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cafeinthemoon · 2 days

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Ruins - Part XXIII

Chapter 23/?

Wordcount 2,3k

Title Part XXIII

Fandom Shummatsu no Valkyrie / Record of Ragnarok

Previous chapters

1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 6 . 7 . 8 . 9 . 10 . 11 . 12 . 13 . 14 . 15 . 16 . 17 . 18 . 19 . 20 . 21 . 22 . Outtake

Symbols ⭕ . ➕ . 💛

Warnings: The continuation of their honeymoon ❤; non explicit sex; steamy in general

Tagging @holdyourwine @lilacshouko @shirayuki-ayumi @telvess @alecfromsaturn (If you want to be tagged in any of my stories, just leave a comment on this chapter or send an ask or a message)

N. A.: It's finally here 😭 The continuation of their deserved honeymoon! I've been struggling and procrastinating, trying to decide the amount of information I should include in this one, but I opted for little info and more ~action lol I wanted it to be one of those chapter where the characters are just relaxing and living their lives instead of being too worried about moving the story forward.

Hope you don't mind X)

As the kiss deepened, your mind wandered to all the things you’ve experienced with Hades, all building up and culminating in that one moment, when you were finally a couple. Fear, respect, protection, friendship, passion and love – everything he already represented to you, and everything you were willing to represent to him, was there, boiling and pulsating inside you, and pouring out through the gestures of your hands, your wet lips united and the heat of your skins, pressed together.

With his left arm wrapped tight around your waist, Hades brought you closer, his mouth wandering across your neck, your collar, your breasts, as you held on to him with eager hands: while your right one’s nails crawled on his back, your left was tangled in his hair. Suddenly, you felt his teeth brushing on your skin and started laughing; he laughed back in response, his breath muffled on your skin, tickling and provoking more laughter.

– You’re quite a teaser, my Lord – you murmured in his ear; then, moving away to look him in the eye – Is this the way you found to cease the tension of our first time?

Your husband brushed your hair behind your right ear, then held your chin with his fingertips, observing your face with a tender smile.

– Perhaps – he approached his mouth to yours, speaking over your lips – But it seems that it’s working, isn’t it?

Before you could think of a reply, he pulled you in a sensual embrace, lying on the mattress and making you lie upon him. You giggled, leaning your hands on his chest.

— You could say that.

The sight of his ecstatic face glued to you, surrounded by the strands of your untied hair, falling on each side, his eyes swallowing every inch of yours, the blush on his cheeks was just too much to you; the influence of Aphrodite’s potion, increased by your disposition, and you took the initiative by approaching yourself to him: holding his chin, you made him open his lips with your thumb, covering his mouth with yours, your tongue searching for his; on his part, things were just as heated: his hands, grabbing on your waist like claws, held on to you with strength, helping you to keep your balance, guiding you in languid, delicious movements.

The only thing you could think of was how much you loved Hades: you loved everything your senses could catch from him, from the softness of his skin under your touch, the thin layer of hot sweat forming on it, to the glow of desire in his eyes, his noisy breath, the firmness of his hands; you loved him to the point you didn’t want anything else: to give yourself to him, to live for him, to become everything he needed; you loved him, and wanted to melt into him, to embrace him, to devour him. And certainly, he felt the same, for soon he took over the situation, adjusting his grip on your waist and making you lie on the bed, putting himself over you and suffocating you in an even hotter kiss. You smiled over his lips when he moved them away for a second, and wrapped your legs around him, tightening his body against yours.

You felt that was the right instant. You couldn’t wait anymore.

– Take me – your voice came out as a sigh on his ear – Make me yours...

And he answered your plead, and took you at that moment. And it was when you understood you were born for this, for him, that you’ve never been complete by yourself, neither as a mere human. The pleasure of your flesh was equal to the ones of the heart and the spirit, the ecstatic feeling of fulfilling your purpose eating each cell of your body.

Somehow you sensed the smell of Aphrodite’s potion increasing as the act carried on, as if it had its effect potentiated by your natural feelings, and these latter empowered the potion in return as two complementary forces. Noticing this pattern, then, you started imagining what would happen if you introduced variations in your activity, so you tried to touch him in different manners; to your surprise, changes in the intensity of the fragrance were felt, as well as curious reactions from your partner: there was a moment, for example, when you caressed his ears the same way you did in the Secret Garden, several days ago, and his response came in a growl, then a muffled laugh in your neck, which provoked laughter in yourself. It was like among the potion’s many properties there was one that allowed you to identify and recognize preferences of your lover.

– You noticed that too, uh? – you heard him whisper – Clever girl.

You understood what he was talking about. He then pulled you tighter to himself, and you responded with a loud moan, and the smell increased again; your hands reached to his back, pressing on his skin as if he could disappear at any moment. You found yourself praying that it didn’t happen.

Please, stay forever. Please, never leave me.

You didn’t understand exactly why you thought of those exact words, but something inside you awakened, and you were convinced that, more than the ceremony led by Zeus-sama, this moment was your real marriage, when you gave everything you had to the man you loved: your body, your thought and feelings – your soul – and received the same from him in return. An understanding of the divine unison came to you with this: unlike the human one, which could be broken with the mere disappearance of feelings, a marriage between two gods would take much more to come to an end. But you knew you’d never want such thing, not with all the things you’ve experienced together until that point. Not only this, but somehow you knew – whether through the contact with his body or through a special exchange of thoughts – that Hades was feeling exactly the same.

And the conscience of this impregnated your physical body, and brought your senses to a state of climax. You felt part of your consciousness abandoning you, then found yourself holding on to him as you’ve never done before, mumbling incoherent words of love and attachment; you also noticed the same behavior from his part and, though you weren’t experienced in these types of things, you supposed he had his apex not so long after yourself. Suddenly, you felt something close to exhaustion, as if you just shared part of your vital energy with him, but it wasn’t like you were losing your strength: you were just becoming something more than yourself by joining him. You wanted to talk to your husband about this, but when you tried to move your lips, but you were too tired for this.

You’ve spent a moment together even when it was over, then Hades lied by your side and pulled you to him. You stood in silence, nestled in is arms, and never knew exactly when your mind slipped into the world of dreams.

There, you saw yourself in a familiar place.

It was a desolated landscape, surrounded by the ruins of what reminded you of a beautiful construction, raised in a remote past. Under your feet, the darkness of a sterile, brown earth, and above your head heavy clouds pushed away by cold winds, blowing through the red skies; through your skin were sent successive shivers, and you crossed your arms around your body to protect it. Yes, you’ve been there countless times, but it wasn’t but a dead world, unable to welcome lively you; the ruins were still the same, silently resting and not waiting for your touch – they didn’t belong to you, after all.

An ancient world with which you’ve never been able to find a connection...

Until you decided to turn and look. And then you found something you’ve never noticed in your other times there: the reminiscence of a high dome, indicating the spot where the construction’s entry once was. You took hesitant steps toward the arc and looked into it.

It was when you had the greatest surprise: looking back at you with a loving smile, there you saw Hades. You covered your mouth with both hands, not believing your eyes at first, but then all the hesitation disappeared and you ran to him, jumping into his arms. It felt like when you saw him for the first time, at Valhalla’s Library; it seemed to have happened a long time ago. The biggest difference, however, was the absence of fear in your heart, since you didn’t think twice before reaching to him. When he took you in his arms, you were invaded by what you could only described as true peace.

Little by little, you felt like you were falling asleep in your lover’s embrace in that dark world, only to slowly wake up in your honeymoon chambers, lying on your bed beside your husband. You looked up to him and noticed he was waking up at that very moment.

That time, you were able to speak.

– I had that dream again – you whispered – The dream about the ruins… It hasn’t happened since I’ve arrived at Valhalla...

– Interesting… – he caressed your hair in response – The same just happened to me…

Your heart skipped a beat when he revealed that: you didn’t understand how, but you already knew that.

He adjusted you in his arms to continue the conversation.

– Tell me… did something different happen this time?

Your eyes widened a bit and you stared at him.

– Yes! – you took a moment to recall the scenario – I’m sure I was back among the same ruins as before, but this time I saw some kind of dome near them… I approached and looked inside it… – you smiled – Then I saw you…

He smiled back.

– And then you ran to me.

– Yes, I did it – you completed his thought – I really did!

– It was the first time you saw me there – he said these words with a sort of relief, as if something that he has been waiting for too long finally came true.

– You’re right – you smiled – And because of this, it was the first time this dream brought me good feelings. Before this, I used to feel anxious about it.

He bent down to kiss your head, and you smiled.

– Tell me – you restarted – What do you think of this? Is this a sign that our purpose is close to be reached?

– I have no doubts about it – he replied – Now that we are together, things will certainly become clearer in the next days. We will have no problems figuring out what to do.

– I agree – you said – You know, I’ve never felt this peace before… It’s like I’m finally where I’m supposed to be...

Your husband’s response was to pull you tighter in his arms, as if he understood that you were talking about them. You closed your eyes, listening to his breath, your nostrils inhaling the smell of his body. After some time, you sensed something warm growing slowly in your lower belly, spreading to your inner thighs and the rest of your body, and though you had little experience in those things, you soon recognized the feeling, deepening as you turned your attentions the closeness of your bodies, your skins rubbing each other as you moved: you were desiring him again.

Without a word, you turned on your stomach, putting yourself over him, each of your legs on his sides.

– Please… – you whispered on his lips – Touch me again…

His response was quick: his hands grabbed your hips and brought you underneath him, rubbing his lips through your skin.

– Of course, little one – he murmured in your ear – Everywhere you want.

That time, you grabbed his hands, using them to explore your body. This audacious gesture took a smirk from your lover, who entered the game and let you do what you wanted for a while, until he decided you were having too much fun by yourself and took over the situation, grabbing you and taking you with even more intensity than the first time.

You ended up half awake on the mattress, more tired than before, while Hades lied his head on your chest. You kissed him and spent a moment caressing his hair. You weren’t sure how long you’ve stood there, but you fell asleep in the meantime, only waking up to the sound of the sheets moving, followed by soft steps on the floor and a door opening; a distant murmur of running water reached your ears, and you opened your eyes to find the bathroom’s door half opened, a yellow light leaking from it.

Despite being sleepy, you made an effort to leave the bed and walk toward the door, doing it slowly: as soon as you stood up, you felt an ache on your limbs and between your thighs, which seemed to increase when you moved too fast.

Did I exaggerate? Could it be that I’m still in process of transformation and not in my full strength?

You left those doubts aside when you opened the door and found your husband relaxing on the bathtub, the water at his chest’s height, the steam surrounding him. He immediately turned to the door’s direction when you stepped into the place, and a soft smile formed on his lips. You saw him stretching his right hand toward you in an inviting gesture; you accepted it and walked to the bathtub. You were wearing no clothes, only having your long hair to cover you, but no shame stopped you to move it away from your shoulders to enter the water. You lied on Hades’ lap, resting your head on his shoulder, the warmth of the water soothing your discomfort and leading you back to the calm state of unconsciousness.

#snv x reader #ror x reader #snv hades x reader #ror hades x reader #shuumatsu no valkyrie hades #record of ragnarok hades #shuumatsu no valkyrie x reader #record of ragnarok x reader

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cafeinthemoon · 4 days

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I feel called out too lol

feeling called out today

credit: _ADWills

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cafeinthemoon · 4 days

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Brothers - Chapter I

Chapter 1/2

Wordcount +1k

Title Let's Go Home

Fandom Jujutsu Kaisen

Symbols ⭕ . ➕ . 💛

Warnings: suggestion of flesh and blood spreading; violent death caused by a curse

Tagging ? (If you want to be tagged in any of my stories, just leave a comment on this chapter or send an ask or a message)

N. A.: So after this poll, I finally started writing this little story, which concept has been around my head for a while 😭 I know I suggested an one shot, but dividing it in two chapters felt right, so here we are. In this one we will have Choso being what he was made to be: the beat big brother you could ask for ❤ Forgive me bc he'll only show up in chapter 2, but his appearance will be worthy I swear 👀

Hope you enjoy!!

Brothers

Chapter I

Let’s Go Home

You didn’t remember when the first lamps started to oscillate, but your elder brother was the first to make a comment about it. You looked around, sensing the tensions building up as more people gathered at that floor: no one was certain of the reason why staying inside the station was safer than wandering on the upper space, but the idea was silently established in everyone’s minds, and no foot dared approach the staircase to act in opposition to that.

You held your brother’s arm.

– It’s getting weird around here.

He turned to you with an assuring look.

– Yeah, I feel that too – then, pointing at the line on the metal floor, behind which people were waiting for the next train, – Somehow I think that, whatever happens here, it’ll be hard to escape with this amount of people smothering us. Let’s go to the next station.

You didn’t like the idea of leaving, but you hadn’t a better solution, so you just followed him. The train didn’t take long to arrive, and you had no difficulties entering it: most people decided to stay, and only the bravest chose to leave. You brother held your hand as you entered the wagon, and you started walking without a look to the station behind. The door, once split in two, joined its separated sheets with a metallic whisper, and the train moved.

It left fast, and you, standing in the middle of the wagon, approached your brother in discomfort: part of the tension building up at the previous station was brought to the wagon with you and the other few who entered it. Your brother, not immune to that wave of sensations, was wary, but he was better than you in keeping his composure. You looked up to him, as if seeking for answers, and he kissed the top of your head in response.

– Let’s go home – you asked in a murmur – Please.

He gave you a soft smile before speaking, the way he used to do whenever he was willing to concede his little sister a favor.

– If this is what you want, then, yes, let’s go home.

Let’ go home. Those words lingered in your ears, supplanting the heavy sounds of the train over the tracks.

***

Let’ go home.

That’s what he said to you.

Let’ go home.

That was his promise. And he always fulfilled his promises.

So… how did you end up this way?

Your feet almost failed as you ran all over the new station’s metallic floor, your ears about to explode with the thunderous steps of the monster at your back.

It was a terrifying vision: a gigantic creature, with a slick-covered skin and a gaping mouth with three lines of sharp teeth, slipping through the area so fast that it seemed to be flying, came out of somewhere once you and the few people around you left the wagon, sending everyone to all directions, screams of confusion and desperation filling the air; you were clever enough to make sure to stay with your brother, but you couldn’t do much more than running. Crushing wet noises were heard behind you and, whatever the things the creature did to the other people, you knew that, at the slightest delay, you or your brother would be the next ones.

It was a nightmare. There was no time to observe, to think, to question what was going on, only to run until you no longer felt your legs.

What is this? A demon? An alien attack? What is going on?!

With your lugs burning, you dared glance behind from time to time to catch a glimpse of your persecutor, and every time you did, it was still there, destroying and devouring everything on its way. What was that thing? Where did it come from? Why was it there? Who could tell?

But above all those questions, there was a most disturbing one.

Why not everyone saw it when it appeared?

Because yes, though some people spotted it and immediately panicked, others stood there in confusion, thinking it was a case of mass hysteria. Whatever the reason, you were sure of one thing: your decision to take the lead and drag your brother away from that place instead of waiting for his reaction was wise, for while the monster was clearly visible to you, he was unable to see it.

You found yourself running down an escalator that stopped working for no reason, and your brother was right after you. He stumbled and fell forward, colliding with you and making you both fall until you reached the next floor. You didn’t know how, but you managed to get up and help him to leave the floor and continue to run, just one second before the creature jumped on the spot you were.

That time, some words were exchanged between you.

– What the hell is that?! – you heard your brother scream – People suddenly went crazy!

– They’re not crazy – you screamed back – Neither am I! There’s something behind us!

– Something? What do you mean?!

– A monster!

The word monster was still in your mouth when a new staircase appeared before you. You jumped into it without waiting for your brother’s reply, counting on the probability that he believed your word and continued to follow you…

What you weren’t counting on was that the thing that chased you learned fast from its prey’s behavior, so that instead of just running, it jumped through the air, passing above your heads and landing in front of you, making you stop just in time. Problem was that your brother, who couldn’t see it, was a bit far from you, still in the first stairs; when you looked behind and noticed this detail, it was already too late: before you could do or say anything, the creature jumped back to its previous spot, reaching your brother and grabbing him between its monstrous claws. Its mouth opened again and a hiss was heard. Your brother, lifted from the floor by something he couldn’t figure out, screamed in horror.

The mouth closed again. There was something like an explosion of flesh, spreading blood everywhere, and your brother was silenced.

Now, it was your time to scream.

#jjk ff #jjk x reader #choso #choso x reader #found family #jjk choso

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cafeinthemoon · 11 days

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Next chapter of Ruins is slowly turning into a sweet dream as I work on it 😭🥺 At first I was insecure about the continuation of their ~true~ honeymoon but now I think it's quite good. More than thar, a progress in the case of the ruins is finally coming, so the title of story will make sense at last 👀

#talking at the café #snv x reader #ror x reader #shuumatsu no valkyrie hades #snv hades x reader #ror hades x reader #record of ragnarok hades

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cafeinthemoon · 26 days

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Love is really dope when you find your person.

#young Hades I'd say

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cafeinthemoon · 27 days

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This poll is like a complement/continuation of this one (which I should've adjusted for one week instead of one day, but I totally forgot this setting). The results of the previous poll gave me some ideas to categorize my works from now on, and there are some changes on my pinned post regarding what's suitable for minors or not in my blog, but I still want to know how you feel about my writing. I want this to be a safe space for you just as it is a comfortable one for me, so I want to do what's best to reach this goal 🥰

#talking at the café #snv x reader #ror x reader #shuumatsu no valkyrie x reader #jjk x reader #jujutsu kaisen x reader #bsd x reader #bungou stray dogs x reader #fic poll #writing poll #anime and manga #manga poll #anime poll

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cafeinthemoon · 1 month

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Nezuko Kamado ☆ Kimetsu No Yaiba

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cafeinthemoon · 1 month

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It's been a while since I last updated this ff and as time passed my feelings towards it changed a bit. But I'd like to know what you think about it. Should I continue it now or should I leave it aside and focus on other stuff? Let me know!

#snv x reader #ror x reader #shuumatsu no valkyrie x reader #record of ragnarok fanfic #record of ragnarok x reader #record of ragnarok poseidon #shuumatsu no valkyrie poseidon #snv poseidon #ror poseidon #snv poseidon x reader #ror poseidon x reader

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cafeinthemoon · 1 month

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So I had this little idea after finally watching season 2 of JJK and spending the next days thinking about the encounter between Choso and Yuji: reader is trapped with her elder brother in the station and get separated from the other people; they end up persecuted by a curse and her brother is killed by it, and that's when she meets Choso 🥺

Tell me what do you think 🥰

#jjk x reader #jjk fanfic #jjk ff #jjk fluff #jjk choso #jjk choso x reader #choso x reader #choso kamo #jujutsu kaisen fanfic #jujutsu kaisen choso #jujutsu kaisen x reader

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cafeinthemoon · 1 month

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FERAL SMILES KILL ME

Honorable mention to Grimmjow from Bleach

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cafeinthemoon · 1 month

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Malevolent Shrine differs from other types of domain expansion in that it doesn't create a separate space using a barrier. The ability to realize one's innate domain without using a barrier is akin to an artist painting a masterpiece not on a canvas, but on air. A truly divine technique. Furthermore, by allowing an escape route, a binding vow is formed, which vastly increases the guaranteed hit's effective area with a maximum radius of nearly 200 meters. Taking Fushiguro Megumi into account, Sukuna narrowed the effect's range to a 140-meter radius above the surface.

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cafeinthemoon · 1 month

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I've been thinking too much about this scene 🖤

Choso ✧ Jujutsu Kaisen S2 ep. 12

#choso 🥰#jjk

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cafeinthemoon · 1 month

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Chapter 3 updated! 💜💜 I feel my JJK phase slowly coming back now that I (finally) watched Season 2, so I felt like working on this story again. Hope you enjoy :)

Portrait of a Monk - Chapter III (UPDATED)

Chapter 3/?

Wordcount 2,2k

Title You Will Always Find Me

Fandom Jujutsu Kaisen

Previous chapters

1 . 2

Symbols ⭕ . ➕ . 🖤

Warning (s) none

Tagging @darling-imobsessed Since you asked me to tag you in all my works, here you go ^^ (if you want to be tagged in any of my stories, just send an ask or a message 😉)

N. A. Can I just use this gif without having watched the movie yet

For months I've thought I only had a small draft for this chapter, but last week when I opened it I realized I had material for almost an entire chapter lmao I just revised what I had and wrote the second part (the flashback/dream). For the ones who remember the portrait scene of the previous chapter, this one might be confusing and not following a clear timeline, so to clarify things: the rescue scene in this chapter happened first, then the scene with the portrait. There's a reason why reader seems unable to differ memories from dreams and for the fact that these scenes at the temple appear in an unconscious way, and this will be explained soon. What I can say without giving spoilers is that it has to do with a Jujutsu technique utilized by herself at the moment she left the temple and Geto's interference with it whenever he interacts with her.

Anyways I hope you enjoy this chapter and forgive me for almost "forgetting" about this story >.<

If it was a dream or a memory, you couldn’t tell, and you didn’t think it’d make a difference if you knew. What you saw in it would still be there, and you couldn’t change how it made you feel; like a cycle, it left you no chance to get rid of it.

There, you were a like a foreigner. Away from your home, though you didn’t know if you had one, alone in the stormy night, with no guide for your mind and no protection your body besides a dress that might have been white a long time ago. Your ears were whipped by the thunder and your bare feet were running, stumbling, desperate to find shelter. You looked around, seeking a direction in the dark, your soaked hair falling over your face, your eyes blinded by water and tears, but the shadows of the grove were all you had before you – the tall, menacing silhouettes of the trees and the deformed figures that lived there, sneaking and growling among them.

You just couldn’t remember how they were used to be called. You only remembered they weren’t human, and that not everybody were able to see or sense them, and even among the ones who could see them, only a few had the ways to deal with them. You weren’t sure if you were on of those few, but your instincts told you to stay away, though it was difficult sometimes: some of those creatures could fly even under the storm, and others would jump from tree to tree with agile paws while you had only your tiny feet with thin skin to count on. Yet you continued your journey, the said feet drowning in the mud until you made a final, greatest effort and left the grove’s area.

You had no time to sigh in relief: you were still exposed to the storm, and the open air didn’t stop the beings. It was a shame the you couldn’t remember anything useful to defend yourself: did you make the same mistake again, that is, erasing your knowledge about them instead of just the terrible things you might’ve experienced with them? How could you be so stupid? Didn’t you know they wouldn’t stop chasing you just because you took them out of your mind? Well, now was too late for regrets: you had to find a way to survive.

There was a moment when you glanced what could be a wooden stair before you; you forced your feet toward it, but couldn’t climb it: you fell upon the lowest step, the wet, harsh material scratching your skin, your legs numb from the long walking.

The hissing and screaming voices behind you became louder and louder, but there was nothing you could do now. You were going to wait there for the next day, even when there was a chance of you never seeing it coming…

But an unexpected vision scared and surprised you.

By your side, upon the step you were lying, a pair of sandals stopped, the storm not bothering their owner given the calmness of the gesture. You wanted to raise your head and look at the person’s face, but you were too weak even for this. And even if you weren’t, you wouldn’t have had the time, for the stranger’s gestures were too quick to register: in a second, they leaned over you and took you in their arms, hidden under long layers of clothing; a sudden silence came from the creatures of the grove, as if they never existed; no sight of the previous events were noticed, the only thing you were able to capture being what appeared between one flash of light and another. It was during one of them that you saw that the trees around you were not from a grove, but from a garden, and in the next one you saw you understood that the stairs were part of a temple’s entry.

A thunder exploded in your ears and you turn to the stranger’s chest, closing your eyes with all the strength left in you.

A voice was heard above all the noise, speaking close to you in assuring whispers, the words entering your ears and your heart with the warmth of a fireplace or the advice of a loved one.

– Fear not, my dear. We are almost there.

You gave up on consciousness having those words disputing your ears with the thunder.

***

Y ou found yourself dry and clean, large sheets covering your body inside what seemed to be a wide, warm room, dark except for a yellow ish light somewhere beside you. Thanks to it, you were able to find the direction of the shoji door. Through its translucent matter, you could see two silhouettes behind it, two individuals turned to each other, with the lamp between them, speaking low as if exchanging secrets.

You were tired and your sight wasn’t clear, but with enough concentration you could distinguish something of what was being said.

One of the voices belonged to the person who brought you there. It was the voice of a young man.

– Tell all the inhabitants that they do not need to worry about it as long as I am here – he was saying – In the right time, I will take care of this myself.

The second voice was a mature, harsh one, coming from the throat of an older man. There was a note of anxiety in it.

– We have experienced people here, ready for tasks like this and willing to serve. There is no need to spend your valuable time with this child. You know well, my Lord, it’s not the first time she attempts to escape, and it won’t certainly be the last. And we don’t even know how much harm she might have caused to her own body now – the old man sighed in disapproval – If she has no scruples in using her innate technique against herself, what else she could do…?

You felt a cold, painful twinge on your chest. You knew he was talking about you.

With a politeness that you didn’t remember seeing in anyone before, the young man dismissed the other’s preoccupations and explained the reasons for his involvement.

– I am aware of all of this, but it doesn’t represent a problem. This one… she’s precious to me. A jewel lost among monkeys. Even worse than that, among sinners, traitors who agreed in cohabiting with monkeys – the young man’s voice trembled at the pronounce of the word monkeys; he lowered his tone a bit, as if lamenting something from his past – Only I know how I’ve got to get my hands dirty to bring her here.

There was a moment of silence, during which you could hear their breaths. The young man was the first to speak after this.

– For now, there are things that need my attention, but I won’t be away for too long. Keep her here in the Secondary House. Choose skilled women to take care of her basic needs. Instruct them to not let her out, neither speak about the events of tonight with her. Both her mind and her body need complete rest.

When the old man replied, his voice was much calmer.

– Shall I do this right now, my Lord?

The young man confirmed.

– Yes. After this, go back to your usual tasks. Spare yourself from this burden.

Burden? So, apparently, you were trying to leave this place, but were brought back to be a burden? You bit your lip, but didn’t feel as ashamed as you expected. Something in the way he spoke didn’t let you think of his choice of words as an offense.

You kept listening and for the first time one of them, the young one, had an identity attributed to him.

– Very well – the old man’s shadow seemed to bent down before the other – Things will happen as you wish, Geto-sama.

There was no verbal response from the young man, Geto, and the old one might have understood that he had permission to go, for his shadow straightened up after the reverence and walked away, disappearing from light’s reach.

Apart from the distant sounds of the rain, the place was silent. You held your breath and continued to observe, at the same time eager and scared to see what's next.

The young man stood in his place, quiet, maybe lost in his own thoughts. But this deliberation didn’t last too long: soon, he turned to your door and raised a hand toward it, pulling it to the side. The fire inside the lamp trembled with the sudden change in the room’s inertia, and you didn’t have time to do anything but to close your eyes and pretend you were sleeping. That’s why you never came to see his face.

Geto closed the door behind him, the subtle whistling of the wooden structure spreading around, then being replaced by quietness. You’ve heard his soft steps approaching your spot, followed by the rustle of his clothing when he knelt beside your futon. You didn’t see the movement, but sensed the exact moment when he stretched his right hand at you; you held your breath when his palm touched your forehead, but his skin was so warm that you stood still, and even ceased your trembling. In your current situation, you had no ways to analyze job hierarchy, but the delicacy of his touch suggested the absence of physical, prolonged work. That man might never have been a servant in his life.

You heard his voice and noticed he was talking to you. If you were awake or not, it didn’t matter to him.

– It seems that your fever is leaving, my dear – he commented in a cheerful tone – You might be better by the morning.

You caught a fever? Well, you felt your body sweating.

He moved his hand away and continued his talking.

– I am praying for your recovery, both because of yourself and because I am eager for you to come back to your place among my family. You see, all the people here, from the newborn to the eldest one, all of them are my children. As a family, they live and work for me, and I live and work for them. Everyone has their place here.

Silence. He approached his hand again, this time to caress your cheek. His sleeve rubbed your neck and you sensed a smell of incense on the fabric.

– I am so sad for what happened today. I just thought you finally found contentment in being part of our family, but you showed me I was deceived. I really wanted to know what I have to do in order to give you a happy life – a sweetness was added to the melancholy in his voice – I love you so much, dear... I only wish you knew that. But, for now, it doesn’t matter. Just rest, and take all the anxieties from your heart. And, about your place in my family, know this: nothing changed; it is still there, waiting for your return.

You had the sensation of fingers tangling in your hair, then a thumb moving it away from your forehead. Your heart jumped inside your chest, but you tried not to move as you felt his approaching. The warmth of his presence and the scent of incense increased as you felt him give a kiss on your forehead, a chaste gesture, full of care and devotion.

You sensed his voice close to you ear, as if he wanted to share a secret.

– I have to go now, my dear, but not without giving you my blessing – and, at the sound of your name coming out of his mouth, you shivered – Y/n, wherever you are, and wherever you go, you will never leave. Whatever the place you find yourself in, you will only have one home. I will never lose you, and you will always find me.

***

Back to the present time

Though your body have left the coffee shop hours ago, your mind was not going to forget the events at it so soon. It was almost certain that you would spend one more night rolling from one side to the other on your bed, recollecting everything until you passed out of exhaustion. But even that, you thought, would be better than dreaming.

What if I start having nightmares about him or that creature?

Even in your denial, you knew it was a possibility; after all, the man might become a costumer, insisting on being served by you, engaging in unwanted small talking – thanks to this, you knew more about him than you wished now, and he knew about you more than you considered safe to reveal, by the way. Well, he didn’t tell you much besides his name, but hearing it was like discovering everything you needed to know about him.

Geto Suguru…

You were so sure you’ve never heard that name before, yet you couldn’t ignore this sensation in your chest telling you otherwise. As if you did hear it. Several times. And as if in many of them the name was spoken by you.

And, for some strange reason, you were just unable to remember.

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