#wooden false ceiling

[contentone3]

PVC False Ceiling Cost in Bangalore-Wooden False Ceiling

We are one of the best PVC false ceiling in Bangalore. We do all types of wooden false ceiling solutions at www.gurunanakplasterworks.com

[damodar-hd]

Wooden Fall Ceiling Works near Shamshabad

Home-Decode - Wooden Fall Ceiling works anear Shamshabad . Gypsum Ceiling designings, Plaster of Paris Ceiling, Fiber Ceiling, Wooden Ceiling, Glass Ceiling, Metal Ceiling, Synthetic Leather or Wooden Cloth Ceiling works near Shamshabad. In recent years, Wooden fall ceiling works near Shamshabad have become increasingly popular in India. False ceilings, also known as suspended ceilings or drop ceilings, are a secondary ceiling installed below the original ceiling in a room. This type of ceiling has many advantages, including improved aesthetics, better acoustics, and increased insulation. In this essay, we will explore the benefits and challenges of Wooden Fall ceiling works near Shamshabad India. One of the primary benefits of fall ceiling works At Shamshabad India is improved aesthetics. False ceilings can transform a room, giving it a modern and elegant look. With a wide range of materials and designs available, Wooden False ceilings Works near Shamshabad can be customized to suit any taste or budget. Additionally, false ceilings can hide unsightly wiring, pipes, and ducts, making the room look more organized and streamlined. Another benefit of Wooden fall ceiling works near Shamshabad is improved acoustics. False ceilings can help to absorb sound and reduce noise levels, making them ideal for use in recording studios, theaters, and other spaces where sound quality is important. Wooden False ceilings Works Center near Shamshabad can also help to improve speech intelligibility, which is particularly important in classrooms and conference rooms. Wooden False ceiling works in Shamshabad can also help to increase insulation, which is important in a country where temperatures can vary greatly throughout the year. False ceilings can help to reduce heat loss during the winter months, and can also help to keep rooms cool during the summer months. This can lead to lower energy bills and a more comfortable living or working environment. However, there are also challenges associated with Wooden False Ceiling Works near Shamshabad ceiling works in Sham. One of the biggest challenges is finding skilled labor to carry out the installation. False ceilings Works in Shamshabada complex job, and require specialized knowledge and equipment. Many contractors lack the necessary expertise to install false ceilings, which can lead to poor quality workmanship and potential safety hazards. Another challenge is the cost of PVC fall ceiling works in Shamshabad. While false ceilings can be customized to suit any budget, they can still be expensive, particularly if high-quality materials are used. Wooden False Ceiling Works near Shamshabad Additionally, the installation process can be time-consuming, which can add to the overall cost of the project.

A house is not a home unless it is decorated by the Wooden fall ceiling Works near Shamshabad . To make your dream home dazzling look, Home Decode is offering you a wide range of False ceiling designs:

Wooden Fall ceiling works Center near Shamshabad India have many benefits, including improved aesthetics, better acoustics, and increased insulation. However, there are also challenges associated with this type of work, including finding skilled labor and managing costs. To ensure a successful project, it is important to hire a reputable contractor who has experience in installing false ceilings, and to carefully consider the materials and design of the ceiling. Wooden False Ceiling Works At Shamshabad With careful planning and execution, fall ceiling works can transform a room and provide many benefits for years to come.

[tajinterior]

Why Choose Laminated Wardrobe Cupboard in Tambaram for Your Home?

When it comes to creating a functional and stylish storage solution, Laminated Wardrobe Cupboard Tambaram offers a blend of durability, aesthetics, and modern design. Whether you’re renovating your bedroom or setting up a new home, a laminated wardrobe can provide the perfect combination of convenience and elegance. At Taj Interior, we specialize in designing and installing high-quality wardrobe solutions, including Modular WardrobeCupboard Tambaram options that are tailored to your space and style preferences.

Why Opt for Laminated Wardrobe Cupboards?

Durability: Laminated surfaces are resistant to scratches, moisture, and wear, making them a long-lasting choice for busy households.

Easy maintenance: Laminated cupboards are easy to clean and maintain, ensuring they look new for years to come.

Variety of finishes: With a wide range of colors, textures, and finishes available, laminated wardrobes can be customized to match your home’s interior design.

Benefits of Modular Wardrobe Cupboards

Flexible design: A Modular Wardrobe Cupboard Tambaram offers flexibility in design, allowing you to customize the layout to suit your storage needs. Whether you need more hanging space, shelves, or drawers, a modular solution can be tailored to your preferences.

Space optimization: Modular cupboards are designed to maximize every inch of space, making them ideal for compact rooms.

Contemporary style: These cupboards offer a sleek and modern look that complements any bedroom style.

Why Choose Taj Interior for Your Wardrobe Solutions?

Custom designs: At Taj Interior, we work closely with our clients to design wardrobes that meet their unique needs. From Laminated Wardrobe Cupboard Tambaram to modular options, we ensure a personalized approach.

High-quality materials: We use only premium materials to ensure the durability and longevity of your wardrobe.

Professional installation: Our expert team provides seamless installation services, ensuring that your wardrobe is perfectly fitted to your space.

Enhance Your Bedroom with a Laminated Wardrobe Cupboard

Stylish and functional: A Laminated Wardrobe Cupboard Tambaram can enhance the aesthetics of your bedroom while providing ample storage space.

Affordable solutions: At Taj Interior, we offer wardrobe solutions that are both stylish and affordable, ensuring you get the best value for your investment.

Expert craftsmanship: Our team of skilled professionals ensures that every wardrobe is crafted with precision and care.

Conclusion

If you’re looking to elevate the design and functionality of your bedroom, consider investing in a Laminated Wardrobe Cupboard Tambaram or Modular Wardrobe Cupboard Tambaram. At Taj Interior, we offer a range of customized wardrobe solutions to meet your needs. Contact us today to get started on your perfect wardrobe design!

[abuildtech]

If you're looking for an internal door, a balcony door, or any other sort of door in India, our extensive selection of high-quality PVC doors is sure to match your needs and preferences. Similarly, a Gypsum Board False Ceiling is a popular and adaptable piece for Hotel Interior work that gives a space both functional and aesthetic value. Let's take a look at the reason why you should choose them.

Why Should You Choose a PVC Door Window?

There are numerous advantages to PVC windows and doors. Here are Six reasons why you should think about getting them installed.

Value for Money

Installing new or replaced windows and doors is a significant expenditure, but choosing PVC windows and doors over other options can lower the entire cost.

Yes, this is correct. Despite their appearance, PVC Door Window are typically less expensive than their timber and aluminium equivalents.

Durable

Driving rain, searing sun, and freezing temperatures will have no influence on your PVC windows and doors. They will not deteriorate, buckle, distort, or rot.

PVC products are weather, damp, and pollution resistant, and they endure much longer than conventional window and door materials.

Maintenance-free

The fact that PVC door window require very minimal upkeep is one of their biggest benefits.

Use a soapy towel to clean them down on occasion. They'll recover as if nothing happened. Put the ladders away; there is no need for regular timber treatment or painting today. What a relief.

Variety of Styles

The style of your doors and windows may greatly alter the appearance of your home, so it's no surprise that homeowners spend time selecting the perfect windows and doors for their home.

Forget dull; there are a variety of fascinating designs ranging from ultra-modern and eccentric to rustic and lovely. We're off to Grand Designs!

Window styles include Casement, Tilt & Turn, French, Vertical Sliding, Bay, and Bow.

PVC doors are also available in a variety of styles, including residential, multi-folding, French, composite, panelled, patio- sliding, and stable.

Increased Security

Old-fashioned single-glazed windows in timber frames have various weak areas that an attacker can exploit. Wooden frames, particularly those that are old and badly maintained, can be easily prised open.

Whatever style of property you have, you will discover the ideal PVC windows and doors.

Colour range

White, white, white. That was the complaint levelled about PVC household products. But that was then; this is now. Choose from white, misty blues, and delicate greens, or anthracite grey and black, which are more majestic and aristocratic. 

Why Choose Gypsum False Ceiling?

Here are benefits of Gypsum False Ceiling. 

Noise Protection

Gypsum ceilings offer additional noise protection, making them a preferred choice over other fake ceiling materials. So, if you live near a busy road or in a noisy environment, gypsum ceilings are undoubtedly the finest solution for you. Gypsum False Ceiling Delhi NCR provides good sound isolation. Gypsum is known for its capacity to absorb excess noise. Gypsum thus solves two problems simultaneously. First, you receive a perfect design, and second, noise cancellation allows you to communicate peacefully inside and outside your home.

Perfect For Humid Climates

Gypsum ceiling designs provide thermal insulation, making them ideal for hot and humid climates. With a gypsum ceiling, you may sit quietly and spend time with family members even when the temperature rises to 40 degrees Celsius or higher. Gypsum work in halls and living areas significantly reduces outside heat because it acts as a thermal insulator. The same is true in the winter: the hot air from the heater becomes contained within the room, allowing you to enjoy the warmth of your own home thanks to the excellent insulation given by Gypsum false ceilings.

Superior Finish at a Reasonable Price

Gypsum false ceiling also gives you access to a large selection of designs and finishes at reasonable costs. There are several solutions available to you without going over budget. Did you know that a gypsum ceiling is one of the best choices of top interior designers.

Gives You a Designer Finish

Some of the greatest designs, both residential and commercial, are made with gypsum. Gypsum provides a texture and finish that are unmatched. You can experiment and still reach your objectives. In terms of attractiveness and aesthetics, Gypsum False Ceiling Delhi NCR are among the greatest options available. Any specialist in housing would tell you how successful it is at producing beautiful patterns and designs. This gypsum is an excellent option if you want luxurious looks and design.

Original Source: https://secure.smore.com/n/5vmzs

[hamid8523]

Finding for the best False Ceiling Designing in UAE? Tradersfind is your one-stop-shop for all your false ceiling needs. We have best list of expert designers who will help you create the latest false ceiling design for your home or office.Explore the latest trends and top-notch craftsmanship for a remarkable transformation. To explore Visit on Tradersfind today to get started.

[interiorgautam]

Best Interior designer in Kolkata

Sarkar Engineering Co are passionate about altering spaces and converting houses into homes here at. Our interior design firm is committed to developing visually beautiful, practical, and individualised spaces that capture the distinctive personalities and lives of our customers. We take great satisfaction in providing amazing interior design solutions that go above and beyond expectations thanks to our team of brilliant designers and our depth of industry knowledge. We pride ourselves on delivering exceptional interior design solutions that exceed expectations. Interior designer a specialist in constructing interior spaces those are both visually beautiful and useful. In order to improve the appearance, feel, and functionality of residential, commercial, and even industrial areas, they plan, develop, and implement interior layouts. As a way to transform their clients' demands, tastes, and financial constraints into unified design concepts, interior designers collaborate closely with them

[aakrutihomedecor01]

[kayapalat]

Wooden Ceiling Design

Beautiful fully wooden ceiling design for study room with round spot light. Single layer tray False ceiling for living room design. Straight rectangle design with middle partion and upper bit work .use round spot light and white strip light.

[ataraxiaspainting]

There’s a Certain Slant of Light.

Yan (Soulmate) Chrollo x F Reader.

Synopsis: Something is different. But what could it be?

Warnings: Yandere themes, the reader is unwillingly a Spider and from Meteor City, mentions of religion/religious imagery, implied drugging, manipulation, and unhealthy relationships.

Word Count: 1k.

i’ve been seeing a lot of chrollo being paired with a phantom troupe member reader and i just think that the concept is very interesting! :D

credits for og art piece here!

*~*~*~*

Your sword, while having the ability to stab and slice just about anything, is still by far the most frail weapon at your disposal. It is a slight sadness that fills Chrollo’s mind, then, once he realizes this. The feeling is small, minuscule, just like most of the other emotions Chrollo’s heart cannot beat with, the blood that flows through his veins frozen with the concept of what he wants to be. He feels next to nothing as if he were a walking corpse, a prisoner who has just been released from the deepest depths of hell, not once being able to see twinkling eyes and shining stars. Light is a concept unknown to people like him, and people like you, foreign, as alien as a coup made of peasants storming a palace larger than ten of their villages combined. 

Your two true weapons are your lips calling out his name, and the thin red string that connects your little finger and your fate to his thumb and his future. Despite the thread being wispier than that of paper, it has a will stronger than one forged in diamonds and never had to be a carbon crystal to be so. Chrollo is thankful for it, more so than he is for most things that he would rather leave in the past. It has linked you two together for so long and has been the key for chaining down your animosity towards him whenever he had gone too far. All he had to do was tug, and you would be right back wherever he had placed you. But even diamonds can shatter when a love made in a less-than-fortunate childhood turns more and more into hate.

This entire act is like a balancing beam. He must not be too loud, but also not be too quiet. He must always have cards up his sleeve for any potential mishaps down the line. Inside one hand is the key to your freedom, but inside the other is the key to a false route to such fantasies, the trap of reality. Even Chrollo does not know which is which, for he is a dreamer himself at heart.

“Good morning, sir,” It is a rare sight, you yawning, your posture nowhere near how put together it usually is. “How are you today, sir?”

“Very well, thank you.”

“I must have been quite exhausted last night; my apologies, sir.”

“I told you if you ever wanted to take a break here, you are more than welcome to.”

“I’ve always declined such an offer for a reason, sir.”

“Just as I’ve always told you that you may call me just Chrollo for a reason, [First]. I think I haven't heard you say my name without an honorific since we were both still children if my memory serves correctly.”

“...”

The provocation of the past seems to hurt you more than him it seems, from how you flinch at the word children, and from how he smiles at your discomfort. 

“We are not with the rest of the Troupe right now, it is quite alright if you want to relive prior times, wouldn’t you say?” He asks, and with his eyes appearing to look back at his books, he sees yours darting around the room, looking for an escape route.

They move left, to the tables at the back of the sitting room which hold lamps and framed photos and paintings. Then right, to the fireplace and the large but still solitary couch, covered with leather and embroideries. Then up, to the crackless and spotless white ceiling, and then down, to the wooden rosewood planks of the floor.

“I saw a book in your satchel. Crime and Punishment, hmm?”

“Yes. Please do not say how ironic it is, sir.”

“Very well.”

To you, perhaps the room feels deathly still. To him, it feels like the scene right before the climax. Slow, steady, full of tension and dread. Though Chrollo will never let the curtains that cover your very soul close ever again. It would not be hard to get them to open up again, you have known each other for so long after all, but regardless he needs you to stay within the palm of his hand forevermore. Only then will he be able to feel something so warm and soft once more.

Oh, how he wishes that he could open the floor below you and trap you there. But he cannot. At least not yet.

“...Where is my bag?” At your question, Chrollo pulls his thumb towards him, and you move accordingly. “It is not in the room.” You continue, your eyebrows furrowing as you attempt to resist. “Sir?”

Desperation. Then a hand raise and a pause.

“Stolen treasure from the last meeting.” Chrollo begins curtly. “A contact list full of people I have not permitted you to speak to. Keys to a car that is not mine.” He proceeds to say. “Tell me, [First], what is all of this, hmm?”

Something akin to a mix of a horrified chuckle and a choking sound emerges from your throat as if his hands were squeezing and squeezing until you burst. He sets the book he was reading down, and without his hands covering both the front and back of it, you see the title, the synopsis.

“Crime and Punishment, hmm?” He repeats, and for the first time in what must be a few years, he sees you terrified, shaking, and near to tears. “A clever way to code your plan.” Chrollo crosses his legs. “By the way, it is an hour or so past sunset by now.” He hears a small gasp from you. “You missed your flight a long time ago, sweet thing.”

“...I… I…”

“You were planning on leaving us, weren’t you?” When you don’t answer, instead looking straight towards the door, he raises his thumb again. “I know you never wanted to join the Troupe, per se, but still… this hurts.” He pulls and pulls, and being forced to be a puppet for the umpteenth time since the soulmate string has appeared in Chrollo’s vision, you are placed where he wants you to be. 

Close to him.

[starhvney]

𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊 𝐓𝐎 𝐘𝐎𝐔

𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆: mcd garroth x reader

𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐘: everyone was back in the village, except for garroth. his absence haunts you everywhere except for in your dreams.

𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐒: angst, reuniting, hurt/comfort, love confessions

𝐂𝐖: none? mentions of garroth’s injuries

𝐀/𝐍: rah rah mcd angst

𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓

it’s been a week.

a week since you and everyone escaped the irene dimension.

everyone but garroth.

you remember the look he gave you. the guilt, the resolve, the anguish. guilt for being weak enough to succumb to the mind control and manipulation that put you all in this jeopardizing situation. resolve to amend his mistakes by condemning himself to stay in this hell falsely veiled as heaven. anguish that he couldn’t properly say goodbye. it was only seconds after the portal opened that laurance was carrying you through kicking and screaming for another way that it had closed once again.

you’d begged zoey to open it again, both of you barely able to stand on your own with your energy drained and spirits depleted. but you knew it couldn’t be done.

now, seven days later, you lay in your bed, staring at the dilapidated and dark ceiling above you. not that you had any room to complain. your house was nothing but shambles after fifteen years, so the fact that levin even provided you with any sort of housing for free was generous. it seems providing you with your own bed was useless, though, when you couldn’t even sleep in it. it by no means was because you were energized–you were in fact exhausted beyond belief. rather it was because every time you closed your eyes, your mind kept replaying that moment. 

over and over and over and over again.

you’re not sure when you managed to finally fall asleep, but when you open your eyes again under a large tree instead of a cracked wooden ceiling, it takes only a moment to realize you haven’t truly woken yet. everything about it was so vivid, though. you could hear the leaves in the tree ahead rustle in the breeze,. feel the soft grass beneath your fingertips. smell the sweet scent of the flowers that bloomed from the ground. everything else beyond the hill this singular tree was on dissipated into a strange haze you couldn’t make out, like when exhaustion blends your peripheral vision with the regular into a strange blur. 

lifting yourself up to stand, you take a look around at the peaceful scene when a soft groan of pain sounds from behind you. when you turn back to the tree, you nearly jolt yourself awake into your physical body at the sight of the man leaning against it.

him.

it was him.

that pale golden hair, the usual soft waves mussed and sticking to his forehead. his face was pale and a large cut marred the skin near his jaw, his eyebrows pulled together and eyes shut from pain. slowly his eyelids crack open when his ears seem to catch your gasp, blue irises meeting yours a moment later. you can’t hear anything but your own hitched breaths for the few moments you both stare at the other, watching as the head guard’s eyes haze over in a vulnerable emotion you hadn’t seen from him before.

the sudden clinking of his armor barely alerts you that he’s moving before he’s suddenly right in front of you, large hands grasping onto you desperately and pulling you into his chest. shaky breaths brushed against your hair and over your skin, rough gloves squeezing your skin like he was sure you’d dissipate in front of his eyes if he loosened his grip any further. he pulls back, and you only briefly see the beautiful shade of deep cerulean in his eyes before his gloved hands slide up from your arms to the sides of your face and his lips clash against yours.

it feels so real. his cool armor against your skin and the firm grip of his hand on the back of your head as he tilts your head back to mold his slightly chapped lips with yours. it’s desperate, the way his fingers thread through your hair–it’s like he was hoping he could pull you closer than you already were. 

he doesn’t pull away until you both have no more air left in your lungs, and with incredible reluctance he barely pulls back, your lips brushing against his.

“i wish you were real.” he rasps, pressing his forehead against you with a groan. “if only you were real.”

your eyebrows pinch together. you’d say the same, but you’ve never had a dream where the other people in it were aware. and this all felt so vivid.

was it possible to be brought together with the one you love in your dreams?

you want to speak, say something, but you’re too overwhelmed by it all to do anything but whisper out his name.

“if i’ve died and this is my afterlife, i’d gladly spend the rest of eternity here.” he pulls away, rough thumbs brushing against your cheeks as his eyes dart across your face—committing every curve and detail to his memory. “maybe this is my mind’s last way of giving me peace before i’m killed.”

“what?” your eyes widen at the ramblings coming from the reserved guard’s lips. “garroth… is this—?”

“i love you. even if this is a delusion, at least i can feel like i told you once before i’m gone.” he gulps back a lump in his throat, eyes misted over. “i love you so much it hurts. i’m so sorry i’ve let you down. the fact i was so weak to ever risk your life like that is enough for me to realize this is the fate i deserve.”

you begin shaking your head, breaths short and quick.

it is him. somehow. someway. this was real.

“garroth. i don’t know where we are or how this is happening, but you can’t die. please promise me you’ll live until we can find a way to get you.”

his lips pull tight in confusion before shakily murmuring your name.

emotions bubble forward from your chest, crowding your throat as tears involuntarily pool in your eyes. “if somehow this is real, please don’t give up. you can apologize when we reunite. don’t let zane win this way.”

“i… i won’t, but how…”

“i love you, garroth.”

“i love you.” he says through a pained exhale, like the words were coming out of his last breath before his lungs collapsed in grief. “i promise you i’ll come back to you. i swear it to you.”

his fingers brush away the teardrops from under your eyes as a quiet cry leaves your lips, his expression pained. it was like each of your tears were a stab wound into his chest, your trembling lips a twist in the handle. the peaceful silence of the dream is interrupted by the loud ringing of what sounded like church bells in the distance. it echoed and shook the air around you, sending everything into a white haze.

no, were you waking up?

“please don’t give up.” you repeat, somehow unable to find any other words despite having so little time left. “i love you.”

you hear another hoarse “i love you” from his lips, before his features fade away into a blindingly white haze and then disappear into the darkness. the next moment you’re back in phoenix drop, staring up at the warped ceiling. the only thing reassuring you from letting the empty pit in your chest from swallowing you whole was his voice, the deep timbre still ringing in your head.

“i’ll come back to you”

©starhvney, 2024. please do not steal or repost my works as your own.

taglist: @wasting-away-on-the-internet @angelhyperfixates @valentique

[hellwantfuckme]

happy birthday

summary: she hates her birthday, but someway Azriel manages to make it better.

warnings: Mor being slightly annoying(?

author's note: hope this is not boring 😭

Something had woken her up, pulling her out of the dream that, just seconds before, she couldn't remember. Eclipse blinked, taking in her surroundings. Her cozy bedroom, the sunlight streaming in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating the wooden floor and miraculously only half of her white duvet-covered bed, not bothering her eyes. It must have been close to noon, an hour or two before, perhaps. The calm in the air of her home was something that made the corners of her lips curve ever so slightly. For some reason, she knew there was something lurking in the corners, something threatening to ruin her day. A reason, she didn't know what, for her to be upset. But as she looked out through the windows, with the white duvet over her and the clean sheets beneath her, she didn't care.

Two knocks on her front door sounded, ah, that was what had woken her. Before Eclipse could even consider not opening the door to whoever was bothering her, the sound of knuckles against her door grew more insistent, her muscles moved unconsciously, pulling her out of the comfort and warmth of her bed. A grimace settled on her lips as she rose and stretched the sleepy muscles in her arms above her head, realization hitting her.

Today was her birthday.

A weight settled on her shoulders almost instantly, Eclipse could feel every bit of cheer leaving her body, and she missed the warmth and comfort from moments ago. A hint of a migraine, a slight throbbing pain in her temples, appeared. Eclipse cursed mentally. But she still left her room, walked through the hallways and crossed the living room and kitchen until she reached the front door, and opened it to whoever wanted to deal with her bad mood.

The smell of roses and expensive perfume greeted her, along with a blonde mane and a simple red dress. The pain in her temples increased.

Mor. Morrigan. If possible, her bad mood became denser, and she didn't bother to hide the frown that settled on her face. Although she had to refrain from letting out the heaviest and most annoying sigh of her life.

Morrigan looked her up and down, from the oversized gray pants that hung from her hips, through the tight, stretchy fabric t-shirt she had used as pajamas, to her face, the clear bad mood. But her brown eyes returned to the pants, and her eyelids rose almost imperceptibly, the only sign of surprise she let show.

The pants belonged to Azriel. It wasn't a secret that Azriel had stayed over at her apartment more than once, although it had always been on the couch - Eclipse had been too fearful to invite him to her bed even just to sleep - and he had left some clothes behind. Morrigan had apparently recognized who they belonged to.

Eclipse clearly saw how Mor tuned her ear, trying to decipher if Azriel was there.

Her frown deepened, and Eclipse restrained the impulse to slam the door in her face right there. She forced herself to fill her lungs with air and release it, to calm down enough to speak to her without raising her voice.

"Do you want something?" her falsely cordial voice muttered.

Mor straightened up.

"Can I come in?"

Eclipse looked at her for a second, trying to understand if she had heard what she thought she had heard. But when she saw the doubt in Mor's eyes, she figured she had.

What would Morrigan be doing in her apartment at this hour? Eclipse didn't know. But she stepped aside to let her in.

Morrigan entered with hesitant steps, and she closed the door behind her.

Her birthday was cursed. The random day in the middle of the handful of March days must have been cursed by some god, and the insufferable blonde in her apartment right after waking up was proof. Eclipse wasn't superstitious (although she should be, considering that for the past two years her life had been a madness of magical cauldrons, Fae, and things that would have driven any logical follower, like herself, to madness).

Morrigan glanced around her house, at the open space filled with light. At the kitchen, which was the first space Eclipse walked into, with Mor behind her. Eclipse opened the cabinets, looking for coffee. The feeling of having let an intruder into her apartment was, to say the least, uncomfortable. Although it was a new feeling, only her cousins had entered her apartment, who she had known all her life, and Azriel. Although with Azriel, she had never felt even close to this.

Eclipse was sure that his scent was still on the couch, and in the left corner of the kitchen island, where he always leaned.

Eclipse refused to let her thoughts be consumed by him first thing in the morning.

"Your apartment is nice," Mor said, trying not to look too surprised.

"I guess. Call me crazy, but I have a feeling that you didn't come to give me your... opinion about my apartment."

Eclipse put the coffee maker on the stove and turned to look at Morrigan.

"No, I didn't come for that."

Eclipse raised her eyebrows, and her chin sank a little. "Yes, Mor, that's what I said." The sarcastic comment appeared in her mind, but she refrained from saying it. Morrigan quickly regained a certain composure, her shoulders tensing and standing at her full height, firm.

"I would like to know what your problem is with me."

Eclipse looked at Mor for a few seconds, then blinked.

"I don't have a problem with you."

"But you don't like me."

"I think I have the right for there to be people I don't like," Eclipse said, turning on her heel, the sound of the ready coffee filling her ears along with the smell of the room. Eclipse poured a generous amount of coffee into a cup.

"I want to know why," Eclipse found milk and then mixed it with the coffee. "Is it because of Azriel?"

Eclipse looked at Mor over her shoulder, her face with a grimace, as if she had just heard a terrible nonsense. What did Azriel have to do with anything right now?

"There doesn't have to be anyone in the middle for you to not like me, Mor. Get over it," Eclipse said with a sigh, ending the conversation.

"Five hundred years. He was in love with me for five hundred years," Eclipse didn't miss the somewhat... hurt, guilty tone in Mor's voice. But she didn't care, especially because the migraine persisted, gnawing at her.

"And you're telling me this because...?" she managed to say, exhaling air.

"I never reciprocated his feelings, Eclipse, if you're jealous..."

"Jealous!?"

Mor didn't respond. Eclipse took a breath, closed her eyes for just a second. She couldn't start the day and already be on edge.

"Look, Morrigan, I don't like you because I think you love attention, and the way you want that attention is almost toxic. But I don't even have a big problem against you, I just don't think we can be friends and as far as I know, I haven't done anything against you to assume that I hate you to death, or something like that," Eclipse looked at Morrigan again. "Whatever has... happened between you and Azriel is not my concern, and I don't care. In fact, I couldn't care less. What you just said is the biggest guess I've heard in two months, and believe me, I've heard many things this month.

Mor didn't take her eyes off her. For a moment, Eclipse thought she had seen at least a glimmer of understanding in Mor's eyes. But it disappeared as quickly as it appeared. Silence hung between them for a moment.

"Rhysand wants to see you. He's at the Town House."

And Morrigan disappeared. She had used a portal, Eclipse supposed.

Eclipse stayed processing the situation for a second longer, observing the space where Mor had been a second ago.

"Me, jealous?" Eclipse murmured indignantly

And that's how her birthday was going.

Eclipse left Rhysand's office with a grimace of irritation on her face.

It's not that she didn't like Rhys, no, Rhys, her cousin's mate, she liked him a lot. But the High Lord of the Night Court was a being that Eclipse wanted to strangle to death and then kill herself. Because who gave him the right to decide what she did or didn't do? Why did she have to be just another piece in his chess game? He had put her between a rock and a hard place, and Eclipse detested him for it. Of course, Rhysand only decided to bring out his High Lord personality on the day she least needed to be crushed with orders and demands.

Eclipse hoped that the empathy she had lacked when they had been talking would appear now and forgive her for slamming the door of his office.

The generous amount of coffee was working against her now. She was on edge. Mor, Rhysand, and what would be next? And why the hell did this only happen on her birthday?

Eclipse was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice anyone in her path until she bumped into a hard chest, and the scent of cedar and mist filled her lungs. Eclipse muttered a curse and dodged the body without even giving it another look. She had to get out of there because she couldn't think of anything other than the frustration that was making her jaw clench because she needed something to calm the throbbing in her temples. But a firm hand took her arm, stopping her. Eclipse violently pulled her arm away, distancing herself from the contact.

"Don't touch me," she almost exclaimed, her voice harsh, exasperated.

Eclipse looked at the hand still on her arm, full of brutal scars, and he looked at it, too. It took a millisecond for Azriel to move away, putting both his hands behind his back. Eclipse blinked, her eyes finally rising to meet Azriel's. The realization of what she had said hit her, her own words repeating in her mind. And then the way he had hidden his hands behind his back, and the furrowed brow on his face. The way he had looked at her, a mix of negative emotions, instantly made her forget about anything else.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"Let it go."

One moment Azriel was there, and the next, the shadows had totally consumed him and he was no longer there.

Eclipse let out an exasperated sigh. Her hands found their way to her own face, her fingers kneading her temples.

She was late for work.

If it were possible, everything got worse. Her apartment was bought with the money of her cousin, Feyre. Such a generous amount that Eclipse wanted to vomit at the astronomically high sum that Feyre was willing to give her, although she only wanted a small apartment, to have her own space, not a mansion.

Feyre had insisted that she didn't have to pay her back. But deep down, Eclipse knew she would pay her back for everything. Eight years of poverty had left a bitter taste in Eclipse's mouth, just the thought of owing money to Feyre made her skin crawl.

So she worked. A terrible job, just a waitress in a busy tavern. Although it was much more than she could have dreamed of a few years ago, when all she could do to survive was hunt, it wasn't easy. Because there were days like these, when she had to clean the bathrooms. And then there were a series of men who asked for jug after jug of beer, until one accidentally pushed another and a fight started that left two broken chairs, a table, and a mess of beer and broken glass that, again, she had to clean up.

Eclipse walked through the streets of Velaris, clutching her coat that did little to protect her from the unexpected cold that was hitting Velaris that night. The last trace of winter, she supposed, and hoped it was. The streets were not very crowded, although she had dodged a few Fae with her quick pace.

When she passed by a bakery, she ignored every visible cake and sweet in the window. Sometimes, on her birthday, she would buy a cake. Only sometimes. And she would eat it alone, and have it for breakfast the next day.

Her cousins completely ignored the fact that she had a birthday. Sometimes, Eclipse wanted to believe that they did know it was her birthday, but perhaps, somehow, even if she hadn't told them directly, they knew that Eclipse didn't like that day at all and they decided to give her space. Other times, Eclipse was sure they had no idea.

Eclipse arrived at the apartment building where she lived quickly. She climbed the stairs to the top floor, and took the keys to her home out of her coat pocket.

She let muscle memory guide her. Coming home, taking off her shoes and coat, leaving the keys on the table just next to the door, going straight to the bathroom and filling the bathtub with warm water, stripping off the stench of stale beer and sweat. All of this with a blank mind, not thinking of anything else while exhaustion drilled her bones.

It wasn't until she went to get dressed, with the faint idea of wearing the most comfortable thing she had, and her hands found the black sweater that smelled of cedar and tranquility.

It was Azriel's. Eclipse contemplated it for a moment, the memory of their only meeting a few hours ago saddened her. She simply left the sweater where she had found it and put on another one.

There was nothing else to do, she thought, as she was finally ready to lie in bed and pretend to sleep forever. But two knocks on her front door echoed through the space.

Eclipse sighed. She wasn't even going to bother to open it. Whoever it was could wait until tomorrow. But they knocked on her door again, with an insistence that reminded her of Mor's this morning. She flexed her stiff muscles out of her bedroom, through her home to the front door and opened it. Eclipse recognized the figure in front of her, tall and muscular, before even looking at his face.

Azriel stood in front of her, a little basket in his right hand.

Eclipse blinked. He didn't seem particularly angry with her, his usually stoic expression replaced by a softer one. Shadows swirled around his figure, a rather fast movement, like a reflection of Azriel's insecurity. But the dark abnormalities disappeared in the air once they saw her, although one in particular moved towards his arm and Eclipse could feel the gentle caress on her palm, like a greeting. The feeling vanished seconds later.

Azriel looked her over, looking somewhat indecisive.

"Can I come in?" he asked, although he had been inside many times before.

Eclipse stepped aside, making room for him to enter. Azriel recognized the way and walked to the kitchen, placing the basket on the kitchen island. Eclipse followed closely after closing the door.

Azriel was facing away from her, taking out a strawberry cake from the basket.

"Hey, Azriel, about earlier..." started Eclipse, her arms crossing in a hesitant gesture. Azriel looked at her, expectant of what she had to say. And his gaze only made her sigh, running a hand over her face. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to talk to you like that or tell you not to touch me, I have no problem with that, really, it's just that Mor was here this morning and then I was with Rhys and everything is horrible today and it's my..."

"Birthday," Azriel continued for her.

Eclipse frowned, nodding briefly. Although Azriel spoke before she could draw any conclusions:

"Nesta told me. She said you didn't like this date and indirectly too directly said that your favorite cake is strawberry."

For a moment, Eclipse felt her heart skip a beat. Nesta, the same cousin who hadn't given her a congratulations in her entire life. Then they did remember.

"Nesta," Eclipse murmured, incredulous. "Nesta told you that?"

Azriel nodded gently, a playful glimmer danced between his irises seeing Eclipse's incredulity, standing meters away from him.

"Did she... tell you why I don't like it?"

"No. I didn't ask her."

"And have you... brought strawberry cake?"

"From the best bakery I know."

"Why?" was the first thing Eclipse could manage to say. "I was rude to you earlier."

"You deserve a happy birthday," Azriel said with such firmness and honesty that Eclipse wanted to believe him.

Eclipse blinked, but her body was moving before she could think. And in a moment, she was hugging Azriel. Her arms around his shoulders, and in another moment, his arms pressed her to his body without a second thought. Eclipse murmured a series of thank yous, Azriel let out a playful laugh, his hand rose and fell along her back. Eclipse wanted to melt right there, inhaling the scent of cedar and mist emanating from him.

Eclipse moved away a little, his grip on her loosened a bit, just minimally. And Eclipse pressed her lips against his cheek in a loud kiss.

When Eclipse stepped back, there was a silly smile on Azriel's lips and a slight blush on his cheeks.

"Happy Birthday, Eclipse."

[undercover-grisha]

Six Months - Short Fic

Kaz Brekker woke up to his wife hitting him with a pillow. He blinked up at the dark ceiling. Inej sleepily tossed the pillow over him and in the direction of the noise that had obviously woken her up.

Kaz sat up, rubbing his face with both hands. Inej woke before him? Ghezen, he was getting rusty.

The noise hadn’t stopped. Kaz felt a soft, grumbling urge to throttle something growing in his stomach.

Instead he grabbed his cane— the wooden one that Inej insisted he used in the house so as to not give Jordan the chance to hurt himself on the sharp metal crow’s beak of his regular cane.

(Kaz understood the thought process behind the decision. It still hadn’t stopped him from keeping his cane with him until the very last moment possible. When Jordan reached and grabbed that stupid duck, Kaz had fought violently to keep his face from the narrow-eyed scowl he’d so wanted to do.)

So Kaz grabbed his cane and headed off down the hall. He clumsily buttoned the top of his shirt back together after it had apparently come undone during the night. He was stalling. Just a little, but still.

Kaz let out a breath, slightly strangled in nature, and raised his eyes to the slotted wooden rafters in the hallway. Six months. Just six short months since Jordan Harajj Ghafa had come screaming into the world, pudgy little brown face all scrunched up and furious that someone has disturbed him.

Kaz had never felt as full of life as he had in that moment.

Which was good, because it gave him plenty of energy to work off during the following weeks when the kid would not shut the hell up.

He’d eventually calmed down, of course, as all babies did, but there were still these occasional outbursts.

Kaz slowly opened the door to the nursery and stepped inside. He was sure the kid was just hungry, which, of course he was screaming about it, he couldn’t very well feed himself. Didn’t make waking up in the middle of the night any less annoying.

Kaz’s cane clicked on the wood floors as he shuffled over to the bassinet. Jordan was sitting up in his crib, gripping the bars like he’d been sentenced to Hellgate under false charges. He quieted as his father approached, and let go of the bars, as if he knew he was in trouble. Kaz leaned the tips of his elbows on the edge of the crib and clasped his hands together, leaning all his weight on his better leg and popping his bad leg to let it stretch.

Jordan stuck his hand in his mouth.

“You are a terror.” Kaz murmured. Jordan hummed around his fist, his eyes still watery. Kaz pulled his shirt sleeve up his hand and gently dabbed at the wet skin. He’d gotten better about touch in the past few years, obviously good enough to have a son, but he still didn’t like to risk his ability to handle water.

“Most people try to sleep through the night. You seem to be trying your damndest to sleep around it.”

The Bastard of the Barrel scooped his son up and headed out of the nursery and into the kitchen. He set Jordan on his stomach on carpet and opened the cabinet to find a pot. Kaz set the pot on the stove and turned to grab the milk out of the icebox. He paused momentarily as Jordan pulled himself up with a chair on wobbly legs out of the corner of his eye.

“Oh, good job.” He murmured, half paying attention.

Wait.

Kaz froze.

No no no no no. No. This could not be happening now, not when Inej was asleep. Not again.

“Stop.” He tried.

Jordan did not stop. He bounced his legs.

“Jordan Ghafa, stop it now.”

Jordan looked up at his name. He let go of the chair.

Kaz strode over to the boy and flexed his hands slightly, unsure of what to do. Jordan babbled at him, giggling and bouncing on his legs.

Kaz picked him up. And set him down on his stomach, and put a toy in his hands.

Nothing happened. Nothing at all. There was no standing. If Jordan could stand tomorrow in front of his mother, well, Kaz would celebrate that then.

Kaz hesitated. He gently pat Jordan’s head and the boy looked up at him with those big, molten eyes.

“Very good.” He said, going for praise and wincing at how much it sounded like he was training a dog.

Dirtyhands turned to finish heating up the milk for his son.

[clonedchaos]

Machine Memories- Day 3: Hoax

Summary:

Sammy defies Wilson’s news. His Lord, the most powerful and influential being in this realm— dead? Impossible.

Rating: G/PG

”Children of the machine, have we not suffered enough? Our Lord has been slain, from the hands of an outsider. Will we suffer this injustice?? Will we bow our heads to a false ruler?? Or will we stand by our Lord? Will we search every corner of this world to find him, if alive-- as I can feel he is?? Heed my words, sheep. The Ink Demon is not dead. He is still with us, waiting to free us from our inky prisons. We must free him! We must usurp this threat to our sanctity! We must free our Lord!”

The Lost Ones gathered in the city streets below Sammy chorused their agreement, holding their weapons and fists high. Axes and pipes held at the ready, his followers were devoted in their cause. And what was their cause? Bring back their savior, the one who will finally put an end to their ink-stained hell— The Ink Demon.

Sammy’s fingers curled tighter around the axe’s hilt. There was no time to dither about. From the moment one of Wilson’s posters had been strewn up in the music department, Sammy knew he had to act. The visceral hatred towards this outsider had come to a head, and Sammy had his followers to back his conviction.

Such faith egged him onwards towards Wilson’s hideout. The man was rumored to hole himself in behind the boarded-up entrance of the Gent Factory.

Peculiar, he couldn’t recall when this location had sprung up. Had it always been here? Merely tucked away and veiled from prying eyes? Or was there something more to it?

Sammy reached the wooden boards and held up a hand for his followers. They obeyed the unspoken gesture— such loyal little sheep they were.

The musician brandished his brass axe with the back of his hand before bringing it down on the boards. It cut through smooth as butter. With a bit more demolition, there was enough room for him and his followers to flood into the next room.

Wilson was right there. Not hiding like he had anticipated, merely standing at the top of the steps with a malignant gleam in his eye. Two mechanical beasts flanked him, their spotlights scouring across him and his group like hungry dogs. Perhaps he had made too much clamor in the street. Not ideal cover for a sneak attack.

Sammy pointed the tip of his axe toward the man. “Blasphemer! What have you done to our lord?” He demanded, his voice carrying across the wide-open ceiling.

Wilson regarded him coolly with that same glint in his eye but refused to speak. 

How dare he look down on him like dirt! He was the Lord’s prophet, not a position he took lightly by any means. What he deserved was respect.

Sammy gritted his teeth. “For all the lies and false promises you circulated across this inky hellscape, it is time for you to pay the price, my little sheep. Our Lord is calling for us, even now. Can you hear him? I can still feel his presence. He will come for you.”

Wilson regarded him with an almost pensive expression, like he was only a lab rat for him to study. Then, with a snap of his fingers, the Keeper at his side lunged for Sammy. Rivulets of red raced across the Keeper's chest in a burst of color that had the musician briefly stunned.

In a rush of adrenaline, Sammy just barely managed to bring his axe down atop the Keeper's hand. The mechanical horror screeched, a sound that pierced his eardrums like nails on a chalkboard. It uncurled its other arm-- it had two of them? Sammy was grabbed by the throat and lifted into the air. His axe clattered against the floorboards. The weapon wouldn't be able to aid him anyhow, the Keeper had a grip like iron.

As he kicked and thrashed, his anger came to a full boil. "Heed my words, outsider! You do not know what you've done; Bendy will rise again! Our Lord would not abandon us! So kill me if you must! My words are true!"

Wilson appeared to chuckle at that. His followers watched helplessly; not wanting to risk their own skin for his sake, obviously. No matter. He would be a sacrifice. A sacrifice in the name of his savior.

"Kill you? No," Wilson finally croaked with a wicked sneer. "I have a different plan in mind, my dear Cycle breaker."

[trancylovecraft]

(KNY) YANDERE PLATONIC! KOKUSHIBO x SISTER READER: You, Shibou. I, Kokoro (CHAPTER SIX)

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CHAPTER SIX: "Loathe the way they light candles in Rome But love the sweet air of the votives"

The response to fear or threats has several reactions, Often being called the Fight-Flight-Freeze-Fawn response.

Fight means to confront the threat. Flight means to run away from the threat Freeze means to shut down and block out the threat Fawn means to appease the threat.

Slow and cautious footsteps walked carefully down the hallway as if something was going to jump out at her any second. Shoulders tense, Her eyes travelled around the space in front of her.

It was the shrine hallway. Dimly lit. Hues of marine tinting the walls, ceilings and floorboards as she stalked along them, Okobo sandals clacking against the hardwood as she did.

[F/N]'s hand trailed along the wall beside her, Keeping close towards it.

She had woken up about half an hour ago, Tucked into the futon she had woken up from before with a throbbing migraine and aching legs.

[F/N] had lain there on the mattress, The memories of what happened some unknown time ago still fresh in her mind. She had tried to escape, She had gotten far too. Running for ages yet despite all her efforts it didn't matter in the end.

[F/N] had just wound up right back where she started. Her burning lungs, Beating heart and exhaustion. It was obsolete. She had just gone in a loop with all her effort gone to waste.

And him. Her captor and his insane ramblings, She didn't want to think about him.

She didn't get up for a while after that. Finding little to no motivation to do so coupled with her mind barely processing the information in her mind, Feeling as if she had been shackled to the frame. Like the bedding was trying to keep her down, To not let go. Feeding her false promises of ignorant bliss, Like it was just any other day back at the Kakushi base.

But [F/N] knew that was not the case.

She knew she had to get up eventually, It was an awful remembrance. Even worse when she eventually hauled her aching body off the futon, Swinging her tired legs over the frame and dragging herself out of the room.

[F/N] just wanted to go back to her bed, To crawl under the covers and never get out again. But to spite everything she so desired. [F/N] pulled herself out anyways, Not really knowing why.. Maybe to get a proper look at her birdcage, Perhaps.

The shrine was nigh identical to the one she had resided in before. From the hallway layouts, The group kitchens and to the library it was kept the almost the same to the one back in the real world. The keyword here being almost.

Everything was the same. Everything except a few key differences.

For one, The shrine didn't have any of the expansions the corps had built when they came. There wasn't any of the newer passages, There wasn't an aviary and the library was much smaller than it was.

Even then, [F/N] recognised this place. It was the older version of the shrine, The same once she had stumbled across when she was much younger. How it was here in this nightmare dimension was a mystery to her, It just added to the dogpile of questions she had spinning around in her head. One's she'd need to find the answer to later.

Two, While it was basically identical to the older version of the shrine, There was also a few changes of layout.

Some of it was small, Like a misplaced support beam or tapestries being of different patterns and shapes. On the other hand however, The differences were more.. Large.

For instance the wall she was trailing her fingers across wasn't like any the shrine had harboured. It was like wooden jacktop fencing, A criss-cross structure with diamond shapes as gaps letting spits of light through, An unknown source but one that wasn't aquamarine. A welcome change

Another was the shrine walls, The large stone fortress and the big mahogany gates separating the main building from the outside world were completely gone. Disappeared as if they were never there.

Lastly was the courtyard. Instead of compacted and smooth dirt as flooring it was replaced with a wide open port, Like something large ships would anchor down at but rather one that connected all the docks outside to it like the base of the tree and it's roots.

With both the courtyard and the walls gone it left just the shrine on its own, All by itself in this infinite sea.

But the one thing that ate away at her, The one thing that made the entire shrine feel so wrong in the first place. It was the emptiness.

There were no Kakushi or shrine maidens passing through the hallways, Their conversations and laughter ringing down the passage.

It was instead being replaced by cobwebs and their spiders, Scuttling quietly in the dark corners.

The libraries? Cold and dust-ridden. The kitchens were barren, Dirty and uncared for. Everything was old and seemed to fall apart. It was disgusting and [F/N] couldn't deny the pang it sent straight towards her heart.

[F/N] felt like her situation still hadn't registered in her mind, The entire thing scrambled in pieces. It was so overwhelming, This wasn't real. This can't be.

[F/N] stopped in the middle of the passage. Leaning up against the jacktop walls as her hand gripped the side of her jinbei, Hand over her heart as she tried to steady her breathing. Telling her everything would be alright.

Head leaned back as she calmed the rhythm of her lungs, She clenched her hands tight to feel the soft feeling of fibre in-between her palm.

Oh right.. That's why she got up.

Opening her hand she revealed a scrunched up note, One she had found beside her futon with a small serving of lukewarm soba. It was a note from him, The demon.

To [F/N].

When you receive this note, You should have already awoken from your slumber.

Once you finish reading this note, I expect you to eat the bowl of soba I have provided to you on the vanity desk. Once you have consumed it, Make your way towards the main dining room. I know you know your way there.

Wait patiently. And do not keep me waiting.

-黒死牟

[F/N] crumpled the paper into a tiny ball within her palms. She tossed it aside and let out a breath of air she didn't know she was holding as she mellowed out against the wall.

He wanted to see her. She wasn't completely sure of the reason but [F/N] had a creeping suspicion crawling up her spine. It was the same reason she dragged herself out of bed, Why she was going in the first place.

She wanted answers.

[F/N] placed her hands either side of her on the wall, Pushing herself up she dusted off her jinbei.

She had already spent what little time she had mapping out the fake-shrine. Don't keep him waiting, He said. Being on time wasn't exactly her strong suit but the vision of those amber eyes stalking her, Appearing in her peripherals yet disappeared when she looked that way.

It felt like cold water was being poured down her back. [F/N] felt helpless, More so than usual. She had no mask nor sword, What Kokushibo had done with them she didn't know. But [F/N] felt naked without them, Without it [F/N] was just herself..

And that didn't sit right with her at all.

☆♡☆

The tiny flame was brought up to the tip of the incense stick, The tiny fire starting to catch onto the wood, The flicker of an ember sparking up at the end.

Mitsuri set the incense down onto the platter. The aroma of cherry lotus started the dance in the air as it burned, A scent she breathed in deeply.

The smoke was sweet, It smelt like crushed cherries and freshwater rivers. A cool breeze on a summer day, A sacchariferous taste lacing it as the wind danced across the valley. It was calming, It was nostalgic. Anemoia, Yet Mitsuri knew it all too well.

She turned around towards the bath, Steam rising up from the water within. Mitsuri rested her hands on the cedarwood sides and slowly got in. Watching as the water parted for her as she sunk inside, Rising up until it was at her neck.

Mitsuri stared up at the ceiling above her, She felt.. fine.

She didn't feel good, Not by any stretch of the word but she didn't feel that bad, Not right now anyways. She just felt fine, For how long she didn't know. But right now was okay.

The smell of the incense kept the bad thoughts at bay, Keeping them away out of mind. Along with the bath that was hot against her skin, Most of the thoughts were burned away along with the sticks. Though, Only one still lingered in her mind.

Shinobu. Mitsuri knitted her eyebrows.

What she said to her the other day bubbled up in her mind like the foam rising up from the bottom of the bath. Mitsuri regretted it, She shouldn't of said something like that and it had been eating away at her for a good few days now.

"G-Get out.. Y-You did this, We both did.. But.. Y-You don't even care at all…"

Mitsuri sunk a little lower in the bath. It was wrong, She knew as soon as Shinobu closed the door that it was wrong. But everything felt just so wrong in that moment. Looking back on it, Mitsuri wanted someone to blame and Shinobu was just an easy target.

Mitsuri grabbed the oil from the side of the bath. Popping open the cap she poured some onto her hands as she started to massage it into her hair, Washing out all of the grease built up over weeks.

Mitsuri would need to apologise. It was nasty what she said, She'll need to see Shinobu later and apologise for their entire meeting.

Though that wasn't to say nothing good came out of it at all, This was the first time in weeks Mitsuri had bothered to leave her room. Not to go outside, Get food or bathe. She didn't want to leave either, The outside world feeling so foreign, So terrifying that she barely left the safety of her covers.

It felt like she was trapped under them at times. The weight of her heavy heart keeping her stuck down on the mattress. [F/N], Mitsuri never really knew how fast a loved ones face can melt away into an abstract masterpiece after they died.

But now as she watched [F/N]'s face appear inside her head, A faded blur of what it once was she understood perfectly now. The features on her face slipping away from her, Only the general splotches of colour and shape left now.

It was terrifying, But her meeting with Shinobu and Obanai seemed to make her shift. Pull her out from under the covers only slightly. The state of the room helped snap her out of her trance too. The rotten food, Piles of clothing and the gathering of dust.

It all helped, If only a little bit.

The promise Shinobu had given told her, The promise of revenge on the demon who did this. It was the one thing that got her moving, The last working cog. Vengeance, She desired it so bad her chest started to throb.

Mitsuri felt a small tear roll down her cheek, Letting it mix in with the bathwater. Even if she was able to get out of her bed, Pull herself and try to wash away the stains. How could she go on now, How could she get vengeance for her?

She could wash off the dirt all she wanted, Scrub and scrub until your skin is spotless but the filth she felt stayed on her like a cancer. How could she ever go on? [F/N], The person she grew up with, The person who stayed with her through thick and thin and the person who loved her despite all of her flaws.

It was hard enough when Rengoku died, Her master who she looked up to like a big brother and taught her everything he knew. When the crow delivered the news she was distraught, But then she at least had [F/N] there to hold her hand, Pull her into a hug and tell her everything would be fine.

But now [F/N] was gone there was no one to do that for her. Comfort her and tell her everything would be fine, Because the truth is it wasn't. Everyone around her that she loved and cared for were dying left and right and soon enough there would be no one left.

[F/N].. Mitsuri could lose everything in the world. She could lose her job, Her friends and her limbs. Even then she could smile and say it was okay, But [F/N].. She just couldn't lose her, Anyone but her.

Mitsuri can't go on, She just can't.

"I want you to know I did it I did on my on voilition. I chose this, You have nothing to feel bad over."

"How could I not feel bad over you, [F/N]?" Mitsuri whispered, Running her fingers through the strands. "You're my best friend.. My first friend. We were suppose to do this together yet I let you down.. I-I deserve this.."

"You deserved a better friend than me."

"That's not true.. You're the one who deserved a better friend.. I was stupid and did nothing at all to help you at all, I did this to you.. How could you say I deserved better..?" Mitsuri mumbled.

"The truth is its you. You were the only thing that made me feel like I had a family, Like I had my childhood, Like I was a normal person for once in my stupid little life. I adore you, Tsuri. I really do."

Mitsuri's tears started to pick up.

"I-It's funny.. You were always able to see the good in others, Even if they were horrible and mean-spirited you were able to find their worth. In everyone.. Everyone except yourself.." Mitsuri sniffled.

"I'm living a lie, Everyday I go to work as someone I'm not because of myself. It's pathetic. There isn't any meaning, I'm sorry for saying this but as these are my last words I feel like it's necessary."

"D-Don't ever say that about yourself.. Don't apologise.. Y-You have nothing to be sorry for. Just because you were someone else doesn't mean your true self has no value.. I-It's not pathetic.. Never say it is.." Mitsuri felt the oncoming tears flow out of her slowly.

The voices stayed silent for a moment. Mitsuri watched the ripples in the water as her vision blurred up.

"I love you, And I wish I said it sooner"

Mitsuri sunk just a little further into the water, She tilted her head up towards the ceiling. Staring far-off somewhere else. The cherry lotus incense still burned bright as ever, Smoke dancing in the air.

"Me too.."

☆♡☆

The ticking of a clock, An earworm that wouldn't stop ticking. Over and over, It repeated without any sign of stop.

There was no clock within the room however, The sound a hallucination to accompany the beads of sweat building up in the humidity of her palms. Ones that rested uncomfortably on her knees as [F/N] sat on the tatami mat.

The dining room, It had barely changed from the real one. Ignoring the dust and cobwebs scattered here and there things like cabinets filled with old china, Several talisman statues and empty incense platters were still lying about.

All of this of course was settled within the long layout of the room supported only by rickety wood support beams. [F/N] bit her tongue, The high ceilings and wide structure made her feel small within the confines.

She couldn't help but scan her eyes left from right, Trying to spot any sign of Kokushibo.

[F/N] had been sitting here for over fifteen minutes now just waiting for him to arrive. She had no idea how he would know she was here and waiting, How he predicted when she would be awake but figured he had some sort of way. However disturbing that way might be..

She rubbed the back of her neck, Trying to massage the ache out of it. [F/N] barely could recognise that same familiar sensation of eyes watching her, It only registering in her mind once she felt the cold breath hit her neck.

[F/N] froze, Body stilling like a lake.

"Good.. You are here." Kokushibo mumbled, Only a foot behind her as his eyes dug into her skin. His stare, It felt like it reached deep into her soul and was looking straight at her very being. Scrutinizing her, Judging her every inch.

[F/N] quickly exhaled, A shaky breath escaping her. She didn't dare to turn around, Gathering her bearings as she spoke.

"What do you want." [F/N] asked, Eyes dead set on the wall opposite of her. She didn't even need to turn around to feel his frown etched deep onto his face.

"When you speak to me.. I expect you to show some respect in your tone.." Kokushibo said. His voice was stoic and unwavering yet held such weight to it that [F/N] couldn't help but swallow down her nerves.

When she didn't make the move to speak, Kokushibo took the chance for her.

He placed down something in front of her with a clank, One that was so quiet yet sounded like sirens within the silence of the dining room.

It snapped [F/N] out of her nervous stupor and brought her eyes down to the object in front of her, Revealing it to be a cooked and cut unagi and rice. Grilled river eel that seemed to be sprinkled with chopped leek and black pepper.

[F/N] stared down at it, Seemingly surprised at what it turned out to be as Kokushibo sat down at the other end of the table.

She looked up at him. Even though he was sitting down on his knees, Hands on his shins he still stood towering over her. The darkness of the room cast a deep shadow over his face, One that was staring right back at her, Not saying a word.

They stayed like that for a few moments. [F/N] couldn't help but feel the growing sense of awkwardness under all the tension as she looked over at him. It was quiet, Unsettlingly so.

Compared to how he acted earlier, This was more.. Hands off than before.

When she had first awoken in her caricature of a bedroom he had been there, Watching her from within the murkiness. Once she raised herself from the bed he hadn't taken any time on approaching her, Grabbing her by the cheek and trying to display some kind of faux affection.

It sent shivers down her spine just thinking about it. He had gotten so close like it was a regular occurrence. He didn't want to let go either, Keeping her in place backed up into the corner in fear. He had absolutely no qualms about invading her space.

Though it must of changed once she had gotten out of there, Ran away down the shrine hallways and came face to face with the void outside. Maybe it was what she said to him or the fact that she had tried running away.

"Tire yourself out all you want.. Run as long and as far as you like but you will never be able to leave me.. Not again. When you come back.. Do not expect to be treated with such affection that I have offered you thus far.. Not until you stop with this stupid rebellious phase of yours.."

[F/N] supposed he had kept to his word. He wouldn't be treating her with any kind of 'warmth' or 'affection' as he so put it, Not until she stopped her 'stupid little rebellious phase.'

Her lip quirked. The way he phrased it sounded so wrong. So infantilizing like she was just a rowdy teenager with a lack of basic manners when in truth she was a wounded hostage, Desperately aching for escape, Salvation.

[F/N] hated him, The way he looked and the deepness of his voice. She hated it all. She feared him too, Right now she was helpless. Without the mask or her sword she was useless, Completely at his mercy.

The dressing around her mid-section was the reminder of that, He could kill her anytime he wanted and the fact that he didn't pissed her off.

Somehow, someway. [F/N] needed to find a way out of here, Away from this nightmare, Away from her captor.

"[F/N].. Eat.. I took time in preparing you that meal.. And I expect you to accept and consume it gratefully.." Kokushibo rumbled. His voice sharp and cold like the edge of his sword, Like he was pointing it right at her, Ordering her to do as he says.

[F/N]'s lip thinned before nodding slowly.

"Use your words.." Kokushibo interrupted, Not accepting her non-verbal communication. [F/N] itched, The words seemingly lost at the edges of thought before she spoke.

"Yes.. Thank you.." [F/N] muttered, Eyes locked onto his middle pair as she waited for his response on baited breath.

Kokushibo stared back at her, A blank unfeeling gaze seeming to weigh her words on a scale. He didn't speak, Just hummed lightly.

"Acceptable.." Was all he said.

He continued looking upon her as [F/N] shakily picked up her pair of chopsticks. The thin wood hovering over the unagi, Trying to determine whether the meat was laced or not.

[F/N] gulped. Was she willing to take the risk?

"What..? It's perfectly good eel, I should know.. I caught it myself." Kokushibo asked lightly. His head cocked to the side, Eyes unblinking as he stared her down. "..Why aren't you eating..?"

[F/N] bit her lip, Thoughts scrambling to find a good reason to present to him.

"I-It's just.. The bowl of soba earlier was enough.. It.. It kind of made me lose my appetite is all.." [F/N] said. It was a lie, The bowl of soba that came along with the note wasn't even touched. She didn't feel hungry, She hadn't for a while now.

Kokushibo's eyes narrowed.

"Impossible.. You have been asleep for weeks, One single bowl of soba is not enough.. You must eat.." Kokushibo argued, An accusatory tone lacing him like a prosecutor as he examined her form.

[F/N] gulped. Weeks. Right, Apparently she had been asleep for weeks? It didn't quite register inside her mind, Her sense of time seemed muddled. Minutes and hours mixed together and became one, Measurement wasn't reliable.

[F/N] exhaled.

"R-Right.." She mumbled. The pair of chopsticks still shaking in her hands she slowly lowered them down towards the unagi. Kokushibo watched as she picked up a piece of eel in-between the sticks before raising it towards her mouth.

Nerves irrationally racing under his gaze, [F/N] parted her lips and placed the eel in her mouth as she stared back at him.

She chewed, A sudden sweet taste started to flood onto her tongue as she did. It was soft, Similar to squid in its texture and was unlike her expectation of a bitter, salty and greasy taste.

"..How is it?" Kokushibo asked.

[F/N] swallowed the chunk in her mouth.

"Good.." She answered and this time it wasn't a lie. It did taste good, It was perfectly cooked and seasoned, Made with care and wasn't laced, At least she thinks so anyways. It was good, But it didn't take away the way it felt strange in her mouth. Not from the taste or personal preference but instead in the way you'd try to eat more on a full stomach.

Kokushibo nodded.

"Continue then.." He said, And [F/N] complied under his command. She continued to eat the unagi however awkwardly it felt, Trying her best to focus on the bowl instead of his face. It was quiet, Neither [F/N] or Kokushibo spoke.

"..How was your sleep?" Kokushibo questioned, Breaking the silence between them.

[F/N] looked up at him, The grasp on her chopsticks grew slightly tighter at his attempt to start a conversation. For whatever reason he wasn't going directly in with the questions, It unsettled her stomach and quite frankly annoyed her.

"Fine.. Could of been better.." [F/N] grumbled, Alluding to the bloody dressing and the room walls surrounding her. She said it with a sarcastic tone and a bead of cold sweat running down her brow as she took another bite of the eel.

Kokushibo paused.

[F/N] kept her eyes down, Hoping she didn't go too far.

"You are still opposed to your new living arrangements.. I suppose.. It's understandable. This is a big change for you.." Kokushibo drawled. [F/N] felt another spike in her annoyance, It was that same infantilizing tone.

[F/N] decided to push her limits.

"Why am I here? Like.. H-How is this place even here.. I want you to give me the truth.." She asked, Raising her head up to meet his and lowering down her chopsticks. Her brows were furrowed.

Even though he had "explained" some of it earlier [F/N] had rejected it entirely. She wanted a truthful answer not hidden behind delusion or manipulation.

Kokushibo was quiet for a moment.

"I have told you over and over.. What I say isn't false nor do I intend to trick you.. What do I need to do to convince you of that?" Kokushibo's voice stated to grow colder, It started to sound irritated at her denial. It seemed like [F/N] was near the limits she could push with him.

"You are my younger sister.. I am your older brother. You are here because I want you to be.. This place is your new home now.. You will not be leaving anytime soon so I suggest you start to accept that.." Kokushibo said in a near deriding tone, Making sure to annunciate every word as clear as day to her.

[F/N] shook her head, She opened her mouth ready to speak but was cut off by Kokushibo's own speech.

"I suppose you already know why you're here.. Except for trying to spend some time with my little sister.. Which you ungratefully don't want to do.. It is also because I have questions of my own.. So.. Here is how this is going to go.." Kokushibo started.

"I will ask a question.. And you must answer truthfully. After you have answered.. You may also ask a question of your own.. And I will answer honestly in return.. We will take turns asking until we are both satisfied." Kokushibo suggested.

[F/N] bit her lip. The proposition he had offered to her was appealing to say the least. She would be able to get her answers while he would be able to get his, What kind of questions he had she had no idea.

It didn't matter though. [F/N] wanted to give in to the temptation, Whatever he could ask her couldn't hurt. She'd get her answers and have some kind of basis on this place.

[F/N] nodded.

"Alright."

☆♡☆

The strong smell of chemicals singed at the tip of her nose, It was the only thing she could sense with her entire sight being a dark nothing. She couldn't hear anything either, Nothing except from a high-pitched ringing that is.

The girl groaned, She writhed around tossing back and forth. It felt like every inch of her was in pain, All of her nerves flared up like bottle rockets and exploding in agony. It was barely bearable.

Where was she?

She had no idea. All of her senses were muddled by the pain in her body, It was hard to tell. A metallic bitterness in her mouth, It was really the only thing that she could taste and the only little thing she could sense.

What even happened, Why was she in so much pain? Everything was in pieces, Parts of her mind scrambled into thousands. It felt like something was just out of her grasp, A lost memory, Something she felt was.. Important.

She stretched out a hand, Reaching out into the abyss. Her fingers tried to grab down on something, Anything that she could touch within the shadows.

As her arm extended forward she could feel a sort of.. Light.

It was hard to explain to her, It wasn't visible nor was she sure it was really there. It was strange like a ghostly apparition reaching back out to her, Their spectral hand grazing the tips of her fingers with a cold touch, Sending shivers down the girls spine.

The girl reached out further, A sudden determination to fight through the agony as she tried to grasp the phantom hand.

Tears prickled at her eyes, The pain was excruciating but she fought through it anyways. The palms of her hands starting to graze the hands of the apparition.

The girl grappled onto them, The freezing touch of their grasp embraced hers like a mother holding their child's hand. It was comforting, Even though it chilled her to the bone it was nice, One that felt familiar.

The hand moved, Bringing the girl forward. The pain had completely dissipated now as she was guided upwards, Gently brought forth into the void.

Though as she felt herself rising upwards the darkness enveloping her started to shift too, The shadow parting for her as she went. A new light started to become visible, One independent from the hand as it started to shine.

The girls lips parted, She felt air rushing into her lungs and escaping out through her mouth. Was she not breathing before? The rhythm of her heart started to beat as the light started to grow larger and larger.

It was so blinding that she had to close her eyes. A sudden resonance echoed from within her mind, Lost memories starting to rise.

The girls obsidian eyes opened wide, The light fading out into the clarity of a room. A sharp gasp came from her, Hands gripping the bedsheets she lay on.

She remembered now.

☆♡☆

[F/N]'s brows knitted together, Her lip bit as she waited on baited breath for his question. The tension built up seemed near visible in the air, Almost suffocating so within the darkness of the room.

Kokushibo sighed, Stoic in face, Completely blank making it near impossible to tell what he was thinking. It was uncomfortable to say the least, [F/N] squirmed around under his gaze.

Though she quickly stilled, Keeping her composure. This was her time to get answers. She couldn't falter here, Not now. She needed to stand her ground, Raise her shoulders and look him straight in the eyes, No matter how herculean of a task staring at them was.

"So.. For my first question.. I'll start easy.. " Kokushibo started, Silence broken as his voice echoed lightly in the room.

"..What is your full name?"

[F/N]'s mouth turned into a frown. A rather anti-climactic question from what she was expecting, Though to be fair she didn't know what she was expecting. [F/N]'s shoulders drop only slightly.

"[F/N] Fujimori." She answered quickly.

Kokushibo stayed silent once more. A bead of sweat rolled down [F/N]'s brow, Though she tried not to show it from her hardened expression. What was he thinking..?

"Alright then.. As per our rules you may now ask me a question.. And I will answer honestly." Kokushibo said, Nodding slightly to urge her on.

A question. It was her time to ask.. But what? Where should she start, Which one out of a thousand should she ask? She could only ask one but that was nowhere near enough.

Another bead of sweat dripped down her side.

[F/N] bit her lip. Start easy. Take a deep breath, You'll be fine.

"Okay.. Where am I.. What is this place?" The first question that came to mind. [F/N] steadied her breathing, Good. It was probably one of the better questions she could of asked. She should get a basis of where she is first, Use it as the foundation to base her next few questions off of.

Kokushibo hummed lowly.

"You are in a replica of your shrine.. I ordered this place to be built a few centuries ago after your.. Accident.." Kokushibo paused. "Though it is not exact.. You may have noticed a few modifications.. They are rather recent and have been made for your comfort here.."

Comfort? Like hell this place could be of any comfort to her. It was a mockery of her home, Her sanctuary. Whatever modifications he could have made would never be able to provide any kind of solace to her.

But it was another part of his sentence that drew her attention.

"Accident?" [F/N] queried, Curiosity building on her tongue.

"It is my turn to ask questions.." Kokushibo cut in, Sharp tone cutting through her with a drop in temperature fastly following it.

[F/N] froze, But nodded along quickly not wanting to push her limits any further.

"Second question.." He started "When I found you once more.. You were injured by me in the rubble of your shrine. You appeared as a man, A Hashira.. Not just any but the one who killed a thousand of my kind.. So my question is to you, Why are you a slayer.. How did you do it..?"

Kokushibo's voice was calm yet [F/N] could sense a new undercurrent of bafflement mixed with.. Disdain. It was confusement, One of the only feelings he had shown throughout their conversation.

And if [F/N] was being honest, She shared the sentiment.

"Well.. I.." [F/N] stuttered. Answer honestly, Those were the rules of the game. But [F/N] barely knew what the truth was.

"..I became a slayer because I.. Because.. My friend was going to become a slayer and I just came along for the ride.. How I killed a thousand, I didn't really intend on doing so.. It just kind of happened.. " It was the truth, [F/N] didn't lie when she answered. But it wasn't exactly the full truth either.

Kokushibo's eyes narrowed.

"You became a slayer because.. You followed a friend?" Kokushibo asked. The disdain in his voice more prominent now as he stared her down. [F/N] swallowed.

"My turn." She answered, Expression turning to stone.

Kokushibo's nose twitched.

"Touché.." Was all he said.

"About the accident you mentioned.. What are you referring to?" [F/N] asked. Accident, The way he said it earlier was like the word was stuck on his tongue. [F/N] could tell it was hard subject, Both from the way he said it and how his face seemed to fall once she asked it.

Kokushibo took a moment before responding.

"Your accident.. Yes. It was around five hundred years ago now in the Sengoku era.. It.. It's still fresh in my mind." Kokushibo's voice started to go down, Only in a single pitch as he spoke. Eyes wandering off somewhere else.

"A few months before it happened you had fallen ill.. A hereditary sickness passed down from our mother.. I had been searching months for a cure to no luck. I had came back to your shrine with.. A kind of cure per se but when I had arrived.. It was too late."

[F/N] listened on intently. This was manipulation, This just a lie. But.. Did he really need to create such a narrative? He had explained her falling ill, Going so far as to describe it as an illness from 'their' mother. Was he really going this far..?

"It wasn't the illness that killed you.. Instead it was a pair of slayers. When I had arrived it was in the middle of winter.. A blizzard had picked up and you had ran out into the snow to escape.. You were fatally wounded and by the time I found you.. You were dead, Curled up in the snow, Your body was already frozen over.." Kokushibo trailed off, His voice growing lower until it wasn't heard anymore.

Kokushibo looked up towards [F/N], Eyes looking upon her form. She was still, Unnaturally so.

Not a single muscle moved, Neither from [F/N] or the demon across the table from her. Her lips were parted, Eyes stuck dead open as she stared down at the table.

"I.. You.." She stuttered. Her voice was so quiet, Her jaw started to shake.

[F/N] looked up to him, Glazed over eyes staring at him with a horrified yet disbelieving expression. She stared as if he had three heads, Her head shook.

"A blizzard.. You said.. You said it was a blizzard?" [F/N] stammered. It sounded like she hadn't spoken in days, Like all water had been deprived from her throat. A blizzard, He said she died in a blizzard.

Kokushibo's frown deepened, A grimace starting to play on his face. He didn't even care that she asked another question, The terrified visage she wore distracting him from that fact.

"..Why? Does that mean something to you..?" Kokushibo queried.

It did. It meant everything to her, Her dreams. The original visions that have been haunting her like spectres for months, The blizzard she had trudged through night after night only to collapse time and time again.

He told her it was the way his sister died. She was killed off by a couple of slayers, One's that fatally wounded. It matched up to the unbearable pain in her chest whenever she was there, The way she felt so frantic in escape. It matched but.. How?

These dreams she barely told to anyone, While she had admitted she suffered from night terrors what happened in them wasn't explained to anyone. No one he would have in contact with should know about her nightmares.

But somehow he knew, It was exactly like how he described.

"Answer me.. And consider it my next question." Kokushibo broke her chain of thought, Yet she could barely hear his annoyed voice from the cold sweat building up on her palm.

"DON'T LET HIM CATCH US, [F/N]. DON'T LET HIM FIND US!"

A voice she hadn't heard in a good long while cried out inside her mind. It was her.. Her double. The start of deviation in her visions, She had came to her with a warning. One she couldn't decipher.

Neurons connected. The end of her dreams, When she had fallen into the snow and curled up into a ball she looked up. And every time she'd see a man rush towards her, Clothed in a lavender nagagi kimono and hakama trousers..

[F/N]'s bottom lip shook, She tried to verbalize her thoughts. Put them into words yet it seemed so difficult from under the weight of her raging mind.

This.. This couldn't be what she thought it meant. It couldn't. It can't..

Kokushibo's expression was unreadable, It wasn't like the annoyance before but instead it was like ice. He was stone, Whatever he was thinking didn't show. And it scared her even more.

"Explain. Now." He said just like his expression, Levelled and untraceable.

[F/N] tried to steady her breathing. A little voice in her head spoke out. Don't falter, Ask further.

"I.. I.." [F/N] stuttered, Setting her hands down onto the table and trying to organise her words. She swallowed back a lump in her throat, Making way for her explanation.

"I.. F-For a few months I've been having.. Nightmares." [F/N] started, Slowly pronouncing her words as if to test them on her tongue.

"Nightmares..?" Kokushibo mulled. He didn't make a change in his expression, Nor did his glare stray from her for a second.

[F/N] nodded.

"Y-Yes.. I've been having night terrors for a while now and in these nightmares.. I wake up in a blizzard." She confirmed.

Kokushibo's stare was blank, His eyes near draining the life out of her as his lips parted slightly.

"What occurs while you are having them?" He asks, But [F/N] only shook her head.

"..Isn't it my turn to ask a que-"

"Forget the questions." Kokushibo interrupted. "Tell me what happens.."

[F/N] froze. His sudden aura of authority was something she could feel in her bones. She was never one to obey any kind of Jurisdiction or higher human power, It wasn't in her nature or her nurture to do so.

But a natural instinct burst up inside her from the new atmosphere surrounding him, One that made her want to answer in fear of the consequences.

"I.. E-Every time I fall asleep I wake up in a blizzard.. I'm in the middle of a forest.. There's this pain in my back.. I.. I'm trying to get out of there but every time I get far I collapse into the snow.." [F/N] explained, Repeated almost exactly what he described back to him.

She decided against telling him the last part after seeing his expression.

Kokushibo at this point had a hand resting on his chin, A nail dug onto the pale moonlight shade of his flesh while another pulled gingerly at his lip. He wasn't readable before, But now [F/N] could feel a sense of.. Elation.

She noticed his face start to turn only slightly. The corners of his mouth starting to tug up subconsciously into a small smile.

It was disturbing, It looked so unnatural on his face like it was a cheap replica of an honest smile. But [F/N] could tell this was genuine enough, All from the way his arachnid eyes gleamed. Though despite the light in his eyes he radiated a darker aura. Something she recognised from the time he had sliced her abdomen.

[F/N] shuddered. He was happy.

"I see.. So you do remember something.." Kokushibo muttered. His eyes were off in thought, His grin was so small yet contained such a feeling of obsessive glee. It sickened her, It made her want to puke.

[F/N] tried to shuffle away slightly on the tatami mat she was sitting on, The bowl of unagi went abandoned as she felt her instincts kick up again.

This was impossible, This entire situation felt so wrong. When at any point in her life did she think she would be here? Staring down the unhinged monster opposite from her while he tried to convince her of blood relation. Through her dreams, No less.

"I-It's only a vision. It.. It means nothing." [F/N] blurted out. A thought that ran through her mind and one that she didn't mean to articulate out loud. Also one that she regretted immediately.

Kokushibo didn't seem wavered at all, His claw just continued pulling at his lip.

"No, No. Even if it is just subconciously.. There is still a part of you that remembers.. This.. This is great." He said just a little louder this time, Exasperated and maybe even a tiny bit excited.

If [F/N] thought his visage couldn't get any more hideous then she was proven very wrong. The way his smile stretched wider to reveal his canines, The way his cheeks made way for it and the way all six of his eyes sparkled under the pale light.

It was horrifying.

She barely registered him getting up from his knees, Standing at his full height within the shadow-infested room. He stalked over, One foot in front of the other barely made any sound as slowly made his way towards her.

[F/N] was only snapped out of her trance one he was now looming over her crouched form. She gasped, Shocked at the sudden closing of distance between them. She tried to move her body away, Try to gain some space but she felt fixed to the floorboards, Body unable to move.

Kokushibo went down onto a single knee, He hunched over with his middle eyes meeting her own in a locked stare down.

He seemed to examine her just for a moment, That smile smaller yet still stretched upon his face as he looked at her.

"..The chances of your dream matching up to my own tale is.. Improbable to say the least. You must agree that it's uncanny.. Do you agree, Little one?" He asked. It was almost as if he was taunting her as she tried desperately to think of an exit, Instincts on overdrive.

[F/N]'s jaw trembled. She was unable to pry her eyes away from his, Keeping her steady in place. She felt words grow on the tip of her tongue, Ready to spill.

"E-Even if what you're implying is right.. If your story has any truth to it.. Even if I am your sister.. Why did you kidnap me and take me here?" She squeaked, Shrill and high-pitched under the intense gaze of the Uppermoon.

It didn't make sense to her at all. It was one of the question she had been wanting to ask for a while now, His story didn't add up. Between both the ruthless nature of demons and their lack of sentimental attachment it just didn't make sense.

If she was his sister then that wouldn't constitute kidnapping her, It wouldn't change the fact that he should of killed her. Why he was so insistent on keeping her here, Why he had such an insane demeanour to him eluded her.

Kokushibo let out a breath of air, A shine in his eyes that could of been mistaken for fondness gleamed bright.

And his teeth glowed even lighter under the pale luminescence.

"Because.. Kidnapping you was a necessary evil.. The outside world is dangerous for someone like you.. If I let you out the chance of you getting injured or killed grows too high for my liking.. You need to stay here where it's safe, You need to stay here with me.." Kokushibo started.

[F/N] had no idea what to say, There was nothing to say. What words could she ever use to explain the overwhelming feelings rushing around inside her. Fear.. Anger.. Confusion and Hopelessness.

None of those words portray how she really felt. How much it felt like her heart was going to explode or how badly she wanted to run away.

"I'm your big brother, It's my job to protect you.. That's why you're here with me. I can't let you go back to those pathetic little slayers.. They are the reason I lost you for so long in the first place.."

He continued his rambling, Spoke about her colleagues and comrades with such acidity. The expression on his face was growing even more deluded and unhinged by every syllable spoken. [F/N] couldn't understand a single word, All mixing into a hazy mess.

"Besides.. If you just accept your new living situation then I'm sure you'll grow accustomed well enough.. If you would just stop with your little tantrum then you'll be much happier.. I can assure you of tha-"

Kokushibo paused mid-sentence

[F/N] watched in confusion as his smile fell and his face reverted back into his usual cold and serious expression in an instance.

He got up from the ground and tilted his head up towards the roof of the room, Seemingly engrossed in something [F/N] couldn't make out.

"Muzan-sama.." Kokushibo spoke lowly, His voice was filled with cordiality and stoicism similar to how a knight would speak to a king.

[F/N]'s eyebrows raised, Her lips pressed tightly together careful not to make a sound. Was he.. Was he speaking to Kibutsuji? The demon king, The progenitor of all demons and the bastard who had ordered her to be killed?

That's.. Not good.

[F/N] didn't speak a word though, It looked like they had some sort of telepathic link. Her sweat dropped more than it already doing, One after the other things got more and more insane. How much more can she handle?

The silence was louder than any sound, It felt suffocating yet she didn't dare to break it for a second. She didn't think she'd be intimidated by the progenitor, The passage of his name back at the corps meant nothing to her but now?

[F/N] was alarmed, On edge. Her fate was juggled in the hands of demons and death would be the better option in this scenario. She needed to wait on baited breath and see what the verdict was.

Kokushibo stood there, Nodding once or twice without ever saying a word. However whatever conversation they were having seemed important, She could tell by the sharpening of his eyes and the way his shoulders stiffened.

Was he going to tell him about her? What were they talking about? It was impossible to tell.

"Yes.. I will head over now." Kokushibo said at last. It was the final thing he said, A small nod before all movements went still.

They stood there, It was dead quiet.

Kokushibo looked down at her, That same cold expression on his face as he looked back at her.

"..I have been ordered to leave.. While I am gone I expect you to behave.. Do not try and run lest you wish to waste your energy.. Think over what we discussed here today and then maybe you'll start to see reason.."

That was all that he said to her. Kokushibo didn't wait for her answer before vanishing into thin air, Gone in an instant.

[F/N] exhaled, A breath she didn't know she was holding was released into the now empty room. It was colder now, The silence returned once again to invade every corner of the walls confines.

She came in for answers yet came out with more questions than she expected or wanted, The entire ordeal rewinding in her mind like a cassette.

This couldn't be real, She just wouldn't accept it.

☆♡☆

[F/N]'s feet dragged behind her out of the room, She didn't bother sliding the door shut. Too enraptured with the thoughts of her own mind to care.

She trudged down the hallways, Her head felt like a hurricane right now. Swirling and rushing around at high speeds, Thoughts coming in and out even faster. [F/N] felt like a weight was dropped in her chest, Doing the best of her ability to breathe in and out and not collapse onto the wall.

What were the chances that her dreams and his story matched up? It was impossible, He had described the exact sequence of events that occurred and had linked it to his sister's death.

[F/N] couldn't be related to him, She couldn't be related to Uppermoon one, A centuries old demon who has most definetly killed thousands at this point. But.. The coincidence was too big to be considered one.

She was conflicted to say the least, It felt like her brain and her heart were at war with each other. Her brain was telling her that there was no way that this could be possible, There was no feasible way.

Her heart on the other hand said otherwise, It told her that he was telling the truth. That there was some semblance of honesty to what he was saying yet it also told her that she should run. It resonated in her like nothing else.

It's words reminded her of that dream, Her double's warnings screaming into her ear like an air-raid siren. Crying and wailing out into the storm.

"WE CAN'T LET HIM CATCH US, HE'S NOT THE SAME. WE NEED TO RUN OR ELSE WE'LL NEVER GET AWAY, PLEASE [F/N] LISTEN TO US!"

Her double spoke as if they were one, Which they technically were but it felt different. It felt as if they were really the same person, Not split into two but just one single person.

[F/N] thought it was a prophetic dream from Inari, A warning about the shrine's future attack and to be prepared. At the time it felt like the most rational meaning. But now she didn't think that was the case anymore, It wasn't about the shrine at all.

It was about Kokushibo.

Her double spoke as she knew him all too well, She was scared of him. She told her he wasn't the same, Could that be referring to him being a demon? Maybe, [F/N] wasn't sure.

Or could it be referring to his behaviour. Back when he was towering over her, Leaning down to her level she could see the primal feeling behind his eyes, Like a feral animal. Not unlike a rabid wolf, It was a look she hadn't seen in anyone.

He was so sure that she was his little sister, And at this point? [F/N] had no idea what to think.

Everything was so complicated, It was all happening in such a short period of time that she just couldn't wrap her head around it. [F/N] didn't even want to think about it anymore, It made her head throb and even though she had only been up for an hour or two she just wanted to go to bed again.

[F/N] kept walking through the hallways, She had decided that it was exactly what she was going to do. She needed to sleep on it, Come back tomorrow and figure things out on a clean slate.

CREAK!

[F/N] raised her head from the ground. The old floorboards made a loud noise up ahead from behind the corner. [F/N] could tell it was from the lowering of a foot, Heavy and firm.

She groaned. Kokushibo was back already? That was quick. She didn't want to put up with him again, She just wanted sleep. One that actually made her feel like she was refreshed and rested once she woke.

Sighing, She called out to him.

"..I don't want to continue talking, I'm tired and-"

[F/N]'s speech was cut off, Her pace freezing like water in a single instant as she stared the man down.

That.. That isn't Kokushibo.

The man that turned the corner didn't look like him at all. Instead it was a young man of average height. He had a salmon shaded short-cut for hair and his skin was so pale that it was near sheet white, The only breaks from the artic colour were the thick navy blue streaks wrapping around his entire body.

His eyes widened at the sight of her, They were golden with his sclera like broken glass. It seemed he didn't expect her either.

[F/N] inhaled sharply. The kanji in his eyes catching her off guard. This is a demon, Not just any.. But Uppermoon three.

He opened his mouth to speak, Vampiric fangs glistening in the turquoise light.

"You.. What are you doing here?"

☆♡☆

The evening sun was lowering down on the horizon, The sky painted with hues of red, orange and purple made it look like a masterfully painted watercolour canvas. It was beautiful, Along with the cool breeze brushing into the valley it made a perfect landscape.

The butterfly mansion sat as tall as ever. Several Kakushi and slayers walked in and out about the building, They were sparse in numbers.

Most of the injured from a few weeks ago were already healed back to full health and were sent on their way. The ones that remained still lain on their hospital bed, Being treated by the residents here.

Shinobu wiped her brow, Beads of sweat brushing off onto the side of her wrist as she knelt down in front of the garden patch. Cabbage and turnip halfway grown within the fertile soil. She was currently picking weeds out from the stone lining around the vegetable patch, Gloves clad on her hands as she plucked another out.

Shinobu felt the cold breeze brush against her skin and flow through her hair. She inhaled, Taking it all in. It truly was a beautiful evening, It felt serene. Tranquil in the warm rays of the setting sun.

She listened to the birds chirp and the grasshoppers sing from the bushes. An amaranthine setting. So peaceful that she could pick up the soft footsteps approaching her from behind.

They were slow and Shinobu could hear them stop a metre or two away from her, She didn't need to look up from her work to know who it was.

Shinobu smiled quietly as she pulled out another weed.

"Mitsuri-chan.. It's nice to see you outside." Was all she said to her, Focused on her work.

Mitsuri stood a fair bit away from Shinobu. She was dressed in a white kimono decorated with vivid burst of colour, Blues and pinks morphing into a floral pattern. Both it and her dripping watermelon hair gently wove back and forth in the wind.

Mitsuri didn't smile, Only looked down at her sandals.

"Shinobu-chan.. I.. Are you busy? I can come back later if you are.." Mitsuri asked, Her voice was as quiet as the breeze around them as she fiddled with her fingers.

Shinobu shook her head and stood up from her crouching position.

"No, No! Just doing a bit of gardening is all.." She said, Turning around to meet Mitsuri with that same smile she always did.

Mitsuri looked better than she was last time Shinobu saw her. Her hair wasn't plagued by grease and her kimono looked fresh and recently washed. Though Shinobu could pick out a few outliers like the bags under her eyes and the way her braids weren't as carefully done as they usually were.

But overall, It was a good change.

"If you came here to apologise, It's fine." Shinobu spoke. Though her smile was taught her tone was genuine. Mitsuri shook her head.

"No.. No it's not. I said some really nasty things that I shouldn't of said. I'm really sorry Shinobu-chan, I-I hope you're doing fine.." Mitsuri sighed. She couldn't bring her eyes to meet Shinobu's, Too ashamed to see her face.

"Really, It's quite alright. You weren't thinking straight, I understand that.. And if it's any consolation I didn't take anything to heart." Shinobu assured, Taking a few steps towards the other girl.

Mitsuri didn't answer, Neither did she look up from the ground in shame.

Shinobu took a few more steps forward until they were only three feet apart, Approaching slowly her smile started to slightly decrease.

"Mitsuri-chan. [F/N] wouldn't of wanted you to be like this, I know this because it was in her last words.. I know it's hard but you need to stop blaming yourself." Shinobu assured, Her voice grew to a gentle whisper as she approached the other girl.

Mitsuri's expression didn't change.

"I-It was my fault though. And entirely mine.. I'm sorry about that by the way.. But the thing is if I had just tried a little harder or recognised the signs sooner I could of prevented this.. I could of done something.." Mitsuri lamented, A dull sorrow in her voice as she looked up at Shinobu.

"No, You couldn't of. Things like these are hard to recognise.. Some people can appear so happy and carefree but we never know what's going on down below. You couldn't of known.. I promise." Shinobu reassured her, Her hand reached out and grabbed Mitsuri's shoulder in a comforting manner.

Mitsuri's frown started to shake.

"N-No.. Shinobu. I could of, I did. I knew it was there yet I did nothing.. And now I need to live with what I've done.. What I could of done to stop her." Mitsuri whispered, Tears starting to prickle at her eyes.

Shinobu looked back into her shamrock eyes, Her glazed over violet a comfort to the girl.

"She really meant that much to you, Didn't she?" Shinobu asked lowly.

Mitsuri sniffled.

"She's half of my soul, As the poets may say." She replied.

Shinobu smiled.

"That's a quote from a book, Isn't it?" She asked, A lighter tone playing on her words.

Mitsuri's frown tried it's best to turn back into a smile.

"You've read that one too..?" She asked her.

"Of course, It's a romantic tragedy. One of my favourite genres.. I'm guessing it's one of yours too then." Shinobu questioned in turn. Mitsuri nodded.

"Yeah.. I was always into those kinds of romance books when I was younger and I don't know why but.. That quote kind of stayed with me, You know..? I always thought when I grew up that I'd find the person who I could say that about" Mitsuri's smile lowered.

"..I guess I just didn't realise I had her until she was gone.." She mumbled.

Shinobu rubbed Mitsuri's shoulder, A comforting action to try and soothe her nerves.

"I know.. I.. I'll miss [F/N] too. She really was one of a kind.. One day we'll avenge her though, We'll find the demon alright? We'll make sure her death meant something.." Shinobu admitted lowly, The smile on her face now gone as she looked down downwards her shoes.

Mitsuri thought over her words, Considering every vowel and consonant. All before bringing Shinobu into an awkward hug.

It was one that made Shinobu flinch on touch, But her figure relaxed before returning the gesture, Arms wrapping around Mitsuri's back.

"Alright.. We'll find them. We'll get revenge.." Mitsuri confirmed.

Shinobu was unable to see her face but she could feel the patter of tears fall onto her haori. Shinobu nodded, Staying silent.

They stayed like that for a good few seconds, Before a voice called out to them both.

"Lady Kanroji, Lady Kocho!" The voice yelled out.

They instantly retreated back into their previous positions away from each other. Shinobu recognised the voice as Aoi, One of the staff working at the estate.

She stood wide within the doorframe of the main entrance, Her face was alarmed as she looked at the both of them.

Shinobu and Mitsuri shared a look before running over to Aoi, Stumbling to a halt in front of her.

"Kanzaki-san, Is everything alright?" Shinobu asked, Her personality switched back into it's usual exercised type. A serious expression lain on her face as she looked at her staff.

A bead of sweat rolled down Aoi's forehead. She took a deep breath in, Unable to find the words.

"I shouldn't explain it, I think it's better if you hear it yourself.. Lady Kanroji, You especially." Aoi said. She took no time in turning around and speed walking down the hallway, Head motioning the two to follow her down the passage.

The two followed along with her down the butterfly mansions hallways, Their footsteps echoing out as it hit against the polished wood. Pristine white walls and mahogany doors passed them by as they went, But they were focused on following the girl in front of them.

Shinobu wondered what could've gotten into Aoi for her to act like this, All while Mitsuri was confused on why her especially needed to be there.

It wasn't long until they reached a certain door at the end of a hallway, It was cracked open only slightly letting the light from inside the room flood into the passage.

Aoi didn't hesitate to push the door open and step inside. Mitsuri and Shinobu following after as the room came into view.

It was a single bedroom, One usually used to care for patients in critical condition. It was decorated with a single bed in the middle, Two nightstands at the side and a closet. The source of light being a tall window to the side of the bedding, Letting a single warm ray shine down onto the patient on the bed.

Laying down under the covers was a small girl. She was wrapped in bandages and her unruly blonde hair was a mess, She looked tired when her dark eyes peered up to meet the three who just entered the room.

"H.. Hey.." She stuttered out, Her throat hoarse.

A neuron connected in Shinobu's mind. She remembered who this was. Her name was Maika Heihachiro, She was one of the shrine-maidens at the Kakushi base. A few weeks ago she was found passed out under a bunch of rubble, Right next to where [F/N]'s pool of blood was.

She wasn't able to be questioned on what happened however. Maika had suffered several injuries including severe blood loss, A deep cut on her back and bad frostbite. She had to be put into a medically induced coma to let her body heal.

Though she had awoken now, Conscious and sound of mind by the looks of it.

Shinobu quickly brushed past Aoi and Mitsuri, Speed walking over to the girls smile. Façade brought back on.

"Hello there! Are you doing alright? You've been asleep for quite some time!" Shinobu exclaimed, Looking down at her with a sugar sweet smile.

"I.. I'm fine.." Maika coughed. Shinobu quickly reached over to the wooden nightstand beside her and grabbed the pitcher of water.

She handed to the girl who gratefully accepted the refreshment. Mitsuri moved over to the other side of the bed to look down at the girl. Her expression still hurt by her mourning but curiosity danced along her features anyways as she looked at her.

"Mitsuri-chan.. This is Heihachiro-chan! She was one of the shrine-maidens back at the Kakushi base" Shinobu started.

"I.. I see." Mitsuri responded solemnly.

"That's not all, But you were also there when Fujimori was killed and eaten, Yes?" Shinobu asked, Turning back around to face Maika with an expectant look on her face.

Mitsuri's eyes widened in shock, Surprise coursing through her bloodstream as she looked down at Maika with wide eyes. A sudden hope rising inside her, Circling in her chest.

Maika paused, Then shook her head.

"N-No.."

Mitsuri's face fell, Her thou-

"T-That's not what happened..!" Maika exclaimed however instantly broke out into another coughing fit, Body spasming and her hand covering her mouth.

Mitsuri's brows knitted together, The words coming out of Maika didn't make sense. Not what happened.. What.. What does that mean.

Mitsuri came closer, Her hand reaching out going to grip Maika's free one with a reassuring hold. Mitsuri's fingers entwined with hers as she looked down on her.

"What do you mean..?" Mitsuri whispered. Eyes not taken off Maika for a second.

Maika's coughing fit died down, Her body laid peacefully on the bed.

"[F/N]-sama.. Fujimori-san.. T-They're the same person!" She explained.

Shinobu shook her head.

"Yes.. We're aware. But, Do you mind telling us what you mean by 'that's not what it happened'?" She asked softly.

Maika paused for a second, The sunlight from the window rested down on her face. Pale skin glowing in the luminescence as she spoke.

"[F/N]-sama.. She.. It's hard to remember, It's all fuzzy in my mind but.. She.. She wasn't eaten.." Maika explained, Eyes clenching shut. A headache forming in her frontal lobe as she spoke.

Both Mitsuri and Shinobu looked at each other. A shared stare that meant disbelief, Confusion and sheer bafflement. Maika didn't stop explaining as she squeezed Mitsuri's hand, Bringing her back into the conversation.

"What.. What do you mean [F/N] wasn't eaten?" Mitsuri asked, Levelling herself closer to Maika. Eyes wide as she looked at her, Confusion played all over her face.

"S-She wasn't eaten.. No.. S-She.. She was taken.. I.. The demon that tried to kill her just.. He just stopped.. Picked her up and.. and walked away.." Maika said. "It's all so fuzzy.. I.. I'm having a hard time remembering..

Mitsuri and Maika's eyes locked. Mitsuri looked at her, A sudden shine sparking up inside her like a lighter grew bright in her eyes. It was one she hadn't had in weeks, It was the glimmer of hope.

"I-It's fine.. But what.. What are you saying?" Mitsuri asked, Her voice was so small yet her face held such light to it.

"I-If I am right.. If I am remembering correctly.." Maika's eyes shared that same spark, That same light swirling around in her eyes.

"[F/N]-sama is alive."

Next Chapter

[interiorgautam]

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