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nichirinpen · 2 months
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The AO3 author curse is no joke. I fell down the stairs and I am unsure if my foot is broken or just bruised lmao.
Gives me more time to write though well I rest so that's a positive 🤣😭
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nichirinpen · 2 months
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No upload tonight cause my job fucked me over and cut into my writing time.
Good news however is this Gojo fic was planned as 10k and is looking more like it'll end up over 20k by the time I'm done.
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nichirinpen · 2 months
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Tumblr is doing some stupid AI shit so go to blog settings > Visibility > Prevent third-party sharing.
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nichirinpen · 2 months
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Gojo ABC sneak peek :D
Here's the list I'm using. Most likely will be another over 10k fic (hoping to have it done and edited by this Sunday)
Annoyance
Bathroom
Cake
DDR
Exhaustion
Fighting
Grin
Hungry
Idiot
Jab
Knife
Lie
Moan
Nasty
Orgasm
Pain
Queasy
Relax
Sealed
Tummy
Umbra
Void
Weightless
Xeric
Yelling
Zealot
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nichirinpen · 2 months
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Working on the gojo A through Z
I wanna keep this writing train going. Who should I write for after?
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nichirinpen · 2 months
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Am reblog
A Through Z With Nanami Kento
Nanami Kento x Reader
Can also be read here on AO3
Word Count: 14,402
Synopsis- Snippets of your life with Nanami Kento structured through words listed A-Z. Memories in pieces, a mix of Fluff, Smut and a little Angst.
Content Tags: AFAB reader descriptions, Smut, penis in vagina sex, vaginal penetration, Shibuya incident mentioned, cunnilingus
Aftercare
You had one too many to drink at the company party. The drinks had been free and you were sad so of course you overindulged. It had been a send off for your colleague, he was quitting to pursue a different career path. The man was your favorite colleague, even if he didn’t know it.
Nanami Kento, a man who you secretly crushed on in the time he worked for the corporation. 4 years was too short and you had wasted a majority of them just silently gawking at the man.
He was tall, blonde and quiet, everything you could want in a man. Of course he had no idea you existed. At least that's what you thought.
Until you were drunk, on his bed and begging him to go faster. Nanami Kento had surprised you in taking you back home. He had surprised you with a quiet drunken confession. And now he was surprising you with aftercare.
It wasn’t like the two of you had done anything more than intense vanilla sex. The pair of you were too drunk for anything past the breathless fumbling then fucking that had occurred. But the man had stamina, much more than you in your drunk state. Your core ached and you swear you could feel it all the way in your ribcage. Kento hadn’t held back when you had asked for him to go faster, the man happily obliging your cries for more.
“This might be cold.” 
You shivered as he swiped the washcloth between your thighs, cleaning the mess he had left behind. Kento’s face was tinged red and you couldn’t decide if it was from the alcohol or if he was embarrassed. He was methodical, almost clinical as he cleaned you. 
“Thank you.” The words were whispered, greeted by him nodding as he tossed the used cloth into a nearby hamper. 
“Bathroom?” He stood, unbothered by his nakedness, one hand extended. Kento was built, the dull suits he wore hiding a god-like physique beneath. You paused, then nodded, taking it and allowing him to pull you to your feet. Your legs were like jello, trembling the moment you put your weight on them. Kento was quick to hook his arm about your waist, practically carrying you to the bathroom. After setting you on the toilet, he was quick to exit, allowing you privacy. It was surprising. A level of care you hadn’t really experienced before.
As you exited the bathroom he was quick to help you back to the bed. Your legs weren’t total jelly, but you still appreciated the gentle hand on your elbow. Flopping back on the bed, you let out a sigh. Despite still being drunk you knew the next step was the ‘walk of shame’ back to the train station. If they were even still running. 
You looked up as Kento sat next to you on the bed, the man passing you your phone. It was as if he were psychic. It was late and at this rate, there was no way for you to make it to the train without running. 
You jumped as his hands made their way back onto your skin. Kento’s large hands were warm and you made a noise of surprise as he began gently kneading at your right hip.
“I heard it pop.” He murmured gently, strands of blonde hair hiding his eyes. You flushed, letting out an embarrassed laugh. He had been drilling into you so relentlessly that you didn’t think he had heard. 
“Thank you.” Your tone was soft as you allowed yourself to settle back on the bed. In truth both sides of your hips ached. Working in the office left little time for working out and sitting at a desk all day meant tight hips. Kento had stretched you in more ways than one. You had known he was tall, but you had no idea how built he was until you were under him.
“I have tea if you’d like it before sleeping. Might help prevent a hangover.” He looked up from where he sat, one warm hand pressed flat against the soft skin of your stomach. You raised an eyebrow in surprise, still feeling a bit hazy from the alcohol churning in your system.
“You want me to stay?”
Kento shifted slightly, one hand adjusting his glasses as he stared at you. He seemed uncertain, the emotion looking completely foreign on his face.
“I was rough and it’s late.” He paused, swiping a stand of hair from his face. “But I can call you a cab if you’d like.”
You shook your head, quietly murmuring you’d love to stay. It felt strange. You had lusted silently for the man for ages and now he was asking you to stay the night. It felt domestic in a way.
Kento brought you tea, and a freshly baked muffin. He insisted you eat it, noting that you had had more alcohol than food at the party. Sheepishly you accepted, moaning as blueberry and vanilla met your tongue. As you lay in bed he murmured about the bakery he frequented, how it was small but always had fresh items. You ate as carefully as you could, not wanting to spill crumbs everywhere. Despite him insisting you didn’t need to move, you had noted how clean his home was and didn’t want to make a mess.
Despite his normally stand-offish and quiet appearance, Kento was sweet. A lot sweeter than any lover you had before him. After tea and a snack, he crawled into bed with you, murmuring it was lucky neither of you had work the next day. You fell asleep in his arms, feeling warmer and safer than you had in ages.
Biting
You hadn’t ever thought of yourself as someone who liked biting. It had never come up with previous partners and Kento tended to not initiate new things in the bedroom without first sitting down and talking with you about it. Not that your sex life was planned out, far from it, but the man wanted you to feel safe. An appreciated gesture given you had been surprised in other relationships before, unpleasantly so. 
Kento also made sure the conversations were lax. There was never any pressure for you to say yes. Nor did you ever feel like you couldn't bring up your own suggestions. He was always open to your ideas. It was just two adults conversing about their wants or needs.
So when he suddenly latched onto the back of your neck, teeth dully pressing into your flesh, you were surprised to say the least. He had you on your hands and knees, one hand gripping your hip with bruising force as he thrust into you. You nearly stopped the movement of your hips, the surprise hit you with such force. In part because he hadn’t ever mentioned it before and because it made you cum without warning.
You gasped as your orgasm hit you, arching against the man as he continued thrusting into your wet heat. His grip on your waist and neck kept you in place as you shuddered through the orgasm. Hips stuttering erratically, your walls fluttered about him, overstimulated as he fucked you through your orgasm. Your back was molded firmly to his chest, unable to move as his cock dragged back then slammed back to the hilt. Kento groaned against your skin, hips stuttering against yours as he quickly followed you, flooding you with his seed.
“Sorry.” He gasped, finally releasing your neck. You fell forward, gratefully curling against the pillows, ass still in the air. His cum dripped down your thighs and you shivered as the cool air of the room hit your still sensitive core.
“Sorry.” Kento sounded stressed, the man quickly cleaning your before gently helping you to your side. His brow was furrowed, fingers gently probing the red mark he had left. He looked distressed, eyes worriedly searching your face for any signs of discomfort. You offered him a sleepy smile, waving off his next attempt at an apology. 
“That was nice.” 
He seemed surprised at your response, hand frozen halfway to his face, his glasses dangling from his fingers. One eyebrow raised he sat still as you sat back up, stretching languidly. You moved closer, grabbing his glasses and setting them on the bedside table.
“You have time for another round right?”
The man blinked at you, then nodded, offering you a small smile before crawling back into bed with you.
Coffee
Nanami Kento was a man of habit. He woke up at the same time each morning, ate the same breakfast and had the same cup of coffee before leaving. Even on the weekends he followed the same schedule. You knew he did it for a sense of normalcy. All Kento had told you about his new job was that it was a teaching position and apparently his star pupil was also a bit of a delinquent. So the schedule was important and followed religiously.
Except when he slept at your apartment. You barely had a schedule. It was normal for you to snooze your alarm more than once. You often skipped breakfast and coffee was something you got on the way to work. The weekends were even more spontaneous. You woke up when you woke up. No alarm was set and you would often roll out of bed in the early afternoon. It was a schedule of sorts, but one you knew had your boyfriend on edge.
So you woke up as early as you could stand one Saturday morning. He had an odd weekend assignment and had fully intended on returning home after diner. But one thing led to another and the pair of you ended up tangled in the sheets, exhausted and satisfied. 
Thankfully, even sleepy and mind hazy from sex, you had had the wherewithal to set an alarm. 
It chirped, annoyingly happy as you slid from the warm tangle of sheets and Kento’s arm. He barely moved, the man apparently exhausted enough to keep sleeping. 
6:40 am. A cursed time you thought tiredly as you shuffled to the kitchen. The sun was just starting to kiss the sky, orange spreading slowly across the remnants of night’s purple. You flicked on the kitchen light, knowing that even though it spread down the hall, it wouldn’t be enough to wake the man. Coffee was easy enough to make silently, the small pot never making much more than a little bubbling noise. Eggs were a different story. You winced as the metal pan let out a small scraping noise as you removed it from its spot in the cabinet.
“You’re lucky I love you.” The words were whispered as you tiptoed about the kitchen. You hadn’t told him of course. Love was a word you were almost afraid to bring up. It had only been a week since the two of you officially started dating, despite months of passionate sex. In truth you might’ve been happy with just being his fuck buddy. When you originally had brought up dating he had balked at it, unnaturally brushing off the topic. But with time he eventually was the one to bring it up, quietly admitting his job made relationships difficult but that with you, he wanted to at least try.
So you were dating but you were still nervous about admitting to him that you loved him. So instead you were content with small acts of love.
The smell of coffee filled the kitchen and you smiled as you heard Kento’s alarm go off. The man was quick to rise, dressing before he entered the kitchen.
“What's all this?” He genuinely looked surprised, hands pausing before finishing the knot on his tie. It was the same suit as he had on yesterday and you made a mental note to ask if he wanted to keep an extra one at your place. You were certain his students couldn’t care less, but you knew your boyfriend did.
“Breakfast.” You smiled, sliding the two fried eggs onto a plate. He took it quietly, sitting at your small kitchen table as you quickly poured a fresh cup of coffee. Black coffee and two fried eggs. It was an incredibly simple breakfast, one that indicated to you he was always pressed for time. He had mentioned it only once but you remembered. 
“Thank you.” He shot you one of his rare smiles, sipping the steaming cup of coffee. You hummed in response, settling across from him with your very sweetened coffee in hand.
Dessert
“Are you sure?” 
You nodded, cheeks flushed. Propped up on your elbows, you stared up at Nanami. You were entirely naked, nipples erect and core already dripping wet. Kento was still mostly dressed, missing just his jacket and shoes. He looked serious, tie tossed over one shoulder and sleeves rolled up to his elbows. What was less serious was the can of whipped cream he held in one hand. 
The man was uncertain on how to proceed. He wasn’t one for sweets, he had advised as such ages ago. And yet he had been the one to suggest bringing a can of whipped cream into the bedroom. 
‘Something I had seen’ He had said. You assumed porn and had agreed wholeheartedly. It was something you had always wanted to try but the idea usually just bounced around in the back of your skull, half forgotten.
Kento shook the can, a look of pure concentration settling on his face as he began to spray a neat circle around your nipple. You inhaled sharply, the cold whipped cream sending goosebumps across your skin. Kento paused at the noise, then continued, cheeks flushing as he covered your other nipple as well. You bit back a laugh, the man looked vaguely concerned as he placed the can to one side.
“How do you feel?” He tugged off his tie, tossing it aside as he took in the already melting cream on your breasts.
“Like a dessert.” You couldn’t hold back the giggle, your laughter growing as the small mounds of whipped cream jiggled with each laugh. Kento smiled at that, a small huff of laughter escaping his lips. 
There was a moment of silence between the two of you. Anticipation built between the two of you until finally he leaned in.
As with everything, Nanami Kento was a careful man. You let out a low moan as his tongue lapped at one nipple, cutting a path through the light cream and flicking against your nipple. He leaned closer, warm breath against your skin as he wrapped his lips around your nipple.
You groaned, back arching off the bed slightly as his teeth scrapped against your skin. His hands were on your hips, pulling them up, pressing your dripping core against the front of his slacks. You gently canted your hips against his, the rough fabric sending a wave of pleasure coiling through your abdomen. 
His hair was coming loose, strands tickling against your skin as he sucked your nipple. Kento pulled free with a pop, laving his tongue across your chest to the other breast. Whipped cream was smeared against his left cheek, the messy sight adding to the erotisism of his actions. 
You could feel his erection straining against his slacks. The tent of fabric rubbing at your core as he rocked shallowly into you. The pants were certainly ruined, even without looking you knew he would have to throw them out. Your wet cunt was sliding against his erection easily, the grinding building the heat in your abdomen. It coiled, growing tight as you chased your release.
His grip tightened, pulling you closer as he ran his tongue across your nipple. You moaned, hips bucking wildly in his grip. Your clit scraped across the smooth button of his slacks, sending a burst of pleasure through your veins. Kento felt you shudder, moving your hips higher. He rolled his hips against yours, catching your clit again. 
Teeth scraping against your nipple he ground against you, the tent of his erection catching against your entrance. You could feel the slickness of your own arousal sliding down the back of your thighs as you opened your legs wider, the need to be penetrated fueling your actions.
Kento groaned against your breast, lips latching onto your nipple. Warm saliva mixed with the melting whipped cream spread across your chest as he sucked. The man grunting with each thrust against you. You moaned as his erection slid across your clit, shuddering as you finally came. Hips canting into his you moaned, cunt fluttering around nothing.
“Good girl.” He breathed, finally pulling away from your nipples. Kento’s face was bright red, lips smeared with whipped cream. 
You snorted, running a finger along his cheek before popping it in your mouth. It was sweet and tasted like Nanami’s kisses.
Eager
Nanami Kento was eager to eat pussy. It was something you honestly weren’t surprised to learn. While you hadn’t  been with many men, you had come to realize a constant in your life. Quiet men ate pussy like they were starving. You weren’t sure if it was something that was just a fact of life or an effect you had on quiet men. Either way, you enjoyed it immensely.
What was a surprise was how and when he would initiate the act. Sometimes you were at home, sometimes in the car. It was like he would get hit by lightning, eager and quietly asking for you to spread your legs.
This time was different. Nanami Kento was rarely ruffled by life, always well dressed, hair in place. But when you were asked to the main lobby of your workplace, you found a version of your boyfriend that was almost feral. His jacket was sitting awkwardly on his shoulders, hair mussed and tie shoved into one pocket. If you didn’t know better you would assume he had been in a fight.
He had asked if you could take the rest of the day and you had nodded, concerned something was wrong. Something was, not that he would divulge. His work was something he outright refused to talk about when you asked. You had gotten your purse and quietly followed him onto the sunny street. 
Down one street, then another. He had taken your hand so thankfully you didn’t get lost. But in your heels and at the pace he was walking, you found yourself stumbling more than once. Nanami was a man possessed. It was concerning but you were silent, knowing that eventually he would let you in, tell you what was troubling him.
And suddenly, you found yourself in a small lecture room. A map was taped over the chalkboard, a small tv on the lecture table. The room was empty, desks and chairs neatly lined up. 
“Kento whats wrong?” You were slightly out of breath, taking stairs in heels was already difficult. Adding in your over 6 foot boyfriend practically dragging you up the stairs and you were surprised you hadn’t fallen.
“On the desk.” It was a command, his voice was husky, eyes hidden behind the colored lens of his glasses. You complied, confused as you watched him strip his jacket off. His side was injured, you realized. As if he had been sliced by a large knife. You gasped, moving to stand and froze as he barked for you to stay put.
Nanami Kento was a strict man, a quiet rule follower. But he had never been this commanding.
“Just please.” His tone softened, the man taking in the rigid set of your shoulders. “Please let me do this.” 
You blinked as he kneeled before you, removing his glasses and handing them to you. Taking them gingerly, you searched his face, confused by the desperate look on his face.
“Just indulge me. Please.” 
You gave him a nod, setting his glasses to the side and running your hand through his hair. He was sweating slightly and your gaze again drifted to the blood staining his side. Everything within you was screaming to insist he go to the hospital. But his hands were already on your knees, pushing your skirt up.
You lifted yourself slightly, the skirt bunching around your waist. Kento let out a small sigh, large fingers hooking around the waistband of your underwear and pulling.
You squeaked as the fabric simply tore. He had had no intention of sliding them off. No, Nanami Kento had wanted quick access to the trembling heat between your thighs.
His strong fingers dug into the fat of your thighs, holding your legs in place as he inhaled deeply. You flushed, swallowing thickly as you waited for him to make his move.
His nose nudged against your clit as he pressed his tongue flat against your folds. You let out a low sigh, hips canting forward in response as he moaned against your cunt. Nanami licked along your folds, tongue flicking at your clit. 
Your fingers slid through his hair, pulling his face closer. His lips found your clit, sharply sucking the bundle of nerves. You moaned quietly, bucking against his face as he gently pulled at your clit. 
The quiet classroom was filled with the low noises made by Nanami’s mouth. His tongue lapping through your folds like a man starving. Teasing his tongue around your entrance, he dragged the warm appendage upwards, circling your clit before returning his attention to your entrance.
His tongue pushed gently into your wet heat, the spongy walls easily stretching to accommodate him. Kento groaned as you tugged at his hair, the tip of his nose nudging your clit as his tongue delved deeper within you. 
The heat in your stomach was building. Release was always quick when he ate you out. Nanami Kento was skilled with his mouth, the man’s determination drawing orgasm after orgasm from you with ease. Even now, your legs shook, breath stuttered in your chest. The walls of your cunt fluttered about his tongue and you moaned as he tugged your forward, your ass practically hanging off the desk as he fully sat you on his face. 
It had to be uncomfortable, but Nanami showed nothing but eager enjoyment. With his hands, he gently rocked you against his face, setting an easy pace that had your clit hitting the tip of his nose dead on.
You fell back on your elbows, hands leaving his hair as you bucked against the warmth of his mouth. Chasing your end, you opened your thighs wider, quietly begging him to fuck you. Nanami ignored the request, pressing his tongue flat against your folds and licking upwards, eyes closed as he drank you in. 
Low, husky moans of pleasure left his throat, gently vibrating against your flesh. Kento had once told you that the taste of your juices was like an aphrodisiac for him. The man couldn’t get enough. Each drag of his tongue was just as much for him as it was for you.
You grinded down upon his face, shuddering as his tongue swirled against your entrance, circling before flicking upwards again. His actions became more aggressive, the man licking and sucking at your clit with a sudden fever that had you cumming without warning.
You gasped as you came, legs snapping shut around Kento’s head. The man continued his actions, lapping at your cunt as you moaned and shuddered above him. 
“Fuck.” His lips left you finally, face wet and cheeks flushed. Kento swiped his face clean, wincing as he stood.
“Shit! Kento, Your side!” You shook off the afterglow of your orgasm, shakily getting to your feet and tugging your skirt back into place. The man looked at the now larger patch of blood and sighed, nodding once in your direction.
“I have a colleague on the way.”
It was all he offered. No explanation for either the wound or the intense need he had. You settled in one of the free seats, shaking your head when he advised you could go home. He could keep his secret but you weren’t going to leave until help had arrived. 
Fever
Some idiot had come to work sick. It had spread through the office like wildfire, making you question how much the people you worked with actually washed their hands. Half your department was out and here you were, head hazy as you squinted at the computer screen. Each word took two or three passes to read. Your eyes didn’t want to focus, the pounding in your head somehow also in your eyes. 
A fever. Not enough to be sent home according to your boss. The man had of course told you this via email, merely peeking at you through the privacy blinds in his office. 
Somehow he had missed this round of illness. Probably due to the fact that he was never in office. The man had more golf meetings then you had thought possible. No one liked golf that much. But apparently he did, the man practically skipping out of the office not 5 minutes after the email, golf bag in hand.
Normally you would be angry, the fire fueling your work and getting you through the day. But not today. Even blinking was getting to be too much. Each eyelid had to be at least 10 pounds. You found your head weaving slightly, the weight of your hair, your teeth, it was all too much. Letting out a sigh, you leaned forward, placing your head in your hands. It was only 1 pm, you had at least 4 more hours to get through. Your eyes slid shut, a small reprieve from the weight of everything.
“Shit.” You straightened, blinking the hazy fog from your mind. You had fallen asleep. Slumped awkwardly on your desk, forehead stuck to the keyboard. Peeling yourself free, you glanced at the clock.
5:15pm. You had slept past the end of day. Not that anyone had noticed, the few people left in the office were clearly doing as bad as you, sluggish typing away. Logging off, you stood, legs feeling like they were made of pipe cleaners.
Purse in hand you wobbled your way to the stairs and down to the first floor. It was three blocks to the train station. Then 15 minutes to your stop and 2 blocks home. Normally it was travel you enjoyed. End of the work day meant home, food and potentially Nanami. But today?
Today you prayed you could make it home without passing out. 
On your pipe cleaner legs, you shakily made your way home. More than once you paused to just breathe, the pounding in your head making it hard to even just exist. You missed your normal train, but thankfully only had to wait an extra 6 minutes for the next one. The train was the easiest part, an older man catching onto the fact that you weren’t doing the best and offering you his seat. 
Somehow, you made it to your apartment. You had the wherewithal to lock the door behind you and then you were on the kitchen floor. It was so cool, the tile like a kind hand against the heat radiating from your face. The urge to sleep over took you and shivering, you gave in.
When you awoke again, you were warm. Too warm. Struggling, you realized there was pressure all around you and you couldn’t move your arms. Panic swelled in your veins, overtaking the haze that still clung to you.
“Hey. It's me. It’s ok.” You relaxed as you recognized Nanami’s voice. He had apparently come over and moved you from the kitchen to your bed. Wrapped around you, the man had a book in his free hand, glasses balanced precariously on the end of his nose. It was sweet and you smiled lazily before stiffening. 
“You’ll get sick.” You moaned, trying to squirm away from him. Nanami ignored your protests, tucking the blankets more firmly about you. It was hard to fight him. Your boyfriend’s quiet insistence that you sleep was easy enough to indulge. The man was too big and too warm, like the world's best pillow. You found yourself drifting asleep again, head tucked in the crook of his arm. Nanami was the perfect man. He smelled of fresh laundry and bread. As you gave into sleep, you felt his lips against your forehead.
A kiss? Perhaps, but more likely the man was checking your temperature. Nanami was responsible like that.
Gentle
He was always so gentle in everything dealing with you. It was as if he were afraid that you were going to break if he made a single misstep. It was aspects of life you didn’t even always think of, like when he would gently move you mid-sentence a little further from the street corner. Sometimes it annoyed you. Like when he would never let you walk past the opening of an alleyway, making any walk you took a strange tango of you on one side of him then the other. Or how he insisted you wait for him if it were past a certain time at night. No more late night trips to the convenience store, at least not alone.
But as annoying as it could get. He was gentle with you. Soft suggestions, lingering touches, a look that set your heart a flutter. The small odd habits of his were easy enough to ignore. In truth you hadn’t had a boyfriend before that was so gentle. It made you feel special in a way.
So you accepted the gentleness. 
Nanami seemed to walk in a world full of harsh and hidden threats. It made you wonder sometimes. Sitting across from him on the rare dates you too made. There were moments between his gentleness where you could see the part of himself he kept hidden away. It was hard, lined with sharp edges and a sharper gaze. And then it would be gone, covered by the Nanami you knew. It didn’t scare you, whatever it was he was dealing with was clearly something larger than life. He had to be sharp to survive it.
“What has you so frustrated?”
You blinked as Nanami leaned forward, eyebrows furrowing as he took in your expression. You could feel the frown pulling your lips down and you let out a small sigh. He was soft again, his hand gently laying over yours on the table.
“Just thinking.” You offered up a smile. He seemed satisfied with that answer, leaning back in his chair and looking out the window again. All of Tokyo bustled by, the streets buzzing with life. You ignored it in favor of him, watching as the gentleness melted again for a second, the sharp look returning to his face. 
You hoped whatever it was he was facing, it wouldn’t steal what remained of his gentle soul.
Hair
His hair was always parted exactly the same, perfectly in place. Each strand had a place to be and knew to neatly sit. Had you not seen his morning routine and the careful combing and light gel he used, you would have assumed the man had a psychic hold over his hair. No matter if he had work or not, his hair was always neatly done. You could ask him to run to the store quick late at night and without a doubt, he’d fix his hair. 
Habit he had told you. Habit and wanting to still appear professional. Even though he wasn’t a salary man anymore, he still dressed like one. At a glance he blended in with the masses that shuffled through the streets of Tokyo.
His hair being let down was something reserved just for you. When he was sleeping, after a shower and of course during intercourse. You purposefully threaded your fingers through his hair every chance you got. 
He had the odd habit of swiping it back in place, even when in the midst of eating you out. It never went back quite right after you had mused it. Golden strands would still hang in front of his flushed face.
“You can leave it down.” You had laughed one evening, breathless from the two rounds of sex you had. Kento raised an eyebrow, gently setting the glass of water he had retrieved on the night stand. On his way to the kitchen he had again slicked his hair back as best as he could. 
“Leave what down?” He sat on the edge of the bed, sliding back under the covers. Despite having spent the last hour fucking your brains out he had already snatched his book from the bedside table.
“Your hair.” You laughed again, reaching up to ruffle his hair. Kento gave you a look, free hand already sneaking up to fix what you had undone. Even at his most vulnerable he was perfectly kempt. 
Insatiable
You don’t know what had happened that night. All you knew was he came over to your place, stitches along one side and a dark look in his eyes. 
“Can I come in?” For the first time ever you hesitated, worry chewing at your stomach as you took in his battered appearance. He looked tired and on the verge of passing out. 
“I need to relieve some stress. If that’s alright with you?” He was polite as always, asking for consent before even inside your apartment. You nodded, stepping aside and letting him in.
Stress relief for Nanami Kento was apparently as many rounds of sex as you could withstand.
Despite having his side stitched and bruises, he was a man starved, ignoring pain as he tried to satiate his hunger.
The first round was fine as was the second. By the third your hips were sore and you weren’t sure you could cum again. And by the fourth you were a mess, his cum dripping from between your thighs, drool staining one cheek. Your face was pressed into the pillow, ass in the air as he drilled into you.
“One more.” Kento huffed, the rough pad of his thumb pressed against your clit. You groaned, unable to tell him that you couldn’t, that it was all too much. You had already cum five times. Each one was more intense than the last and now just the sensation of his cock buried within you was too much.
You moaned as his hand left your hip, tangling in your hair and tugging you upright. It changed where his cock was hitting with each thrust. 
“You can do it.” His warm breath was in your ear, hips snapping in a ruthless rhythm. You let out a small whimper, hips trying and failing to keep pace with him. He shifted his hand from your hair to your breast, tweaking the nipple roughly.
It was all too much. The tight heat in your belly just kept building with no end in sight. Your abdominal muscles felt weak, stomach clenching weakly as he let out a grunt. The sound sent a shudder through you and you moaned as he brought his fingers to your mouth, sliding them in. You bit lightly on the digits, legs shaking as you struggled to remain upright. He had you locked against his chest, balancing you on his thighs as he thrusted upwards.
Faintly you wondered if you should ask to stop, to check his wound because surely he had ripped some stitches. But your mind was too hazy, drool dripping from your lips as he finally made you cum.
You let out a low groan, cunt weakly fluttering about his cock. 
“Good girl.” Nanami grunted, pulling his fingers from your mouth to pull your hips tightly against his. Somehow he still had energy. You fell forward, sighing against the pillow as he picked up the pace, slamming into you with low groans.
He was never very vocal in bed, normally you would get a low huff or moan. But this side of Nanami, the hungry beast who was fucking you like it was the last thing he’d ever get to do. He was very vocal.
Nanami finally came, letting out a low ‘fuck’ as he did so. You flopped onto one side, looking up at him through half closed eyes. His side seemed alright, red near the stitches but nothing seemed to be bleeding.
He was panting, sweat dripping down his chest as he stared down at you. Still kneeling, cum dripped from the tip of his still half hard cock. You noted that his thick patch of pubic hair was soaked from making you cum so many times. 
One hand swiped through his hair, pushing the sweaty locks from his eyes. The heavy look that had been in his eyes had disappeared. 
“Shower?” He was out of breath, hand going to the stitches on his side. You nodded and then laughed.
“I gotta wait till my legs work.” You laughed again at the expression that crossed his face. An odd mix of pride and apology. 
“Bath then?” 
You nodded at that, feeling as if your bones were made of jello as he picked you up and made his way to the bathroom. Despite how tired you felt, you let him fuck you again in the bath.
Jacket
You had fallen in love with him in your first week at the office. It was your first corporate job, and you had realized quickly that getting to the train and making it to the office on time required intense time management. On your 4th day, there was rain. You hadn’t bothered looking at the weather ahead of time. And like an idiot, you never bothered with an umbrella in your bag. 
Your walk to the train had quickly turned into a run. The sudden rain pelted you, an icy torrent that had you shivering as you skidded onto the train. Your skirt was mostly fine, the black fabric was damp. But your shirt, a plain white blouse that you wore every day, was now see through. 
It was a nightmare scenario and you felt frozen. People were staring, the train doors had already closed and you couldn’t stop shivering.
“Here.” A warm jacket was slid about your shoulders. You flinched, turning to see a vaguely familiar face. A tall man, blonde hair and silver glasses. His name was Ken? Or maybe Kensei?
He worked in your office, you had seen him on the same floor as you, often looking as if he hadn’t slept in days. You thankfully slide your arms into the jacket, buttoning the front as best you could. It made the shirt less noticeable and you thanked him quietly. He hadn’t said anything back, just nodded and adjusted his tie.
The rest of the day you found yourself wandering near his end of the department’s floor, hoping to find out what his name was. He was quiet and kept to himself. And it wasn’t until the next day that you found out his name.
“Oh you mean Nanami Kento?” Your colleague looked up from her computer screen. “Tall blonde right?”
You nodded, thanking her and quickly making your way over to his desk. He hadn’t noticed you at first, blinking up at you blearily when you finally mustered the courage to say his name.
“Your jacket, thank you.” You held the garment out to him, noting the dark bags under his eyes. The man took the jacket with a small nod, turning back to the screen before him.
As you walked back to your desk, you realized your cheeks were flushed and that you had a massive crush on Nanami Kento. 
Kisses
Your first kiss had been sweet. Kento had leaned in, warm hand tilting your head up to catch your lips with his. It was a quick kiss, you were too nervous to press for anything more. The man had fucked you not 24 hours prior but on your first date you were a nervous schoolgirl again.
Your second kiss had been on the train. He had offered to pick you up after work, the plan was to go to his house for dinner. You were tired, almost too tired to stand for the short ride to his apartment. Kento had been standing in front of you, blocking the crowd that pressed in behind two of you. He had leaned in without warning, pressing his lips to yours. The action surprised you for a moment before you leaned in, hands grabbing the edges of his jacket to keep steady.
Your third kiss had been later that night. After dinner and spending some time reading, you had found yourself in his bed, clothing scattered about the floor and the man buried balls deep in your pussy. You had been the one to initiate the kiss, hands sliding over his shoulders as you pressed your lips against his. He had accepted eagerly, thrusting lazily into you as your lips slid against each other. His tongue had slid into your mouth, laving against the roof of your mouth as you moaned against his lips. Back arching, you licked his teeth, tongue running along his bottom lip. He kept you beneath him that night for hours, his lips finding yours with a polite hunger.
Lace
You wore nothing but lace. The scraps of fabric barely covered your skin. Your nipples pressed against the scratchy fabric and you resisted the urge to move. This was a surprise and you had assumed what you thought was the perfect pose. It wasn’t a special day, you had just felt like treating the man. He was always exhausted and even if all you got was quiet and warm words in response, you would be happy.
The only problem was, Kento was late. Your phone sat on the bedside table, silent. There was the urge to grab it to call him, but in the back of your mind, you were certain the second you moved, he would enter the room.
Time moved slowly and you cursed the man for being so with the times that he had no clock in the bedroom. You had expected it of the man, some clunky square clock that would blare it's alarm. But no, he used his phone like the rest of the world. 
Without wanting to you found yourself flopping onto your back with a small huff. Your phone chimed confirming the worst. Nanami had to work overtime. You stared up at the ceiling, hoping he would be safe. Hoping that whatever he would fight would be weaker than him.
“Oh!” You had drifted off, despite being practically naked and on top of the blankets sleep had set in. But now you were awake, hazily clawing yourself from sleep as a wave of pleasure coiled in your gut.
Kento was between your thighs, tongue lapping at your wet folds. The crotchless lace underwear had been the right choice. You sleepy congratulated yourself on that, thighs opening wider to allow him more access.
Kento was naked, fresh from a shower, his glasses perched neatly on his nose. His cock hung heavy between his legs, dripping precum onto the bed. You shivered at the sight, bucking your hips against his face as he made another pass with his tongue.
“You got all dressed up for me. I couldn’t help myself.” 
Nanami was a man of few words when it came to sex. A command here of there, the occasional praise. But for the most part he was as stoic with sex as he was with the rest of life.
Tonight something was different. Face buried in your cunt, one hand came up, roughly squeezing your breast. The lace scratched at your nipple, sending a shiver of pleasure straight to your cunt. 
Kento groaned into your folds, his other hand sneaking between your thighs, a single finger gently sliding into your entrance. You bucked up against him, gasping as a second finger quickly joined, stretching your walls. Arousal slicked your thighs, dripping around his fingers and onto the mattress.
“Good girl.” He panted, his glasses were fogged, the heat of your core apparently enough to do so. You shivered at his praise, silently moaning as he lapped at your clit. His eye contact was intense, unblinking as he watched you squirm. The hand on your breast kept you in place, unable to escape the gentle thrusting of his fingers or the intent drag of his tongue against your clit.
Your legs shook, the pleasurable throbbing heat in your abdomen building. 
“Not yet.” Nanami barked, lifting his head from your folds. His lips and cheeks smeared with your juices. You whined, hips still canting against his fingers as you tried and failed to chase the orgasm that had almost hit.
He sat up, fingers leaving your cunt as he swiped a hand across his face. Kento’s hair had fallen from his perfect part, the messy look adding to the odd fervor thrumming in his veins. 
You shifted as he moved closer, letting your legs fall open further as he nestled between them. Nanami was warm, his thick cock standing upright, precum leaking down onto your clit as he steadied himself above you.
For a moment there was silence, Kento’s piercing gaze searching your face. The sharpness and exhaustion that lived in his face lifted for a moment and he offered you one of his rare brilliant smiles.
“I love you.”
You blinked, mind swimming from beneath the haze of arousal as you took in his words. It was a shock, it was exhilarating, you felt your heart in your throat.
“I love you too.” 
Miss
After everything that had happened. After all you had been through. Nothing hurt more than the ache of missing him. You had barely made it out alive. Your body had been badly injured, Shoko unable to repair some of the damage, even with her amazing ability. 
The joint aches, the burns, the nerve damage. None of it compared to the pain of losing Nanami. 
The worst part was how missing him was woven into everything. The simple act of waking up was painful. The bed you had shared feeling so cold and empty. 
Walking around the house he had bought, the house you had shared. He was everywhere and nowhere all at once.
The books that made you cry, their spines perfectly aligned, sitting on a desk that grew more dusty by the day. A shared closet full of suits and button ups that sat dark and closed. You had stopped wearing dresses and skirts, not wanting to glimpse the gray and blue that sat within.
Your heart ached whenever you showered, the bottles of shampoo and body wash sitting untouched, save for when you would dare open one and sniff it gently.
It was a pale imitation of the man who would wrap you in his arms. It didn’t carry the warmth he had.
You missed him so much that it physically hurt to be awake. Days were spent in bed, wrapped in one of his shirts until his scent wore off. Your eyes were puffy from crying, body growing weak from your neglect. And none of it mattered because he was gone.
Your rock, your tall blonde who always looked at you as if you were the most priceless jewel.
Shoko tried her best to tend to you. The tired brunette had lost her best friend, had seen her other best friend's dead body walking around, cursed. She was as broken as you were. And yet she persisted.
“It’ll always be there.” She let out a stream of smoke, looking out at the small backyard. You sat with her on the back patio, wrapped in a blanket. She had come over, offering up baked goods and a tired smile.
“It’s like a hole right in your soul. Heavier than anything in this world.” Shoko took another drag, glancing at you from the corner of her eye as she held onto the smoke for a moment.
“The trick is to not let it consume your entire being.”
You rubbed a hand across your cheek, staring out at the night sky.
“What if I want to?” The pain was throbbing, the void where he existed raw and agonizingly empty.
Shoko let out her lung full of smoke, shrugging slightly, “You’ll become cursed or maybe a curse yourself.” 
You didn’t say anything, staring up at the night sky. Nanami wouldn’t want this for you. But he wasn’t here anymore. 
You existed, in pain and missing him. And how you wished you didn’t.
Night time 
Since you had moved into his house, night time had become more enjoyable. Nanami was lucky, his small and tidy house also having a small and tidy yard. It was quaint, a small chunk of earth that felt separate from the rest of the city. 
It was better than the small balcony your apartment had come with. The rickety iron and crumbling concrete had meant you only felt safe putting a plant or two out there. For the most part you had ignored it, seeing it as only a means to have to listen to the sounds of the city and smell cigarette smoke.
“Outside again?”
Kento’s voice was low, husky with the remnants of sleep. He had been napping after a mission so you had come outside to bask under the stars.
“Some people would call it moon bathing.” You laughed, setting your book aside. Kento had bought you a nice wicker loveseat for the back patio and you were curled up on it, a heavy blanket wrapped about you. 
Shifting, you made room as he sat beside you, the man tugging a corner of the blanket over himself. His hair was down, the blonde strands looking silver tinted in the dim light spilling from the house.
“What are you thinking about?” His voice was low, one arm wrapping around your waist as you snuggled against his chest.
“How the world doesn’t seem real from here.” You looked up at the twinkling stars, hardly believing you were still in the city. This home was untouched by the vicious anger and filth that churned in the city.
“It really doesn’t.” He hummed, resting his forehead against yours. 
“Kinda feels like it's only us left.” You murmured, eyes sliding shut as Kento’s warmth soaked into your side. His smell, like clean laundry and warm bread, was lulling you to sleep.
Before you passed out, you heard his whisper of.
“I really wish it was.”
Overtime
You hated overtime. It was grueling, ate into your personal life and usually just fed into a never ending cycle of work that missed its deadline. Your manager was bad at time management, often coming to you an hour or two before the end of day with a project that just had to get done. It was never posed to you as optional. No, with your company overtime was expected and never rewarded. 
Nanami Kento hated overtime just as much as you did. It wasn’t often that he had to, usually only on the odd trips his job sent him on. Those weeks you already had it in your mind that you wouldn’t see him so it never bothered you.
But your job? It always ate into your planned dates with Nanami. You would often find yourself messaging him, a scowl on your face. It made you feel like an asshole and like you had no life. 
“So. We need this done before end of day.” The stack of paper was dumped unceremoniously on your desk. You somehow managed to keep a straight face, nodding once  before turning back to your screen. Your boss would no doubt leave early, the man never felt the need to assist with any of the projects he so conveniently forgot about.
As soon as he left, you texted Nanami, sending along an apology for having to cancel yet another date night. He didn’t respond, the man never usually did when working. With a sign, you took the first file, grimacing as you began.
11:43 pm. That’s how long it took you. Just 17 minutes before the day ended and you managed somehow to get everything done. You were furious however, stalking to the train station to catch one of the last trains to your stop. This job was a never ending cycle of you and others cleaning up the mistakes of your superiors. You stewed the entire train ride home, fingers clenching your purse with a white knuckled grip. 
To your surprise, the lights were on in your apartment. You climbed the flight of stairs to your landing and cautiously opened the door. A mixture of exhaustion and anger slightly clouding your mind.
The apartment smelled of warm miso soup and fresh bread. Kento shot you a small smile, gesturing at the spread of food he had set out on the kitchen table. Slice vegetables, miso soup, bread and thin cuts of perfectly cooked fish. All laid out in a way that only Kento would do. 
“I hope you don’t mind. “ Polite as always. You laughed, throwing your arms around the tall man. 
“Of course not!” Tossing your purse to one side, you sat down, digging in with a groan. You were starved, not realizing it till the first bite of bread practically melted on your tongue. 
Kento had already eaten, the man sitting across from you with a book. It was peaceful, the stress of the day melting from you as you silently watched the man. He looked up, catching your eye and making you blush.
“I’ve been thinking.” He set the book aside, reaching out and snagging a slice of cucumber. You hummed, sipping the warm soup slowly as you waited for him to continue.
“About us moving in together.” Kento leaned back, popping the cucumber in his mouth and chewing thoughtfully. “I make enough, I have a house. You wouldn’t need to do overtime ever again.”
You stared at him, spoon halfway to your mouth. Was he being serious? Your heart was in your throat, excitement flooding your veins. This was new to you. Only 9 months into the relationship, but you were ready. You had been since he told you about cursed spirits. 
“I would love that.” You smiled, feeling a lightness in your heart. Nanami swept one hand through his hair, a gentle smile on his lips.
“I’ll start moving items to make space for you at home.” 
You beamed at that, popping a slice of fish in your mouth. No more overtime, moving in with your tall boyfriend who should cook. You were incredibly lucky. 
Pull
There was an odd pull to being around Nanami Kento. You weren’t sure what it was, but he had an air about him that made you want to get closer.
Maybe it was the safety in his height, how he was able to peer over crowds, guide you in such a way that you were never bumped into or stepped on.
Or perhaps it was his face. His sharp gaze and even sharper cheekbones. Being half European, he stood out in Japan, easy to find in a crowd. And his look was unique. Deep brown eyes and blond hair had a way of making him look softer in the right light. A balance against the sharpness of his other features. 
Maybe it was his voice. Deep and steady, never wavering. He spoke with confidence, always taking the lead in situations, even if he didn’t intend to. 
There was a pull to being around Nanami Kento. So when he vanished from the world, you felt it. A hole that would never close opened in your soul. 
Quiet
You were quiet, more so than normal. There was always a nice calm between the two of you. Both of you appreciate spending time together silently doing your own things, be it reading or working on projects. But the past few days you had been abnormally quiet. Kento wasn’t used to mere nods and hmms of acknowledgement. You were distant, eyes darting to dark corners of rooms, teeth worrying at the nail of one thumb.
Finally, Nanami broke the quiet. 
“What's wrong?” 
You were both in bed, you curled on one side trying to sleep, Kento sitting up with a book. A glance up at his face told you he was deeply concerned. Kento’s face was always lined, a mix of exhaustion and whatever secret it was that he kept weighing on him. But this was different as if all the sharp lines of his face were pointed at you. 
You chewed at your lip before sighing, looking away from his intense gaze. It wasn’t that you didn’t want to open up to him. Being open and honest was something you always felt you could be with him.
But the thing that had caused you to be so quiet in the past week just didn’t make sense. You felt insane and admitting it out loud was something you weren’t sure you could do.
“I’ve.” You began, shifting onto your back. It would be easier to tell the ceiling than your boyfriend.
“I’ve been seeing things.” It was barely a whisper. You felt your cheeks flush as you kept your eyes locked on the dull white of your bedroom ceiling. Beside you, Kento shifted, the warmth of his legs pressing against your side. He didn’t say anything for a moment, the quiet in the room stretching on unbearably long.
“What kind of things?” His question was soft, no judgment in his tone. It was as if he were asking you how your day was. You glanced up at him, searching his face for any hint of judgment. Of course he wasn’t judging you, far from it. 
“Like.” You gestured vaguely, unsure how exactly to put what you saw into words.
“Creatures. Strange creatures.” It was a lame description, one you knew didn’t do it justice. What you were seeing were absolute nightmares. The second you left your apartment you were bombarded with fuzzy shapes that seemed to plague the city. And the ones that weren’t vague blobs were the worst. Demonic twisted forms. Like ideas not quite fully formulated. Escaped nightmares that cackled, whispered and yelled. Every street corner had them, they clung to people like odd backpacks and strange hats. No matter where you turned, you could find one within arms reach. 
You had been ignoring them as best as you could. But it was really getting to you. The mental toll of trying to appear normal at work, while ignoring the things that clung to your coworkers and office equipment was too much. Whispers plagued you as you attempted to do your job, the odd creatures speaking their own language as they picked and stabbed at your colleagues. No one reacted. Not on the streets, not in the office. You alone were affected.
“They weren’t there a few days ago. But now.” You felt tears welling in your eyes, lip trembling. Admitting what you had seen finally brought the exhaustion and feelings you had been trying so hard to ignore crashing into you.
Kento pulled you against his chest, silently holding you as you sobbed. He was so warm and so normal, it added to your distress. Tears streaming down your face, all you could think of was how scared you were. How horrifying it was to leave your apartment anymore.
“I don’t know if I should see a psychiatrist or check myself into a clinic.” Your voice trembled as you spoke, breaking on certain words. Kento pressed a kiss against your forehead, thumbs rubbing comforting circles against your side. He was quiet, much too quiet and you lay in his arms, waiting for him to confirm that you were in fact insane. 
But he didn’t. Instead he shifted, clearing his throat as you finally made eye contact with him.
“I have something to tell you.”
Riding
“Kento.” You let out a breathy moan, hands planted on his chest as you grind your hips against his. The man had his large hands on his hips, trapping you against him as he thrust up into your wet heat. His cock hit differently in this position and you could barely keep yourself steady. Each thrust landing deep within you, the head of his cock dragging against your G-spot with surgical precision. 
Sweat slid down your back and you shivered as your clit caught against his rough patch of pubic hair. Your abdomen muscles burned. Riding wasn’t something you had ever done often, but when Nanami had asked, you had happily obliged. 
His hands slide from your hips, grasping the fat of your ass with a bruising force. The man’s face was flushed, eyes locked on your breasts as they bounced with each thrust. He was concentrating on you, hands guiding your hips as he watched your expressions. Kento wasn’t one to think of his pleasure first. The man made it his goal to have you cum first and any after were just a bonus. 
You shuddered above him, arms feeling weak as you bounced against him. He slid his hands up your back, gently nudging you to lay down. You obliged, sore arms and abdomen feeling a sense of relief as you lay flat against the expanse of his chest. Your sweat slicked skin slid against together and you allowed yourself to relax, twining your arms around his neck.
“I’ve got you.” His voice was low and warm, breath tickling your ear as he grasped your hips again, thrusting upwards slowly. You allowed him to take control, quiet moans bubbling from your throat as he brought you closer to orgasm. 
Not having to hold yourself up allowed you to concentrate more on the heat in your stomach, the building fire filling your veins. Your hips rocking against his, your clit rubbed against the rough hair at the base of his cock, quickly building the tight thread of pleasure within your stomach. 
The hard planes of his chest pressed against your soft breasts, your nipples rubbing against his skin with each thrust.
You ground down on him, lips finding the skin of his throat. Licking and sucking under his jaw, you nibbled gently at the skin. Kento let out a low huff of air, hips canting up into yours, his pace quickening.
Placing kiss after kiss, you ran your tongue along the jumping vein in his neck. His heart was racing much like yours, a shiver running through him as you bit down gently.
The bedroom was silent save for the lewd wetness of your juices between the two of you. The occasional breathy moan slipped past your lips as you felt yourself growing closer to your end.
“Cum for me.” A command, his husky voice sending a shiver straight to your cunt as he thrust into you. “Now.”
Kenot’s commands were gentle, but enough to tip you over the edge. You came with a small cry, hips locking in place as your walls fluttered around his cock. He groaned in your ear as your walls milked him, the man spilling inside you soon after.
Sad
He was sad. One day a year Nanami Kento carried a cloud with him. He never made plans on that day, never told you where he went. You didn’t question it, accepting the silent and morose day for what it was.
Those days he kept his distance and you realized that he was stuck in the past. Replaying some event in his mind over and over again. As an outside observer, you felt as if he were punishing himself. He barely ate on that day, too lost in his head to care for his body.
It was on those days, late at night, that Kento would finally show a sliver of the grief within him. Wrapping around you in bed, his head nestled in your neck, Nanami Kento would cry. It was silent, his shoulder shaking as warm tears slid from his face onto your skin. You never gave indication that you were awake, staying as still as you could. A silent rock in his sea of agony. 
Taste
He liked to taste you. Tongue lapping against your folds with the same eagerness each time. Kento loved giving but rarely ever asked to receive. You realized it 4 months into dating. The night before had been particularly passionate and as you looked back on it, you realized that with dating him you had become something of a pillow princess. Part of you felt a twist of shame, wondering if the stoic man was just too polite to ask. 
But then you thought of how eager he was to just dive in. The man devoured you as soon as you hit the bed, not really giving you a chance to offer anything past your moans.
That morning you showered slowly, purposefully taking your time. Nanami had awoken before you, going to his study to work on whatever it was his job had him do. You had to be careful with your plan of attack. The man had a tendency to sweep you off your feet before you could think.
Stepping from the shower, you were quick to towel off, deciding to forgo clothing as you stalked to the office. It was a bit cold, your skin breaking out in goosebumps as you hurried down the hall.
Your stomach was tight with excitement, a warmth thrumming through your veins as you quietly slipped into the room. Nanami hadn’t noticed, a book in one hand, his other on the computer mouse. For a second you felt bad about interrupting his work, knowing that it was important to him. But you quickly shook it off, crossing to his desk and offering a smile. 
The man let a noise of surprise, setting the book down as he took in your lack of clothing. You grinned at him, feeling butterflies of nervousness in your stomach.
Kento opened his mouth and you pressed a finger to his lips. If he spoke, he would have you on your back in his bed within seconds. 
You crouched, fingers deftly untucking his shirt and undoing his buckle. Before he could react again, you had unzipped his paint, freeing his growing erection with ease.
“Can I taste you?” You asked, staring up at him through your still damp eyelashes. Kento visibly swallowed, sharp cheeks flushing a light pink. The man nodded, leaning back in his chair, legs opening wider to allow you to nestle between his thighs.
You gave his cock an experimental pump, feeling a little more than pleased at the fact that he was already fully hard. Swirling your tongue around the inside of your mouth, you allowed spit to pool before opening and gently placing your lips on the head of his cock.
Kento let out a small huff of hair, head tilting back slightly as he watched you through half lidded eyes. You ran your tongue over the head of his cock, teasing the slit at the tip. He tasted salty and clean. The scent of soap mixing with his natural musk. 
You opened your mouth, sliding your lips and tongue along his length as you attempted to seat him fully in your mouth.
It was impossible of course, Kento’s cock was thick, normally stretching your pussy. In your mouth, you got about halfway down his length, jaw popping slightly as you reached your limit. You didn’t let that deter you, sliding your hand around the rest of his length. Gently, you began bobbing your head up and down, flattening your tongue along the underside of his cock.
Kento’s hand wound through your hair, a low moan escaping his lips as you set a quick pace. 
He tasted salty, precum dripping into your mouth and adding to the lubrication as you pumped his cock. 
The hand in your hair tightened as you hollowed your cheeks, sucking sharply. Kento’s hips moved slightly, bucking into your mouth. You shifted, allowing the saliva pooling in your mouth to spill out, lubricating his length. With the hand not wrapped firmly around his cock, you gently caressed his balls, squeezing experimentally. The man’s hips jumped at that action, his cock going deeper down your throat. 
You almost gagged, tears forming in the corners of your eyes as your jaw began to ache. 
“Can I set the pace?” Kento was out of breath, the hand not tangled in your hair, grasping his chair with a white knuckled grip. You hesitated, then let out a noise of agreement. 
The idea of choking on his cock was unpleasant, you weren’t a fan of face fucking. But you trusted him to be kind.
The hand in your hair tightening its grip, gently nudging you forward. His hips bucked forward, and he moaned as he tapped the back of your throat. You shuddered, fingers digging into his thighs as he began gently but firmly fucking your mouth. 
You watched his face through your damp eyelashes, taking in his heavy lidded eyes and parted lips. He was panting as he thrust into your mouth, the prickly hair at the base of his cock tickling your nose with each thrust.
Kento was close. His tells, the swelling of his chest, the tightening of his grasp, the way his nose scrunched. They were all converging. 
Kento came with a low grunt, thrusting into your mouth and letting his seed spill in. He tasted salty, the thick cum dripping out of the corner of your mouth as he gently pulled free. His spent cock lay limp against his pants as he leaned forward, gently grasping your chin.
“Was I too rough?”
You shook your head, swallowing his cum and opening your mouth, showing him it was all gone. Kento’s pupils dilated and you shrieked as he scooped you up, making his way to the bedroom.
Under
The world had fallen under the realm of reality. It was the only thing that made sense. It had fallen from the bright sunny spot it always existed in and flipped. Now the dark underbelly that roiled in the shadows was loose, running rampant on the streets.
You hadn’t meant to be in Shibuya on one of the busiest nights. Yuji had mentioned in passing a horror movie he liked and you had gotten it in your head to put together a gift for the three students that Kento worked with. All of them looked so tired all the time, more tired than kids their age should.
So like an idiot, you went out. The allure of a Halloween discount for horror movies had compelled you. And now, like thousands of other idiots, you were trapped. It made no sense an invisible barrier separated you from the outside world. All of Shibuya seemed trapped as if pulled from the very earth itself.
“They’re asking for some Gojo guy.”
You whipped your head around, trying and failing to find the speaker. Did they mean Satoru Gojo? Surely not.
You looked back at the barrier, running your hand along the invisible wall. Could curses do something like this? You cursed yourself, thinking back on how you had shrugged off Nanami, telling him that your lack of fighting ability meant that there was no real reason to learn more about cursed spirits you could see.
So so stupid. 
The barrier shifted to your right and the man who had been standing there stumbled back, gawking at the person emerging from the other side. It was Gojo. His eyes were covered and his mouth set in a thin line. You shivered, feeling oddly cold as he fully stepped into the barrier, glancing about.
He noticed you, hooking one finger around the blindfold he wore and pulling it to expose one eye. His iris was the most brilliant blue you had ever seen and it filled you with dread. He didn’t say anything, quickly jumping and literally walking over the crowd, in search of something you couldn’t see.
You fell to your knees, shopping bag sitting defeated next to you. The look had told you everything in just a second. There was no coming out of this. There was no happy ending for anyone in Shibuya. 
You sat there at the barrier for as long as you could, praying that Gojo would fix it, that Nanami would somehow find a way to help you escape. But then the screaming started and you began to run.
You could see them now, the large spirits that had evaded you for so long. They were hungry and violent. And you couldn’t fight them. You ran, breathless and legs burning for as long as you could.
And then the ground shifted and you were falling. Under the city where even worse beings lurked.
As you fell, you faintly wondered if Nanami was safe. 
Vibe
“The vibe is off.” Yuji sighed. You hummed in agreement, tilting your head slightly as you took in the store before you. To your right, Kento shot the pair of you a look. A mixture of exasperation and confusion. 
Somehow, the ever punctual and always perfectly scheduled Nanami Kento had forgotten a weekend training with his student. You had been almost to the train station when his phone had gone off. By the time you were on the train, he was mid conversation with the student, fingers pinching the bridge of his nose as you spoke. When it ended, you knew what he was going to say. Cancel the date and attend to his work. So before he could you had cut him off and offered to tag along. Nanami hadn’t like that, but his quiet protests had been silenced when you tilted your head to the right. There was a barely visible blob, one hazy hand sneaking closer to your own.
The train was always full of cursed spirits. Now that you knew what they were, it was somehow easier to ignore them. It didn’t stop the disgusting little creatures from trying to touch you. 
Nanami had relented, his promise of teaching you to get rid of smaller ones had yet to be fulfilled.
“Regardless of the vibe this is the perfect learning opportunity.” Nanami huffed, arms crossed as he stared down his pupil. The boy shrugged, motioning around the room before looking at you.
“Want the big guy?” 
You took in the empty store, its many broken shelves and mannequins. It was in utter disarray, the condemned sign on the front door making you wonder if it was due to the cursed spirits or the very large mold spots that seemed to be everywhere.
“What big guy?” You asked, taking in the dusty store again. Little curses crawled here and there, their odd voices ringing out in the nearly silent store. They were watching your group warily, tensed as if awaiting an attack. But nothing you would consider big.
“Ah.” Yuji turned to Nanami, a look of pure concern on his face, “Nanamin, isn’t it a little mean to bring your girlfriend here if she can’t see all the spirits?”
You inhaled at that, shooting your own look at Nanami. While he had explained the existence of what you could see and how jujutsu sorcery worked, he had failed to mention there were curses you couldn’t see. 
A similar revelation seemed to be working its way through his mind and you watched as his cheeks went slightly pink. The poor man was no doubt mortified.
Later, after Yuji had fought what to you was a patch of air and the store had been cleaned of the spirits you could see, Nanami did admit quietly that the vibe was indeed off. 
Wake
There was a moment some days when you woke up before Kento did. On those days you would quietly turn in bed, nestling closer to him. When he was asleep, Nanami Kento was finally peaceful. The sharp lines and weight that plagued him melted and you could see the quiet reserved man in his entirety. 
In the summer, the first rays of light would leak through your blinds, streaming across your bed. They would hit his hair, turning the strands of blonde golden. In the sunlight he looked like he was sculpted from marble. A picture of perfection, wrapped in your blankets as if he were a piece of porcelain. 
Nanami usually woke shortly after the sun did, even before his alarm. In the warm sun, his eyes were a gentle brown, small shards of gold and hazel twining together to create a beautiful sun kissed color.
He was always surprised to see you staring, a light flush spreading across his cheeks. Mornings with Kento normally had little spoken between the two of you. Instead it was quiet kisses and soft touches before the alarm pulled you both from the softness of the morning.
Xenial
“This is a nightmare.” You huffed under your breath. Nothing was turning out right. The food looked barely edible and you were pretty sure the alcohol you had bought was just the worst choice. Nanami had, for some reason, wanted to introduce you to his students and a few colleagues. Like an idiot you had offered to host a dinner. 
At the time it had seemed like a good idea. Your place was always tidy and you had a game system the kids could use. Nanami had been hesitant at first, lips pressing in a thin line as he considered it. He had relented, seeing how excited you were to cook for his friends.
But now, you were regretting it. 
“Can I help?” Yuji stood in your kitchen doorway, rocking on his heels as he took in the haphazard mess you had laid out across the counter. You swiped a stray lock of hair from your face, straightening as you pushed the pan of chicken into the oven.
“It’s ok! I know you guys were having fun.”
Yuji informed you that he was in fact not having fun. The white haired professor, Gojo was apparently hogging the system, trying to ‘Kick everyone’s ass’ at Tekken. You decided to let Yuji help you. The boy seemed happy to be put to work. He told you stories of working with Nanami, the difficulties of learning to be a sorcerer. You listened quietly, smiling at how much he seemed to look up to Kento. 
Together you got dinner cooked and served. Your apartment was small so dinner was eaten in the living room. For once, you urge to keep things working in your favor. You dragged your kotatsu table from your storage closet, fluffing the blanket as you set it out. 
The night went well. You learned that Gojo was incredibly loud and enjoyed teasing everyone. The other professor Shoko was quiet, eating slowly as she took in the conversation around her. Nanami was a good mix of the two, talking with his students as they loudly joked.
You liked Nobara and Megumi. Together with Yuji they created an interesting trio. Perfectly balanced in a way. 
The food was quickly eaten, Gojo asking for seconds and then thirds. The man could really put food away, loudly proclaiming that Nanami should hurry up and marry you so the team could have more of your cooking. The night was a success despite your earlier worries. 
“I think everyone had fun.” You were tackling the mountain of dishes, elbows deep in sudsy water. Nanami stood at your side, drying each dish as you passed it over. He seemed more relaxed than normal, the stiff lines of his shoulders gone.
“My mother would call you a xenial person.” 
You blinked at that, Kento never talked about his family. It was a topic he avoided more than jujutsu sorcery. You didn’t comment on it, instead smiling and bumping him with your hip.
“Next time make sure I buy double the food.” You laughed as you passed him another dish, “Gojo eats enough for 4 people.”
Nanami rolled his eyes at that, a small smile gracing his lips. “He’s a thorn in my side.” 
He paused, placing the glass he had in one hand down gently. Kento seemed to be considering his words carefully. You watched from the corner of your eyes, slowly washing the last glass.
��He’s important. As annoying as he is, without him, the world would fall.”
His lips were pressed into a thin line, the man staring at his hands as he thought. 
Something was going on, you had seen it weighing on not just him but the kids as well. There were more curses around the city and they were more clear than they had ever been. But Kento wasn’t ready to tell you what was happening yet.
“Just tell me when and they can all come over.” You smiled at him, handing the last glass to the man. Kento smiled at that, offering you a small thank you.
Yelp
“SHIT!” You let out a strangled yelp, dodging the hooked arm that swiped at you. Kento had been trying to teach you to dissolve cursed spirits and so far you were having no luck. You had cursed energy, at least he said you did. But you couldn’t figure out how to channel it. 
There were wisps that would gather and then just as quickly dissipate. 
The curse let out a strangle snarl, the spines on its back shaking oddly. You again tried to channel the cursed energy, feeling the weak whisps at your fingertip. Flicking your hand forward, you focused, trying to imagine the curse just disappearing.
You let out another shriek, ducking behind your boyfriend as the small curse lunged forward. Kento clearly had a good grip on his abilities, backhanding the creature out of existence.
You relaxed, fingers still wrapped around his arm as you glanced about to see if there were more of the creatures around. The dingy alleyway was too dark for your liking and you pressed closer to Kento as a rustling noise echoed down the dirty concrete walls.
You stared at your fingertips with a grimace, as if they were alone in the blame for the failure. Kento patted your shoulder gently, offering you a thin smile.
“Not everyone with sight can fight them.” 
You sighed at that, vowing to do your best to just ignore the annoying beings. Following Kento back into civilization, you threaded your fingers through his, shooting him a wide smile as he led you towards the train station.
“Good thing my boyfriend is one of the most powerful sorcerers in Japan.” 
He mumbled a correction at that, flushing as you shook a finger at him, insisting he take the praise. 
Zest
Nanami Kento liked bread, pastries that weren’t too sweet. He had mentioned it in passing one night, clearly not expecting anything to come of it. The knowledge stuck with you however. You were deeply curious. What kind of pastry was his favorite? Was there any bread he disliked? 
Of course it was a week in which you didn’t get to see him. Between your own work and his, there was just no time. It was a tad depressing, until you were hit with the idea of baking for him.
It wasn’t something you had much practice in. Far from it given how much time your job ate up. But you were determined to do something nice for your boyfriend.
“How the hell do I zest a lemon?” You stared down at your phone, trying and failing to flick off the flour that was stuck to it. The recipe card gave you no indication, merely insisting you needed the zest of 1 lemon for the lemon curd.
Lemon Blackberry shortcakes had sounded easy enough when you had first glanced at the recipe. The items were easy to find. But zest a lemon?
“Everything alright?” 
You jumped at the sound of Nanami’s voice, whipping around in surprise. He was back early. Looking more tired than you had ever seen him. His shirt was dirty and torn in places, the accompanying tie was nowhere to be seen. 
“Yes.” You set down the lemon, swiping the flour from the front of your apron. “I don’t know how to zest a lemon.”
He smiled at that, tossing his jacket on the kitchen table. “I do.”
To your surprise he knew quite a lot about baking. Within minutes you found yourself sitting at the kitchen table, his torn work shirt on your lap watching him bake. It was the most domestic thing either of you had done so far. 
“We’ve been dating for five months?” You asked, trying to count backwards in your head. Nanami hummed, turning as he whisked the lemon cream, “Four months and 28 days.” 
You smiled at that, leaning your chin on one hand as you raked your gaze over his muscles. He didn’t seem to mind, concentrating on the task at hand.
“Do you ever think about the future? About where we might be?” You hadn’t ever really talked about it. Just a few weeks ago you had learned about the existence of curses. It was surface level and you knew that there was more to the situation. A part of you had been wondering if there was a future with the man. You enjoyed his quiet and serious nature. 
“I do.” Nanami set the bowl aside, adjusting his glasses. His expression was unreadable, eyes locked on to you. He seemed to be considering his words carefully as if hesitant to verbalize his thoughts.
“Kuantan.” His tone was soft, “A house near the beach. Long walks and reading in the sun.”
Nanami turned back to the pastries, continuing his earlier action. “Maybe a child. If you’re amenable to it.” 
You smiled at that. “Kuantan Malaysia huh?” Living outside of Japan wasn’t something you had considered. But the beach sounded nice, warm and peaceful. You glanced down at the torn shirt in your lap, running a finger along the loose threads. Did he think of his future when fighting the curses you couldn’t see? 
“I think I’d like that.” You smiled at him. “We can go there when you retire.” 
Nanami smiled at you over his shoulder, giving you a nod. The unspoken reality sat between the two of you. There was only one way to retire as a jujutsu sorcerer. 
277 notes · View notes
nichirinpen · 2 months
Text
A Through Z With Nanami Kento
Nanami Kento x Reader
Can also be read here on AO3
Word Count: 14,402
Synopsis- Snippets of your life with Nanami Kento structured through words listed A-Z. Memories in pieces, a mix of Fluff, Smut and a little Angst.
Content Tags: AFAB reader descriptions, Smut, penis in vagina sex, vaginal penetration, Shibuya incident mentioned, cunnilingus
Aftercare
You had one too many to drink at the company party. The drinks had been free and you were sad so of course you overindulged. It had been a send off for your colleague, he was quitting to pursue a different career path. The man was your favorite colleague, even if he didn’t know it.
Nanami Kento, a man who you secretly crushed on in the time he worked for the corporation. 4 years was too short and you had wasted a majority of them just silently gawking at the man.
He was tall, blonde and quiet, everything you could want in a man. Of course he had no idea you existed. At least that's what you thought.
Until you were drunk, on his bed and begging him to go faster. Nanami Kento had surprised you in taking you back home. He had surprised you with a quiet drunken confession. And now he was surprising you with aftercare.
It wasn’t like the two of you had done anything more than intense vanilla sex. The pair of you were too drunk for anything past the breathless fumbling then fucking that had occurred. But the man had stamina, much more than you in your drunk state. Your core ached and you swear you could feel it all the way in your ribcage. Kento hadn’t held back when you had asked for him to go faster, the man happily obliging your cries for more.
“This might be cold.” 
You shivered as he swiped the washcloth between your thighs, cleaning the mess he had left behind. Kento’s face was tinged red and you couldn’t decide if it was from the alcohol or if he was embarrassed. He was methodical, almost clinical as he cleaned you. 
“Thank you.” The words were whispered, greeted by him nodding as he tossed the used cloth into a nearby hamper. 
“Bathroom?” He stood, unbothered by his nakedness, one hand extended. Kento was built, the dull suits he wore hiding a god-like physique beneath. You paused, then nodded, taking it and allowing him to pull you to your feet. Your legs were like jello, trembling the moment you put your weight on them. Kento was quick to hook his arm about your waist, practically carrying you to the bathroom. After setting you on the toilet, he was quick to exit, allowing you privacy. It was surprising. A level of care you hadn’t really experienced before.
As you exited the bathroom he was quick to help you back to the bed. Your legs weren’t total jelly, but you still appreciated the gentle hand on your elbow. Flopping back on the bed, you let out a sigh. Despite still being drunk you knew the next step was the ‘walk of shame’ back to the train station. If they were even still running. 
You looked up as Kento sat next to you on the bed, the man passing you your phone. It was as if he were psychic. It was late and at this rate, there was no way for you to make it to the train without running. 
You jumped as his hands made their way back onto your skin. Kento’s large hands were warm and you made a noise of surprise as he began gently kneading at your right hip.
“I heard it pop.” He murmured gently, strands of blonde hair hiding his eyes. You flushed, letting out an embarrassed laugh. He had been drilling into you so relentlessly that you didn’t think he had heard. 
“Thank you.” Your tone was soft as you allowed yourself to settle back on the bed. In truth both sides of your hips ached. Working in the office left little time for working out and sitting at a desk all day meant tight hips. Kento had stretched you in more ways than one. You had known he was tall, but you had no idea how built he was until you were under him.
“I have tea if you’d like it before sleeping. Might help prevent a hangover.” He looked up from where he sat, one warm hand pressed flat against the soft skin of your stomach. You raised an eyebrow in surprise, still feeling a bit hazy from the alcohol churning in your system.
“You want me to stay?”
Kento shifted slightly, one hand adjusting his glasses as he stared at you. He seemed uncertain, the emotion looking completely foreign on his face.
“I was rough and it’s late.” He paused, swiping a stand of hair from his face. “But I can call you a cab if you’d like.”
You shook your head, quietly murmuring you’d love to stay. It felt strange. You had lusted silently for the man for ages and now he was asking you to stay the night. It felt domestic in a way.
Kento brought you tea, and a freshly baked muffin. He insisted you eat it, noting that you had had more alcohol than food at the party. Sheepishly you accepted, moaning as blueberry and vanilla met your tongue. As you lay in bed he murmured about the bakery he frequented, how it was small but always had fresh items. You ate as carefully as you could, not wanting to spill crumbs everywhere. Despite him insisting you didn’t need to move, you had noted how clean his home was and didn’t want to make a mess.
Despite his normally stand-offish and quiet appearance, Kento was sweet. A lot sweeter than any lover you had before him. After tea and a snack, he crawled into bed with you, murmuring it was lucky neither of you had work the next day. You fell asleep in his arms, feeling warmer and safer than you had in ages.
Biting
You hadn’t ever thought of yourself as someone who liked biting. It had never come up with previous partners and Kento tended to not initiate new things in the bedroom without first sitting down and talking with you about it. Not that your sex life was planned out, far from it, but the man wanted you to feel safe. An appreciated gesture given you had been surprised in other relationships before, unpleasantly so. 
Kento also made sure the conversations were lax. There was never any pressure for you to say yes. Nor did you ever feel like you couldn't bring up your own suggestions. He was always open to your ideas. It was just two adults conversing about their wants or needs.
So when he suddenly latched onto the back of your neck, teeth dully pressing into your flesh, you were surprised to say the least. He had you on your hands and knees, one hand gripping your hip with bruising force as he thrust into you. You nearly stopped the movement of your hips, the surprise hit you with such force. In part because he hadn’t ever mentioned it before and because it made you cum without warning.
You gasped as your orgasm hit you, arching against the man as he continued thrusting into your wet heat. His grip on your waist and neck kept you in place as you shuddered through the orgasm. Hips stuttering erratically, your walls fluttered about him, overstimulated as he fucked you through your orgasm. Your back was molded firmly to his chest, unable to move as his cock dragged back then slammed back to the hilt. Kento groaned against your skin, hips stuttering against yours as he quickly followed you, flooding you with his seed.
“Sorry.” He gasped, finally releasing your neck. You fell forward, gratefully curling against the pillows, ass still in the air. His cum dripped down your thighs and you shivered as the cool air of the room hit your still sensitive core.
“Sorry.” Kento sounded stressed, the man quickly cleaning your before gently helping you to your side. His brow was furrowed, fingers gently probing the red mark he had left. He looked distressed, eyes worriedly searching your face for any signs of discomfort. You offered him a sleepy smile, waving off his next attempt at an apology. 
“That was nice.” 
He seemed surprised at your response, hand frozen halfway to his face, his glasses dangling from his fingers. One eyebrow raised he sat still as you sat back up, stretching languidly. You moved closer, grabbing his glasses and setting them on the bedside table.
“You have time for another round right?”
The man blinked at you, then nodded, offering you a small smile before crawling back into bed with you.
Coffee
Nanami Kento was a man of habit. He woke up at the same time each morning, ate the same breakfast and had the same cup of coffee before leaving. Even on the weekends he followed the same schedule. You knew he did it for a sense of normalcy. All Kento had told you about his new job was that it was a teaching position and apparently his star pupil was also a bit of a delinquent. So the schedule was important and followed religiously.
Except when he slept at your apartment. You barely had a schedule. It was normal for you to snooze your alarm more than once. You often skipped breakfast and coffee was something you got on the way to work. The weekends were even more spontaneous. You woke up when you woke up. No alarm was set and you would often roll out of bed in the early afternoon. It was a schedule of sorts, but one you knew had your boyfriend on edge.
So you woke up as early as you could stand one Saturday morning. He had an odd weekend assignment and had fully intended on returning home after diner. But one thing led to another and the pair of you ended up tangled in the sheets, exhausted and satisfied. 
Thankfully, even sleepy and mind hazy from sex, you had had the wherewithal to set an alarm. 
It chirped, annoyingly happy as you slid from the warm tangle of sheets and Kento’s arm. He barely moved, the man apparently exhausted enough to keep sleeping. 
6:40 am. A cursed time you thought tiredly as you shuffled to the kitchen. The sun was just starting to kiss the sky, orange spreading slowly across the remnants of night’s purple. You flicked on the kitchen light, knowing that even though it spread down the hall, it wouldn’t be enough to wake the man. Coffee was easy enough to make silently, the small pot never making much more than a little bubbling noise. Eggs were a different story. You winced as the metal pan let out a small scraping noise as you removed it from its spot in the cabinet.
“You’re lucky I love you.” The words were whispered as you tiptoed about the kitchen. You hadn’t told him of course. Love was a word you were almost afraid to bring up. It had only been a week since the two of you officially started dating, despite months of passionate sex. In truth you might’ve been happy with just being his fuck buddy. When you originally had brought up dating he had balked at it, unnaturally brushing off the topic. But with time he eventually was the one to bring it up, quietly admitting his job made relationships difficult but that with you, he wanted to at least try.
So you were dating but you were still nervous about admitting to him that you loved him. So instead you were content with small acts of love.
The smell of coffee filled the kitchen and you smiled as you heard Kento’s alarm go off. The man was quick to rise, dressing before he entered the kitchen.
“What's all this?” He genuinely looked surprised, hands pausing before finishing the knot on his tie. It was the same suit as he had on yesterday and you made a mental note to ask if he wanted to keep an extra one at your place. You were certain his students couldn’t care less, but you knew your boyfriend did.
“Breakfast.” You smiled, sliding the two fried eggs onto a plate. He took it quietly, sitting at your small kitchen table as you quickly poured a fresh cup of coffee. Black coffee and two fried eggs. It was an incredibly simple breakfast, one that indicated to you he was always pressed for time. He had mentioned it only once but you remembered. 
“Thank you.” He shot you one of his rare smiles, sipping the steaming cup of coffee. You hummed in response, settling across from him with your very sweetened coffee in hand.
Dessert
“Are you sure?” 
You nodded, cheeks flushed. Propped up on your elbows, you stared up at Nanami. You were entirely naked, nipples erect and core already dripping wet. Kento was still mostly dressed, missing just his jacket and shoes. He looked serious, tie tossed over one shoulder and sleeves rolled up to his elbows. What was less serious was the can of whipped cream he held in one hand. 
The man was uncertain on how to proceed. He wasn’t one for sweets, he had advised as such ages ago. And yet he had been the one to suggest bringing a can of whipped cream into the bedroom. 
‘Something I had seen’ He had said. You assumed porn and had agreed wholeheartedly. It was something you had always wanted to try but the idea usually just bounced around in the back of your skull, half forgotten.
Kento shook the can, a look of pure concentration settling on his face as he began to spray a neat circle around your nipple. You inhaled sharply, the cold whipped cream sending goosebumps across your skin. Kento paused at the noise, then continued, cheeks flushing as he covered your other nipple as well. You bit back a laugh, the man looked vaguely concerned as he placed the can to one side.
“How do you feel?” He tugged off his tie, tossing it aside as he took in the already melting cream on your breasts.
“Like a dessert.” You couldn’t hold back the giggle, your laughter growing as the small mounds of whipped cream jiggled with each laugh. Kento smiled at that, a small huff of laughter escaping his lips. 
There was a moment of silence between the two of you. Anticipation built between the two of you until finally he leaned in.
As with everything, Nanami Kento was a careful man. You let out a low moan as his tongue lapped at one nipple, cutting a path through the light cream and flicking against your nipple. He leaned closer, warm breath against your skin as he wrapped his lips around your nipple.
You groaned, back arching off the bed slightly as his teeth scrapped against your skin. His hands were on your hips, pulling them up, pressing your dripping core against the front of his slacks. You gently canted your hips against his, the rough fabric sending a wave of pleasure coiling through your abdomen. 
His hair was coming loose, strands tickling against your skin as he sucked your nipple. Kento pulled free with a pop, laving his tongue across your chest to the other breast. Whipped cream was smeared against his left cheek, the messy sight adding to the erotisism of his actions. 
You could feel his erection straining against his slacks. The tent of fabric rubbing at your core as he rocked shallowly into you. The pants were certainly ruined, even without looking you knew he would have to throw them out. Your wet cunt was sliding against his erection easily, the grinding building the heat in your abdomen. It coiled, growing tight as you chased your release.
His grip tightened, pulling you closer as he ran his tongue across your nipple. You moaned, hips bucking wildly in his grip. Your clit scraped across the smooth button of his slacks, sending a burst of pleasure through your veins. Kento felt you shudder, moving your hips higher. He rolled his hips against yours, catching your clit again. 
Teeth scraping against your nipple he ground against you, the tent of his erection catching against your entrance. You could feel the slickness of your own arousal sliding down the back of your thighs as you opened your legs wider, the need to be penetrated fueling your actions.
Kento groaned against your breast, lips latching onto your nipple. Warm saliva mixed with the melting whipped cream spread across your chest as he sucked. The man grunting with each thrust against you. You moaned as his erection slid across your clit, shuddering as you finally came. Hips canting into his you moaned, cunt fluttering around nothing.
“Good girl.” He breathed, finally pulling away from your nipples. Kento’s face was bright red, lips smeared with whipped cream. 
You snorted, running a finger along his cheek before popping it in your mouth. It was sweet and tasted like Nanami’s kisses.
Eager
Nanami Kento was eager to eat pussy. It was something you honestly weren’t surprised to learn. While you hadn’t  been with many men, you had come to realize a constant in your life. Quiet men ate pussy like they were starving. You weren’t sure if it was something that was just a fact of life or an effect you had on quiet men. Either way, you enjoyed it immensely.
What was a surprise was how and when he would initiate the act. Sometimes you were at home, sometimes in the car. It was like he would get hit by lightning, eager and quietly asking for you to spread your legs.
This time was different. Nanami Kento was rarely ruffled by life, always well dressed, hair in place. But when you were asked to the main lobby of your workplace, you found a version of your boyfriend that was almost feral. His jacket was sitting awkwardly on his shoulders, hair mussed and tie shoved into one pocket. If you didn’t know better you would assume he had been in a fight.
He had asked if you could take the rest of the day and you had nodded, concerned something was wrong. Something was, not that he would divulge. His work was something he outright refused to talk about when you asked. You had gotten your purse and quietly followed him onto the sunny street. 
Down one street, then another. He had taken your hand so thankfully you didn’t get lost. But in your heels and at the pace he was walking, you found yourself stumbling more than once. Nanami was a man possessed. It was concerning but you were silent, knowing that eventually he would let you in, tell you what was troubling him.
And suddenly, you found yourself in a small lecture room. A map was taped over the chalkboard, a small tv on the lecture table. The room was empty, desks and chairs neatly lined up. 
“Kento whats wrong?” You were slightly out of breath, taking stairs in heels was already difficult. Adding in your over 6 foot boyfriend practically dragging you up the stairs and you were surprised you hadn’t fallen.
“On the desk.” It was a command, his voice was husky, eyes hidden behind the colored lens of his glasses. You complied, confused as you watched him strip his jacket off. His side was injured, you realized. As if he had been sliced by a large knife. You gasped, moving to stand and froze as he barked for you to stay put.
Nanami Kento was a strict man, a quiet rule follower. But he had never been this commanding.
“Just please.” His tone softened, the man taking in the rigid set of your shoulders. “Please let me do this.” 
You blinked as he kneeled before you, removing his glasses and handing them to you. Taking them gingerly, you searched his face, confused by the desperate look on his face.
“Just indulge me. Please.” 
You gave him a nod, setting his glasses to the side and running your hand through his hair. He was sweating slightly and your gaze again drifted to the blood staining his side. Everything within you was screaming to insist he go to the hospital. But his hands were already on your knees, pushing your skirt up.
You lifted yourself slightly, the skirt bunching around your waist. Kento let out a small sigh, large fingers hooking around the waistband of your underwear and pulling.
You squeaked as the fabric simply tore. He had had no intention of sliding them off. No, Nanami Kento had wanted quick access to the trembling heat between your thighs.
His strong fingers dug into the fat of your thighs, holding your legs in place as he inhaled deeply. You flushed, swallowing thickly as you waited for him to make his move.
His nose nudged against your clit as he pressed his tongue flat against your folds. You let out a low sigh, hips canting forward in response as he moaned against your cunt. Nanami licked along your folds, tongue flicking at your clit. 
Your fingers slid through his hair, pulling his face closer. His lips found your clit, sharply sucking the bundle of nerves. You moaned quietly, bucking against his face as he gently pulled at your clit. 
The quiet classroom was filled with the low noises made by Nanami’s mouth. His tongue lapping through your folds like a man starving. Teasing his tongue around your entrance, he dragged the warm appendage upwards, circling your clit before returning his attention to your entrance.
His tongue pushed gently into your wet heat, the spongy walls easily stretching to accommodate him. Kento groaned as you tugged at his hair, the tip of his nose nudging your clit as his tongue delved deeper within you. 
The heat in your stomach was building. Release was always quick when he ate you out. Nanami Kento was skilled with his mouth, the man’s determination drawing orgasm after orgasm from you with ease. Even now, your legs shook, breath stuttered in your chest. The walls of your cunt fluttered about his tongue and you moaned as he tugged your forward, your ass practically hanging off the desk as he fully sat you on his face. 
It had to be uncomfortable, but Nanami showed nothing but eager enjoyment. With his hands, he gently rocked you against his face, setting an easy pace that had your clit hitting the tip of his nose dead on.
You fell back on your elbows, hands leaving his hair as you bucked against the warmth of his mouth. Chasing your end, you opened your thighs wider, quietly begging him to fuck you. Nanami ignored the request, pressing his tongue flat against your folds and licking upwards, eyes closed as he drank you in. 
Low, husky moans of pleasure left his throat, gently vibrating against your flesh. Kento had once told you that the taste of your juices was like an aphrodisiac for him. The man couldn’t get enough. Each drag of his tongue was just as much for him as it was for you.
You grinded down upon his face, shuddering as his tongue swirled against your entrance, circling before flicking upwards again. His actions became more aggressive, the man licking and sucking at your clit with a sudden fever that had you cumming without warning.
You gasped as you came, legs snapping shut around Kento’s head. The man continued his actions, lapping at your cunt as you moaned and shuddered above him. 
“Fuck.” His lips left you finally, face wet and cheeks flushed. Kento swiped his face clean, wincing as he stood.
“Shit! Kento, Your side!” You shook off the afterglow of your orgasm, shakily getting to your feet and tugging your skirt back into place. The man looked at the now larger patch of blood and sighed, nodding once in your direction.
“I have a colleague on the way.”
It was all he offered. No explanation for either the wound or the intense need he had. You settled in one of the free seats, shaking your head when he advised you could go home. He could keep his secret but you weren’t going to leave until help had arrived. 
Fever
Some idiot had come to work sick. It had spread through the office like wildfire, making you question how much the people you worked with actually washed their hands. Half your department was out and here you were, head hazy as you squinted at the computer screen. Each word took two or three passes to read. Your eyes didn’t want to focus, the pounding in your head somehow also in your eyes. 
A fever. Not enough to be sent home according to your boss. The man had of course told you this via email, merely peeking at you through the privacy blinds in his office. 
Somehow he had missed this round of illness. Probably due to the fact that he was never in office. The man had more golf meetings then you had thought possible. No one liked golf that much. But apparently he did, the man practically skipping out of the office not 5 minutes after the email, golf bag in hand.
Normally you would be angry, the fire fueling your work and getting you through the day. But not today. Even blinking was getting to be too much. Each eyelid had to be at least 10 pounds. You found your head weaving slightly, the weight of your hair, your teeth, it was all too much. Letting out a sigh, you leaned forward, placing your head in your hands. It was only 1 pm, you had at least 4 more hours to get through. Your eyes slid shut, a small reprieve from the weight of everything.
“Shit.” You straightened, blinking the hazy fog from your mind. You had fallen asleep. Slumped awkwardly on your desk, forehead stuck to the keyboard. Peeling yourself free, you glanced at the clock.
5:15pm. You had slept past the end of day. Not that anyone had noticed, the few people left in the office were clearly doing as bad as you, sluggish typing away. Logging off, you stood, legs feeling like they were made of pipe cleaners.
Purse in hand you wobbled your way to the stairs and down to the first floor. It was three blocks to the train station. Then 15 minutes to your stop and 2 blocks home. Normally it was travel you enjoyed. End of the work day meant home, food and potentially Nanami. But today?
Today you prayed you could make it home without passing out. 
On your pipe cleaner legs, you shakily made your way home. More than once you paused to just breathe, the pounding in your head making it hard to even just exist. You missed your normal train, but thankfully only had to wait an extra 6 minutes for the next one. The train was the easiest part, an older man catching onto the fact that you weren’t doing the best and offering you his seat. 
Somehow, you made it to your apartment. You had the wherewithal to lock the door behind you and then you were on the kitchen floor. It was so cool, the tile like a kind hand against the heat radiating from your face. The urge to sleep over took you and shivering, you gave in.
When you awoke again, you were warm. Too warm. Struggling, you realized there was pressure all around you and you couldn’t move your arms. Panic swelled in your veins, overtaking the haze that still clung to you.
“Hey. It's me. It’s ok.” You relaxed as you recognized Nanami’s voice. He had apparently come over and moved you from the kitchen to your bed. Wrapped around you, the man had a book in his free hand, glasses balanced precariously on the end of his nose. It was sweet and you smiled lazily before stiffening. 
“You’ll get sick.” You moaned, trying to squirm away from him. Nanami ignored your protests, tucking the blankets more firmly about you. It was hard to fight him. Your boyfriend’s quiet insistence that you sleep was easy enough to indulge. The man was too big and too warm, like the world's best pillow. You found yourself drifting asleep again, head tucked in the crook of his arm. Nanami was the perfect man. He smelled of fresh laundry and bread. As you gave into sleep, you felt his lips against your forehead.
A kiss? Perhaps, but more likely the man was checking your temperature. Nanami was responsible like that.
Gentle
He was always so gentle in everything dealing with you. It was as if he were afraid that you were going to break if he made a single misstep. It was aspects of life you didn’t even always think of, like when he would gently move you mid-sentence a little further from the street corner. Sometimes it annoyed you. Like when he would never let you walk past the opening of an alleyway, making any walk you took a strange tango of you on one side of him then the other. Or how he insisted you wait for him if it were past a certain time at night. No more late night trips to the convenience store, at least not alone.
But as annoying as it could get. He was gentle with you. Soft suggestions, lingering touches, a look that set your heart a flutter. The small odd habits of his were easy enough to ignore. In truth you hadn’t had a boyfriend before that was so gentle. It made you feel special in a way.
So you accepted the gentleness. 
Nanami seemed to walk in a world full of harsh and hidden threats. It made you wonder sometimes. Sitting across from him on the rare dates you too made. There were moments between his gentleness where you could see the part of himself he kept hidden away. It was hard, lined with sharp edges and a sharper gaze. And then it would be gone, covered by the Nanami you knew. It didn’t scare you, whatever it was he was dealing with was clearly something larger than life. He had to be sharp to survive it.
“What has you so frustrated?”
You blinked as Nanami leaned forward, eyebrows furrowing as he took in your expression. You could feel the frown pulling your lips down and you let out a small sigh. He was soft again, his hand gently laying over yours on the table.
“Just thinking.” You offered up a smile. He seemed satisfied with that answer, leaning back in his chair and looking out the window again. All of Tokyo bustled by, the streets buzzing with life. You ignored it in favor of him, watching as the gentleness melted again for a second, the sharp look returning to his face. 
You hoped whatever it was he was facing, it wouldn’t steal what remained of his gentle soul.
Hair
His hair was always parted exactly the same, perfectly in place. Each strand had a place to be and knew to neatly sit. Had you not seen his morning routine and the careful combing and light gel he used, you would have assumed the man had a psychic hold over his hair. No matter if he had work or not, his hair was always neatly done. You could ask him to run to the store quick late at night and without a doubt, he’d fix his hair. 
Habit he had told you. Habit and wanting to still appear professional. Even though he wasn’t a salary man anymore, he still dressed like one. At a glance he blended in with the masses that shuffled through the streets of Tokyo.
His hair being let down was something reserved just for you. When he was sleeping, after a shower and of course during intercourse. You purposefully threaded your fingers through his hair every chance you got. 
He had the odd habit of swiping it back in place, even when in the midst of eating you out. It never went back quite right after you had mused it. Golden strands would still hang in front of his flushed face.
“You can leave it down.” You had laughed one evening, breathless from the two rounds of sex you had. Kento raised an eyebrow, gently setting the glass of water he had retrieved on the night stand. On his way to the kitchen he had again slicked his hair back as best as he could. 
“Leave what down?” He sat on the edge of the bed, sliding back under the covers. Despite having spent the last hour fucking your brains out he had already snatched his book from the bedside table.
“Your hair.” You laughed again, reaching up to ruffle his hair. Kento gave you a look, free hand already sneaking up to fix what you had undone. Even at his most vulnerable he was perfectly kempt. 
Insatiable
You don’t know what had happened that night. All you knew was he came over to your place, stitches along one side and a dark look in his eyes. 
“Can I come in?” For the first time ever you hesitated, worry chewing at your stomach as you took in his battered appearance. He looked tired and on the verge of passing out. 
“I need to relieve some stress. If that’s alright with you?” He was polite as always, asking for consent before even inside your apartment. You nodded, stepping aside and letting him in.
Stress relief for Nanami Kento was apparently as many rounds of sex as you could withstand.
Despite having his side stitched and bruises, he was a man starved, ignoring pain as he tried to satiate his hunger.
The first round was fine as was the second. By the third your hips were sore and you weren’t sure you could cum again. And by the fourth you were a mess, his cum dripping from between your thighs, drool staining one cheek. Your face was pressed into the pillow, ass in the air as he drilled into you.
“One more.” Kento huffed, the rough pad of his thumb pressed against your clit. You groaned, unable to tell him that you couldn’t, that it was all too much. You had already cum five times. Each one was more intense than the last and now just the sensation of his cock buried within you was too much.
You moaned as his hand left your hip, tangling in your hair and tugging you upright. It changed where his cock was hitting with each thrust. 
“You can do it.” His warm breath was in your ear, hips snapping in a ruthless rhythm. You let out a small whimper, hips trying and failing to keep pace with him. He shifted his hand from your hair to your breast, tweaking the nipple roughly.
It was all too much. The tight heat in your belly just kept building with no end in sight. Your abdominal muscles felt weak, stomach clenching weakly as he let out a grunt. The sound sent a shudder through you and you moaned as he brought his fingers to your mouth, sliding them in. You bit lightly on the digits, legs shaking as you struggled to remain upright. He had you locked against his chest, balancing you on his thighs as he thrusted upwards.
Faintly you wondered if you should ask to stop, to check his wound because surely he had ripped some stitches. But your mind was too hazy, drool dripping from your lips as he finally made you cum.
You let out a low groan, cunt weakly fluttering about his cock. 
“Good girl.” Nanami grunted, pulling his fingers from your mouth to pull your hips tightly against his. Somehow he still had energy. You fell forward, sighing against the pillow as he picked up the pace, slamming into you with low groans.
He was never very vocal in bed, normally you would get a low huff or moan. But this side of Nanami, the hungry beast who was fucking you like it was the last thing he’d ever get to do. He was very vocal.
Nanami finally came, letting out a low ‘fuck’ as he did so. You flopped onto one side, looking up at him through half closed eyes. His side seemed alright, red near the stitches but nothing seemed to be bleeding.
He was panting, sweat dripping down his chest as he stared down at you. Still kneeling, cum dripped from the tip of his still half hard cock. You noted that his thick patch of pubic hair was soaked from making you cum so many times. 
One hand swiped through his hair, pushing the sweaty locks from his eyes. The heavy look that had been in his eyes had disappeared. 
“Shower?” He was out of breath, hand going to the stitches on his side. You nodded and then laughed.
“I gotta wait till my legs work.” You laughed again at the expression that crossed his face. An odd mix of pride and apology. 
“Bath then?” 
You nodded at that, feeling as if your bones were made of jello as he picked you up and made his way to the bathroom. Despite how tired you felt, you let him fuck you again in the bath.
Jacket
You had fallen in love with him in your first week at the office. It was your first corporate job, and you had realized quickly that getting to the train and making it to the office on time required intense time management. On your 4th day, there was rain. You hadn’t bothered looking at the weather ahead of time. And like an idiot, you never bothered with an umbrella in your bag. 
Your walk to the train had quickly turned into a run. The sudden rain pelted you, an icy torrent that had you shivering as you skidded onto the train. Your skirt was mostly fine, the black fabric was damp. But your shirt, a plain white blouse that you wore every day, was now see through. 
It was a nightmare scenario and you felt frozen. People were staring, the train doors had already closed and you couldn’t stop shivering.
“Here.” A warm jacket was slid about your shoulders. You flinched, turning to see a vaguely familiar face. A tall man, blonde hair and silver glasses. His name was Ken? Or maybe Kensei?
He worked in your office, you had seen him on the same floor as you, often looking as if he hadn’t slept in days. You thankfully slide your arms into the jacket, buttoning the front as best you could. It made the shirt less noticeable and you thanked him quietly. He hadn’t said anything back, just nodded and adjusted his tie.
The rest of the day you found yourself wandering near his end of the department’s floor, hoping to find out what his name was. He was quiet and kept to himself. And it wasn’t until the next day that you found out his name.
“Oh you mean Nanami Kento?” Your colleague looked up from her computer screen. “Tall blonde right?”
You nodded, thanking her and quickly making your way over to his desk. He hadn’t noticed you at first, blinking up at you blearily when you finally mustered the courage to say his name.
“Your jacket, thank you.” You held the garment out to him, noting the dark bags under his eyes. The man took the jacket with a small nod, turning back to the screen before him.
As you walked back to your desk, you realized your cheeks were flushed and that you had a massive crush on Nanami Kento. 
Kisses
Your first kiss had been sweet. Kento had leaned in, warm hand tilting your head up to catch your lips with his. It was a quick kiss, you were too nervous to press for anything more. The man had fucked you not 24 hours prior but on your first date you were a nervous schoolgirl again.
Your second kiss had been on the train. He had offered to pick you up after work, the plan was to go to his house for dinner. You were tired, almost too tired to stand for the short ride to his apartment. Kento had been standing in front of you, blocking the crowd that pressed in behind two of you. He had leaned in without warning, pressing his lips to yours. The action surprised you for a moment before you leaned in, hands grabbing the edges of his jacket to keep steady.
Your third kiss had been later that night. After dinner and spending some time reading, you had found yourself in his bed, clothing scattered about the floor and the man buried balls deep in your pussy. You had been the one to initiate the kiss, hands sliding over his shoulders as you pressed your lips against his. He had accepted eagerly, thrusting lazily into you as your lips slid against each other. His tongue had slid into your mouth, laving against the roof of your mouth as you moaned against his lips. Back arching, you licked his teeth, tongue running along his bottom lip. He kept you beneath him that night for hours, his lips finding yours with a polite hunger.
Lace
You wore nothing but lace. The scraps of fabric barely covered your skin. Your nipples pressed against the scratchy fabric and you resisted the urge to move. This was a surprise and you had assumed what you thought was the perfect pose. It wasn’t a special day, you had just felt like treating the man. He was always exhausted and even if all you got was quiet and warm words in response, you would be happy.
The only problem was, Kento was late. Your phone sat on the bedside table, silent. There was the urge to grab it to call him, but in the back of your mind, you were certain the second you moved, he would enter the room.
Time moved slowly and you cursed the man for being so with the times that he had no clock in the bedroom. You had expected it of the man, some clunky square clock that would blare it's alarm. But no, he used his phone like the rest of the world. 
Without wanting to you found yourself flopping onto your back with a small huff. Your phone chimed confirming the worst. Nanami had to work overtime. You stared up at the ceiling, hoping he would be safe. Hoping that whatever he would fight would be weaker than him.
“Oh!” You had drifted off, despite being practically naked and on top of the blankets sleep had set in. But now you were awake, hazily clawing yourself from sleep as a wave of pleasure coiled in your gut.
Kento was between your thighs, tongue lapping at your wet folds. The crotchless lace underwear had been the right choice. You sleepy congratulated yourself on that, thighs opening wider to allow him more access.
Kento was naked, fresh from a shower, his glasses perched neatly on his nose. His cock hung heavy between his legs, dripping precum onto the bed. You shivered at the sight, bucking your hips against his face as he made another pass with his tongue.
“You got all dressed up for me. I couldn’t help myself.” 
Nanami was a man of few words when it came to sex. A command here of there, the occasional praise. But for the most part he was as stoic with sex as he was with the rest of life.
Tonight something was different. Face buried in your cunt, one hand came up, roughly squeezing your breast. The lace scratched at your nipple, sending a shiver of pleasure straight to your cunt. 
Kento groaned into your folds, his other hand sneaking between your thighs, a single finger gently sliding into your entrance. You bucked up against him, gasping as a second finger quickly joined, stretching your walls. Arousal slicked your thighs, dripping around his fingers and onto the mattress.
“Good girl.” He panted, his glasses were fogged, the heat of your core apparently enough to do so. You shivered at his praise, silently moaning as he lapped at your clit. His eye contact was intense, unblinking as he watched you squirm. The hand on your breast kept you in place, unable to escape the gentle thrusting of his fingers or the intent drag of his tongue against your clit.
Your legs shook, the pleasurable throbbing heat in your abdomen building. 
“Not yet.” Nanami barked, lifting his head from your folds. His lips and cheeks smeared with your juices. You whined, hips still canting against his fingers as you tried and failed to chase the orgasm that had almost hit.
He sat up, fingers leaving your cunt as he swiped a hand across his face. Kento’s hair had fallen from his perfect part, the messy look adding to the odd fervor thrumming in his veins. 
You shifted as he moved closer, letting your legs fall open further as he nestled between them. Nanami was warm, his thick cock standing upright, precum leaking down onto your clit as he steadied himself above you.
For a moment there was silence, Kento’s piercing gaze searching your face. The sharpness and exhaustion that lived in his face lifted for a moment and he offered you one of his rare brilliant smiles.
“I love you.”
You blinked, mind swimming from beneath the haze of arousal as you took in his words. It was a shock, it was exhilarating, you felt your heart in your throat.
“I love you too.” 
Miss
After everything that had happened. After all you had been through. Nothing hurt more than the ache of missing him. You had barely made it out alive. Your body had been badly injured, Shoko unable to repair some of the damage, even with her amazing ability. 
The joint aches, the burns, the nerve damage. None of it compared to the pain of losing Nanami. 
The worst part was how missing him was woven into everything. The simple act of waking up was painful. The bed you had shared feeling so cold and empty. 
Walking around the house he had bought, the house you had shared. He was everywhere and nowhere all at once.
The books that made you cry, their spines perfectly aligned, sitting on a desk that grew more dusty by the day. A shared closet full of suits and button ups that sat dark and closed. You had stopped wearing dresses and skirts, not wanting to glimpse the gray and blue that sat within.
Your heart ached whenever you showered, the bottles of shampoo and body wash sitting untouched, save for when you would dare open one and sniff it gently.
It was a pale imitation of the man who would wrap you in his arms. It didn’t carry the warmth he had.
You missed him so much that it physically hurt to be awake. Days were spent in bed, wrapped in one of his shirts until his scent wore off. Your eyes were puffy from crying, body growing weak from your neglect. And none of it mattered because he was gone.
Your rock, your tall blonde who always looked at you as if you were the most priceless jewel.
Shoko tried her best to tend to you. The tired brunette had lost her best friend, had seen her other best friend's dead body walking around, cursed. She was as broken as you were. And yet she persisted.
“It’ll always be there.” She let out a stream of smoke, looking out at the small backyard. You sat with her on the back patio, wrapped in a blanket. She had come over, offering up baked goods and a tired smile.
“It’s like a hole right in your soul. Heavier than anything in this world.” Shoko took another drag, glancing at you from the corner of her eye as she held onto the smoke for a moment.
“The trick is to not let it consume your entire being.”
You rubbed a hand across your cheek, staring out at the night sky.
“What if I want to?” The pain was throbbing, the void where he existed raw and agonizingly empty.
Shoko let out her lung full of smoke, shrugging slightly, “You’ll become cursed or maybe a curse yourself.” 
You didn’t say anything, staring up at the night sky. Nanami wouldn’t want this for you. But he wasn’t here anymore. 
You existed, in pain and missing him. And how you wished you didn’t.
Night time 
Since you had moved into his house, night time had become more enjoyable. Nanami was lucky, his small and tidy house also having a small and tidy yard. It was quaint, a small chunk of earth that felt separate from the rest of the city. 
It was better than the small balcony your apartment had come with. The rickety iron and crumbling concrete had meant you only felt safe putting a plant or two out there. For the most part you had ignored it, seeing it as only a means to have to listen to the sounds of the city and smell cigarette smoke.
“Outside again?”
Kento’s voice was low, husky with the remnants of sleep. He had been napping after a mission so you had come outside to bask under the stars.
“Some people would call it moon bathing.” You laughed, setting your book aside. Kento had bought you a nice wicker loveseat for the back patio and you were curled up on it, a heavy blanket wrapped about you. 
Shifting, you made room as he sat beside you, the man tugging a corner of the blanket over himself. His hair was down, the blonde strands looking silver tinted in the dim light spilling from the house.
“What are you thinking about?” His voice was low, one arm wrapping around your waist as you snuggled against his chest.
“How the world doesn’t seem real from here.” You looked up at the twinkling stars, hardly believing you were still in the city. This home was untouched by the vicious anger and filth that churned in the city.
“It really doesn’t.” He hummed, resting his forehead against yours. 
“Kinda feels like it's only us left.” You murmured, eyes sliding shut as Kento’s warmth soaked into your side. His smell, like clean laundry and warm bread, was lulling you to sleep.
Before you passed out, you heard his whisper of.
“I really wish it was.”
Overtime
You hated overtime. It was grueling, ate into your personal life and usually just fed into a never ending cycle of work that missed its deadline. Your manager was bad at time management, often coming to you an hour or two before the end of day with a project that just had to get done. It was never posed to you as optional. No, with your company overtime was expected and never rewarded. 
Nanami Kento hated overtime just as much as you did. It wasn’t often that he had to, usually only on the odd trips his job sent him on. Those weeks you already had it in your mind that you wouldn’t see him so it never bothered you.
But your job? It always ate into your planned dates with Nanami. You would often find yourself messaging him, a scowl on your face. It made you feel like an asshole and like you had no life. 
“So. We need this done before end of day.” The stack of paper was dumped unceremoniously on your desk. You somehow managed to keep a straight face, nodding once  before turning back to your screen. Your boss would no doubt leave early, the man never felt the need to assist with any of the projects he so conveniently forgot about.
As soon as he left, you texted Nanami, sending along an apology for having to cancel yet another date night. He didn’t respond, the man never usually did when working. With a sign, you took the first file, grimacing as you began.
11:43 pm. That’s how long it took you. Just 17 minutes before the day ended and you managed somehow to get everything done. You were furious however, stalking to the train station to catch one of the last trains to your stop. This job was a never ending cycle of you and others cleaning up the mistakes of your superiors. You stewed the entire train ride home, fingers clenching your purse with a white knuckled grip. 
To your surprise, the lights were on in your apartment. You climbed the flight of stairs to your landing and cautiously opened the door. A mixture of exhaustion and anger slightly clouding your mind.
The apartment smelled of warm miso soup and fresh bread. Kento shot you a small smile, gesturing at the spread of food he had set out on the kitchen table. Slice vegetables, miso soup, bread and thin cuts of perfectly cooked fish. All laid out in a way that only Kento would do. 
“I hope you don’t mind. “ Polite as always. You laughed, throwing your arms around the tall man. 
“Of course not!” Tossing your purse to one side, you sat down, digging in with a groan. You were starved, not realizing it till the first bite of bread practically melted on your tongue. 
Kento had already eaten, the man sitting across from you with a book. It was peaceful, the stress of the day melting from you as you silently watched the man. He looked up, catching your eye and making you blush.
“I’ve been thinking.” He set the book aside, reaching out and snagging a slice of cucumber. You hummed, sipping the warm soup slowly as you waited for him to continue.
“About us moving in together.” Kento leaned back, popping the cucumber in his mouth and chewing thoughtfully. “I make enough, I have a house. You wouldn’t need to do overtime ever again.”
You stared at him, spoon halfway to your mouth. Was he being serious? Your heart was in your throat, excitement flooding your veins. This was new to you. Only 9 months into the relationship, but you were ready. You had been since he told you about cursed spirits. 
“I would love that.” You smiled, feeling a lightness in your heart. Nanami swept one hand through his hair, a gentle smile on his lips.
“I’ll start moving items to make space for you at home.” 
You beamed at that, popping a slice of fish in your mouth. No more overtime, moving in with your tall boyfriend who should cook. You were incredibly lucky. 
Pull
There was an odd pull to being around Nanami Kento. You weren’t sure what it was, but he had an air about him that made you want to get closer.
Maybe it was the safety in his height, how he was able to peer over crowds, guide you in such a way that you were never bumped into or stepped on.
Or perhaps it was his face. His sharp gaze and even sharper cheekbones. Being half European, he stood out in Japan, easy to find in a crowd. And his look was unique. Deep brown eyes and blond hair had a way of making him look softer in the right light. A balance against the sharpness of his other features. 
Maybe it was his voice. Deep and steady, never wavering. He spoke with confidence, always taking the lead in situations, even if he didn’t intend to. 
There was a pull to being around Nanami Kento. So when he vanished from the world, you felt it. A hole that would never close opened in your soul. 
Quiet
You were quiet, more so than normal. There was always a nice calm between the two of you. Both of you appreciate spending time together silently doing your own things, be it reading or working on projects. But the past few days you had been abnormally quiet. Kento wasn’t used to mere nods and hmms of acknowledgement. You were distant, eyes darting to dark corners of rooms, teeth worrying at the nail of one thumb.
Finally, Nanami broke the quiet. 
“What's wrong?” 
You were both in bed, you curled on one side trying to sleep, Kento sitting up with a book. A glance up at his face told you he was deeply concerned. Kento’s face was always lined, a mix of exhaustion and whatever secret it was that he kept weighing on him. But this was different as if all the sharp lines of his face were pointed at you. 
You chewed at your lip before sighing, looking away from his intense gaze. It wasn’t that you didn’t want to open up to him. Being open and honest was something you always felt you could be with him.
But the thing that had caused you to be so quiet in the past week just didn’t make sense. You felt insane and admitting it out loud was something you weren’t sure you could do.
“I’ve.” You began, shifting onto your back. It would be easier to tell the ceiling than your boyfriend.
“I’ve been seeing things.” It was barely a whisper. You felt your cheeks flush as you kept your eyes locked on the dull white of your bedroom ceiling. Beside you, Kento shifted, the warmth of his legs pressing against your side. He didn’t say anything for a moment, the quiet in the room stretching on unbearably long.
“What kind of things?” His question was soft, no judgment in his tone. It was as if he were asking you how your day was. You glanced up at him, searching his face for any hint of judgment. Of course he wasn’t judging you, far from it. 
“Like.” You gestured vaguely, unsure how exactly to put what you saw into words.
“Creatures. Strange creatures.” It was a lame description, one you knew didn’t do it justice. What you were seeing were absolute nightmares. The second you left your apartment you were bombarded with fuzzy shapes that seemed to plague the city. And the ones that weren’t vague blobs were the worst. Demonic twisted forms. Like ideas not quite fully formulated. Escaped nightmares that cackled, whispered and yelled. Every street corner had them, they clung to people like odd backpacks and strange hats. No matter where you turned, you could find one within arms reach. 
You had been ignoring them as best as you could. But it was really getting to you. The mental toll of trying to appear normal at work, while ignoring the things that clung to your coworkers and office equipment was too much. Whispers plagued you as you attempted to do your job, the odd creatures speaking their own language as they picked and stabbed at your colleagues. No one reacted. Not on the streets, not in the office. You alone were affected.
“They weren’t there a few days ago. But now.” You felt tears welling in your eyes, lip trembling. Admitting what you had seen finally brought the exhaustion and feelings you had been trying so hard to ignore crashing into you.
Kento pulled you against his chest, silently holding you as you sobbed. He was so warm and so normal, it added to your distress. Tears streaming down your face, all you could think of was how scared you were. How horrifying it was to leave your apartment anymore.
“I don’t know if I should see a psychiatrist or check myself into a clinic.” Your voice trembled as you spoke, breaking on certain words. Kento pressed a kiss against your forehead, thumbs rubbing comforting circles against your side. He was quiet, much too quiet and you lay in his arms, waiting for him to confirm that you were in fact insane. 
But he didn’t. Instead he shifted, clearing his throat as you finally made eye contact with him.
“I have something to tell you.”
Riding
“Kento.” You let out a breathy moan, hands planted on his chest as you grind your hips against his. The man had his large hands on his hips, trapping you against him as he thrust up into your wet heat. His cock hit differently in this position and you could barely keep yourself steady. Each thrust landing deep within you, the head of his cock dragging against your G-spot with surgical precision. 
Sweat slid down your back and you shivered as your clit caught against his rough patch of pubic hair. Your abdomen muscles burned. Riding wasn’t something you had ever done often, but when Nanami had asked, you had happily obliged. 
His hands slide from your hips, grasping the fat of your ass with a bruising force. The man’s face was flushed, eyes locked on your breasts as they bounced with each thrust. He was concentrating on you, hands guiding your hips as he watched your expressions. Kento wasn’t one to think of his pleasure first. The man made it his goal to have you cum first and any after were just a bonus. 
You shuddered above him, arms feeling weak as you bounced against him. He slid his hands up your back, gently nudging you to lay down. You obliged, sore arms and abdomen feeling a sense of relief as you lay flat against the expanse of his chest. Your sweat slicked skin slid against together and you allowed yourself to relax, twining your arms around his neck.
“I’ve got you.” His voice was low and warm, breath tickling your ear as he grasped your hips again, thrusting upwards slowly. You allowed him to take control, quiet moans bubbling from your throat as he brought you closer to orgasm. 
Not having to hold yourself up allowed you to concentrate more on the heat in your stomach, the building fire filling your veins. Your hips rocking against his, your clit rubbed against the rough hair at the base of his cock, quickly building the tight thread of pleasure within your stomach. 
The hard planes of his chest pressed against your soft breasts, your nipples rubbing against his skin with each thrust.
You ground down on him, lips finding the skin of his throat. Licking and sucking under his jaw, you nibbled gently at the skin. Kento let out a low huff of air, hips canting up into yours, his pace quickening.
Placing kiss after kiss, you ran your tongue along the jumping vein in his neck. His heart was racing much like yours, a shiver running through him as you bit down gently.
The bedroom was silent save for the lewd wetness of your juices between the two of you. The occasional breathy moan slipped past your lips as you felt yourself growing closer to your end.
“Cum for me.” A command, his husky voice sending a shiver straight to your cunt as he thrust into you. “Now.”
Kenot’s commands were gentle, but enough to tip you over the edge. You came with a small cry, hips locking in place as your walls fluttered around his cock. He groaned in your ear as your walls milked him, the man spilling inside you soon after.
Sad
He was sad. One day a year Nanami Kento carried a cloud with him. He never made plans on that day, never told you where he went. You didn’t question it, accepting the silent and morose day for what it was.
Those days he kept his distance and you realized that he was stuck in the past. Replaying some event in his mind over and over again. As an outside observer, you felt as if he were punishing himself. He barely ate on that day, too lost in his head to care for his body.
It was on those days, late at night, that Kento would finally show a sliver of the grief within him. Wrapping around you in bed, his head nestled in your neck, Nanami Kento would cry. It was silent, his shoulder shaking as warm tears slid from his face onto your skin. You never gave indication that you were awake, staying as still as you could. A silent rock in his sea of agony. 
Taste
He liked to taste you. Tongue lapping against your folds with the same eagerness each time. Kento loved giving but rarely ever asked to receive. You realized it 4 months into dating. The night before had been particularly passionate and as you looked back on it, you realized that with dating him you had become something of a pillow princess. Part of you felt a twist of shame, wondering if the stoic man was just too polite to ask. 
But then you thought of how eager he was to just dive in. The man devoured you as soon as you hit the bed, not really giving you a chance to offer anything past your moans.
That morning you showered slowly, purposefully taking your time. Nanami had awoken before you, going to his study to work on whatever it was his job had him do. You had to be careful with your plan of attack. The man had a tendency to sweep you off your feet before you could think.
Stepping from the shower, you were quick to towel off, deciding to forgo clothing as you stalked to the office. It was a bit cold, your skin breaking out in goosebumps as you hurried down the hall.
Your stomach was tight with excitement, a warmth thrumming through your veins as you quietly slipped into the room. Nanami hadn’t noticed, a book in one hand, his other on the computer mouse. For a second you felt bad about interrupting his work, knowing that it was important to him. But you quickly shook it off, crossing to his desk and offering a smile. 
The man let a noise of surprise, setting the book down as he took in your lack of clothing. You grinned at him, feeling butterflies of nervousness in your stomach.
Kento opened his mouth and you pressed a finger to his lips. If he spoke, he would have you on your back in his bed within seconds. 
You crouched, fingers deftly untucking his shirt and undoing his buckle. Before he could react again, you had unzipped his paint, freeing his growing erection with ease.
“Can I taste you?” You asked, staring up at him through your still damp eyelashes. Kento visibly swallowed, sharp cheeks flushing a light pink. The man nodded, leaning back in his chair, legs opening wider to allow you to nestle between his thighs.
You gave his cock an experimental pump, feeling a little more than pleased at the fact that he was already fully hard. Swirling your tongue around the inside of your mouth, you allowed spit to pool before opening and gently placing your lips on the head of his cock.
Kento let out a small huff of hair, head tilting back slightly as he watched you through half lidded eyes. You ran your tongue over the head of his cock, teasing the slit at the tip. He tasted salty and clean. The scent of soap mixing with his natural musk. 
You opened your mouth, sliding your lips and tongue along his length as you attempted to seat him fully in your mouth.
It was impossible of course, Kento’s cock was thick, normally stretching your pussy. In your mouth, you got about halfway down his length, jaw popping slightly as you reached your limit. You didn’t let that deter you, sliding your hand around the rest of his length. Gently, you began bobbing your head up and down, flattening your tongue along the underside of his cock.
Kento’s hand wound through your hair, a low moan escaping his lips as you set a quick pace. 
He tasted salty, precum dripping into your mouth and adding to the lubrication as you pumped his cock. 
The hand in your hair tightened as you hollowed your cheeks, sucking sharply. Kento’s hips moved slightly, bucking into your mouth. You shifted, allowing the saliva pooling in your mouth to spill out, lubricating his length. With the hand not wrapped firmly around his cock, you gently caressed his balls, squeezing experimentally. The man’s hips jumped at that action, his cock going deeper down your throat. 
You almost gagged, tears forming in the corners of your eyes as your jaw began to ache. 
“Can I set the pace?” Kento was out of breath, the hand not tangled in your hair, grasping his chair with a white knuckled grip. You hesitated, then let out a noise of agreement. 
The idea of choking on his cock was unpleasant, you weren’t a fan of face fucking. But you trusted him to be kind.
The hand in your hair tightening its grip, gently nudging you forward. His hips bucked forward, and he moaned as he tapped the back of your throat. You shuddered, fingers digging into his thighs as he began gently but firmly fucking your mouth. 
You watched his face through your damp eyelashes, taking in his heavy lidded eyes and parted lips. He was panting as he thrust into your mouth, the prickly hair at the base of his cock tickling your nose with each thrust.
Kento was close. His tells, the swelling of his chest, the tightening of his grasp, the way his nose scrunched. They were all converging. 
Kento came with a low grunt, thrusting into your mouth and letting his seed spill in. He tasted salty, the thick cum dripping out of the corner of your mouth as he gently pulled free. His spent cock lay limp against his pants as he leaned forward, gently grasping your chin.
“Was I too rough?”
You shook your head, swallowing his cum and opening your mouth, showing him it was all gone. Kento’s pupils dilated and you shrieked as he scooped you up, making his way to the bedroom.
Under
The world had fallen under the realm of reality. It was the only thing that made sense. It had fallen from the bright sunny spot it always existed in and flipped. Now the dark underbelly that roiled in the shadows was loose, running rampant on the streets.
You hadn’t meant to be in Shibuya on one of the busiest nights. Yuji had mentioned in passing a horror movie he liked and you had gotten it in your head to put together a gift for the three students that Kento worked with. All of them looked so tired all the time, more tired than kids their age should.
So like an idiot, you went out. The allure of a Halloween discount for horror movies had compelled you. And now, like thousands of other idiots, you were trapped. It made no sense an invisible barrier separated you from the outside world. All of Shibuya seemed trapped as if pulled from the very earth itself.
“They’re asking for some Gojo guy.”
You whipped your head around, trying and failing to find the speaker. Did they mean Satoru Gojo? Surely not.
You looked back at the barrier, running your hand along the invisible wall. Could curses do something like this? You cursed yourself, thinking back on how you had shrugged off Nanami, telling him that your lack of fighting ability meant that there was no real reason to learn more about cursed spirits you could see.
So so stupid. 
The barrier shifted to your right and the man who had been standing there stumbled back, gawking at the person emerging from the other side. It was Gojo. His eyes were covered and his mouth set in a thin line. You shivered, feeling oddly cold as he fully stepped into the barrier, glancing about.
He noticed you, hooking one finger around the blindfold he wore and pulling it to expose one eye. His iris was the most brilliant blue you had ever seen and it filled you with dread. He didn’t say anything, quickly jumping and literally walking over the crowd, in search of something you couldn’t see.
You fell to your knees, shopping bag sitting defeated next to you. The look had told you everything in just a second. There was no coming out of this. There was no happy ending for anyone in Shibuya. 
You sat there at the barrier for as long as you could, praying that Gojo would fix it, that Nanami would somehow find a way to help you escape. But then the screaming started and you began to run.
You could see them now, the large spirits that had evaded you for so long. They were hungry and violent. And you couldn’t fight them. You ran, breathless and legs burning for as long as you could.
And then the ground shifted and you were falling. Under the city where even worse beings lurked.
As you fell, you faintly wondered if Nanami was safe. 
Vibe
“The vibe is off.” Yuji sighed. You hummed in agreement, tilting your head slightly as you took in the store before you. To your right, Kento shot the pair of you a look. A mixture of exasperation and confusion. 
Somehow, the ever punctual and always perfectly scheduled Nanami Kento had forgotten a weekend training with his student. You had been almost to the train station when his phone had gone off. By the time you were on the train, he was mid conversation with the student, fingers pinching the bridge of his nose as you spoke. When it ended, you knew what he was going to say. Cancel the date and attend to his work. So before he could you had cut him off and offered to tag along. Nanami hadn’t like that, but his quiet protests had been silenced when you tilted your head to the right. There was a barely visible blob, one hazy hand sneaking closer to your own.
The train was always full of cursed spirits. Now that you knew what they were, it was somehow easier to ignore them. It didn’t stop the disgusting little creatures from trying to touch you. 
Nanami had relented, his promise of teaching you to get rid of smaller ones had yet to be fulfilled.
“Regardless of the vibe this is the perfect learning opportunity.” Nanami huffed, arms crossed as he stared down his pupil. The boy shrugged, motioning around the room before looking at you.
“Want the big guy?” 
You took in the empty store, its many broken shelves and mannequins. It was in utter disarray, the condemned sign on the front door making you wonder if it was due to the cursed spirits or the very large mold spots that seemed to be everywhere.
“What big guy?” You asked, taking in the dusty store again. Little curses crawled here and there, their odd voices ringing out in the nearly silent store. They were watching your group warily, tensed as if awaiting an attack. But nothing you would consider big.
“Ah.” Yuji turned to Nanami, a look of pure concern on his face, “Nanamin, isn’t it a little mean to bring your girlfriend here if she can’t see all the spirits?”
You inhaled at that, shooting your own look at Nanami. While he had explained the existence of what you could see and how jujutsu sorcery worked, he had failed to mention there were curses you couldn’t see. 
A similar revelation seemed to be working its way through his mind and you watched as his cheeks went slightly pink. The poor man was no doubt mortified.
Later, after Yuji had fought what to you was a patch of air and the store had been cleaned of the spirits you could see, Nanami did admit quietly that the vibe was indeed off. 
Wake
There was a moment some days when you woke up before Kento did. On those days you would quietly turn in bed, nestling closer to him. When he was asleep, Nanami Kento was finally peaceful. The sharp lines and weight that plagued him melted and you could see the quiet reserved man in his entirety. 
In the summer, the first rays of light would leak through your blinds, streaming across your bed. They would hit his hair, turning the strands of blonde golden. In the sunlight he looked like he was sculpted from marble. A picture of perfection, wrapped in your blankets as if he were a piece of porcelain. 
Nanami usually woke shortly after the sun did, even before his alarm. In the warm sun, his eyes were a gentle brown, small shards of gold and hazel twining together to create a beautiful sun kissed color.
He was always surprised to see you staring, a light flush spreading across his cheeks. Mornings with Kento normally had little spoken between the two of you. Instead it was quiet kisses and soft touches before the alarm pulled you both from the softness of the morning.
Xenial
“This is a nightmare.” You huffed under your breath. Nothing was turning out right. The food looked barely edible and you were pretty sure the alcohol you had bought was just the worst choice. Nanami had, for some reason, wanted to introduce you to his students and a few colleagues. Like an idiot you had offered to host a dinner. 
At the time it had seemed like a good idea. Your place was always tidy and you had a game system the kids could use. Nanami had been hesitant at first, lips pressing in a thin line as he considered it. He had relented, seeing how excited you were to cook for his friends.
But now, you were regretting it. 
“Can I help?” Yuji stood in your kitchen doorway, rocking on his heels as he took in the haphazard mess you had laid out across the counter. You swiped a stray lock of hair from your face, straightening as you pushed the pan of chicken into the oven.
“It’s ok! I know you guys were having fun.”
Yuji informed you that he was in fact not having fun. The white haired professor, Gojo was apparently hogging the system, trying to ‘Kick everyone’s ass’ at Tekken. You decided to let Yuji help you. The boy seemed happy to be put to work. He told you stories of working with Nanami, the difficulties of learning to be a sorcerer. You listened quietly, smiling at how much he seemed to look up to Kento. 
Together you got dinner cooked and served. Your apartment was small so dinner was eaten in the living room. For once, you urge to keep things working in your favor. You dragged your kotatsu table from your storage closet, fluffing the blanket as you set it out. 
The night went well. You learned that Gojo was incredibly loud and enjoyed teasing everyone. The other professor Shoko was quiet, eating slowly as she took in the conversation around her. Nanami was a good mix of the two, talking with his students as they loudly joked.
You liked Nobara and Megumi. Together with Yuji they created an interesting trio. Perfectly balanced in a way. 
The food was quickly eaten, Gojo asking for seconds and then thirds. The man could really put food away, loudly proclaiming that Nanami should hurry up and marry you so the team could have more of your cooking. The night was a success despite your earlier worries. 
“I think everyone had fun.” You were tackling the mountain of dishes, elbows deep in sudsy water. Nanami stood at your side, drying each dish as you passed it over. He seemed more relaxed than normal, the stiff lines of his shoulders gone.
“My mother would call you a xenial person.” 
You blinked at that, Kento never talked about his family. It was a topic he avoided more than jujutsu sorcery. You didn’t comment on it, instead smiling and bumping him with your hip.
“Next time make sure I buy double the food.” You laughed as you passed him another dish, “Gojo eats enough for 4 people.”
Nanami rolled his eyes at that, a small smile gracing his lips. “He’s a thorn in my side.” 
He paused, placing the glass he had in one hand down gently. Kento seemed to be considering his words carefully. You watched from the corner of your eyes, slowly washing the last glass.
“He’s important. As annoying as he is, without him, the world would fall.”
His lips were pressed into a thin line, the man staring at his hands as he thought. 
Something was going on, you had seen it weighing on not just him but the kids as well. There were more curses around the city and they were more clear than they had ever been. But Kento wasn’t ready to tell you what was happening yet.
“Just tell me when and they can all come over.” You smiled at him, handing the last glass to the man. Kento smiled at that, offering you a small thank you.
Yelp
“SHIT!” You let out a strangled yelp, dodging the hooked arm that swiped at you. Kento had been trying to teach you to dissolve cursed spirits and so far you were having no luck. You had cursed energy, at least he said you did. But you couldn’t figure out how to channel it. 
There were wisps that would gather and then just as quickly dissipate. 
The curse let out a strangle snarl, the spines on its back shaking oddly. You again tried to channel the cursed energy, feeling the weak whisps at your fingertip. Flicking your hand forward, you focused, trying to imagine the curse just disappearing.
You let out another shriek, ducking behind your boyfriend as the small curse lunged forward. Kento clearly had a good grip on his abilities, backhanding the creature out of existence.
You relaxed, fingers still wrapped around his arm as you glanced about to see if there were more of the creatures around. The dingy alleyway was too dark for your liking and you pressed closer to Kento as a rustling noise echoed down the dirty concrete walls.
You stared at your fingertips with a grimace, as if they were alone in the blame for the failure. Kento patted your shoulder gently, offering you a thin smile.
“Not everyone with sight can fight them.” 
You sighed at that, vowing to do your best to just ignore the annoying beings. Following Kento back into civilization, you threaded your fingers through his, shooting him a wide smile as he led you towards the train station.
“Good thing my boyfriend is one of the most powerful sorcerers in Japan.” 
He mumbled a correction at that, flushing as you shook a finger at him, insisting he take the praise. 
Zest
Nanami Kento liked bread, pastries that weren’t too sweet. He had mentioned it in passing one night, clearly not expecting anything to come of it. The knowledge stuck with you however. You were deeply curious. What kind of pastry was his favorite? Was there any bread he disliked? 
Of course it was a week in which you didn’t get to see him. Between your own work and his, there was just no time. It was a tad depressing, until you were hit with the idea of baking for him.
It wasn’t something you had much practice in. Far from it given how much time your job ate up. But you were determined to do something nice for your boyfriend.
“How the hell do I zest a lemon?” You stared down at your phone, trying and failing to flick off the flour that was stuck to it. The recipe card gave you no indication, merely insisting you needed the zest of 1 lemon for the lemon curd.
Lemon Blackberry shortcakes had sounded easy enough when you had first glanced at the recipe. The items were easy to find. But zest a lemon?
“Everything alright?” 
You jumped at the sound of Nanami’s voice, whipping around in surprise. He was back early. Looking more tired than you had ever seen him. His shirt was dirty and torn in places, the accompanying tie was nowhere to be seen. 
“Yes.” You set down the lemon, swiping the flour from the front of your apron. “I don’t know how to zest a lemon.”
He smiled at that, tossing his jacket on the kitchen table. “I do.”
To your surprise he knew quite a lot about baking. Within minutes you found yourself sitting at the kitchen table, his torn work shirt on your lap watching him bake. It was the most domestic thing either of you had done so far. 
“We’ve been dating for five months?” You asked, trying to count backwards in your head. Nanami hummed, turning as he whisked the lemon cream, “Four months and 28 days.” 
You smiled at that, leaning your chin on one hand as you raked your gaze over his muscles. He didn’t seem to mind, concentrating on the task at hand.
“Do you ever think about the future? About where we might be?” You hadn’t ever really talked about it. Just a few weeks ago you had learned about the existence of curses. It was surface level and you knew that there was more to the situation. A part of you had been wondering if there was a future with the man. You enjoyed his quiet and serious nature. 
“I do.” Nanami set the bowl aside, adjusting his glasses. His expression was unreadable, eyes locked on to you. He seemed to be considering his words carefully as if hesitant to verbalize his thoughts.
“Kuantan.” His tone was soft, “A house near the beach. Long walks and reading in the sun.”
Nanami turned back to the pastries, continuing his earlier action. “Maybe a child. If you’re amenable to it.” 
You smiled at that. “Kuantan Malaysia huh?” Living outside of Japan wasn’t something you had considered. But the beach sounded nice, warm and peaceful. You glanced down at the torn shirt in your lap, running a finger along the loose threads. Did he think of his future when fighting the curses you couldn’t see? 
“I think I’d like that.” You smiled at him. “We can go there when you retire.” 
Nanami smiled at you over his shoulder, giving you a nod. The unspoken reality sat between the two of you. There was only one way to retire as a jujutsu sorcerer. 
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nichirinpen · 2 months
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Y'all's response to this fic has me floored. Thank you all for the kind words 😭❤️
In His Divine Gaze
Gojo Satoru x Reader
Can also be read here on AO3
Word Count: 20K
Synopsis- Following the traditions of your village, you become a Shrine Maiden. However, unlike most, you meet your shrine's God.
Content Tags: AFAB reader descriptions, Smut, penis in vagina sex, vaginal penetration, attempted assault (mahito is a creep)
Whether we like it or not, life tends to follow tradition. Old and dusty rituals followed by people to cling to the past. It ties people to their heritage, to their families. It has explanations for the unexplainable and gives a face to old superstitions. Tradition crossed time, mixing the past with the present, often in tiresome ways.
Your village had a rather odd tradition once someone reached the age of 18. Called the ‘Path of Three’ it was a replacement for a birthday celebration for the new adults. Dragged out in the middle of the town, the idea was to choose your path in life. With the celebration you could marry, become a trader or go work for the village shrine. 
In almost all cases, young individuals chose to marry and live in the village. It was the easiest choice for most, guaranteeing them housing and in most cases a blessing from the village elders. Marrying was the choice that guaranteed safety and a full belly most nights. Despite being behind the times, the village had plenty to go around. And besides, propagation in a dying village was needed and highly encouraged. Each year another elder passed and the village numbers dwindled further. The eldest of the village clung to the shreds of the past, refusing to admit that with each year, the end of the village drew nearer.
Second choice was becoming a trader. That path meant a chance at leaving the old woods, of adventuring across the country. It carried with it whispers of riches, good food and escape from under the thumb of the elders. Being so sheltered within the pines however, made it a less popular path. The youth of the village tended to be wary of adventuring beyond the deep woods.
The final choice, the shrine meant servitude to the old gods. It was rarely picked, the choice meaning nothing but a life of celibacy and working yourself to the bone. It didn’t help that the shrine was led by the oldest and nastiest woman in the village. Because of this most avoided it like the plague. Your mother had once described it as a nest of disease, the quiet comment earning her the ire of the village elders. They would never admit it, but the shrine was like the rest of the village, becoming forgotten by the new world.
In your case you chose the shrine. Marrying wasn't something you had wanted. Not when the only eligible partner was 17 years older than you and had a penchant for being drunk. He had dropped heavy hints in the months leading up to your birthday, clumsily pawing at you as if you were livestock. No matter where you went, he was there, stinking and laughing. Your parents had encouraged him, their hints at wanting grandchildren much heavier handed. Gifts meant for fertility had greeted you a whole month before your 18th birthday, followed by the wide smiles of your parents. The thought alone made you want to vomit but you persisted. Ignoring him and them to the best of your ability.
When it was finally your birthday, the look on his face when you made your choice had been enough to make up for his disgusting behavior. A shrine maiden made sense for you. Being a wife held no interest. Not when it meant having as many babies as you could and spending your days gossiping with the other tired women of your village. Being a trader meant long periods of time away from the village. Much like the rest of the village, you liked the deep pines you lived in. They offered quiet and solitude that the rest of the world seemed adamant on moving away from.
So you chose the shrine much to your parents dismay.
Like most modern villages, old gods and their shrines were starting to become mere whispers. As the new age seeped across the land, the strings of tradition were starting to fray. Superstitions and reverence were fading to stories that were told to scare children and nothing more. Some villages had even had the arrogance to tear down old shrines. To rid themselves of the past in favor of the cold stone and metal of the future.
Because of this, the elders of your village approved of your choice heartly. It had earned you a bundle of fabric, a sack of rice and a small kitten. Gifts were not typically given to a new shrine keeper. But seeing as you were the second person in almost 19 years to do so, the village elders were ecstatic. They needed more people to keep tradition alive, especially since the old shrine keeper was getting up there in years. 
So you left the warm and bustling village and found yourself in the woods that surround it. Your farewells had been bittersweet, your parents whispering that you could always change your mind. You didn’t however, heart thrumming slightly at the thought of finally being away from the watchful eyes of the village. Being alone in the woods sounded like a godsend. 
So, kitten tucked in the front of your kimono and a cloth bag of your possessions on your back, you made the trek into the deep pines. Just over a day's walk from the village, the old shrine was nestled in a thick grove of pine. The stone and wood of its walls were decaying. Here in the deep woods, nature was adamant about overtaking everything. Deep emerald moss and prickly vines twisted over the hunched form of the shrine. Almost as if the forest were halfway through swallowing the old structure, it became impossible at some points to see where the shrine ended and the forest began. Wood shavings and bits of stone littered the mossy steps up to it, the building seeming to shed like an old dog. You carefully skirted around the larger chunks, knowing that if you tripped and broke anything, no one would be able to rescue you.
The once vibrant red paint of the shrine was peeling in thick chunks from the worn wood. Spread about the lush forest ground like strang blood flecks. There was something eerie about the building. Even the foundation was crumbling, cracks like spiderwebs spreading from stone to stone. Though you admittedly were not quite religious and weren’t sure how much you believed in the old gods, something about this building seemed alive. As if an unseen being sat at its middle, peeking over the crumbling walls at you with many eyes.
The shrine keeper, Ama, was much like the building. Hunched in her old age, her rough skin and dark eyes drew a picture of one who had been alive for centuries. Ama, of course, was only 83, a near miracle in the village. The old woman did not see it as such, living this long was a curse to her. She was old, unkind and foul tempered. 
On your first day she had tried to send you back to the village, snapping that the youth like you just wanted to dilly dally in the forest like pigs. Though you towered over her, Ama scared you. She had a fierceness in her gaze that matched the unsettling aura of the shrine. You had stumbled over your words, sputtering like a fish as she glared. Her boney fists had been like knives in your hips as she pushed you from the shrine. And you had let her, eyes wide and mouth agape as she slammed the shrine doors behind you.
That night you had slept in the shrine steps, shivering and sneezing as the night winds ripped through the trees. In the dark, under a moonless sky, the pines weren’t as comforting as they were in the sun. And yet, you didn’t feel too afraid. Having the oddly watchful shrine at your back felt somewhat reassuring. And blessedly the kitten you had been given had remained on your chest, the little orange creature purring away through the night. He sat tucked in your kimono, brown eyes half closed in that sweet way cats did when sleepy and content. You decided that night to name him Yuji. The name was fitting. He was only a few months old and already had been more helpful than anyone else in your life. 
Ama had let you stay after that, grumbling about having wasted enough energy to deter you. Under the morning sun you had given her a stiff smile, trying to ignore the fact that you could feel all of your bones from sleeping on stone. The old woman had given you a brief look of respect before covering it with her bristling glare. She was quick to thrust a broom in your hands, commenting that at least you had the decency to bring a shrine cat with you.
And so you had begun your days as a Shrine Maiden.
Other than her, the only other shrine worker was a man named Mahito. He was in his 30s and had picked the shrine as his place of work even before the age of 18. Being an orphan and having no home he had been left with little choice. Much like with the stray dogs that made their way in, the village had discarded him as soon as they were able.
Mahito was quiet and unsettling. He reminded you of stories of yokai for some reason, his gaze odd and piercing. Though you tried not to judge one by their appearance, there was something about his lank graying hair and scarred face that made your stomach churn. It was as if he were something pretending to be a man, his skin sitting strangely upon his bones. His voice didn’t help either, the man’s words seemed to twist like snakes. The air around him felt tainted by just a single word. You tried your best to avoid him as you carried out the various tasks Ama set for you each day. It was easy enough given that his daily tasks seem to pertain to the basement and inner courtyard. You happily avoided both and the bugs that seemed to thrive there. The few moments in which you had to interact with him were short enough that you were able to power through them with a forced smile. If he was aware of his effect on you, Mahito, thankfully gave no indication.
And time passed like this. One year became two, then 6 and you were still running about the shrine and its grounds, following Ama's raspy bark as she pointed to this and that. Over time you grew stronger, the coldness of winters and the sweltering summers having little effect with each year. It was a quiet life with just the three of you. Incredibly different from the village where everyone seemed to know what everyone else was doing. 
The village life didn’t entirely leave you however. Despite liking being alone, you often found yourself trailing Ama on her daily rounds, not wanting to be caught alone by Mahito. The old woman seemed not to mind, happily giving you small tasks on the upkeep of the shrine.
Despite time’s instance of wearing the building down Ama kept it as clean and tidy as she could. The forest and the elements made the task difficult. It seemed nearly everyday there was some new part of the woods pushing its way past the old stone.
You assisted Ama silently, never complaining about any duties she gave you. Some days it was finding and tossing all the spiders in the shrine, others it was tying new talismans on the outer Tori gate. Ama would never admit it, but your silent acceptance seemed to please her. 
Each morning she waited in the inner courtyard to bark the morning’s orders. In your 5th year she began following you about, glaring at your work. Ama offered no praise and no help. But you were quick to learn that didn’t mean she was unhappy. 
In your 6th year some mornings Ama would give you nothing to do, simply asking you to watch the shrine as she took a walk. You spent those days on the front stairs with Yuji, sewing and waiting for Ama to reemerge from the deep pines. She never said where her walks took her, but she always appeared happy afterwards. Just for a moment, when she stepped from the trees to the stone, you caught a glimpse of the woman she once was. She would stand tall, a small smile upon her face and then she would step from beneath the last pine and once more she was a hunched and twisted old woman. 
With these walks, the wall between you and Ama seemed to have lessened. The old shrine keeper slowly let you into her world. Her anger you learned was due to the villagers. Less offerings were being sent to the god. And no one showed up to the prayer ceremonies. Each ceremony she preferred, each ritual of offerings she held, Ama seemed angrier and older. Her chapped lips would offer curses to the village after each prayer. It was a sad sight that seemed to worsen through time.
You sat through all of them, offering your silent servitude to a nameless god. Despite your best efforts to pry, Ama didn’t produce a name for the god. And as time flew by, you began to think that the God was perhaps lost to time. 
It wasn’t uncommon. As the new age filtered in, stories of gods abandoning their shrines grew in numbers. They went where the prayers were and here in the deep pines, only 2 offered prayer to the nameless god. You had noticed that Mahito never attended, the pale man always skulking away when Ama made her pre ceremony preparations.
As the years passed, Ama grew weaker. Her odd little walks took more and more time and you grew worried she was going to get lost in the deep pines. But she always returned and you kept your worries silent. You were curious of course, what could be so important in the woods that Ama would risk a fall over twisted roots to go each week? 
But one glare from her wrinkled face was enough to wither the question in your throat. You pretended to not care, to not count the minutes until she returned. 
Yuji had grown to be a big cat, spending his days napping in the sun on the shrine’s roof and following you about during your daily chores. He sat with Ama each morning, waiting for you to enter the main hall. Yuji was a funny cat, watching Ama bark her daily orders at you before following you to whichever end of the shrine you had been sent to. You appreciated his company and his funny little expressions. Life in the shrine was simple and yet complete. Not once did you think of returning to the village. Here your heart was fulfilled.
Then one day in the fall, Ama was not waiting in the main hall when you awoke. Waiting for a few moments you took note that Yuji was not in his usual spot either. You thought to ask Mahito, but his face in your mind made your anxiety deepen. You stood for a time, ignoring the chill wind as it ripped through your kimono. Worry took hold and you had made your way to her room, wincing at the heavy incense smell that seeped from it. Prayer incense, the ones she only used when offering words for the dead. You paused before the door, unsure if you should enter. Ama, despite opening up to you, was still incredibly private. Her room was the only spot in the shrine you had not yet seen. But despite your apprehension at being scolded, your anxiety at her wellbeing was stronger. The scent had your heart in your throat as you quietly entered her room, shutting the door behind you quietly.
"I knew it would be you " She rasped from her bed, the many blankets seeming to do nothing for her shivering. "Mahito is not to be trusted " 
Ama looked withered, so small under the futon that you almost couldn’t believe it was her. At her side was Yuji, the big cat looking like a small tiger by her side. The old woman’s glare held no sharpness, her eyes half lidded as she stared. Sweat clung to her face and hair, shining strangely under the flickering candle light.
“I am not dead yet.” She rasped, brow furrowing further as she tried to level a glare at you. You had merely nodded at her words, fetching fresh water for her to drink. The old woman had become decrepit in the past few years. Her hands and back twisted by age to the point that she looked almost like a tree. Ama had allowed you to help her drink before swatting away your attempts to feed her a thin broth. Her fingers, you noted, seemed stuck, clawed like birds feet.
"You must carry out my duty now." She had pointed with one shaking hand at a small jade box. It sat, half hidden in the sleeve of a kimono. As if Ama had been halfway through stashing it away.
You opened it, finding a map. The paper was ancient, creased over a dozen times and torn around the edges. You held it carefully, squinting in the low light at the faint ink. The map detailed the main shrine and a smaller, hidden shrine in the woods. Just far enough from the main shrine that it couldn’t be seen even from the highest vantage point. It wasn't one you had ever heard her talk about before and you had thrown her a puzzled look. Ama had huffed, then coughed violently as she glared at you. 
"Go to the tree burnt by lightning and stay there. When the bell rings follow the rope to the oldest tree. Then wait, with your eyes on the ground."
You knew better than to talk when Ama was, instead throwing her another questioning glance. Ama had paused for another coughing fit, allowing you to help her take another sip of water. 
"The god of our forest is old and blind. He will not harm you." 
Her words had you frozen, brow furrowing as you waited for further explanation. Ama gave none, merely stating that you were to follow a small stone path to a bathing pool. The god would put his hand on your shoulder for guidance. Again Ama expressed he was blind and that you must be slow and steady when walking.
“If he falls, you must NOT look at him. Help him up without using your sight.”
She added that once at the pool you were to shut your eyes and stand there, to wait for his hand on your shoulder again before making your way back to the first tree. You were to repeat this once a month, more if the god called on you.
“How will I know he’s calling for me?” It was the first question you dared to ask. Ama seemed to approve, coughing lightly into one crooked hand.
“You just will. You are his new keeper.” The sentence was tinged with sadness, Ama’s eyes glittering slightly in the dim light as tears welled in her old eyes. She did not cry however, the old woman turned her head from you and buried her face in Yuji’s side.
And with that, the conversation was over. You stuck the map in your kimono, bowing once to Ama before standing.
“Keep her safe.” You nodded at Yuji who let out a small meow in response. It wasn’t bandits or thieves you were worried about. No, leaving Ama alone with just Mahito seemed like a mistake. But Yuji disliked him as much as you and you knew the cat would do what it could to keep Ama safe. You just hoped it didn’t come to that.
That afternoon you paced outside of Ama’s room for a time. What she had shared was huge, but part of you couldn’t help but wonder if it was the dream of an old woman. A story she had clung to and now was passing to you.
Just once couldn’t hurt, you decided. One trip to this hidden area of the shrine just to see. And so you made the hour trek to the hidden shrine. The story explained the days Ama was gone for hours on end. You and Mahito had never asked her why she disappeared so much but now you knew she would have never told either of you. 
Ama was dying. That was the only reason she had seen fit to tell you. In your heart you knew it to be true. But it saddened you. The old woman was snappish and callous. But she had given you a home for the past 6 years. 
The walk to the tree struck by lightning was difficult. Though you were much younger than Ama, the twisted roots seemed to grab at your feet. More than once you tripped and fell, hands and knees scrapping painfully against the forest floor. How had Ama made it through this by herself? The woman couldn’t even stand up straight, much less fully lift her legs anymore. It was a miracle she hadn’t broken anything on her weekly trek. You were quick to discard your sandals, the shoes more of a hindrance than anything else. It left the mud seeping through your socks, cold and unpleasant. But you could walk easier, so you grit your teeth and pressed on.
After struggling through the pines, you finally made it to a clearing. It had you pause, the sight somehow more terrifying than anything you had ever seen.
A lone tree stood next to the burnt husk of a small shrine. Around them in a perfect circle was 12 feet of ashen ground. It was as if there was a perfectly controlled burn that ignited only there. The pines around the area stood tall and untouched. Massive wardens to this odd patch of forest. It was silent in this part of the woods. Unnaturally so. No birds whistled, not even the whisper of pine needles met your ears.
You held your breath as you walked to the tree, half expecting the ground to erupt with flames as you crossed. Only the crunch of ash beneath your feet greeted you, the sound unsettling. Your socks left muddy prints across the ash and you grimaced at how covered your feet had become. There was no saving these socks and if you tripped again, your kimono was sure to find a similar fate.
The burnt tree smelled. It was faint, only apparent when you were right next to the crumbling bark. It was acrid and dusty, the smell making the inside of your nose tickle. It was also a tad sweet, like spun sugar. You ignored the anxiety that churned in your stomach, determined to at least humor Ama. The ash on your socks was at least proof you could show her you came here. Even if it had been a waste of time.
As promised a rope was tied around the burnt tree. It was a thick, bright red cord that was tied almost delicately against the black wood. Unlike everything else it was incredibly clean. The bright red gleaming in stark contrast to the drab woods around it. Unlike the shimenawa at the shrine, this rope seemed rather expensive. You studied it, searching for a talisman or the mysterious bell Ama had mentioned. The crimson twist of silk contained neither however.
You frowned as you ran a hand against the silken rope. Ama had asked that you wait until you heard a bell. Glancing at the husk of the shrine, you noted no bell there either. Had it been lost? Fallen somewhere?
You chewed your bottom lip, hand steady against the rope as you thought. 10 minutes. You would give it 10 minutes and then walk back to the shrine. It had already been well over an hour as is to get here and you worried about leaving Ama alone. Mahito was there, the man a silent threat in your mind. While he had never done anything, his presence alone was like a thorn in your side. You weren’t superstitious, but you trusted your gut feelings. They had been right about the suitor in the village, they were right in this situation.
Gods what an idiot. You let out a huff of air. Only an idiot would leave a cat to protect someone. Maybe thats why Ama sent you on this goose chase. This was no doubt a lesson in being less naive. Certainly less cruel than you knew she could have been and for that you were grateful. Still, it didn’t make you feel any less stupid and you dreaded the lecture you knew was awaiting you back at the shrine.
A bell rang, the noise cutting through the silence like a knife. You flinched, eyes wide as you spun about, searching for the source. There was none, the sound again ringing out, seemingly from thin air. It was high and soft, a noise you might’ve found comforting had it not been in the middle of the pines.
Swallowing thickly, you dropped your gaze and took a step. Slowly, but surely, you followed the rope by feeling alone. The silk slid under your right hand smoothly, never catching on your palm. You weren’t sure how long you walked for, the light in this part of the woods was shielded by the trees. Had evening begun to set? You weren’t sure, your eyes locked firmly on your own feet as you walked. From the ashen ground, you stepped into the mossy mud of the pines. Again your feet became wet and you made a mental note that next time you should bring the damn sandals.
If there was a next time. A small part of you felt trapped, like a rabbit being led to a cage. Surely Ama wouldn’t have sent you to your death. Right?
Finally your hand hit the end of the rope. A smooth knot met your thumb, quickly followed by rough wood. You had made it to the other tree and the stone path. Right at your toe tips was the mossy stone, nearly swallowed by the forest floor. The bright moss stood in contrast with you muddied and ash dusted feet. Wiggling your toes, you wondered how far the path was to the bath, how long you would have to wait. You stood, chest tight as your mind buzzed. Perhaps you had imagined the bell? But it had been so clear, so loud. You smoothed your hand over the front of your kimono, dusting off a few errant pieces of ash.
Ama had been right about the bell, perhaps it wasn’t imagined and she was right about the old God? 
You waited with baited breath, fighting the urge to look around you. Ama hadn't stated what would happen if you looked, but her warning had been clear. You must not look at the old God.
Beneath your hand, the tree you leaned against felt cool. The chill seeped into your skin, a dull ache radiating into your fingers as you stood still and listened. 
The silence in the woods was deafening now. It made your heart race, body tensed as if ready to run at a moment's notice. You were terrified. Ama had never said which God lived in these woods. But the past few years she had asked him to curse so many of the villagers. Her old age had twisted not just her bones but her soul as well. You had heard the muttered prayers, the floods and fires she had wished for. Your throat felt dry, vision blurring slightly at the edges as you stared at your feet. 
Maybe it needed a sacrifice before it would humor the old woman? 
A warm hand slipped onto your shoulder and you jumped, a small yelp leaving your lips. You almost looked up, before fear set in and your gaze snapped to the forest floor again. Tears clung to your lower lashes as your heart thundered in your chest. For a moment all you could hear was the blood rushing in your ears and your vision blurred as the hand tightened its grip slightly. 
“You’re new.”
The God sounded young, like a man in his early 30s. The sound threw you off, mind reeling as you tried to rationalize the voice. He sounded human and again you were tempted to look.
Internally you battled yourself. To look and NOT to look. To speak and to keep silent. Your mind grappled with the conflicting urges, finally settling on a horrible combination. You gave a jerky nod and a grunt.
He is going to kill me for my rudeness. You could feel the blood leaving your face as the hand shifted slightly. But the God did nothing, a small chuckle making its way to your ears.
“You can speak to me. I don’t bite.” 
The sentence was so normal. Casual and teasing. It made your stomach churn and you swiped one shaking hand across your forehead.
“Th-thank you My Lord.” You cringed as you spoke, your voice cracking horribly on the last word. The old God merely hummed, gently squeezing your shoulder.
Taking that as a command, you jerked forward, shakily stepping onto the stone path. The path was thankfully smooth and you walked slowly, each step careful as you tried to set an even pace. You shook violently, each step feeling as though you were fighting your way through water. Heart thundering in your head, you tried to keep the shaking rasp of your breath quiet, terrified that he would take your fear as an insult.
The God was obviously much taller than you, from the corner of your eye you caught a flash of a perfect, pale foot. You were worried however that a faster pace would cause the god to trip. The path, while smooth, was still irregular in places. You found yourself stumbling here and there despite having eyes on the path itself.  Ama had indicated he was blind, an odd quality for a divine being, but you would keep him safe. Or die trying. 
“Where is Ama?”
The God’s tone was light, but you could feel how his fingers tightened slightly when he spoke her name. You weren’t sure what to say at first, eyes locked on your feet as you carefully moved forward. The words churned in the back of your throat, sticking together until you had a painful lump in your throat. You didn’t want to admit the truth because it scared you. Ama was dying and that would leave the shrine to you. It would leave you alone with Mahito. For the first time in your adult life, you would be without an elder to guide you. 
The God cleared his throat, tone teasing as he spoke, “It is rude to leave a god waiting.”
You nodded sharply, fingers playing with the edges of your sleeve as you spoke.
“Ama is dying.” 
It was all you could get out. The rest of your fears twisted in your stomach, a ravenous beast chewing at your innards. For a moment you wondered if you would vomit but the feeling passed. 
From behind you the God sighed, hand tightening again as he followed you.
The walk was silent, the path before you seeming to stretch on for miles. As you walked the sun barely shifted its position in the sky. Time was passing oddly, much more slowly than your body knew it should be. Perhaps a side effect of being near a divine being. Occasionally you felt the urge to speak, to break the deafening silence. But your fear would quickly wash the impulse away. The divine being was real, warm at your side. Your life quite literally was in the palm of his hand.
You shivered at the realization, again fighting the urge to peek over your shoulder. Even the small glimpses of his foot felt entirely wrong. As if you had committed some unspoken sin. You chewed at the inside of your cheek as you walked, mind flipping back and forth from the God at your shoulder and how fragile Ama had looked before you left. 
Finally, after what felt like ages, the path stopped. The smooth stones went right up to the steaming water of the spring. You stopped, hands clasped at your waist and gaze locked on your feet. Ama hadn't really explained what to do at this point. Did he need help undressing? Did he need help bathing? 
The God answered your unspoken questions for you, his hand slipping from your shoulder. From behind you, the sound of robes hitting dirt sounded out. You quickly shut your eyes, fingertips digging into the flesh of your palms as you tried to keep your breath steady.
“How many steps to the water?”
The question startled you and you shifted, sliding one eye open and searching until you found the pale foot. Beside it was a shimmering blue kimono, carelessly dropped on the moss and stone. From the foot to the bath was about 2 feet of space. You told the god as such, quickly closing your eyes again as he moved forward. 
“You can look you know. I can’t tell either way.”
The god was teasing as he slipped into the water. But you frowned at his words.
“If you can’t tell either way then how do you know i haven’t been looking.” 
The darkness behind your eyelids was strangely complete despite the sunlight filtering down from between the trees. You could hear water splashing and the God chuckling under his breath.
“Ama told you not to look right?”
Your brows furrowed and you resisted the urge to peek at him. For some reason you pictured a twisting smirk sitting on the god’s face. The man chuckled and you shifted uncomfortably.
“I bet she told you I'm old as well.”
That had you slowly opening your eyes, narrowed gaze slowly moving to the edge of the pool. He was right, Ama had called him old. But the foot you had seen was too youthful. Curiosity finally overpowered you, swelling until you could no longer ignore it.
You slid your gaze up and froze as you locked eyes with the most beautiful man you had ever seen. 
Water clung to his pale skin like translucent pearls, they glittered in his snowy hair and on his lashes like fragments of stars. Your breath hitched as met his gaze, feeling as if the god could see your very soul. His eyes were a brilliant blue, glittering like the sun on a bluejay’s wing. You had never seen anyone with such vibrantly colored eyes before.
A trader had once brought a shard of brilliant blue stone to the village. Aquamarine he had called it, chest puffed as he had described the difficulty he had obtaining it. 
The God’s eyes looked as if they were cast in from that stone. So brilliant and bright that for a moment, you found yourself lost. And then he shifted and your slight trance was broken. Fear slithered into your heart and you tensed, half expecting for him to smite you where you stood. 
“Do I still look handsome?” He asked in a teasing tone, one pale hand scooping water over his tousled hair. You licked your lips, throat feeling oddly dry as you fumbled for words.
“Um. Yes. You are truly beautiful.” 
You flushed as you admitted it, internally cringing at your words. Surely that was some sort of blasphemy. You had ogled the man at his request, but what if it was a test. Ama had been so clear in you not looking and you had broken the rule almost immediately.
He rest his arms on the edge of the steaming pool, his gaze set slightly above your right shoulder. You tilted your head, quietly picking up one arm and waving it. He didn’t react, instead dunking his head beneath the water. For a moment you were flooded with shame for questioning the validity of his blindness. But Ama had been wrong about his age. You watched the surface of the water, picking at your thumb nail. Did she know? Or had she simply been following the rules of the shrine keeper before her?
You waited, watching nervously from the stone path as his shadow sunk deeper in the water. The steam blurred your vision slightly, warm tendrils brushing against your skin like a ghost
If he was blind how would he know which way was up? It felt like a stupid question but after a few moments had passed, your worry grew. Could a god drown?
You didn’t think so but you also didn’t think any would look so human. It was unsettling how human he looked. And yet there was that hint of otherworldly quality. As if someone had taken the purest snow from the tallest mountain peak and sculpted it into the shape of a man. 
Another moment passed and you flinched a crow called out overhead. It snapped you out of the odd poetic reverie you had been in. Kneeling, you leaned over the water, trying to swallow the rising panic that was blooming in your chest. 
The steam from the pool felt nice against your skin, the warmth welcome in the chill of the day. You couldn’t see him, the water was an odd greenish blue. The color was unnatural and too intense for you to see anything past shadows in the water. 
Should I swim after him? 
The color of the water was incredibly off putting, but if you let your local god drown, that was an ultimate sin wasn’t it?
“Worried?” He emerged from the water with a devious grin, wrapping one hand around your wrist. You let out a shriek in response, resisting the urge to smack him on the shoulder.
“You-you.” You began to sputter, mind fighting itself. On one hand you wanted to tell this divine being he was an idiot. On the other hand, you were terrified that at any moment, he would punish you for your impudence.
“Satoru.” He let your wrist go, sinking back into the water to his chin. His skin was flushed slightly, the heat giving him a nice rosy pink across his cheeks and tops of his ears. You frowned at him, waiting for further explanation on the name he just dropped. Was he calling me Satoru?
You chewed the inside of your cheek, scrubbing the water droplets off your wrist with a corner of your kimono sleeve.
“That’s not my name.” You finally gumbled quietly, warily watching the god as he lazily swam about the pool. The man laughed, shooting you a look.
“Of course it isn’t stupid. It’s my name.” 
Your mouth fell open and you stared for a moment. “Is….Is that allowed?” You sputtered out. It felt wrong and entirely too intimate knowing his name. All the stories you had grown up with had painted the picture of gods who accepted perfect adoration. Of titles such as ‘your eminence’ and ‘honored one’ being used. Not actual names. It was an unspoken fact that any gods that did have names had given pseudonyms of sorts. Long gone were the days of knowing a god’s actual name. Names held power for beings such as them and there was no need for any mortal tongue to speak them.
Satoru was certainly his true name. It was too simple to be anything else. You recalled the stories traders would sometimes share when passing through the pine village. Of god’s with names, title really, like ‘Curse Devourer’ and ‘Blood Manipulator’. Names that made you wonder how kind these gods were. How cruel they might be.
Satoru snorted, shaking his wet hair from his eyes. “Am I not your god? Are the rules not for me to make?” 
He made a good point. You hummed in response, pulling your knees to your chest as you thought. As the god bathed you pondered why Ama had put so many rules in place. Perhaps it wasn’t to protect you but to protect him? 
Overhead the sky began to grow dark, the sun beginning its slow descent to kiss the earth. Purple and orange bloomed across the horizon as if a great paint brush were stirring the clouds. The beauty was simple, something you rarely noticed at the shrine with all the tall pines in the way. It was then that you realized just how long you had been away from Ama.
Was she alright? 
You were so lost in thought you didn’t realize the god had finished his bath until he stood before you, unashamed at his nudity. You slapped a hand over your eyes, face burning as you stuttered out protests. Of course he was unabashed in his nudity. The man was the image of perfection. The small look you had gotten at his more, delicate part, left your mind in a very depraved place. It was unfair just how beautiful ALL of him was. 
You stood silently, back to him until once more the warm hand was upon your shoulder. This time you glanced up at him, taking in his pale eyes and even paler hair up close. He was divine. 
“Tell Ama I'd like to see her once more.” 
You murmured that you would, turning and starting the slow walk back to the burnt tree. Satoru left how he had arrived, silently with the soft sound of bells ringing out. You waited for a moment, gaze locked on the sky until finally, you began walking again. Threading your way through the many trees you found yourself back at the shrine. The sun was low in the sky and in the pit of your stomach, fear twisted with sharp spines and teeth. 
Ama was dead. 
You found her, small and frail, where you had left her. It was as if she were asleep and initially you thought she was. But a shifting of the shadows in the room and you realized Mahito was sitting beside her. 
The older man looked at you with his odd eyes, his face anything but mournful. You said nothing, biting back the sudden rage that filled your veins. There was no proof, no indication of the truth to your thoughts. But you knew he had ended her life. His pale, gray tinged hands sat on his lap like sickly spiders. They twitched under your gaze. Culprits. Yes Ama had been dying, but he had taken her last breath from her. 
You carried out Ama’s funeral rites alone. Well, nearly alone. Yuji stayed plastered to your side, the cat was on edge. He was jumpy, fluffing up at the smallest sound. Mahito had been cruel to him in some way. Ama’s body had been alone save the creep at her side when you had come home, the cat hiding in your own room. You silently comforted the cat as you stood guard over Ama’s burial. Under your watchful gaze, you prayed for her soul. You hoped that in some way, with his divine powers, Satoru would see her one last time. That Ama would find the peace she had lost.
You didn’t sleep that night. Locked in your room, with Yuji on your lap, you sat and watched your door. The dark hours ticked by and you remained still. From various parts of the shrine, old wood settled and the wind found its way through cracks in the foundation. And from the hallways, foot steps. Slow and calculated. Each one placed just so to create the least amount of noise. You sat tense, hands gripping your knees as you waited.
That night nothing happened. Nothing but footsteps, pacing the hallway outside your room for hours.
“You seem tired” Satoru mused, he was half out of the bath, one finger running gently over the brightly coloured candies before him. Ama had been right, that you would just ‘know’ when Satoru needed you. It was an odd tickle in the back of your mind, like a ghostly finger was poking at your brain. Your second walk had included Yuji. The cat had thrilled Satoru, the god practically squealing over the softness of the tabby’s fur.
The baths occurred randomly, sometimes multiple times a week, sometimes nothing for two weeks. With each occurrence you learned more about the God. He liked sweets, he was apparently friends with the ‘Curse Devourer’ and he seemed to really like teasing you.
“You know that ignoring me does you no good.” Satoru was sitting, crossed legged and entirely nude. He was sitting right in front of the bathing pool, a teasing smile plastered across his face. You stared at a point slightly over his left shoulder, hands neatly clasped on your lap.
“I’m not ignoring you.” It was a partial truth. Today instead of talking with him, you were speaking when spoken to. 
“You’re not looking at me.” He shifted, moving forward until one of his knees tapped yours. You flinched, feeling a blush spread across your face as he leaned close. He was determined to get you to look at his face and you were determined to not accidentally see his dick again. 
“For a shrine maiden you’re rather bratty.” Satoru teased, on hand fiddling with the worn sleeve of your kimono. That caught your attention and your gaze shifted, a small burst of anger shooting through your veins. You met his gaze, ignoring the warm wave of emotion that curled in your abdomen. Satoru’s jewel-like eyes glittered with amusement. He was so close you could see his lashes, silver white and so fine that it looked almost as if he had snow stuck to his eyelids.
“What do you want?” You sighed, clenching your heads together in an attempt to suppress a shiver. Satoru’s gaze narrowed slightly, his playful look melting away and suddenly, you felt exposed. As if he had undressed you and were peering past your flesh and into your soul. The look stole your breath away.
“When are you going to tell me what's bothering you?” His voice was low, warm breath tickling your cheek as he leaned in and ran a finger from your shoulder to your elbow. The shiver rippled across your flesh accompanied by a burst of heat between your thighs. You flushed, resisting the urge to slap his hand away. 
“You need to learn some decorum.” You muttered, shivering again as his large hand rested gently on top of yours. The concerned, piercing look vanished, replaced again by the teasing and idiotic grin of his. You were beginning to realize that his cheerful and annoying exterior was a mask. Despite being a divine being, he had the behavioral habits of a human. It was odd.
You let out an outrange gasp as suddenly Satoru pitched backwards, falling into the pool. The move gave you a clear eyeful of his nether region in all its glory. He cackled as he surfaced, flicking a handful of water towards you.
“You ass!” You sputtered, scooching backwards with a glare. Satoru shot you a grin that was beyond pleased.
“That’s no way to talk to your God now is it?” 
“I am tired” You finally murmured, watching as Yuji batted a small blue candy across the path. 
The day after Ama had been laid to rest, you had made the long trek back to the village. It was your duty after all. Mahito did not join you. The man had taken to skulking around the shrine, always just a few feet away. You could feel his gaze on your skin, the hidden intensity that was brewing just under his pallid flesh. It scared you. But you were alone and you had to be unshakable. You had to appear as Ama did, cold and hard in the light of the world.
The Village elders were not saddened by Ama’s passing. It had been expected and if they had been honest with you, they had been wanting it for some time. They hated Ama as much as she hated them. The follies of the elderly, holding onto grudges decades later. 
You had merely nodded when they appointed you as the new Shrine keeper. It made sense, Mahito was still considered an outsider of sorts. You didn’t care either way. The village hadn’t changed since you had last seen it. Your parents were older, but still stuck in their ways. They had come to you, whispering about how it wasn’t too late to marry, to have offspring.
You had left without a word, stopping only once to buy a small canvas bag of candy. 
“You could join me.” Satoru teased, flicking an orange candy towards you. Rolling your eyes, you took it, gently blowing a speck of dirt off before popping it in your mouth. The God pouted at you, cramming a handful of the sweets into his mouth before dipping beneath the steaming water. He was like a child sometimes, his cheerfully obstinate attitude boardline annoying at times. 
That is why you didn’t tell him. Didn’t mention the footsteps that kept you awake. Didn’t tell him how sometimes, the door to your room would slide open just a crack. How one pale eye would press against the slit and watch you for hours. You didn’t tell him how you slept waiting for him after the bell tolled. How his hand on your shoulder woke you from the micro naps. Didn’t tell him how you napped in the forest, under fallen trees in beds of moss. Because the shrine wasn’t safe any more. A beast lurked within the halls, waiting for you to falter.
“I’m just saying.” Satoru reemerged, “Maybe the steam will wash away your stinking attitude.” 
You leveled a glare at the man, grateful that he couldn’t see the action. It was for sure blasphemy to do so and you took a tiny amount of satisfaction in the action. 
“You make ask one blasphemous question.” Satoru for once hadn’t jumped right into the bath. He sat in an ornate sky blue kimono adorned with golden cranes, propped on one elbow against a large rock. The look on his face spelled trouble, the man could barely contain the grin that spread across his face. The sunlight streaming through the pines tinted the tips of his hair a soft yellow. It gave him an oddly homely look, his face somehow softer when not framed in pure white. The look wasn’t enough to hide amusement that was slowly growing in intensity. He was baiting you, seemingly already knowing what you would want to ask.
You were tempted to make your question about his habit of wearing women’s kimonos. Part of you was curious if there was a Mrs. God of the bath. But another, smaller part of yourself didn’t want to ever find the answer to that question.
You sat, carefully tucking your legs beneath you as you mulled over what exactly to ask. Yuji flopped over next to Satoru, the orange tabby squirming about on the stone as he waited to be pet.
“Are you actually blind?” You tensed as you asked the question, fully expecting to have failed the test he put forward. Ama had misled you on the other facts about the God and you had been burning with curiosity about if his need for a guide was just another inaccuracy. It wasn’t a test however, Satoru merely tilted his head as he considered the question.
“No.” He looked serious for once, the expression killing the burst of irritation that threaded through your veins. Satoru drummed his fingers against the mossy stone path, stopping with a smile as Yuji butted his head against the god’s hand.
“I have sight, I just can’t bear to use it in your realm.” He gestured around the two of you, face half twisted in a grimace. 
“It’s too much. There’s too much going on with you humans and your curses and prayers.” 
Satoru ran a hand over his face, one glittering blue eye peeking out from between a crack in his fingers. You chewed at your bottom lip, unsure of how to respond. His answer really didn’t make sense. 
“Look.” Satoru moved until he sat before you, hands on your knees as he leaned forward. You stiffened at his closeness, heart beat skyrocketing as his warm breath tickled your face. Even sitting he was taller than you.
“Look at me.” He took your face in his hands, directing your gaze. You held your breath, afraid to breathe on him. It was terrifying being so close to him. 
This close you could see every long eyelash. They glittered, silvery white like the wings of a crane, so long that they touched his cheeks with each blink. Up this close you could smell him as well, the scent of bergamot and oranges filling your nose. 
“For a few seconds, I’ll look.” 
You weren’t sure what he meant by that and nodded stiffly. All you could think about was his hands, thin fingers that sat on your cheeks, thumbs barely touching the corners of your lips. He was warm, his skin was soft. In that moment, Satoru felt human to you.
And in the next moment, you understood exactly what he meant.
As you stared, something changed and all of sudden his eyes were no longer shiny gems. He blinked and all of a sudden you were staring at stars. Satoru’s eyes were blue and radiant, clearer than the sky and deeper than the sea. They glitter as if filled with a thousand stars. As if someone had compressed all of the night sky beneath the sea. 
It took your breath away. He was beautiful and terrifying all at once. And you felt utterly insignificant. He could see you, all of you. 
And then he blinked again and you were staring at his jewel-like eyes. They seemed dull in comparison, still beautiful, yes. But so dull in comparison to the beauty he had shown you for just a moment. 
“You have issues.” Satoru quipped, letting your face go. You scowled at him, rolling your eyes at his perfect ruining of the moment. Once again he was the flippant man who you could barely call a god. You looked away as he stood and stripped, the man jumping into the steaming pond with a laugh.
“No thank you, My Lord.” Your response dripped with sarcasm, the last two words twisting on your tongue slightly. Satoru frowned at that, eyes narrowing as he picked through the remaining candies.
“Careful there, human. I can hear your disdain.” He waggled a finger in your direction, an absolutely maniacal grin on his face, “I might have to punish your sinful mouth.” 
You hoped he could feel the glare you leveled at him. His playful banter may have been welcome under better circumstances. But today, after weeks of practically no sleep, you were tired of the teasing. 
Satoru seemed oblivious, popping the last of the candy into his mouth. He rested his chin on his arms, glittering eyes running over your form. For a moment you froze, certain he could see you. See the pain and exhaustion that sat on your shoulders. But no, it was the lack of sleep getting to you. 
The walk back to the burnt tree was painful, you felt dizzy and all you could think of was your bed. You barely registered the warmth of his hand on your shoulder until it was gone. Satoru left without a word, fizzling from the mortal world as he always did. 
You stood for a moment, swaying before you began the long walk back. Yuji followed you carefully. The cat had an easier time of traversing the twisting roots. He was kind to you however, sticking close as you stumbled clumsily back to the shrine. 
“Where were you?” It was the person you least wanted to see. Mahito leaned against the entrance of the shrine. His black robes clung to his thin form like a death shroud. You felt a dull pang of anger. He must be sleeping whenever you were away from the shrine. His late night stalking seemed to have no effect on him, the man always alert, shiny eyes staring at you from beneath his lank gray hair. 
Skirting around him, you scooped Yuji up, pointedly not looking at the man. 
“Shrine duties.” You offered quietly over your shoulder. Mahito pushed off the wall, walking beside you as you slowly made your way deep into the shrine. He smelled odd, musty and wet as if he had spent the day in a basement. The smell filled your head, adding to the dizziness that already clung to your mind. You felt like passing out, but he was the last one you would let know that.
“I could help.” Mahito took a few rushed steps, standing before you and halting your path. You squinted at him, tightening on your grip on Yuji. In that moment you realized how much taller he was than you. That his form, as thin as it was, was muscled. He had one hand in his hair, allowing the sleeve of his robes to shift. You could see his hidden strength rippling under his plaid flesh.
“You haven’t been sleeping.” A statement, not a question. His eyes raked over your face, looking for the cracks in your exterior. You merely titled your head to one side, leveling glare at the man. 
“I am the head of the shrine now. When I have something I’ll let you know.” You pushed past him, heading to your room without a glance backwards.
Months passed. Summer heat, then fall winds, until winter blanketed the pines in snow. Sleeping outside was no longer an option. Now you took rest at odd moments, hidden in the nooks and crannies of the shrine. Never a full sleep and never for more than 15 minutes at a time. You were becoming a husk.
Satoru knew it, the man’s teasing tone melting into concern. He was softer with you, gentle hand lingering longer than it usually did. You grew quiet, your energy focused on just existing.
And as a husk, you faltered. 
One night in your room, on the soft blankets of your bed, your body finally caved. The need to sleep crashed into you like a tsunami, drowning you under the blanket of exhaustion. You fell asleep, alone in your room. 
When you awoke it was a struggle to pull yourself from sleep. The sleep was so deep that it was as if you were trying to pull yourself from a pool of syrup. It coated the insides of your lungs and mind, trying to suffocate you back into the deep abyss of sleep. Your eyelids slipped open, the action achingly slow. It felt as if they weighed a thousand pounds. For a moment all you perceived was the deep darkness your room was cast in. The night had seeped in your room through the open door.
Open door.
The realization sent a jolt of panic through you, throwing off the last shreds of sleepiness from your mind. Clarity hit you like a bolt of lighting and it was then that you realized the predicament you were in. 
A hand, cold and clammy, was pressed against your mouth.
You let out an enraged shriek, the sound muffled as the hand pressed harder against your mouth. The pressure was crushing, thumb digging painfully into the soft skin of your cheek. You struggled against Mahito, one hand coming up to swing at him. The pale man leered down at you, his other hand already beneath your kimono, thumb digging into the soft flesh of your left thigh.
He straddled your other thigh, erection straining against his robes and your skin.
You let out an indignant scream, teeth scraping at the skin of his palm.
“Shut up.” Mahito hissed, leaning in, his weight crushing as he put his face close to yours. You glared at him, raking your nails over his arms and shoulders. His clammy lips were on your skin, pressing against your neck as his warm breath stuttered out.
To your right, a loud hiss sounded. Yuji, back from one of his nighttime walks. The orange tabby ran at the man, hissing and spitting up a storm as he sunk his claws into the hand at your thigh. Mahito howled in pain, hand pulling away from your mouth as he backhanded Yuji. He hit the cat with such force that the small creature flew through the shoji screen to your room with a whimper. 
You let out your own howl, anger and pain mixing in an animalistic noise. With his weight shifted, you were able to partially sit up, craning your neck back before whipping forward and headbutting the man. Mahito let out a gurgling cry, warm blood spattering on the front of your kimono as he fell backwards. With a cry, you kicked him off, heels connecting with his stomach and groin as you flailed about. 
Without a second thought you were up, pushing through the remains of your door and picking up Yuji. The tabby was limp in your arms and a choking sob spilled from your lips as you fled from the shrine. Your feet stung against the rough stone and as you made it to the front entrance, the cold hit you, seeping into your skin.
“Wake up kitty.” Warm tears stained your cheeks as you ran, contrasting the freezing snow that fell silently around you. “Please.”
The world was silent except for your broken sobs as you fled into the pines. Your cries echoed off the tall pines, making the dark woods sound plagued by ghosts. The snow was heavy, thick flakes quickly covering your tracks as you weaved through the dark trees. It was a small blessing as from behind you, Mahito was yelling. Snarling for you to return to the shrine as he attempted to follow you through the storm. Unlike him, you didn’t need to see to know where the burnt tree was. It was second nature at this point.
Your bare feet slid through the snow, toes jamming against the hidden tree roots as you scrambled for the only place your mind could think of. 
But he wasn’t there. The tree stood alone, a dark jagged line against the blinding white of the snow. Satoru hadn’t called for you, of course you were alone. Your god wasn’t in the shrine, wasn’t on this mortal plane. He had left you alone when you needed him most. Satoru had left Ama alone when she needed him most. 
What use is the God of baths? The God of an empty shrine and a single shrine maiden. Am I merely a plaything for the divine?
The snow clung to your cheeks, the cold seeping into your skin, your bones. In your arms, Yuji lay limp, you couldn’t even tell if he was even breathing. Part of you refused to look, refused to acknowledge the possibility that he was gone. That you were completely alone.
From a distance, the muffled shouting from Mahito rang out across the snow. You turned slightly, squinting through the snow. The weather was complete, it was snow that you had loved to watch as a child from the comfort of a warm bed. Now it was swallowing you whole. The snow covered your feet, the limbs were numb and you knew that within a few more moments the damage to them would be complete. Your fingers had paled, tinged with the unnatural blueish gray of frost damage. And you were growing warm. 
‘There was a name for it’, you thought faintly, letting yourself sink to your knees. The growing drifts of snow swallowed your hips as you slumped down. There had been a boy in your village who had gone out in a particularly bad storm. No one knew why he had gone out, perhaps to play. Regardless of the reason, he had died, found days later half undressed in the snow. His parents had been confused but the village healer had murmured something about snow delirium. 
Mahito’s shouting grew fainter and you couldn’t decide if it was him moving away or your hearing somehow going. You buried your face in Yuji’s warm fur, tears prickling in the corner of your eyes. A dull ache burned in your chest, urging you to lie in the snow. To sleep, just for a moment.
“What have we here?” A low voice, smooth as silk and full of curiosity slid around you. It was soft and comforting in a way that was almost unsettling. With effort you looked up, brows furrowing as you took in the man who stood before you. Dressed in all black robes from head to toe, he stood out against the snow like a wraith. The wind seemed unable to touch him, the deep silk robes and his inky hair unnaturally still. He was like a statue, save for the occasional gentle brushing of snow from his robes. You blinked slowly up at him, taking in his fox like features, the long lashes that kissed his cheeks with each blink. He was the second most beautiful man you had ever seen. 
Death has come to walk me away. You thought dully, standing with effort. Your limbs resisted you, joints stiff with the cold and groaning in protest. The man watched, his look a mix of mild curiosity and something that bordered on concern. 
“You.” You began, voice hoarse and cracking with the effort, “You can take me but save him, please.” You held Yuji out with some effort, swaying as your breath stuttered in your chest. Your plea seemed to confuse the man, one thin eyebrow raising as he took in Yuji. You offered the cat to him, trying not to let the tears you felt dancing in your eyes fall. Your arms shook slightly, the cold full set in your muscles.
“You’re Satoru’s human.” It was a statement and a strange one at that. His words had you still, breath catching in your throat as finally, hot tears poured down your face.
“Yes. Yes, I am Satoru’s Human. His Shrine Maiden.” You sobbed, clutching Yuji to your chest again. The shadow of a man let out a low hum, eyes taking in your disheveled form. You knew he could see the blood, how your robes were hanging open in an unseemly way. Something in his eyes darkened and you flinched as his gaze suddenly snapped from you, fixing on a point over your right shoulder. Distantly, you could hear Mahito shouting, the words ‘Bitch’ and ‘Mine’ echoing faintly through the pines. The strange man heard it as well, his thin brows lowering until a thunderous scowl sat upon his face. 
“A mortal dare lay hands upon a God’s possession?” His comment wasn’t for you, strangely enough it seemed directed at the sky. You felt a bit concerned at being called a possession. But the concern was faint, slowly fading as the last of the warmth seemed to drain from your limbs. With it went your strength and you found yourself crumpled in the snow again, arms locked in place as you cradled the limp form of Yuji. For a moment the world blurred, black spots popping across your field of vision as you went slightly limp. 
“You’re safe now.” 
A warm hand took yours, pulling you gently to your feet. And suddenly, the world was gone.
No. That wasn’t quite right.
The world fell away.
You both existed and didn’t, pulled into the great expanse that was the home of the stars. Earth as you knew it, the pines and the snow scattered into wisps akin to mist. The sky swelled around you and suddenly you saw it. The home of the divine. Beyond the clouds, twisted in among the stars. It glittered as the largest star itself, a shifting space. First a palace, then a planet, a forest, a shrine, then back to a palace.
There was no hot, no cold. You weren’t even sure you would call the state you found yourself in as ‘alive’. It was a state of existence that transcended the physical. Yuji was both his own bright soul and yet he was part of yours, intertwined in what was your chest.
The man in black robes was more physically there, he seemed able to keep his shape despite the odd ripples and the twisting urge to just…dissipate.
Your guide landed elegantly upon the shimmering marble floors, tugging your floating and dumb struck existence down. Warmth radiated from his hand, through you until suddenly you existed again. 
You let out a sharp and startled gasp, fingers digging into Yuji’s fur as you reeled at the sight around you. It was beautiful, otherworldly and entirely too much. You faintly registered the existence of other beings passing by, their presence immense and overwhelming.
The floor was white, then gold, then shimmering like sunlight caught in a raindrop. Doors faded into existence and opened to reveal worlds beyond your comprehension. Beings that looked human stepped from them and down hallways that built themselves. This realm was never ending and never resting. It’s form twisted and bent to the needs of the individuals that traversed it.
The largest man you had ever seen stalked past. His hair was the color cherry blossoms and he had too many arms. You caught his eyes and shivered at the look of pure disgust that twisted his already mangled face. His form was familiar, something you had seen on a scrap of aged parchment. A demon that used to walk among men. 
The realm was living. It’s consciousness touched yours, gently probing. Like a curious cat it was looking in every nook and cranny, quietly waiting for you to give it a nudge. If you so willed it, the realm would twist for you, become the path to wherever you needed.
A woman emerged from a door shaped like a coffin lid. It was almost too small for her to exit, and she had to twist herself like a cat to pull free. Her long white hair covered one eye, falling down her back in luscious waves. She paused at the sight of you, single dark brown eye taking you before she offered you a small nod. You found yourself compelled to nod back, watching as she turned and sauntered up a staircase made of stardust.
“Look at me.” It was the man in black robes, one pale hand lifting your chin. You shivered at his touch, brows furrowing as another wave of confusion rocked you. In your arms, Yuji stirred faintly, head lifting weakly. You blinked, gaze shifting from the cat, to the man in black, then back to the twisting palace around you. 
Behind your guide was a new man, his tired eyes pinching in the corners as he came to a full stop to look at you. Unlike the other beings of this place, he was in a full western style suit. It was a dull gray, contrasting with the glimmering almost gold color of his hair. Exhaustion visibly clung to him, you could feel it through the realm’s odd connection. It made you sway slightly, lightheaded in its intensity. He let out a sigh, making a point to turn and walk in the opposite direction.
“You survived. Surprising given how close to death you were.” The man murmured, a strand of his dark hair falling in his face as he leaned closer. He ran one long finger down the side of your face, frowning slightly at something he saw.
“Did I die?” You asked weakly, afraid of the answer. Your odd companion raised one eyebrow, straightening as he tilted his head to shoot you a rather cold look.
“I’m the god of curses. Not death.” He paused, a thoughtful look crossing his face. “I suppose however I have assisted in cursing a human or ten to death.”
He saw your look of confused terror and offered you a comforting smile. “Suguru. Call me Suguru.” 
You blinked, holding Yuji a little closer as you inhaled in an attempt to calm yourself. Everything was happening too fast. You were still reeling from Mahito’s attempted assault. 
“Where is Satoru?” You almost didn’t dare to ask. Part of you was still full of dull anger at the fact that he hadn’t been there, that he hadn’t been the one to tug you into this divine realm. And a smaller, nasty part, was wondering if he had abandoned you. The final shrine maiden of the deep pines left to tend an empty shrine.
Suguru smiled and this time it was awful. A terrifying grin that made the corners of his dark eyes crinkle. It was as if all of a sudden you were an injured deer standing in front of a bear.
“He’s taking care of matters on the mortal plane.”
You knew without asking that Mahito was most likely facing a terrible terrible death. It made you feel small for some reason. Small and utterly human.
“I’ll take you to his realm.”
You blinked at that, slowly following him as Suguru made his way quickly through the shifting palace. The building seemed to understand that you were human, tiles of marble clicking into place before your very feet as you followed behind a God that had no need for such niceties. He walked across the bare expanse of space as if it were nothing. It most likely was, the man was divine. 
Almost as divine as Satoru. You thought. As if he knew, Suguru’s head jerked, the man shooting a look over his shoulder. Surely he couldn’t read your mind. 
‘I certainly can’ It was his voice, inside your mind and poking at the innermost expanse of your brain. You swallowed your thoughts, trying to keep your mind clear as you followed. It was easy enough to do, your mind drowning in anxiety as you tried to avoid the dark God’s glances.
In your arms, Yuji had fully awoken. He sat contently in your arms as if nothing had occurred. Looking down at him, you watched him blink back up at you, a small purring starting up in his chest as he settled deeper in your arms. The tabby seemed un-bothered by the shifting world around you. The marble floor, golden walls and plant life that seemed to blink in and out of existence. All of them ignored in favor of staring up at you. As if to the small orange cat, you were somehow above all else. 
“One little jump.” Suguru turned, wrapping one arm around your waist as you came to a halt beside him. Before you was a door way and beyond it, a deep void of black littered by many stars. You shot him a questioning look, the hall you had been in simply ended. There was nowhere to jump to.
The smile Suguru gave you this time was not at all comforting. It was better than his vicious smile, but it still made your stomach churn as his grip tightened.
“Wh-” Your breath left your body before you could complete the word. Suguru had jumped, straight into the void and you were being sucked down. Faster than anything humanly possible. You would have screamed if it were possible, but the void was all around you, crushing you.
And then you were back on your feet in an endless field of soft white grass. Your vision swam for a moment and you struggled to stay upright. Yuji let out a little whine, the cat puffed up as he too fought the after effects of the jump. 
“Tell Satoru he owes me.” And Suguru was gone. You stood for a moment, frowning at the space where he had left you. The field was silent, stretching on for miles. The grass moved in a warm breeze tickling your feet.
Everything was too informal. Your mind yelled at you that you must’ve died. Something had happened in the snow and now your mind was showing you a nice little fantasy before you died.
Perhaps you had died back in the forest when Ama had asked you to make the first trek to the bath. Tripped on a tree root and fell down the mountain side. 
“Oh!” You blinked, backing up a step as a dark shape cut through the field. It was large and fast and on you before you could run.
“OH!” You let out a laugh that was a mix of relief and astonishment. A large black dog stood before you, intently sniffing the edges of your kimono. He was shaggy, fur sticking up oddly in places. The dog let out a small bark, nudging your hip with his nose. From your arms Yuji let out a meow, ears pulled back as he stared down at the dog. They stared at each other for a moment, a silent conversation rippling between them. Then they relaxed, Yuji settling in your arms and the dog wagging his tail happily.
He nudged your hand again, taking a step forward. When you didn’t follow he repeated the action, letting out a low ‘boof’ noise. You took a step forward, slowly following the large dog as he trotted across the field. 
For a while there was nothing but the pale grass and the warm breeze. Occasionally you could hear things drifting through the lazy wind. Laughter, conversations, a whisper, all of them faint like memories you couldn’t quite recall. Despite the stress of being pulled to this place, you didn’t grow tired as you walked. It was as if time didn’t exist in this place, keeping the aches of mortal life at bay.
From the grass, a house arose. Logically you knew you should have been able to see the sprawling estate from where you entered the field. But like the great hall before it, the building seemed to materialize from the air, building itself stone by stone. 
As the main door slid into place, a zen garden entrance built itself around you and your companion. You let out a small gasp as the grass slid away from your feet, small stone pebbles quickly taking its place. It made you stumble slightly and at your side, the dog quickly leaned into you to provide support. 
You stared in awe at the tall stone walls and the deep blue tile of the roof. This estate was much like the ones in your world. Built normally for the lords of the land and something you had only observed in paintings. No one in your village was wealthy enough for an estate of any kind. Not even the elders who were born from old noble families. Like the traditions they clung to, they had become obsolete under the new world’s technology.
You stepped up to the door, murmuring a small ‘hello’ as you tentatively entered. The estate was silent, no servants it seemed and the master of the house had yet to appear. 
Yuji lept from your arms, trotting down the long main hallway after the shaggy dog. You followed them nervously, wincing as your bruised and dirty feet touched the spotless flooring. It felt wrong to sully this grande estate with your mere presence.
But there was no one around to complain. You stepped carefully regardless, trailing past multiple sitting rooms, closets, open spaces you had no name for. There were rooms full of paintings and glass sculptures. Rooms full of the most beautiful kimonos you had ever seen, rooms filled with books and scrolls strewn about like small mountains made of paper. There were rooms that opened into the field again, the wood flooring twisting strangely into the pale field as if the world and the estate were one structure. 
The shaggy dog stopped at one of the doorways, darting into the room and flopping onto a large futon. You stepped after him, smiling as you realized it was the dog’s room. There were ink portraits of the shaggy beast all over the wall, the scrolls hanging in a neat line. 
“Are you Megumi?” You asked the dog. Megumi huffed in response, shifting to let Yuji sit on the futon next to him. His job seemed complete and now the dog was drifting off to sleep with your cat at his side. You watched them quietly for a moment before exiting the room. 
The hallway of the estate seemed endless, stretching on impossibly long. Logically you knew there was no way it could fit inside the exterior estate you had seen. But like the rest of this realm, it seemed part of a large odd being. 
You grimaced as you passed a mirror, stopping taking in the bags under your eyes. Bruises littered your exposed skin, in part from Mahito’s assault. But the blueish tint persisted in your fingers and toes. You wiggled your toes, wincing at the small twinge of pain that radiated up your legs. Leaning forward you took in the blood dried over your chest and kimono, grimacing as you scratched a nail over one patch. 
I could use a shower. You thought sourly, flicking a pain needle from your shoulder. An odd warmth tickled the back of your mind and you flinched as next to the mirror, a doorway appeared. It was a plain sliding door, unassuming and entirely out of place in the luxurious hallway. You stared at it for a moment and then slid it open cautiously. 
It was a bathing room. Much more luxurious than you had ever been in, but still simpler than the halls around you. White tile lined the wall, small pale blue flowers painted here and there. They led to a large stone bath inset in the floor, already filled to the brim with steaming water.
Stepping inside the room, you carefully slid the door closed before peeling your kimono off. It fell with a sad rustle onto the clean tile, looking like a rag more than an outfit.
Shuffling over to the bath, you leaned over it, taking in the crystal clear water. It poured quietly into the pool from a brass crane head. But it didn’t overfill, despite the constant flow, instead the water lapped at the stone edge of the bath.
Almost too clean, You mused, turning around to look for a container for some water. It felt rude to even think about stepping in the bath before attempting to scrub some of the grime off. The room was empty and you almost had time to frown. But the house knew what you wanted. You jumped as a small wooden bucket suddenly popped out of thin air, clattering to the floor and spilling a small vial onto the tile. You approached it slowly, picking both items up with hesitation. They appeared normal enough, smooth wood and beautiful ceramic. Filling the bucket with water, you twisted the vial open, sniffing it cautiously. 
The smell of lychee and something else that was oddly sweet drifted from the neck of the bottle. It reminded you a bit of some of the candies Satoru had a fondness for. You sat on the floor and then paused. There was nothing to use to wash yourself with. 
This time the house dropped a washcloth right on your face. You laughed at the magic and absurdity of it, trying your best to think thankful thoughts towards the house. 
As quickly as you could you scrubbed your skin, praying for the sensation of Mahito’s hands to leave your skin. As much as you didn’t want to acknowledge it, his touch clung to you like ghostly hands.
Perhaps boiling water will do the job. You tossed the washcloth into the bucket, noting with a grimace how dirty the water within was. As you stepped into the warm water, the bucket vanished with a small pop. You stared for a moment in shock, one foot submerged.
“Thank you.” You slid into the water, looking up at the ceiling. A few of the tiles rippled, as if the estate were acknowledging your thanks. 
The water, like the realm it was in, was divine. You let out a sigh, sinking to your chin and closing your eyes. The warm water seemed to seep into every pore, relaxing your muscles and pushing the sensation of your assault from your skin. You allowed yourself to sink under the water.
From head to toe, you were warm, you felt safe. Alone, but safe. Squeezing your eyes closed even tighter, you fought the tears that welled in your throat. A twisting mix of grief and anger sat in your throat and you fought to swallow it. Beneath the surface, you let out a silent scream of frustration. 
You should have swallowed water with such a stupid action. But the house had shifted again and your head was above water, the bath suddenly less deep. You let out a small sigh, resting your chin on your knees. No hidden emotions it was, at least not beneath bath water. 
Hours passed and still the water remained a consistent perfect temperature. In the steam you had time to ponder. To face the emotions that roiled beneath your skin. You had been assaulted, yanked into a realm you had no place in and now you were alone in a magical house.
What future was there for you? Could you even go back to the shrine, to the village? 
No. 
There was no one there for you. No one who wanted to take the long trek up to the shrine. Like the old temple, you were to be forgotten up on the mountain between the pines. As with the shrine keepers before you, your bones were meant to grow mossy beneath tree roots and the rubble of the temple as it moldered and fell. 
Looking at your reflection, you thought about Satoru, of why he had even been in the mortal realm.
“Surely there are baths in the Divine realm?” You asked, watching as the god felt his way along the stone edge of the tub, the man slowly stalking after Yuji. The cat seemed amused, stepping just out of grasp but chirping to let Satoru know exactly how far off he was.
“Of course there are.” The look he shot over his shoulder told you exactly how stupid he found the question. You flushed, rolling your eyes as he ignored the unspoken question.  
“Then why come here?” You moved closer to the edge of the pool, daring to dip your toes into the warm water. It was a move you would never do when he was closer, you had a feeling the god would find it funny to pull you in.
“How else can I answer prayers?” Satoru grabbed for Yuji, missing as the cat neatly jumped over his grasp and bolted back towards you. The little cat was triumphant, butting his head against your hip with a purr. You noted with amusement that he looked incredibly smug. 
“If I never experience the simple tasks of humanity, how can I accurately gauge the urgency of a prayer?”
You were tempted to tell him that bathing was perhaps not the best thing to gauge prayers against. But your train of thought was interrupted as his hand landed on your foot. You froze, tensing as you waited to be pulled under the water. He had somehow moved faster and farther than was possible. You had blinked and he had moved.
Satoru didn’t pull you under however, his long fingers wrapping around your ankle as he stared up at you.
“I bathe here to listen to my shrine keepers. To hear about humanity from a human.”
You merely hummed in response, pulse thundering in your ear as his thumb gently rubbed against your skin. There was a heat in your veins, shooting from his touch to your abdomen, coiling and trembling as you stared into his eyes.
“What good is a God who can’t listen?” 
You ruminated on the past until your skin grew pruney from sitting in the water for so long. The house in its odd connection with you had a towel and new kimono all ready before you even fully stepped from the bath.
The kimono, much like the house, was ridiculously luxurious. A light purple with hand stitched cranes across the bottom. They twisted across the purple in a long line, wings outstretched and  in mid motion. You felt too plain and human to wear such a garment. Spun from the finest silk, it slid on like a second skin. Perfectly tailored to fit you. Even the obi, you found yourself in awe of the cream colored fabric and the literal thousands of tiny stitched sage green bamboo shoots. These were the clothing of a woman far more grand than yourself. Royalty wore such items, not humble shrine keepters. Sliding the obi into place you patted the fabric absentmindedly.
You had bathed, gotten rid of your ruined kimono and now had no idea what to do. It felt odd to be alone in such a vast estate. Yes Megumi and Yuji were with you, but if you had to guess, they would most likely be sleeping for a while. You weren’t sure how, but you were fairly certain Yuji had been brought back to life. The cat had been so still in your arms, yet this realm seemed to have given him a second chance. You were sure the small tabby must be exhausted from whatever blessing had brought him back.
You were alone, so you wandered. The hallway was never ending, twisting and turning here and there. You passed countless sitting rooms, kitchens and bathrooms that were larger than the entire shrine. There was no sense of time in this place. No need to eat nor to sleep. You existed in a way that was outside of being human. Still, the habits of humanity called to you. In one of the ornate kitchens you stopped and ate the small meal the house pulled into existence. Rice, miso soup and an egg. It was simple but the best meal you had eaten in ages. You cried as you ate, wiping tears away as you savored the food. 
The house seemed to understand what you needed before you did. To your surprise you found a room opening soon after you finished eating. It was simple, the house seeming to know the luxurious rooms made you uncomfortable. This room was small, with a plush futon and blankets within. You were quick to drop to the futon, pulling the blankets around you. The room was warm and quiet. Despite being in a state without physical needs, the exhaustion from the mortal realm was still in your bones and you quickly drifted off to sleep.
You had no idea how long you slept for. All you knew is you awoke with a jerk, breath catching in your throat. For a second your brain grappled with the fact that you were not in the shrine, panic swelling in your chest. But the house creaked around you, the sound bringing the world into focus.
Satoru was crouched before you, chin in one hand as he seemingly watched you. He smiled as you sat up. His eyes were the incredible star like blue again, glittering as if lit from within. It was a tad unsettling, but for the most part you found yourself breathless, pinned by his gaze.
“Sleep well?” His hair was damp, laying flatter against his head than normal. You found yourself reaching out and flicking at one snowy strand with a frown. The man ducked away from your touch, grabbing your hand and pulling you up as he stood. He seemed freshly bathed and manic. The grin he normally wore when making teasing comments was plastered across his face. He was practically bouncing as he pulled you from the room.
“Have you seen the whole house?”
You stumbled after him sleepy, murmuring that you doubted you could if you tried. Satoru laughed at that, shooting you a brilliant smile. He pulled you excitedly from room to room and you realized that now the estate actually had a normal layout. It was a modest size, still littered with luxury, but you could actually make sense of it.
“Why does it look so different?” You stopped in your tracks, tugging your hand from Satoru’s. The man paused, running a hand through his snowy hair. He seemed surprised at the question, brilliant eyes roving over your form.
“I was away. The realm scatters a bit when I'm not here.” 
The answer made some sense. From what little you could tell, you knew it was living. Perhaps not as you were but it existed as its own being in the realm of the gods. 
Satoru gently grabbed your hand again, tugging you over to a large window. From here you could see the pale field and beyond it, a glittering blue sea. You had never had the chance to see the ocean when you were in the mortal realm. It was too far a trek, but the stories you had heard didn’t do the body of water justice. 
“We can go there later, I can show you the prayers that wash ashore.” Satoru murmured. He was standing behind you, warm breath tickling your ear as he spoke. You shuddered slightly, leaning against him as you stared out across the field. He was warm, large form easily overshadowing yours. One hand came up, resting on your shoulder, much like he had just days ago. It was a familiar feeling and you felt yourself melting against him.
Emotions you had crushed and swallowed came bubbling to the surface. A burning ache coiled in your stomach, tangling with the heat that radiated from his touch on your shoulder. You tilted your head slightly, glancing at him from the corner of your eye. Satoru was staring at you intently, his gaze asking an unspoken question. He looked hungry. It both thrilled and scared you. A shudder ran through you as you turned back, looking at his reflection in the glass.
“Yes” You offered an answer to the question he had not yet asked. A thrill of heat rippling from your belly to your extremities.
His hand slid down your side, large fingers curling into the silk of your kimono. You shuddered, heat coiling in your stomach as his warm breath tickled your right ear. Satoru paused, his other hand gently holding your waist.
“Are you sure?” The question was spoken softly, his normal teasing tone replaced by something so gentle that for a moment you were speechless. But only a moment, you nodded, placing your hand over his, fingers sliding to his wrist in a silent gesture asking him to continue.
The hand that had been tangled in your kimono, dipped beneath it, pushing past the silk of your juban beneath and pausing as he touched the bare flesh of your thigh. Your breath hitched, face flushing as you realized that the house had never provided you undergarments other than the juban. If it could, you were sure the house would be chuckling, in perfect sync with its master. 
Satoru was laughing, the sound low and breathy as he pulled you closer. Your back was pressed firmly against his broad chest and you let out a small gasp as you felt his erection press against your backside. 
His hand moved to the juncture between your thighs, warm fingertips sliding over your clit and delving into your folds in an inquisitive motion. You shuddered, breath hitching as you struggled to stay upright. A few seconds pressed against him, that's all it had taken for you to become soaking wet.  Satoru chuckled in your ear, lips pressing against the soft skin of your throat as he gently swirled his finger tip around your entrance. The muscles fluttered in response, clenching around nothing as he teased the opening. Your legs shook and you gripped the hand that held on your waist in a death grip. He was the only thing keeping you upright, his gentle actions somehow making your mind both empty and overstimulated all at once.  
“Do I really have such an effect on you?” It was the teasing tone you were used to and you shot a look over your shoulder, knowing that your flushed face and parted lips did nothing to convey the small flame of irritation. The emotion dissolved as his lips captured yours. Your breath caught as you melted into the kiss, his lips were warm, sliding against yours with a barely contained hunger. Satoru was shaking slightly, breath puffing from his nose sharply as he licked against your lips. 
The arm at your waist slid up, finding its way beneath your kimono and grasping your breast. You moaned against his lips, leaning into the touch as Satoru ran his thumb over the peak of your nipple. The moan granted him entry and you shuddered as his tongue ran over your teeth, tangling with your own as he deepened the kiss. It was desperate and feral, your teeth clinking together as each kiss grew sloppier and more hungry. 
The hand on your breast tightened, steadying the both of you as Satoru plunged a finger into your entrance. There was a brief sharp pain and you froze for a moment before relaxing again. The sensation dissolved into pleasure as he gently delved deeper. The rough pad of his finger rubbed against the sensitive inner heat of your pussy. You shook in his grip, hips moving in sync with his finger thrusting. The man moaned into your mouth adding another finger. It stretched you, but felt divine. Satoru was blessed with long fingers, his touch reaching the deep sensitive parts within you. He curled his fingers, hitting a new, deeper spot that sent a wave of pleasure through your veins.
A low moan split the air as you broke the kiss, neck again slightly. You gripped his wrist in an attempt to steady yourself, hips grinding gently against his palm as Saturo continued his gentle finger fucking. The god shifted, knee nudging your right thigh aside and opening you wider to him, The action had your clit pressing against his palm, the warm skin rubbing gently with each thrust of his finger. It was delightful and too much. You squirmed, panting in his arms as he gently bit at your neck, tongue laving against your pulse. 
“S-shouldn’t.” Your words stuck in your throat as you struggled to stay upright, “Shouldn’t we be in bed?”
Your flush deepend as Satoru let out a sharp laugh. It was no secret you were inexperienced, the life of a shrine maiden was one of celibacy. And he knew that, being one of the Gods who had no doubt set the rules for temples. You squirmed in his arms, mind fuzzy as his finger slipped from you, cunt suddenly clenching around nothing. 
“We can.” Satoru lifted you easily, the quick action making you dizzy. You clutched your Kimono close, the garment mussed and only being held by your Obi. The room around you seemed to twist and then you gasped as suddenly you were in a different room. There was a lurch in your chest and for a moment you thought you might vomit. 
“Sorry.” Satoru offered you a small grimace, gently setting you on a large plush bed. “First time is always unpleasant.”
How did we get here?  You wondered, blinking up at the tall ceiling. This room was dark, the walls a blue that was almost black. Spots of glittering gold and white appeared here and there, vanishing almost as quickly as they appeared. You frowned, propping yourself up on your elbows as you took in the sight. Your first impression was wrong. The walls were clear. It was the night sky that twisted about you, the stars and clouds of dust playfully twisting about as small points of light. 
“No one can see us here.” Saturo shed his own robes, the silk sliding off with a familiar noise. Just as on earth he was unabashed with his nudity. You might have thrown him a look had you not been in awe at the room around you. The bed, draped in warm furs, was the only furniture in the room. It was like a nest, slightly deeper in the center. You let yourself fall back, staring at the dancing space around you. 
“How much can you see from here?” He had explained his ability to you and while you had an understanding, you had a feeling he had simplified it for you. Saturo grinned, stalking over to the bed and crawling onto it. He moved like a beast, each move calculated as he drew closer to his prey.
“I see everything.” It was a simple answer that implied such grandiosity that it was almost unimaginable. He crouched over you, a perfectly sculpted man. And he ignored the twisting beauty around him, instead focusing on you.
“Why me?” It was something that had been tugging at the back of your mind since he had first started teasing you. Without him ever stating it, you knew he was never like that with Ama and you had a feeling perhaps he had never been like that with any other mortal.
“Why not you?” The answer was followed by a grin that was so smug it was insufferable. You scoffed, lightly slapping his bicep. Saturo cackled, leaning in and capturing your lips. It was a non-answer and you decided you were fine with that. You melted against him, opening your thighs to allow his hips to grind against yours. 
He was a man starved, one hand tangling in your hair as with the other he pinched and pulled at your left breast. You moaned against his lips, hips canting up against his. His cock slid against your wet folds, warm and stiff against your clit. The smooth skin gave way to the rough white thatch of hair at the base of his cock. It created a different kind of friction, one that sent lightning bolts of pleasure through you. The sensation made you shudder, hips shifting so you could open your legs wider. Satoru grunted in frustration at your kimono, tugging the silk roughly until the belt gave and you were able to slide your arms free. He slid his arms beneath you, mouth latching onto your breast as he lazy thrust against you. 
It had you breathless, small choked moans leaving you as you grinded against him. There was a burning, tight sensation growing in your abdomen, building with each pass of your clit against his dripping cock. You chased it, slick folds pressing against his cock, creating a low lewd noise with each pass. Satoru moaned against your breast, the pace of his thrusting quickening as he matched your mindless desire. You threaded one hand through his hair, the other sliding over the expanse of his shoulders. 
“So close.” You whispered, head falling back and eyes closing as you canted your hips against his. 
Satoru let go of your breast with a small pop, leaning back and grinning down at you. A low whine of displeasure left you, lips pulling down in frustration as you panted up at him. He looked smug, one hand fisting around his cock as he gave it a quick pump, thumb smearing the mix of your juices and his precum over the head.
“Let me take you?” His voice was husky, the blue of his eye eclipsed by how blown his pupils were. You nodded, heart pounding in your ears. Excitement and lust coiled in your abdomen, you ached in a way you knew would only be satisfied once he was within you. 
Satoru was not gentle you were coming to realize. He was careful, mindful of where each touch landed. But gentle was not a word you would use. He was hungry, impatient and feral in his need. 
And you didn’t mind. His rough fingers dragged pleasure from deep within you. Each touch making your legs shake, back arch and moans slide from your throat. He was a beast but one that knew its prey well. 
“Good.” Satoru huffed out. He remained as he was, kneeling, cock stiffly pointing upwards. You noted with a blush that his white patch of pubic hair was drenched from your earlier grinding. 
Satoru shot you a grin that bordered on manic, taking your thighs in each hand and spreading them farther apart. You shivered slightly with the action, the wet between your thighs being brushed by cold. But only for an instant.
Satoru sheathed himself within you in one fluid motion. You let out a silent gasp, the air caught in your throat as the walls of your cunt fluttered about him. He stretched you completely, almost uncomfortably so. But the dull ache gave way to pleasure as he began to move.
Satoru seemed content to remain kneeling, his brilliant gaze locked on your face as he thrust into your warm heat. He looked powerful, muscles rippling with each thrust, an iron grip on your thighs. You shuddered beneath him, for a moment pleasure forgotten as you viewed the god above you. He was otherworldly. White hair shimmering as if made of stardust, blue eyes piercing your very soul.
The thoughts dissolved as he thrust again, dragging his cock nearly all the way out before plunging back into you. The pace he set was rough, each thrust pushed pleasure through you. Beneath him you were breathless, matching his roughness as best you could. 
The pleasure was mind numbing, your legs shook in his grasp as the head of his member kissed deep within your heat, hitting your cervix with an aching accuracy. You arched, hips stuttering against his as you chased the heat coiling in your stomach. Each thrust built it higher and higher, a taut string close to snapping. 
Faintly you registered that you were moaning, half words falling from your lips as you tried to ask him for more. To go faster.
Satoru laughed, the sound triumphant and breathless. He fell forward, capturing your lips with his, the hunger behind the action making his nose smash against yours. You didn’t mind the clumsiness and the slight pain. Arching against him, you panted against his mouth, arms sliding around his shoulders to pull him closer. Satoru’s kisses were sloppy, his teeth scraping against your bottom lip.
You moaned, hips canting against his as your clit caught against the rough hair at the base of his cock. It sent a thrill of pleasure through you and as you moaned, he thrust again, grinding his hips into you.  
Breaking the kiss, Satoru moved his head to your neck, kissing the soft flesh beneath your ear.
“Cum for me.” The words were low and growled, sending a shiver down your spine. You huffed out a low moan, unable to respond. His hands were on your hips, the man kneeling again, lifting you on his lap as he thrusted up into your tight heat.
The change of position sent stars across your vision and finally, the heat in your abdomen snapped.
You came with a cry, hands clawing at Satoru’s back as he kept thrusting. The walls of your cunt squeezed and fluttered around him, your orgasm prolonged by the rough movements. You let your head nestle in the crook of his neck, panting as he kept going.
Satoru’s arms shook slightly, his movements becoming erratic as he fucked you. The grip on your hips was bruising as he drilled into you. Satoru shifted, his teeth catching on your shoulder as he let out a low snarl. You shivered as he finally came, the warmth of his release filling you completely.
For a moment the two of you remained locked in place. Satoru’s teeth in your shoulder, hands keeping your hips locked against his. Now, not trapped in the heat of lust, you felt hazy, mind reeling from the intensity of his actions.
“Sorry.” Satoru finally pulled back, gently lying you on the bed and rubbing his thumb over the red indents in your shoulder. You murmured that it was fine, arching with a gasp as he pulled his now flaccid cock from you. 
Satoru disappeared for a moment, then was back, a towel in hand. You blinked, mouth parted to question him. 
“Teleportation.” He muttered, concentrating on cleaning you, then himself before tossing the towel away. Satoru flopped next to you, tugging the blankets over the pair of you with a satisfied sigh.
You watched him, curled on your side. A sudden feeling of awkwardness suddenly filled you. What would happen to you now?
Satoru seemed unbothered, nestling close to you, one arm thrown casually over your waist. 
“What now?” You asked, the words sticking slightly in your throat. You were afraid that he would tell you it was time to go back to the mortal realm. To the emptiness and lonely life.
Satoru’s eyes had closed, but he cracked one brilliant eye open, frowning.
“What do you mean?” 
You bit your bottom lip, one hand coming up to pull the blanket closer to your chin.
“I’m human. I’m not meant to be here.”
Satoru hummed, opening his other eye to stare at you. His gaze seemed to read your soul and you shivered as his unblinking stare lingered.
“Do you want to go back?” His tone had a hidden emotion beneath it, something in his eyes making you hesitate before answering.
“No?”
He seemed pleased with that answer, the large grin you had come to secretly love. Satoru propped himself up on one below, looking down at you, expression becoming serious.
“Would you want to stay here forever?” 
The question was odd but you nodded, hoping you understood him correctly. In the hours you had spent with him, you had come to enjoy Satoru’s teasing and playful nature. He was both a terrifyingly beautiful man and the biggest idiot you had ever met. An eternity with him, in the house surrounded by pale fields. You would enjoy that. Plus, Yuji would be safe, he wouldn’t know the pain that the mortal realm brought anymore.
Satoru sat up, blankets falling from him as he regarded you, face unreadable.
“You’re sure?”
You nodded again at his question, fingers playing with the edge of the blanket as you waited for whatever it was he was building to. Satoru was silent for a moment, then brought his hand to his mouth, biting down on his thumb.
You gasped at the dull noise it made, sitting up as you shot him a confused look. The man seemed unbothered, extending his hand to you as if offering you something.
“If you’re sure.” He was watching you closely, blue eyes following the slight changes in your body language as you glance at him, then his hand in confusion. 
You blinked. Satoru’s blood was golden, beads that looked akin to jewelry sat neatly upon his skin. You glanced up at him again, eyes searching his face for an answer.
“I am sure.” You murmured, not quite understanding what he wanted you to do. Satoru smiled, lifting his thumb closer to your face and wiggling it.
“The blood of a god is coveted by some.” He looked strangely smug, “It contains the secret to immortality.”
You narrowed your eyes at him, waiting for the manic smile to hit and for the god to tell you it was a joke. But when he didn’t, you cautiously leaned forward, wrapping your lips around the digit. 
His blood tasted of sunshine and yet was also nothing. You shuddered as you pulled back, nose wrinkling slightly as you licked your lips, swiping the remnants of the droplets. Nothing happened. You felt the same and you again waited for the infernal smile you knew he was going to throw your way.
“What would you like to be the goddess of?” Satoru asked, itching the thumb. You noted it was completely healed as if nothing had happened. For a moment you sat, mind racing as you struggled with the odd nothingness of what had occurred. Pondering the question, you flopped back down, pulling the blankets close as you thought. If he wasn’t playing a prank, what would you be best at?
You thought of the village that was your home and the gods they whispered about. Turning over different jobs, of things in nature you enjoyed. There were too many options. But finally, you thought of Ama, of the shrine. Of the loneliness the old woman had experienced.
“The goddess of forgotten shrines and their keepers.” You murmured. Satoru seemed surprised at your choice, humming as he thought.
“I think that one isn’t taken.” His brilliant blue gaze raked over your form and you shivered as a warmth spread through your limbs. It was as if you had gulped down sake, the sensation unlike anything else. A buzzing existed in your limbs, fizzing through your veins and nerves like sunlight itself was warming you from the inside out.
“There you are.” He laughed, reaching out with one long finger and tapping you on the nose. “It’ll be strange at first. Hearing them when they pray. But you’ll figure out how to filter it.”
You frowned at that, nestling deeper in the blankets as you concentrated. 
Silence. 
Then.
“Whoever resides here–”
“I’m sorry, I’m old–.”
“They forgot about this place, I hope my staying here doesn’t–”
“Are you still here? Can you —”
Fragments, barely whispers twisted through your mind. You sat upright, eyes unfocused as you tried to listen to them. There were too many and they were all so quiet. 
“How many abandoned shrine keepers are there?” You turned, fighting back an odd sadness that swelled in your chest. Satoru hummed, leaning back on the plush pillows, fingers drumming lightly against his bare chest.
“Too many.” His piercing blue eyes fixed on the ceiling, “Plus the accidental shrines.”
You tilted your head at that, shivering slightly as another whisper danced through your mind.
“Humans create their own shrines without realizing it.” Satoru focused on you, reaching out to run a hand along your bare side. 
“Children with sticks and plush toys. Adults with their particularly set up kitchens.” He shrugged, his expression one of amused resignation, “They don’t realize that they do it, that their thoughts are structured like prayers.” 
Satoru’s gaze slid away from you, his expression becoming somber. “They tend to get ignored. None of us see merit in picking up their prayers.” 
You swallowed the hurt and irritation that welled in your stomach. Satoru was a god, he had admitted to thinking something as simple as a bath let him see how humans lived. He and no doubt the others had such a removed view of how humanity lived. Human needs and emotions were foreign. Yes, Satoru had emotion. But it always seemed guarded or inappropriately placed. 
You lay back in the blankets, dwelling on the echoed whispers in your mind.
“Will I disappear if they stop creating shrines? If they abandon the notion of gods?” You asked, eyes searching the dark expanse above. Satoru rolled over, slipping his arm over your waist and pressing a soft kiss to your temple.
“The last prayer Sukuna got was well over a thousand years ago. He’s become a bit of a recluse, but he’s still here.”
You had no idea who Sukuna was but the thought was comforting. Satoru rested his forehead against yours, flashing you a brilliant smile.
“You don’t have to worry.” 
You raised an eyebrow at that, eyes searching his. The man snickered to himself as he continued “I’ll always be here to worship you.”
You rolled your eyes at that, letting a small puff of laughter out. His response tickled your mind however and a question arose.
“What are you even the god of?” You should have honestly asked sooner. With all his joking and lackadaisical attitude, you had assumed he was something soft and kind. But Satoru’s response about ignoring small shrines lended to a more arrogant nature under his cheerful facade. 
The man grinned, the smile sharp and unlike anything you had seen before.
“I am the god of power.”
You quirked an eyebrow at that. “So, War, physical strength?” 
He shook his head, then paused and nodded. “Yes and no.”
Satoru sat up, flexing his arms. You watched the muscles jump and ripple as he did so.
“There is also power in names, in blood ties. Power exists now in money and goods.” 
He spread his arms wide, looking a tad manic.
“For humans, to feel powerful, look or sound powerful, they crave it.”
You shuddered as you listened, thinking of Mahito, of the village you had grown up in. Satoru looked at you, his gaze serious.
“I alone am a god ingrained in the nature of humans.”
You hummed at that, eyes shifting away from him and back to the great expanse of black. Whispers tickled the back of your mind, gentle wishes and murmured prayers for help twisting together into a droning hum.
“Ok not the only one but, the most powerful one.” You glanced back to see Satoru wiggling his eyebrows at you. Laughing, you pulled the blankets closer, peeking at him from around the soft fabric.
“The power god is the most powerful? How poetic.” Your tone was teasing and you let out a squeak as Satoru yanked the blankets up, sliding beneath with you. His face was close, the intense blue of his eyes drilling into your soul as he wagged a finger at you.
“New gods don’t get to be bratty to old gods.” 
You snorted, “You’re right grandpa, I apologize.”��
You shrieked as he started tickling you in response, Satoru cackling like a madman as he did so. While he might not have realized it, the interaction felt so human. It was a connection you had silently wished for while at the shrine. To have a friend to hold. One who you could laugh with.
“I’m going to do good for all of them.” You murmured when he finally stopped, wiping a tear from the corner of your eye. Satoru raised one eyebrow in question, his hands pulling you closer beneath the warm blankets.
“My shrine keepers.” You elaborated, “I won’t abandon them.”
Satoru hummed at that, “You better do good.” His tone was teasing, but the look on his face was serious. It was your turn to raise an eyebrow, the man sighing as he fiddled with one strand of his pale hair.
“I may have broken a rule or two by bringing you here and letting you become a god.” 
Your mouth dropped open at that and you sat up, heart racing. Satoru saw your panic and was quick to follow, pulling you into a hug.
“As I said. I’m the best. I get to break rules.” His tone was too casual for your liking and you shot him a glare, irritation swelling in your throat. Satoru could tell you were about to snap out something harsh, the man burying his face in your shoulder.
“They might be mad, might take you aside to make sure I didn’t pressure you.” 
He shrugged, lifting his head to look at you. Part of you murmured that after haze of sex was a time when most people had lowered inhibitions. But it wasn’t like you could have just gone back. You had already committed to living with Satoru, even as just a human. The forever promise was a bonus. 
“But that's all they can do.” He finished, flopping back onto the bed with an irritated sigh.
“The red tape bastard is going to have a fit and all that’ll be is annoying.” 
You lay back down, pulling the blanket over the both of you. There was still no need for sleep in this realm. Even after the slight workout you and Satoru had done. But you felt mentally tired. You knew you would have to face the other gods, the consequences of Satoru’s actions. Warm and snuggled next to the man, your eyes slid shut. Sleep came easy. The prayers of your shrines lulling you into the deep abyss of slumber. You could deal with the outcome later. When you awoke, your first task would be tending the shrines.
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nichirinpen · 2 months
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Gojo it is!
I should have the Nanami fic posted by this weekend and I've already started Gojo's A through Z :D I'll post that list of words later
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nichirinpen · 2 months
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Working a full time job and writing fanfic is so weird sometimes lmao.
Ideas hit at the most inconvenient times and then by the time I get a min to quick note the idea, it's half gone 🤣😭.
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nichirinpen · 2 months
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Sneak peak for the Nanami ABC fic. My own self imposed rule of less than 1k per word is hard to follow 🤣😭. I'm only on E and I've been writing for 2 hours.
But here is the list of words I'm using ❤️😘 some will be NSFW and some fluff. I've never done one of these ABC prompts before so I'm not sure if I'm following the normal flow but so far I like what I wrote :D.
Aftercare
Biting
Coffee
Dessert
Eager
Fever
Gentle
Hair
Insatiable
Jacket
Kisses
Lace
Miss
Nightime
Overtime
Pull
Quiet
Riding
Sad
Taste
Under
Vibe
Wake
Xenial
Yelp
Zest
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nichirinpen · 2 months
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nichirinpen · 2 months
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In His Divine Gaze
Gojo Satoru x Reader
Can also be read here on AO3
Word Count: 20K
Synopsis- Following the traditions of your village, you become a Shrine Maiden. However, unlike most, you meet your shrine's God.
Content Tags: AFAB reader descriptions, Smut, penis in vagina sex, vaginal penetration, attempted assault (mahito is a creep)
Whether we like it or not, life tends to follow tradition. Old and dusty rituals followed by people to cling to the past. It ties people to their heritage, to their families. It has explanations for the unexplainable and gives a face to old superstitions. Tradition crossed time, mixing the past with the present, often in tiresome ways.
Your village had a rather odd tradition once someone reached the age of 18. Called the ‘Path of Three’ it was a replacement for a birthday celebration for the new adults. Dragged out in the middle of the town, the idea was to choose your path in life. With the celebration you could marry, become a trader or go work for the village shrine. 
In almost all cases, young individuals chose to marry and live in the village. It was the easiest choice for most, guaranteeing them housing and in most cases a blessing from the village elders. Marrying was the choice that guaranteed safety and a full belly most nights. Despite being behind the times, the village had plenty to go around. And besides, propagation in a dying village was needed and highly encouraged. Each year another elder passed and the village numbers dwindled further. The eldest of the village clung to the shreds of the past, refusing to admit that with each year, the end of the village drew nearer.
Second choice was becoming a trader. That path meant a chance at leaving the old woods, of adventuring across the country. It carried with it whispers of riches, good food and escape from under the thumb of the elders. Being so sheltered within the pines however, made it a less popular path. The youth of the village tended to be wary of adventuring beyond the deep woods.
The final choice, the shrine meant servitude to the old gods. It was rarely picked, the choice meaning nothing but a life of celibacy and working yourself to the bone. It didn’t help that the shrine was led by the oldest and nastiest woman in the village. Because of this most avoided it like the plague. Your mother had once described it as a nest of disease, the quiet comment earning her the ire of the village elders. They would never admit it, but the shrine was like the rest of the village, becoming forgotten by the new world.
In your case you chose the shrine. Marrying wasn't something you had wanted. Not when the only eligible partner was 17 years older than you and had a penchant for being drunk. He had dropped heavy hints in the months leading up to your birthday, clumsily pawing at you as if you were livestock. No matter where you went, he was there, stinking and laughing. Your parents had encouraged him, their hints at wanting grandchildren much heavier handed. Gifts meant for fertility had greeted you a whole month before your 18th birthday, followed by the wide smiles of your parents. The thought alone made you want to vomit but you persisted. Ignoring him and them to the best of your ability.
When it was finally your birthday, the look on his face when you made your choice had been enough to make up for his disgusting behavior. A shrine maiden made sense for you. Being a wife held no interest. Not when it meant having as many babies as you could and spending your days gossiping with the other tired women of your village. Being a trader meant long periods of time away from the village. Much like the rest of the village, you liked the deep pines you lived in. They offered quiet and solitude that the rest of the world seemed adamant on moving away from.
So you chose the shrine much to your parents dismay.
Like most modern villages, old gods and their shrines were starting to become mere whispers. As the new age seeped across the land, the strings of tradition were starting to fray. Superstitions and reverence were fading to stories that were told to scare children and nothing more. Some villages had even had the arrogance to tear down old shrines. To rid themselves of the past in favor of the cold stone and metal of the future.
Because of this, the elders of your village approved of your choice heartly. It had earned you a bundle of fabric, a sack of rice and a small kitten. Gifts were not typically given to a new shrine keeper. But seeing as you were the second person in almost 19 years to do so, the village elders were ecstatic. They needed more people to keep tradition alive, especially since the old shrine keeper was getting up there in years. 
So you left the warm and bustling village and found yourself in the woods that surround it. Your farewells had been bittersweet, your parents whispering that you could always change your mind. You didn’t however, heart thrumming slightly at the thought of finally being away from the watchful eyes of the village. Being alone in the woods sounded like a godsend. 
So, kitten tucked in the front of your kimono and a cloth bag of your possessions on your back, you made the trek into the deep pines. Just over a day's walk from the village, the old shrine was nestled in a thick grove of pine. The stone and wood of its walls were decaying. Here in the deep woods, nature was adamant about overtaking everything. Deep emerald moss and prickly vines twisted over the hunched form of the shrine. Almost as if the forest were halfway through swallowing the old structure, it became impossible at some points to see where the shrine ended and the forest began. Wood shavings and bits of stone littered the mossy steps up to it, the building seeming to shed like an old dog. You carefully skirted around the larger chunks, knowing that if you tripped and broke anything, no one would be able to rescue you.
The once vibrant red paint of the shrine was peeling in thick chunks from the worn wood. Spread about the lush forest ground like strang blood flecks. There was something eerie about the building. Even the foundation was crumbling, cracks like spiderwebs spreading from stone to stone. Though you admittedly were not quite religious and weren’t sure how much you believed in the old gods, something about this building seemed alive. As if an unseen being sat at its middle, peeking over the crumbling walls at you with many eyes.
The shrine keeper, Ama, was much like the building. Hunched in her old age, her rough skin and dark eyes drew a picture of one who had been alive for centuries. Ama, of course, was only 83, a near miracle in the village. The old woman did not see it as such, living this long was a curse to her. She was old, unkind and foul tempered. 
On your first day she had tried to send you back to the village, snapping that the youth like you just wanted to dilly dally in the forest like pigs. Though you towered over her, Ama scared you. She had a fierceness in her gaze that matched the unsettling aura of the shrine. You had stumbled over your words, sputtering like a fish as she glared. Her boney fists had been like knives in your hips as she pushed you from the shrine. And you had let her, eyes wide and mouth agape as she slammed the shrine doors behind you.
That night you had slept in the shrine steps, shivering and sneezing as the night winds ripped through the trees. In the dark, under a moonless sky, the pines weren’t as comforting as they were in the sun. And yet, you didn’t feel too afraid. Having the oddly watchful shrine at your back felt somewhat reassuring. And blessedly the kitten you had been given had remained on your chest, the little orange creature purring away through the night. He sat tucked in your kimono, brown eyes half closed in that sweet way cats did when sleepy and content. You decided that night to name him Yuji. The name was fitting. He was only a few months old and already had been more helpful than anyone else in your life. 
Ama had let you stay after that, grumbling about having wasted enough energy to deter you. Under the morning sun you had given her a stiff smile, trying to ignore the fact that you could feel all of your bones from sleeping on stone. The old woman had given you a brief look of respect before covering it with her bristling glare. She was quick to thrust a broom in your hands, commenting that at least you had the decency to bring a shrine cat with you.
And so you had begun your days as a Shrine Maiden.
Other than her, the only other shrine worker was a man named Mahito. He was in his 30s and had picked the shrine as his place of work even before the age of 18. Being an orphan and having no home he had been left with little choice. Much like with the stray dogs that made their way in, the village had discarded him as soon as they were able.
Mahito was quiet and unsettling. He reminded you of stories of yokai for some reason, his gaze odd and piercing. Though you tried not to judge one by their appearance, there was something about his lank graying hair and scarred face that made your stomach churn. It was as if he were something pretending to be a man, his skin sitting strangely upon his bones. His voice didn’t help either, the man’s words seemed to twist like snakes. The air around him felt tainted by just a single word. You tried your best to avoid him as you carried out the various tasks Ama set for you each day. It was easy enough given that his daily tasks seem to pertain to the basement and inner courtyard. You happily avoided both and the bugs that seemed to thrive there. The few moments in which you had to interact with him were short enough that you were able to power through them with a forced smile. If he was aware of his effect on you, Mahito, thankfully gave no indication.
And time passed like this. One year became two, then 6 and you were still running about the shrine and its grounds, following Ama's raspy bark as she pointed to this and that. Over time you grew stronger, the coldness of winters and the sweltering summers having little effect with each year. It was a quiet life with just the three of you. Incredibly different from the village where everyone seemed to know what everyone else was doing. 
The village life didn’t entirely leave you however. Despite liking being alone, you often found yourself trailing Ama on her daily rounds, not wanting to be caught alone by Mahito. The old woman seemed not to mind, happily giving you small tasks on the upkeep of the shrine.
Despite time’s instance of wearing the building down Ama kept it as clean and tidy as she could. The forest and the elements made the task difficult. It seemed nearly everyday there was some new part of the woods pushing its way past the old stone.
You assisted Ama silently, never complaining about any duties she gave you. Some days it was finding and tossing all the spiders in the shrine, others it was tying new talismans on the outer Tori gate. Ama would never admit it, but your silent acceptance seemed to please her. 
Each morning she waited in the inner courtyard to bark the morning’s orders. In your 5th year she began following you about, glaring at your work. Ama offered no praise and no help. But you were quick to learn that didn’t mean she was unhappy. 
In your 6th year some mornings Ama would give you nothing to do, simply asking you to watch the shrine as she took a walk. You spent those days on the front stairs with Yuji, sewing and waiting for Ama to reemerge from the deep pines. She never said where her walks took her, but she always appeared happy afterwards. Just for a moment, when she stepped from the trees to the stone, you caught a glimpse of the woman she once was. She would stand tall, a small smile upon her face and then she would step from beneath the last pine and once more she was a hunched and twisted old woman. 
With these walks, the wall between you and Ama seemed to have lessened. The old shrine keeper slowly let you into her world. Her anger you learned was due to the villagers. Less offerings were being sent to the god. And no one showed up to the prayer ceremonies. Each ceremony she preferred, each ritual of offerings she held, Ama seemed angrier and older. Her chapped lips would offer curses to the village after each prayer. It was a sad sight that seemed to worsen through time.
You sat through all of them, offering your silent servitude to a nameless god. Despite your best efforts to pry, Ama didn’t produce a name for the god. And as time flew by, you began to think that the God was perhaps lost to time. 
It wasn’t uncommon. As the new age filtered in, stories of gods abandoning their shrines grew in numbers. They went where the prayers were and here in the deep pines, only 2 offered prayer to the nameless god. You had noticed that Mahito never attended, the pale man always skulking away when Ama made her pre ceremony preparations.
As the years passed, Ama grew weaker. Her odd little walks took more and more time and you grew worried she was going to get lost in the deep pines. But she always returned and you kept your worries silent. You were curious of course, what could be so important in the woods that Ama would risk a fall over twisted roots to go each week? 
But one glare from her wrinkled face was enough to wither the question in your throat. You pretended to not care, to not count the minutes until she returned. 
Yuji had grown to be a big cat, spending his days napping in the sun on the shrine’s roof and following you about during your daily chores. He sat with Ama each morning, waiting for you to enter the main hall. Yuji was a funny cat, watching Ama bark her daily orders at you before following you to whichever end of the shrine you had been sent to. You appreciated his company and his funny little expressions. Life in the shrine was simple and yet complete. Not once did you think of returning to the village. Here your heart was fulfilled.
Then one day in the fall, Ama was not waiting in the main hall when you awoke. Waiting for a few moments you took note that Yuji was not in his usual spot either. You thought to ask Mahito, but his face in your mind made your anxiety deepen. You stood for a time, ignoring the chill wind as it ripped through your kimono. Worry took hold and you had made your way to her room, wincing at the heavy incense smell that seeped from it. Prayer incense, the ones she only used when offering words for the dead. You paused before the door, unsure if you should enter. Ama, despite opening up to you, was still incredibly private. Her room was the only spot in the shrine you had not yet seen. But despite your apprehension at being scolded, your anxiety at her wellbeing was stronger. The scent had your heart in your throat as you quietly entered her room, shutting the door behind you quietly.
"I knew it would be you " She rasped from her bed, the many blankets seeming to do nothing for her shivering. "Mahito is not to be trusted " 
Ama looked withered, so small under the futon that you almost couldn’t believe it was her. At her side was Yuji, the big cat looking like a small tiger by her side. The old woman’s glare held no sharpness, her eyes half lidded as she stared. Sweat clung to her face and hair, shining strangely under the flickering candle light.
“I am not dead yet.” She rasped, brow furrowing further as she tried to level a glare at you. You had merely nodded at her words, fetching fresh water for her to drink. The old woman had become decrepit in the past few years. Her hands and back twisted by age to the point that she looked almost like a tree. Ama had allowed you to help her drink before swatting away your attempts to feed her a thin broth. Her fingers, you noted, seemed stuck, clawed like birds feet.
"You must carry out my duty now." She had pointed with one shaking hand at a small jade box. It sat, half hidden in the sleeve of a kimono. As if Ama had been halfway through stashing it away.
You opened it, finding a map. The paper was ancient, creased over a dozen times and torn around the edges. You held it carefully, squinting in the low light at the faint ink. The map detailed the main shrine and a smaller, hidden shrine in the woods. Just far enough from the main shrine that it couldn’t be seen even from the highest vantage point. It wasn't one you had ever heard her talk about before and you had thrown her a puzzled look. Ama had huffed, then coughed violently as she glared at you. 
"Go to the tree burnt by lightning and stay there. When the bell rings follow the rope to the oldest tree. Then wait, with your eyes on the ground."
You knew better than to talk when Ama was, instead throwing her another questioning glance. Ama had paused for another coughing fit, allowing you to help her take another sip of water. 
"The god of our forest is old and blind. He will not harm you." 
Her words had you frozen, brow furrowing as you waited for further explanation. Ama gave none, merely stating that you were to follow a small stone path to a bathing pool. The god would put his hand on your shoulder for guidance. Again Ama expressed he was blind and that you must be slow and steady when walking.
“If he falls, you must NOT look at him. Help him up without using your sight.”
She added that once at the pool you were to shut your eyes and stand there, to wait for his hand on your shoulder again before making your way back to the first tree. You were to repeat this once a month, more if the god called on you.
“How will I know he’s calling for me?” It was the first question you dared to ask. Ama seemed to approve, coughing lightly into one crooked hand.
“You just will. You are his new keeper.” The sentence was tinged with sadness, Ama’s eyes glittering slightly in the dim light as tears welled in her old eyes. She did not cry however, the old woman turned her head from you and buried her face in Yuji’s side.
And with that, the conversation was over. You stuck the map in your kimono, bowing once to Ama before standing.
“Keep her safe.” You nodded at Yuji who let out a small meow in response. It wasn’t bandits or thieves you were worried about. No, leaving Ama alone with just Mahito seemed like a mistake. But Yuji disliked him as much as you and you knew the cat would do what it could to keep Ama safe. You just hoped it didn’t come to that.
That afternoon you paced outside of Ama’s room for a time. What she had shared was huge, but part of you couldn’t help but wonder if it was the dream of an old woman. A story she had clung to and now was passing to you.
Just once couldn’t hurt, you decided. One trip to this hidden area of the shrine just to see. And so you made the hour trek to the hidden shrine. The story explained the days Ama was gone for hours on end. You and Mahito had never asked her why she disappeared so much but now you knew she would have never told either of you. 
Ama was dying. That was the only reason she had seen fit to tell you. In your heart you knew it to be true. But it saddened you. The old woman was snappish and callous. But she had given you a home for the past 6 years. 
The walk to the tree struck by lightning was difficult. Though you were much younger than Ama, the twisted roots seemed to grab at your feet. More than once you tripped and fell, hands and knees scrapping painfully against the forest floor. How had Ama made it through this by herself? The woman couldn’t even stand up straight, much less fully lift her legs anymore. It was a miracle she hadn’t broken anything on her weekly trek. You were quick to discard your sandals, the shoes more of a hindrance than anything else. It left the mud seeping through your socks, cold and unpleasant. But you could walk easier, so you grit your teeth and pressed on.
After struggling through the pines, you finally made it to a clearing. It had you pause, the sight somehow more terrifying than anything you had ever seen.
A lone tree stood next to the burnt husk of a small shrine. Around them in a perfect circle was 12 feet of ashen ground. It was as if there was a perfectly controlled burn that ignited only there. The pines around the area stood tall and untouched. Massive wardens to this odd patch of forest. It was silent in this part of the woods. Unnaturally so. No birds whistled, not even the whisper of pine needles met your ears.
You held your breath as you walked to the tree, half expecting the ground to erupt with flames as you crossed. Only the crunch of ash beneath your feet greeted you, the sound unsettling. Your socks left muddy prints across the ash and you grimaced at how covered your feet had become. There was no saving these socks and if you tripped again, your kimono was sure to find a similar fate.
The burnt tree smelled. It was faint, only apparent when you were right next to the crumbling bark. It was acrid and dusty, the smell making the inside of your nose tickle. It was also a tad sweet, like spun sugar. You ignored the anxiety that churned in your stomach, determined to at least humor Ama. The ash on your socks was at least proof you could show her you came here. Even if it had been a waste of time.
As promised a rope was tied around the burnt tree. It was a thick, bright red cord that was tied almost delicately against the black wood. Unlike everything else it was incredibly clean. The bright red gleaming in stark contrast to the drab woods around it. Unlike the shimenawa at the shrine, this rope seemed rather expensive. You studied it, searching for a talisman or the mysterious bell Ama had mentioned. The crimson twist of silk contained neither however.
You frowned as you ran a hand against the silken rope. Ama had asked that you wait until you heard a bell. Glancing at the husk of the shrine, you noted no bell there either. Had it been lost? Fallen somewhere?
You chewed your bottom lip, hand steady against the rope as you thought. 10 minutes. You would give it 10 minutes and then walk back to the shrine. It had already been well over an hour as is to get here and you worried about leaving Ama alone. Mahito was there, the man a silent threat in your mind. While he had never done anything, his presence alone was like a thorn in your side. You weren’t superstitious, but you trusted your gut feelings. They had been right about the suitor in the village, they were right in this situation.
Gods what an idiot. You let out a huff of air. Only an idiot would leave a cat to protect someone. Maybe thats why Ama sent you on this goose chase. This was no doubt a lesson in being less naive. Certainly less cruel than you knew she could have been and for that you were grateful. Still, it didn’t make you feel any less stupid and you dreaded the lecture you knew was awaiting you back at the shrine.
A bell rang, the noise cutting through the silence like a knife. You flinched, eyes wide as you spun about, searching for the source. There was none, the sound again ringing out, seemingly from thin air. It was high and soft, a noise you might’ve found comforting had it not been in the middle of the pines.
Swallowing thickly, you dropped your gaze and took a step. Slowly, but surely, you followed the rope by feeling alone. The silk slid under your right hand smoothly, never catching on your palm. You weren’t sure how long you walked for, the light in this part of the woods was shielded by the trees. Had evening begun to set? You weren’t sure, your eyes locked firmly on your own feet as you walked. From the ashen ground, you stepped into the mossy mud of the pines. Again your feet became wet and you made a mental note that next time you should bring the damn sandals.
If there was a next time. A small part of you felt trapped, like a rabbit being led to a cage. Surely Ama wouldn’t have sent you to your death. Right?
Finally your hand hit the end of the rope. A smooth knot met your thumb, quickly followed by rough wood. You had made it to the other tree and the stone path. Right at your toe tips was the mossy stone, nearly swallowed by the forest floor. The bright moss stood in contrast with you muddied and ash dusted feet. Wiggling your toes, you wondered how far the path was to the bath, how long you would have to wait. You stood, chest tight as your mind buzzed. Perhaps you had imagined the bell? But it had been so clear, so loud. You smoothed your hand over the front of your kimono, dusting off a few errant pieces of ash.
Ama had been right about the bell, perhaps it wasn’t imagined and she was right about the old God? 
You waited with baited breath, fighting the urge to look around you. Ama hadn't stated what would happen if you looked, but her warning had been clear. You must not look at the old God.
Beneath your hand, the tree you leaned against felt cool. The chill seeped into your skin, a dull ache radiating into your fingers as you stood still and listened. 
The silence in the woods was deafening now. It made your heart race, body tensed as if ready to run at a moment's notice. You were terrified. Ama had never said which God lived in these woods. But the past few years she had asked him to curse so many of the villagers. Her old age had twisted not just her bones but her soul as well. You had heard the muttered prayers, the floods and fires she had wished for. Your throat felt dry, vision blurring slightly at the edges as you stared at your feet. 
Maybe it needed a sacrifice before it would humor the old woman? 
A warm hand slipped onto your shoulder and you jumped, a small yelp leaving your lips. You almost looked up, before fear set in and your gaze snapped to the forest floor again. Tears clung to your lower lashes as your heart thundered in your chest. For a moment all you could hear was the blood rushing in your ears and your vision blurred as the hand tightened its grip slightly. 
“You’re new.”
The God sounded young, like a man in his early 30s. The sound threw you off, mind reeling as you tried to rationalize the voice. He sounded human and again you were tempted to look.
Internally you battled yourself. To look and NOT to look. To speak and to keep silent. Your mind grappled with the conflicting urges, finally settling on a horrible combination. You gave a jerky nod and a grunt.
He is going to kill me for my rudeness. You could feel the blood leaving your face as the hand shifted slightly. But the God did nothing, a small chuckle making its way to your ears.
“You can speak to me. I don’t bite.” 
The sentence was so normal. Casual and teasing. It made your stomach churn and you swiped one shaking hand across your forehead.
“Th-thank you My Lord.” You cringed as you spoke, your voice cracking horribly on the last word. The old God merely hummed, gently squeezing your shoulder.
Taking that as a command, you jerked forward, shakily stepping onto the stone path. The path was thankfully smooth and you walked slowly, each step careful as you tried to set an even pace. You shook violently, each step feeling as though you were fighting your way through water. Heart thundering in your head, you tried to keep the shaking rasp of your breath quiet, terrified that he would take your fear as an insult.
The God was obviously much taller than you, from the corner of your eye you caught a flash of a perfect, pale foot. You were worried however that a faster pace would cause the god to trip. The path, while smooth, was still irregular in places. You found yourself stumbling here and there despite having eyes on the path itself.  Ama had indicated he was blind, an odd quality for a divine being, but you would keep him safe. Or die trying. 
“Where is Ama?”
The God’s tone was light, but you could feel how his fingers tightened slightly when he spoke her name. You weren’t sure what to say at first, eyes locked on your feet as you carefully moved forward. The words churned in the back of your throat, sticking together until you had a painful lump in your throat. You didn’t want to admit the truth because it scared you. Ama was dying and that would leave the shrine to you. It would leave you alone with Mahito. For the first time in your adult life, you would be without an elder to guide you. 
The God cleared his throat, tone teasing as he spoke, “It is rude to leave a god waiting.”
You nodded sharply, fingers playing with the edges of your sleeve as you spoke.
“Ama is dying.” 
It was all you could get out. The rest of your fears twisted in your stomach, a ravenous beast chewing at your innards. For a moment you wondered if you would vomit but the feeling passed. 
From behind you the God sighed, hand tightening again as he followed you.
The walk was silent, the path before you seeming to stretch on for miles. As you walked the sun barely shifted its position in the sky. Time was passing oddly, much more slowly than your body knew it should be. Perhaps a side effect of being near a divine being. Occasionally you felt the urge to speak, to break the deafening silence. But your fear would quickly wash the impulse away. The divine being was real, warm at your side. Your life quite literally was in the palm of his hand.
You shivered at the realization, again fighting the urge to peek over your shoulder. Even the small glimpses of his foot felt entirely wrong. As if you had committed some unspoken sin. You chewed at the inside of your cheek as you walked, mind flipping back and forth from the God at your shoulder and how fragile Ama had looked before you left. 
Finally, after what felt like ages, the path stopped. The smooth stones went right up to the steaming water of the spring. You stopped, hands clasped at your waist and gaze locked on your feet. Ama hadn't really explained what to do at this point. Did he need help undressing? Did he need help bathing? 
The God answered your unspoken questions for you, his hand slipping from your shoulder. From behind you, the sound of robes hitting dirt sounded out. You quickly shut your eyes, fingertips digging into the flesh of your palms as you tried to keep your breath steady.
“How many steps to the water?”
The question startled you and you shifted, sliding one eye open and searching until you found the pale foot. Beside it was a shimmering blue kimono, carelessly dropped on the moss and stone. From the foot to the bath was about 2 feet of space. You told the god as such, quickly closing your eyes again as he moved forward. 
“You can look you know. I can’t tell either way.”
The god was teasing as he slipped into the water. But you frowned at his words.
“If you can’t tell either way then how do you know i haven’t been looking.” 
The darkness behind your eyelids was strangely complete despite the sunlight filtering down from between the trees. You could hear water splashing and the God chuckling under his breath.
“Ama told you not to look right?”
Your brows furrowed and you resisted the urge to peek at him. For some reason you pictured a twisting smirk sitting on the god’s face. The man chuckled and you shifted uncomfortably.
“I bet she told you I'm old as well.”
That had you slowly opening your eyes, narrowed gaze slowly moving to the edge of the pool. He was right, Ama had called him old. But the foot you had seen was too youthful. Curiosity finally overpowered you, swelling until you could no longer ignore it.
You slid your gaze up and froze as you locked eyes with the most beautiful man you had ever seen. 
Water clung to his pale skin like translucent pearls, they glittered in his snowy hair and on his lashes like fragments of stars. Your breath hitched as met his gaze, feeling as if the god could see your very soul. His eyes were a brilliant blue, glittering like the sun on a bluejay’s wing. You had never seen anyone with such vibrantly colored eyes before.
A trader had once brought a shard of brilliant blue stone to the village. Aquamarine he had called it, chest puffed as he had described the difficulty he had obtaining it. 
The God’s eyes looked as if they were cast in from that stone. So brilliant and bright that for a moment, you found yourself lost. And then he shifted and your slight trance was broken. Fear slithered into your heart and you tensed, half expecting for him to smite you where you stood. 
“Do I still look handsome?” He asked in a teasing tone, one pale hand scooping water over his tousled hair. You licked your lips, throat feeling oddly dry as you fumbled for words.
“Um. Yes. You are truly beautiful.” 
You flushed as you admitted it, internally cringing at your words. Surely that was some sort of blasphemy. You had ogled the man at his request, but what if it was a test. Ama had been so clear in you not looking and you had broken the rule almost immediately.
He rest his arms on the edge of the steaming pool, his gaze set slightly above your right shoulder. You tilted your head, quietly picking up one arm and waving it. He didn’t react, instead dunking his head beneath the water. For a moment you were flooded with shame for questioning the validity of his blindness. But Ama had been wrong about his age. You watched the surface of the water, picking at your thumb nail. Did she know? Or had she simply been following the rules of the shrine keeper before her?
You waited, watching nervously from the stone path as his shadow sunk deeper in the water. The steam blurred your vision slightly, warm tendrils brushing against your skin like a ghost
If he was blind how would he know which way was up? It felt like a stupid question but after a few moments had passed, your worry grew. Could a god drown?
You didn’t think so but you also didn’t think any would look so human. It was unsettling how human he looked. And yet there was that hint of otherworldly quality. As if someone had taken the purest snow from the tallest mountain peak and sculpted it into the shape of a man. 
Another moment passed and you flinched a crow called out overhead. It snapped you out of the odd poetic reverie you had been in. Kneeling, you leaned over the water, trying to swallow the rising panic that was blooming in your chest. 
The steam from the pool felt nice against your skin, the warmth welcome in the chill of the day. You couldn’t see him, the water was an odd greenish blue. The color was unnatural and too intense for you to see anything past shadows in the water. 
Should I swim after him? 
The color of the water was incredibly off putting, but if you let your local god drown, that was an ultimate sin wasn’t it?
“Worried?” He emerged from the water with a devious grin, wrapping one hand around your wrist. You let out a shriek in response, resisting the urge to smack him on the shoulder.
“You-you.” You began to sputter, mind fighting itself. On one hand you wanted to tell this divine being he was an idiot. On the other hand, you were terrified that at any moment, he would punish you for your impudence.
“Satoru.” He let your wrist go, sinking back into the water to his chin. His skin was flushed slightly, the heat giving him a nice rosy pink across his cheeks and tops of his ears. You frowned at him, waiting for further explanation on the name he just dropped. Was he calling me Satoru?
You chewed the inside of your cheek, scrubbing the water droplets off your wrist with a corner of your kimono sleeve.
“That’s not my name.” You finally gumbled quietly, warily watching the god as he lazily swam about the pool. The man laughed, shooting you a look.
“Of course it isn’t stupid. It’s my name.” 
Your mouth fell open and you stared for a moment. “Is….Is that allowed?” You sputtered out. It felt wrong and entirely too intimate knowing his name. All the stories you had grown up with had painted the picture of gods who accepted perfect adoration. Of titles such as ‘your eminence’ and ‘honored one’ being used. Not actual names. It was an unspoken fact that any gods that did have names had given pseudonyms of sorts. Long gone were the days of knowing a god’s actual name. Names held power for beings such as them and there was no need for any mortal tongue to speak them.
Satoru was certainly his true name. It was too simple to be anything else. You recalled the stories traders would sometimes share when passing through the pine village. Of god’s with names, title really, like ‘Curse Devourer’ and ‘Blood Manipulator’. Names that made you wonder how kind these gods were. How cruel they might be.
Satoru snorted, shaking his wet hair from his eyes. “Am I not your god? Are the rules not for me to make?” 
He made a good point. You hummed in response, pulling your knees to your chest as you thought. As the god bathed you pondered why Ama had put so many rules in place. Perhaps it wasn’t to protect you but to protect him? 
Overhead the sky began to grow dark, the sun beginning its slow descent to kiss the earth. Purple and orange bloomed across the horizon as if a great paint brush were stirring the clouds. The beauty was simple, something you rarely noticed at the shrine with all the tall pines in the way. It was then that you realized just how long you had been away from Ama.
Was she alright? 
You were so lost in thought you didn’t realize the god had finished his bath until he stood before you, unashamed at his nudity. You slapped a hand over your eyes, face burning as you stuttered out protests. Of course he was unabashed in his nudity. The man was the image of perfection. The small look you had gotten at his more, delicate part, left your mind in a very depraved place. It was unfair just how beautiful ALL of him was. 
You stood silently, back to him until once more the warm hand was upon your shoulder. This time you glanced up at him, taking in his pale eyes and even paler hair up close. He was divine. 
“Tell Ama I'd like to see her once more.” 
You murmured that you would, turning and starting the slow walk back to the burnt tree. Satoru left how he had arrived, silently with the soft sound of bells ringing out. You waited for a moment, gaze locked on the sky until finally, you began walking again. Threading your way through the many trees you found yourself back at the shrine. The sun was low in the sky and in the pit of your stomach, fear twisted with sharp spines and teeth. 
Ama was dead. 
You found her, small and frail, where you had left her. It was as if she were asleep and initially you thought she was. But a shifting of the shadows in the room and you realized Mahito was sitting beside her. 
The older man looked at you with his odd eyes, his face anything but mournful. You said nothing, biting back the sudden rage that filled your veins. There was no proof, no indication of the truth to your thoughts. But you knew he had ended her life. His pale, gray tinged hands sat on his lap like sickly spiders. They twitched under your gaze. Culprits. Yes Ama had been dying, but he had taken her last breath from her. 
You carried out Ama’s funeral rites alone. Well, nearly alone. Yuji stayed plastered to your side, the cat was on edge. He was jumpy, fluffing up at the smallest sound. Mahito had been cruel to him in some way. Ama’s body had been alone save the creep at her side when you had come home, the cat hiding in your own room. You silently comforted the cat as you stood guard over Ama’s burial. Under your watchful gaze, you prayed for her soul. You hoped that in some way, with his divine powers, Satoru would see her one last time. That Ama would find the peace she had lost.
You didn’t sleep that night. Locked in your room, with Yuji on your lap, you sat and watched your door. The dark hours ticked by and you remained still. From various parts of the shrine, old wood settled and the wind found its way through cracks in the foundation. And from the hallways, foot steps. Slow and calculated. Each one placed just so to create the least amount of noise. You sat tense, hands gripping your knees as you waited.
That night nothing happened. Nothing but footsteps, pacing the hallway outside your room for hours.
“You seem tired” Satoru mused, he was half out of the bath, one finger running gently over the brightly coloured candies before him. Ama had been right, that you would just ‘know’ when Satoru needed you. It was an odd tickle in the back of your mind, like a ghostly finger was poking at your brain. Your second walk had included Yuji. The cat had thrilled Satoru, the god practically squealing over the softness of the tabby’s fur.
The baths occurred randomly, sometimes multiple times a week, sometimes nothing for two weeks. With each occurrence you learned more about the God. He liked sweets, he was apparently friends with the ‘Curse Devourer’ and he seemed to really like teasing you.
“You know that ignoring me does you no good.” Satoru was sitting, crossed legged and entirely nude. He was sitting right in front of the bathing pool, a teasing smile plastered across his face. You stared at a point slightly over his left shoulder, hands neatly clasped on your lap.
“I’m not ignoring you.” It was a partial truth. Today instead of talking with him, you were speaking when spoken to. 
“You’re not looking at me.” He shifted, moving forward until one of his knees tapped yours. You flinched, feeling a blush spread across your face as he leaned close. He was determined to get you to look at his face and you were determined to not accidentally see his dick again. 
“For a shrine maiden you’re rather bratty.” Satoru teased, on hand fiddling with the worn sleeve of your kimono. That caught your attention and your gaze shifted, a small burst of anger shooting through your veins. You met his gaze, ignoring the warm wave of emotion that curled in your abdomen. Satoru’s jewel-like eyes glittered with amusement. He was so close you could see his lashes, silver white and so fine that it looked almost as if he had snow stuck to his eyelids.
“What do you want?” You sighed, clenching your heads together in an attempt to suppress a shiver. Satoru’s gaze narrowed slightly, his playful look melting away and suddenly, you felt exposed. As if he had undressed you and were peering past your flesh and into your soul. The look stole your breath away.
“When are you going to tell me what's bothering you?” His voice was low, warm breath tickling your cheek as he leaned in and ran a finger from your shoulder to your elbow. The shiver rippled across your flesh accompanied by a burst of heat between your thighs. You flushed, resisting the urge to slap his hand away. 
“You need to learn some decorum.” You muttered, shivering again as his large hand rested gently on top of yours. The concerned, piercing look vanished, replaced again by the teasing and idiotic grin of his. You were beginning to realize that his cheerful and annoying exterior was a mask. Despite being a divine being, he had the behavioral habits of a human. It was odd.
You let out an outrange gasp as suddenly Satoru pitched backwards, falling into the pool. The move gave you a clear eyeful of his nether region in all its glory. He cackled as he surfaced, flicking a handful of water towards you.
“You ass!” You sputtered, scooching backwards with a glare. Satoru shot you a grin that was beyond pleased.
“That’s no way to talk to your God now is it?” 
“I am tired” You finally murmured, watching as Yuji batted a small blue candy across the path. 
The day after Ama had been laid to rest, you had made the long trek back to the village. It was your duty after all. Mahito did not join you. The man had taken to skulking around the shrine, always just a few feet away. You could feel his gaze on your skin, the hidden intensity that was brewing just under his pallid flesh. It scared you. But you were alone and you had to be unshakable. You had to appear as Ama did, cold and hard in the light of the world.
The Village elders were not saddened by Ama’s passing. It had been expected and if they had been honest with you, they had been wanting it for some time. They hated Ama as much as she hated them. The follies of the elderly, holding onto grudges decades later. 
You had merely nodded when they appointed you as the new Shrine keeper. It made sense, Mahito was still considered an outsider of sorts. You didn’t care either way. The village hadn’t changed since you had last seen it. Your parents were older, but still stuck in their ways. They had come to you, whispering about how it wasn’t too late to marry, to have offspring.
You had left without a word, stopping only once to buy a small canvas bag of candy. 
“You could join me.” Satoru teased, flicking an orange candy towards you. Rolling your eyes, you took it, gently blowing a speck of dirt off before popping it in your mouth. The God pouted at you, cramming a handful of the sweets into his mouth before dipping beneath the steaming water. He was like a child sometimes, his cheerfully obstinate attitude boardline annoying at times. 
That is why you didn’t tell him. Didn’t mention the footsteps that kept you awake. Didn’t tell him how sometimes, the door to your room would slide open just a crack. How one pale eye would press against the slit and watch you for hours. You didn’t tell him how you slept waiting for him after the bell tolled. How his hand on your shoulder woke you from the micro naps. Didn’t tell him how you napped in the forest, under fallen trees in beds of moss. Because the shrine wasn’t safe any more. A beast lurked within the halls, waiting for you to falter.
“I’m just saying.” Satoru reemerged, “Maybe the steam will wash away your stinking attitude.” 
You leveled a glare at the man, grateful that he couldn’t see the action. It was for sure blasphemy to do so and you took a tiny amount of satisfaction in the action. 
“You make ask one blasphemous question.” Satoru for once hadn’t jumped right into the bath. He sat in an ornate sky blue kimono adorned with golden cranes, propped on one elbow against a large rock. The look on his face spelled trouble, the man could barely contain the grin that spread across his face. The sunlight streaming through the pines tinted the tips of his hair a soft yellow. It gave him an oddly homely look, his face somehow softer when not framed in pure white. The look wasn’t enough to hide amusement that was slowly growing in intensity. He was baiting you, seemingly already knowing what you would want to ask.
You were tempted to make your question about his habit of wearing women’s kimonos. Part of you was curious if there was a Mrs. God of the bath. But another, smaller part of yourself didn’t want to ever find the answer to that question.
You sat, carefully tucking your legs beneath you as you mulled over what exactly to ask. Yuji flopped over next to Satoru, the orange tabby squirming about on the stone as he waited to be pet.
“Are you actually blind?” You tensed as you asked the question, fully expecting to have failed the test he put forward. Ama had misled you on the other facts about the God and you had been burning with curiosity about if his need for a guide was just another inaccuracy. It wasn’t a test however, Satoru merely tilted his head as he considered the question.
“No.” He looked serious for once, the expression killing the burst of irritation that threaded through your veins. Satoru drummed his fingers against the mossy stone path, stopping with a smile as Yuji butted his head against the god’s hand.
“I have sight, I just can’t bear to use it in your realm.” He gestured around the two of you, face half twisted in a grimace. 
“It’s too much. There’s too much going on with you humans and your curses and prayers.” 
Satoru ran a hand over his face, one glittering blue eye peeking out from between a crack in his fingers. You chewed at your bottom lip, unsure of how to respond. His answer really didn’t make sense. 
“Look.” Satoru moved until he sat before you, hands on your knees as he leaned forward. You stiffened at his closeness, heart beat skyrocketing as his warm breath tickled your face. Even sitting he was taller than you.
“Look at me.” He took your face in his hands, directing your gaze. You held your breath, afraid to breathe on him. It was terrifying being so close to him. 
This close you could see every long eyelash. They glittered, silvery white like the wings of a crane, so long that they touched his cheeks with each blink. Up this close you could smell him as well, the scent of bergamot and oranges filling your nose. 
“For a few seconds, I’ll look.” 
You weren’t sure what he meant by that and nodded stiffly. All you could think about was his hands, thin fingers that sat on your cheeks, thumbs barely touching the corners of your lips. He was warm, his skin was soft. In that moment, Satoru felt human to you.
And in the next moment, you understood exactly what he meant.
As you stared, something changed and all of sudden his eyes were no longer shiny gems. He blinked and all of a sudden you were staring at stars. Satoru’s eyes were blue and radiant, clearer than the sky and deeper than the sea. They glitter as if filled with a thousand stars. As if someone had compressed all of the night sky beneath the sea. 
It took your breath away. He was beautiful and terrifying all at once. And you felt utterly insignificant. He could see you, all of you. 
And then he blinked again and you were staring at his jewel-like eyes. They seemed dull in comparison, still beautiful, yes. But so dull in comparison to the beauty he had shown you for just a moment. 
“You have issues.” Satoru quipped, letting your face go. You scowled at him, rolling your eyes at his perfect ruining of the moment. Once again he was the flippant man who you could barely call a god. You looked away as he stood and stripped, the man jumping into the steaming pond with a laugh.
“No thank you, My Lord.” Your response dripped with sarcasm, the last two words twisting on your tongue slightly. Satoru frowned at that, eyes narrowing as he picked through the remaining candies.
“Careful there, human. I can hear your disdain.” He waggled a finger in your direction, an absolutely maniacal grin on his face, “I might have to punish your sinful mouth.” 
You hoped he could feel the glare you leveled at him. His playful banter may have been welcome under better circumstances. But today, after weeks of practically no sleep, you were tired of the teasing. 
Satoru seemed oblivious, popping the last of the candy into his mouth. He rested his chin on his arms, glittering eyes running over your form. For a moment you froze, certain he could see you. See the pain and exhaustion that sat on your shoulders. But no, it was the lack of sleep getting to you. 
The walk back to the burnt tree was painful, you felt dizzy and all you could think of was your bed. You barely registered the warmth of his hand on your shoulder until it was gone. Satoru left without a word, fizzling from the mortal world as he always did. 
You stood for a moment, swaying before you began the long walk back. Yuji followed you carefully. The cat had an easier time of traversing the twisting roots. He was kind to you however, sticking close as you stumbled clumsily back to the shrine. 
“Where were you?” It was the person you least wanted to see. Mahito leaned against the entrance of the shrine. His black robes clung to his thin form like a death shroud. You felt a dull pang of anger. He must be sleeping whenever you were away from the shrine. His late night stalking seemed to have no effect on him, the man always alert, shiny eyes staring at you from beneath his lank gray hair. 
Skirting around him, you scooped Yuji up, pointedly not looking at the man. 
“Shrine duties.” You offered quietly over your shoulder. Mahito pushed off the wall, walking beside you as you slowly made your way deep into the shrine. He smelled odd, musty and wet as if he had spent the day in a basement. The smell filled your head, adding to the dizziness that already clung to your mind. You felt like passing out, but he was the last one you would let know that.
“I could help.” Mahito took a few rushed steps, standing before you and halting your path. You squinted at him, tightening on your grip on Yuji. In that moment you realized how much taller he was than you. That his form, as thin as it was, was muscled. He had one hand in his hair, allowing the sleeve of his robes to shift. You could see his hidden strength rippling under his plaid flesh.
“You haven’t been sleeping.” A statement, not a question. His eyes raked over your face, looking for the cracks in your exterior. You merely titled your head to one side, leveling glare at the man. 
“I am the head of the shrine now. When I have something I’ll let you know.” You pushed past him, heading to your room without a glance backwards.
Months passed. Summer heat, then fall winds, until winter blanketed the pines in snow. Sleeping outside was no longer an option. Now you took rest at odd moments, hidden in the nooks and crannies of the shrine. Never a full sleep and never for more than 15 minutes at a time. You were becoming a husk.
Satoru knew it, the man’s teasing tone melting into concern. He was softer with you, gentle hand lingering longer than it usually did. You grew quiet, your energy focused on just existing.
And as a husk, you faltered. 
One night in your room, on the soft blankets of your bed, your body finally caved. The need to sleep crashed into you like a tsunami, drowning you under the blanket of exhaustion. You fell asleep, alone in your room. 
When you awoke it was a struggle to pull yourself from sleep. The sleep was so deep that it was as if you were trying to pull yourself from a pool of syrup. It coated the insides of your lungs and mind, trying to suffocate you back into the deep abyss of sleep. Your eyelids slipped open, the action achingly slow. It felt as if they weighed a thousand pounds. For a moment all you perceived was the deep darkness your room was cast in. The night had seeped in your room through the open door.
Open door.
The realization sent a jolt of panic through you, throwing off the last shreds of sleepiness from your mind. Clarity hit you like a bolt of lighting and it was then that you realized the predicament you were in. 
A hand, cold and clammy, was pressed against your mouth.
You let out an enraged shriek, the sound muffled as the hand pressed harder against your mouth. The pressure was crushing, thumb digging painfully into the soft skin of your cheek. You struggled against Mahito, one hand coming up to swing at him. The pale man leered down at you, his other hand already beneath your kimono, thumb digging into the soft flesh of your left thigh.
He straddled your other thigh, erection straining against his robes and your skin.
You let out an indignant scream, teeth scraping at the skin of his palm.
“Shut up.” Mahito hissed, leaning in, his weight crushing as he put his face close to yours. You glared at him, raking your nails over his arms and shoulders. His clammy lips were on your skin, pressing against your neck as his warm breath stuttered out.
To your right, a loud hiss sounded. Yuji, back from one of his nighttime walks. The orange tabby ran at the man, hissing and spitting up a storm as he sunk his claws into the hand at your thigh. Mahito howled in pain, hand pulling away from your mouth as he backhanded Yuji. He hit the cat with such force that the small creature flew through the shoji screen to your room with a whimper. 
You let out your own howl, anger and pain mixing in an animalistic noise. With his weight shifted, you were able to partially sit up, craning your neck back before whipping forward and headbutting the man. Mahito let out a gurgling cry, warm blood spattering on the front of your kimono as he fell backwards. With a cry, you kicked him off, heels connecting with his stomach and groin as you flailed about. 
Without a second thought you were up, pushing through the remains of your door and picking up Yuji. The tabby was limp in your arms and a choking sob spilled from your lips as you fled from the shrine. Your feet stung against the rough stone and as you made it to the front entrance, the cold hit you, seeping into your skin.
“Wake up kitty.” Warm tears stained your cheeks as you ran, contrasting the freezing snow that fell silently around you. “Please.”
The world was silent except for your broken sobs as you fled into the pines. Your cries echoed off the tall pines, making the dark woods sound plagued by ghosts. The snow was heavy, thick flakes quickly covering your tracks as you weaved through the dark trees. It was a small blessing as from behind you, Mahito was yelling. Snarling for you to return to the shrine as he attempted to follow you through the storm. Unlike him, you didn’t need to see to know where the burnt tree was. It was second nature at this point.
Your bare feet slid through the snow, toes jamming against the hidden tree roots as you scrambled for the only place your mind could think of. 
But he wasn’t there. The tree stood alone, a dark jagged line against the blinding white of the snow. Satoru hadn’t called for you, of course you were alone. Your god wasn’t in the shrine, wasn’t on this mortal plane. He had left you alone when you needed him most. Satoru had left Ama alone when she needed him most. 
What use is the God of baths? The God of an empty shrine and a single shrine maiden. Am I merely a plaything for the divine?
The snow clung to your cheeks, the cold seeping into your skin, your bones. In your arms, Yuji lay limp, you couldn’t even tell if he was even breathing. Part of you refused to look, refused to acknowledge the possibility that he was gone. That you were completely alone.
From a distance, the muffled shouting from Mahito rang out across the snow. You turned slightly, squinting through the snow. The weather was complete, it was snow that you had loved to watch as a child from the comfort of a warm bed. Now it was swallowing you whole. The snow covered your feet, the limbs were numb and you knew that within a few more moments the damage to them would be complete. Your fingers had paled, tinged with the unnatural blueish gray of frost damage. And you were growing warm. 
‘There was a name for it’, you thought faintly, letting yourself sink to your knees. The growing drifts of snow swallowed your hips as you slumped down. There had been a boy in your village who had gone out in a particularly bad storm. No one knew why he had gone out, perhaps to play. Regardless of the reason, he had died, found days later half undressed in the snow. His parents had been confused but the village healer had murmured something about snow delirium. 
Mahito’s shouting grew fainter and you couldn’t decide if it was him moving away or your hearing somehow going. You buried your face in Yuji’s warm fur, tears prickling in the corner of your eyes. A dull ache burned in your chest, urging you to lie in the snow. To sleep, just for a moment.
“What have we here?” A low voice, smooth as silk and full of curiosity slid around you. It was soft and comforting in a way that was almost unsettling. With effort you looked up, brows furrowing as you took in the man who stood before you. Dressed in all black robes from head to toe, he stood out against the snow like a wraith. The wind seemed unable to touch him, the deep silk robes and his inky hair unnaturally still. He was like a statue, save for the occasional gentle brushing of snow from his robes. You blinked slowly up at him, taking in his fox like features, the long lashes that kissed his cheeks with each blink. He was the second most beautiful man you had ever seen. 
Death has come to walk me away. You thought dully, standing with effort. Your limbs resisted you, joints stiff with the cold and groaning in protest. The man watched, his look a mix of mild curiosity and something that bordered on concern. 
“You.” You began, voice hoarse and cracking with the effort, “You can take me but save him, please.” You held Yuji out with some effort, swaying as your breath stuttered in your chest. Your plea seemed to confuse the man, one thin eyebrow raising as he took in Yuji. You offered the cat to him, trying not to let the tears you felt dancing in your eyes fall. Your arms shook slightly, the cold full set in your muscles.
“You’re Satoru’s human.” It was a statement and a strange one at that. His words had you still, breath catching in your throat as finally, hot tears poured down your face.
“Yes. Yes, I am Satoru’s Human. His Shrine Maiden.” You sobbed, clutching Yuji to your chest again. The shadow of a man let out a low hum, eyes taking in your disheveled form. You knew he could see the blood, how your robes were hanging open in an unseemly way. Something in his eyes darkened and you flinched as his gaze suddenly snapped from you, fixing on a point over your right shoulder. Distantly, you could hear Mahito shouting, the words ‘Bitch’ and ‘Mine’ echoing faintly through the pines. The strange man heard it as well, his thin brows lowering until a thunderous scowl sat upon his face. 
“A mortal dare lay hands upon a God’s possession?” His comment wasn’t for you, strangely enough it seemed directed at the sky. You felt a bit concerned at being called a possession. But the concern was faint, slowly fading as the last of the warmth seemed to drain from your limbs. With it went your strength and you found yourself crumpled in the snow again, arms locked in place as you cradled the limp form of Yuji. For a moment the world blurred, black spots popping across your field of vision as you went slightly limp. 
“You’re safe now.” 
A warm hand took yours, pulling you gently to your feet. And suddenly, the world was gone.
No. That wasn’t quite right.
The world fell away.
You both existed and didn’t, pulled into the great expanse that was the home of the stars. Earth as you knew it, the pines and the snow scattered into wisps akin to mist. The sky swelled around you and suddenly you saw it. The home of the divine. Beyond the clouds, twisted in among the stars. It glittered as the largest star itself, a shifting space. First a palace, then a planet, a forest, a shrine, then back to a palace.
There was no hot, no cold. You weren’t even sure you would call the state you found yourself in as ‘alive’. It was a state of existence that transcended the physical. Yuji was both his own bright soul and yet he was part of yours, intertwined in what was your chest.
The man in black robes was more physically there, he seemed able to keep his shape despite the odd ripples and the twisting urge to just…dissipate.
Your guide landed elegantly upon the shimmering marble floors, tugging your floating and dumb struck existence down. Warmth radiated from his hand, through you until suddenly you existed again. 
You let out a sharp and startled gasp, fingers digging into Yuji’s fur as you reeled at the sight around you. It was beautiful, otherworldly and entirely too much. You faintly registered the existence of other beings passing by, their presence immense and overwhelming.
The floor was white, then gold, then shimmering like sunlight caught in a raindrop. Doors faded into existence and opened to reveal worlds beyond your comprehension. Beings that looked human stepped from them and down hallways that built themselves. This realm was never ending and never resting. It’s form twisted and bent to the needs of the individuals that traversed it.
The largest man you had ever seen stalked past. His hair was the color cherry blossoms and he had too many arms. You caught his eyes and shivered at the look of pure disgust that twisted his already mangled face. His form was familiar, something you had seen on a scrap of aged parchment. A demon that used to walk among men. 
The realm was living. It’s consciousness touched yours, gently probing. Like a curious cat it was looking in every nook and cranny, quietly waiting for you to give it a nudge. If you so willed it, the realm would twist for you, become the path to wherever you needed.
A woman emerged from a door shaped like a coffin lid. It was almost too small for her to exit, and she had to twist herself like a cat to pull free. Her long white hair covered one eye, falling down her back in luscious waves. She paused at the sight of you, single dark brown eye taking you before she offered you a small nod. You found yourself compelled to nod back, watching as she turned and sauntered up a staircase made of stardust.
“Look at me.” It was the man in black robes, one pale hand lifting your chin. You shivered at his touch, brows furrowing as another wave of confusion rocked you. In your arms, Yuji stirred faintly, head lifting weakly. You blinked, gaze shifting from the cat, to the man in black, then back to the twisting palace around you. 
Behind your guide was a new man, his tired eyes pinching in the corners as he came to a full stop to look at you. Unlike the other beings of this place, he was in a full western style suit. It was a dull gray, contrasting with the glimmering almost gold color of his hair. Exhaustion visibly clung to him, you could feel it through the realm’s odd connection. It made you sway slightly, lightheaded in its intensity. He let out a sigh, making a point to turn and walk in the opposite direction.
“You survived. Surprising given how close to death you were.” The man murmured, a strand of his dark hair falling in his face as he leaned closer. He ran one long finger down the side of your face, frowning slightly at something he saw.
“Did I die?” You asked weakly, afraid of the answer. Your odd companion raised one eyebrow, straightening as he tilted his head to shoot you a rather cold look.
“I’m the god of curses. Not death.” He paused, a thoughtful look crossing his face. “I suppose however I have assisted in cursing a human or ten to death.”
He saw your look of confused terror and offered you a comforting smile. “Suguru. Call me Suguru.” 
You blinked, holding Yuji a little closer as you inhaled in an attempt to calm yourself. Everything was happening too fast. You were still reeling from Mahito’s attempted assault. 
“Where is Satoru?” You almost didn’t dare to ask. Part of you was still full of dull anger at the fact that he hadn’t been there, that he hadn’t been the one to tug you into this divine realm. And a smaller, nasty part, was wondering if he had abandoned you. The final shrine maiden of the deep pines left to tend an empty shrine.
Suguru smiled and this time it was awful. A terrifying grin that made the corners of his dark eyes crinkle. It was as if all of a sudden you were an injured deer standing in front of a bear.
“He’s taking care of matters on the mortal plane.”
You knew without asking that Mahito was most likely facing a terrible terrible death. It made you feel small for some reason. Small and utterly human.
“I’ll take you to his realm.”
You blinked at that, slowly following him as Suguru made his way quickly through the shifting palace. The building seemed to understand that you were human, tiles of marble clicking into place before your very feet as you followed behind a God that had no need for such niceties. He walked across the bare expanse of space as if it were nothing. It most likely was, the man was divine. 
Almost as divine as Satoru. You thought. As if he knew, Suguru’s head jerked, the man shooting a look over his shoulder. Surely he couldn’t read your mind. 
‘I certainly can’ It was his voice, inside your mind and poking at the innermost expanse of your brain. You swallowed your thoughts, trying to keep your mind clear as you followed. It was easy enough to do, your mind drowning in anxiety as you tried to avoid the dark God’s glances.
In your arms, Yuji had fully awoken. He sat contently in your arms as if nothing had occurred. Looking down at him, you watched him blink back up at you, a small purring starting up in his chest as he settled deeper in your arms. The tabby seemed un-bothered by the shifting world around you. The marble floor, golden walls and plant life that seemed to blink in and out of existence. All of them ignored in favor of staring up at you. As if to the small orange cat, you were somehow above all else. 
“One little jump.” Suguru turned, wrapping one arm around your waist as you came to a halt beside him. Before you was a door way and beyond it, a deep void of black littered by many stars. You shot him a questioning look, the hall you had been in simply ended. There was nowhere to jump to.
The smile Suguru gave you this time was not at all comforting. It was better than his vicious smile, but it still made your stomach churn as his grip tightened.
“Wh-” Your breath left your body before you could complete the word. Suguru had jumped, straight into the void and you were being sucked down. Faster than anything humanly possible. You would have screamed if it were possible, but the void was all around you, crushing you.
And then you were back on your feet in an endless field of soft white grass. Your vision swam for a moment and you struggled to stay upright. Yuji let out a little whine, the cat puffed up as he too fought the after effects of the jump. 
“Tell Satoru he owes me.” And Suguru was gone. You stood for a moment, frowning at the space where he had left you. The field was silent, stretching on for miles. The grass moved in a warm breeze tickling your feet.
Everything was too informal. Your mind yelled at you that you must’ve died. Something had happened in the snow and now your mind was showing you a nice little fantasy before you died.
Perhaps you had died back in the forest when Ama had asked you to make the first trek to the bath. Tripped on a tree root and fell down the mountain side. 
“Oh!” You blinked, backing up a step as a dark shape cut through the field. It was large and fast and on you before you could run.
“OH!” You let out a laugh that was a mix of relief and astonishment. A large black dog stood before you, intently sniffing the edges of your kimono. He was shaggy, fur sticking up oddly in places. The dog let out a small bark, nudging your hip with his nose. From your arms Yuji let out a meow, ears pulled back as he stared down at the dog. They stared at each other for a moment, a silent conversation rippling between them. Then they relaxed, Yuji settling in your arms and the dog wagging his tail happily.
He nudged your hand again, taking a step forward. When you didn’t follow he repeated the action, letting out a low ‘boof’ noise. You took a step forward, slowly following the large dog as he trotted across the field. 
For a while there was nothing but the pale grass and the warm breeze. Occasionally you could hear things drifting through the lazy wind. Laughter, conversations, a whisper, all of them faint like memories you couldn’t quite recall. Despite the stress of being pulled to this place, you didn’t grow tired as you walked. It was as if time didn’t exist in this place, keeping the aches of mortal life at bay.
From the grass, a house arose. Logically you knew you should have been able to see the sprawling estate from where you entered the field. But like the great hall before it, the building seemed to materialize from the air, building itself stone by stone. 
As the main door slid into place, a zen garden entrance built itself around you and your companion. You let out a small gasp as the grass slid away from your feet, small stone pebbles quickly taking its place. It made you stumble slightly and at your side, the dog quickly leaned into you to provide support. 
You stared in awe at the tall stone walls and the deep blue tile of the roof. This estate was much like the ones in your world. Built normally for the lords of the land and something you had only observed in paintings. No one in your village was wealthy enough for an estate of any kind. Not even the elders who were born from old noble families. Like the traditions they clung to, they had become obsolete under the new world’s technology.
You stepped up to the door, murmuring a small ‘hello’ as you tentatively entered. The estate was silent, no servants it seemed and the master of the house had yet to appear. 
Yuji lept from your arms, trotting down the long main hallway after the shaggy dog. You followed them nervously, wincing as your bruised and dirty feet touched the spotless flooring. It felt wrong to sully this grande estate with your mere presence.
But there was no one around to complain. You stepped carefully regardless, trailing past multiple sitting rooms, closets, open spaces you had no name for. There were rooms full of paintings and glass sculptures. Rooms full of the most beautiful kimonos you had ever seen, rooms filled with books and scrolls strewn about like small mountains made of paper. There were rooms that opened into the field again, the wood flooring twisting strangely into the pale field as if the world and the estate were one structure. 
The shaggy dog stopped at one of the doorways, darting into the room and flopping onto a large futon. You stepped after him, smiling as you realized it was the dog’s room. There were ink portraits of the shaggy beast all over the wall, the scrolls hanging in a neat line. 
“Are you Megumi?” You asked the dog. Megumi huffed in response, shifting to let Yuji sit on the futon next to him. His job seemed complete and now the dog was drifting off to sleep with your cat at his side. You watched them quietly for a moment before exiting the room. 
The hallway of the estate seemed endless, stretching on impossibly long. Logically you knew there was no way it could fit inside the exterior estate you had seen. But like the rest of this realm, it seemed part of a large odd being. 
You grimaced as you passed a mirror, stopping taking in the bags under your eyes. Bruises littered your exposed skin, in part from Mahito’s assault. But the blueish tint persisted in your fingers and toes. You wiggled your toes, wincing at the small twinge of pain that radiated up your legs. Leaning forward you took in the blood dried over your chest and kimono, grimacing as you scratched a nail over one patch. 
I could use a shower. You thought sourly, flicking a pain needle from your shoulder. An odd warmth tickled the back of your mind and you flinched as next to the mirror, a doorway appeared. It was a plain sliding door, unassuming and entirely out of place in the luxurious hallway. You stared at it for a moment and then slid it open cautiously. 
It was a bathing room. Much more luxurious than you had ever been in, but still simpler than the halls around you. White tile lined the wall, small pale blue flowers painted here and there. They led to a large stone bath inset in the floor, already filled to the brim with steaming water.
Stepping inside the room, you carefully slid the door closed before peeling your kimono off. It fell with a sad rustle onto the clean tile, looking like a rag more than an outfit.
Shuffling over to the bath, you leaned over it, taking in the crystal clear water. It poured quietly into the pool from a brass crane head. But it didn’t overfill, despite the constant flow, instead the water lapped at the stone edge of the bath.
Almost too clean, You mused, turning around to look for a container for some water. It felt rude to even think about stepping in the bath before attempting to scrub some of the grime off. The room was empty and you almost had time to frown. But the house knew what you wanted. You jumped as a small wooden bucket suddenly popped out of thin air, clattering to the floor and spilling a small vial onto the tile. You approached it slowly, picking both items up with hesitation. They appeared normal enough, smooth wood and beautiful ceramic. Filling the bucket with water, you twisted the vial open, sniffing it cautiously. 
The smell of lychee and something else that was oddly sweet drifted from the neck of the bottle. It reminded you a bit of some of the candies Satoru had a fondness for. You sat on the floor and then paused. There was nothing to use to wash yourself with. 
This time the house dropped a washcloth right on your face. You laughed at the magic and absurdity of it, trying your best to think thankful thoughts towards the house. 
As quickly as you could you scrubbed your skin, praying for the sensation of Mahito’s hands to leave your skin. As much as you didn’t want to acknowledge it, his touch clung to you like ghostly hands.
Perhaps boiling water will do the job. You tossed the washcloth into the bucket, noting with a grimace how dirty the water within was. As you stepped into the warm water, the bucket vanished with a small pop. You stared for a moment in shock, one foot submerged.
“Thank you.” You slid into the water, looking up at the ceiling. A few of the tiles rippled, as if the estate were acknowledging your thanks. 
The water, like the realm it was in, was divine. You let out a sigh, sinking to your chin and closing your eyes. The warm water seemed to seep into every pore, relaxing your muscles and pushing the sensation of your assault from your skin. You allowed yourself to sink under the water.
From head to toe, you were warm, you felt safe. Alone, but safe. Squeezing your eyes closed even tighter, you fought the tears that welled in your throat. A twisting mix of grief and anger sat in your throat and you fought to swallow it. Beneath the surface, you let out a silent scream of frustration. 
You should have swallowed water with such a stupid action. But the house had shifted again and your head was above water, the bath suddenly less deep. You let out a small sigh, resting your chin on your knees. No hidden emotions it was, at least not beneath bath water. 
Hours passed and still the water remained a consistent perfect temperature. In the steam you had time to ponder. To face the emotions that roiled beneath your skin. You had been assaulted, yanked into a realm you had no place in and now you were alone in a magical house.
What future was there for you? Could you even go back to the shrine, to the village? 
No. 
There was no one there for you. No one who wanted to take the long trek up to the shrine. Like the old temple, you were to be forgotten up on the mountain between the pines. As with the shrine keepers before you, your bones were meant to grow mossy beneath tree roots and the rubble of the temple as it moldered and fell. 
Looking at your reflection, you thought about Satoru, of why he had even been in the mortal realm.
“Surely there are baths in the Divine realm?” You asked, watching as the god felt his way along the stone edge of the tub, the man slowly stalking after Yuji. The cat seemed amused, stepping just out of grasp but chirping to let Satoru know exactly how far off he was.
“Of course there are.” The look he shot over his shoulder told you exactly how stupid he found the question. You flushed, rolling your eyes as he ignored the unspoken question.  
“Then why come here?” You moved closer to the edge of the pool, daring to dip your toes into the warm water. It was a move you would never do when he was closer, you had a feeling the god would find it funny to pull you in.
“How else can I answer prayers?” Satoru grabbed for Yuji, missing as the cat neatly jumped over his grasp and bolted back towards you. The little cat was triumphant, butting his head against your hip with a purr. You noted with amusement that he looked incredibly smug. 
“If I never experience the simple tasks of humanity, how can I accurately gauge the urgency of a prayer?”
You were tempted to tell him that bathing was perhaps not the best thing to gauge prayers against. But your train of thought was interrupted as his hand landed on your foot. You froze, tensing as you waited to be pulled under the water. He had somehow moved faster and farther than was possible. You had blinked and he had moved.
Satoru didn’t pull you under however, his long fingers wrapping around your ankle as he stared up at you.
“I bathe here to listen to my shrine keepers. To hear about humanity from a human.”
You merely hummed in response, pulse thundering in your ear as his thumb gently rubbed against your skin. There was a heat in your veins, shooting from his touch to your abdomen, coiling and trembling as you stared into his eyes.
“What good is a God who can’t listen?” 
You ruminated on the past until your skin grew pruney from sitting in the water for so long. The house in its odd connection with you had a towel and new kimono all ready before you even fully stepped from the bath.
The kimono, much like the house, was ridiculously luxurious. A light purple with hand stitched cranes across the bottom. They twisted across the purple in a long line, wings outstretched and  in mid motion. You felt too plain and human to wear such a garment. Spun from the finest silk, it slid on like a second skin. Perfectly tailored to fit you. Even the obi, you found yourself in awe of the cream colored fabric and the literal thousands of tiny stitched sage green bamboo shoots. These were the clothing of a woman far more grand than yourself. Royalty wore such items, not humble shrine keepters. Sliding the obi into place you patted the fabric absentmindedly.
You had bathed, gotten rid of your ruined kimono and now had no idea what to do. It felt odd to be alone in such a vast estate. Yes Megumi and Yuji were with you, but if you had to guess, they would most likely be sleeping for a while. You weren’t sure how, but you were fairly certain Yuji had been brought back to life. The cat had been so still in your arms, yet this realm seemed to have given him a second chance. You were sure the small tabby must be exhausted from whatever blessing had brought him back.
You were alone, so you wandered. The hallway was never ending, twisting and turning here and there. You passed countless sitting rooms, kitchens and bathrooms that were larger than the entire shrine. There was no sense of time in this place. No need to eat nor to sleep. You existed in a way that was outside of being human. Still, the habits of humanity called to you. In one of the ornate kitchens you stopped and ate the small meal the house pulled into existence. Rice, miso soup and an egg. It was simple but the best meal you had eaten in ages. You cried as you ate, wiping tears away as you savored the food. 
The house seemed to understand what you needed before you did. To your surprise you found a room opening soon after you finished eating. It was simple, the house seeming to know the luxurious rooms made you uncomfortable. This room was small, with a plush futon and blankets within. You were quick to drop to the futon, pulling the blankets around you. The room was warm and quiet. Despite being in a state without physical needs, the exhaustion from the mortal realm was still in your bones and you quickly drifted off to sleep.
You had no idea how long you slept for. All you knew is you awoke with a jerk, breath catching in your throat. For a second your brain grappled with the fact that you were not in the shrine, panic swelling in your chest. But the house creaked around you, the sound bringing the world into focus.
Satoru was crouched before you, chin in one hand as he seemingly watched you. He smiled as you sat up. His eyes were the incredible star like blue again, glittering as if lit from within. It was a tad unsettling, but for the most part you found yourself breathless, pinned by his gaze.
“Sleep well?” His hair was damp, laying flatter against his head than normal. You found yourself reaching out and flicking at one snowy strand with a frown. The man ducked away from your touch, grabbing your hand and pulling you up as he stood. He seemed freshly bathed and manic. The grin he normally wore when making teasing comments was plastered across his face. He was practically bouncing as he pulled you from the room.
“Have you seen the whole house?”
You stumbled after him sleepy, murmuring that you doubted you could if you tried. Satoru laughed at that, shooting you a brilliant smile. He pulled you excitedly from room to room and you realized that now the estate actually had a normal layout. It was a modest size, still littered with luxury, but you could actually make sense of it.
“Why does it look so different?” You stopped in your tracks, tugging your hand from Satoru’s. The man paused, running a hand through his snowy hair. He seemed surprised at the question, brilliant eyes roving over your form.
“I was away. The realm scatters a bit when I'm not here.” 
The answer made some sense. From what little you could tell, you knew it was living. Perhaps not as you were but it existed as its own being in the realm of the gods. 
Satoru gently grabbed your hand again, tugging you over to a large window. From here you could see the pale field and beyond it, a glittering blue sea. You had never had the chance to see the ocean when you were in the mortal realm. It was too far a trek, but the stories you had heard didn’t do the body of water justice. 
“We can go there later, I can show you the prayers that wash ashore.” Satoru murmured. He was standing behind you, warm breath tickling your ear as he spoke. You shuddered slightly, leaning against him as you stared out across the field. He was warm, large form easily overshadowing yours. One hand came up, resting on your shoulder, much like he had just days ago. It was a familiar feeling and you felt yourself melting against him.
Emotions you had crushed and swallowed came bubbling to the surface. A burning ache coiled in your stomach, tangling with the heat that radiated from his touch on your shoulder. You tilted your head slightly, glancing at him from the corner of your eye. Satoru was staring at you intently, his gaze asking an unspoken question. He looked hungry. It both thrilled and scared you. A shudder ran through you as you turned back, looking at his reflection in the glass.
“Yes” You offered an answer to the question he had not yet asked. A thrill of heat rippling from your belly to your extremities.
His hand slid down your side, large fingers curling into the silk of your kimono. You shuddered, heat coiling in your stomach as his warm breath tickled your right ear. Satoru paused, his other hand gently holding your waist.
“Are you sure?” The question was spoken softly, his normal teasing tone replaced by something so gentle that for a moment you were speechless. But only a moment, you nodded, placing your hand over his, fingers sliding to his wrist in a silent gesture asking him to continue.
The hand that had been tangled in your kimono, dipped beneath it, pushing past the silk of your juban beneath and pausing as he touched the bare flesh of your thigh. Your breath hitched, face flushing as you realized that the house had never provided you undergarments other than the juban. If it could, you were sure the house would be chuckling, in perfect sync with its master. 
Satoru was laughing, the sound low and breathy as he pulled you closer. Your back was pressed firmly against his broad chest and you let out a small gasp as you felt his erection press against your backside. 
His hand moved to the juncture between your thighs, warm fingertips sliding over your clit and delving into your folds in an inquisitive motion. You shuddered, breath hitching as you struggled to stay upright. A few seconds pressed against him, that's all it had taken for you to become soaking wet.  Satoru chuckled in your ear, lips pressing against the soft skin of your throat as he gently swirled his finger tip around your entrance. The muscles fluttered in response, clenching around nothing as he teased the opening. Your legs shook and you gripped the hand that held on your waist in a death grip. He was the only thing keeping you upright, his gentle actions somehow making your mind both empty and overstimulated all at once.  
“Do I really have such an effect on you?” It was the teasing tone you were used to and you shot a look over your shoulder, knowing that your flushed face and parted lips did nothing to convey the small flame of irritation. The emotion dissolved as his lips captured yours. Your breath caught as you melted into the kiss, his lips were warm, sliding against yours with a barely contained hunger. Satoru was shaking slightly, breath puffing from his nose sharply as he licked against your lips. 
The arm at your waist slid up, finding its way beneath your kimono and grasping your breast. You moaned against his lips, leaning into the touch as Satoru ran his thumb over the peak of your nipple. The moan granted him entry and you shuddered as his tongue ran over your teeth, tangling with your own as he deepened the kiss. It was desperate and feral, your teeth clinking together as each kiss grew sloppier and more hungry. 
The hand on your breast tightened, steadying the both of you as Satoru plunged a finger into your entrance. There was a brief sharp pain and you froze for a moment before relaxing again. The sensation dissolved into pleasure as he gently delved deeper. The rough pad of his finger rubbed against the sensitive inner heat of your pussy. You shook in his grip, hips moving in sync with his finger thrusting. The man moaned into your mouth adding another finger. It stretched you, but felt divine. Satoru was blessed with long fingers, his touch reaching the deep sensitive parts within you. He curled his fingers, hitting a new, deeper spot that sent a wave of pleasure through your veins.
A low moan split the air as you broke the kiss, neck again slightly. You gripped his wrist in an attempt to steady yourself, hips grinding gently against his palm as Saturo continued his gentle finger fucking. The god shifted, knee nudging your right thigh aside and opening you wider to him, The action had your clit pressing against his palm, the warm skin rubbing gently with each thrust of his finger. It was delightful and too much. You squirmed, panting in his arms as he gently bit at your neck, tongue laving against your pulse. 
“S-shouldn’t.” Your words stuck in your throat as you struggled to stay upright, “Shouldn’t we be in bed?”
Your flush deepend as Satoru let out a sharp laugh. It was no secret you were inexperienced, the life of a shrine maiden was one of celibacy. And he knew that, being one of the Gods who had no doubt set the rules for temples. You squirmed in his arms, mind fuzzy as his finger slipped from you, cunt suddenly clenching around nothing. 
“We can.” Satoru lifted you easily, the quick action making you dizzy. You clutched your Kimono close, the garment mussed and only being held by your Obi. The room around you seemed to twist and then you gasped as suddenly you were in a different room. There was a lurch in your chest and for a moment you thought you might vomit. 
“Sorry.” Satoru offered you a small grimace, gently setting you on a large plush bed. “First time is always unpleasant.”
How did we get here?  You wondered, blinking up at the tall ceiling. This room was dark, the walls a blue that was almost black. Spots of glittering gold and white appeared here and there, vanishing almost as quickly as they appeared. You frowned, propping yourself up on your elbows as you took in the sight. Your first impression was wrong. The walls were clear. It was the night sky that twisted about you, the stars and clouds of dust playfully twisting about as small points of light. 
“No one can see us here.” Saturo shed his own robes, the silk sliding off with a familiar noise. Just as on earth he was unabashed with his nudity. You might have thrown him a look had you not been in awe at the room around you. The bed, draped in warm furs, was the only furniture in the room. It was like a nest, slightly deeper in the center. You let yourself fall back, staring at the dancing space around you. 
“How much can you see from here?” He had explained his ability to you and while you had an understanding, you had a feeling he had simplified it for you. Saturo grinned, stalking over to the bed and crawling onto it. He moved like a beast, each move calculated as he drew closer to his prey.
“I see everything.” It was a simple answer that implied such grandiosity that it was almost unimaginable. He crouched over you, a perfectly sculpted man. And he ignored the twisting beauty around him, instead focusing on you.
“Why me?” It was something that had been tugging at the back of your mind since he had first started teasing you. Without him ever stating it, you knew he was never like that with Ama and you had a feeling perhaps he had never been like that with any other mortal.
“Why not you?” The answer was followed by a grin that was so smug it was insufferable. You scoffed, lightly slapping his bicep. Saturo cackled, leaning in and capturing your lips. It was a non-answer and you decided you were fine with that. You melted against him, opening your thighs to allow his hips to grind against yours. 
He was a man starved, one hand tangling in your hair as with the other he pinched and pulled at your left breast. You moaned against his lips, hips canting up against his. His cock slid against your wet folds, warm and stiff against your clit. The smooth skin gave way to the rough white thatch of hair at the base of his cock. It created a different kind of friction, one that sent lightning bolts of pleasure through you. The sensation made you shudder, hips shifting so you could open your legs wider. Satoru grunted in frustration at your kimono, tugging the silk roughly until the belt gave and you were able to slide your arms free. He slid his arms beneath you, mouth latching onto your breast as he lazy thrust against you. 
It had you breathless, small choked moans leaving you as you grinded against him. There was a burning, tight sensation growing in your abdomen, building with each pass of your clit against his dripping cock. You chased it, slick folds pressing against his cock, creating a low lewd noise with each pass. Satoru moaned against your breast, the pace of his thrusting quickening as he matched your mindless desire. You threaded one hand through his hair, the other sliding over the expanse of his shoulders. 
“So close.” You whispered, head falling back and eyes closing as you canted your hips against his. 
Satoru let go of your breast with a small pop, leaning back and grinning down at you. A low whine of displeasure left you, lips pulling down in frustration as you panted up at him. He looked smug, one hand fisting around his cock as he gave it a quick pump, thumb smearing the mix of your juices and his precum over the head.
“Let me take you?” His voice was husky, the blue of his eye eclipsed by how blown his pupils were. You nodded, heart pounding in your ears. Excitement and lust coiled in your abdomen, you ached in a way you knew would only be satisfied once he was within you. 
Satoru was not gentle you were coming to realize. He was careful, mindful of where each touch landed. But gentle was not a word you would use. He was hungry, impatient and feral in his need. 
And you didn’t mind. His rough fingers dragged pleasure from deep within you. Each touch making your legs shake, back arch and moans slide from your throat. He was a beast but one that knew its prey well. 
“Good.” Satoru huffed out. He remained as he was, kneeling, cock stiffly pointing upwards. You noted with a blush that his white patch of pubic hair was drenched from your earlier grinding. 
Satoru shot you a grin that bordered on manic, taking your thighs in each hand and spreading them farther apart. You shivered slightly with the action, the wet between your thighs being brushed by cold. But only for an instant.
Satoru sheathed himself within you in one fluid motion. You let out a silent gasp, the air caught in your throat as the walls of your cunt fluttered about him. He stretched you completely, almost uncomfortably so. But the dull ache gave way to pleasure as he began to move.
Satoru seemed content to remain kneeling, his brilliant gaze locked on your face as he thrust into your warm heat. He looked powerful, muscles rippling with each thrust, an iron grip on your thighs. You shuddered beneath him, for a moment pleasure forgotten as you viewed the god above you. He was otherworldly. White hair shimmering as if made of stardust, blue eyes piercing your very soul.
The thoughts dissolved as he thrust again, dragging his cock nearly all the way out before plunging back into you. The pace he set was rough, each thrust pushed pleasure through you. Beneath him you were breathless, matching his roughness as best you could. 
The pleasure was mind numbing, your legs shook in his grasp as the head of his member kissed deep within your heat, hitting your cervix with an aching accuracy. You arched, hips stuttering against his as you chased the heat coiling in your stomach. Each thrust built it higher and higher, a taut string close to snapping. 
Faintly you registered that you were moaning, half words falling from your lips as you tried to ask him for more. To go faster.
Satoru laughed, the sound triumphant and breathless. He fell forward, capturing your lips with his, the hunger behind the action making his nose smash against yours. You didn’t mind the clumsiness and the slight pain. Arching against him, you panted against his mouth, arms sliding around his shoulders to pull him closer. Satoru’s kisses were sloppy, his teeth scraping against your bottom lip.
You moaned, hips canting against his as your clit caught against the rough hair at the base of his cock. It sent a thrill of pleasure through you and as you moaned, he thrust again, grinding his hips into you.  
Breaking the kiss, Satoru moved his head to your neck, kissing the soft flesh beneath your ear.
“Cum for me.” The words were low and growled, sending a shiver down your spine. You huffed out a low moan, unable to respond. His hands were on your hips, the man kneeling again, lifting you on his lap as he thrusted up into your tight heat.
The change of position sent stars across your vision and finally, the heat in your abdomen snapped.
You came with a cry, hands clawing at Satoru’s back as he kept thrusting. The walls of your cunt squeezed and fluttered around him, your orgasm prolonged by the rough movements. You let your head nestle in the crook of his neck, panting as he kept going.
Satoru’s arms shook slightly, his movements becoming erratic as he fucked you. The grip on your hips was bruising as he drilled into you. Satoru shifted, his teeth catching on your shoulder as he let out a low snarl. You shivered as he finally came, the warmth of his release filling you completely.
For a moment the two of you remained locked in place. Satoru’s teeth in your shoulder, hands keeping your hips locked against his. Now, not trapped in the heat of lust, you felt hazy, mind reeling from the intensity of his actions.
“Sorry.” Satoru finally pulled back, gently lying you on the bed and rubbing his thumb over the red indents in your shoulder. You murmured that it was fine, arching with a gasp as he pulled his now flaccid cock from you. 
Satoru disappeared for a moment, then was back, a towel in hand. You blinked, mouth parted to question him. 
“Teleportation.” He muttered, concentrating on cleaning you, then himself before tossing the towel away. Satoru flopped next to you, tugging the blankets over the pair of you with a satisfied sigh.
You watched him, curled on your side. A sudden feeling of awkwardness suddenly filled you. What would happen to you now?
Satoru seemed unbothered, nestling close to you, one arm thrown casually over your waist. 
“What now?” You asked, the words sticking slightly in your throat. You were afraid that he would tell you it was time to go back to the mortal realm. To the emptiness and lonely life.
Satoru’s eyes had closed, but he cracked one brilliant eye open, frowning.
“What do you mean?” 
You bit your bottom lip, one hand coming up to pull the blanket closer to your chin.
“I’m human. I’m not meant to be here.”
Satoru hummed, opening his other eye to stare at you. His gaze seemed to read your soul and you shivered as his unblinking stare lingered.
“Do you want to go back?” His tone had a hidden emotion beneath it, something in his eyes making you hesitate before answering.
“No?”
He seemed pleased with that answer, the large grin you had come to secretly love. Satoru propped himself up on one below, looking down at you, expression becoming serious.
“Would you want to stay here forever?” 
The question was odd but you nodded, hoping you understood him correctly. In the hours you had spent with him, you had come to enjoy Satoru’s teasing and playful nature. He was both a terrifyingly beautiful man and the biggest idiot you had ever met. An eternity with him, in the house surrounded by pale fields. You would enjoy that. Plus, Yuji would be safe, he wouldn’t know the pain that the mortal realm brought anymore.
Satoru sat up, blankets falling from him as he regarded you, face unreadable.
“You’re sure?”
You nodded again at his question, fingers playing with the edge of the blanket as you waited for whatever it was he was building to. Satoru was silent for a moment, then brought his hand to his mouth, biting down on his thumb.
You gasped at the dull noise it made, sitting up as you shot him a confused look. The man seemed unbothered, extending his hand to you as if offering you something.
“If you’re sure.” He was watching you closely, blue eyes following the slight changes in your body language as you glance at him, then his hand in confusion. 
You blinked. Satoru’s blood was golden, beads that looked akin to jewelry sat neatly upon his skin. You glanced up at him again, eyes searching his face for an answer.
“I am sure.” You murmured, not quite understanding what he wanted you to do. Satoru smiled, lifting his thumb closer to your face and wiggling it.
“The blood of a god is coveted by some.” He looked strangely smug, “It contains the secret to immortality.”
You narrowed your eyes at him, waiting for the manic smile to hit and for the god to tell you it was a joke. But when he didn’t, you cautiously leaned forward, wrapping your lips around the digit. 
His blood tasted of sunshine and yet was also nothing. You shuddered as you pulled back, nose wrinkling slightly as you licked your lips, swiping the remnants of the droplets. Nothing happened. You felt the same and you again waited for the infernal smile you knew he was going to throw your way.
“What would you like to be the goddess of?” Satoru asked, itching the thumb. You noted it was completely healed as if nothing had happened. For a moment you sat, mind racing as you struggled with the odd nothingness of what had occurred. Pondering the question, you flopped back down, pulling the blankets close as you thought. If he wasn’t playing a prank, what would you be best at?
You thought of the village that was your home and the gods they whispered about. Turning over different jobs, of things in nature you enjoyed. There were too many options. But finally, you thought of Ama, of the shrine. Of the loneliness the old woman had experienced.
“The goddess of forgotten shrines and their keepers.” You murmured. Satoru seemed surprised at your choice, humming as he thought.
“I think that one isn’t taken.” His brilliant blue gaze raked over your form and you shivered as a warmth spread through your limbs. It was as if you had gulped down sake, the sensation unlike anything else. A buzzing existed in your limbs, fizzing through your veins and nerves like sunlight itself was warming you from the inside out.
“There you are.” He laughed, reaching out with one long finger and tapping you on the nose. “It’ll be strange at first. Hearing them when they pray. But you’ll figure out how to filter it.”
You frowned at that, nestling deeper in the blankets as you concentrated. 
Silence. 
Then.
“Whoever resides here–”
“I’m sorry, I’m old–.”
“They forgot about this place, I hope my staying here doesn’t–”
“Are you still here? Can you —”
Fragments, barely whispers twisted through your mind. You sat upright, eyes unfocused as you tried to listen to them. There were too many and they were all so quiet. 
“How many abandoned shrine keepers are there?” You turned, fighting back an odd sadness that swelled in your chest. Satoru hummed, leaning back on the plush pillows, fingers drumming lightly against his bare chest.
“Too many.” His piercing blue eyes fixed on the ceiling, “Plus the accidental shrines.”
You tilted your head at that, shivering slightly as another whisper danced through your mind.
“Humans create their own shrines without realizing it.” Satoru focused on you, reaching out to run a hand along your bare side. 
“Children with sticks and plush toys. Adults with their particularly set up kitchens.” He shrugged, his expression one of amused resignation, “They don’t realize that they do it, that their thoughts are structured like prayers.” 
Satoru’s gaze slid away from you, his expression becoming somber. “They tend to get ignored. None of us see merit in picking up their prayers.” 
You swallowed the hurt and irritation that welled in your stomach. Satoru was a god, he had admitted to thinking something as simple as a bath let him see how humans lived. He and no doubt the others had such a removed view of how humanity lived. Human needs and emotions were foreign. Yes, Satoru had emotion. But it always seemed guarded or inappropriately placed. 
You lay back in the blankets, dwelling on the echoed whispers in your mind.
“Will I disappear if they stop creating shrines? If they abandon the notion of gods?” You asked, eyes searching the dark expanse above. Satoru rolled over, slipping his arm over your waist and pressing a soft kiss to your temple.
“The last prayer Sukuna got was well over a thousand years ago. He’s become a bit of a recluse, but he’s still here.”
You had no idea who Sukuna was but the thought was comforting. Satoru rested his forehead against yours, flashing you a brilliant smile.
“You don’t have to worry.” 
You raised an eyebrow at that, eyes searching his. The man snickered to himself as he continued “I’ll always be here to worship you.”
You rolled your eyes at that, letting a small puff of laughter out. His response tickled your mind however and a question arose.
“What are you even the god of?” You should have honestly asked sooner. With all his joking and lackadaisical attitude, you had assumed he was something soft and kind. But Satoru’s response about ignoring small shrines lended to a more arrogant nature under his cheerful facade. 
The man grinned, the smile sharp and unlike anything you had seen before.
“I am the god of power.”
You quirked an eyebrow at that. “So, War, physical strength?” 
He shook his head, then paused and nodded. “Yes and no.”
Satoru sat up, flexing his arms. You watched the muscles jump and ripple as he did so.
“There is also power in names, in blood ties. Power exists now in money and goods.” 
He spread his arms wide, looking a tad manic.
“For humans, to feel powerful, look or sound powerful, they crave it.”
You shuddered as you listened, thinking of Mahito, of the village you had grown up in. Satoru looked at you, his gaze serious.
“I alone am a god ingrained in the nature of humans.”
You hummed at that, eyes shifting away from him and back to the great expanse of black. Whispers tickled the back of your mind, gentle wishes and murmured prayers for help twisting together into a droning hum.
“Ok not the only one but, the most powerful one.” You glanced back to see Satoru wiggling his eyebrows at you. Laughing, you pulled the blankets closer, peeking at him from around the soft fabric.
“The power god is the most powerful? How poetic.” Your tone was teasing and you let out a squeak as Satoru yanked the blankets up, sliding beneath with you. His face was close, the intense blue of his eyes drilling into your soul as he wagged a finger at you.
“New gods don’t get to be bratty to old gods.” 
You snorted, “You’re right grandpa, I apologize.” 
You shrieked as he started tickling you in response, Satoru cackling like a madman as he did so. While he might not have realized it, the interaction felt so human. It was a connection you had silently wished for while at the shrine. To have a friend to hold. One who you could laugh with.
“I’m going to do good for all of them.” You murmured when he finally stopped, wiping a tear from the corner of your eye. Satoru raised one eyebrow in question, his hands pulling you closer beneath the warm blankets.
“My shrine keepers.” You elaborated, “I won’t abandon them.”
Satoru hummed at that, “You better do good.” His tone was teasing, but the look on his face was serious. It was your turn to raise an eyebrow, the man sighing as he fiddled with one strand of his pale hair.
“I may have broken a rule or two by bringing you here and letting you become a god.” 
Your mouth dropped open at that and you sat up, heart racing. Satoru saw your panic and was quick to follow, pulling you into a hug.
“As I said. I’m the best. I get to break rules.” His tone was too casual for your liking and you shot him a glare, irritation swelling in your throat. Satoru could tell you were about to snap out something harsh, the man burying his face in your shoulder.
“They might be mad, might take you aside to make sure I didn’t pressure you.” 
He shrugged, lifting his head to look at you. Part of you murmured that after haze of sex was a time when most people had lowered inhibitions. But it wasn’t like you could have just gone back. You had already committed to living with Satoru, even as just a human. The forever promise was a bonus. 
“But that's all they can do.” He finished, flopping back onto the bed with an irritated sigh.
“The red tape bastard is going to have a fit and all that’ll be is annoying.” 
You lay back down, pulling the blanket over the both of you. There was still no need for sleep in this realm. Even after the slight workout you and Satoru had done. But you felt mentally tired. You knew you would have to face the other gods, the consequences of Satoru’s actions. Warm and snuggled next to the man, your eyes slid shut. Sleep came easy. The prayers of your shrines lulling you into the deep abyss of slumber. You could deal with the outcome later. When you awoke, your first task would be tending the shrines.
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nichirinpen · 6 months
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nichirinpen · 8 months
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I spend way to much time on making layouts for my fics lmao.
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nichirinpen · 9 months
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Writing, 5% of the time:
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Writing, 95% of the time:
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nichirinpen · 9 months
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Im just feeling a certain way rn
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