Daniela x Maiden ---- Hunted Ch.10
Ch.1 Ch.2 Ch.3 Ch.4 Ch.5 Ch.6 Ch.7 Ch.8 Ch.9
As the fading sunlight casts its amber glow upon the towering spires of Castle Dimitrescu, an air of anticipation swirls within its ancient halls.
Because duchess Alcina is going away for a few days on a business trip. And that leaves her daughters in charge of the castle and its inhabitants. NaturallyâŚÂ
Nobody can tell if thatâs a good or a bad thing.Â
The staff is divided. One one hand, the consensus among maids and cooks alike is that Bela will have the general command and things will run more or less the same as they do with her mother. On the other⌠Belaâs word ranges from meaning little to meaning jack when it comes to her sisters. And thatâs where the first domino threatens to fall and take all others with it.Â
The fact Alexia didnât meet your eyes when you asked her what to expect for the following days is something you choose not to think about.Â
You are lighting the candles in one corner of the main hall when you hear the telltale thunderous steps of the Lady descend the grand staircase, followed by her daughters. You tense a little, your breath growing a tad uneven, but you continue your task diligently, a safe distance from the massive doorway not to be noticed. You catch a few of the things they say, like Alcinaâs instructions on how to answer the phone if Miranda calls and what temperature the wine cellar should be kept at.Â
âCassandra, Daniela, I need not remind you that we are understaffed.â she emphasizes. âI do not want to see that the maidsâ number has dropped in my absence.âÂ
âYes, mother.â they nod in unison, with one looking like sheâs agreeing for the sake of getting this over with and the other gazing up at the statuesque woman like a puppy. A puppy straight out of the most chaotic pit of hell.Â
âBela, I want you to personally supervise the shipment from Duke tomorrow.â she continues, adjusting the chic fur cloak around her massive form.Â
âDonât worry, mother. I will see to it that everything is in order.â the blonde replies.Â
You watch as Alcinaâs key is slid into the lock and the heavy gates are opened with a mere light push of her gloved hands. Then, she turns to cast one last fond look upon her daughters. Despite all the oddities of this family, the things you know about them and how they came to be⌠this simple gesture gets to you. It hits your most vulnerable cord and the image gets burned into your brain. You will never unsee this.Â
âSafe travels.â Bela bids.Â
âWeâll miss you!â Daniela exclaims. Itâs sweet, save for the fact that is not the tune she was singing yesterday, when she was jumping on her bed âand on youâ going âyeeesssss, bless these business trips!â
The doors close behind Lady Dimitrescu.Â
You count exactly five beats that pass in silence.Â
âSlow and steady wins the race, mother!â Cassandra is the first to break character.
âDonât worry about aaaanything~â Daniela sing-songs and at this point you have to feel at least a little sorry for Bela.Â
Then you remind yourself the asshole stopped your escape and nearly broke your back on a table not that long ago. Every bit of suffering she endures from her sisters these days is a well-deserved slap straight from karma. Youâre already feeling the score being settled as they giggle and cackle around her and all she can do is control her breathing and bring two fingers to the bridge of her nose.Â
You shake your head and go about lighting the rest of the candles around.Â
Or, more accurately, you try to.Â
Because a wild buzzing later, you find yourself knocked forward as a familiar weight crashes onto your back. Danielaâs arms wrap around your neck and she practically demands a piggyback ride, painted lips hovering by your ear;
âHow are you doing, Knight~?âÂ
Yeah, you sigh. Itâs going to be a rough couple of daysâŚÂ Â
â
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On the second day, your early-evening nap is interrupted by a maid nearly breaking down your door to tell you the daughters summon you to the armory, asap. You actually have to ask for instructions as to where that even is, and your muscles grow more and more tense along the way.Â
The door is left open, as if whoever is inside is waiting for you. Swallowing past the lump in your throat, you strain your ears to get an idea of what is happening on the other side, until you hear the distinct sound of Rhiannonâs and Danielaâs voices. Releasing the breath you werenât aware you had been holding the entire walk to the armory, you rap your knuckles against the open door just to be polite, then step past the threshold.Â
Alexia and Rhiannon are the first ones to catch your eye, standing next to Bela and Daniela respectively, while Cassandra examines the weapons mounted on the wall. You note that the sisters are dressed in their heavy winter gear, complete with scarfs and everything. Then you glance at the practical clothes the other humans in the room are wearing.Â
âUm. Are we⌠going to war?â you squint.Â
âIÂ wish.â Cassandra huffs from the weapon racks.Â
âWeâre going hunting.â Alexia replies.Â
âWhoâs âweâ?â your eyes widen, because you have a very bad feeling this includes you andâÂ
âWe.â Daniela beams at you, gesturing around with her finger. âThe temperature is at ten degrees tonight!â
âNine.â Bela corrects under her breath.Â
âWhich is practically ten.â the redhead rolls her eyes dramatically.Â
âThink fast.â Cassandra interjects, throwing you a hunting spear so fast you basically stop it from knocking you down rather than actually catch it mid-air. Your breathing quickens again. You just canât catch a break with this family.Â
She goes far easier on Rhiannon when she sends a crossbow and bolts her way. Lastly, she personally walks over to Alexia and hands her a leg sheath filled with throwing knives. The hazel-eyed beauty fastens them on like sheâs done this a couple of times before. All the weapons are in excellent condition, sharpened and lethal.
âAlright, listen up.â the brunette begins, as if a captain emphasizing key mission points to her squad. âWe will be traveling together at first, but we are still split into three teams. Our prey is a mutated coyote. Youâll know it when you see it by its crimson fur and two heads.â she explains. âMy sisters and I can only chase it and hoard it to openings for you to kill, but we canât land the final blow ourselves. That would be too easy. Your weapons have been selected based on your hunting experience to even the odds. Whoeverâs girlfriend gets the kill wins and the victor picks our meals until mother returns.âÂ
âWhatever you do, donât let Daniela win.â Bela huffs under her breath, as if to herself.Â
âHey, I heard that!â the youngest growls.
âQuestion; what happens if we donât want to kill an innocent animal?â Rhiannon asks.Â
âWe knew youâd say that, so we picked this coyote for a reason. So far, it has killed over a dozen sheep!â Daniela says this like itâs a tragedy. Then, she carelessly adds âOh, and one villager. Or was it a touristâŚ?âÂ
Rhiannon nods. âSympathy is now depleted. We can go.â
You test the spearâs weight in your hand. Its balance is great, yet itâs also one of the heavier ones and sure as hell wonât be easy to throw. Youâre used to hunting with a recurve bow, so this thing is definitely going to be a challenge for you. Alexia still has the hardest projectile to land, but you suppose she must have some experience, on top of being paired with the huntress of the family.Â
âIs there any chance that thing, likeâŚÂ attacks us?â Rhiannon asks Bela, who smirks.Â
âTry not to think about it.â she speaks, but her eyes say something closer to âdonât worry, I wonât let anything harm youâ.
âIf push comes to shove, Iâll just let Knight rescue me.â Daniela smiles dreamily. You really want to argue that it should be the other way around.
âOh, God. How do I get into team CassandraâŚ?â you joke.Â
âSeren!â the redhead gasps, slapping your arm lightly.Â
âI like her!â the brunette laughs, ever at the expense of her sister.Â
What a crazy family, you muse, watching them interact. Whatever higher power paired the people in this castle together⌠it had a deep sense of humor for sure.Â
With a fond shake of your head, you exit the castle behind them.
â
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The skies are filled with clouds tonight. Moonlight comes and goes in soft waves, washing over the forest cradling the village one moment and vanishing soon after.Â
The remnants of winter's grip linger, with patches of snow clinging desperately to the forest floor like white freckles. A canopy of trees spans far and wide before you that seems to come alive with whispers and shadows. Being here would petrify you, if you were alone.Â
But youâre not alone. Youâre surrounded by the giggles and comments of the most problematic group thatâs ever grown on you in your entire life. Unfortunately, you happen to be their subject of interest at this particular time.Â
âHonestly, Seren, I have to hand it to you. I never thought youâd be alive under Daniâs care for more than a week.â Bela comments.Â
ââUnderâ Daniâs care.â Cassandra snickers, earning a growling glare from her younger sibling. You have to admit, the brunette contests with Bela for who can be the biggest bitch at times, but you are starting to see the sexy in that.Â
âI can keep my teeth out of a human if I choose to, you jerk!â the redhead snaps.Â
âNo, I mean itâs a wonder she hasnât offed herself after dealing with you for more than a month.â Belaâs lip twitches upwards, as if sheâs trying âand failingâ to keep a straight face.
âShe tried, remember? You stopped her.â Cassandra adds more fuel to the fire.Â
âIÂ definitely remember.â you interject, eyeing Bela.Â
âWhat? I was careful not to break any of your bones.â she says.Â
âOh, that was you being carefulâŚâ you grimace.
âIn all honesty, if youâre here still that means she probably was.â Rhiannon adds.Â
âYou didnât feel what I felt, Rhiannon.â you shake your head.Â
âUnfortunately.â she and Alexia both say simultaneously.Â
You roll your eyes at them, full circle. âMaybe it sounds good on paper but thereâs no way you guys would have enjoyed that.â
âYou donât know Alexia very well.â Cassandra chuckles.Â
The barrage of comments continues, shifting back to bullying Daniela. The sisters push and prod at each other like lion cubs, until they end up a few ways ahead of you, three dark silhouettes atop the hill your calf muscles are protesting to climb. Life must be a lot easier when you have superhuman stamina and levitate. You think.Â
Bela turns around and flashes to Rhiannonâs side to help her up, but Daniela and Cassandra are too busy throwing remarks at each otherâs face to care about Alexia and you.Â
The spear in your hand feels weightier now than it did before. You stop for a moment to glance at the distance youâve covered over your shoulder⌠and that is when a thought strikes you.Â
If I were to start running now⌠could I escape?
Do I even have a chance...?
You have a map of the city and its underbelly in your mind thanks to Daniela. You will no longer be running blindly. Within seconds, an entire plan forms at the forefront of your mind. With a little luck, itâs doable. You know the Dimitrescusâ shared weakness now and you know of the nitrogen conducts leading to the factory from beneath the ground. Your eyes fall to the weapon in your hand. Itâs both heavy and sturdy enough to pierce through.Â
All you have to do⌠is use Danielaâs greatest vulnerability against her. All you have to do is show her how right she was to have zero faith in humanity.Â
Your fingers have gone white around the hunting spear.Â
Until Alexiaâs hand comes to rest over one of your own. Torn, you look into her eyes for guidance and see her subtly shaking her head no. But she doesnât know what it means for all of you if you stay.Â
You donât have long now. The melting snow all around you is a painful reminder of that.Â
âBabe, hurry it up!â Cassandraâs voice calls from atop the hill. With one last lingering look, Alexia takes a step back from you, continuing her hike.Â
Seconds pass âor perhaps minutesâ pass, yet you feel frozen in time. A faint buzzing is what brings you back to reality, and by the time you turn around, Daniela is landing soundlessly a few steps ahead of you. Her bi-tone eyes fix on yours for a tense moment.Â
âKnight? âŚAll good?â she asks before she extends a hand towards you.
âYeah.â you lie with a smile as you take it.Â
â
â
For the rest of the trudge through the forest, you feel numb.Â
The conversation around you flies right over your head and you only actively take part in it when you absolutely have to, in order to upkeep the pretense that everything is fine. But youâre not fine.Â
You didnât run when you had the chance to. You just let it go.Â
An older you wouldnât have missed the opportunity, no matter how slim it may have looked. But the fact remains; you hesitated. Your heart wasnât in tune with your brain, not even close. And that disparity is what gets to you the most. Because above all the reasons why you need to go, why you want to leave, at the forefront of your mind wasâŚÂ
Her.
Suddenly, the Dimitrescus bristle like panthers catching the scent of blood. Sniffing the air, you see their eyes shift into a darker, primal gold. Daniela, eager and impulsive, smirks and makes to dash forward, but her sistersâ hands descending on either shoulder grab her and nail her feet to the ground before she takes off.Â
âOne by one. Wait your turn.â Bela reminds her, voice deep with authority. Then she grabs Rhiannonâs hand and vanishes into the darkness first.Â
The other two are barely holding themselves back from going in, but, albeit seething with anticipation, they do wait for the first pairâs attempt. In calculated grace, the blonde leaves her partner at a vantage point and half-slides, half-flies down the slope, forcing the coyote to back, growling, into a moonlit patch of the uneven ground.Â
Rhiannon aims⌠and takes her shot.Â
The arrowhead flies well over a meter above the beastâs two heads, embedding itself into a tree bark. The redhead struggles to pull back the string to reload, while Bela flashes behind the coyote so it doesnât escape. The second shot is much closer, but the creature twists to the side with uncanny agility. Itâs a good thing Bela does the same.
âNice one! That almost killed Bela!â Daniela cackles.
The prey manages to slip away into the woods and Cassandraâs seizes the opportunity to pursue. You hear only a sharp âLetâs go!â and watch as she leaps high into the trees while Alexia runs after her.Â
Their paths split for a moment, long enough for one to obscure herself while the other lands powerfully in front of the creature, freezing it in its tracks. The spot isnât as ideal as Bela made it out to be light-wise, but Alexiaâs coordination with Cassandra is something to marvel at. It only takes her a split second to jump out of her hiding position, casting a knife at the coyoteâs neck. Unfortunately, the beast lowers itself the slightest fraction in the nick of time and the knife grazes its ear instead.Â
Black blood drips onto the soil.
A powerful, enraged roar escapes the beast, at a volume that leaves you stunned in your spot.   Â
Daniela, however, grabs your hand and zooms towards the next opening. If you had eaten dinner, youâre certain it wouldnât be sitting in your stomach for much longer.Â
Still, you shake yourself out of the daze and take control of the adrenaline, calculating the weight of the spear versus your own strength. Without warning, the redhead lets go of you and you immediately duck into a roll to recover from the shift in momentum. The second youâre back on your feet you draw back the spear and aim, waiting for her to back the feral animal to a place you can see. Itâs not as easy as it was with her sisters. The thing is now wild from being wounded, twisting about in erratic motions.Â
Hold steady. You remember what your father taught you as a little girl, when he took you to your first hunting trip. Hold your breath as you line your throw⌠and..
The coyote jumps towards her, foaming jaws snapping. You feel something inside you click.Â
The next second, your spear cuts through the air, straight into the animalâs neck.Â
Its end is instant. Soundless. No twitching, not even a whimper. Its terrifying body simply collapses onto the dirt like no more than a ragdoll and youâre left there, staring, with your heart pounding in your ears, your muscles shaking.Â
Something so horrific, so deadly, felled by a single spear. Felled by you.Â
What an empowering thought. Suddenly, endorphins rush you and youâre lighter than youâve been all night. Youâre grinning when Daniela beams at you and leaps all over the place like an overexcited bunny, flies buzzing in every direction, poking fun at the sour expressions her siblings are wearing.Â
âHa! Bow down in the face of superiority, you two!â she points.Â
âDonât you mean the face of stupidity?â Bela crosses her arms.Â
âWhat was that?!â Cassandra snaps at Alexia, smacking her arm in a slap that may as well be a caress with how she measures her strength. âGetting its ear like that, were you trying to pet it from a distance?!â  Â
âI couldnât see shit back there!â the other woman says while rubbing her bicep. exasperated.Â
âThank you, thank you Seren! Weâre having liver for the next few days~â Daniela laughs in a way that lights up her entire face, gluing herself to your side.Â
For some strange reason, although youâve done so much more than this together, the act makes your cheeks redden. You stare at her pretty face for a brief moment and realize that her joy is infectious. Her dimples and cleft chin and her mannerisms in general⌠sheâs probably the cutest redhead in Romania.Â
Meanwhile, Bela and Cassandra share a look and a miserable sigh.Â
â
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In the early hours of the morning, youâre in Danielaâs bed, keeping her company âand keeping the bed warmâ until she falls asleep. The temperature wasnât low enough to hurt her tonight, but the humidity has crept under her skin, bringing a certain level of discomfort it always takes her a while to completely shake off.
Sheâs nestled against you, hugging a monster teddy to her chest, her chin resting atop its head as she reads the novel lying on your lap atop the covers. You glance down upon it a few times, cautious of its contents. Thankfully, the scenes you happen to skim through are all suspense and romantic undertones. No smut. Yet.Â
Then she turns the page to the next chapter, titled;Â Soulmates.
The word catches your eye. It seems to hold her attention, as well, and she draws in a small, unnecessary breath.Â
âWhat a concept, no? Two people ideally suited to one another. Meant to be.â Daniela comments in a low voice. She seems the type of soul to be enamored by the idea, but the way she spoke the words, her aura in this moment⌠there is a certain weight to it all.Â
âI donât know if I believe it.â But itâs much more accurate to say you donât know if you want to. Because being your soulmate⌠doesnât that automatically condemn another person to a lifetime of hurt?
âI didnât know if I did, either. Until I saw Cassandra and Alexia together.â she replies. âThereâs no other person in this world that could match my sister like she does. She just gets her, in a way not even Bela and I can, at times.âÂ
You canât argue with that. Youâve seen them, around the castle and especially earlier, how seamlessly they flow. Two seemingly polar opposites that connect like magnets.Â
âAnd it was instantaneous, too. Before Alexia was brought to the castle, Cassandra and I saw her at the village, on our way back from a hunt. I think she was chopping wood for her house or something. My sister stared for half a minute. I never saw her look that way at a human before.â she reminisces.Â
âAnd Bela?â you ask.Â
âBela is different. Thinks differently, functions differently. No amount of beauty would ever spark her interest and make her show favoritism.â Daniela explains. âThe first time she heard Rhiannon sing to the wounded in the dungeons, she told Cassandra and I not to touch the âsongbirdâ, though still, it was more along the lines of owning a pet than anything else.â she says. âBut the way Rhiannon protected her family later on, it shattered Belaâs defenses. She was forced to see her then and everything else was a slippery slope from there.â
Through impossible circumstances, it seems her siblings really did find their perfect matches. Hearing of how their stories unfolded, you begin to think that maybe the notion of soulmates isnât quite so farfetched, after all. Which inadvertently makes you wonder about Daniela and yourself.Â
You are aware that in almost a hundred years she hasnât felt genuine attraction towards anyone, no matter how she may have wished to experience it. She has been open about finally feeling that spark with you, and the way her body reacts to you canât lie, but you donât know if thereâs anything deeper than that for her.Â
And youâre alarmed by the fact you want to know.
Your heart beats quicker and youâre certain she can hear it. The pages of the book in your lap arenât turning anymore, but her eyes are still focused on it. You wonder what sheâs thinking, what world sheâs lost in inside her head and what your place there is, if one exists at all.Â
You wonder if she considers the two of you soulmates. Fated.Â
âWhat about us?â you question, unable to bear the weight of leaving the question unasked. Still, you voice it as casually as possible, not wanting to add to the tension already building in the air.Â
Daniela shifts slightly against you. âItâs scary to define us.â she speaks lightly, but the emotion locked behind the words is anything but.Â
âWhy?â But you already know the answer; Itâs because of you.Â
âBecause whatever word comes to mind⌠may only be true for me.â she replies and you canât explain why itâs like a stab to the gut.Â
Daniela is extremely perceptive. When she saw you hesitate tonight, you have no doubt she saw your thoughts written all over your eyes. In fact, youâre sure she has always been aware of your pressing need to leave, your plans and calculations on how to, even if the real reason why eludes her. Yet she still took you on tours around the village when you asked. She showed you all the escape routes, walked you right over the nitrogen pipelines despite knowing they could one day be used against her. Â
Now itâs clear to you why.
âAnd if I finally settle on âloveâ...â she says, voice low, âIâll have to hold the door open for you.â
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~Honkai: Star Rail Women and How they Hug You~
Characters: Kafka | Black Swan | Acheron | Firefly | Robin | Himeko Â
Warnings: None, SFW.
Kafka is always hot. In every sense of the word.Â
Even in the heart of winter, she is a source of endless heat when you join her on the couch after missions. With her mauve hair loose, she is the personification of temptation as she languidly motions for you to come closer. Once youâre within reach, her fingers slide like liquid over your nape, pull you flush against her, with your head resting on either her shoulder or her generous chest.Â
She loves to talk low in your ear while she holds you like this, fingernails gently scratching at the base of your neck. Sometimes, she shares details about her missions. If sheâs in a naughtier mood, however, expect the kinkiest things to fill your ears, until youâre blazing red.Â
Black Swan feels like a cool spring. A calm oasis for you to rest in, for however long you wish.Â
All you have to do is speak her name into the aether, and she will come to you, as soon as she is able. Be it after nightmares or long days, you always smile when you feel your bed dip with a familiar weight. Her graceful arms encircle your neck, guiding you onto her chest. If youâve closed your eyes, overcome by the bliss, before you see her amused smile, then you will feel it on your skin when she kisses you.Â
Hugging her is heavenly. Like youâre enveloped in a cloud. Soft, fresh, plush in all the right places. And as soon as she asks you how her âdearâ or âdarlingâ is faring, if you missed her, that is when you utterly melt.     Â
Acheron is steady and so very safe.Â
Itâs like nothing in the world can touch you while youâre with her. Sheâs not one to initiate long embraces first, hesitant due to her powers, but if the two of you are alone she will often cast you a longing look that speaks volumes of how badly she wants to be close to you. One she hopes you donât catch, even though you always do. Â
When she hugs you, her strong arms wrap around you like you are the most precious thing in the world. She likes to tuck her chin onto your shoulder, sometimes turn into your neck, breathing you in. Her body is firm from years of combat, but her skin is so soft to the touch. The corner of her lip always tugs upwards in amusement when you caress her abs (which is every chance you get).
Firefly is an absolute sweetheart.Â
Do you want to hold her? She will stop whatever she is doing and immediately come over to you. More often than not, she ends up curled into your lap with her arms around your shoulders. Adores nuzzling into your neck and pressing her cheek against yours like a little kitten. If you kiss her jaw or temple, she will melt in your arms.Â
Very sensitive. If your lips caress her neck, best believe she will make a sound and immediately turn tomato-red. No matter how long youâve been together, flirting in this position will result in her cheeks growing hot. Which only makes you want to tease her that much more.Â
Robin is always a delight to hug. Cosy and sweet and soft.Â
She absolutely flushes at the smallest hint of PDA if other people are around, but she will not deny you ever. Behind closed doors is a different story though. The girl will come over to you and wrap her arms around you from behind, silently asking to be held because sheâs often too shy to say it. If you toy with her hair, massage her back or nuzzle into her wings, she will shiver against you.Â
Likes to trace small shapes on your skin with her fingertips when youâre cuddling. Will die inside and go to heaven if you do it to her first. If you simply lay together, relaxing, she may start humming a tune by your ear in her angelic voice. A privilege reserved for her one and only <3
Himeko is soothing in every way. The way she smells, the way she touches you, the way she makes you feel.Â
She is gentle like the warmth of a fireplace after a long trudge through snow and she never gets tired of holding you. You donât even have to ask. One look and she will know to come over and embrace you. If other members of your team are around, she establishes small points of contact, like an arm around your waist or a hand at the small of your back. Until you are alone, where she will fully guide you into her arms.Â
Loves to gently massage your back or run her thumb in small circles between your shoulderblades. Always exhales a soft chuckle if you kiss her collarbone and tell her how good she feels. You are so comfortable when you sleep against her perfect body that you have trouble sleeping without. Not that she minds this one bit.    Â
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Demon Slayer Women ~How they Fall in Love~
Characters: Mitsuri Kanroji | Shinobu Kocho | Daki/Ume | Lady Tamayo.  Â
Warnings: None, SFW.
Mitsuri Kanroji - Love At First Sight
It all began the fateful day Mitsuri's lively presence collided with yours. Quite literally collided, because the girl was dashing through the Ubuyashiki Estate, late to the Hashiras meeting, only to smack into a crash that was entirely her fault. To her credit, she had the split-second reaction time to grasp your biceps with her hands, pull you closer before you fell sideways and hit the wall. You still ended up in a tangle of limbs on the ground, though.    Â
Flustered at her own carelessness, she immediately looked up to apologize, âOh, gosh, Iâm so sââ but her breath caught in her throat halfway through the sentence.Â
Her green eyes flew open wide, the blush on her cheeks only deepening. Your beauty radiated like the first light of dawn. She completely missed the first thing you said âthat it was all good, or somethingâ because, that sweet smile you gave her? It could melt the iciest of hearts. It certainly did a number on hers.
Without thinking, she reached up to brush the lock of hair that had fallen over your right eye. âIâm⌠really sorry.â came out in a breathy whisper. âLet me make it up to you?â
Ice-cream after the Hashirasâ meeting, her treat, Mitsuri insisted.Â
Little did you know, half the things said in that room flew right over her head, with how occupied it was with thoughts of you.Â
â----------------------------------------
Shinobu Kocho - Admiration To Love
It was often that the demon slayers praised and idolized their most elite warriors, the Hashiras. Not as often that one of the Hashiras came to greatly admire someone from the lower ranks.Â
Kinoto or not, you made a lasting impression on Shinobu. Your drive to protect humans that seemed to render you immune to the pain of your injuries, that laser-focused look in your eye as you stared a Lower Moon down and trusted her to deliver the killing blow in time, before the monster decapitated you first. When the battle was over and adrenaline started to die down, your wounds caught up with you. You collapsed forward, but she was there to catch you, gently lowering you to the ground.
âYou could have retreated as soon as I arrived.â she stated, staring deep into your eyes, perplexed.Â
âHey, Iâm fine. Sâall good.â you drawled, dizzy from the blood loss. âPlease, donât be angry. We won. Wonât you give me a smile?â
âI am.â she answered.Â
âA real one?âÂ
Right then and there, you stunned her. Shocked her. You, who met her that night for the very first time, saw through her carefully constructed mask that fooled even her closest associates. But for that one moment, gazing upon your relaxed face, she almost forgot her constant, burning anger.Â
And she smiled down at you for real.Â
â------------------------------------Â
Daki/Ume - Rivals to Lovers Â
In the shadowed realm of demons under Lord Muzan, Daki reigned with a cruel elegance for decades. Not as the most powerful, but surely the most beautiful. Until. Until you came along.
You and your accursed, gorgeous face and your deep, magnetizing eyes. How dare you show up just like that -out of nowhere!- and flash her that thousand-gigawatt smile. How dare you wink at her and so casually, so confidently say:Â
âHello~ Itâll be a pleasure working with you, prettygirl.âÂ
Instantly, she knew that she hated you. She was quick to show it, too. Daki's first interactions with you were filled with disdain and antagonism. And yet neither of you could deny the spark that those homing, sharp-witted comments ignited within you.Â
In equal parts, you infuriated and exhilarated her. She masked her true feelings beneath layers of scorn, unwilling to admit the vulnerability that lay beneath her pride. Until the evening you walked up to her, pushed a jewelry box into her hands and told her to take it and like it. Within lay a priceless necklace you knew had caught her eye years ago.
âHappy Demon Birthday, sexy.âÂ
She tried. She really did try to bite the fuck out of her growing smile down. In the end, though, it still managed to overpower her. And that kind of marked the point of no return.Â
â-----------------------------------Â
Lady Tamayo - Slow Burn Love
In a world where demons and humans clashed ceaselessly, Tamayo stood as an anomaly. A cursed existence with a gentle soul, a demon devoted to helping humans in pursuit of atonement. It was by chance she came across you, the injured slayer in dire need of medical help.
Tamayo took you in, cared for your wounds and remained by your side for nights on end. Even unconscious, you seemed agitated at her presence at first, as if you could sense what she was. Gradually, however, you stopped flinching at the touch of her hand on your forehead. Eventually, you leaned into it.Â
She couldn't explain why the serene smile you gave in your sleep tugged at her heartstrings so powerfully. Then a twisting worry began to take root inside her, that the moment you woke up your liking to her would disappear, replaced by malice.Â
When you opened your eyes, she drew a meter back from you.Â
âYou. You're the one who saved my lifeâŚ?â you spoke in a voice hoarse from unuse. âI should thank you for that.â
âNo need. It's clear you recognize what I am.â was her reply. Your eyes met. Ancient lavender orbs held your gaze kindly, awaiting your judgment with the patience of a saint.Â
A demon, you thought to accuse. The words were perched right on the tip of your tongue. Yet the more you stared at her, the harder they got to voice. ThusâŚ
âA doctor?â you offered, instead.Â
The soft, slow smile she gave in response could light up the whole town.Â
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A/N: Tysm for reading and if youâre interested in ASMR-type stories written and voiced by me featuring Demon Slayer women and other anime hotties: My YouTube <3
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