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enjoyjellime · 4 days ago

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Choco Fin | Chapter 8-2

Chapters: {1} {2} {3} {4} {5} {6} {7} {8} {8-2} {9}

Hey you thought I was done with the story? Well I thought I was as well, but thanks to some absolutely beautiful fanart from @floridecuts , I had the inspiration to make an alternate ending to chapter 8, so I thank you for giving me this opportunity! Also I know some people were expecting a merMashita, so I managed to implement that as well, I hope you enjoy! :D

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A sob emits from her gnarled throat and her eyes blow wide. Crooked fingers thrust forward, her maw ready to tear them to shreds. She hurls herself in Mashita's direction, poised to strike down anything in her path to obtain the love she so desperately coveted. They barely had time to react, everything happening so fast that it feels as if it were in slow motion:

Sameru pouncing through the air, Mashita throwing himself to the side just enough that she misses her mark, and instead crashes heavily against the glass, the crack splitting further in all directions from the impact. She isn't moving. The hallway reveals itself once more.

Yashiki rushes to Mashita's side, helping him stand back up as they rush towards the hallway dragging him by the hand, not wanting to stand around to see what could happen next.

They make it about halfway through the connecting hall before they hear it; shattering glass and the gush of an extreme amount of water filling the space. Still on the move, they look over their shoulders, they share an expression of terrified shock as a large wave collides against the wall, rolling smoothly into a track directly towards them, beads of the water splashing in bursts in an attempt to reach them.

They make it to the bottom of the stairs just as the water begins to lap at their feet, letting go to use the rail to pull themselves up faster, quick steps banging up each stair as they push onwards to make it to the top. The stairwell feels more humid as the water climbs relentlessly after them, only to stop right at the line of where the painted murals’ sea meets sky, the water gurgling in its final resting place.

Yashiki reaches the top first, about to wrench the door open when he hears a pained yell from behind him, whipping back in time to see Mashita falling backwards as if being pulled, eyes wide and hands outstretched before disappearing entirely beneath the darkness of the hungry waves.

His hearing is muffled, breathing heavily, eyes blown wide, yet eyesight blurry, a cold sweat enveloping his entire body. He can barely hear the sound of his scream, the only thought in his mind is Mashita, Mashita, Mashita-

“MASHITA!”

Yashiki blindly rips his bag off in a hurry to drop it at the top of the stairs, his glasses falling off in the rush as he dives in after him. His eyes flash orange for a split second as he cuts under the surf, his desperate need for Mashita's safety igniting the power lent to him. As his entire body becomes fully submerged, he finds that he has instantly transformed back into the monstrously beautiful form. He doesn't waste time dwelling on it however, as something in his brain clicks into place and with one flick of his tail, he speeds off through the dark depths like it was second nature.

With his newfound speed It doesn't take long to find Mashita, eyes squinted and beginning to thrash around, instinctual panic starting to set in. He's still holding his breath, but it doesn't look to be for too much longer. Yashiki races towards him, noticing how his eyes widen like he was spooked, arms flailing harder as if trying to get away, but he doesn't let him. “Mashita!” His yell rings clearly through the water as his webbed hands reach out to either side of Mashita's paling face, and without knowing what else to do, he smashes his lips hurriedly into his. The shock of the impact is enough to get Mashita to open his mouth for him to breathe air into, his gills jetting bubbles through the water from the panicked strain.

Too focused on keeping him alive, he doesn't notice that the orange glow had started up again; hovering within his chest just above his heart. It rumbles slightly before splitting in half, the second piece of light transferring over through their shared connection, settling within Mashitas chest before fading.

Mashita slows his flailing, finally having enough air reaching his brain again to think clearly, hands resting on the scaled arms cradling his head. They remain that way, lips locked supporting a steady stream of oxygen, just floating in place. His elegant tail flicked in bursts to keep them from sinking.

Despite the closeness, Yashiki can't help but feel on edge, he knows they aren't alone in the depths. Acting as Mashita's life support for the time being, they're pretty much vulnerable to being attacked from any angle, the thought has Yashiki clutching him tighter to his chest, an animalistic growl catching in his throat as an unseen shadow forcefully knocks the two apart, a new pair of arms coming up threateningly to strangle him. Sameru wasn't entirely gone.

Instincts not normally his own kick in at the attack, pupils formed into slits as he claws and bites savagely, his tail thrashing wildly to knock her off of him. Adrenaline mixed with fear was pumping thick, not for himself, but with the race against time to get back to Mashita before he could die a slow and painful death. The stress only amplifies when a strangled cry echoes through the deep, the sound of Mashita's voice always recognizable to him, his blood running ice cold. He can't see anything in the scuffle, all he wants is to escape, to be back at Mashita's side….he feels his energy waning.

A pained shriek reverberates against his eardrums as Sameru is suddenly thrown from his being, getting his sight back only to balk at what had managed to rip her away:

Mashita had aggressively rammed into her, now with a set of razor sharp teeth protruding from his mouth that were clamped down on one of her arms, bubbles shooting out of newly formed gills as he snarled. His eyes glared a violent red as he let go, using a combination of webbed claws and a strong two-tone tail to push her as far away from them as he could. His voice sounds perfectly clear through the water as he lets his anger out.

“GET THE FUCK BACK, HE'S MINE.”

Sameru only angers more at the claim, shaking herself off before bursting through the water with an annoyed wail, opening her shark-like mouth in an attempt to inflict more pain with her attack.

Yashiki on the other side kicks off into a swift glide, arms splayed outwards to reach Mashita before she does, reaching just in time to wrap them around him from behind, and in that moment, the two glows shine ever brighter, engulfing Sameru right as she was a hair away from shredding them both apart.

Blearily looking up to what created such brightness, they see that the light was that of Megumi Yokota, hugging Sameru tightly so that she couldn't escape. She whispers calming words of affirmation to her other half, who in turn was visibly relaxing within the hold, now too weak from the scuffle to fight back. She returns the hug, the same light spreading to Sameru herself.

“Everything's okay now, we can rest…We are loved.”

“L l l l o o o o v v v v e e e e d d d d. . . . .”

Sameru fades into the light, returning back to where she belongs within Megumi. Slowly she turns around to the two half fish, standing in place as if gravity couldn't reach her.

“Thank you for all that you've done. I am finally free…” She raises her arms as she says it, light filtering into the water that changes it from a deep cold dark to a sparkling tropical blue. The fish from the exploded tank start filtering through the larger enclosure, swimming around the pair in curiosity.

“When you are ready to go, just swim back up the stairs and you'll return to normal. I will let you be now, good luck to the both of you, I wish you the best.” She gives one last smile before she also fades away. Leaving them to float there, Still holding on to each other, their tails swishing without needing to think.

Yashiki hears a groan in front of him, his viewpoint from behind showing Mashita's arm raise to his head, only for it to jolt open more, his blue-orange tail giving a surprised flick back, smacking into the sturdiness of his own. Yashiki turns him around in place by the shoulders to look eye to eye, realizing the bright red from when he was attacking had dulled down in intensity.

“Where… wh- what the hell is this?.. why am I a fis- GH!”

Mashita scrunches his face in exasperated pain, his clawed fingers raising to cover his mouth, having accidentally bit down on himself with his new sets of spears. Yashiki grabs his hands and holds them to the sides of his head, much to his now maroon-eyed confusion, and takes in the view of just how intriguing he looked in this otherworldly form, dangerous yet beautiful, like a rose with intact thorns. Yashiki lays a gentle kiss onto the protruding edges, eyes wide in awe as they scan every inch of his face.

“You saved me, like you always do.”

“....Did I?”

“You don't remember?”

Mashita closes his eyes in a contemplative fashion, deep in thought trying to recall his perspective. He speaks slower around his fangs so he doesn't nick himself again.

“I couldn't really see much, it was too dark. But it was cold at first, then warm…and then cold again.” Mashita looks pained, his eyes downcast as he slides his hand out of Yashiki's grip, resting it around his own neck, feeling the openings lining the sides.

“There was this sharp pain to my neck, like it was being sliced. Now I guess I know why….god I'm a freak show.”

“Not to me. I much rather prefer you like this than dead. You had me scared there….”

“Heh, you know you can't get rid of me that easily, we're pretty much tied by fate at this point.”

Yashiki gives an amused chuckle at his remark, glancing down at their tails swaying in unison. “Don't I know it.”

Mashita squeezes his hand, eye contact missing as his ear fins flick in a flustered manner. “I was worried too…the face you made at the top of the stairs when I fell in…I couldn't bear it being directed at me.”

Yashiki huffs in endearment, bringing him in to hug him tightly. Mashita returns the hug with the same amount of pressure, their tails curling around each other as they bask in the warmth of the embrace, a stark difference to their surroundings. The colourful fish swim around them within the submerged main room.

“We should probably head out now, we don't want to leave the staff waiting too long.”

“Finally. I'm going to be sick of water for the next few months.”

They throw each other amused smiles as Yashiki begins to kick backwards towards the hall with Mashita in tow, the sheer power of his tail effortlessly doing most of the work, using it so naturally as if he had had it his entire life. Mashita can only do so much, not having the time to get used to his scaled appendage yet. So he takes the moment to rest, his tail moving up and down in languid strokes.

The sight of Yashiki in this form had nearly taken his breath away, more so than the water around him already tried to. The way his dark hair floated around his face was something he always liked, but adding on the fins, the dark eyes, the fangs!? They brought an extra layer of his otherworldliness that ignited his brain in just the right way. He was simply too beautiful for this world, and Mashita was happier than he'd like to admit that he was a part of his. He closes his eyes at the feeling of the water gliding past his face in a way that made his nerves tingle positively.

“We're almost there.”

“Mmh…”

After a few more paddles, Yashiki feels a slight bump of the stairs on his back to indicate they had made it, both turning to look up at the fluorescent light filtering through the water above them, their own personal sunshine after spending so much time in the dark.

“Ready to go?”

“As I'll ever be.”

They both kick hard, propelling themselves upwards toward the light, getting bigger and brighter the closer they get until their heads break through the water's surface like a ribbon at the end of a race, Yashiki throwing his head back to flip his hair from his face as he does so. They look to each other in satisfied relief now that they could finally escape this place.

The water beneath their neckline lights up in the familiar bright orange, looking down in surprise as it travels upwards from their chests, floating above them and conjoining once more before bursting into multiple glittering particles until fading completely. The last of her power.

Yashiki goes to drag himself out of the water and onto the dry step, pausing as he notices with blurred vision that his hand was no longer webbed and clawed, the outline back to his dull-nailed digits as he gripped the platform. Pulling himself up more, he flips around to plant himself onto the top step, clasping his hand around Mashita's to help him out of the water, both of their tails gone and replaced by their clothed legs; wet, but intact. He wasn't going to question how that worked, he's had enough of spirit magic for one day.

They sit on the top step together, catching their breaths and processing everything they had gone through up to that point, their fingers laced as they lay back on their arms.

The sound of metal clinking and something cold bumping his face startles him before it slides on more and his vision comes back in full clarity once again.

“Here, your glasses were up here with your bag.”

“Ah, thank you…” He adjusts them so that they sit comfortably how he likes them.

Mashita let out a heavy sigh. “We should probably see if we can stand.”

Yashiki nods in agreement, starting to lean on the wall beside him as he pushes himself up onto extremely wobbly legs, arm shooting out to the railing as a violent shake racks his body, his other slapping the wall in support. This might take a moment, not that Mashita is faring much better on the other side, his back leaning against the wall.

Once he finally feels the shaking subside enough to start practicing walking, he takes a tentative step towards Mashita, only to trip on nothing, falling into a kabedon right above Mashita's head, trapping him in place. A wild blush simmering on each of their faces at the contact.

“S-sorry…..I love you.”

“...Just help me up. …..and I love you too.”

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I want to say thanks again to @floridecuts for the wonderful fanart that sparked this alternate ending, I've stared at it for hours at this point lmao.

AO3 link:

Choco Fin

#death mark #spirit hunter #spirit hunter death mark #shiin #死印 #kazuo yashiki #satoru mashita #yashita #yashiki x mashita #真八 #on the flipside🖤#death mark fanfic

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enjoyjellime · 11 days ago

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Choco Fin | Chapter 9

Chapters: {1} {2} {3} {4} {5} {6} {7} {8} {8-2} {9}

So just to let you know in advance, they do have a bit of a make out, but it doesn't go any further then there. Anyways, enjoy :)

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“What do you mean we were only in there for fifteen minutes?!”

Mashita's incredulous outburst had started when the frightened slamming of hands on a wooden surface reached their ears as they stepped inside the colourful interior of the gift shop, the door thrown open without warning. The drowsy staff member from earlier stood behind a counter next to a powered down cash register, the top of it decorated with miniature standees of keychains, magnets, and other touristy souvenirs. They had a hand to their chest, eyes wide in fright from the sudden jumpscare, only to breathe out in relief at the two men making their way over to the till.

“Oh, I wasn't expecting you two so soon, was there something you needed?”

“....so soon?” The pair look at each other in confusion, Yashiki looking back to question them on the statement. “….how long were we in there for?”

The staff member blinks dully down at a watch on their wrist. “You were only in there for about…fifteen minutes.” glancing back up, they immediately floundered at the glazed over stares of the men, the shorter haired one's eye twitching in a perceived build up of annoyance until it had reached its peak.

“I…don't know what to tell you two. You walked in, I closed the door, I walked up stairs, Started reorganizing the desk, then “bam!” You're here in front of me.” The associate awkwardly smacks the desk for emphasis of their alibi.

Still leaned forward from his eruption, Mashita deflates on the spot, huffing before turning with a flourish of his coat. “I'm going for a smoke.”

The staff member perks at the statement, stammering out a “ah, l-let me get the door for you sir!” before hurriedly taking a ring of keys from their pocket and speed walking down the stairs to unlock the door for him.

Walking past Yashiki to follow them down, he gives his hand a quick squeeze along the way. “I'll meet you at the car.”

“Alright, I won't be too long.”

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Once Mashita leaves his line of sight and the sound of laboured trudging echoes from the stairs soon after, he turns his attention to the associate coming around the corner of the stairwell and shuffling quickly back to the counter, nervously standing with their arms crossed down in front trying to keep a polite appearance. (“They must not be too good with conflict. Sorry about that…”) Yashiki reassures them that “He's just exhausted, it's not your fault.” The awkward vibe becomes more mellow as they relax, going back to a more chipper customer service.

“So you were able to put her to rest so quickly?”

Yashiki feels himself start to ramble. “Actually, spirits can create a similar version of our world in places they're connected to, where time is completely different, so it felt much longer to us while we explored.”

“Oooooooh….. that's so cool….”

Yashiki scratches his cheek as they look up at him with a sparkle to their eyes. Reminds him of someone he knows who would also think it was cool… Speaking of people he knows…

“Oh, wasn't there something about getting things from the gift shop along with the job?”

The sales person snaps out of their reverie, their words from earlier coming back to them. “Right, I did say that. Let me just boot up the till here and I'll be right with you!”

Yashiki waits patiently as they work on breathing life into the machine, fingers deftly spinning a tall rack of keychains beside the desk, ogling at how many kinds there were of different ocean creatures both land, sea, and sky. To Yashiki, they were extremely cute. The art gave the sea animals a more “chibified” look to them, adding to their cuteness factor. These would do nicely. The staff calls over to him to let him know the till was up and ready, and so he goes back to carefully selecting which ones he thinks the Bearers would like, bringing them along within his cupped hands and accessorized on his fingers.

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“Thank you so much for your help today, I know my boss will be pleased to hear that we won't have any issues like that again, or at least…we know who to call.”

The staff member finishes scanning the final keychain, placing them all into a little bag stamped with the aquariums logo and pecks a number code into the register to print out two receipts, placing one into the bag and the other in a drawer underneath before handing it over to Yashiki, nodding in thanks.

“And let me get your pay here, one moment.”

They go back to the till to peck in a different code that shoots the registers tray forward, empty with only an envelope inside. They lift the important package out, closing the till along with the motion, and carefully hands it over as if it were an ancient artifact. Yashiki places it within his bag as they bow to him hospitably. “I hope you have a wonderful rest of your day sir, the front door is unlocked for you.”

Waving to the cashier, he makes his way down the stairs with souvenir bag in hand, taking a wistful look around one last time at the beautifully designed lobby until he finds himself standing in front of the doors leading outside, still just as bright out as when they'd first arrived. It felt like they'd gone through so much together for much longer, so to see the proof in front of him had him reeling slightly.

Yashiki takes a breath in, looking over his shoulder with a bittersweet smile, and exits the building, the sun warm on his weary face.

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The chill of the crisp winter air is a refreshing change from the chill of death he had become unfortunately accustomed to. He takes it in as his long legs make longer strides through the parking lot towards the beat up little car waiting patiently in its spot. In the driver's seat is Mashita with his head back on the headrest, finally getting some much needed downtime from the whole fiasco. He doesn't blame him, for he knows he's going to sleep very well once he makes it back to the mansion for the night.

Peering into the glass on the passenger's side, he just about knocks on the window when he hears the click of the door unlocking, Mashita pressing the button without looking at him, head still resting back. Pulling the door open with an audible creak, he bends down to step into the smaller car, dropping himself into the comfortable polyester, sinking into it like a massage chair in a mall.

“Ahh this is nice, finally just the two of us again.” He carefully takes off his bag and places it down near his feet, the sound of the keychains clinking inside as he does so.

“Alright, you can start the car no-”

He turns to do up his seatbelt when he feels a sharp tug that disorientingly throws his upper half towards the central console, glasses crooked as he dives directly into contact with Mashita's impatient lips. It takes no time for Mashita to start kissing him roughly, sharp teeth scraping and prodding in between plush presses, his hands finding their way into Yashiki's hair with fervor. He reaches back to pull out the small elastic holding it in place, the long strands swinging forward at the angle he's at, shrouding them both in an intimate partition away from prying eyes.

Yashiki doesn't know what brought on his needy actions, whether it was pent up energy or the fact they had made it out alive and were finally done, but with their love out in the open now, he can't help but want to match his intensity, parting his mouth slightly for easier access.

The feeling of dull nails scratch comfortably at his scalp, the scent of nicotine familiar on his tongue, the pressure on his skull from the pulling of his hair, they all fill his senses as a gruff whine escapes his throat pushing deeper into the kiss, his tongue daring past the greedy edges to meet with the muscle on the other side for a waltz. They take in quick breaths between heated touches, their hot breaths filling the atmosphere of the cold car, a thin layer of condensation spreading on the expanse of the windshield. His heart pounds so hard he can feel it reverberate through his shaking fingers, senses alight with the essence of him. With how the heat was rolling off his skin, he could imagine Mashita to be a flame he'd happily let himself burn to ashes for, already feeling himself melt away…

Before Yashiki could fully switch his brain off, Mashita had pulled away hesitantly as if fighting an inner struggle. He wanted to continue, but backing up to see the sight of glazed eyes, mouth still parted and searching, and rosy cheeks complimenting pale features was a stunning vision he would absolutely store away in his mind's eye for darker days. Maybe all of this was worth it after all.

He grins even wider as Yashiki visibly floats back down to earth, eyes blinking and panting heavily, remembering to let out the breath he hadn't realised he was holding in. He manages to stutter between breaths, a throaty whine at the loss of contact. “Ma-Mashita… wow, uhhh….”

Mashita leans forward once more, making a gasp escape his lips in anticipation, only for a click to sound out, the feeling of a strap pulled taut against his chest, sending his back against the seat again. Locked in place.

Mashita gives a mirthful chuckle at his pout, shaking his head as he turns to place his hands on the wheel. “Let's get you back home old man.” Such a tease…

Yashiki flushes at the remark, embarrassed that that's what he ends with after what they had just done a second prior. But karma seems to work fast when it wants to, as Mashita notices the windshield still fogged up making it hard to see out of, flicking the windshield wipers on to clear it, only for nothing to happen. Right…. inside of the car… He slowly pulls himself forward to wipe a viewable section with his hand, ears burning red at how uncool he just had to make himself look in front of Yashiki. Hearing a barely held snicker he turns to see Yashiki has a fist in front of his mouth trying to hold back a laugh of endearment. The corners of his eyes crinkle lightheartedly.

“Don't.”

“No, I'm not…. It's just…I'm happy that I get to see more sides of you. It's…nice.”

“...That so?”

“Mmn. I love you Satoru.”

“Heh.. still something to get used to hearing… I love you too, Kazuo.”

They share a smile before Mashita turns his attention to the car, starting it up with a purr of the engine. Pulling out of the parking lot and onto the main road, Yashiki rolls down the window to let in some cool air for their humid bodies. He leans against the side, eyes trained on the scenery as it passes by, his hair whipping around gently. A hand lays on top of his, squeezing as he moves his dexterous fingers to lace them together. A radiant smile adorns his face, resting his eyes until they make it back. The thought of being by Mashita's side…he wouldn't have it any other way.

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After that day at the aquarium, Yashiki had violently woken up to a phone call from an overly excited Moe at seven in the morning, layering question after question about the spirit they had encountered. He had absolutely no idea how she was privy to that information, as he didn't remember telling her about that, finally banking on it having to do with OOParts, ever the mysterious group.

After getting her to slow down, Moe then decides that it can wait, and that she'll be over soon so they could talk in person before hanging up, leaving Yashiki to sit there a moment to process what just happened. Great, might as well get up for the day.

Making his way into the kitchen, he goes to prepare his morning coffee, putting the siphon in place before remembering that he'd used up all his sugar cubes the morning before. Right, the morning of yesterday…. He still can't believe how far away that felt to him.

Just as he's about to take it off, an idea forms in his head, placing it back to brew as he rushes into the foyer to grab his bag he had left on the sofa the night before. Digging through it as he strides back in to find the package he was looking for, he lowers his bag down on one of the chairs, taking the package over to the counter and starts to pour the finished coffee into his mug.

Now for his plan: opening the package of shark-shaped marshmallows he obtained, he picks up one of the fluffy fish, squishing it slightly between his fingers before dropping it into his coffee, watching as the cute shape slowly melts away into a creamy foam on top before stirring, the grayish white swirling until it's back to its dark brown liquid. He takes a sip, tasting his tongue as he thinks about its flavour. Quite sweet; not as sweet as his normal five sugar cubes, but definitely a good alternative.

He lifts a hand to his head as a prickling sensation fills it, the words “Look up” fading in behind his eyelids. He does as it's told, looking up to see a paper blown flat against the dining room window. He walks over to inspect it, the clear writing of “Thank you” and a drawing of a Neon Tetra are all he can see before it flitters away with the wind, just in time for knocking to be heard at the front door. He smiles to himself, knowing in his heart that he did the right thing to purify her grudge.

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His meeting with Moe wasn't too long, thankfully. They sat at the table, casually sipping away at the coffee in his hand, while Moe had a peppermint tea prepared. Her attention was more on him however; listening with rapt attention, notebook in hand as he recounted how they had managed to purify the spirit, albeit with a few details missing; he didn't want anything of their newfound relationship being public gossip, that was the last thing he needed, plus he could already imagine Mashita making his way all the way over just to throttle him….and maybe kiss him a little afterwards… a thought he quickly waved away in his mind as he came back to the present to Moe finishing her writing with dotted emphasis.

“So that's the truth of the rumor!….. yeah, cause me and Shou didn't find anything on our trip to the park, so that has to be it!”

“I'm honestly glad that it was us who had to deal with it, I couldn't imagine having you go through something so dangerous by yourself.”

“Oh c'mon ojisan! We can handle ourselves….enough. I mean, Shou was pretty jumpy the entire time, but we pushed through!”

(“Yeah, your not pleading your case here…”)

“Did anything else happen on your trip? (“That I should be worried about?”)

“Nah, we walked around, placed the boxes in the spots it said, but nothing happened….OH! At one of the spots there was some tall grass that was rustling, and when Shou went to check it out he started screaming and at first I was all like: “What!? What is it?!” But it turns out it happened to be just warm enough outside, cause it was a little froggy that had jumped onto his shirt, it was so funny!”

Moe giggles at her recollection, And Yashiki can't help but share her energy, a polite laugh slipping out at their antics.

“But yeah, other than that it was pretty uneventful, I still had the chocolates by the end, so I just gave Shou the other box like I promised him. He didn't eat them right away, just kinda put it in his pocket, so I don't know whether he'll like them or not, oh well.” Moe sticks her tongue out at the statement, a carefree smile on her face.

The Grandfather clock in the stairwell suddenly emits its resounding chime of 9 o'clock. Moe's eyes widen at how time had seemingly flown without her noticing, quickly finishing off the rest of her tea before getting ready to go out again, the same routine as yesterday.

Meeting her at the door, Yashiki gives her a final request before she leaves for the day, handing over the small souvenir bag.

“Would you be able to pass these out to the other Mark Bearers when you have the time? I put a label on each of them so that you'll know which one is which, it would be very much appreciated.”

Moe gasps as she looks into the bag, rustling her hand inside until she finds the one with her name on it. Pulling it out to see a keychain of a fish with a see-through head, its bright green eyes protected in a clear dome. The Barreleye, also known as the Spookfish.

“THAT'S SO COOL! Thank you ojisan!”

Moe immediately rushes to give him a one-armed hug, still holding the bag tightly in the other. Yashiki wasn't expecting the fast movement, awkwardly returning the friendly hug before she breaks away to open the door, giving each other a wave before she's skipping her way down the walkway. “I'll deliver them! Don't you worry ojisan!”

Yashiki shakes his head positively at her enthusiasm, heading back inside to catch up on some much needed (and well deserved) sleep.

📔•₊✧👻⋆⭒˚☕️｡⋆📔•₊✧👻⋆⭒˚☕️｡⋆📔•₊✧👻⋆⭒

Light pink petals drift delicately to the ground as Kazuo Yashiki stares fondly out the window from his spot at the dining table, mind elsewhere while his hand stirs his cooling coffee. A hand lightly grasping his shoulder has him breaking out of his thoughts, turning to see a bed-headed Mashita yawning as he bends over to give a soft peck to his lips before sitting in the chair next to him. Yashiki slides a still steaming mug of coffee- just how he likes it- towards him, to which he grabs gratefully, taking a long swig to try and shake away the last remaining sleep in his system. They sit there in comfortable silence for a moment. Basking in each others presence as they watch the morning sunrise through the window.

“Good morning, Satoru.”

“Yeah. Good morning to you too Kaz….”

Mashita lays his head on his shoulder, another yawn escaping him; definitely not a morning person. He shifts his head up when he hears Yashiki trying to get his attention, answering back with a grumpy hum.

“I had a surprise I wanted to show you in the backyard, once you're ready, of course.”

Eyes still closed, he grunts in acknowledgement, wetting his throat with the last swig of coffee as he sits up again.

“Let me grab my coat.”

Yashiki nods as he helps him up, watching him pad away to do just that as he stays behind to clear their mugs from the table before following him out, putting on his own one sleeve at a time. Once he finds him, still in pajamas with his oversized coat overtop, he takes his hand in his, walking with him to the doors leading to the back garden. The sun is blinding as they step out, using their other hands to block it from their eyesight. Continuing their trek across the cobbled pathway to the yard, it's not long before a beautifully simple japanese garden comes into view, a vibrant green mixing with the soft pinks of the newly budding cherry blossoms, stone lanterns line the pathways leading to a newly renovated pond in the center.

“When did you?....”

“It was a bit of a passion project, so to speak.”

“And you somehow managed to keep this from me… heh. Maybe you're not as easy to read as I once thought.”

“Hey, I can be full of surprises when I want to be…”

They make their way towards a long wooden bench with an obsidian rabbit statue on one of the ends overlooking the pond, watching in content at the shadowy shapes elegantly gliding through the crystal clear waters, a few of the koi sticking their heads out to mouth the air. The sound of frogs croaking brought a tranquil ambience to the whole thing, coming close to lulling them back asleep again.

“So peaceful….”

“And the best thing of all, is I get to share it with you.”

Mashita looks up at his innocent expression, before glancing away on instinct, turning pink by the second. Yashiki falters, about to say something else when Mashita whips back around, throwing himself into his chest with enough momentum that it sends them off balance, falling backwards off of the bench to the soft grass below.

Snuggled within an embrace, they hold on tight, limbs tangled as if they'd disappear if they let go. They feel themselves drifting away, the relaxing atmosphere not helping in the slightest. The silky grass comfortable beneath them, the warm sun a blanket on their tired bodies, the sounds from the pond a balm for their souls. Yashiki selfishly hopes no one comes looking for them today, to have this time for themselves.

Looking down he sees Mashita had already succumbed to the tranquil environment; steadily breathing as his face was set in a relaxed, peaceful expression; despite his sunken eyes from lack of sleep. It was a rare sight that was becoming more common when they were alone together. His gentle snoring is a bit phlegmy, as if he needs to clear his throat. But to Yashiki, the sound comes out like the purring of a cat. It's kinda funny in a way, what love can do.

Yashiki gives a final kiss to the top of his head, allowing sleep to take him to where Mashita is, a relaxed sigh as his eyes flutter shut.

📔•₊✧👻⋆⭒˚☕️｡⋆📔•₊✧👻⋆⭒˚☕️｡⋆📔•₊✧👻⋆⭒

Yay it's finally done! This was quite the journey, and I know the characters (specifically Mashita) were pretty OOC, but that's the fun about fanfiction, you can write the characters however you want, make them your own in a way.

I don't know how soon I'll be writing again, I have a couple skeletons in my notes app that need fleshing out, but we'll have to see how I'm feeling at that point.

Thank you again for sticking around this long, it means so very much.

See you next time! (⁠´⁠∩⁠｡⁠•⁠ ⁠ᵕ⁠ ⁠•⁠｡⁠∩⁠`⁠)

AO3 link:

Choco Fin

#death mark #spirit hunter death mark #spirit hunter #shiin #死印 #kazuo yashiki #satoru mashita #moe watanabe #shou nagashima (mentioned)#on the flipside🖤#death mark fanfic

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