#drawer-sama

[yandere-daydreams]

Title: Nurture.

Paring: Yan!Geto Suguru x Reader x Yan!Gojo Satoru (JJK).

A Continuation Of Nursle.

Word Count: 11.0k.

TW: Dub/Con, Non/Con, Fem!Reader, Unhealthy Relationships, Emotional Manipulation, Implied Imprisonment, Mentions of Pregnancy/Childbirth, Oral Sex, Rough Sex, Unprotected Sex, Implied Semi-Public Sex, Forced Marriage, Panic Attacks/Disassociation, Mentions of Stalking, and Nonchronological Timelines. Dead Dove: Do Not Eat.

[Part One] [Part Three]

You were never supposed to meet Geto Suguru.

It’d been a misstep in the never-ending trudge that was the cosmic timeline; a mistake on behalf of the universe that left you on the doorstep of his temple, glancing between the rustic entryway and the scrap of paper one of your student’s mothers had slipped into your hand a few weeks prior. “They should be able to help with your little problem,” she’d explained with a wink, a knowing glance towards your stiff shoulders, the dark bags under your eyes. “One visit, and you’ll feel like a teenager again.”

You’d smiled politely and told her that you’d give it a try and shoved her note into a drawer below your desk to be swiftly forgotten. You went to a doctor, then a chiropractor, then a psychologist, then briefly considered making an appointment with a fortune teller before finally relenting and deciding that you were, in fact, desperate enough for a miracle healer. It took three trains, two taxis, and more than a handful of helpful strangers, but you’d arrived at the messily scrawled address in one piece. You could still turn around, try your luck with another specialist, another bottle of over-the-counter sleeping pills – sane solutions that sane people fell back on when they encountered problems that sane people had. You could go back to your flat, your ever-growing pile of ungraded tests, and pretend you’d never been here at all. You could do the thing that crazy, desperate people didn’t do, and you could leave.

You took a deep breath, braced yourself, and crossed into the entryway.

An attendant caught you as soon as you’d stepped inside. He was male, middle-aged, wearing the most strained, plastered-on smile you’d ever seen as he bowed his head to you. After a moment of nervous delay, you returned the gesture. “I—Uh, a friend of mine pointed me in your direction,” you stuttered out, doing your best to speak through your anxiety. “She said your head priest could…”

You trailed off, struggling to find the right words. Thankfully, the attendant cut in before you could make yourself look like a complete moron. “Geto-sama?” Impossibly, his smile widened even further. “You’ve come to the right place - he’s a truly miraculous healer. He’s seeing another poor, suffering soul at the moment, but you’re free to wait outside of his sanctuary.”

With a quick nod and a few words of thanks, you were swiftly taken to and abandoned in a small sitting room that, you could only guess, led into the innermost shrine. You sunk into a remarkably uncomfortable wooden chair and managed to sit still for all of three seconds before looking for your next distraction. Thankfully, it wasn’t hard to find.

Two girls sat on the other side of the room; sisters, you guessed, if not twins. One (Mimiko – it’d still be a few days before you learned her name) was perched on the edge of a chair identical to your own while the other (Nanako) sat cross-legged on the floor between her legs, fiddling with a hand-held console as her sister tried and failed to braid her hair. You couldn’t help yourself – a small smile tugging at the corner of your lips as you watched Mimiko clumsily fumble with the messily divided strands of hair, her frustration written clearly across her expression. You’d always been comfortable around kids, as much as you never wanted to have your own. You didn’t know much about healing priests or mystic illnesses, but you knew how to handle a struggling seven-year-old.

When she looked away from her work, seeming to notice you for the first time, you offered her a bright smile, a quick wave. “Having a hard time?” you asked, gesturing towards her messy handiwork. “I can show you a few tricks, if you’d like.”

There was a long moment of hesitation, a quick look shared with her sister. “I understand if you don’t trust my credentials, but…” You fished out a few spare hair-ties out of your pocket: bright pink and adorned with equally garish bows, the color and design enough to make Nanako’s eyes light up. One of your more absent-minded students tended to forget hers, and you’d gotten into the habit of carrying a healthy stockpile on her behalf. “I did bring my own supplies.”

A few minutes later, you found yourself dutifully combing out Mimiko’s hair while Nanako admired her new pigtails. They seemed reluctant to talk to you, but you did your best to make polite conversation – well, as much as you could with two stand-offish grade schoolers. “Are you two waiting for someone?”

Mimiko pursed her lips, but Nanako wasn’t so shy. “Our dad,” she filled in, the kind of pride only an idealistic child could have for a parent heavy in her voice. “He hates monkeys.”

“Oh.” You did your best to sound surprised, rather than confused. “Does he work for the temple?”

“Mhm – he’s really strong, and super important.” She waited for you to num in acknowledgement, then went on. “You’re here to see him, right? He can definitely help you, if you are.”

Your hands faltered, a lock of Mimiko’s hair slipping out of your loose hold. “Your father’s… the head priest?”

Nanako nodded enthusiastically, and for the first time, Mimiko chimed in, “He’ll probably get rid of your creepy friend.”

This time, you stopped moving entirely. “I’m sorry, my friend?”

Mimiko glanced over her shoulder, moved to speak, but the screen door leading into the shrine slid open before she could answer you. It wasn’t an attendant, this time, but a man in monk’s garb with hair that reached past his shoulders and a grin less strained but just as artificial as that of his attendants. Geto Suguru, although it’d still be some time before you knew to call him that.

His dark eyes found you first, before moving to his daughters. “Girls,” he started, tone more playful than chiding. “Are you bothering my guests?”

The twins exchanged a long, weighty look before Nanako pushed herself to her feet and hurried to her father’s side. With a sigh of mock exasperation, he leaned down, letting her whisper something into his ear as you rushed to finish Mimiko’s braid. You couldn’t make out what she was saying, but it was enough to earn a pair of pursed lips from Suguru, a languid shake of his head. Without responding to her, he straightened his back, already ushering you inside. You took a deep breath, then followed him into the shrine.

He made no attempt to put on a show of false hospitality. Wordlessly, he left you loitering in the center of the very empty, very large room while he stepped onto a raised platform and collapsed onto his side, propping his elbow on a cushioned, stand-alone armrest. This time, when he sighed, it seemed to be out of a more genuine exhaustion, his eyes falling shut briefly as he propped his chin on his fist and brought his free hand to his temples. “I have to apologize for my daughters. If I could watch them constantly, it still wouldn’t be enough.” He opened his eyes, and instantly, you felt the full weight of his stare. If it hadn’t been a feeling you were so used to, it might’ve been enough to send a chill down your spine. “Now, how can I be of service to you?”

You dug your teeth into the inside of your cheek, fighting the urge to fidget. “I’ve been having trouble sleeping, lately. There’s been this weight on my back, like—”

“Like you’re being watched?”

He spoke confidently, as if answering a question he’d written himself. With your hands clenched into fists at your sides, you nodded. Suguru’s head lulled to the side, his smile taking on a satisfied lilt. “I thought so. Tell me – have you had any scorned lovers in the past? Boyfriends, fiancés, that type of thing?”

“A stalker,” you admitted. “But, he passed a few months ago. There was an accident, and—”

This time, he cut you off with a snap of his fingers. It was brief, barely a flash of movement, but you caught something in the corner of your eye – an amorphous shape perched above your right shoulder, a thousand eyes spotted across its baggy skin and a hundred curling tentacles wrapped around your arms, your chest, your stomach. You shut your eyes, winced, and when you opened them again, the creature was gone and Suguru held a small, pitch-black marble between his thumb and forefinger. He took a second to evaluate it before letting out an approving hum and bringing the marble to his lips, swallowing it whole. In your shock, it didn’t even occur to you to look away.

“These things tend to linger.” It was a meager explanation, but you accepted it whole-heartedly. For the first time in months, you were able to straighten your back, to drop your shoulders, to stand up without a single part of you crying out in protest. You might’ve cried, if you hadn’t been so relieved.

“Thank you,” you nearly gasped, bowing at the waist. “Oh my god, I— I don’t have much money, but—”

“Oh, I couldn’t possibly ask for compensation. Consider this—” A click of his tongue, a roll of his wrist. “—a favor between friends. The most I could ask for is a little of your time, in return.”

You would’ve given him your first-born child, if he’d asked for it. “Of course, anything. I really can’t thank you enough, sir.”

“It’s just— I’ve been trying to find a tutor for my daughters for the longest time, and they already seem fond of you.” For the first time since you’d stepped into his shrine, he sat up, facing you directly. “I understand that you’re a teacher?”

You left the temple a few minutes later, a new number programmed into your phone and a smile brighter than anything you’d worn in years painted across your lips.

~

You moved in with Satoru the same day he met Himari – as much being told to shove everything you couldn’t live without in a bag because you wouldn’t be coming back to your apartment could be called moving. You would’ve fought it more, but he’d been holding your daughter, and you couldn’t take that kind of risk with her. Not again.

Time seemed to pass in slow, thick clumps. Hours would pass in the blink of an eye and seconds would drag on and on and on until you couldn’t stand the idea of pretending you cared, anymore. A nursery was thrown together in one of Satoru’s guestrooms. When you mentioned that you’d never slept so far from her, Satoru cooed and kissed your cheek.

“It’ll be alright, baby. I’ve got enough monitors to last ‘till she’s eighteen. And, no offense, they’re a little more reliable than what you’ve been using.” Another kiss, this one to the corner of your jaw. “Besides, I don’t think you’ll want her sharing a room with us.”

Something pricked at the back of your throat. “I could sleep in here, with—”

“Nope.” He was kind enough to shut you down before you could so much as start to get your hopes up. “Honestly, she should count herself lucky I’m willing to share at all.”

You couldn’t bring yourself to respond. Instead, you closed your eyes, and when you found the strength to open them again, the world was dark and your body was cold.

~

Once the novelty wore off, you fell into a steady routine. Once or twice a week, you’d make the trip to Suguru’s temple and do your best to drill seven years’ worth of public education into Mimiko and Nanako while their father saw his unfortunate visitors. They were smart girls, even if they were more interested in your love life than multiplication tables, and when you thought about Suguru had done for you, you couldn’t say you minded spending a few hours of your weekend in a scenic, rural temple surrounded by Suguru’s (sometimes off-putting, but never unpleasant) congregation.

It took two months before you saw Suguru’s composure slip. It’d been a mistake – an accident on your part as much as it was on his – but you hadn’t thought of it in such fatalistic terms in the moment.

You kept your hands in your pockets as you wandered through the temple’s courtyard, stretching your legs while the girls finished a worksheet on long division (chosen by Nanako over English contractions, much to Mimiko’s protest). Idly, eager to give them as much time as you could, you made your way around the inner sanctum’s perimeter, rounding a sharp corner before abruptly coming to a stop.

Geto sat on the edge of the raised porch, eyes closed and his shoulder braced against the side of a support beam. You moved to flee, to apologize for interrupting his meditation, but you noticed his hunched posture, his slightly parted lips, and let out a breath of a laugh, your panic fading into pity.

Ah, the poor thing.

He was so tired, he’d fallen asleep sitting up.

As little as you’d expected to see a grown man sleeping in public, you weren’t surprised. Suguru was always running himself ragged; either hosting guests or holding sermons or running errands on the temple’s behalf, always coming back with a certain weight to his steps and an off-kilter quirk to his smile. With a sigh, you kneeled next to him and after a moment of hesitation, shrugged off your coat, taking care not to wake him as you draped it over his shoulders. Immediately, he relaxed – an ounce of the tension in his shoulders dissolving as he slumped into himself. You’d considered waking him up, but decided against it. Your own months of sleepless nights and never-ending days were still fresh in your memory. You didn’t want to be the reason he missed out on a few precious minutes of much-needed rest.

You heard a screen door slide open, a high-pitched voice call your name from the other side of the temple. You pushed yourself to your feet, but paused, spared another glance toward Suguru. It was a stupid, spontaneous thing to do, you didn’t give yourself time to think better of it before brushing his bangs away from his face and pressing a kiss into his forehead – the kind of kiss you’d give to one of your students in the wake of scraped knees and playground arguments. When he failed to stir, you pulled back and crossed your arms over your chest, doing your best to keep yourself warm as you started back to where his girls were waiting for you.

~

Satoru was at your door as soon as the bell rang.

Somewhere, in the back of your mind, you must’ve known he wouldn’t give up old patterns so easily. He loitered in the hallway while your hyper-active students filtered out, slipped inside as the last of the stranglers did their best not to gawk at the inhumanely tall stranger with unnaturally white hair. By the time he crossed the threshold, you and Megumi were the only ones left, the latter dutifully waiting for his daily busy work at the corner of your desk.

Satoru acknowledged him with a click of his tongue, a quick ruffle to Megumi’s hair before he moved onto you. “There’s my pretty girl,” he half-said, half-sung as he slung an arm around your neck, pulling you into his chest. “Had you on my mind all day. Couldn’t stop wishin’ I had your pretty ti—”

You cleared your throat into your hand, nodding pointedly towards Megumi. Satoru’s grin faltered, then collapsed into a pursed-lipped frown. He didn’t say anything, but his thumb dug into your shoulder, his cruel eyes flickering to you over the dark lenses of his glasses. You didn’t need any further instruction. If Suguru taught you anything, it’d been how to get rid of unwanted company.

“Megumi.” You waved him toward you, and despite the mix of distrust and exasperation written clearly across his expression, he stepped forward. Still, you braced yourself before going on. As little as you wanted to associate him with Satoru, to blame him for what Satoru did to you, you hadn’t been able to meet his eyes all day. Whenever you looked at him, you couldn’t help but think about Himari, and whenever you thought about Himari—

“You usually walk home with Tsumiki today, right?” He didn’t, but you couldn’t think of a better excuse. Lately, it was all you could do to put one word in front of another, let alone actually manage to clear away enough of the thick, buzzing static clouding your mind to form an intelligent thought. “You should really get going, before she starts to think you left without her.”

His gaze dropped to the ground. He mumbled something just a breath below audible, and you forced yourself to smile. “I’m sorry, what was that?”

“I don’t want to leave you alone with him.” His tone was clipped, his eyes narrowed. “He’s… He’s gross, and weird, and you shouldn’t talk to him.”

If he’d been any other kid, if Satoru had been any other adult, you might’ve laughed, chided him for speaking so rudely about his elders. Instead, you only sighed, your smile faltering as you brought a hand to his shoulder. “We’re just going to have a little chat, that’s all. I promise, I’ll be just fine when we see each other tomorrow.” You paused, lowered your voice into something playfully conspiratorial. “Between you and me, I think he’s pretty weird too. Thanks for looking out for me.”

His scowl deepened, but he didn’t protest. After tossing one more glare in Satoru’s direction, he trudged out of your classroom, letting the door slam behind him. You didn’t have time to feel relief or dread or much of anything before Satoru was on top of you – his knee planted between your thighs, one of his hands groping at your waist while the other caught your chin, holding you in place while his lips crashed into yours, the kiss mess and open-mouthed and desperate. “The brat’s annoying,” he muttered, as he pulled away. “But I can’t say I don’t see where he’s coming from. If you’d been my teacher, I don’t think I would’ve been able to stop myself from bending you over your desk ‘n earning a little extra credit.”

A wave of nausea washed over you. You couldn’t stop yourself from buckling forward, but Satoru had already moved on, found his way to the side of your neck. “Please, don’t talk about my students like—”

Your voice gave out as he bit down – burying his teeth in your throat in less of a love-bite and more of an effort to eat you alive. You barely managed to stop yourself from crying out, but panic quickly swallowed whatever pain you might’ve felt. It’d leave a mark, one you wouldn’t be able to hide, not completely. Against your will, your mind flashed to Megumi and, if you’d been just a little weaker, you might’ve collapsed, passed out while Satoru lapped the blood now trickling down your throat. If you’d been just a little luckier, you might’ve fallen apart entirely.

Your hands shot to his hair, and Satoru let out a throaty groan. His hands fell to your thighs, and before you could so much as think to struggle, you were laid across your desk, folders and worksheets pushed aside in favor of trapping your body underneath his. “Always wanted to do this,” he muttered into your shoulder, already pulling your skirt to your waist. “Might have to go into teaching, too – just so you can return the favor.”

He might’ve gone on, but you were done listening.

You would have to request a change of classroom, tomorrow morning.

~

Nanako returned your coat to you a week later, rolling on the balls of her feet and grinning from ear to ear.

You saw Suguru more often, after that.

Granted, not too often, and never for very long. He was still a busy man, and most of your interactions were limited to minute-long conversations as you found each other heading in the same direction, a few niceties exchanged as you dropped Nanako and Mimiko off at the door of his shrine. He never struck you as overly guarded, but you could count the number of times you’d heard him speak about himself on a single hand. If it hadn’t been for his girls, you probably would never have learned his given name.

Winter had begun its swift and relentless approach, and you found yourself standing outside of the temple’s gates, watching the sun slip below the horizon and debating if it would be worth it to cough up the cash for a taxi, rather than dragging yourself through the labyrinth that was public transportation in the dark. As you checked your phone for the dozenth time, you caught a flash of movement in your peripheral and glanced up only to find Suguru – changed out of his monk’s garb and into a plain shirt and a pair of sweatpants that made him look more like an exhausted college student than the head of his own temple. He nodded to you by way of greeting, and you flashed him a smile. “Waiting for someone?”

“Something like that.” You looked back to your phone and sighed. “I might have to make our next session a little earlier. I forgot how dark it could get and, well, you know what it’s like in the city.”

You withered, but Suguru only brightened. “Let me give you a ride.”

“Are you sure? I’d hate to—”

“Please, (Y/n).” You could see why he had such a dedicated congregation. When he spoke, it was impossible not to listen. “Just think of it as a favor between friends.”

You wanted to refuse, to tell him not to waste his time, but a streetlamp buzzed to life somewhere above you and the last trace of your resolve crumbled. A few minutes later, you were in the back of a sleek, black car – Suguru sitting next to you and his driver hidden behind a tinted partition. More time than you would’ve liked passed in tense silence before you, more motivated by discomfort than gratitude, broke the quiet. “I was surprised when I found out Nanako and Mimiko were homeschooled.” Before he could respond, you realized how it must’ve sounded and tried to backtrack. “Not that there’s anything wrong with that! It’s just—you’re always so busy, and they’re such bright girls. I’m sure that, if you ever did want to get them enrolled, they’d do very well. It’d free up a lot of your time, too.”

You thought you saw him wince, but it could’ve just been a trick of the light. By the time you turned to face him properly, his expression was unreadable – his lips pulled into a thin line and his dark eyes focused on some unseen point in the distance. “I probably shouldn’t be telling you this,” he admitted, before letting an airy sigh. “But… I made a lot of bad choices, when I first took them in. The were a bad situation, and I was young and stupid, and I— I think I might’ve fucked things up. For them, at least. I probably would’ve ended up in the same place eventually.” Another sigh, a lengthy pause. When he went on, his tone was heavier, his usual confidence greatly diminished, if not absent entirely. “…you don’t think I made a mistake, do you?”

You took a second to think, letting your eyes fall to your lap. “I don’t,” you said, finally. “The girls seem happy, and you’re providing for them. They won’t have normal lives, but—” You hummed, shrugged. “Who does?”

He seemed to relax, the harsh edges of his expression dulling. His eyes shifted to you. “You’re not going to tell anyone, right?”

This time, you didn’t hesitate at all, shaking your head with a slight smile. “Consider it,” You let your tone dip into something teasing and secretive, raising your chin the way he tended to when talking to guests and members of his congregation. “a favor between friends.”

Your showmanship earned a dry chuckle, a softened gaze. After a long beat, he asked, “Would you mind if I, uh…” He trailed off, tugged at the collar of his shirt. “Would you mind if I tried something?”

Now, it was your turn to laugh. You’d assumed he was in his mid-twenties, but he must’ve been younger – he was acting like a teenager. “Go ahead, Suguru.”

Despite your reassurance, he stalled for a few seconds before, more than a little stiltedly, bending at his waist and resting his head gingerly on your lap. It was an awkward position, the back of the car too cramped for him to lay down properly, but his eyes fell shut and after the initial shock faded, you could only smile, raising a hand and combing your fingers idly through his hair. When you pulled the elastic band holding his half-bun together out of place, letting his hair fall loose over your thighs, he didn’t protest, only going that much more limp on top of you.

You two stayed that way for the rest of the trip; his head in your lap, your finger carding through his hair, the only noise that of traffic and the occasional muted hum when your attention started to drift. It was only when his driver pulled onto the curb in front of your complex that Suguru raised his head, blinking himself back into consciousness. You turned to let yourself out, only to feel him take up one of your hands – his fingers soon intertwined with yours. You didn’t have time to ask him what he was doing before you felt him cup your cheek, before you felt his mouth against yours.

The kiss was gentle but warm, shallow but lingering. He held you there, his lips barely yours, for a second, then another, before you snapped out of it and pulled away – your disgust as immediate as it was it was self-concentrated. If Suguru felt the same way, he hid it well. You could only make out the slightest trace of hurt in the down-turned corners of his parted lips.

He started to say something, but you were already rushing to apologize. “I’m sorry, Suguru. You’re a sweet kid, but I’m—” You forced yourself to laugh, the noise jolting and strained. “I’m nearly twice your age.”

He pursed his lips. “I don’t care how old you are.”

“Exactly.” You shook your head, dragging a hand over your face. “I’m so, so sorry. I should’ve been more clear about, I don’t know,” You gestured vaguely. “—everything. And I should really—”

Again, you moved to leave, and again, he stopped you. This time, he caught you by the wrist. “I’m not a kid.” You tried to pull away from him, but his grip tightened. You felt something in your forearm begin to ache. “If you don’t believe me, I’ll show you how serious I am.”

“Absolutely not.” You pried the door open and jerked away from him just in time to stumble out of his car and onto the pavement. You saw his posture straighten, his body tense as if he was going to try to lunge at you, but mercifully, he must’ve thought better of it. His anger was, instead, focused entirely into his unblinking stare, and you did your best to speak in spite of the way his eyes burnt into your chest. “I… I think it would be for the best if we didn’t see each other, for a while. Tell the girls I’m out of town, and—” You swallowed, dryly. “—I think you should get some rest, Suguru. You need it.”

As awful as it made you feel, you slammed the door shut before he could respond. He didn’t try to chase you, but his car hadn’t moved by the time you made it to your flat. With your doors locked and your blinds pulled shut, you watched it until, hours after midnight, you nodded off.

He was gone when you woke up, and you could only hope he’d be mature enough to mind his distance.

~

Satoru’s face was buried between your thighs when you heard his phone ring, his hands curled around your thighs and your body perched on the edge of one of his rarely used marble counters. You would’ve missed it entirely if you’d been a little closer to the edge, if he’d been just a little nosier as he moaned and grunted into your cunt, but you weren’t, and he wasn’t, and the sound of that melodic dial-tone cut through the haze like a knife through fog (relatively ineffective, but still violent enough to draw attention). You straightened as much as you could, combing your fingers through his hair and tugging, gently. “Satoru, I think—”

“It’s not important,” he muttered against your thigh, drawing back just far enough to be audible. “’s probably just the kids. They said they were coming over, but—” He flashed you a smile, bright eyes catching the light. “They can wait ‘till we’re done. I can’t just leave my pretty girl unsatisfied.”

Immediately, the haze stiffened and shattered into a panic-inducing, heart-racing clarity. You straightened, cursed under your breath, but Satoru tongue was already lapping over your soaked slit, the bridge of his nose grinding against your clit as he all-but worshipped your pussy. This time, you didn’t tug, but pulled – doing what little you could to pry him off of you, but all you earned was a throaty whine, his fingertips dug that much deeper into the plush of your ass. His tongue bullied its way past your clenching entrance, curling and thrusting, and it took everything you had not to snap your thighs shut around his head, not to give him what he wanted. “Satoru,” you spat, using the same tone you’d put on for a misbehaving student. “S-stop.”

It was more of an instinct than a decision, more of a reflex than a choice, but either way, it didn’t seem to make a difference. With his eyes blearily focused on your expression, his mouth latched onto your pussy like it was the last thing he’d ever taste, he fucked you open with his tongue until your toes were curling, your legs twitching, your vision burning pure white in a way that made you wish you could give up on sight altogether. He nursed you through your climax until the last of your energy was spent before pushing himself to his feet and slamming his mouth into yours – his teeth cutting into your lips and your taste heavy on his tongue. By the time he pulled away, you were panting and he was wearing that awful, careless grin. You never thought you’d miss Suguru’s calculated smile, and yet.

And yet.

You didn’t have time to be angry. The kids came first – a thought that, if you’d given yourself a chance to linger on it, would’ve been more of a cause for concern. “Go clean yourself up, I’ll take care of the kitchen. Call them back as soon as you’re finished.”

“I love it when you get bossy,” he said, with a dreamy sigh. “It’s hot in a, like, ‘put me over your knee and spank me’ way, y’know?”

Your only response was a quick shake of your head, a repulsed curl of your lips. Satoru only laughed, pecking your cheek and burying his face in the crook of your neck. “They’ll love you. Megumi likes to act shy, but he can’t shut up about you. Tsumiki’ll just be ecstatic to have a baby sister,” he mumbled into your throat. “You wouldn’t break their hearts, would you?”

It might’ve hurt less, if there hadn’t already been two little girls somewhere in Japan who knew that you absolutely would.

~

You called Suguru from the curb in front of your flat, your head in your hands and tears streaming openly down your cheeks. He let it ring once, twice, before answering. You could practically hear the smile in his voice, practically feel the smugness in his tone. “I thought we weren’t talking, dear?”

You swallowed back another ragged sob. “It’s back.”

He was there within the hour – alone, this time, no girls and no driver. You stayed where you were as he let himself into your flat, returning only a few minutes later with a thoughtful hum and a thin frown playing on his lips. “It’s rare, but it does happen,” he started, as he sat down next to you. He was dressed in street clothes, rather than his monk’s garb. Somehow, that only made it more difficult to look at him. “Particularly restless spirits can lie dormant before reappearing stronger and more attached to their living host. A standard exorcism might no longer be enough to banish it.”

You felt something heavy and pointed drop into the pit of your stomach. Calling it 'stronger' was an understatement – you couldn’t believe something so massive, something so awful had ever been attached to you. When you let your mind wander, you could still see its dripping, pitch-black arms writhing over the walls and ceiling of your bedroom, still feel its countless eyes burning into you – a hundred, no, a thousand times worse than it’d been when Suguru had first sent it away. You buckled at the waist, burying your face in your knees, and Suguru rested a hand on your back, rubbing slow circles into your shoulder. You were thankful for the comfort, even if it would’ve taken you another few weeks to completely forget the feeling of his hand around your wrist. “Can you…” You cringed, shrunk into yourself. “Can you help?”

“Oh, absolutely.” If he’d been just a little more cocky, he would’ve been purring. “But I’m afraid it’ll cost you more than a favor, this time.”

“I’ll do anything.”

“I know.” His hand went still, settling on your shoulder. “But I need you to give me something, this time.”

You didn’t hesitate. “Anything,” you repeated, with all the desperation of a sinner laid bare before the altar. “Please, Suguru. Anything.”

“I need an heir.”

You could practically feel your heart split open and shatter inside of you. “…an heir?”

“For the sake of my congregation,” he said, like that explained anything. “We’ll have to get married first, of course. You’ll be taken care of until the child’s born, and then, you’ll be free to go.” His hand fell to your own, squeezing gently. “Or to stay with us, if that’s what you prefer.”

Any other time, the idea alone would’ve been enough to make you sick. Any other day, you would’ve told him that he could have anything, anything but that.

But, in the moment, all you could seem to think about was your flat and the monster inside of it. You felt yourself nod and, before you could take it back, heard Suguru laugh, felt his lips against your temple. “You’re making the right choice,” he muttered, the words nearly lost against your skin. “I love you.”

You couldn’t bring yourself to say it back.

~

Tsumiki and Megumi were asleep in the guest room turned makeshift nursery. Megumi had been slow to warm, quick to hear Satoru introduce you as his ‘one and only’ and assume the worst (which, to be fair, wasn’t exactly wrong), but Tsumiki hadn’t been so stand-offish, and ultimately, whatever concerns an eight year old could have for your safety crumbled under his sister’s desire to fawn over your newborn. You were glad. You didn’t want him to worry about you. That was a mistake you’d made with Nanako and Mimiko. You’d let Suguru give them a reason to care if you left, and then, you’d left.

Your gaze drifted to Himari. She’d always loved attention (a trait you could only assume she’d inherited from her father), and she’d spent most of the afternoon and the entire evening basking in Tsumiki and Megumi’s adoration. Currently, she was sitting in your lap, giggling and clapping her hands together as you idly bounced her on your knee. The sight alone was enough to make your heart soar – any thoughts of Satoru and his wards fading into the background as you leaned forward and peppered her tiny face with kisses. It was a miracle that you loved her at all, let alone as much as you did. Pregnancy hadn’t been kind to you, and it wasn’t until the moment she was born that you could stand to think of yourself as a mother of a child, rather than just the incubator to a cultist’s pipedream. You’d never wanted children, but now that you had one, you couldn’t imagine letting anything in the world take her away from you.

Maybe, if he’d been a little kinder to her, if he hadn’t already had two daughters to spoil and adore, you might’ve been able to justify loving Himari less than you did, might’ve been able to leave her in his care when you pried a window open and fled in the middle of the night. He’d never been cruel to her, but no part of you believed that he wouldn’t have been if she’d failed to do what she’d been made for – if your love for her hadn’t been enough to keep you by his side. Even if you hadn’t loved her at all, you still would’ve taken her with you. No child deserved to be left in the care of a monster like Suguru.

You choose, deliberately, to only think about Himari, to tell yourself that you only ever had to think about Himari. You couldn’t afford to break your own heart a second time.

Choosing not to think about Megumi and Tsumiki proved more difficult.

~

It was a courthouse wedding, the ceremony little more than a few signatures and a hesitant ‘congratulations’ from the officiant. Suguru’s assistant – a blonde woman who looked at you with equal parts sympathy and disgust – acted as the witness. Suguru explained that, after your first child was born, there would be a more elaborate ceremony, something with rings and dresses and flowers that the girls could participate in. You were too dissociated to point out that there wasn’t supposed to be anything after the child was born, let alone something that would leave you that much more bound to him.

You expected him to take you back to your flat, or the villa on the outskirts of the city you’d visited a handful of times when he couldn’t meet you at his temple, but instead, you found yourself standing in front of one of the tallest, brightest hotels you’d ever seen. “It is a special occasion,” he said, as you stared blankly at the entrance. “I wouldn’t be a good husband if I didn’t spoil my wife now and then, right?”

“Please,” you muttered, nearly under your breath. “Don’t call me that.”

“Whatever you say, my love.” His smile was giddier than you’d ever seen it, amusement heavy in his voice. “Let me give you a hand.”

The interior was no less agonizing than the exterior. You could feel a hundred pairs of eyes burning into you as you hung off Surugu’s arm, your own legs too weak to be trusted to support you. Rather than relief, dread coiled in the pit of your stomach as he led you to your room – a suite on the highest floor. You considered, briefly, trying to tell him that you were afraid of heights, but decided against it. Even in your own head, it sounded too childish to be believable, and you couldn’t imagine dragging this out for a second longer than it absolutely had to be.

You stepped into the room and were immediately reminded that Suguru had been the one to make the arrangements. A bottle of wine sat in a bucket of ice on a velvet-cushioned ottoman. Bouquets of roses and their disembodied petals had been carefully spread across every possible surface – painting the room with misshapen splotches of bright red. A colorless atrocity of white silk and lace had been laid across the king-sized bed. You got close enough to recognize it for what it was (bridal lingerie, veil and all) before turning away and collapsing onto the foot of the bed, your vision blurry and your heart racing.

You felt your mouth go dry, your throat tighten, but you forced yourself to speak. You wouldn’t have been able to stand the silence. “Am I—” A pause, a distraught glance towards the monstrosity. “Am I supposed to wear that?”

“I might’ve been a little overzealous,” he admitted, stepping in front of you. Slowly, he lowered himself onto one knee, taking your hands in his. “I’ll be gentle, if that’s what you’re worried about. The only thing I want you to feel is pleasure.” He brought the underside of your wrist to his lips. “I love you.”

You couldn’t be sure what it was. How sincere he sounded, maybe, or how young he looked kneeling in front of you, away from his temple and out of his costume. He kissed the back of your hand, and a ragged sob tore past your lips, all the tears you hadn’t been able to shed during the ceremony suddenly beading in the corners of your eyes. As you tried to keep them at bay with your free hand, Suguru’s smile wavered, and for the first time that you’d seen, fell away completely.

He posed the question softly, carefully. You wished he would’ve been just a little more eager to break you. At least, then, you could’ve hated him for it. “…you really don’t want to do this, do you?”

There was no point trying to lie. You shook your head and watched as Suguru deflated. His eyes had always been dark, but in that moment, you could’ve sworn they’d never seen any light at all.

Before you could brace yourself, his mouth crashed into yours with enough force to bruise. You tasted blood, felt his tongue rake over yours; whatever gentleness he’d promised to show you little more than a distant fantasy. As his mouth moved against yours, his hand slipped under your dress – two fingers dragging over your slit through your panties before his thumb found your clit through the thin material and he pushed a rough, impulsive pattern into the sensitive bud. You shrunk into yourself, your hands finding their way to his chest before you could stop yourself from trying to push him away, but Suguru didn’t seem to care, to notice. Your panties were torn away entirely, and like a man possessed, he fell back to his knees between your open legs and started to devour you whole.

Your thighs were pulled onto his shoulders, his hands curled around your hips as the flat of his tongue laved over your slit, teasing the entrance of your pussy and flicking over your clit. He alternated between tracing vague figure-eights into your cunt and lapping up the slick starting to drip from your poor, confused pussy – your exhausted body eager to accept any affection Suguru had to show you, if you could even call what he was forcing onto your affection. You tried to reach for him, to pull him away from, but you failed to so much as make contact before he let out a near-violent snarl, calloused fingertips burrowing into vulnerable flesh as he pulled you that much closer, hauling your ass off the bed and leaving you on your back, your arms crossed over your face and your ankles crossed over his back. You sobbed openly, now, but your disparate cries were interrupted by cracked whimpers and half-swallowed mewls – little, pathetic sounds you didn’t have the strength to suppress. Suguru didn’t stop. Honestly, you would’ve been surprised if he could hear you at all over the sound of his own heady panting, of his tongue fucking into your now-soaked cunt.

You almost regretted not taking him back to your flat that first night – when he kissed you like you were the most delicate thing in the world. If you’d given in right away, he might’ve had the self-restraint to hold back. Or, to try to, at least.

One of his hands left your waist, falling low enough for the pad of his thumb to press into your clit. Messily, roughly, he toyed with the hyper-sensitive bundle of nerves as his tongue thrust shallowly into your cunt, curling and splitting apart the hot, clenching walls of your pussy. You felt a deep, full-chested moan reverberate up the length of your spine, and that was enough to leave you tumbling over the edge, to leave your thighs clenching around his head as you came undone on his tongue. He ate you out through the aftershocks, but didn’t stop - fucking you open with his tongue until you’d stumbled through another climax, then another, a mix of slick and saliva soon coating his chin and staining the sheets below you. By the time he pulled away, you were crying not from despair, but overstimulation; pangs of pure heat searing your nerves and leaving your cunt aching for reprieve. You were only vaguely aware of the mattress dipping beside you, of his chest pressing into yours as he kissed you for what felt like the hundredth time. As his lips pressed into yours, you decided that, if tonight was the last time you ever had to kiss someone, it wouldn’t be so bad. Not when compared to the alternative.

“I love you,” he mumbled, and then again as he pulled away, “I love you.”

You didn’t respond. You couldn’t. Your voice felt like something you were no longer entitled to use; a vague concept that’d been placed at an inconceivable distance by some cruel deity. Through half-lidded eyes, you saw Suguru bare his teeth in frustration. Your dress wasn’t so much removed as it was torn away from you, and you couldn’t help but wither without it. Modesty could only count so much when you could still see your arousal coating his lips, but still, it hurt.

With an arm wrapped around your waist, he pulled you into the center of the bed and haphazardly dragged his shirt over his head. You shouldn’t have been surprised. You’d seen his bare arms plenty of times, watched him lift Nanako and Mimiko clean off the ground without so much as a trace of strain, and yet, something inside of you still curled up and died as your eyes raked over his sculpted chest, the corded muscle that seemed to cover every inch of him. More out of shock than anything, you moved to sit up, to put some distance between yourself and a man who looked like he could’ve torn your head off your shoulders on a whim, but he was quick to stop you, to press a palm into your chest and force you back onto the bed. With his other hand, he dragged his pants down just far enough to free his cock and, instantly, whatever desolation you might’ve felt at the sight of his bare chest was multiplied ten-fold.

You didn’t realize you were shaking your head until you moved to speak, your voice shaking and small. “That’s not going to—”

“It will.” That authority – that tone of absolute control – was back in full force. Still, you couldn’t seem to make yourself believe him. “I won’t stop until it does.”

Your heart fell into your stomach as he dragged his swollen, leaking tip over your pussy – the flushed head catching on your abused clit and drawing an airy whimper past your lips. He was, by far, the biggest man you’d ever seen, let alone slept with. As if that wasn’t enough, he was already harder than you knew someone could be – thick, pearly beads dripping from his tip and down his shaft, his more prominent veins almost pulsing as he aligned with your entrance. Even his balls were fucking huge.

Fit for a breeder, something vicious and awful whispered into the back of your mind. You tried to ignore it, but you couldn’t disagree.

Your eyes darted to his expression and met his, already blearily focused on you. You opened your mouth, but anything you might’ve said was stolen away from you as his hips bucked forward and he thrust into you, bottoming out in the same motion.

You’d been right, when you’d tried to stop him.

He was going to kill you.

Already, he was too much. A fresh wave of tears pricked at the corners of your eyes as his cock threatened to tear you apart. Suguru let out a raspy groan, his head falling forward and he drew back, pulling out of you until only his head remained in your pussy only to snap his hip and bury himself that much deeper, only to stretch you that much further. “See?” One his hands fell to your lower stomach, the heel of his palm pressing into the soft flesh like he could feel the outline of his cock. He might’ve been able to. You were too scared to check. “You’re a perfect fit.”

There was another grunt, another breathy groan as he fell into an unsteady pace – every thrust brutal and back-breaking. His hands found their way to the headboard, curling around its upper edge as he fucked into you. He didn’t so much find the right spot as find a way to hit every spot constantly, his cock filling your pussy to the brim, leaving you desperately trying to clench down around him to no avail. A high-pitched whine – fractured and pathetic – tore past your lips, and Suguru let out an airy chuckle. “Not gonna be able to get enough of this.” His pubic bone scraped against your clit and you threw your head back, your back arching off of the mattress. Your sensitivity was rewarded with another laugh, a hand brought down just to grope idly at your chest. “I can’t let you out of my sight, from now own. I think I’ll lose my mind if I have to go a day without feeling this perfect pussy wrapped around my cock.”

It was hard to think, let alone piece two words together. Still, you managed to spit something out, fighting to speak above the sound of skin against skin, hips against hips. “B-but, you said— the baby—”

“Fuck the baby. This—” He slapped your clit, his touch harsh enough to make you cry out. “—is all mine.”

A hand around your throat, a new brutality to his thrusts. His grip wasn’t tight, he wasn’t choking you, and yet, you couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move, couldn’t think about anything other than his cock and the feeling of your cunt being split open around it. “You’re mine.” If you hadn’t known better, you would’ve thought he sounded relieved. “And you always will be.”

Meeting Suguru had been a mistake. Asking for his help had been a mistake. Agreeing to this terrible deal had been a mistake.

But, cumming around his cock as that final possessive sentiment trickled past his lips was the biggest mistake you’d ever made or ever would make, again.

Your cunt clamped down around him – a vice around his cock. With your fists balled around satin sheets and your legs wrapped around his waist, your body convulsed underneath his, your pussy doing everything in its limited power to milk him dry. You heard Suguru curse under his breath, his hips pushing flush against yours as something thick and searing flooded into your cunt. What little managed to leak out around the base of his cock was caught with two fingers and forced back in; no drop wasted.

With a heavy exhale, Suguru dipped lower, his lips grazing over your cheek, then the curve of your neck. You shut your eyes, letting yourself deflate. It was over. No matter how you might’ve felt, no matter how much you might’ve wanted to crawl out of your skin, it was ov—

Slowly, agonizingly slowly, he pulled out of you, only to push back in; his rough, punishing pace only made slightly more bearably by the weight of his orgasm.

The next morning, you’d wake up to Suguru’s arm around your waist and a pregnancy test on the bedside table. It’d be too early to tell, but you wouldn’t bother to so much as open the box. Nothing could’ve kept Suguru from trying again, and again, and again in the days to follow.

Come to think of it, you couldn’t be sure if he ever stopped.

~

“How long is this supposed to last?”

Megumi and Tsumiki were walking a few yards ahead of you, stopping to stare into every other shop window before running ahead, and Himari was currently tucked against Satoru’s chest, occupying herself with a thorough (albeit, mostly oral) investigation of the collar of his shirt. You couldn’t cook and Satoru refused to do much of anything before noon, so the only choice left was to chase after promises of crepe trucks and cafes. Your question earned a hum, a glance toward you, but not much more. As little as you liked about Satoru, you were thankful he had such an even temper. Suguru was never so slow to react.

“Forever, preferably,” he answered, with a slight shrug. “Or until I die, at least – sorcerers have a pretty high mortality rate. I’m the best at what I do, but even the strongest ant gets crushed eventually.” He paused, pressed a quick kiss into the top of Himari’s head. “I’ll make sure to leave a big trust fund, though. You’re gonna be living off your daddy for a long, long time.”

You let your eyes fall to the sidewalk. “You don’t have to pretend you care about her. I know you’re only doing this because of him.”

If he’d denied it immediately, you wouldn’t have believed him. If he’d sworn that Suguru had nothing to do with it, if he’d dropped to his knees in front of you, if he’d told you that he loved you, you wouldn’t have believed him. But, in the end, he only pursed his lips, his head lulling to the side as he considered it. “At first, yeah,” he admitted, tracing patterns into Himari’s back. “I heard that he’d gotten with someone and… I got curious. I guess I was a little jealous.” He paused, his tone abrupt going light and sheepish. “I might’ve gone a little overboard, in retrospect – making the brats go to your school and following you around and all. I just wanted to see what kind of person could make Suguru go soft, but then I saw how you were with the little princess—” He lifted Himari above his head, grinning up at her while she spouted happy gibberish. “—and fell for you, head over heels. All I could think about was gathering you both up in my arms and takin’ you home.”

“You make us sound like stray animals.”

“I mean, you kind of are, right?” You jutted your elbow into his side, and he rolled his eyes dramatically. “Okay, okay, you’re runaways. I didn’t know you were so pedantic, (Y/n).”

 He slotted Himari against his hip, his attention momentarily falling away from her as he shot a quick, teasing smile in your direction. “I like you.” His voice was soft, dull – like he was saying something you didn’t already know. Like he was giving something away. “And I want you to stick around.”

“I’m sure Suguru would’ve said the same thing.”

“I’m not like Suguru.” He found your hand, his fingers soon intertwined with yours. “I wouldn’t let you go so easily.”

You opened your mouth, but closed it again just as quickly. Ahead of you, Tsumiki turned on her heel and waved excitedly. She’d picked a café (presumably with minimal input from Megumi); a picturesque little spot with a sun-speckled patio and overgrown garden boxes. Satoru’s hand tightened around yours, tugging you forward, and just this time, you didn’t bother trying to pull away.

~

The man on his knees in front of you was older – his hair receding and dotted with grey. A salaryman, you guessed, judging by his wrinkled suit, the ink stains on his sleeves. You couldn’t see his expression, not with his forehead pressed against the floor of Suguru’s sanctuary, but you could hear the pain in his voice as he pled for Suguru’s help, see the slight tremble in his shoulders. You didn’t have to assume the cause of his distress.

You couldn’t be sure when you started to see the spirits – or, the curses, you mean. It must’ve been around the end of the first trimester; your little glimpses at crooked monsters and mangled beasts solidifying into full, unrelenting exposure. Suguru suggested (after he’d finished celebrating what he would, later on, refer to as the best day of his life) that it might be a symptom of the pregnancy, that carrying a sorcerer’s child may’ve triggered some pocket of laden cursed energy buried inside of you, but you couldn’t help but think of it as some kind of cosmic punishment, even if you couldn’t begin to guess what you were being punished for.

It had to be a punishment, though. If it wasn’t, you wouldn’t be watching a small swarm of winged, imp-like creatures bite and scratch at the cowering salaryman, each swipe of their claws and nip of their pointed teeth enough to leave ragged, bloody stripes in his arms, his back. You felt bile rise into the back of your throat, but forced yourself not to shut your eyes, to keep your expression one of unbothered neutrality. Suguru would help him, just like he helped you.

As if by way of encouragement, you let your nails scrape over his scalp. After you started showing, the only job Suguru deemed you capable of was that of his new headrest. He took care of everything else – petitioning for maternity leave, moving you out of your flat and into the villa he shared with his girls, rewriting every little aspect of your life to better the role you’d inhabit for the next nine months: his pregnant wife. Currently, he was on his side, on leg bent at the knee and his head propped on your thighs, your fingers threaded through his hair. You’d cringed at the idea, at first, but Suguru insisted that it wouldn’t be an issue. The perks of leading your own cult, you guessed. No one could challenge his authority when he was the only authority they could possibly look to.

After a moment longer than you would’ve liked, Suguru cut off the salaryman’s incoherent rambling with a slight hum. Immediately, the salaryman fell silent, and Suguru let his head lull to the side, leaning into your palm. “Manami,” he started, addressing his assistant. She’d been called in shortly after the salaryman made his entrance. “How long has it been since our honored sponsor’s last donation?”

She glanced toward her tablet. “It’ll be five months this week.”

The salaryman scrambled to apologize. “I—I’m sorry, my store went out of business, and I—”

The corner of Suguru’s lips quirked downward. The entirety of the swarm descended onto the salaryman before you could so much as flinch away.

To say they tore him apart would be an understatement. One second, he was there, bowing in front of you, and the next, little more scraps of fabric and disembodied viscera decorated the floor of the sanctuary. Suguru snapped his fingers and, in an instant, the creatures vanished – leaving behind only gore and the thick stench of copper hanging in the stagnant air. Your hand stilled in Suguru’s hair. You might’ve passed out, if you’d been able to process what you’d just watched.

Suguru took notice of your distress quickly. That, or he just wanted to bask in his kill more privately. “If I could be alone with my wife for a moment, Manami.”

Her eyes flickered to you, lingering for a moment before she bowed her head. “Of course, Geto-sama. I’ll fetch someone to clean up this mess.”

Once she was gone, Suguru rolled onto his back, letting his eyes fall shut. “These fucking monkeys,” he sighed, with a shake of his head. “I swear, they’ll be the death of me. They can’t even seem to die without causing more trouble than they’re worth.”

“You can control them?”

“You’re going to have to be more specific, dear.”

“The spirits.” And then again, with more urgency, “You can control them?”

His exasperation was swiftly replaced with self-satisfaction so potent, you could nearly taste it. “Would you expect anything less from me? Only a handful are strong enough to be helpful, but even pests can be put to good use.”

You felt like an idiot for asking. You felt like an idiot for having to ask, but you just couldn’t seem to stop yourself. “My spirit. The one I came to you for.” It felt like your tongue was coated in salt and ask. “Was he one of the stronger spirits?”

A beat lapsed in silence, then another.

Finally, Suguru let out a long, raspy exhale and brought a hand to your stomach. “I hope it’s a girl,” he muttered, almost absent-mindedly. “I hope she looks just like you.”

You took a single, stilted breath.

When you met your daughter a few months later, impossibly tiny and infinitely lovable and so agonizingly helpless, it would almost be a relief to see Suguru’s face staring back at you.

~

“She has your eyes.”

You heard his voice before you saw his face, but you would’ve known Suguru from aura alone. You froze in the doorway of the unlit nursery, searching for him in the darkness, but Suguru didn’t make himself hard to find.

“Not the color, but the shape.” He was standing next to the cradle, a soft smile painted across his lips and your daughter in his arms. She was sleeping, and you were thankful for it. You’d kept Himari away from him as much as you’d been able to in the weeks leading up to your escape, but even their minimal exposure had seemed crushing, at the time. Above all else, you never wanted your daughter to be able to recognize her father’s face. “Oh, but she must have my temperament. I’ve heard she rarely cries, even with nuisances like Satoru around.”

You’d left your phone in the living room. Satoru wasn’t home and he wouldn’t be back until tomorrow morning, but maybe, if you screamed, someone would hear you. Maybe, you’d be able to run while Suguru tore them apart, limb by limb.

In the end, it was all you could do to make yourself speak – your voice thin and prone to catching in your throat. “Get out of my apartment.”

“But this isn’t your apartment, is it?” With a quiet, hushing sound, he lowered Himari back into her cradle and turned to face you. “Honestly, if I’d known you were just going to run into another man’s arms, I would’ve been more careful with you. I wonder if you’ll feel more loyal to your husband with a chain around your neck.”

“You manipulated me. You made me have a ba—”

“I loved you.” He cut you off with all the delicacy of a rusty knife sawing through flesh. “I do love you, even if I’m starting to question how much of it you deserve.”

He stepped forward. You wanted to turn away from him, to run, but your body was uncooperative, too rigid to do anything more than shake as he came to stand in front of you. “Can you say it back to me? Just this once.” He brought a hand to your cheek. “I’ll forgive you for everything, if you do.”

You tried to. Not for him, but for your daughter – made expendable by her failure to keep you bound to Suguru. You tried to, but all that slipped past your parted lips was a wordless cry, torn and anguished and far from what he’d asked for.

“No?” He feigned disappointment, letting out an airy sigh. “I guess that’s to be expected.”

He took a deep breath, then rested his head against the dip of your shoulder. His hand fell to your stomach as he spoke into your skin.

“Maybe, after we have our second, you’ll change your mind.”

[cursingtoji]

𓆩𖥟𓆪 𝐒𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐎𝐑 — Geto is a thoughtful leader who uses visual resources to help his followers learn, and tonight you get to play a part. #Cult-tober.

< Part 1 - Contradiction

— cw: religious imagery but no specific religion, exhibitionism, emotional manipulation, god complex, public nudity, fingering, unprotected, oral (f -> m), sex cult behaviour. 3k words.

— note: did my research on cults for this one, also based on this request.

“Come here” you hear his voice after calling your name, the tone gives you chills.

You know better than to fear him, this is not the first time he calls you to the main room of the temple — a place that has become the closest thing you can call a home now. This room in particular is already very known to you, so why the fear? Can’t you remember the familiar feeling of the tatami under your knees? What about against your cheek? Wasn’t worth the pain of having your face rubbing on it while your master roughly thrusted into your behind? You do recall his pitiful smile when he realized what the mat had done to the soft skin of your face, right? He kissed it so tenderly while holding you like you were made of glass, a glass he didn’t mind breaking a few minutes prior to that, but now, glass.

So what’s wrong now?

Except for the dozens of followers sitting on their knees in that same room right now. How come you never saw that many people before? And more importantly, why are you seeing them now?

A few hours ago, he left you two things along with a note with the time and place you had to be. Those things are: a sheer black lace mask, very delicate fabric meant for your eyes, the type of thing you could picture a woman using in a ball in the 1800s, and a yukata, a simple one. You thought it was weird he didn’t leave an obi — the belt to tie up the yukata, so you took one from your own drawer to complete the traditional piece.

The mask is clearly not part of it, but you know better than to question him. Besides, the note is clear, you must wear nothing but those things. Nothing.

The room you thought you knew now seems strange and gloomy, it’s nighttime so there’s only a few candles lightening it up, there’s an essence burning somewhere the smell is weak but it’s there.

Geto in all his glory sits in his altar, his feet are up in the mat, unlike everyone else sitting on their legs. He has the pose of a deity and clearly that is what everyone thinks too.

Your bare feet touch the tatami, slowly approaching the altar and feeling the dozen pairs of eyes upon you, the offsetting lighting doesn't allow you to see their faces, which is probably for the best, yet Geto’s was lit up as if the sun itself rose for him and him only.

“Look at her, when I met her she was sick, this beautiful lady had a disease. I tried to look away, she was too far gone, but what did I do instead, sweet child?”

“You saved my life” you respond without batting an eye, your mind feels cloudy.

“Kneel” you obey taking place beside him.

Maybe he is a deity after all.

Just that day you were having a conversation with the twins. They had so many questions, especially after seeing you hurt by some curse, so many why’s leaving their little mouths.

“It doesn’t matter!” your voice rose for the first time since taking them in your embrace “If Geto-sama says it’s day and the sky is dark, it’s day. If he says it’s night when you can see the sun, you go to bed because you sleep when it’s night, understood?”

Sometimes you barely recognize the voice that leaves your lips. Scolding is something you never saw yourself doing, not to the girls you loved more than anything.

In your situation one would assume this behavior is driven by fear, what would Geto do if he found out your girls were questioning his actions? They cannot possibly care more about this non-sorcerer in front of them. Never.

But those people would be wrong. Fear does make you do what you do. Love does.

Only love makes you stay put in front of him when he unties your yukata, love has you looking him in the eye even while the disapproval for the presence of the obi is evident.

Geto makes you sit facing him, his stunning image much more welcoming than the unlighted audience, he’s big enough for you to understand can still see the quiet crowd behind you. His calloused hands touch your shoulders under the yukata, the soft touch is enough to warm up your entire body as he slowly revells a skin decorated by some few bruises, some caused by curses, some caused by gods, well… one god.

“She’s still not cured, I don’t know if she’ll ever be” he doesn’t have to project his voice too much in the quiet room, the hot breathing fans over your face, “But I’ll keep trying nevertheless” he says more quietly.

Geto’s hand goes between your legs and you have trouble keeping your sounds to yourself. His hand is big, and the space between your closed legs — while you’re still sitting on them — and your core is narrow, Geto has to be a little rough to get where he wants to.

And he always gets what he wants.

Your face is warm, breathing erratically but still… you’re not panicking even given the disturbing setting. It’s all due to him, if it was anyone else you would be screaming right now, fighting your way out of this.

Geto starts to stroke your folds with his fingers while talking about sins, the best thing you can do is shut your little brain from overthinking everything he says and taking it as personal.

However, what is left to do when he keeps going on and on about undeserving ones while teasing your fluttering hole? You can’t even look him in the eye, just keep staring his throat as he speaks. Your gasp interrupts him when he inserts a finger, both your hands to your mouth, you were distracted enough to forget this was obviously the next step.

Geto snaps his eyes back to you, not glad about the interruption, yet he resumes his speech so he can go on with his plans.

Your hands remain on your closed mouth, not wanting to make the same mistake again. Geto adds another finger and starts scissoring you, which worries you slightly, you thought this was merely a play for the followers, an exhibition of power, but the stretching he’s doing indicates he plans to go all the way. That and the erection under his haori, which you should’ve led you to suspect his intentions from the beginning since he’s never presented himself to his followers without all the layers of his traditional clothing.

Geto removes his fingers, straightening his posture as he finishes his sentence, he pats his lap and you find his eyes, they are predatory, from then on you’re dealing with Geto-sama, not Suguru.

You’re already undoing the ropes that tie his haori just like he did to you a few minutes ago. He’s bare under the fabric, dick is tall and hard, the leaking tip shines under the orange glow of the candlelight as you align it with your entrance.

“If you can’t control your urges, they’ll control you” he claims, hands behind your knees, his voice is steady but the grip he has on you tells it’s hard to control himself too.

“No person or thing should control you… except for me” the last part is whispered for your ears only. You bottom out on him, needing a moment to recover, not just from the stretch on your lower half but from his words and by how willing you are to let him control you.

Especially when he puts his hand on your head, pressuring slightly guiding you to his neck. He keeps his hand there, caressing your hair as you relax on his hold, like he’s comforting someone who's just lost a dear relative, not a simple villager he spared and is now balls deep inside dozens of followers.

With a sharp pinch on your thigh Geto signs you to start moving, you arch your back and raise your hips to slide out of his cock till only the tip is left then sitting back. Since the yukata was not fully removed, it stays on you, sleeves pooling on the middle of your arms, the rest serves as a curtain, keeping the audience from viewing the junction of you and your savior.

You busy your mouth by kissing and sucking his neck, he gives your hair a discreet pull, a warning to not mark him, guess it would be bad for his reputation if his beloved sorcerers find out he’s whipped by a good-for-nothing human.

All they know — as far as Geto is concerned —, is that you’re his little pet, kind of a 3 for the price of 2 after he took in the twins, a package deal he simply had to accept.

Whatever, you don’t care about them anyways. As long as they’re treating your girls as one of their own, it doesn’t matter how they treat you. Geto, Mimiko and Nanako are all you need to be content with your life.

Geto should limit himself from touching you, his fingers shouldn’t be tracing the little marks and scratches on your back.

“You are not perfect, mistakes will happen, that’s why you need someone to guide you” he talks to the audience, his chin resting on your shoulders as the tip of his fingers run over each trauma and imperfections on your back. At this point — with his dick reaching such a sweet spot inside your walls —, you are not sure if he’s still indirectly talking to you, but something makes you think he’s talking to himself, about you.

Is it such a delusional thought? That you are the one guiding him and not the other way around? You thighs clench around him, the awkward feeling in your chest start to bring clarity to your pleasure blurred mind and you start to look around reflecting on your situation.

Geto relizes something switched in your dumb little head, you do that sometimes, look around with wide eyes and heavy breathing. Suguru remembers the days in jujutsu tech, when he was confused, consumed by the trauma and unsure about his future. Why did you make him remember that? Your chest is rising rapidly, he doesn’t want you to panic, that’s not supposed to happen under his watch.

You’re taken from his lap.

“You love me, don’t you?” Suguru holds your chin bringing your focus to him, only him. You nod slowly, admiring his sculpted face by the candlelight, “Then what are you afraid of?”

You search your mind for all the reasons to be afraid right now, shouldn’t be hard, all you need is to look around and remember why you’re here.

Yet his hazel eyes don’t allow you to find any of those reasons, somehow your heart doesn’t feel so heavy anymore.

“Don’t you trust me?” he rubs your chin and you nod again, “Show me” you blink confusingly, “Show me how much you love me.”

You’re sitting on your knees as your eyes trail down where his member is still hard, it glistens with your juices and throbs slightly, the sight is too irresistible.

So you bow to your savior, taking him fully into your mouth, the position giving the closest thing to a privacy moment, where you could pretend it’s just you and Suguru like in the late nights in his chamber.

“There you go” he sighs happily patting your head, not putting any pressure, like what you’re doing is not sexual at all.

It’s merely a form of adoration. And Geto deserves being adored.

Naturally, you take him as deep as you possibly can, focusing your best in worshiping every inch of his skin, putting as much love into it as you can, not even minding the emptiness on your lower half or how you’re dripping on the mat.

There’s a buzz in your ear, you know Geto is talking, finishing his speech probably, but you can’t actually hear him, feels like hearing someone talking from a distance.

The last thing you remember is the hot shot on the back of your throat and the member twitching in your mouth. You think you heard Geto moan, which brings a weird feeling in your stomach since, as far as you know, you’re supposed to be the only one to hear that. His thumb goes to your chin, whipping the saliva and cum, pushing you to release him, you do, but you keep kissing his soft length until the smell of him mixed with the candles and something only this room had made you black out.

Phenomenal.

A word that resumes what Geto thinks about your performance tonight. If he gave you a script it wouldn’t have played out so perfectly.

Sometimes Geto underestimates how willing you are to be controlled by him.

When everything is done, he takes you into his arms, after wrapping the Yukata back around your body, he raises to his feet and steps down from his small stage carrying you.

There’s a door behind the stage, passing the curtains, which he usually uses as entrance and exit. Yet that night he feels like walking through the audience, with a pretty little thing unconscious on his mighty arms and a bunch of loyal followers bowing on his feet he experiences being, truly, a god.

[harunayuuka2060]

Akihiko: It took you a long time to fulfill your promise.

Leal: *his trusted friend and husband* My apologies, Master Akihiko.

Akihiko: *smiles* You don't need to apologize.

Leal: Thank you—

Akihiko: However, I expect the utmost service from you.

Leal: Y-Yes!

Leal: *sigh*

Leal's sister: Did you get an earful from your wife—er, your husband?

Leal: Yes...

Leal's sister: It's not like I'm agreeing to him, but why did it take you so long?

Leal: ...

Leal: Master Akihiko and Lady Yuurin came from prestigious and affluent family. You must be exceptional to seek their hand in marriage.

Leal's sister: ...

Leal's sister: You're not that exceptional, brother.

Leal: I know. That's why Master Akihiko helped me to be one.

Leal's sister: Ah... That makes sense now.

Leal's sister: Though you could've just seek for his sister's hand—

Leal: You shouldn't say that!

Leal's sister: Huh? Why not—

Akihiko: Leal?

Leal: !!!

Leal: *slowly turns around* Y-Yes?

Akihiko: *smiles* Nothing. Please continue to enjoy your chat with your sister.

Leal and his sister: ...

Leal's sister: I'm going back to my room...

Sebek: WHAT CAN YOU SAY, HUMAN?! ISN'T DIASOMNIA THE BEST DORM YOU'VE EVER SEEN?!

Yuurin: ...

Yuurin: No.

Sebek: WHAT?! HOW DARE YOU!

Yuurin: I consider Savanaclaw to be the best dorm simply because I'm a member of it, and Leona-senpai and the others treat me with kindness and respect.

Sebek: Now that you explained it like that...

Yuurin: Though I appreciate you sharing stories of your housewarden. No wonder you admire him a lot.

Sebek: ...

Sebek: Human... I CAN TELL YOU MORE ABOUT WAKA-SAMA IF YOU'LL ALLOW ME!

Yuurin: Sure.

*After chatting for hours*

Yuurin: If there is a Malleus-aficionado, it would be you.

Sebek: *exhales with pride*

Yuurin: Anyway, it's late. I have to head back to my dorm.

Sebek: What?! We will be having a sleepover! You can't just go yet!

Yuurin: I don't have pajamas with me.

Sebek: Wait here! *goes to rummage through his drawers*

Sebek: I've got a spare one!

Yuurin: ...

Yuurin: *after Sebek gave her privacy to change into his pajamas*

Sebek: You don't look bad, human!

Yuurin: Thank you.

Sebek: Let's go! Lilia-sama and Waka-sama are already waiting in the lounge area!

*Malleus, Lilia, and Silver staring at Yuurin.*

Lilia: Ooh~ Sebek~ Are you best buddies now?

Sebek: N-No, Lilia-sama! Yuurin didn't bring any pajamas so I've decided to lend him mine!

Malleus and Silver: ...

Malleus: Well, Lilia and I have prepared activities we could do.

Silver: While I made sure to get the comfiest pillows we have in the dorm.

Lilia: Yes! Let's have fun for the rest of the night!

Leona: Yuurin! Why are you just arriving now?!

Yuurin: It was a sleepover.

Leona: *frowns* *then sighs*

Leona: Would it hurt you to send a single message?

Yuurin: I'm sorry.

Leona: ...

Leona: Tch. Here's a punishment for worrying your housewarden.

Leona: You'll only talk to me with your girl voice.

Yuurin: ...

Yuurin: Is that a punishm—

Leona: Girl voice.

Yuurin: *switches to her feminine voice* I don't see that as a punishment, Leona-senpai.

Leona: It is. Deal with it.

Akihiko: *chuckles* I agree with Yuurin. That is not a punishment, Leona.

Leona: Hmph. As if I could ever punish her.

Akihiko: True. *chuckles*

Leona: Oi, Aki.

Akihiko: Hm?

Leona: When are you going to tell Yuurin you got married, huh?

Akihiko: ...

Akihiko: I will tell her personally. Or she would get the wrong idea. *chuckles*

Leona: ...

Leona: You are in Sunset Savannah now.

Leona: Though, seriously? Leal?

Akihiko: Leal is trustworthy.

Akihiko: And he is scared of me.

Leona: ...

Leona: Yuurin mentioned to me that her brother is a gentle soul.

Leona: *smirks* I guess she's wrong about that?

Akihiko: *chuckles* No. Yuurin has always been a good judge of character.

Leona: ...

Leona: By the way, on Yuurin's debut, what's your plan?

Akihiko: ...

Akihiko: I want her to wear the prettiest gown.

Leona: Ha! We're thinking the same!

[godhandler]

cult leader!geto suguru x secretary!reader

Geto snores into his pillow, his long hair spread princess-like over his broad back, having escaped from the little bun he made before bed last night. The heavy curtains are keeping his bedroom still cool and dark at 11 am. I guess that’s why I didn’t wake up on time, I’m pretty sure we missed the Ichinori meeting. You look over at your naked boss next to you, deep asleep. Well, I doubt he’ll get mad at me. 

He looks so… breathtaking. His back still carries the marks of your sharp nails, you smile as you run a soft finger down his spine. So perfect. Glowing skin. Hard muscles underneath. He’s not going to wake up anytime soon, you know that. He’s usually a heavy sleeper, but especially after having been wrung out like that last night – you’d done a good job, you grin at the memory. Maybe he’ll give me a raise. 

You try to piece together all your clothes, you do have to go reschedule his meetings after all. Pleated pants- got it, under the blanket that Geto’s hogging all to himself. Formal blouse- got it, near the door, ugh, is that a tear on the neckline? A shame, this one was expensive. Bra, bra, braaa- got it, what the fuck?? Ah. You remember Geto tore it off you, too impatient to wait a second more. He liked to do that, ripping your clothes off you. Yanking a handful of your hair too close to your scalp. Hickies on the soft of the thighs and belly that seemed a touch from bleeding. A harsh spank with his large hand that made your lamb eyes tear up. Pushing a thumb into your ass while fucking into you from behind. A little painful, a little rough. That is how Geto enjoyed you. 

You decide to give up looking for your panties (they're definitely not in a wearable condition anymore, after having been pulled down your wet heat by Geto's teeth and promptly stuffed into your mouth). For a second, you dare to wonder if you’ll get away with stealing one of Geto’s briefs from the clothing drawer, before deciding that’d be crossing a boundary. Regardless of how many times he’s cum down your throat, he’s still your boss, after all. He’s still the wonderful Geto-sama that you adore and respect, one who found your potential as a sorcerer, one who will rid the world of all curses. 

One who’s trying to pull a hair out of his mouth in his sleep. Adorable. One pant leg in and other pant leg out, you awkwardly hop over to him and take the hair out for him. Those eyelashes melt your heart. You cherish him as you wear your pants as silently as you can: he looks painted, he looks angelic, he looks overwhelmingly loved. 

You put on the ruined blouse anyway; you’ll just go home and change. The bra he can have, you leave it tucked under his pillow, a little gift for him to find later. Your nipples chafe slightly against the fabric of the blouse. They still feel raw sensitive. Geto always insists that lapping them with his tongue would heal any wounds that his lips or teeth have caused to your pretty, perky nipples, but that’s not true. You can feel right now that it’s not goddamn true. Your tits still have full marks of his bites stinging red on them. 

In fact, now that you’re paying more attention to yourself, your entire body feels sore. Your neck has a faintly purple outline of his large hand, and your voice seems to still be rough. Was it him choking you within an inch of your life till your head swam within clouds of ecstasy as he finally let you cum on his cock? Or was it the way he roughly pushed your head into his lap, his thick cock stretching out the insides of your throat? Oh, the image of him hissing as he threw his head back, his Adam's apple bobbing with every deep groan and gasp. “A magician with that mouth,” he’d call you, as he petted your cheek before falling asleep. I’d do it every night just to hear him say it again. 

The places he’s grasped you to hold you against him, your sides, shoulders, thighs, ass, they all hurt. He went overboard last night. Did something happen yesterday? Hmm, December 7... nope, doesn't ring a bell. You pout as you find your phone, tablet, and a Plan B pill you take from his bedside drawer. Geto would rather not use condoms, but also doesn’t fully trust you to take your regular pills on time. So there you go. God’s punishment for creampies.

You suppose Geto has a thing for them. Not that he wants kids, just that he likes feeling you raw. Hearing you cry as you struggle to take him. Smiling as you plead that it’s too much. Pressing your ankles down to your ears as he sinks deeper into you. Moaning into your mouth as he ruts his pleasure into your warm walls, his cum drooling over your sticky thighs. Doing just as he likes, without restraint. 

You have to leave him now, it’s so sad. Rapunzel is still snoring deeply, turning over and letting the blanket fall from his X-scarred chest. You dig his phone out of the mess and leave it next to his ear, you’ll call him awake at 1 pm so that he’s ready for his daily evening address and other meetings. You quickly put your heels on and leave, but not before dropping a kiss on his nose. To keep him company throughout the day. It’s pointless and a bit too sentimental for Geto to appreciate, you believe. Besides, you’ll be right next to him all day anyway, won’t you?

a/n : every now and then the geto suguru agenda seizes me until i cant function.

img credits: 1 2 3

[ohai-there]

scumplane narut for the ask game!

@croutonconfidential Sorry for the delay! I got cooked!

Including this post and this post!

"Regarding the criminal you're pursuing," Minato says, grabbing the report scroll his ANBU had presented to him this morning, "a large explosion of chakra was felt to the west of the village and once we sent in teams to investigate, they reported a large crater in the forest. We've also received reports about the man sharing the description given wandering through some of our rural towns, injured. I've had a team follow him from a distance, since."

Shen Qingqiu raises a perfectly sculpted brow, "straight into business, hm?" and Shang Qinghua elbows him in the ribs and gets a sharp slap of fan over the head for it, "Martial Elder Brother Shen, they have different customs from us. You can't expect them to go for a gift-giving ceremony."

Minato pauses, was he supposed to be giving gifts to the Guests??? But Shen Qingqiu just snorts, his face as smooth as jade as he flicks an arm out and just says, "Ming Fan."

One of the disciples, the one who had knocked on the carriage door, steps forward and clasps his hands together, the back of his palms facing Minato, "Hokage-sama," he says, bows lightly, and slips one hand into his long, long sleeve.

Minato can feel his ANBU tensing, preparing for a weapon to be drawn, but Minato keeps his body relaxed as a show of trust.

Ming Fan pulls out a large, gold-gilded wooden box from within his sleeves, was he carrying that with him this entire time??? and no one noticed????? and he presents it with both hands and a shallow bow.

"For your hospitality," Shen Qingqiu says disdainfully, "to show our appreciation for your assistance."

"Ah," Shang Qinghua says, "right. Disciple One, my gift as well."

One of the women steps forward, her own heavy wooden box in her hands. It's inlaid with blue gemstones of all colours and silver detailing and Minato can feel the wealth radiating from the box itself.

"Of course," Shang Qinghua introduces, "gold. We weren't sure if spirit stones would be in circulation here, beyond the barrier, so gold is always a safe option. A tea set, made from the master who lives atop of the Great Eastern Mountain bordering the Demonic Realm, made with the volcanic ash of the mountain pressed into the porcelain that enhances the taste of tea steeped within."

The woman opens the box, allowing Minato to peek in and see a shining, smooth teapot and four teacups within - there's golden tree branches and fluttering leaves painted into them, and when the light shifts he swears he can see them sway - below the teaset tray, he catches a glimpse of golden bars and his stomach aches.

Then, she reaches to the front and slides open a front drawer, one that had seamlessly blended into the outside of the box and sitting on velvet is a chunk of wood.

"Incense," Shang Qinghua says cheerfully, "from a hundred-year old spiritual sandalwood tree, it's said to bring good fortune and prosperity for those who burn it. It also smells really good. Undertones of soap!"

The woman slides all of the compartments closed, the wood clicking back into place softly, and Minato almost reaches out to take it but hesitates, because neither Shen Qingqiu nor Shang Qinghua have held, much less touched, the boxes.

"Boar," he says and ANBU Boar flickers down, understanding Minato's silent command easily, and takes the box, standing behind him openly and stiffly, not unaffected by the value of the box in his hands.

"I have brought," Shen Qingqiu says, voice silk and commanding attention, "a brush set; each bristle is the very tip fiber of the flight feathers from the Venomous Six-Tailed Goose and the ink is made by Master Wu of the Western Sun Estate - the same master who creates all of the ink sets for my own Scholarly Peak."

Distantly, Minato hears Shang Qinghua mumble something that sounds like, "my budget," but his attention is taken by Ming Fan displaying the stationary within the box easily and Minato has to keep his face from twitching at seeing even more gold in the box beneath the tray. Beside it is another, smaller wooden box, and Shen Qingqiu seems to notice Minato's curiousity because he smirks in a way that makes Minato want to curl up on the ground in humiliation or perhaps get on his knees to beg to see it again.

"Apt observation," his fan comes out, fwip, and flutters lightly before Shen Qingqiu's smug expression, "Tea from our sect's Flower Peak."

"What." Shang Qinghua says, seeming to freeze in laser focus at his fellow Peak Lord, "what do you mean Tea from our Flower Peak."

Shen Qingqiu ignores him, directly addressing Minato, "This is the seventh-grade five-hundred-year tea, planted and raised by our very own Martial Younger Brother Li."

"ARE YOU CRAZY?!" Shang Qinghua shrieks, his hands waving around comically, "ARE YOU TRYING TO GET US KILLED? ARE YOU TRYING TO GET HOKAGE-SAMA KILLED?!"

What.

Shan Qingqiu sniffs, "hardly. Martial Younger Brother Li owes me after I went hunting for the instructional methods of raising the All-Devouring Demonic Succulents through multiple libraries."

"SO YOU'RE TRYING TO GET ME KILLED!? HE'S BEEN CARING FOR THOSE TEA LEAVES FOR FIVE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY TWO YEARS! HE TALKS TO THEM EVERY MORNING AND NIGHT!!!! DID YOU EVEN ASK BEFORE TAKIN- oh heavens above, he doesn't even know you took them, does he? Does he?"

"Cease your flailing," Shen Qingqiu brushes off where Shang Qinghua had clung to his robes in his panic, "Hokage-sama, please ignore this foolish idiot's words. The tea will bring no harm to you, Yingying," Minato watches as the only other woman in the procession bounces forward, taking the small box out to display it proudly to Minato, who hesitantly leans forward to peek at the green leaves.

A soft, delicate, yet heady scent floats into his nose and Minato wonders faintly if he's going to be poisoned.

"No harm? No harm? People have been assassinated over this tea -let me see it- YOU'RE GIVING HIM SO MUCH!?" Shang Qinghua splutters and there's a sharp smack as Shen Qingqiu hits his fellow Peak Lord over the head, "really, it's only enough to extend his youth for about a hundred years, especially since these people have such lacking spiritual compatibility. It's hardly anything to get worked up about."

"A HUNDRED YEARS IS A LONG TIME FOR MORTALS!!!!! PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED OVER OUR SHITTY SECOND GRADE TEA THAT ONLY GIVES LIKE!!! TEN YEARS OF YOUTH!!!! SEVENTH GRADE!!!!! WHAT IF THE EMPEROR WANTS TO BUY OUR TEA AGAIN? WE'RE NOT GIVING HIM EIGHTH GRADE! HE CAN'T AFFORD THAT! "

Shang Qinghua has his head in his hands, pulling at his scalp in distress, and Minato feels about half of his despair. A hundred years is a long time, Konoha had been founded a hundred years ago. Minato never really thought he'd make it to forty, much less any longer, and to be at peak physical health for a hundred years, the thought makes him dizzy.

"As grating as Martial Younger Brother Shang is, he does bring up a good point, Hokage-sama. I would highly recommend consuming all of the tea as soon as possible, lest others find you in the way of their own quests to immortality." A wave of Shen Qingqiu's hand has Yingying putting the box of tea back into the larger box, and Ming Fan closing it fully. Shang Qinghua groans, "I could've sold it for a palace."

Minato stares at him, a bit uncomprehending, as his mind tries to make sense of the absurd situation before him. He needs - he needs to take the gift, take the tea, but with the sheer value of the leaves he needs someone he can trust, entirely, to take care of it.

"Hound," he says, watching as Hounds small frame flits from the rafters to the ground, head bowed low. Minato hears the two women squeal and titter as Hound takes the box, it looks comically large in the slight teenager's hands. Shang Qinghua moans out something like, "my palace."

"Very well," Shen Qingqiu says, his fan slips closed and into his sleeve, "with all our formalities out of the way, lets get down to business."

[ghoooooooooooooooost]

(カエラズの遊園地 spoilers)

some fun character bits from the new dm1 amusement park dlc (based on my reading skill lmao so not guaranteed 100% accuracy but i think i understood most things):

(mashita's office)

shou goes to mashita's office to clean up n do chores 2 days a week. also, mashita has a shrine in there because moe told him to get one (to protect him from being cursed). mashita drinks expensive-looking brandy in his office at night. he drinks it straight

mashita has a drawer with a memo that says "don't touch" in red pen, n opening it sets off an alarm that can only be stopped if you hit the switches in the right order (moe smashes it instead)

mashita's lighter is from his old senpai (a photo of him with said senpai is in the alarm drawer. moe thinks that pic must be important to him; he's smiling in it)

(daimon's office)

moe says she heard (a rumor?) that daimon was a band member in the past. she wonders if he performs for his patients, since he has a guitar in his office. she also says it looks like he has a lot of western music records

there's a specific music track for his room

at some point daimon casually picks up a snake n asks moe if she wants to touch it. turns out it's just shed snake skin

the banter between moe n everyone else is really funny but there's also rlly nice moments between her n the others, esp daimon. one part that stuck out to me was when daimon was telling her to let the adults handle this n she argued with him until he gave in; he responds with "please lend me your strength, watanabe-kun"

also multiple moments where we see how yashiki influenced her

spoiler + body horror cgs under the cut

i really like what they did with mashita (like leading up to it) n also these cgs r so pretty. he gets tased

kaerazu-sama is also pretty to me. and she's HUGE

this dlc was fun... unfortunately it still has an unnecessary fanservice moment (very skippable this time too) but i hope they keep going in this general direction instead of whatever was going on in the writer's room for dm2

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

a friend of mine is a drawer and she remaiginated trein in like, his late 20s-early 30s..that man is stunning. at any age im sorry, im a lana del rey fan, i can't control simping for older men

so, for the trein asks (if it isn't too late): the staff room is in chaos because, well, LUCIUS. cat stuff... anyway, miss raven offers to help trein and crewel (the only ones who do their job) to organise. a couple of students, i leave it up to you, get into trouble and as punishment trein puts them to help with the cleaning and such. in that, miss raven finds some photos from about 20 years ago of the staff at that time at a meeting or something. this all comes up because, trein being ✨majestic✨ as he is, i can imagine ace mumbling: "i can't believe this old man had any type of game that wasn't bingo" (he's bickering because trein looked cool and that confuses him).

it us just so funny to me, aghsksijj. please, i'm sorry if it's a little random, and thank you. take care!

I’ve seen some 20ish to 30ish year old Trein fan arts and edits floating around! ^^ I’m sure he was a handsome and dapper guy in his youth just as much as he is as an older gentleman.

Decided to go with Ace (since he was mentioned in the ask) and Sebek (since they canonically have Magic Analysis/Enigmics together and don’t get along).

I mention Trein's late wife in this; if you know The Great Ace Attorney, I based Mrs. Trein's outfit off of Jezail Brett's look.

A Storied Past.

Lucius’s moods were always made clear and broadcasted to the school. They started with a CRASH and a BANG from the teacher’s lounge, followed by a cacophony of hissing and claws upon any hard surface he could find. A chalkboard, loose fabrics, wooden desks and chairs. Glass smashing, important documents shredded.

Today was another one of those days.

Trein had managed to pry his familiar from the curtains. (Crewel bent, inspecting the remains of them—mere tatters—and tutting.) The foul feline was tucked under his master’s arm like a plump, grumpy pillow, limbs flailing in a futile attempt to escape.

“I do apologize for Lucius’s disorderly conduct. He is not normally like this.”

Crewel pursed his lips (no doubt restraining himself from making a snide comment like, “This is precisely why dogs are preferable to cats.”). Miraculously, the well-dressed man refrained, instead tapping his pointer in an open palm. His smile was tight. “Who do you take me for Professor Trein? It’s nothing a little of Crewel-sama’s mending magic can’t fix.”

The older instructor sniffed. “Hmph, silly me. I shouldn’t underestimate the abilities of my own students. I leave it to you to handle the curtain repairs. In the meantime, I shall soothe Lucius.”

“And just who do you propose will clean up this mess of an office space? Surely you’re not thinking of putting the task on my shoulders when it was your familiar responsible for causing this catastrophe in the first place.”

“Worry not. I will send some students to take care of it."

“… What are you doing here?” Raven asked warily. It was the default when interacting with any NRC student--but especially when there was more than one of them, and both were glaring at the other. "When Professor Trein asked for volunteers, I didn't expect you two to show up."

“HE STARTED IT!!” Ace and Sebek declared, pointing at the other accusingly.

"I got put into the same group as loudmouth over here--" Ace jabbed a thumb at his peer, "--for an in-class assignment, and he started chewing me out for breathing the wrong way--"

"INSOLENCE!!" Sebek shot back, nostrils flaring like that of an enraged bull. "This human had snuck a magazine in his textbook and was reading that rather than the class materials! He had no intention on pulling his weight for the assignment, and so I rightfully chastised him for it."

"Dude, you said that if I was going to 'waste your precious time', then I should at least 'not be in your presence' while I do it?!" Ace straightened and puffed his chest out, adopting a smug expression and a haughty voice. "I'm offended to be sharing the same space and air as someone who clearly has no appreciation for his own education. I am fully capable of completing this assignment on my own. Your assistance will not be needed!!"

"I was offering sound advice! You should be grateful that I spared you any at all, human!"

"Yeah, well, you suck at giving advice!"

Raven massaged her pounding temples.

I knew it. No way would Ace willingly volunteer to help poor Professor Trein, and no way would Sebek want to stay after class instead of immediately rushing to Malleus-senpai's side.

"So what I'm hearing is that you become far too noisy and Trein berated you both and sentenced you to clean up the teacher's lounge."

"This human was going to skip his punishment, had I not chased him down and dragged him here!"

"Tch." Ace hastily glanced away, not bothering to deny the accusation.

"... Never mind that. We should get started." Raven pointed to the far ends of the room. Better position them as far away from each other as possible, or things could get explosive. "Ace, take the right, where Professor Crewel's desk begins. Sebek, the left, where the bookshelves and filing cabinets are, is yours. I'll take the middle."

"Fine by me."

"HMPH!!"

The duo split off in opposite directions.

Raven sighed. Let's get down to business.

At the center of the teacher's lounge was an ornate oak desk, items strewn about. She started to collect them: stray papers, books, quills and inks, a tea set that had spilled, and... two framed photographs. Their glasses faces were slightly cracked, but the images inside were perfectly preserved.

A pair of little girls were posed in one frame. One sported fiery crimson ringlets and wore a pink dress, the other was in a gown of green and had a big turquoise bow tucked in her short brown curls. Both had toothy grins.

In the other frame was a group of men in suits at a long crystalline table. At one end was the headmaster goofily holding up two peace signs. Raven surveyed the faces of the other adults in the picture, stopping when she came upon a handsome man in maroon robes, his dark hair slicked back--not a strand out of place--and a cat nestled in his arms. His expression was austere yet aloof, as if he was displeased with the camera pointed his way but deigned to allow it to capture his visage anyway.

On his arm was an elegant woman, her svelte figure wrapped in a gown a similar color as his robes. A wide-brimmed hat adorned with flowers obscured most of her face, save for her mouth, which was painted a deep red.

"Oh, this is..."

Suddenly, a gloved hand snatched the photograph from her. The culprit, one smug Ace Trappola, held the frame out of her reach.

"H-Hey…! You're supposed to be cleaning!" Raven hissed.

"You're supposed to be cleaning!" Ace squeaked in a mocking mimic of her. "What'cha lookin' at that's so interesting anyway, huh?" He turned his head to get an eyeful of the image--and his jaw instantly dropped. "Hold up, is this TREIN?! And who's the smokin' lady next to him?!"

"Um, Mrs. Trein. Was that not obvious...?" Raven folded her arms and tapped a foot impatiently. "And that aside, it's quite rude of you to call Professor Trein's wife simply a 'smokin' lady'. Refer to her by her proper name!"

He didn't seem to hear Raven. Ace grimaced and waved the picture around as if handling a floppy pancake. "I can't believe that geezer looked this good when he was young--and he managed to bag this babe? He had game that wasn't Bingo?! Life's not fair, I tell ya!"

"CEASE YOUR INCESSANT SHOUTING!!" Sebek hollered from the other side of the room. He shoved the binders he had been rearranging back into their shelf and marched over, planting himself squarely in front of Ace. "You've already committed a number of transgressions--and now you seek to invade the privacy of your instructors?! KNOW YOUR PLACE!!"

"You're shouting ten times more than I am!!" Ace sneered. Then, wagging a finger, he slipped into a teasing tone. "You wanna see too, don't 'cha? I get it, I get it. Us teenage boys get curious about these kinds of things~"

"Hah! You would be incorrect. I have no interest in such lascivious materials. DO NOT PRESUME THAT I AM A DEGENERATE LIKE YOURSELF!!"

"That's wild comin' from a guy whose ears are turning bright red," Ace snickered.

"... I think the both of you are wildly off track now," Raven muttered. She held out her hand to Ace, palm up. "Give it back. It belongs on Professor Trein's desk--and you owe him a formal apology later for your comments."

Ace pouted. "What, about his wife and his looks? What's wrong with saying hot people are hot?"

"You also called Professor Trein a geezer," she pointed out, "implying that he has someone lost worth due to aging. I think you fail to respect your elders."

"The bird is correct!! There is far more to a man's worth than his looks." Sebek smirked. "For example, Lilia-sama is not only conventionally cute, but he is also very wise, considerate, compassionate... the complete package, nothing like you!! There is much insight we can glean from those who have come before us. Age is something to be praised, not rebuked!"

Ace frowned deeply. "... Are you seriously incapable of speaking a single sentence without brown nosing to Diasomnia or insulting literally everyone else?"

"What is going on here?"

Raven, Ace, and Sebek froze. The door to the teacher's lounge was wide open--and there, standing disapprovingly, was Professor Trein with his brows pinched together, frowning.

"There had better be a good explanation as to why the three of you are rifling through my belongings."

Her stomach lurched.

Like clockwork, Ace and Sebek pointed at each other. They parroted the same phrase that had started it all. "HE STARTED IT!"

[luvpookie02]

He's into YOU || Sano Manjiro x Reader || SMUT || YANDERE || 18+

003: Tainted Reunion

You wake up feeling light-headed, the pounding in your head making it difficult to focus. Slowly sitting up, you rub your temples in an attempt to clear the fog. But as your vision sharpens, you notice something alarming—there are different tiles beneath you, and scattered mugs litter the floor.

Your heart races as you realize, This is NOT my room.

Your eyes frantically scan your surroundings, taking in the plain black wallpaper, a small cabinet with two picture frames lying face down, and a modern black-and-white bed. The room has two doors—one likely leading to a bathroom, the other possibly an exit.

Panic rises as you attempt to stand, only to feel resistance around your ankles. Looking down, your eyes widen in horror—your feet are chained.

"What the fuck... why am I chained?" you mutter under your breath, fear starting to grip you.

The sudden sound of a door creaking open sends chills down your spine. Despite this not being your first time in a kidnapping situation, something about this feels off—there's a deep, unsettling dread gnawing at you, warning you that escape may not even be possible.

"Oh, the princess is awake."

That voice—it's unmistakable. A chill crawls down your spine as you look up, locking eyes with someone you never expected to see again. "Rindou?"

He lets out a sarcastic laugh, stepping closer, his hand roughly gripping your chin and forcing your face up to meet his. "I'm glad you still remember me, hime-sama."

Hime-sama? Confusion clouds your thoughts. "Wh-what? I... I don't even know you," you stammer, trying to deflect.

Rindou's grip tightens painfully, his dark eyes glaring into yours. There's a dangerous aura surrounding him, and you can sense the darkness that's consumed him since Izana's death. You knew about the drugs, the addiction—but seeing him like this, broken and twisted, stirs a strange pity in you.

"Don't play dumb. I heard you call my name, hime-sama." His voice is low, threatening.

"I... I'm sorry. I really don't know who you are." You lie, your voice trembling as you try to keep the panic at bay.

Rindou scoffs at your response, his gaze flickering away from you as he leans back onto the bed, still watching you. "Do you really think I wouldn't recognize you, Y/N?"

Your heart sinks as his smirk deepens. He grabs your chin again, pulling you closer. "Mikey will be pleased to see you. Make sure to take care of him, okay?"

A wave of terror crashes over you. Your entire body trembles uncontrollably. It's been five years since you last saw him—Mikey. You're not ready for this. Not for him. And you're certain he's going to kill you.

Rindou gets up, reaching into his pocket. He pulls out a small bottle—a vial of something, the kind hospitals use before administering injections. You watch in horror as he moves toward a drawer, pulling out a syringe.

Your worst fears are confirmed as he turns back toward you, showing you the bottle's label—Bremelanotide.

"N-No... Rindou, please..." you beg, shaking your head frantically as you try to scramble backward. But Rindou quickly grabs your ankle, yanking you toward him. He roughly hikes up your dress and plunges the needle into your thigh.

"Ahhhhh!" you scream, pain shooting through your leg. While you're reeling, Rindou forces you to swallow three pills, ignoring your gasps for breath.

"Sorry, Y/N, but Mikey's in a real bad mood right now. He can't deal with your attitude, or he'll kill you," Rindou says with mock sympathy. "This is the only way to make sure you both enjoy yourselves. Trust me, you'll thank me later." He laughs, stepping back to remove the chains from your ankles.

You try to stand, but your legs wobble. A violent headache crashes over you, followed by a wave of nausea. Desperate, you crawl toward the bathroom, your stomach churning. You barely make it to the toilet before you start gagging, but Rindou's voice cuts through your agony.

"Don't fucking throw up. Swallow that shit."

You ignore him, retching into the toilet. His footsteps approach, and you feel the fury radiating off him as he roughly grabs your hair, forcing you to face him.

"I said, don't fucking throw it up!" His eyes blaze with anger as he wipes the spit from his face. He grabs your throat, choking you, his fingers digging into your neck. "Mikey will be here in an hour, so you better fucking swallow it."

You gasp for air as he forces two more pills into your mouth, his hand covering your lips to ensure you swallow. There's no escaping it now.

When Rindou finally leaves the room, the effects of the medicine hit you full force. You collapse onto the bed, your body trembling uncontrollably as your hands involuntarily slide down to your core, trying to relieve the unbearable heat building inside you.

"Fuck... fuck..." you cry out as you climax for the fifth time, but the pleasure isn't enough. Your body craves more, something stronger, something only a man could provide. You're losing your mind as the hours pass, the drug's effects amplifying your need.

"I... I need to fight this..." you tell yourself, stumbling into the bathroom. You desperately try to focus on anything other than the overwhelming lust coursing through your veins. Your mind drifts to memories of your old friends—Baji, Sanzu, Mikey, Emma, Senju. You picture their faces, their voices, willing the memories to distract you.

Tears spill down your cheeks as you think back to those innocent days.

"You were Mikey's sun. Promise me you won't leave him, okay?"—Shin

"It's not even my fault... why does my older brother always side with Senju?"—Sanzu

"I didn't mean to lie about Mikey's toy... it was an accident... what should I do, Y/N? I'm scared..."—Senju

"Promise me that you won't leave me, Y/N, okay?"—Mikey

After thirty minutes in the bathroom, you feel slightly more in control. You step out, searching for clothes. Opening the closet, you see rows of black shirts. Does he only wear black? you think, pulling out a shirt and boxers. To your surprise, they fit perfectly.

Quietly, you make your way to the door. It's not locked, you realize, gasping at your sudden stroke of luck. But as you open it, hope drains from you. Mikey is standing right there.

His cold, dark eyes lock onto yours. Slowly, he steps forward. You retreat in fear until you trip and fall to the floor.

Without a word, Mikey pulls out a gun, aiming it at your face.

"Y/N," he says, his voice chillingly calm, "didn't I tell you I'd kill you if you ever showed yourself to me again?"

tagged: @itsruki @reiners-milkbiddies

(A/N) lmk if you want to get tagged!

[nanamineedstherapy]

We Broke the NDA but Made It Fashion

F!Pregnant Reader x Gojo Satoru x Nanami Kento

Previous Oneshot Chapter [Tumblr/Ao3] | Main Series [Tumblr/Ao3]

A/N: Welcome to the inner sanctum of emotional damage, where NDAs are airtight, therapy is mandatory, and no antique furniture will ever be the same. Please take a Roomba™-branded panic button on your way in.

🕯️ THE DOMESTIC DISTURBANCE DIGEST - Q11

For when you love your job but fear your employers’ sex life more than God.

About: The anonymous (and extremely unofficial) quarterly newsletter authored by the estate staff of the trillionaire CEO and her husbands: one emotionally suppressed COO (Nanami-san), one bisexual disaster of biblical proportions (Gojo-sama), and one very, very dangerous wife with a God complex and an unlimited budget.

This issue is brought to you by:

The Roomba Cam™ (patent pending)

Nanami-san's broken glasses fund

The therapy stipend all of us now use to talk about That One Summer Retreat

📅 Q1 Report—April’s For Assplay and Asset Protection:

✦ Dept. of Estate Observations (Unedited Logs)

April 4th, 3:47PM

Location: South Garden Trellis, behind the camellias

Employee SD: I thought he was lecturing us about irrigation, and then I looked up and his wife was straddling Gojo-sama in the patio chaise like some Hellenic fertility idol while Nanami-san tried to maintain eye contact with the hydrangeas.

Employee DK: He said, 'Trim back the wild growth,' and I thought he meant the plants. Turns out—he meant Gojo-sama.

April 10th, 2:03AM

Location: Audio feed from Sauna Room #3, captured accidentally by cloud-connected AI-powered aromatherapy machine (R&D initiative gone rogue)

Gojo-sama (whimpering, then laughing): C’mon, Nanamin, don’t act brand new. I saw you in the harness drawer last week.

Nanami-san (deadpan, but not unaroused): That was for research.

Wife-san (cheerful, dangerous): And what did you conclude, baby?

Nanami-san (after 5-second pause): …That I am more flexible than previously reported.

[Indistinct sounds. Possible thwack. Definitely Gojo-sama giggling.]

🪑 Furniture Casualties This Quarter:

1 Yves Saint Laurent barstool (splintered during “brunch experimentation”)

2 antique Japanese shoji screens (Gojo-sama tripped while blindfolded and “enthusiastic.”)

Nanami-san’s desk (Again. But now with reinforced titanium corners. The contractor just stopped asking questions.)

🗣️ Employee Submissions—Shit We’ve Heard, Shit We Can’t Un-hear:

Employee RK: I went to restock the banned books section and found a literal spreadsheet of who's taken which strap. It had color-coded performance ratings. Nanami-san's column was mostly green. Gojo-sama’s had emojis. Wife-san’s had timestamps and tactical breakdowns.

Employee JK (Yoga): He asked me if pelvic tilt exercises could help with ‘internal alignment,’ and I said sure because I thought he meant his back. Later I found out he meant his prostate. I haven’t looked him in the eye since.

Employee AL: I walked in on Wife-san telling Nanami-san he looked ‘tighter than corporate tax law,’ and now I need bleach for my frontal lobe.

🛠️ Logistics Notes:

Gojo-sama and Nanami-san now both take turns getting wrecked. Staff consensus is this was implemented after the infamous ‘Equality in Erotica’ dinner speech, delivered by the wife-san in red silk and a revenge eyeliner look that scared the raccoon into the dumbwaiter.

Nanami-san is not just the dom anymore. Repeat: not just the dom.

One assistant chef reported hearing, “Take it like a stock portfolio you forgot to diversify.”

We think it was Gojo-sama. We hope it was Gojo-sama.

Staff were offered optional overtime to replace shattered crystal drawer handles in the bedroom. The butler refused. “I’m not touching anything that’s been inside Nanami-san’s ass,” he said. “I draw the line at gloved contact.”

🧾 Final Staff Poll (Q2):

“Who do you think is most unhinged in the bedroom?”

Wife-san: 76% (Made Gojo-sama cry from overstimulation and then gave him a Cartier bracelet for surviving.)

Gojo-sama: 14% (Once asked if he could “rawdog cursed energy” during a roleplay.)

Nanami-san: 10% (Quiet, deadly, somewhere between stoic and a slut. Betrayed by his own thighs.)

🐾 Takahashi’s Corner:

Rode the Roomba into a scene mid-thrust and made eye contact with Nanami-san, who left Gojo-sama mid-stroke to apologize to Takahashi.

Hasn’t blinked since. Might be a god now.

Wife-san is furious and hand-feeding her prince.

Reminder: You signed an NDA, and you’re paid too well to quit.

Also, next month’s yoga retreat is at the Maldives annex estate.

There will be soundproof walls.

Until next time, stay hydrated, stay hot, and stay three rooms away from the east study after 10 PM.

---

A/N: If you laughed, winced, or considered unionizing with Takahashi the Raccoon, leave a comment. Otherwise, will hand-deliver a spreadsheet tracking your emotional instability—and Gojo will live-tweet it. (P.S. Yes, the haunted sex mirror is canon. No, you are not ready.)

Previous Oneshot Chapter [Tumblr/Ao3] | Main Series [Tumblr/Ao3]

Next Chapter The Holy Trinity of Chaos, Capitalism, & Cunnilingus - [Tumblr/Ao3]

All Works Masterlist

Beta - @blackrimmedrose

[slippinninque]

🕐Never Far Behind🌇

prt 2.

Koji Shimazu x blackfemreader

You and Koji begin to make up for lost time.

warnings: MINORS DNI, 18+, fluffy, some spice, cursing, flashbacks, mentions of heartbreak, long fic

---------

Koji was really set on spoiling you, not only did he personally bring your luggage in--the man wouldn't let you bring anything in aside from your purse and personal duffel.

You were grateful for the penthouse's discretion as you would never be able to live it down if someone saw how besotted you were with this princess treatment.

A bouquet of roses and sumire violets nestled among the heaps of hospitality that was left at the door with your belongings. More fruits, then chocolates and other tasty snacks.

"How did you even get this made so fast?" You spun around with the sweeping robe held up to your chin. Your initials monogramed to match the cozy slippers still waiting in one of your goody-baskets.

"If you talk about magic, it makes it too shy to work you know." Koji wagged a finger at you as he came to watch you unwrap and unpack.

Lounge wear and pajamas to artisan soaps and body creams. You gasped in delight when you saw your favorite strawberry-crème cookie pack. When you got to the several silk headscarves you became suspicious and asked Koji how much extra effort he went through.

"I'll have you know we make such things available for all our guests!" Koji said so honestly that you almost believed him.

When you reached the cloud-like bonnet, patterned gorgeously with your favorites--gingko leaves--you looked over at him, "Oh, really?"

Koji suddenly found interest in reading the material for the exfoliating glove that was included, "Did you know this was made from respectably sourced loofahs?"

You watched him try to wait you out, bringing the label closer to his eyes as he peered from the bottom of his glasses, "Oh, wow...oh my gosh*, that's so interesting..."

"Koji, stop being so cute." You went over and kissed him anyway, "I love all of my gifts--even if you won't tell me they're gifts."

"Very good--here," Koji took the slippers and set them on the ground for you to step in, "The floor is too cold for bare feet. I'll show you where to put your things."

While you made good on your promise and wore only Koji's haori from the night before, your toes were starting to get cold. You narrowed you eyes at him but gave him your hand.

"We'll revist that--lead the way, Manager-sama."

Koji showed you where the closet was, you hung your clothes. A few drawers were quickly emptied for your underclothes and scarves. He walked you to the bathroom, you set up your shampoo, soaps, and toothbrush.

When you returned to the bedroom--you sat yourself on the edge of the bed feeling very much like a spoiled cat. Koji came closer as he looked at you as if you were wearing chocolate and cherries.

"What, no knives this time?"

"You got so scared last time you saw one--so I decided I'll keep 'em with my delicates."

Koji moved in your way when you tried to leave bathroom now that you've properly set up shop.

His eyes crinkled in amusement as you rose your brow at him. Koji put on a smooth tone.

"Put your things away first in the closet--girls always take up so much room, after all."

"I think you just want to see where I put my knives, Ji-chan..."

"Ugh, why'd you call me that? Don't you take me serious?"

"It's only when you act so serious that I call you that...don't say you're telling me what to do?"

Koji put his hands flat on either side of your head. His hair was getting a bit long but you thought it suited him. It framed his dark eyes, the gaze aimed at you.

"I am. Look at how you're bullying me after all..."

You hummed and would have seemed truly uninterested if it weren't for the way you were bringing him closer by the loose fabric of his t-shirt.

"Cook me a good dinner and maybe I'll consider callin' you something else, Ji-chan..."

"What has you so lost in thought?"

"Hm? Oh nothing, just remembering the time I shared a room in Kodaira with a young rouge."

Koji came to sit flush beside you, "Oh my. What sort of man he must have been to have you thinking of him while you're in my arms?

You stretched and purred as you recalled those balmy afternoons-nights-morning spent between Koji and the mattress.

"Don't act like you don't know..."

Koji sighed a laugh and dropped a kiss to your shoulder, then up your neck, then to your cheek.

"Yes, yes--I suppose I do...."

-----------

You woke to Koji's ringing phone and his following apologetic expression as he rolled out of bed enough to grab it. Your response was to blow him a kiss as you gathered some things to shower.

If you added an extra sway to your walk, that was between you and your booty.

The shower felt immaculate. You grinned up into the spray the entire time as you lathered over the refreshing aches and deep marks left over from your last go. The more time you spent with Koji, the more it felt like he's never left your arms.

This man he's become was so damned attractive. You had the pleasure of absolute trust mixing in with new territory. It pleased you even more to see how Koji reacted to you--just hungry after all these years.

Lucky for you Koji had a call to take less you would be cheek-to-tile.

Koji had you feeling like you were 20 again. All the grace you cultivated over the years fell away beneath his focus, turning you back into the same greedy thing that always wanted more. It felt more than good.

Giving yourself a good scrubbing and rubbing, you let your locs down from their bun so they could dampen and get some steam. You took your time in oiling your hair and massaging your scalp, all on the Osaka Continental's water bill.

Feeling perfectly polished after sampling the loofa gloves, which were amazing, you waltzed out of the bathroom in nothing but your slippers and a coat of steam.

Koji was tapping at his phone, now posed to get out of bed but pausing when he saw you bend over to retrieve one of the body butters you forgot to bring with you.

You winced at the dryness of your hands when you opened the container but you were intercepted, Koji covered one of your hands with his to bring you to sit beside him.

"Shimazu...?"

"I may have had a small ulterior motive," He nodded to the container in your hand, "Allow me this small pleasure."

You scoffed but relaxed back onto the bed with your free hand bracing you. Koji spoke as if he hadn't spend the last few hours giving pleasure after pleasure.

He squeezed the perfect amount and set to work, massaging the palm and fingers of your hand. You sighed and wriggled your toes, feeling very much content.

He straightened and peered down the bottom on his glasses as if he could see your aches better this way. You were sure that he was cataloguing every scar he was unfamiliar with.

"Yeah, they aren't as princess-pretty as they were a while ago." You joked as you enjoyed his careful kneading, "Went from cracking necks to cracking skin, y'know?"

"Nonsense. They're just as wonderful as they've always been. Strong and true." Koji pressed and rocked the pad of his thumb along yours, the perfect fit, "And that's just your eczema."

He kept his eyes on his task but you kept yours on him as he rubbed up your lifted arm and down your side to your leg. The butter smelled light, crisp without being overpowering. You eyes found the gleaming greys in his hair, followed the lines of his collarbones and admired the subtle strength in his hands.

Suddenly, he was too far away. You traded hands when Koji gestured but laced your fingers with his and pulled, catching his eyes with yours.

"Come here." You whispered. Koji's eyes fell down to your lips and you beckoned him again, giggling. Only half of you will be ashy, it's well worth it.

This man between your thighs, his chest to your chest, still kissed the same. You curled up around him and felt yourself surrender. He purred when your nails scratched along his scalp, the noise roughened when you gave a cheeky tug.

"You're making me soft, Ji-chan." You mumbled when he moved down the side of your neck. You pressed up against Koji when you felt his hardness prodding and poking. A slow rhythm started as you rocked into him.

"Am I Ji-chan again?"

"You'll always be my Ji-chan, baby."

Koji's fingers wandering down between your legs had you stuttering over your next tease. Your legs fell open encouragingly as you grabbed onto the sheets below.

He stared into your eyes as he dipped two fingers, carefully at first but deeper when you moaned for more. Koji adjusted so he could cradle you with his free arm as he worked you with his other.

"You always got so soft when you need me," Koji's eyes roamed your face, "Still so warm and tasty like my favorite cake..."

Koji could read the terms and conditions of an oscillating fan in Japanese and you'd probably come. He made a coaxing noise when your hips rocked down. How is it that this man could have you like this so easily?

"If I ask nicely, can I have another taste of your frosting? My darling cake?"

"You haven't had enough of it yet?"

"Enough? As if there is such a thing. Not having you on my tongue is enough discomfort. I feel cheated, in fact."

He wickedly crooked his fingers, massaging your spot hard and echoing your startled moan. You arched as the sensation went right up your spine and back down to our toes.

A laugh bubbled from your lips , "We-we're n-ah, never gettin' out of this bed..."

"Hmn. Dessert first, then lunch?"

Koji's low laugh was a forecast for the rest of your afternoon and fuck were you game.

------

✨ending notes✨: 2nd part down!!! I'm so obsessed with these two it's so funny! thank you so much reading and please feel free to tell me what you think! Thank you!! (prt3 coming eventually promise lol)

*this 0: 18 is the oh my gosh that inspired this whole chapter tbh🤣

💕taglist:💕 @megamindsecretlair @sageispunk @harmshake @blowmymbackout @miyuhpapayuh

@ellethespaceunicorn @astoldbyaja @miyuhpapayuh

@kindofaintrovert @ms-angiealsina @coilyqueen

[crystalstylehexagon]

"Soulmates" Pt.4 - Kakashi & Reader

requested by: @hoohamaru

Kakashi requests: closed

enjoy!

Pt1

Pt2

Pt3

Y/n woke up glaring at the clock that read "7:00AM". She would admit, she wanted to sleep in, but her early bird body refused to let her slumber for more than eight hours. It was weekends and she wanted to spend her time in bed, unbothered. After a lot of tossing and turning, Y/n gave up and sat up from her bed, stretching. "I guess it can't be helped…" She grumbled, removing her bedsheet covering her body and swinging her legs over the edge. She took a moment or two to let her brain wake before getting up. She opened the curtains and lifted the blinds. Putting on the fluffy, blue robe that hung in her closet before opening the windows to let the cold winter air into her room. A moment or two passed as she observed the scenery before her. The leaves slowly wilted and died as more time passed, giving way to the solitary silence of the early mornings. While not many enjoyed the cold weather, Y/n adored winter. Despite the workload, she took comfort in such solitary moments, letting the winter air prickle her skin, fully waking her still, grudgingly slumbering mind, and the fresh air was a bonus. She just hoped they would have snow this year. Last year went without visible snow, only leaving wet, frozen grounds. Taking a deep breath, she removed the sheets from her bed. She put it into the laundry basket, before taking out a fresh, white and lilac blue pair out of the drawer. Deciding that it would be a rainless day, she took her bedding outside to air it out on the balcony, before leaving her room. She stepped into the bathroom, quickly did her business, and washed up, brushing out her long hair, before exiting the bathroom. She looked around her house and decided, that it was due some deep cleaning. With that goal in mind, she stepped into the kitchen area and started making breakfast, which was some scrambled eggs with fruit salad and orange juice to the side. Y/n wanted to treat herself today since she was free. Once everything was set and ready, she opened the kitchen window, sat down, and ate slowly, enjoying the silence and her food. Her thoughts went back to her date. After that day, they had gone out one more time after she finished up with her work. It was a surprise date, really. She didn't expect him to show up at her workplace. To be honest, the more she got to know about the man, the more interest she took in him. He was a gentleman, a rarity these days, as well as a respectable shinobi. And she couldn't lie, that man was FINE. The dress shirt that he put on on their first date didn't leave much to the imagination. He also took good care of himself and his smirks were drop-dead gorgeous. But there was one problem.

There was no spark between them. Even after two dates, she could tell he saw it, too, so she didn't have her hopes up. It didn't mean she wasn't disappointed, though. A man like him was hard to come by these days. But if there was no spark, even a little from the start, it meant the relationship wouldn't be good and she didn't want to a bland personal life. Y/n would admit that she was quite the adventurer when it came to her sex life. She hadn't had many partners before but when she did, she liked experimenting. She wasn't a complete sub, of course. She preferred control at work, and under the sheets as well, but she wasn't exactly a dominant woman. She liked giving up control for an exchange. Sighing, she got ready for the day, cleaning out her house from top to bottom. As she was hanging out the last piece of laundry, an ANBU appeared, perched on her house's balcony railing which nearly gave her a heart attack. "My- by the sage, what is with you ANBU and not using doors?" Y/n complained, glaring at the ANBU. "Apologies, mam, but Hokage-sama asked us to deliver a letter to you." The ANBU member- Owl replied before setting a letter on the small coffee table she had outside and disappeared.

Blinking, Y/n walked over to the table and picked up the letter. What would the Hokage possibly want from her? She was out of the line of duty for quite some time. Unless- Something was going on and they needed all able-bodied shinobi on the line. Frowning, she undid the seal with a small pocket knife she carried around and read the letter. "Dear Y/n L/n. The Hokage has requested your assistance as the chef for Hokage and his workers. Please respond as soon as you get this letter. Thank you." Signed- the 6th Hokage. She read over the details and her eyes widened at the salary. It was definitely a lot more than her own restaurant could offer! Y/n bit her lip. 'Why now of all the times…?' She thought before remembering the name, that had been engraved on her arm. "No way… Is he… Reaching out…?" She mumbled and stared at the letter before she put it back into the envelope. The letter did mention that it would not hinder her work at her current job, but she was hesitant. What if this was his way of getting close to her… But the money… It was a really good opportunity to pass up.

Groaning in frustration, she shoved the letter into her pocket and resumed doing laundry. It took her two days before she made up her mind. 99.9% she decided- was because of the money, but that tiny 1%… She couldn't help but be curious and a little intrigued, because he took an obvious interest in her cooking all of a sudden, so it MUST mean… Something, right? Finally, she stood at the front of the Hokage office and took a deep breath, before knocking. "come in!" was heard from the other side. Y/n grabbed the doorknob and twisted before slowly opening it and entering the room. "You… You wished to see me, lord Hokage?" She asked. She couldn't help but be at least a little nervous. It's not like she didn't have any right to. 'I mean, I'm quite literally about to start working for the current Hokage, for sage's sake! Not to mention this guy was considered a child protege at a young age and became known for his more than formidable shinobi skills.' So she had every right to be nervous, if not downright afraid. As kind as the man was portrayed, many would have pissed their pants just by merely standing in his presence, knowing his reputation, in fear or otherwise. Y/n was proud to say she didn't pee her pants out for any reason… At least not yet, anyway.

"Oh! Hello. You must be the new cook?" The silver-haired man asked, offering her a smile. Y/n nodded. "Yes. I uhm… Came to fill out the form?" She rubbed her arm. Kakashi nodded before looking into his drawer and pulling out a forum. "Here you are and-" He pulled out another paper. "Here is the list of things I like to eat." Y/n nodded and reached out to take the papers. As their fingers brushed against one another, she felt a jolt of electricity course through her arm, and from how Kakashi's shoulders tensed, she knew he felt it too, though neither of them said anything. She took the papers and excused herself quickly. This would just be a professional relationship between them. … Right? Yes, she convinced herself that it would be. With that, she sat down on the table outside and started filling out the resume.

[twstgarden]

❁ ❝ 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗽𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗵 ❞

━ diasomnia only ━ silver goes through his things in search of one of his books, and he happens to stumble upon a photo album that he has no memory of keeping. perhaps his father placed it in there?

event host: @diasomnia-month

this work contains spoilers for chapter 7, diasomnia’s arc.

do not steal or translate without my permission.

ko-fi here if you want to support me, commissions are open

silver rummaged through his boxes and cabinets in search of a book. a soft yawn escaped his lips before he shook his head in an attempt to wash the drowsiness away. it irks him that his so-called sleeping curse gets in the way of his daily duties and responsibilities. as he rummaged through his drawers, he happened to stumble upon what seemed to be a photo album.

he does not recall seeing that before. he had no memory of ever owning such an item either.

out of curiosity and pushing the thought of searching for the book aside, he picked up the photo album and opened it. the first picture was of him, sebek, and malleus. he was wearing a party hat with a smile on his face, while malleus smiled at the camera, and sebek had a stern expression.

“okay, pose for the picture, boys!”

lilia’s voice echoed in the living room of the cottage that he and silver lived in. with a big smile on his face, he lifted the camera and took a picture of the three boys. as soon as that was done, the camera proceeded to print out the photo and with great pride, lilia held it.

“what a great photo! i’m getting the hang of this thing,” spoke lilia as silver walked towards his father and looked at the photo. it came out perfectly, just like his father said. 

“lilia, let me see,” spoke malleus as he went behind lilia to take a peek at the photo. sebek joined the group as well, looking at it with a bright smile on his face, “malleus-sama looks ravishing! i am honoured to be in the same photo!”

lilia chuckled at sebek’s words as he held onto the photo, “malleus and his two knights, this is a wonderfully dignified picture, if i do say so myself.” he then looked at his son as he smiled, “happy birthday, silver.”

silver turned the page to check the other photos in the album. they were all childhood photos of himself, and they mostly included sebek, malleus, and even lilia in some of the pictures. several photos later, he found a candid picture of malleus holding a tamagotchi, sitting on the couch of the cottage as he held a curious expression.

silver knew that malleus had this device, but he had not known how long it was in his possession. all silver knew it was an item he had constantly seen ever since he was a child.

“lilia, what is this?” asked malleus as he held onto the little device.

lilia, having returned from one of his travels, smiled as he took a seat beside malleus, “it’s a little souvenir i got for you! i’m sure you’ll enjoy it. see that little egg on the screen? you must care for it until he hatches and grows!”

malleus blinked at lilia’s explanation before he started using the tamagotchi. he was getting the hang of it as time passed, and malleus constantly held it when he was in the palace left with nothing to do all alone.

one afternoon, little silver was seated on the chair as he stared at the meal before him. lilia, on the other hand, was busy placing the pots he used back in the cabinet drawers while humming a little tune, not realising that his son was staring at the… purple goo on his plate. was it supposed to be like that?

the comforting atmosphere was suddenly cut through by a loud knock on the door. lilia quickly opened it to see malleus with a worried expression on his face as he cried out, “lilia! i woke up and drakon-kun’s gone. i only see an egg. what do i do?!”

lilia’s expression was shocked for a moment before it morphed into one of laughter. malleus, thoroughly confused, blinked his eyes at his guardian laughing right after he voiced out his panic, “why are you laughing?”

“haha! oh, malleus, you made me think there was some sort of emergency with you showing up to my doorstep with that look on your face. come, come inside,” spoke lilia as he pulled malleus into the cottage and looked at the little virtual pet – currently an egg – on his palm.

silver continued to turn the pages until a knock came through his door, making him pause his current activity and look up. sebek quickly opened the door as he spoke, “silver! have you fallen asleep?!”

he then realised silver was sitting on the floor by his bed with a photo album in hand, “what are you doing? this is no time to slack off! have you found the book yet?”

the book! yes! silver completely forgot about that for a second. he stood up and replied, “no, not yet. i was going through my drawers when i found this.” the diasomnia first year approached silver and took a look at the photo album, “hm? it has all our photos. i never took you the type to keep pictures like this.”

“that isn’t mine… i just found it in my drawer. maybe it belongs to father,” responded silver.

sebek hummed as he went through the photos as well, “we should return it to lilia-sama. come! never mind the book!”

© twstgarden 2024 || please do not steal, translate without my permission, or use this to train a.i.

[harunayuuka2060]

Malleus: Sebek, may I ask you a favor?

Sebek: Anything, My liege! I'm always at your service!

Malleus: *smiles* I've ordered some clothes and shoes from Briar Valley. I would like to go there myself to get them, but there's something I need to do here first.

Sebek: Of course, My liege! *smiling*

Malleus: Thank you, Sebek. And oh, before I forget.

Malleus: *hands him an envelope*

Malleus: There's a letter inside it. It's for Her Majesty. Make sure she reads it.

Sebek: Yes, My liege! *bows before leaving*

Malleus: ...

Malleus: *smiles*

Malleus: *walks back to the seat where MC is sitting*

Malleus: *picks up the hair brush placed on top of the drawer next to them*

Malleus: *starts brushing their hair gently*

Malleus: I apologize for making you wait, my beloved.

MC: ...

Malleus: *smiles* It's still hard for you to speak? Don't worry.

Malleus: Your eyes are telling me how much you're waiting for this moment.

Malleus: My beloved, after this day,

Malleus: I shall declare our sacred betrothal.

Silver: Where are you going, Sebek?

Sebek: I'm heading to Briar Valley to get My liege's purchases and deliver a letter to Her Majesty.

Silver: *a bit surprised* Really? Malleus had never made a bulk purchase before.

Sebek: Indeed. *smiles* But Waka-sama seems so excited about something.

Sebek: Anyway, I have to leave promptly. This should not be delayed.

Silver: Well then. See you later, Sebek.

Lilia: Malleus! MALLEUS! HOW COULD YOU HIDE SOMETHING FROM ME, YOU NAUGHTY CHILD! *playfully slapped his arm*

Malleus: *laughs* It seems you have heard the news, Lilia.

Lilia: *chuckles* So who's this lucky person that has captured your heart?

Malleus: You'll be meeting them soon, Lilia. I'm just waiting for Her Majesty's approval.

Lilia: Come on now! Maleficia was bursting with joy when she read your letter!

Lilia: I'm sure she would be more than happy to meet your cherished one!

Malleus: Indeed. *smiles*

Malleus: *simply stealing a glance on MC who's standing right next to him*

Silver: *has fallen asleep while waiting for the next class to start*

Silver: *wakes up inside a dream*

Silver: Huh?

MC: *holding a child who seems to be Malleus*

Kid Malleus: *fatally injured*

MC: How could this happen...

MC: This dream space should've been safe...

Malleus: What's wrong?

MC: This child... He's going to die...

Malleus: But you want to save him, aren't you?

MC: *yells at him* Is that even a question?!

MC: I just need to wake him up...

MC: *holding the child close* Kid... Please wake up... Don't die here!

Malleus: He will.

Malleus: Unless you do something.

MC: ...

MC: What do you want?

Malleus: Be mine. And I'll set that child free.

MC: ...

MC: I don't like you.

Malleus: Well then—

MC: But I'm giving you my freedom.

Malleus: ...

Malleus: Yes. That would be enough...

Malleus: For now.

Sebek: SILVER!

Silver: H-Huh?

Sebek: *frowns* *his hands on his hips* I've been looking for you!

Sebek: Waka-sama's engagement party has already started!

Silver: What?

Silver: Engagement party...?

[afterdarkwithsam]

Hnnggghhhh...

I'M DOING IT

I haven't written smut for myself in a long time and just really need to write a little something for myself considering how lacking everything has been for me

Simple IchiAki smut, oc x cc +18 stuff, they are both adults and in a consensual relationship, she pegs him

They are both freaks too, if you know you know

If you're a minor DNI with this post

Am I forgetting something? No? Good.

NSFW under the cut.

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 ╭ ◜◝ ͡ ◝ ͡◜◝  ╮

 (                      )

 (        cock       )

   (                  )

     ╰     ͜      ╯        

             O    

               o            

                °

      〃∩　∧＿∧

     ⊂⌒（ ´・ω・）

      ｀ヽ_っ＿/￣￣￣/ 　

          　   ＼/＿＿＿/  me rn

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

It did start off simple—it always does. Ichimatsu walked Aki home after she had spent her day off together feeding the strays. The two walked back, holding hands. He was going to part ways with her at the door of her apartment complex—and he certainly didn't expect to get pulled in.

She pulled him into the elevator with her, and just as the door closed behind them, she kissed him. It was a rather sweet kiss; it seemed like Aki had waited for it all day. Then once she pulled away she gave him another kiss. It would have been much the same as the first one, well, had it not been for Aki shoving her tongue down his throat. So... That's the direction things were going in.

The two were slobbering over eachother not even a second later once Ichimatsu registered that Aki wasn't quite ready to call it a night.

The elevator door dinged, and Aki pulled away, walking out as if nothing had happened. She looked over her shoulder at him and smiled. "You can stay the night if you want." That had him following after her like a loyal dog.

Because Ichimatsu just knew what he was in for. He'd let her do whatever she wanted to him every night.

Once they arrived in her appartement the two were greeted by Aki's cat Reginald, and Ichimatsu was given his orders "Be a good kitten and get ready for me, I'll join you soon." He was like the flash.

While Aki went on to feed her kitty, Ichimatsu sprinted into Aki's room. Tugging his clothes off and discarding them on the floor until he was just in his briefs. It's been a while- he felt a bit anxious, thinking that Aki maybe didn't find him attractive anymore. Or that he was actually atrocious at sex. He looked at himself in her full-length mirror, giving his stomach a small squish.

But his thoughts were stopped in their tracks when Aki walked in. "There's my pretty little kitty," she purred, her voice like honey. He watched her elegantly walk to him through the mirror glass until she was right behind him. Her hands slipped up his sides and gave them a good squeeze. He tilted his head and gasped as her breath tickled his neck, causing his skin to prickle. She was intoxicating. "Y... Yes..." He whispered. "Yes... What?" She encouraged him, her tongue pressing against his neck, tracing up to his chin. "Yes A-Aki-sama~" "Such a good kitty.~"

.

.

.

.

Splayed across Aki's bed, rock hard, Ichinatsu knew exactly what to expect as he watched Aki take things out of her nightstand drawer and place them onto the bed. The usual, strap, dildo, a plug, and a bottle of lube.

Aki was attaching the harness onto herself, tightening it juuuust enough so it squished the flesh of her abdomen and thighs in just the right way. And of course, she was securing the dildo on it as well, just to make sure it didn't pop off and get stuck inside of him. "Also… I have something new for you," she said, smirking and glancing at him.

Ichimatsu’s curiosity peaked as he gulped seeing her putting the strap on, it made his member twitch. “Something new?…” he asked and sat up.

"I don't think you would have ever believed me if I told you what I got you but…" Aki reached into the nightstand once more to pull out a paper bag that had a label on the local sex toy shop. She set it on the bed with Ichimatsu. She reached into it to pull out what looked like a tagged collar and a leash to go with it. The double-sided collar had his name on it with the iconic pine leaf he always had on his clothing, and at the back, it read 'property of Aki' because she was just that girl. "I thought you might like this… It can be used for bondage too…"

Ichimatsu gasped softly seeing the logo on the bag, wow, a sex shop? What exactly was he in for? His eyes widened seeing it was a collar and a leash, this made him throb. “Holy shit…are we trying this out tonight?” He asked taking the collar in his hands to look at it closer, he adored the text on it.

"I had it custom made and I… Was hoping to try it out tonight." Aki admitted as she allowed him to take the collar from her. Was he going to put it on? She crawled onto the bed, fetching the bottle of lube and setting it down next to her.

Ichimatsu, being predictable, put the collar around his neck and went to go look at himself in her mirror once more. This time, looking at himself and admiring the gift Aki got him “It fits perfectly…” he said tugging at it and honestly, enjoying how he looked in it, looking over at her, he hoped she could see how much he liked his gift. She spoils him...

Aki didn't know what she was to expect. Of course, he'd put the collar on himself. What a good kitten he was, saving her the trouble of doing it herself. "Awww, it looks so good on you kitten~" Aki complimented, patting the spot next to her on the bed. He was pretty quick to obey and come back to sit down next to her. She scooted over to him and attached the leash to his collar. She rolled it around her collar before giving it a safety tug "There you go, all pretty, and ready for me… Want me to start prepping you now?" She asked softly.

Ichimatsu blushed with a small smile at her compliment, finding it easy for him to accept such praise from her. When she tugged the collar, he couldn’t help but let out a grunt and bit his bottom lip from how good it felt. “Yeah...I’m ready” he said, crawling onto the bed and getting on his hands and knees. It was his default position, this way he could wiggle his butt for her. Giving a small show.

Aki snorted, picking up the bottle of lube and squirting some onto her fingers. "Show off…" Now sure… She could technically prepare him, but would he mind a bit of pain for the sake of pleasure? "Oh, Ichi…" she cooed, standing behind him, she traced her fingers over his opening before pushing against it, she gave a gentle tug of the leash with her other hand "I may not stop for a while once I'm in, you sure you can handle it?" She asked, "There's also always the safe word."

Ichimatsu felt himself shudder as she rubbed his entrance, a small gasp left him once she pushed her fingers in. “I-I can handle it…” he said with a grunt from the tug, “No matter how much I cum or beg…I can handle you~” he smirked back at her and nodded. “I do… Peach,” he said testing the word, he liked to make sure he remembered it by saying it out loud before they started.

A chuckle escaped Aki as she leaned over him, placing kisses along the base of his spine "Hmmm?~ Really now?~" she purred, pushing her fingers deeper into his, really pressing into him, and spreading her fingers to open him up for her "I'll make sure to treat you to some stellar aftercare afterwards then.~" she said, letting go of his leash for the moment so she could reach her hand over to cup and pump his dick in her hand. "And once I'm done with you… Will you help me cum too..? Hmm? At least once?"

Ichimatsu couldn’t help the blush on his cheeks growing and the most that escaped him made it reach the tips of his ears. Before he could respond to the aftercare he’d be receiving, her hand was already on his dick. Oh it felt so good to receive such attention, “O-of course… You can even use me as a toy~,” he said before moaning again as his hips bucked into her hands “I’ll do whatever you want~”

"Well, that is… Unless you end up too fucked out to even function." Aki remarked with a snort, she didn't know what effect her ravenous desires would have on him. Poor guy had no idea what he was in for either. She pushed her fingers in and out of him, all the while giving his dick some loving strokes. "You're such a good boy Ichimatsu, so good for me~ Such a good, tight kitty, does it feel good?~"

Ichimatsu let out a small chuckle as he was enjoying the pleasure she was giving him. “It feels so good Aki~” he hummed moaning softly, it felt so heavenly. His dick was dripping pre-cum and her fingers were so close to his prostate. “You’re so good to me…making me feel this good…” he moaned again nuzzling his head into her pillow and inhaling her scent

"Good, so good…" Aki cooed, pulling her fingers out of him and letting go of his shaft before standing upright behind him on her knees. She assumed he'd had enough and was ready for the next step.

Her hand was back on his leash, tugging on it a small bit while her other hand firmly grasped his hip. Slowly, she pushed the dildo into him "There we go… Good kitty, here's your treat~"

Ichimatsu groaned. The tug really brought him back to what was about to go down, and he was ready. As soon as he felt the pleasure he moaned in a high-pitched tone and gripped her pillow, “Th-thank you, Aki-sama~” he moaned out

"Ah… You're so cute Ichimatsu~ you're taking the strap like a champ too~" Aki teased him before she managed to push all the way into him. She jerked her hips against him rather harshly now, to make sure he could feel every inch inside of him. "You're enjoying g this way more than me too it seems, you dirty kitten~" she purred, rubbing and groping his sides.

Ichimatsu absolutely melted into the bed and pillow as she got her hips to touch his ass. He felt just how deep she was in him. “Aki….Sama….” he moaned out as he gripped the pillow more, the urge to touch and jerk himself was strong but he knew he needed to be good for her. “Please…” he whined as he slowly started moving himself so he was fucking himself on her strap.

Aki was pleased to see him take it all the way, so pleasantly too… It was satisfying to watch. "Oh, of course, my love, don't worry, I'll give you what you want~" she purred, going to bottom out of him almost all the way before pushing back into him. "There we go…" she readjusted her grip on the leash before getting a good grip and thrusting into him at a steady pace.

Ichimatsu gasped before letting out a loud whiny moan, “Thank you Aki-sama!~” he moaned. “I’m your good kitty…~,” he said looking back at her with his tongue hanging out slightly, he felt so disgusting that it made the whole situation way hotter. Maybe this is how women felt when getting fucked? He loves being in this position. “Oh yes~ please…more~” he cheekily begged her.

Aki was steady at first, but looking at Ichimatsu's back as she basically blew it out with the strap, she zoned out for a moment she thought back about her day at work that left her in quite a mood this week, Ichimatsu did try his best to cheer her up on her day off but still...

"More? You want more?" Aki scoffed, getting a great idea and utilising her end of the leash as a whip and smacked his ass with it. With the amount of time he'd spanked her while she was in his position, she wanted to return the favour. "Do you really think you're in any position to beg so pathetically and expect me to give you anything at all?" She hissed, giving a few harsh thrusts into him.

Ichimatsu gasped and let out a yelp that was followed by another whiny moan. The sting felt so nice along with her thrusting. “N-no, Aki-sama..~,” he said going to lay his head back down on her pillow forgetting about the leash and collar. His member was hard and bouncing under him after every thrust “You feel so good, I’m so pathetic begging for more…~” he whined, he couldn't help but drool onto the pillow, he was going to lose it. His legs were going to give out.

"Is what I'm giving you now not good enough for you? You're one spoiled slut in that case…" Aki scoffed once more, glaring down at him as her nails dug into his flesh "I'm too good to you, and yet it's not enough for you…" she muttered, and once against using the leash to strike his ass "If you want something, beg for it properly then!"

Ichimatsu groaned from the slight pain from her nails, but it also felt so good. “Sorry, A-Aki-sama…” he moaned and gasped as she struck him again, “ah! Oh god, yes~ please Aki-sama…!” a whine escaped him before continuing “I need more pleasure… Please touch me mo-more and fuck me ha-arder…” he begged pathetically.

"There we go, now that wasn't so hard, was it now?" Aki hissed as she leaned over him, pressing her breasts into his back and pulling on his leash as she nibbled on his ear. Her thrusts became harder and faster as per his begging request, and she really hammered into him "And you better not cum without permission- unless you want me to stick something else up your ass afterwards.~"

Ichimatsu moaned softly, with the feeling of her breast on his back, it gave him goosebumps as well as the nibbling on his ear. “Thank you, Aki-sama~,” he said softly and with his voice faltering from the hard thrust, “Oh fuck... S-sooo good~” he gasped and nodded eagerly “I-i won’t cum without your permission ma’am!~” he whined as his curiosity was going off over what else could she stick in him? But does he dare go against her to find out?

A part of her felt as if she could trust Ichimatsu to keep to his word and hold back his climax, but another part of her felt like she couldn't expect him to not act cheeky with her. Even as she was fucking him, he might still try and get himself punished. "Att'a boy Ichimatsu, you're such a good boy for me~" she purred, with one hand holding his leash she reached a hand around him to hug him as her thrusts turned shallow and harsh

The slight pull of the leash made him choke but moaned right after, he really was a disgusting slutty cat. He wanted to cry from it all feeling so good, his brain stimulated by the pleasure so much he forgot about pain being a thing “Oh fuck… Yes!~ right there, please Aki-sama~” he moaned louder, she was pressing right on his prostate too, and he could feel his orgasm building up, wanting to burst right out of him. H wanted to hold back, as hard as it was, “A-Aki-sama! I’m going to cum i-if you continue~” he warned between moans.

A wicked idea popped into Aki's mind as he warned her about cumming, all the while she humped him like a horny rabbit. "Oh, getting close, are we now? Does my little slut want to cum?~" she teased, her movements speeding up only to abruptly stop as she was deep within him. She ground her hips against his ass for a bit before letting go of him and standing up.

Ichimatsu moaned louder and weirdly felt himself spreading his legs more so she could get even deeper. “Yes please!” He begged under her but gasped when she stopped, only giving him a little bit of pleasure.

And then, she pulled the dildo out of him as well. Merely pushing and rubbing the tip of it against his opening "I don't think so~ roll over slut." she stated before smacking his ass.

“Shit…” he muttered under his breath as he knew he was being edged. He yelped and quickly turned over on his back, looking away from her as his face got red. He disliked this position because of the fact she could see him in all his disgusting glory.

Aki's thought was simple- the more she edges him, she just knew the more fun it would mean for her, seeing him finally orgasm over himself after holding back and getting edged... Just how much pleasure will she see on his face? "Aw, what happened kitty? You weren't so timid before~" Aki chuckled, now that he was on his back… She glanced down at them, licking her lips she went to position herself at his entrance again "You look even cuter with the collar and leash on you~" she hummed, curious to test how flexible he was she placed her hands onto his thighs and went to throw his legs over her shoulders all the while she rubbed the dildo over his hole.

Ichimatsu groaned from her teasing and blushed an even deeper red. It felt humiliating to be on his back, his pudgy body on display for her alone to see. She loved him, and he knew. His member twitched from her words, and so did his hand but remembered he couldn’t touch himself, he was going to be a good kitty for her.

What surprised him was when she lifted his legs up to rest on her shoulders, “H-hey... What are you-“ as if the position couldn’t get any more embarrassing. “Aki-Sama…~,” he said before biting his lip from the feeling of his hole being teased once more, he was so ready for more. He wanted more, he needed more.

"Whaaaaaat? Since I'm the one doing the fucking I deserve to have some fun too~" Aki teased, grinning down at him as she leaned over him to place kisses over his torso while pushing into him once again, the second time was smooth as butter as the dildo slid in without a problem. "You're so cute, I could just eat you up~" she laughed, her tongue lapping over the skin of his neck before she turned her attention a bit lower…

She wondered…. Kissing around his pecks before taking one of his nipples into her mouth… Since she was (almost) getting the full male experience she might as well also go the full way by checking to see where else he was sensitive.

Ichimatsu gasped and moaned as he felt full again, it was humiliating having Aki say these things to him and it made his dick throb. Disgusting. “Aki-sama…~” he whined out from the overwhelmed pleasure, and when she played with his nipples it was game over. “Oh fuck, Aki-sa-ah!!~” he moaned louder and threw his head back as he busted all over his stomach.

Aha! A new weakness was uncovered, now she knew another weakness of his. However, it also caused him to cum without permission, so he was in for it now. "Look at you, and the mess you made, oh kitten…" Aki chuckled sinisterly, her lips popping off his nipple as she went to pull out of him "Did I fuck you that good?" She asked, soothingly, but she did have his punishment in mind already.

"Oh, but, Ichimatsu… I'll need to punish you now~" she purred. Even while he was covered in his cum and sweat, she wasn't quite done yet.

Ichimatsu whined as his member twitched to try and release more but needed to be stroked out. “You-you fucked me really good…I’m such a bad kitten~” he teased with a small sheepish smile, “Wh-what are you going to do Aki-sama..?~” he said getting really into their session, he felt so much disgusting excitement from this. He broke the rules and now he's getting punished? Oh, joy!

"Yeah, you are… Look how dirty you got yourself~ and how you disregarded my command…" Aki exhaled, thinking about his punishment she moved over to fetch the other toy she had put down on the bed previously. A plug of sorts with a cat head on the other end and a simple remote of sorts that only had a switch with four settings on it.

"Keep your legs wide open kitten, since you can still find it in you to act like a brat I think a different kind of stimulation would do you some good, and serve to teach a lesson."

[harpyraven]

"The Awakening"

(I have really bad English. I'm sorry🙇)

(My one art☝️)

Her mind seemed to float in the void. Dark, boundless, and cramped at the same time. There is no one in it except girl, she can't see anything in it, she can't hear anything. Her mind seemed to fall silent, and the girl slowly and surely dissolved into nothingness.

Suddenly, girl began to wake up. Barely opening her eyes, she felt a wild pain in her head and... darkness.

"Mmmh, w-where am I?" What is that sound? Y-is it morning already?" - girl tried to get up, but put her hands on the wall.

"Wait, am I locked in a drawer?" Have I been kidnapped?!" - girl clapped her hands on the wooden wall in fright, and then she heard a noise outside. Someone's thin voice groaned nearby, and then, the lid of the box lit up. Feeling the heat, girl got scared and with scream, jerked out the lid.

"Fnya?! Why did you wake up?!" - the first thing what girl saw, was stunned face of a gray cat, only… He had blue flames in his ears, like the one that set her on fire, and a tail like a pitchfork.

"Huh? T-talking cat? And-and are these flying coffins?!" - Girl stared at the coffins hanging in the air, her gray eyes bulging. And it turns out that I was also lying in a coffin.

"What the hell is this? Am I already dead or am I still sleeping?" - girl looking around in an unfamiliar place.

"Do you dare to ignore me when I'm standing in front of you?! It's a great fortune for you to look at me, Grimma-sama!" - strange cat indignantly folded his paws on his sides. - "First, you need to give me these clothes. Otherwise… I'll burn you!". With these words, he threateningly released blue flashes from his mouth.

Girl lowered her gaze. She was wearing a battered red hoodie with a hood pulled over her head and black pants with sneakers. And on her body was a smooth purple cloth with gold patterns embroidered on it. She spread her robe in front of her, and sighed enthusiastically,

"Wow! So beautiful!"

"Yes! And you have to give it to me! Now!" - cat exclaimed angrily, releasing more fire.

This scared the girl more, and she took her clothes in her arms, got to her feet and ran from this fire-breathing monster.

Girl ran without understanding road. She ran through the corridors, through the halls, up the stairs, there was no exit anywhere. She turned into one room that looked like a library. Noticing that monster was far away from her, she looked at the robe again, it seemed to fit her in size. There were strange sounds from behind and the girl became quiet, pressing herself against the wall.

She cautiously peeked out the door and noticed several people in the same clothes that she was holding. The girl didn't know who these people were or what they were like, but she decided to wear a robe just in case, so as not to draw attention to herself.

Throwing on a quick robe, carefully hiding his clothes under it and tucking her blonde hair, tied in a low ponytail, behind the hood. As soon as she relaxed, cat-monster jumped out in front of her again.

" There you are! You can't run away from me! Now give me the robe in a good way or I will... "

*whip!*

A whip struck the animal's body out of nowhere.

—"Kya? It hurts! What kind of violence is this?! "

—"It's not violence at all, but the "Whip of Love!" — a tall man came out. He grabbed the cat by the scruff of the neck.

("My..., that's an outfit!") - the girl was surprised to herself.

The man had an ornate elegant suit, a cape with black feathers on his shoulders, a black top hat with a small mirror and feathers, and three matching mirrors on his belt with dangling keys, and a black mask covering half his face from under which his eyes shone with yellow lights. He was so shiny. He looked like a raven. In one hand he held the so-called "Love Whip", and in the other he held a cane in the form of a golden key with a handle in the shape of a crow.

(Not mine)

The girl blinked, examining the strange man, he also looked at her.

"Ah, I've already searched for you. Are you one of the newbies this year? You are not allowed to leave the room with the doors..." - while the man was scolding the child in a stern voice, all she had in her head was ("Man, who the hell are you?") The girl stood rooted to the spot, afraid to even squeak.—"...In addition, bringing untamed creatures is prohibited by school rules."

"Let me go! I don't even know who he is! - the monster began to squirm, trying to escape from the man's grip. The girl didn't understand what was going on here at all.

"Yes-yes, that's what all familiars say. It's better to be quiet for a while." — man closed the cat's mouth, he growled indignantly.

"That's right, it's inconceivable for a student to leave a room with doors without permission. Oh, how impatient are you?"

"Aah, uh..."

"Let's go, let's go! You have to stand in front of a Dark Mirror."— the man didn't even listen and took the child out of the room.

"What? Which newcomers? Which doors?"

"When you opened your eyes, you found yourself in a room with many doors, right?"

"Mm, I only saw coffins, flying coffins, really." - girl hoped she didn't look like a insane.

"These are the doors! All the students use these doors to get here. And usually students don't wake up until you open their door with a special key." — his look was judgmental.

("Oh, so people just lie in these coffins until they're remembered, right? How can they not suffocate there?") - the girl thought, discouraged by what was happening.

"Well, it's like a flame blew the lid off..." she said the first thing that came to mind, unable to find a suitable excuse.

"I knew it was caused by this demon. If you brought him with you, take responsibility for his misdeeds."

("Wait, so it's my fault that I ended up in a coffin, I don't understand how I was almost burned by this demon?" )- the girl was indignant.

"Oh, this is not the time to talk. If we don't hurry up, the new student admission ceremony will be over. Come on, let's go." — the man pulled me by the hand.

“What? W-where are you taking me?!"— the girl protested. - ("What kind of novice ceremony is this? Wait a minute, so all these coffins, the fire-breathing cat in the hand of this costumed man, the robe on me… Am I in a cult?! Oh, nonono... please don't!")

"What is it… Don't be stubborn, you'll get lost alone."

"First of all, explain to me who you are, what kind of place this is, and how did I get here why?" - girl stared at the man indignantly. He turned his head to me. She could tell by the look in his eyes that he was confused.

"Oya? You still haven't realized? Maybe you forgot because of the magic of moving in space. Well, that happens a lot." - Man shrugged his shoulders.

"Huh???" - Girl almost fell over.

(I see, so it's still a sect, and this crazy guy seems to be in charge here.)

"Hush, let me explain on the way. Because I'm so kind!" - Man said the last with a special intonation, smiling. He pulled the child harder, making her soles creak on the ground.

They went out into some kind of courtyard, how big is this place. The girl looked around, trying to figure out how to escape from here.

The man began to explain that this place was called the Night Raven College, a school of magic. He ntroduced himself as Dire Crowley, and he is the Headmage at this college. Girl was still confused, not understanding what college was and what magic was.

"...Only those who have been recognized by the Mirror of Darkness as good magicians can enter this school. Selected people from all over the world are called to this school through the "doors". Was the black carriage with the "doors" supposed to come for you too?" - Crowley looked down at the child.

"Black carriage? Arh!" - girl clutched her forehead painfully.

("Carriage… I think so...") A very vague memory appeared in head. ("A dense forest, me, a carriage ran over me, a horse reared up, kicked its hoof, and... that's probably why my head still hurts.)

(That's mine)

"Horses also had such frightening faces..." girl whispered.

"This carriage was supposed to be a welcome for the newcomer who was chosen by the Mirror of Darkness. This is a special carriage that delivers the "doors" to the school." - explained Crowley.

"Very good greeting". - gloomily replied girl, rubbing her head. ("At least I'm lucky to be alive.")

("In other words, this carriage ran over me and brought me here without my permission?!") The girl's eyes widened. ("I was literally knocked out and abducted. It's awesome if they ask me for a bill for the trip...")

Grimm hummed again. Girl already forgot he was here too.

"And now, let's go to the admission ceremony." -without paying attention, the director dragged the child along with him again.

"I'm not going anywhere! Let me go! I've made a mistake here! I've been kidnapped! I have to go home! " - girl protested, trying to pull away.

"What kind of kids went? Stop bickering!" - Crowley was annoyed, but don't let go hand child with a death grip, stubbornly dragging him along the road.

The huge hall shone with a festive and important atmosphere, completely filled with people in robes. There was a man-sized mirror in the center of the hall, and coffins hovered above the ceiling. All the guys present were sitting in their seats, chatting enthusiastically among themselves. Dormleaders were already about to finish the ceremony and lead the students away to the dormitories.

Door slammed open. The Headmage himself, appeared in the doorway, holding something moving under his armpit in one hand.

"I'm sorry, one student was missing, and I, ahem, went in search of him." - Headmage continued to stretch out his hand, which was reaching back somewhere, clearly annoying Headmage.

"Now! Since you're the only one who hasn't been assigned to the dorm, quickly go to the Dark Mirror while I hold the tanuki!" Crowley almost growled, pulling out hall.

"LET ME GOOOOO!!!"

The robed student croaked loudly to the entire hall. The director yanked him out of the doorway, so hard that he fell to the floor.

Kid stood up, brushing herself off. As soon as she raised her head, she squeaked, pursing her lips and bulging her eyes, clutching the hood on her head.

"Holy crap, what kind of cultists are here?!" - flashed through the girl's mind.

Thousands of eyes stared at her questioningly. And all of them were boys.

The first thing that occurred to the frightened girl, was to pull the hood up as much as possible so that her face would not be visible. She turned around when she saw that the director had closed the door, blocking the escape route.

—"Come on, child. Be brave." - Headmage pushed the child from behind.

Slouching, the girl walked forward, straight to the huge mirror, from which appeared a face like a mask, enveloped in green fire. People continued to glare at the girl, muttering something to each other. Girl felt, to put it mildly, uneasy. Mentally, she had already prepared for the worst, saying goodbye to life.

"Its... Just a dream..." - she calming herself.

Girl stood at the mirror, looking at the stern face in the mirror.

"Tell me your name." - Mirror asked clearly, without taking its empty eye sockets off the girl.

She took a deep breath, but immediately froze in place.

"I am....... Who am I?"

Body felt cold.

("I can't tell my name! I don't remember my name! Who am I ?!!")

Girl slowly began to panic. Her heart began to beat louder, her breathing quickened, and cold sweat broke out on her face.

"Poor thing, she looks really nervous." - a swarthy, cheeky and sweet guy whispered regretfully from a bench standing apart from the others.

"Can it be faster?" - The boy with the red hair frowned.

"Sloppy appearance, insecure personality. I think he's going to Ignihide." - said the blond man next to him.

"Even from here, I can feel how nervous he is in front of a lot of people, Vil-senpai. Well, I understand him." - flying tablet sighed.

The girl tensed, remembering her name. She rubbed her temples, squeezing her eyes shut. The letters were slowly appearing in my head.

"Al....." - the girl pronounced the first letters.

"Al?" - the red-haired boy looked curious.

—"... Yuu....." - the girl howled the last uncertainly.

Al Yuu.

it looks like that's the only thing she could get out of herself. The whispers became clearer.

"Al Yuu. The shape of your soul...." - Mirror fell silent, peering at me intently. He noticed surprise for a second, then confusion. Finally, he answered.

"I have no idea."

Deathly silence froze in the hall.

"What does it mean?" - Crowley was very surprised.

(from anime trailer)

"I can't feel the wave of this child's soul... I can't determine either the color or the shape. This means that he does not possess magic and is not suitable for any dormitory." - verdict was loudly announced by face from reflection.

Hall was noisy again. Cat was still able to slip out from under the director's hands, quickly running ahead.

"Then you'd better give that place to me!" Unlike this man, I can use magic! Then why don't you take me to school? I'll show you how amazing my magic is!" - tanuki jumped up high, took a deep breath, and a whole stream of fire splashed out of his mouth, right at the people.

In Hall began real chaos. Someone's butt was set on fire he was running around in a panic. Someone was arguing with others, deciding who would catch the fire-breathing monster. And someone just sat with indifference watching what was happening.

Girl just stood in shock, in the midst of this chaos.

"What the hell?..."

But in the end, someone decided to end the fire. It was a short boy with red hair. His angry gaze was directed at the monster. He took out an object that looked like a pen with a red stone on it. The next moment, with a confident look, he loudly said,

"Off your head!"

There was a click and a collar appeared on the monster's neck. Fire stopped and beast was chased away, despite his protests.

People calmed down and began to disperse, following the leaders of the dormitories. The ceremony was declared over.

Only Crowley and a girl named Al Yuu standing in the hall.

Sorry for many mistakes. I hope you enjoy it. Say if you need more)

Thanks for attention!

[rainbowfey]

20 Paw

@flufftober

Tamayo looked up when she heard quick steps racing over the floorboards overhead. It sounded like Yushiro was frantically searching something and for a moment, a hint of concern stirred in her chest. While Yushiro could be rather hot-headed, he normally put great effort into being calm around her. For him to be this agitated within her vicinity was indeed rather unusual. Judging by the sounds of it, Yushiro was opening and closing doors to rooms and closets, searching through drawers and slamming them shut when he apparently did not find whatever he was searching for. It was only a matter of time until he had finished his search upstairs and Tamayo did not doubt that he would continue it down in the basement as well.

She carefully set the glass flask she was holding aside, securing it in a wooden rack before she took off her gloves. When she was sure that nothing was amiss or falsely placed, she turned the attention from her experiment back to the door of her laboratory. And before she could decide whether to go check on Yushiro herself, she already heard his steps quickly coming down the stairs. Only a moment later, she heard a knock at the door and Yushiro popped his head in.

His eyes widened when he saw Tamayo already looking at him and his face went pale. “I am sorry, Tamayo-sama,” he blurted out. “I hope I haven’t disturbed you in your work.”

Tamayo smiled at him and shook her head. “Don’t worry, Yushiro. Please tell me, what are you looking for?”

Yushiro’s face fell and a concerned expression appeared on his face that made Tamayo’s hair stand on end. “Have you seen Chachamaru anywhere?” he asked, the hope in his voice barely concealed.

Tamayo shook her head and when his shoulders sunk down, his worry started spreading to her. “I haven’t seen him for two or three days at least,” Tamayo said pensively and when the realization sunk in, her chest tightened. It was not unusual for Chachamaru to stay away for some time, after all, he was a rather independent cat. But three days were a lot of time, even for him.

Yushiro’s face got even paler and he stared at the ground. “Three days,” he muttered. “I hope he’s okay.”

Tamayo took a deep breath and forced a smile to her face. “I am sure he is just fine and will return very soon.”

But when Yushiro looked up and met her eyes, her optimism faltered. “What if he has gotten hurt?” Yushiro asked anxiously. “Or even worse, what if something attacked him?”

And while Tamayo wanted to reassure him, she could not help wondering whether Yushiro was right.

The monster came out of nowhere. One moment, Chachamaru strolled along the street happily, then he had to run for his life while a giant, black bundle of fur chased after him, its maw gaping wide open, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth. Chachamaru’s heart fluttered like a bird in a cage as he desperately sprinted towards a hollow log, barely making it in time before the teeth closed behind him with a sickening snap. Panting, he nestled up to the wood, anxiously listening to the barking and growling that echoed through the log. And just when he thought he was finally safe, the wood broke with an earthshattering crack and the world turned into a cloud of teeth and splinters of wood.

Chachamaru yowled when he felt a sharp pain in his paw but he did not have the time to examine it as his log now was being pulped by the deathly teeth. With a desperate jump, he made it out just in time before the log over his head gave in. Without looking back, Chachamaru ran for the forest, his paw throbbing whenever it touched the ground.

And then, he finally reached the tree line and dove into the shadows. When he had crawled into a thicket, now protected by a wall of thorns, he dared to pause and look back. His heart still hammering against his ribcage, he peered through a hole in the thicket. For a moment, he saw nothing but then the beast came into view. It ran up and down, frantically sniffing the ground. Over and over, it looked in Chachamaru’s direction and growled. But whenever the monster tried to come closer, its snout grazed the thorns which made it jump back with a whimper.

For a while, the beast made many more attempts to get to Chachamaru but when it finally realized that he was safe in his castle of thorns, it growled angrily one last time and then trotted away, its tail hanging down. And when it had vanished behind a hill, Chachamaru’s muscles relaxed and his breath started calming down again. He stayed in his hideout for another while until the sun started sinking down on the horizon before he dared to crawl out of the thicket.

When Chachamaru had made it out of the forest, he stood on all four paws again – and yowled quietly when the pain in his paw returned with all its might. He eyed his paw and carefully licked it but the pain only grew worse. If he got home, his family would help him but he was far away and his paw did not feel like it would carry him the whole path. And thus, Chachamaru limped back into the forest and towards a house where he would find a friend.

The wind around him rustled through the leaves mysteriously and Gyoumei smiled to himself when he heard them dancing over the ground. One leaf grazed his hand and he carefully grabbed it, brushing over the dry, brittle surface with his thumb. With a soft crackling, the leaf fell apart and when he opened his hand again, he felt the wind collecting the tiny pieces from his palm, taking them with him. With a content sigh, he turned his attention back inwards and let the noises around him fade away until he did not consciously hear them anymore.

“Namu amida butsu,“ he muttered to himself, letting his tears stream down his cheeks freely. The pressure in his chest lightened and his breathing gently followed the flow of his words as he repeated his prayer over and over again. The storm of emotions in his body slowly settled down and when his chest felt free, he knew that he had found his calm again.

For a long while, he remained sat, silently praying and letting the constant stream of sensations flow over him. From time to time, a mental imagine formed in his mind and he turned his attention to it briefly, accepting it, before he let it go again. A gentle breeze ran through his hair and once, he even felt a single rain drop wetting his hand.

When he was about to turn his attention inward again, he heard a faint noise that did not fit into the soundscape around him. Curious, he interrupted his chanting and tilted his head, listening intently. Between the soft rush of the wind and the tumbling leaves, he heard a weak rustling somewhere behind him. And if he was not mistaken, it slowly came closer with each moment.

Gyoumei sat up and waited patiently for his unexpected visitor to reveal himself. Judging by the footsteps, it was not one of the other Hashira, most likely not even a human at all. He listened intently, intrigued by the strange rhythm of the faint footsteps. Usually, he was rather good at guessing who was approaching but this pattern of sounds left him clueless.

Curious, he turned into the direction of the footsteps and listened to them coming closer. At first, his small visitor seemed a bit hesitant but when Gyoumei gently reached out, offering his hand to whoever walked towards him, the irregular footsteps quickened a bit. And only a moment later, he felt something warm and soft cautiously touching his hand. Now that his visitor had approached, he could hear the quiet breathing of a small creature and he smiled to himself.

“Hello, little friend,” he said softly, hoping not to scare the animal away.

This time, the touch against his hand was more firm. He felt a tiny head pressing against his palm, followed by a purring that made his heart melt. While he harbored a lot of love for many animals, cats held a very special place in his heart and among the cats he knew there was one whose purr he would have recognized anywhere.

“Chachamaru, it’s you,” he said with a smile and was rewarded with another nudge and even louder purring. “How kind of you to visit me, dear friend.”

Gyoumei held perfectly still when he felt Chachamaru climbing into his lap. When he had settled down, his purring stopped and he meowed pitifully. He shifted slightly and Gyoumei carefully reached down, holding his hand out. As if Chachamaru had understood, he put his paw on Gyoumei’s palm, meowing with a sense of urgency.

Gyoumei paused for a moment and thought it through. Chachamaru had never behaved like this before and his meowing sounded slightly strained as if he was either tired or in pain. And judging by how tentatively he had placed his paw in Gyoumei’s hand, it was likely that he had hurt himself.

“I’ll check your paw for any injuries, if you don’t mind,” Gyoumei explained gently and waited for Chachamaru to reply with an affirming meow before he carefully lifted Chachamaru’s paw. Very gently, he ran his fingers over the paw and focused on Chachamaru’s reaction to the touch. When he reached the middle of the paw, Chachamaru yowled and only a second later, Gyoumei felt something hard and sharp under his finger that certainly did not belong in a paw.

“I think I found the problem,” Gyoumei said calmly. He thought about it for a moment. It felt like a rather big splinter had gotten stuck in Chachamaru’s paw and apparently, he had not been able to remove it himself. Gyoumei’s heart stung at the thought of Chachamaru limping towards his place, hoping to receive help. But since he could not tell how deep the splinter had been driven into the paw, he did not want to risk just pulling it out.

“Chachamaru, I would like to help you,” Gyoumei said quietly and he felt Chachamaru’s gaze on him. “I would like to remove the splinter from your paw but we will have to do it inside where I have a medical kit to treat the wound. Is it okay if I carry you inside and take care of your paw?”

Of course, Gyoumei was aware that Chachamaru was not able to communicate in the way humans did. However, he had found that cats were highly intelligent and receptive to not only the emotions but also intentions of people. And thus, he hoped that Chachamaru would understand that he wanted to help him.

Chachamaru meowed again and snuggled up against Gyoumei which he took as agreement. Slowly and very careful not to startle Chachamaru, he got up and walked towards his mansion. Since injuries were always a risk during training sessions, he had at least three medical kits scattered throughout his mansion and over the years, he had found that treating wounds on humans and animals usually was not all that different.

With Chachamaru in his arms, he picked up the closest medical kit from a dresser in the entrance hall. Then, he found an open spot and carefully sat down. When Chachamaru had snuggled into his lap again, Gyoumei opened the medical kit and spread out the utensils in front of him.

“I will remove the splinter now,” he said and to his surprise, Chachamaru put his paw on his palm without any hesitation. He only once yowled quietly when Gyoumei touched the splinter but then he held absolutely still. Gyoumei closed his eyes and focused on his hands. Almost without noticing, he started reciting his prayer in a soothing tone while he delicately removed the splinter from Chachamaru’s paw, careful not to cause the cat any unnecessary pain.

When he finally held the splinter in his hand, he sighed in relief when Chachamaru meowed softly, this time sounding way less distressed than before. Gyoumei set the splinter aside and reached for a healing ointment that was part of the medical kit and usually used to prevent infection. He gently applied the ointment to the wound and then carefully put a clean piece of cloth around it to protect the wound.

“You did great, Chachamaru,” he said and smiled when the cat nudged his chest, meowing proudly. “Your paw will be better very soon. Just don’t put pressure on the wound too quickly.”

When Chachamaru started purring again, nestled into his lap, Gyoumei thought to himself that Chachamaru probably would not use his paw for a few hours. And with a soft laugh, Gyoumei started petting Chachamaru gently while he started reciting the Nenbutsu again, this time focusing entirely on the cat in his lap.