#and naoya gets a mention we love/hate to see it

[ofoceansandtombsanew]

I Cherish You, Halcyon Days: iv.

“You’re gonna die, kid. In the worst way possible.”

tags: afab!reader (she/her), angst, slow burn

pairing: gojou x reader + onesided!getou x reader

summary: You’re 15 years old when you’re told you’re going to die. You’re 17 years old when you realize who your killer will be. And you’re 17 years old when you make peace with the fact you wouldn’t want it any other way.

index | previous chapter | next chapter

You hum in pleasant surprise when the taste of green apples and mango hit your tongue. This really could have been hit or miss, you sip again. Still as good as the first sip. Just because you like experimenting with food and drink, it doesn't necessarily mean there will be a good payoff. Fruit teas from random shops are always either too sweet or just right for you, never something tolerable in between.

Thankfully, this place understood that the sugar is only supposed to enhance the drink, not drown it. You look over at the tall and lanky boy a few short steps away. Tea isn't Gojou's thing, hence why he is the only member of the group who hadn't ordered anything, but you think this one will be right up his alley. "You've gotta try this," you angle the cup slightly above your shoulder. "It's this green apple mango flavor they're promoting."

Without taking the cup from your hand, Gojou simply leans down to take a drink. "It's alright," Gojou shrugs before sipping again with vigor. "Needs more sugar."

You snort and lean away, bringing your beverage with you, "well if it's only alright, stop drinking it then."

"You know," Gojou sighs and you already know it's going to be some bullshit spewed out of his mouth coated in false philosophy and maturity. "Here in Japan we have a saying that food tastes better when you share it."

You roll your eyes but grin at the fact you called it, "well we just shared it and it still tastes exactly the same so," when Gojou attempts to take your cup, you turn immediately. "You better follow your best friend's example and get inside that tea house and order yourself a drink!"

Gojou slumps over your back with a whine, "what if yours tastes better than mine for some reason and they give me a bad one?"

You're giggling but no dice, "no!" You shove your straw back into your mouth and lean over your drink protectively. Get your own drink, you point at the tea shop once again with a mumble. "You have pretty privilege, there is no way they'll fuck yours up!"

"Stingy," Gojou clicks his tongue but he drags himself across the street where Suguru is standing in line anyway.

Crisis avoided.

"... What was that?" Utahime's eyes widen while her brow furrows.

It's a chilly April day in Moriya and the lot of you are enjoying the last bits of spring vacation. School holidays work differently when you go to a jujutsu school, you learned quickly. As far as the higher ups were concerned, vacation just meant more free time to send students on missions. Sure you're in a completely different part of Japan doing a lot more traveling than you'd ever do in your typical high school experience.

But in reality, this trip to a ryokan in Ibaraki Prefecture is nothing more than a glorified work trip with sightseeing sprinkled in. They could have at least sent us to a coastal town if they were sending us to Ibaraki. You shouldn't expect much from an institute that still does school on Saturday when the rest of the country stopped doing it in 2002. At the very least, the mission had been wrapped up and this final week of spring break before the new school year started, you get to enjoy yourself.

Next week, I become a second year student, you did it. You managed to survive your very first year at Jujutsu Tech. You'll miss having Fujioka-sensei as a teacher, she was kind and had lots of fun anecdotes. But you can't stew in awe and nostalgia with how Utahime is staring at you like you've lost your mind.

"What was what? It's green apple mango fruit tea," you cock your head before sliding your cup to the traditionally-clothed girl's side of the table. "Wanna try it too?"

Utahime promptly slides it back in disgust. "After he put his mouth on it? No thanks," you only shrug in return before sipping at the fruity goodness all over again. That's more for me then. Your nonchalance drives your upperclassman into mania. She looks at Shoko like she's the only other sane person at the table. 'What the heck is going on?!' her lips move silently. "Why am I the only one freaking out about this!?"

The brunette holds up a hand in the most laidback display of defensiveness you've ever seen, "they've been like that for a while now, everyone just got used to it." Shoko's words only make Utahime's more aghast.

Oh right.

That.

You smack your lips together with a weak laugh, avoiding your friend's accusatory gaze.

Something shifted in the cosmos after December 8th, 2005 without your meaning to. You aren't exactly sure how long it took after your birthday for sharing food with Gojou to become habit, but it did.

Something is too sweet or too spicy? You swap plates.

You get an assorted bag of snacks and sweet treats from helping a random grandma cross the street? There isn't really a point of keeping any of the stuff you know Gojou will like.

But you never realized how ingrained into normalcy it became until one particular day you leaned over to eat a chip Gojou held in his fingers. "Does this taste kinda soapy to you or is it just me?" He asked, shaking the bag it came from. They were roasted cumin lamb skewer flavored chips imported from China.

"Yeah, I think it's just- wait, give me another one?" You chewed more slowly that time around, really feeling at the flavor. "No, I'm getting it too."

Suguru and Shoko made faces that looked exactly like the one Utahime is wearing right now. "[First]!"

"Look it isn't like we're friends or anything," you tell the soon to be fourth-year. "When there is food involved, the We Hate Gojou Alliance calls forth a truce," you explain seriously, folding your hands and resting your chin on them as if you are Ikari Gendo. "For how can we hate if we are not properly nourished?"

At the bullshit you spew, Utahime's expression shifts into one that is purely unamused as her brow furrows and she purses her lips. It takes a lot out of you to not laugh then and there. "And since when was that an addendum we agreed on?"

"It's one I made out of personal interest," you close your eyes, nodding at the memories. Food comes before any quarrel you have with an annoying classmate. If it came down to it, you'd become Gojou's best friend for a sandwich. "When food is involved, Gojou Satoru isn't that bad."

"You're full of it," Utahime fights the twitches of her lips trying to curl upward. "Very, very full of it." The upperclassman relents with a sigh a beat later, knowing her arguments are futile. "You're a traitor. I hope you know that you're a traitor to our cause, [First]," you bite your lip to prevent yourself from laughing again. You're failing the longer she goes on. Shoko is your mission partner, but you think it is arguably fair to say Utahime is who you're closest to besides her. When you transferred to Jujutsu Tech, it was Utahime who gave you a tour around the facility when the teachers were suddenly too busy. She was a kind and beautiful upperclassman who came with a lot less monetary baggage than Mei Mei. "First Getou and Shoko, now you," she sips her matcha with a pointed glare in the direction of the tea house windows. Whatever Gojou does, it makes Utahime's amused scowl turn into an annoyed glare.

"I was technically never part of any alliance to hate on Gojou, I'm only an affiliated acquaintance," Shoko laughs lightly, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. "Utahime-senpai, you just have to accept this as part of the new reality. [First] and Gojou have become friends," your mission partner rolls her eyes when you shoot her a pointed look. "Apologies, food-based acquaintances."

Satisfied with her correction, you nod.

It's then Suguru finally reappears, a beverage in hand. Gojou is still waiting by the window for his own order to finish. "What are you guys talking about now?"

"I was telling them about this convenience store by my old high school everyone went to to have mental breakdowns," it's always a pleasure when Suguru looks at you like you've grown a second head. Laughter slips from your lips as easily as breathing. "It's called Adachi's ー that's the owner ー but the joke was to call it Adachi 7-11 because it rips off the 7-11 color scheme. He's a sweet guy though," you quickly add before continuing your spontaneous tale of the incredible 7-11 knock off store.

You eloquently tell your friend that Adachi is the kind of grownup who understand kids have it rough. That it's unknown who it was from Tsubame High that started the tradition of finding aisle to just sit and cry and snack in, but eventually it just became the spot to have freak outs. If you stayed to eat while you freaked, you simply paid for what you ate or drank when you were ready to leave.

Respect someone else's crying space. If you couldn't avoid going into their aisle for something, just politely pretend they don't exist.

If you really needed a cry, Adachi's office is free for someone having a particular trying time.

And last but not least, Adachi's was a judgement free zone.

It was like having a bartender for teenagers. Except in this instance, the only services the bartender offered were snack food, cheap wagashi and a select variety of beverages.

"First, I promise people don't go there to cry as often it I made it sound. Second, I know it sounds weird but it actually was kinda cool," you chuckle as the cursed user shakes his head the longer you go on. "Exam week? We're all basically in there studying and freaking out while eating a bunch of snacks." It really built up a surprising amount of comradery among your classmates you make sure to tack on before taking a break to finish the rest of your tea. "Before you ask, if I'm gonna have a mental breakdown, I prefer having it in the privacy of my own room," or in front of a beluga whale, but that explanation will take forever and a half. "And that... is the story behind Adachi 7-11," you conclude dramatically.

Suguru shakes his head but his expression is playful, "I give you points for the improv, but I'm taking away points for how long your story was."

You click your tongue in mock annoyance, "everybody's a critic. I just wanted to cover all the bases in case you felt so intrigued you wanted to know more about your mysterious classmate."

"You don't have a mysterious bone in your body," Shoko chirps and when you lightly kick her ankle under the table, she kicks back. "Utahime-senpai just feels betrayed that [First] is getting along better with Gojou." At the reminder, Utahime squints in your direction again. 'And after all I've done for you. I should have gone to Kyoto Tech', Utahime sighs into her warm cup. "The We Hate Gojou Alliance is turning into the I Alone Hate Gojou Alliance."

This is when Gojou finally saunters over, drink in hand, "that's because I'm cool and charming."

"You know, if you have to say it, you're probably not as charming as you think you are," Suguru advises with a grin. Gojou promptly ignores it as if he never said anything at all.

"Sucks to be you, Utahime," Gojou sticks out his tongue at the songstress. "[First] and I are practically best friends. Right, [First]?"

The more you deny it, the less convincing you know you sound so you stop with a heavy breath. "Anyway," you pivot the conversation to something other than your food-based truce. "Does anyone know if there are going to be any new 1st years? Or is it gonna be a while before we start seeing some new faces?"

Suguru nods, "I heard from Fujioka-sensei that there are two first years coming enrolling," you perk up at this information. It's a small jujutsu world, so small you didn't even know if you'd be getting any underclassmen. Two 1st years coming in still just seem so small though. From what you've learned though, 2-3 students per grade is average and the school lucked out with your 1st year class having four kids. Suguru points a finger back and forth between you, "she didn't tell me much about them but they're recruits from non-sorcerer families, like us."

Sometimes, life decides to grant you little miracles. "Finally, we're growing in our ranks," you cheer, bumping your cup against Suguru's. "That's less clan politics to hear about!"

The closest you've ever gotten to clan politics in Japan were from anime and dramas and the occasional snippets you learned about the imperial family on the news. That changed when you became a sorcerer. It's a small jujutsu world, you learn things here and there whether you want to or not. Interesting as the stories can be, however, you're glad your family is normal. Everyone at your school from a sorcerer family makes clan politics sound annoying at best and harrowing at worst and that's just from the things you learned from Utahime, Shoko and Mei Mei.

Your other peers aren't so keen on sharing what goes on in their families.

Yamada isn't the friendliest of your upperclassmen.

As for Gojou ー the only one of your classmates from a family apparently worth mentioning ー he doesn't care about clan politics in the slightest and opts to ignore it.

Thus, the Big Three Families still are a mystery to you even with Gojou's close proximity to your person. Nor are there any students at your school that came from either the Zenin or Kamo Clans. There are a couple enrolled at the jujutsu school in Kyoto apparently but you haven't had a chance to meet them. You only had three summaries to go off of when it came to the big name families in jujutsu, all courtesy of Gojou back in May of last year since you couldn't participate in the Sister School Exchange Event in Kyoto.

(Apparently having two special-grade sorcerers for students gave Tokyo Tech the biggest advantage so only Gojou and Suguru got to go. Jerks. Utahime threw a big fit over it too, but at the very least Tokyo won last year.)

"Do you like having rights as a woman?"

"Um, yes?"

"Then you won't like the Zenin Clan.  You know Carnage from the Venom comics in the States?"

"Yeah, my mom reads those."

"That's the Kamo Clan."

"Okay, well what about your family? What's their deal?"

"They have me."

Vague, but clear enough descriptions to paint the necessary pictures ー the Amazing Sexists, the Bloods and the Jujutsu Jesus Havers Club.

Considering that this year the Sister School Exchange event will be taking place in Tokyo, you wonder if this will give you a chance to meet these fancy jujutsu folk. You tell your group as much, sighing in wonder. "It's a good thing you and Gojou won the exchange event, I wanna meet the kids from the other school." That was what you'd been most excited about before Fujioka-sensei dashed all your hopes and dreams. You wanted to see the differences in the campuses and what sort of crazy the teachers had going on. C'est la vie. "What were they like when you went there? Were the big clan kids more refined than Gojou over here?"

You barely dodge the definitely cold hand that was about to touch back of your neck in retaliation while Suguru chuckles out an explanation, "They have a couple folk from the Kamo Clan. They were... nice."

"You hesitated before you said nice," Shoko deadpans.

"They were polite," Suguru pivots his next selection of words in his attempt to remain neutral.

Gojou sticks out his tongue, unimpressed by his best friend's attempts to be cordial, "they were whatever. We didn't really talk to them."

"Boo, you're boring," you shake your head in heavy but mocking disappointment. "Should have just asked Utahime, she's seen them more." Your gazes turn to the oldest person at the table.

Utahime shoulders square off in satisfaction at being deferred to. "There are a couple of Kamo Clan kids at Kyoto Tech, one of them won't be coming because he'll be a fourth year student like me," her spirit drops for a moment and you offer a small smile of reassurance. Fourth year students don't get to participate in Sister School Exchange Event. Hence why she'd been so upset that she'd been unable to participate in it. There's not much you can do to comfort your friend, nor is there anything either of you can do about the past. At the very least, Utahime is nothing if not an optimist. She'll just kick ass in a different category. "As for the younger Kamo, Ririka, she's actually pretty nice when you talk to her but she can be a bit intimidating at times. She'll be a third-year student once school starts."

You make a noise of pleasant surprise, "Kamo Ririka, I'll keep an eye out for her." There's nothing better than a nice but intimidating woman, in your opinion.

"As for everyone else, they're all definitely a lot more tolerable than Gojou, it's not even a competition," Utahime glared at the sunglasses-wearing boy pointedly. He shrugged back without a care in the world, unperturbed as ever. "But while I was visiting home, my mother told me that Zenin Naoya is enrolling in Kyoto Tech so we'll be seeing him in a few months as a first year."

Whoever Zenin Naoya is, just mentioning him immediately makes Gojou groan in annoyance. "I was hoping that brat was gonna get homeschooled," he chews on his straw. You aren't sure how irritated he actually is but you do note how white brows curl in displeasure.

Gojou makes a face, "Zenin Naoya. I can't stand that guy."

You nudge him, lips curling into a light smirk, "I'm sure your fancy rich kid beef isn't that serious."

"No, Gojou actually isn't being hyperbolic this time," you glance over at Shoko. She and Utahime are sporting matching grimaces, brown eyes glancing at one another in understanding. "Zenins are bad but Zenin Naoya is the worst."

Well god damn. You share a look with Suguru who shrugs back, just as lost. That's the problem with not being born into the world of jujutsu, you're behind on all the history and beef going on behind the scenes. You have to learn little by little whether that be through being told or stumbling your way into procuring the knowledge on your own.

Zenin Naoya ー a member of the Amazing Sexists. You glance back at Gojou who has gone back to drinking away at his cup of tea. His partially obscured face doesn't make it any easier to read how he may be feeling underneath the surface.

Either way, you'll form your own opinion on this Naoya person when the sister schools converge in Tokyo.

Second year is definitely going to be something.

index | previous chapter | next chapter

Extra:

Fun fact for my fellow Americans and anyone else whose school holidays work differently, while here in the states, the end of summer vacation is when we go up a grade, students go up a grade at the end of spring break in Japan.

Summer vacation in Japan is about 30-40 days long depending on the prefecture from the end of July to the end of August. In Tokyo, I think it's from about July 21st to to August 24th. You come back and you're still in the same class. Winter break is from about December 26 to January 7th. And Spring break is about March 26th to April 5th. Like I said it can change prefecture to prefecture, but the mentioned dates are the standard for Tokyo give or take a few days or two depending on the ward.

Just wanted that knowledge to be shared, if you were curious as to why the reader is going up a grade after spring break. In Japan, the school year starts in April.

I really wanted to work on Reader's initial dynamic with her peers and her personal philosophies in these first few chapters before kicking off into the heavier stuff that comes in 2nd year. Considering how in canon, shit pretty much was smooth sailing for Gojou and co. during their 1st year until the 'Toji really beat the breaks out of 2 teenagers' mission, I wanted to reflect that in these initial chapters. Hopefully you guys have been enjoying it as much as I have. The Sister School Exchange Event is around the corner and those folks are coming to Tokyo, I wonder how that's gonna go >:3c (not that you can participate but there's plot, I assure you).

[saintobio]

as you like it (sequel to romeo ♱ juliet)

↳ gojo satoru/reader

bound by the dictates of the prophecy, the emperor contemplates whether retaining his wife or severing ties with her may be the sole path to fulfill his ambitions. yet, what he may fail to discern, is that the plague in his reign lies beyond what meets the eye

♱ genre. tragedy, revenge, period piece, renaissance au

♱ tags. 26k wc, extremely ooc, tyranny, emperor!gojo, empress!reader, (you will hate the reader!), unrequited love, religion (especially catholicism), blasphemy, mentions of infidelity, violence, war, rebellion, misogyny, impregnation, smut, disease, gore, death, arson, and written in early modern english/archaic english

♱ notes. heavily inspired by anne boleyn's real-life story, and manhwas sister, i am the queen in this life and ten ways to get dumped by a tyrant, as well as shakespeare’s king henry V. direct quotes also derived from the movie the king. has no correlation to the original as you like it play except for the title, as i wanted a title to my r+j sequel that's still shakespeare-inspired :) feedbacks are highly appreciated :')

masterlist. playlist. gallery. archaic grammar index.

EARLY MODERN ENGLISH -> MODERN ENGLISH VERSION

𝐃𝐑𝐀𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐒 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐄.

SATORU, Emperor of Caelum.

YOU, of the same order.

SUGURU, knight commander of the Imperial Order of Knights.

TOJI, Emperor of Astheryn.

NAOYA, a duke, cousin to Toji.

GENEVA, nurse to the empress.

MAXIMILIAN, advisor to the Caelan Emperor.

NANAMI, a nobleman. 

The Pope.

FRIAR MYCHAL, a Franciscan.

YUUTA, cousin to Satoru, exiled

A maid. 

A physician.

The Oracle. 

Citizens of Astheryn and Caelum; kinsfolk of both empires; the Imperial Court, Nobles, Guards, Watchmen, and Attendants

⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊶⊶⊶⊶⊶♱⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷

𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄 

In a vast empire's might, an Emperor reigned,

Duty's veil his heart restrained.

Beside him, an Empress fair did stand,

Her love unmet, her heart unmanned.

Cold and still, his heart did lie;

Untouch’d by love's gentle sigh.

The Empress long’d for his affection true,

Yet his love remain’d a distant hue.

In shadows deep, her love did pine,

Bound by duty's rigid line.

As seasons passed, her love turned to ire,

A flower of vengeance, fuel’d by fire.

Now as our tale begins we see,

How love and duty bring us forth to tragedy.

⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊶⊶⊶⊶⊶♱⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷

THE LATE 15TH CENTURY

𝐀𝐂𝐓 𝐈

Only slightly did you loosen up as the sequence of your steps were taken in slow but measured strides. Each footfall had a rhythm that was neither lacking in confidence nor hesitance, with your heels clicking on the marble floors and the sound of it echoing along the spacious hallway as if to remind every person within the vicinity that the Empress was arriving. You held your breath much to the tightness of your corset and tried to keep your emotions intact, taking a halt from walking knowing that your ladies-in-waiting were tailing you closely behind.

Two valiant knights stood by his door, offering a curtsy to their Empress the minute you had crossed their eyes. A knock on the door followed. Then, soon enough, you were granted a step forward inside your husband’s study. 

There he was, ensconced behind his desk amid copious piles of paperwork, his attention undivided by the woman who graced his study with her presence. His locks, reminiscent of Arctic snow, were meticulously arranged, accentuated by the resplendent black doublet he donned, adorned with intricate silver patterns upon the brocade cloth. His eyes, as blue as the sky and oceans alike, declined to meet the gaze of his own wife. 

“For what purpose art thou come?” he uttered.

Meanwhile, you made a swift curtsy and motioned for the attendants and knights to depart away, leaving the two of you alone. “I crave a word with thee, Your Majesty.”

His countenance appeared to congeal as he fixed his gaze upon you for several uncomfortable moments. "Of what matter?"

“Concerning the New Year's banquet, dear husband. It draweth nigh in a fortnight, and arrangements must be set in motion.” You stood squarely afore him, hands entwined afore you. A regal presence. A queenly figure, fashioned precisely to his desires. Such was the image the empire had embraced since your ascension to the throne. Before him stood the epitome of grace suited to that role. “Pray, what theme dost Your Majesty propose?” 

He closed the ledger he had been inscribing on, scrutinizing your features intently. “I harbor little fondness for such gatherings, yet the banquet is a necessary evil.” His gaze shifted towards your gown, meticulously crafted to complement your form, adorned with the same elaborate embroidery as his own attire, accented by a sizable silver cross adorning your neck like the good Christian you were. “The citizens already begin to take note of our opulence; thus, I eschew an excessiveness that may draw undue attention. Let it be lavish enough to suit our status, yet not overly extravagant. As for the theme, it ought to be black and silver to match our regalia.”

The Caelum regalia, once bedecked in innocent hues of white and blue, underwent a somber transformation to black and silver upon his ascension to the throne. Behind this alteration lay a tragic tale. Satoru, the man whom you addressed as husband, had first borne the title of Crown Prince before ascending to the imperial seat. His younger sister, the infamous maiden who met her demise alongside her lover, was bound to an ill-fated romance that purportedly quelled an age-old enmity between two ancestral foes.

The forbidden romance betwixt a scion of a Zen'in and a scioness of a Gojou, both of princely lineage, ignited strife between the Astheryn and Caelum Empires. With half a century of animosity between these bloodlines, a lust for supremacy, and an unyielding clash between nations, the discord erupted into a civil strife, ceasing solely with the ratification of a peace accord signed by the sovereigns of both empires.

Yet before all these tumultuous events unfolded, Satoru's ascent to the highest throne owed much to you. Though you were not his intended betrothed, you were a lady deeply enamored with the prince; with whom he divulged myriad fervent nights with. As the daughter of a duke whose lineage boasted mastery in the craft of forging fine swords and weaponry, and so well-versed in the art of warfare, he saw you fit to stand as his empress, prepared to reciprocate your erstwhile unrequited love through means of marriage. Howbeit, this accord came at the cost of you aiding him in his quest to unseat both his father and mother from their thrones. He loathed his parents just as strongly as he did Astheryn. The rulers preceding him were despotic tyrants, showing scant regard for kinship ties, and they exhibited no sorrow for the passing of the princess, which was a loss deeply felt by Satoru.

Satoru carried ambitions of ascending to the august throne of Caelum from a tender age, unwilling to await the natural demise of his father for ascension and instead, do it by means of force. He was prepared to imbrue his hands with his own kindred’s blood to sit at the highest throne, yet such a feat was no trifling matter. The civil unrest presented the opportune moment to execute his plans, spurred on all the more by his sister's untimely demise. With your military affiliations and strategic acumen, you aided him in orchestrating a coup d'état against his own kin. Ending it all with him, severing his father’s head with a sword, and you, killing his mother with a dose of poison. His other oppositions followed, and those who did not support his cause were offered a swift journey to hell through mass execution. Throughout these macabre events, you stood steadfast by his side, currying favor with the surviving nobility to fortify his position as emperor. Identifying traitors, you presented them for his judgment. In due course, you became his most trusted confidante, the sole woman deemed worthy to stand beside him on the day of his coronation, heralding the dawn of a new era for the empire. Thus, a new nation, a new sovereignty, and a new regalia were born.

“As thou wish, my liege.” With careful steps, you navigated his study, casting an appraising gaze upon the books lining his shelves before pausing behind him. He ought to discern that the banquet did not solely occupy your intentions that day. “Prithee, burden not thyself with all this paperwork.” Your lips brushed his ear. ��Instead, shall I expect thee in my bedchamber this eve?” 

He tensed, drawing a deep breath to temper his emotions. You always seemed to know how to push his buttons—in good and bad ways. You played him like a fiddle as always. Indeed, he was well aware that your desires surpassed the scope of mere banquet arrangements. “Very well.”

The distant gaze he cast upon you pierced deeply. Eight long years of matrimony, and only now did he begin to exhibit such aloofness. Only now did such estrangement manifest. What sudden shift had befallen this marriage? You were not privy to the answer, yet you strived to deny it. Natheless, for the sake of your peace of mind, did you venture forth with your inquiry. “My liege, I wilt be so bold as to believe that thou dost not carry grudge against me.” Your eyes remained fixed upon his saintly face. “Do I speak true? For my failure to conceive the last time we—”

“‘Tis useless to harbor grudge over matters beyond control.” Displeasure thinned his lips. “What gain have I, to chastise thee merely because thou art barren?”

Pained by his words, you stepped away, quietly but firmly asserting, “...I am not barren.”

“Thou hast failed to conceive after eight years; to mine eyes, that qualifies as being barren.” He flipped back to the page he was perusing, resuming his writing.

Any trace of happiness that once adorned your mien now dissipated, and was replaced by the shadows of his cutting words. “Then, what plan shall thou construct if I fail to bear fruit?”

Satoru halted in his writing, his quill suspended in the air. He closed his eyes as he spoke, “Should thou not conceive in the foreseeable future, I am left with no alternative but to initiate a divorce. No matter the cost.”

Your eyes widened at his decision, your breath catching in your throat as the weight of his words settled upon you. His words seemed rehearsed, so well-thought of, as though he had expected this day to come and heretofore looked forward to informing you of this very plan. You failed to catch his reasoning, but succeeded at bearing the pain it had burdened you with. What had driven him to this conclusion? Certainly, a mere heir would not lead him to this ultimatum. 

“A concubine, then, doth thou suggest so?” Firm and resolute in your stance was how you received his proposal. 

The emperor averted his gaze, allowing silence to stand as your response for several minutes until he finally articulated a considerate reply. “Mine heir cannot be born a bastard, and so concubines shall only complicate matters. I have no plans in that department.” You sensed the direction of his thoughts, and you dreaded his continuation. “Rather, I beseech thee to abdicate thy throne, and I shall remarry another lady, be it of royal or imperial lineage, to bear the heir of this empire. It is the sole fitting course of action. That which, a divorce shall become necessary.”

“Step down from my throne?” Your voice quavered, laced with disbelief and anguish. Your hands clenched into fists at your sides. “Thou would cast me aside, discard me like a worn-out garment in your mistemper’d fit, for the sake of an heir? After everything I have done for thee.” Your words echoed in the chamber, each syllable heavy with the betrayal you felt.

Your heart, once brimming with devotion, now lay shattered at your feet. All your life, you have loved him. All your happiness and tears, you have devoted to him. You had stood by his side through every trial, every conquest, only to be deemed unworthy of bearing his legacy. The sting of rejection seared your soul, igniting a fierce resolve within your wounded spirit. Yet nothing was his response. No words of comfort did he return for your wifely agony. 

With a voice trembling through a mixture of sorrow and defiance, you met his gaze. “Fair enough,” you whispered, your tone laden with a sorrowful resignation. “If it is a concubine thou seek, then so be it. But a divorce, will I not honor. And know this, my lord,” you declared, your voice rising with a newfound strength, “I am the Empress. The only one. There is none within this empire akin to me, for a worthless, lowly concubine shalt not depose this Empress Y/N of Caleum thou wouldst so readily compromise.”

And in that solemn proclamation, you turned away, your stolid mien masking the shattered pieces of your fractured heart. 

His countenance remained stoic as he observed your departure, sighing inwardly as you exited his study. Although no longer offering a response, he found himself unable to deny the truth of your words. Nor the power in which you presented them. Your presence lingered in his thoughts, holding sway over him in a manner he could not fathom. 

As expected, you were epitome of a powerful empress just like what his mother once was and there ought to be a lot more convincing for you to step down from your post. 

⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊶⊶⊶⊶⊶♱⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷

𝐀𝐂𝐓 𝐈𝐈

“If the oracle speaks true, then I fear, my lord, that this empire is destined to fall.”

It was late in the night, though the castle still brimmed with light from the torches adorning the halls. Most servants had retired to bed by this hour, barring the guards stationed at key areas of the castle. Meanwhile, the emperor remained awake, engaged in discussions concerning the fate of his sovereign. A predestined fate that could only be avoided should he make the effort to fulfill the conditions of the prophecy. 

Standing discreetly before him was Lord Maximillian, his advisor—a man who had witnessed his growth from juvenile years to the present moment. He had come to offer the emperor the much-needed counsel regarding the pressing matter at hand.

“Max, what say thee? Discuss unto me; dost thou deem me incapable?” The man of higher power questioned. “I have conversed with the Empress regarding the divorce. I have set forth the framework of my scheme should she falter in birthing my heir. I have articulated it in a manner that renders it just in her eyes. Yet, she reacts with such intensity. And loves so ardently. Ah! Women. Such vile, defiant women art the problem! A termagant—that, she is. For many years, I have afforded her the benefit of the doubt. Her mind is too ambitious for her own right. I know not how to proceed with her any longer. The prophecy dictates that I must have an heir.”

The old man returned him a soulless look. “If thou take the matter otherwise than is meant, then may I suggest that Your Majesty dispose of her.”

“Dispose?” he queried, as though he had misheard. “Her? My wife? Thou see it best to dispose of her?”

“Ay, I think it be. In the same fashion as your sire and dame,” Maximillian asserted, drawing a deep breath. “Prithee, do not misconstrue my intent as treason. My loyalty lies in thee, my liege. I stand by thee. I seek naught but the best for thee, for this empire hath not seen better days until thy sovereignty.”

Silence enveloped the air. Satoru took a moment to gaze at his elongating shadow, gradually shaping itself as he moved farther from the candlelight. In the darkness, his shadow morphed into a menacing silhouette, a specter lurking in the darkness was what had become of him. To become a tyrant was never his intention nor the promise he made to his departed sister, who yearned for Satoru to embody fairness and strength in rulership. And to be an emperor for the people. She had strived for peace among nations, yet here her brother stood, mirroring the oppressive parental figures he had overthrown. What allure did power hold over him? What such force could sway him now to forsake the very individual who had displayed unwavering marital devotion towards him?

“Hast thou been in correspondence with the King of Ellesmere?” inquired the Emperor. “Is it not so that his daughter, the princess, was to wed the late Prince of Astheryn? That prince was the very son of that wretch. That despot. That Emperor Toji II of Astheryn, my foremost enemy. What hath become of that princess, dost thou know?”

Maximillian stared at him intently. “Eight years and a vicennium ripe, yet still an unmarried maiden is the fair Princess Katarina. Is it her hand that Your Majesty seeks?”

“I shall speak my mind as the emperor, so I say this: ‘tis merely her status that makes of her the sole eligible woman to be my wife and empress of this empire.” His decision was wrought with hesitation yet born out of necessity. “Yet for the nonce, she cannot be seated until Y/N hath been dethroned. My decision shall hinge upon whether my wife shall be able to bear my heir anon. Elsewise, I shall dispose of her.”

His advisor sent him a look of approval. “‘Tis a decision that can only originate in thee, my lord. God be with ‘ye.” 

“If that be all, then give leave awhile.” The emperor paused at the western part of the castle, a nigh away from the corridors leading to his wife’s bedchamber. “I do beseech thee to be my herald on the morrow. Write to the King of Ellesmere briefly and concisely. Ere thou falsely honor a new empress, the long hours of my night are to be spent with the woman presently seated upon the throne.”

Eventually, Satoru reached your chambers and noticed that a few candles had been lit, their warm light illuminating the room softly. In the solitude in which you found yourself, seated by the bed and bathed in moonlight, silent in such serenity he hoped not to disturb. The fabric of your nightgown, thin and delicate, revealed the contours of your womanly figure beneath. He, too, was clad in a thin robe that left little to the imagination. 

As you turned to face him, you caught sight of the faint scars and marks from countless battles etched across his body, though his expression remained mostly neutral as it always had and you were unbeknownst to the profanity he had spoken of you a few minutes hence. Now, his electric blue eyes looked at you with careful scrutiny, pondering whether this sensual encounter would all be in vain or if you truly intended to fulfill your role and bear an heir this time.

“How stands the hour?” You spoke softly, approaching him with a sad glint in your eyes. “I have waited.”

“Pardon. Urgent matters call’d upon me.” Satoru could see the sadness in your eyes, but he tried his best to ignore it. You are barren, and there is little he can do to change that. He should begin his newfound task to detach from you. You brought him no good. You offered him no better fate. You were no longer instrumental for him to attain his long-standing ambition. Nevertheless, with your genuinely loving eyes he found himself conflicted, and that showed in his facial expressions. His brow knit, and he parted his lips as if to speak before hesitating and closing them again. You sensed his inclination to make you feel miserable, to render you desolate, yet he could not muster the resolve to articulate such words. Thus, he remained silent.

While you, you stood perfectly still. Like a porcelain doll displayed as a mere decoration. You wanted nothing but to give him his manly satisfaction that night, hoping that your marriage could still work and that he would not need the betrothal of another lady to carry him an heir. With delicate hands, you let the nightgown slip away, falling beneath your feet as the cold air caressed your naked form. This body. All of it belonged to him. “My lord.” You kept your eyes on him. And he, on your shapely bosom. “Please do with me as thou wish.”

Satoru’s eyes darkened as he stared at you, his voice taking a commanding tone to match his expression. “Turn around.”

You did as ordered. As obediently, as submissively. Like a servant serving her master. Yet, beneath this guise of obedience lay a deeper yearning—to vie for his love once more, and to affirm, if only for one last time, that his words this morn were but a fleeting outburst of heightened emotions.

“Thou art fair, indeed,” whispered he. ‘Tis a shame that you fall short in one aspect.

He walked behind you, enfolding you in his muscular arm, ensnaring you in his robust grasp as his fingers traced a path down your back. You could feel the contours of his toned abs pressed against your back, while he explored the dips and curves of your body with his touch, squeezing the soft mounds on your chest. He then leaned his forehead against your neck, trailing tender kisses along your spine. 

The passionate night continued with the both of you taking turns in granting each other pleasure. The kisses around your neck, his tongue in between your folds, your hand wrapped around his well-endowed member. And before you know it, he was entering you from behind, penetrating the depths of your cavern in pursuit of reaching his high. His grasp on your hips tightened with each thrust, rendering your knees weak as you remained on all fours.

Your intimate session lasted for a while, as he was not satisfied enough at having only one release for the night. He jostled you from the back, to the side, and to the front. All of which left you with the warmth of his seed seeping out of your entrance, and subsequently down your thighs. 

If only he did not let his mind speak, you could have deluded yourself that this night was his declaration of utmost love for you. 

“I shall leave thee if an heir dost not soon grant me, do we share this understanding?” Satoru did not sleep as he looked at you, his thoughts running rampant as he questioned whether or not he was being too cruel. His heart skipped a beat as he saw a second of your tears, tears that you so rightfully held back, and he was at a loss of words for once. He knew that he needed to stay firm on his decision, but seeing you on the verge of breaking down... it struck guilt in him. Satoru’s face softened, his tone becoming more calm and less forceful. Subconsciously did he do his best to comfort you. “It disheartens me that it hath come to this. Though I speak it to thee, I have duties to fulfill as emperor.” 

You could not answer immediately and tried to bear the sting it brought to your heart. “How now, didst so suddenly thou find it easy to cast me aside? Wherefore, is it another lady on thy mind?”

“That’s not so.” His guilt was knocking at the door, but he tried to pay it no mind. “This empire requires an heir and thou have failed me.”

“Blame the lack of children on thyself, perchance.” You bit back as your chest rose and fell from heavy breaths. “So infrequently did mine own husband warm my bed as though I am unwed. Blame it, then, on the distance thou have set upon us! A child cannot be born if not be made.”

Satoru’s eyes narrowed at your words. “And dost thou suggest we consummate every minute and every second of the day?” A scoff left his lips. “Eight years, I have given thee.” 

“And yet, for eight years, thou hast not learn’d to love me.”

Your gaze remained fixed, each word hanging heavily in the air, as the weight of your shared history and unresolved emotions loomed between the two of you. It was as though the very atmosphere crackled with tension, the silence pregnant with unspoken truths and unfulfilled desires. What was his true and most honest intent in forsaking you? 

Satoru sat by the edge, ultimately deciding to leave you with yet another night devoid of slumber, lone upon your chamber. “Love? That very love is what killed my sister.” 

⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊶⊶⊶⊶⊶♱⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷

𝐀𝐂𝐓 𝐈𝐈𝐈

A fair distance from the Gate of Saint Pellegrino, a homeless woman cradled a baby in her arms. Her other children darted about Saint Peter’s Square while she sang a hauntingly familiar lullaby to her infant—a melody too melancholic for a child, yet so fitting for the occasion. You recognized it as the song created by the Caelan citizens after the war ended. Her dulcet voice would rival the angels of the sky, and amidst the throng of people attempting to breach the ranks of the knights surrounding the Emperor and Empress, she stayed firm in her spot, her haunting hymn weaving through the atmosphere, while her storm-grey eyes bore into you with an eerie intensity to captivate you in a trance. 

A rose will bloom, it then will fade

So does a youth, so does a fairest maid

Beneath the stars, they found their place,

In secret trysts, love's tender grace.

But lo, the fates their love did fray,

In bitter strife, they slipped away.

So hush, dear ones, and hear this lay,

Of love that wilted, night and day.

In whispered sighs, they bid goodbye,

Two souls in love, 'neath starry sky.

A decade had passed since the most scandalous demise of the Astheryn prince and the Caelum princess had occurred, where both lovers were discovered lifeless within the somber halls of the Sistine Chapel. Contrary to the common folk's belief, they were not wed, nor did they meet their tragic end at Saint Peter’s, forsooth, as their bodies were in fact found at the nearby Sistine Chapel, and their mortuary later held at Saint Peter’s basilica. The Catholic church acknowledged this romantic tragedy as a conclusion to the long-standing feud betwixt two noble empires, henceforth commemorating the young couple's demise each passing year with a holy mass.

This year rendered particular significance as it marked the solemn tenth anniversary of their untimely departure. Mayhap, it may be the reason why your husband had been on edge as of late. Every year, his sister’s demise served as a brutal reminiscence for him—a grim reminder of his perished sister and the origin of his tyrannical reign. He bore witness to his parents' handling of the conflict with Astheryn ten years ago, whereupon they callously demanded the common folk spill their blood in service to the imperial dynasty, igniting civil unrest in its wake. Such ruthless and cowardly deeds left an indelible mark upon him and brought him to the ultimatum of becoming a usurper. You vividly recalled the night he sought solace at your family's estate, clad in battered armor from countless battles waged. That eventide, he wept in your arms, confessing the death of his sister and his burning desire to exact vengeance upon those responsible for his loss. In exchange for marriage, you devised a scheme to orchestrate the coup that would once and for all elevate him to the imperial throne.

Despite the facade of peace ushered in by the treaty between him and the Astheryn Emperor, the truth remained stark: both empires were merely feigning reconciliation. They were only nominally “at peace”. A cold war, by all accounts, defined their true relationship.

The tension could be felt inside the basilica even from the moment you and your husband arrived at The Venera, a microstate on the borders of Astheryn and Caelum, in front of the men of both empires, as well as the members of the Holy Catholic Church. For many years, this sacred state remained a recognized territory of Caelum, despite its official designation as an independent ecclesiastical entity. The Gojou family were openly pious and deeply devout Catholics, while the Astherean citizens were predominantly Protestants. Not all members of the Zen’in clan practiced their empire’s predominant religion, and some suggested that Emperor Toji himself might be an atheist, albeit discreetly so. Rumors also circulated that the mother of the late Prince Megumi was herself a Catholic, which led to intense criticism regarding her marriage to a lineal heir of the imperial family. 

Nevertheless, this stark religious divide lay at the heart of the perennial animosity between the two nations. 

“Announcing Their Imperial Majesties, Emperor Satoru and Empress Y/N, the guiding stars of our empire, luminaries in the twilight of sovereignty.”

As you walked alongside Satoru, you noticed his usual bright blue eyes turning into a darker hue. His gaze fixated upon the altar, his countenance void of emotion, as you proceeded down the aisle by his side. Since that night, silence had permeated your interactions. And you still had no desire to engage him, especially if it meant enduring relentless pressure regarding an heir or the prospect of divorce. 

Yet there, you carried yourself with an air of quiet strength and dignity—a gown of the deepest black with long sleeves ending in delicate cuffs, a silver cross hung by your chest with a gemstone made from blood red corundum, and a flowing black veil crafted from the finest lace, enveloping your head and cascading gently down your back, partially obscuring your features. The veil added an air of mystery and solemnity in your poise. 

As for him, the Emperor was adorned in a doublet and hose ensemble, embellished with intricate brocade and tailored to fit his form exquisitely to accentuate his stature and regal bearing. Draped over his shoulders was a lavish cape of rich, dark velvet lined with ermine fur and fastened at the neck with a jeweled clasp bearing the insignia of his empire. Each fold billowed around him as he moved, creating a striking silhouette that commanded attention and respect.

No wonder the citizens of this empire were noticing your extravagance. And despised you for it. 

Throughout the mass, Satoru remained stoic, seated alongside you at the forefront of the church, his demeanor suggesting that this day of remembrance was a torment to his very soul. Still, he listened, but you doubted he agreed while Pope Alexandre VI delivered a sermon on the importance of unity and peace among nations, condemning the advocates of warfare and citing the tragic fate of the late prince and princess as a poignant illustration of how the animosity between two empires exacts a toll through sacrifice. Prayers were also offered for the souls of the civilians and soldiers who perished during the war, drawing inspiration from the teachings of the Bible as the mass adhered to the customary order of the Liturgy of the Word and of the Eucharist.

“In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti,” you recited under your breath, genuflecting before the altar and offering prayers for the soul of your husband's younger sister, beseeching that she find peace alongside her beloved under the guidance of the Holy Father. And as the mass drew to a close, you remained on your knees in prayer, the sound of approaching footsteps signaling the unwelcome arrival of an unexpected visitor—a presence that elicited a defensive reaction from your husband.

“Your Imperial Majesty, the Emperor of Caelum.” It was none other than Duke Naoya of Astheryn, whose sarcastic presence seemed to have acted as a representative of their highest ruler. Emperor Toji's absence to this occasion already constituted an affront to Satoru, and the pompous mien exhibited by the duke only intensified the indignation. A decade had passed since the death of Prince Megumi, and the prideful Astheryn Emperor still refrained from setting foot on Caelum's soil to acknowledge the purported 'peace' between the empires. Even more, the subtle curve on Duke Naoya's lips added an infantile insult to the already festering wound. “Kindly accept my belated salutations. It took me but a moment to discern thy identity—they speak of the Calean Emperor’s presence as formidable, yet, alas, reality oft falls short of reputation.”

You rose from the ground, poised to defend Satoru, but he raised a hand to forestall your intervention, maintaining his unruffled composure as he addressed the noble man’s jest. “Ah, well the Duke's wit is sharp as ever,” Satoru replied, his tone laced with equal sarcasm and earning the laugh of the surrounding nobles. “It doth seem that overseeing a mere duchy grants the Duke his ample free time, unlike the responsibilities that accompany the rulership of an empire that he so covets.”

“Oh, certainly!” Duke Naoya spoke in Calean with a heavy Astherean accent, still unfazed as his eyes slowly drifted to you. “They doth pale in comparison to the burdens of ruling an empire. Yet, surely, it is not as burdensome with the absence of an heir.” He let his implication hang in the air, an obvious insinuation veiled in the guise of courtly banter.

Before the exchange could escalate into a diplomatic strain, Friar Mychal took it upon himself to intervene, exhaling a laugh of unease and positioning himself between the Emperor and the Duke. “Very well!” he exclaimed. “I have received tidings that the mass attendees shall offer tributes for the basilica in remembrance to the tenth year since the passing of the Prince and the Princess. As a matter of fact, there doth already lie a plethora of flowers adorning their statue that His Majesty Satoru hath offer’d to the museum.”

The museum was just a short walk from the chapel and the space itself was decorated with ornate ceilings, frescoes, and architectural details that added to the grandeur of the surroundings. An array of sculptures lined the hall; of cherubs, saints, warriors, and mythological figures. One of the newer sculptures were of the Prince and the Princess, portraying young lovers in a tender embrace with the princely lad staring at his lady’s face. The sculpture was from a renowned Calean artist which Satoru himself hired out of the pure intention of donating it to the Veneran Museum. The nobles, members of the imperial court, and members of the church were all in awe after the sculpture was revealed to the attendees as such meticulous carvings and lifelike detail could only be done by Giancarlo di Firenze. 

“A remarkable piece, indeed!”

“The detail is breathtaking!”

“To capture such emotion in stone… ‘tis as if they are whispering their love story to us.”

Your husband could not have been prouder. Alongside him, other nobles also contributed their offerings. Some notable ones included stained glass art, precious jewels, a pair of lovebirds, and��� a particularly intriguing tapestry gifted by the Astheryn Empire.

The tapestry depicts the Astherean prince and the Calean princess lying together in death with the symbolic addition of a bloodied dagger laid atop the princess’ chest, representing the same weapon that Prince Megumi had used to end his life. The imagery not only insinuated that Satoru's sister was responsible for the prince's demise, but also served as an insult to the prevailing belief in her innocence surrounding her own tragic death.

“This…” Your mouth fell agape. You need not look into your husband’s visage to perceive his growing ire. “This is preposterous!” 

The joy was evident in Duke Naoya’s eyes, yet he endeavored to feign ignorance. “Ah, ere I forget, my noble cousin, the Emperor of the Astheryn Empire, did send an accompanying message addressed to His Majesty Satoru.” 

In the threads of time, woven with the fabric of our shared tragedy, lies the essence of our 'peace'. As we gather to honor the memory of what once was, I send forth this tapestry, whereupon love and folly intertwine in an eternal dance. May it serve as a testament to the fragility of alliances forged in blood and ink, where shadows of deceit cloak the truth we dare not confront. Whilst thou sit'st upon thy borrowed throne, may thou find solace in the echoes of thy usurped legacy. 

With insincere regards, 

Emperor Toji II of Astheryn

⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊶⊶⊶⊶⊶♱⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷

ACT IV

“My liege, this is unacceptable! Astheryn doth taunt us.” 

An urgent assembly convened at the council chamber, where courtiers gathered to seek counsel from the emperor who was now seated in a position of humiliation following Astheryn's brazen act of insult. You joined the court session in support of your husband, positioned at the throne beside him, while numerous men, each to their own titles and lordship, stood before you both. The courtiers' visages displayed incandescent umbrage as they protested and vehemently rejected the malignance from the rival empire in defense to the Emperor of Caelum. Yet the subject of the scrutiny himself remained staid and dignified. 

“We cannot stand idle in the face of such an insult. If it be war they seek, then we shall grant it unto them!” exclaimed one of the members of the imperial court. A proponent of war he presented himself.  

“Indeed, Your Majesty. To allow such an audacious act of disrespect wilt deem us cowards!” said another one of the men. 

Satoru rested his arm on the armrest, a hand on his chin. He appeared to be lost in profound contemplation, yet you have grown long familiar with that expression of his to know that he was fueled with choler inside. “What say thee, Etienne? War is not a decision made lightly.”

Lord Etienne, as his name was called, spoke his opinion on the matter at hand and acted as an advocate for caution. “Aye and by, my lord. A rash decision could plunge our empire into chaos and suffering. Mayhap, we can explore diplomatic channels first. War should be our last resort, our first impulse not.”

“Your Imperial Majesty!” Lord Armand countered. “With all due respect, thy name hath been besmirched! This is blasphemous, is it not, to this empire and us, its men?” 

“Our men are not prepared for war, Lord Armand,” the previous noble claimed. “An’ how can we wage war with our forces against those of Astheryn’s? Their military prowess is the mightiest throughout the central continent. They are barbaric folks, enemies to peace. We are naught but simple foes to them.”

The belittling of Caelum’s military strength ignited your ire since that the training of soldiers, weapon crafting, and the establishment of the formidable imperial order of knights were specialties of your family—a legacy that your noble ancestors had established in this empire. It was why your family’s ties to the imperial Gojou family remained strong throughout the years. Therefore, hearing such remarks was derogatory to you.  

You held your position and participated in the discussion. “Lord Etienne, dost thou speak so ill of Caelum, which is thy country, and speak so well of Astheryn, which is thy enemy?” For a moment, the court was silenced. “God quit you in his mercy! Hear his sentence. Is Caelum a jest unto thee? We have established our military might since His Majesty’s ascent, and are potent enough to wage war against the entire world!”

“But Your Majesty—”

“Silence, all of thee!” Satoru rose from his throne, exhaling in exasperation, and shot you a displeased look. His next words were sharp and his anger misdirected. “Empress, I appreciate thy indignation, but this proves women shan’t meddle in court sessions. Emotions depart from thy mouth ere logic enters thy mind. Thou art dismissed from this session. At once.” 

You could not fathom his sentences. For the longest time, never before had he dared to disrespect you in the presence of his subjects. Never had he dared to deny you of your rightful place as the empress of this nation, knowing full well the pivotal role you played in his ascension to the throne. Why, you could not speak! You were rendered speechless, too stunned to respond as you sank back into your seat, grappling with the sting of hurt and humiliation he had inflicted on you.

And somehow, Lord Maximillian’s eyes were uncharacteristically fixed on you as though they were in triumph at your situation. He did well enough to mask that with indifference withal. What was this hostility? Even the knights who approached you only had regard for the emperor, following his command of escorting you out of the council chamber despite your desire to stay seated. Yet to save face from this abomination, you did it upon yourself to stand up and leave at your own will. 

“Nanami.” In your disappearance, Satoru spoke again, this time facing his subjects. “How dost thou propose we navigate this situation?”

Lord Nanami was more of the voice of reason, expressing his approach on the matter with neither bias towards engaging in or retreating from war. “My liege, I speak as a good man for thee. Let us convene with our allies, assess our military readiness, and explore all avenues for resolution. Only then shall we make an informed decision. It is most meet we arm ‘gainst the foe.”

Satoru already knew the answer before the man had spoken of it. Why so? Because it was the same route he would take. Only, it was his wounded pride and disdain towards his greatest adversary that landed him to a much more inhospitable decision. “Along with that blasphemous tapestry, written in his message, did that Emperor of Astheryn disparagingly refer to me as a usurper when I am the true born heir to the throne.” He ground out the words with clenched teeth as he stared at the portrait of his father. His hands balled into fists, his face hot and pinched with resentment. He detested being called a ‘usurper’ as he detested Astheryn and all of the Zen’ins. Regardless of the path he took to claim his throne, he was still a direct lineal heir to the Gojou bloodline. “I cannot let that pass. I cannot let his insult go unanswered. Hence, take down these words and address them to him, who is mine enemy.” Satoru stared straight ahead, his face blank and emotionless as he spoke his next words in flawless Astherean language. “Emperor of Astheryn, your words are as venomous as they are misguided. While thou dost revel in thy petty insults and thinly veiled threats, know this: the patience of Caelum wears thin. Thy tapestry of deceit and blasphemy shall find no place within the halls of our empire. Let it be known that the path thou treadest leads only to ruin and despair. Should thou persist in thy folly, Caelum shall meet thy challenge with unwavering resolve. Consider this thy final warning. The drums of war beat ever louder, and Caelum will not hesitate to answer the call, for this usurper thou deride may stay true to that label when I seize thy throne and make it mine.” 

Following the court session, the emperor retreated to the training hall until late evening venting his wrath against the despot from the rival empire. He devoted hours in the hall, wielding his sword, sparring with the swordsmanship master, and decisively overpowering him to feel a sense of honor for himself. In his mind, each strike was a fierce expression of his imagination, envisioning what that battle would be like if it were Emperor Toji II in his stead. It would have been their second encounter in the battlefield as the first one ended in armistice for the sake of the prince and princess. This time, however, the execution of this battle would be markedly different. 

Later that eve, he returned to his study, still in his armor as he met with his most loyal advisor. It was a private counsel to discuss matters unbeknownst to the rest of the empire—the prophecy and, notably, you. 

“I fear this as I say this: the prophecy is upon thee, my lord.” Lord Maximillian’s voice hinted at unease. His warning, spoken with a mood of paranoia. “The oracle’s riddles are living their truth, and this predicament with Astheryn is a vivid illustration of that fact. War looms on the horizon, and it threatens to be thy undoing. Now, more than ever, we require the backing of another nation in the likes of Ellesmere.” 

“I see that.” Satoru responded with a heavy exhale, tossing his metal helmet onto the carpeted floor. He made his way toward the expansive window and gazed out at the courtyard below. There, he spotted you, meandering the rose garden alone under the cover of night. You were brighter than the envious moon, coruscating like a fresh tulip amongst the field of wilted roses. 

The lord cleared his throat and stood next to the emperor. “Thou must rid of her, Your Majesty. If it is what the prophecy hath taught us, then the Empress serves as a harbinger of thy downfall. The destruction of Caelum is the comeuppance of retaining her. Abandon all hope that she will bring thee child or luck. I do acknowledge the attachment that Your Majesty hath formed with her in thy lusty years together, but she is ill fate to all of us.”

You stopped at the fountain, seemingly lost in deep thought, and then began an expressive argument with yourself in your solemnity. The sight earned his smile. Satoru could not keep his eyes off you as if they were drawn by your beauty under the luminescence of the moon. How pitiful, truly, that your innocence left you no knowledge of the conversation he was having with his advisor. 

“She shall be appointed as a concubine,” he declared, “Ridding of her is a waste; divorcing her offers a suitable solution. She may not have my heir, but she is a strong empress. A true villainess, yes. That, she may be, but she is devoted to me.” 

“Which is precisely why thou must dispose of her!" Lord Maximillian pressed onto the matter with greater seriousness. “My liege, it is anticipated that thou wilt yearn for Empress Y/N’s loyalty even at the success of your marriage with the Princess of Ellesmere. An’ her ferocious devotion could only hinder thy plans and bring about thy downfall. Who's to say she will withstand the temptation from inflicting harm upon the fair Princess Katarina out of jealousy? This, as thou knowest, could turn Ellesmere against us!” His passionate speech then silenced him into a quiet plea. “Pray, Your Majesty, I implore thee to ponder it deeply. For the sake of this empire.”

⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊶⊶⊶⊶⊶♱⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷

𝐀𝐂𝐓 𝐕

In the evening, at the hour of eleven did you find yourself wandering the garden. It had become more and more difficult to live each day, unable to grasp why your spouse had been hostile against you for reasons you could not justify. If it were matters concerning your apparent infertility, then he could easily get a concubine just as you had already permitted. All of Caelum's nobility were well aware of your possessiveness towards him, yet it was you who proposed the idea of a concubine to him. Why, then, does he still entertain the idea of remarriage? Is it to guarantee that his heir will not be deemed a bastard? He possessed the authority to prevent such a label from being attached to the child.

“O, cruel fate!” You stopped in front of the fountain, staring at your reflection on the glistening water. “A dispassionate husband you have given me! Am I not fair? Hath I lost charm and warm youthful blood? Hath Cupid launched his awful arrow onto some other where? O, for that he is mad!” 

Tears welled up your eyes, blurring your vision as you looked into the mirrored reflection. You thought of Satoru’s hateful gaze when you closed your eyes and could feel the painful knots in your stomach. He had been naught but a distant spouse for eight years in your marital union, alas and alack, any improvements were farfetched. Every attempt at progress only fueled into a relationship filled with disagreements. 

Your monologue resumed. “There could be another woman, could it? A maid, perchance? One that crawls his bed at night whilst I am sound in my slumber. Fie, insolent wench! Or must it be a noble lady he had seen at a ball, a coming-of-age ceremony, or anything of the sort? Vile, dishonorable harlot! I shall strip off thy noble status and exile thee hence from Caelum!”

A sigh ended your ranting, leaving you with more tears to shed as you fondly remembered your youthful days of infatuation with him. He was the man you had dreamed of, yet now all he would do was to quarrel, and quarrel, and quarrel. You had become an enemy in his eyes. He may have drowned you with extravagant gifts and the rarest jewels throughout your marriage, but the one you most coveted—his love—was one he could not give. 

“My lady?” 

You turned around at the sound of the gentleman’s voice, whereupon a knight presented himself to you. No, not merely any other knight, but the Knight Commander of the Imperial Order of Knights. Sir Suguru, Caelum’s most prized possession, a power and battle-fit warrior, who could defeat a hundred armed men by himself alone. A hero he was referred to by this empire’s people. His commitment to chivalry and service did not go unnoticed as your husband, the very emperor he served, had more than once awarded him for fostering high morale and esprit de corps among other knights. 

“What brings thee hither, and wherefore?” you asked, watching him curtsy before you as he did the standard imperial greetings. His silver suit of armor gleamed, reflecting the stars in the sky, while the black cloak enveloping him mirrored the void of the night. Truly, an intimidating presence for those that knew none of him. 

Howbeit, his face was a stark difference from the aura he exuded. His eyes curved into crescent moons as he smiled, offering what appeared to be a handkerchief. “I am about my nightly rounds in the palace, and in hearing Your Majesty’s woe did I come forth. Is everything alright, Empress?” 

You sighed in lamentation and accepted the linen cloth from his hand. “To say ‘alright’ how I wish that would be so. The state of my marriage troubles me, yet hear none of it for these matters art private.”

Suguru acquiesced to your words and nodded in respect toward you, still remaining by your side in silence. Like a personal guard stationed to protect you as it seemed he had no intention of leaving you alone in the courtyard. 

“How, now! Dost thou not care to leave a woman in her peace?” you questioned, displaying a moue on your face. The tears have long been dried from your cheeks as you spoke to him. “I crave not to be perceived!” 

It was already a rare sight to cross the Knight Commander’s path around the palace, given that his duties did not include serving as a personal guard to the emperor. He was typically present only during official or diplomatic gatherings, and rather trained and oversaw the elite group of guards that would protect the emperor and empress. Nevertheless, with what little interactions you had with him, Suguru had always conducted himself as a respectful and dutiful subject towards you. 

“Forgive me. It is quite perilous to be alone outside at night, Your Majesty, as thy vulnerability may pose a risk to thy safety.” He moved to unclasp his mantle, draping the large black cloak around your shoulders, a much smaller figure than himself. “And if thou permit, the night is cold and a lady must stay warm.”

There was a strange flutter in your heart as your wide eyes saw the gentility in his intentions. You could no longer question why dozens of noble women would line up to vie for his attention. His actions spoke better than his words ever could. How far, you wondered, would his kindness to you take him? “Art thou not a bound subject to my husband?” 

“Forsooth, I am.” He stared ahead. “I have been his friend since our youth. However, it is with Your Majesty’s kin that I owe the honor of being a knight. It is with thy father’s support that I consider myself alive, standing here in this palace as the leader of all knights.” 

Not once did you move your eyes away as you studied his sincerity. “Then, if I ask thee to commit treason against the Emperor of Caelum,” you spoke with such regal power, “Shall I assume thy commitment to me?” 

For a while, Suguru did not speak. He appeared to be contemplating his answer as his stance had become defensive. Or hesitant, whichever fit. He did not meet your careful eyes, though he did look down and confess a knowledge that greatly devastated you. “The prophecy is what dictates His Majesty’s disposition toward thee. In the dungeon hides an oracle that he fortnightly seeks. I escorted him when he visited the oracle, who foretold him that he requires the birth of an heir in the near future, else a woman of no monarchical descent shalt be the cause of his downfall. To mine understanding, he read her riddles as having the need to execute thee and wed another woman of true royal lineage. That, that truth bears my commitment to thee, Empress.” 

Upon hearing Suguru's words did your heart sink, and a wave of disbelief washed over you. It felt as though the ground had been pulled from beneath your feet, leaving you suspended in a state of shock, desperately trying to grasp the magnitude of what had just been revealed to you. 

“Faugh! By’r Lady, that is a grave accusation!” Anger simmered beneath the surface of your composed exterior. You were livid at Suguru for being the bearer of such devastating news, for being the messenger of your potential downfall, and felt betrayed by your own husband, the Emperor, for keeping such a crucial prophecy hidden from you. You wondered why he had never shared this information with you, why he allowed you to live in ignorance while he made plans for your potential demise. But one thing for certain, was that this was the reason for his growing detachment toward you. 

The knight could only provide you with a comforting bow. “By the grace of God, these words art true. Lord Maximilian conspires with him. Hie to the dungeons and seek the oracle, my lady. She shall impart the truth unto thee.”

Beneath your anger lay a profound sadness, a heartache that cuts to the core of your being. The realization that your own husband, the man you loved and had pledged your life to, saw you as nothing more than a pawn in a game of power and succession. You felt a sense of profound loss, mourning not only the potential loss of your own life but also the loss of trust, of love, of the future you had envisioned.

Despite the tumult of emotions raging within you, you remained outwardly composed, your mask of regal poise firmly in place. You knew you must tread carefully, that showing weakness now would only play into the hands of those who seek your downfall. 

And yet, the devil showed himself. You had been oblivious to your husband’s presence by the window of his study as he stood a great distance from you, watching you engage in an intimate conversation with his Knight Commander down below. He could not gauge where that sudden familiarity came from as he witnessed Suguru draping his cape around you—an action that crossed a territory he should not have sought. The emperor could no longer tolerate watching it, walking in haste along the halls of the palace until he eventually reached the courtyard. His gaze was burning into the back of Suguru’s head as he stopped behind you, waiting for you to notice your husband’s approach before he spoke. 

“Empress.” His deep voice startled you. 

Your eyes were clouded with resentment, hidden under the veil of a devoted wife. “My liege.” 

Satoru stared at Suguru with a fierce look before turning to you. “It is dangerous to be abroad at this hour. I desire naught untoward to befall thee, hence I came hither to ensure thy safety.”

“I apologize, then, for causing thy worry.” A bitter smile painted your lips and the tone of your voice suggested of feigned concern. “As thou seest, I have a knight here who is trained to guard and protect me.” 

The emperor narrowed his eyes at the aforementioned knight, who elected silence out of deference to the reigning monarchs afore him. This very knight was a childhood friend of his, but now Satoru regarded him as a rival, for all the peculiar reasons. “Go and depart now, Suguru,” he commanded, and yanked the cape from the empress’ body, then flung it toward the knight. “I shall escort my wife back.”

Satoru caught you sending an apologetic look toward the Knight Commander, which in return caused his ire to grow. What was the conversation you shared with him for you to act that way? In fact, he had never seen you pay another man that much attention. What a devious, little wench. A foxy, scheming jezebel. Satoru threw insults at you in his head as he took your arm in a tight grip, pulling you away from the courtyard. The silence between the two of you was thick with unspoken tension as he led you up the spiral staircase on the eastern side of the castle. His side of the castle. 

“Darling.” Your endearment came out as a protest as you tried to pull your arm from his grip. “Unhand me.” 

Still and all, he was silent as he dragged you along. It was only a short distance to his quarters, but he did not let go of you even once. You should see in his eyes that he was not amused by the friendly interaction between you and Suguru. 

“I said release my hand, at this very instant!” 

He remained like a taciturn man while ushering you into his quarters. Once he had locked the door behind him, he released his grip on your wrist and turned to confront you. His eyes grew dark and cold. A shade of blue that reminded you of lightning. “I would prefer it if he did not approach thee when I am not present.”

“Ah, see now he speaks!” Scoffing, you glared at him. “He simply tender’d his best to comfort me. Do not suspect it of aught else,” said you defensively, in a voice backed by your authority. Only now did he realize that the expression on your face had become austere. 

“Even if that were true, I have no need for another man—especially a knight—to comfort my wife.”

“A wife? A wife thou ask’d for divorce?” you mocked as his statement erupted a laughter out of you. A loud, boisterous laughter that screamed an insult to his face. “Thou see me as nothing but a bearer of children. Not a wife nor a person thou treasure with thy heart.” As you ridiculed him with humor on your face, your eyes had also grown deranged. “A mere pawn to thy chessboard is what I am.” 

Satoru was rigid in his stance. “I only offer’d to divorce thee if thou were unable to conceive. It is my duty as emperor to sire an heir. If the empress fails to fulfill that duty, I am compelled to find someone else who will—”

“An heir this, an heir that. Out upon it!” You expressed your frustration outwardly, throwing your hands into the air. “Go get thyself a concubine, then, and I shall get myself a lover to even the score.” 

A lover? Satoru was seething, yet his expression remained unchanged. He knew that you were taunting him, and still chose not to give you the reaction you wanted. “Then, I may be certain thou wilt have greater success at producing heirs with thy lover than thou dost with me.” 

“Certainly!” you bit back, anger rising in each syllable. “In place of my husband, mayhap my lover could beget me a child, proving to the entire empire that it is not I who is barren.”

Satoru's eyebrows shot up in response to the blatant insult to his fertility. His cold eyes narrowed, the rage within him intensifying. “If thou hast a child by thy lover, it will not discredit my fertility at all. It will instead bring into question my choice to have a child with a woman who is unable to be faithful to her husband.”

Your chest rose and fell in heavy breaths. “If thou seek thyself a concubine, then I shall seek mine own lover. That or naught at all.”

“Fie! I seek not a concubine,” he raised his voice, a spasm of irritation crossing his face. “Ill-tempered shrew! Many times have said it, and I say it once more. In thy failure to conceive, my will is to remarry another lady and make her the empress, not a concubine! The heir must be legitimate. Stick that to thine empty head!” 

Satoru could feel the heat of your stare burning into him, but his mind had suddenly wandered back to the previous conversation, and he could not help but wonder whether you would actually have an affair with another man. The thought of it infuriated him, but he pushed it out of his mind as you stared at him in blazing fury. 

“Need I remind thee that it is I who aided Your Majesty in ascending to the throne?” A cloud of warning settled over your features. “It is I who aided thee in staging a coup to overthrow thy tyrant parents. If the princess did not perish, would thou not be a madman. Now tell me, the only payment I require in return is thy love, yet hast thou paid thy dues?”

He scoffed at your words. You believe all you did in leading the rebellion was for the purpose of making him emperor? It was in your best interests to see yourself climb the ranks of an imperial power. And it was certainly not love you sought, but mere attention and validation. “My respect should be enough of a reward for thee. I took thee as my wife as a sign of my gratitude. Love was never a part of the deal.”

“Love is the very essence of that deal,” countered you. “Thou would be foolish not to think so.” 

In his eyes, love and affection were something you should receive only when you deserve it, not when you demand it. In his mind, you had grown too familiar with him, too spoiled by his presence. It was time he corrected this. “Thou art mistaken in thinking that love is a condition of our relationship. Never have I made any promises of love or affection. I only promised thee of attention and the prestige of being an empress. Have I not fulfilled this promise and made thee into an empress in its entirety? Love is a mere illusion conjured in thy imagination.”

“A tyrant, he reveals himself!” You pushed him off you, eyes brimming with unshed tears. “What devil art thou, that dost torment me thus? Miserable villain! Usurping knave! Betrayer of blood, who masquerades himself an emperor under a false sovereign! I placed thee on that throne thou so wistfully enjoy. Thy power and authority have no hold on me.” 

The emperor's jaw clenched tightly as the empress's words cut through the air like a dagger. His pride was wounded by the venom of her words—words she had not carefully chosen, or perhaps did carefully choose, as she knew what words he despised hearing the most. His eyes flashed with jaundice as he fought to contain the roiling emotions churning within him. He wanted to lash out, to defend his honor and assert his authority, but he knew that such displays of weakness would only fuel the flames of dissent and discord.

Instead, he yanked your wrist again. “Forget not thy place, wife.” And then he grabbed your face with a rough hand, slamming you against the wall. “I may have promised not to take myself a concubine, but that privilege is not extended to thy behavior.” The tightness of his grip caused your cheeks to ache slightly, and he showed no signs of letting go.

“And what wilt thou do?” you spoke through gritted teeth. 

“What will I do? I will remind thee of thy position, wife,” he continued to speak in a menacing tone, “Test my patience as much as thou liketh. Go ahead and take a lover. Let us see how thy arrogance holds up when I force thee to bear his bastard child.”

You cussed him under your breath. “Is that jealousy?”

Yet, his countenance proved otherwise. “Not jealousy, as I am not possessive of thee. Bear whomever's child as thou wish. But once that child is born, I would never claim my title as the father. It would be deemed a bastard, its blood impure, and its existence an insult to my throne.”

“Press not the matters of infidelity to me when thou art the one in desperate need to put thy cock inside another lady.” You were bold enough to send him a look of disgust. “Thou art an emperor all due to me. Without me, thou art naught.”

In a fit of rage, Satoru exploded like a volcano spilling out its reservoir of hot, scorching lava. “You?! You think yourself the savior of this empire? Not by far!” There was a brief pause before he continued, eyes looking at you in unforgiving judgment. “I would have succeeded in leading the coup, even without thee.”

A snort escaped your lips. “Delude thyself that.”

“There are no guards nearby. No witnesses for thee.” The warning he had issued was laden with the implication of impending punishment, fueled by your defiance and vitriol, driving him to a boiling point. He seized your wrist once more, his grip tighter than before, as he leaned in close and spoke into your ear. “I could hurt thee right here and now if I wanted to, yet thou art at my mercy.”

“I need none of thy mercy,” you spat, taken aback as he pushed you against the wall. You could feel his breath fanning your neck as he leaned closer, inches before your face. 

Satoru's laughter rang out as you persisted in your resistance, his eyes narrowing with a mix of intrigue and anger. Your defiance only served to stoke the flames of his wrath as he began to speak, “Darling,” and made a mocking of your endearment, “Mayhap I shall ravish thee until thou art insensible.”

“Vainglorious dastard,” you spitefully replied.

He spoke no words for several moments, his breathing gradually intensifying as he gazed down at you like a toy he wanted to destroy. And for a fleeting moment, it seemed as though he was weighing whether to persist or not, but eventually, he made his choice, his voice adopting a more ominous tone with each word. “Thou wilt be ravaged.”

“S-Satoru!”

He pushed you towards his bed, and himself against you, pressing his body heavily atop yours. His breath became uneven with his anger overtaking his mind. Your whimper of fear filled him with sadistic satisfaction. “Yes, me, as thou said. No one else is here with us, and no one would bat an eye if they heard a scream.”

Your decision to pull his hair proved to be a significant mistake, though it was evident from your expression that you derived pleasure from it. You longed for it. You desired this wanton affection. This carnal desire. Lust bathed in your eyes as you observed him hastily tear his clothing, eager to feel the velvety touch of your skin against his. He wasted no time in undressing you as well, ripping away whatever obstructed your bareness, leaving you both exposed under the moonlight, indulging in the passions shared between lovers.

“I despise thee,” you declared, a hot moaning mess under him as he rammed his hardened shaft in between your legs where he himself was grunting at the pleasure of your tight entrance. In and out he went, and buried his face on your neck to leave purple marks all over your skin. “I-I despise thee!”

“I share those sentiments,” he jested, squeezing your breast in labored breaths before he sucked the rounded mass in his mouth. 

By the end of your long passionate exchange, he lay next to you, body soaked in sweat as he watched your sleeping face. The peace in those saintly features. Did you pass out? He could not be certain. Was he too rough? That, he was certain. It showed on the bruises that mapped parts of your body. He could feel a small tinge of guilt within him as he moved to pull the blanket over you, pressing a soft kiss on your lips. 

“Is this not love?” He opened his eyes when heard you laughing softly, eyes still shut but with a bitter smile spreading on your face. In a cold tone of voice, you whispered, “Thy love is tough, yet love natheless.” 

He knew it was not love, yet even if it was, you would soon be taken care of anyway. You would be exiled or worse, executed, should you fail to heed his warnings. He had to put his ambitions first and foremost before any form of affection he had of you. And if you truly, unconditionally loved him, you would understand why. 

That, that was how he defined love to be. 

⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊶⊶⊶⊶⊶♱⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷

𝐀𝐂𝐓 𝐕𝐈

The castle’s dungeon was an… unsightly place. Aside from the centuries of brutal torture and grotesque deaths that occurred down under, it also housed the memory of Satoru shedding his hands on his kinsmen’s blood. That was the place where he had slain his father, his rotting head still mounted on the wall as though he was an animal that his son had hunted. A tyrant, undoubtedly. Satoru's penchant for brutality knew no bounds, but he certainly got it from his father. While you were responsible for the death of a little over a hundred people, his would account for more than thrice that number. 

As you descended further into the depths of the dungeon, the air grew heavy with the miasma of damp stone, blood, and decay. A putrid, sickening odor greeted your nose the more you entered. If not for the torches that flickered dimly along the walls, you would not be able to see at all, yet those torches casted eerie shadows that danced and swayed with each step you took. It was a frightening sight and definitely not for the faint hearted. 

“Help!” Your senses were assailed by the sights and sounds of the dungeon's grim inhabitants as you ventured deeper into the labyrinthine corridors. Gaunt specters lurked in the shadows, their hollow eyes gleaming with a sinister light as they whispered chilling secrets to one another in sotto voce. Some also cried of agony and despair, some had already fallen unhinged from being held in captivity for so long—it became a cacophony of anguished cries and tortured souls. “Help me, Empress! I plead mine innocence!”

“Step back, Your Majesty.” Suguru, who acted as your companion in this macabre trip, unsheathed his sword to protect you from being touched by the prisoners. He threatened to slash their hands with just a simple touch on your dress. 

“Empress! Empress!”

You deemed it wise to pull the hood of the cloak over your face, especially as the prisoners were starting to recognize you within these cursed confines. It would be troublesome if Satoru were to arrive soon and they began to scream your name in his presence.

“Empress, this dungeon is meant for souls as tainted as thine!” 

That statement proved itself to be spine-chilling and hair-raising, as such accusations could not be denied. Truthfully, your crimes far surpassed theirs. You belonged with the forsaken and the damned. You already accepted that all your sins and trespasses would bring you nowhere near heaven, yet you had blindly murdered people out of love for Satoru. That was how crazy you were at winning him over. And now, this is where it brought you. 

But you pressed on and continued traipsing through the dungeon until you could feel the presence of the oracle drawing closer, a beacon of hope amidst the despair that gripped the dungeon like a vice.

Finally, you reached the chamber where the oracle awaited. It was a figure cloaked in shadow at the far end of the room. And upon adjusting your visions, you could see that the oracle was an old woman, her white hair cascading like a waterfall of moonlight around her frail shoulders. Her skin, alabaster. Her eyes, ghoulish and devoid of color, and they seemed to pierce the veil of reality itself as she spoke in riddles and whispers that sent shivers down your spine. It was your first time to encounter such an unrealistic being. They said each word from the oracle dripped with the weight of centuries of wisdom and foreboding. She spoke of prophecies and portents, of trials and tribulations yet to come, her words weaving a tapestry of fate and destiny that hung heavy in the air like a shroud.

“Speak.” You stopped at her chamber, demanding to hear the prophecy she had said to your husband. “Tell me the Emperor’s prophecy.” 

Much to your ire, she gave you no response, still staring at the empty wall. 

“Speak!” Your patience was growing thin as each passing second would crumble any hope you had inside that Satoru was not a man who would forsake you, or even execute you, in exchange for his ambitions. But it had been twenty or so minutes and still there was no word from the oracle. “Have you no mouth? Art thou not a soothsayer?” 

Suguru sucked in a deep breath. Should his accusations of the emperor prove to be a lie, you swore to yourself that you would be the one to put him inside one of the iron maidens in the dungeon. Or that daunting Judas cradle if he preferred. “Your Majesty, it takes time to make her speak.” 

“I do not have that luxury of time! I cannot be seen hither.” You gave him a menacing stare. “On peril of thy life, Sir Knight, if this be naught but foolery, I will disembowel thee myself—”

“Beware! O Empress, keeper of fragile dreams!” 

The sudden burst of the oracle’s voice startled you, as they were far from what you had expected from an old lady. It carried an otherworldly quality that seemed to transcend her physical form. They were melodic and haunting, a chilling quality that hinted at the supernatural origins of her prophetic abilities. It was as though you were paralyzed by the time she spoke, like all your senses stopped working and all you could ever do was be forced to listen to her prophecy.

“For the Emperor's gaze wanders far,

As he seeks a lady of royal blood,

Ambition cloaked in the guise of lineage,

And in his thirst for power, lies your peril.”

As you listened, your heart bled terribly, knowing that the answers you sought lay buried within the enigmatic riddles of the oracle's words. The haunting words of the prophecy echoed through the dim chamber where you stood frozen, in a state of despair and disbelief and every awful thing in the world combined. The truth, once a lurking suspicion, now materialized before you and it left your heart in shattered pieces because you actually hoped that none of the accusations were true. So, how could Satoru do this to you? How could he betray you after all your sacrifices just to be his wife, your efforts just to receive his love, and your crimes just to satisfy his desires? Through your hands, more than a hundred souls had perished. You had shed the blood of many Christian souls for him. You had offered him your chastity and turned back on your reverence by profaning the word of God. You had worshiped him like a divine being. Yet so easily would he cast you away. No, he could not even offer the slightest pleasure of loving you genuinely, without any inhibitions, without anything in exchange. 

While your sacrifices were his definition of the “greater good”, his betrayal against you was his definition of a “lesser evil”. It was his “personal gain”, for your demise would have no profound repercussions on this empire. 

Undoubtedly, that must be his truest and utmost feelings for you. 

Suguru held you in his arms when you fell to the ground, your entire world crashing before you as the oracle revealed your husband’s plans. Your hands were shaking, trembling. You had trouble breathing. He was there to guide you out of the dungeon safely, even if you were to run and weep like a madwoman. But of course, you were not that insane yet. It was simply the ache in your heart that catapulted you into an abyss of pain. 

Satoru must not succeed in his plans. He must not come out victorious. The greatest revenge you could think of was brimming in the back of your mind, ignited by the visible spite you felt for him and his web of deceit. 

And back alone in your bedchambers, nausea overcame you and had you vomiting all over the floor. You retched the harrowing experience at the dungeons, disgusted by things you saw and heard, especially the treachery of your very husband. You were sick at the thought of him planning your assassination behind your back, like an ungrateful imbecile who only cared about himself and his vainglory. 

“Nurse!” you called, coughing out the foul taste of bile expelled from your throat. “Come hither!” 

“Anon, madam!” Geneva came to your aid as soon as you summoned her and tended to your needs immediately. At the time, you could not make out much of the clatter that was happening inside your chambers as you lay in bed with your eyes shut. It seemed that Geneva had ordered the other servants to clean out the mess you had created, while she took over in putting you to bed and making sure that you were warm and comfortable. She had no single idea about what was going through your mind, and had she had any hint about what it was, you could only imagine how bloody traumatized she would be. 

If Satoru wanted to dethrone and destroy you, then you might as well help him with it. He should no longer be surprised to see what good of a show you could offer for everyone in this empire. 

“Good madam,” Geneva called gently, after an hour or so, pulling you out of trance. “A physician is already—”

You lifted a hand, stopping her while you tried to get out of bed. “There is not a need for that.” Despite your queasiness, you had decided that there was no time to waste for this war of love and death against your husband. The sooner you planned things out, the greater your advantage would be. You had to have the upperhand in this. “Nurse, whither wander dost my husband?” 

The nurse guided you up and draped a lightweight shawl around your shoulders. “I ween His Majesty is undertaking a military inspection. Escorted by a ten or so knights goes he.” 

An inspection? It must be related to the discussion at the imperial court. Of course, if Satoru was planning to wage war against Astheryn, he had to review the troops stationed in different regions of the empire to assess readiness, morale, and preparedness for defense. He could deploy an initial 25,000 men in his heavy infantry should he find the need to go on an all-out war with the enemy, but those amount of soldiers would require the emperor himself to arduously test if they were ready for battle. Naturally, the inspection could last four or five days depending on his assessment. And in his absence in the palace, either the empress or the other trusted advisors would usually take on the duties that usually were his. 

This was the perfect opportunity to devise your plan; to prune the branches, weaken the trunk, and uproot the tree entirely. The branches began with his loyal advisors, which have already been filtered out as those previously appointed by his parents became his enemies. Enemies that died by his hands and yours, because those enemies were advisors who did not support Satoru in his method of seizing the highest throne, so he could not risk having rebels in the empire who would later work together to topple him from his seat. When he first rose to the throne, he had several assassination attempts aimed at him, typically by means of poisoning his food with arsenic, or hiring highly skilled mercenaries to slay him behind his back—all of those attempts were intercepted by you. And at the elimination of those disloyal to him, Satoru assumed that the current members of the imperial court could hence be trusted since they had not shown any hints of falsity for the ten years they had served him. 

The difference between you and Satoru was that he was easily beguiled because the noblemen treated him a lot differently than you. They were ass-lickers, trying to win him over for their own superficial benefits, while you knew who among them were simply supporting Satoru for the sake of not being executed. Out of fear, out of an inherent will to live, out of an obvious lack of choice—there was one noble who stood out among the rest. 

And it was the one whose presence was not the loudest. 

“Lord Nanami.” Upon mentioning his name, you entered the palace library—a grandeur chamber notable for its high ceilings, expansive oak shelves, and accoutrements—as he stood in front of a wood table, strangely interested in codices. “Well met.” 

The blond nobleman curtsied. “Your Imperial Majesty, ‘tis an honor to be in thy presence.” 

You gestured your hand into dismissing him, cutting to the chase because you were still unwell. And for all the necessary reasons, you had to have this conversation with him or else there would not be an easier opportunity with Satoru’s eyes and ears around the palace. Nanami was his most trusted advisor, not Maximilian as much as he fooled himself to think so. “What codex read thou?”

Nanami spoke cautiously, his eyes fixed on the codex. “Of some medical writings and scientific treatises. Rumors are circulating about a mysterious outbreak in a remote village in Constantia, a city within the grand duchy of Valoria. It seems to be an illness that is spreading rapidly with only a 10% chance of survival. I hear they are calling it the ‘Black Death’ due to the appearance of gangrene. Considering the trade routes, that city lies along the Veridian Sea, which is a path taken by the ship that trades metals and minerals with us. They engage in that route due to Constantia's involvement with the slave trade, boarding the ship bound for Caelum for the metals and minerals, while ferrying their slaves all the way to Astheryn, their largest buyer.”

As if the gods were with you! 

The topic pulled your sudden interest, for it was proving to be exactly what you needed for your plan to be successful. “An illness, thou sayest? What records have we about its origin?” 

“Valorians perceive it as divine punishment for their involvement in the slave trade. Another prevalent theory is the miasma it brings, attributing the disease to foul odors and noxious fumes in the air and in the environment in which they live. Personally, I suspect it originates from a bacterium resulting from interactions between humans and infected animals.” Despite lacking sufficient research to support his hypothesis, you acknowledged that Nanami's personal theory seemed more plausible. “The symptoms suggest to me that it is not airborne, contrary to what most people assume.”

You kept your eyes on him as he fixed his pince-nez. “What symptoms doth it have? And what conclusion have thee on what they are?”

“Your Majesty, a swarm of dead rats were found in Constantia a month ago,” he first informed, leading you to his suspicions. “Given the escalating tension with Astheryn and our increased need for metal to support our crafting and weaponry, I bade a dispatcher to send a message to Constantia due to their failure to supply us with the agreed-upon metal,” Nanami explained, showing a haze of regret behind in his eyes. “The dispatcher wrote back to me, stating that he is unable to return to Caelum promptly as he was experiencing chills, buboes, and gangrene. I presume he perished within days of arriving there.”

The moue you displayed on your face could not be stopped. “Doth His Majesty know? Of this and yon rumors in Valoria thou speakest of?” 

“His Majesty, the Emperor, hath not been apprised of the matter yet.” The blond nobleman looked at you solemnly. “‘Tis my duty to inform him as soon as he returns from his—”

“No, thou wilt not,” you commanded sternly, earning his surprise in return. “Thou wilt not speak a word to Satoru about this. Obey my word and thou shall be rewarded.” 

This was good. This was perfect for your plans! If it was true that such illness was spreading in Valoria, it would only be a matter of time until the plague reached Caelum and wiped half its population! You laughed heartily inside your head. It would be an utmost entertainment for you to watch Satoru’s downfall before your very eyes. If Astheryn was no threat to him, then a biolgical warfare would certainly destroy him. No one else had to know of your schemes but you.

Of course, the ever-so-noble Nanami was not easy to convince, especially if it was a clash between his duty and morality. “Empress, I fail to comprehend... Such matters couldst pose dangers to Caelum and its lands. His Majesty needeth be informed, as he possesses the authority to prevent the trade ship from reaching us. Astheryn had already long ceased their slave trading due to it. We must do the same.”

“And thou believe I lack the same power to issue commands as an empress?” As you raised an eyebrow at him, his stance became more apologetic. “Continue with the trade by hook or by crook. I will sign the permit and have the ship arrive us on Monday next as planned. Let us not allow rumors of an illness to hinder us from obtaining our required metal from the city of Constantia. As thou said, we need abundant supplies for our weaponry. We must seize this opportunity to bolster our arms. Do not mention this to His Majesty, and if thou dare, thou shalt face the punishment of getting thy tongue cut out.”

Nanami’s eyes widened. “But Your Majesty…”

You pressed your hand firmly against the table and asserted your authority over him. “I have ownership of a couple of remote islands near the outskirts of Caelum. Surely, thou art aware of them? I will instruct my father, the Grand Duke, to transfer one of the larger estates to thee. Additionally, I shall provide thee with a quarter of my jewels and 15000 celestas as a deposit. In exchange, I command thee to retire from thy position and never again engage in conversation with my husband.”

It was a fair bargain. The man was certainly considering that because not only would he secure his own land and riches, he would also be away from the dangers of the plague should it truly spread throughout Caelum and its nearby nations. He would be safe there in his own estate with enough money to retire early. “Empress… whatever it may be that thou art planning, this is treason.” 

“This or punishment is thy only option,” you stated, eyes burning with fire. “Make wisely of thy choice.” 

⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊶⊶⊶⊶⊶♱⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷

𝐀𝐂𝐓 𝐕𝐈𝐈

The preparation for the New Year’s ball was arduous, and you spared no effort to ensure that every detail lived up to Caelum’s prestige. Because you had a generous budget allocation for this year's banquet, you did not hold back on the display of wealth, power, and culinary sophistication. The menu alone boasted elaborate roast meats, poultry dishes, pies, pastries, desserts, and confections, accompanied by a variety of wines and spirits to enhance the indulgent dining experience. More so, the smell of luxurious dishes inside the grand hall would be enough to water the mouths of the guests.

Invitations were extended not only to the nobility within the capital but also throughout the empire, welcoming all to partake in the feast as long as they came from noble houses. The theme, as initially requested by your husband, was black and silver to match the regalia, although this theme did not extend to the guests. They were free to choose their attire as they pleased, with the only restriction being to avoid the loud colors that represented Astheryn. 

It was well-known that Caelum’s nobility enjoyed flaunting their wealth and status among themselves, further highlighting the perception of the empire as superficial and governed by leaders who indulged in unethical opulence. While you may have denied such rumors, the truth remained: such ostentatious display of wealth was a century-long tradition upheld by the Gojou family to showcase the Caelum Empire as the wealthiest and most powerful across the central continent. If there was anyone Satoru should blame for this excessive extravagance, it should be his ancestors. Not you.

As the empress of this nation and the person who oversaw these types of celebrations, you saw it fit to wear an elegant gown befitting your status. You were dressed in a majestic gown of midnight black velvet, intricately embroidered with religious motifs and adorned with pearls and jewels that glimmered in the candlelight. A towering headpiece, resplendent with silver filigree and bedight with twisted crosses and angelic figures, rested upon your head as a symbol of your pretentious reverence for the church. You moved through the banquet hall with regal grace and elegance, a vision of piety and power, with your outward display of devotion masking the darkness of your thoughts inside. 

Next to you was your tyrant husband, whose attire was an obsidian velvet of the finest kind. Around his waist was a thick belt of black leather cinching the robe, its buckle emblazoned with the imperial insignia. His chest was bedecked with a chainmail hauberk, a display to his martial prowess and readiness for battle, while a silver mantle was draped over his shoulders, adding to his imposing presence. Upon his head sat a crown of gleaming silver encrusted with onyx and obsidian stones. 

“Long live the Emperor and the Empress! May Their Majesties reign be blessed!” 

Upon your entrance down the staircase to the Grand Hall, the guests offered their curtsies and salutations to you and your husband to show their deference and recognition to the imperialty. The nobles had their chance at a brief greeting with the imperial family based on their ranking, although Satoru showed little to no care for those at the lower ranks. Nonetheless, those of lower statuses devotedly sought to curry his favor and prove their allegiance to him. 

He is naught but a fool, you thought inwardly as you watched your husband dismiss a mere count. Satoru must not have realized that those he considered of lower ranking were often the most loyal to him. They were driven by their wish to climb the upper echelon of high society, therefore, they would go to great lengths to gain recognition from the emperor. Conversely, if push comes to shove, those of higher statuses would be the first ones to turn their backs on the imperial family, as they already possessed the wealth and status to sustain their own estates and exclude themselves from the rest of the empire. 

“Lords and Ladies, esteemed guests, and subjects of my realm,” Satoru spoke with gracious authority as he stood by his throne, looking down on the nobility before him, “I stand before thee on this very occasion, the commencement of a new year, to address the empire that rests beneath mine unwavering rule. As thy Emperor, I look upon the vast land that stretches beneath me, and aim to build great cities, forge mighty alliances, and expand our dominion to the farthest reaches of the known world. This eve, we gather not merely to celebrate the turning of the calendar, but to reaffirm the absolute authority that guides our great empire. Let it be known, plainly and honorably, that the prosperity of this realm is intrinsically tied to the strength of its ruler. In my hands, I hold the reins of power, and I shall steer this ship through tumultuous waters with an unshakable resolve. Those who seek to challenge the stability of our empire will find themselves met with the full force of imperial might. Let this banquet serve as a reminder—a celebration of the empire's indomitable strength and an acknowledgment of the consequences that befall those who dare to defy it. Raise thy goblets high, my loyal subjects, for we embark upon another year under the banner of unassailable authority.”

Satoru might be a terrible spouse, but he certainly was not a terrible emperor. He asserted his authority when it demanded him the most, and he knew well enough how to make his subjects cower in terror at every word he spoke. His speech was a simple warning not only to the nobles, but perhaps also to you, as he believed the prophecy pictured you as a traitor to his reign. 

Initially, you could say he was wrong and that never in a million years would you betray the same person you helped ascend the throne. But now that his resolve was to entirely eliminate you in order to succeed in his ambitions, you would not deny such grave accusations of treason on your part. He deserved a taste of his own medicine. It was only too bad for him that he had no knowledge of what you knew, and that was exactly why you were ten steps ahead of him. 

The sound of classical music served as a backdrop for the banquet, with the dulcet sounds of flutes, harps, and viols creating an elegant ambiance through the hall. The nobles worked on their usual slobber and socialization, usually reserved for recently debuted ladies to mark their own impressions within high society. The males were often there to discuss lands and politics or to be in search of their bride who would become the next noble ladies of their respective houses. The scene reminded you of your happy days as a once noble lady, a daughter of a duke, who was also the most popular and most eligible bride for Crown Prince Satoru among all of the nobility within the Caelum Empire. Back then, your biggest rivals were Lady Anastasia de Florentine and Lady Serena de Visconti. Both ladies came from esteemed houses and had therefore become a threat to your desire to be Crown Princess. In terms of beauty, talent, and elegance; they were definitely strong contenders. What they lacked was the wit, the cunningness in which you pride yourself with, as you ended up becoming Satoru’s choice as his empress. 

You were aware that Satoru spent his years as a prince dallying with other noble ladies, even courtesans, as he himself was fair in the face. And he was aware that the ill-fate that had befallen some of those ladies were due to your own cruel doing. You tormented any lady that vied for his attention. It was not until he gave in and got to know what you offered did he stop fooling around with random whores, deeming them unworthy to stand next to him as they served no purpose for him in the long run. You offered a better role to him than the rest of them, especially with your skill as a tactician and your family’s background in the military and weaponry department which all came in handy at the time of his usurpation to the throne. 

In other words, he knew how evil you could be since day one. And benefited from you because of it. 

“What plagues thy mind?” he asked, holding your waist and your hand as you both gracefully danced in pavane. His hair was neatly brushed away from his forehead tonight, with a few stubborn strands dangling on the side. “How awfully silent.” 

You stared at his bright blue eyes coruscating under the chandeliers, noticing how his gaze wandered to a noble lady. “It matters not to thee.” 

Satoru then narrowed his eyes at your coldness. “It matters much to me. What is this foolish act art thou playing at?” 

“A foolish act of playing the role of thy wife,” you answered briefly and sternly. “Dost this banquet satisfy thee? I have invited the empire’s most beautiful and most eligible ladies to be thy concubine. All of age and of noble background so worry not. Thou may choose anyone to thy liking, so the best be with thee.” 

The offense you caused was evident in his visage. As much as it entertained you, he was clearly enraged and on the verge of losing it. You already knew he would just remind you yet again that he wanted to remarry instead of getting a concubine, but it was too good of a reaction to pass up on. In fact, he stared at you blankly, speechless for a few moments as he processed the implications of your words. “This is the game you play?” he murmurs through gritted teeth, a hint of a scowl forming on his face. Conflicting emotions surged within him, a mixture of anger and hurt, yet ultimately he chose not to give you the reaction you seemed to seek. “I will humor thee. Where be these concubines thou dost speak of?”

You scoffed, and then laughed out loud to the point where it gained the curious stares of the nobles. “Wherefore, look everywhere and haply may thy eager eyes find them,” you answered in absolute joy. “That is all they shall be; mere concubines. If thou prefer a young and ripe virgin, that is also possible—”

“Do not get smart with me,” Satoru warned, grabbing a tight hold of your chin. The muscles along his jaw tensed. “Thou art but a petulant wench, a mere ornament next to my throne, lacking the wit and wisdom to comprehend the weight of imperial decree. The matters of remarriage are not simply to jest about. Know thy place, woman, and heed the consequences of thy impudence."

“Is that a threat?” You returned his glare, now feeling all eyes on the both of you. The thick air of tension permeated the hall like a cloud of incoming thunderstorm.

The emperor was not one to show weakness in front of public eyes, now displaying an authoritarian mien to his wife as he tightened his hold on your jaw. “Take it as thou may.”  

In defense to your wounded pride, you shoved his hand away and maintained a rigid poise. “Keep thy filthy hands off me, you usurping tyrant.” 

As tension crackled through the hall, a hushed unease descended upon the assembled guests. Murmurs  rippled through the crowd like a gathering tornado, and uneasy glances were darted between the nobles and servants as they witnessed the brewing disagreements of their imperial rulers. Some averted their gaze, feigning disinterest, while others leaned in with rapt attention, hungry for the spectacle unfolding before them. 

Meanwhile, Satoru was forcing a laugh at your chosen insult. Calling him a usurper really hit a nerve, as always. “Watch that foul-tongued mouth,” he warned once more, “Barren wretch!”

Approaching one of the palace sentinels halfway across the hall, you countered your husband’s heavy footsteps by drawing out a sword from a knight’s scabbard, thereupon making a swift turn to point the silver brand directly at his throat. You had not even realized that it was Suguru’s sword that you took. Deadly silence instantly spanned the hallway, and even the tick tock of the nearby clock had stopped because of the rising tension between Caleum’s reigning monarchs. 

But with one sword raised at the emperor’s neck, twenty more were directed back at the empress. Satoru’s loyal knights were quick to trap you in full circle to protect their sovereign ruler, forcing you to submit and restrain yourself from moving the sword any closer to the emperor’s throat. 

Unfortunately for him, being submissive was no longer in your repertoire. 

“You dare commit treason in mine own palace?!” Your husband’s venomous blue eyes bore holes into your skull—his mouth thinning in displeasure as you stayed unwavered by his imperious tone. “Thou art too brave for an empress consort!” 

“That is rich coming from a usurper himself!” you countered, satisfied by the spasm of irritation crossing his face. “Have as many concubines and courtesans as thou wish, but never disrespect me in front of my people. Treat me not as though I am lower than a mistress merely because I am childless to thee. Dare you not look down at me for I am an empress first ere I am thy wife.”

What kind of psychopath was that man, truly? 

You left the hall as soon as you said those prideful words, no longer wishing to hear what more intelligible things he had to say to you and of the preposterous scene in which you engaged. The more time you spent with him, the more you realized how much you had come to despise every fiber of his being. He was an ungrateful imbecile who would slay his own kin at the price of his ambitions. You may have started the quarrel, but he did not need to escalate it and put his filthy blood-stained hands on you in front of the nobles. His goal might be to put you in your rightful place, but he chose the wrong person to be his empress. That choice alone was the start of his tragic flaw. 

And with that disrespect would soon come his downfall. 

⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊶⊶⊶⊶⊶♱⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷

𝐀𝐂𝐓 𝐕𝐈𝐈𝐈

Satoru struggled to comprehend the shift in your demeanor toward him and the words you chose to speak to him. He found your behavior baffling, as if you had lost touch with reason to be acting such a lunatic. You were out of your bloody mind! What could have driven you to act so irrationally, becoming incensed at every little remark he made? Was it solely because he expressed a desire to remarry for the sake of an heir and requested you to step down from your throne? No, your anger seemed to stem from deeper roots than mere marital disagreements. The hostility in your eyes said so, and it was the kind that mirrored the animosity he had witnessed in his ancestors towards their rival empire. That was the level of rancor you had of him. 

Or could this be the dreaded prophecy coming to life? 

Maximilian had been warning him that the prophecy was becoming truer day-by-day, and that the only way to ultimately prevent it was to banish you. It should be easy, truly, since Satoru had no problems slaying his own kin and hundreds of men. Why should another soul like yours cause such an impact on him? 

Yet, Satoru found himself unable to take that step. The reasons eluded him. What he despised, however, was your increasing defiance. You were no longer the submissive wife he had grown accustomed to. Albeit your inherently strong personality, you had never before lashed out at him, insulted him, raised your voice, or shown him any form of antagonism. You always let him win arguments and understood your place. Extravagant gifts like luxurious silk dresses, rare jewels, and exotic fragrances used to be enough to maintain your compliance. Were his gifts no longer sufficient to appease you? What more did you desire from him? 

Love? 

How preposterous. Love was no gift.

The emperor cussed under his breath as he slid the robe off his shoulder and stepped inside the tub, soaking his naked body under the warm fragrant water. He raked his fingers through his wet, white hair, leaning his head back as he stared at the ceiling. It never occurred to him that his eyebrows had furrowed as his thoughts of you had consumed him. A small part of him yearned to punish you for your recent behavior, while a larger part of him longed to pursue you. He desired to regain your trust and devotion, no matter how absurd it might seem to others. How else could he manipulate someone who harbored such animosity towards him? You had been easier to control when you saw him past his selfishness, turning a blind eye as long as he played the role of the loyal husband.

Fine, if it was disloyalty that enraged you so, then he would show you. In another way. That the loyalty you seek still possessed him somewhere. 

The subject of his plan stood in his privy chamber, assisting him as he bathed that morning. He had long noticed this particular servant's subtle attempts at seducing him, but had always chosen to ignore her as he never felt tempted to indulge. Instead, he found it somewhat amusing that she would willingly display her body to him in private settings like this. Perhaps, he mused, it was a message to him, indicating her desire to ascend to high society by becoming his concubine. She likely sought to escape her life as a mere peasant and elevate herself to the status of a noble lady. She may have even heard of his sexual escapades back then as a wayward prince who entertained different ladies in his chamber before he married you. That was probably why she wanted to take advantage of the carnal weakness that she thought still lingered within him. 

This strumpet. Satoru scoffed inwardly as he watched his personal maid pick up the bottle of lavender oil from the floor. She had purposely unbuttoned the top most part of her attire so that her voluptuous breasts would pop out like two balloons sitting on her chests. Appearance wise, it was clear that she had tried to put on cheap rouge from vermillion or beetroot juice, tinting her lips a brighter red than usual to complement her fiery, ginger hair. Her eyes were lined sharp from the soot, as though she was trying to resemble the empress’ seductive eyes. 

“Your Majesty,” she spoke in a seductive voice, finding her seat at the edge of the tub as she poured the fragrant oil on the hot water. She raised her skirt higher as an obvious attempt to show off her legs, and offered a better view of her huge breasts as she leaned forward. Now that she was closer to him, he could see her taut nipples peeking behind her thin layer of clothing. “Wouldst thou desire for me to bathe thee?”

His lips may have curled upwards into a smirk, but his eyes were as terrifyingly sharp as ever. “Dost thou seek death?”

Her eyes widened in surprise, feigning her innocence as she received his warning. “Nay, Your Majesty! I do not seek such.” 

“Why art thou so bold to think thy body is more desirable than the empress’?” He began to question her pride, and later put her stupidity into good use. She would be the perfect pawn for him to win his wife’s favor again. “My wife hath the most perfect figure I have seen in a woman, and thine is what? Thou boast of thy breasts that resemble a cow’s?” 

“I…” The servant stammered, clearly offended as she got up from her seat and attempted to mask the embarrassment that appeared on her face. Satoru raised an eyebrow and waited for her response, while she gathered her courage to deny his claims. “Forgive me, my lord, if I have offended thee.” 

Satoru shook his head in amusement. “What is thy aim, then, if not to inveigle me into bedding thee? I do not consort with trollops.”

Caught red-handed, she stumbled and bowed her head at the lowest possible level before him. “I beg thy pardon, Your Imperial Majesty! I merely sought to aid thee in the birthing of an heir. I am not barren unlike Her Majesty the Empress, and I can assure thee I will bear fruit even if thou only dost me once.” 

“Get on thy knees,” he ordered, stepping out of the tub and wrapping his bare body with a robe. “Thy know that to be certain?”

Her eyes pleaded for desperation to become his mistress. “Certain, yes! I am certain, my lord! And I will be a loyal subject to thee unlike the empress—”

“Pardon?” As if her words intrigued his ears. In a swift motion, he turned to the servant and looked down at her with his cold, scrutinizing eyes. “Unlike the empress? Repeat thy words with caution. Thou art maligning the most noble woman of this empire.” 

It did look like she found her way out of his criticism by directing his ill-temper towards his wife. “Your Majesty, I am not maligning thy wife. ‘Tis true that Her Majesty is having an affair with your commander of knights! Some days ago did I see the empress and Sir Suguru in an intimate embrace, running through the halls as though they wish not be seen!” 

The emperor's expression hardened at the servant's accusation, his brows furrowing with disbelief and anger. His hand tightened into a fist as he processed the shocking revelation.

“Is this the truth thou speaketh?” His voice was low, carrying a dangerous edge that hinted at the storm brewing within him. The accusation struck at the very core of his trust and authority.

The servant's gaze faltered under the weight of the emperor's scrutiny, but she remained resolute. “Your Majesty, I speak only what I have witnessed with mine own eyes. By my troth and by God’s bones, I swear by all that is holy, it is no falsehood.”

Satoru’s mind raced with conflicting emotions, but he showed none of his inward thoughts outwardly. Instead, he delighted in this ideal opportunity for him to deal with gaining your devotion again. 

“Undress thyself. I want thou bare and without any clothing," he said, his voice cold and measured, “and thou shalt remain in this chamber until my return.”

With that, the emperor swept out of the privy chamber at once, leaving behind a stunned and apprehensive servant. She believed it to be her sign of good luck. Of good fate. That she now found her place as a mistress to the highest ruler of this nation. She could not believe her destiny as she triumphantly unclothed herself, peeling every fabric off her body with excitement as she imagined the things the emperor would do to her upon his return. She would definitely have to deal with his wrath since he just found out that the empress betrayed her, but she was willing to have him use her body and let his anger out on his adulterous wife. An emperor with a distracted mind would be her ticket to being impregnated by his child. Soon, she would be his concubine, she would be the mother of a future emperor. 

She would never again have to suffer as a servant! 

Upon the sound of footsteps nearing the privy chamber, the servant provocatively sat at the edge of the tub, displaying all of her body to him and him alone. “Your Majesty, I am ready for thee.” 

“Art thou?” 

Horror washed over the servant’s face, her heartbeat increasing tenfold as she saw the empress sending an icy stare into her as she stood by the privy chamber’s entrance. Behind her were her ladies-in-waiting throwing their judgeful stares at the naked servant, surrounded by knights who seemed to have come under the emperor’s orders. The emperor! There he was, appearing behind the empress, kissing her cheek and encircling her waist, whispering to her that the servant had attempted to seduce him and had even accused his wife of infidelity. Satoru's actions struck the servant as reminiscent of a child tattling to his mother. He adopted an air of artificial innocence, as if his only intention were to win the empress' trust.

“Send this harlot to the throne room,” he commanded his knights, his voice loud and clear. “Let it be known that there will be consequences for those who dare to deceive their emperor.”

At the throne room, you found yourself seated at the elevated throne next to your husband. This was a place in the castle where the trials of the accused were often held, and now the accused kneeling before you on the lower part of the hall was a lowly maid which Satoru had claimed to have seduced him and besmirched your name. 

Did he think you were stupid? You knew what his ulterior motives were. You were aware of his covert schemes, and that his sole attempt at orchestrating this entire spectacle was to use the maid to regain your trust and obedience out of gratitude. He was clearly at an unrest ever since you had been defiant to him and he was doing the best that he could to make you submit to him. He was desperate to show you that he was on your side and believed that by reporting the maid's advances, he could convince you of his loyalty. Satoru must truly underestimate your intelligence if he thought that such acts would restore his control over you. But for the sake of a good show, you decided to play along. 

As customary, the emperor presided over the trial, while the accused maid stood before the imperialty, her eyes downcast, while whispers could be heard through the assembled courtiers.

Satoru announced her sin in a commanding yet measured voice. “Maiden, thou stand accused of attempting to seduce the sovereign and spreading slanderous falsehoods regarding Her Majesty's honor. These are grave charges that strike at the very foundation of our empire.” 

The accused maid trembled slightly but remained silent, her gaze fixed on the ground. She seemed to be having a battle in her head, realizing that she was being used by the emperor’s cruel game. What did she expect of him? You rolled your eyes. Satoru was a known tyrant. She would never last a day being his mistress, much less a concubine. You were the only lady in this empire that could handle him.

The emperor then turned to you as he continued with his speech. “As for thee, my wife, thou hast been accused of a betrayal that, if true, would bring shame upon the imperial family.” He paused, his expression grave yet thoughtful. “Therefore, I shall entrust the judgment and punishment of this matter to thee. Thou alone knowest the truth of these accusations, and it is thy virtue and integrity that shall guide our course of justice.”

You wanted to laugh at how ridiculous this was. Now he was even entrusting the maid’s punishment to you? His tactic obviously consisted of two things: 1) giving you the authority to impose punishment on the accused would make you liable for the consequences tied to the matter 2) if proven not guilty, you would have to face the shame of your misguided punishment. Because Satoru was not certain that you were having an affair, he was putting you on the spot to decide the punishment you would give based on your conscience. 

Either that or he may have simply intended to convey trust in your judgment by allowing you to administer punishment. This could be a gesture aimed at restoring your sense of authority and influence within the palace. However, given the complexities of your relationship and the context of the situation, it was likely that his motives were more layered and multifaceted.

“How dost it strike thee, Empress?” Satoru asked in a strangely calm mien. “Mayhap we can give her ten or twenty whips? Have her sent out to the dungeons or the west tower?” 

Oh, did he assume you were not capable of being creative with punishments? You were not one to shy away from brutality like him. In fact, you had something better in store for this servant of his. 

The courtiers listened intently, their eyes locked upon you as you spoke. “It is my judgment that the maid shall be subjected to the punishment befitting her transgressions.”

A hushed murmur erupted through the assembled crowd as they awaited the empress’ decree.

“Firstly, the maid shall be paraded through the streets of our capital, stripped of her garments and bearing the shame of her actions for all to see. Let her walk the path of humility, that she may reflect upon the consequences of her deeds.” Your cruel words carried a weight of overwhelming gravity as you announced the first part of the punishment and proceeded to the next. “Furthermore, the maid shall be delivered unto the custody of our executioners, who shall mete out the final aspect of her punishment. Let her be subjected to the pear of anguish, that she may atone for her sins and serve as a warning to all who would dare besmirch the name of their sovereign.”

The courtiers exchanged somber glances, trembling out of fear at the severity of your inhumane judgment. Even Satoru himself was shocked at the lengths you had chosen to take just to punish a lowly maid. Why was he surprised? He, himself, was entertained at the usage of the brazen bull, roasting his enemies alive as a punishment. The pear of anguish was not even as severe as his usual choices, as its purpose was to have a pear-shaped instrument be inserted in the maid’s vagina, and expand it to the point of internal injuries and mutilation. 

“No! No! Your Majesty!” she cried, her words choked with emotion. She quivered in terror and fell to her knees. “I beg of thee, have mercy upon me! Spare me from such unspeakable agony! Forgive me for my transgressions and the harm I have caused. Pray, grant me the chance to repent and seek forgiveness. I shall never again show myself to thee. Prithee… Empress Y/N… Spare me from this horror, I beg of thee!”

Her voice echoed through the hall with her desperate plea for clemency amidst the shadow of her impending doom. In the silence that followed, your eyes caught the guilt spreading on Satoru’s face. His blue eyes were, for a second, wide and horrified. But he was quick to compose himself and keep yet again a rigid face. 

“Very well.” Satoru gestured to his knights to take the maid away. “Do as my wife says.” 

“My liege, this is preposterous!” In the midst of the tense atmosphere, one advisor, a voice of dissent, stepped forward, his expression grave and his tone measured. Lord Maximilian was only intending to address the emperor, completely ignoring your right as the empress. “Your Majesty, the Emperor,” the advisor spoke respectfully but with conviction, “I humbly beseech thee to reconsider this severe course of action. The pear of anguish, in particular, is a device of unparalleled cruelty. The punishment is more severe than the crime committed!” He paused, choosing his words carefully. “I propose a more measured punishment, one that upholds the dignity of your sovereign without plunging us into the depths of brutality. Mayhap a period of confinement or hard labor could serve as a more merciful yet effective means of retribution. This way, Your Majesty, we demonstrate both strength and compassion that define thy sovereign rule.”

“Compassion?” you scoffed, humored by Lord Maximilian’s little speech. His pretentiousness was truly out of this world. He was obviously against it because he refused to see your authority over the court restored. He had not even a single idea that you were already aware that he had been conspiring with your husband to execute you. “Thou speak of compassion and mercy, Lord Maximilian, when this empire had seen the ruthless perish of a thousand Christian souls under your counsel to the emperor. Is that not irony? What about the body of his lordship, Count Stefano, that thou order’d to be skinned alive? Or what about the corpses of men speared on pikes by the Tiber River? Now, tell me about that compassion.” 

Satoru, stuck in the situation, scanned the throne room and searched for his voice of reason. The man who always stood his ground between good and evil. Lord Nanami. Yet the man was nowhere to be found. “Is Lord Nanami hither? Call him forth to me.” 

“I am afraid not, my liege,” spoke one of the courtiers, “He had left Your Majesty a letter advising of his immediate need to be on a sabbatical. Cited he no reasons as to why.”

“Is that so?” your husband’s face contorted into confusion, while you were exchanging glances with Suguru, who seemed slightly aware of your participation in Nanami’s sudden absence. Howbeit, he spoke no words about it. 

And no one else also said another word, therefore, leaving Satoru to move forward with your decision on the punishment. If he was smart, he should see that your decision was not just a mere punishment to the maid but as a warning from you, that he was not the only person in this empire capable of being a tyrant. That you, as devoted as you used to be, could also be cruel if you wanted to be. 

You ignored the maid’s screams of terror as the knights took her away. You kept a dignified appearance and walked out of the throne room, followed by your ladies-in-waiting as they engaged in gossip about the maid and how she had always spoken badly of the empress. You wished you cared, but truthfully, you were far too nauseated as you walked through the hallway heading towards the western wing of the castle, hearing your husband’s voice calling your name. 

What did he need? Your gratitude? Your declaration of love? Your pledge of allegiance? 

Frankly, you cared none, as your extreme nausea eventually had your visions blurred, and your body fainting on the marble floor. 

⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊶⊶⊶⊶⊶♱⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷

𝐀𝐂𝐓 𝐈𝐗

Your head ached.

By the time you opened your eyes again, it was already past noontide. No, it was evening, was it? You were lying in Satoru’s bed while its owner was engrossed in a conversation with a physician. You briefly recounted the events before you were carried here, remembering the trial at the throne room, and you fainting while walking back to your side of the palace. 

���Art thou certain?” 

“I am certain Her Majesty is with child, yes.” 

“How is that possible? Tried have we for eight long years.” 

“We owe this blessing to God, my liege. Thy wish for an heir hath come to fruition.” 

You were… with child? 

You could not believe it. As the whispered revelation reached your ears, the news brought you a swirl of emotions, for the delicate life growing within your womb just challenged the very foundations of your plans. A child. A baby. A life was growing inside of you! It was not just any other life, but an heir to the throne! A byproduct of you and your husband!

But what about your revenge? 

You had a moment of introspection as you imagined yourself at a crossroad of destiny. Should you persist with your plot to topple your husband's rule, or should you embrace the newfound responsibility and safeguard the legacy that had taken root within you? The precipice of your decision would depend on Satoru’s reaction to this matter. Your decision would fall upon his level of trust in you. 

For eight years, you had always wanted to carry his child. You had always dreamed of bearing his heir. This was the very reason why the prophecy existed in the first place, and now that you were pregnant, should that mean that he would no longer find the need to remarry and execute you? Should that mean that the prophecy was false after all? The oracle was a heretic through and through and he never should have consulted with her to begin with!

“My wife.” The gentle caress of Satoru’s voice soothed your aching head. It only took you then to realize that the physician had already left you two alone, and now your husband was sitting on the edge of his bed, touching your cheek. “To think,” he mumbled, his voice tinged with wonder, “that our union has borne fruit at last. An heir to carry forth this legacy of mine.” 

He was joyous. He was surging with happiness which was glowing within him, the kind of joy that you had never seen before as he embraced his beloved wife and shared the news. For a moment, your heart melted and you were ready to forsake the grudge you carried in your heart as he proved his reaction to be genuine. His eyes sparkled like jewels as he placed a soft kiss on your belly, then moving to press his lips onto yours. 

You wanted to cry. You wanted to tear up as never in your life had you received this much level of affection from your own husband. He had never looked at you with such adoration and respect for the longest time since he had been with you. No, this was the very first time he had truly acknowledged you as his wife. 

“Am I no longer useless unto thee?” you asked, carrying a hint of sadness on your tone despite smiling at him. “Shall I no longer be called a barren empress?” 

Satoru solemnly shook his head and kissed your hand, your cheek, and your lips. “No. Each tongue that rises ‘gainst my wife shall fall.” 

You were uncertain whether it was you or him who pulled each other for an embrace, but the gravity that brought you to two together was of mutual force. He held you in his arms tenderly just as you enveloped yourself in his warmth. So this is how it feels like to be loved? You were in complete bliss. You were free from the emotional torment that—

Knock, knock! 

The abrupt knock on the door interrupted the intimate moment between you and your husband, diverting his attention to the intruder who dared disrupt the special moment. Satoru, no doubt, was already thinking of potential punishments in his mind as he summoned his attendant to enter. The attendant conveyed that a knight sought an urgent audience with him, but what could be so urgent at this dead of night? 

The intruder, to your surprise, was none other than his knight commander Suguru. 

“Suguru?” Satoru faced him with a more lenient countenance, “Speak briefly.” 

The knight commander glanced at you before he knelt on one knee and looked at the carpeted floor, delivering a message that required urgent and utmost attention. “Your Imperial Majesty, we have discovered a group of knights clad in silver armor, mounted upon war horses lining the city’s border. My men have identified the potential invaders as the Aurorae Heavy Cavalry of the Astheryn Empire.” 

“What?!” Just like Satoru’s explosive reaction, you were also surprised by the news. You knew Astheryn was ready for war, but you did not expect them to move so rashly. Satoru knew he was right to conduct a military inspection a week prior, because now, in spite of his growing temperament, he was also mentally prepared for an all-out war. “Those Astheryn bastards! How many are they?!” 

“Estimated at about 6000 units, my liege.” 

Your eyes widened in disbelief. Thousands of foreign soldiers stationed at the border of the Caelum Empire was undeniably an invasion. The audacity of this act, carried out without any prior communication to Satoru, no wonder fueled his anger like a volcano on the brink of eruption. It was a blatant disrespect to him as an emperor and to his lands as an empire.

“Double the numbers of our infantrymen and dispatch them to the border!” Satoru's voice carried a low growl, his hand instinctively reaching to massage his temples as he pondered a course of action. “They must comprise our most elite unit. I demand these men be vigilant and alert at all times. Anyone caught sleeping will have their eyes gouged,” he ordered, his tone reflecting the gravity of the situation. His eyes held fury in them as he silently paced back and forth in his chamber. However, just as Suguru made to depart, Satoru's hand halted him mid-step. “Better yet, remain here and stand guard over my wife," he commanded, his voice taut with resolve. “I will issue the orders to the army personally and confer with my chief tactician.”

Your husband had already left before you could even stop him. His presence, in a mere blink of an eye, was gone as he stormed out of the chamber, yelling out, “That bastard Toji will die by my hands. How dare he!” 

And now you were left with his commander of knights, Suguru, who looked at you in concern as you made an attempt to get out of bed. He was quick to catch you in his arms, guiding you to walk carefully. “Is it true?” you asked, face inches close to him. You could feel his hand on your waist, and the other guiding your arm. “Astheryn’s invasion?” 

“Empress, it is imperative that thou remain within the safety of His Majesty’s chamber," Suguru advised, his fox-like eyes seemingly enamored by your face. “Thy well-being is paramount, especially now. I see now why thy radiance has been so pronounced of late.”

You smiled at his words. "And what might thou be implying by that?"

“That our beautiful empress bears the heir to the empire,” he spoke softly. “This is a direct contradiction to the prophecy. Art thou pleased, my lady?”

As you nodded, you felt Suguru placing a gentle kiss above your hand, still kneeling before you like a true, loyal knight. He looked at you with a gaze filled with the desire to protect. His chivalry was evident in his demeanor toward you, the most beautiful lady of the empire. Unbeknownst to you, Suguru had long been captivated by your beauty. From the moment he first came to your family’s estate to train as a knight, he harbored a wanton desire for you. Yet, he struggled with his feelings, torn between his admiration for you and his loyalty to Satoru, his friend and lord. How could he? He should punish himself for having a mere attraction to the emperor’s wife. 

“Suguru, I expect thy loyalty to me until the very end,” you interrupted his reverie, bringing him back to the present. He held your hand tenderly, and your waist affectionately. “Can I count on that from thee?”

Before the knight could respond, a fit of unhinged laughter echoed through the chamber. There, your crazed husband walked in, his sardonically joyful eyes wide with paranoia. “Ha ha ha! Absurd! Utterly preposterous!” His loud voice reverberated through the walls, his mind now free of the on-going invasion and was instead evidently consumed by the scene before him. “My wife, thou jest, surely? Suguru, tell me this is some jest! Loyalty, indeed, I have full faith in thy loyalty, but this... the maid’s accusation. It is true after all?!” 

Immediately, the knight commander moved away from you and scrambled to kneel down at the furious emperor. You yourself could not hide your growing anxiety, but it was best to keep calm and explain the situation to your husband properly. 

“My liege, ‘tis not what it seems,” Suguru swore to your husband, who was now laughing manically. 

“Ah, a conspiracy unfolds!” Satoru’s eyes darted between you and his friend. “I see it now, the hidden plots, the whispers in the shadows. My wife and my loyal knight, plotting against me! Speak, reveal the treachery!” 

You shook your head, maintaining your composure. “He speaks true. There is no affair—”

“Fie, you wicked bitch!” By this time, Satoru was throwing a tantrum, kicking the nearby console table and throwing the first vase he saw. 

Suguru rose, his voice pleading, "Your Majesty, I..."

“Get out or I will eviscerate thee in front of her!” Satoru's words cut through the tension, and Suguru, after a moment of hesitation, took a deep breath and left, casting a worried glance at you before exiting. It was clear that Satoru was in a state of manic denial, with his laughter echoing through the chamber like a haunting refrain.

Alone with him now, you observed his demeanor, noting the same scene of past trauma in his laughter. It was reminiscent of the night his sister perished for committing suicide—a portrait of a man on the brink of madness, masking his torment with deranged laughter. Each step he took towards you carried danger. “This... This child thou carry is a bastard, is it not? That child is not mine!”

You shot him a look of disbelief, refusing to entertain such absurd accusations. “Thou art speaking folly!”

Enraged, he seized another vase and hurled it across the room, the sound of shattering porcelain ringing through the chamber, though you maintained your composure despite the sudden chaos. You must not act weak in front of a tyrant. At this rate, he could kill out of impulse, but you were careful not to pull the trigger.

“My wife thinks I am lost in a mire of absurdity?” Satoru’s laugh rang in your ears again. “Conniving bitch! Tell me, this child thou carry, what do I do with that awful thing? Shall I cut thy stomach and pull the thing out myself?”

Slap! A resounding slap, sharp and clear, graced Satoru's cheek as his words drew tears from your eyes. Despite the welling tears, you mustered enough courage to respond. “If thou question the lineage of this child, then is that not a question to thine own fertility? Dost thou deem thyself barren, unable to sire thine own bloodline? If so, thou hast long scorned me for lacking an heir, yet now thou cast doubt upon the child that I carry. Useless, thou have call’d me. Now, useless, thou call thyself! A barren emperor, unable to secure his own legacy, is that what thou perceive thyself to be?”

“Hold that tongue, thou impudent wench!” With a rough hand, he grabbed your arm and tightened his hold so much so that it would leave bruises. “Lo, here stand I, grappling with a war that hath the power to shape or shatter mine own legacy, whilst mine own wife doth gad about like a wanton whore?”

A whore? You laughed, as equally maniacal as him. No, a lot worse than him. How foolish of you to think that your husband was someone you could trust your life with? You could not believe that you almost let your guard down in front of him after you learned that you were carrying his child. Yet here he was, spouting nonsense like an absolute fool. He only judged what he saw, not analyzed what he was yet to know. This was exactly why Emperor Toji would always be a smarter ruler than him. 

“I am thy wife, and I have stood by thy side through thick and thin. I have shared thy lows and highs. I have seated thee at that very throne! Therefore, I will not dignify such insults with a response.” Each word left your mouth with gritted teeth. This was your future, peeled off for your eyes to see. No matter how much you cared for him, no matter how loyal you were to him, no matter how much love you offered to him; you were naught but a woman ready to be thrown at his disposal. It hurt. Truly, it hurt. And because you loved him, you tried holding onto the thin string of hope that he was true to you. That even if he could not love you, he still trusted you. That was the foundation of your relationship from the beginning. Trust. And that will be your ultimatum to him. So, with a shaky voice and tearful eyes, you asked, “I require nothing else from thee but this… dost thou trust me?” 

His answer was a make or break. 

His answer would determine whether you would carry your plans out or not. 

Because if he said yes, then you would forsake everything and be loyal to him without his unconditional love. 

But if he said no, then there was no point at being his wife when your role would always be easily replaced. 

Satoru’s stolid mien was an answer in itself, because his blank gaze and unsympathetic expression sent your heart to the deepest layer of hell. “No,” he declared, “I never have and never will.” 

⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊶⊶⊶⊶⊶♱⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷

𝐀𝐂𝐓 𝐗

Four days. 

Or perhaps five? 

The days blurred into an indistinguishable haze since your husband's decree consigned you to the confines of the west tower. Unlike the dungeon, reserved for commoners and lower ranks, the western tower housed nobility and imperial captives. Though superior in amenities, it remained a prison in essence. There was only a solitary window within the cell that offered a small glimpse of the world beyond. The view was barely within your reach as it was too high up for you to be able to see outside. 

You were treated no less than a rebel. Accused of treason. Accused of infidelity. Your reputation as an empress was tarnished, excluded from social circles, excommunicated by the church—at least, these were some of the things you have heard from the passerby, the attendants who do their nightly rounds in the west tower. The attendants and guards themselves no longer respected you, although you could still sense that they were cautious around you. Afraid that if the emperor were to change his mind and release you, that you would remember their faces and get back at them with brutal repercussions. 

It was entertaining, truly. It was even more humorous to watch the attendant serve you with soup and bread day and night. Judging by the distinct odor, the soup was laced with arsenic. Someone was definitely trying to poison you, but you were certain that it was not orchestrated by Satoru. Not him. He was too stupid to conjure such a plan as it also contradicted his penchant for more direct and violent approaches. If he wanted to assassinate someone, he would rather crack their skulls or slash them in half. He was too bloodthirsty to kill someone by means of poison. 

So that left you with one person: Lord Maximilian. 

Your father, the Grand Duke, promptly sent you a letter after hearing that you were locked up in the west tower, assuring you of his efforts to persuade Satoru to release you and clear your name, demanding your innocence be proved to the empire. He also cautioned that it might be a considerable amount of time before your husband could address your case, given the pressing matter of the Astherean army's invasion on Caelum's borders. In your head, you knew Satoru was having a hard time dealing with the military conflict without your counsel. It was your mind that staged the coup, leading him to his succession 10 years ago. Now, without you, he was faced with difficulty. He did not even have Nanami by his side to guide him through the war. 

You laughed. Good for him. 

On the 7th day, your father wrote again. This time, he informed you that there was a ceasefire between Caelum and Astheryn. Apparently, Caelum was struck by the bubonic plague. Astheryn withdrew its cavalry out of fear of losing their soldiers from the Black Death, while Caleans were left to suffer from the spreading disease. The citizens were going mad, panic was ensuing, and there was food shortage everywhere. No one knew what the cause was nor how to cure it. He said those who had caught the disease would fall to their deaths in a matter of days. 

You laughed again. That is my own doing, father. 

Three days later, another missive arrived from the Grand Duke, informing you of his recent audience with Satoru. Your father let you know that the Emperor still held a lingering wrath towards you, but he confirmed that your trial would be scheduled shortly. The letter also conveyed unsettling rumors of your potential deposition, suggesting that Satoru entertained matrimonial negotiations with Princess Katarina from the Kingdom of Ellesmere.

You laughed even more. A remarriage, just as he wanted. 

On the 14th day, your father did not write. He visited you on the western tower himself, somberly informing you of Suguru’s demise. He revealed that the knight commander had been thrown in the dungeon on the same day you were taken to the west tower, but he was treated more harshly. He was tortured, mentally and physically, until he met a gruesome death. Your father chose to spare you of the details of Suguru’s tragic fate. 

At that, you could not laugh. No, in fact, you cried silently in your cell that night knowing that an innocent man died ruthlessly because of you. 

What a hypocrite you were! 

The burden of introducing the Great Plague to Caelum, resulting in the deaths of countless innocent citizens, rested on your shoulders. Yet, your moral boundary seemed to be drawn at Suguru's demise?

You found yourself engulfed in laughter once more, disregarding the puzzled stares from attendants and guards alike. They may have deemed you mad, yet perhaps, madness was the only sane response to the chaos of this world. Why? What was there to be ashamed of? Life was but a game of strategy, a grand chessboard where the king, though less agile than the queen, would always be the last man standing.

Seated in a corner that night, your laughter mingled with tears, a mix of raw emotions unleashed, as the echo of approaching footsteps reached your ears. The flickering torchlight casted a shadow upon the wall, revealing the silhouette of a tall man escorted by two knights.

“Y/N.” 

When Satoru visited you on the eve of your trial, you never expected him to call your name so tenderly. What you were anticipating was his usual torrent of anger and scorn, and you found yourself bewildered by the odd shift in his demeanor. He then entered your cell and crouched before you, his blue eyes seemed almost softened by sympathy.

“Thy trial is scheduled for to-morrow,” he spoke deliberately, though you avoided meeting his gaze. “I have a proposal for thee.”

You remained silent.

“Even if thou have betrayed me, I will extend mercy unto thee, out of gratitude for aiding mine ascension to the throne.” The irony of his words were a slap to your face, hurting your ears as you listened. “I require thee to step down from thy throne with humility, dispose of the bastard thou carry, and live a modest, solitary life in the countryside. There, an estate awaits thee. I expect thee to live quietly, and await the time I will visit thee. Thou will remain as my mistress, though it will not be officially acknowledged.” 

As the emperor's words were spoken, the empress's laughter erupted with a wild and bitter sound that echoed through the chamber. Your eyes blazed with defiance, lips curled into a scornful sneer.

“Ha ha ha!” 

Satoru’s lips tightened a fraction, his body turning into solid ice as you let out an ear splitting horselaugh. 

“Ha ha ha ha!” 

His eyebrows furrowed in anger. “Empress!” 

“Fool!” you spat, your voice laced with derision. “Thou think to offer me mercy while chaining me to a life of servitude? Thou speak of gratitude while stripping me of dignity and autonomy. Thy offer is but another prison for thee to keep me as a pawn!” Your laughter turned into manic fervor, fueled by rage and disillusionment. “I will not bend to thy will, nor will I accept thy false benevolence.” 

In the end, Satoru was still a hubristic man. An ungrateful, hubristic man. An ungrateful, hubristic, foolish man. 

“Art thou aware of thy current standing?!” He was livid. Oh, he certainly was. 

Yet you? You smiled. You offered him a beautiful, sarcastic smile. “No soul in this empire shall love thee except for me! All are foes to thee, except for me! I alone have loved thee for thee. Ponder upon that, my misguided husband, for in thy quest for dominion, thou hast forsaken the one who loved thee sincerely.” 

⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊶⊶⊶⊶⊶♱⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷

𝐀𝐂𝐓 𝐗𝐈

“We gather today for a matter of great import: the trial of Her Majesty, the Empress, accused of treasonous infidelity.”

As the trial went on, your thoughts drifted back to the day of the maid's trial. Then, she knelt beneath the throne, facing the scrutiny of the court as she protested her innocence and pleaded for mercy. You, once seated upon the now-vacant throne, regarded her with detached interest. The irony of the reversal was not lost on you. It was true that you would pay the price of your wrongdoings, and be rewarded for your kind deeds. In this life, you let your greed get the best of you. You let your love for Satoru blind you. If you were ever to be reborn, you vowed to never again allow yourself to be ensnared by such folly for it led you to nowhere but misery.

How funny is that? These nobles were all here to watch your trial, while a war and plague were happening outside of the castle’s walls. 

“—may our deliberations be guided by the righteous light of truth. Empress Y/N, you appear to be in jest. This trial is a serious matter to thee.” 

You received the courtier’s look of disapproval, while the others were judging your sanity. 

“Let her be,” ordered Satoru, who looked tired and resigned. You could hear his sigh even if he was a couple meters away, and his eyes glowed in sad blues as he stared at you, as if it would be the last time he would ever see your face. 

Perhaps that truly was the case, and you made no effort to fight against it nor did you appeal to prove your innocence. There was no mercy begged for, no forgiveness sought for. It was because you saw no purpose to live this life. He must have sensed your true feelings inside as he watched you from afar, but Satoru still seemed like he was looking for a way to get you out of the situation. Instead of imposing a tyrannous punishment on you, he was clearly attempting to make you innocent. To give you a benefit of the doubt. All of the courtiers and advisors, however, were in complete disagreement. They knew that the emperor held a soft spot for you, but they did not know that his only purpose was to keep using you. 

Honestly? Your mind was growing weary. The trial dragged on endlessly as Satoru struggled to mitigate your punishment. Not until…

“His Majesty, Emperor Satoru, is consulting with an oracle,” you declared, silencing the entire hall with your revelation, ending this ridiculous trial once and for all, “Deep in the dungeon, he hides the old lady. The emperor of this nation is a supporter of heresy, therefore, he is to be subjected to inquisition.” 

Your accusations, indeed, were grave. An eerie and portentous air filled the throne room as Satoru himself was stunned and wide-eyed. Surprise contorted his features after he was exposed. His lips quivered and his jaw muscles tightened, and anger soon smoldered all semblance of composure on his saintly face. 

Caelum was a deeply Catholic nation and the Catholic Church, as an institution, did not endorse or recognize oracles as legitimate sources of divine revelation. Practices associated with oracles, such as divination, fortune-telling, and consulting spirits, as forms of superstition were heretical. These practices were considered as attempts to circumvent the authority of the Church and seek guidance from sources outside of the orthodox Christian belief.

Individuals suspected of engaging in practices associated with oracles, particularly if those practices were perceived as challenging the Church authority or promoting beliefs contrary to Catholic doctrine, could be subject to investigation, trial, and punishment by ecclesiastical authorities, even if they were members of the imperial family. 

Thus, in your revelation, Satoru was now subjected to a much more serious, unforgivable crime than you. Because he would be at war with the Church. 

And not only would he be at war with the Church, but also with Astheryn, and the Great Plague all at once. 

Of course, Satoru intensely denied it and tried to turn things around on you. He was going haywire as your ‘accusation’ caused a commotion amongst the courtiers who whispered and murmured in shock and disbelief. As the emperor, his voice held the greatest authority in that hall, and so he became furious at you, claiming to everyone that you were diverting the situation to seem innocent, denying the existence of an oracle in his castle, and that you were to be publicly executed for the crime of commiting lèse-majesté by slandering the emperor’s name. 

Finally, the tyrant was back. 

You were sick of his sympathetic gazes. 

If your husband knew you by heart, then he would know that your sole intention at declaring his fortnightly consultations with the oracle was because you wanted to anger him, and in turn, get a punishment that would be enough to free yourself from his grasp. That was the perfect approach. 

But of course, Satoru might be slow in that department. All he could see right now was a traitorous wife whose malicious intent was to undermine his authority and topple him from the throne. An enemy. That was what you had become to him.

On the day of your public execution, your father cried. And so did your ladies-in-waiting. The rest were eager to see you beheaded, all with keen eyes as you were ushered at the public square, drawing in a large crowd of nobles and commoners alike. 

Who would have guessed that you held such notoriety?

The words, “witch!”, “traitor!”, and “evil!” were thrown your way as you were guided by two knights towards the center of the scaffold. With a rosary on one hand, and a bible on the other, you looked at your father. He should be safe. You had written him a letter, telling him to bring the family and the servants to a remote island away from Caelum. As for you, your end was near. 

With your head pressed against the block, and the executioner raising his sword, your impending doom was imminent. The imperial sword he carried, you recognized, was Satoru’s personal and favorite sword. 

“Your head will be severed swiftly,” said the headsman, “Any last words?” 

Your eyes found the sky as your lips curled into a sinister smile. “Citizens of Caelum, I will soon meet thy Emperor in hell!” 

⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊶⊶⊶⊶⊶♱⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷

𝐀𝐂𝐓 𝐗𝐈𝐈

A month has passed since your execution. 

Instead of having your decapitated head impaled on spikes atop the city gates, Satoru ordered your corpse be buried at the tomb. The location was not revealed to anyone else. The citizens also did not question his choice. 

The emperor was secretly grieving the loss of his wife. 

Everyone knew. They were all aware that the emperor was mourning over the empress despite your betrayal of him, yet all of them turned a blind-eye on it. They were afraid that the emperor would punish anyone who would remind him of you. 

Was this still not an act of love? 

In fact, no, not everyone knew. Not everyone were aware that one of your lady-in-waiting swore to him in oath that you never had an affair with the knight and that the child you carried was not at all a bastard, but his. It was Satoru’s heir. It was his own child. It was the future Emperor of Caelum.

Because of his misjudgment and his paranoia, he lost the only woman who truly loved him. 

Now the empire was in shambles. Satoru could not deny that your lack of presence in the castle had a much more devastating impact than the plague that wiped half of Caelum’s population. His advisors were of no use when it came to military tactics. Nanami, the most competent of them all, was nowhere to be found. The soldiers have been struck by the Black Death, lowering his total heavy infantry down to a quarter of its nominal full strength. 

The plague had spread rapidly, causing widespread devastation and food shortage, and as the death toll rose and communities were decimated by the plague, desperation set in. There were villages that had more dead people to collect than living beings who survived. It was a state where all were affected no matter what their noble rankings were. 

People tried various remedies and treatments, often turning to religious practices such as prayer and penance in hopes of appeasing divine wrath and stopping the spread of the disease. Plague doctors also swarmed the streets with their dark canvas robes and beaked masks, implementing quarantine and treating infected individuals. 

Satoru secluded himself in his chamber, both day and night, observing the devastation of his empire from the castle's highest vantage point. Desperation ran rampant, driving citizens to seek sanctuary within the palace walls. Initially, the emperor permitted entry only to the highest-ranking nobles. However, as word spread of the palace offering refuge, lower-ranking nobles and commoners clamored for entry, prompting Satoru to order the complete fortification of the castle walls.

The stench of burning bodies permeated the air as the castle became besieged by the diseased, seeking entry but met with the fierce flames intended to ward off infection from the emperor and his staff.

“What say the Kingdom of Ellesmere?” Satoru, who had been suffering from high fever, muscle pain, and skin lesions, was accompanied by a state of paranoia as he spoke to Lord Maximilian. “The marriage negotiations with that… that princess. What says them?” 

“My liege.” He bowed, apologetically. “They no longer wish to proceed. As we are struck by the plague, King Kalleon IV thought it would be of no benefit to be in alliance with a fallen empire. Furthermore, there is something that thou must be aware of, Your Majesty.” 

The emperor looked at his advisor.

“The trade ship that caused the plague to spread throughout Caelum was…” the old man paused, wary of the ruler’s reaction, “It was approved entry by the late Empress Y/N.” 

Ha ha ha ha!

How twisted of you, indeed. Where does he go from here? Satoru was sick, genuinely sick, as he heard the clamor of diseased individuals rioting outside the castle walls. Inside the palace, his own people were also engaged in their own chaos. He was at a point where he was too fatigued to react violently at his wife’s crimes. What did Maximilian want him to do, chastise you? You were already gone, and you have left him with the most profound revenge than any punishment he could ever fathom. 

Satoru found himself consumed by a maelstrom of emotions. He was seeing red from his visions, and seeing black from his discolored skin. Gangrene. Buboes. Chills. All he could do now was laugh at his misery. He grappled with the haunting question of how he arrived at this wretched juncture. What deeds, what choices, led him down this harrowing path of suffering and despair? 

Lord Maximilian did one last attempt at coaxing the emperor. “My liege, the prophecy…” 

The mere mention of the prophecy, however, ignited a primal fury within him. His words filled Satoru with a seething rage and he entertained the notion of silencing Maximilian's voice forever, drawing his sword and executing a swift slash on his advisor’s neck. 

That damned prophecy! 

That, that was what led to all of this! 

In the depths of his suffering, Satoru had experienced the last stretch of the disease entering his body. He was vomiting, crawling on the floor, reaching for the window in hopes of seeing his empire for the last time. But eventually, his weakened body had him submit to his forfeit. 

In a matter of minutes, he would soon find death and earn his place at the ninth circle of hell. 

In a matter of seconds, he would soon be named the most hated emperor in history, just as you like it. 

⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊶⊶⊶⊶⊶♱⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷

𝐄𝐏𝐈𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄

In the aftermath of the plague and the cessation of war, the once-mighty Caelum Empire lay in ruin, its rulers, named the most evil Emperor and Empress in history, overthrown. The remnants of the imperial lineage crumbled under the weight of their tyranny. Rising from the shadows of despair emerged the newly crowned Emperor Yuuta, the only remaining lineal heir of the Gojou lineage, who returned to Caelum from his exile with a fervent commitment to restore and rebuild. Known for his fairness and compassion, Yuuta pledged to rebuild the empire, to heal its wounds, and to usher in an era of lasting peace. With each brick laid and each decree issued, he sought to honor the memory of those who perished and to ensure that the horrors of the past would never be repeated. And so, under Yuuta's steadfast guidance, the Caelum Empire embarked on a journey of restoration, its future brightened by the promise of a new dawn.

⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊶⊶⊶⊶⊶♱⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷

-> NEXT PART

[gor3-hound]

WRITTEN ALL OVER YOUR FACE - NAOYA ZENIN

ft. naoya zenin x puppy!reader

a/n: commission for the very lovely @nexysworld !! naoya is so very pretty and i was scared to write him BUT !! he was actually very fun to write. i love my asshole nepo baby :3 hope you guys enjoy, fb and reblogs are always appreciated <3

cw: 18+ content, dead dove-ish, pussy inspection, mistreatment of hybrids, forced cosmetic procedures, dub-con bcs power dynamics, praise, degradation, use of shock collars, caging, mentions of filing teeth, ear cropping, touching unhealed wounds, tail play, misogyny, spit, mean naoya, dehumanisation, orgasm denial, forced spaying, p in v, creampie, dacryphilia, neglect

word count: 3.2k words

Naoya’s bored.

It might’ve made you feel better if he had a secret soft spot - that the pressures of his clan have left him lonely and desperate for companionship, but that’s simply not the case. There’s no profound self-realization that comes with his actions, no sense of guilt when he pays one of the maids to suck him off before he kicks her to the curb.

He’s just bored. He’s always found the best cure for his boredom was to find a pretty little plaything that was willing to put up with him. But there’s only so much you can do to a human girl before she’s skittering off. Women value their life more than their job these days, a thought that has him scowling and breaking the shit in his room as soon as his latest slut cuts him off.

He needed something more permanent. A pretty thing that he can use to get his dick wet. One that isn’t crying for a relationship or money when he’s finished. He’s always found those hybrids pretty cute, and it seemed like the perfect thing to keep him entertained. A girl that knew she was lesser than him. A pet he could play with that would forgive him after a couple of head scratches and a new toy.

It’s that thought that has him dragging his ass to the nearest adoption center, his eyes scanning the kennels until he spots you.

You seem like a shy little thing, but he doesn’t see an issue with that. He’s always had more fun breaking girls in, and you’d be no exception. He hums thoughtfully for a moment, his head cocking to the side as he looks you over. He doesn’t address you or ask you any questions, but he doesn’t need to. You were cute, and that’s all he really cared about, anyway. He calls a worker over, asking to get some time alone with you.

“Well, we don't really have any private rooms for you to-”

“How much?” Naoya cuts him off without even gazing his way, his eyes locked onto your form. No point buying the goods if he doesn’t get a trial run, first.

“I'm sorry?” The worker stutters out. Naoya hates that shit. Pisses him off more than anything, acting like he doesn’t want the Zen’in’s money. Naoya knows better.

“You heard me. How much? Doesn't need to be a fancy room. Shit, I'll take a storage room. I gotta check she's worth the money, y'know?” He says with a sigh, his brows twitching slightly as he fights back a scowl.

Seems to work well enough, because the worker leads him to a staff room, telling him to wait right there. He crosses his arms over his chest, making him sigh in annoyance. He waits impatiently, but he lights up when you come padding into the room, looking all nervous.

”No need to be scared, girl.” He tells you, but his words come out in a grunt. He doesn’t really care if you’re scared of him or not, as long as you let him get a good look at you. He moves towards you when you don’t budge, gripping your chin between his fingers.

His gaze is sharp, his dark brown eyes narrowed as he looks over your features. He reaches a free hand up to your floppy ears, giving them a flick. A frown crosses over his features as he gives you an appraising gaze , clicking his tongue. “They’ll have to get done. Don’t like ‘em.”

His fingers and thumb dig into your cheeks, forcing a gap between your teeth so you open your mouth. He shoves his fingers down your throat, sighing when you gag and splutter. “Gonna have to train that outta ya. Those canines are gonna have to get fixed, too. Bet they’d fuckin’ hurt if they caught my dick.”

He pulls his fingers out of your mouth and wipes your spit off on your cheek, smirking when your nose wrinkles. He reaches down, tugging on your fluffy tail with a thoughtful expression. “That can stay, though. Cute.”

”Bend over the table, pup. Spread your legs, lemme see your cunt.” He orders, releasing your tail and taking a step back. Your hesitance irritates him, and his hand comes out to smack you across your face so hard that your head snaps to the side, your ears ringing. “Don’t make me say it again. I fuckin’ hate repeating myself.”

Your tail is tucked between your legs as you shift to lean over the table, those fluffy ears pressed down firmly against your head. Doesn’t bother Naoya. He kicks your feet apart, pulling your pants and underwear down in one tug. The tail is a little bit of an obstacle still, so he sighs and scratches behind your ears.

”C’mon now, baby. I didn’t mean it.” He coos, making sure he finds the spot behind your ear that has you pushing back against his hand. His tone is condescending, but that dumb puppy brain of yours can’t register that. He grins as your tail perks up and wags, showing you off to him. “That’s better. Lemme get a look at that pretty pussy.”

He kneels behind you, spreading your folds with two fingers, humming in satisfaction as strings of slick spread and break at his actions. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t pick out a puppy for that exact reason - a few words of praise, and you were soaked. He slips a finger deep into your cunt, adding another one and scissoring them open before groaning at the tightness. You felt like a virgin, too. Perfect.

He pulls his fingers out and licks them clean, wiping his spit off on your clothes before he pulls them back on. He gives your ass a few pats as he stands up, turning around to bang a few times on the door.

”Hey! I’ll take her.”

˗ˏˋ ☆ ˎˊ˗

Naoya’s unpredictable.

It’s hard to settle into a routine with him. He can be easy to handle one moment, only to switch up at the next second. He’s never kind - that’s not the right word for him - but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have his moments. If you’re good, he’ll let you curl up at the foot of his bed. Sometimes he’ll even let you sit at his feet when he’s relaxing, petting your head absentmindedly.

Those moments are few and far between. For the most part, he’s cold. He doesn’t pay much attention to you unless he’s feeding you or if it’s play time.

He shows you the most attention when he wants to play. He’ll praise you, scratch behind those freshly cropped ears standing tall on your head and run his fingertips through the fur of your tail until it’s wagging fast enough that he knows you’ll be pliant and eager for anything he wants to do to you. You’d tried whining, begging, pleading… Anything just to get him to look at you and show you some affection, but you quickly learned that the only way you could guarantee something from him was to paw at the front of his pants until he’s twitching against your hand.

His choice of affection has a bit of a side effect, and you’re unlucky enough that Naoya notices it. All it takes is one little ‘good girl’ or a scratch on your head for you to be soaked, whining and rutting against any part of him you could reach. He loves feeling you wrapped around him, but he loves teasing you even more. So, naturally, as soon as realizes how desperate his touch makes you, he decides it would be a fun little game for him to see just how needy you could get.

He’s leaning back against the couch when he spots you padding over, that fluffy tail slowly picking up speed the closer he gets to you. He can’t help but chuckle when he spots you settling on the floor by his feet, a smirk spreading across his face when you rest your chin on his thigh. Your gaze flicks up to his face, a longing expression on your features. His hand comes down to pet your head, fingers scratching your scalp gently.

”You need something, girl?” He coos, tugging on one of your bandaged ears until you whimper, biting back a laugh when you lean into the touch regardless of the pain that comes with it. You’re always so eager to please, it drives him crazy.

“Need you, please.” You whine, your ears tilting back slightly, unable to press flat against your head due to the wrapping keeping them up so they heal pointed. He grins wolfishly at your words, yanking you by the collar until you’re straddling his thigh, a mischievous going in his eyes.

”Go on then, pup. I’m too tired to deal with you myself. You can handle it, can’t you?” He hums, giving your head a pat before crossing his arms behind his head as he leans back on the couch. You give him a curious little head tilt, confusion twisting your cute little face. He loves it when you give him that look - you’re just a dumb puppy, nothing more than entertainment for him. He can’t help but feel amused, shifting his leg so he can press his thigh more firmly against your core.

”You’re a big girl, aren’t you? I’m sure you can figure it out, puppy.” You seem to get the picture, a soft, needy sound rising in your throat as the hard muscle of his thigh presses against your cunt through the fabric of your shorts. Your hips start shifting on their own, rutting against him desperately. Your mouth falls open, artificially rounded canines digging into the flesh of your bottom lip.

Your hands come down to rest on your own thighs - you know better than to touch Naoya without asking, and you don’t want this to end so soon. Your nails press into your flesh, leaving indents on the surface of the skin. Naoya’s face is a mask of indifference. There’s no sign of enjoyment from him, the only hint that he isn’t completely unaffected by your actions is the tent forming beneath the fabric of his pants. You whine when you realize he isn’t even looking at you, staring over your shoulder to look over one of the paintings on the wall.

You want him inside of you, want his strong hands to grasp your thighs as he fucks into you. The thought alone has you panting, your head hanging as your tail starts to wag again, steady behind you as you grind against his thigh more harshly. Your breaths come out heavier, your cunt soaking through the fabric of your shorts to coat his own pants.

You’re so overwhelmed with your rapidly approaching orgasm, how good it feels to finally be this close to your owner that you don’t see his hand reaching for his phone until it’s too late. You yelp as your collar zaps you, the fur on your tail standing on end as the shock makes you spasm, your hips quickly pulling away from his thigh.

”I didn’t say you could cum, did I? Bad girl.” He hisses, grabbing you by the hair and dragging you across the floor, forcing you into your crate with a swift kick. He slams the door behind you, locking it before stepping back. “You can stay there for the rest of the night. If I hear you so much as fuckin’ squeak, you’re not getting let out for the rest of the week. Got it?”

You nod quickly, but that’s clearly not good enough for him. He taps at the screen of his phone a few times before pressing his thumb down for a longer period. The voltage is higher, and he doesn’t let up on shocking you until you drop against the blanket in your crate, your fingers twitching. He scoffs at the sight, letting go of the button.

”Pathetic. If I’m talking to you, I expect an answer. Surely you’re not so stupid you’ve forgotten how to use your words?”

”N-no. I’m sorry. I’ll… I’ll be quiet.” You whisper, your voice shaking slightly with the effort it takes you to hold back tears.

”Stupid mutt.” He grunts, fiddling with his trousers until he can free his cock. His jaw tenses in slight annoyance at how quickly that has you perking up, your eyes wide with interest like he’s holding a damn treat up for you. He steps closer to your crate, pressing his length down against the bars above your head. Naoya can’t help but laugh as you try to crane your head to get a taste of him, his eyes shining with amusement as your tongue laps between the gaps to catch his skin.

”Look at you. You were crying a second ago, and now you’re drooling like a bitch in heat? You are the single most pitiful creature I have ever laid my eyes on.” He muses, letting out another chuckle at the whine that spills from your lips when he pulls away from the crate.

”Go to sleep.” He grunts as he tucks himself back into his trousers, his eyes trained on your as he takes a step back. “If you’re good enough, I might let you out for breakfast.”

˗ˏˋ ☆ ˎˊ˗

The next morning, Naoya is wordless as he approaches your cage.You can tell from his narrowed, fox-like gaze that he hasn’t forgiven you from last night, his jaw set tight as if you hadn’t just made a small mistake. Naoya expected nothing but perfection from his pet, and it was something he made abundantly clear. He opens the door, his eyes narrowed in on your slumped over figure.

”Out.” The words are short and clipped, but firm, leaving no room to argue. It wasn’t a request, but a command. You weren’t stupid enough to ignore it.

He watches you crawl out of the cage, kneeling at his feet on the cold floor. You keep your gaze trained downwards, unable to meet his eyes. You look so pathetic it almost angers him, a crease forming between his brows as looks down at you. He slowly strips his clothes, his eyes locked onto you the entire time.

“Strip.” You listen, pulling your clothes off and adding them to his own pile on the floor. There’s no praise now, no attempts to get you wet enough to take him. He just pushes you down onto all fours before spitting directly onto your cunt as he forces his cock into your tight heat. It’s meant to be a punishment, but all it takes for you to get wet is the feeling of him stretching you out, your tail swaying side to side as his tip presses up against your cervix.

”Such a slut… Dripping as soon as you see cock. Bet it doesn’t even have to be mine, hmm? Could pass you around the whole clan and you’d gladly let each and every one of ‘em mount you until you were sore and dripping cum.” He spat, his hips rocking forward harshly. He builds up a steady pace, pounding into you brutally.

”Wouldn’t…” You manage to force out, brows furrowing as you try to rock back against his hips, your walls pulsing around his length. “Just you… want your pups.”

”Aww, that’s cute. You want me to breed you, girl? Is that it?” He lets out a cruel laugh, tugging on your tail to pull you back against him with each thrust, his cock brutally pounding into your tight cunt. “You think I’d let you carry my seed? That your bastard children could be sufficient heirs for the Zen’in clan? I’d never let you have puppies. Stupid fuckin’ bitch. Didn’t even realize I got you spayed? You just believe every little thing I tell you, huh?”

Fuck, he really likes the look of your tears. Nearly has him cumming from the way you look sobbing on his dick, the way you clench around him like you're trying to milk him dry despite how upset you are. It doesn't matter what he does to you, not when you're so forgiving. He knows he can say whatever he pleases and you'd still come running back to him, tail tucked between your legs like you were the one in the wrong.

He presses down between your shoulder blades, forcing your chest flat against the hard-wood floor as he keeps your ass in the air with his grip on your tail. With your back arched, the new angle allows him to fuck into you deeper, bullying himself into you without any regard for your pleasure. You were nothing more than something to use to him - a glorified fleshlight, at best. He only let you cum because of how tight you squeezed him when you did, how hot it was to see your dripping down his length.

This wasn’t about you right now - it was meant to be a punishment. You'd be lucky if he decided to let you cum in the following weeks, let alone today when he's still pissed off at you for almost breaking one of his rules.

His hips smack the fat of your ass with every thrust, low grunts spilling past his lips as he wraps your tail around his hand, smacking your thigh in frustration when you yelp at the discomfort that comes with it. He's increasingly glad with every pained whimper as his grip tightens that he decided not to dock your tail. It's so much better than a leash could ever be, forcing you back onto his imposing length everytime it gets too much for you and you try to crawl away.

“M'gonna cum.” He groans, harshly forcing your upper body further against the floor as he leans his weight on the hand pushing you down, slick sounds filling the room as he thrusts himself brutally in and out of your twitching pussy. He yanks on your tail, pulling you back against him as he cums with a grunt, his cock twitching inside of your abused cunt. He ruts his hips into you shallowly as he rides out his high before pulling out, smacking your ass once before standing up, ignoring your pleas to let you cum.

“Stupid mutt.” He spits out, rolling you onto your back with his foot, pressing it down against your stomach to hold you down. He spits on your face, a huff of laughter leaving him as your nose wrinkles. “I've been too good to you. Made you think you have a say.”

“You are a toy.” He continues, pulling his foot away with you before moving to gather his clothes. He pulls them on, leaving you panting and leaking his cum on the floor. “Something for me to use when I get bored.”

He makes his way to the door, shooting one last glance at you over his shoulder. “The quicker you learn that, the better.”

[chuluoyi]

UNHOLY MATRIMONY — 02

✩°｡ ⋆ unholy matrimony

- fushiguro megumi x oc/reader - oc/reader's character name is hara sena, pronouns still refer to “you” and i won’t mention it often—just for the sake of aesthetic rather than repeatedly writing "y/n"

in another life, in which fate is still screwing his life over, Fushiguro Megumi finds himself in an arranged marriage―with you.

genre/warnings: arranged marriage au, family drama, description of aggressive behavior

notes: somehow i just really love writing this. hope you enjoy this chapter!

series masterlist | next. the right husband

And so here comes the day of your wedding to Fushiguro Megumi.

The two of you stood before the shrine altar, surrounded by your extended families, as well as your clansmen, who were there to observe this union. You looked down at the white silk kimono you were wearing. The thought of being Megumi's wife was still surreal.

The sky was grey and cloudy too―just the perfect weather for some nice, depressing nuptials.

Megumi seemed to stand there with no expression, staring straight ahead, not really acknowledging what was happening despite the fact that this was his wedding. You wondered if he felt the same way you did.

At least he is a friend, you thought. Even if everyone here is against you, Megumi is in the same boat as you. The knowledge brought you comfort.

The priest stood at the altar, droning on about how your marriage was one of love and respect. Everything that proceeded afterwards became a blur―the purification rites, prayer, exchanging sake, wedding vows. Megumi was the one who recited the oath with clear voice, as your mind was tuning in and out, remembering the circumstances that had led you both here.

Have you done the right thing? By dragging a wholly innocent person into your mess?

You were having second thoughts about all of this right when you caught the sight of your mother, who was wiping her tear-streaked face at the forefront seat while watching you. And those doubts dissipated. Yeah, this is the right decision. Should you marry Naoya, you were sure as hell that he wouldn't allow you to see your mother ever again. Your father didn't really care which Zen'in you were marrying, and by dragging Megumi, you have dissolved your binding vow with him.

Everything should be fine and dandy now, isn't it?

You and Megumi had been asked to exchange rings as part of the ceremony. He stood there, staring down at the gold rings, and found his breathing to increase in intensity. He hated to admit it, but even though he found this whole ordeal tedious, he felt like he wouldn't do you justice if he fumbled this part. Your hand was soft and warm, and he tried ignoring the rush of emotions as he put the ring onto you.

His hand did hesitate for a brief moment though, wondering if he could just pull it back at the last second. You awkwardly slid the ring into his finger afterwards.

You are now husband and wife, as the priest said so.

With the ceremony over, came the reception party. Both of you took a seat at the main tables, surrounded by numerous guests.

You caught him stealing many glances at you throughout this ordeal, seemingly uncomfortable with being under the spotlight. Megumi was not one to show his emotions, but you could tell something was going on inside his head.

After a while, you excused yourself from the main table to the washroom, as greeting the well-wishers took out more of your energy than you initially thought.

“Well, if it isn’t the runaway wench.”

You stopped in your tracks as dread soaked you. Oh hells…

He flung his arms around your thick wedding garments and pulled you aside. You gave him the most offensive side eye. “Let go of me, Naoya.”

“Ah, don’t be like that, sister,” his tone was scathing, amused at how prickled you were. “We are family now, aren’t we? We should be cordial with each other.”

“No, we are not,” you gritted each word through your teeth. “You don’t get to do this on my wedding day, Zen’in Naoya.”

And suddenly his nails pierced the skin of your neck, and you gasped, almost letting out a yelp.

“You insolent whore!” he hissed in your right ear, and you really hoped no one would walk through this hallway anytime soon. “You think you can do this to me? Do you really think I won’t do anything but watch you and that bastard walk all over me?”

Of course you knew. Gojo Satoru had warned you. The very second Megumi put one foot in his ancestral home, Naoya would be after him, out for blood.

“Unhand me this instant,” you croaked out with steel. No, you won’t give him the satisfaction of seeing your fear. “Or I’ll shout. Even your clansmen won’t take it too kindly if you murder me in front of them.”

Naoya spat at you, letting go of his hold. You immediately shoved him away, tried to control your trembling form, and took the chance to run.

“Enjoy this while it lasts, you wench!” he taunted as your thundering steps resounded throughout the halls. You shut the door of the restroom with a bang, trying to collect your bearings. You were so terrified. Even when you were the most overlooked daughter in Hara family that you hated, no one has ever manhandled you like that.

You wiped the trickling blood from your neck and washed it with the running water. Tears pricked at the corners of your eyes, but you took a deep breath and swallowed it. You can’t. You have gone too far now. You have to see this to the very end.

When you got back to the reception hall, your mother caught you and pulled you into her arms. Her embrace felt warm, and you sighed against her, finally finding peace. “Mom…”

“Sena,” she breathed out. “Oh, my baby, you are really beautiful today…” she pulled back to caress your face, and then she whispered, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry to put you in this position.”

You shook your head lightly, smiling at her. “No, don’t be, mom. It’s fine.”

“At least he seems to be a decent young man,” your mother dabbed her eyes with her kerchief, referring to Megumi who was sulking at his dais. “I’m still sorry, but at least I can rest easy, knowing that your husband isn’t someone who would treat you badly.”

Almost, you thought with a sigh, shuddering at the remainder of Naoya's hold against you earlier. Once again, this reminded you that you have made the right choice. Whatever it was that Naoya had planned, it was a problem for another chapter.

“Now I can visit you every time I want, mom,” you said heartily. “Father can’t get in the way between us anymore. We’re free.”

She shot you a scolding look. “You silly girl, you don’t have to focus on that. Even if he tried again, I would crawl my way back to see you.” You almost didn’t want to let go of her hand, as she finally untangled them from your hair. “Now go back to your husband. Poor him, I think he’s having a hard time there.”

Your mother was right. Megumi really seemed to be struggling with the inquiries of people who surrounded him. Reluctantly, you went back to your place at his side, and politely answered their queries.

Megumi was slightly relieved. With you back, he didn't have to speak as much. Soon it was time for the guests to have a chance to pour you drinks. A troublesome tradition, he sighed to himself.

"Honestly, it's the first time I've heard of her," an elderly woman said in a thoughtful manner behind the first line of crowd surrounding the two of you. "And doesn't Hara clan only have three daughters? Aren't all of them married already?"

"Hush, auntie!" the woman beside her rebuked in a whisper. "She's not the daughter from the main wife."

"Oh, really? A lesser daughter... How come she got the Zen'in with the Ten Shadows?"

Megumi blinked, the sake felt bad as it burned his throat. Did these guests just slight you right in front of your face? He found himself glancing at you to see your reaction.

But you kept smiling, tending to each praise of your grace and sipping the drink with positive attitude. You either paid those whispers no mind or just didn't hear it altogether. And as he wondered, he noticed the bruise on your neck.

He was sure that wasn't present up until just now.

When those two women who gossiped about you finally got the chance to pour you the drinks, Megumi suddenly felt the unbearable impulse to blurt this out. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't talk about my wife like that."

You were surprised. The two women were too. As they bowed in apology, you threw him a small smile―a silent thank you. He averted his gaze, ignoring the blush on his face.

And soon, it was Naoya's turn. He looked unpleasant and had this sneer on his face that made Megumi uncomfortable. But when he saw you tense and shrink back in alarm, he immediately connected the dots.

"Should I say it?" the elder Zen'in murmured with a low cackle, concealing it through the trickling sound of the sake he poured into his cup. "Why a bastard daughter can marry into my clan―because she is lucky to be legitimatized by her sorry excuse of a father.”

At this point, you really didn’t care a whit about what Naoya said—you just wanted him to leave. But Megumi took offense, clenching his jaw. "If you disrespect her one more time―"

"What? What can another bastard like you do, huh?" he challenged.

Megumi was this close to flipping this stupid table of drinks before him when Zen'in Naobito took a hold of Naoya's shoulder, silently admonishing him. Naoya grumbled under his breath and moved away in disgust.

"Well, that's that," Megumi grunted as the last person went back. There were murmurs among the guests, perhaps talking about your status or Naoya’s antics just now. He looked at you again, suddenly finding the atmosphere quite oppressing. "Should we go now? It isn't like we're bound to drink through the night anyway. I hate alcohol."

"Sure," you snorted quietly. Both of you moved away from the main table. For appearance's sake, his hand gripped yours―and he was taken aback by how clammy it was.

Many things ran through his mind, but one thing he knew was that he didn't like this at all.

"Did Naoya do that to you?" he released his grip as soon as you were secluded away in the gardens. His dark eyes seemed to gleam with something as he had a good look at your neck.

You let out a resigned sigh. "I’m alright. Please don't make a big deal out of this."

"Sena, if I see something like this again, I won't stay quiet, you understand?" He would take matters into his own hands. What in actual hell is this? Why should their lives be haunted by Zen'in Naoya in the background?

The very idea made him angry.

"Don't think about it that hard," you rebuked with a grin. You wanted to lighten things up really, with all that had happened during the course of today. "So we're friends already, eh? You’re concerned about me.”

He threw you a look. "I suppose we can call each other friends for today."

"Not just today. From now on. Because you're the only one I can trust now, amongst people with agendas within our clans."

It wasn't your intention to say that. Maybe the many cups they poured you loosened your tongue.

"You really trust me?" Megumi asked, amused, his arms folding across his hakama.

"Out of those Zen'in who see me as vile and people in my clan who clap their hands as they ship me away?” you squinted, sighing. “Yes.”

He barked a satire laugh. If he had doubted it before, then after tonight he was certain that this marriage thing with you was indeed doable. "Well, good, because I don't not trust you either."

Both of you were getting somewhere, and you could feel it. Your wedding day might not go as smooth as either of you wanted, but you couldn’t care less about that. As you walked in the same tempo with him, you shared a laugh and company.

"Don't you hear what they were saying earlier? They told me to have your child as soon as possible."

"Huh? We haven't even been married for a day and they're already pushing us to have a child?"

"They mostly whispered it to me. It's incessant."

It isn't so bad, each of you thought to yourselves, unaware of what life has got in store for this marriage that had started with duty, lies and betrayal.

next : the right husband

🏷️ taglist

@moonmalice @hellothere9597 @qtnfer @firstplaidpeachnickel @waddlingwanderer @chilichopsticks @satorus-slut

[rinhaler]

We Can Sit and Talk, Baby, Get It Off

CHAPTER SUMMARY : you can't sleep, and neither can the unexpected guest you find drinking your dad's whiskey in the kitchen.

boyfriend!yuuji itadori x f!reader x bully!megumi fushiguro

WARNINGS : 18+ only, consensual sex, sleepy slow sex, praise kink, sleeping difficulties, alcohol consumption, smoking, panic attack mention, drugs mention, family drama, arranged marriage mention, bullying. 

WORDS : 5.7k

notes : bc i love u guys :3

       LAST CHAPTER┊MASTERLIST ┊ NEXT CHAPTER

The whole car ride home was spent giggling and laughing with Yuuji. You sang along to the cheesy pop songs on the radio and slurped the remaining dregs out of your milkshake. There was so much food still left from your order, but Yuuji had an amazing idea. You should heat it up at home and watch a movie in your room.

It's around 11:45pm when you return, you know your parents will be in bed already. You stumble in quietly, still chuckling like children until you find the kitchen and get to work on heating up the food.

It doesn’t take long.

You get some unsavoury looks from the butler; but he isn’t paid to comment or judge so he lets you continue. You stay as quiet as you can as you go upstairs and pick a movie. Yuuji can barely keep his eyes open but he somehow makes it to the end.

The poor boy had an eventful day, he's full of food and ready to sleep. But it isn’t so easy for you. Now that you're back here, everything that happened today is playing on your mind.

Naoya and Megumi are related… And now, they both hate you.

This could only end badly.

Your thoughts are keeping you awake. You toss and turn and can’t seem to get comfortable. Watching Yuuji sleep soundly would almost be infuriating if he didn’t look so adorable. The room plunges into darkness. Black as night and you can barely see your hand in front of your face. You debate getting up, and decide you can’t take lying like this anymore when it was clear you wouldn’t be getting an ounce of sleep unless you black out from exhaustion. The curtains are shut tightly, no wonder it’s so dark in here. You open them ever so slightly to discover the window is shut too. You push it open as far as it can go, an involuntary grunt fleeing from your lungs. Your eyes screw shut as you heard Yuuji stir awake.

“What are you doing?” he wonders. His voice heavy and gritty with sleep. He groggily rubs his eyes and sits upright to look at you.

“Can’t sleep.” you admit.

“Come here.” he tells you. He lies back down on his side as he waits for you to join him. He covers your body with the duvet while you nestle your body against his, your ass on his crotch while your back rests securely against his chest. He coos in your ear, shushing you softly, telling you to close your eyes. You do as you're told and you're rewarded with gentle, feather light kisses on your neck and shoulder. “Want me to help you sleep?” he wonders.

“Mhmm…”

“Take your shorts off.” he instructs.

Your fingers quickly hook into the waistband of your silk shorts you're wearing to pull them off your body. You never wear panties to bed, apparently it’s healthier to do that. When you lie back against Yuuji, he helps you out of your matching silk vest, leaving you completely bare and vulnerable to his touch.

You lift your body a little so he can put an arm underneath you and toy with your breasts. His big fingers alternate which nipple they tug and tease at. The contact is heavenly. You mewl instantly and he continues peppering your neck and shoulder with sweet innocent kisses. His other hand finds its way to your clit. He explores your folds and decides you aren’t nearly wet enough to take him.

“You need my fingers first, okay baby?”

“Yes… Yuuji please, give them to me.” you hum.

You gasp softly as two of his fingers poke around your entrance. His hand flies to your mouth before you can cry out from them both stretching you open. He hushes you some more, you nod in acceptance. The last thing you need is your parents chewing you out for fucking too loudly and disrupting all of the guests staying the night. He shoves his fingers inside of you, expertly working your g-spot. You writhe against him, but he keeps you secure as he holds his arm just below your breasts. He played with your sensitive tits continuously.

You can’t keep still.

He's driving you crazy.

“Yuuji…” you whimpered.

“Not yet.” he almost warns you. It's disappointing, but you suppose he knows best. He’s doing this for you after all. He doesn’t want to hurt you, it’s meant to feel good.

It’s meant to be fun.

He pulls his fingers out of you before flicking your clit lightly.

You shudder at that.

He quickly inserts his fingers again and he feels just how much slick pumps out of you from the gentle attention to your bundle of nerves. “That’s my girl, that’s it.” he tells you. He finger fucks you for a little while longer. Tears are streaming down your face. He’s hammering at your insides so perfectly and at such a consistent rate. You think you’re going to burst.

“Y-Yuuji!” you cry. He can feel you tensing up. He can feel how badly you want it, how close you are to letting yourself go for him.

You sob a little at the loss of fullness in your hole.

But you’re excited again when you feel him shuffling around.

He’s pulling his boxers off. He lines himself up with your slot. The tip of his shaft is practically sucked in by your eager cunt. “Oh fuuuuck,”

“Quiet princess, gotta be quiet for me.” he sinks deeper into you and you feel tears roll down onto your pillow. He begins to roll his hips slowly. “Are you crying?”

“A little,” you admit. You sniff and turn your head as best you can. He begins wiping your tears away and kisses you chastely. “just feels so good Yuuji, I love you.” you tell him.

“Sh, shhh baby. I love you too. I’ve got you it’s okay.” he hushes as he continues rutting into you.

You turn back so that he's spooning you while he fucks you.

It's so perfect.

He fills you up so deliciously you're worried what it will feel like when he removes himself from you. It feels like home to feel him inside of you.

It isn’t rough, heated sex.

It's slow, it's messy, and it's so passionate. He trails wet kisses on your neck. You reach a hand back searching for his; and he finds you.

He interlocks his fingers with yours and you weep a little more. You grind your hips against him slowly, trying to meet his lazy strokes. He carries on holding your hand, but brings both of your fingers closer to your cunt. He uses his two strongest fingers to draw tired circles into your clit. You moan instantly and he grunts gaudily as he feels your insides squeeze him.

“Y-Yuuji. Oh God, Yuuji ‘m gonna—”

“Me too, fuck. Baby, cum with me. Cum with me princess.” he demands.

You cum with a quiet whine. You pant and pant through your high as you continue backing up against Yuuji. He cums right after you. He fills your pretty pussy nicely with his thick creamy seed.

It's so warm and heavenly. It feels nice and snug inside of your wet walls. Yuuji fills the late night air with obscenities as he pumps his heavy load into you. He pulls out of you and you could feel his cum dribble out and onto the sheets below you.

You roll over, smothering him in a brutal, unforgiving kiss.

“That was the best sex we’ve ever had.” you whisper.

“Yeah?”

“I’m serious. It was so romantic.” you tell him. He brings your face closer to his again so he can kiss you more.

“Are you tired yet?” he questions.

“A little, but I need to go to the toilet first.” you remind him. He shuffles more onto his back and rests his head comfortably into the pillows.

“Go on, hurry up so we can go to bed.”

You do as you're told, legs taking you to the en-suite as quickly as possible for you to pee.

You wash your hands and come back out to find Yuuji fast asleep and snoring lightly. You smile, clambering into bed beside him. You wrap an arm around him and allow sleep to take over your body.

To say you're furious when you wake up would be an understatement.

Your eyes open and you assume it's morning. But when you look to the sky and see it's still pitch black your heart stops.

You roll over to check your phone. A few hours must have gone by at least.

Nope. Thirty minutes.

In fact; it's been 27 minutes if you want to be technical about it. You couldn’t even manage to sleep for thirty fucking minutes before you're wide awake again.

Fuck it, you think to yourself.

You go to the bathroom to splash water on your face before finding the most over the top dressing gown that your mother had also gifted you for your stay. It's sheer material with gorgeous pink fluff on the edges.

It's so dramatic, it hits the floor and trails behind you.

But it’s not often you get to feel this glamorous.

You might as well embrace your pretentious roots while you’re here. You slide on your matching fluffy pink slippers and sneak out of the room, doing your best to be quiet so that you don't wake Yuuji.

You wander the pitch black hallways.

There's no particular destination in mind. Your feet lead you around the manor. You explore rooms you hadn’t even noticed; and corridors you didn’t even know existed.

But still, through all your adventuring, you find yourself atop the main staircase. You're planning to turn around and go back to bed with Yuuji, however the sound of clinking and rustling downstairs piques your interest.

Could somebody be stealing?

Which one of your mother’s guests is causing such a ruckus?

You step down each platform quietly, not wanting to scare the disruptive presence away. The light in the kitcheb shines brightly, and you turn the corner to stand in the door way.

Of course.

Broad shoulders, a toned back and just above shoulder length black hair.

Who else would it be?

None of the other guests would be such a nuisance, so rude, and make themselves so at home in a house that is not their own.

Toji turns around slamming a bottle of whiskey and a tumbler on the kitchen island.

“Oh fuck—!” he startles as he notices you staring at him. “Scared the shit out of me, darlin’.” he tells you.

“Do you have permission to be helping yourself to my father’s alcohol?” you smirk, the simple expression on your face allows Toji to know that you, in actual fact, don’t care what he does with your dads booze.

“Not in so many words,” he begins, cracking open the bottle lid and pouring himself a drink. “But your folks are always so generous with their hospitality.” he teases. He drinks the whiskey like a shot. He slams the tumbler against the counter top so hard a little bit of excess liquid splashes out.

“Help yourself Toji,” you smile. Your slippers shuffle irritatingly across the kitchen tiles as you walk towards the freezer to get yourself some ice cold water.

“Hey,” Toji speaks, the word comes from the depth of his lungs. The volume commands your body to turn to face him. “Want some?” he wonders, shaking around the bottle of whiskey with a wicked grin on his face. “Oh wait, you’re a borin’ good girl who don’t drink nothin’, right?” he teases.

“Right.” you nod.

“I’m sure it’ll help you sleep… That’s why you’re down here, right? Havin’ trouble sleeping?” he guesses, and correctly at that.

You nod, but you raised an eyebrow. Your scepticism is obvious.

“Will it? Really?” you wonder. He shrugs his shoulder and his expression turns to unknowing. But before you give an answer with words, he assumes that your question is acceptance. He grabs another tumbler and slams it down beside the one he’d been using.

“Worth a try.”

You do accept his offer.

And as a result, you find yourself with a tumbler glass in one hand. Toji leads you out of the kitchen by gripping tightly onto the flesh of your arm. You aren’t sure where he was taking you. But he expertly holds his own glass as well as the whiskey bottle in one hand. His grip is bruising, but you're too tired to care.

You find yourself in a cosy little study room.

Presumably your father’s.

It's like a cosy den, a man cave.

He has one of those retro globe drink cabinets beside his desk. Toji lights the logs in the fireplace and the room instantly feels even cosier. You sit opposite each other on the two red leather armchairs while you sip casually at your drinks.

You kick your fluffy sliders off to let your feet feel how soft the white fur rug is on the ground. Sleepy eyes are drawn to a dart board on the opposite side of the room.

It makes you smile.

You remember your father holding you high as a child in his arms so you could play with the dart board in the old house.

“What’re you smilin’ about?” Toji wonders. Your smile drops as your attention is brought back to him.

“Nothing, really.” you shake your head.

“Yuuji?”

“No.”

He hums. Toji takes a swig from his drink and nods in acceptance. This is painful. It's so awkward.

Why does he want to sit here with you?

Why does he want to drink with you?

The alcohol is making your stomach feel raw, but you're somehow finding the strength to ignore it. You clear your throat and look to the crackling fire beside you.

“Do you love him?” he asks you. “Yuuji, I mean.”

“Uh, yeah? I do, very much. Why?”

“Are you the reason he hates Megumi now? Did ya do somethin’ to make him angry at my son?” Toji ponders aloud. You scoff at that. He really has no idea.

Toji has zero fucking clue about his son, and what a monster he is.

“I didn’t do anything.” you hiss before downing the remainder of your drink. You tilt your glass towards Toji, indicating that you want it to be filled again. “He’s been making my life a living hell at uni, y’know? He’s sick. He’s fucking evil.” you alert him.

A parents love for their children is limitless.

You’re sure your claim will go down like a lead balloon.

“Heh, what’d he do? Scowl at you for too long? He’s all bark ‘n no bite that kid, he’s just—”

“Oh he can bite. In the one week that he decided he hated me, he spiked my drink on a night out and I was blacked out for almost two days. That’s what he did. And that is why I’ve been avoiding drinking.” you inform him. His grip loosens on his glass, but it doesn’t fall from his hand. His scar pulls as his lip turns to a scowl, his eye twitches in irritation. “You don’t believe me…” you sigh, “That’s fine. Yuuji believes me, that’s all I—”

“What else?”

“Huh?”

“What else, tell me what else.” Toji asks.

It's quiet.

But the type of quiet that spoke volumes.

He does believe you. You stutter, hesitate. You aren’t really sure what to tell him, or if you should tell him. But he urges you to speak. He needs you to continue. So you do.

You tell him the names he called you on the first day you met him, the vile things he said. You tell him about how you thought all was forgiven when you went out to eat together, but he flipped on you again and destroyed your sketchbook.

And you explain the club incident in gory detail, everything that you could remember and then everything else that you’d been told. You hum and haw over whether you should tell him about his inappropriate touches towards you too. But you’ve come this far, there's no point hiding anything now.

The way he touched your thighs. How he caged you in beneath him. How he dry humped you in the club when he was bullying you.  

Toji puts his drink down. His elbows dig into his thighs and he covers his face with his hands.

He's breathing.

Just, breathing.

You don’t know what to do, what to say. So you say nothing.

You wait. And wait. He sits back upright and lets his body sink into the back of the leather chair. He rakes his fingers through his hair a few times before looking for something in his pockets.

Cigarettes.

He sparks up.

Your father would be furious if he knew, but you aren't in a rush to tell him. And you don’t have the heart to tell him no, to object. He lets the tar coat his lungs before exhaling.

He looks sick.

“He draws you; you know. A lot.” you inform him.

“S’that right?” he speaks, puffing out a plume of toxic smoke.

“Yeah. That’s why he hates me, I think.” you add, taking another drink of your whiskey to wet your dry mouth. Toji’s interest is piqued. He raises his eyebrows as he takes another drag of his cigarette. “Both times I complimented his drawings of you in class, that is when he switched on me.”

Toji’s brows knit. He pinches the bridge of his nose while he holds his cigarette carefully between two fingers. The smoke dances and twirls beautifully as it ascends up to the ceiling like a delicate ribbon. He mutters something.

You don’t quite catch it.

But when you replay his lip movements in your mind, when you really focus on what he just mouthed in your head, you think he said sorry.

“He had a panic attack in my car on Friday,” Toji admits, he takes another puff of his cigarette and picks his whiskey back up.

Really? Megumi?

He doesn’t seem like the type to have panic attacks.

“Breathin’ weird, threw up, even cried a little. The full works.” he carries on. He stubs out his cigarette and tops up his drink.

He needs it.

Those same demons that Megumi tried to drown so desperately in the car that day are his demons too.

He’d inherited them from his very own father.

“That must have been hard for you.” you speak, attempting to sympathise. But you couldn’t deny that you felt smug, happy almost, that Megumi is suffering.

“You know what he told me?” Toji asks you, and you shake your head. “He told me he’s fucked up. He told me he was a fucked up teenager, and he’s even more fucked up now.” he says. Toji’s breathing is erratic. You can see his hand trembling a little as he drums his fingers against his knee.

He can’t handle it.

He needs another cigarette, just one more, one more to settle his nerves.

“Then what happened?”

“I told him he’s not fucked up!” he responds, a little too loudly. He slicks his hair back a little before speaking again. “Well, I told him he isn’t the only one. Everyone’s a little fucked up, right? I told him even I’m fucked up. But he probably already knew that, huh?” he tells you. His foot tapping furiously against the ground as he smokes some more.

You slowly shuffle from the chair to the floor. You crawl over to him and sit by his feet. Like a little animal curling up to its master.

Why are you so drawn to him?

It's nice, he is nice.

He's like an authority figure who actually takes you seriously. Someone who listens to you. Someone who believes you and doesn’t want to treat you like a puppet for his own personal gain.

“But he is fucked, isn’t he? What he did to you is my fault.” he continues you. You rest your hand on his knee and shake your head. But he nods, because what he's saying is true. He blows smoke in your direction.

“He just has some issues clearly, you did the best you could. You didn’t make him bully me Toji.” you tell him.

“Has anyone told you his mother died? My wife, when he was little.” he wonders. You shake your head. “Yeah. I loved her, so it killed me too. So I left him.”

“You—”

“I abandoned my tiny son who needed me so I could do drugs and drink like a lunatic. I couldn’t cope, but it’s not an excuse. I never even apologised to him.” he fills you in, he's coming dangerously close to finishing another cigarette.

You're at a loss for words.

It is his fault.

How could a human being expect to be anything other than fucked up with what Megumi has been through? And to not even receive an apology for it.

Fuck, do you feel sorry for him?

“Well, I said sorry when he was having his panic attack but it wasn’t real. I’ve never claimed to be anything other than a piece of shit so I don’t know what he expects from me.”

“Maybe he expects you to be a decent father and learn from your mistakes, Toji.” you hiss. He laughs at that.

“Y’got me there darlin’.”

You want to stand up. But your liver hurts and you're exhausted. Maybe you’ll just sleep here.

You can crawl back to the armchair, right?

You're finally tired, so tired that you don’t have the strength to make it back to your own bed. Your forehead rests on Toji’s knee. And he smirks when he hears light snores rise from your throat.

He’ll carry you to bed when he’s finished. You’ll be okay here for a little while. He needs more alcohol in him.

He needs to think everything over.

His ears prick when he hears the sound of creaking floorboards drawing closer to the room. Toji is too fucking calm, how could he be so willing to risk being seen with you like this? There's a knock at the door, and when Toji doesn’t respond, they welcome themselves in.

“What the fuck is this?” Megumi asks, staring at your sleeping form, your pretty little head resting sweetly on his knee.

You don’t wake up.

Toji grits his teeth as he looks at his son, his little monster.

“Shut your fucking mouth kid,”

“Have you been drinking together? I’m not shocked, fuckin’ alcoholic piece of shit.” Megumi bites. Toji’s tongue runs along the top of his teeth and he sucks, unsure of what to do now that his devil child is in front of him. Why is he even here? “Knew she was a slut, did she fall asleep sucking you off?”

Toji taps your shoulder lightly and your eyes fluttered open. He grips that very same shoulder when you squeal and back into his legs when you notice Megumi's presence.

Toji shushes you.

Megumi is clever and likes to do everything to you behind closed doors. He’d never risk doing anything in front of a witness, God forbid anyone believe you about his torment over you.

But it's too late.

Toji already does.

“I’ll walk you to your room sweetheart, c’mon.” Toji tells you as he helped you to your feet. Megumi scoffs at that.

“Are you fuckin’ serious Toji? What the hell is going on?”

When Toji is close enough to Megumi he points a finger in his sons face and snarls. He’s furious with him. Through all of each other’s faults, through all of Megumi’s hatred of him, he at least thought his son was a decent person.

They could tolerate each other for a set amount of time. Megumi is smart, he’s calm and collected most of the time except where his father is concerned. But Toji is looking at him now, and he sees himself staring right back.

Megumi is fucked. And Toji is fucked, too.

“I’m takin’ her to bed. I am goin’ to bed. And I don’t give a fuck what you do, but I don’t wanna see that pathetic face of yours until I take you home in the morning. Stay the fuck out of my way.” Toji answers him.

He barges past him with you in tow. Your heart is racing.

It's incredible.

Yuuji stands up for you whenever he can, but Megumi always manages to keep a level head. He's never intimidated. But now, right now when you turn to face him, he looks broken. His eyes are the widest you’ve ever seen them and his jaw is clenched.

Megumi is scared.

Megumi is afraid.

Toji did that. He did that to him. And it makes you… smile.

He brings you to your room and tells you to try and get some rest. There are only a few hours you can squeeze in before you have to start getting ready to leave in the morning. You hold onto the door handle. But before you pull it and walk inside your room, you turn to face him again.

“Why are you here?” you ask, curiosity taking over you.

He smirks.

The type of smirk that told you he's about to say something you don’t want to hear.

But his eyes find yours, and he takes a deep breath.

“I didn’t know you were dating anyone, especially not Yuuji for that matter.” he begins. “It’s pretty obvious your parents don’t like him. Are they tryna keep it under wraps?” he wonders.

“Big time.” you nod.

“I’ll be honest sweetheart, I invited Megumi here too. I was gonna try and push the idea of marrying you both off so I could marry myself into some money.” he informs you. You felt your blood begin to bubble.

Seriously, what fucking century do all of these people you’re surrounded by think you’re in?

First Naoya with his ‘women should be seen and not heard’ notion. And now Toji thinking you’d ever agree to an arranged marriage, with anyone, let alone Megumi.

But your breathing slows as you examine his features.

You’d considered him an authority figure you could trust. Someone who didn’t want to use you as a puppet for their own personal gain. They were the exact thoughts you had in your father’s office.

And now, he's just blown that trust up with his stupid confession in seconds.

But the longer you look at him, you think… At least he’s honest. And at least he listened to you, believed you.

“It’s okay.” you tell him.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” you nod, pushing the door open so that it's slightly ajar. You face him once more with a smile on your face, “You’ve never claimed to be anything other than a piece of shit, right?” you tease. He laughs a little, acknowledging your call back to his previous words.

“Right.” he agrees.

“Goodnight Toji.”

“G’night princess.”

Yuuji slept so soundly, he didn’t even realised you’d left and come back hours later.

He wakes up feeling refreshed and packs everything in your room as quickly as he can. The man is desperate to get out of here and return to normality. He smiles at your sleepy, tired body as you do your best to pull on a pair of leggings and a big baggy top. You want to be comfy for the car ride home.

Maybe you’ll be able to sleep for a few hours, too.

You do one last check of the bathroom to make sure you didn’t forget anything and then zip your case securely. Yuuji carries on doing a sweep of the room to be certain nothing of his gets left behind, and he still needs to get dressed.

“I’m gonna go and say goodbye to my parents.” you tell Yuuji.

You're about to head down the stairs when you felt a fist ball into your t-shirt and yank you backwards. Your back is against the wall and you can feel your heartbeat in your ears. You’ve been in this exact position one too many times with Megumi before.

He settles a hand on your shoulder to pin you in place while the other rests on your hip, his knee found comfort between your thighs. It's a little too close to your heat; but Megumi is too close to you all together.

“Someone has been interfering and running to tell tales to my dad.” he speaks, the tone telling you everything you need to know.

You aren’t sure if Toji has told him or if he's worked it out all on his own.

And yet, while you're shaking, while you're terrified that no one will come to your rescue and protect you from him again, a wave of power surges through you. Your fists ball into his shirt. That alone catches him off guard.

What has happened to you?

You take the fleeting chance to spin him around, pinning him against the wall.

“I’m not fucking scared of you anymore Fushiguro,” you begin. He tries to shove you away but you push against him harder, “you’re just so desperate for daddy’s approval aren’t you? Want him to want you so badly. I know everything about you now, and he knows you better than he ever has before.” you say calmly with a smile on your face.

“Shut the hell up—”

“You’re just sad, lonely, pathetic. And I repeat, I’m not scared of you anymore Megumi.” you inform him.

You turn to walk away, but he grabs your wrist and forces you against the wall once more. He’s red in the face, a particularly lively vein pulses by his temple.

You’ve done it now. Fuck, you’ve really done it now.

Your eyes screw shut as you prepare for whatever he's about to do to you.

He is scary and intimidating. But you can at least take pride in knowing no matter how hard he tries to keep you down you’ll always get up.

But when both of his hands cup your face and his lips find yours, your breath hitches in your throat. It’s hard and strong, but no tongue. His eyes are closed and yours fly open. You raise your hand, your palm claps against his cheek and his whole face turns away from you. You shove him backwards with so much force his back connects with the wall opposite to the one you’re against. Both of you pant and catch your breaths in the particularly echoey corridor.

“The fuck is wrong with you?” you ask. He doesn’t answer. He’s still panting. Using the back of his hand to wipe away the dampness on his lips.

His eyes find yours again, and he’s lost.

He’s lost in them.

Lost in you.

What the fuck is wrong with him?

“Do us all a favour and get the therapy you desperately need.” you finish as you finally manage to escape him and descend the stairs.

What was that all about?

You think you better wait until you leave to tell Yuuji what happened.

In fact, you aren’t sure whether you should tell him at all. Your parents stand in the driveway as they watch Yuuji drive around and leave the manor.

He’s happy.

You’re happy.

You’re going home!

This nightmare is finally over.

Megumi stands in the doorway as he watches you leave. Part of him wants some fresh air, but he could have went in the garden for that.

He’s fuming at himself.

Why did he do that?

Why the fuck did he kiss you?

He needs to find Naoya. Whatever his sinister little plan is for revenge on you, he needs to get himself in on it. What he just did will be forgotten, he’ll get himself back on his sadistic little horse. And you’ll both be able to forget that he forced his lips onto you. When he turns around to find his uncle, he’s greeted to the sight of his father instead.

“Move.” Megumi commands. Toji crouches down so he’s eye level with his son. That all too familiar wicked, scar pulling grin etched on his face once more.

“You better leave that girl alone.” he instructs.

“Or what? You’re fucking off to wherever you go for months at a time tomorrow, so you aren’t in any position to stop me.” Megumi boasts, preparing to walk away from him once more.

“Wrong.”

“Huh?”

“Wrong, Megumi. Wrong. I’m fuckin’ movin’ in with you and Tsumiki so I can keep an eye on ya. Ya sick fuck. She told me everythin’. Fucks wrong with you?” Toji alerts him.

Megumi feels his stomach sink. Really? He’s really sticking around?

“She’s a fucking attention seeker, she’s lying to you.” Megumi fibs. The elder Fushiguro shakes his head. Toji gets in his face, real fucking close. So close that Megumi is almost drunk from the smell of last nights whiskey on his lips.

“You. Are. Fucked.” Toji tells him, his face becoming more serious so Megumi knows he isn’t playing around. He couldn’t, he shouldn’t say that to his own son. But he’s right. Toji needs to let him know, he needs to help him get better. Maybe helping his son will help him too.

“You made me, Toji.”

“If I see or find out you’ve done anything to that poor girl, I’ll break your fuckin’ knee caps. Hear me? In fact I might fuckin’ kill you. No wonder Yuuji wanted to rip your throat out.” Toji jeers through his teeth. Megumi can’t believe it.

He's showing more care and adoration for a complete stranger than he had to him his whole pathetic existence.

“Get out of my way.” Megumi relents. Eager to escape his father’s intense glare.

“Nah, we’ve been summoned.” Toji notifies him. Megumi’s eyebrow raises as his full attention returns to his father.

“Summoned? What for?”

“Zen’in clan wants to talk to us,” Toji explains as he slips a cigarette between his scarred lips, “They wanna talk to the princess’ parents too.”

© 2021 fuwushiguro | © 2023 rinhaler

[lightlycareless]

I’m curious, how would you think Naoya’s canonical first appearance would be like if he was married to Y/N during the events of the manga? I wonder if he’d still maintain his role as antagonist(maybe he’d turn ally?) or if he’d just be nonexistent because him and Y/N decide to leave Japan post shibuya(he can’t let y/n get caught up in that) XD

Hello anon!!!

Well, I actually wrote a little something detailing that hehe. Kind of. I hope it still answers your question :>

Also, because this is the perfect opportunity to do so, why not write something sad/angsty for a change. A "what would happen with Y/N and Naoya during Shibuya" :))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) but somewhat taking into consideration the post above? Hmmm more at the end.

warnings: slight mentions of character death. mentions of pregnancy. angst. sad overall I believe. :') Naoya loves you and has done things differently than the jerk we all know of course. Or not? Also, I don't remember much of Shibuya anymore so forgive me if something is odd about it.

Happy reading!

I would say Naoya would quickly decide to get you out of danger. No questions about it; he doesn’t even consider otherwise. As soon as he hears what is going down he intends to send you far away in some remote safe house where he thinks you and the kids will be ok—perfectly tended for, as he’d always made sure.

You, on the other hand, aren’t too enthusiastic about leaving everything behind, simply because your family was right in the middle of the crisis! And of course they would be, always rushing to serve the noble cause, you were not surprised to learn that they were doing their best to prevent the situation from worsening.

But this was no ordinary task, that much obvious by a simple glance. And if not through that, then by the growing uneasiness settling in your heart. One that demanded you to stay… or at least remain attentive to what is to follow.

“But I don’t think that’s even necessa—”

“We’re not discussing this anymore, Y/N. You are leaving, and you’re doing so tomorrow first thing in the morning. I already made all the preparations, you just need to have the kids awake and ready.”

“I don’t want to leave my family.” You insist. “I shouldn’t! They—They need me. They’re putting their life on the line; I can’t just leave—”

“Our children need you more. I need you more.” Naoya frowns, frustrated that of all things you’ve decided to refute him on, this had to be the one. “As I said, I won’t discuss this with you anymore—you are leaving.”

“But Naoya—!”

You’ve only seen this firm side of him on scarce occasions; either when reprimanding your naïve kids when accidentally doing something that might hurt them, or when putting his family in place after saying… well, the things they normally did.

And since you obviously don’t like pushing him over the edge, having more than enough with the weight of being the heir of a prestigious clan, as well as all his work as a sorcerer, you tend to just go with what he wants.

But not this time around, you simply couldn’t act like there wasn’t something bothering you. Something looming over your mind, a frightening omen that involved someone directly involved with you.

It could be anyone. Either your family, or… Naoya.

Both chances you did not wish to take.

“…Please.” Naoya would quietly insist after seeing you grow silent, regretful of the domineering way he seemed to take over the conversation, for after all was said and done, he loved you more than anything else in this world and would rather die than hurt you.

He wasn’t happy about this arrangement, no, in fact he despised it.

Hated the fact that he had to be the one to come up with it in the first place—but after what he heard from Shibuya, alongside his father being summoned for support, it was nothing but clear that he needed to act.

“You’ll be stationed in a nice place. A quiet little village with a nice, ample house and access to a relaxing beach for you and the kids to spend time on.  Now, doesn’t that sound nice, mochi?”

Had it been literally any other occasion, you would have been ecstatic. Happy to have the opportunity to spend time with your family without worrying about anything, simply what you and your kids were to do next.

But it wasn’t meant to be this way, so much that even the kids were unusually calm about the so-called holiday. Having sensed their mother’s anxiety and preferring being by her side than thinking of having fun.

“And school? What about their friends?” You eventually ask, of course, one of the many ways to stall him.

“I don’t believe you will be away for long, but I arranged everything in the meantime. They will be homeschooled.” Naoya explains, you frown. “As for friends… I guess I can consider occasional visits. Though they’ll more likely make new ones over there.”

“…And you? Will you be… coming with us?” You know that wouldn’t be, assumed so either way. But still, you hoped he would surprise you otherwise.

“…You know I can’t.” Naoya responds, your heart sinks to your stomach.

“Why not? Your father is already there for support. Why do you have to go?” you scowl.

“I have to stay at the estate to oversee it while he’s gone.” He explains. “I wish I could go, or that you and our kids could stay but… it’s too dangerous. If anything happens at Shibuya and things decide to escalate, it’s only logical that the estate will become a target and I won’t risk it.”

You press your lips together, understanding his words, yet disappointed that it had to be that way. A part of you tried to accept them, let it go, for you knew exactly what you were getting into when you married him.

And the other…

“I can’t… I don’t feel comfortable being away while you and my family are in danger!”

“This is no different from any other mission I’ve gone to, or that your family has.” Naoya attempts to console you, but both knew that wasn’t the trutht. “What is it? What is it that has you like this?”

“…I…I don’t…I don’t know.” You begin slowly, hesitant to admit your thoughts in fear that they might become true. To painful to even consider it! “I just… have this awful feeling that something bad is going to happen soon.”

“Like what?”

“Please don’t make me say it.”

Naoya didn’t need more to understand, and such, leans closer to you, enough to wrap his arms around you and gently place a kiss on the top of your head.

“…Nothing will happen. I swear. I will contact you whenever possible so you’ll be at ease. And if there’s any change, I’ll let you know as well. I promise.”

“…Please?”

“Of course, princess.” He smirks, now kissing your cheek. “I wouldn’t even dream otherwise.”

“You haven’t called me that in a long time.” You silently admit; his words lift some of the burdening weight from your heart.

Not enough to free you, but enough for you to slightly jest at him.

“Well, our little Naomi kind of inherited it, didn’t she?”

“She’s well deserving of it. It fits her.”

“Technically you’re my princess, and she’s our little princess.”

“…I guess so, if you put it that way it kind of makes sense.”

Silence engulfs the two for a brief moment soon after, motivating Naoya to hug you even tighter.

“Everything will be fine, Y/N. It’s nothing but a situation that… got a little bit out of hand, but nothing I can’t handle. That’s all.

Just remember that my father is involved too. And…” as much as he hated admitting it, the old man was a very talented sorcerer. A good decision was made by considering him. “Gojo-kun is also there too, and everyone knows there’s no one stronger than him. As for your sister… well, she’s quite a force to be reckoned with too.”

“I never thought I’d come to hear you compliment them, ever!” You tease, he scoffs, slightly embarrassed.

“I just want to make you happy.” Naoya silently admits, placing his fingers underneath your chin and lifting your gaze to his. “You mean the world to me; I don’t know what I would do if you—if you… I can’t lose you. I can’t.”

“Then hurry up back home.” You pout, a tear sliding down cheek. “Please, for me. For the kids.”

“Promise me to always send me pictures of you and the kids. It’ll serve me as motivation as to why I even bother doing all this…” He frowns. “…And to let me know if you’re ok. You’ll be secured there with some of my men, but I still wish to hear it from you.”

“You don’t have to worry about that. I’ll send you so many, you’ll ask me to stop!”

“Now, mochi, no need to say fallacies we know won’t happen.” He teases back, which you respond with a giggle before quieting down, the realization that his impending departure is near.

“May the gods bring you back safe to me.” You silently pray, pressing a kiss on his lips to seal your protection charm, the one you’ve previous on prior occasions and has always worked—or so you believed.

The same one you desperately hoped would work this time around as well, especially after beginning to hear the horrific loses Shibuya had brought along.

From the death of your beloved friend Nanami to Gojo’s unprecedented sealing, you remained on edge as you tried your best to keep constant communication with Naoya, trying to figure out if any of these happenings had affected him one way or the other, praying that nothing would befall him.

Eventually cursing yourself when realizing you had unknowingly called a bad presage into reality when Naoya one day, without previous warning, directly and sternly, sends you the following message:

“My father died in Shibuya. I am now clan leader.”

To congratulate him given the circumstances of his death felt out of place, if not incredibly imprudent—even if this was his biggest dream.

It just came to you so… unexpectedly, though some would say that incidences would occur in such conflict. Perhaps it was Naobito’s time to leave this earth.

And yet, another part of you decided to take this as a warning, a reminder that this was no common attack. Not if it was capable of claiming the life of someone so skillful as your father-in-law.

…

What did any of this mean for Naoya? Is he safe? Is he ok? Has he been injured? Where was he right now?

But most importantly, what is he going to do now that is Leader of the Zen’in clan?

Did this mean that you were finally able to return with him? After so many days of homesickness, would you be able to see your husband in person?

…

Or… or did this just made things even worse for your family, forced to remain away until things cooled down, because you were now a bigger target?

“It’s still not safe. With Gojo-kun’s sealing… the clans have been nothing but a mess; and apparently that’s just the tip of the iceberg. There seems to be a deeper plan unfolding in the background—We still don’t know what for, but I know for sure one thing: I wouldn’t dare endanger you.”

“…Ok. I understand” You dejectedly agree, forced to remain behind as you lonely mourn the death of your friends, or the unknown fate of one of them.

Well, at least your family was relatively safe. Your siblings sustained injuries, but nothing they wouldn’t be able to heal in due time. You could only wonder the stresses your father had to deal with now that the Gojo clan was rendered nonexistent… Was someone trying to nominate Satoru’s replacement?

…

You wished you could do more. Longed to not feel as useless as you did nowadays, more so since Naoya’s messages turned to be fewer and fewer as time passed…

But at least he still responded. Took a little bit of his time to let you know that he was fine. Busy, perhaps a partial lie, but ultimately alive.

Just a matter of days and you’ll be back in his arms, with your children, and the little bundle growing inside you. Where you belonged.

Unless… fate was to cruelly decide otherwise.

“Naoya, I… haven’t heard from you in quite a while. I just… hope you’re ok and not overworking yourself. Naomi, Naori, Naoko and Naoyuki miss you. Please let me know how everything is doing as soon as you can. I love you”

…

“I don’t want to bother you, nor distract you from your duties. But I’m very worried about you Naoya, you haven’t answered any of my messages or calls. And… and I can’t shake this feeling that something horrible happened. Please answer me, Naoya, I can’t take the thought of you mot—

Just let me know if you’re ok, please. I love you.”

…

“Please, just give me a sign that you’re alive. I beg you, Naoya. I can’t take this anymore. I feel so lonely without you. I always do, but today… today it feels worse. Please, if just a letter, you don’t even have to write a whole message. Just a dot or something. Anything!

Just… anything so I can know you’re fine. Alive. Please. I beg you”

…

“Please. Please. Please. Naoya, answer me. Please. We love you.”

…

…

“Please. For our baby. Please.”

…

…

…

“…Naoya?”

Obviously I wanted to make it tragic and say that Naoya died; but how did he die? By being in Shibuya? Maybe. Maki? That means he still would've been a jerk! akjgkags

Also, I believe he didn't tell Y/N that he wasn't actually clan leader because... I don't know, pride. It's what he wanted all his life, after all! Maybe he hoped to fix that before meeting up with you again, and that's how he died :) OOF

Anyways, I hoped you enjoyed this little "what if" piece. I still have another Shibuya-centric oneshot to write 😏 maybe that could add on to this one? Thankfully, the good things about these prompts is that they're not really connected to one another, they could all essentially be read individually hehe nice.

Now, thank you so much for sending in this ask; take care and hope to see you soon!!!

[kleftiko]

❦ CALL OUT MY NAME

“guess I was just another pit stop 'til you made up your mind. you just wasted my time."

cw: mature, sexual content, gn!reader, angst, infidelity, mentions of marking (tw: Naoya Zen'in)

Choso's laying in bed. Fingers play through his loose hair as he watches a show he's seen so many times that he's mouthing along to the dialogue. An empty box of takeout sits on his nightstand, and he's content.

The ambiance of his room is broken when his phone buzzes. At first he doesn't notice, then decides he doesn't care enough to check, but whether intuition or luck, he flips over his phone to see your name.

"What's up?" he's asking a second later, into the speaker.

There's a sniffle on your end.

"Can I come over?" you ask in a small, static, clouded voice.

"Of course," he says.

"Can we get fried rice?"

Choso's eyes flit to the empty container. "Sure, I was just getting hungry anyway."

"I'll be there soon."

Getting rid of the garbage takes two seconds; what takes so much longer is Choso figuring out what to do with all the time between now and when you show up at his door. He was overly critical of how he was sitting, what show was playing on the TV, and what kind of fried rice he should get—but it all went flying out the window when you opened his door with puffy eyes and a quivering lip.

He's on you in a second, helping you take off your jacket and asking what happened. But you don't say anything; instead, you climb into his bed and snuggle under the covers.

"He doesn't care about me." You whine.

Choso can't help that the sight of you tangling yourself in his sheets, knowing they're going to smell like you when you inevitably leave, makes his dick twitch.

"He's such a dick—God, why can't I just find someone better?" You huff, fluffing his pillow and laying your head on it.

He tentatively sits on the side of his bed, a large hand softly stroking your shoulder like he's done so many times.

"What happened this time?" He asks. You take a deep breath and begin to recount the details of your latest disappointment. It's always about your boyfriend, Naoya, and how he doesn't do this or say this to you. At this point, everything is a broken record; Naoya does something terrible, and you crawl to Choso for a moment, allowing him to hold, caress, and love you, before returning to your boyfriend.

Choso hates it. Hates that you won't leave the guy, hates that you take all the bullshit he throws at you, hates that you're always showing up at his door in tears—but he especially hates that he can never turn you away, hates that he lets you use him for a quick fuck that definitely means so much more to him than it ever will to you.

"And I mean, it's not even like I'm asking for much!" You vent.

Honestly, Choso's not paying attention to what you're saying; he's heard this speech so many times that he could recite it like the show that's still playing on his TV. But he knows what comes after; he knows that in a moment of vulnerability for both of you, your soft lips will finally touch his, and he could pretend for a brief moment that you are all his.

"Why can't I be with someone as sweet as you?" You breathe, leaning into him.

He doesn't wait for you to make the first move this time; he kisses you without taking a breath first—too eager to have you. As your lips meet, a surge of electricity courses through his veins, intensifying the connection between you. In that stolen moment, the world around him fades away, leaving only the two of you lost in a whirlwind of passion and desire.

It's all too soon that he's undressed you. The heat between you becomes almost unbearable. His lips run over the soft skin covering your entire body, right over the marks from another man. How he wished to do that to you as well, to erase any trace of anyone else. He wants to look down at your bare body and see his own masterpiece, not some other fuckers. But you'll never let him; your boyfriend was the only one allowed to do that. You've told him many times, and it's always a stab to his heart. A sick reminder of what he is to you and what he will never be.

But in some sadistic and satirical way, it never stops him from wanting to please you, to let you suffocate him with your trembling thighs as he eats you out in a desperate attempt for your approval.

He yearns to be the one who fulfills your desires, to be the artist who brings you pleasure and satisfaction. Despite the pain it causes him, he continues to strive for your acceptance, hoping that one day he will be enough for you.

But even when he's buried deep inside you, bringing tears of ecstasy to your eyes, you're still not looking at him. You're lost in your own world of pleasure, unaware of the emotional toll it takes on him. He longs for a connection beyond physical intimacy, craving the validation and recognition that he so desperately seeks from you. It's a bittersweet irony that even in moments of intense passion, he remains unseen and unnoticed by the one he yearns for. It doesn't matter that he brings you to one orgasm after another if he can't capture your attention and affection outside of the bedroom.

And right when he's on the brink of euphoria, head thrown back, grip like a vice against your hips, you tell him to pull out—he can't cum inside. And it doesn't matter that the sight of his cum splattering against your stomach is a sight that makes him immediately hard again; it's a cruel reminder that only your boyfriend has the pleasure of filling you up while he has to cum into the cool and unforgiving air between you. He now knows the moment is almost over.

Choso's laying in bed. Fingers trail over your exposed skin as the same show that was playing hours ago still runs. An untouched box of takeout sits on his nightstand, and he feels his heart sink at the thought of you waking up and leaving him alone.

[dumbkiri]

𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕎𝕚𝕗𝕖 𝕠𝕗 𝔾𝕠𝕛𝕠 𝕊𝕒𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕦 『5』

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ꜰɪᴠᴇ: ᴛʜᴇ ᴢᴇɴ'ɪɴ'ꜱ,

The Zen'in's are the first to propose a marriage contract with [Name] [L.Name]. They want strong heirs and other clan leaders will make the same proposal. Satoru also wants his name in the hat! Let's not forget that boisterous male!

“So you’re still alive?”

[Name] turned her head to the left and saw Naoya Zen’in looking at her with a scary glare. [Name] didn’t know what she did to warrant that look from him or his cruel words. She decided it was best not to question him because the longer she engaged in a conversation with him the more she wanted to gauge her eyes out. 

Instead she bowed her head respectfully and greeted him with ease, “Good morning, Zen’in-san.” Her light blue traditional kimono bothered his eyes and he looked away from her beautiful body with a scoff. Naoya wanted her to yell at him for the assassination attempt on her life, but she remained a quiet, respectful woman towards him. 

“Now why are you bothering [Name], son?” Naobito walked onto the stone path that led to a meeting room. He was a proud man with a pretty unique technique. [Name] never really had a problem with the older man, but his threats were unsettling at best. 

Naoya looked back at [Name] and watched her look at him through his eyes. He always felt a certain attraction towards her when she did this. It felt like she was calling out to him, to hold her and to- “I don’t see why her presence is needed here. The men can heal their wounds normally,” Naoyo got rid of those annoying thoughts and looked back at his father. 

Naobito laughed loudly like he did it with his belly. Then he walked up to [Name] and presented his arm for her to take. She did so gingerly and out of respect. “Why heal over a span of a week or month when we have a goddess to heal wounds instantly? You should show her some respect, maybe then she would look at you more with care.” 

“I apologize for my rude staring, Zen’in-sama.” [Name] apologized quickly. She didn’t know that Naobito saw her glaring at his son. She should be more careful with observant men like the one holding her arm in his stiff grasp. 

Naobito shook his head and sighed, “No, you have all the need to glare at him considering what he tried to do to you.”

[Name] looked up at the older man and hummed, “I have no clue as to what you two are talking about. Naoya-san did mention that he was surprised I was still alive. Now you are giving me permission to rudely stare at him. Please elaborate on what I’m missing here.” 

Naoya and Naobito looked at her with surprised looks on their faces. Questions ran amuck in their heads and the men both came to the conclusion that she really doesn’t know about the assassination attempt on her life. Naobito was quick to answer her with a response that caught her off guard, “Ah well, he’s always telling you to jump off a cliff. I hate to say this, but his flirting is lacking therefore making him a tactless person. I’m not sure he’ll get married to anyone if he can’t get a sweet girl like you to fall for him.” 

[Name] used her unoccupied arm and lifted her covered hand to her mouth. She giggled into it and looked up at Naobito, “Again, I apologize for my behavior. I am just surprised that you hear all the silly jokes Naoya-san tells me. I think it’s quite funny he wants me to die because he’s going to have to get in line for that.” 

“No need to apologize, [Name]. I would refrain from embarrassing him in front of other leaders though. I may be fine with it, but others will not like a woman belittling a man,” Naobito warned her and she instantly bowed her head down in acknowledgement. 

“Of course, Naobito-sama.” 

“[NAME]-CHAN!”

[Name] lifted her head and turned her body to look behind her. A huge smile erupted on her face as she saw two little girls running her way with their childish grins. She released Naobito’s arm and hugged the little ones that ran into her arms. She squeezed them with love and shook them left and right. 

“Mai and Maki, I was wondering where my little ones were!”

Naobito and Naoya watched the woman with the girls; one stared at the scene with curiosity and the other stare was filled with annoyance. The girls laughed in her embrace and she set them back on the stone floor.

“You girls are radiating so much today!” [Name] praised and small flowers bloomed in her hair from pure joy. Pretty colors of bright, blue, pink and yellow made themselves known to the group. In turn, Mai squealed and pointed at the woman’s hair, “You’re growing flowers in your hair again, [Name]!”

The woman blushed and brushed the flowers out of her hair with embarrassed glances at the males behind her. “A-ah, I forget that happens,” She whispered timidly as her fingers ran through her soft locks. The petals fell out easily and slowly fell down to touch the stones. 

“We want to hear you sing, [Name].” Maki stated as her sister jumped into the air, nodding her head excitedly. The two girls loved when she visited them because she was nice and she had a pretty voice. She also healed their small souls with her songs. 

[Name] was nervous to say the very least. She was here to escort Naobito and Naoya to Jujutsu High on official business. She definitely wasn’t here to sing to little girls and Naoya made that very obvious. “She’s not here to sing a stupid song. You two have no right to be in [Name]’s presence. You’re both useless and you-” 

“What song would you like to hear? I think I have an idea of what you both want to hear,” [Name] completely interrupted Naoya leaving the 17 year old stunned. Meanwhile Naobito didn’t like the fact that Maki and Mai were here. He too was going to shun and scold the twins, but [Name]’s voice had an edge to it when she spoke. 

Although he knew she spoke gently to the girls, the dagger point was directed at Naoya. He let it slide though because he wanted to get on her good side. He wanted her to marry into the Zen’in Family. He wanted [Name] to produce strong heirs. 

Mai and Maki stayed silent, afraid of the backlash they were going to get from their superiors. [Name] took notice of this and reassured them with a smile, “Tell me once again, I could have been anyone, anyone else before you made the choice for me. ” 

Mai and Maki looked up at [Name] with surprise etched on their small faces. They were greeted with a happy woman who looked at them with love. She was gentle, she was kind, she was everything they wanted in a mother. 

“My feet knew the path, we walked in the dark, in the dark, I never gave a single thought to where it might lead.” 

[Name] bobbed her head side to side and took their hands into her own where she twirled them in slow circles. She led them into a slow and careful dance. Their fearful expressions were diminishing by the second. 

He’s heard all about her blessed energy, but this felt extremely nice. It felt dangerous how peaceful it was.

“All those empty rooms, we could have been anywhere, anywhere else, instead I made a bed with apathy.” 

Naoyo expertly distanced himself away from the trio and their lazy dance, rolling his eyes at the thought of women being pathetic. He never truly saw the beauty of a woman besides her looks. 

“My heart knew the weight, ten years worth of dust and neglect, we made our peace with weariness and let it be.” 

Meanwhile Naobito was taking in the rise of the blessed aura around [Name]’s body. It was enveloping the children in a warm embrace, it made them forget their threats near them. 

Again, this was dangerous. Naobito didn’t like this as he watched the very little cursed energy Mai had…start to disappear. 

“The moon will sing a song for me, I loved you like the sun. Bore the shadows that you made, with no light of my own.”

[Name] stuck her right foot out and Mai tripped over it, but [Name] was strong enough to hold the little girl up. The woman dipped the girl down and picked her right up to twirl her again. 

“I shine only with the light you gave me, I shine only with the light you gave me.” 

Mai giggled as she fell into Maki’s arms and the two girls began to dance with one another in pure bliss. The high school student watched the little girls experience joy and she loved to listen to their sweet laughter. 

Out of nowhere, [Name] was grabbed roughly by her arm and thrown across the courtyard. Swiftly, she caught her bearings and gracefully landed on her feet as she slid backwards. She looked up from the floor in surprise and saw Naobito standing protectively in front of the twins from afar. 

“Naobito-sama?” [Name] questioned in disarray. She wasn’t sure why she was getting a hostile look from the older man. A piece of her blue kimono sleeve was in his hand and she looked down to see that he truly ripped out a piece when he threw her. 

“What did you do to her?” Naobito demanded, his rough hand grasping Mai’s in his tight grip. The poor girl cried out in pain and [Name] stepped forward with a hand out hoping to stop the angry man. 

“Hold on, I have no idea what you’re talking about. Please, refrain from harming her. She did nothing wrong.” [Name] begged and looked at the little girl who had tears in her eyes. Maki backed away with one step, but she stopped moving when Mai looked at her with a pleading gaze. 

[Name] could see the turmoil in Maki’s eyes and the teenage girl fell to her knees. This would certainly catch the twins' attention, she had hoped for them to follow her lead. Despite being submissive, [Name] knew that this was the only way to calm them down. Naobito growled out and shook Mai as he yelled, “She has no cursed energy now! You completely erased it with your blessed energy! Is this what you did to Maki?” 

[Name] looked up from her kneeling position and was stunned. She saw cursed energy around Mai’s body, this was totally confusing the teenager. “Naobito-sama, you are making a scene for no reason. Mai is covered in cursed energy, she always is.” [Name] gestured for Naobito to look at the little girl in his grasp. 

The older man glared down at the tearful little girl and saw that [Name] was right. It was the usual amount Mai flowed out meaning that she still had cursed energy. He let go of Mai and scoffed, “I know you did something to her. I don’t want you to sing to them anymore or anyone in the Zen’in Family, do you hear me?” 

[Name] nodded her head and stood up to her full height. She lightly brushed the dirt off of her kimono and apologized loudly, “I am sorry for my interruption. I will not do it again, Naobito-sama.” 

“That’s the sign for you two to get outta here,” Naoya sneered at the little girls and they ran off together. 

[Name] watched them leave silently with sad eyes. All they wanted to do was dance and hear her sing. And all she wanted was to see them happy. ‘This family is truly a curse,’ [Name] reminded herself. 

“Now do your job and escort us,” Naobito commanded and [Name] briskly walked up to the males with her head down. She touched Naobito’s elbow and Naoya’s forearm, a bubble formed around their bodies to protect them from her teleportation. 

The three of them disappeared within a blink of an eye. The bubbles popped and [Name] left a puddle of petals where she stood. They arrived at the entrance of the school where [Name] saw Suguru and Satoru walking up to them. 

Naobito leaned down and whispered in her ear, his words making her body heat up in anger. But being the polite girl she was, she bit her tongue back. His threat replayed in her mind, 'Do your best to not tell them what happened or else the twins will suffer a harsh punishment.’

Satoru and Suguru noticed the disheveled state their friend was in. The sleeve of her left arm was ripped off, her hair was slightly a mess and there was dirt on her pretty kimono where she looked like she was on her knees. This wasn’t the image of her, this was a tainted image that made their blood boil. 

“Satoru, do not do anything that can make her suffer for it.” Suguru whispered in a fashion that was more discreet than Naobito’s. His hands were stuffed into his pockets and he slouched as he walked keeping the unbothered look on his face. 

Meanwhile Satoru was no longer walking in his relaxed state. Instead he started to size up the males standing on the sides of [Name]’s intimidated form. How could he keep his cool when the girl he was falling for was in a state of- 

“Where are you two headed?” [Name] asked, her voice was even and fair. She was holding herself up and Satoru knew for a fact that she was playing along with whatever that old man told her. He stopped in front of the trio with Suguru staying next to him. 

“We are going on a mission,” Suguru simply answered. 

[Name] tilted her head and looked around for a certain girl, “Shoko isn’t tagging along?” 

“The mission only calls for Satoru and I.” 

[Name] nodded her head and gestured to the males next to her, “Excuse me, this is Naobito-sama and Naoya-san, they are from the Zen’in Family and they-” 

“What happened to your sleeve?”  Satoru interrupted as he stepped forward and took her hand in his. He selfishly turned off his infinity and his fingers dragged up her arm leaving a trail of goosebumps behind. [Name] shivered and was self conscious of everyone’s gazes. Two were looking for answers and the other two were daring her to tell the truth. 

“You know the twins I mentioned before? Well we were playing around and my sleeve got caught on a tree branch! It’s actually quite a funny story!” [Name] laughed, but it quickly quieted down when Satoru was looking at her intently. His round glasses slid to the tip of his nose and his piercing baby blue eyes locked with her [e.color] ones. 

“I’m sure it is,” He hummed and let go of her arm. He pushed his glasses back to their correction position and he backed up with a few strides. “Well, what is going on with you today?”

[Name]’s heart dropped as she wasn’t expecting Satoru to ask. Normally he would go on his merry way and ask about her day later. They would travel for some sweets and laugh about their silly missions. But this wasn’t a mission. This was her life and she knew he was going to remind her of that.

“Well, you see,” [Name] tried to formulate a sentence that would ease Satoru into listening to her. Although, Naoya had other plans. The future head of the Zen’in Clan stepped up and glared at Satoru. “We are here on official business, but if you must insist on what we are here for then let me be the one to tell you. [Name]’s hand is up for marriage for any of the top sorcerer clan leaders to take.”

“So any of the top clan leaders can drop their name in the hat?” Satoru asked curiously with a hand under his chin. 

Naoya looked at the white haired male as if he was dumb, “Of course they can, did you not just hear me?”

Satoru smirked and put his hands on his hips, “Well that is a damn good thing to hear because I want to be the one to marry her!” He laughed at the faces of the trio and Suguru shook his head with a smirk. This wasn’t going to get her in trouble, it was going to unsettle the other clan leaders fighting to be her husband though. 

“A-ah, Satoru, you cannot just say that!” [Name] scolded her friend with a blush on her face. 

Satoru playfully shrugged his shoulders and decided to make Naoyo look like a fool one more time, “What~ We already danced together under the stars and shared-” 

“Alright that’s enough out of your mouth, Please excuse us,” Suguru expertly covered Satoru’s mouth and began dragging his friend away from the stupefied trio. Satoru waved at [Name] then blew her a kiss, “I’ll miss you, my love!” 

“Stop talking, you idiot.” Suguru growled out and they were finally out of sight. 

Naobito looked down at the shy teenage girl and questioned her, “What was he going on about? Dancing under the stars and what else?” 

[Name] cleared her throat and began walking towards the faculty building with the males following after her, “Don’t listen to that bickering male. We should all know by now, Satoru likes to get under the skin of people to rile them up. We fell for it, so we aren’t any better than he is.” 

“You promise that you aren’t tainted by that bumbling fool?” Naobito asked, he was suspicious of the relationship between the girl and boy now. He was sure that the Gojo leader wouldn’t fall for anyone considering that the male is so full of himself. 

[Name] was taken back by Naobito’s questioned and answered him truthfully, “I promise that I have not engaged in intercourse with anyone outside of a marriage. I don’t plan to either. I will remain loyal to my future husband.” 

“I will send in a request for a doctor to do a check up on you. I want to make sure you aren’t lying. All the prospects will be there to see it.” 

“Of course, Naobito-sama.” 

[Name] cursed at Satoru silently for making a fool out of her. Now she has to visit a doctor to feel her hymen. What a disturbing moment for her! And it has to be seen by old men along with Naoya! 

‘Satoru, I hate you!’

>>>>>>>

I switched up the Zen'in-san with Naoya-san and Zen'in-sama to Naobito-sama because it was easier to distinguish them.

Song credit goes to The Moon Will Sing by The Crane Wives

Naobito did want to get on [Name]'s good side, but he royally messed it up by laying a hand on her.

Yes, Mai and Maki saw [Name] as a mother figure, I mean she is great with children! Ah, I cannot wait to write out her beginning relationship with Megumi!!

[kamiversee]

Kami, to say that you left me in ruins with this chapter is an understatement 🥹

i hate and love how Choso is so patient and willing to hear the reader out despite everything. i know we have reader-bias because we can see the grand scheme of it all but Choso’s just getting handed misfortune after misfortune and he doesn’t know why (yet?) UGH. CHOSO YOU ARE TOO GOOD FOR US. IDC IF YOU GET JEALOUS EVEN THOUGH I HATE PDA, YOU’RE TOO SWEET.

poor Choso, poor Yuji, what that whole family went through is fucking horrible. i can’t imagine a way Sukuna could possibly redeem himself from that, regardless of how he acted with us in previous chapters 😭😭

my brain is really small, would you mind just clarifying the current ages of all the characters? i just wanna get a perspective on the time frame of everything ^^ not that it really changes anything, but i wanted to see how long ago Choso saw Sukuna hit his own ex.

also, the fact that he came home all bruised and cut up? should we expect to get clarification on that in a later chapter or is that just to back up the fact that he’s a generally violent person and gets into problems often?

what is Sukuna’s motivation to keep Yuji in his custody? is it because of the previous notion that Sukuna likes to treat his brothers like servants and punching bags?

that brief moment where they reflected on the moment they first met hurt 🥲 the list was just getting started atp and i remember how the reader was like “let’s just hope he doesn’t catch feelings” UGHHHHH MY HEARTTTTT

when the reader was like “i’m no better than-“ i was like ???? NO BETTER THAN WHO???? WHOOOOOOO????? seriously though, who would the reader compare herself to in that situation? the only person i could see comparable in this situation would be Gojo, but maybe i’m seriously overthinking it 😭

Choso being so adamant that his feelings won’t change no matter what the reader says makes me so sad. that first question got me for a second bc i was like “oh that’s only Naoya, Sukuna, and Nanami” but then i remembered “oh fuck she was still hooking up with Geto before they got serious… and that night with Gojo after her and Choso took their first break…” FUCK. GIRL, YOU MIGHT AS WELL AND TELL HIM THE WHOLE TRUTH!!!!

i think he’d be pretty okay knowing the number so long as the reader clarifies that during their time together, the reader was solely hooking up with him. plus it’s a good setup to explain the blackmailing 😭😭 WHY IS SHE SO AFRAID TO ADMIT SHE WAS BLACKMAILED?? i understand that she does have a lot of sympathy for Gojo and her feelings are still confused after all their time spent together and the trauma that Gojo supported her through (even though he’s the cause of it all anyways 😒) but this is seriously a free pass for her to come clean. i stg if Choso asks some sort of question asking her why she hooked up with all these guys and the reader completely avoids mentioning that she was blackmailed then i’m going to smash my head through some drywall.

Kami. i know you can’t give us full details, but should we expect things to get way worse after this? as in should i buy tissue’s preemptively?

-☃️

Okay I tried to get all the non yap sessions answered first, I have like 7 yappers to go through so LETS BEGIN !!

1. It seems I always leave you in ruins my love😹 I’ll make it up in the end, trust me

2. Choso is so previous and he truly deserves the world but, in his eyes, the reader is his world and he won’t see it any different :)

3. The whole family story is sad and I’m waiting for someone to spot my foreshadowing in that chapter😹 Especially since you mentioned Sukuna redeeming himself

4. I really need to put all the ages out there but here;

The reader is 22.

Gojo is 22.

Sukuna is 23.

Suguru is 21.

Nanami is 22.

Choso is 21.

Naoya is 22.

Toji is 30.

—

These are slightly based on the age differences in the anime but then again, it’s just a ff and uh yeah!😸

5. 🌚 No idea what those bruises symbolize tbh! ^.^

6. I think another anon asked about Yuji & Sukuna & they made a very good assumption on it (unless tht was ur other yap sesh, idk I’ll figure it out) so I’ll answer this more there :)

7. Funny how she hoped Choso wouldn’t catch feelings but she did just the same ;)

8. The reader was a bit emotional so she could’ve said Gojo or maybe even Sukuna because she feels that her worth has depreciated a lot due to what she’s been through.

Of course, she’s not abusive but she simply thought of how Sukuna lied to Choso after a promise and deep down, she knows she lied to Choso not that long ago when she implies she didn’t know he and Sukuna were brothers 🕺

9. Few things, so I’m excited to write Choso’s reactions, if she tells him🙏

And uh, I think she’s afraid to talk about Gojo because there’s sm she has to explain. From how after Choso left, she slept with some random (Naoya) as if to be an attempt to get over him & then slept with Gojo the following morning. Not to mention, she’s been pretty intimate with Gojo since then and overall, everything surrounding the blackmail she’s always hated the idea of telling anyone, even Shoko.

10. Better or worse? 🌚

Idk, you might want tissues & u might not!!

[petrichoraline]

🔥 choose violence ask game 🔥 thingy

2,12,23 and 25

choose violence ask game!

2. a compelling argument for why your fave would never top or bottom

i feel like a fish out of water here wow. i keep going through my faves and they all seem like they'd do both? like im thinking about one straight couple and even there things could get interesting but anyways

naoya from mr.unlucky is never doing either cause with the tempo at which kouta is moving they'd both die from old age before they ever get there

masumi and ritsu from bokushoku both love their dynamic (and why wouldn't they, they seem to be having the most enjoyable sex ever) and they're never changing partners so they're defiinitely sticking to their roles (ig masumi could be curious cause yknow how ritsu is basically his only partner ever but i doubt ritsu would be down? and also if the end of the world didn't get them to try switching i don't think it's likely to happen)

12. the unpopular character that you actually like and why more people should like them

as i said, i take so many outcasts under my wing lol like the more hated he is, the more i empathise. like LM mark or even tonhon (i KNOW)

this question implies it's someone people are feel neutral/negative towards so i'll ignore my boy jiha from all the liquors though i haven't seen an ounce of love for him because i just think the show didn't get posted about much in general. he is cute, he keeps it real, he is the bestie the gives advice but actually sucks at relationships, low sense of self-worth - he's just perfect. and also those lips boyy he's so beautiful. anyways

i kept this question for kim actually but now that i'm here i wonder if i should even bother. like people have had a long time to sort out their feelings.

this just kind of ties with my dislike(?) of porschay, people just ganged up on kim as if the way he acted wasn't an act of protection - a poor choice but coming from a good place nonetheless. in my eyes he's such an antisocial loser that he's not that much more mature than chay who, in some way, i'm sure could outsmart kim easily, not to mention manipulate him if necessary. so with the whole pathetic factor going on idk how at least the tumblr fandom didn't instantly get his pov. i saw so many threats against this guy even long after the finale had aired, some were like ''i get it but i still want to smash him with a hammer for hurting chay'' which ok fair ig if you love porschay i can see where the anger comes from. but still. kim has grown up around the mafia, learnt to always keep his guard up. he tries to solve a mystery all by himself except for the help of a bodyguard who, ultimately, works for his dad, not for him. who can he trust except for himself? he's in the entertainment industry, ppl are interested in him for his family, looks, money or his fame. what he can give them. when he ain't sniffing around and wrecking his brains, he's in the recording studio. that man does not know how to act around his crush, we know how he subtly he gets info out of chay or how he's delighted to see a wall plastered with his face. that man is pathetic, lonely, paranoid, he'd kill anyone who's a threat to chay instantly (>leaves like a dozen corpses in a bar similar to a cat bringing rats to its owner) but will wallow in misery, write a song and serenade him through a text. HE DOES NOT GET HUMANS. he went to that bar, got told off and stormed off, he is so clueless, somebody please help him.

i actually read plenty of posts on kim and that's why i feel strongly about him (thank you everyone who defended him in such articulate ways❤️) and i don't even like him that much!! i just need the hate train to stop

23. ship you've unwillingly come around to

i know what the question means but like i usually try to like ships, it's easier this way, no? lol so it's not really unwillingly..but i think haruka and rin is a good answer lmao

i was a haruka/makoto girlie for years but watching free! with friends made me realise the harurin appeal

25. common fandom complaint that you're sick of hearing

i thought i wouldn't have much to say here but omg i have to pick just one? skipping over the controversial ones, i'll have to go for hate for songs in bls lol

i'll start off by saying a lot of my mutuals are of this opinion and i respect it <33 that being said - bro. i know they could be a bit much especially when the actors aren't that good or the song is a bit bland or if it just feels very out of place? i understand it's sort of become the norm to hate on these performances because '''bl boy whips out guitar'' is a fandom joke at this point. and people are so loud and proud about skipping every single scene with a song in it. but it results in takes like "omg why did win and team sing their confessions they sounded so bad, so off-key, i barely made it".. that's the point? they are overwhelmed with emotions, snot is running down their face, after months of inner turmoil they finally reach the point where they just have to let it all out and yeah, the song would sound much weirder if they played a studio version on top of the footage lmao (example: the autotune on top of akkayan's bday performance that was so horrendous it turned out funny)

it's not that i haven't been tempted to skip through a boring song. i'm not saying it's a baseless complaint. i just find the way it's expressed usually annoying.

[tawus]

Hii Tawus🖤!! are u still updated on the jjk manga ?if so , pls share us your thoughts on ch 210-212

Helloo! 🖤

I caught up on it last night...

⚠️ JJK MANGA SPOILERS BELOW ⚠️

• fucking WOW! I mean I expected anything and everything from Sukuna but somehow him hopping into Megumi's body never occurred to me 😭 Like I knew he'd use him but never in a million years would've anticipated that pro gamer move. Also what is it now, Sukuna vs Jujutsu Tech score 2:0? I think the only question by this point is just how much shit will go wrong before Gojo gets out and fixes it? (if there's anything fixable left by then)

• Tsumiki thing was just cruel and I blame Gege, that man loves inflicting pain even more than I do...

• laughed SO much at Yuuji gesticulating to Megumi that Sukuna is 'the fallen' 😭🤣 too precious!!

• absolutely was NOT ready for those flashbacks with Gojo! Literally sprung up in my bed, would've spit out my drink if I was having any. Those scenes with him evidently walking Megumi back from elementary school are so bittersweet when the knowledge of him killing Toji is always in the back of my mind 😔 I tend to forget nowadays how much Gojo used to mystify me (and still does); where he gets his humanity from. And lots of people say different things, the most common theory being that he must've had a hard and violent childhood, heavy disciplining and training as the Gojo clan heir etc. Could be (tho generally I refuse to accept anything as canon until the original creator verifies it) - but I think there's more to it. It's hard to know what genuine love, care, responsibility, kindness, guidance, protective devotion look like when we've never ever seen any. So for Gojo to be able to give these things to Megumi (as he clearly does), as well as to his students - he needs to have gotten these from somewhere too at some point - at least from one person in his childhood. But anyways I've babbled on... In short, Gojo is complex, he still mystifies the shit out of me, and I remember how much he does whenever I see him, like I did in those flashbacks.

• I actually caught up with the manga all the way from ch 173 to be able to answer this ask, so thank you for pushing me along 😂💕 In the same night I saw curse Naoya, Kashimo vs Hakari (omg can we talk about Kashimo? i love that dude, his attitude is everything), Tsukumo and Choso vs Kenjaku (fell in love with Tsukumo at lightning speed, I think we all did), and got to see Sukuna's new body (the situation is atrocious so I hate to mention how fucking hot he looks with his new emo bangs)

[m1ckeyb3rry]

FR i love reading platonic and familial relationships too so perfect match LMAOO

Naoya is THE opp im glad to see most people also hate him too but he somehow still has a sizable fan base in the east shdgsjs

NOO PI GIRLIES GETTING HATE?? Elakshi too?? Damn wtf….whatd they even do like?? Also Elakshi also like….definitely not spotlighted as much as other characters and even Tullia?? so I’m like bro what’s there to hate??? I loved the moments where we saw her and the extra drama and story she added but I can’t even think of a specific moment where people can go and attack her for like?? Also is it really that deep SGSHS I can understand like hate comments if a story is specifically setting up a character to be a villain or someone disliked (Naoya’s a good example LMAO) but it rubs me the wrong way when I see blatant hate for OCs or even just side characters like…I mean constructive criticism is one thing but straight up hate….

I love the balance between goofy and serious with y/n and todo’s friendship!!! Honestly a very different approach to him than I’ve seen in other works and it makes me appreciate todo a lot more LMAO

I can totally see gojo as a swiftie I imagine he sings really loudly in the car with Ijichi driving LMAOOO

No because Naoya will always be an opp I seriously can’t see him as anything other than ew

Bro I’m not getting over Tullia getting sliced?? Shibuya chapter hit me hard HAGSH

ME CRYING AT THE PHOTO ALBUM

BEST FRIENDS BROTHER I WILL BE AWAITING THAT I cant wait to return to the goofy ball kicking boys

I actually laughed so hard reading I Leave You THEYRE SO DUMB LMFAOOOO

WAIT LMAOOO YUKI AND MRS L/N MOOTS SO TRUE stop that actually would be so true honestly i can kinda see some similarities between yuki and yuta now that I put them side by side so makes sense that pi y/n would probably go for yuki LOL (bonus points if she meets him via her mom) (also noted about the tags i lowk forgot that’s how they worked LMAO also forgot the search feature within accounts exists as you can tell I really don’t use tumblr for anything other than straight reading LOL)

-Karasu anon

i think adding platonic and familial relationships makes a work/character feel much more well-rounded!! sometimes if you write something longer it can feel one-dimensional or fall flat without those other relationships being explored. given pi’s immense word count it would’ve (to me) felt v awkward of the whole thing was y/n + yuta centered only!!

NAOYA THE OPP OF ALL TIME i have mutuals who like him too and i won’t deny that he does have a pretty character design but like…there’s just so many characters in jjk who are pretty and have better personalities 😭 he’s lowkey kinda funny sometimes just because of how outrageous he is and i think he would be fun to write in a very specific way (his dynamic w y/n in pi is super interesting to me actually because there’s a lot of really weird layers there) but not at all in an actually romantic one…more of a toxic character study or smth like that perhaps. but i fear i will not be the one for that!!

LMAOOOO I DON’T GET IT EITHER apparently the scene during the exchange event where she beats y/n and tullia is 10 ten anime villain moments FKFDJJS let’s ignore how everyone would’ve eaten it up if it was y/n outsmarting people…the truth is that a) y/n got cocky in that fight and b) it was meant to set up how she loses a bit of reason when it comes to the safety of her friends (explaining her going to sukuna in shibuya/‘killing’ herself in shinjuku) but whatever…fuck elakshi ig 😭 all of them hating on the woc immigrant character FAKE ASF LMAOAO /j she’s not meant to be entirely lovable ofc but idk some of those comments are crazy 😨 someone commented “this fic would be perfect if it didn’t have OCs” or smth like that which is what prompted that post where i was complaining that you mentioned in your v first ask/karasu request HAHAHA I WAS TAKEN ABACK LIKE WHOOO COMMENTS THAT ON A FIC?? what do you want me to do at this point too like that’s not even constructive criticism that’s just someone being annoying!! go read smth else tf 😭

YESS pi has converted so many to todoism honestly he seems like a fun guy plus he canonically has really good hygiene and smells nice so tbh bf material?? yeah he’s kinda weird but ykw it’s workable 😫

tullia getting sliced is one of the most diabolical scenes i think esp because there’s so many moments where you’re like “wait she COULD make it” and you experience all of these ups and downs w y/n and at the end it doesn’t matter because she does anyways. UGHH the moment when the l/ns refuse to heal her…haha i think one of the author’s notes on peregrine is literally “l/n slander is always welcome iykyk” and it’s because l/n clan slander was a HUGE thing on this blog back when pomegranate ink was coming out HAHAHA they truly are so villainous

bro i went to do the otoya version of bfb first because i was like “ok smth quick and easy and then i can put my authorussy into the karasu version” except now it’s over 10k words and they’re still not together yet 😭😭😭 i was hoping to post tn but we’ll see how long it takes me to finish 😫 i’m super excited for the karasu version though hehe not even going to attempt predicting how long it’ll be because ik i’ll be wrong but it’s going to be a good blend of cute and a bit angsty (def more serious than freaky friday or fwtkac but not ANGSTY angsty yk!! more like karasu having a mediocrity complex like usual)

YUKI AND MRS L/N BEING MODEL BESTIES IS SUCH A FUNNY THOUGHT TO ME LMAOAOA no because real shit yuki is the yuta of bllk TO ME (even though yuta and isagi look rlly similar) 😩 i think he and pi y/n would actually be so cute together (plus imagine if her and her mother showed up to u20 vs bllk LMAOO you KNOW otoya and karasu would be FIENDING like chigiri’s sister is bad enough but famous model mrs l/n and her gorgeous daughter in the audience?? they’re done for 😭)

tumblr is so confusing don’t worry i’m still figuring shit out and i’ve been using the app (albeit very inconsistently) since 2021…tbh i think my tumblr usage finally became consistent since i got into bllk HAHAHA like before i only followed a couple accounts and only really got on to reblog fanart, post fic updates, and answer asks whereas now i’m a bit better abt following more people (i have a horrible ratio though LDJDJSJSK 60 following vs 850 followers 😓 i’m working on it because i love having an active dash) and interacting w others. truly tumblr is what you make of it ime like if you try to be friends then people will be friendly back but if you just want to lurk and read/enjoy other people’s posts then no one is mad about that!! it’s honestly a rlly fun form of social media to me (plus i like that you can easily choose not to see stuff you don’t want to). that said some of the functions are goofy so it’s easy to be confused HAHA

[aeroplaneblues]

I’m rereading jjk from the prep arc to refresh my memory, i dropped it around midway the culling game so i barely remember anything. I’ll be posting my thoughts per vol to make this fun!

So!! Vol 17 tl;dr thoughts: i liked it better half of it is maki and she is a pretty cool character, im just sad about how gege handled mai and nobara’s supposedly confirmed death. It could’ve been different. We should’ve had more of yaga before, also naoya sucks! Choso my beloved he is so cute about yuuji🥹 overall great volume!!

More vol 17 thoughts as i was reading:

- senpai yuuta is so confident😭

- naoya…😒

- One page, we get one page of kugisaki’s status but not in a clear way bc this could still be “nothing has changed, she hasn’t woken up” its nov 9 when that conversation happened, only a little more of a week from kugisaki’s “1% chance” we cant get a solid answer? A “odds were against her” but just yuuji’s I GET IT and megumi’s silence, doesnt cut it.

- Yuuta sees Maki and turns back to puppy mode, same

- “You can think of him as my big brother” 😭😭😭 my fave page, cant wait to see it animated

- Forgot how accidentally funny yuuji was, yes tengen is ugly looking

- So kenjaku was like AFO collecting CTs blood manipulation from kamo, whatever yuuji’s mom had, and curse manipulation for all his silly little evil plan for the fun of it (i do remember that)

- I love that yuuta is still the guy that says someone is stronger than him even when we all know is not true. He is closer to gojo and yuki’s level if anything

- Choso loves yuuji so much😭😭😭

- Wait where are all the panda like creations of yaga now? Like can they fight, what are these remind me of🤔

- Man i forgot so much of yaga, there so much about him that is interesting for him to be killed off and remembered just as panda’s dad imo. Ig it was more like a surprise reveal but we could’ve had some hints idk

- Megumi’s “i dont want it” jon snow moment is really funny

- The Zen’in fam are fucked lmao

- I still hate mai dying, i get the logic behind it. But it still feels unsatisfying ending for a character, unlike nanami hurtful but understandable and a good closure

- Mai took maki’s heart😔

- Naoya’s simpness for toji will never not be funny

- Bro thinks he’s as powerful as gojo🤭

- I do like maki’s personal arc, “burn it all” is a powerful thing, there were no other alternatives but to start anew. She did what toji couldn’t.. wouldn’t?

-I just find it weird they had two children in the same family line with a heavenly restriction? Maki and Toji being cousins and having the same exact powers ? Not like him dying gave her the heavenly restriction.

-We should’ve had more moments of Maki and Megumi’s relationship as second cousins or a mentioned of it tho, Megumi doesn’t want to acknowledge he is zen’in but still would’ve been funny when others do. Mai was perfect for this.

[thepersonperson]

More complaining under the tab.

Tags from @nyan-bynary: #oh thank god I'm not the only one that hated the letters thing and the pacing is driving me insane slightly ngl #like gege's style is how he doesn't really dwell on dead characters more on people's relationships to them

Currently, there is more time dedicated to Megumi helping a mother grieve the loss of her criminal son than there is his reaction to Gojo's passing. Even though Megumi despised the man at the detention center for accidentally killing a child, his death causes him to be visibly upset. Yuji coming back to life is also a bit difficult for him to swallow. It takes him a couple of chapters shake it.

Like we all saw how badly Gojo and Geto reacted to Riko's death and they barely knew her. We saw Yuji's breakdown at Shibuya. Maki and Yuta snapped from the deaths of their loved ones. Megumi killed his sister and his not-dad with front row seats to the carnage. Thematically and characterization wise, he should be a little more messed up. Dude spent his 16th birthday in gore soup.

#but gOD everything about everyone's reaction to gojo dying. to THE LITERAL PILLAR OF JUJUTSU DYING has been a whole lot of nothing😭😭😭 #like even if no one cares as a person (which gege's established that people DO) the lukewarm non-mention is still baffling HELLO???? #I hope that whatever gege does next he's able to negotiate a better contract for his and his stories' sakes bc this is baaaaaddd

Gojo changed the balance of the world by being born. Therefore his death should also cause a significant upset in some way. (Unless, huffing copium, he's not dead and will be coming back!!!)

But yeah this is something where you can literally feel the burnout of the mangaka. If Gege had the schedule of the Dungeon Meshi creator, I think it would've turned out much better. JJK 265 & 266 are so fudging good because they take a step back to feel out emotions like the earlier parts of the manga. But Gege isn't getting that breathing room workload wise, so the story suffocates with its creator.

#(manifesting heian spin off SO hard) #also yea sukuna might still be alive there's one whole finger left #it'd be interesting to see him try to live as close to 'normal' as he can bc he can't just slice his trauma away anymore #hopefully gege gets to add what's missing for the anime I HOPE we get some things paced better there

This manga needs the Bleach CFYOW treatment so badly. It doesn't sit well with me that Sukuna, Tengen, and Kenjaku aren't given arc-length backstories despite causing literally everything. For less impactful characters by comparison, it's bonkers that Geto, Mahito (tbh Jogo and Hanami too), Toji, and even Naoya have better fleshed out motivations and character relationships. (I'm usually pretty lenient with Gege's narrative choices and will take the manga as is, but this isn't defensible...)

And if the story is going to continually draw attention to nature vs nurture debate, you have to show how the antagonists wound up like that. Mahito vs Yuji is the argument of nature. Sukuna vs Yuji is the argument of nurture. But unlike Mahito, Sukuna's side of things only has hints.

I'm ok with Sukuna dying like a hateful blobby worm. It's the lack of reaction to it and the lack of emotional explanation for it that makes everything feel odd. This guy saw off several characters into the afterlife while addressing their personal hang ups. Even non-Sukuna kills like Rika, Junpei, Nanami, Choso, Toji, and Nobara's fakeout got that. I really am betting it all on that final finger cheese and rice.

Since Sukuna still has that final finger. Maybe that’s where we’ll get an afterlife scene or even a backstory? Yuji basically confirmed Sukuna is only like this because of circumstances. So…I would like to be shown those circumstances.

I’m ok with Sukuna dying and all the students surviving. But the execution of that has been so poorly paced and unsatisfying. Can I please get a proper grieving scene? Megumi and Nobara being all smiles at the Gojo letters is...weird.

I think there’s something to say about a manga where overwork/exploitation kills people having its mangaka rush the ending because of overwork/exploitation.

[yuujispinkhair]

The songs you grow to like never stick at first (Chapter 4)

Chapter 1 ++ Chapter 2 ++ Chapter 3

Falling for your best friend is a blessing and a curse at the same time, especially when it’s painfully obvious that your friend doesn’t feel the same. So what is Yuuji supposed to do? He doesn’t want to lose you but also can’t help wanting to get out of the friendzone. Maybe his other friends can help him. Or he just has to wait because sometimes the songs that become our all-time favorites are the ones that don’t stick at first.

Pairing: Yuuji x Reader (female) Genre: College AU, fluff, my attempt at humor, friends to lovers Word Count: 4k Playlist: College AU Warnings: 18+, slow burn, a lot of cheesiness, pining, unrequited love in the beginning, alcohol, masturbation, sex dreams, boxing in a boxing club. All characters are of age. The story and my blog contain 18+ content, so minors don’t interact.

Chapter 04: A rivalry goes so deep between me and this loss of sleep over you (Part 1)

The relief Yuuji feels after knowing that Kamo isn't on your list of guys you want to date is short-lived. Because Yuuji is still in the friend zone, pining after you like a lovesick puppy while feeling like a traitor because he wants more.

He's drowning in guilt anytime he has one of those dreams where you are definitely more than his friend. The dreams in which you are on his lap or writhing beneath him, or sometimes bend over your desk, or with your legs wrapped tightly around Yuuji's hips as he slams you against the shower wall. Damn! The dreams won't stop, and the longing, while he's awake, won't stop either.

And the worst thing is the jealousy. Because there's a new guy in the picture. And not just any guy. The heir of the Zenin empire: Zenin Naoya.

He's Fushiguro's and Maki's cousin and is currently assisting Mr. Nanami with a project about local companies. And in Yuuji's eyes, he's clearly an asshole! He's arrogant and mean and walks around like the whole world has to bow before him. He even looks like an asshole with his fancy suits and the stupid Rolex on his wrist!

You mention him casually in between sipping on your milkshake during one of your study meet-ups in the little coffee shop. At first, Yuuji doesn't think too much about it, but then you bring Mr. Zenin up more and more times, and Yuuji feels a knot in his stomach. Suddenly his cupcake doesn't taste that sweet anymore. 

It's Nobara who asks the question Yuuji is too scared to ask:

"So, Mr. Zenin, huh? I heard he's sexy. Seems like half of the people in your economics course are crushing madly on him."

You giggle and hide your face behind your hands. Yuuji feels sick. And Nobara continues to bug you because she lives for gossip.

"Maki can't stand him. Says he's her most hated relative. So she's kinda pissed off that he's here and that people are head over heels for him. What do you think, (y/n)? Naoya Zenin, hot or not?"

Yuuji groans,

"Can you stop it!? We are here to study! I need one of you to tell me how to write this essay."

"Shut up, Itadori! You never care about your coursework, so don't start now when the adults are talking. (Y/n), tell me, do you crush on Naoya too?"

You can't stop grinning, and seem so flustered. Yuuji knows exactly what's up. He doesn't even need to hear it. He can see it so clearly. Yes, you have a crush on the heir to the Zenin business empire.

Yuuji has never hated someone as much as he hates this guy. He usually thinks of himself as a nice person. Someone who always tries to see the good in others. Someone who gives second chances, smiles at strangers, helps old ladies carry their shopping bags, and offers kind small talk to literally anyone he meets. Yuuji is a nice guy, ok? But he loathes Zenin Naoya with a passion!

Especially when after a week of Nobara's constant teasing, you finally admit out loud:

"He is so hot! Our eyes met today during class, and he didn't look away! Gosh, it felt like he was undressing me with his eyes. I got so flustered!"

Suddenly you aren't complaining about economics anymore. It seems to be your favorite course now. Yuuji sees that you wear more make-up, that your hair is always washed and styled now, and that the clothes you wear hug your figure tighter.

It upsets him that you feel the need to revamp your look for this guy. Yuuji thinks you are beautiful and sexy when you're in your pj's without any make-up, and you haven't washed your hair in days. He hates that this arrogant rich guy makes you feel the need to get up earlier just to apply make-up and do your hair.

You are so nervous, fixing your clothes a hundred times and touching your hair over and over again, and your voice is squeaky when you ask Yuuji:

"Yuu, do I look ok like this?"

"Of course you do! You always look pretty!"

"Aww, you're such a sweetheart. Thank you!"

You hug him tightly and press a kiss to his cheek before hurrying down the hallway towards your economics course. To flirt with Mr. Zenin. 

And later that day, you keep babbling about him. He's literally the number one topic of conversation lately. He's so hot! I like his hair! Oh god, the way he looks at me, with that arrogant smirk!

Yuuji's chest feels so tight. The pain is almost suffocating at times. He tries to see the situation from your eyes. It makes things even worse. Because yeah, he has to admit that he sees the appeal. Naoya is a few years older than you, he is powerful, he is rich, he is sexy, he's always dressed in fancy suits and drives nice cars. He's the type of guy who is the main love interest in a romance book. He's everything Yuuji isn't.

The jealousy takes permanent residence in Yuuji's heart. It's an ugly thing, clawing at him, making him feel sick and envious. He would give anything to be in Naoya's shoes.

But he isn't. He's just Yuuji. And Naoya is Naoya.

And Naoya comes up to you one afternoon after class when you are chatting with Yuuji in the hallway. His grin is so smug, hands shoved casually into the pockets of his tailored suit pants, walking like he owns this place. His gaze barely brushes Yuuji's face for a split second, not even acknowledging him. But his grin turns into a charming smile when he looks at you and compliments you on your presentation, telling you how impressed he is while you are beaming at him happily. And then Naoya hands you his business card with a confident grin:

"Text me so we can meet for coffee sometime."

You smile shyly and take the card from him, staring after him when he walks down the hallway, the keys to his sportscar dangling on his long elegant fingers. And once he's away far enough, you turn to Yuuji with a squeal while clutching the card to your chest and doing a little excited dance.

"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!!! He just asked me on a date, didn't he!?"

Everything stops. Yuuji feels too hot or too cold. He can't even tell. His heart is thundering in his chest, blood rushing in his ears, and the room vanishes from his vision until the only thing he can focus on is that business card in your hands.

This is bad.

The worst case, actually. Your crush on Naoya was already giving Yuuji such a hard time, but it had seemed like a hopeless little thing that would go away again after a while. But now that asshole asked you out! He wants you! Yuuji's heart is so heavy.

"Do you really want to text him?"

"Of course, I want to! What do you mean, Yuuji? Why wouldn't I want to text him?"

He shrugs helplessly, looking at you with big eyes, hoping you will come to your senses.

"I mean that he doesn't seem like a good guy for you. He is so...he is...just look at him!"

"Oh, you think he's too attractive for someone like me? Wow, Yuu...thanks for nothing."

"What? No! That's not what I mean! But he's so arrogant, and he seems shady to me! Just listen to what Fushiguro says about him at their family meetings! He isn't a nice person (y/n)! He isn't good for you! Maki also doesn't like him!"

He looks at you intently, gesturing wildly with his hands, begging you to see the truth, but you just sigh before reaching out to pat his biceps.

"Ok, I get it, Yuuji. You just want to protect me. That's sweet, and I appreciate it! But you don't have to worry. I know Fushiguro can't stand him, but honestly, that's not a reliable indicator that someone is a bad person. Fushiguro can't stand most people. And I think Maki doesn't like Naoya because of some family dispute between her part of the family and his. I know Naoya. He is a true gentleman. He's so polite and smart, and I think he would treat me very well. He seems nice to me."

"He's not!"

"Please, Yuu, calm down. It's gonna be ok. I'm gonna be ok. Just let me have a bit of fun! Please, can you be happy for me? If you are upset because you think I won't have time for our friendship anymore if I start dating someone, I can guarantee you that won't be the case. Ok? You're so important to me, Yuuji. You will always be my best friend, and I will always have time for you."

Yuuji wants to slap himself. He's always way too impulsive and speaks before he thinks, and now he made things weird because he looks like a possessive idiot who wants to keep you all to himself and forbids you any fun.

Another emotion joins the jealousy and sadness: Guilt.

He really should be happy for you! He should squeal excitedly with you and take you to get ice cream to celebrate that you're about to go on a date with the guy you've been crushing on for weeks! He should be supportive. What kind of shitty friend is he?

Maybe you are right, and Naoya really isn't that bad. Maybe he can make you happy, and isn't that what Yuuji should want for you? Also, Yuuji doesn't have any proof that the Zenin heir really is a bad guy. So you are probably right that Megumi's and Maki's opinion is very biased.

This is just his broken heart talking. He is jealous and hurt, and that's why he wants to believe Nayoa is an asshole. He gulps hard and takes a deep breath. It takes everything in him to manage a smile and reach out to rub your shoulder.

"I'm sorry, (y/n). I'm happy for you that he gave you his number. I'm just a bit overprotective when it comes to you. Just be careful, please, ok? Promise me."

"Of course, I'll be careful. Please don't worry your pretty little head. And if anything goes wrong, I know I have my personal knight in a red hoodie, right?"

Yuuji manages to chuckle softly, and when you hug him, he makes sure to hold you extra tightly, enjoying the short moment where he can pretend that he is the lucky guy you have a crush on.

Yuuji used to think his dirty dreams about you were the worst thing, but now he knows that he was very wrong. Unfortunately, it can always get worse, apparently! Because now those dirty dreams get joined by dreams where he sees you with Naoya. 

One moment he dreams about going down on you, kneading your juicy ass while he kisses your thighs and licks at your sweet clit, moaning because you are so wet for him. And you press so needily against his mouth and pull on his hair, loving what Yuuji does to you. Loving him.

And the next moment, dream-Yuuji hears you moan the wrong name, and when he looks up at you, you frown down at him and push him away with a: "Ewww, what are you doing here?" And Yuuji's dream-self has to watch how Naoya pulls you into his arms and tells you that now he will show you what a real man is like in bed.

Needless to say, Yuuji hates going to sleep.

He used to feel guilty about the sex dreams, but at least they gave him a good time in his sleep, and he had some of the most mind-blowing jack-off sessions afterwards. But now he can't even be with you in his dreams anymore. Even in dreamland, Naoya steals you away from him. It's frustrating!

And so Yuuji ends up staying up later than usual. Forcing himself to work on his assignments until late at night. Binge-watching show after show or challenging Fushiguro to video game wars. Hell, he even calls Nobara to listen to her monologues about how amazing Maki is, which new make-up launches there were this week, and which designer clothes are the shit this season. Anything to stay awake, anything to escape those dreams.

But the rivalry between Yuuji and the loss of sleep goes deep. His body and brain don't take the lack of sleep well. 

He has been in a bad mood ever since that day you got Naoya's phone number, and the sleep deprivation intensifies those feelings.

Usually, Yuuji is the resident sunshine boy, but now he can't help but be irritated by little things. He manages to smile when he's around you. But once he's at home, he announces his lousy mood by slamming the door shut angrily, kicking his shoes off with too much force so the ratty red Vans land against the wall, leaving a muddy stain there that will make Fushiguro have a meltdown.

Unfortunately, Megumi is the one who has to deal with Yuuji's easily irritated self the most. It's not easy being Yuuji's dormmate at the moment. Especially since Fushiguro is someone who likes things to be quiet and in perfect order. In short, he is someone who wants to have his peace. But now he has to endure slamming doors, an array of swearwords, and one evening a loud bang followed by a yelp of pain when Yuuji punches his wall.

"Itadori, grab your gym bag and let's go workout. Maybe we can finally do that free trial for the boxing club."

"I don't want to leave my room."

"Stop moping! Get your ass up from the floor and put on a shirt! I've had enough! You cannot punch the wall, you idiot. You will only hurt yourself. Let's go boxing, and you can take all your rage out on me."

"What the fuck, Fushiguro?! That sounds so sexual somehow!"

Fushiguro rolls his eyes and one corner of his lips lifts in an amused smirk.

"As if you would be on top. Keep dreaming, Itadori."

"Oh god... is that the problem? Am I that guy who gets told he looks submissive and breedable? And girls don't want someone like that?"

"I don't want to continue this conversation."

"Bro, you started it!! Now tell me! Am I too submissive? Do I give off that vibe? And that's why (y/n) doesn't want me?"

"Man, I have no idea! And you also don't know! Because you never told her how you feel!"

And so Yuuji is back at the start again. Yes, exactly, he never told you. As unrealistic as it is, what if you had liked him too? In a romantic way. Just a tiny little bit, but were too shy to make the first step, and Yuuji never said anything, and so you gave up and turned to someone else who showed that he is interested in you? What if Yuuji had a chance, and he let it go?? He will hate himself forever!

Maybe he should have told you. Would it have changed things? Would possibly he be the one who could take you on a date if he had been brave enough to confess his feelings? He knows it's no use, it's already too late, but he can't help but obsess over the what-ifs.

His hands are balling into fists again as anger and self-hate engulf his every thought. He will lose his mind if he stays here with no outlet for his anger.

"Let's go to the gym Fushiguro! We'll take that boxing lesson! I need you to pound me so hard! Don't hold back!"

"Now, who's the one making this sound sexual?"

But Fushiguro accompanies him to the boxing course, and he lands some really nice right hooks straight into Yuuji's face. Yuuji can't help but laugh because it seems some good payback for all the shit he put Megumi through since you started dating Naoya. But Fushiguro also doesn't complain when Yuuji goes into a rage and attacks him back with so much force that the whole boxing club gathers around them and cheers them on enthusiastically. Soon the usual "Tiger of Jujutsu College!!" chants start, and tonight Yuuji doesn't even feel embarrassed by them. On the contrary, it feels fucking good to let go and just let his fists talk! And Fushiguro is the perfect sparring partner, not holding back either and laughing maniacally anytime Yuuji lands a hit, grinning at him with an excited glint in his usually so aloof blue eyes. Yuuji is really grateful that his dormmate is just as crazy as himself.

They leave the gym that evening with a nice collection of bruises and a clap on the back by the boxing coach, who is ecstatic about finding a gem like Yuuji who will lead his little boxing club to fame and fortune.

The day you go on your first date with Mr. "I am rich and smart and look like a fucking model" is the worst one Yuuji had in a long time.

It's not enough that he has to smile and act like everything is awesome while you fidget nervously with your phone and ask for the tenth time which dress to wear. No, he also has to listen to your excited squeal when you call him once you're back home.

"OH MY GOD, YUUJI!! He is amazing! The date was so perfect! And he KISSED me!!! I am going to die!!!"

Yuuji lets his head fall back on his pillow, staring unseeingly up at his bedroom ceiling as you chatter about how Naoya took you to one of the city's fanciest restaurants, overlooking Tokyo from who knows how many floors. Of course, he got a table with the best view of the sunset, and of course, he took your hand at exactly the perfect moment and kissed you.

Yuuji's heart clenches painfully in his chest. All of this sounds like a bad dream. He wishes it was one. Carefully he places two fingers on his forearm and pinches it so hard that he almost drops the phone. Yeah, fuck. Seems like he is unmistakably awake and definitely NOT dreaming.

He suppresses a sigh and closes his eyes to make the room stop spinning around him. Everything is too much. He fucked up big time. He should have just told you how he feels! He should have taken you to the beach and watched the sunset with you too. Maybe he could have hugged you and kissed you. Or he could have written you a love letter, old-fashioned and romantic. He should have told you how much he loves your laugh and your humor and your smart brain and your kind heart. 

He should have done a lot of things, but he didn't. And now it's too late. Now someone else is taking you on dates and kisses you and makes you scream excitedly into the phone.

The following weeks make Yuuji spiral down even more. He tries to stay positive, tries to tell himself it will be ok. After all, you are happy! Isn't that a good thing? Shouldn't Yuuji be happy for you? He knows that's what he should be. But it's so damn hard to do that when his heart gets broken over and over again anytime he remembers that you are someone else's girl now.

He tries to stay busy at all times, frequenting the gym even more often now to work out excessively and going to his boxing lessons which offer some sweet relief when he is able to just drill his fists against the punching bag over and over again, letting out his rage and hurt. 

Todo and Megumi compliment his even bigger biceps and even more defined pecs and abs. But that doesn't really matter to Yuuji right now. He's working out to keep his mind off you and to exhaust himself so much that hopefully, he will be able to fall into the blissful blackness that is dreamless sleep once he gets back home.

Unfortunately, his brain decides to provide him with even more dreams though. Dreams where he goes on dates with you, but suddenly you get pulled away by a hand on your shoulder, and Yuuji has to watch helplessly as you get into a fancy car while he is glued to the seat, unable to get up.

And, of course, he also has the familiar dirty dreams that make him rut desperately against his pillow, trying to think of someone else but always seeing you when he moans softly and feels his thick spurts of milky cum pulse over his hand.

His body might look even fitter, but his face certainly doesn't. He can see the dark circles under his eyes, and so does everyone else. Nobara even shoves her concealer over the table and into Yuuji's hands one morning.

"Use this, Itadori. I am begging you!"

And Megumi watches him with growing worry on his face. He isn't the type to spend all his free time with other people, he needs his alone time to recharge, but recently he always knocks on Yuuji's bedroom door every night and comes inside looking for excuses to spend time with Yuuji.

"Hey, just thought I should tell you there's another documentary about wolves. You seemed to enjoy it the last time, so do you want to watch it with me?"

Or he waits for Yuuji in the kitchen and holds up a pot and a cooking spoon.

"Hey, Itadori, can you show me how to make those meatballs again? I can't remember."

Yuuji is grateful for the company, and so he plays along and spends his evenings watching documentaries and cooking with Fushiguro.

But once he's in bed, the thoughts are back to haunt him. His nights are filled with a neverending mix of wet dreams and nightmares. And his mornings are spent feverishly jacking off and then trying to consume so much coffee that his mushy brain is able to form coherent thoughts.

He practices his sunshine smile in the windows of the coffee shop he frequents every morning, irritating the other customers because it looks like he is smiling at them while he's checking out his reflection in the large windows.

A middle-aged woman gives him a wink, and some blue-haired guy blows him a kiss. Yuuji just blinks at them in confusion before his tired brain catches up with what is happening. He shrugs apologetically and scratches his hair sheepishly before quickly hurrying off towards the university.

His smile still works, apparently. But it's damn hard to keep smiling and act like things are fine.

It's the worst when you come to Yuuji with a happy smile on your face and throw yourself into his arms, hugging him just like you always do.

But now you tell him about all the romantic things Naoya said or did, and it's clear that you are completely oblivious to what it is doing to Yuuji. It's not that you don't notice the state he's in. But you don't see that it's connected to you.

"Yuuji, maybe you shouldn't work out so much? You look tired, you know."

"Wow, you really know how to compliment me. Thank you so much!"

"You idiot! You know what I mean! I think you are overexerting yourself."

"I am not."

"Where do those dark circles under your eyes come from then? Oooh, or do you have a secret affair?"

"Maybe I started working as a stripper. That would explain the lack of sleep and the obsessive workout routine."

You laugh delightedly and smack his arm playfully, just like you always do. And Yuuji laughs with you and puts an arm loosely around your waist, which results in the two of you wrestling playfully.

For a moment, it feels like everything is ok. The bickering, the jokes, the rituals. This is what feels like home to Yuuji. Your friendship, the warmth, and playfulness laced with love and trust is his favorite thing in the world.

For a moment, the sun seems to shine a bit brighter, and the gloominess that has been in Yuuji's line of vision lifts. For a moment, he catches himself thinking that everything will be ok.

Until the deep growl of a car engine drifts to his ears. You let go of Yuuji and step away from him, still grinning brightly at him.

"I have to go! See you tomorrow. And hey, try to get some rest, ok?"

You reach up to ruffle Yuuji's hair affectionately before jogging over to the sports car waiting for you.

Yuuji knows he shouldn't look, but he can't tear his gaze away, and so he watches in morbid fascination as you get into the passenger seat and lean over to greet your boyfriend with a sweet kiss on the lips.

It hurts.

And yet Yuuji's gaze is glued to you. He gulps hard against the lump in his throat but quickly plasters a smile on his face when the car sets into motion.

He barely has time to lift a hand in a little wave before he has to jump to the side when Naoya's sports car speeds past him.

Fucking asshole!

Yuuji runs his hand through his pink hair exasperatedly. He knows he can't compare to Naoya. He's just Yuuji. He doesn't have a fancy car or custom-tailored suits. He can't afford to buy you expensive presents. He isn't a powerful man like Naoya is.

But he immediately chides himself for those thoughts. You don't care about things like those. You aren't shallow like that. You like Naoya for real.

As much as it hurts Yuuji, he has been listening closely to you, and he knows that it's much more than just a little crush. At first, you only squealed about Naoya's looks and his impressive aura. But then you started to tell Yuuji about other things too.

How much you like the dimples Naoya gets when he smiles. How he has a whole room dedicated to books, and it is his favorite pastime to sit there and read. How you and he bond over books you both enjoy and that you even started your own little private book club. How you told Nayoa that he doesn't have to take you to fancy restaurants, and so he began to take you on picnics in the park instead.

As much as Yuuji hates to admit it. You really like Naoya. And he seems to treat you well.

But Yuuji still doesn't trust him one bit. There's just something shady about him. Maybe it's still the jealousy talking. Or Yuuji really has a sixth sense, and maybe he should have opened that palm reading business thing for real.

Thank you so much for reading!! I had to split the chapter into two parts because it was getting too long. So you will find the rest of the story about the rivalry between Yuuji and the loss of sleep in a second part :) Aww Yuuji!! You really should have told reader how you feel!! Poor baby boy!! But maybe Naoya really is as shady as Yuuji thinks? Maybe Yuuji will really have to be the knight in a red hoodie? Please let me know what you think about this chapter!! This series means so much to me!! I laugh so much while writing it, and I hope it can bring some fun into your life too!

Comments and reblogs make me happy!

Chapter 5

[lightlycareless]

What drew you to liking Naoya? He’s an extremely unpopular character in the fandom(mostly the English speaking side). I personally like him because i have a habit of liking toxic/evil/problematic characters in fiction and he just had some of my fave characteristics in one lol. Not to mention besides all that he’s just an interesting and well written character. It’s a bit frustrating that others that dislike him won’t acknowledge that he is extremely well written and the perfect example of a product of his environment. Sorry if this is random but I don’t get to see many Naoya fans and I love your works and portrayal of him. I feel you write his character development very well

Hello!!

Aw, don't worry :> this is no bother for me to answer! The only thing I feel kind of bad tho is that I don't know how to explain why I was so attracted to Naoya in the first place hahah 😢

I guess because he's handsome lol, because let's be real, his personality isn't that great... but even then, I also like that because it gave me the idea that he'd be like that to everyone but his special one, you know? In a degree that's how he treats Toji so that might be true. And why not, there's nothing wrong in wanting to "fix" him hehe.

And you're right, he's extremely well written in the sense that he's a product of his environment, but he's also a wasted potential 😭 and what happened afterwards was just oof, he was better off dead you know? like, we could've known so much of the Zen'in... I feel like he was even more slandered; and to believe that came from the author himself!! (or maybe that's just me hoping to get crumbs of Naoya lol)

It's really unfortunate that people tend to do that with characters that are considered villains. Just because he's bad doesn't mean he can't be well written—and to make matters worse, they take it out with their fans too... It's kind of silly to have to remember that what I consume in fiction doesn't go with what I do in real life. :B

BUT anyways— BECAUSE OF THAT I was given more freedom to fill the blanks with just about anything that I want heheheh and I love daydreaming about it.

Whenever writing I try to keep things as canon compliant/realistically as possible, without placing too many limitations on me that I won't be able to do anything—so his development into someone a bit more likeable is... off, very very difficult, but I think very rewarding as well. and sweet because why not.

Hopefully when he's animated we'll be able to see more content of him, as well as more fans :> I feel that after he got his manga cover he kind of... died down a bit. And unfortunately, whenever something does happen in the manga pertaining to him, some take this opportunity to slander his fans or spread misconceptions. (now I got worried thinking what will happen when he's animated damn) but we shall see.

And lastly, but not least, thank you so much for your kind words regarding my work 🥺❤️ I never thought that my writing would ever get attention like this, specially for a character that isn't that popular, but akgagaklghajk aaaaghhhhh it warms my heart to know there's people out there that like Naoya, and my work too 😭❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

TLDR: I like Naoya because I consider him handsome, has a personality that while shit, gives off this bad boy aura of "I hate everyone except my darling." (or idk maybe my delusions are talking haha.) is super talented in what he does, has a prestigious title, yet a lonely life that makes me pity him a bit; and I feel like he'd be a very passionate lover when it comes to it.

Thank you so much for sending in this ask 🤭 I hope it was able to bring you some insights of my mind 😏 Take care and hope to see you soon!!