#demon pet au

[extra-v1rgin]

This fic is,,, weird. But I enjoyed writing it. I still feel slightly embarrassed posting it however lol

Root idea inspired by phantasmiafxndom

Cw for mentions of child abuse *cough cough* Shinjuro

☆.。.:・°☆.。.:・°☆.。.:・°☆.。.:・°☆

Demons, in their current form, were not just disgusting to Kyojuro but also pathetic in a way that made his heart burn with anger. Decades ago it had been perfectly fine to kill them. The creatures were a scar upon humanity and extermination was agreed upon by nearly everyone.

Now people treated them like a nuisance at worst, some even tended to coddle them. Protests grew daily, demanding the demons be treated more humanely. Humanely? For creatures that used to eat humans, still did in some cases. It was a fate kinder than they deserved.

Despite Kyojuro’s distaste most people didn’t share his feelings on the matter. Perhaps the most upsetting was the fact that Senjuro had complete adoration for demons. He tried his best to tolerate his brothers ideas, but couldn’t often hide his disturbance.

It only got worse when a few of Senjuro’s schoolmates got demons of their own. They had become a new fad, and the ultimate status symbol. Why have a dog or cat when instead you could find a demon who you could dress up with hair to brush.

Even his own brother cooed over the creatures. One or two of his classmates (alongside a few of Kyojuro’s own students) sported such popular pets and enjoyed showing them off. During lunch students would gather around pictures to oo and ah over whatever unique features the particular example had.

And while Rengoku worked a humble job as a teacher, their father still had plenty of money to spare even after retirement, something his younger brother was well aware of. It was no surprise when Senjuro too started to beg for a pet. The man was less secretive of his distaste inside his own home. He wasn’t harsh or cruel with the boy, simply firm. Senjuro had asked for pets before. This obsession would fade much like rest.

—-

Six months later Kyojuro gave in. Senjuro had earned some sort of reward. The elder brother didn’t like to leave the home often, not for elongated periods of time. Shinjuro mostly kept to himself now but it wasn’t impossible for their father to lash out. These incidents were few and far between. The only connection between them was that they occurred when Kyojuro wasn’t in the home.

But he had a job to do. Volunteering for an overnight field trip had perhaps been a mistake on his own part. In the past Senjuro had been able to find appropriate accommodations for the night or two his brother was gone. This time it was simply a combination of all the wrong things coming together.

He shouldn’t have believed his younger brother’s insistences that everything would be ok. Uzui or Sanemi would loathe watching the children but he could’ve forced one of the other men to take his place. That didn’t change the fact that he was the one who left on the trip. Everything on his end went rather smoothly. The children were rowdy, but didn’t cause any major problems. After constantly checking in and several reassurances from Senjuro he pushed his worries to the back of his mind.

They rushed forward again when Kyojuro arrived home. Even upon his return his brother greeted him with a smile and warm hug. It would’ve been a nice welcome under most circumstances. Senjuro wore a high collar, creeping above his neck. It wasn’t entirely inappropriate for the weather but wasn’t part of his typical ensemble.

Rengoku went to pull at the turtleneck. Though the boy nervously tried to avoid the attempts it wasn’t as if he could run away.

“It’s fine aniue,” he mumbled. Kyojuro saw a purple spot forming. It wasn’t too large, not the largest Senjuro or himself had ever recieved, but still there nonetheless. Softly he brushed the area with his thumb. His younger brother let out a little puff of air despite his attempts to hold in any reaction.

Finally allowed to pull away he backs up. Already his eyes are clouding with tears. Kyojuro waits for a moment, gently reaching his hand out so it barely hovers above the boy’s shoulder. When Senjuro leans into the touch he’s quickly smothered in an overbearing hug. He doesn’t quite sob, but tears soak into the elder brother’s shirt.

Even though Senjuro is mature (which sometimes makes Rengoku guilty in a way, because he shouldn’t have to be so mature) he’s still fourteen. Beyond that he’ll always be the younger of the two. Kyojuro had gotten used to sharing a bed and taking care of a sick brother and buying birthday gifts the moment their mother died, when Senjuro had barely started school. It feels natural to pick him up and settle on one of the softer couches. He’s small enough to still be able to curl up in Rengoku’s lap.

The two are happy to sit there for awhile. Senjuro was never much of a talker so the man doesn’t push him for now. Tears roll down his cheeks, which Rengoku swears still carry a bit of baby fat.

“I’m sorry I shouldn’t have left. I’ll be more careful next time. You didn’t-“

“It’s not your fault aniue. F-father just- he got mad because I dropped a plate and it’s fine. I don’t wanna talk about it anymore.” More water wells up in the corner of his eyes. After sucking in a shuddering breath he tries again. “But I’m glad you’re home.”

“Ok.” Kyojuro’s eyes soften. “You did a good job though.” He shouldn’t have had to, but Senjuro’s been forced to grow quickly. “We’ll do something for you though. Whaddya want? We can get dessert or go to that fancy ramen place or whatever else.”

Senjuro sniffles again. “You’ll be mad at me.”

“Of course I won’t, you can choose anything.”

“Ok.”

—-

A demon was not was Kyojuro had in mind. He had lightly protested at first but after Senjuro relented with a horribly sad look the man ended up being the one to insist. He bit back the opposing words on his tongue and tried to be supportive.

It was obvious the boy had been thinking about this for quite some time. He already had a list of several local rescues and even pulled an older futon into one of the many spare rooms they had.

Rengoku had trouble keeping a solid smile on his face, but even when it slipped his brother didn’t notice.

So they (well mostly Senjuro, who finally insists on going one day after school) arrive at a vaguely creepy facility, white walls with rows of cages on either side. The cashier is a young woman who drags her voice out too much, weirdly high in an attempt to appear more friendly. Her lax appearance was strange with the rest of the sterile environment.

Senjuro was free to pick one of his own out. Kyojuro found all of them equally repulsive, and had no preference for which one ended up in their home. The only thing he wanted was for his brother to change his mind and let them leave empty handed. He felt bad for thinking such bitter thoughts considering what had propelled their visit. Everytime he tried to improve his attitude Rengoku would catch sight of meat sitting in feeding bowls or little signs declaring the temperament of a specific pet.

Senjuro was firm in his choices however and they ended up with something vaguely human, though that wasn’t very remarkable. It (They, Senjuro kept on insisting, like it was an actual being) had greyish skin and sunken eyes. With a few random spikes and other inhuman qualities it was pretty typical in terms of demons. It wasn’t the most repulsive one there, plenty had more appalling traits like multiple eyes or huge fists perfect for clawing people.

The chatty saleswoman cooed as she opened up the cage and beckoned you forward. “Good choice! This one’s quiet, but the most well-behaved cutie you’ve ever seen.” As you drag yourself out of the cage and rise to your full height Rengoku grimaces. You don’t look particularly threatening, smaller than him with blank eyes and greasy hair. ‘Cute’ is not the word that comes to mind.

Hesitantly taking the new leash clipped to your collar Senjuro tugs you forward. You move along with the motions, following quick enough that the lead never draws taut. One of your feet drags slightly each time you take a step.

“Hi.” The boy is so quiet as he whispers it. He seems a little shy, reverent maybe? Holding eye contact for only a moment or two he looks away and back towards his brother. “I want this one aniue.” The shyness holds as he

at Kyojuro.

The man bites his tongue for a minute and tries to think of an appropriate response. “And you’re sure?” He tries to keep the judgement out of his voice.

It’s detected anyways. Senjuro’s brow furrows slightly. His brother is never truly angry, but annoyed seems like a just reaction. “Yes! I promise.” The words rush out quickly in a way that leaves no room for argument.

“Awesome! And just so you know each adoption comes with some basic care items, a bit of meat, feeding bowls, um I think there’s a booklet included.” The saleswoman bounces around the counter and roots in the drawers underneath. “Is this your first one? Honestly I thought about adopting in the past but after spending all my time here I’ve gotten my fill of demons.”

Senjuro nods along politely to each sentence. Rengoku merely stares out the window and waits until she asks for a card. When she finally finishes her spiel he slaps the card down. Demons can be low-maintenance (in actuality that means negligent owners who can’t quite get in trouble with how resilient demons are) but when properly taken care of they can be rather expensive. The cost of meat alone, synthetic human or the animal kind, can scare many away. Money here isn’t the problem.

Kyojuro has to carry all the accessories back to the car. His brother opted to chose about a dozen different types of collars and bowls and whatever else in his excitement. Trailing behind slightly he still holds your leash in hand. Every few steps he’ll nervously look back as if to make sure you’re still following. You don’t react to any of these glances, don’t react to anything at all other than stopping when he does and moving forward when prompted.

Once you’re brought to the car Kyojuro directs you towards the back, where several plastic covers have been put over the seats. Senjuro has to lean over to buckle you, jolting each time his skin brushes against yours. Pulling away he hovers for a moment before his brother directs him towards the front seat.

—-

Their house is nice. You’re led to a mostly bare room which is dubbed as yours. The older Rengoku dumps the toys in the corner and is quick to leave afterwards. You can still smell him sharply though, lingering just beyond the doorway.

The younger one parades you around the room to show off the space. Currently there is a futon in the corner with a shelf pressed against the opposite wall. Senjuro promises to get you more to furnish the space but it makes no difference to you.

“I’ll see if there’s a salon or something like that. They can bathe you and help with your nails.”

They’re claws, pointed and sharp but also splintering from lack of care. With no other way to respond you give a dull nod.

“I didn’t really think about clothes, but I do have an oversized shirt for you. It’s more like a dress really.” While explaining he plucks the piece from the bottom of your new belongings. “Aniue might have some old clothes that fit you, just until I go shopping.”

At that your mouth drops into a sharper frown. His brother smells like anger and hatred and something too harsh for your nose. It’s not as if you’re not used to being disliked. Demons generally don’t get along with one another and being put in a shelter usually meant whatever previous owner you had wasn’t great. His distaste though was sharp on your tongue as the smell wafted through the air. It wasn’t like casual neglect or dehumanization— there wasn’t even subtle joy taken in the sight of your current state, he didn’t want you there at all.

Put off by the thought of the man you turn away and crawl underneath your futon. It’s warm against your chilled skin. Peeking your head out from the thick sheets you watch as he spreads the rest of the accessories around the space. The whole time he talks softly, not to you specifically, but fills the space with sound. He’s quiet and doesn’t say things pointlessly which keeps your annoyance from rising.

By the time he finishes you’re already half asleep. You’ve spent the last few months sitting in a cage most of the day, even just moving from one home to another has worn you out. Nerves alone keep your eyes open, at least while he’s in the room. The moment he leaves however your willpower thins.

—-

Days pass slowly. Senjuro feed’s you before he heads to school, at which point you’re mostly left alone. Kyojuro occasionally passes the room, but never pauses. A few times when it’s absolutely silent you’ll poke your head out of your room. You don’t ever end up passing the threshold of it though. Nobody’s invited you outside of the space and you don’t fancy getting punished for such a small journey.

Mostly you nap or pace around your room. There’s not much in terms of entertainment but it’s not a horrible existence. Senjuro is only gone for a few hours. When he gets home the boy will do homework in your room. It becomes so much of a habit that an extra desk gets shoved into the space. While he works you rest at his feet or watch him through your blankets.

Your routine rarely shifts, which is nice in its own way. Change is more often bad than good, but the humans seem to have their own ideas about what you need.

This afternoon when Senjuro enters his brother follows. When you sense Rengoku approaching however you try to scramble backwards. Senjuro’s arms stick out in front of him as he tries to calm you. You’re not very happy but you soften slightly anyways.

Now that you’re paying attention his words make real sense. “I want you and aniue to get along. He’s not mean so you can’t be either.” His brother stands in the doorway, looking threatening still.

“Please aniue, you have to be nice.” Senjuro looks up at the man. “Can’t you just pet them once? I don’t like it when you ignore each other.”

Rengoku approaches you carefully. In an attempt to please his brother the man wasn’t quite as brash as usual. But his feelings were still clear on his face, and the smell of his anger flows through the air. You’re tempted to back up even more, hiding flat beneath the chair.

In turn his expression only grows more displeased.

After a few minutes of him standing angrily in the middle of the room Senjuro observes the threatening aura easily and was quick to intervene. “Aniue! You have to be more gentle.” He runs to your side. Though the boy wasn’t particularly strong you allowed him to pull you into his lap. His soft hands run over your hair in soothing motions. “See, you have to be nice if you want them to trust you.” While he continued to cradle you an eye opened to peek at the elder brother. He looked even more upset than before, which brought a sly smile to your face.

With your sharp nose you could smell how hard Kyojuro had bit his tongue. The faintest smell of blood drifted in the air while saliva pooled in your mouth. Turning your smug face away you attempted to burrow further into the carpet and soft fabric. You roll around in the gentle feeling of his hands and the sweet smell of his clothes. He must’ve been cooking earlier, something sweet like sugar or baking mix is smeared over the front of his clothes.

Though you’ve hidden your face Kyojuro’s presence is still clear. When he settles beside you all your muscles pull tight. His hands graze over you twice while you lie as still as possible.

“Alright, is that good?” The man is already standing up.

Senjuro doesn’t seem satisfied at all, with your performance alongside his brother’s, but nods anyways. It seems the mood has gone sour, the way he leaves soon after. He tries not to make it feel like a punishment but a bit of guilt gnaws at your bones.

—-

The next day Senjuro is back to his usual routine although the air still feels a bit too quiet. Worry keeps you alert to his movements. A few times he opens his mouth without speaking. On the third or fourth try he finally manages to get a few words out.

“I’m having aniue take you to get all washed up and everything tomorrow. You have to be good otherwise he won’t want to do this for me again.” His sternness is in full force, and surprisingly authentic. Blinking up at him you give a curt nod, waiting for the petting to resume.

It does soon enough and you’re happy to settle back down.

—-

The spa- salon or whatever they call themselves is surprisingly pleasant. You’re shy at first. There’s lots of people there, other demons too. Some are carefully restrained, muzzles and harnesses and even one fashioned in a straight jacket.

You wish Senjuro had taken you. The boy would’ve coaxed you inside gently and explained everything along the way. Rengoku drags you towards the receptionist and clips your collar to one of the tethers there. As soon as you’re checked in and given a pickup time he leaves you there. You’re not shaking— that would be cowardly —but there’s a nerve running through your body.

The woman who takes you is nice. She has pretty pink hair with a friendly face, but ultimately is unfamiliar in a way that makes you resistant. When you don’t move with her she trues to guide you with a hand. It’s so warm again your skin. Senjuro’s touches are always light and the woman isn’t rough but it’s rougher than he is.

The hiss isn’t purposeful, not even threatening. It works to describe your discomfort. She tries soothing voices to guide you towards one of the chairs, but you stay rooted to the spot.

“Five steps ok? Why don’t you move with me and we can sit down.” When she nudges your legs you finally take one step. The woman guides you slowly until you settle down on one of the recliners. You’re still stiff, but in a position where they can start to take care of you.

Lots of different people do lots of different things. A man trims your talons and applies a thick shiny coat over them. He offers color but you staunchly shake your head.

Another person trims your hair. She carefully moves it away from your face and takes off a minimal amount. You can’t really see much of a difference, too distracted by all the little ends that have scattered across your face. The woman dusts them off with a fluffy brush that makes you sneeze. Everyone nearby coos after and you feel like more of a lapdog than a demon.

Someone else leads you over to a private bathroom, where you’re promptly scrubbed down. They use lots of bubbles and scented oils that edge on being too much for your senses. The after-effect is nice though, a calm lavender scent that’s much more pleasant than dirt and raw meat (even if the latter was tastier). You’re thrown into an oversized sweatshirt with matching pants, soft fleece lining the inside.

It all goes rather quickly. There’s dozens of new scents and people that cloud your brain. It’s hard to absorb the reality of everything until you’re allowed to actually rest. A side room lets you find a quiet place to curl up and rest.

Even though you’ve done just the barest amount of stumbling around there’s a weight to your bones that drags you down. You can’t remember if you were always like this or if it’s a side effect of being caged for so long. Either way you feel like a poor imitation of what a demon should be. A poodle compared to a wolf.

Part of you doesn’t really care. It’s not like you’ll ever be expected to kill or even hunt. This is the result from years of domestication.

You leave all the wondering for another day. Your mind is just a tired as your body and it’s no surprise when your eyes slip closed.

—-

Kyojuro drags you back into the car after a harsh awakening. You’re still half asleep but stumble out once he has a hand on your leash.

Slumping over in the back seat you drift back in and out of sleep. Everytime the man hits the breaks you jerk forward and wake back up.

But by the time you get home you’ve been knocked out fully. Your head dips downwards only to lose ok up an indeterminate amount of time later.

For a few minutes you wait awkwardly in the car. It’s hard to tell how much time has passed, but in reality it probably hasn’t been too long. Senjuro would’ve come out to wake you if he was home.

You decide nobody else would be inclined to fetch you. Crawling out of the backseat you dart towards the door leading inside.

Unsure of where exactly your room is you’re forced to rely on scent. You’ve never been outside of your room in length, and can’t recall the layout of most of the home.

Currently your strategy is to point your head in one direction and sniff. It seems to be doing a relatively good job of leading you in the right direction, or at least the smell isn’t getting any weaker.

Though much of the house is rather boring, plain walls with nice furniture that doesn’t really tell you anything, you do take note of whatever is a little interesting. There’s fresh flowers in one of the vases along the hallway. They must’ve been cut just a day or two ago. As you pass the kitchen you notice four seats at the dinner table, with room for more if needed. You haven’t heard any guests in the weeks you’ve been here, so it’s an odd sight.

Kyojuro seems to be absent at the moment, making your movements much more relaxed. You don’t drag your feet or wander aimlessly but you’re happy to poke your head in certain places were it doesn’t belong.

One room in particular captures your attention. Most of the home smells the same, with the brother’s scents flowing and ebbing depending on the space. In a darker hallway however there’s the sharp scent of alcohol. Underneath it you can sense another human within, a damp smell like overripe fruit. At first it makes you pause (the only sound is heavy breathing inside the room) and then scurry away from it.

You find your room soon after, happy to dive into your sheets. Pulling off the oversized clothes you’re happier to take in more familiar fragrances.

—-

When Senjuro gets home he showers you with compliments. Fingers sweep through your soft locks.

However he seems determined at ruining your peace. “Wasn’t Aniue great for taking you?” He tries to hide his pointed tone.

You give a non-committal shrug.

The boy huffs but doesn’t leave you like he did last time.

“They were booked too far ahead on Saturdays but next time I’ll plan for that so we can go together.”

Letting out a pleased trill you flop onto the ground.

The boy moves backwards. “Let’s get some food yea?” He waits for you to follow.

Never having been invited out of your room (Kyojuro taking you out earlier was less of an invite and more of a demand) you move hesitantly. Within the home there’s no leash attached to your collar. It’s nice most of the time but you could use it as proper direction for where he wants you to go. Every few steps you end up stopping because you’re so hesitant. You’re just grateful that Senjuro doesn’t mind how slow you make the journey.

The open air of the kitchen makes you nervous. There’s so many places to look that it makes you dizzy.

Senjuro opens the refrigerator. At the bottom there’s stacks of meat, all different kinds. Technically it makes sense. It’s not as if someone is purchasing your food everyday. The steaks and patties you get eat night have to appear from somewhere.

With it all in front of you however saliva fills your mouth.

“You can pick out your dinner this time. I thought that could be fun!” He pulls your arm towards the icy cooler.

Moving slowly you just point to the top of the pile. You’d eat the whole thing if you could, but given the choice to pick one there’s not much difference to you.

Senjuro looks a bit disappointed so you instead take more action. Moving the packages around pointlessly you choose another from somewhere in the middle. The letters outlining it explain nothing to you, but there’s juice and blood flowing around the free spaces. Mostly you’re just excited to run back to your room and sink your teeth into the fat and sinew. It leaves saliva pooling in your mouth.

With slightly shaky hands you hand it over to Senjuro. Even though you know it’ll end up back in your hold your instincts scream at you to keep it. The tips of your fingernails burn as you try to keep your claws in control.

With dilated eyes focused on the meat you don’t notice the smell of alcohol wafting into the room. The younger boy does, and he tries to take your hand and guide you away. As you’re unworried you drag your feet along the way. Ignoring his urgings you’re caught off guard when a hand hooks into the back of your shirt.

Turning around you think it’s Kyojuro who’s grabbed you. They look almost identical but a bit of extra height and some light stubble indicate him as someone else. You may be dumb but you’re not stupid and it’s easy to guess that this is the pairs father. You hadn’t considered the full image of their family, only caring to note those you interacted with.

His anger is different than Kyojuro’s. Is less pointed, engulfing the whole room rather than poking your skin alone. It smells rotten.

“Who brought this damned thing into my house?” Shinjuro’s question doesn’t require an answer, it’s already obvious. You try to turn tail and race into your room once he releases you, but you’ve been turned around and there’s no clear line to the exit. Senjuro reaches out to his father, trying to calm him.

“Aniue said it was ok so I just thought-“

“Kyojuro’s not your father is he?”

“N-no but-“

“Stop letting him act like he runs the fucking household. If he wants to be in charge he can get his own place.” Along with his cruel words his hands twist into fists. As an arm raises Senjuro shakes in anticipation.

You dart forward, nearly knocking the boy over. A strong fist collides with your forehead. You’ve been hit before, but you can’t remember a time a human had been able to hurt you this much.

Knocked off balance you’re happy enough to crouch to the ground. As the room comes back into focus another hand comes towards you. Lifted up harshly you’re face to face with the man. You’re hissing and spitting as you resist Shinjuro’s grip. Lying down and drinking had brought down the man’s physique, but shadows of muscle still remained. He clutches your hair in one hand. The minute you raise your claws he captures your wrists in the other. You try to gnash your teeth and aim yourself at his skin, but you can’t get near him. The best you could do now was lash out with your legs.

Twisting like a serpent you tried to loosen his grip. Senjuro was crying as he pulled on your clothing, trying his best to free you in his own way.

You’re only dropped when a door at the front of the house softly opens and shuts. The noise is barely perceptible to human ears, but Shinjuro still senses it. The moment he pushes you to the ground the man is quick to disappear back into his room.

Senjuro dashes to your side. At the moment you curl into yourself. The bruises around your wrists are already fading but your muscles are stiff when you move.

The boy clutches onto your body like you might be dying. Currently you’re not inclined to brush away his tears though you wish they’d stop.

“What happened here?” For once Kyojuro’s voice isn’t obnoxiously chipper or filled with disgust. There’s a genuine tone that you’ve never heard before. You still don’t bother to glance his way, trying to find comfort on the hard ground.

“F-father he um, he was being mean again and when he tried to grab me they got into a fight.” His voice is still thick with emotion as he crouches over you.

“Oh.” Kyojuro’s surprised. It’s silent for a quick second. “Well are you ok?”

“Aniue! I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.” His arms grab your torso and try to lift you. With shaky arms you attempt to help him. There’s no reason you should be in such a weak state, perhaps after being pampered for a bit you’ve lost touch with what it’s like to be beast.

When the eldest is quick to scoop you up you’re at least well enough to let a quiet growl leap out from the back of your throat. You don’t move however. It’d be awful to get dumped on floor again and Kyojuro’s body is very warm against your side.

That doesn’t change the fact that the minute he sets you down into your room you run for your sheets. Hiding beneath them you try to peek without being caught. The worry is worthless because Rengoku has already disappeared and Senjuro is in his place.

He hand feeds you chunks of fancy meat, you think it’s cow, and pets your hair while you try not to fall asleep. The boy is whispering all kinds of praises that melt into one another but the culmination of all of them buzzes under your skin. Senjuro is often quick to praise but you’ve never felt as if it’s been truly earned.

—-

The next day Kyojuro approaches your room (willingly) again. Senjuro is already is his typical spot while you hide in the corner.

You’re surprised, but not enough to move. Glancing up with tired eyes you watch him go towards his brother.

“How come you took them out of the room?”

“I- Aniue! I said I was sorry.”

“I know, I’m not mad or anything ok? You just gotta tell me what’s going on.”

You stick your head out of your bed to listen. Kyojuro gives you a curious glance before looking away.

“Um, Muichiro-kun said it’s good to involve demons with their feedings. It cultivates bonding. He said he saw it in an article online.”

The elder brother sighs deeply. “It shouldn’t have to be this way but I need you to ask me before you do things like this ok? I’m just looking out for you.”

“I’m sorry aniue.”

“Don’t be. I don’t- you shouldn’t have to be sorry. I’ll have a talk with father.”

“It won’t do anything,” he mumbles under his breath. Perhaps Senjuro is feeling especially bitter today.

Kyojuro frowns but can’t muster a response. His eyes sweep over the room before the man turns around to leave.

—-

It’s another day where Senjuro is gone but the eldest is still home. You can’t keep track of the days or form any sort of schedule, you just know this happens on occasion.

You creep out of your room early in the morning. Though you can rely on scent to lead you it’s not as good as simply knowing the space. Every few turns you convince yourself you’re passing something relatively familiar.

After minutes of wandering you pass the room that contains Rengoku. The door is open so you step inside, then back out, and then back in. You’re not sure how to grab his attention.

Turning around you leave, only to re-enter. This time you let your foot collide with the door. The small tapping noise grabs his attention. You try to resist the instinct to hide. For now you just slouch more and hold your arms to your chest.

“What do you want?” Kyojuro speaks normally for once. You could imagine him asking anyone the question.

Peeling back your lips you try to get your vocal chords to form the proper noises. Instead of words you push out a low grumble that leads into a whine. You try the action several times to imitate something he could understand.

Moving closer you attempt the noise once more. His face holds a confusing mix of emotions, still a bit of disgust hidden within the layers.

Bowing your head and rolling your shoulders you hope that body language could bridge the gap in his understanding.

“Are you saying sorry?” At the question you look up and nod eagerly. Your face can’t form a proper friendly smile, but the result is hopefully close enough. It’s silly but a sense of accomplishment washes over you.

The man smiles back (his is warm and honest, painted with a touch of surprise). “Oh, well, thank you I suppose.”

A beat of silence. You wouldn’t be able to respond with anything other than more primal calls.

“And you do a good job of taking care of Senjuro. I’m glad someone is here for him when I’m gone.”

Ignoring the underlying bitterness (jealousy? blame?) you nod once more. As your head bows a sneaky hand rises to pet it. Kyojuro only taps your hair once or twice beneath turning and returning to his work.

Pleased you make sure there’s nothing remaining before running back to your room.

[insanityofbones]

† 𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐖𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐫 ‡ WORK IN PROGRESS, PART OF THE DEMON PET AU BY @/Desi-the-blue-eyed-kakushi

† 𝐁𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐮𝐝 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐞 ‡ Switch!Enmu Switch!Fem!Reader, handjob, whining, fingering, Short

† N/A

† N/A

[sunandflame]

Not a Monster

Warnings: fluff, nsfw, smut, implied violence, neglect, threesome, double penetration, biting, mating, jealousy

Word Count: 7,2k

Pairing: Yoriichi x Fem!Reader x Kokushibo

crossposted on AO3

In a world where Demons had become domesticated in the last century or so, becoming glorified pets and workers. 

You knew you had done your friend a favor by getting her a pet demon, especially since you were worried about her mental state, which had been rapidly getting worse.

Weeks and months had passed now. Of course you remained in constant contact and had observed how good it was for her to take care of the demonic creature. Which of course left you wondering why you didn't have one, since you weren't any better when it came to fighting the loneliness that was a constant part of your life. Some solitude was always good but when prolonged, it was overwhelming and could be painful.

That's why you thought it couldn't hurt to - maybe - keep your eyes open, look and behold, it literally popped in front of your nose as you walked past a shelter. There was a red sign with 'HIGH DISCOUNT' there.

It wouldn't hurt to take a look, right?

Your entrance was announced by the ringing of a bell above the door. There was no one there and you looked around cautiously. There were all sorts of things that were used for keeping a demon. You walked down the corridor and saw a big cage standing darkly in the corner. It was larger than the other cages you had seen and you became curious, especially since the sign also said high discount.

As you walked in closer, you noticed the demon who was on his knees behind the bars, dignified and humble, he had his gaze lowered until he realized you were there. He was beautiful with his maroon colored eyes and long black hair that turned reddish at the tips. A prominent mark on his forehead took nothing away from his beauty and neither did the two horns that protruded from his forehead. Two horns…? Wait a minute, this means…

“This is a pureblood, very rare on the market.”

Startled, you turned to the clerk, who suddenly stood behind the counter and stared at you. Your gaze went back to the demon, who looked at you carefully and didn't take his eyes off of you. “Then why is it at such a low price?”

“Because of his brother.”

"His brother?" You frowned and looked confused from the seller to the cage and you felt another presence in the cage - 6 glowing eyes stared at you from the dark corner.

He stepped forward next to his brother and even though you could tell they were probably twins, you could clearly see the differences. The red of his long hair was darker and more spikier, his complexion paler, his physique was broader and more muscular. But this was not the main difference. It was his eyes which he held 6 pairs of. Golden with red sclera. His aura was intimidating and yet also very regal and proud. He had two horns as well that were more purple than red. He also adorned an additional mark that ran from his chin down to his throat.

 “Why, what’s wrong with his brother?” You couldn't take your eyes off him as you asked your questions and saw him squinting all of his 6 eyes on you.

“Yoriichi is a very domestic and remarkable demon. Very trusting, friendly, and listens to every command but his brother, Kokushibo, on the other hand… Well, I can only say that his previous owner was not able to handle him.”

“It didn’t occur to you to separate the two?”

“Of course, but every time they were separated, Kokushibo became more and more uncontrolled, and Yoriichi always managed to escape and return to his brother. We’ve tried it several times but it just didn’t work, which is why these rare purebloods are on discount.”

You saw Yoriichi looking at you with interest and Kokushibo about to hiss at you. You turned your head to the seller and grinned at him. “I’ll take them both.”

~ ~ ~

You really didn't know what got into you when you found yourself standing in front of the two demons that were clearly too tall. They literally towered over you by almost two heads, looking down at your pathetic height. You should have been intimidated, but strangely enough, you weren't. Maybe it was because Yoriichi's calm and tranquil manner balanced out Kokushibo's wild and angry one. The two of them were like yin and yang. Brothers who couldn't be separated.

The purchase was so spontaneous that you weren't really prepared and you were lucky enough to have a larger apartment with an additional room that you could possibly make available to the two of them. Your friend, whom you surprised with the demon Giyuu, probably felt as unprepared as you too.

“When was the last time you two ate?”

The two of them stared at you before Kokushibo turned away in disdain and Yoriichi felt obligated to answer for them both. He opened his mouth and it was the first time either of them had opened their mouths. “We last ate 10 days ago.”

What?! No wonder the six-eyed demon was in such a bad mood. Demons didn't have to eat regularly like humans. 1 to 2 a week was enough, but not 10 days! They must have been absolutely starving!

After they had eaten, you prepared their room. Unfortunately you didn't have any other beds, just futons, but that should be enough for now.

~ ~ ~

A few days passed and they were quieter than expected. Kokushibo hadn't done anything bad to you but still refused to talk to you while Yoriichi was very pleasant. 

“Yoriichi, do you want me to take your collar off? The Wisteria pouch must be uncomfortable for you.” Collars were mandatory for demons when they wanted to go outside, but the owner was able to choose at home.

He lowered his gaze humbly. “You are too kind, Mistress.”

You were very fond of Yoriichi. You liked his kind and gentle nature that even soothed your own chaotic thoughts. It was the least you could do for him. You asked him to lower his head and carefully took off his collar. While you came so close to him, you noticed his hair and gently stroked it. “How about I brush your hair, it’s looking a bit dull.”

His hair was beautiful and you could feel how he enjoyed being pampered by you in this way. How your brush went slowly through the dark red waves, making them shine again. It was a very domestic situation between the both of you that got interrupted by a dark aura from the corner. You quickly glanced from Yoriichi’s hair to Kokushibo. If you didn't know any better then you would assume that he was jealous, but you were not sure.

“Are you hungry?” But there was no answer. It was not like you expected him to talk. Both demon brothers had been very silent since the beginning. After taking off Yoriichi’s collar you noticed that he spoke a little bit more. His pleasant and calm voice relaxed you deeply and you wondered whether Kokushibo could even speak and whether it was perhaps because of the prong collar that he still had around his neck. The prong collar looked painful and even if you weren't intimidated by his strong presence, you still wanted to be careful.

But somehow that seemed unfair to you.

“Yoriichi, please wait here.” You stood up and approached the tall menacing demon until you were standing in front of him. He didn’t lower his ominous presence when he looked down on you and yet you showed no fear. ”Lower your head, please.” But he did nothing of that sort, but squinted his 6 eyes onto you. You let out a long sigh. You knew that it wouldn't be easy with him and yet you were slightly annoyed when you needed to pull up a chair so you could be on the same level as him.

“Don’t move…” You were very close to him as you fumbled with his prong collar to open it. What kind of brutal device was that? The collar was far too tight on his neck and had left scars; there were also scratch marks that showed that he had desperately tried to open it himself. It was said that demons who have face marks are wilder and less easy to tame. Kokushibo even had two. Was that the reason why they tortured him like that? Anger flared up in you, but you took controlled breaths so you were able to focus on this damn opening mechanism.

Kokushibo watched your efforts with interest and for the first time there was no anger or threatening aura coming from him or his eyes. After some fiddling with his neck, you managed to open the damn collar and threw it on the floor. Your gaze was focused on the puncture scars on his neck. Without a second thought, your fingers roamed over the spots.

Well at least you tried, because he had stopped you with such a quick movement that you took a startled step back. The only thing was that you had forgotten you were still standing on a chair and your foot stepped on thin air.

Everything happened so quickly in the next few seconds that you were not able to realize what actually happened until your body was pressed against his, his strong arms around your waist. He caught you in time and held you against his solid physique, and you could feel how strong and muscular he was. You looked at him with wide eyes while he looked at you almost bored. “You humans are so clumsy.”

Were those really his first words towards you? His voice had a deeper timbre than Yoriichi's and it made your skin shiver. Since his arrival, all he had done was glare at you and intimidate you with his brutal presence, which he was very good at controlling. All that was gone now as he still held you close to him - as if you weighed nothing. His gaze on you was interested, since this was the first time you were up so close to him.

“You- You can put me down now…” And he did. With a gentleness you never expected from him. Your soft body slid along his. You looked at him, slightly puzzled. “I'll get some balm for your wounds. Maybe you should sit down so I don’t have to get back on a chair.” He just nodded at you and sat down on the sofa where Yoriichi was sitting.

You left the room briefly and didn't notice how the brothers communicated with each other or how Kokushibo’s eyes were following you. With the balm in your hand, you sat between the two and turned your attention to Kokushibo. “Don’t be alarmed, it might be a little cool now,” you whispered as you gently rubbed the cool gel along his neck. He didn't even bat an eyelash and just let you do it while keeping all his 6 eyes closed. Was he enjoying it? It seemed like it. You carefully stroked over it a second time as you saw how the wounds were already starting to heal. “Woah!” You let out surprise.

“Our wounds heal very quickly and we can’t have scars, but my brother's collar was coated with an extra strong dose of wisteria that made him even weaker and made it difficult for him to speak. Thank you, Mistress, for this generous gift you gave to both of us.”

Yoriichi, who was sitting to your right, had taken your hand. He brought it gently to face and brushed it against his cheek and gave each knuckle a kiss. There were so many emotions associated with his gesture, like gratitude and affection, that it almost brought tears to your eyes. 

You turned your head towards Kokushibo who looked at you with a look that you couldn't interpret. He finally spoke and his voice made you shiver again. “I would like to take a bath. May I, Owner?”

You simply nodded and watched him get up and disappear into the bathroom. Yoriichi, who was still holding your hand, spoke as his brother was gone. “Michikatsu is not evil as anyone would assume. He needs love and affection like any other being. I wouldn't mind if you would give some of your attention and affection to him."

“Michikatsu? His name is not Kokushibo?”

He shook his head. “Koku, black. Shi, death, Bo, eye. They named him like that because of his eyes. He never corrected them as he wanted them to fear him. But in reality Michikatsu is the nicest of them all.”

Michikatsu is the nicest of them all.

Yoriichi's words echoed in your mind as you knocked on your bathroom door and opened a crack. "Can I come in?"

“This is your house, Owner...”

You grimaced at his wording and entered anyway. You saw him sitting relaxed in the tub with all but one of his eyes closed. With the one he watched you carefully as you took a washcloth and sat down on a stool behind him. You gestured for him to lean forward slightly, which he did.

You moistened the washcloth with the warm water and gently slid it over his broad shoulder. Luckily his hair was already in a bun so you had free access to his back. At first he was very tense, but when he realized that you didn't mean him any harm and just wanted to scrub his back, you felt his muscles slowly relax under your fingers.

“I told your brother the same, please don’t call me Owner. Just call me Y/N. It feels so degrading to you both to call me owner.”

He was silent for a while before answering. “We... are demons... We have no right to name anything the way we want... We have no right to have an opinion on what we should be called. We are just objects in people's eyes. Easy pets...”

This time you were the one who remained silent, because you had felt the resentment and frustration behind those words. You took a cup and filled it with warm water and poured it over his back to wash away the dirt that had formed from your scrubbing. “I don’t know what your previous owners did to you. You don't have to tell me, but you're not objects to me. You are living beings who deserve to live a good life. You can call my home yours too. You are allowed to have possessions too.”

“That is…noted…”

The next few minutes were shrouded in silence, but it wasn't unpleasant. On the contrary, Michikatsu actually seemed to enjoy the way you gently massaged his scalp with your fingertips while you shampooed his hair. You enjoyed these domestic activities. To take care of someone. To make them feel good. You hadn't done that for a very long time because you had also been alone for a long time. Being alone was painful- 

Before you could delve into your dark thoughts, you noticed an odd smell and was startled. Did you leave something on the stove? No, it smelled way too pleasant for that.

Michikatsu noticed your twitch, but he didn't react like you. “Yoriichi has been watching you for days, like me. He’ll probably cook you something while you’re here with me.”

You looked at him in surprise. He wasn't serious, was he? You really wanted to check, but wanted to finish bathing Michikatsu.

“Go…  I’ll wash up and join you…”

You nodded and walked into the kitchen where you saw Yoriichi standing at the stove with your pink apron on. He looked at you and gave you a smile. “Since you take such good care of us, I wanted to prepare something for you. I read that miso soup is very popular and you had the ingredients for it. Do you like miso soup with silken tofu?”

You couldn't help but giggle at the sight of him looking so adorable with your pink apron. “Yes, I love miso soup.”

~ ~ ~

Ever since Kokushibo spoke to you, you were sure that all three of you were getting along very well. You ate together, laughed and talked. Well mainly you talked, because the two of them enjoyed listening to you talk and you finally had the feeling that someone actually wanted to listen to you too. And of course you cared for them too. Pampered them, washed their backs and bought them what they wanted even if that was not much. Yoriichi had once told you that it was enough that you would treat them well as you did now. This always made you question what terrible things had been done to them. How would they dare to treat them badly? You didn't want to think too deeply about it. If they didn’t want to talk and think about it then who were you to do so?

“Ouch!”

You looked at your finger which was starting to bleed. You quickly put your bleeding finger under running water to rinse out the dirt and checked out the wound. Shit, the cut was deeper than expected. Suddenly you felt Michikatsu’s presence very close to you. You jumped. Even after weeks, you couldn't get used to how quietly the two of them moved around the apartment. He looked down at you and your bleeding finger. 

“Don’t worry, it’ll stop bleeding soon.” You weren't sure if you were saying this more to yourself than to him, but he wasn't deterred. He took your hand and put your finger in his mouth, licking the blood off. You looked at him with wide eyes. You were even more surprised when he suddenly took you in his arms and carried you to the couch and sat down, you sitting sideways on his lap, taking your bleeding finger into his mouth again. 

You were literally puzzled, but he didn't seem to mind. You had been in the middle of cooking and wanted to tell him so, but he just gave you a look which silenced you.

“Clumsy human, let Yoriichi do the cooking and let me take care of your wound.”

You wanted to say something in response but didn't know what. You had already seen Yoriichi scurrying into the kitchen but were distracted again when Michikatsu gently nibbled on your finger and put it in his mouth.

Since that time he always looked for moments to distract himself by nibbling on your fingers. He seemed to have an oral fixation, or he just liked it. Either way, he seemed to be enjoying it and it didn't bother you, so you let him have his way. It also gave you the chance to look at him up close, as he often didn't allow that.

Michikatsu noticed this of course. “You’re not at all disgusted by my appearance.”

“Why should I?” You did not understand the question.

“Are my eyes not too scary for you?” 

Oh, this is what it was about… “Is this why you always keep all eyes closed and just look with one?”

“No, I keep them closed so that I don’t have sensory overload and… so that you aren’t afraid of me.”

“So I was right?”

He kept silent and you gave him a soft smile. “Please close your eyes.” He did as you asked. You moved closer to him ever so slowly and gently kissed each of his 6 eyelids. When you let go he looked at you in surprise, his 6 eyes wide. This was the first time you could see the emotions so strong on his face. “You are not a monster and never will be to me.”

~ ~ ~

“You are not jealous, right?” you asked Yoriichi, while he was sitting patiently in front of you as you brushed his long beautiful hair. 

He shook his head. “No, why should I?”

“Well… Because I give your brother so much more attention than you.” It was a little bit uncomfortable to admit this, but it was true. Michikatsu was very demanding and jealous from time to time, even if you don’t give him much reason for it. But yet, anytime you were close to Yoriichi or spending time with him, he immediately snatched you away in silence and nibbled on your fingers. 

“But I did ask you to do so, right?”

“I mean, yes you did. But I still feel bad about it. You deserve my attention as much as Michikatsu.”

Yoriichi took your hand, it seemed like the brothers had a fixation with your hands, and kissed your knuckles as he always does when he wants to show his gratitude. “Sitting here with you, hearing you talk, while you touch me so affectionately, is everything I ever wanted.” 

Yoriichi were always able to hit you with the right words and gestures. You leaned forward and gave him a kiss on the crown of his head. “You are such a good boy and deserve the whole world.” You felt Yoriichi shiver from your words.

~ ~ ~

Months passed, the season changed and it was winter. That meant the Christmas markets opened very soon! You were excited because you wanted to show the brothers how beautiful the markets can be. Of course they needed to wear collars, since demon companions were required to wear one by law. You hated it, since you were not able to forget the painful device Michikatsu had had to wear, but you had to adhere to the law. You decided to get the type that was demon friendly without the wisteria pouch for both of them. 

The three of you strolled through the Christmas market, Michikatsu to your left and Yoriichi to your right, and you received a lot of attention. You didn't know if it was because of their height or because of their distinguishing face marks. It could also be due to Michikatsu’s threatening aura, or the fact that they had two horns which identified them as purebloods - a very rare sight to see.

It wasn't important to you. The only important thing was that they had fun like you did and got as many impressions as possible. You curiously looked at all the stands and came across a woodcarver that had beautiful pieces to offer when you suddenly saw a wooden puzzle box. Himitsu-bako. You took it carefully and stared at it, fascinated. You always wanted to try it. The idea to get so fixated with a riddle was so appealing to you that you asked about the price. He named the price. You thanked him, placing the puzzle back down, and went to the next stall.

“Why didn’t you buy the puzzle box? You seemed very interested in it.” Yoriichi looked at you questioningly, while Michikatsu lingered in the back, his attention somewhere else.

“Oh, it was a bit too expensive. I wanted to have money for candied apples and to buy you two something you want! The puzzle has no priority.” You gave him a bright smile as the cold air made your cheeks blush.

You threw yourself onto your couch immediately when you got home. Man, you were exhausted. Yoriichi and Michikatsu didn't even seem to show any signs of exhaustion, but you clearly were. Walking for hours had drained you and you just wanted to relax now. “Do you want to watch a movie?”

As usual, they sat down on the couch on either side of you as you made yourself comfortable. It wasn’t long until your head was resting on Yoriichi's lap, him playing softly with your hair while Michikatsu massaged your calves that were sore from all the walking. You felt so comfortable and safe that it didn't take long for you to fall asleep and you missed over half of the movie. You didn’t notice how Yoriichi gently lifted you into his arms and carried you to bed or how he gave you a gentle kiss on the forehead while you cuddled yourself onto your blanket.

~ ~ ~

"What is this?" You stared at the small box that was placed in front of you and you didn't hesitate to pick up. It didn't take long for you to realize what it was. It was a wooden puzzle box. Himitsu-baku!  You looked excitedly at the beautiful piece. “But where did you get that from, Michi-kun?”

“Michikatsu is very skilled in wood carving,” Yoriichi replied as Michikatsu watched you with interest. “He made me a flute too, see?” He took out the little flute and showed it to you.

You looked at the beautiful piece in awe and then looked over at Michikatsu. “Michi-kun, I didn’t know you were so talented! Yori-kun, can you play on that?”

Yoriichi didn't hesitate and played some soft tunes. You clapped your hands enthusiastically. “You two are so talented!” You watched as Michikatsu turned away and hid his face behind his hair. Was he blushing? You probably saw it wrong… You looked back at your box. These were some refined skills, which made you wonder.

“It never occurred to me to ask you about your hobbies or what activities you like to do…” You felt guilty because until now they had always obediently gone along with everything you wanted but you never asked what they wanted.

The brothers looked at each other, visibly confused by your change of topic. This time Michikatsu spoke to answer your question. “We enjoy…training kendo together… But our previous owners didn’t like it at all… They got scared… Also we always lack the space and the necessary tools.”

"Tools?"

“A bokken, but a simple wooden broomstick will do too,” Yoriichi explained to her.

"Oh! I think I can organize that! Also a place for you to train! The apartment complex has an unused backyard. We can go there in the evening! As often as you want too!”

You three were at the said place. You were not able to find a bokken, but Yoriichi had said that broomsticks are enough for now. You can get them the necessary equipment later. Oh, how happy they would be, you thought excitedly to yourself.

Now you sat in a corner, lulled in your jacket as you watched the two brothers standing in front of each other. They first bowed respectfully and then it began. Their movements were so fluid and elegant that you were barely able to look away. It was a dance between two brothers who couldn't be more different. Like the sun and moon, Yin and yang. You weren't sure who would emerge victorious, but you were still surprised to see Michikatsu a few minutes later on the ground.

Another fight. Michikatsu was on the ground again. It went on like this until the yukatas were thrown over their shoulders, hanging down from the Hakamas. They were both suddenly topless, the cold didn't seem to bother them. You felt heat creeping into you. It wasn't like you'd never seen them topless before, since you washed and bathed them both from time to time. But now they are training. The muscles rippled in harmony with their movements, it was only then that you realized how incredibly sexy they both actually were.

Both were muscular and strongly built. Yoriichi a little leaner than Michikatsu. Your eyes wandered and you couldn't get enough of what was presented in front of you. Wandering up and down until they stopped on the seductive V-line of the two of them. Your eyes switched back and forth and you had to suppress a sigh as Michikatsu lunged forward, flexing his big biceps.

It didn't take long for you to get wet and dampen your panties. Crap. That was not good. You couldn’t be horny for your demons! That's irresponsible! Both of them had immediately stopped and stared at you as if they knew something. You blushed like a tomato.

“It seems like Y/N is cold. We should go home,” Yoriichi said as he put his yukata back on.

Michikatsu nodded and did the same and you were happy that demons were not able to notice things like that, right?

~ ~ ~

You laid in bed, frustrated, not being able to finish what you had started. Fuck, why can’t I come already? For the past hour you were touching yourself, trying to get rid of this horniness and the lewd thoughts that bothered you all evening. But it didn't work!

You huffed, frustrated, pulling your hands from your pants, and rested your arm on your forehead. It has been a while since you touched yourself. Was it possible to unlearn things like that? You didn’t know. What you did know was that you were exhausted and wanted to sleep but the hot images of the two brothers haunted you badly. 

Your thoughts were interrupted by soft knocking. “May we come in?” It was Yoriichi’s soft voice.

You immediately gathered yourself and sat straight in your bed. “Um, y-yes, sure!” The door opened slowly and the two brothers entered your bedroom. “Were you both not able to sleep?”

No answer, only gazes as Michikatsu sat down at the end of your bed and gently massaged your calves while Yoriichi sat close to you and held your hands in his. Normally you didn't have a problem with them being so touchy, you were happy to give them whatever they wanted and secretly you enjoyed it too, but at the moment it wasn't so good. Because you were a bit oversensitive due to your frustration.

Yoriichi looked at you with his soft maroon eyes as he cupped your face. “We sensed your troubles.”

Your furrowed your eyebrows. “My troubles?”

Michikatsu’s hands were gliding a little bit higher onto your thigh. “Yes, your arousal.”

You didn’t know if you were blushing because of the embarrassment of being caught or the feeling of his hands being so close to your core. It also didn’t help that Yoriichi lowered his head closer to your face and talked in his soft beguiling voice. “There is no need to be ashamed, Y/N. You always make sure that we feel good. You care about us so much, never seeing a monster in us. We want to give it back to you…” With each word he came closer, until his lips were on yours. His kiss was so soft and loving that you sighed into the kiss. Yoriichi took that as an invitation for his tongue. 

While Yoriichi distracted you with his sensual kiss, you felt Michikatsu slowly dragging your pants along with your underwear down and spreading your legs. “Brother, she smells so intoxicating…” You felt his breath close to your pussy.

Yoriichi, who let go of you briefly to let you catch a breath, answered his brother. “Her lips are sweeter than anything I’ve tasted before.”

Michikatsu did not wait and licked at your slick like a hungry cat and groaned. “You are right… She tastes like heaven…” With these words he dove into your core and lavished on your juices. You let out a surprised moan as you threw your head back. Your hand grabbed desperately at Yoriichi’s yukata who just watched you, fascinated, and then kissed you again. But he didn’t stay on your lips for long. His mouth traveled down your neck, nibbling at the soft skin there. You felt how his hands were slowly pushing up your loose shirt to cup one of your boobs and massaging it slowly with one hand. His mouth also found his destination and kissed and sucked on your other nipple. 

So many sensations at the same time and you were not sure what to focus on. The knot inside you tightened, and suddenly everything exploded. You came with a loud moan as you threw your head back once again. 

Michikatsu’s lower eyes were closed, his face glistening in your juices. He pushed a single finger into you just to let Yoriichi lick it off. You watched the interaction between them both. It was like he wanted him to know how you tasted. You saw how Yoriichi’s pupils dilated as he tasted your sweet nectar. It was such a lewd image that it made you sigh in anticipation.

You heard your bedsheet ruffle and watched as the brothers swapped their places. Suddenly Michikatsu was in your face, kissing you greedily on the mouth, not letting you take a breath. You were able to taste yourself on his lips but you didn’t mind it at all. Not even that he used his teeth, because all of that was washed away by Yoriichi's tongue and mouth, who was now the one eating you out.

There was a clear difference between the two. Yoriichi was definitely gentler, as were the tongue strokes along your outer labia. Or the way he sucked on your clit. Your left hand was on his head, tangled into his soft waves as you pushed him closer to your cunt, feeling how close you were again.

Your other hand was on Michikatsu, who was pinching your nipples, making you wince and twitch every time, forcing you to keep your attention on him. It was a lot to handle. Lots of feelings and desires at once that you didn't know how to deal with. But they were so strong, able to hold you still while they feasted on you.

Yoriichi hit a point with his tongue that made you come with a loud cry. The waves of the orgasm were so intense that it left you trembling. You had never cum twice in a row in your life.

Yoriichi wiped his face with the back of his hand. Both brothers watched you in awe as you layed there, exhausted from your orgasm.

“She is so beautiful… I want to mark her.”

“Later, when we are inside of her.”

“I am not sure if her bed is able to carry us three.”

“Yes, we should move her to our room with the futons.”

You were not able to distinguish who said what, since your brain felt like mush, but that was not important. You were suddenly lifted up and carried by someone. Your cheek resting on a strong chest. You realized that you were all naked. When did they undress you? You opened your eyes slowly to see his beautiful maroon eyes. “Yori-kun…”

You felt his lips on your forehead and then on your lips again, making you sigh again and heating up the desire in your lower belly. 

“Do you think she can take us both?

“She is stronger than you think.”

“I know.” These two words were said in such loving affection that it made your heart flutter.

“Hey… I am still here,” you protested. “You both prepped me so well I… I think I can handle that.”

"Oh, you do?” The first time in your life you saw how Michikatsu smirked at you as he snatched you away from Yoriichi and sat you down on his lap. 

You felt his hardened cock close to your core, but your eyes were fixated on that smirk of his. He was “...gorgeous…” You leaned forward, your hands on his muscular chest as you kissed him oh so softly. It seemed like he didn’t expect that softness. Never did he expect anything, though he deserved all the softness and kindness.

You poured all your love into the kiss, playing with his hair, nudging his tongue against yours and biting at his lower lip. He groaned and got impatient. He picked you up by your thighs and placed you on the tip of his dick and let you sink down very slowly. “Michi..!” You whimpered and shuddered at the fullness and how good it felt. 

He bottomed out and didn’t move, letting you adjust. Until you moved your hips. “Impatient human,” he murmured as he started sucking on your tit.

You didn't stay still though as you slowly moved your hips and started riding him. His hands grabbed your thighs tightly to help you. Michikatsu couldn’t help but sigh at the feeling of your tightness around him. Gosh, it felt so good hearing those noises coming out of him, knowing that you were the cause of it. Making you feel that you had a tiny bit of control even if it was not like that at all.

Suddenly you felt his hands on your waist, moving up to cup your breasts and kneading them; you also felt his lips kissing along your spine, making you shiver as you still moved on top of Michikatsu. You smiled and when his kisses reached your shoulder, you tried to turn your head to look at him, to give him a kiss. Yoriichi came closer but you were interrupted by Michikatsu, who grabbed your chin and turned your head back to him, just to claim your lips harshly and groan into the kiss. 

“H-Hey-” you panted after he left you breathless. “Stop being jealous. I want to kiss Yoriichi too!”

Michikatsu was about to respond when Yoriichi picked you up into his arms without warning. With one fluid movement Michikatsu’s dick slid out of you and you could only go “Oh!” at the sudden feeling of emptiness. Even Michikatsu breathed out harshly at the sudden change and glared at you both.

“Now it's my turn.” You giggled at him teasing his brother and slung your arms over Yoriichi’s neck, your legs around his waist. It was clear that he missed your kisses and you were glad to give him all he could ever want. You started kissing him all over his face - his cheek, his nose, his eyes, and then his lips. You both couldn’t hold back moaning into the kiss when he suddenly sheathed himself into you. You at the fullness he was giving you, and him because you were so tight around his cock.

You marveled at his strength as he held you up so easily, starting to move inside of you at a slow pace. You felt safe in his arms; you knew he wouldn’t even think of dropping you.

You felt the jealous glare on your back and it didn’t take long until Michikatsu got up to stand behind you. One of his hands pushed your hair aside so he was able to kiss and nibble on your left shoulder. You felt his chest pressed on your back as his fingers slid up to spread your wetness and lube you up with additional saliva. It was a strange feeling, but not unwelcome, as Yoriichi’s careful thrusts distracted you from Michikatsu’s motions behind you.

Soon enough, he retracted his fingers and replaced them with his tip. He was so careful with you - a contrast to his earlier roughness - moving in tandem with Yoriichi to bring you pleasure rather than pain. The feeling of them both inside you was overwhelming and you didn’t know what else to do other than to hold tightly onto Yoriichi’s shoulder, your nails digging into his skin. 

Michikatsu’s hands joined Yoriichi’s on your thighs. It felt as if the heat of their touch burned you to the core and even if you wanted to get out, it was impossible. You were placed so tightly between the two brothers, moving in sync into you, you could not move at all.

One of your hands reached behind you so you could grab onto Michikatsu’s neck. The other one still gripping onto Yoriichi. The angle changed, and you saw stars, clenching tightly around both of them making them both groan. They sped up, the pleasure bringing tears to your eyes.

“Please…!” You begged, not knowing what for, but it seemed like they knew.  

You were not sure if you saw it correctly as your brain was not able to comprehend anything logical at that moment but you saw a change in Yoriichi’s face as if he was communicating with his brother. 

The knot inside you tightened for the third time that night. You cried out their names as they thrusted harder into you making your vision blur. This time your release was more intense than you’d ever experienced, but before it could ebb away you felt teeth on both of your shoulders.

You could only cry out and everything went black.

~ ~ ~

Ah shit... Why does my shoulder hurt so much?

You woke up between two muscle-bound bodies and didn't know where you were until you remembered the last night. “Oh fuck…” you whispered and immediately put your hand over your mouth when someone started to grumble in annoyance. Did you wake one of them? Suddenly you were pulled by a strong hand and pressed against a muscular chest. “Stop thinking too much, human, sleep a little bit more. You need rest.”

You looked up into the face of Michikatsu, who had narrowed one of his lower eyes to look at you. You couldn't contradict him because you felt tiredness overcoming you again and you fell back into a deep sleep, safe in his arms.

You woke up again, but this time on Yoriichi's chest, who was playing with your hair. “Good morning.”

“Good morning…” You yawned and looked around, realizing that you both were alone on the futons. “Where is Michikatsu…?”

“He is preparing a bath for you. How do you feel?” He watched you as he waited for your answer.

How did you feel? You were not sure if you thought about last night. Did you regret it? No… But your shoulders were killing you. “My shoulders hurt and I feel sore, but that’s it.”

“Oh, that’s because we marked you.” 

“Marked me?”

“Yes,” he smiled at you, “We are now mates.”

Mates… Wait what?! Was that even possible between a human and demons? You heard about this rumour that demons were able to mate each other, but fuck… This was the last thing you ever expected. “What will happen now?”

“First of all you are going to take a bath while we take care of you.” Michikatsu appeared at the door frame as he looked at the both of you, laying naked on top of each other.

~ ~ ~

Even if it was weird in the beginning you quickly got used to the idea of being mated to both of your demons. You hadn’t been sure what to do with the situation and called your friend, who just told you that she had also got mated with her demon. It was not a common thing at all, actually unheard of, but here you were, having not one but two demon mates.

You asked them if that was something common, to have two demons, but they shook their heads. “It’s probably because we are twins and very attached to each other. Perhaps it was inevitable we would share a mate,” Yoriichi told you, while he nuzzled his face into your hair.

“Who would have thought that we would mate with a clumsy human?” You saw the smirk on Michikatsu’s face that now happened to appear more after that night. He seated himself next to you both and snatched you away from Yoriichi again. It seemed like a game between the two brothers at this point - as if they were not able to share a toy.

You faux-sulked. You just took his face into your hands and gave him a long loving kiss. Then you felt how he placed something on your lap. 

It was a wooden carving of a woman with two tall men at her sides and looking closer, you realized it was the three of you. The gift nearly made you spill tears, touched by his gesture of love.

[azzayofchaos]

Hey… hey? Anyone want a modern au where everything is pretty normal except the city’s postal system is run by Eldritch Demons through actual Hell? I’ve been insane about this one recently.

Gem!

Stress and False!

Doc and Martyn!

Scar and Cub! (Also Grian)

Close ups I like.

Ouppy… Etho is essentially a kitsune and I was informed that they’re traditionally considered seductresses and who am to deny the bit. It just happens his main pull is being a social anxious mess. Zedaph is a very okay and normal guy I promise.

This impulse portrait I am so happy about… Rendog and his rom com shit… BUG.

[mpreggificator]

I cannot get enough of Hamster!sqh so have my take on it.

So in a system-less au, Shang Qinghua heard about Cang Qiong and heel turned in the opposite direction to escape the shit that went down there.

Despite there being no system, the universe is still against him so Shang Qinghua lands a job at one of the wife plot manors, working for the one of the evil brother minor villains who was only notable because he experimented on people. Shang Qinghua tried to keep a low profile as he tried escaping his shitty boss. That doesn't work out and he was changed to transform into a hamster whenever he is very emotional (read: all of the time) before being thrown out.

By chance Shang Qinghua managed to run into Mobei-jun who saw his pathetic form and immediately adopted him as his secret pet. Shang Qinghua was convinced at first Mobei-jun was going to kill him but after a while and being treated very well, Shang Qinghua was calmed down enough to transform back into a human. Mobei-jun is confused and surprised that his cute pet hamster is a cute dude, but he keeps Shang Qinghua when he immediately swears his loyalty. Also Shang Qinghua does administrator work whenever he's not super stressed out.

And that's the story of how Shang Qinghua became the Demon King's pet hamster.

Bonus:

Hamster!sqh and Xin Mo!sy are in the same universe. So while Shen Yuan transmigrated as the most powerful weapon in the story and the protagonist's golden finger, Shang Qinghua is:

[sashazakbun24]

New Kinito au drop- meet the Soft Fuzzy Man! Kinito! I created him when i was listening to "Soft Fuzzy Man" by Lemon Demon and remembered an animation of it by Aimkid :>

So i decided to make a Kinito AU for it!

And here's a few magma doodles i made of my lil boi

[squidthesquidd]

so. i made an au…. its called the household pets au!

basically, kagaya ubuyashiki and muzan kibutsuji are neighbors, and have some really fucked up pets. muzans pets keep terrorizing the neighborhood so kagayas pets go and chase them off!

These are some of kagayas fucked up pets!! the hashira <3

[orcusfang]

Whence the Sorrow Flow [Part One]

Pet!AU Aizetsu x pregnant Fem!Reader

'As the owner of a well known demon grooming salon, business has flourished the years following its opening. All kinds of demon pets are brought to you day in, day out. And with a partnership with the local rescue, one would think you’ve secured a comfortable living in this bustling city. However, nothing could be further from the truth, and wherever you go an unwanted shadow that isn’t your own is intent on haunting your every step. You try to go on with your life, but after months of enduring this hell you’re mentally in the gutter. When a longtime friend from the local rescue brings in a timid and anxious demon for a makeover, he once again tries to convince you to adopt a demon of your own. Usually you shrug off the suggestion, never giving it much thought. But now that the question whether or not you still considered yourself safe can’t be answered with certainty anymore, you consider the possibility. And he just happens to know the perfect demon for your situation…'

--------- A/N: So, I started this back in August last year and never really wrote this with the intention to post it? Most of it was inspired by a RP I had with a friend at the time, but I shared two previews on Twitter over the past months and people really seemed to like it and have been asking about it ever since. So… I’m posting it! Warnings: This story contains darker themes, domestication, heavier topics, pregnancy, stalking, master/pet relationship. And for later chapters: mating cycles/heat, dubious consent at times and eventual explicit sexual content. A reminder, this story is written with an adult audience in mind. So even though not all chapters have sensitive matters in them; no minors, please! Read at your own risk! I hope you enjoy! Please let me know if you liked it :] Word Count: 9732

As the owner of a demon grooming salon in the center of a bustling city, you had seen just about any demon you could’ve dared to imagine. After almost four years of being in this profession, you didn’t think you could still lay an eye on a demon and genuinely find yourself surprised and impressed. From the most pampered and arrogant demons that actually considered themselves above you; to the most shy and anxious of demons – you’d seen it all as far as you were concerned.

It was fascinating how a demon's place and status in the world depended on their owners. And yet, it was utterly unfair to those born in unfortunate circumstances.

However, every once in a while the lovely folks over at the local demon rescue were eager to drop by a demon that would forever expand your experience, and it just so happened that today was rescue demon grooming day.

It wasn’t an official day of any sorts, but whenever one of the workers there reached out to you for an appointment for one of their demons, you made certain to not take on any other clients that same day. There had been a time when you did, but… you’d learned the hard way to not book anyone else.

Because the demons that got rescued by them? They were often in very bad and questionable shape, and there was simply no predicting what you would see with a new appointment with the rescue group. No matter how many times they had visited for a makeover on a demon they deemed suitable for adoption, every single time they stepped through the salon’s door with the demon in tow, and you witnessed the state they were in – something deep within your heart withered just a little more.

So when your contact at the rescue, Takagi, called to book an emergency case, you knew you were in for a long and tough day. It wouldn’t be the first time a rescue took hours before they even looked somewhat presentable. Not counting the time it took for the demon to grow comfortable enough to let you work on them, and a strange gut feeling told you that this rescue might just be one of those cases.

That, or it was the other situation in your belly making you feel iffy.

Despite being five months in, you still had a hard time separating the two.

“Makes me wonder for how much longer I’ll be able to properly do this work.” You mused to no one in particular, only to fill the tense silence before the rescue’s arrival as you arranged all the proper tools you could possibly need. You hoped you could continue to work for a while longer, you were a one-person income after all. And rent didn’t discriminate, pregnant or not.

There were plenty of savings that would keep you going for a while, but the less you had to depend on that, the better. Especially now that your life was going to change drastically in about four months from now, and you needed to be prepared for any unexpected events. There was no saying there wouldn’t be complications, either.

Once all the brushes, scissors and shearing devices were put in place and all shampoo and soap bottles were refilled, you made a small pile of thick towels along with a happy hoodie that was certain to lessen the stress for today’s demon. All the while, you couldn’t help but wonder what demon would walk through the front door of the shop today.

Rescues were often a miserable sight, but you’d be lying if they weren’t a great way to learn and improve your methods. In fact, it was thanks to the collaborative events between you and the local rescue that you’d gotten such a reputable name to begin with.

That, and you were helping the demons as well. Aside from the obvious cleaning, you were also giving them an instance where a human didn’t touch or handle them with a violent touch. Considering most rescues came from abusive or neglected houses, hopefully that small experience would aid them in their first step to trust humans once again. Or for the first time.

Humming, you entered the space where you always bathed, rinsed and showered your demons, placing the bottles of soap and shampoo at a higher ledge to keep them from being launched across your shop thanks to trashing demons that hated to be wet and washed. It wouldn’t be the first time your workshop got coated in bubbles and had you and the demon slipping in all directions.

The demons would be fine. A little spooked, but fine. They were tied to the elastic leash on the wall so they wouldn’t go far, but you still had a sore spot on the back of your head when you once slipped and hit the wall. And that had been over a year ago.

You peeked at the wall clock while rinsing your hands by the large sink. The numbers showed 10:45, meaning that the appointment would be in about fifteen minutes. That is, if it were a normal client.

If there was something you’d come to learn the past years, it was that Takagi, your contact over at the local rescue loved being way on time. That meant that any moment now he would–

The faint noise of a car pulling up resounded outside your shop, and you couldn’t help but smile. “Ah, way too early. Just as expected.”

The opening of a car door and closing followed in their wake, and footsteps approached as the obscured window revealed two shadowy silhouettes at the front door.

The doorbell jingled reassuringly and you quickly snatched your apron bearing your shop’s logo – a cute illustration of a generic demon sitting in a bubbly bathtub– threw it on and approached the shop entrance.

You had hardly unlocked the door before an eager “Gooood morning, (Name)!” boomed in your face, accompanied with a flashy grin from the tall man. “We’re not late, are we?”

“Absolutely not.” You chuckled, already unable to resist the contagious eagerness of the older man. “Good morning, Takagi. Are you certain you don’t just want to plan the appointment 15 minutes earlier than usual instead?”

“If that suits you better,” He said casually, knowing that you were just messing with him. “but I fear I’ll just end up arriving early either way. That’s just in my nature, you know?”

Takagi was one of the older employees at the local rescue, and your official contact there. Whenever there was a demon that needed to be brought over to your salon, he was always the one responsible for arranging it. Ironically enough, you had known the man for much longer than you had the shop, for he was an old friend of your mother. As such, he was a trusted family friend, even if your only contact were these visits that happened a couple times a month.

And your mother never admitted to the claim… but it was very likely that she had recommended your shop to the man, thus marking the beginning of your good relationship with the local rescue and boosting your reputation in one fortunate move.

Though, because of an injury that happened on the job where a terrified demon had lashed out and caught him by surprise, Takagi had been unfortunately incapacitated for four whole months, and today was actually the first time you both saw each other again in quite a while.

Takagi quickly studied you. “Ah but what am I saying? First and foremost (Name), I believe congratulations are in order!”

He of course, meant the evident bump you lugged around every day, and you nodded with the biggest grin plastered onto your face. No matter how many people congratulated you, it felt just as wonderful as the first. Even if you were starting to run out of interesting responses other than: “Yes, thank you!”

“How far along are you?” He almost seemed as joyous as you, and you knew from experience that he was genuinely happy.

“Five months now,” Your hands rested instinctively on your small bump protruding slightly from underneath your apron. “The baby is healthy and growing well, and I’m heading in for another ultrasound in two weeks.” You heaved a sigh. “I keep thinking I’m used to it, but I can’t help but feel anxious with each visit.”

His dark bushy brows shot up. “Well, of course! It does concern the health of your little one, and as a parent you want nothing more for them to be safe. It’s fine to feel nervous – in fact, I think I’d judge you more if you weren’t.”

You blinked at him, surprised that you hadn’t thought of it that way yourself. Before you could say anything in return, however, his bright and eager gaze took a sharper edge to it. “That said… I heard what happened with your partner. Are you doing ok?”

As much as your pregnancy delighted and made you eager to be a mother – the overwhelming shadow that your former partner, the father, had left behind unfortunately haunted your every step, and you feared this question was coming.

Especially since you’d lived pretty much in a mental haze ever since it happened. If anything the responsibility of the shop kept you going, gave you a daily purpose rather than rotting in your own misfortune and potential horrors.

“It’s… better this way.” Truth was, you really didn’t want to talk about him. To grant him any more attention than his actions already demanded. If you had to convince yourself to believe you and your child would be better off without him even if it was a downright lie, then you would cling onto that lie with all your might until it turned out to be real.

Suddenly feeling very self aware, you shyly lowered your gaze downward, only for it to land on the silhouette kneeling behind the man – the demon he brought along. With Takagi’s chatter and sudden questions, you’d been distracted from the demon’s presence. The fact that it was frozen in place without making the slightest noise certainly helped to remain unnoticed.

The smallest hint of the brightest blue eyes you’d ever seen peeked at you between large, thick clumps of dark hair, and for a passing second you found yourself strangely entranced – as if you witnessed a beautiful, fleeting moment.

The moment that defined whether a demon tolerated your presence, based on their first instinctual impressions. An instinct that abused and neglected demons took as reality, often influenced by the events of their past, and one where you had to tread carefully.

But the moment was fleeting, because what your gaze focused on next took your breath away, and you could swear your heart dropped straight through your big pregnant gut, and right into your bloated feet.

All you could see was just a gigantic pile of neglected, overgrown, uncared and matted dark hair. In the way the demon was leaning back on their haunches, kneeling down to the ground, the hair literally covered them from head to toe. Only the slightest glimpse of their face occasionally managed to peek through the clumps of thick filthy hair.

You immediately recognized the first signs of the demon’s neglect. Their hair hadn’t been cut for the longest of time, or in the worst case scenario – ever.

Whoever previously owned them clearly never bothered to brush, take care or send them to a groomer. You felt like you were staring straight at a bunch of bird nests somehow mushed together into one chaotic structure. You could hardly see their actual face, and you cringed visibly as you caught a whiff of the downright putrid smell that reeked off of them.

Adding onto your mental list, you began to doubt whether or not they ever got a bath either. And that was just from what you could see with a quick glance. There was no saying what you would encounter once you got to work on them. God, the poor, poor thing.

You had to get to work.

“But please, come in. And I’ll get you two settled.” You stepped back to allow the man and demon to enter. Suddenly very motivated to start and try to lessen this demon’s predicament rather than dwell on what happened to you in the past.

“Don’t mind if we do! I must mention though, I cannot stay for long.” Catching the hint, no further questions regarding your former partner’s dubious actions were thrown in your way, and Takagi entered the shop with the demon cautiously in tow.

Once inside, the demon immediately retreated behind the man’s legs. The hair covered head moved a bit, and you realized the demon was checking out the new room he found himself in. All the different scents must make him anxious. If he could even smell anything properly with that wall of crusty hair obscuring his senses.

Takagi smiled tenderly down at the demon and then back to you. “Dear (Name), this is one of our newly rescued demons. He’s very shy and anxious, but thus far he’s been nothing but a gentle demon.” He gestured at the creature, and upon feeling both your direct gazes on him, he ducked inward a bit more.

“What’s their name?” You ask quietly, not wanting to spook or intimidate the poor thing any more than it already was in this new, daunting environment.

“His name is Aizetsu…. I think.” He chuckled a tad awkwardly. “This one was rescued along with three others, and one of them felt open enough to share their names to us, and… nothing else. Upon asked, they don’t want to say which name belongs to which demon, so we’re kinda still in the process of figuring out who is who.” He shrugged casually. “But this one responded to Aizetsu, so we assume that’s his name. But we don’t know much about him aside from the fact that he’s male.”

You nodded and peeked back at the demon hiding behind him. “So, what do I need to know about Aizetsu’s behavior before I start preparing him?”

“You probably noticed just by looking at him, but we found him and his three brothers in a severely neglected state.” Takagi began, the former pleasantness draining his features into something more sharp. “We don’t know all the details regarding their former owner, because it’s actually the police that found out about their existence. Supposedly they were there to arrest the owner on some pretty severe charges. None of those charges had anything to do with neglecting demons, unfortunately.”

No, of course they weren’t. As much as you and Takagi tried your hardest to improve demon lives, most of society really only saw them as exotic pets with no rights. Meaning that there were no rules set in place that would punish abusive behavior or other forms of mistreatment, and that people usually weren’t punished for it.

“They investigated the rest of the house, and found these four in separate rooms in the basement in just… awful, awful conditions.”

Your stomach churned, and yet some terrible curiosity needed to know to sympathize. “Meaning…?”

He scrunched his nose and shook his head. “Just the worst neglect someone could imagine. You’re really better off not knowing the details, (Name). Me and the others at the rescue having seen it is more than enough.”

Your gaze went back on the trembling demon; your heart aching in sympathy as well as disgust. You wondered what was going through the demon’s head right now, as the two of you discussed details of his former life.

“So, when they found the neglected demons in dire need of help, and cops being cops, they wanted to put a bullet through their heads. Probably to project the blame onto their owner so they could forge an even bigger record on the man.”

Your hands cupped your mouth in horror. “No! But then, how did they…?”

“Fortunately there was a female officer with them that’s worked with us before, and she ended up having to beg them to allow her to call our local rescue.” Takagi heaved a deep sigh. “Even then, for us to be allowed to go there, we had to reassure them that they would never hear about the demons and their own involvement ever again. Not from others, not from the news. For all we know, these demons were simply dropped on our front porch by some random stranger.”

“Did they seriously threaten you?” One could argue the fact he was telling you of this right now rather than keeping it quiet, but he was a man of honesty, and you were certain he provided you the truth because he really wanted people to understand what the demon went through. He was that committed to helping them.

“It’s all in a day of our work, (Name). Once the cops finished flashing their authority, we went in there to capture them.” He glanced down at the demon behind him. “This guy was the first and easiest to catch. Poor thing was so immobilized by fear that my colleague went into his room and just scooped him right out. The other three though?”

He whistled, and the demon behind him startled at the high-pitched noise. To which he flashed him an apologetic smile. “They gave the crew the workout of their lives. It took us truly five hours before we finally managed to catch and drag out the last one, but it was worth every single moment of it…”

“Aizetsu and his siblings have been with us for a few days now, and we allowed them time to realize and understand that their living quarters have changed, and have been feeding and looking after them gradually to try and get them get used to human contact.”

Your brows raised curiously. “And how’s that been going for you?”

Takagi loosed out a troubled breath. “Let’s say we have varying degrees of progress on the four. Aizetsu here has made the most progress because he tolerates being touched.” Takagi sucked in a breath. “Then again, even though he does, he also shows hardly any response to it, so that’s a bit of a concern. We think he might be too scared to have a reaction, unlike two of his brothers.”

Curiosity got the best of you, and that’s where you made a mistake: “Will they be up for adoption, too?”

You only realized your mistake once Takagi’s eyes suddenly flashed with mischief. “Once they pass every test, they eventually will. I have my concerns about the angriest one, but I won’t stop until he shows even the slightest hint of warming up to someone.” His eyes narrowed cheekily at you, and you knew exactly what he was going to say next.

“Why? Have we finally reached the point in time where you’re thinking about adopting one of your own?”

As was evident with your many past encounters, Takagi never allowed the opportunity to ask slip through his fingers. Back in the day, he was so shocked to find out that despite being someone who was very experienced handling demons, and bearing a similar passion and love for their wellbeing as he did – you didn’t have a demon yourself.

There were a handful of reasons for this, which you’d made very clear to the man whenever he returned to the subject. Your excuses usually ranged from: I’m just too busy to properly take care of one. To the more reasonable: My house is rather small, and I don’t think I can offer them a home they would thrive in.

Seeing right through you, his brow always raised as if to say really? Those reasons wouldn’t have stopped anyone else from adopting one, and a lot of them were far from as qualified as owning one than you did. You knew that if a demon somehow ended up in your care, you would do your utmost best to give him the best life and home the demon could wish for.

Still, you’d been set on your decision for the past years since you started this work. You weren’t entirely sure why you kept making excuses, but somewhere along the line you’d started to believe them.

Maybe it was so you wouldn’t have to think any further about the true reason, which had nothing to do with you in the first place. And now that Takagi was asking you about it once again… you were feeling tempted to spill it to him, knowing there was nothing left to pretend.

But you caught yourself before you could give into the sweet temptation of spite, knowing it added absolutely nothing worthwhile. If anything, it would most likely sour part of your day as well as Takagi’s…

And again, you had to remind yourself that you didn’t want to give the source of said reason any more thought and attention than he already demanded on a daily basis.

“You’ll never cease trying to pair me with one of your rescues, won’t you?” A soft laugh passed your lips, knowing that he really only did because he was convinced it would only add more to your life, and he really wanted that happiness for you. “I hate to disappoint you, but my reasons haven’t changed. In fact, in about four months from now I’ll even have less time to spend on a demon than I do now.”

“So you think!” He countered enthusiastically, jabbing a finger up in the air. “But I’d argue that adopting a more gentle and patient demon into the household is very beneficial with a little one around. Especially now that your partner isn’t around anymore, and combined with your grooming salon a demon could potentially help you to relieve the pressure put on you.”

You shot him a look. “Adopting a demon to take over my chores isn’t really a prime reason why I’d reconsider getting one, Takagi.” The last thing you wanted to do was turn a creature like that into a servant of sorts.

He shook his head, intent on getting his message across. “No no, you’re misunderstanding. Of course they could help in the household, but I’m just saying. It’s tough being a single mother with a newborn and a job that demands a lot of you. There are demons specifically bred and trained to be gentle and, uh, perhaps important for your particular situation – protective of their owners and their children.”

The latter part had you looking up with a snap – so taken back by what he was implying – that you actually glared at the man for a passing heartbeat before catching yourself. But not before you saw the realization settle on your friend’s face.

A sudden chill had taken to your skin and blood, causing your very core to tremble.

Looks like Tagaki knew more of the finer details of your recently changed situation than he initially let on.

You blinked nervously. “Mom told you?”

The man slowly nodded, his features stark.

“How much did she tell you?” You tried, urging the frustration heating your blood to simmer back down. You hated it when your mother decided to share private things when you clearly asked her not to do so, everything was already complicated enough, and the last thing you wanted was others to try and butt into what you should do.

“Enough for me to know you need protection.” He provided, his gaze stern yet concerned.

A growing pressure of panic threatened to squeeze your throat as you scrambled for excuses to cut this topic short. “The police have everything under control, so that won’t be necessary.”

“I’m just saying,” Tagaki said carefully, choosing his words. “A demon could keep you safe from someone like him. From what your mother told me, it appears you’re under a great ordeal of stress, and that’s not good for you nor the little one you’re carrying around.”

Clenching your jaw to keep yourself from snapping at the man, you honestly didn’t know why his concern for your well being felt like such a stab to your back. Not to mention your mother for just blabbering about this so openly to random people. What if word of his actions leaked out and somehow reached him? What would happen then?

Your gaze landed on the clock, where the numbers marked 10:59. It was time to get to work; you had to do what you were meant to do today – your escape.

You took a breath to calm your rising anxiety, turning back to Tagaki. “If… it gets out of hand, I’ll let you know.” It was the most basic answer you could give without outright telling him you would consider adopting a demon, but truly, you had no other idea how to get him to stop discussing this topic. “Alright?”

Because he meant well, he really did. Even if your fight and flight instinct was urging the opposite, and that wasn’t any of his fault.

Tagaki must’ve caught the glimpse within your gaze that you were simply not up for discussing this, and nodded. “I told your mother the same thing, if there’s ever anything you need; you can always contact me. I might not always be able to help with everything, but I’m sure we can find a solution together with the three of us.”

“Thank you,” And you meant it. “But the last thing I want to do right now is stress myself even further by thinking about him unless I have to.”

Tagaki’s eyes hardened just ever so slightly, not satisfied with your answer even though he seemed content to drop the matter for now. “Understandable.”

All the while, the demon just sat behind the man. Quietly and observing the shop he currently found himself in; showing no interest whatsoever in the topic or conversation you found yourselves in.

“How about we get Aizetsu here settled first and foremost? I really want to cut some of that heavy hair of his, as it must be very uncomfortable for him.” You suggested instead, eager to work and have something else to focus on.

Having to look at the severely neglected demon hiding away behind Tagaki made you restless to get to work. The less longer the demon was forced to endure the results of his neglect, the better. This demon clearly needed your help, and soon.

“Ah sorry about that, (Name), and here I said I didn’t have a lot of time to stay and I just go on blabbering like that.” He chuckled sincerely and looked down at the demon behind him, taking a step to the side.

Almost instantly, the demon tried to inch back behind him, but Takagi outstretched his arm so the leash, which he held rather short, wouldn’t reach far enough for the demon to do so. The demon’s movements were slow and lazy, but when he hitched on the leash, he tried again, and again. Seemingly getting more restless with each attempt.

“No, Aizetsu.” He corrected firmly, but not harshly. “Today we’re going to do something a little different. Remember what I told you before we left this morning?”

You observed, feeling somewhat tense in having to witness this exchange. As expected however, the demon said nothing in return, but he did cease his attempts to hide behind him. Though you suspected it was more because of his fear for punishment rather than actual obedience.

“Today we’re visiting (Name). She’s a very kind woman who’s going to keep you in her salon for a few hours so she can get you thoroughly cleaned and washed.” The demon cautiously tilted his head at the man once it was mentioned he had to stay here. “It might be a little uncomfortable and scary at first, but I want you to behave and listen to everything she says, ok?”

It might’ve been spoken as a request, but you saw it for what it truly was. An order, a command for the timid demon to follow. An establishment of responsibility and leadership was what most demons needed to be made clear, especially if – in this case – the current caretaker was leaving the demon in someone else’s hands. Aizetsu needed to be made clear that he needed to listen to you and your instructions once Takagi left the salon to deal with other matters.

A simple concept on the surface, but for a demon that had been neglected or abused, having known nothing but dubious relationships with humans – this was like asking him to shift its entire understanding of reality, and to put themselves in a highly vulnerable position. After all, they didn’t know you. How could they possibly know what you were going to do with them?

Most rescues you’d groomed here at the salon had been terrified of you, because they were expecting you to act exactly like people had done in the past. They had no reason to trust you, no matter how much Takagi reassured and explained the process to them.

Expecting no answer from said demon, Takagi turned back to you. “I tested Aizetsu in a couple of social exercises back at the rescue center. So far, he’s not lashed out or snapped at anyone yet. But if you feel like he might be inclined to do so, please don’t hesitate to muzzle him for your safety.”

You hummed a nod, making a mental reminder of the demon having passed some social exercises so far. Which was a good sign, as you remembered past demon clients that desperately needed muzzles to keep yourself safe. You always tried your best to get demons through it without stressing them out too much, but sometimes you were left with no other choice. “Understood. Are there any triggers that I should keep in mind with Aizetsu?”

“He seems easily spooked by sudden loud noises, from what I’ve gathered in the few days we’ve had him around.” He pondered some more. “Same goes for unexpected touches, I like to think it helps if you announce what you’re going to do. That way you won’t take him by surprise.”

You crossed your arms over your chest. Judging from that, Aizetsu wasn’t going to like the water hose and the blow dryers once he’d been bathed. Which could complicate matters, but it would far from be the only time that you handled a demon scared for those very same things.

“I think he likes it when you talk to him too. Calm and quietly.” Takagi remarked. “He shrinks away when someone snaps at him.”

So a lot of calm talking, instructions and gentle touches. Got it. It was enough knowledge for you to start working on him, and you would undoubtedly come to discover new traits and things the rescued demon hadn’t expressed at the rescue center.

“Anything else you think I should know before I get to work?” You asked.

“Aside from the fact that he’s male, quiet, scared and timid – no, I don’t think so. Because frankly that’s all we know at the center. Oh, and if you discover anything else about him, or if something’s up, please don’t hesitate to message me. I’ve got my phone on me 24/7, so I’ll be guaranteed to see your message shortly.” His gaze narrowed at you. “If you feel like you can’t get the job done because of your precious cargo, you also tell me, ok?”

It was obvious that he, and everyone else that doubted your capabilities due to your pregnancy only voiced their concerns because they were worried for you and your infant. But you would be lying if it wasn’t starting to get to you, especially since you were still working and dealing with your client just fine without any incidents.

You reined in the annoyance. It was probably your anxieties and hormones speaking, but sometimes it felt like people were infantilizing you.

“I’m pregnant, not enfeebled.” You teased, laughing. “Don’t worry. I think I’ll manage, but if something’s up, I’ll call you.”

He gave you a knowing look, but allowed the matter to rest. “I’ll leave you to your work, then.” He offered you the leash and you took it without hesitation, wrapping the end tightly around your hand. While you didn’t want to show dominance explicitly, it was the way to get nervous and tense demons to understand the dynamic between you. Small gestures like those were required, whether you liked it or not. You were here to help them, not to suit your own needs and convictions.

The gesture didn’t escape Takagi, and a certain tension lifted from his features. He turned to the demon once again. “Aizetsu, I’ll be leaving you with (Name) now. While you’re getting your salon treatment, I have to get your three brothers to the groomers as well.”

At the mention of his siblings, the demon perked up; a soft noise escaping him as the tension seemed to leave him for a split second. For a moment you thought he was going to speak, to ask anything about his siblings, but he remained in the same silence as before, and Takagi smiled down at him. “Now, you behave and listen to (Name), got it? She’s going to take good care of you. I’ll pick you back up as soon as she’s finished.”

You couldn’t help but smile at the praise, feeling somewhat relieved that he was only dropping one of the four demons in your salon. From the small snippets of information Tagaki shared, Aizetsu’s other siblings seemed much more energetic, and there were only so many rescues you could put up with before needing some normal clients again.

Bathing, washing and taking care of Aizetsu, a clearly anxious demon, would be more than enough for you today.

You allowed your gaze to wander down at the cowering demon, who must’ve felt your eyes on him and timidly turned to you, before peeking back at his current caregiver. As if he wasn’t sure who to listen to, and a clear sign that Takagi needed to get his butt out of here already to avoid further confusion for the already nervous demon.

Understanding the hint, Takagi determinedly strode to the door. “Well, I’ll leave you to it. I’ll be back to pick you up in a few hours, Aizetsu. So make sure to behave until then.” With one final wave, he exited the salon. Promptly followed with the sound of his departing vehicle.

An anxious whine left Aizetsu’s throat the instant Takagi disappeared from his sight, and he couldn’t stop looking at the door. Confirming exactly what you’d feared for. The man had stayed around for too long in this new and scary environment for the demon, and now the only person he was even a little familiar with had left him here with a complete stranger, you.

“Don’t you worry, he will be back soon enough.” You lowered yourself to his level, making certain you intercepted his line of sight and smiled. “How about we get you settled and prepared, Aizetsu?”

You didn’t wait for a reply, knowing you wouldn’t get one as he was figuring things out. You got back up on your feet and gently tugged on the leash a couple of times to have him follow you to the bathing area.

It took a little bit of prompting, but he eventually gave in and removed his sights from the door and followed you. All the while, you decided to talk to him to keep his thoughts from straying away to other matters and instead focus on you.

“First of all, I want to welcome you to my salon, Aizetsu. I’m (Name), and in my daily life I work as a demon groomer. Meaning that I work on making demons as clean and presentable as possible, and that’s exactly what we’ll be doing today. If you don’t mind me saying, you look like you desperately need a good washing and a nice haircut.”

He definitely needed way more, but the last thing you wanted was to overwhelm the demon with phrases he probably didn’t even know. As neglected as he was, he probably never had any of these things before.

No answer or sound came from the demon except his soft footsteps behind you. It was relieving to hear that he was actually following you. So far he was taking Takagi’s command to heart.

You then stopped, and the demon followed your example almost instantly. “Before we continue, I want to make you feel as comfortable as possible around here. You haven’t shown any signs of wanting to run away, and as such, I want to try and take your leash off.” You raised a brow at the demon, still clueless whether or not he could actually see you through that mountain of tangled and matted hair descending most of his body.

“But in order to do that, I’m gonna need you to listen to everything I say. Do you think you think you can do that? Otherwise we can leave it on, should you feel more at ease like that.”

The latter was definitely a possibility, especially for anxious demons. Sometimes the promise of freedom came with too much responsibility, and spooked them in the process.

At the mention of having his leash taken off, Aizetsu’s head jerked up and he slowly looked around the salon. As if he were deciding whether or not the area and person he found himself with was safe enough to be ok with such a thing. Nobody had ever asked him something like that – or asked him his opinion on anything, for that matter.

He was cowering so lowly, and taking so long that you were about to conclude that he wanted to keep it on. Either option was fine for you, though.

“…. take…. it….”

You were about to approach the bath by the wall when the softest noise caught your attention, and you froze. If you didn’t know any better, you could’ve sworn the sound was anything but his voice. Like the faint creak of a chair, undoubtedly from lack of use. But you did know better, and after Aizetsu had been wrapped in such silence with Takagi around, you’d almost started to believe that the demon refused to talk out of fear.

“What did you say, Aizetsu?” You gently prompted, a soft smile decorating your lips as you were starting to feel more hopeful for him. “You’ll have to speak up a bit louder, I didn’t quite get that.” You tried.

The shudder of a breath left him as he struggled with the idea that he was asked to speak his actual wants. Even if it was just a mere leash to you, to him it was anything but.

After another passing heartbeat, he tried again. His voice muffled mostly by the wall of thick hair around him. “I-I… I’d like it off.” He repeated louder this time, nearly stumbling over his words. Although it was still rather soft to you, you did manage to catch what he was trying to say. And that’s what mattered.

“Then that’s what we’ll do. If you decide later that you want it back on, just let me know, alright?” You reassured him. “I’m here to look after and take care of you, so if there’s anything you want me to know, don’t hesitate to tell me.”

You were aware this was a near impossible request for a demon pet like him to fulfill, but you laid it out there nonetheless. The more he believed he could trust you, the better. It would make this entire process so much smoother and easier on him.

“I’ll be removing your leash, then.” You informed him, remembering what Takagi had recommended: informing Aizetsu of everything you were going to do, and you assumed this regarded literally every little detail. “You have a lot of long hair though, so I will have to get up in there to do so. It might feel a little weird, but I assure you I won’t hurt you. Is that ok with you?”

The demon said nothing, and instead remained frozen on his spot on the floor. You decided to take his lack of reluctance and resistance as an answer, and slowly dropped down onto your knees while suppressing a groan from the weight of your belly, and extended your hands to the most furious black mane of chaotic hair you’d ever witnessed.

Gently, your fingers pushed aside the black locks for as much as the tangled state of them allowed you to. When he felt you touch his hair, Aizetsu took a sharp inhale and tensed like a brick.

It prompted you to halt. “Do you want me to stop?”

“N-no…” He whined out, and you almost believed he was on the verge of bursting out into tears. The poor thing was most likely expecting your touch to hurt him. Still, his answer was clear.

“Alright. I won’t hurt you, Aizetsu. I promise. I’m just going to remove the leash from your collar.” You kept reminding him as your fingers gently paved a path through his matted dark locks. Somewhere in the back of your head you wondered whether or not he genuinely believed what you were telling him, or was taking your claims as a lie wrapped up in gentleness. It was probably safe to assume the latter. But he favored the leash off so badly that he was willing to put himself through this suffering.

The demon was so tense he was actually trembling, and you were relieved when your fingers at last brushed against the familiar touch of steel at the end of the leash, and swiftly unhooked it from his collar and rolled it up in your hands.

That’s when you noticed how greasy and slick your skin had become just by lightly touching his hair. Not to mention the foul odor that now clung to your hands. Yyou had to try your best not to cringe for his sake.

Good heavens, you’d never seen a demon before that needed a bath and haircut as badly as Aizetsu did. And after four years of cleaning and taking care of rescues, that was saying a lot.

“There we go. The leash is off.” You said, ignoring the scent of death. You were going to add ‘Now that wasn’t so bad, was it?’ hadn’t the demon looked like he was moments away from passing out from shock; still as tense as a rock and trembling.

It had been a good first exercise to introduce him to non-harmful touching, but you decided it was better to give him a moment to try and recover from being touched by a literal stranger. So instead you approached the bath. “Now, what I’ll do next is run a bath for you, Aizetsu. The water will make a bit of noise and might be a tad unpleasant at first, but I assure you it will not hurt you in any kind of way.”

His steady but loud shudders of breath were the only indicator that he was listening, for they changed their rhythm every time he tried to register what you were telling him. When you turned on the water you spotted him flinching from the corner of your eye, confirming exactly what Takagi had told you about his fear of loud noises. Still, it was necessary for the process so the demon simply had to learn how to deal with it one way or another.

For now, you left the water running while turning to Aizetsu for the next step, and you were very curious how he was going to react to this. “Before we bathe you, I would like you to take off your clothes.”

The sudden request wasn’t enough to shake his tension, but you were pleased to see that his trembling ceased once his attention got shifted. The demon seemed to glance down at himself – at his long sleeved black shirt and matching loose pants, and then back up at you.

“Hmhm, those.” You affirmed, gesturing at the set of clean clothes the rescue center undoubtedly granted him. “It would be a shame if those got all wet and cold. That, and I cannot properly clean you unless you take them off.”

The demon seemed to struggle with what you were asking of him, and you didn’t blame him. Stripping in front of a stranger, especially when you’ve been neglected and abused by people from the same species must be a terribly daunting prospect, but unfortunately there was nothing else you could do to make this process any less vulnerable for him.

For a moment he hardly moved, but you waited patiently. Clearly he was considering his place here and the moments from his past. As well as the order that Takagi had given him to obey everything you asked of him, even if it went against everything his mind and body were screaming at him for the sake of self protection.

But then, slowly but surely – his long sleeves shifted and the hands he’d been hiding inside finally peeked out at the ends. You blinked, surprised to see the darker skin tone of said demon. With all of the chaotic hair you’d barely gotten a true glimpse at the actual demon yet, so to actually see details of him was a pleasant surprise because you were highly curious of what he would look like once you got through all that hair.

His hands looked like the rest of him – not taken care of in the slightest, and at the end of each finger were long, darkened fingernails that had not been clipped in forever.

Aizetsu had pushed his hands out of his sleeves to grab the hem of his shirt, but before he could nervously pull it over his head, you stopped him. “Just a second, Aizetsu. I’m going to get something real quick.”

He flinched and froze upon hearing your sudden command; instantly convinced that he’d done something wrong and upset you, and observed with tension as you pushed yourself up to walk to the back of the room to grab something, before making your way back over and slowly lowered yourself back on the floor. “You have such long nails, I think it would be good if we trimmed them a little bit before we continue.”

“W… why?” Came the muffled question from the thick mane of hair as he held his hands close to his chest, as if you were going to chop them off any moment now.

“They’re very dirty, and I might be mistaken, but I believe they are ragged and cracked at the edges.” You explained calmly, holding the clipper in front of you so he could observe it. “This is a nail clipper, it’s a simple tool to shorten your nails a little bit.”

Aizetsu cowered a little bit, and his trembling increased as he held his hands closer. “Please… don’t take my nails away…”

You shook your head, reminding yourself that despite his vulnerable display, it was important to stay positive and keep a soft smile on your lips to give him the impression it really wasn’t that serious. “I won’t, I’ll only make them a bit shorter. That way they won’t be as easily damaged, and way easier to clean.”

Aizetsu still didn’t look convinced, and you perked up as an idea struck you. “Here, I’ll show you. Look –” You raised your other hand and splayed it open so that he could clearly see your own trimmed nails. “This is what they’ll look like once I’m done.”

You got your answer regarding your earlier question whether or not the demon could actually see, because he quietly observed your raised hand before he dared to lean closer to get a better look. The demon then leaned back, peeking down at his own hands before dragging his gaze back to yours – and repeated that for a couple of times in a clear internal struggle happening inside his head.

He didn’t trust you, that much was clear. But with situations like these, he was starting to doubt his initial reaction because what you showed him made sense. More so than his instinctive responses currently did.

This was going to be a very slow process, you were beginning to realize. But it didn’t matter. This was why you only took one rescue a day and no other clients. Even if it took you all day, you were going to make sure this demon got a proper bath and haircut. You wouldn’t go home achieving anything less if it were up to you.

“Doesn’t look so bad, does it, Aizetsu?” You said, breaking through his pondering. After a heartbeat, he made the faintest shake of his head, and you smiled at his timidness. Lowering your hand between you with palm faced up, you asked; “Will you allow me to trim your nails? I promise I’ll be gentle with them.”

After all, they were very important to demons. Some of them had straight up claws, while others like Aizetsu didn’t. But there was still that sliver of instinct residing in their blood that made them believe they were very important to them, even if modern day demons didn’t hunt like they used to anymore. Without them, they felt like they had one less way of protecting themselves.

Which… was also why you needed them trimmed before you began bathing him. Takagi had advised to muzzle Aizetsu in case he ended up getting snappy to protect you from his large fangs, but demons had more than one way to harm others. Their claws – or nails in Aizetsu’s case – could still easily cut a human’s skin even with the slightest wipe. So for your own safety you always made certain to trim a demon’s claws or nails.

Another defensive tool was a demon’s horns. Fortunately for you, it appeared Aizetsu didn’t have any of those, which meant one less thing to concern yourself about.

After enough coercion, Aizetsu at last relented and tentatively held out his hand. He said nothing, but you could feel his piercing gaze nearly digging holes in your outstretched hand, ready to retreat at the first sign of you doing something he didn’t approve of, so you had to treat carefully. Lest you wished to repeat this entire cycle all over again.

“That’s good, Aizetsu.” You praised quietly as you slowly inched your hand closer to his. “May I take your hand in mine?”

There was another lack of response, but the demon didn’t retreat his hand, so you carefully reached out and took his larger hand into your own – becoming very aware of Aizetsu’s potential real size. He’d been cowering ever since he and Takagi entered the salon, so his full height and size once he stood upright on two legs was still a mystery to you.

“That’s good…” You repeated your praise in hope that would reassure him.

Gently, your fingers enclosed around his hand as you reached forward to begin the process of trimming his very long and filthy nails. You nearly failed to hide your disgust at the neglect this demon must’ve suffered through as a resounding click echoed through the space of the salon as you clipped his index finger, the top of his nail flicking into some random direction.

Aizetsu jolted lightly at the sudden noise, as expected, and you loosened your hold just enough for him to not feel restricted. His gaze focused on his trimmed nail, and much to his surprise he found that it indeed looked quite similar to your own.

It was enough to have him inch his hand closer on his own, and you went to work on his second digit, then the third, the fourth – until the entire hand was finished. All while keeping a watchful eye on his posture and reactions. Just because he was a timid demon that seemed to trust you for now, did not mean he couldn’t lash out unpredictably.

“And now the other hand.” To your surprise he obeyed without nearly any hesitation; replacing his trimmed hand with the other. A smile crept to your lips as you neatly clipped his other nails. There certainly was hope yet for this timid and anxious demon, even if his hand was literally trembling within your grasp.

“Aaaand all done. You did really well, Aizetsu.” You released his hand and watched how he observed it quietly; rubbing the pad of his thumb along the edges of his trimmed nails in an almost entranced motion. This really must’ve been the first time anyone ever trimmed his nails.

“That looks so much better.” Feeling a surge of satisfaction, you put the nail clipper to the side for now. You doubted the nails on his feet looked anything better, and in a perfect scenario you would trim those right after – but just like with their hands, demons were very protective of their feet as well. Since you were already asking so much from the anxious demon, you decided to wait with that after you bathed him and cut his hair.

Speaking of which… you suddenly found yourself conflicted as you observed the demon. He really was almost entirely covered with his long hair, and the state of it was just downright terrible. To have hair that was as tangled and matted as his must be really painful for the demon’s scalp… so much that you were actually considering already cutting pieces off before you even decided to bathe and wash him.

“Your hair must be so heavy and painful, with all those matted locks tugging against your scalp…”

You hadn’t realized you’d spoken that part out loud until Aizetsu turned his focus back to you. He briefly fidgeted with his fingers. “It does hurt.” His quiet voice broke the silence.

Your heart trembled in sympathy for the poor demon, and you swallowed against the sudden block lodged in your throat. To have him affirm your suspicions only made you feel worse, but most of all angry at the person responsible. “I’m considering cutting off some big chunks of your hair before I decide to bathe you. Would you like that?”

“Yes…” He responded almost instantly, confirming that the matter of his hair was a priority for the demon, and you felt bad for making him endure the nail clipping before even prioritizing the biggest problem in the room. You’d done so to keep yourself safe while working on him, but still.

“I will have to get close to you. Kinda like before when I detached the leash from your collar.” To emphasize the meaning, you tentatively shuffled closer, watching the demon’s posture carefully as he watched you. With his hands balled in the fabric of his pants, his body was as rigid as a rock, but aside from that you still sensed no sign of hostility from the demon.

“Rinsing your head like it is now, the weight of your hair will be immense, and I don’t want to potentially hurt you.” You explained slowly as you reached down your apron and pulled out one of your scissors from one of the small pockets and held the tool in front of him. He stared at it for a passing second before slightly leaning forward, maybe smelling it. “This is what I’ll use to cut your hair.”

The only response was a deep, shuddering sigh.

You had no clue whether your current scissors were sharp enough to cut hair of such bad quality, but you would try. You knelt down next to him and reached over him to grab locks of his dark, thick hair. Cutting off excess and terribly matted and tangled pieces that you could reach easily. All the while, Aizetsu endured the start of the haircut with the stiffness of a plank. The fierce grip he had on his pants causing his knuckles to pale.

He hated this. His previous owner hardly ever approached him and his brothers. Touches equaled pain, that’s simply how it had always been like in that basement, and If it wasn’t him who bore the front of it, it was certainly one of his brothers in the other rooms.

And while Aizetsu initially didn’t sense any hint of hostility from you, he just couldn’t let his guard down. No matter how kind you acted, you were still a total stranger. Every time you mentioned getting close, all he could see before his obscured eyes was a vague shadow looming over him, and he instinctively tensed up; preparing for a sudden blow to the head, to the hands, legs, or any other vulnerable spot.

Hearing the sound of snapping scissors, along with the ghost-like caress of your fingers through his hair made him want to rip himself away and hide somewhere until Takagi returned to pick him up. Only problem being, if he did, Aizetsu would be in big trouble, he just knew it. Everything he did could potentially be punishable. Even answering your questions felt like treading into dangerous territory, and yet refusing to answer wasn’t an option either because he’d be defying you, and that was a certified way to get punished.

Either way, he was going through hell. He was almost starting to long to be back in that dark basement. The lack of attention and the few unexpected touches his previous owner gave him were so much better than being approached and touched this much by you and the other rescue workers all so suddenly.

At least in that dark house he knew his brothers were nearby somewhere. Aizetsu hadn’t even seen them ever since he got taken from the house, and he missed them dearly. Scenarios of what happened to them constantly haunted him. Takagi did mention that he was bringing them to grooming salons as well, but somehow the meaning of that passed him by in his constant panic. He couldn’t do anything but worry for their wellbeing.

With each snip, large locks of thick hair dropped to the floor around him, and Aizetsu decided to start counting how many pieces you cut off. Anything to try to get his heart to stop bursting out of his chest from panic and stress of what his future could possibly bring.

Because so far it was only getting worse and worse since he’d been separated from his brothers...

[kakushino]

My Pet Demon collaboration

A collaboration of stories set under the same headcanons in an AU with domesticated demons

Rules:

you can write for any character from Kimetsu no Yaiba universe

SFW and NSFW are both allowed

you have to stick to the headcanons for the AU

you have to tag me and/or add link to the masterlist (this post) of My Pet Demon collaboration

Headcanons for this universe

Masterlist

Akaza

(unnamed work) - @mysicklove

Enmu

(unnamed work) - @insanityofbones

Giyuu

Be my owner - AFAB!Reader | @kakushino

Gyokko

Kintsugi - @glitchtricks94

Gyomei

(unnamed work) - @fictionalwhor3

Gyutaro

Iris - @glitchtricks94

(unnamed work) - @redr0sewrites

Karaku

(unnamed work) - @mmm-fuji

Sanemi

Where the wind blows - @sulli1361

Sekido

(unnamed work) - @black-is-iconic

Shinjuro

(unnamed work) - Demon! AFAB!Reader | @kakushino

Tanjiro

(unnamed work) - @itsinthemist

Urogi

(unnamed work) - @linpunny

OCs

Nakamura siblings - Daisuke + Intro | Intro II | Intro III - @bombora-bona

If you would like to join the universe, please DM me / shoot me an ask ( @kakushino ) first

divider made by the amazing @benkeibear

[artistmarchalius]

Howdy: I’m tellin’ ya, Barn, he went straight for my legs!

Barnaby: Haha! Yeah, he’s a funny lil’ fella!

[carnivalcarriondiscarded]

wooooo warlock Wally and his delightful totally normal patron

[rottonfishie]

Credits for character desgin: @unlikelylotusagent

TW: Mentions of torture, child abuse, manipulation, burns, mentioned death, the celestial realm treating demons as pets/property.

Partly irrelevant lore

Nezha - The Demon Child

‐--------------------------------○●○--------------------------

After, The Ten Kings Of Diyu revived Nezha, reconstructing his body with the roots of a lotus flower. He craved revenge against his father after he had burned down the sacrificial temple created in Nezha's honour and expressed his severe distain for Nezha, blaming the child for his misfortunes.

Nezha, with all his anger against his father, grabbed the attention of the Jade Emperor, who swiftly intervened in Nezha's rampage, subduing the demon child before any further damage could be caused. The Jade Emperor dragged Nezha to the celestial realm, kicking and screaming, handing him over to his elder brother, Master Yuzhiqin, in hopes to "tame" the child.

Master Yuzhiqin subdued Nezha's powers by locking bracelets infused with seals around his ankles and wrists that dampened his abilities. He also placed a necklace around Nezha's neck that showed that Nezha is basically owned by the celestial realm. While, Master Yuzhiqin was his "warden," he was his torturer.

Master Yuzhiqin real reason for his torture was because he saw demons as lesser-life forms and wanted to see their limits, and he could achieve that with Nezha's immortality. But, he lied and manipulated Nezha into believing that this was his just punishment for killing Ao Bing and attempting to kill his father.

Master Yuzhiqin attention shifted to Wukong after he was captured by the Celestial Realm, meaning that Nezha's "punishments" lessened. One of these "punishments" was too far, however, and caught the attention of Chang'e and Erlang.

Master Yuzhiqin tested if any fire could burn Nezha, which trial and error led him to find that the only fire that could burn Nezha was Diyu's flames. This left Nezha with permanent scarring, causing Chang'e to agree to take him with her to the moon. Which is where he stays now.

This agreement was done behind Master Yuzhiqin back by Erlang, Chang'e and somewhat Wukong. However, Master Yuzhiqin doesn't seem to care very much with his hyperfixation being on Wukong.

[mrsshabana]

𝓓𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓵𝔂 𝓓𝓲𝓼𝓬𝓪𝓻𝓭𝓮𝓭

𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 6 - 𝓓𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓵𝔂 𝓛𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓭

"Gyutaro is beginning to realize that maybe he isn’t bad. Maybe he isn’t flawed like everyone has told him. Maybe, just maybe, he is perfect just the way he is."

I want to thank @phantasmiafxndom again for allowing me to write in this amazing au that they have created. If you haven't looked at their blog yet, please do. They are a phenomenal writer and have some amazing fics about the pet au ♡

[fallstreakfeathers]

Where Light Dwells- part II (Sekido Pet!AU)

Warnings: au typical trauma

Word Count: 8,658

If it's unreadable, try it on Ao3 : Where Light Dwells Part 1 is Here @hantenguclonesimp-minuszoha Spife come get ur food

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Rain pelts your windows like small stones as you turn into the dark parking lot. It’s empty, except for a couple employee cars, not that it really surprises you. You’re thankful, actually, as you crash through the door, water dripping from the coat you wear to hide your injury, panting with exhaustion from trying to outrun the storm.

An old woman sits at the reception desk, tapping away on an old keyboard.

A small black sign in gaudy cursive tells you her name is Angela.

“Please, I need help! My demon is… he’s very sick, I-I-I think he might be dying,” you stammer, stumbling over the words in the rush to get them out. “He’s in my car - I can’t carry him alone!”

The receptionist adjusts her reading glasses peering over them at you as if you’ve grown a second head. The wind pushes rain against the window in waves forceful enough that it almost sounds like laughter- like the very weather is mocking your urgency.

“He’s hurt bad!”

She shakes her head.

“I’m sure he’s just a bit ill, dear,” says the woman with a kindly smile. An attempt to reassure you. “Demons rarely get sick, but I promise you, whatever’s going on, it’s nothing he won’t heal from.” You shake your head vigorously.

“You don’t understand. I don’t think you’ve ever seen anything like this. I’m begging you. Please help him. He’s in my car,” you repeat, waving your good arm helplessly. “H-he can’t stand. He's thrown up everywhere, and he can’t talk and he... he’s…” you interrupt yourself with a frustrated sob. You are so out of your league.

“Okay, alright,” the woman behind the desk says with another glance at you, “I’ll go check, okay? Try to calm down.”

The fear in your voice is strong enough for the receptionist to become concerned, though her look was one of pity and confusion.

No one has ever been so worried about a demon.

Still, she follows you out into the icy rain and to your car as you nearly trip over your own feet.

You open the door and the receptionist immediately puts her hand to her nose.

“Oh…”

She takes one look inside and gasps.

Sekido lays there motionless and with dried vomit around his mouth. Trembling in his semi-conscious state. Bleeding with every wheezing breath.

“Oh my...” her face turns pale as she turns to you. “Let me get help.” Angela rushes back into the building, leaving you alone with Sekido.

You place your hand on his shoulder and rub gently in motions you hope are soothing.

He does not make a sound, doesn’t have the strength.

You don’t even know if he can feel you, though you can feel the wheeze in his chest as it falls.

Don’t know if he can hear you. There’s shouting from inside the building, and a glance at the too meticulously cleaned doors of the facility shows that several people scuttling about like ants.

You turn your attention back to your demon. “You’ll be fine,” you assure him for the umpteenth time that day as the technician reappears.

She is followed by a man you assume is the vet - a tall, stern-looking man in a white coat and round glasses, pulling a stretcher behind him. Without stopping to process his own astonishment at the sight, the vet carefully moves the demon to the bed with Angela’s help and gets him inside just as quickly.

You can see them stringing your demon up with a transparent fluid, and another nurse seems to take his pulse. The bewildered look on his face doesn’t encourage you- begins stripping what hope you’ve clung to. You try to follow them, to stay with Sekido, but Angela holds out her thin arm to stop you just before your hand reaches the door that leads into the back.

“We can’t have you back there right now, hon,” she shakes her head, motioning towards her desk. You start to protest, but she’ll hear none of it. “There’s no room for you in there, dear. You’ll just be in the way. I promise, he’s in the best hands possible,” Angela says. “In the meantime, I have some paperwork I’m going to need you to fill out for us. I need you to tell me about him- is he yours?” she continues as you give a reluctant look toward the metal doors before slowly shuffling to the desk and settling into the creaky chair. You can’t seem to focus on her words, your mind drifting to Sekido. What was happening behind those heavy doors? Angela smiles apologetically, and you think to yourself that she smiles a lot. “I know this is hard, but try to just focus on the questions. It’ll help us help him. Sekido is yours, correct?” The fluorescent lights overhead glint harshly off polished floors, leaving a sterile, stuffy gleam on everything they touch. The air is heavy with the smell of antiseptic, strong enough that it makes you slightly nauseous. It is a reminder of the frailty of life in these walls. “Yes.” You don’t hesitate at that, surprising yourself with the quick response. “I-I mean, he is now. As of today, yes.” The paper forms all ask for various basic information, which would be fine had you adopted Sekido the usual way- in which that information is provided. You don’t know his lineage or his medical history. You barely even know his temperament, really, and that was only through your short (terrifying) experience with him. “Don’t worry too much about the papers then. Just give us what you know, okay?” Angela says as you struggle to fill the blank spots of the form. “You can leave the fields empty and we’ll take care of it. You said he’s yours as of today? What do you mean by that? Did you buy him?” Your nose wrinkles at the thought of buying something so human-looking. Don’t understand how nobody else sees the problem with it. “I found him at the side of the road a few hours ago,” you admit. “He was tied to a tree. I don’t know anything but his name, really…” Another question: relationship to patient. How.. How do you define what you are to the demon when you’d only met him hours ago. Owner? You don’t like that one. Hate what it implies. Hate that it reduces Sekido to an item. Acquaintance? Sure. that could work, but… ‘Friend’, you settle on, placing a firm punctuation at the end of the word. You hand the papers back and hiss in pain when you accidentally knock your injured arm against the table. “Are you okay?” the woman asks, and you freeze. “Y-yeah. Yeah,” you wave off her concern with an awkward laugh. “I just, uh, hurt my arm. No big deal.” You flash a smile to assure her, but it comes out as a grimace. Feels almost as painful as the injury itself. There’s no way you could tell her the truth. Violence against a human was a death sentence for demons, even if it was self-defense. That’s what the wiki said, at least. It wouldn’t matter that he didn’t really know what he was doing, or that it was your own fault. “Really, I’m fine.” It wouldn’t matter to anyone else that he was scared out of his wits. Demons had no rights. “Here, let me see,” Angela insists gently as if she's talking to an anxious child- takes your arm despite your protest. She unwraps the filthy cloth, revealing a swollen, inflamed wound that has her humming in surprise. “Oh my… Did he do this?” “It’s not his fault!” You blurt in panic, pulling the limb back. Though it no longer bled, the punctures are deeper than you originally thought. The air stung, sent throbbing pain through the flesh. “Don’t blame him. Please don’t hurt Sekido!”

“We’re not going to hurt him, dear,” Angela's compassionate eyes offered a small amount of hope. “I-it was my fault! I was stupid, and I think he was delirious. It wasn’t his fault,” you repeat with a quivering voice.  “He’s just sick…” She nodded like she understood. “It’s alright, dear,” the old woman pats your shoulder. “But you need a hospital for that. It’s going to need stitches and, unfortunately, we don’t work on humans here.” She giggles at her own joke in an attempt to soothe you.

You shake your head vigorously. “I’m not leaving him,” you say firmly. “I can’t go to the hospital!” They would ask questions. They would want to know about Sekido, and if they did then he would receive a euthanasia order- be considered a threat, too dangerous to live.

If you left him, would he still be there when you returned? Would he think you abandoned him? Would they take the opportunity to rid the world of a demon everyone else considered too much trouble to help? “There’s nothing we can do for you here. I’m very sorry, but you’ll need to see a human doctor for your arm. Sekido will be here when you get back,” Angela promises. “Sometimes we have to trust others to help us, even if it’s scary. Hopefully, when you get back, he’ll be right healthy and healing. But you have to heal yourself so you can keep helping him, right?” “You won’t put him down?” You need her to confirm as you nervously rock back and forth on your feet. To be assured that the vet wouldn’t just wait until you left to kill him. 

Was Sekido even yours? You weren’t certain of the technicalities. His owners had abandoned him, clearly with no intent to retrieve him, so, surely that meant he was your demon now? It was a strange realization, though one that wasn’t entirely unwelcome to you.

“No,” the technician replies firmly. “We can’t euthanize any creature without the owner’s- your- written consent.  That includes this demon.” She lowers her voice into an almost conspiratorial whisper: “I won’t mention your arm or the wound. Please, go get it cared for. It’s going to be a while, but if anything changes I’ll call you with the number you’ve given us, okay?” Finally, you cave. What else could you do? Sekido was out of your hands- for now. “Okay… Okay. I’ll go,” you mumble. “Maybe I should get the car cleaned, too.” You try to laugh, but it comes out dry and withered. “The whole thing kinda stinks…” Besides, when you finally take Sekido home, you’d like to think he might prefer a clean car.

-------- ≪ °✾° ≫ --------

You return several hours later with a stitched arm, scrubbed seats, and bills you don’t even want to think about. At least you have insurance to cover most of it. Still, maybe you’ll pick up an extra shift- just for a little while. It wouldn’t hurt to have the extra money for Sekido’s needs anyhow. When you walk inside, Angela breaks into a grin, casting a ray of warmth that lightens the load on your heart. “He’s going to be okay, hon!” You release the breath you didn’t know you held, swallowing the lump in your throat. “R-really? Oh my God, that’s incredible!” Angela’s smile widens as she squeezes your hand. “Yes, really! The doctors were able to stabilize him, and he’s responding very well to antibiotics. Isn’t that amazing?” You feel tears of relief welling up in your eyes. Fumbling to express yourself amidst the waves of emotion that suddenly course through you, you manage to gather yourself enough to utter a “thank you!”, though the words come quietly. You wipe away your misty eyes, part of the day's stress melting off. “Thank you!” you say again, stronger this time.

The metal doors of the infirmary open quietly and the man who took Sekido from your car walks in. Somehow he seems even more imposing up close. He looks to Angela, as if investigating the sudden commotion. “John, this is that demon’s owner,” she explains. John greets you with a polite, firm handshake, but his face is grim. It makes you uneasy, and it’s hard to keep a genuine smile on your face as your heart sinks once more. “I’d like you to come with me,” he says, motioning to one of the empty exam rooms. “There are some things I need to discuss with you.”

Your brow furrows at his tone.

He closes the door behind you and leans his back against the exam stable, balancing himself with the palms of his hand. You take your seat on the bench. “Sekido has been stabilized, I’m sure Angela told you,” he started, then hesitates, rubbing his forehead like he had a headache. Finally, he raises his head and looks at you.

“This demon was in the worst condition I have seen... Never in my 25 years of practice have I ever treated a demon in septic shock,” John admits. “Frankly, I hadn’t thought such a thing was even possible considering how quickly the creatures usually heal.” Your eyes widen. You might not know much about demons, but you knew how dangerous blood poisoning was for any living thing. If you hadn’t brought Sekido here, if you had attempted to wait until tomorrow, he likely would have died in your home. The thought of how much this demon has suffered makes your stomach turn, but you try not to let yourself feel too guilty about your original plan to bring him home before a doctor visit. You didn’t know. “How?” How did he get so ill? How could anyone abuse a living person so horrifically? How could you continue to help this man? “Generally, a demon’s wounds will heal rapidly on their own- unless something impedes that process,” the vet repeats.  “Malnutrition and ‘sun-sickness’ are common problems…relatively. Though it’s rare, old age. Demons do age, just at a much, much slower rate than we do. Or, like I found in his blood, wisteria. I think I know how Sekido ended up tied to that tree.” You wait for him to continue, interested in his theory. “While I was shaving Sekido’s matted hair, I found a series of numbers and letters tattooed on the back of his neck, just under his hairline,” John takes a weary breath, and you know that the information he’s about to give you may change how you view your situation entirely. “Considering this, and his blood, I suspect that Sekido is, or was, part of an illicit demon fighting ring- where people force captive demons to fight and place bets on them.”

Your jaw drops, horrified as the eerie revelation casts a more sinister shadow over your limited knowledge of Sekido’s life. “Oh, God…” An underground fighting ring? His rampant hostility made even more sense now. Your stomach twists in disgust. It seems there's no end to humanities cruelty. Dogs, birds, humans, demons- some people revel in the thrill of watching living creatures tear each other apart. There is no honor in these fights, you already know. It is grotesque, a fight for life. For survival.

“His blood is strong. Unlike anything I’ve seen in demons before. If I had to classify it, finding a demon like him is like finding a diamond in a mud pit. He is extremely valuable, to the right people, and his owners paid a lot of money to get him. I’ll cut to the chase- he probably lost a fight, costing someone more money than he was bought with, and he was abandoned for it. His masters dearly wanted him to suffer. That’s the only reason wisteria would be anywhere near a demon. It’s deathly toxic to them,” the vet’s voice cut through the air, shaping the demon's past with grim detail. “Because Sekido is so used to violence and fighting for everything just to survive, he will never be able to live as a normal pet. He reacts to every stressor with violence. We had to sedate him just to finish treating him,” John trails off. You wince at that knowledge, wishing you could have been in the room. Maybe it would’ve helped to have a sort of familiar face nearby while strangers poked and prodded and injected him with odd things- or maybe not. “Listen… There's no easy way to say this, but,” he looks you in the eye, “in my experience, demons like this cannot be rehabilitated. Sekido can never be integrated as a normal companion, much less be around other demons. He will struggle even being around humans.”

Your heart drops.

“I’m very sorry, but despite how valuable this creature is, I would suggest putting Sekido down. For his sake. You tried your best to help him, and that’s admirable,” John said. “He is very lucky to have met someone like you. Not many would have gone through the trouble to free him. But, the fact is that this is a very traumatized, aggressive demon. He’s already attacked you once. I cannot tell you honestly that he won’t do it again.” He placed his hand on your shoulder with a sympathetic smile. “Some wounds run too deep to heal. He is too dangerous for anyone to reasonably handle. A ticking time-bomb that will destroy any normal household he’s put in. I truly believe euthanasia is the best choice for both of you.”

You shake your head. Absolutely not!

John sighs quietly. “We will sedate him again. Sekido will be asleep when it happens so he’s not going to feel anything. He’ll drift off to sleep, and then he’ll be gone. He won’t be afraid, and he won’t feel the cut. He won’t ever know what happened.”

“No!” You couldn’t believe he was suggesting such a thing! Kill Sekido? That was not an option- not ever! John looks at you with pity in his face. Confusion. Maybe a little admiration.

“I don’t mean to be dramatic, but if he attacks again, there is no guarantee you’ll be getting up from it. This demon was conditioned for one thing and one thing only; he is trained to attack with little discrimination. He will kill you. Let Sekido go, and put your kindness towards another demon that needs your help- one that hasn’t lived in such violence. One that isn’t so dangerous.” “But I don’t want another demon,” you protest. You’d never wanted a demon before in your entire life, but Sekido was yours now. You wouldn’t have anyone else. “I promised him…”

“I understand,” John spoke gently. “I really do, but please consider my advice. Sekido is unpredictable and very violent. You cannot control a demon like this except through force- and you don’t seem the type to do that.” “He cannot be trusted,” John finished with finality. “Ever.” You fall silent. He was right, in a way- you wouldn’t harm Sekido regardless of what he did. You couldn’t even find it in you to fault him for the stitches that made your forearm itch. But he was also wrong about your demon. Sekido had shown that he could cooperate, albeit when it suited him, with little resistance except some rude words. He’d shown the ability to care, briefly, when he kept your arm from bleeding out with his own rags. He wouldn’t have done that if he’d meant to kill or if he had no impulse control. Right? “If he attacks me, let that be between him and me,” you reply firmly. “I did not go through all this just so you could kill my demon!”

John begins to speak, but you cut him off with a dismissive wave of your hand. “He’s a living being, not a broken tool. It’s not his fault what he’s been through,” you argue passionately, anger seeping into your words. “I know it won’t be easy. I… I am shocked that this is his past, but I didn’t expect helping him to be easy! Sekido deserves to know what a life of peace is like. He needs to know what it is for someone to care about him, and I want to give him that- nobody else is going to give him that chance!” John stares at you with disbelief and frustration. “You don’t understand what he’s capable of,” he insists, his voice raising slightly. 

You shake your head, refusing to relent. “Maybe I don’t fully understand, but I’m willing to try. That's more than anyone ever has for him.” The silence stretches between you, heavy with tension. You can see John grappling with your words, his mind racing. “You’re taking a huge risk,” he finally says, his tone softening just a bit. “You could be killed.” “I’m aware of the risks,” you reply, your voice steady. “But sitting back and doing nothing isn’t an option. Living in fear isn’t a life at all. Sekido deserves a chance, just like anyone else.” Part of you realizes that John simply doesn't want to see you hurt, and you can appreciate that. But you can take care of yourself, you think, and this is your decision to make.

John stares at you with a bewildered look, then relents with an exasperated sigh. “Nothing’s going to change your mind, huh? Alright… I know when I’ve been beat. Do you really believe you can help a demon as dangerous as this?” he asks softly. “I believe I’m the only one who will try,” you repeat. You couldn’t understand why anyone would treat a demon like this- people gave more of a chance to violent dogs! “Like I said, if he tries to hurt me again then let that be between me and him. However,” you hesitate, “if… if he hurts someone else while in my care, then I’ll bring him in.” ‘For euthanasia’, was the end you didn’t want to add. There was no reason to anyway- it was obvious what you had meant. You hoped John would accept the compromise. He’s quiet, contemplative for a long minute and just when you think he’ll refuse, he speaks.

“I’ll agree to that,” he finally said. “But, considering the unconventional circumstances and because we don’t usually do this, I will provide a liability form for you to sign that will release this establishment and its employees of all responsibility should you be harmed by this demon. If you want to take Sekido home, then signing is mandatory.” You respond with a subtle nod, easily picking up the blatant effort to escape a looming lawsuit as the vet exits the room. If something happened, you really would be on your own. There would be no recourse, nobody to turn to or blame but yourself. John returns several minutes later with a stack of papers that he slides in front of you. You hesitate only a moment, then lower your hand to the signature lines. The pen you use to bind yourself to your demon is filled with dark ink that puddles and smudges into the creases of paper. The vet gives you a quiet nod as he takes the form and he taps them on the desk, forcing them into unity. “We will need to keep Sekido in our care for the next 24 hours so we can continue to monitor his condition, but he should be waking up soon, if you’d like to see him?” A whole day? With the state he arrived in, you weren’t surprised, but still… you were glad it was your weekend away from work. God, what were you gonna do about work? You… you had paid sick days still, right? Yeah. You’d use those to get Sekido settled in a bit before returning to your 9-5. “Where is he?” John leads you to the room where Sekido is recovering and motions for you to go inside before leaving. You open the steel door slowly. Quietly. Unsure of how Sekido might react. He lies on a white cot with his eyes closed and his signature frown on his face. There are IV’s connected to his arm, pumping him full of a clear liquid. The room is quiet, except for the sounds of the heart monitor and the demon’s soft breathing. Despite his usual furrowed brows, he looks almost relaxed. He occasionally makes a noise in his sleep that you can’t decide whether it’s a growl or a snore. Though the vet had warned you about shaving Sekido’s hair, it was odd to see him with such short locks. Only about an inch had been left- still filthy with dandruff and muck, twigs and blood, but no longer weighing on his head in thick drapes of clumped hair. As you sit in the chair beside him, you can see a little of the tattoo that had been mentioned. ‘HAN-2S…’ It looked like there was more, but it was hidden around the other side of his neck. You wondered what those letters and numbers meant, whether it was just to label him like a barcode. You wonder if his previous owners used the name Sekido gave you, or if they called him by that tattoo. Again, you think it's better you don’t know, though you can't help but ponder what stories and pain lie beneath that ink. However, deep down, you know that delving into his past might only lead to more questions, and you wouldn't ask him to relive the memories anyway. When you gingerly reach to brush a bit of cut hair off his forehead, he stirs.

Sekido’s eyes slowly open and squint groggily against the light. Then, he groans as his sight lands on you. “... What… do you want?” the demon scowls slowly, obviously fighting against the drugs he’d been given. You don’t know what he’s asking. You want him safe. And healthy. And alive. His well-being has become your top priority overnight. You're willing to do whatever is necessary to ensure that he recovers- no matter the challenges. Even if it means facing that scowl every single day. He scoffs at your confused look, takes a breath. “Nobody is nice to demons just because,” he says. Can’t believe you’re still there- that you hadn’t left him at the first opportunity.  “Nobody cares about things like me. Not unless they want something- so what the fuck do you want?” “Nothing,” you reply, ignoring his aggressive tone. “I want nothing. Just for you to heal.”

Sekido stares at you bitterly. Doesn’t believe you for even a second in his deep-rooted mistrust of humanity. Is afraid to consider that you might be telling the truth. His voice, gruff and menacing, warns, “I’ll hurt you,” in a blend of caution and threat, but you’ll stand firm either way. Even if it is a threat you can’t bring yourself to be afraid of him anymore. Somehow… despite John’s insistence about the danger he brings, you don’t really believe that Sekido will hurt you again. The demon looks away from you with a sigh of weary resignation as he shakes his head, his lips thin and vision distant. He pulls the heavy hospital blanket up his chest, knuckles pale with the strength that he grips that poor blanket.

“You can't save me,” the words leave his lips in gravelly despair as closes his eyes, wanting to ignore your obnoxious presence while he wonders why you won’t just leave him alone.“I want to try, ” you tell him. Won’t accept his words as truth. Won’t accept that he believes redemption of any kind is beyond his reach. “I'm gonna try.” Sekido’s eyes snap open and he turns to you with another appraising glare. Then, finally, his lips tug slightly up with a snorted half-laugh. “... Then you are a fool,” Sekido spat. “Yeah, maybe,” you agree quietly. You don’t know what else to say to that. What does one even say to that? How do you comfort a man who believes he’s beyond saving? How do you convince someone they deserve to be saved? Sekido closes his eyes again, falling silent. You might’ve thought he was asleep again except for his ragged breaths. “I’ll, uh… I’ll let you get some rest, okay?” you mutter awkwardly. You don’t expect a response from the grumpy demon- didn’t wait for one. Didn’t want to hear him bark more disdain at you. So you stand and leave him to his devices. It didn’t make his lack of response any less disappointing, but you weren’t sure what you wanted him to say anyway. You don’t see Sekido watching you as you leave, an amused smirk tugging his lips.

-------- ≪ °✾° ≫ --------

You return for him the next morning, interrupted from your frantic attempts to get your home at least partially company-worthy in the short hours you had since leaving the infirmary. You still can’t believe all the chaos has happened, but the aching punctures in your arm leave little room for doubt- throbbing reminders of the harrowing night. Sekido is awake when you arrive, glaring at anyone who walks past his half-curtained glass doors as if the demon expects them to harass him at any second.  The flicker of aggression in his eyes and clenched fists, a dare for anyone to cross him, contrasts with his physical condition. One of his fangs poke his bottom lip so hard it draws blood, like tiny ruby orbs on his skin. If you did not know his strength, you could’ve mistaken his sickly body as harmless. Frail. His gaze does not soften when it sees you, unyielding in his defiance even as you draw the curtains fully to give the room its privacy.

You had come as soon as you’d received Angela’s call that Sekido had nearly been medically cleared. Obeying traffic laws this time, you made your way to the vet with a nervous heart. Some part of you was… excited, almost. It’s been a long time since you’ve had a housemate. Once they finish their checklist of procedures, Sekido would be discharged from the hospital and entrusted to your care. Into your home.

You take a deep breath as you pull into the parking lot, wondering if he will ever look at you with anything but contempt. Your heart aches for the wounded man who believes nobody could ever want to help him without a hidden agenda. You hope that in time, perhaps Sekido will come to accept you and that you two will become friends. Has he ever had friends, the thought crosses your mind before it can be stopped. You shake your head, knowing that Sekido has likely never had someone he can count on. Not anytime recently, at least. You resolve to be that person for him. It's going to take time. You know it’s going to take time- a lot of effort, of compromise, but you’re going to break through the spiny, angry walls he’s built around himself, whether the cantankerous demon appreciates it or not.

A nurse quietly arrives to check your demon one last time, his hands gingerly lifting the bandages on his wounds. Sekido flinches slightly, his body and limbs tensing… then he hisses, a low and menacing sound. You see the nurse try not to jump and shift in your seat, unsure what to do. Should you reach out? Talk to him? Reassure your demon that nobody is going to hurt him? Would that make him more upset?

You wonder what Sekido might have been like had the world not been so cruel- solemnly accept that you’ll never know as he snaps defensively when the nurse accidentally prods a little too hard.

The nurse quickly rewraps Sekido’s arm and leaves without a word, though you see the shudder in his shoulders as he closes the door behind him. A sigh of relief that he no longer had to deal with a dangerous, irritable, unpredictable creature like Sekido. Now, the demon watches you. His silence is deafening, and you can’t help but wonder what thoughts swirl in his mind as he stares, stone-cold with barely kept irritation. “So…this is it, huh?” You ask, clearing your throat. Your nervousness is unhidden in the way your voice wobbles, fracturing the already uncomfortable silence. “Time to go home…”

The weight behind those words hangs in the air as Sekido studies you for what seems like an eternity. Like he hasn’t processed your words. Like you’ve grown another head.

“What?” he chokes, but tries to hide it with another grumble, “You…?” “You’re coming home with me, remember? I’m, uh… adopting you,” you manage to stammer under the strength of his disbelief, your voice wilting. “I already signed the papers…”

Sekido’s eyes widen in shock, his mouth opening and closing wordlessly in his attempts to even grasp the concept. You were actually taking him home? A hint of vulnerability seeps through his steely composure, a mix of confusion and disbelief- then anger, in the crimson that colored his narrow eyes. “Are you out of your mind?” he snarls, his voice dangerously low. His hands curled into fists again. The room seems to shrink around you as tension thickens the air, his piercing gaze locking onto you with an emotion you can’t quite put a name on. The silence hangs heavy, your words lost in the seething glare of a demon that reads like a warning. You say nothing. You had to be at least a little out of your mind. But you wouldn’t back down. No matter what the demon said. “Adopting,” Sekido repeats slowly, like he’s tasting the word. His lips curl over his fangs with disgust. “Legally, yes,” you nod. Honestly, you weren’t a fan of the process either, or the idea of ‘owning’ someone so human. But, whatever it takes, right? His reaction to the news strikes you as ice-cold despite the fiery temper in him. You almost smile at the private joke. Then, he speaks. “Are you inviting me to your home? Knowing that I’ll hurt you?” he questions. Scoffs. You reach instinctively to pat his shoulder, reassure him that, “You won’t hurt me.” From whom were you comforting him? Himself? His past? You? You aren’t sure.  “I know you won’t.” “You know nothing,” he hisses bitterly, punctuating his words by swatting your hand away. You pull your hand back, rubbing it lightly to soothe the sting. Sekido staunchly avoids looking at you, glares out the open windows. A soft breeze blows against white curtains- they are too pure in their color, in your opinion. Like the very material had been bleached of its soul. For a moment, all that’s heard is the wind and cheerful chirping of house sparrows as they flit around outside. “Do you think that will change my mind?” you ask, softly breaking the silence. “I’ve made my decision.”

“It’s a stupid decision,” Sekido argues. Part of you is almost touched that he seems so concerned for your safety. The other part frowns that he thinks of himself as a threat. “But it’s made,” you reply easily. He says nothing after that, just snorts in disbelief as you both stand your grounds- like two warriors on the opposing sides of a battlefield. No further words are spoken, but the conversation continues in the silence, like the room itself is waiting for resolution. The sparrows continue to sing their songs, oblivious to the standoff inside the building. Finally, there is the smallest, reluctant bow of Sekido’s head, and you feel the tension easing from your shoulders. You can’t do this without him, even if he doesn’t really have a choice- no matter how much you wanted to pretend otherwise. An hour later, the final test results come back and Sekido is officially released from the hospital. With the blood poisoning dealt with, the demon should recover fully and quickly, the vet assured you as he hands another stack of papers to you. An assistant wheels over a chair, but Sekido refuses it, staggering to his feet as you finish paying the final bills at the front counter. Even ill as he is, he refused to show weakness. What he perceived as weakness. What he was taught is frailty, failure, feebleness, punishable by whips and starvation and fear.

The doctors try to reach out to steady him as he stumbles, but he shakes off their help with another warning growl.  They don’t bother attempting it again. Sekido moves slowly and deliberately, taking each step with careful rigidness. His bare toes stretch out to maintain his wobbly balance with every stride. As he catches sight of cloud-muffled daylight at the end of the hall, it seems like he quickens his pace. You don’t try to slow him, despite pointed, almost judgemental looks from the staff. You want out of the hospital too. Finally Sekido reaches the glass doors and stops.

He does not look back, but waits at the edge of the spotless black carpet that serves as a doormat, his fingers twitching in his desire to simply grab the handle and escape.

No one stops the two of you as you open the door for him, because you know he won’t leave the building himself without permission, like a dog trained to wait at the entryways of a house. It’s easy to locate your vehicle, sparkling clean as it is. That aside, it’s the only car in the lot that isn’t owned by employees of the hospital.

Sekido walks just ahead of you, stumbles twice and then leans on the back doors as his chest shudders.

“No,” you say carefully and point to the passenger seat. “You can sit up there, Sekido. Next to me.”

And again he gives you an incredulous look, like he can’t comprehend the thought. With your gentle urging, he grasps the door handle, then cautiously opens it with a flick of his pointed ear- alert for any sound that might indicate you’ve changed your mind. That you’ve tricked him.

You wait for him to climb in before taking the driver's seat.

The ride home is uncomfortably silent, but you don’t try to hold a conversation either- too lost in your own thoughts and too nervous to attempt to quell your demon’s rigid posture. He’s so stiff one might think he were a statue, except for the radar-like swivel of his ears that takes in every sudden noise with practiced precision. It would be very cute, except that you know it’s a habit he must have obtained in defense- to protect himself from further harassment at the hands of his old masters.

A passer-by's questioning glance is enough to fuel Sekido’s ire. The old woman stares fixedly out of her window and narrows her eyes at the man beside you. It's as if she knows he doesn't belong there, Sekido thinks. As if it's even her business. A rumble builds in the demon’s throat, his fangs piercing his lip once more. When the passenger of another car, a young child, makes mocking motions towards the demon, Sekido snarls, forcefully striking the window. You jump in surprise, your hands tightening on the wheel instinctively. “Sekido!” The exclamation bursts from you, unintentionally loud, spooking the demon from his own thoughts. His long ears flatten against his head, his crimson eyes briefly meeting yours before averting his gaze, accompanied with a subdued growl that slips through his bared teeth. Like he’s warning you away. Like he expects you to hit him. Like you’re one of those horrid people who beat him for misbehaving. You take a breath to steady yourself- remind yourself that you agreed to this, to the commitment, to supporting him, and to the challenges you know he comes with and the challenges sure to surprise you, and you lower your voice to a more soothing tone. “Hey,” you start uncomfortably in an attempt to maintain the barely noticeable trust you have with your demon, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to shout. You startled me, is all.” You offer a small, reassuring smile as you slow to a red light. You hope he understands. His gaze meets yours again, slightly less hard, and then he turns to watch the scenery fly past again.

Luckily the streets are pretty empty aside from that and those that drive ahead of you mind their business enough to not taunt the traumatized demon in your car, saving you from whatever other outburst the demon might unleash if provoked again. As you pull into your driveway, the car comes to a gentle stop. Your small, one-bedroom apartment awaits. It may not be extravagant, but it's home. The front lawn is neatly mowed, and the plants in the garden beds beneath your windows flourish in still-living shades of green. Sekido observes it all with a quick glance. If he has any grievances, he keeps them to himself - maybe out of reluctance, maybe out of deeply hidden gratitude. Anything is better than before. “Well… we’re here,” you say. You can see your neighbor across the street peeking through their curtains to peer at what’s going on, the nosy bastards they are. You roll your eyes once you’re turned away from them. At least they make a good casserole during the holidays. You just hope they won’t try to come over with unwanted ‘friendly advice’ on how to deal with your demon like they had with your wilting plants. Somehow you knew their advice wouldn’t be as kind to Sekido. You fumble your keys as you open your front door. Only then, just as you’re about to lock the car, do you realize that Sekido hasn’t left the vehicle. He hasn’t even unbuckled himself. He’s sitting there, cloudy sunlight on clean leather seats, staring at the house like he doesn’t believe he’s even here. This is a house, he thinks, not a shed, or a cage, or an underground garage. A real house, where people live and don’t dread seeing its form on the horizon. A house where he, apparently, will be permitted to live, inside like a.. Like a person and not a simple slave-tool of violence. He can hardly believe it, swallows rough against his dry throat. “Sekido?” You call gently. “C’mon, it looks like it’s gonna rain.” He could smell it in the air, the sharp dampness of a summer storm.  Tepid wind rustles the trees in your yard, sending dry leaves across the street. Sekido opens the passenger door, just a couple inches, then pushes it wide. His bare feet tentatively touch rough cement as he exits the vehicle. When the doors snap closed again, he flinches at the sound. Your demon follows you slowly, as if fearing you might just laugh and throw him in the backyard to take shelter under an old, rusty kennel like the men who trained him had. He had refused to bow that low- had sat with his knees under him and his hands in his lap, with eyes closed against biting, frosty rain and wind that chilled him to the bone, leaving a muddy puddle under his weight. The men had found no amusement in his defiance- abusing him with rods of steel as if they thought they could beat the spirit from him like the blood that thickened the murk. But, you aren’t those people and though he does not trust you, he reluctantly steps onto your wooden floors. Your home is… lived-in, he notices as he glances around your belongings. Stray books and items litter the bookshelves and coffee table, alongside a succulent or two. It needs cleaned, Sekido thinks. You smile apologetically, like you know what is going through his mind. Like you’re embarrassed. “I wasn’t expecting guests,” you rub the back of your neck with a sheepish look, moving a group of magazines into a neat stack. “I’ll be right back, okay? Feel free to explore.” You leave the room to quickly finish cleaning up the dishes in the kitchen- a process you’d been in the middle of when the hospital called. Sekido says nothing, but continues to take in his surroundings. It’s not a bad house, he admits to himself.

Sunlight filters through the large window, casting a warm glow over the room. A faint scent of the coffee you’d been preparing that morning lingers in the air, creating a sense of comfort and homeliness. Your walls are adorned with colorful paintings and photographs, each telling a story of its own. Sekido’s eyes linger on family photos of moments now frozen in time. The creativity and warmth that fills the space makes it feel inviting despite the slightly cluttered appearance. Sekido's gaze wanders to a worn-out armchair in the corner, where you have probably spent countless hours reading and relaxing. It's a cozy little nook in an otherwise chaotic room. With a slight nod of approval that you don’t see in the other room, he finally breaks his silence. “Hmph.” Your home may not be perfect, but it has a charm that is uniquely yours. You return quickly, within just a couple minutes, but Sekido stands right where you’d left him, looking about uneasily. You take a hesitant step forward. “Sorry, I didn’t have quite enough time to finish up the kitchen before I left,” you apologize. “I didn’t want anything to start going rancid, you know?” Not for the first time that day, he gives you a perplexed look. “Humans don’t apologize to demons,” he mutters, like he’s scolding you on what’s right and wrong. “We aren’t worthy of it.” The phrase makes you wince- a horrid reminder that despite what you do know of Sekido’s past, you really know nothing at all. And you definitely aren’t sure how you’re supposed to fix him. “You are to me.” Again, he freezes, grunts as he glares at the wall. Anywhere he didn’t have to meet your gaze. But… Maybe you aren’t supposed to ‘fix’ someone like him at all. Maybe it would be good enough, right now, simply to teach him how to be alive. Is he hungry, you ponder? You don’t bother asking. You chastise yourself for even thinking it was a good question- the demon looks half starved! Instead you apologize, again, quietly- awkwardly. Your inelegance is enough to have him smirking behind your back, amused as you fumble words and thoughts. “You can sit if you want,” you tell him again, hoping he’ll take a seat on the sofa, or armchair. He grunts. Doesn’t make any attempt to move. You make your way to the kitchen to cut a small ribeye steak you’d planned on eating yourself into strips and small, easy-to-chew cubes. That should… this should be fine, right? All sources you’d searched said raw meat was just fine for demons. Not that you trusted the authors to have the best in mind for them. You hesitate, then take half the meat out and put that in another bowl before covering it and placing it back in the refrigerator. The last thing you needed was the demon vomiting again, you shudder as you stride into the living room, ignoring his subtle sniffing of the air, and the wetness shining on the corner of his mouth.

Sekido eyes you suspiciously as you hold the bowl out to him- refusing to put it on the ground like he’s some sort of animal. This is a trap. It has to be, he reasoned. He’s done nothing to earn the food, so you must be trying to trick him. But… you hold that bowl of meat tantalizingly close- enough that his pupils dilate at the smell of it and his body tries to lurch forward despite his wishes. The demon takes a rigid step back when you push your arm further towards him as his fingers twitch with desire to grab at the promise of the first bit of food he’s had in weeks. Drool finally trickles down one corner of his mouth and he shakes his head viciously. “Take it,” you order him in the unwillingness to even entertain the idea that Sekido wasn’t allowed to eat if he wished, and suddenly he couldn’t even pretend to have self-control enough to stop himself. The meat was gone from the bowl, shoveled into his mouth like a starving dog. He swallows without bothering to chew before you can even say a word, once, twice, hard enough that he's nearly choking on the fat, and then it’s over and his ears are pinned back and his eyes dart around with feverish intensity as if you’re going to punish him- even as his tongue licks the grease from the bowl. You can’t take the food from him. He won’t let you. Not when it’s the first thing he’s eaten in weeks. Not when he can feel the miniscule amount of protein and iron already in his system. Not when it takes his aches away so quickly. To his shock, you don’t do anything he expects you to. You don’t shout or curse or grab a stick to hit him with. In fact, you slowly back away and give the demon space while he glares at you with a practiced rage meant to hide his fear. His shoulders are tense, spine like a spring to recoil at the slightest sign of danger, but after what seems like another eternity, his gaze drops, and your own back relaxes. His grip on the bowl tightens. You decide to maintain your calm demeanor, but the decision seems to unsettle him more than any visible irritation would. He does not ease his grip on the bowl, staring at you. “Do you want more?” You ask gently. He doesn’t answer, meeting the kind gesture with narrowed eyes. You’re offering him more food? He hadn’t even earned the first bowl. Surely, you’re tricking him, he thinks again. But… “Yes,” he grumbles quietly, “Master.” Relinquishes his grip on the bowl as he hands it back with quivering hands. The title makes you flinch, stings like a bitter wound, and you nearly drop the blood-streaked bowl as a deep frown pulls at your lips. It’s another awful reminder of the reality of your roles- of the role's society wanted to force. Sekido, sensing your inner turmoil, reacts by flattening his ears once more. Displeased. He had displeased you. Was that not what he was to call his owner? That is what he had been forced to call all owners before you. “No,” you disagree gently, holding firm at his bewildered expression. “Listen, Sekido. You don’t need to call me that. My name is fine, or whatever else you want. Just… not ‘master’ or ‘owner’ or anything else that makes it sound like you’re beneath me.” “You are my owner,” he snarls again, insisting as if acknowledging otherwise would shake him to his core. Like he’s trying to educate you on how to treat a demon. “I do not own you, Sekido,” you explain carefully. Except legally, you didn’t say, didn’t think it needed to be… You think of that legality as only something society forced. Wouldn’t have even signed the papers except that it was necessary. “We’re equals, okay? You’re the master of yourself. I want you to make decisions for yourself and do things because you want to, not because you think it would make me happy, do you understand?” And again, he looks at you like you’ve grown another head, and you briefly wonder if maybe you’re being a little too honest. But… somehow, you think he might appreciate it- eventually. Sekido doesn’t seem to like sugarcoating things. You just hope you don’t sound too corny.

[fl0w3rs-m1nd]

@sashazakbun24

The sillies! <3

[thematriheart]

I've been reading a ‘The Disabled Tyrant’s Beloved Pet Fish’ Wangxian Au called "Hanguang-Jun and His Beloved Pet Rabbit" by 96qutie on Ao3, and I have 'Theories'. Give it a read if you want some cute pet bunny shenanigans.