within-only-shadows

[within-only-shadows]

His hands felt around familiar textures. Leather. Metal. A warm hand. That voice... His Eito.

Takumi's sobbing changed, shifting from pain and suffering to desperation and want. He squeezed the hand that was intertwined with his own, his other hand feeling around for that familiar fabric to grasp onto. Comfort. He desperately wanted to be held, to know he was safe. The voices were loud, too loud. Telling him to do things he didn't want to do. Things he should do. Taunting him, laughing at him, making him suffer.

"S-stop..." he hiccupped, "W-won't... won't s-stop... hu...rt..." He was shivering by that point, from the cold and the pain.

"P-please... m-make... make it s-stop..." he begged, pulling Eito closer.

It truly was a sorry sight to watch.

Even more so for anyone who happened to be watching from another angle.

@bloodmoon-eito

An anon dressed in all black appears. It steps aside, revealing a portal, and gestures for you to step inside.

Take any props you want. The actors are already in position. It's time for you to take centerstage.

A being capable of summoning portals showing up out of the blue was not anywhere near Eito's list of expectations. He doesn't know what to think. The portal definitely looks real, no arguments there, but where it leads to is the biggest concern plaguing his mind. It could send him anywhere. The middle of a desert, the bottom of the ocean, the void of space... the Artificial Satellite. Perhaps fate is rewarding him for his hardships. And maybe, if he wishes and believes hard enough, the portal will take him exactly where he wants to go. Besides, why else would this magical figure tell him he can bring whatever he wants? If they meant any real harm, they wouldn't allow him to prepare at all. He'll take his chances.

"Any props, hm? Give me one moment," Eito responds before casually strolling out of the courtyard. A few minutes later, he returns. Stuffed in his jacket, out of sight, is his infuser. Better safe than sorry. The fear of the unknown will not get the better of him. "I have all I need now. I'm ready."

'It's time for you to take centerstage.'

When a performance is demanded of him, he shall not disappoint! He cautiously walks up to the portal, looking behind him to ensure Salem is soundly asleep and serene. With a determined nod, courage welling up inside his chest, he steps through the portal.

...

It feels like Eito hasn't moved an inch. Not in a literal sense, since he definitely took a step forward into this unknown dimension. Yet he never thought he'd end up right back in the courtyard. While his eyes adjust to the sensation of déjà vu blindsiding him, another heightened sense gets right to work. Everything smells off. Some scents are eerily absent while other unfamiliar scents invade his nostrils. The strongest of them all is the stench of a human. A vile mixture of tar and... spoiled milk?

His eyes pull the source of his discomfort into focus. It's Takumi. A different Takumi. In one of the cages. Not his. Through the bars, the stubborn teen's form is similar in its melted appearance. However, among the blood and flesh rotting and regrowing, thick tar pours from his pendulous jaw.

But that's not all. This strange Takumi's stench carries over into the other cage. Where a reflection of himself stands alone. But it can't just be any reflection. It's that one. The disgrace. The broken mirror. And as he most recently learned, the host infested by a parasitic Takumi that killed his own Takumi.

To say Eito is enraged is an understatement. "YOU!" He roars, stomping up to the alternate's cage. "This must be why I was brought here! I've been sent to destroy you for the death and scarring of my Takumi! You will pay for your heinous crime with your blood!" He reaches under his jacket to grab his infuser. WAIT! He stops. That's right... Takumi told him not to harm this deplorable version of himself. He had a promise to keep.

Eito steps back, crossing his arms. He retraces his thoughts, finally realizing that not only this reflection, but a Takumi being inside the cages here were oddities of their own. "Actually... I'd like to ask a few questions first. For starters, why are you and that Takumi caged?"

[within-only-shadows]

The pain. The noise. It was too much.

He needed it to stop.

[stop??? don't stoppp!!!]

[what's the matter? don't think just kill!!!]

Takumi could feel his energy disapate. He slowly stopped struggling against the bars and slid down to the floor, clutching his head as he curled up into a ball of pain and suffering.

Why

Whywhywhywhywhywhy

[why what? use your words!!]

"Why..." Takumi sobbed, his voice barely even a whisper, "I just... just... wan...ted... g-good..."

[good feelings are for good boys]

YEAH ONLY GOOD BOYS

[you're broken, Takumi]

so so so broookeennnnn

Takumi was broken.

He was broken.

Everything. Hurt.

@bloodmoon-eito

An anon dressed in all black appears. It steps aside, revealing a portal, and gestures for you to step inside.

Take any props you want. The actors are already in position. It's time for you to take centerstage.

A being capable of summoning portals showing up out of the blue was not anywhere near Eito's list of expectations. He doesn't know what to think. The portal definitely looks real, no arguments there, but where it leads to is the biggest concern plaguing his mind. It could send him anywhere. The middle of a desert, the bottom of the ocean, the void of space... the Artificial Satellite. Perhaps fate is rewarding him for his hardships. And maybe, if he wishes and believes hard enough, the portal will take him exactly where he wants to go. Besides, why else would this magical figure tell him he can bring whatever he wants? If they meant any real harm, they wouldn't allow him to prepare at all. He'll take his chances.

"Any props, hm? Give me one moment," Eito responds before casually strolling out of the courtyard. A few minutes later, he returns. Stuffed in his jacket, out of sight, is his infuser. Better safe than sorry. The fear of the unknown will not get the better of him. "I have all I need now. I'm ready."

'It's time for you to take centerstage.'

When a performance is demanded of him, he shall not disappoint! He cautiously walks up to the portal, looking behind him to ensure Salem is soundly asleep and serene. With a determined nod, courage welling up inside his chest, he steps through the portal.

...

It feels like Eito hasn't moved an inch. Not in a literal sense, since he definitely took a step forward into this unknown dimension. Yet he never thought he'd end up right back in the courtyard. While his eyes adjust to the sensation of déjà vu blindsiding him, another heightened sense gets right to work. Everything smells off. Some scents are eerily absent while other unfamiliar scents invade his nostrils. The strongest of them all is the stench of a human. A vile mixture of tar and... spoiled milk?

His eyes pull the source of his discomfort into focus. It's Takumi. A different Takumi. In one of the cages. Not his. Through the bars, the stubborn teen's form is similar in its melted appearance. However, among the blood and flesh rotting and regrowing, thick tar pours from his pendulous jaw.

But that's not all. This strange Takumi's stench carries over into the other cage. Where a reflection of himself stands alone. But it can't just be any reflection. It's that one. The disgrace. The broken mirror. And as he most recently learned, the host infested by a parasitic Takumi that killed his own Takumi.

To say Eito is enraged is an understatement. "YOU!" He roars, stomping up to the alternate's cage. "This must be why I was brought here! I've been sent to destroy you for the death and scarring of my Takumi! You will pay for your heinous crime with your blood!" He reaches under his jacket to grab his infuser. WAIT! He stops. That's right... Takumi told him not to harm this deplorable version of himself. He had a promise to keep.

Eito steps back, crossing his arms. He retraces his thoughts, finally realizing that not only this reflection, but a Takumi being inside the cages here were oddities of their own. "Actually... I'd like to ask a few questions first. For starters, why are you and that Takumi caged?"

[within-only-shadows]

Takumi was completely lost to the madness. The noises that came out of his mouth were wild and animalistic, his hands desperately swiping at his prey.

[tear his skin off his muscle!]

[OOOO maybe we could eat him?!]

that sounds nasty maybe not

[WE HAVE TO GOUGE HIS EYES OUT]

"Yes!!!" Takumi agreed, "His stupid eyes!!! They'll be first!! AHAHAHA FUCK YOU!!"

[fuck Eito!!]

[yes yes kill kill kill~!]

The voices were getting louder. More bold. Takumi's skin itched.

that other Eito is talking too

[ANNOYING]

[annoying]

"SHUT UP!!" Takumi screamed, stopping his desperate attempt to kill Eito by smashing his head against the iron bars. He slammed his head two more times before he started to scratch at his eyes. He was desperate for some release, anything. Anything to make the voices stop so he could focus on what he wanted to do.

"GO AWAY!! GO AWAY GO AWAY!!!" he screamed. Tears and blood ran down his face. Everything burned. The voices wouldn't stop. They kept whispering, screaming, taunting, they wouldn't stop wouldn't stop wouldn't stop

"ALL YOUR FAULT!!" Takumi suddenly lunged back at the other Eito, desperately clawing at him once more. His vision was red and blurry, but there was no mistaking that form.

Kill kill kill kill kiLL KILL KILL K I L L

@bloodmoon-eito

An anon dressed in all black appears. It steps aside, revealing a portal, and gestures for you to step inside.

Take any props you want. The actors are already in position. It's time for you to take centerstage.

A being capable of summoning portals showing up out of the blue was not anywhere near Eito's list of expectations. He doesn't know what to think. The portal definitely looks real, no arguments there, but where it leads to is the biggest concern plaguing his mind. It could send him anywhere. The middle of a desert, the bottom of the ocean, the void of space... the Artificial Satellite. Perhaps fate is rewarding him for his hardships. And maybe, if he wishes and believes hard enough, the portal will take him exactly where he wants to go. Besides, why else would this magical figure tell him he can bring whatever he wants? If they meant any real harm, they wouldn't allow him to prepare at all. He'll take his chances.

"Any props, hm? Give me one moment," Eito responds before casually strolling out of the courtyard. A few minutes later, he returns. Stuffed in his jacket, out of sight, is his infuser. Better safe than sorry. The fear of the unknown will not get the better of him. "I have all I need now. I'm ready."

'It's time for you to take centerstage.'

When a performance is demanded of him, he shall not disappoint! He cautiously walks up to the portal, looking behind him to ensure Salem is soundly asleep and serene. With a determined nod, courage welling up inside his chest, he steps through the portal.

...

It feels like Eito hasn't moved an inch. Not in a literal sense, since he definitely took a step forward into this unknown dimension. Yet he never thought he'd end up right back in the courtyard. While his eyes adjust to the sensation of déjà vu blindsiding him, another heightened sense gets right to work. Everything smells off. Some scents are eerily absent while other unfamiliar scents invade his nostrils. The strongest of them all is the stench of a human. A vile mixture of tar and... spoiled milk?

His eyes pull the source of his discomfort into focus. It's Takumi. A different Takumi. In one of the cages. Not his. Through the bars, the stubborn teen's form is similar in its melted appearance. However, among the blood and flesh rotting and regrowing, thick tar pours from his pendulous jaw.

But that's not all. This strange Takumi's stench carries over into the other cage. Where a reflection of himself stands alone. But it can't just be any reflection. It's that one. The disgrace. The broken mirror. And as he most recently learned, the host infested by a parasitic Takumi that killed his own Takumi.

To say Eito is enraged is an understatement. "YOU!" He roars, stomping up to the alternate's cage. "This must be why I was brought here! I've been sent to destroy you for the death and scarring of my Takumi! You will pay for your heinous crime with your blood!" He reaches under his jacket to grab his infuser. WAIT! He stops. That's right... Takumi told him not to harm this deplorable version of himself. He had a promise to keep.

Eito steps back, crossing his arms. He retraces his thoughts, finally realizing that not only this reflection, but a Takumi being inside the cages here were oddities of their own. "Actually... I'd like to ask a few questions first. For starters, why are you and that Takumi caged?"

[within-only-shadows]

[he snorts, then quickly glances away]

Well, it was worth a shot...

[he will get a pair of Eito's gloves eventually]

Here is a cookie that looks like eito now that hes soooo far away *gives eito shaped cookie*

[he starts longingly at the cookie for a moment]

[he then glances up at Eito from across the courtyard and bites into the cookie, taking its head clean off]

It's just as delicious as you are~

@eito-rewind

[within-only-shadows]

A second Eito appeared.

What will Takumi do?

Fight, obviously.

Unfortunately for him, Takumi only had the one knife on him. He did have his infuser on him, but it was basically useless while he was inside the cage.

He could still use it to threaten.

[nah better to keep it hidden]

wouldn't want him to know our surprise~!

Takumi agreed. Better it be a surprise. That didn't stop him from lunging towards the one thing he despised, desperately reaching out to claw at this new Eito's eyes.

"THAT WAS YOU WASN'T IT?!" he screamed, shaking the bars in one of his fists, "I'M GONNA KILL YOU, YOU FUCKING CREEP!! FUCK YOU AND YOUR BULLSHIT!!"

@bloodmoon-eito

An anon dressed in all black appears. It steps aside, revealing a portal, and gestures for you to step inside.

Take any props you want. The actors are already in position. It's time for you to take centerstage.

A being capable of summoning portals showing up out of the blue was not anywhere near Eito's list of expectations. He doesn't know what to think. The portal definitely looks real, no arguments there, but where it leads to is the biggest concern plaguing his mind. It could send him anywhere. The middle of a desert, the bottom of the ocean, the void of space... the Artificial Satellite. Perhaps fate is rewarding him for his hardships. And maybe, if he wishes and believes hard enough, the portal will take him exactly where he wants to go. Besides, why else would this magical figure tell him he can bring whatever he wants? If they meant any real harm, they wouldn't allow him to prepare at all. He'll take his chances.

"Any props, hm? Give me one moment," Eito responds before casually strolling out of the courtyard. A few minutes later, he returns. Stuffed in his jacket, out of sight, is his infuser. Better safe than sorry. The fear of the unknown will not get the better of him. "I have all I need now. I'm ready."

'It's time for you to take centerstage.'

When a performance is demanded of him, he shall not disappoint! He cautiously walks up to the portal, looking behind him to ensure Salem is soundly asleep and serene. With a determined nod, courage welling up inside his chest, he steps through the portal.

...

It feels like Eito hasn't moved an inch. Not in a literal sense, since he definitely took a step forward into this unknown dimension. Yet he never thought he'd end up right back in the courtyard. While his eyes adjust to the sensation of déjà vu blindsiding him, another heightened sense gets right to work. Everything smells off. Some scents are eerily absent while other unfamiliar scents invade his nostrils. The strongest of them all is the stench of a human. A vile mixture of tar and... spoiled milk?

His eyes pull the source of his discomfort into focus. It's Takumi. A different Takumi. In one of the cages. Not his. Through the bars, the stubborn teen's form is similar in its melted appearance. However, among the blood and flesh rotting and regrowing, thick tar pours from his pendulous jaw.

But that's not all. This strange Takumi's stench carries over into the other cage. Where a reflection of himself stands alone. But it can't just be any reflection. It's that one. The disgrace. The broken mirror. And as he most recently learned, the host infested by a parasitic Takumi that killed his own Takumi.

To say Eito is enraged is an understatement. "YOU!" He roars, stomping up to the alternate's cage. "This must be why I was brought here! I've been sent to destroy you for the death and scarring of my Takumi! You will pay for your heinous crime with your blood!" He reaches under his jacket to grab his infuser. WAIT! He stops. That's right... Takumi told him not to harm this deplorable version of himself. He had a promise to keep.

Eito steps back, crossing his arms. He retraces his thoughts, finally realizing that not only this reflection, but a Takumi being inside the cages here were oddities of their own. "Actually... I'd like to ask a few questions first. For starters, why are you and that Takumi caged?"

[within-only-shadows]

What? It's not like we can fuck each other here. We're too far away for that.

However, if you wanna toss me a pair of your gloves, I can certainly pretend-

Here is a cookie that looks like eito now that hes soooo far away *gives eito shaped cookie*

[he starts longingly at the cookie for a moment]

[he then glances up at Eito from across the courtyard and bites into the cookie, taking its head clean off]

It's just as delicious as you are~

@eito-rewind

[within-only-shadows]

Here is a cookie that looks like eito now that hes soooo far away *gives eito shaped cookie*

[he starts longingly at the cookie for a moment]

[he then glances up at Eito from across the courtyard and bites into the cookie, taking its head clean off]

It's just as delicious as you are~

@eito-rewind

[within-only-shadows]

🐌: I AM VERY SPECIFICALLY NOT EITOS SNAILS I AM THE SNAIL GOD I AM HERE TO LAUGH AT YOUR PAIN

[he grabs at the bar violently]

YOU'RE JUST A SNAIL!!! FUCK YOU!!

[within-only-shadows]

Ahaha shame cage shame cage *sticks a sign that says shame cage on only takumis cage*

WHY JUST MY CAGE?!?

THIS ISN'T FAIR??!?

[within-only-shadows]

[it takes a minute for Eito's words to register in Takumi's head, and even longer for him to register that it was HIS Eito speaking to him]

[it settles him down enough for him to see more than red, but he's still livid]

Don't- Gonna... Don't... Might... hurt....

[hurting his Eito was bad]

[but if his Eito kept talking, Takumi might end up hurting him on accident]

[don't we want to hurt Eito though?]

No...! No nonono....!

[killjoy]

[you're no fun]

[maybe later]

*sets up a speaker playing one of the other eitos rants/sermons just out of reach* to purify you heathens. Or something.

Oh.

This guy.

[His eye's twitching a little.]

[There's a visible cringe every time he mentions anything about a 'holy form' or anything similar.]

[It's almost like forcing someone to look at their old middle-school photos.]

Oh Takumi~~ You don't happen to have any rocks or similar aerodynamic objects within reach of your cage, do you? I'd QUITE like to silence this self-aggrandizing drivel.

@within-only-shadows

[within-only-shadows]

[something comes flying from Takumi's direction, striking right into the machine]

[sparks are flying out of the broken device; a kitchen knife sits lodged inside of it]

FUCK YOU!!! FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU!!!

[he is seething with rage, his eyes glaring sharp daggers at the now broken speaker]

[there is not a single thought behind those eyes other than "kill"]

*sets up a speaker playing one of the other eitos rants/sermons just out of reach* to purify you heathens. Or something.

Oh.

This guy.

[His eye's twitching a little.]

[There's a visible cringe every time he mentions anything about a 'holy form' or anything similar.]

[It's almost like forcing someone to look at their old middle-school photos.]

Oh Takumi~~ You don't happen to have any rocks or similar aerodynamic objects within reach of your cage, do you? I'd QUITE like to silence this self-aggrandizing drivel.

@within-only-shadows

[within-only-shadows]

[[ROUTE ???+1 | DAY 36 | LATE MORNING | SAME AS IT EVER WAS]]

Eito was awoken by movement under him, followed by the foul odor and feeling of rot on his skin.

His fear and panic response kick in, and he finds himself jumping up to a seated position, disturbing the sleeping Takumi next to him. The events of the previous night catch up to him, and he relaxed.

He felt arms curl around his waist.

"Mmmmph," Takumi mumbled into Eito's shoulder. He tugged a few times, giving Eito a look that was probably a pout.

Clearly, someone wanted to go back to bed. But from the looks of things, it was already quite late in the morning. And while Takumi may be content to wallow in his filth, Eito was not. And if they were going to be an... item, Takumi would simply have to make some adjustments. After all, his sense of smell was particularly sensitive.

In short, a shower was direly, DIRELY needed.

"And good morning to you too, Ugly Takumi~" he chirped. Despite the insult, there was no malice, "It's... pretty late in the morning. I think we may have slept through the announcement..."

He felt something off. Something cold on his neck...

Ah, the. Collar.

He'd... slept in it.

His face flushed.

Well, no harm done, he supposed. He'd simply remove it, shower, and they could continue on with their day. He dislodged himself from Takumi's grip, placing a gentle kiss on his wrist before getting out of bed and gathering his shed clothing from the night before. He reaches back to remove the collar.

Except when he reached back to fiddle with the clasp or buckle, he reaches a harrowing revelation.

There, in fact, is a lock on the damn thing.

"Takumi," his voice has a slight edge to it as he glares daggers into boy behind him, currently sitting on the edge of the bed and kicking his legs like a damn child, "What is the meaning of this?"

"Shit, I completely forgot about that," he replied, his smirk deepening into a wicked little grin, "Yeah, its got this discrete lock that can't be opened with a normal key. I'd take it off for you, buuuut..."

Takumi slips off of the bed and saunters over to where Eito is standing, gazing up at him coquettishly as he slipped a finger through the ring at the front.

"You gotta let me take a shower with you~"

Eito sputters a bit. This again? Of all the childish-

He's suddenly released from Takumi's grip as the latter starts laughing. He feels himself blush harder, which only seems to egg on the redhead's laughter, trailing off into giggles as he recomposes himself.

"Oh I couldn't resist saying that!" He was grinning ear-to-ear, genuinely joyful. He started heading towards the drawers by the door, "Here, I'll take it off. I know how much keeping clean is important to you..."

But he didn't quite get that far. As if on cue, the doorbell began ringing. Insistently.

"Takumi. Aotsuki. Come on out, won't you?" The very irate voice on the other side said coldly. It was Hiruko.

Both boys' faces drained of color as the realization seemingly hit them both at once.

Hiruko's room was right next door.

She heard everything.

Fuck.

They scrambled to make themselves decent. As much as he DESPERATELY wanted to shower - and to get the damn collar off - there was no way leaving Hiruko waiting when she was this irate would bode well for either of them. At least his coat would cover it.

Opening the door felt like taking the stairs to the gallows.

She was glaring at them both. Fiercely. The bloodshot eyes only served to make her seem even more demonic than she already was.

"Oh, good. You can hear," there was no sugarcoating it. She sounded pissed, "Unfortunately for you both, so can I. And Ginzaki. And Kawana. And Maruko. Several others, who will remain anonymous. All of us were unfortunately an auditory audience to your... activities. At various points last night."

The unspoken part was, obviously, that Hiruko was subjected to it all night. And if Maruko knew, that means the whole SDU knew.

Yeah, Eito kind of wanted to light himself on fire right now. He definitely couldn't jump to the Wall of Flames from the roof, but maybe if he got lucky and landed in a way that only broke his legs he could drag himself there so as to not suffer any further humiliation.

"And while it's not my concern what you do with each other... it's best to have at least a little bit of common courtesy when living in a shared space," she glowered at them, beckoning them to follow, "Come along, now. It's time for you boys' punishment."

Neither dared disobey when Hiruko was this angry.

---

Eventually, they were led to the Courtyard, where several of their companions were seemingly waiting for them. The cages' doors were conspicuously open. Kurara was already yelling at them about being animalistic degenerates, before turning it around on Kyoshika when she tried to chime in; Takemaru looked like he was going to throttle them for the indecency; Nozomi, Shoma, Gaku, and Tsubasa seemed to embarrassed to even look at them; Yugamu, Moko, Ima, and Darumi seemed to be chattering excitedly, the latter giving them both a friendly wave upon entry; and Kako just looked beyond unimpressed with the situation.

Eito. Wanted. To die. He pulled up his hood and tightened the drawstrings, hiding his face and his embarrassment.

"Since you two seem to insist on conducting yourselves like animals - and setting an incredibly poor example as Team Leader and Third-in-Command... You get to live like animals, today," Hiruko says, matter-of-factly, as she led them to the cages.

They were each placed in one of the two cages, and locked inside. Back in his second home, as it were. He... supposed it could be worse.

"And of course... A little revenge."

Eito barely had time to register what that could possibly mean before he was hit with a jet of water, square in the face. When he looked up, several of their friends were armed with water hoses, water guns , and water balloons.

Oh no.

He and Takumi ended up getting pulverized in the onslaught. Takumi was making noises like a drowned cat every time he got hit, while he himself eventually gave up and accepted his fate, not wanting to completely soak the interior of the cage. At the very least, the hazing turned into something fun for the others, even if it was at their expense.

Their public execution over, they were left to soak in their shame.

Same as it ever was.

This was going to be a long day.

[[EVENT: SAME AS IT EVER WAS]]

[[Eito and Takumi are temporarily caged in the Courtyard as punishment for their indecency! All asks will be answered from the cages until the conclusion of the Event!]]

[within-only-shadows]

Floating in a pool of water.

Weightless.

Formless.

Takumi had never felt so calm and relaxed in... what felt like forever. Being moved around wasn't great, but he didn't fight against it.

Then, hands were poking and prodding his face, stirring him from entering his deep slumber. Takumi blearly opened his eyes, his eyelids struggling to stay up for longer than a few seconds before falling back down. With how foggy his head was, he couldn't quite understand what Eito was doing or why. Maybe some sort of reassurance ritual? Takumi didn't really care.

"Mmn... do thiish... laaaaterr..." he complained, blindly reaching up to Eito's hands. He never quite reached his destination, as sleep completely took hold, enveloping him into blissful nothingness.

For the first time in many loops, Takumi would finally get a good night's rest.

There is a note on Eito's bed. It's clearly written in Takumi's handwriting.

'Come to my room. I wanna play a game. The knives are put away, I promise!' - Takumi

[[ROUTE ???+1 | DAY 35 | EVENING | AN UNFAIR WAGER]]

Eito scowled as he looked over the note in his hand, and the (admittedly cute) little snake plush left behind where the enaga plush he usually slept with would typically be. It was notably absent. First order of business was a sweep of the room to assess if any of his other belongings had been stolen - Mikan and Ringo, and their enclosure, were thankfully untouched. And thankfully, nothing in his bathroom had been disturbed; he wouldn't put it past this Takumi to do something gross like lick his toothbrush or something. The only other thing that seemed to be missing was, predictably, his parka again, although after the incident two days ago he had the foresight to make a couple of spares.

You really managed to find the most deranged version of Sumino Takumi possible, huh? Are you sure your Specialist Skill is luck?

"Well, it would appear there are limits. Not every card drawn is an ace," he replied to the voice in his head, "Not to mention, you saw what it said in that book we found. Assuming it's the same thing, or similar? Wouldn't be out of the question for it to malfunction."

Yeah, but you ended up with him before the incident with Eva and V'ehxness a couple days ago. So... Point stands. Are you actually going to meet with him? Whatever he's plotting, it probably isn't good.

Eito sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. He'd only just gotten over a dizzy spell and some pain that'd been hitting him on and off since the battle. The new symptoms combined with those from his preexisting issues were throwing him for a loop.

"I'd... better do it," he says, somewhat defeated, "If I refuse... I dread to think of what his reaction might be. That ugly little miscreant might very well break into my room tonight and force me to play his game, if not worse. I've been fairly tolerant of his shenanigans; who's to say what might happen if I stop at least humoring him."

It was a partial truth. Genuinely, Takumi was an extremely capable leader when he was thinking straight. If Eito being subjected to his whims helped him keep a clear head when it came to everyone else, it was a cross he would gladly bear. But a part of him was also genuinely curious about what he had cooked up this time.

Suit yourself. Just... don't complain to me if this goes badly, or goes in a direction I don't particularly want to tune in to.

And with that, Eito made his way to Takumi's room. He knocked a few times, much less violently than the last time he was here. He was... Very glad he was in the leadership trifecta. Otherwise, he has no idea what such frequent house-calls to the Team Leader would look like to outside observers.

"Alright, Ugly Takumi," He says just loud enough to be heard on the other side, "What in the world do you have planned this time?"

[within-only-shadows]

Hearing Eito's words made Takumi stumble, his grip on the vibrator and his dick loosening. He blinked at his partner, who was moaning and squirming under him, tears rolling down his cheeks, and- and something stirred in Takumi's mind.

In his heart.

He couldn't deny what Eito just said was of the heat of the moment, because, well, Eito had a truth serum in him. Whatever he said during this time, he truly meant. He MEANT those words.

"I'm yours, Takumi. I'm yours."

Takumi dropped the vibrator, tossing it aside onto the floor somewhere. He crawled on top of Eito and stared down at him, really looking at the teen. He reached out and slid his hands into Eito's own, gently, gently.

A kiss. A tender one, one with meaning and genuine love and care behind it. One that spoke a million truths without ever having to utter a single word. It was soothing and calming and full of- of- of true love. True love.

That's what this felt like.

True love.

"You're all mine," Takumi whispered into Eito's lips, "and I'm all yours."

A few more tender kisses later, and they were both feeling needy once more. Takumi took his time to carefully slide himself inside Eito. He wanted to make this last, make this MEAN something. He wanted to keep holding on to this new feeling of pureness he found and never let go.

This last round was much more tender, more real, more true. Takumi's touch was soft, deliberate. He wanted to truly memorize every part of Eito's body, burn it all into his memories forever. Each kiss was meant to last.

"Hah..." Takumi sighed, "Eitoo... Eito~"

There is a note on Eito's bed. It's clearly written in Takumi's handwriting.

'Come to my room. I wanna play a game. The knives are put away, I promise!' - Takumi

[[ROUTE ???+1 | DAY 35 | EVENING | AN UNFAIR WAGER]]

Eito scowled as he looked over the note in his hand, and the (admittedly cute) little snake plush left behind where the enaga plush he usually slept with would typically be. It was notably absent. First order of business was a sweep of the room to assess if any of his other belongings had been stolen - Mikan and Ringo, and their enclosure, were thankfully untouched. And thankfully, nothing in his bathroom had been disturbed; he wouldn't put it past this Takumi to do something gross like lick his toothbrush or something. The only other thing that seemed to be missing was, predictably, his parka again, although after the incident two days ago he had the foresight to make a couple of spares.

You really managed to find the most deranged version of Sumino Takumi possible, huh? Are you sure your Specialist Skill is luck?

"Well, it would appear there are limits. Not every card drawn is an ace," he replied to the voice in his head, "Not to mention, you saw what it said in that book we found. Assuming it's the same thing, or similar? Wouldn't be out of the question for it to malfunction."

Yeah, but you ended up with him before the incident with Eva and V'ehxness a couple days ago. So... Point stands. Are you actually going to meet with him? Whatever he's plotting, it probably isn't good.

Eito sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. He'd only just gotten over a dizzy spell and some pain that'd been hitting him on and off since the battle. The new symptoms combined with those from his preexisting issues were throwing him for a loop.

"I'd... better do it," he says, somewhat defeated, "If I refuse... I dread to think of what his reaction might be. That ugly little miscreant might very well break into my room tonight and force me to play his game, if not worse. I've been fairly tolerant of his shenanigans; who's to say what might happen if I stop at least humoring him."

It was a partial truth. Genuinely, Takumi was an extremely capable leader when he was thinking straight. If Eito being subjected to his whims helped him keep a clear head when it came to everyone else, it was a cross he would gladly bear. But a part of him was also genuinely curious about what he had cooked up this time.

Suit yourself. Just... don't complain to me if this goes badly, or goes in a direction I don't particularly want to tune in to.

And with that, Eito made his way to Takumi's room. He knocked a few times, much less violently than the last time he was here. He was... Very glad he was in the leadership trifecta. Otherwise, he has no idea what such frequent house-calls to the Team Leader would look like to outside observers.

"Alright, Ugly Takumi," He says just loud enough to be heard on the other side, "What in the world do you have planned this time?"

[within-only-shadows]

"Such a good boy," Takumi moaned as Eito bounced on him like his life depended on it, "Augh... yes..."

He didn't even have to do much and he was getting hard all over again. His nails were digging hard into Eito's thighs, his chest heaving with each quick intake. Every scratch against him felt like fire, and it was amazing.

"You... hah... Want more...?" he smirked. He pulled his nails out of Eito's thighs and grabbed at his side, his stomach, instead. Grabbing, rubbing, clawing, giving Eito everything he begged for. "Such a good, good boy," he moaned again, "Fuck, yes, come for me, Eito~"

On command, Eito climaxed, squeezing his dick, desperate to milk him dry. And Takumi was more than happy to oblige. His hands shifted back to Eito's hips, guiding Eito to move through his orgasm. A few more thrusts and Takumi came, filling his partner once more.

Maybe some of that potion made it into his system, because he was still wanting more. He definitely needed a small break to recharge before they continued, however, so he ordered Eito to lay back down on the bed and wait for him. Takumi then removed the used condom off of his dick and tossed his off the bed. As he was grabbing a new one, he remembered one of the items he hadn't grabbed earlier, and it sparked a wonderful idea in his mind.

Slowly, he crawled off his bed and groped around under his mattress for the item in question. It didn't take long for him to find it. A beautiful white collar with a special discrete lock that only he could open. A smirk formed on Takumi's face.

As he climbed back onto the bed, his foot bumped the still running vibrator. He had nearly forgotten about that. He did say to himself he was going to use it again.

"Hah... Alright, Eito," he said, staring down his partner, "One more round... This time, you're gonna wear this, understand?" He lifted up the collar, then carefully slid it around Eito's neck. The lock softly clicked in place. "There we go~" Takumi smiled, running his hand down Eito's cheek, "Now, you're going to be a good pet, right? You're mine, all mine~ Isn't that right?"

He climbed off of Eito and maneuvered him around, forcing him on all fours. He slid the new condom on his dick and grabbed the vibrator. They were in a different position, so he had to play around to find the good spot again. He ran the toy up and down Eito's pussy as he pumped himself, working the both of them back up once more.

There is a note on Eito's bed. It's clearly written in Takumi's handwriting.

'Come to my room. I wanna play a game. The knives are put away, I promise!' - Takumi

[[ROUTE ???+1 | DAY 35 | EVENING | AN UNFAIR WAGER]]

Eito scowled as he looked over the note in his hand, and the (admittedly cute) little snake plush left behind where the enaga plush he usually slept with would typically be. It was notably absent. First order of business was a sweep of the room to assess if any of his other belongings had been stolen - Mikan and Ringo, and their enclosure, were thankfully untouched. And thankfully, nothing in his bathroom had been disturbed; he wouldn't put it past this Takumi to do something gross like lick his toothbrush or something. The only other thing that seemed to be missing was, predictably, his parka again, although after the incident two days ago he had the foresight to make a couple of spares.

You really managed to find the most deranged version of Sumino Takumi possible, huh? Are you sure your Specialist Skill is luck?

"Well, it would appear there are limits. Not every card drawn is an ace," he replied to the voice in his head, "Not to mention, you saw what it said in that book we found. Assuming it's the same thing, or similar? Wouldn't be out of the question for it to malfunction."

Yeah, but you ended up with him before the incident with Eva and V'ehxness a couple days ago. So... Point stands. Are you actually going to meet with him? Whatever he's plotting, it probably isn't good.

Eito sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. He'd only just gotten over a dizzy spell and some pain that'd been hitting him on and off since the battle. The new symptoms combined with those from his preexisting issues were throwing him for a loop.

"I'd... better do it," he says, somewhat defeated, "If I refuse... I dread to think of what his reaction might be. That ugly little miscreant might very well break into my room tonight and force me to play his game, if not worse. I've been fairly tolerant of his shenanigans; who's to say what might happen if I stop at least humoring him."

It was a partial truth. Genuinely, Takumi was an extremely capable leader when he was thinking straight. If Eito being subjected to his whims helped him keep a clear head when it came to everyone else, it was a cross he would gladly bear. But a part of him was also genuinely curious about what he had cooked up this time.

Suit yourself. Just... don't complain to me if this goes badly, or goes in a direction I don't particularly want to tune in to.

And with that, Eito made his way to Takumi's room. He knocked a few times, much less violently than the last time he was here. He was... Very glad he was in the leadership trifecta. Otherwise, he has no idea what such frequent house-calls to the Team Leader would look like to outside observers.

"Alright, Ugly Takumi," He says just loud enough to be heard on the other side, "What in the world do you have planned this time?"

[within-only-shadows]

A possessive growl vibrated in the back of Takumi's throat.

One hand went straight to the nape of Eito's neck, the other went to Eito's back. With the quick encouragement, Takumi didn't waste any time plowing into his delicious partner. His hand clawed at Eito's back as he chased that pleasurable feeling in the pit of his stomach, every touch, every movement, everything needing more and more and

He shifted slightly, trying to get deeper inside. He must've hit that sweet spot, because Eito was howling, forcing the two of them even closer still. Takumi went straight for that spot over and over, slamming into it with every chance he got. Every noise brought a tug to Eito's hair, encouraging more, every movement was met with another firm scrape down the back. Their kisses were sloppy at best, but neither of them cared. They weren't perfect. They weren't trying to be.

He could feel himself getting close. His hips were stuttering, his toes curling. His panting growing heavier with every second.

"Fuck- aaah, so good, so good, Eitoo~~" he cried, chasing the coiled spring until it finally popped, filling his partner heavily. As his body started to settle down, he could feel Eito underneath him squirm, begging for more.

Takumi smirked. How could he say no?

He slowly pulled out, letting out a long sigh as he forced himself to leave the warm, delicious hole. He tossed aside the now used condom and slipped on a new one. He looked down at Eito, who was still clearly hot and bothered, not ready to finish anytime soon.

An idea formed in his mind.

"Up," he commanded, then he slid under Eito, laying on his back. He helped the teen position himself to straddle Takumi's hips, then let gravity slide him down onto Takumi's length. His nails dug into Eito's thighs as his dick was encased once more.

"Dance for me," he cooed.

There is a note on Eito's bed. It's clearly written in Takumi's handwriting.

'Come to my room. I wanna play a game. The knives are put away, I promise!' - Takumi

[[ROUTE ???+1 | DAY 35 | EVENING | AN UNFAIR WAGER]]

Eito scowled as he looked over the note in his hand, and the (admittedly cute) little snake plush left behind where the enaga plush he usually slept with would typically be. It was notably absent. First order of business was a sweep of the room to assess if any of his other belongings had been stolen - Mikan and Ringo, and their enclosure, were thankfully untouched. And thankfully, nothing in his bathroom had been disturbed; he wouldn't put it past this Takumi to do something gross like lick his toothbrush or something. The only other thing that seemed to be missing was, predictably, his parka again, although after the incident two days ago he had the foresight to make a couple of spares.

You really managed to find the most deranged version of Sumino Takumi possible, huh? Are you sure your Specialist Skill is luck?

"Well, it would appear there are limits. Not every card drawn is an ace," he replied to the voice in his head, "Not to mention, you saw what it said in that book we found. Assuming it's the same thing, or similar? Wouldn't be out of the question for it to malfunction."

Yeah, but you ended up with him before the incident with Eva and V'ehxness a couple days ago. So... Point stands. Are you actually going to meet with him? Whatever he's plotting, it probably isn't good.

Eito sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. He'd only just gotten over a dizzy spell and some pain that'd been hitting him on and off since the battle. The new symptoms combined with those from his preexisting issues were throwing him for a loop.

"I'd... better do it," he says, somewhat defeated, "If I refuse... I dread to think of what his reaction might be. That ugly little miscreant might very well break into my room tonight and force me to play his game, if not worse. I've been fairly tolerant of his shenanigans; who's to say what might happen if I stop at least humoring him."

It was a partial truth. Genuinely, Takumi was an extremely capable leader when he was thinking straight. If Eito being subjected to his whims helped him keep a clear head when it came to everyone else, it was a cross he would gladly bear. But a part of him was also genuinely curious about what he had cooked up this time.

Suit yourself. Just... don't complain to me if this goes badly, or goes in a direction I don't particularly want to tune in to.

And with that, Eito made his way to Takumi's room. He knocked a few times, much less violently than the last time he was here. He was... Very glad he was in the leadership trifecta. Otherwise, he has no idea what such frequent house-calls to the Team Leader would look like to outside observers.

"Alright, Ugly Takumi," He says just loud enough to be heard on the other side, "What in the world do you have planned this time?"

[within-only-shadows]

Watching Eito ride out an orgasm sparked something in Takumi. Something animalistic. The noises, the movement.

Takumi wanted it all.

Reluctantly, Takumi took his fingers out of Eito's hole. He licked up all the fluids that covered his hand, then switched it with the hand that held the toy. Takumi shifted himself, crawling over Eito so he was positioned overtop of him. He leaned down and went straight for Eito's throat, licking and kissing and biting every part that he could get his mouth on. He needed to leave marks. Show the world that this was his to do with as he wished.

Mine mine mine mi ne m i n e

As his mouth worked, his free hand roamed freely across Eito's body, scratching and pinching wherever and whenever he wanted. Every little noise Eito would make enticed him to do more, feel more, give more more more-

Takumi's hips were desperate for attention, friction, anything. He reluctantly slid his free hand off of Eito and felt around the bed, desperate to find what he was looking for. It took longer than he would've wanted, but eventually he managed to get his hands on the box of condoms that was tossed onto the bed earlier.

"I- fuck, I can't wait any longer..." he groaned as he pulled himself up, setting the vibrator aside. He didn't even bother to turn the device off; he planned on using it soon. He then opened one of the packets and slid the condom on his throbbing dick, giving it a couple of pumps for good measure. He knew if he didn't stop himself now, he wouldn't be able to stop later. He wanted to go all the way, and this was his best chance to do so.

"Augh... with that aphrodisiac in you... you're probably way more... fuck- more pliant down there..." he said as he lined himself up, "You certainly seemed that way when I shoved my fingers inside you..."

He started off slow, watching Eito for any indication of pain that wasn't good. No, he didn't want Eito in bad pain. Only good pain. Wanted to feel good. This was for feeling good. He kept pushing pushing pushing until he was completely bottomed out, letting out a long moan as he did so. He lowered his top half over Eito, looming over the silver haired teen like a vulture about to dive down on his prey.

Takumi was going to eat Eito alive.

There is a note on Eito's bed. It's clearly written in Takumi's handwriting.

'Come to my room. I wanna play a game. The knives are put away, I promise!' - Takumi

[[ROUTE ???+1 | DAY 35 | EVENING | AN UNFAIR WAGER]]

Eito scowled as he looked over the note in his hand, and the (admittedly cute) little snake plush left behind where the enaga plush he usually slept with would typically be. It was notably absent. First order of business was a sweep of the room to assess if any of his other belongings had been stolen - Mikan and Ringo, and their enclosure, were thankfully untouched. And thankfully, nothing in his bathroom had been disturbed; he wouldn't put it past this Takumi to do something gross like lick his toothbrush or something. The only other thing that seemed to be missing was, predictably, his parka again, although after the incident two days ago he had the foresight to make a couple of spares.

You really managed to find the most deranged version of Sumino Takumi possible, huh? Are you sure your Specialist Skill is luck?

"Well, it would appear there are limits. Not every card drawn is an ace," he replied to the voice in his head, "Not to mention, you saw what it said in that book we found. Assuming it's the same thing, or similar? Wouldn't be out of the question for it to malfunction."

Yeah, but you ended up with him before the incident with Eva and V'ehxness a couple days ago. So... Point stands. Are you actually going to meet with him? Whatever he's plotting, it probably isn't good.

Eito sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. He'd only just gotten over a dizzy spell and some pain that'd been hitting him on and off since the battle. The new symptoms combined with those from his preexisting issues were throwing him for a loop.

"I'd... better do it," he says, somewhat defeated, "If I refuse... I dread to think of what his reaction might be. That ugly little miscreant might very well break into my room tonight and force me to play his game, if not worse. I've been fairly tolerant of his shenanigans; who's to say what might happen if I stop at least humoring him."

It was a partial truth. Genuinely, Takumi was an extremely capable leader when he was thinking straight. If Eito being subjected to his whims helped him keep a clear head when it came to everyone else, it was a cross he would gladly bear. But a part of him was also genuinely curious about what he had cooked up this time.

Suit yourself. Just... don't complain to me if this goes badly, or goes in a direction I don't particularly want to tune in to.

And with that, Eito made his way to Takumi's room. He knocked a few times, much less violently than the last time he was here. He was... Very glad he was in the leadership trifecta. Otherwise, he has no idea what such frequent house-calls to the Team Leader would look like to outside observers.

"Alright, Ugly Takumi," He says just loud enough to be heard on the other side, "What in the world do you have planned this time?"