#medicine seller x reader

[gingernut1314]

The Rain

Summary: You've traveled with Kusuiuri but now time has stopped. It seems it will rain soon...very soon, but Kusuiuri does not want to face it.

Content: gn!reader, based off the TV show Mononoke (no plot line spoilers), slight dark themes (nothing is truly stated, everything is sort of left up to the reader's imagination, but implied murder and robbery), Kusuiuri in denial, sad Kusuiuri

Word Count: 1.9K

A/N: GUYS I LOVE THIS SHOW AND I LOVE KUSUIRUI!!!! This is my first attempt at writing for this lovely man, so I hope I did okay lol. I hope you enjoy!

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The day was bright yet didn’t fill the air with a stifling, sticky heat. A breeze blew through the grass you sat in, leading the clouds along through the light blue sky. A powdery blue that had you returning your gaze back to the man sitting just across from you. 

His eyes were that blue. His eyes were the sky. They were your sky whenever you gazed upon them. 

“I think it will rain.” You spoke in a voice as airy as the breeze ruffling the long strands of his ash-blond hair that hung over and around his pale face. Kusuriuri didn’t blink. Didn’t move a muscle as he watched you. 

The purple paint on his upper lip might lead one to think he was smirking mischievously at you. That he might not be moving or responding for so long to purposely tease you. 

But you knew better. 

Knew he was far from feeling his usual mischievous ways. That he hadn’t felt like that in…oh…four days?

Had it been four days?

No…maybe it had been longer. 

Seven days? 

Two weeks? 

Three? 

“Go on. Ask me why I think so.” You prompted, leaning forward just a hair. Kusuiuri’s eyes tracked the movement. Eyes that hadn’t left your form in what felt like hours. 

“And why is that?” His voice was typically full of such sensual tones. A purring sound in your ears that would send a pleasant shiver down your spine. 

But not today. 

Not in…how long?

“The clouds. They are so big--so full. Almost about ready to burst of the seams with all that rain in their bellies.” You spoke, eyes drifting upwards just as a pair of clouds might drift. “Ask me when I think it will rain.” 

“When?” 

“Today…soon. Very soon.” You spoke on a near-relieved breath. Eyes cut from the sky themselves narrowed at your answer. 

A clattering of noise sounded from within the large, wooden box sitting just an arm's width away from you both. A noise you knew well. A noise that might have terrified others, but not you. Never you. 

“I disagree.” Kusuiuri’s remained calm. A calm hardly reflected in his eyes. No, his eyes were clouded and bristling. Eyes that cut towards the wooden crate he carried on his back like he could stop the commotion on silent threat alone. 

You knew better. 

He knew better. 

“I know you do.” A small smile pulled at the corners of your lips. “Let us talk about it.” 

“I will do no such thing, I’m afraid.” Kusuiuri simply spoke, eyes finding yours once more. 

“Hum…then we have a rather large predicament on our hands. Wouldn’t you agree?” You asked. His eyes looked so full, just as the clouds up above. So full and ready to burst. They called to the storm lurking within your chest. A storm that shook at the doors you had struggled to snap shut.

“That we do.” You nodded in agreement, letting the sound of the grass shifting fill the space between you two.

“I remember a flower.” Something sharp shot through his eyes. A sharpness you kept your features comforting for. “Golden in make with the most breathtaking detail.” 

“It was just a flower. Why protect it so dearly?” His voice strained against his question. A question that had your mind floating back to a cold day. A cold, unforgiving day that teased your will to keep the storm in your chest back. 

“It was a gift.” 

“Gifts can be replaced.” You shook your head slowly.

“You gifted it.” 

“I could have bought another. I could have bought many other things. Better things than some shiny comb--” 

“It was mine.” That storm in your chest flared. 

Something sharp punctured through your neck. Through your stomach and chest. 

Horrid warmth splashed over your skin. 

Pain flared in your nose, ribs, legs, fingers. 

Nails tore and cracked. Bone.

The storm quelled against the bits of the sky watching you. Quelled against the pale skin of the man sitting before you. Quelled as your eyes traced the red markings around his eyes and over his cheeks. Traced the red paint cutting down the sharp angle of his nose. 

He didn’t even blink at your outburst. At the horrors that flashed over your skin with it.

“It was mine yet they took it.” Your voice gave a small falter, “They took many things.” The breeze brushed over your cheeks like a mother might comfort her child. “That is the truth of the matter, yes?” 

A clicking bang shot through the grassy field. A sound echoing from that box that seemed all too far away. 

It wanted out. 

It wanted to be free. 

And you wanted to help it.

“Stop.” Kusuiuri hissed. A hiss that revealed the sharp points of his canines. 

You smiled at his beauty. Beautiful that was otherworldly. You smiled as you rose to your feet. Feet so numb you hardly felt them as you crossed the short distance between the two of you. He watched you the whole way, chin rising gradually so he could keep watching you as you came to a stop before him. 

“You know the truth…” You whispered weakly. His lips pressed tightly. So tight you thought they bit fuse together as you knelt before him. 

You pressed closer. So close his hardly audible breath brushed against your cheeks. 

Numb fingers felt over the solidness of his arm. Danced down till you grabbed hold of his hand. 

“And you know the shape.” You guided his hand to rest over your heart. His eyes fluttered on threat of close. “You know this shape better than I know it.” Warm fingers reached upwards to feel over the numb skin of your neck. “You’ve explored it inside and out. Watched it walk and dance and run. Watched it sleep and burst with pleasure.” His breath sucked inward on a shakey pull. A shakiness that was beginning to seep into his bones. “You found that shape lying there. In the dirt. Broken. Bent into a different sort of form than it had been that very morning.” 

Your mind floated back to that cold day. To the sharp feel of rock digging into flesh and dirt that had invaded your mouth. To the numbness that had seeped all too quickly into your bones. 

Numbness that had stayed with no hope of it ever leaving. 

“I--” He paused. You’d never known him to hesitate. Never. “I know your body…your shape.” 

A clicking rattled at the box. A clicking that seemed to cut through that never-relenting numbness, if only for a moment.

“Let’s go back to talking of the rain.” He breathed, fingers holding your neck just that more tightly. Fingers that pulled you even closer. 

“The rain is a fascinating bit of weather. How do the clouds keep hold of it? Why does it fall? When does it decide it is time to do so? What is its reasoning?” Kusuiuri pressed his forehead against yours. A forehead that shook once in denial of your words. 

“I don’t want to know that.” You felt disappointment hollow out your chest. 

“Please…I want you to know.” You pressed, numb fingers smoothing down his arm once more. 

“No.” He insisted, eyes squeezing shut. You let your fingers dance over his shoulder and up his neck. Let your thumb smooth over his pale cheek. Over his unpainted bottom lip. His eyes softened against such touches. Touched he leaned into. 

“Why not?” You asked.

“Because I…” He gave another hesitation you had never seen him give before today. “Please.”

“Tsk, tsk. All this over little old me?” You teased weakly, “I hold nothing over any other of my kind.” His eyes snapped wide open then. Both hands moved to grab hold of your face. Hands that only made you yearn more for freedom because you could not feel them. 

“You do. You hold not only beauty over them but kindness and comfort and laughter. You are a friend to me when I’ve gone too long without one.” He had freed you before. Freed you from the haunting horrors your father had plagued upon you. He had shone like an angel washed in golden light when he’d done it. Had gifted you freedom and hadn’t blinked an eye when you followed him all over Japan. You had been with in since that day. Had never once dreamed of leaving. Until… 

“There will be others.” You murmured, fingers messing with the ends of his silken hair. 

“No. There will not be.” You hummed in thought at his words. 

“I heard once people come back…maybe they come back with the same face but with a different name. Or the same name and a different face. Or, rarely, with the same face and name.” Kusuiuri nodded. 

“I’ve seen it.” You smiled at his confirmation.

“I wonder if I will be granted that same privilege?” Kusuiuri's short brows furrowed at your question. 

“I--that is not for me to know.” You nodded.

“How--exciting then.” He looked far from excited. Looked so--shaken by that unknown. You wished to ease that. Wished he wouldn’t worry for you. Not when he didn’t worry for any other who had shifted in much the same way you had. “If I return…you’ll find me and I swear I shall be your friend once more.” 

“You will not remember me.” You pressed your nose against his trying, trying, to feel him.

“I will. My soul knows yours. I feel it…it’s the only thing I feel. I’m certain of it.” Kusuiuri nuzzled his nose against yours. “I…I want you to know the reason…please.” His hold on your face tightened the smallest bit like he might be able to hold you forever.

“...reveal it then.” You smiled brightly at him, cupping his face between your palms and keeping his eyes at level with yours. 

“The reasoning is this: I love you.” Kusuiuri’s face crumbled in a way so foreign to you. In a way so uncharacteristic of him yet it never once took away that beauty of his. Made him more so. Painfully so. “You freed me once. You showed me kindness. You made me laugh and cry and feel things I never thought possible.” The clicking clutter rang sharply in the air the longer you spoke. Grew louder and louder as you felt your body relax further and further. 

“I fell in love with you over and over again and if I am to return one day, I will gladly do so again. And I--I held on a bit too tight to that love…didn’t I?” You chuckled, tears burning over your cheeks. 

The top of the box flew open and silence fell over the world.

The wind blew a bit sharper just as the sun began to be blotted from the sky.

“Free me…one last time?” Kusuiuri’s eyes were like pools of water. Water that threatened to spill over their confines just as yours had. 

Soft lips pressed to yours. Lips you melted into as you always did. Lips that tasted of sunshine and exotic spices and things you mourned to feel again. 

“I know the shape, the truth, and the reasoning of you, Mononoke.” He whispered against your mouth. A small, sobbed laugh sprung from your lungs. A bittersweet thing that had you pressing your lips to his one last time. “And I will free you as you wish.” 

Cold. 

That day was so cold. Full of so much pain and sorrow and regret. 

It was a day that stole not only your worldly possessions but your spiritual ones too. It leeched the very feeling from your fingertips and heart, leaving you feeling oh so hallow.

And yet, as the now stormy sky grew bright in that golden light you always adored to see, you felt it. 

You felt warmth. 

You felt peace. 

You felt the rain.

[fanfictionstuff]

Hello best fic writer ever. I'm the one that introduced you to the godly man that is Kusuriuri. I was wondering if you could write some smut for him? Present time? Or edo? I don't know. You're the talented writer. Pleaseee nobody is writing it, I need some fics with him. It's like when you came to read Amaimon fics and there were none so you started writing your own, except, I can't write my own.

I love you so so so much. I'll love you even more if you sate my thirst for this man. You did that for me and so many other's with Amaimon. (I guess kind of making us more thirsty but you're providing content to help) Please be willing to do it with Kusuriuri too. <333333

If you give me more details about the medicine seller I will try.

I gave a long reply and my shitty VPN disconnected and it was lost smh So, gonna do bullet points because i'm angry at it

'best fic writer ever' we both know you're lying lmao

I can't believe you're throwing this hot guy at me. I was looking Amaimon fics for months before I just decided to write my own. Now i'm looking Kusuriuri fics and there's even less for him than there is for Amaimon.

I love you too and it's nice to know you enjoy my writing

I am willing, but I need more information on the guy. I looked him up, there is so little out there. I don't know much about his character. There isn't much content and now i'm annoyed. Like offical information, there isn't enough. Why?!

If you or any other Mononoke fans can send information or ideas I will try to write it. Because I know how it feels, and now you've drug me into this seemingly empty fandom. T-T

[thesillyestwilly]

just like a silly little rant bc I feel gaslighted sometimes

I seriously hate how like there will be the most bbgist, jaw dropping, toe curling, making me scream without the s, making me giggle and kick my legs in bed as I watch the screen, making me think I'm having a fever because I get so excited to see them on screen character just to go on Tumblr and search up the character x reader to see like almost no posts and the two posts I don't even like because the reader is so y/n coded... Like it makes me so mad bro 😭

[catbread0]

I've been feeling a bit down lately. Can you please do a kon kusuriuri x reader fluff headcanon (I love the mononoke 2024 movie)

Kon-Kusuriuri x Reader

Oh no, don't feel down!! Help is on the way! I'm sorry if there are any mistakes! I decided to make this quickly. Hope you feel better dear!!

(*��Д`)/♡♥︎♡

Words: 429

Fluff

Mononoke (2024) Masterlist

Headcanon: Being in a relationship

- If Kon saw you looking at a kimono or yukata, he would tease you about how beautiful/handsome you would be in it.

“You wouldn’t need a love potion if you were to wear that. Unlike some individuals.”

- When you're resting or somewhere else, Kon will walk back to the shop that you had been eyeing. Whether it be a kimono, headpiece, footwear, or decorations that you wanted to put in your box.

- Want a piece of alone time with no commotion? Well, too bad for you, dear. Kon would be by your side almost all the time. The rare times he would, he would most likely be causing a commotion about a Mononoke.

“You know you love me”

- Kon is a playful kitsune, and when it comes to games, he would ‘outsmart’ you. Or so he says, in reality, he cheats in the game when you're not paying attention.

“Looks like I’ve won again,” he says with a smirk plastered on his face, but also 5 pieces in his hand from the game.

- When you two are in the hot spring, he would splash the water on you. He would be happy if you decided to splash him back and turn it into a water fight.

- Kon loves brushing or playing with your hair. But what he loves more is you brushing or playing with his hair. You don’t even need to finish your question about touching it. He's already sitting on the floor smiling like a child.

- He could be easily flustered (unlike a different Kusuriuri..) and when he would be, the tip of his pointy ears would turn red.

-In modern times, Kon would probably like to do the pocky challenge with you.

“Let’s see who can win this one. What? I promise I won't bite.”

- In the winter, Kon would probably want to build a snowman with you.

“Why are you looking at me like that? It’s snowing. What else are we supposed to do with the snow?”

- Kon would steal your food. It doesn’t matter if you're in a restaurant, picnic, or at home. He will steal your food even if you try to fight him off.

- I feel like Kon would be the type to run with food or snack in his hand and trip on his zōri/shoe and be upset and just look at the food he dropped in defeat.

- Overall, Kon would be a nice, silly, and sometimes idiot lover. Whenever he’s working and trying to defeat the Mononoke, it surprises you that is the same man you are with. 

Zōri (1) - Traditional Japanese sandals/footwear

~Lilly's

[mokokone]

Hey. Sorry if I'm distracting. I would like to request a kusuriuri/reader yandere. I know the yandere theme has already been touched upon, but I would be interested in reading a specific plot involving the use of "medicines" on the reader. tysm in advance, love your writings!

A/n: No words can not describe the things I've written for this. Honestly, a Yandere!Medicine Seller/Kusuriuri scares me(😨). But hope you enjoy.

⚠Warning!⚠ This story contains sensitive topics, and may not be suitable for sensitive readers. Reader discretion is advised.

The Apothecary's Obsession |Yandere!Kusuriuri x Reader Oneshot|

Kusuriuri gazed upon your sleeping form, his heart swelling with a twisted adoration. You're his everything, his reason for being, and he would stop at nothing to ensure you never left his side. As he watched your chest rise and fall, a sickening sense of possessiveness consumed him.

 With a careful hand, he brushed a stray lock of hair from your face, his fingertips lingering on her soft skin. "My beautiful (Y/n)," he whispered, his voice laced with a dangerous affection.

"You'll never leave me, will you?"

 Reaching into the obi of his kimono, he produced a small vial filled with a translucent liquid. Gently, he tilted your head back and parted your cherry blossom lips, allowing a few drops of the concoction to trickle into you mouth.

You stirred slightly, but remained in your deep slumber.

 "Shh, my love," he soothed, cradling you in his arms. "This is just a little something to help you rest a bit longer." He pressed his lavender lips against yours, savoring the taste of you, his embrace tightening possessively.

 When you finally awoke, you found yourself in the familiar surroundings of the small minka (a traditional Japanese house). Kusuriuri was by your side, a gentle smile on his face, and holding a tea cup and saucer in his lap.

 "Good morning, my dear," he said, offering you the steaming cup of tea. "You've been sleeping a lot as of late, so I made you some special medicine to help keep your energy up," he lied.

"Drink up."

"Oh, thank you, Kusuriuri," You accepted the cup, your brow furrowed in confusion. "I... I don't know what's wrong with me. I hope I'm not coming down with head-cold," You said.

 Kusuriuri chuckled softly, his hand caressing her cheek. "If you are, then I'll take care of you, my love. But perhaps you're just simply exhausted. Now, drink your tea and rest."

Voluntarily, you sipped the tea, the warm liquid soothing your throat. As the minutes ticked by, you felt a familiar drowsiness settle over your, your eyelids growing heavy.

 "That's it, my dear," Kusuriuri murmured, pulling your close. "Sleep now, and when you wake, everything will be alright~♡"

 Succumbing to the "medicine's" effects, you drifted off, unaware of the twisted obsession that consumed your lover.

Kusuriuri watched over you, his embrace tightening possessively, Carefully, he leaned in, his lips brushing against hers in a possessive kiss. "You are mine, (Y/n)," he whispered, "and no one else will ever have you." He adds, his eyes gleaming with a disturbing intensity.

"I'll make sure of that."

As you slept, Kusuriuri prepared a second remedy, one that would ensnare you very being to him. He poured the liquid into your mouth, ensuring that every drop was consumed before gently shaking you awake.

 "Wake up, my love," he murmured, his fingers tracing the contours of your face.

 Your eyes fluttered open, and you gazed blankly up at Kusuriuri suddenly feeling a newfound adoration.

"Kusuriuri,♡" you breathed, your voice dripping with love and desire, "I love you. I love you so much!♡"

 Kusuriuri smiled, his plan unfolding perfectly. The remedy he'd given you was similar to a love potion. "And I will always be here for you, my dear. Forever and always."

 And so the cycle continued, with Kusuriuri making medicine for you whenever he feared you might stray, his love for you twisted into a dark, unbreakable obsession. In his (twisted) mind, he was the only one who could truly care for you, the only one who could keep you safe and loved.

 As the sun set on the small wooden minka, the shadows seemed to grow longer, reflecting the darkness that had taken root in Kusuriuri's heart. And you, oblivious to the true nature of your lover's affection, continued to sleep, trapped in a nightmare from which you could not escape.

 ❁END❁ 

[saltyfruitbat]

Hey, Fruits!

May I ask for some romantic headcanons with Kusuriuri-san from Mononoke and Chise!reader from the series Ancient Magus Bride? I seriously need some inspiration for these two since my next project will feature them 😭 Thank you so much!

Heheheh don’t worry Moon 🌙 you’ll get that inspiration you need!! Hopefully this does inspire you

listening to summertime by cinnamon’s room helped making this

Kusuriuri-san is a very man of small words but he definitely treats his beloved very well.

Romance with him would take time, due to him having to go around the country and look for the malevolent spirits, so romance with him would take some time.

it would start with him noticing things about you, things that he would have memorized, like how you like honey in your tea, or like how you part your hair when you work on making medicine.

He shows he cares with little things, like him making you some herbal tea, to even buying hairpins, once that he thinks will look lovely with your complexion.

He’d even buy you pretty kimonos, and many hairpins and charms that would match with it. He likes how they look on you, but gets irritated when men look at you with lecherous stares. He may be a calm and collected man, but even he is protective of the one he holds dear to his heart and takes offense.

He would also take care of you when you have become exhausted, carrying you to bed, he likes how knowledgeable and smart you are, it shows how much you dedicate yourself to your work, but please take a break once in a while.

He’d get irritated when you would get hurt, sacrificing yourself for the sake of others is an admirable trait, but please be aware that you have him to protect you and the others around you. He won’t get mad at you but at himself for not being careful.

Since he has fallen for you, don’t be surprised when you become his spouse and you find out it’s your wedding day with this dashing kitsune.

Hopefully you manage with the “other” him *wink wink*

oh and don’t reach for those “marriage charms” and don’t even look at those books he has in his possession(those are porn books, it’s canon I’m not joking 😭)

[xnaiel]

Greetings, I am Naiel, although you can call me Nana if we're close or mutuals. I am a young transmasc author and will write whatever I feel like writing.

Feel free to send me any kind of requests. However, I will deny your request if it does not meet my criteria.

I write :

Fluff, Angst, Smut, Happy/Bad Endings, Yanderes, amab and ftm reader (both sub and dom), and many more.

I don't write :

Incest/Stepcest, Minor x Major relationships, Scat, Vomit, Smut for underage characters. Other than that, I do not mind discovering other kinks.

Fandoms I write for :

Jujutsu Kaisen, Haikyuu (smut only for post timeskip), Jojo's bizarre adventures, My OCs, Princess Princess, Dead Plate, Elevator Hitch, Cold front, John Doe game, Kuroko no Basket, Kuroshitsuji, Mononoke, Ace Attorney, Genshin Impact, Uramichi Oniisan, Nu: Carnival, The Arcana, Danganronpa and other fandoms that I will add later.

I will make a Materlist whenever I can, I hope you enjoy my writing. ^-^

[gingernut1314]

To Go With You

Summary: After the defeat of a vicious Mononoke haunting your household, your only wish is to leave everything behind.

Content: gn!reader, based off the TV show Mononoke (no plot line spoilers), all dark themes are left up to the reader's imagination for the most part, none graphic death talked about, Medicine Seller being a big tease

Word Count: 1.6K

A/N: I'm in love and because of that have more fic lol. I hope you enjoy!

Your father was dead. 

As was your uncle.

And your grandfather.

Your mother had done it. 

Your mother, though, was dead. Had been dead for months. 

But she’s come back. Come back as a vicious mononoke to take revenge on the people who took part in her death. 

As they died by her hand, you’d watched. Watched and did nothing to try and stop it. 

They deserved it, you had thought.

They deserved it, they deserved it, they deserv--

But he did not deserve it--the Medicine Seller that had come to badger your household. He had come not merely to sell his wares but had come by some strange calling your mother’s vengeful spirit gave off. Had come to defend the entirety of your household even when many of them hadn’t earned such protection.

Your mother seemed to agree with you on that. Though her poor soul seemed to have had its fill of men, whether they be helpful or not. 

But you liked this one. 

You liked his humor and all the interesting things he had been teaching you while trying to figure out the mystery of the Mononoke. A mystery you gave him in three steps upon your mother turning on him. Steps that freed that seemingly unusable sword he carried and sent him bursting with gold light.

He was--glorious. Like some god or saint from legend and you couldn’t help but fall prey to his majesty. 

When the light died and your mother was sent to rest once more, you were on your feet rushing through the place you had once called home. Rushed about as your aunt and cousins shouted and screamed in terror at what had just happened. 

Kitchen staff gave yelps in fear at your appearance. They asked after the spirit and if it had been defeated, to which you gave a rushed “yes!” as you grabbed up a water skin and whatever foods you could get your hands on.

Once your bag was overflown with clothes, food, and things you thought you couldn’t part with, you were back in your parent's former chambers. Your aunts and cousins were still there, terrified noise still annoyingly spilling from their lips. 

“Where did he go?” You called through the clamor. While your cousin’s uproar hardly ceased, your aunt’s certainly did only to turn it onto you. 

“What is that?” She snapped, rising to her feet as she motioned towards the bag on your back.

“Where is he?” You firmly asked once more, keeping your features steady even as she rushed for you. 

“You think you can leave us?” She grabbed hold of the front of your outfit, giving you sharp shakes as her anger rose. “After what just happened? No, no.” She gave you a great shake once more. “You helped her. You let her kill my husband, you ungrateful--” You shoved your aunt away, a shout spilling from her lips as she stumbled backward. 

You rushed out of the room and back through your home, finding wide-eyed housemaids peeking their heads out of doorways to watch you go. Few you had grown to call friends gave you weak smiles as you passed.

You shoved through the front entrance and found him walking unhurriedly down the path. 

Walking away. 

“Wait!” You shouted, heaving your bag higher up your back as you sprinted his way. “Please--wait!” The Medicine Seller paused, though didn’t turn to face you. 

You huffed and puffed from the small excursion you had just rushed, watching his back as you tried to calm yourself. You watched the large wooden box strapped to his back full of so many grand mysteries. Watched his purple banana and the bits of ashy blond hair that pulled up into it. Watched the pointed ends of his ears as you silently begged him to turn his eyes onto you. 

Begged him to watch you like how you were watching him.

“I--I wish to go with you.” You fell to your knees then, uncaring if the path dirtied your clothes. “My mother was the only person keeping me here. I would have left months ago had I not known something disgraceful had happened.” The palms of your hands joined your knees on the ground, the cold stone of the path biting at your skin. 

“Get up!” Your aunt screeched. “How unbecoming--disgraceful--undeserving--” A foot stomped into your side, causing a pained sound to spill from your lips. Another foot was quick to stomp on you, swaying you from your position. 

“I can cook.” You continued, keeping yourself steady against the onslaught of assaults your aunt was pounding into you. “And I can wash clothes. I am fast to learn--willing to be taught just--” Your aunt grabbed at the clothes on your back and pulled. Pulled hard enough you nearly came off the ground. You gave a frustrated shout, whipping around to a now surprised aunt. You gave her yet another shove. Harder this time. A shove that sent her flat to her ass on a howling yowl. 

You resumed your position, breath heavy in your chest as you pressed your forehead against the rock path. 

“Please allow me to follow you. At least until I have reached a land far, far from this one.”  You finished your plea. 

The air fell still--still except for that of the hissed curses and dishonors shot at you by your aunt. 

The faint sound of a pair of getas moving closer had your breath catching in your throat. 

Was he--truly?

“That would be quite…” You felt the pads of cool fingertips brush over the skin of your temple…then your cheek…then lower to tap at your chin. To tilt it upward and gaze upon his face. A face that seemed to once again steal the very air from your lungs. “Unorthodox.” 

You took a moment to bask in his lovely features. In the sharpness of them. In the paleness of his skin and the powder blue of his eyes. In the red marking painted on that skin. In the purple that delictated lined his upper lip--lips that were just as delicate as its lip lining. Lips you couldn’t stop but focus on the longest. They looked so soft--like the wind or sun hadn’t touched them once in his life. 

“Would it?” You found the strength to say. The peddler smirked down at you, eyes lighting in what you could only call humor. 

“You are of--” He paused to lean down, the movement bringing your attention right back to his lips. “High respectability. You’re family would disagree.” You scoffed at his words, an action that only seemed to make that amusement shine brighter. 

“No matter how they tried to hide it I am illegitimate--a bastard child born from the wickedness that had brewed in this house for far too long. I lay outside their silly names and the foolish respects put on them.” 

He watched you. For a long while he watched you, those blue eyes seeming to peer so deeply into your soul. 

Had anyone else peered through you in such a way, you would have shrunk away. Would have snapped at them to stop--but not him. When he did it, you only felt drawn in further. Felt the tip of his index and middle finger still resting under your chin spark and burn at the skin it touched. 

“Mononoke,” He started, thumb pulling upward to brush just beneath your lip. You sucked in a shuddery breath, lips parting shamelessly. “All have their own truths. Truths as dark and darker still than that of your mothers.” His near-purred words sucked you in. Because the only thing you could and would hear in that moment was his voice. “Many people deserve their wrath, but that is not something we are allowed to decide. We save the living, no matter how wicked.” 

He knew you had held out till the last moment to share your mother's three secrets. Knew you had turned a blind eye till the ones that hurt her had perished. 

“I will not be meant to feel shamed for such a thing.” He gave a title of his head in a small nod.

“No. But you must learn,” Again his thumb smoothed over your chin. Soothed so close to your lips. Just inches away, “if you wish to go with me.” You nodded. And nodded again as excitement sparked in your chest. 

“I will. It won’t happen again.” He watched you once more. Watched you in a way that wasn’t so deep and calculating as before. In a way that had your body shivering and aching to be blessed by it over and over again. 

The peddler leaned even closer. So close you felt his steady breath against your cheeks. So close you couldn’t help your neck from arching just that much further as if you could steal even more.

“Ask me once more.” A shaky breath spilled from your lips. Your eyes drank in his mouth. A mouth that always looked so mischievous, but was truly matching its painted mask then. 

“Please. Allow me to go with you.” Those fingers dragged under your chin slowly. Longer, purple-painted nails scratched lightly at your skin there before falling away altogether. You couldn’t help the little whine that bubbled in your throat as he moved away from you. 

You watched him stand to his full height, the glow of the sun washing him in gold that nearly matched that of light his sword gifted him. A light the sun could not compare to. Could never dream of comparing itself to. 

“Come,” He spoke, turning away from you once more. “We have long to travel.” You rushed to your feet, your excitement so strong you could hardly feel anything else. 

Your aunt shouted and screamed and cursed at you as you rushed to the Medicine Seller's side. He glanced down at you just as you glanced up at him and you found you were all too ready to start this new chapter of your life. All too ready to go with him.

[fanfictionstuff]

I kind of have an idea for a medicine seller (2007) fic, tell me what you think and if you'd like to write it.

So maybe he comes across a random house in the middle of nowhere and a brother and sister (the reader) live in the home. They welcome him to stay a night or two and give him something to eat. While Kusuriuri is thanking them, he questions if there was anything he might could do to help repay them maybe with some type of medicine or something. Siblings like assure him that it's fine and they're just happy to help someone. blah blah blah The time Kusuriuri is at their home, brother notices reader and him are kind of friendly and he gets a 'genius' idea. "Hey could you marry my sister to repay us!"

Because they live so far from everything, they don't know many other people around their ages. So big brother hasn't been able to help reader find a husband.

Kusuriuri turns it down, pointing out that the reader is a young beautiful woman and can find a husband much more suitable than a humble medicine seller. But the brother pushes it and when he still disagrees, brother requests that he at least guide reader into a town to find a potential suitor. Which Kusuriuri agrees to. Brother pulls reader aside and basically tells her most men as assholes and if she likes Kusuriuri and he treats her respectfully during the trip, maybe try to catch his interest on the trip. He believes Kusuriuri will change his mind on the trip if reader is interested in him. But brother doesn't push it too much and tells her if she doesnt then its okay and she can find a husband in town.

That is an interesting idea. I don’t mind trying to write it, however, I’ve got a few requests I’m working on right now. Just be aware of that, I’ll get it out, but I can’t give you an estimate of when it’ll get done.

I’ve been watching it repeatedly to try to get a better understand of the character. So I will try.

[bleeding0heart]

`If given a choice, would you choose to dream forever? Or confront the sardonic reality?`

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

`I'm not gonna listen to what the past says

I've been waiting up all night.`

.・゜゜・

•Denial🌀:

Kusuriuri thought as if he was hallucinating. If this was a dream, then he wanted to wake up.

When your head fell off, thus blood dripped down the ground, time seemed to stop. The medicine seller couldn't breathe, nor move. Instead, he could only stare helplessly as you were beheaded.

Your face, once so beautiful and lively, now a hollow mask of what once was. The crimson liquid now leaked out of the corner of your mouth, your eyes bloodshot red as blood oozed out from the gaps. You now reeked of death.

•Anger💥:

Now those people wanted to take your corpse away from him to burn it? No way in hell he'd let them do it.

Not only had they killed you, but now they wanted to seperate you both? That's outrageous.

•Depression☁:

He felt useless.

Kusuriuri just wanted to crawl into a pit and cry, perhaps dying there too if he could. He hated this, hating himself for not being there for you, hating the people for ending your life.

But no matter how hard he tried to convince himself otherwise

It'd always be his fault.

•Acceptance🕯:

Kusuriuri had lost you for good.

Maybe, just maybe...

He'd meet you in the afterlife.

And he'd make up for it, he swore. He'd spoil you with affection and love, would always be there to protect you, would be a better partner for you.

As he thought about the family that you both could have had, the blade came down on his neck.

...

Something is missing, don't you think so?

[catbread0]

Can you please do a medicine seller x yokai reader like the reader is nice yokai that can make shields to protect people and the medicine seller falls in love with the reader and the rest is up to you (the medicine seller and the reader are the same age and it has a happy ending)

Kusuriuri (2007) x Yōkai! Fem! Reader

I loved doing this request! I hope what I wrote is to your expectations! Sorry for any mistakes!

(　＾∀＾)♡♡

Words: 1,829

Fluff, some curse words, mention of death and cheating, a bit of angst, happy ending

Mononoke (2007) Masterlist

An Endless Path

You were a yōkai for centuries. You couldn’t even remember what misdeed you had done to become a yōkai. You had the ability to make a shield appear whenever you would like.

You walked on an endless path, appearing as a normal human being, like the people around you, being kind towards other civilians and protecting them as you walked your path. 

When you saw other yōkai, onryō, shiryō, or a ikiryō trying to devour people or inflict harm on them, you would quickly defend the person with your shield and try to put the spirit into peace.

However, sometimes you had to kill them. Their soul would scream in pain when you did this. It saddens you, knowing that you could have been just like them if you hadn't been so lucky to bestow the chance of still being semi-human.

Now here you were, walking through a crowd of lively people. There was a festival taking place. 

Women looked beautiful with their kimonos or yukatas and glorious hair pieces. The men looked handsome and dashing with their montsuki. Children running around with candy, lanterns, masks, or toys.

Everywhere was colorful and filled with a happy, loving family or friends enjoying themselves.

You felt out of place. You had your kimono that you wore almost all the time. It looked worn out, with a few stitches due to some of the fighting you did. It was also a bit dirty at the ends due to that too, and the colors looked dull. You didn’t have any stunning hair pieces like others, you also didn’t have much yen, so buying new clothes would be out of the question. It would be too expensive, and you would probably ruin it within a few days due to your fighting and helping civilians. 

You also were lonely. Everyone had a lover, sibling, or friend to spend time with together, in this festival. Since you’ve walked an endless path, you didn’t have anyone walking beside you. So you carried on, walking around the festival, and only being able to imagine yourself in a pretty kimono, pretty headpieces, and spending it with someone.

Soon, the festival was coming to an end, and it was turning late at night. Meaning there was a chance spirits would wander here soon. 

What was once a cheerful, crowded place was now a dead silent night. You walked around the town and passed houses for some time.

Nothing…how strange.

You were confused. Surely, the loud noises from earlier would have attracted spirits here. But there was nothing, so after a few more times looking around, you decided to rest for the night.

You looked for an inn that was still open.

Thankfully, you found a small inn that was only 2 stories tall. You checked into a room right before they closed the doors. 

You settled into your room and started to prepare to sleep. You changed into the simple yukata that the inn graciously provided. You brushed your hair and got in your futon. 

You slept soundly until a scream was heard. You immediately woke up and looked out the window. It was the middle of the night.

You exited your room and hastened your run to find the source of where the scream came from. 

Thankfully, this inn is small. You were able to find the room and opened it quickly. You saw a man looking petrified on the ground and another standing in front of the man with his back towards the man on the ground. 

The man standing looked���off? He didn’t have a yukata like most people would have at this time of night. Instead, he wore a kimono with designs and patterns you’ve never seen. He was carrying a big box on his back and a sword in one hand with a weird face on it. 

You shook those thoughts away and walked towards the man on the ground. You tried to understand what had happened earlier until you saw a woman appear. She looked like a mad woman who got possessed.

You made a shield appear in your hands and threw it at the woman. It went through her body, and her body went into puffs of clouds. But seconds after, the room started shaking violently.

The strange man said in a monotone voice, “Tools that are designed to kill people are completely useless when it comes to Mononoke. It would enrage them more, as you can see.”

…You rolled your eyes, “Well you should have told me that. If tools can't kill it, then why are you holding a sword? Wouldn't that be useless like you said.”

Without even looking at you, he stated, “I said tools to kill humans are useless, but tools to kill Mononoke are useful.”

“...Smartass…” You mumbled under your breath.

After a while, the Mononoke was eventually slayed. The poor woman's negative emotions were so strong that she became a Mononoke. The man that was on the ground had gotten caught cheating on her at the festival. Not wanting his reputation ruined, he took her life.

You exited the room with the strange man.

You then walked back towards your room, and that's when you realized the strange man was still behind you. “Why are you following me to my room? What are you, a pervert?” You were already tired from waking up in the middle of the night and dealing with a Mononoke that you were annoyed with almost everything.

“No, I am just a medicine seller. My room is just right in front of yours.”

…You just wanted to sleep in your futon now, “Sorry then”.

You went into your room, plopped into your futon, and fell asleep.

It was now the next day. The sunlight hitting your face made you wake up from your slumber. You started to get ready to leave the inn and continue your endless path again. Until you remember what happened last night.

You felt embarrassment start to take over. You were so tired and annoyed last night that it didn’t settle in your mind. 

You thought of how to formally apologize to him since he did most of the work to kill the Mononoke. Once you finished putting on your kimono, you went outside and knocked on his shoji in front of yours.

He slid open the shoji, and you started apologizing to him for the miscommunication. “I sincerely apologize for my words, I was tired and wasn’t thinking straight about my actions. Is there anything I can do for you to accept this?”

He was looking at you with a blank expression before he finally answered. “It would be helpful to have an assistant making medicine and slaying more Mononoke in my path.”

With that, you became his assistant. At first, it was supposed to be for a few weeks. However, it felt nice to have someone to walk with on both journeys. So you continued to stay with him. You started calling him Kusuriuri and found out he was also a yōkai, a kitsune. 

Many months went by quickly, and you started to develop feelings for Kusuriuri. You tried multiple times to put those feelings aside, but it would always come back. 

It was Valentines Day, and you made honmei-choco for Kusuriuri. Honmei-choco began a few years ago. They are a type of chocolate that women give men as a love token to express their romantic feelings for them. 

You've never made them before. You were nervous that they would taste horrible or that Kusuriuri would reject your feelings. You were having second thoughts.

Soon, you were in front of Kusuriuri on the engawa. You held the honmei-choco in front of hIm.

Kusuriuri tried to take the gift from your hands, “I can't receive your gift if you have a harsh grasp on it.”

You didn't even notice that you had a tight grip on the gift. Nervousness was all over your mind. 

Kusuriuri took the honmei-choco and looked at it then back to you. “Thank you for the chocolates”

You both sat on the edge of the engawa. You watched Kusuriuri eat one of the chocolates and waited to see his reaction. You felt relieved when he continued eating the rest of the chocolates.

It's been 1 month, and it's now March 14th. Ever since you gave Kusuriuri that honmei-choco nothing has changed, everything was the same as it was. He must not have felt the same towards you.

You hadn't seen Kusuriuri for almost the whole night yesterday. He said that he would return, but it was already turning into the afternoon. 

You were walking around the small house that you two were currently temporarily staying in.

You were in the garden to enjoy the fresh air, and since you weren't inside, you didn't hear the genkan slide open and close.

Kusuriuri had returned and found you in the garden. He approached you and handed you a box of white chocolates, a hairpin, and a red camellia.

“Forgive me if I made you worried about not returning last night. I was busy trying to find the red camellia and a hairpin you may like for White Day.”

You were shocked. He reciprocated the gesture. Men would do that to show the women that they love them back. 

You were filled with joy and jumped onto him. He wasn't expecting that and fell backward onto the ground with you.

Kusuriuri puts the beautiful hairpin and red camellia into your hair. As you both sat under a tree, the garden had and shared the white chocolates. 

Bonus!

It was 2024, so many decades have passed since that day, and you and Kusuriuri's love for each other has grown. 

It was Valentine's Day again, and you had given Kusuriuri a honmei-choco again. Over the years, you've gotten better at making them.

As Kusuriuri was eating the chocolate, he decided to confess something, “Do you remember the first honmei-choco you made for me?”

You were confused about where this was going, “Yeah, of course.”

He continued while eating the chocolates, “All of the chocolates were different, some were too bitter, some were too sweet, and some of the chocolates hadn't fully hardened on the inside. But I knew you were looking, and I didn't want you to be upset, so I kept eating them.”

He had a smirk on his face once he finished his sentence 

You felt an angry tick mark appear on your head…

Someone is sleeping on the couch again and it wasn't you.

(I know giving a hairpin to someone as a love token, or engagement, was in ancient China and not in Japan, however in the anime and during the Edo era, there were still some Chinese influences, so I decided to add that.) 

Onryō - Vengeful spirits

Shiryō- Dead spirits

Ikiryō - Living spirits 

Engawa - A traditional Japanese architecture

Genkan - A traditional Japanese entryway

Red camellia - In Japan it's often associated with love and passion.

~Lilly's

[mokokone]

Hello! I have an idea/request!!! I saw your Kusuriuri's and love them SO MUCH! Can I request maybe a Kusuriuri x reader with the red string, I heard that Kusuriuri is "unlikely that he can ever settle down and marry" so maybe the reader is the one that follows the red string and finds him. You know just a cute writing! Have a good day/afternoon/night! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ ♡♡

A/N: I had to do a little research on Japanese mythology before writing this. Hope you enjoy!♡

The Red Thread [The Medicine Seller/Kusuriuri x Reader Soulmate AU]

When you'd first seen the thin red string that was neatly tied to your pinkie finger, you knew immediately that Okuninushi no Mikoto, the God of Love and Marriage, had bound you to your soulmate.

You so badly wanted to meet them, but you were a little afraid that they might not be what you had imagined. However, as days turned into weeks and weeks into months, the red string remained a constant reminder of the divine connection you shared with your soulmate. You found yourself growing more and more curious about who they could be, wondering if they were thinking about you too.

The anticipation and excitement continued to build, filling your heart with a mixture of hope and apprehension. Every time you looked at the string, you felt a surge of warmth and comfort, knowing that somewhere out there, your soulmate was waiting for you.

Thus, you began your journey through the land of Edo in search of the one connected to you by the red string of fate.

From bustling streets and rural villages to serene gardens and sacred shrines, the sense of connection you felt grew stronger. With each step you took, you felt an unfamiliar, small tug on your pinkie.

However, nothing came from those small tugs on the string. Despite the initial excitement and hope that had filled your heart, the absence of any further signals left you feeling uncertain and restless. You began to wonder if perhaps you had misinterpreted the signs or if the timing was simply not right.

As you were about to lose all hope, you suddenly felt that one constant pull, and you almost thought your finger was going to come off.

Curiosity is eating you alive. You take a deep breath and stand, following the string whenever it tugs. It was as if it was guiding you.

You want to know who you are connected to and why. You follow until the red string leads you to a red torii gate. Passing through, you're met with a gorgeous garden of pink hydrangeas and a beautiful shrine covered in papar Ofuda.

You stare at it in awe for a moment until the red string begins to glow brightly.

Slowly, you approach the shrine and see a man sitting on the engawa.

He had dirty blonde hair and wore a purple bandanna. He's dressed in a vibrant kimono with beautiful psychedelic patterns, and his appearance looks elven-like. The outsides of his eyes are outlined by strange markings, with the ones underneath forming the appearance of teardrops. And his upper lip is painted purple, making it appear that he is constantly smiling.

He doesn't look human at all. In fact, he remained like a sly fox. But the red string seems to connect to him as it does to you.

For a moment, you stare at him until his gaze meets yours.

"Oh!" His voice is velvety and attractive as he raises a tad, "A visitor."

Suddenly, you felt naked as he shamelessly eyed you up and down; the corners of his mouth curled along with his painted lips in an amused smirk.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of this special visit?" He asked.

"Are you... my soulmate?" You asked shyly, slowly inching your way closer.

You wanted to get closer to him, but stopped a few feet from him so as not to invade his personal space. You were strangers. The enchanted Ofuda covering the shrine acts as a warning to you to keep away.

"Hmm, perhaps I am." He tilts his head in question. "First, I'm hunting Mononoke, and the next thing I know is that I have a red string tied to my finger."

He then eyed the string tied to your own finger as his smile widens. Gently, he pulls at the red thread as if trying to pull you forward.

"It would seem the old man has a sense of humor," He said.

Your face heats up in embarrassment as you shyly avert your gaze toward the ground. However, another tug on the string brings your attention back to him.

"Anyway, I've been waiting for you to come find me," He replies.

"Y-you have?"

He nods.

"Though, you'll have to excuse all these... decorations," he says, gesturing towards the paper ofuda covering the shrine. "They were for safety measures in case you were a mononoke. Okuninushi is an old friend of mine, and I had assumed this was his way of a joke. But apparently I was wrong."

"Uh, do you have a name?" You asked him.

"I'm just a humble medicine seller," He answers nonchalantly.

"You don't have a name?" You tilt your head in question.

Another smile graced his painted lips, and he is like a fox.

"I am but a humble medicine seller, nothing more."

Did he simply not have a name, or was he hiding it out of habit? Either way, you decided to call him as is.

"Kusuriuri, then," you say.

The Medicine Seller, or "Kusuriuri," grins in response, the sight of his sharp canines making your heart thump faster as the red string of fate that connects you both glows brighter.

Soon, he silently motions you over to sit next to him, which, after a little hesitation, you do.

For a moment, neither of you speak, the tranquil silence enveloping the space between you like a soft, comforting blanket, creating an atmosphere filled with anticipation. You feel Kusuriuri's enigmatic gaze on you, and for a second, you think that he's displeased by what he sees.

What if he finds you mediocre, ugly, or disgusting?

"Are you happy with the result?" He suddenly asked, nearly making you jump.

"Eh?" You meet his gaze. "M-me..?"

He nods in response, a gentle affirmation that propels your heart into a flurry of emotions as you realize the depth of his query.

"Yes."

Oh! Apparently he was having the same thoughts as you and is now asking if you're happy with the outcome.

You're not sure if it's the red thread that ties your souls inextricably together, but you couldn't be happier to have finally met him. It's clear he's not human, but you refuse to let such distinctions cloud your feelings or cloud your judgment of what truly matters.

"Okuninushi wants to know if you're satisfied with me being your soulmate. It is why the red thread glows," Kusuriuri explains, his words carrying a weight of significance. "If you are disappointed or unhappy, then you can untie and remove it from your finger." He added.

You're surprised by this. I mean, did you really want to untie the string? Yes, you and Kusuriuri are strangers and hardly know each other. But surely there's a reason why the God of Love and Marriage chose Kusuriuri to be your one and only.

Feeling a mix of curiosity and apprehension, you gaze at the glowing thread that binds you and Kusuriuri together. As the significance of the situation sinks in, you find yourself hesitating, unsure of whether to keep the thread intact or to sever it and potentially change the course of destiny.

However, Kusuriuri doesn't seem to be complaining much since he's making no effort to remove the string, which piqued your curiosity.

"Are you happy, Kusuriuri-san?" You asked while averting your gaze back to him. "Are you satisfied with me being your soulmate?"

The words tumble out of your mouth in a rush, betraying the anxiety that has been building up inside you.

For a moment, he said nothing and only stared at you, which started to worry you. However, the corner of his lips arched upward as he smiled. His smile is enigmatic, hinting at a depth of emotion that you can't quite decipher.

"Only if you don't find me uninteresting," he says. "I am quite satisfied with my result." His words are cryptic yet strangely comforting, leaving you with a sense of peace.

"You are?"

"Yes, very much."

Slowly, he leans in close until he's inches away from your face. The sudden proximity made your face feel warm. His presence feels both familiar and unknown, drawing you in with a magnetic pull.

"I must admit, it gets lonely traveling alone, and I could use some company," he tells you with a soft smile.

The warmth of his eyes draws you in, hinting at a desire for connection and shared experiences in the boundless expanse of the world.

"Then, yes, I am happy, Kusuriuri-san," you finally answer in earnest.

Okuninushi didn't make no mistake.

"Then, would you care to join me on my travels, my dear?" He asked you.

You nod in agreement, still mesmerized by the sincerity and depth of his gaze, you feel an unspoken invitation to join him on an adventure, uncertain of the destination but eager for the journey ahead.

Without a word exchanged, the silence between you speaks volumes as you both lean in, closing the distance between your lips. In that fleeting moment of connection, the world around you fades into insignificance, leaving only the sensation of his touch and the shared intimacy of that tender kiss.

The red string of fate glows brighter, as does your bond.

[bugs1nmybrain]

Mall Slut ~ Shigaraki x Reader

Summary: Shigaraki and the reader go to the dispensary in the mall, get stoned, and get really horny. So they fuck.

Author's Notes: I've been contemplating writing this fic for a while. It's a silly concept to me, and I wish I could live this fantasy irl to be honest. The reader has specific physical and personality characteristics, they're meant to resemble me

Traits About the Reader: she/her pronouns, fem presenting and an afab body, alternative aesthetic, big ass, short

Warnings: NSFW (18+ MDNI), fem reader, drug use (marijuana), Tomura is a bad influence, sex while stoned, bathroom sex, spanking, exhibitionism, Shigaraki has blue hair, brat taming, wrote this while stoned, POV swings, Shigaraki calls the reader a slut, squirting, daddy kink, reader is resistant to Tomura's quirk

Going to the mall was one of Tomura's most frequent pastimes, when he wasn't too busy being pissed off at hero society. Sometimes, he'd simply let himself throw a hoodie on so no one would recognize him, and get out a bit. Maybe check out some game stores, maybe a hot topic if he was feeling desperate for merch. However, one spot in the mall was his favorite, for reasons. And no, it wasn't Spencers.

"You'd be surprised by the deals they have here," Tomura commented as you both strolled your way down the crowded mall. You dodged some idiots who didn't look where they were walking, almost bumping into you. Tomura's face lit up with evident annoyance, but you simply tugged on his arm and kept walking.

The effect you had on him was criminal, he'd say. How such an abrasive, pessimistic, and irritable man could be railed in by one cute little alt girl with a fat ass.

Seriously, you always had to wear the sluttiest skirts that showed off your thighs and hips. Very unfair in his opinion.

You two had finally reached the dispensary, by the name of "Garden Aromas." Good weed store name. You two entered in to see a few people roaming around, looking at products. There was a decent line forming.

"I'm thinking carts," Tomura says, leading both of you straight to the vape section.

"You have that kind of money?" you asked, knowing how expensive that shit is.

"It's fine. I got lent some cash from Kurogiri and I also found a wallet on the ground the other day. I've got money."

"What kind, then?"

"You choose."

You eyeballed the selection of strains. You were at the mall, so nothing to make you sleepy. Or too cognitively impaired. You could very well ask the budtender what he'd recommend, but you hated talking to strangers.

"Me?"

"Who the fuck else would I be talking to?"

"Mimosa."

"Pick one more, between you and I that will be gone in less than a day."

"Fuck..uh..strawberry cough."

"Aight."

Tomura and you waited in line for a bit before coming up to the counter. You told the seller what strains you wanted so he could grab them from their locked casing. You brought out your medicinal card (Tomura didn't have one) and kaching.

The carts went into a special bag and handed over to you, but Tomura took the bag from your hands as soon as it ended up in them. As you two exited the store, Tomura went roaming around in his black backpack that he brought, quickly pulling out the battery to a dab pen. He takes one of the carts from it's packaging and attaches it to the battery before taking a brief hit from it.

"Uh..we're out here," you comment, nerved by the fact that someone could see Tomura hitting the pen out in the open, not bothering to censor himself.

"It's fine. No one will care, as long as it's not in front of one of those mall cops. Most people would probably think it's nicotine, anyways."

"I guess you have a point."

"Of course I do. Here."

Tomura shoved the pen in your hand. You two were currently at a fountain. You took a hit from the pen, not really thinking about how much you were inhaling. As soon as you exhaled, you coughed up a storm, and if you two weren't standing out before, you surely were now.

"Haha!" Tomura cackles. He always got a kick out of your amateur lungs. "People are gonna think you're sick. We should find a better spot."

"y.." you were starting to feel it coming. "yea."

"Come on. I know where to go."

"Okee."

You were sooo stoned. Just from that one dreadful hit. You tried to wrap your head around your surroundings as Tomura pulled you around the mall. Not only were you stoned, but you were also pretty short. If you'd let him he'd probably keep you on a damn leash all the time; you were simply too easy to lose.

"Where are we going, Tomura?"

"Here."

You hadn't been paying much attention to the direction you were walking. Tomura stopped in front of the restrooms and was now dragging you to the men's bathroom. It didn't smell the best. Tomura stopped a little bit before the entrance and glanced in to see if there was anyone in.

"We're good. Come on."

There weren't many stalls in this bathroom, only two and then many urinals. Tomura placed his hand on your back and guided you to the farthest stall, locking the door behind him. It was a big stall, thankfully. Tomura took out the pen once more and clicked on the button to activate it. He pulled for a long time. When he finally stopped, he held the vape in his lungs for a couple seconds before exhaling.

"This hits nice. I've always considered it relaxing," he says, twirling the pen in his hands as he simply stared at it, and continued to talk to you. "How are you feeling? Are you fucked up?"

"I'm stoned, yea."

"Anything more special than that?"

"I mean. You look cute right now. Like cuter than usual. I don't know if it's because I'm stoned but..you're cute."

He stood there in awe, not expecting that response. You didn't either, it just came out. It was true though, as you allowed yourself to look at Tomura's face, or at least what you could see with his hoodie on, you became reminded of how much you adore him. His shaggy blue hair, blood-red eyes, and dry skin all were traits about him you found especially alluring. Some people wouldn't understand the dry skin part, but it was a staple of Tomura's. You couldn't really imagine him with smooth skin. It wasn't a bother, he looked like him, which was perfect for you.

"You're definitely high," Tomura shrugs, slumping back on the door. "You need to get your eyes checked."

"Nuh-uh. You're cute."

"You're a liar, then."

"I'm being for real," you reached out and without thought, wrapped your arms around Tomura and rested your head comfortably underneath his chin. "You're snuggly, too."

"You and I clearly are not smoking the same shit."

"It's vape."

"Shut up."

He put up this fight and displayed himself as if he was annoyed, but he never pushed you away or tensed up as if he was uncomfortable. In fact, the embrace soothed him in a way. It almost pissed him off, knowing how much of a damaged and deranged person he is, and knowing that at the end of the day, you still give him the warmest hugs and call him silly.

"You know..your boobs are pushing against me."

"Eheheh...should I move away?"

"Rnn...no, I guess not."

With that response, you held him even tighter, nuzzling your face at his neck.

He smelt nice. Well, maybe not "nice." Tomura wasn't the freshest guy. He wasn't utterly disgusting, and he didn't smell intolerable, just a little funky. It was a natural musk that calmed you, because the smell was his alone, and comforted you.

His smell was making you feel...clingy. Not to mention his form pressing against you. Tomura's temperature was confusing. To the touch, he's often chilly. However, when you're caught in each other's embrace he seems like a furnace.

"Y/N.."

"What?"

"I have a semi."

You backed up a little and looked down at his crotch. Surely, there was a bit of a bulge. He always wore slim-fit pants so it wasn't hard (ha) to tell when he had a boner. Without consideration about your location, you instinctively went to fumble his bulge through his pants, giving you a startled response from Tomura.

"Hey, if you start that, you know how it'll end."

"I know."

You could swear you felt Tomura's bulge move a little when you said that. You being a little brat never failed to ignite something in him.

"Is that right?" Shiggy flirted. "Then are you gonna be a good girl about it?"

Your face was already flushed from the weed, but now it was even worse. You nodded with a whimper. Tomura watched as you pulled down his boxers, his dick wobbling out afterwards.

Eagerly, you gripped his cock and stroked it in pace, triggering a satisfied grunt from Tomura. You were such a perfect slut for him. He thought to himself that you were doing this on purpose. Touching him in the bathroom like this. Did you want to get fucked in a public bathroom? For people to hear as he made you weak? Heh...

He was going to test this hypothesis.

Shigaraki reached out to stroke your hair a little, tucking your strands behind your ears. His eyes remained lidded, looking at you with lust. He wanted to take you right now, but he wanted to make you all cute and horny for him first. He knew how to get you that way, too.

"Care to give me a show?"

"Hm?"

"Don't hm me. Let me see how pretty you are without that shirt on, hm?"

You blushed and darted your eyes down to his cock to avoid looking at him in the eyes. He giggles at your adorable, shy demeanor. After snickering at his needy request, you tug your shirt over your head clumsily, revealing your black push-up.

"That's coming off too, I hope?"

"Where are your manners?"

"Pllleeeeeeaaaaassseeee?"

And down came your bra. And weren't you a sight for sore eyes? Not only did Tomura adore your tits, you were also accompanied by a pretty black shirt. Easy access. He slid his hands in between your thighs, grazing your panties with his fingers.

"You're wet, hehe..." sometimes when you smoked you got soaked much quicker and easier. It probably had something to do with the sensory processing that came with being high, but it worked in Tomura's favor.

"Mmm.."

How cute. Already whimpering for him and he hasn't done anything to you. You kept stroking Tomura's cock as you had been while he took your face in his hands and kissed you with hunger. It caused you to let go of his cock and lean closer into his embrace, pulling at his sweatshirt while you kissed. Tomura was a bit disappointed at the absence of your hand but distracted himself by reaching behind to grab your ass.

He moved his hands to your waist and held you firmly. He then proceeded to readjust the both of you, so that you were facing away from him. He made sure to let you lean against a wall for support. Tomura flicked your pretty skirt up to reveal your even prettier panties. Soft and lacey and colored black.

Too bad that your pussy was even prettier because your panties didn't remain on for much longer. Tomura pulled them off your ass, watching them drop to your ankles. He touched your pussy, stroking from your clit to your pussy lips. You were drenched, even just the slightest touch, and his fingers ended up sticky. He plunged two fingers into your core and rubbed your g spot perfectly.

"HmMM!!"

"Shhh...be a good slut and keep your voice down."

"Mhmm.."

Shiggy pulls his fingers out and goes back to your clit, rubbing it in swift motion, making you tremble for him.

"That feel good? Or are you just stoned?"

"Tomura..please...a little more."

He took a free hand and toyed with your nipple while he fingered you, burying his face in your neck from behind as he did so. His relentless stimulation drove you to a familiar feeling much quicker than you expected.

"MmMMm~!"

"Hehe...such a good little whore. I can feel your clit twitching on my fingers and everything."

"It's your fault!"

"MY fault? Who's the one walking around in these little miniskirts, pushing her tits up against me and grabbing my dick?"

His fingers got faster and more calculated and you could feel yourself beginning to cum.

"Aa-aawwh..."

"Ehehehe... good whore." Tomura kissed your neck while you came on his fingers, clit pulsing against the pads of them.

Tomura gave you a kiss on the neck as he allowed your pussy a few seconds of recovery. He began rubbing his dick along your slit soon after, eliciting a small yelp of surprise from you.

Then, you heard the sounds of someone's footsteps walking in. You tensed up a bit, worried about what their reaction would be, but your arousal caused you to gravitate your ass closer to Tomura, and he sank his cock all the way into your wet cunt.

"Ah!"

"Mmm..hehehe...shh..can't be too loud, can ya?"

Tomura began thrusting in and out of your pussy, trying to be discreet. It was hard, though, because the bathroom echoed at the slightest noise and Tomura couldn't control how his hips bucked against your ass. His feral desire felt himself become hungry at the sight of your ass jiggling as he thrusts into you. His pace becomes rougher, as he tries to recreate the image again and again.

"t-tomura.."

He doesn't say anything, but Tomura grunts again, this time adding in some heavy breaths and sighs. You looked so hot right now, and he fucking adored how you whined for him as he fucked you for any man in the mall to hear.

You heard a flush of the urinal but the person did not wash their hands from what you could tell. He could've been gross, but maybe he just wanted to get away from what you and Tomura were doing a bad job at hiding.

There (probably) wasn't anyone else in the bathroom now, so Tomura gave up all restraint on your cunt. He grips your waist and bounces you on his cock. As he watches your pretty ass do it's thing, he lands a swift smack on it.

"AH!"

"You're so hot..fuck.."

Your ass was red now, and Tomura would've almost felt bad if he wasn't such a sadist. He rubs it tenderly to soothe you, as he perceives that as his way of being "nice." It doesn't take long until he smacks it again, though, cock leaking at how you'd yelp at the attack.

"Tomura...I'm gonna.."

He didn't know what you were gonna do, but he was gonna make you scream while you did it. He plunged his cock in and out of you rapidly, angling it to rub your g-spot deeply, kissing your cervix while he did so.

"Awwh!~"

Suddenly, a small amount of clear fluid squirted out from your pussy, now leaking down from your thighs.

"Did you just piss?" Shiggy asks as if he's disgusted, but makes no effort to stop or even slow down the pace.

"I-I don't know!"

"Did my cute little girl squirt for daddy, then?"

"Rnn...mhm.." you weren't sure if he could see you nodding, but he was about to cum. You could tell by how deeper, faster, and uncoordinated his thrusts became.

"Aw..fuck I love you.."

"Mmm?"

"You know what I said.." His hips buck against your ass some more, but Tomura finally lets out a geeky groan, cumming deep inside of you. His cum seeps deep in you and as he pulls out, a little trail strings out as well.

"Hehe..."

You were panting like a dog, leaning your arms against the wall for balance. Shigaraki tucks his cock back in his boxers, and then reaches to grab the pen again. You weren't facing him, but you could see a puffy cloud form in front of your face. You turn around to see him ripping the pen and then offering it to you.

"Here's your aftercare."

"That's so romantic of you, Tomura."

"Uh-huh. Wanna go get some food?"

"Yea."

You took the pen from Tomura and took a hit yourself. The adrenaline from the sex mixed with your intoxication made you feel heavy, but Tomura's company provided you with a sense of safety. Which was funny, considering this whole mall would shut down if anyone knew he was here.

"I want ramen."

"I want a kiss."

"Damn, come here then, loser."

Tomura caves into your soft nature and leans down for short but sweet kiss. His lips were chapped, per usual, but they were still supple somehow. He was also very affectionate with his tongue.

He pulls away and opens the door, cocking his head to signal you to get out. As you both walked out you saw as someone was standing at the mirrors, typing on his phone. How long was he there? Tomura pays no bother and pulls you out of the bathroom, and you make your way to the food court.

[an-idyllic-novelist]

Hotaru Haganezuka with Chise!reader headcanons 🎐🪴

Warnings: OOC, aged up!reader (will be in their late twenties), foul language from Hotaru, mentions of enslavement, violence, blood, and the setting takes place five years before the main plot of Kimetsu no Yaiba/Demon Slayer, so Hotaru will be 32 years old instead of his canon age, 37.

If any of the following warnings might be a potential trigger, please hit the back button on your mobile device or computer and read something else.

This is a two-part collaboration with @deathmetalunicorn1 featuring the character!reader as Chise Hatori from the anime/manga series, The Ancient Magus’ Bride.

Our inspiration came from the magnificent Haganezuka x reader created by @yuki2sksksk. If you guys haven't check it out, do so because it is amazing and deserve more recognition! :)

Before we begin, here a few words from my dear colleague @deathmetalunicorn1:

"I hope you all enjoy the fruits of our combined hard work on this project. Please stay safe and don't hate us for the cliffhanger :P

With that being said, sit back, relax, and enjoy! ;)

PART TWO LINK IS HERE

PART THREE LINK IS HERE

PART ONE: HITSUZEN

Being in a romantic relationship with Hotaru Haganezuka is not simple, even after five years of marriage. [First Name] would not have it any other way, though, because this temperamental man makes each passing second worth it. If she was given the choice to go back in time and start all over again, she would still reach out to the swordsmith. 

The two of them were acquaintances in the beginning, connected through Kanamori. [First Name] was one of two medicine peddlers who have set up shop in the village, selling their wares and providing treatment to ailing patients. Unfortunately, the chief was an occasional client due to his underlying medical conditions and old age, but thankfully  his tenacity allowed him to bounce back to his cheerful self with the proper medicines. Haganezuka was the one who picked  up the elder’s prescription when the latter caught a spring cold.

Their first meeting had been…awkward to say the least. 

She had been in the back wrapping up Lord Tecchin’s order in thick brown paper to ensure the corked, glass bottles were protected if the package accidentally fell on the ground when she heard the front door slide open, followed by an annoyed voice calling out if anyone was around. [First Name] promised to be right out, grabbing the parcel and walking quickly to the shop’s front.  There, Haganezuka stood; with his mask on, she couldn’t tell if she kept him waiting too long. 

“Oi. You’re the medicine woman?” He asked curtly. Kanamori mentioned before that annoyed or slightly pissed off pitch in his voice is normal, so she didn’t mind it and bowed to him.

“I am.” She introduced herself with a polite smile, holding up the package. “You’re here to deliver this to Lord Tecchin, yes?” Haganezuka nodded. She gave it to him as she bowed to him again, wishing the swordsman to travel safely. He left without saying another word….and it was a good thing that he did. 

If he could see them, he’d probably scream at the ayakashi hovering just outside of the shop. The wind chimes were enchanted to prevent them from coming any further and causing havoc. But it looked like [First Name] would have to ask the woodcutter to make at least three more to cover the shop’s outside perimeter. Maybe throwing salt twice a day, in the morning and in the evening, might help too. 

These ayakashi, yokai, and the more friendlier ‘neighbors’, have been here since the dawn of time. They exist in the void, in stories passed down from one generation to the next. If they manifest in the human world, feeding on negative emotions, it was [First Name]’s job to purify and eliminate them. 

But they were drawn to her like a moth to the flame because they know…they know  this medicine seller isn’t entirely human nor a demon created by Muzan. [First Name] was something else, something she didn’t want others to find out or else she’d have to move again. She was really starting to enjoy living here, at least the outside of it while her shop was located a block away from the udon stand. 

Everyone was nice to her, and the kids, at least some of them, liked to learn about the herbs she collected or how to use them. The swordsmen and their spouses would always greet her, asking how her day was going or to be careful on her next trip to search for herbs in the nearby mountains. [First Name] prayed that this monotonous yet peaceful life will continue. 

Haganezuka had never noticed the medicine woman until he picked up the old man’s prescription. She wasn’t unusual in appearance or demeanor; [Hair Color] tresses falling past her neck, pulled back in a low ponytail, limpid [Eye Color] orbs. Coiled around her neck on a leather cord was a polished stone necklace with a natural hole in the center of it. She wore a dark green kimono with a yellow obi sprinkled with white spots, the color of the obi matching the ginkgo leaves of her black haori. She wore the same outfit every day. Definitely not unusual unless you’re from a noble house or rich enough to have more than two sets of clothes. 

That brat Kotetsu seemed to like her well enough; he’d seen him and some of the other kids help her gather herbs in exchange for sweets, but she didn’t let them go too far in the mountains, only at the foot or surrounding fields. She acted as a mentor or chaperone to them, patting their heads when they did a good job and stepping in when things got too heated between them, whether it’s about finding the correct herb or something else a kid would be willingly to fight over with a friend.

The other villagers seemed to like her too. Even Kanamori and his wife, and old man Tecchin. He’d hear snippets of their conversation with the medicine woman, like how Kanamori said these words to her:

“Good morning, [Last Name]! Are you heading to the mountains again?”

“Mm. It shouldn’t take me too long this time though. Morinozuka will be giving birth soon, so I’ll be making another patch of pain reliever when I get back. How is your wife, Kanamori? Is she feeling well today?”

“Much better, thank you!” Kanamori said. “She would like it if you’d join us for dinner this evening.”

“Oh. I don’t to impose -”

“We insist!”

“....All right. I’ll close up early once the work is finished.”

“Wonderful! See you then, [Last Name]!” Kanamori waved good-bye to the medicine woman as she turned away and headed towards the gates, a large lacquered box strapped to her back. 

No, he was not spying on them from behind a building. He just happened to be passing by, nothing more than that!

Honestly, Haganezuka isn’t sure what to make of the medicine woman. She was everywhere now - at Tecchin’s estate, traveling the streets to deliver her client’s prescriptions, with the children, and outside of her shop either watering her potted plants or fiddling with the wind chimes. 

He wasn’t sure when it started..when she became a distraction. 

After returning to the village once he’d completed a delivery, he began to seek out the medicine woman. He wanted to know what she was doing; organizing her wares, dusting those shelves crammed with glass jars filled with fresh or dry plants? What is she eating for lunch? Does she take regular breaks from her work, or did she keep going until the sun had gone down and went home?

If she wasn’t in town or resting at home,  he’d immediately assume she went to the mountains and sit outside the sweets shop, munching on mitarashi dango until he saw she’d returned safely. 

And he wasn’t doing all of this because he is worried about an unmarried, young woman who practiced medicine venturing out on her own in a dangerous world teeming with flesh-eating demons. Not at all. Clearly if she can handle almost daily trips to the mountains, she can take care of herself! She doesn’t need anyone to look after her. 

That’s what he’s been telling himself, so why won’t this weird feeling in his stomach go away? Maybe he was sick…that had to be it. He couldn’t afford to get sick now, he’s got work to do, dammit!

Looks like he really has no choice but to go to the medicine woman’s shop. Get herbs for whatever ailment he’s caught, and see that she is safe and sound in her establishment today. A win-win situation. 

However, even after he’d acquired an herbal remedy and took it twice a day as the medicine woman instructed, that bizarre, flip-flopping in his stomach and heart did not go away. If anything, it got worse when he was around her.

He wanted to put all of the blame on her…yet was it really her fault when she hasn’t done anything wrong? Normally he didn’t give a damn what others thought about him whether they were a respected elder or a snot-nosed kid, so what made [First Name] [Last Name] an exception?

The answer to this question came to him at the sweets shop. He had just finished his work for the day and decided to treat himself with several sticks of freshly made mitarashi dango with a cup of green tea, sitting outside on a bench. When he saw the medicine woman pass by with a weary expression on her face, Haganezuka’s body moved on its own, walking towards her and offering the confectionery he was just about to eat. The exhaustion in her eyes perked up at seeing the food in his hand…then uncertainty. 

Like she didn’t want to be a burden and take something from someone, even when that person is willing to do so. 

That’s probably what pissed him off so much that he pushed not one but two dango sticks into her hands before stomping away. He’d hoped that would be enough to calm his thumping heart, to forget about the medicine woman so he could focus on his craft, but that soft ‘thank you’ tumbled from her mouth to his ears…damn it!

If that hadn’t been enough to piss him off and send him packing to the mountains the following day, it was when Kanamori pressed five coins in his hand, saying the money was from their mutual friend. It was the equivalent of the mitarashi dango and tea plus enough to buy an additional stick of the sticky confectionery.  

What is with that woman?!?

He was familiar with the trail up to the bone-white range of craggy cliffs. He’d first pass two rocks stacked on top of each other, followed by the god of safe travels on the right side of the road. He’d briefly pray to it and leave a pretty stone as an offering before continuing the trek.  

He’ll soon see the vast evergreen wilderness stretching from the northeast, the scent of pine needles tickling his nose. Within forty minutes of traversing through the muddy road and wet vegetation, he finally entered the mountain’s gaping mouth. Haganezuka inhaled a deep breath, savoring the crisp air and the mild chill in his bones, already feeling so much better than being confined in the village. 

Carefully removing the straps of his traveling bag from his shoulders, Haganezuka set it down on the ground and began pulling out the tools needed to carefully mine the ores he used to forge the nichirin swords for his clients without severely damaging the mountain’s interior. Double checking that he had everything he needed, the swordsmith allowed himself to forget the affairs in the outside world and immediately went to work. 

He had only removed five very gorgeous pieces of ores when he heard pebbles shifting and sliding coming from inside the cave…as he recalled, he is the only one here. He paused for a moment, reaiming still as a statue for a moment before shrugging his shoulders, resuming the task of obtaining a sixth ore. He braced himself, ready to stand up and find another spot when he heard a low growl. Thinking it was a bear that had made the noise earlier, the swordsmith braced himself for evasive maneuvers and an escape route as he shifted a leg backwards. But when he looked up…all he could see, no, feel, was warmth. A burning sensation. 

Turning around, his eyes widened in horror and confusion as his gaze fell upon the largest lizard he’d ever seen in his entire life. Its obsidian scales glowed beneath the flame that began at the crown of its head to the tip of its tail. Amber orbs flashed dangerously as it stared darkly at him.

For whatever reason, this thing was pissed.

In his shock, he barely managed to dodge a swipe of its claws when it raised its right leg towards him. His clothes weren’t torn, but his mask shattered onto the ground. Haganezuka rolled away to dodge another attack, though this time those claws dug into his back and it fucking hurt.

He pushed his body upwards, scrambling to put some distance between himself and this lizard as the latter crawled towards him, snapping its jaws and the earth beneath its feet melting. He felt his heart hammer rapidly in his chest as its throat began to emit an iridescent glow, growing brighter and brighter behind its rows of razor-sharp teeth. 

“Get down!”

He snapped out of his trance, his eyes widening in shock and confusion as he saw the medicine woman race towards him and the lizard. The thing turned around too, its jaws widening and ready to attack when [First Name] threw a small, circular orb with greenish liquid sloshing inside right into the creature’s mouth. It screeched, throwing its head back as thick wisps of black smoke erupted between its teeth, body swaying until it collapsed into a boneless heap on the ground, right by his feet. 

Although flushed and slightly out of breath, the medicine woman looked incredibly relieved before she looked at him with a pinched brow, anxiety and concern darkening her eyes as she kneeled by his side, removing the large medicine box from her back, setting it down and began opening its drawers, pulling out bandages, herbs, scissors, and tiny glass vials. 

“Thank goodness I made it in time before something happened to you, Haganezuka. Are you alright? Did the salamander bite you? Hm, doesn’t look like it. No damage to your arms or front. Let me see your back. Oh, no. Oh dear, this is not good. I’ll need to use some of this and that, and bandage you up until we get back to the village. Haganezuka, I need you to stay as still as possible for me while I apply this medicine on, all right? It’ll sting, and it might hurt, but that’s a good sign. If the salamander’s claw had dug any deeper, it would’ve been a much more serious injury.” 

He couldn’t speak, his eyes darting between her and the…salamander as the confusion in his mind deepened until he couldn’t contain his frustration and yelled, “What the hell is going on here?!”

She blinked, more startled at his raised voice than annoyed or terrified before she sighed, standing up with her supplies and kneeled behind him. “That was a salamander. As you saw, it can breathe fire like the dragons from those Western fairy tales. I’ve put it to sleep with a draught, but there’s no need to worry now. It’ll be out for several hours. Though, in theory they aren’t supposed to even be here. They normally live at a higher altitude in the mountains or make their nests around volcanoes.” She glanced over at the slumbering beast. “The fact there’s one here is alarming. No one from the village will be safe until it can be safely removed….and its babies.”

“Babies?!”

“Mm. The black ones are female. The scales of their mates are much brighter and colorful…no, more ostentatious. Almost like a peacock’s feathers. Beautiful to entice a potential partner in a dance, but not at all durable. Still…the fact that it showed itself to you….it must have wanted you to see something.”

“It wanted me to see something?” He asked, releasing a low hiss as he felt a stinging, white-hot sensation spread across his back. The medicine woman quickly apologized, squeezing his shoulder briefly before resuming her treatment. “Salamanders cannot be seen by normal humans because they are creatures attuned to magic. They’re what you’d call a ‘neighbor’. As for what it wanted you to see…I don’t know.” She said, carefully lowering his shirt once the bandages were secured around the torso. Her brow furrowed in contemplation.

“She might have known you weren’t a threat, but got scared when you were getting too close to her nest. If you respect the neighbors, they will respect you in turn. There. All done. Now, we need to get you out of here. Are you able to walk all right on your own?” 

He nodded, standing up immediately before he hissed in pain. “Yeah. By the way…you’re not gonna stay here with this salamander, are you?” He asked. She might have knocked it out with that potion, but he was not going to leave her in the mountain by herself. It would leave a bad taste in his mouth, and Kanamori would get pissed at him for supposedly abandoning the medicine woman when that is far from the truth. 

She shook her head. “No. Believe me, I want to help the salamander and its children…but this is a job I can’t do alone. Once we get back to the village, I’ll need to inform Lord Tecchin of the situation and get in contact with a few friends.”

Hagenezuka sighed, running a hand through his bangs when he saw something glistening on the salamander’s right leg. He raised his brow. “Oi. Is that….a chain?” He said. When he looked over his shoulder, he saw [First Name]’s face tense. She walked quickly to where the creature laid on the ground, only to take a step backwards when bright, orange blood began to drip down its scaly appendage. She examined it closely,  leaning forward. He watched in confusion as the shine in those [Eye Color] orbs darken. Whatever she saw, he could tell that the medicine woman was angry. This is the first time he’d ever seen her like this. 

She then stood up, walking past him, collecting his tools and bags, handing them to him before grabbing her medicine box, hoisting the straps over her shoulders. “We need to go while there’s still daylight left. Salamander blood is highly toxic and as you probably saw, resembles lava. It’ll burn anything it comes in contact with.” 

He scowled. He didn’t like being kept in the dark and he knew that this is neither the time nor the place to interrogate the medicine woman. He quickly guided her out of the mountain, following the trail back towards the village. To his surprise, [First Name] went into more detail about these ‘neighbors’. They could not be seen by normal humans, but those that could see them were either chosen to be seen…or selected as its next meal. 

The tales about them, the ones that parents told their children to keep out of mischief, held some truth. As she had explained earlier, by respecting the neighbors, they will respect you in return. But the ones who grow in strength by feeding off of negative emotions were the most dangerous ones of all: ayakashi. 

She can see and converse with these entities because she is a Sleigh Beggy. The simplest explanation of a Sleigh Beggy is a queen bee, drawing others towards her unintentionally because of the power she possessed. The wind chimes around her shop and home were wards designed to keep out the neighbors and ayakashi. If either of these supernatural entities would try to harm the villagers, it was her job to slay the latter and chase out the former. 

As enlightening as this conversation is, Haganezuka only just became more confused. “Right…but what was that shackle doing on the salamander? You said it shouldn’t even be here in the first place. Don’t try to deny it, you were pissed when you saw that thing on its leg.”

He did not miss how her shoulders stiffened nor the quickened pace in her stride. Was she still angry? Or was she nervous? Instead of interrogating her further, he decided to keep his mouth shut and just wait to see if anything happened. Several minutes later, his patience paid off when she inhaled through her nose, exhaling deeply before she shakily answered him.

“That shackle…it was engraved with the crest that I recognize. That salamander was from an illegal auction house. Instead of dealing with rare antiquities or other items that might draw in a very rich nobleman…the auction house sells neighbors. From fairies in the West to mermaids from the oceans, they’ll offer anything their client’s heart desires. But these people aren’t just buying exotic pets to brag about…they’re selling them as magical ingredients for potions, and even weapons to protect their household.”

Haganezuka was torn between feeling sick to his stomach and ready to hit something, but he forced himself to calm down.”And how do you know so much about that auction house?” He asked, gritting his teeth. 

She must have misunderstood his anger being directed towards her and not the despicable people would even think about selling these animals, no, neighbors, to the public so long as they could afford it, because she stopped walking. Her face paled, her eyes were wide with anxiety, and she was trembling like a leaf ready to fall off from a branch. 

He took a step forward and cupped her cheek, using his thumb to tilt her chin upwards so she’d look at him straight in the eye when she answered him….if she was even ready to do that. As far as she might be concerned, they barely interacted with each other until now. When he noticed the color in her face turn magenta, he felt his own face burn with embarrassment as soon as he remembered his broken mask laid in pieces inside the mountain. 

[First Name] swallowed, placing a palm over the hand that was on her face before she whispered softly.  “Because…I had been there… as merchandise. I was the last item of the day, ready to be sold to the highest bidder for whoever wanted a new weapon, a new pet…or a bedside companion. I was young. Fourteen, fifteen years old. The one who bought me was my master. He rescued me, gave me a home, and taught me everything I know about the neighbors, the ayakashi, and…things about myself I still hadn’t been ready to accept. It’s thanks to him that I’ve grown to become who I am today, and the people I’ve met along the way…they’re amazing. I never knew that this world was so big, still so full of wonderful things to see and learn even when it may seem like bad karma is around every corner.” 

Haganezuka felt his heart twist uncomfortably. She had been through a lot, probably just as much as the Kamado boy and his little sister…no, that wasn’t right nor fair to compare the suffering and the pains that these three have been through, separately or whatever made damned sense. He just…didn’t think that someone who smiled sincerely at others carried the responsibility to protect them from unseen forces beyond their comprehension. He hesitated for only a moment, pulling his hand away from her face to cradle the back of her head while the other palm rested on his left shoulder. He felt [First Name] stiffen at the sudden contact, then sagged against him. 

She eventually pushed away, looking at him with a hesitant smile before she nervously rubbed the stone necklace. He watched as she swallowed nervously then turned away from him, trembling fingers starting to rub to the back of her neck. 

“Unfortunately, despite my mentor’s immense power, this is something he could never erase. The auction house…they had a very unique tracking system. Even when the merchandise is bought, a tracking spell will be forever embedded even when the customer is satisfied. Think of it as….a fail safe if their purchase ever decided to escape and couldn’t be found by normal magical methods. No matter where I go or how far I was from him, the master would always be able to find me.”

Haganezuka frowned, opening his mouth to ask what she was talking about when the medicine woman pushed up [Hair Color] tresses, revealing an uneven, dark patch of skin shaped like a serpent eating its tail….no. Wait. This wasn’t something caused from being burned by the sun. He realized. This was created by a branding iron. The medicine woman had been marked like livestock. 

As if she had lesser rights as a human simply because she had been bought by her master. This had to be the same mark she saw on the salamander’s shackle. 

He didn’t know how long he couldn’t breathe or think…whatever he was feeling right now, it felt even more intense than the rage and frustration when he found out that Tanjiro had broken or lost another sword. The only way he had snapped out of it was when he felt [First Name] gently touch his forearm, looking up at him with concern.

Then for the second time today, he hugged her but it didn’t last as long this time. They had to get to the old man, and fast. That was his excuse. Haganezuka didn’t know what the fuck possessed him to act like this but damn it she’d better not breathe a word about this to Kanamori. 

Not. A. Word. 

[First Name] immediately informed Lord Tecchin of the situation once Haganezuka was left in the care of the elder’s doctor. She had, in so many words, explained there was an unidentified poisonous herb growing inside the mountains. Until she is able to determine its toxicity and create an antidote, it was too dangerous for the other swordsmiths to go there. If they require ores for their work, she will be more than happy to collect what they need so long as they stay in the village for three to five days. 

Including Haganezuka, Lord Tecchin is the only other person aware of her true nature though this is only possible…because he had met the master so many years ago, when he had been a foolish and young apprentice. She did not know the extent of their history, only that her master saved Lord Tecchin from a fate worse than death at the hands of a shapeshifting ayakashi. 

Now older and wiser, his main priority was the safety of the swordsmiths and their families. Lord Tecchin immediately sent word out to them all to remain within the village until further notice. She thanked him profusely for listening to her selfish request before departing his residence to make the necessary preparations to handle the situation. She’d asked about Haganezuka, but the tiny man reassured her that the ill-tempered swordsmith is in good hands, so there was nothing to worry about. 

[First Name] checked on him early the following morning at his workshed before she left the village to meet up with the acquaintances she had contacted to safely relocate the salamander and its babies from the mountains. She did use a little of her magic to speed up his recovery once she finished applying more medicine to the lacerations on his back, and she hoped he never found out the truth about Sleigh Beggys. 

The less he knew, the better it would be for both of them. 

Haganezuka couldn’t believe he’d actually done it. He had gotten to the market and purchased a gift for the medicine seller with help from Kanamori’s wife. He told them it was because he felt gratitude towards her for helping him in the mountains, but that is it! Nothing more!

He inhaled a deep breath, grateful that he’d been able to find a new mask so that no one could see just how red his face was right now, standing outside of the medicine seller’s shop. He glanced down at the item in his hands. A potted plant with pale pink flowers. She should like them…right? 

His grip on it tightened slightly before he stepped forward, pushing the shoji door open. He called out to her, and she heard him, yelling from the back that she’ll be right there. He heard the pitter-patter of sandals tapping against wooden floors, followed by a string of apologies as she stepped into the light, greeting him with a smile. He wouldn’t have minded so much if he hadn’t been caught off guard with how exhausted she looked; dark circles under her eyes, her fingers smeared with ink, and even the front of her pristine apron had seen better days. Is she really all right? She had kept her promise and gotten the salamander relocated to a sanctuary within three days, unless something else was troubling her?

“Sorry about that, Haganezuka. How can I help you today?” She said as if she didn’t look like shit. 

He felt his eyelid begin to twitch rapidly. “What the hell is wrong with you?! When’s the last time you slept? Don’t you dare tell me that I work too much on my swords when you look like you’re about to pass out right now! That’s it! Where do you keep tea leaves in this place?!” He immediately began looking around the shop, irritation boiling in his veins as his gaze followed the verdant overgrowth of herbs to a dark wooden cabinet sitting just beneath the window. He scanned the labels on the first shelf, and to his dismay, there were just remedial plants. Nothing that can be used to boil water and make tea for the overworked medicine woman. When he looked back at her, there was a stunned look on her face. Why the fuck did she seem so surprised that someone’s actually worried about her?!

“Why aren't you sitting down yet?!”

“Haganezuka, there are no chairs to sit in here except for the back of the shop, which serves as my workstation.” [First Name] replied softly with a small smile. “I’m still studying the effects of the salamander’s blood samples that I collected, and I’m quite close to producing an antidote. I appreciate your concern, Haganezuka, and I promise I’ll make myself some tea when I go home tonight.”

He pouted behind his mask. Suppose that is fair. He’d never eat or drink in his workshed unless he sat outside on the veranda with sticks of his precious mitarashi dango, which itself was a rare moment of relaxation for him. Instead of trying to argue with her further, he just held up the pot for her to take. He felt his heart race at seeing her smile widen, stretching her small hands and taking the gift from him…

Chink. 

His eyes immediately went to her wrist, where he saw the pieces of a jade bracelet crumbled onto the floor. [First Name]’s eyes widened before her complexion turned a sickly green, her hands trembling rapidly before they loosened their grip on the potted plant. It shattered immediately upon impact, soil and flowers flung in different directions as she lurched forward, hands coming to her mouth as blood spilled between her fingers. She pulled her palms away, looking up at the blood dripping from them in shock before staring at him.

“Huh?”

He watched in horror as she fell backwards and he immediately sprung towards her, barely managing to catch the medicine woman before she landed on the floor. He carefully lowered them to the ground. With one hand cradling the back of her head and the other around her waist, he shouted at her. “Oi, [Last Name], [Last Name]!  [First Name]?! Answer me, dammit, this isn’t funny! [First Name]!”

Haganezuka stiffened when he received no answer from the medicine woman. Heart hammering in his ears and sweat beginning to form on his brow, he shakily inhaled a deep breath through his nose, then exhaled with his mouth. As he performed this calming method, he replayed the sound that wind chimes made in his mind for several moments until he could think clearly. He steadied himself, knees bending slowly as he lifted himself and [First Name] off of the ground. He turned, ready to bolt to Doctor Adashino’s hut but his feet stopped moving when he saw a figure blocking the shop’s entrance.

 It was a boy, probably no older than fifteen summers, with lightly tanned skin and black hair with bright green eyes peeking from under sweeping bangs. He was dressed in different shades of charcoal, as if he were conjured from the darkness itself; from the yukata that draped over his broad shoulders to the socks and geta sandals on his feet. The swordsmith did not know why but there was something about this brat that rubbed him the wrong way. 

“What do you want?” Haganezuka snapped, pulling the medicine woman closer to his body. The stranger didn’t seem to notice him, instead he gazed sadly at [First Name], sighing forlornly. 

“You’ve done it again, haven’t you my dear?” He murmured. “You do have a way of causing chaos, even when you have the best intentions in mind for those around you. When will you become selfish and worry about yourself first?” Shaking his head, the boy turned his gaze to him, eyes glowing in the darkness of the shop. “Give me the child.”

Haganezuka felt his left eye twitch. “What?”

“I do not have time to squabble nor do I wish to waste my energy on you,” The stranger snapped, pointing at [First Name]. “She has collapsed from magical overexertion. She must be treated immediately, or her chances of survival will grow thinner. Sleigh Beggy children are not as strong as they used to be.”

A tremor of shock blitzed through his body at the stranger’s words, though thankfully it wasn’t so obvious with his mask on. “How do you know who she is?” He demanded, his mind scrambling with anxiety and memories he could barely recall in this situation, what he’d learned from the medicine woman when they walked away from the mountains that day. “You can’t be a demon. They can’t roam freely in the sunlight as apparently you’re able to, you’re not drooling at the sight of her blood, and they don’t know anything about Sleigh Beggys. Or ayakashi. They can’t be seen by others unless they want to be seen. So who are you? Are you a neighbor, some spirit that pities her? Or are you someone else?”

“Watch your tongue, boy -”

“Where did you buy her?” Haganezuka asked suddenly. The stranger went silent, raising a brow. “When and how did you find out what she is? Did she ask for her freedom or was that bought too?” The swordsmith said, firing question after question. The stranger looked at him with an expression of exasperation and annoyance, his eyes flashing yellow for only a brief moment. 

“For a mere human who had survived the salamander’s wrath, you’re quite arrogant, but fine. I’ll play along.” He said. “I found out who she was from the moment she stepped onto the stage of the Fleeting Petals auction house in Kyoto’s business district, just when spring had arrived. A respectable antique shop during the day, and once a year, the only place in this country where you can find more than enough items to start a private army or create your own harem, whatever suited the customer’s  desires so long as the money rolled in to pay the price. She was the evening’s final item, and I had gotten into a bidding war with two other contenders for her. An alchemist from the East, and a samurai. Both wanted a weapon, I needed an apprentice. It is through me that she knows everything about the ayakashi and medicine.” He crossed his arms. “Is that enough? Give me the child, now.”

Haganezuka ran his tongue over his bottom lip, heart quickening. There is no doubt that this is the master who had bought [First Name]’s freedom. How else would this bastard answer his questions so flawlessly, or even know where she is? The mark on her neck has magic that makes it easy for him to track her down, and it was the one thing he could not remove with all of the powers he possessed. When the shop suddenly became darker, he glanced around, and felt himself grow pale. On the wooden wall closest to him was a looming, horned shadow whose body stretched all the way to the ceiling. It stared down at him with luminous, bone-white orbs. 

No. He didn’t want to give her away. He didn’t want her to go -

He yowled when the shadow suddenly peeled itself from the ceiling, grabbing the medicine woman from his arms before turning towards the master. Now cradling his apprentice close to him even when it looked absolutely bizarre for a child to carry a grown woman, bright green eyes stared at him. 

“I don’t know why she has revealed her secret to you…but you must be something special. Regardless, she will return home with me. You will look after her house while we’re gone. No, I cannot tell you when she will return. This is the length of my generosity, human. Do not disappoint me.” The master and [First Name] were suddenly enveloped in billowing clouds of smoke, disappearing from Haganezuka’s sight. 

It was only a moment later that the swordsmith realized there was a sudden eruption of noise coming from outside, people chattering and some distant echo of hammers slamming against metal.

The front door had been opened this whole time. 

Taglist:

@saltyfruitbat

@13rurururi

@myrisan-melodies

@praisethesuuun

@sketchlove

[deepflourishrosesstories]

Over the Treacherous Ocean

Male! Naga x Female! Reader

Warning(s): Medieval-ish setting, enemies to lovers, kidnapping, ocean setting, semi-harsh language(?), fluff

Word Count: 2.5k

Synopsis: Kidnapped by pirates for a ransom, you wonder if you could ever come to terms with the captain who drives you crazy from how beautiful he is.

A/N: Just like last time, this story is set in the same world as Swords Clashing, Weaving Through Complications, and my latest addition, A Crown & Masks! The reader will be the middle sister out of the three, who isn't mentioned much previously. This story is currently living in my brain rent-free because I love the thought of enemies to lovers, featuring a ruthless(?) and cocky naga who slowly shows his vulnerability as he starts falling in love and who doesn't.

As a heads-up, there will be lots of world-building, social issues, and history-related topics in the future, so I'm not quite sure if you will enjoy it. BUT, nonetheless, I will absolutely adore you if you do!

Part 2

The port market was bustling as usual, with the smell of all kinds of seafood caught in the neighbouring sea being filled in the air and the sharp tang of spices lingering here and there. Merchants were shouting their products, trying to best their competitors with the promise of better quality and cheaper prices.

You were with your mentor, a wise and knowledgeable healer from the Xaenait palace—Tokimune—whose nine fox tails trailed graciously behind him. He could sometimes be quite above the clouds, where his responses to certain questions were sometimes so bizarre that it took you a while to understand their meaning—it took a long time for you to come to a conclusion that he was not naive, but in fact was just simply a kind and easy-going soul that never really cared about anything outside of medicine. As if to prove it, he didn't bother to change his fox form into a human, showing all of his soft-furred ears and muzzle proudly.

“May I have those astragalus root and honeysuckle flowers?” Tokimune brought two pouches out of his sleeve and handed them to the seller. “Also, do you by any chance have peppermint and cumin in stock?”

Despite having all of those herbs in the palace storage, your mentor always loved to bring souvenirs from these markets, never failing to make you chuckle in amusement.

“Unfortunately, we’re out of peppermint and cumin,” the seller said, scratching his head sheepishly. Nevertheless, he swiftly and effortlessly packaged the astragalus root and honeysuckle flower in the pouch that was displayed, checking for the right amount that the kitsune wanted to have.

“Ah, no worries,” he replied, his eyes thinning from smiling like a fox. “I assume that the trade route between Slainem and Arathia will solve this shortage.”

The seller nodded, excitement twinkling in his eyes. “I can’t wait for it to be done. If you come by in the future, I’ll make sure to have that peppermint and cumin for you.”

Tokimune chuckled. “That will be delightful.”

Once it was done, you accepted the pouch from the seller's hand, and the kitsune gestured for you to walk with him, away from the herb seller.

“Do you know when the trade route is going to finish?” Tokimune asked with his archaic smile still in place.

“I’m not quite sure,” you said, thinking back to your oldest sister, Lan, rubbing her temple tiredly as she attended meetings and read through the paperwork for the project. “But my sister is working endlessly. Especially during the night.”

“Ah, I will send her some lemon balm tea to encourage her sleep,” he said with a chuckle. Your older sister was infamous for her tendency to stay up late to finish her work. "Perhaps Ryugen would be fit for the job."

“You will also have to tell him to watch her until she drinks it all,” you joked, to which the kitsune laughed heartily, showing all of his sharp teeth.

Alongside you and your mentor, disguised officials surveyed the market to check for any illegal imports that frequented the trade from pirates that entered the port. Many of them reported back to you, assuring that most of them were fine and that they were taking care of the ones that weren’t.

Just as you were about to thank them, a loud bang! sent a shock through your ears and the next thing you knew, one of the buildings blew up—you noticed that it was one of the lower-rank brothels. The market immediately tumbled into chaos, with screams and hurried footsteps rumbling to the ground.

“Your Highness!” 

Two officials came to your side and swiftly escorted you through the haze of dust and avoiding the tightly packed people by navigating through the less crowded places. Tokimune placed a helping hand on your back, gently ushering you forward, which you were grateful for—despite all the training you had with your sisters, your fear got the best of you in these situations for a lot of the time.

“We are almost there to our carriage!” the senior official shouted over the noise, guiding you and the others by braving the front.

As the carriage came into view, you sighed in relief and got onto it quickly, followed by Tokimune, and you immediately relaxed in the seat as the horses started to gallop, gradually picking up speed. However, the carriage came to a screeching halt and the door suddenly opened, and the next thing you knew, hands were shooting out to grab you. One of them caught your arm and roughly pulled you out of the carriage.

Finding your footing on the ground, you unsheathed your knife and tried to attack the offender, yet it immediately got knocked off of your shaking hand and the next thing you knew, your hands were tied and you were thrown onto their shoulder. With your levitated line of sight, you felt the blood rush out of your face once you saw that all of your guards, officials, and Tokimune were knocked out on the ground.

Trying to wriggle out of their grasp, you demanded with a snarl, “Let me down!”

“No can’t do, your highness” a voice said in front of you.

Looking up, a dark-skinned human man smiled—albeit slightly apologetically—at you. There was another, taller and buffer man that scowled at the easy-going nature of the other; with light green skin and small tusks protruding out of his thin-lipped mouth, you realised that he was a half-orc.

The half-orc grumbled something under his breath before he brought out a cloth and pressed it against your nose and mouth, filling you with a sickly sweet smell through your senses that gradually dwindled your anger into drowsiness as your vision enveloped into a black veil.

———

Once you woke up, you immediately felt the unstable ground, rocking back and forth in a steady rhythm that occasionally made you slide across the wooden floor where you were lying. Voices and grunts filled your ears, alongside the recognisable crashes of waves of the ocean. You were aboard a ship, and god knows how far you were away from the port.

Gasping in shock, you sat up with a jolt, only to feel the tightness of the rope digging into your wrist and ankle painfully.

“Finally awake, princess?”

A shadow towered over you against the setting sun. Taking your eyes off of the wooden deck, the first thing you saw was a glimmer of bright pale blue scales that seemed to trail endlessly into a snake tail. Slowly, you looked up to see the scales morph into a tanned human skin, bare and muscular, with intricate tattoos circling around his biceps. Finally, your gaze landed on his face—he was so beautiful that it made you dizzy and light-headed. His long silver hair was tied up in a messy bun above his head, with some strands falling gracefully down his cheekbones to his glimmering collarbones. His eyes shined a beautiful golden colour around the centre, turning a gradient to a turquoise colour around the rim, and his thin, vertical black pupil pierced you to your spot.

“What do you want from me?” you asked through gritted teeth, desperately trying to ignore your heart that was powerfully beating against your ribcage. 

“I expect a ransom out of you,” the naga said, a furrow covering his brow as you asked the question, twitching ever so slightly in irritation.

“How did you know I’ll be at the ports today?”

“Luck seems to be on our side today, princess.”

Blood rushed up to your head, and you couldn’t tell whether it was anger or his deep voice that reverberated inside you sultrily.

“Do not call me that.”

“I make the rules here, princess,” he said as an arrogant smile nestled widely on his face. “Captain Tamva, at your service.”

The tip of his snake tail swished to the side as Tamva placed his hand on his chest and leaned forward into a mocking bow.

“How bright of you to let me remember your name,” you said, sarcasm dripping venomously. Scanning the ship nervously, you tried to see if you could see any land across the ocean, only to find nothing but endless water.

The naga narrowed his eyes as his forked tongue slipped out from between his lips, revealing his sharp fang. “I’m not worried about my crew getting caught. Xaenait never had any control over the waters to begin with.”

You winced. That was a sore spot for you, especially when you had just been at the port market alongside officials to check the illegal imports brought into the dynasty from pirates like him.

“I will personally find you,” you spat. “And make sure you will be chained and thrown in a cell to rot.”

Something in his eyes darkened, and ever so slowly, he started to slither towards. Just as he was right in front of you, he lowered his face to you, harshly grabbing your jaw in a painful grip as he forced your eyes on him.

“You threaten all those things, yet I heard that you couldn’t even start a fight when we captured you at the port,” Tamva said, an ugly curl in his lips and eyes that looked at you with such disgust in his eyes, your breath hitched into a stop. “Pathetic.”

Eyes wide from fear, you felt a shiver run down through you when his forked tongue ever so lightly grazed your lips, all the while fuming at his insults.

Satisfied to see your eyes flaring in anger, he lets go of you with a rough push, turning his back on you.

“Bring her down the cell, boys!”

“Yessir!” the crew all shouted in response.

The human and the half-orc from before took your arms and lifted you up, dragging you into the dark cell.

——— 

The cell was dark, damp, and cold. Although your ropes were untied and you weren’t chained, the iron bars didn’t forgive any possible escape. All of your belongings were stripped away from you, including the pouch of herbs you bought at the market with Tokimune, and angry tears prickled your eyes at how helpless you felt.

Night apparently has fallen, as a gnoll brought a plate of stale, hard bread and cheese to eat for dinner. He slid it under the cell and seeing your apprehensiveness of accepting the food, the gnoll let out a high-pitched laugh, assuring you that it was bought from the market today. Still tentative, you took a bite, and devoured it down as your stomach rumbled with hunger; the gnoll was there the whole time, keeping watch. Once you were done, you begrudgingly thanked him and slid the plate back at him and he accepted your gratitude with a chuckle.

Before he left, he told you, “I was surprised, you know, when you pulled out that knife when I grabbed you out of the carriage. Wasn’t expecting it.”

With a start, you realised he was the one who carried you to this ship and you narrowed your eyes at him, to which he responded with another howling laugh that lasted even after he closed the door behind him.

Another hour or so passed when the door opened. Your head perked up at the sound and you watched with a racing heart as blue scales emerged from the entrance, glimmering against the lamp.

“You,” you sneered, nose scrunching from distaste.

“Yes, princess. It’s me.”

Tamvan gave a little scoff as he slithered inside, curling his long tail, at least thrice your height, in a circle around him before closing the door. Unlike earlier, he wore a navy-coloured coat on his broad figure, the silver embroidery blending in well with his hair. The urge to stab his tail and ruin his beautiful scales was so great, that your fingers tightly gripped the cell bar until your knuckle turned white—alas, your knife was somewhere in the port when that gnoll slapped it away from you.

“What do you want?”

“I’m here to keep an eye on you.”

You were surprised at that, and equally vexed by the thought that he would be here the entire night as you slept.

“Don’t worry, princess.” 

From the pouch hanging lowly on his hip belt, he brought out a neatly folded paper, and with a start, you noticed the Xaenait emblem—a wax sealed with the shape of a magnolia flower.

“Your father promised to pay an extra three hundred gold coins if ‘the princess is unscathed and unharmed’,” he read from the paper, a taunting smile plastered on his thin, pale lips.  “How generous of his highness.”

He rolled his eyes at the fierce glare you sent his way. Nonetheless, he showed you the paper, and relief washed over you at seeing your father’s handwriting and the vermillion, square stamp at the end of the paragraph.

“The deal’s settled. You’ll be released back to your little palace in three nights.”

An unconconscious sigh left you, your fingers on the bars loosening as well.

Tamva chuckled obnoxiously. “How delightful to see you’re finally in a good mood.”

Your body tensed at his unneeded comment. “How would you feel if you were kidnapped and thrown in a cell?”

“Be thankful that you’re not in chains, and that none of my crews are laying a hand on you,” he hissed. “Most pirates aren’t as generous as us.”

“Thank you so much for your hospitality, then,” you said, rolling your eyes. “Could you also be ever so kind and give me a tour under the starry night?”

His powerful tail hit your cell bars, narrowly missing your hands as the impact rattled the iron. You yelped as a great wave of fear hit you, the sound of his tail striking the bars ringing in your ears unpleasantly.

“I will say it once and I won’t repeat it again,” he said through gritted teeth, “you may be a princess in Xaenait, but as long as you’re on my ship, you’ll learn to know your place.”

Recovering from the shock, you leaned closer to the bars and retorted back at him in a low voice, trying to keep your voice from shaking, “Well, let’s see what happens to that extra three hundred gold coins then.”

Tamva let out another great hiss, his forked tongue tasting your fear in the air, yet didn’t say anything back at you, knowing that he was greatly risking your father’s offer. He heaved a sigh and sat on a stool, arms crossed as he watched you with a cold gaze.

Ignoring his stare, you turned away and hesitantly settled on the wooden floor, shutting your eyes in hopes of finding sleep. All the while, Tamva watched you unwaveringly, laughing to himself incredulously at how quickly you fell asleep despite being held hostage. You smelled of herbs that left a tang, bitter smell on his nose, while his tongue captured the sweetness of your scent that lingered in the air like a vice.

All those glares and scowls you gave him were quite amusing to him, but also ever the more irritating and confusing to see how much you fought back futilely despite your helplessness and fear. But now, seeing the gentle rise and fall of your body from snoring softly in your sleep, his eyes unconsciously softened, and his heartbeat quickened its pace ever so slightly.

A breath of cold air entered through the gaps in the door, which made a shiver ripple through him despite the coat he wore. He cursed himself for not bringing a thicker coat, not realising how cold the cell was for his cold-blooded body. Glancing at your sleeping form, he felt the heat radiating off of you pleasantly, making him wonder if you would screech at him in rage if he were to curl his tail around your body.

Shaking his head to clear those thoughts away, he hugged his coat tighter and leaned closer to the lamp instead, trying to alleviate the cold and perhaps to ignore the slight longing he felt to feel the warmth from you.

Part 2

Check out my other stories set in the same world! (It might help with understanding some of the overlaps mentioned in this story)

Swords Clashing (Orc x F! Reader)

Weaving Through Complications (Tiefling x F! Reader)

A Crown & Masks (Oni x F! Reader)