazed from your professor to the class to the presentation on the projector to Yoriichi.

Yoriichi softly chuckled at your befuddled expression and you blinked several times before you could even think up an answer.

“No, I–I think the presentation was great.”

“Really? What did you like the most about it?” Professor Garrison asked, obviously trying to put you on the spot for his own enjoyment. The sadist.

“Uh,” You glanced over at the slide that was still up. “The references.”

The class laughed in response and Professor Garrison shook his head and smiled. “Alright, get back to your seats.”

“References?” Yoriichi teased.

“Shut up.” You grumbled, embarrassed by your own words.

He couldn’t keep the smile off of his face as scribbled into his notebook as the rest of the groups or pairs presented to the class. You peeped over at what he had been doing the entire class thinking that like the covert nerd he was, he was taking notes but instead he seemed to be drawing something. Upon further inspection, you noticed that it was not just any mindless drawing or doodle of stars and geometric figures but a small little portrait of the both of you.

You leaned a little further to look closer at what it was exactly and your eyes widened at the sight of it. It was literally a drawing of the both of you doing the dirty, you being in reverse cowgirl as one hand was pulling your hair and the other was on your ass.

You soon found yourself scrambling to balance yourself back onto your chair, but before you could hit the floor with a painful and audible thud Yoriichi had caught your arm and helped you back into your seat. His maroon gaze was fixated on you as he held onto your shoulders to make sure that you were sturdy before letting go.

“Are you okay?” He asked. His expression was serious as hell, but knew damn well he was holding it in only long enough so that he didn’t burst into laughter in front of the whole class.

“Yes.” You breathed out still shaken from how you literally almost fell face first into his crotch and then onto the ground.

“Is everything okay, [name]?” Professor Garrison looked between the both of you as he put his glasses back on.

The classroom was quiet as they gawked at you both.

“Y-yeah I’m fine.” You gave the group who was presenting an apologetic look. “Sorry, guys.”

Professor Garrison gave you one last look before gathering the classroom’s attention back to the presenting group. “Alright, continue guys.”

You hadn’t realized that your heart was thrumming against your chest as you put a hand over your breast pocket.

“They’re definitely fucking.” You heard someone whisper from the back and that made you grit your teeth.

What the fuck do they know? I mean it was technically true, but what the fuck did they know?

“You dropped this.” Yoriichi murmured as he handed you a piece of paper that was not yours and you quietly thanked him.

You noticed that he was biting his lip to hide the smile that was on his face. You raised your brow at him before you turned the piece of paper over. It was the small drawing that he was working on earlier with a small note scribbled onto it:

“I’m assuming that’s your favorite position?”

You immediately flipped the paper back on the opposite side as you felt your whole face warm and your heart start to race again. Yoriichi was hiding a grin with the back of his hand as he tried not to laugh at your flustered expression. Sometimes you were way too easy to get riled up, but he liked that a lot about you. He wanted to be the only one who could do that to you among other things.

You had noticed a lot of subtle and not so subtle changes about Yoriichi. First and foremost, his behavior towards you. Not just in private, but in public where wandering eyes and hushed whispers were always lingering around you. It seemed as if he wanted it to be made known that you were his, but not in such a blatant way. You liked that, but it was also frustrating that he was being a little punk about it.

You sighed as you slumped into your chair waiting for your heart rate to slow down as you tuned out the rest of the presentations for the rest of the class. You felt overwhelmed with the amount of things on your plate but could you really complain? Everything seemed to have a bright side to it, well, despite you having a sign nailed to your head that said, “I’m marrying the Heir to the Hanafuda Yakuza Clan! Please kidnap me and use me as ransom!!”.

Yeah, remember when you literally almost got kidnapped by a rival yakuza member in your own apartment and then Yoriichi had to come kick their ass and his uncle collected them and now you live with Yoriichi as a result? Yeah, you almost had forgotten that that was the whole reason you were here again by his side as his soon-to-be forever partner and being spoiled to the max with endless luxuries. Your mind seemed to wander past the part where you were a target and back to the night that you and Yoriichi had your whole moment you were practically on your knees for. Well, you weren’t the one on your knees, technically he was, but that's besides the point.

You wondered how many other women he’s been with before you, because that did not come from just watching a few videos off PornHub. That all very much came with experience and with that experience came your own curiosity. Now, you couldn’t help but feel jealous that he probably had multiple other partners besides you and it’s not like you were a virgin yourself , but still!

You huffed to yourself as you crossed your arms with a disgruntled look on your face. Unbeknownst to you, Yoriichi seemed to take a mental note of addressing it after class was over and confront you about it.

***

“How annoying…” You muttered to yourself as you gathered your belongings and shoved them into your bag as you walked out without even engaging in conversation with Yoriichi.

You were far too immersed into your thoughts as you walked out of the classroom with your arms folded and grumbling about all sorts of things that he couldn’t make out.

“...[name]...[name]...!”

You swung your whole body to glare at him with annoyance. “What?”

“Are you okay?” His expression looked concerned, but then it began to contort into something resembling mischief. “Are you mad at me?”

You raised a brow at him not understanding what he was talking about, but then another moment passed before you recalled the earlier event and you felt your face become inflamed at the thought of it.

“Shut up.” You mumbled as you turned back around and began to make your way out of the building, but he caught you by the waist and brought you flush against him.

Your heart thumped against your chest as you felt your breath catch in your throat. He loved the way your eyes widened at the sight of him and how you could clearly feel your heart thud faster with every beat.

“...Definitely fucking…” You heard one of your classmates mutter to the other one before they laughed.

You shot them a dirty look and they quickly hurried off to where it was they intended to go before you pushed him off of you.

“H-hey!” He chuckled as he gently tugged you back to him again.

This time you did not retreat, but you were definitely not showing any affection back to him.

“Was it what they said?”

You ignored him while you glanced out the window and he tried to veer himself into your view each time you looked away.

“Tell me.”

No response. Yoriichi didn’t take well to the silent treatment and he had his ways of making you talk. His fingers urged your chin to look at him and he was damned sexy. It was really irritating how he could use up all his charm on you and you never turned him down.

“Let go.” You tried to brush him off, but he was not taking no for an answer.

Again, he made you face him with his calloused fingers under your chin. “Tell me what’s wrong, [name].”

“Nothing.”

Despite all his qualities of not being able to withstand silent treatments, he was patient as hell especially with you. He would always be patient and understanding of you, even if it stressed him out like hell.

“Please?”

It was so pretty the way he said it.

Please?

It echoed in your head and it made you melt. And by the looks of it he knew he had you.

“How many women have you been with?”

His maroon eyes broadened with amusement as he gazed down at you and tilted his head. A boyish smile graced his handsome features. He would never lie to you, but he absolutely loved toying with you.

“Why?”

You knitted your eyebrows in vexation. “Why? Why are you answering my question with a question?”

“Well, it’s a bit of a random question. I’m just wondering why you suddenly asked it.”

You gave him a “are you fucking kidding me right now?” look, as you crossed your arms and then shook your head. “Just forget I asked.”

“No, tell me.” His arms were around your waist again as he leaned into you and you leaned away.

He chuckled at you. “I’m serious. I’ll tell you if you tell me why.”

You suddenly felt hot at having to explain why you were thinking about that, but dammit he started it first!

“Because…” You averted your gaze and he was in face again. His warm breath fanned against your lips and you were getting more embarrassed than annoyed at this point.

“Because…?” He drawed out.

But before you could answer, your stomach growled loudly in response. You put a hand over your belly and frowned, but then an idea sprouted into your head. “I’ll tell you if you feed me.”

The smile never left his face as he caressed your cheek. “Done.”

And of course you two were on your way to the place where it all started. Hanafuda Cafe.

Did you ever bother actually looking up at the sign of the cafe? Nope, not once. Not ever. It’s not like you were against mom and pop cafes, but there was a starbucks right around the corner that always made your drink just right and that was enough to make you keep going there. The clan symbol hung proudly in front of the cafe like it had done that night. You felt yourself getting antsier by the moment, but you were practically starving by this point so there wasn’t really any turning back now.

“Wait.” You shook your head remembering the shocking evidence that you had uncovered not even just a few days ago. “Are you okay with coming here?”

Yoriichi exhaled loudly as he shoved his hands into his jean pockets and gave you a small smile and nodded. “Yes, I’ve come to terms with it.”

You looked at him incredulously. “Eh?”

He chuckled at your expression as he took a sip from his hydroflask.

“Just like that?” You looked around and put your hand up to your mouth as you whispered. “You’re okay with your mom and your uncle banging behind your dad’s back?”

He choked almost immediately and you rushed to pat his back and apologized profusely. He waved a hand in the air to gesture that it was fine, but you could’ve been a little more gracious with your words. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry.” He laughed as he put his bottle into his backpacks side pocket. “I can explain after you tell me why you’re so curious about how many women I’ve been with.”

You sulked remembering your earlier conversation as you turned on your heel and started walking in the direction of the restaurant or should you say your old apartment. You soft sighed emitted from your lips as you gazed up at your old complex. You missed it.

As Yoriichi opened the door for you, he gave you a reassuring smile that made you feel less anxiety ridden and sad but then you remembered that he was a womanizer. Well, maybe not a real womanizer, but still. Until he would prove otherwise that was what you were going to assume. Did it make sense? Not really.

You were immediately met with Uncle Keshi’s vibrant personality as he walked from behind the counter. “[name]! Yoriichi! I’ve been dying to see you guys! How was the trip?”

“It was amazing, Uncle.” Yoriichi smiled as he hugged his uncle. You stood there flabbergasted at the scene unfolding in front of you.

There was no way in fucking hell that he came to terms about the whole issue. It was so problematic that even you couldn’t just pretend that everything was okay.

“I’m glad to hear it.” Keshi clapped his nephew’s back before turning to look at you.

“Honestly, [name], you are always glowing. It’s nice to see that you’re in good hands.” He smiled at you and simply bowed at him before going to the furthest and most secluded part of the cafe. You sat down where you had enjoyed the night with Yoriichi’s mother and shared laughs and idle conversation. Mostly on your part due to how tired you had become as the night began to dwindle down to your bedtime.

“Is everything okay?’ Keshi spoke in a lower tone to Yoriichi.

The both of them looked over at you who had your elbow propped up on your chin as you gazed outside before they looked back at one another.

“She’s fine. She’s just dealing with a lot of…inner turmoil.” Yoriichi responded, but smiled at his uncle. “Don’t worry about it.”

Moments past and soon Yoriichi met you with a whole tray of side dishes and drinks. Your stomach growled loudly and you began to salivate at the sight of it.

“Someone’s hungry.”

You pushed your lips out into a pout as you took your chopsticks in your hand and shoved a mouthful of rice into your mouth.

“So?”

“So what?” You countered as you observed as he mimicked your actions.

“You’re eating aren’t you?”

“Can I finish my meal at least?”

He had to keep himself from chuckling at how irate you were becoming. The look of annoyance gracing your features was quite cute on you.

You continued on to silently eat your meal until you were full to your heart’s content. A sigh emitted from your lips as you leaned back into your seat and glanced outside. You recalled the night of you meeting all of Yoriichi’s relatives. His immediate family being the more intense and intimidating prospects. The image of Michikatsu burned into your mind. He literally looked like an evil twin. You chuckled at the thought. How cliche.

“What’s so funny?”

You frowned again as you glanced over at him. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Hmm…” He tilted his head as he propped his elbow up on the table and gazed at you. You felt your bottom lip tremble as you averted your eyes. “...so, will you tell me now, [name].”

The way he said your name sent shivers up your spine. He was magnetic and enamoring and you wanted to not look at him, really you didn’t but the way he was reeling you back in. When you did find yourself turning back to face him, he was a lot closer than you remembered. You lifted your hand to create a barrier between the both of you.

“I-If you move away from my face, I’ll tell you.” You stammered.

You hadn’t noticed that your heart was racing and your hands were becoming clammy. When will this vicious cycle ever end?

You let out a sharp exhale as you folded your hands together. “I just…You’re gonna think it’s stupid.”

He gently took your hand in his as he caressed your skin with the pad of his thumb. “I won’t think anything you say is stupid.”

You swallowed your saliva as you felt apprehensive bringing up the subject again. His calloused hands were warm and inviting, luring you out to speak.

“Okay…Well,” You took a glance around the cafe. It wasn’t too full, but it wasn’t too empty. You had to make sure that your voice didn’t carry so you leaned in as you spoke in a hushed tone. “I wanted to know how many women you were with because…”

You suddenly felt your voice catch in your throat as you spoke and you cleared it before you continued. “Well, you were just so experienced, so I didn’t know what else to think and then it made me kinda–”

“Jealous?” He raised his brow at you with an amused expression on his face.

You took another deep breath as you nodded and casted your gaze downward as if that would shift your humiliation. You didn’t know why you were suddenly so abashed by this conversation. Not too long ago were you completely naked with one another and not to mention you were the one making the advancements. How were you embarrassed when he was literally going down on you less than a week ago?

“I guess.” You ran a hand through your hair as you tried to refocus on the conversation.

“Just one.”

You turned your head so quickly, you thought you might’ve given yourself whiplash. “Just one?”

“Don’t sound too eager now.” He teased as he sipped at his water. “But yes, just one.”

Now you were really interested. “Can I ask who?”

His eyes cast downward and a wave of grief and solemnity washed over the both of you. Over him first and then you. You sensed that he had suddenly become humorless.

“You don’t have to answer.” You began to say as you squeezed his hand.

He gave you a small smile and brought your hand closer to his heart. “It’s okay.”

“I just would rather not speak about it here.” His voice was low and hushed and you only nodded clearly taking notice that it was a touchy subject.

Still, you couldn’t help but be ever more curious. “Let’s go somewhere else.”

Your eyes broadened as your body perked up. “Right now?”

“Is that okay with you? Did you have somewhere else you needed to be?” He asked, getting up from his seat as he grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulder.

“No, that’s fine. I know a nice, secluded place.” You quickly replied, as you gathered the dishes into the tray.

“Nice and secluded, you say?” He raised his brows at you knowingly.

You scoffed as you shook your head. “You’re ridiculous. I guess that's what it means to have a one track mind.”

“I’d like to think of myself as a multi-tasker.” He gave you a playful smile, but before you could find yourself smiling a little too much Yoriichi knocked into another making the dishes clatter on his tray and nearly fall over.

“Do you ever watch where you’re going?”

That voice made all your thoughts cease and it sent an icy and unwelcoming shudder down your body.

Yoriichi set the tray down to his immediate left and his figure became rigid and suddenly the air around you was so tense that it was almost tangible.

“What the hell are you doing here?” He asked as he rolled up his sleeves.

“What do you mean? This is my turf, too. Right, Uncle?”

The twins turned to their uncle for further inspection to which Keshi just laughed awkwardly as he waved his hands in the air.

“Now, now, boys. Let’s not get so rowdy. You are brother’s after all.” He patted them both on the back and they both glared at one another.

You found yourself picking up a knife and began to lift it and then glided it downward between the both of them.

They both gave you a puzzled look.

“What are you doing?” Yoriichi inquired.

“I’m cutting the tension in the air.” You gave him a proud smile.

Uncle Keshi laughed a hearty laugh. Like seriously this guy was keeling over with how much he was laughing and only stood there in triumph.

“That was a good one. Wooo.” He wiped away a tear as he took the knife from you and set it behind him. “Anyways, you boys will be seeing more of each other since Michikatsu enrolled into Kimetsu University.”

“What?!” You and Yoriichi chorused gawking at them in disbelief.

Yoriichi scoffed as he folded his arms.“I guess, they just let anyone in.”

“Have you ever considered the fact that I’m actually smarter than you?” Michikatsu countered, stepping up to him.

It was as if you could see the lightning between them flare and you then began to do what you did earlier, but this time with your hand.

Yoriichi did a double take at you, but Michikatsu only surveyed you up and down several times before tilting his head at you.

“So, you’re really going to marry her?” He pointed his thumb at you.

Yoriichi’s glare was even more intense and infuriated as he turned back to him and stepped in front of you.

“Mind your business.”

“Oh, but it is my business.” Michikatsu stepped up to him.

You glanced down at Yoriichi’s fists that were balled up so tightly that his veins were threatening to pop at any moment. Your hand smoothed over his and he relaxed a little under your touch.

“I just remembered that I have to go feed my cats.” You blurted out suddenly.

“Your cats?” They all chorused.

“Yeah, they’ve been under my aunt’s care and I forgot that I needed you to help me give them their ringworm medication.”

Yoriichi’s eyes narrowed at you as you glanced up at him with not a single hint of giving in. You really didn’t want to be caught up in another situation where the two brothers were about to pound each other’s faces in.

“Right, I’m sure Clover and Clementine are very eager to have me drop itraconazole onto their ears.” Yoriichi replied as he took your hand in his and you beamed up at him.

“Itraconzole is an oral medication.” Michikatsu interjected, giving him a suspicious look.

“I meant miconazole.” Yoriichi countered as he faced him again.

“Sure, you did.” There went the Lightning Glare again.

“Haha! Right, so anyways we have to get going!” You began to drag Yoriichi out the door. “I don’t want to leave it up to my aunt. They might just claw her eyes out! It was nice seeing you guys again.” You waved goodbye to Uncle Keshi and Michikatsu.

His twin brother looked quite disgruntled as he crossed his arms and scoffed as he mumbled something under his breath. To which Uncle Keshi smacked him and scolded him as he frowned at him and rubbed his arm.

Yoriichi pushed open the door for the both of you to walk out and were met with the autumn air. It was quiet for a moment as you walked hand in hand watching as the fiery leaves swayed.

“Thanks for that.” He squeezed your hand as he glanced from in front of him to you.

You smiled and leaned into him. “Of course. I can only imagine how stressful that was for you so I wanted to get out of there fast. Plus Michikatsu enrolling? What a joke.”

He stopped in front of you and cupped your cheeks before leaning over and capturing your lips. His scent, his touch, literally everything about him was so damn heavenly. You felt yourself wanting the kiss to last longer as you opened your lips to seize more of him, but he tugged away from you. A small chuckle escaped him as he peered down at you with a serene smile. Meanwhile, you were still entranced by him waiting for another kiss.

Even since you two had uncovered the news of Yoriichi’s mother and Uncle Keshi, he never stopped showing you any affection. In fact, he gave you more of him and you were not complaining, but something about the way he kissed you. You really just couldn’t get enough.

“That’s all I get?”

“Oh, I didn’t know you wanted more.” He teased, bringing his lips closer to yours again.

And there it was again. That look on your face that he absolutely loved. That look that made him want you in every way imaginable, but he always kept his composure though he would lose his cool for sure any time soon.

But in the flip of a switch, you had recalled why you came out here in the first place and a look of concern had etched onto your features. You raised your hand to caress his cheeks.

“Is everything okay?”

He nodded as he took your hand in his and led you to a nearby bench to speak more comfortably. He sighed as he leaned against the wooden seat as he gazed up at the leaves that were falling down. Your hand reflexively went to his knee, but you had felt your phone buzz several times.

You pulled it out to look down at the notifications that littered your screen.

Shinobu: Are you with Yoriichi???

Mitsuri: Yes, I just spotted her leaving class with him and they were all up on each other

You felt your face warm at the text messages you were reading. Since when did Mitsuri see your interaction with him? And why didn’t she make herself known?

“Did something happen?” Yoriichi asked, capturing your attention.

You groaned as you shifted on the bench. “Just one of my friends spying on us.”

“And they didn’t say hi?”

“That’s what I’m saying!” You huffed as you shook your head and tossed your phone into your bag. You turned back to him wanting to give him your fullest attention. “Enough about that. We came here to talk about you.”

“Right…Well,” He scratched his temple. “There was a girl. Her name was Uta. We were set to get married. She cheated on me with my twin brother and then one of the rival gang members mutilated and murdered her in cold blood.”

Your jaw slackened immediately. You had no thoughts, no words. He said it so casually, so nonchalant. Like he totally just ripped the bandage off and you were at a loss for words.

“W-wait…”

He let out a large sigh as he licked his lips and continued. “Look, I know that’s really heavy, but I don’t want to keep things from you. I want to be open and honest.”

“Yeah, but–” You searched for the right words to say. “How can you–I mean–I just–”

You let out a frustrated huff. “How are you so nonchalant about that? Did you, like not love this girl?”

He pressed his lips together and nodded. “I did, but that was a long time ago. We were both eighteen years old. We were set to get married before we were even born. We spent our entire childhood years together. Me, Uta and Michikatsu–we were like this.” He crossed his two fingers together. “But then she, well, cheated on me and then she got brutally murdered by one of the rival clan members. We found who was responsible and we dealt with it. Of course, I mourned for her, but that was over three years ago. My family and I, we have this thing where we only mourn the dead for a certain period of time. I know that sounds stupid, but that along with two years of consistent therapy helped out a lot. Did it pacify the endless rage I have for my brother? Yeah, kind of. Do I still hate him? Yeah, kind of.”

“I’m so sorry. I don’t know what to say. That all sounds really insane.” You searched his face for any signs of anger or grief, but he only wore a smile as he intertwined his hands with yours. You knew what the term “dealt with” meant so you weren’t going to ask any more questions about that, but the thought of why he wasn’t angry at his Uncle lingered in your mind. You didn’t want to keep bringing down the hammer on too many heavy conversations all at once, so you had set it aside for now.

“I appreciate the sentiment. Really. You have a good heart and I appreciate someone who can console me in times of need. The truth is, I feel like I only loved Uta because she was literally made for me. Like, literally. As soon as her family had heard that my mother was pregnant, it wasn’t too long until they were either. Our family’s were binded in a marriage contract that would’ve made us billionaires. They wanted their little girl to marry the Heir of the Hanafuda Clan so that their family would have the protection they needed while we had the wealth. I mean it was kind of too good to be true.”

“So that’s why they killed her?” You asked.

He nodded solemnly. “Yeah, pretty much.”

“So, why are they after me? I don’t have any generational wealth. At least, I don’t think so.” You began to ponder about your family. You grew up pretty comfortably in a nice suburbia, but you never really thought that you had a secret inheritance.

“It’s not about your wealth. That was just a bonus for both of our family’s. My father isn’t worried about money anymore. He attained that even after Uta’s death. Her family loved our family so much that, while they didn’t offer us the full amount, they did offer a third of it. In exchange, we offer them our protection as a post mortem kind of deal.”

“So?” You raised a brow at him as you awaited his answer.

He laughed to himself as brushed away some flyaways from his face. “God, I forgot how convoluted this whole thing was. Forgive me for not being as meticulous as I always am or seem to be.”

“Take your time.” You patted his knee.

He relaxed his tense body so more as he got comfortable. “Well, there’s kind of like this hierarchy that Japan has that’s not very existent to the world. Or I should say your world, but behind the scenes the Japanese Prime Minister isn’t who is actually in charge. It’s us. The three sister clans rule Japan and they have been fighting for the title for years now. All three of the families have Heirs that are well past their time, so they’re basically null and void. So when the time passes for the Heir, they get a new one to take their place. So whoever makes a baby, gets them married has an immediate claim to the throne.”

“So you guys are really Game of Throne-ing this shit right now?”

He chuckled at your commentary. “Basically. Yeah, that’s almost it. I was suppose to be it and then well, you know, and then there was another Heir on the rise, but he and his wife got murdered.”

“Oh my God.” You put a hand to your mouth. “Was this recent?”

Yoriichi became solemn again. “Yes. Can you see why that’s an issue?”

“Do you think that–”

“Yeah, I actually do think my dad would stoop that low and then proceed to officiate another meeting to send out a signal for the other clans to back off. He’s a crafty guy, even craftier than my mother. I really wouldn’t put it past him. My father is a power hungry man, and if that means that I get to wear the crown to keep our family’s power in check then, so be it.”

“But you mentioned that there is a time where their power becomes void. What happens during that time period?”

“That’s what we call, machijikan or waiting period. They try their best to conceive as quickly as possible because the sooner they can pop out a baby and get them married, the sooner they can dethrone anyone else.”

“So, who’s in power during that time?”

“You know how the American government has three branches?” He held out three fingers and you nodded.

“Think of us as the Legislative branch and Susanoo as Executive and Tsukuyomi as Judicial. Everyone sort of has checks and balances over one another and it is equally distributed for the most part.”

You threw your head back and groaned. “I’m having a case of deja vu.”

“Trust me this isn’t even the half of it.”

You straightened yourself back up and jutted your lip out. “There’s more?”

He folded his arms as he gave you a curious look. “What, you just thought you were going to get married to an Heir and that’s it?”

“Yeah bada-bing, bada-doom.” You gave him your best Italian mafia accent and he shook his head at you.

“Obviously, I knew that there would be a lot more than what meets the eye, but I feel like I’m getting a lesson on history and law.”

“Get used to it. Because when we get married, you’re going to need multiple lessons on how to be an Heiress and be knowledgeable about all the ins and outs of the Hanafuda Clan.”

“We haven’t even graduated yet!” You exclaimed, throwing yourself back against the bench and put your face in your hands.

He gently pried away your hands and glanced up at his expression that continued to be the source of your heart racing and your cheeks burning.

“I told you, we’re in this together. So please, don’t allow yourself to place all the burden on your shoulders. I promise to make it as easy for you as possible.”

You sighed. “And I believe you. I just always feel like there’s more. More that you’re going to tell me every time I turn the corner. It’s just overwhelming.”

“That’s why I’m trying to take it piece by piece with you. This is only the surface.”

“Well, I guess I have no choice in the matter anyway.” You joked and he snorted in response.

“You and me both.”

It was silent for a moment. The autumn breeze danced across your forms sending a chill up your spine and you felt his arms encase you with his warmth. Gosh, he was always so warm all the time. You closed your eyes, feeling his skin raise your body temperature up again and enjoy the way he felt against you.

“So how many guys have you guys been with?”

You glanced down at him and he laughed before tugging you back into his arms again as he kissed your forehead. You never grew tired of the comfort that he provided to you and you wanted nothing more than to do that for him.

***

“So, you guys didn’t bang?”

“Shinobu!”

“What?”

You shook your head as you shoved a spoonful of ice cream into your mouth and chuckled. “No, we didn’t, but almost and that’s besides the point.”

“Right, yeah the affair and his fiance being murdered. I didn’t know a thing about it, but I’m not so sure if Tengen or his dad does or not either. I suspect a handful of people do know about it, though.” Shinobu added as she set her cup of ice cream down and wiped the corners of her mouth with a napkin.

“I can’t even tell who I want to root for anymore.” Mitsuri frowned down at her cup as she played with the straw of her milkshake.

“Well, you could root for us.” You nudged at her and she smiled at you.

“Always. And sorry for spying on you earlier. I didn’t want to interrupt your time together.” The rosette pouted at you.

You snorted. “We’ve done nothing but spend time together. From the moment I wake up, til the time I sleep. I am always under the man’s watch. Not that I mind, but it wouldn’t put a damper in my day.”

“You guys sleep in the same bed?” Shinobu asked.

You shook your head.

“Well, why not?”

You shrugged. “Well, when we went on the trip we did, but when we came back I just went back to sleeping in my bed.”

“Right, I guess you just didn’t want to push it. You know, after all that.” Shinobu gestured to you with her spoon.

“Well, on the bright side at least he’s publicly affectionate to you now.” Mitsuri beamed at you with her palms on either side of her chin.

“Yeah, you guys are a whole couple now. I guess all those months of gawking and stalking him worked.” Shinobu hummed as she swung her legs back and forth.

“I-I never stalked him!” You exclaimed.

Your voice carried through the ice cream parlor causing a few bystanders to turn their heads towards you. You sighed as you sulked in your chair while the two girls giggled.

“Whatever. I don’t wanna talk about this anymore.” You took the last bit of ice cream and shoveled it into your mouth before tossing it in the nearby trash can. “Tell us about your date with Snake Dude.”

And it was as if Mitsuri’s whole mood lit up. Her emerald eyes twinkled at the mention of him as she told you about him. So far, you knew that his name was Obanai and that he worked at his family’s noodle shop that he was supposed to take over after he graduated college. Oh and that the snake that he was attached to the hip with was named Kaburamaru.

“He’s actually so cute and sweet!” Mitsuri beamed as she sipped on her milkshake.

“The snake or him?” Shinobu raised her brow at her, making you giggle.

“Both! I can’t wait to see him again.” She wrapped her arms around herself as she thought about her crush.

“So, when you guys bang, is he gonna keep the snake in the room?” You taunted her.

“S-shut up! And his name is Kaburamaru!” Mitsuri pouted at you.

You and Shinobu burst out in a fit of giggles at how defensive and cute Mitsuri had become over the guy she had been recently seeing. It had felt like forever that you had just sat down and had normal conversation with your normal friends on a normal day. You didn’t want to complain. You had the luxury of practically everything being handed to you on a silver plate, but it felt strange. You were used to saving up money for nice things that had good quality and didn’t fall apart so quickly, but now you were given weekly allowances and Yoriichi’s black card. Life was pretty insane for you right now.

Oh my God, you had Yoriichi’s black card on you.

“Guys, guys, guys.” You spoke to them rather abruptly in a hushed tone and they immediately gave you their full attention. “Guess what Yoriichi gave me.”

“We already know he gave you amazing head you don’t have to rub it in.” Shinobu tossed her cup into the trash.

You felt your cheeks warm at her crudeness. “T-that’s not what I was going to say!”

You searched your bag for your wallet and then pulled out the card and waved it in their faces.

“Is that a Black Card?” Mitsuri whisper shouted in excitement.

“No way.” Shinobu and Mitsuri were analyzing it extremely up close with pure joy.

“Yes, and guess what we’re gonna do.” You sang as you did a little dance in your seat.

“I could really use another pair of Louboutin’s.” The ravenette mused with a grin on her face.

“And I’ve had my eye on this really cute Chanel bag for a while.” Mitsuri sipped the remnants of her drink before bouncing in her seat.

You smirked at them as you waved the luxury card in your hand. “And I could use a tiny little dress that will make him crazy.”

***

So, maybe you went a little overboard with the Black Card that Yoriichi had given you, but it’s not like you spent an egregious amount of money every day. You were responsible and you saved up, but you didn’t see the harm in a little shopping trip.

“[name]...this was not a little shopping trip.” Mitsuri gawked at all the items you guys stockpiled into Shinobu’s car.

“Eh, I’ve done worse.” Shinobu interjected as she added her new pair of Louboutin’s on top of the stack of other shoes she had purchased.

“Eh? What do you mean?” Mitsuri eeped as she oggled her best friend.

“Didn’t you know that’s how she got her mini cooper and tesla?” You laughed at Mitsuri’s shocked expression.

“Eh?! Since when do you have a mini cooper?” The rosette was in complete disbelief at this point.

“Yeah, you missed a chapter or three.” You joked leaning against her car as she closed the hood.

“Oh, right. We didn’t know you until the end of high school. I have two mini coopers actually. One at our house in Santa Barbara and then the other is in London.”

“Wow, you’re really just ballin’ like that huh?” You crossed your arms at her.

“Chapter? More like I’m missing a whole volume in the series that is Shinobu’s Epic Life of Luxury.” Mitsuri scratched the back of her head completely befuddled.

You glanced at your watch.

7:07PM

“Damn.”

“You gotta go?” The ravenette dropped her phone into her bag before throwing it over her shoulder.

“Yeah.” You opened your phone to see that you had multiple call and message notifications from Yoriichi. “Yeah, I really gotta go.”

“Ooo, you’re in trouble.” Mitsuri poked fun at you and you playfully pushed her.

“I’m sure it’s nothing like that. He’s probably just worried. I’ll take you back.” Shinobu gestured to her car as she got into the driver’s seat and you sighed as you slid into the backseat.

You ran a hand through your hair as you peered out the window hearing the gps play loudly in the background between lyrics that were blaring from the aux cord. You opened your text messages to your conversation with Yoriichi.

Yoriichi: Are you alright? 3:03PM

Yoriichi: Text me when you can 3:25PM

Yoriichi: I don’t mind that you’re spending money at all 4:05PM

Yoriichi: What did you get from Agent Provocateur👀

You laughed out loud at the last text. He must have his account connected to his card to see every transaction that goes through. Well, duh. He’d be an idiot not to.

You: Maybe I’ll let you see when I get back home😘

Yoriichi: I am definitely looking forward to it. Let me know when you get to the gates

“Seems like everything’s okay.” Mitsuri mused as paused to look up from her phone to the rear view mirror.

You nodded your head and laughed again. “Yeah he was filtering through my transactions.”

“So he’s not mad?” Shinobu glanced up to look at you through the rear view mirror.

You shook your head as you locked your phone and set it aside. “Nah, he said he doesn’t mind if I spend money.”

“What did I tell you?” Shinobu replied as she turned the music up and sang along to the lyrics.

You hummed to the tune as you saw your building start to come into view and you quickly texted Yoriichi letting him know you were approaching the gates.

As you Shinobu finally pulled up to the towering gateway, you noticed that it opened immediately.

“Ooo, are we going to get to meet him.” Shinobu said in a sing-song voice.

She proceeded to cruise down the pathway and sure enough there stood Yoriichi waiting for you to come home along with Koshi who was ready to load everything onto a separate cart.

“Yeah, looks like it.” You jutted your chin out to them.

As the car came to a halt, you exited the car and you were met with Yoriichi’s pleasant face and open arms.

You immediately hugged him back welcoming all of his warmth and homeliness. You heard your two annoying friends “aw” at the both of you which signaled you to exchange introductions.

“So Kocho as in Kocho Biological Products who produces vaccines?” Yoriichi was the type to put two and two together so quickly it amazed you every time, but ever since he had mentioned that Uta’s family were close family friends it made sense. It had made sense that the Hanafuda Clan had connections through the ass, and as an heir to be Yoriichi had to have networked since birth.

“Yeah, we’ve never formally met since you stopped going to all the philanthropy events. I don’t blame you, though. They’re only meant to showcase how hypocritical billionaires are with their faux holier-than-thou personalities.” Shinobu laughed, recalling the trip that she had just made to one during their short break.

He scoffed. “Don’t even get me started on their speeches.”

“Frauds, all of them. Not even a hint of real compassion behind those soulless money hungry eyes.” The ravenette shook her head as she wrapped her hair in a low bun and glanced over at you. “I’m sorry, [name]. I hope we’re not boring you. It’s just been a while since I’ve spoken to someone who attends those events and isn’t easily moved by big corp billionaires.”

“Not at all.” You smiled from her to Yoriichi. “I’m happy to see you guys getting along. I’m just a little tired is all.”

“Oh, you should get some rest then.” Mitsuri urged you to go inside with Yoriichi to spend some quality time together.

Shinobu seemed to get the hint as well as she began to actively advocate for the same. “Totally, it’s cold out here anyway. You guys should go in together and keep each other warm.”

Yoriichi peered down at his phone to check the time. “It is getting pretty late, but you guys should come over for lunch or dinner sometime soon.”

“Oh, are you going to be preparing the meals?” The ravenette had a playful grin on her face obviously referring to his outstanding chef skills via you informing them about him and his endless list of talents.

“Of course. I can come up with a small menu that you guys can choose from a day ahead of time so I can prepare it all.” He nodded to you all.

“That’s really fancy. I can’t say that I’ve ever had anyone offer that outside of a wedding.” Mitsuri looked thoroughly impressed, but her mind quickly went to various food items that she would enjoy.

“It looks like you already have a few things in mind.” Shinobu laughed at her and Mitsuri sheepishly grinned at her.

“I can also offer a few suggestions and we can go from there.” Yoriichi added and everyone seemed to be in agreement on that.

After exchanging contact information it was finally time to head back inside. You hugged your friends goodbye and waved at them as they disappeared out of view. You sighed as you turned back to Yoriichi and leaned into his form.

“I know, I know. Shopping can be so tough.” He patted you on the back as he wrapped his arms around you.

You giggled into his chest as you inhaled his scent. It was intoxicating. “Carry me.”

You pulled away to glance up at him and without hesitation he had you over his shoulders and you yelped in response. “Not like that!”

“You never specified.” He smacked your ass so loudly that it echoed into the empty pathway leading up to the building which caused another yelp to come from you.

“Yoriichi!” You whined as you kicked and squirmed, but he only laughed at your attempts to escape.

“Relax, we’re almost there.” He replied casually as he pressed the elevator door button. A loud ding signaling that it opened for the both of you to enter. Well, he was the only one walking as you laid there limp and tired.

You began to feel exhausted as your mind reeled to random things like what type of apple Yoriichi liked if he liked them at all. Floating images of various types of apple began to dance in your mind as you felt yourself slipping into subconsciousness.

“[name]?”

No response. Only the sound of your snores began to fill the empty space of the elevator. A smile on his face as the doors of the elevator opened and he stepped out into his living room and straight to his bedroom. He gently laid you out on his bed and you seemed to be completely passed out as you curled up into fetal position.

“Are you going to fall asleep in your outside clothes?”

“Mmm, just take them off for me.” You mumbled, squeezing your eyes as he turned on the lamp light.

“Sorry…” He whispered as he felt suddenly abashed by the idea of taking off your clothes.

It wasn’t that it was sexual, obviously. You were too tired to even think about wanting to do anything, but the act of peeling off your clothes and having your skin revealed to him. It took him back to how you had completely stripped down for him and how he had pleasured you. He hummed a tune to distract him from all his intrusive thoughts as he began to unzip your jeans and tug off your sweater.

You hugged your body, feeling the cool air hit your body and he quickly covered you with his blankets to keep your body warm. A small sigh of content slipped from his lips as he brushed the hair away from your face and kissed your hair.

This was the first time that you had slept in his bed, albeit because you probably thought it was yours but you had been sharing the same bed when you two were in the cabin, In fact, you had insisted upon it. He yawned as he stretched out his arms and began to get up, but you reached for him.

“Don’t leave.” You murmured sleepily.

And how could he deny you when you looked that cute with sheets wrapped around you like you were a burrito. He grinned down at you as held you close to him.

“I’m not going anywhere.”

***

The sound of birds chirping outside your window as the light filtered through the curtains that were open just a crack. You stretched your body carefully not to pull anything as little noises slipped from your mouth. As you opened your eyes, you noticed that Yoriichi was beside you in a deep slumber. His beautiful tresses were gliding down his back and spilled onto his pillow covers and back. His upper body was free from any shirt and you took this time to thoroughly examine his tattoos. His arms seemed to be finished, but his back piece was left empty and you had recalled when he had told you he wasn’t done with his tattoos yet. You grimaced thinking about a needle puncturing your skin thousands if not millions of times.

He must’ve had a high pain tolerance to get all of that done. You traced over the patterns of dark clouds and sakura blossoms before you placed a gentle kiss on his skin. It had dawned over you that you hadn’t brushed your teeth nor washed your face last night and he just let you. You peered down at yourself realizing that you were just in your tank top and boyshorts. Had he really taken off your clothes for you?

You felt abashed just shamelessly letting him do that to you knowing Yoriichi would never take advantage of you but still! It was conflicting knowing that he has already seen your naked body, but somehow you still felt shy around him. You sharply exhaled as you carefully treaded out of bed.

The sound of him shifting his weight to the other side of your bed caught your attention and you glanced back to see that he was awake and, boy did he look damn fine. His maroon hues were boring into you as he stretched out his hand to you while he smiled gracefully. It was enough to make you have two heartbeats.

“Are you coming back to bed…?” He murmured in a deep sleepy voice.

You felt your face warming as your breath caught in your throat and nodded at him. A small but audible breath escaped his lips as he welcomed you with open arms and you snuggled into the crook of his neck. He threw the covers over your body as he squeezed your body.

“Did you sleep well?”

You only nodded feeling embarrassed again. His laugh vibrated against your body and you held him closer to you.

“Did you?” Your voice was small as you spoke and he began to thread his fingers through your hair.

“Yes, I sleep so much better when you're next to me.”

You swallowed your saliva as you peeked up at him. He was shutting his eyes as the light decorated him so beautifully. He looked like an angel.

“I’m glad.” You replied in a hushed tone as you buried your head into his chest.

You both laid there for a moment as you closed your eyes. It was nice knowing that you didn’t have classes that you needed to attend so you could just relax for the day and not worry too much about schoolwork.

The sound of a phone buzzing both sent you groaning and Yoriichi reached his arm out to blindly search for his phone. One eye cracked open as he observed the caller id.

“Who is it?”

“My uncle.”

That made you shoot up immediately from your cozy position as you peered down at him.

“What does he want?”

Yoriichi shook his head as he looked at his buzzing phone again. “I have no idea. He never calls me at this time.”

You felt your heart pounding against your chest as you watched him swipe his phone to answer the call. He sat up and stretched his arms as he held the phone to his ear.

“Hey, Uncle. What’s up?”

The sound of static from the otherside of the phone garbled his voice and you both gave each other the same look.

“Uncle, I can’t hear you.”

The sound suddenly stopped and you shifted on the bed in anticipation.

“Can–can you hear me now?”

“Yes.”

“I need to talk to you and [name] about something…”

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