Into it all, Naoya languidly teases, "You like that bab-…", but jerks his head to the right when Toji begins running down the hall. A split second passes where all the Zenin can do is stare bewildered until reason strikes him and he mutters, "The hell was that?!"
Elska clutches Naoya's arm and uses that leverage to sit up with a racing heart since neither of them have any idea as to what's going on. Sounds of her beloved and another person grunting begin, knocking into various objects in the kitchen and then a few collisions into some walls travel through the long hall; the room otherwise still aside from the steady intake of oxygen whistling into Suguru on the couch. Naoya jerks forward but she pulls on him protectively and tries assessing under her breath, "Who is Toji fighting?"
"Stay here princess…", Naoya growls, eyes glistening maroon as he listens to Toji's thought-transfused explanation of there being an intruder within their home. He narrows his eyes and arches his wings preparing to engage his projection but unsure of what he's about to be met with until Toji's voice streaks loudly through the air.
"Nao-!", Elska's fingers clasp nothing as her insanely fast prince disappears in a flash, "TALK TO ME YOU GUYS!", she demands for further elucidation while scurrying out of the bed to find her robe, "WHAT IS IT?!"
Toji huffs with agitation while peering down at the maimed man, "Fucker's pretty quick.", using his forearm to wipe away blood from a split eyebrow. Accompanied by a sudden breeze, Naoya appears right next to him with energy ablaze as Toji swallows the last traces of the mysterious man's blood, "Not quick enough though…" He coughs a bit and grimaces from the -like aftertaste residing on his tongue.
Naoya looks his cousin over frantically, "So are you hurt or what?!", not finding anything that would explain why Toji screamed the way he did. His large cousin shrugs his shoulders tiredly though, bringing the prince to questions such as, 'What the hell was that then?', fleetingly plagued while his eyes befall the unknown man.
Toji leans against the wall rubbing his temples, "No, I'm fine…", slightly dazed by a strange rush of a vestibular dysfunction. His body unbalanced, "Whoever this cock is he's not very tough...but his blood is weird.", Toji takes a second for himself but quietly mutters, "I can't read it."
"Tch.", Naoya hastily lowers to the floor to reach for the unidentified man's collar but as he jostles Orao who's left in a groaning stupor the corner of a letter becomes visible from an inside pocket that holds a familiar signet. Naoya examines it for a second, holding his breath before reaching out to seize it.
Toji recognizes the sigil as well, cursing, "Elders…", soon warning Orao, "If you're here after our doll, I assure you will fucking die a miserable death…", fangs forming as the unyielding threat is delivered. Orao groans and rolls to his side but Toji watches as Naoya snatches the folded paper closer for scrutiny.
"Body-…", Orao coughs and moans painfully wishing his royal identity could be known as he's never experienced such inharmonious greetings in his entire life, 'These fuckingturned…', he'd rather see their entrails decorating the house.
Naoya wheezes, ducks his head back and squint his eyes before flashing painfully wide lids to Toji and brashly inquiring, "What fucking day is it?!!"
"I don't know boy and I don't have my phone.", Toji laments as he clears his throat now coming back to the fact that he's completely nude. Grumbling to his indecency in the back of his mind a headache forms as he compares himself to shamelessSatoru. Toji shakes off the surreal condemnation and squats down to peer at whatever Naoya is reading until Elska cautiously makes her way into the hall. He sighs to her confusion and strolls over to her side.
"Is this someone you know?", Elska questions after Toji's arms wrap around her body, curious because there's something extremely peculiar about this curly haired man's energy. Toji's exhausted "no", collides with Naoya's gasp of exasperation further diluting her understanding of their current circumstance.
Elska glides the palms of her hands down Toji's firm back nuzzling her face into his chest to take in the simplicity of how comforting her beloved always is. He's a powerhouse, a giant, and is always so vigilant; how could she not want to bask in his aura? She whispers into his skin, "My big bad wo-."
"OhhhhhGod…", Naoya drones out regrettably while pensively staring at the man until he's rolling to his back which is when Naoya's eyes drift back down to the letter. The tiniest wine leaves his throat and yet it attends the air with transparency great enough to reveal his apprehension.
Toji glances over and asks, "What? What's it say?", and while mentally stringing the explanation together, Naoya's left eye twitches.
"We fucked up.", he solemnly informs before quickly looking between Elska and his cousin, "Toji help me get him up! Please!"
Toji turns around and glowers before he comprehends Naoya's radiating culpability, now asking, "What the hell boy? Why? We ought to send his ass six feet under. The fuck did that letter say?"
Elska receives her first view of the trespasser one that dilates her pupils and slates her face pale. She stands alone as Naoya explains his understanding of who the man is but even while he speaks clear as day all Elska can make out are dense, dampened sounds. She instinctively creeps closer, something within reacting to the man in question that draws her in though the constant presence of the inexplicable nausea disfigures her summation of him.
"This guy?!", Toji grimaces with disbelief while they hoist up the bloodied fellow and walk him back into the room, "What good will he even do?" It's almost like Toji can only accept this to be an error of some sort when he asks rather unconvinced, "Are you sure?"
Elska quietly tiptoes behind her turned and the dragging toes of this new person unable to really say anything as she experiences something she's never felt before. It's a sensation that bears answers but also questions, fulfillment yet emptiness, familiarity along with illimitable antipathy.
The scent of the man's blood causes her to fixate on a destructive accumulation of feelings none of which are registering with any kind of exegesis. 'Do I know him?', she pauses as they set him on the bed.
Once the now guest is laid down Naoya grumbles over to his balled-up pants and desperately searches for his phone, whispering, "No way, no way-there's just no way...", and is starting to embody a restlessness that is akin to that ohshitfeeling that arises within one when they realize they've forgotten something that should've been unforgettable. The kind of anxiety that breeds inside of your chest and accosts every single stable structure you could call yourself as you inevitably accept how your carelessness will reflect and effect; only one of the many agonizing repercussions that originate from the avoidable monster, irresponsibility.
Toji, throwing on clothes, catches the vexing language Elska's body signs as she nears the man and observes attentively. His eyes dance between Orao and her, searching for an additional clue that could help explain that noxious flavor memorized by his taste buds but he can't tell what she's feeling no matter how long he attempts to gauge her so this aggregates into his already engraved stance of discomfiture.
She studies the curly blonde with officiousness and revolt alike simultaneously trying to puzzle together what all of these contradictory sensations could mean. The room pretends to spin while she hones into him; taking deep breaths to inhale his natural scent something of which she wasn't even aware of doing until Toji calls her name.
Toji arrives to defensiveness after concluding his thoughts over how oddly she's acting towards the bodyguard. Everything about her is currently anomalous and this sways Toji to stand light on his feet in case he needs to intervene.
'The Elders must have picked him for a reason…', he discerns while Naoya speedily leaves the room with the phone to his ear. Toji shuts the door to mute the flustered Zenin's deep traveling voice and so he could inquire, "What's wrong, doll?", hoping that she would shed some light on this imminent suffering that circulates over the bodyguard.
"I'm...not sure...", she replies despondently all while inching closer to the man who lies there resting, "But did you do this to him, my beloved?" She thinks to use her blood to help heal him as she leans over but prefers to wait to hear what Toji has to say in case he poses a threat. Her fingertips rise, aiming to trace over his swollen nose in order to swirl some of the rose colored, delectable essence that calls to her but in that instant his eyes open fully and fixate to her own.
"Elska…"
She carefully sits down on the very edge of the bed wanting to keep some distance but coarsely asks, "Who are you and why do you know my name?" The hairs on the back of her neck stand erect as he slowly shuffles his position upwards in the bed, "What are you doing here?"
Orao chuckles weakly, accidentally spraying some blood mixed saliva before softening his eyes and genuinely stating, "I've been chosen to pro-.", he chokes briefly and plops his head back down into the pillow with an overstated sigh, "Protect you."
Toji narrows his eyes with a quiet exhale and looks back to the door wishing Naoya would come in there and announce that his duty here is all a misunderstanding but the Zenin doesn't. Irritation slowly begins to dissipate once Toji considers how Gojo will react to some unknown dickwad slithering near Elska and how he's going to have to act appalled when Satoru fucks the guy up.
'Yeah…', the giant snickers, 'Fucker's got it coming to him for being in cahoots with the Elders. It's such a brazen move. Are they desperate? Or...', his eyes zeroing in on Orao before different energies catch his attention. Toji perks up, "This is unexpected…", as Maki and Yuta can be felt heading their way and although he's happy to see them Toji knows Yuta's attendance forebodes something unpleasant.
"I told my prince that I would accept the bodyguard but…", Elska leans closer to him ultimately more disturbed by the alarms being set off within her that result from this man's peculiar effect, "If you do anything to betray any of us I will let my beloveds shred you apart." Expecting more fear than anything she's beside herself when the man glares back with fortitude and states something she isn't sure how to take.
"You must be mistaken, Lady Elska…", he winces up an interesting smile, "I am here to save you."
------------------
Choso, now operating as both again sighs when Sukuna's demand obviously isn't received well.
'I suppose they'll have to work this out on their own…', he infers as Gojo's presence magnifies and the light blue energy encases him in a vortex. Choso sighs, "Please, leave the trees alone at least, they're really pretty…", requesting simplicity as he bites his lip and turns to walk away.
"Is that so?", Satoru's stern expression cracks into a maniacal smirk aimed at Sukuna, "Think I'll just let you fuck my love?"
His usual reservations over retaliating against the King of Curses elude him as he glances over and rationally notes Choso's healing capabilities and thinks, 'Hate to do it Yuuji but this cunt won't understand unless I humiliate him.'
"How about winner takes the wench?", Sukuna slithers out, ignoring Choso's distant scoff, "Unless you're too chicken shit to try me, shaman."
Gojo widens his stance, intensifying his infinity to protect him from the cold with narrowing eyes, "I'm the strongest and I'm going to kick your fucking shit in, curse." Dramatically he snaps the towel away from his body and confidently places his hands up, "Then I'm going to drag my nuts across your stupid fucking face!!"
Seconds turn into moments as neither dash to make the first move and although the tension between them is unmistakable Choso giggles to himself while walking deeper into the forest. He leaves them behind, sizing each other up and testing psychological warfare while he looks for a specific piece of land.
"It should be around here somewhere…", he monologues out loud, hiking over toppled redwoods that remain as reminders of the breathtaking disaster born of Satoru Gojo's awakening. Splintered trunks litter the ground and some half-hung branches dangle above as if neighboring foliage favored them and decided to act as adoptive support. While Choso treks through the aftermath his thoughts dwindle over to the subject of Orao making his whole demeanor depress.
"Elska...", he breathes it out with an angling brow, "Master, things could not go differently and still be a success…", his vision tears up while he mauls over what's to come.
There are no other options.
No alternative choices.
The ground rumbles beneath his feet with the definite indication that those two finally decided to clash. Large debris whistle through the air with echoing cracks and thunderous thumps. Their quarrel makes Choso slight a smile however as he contemplates on how trivial their issues currently are.
"Everything will be alright…", he tells himself while still scouring the area for what it is he's probing for.
"Come out, it's okay!", Choso sweetly sings while lowering into a squat. Through all of the recent commotion a member of their team was forgotten about and left behind. Toji received terrible abdominal wounds on the day of Gojo's awakening and with his being in survival mode at the time it's no wonder he didn't pay it any mind.
Choso hears rustling in the bush and chuckles, "I'll take you back to your mommy…don't be afraid."
The noises gradually shuffle closer now showing movement as if something tiny is burrowing through but Choso abruptly twists around to demolish an entire tree trunk that was flying directly at them. The once solid emblematic structure explodes from Choso's black energy as soon as their surfaces meet inches from his face.
"I said leave the damn trees alone…", he growls angrily before turning his view back to the partially mangled bush. Recapturing his demeanor, Choso softens his voice and expression again holding out his hand. "There you are!", he chuckles out kindly as a squeak exits the bush, "You've been alone for a while, haven't you? Did you feel lost?"
----------
Gojo warps behind Sukuna and blasts the curse with a quick red technique, burning him with ease. He then warps in front of him, smiles wickedly and attacks with his blue.
Sukuna feels the pain but this actually invigorates him more than anything. He's been waiting a long time to scrap with Satoru Gojo for there's just something sosatisfying about beating a six-eye user into the dirt. He has something up his sleeve though, something that will surely at least cripple the shaman's arrogance, 'That's if I even have to use it…'
"Come here pal!", Gojo teases as he finishes evading a chain to run towards Sukuna, speculating on the possibility, 'Can I make him use it?'
Little do they know, they both have the same goal.
"REMOVE YOUR SKIN FROM ME!", Sukuna wretches when the shaman embraces him from behind prompting him to send four more chains to rind the naked shaman away.
Gojo cackles but his eyes are wide, agog and stalking tediously, "I don't think so, I told you about your fate.", arrogance embellishes across his features, "Now you have to live it."
He punches Sukuna in the face with an energized fist as soon as the curse turns around forcing him to stumble backwards. Gojo soaks himself in the flourishing animosity as he takes a hit, but dodges the next while coming to the realization that situations like this don't happen often. With his craze taking new life he postures upright and sneers, "I don't think this is necessary.", and deactivates his infinity.
"Is...is he fucking serious?!", the curse feels crossed but enthralled all the same.
'This is what I've needed…', Satoru monologues while receiving an uppercut, his vision cast towards the canopy, 'This feels so…', he licks the away the bitter blood coating his lips, '...Satisfying.'
Everything about this current squabble is utterly liberating and long overdue. His new domestic life is extremely fulfilling but there will never be an absence for the desire of this sort of thrill. He's well assured that perhaps prior to his being turned Sukuna may have been more of an issue but Gojo is known as the strongest for reasons beyond mere lore.
Sukuna wisps a fast acting blade-like technique that singes Gojo's perfect alabaster skin, instantly brightening the area to a peeling pink.
"YES!", Satoru screams without reservation as he returns the favor by sending out another shock of blue. He too is reveling in this opportunity for a genuine challenge.
Sukuna gathers his footing never falling but grins unbearably wide, "SINCE YOU LIKE COCKS SO MUCH!", as he unearths an entire tree, widens his stance and spins twice before excitedly stating, "HERE'S SOME WOOD!", hurling it directly at Satoru with speed greater than sound. He expected that Gojo may have been able to avoid it but the shaman is instead sent flying backwards as it collides, exploding backwards into surrounding terrain in the forest.
"That was for the wench…", Sukuna whispers coldly as their environment aggravates him with memories; the reminders of how relentlessly Gojo attacked her during his awakening surprisingly callousing his disposition.
"Fuuuuuuck…", Gojo holds his head with one hand and blasts the tree pinning him into smoking mulch, "That fucking hurt!" He looks down his body to discover wounds from the impaling splinters and smirks, "Yeah, this is getting kind of fun!"
He stands up a tad wobbly but remains resilient while searching for Sukuna, hollering, "Motherfucker! You actually hit me! Maybe you're not so weak after-…", but Gojo soon becomes crushed under a barrage of trees being hurled at him.
"HAAAAA!!!!", Sukuna jeers while flinging more and more evergreens and pines with the use of his chains, effectively manipulating thirteen at once. He hovers in the air each devastating rumble of the forest resulting from his onslaught adding magnetism to the adrenaline pumping through his veins. The sheer rush of facing opposition that is as formidable as Satoru became the kill switch for the emancipation of all other thoughts aside from how to strike to next; loving the prospect of initiating higher levels of strength because you finally have someone capable of your reserved limits.
This.
This is what Sukuna lives for.
Nothing on this God-forsaken planet runs his blood quite like the merciless nature that surfaces when pitted into a life-or-death situation and he's already recognized that same exact affinity exuding his opponent.
Sukuna finally ceases though panting from pure exhilaration while the dirt and dust begins to settle, "Take that, you overpowered gash!", he shouts but then proceeds to laugh maniacally while he waits for signs of movement. Stretching his arms, he yawns, "Truly unremarkable. I don't know why Cuhtli likes you so much…", but his ramble discontinues when he hears mumbles from under the piles of organic rubble. "Give it up…", Sukuna barks but as he's turning away from the scene, "Try it if you want, I'm going to fuck her.", clear words funnel into his ears.
"Infinite void."
Sukuna is rendered immobile initially.
His knees forcefully bend collapsing him downwards to a position far below his station while a hand splays out against the domain's ground. Willfully forcing his chin upwards before him he finds a disheveled, bleeding Satoru who continues to wear that arrogantfuckinggrin.
"Thought you were tough shit?", Gojo laughs at the indignation plastered across the curse's face that seems to be staring at his wounds so he points to himself and chuckles, "What, these? Oh, this is nothing…", with teeth splitting his lips, "Only scratches!"
Sukuna strains his neck to look to the sky and ends up having to scrunch his face not at all amused by the shaman's words as Gojo is certainly covered in deep wounds. "I got you pretty...good from the looks of it.", Sukuna stammers from the mind freezing atmosphere, "You're so fucking...full of it…"
"Not as much as you, though…", Gojo takes a step closer to the stiffened curse, " So much so that I'm surprised your eyes aren't brown as a result! You really thought you could beat me?"
To add salt to the wound Gojo kicks Sukuna in the face and then warps closer to crash a fist into his temple so he's knocked into the ground, "No one can beat me." Straddling the curse's shoulders, Satoru's fangs become fully apparent while he prepares to tea-bag the King of Curses.
Sukuna flails as much as he can aggravated by the domain's strength while the taint of his wretched enemy nears his face, "I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU SHAMAN!!!!!!!!!!!", if only he could adapt quicker, "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"
"Heh heh heh heh…", Gojo angles himself and exhales pridefully, "No, you won't…", and then plumply plops his scrotum to dampen the insults being hurled. While savoring his triumphant moment, swirling his hips even cackling at the top of his lungs, Gojo closes his eyes and grins peacefully.
"You'll have no choice but to do it now, unless you in fact are into this kind of thing…", the sickening words trickling from his lips surely into the curse's ears.
The energy surrounding them changes though and Gojo's vision flares wide open to witness the glitching of his so-called infallible domain, thinking, 'He's actually doing it!"
Suddenly, everything around them morphs into a marshy foul-smelling dark graveyard of sorts. Gojo warps away and calls for his wings just to be on the safe side but twirls in the air completely marveled by the eeriness that constitutes Sukuna's domain. His eyes scan all around darting in every direction possible as the curse's deep laughter echoes in this endless collection of rotting flesh and bones. This is what he wanted to see with his own eyes though, this extension of the curse's mind and Sukuna's true form.
--------------------------
"You guys! WE HAVE TO GET READY!"
Toji huffs when Naoya re-enters the room not in the mood, "Not now boy, we're not going anywhere right now."
"DON'T BE A DICK! WE HAVE TO!!"
Elska stands up from the bed and follows the frantic prince with her eyes, "What's wrong?", she asks while he paces back and forth rummaging through the dressers.
"Princess, I'm so sorry that I'm about to have to rush you but today is a big day!", Naoya explains breathlessly with his attention averted, "I don't even think I brought our stuff over here!", wheezing at the end of his sentence, "I'm a dead man."
He knows Maki is waltzing right on over to where they are and he already fibbed about being in the process of getting dressed, "She's going to have my fucking balls hung over a coal pit…"
Elska, alarmed by his misleading ramblings and not understanding why he's so anxious, nears him and asks, "What is going on my prince? Is someone threatening you?", unable even control the rancorous expression that consumes her face.
Naoya shuts the now messy drawers with bits of clothes hanging out and turns to her. Grabbing her hands he lifts them to his lips and explains, "No baby,", he snickers, "It's nothing like that, I'm officially taking over the Zenin clan this evening!! There's going to be a huge celebration!" Excited and damn near squealing he continues with, "Which meeeeeans...we have to all clean up and get fabulous!" He reads on Elska that she's now assured that no one is actually trying to kill him and this compels him to adore how her face eases from vehemence to a pacifying smile, 'Such warrior princess…'
Toji cracks his knuckles, "You ever talk about me getting fabulous again and I'll break your wrists so they can permanentlybend, boy."
Naoya pouts, rationalizing, 'You're the one that's going to need the most help accomplishing this so you shouldn't complain…', but swiftly changes his tune when it becomes unmistakable that Toji heard his thoughts. "Just kidding!", he cheerfully chimes out loud.
Elska stands there and looks over her turned and then to the roughed up man in the bed and sighs, "I guess I should heal him if we're having to do all of this today… his injuries will reflect on you, my prince and I don't want any of your clansman to enter a path where they end up grievously misjudging their own abilities."
If anyone assumes Naoya to be weak factions and coup d'etats will find life as soon as he makes his announcements so a member of Elska's protectors, worthy or not, being left in such a desolate manner would allow her, Naoya and the turned to be viewed as vulnerable for starters and there's no doubt in her mind that these feeble humans will assume they can overthrow them. They'll think they can win and will ultimately die in vain for no reason or purpose at all. Those humans, the more wretched shaman especially have to be tended to like children in her new-found opinion.
Clenching her fists reluctantly she begins approaching the bludgeoned man. He looks upon her with such inscrutable eyes that she's unable to discern if her presence charms or repels him. It's so mysterious, quite similar to the obtuse accumulation of emotions he conjures within herself.
She recalls how his voice seemed calm before and his actions are rather submissive but at the same time she understands the Elders are not to be trusted and wishes that Naoya would have instead trusted her turned to protect her.
"Orion Prionays", Orao effortlessly lies when she's back by his side, "I come from the Prionays, a clan from afar that is under the jurisdiction of the Elders." She doesn't seem to listen or perhaps doesn't care but he's happy nonetheless as the distance between them disappears. When Elska gently sits beside him he assumes its because she's planning to beg forgiveness and allows his imagination to swindle the opportunity of her tender touch.
His beloved.
Instead, remaining silent as if to completely neglect the thoughtful introduction Elska lifts her arm to expose her wrist. His heart skips a beat but is accompanied by a massive void reflective for the tethers of agonizing thirst that is consequence of such a decaying bond. Elska bites into her wrist and elucidates while it trickles out, "I'm going to heal your wounds but you'll have to drinkthis. You..should probably get used to this. It's how we li-"
Toji and Naoya turn around when the bodyguard leaps from his spot and tumbles across the mattress to the floor in front of the wall of mirrors.
"N-noo!", Orao shouts heaving heavily with hands concealing his face, "I don't want it! I'll be fine!"
"She's not trying to hurt you…", Naoya calmly explains while wondering if the sight of blood makes this dude queasy, "She can help you feel better." For a moment, he considers that the turned are completely desensitized by this act but Naoya compassionately remembers a time when the thought of consuming blood was still pretty bizarre.
Toji grunts and harshly fumbles under his breath while fastening his pants, "What is he even going to be good for?"
Elska cannot help but agree with her beloved as this bodyguard cowers across the room. It's so strange; his behavior, how enticing his blood seems but that polluted energy he carries…all of which strain her abilities to unveil the true cause.
"Most people don't dine on others blood, big bird…", Naoya sympathetically retorts with a kinder tone than before as he turns away from Orao, "Think back to how you felt when you first found out. And on top of that he's clearly been through some shit if you weren't the one who did all of this to him."
Orao struggles to mask his identity. He's literally clinging to sanity as the wafting sweet aroma of Elska's blood tantalizes him with the urge to consume. He's not had a single drop since the day he stole her humanity and if that wasn't excruciating enough on its own she's barely covered in that skimpy little robe.
"Is he gonna fucking hurl?!"
Orao heaves a few times as he betrays his body and swallows down his voice, the one grasping hope; hope of holding enough innate influence to one day soon successfully ensnare his beloved.
But is he capable of wielding the Master's will if his brother shares the responsibilities of her induction into this form? If Orao were to pierce her with his fangs, could she really regain some of her memories? He will undoubtedly come across an opportunity to explore these hypotheses at some point and this prospect alone re-centers his entire focus.
He has to remember his purpose for enduring all of this insane abuse. It doesn't matter to him right now, the convolution of his uselessness, the misunderstanding of how important he truly is. No, as the dark haired turned mocks him and Elska holds eyes of suspicion, he can only care about keeping his cover.
'Maybe the blonde one isn't so bad…', he thinks to himself as that bastard at least is more likable than the others.
This helps his case too though. If the blonde is the only one that he can work to gain a little of their trust, Orao will simply put most of his efforts into him until that trust can spread among the others. He cannot fail. He will do what he must to have what he wants and if that means playing the roll of an even bigger wuss then so be it.
"Perhaps my hybrid can do it when he returns…", Elska stares at the bodyguard with bemusement, studying how his energy fluctuated at the mentioning of her doting Choso.
Her eyes flash to Naoya who's gathering things after he retorts, "I'm sure Cho will do it if we ask.", but then she looks to Toji. Her beloved seems to practically boil while his luminescent eyes train on Orion. With her thoughts she relays to him, 'Just let it go for now. I don't why he was sent but there must be a reason.'
'I know doll…', Toji responds, 'But that's what I'm worried about. We're missing something here…'
Elska sighs while considering that maybe the Elders just wanted a really good reporter but is soon scooped up by Naoya who spins her around demonstrating unabashedly exactly how elated the meaning behind today has made him. He hums into her lips, his thunderous voice soothing some of her anxieties as the vibrations produce tranquility in their wake.
Orao remains as he is; face glued to the floor, mind reeling into overload to focus on maintaining the consistent energy he's worn his entire stay on this worthless fucking planet. Nothing more. There's no benefit to letting them see what he's capable of, what his abilities are. Sure, they'll inquire, presumably attempt torturing it out of him; judging by what he's gained to learn about them first hand but no matter what he has to clasp to the importance of his mission here.
"Focus.", he mouths inaudibly, discipline and logic creeping back into his awareness.
He cannotfail.
'Puuuull it togeth-err…', he tells to himself wishing to not risk his position any longer.
He imagines his beloved, her image unfriendly and cold though she vibrantly resonates through his consciousness and implores the coalition of his deteriorating priorities.
He must have her. If he controls the Queen, if he can actually make her bend to his desires, everything will be his. All of it.
Because he will be King.
Plans and purpose filter through Orao's processing, his entire demeanor relaxing and adapting to the dire situation at hand. He's going to have to earn her trust as well and unfortunately they're off to a rough start.
"Okay…", he encourages himself realizing that the sooner he proves some sort of value the sooner Elska and her turned will acknowledge, 'Well, some of the turned maybe…'
His cloud of endless suffering finally lifts since the beginning of this inglorious retreat; this change constructing him with a reinforced foundation of confidence until his ears register something blasphemously critical.
He slowly turns his face upwards to view the despicably conniving display of Elska resting in the arms of an even greater impostor than himself. Orao's foul disposition, that inherent verity of his displeasure over these fucking dirty-blooded animals enjoying her so intimately; it all brims to the edge of his control even while Toji's congregated hatred could be felt burrowing holes through his very head.
Orao's brow folds angrily as he plays the words back now fully comprehending why he probably couldn't stand the one turned that seemed to be remotely amicable.
"Princess, today I get to tell the world about our baby."
--------------------------
"We're almost there…", Shoko sniffles while glancing into the rear view mirror to monitor Hiromi and Nanami in the backseat. After that last little fiasco, Ieiri ultimately took the wheel so that Nanami could be subdued by a much better candidate than herself if needed.
"That's good news.", Hiromi forces this out as pleasantly as possible, desperate to hide his gloomy forecasts for Shoko's happy ending.
With respect in mind, he's been trying his damnedest to not steal glimpses of her while she makes a turn or when traffic is no longer yielding to a red light. Those are at least moments when she's guaranteed to be focusing on the road, small windows where he incurs the slightest risk of being caught.
Is it selfish or just completely inappropriate of him to harbor the minute excitement towards the possibility of Ieiri leaving Kento?
Hiromi can see their love plain as day and knows it exists. But, what if she becomes fed up with her significant other always trying to dick down another woman? Who in their right mind would be okay with that?
'But...isn't he one of my greatest friends?'
Lost in thought Hiromi's eyes automatically dart to Shoko when he reminisces about their most recent embrace, how delicate she felt within his arms.
'Any man would feel whole with a woman like her.', he ponders internally while next considering how her intelligence, attitude, pretty much everything about her as a matter of fact makes her ideal for a man like himself. They will likely have multiple disagreements on surface issues due to her laid back demeanor but that's okay. He'd consider working less, laughing more, or surrendering the arrangement of his apartment if that's what made her happy. He can simply sense that he would be different.
"Is there something you'd like to share with the class?"
Hiromi's soul leaves his body for a second when he snaps back into reality to find her beautiful eyes staring back at him. He rummages his thoughts for a quick excuse, something at least remotely believable to bury his likely interpreted creepy behavior.
Shoko quietly laughs through her nose when the higher up stutters his way into a guilty verdict, this aiding her cover-up over the fact that she's blushing.
She contemplates on how innocent these little signals he's putting off are and has to ask how honest she really wants to be about it with herself. Kento has been number one on her list for entirely too long. He belongs there standing with superiority over all other men because there is not a single flaw she can find within him and that's major considering her livelihood and everything she's ever known revolves around scrutiny.
"My apologies…"
Ieiri feels a sadness train over her an addition to the already calamitous air, "No sweetie, it's alright I was messing with you is all.", offering a brief smile.
"I see.", he tiredly chuckles as the car pulls into the driveway of a quaint two-story house the tension of awkward, forbidden territory alleviated once the task of moving Nanami is at hand once more. "Unlock the door for me and I'll carry him in."
Shoko slides out of her car worn and emotionally drained; the sight of her home helps though. As she walks up the short stone-patched pathway to the gray door she sifts through her keys luckily finding the correct one almost right away.
As soon as the door opens the scent of her house rushes past. Setting her things down on a thin wooden hallway table she rubs her eyes and leads the way after hearing Hiromi grunting in the yard.
"Follow me", she offers when they're all inside.
She takes him to the kitchen, shuddering as she recalls being held by Sachiko and then leads them around a corner and up the tan carpeted stairs. It's hard for her to pretend that everything isn't complete shit while her boyfriend limply drapes over the shoulders of Hiromi.
Once they're settled and Nanami is in the bed Hiromi releases a heavy sigh while skimming over them all. His eyes flicker over to Shoko and stay there while he looks her over to decide what would be the best way to handle all of this.
Can he really stand by while Kento feeds from her?
When Shoko shivers from being wet and cold he urges with fondness in his tone, "I'll watch him, why don't you take a shower before you freeze to death."
Shoko rubs her arms, "That would be really nice actually…", but her voice brands apprehension.
"We're fine here, don't worry.", Hiromi waves his hand as if to shoo her, "Go relax, you need it."
He can see it in her face, feel it in her energy; Shoko's nearing the end of her strength with the day and it's not even 8 in the morning. It takes a little more encouragement but Hiromi is ultimately successful in making her unwind. He watches her gather up a few clothes, a brush and a towel before she saunters into the attached bathroom all with such awe of how pretty she is.
His gaze, once the water is running, switches to his old time friend in the bed, "Kento, seriously…", Hiromi's mutters are buried beneath the splashing, "If you fuck this up with her, she's mine."
The words themselves breach his own heart however. How could he be so cruel as to not only say something like that, but mean it? Regretting his insensitivity he now kneels down beside Nanami, tucking him into the bed. Kento is one of his dearest friends, someone he's been close with for a very long time. Someone he also cares about.
"Wh-…", Nanami stirs, groaning with growing fangs.
Hiromi's eyes dart to the bathroom door where he knows Shoko resides completely unsuspecting but then he calmly glares back down to Kento.
There will be no attacks this time, no wild chase. Hiromi studies Nanami intensively until the manager opens his eyes.
"I can't trust you alone right now, please see this from my perspective....", he informs while waiting for Kento's eyes to focus onto him, "With that said", he folds back the sleeve on his right arm in preparation of a feeding, "Understand that you'll have to use me."