#enishi yukishiro x you
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Violent Delights
Summary: On a trip with your father to Shanghai, your caravan is overrun. You are taken back to a compound of one of the most ruthless Mafia bosses in all of China: Enishi Yukishiro. Who was in need of a new plaything.
Pairing: Enishi Yukishiro x f!reader
Words: 3.3k
A/N: I apologize in advance for the filth. This is literally 99.9% smut and 1% filth. I blame @pauking5 for indulging me too much with wanting to write Enishi. But also the minute she told me she couldn't find too many reader insert fics for him my body felt COMPELLED to make this for her so....I hope you enjoy this filth I made you lol. I’m like sorry, but not? Because he doesn’t give me cute smiles and rainbow vibes. He gives me spit in my mouth and make me call you daddy vibes. I hope someone out there enjoys the filth. 🖤 Much love, Jenn
Warnings: This shit is dark besties. It’s dark. Mentions of kidnapping. Dubious consent. Mafia trope. Knife play. Harem. Mentions of violence. Fingering. Its Smut. It's Filth. Please do not read if you are not 18+ (If I miss anything please let me know).
The smell of sex was beginning to overpower the room. The sounds of her moans grew louder and out of control. It was the wet sound of him thrusting into her, his hands keeping her steady as his hips pistoned into her.
She was only growing louder with each thrust and you hated it. You wished she would shut up. That he would find a new toy to torment in the seclusion of the prison that was his bedroom. It’s been three whole days since he and his men had descended on your father's caravan. Three days of being housed inside this room and unable to leave it.
Like the previous nights before, he’d stationed you in different areas of the room. Areas that allowed you to perfectly see - to watch - as one of his concubines rode him. While he fucked them into an oblivion that left them dazed and unable to walk by the time he finished.
Tonight, Enishi forced you to sit at the edge of his bed while he’d chosen to fuck one of the many girls in the chair he sat in now. You could still remember when she first walked in the door - the way he’d laid her over the intricate table that sat in between the two chairs in the bedroom, lifting her skirts to expose her to the room. To you. The lewd noises that followed as he licked and sucked at her cunt caused her to practically howl his name as she came.
Enishi.
The nice one - you’d forgotten her name - explained the best she could through the language barrier that they were concubines.
You’d heard of tales from your father and mother when they’d come back from their grand adventures about women like this. Kingdoms where the kings got to have their wives and children and women just like her on the side. Women who did whatever was sexually asked of them and took whatever the man did because it was their duty. Deemed only for the pleasure they could bring and not conversation or substance.
Just their body. Just their cunt.
You could feel your cheeks burning as you focused on the edges of your dirty dress. You tried counting the frayed edges of one side that had torn when they’d ripped you from the carriage. The mud that had smeared on one side where you’d been dragged had completely dried and now began to flake. You ran your fingers over the dried dirt and watched it turn into sand with each rub of your finger.
It would’ve been a solid distraction if the sudden octave from the concubine hadn’t increased. If she didn’t shout in surprise that left you involuntarily turning to make sure she was alright.
Of course, she was alright. Enishi had simply changed positions. He’d moved her to be face down against the same round table from earlier, but now her hips were angled up to take each punishing thrust that he gave her. The sound of skin on skin filling the room back up at a punishing speed.
It wasn’t the sight really that made a heat wave start across your skin that threatened to burst from your chest from sheer embarrassment. It wasn’t the angle he had her in either.
Enishi was looking at you.
Dark brown eyes bore into you as he held the concubine's arms back behind her. His body pinned her to the edge of the table so she had nowhere to run. Just like you. He continued to watch you as she came; her walls squeezing him as she struggled to get away from him as he continued to fuck her.
You refused to look at him or acknowledge him at all. What you hated the most was that you already knew what he was planning to do.
The first time he’d done this was two days prior. The first day you’d been kidnapped and held at his compound. He’d fucked two girls that night and you’d been more than impressed at his stamina. You’d tried to look away from him. He was your father's killer, for Christ's sake, and yet…
He was all tight corded muscle and shamelessly walked around the room naked and exposed. The first time you’d seen his cock it had been slick and wet from recent sex with one of the girls. His cock was still hard and had an enticing vein that ran down its side, begging for you to look. Enishi had a good length but what replayed in your mind was how thick he was. Insanely thick is what you shamelessly remembered and you hated how your body reacted as you shamefully rubbed your legs together to get some form of friction.
The second day was when he’d noticed it. The way your legs moved under all that fabric of the skirts of your dress desperate for friction to ease the ache that had started at your core. With each snap of his hips and the cry of pleasure that came from one of the girls it sent you spiraling. You hated it. Felt betrayed by your own body.
After he’d finished and sent the girls back to their room he casually came over to the chair he’d forced you to sit in. The same one he’d been in tonight. You tried to ignore him as he came over in nothing but a robe with the front still leaving him exposed. Your mind was worried about so many different possibilities of what he might do to you, that you never expected him to grab you by the throat and force you back into the chair. His feet kick your legs wide apart.
Enishi controlled you easily. The way he applied just enough pressure to arch your back until you looked at the ceiling. His deep baritone resonated over your skin in his native tongue. You couldn’t tell what he was saying and had no way of knowing what it was. You just knew whatever he said as he lifted your skirts, was filthy.
His knees kept your legs open enough that his free hand made its way through your undergarments to touch your wet cunt. You could still remember the devilish smirk that stretched across his lips as he continued to speak to you.
Was he calling you a good girl or something or worse maybe? He could’ve been calling you his little slut for all you knew or even hinting that you liked it; like watching him devour the women he brought to his bed. Something nowhere near endearing and more centered around stripping you of every last ounce of what dignity you had left. You struggled to fight against him. To break free and do…what?
Even if you somehow magically removed his hand from your throat and got away you had nowhere to go. Just outside the door of his bedroom were an endless number of guards. They would easily stop you and bring you back.
Those same nimble fingers that touched at the edge of your cunt now moved between your folds. A soft whimper left your throat that you wish you would have swallowed back down. The pads of calloused fingers grazing your swollen clit wasn’t enough friction for release, but it was enough to bring your desire flaring up.
Enishi pulled his hand back from you to find it covered in your juices. You watched as he played with it, his fingers scissoring to make a slow string appear. It was lewd. Vile. Yet you couldn’t tear your eyes away. Your heart now thundering for another reason as you watched him take your body’s betrayal between his lips and suck his fingers clean.
Like clockwork, you heard him pull out. The lack of sound of skin on skin made the room achingly quiet. His words were sharp, demanding, and harsh as he took her by the head and pushed her towards his cock. His hand fisted it as he pulled long hard jerks leaving strings of come to lace over her waiting tongue - with his eyes glued to you.
You fought not to shiver or let your hands curl in your lap as your heart hammered in your chest.
Steady breathing. Deep…steady…breaths…
You faintly heard him dismiss her. Your eyes catch her hurrying back into her kimono and tying it sloppily. However, the look Enishi was giving her was enough to inform her plainly her usefulness was over.
You’d seen what he could do that day he tore your world apart. The finesse he carried shattering bones and the ease of snuffing out life. You’d seen it in the way he handled some of the women he brought to his bed. All it took was one wrong move - word - and their moans turned to sharp whimpers before they were dismissed.
There wasn’t any denying that Enishi was a man possessed by the devil and full of rage. He was terrifying, but also…
The sound of the door slamming shut behind the concubine brought you back to the room. Your heart was beginning to race as you realized you’d zoned out, leaving yourself unprepared for whatever was about to happen. A majority of the time he left you alone. He’d stare at you or move around you like you weren’t even in his room, except yesterday was different.
Today felt different.
Enishi wasn’t anywhere near you, however, and you felt yourself breathe easier. Maybe you would get lucky and he would go back to treating you like a nuisance trapped inside his room. A nuisance he created.
He was standing next to his desk and it only took a flick of your eyes to know he wasn’t dressed. He was still naked. It only meant one thing. Suddenly, you were confident to try and run away from this room - from him. The alarm in your head only grew louder as he poured himself a drink from the whiskey canter and set it back on the desk.
He’d started talking and you weren’t sure if it was at you or to you. It was growing increasingly difficult to not grow more frustrated at the language barrier between you. The only good thing was spitting and the middle finger was a universal “fuck you” from the universe.
You dared to spare a look up from where you sat on his bed. It was then you saw the wakizashi in his hand. The sheath missing and the blade glinted angrily in the light. Your mouth was suddenly dry, and you couldn’t stop yourself from trying to retreat. Your hands flew back on the soft sheets to try and pull you away; desperate to get some space.
In one swift motion, Enishi tipped what was left in his glass into his mouth and launched it against the wall. The glass shattered immediately on impact and sent sharp fragments flying across the room with one scratching across your face. You screamed as you felt the sting of the air as it entered the fresh cut. You were concerned about whether you would crawl back into the glass when a hand wrapped around your bare ankle and tugged.
A fresh scream rose in your throat and just as you were about to release it, the wakizashi was pressed tightly against your throat. It was close enough that if you swallowed too hard you might just get cut. Enishi pulled you back down to the bed with your legs spread to make room for him. The duvet that had bunched at the end from your struggle was the only thing that saved you from feeling his cock pressed against you.
Enishi waited until he had your ass barely on the edge of the bed, the rest hanging off and controlled by his waist. This was the closest you’d ever been to him. Your eyes hungrily took in the sight of the muscles in his stomach and the definition in his chest. The veins in his arms that shamelessly matched the veins in his cock.
Enishi was raw power and if it wasn’t for the fact he had the wakizashi to your throat maybe you would’ve appreciated him more. What were you even thinking? This was the man who’d set your whole world on fire. Kidnapped you and left you a prisoner in a foreign land and at his mercy.
A fire of rage lit up inside you and you no longer cared about being complacent. Safe. You wanted to tear him apart. Enishi noticed the change because a wry smile of a challenge lit up his face and when you went to move away from him, your hands clawing at his chest, he easily grabbed your arms and pressed them down. He did the same with the blade of the wakizashi and you felt the first warm trickles of blood slide down the side of your throat.
He leaned forward until your faces were almost touching. His eyes peeked out from the blades of his air like a tiger in the grass. The richness of his voice smoked across your skin. All words you couldn’t understand, but the body language you could.
He would kill you if you did it again. You were kept alive on the whim of entertainment for him. You wanted to spit at him. Tell him to fuck off just to see if he would do it. Death had to be better than this.
The train of reasoning and fury came to an end when you felt the first traces of his fingers at your entrance. Panic flooded you while you realized he’d worked the skirts of your dress up leaving you exposed to the room - to him.
“No.”
It came out rushed and through your nose. You tried to pull your arms free from under the forearm that held them, blade at your throat be damned, but Enishi was a mountain of strength and you had none left. You were still wet and you hated the way it made you seem wanton.
Enishi mumbled one last thing before you felt two fingers push their way inside you. The reaction he received was instant. A moan sharp and wild burst from your mouth and enveloped the room. The sound was all the permission Enishi needed to start thrusting his fingers in and out of your cunt.
You wanted to tell him to stop - to tell yourself that you didn’t want this as Enishi buried his fingers knuckle deep over and over. His fingers curved upwards deliciously and you found your back arching against the sheets. A fresh sting from the blade carving across your skin as one hand grabs at his forearm and the other bunch in the sheets.
God, you hated the way you were coming undone for him. The way your cunt tightened hungrily around his fingers to pull him in deeper in hopes of feeling fuller. The only way that would happen would be to feel the delicious stretch only his cock could provide. You wouldn’t go there. Wouldn’t allow this monster anymore of your body.
With the hand on his forearm, you tried to make him stop and only succeeded in feeling the muscles work below the skin with each thrust from his wrist.
Slowly, he removed the wakizashi from your neck and drew the blade across your collarbone. Even lower it continued until you heard the sound of fabric ripping as it was sliced open. Enishi timed each shred into the fabric with each pump from his wrist. When he finished the whole front of your dress - the last of the life you’d owned - was bared open exposing your breasts to him.
One minute the blade was there then gone and replaced with the rough pads of his hand as they groped each breast. His fingers took the raised buds between calloused fingers that gently pinched.
Your body reacted to every touch of his hand on your skin and the demands it placed on it. Your hips were now moving in a desperate rhythm to meet his fingers. Your hand still locked on his forearm while the sheet was fisted in your hands. The duvet cradling around your head and practically smothering you as a throaty moan of, “Fuck,” came from you. You tried to smother it inside the duvet, refusing to let him hear just how good you felt with his fingers knuckle deep inside you.
You pulled the duvet closer with your head turning to greet the soft fabric when it was ripped painfully out of your hand. The hand that had been at your breasts now was at your face squeezing it hard and forcing you to look at him.
Enishi growled something - you could only assume it dealt with ownership. Whatever sounds you made belong to him and for him alone because as he spoke his thumb pressed down against your clit and rubbed in circles as the pace between your thighs grew brutal. The stimulation tore a moan from you instantly and you tried to pull your face away but Enishi held tight forcing you to fall apart as he watched.
With the dual stimulation, it didn’t take long for your orgasm to build. Your walls fluttered around his fingers as your breathing became labored.
Again, he spoke to you. His voice caresses along your skin like an extension of his hands. His thumb flicked up on your clit and he released his hold on your face allowing it to fall back on the pillows. This time you didn’t try and cover all the sounds he fucked out of you with his fingers.
Just as your orgasm was about to crest Enishi brought his mouth down against his breast and bit down. His teeth tearing into the soft flesh turning your panting moans into a scream. Suddenly, your orgasm hit you with a violent intensity. The feeling of you gushing all over his hand - his bed - made your body feel euphoric as your orgasm rolled through you but the violence of his teeth imprinting against the tender flesh of your breast edged it towards pain.
You knew he was marking you on purpose. One part because he could and the other because you were property - his property.
When the aftershocks of your orgasm began to fade you were greeted with pain. Enishi pulled his mouth away from your breast and a wicked smile beamed down to greet you- a tint of your blood staining his lips. Again he spoke to you and again you wished you knew either the Japanese he spoke or the Cantonese he used whenever he spoke to most of the men who entered his office. You wish you could tell him how much you hated him and that he could claim you like this as many times as he wanted, but that hatred would never dull or fade.
He must have seen it on your face because that smile spread into laughter as he pulled away from you. He was still completely nude and uncaring as he grabbed a towel and tossed it in your direction. Enishi gave you one last look before his bare feet padded towards the bathroom.
You’d been dismissed. Just another toy he proved to himself he could have in the many at his disposal. You tried to remain calm as you sat up at the edge of the bed. Your hands shook uncontrollably as you took the towel he’d tossed and began to clean up what you could.
The front of your dress was completely ruined. You weren’t even able to fold it over you. Fresh tears sprang to your eyes as you realized you had nothing left and maybe that was how Enishi wanted it. No family to come looking for you. Lost in a foreign land and kidnapped by the head of a criminal organization. He would take what he wanted because you weren’t strong enough to fight him or deny him. And maybe Enishi’s goal all along was to make the only person you could depend on be him.
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As always, thank you so much for reading! Comments and reblogs are always appreciated.
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#Violent Delights#enishi yukishiro#enishi yukishiro x reader#enishi yukishiro x you#enishi x reader#enishi x you#rurouni kenshin#mackenyu#enishi yukishiro smut#enishi yukishiro fanfiction#dubious consent#smut smut smut#99% smut and 1% filth
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Addicting Taste Chapter 5
Synopsis: Enishi Yukishiro was on a mission to execute his piece de la resistance. A plan to avenge his beloved sister. Until you showed up. Will you be a part of his downfall or will you try to save him?
Pairing: Enishi Yukishiro x reader
Genre: strangers to lovers, sunshine and sunshine protector, comedic relief, slow burn, a lot of fluff, smut (in premiere)
Word count: 8.9k+
A/N: This chapter was a ride. Parts of it were sitting in my drafts for the past few weeks and I'm happy that it's finally out. Breaking Up With Jesus by Reve is to blame for the way I wrote the smut. Hope the spice is to your liking ;)
Powered by Mackenyu’s outstanding portrayal of Enishi’s character in Rurouni Kenshin: The Final, I hereby present you a story ripped from the figments of my mind. I hope you’ll love the story as much as I do. Enjoy lovelies, Paula.
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4
Bonus Next
Dumplings. Oh, how delicious and soft they all look. Dozens upon dozens laid out ahead, waiting for you to dig in. You reached out for one and another one, and kept going until all you could feel on your tongue was their sweet taste. This was heaven.
As you were sitting on the ground chewing away multiple dumplings at once something caught your eyes. On the right, sitting on top of a pillar, sat a dumpling bigger than the palm of your hand. It looked so plump and you bet your last coin that it tasted delicious. Getting up from the ground you went over to try and grab it but each time you jumped after it the pillar rose higher.
“I’m gonna have you and you will taste amazing," you say struggling to reach for the dumpling.
Putting more force into it you jumped and you got the dumpling off the pillar, floating back down to the ground. This was it. The moment you’ve been waiting for. You lifted the delicacy to your mouth and placed your lips on it to taste it when…
The sound of what appeared to be a pot and a pan hit together woke you up from your dream. You rolled in bed trying to cover your ears with the duvet to stop any more of the noise coming in.
“WHO THE FUCK-“
“It’s time for training,” said a rather enthusiastic Enishi, putting the pots away moving to stand in front of your bed. You opened your eyes to look at him, staring daggers at him violently. No one had the privilege to wake you from your precious dreams. Not even the heavens above.
“Get. the. fuck. out. of. my. room.”
“Someone’s cranky," he said, signature smirk sitting proudly on his face.
Well of course you were cranky. You couldn't sleep after the whole encounter in his office. You made a pact with the devil without thinking it through and it came to bite you in the ass. When you got back to your room you sat on your bed trying to think of a plan of attack and you came up with nothing. You practiced a few basic moves you normally used to get them under control, staying up until the early hours of dawn. So it was no surprise that you were currently annoyed at him for waking you up so early in an idiotic way at that.
“Enishi, I swear to god—“
You didn’t get to finish because he leaned down and took your pillow from under your head in one swift move. The movement made your head fuzzy, letting it fall flat on the bed. He got up just as quickly and ran out of the room with your pillow under his arm.
“I’M GONNA FUCKING KILL YOU,” you said as you got up and ran out after him.
You ran around the mansion hallways, closing in on the kitchen area. Stopping on opposite sides of the kitchen island you tried to block off his escape routes. Taking one quick left to fool you into reaching for him only to switch to the right, he successfully avoided your arms. Puffing out your chest in annoyance you took off after him again, following him to his office this time. He stopped in the middle of the room with nowhere to run, shifting to hold your pillow high so you wouldn't be able to reach it. You looked like a cat as you tried your hardest to jump after it.
Focusing too hard on getting back your precious pillow you jumped too high and lost your balance as you came back down. Before you could fall to the floor, strong arms wrapped around you, keeping you steady. Looking up, you saw Enishi’s face mere inches away from yours.
“You’ve got no space awareness at all do you?” he asked, a grin taking over his face. You really weren't in the mood for his antics today.
“Go fuck yourself," you say as you pushed him away. You made your way to the door and stopped when he called your name.
“You forgot your pillow—“ you cut him off whacking him over the head with it, storming back to your room. You had to get ready for the fight of your life.
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This was it. The moment you would find out if the past weeks of training paid off or not. Nerves were taking over with every step you took. It wasn't too late to turn back and lock yourself in the comfort of your room. But you needed this. You needed to see if there was a chance for you to become the best without bringing her back.
Pushing open the doors to the terrace you stopped on the doorstep. Enishi was already there, stretching his arms, blue kimono resting on the back of a chair. Your hands got stuck on the doors as you thought it through again. You weren't ready, getting cold feet in the worst way possible.
Ah fuck. I can't do this.
Before you could turn around in defeat, a pair of eyes fixed on you. He picked up on your nerves from a mile away and flashed you a soft smile in hopes it would help. He knew this was a lot in such a short time, but he believed in you. He wanted you to get better and if you didn't do well today it wasn't that much of a big deal. You could always try again tomorrow.
His smile felt encouraging, giving you some hope that you could do something productive today. Taking a few deep breaths to slow down your accelerating heartbeat, you stepped away from the threshold of the cooking area, making your way to the middle of the garden. Reaching a few feet away from him you stretched your limbs, mind darting over the moves you practiced. Once you were done you straightened your back and took your place.
I didn't train so hard for nothing. I can do this. Let's beat his ass.
Enishi sensed an energy shift around you. You were ready to go, hands standing on the defensive, body angled for attack. He thought you changed so much in the last few weeks. When he met you that night at the precinct, you looked determined to skewer anyone who crossed you in the slightest. But there was this part of you that was afraid. Getting to know about your past made him understand why. You needed to get out of your head which is why he trained you this way. It only took a small push from his part to make you come out of your shell and he felt proud of what you accomplished so far.
He was proud of you.
Getting into a fighting stance of his own he watched as you started circling him. Your eyes narrowed in on him, preparing to read his moves. Just like he taught you.
"I won't go easy on you."
"I don't expect you to," you said and with that you launched yourself at him.
Lean muscles seared with force as your fist collided with his palm, slightly throwing him off balance. So your strength did get better. Latching his palm on your wrist he pulled you to him, pushing you down to the floor with his other hand. You landed on your hands and quickly hauled yourself back up.
"Your aim improved, but it's still not the best," he said as he charged at you. You ducked just in time, sneaking behind him to land a kick to his side. He reacted fast and turned, catching your leg just before it could hit him. He yanked on it getting you closer to him. You gripped his sturdy shoulders to balance yourself on your other leg.
"Hitting from the back is low, even for you," he said, fingers stroking your leg trying to throw you off balance. Little fucker.
"I wasn't planning on being civil today."
Pulling yourself up using his shoulders, you pushed off the ground and threw your other leg around his torso hanging to him like a koala. Twisting your body around his middle, you used all your force and tugged on your legs to pull him down as your hands reached for the ground. Your move caught him off guard and he almost hit the ground beside you if it wasn't for his annoying amount of balance. He turned his fall into a spin in the air landing in kneeling position, smirking at you. You threw your head back in frustration.
He's reading me too well. I have to change the strategy.
This time you let him come at you. His punches rained from all sides, moving relentlessly to land a blow on you, but you were just too fast for him. You noticed that he put a lot of strength into minimal movement and you used that to your advantage. Your small form proved to be a huge help as you darted around his robust body. He was getting frustrated with your tactic and you were enjoying every bit of it.
"Stop defending and attack!"
"Someone's getting impatient," you smirked. He was getting tired of swinging and that was exactly what you wanted.
He was going a little easy on you but his patience wore thin. He gave you the benefit of the doubt as he thought you were unprepared to take on him but you proved him wrong, pushing his buttons in the process.
Fast punches came your way and you caught every single one of them. The adrenaline that coursed through your body gave you inhuman strength as you pushed him backwards, making him stumble. You matched his pace and turned his own moves on him.
While your ego was filling up, his was slowly cracking. He came at you again, arms tightly clamping down on yours, throwing you off balance. You tried your hardest to get out of his hold but his grip wouldn't budge in the slightest. Locking them even tighter, he swung your arms and sent you flying to the other side of the garden. You landed on your shoulder, pain shooting down your arm. You got too cocky and it backfired on you.
Groaning to yourself, you got back up and rolled your shoulder backwards, wincing at the discomfort. You weren't going to back down, not when when you got this far.
Your marched back to him, slow steps turning into a full sprint. Jumping high enough, you brought your leg down into a kick, which he ducked. You dipped every time he tried to lay his hands on you, delivering a few quick punches to his abdomen that he failed to avoid.
You caught him by surprise as you ducked and swiped your leg behind his to throw him off his feet. Finally, he landed on his back accepting defeat, but not without latching a hand on your arm, tugging you down with him. Your body fell on top of his, arms securely wrapping around you. The feeling of his chest pressed flush to yours made your stomach flutter. You tried to steady your breathing that only picked up the more you gazed into his eyes.
"You did it," he exhaled. A smile took over his features as he looked at you.
"I did it," you said with a giggle as you laid your hand came to rest on top of his chest. His hand that was resting on your lower back trailed up to lightly grip your shoulder, causing you to wince. You suddenly remembered you were in pain. Worry flashed in his eyes as he checked you over, sitting you up.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," you tried to convince him but the frown on your face told him otherwise.
"Let me have a look."
"I said I'm fine- OUCH!" you cried as he touched your shoulder again and you flinched away in pain.
"Stop being so stubborn." He leaned over and took your arm in his, turning it around slowly to avoid causing you more pain. "It looks dislocated."
"What do you mean dislocated?" The adrenaline in your body started to wear off and the throbbing in your shoulder intensified, making you unable to hide it anymore.
"I can put it back, but it's going to hurt. Ready?" Your eyes snapped at him.
"You mean now? Hell no-" he pushed your shoulder back into place using your rambling as a distraction. You cried in pain holding onto it, forehead falling to rest on his shoulder.
"I hate you," you groaned, mumbling into his chest.
"I know you do," he chuckled, rubbing away at your shoulder to try and help with the pain.
"Is this a good moment to tell you we're going on your first mission?" You lifted your head, face beaming with excitement.
"You're joking."
"I'm dead serious. I think you're ready," he said as he got up and gave you a helping hand, gently pulling you to your feet. "I know you probably have a lot of questions, but I think it's best you go get some rest first."
“Okay. I'll swing by later," you said walking towards the kitchen.
"Put some ice on it," he shouted from behind you and you shot him a thumbs up with your good arm.
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You tried to take a quick nap. Keyword: tried. No matter how hard you tried to sleep you couldn’t contain your excitement. It felt surreal that you were back in business so soon. My first mission here.
Deciding that it was no use to spend more time in bed, you got up and walked to the vanity table. You pulled out your pistols from the top drawer and ran your fingers on the golden rose crests that decorated the frame. They needed a little dusting off and tinkering, but they looked ready for some action. It’s been a while since I put these bad boys to good use.
The golden light filtering in through the window told you the sun was setting. You figured now was as good of a time to go over the plan with Enishi. You made your way to his office, stretching your shoulders to get rid of the previous strain from your combat session.
You thought back to the fight. As much as you improved, you felt like he did manage you a little, at least in some parts. Even if he did, he wouldn't admit it out loud if he wanted to keep his balls in the same place they are now. Anyhow, you were glad you got the opportunity to kick him off his high horse a tiny bit. He could be all "I am the god of martial arts" sometimes, but he knew when to tone it down.
You remembered the proud look on his face as he pulled you to the ground with him was enough to add ten years to your lifespan. There was something about it that made you feel confident in yourself and maybe that was what he wanted to accomplish. He seemed to have this empowering complex, always talking you out of your head when you needed it the most. It was like he knew what made you lock up and what made you open in such a short time and it kind of terrified you. He met the broken version of you all those years ago and now he knows the real you to a certain degree.
But you met him too. The present, real him. The Enishi that doesn't stray away from his goals, who does everything in his power to help people. You didn't want to admit it but he grew on you, latching onto you like a string of hearts. They are plants that need moderate care, often wallowing in sadness when they don't get enough sunlight or water. But looking at them makes you feel hope and warmth. As cold as the veins in their leaves appear to be, the green surrounding them embraces it in the shape of a heart. As weak as its stems look, they try their hardest to hold the hearts up so people can admire them and feel at peace. Enishi is like that too. You connected like the strings of the plant and you didn't want to untangle yourself from him just yet.
Your train of thought was cut short as you came to a halt in front of his office. Knocking on the door he beckoned you in. He was sat at his desk looking over maps and plans. The sleeves of his kimono were rolled up to his elbows, allowing you to see his arms, veins popping and twisting the more he moved his hand around. He looked deep in thought as his eyes were casted down on on the papers in his hands.
"How's your shoulder?" he asked without looking up from his work.
"Better. Thank you." You moved to stand next to him. "So... what's the plan for the mission?"
"There's a mafia playing at a casino in the city tomorrow night. They're called the Dao," he said as he pointed to a few wanted posters laying on the desk. "They're carrying the shipment we... failed to steal a few weeks ago," he continued.
Wait. The shipment I saw them loading off the docks that night?
"The plan is to go in and keep them distracted while the others load the goods onto our carriages. Once they're done we can leave quietly like we weren't even there in the first place." You nodded at all the information you were receiving, but you were failing to see what your role was supposed to be in this plan.
"So what do you want me to do?"
"You'll be inside with me. We're going to buy our way in to the usual poker game they host privately and play them a little."
"That's great actually."
"And why is that?" he prodded, eyebrow lifting in confusion at your sudden excitement.
"I'm great at poker," you confidently stated. He nearly laughed at you if it wasn't for the way you narrowed your eyes at him in a death stare.
"I guess we'll have to see if you are tomorrow."
—————————————————————————
Tomorrow couldn't come fast enough, finding you in a bit of a situation. You had no idea what to wear. The duffel bag you carried was basically your only wardrobe and your outfit choices were limited. Another issue was that you were going to a casino, which called for a little class and finesse.
After wafting through every outfit combination that was sprawled on your bed, you set on a shirt with a corset on top and a skirt matching your red corset. There was just a problem though. You needed help lacing up your corset. In the process of rethinking your outfit for the hundredth time, a soft knock echoed on the door.
“Come in.”
“I came to see if you’re ready,” he said, eyes going wide when he saw you. Your hair was made in an updo, long strands of hair cascading down your shoulders. The cotton shirt showed off your collar bones, while the velvet corset pushed your chest upwards, showing the tiniest sliver of cleavage but not too over-the top. It matched the ruby skirt that fell just a few inches above your knees. He thought you looked breathtaking.
“You have perfect timing. Could you help me lace up this thing?”
“I.. Yeah, sure," he breathed out.
He walked to your spot in front of the mirror and stopped behind you. Fixing your gaze through the mirror, you watched as he picked up the corset strings wrapping them around his slender fingers. He pulled on them until the corset looked tight enough on you but you motioned him to pull it tighter. He laced the rest of the strings up in a bow and smoothed a hand on the crisscross pattern, icy hand coming in contact with your warm back as you dragged in a shaky breath.
“You’re going like this?”
“I don’t really have anything else to wear.”
“Make sure you put a coat on.”
“But it’s a casino. I’m supposed to show off these goodies," you gestured to your chest as he tried his hardest to avert his eyes to somewhere else.
“Coat on or you’re staying here," he said and walked away, leaving you dumbfounded. What has gotten into him now?
The truth was that he thought you were showing a little too much. Once he was out of your room, he leaned on the wall besides the door and released a breath. You looked absolutely beautiful. But that was a sight he wanted to reserve for himself. You weren’t his. But he was damned if he would let anyone else see you like this tonight.
—————————————————————————
The carriage halted and Enishi stepped out first, holding a hand to you. He wore a white shirt under a blue qipao, intricate patterns reflecting in the dim light of the night. You took his hand and he helped you down from the carriage, fingers lingering on yours for a few moments before he let go.
"Is everyone in their places?" he asked Wu, who was driving your carriage. He nodded and left, hiding the carriage in the woods nearby.
"Ready?"
"As I'll ever be."
The casino was on the outskirts of Shanghai, which made escaping a possible mafia war easier. The outside of the building looked like a normal warehouse, but the inside was far from it. Carpeted floors in red and gold greeted you as you walked in, paving the way to the main area filled with sitting booths. A reception bar sat at the far end of the entrance, buzzing with customers. To the right was a corridor that was guarded by armed men. That must be the way to the poker rooms.
You made your way to the bar ordering a drink for you and Enishi, scouting the premises. How are we supposed to get in there without getting broken in half like a toothpick?
Your question was answered as a woman approached Enishi and beckoned him to follow her to the corner. Her blonde hair fell behind her back as she leaned her hand up on the wall, putting all her goodies on sight for him. He replicated her flirty gazes as he trailed a hand up her exposed arm.
Her black corset was laced tightly around her body, pushing her bulky breasts together. You looked down at your own, a little disappointed that you lacked in that area. The high slit on her purple skirt showed off her legs. She wore the tallest heels you've ever seen.
She looked so much more feminine than you and it made your confidence falter slightly. You didn't really care about looks before so why did it affect you so much right now?
You felt really self-conscious ever since you met Enishi. The loose clothes you used to lounge around in changed to tighter fitting clothes. They were better for training, that's what you told yourself. You fixed the bird's nest in your hair more frequently, braiding or putting it up in sophisticated styles. It made training easier, you told yourself again and again.
"Any chance you could get us in there?" you heard him ask the woman as she twirled her hair around her fingers.
"Depends on what you're willing to do for it," she said leaning further on the wall, flaunting her cleavage at him. Can she choke or something?
It wasn't strange that she found him attractive. Enishi was eye candy, holding himself like the gods sculpted him. Who wouldn't want to get a chance to explore the defined physique under his clothes?
He pulled out a handful of money bonded together and handed it to her discreetly. She took the money with a disappointed huff and went on her way to the men on guard. She whispered something to one of them and motioned you to follow her. Leading you down the long corridor she stopped showing you a door with the number 7 crested in golden. Well that was so hard.
After she left, Enishi turned to you seeing you look rather displeased.
"What?"
"Nothing." You leaned a hand on the wall and copied blondie's earlier position, hand on your hip as you batted your eyelashes at him. "Depends on what you're willing to do for it," you say mimicking her annoying voice. He couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him.
"Why are you laughing?"
"It looks like someone is jealous."
"Who? ME?! No. Not me. She can have you for all I care."
"Is that so?"
You nodded determined to show him you weren't affected in any way by the flirty exchange that took place earlier. Sparing you one more look he turned towards the door.
"Let's get this show rolling."
——————————————
The smell of opium hit you like a train, smoke hanging briskly in the confined air of the room. In the middle at a round table sat three men playing poker. You recognised them from the posters on Enishi's desk. The one in the middle was the boss of the Daos, the other two were his henchmen. Armed men sat behind them and around the room, busying themselves with their drinks.
There were no cards on the table yet which meant they just started the game. The dealer was a woman dressed just like the one you encountered at the bar. She looked scared as she mixed the cards, probably because she was here against her will. All heads turned to you as you walked in and sat down in the empty seat at the table.
"This is a private game," said a gruff voice from your right, belonging to the boss.
"This seat is empty, isn't it?" you asked, taking your coat off.
"What does a girl like you know about poker?" the one on your left asked after looking at you, licking his lips of the narcotics he smoked.
"You'd be surprised. Deal me in," you said confidently, hand held out for Enishi to hand you some money. He hesitated at first, but after seeing the determination on your face he sighed and dropped five thick stacks in your hand.
You shot the woman dealing the cards a look. She looked at the boss for approval and he nodded. A curious glint in his eyes told you he was curious about you and how far you could go. He had nothing to lose, especially with the amount of money sitting by your hands.
You quickly figured that the boss was the strongest player. His only flaw was that he bet everything knowing that his men would never go against him. He deemed you a weak player in the first dealings, but that was only because you were holding back on raising your bets on purpose, playing the weak damsel act to buy you some time.
Once you got your fourth card, you dealt all your money in, raising the bet double the amount. You smirked looking at the four cards in your hand, red hearts smiling back at you. A ten of hearts, a jack, a king and an ace. All you needed was a queen and you could play your hand in a royal flush, the highest card combination in the game.
"What's got you so happy, sweetheart?" asked the boss, confused at the smile pulling at your mouth.
"You'll see," you mumbled to yourself as you got your fifth card, completing your hand.
The dealer called the hands and the man on your right went first, placing his cards on the table. He had a lucky three of a kind as he turned to smirk at you. The other man in front of you showed his, grinning as he got a better hand than the other one, a strong full house thrown on the table. These guys were strong players despite having to yield in to their boss.
The boss took a long drag of smoke and smiled creepily at you. He placed down his cards, a straight flush of spades sitting idly on the table. He started reaching for the money in the middle before you cut him off with a look.
Enishi sat behind you, mouth slightly agape, until he took a look at your cards. "You're joking," you heard him mumble before you placed down your cards, a sheer of gasps erupting around the room.
"A ROYAL FLUSH?!" yelled the boss, the men sitting around the table just as surprised. You chuckled and turned to Enishi, a proud smirk taking over his features. You went all in and won against one of the most ruthless mafias in the country. He felt a little embarrassed for second guessing you without seeing you play.
You were about to reach for the earnings on the table as a man stumbled in the room.
"The shipment! It's gone," he said as he approached the boss. The earlier shock on his face was replaced by anger as he stood up to strangle the man, lifting him off the ground.
Enishi tapped on your shoulder, eyes motioning you towards the door. You had to get out of here now, whilst all the attention was on the man being choked. You made quick work of putting your coat on and got up quietly, reaching for the money in the middle of the table, before Enishi stopped you shaking his head. But I won them fair and square, you said with a look. We have to get out of here now, he pressed.
"How did this happen?" yelled the boss shaking the life out of the man. He pointed a trembling finger at you just as you were about to walk out of the door.
"Hold it right there," said the boss cocking his gun at you.
"This was an amazing game," you said with a hand on the door handle. "By the way, YOU SUCK," you yelled as Enishi pulled you down the corridor.
"Did you really have to?"
"The look on his face was priceless," you giggled. You came to a halt in the main area as everyone turned to look at you. The shouts of the boss were heard down the hall as the whole gang closed in on you.
"Don't let them get away."
There were about twenty armed men circling around you and there was only two of you, the only one actually armed being you. You reached for the pistols in the garter under your skirt, sitting back to back with Enishi.
We are so royally fucked.
—————————————
Guns were fired your way and you dodged them, shooting your pistols relentlessly. You managed to reduce the gang members to a half, while Enishi took to breaking limbs left and right.
You were shooting your gun at a taller guy when the clicks on your pistols locked and you realised you were out of ammo. He went to tackle you but you ducked before he could lay hands on you, going for a sweep, knocking his feet from under him. Another one got hold of your coat and you spun around taking it off your shoulders, using your arms to twist it in the man's hold. You pulled on it making him fall forward and you kicked him, projecting him into the bar island. Your coat ripped down the middle from the force. My only coat, gone. You served me well.
The guy got up from the floor and started throwing the glasses sitting on top of the bar at you. You barely dodged a cocktail glass aimed at your head, catching it mid-air. You sniffed the clear liquid recognising it to be vodka and you downed it in one go, throwing the glass behind you.
"That would've been a waste of good liquor." He sneered as he charged at you and you ran behind the bar taking hold of a beer bottle. When he got close you smashed it on his head rendering him unconscious.
Fire was opened again, this time towards you and you sunk to the floor taking cover behind the bar. Enishi joined you from the other side, reeling in next to you.
"What now?"
"We wait until they run out of bullets."
As if on cue the gunfire halted and you got up from your spots taking on the remaining members. Enishi slid over the bar landing a kick to someone's face mid-air. You took hold of a broom and used it like the bo staff you trained with.
Swaying the wooden stick around you cleared the path for him. Two goons jumped at you, trying to take your weapon. You were busy holding one of them off trying to shake his hands off the broom and failed to notice the chair heading straight to you.
"Miyu, watch out!" You turned just before it smashed into your back and dodged out of the way, letting the chair fall straight into the guy you were fighting off, both of them knocking into each other.
Enishi was fighting another pair. One of them pulled out a knife and tried to stab him. You intercepted the sneaky attack and caught his hand, kicking the knife away before yanking him towards your fist. He punched the other one and they both fell to the floor in sync.
You looked around at the mess you caused, trying to get your breath under control. The boss was nowhere to be found and you assumed he scurried off somewhere with the tail between his legs.
Spotting it among the pile of bodies, you went and picked up the shreds of your coat from the floor, smoothing a hand over it. Enishi took off his qipao and put it on your shoulders heading to the exit, without saying anything.
—————————————————————————
He didn’t speak a word on the way back. The only gestures he made were to direct Wu to take you back to the mansion. He didn't even look at you when you asked him about the mission. All he did was sit in complete silence, eyes closed in meditation, jaw clenched in irritation.
You went over everything that happened back at the casino. The blonde flirting with him, the poker game, the fight. Nothing stood out enough to be a problem and you certainly didn't do anything wrong, besides taunting and stealing off a mafia boss. Regardless, his silence was driving you crazy to say the least.
Why do I even care? I went and did my job and we finally got the weapons. What could possibly make him this mad?
You were snapped out of your thoughts as the carriage came to a halt in front of the mansion. Enishi quickly got off without sparing you a look, leaving the door open for you to get out yourself.
Wow. Fucking diva.
You stepped down from the carriage with the help of Wu and took off after him. You were determined to find out what made him this mad. His steps were fast like he wanted to get away from you but you weren't going to give him the satisfaction. You weren’t going to let him push you away again. He opened the door to his room and before he could close it shut you sneaked in.
He stopped in the middle of the dimly lit room, shoulders rolled in annoyance. You took in his room from your place by the door. His room seemed to be a mirror of yours, the only difference being that his was as dark as room décor could get. The cool light of the night washed the room in an even darker shade, currently reflecting its owners mood.
“Why are you here?”
“I want to know why you’re mad at me.”
“I’m not mad at you.”
“Cut the bullshit, Enishi. You haven’t said one word on the way back. Did I do something wrong?”
With a sigh he turned around to face you. His eyes were visible to you even in the heavy darkness. They seemed to drink you in with greed, debating on whether he should say something or keep the thoughts raging in his head quiet. He settled on the former, the adrenaline of the fight still pumping through his veins. If he didn't say anything now he knew he would regret it forever.
“You didn’t respect the plan,” he said taking a step towards you. “We were supposed to go in and get out,” another step, “not provoke a fight,” he stopped in front of you.
“Fuck the plan! We had them right in the palm of our hand. We got what we wanted, right? What else matters?”
“You! You matter,” he growled as he closed the distance between you, pinning you to the door. “You… drive me up the fucking wall,” he said as he settled both of his arms on either side of you.
“What?” you mumbled under your breath.
“I can’t take it anymore,” he exhaled and the next thing he did caught you by surprise. Warm lips landed on yours, moving with burning desire against your clueless ones. Your eyes widened in surprise and you froze, leaning a hand on the wall behind to keep you steady.
“I’ve been wanting to do this for so long,” he said as he pulled apart just enough for you to get a breath in, before he leaned in again, this time with much more hunger.
It was like your body caught on fire. You didn’t know what you were supposed to do so for the time being you settled on kissing him back. His hands moved from beside you to card through your hair, the other moving to sit at the base of your neck, pushing your face impossibly closer to his. His breaths were running wild across your skin as he moved down to your neck. Every kiss leaving his mouth was tightly sawn into your skin making your breaths heavier.
You craved and were afraid of his touch at the same time. Enishi could be both gentle and rough and you had no idea which one was sitting before you right now. Your mind was in constant tug of war between restraint and giving in to him. He didn’t let you wallow in your thoughts too much as a butterfly kiss to your collar bone brought you back to earth. He stopped and looked at you to make sure this was something you wanted too. Tracing your eyes to his, you saw the previous hunger in his eyes turned into sincere want. That was the only confirmation you needed to know as to which Enishi was with you right now, wasting no time in capturing his lips, a little rougher than he did.
Your mouths fought for dominance, none of you wanting to give in and submit to the other. The way his fingers worked to undo the corset he tied up for you just a few hours ago turned you on and you couldn’t wait anymore.
“Rip it off,” you whined.
“After I struggled so hard to tie it up—“
“Enishi, I don’t give two flying fucks. Rip it to fucking shreds.”
“Someone’s getting impatient,” he chuckled. Seeing you so worked up amused him. He didn’t want to make you wait any longer so he untangled his fingers from the strings and in one brisk move he pulled apart your corset, breaking it in two together with the white shirt underneath. The poor pieces of fabric fell to the floor, revealing your chest.
He revelled at the sight before him. You were exactly what he imagined in lewd fantasies at night, when his head was webbed with only thoughts of you. What set him on fire the most was that he knew you thought of him in that way too. Your eyes gave you away way too many times for him to not take notice of it. He just hid his a lot deeper so you wouldn't notice it. He failed to keep the thoughts away each time his hand found yours, or your waist, or your face.
You consumed him and you didn't even know it.
Tracing his hand down your arm made tingles dance all over your body. You couldn’t take his teasing anymore, not when you were this bare in front of him. If he's not going to move, I’ll do it myself.
With maddening frustration, you launched at his lips, capturing them wildly like they were the very essence of life. He responded to your attack with pleasure rolling off his vocal chords grunting into your mouth. Taking the opportunity, you pressed your hands on his clothed chest and ripped away at his shirt too, soft cotton turning into a mere rag as you pulled at it. Enishi was taken aback by your rawness and broke the kiss just enough to take another breath to be able to fight your mouth for his share of dominance.
He pulled you closer to get the skirt off of you just as you worked on his pants. You didn’t even notice you were already leaned back on his bed, spread wide for him to see all of you. Thoughts of every fantasy he had of you were spinning around in his head and he struggled to pick just one.
“Draw a picture it will last longer,” you say sitting up on your elbows.
“I’m gonna fuck this attitude out of you.”
“I’d like to see you try.”
The whole thing turned into another competition you both couldn’t get enough of. He wasn’t going to back down and neither were you. Most girls got shy whenever they saw this hunk of a man stand above them, ready to turn them to whimpering wrecks. But you weren’t most girls and you planned on showing him that.
He was spending too much time observing you and you were growing desperate. Deciding to take the reins, you sat up to mirror his kneeling position on the bed and laid your hands on his chest, pushing him backwards until he fell on his back. Straddling his lap, you leaned down to take in his gasps of surprise in a chaste kiss. A kiss so slow that it made his insides burn with lust.
“Miyu, stop fucking around,” he groaned between kisses.
“That’s what you were doing a minute ago,” you say smirking through the kiss. He responded by raking his hand through your scalp and gently pulling at it, drawing a moan from you.
“I love seeing you this needy for me," he said, biting down on your lip. "I haven’t even done anything to you yet and here you are, ready to pounce on me if I don’t give it to you.”
You were begging. All for someone who’s never touched you to do just that. Because you knew he would do it exactly the way you wanted.
Enishi was chaos. He was like a drug to you, a damn good one at that. Once you got a tang of it you kept wanting more. The more time you spent with him the wilder your delusions got and you realised you were addicted to his taste.
You continued the makeout session, rolling around in the bed, tongues fighting for power. You sat on his lap, skillfully pushing into him without a breath. Every time you came up for air he pulled your head back down to him. He was just as addicted to you.
“My turn,” he smirked taking your lips in his. His hands trailed down your shoulders to your chest and he held your breasts, softly squeezing them. It turned you on beyond repair and you couldn’t help the whines escaping your throat.
“What do you want me to do?” he whispered, lips stopping a few inches away, teasingly grazing yours.
“Anything,” you replied, moving your head up to catch them, failing as he moved away from you. You dropped your head on his pillows, feeling lightheaded from the anticipation. He could do whatever he wanted to you as long as he did something.
“I need words, Miyu.” The way he spoke your name made goosebumps raise on your arms. His voice alone managed to undo you.
“I want you to ruin me. Take me to God or to Satan for all I care.”
He didn’t waste any more time and took to trailing the most teasing kisses down your body, from the dip in your neck down to your navel. He savored every part of you like a priest chastising the Sunday mass. He preached your body like a prayer, prepared to sink you in the depths of his hell. He only knew sin and he was going to taint you in his darkness tonight.
His kisses got slower the closer he got to your throbbing core, the part that was aching for him the most. You couldn’t believe he was performing your wildest dreams. You made the mistake of rubbing your legs together to create some friction, wanting him to touch you already, only to have him pull your knees apart spreading you back out. He caressed your thighs, fingers running from the base of your knees all the way to your hips, missing your core by just a few inches. The waiting was driving you mad, turning you into a whining mess.
“Enishi, stop messing around.”
“I haven’t even started darling.”
Securing a hand around your torso, he dipped down to kiss your thighs the same way his hands caressed your legs. His kisses stopped just before your opening and he blew on it, making you shudder under his hold. With one more look at your face, he dove into you. He worked his skilled tongue inside your walls as you wrote your moans in his pillows, gripping the sheets tightly. The hand on your torso rubbed circles on your stomach adding to the ecstasy you were feeling. You surrendered your body to him, letting him worship you the only way he knew.
His strokes turned haste as you neared your release. You came fast and he devoured your juices like it was the nectar of the gods, leaving no drop go to waste. You were seeing stars, sweat sticking to your skin as the heat became too unbearable. The only light in the room came from the moon and as dim as it was it was blinding you, senses overwhelmed by the man at your feet. He came up to capture your lips, letting you taste yourself the way he tasted you. He wanted you to know how good you were and how much he wanted to savour you.
“Enishi…," you gripped his head and kissed him arduously. "Fuck me," you begged and that was enough to finally get him going.
“You don’t have to tell me twice.” With a swift kiss he slid inside you, length stretching you out sore.
He pounded into you at the speed of light. You closed your eyes to get rid of the stars you were seeing, but he made you to look at him. He wanted watch as he broke you apart and put you back together.
“Be a good girl. You can take it.”
His praises made your body quiver as he annihilated your insides. He was a god in bed, toned body shining in the moonlight as he took you to heaven. But he was also a devil, his thrusts branding his name inside of you like a mark. The more he delved in the better the pleasure he gave you. He knew exactly how to make you feel just right and you felt a surge of energy taking over as you flipped your bodies.
"My turn," you said, wanting to make him beg for you like you begged for him. Calloused hands worked their way up your sides as you took his lips once more, sitting on top of his lap. Your hands were messing around in his hair, grabbing at it every time he bit your lip.
You chased the dips in his neck with sloppy kisses, hands digging into your sides. Your hands massaged and pulled at his hair, moans rolling off his tongues like music. Your touch felt divine, awakening his cold body like the first sunlight of spring. He wanted you to be the queen of his hell, to fall in and out of grace together.
"I need you," he grunted. He got so turned on by this savage part of you and he didn't want to admit it, but it made him so weak. He craved all of you, even if he had to swim in your ocean endlessly just to find every piece of you.
"Your wish is my command," you said, sinking down on him with a grunt, feeling him stretch you out again. Once you felt comfortable you started rolling your hips, a string of curses leaving his mouth.
You were taking your sweet time and he felt you going agonizingly slow. His hands gripped your hips to move you faster and faster until your rhythm grew frantic, leaning to support yourself by his shoulders. Your head was spinning as you felt yourself come close to your release for the second time tonight.
"Enishi," you whispered breathlessly.
"What do you need?" he asked, fingers grazing your ear softly.
"You," you say seizing his lips. Your pace picked up as your moans combined in each other's mouth. He was twitching inside you, sign he was close too.
He would do anything if he could have you on top like this all the time. He would let his pride go to shit if he could feel you like this again. To see your hair stick to your face, locks tangled over your shoulders. To have your hands grip him like he was your lifeline. To see your eyes lost in the abyss that is him as you come undone together, bodies intertwined drunk on a high, on top of his bed.
—————————————————————————
Warmth. That's what you were feeling right now. Muscular arms held you securely, gaze focused solely on you. One of his hands was stroked your hair in a gentle rhythm, head laid on his shoulder as you stared at the ceiling. A piece of your hair fell over your face and his hand moved to place it behind your ear, his husky voice breaking the comfortable silence.
"Why are your ears so small?" he asked poking fun at you, only to get kicked in the shins by your leg. "Okay, I deserved that."
You turned around and his eyes caught a glimpse of something behind your ear. A tattoo. His fingers smoothed over the skin, making out the word yume. And there he thought you couldn't surprise him more than you already did tonight. He reached for your hair to move it out of the way to get a better view at the inkwork. His eyes turned curious as he ran his hand over the mark.
"Yume," he whispers, just enough for you to sense the question on his tongue.
"It means dream. I got it done before I left Japan," you sighed.
"Why yume?"
"I didn't have any dreams for myself. I still don't. All I wanted was to find my parents and that felt like a good enough dream at the time," you said, eyes slightly tearing up at the memory of your parents.
"But as I got older it became something that drove me. I suddenly wanted to find a dream for myself just so I can give this life meaning."
Silence hung in the air again as he mulled over the information. He wanted to know more about what happened to your parents but this definitely wasn't the time to ask. You were too vulnerable right now and he didn't want to pry into your head more than you did it to yourself.
You got up from the bed, his shirt sitting snugly around you. Stretching your sore body, you headed towards his bathroom. You noticed that blue was a recurring aesthetic in the place. The finish on the sink was just like yours, the only difference being that it was dressed in dark motives. He bathroom had a shower in the corner, surrounded by black granite tiles and a glass wall.
"Any other tattoos I should know about?" You turned around to him. He had his arms behind his head, biceps flexing the more he leaned back. The duvet covered his lower part, chest fully exposed to you. You bit your lip as you looked at him.
"If you join me for a shower I might just tell you," you giggled, leaning against the frame of the bathroom door.
"You can say that again," he said as he got up from his bed and ran to you, picking you up in his arms.
"PUT ME DOWN YOU'RE SWEATY!"
"SO ARE YOU BUT YOU DONT HEAR ME YELLING ABOUT IT."
"You're so annoying," you said, linking your arms around his neck so you wouldn't fall.
"That's not what you were moaning a few hours ago, babe," he said walking towards the shower with you in his arms.
"Eww, don't call me babe."
"Sure... babe," he smirked.
"Oh, dear lord."
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Next
Thank you for reading! As always, comments, notes and reblogs are welcome :)
#Addicting Taste#enishi yukishiro#rurouni kenshin#enishi yukishiro fanfiction#enishi yukishiro x reader#enishi yukishiro x you#this was a wild ride#i feel so deprived
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27 years ago, this handsome, beautiful, talented man was born.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MACKENYU!!!
#happy birthday#mackenyu#roronoa zoro#zoro#enishi yukishiro#overdrive#mackenyu arata#mackenyu maeda#one piece#rurouni kenshin#roronoa zoro x reader#zoro roronoa x reader#zoro x you#zoro x reader
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Enishi Yukishiro x Reader
When you saw Enishi on his knees after his battle with Kenshin and Heishin, you can see so much grief radiating from his body.
The realization hitting him into knowing that he will lose his sister's smile forever after listening to Kenshin's reasoning to not hurt anyone anymore.
The realization of never seeing his sister ever again.
The realization of his wrong doings and believing that revenge is what Tomoe wants when it is not the right thing to do.
Despite his obsession for his revenge against Kenshin, you can see so grief he has been going through the years.
Consume in believing he had failed to protect his sister even though she sacrificed herself for Kenshin.
So you approached Enishi and got down to your knees in front of him, causing him to look up at you with the tearful eyes.
Then your arms reached out to wrap around him and pulled him close to you in an embrace, causing him to bury his face into your shoulder.
You ran your fingers through his silver strands, ignoring the dried blood that cakes in his hair.
You did not say anything... just sat there as Enishi buries his face further into your shoulder as warm tears rolled down his cheeks.
His hands clutched onto the back of your shirt/dress as he hold you close to him, not wanting to let you go. Afraid you would be gone too.
Hi, everyone! I want to say thank you so much for reading. This is the first time I've written a "canon character x reader", and I am hoping to do more in the future. I saw the live action, and so much emotions hit me. Again thank you and have an awesome weekend!
-Dez
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I just watched Rurouni Kenshin: The Final and I have to say i loved it!!!
Samurai X Live Action is literally the only live-action shounen that I can vouch for its greatness!
Yes, half of it is because Satou Takeru plays Kenshin 🤪 but the action choreography, cinematography, the actors and the whole story just brings the life out of the manga❣️(and they keep it true to the actual writings too so kudos to them man!)
BUT!
I can’t help but notice Yukishiro Enishi played by Arata MacKenyu resembles so much white-haired anime MC HAHA🔥
1. Of course, the character himself, Yukishiro Enishi!
2. Then, like who dis? Freakin Gojo Satoru vibe?! HAHAHA
3. Then, He smirks and I saw Killua 😂😂😂😂
4. Ok OMG wait wh- TODOROKI SHOUTO! what u doin here buddy all bloody?!? 😂
And finally,
5. Arata’s sad puppy face mannn, when you all sad like that, I can only see Kaneki Ken 😢
#arata mackenyu#mackenyu arata#rurouni kenshin#samurai x#kenshinhimura#samurai x fan#rurouni kenshin fan#enishi yukishiro#tomoe yukishiro#rurouni kenshin the final#himura kenshin#anime fancam#anime fanbase#anime gif#kaneki#kaneki ken#tokyo ghoul#killua hxh#killua#gon hxh#hunter x hunter#todoroki shouto#bnha shoto todoroki#bnha fandom#mha#jujutsu kaisen gojo#gojo satoru#jjk anime#jjk fandom#jujutsu kaisen
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8.2.21 ‘RUROUNI KENSHIN THE BEGINNING’ KEISHI OHTOMO
Review: A star-crossed love drawn in blood
Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning is the conclusive prequel that sees director Keishi Ohtomo return in his adaptation of the 1999 iconic OVA Samurai X: Trust and Betrayal. With this last release, The Beginning lays a foundation for Himura Kenshin’s story for the entire series. While this film functions as a prequel to the main Rurouni Kenshin franchise, it’s also a self contained narrative detailing the past of Kenshin, seen here as Battōsai The Manslayer, and is intrinsically tied to the narrative of the film’s co-star, Kasumi Arimura as Tomoe, and her brother Enishi, the antagonist of The Final released earlier in 2021. The Beginning is one of the most beautiful and raw genre films recently released. To declare that the film is a definitive “best anime adaptation” does a disservice to its caliber as a work of cinema. However, as a work adapted from manga and anime, a format often mired with struggle adapting to film, The Beginning is a shining example and one that may even improve upon a most beloved source material.
Over the last decade, the Rurouni Kenshin series has been praised for its heightened realism and exaggerated fantastical approach. These elements set them apart from the modern repertoire of Chambara and Jidaigeki costume drama. This, in tandem with action director Kenji Tanigaki, a protégé of Donnie Yen’s since the 90s, creates an innovative marriage of Wuxia, Japanese style swordsmanship and Hong Kong style action. The Beginning, however, is a tonally different film from the rest of the franchise. It keeps the fast, gritty pace of Hong Kong action cinema while balancing Shakespearean drama, feverish action and political intrigue. It prioritizes accessibility without contrivance or need for knowledge in Japanese politics or culture. You also don’t need to know anything about Rurouni Kenshin to view this film as its own isolated tragedy.Set ten years before Rurouni Kenshin: Origins (2012), Himura Kenshin works as a political assassin for the Choshu, a group of Anti-Shogunate revolutionaries, working to overthrow the Shogun and bring upon the Meiji Restoration. An era of brutality and unrest, the visual language of the entire film articulates this with muted earth tones and frigid blues. There is far less vibrancy here compared to the other films, suitable for a world with very little color or levity, conveying Kenshin’s psychology as he becomes entrenched in war. Kenshin appears here as a reaper, donned in black through most of the film, emblematic of his anonymous moniker as Battosai, supported by lead actor Takeru Satoh with a performance that is a dark mirror to his presence as Kenshin in years past. That is until the film’s climax, where he’s cast in white representing atonement, paralleling Tomoe Yukishiro’s appearance, and her influence inciting his transformation into the pacifistic vagrant he would become.
Through costuming, art direction, and performance, the film deftly explores the grey area of morality in each of its characters, and much of that color is exhaled by Tomoe, whose mysterious story is slowly unfurled. They present her as a character Kenshin perceives with a pure, phantasmal presence in contrast to the horrors of war around him. Kenshin spends his nights weaving through Kyoto’s underworld, slaughtering figureheads of the Shogunate, as he moves with greater ferocity than we’ve seen before. His only trace is the sheer carnage, striking tableaus, and a leaflet with a symbol that reads “Justification for Execution.” He’s an emotionless husk throughout this civil war, recruited at a young age by Choshu. He remains in a perpetual state of dissociation in light of the death he brings nightly for the sake of peace. As a result, he withdraws from his colleagues in the rebellion and becomes a recluse. Lead actor Takeru Satoh’s depressive, slight figure as Battosai is a phenomenal articulation of the character and his psychology and shows the adeptness he can maintain with the origins of a character he has played on camera for a decade.
The duality of Kenshin and his fictionalized dissociative personality disorder has never been more prevalent than it is in The Beginning. As he wields a sword like a frenzied demon in the streets of Kyoto, his disposition subsequently softens and mellows into a domestic life with Tomoe following a pivotal midpoint. Satoh and Arimuras’ delicate chemistry is conveyed through their lingering gazes and body language, elevated by a gorgeous, meditative atmosphere that permeates the film’s rich sense of place and artistry. Kenshin and Tomoe are extensions of one another in how love and hate are two sides of the same coin: Kenshin is consumed only by death, and Tomoe, lamenting a lost love through an obsessive desire for revenge. It leaves them as two shattered souls, once idealistic, now living in ghostly, broken hearted contradiction. It’s a tragic, tender dynamic that fills the air with a sadness so profound, and is juxtaposed with the frenetic and crisp choreography that maneuvers like bloody poetry.
The film’s climax that results from this story is a stunning cinematic foil to the third act of The Final. Where the duel between Enishi and Kenshin pulls out all the stops in what you’d come to expect from the last act to a Rurouni Kenshin film, the climax to The Beginning is a near silent contrast. It’s the bitter torment and deterioration of Battōsai The Manslayer, dehumanizing him until his only remaining senses are the touch of snow on his skin and the lingering smell of blood. The choreography in this final sequence takes a minimalist approach to increase the weight of its emotional impact. Instead of being comparable to traditional manga and anime, these sequences emulate the works of Akira Kurosawa and the Chambara genre. This finale evokes a similarity to the choreography of Rashōmon, where two vulnerable men desperately cling to life while attempting to slay one another, without grace or dexterity, but clamoring for survival. It’s a brilliant, necessary deviation from the climaxes of the films that came before it.
Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning is a harrowingly gorgeous film about an ephemeral love splintered by the times. It’s one that can be experienced isolated or in the context of the other films in the series, and its themes are conveyed beautifully in either case. As the ten year culmination in a series of films that ultimately discloses everything about Rurouni Kenshin, not only is it of supreme, self-contained caliber in its own right, it further illuminates the quality and narrative retroactively to this film’s predecessors.
Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning is now streaming on Netflix worldwide.
Written for TheYoungFolks.com ー
‘Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning’ review: A star-crossed love drawn in blood
#るろうに剣心 最終章 the beginning#rurouni kenshin live action#Rurouni Kenshin#rkla2021#takeru satoh#keishi ohtomo#filmjapan#movies#samurai#netflix
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[Translation] Mackenyu Arata Interview for Rurouni Kenshin: The Final at Animate Times
As a fan of the Rurouni Kenshin installment, Mackenyu Arata couldn't hide his surprise when offered to play Yukishiro Enishi. Looking back on the shooting, he talked about his thoughts on the upcoming release
—What was your honest reaction when they offered you to appear in the Rurouni Kenshin: The Final installment?
Mackenyu: My honest reaction was, “Eh?! You’re kidding right? No way! Really?! Is it okay for me to take this role?! I’m this young and I’m playing the last boss?!” I was really surprised.
—What was your impression about Yukishiro Enishi as a character?
Mackenyu: He is described as the series’ most feared enemy. But seeing him from a different point of view, I think you can’t really tell which side is justice and which side is evil.
—How did you create this role?
Mackenyu: To match his physique of course I worked out, but I focused on his mentality. Things like whether he wants to reveal his identity to others or not. I was most consciou about understanding and performing this role properly.
—Did you read the original to understand this role?
Mackenyu: I didn’t read the manga. I think adaptations and manga are completely different thing, and basically I avoid reading original manga to all the live-action works that I have worked in so far.
—So the information you’ve obtained from the script is already enough?
Mackenyu: That’s right, I think everything is already included there.
—I know that each set has its own characteristics and atmosphere, but what did you feel when you came into this filming team?
Mackenyu: (looks at the movie pamphlet) it looks exactly like this. It felt like we were continuously filming in the midst of burning flame. Everyone is working really hard until they burn-out and tattered. That applies to me too.
—I got the chance to see the preview, but I get the impression that you really put your life on the line for this role.
Mackenyu: Yes. From the very beginning I have to give my everything.
—Did you shoot that first scene on the train during your first day?
Mackenyu: Yes. Actually, it’s been almost 3 years ago, but from the first day filming, I was already doing full action sequences.
—That train scene, which was also the introduction to Enishi. I was completely blown away by the intense action scenes inside the train.
Mackenyu: It’s a wonderful opening scene, right? I had fun shooting that. As an actor I’m really happy that I was able to be part of a set where I can fully showcase my abilities.
—Previously, action director Kenji Tanigaki talked to us in Animate Times. He said, “I knew right away that Mackenyu Arata is incredibly athletic.’ How did you feel when you actually performed action scenes under his direction?
Mackenyu: I’m honored to hear him say that. While performing the action scenes with Tanigaki-san and his team, sometimes I would suggest, “I want to do this kind of sequence” and he would include it in, he was a very flexible person. Moreover, I think he is a person with great imagination.
—Was there a time when his imagination moved you?
Mackenyu: There were times when I thought his ideas are amazing. Especially during the action scene inside the train where I fought using a kendama [T/N: a traditional Japanese skill toy]. Somehow, he came up with a sequence where a single kendama can beat dozens of people at once, it’s amazing.
—But your role is not just about the action skills. The whole idea about ‘Jinchuu’ is that when justice is not served by the heavens, then humans will make the judgement. The fight also involves complex emotions.
Mackenyu: It is essential to combine actions and emotions when playing Enishi. It was important for me to act with my whole body for this role.
—This work has so many interesting points, but is there any scene that particularly left an impression to you?
Mackenyu: Other than the action scenes with Kenshin, the scenes with Kaoru played by Takei Emi-san are highlights. I think we can see another side of Enishi. When they exchanged conversations, and also his actions around her—how he behave in a certain way, I think you might begin to see how he really feels inside.
—Did you have any particular difficulty?
Mackenyu: That would definitely be the action scenes. It’s very high level, and I’ve never had such a hard time filming anything before. It was fun at the beginning, but gradually everyone and myself starts wearing out. However, the sense of accomplishment is great.
—How did you feel when you finally cranked-up?
Mackenyu: We shoot this movie for about half a year, with a really tough schedule, so I was really happy it all ended.
—To continue playing Enishi for half a year, that must really push you to your limit
Mackenyu: That’s right. Because that role was such a role after all. It was pretty tough.
—There seems to be a lot of hardship involved, but is there anything you’ve accomplished from this work?
Mackenyu: What I’ve accomplished... honestly, I have no idea. What I know is that I always gain something from each work, but it took me years to really understand that. Everything that I have been through has made me what I am now.
—In that sense, everything about you will constantly be updated
Mackenyu: That’s right. There will always be something new, there will always be growth.
—What was your impression when you watch the movie at the preview?
Mackenyu: It was really tiring (laughs). My hands were sweating throughout the whole movie, my energy was drained, so by the end I just heave a long sigh.
—The movie screening is just around the corner. How are you feeling now?
Mackenyu: As a big fan of Enishi, I’m really looking forward to it. I’m very happy that everyone can finally see the movie.
—As our name suggests, many Animate Times reader watches anime. Do you have any recommendation?
Mackenyu: For anime... I like ‘HUNTER x HUNTER’, I’ve been watching it. I really like the story.
—I see! Now please give your final message to those who wants to watch this movie and for the readers of Animate Times
Mackenyu: The most terrifying enemy that surpasses the previous movies will finally come out! And for those who believes that Makoto Shishio can never be surpassed, I want you to come and see it for yourself! Please look forward to the release!
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Addicting Taste
Synopsis: Enishi Yukishiro was on a mission to execute his piece de la resistance. A plan to avenge his beloved sister. Until you showed up. Will you be a part of his downfall or will you try to save him?
Pairing: Enishi Yukishiro x reader
Genre: strangers to lovers, sunshine and sunshine protector, slow burn, a lot of fluff (later chapters), occasional smut
Words: 3k +
A/N: I couldn’t hold back anymore and had to make a fic for Enishi. It won’t exactly follow the Rurouni Kenshin timeline for now but it will later develop into it. This is the first chapter in the series with more chapters coming. It is a reader insert as I couldn’t help but indulge myself in it completely. Powered by Mackenyu’s outstanding portrayal of Enishi’s character in Rurouni Kenshin: The Final, I hereby present you a story ripped from the figments of my mind. I hope you’ll love their story as much as I do. Enjoy lovelies, Paula.
Also thank you @eureka-its-zico for supporting me with this and getting me writing again 🫶
Next Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Bonus Chapter 6
“Just how stupid are you?”
A loud smack echoed in the room.
“You thought you could just get away with it?”
Another heavy punch collided with his face making him drop to his knees.
“You’re a fool.”
An uppercut dug under his chin throwing him backwards. The force of the blow made blood pool in his mouth and he spat it out through clenched teeth. The man standing tall before him left his face full of cuts and bruises. But that was the least of Enishi’s worries right now.
Many months were spent tracking down the biggest shipment of weapons set to leave Shanghai for Kanagawa. Enishi’s men were supposed to rob the storage by the docks tonight before the ship set sail in the morning. But it turned out to be a harder task than it was intended to be.
The mission encountered several problems and it was nothing short of a total fail. It was also what led to his current position with his hands tied roughly behind his back, on the floor of the most secure precinct in Shanghai.
A few hours ago
“These dumplings are amazing,” you sighed happily while munching on three baozi dumplings at once.
The lady vendor grimaced at your manners. You were practically inhaling the soft dough in your hands like a grizzly bear. Leftover crumbs were decorating the edges of your lips. You couldn’t help but forget all about etiquette when the food literally melted in your mouth.
A little boy was walking by with his mother when he caught sight of the dumpling cart. He stopped to look at the steaming dumplings in awe and adoration. But when he saw the way you were devouring the small pastry his face turned to pure disgust.
You were getting slightly annoyed by his staring, so you shot the little boy a threatening look and he started crying, running off somewhere in the depths of the street. His mother regarded you with a condescending look and followed after her child.
“Can you leave before you scare all my clients away?” said the vendor lady, irritated with the fact that you’ve been hogging her cart for the past half an hour.
“Listen lady. I could buy your whole cart if I wanted to. Just let me enjoy these,” you said with your mouth full.
“I’ll be the one leaving then. You might spoil my dough from raising if I stay here any longer,” she said as she started to put away the steaming buns away and gathered all her tools.
“Wait! You can’t just leave.” But by the time you yelled after her she was already gone. There went your only meal for the day. At least it was a nice filling one to last you some time. You patted your stomach in a comforting manner and sighed, turning to go on your own way.
The crisp air of mid-October made its presence known as a breeze blew against the sleeves of your dress making them flutter. Your attire was nothing short of inappropriate for the lingering cold season. The chilly weather made it harder to do any jobs and you weren’t requested as much either. You never knew where your next meal would be coming from most of the time, so you powered through with anything you could find. Though your money was running out you always made sure to keep some aside for your snack cravings.
The once bustling street turned awfully quiet. It was the norm in this part of the city. Vendors were quickly packed away and activity was slowly coming to a halt in the wake of the coming night. Any normal person in these parts would know that being on the streets when the last flicker of daylight disappears wasn’t safe.
Who would want to be out in the dark with the Shanghai mafia having a full blown war with the commander in chief on the streets until the early hours of dawn?
Clutching the rest of your dumplings closer, you made your way down the narrow pathways circling the outskirts of the city. The place you resided in for the time being was just a street down from the docks. It was a modest room at the top of an abandoned jewelry shop, furnished with a desk and a small wardrobe. It was not the comfiest nor the safest place in the world, but it provided a space to roll your futon for the night.
The buns you bought were all different flavours with all kinds of fillings you haven’t tried before. Just thinking of taste testing all of them made your mouth water.
Whilst getting lost in your pastry daydreams, you were shaken back to earth by persistent yelling. As you were making your way further down to the docks, more agitated shouting ensued. The growing commotion piqued your curiosity. It wouldn’t hurt to take a closer look, right? It was in the way anyway.
Inching closer to the edge of the docks entrance you hid behind an abandoned fishing boat supported by empty crates. Tucking your petite form well enough so you wouldn’t be spotted, you looked over it to see what was going on.
Moving your eyes around you counted about twenty masked men. They were frantically rushing in and out of the storage holding cases filled with… guns?
As more of them came out you realised it wasn’t just guns. Long and short range artillery, fuses and all kinds of artisanal bombs. It was like heaven for pyromaniacs. Whatever these guys were planning was nothing short of mass destruction.
“We’ve secured all the weapons, Master,” a shushed voice spoke in Japanese from your right. He came closer to stand just in front of the boat you were using as a hiding spot. He looked about half a person in height. If a wild gust of wind blew his way he would most likely topple over and become dust.
“Good work,” said a deep voice from the left as he approached too. The way he spoke those simple words was enough to make tremors run down your back.
Trying to get a better view of the owner of the voice a tangled mop of white hair entered your vision.
Damn, this guy was long overdue for a haircut.
Trailing your eyes further down you took in his sturdy physique that was outlined through the clothes he was wearing. You could tell he was trained in some kind of martial arts. No one just had heaps of muscles like those. You could easily draw a map of the world between those wide shoulders… Snap out of it, Miyu.
The loud crash of crates rattling to the floor brought you back to reality. You needed to get out of there.
You couldn’t risk getting caught and brought in by the commander in chief. If he wasn’t alerted yet he sure got wind of things by now. That man definitely has mutant senses.
The last thing you needed was them catching wind of your location. You spent so long staying under the radar and now was not the time to advertise your whereabouts.
I am void. I don’t care. I haven’t seen anything.
I am not getting involved with this.
While repeating the mantra several times in your head in order to calm down, you had to figure out a way to sneak out as smoothly as possible without alerting anybody. Especially the strong muscular white mop of hair who hasn’t moved at all from his spot right in front of you.
After a quick scan of your surroundings you came to two choices: going left, straight through the docks and to your hideout located on just the other side; or going right, having to circle around the whole city to get back. It wasn’t hard to figure out which one was safer. You’d rather go around the whole city as many times as you needed if it meant staying away from whatever these people had planned. You just had to wait for the right time to make your way out.
After a while, the two men blocking your view headed towards the rest of their squad. This was your chance. All you had to do was get set, ready and sprint the hell out of there before someone caught you and made you fish food. If only things would play out like that.
In your rush to escape you missed a teeny tiny key detail. The dark brown fishing cord extending from the boat to the empty crates behind you.
You barely made it two steps before your leg tangled in it and you were falling face first to the hard concrete floor, taking the crates with you. The steaming buns you tried so hard to keep close spilled all over the floor in the process. I’m so fucked.
“What was that?” growled one of the goons.
Mophead turned around swiftly and locked eyes with you. Lifting your own gaze from your uncomfortable spot on the floor, you connected it with his. Eyes akin to predators that lurk in the dead of night pierced yours. They screamed murder. The ‘chop you apart for funsies’ kind of murder.
But something about them caught you off guard. The blue hue outlining his pupils. Something about them though eerie and giving you the eebie jeebies was so familiar. Where have I seen these eyes before?
He seemed to be stuck in his own reverie. A tilt of his head signalled his confusion to your presence. You don’t even know how long you were both stuck soul searching each other’s eyes as the deafening sound of gunfire descended down on the docks.
Breaking your staring contest apart you tried to locate where the firing came from. Then it dawned on you. The commander in chief was here.
Mophead set off in your direction to possibly grab you but he only managed to take a step before bullets lined up a few feet in front of him. With a low grunt, he spared you one last look before retreating back to his gang.
The bullets were flying closer and closer to your spot and the intense smell of gun powder filled your nostrils. This was your cue to exit stage.
You got to your feet, saved what was left of your steamed baozi and made a run for it. A few bullets narrowly grazed the ends of your dress but you quickly made it to the safety of a dark alleyway close by. Checking on your precious dumplings you saw most of them were unharmed and let out a breath of relief.
The pounding of guns suddenly stopped and you peered over to the docks from the corner of the alley. Assessing the situation you observed that half of mophead’s party was shot down by the commander’s force. Some of them managed to flee the scene when the firing started, but the rest were caught and put in restraints together with their leader.
Something felt off. Maybe it was the smug look on the commander’s face as he rounded up the thugs. Or the way most of his force came out from what looked like stationed places at the other end of the docks entrance. It almost seemed like they knew mophead and his crew were going to be here tonight.
No way. Was this a set up?
————————————
Back at the precinct
Enishi was fuming. It all went sideways too quickly for his liking. Someone talked and he was going to make sure they weren’t seeing the light of day. Once he made it out of the shithole he was currently held in.
“I’m going to ask you again. Why were you stealing weapons?” asked the commander. He was getting irritated and it showed in the way the veins on his neck strained. But he could press on as much as he wanted. Enishi wasn’t going to give him shit.
“Either you talk or your good for nothing squad will suffer in your place.”
“I don’t give two flying fucks about them,” spat Enishi.
This only earned him another punch to the stomach. The guards who were holding him let him drop to the floor, more blood dripping on the side of his mouth.
“I guess I’ll have to beat it out of you then,” said the commander, cracking his knuckles.
Bracing for the commander’s punishment, his thoughts kept wandering somewhere else. To the girl who was there tonight, hiding behind the boat. He wasn’t stupid. He sensed someone was eavesdropping.
You weren’t supposed to be there. You were a wild variable in his plan that he couldn’t have predicted. A handful of questions swarmed around in his head, but three of them stood out the most.
Why were you there tonight?
Who were you working for?
And where have I seen you before?
—————————————————————————
Ten armed guards at the front of the building. Another two securing the entrance from the inside. Five more moving around the halls. None on the top floor. Bingo.
Sliding open the glass window on the roof of the precinct you snuck in. You landed down swiftly, arching your heels to keep you steady. Stealth mode switched on in your head as you carefully inspected your surroundings.
Tightening the grip on your twin Remingtons closer, you advanced to the walls opposite to the railing overlooking the entrance. As you rounded the corners you spotted a staircase going down to what looked like a meeting hall.
Raspy shouting and what resembled the sound of slapping was getting louder as you descended. Someone was either receiving a beating or they were just into kinky shit.
You were on the last three steps when a guard passed by. Straightening up, you glued yourself to the wall, becoming one with the shadow. As he got further away you tilted your head towards the glass ceiling and released a breath you didn’t know you were holding.
This was a terrible idea. What were you even doing here in the first place? This was not your fight. But your conscience convinced you that you were somehow responsible for the unsuccessful outcome of mophead’s mission.
You weren’t supposed to be there tonight. It was just incidental. Your stupid craving for dumplings made you come out of your extremely comfortable refuge and one thing led to another as you found yourself in the middle of crossfire.
Without thinking too much of your bad choices for the day, you geared up to save mophead. You didn’t know why you were going this far for someone you didn’t know. But you felt needed for once in a while and like you finally had a job to do.
There was something else that bothered you about your encounter. The moment mophead locked eyes with you was scorched into your head. Your brain replayed it over and over again for no specific reason until it drove you crazy. Those eyes bugged you to the world’s end. There was something so addicting and familiar to them. But you couldn’t recall where you’ve seen them before no matter how hard you tried.
You needed to find out who this man is. So, like any normal person looking for answers, you went to ask him. As soon as you busted him out of the most secure precinct in Shanghai.
—————————
In the meeting hall
“This would be so much easier if you just talked,” yelled the commander in chief.
“How about… fuck you. Good talk,” said Enishi with a sick grin.
“You son of a—,” the commander was cut off by the sound of shots being fired outside the meeting hall. Suddenly, everything turned quiet. Everyone’s ears perked up listening for what could follow.
A powerful kick thundered against the golden door to the meeting hall that made it come off its hinges and cave in on itself. The door fell with a loud thud and you stepped over it, the click of your heeled boots bouncing off the echo in the room. All eyes were trained on you.
“Who’s ready to have some fun?” you chirped, enthusiastically twirling the guns in your hands.
“Who are you?,” asked the commander in chief.
“Let’s just say I’m someone you don’t want to mess with,” you said confidently.
“You’re just a stupid girl if you think you can just come in here —“
“This stupid girl just took out most of your guards on duty. It will be her utmost pleasure to take you out too,” you said with a smirk.
Enishi was watching the exchange, his head swimming with confusion for the second time tonight.
Just who exactly were you? And why were you crossing paths again?
You first show up as a hindrance to his plan and now you’re here to probably mess up more than you already have. He was also kind of blaming you for the situation he was in at the moment.
At least you proved useful in distracting the guards and the commander so he could work on getting his hands free of the rope tugging at his wrists.
Looking over at mophead you notice he freed himself. You haven’t worked in a team before so you threw him a look asking for guidance on what to do now. What he saw was more of a weird face that kind of creeped him out but he quickly caught onto what you meant.
He wasn’t sure whether to trust you but he didn’t have the luxury to audition for partners right now. So, sending a silent nod your way, you let the fun begin.
—————————
Mophead lunged for the commander in chief while you preoccupied yourself with the five guards in the room. You easily took out the first one by the couch at the side of the room.
Pointing your gun to the next one you pulled the trigger but nothing happened. You tried the other gun receiving the same response. You were left without bullets. Strapping the guns back to your belt you took a fighting stance. Hand to hand combat it is.
The guard lunged at you and your fist connected with his nose. A loud crack was heard and blood started seeping through his hands as he cradled his nose.
“You bitch—,” you cut him off by hooking your leg to the back of his neck, dragging him to the floor.
“Did your mother not teach you how to speak to a lady?”
He got back up and got ready to throw another snarky remark but you wasted no time in shutting him up with a nearby chair. The wooden chair broke to pieces as it made contact with him. Once he fell to the floor motionless you directed your attention at the other three guards. They started circling you from different sides. Showtime.
You let them come at you. The taller one came first, swinging a bat at your head. Ducking successfully to avoid having your head turned into a baseball, you went for a roundhouse kick to his head. He got projected to the other side from the force you put into the move.
The last two attacked you at the same time. One of them had a knife that managed to get a few cuts through the sleeves of your dress as he kept swinging at you recklessly.
“I just got this one,” you huffed disappointedly as you lifted a slashed piece to check the damage.
Getting annoyed with his incessant flailing about, you caught his hand just as the smaller one came from behind you. Kicking back your right leg into the stomach of the smaller one, you got a chance to take the knife throwing it away. You turned and elbowed the knife wielder in the stomach, directing another knee at his ribcage letting him fall flat to the floor. One more to go.
Standing face to face with your last enemy, you spared mophead a quick look. He was struggling with the commander as he was pushed face down on the big wooden desk. He quickly turned and got him into a deadly chokehold.
You didn’t even notice his outerwear was discarded and he was left only in a tank top. His huge biceps were flexing dangerously as he tightened his hold on the commander’s neck. Sweat was piling like rain drops down his arms and you found yourself drooling. You were suddenly digging the white mop of hair.
You were snapped out of your fantasies by the small garden goblin running towards you with a spiked staff.
Do these guys not have one normal weapon on them? Where do they get all this ridiculous stuff from?
You dodged his attacks until he got tired and his swings turned sloppy. Finding an opening you caught the end of the bat with your right hand and turned your left into an uppercut diving it to his chin. The impact was so hard he flipped back and landed in a star shape on the floor.
Just as you were finished with him, mophead finally squeezed the living daylights out of the commander and let him fall splat to the floor.
Sensing the ruckus, the guards from outside started piling up into the hall. You both walked towards each other until you were back to back. In other circumstances you would’ve loved the way your heavy breaths mingled and the way your shoulders shyly grazed each other. But now was not the time.
“Any chance you have a plan to get us out of here?” asked mophead. Guards were surrounding you from all sides and the only way to escape was fighting your way out.
“I’m guessing breaking some more necks wouldn’t hurt,” you replied hastily.
“You take the ones on the right. I take the ones on the left,” he directed.
With another nod you both got into position and watched as the guards descended upon you.
A storm of fists came your way. You tried blocking them as much as you could but five to one was too much to handle without a weapon. Mophead noticed your struggle and quickly tried to get rid of the three bat swingers in front of him. With a low sweep kick to their ankles they all fell over, hitting each other with the bats they were holding.
You were holding onto three bats with all your might, when two guards sneaked behind you ready to deliver a dangerous blow. Enishi intercepted them before they could carry out their plan, catching their arms mid swing and twisting their arms to an inhuman angle.
“Don’t you know it’s bad manners to hit a lady, especially from behind?” he said as they writhed in pain and scrambled to the floor.
You finally managed to throw the three men backwards, taking to delivering a kick to each of them. By the time you were done with them you were breathing heavily. You were a good fighter but your stamina was always holding you back. Mophead seemed to be more trained in that field though as you saw him cutting through the guards with ease.
Another five guards circled both of you.
“Give me a hand,” you said as you ran towards mophead.
He sensed your idea right away. Latching your hand with his you created enough momentum for him to pull you around in a circle to kick down all of the guards. Once you got both feet back on the ground you noticed the secured hand on your waist. Looking up at him you noticed he’s about a head taller than you. Feeling you tense in his hold he quickly dropped his hand from your waist and trained his gaze on the broken down door.
“We have to go before more come.”
“What about your crew? Are you just going to leave them here?”
“They can get out just fine by themselves,” he growled.
And with that he grabbed your hand and you made a run for it.
—————————————————————————
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#Addicting Taste#enishi yukishiro#enishi yukishiro x reader#enishi yukishiro x you#rurouni kenshin#enishi yukishiro fanfiction#fluff#sunshine and shunshine protector#badass mcs#stay tuned
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Addicting Taste, Chapter 2
Ongoing Series
Synopsis: Enishi Yukishiro was on a mission to execute his piece de la resistance. A plan to avenge his beloved sister. Until you showed up. Will you be a part of his downfall or will you try to save him?
Pairing: Enishi Yukishiro × reader
Genre: strangers to lovers, sunshine and sunshine protector, slow burn, a lot of fluff, comedic relief, teasing, occasional smut (later chapters)
Words: 5.5k +
A/N: Chapter 2 is finally here! I have been kicking my feet and giggling while writing it. Some technical difficulties led to delays in putting it up but I’m glad it’s finally here. Not really proud of it but I hope you like it!
Powered by Mackenyu's outstanding portrayal of Enishi's character in Rurouni Kenshin: The Final, I hereby present you a story ripped from the figments of my mind. I hope you'll love the story as much as I do. Enjoy lovelies, Paula.
Chapter 1 Next Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Bonus Chapter 6
Running through the precinct would’ve been much easier if you weren’t literally dragged along. His grip on your hand stayed firm ever since you escaped from the meeting hall.
His hands were cold as ice, enveloping yours like a snow blanket. They were a very welcome relief to yours that were hot and clammy from the previous battle. Long fingers laced with yours, interlocking in a dance every time your hands swung around as you ran together through the corridors.
Looking down at your hands, you couldn’t help but wonder why they fit together so well. As if they were meant to link and hold onto each other.
You anxiously waited for the moment he would let go and your hand would miss the way it felt in his. But he didn’t seem to want to let go just yet.
Steering clear of the guards gathering by the entrance, you switched places. You were the one leading him now, up the staircase and to the top floor. Checking to see if it was still empty you kept going until you reached the glass window you climbed through.
There was only one small problem interfering with your plan. You were kind of petite and there was no way you could reach it without help.
He let go of your hand abruptly. Letting it fall roughly at your side, you struggled to stifle a quiet whine that made its way up your throat from the loss of contact. Keep it together for Christ’s sake.
Looking over at him he looked deep in thought. All of a sudden, he started swinging his arms back and forth and propelled his body upwards reaching to push the window open. Jumping again with a little more force he made it through the opening and landed on the roof. You stared at him in awe, admiring the strength he displayed.
Preparing to finally get out of this place and get back to your place, you held your hand up for him to help you through. He looked down at you from his spot above and you felt the air shift. His eyes turned dark, glazed over with venom and a wicked smirk stretched on his lips. It all came crashing down on you as you came to understand the change in his behaviour. He used you.
“Thank you for your services. I will now be taking my leave,” he says, sending a mock bow of courtesy your way.
“Motherfuc—,” you didn’t even get to finish as he just turned around and left, leaving you dumbfounded.
You couldn’t believe it. You risked your life to right a wrong you thought was of your own cause. For someone you didn’t even know. Just for him to use you this shamelessly.
You made so many bad decisions today. All you wanted to do was help. But as always it backfired on you.
Your self-loathing turned to hatred. He wasn’t worth your time and anger. He personally made himself a honorary entry at the top of your hitlist.
If I ever see him again, I won’t hesitate to fucking kill him.
Armed guards made haste to reach the top floor. Alarm bells rang in your mind to warn you that you had to find a way out and fast. But before you could even think of what to do shots were fired your way.
You ducked down and looked for cover. There was a wooden table next to you that looked sturdy enough. Throwing it over on the side you went behind it in hopes it would protect you.
Looking around in a frenzy you noticed a red patch forming on your right arm. The newest hole gracing your dress belonged to a bullet that grazed you, just a few inches off puncturing your bicep. Fucking great.
More bullets thundered through your ears. Some of them started piercing through the wooden table. You wouldn’t make it out if you stayed there for too long. Looking everywhere for a way out you felt a familiar feeling creep up on you. Fear. The same fear you felt the day you lost your world.
Flashback
“Stay here, Miyu,” your mother said hastily, as she pulled you towards the corner of your room.
“Mom, what is happening?” you asked, starting to feel uneasy.
Before she could answer shots were fired downstairs in your living room. She hugged you closer to her until the blaring gunfire suddenly stopped.
She ushered you towards your wardrobe, opening the hidden compartment within it. You were small enough to fit inside.
“Promise me you won’t come out unless it’s me or your father coming in,” she said as she urged you inside. You only nodded in response. She closed the door and leaned a hand against the painted wood. Lifting your own you placed it on the door, mimicking her.
“Everything will be okay.”
You were confused as to why she was saying that as her eyes were glazed over with sadness. She got up and headed towards the door to your room.
Before she stepped out of your room she turned to you once more.
“I love you, Miyu.”
She flashed you her biggest smile.
“Be safe, my little light.”
That was the last time you saw her. No one came back for you.
Hours later, when you came out of hiding, you went to look for your parents. Creeping slowly from behind your bedroom door, you were met with a strong metallic smell.
The closer you got to the living room, the scent took up more and more space in your lungs. The bloody scene before you was your nightmares’ favorite. It made sure it painted it for you every night ever since.
—————————
Shaking your head to pull yourself back to reality, you tried to figure a way out.
Unarmed, injured and with your dress turned to a mere cloth, barely hanging on your shoulders you were absolutely terrified. There was no way you could make it out of here without a miracle.
At least it wasn’t all in vain, you thought. Even if you hated his guts after the stunt he pulled, you were glad Mophead was out of harms way. To know you tried to help a person was a enough for you.
If you were to die tonight you wouldn’t really have any regrets. Except the fact that there was so much food you haven’t tried and so many places you haven’t seen yet. It dawned on you that you didn’t want to die. Especially here of all places.
Preparing to get torn to shreds by the guards, you shut your eyes tightly and hugged yourself in a comforting manner. At least I’ll get to see them again.
You waited for the bullets to rain down on you. But none of them came. As a matter of fact all firing stopped. It was way too quiet.
Confused, you opened your eyes and turned to peek over the table. The guards shooting at you just a few moments ago were now laying limp on the floor.
In the middle of the sprawled mess of bodies stood a white mop of hair. He glistened in the light shining through the glass ceiling, looking just like an angel. Except he wasn’t an angel. He was a demon straight from the pits of hell.
A guard lifted his gun to shoot him but he reacted quickly and kicked it away just in time, shoving his foot in the guard’s face.
Turning around with a huff he locked eyes with you for the second time tonight, this time more softly as he took in your state. The sleeves of your dress were ripped, barely connecting to the seams anymore.
You were trembling as you rose up from your hiding spot. But as your eyes made their way to him, the fear you felt morphed back to anger. He left you here all alone.
Glaring at him with a look full of hatred, you furiously walked towards the staircase. Just before you reached it he caught your arm in a swift motion. He pulled on it to make you turn around and look at him but you weren’t going to give in so easily.
He looked down at you with an expression you couldn’t really pinpoint. Specks of guilt and something akin to worry reflected in his eyes. The only person who ever got that look from him was his sister.
“Let me go,” you gritted through your teeth.
“If you go through there you’ll get yourself killed.”
So he played and used you and now you were just supposed to forget all about it because he decided to come back as a last minute act of good faith? Why was he so two-faced? And why was he still holding onto your arm?
“Funny you say that as if you didn’t just leave me here to get killed a few minutes ago, after I saved your ass,” you sourly spat out.
The hand that was holding your arm let go and raised to meet his tangled hair in a frustrated sweep. He wasn’t put in this position before.
Usually, he couldn’t care less about the people fighting by his side because it always felt better not to. That was just how he was programmed.
But he couldn’t just ignore the fact that a total stranger just decided to risk their life for him. That made something snap deep inside of him. Something that wasn’t supposed to crack just yet.
——————
A few minutes ago
He was on a one man mission and didn’t need you or anyone to get in his way. Turning around from your small form on the ground he exhaled. He was out of that shithole and nothing else mattered.
He wanted to get his plan back on track as soon as possible. But as he reached the edge of the precinct roof, ready to take off into the night, he heard the gunfire.
Gravity was suddenly pulling at his feet like iron and he couldn’t move. You were left defenceless at the mercy of the guards. Just like his sister was that horrible winter day that he wanted so hard to forget.
Reality knocked into him and he stumbled as things became clearer in his head. You were nothing more than a stranger. But you laid your life on the line for him for some unknown reason.
He couldn’t let you die. Not if he had the power to help it.
Mumbling a quick curse under his breath, he rotated on his heels and started running at full speed, dropping back down in the precinct. Looking for you, he saw you tucked in the corner taking cover. You looked scared out of your mind and it was all his fault. Tomoe would beat me up if she was here.
The guards stopped firing to reload their guns and he took the opportunity to disarm them. His thought process went haywire as he ruthlessly broke bones with his bare hands. He had to protect you.
——————
The mad look on your face told him you weren’t the happiest to see him. Indeed, you felt like plunging your hands down his throat and pulling his balls through just to see him in pain a little.
“Look, the only way out is through the roof. You.. saved me… and I saved you. You could say we’re even now,” he said, flashing you a smirk.
Incredulous little shit. He still acted like he owned the world after everything that happened? You refused to perceive him. No matter what happens you can’t just leave people behind. What was worse was that he did it willingly. You can’t just get over that and shrug it under the carpet so easily.
Having enough of his behaviour you went to the space under the window and pulled over a nearby table. The height of it should be enough to help you reach up. The pain in your arm reminded you it needed immediate attention so you hopped on the table.
Just as you were about to reach up and pull yourself through, mophead jumped up ahead of you again. But this time, he crouched down and offered you his hand.
You stared blankly at his hand. It’s been an exhausting day to say the least. A lot was weighing on your mind. You genuinely just wanted to get back to your place and forget everything that happened tonight. But you didn’t want to blindly trust this man again. What if he just drops me mid-air or something?
He sensed the inner battle you were having in your head. Hell, if he was in your position he wouldn’t trust himself either. So he tried to ease the tension in the air with another remark.
“Are you coming today or would you like to redecorate your dress with more bullet holes?” Okay, that came out way worse than it sounded in his head.
You can’t believe you were attracted to that. You hated yourself a little for it.
With a long sigh, you grabbed his hand and let him pull you up. He did it so effortlessly like you weighed nothing. His hand snaked around your waist for support as he pulled you through on the roof.
As he set you down you caught a different look in his eyes. He was holding onto you so delicately as if you would break the moment he let go. It made your previous feelings of hate disappear. The way he was unconsciously rubbing circles into your sides almost made you forget why you were mad at him in the first place.
Shaking your head, you separated from him and went to the edge of the building. Without looking back at him, you took off landing in an alley, while he sat there stunned. Ultimately, he decided to follow you.
——————————
You had to take the long way back in order to avoid the troops patrolling around the city. Mophead was still on your tail, keeping close by just a few steps behind you.
Getting quite annoyed with him, you took hold of the collar of his shirt and pushed him roughly against the wall in of the brick alley. He was a little taken aback by your outburst but he couldn’t help but feel intrigued. He wanted to find out more about you.
“Why are you following me?”
“I kind of need a place to stay until it breaks for day at least.”
“And you thought I would offer you a sparkly invite to my place after the shit you pulled back there?”
“I guess I deserve that.”
Fixing him with a sharp glare, you let go of him and backed away. You waited for a valid reason why you should lend your place for the remainder of the night. Until you heard chatter close by. The patrol guards.
Mophead heard them too and what he did next startled you. He promptly backed you up against the other wall in the alley. He leaned so close to you that you could feel his breath fan your lips. Your breath got stuck in your throat and your pulse quickened.
It didn’t help that his broad arms circled around you the same way a viper would constrict its victim. His right hand came to rest on your lower back, while his left supported his body on the other side of your head. You prayed to all existing gods that he wouldn’t be able to see the effect he had on you. It would make you look like the biggest fool in the world after you tried so hard to stand your ground.
The two guards got closer and he dipped his head impossibly close to your neck. His hair tickled the side of your face and his scent entered your nostrils. He smelled like a combination of wood and jasmine. The mix was so addicting that a single whiff of it made your knees weak. The scent completely overpowered you. Your rational mind screamed at you to get it together while your instincts wanted you to pull him closer.
After the troops passed by and the coast was clear, he slowly lifted his head from your neck. He too was entranced in your rosy vanilla aroma. The familiarity of it swelled his memories but he still couldn’t figure out who you were to him. Feeling you tense under his small touch, he realised he wasn’t the only one being affected. He pulled away from you with a smirk gracing his mouth.
“Why do you keep smirking? Are you constipated or something?”
“What?! No?!”
You giggled seeing the outraged look on his face. He’s so funny and he doesn’t even realise it.
The sound of your giggle made something warm grow in his chest. He shook it off as soon as he felt it. That was weird.
“Okay.”
“Okay, what?”
“You can stay over tonight. But as soon as the sun rises you’re out of my sight,” you said with a strict tone.
“You know, anyone would rave at the opportunity to host me,” he states cockily.
“Don’t push it, mophead.”
“WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME?!”
You took off smiling into the city, with him behind running to catch up to you. The empty streets of Shanghai didn't feel so lonely tonight.
—————————————————————————
Opening the door to your humble home, you took off your shoes and walked inside. The space was illuminated by the light from outside. It was bright enough for you to see in the small space.
You left mophead by the door to make himself comfortable while you got a change of clothes and went behind the divider in the corner of the room. The moonlight shining through the window made your silhouette reflect on the other side of the thin decorated paper.
He discarded his shoes messily by the door as he took in your small abode. A tiny futon was folded neatly in the corner, big enough to fit your form. Scanning over the cracked window on the opposite side of the room, he thought it added an air of vintage to the place. Your scent was present in the room but it that wasn’t strong. So you haven’t been in these parts for a long time.
His eyes landed on your moving shape behind the divider. It felt like time went in slow motion as he watched your outline dance around the material. Each move you made, from the swift throw of your damaged dress over the divider to putting on a new blouse, made him feel as if he was watching his own personal puppet show.
He’d seen women stripped bare before his own eyes, but this felt different. Your body was fully protected by the paper screen and you still managed to have an impact on him. He wasn’t the type to let his gaze linger on someone for too long. But you stole almost all of his attention tonight.
He moved his eyes away in a plea for his brain to stop cooking up nonsense. He settled on going back to scanning the room, reaching the small desk on the other side.
Just as he landed eyes on a bag with what looked like food, his stomach growled lowly in hunger. You heard it just as you rounded the corner and snickered to yourself. Thinking of sharing the little baozi you had with him, you moved towards the bag.
The miniature pastries were idly waiting for your return and though cold they still looked appetizing to your stomach.
“Are you hungry by any chance?” you asked him.
“No,” he replied firmly as he took a seat on the floor, folding his arms over his chest.
His stomach seemed to have a mind of its own as it disagreed with its owner. It made sure to growl a bit louder this time, as he tightened his arms over it to silence it.
“Here,” you offered him one of the bigger dumplings as you copied his position on the floor.
“I’m good.”
“Just take it,” you were growing tired of his ‘I don’t need your help’ antics.
“I said I’m —,” you cut him off by shoving the soft dough in his mouth.
His cheeks puffed up and he looked nothing short of adorable as he stared daggers at you. He slowly gave in as the dough broke into pieces when you shoved it in his mouth. The savory flavor of marinated chicken met his taste buds. He tried to hide the moan of satisfaction that crawled up his throat as he munched on the dough, but the way his features relaxed gave him away.
Shaking your head at his childish behaviour you continued sorting through the dumplings, preparing a few more assortments.
Pushing two smaller ones his way you see him hesitate again. He eventually picks them up and takes a cautious bite out of each one. One of them had egg custard filling and the other was with red bean paste. He definitely couldn’t hide his reaction this time as he sighed softly in content.
“This one tastes like the ones my sister used to make,” he says up in a hushed tone as he chomped down on the egg custard one.
He suddenly got transported to a time where she was still around, happily rolling the dumpling dough on the counter in their kitchen back in Edo. A time where it was just the two of them against the world. He hasn’t really told anyone else about her before.
You were surprised by his openness. You could tell that it wasn’t that easy for him to open up. He trusted you in some way.
He didn’t know why he suddenly disclosed such personal information to you. It was weird how he felt so comfortable with you in such a short amount of time. But it felt good being in someone’s genuine company in a while.
“Thank you. For the baozi,” he trailed as he looked down, “and for helping me out there tonight.”
You almost choked on the dough you were eating. It wasn’t necessarily the words he said that took you by surprise, but the way he delivered them so honestly. It was far from the apology you expected but you were happy with the words of gratitude he offered.
“You’re welcome,” you said, turning back to munching.
From the short period of time you’ve been together, you gathered that the man in front of you was a wild mix of hot and cold. It made him both mysterious and really insufferable at the same time.
The moon struggled to get her light inside your cramped room, to inquire about the personal exchanges between the two of you. She had to remain content with the little light that she managed to glare through, as the both of you sat in a comfortable silence.
“Enishi Yukishiro.”
You looked up at him. He just gave you his name, meaning that on some level he felt like he could trust you.
Should I give him mine too?
He looked expectantly at you, waiting for you to return the gesture. Could you trust him? You were both strangers to each other. It wasn’t like it could do you any harm.
“Miyu Hikari," you say sheepishly.
I hope he won't make me regret this.
——————
You spent the time talking about everything and nothing at the same time. He told you a little more about his sister. You could tell she meant a lot to him. He didn’t tell you what happened to her but he said he was on a mission to avenge her. When you wanted to ask more about what he meant by it he shifted the conversation to you.
“Enough about me. Tell me more about you.”
“Well, I’m originally from Yokohama. My parents used to be tailors for the rich people coming down from Edo,” you said, remembering the pride that came with the Hikari name.
“What are you doing all the way here?”
You weren’t sure what to tell him. ‘Oh, I'm just hunting down the mafia that took my parents’ wasn’t exactly an adequate response to playing 21 questions.
“I’m just doing some… jobs.” Okay, that didn’t answer it either.
He wasn’t that dense and could tell you weren’t comfortable elaborating, so he didn’t press any further. You felt thankful for that.
It was weird to say the least. You talked without actually mentioning anything too important and kind of not really saying anything at the same time.
Timid rays of sunshine started making their way in the room. You didn’t even notice the time go by so fast. I guess it’s true what they say about good company making time stand still.
“Well, I should get going,” he said as he got up from the floor and dusted his pants.
“Thank you,” you said softly.
“No. Thank you,” he said as he gazed at you with that soft look again.
He slipped on his shoes as you got up to see him out. Waving at him, he bid you a nod and headed down the stairs. You had to go down into the jewelry shop to get in and out of the building.
Closing the door behind him you leaned against it, feeling like you were left in a daze. It’s been a long night and you could feel the after effects taking a toll on you. You would love to just lay down and sleep for the rest of the day. But your thoughts wandered back to the man you just bid goodbye.
You still couldn’t remember where you've seen him before and it kind of drove you up the wall. Why am I so stuck on him?
You wished you got more time with him, maybe you could find out more about his past and you would eventually remember him.
It was as if the gods heard you. Just when you moved away from the door someone barged in. Turning around you saw a breathless Enishi, leaning his back on the door.
“Enishi? Did you forget something? What are you…”
“Grab your things,” he directed.
“What?”
“The guards are here. They were just circling the shop as I reached downstairs. The found us.”
We’re so fucked.
This was bad. You’ve literally been in this hideout for a little over a month. It was so hard to find a place to stay because your jobs weren’t exactly consistent in location. But this one was a really good one in terms of access to the whole city.
You grabbed a bag and started stuffing whatever you found at hand inside. You settled your guns and ammunition in the bag and got your boots on.
“Is there another way out besides the front door?”
Not having to think too hard you bundled up your fist in a cloth you found laying around and punched the window. The glass cracked and fell on the other side.
“I guess that works too,” he says, a little shocked by it. He sauntered over to the window and studied the distance to the ground. It was about four meters but it looked... doable.
Not wasting any more time, he jumped through the window first, landing narrowly on the ground behind the shop. You threw your bag over and as you were about to jump too you froze. The distance was way too big and there was a possibility you could crack your skull if you weren’t careful.
“I uhm.. I think I’ll stay here,” you laughed nervously.
This wasn’t like the precinct building. That was a normal 2 meter jump. This was double the distance and a drop to a hard surface, with absolutely nothing to cushion your fall. Except if you counted Enishi’s big mop of hair. You didn’t need to do the math to know that if you missed the landing that was it.
He sensed your fear as you were slowly pulling yourself back inside.
“Come on, it’s not that big of a jump,” he tried to convince you.
“Not that big? My brother in Christ, it is HUGE! I'm not a mantis able to float to the ground like you did.”
“I’ll catch you,” he tried to assure you.
“From four meters above ground? What if you don’t and you drop me? What if I break my neck? What if I break your neck?”
His patience was wearing thin. If he wasn’t practically indebted to you for taking in him and even feeding him he would’ve left ages ago. But he came back to get you out of harms way because he had a weird feeling whenever he saw you in danger. It made his chest squeeze in discomfort and he hated it.
“I promise to try to catch you. Now get your ass down here.”
You looked at him and tried to get some courage. Your ghost would have a lot of fun haunting him if he failed to catch you. Taking a few deep breaths to calm down, you closed your eyes. With one last look at the hideout behind, you let go of the window sill and let yourself drop.
You felt your blood pounding through your ears as you were free falling. The adrenaline in your body kicked in and you felt lightweight. As scary as it seemed, it all ended fairly quickly, as muscular arms held you above ground.
Enishi caught you. Opening your eyes, your face was just a few inches away from his. You could feel your breath hitch in your throat as you searched his face.
His eyes turned dark, consuming the blue hue on the edge of his pupils the more he looked down at you. If he didn’t stop this he would be in serious trouble. The sound of hurried steps above snapped both of you back to the real world. Placing you back on the floor, you quickly dusted your clothes and chucked the bag in the corner over your shoulder. Then you both took off into town.
After wandering around for a while, you spotted a large carriage with apples, hauled by two horses. A man that looked like a farmer just sat down to start it. Enishi noticed it too and rushed over to the man.
“He’s gonna give us a ride,” he said as he came back.
“Alright."
You hopped on the back of the carriage, Enishi joining you on the other side. The carriage left the inner Shanghai city walls and headed towards the countryside. You leaned your back against some bags filled with apples. The events of yesterday were catching up to you and you couldn’t deny the fact that your body needed rest. Leaning your head back you let the swaying of the carriage lull you to sleep.
Enishi noticed you dozed off and came to sit next to you, in the same position. He turned his head slightly to look at you. You looked so peaceful while you slept.
A stray piece of hair fell over your eyes. He felt compelled to sweep it away from your face. Letting his calloused hand ghost over your cheek, he tucked the strand gingerly behind your ear. He had to control himself from stroking your soft cheeks that sat puffed up as you slept.
Turning his head to the road disappearing behind, he closed his eyes for a while too.
—————
You didn’t know how long you’ve been asleep until a hand shook your shoulder gently. Stirring awake you opened your eyes to see an early autumn sunset.
“We’re almost there," he says from your right. When did he move so close?
You nodded in acknowledgment and stretched your arms above your head. He looked at you from behind and couldn’t help the ghost of a smile playing on his lips. You looked so small and adorable as you just woke up.
The sunset colors blended orange and red as you admired them with a small smile. The aura around you felt calm for the first time in forever. You couldn’t tell if it was because of the beautiful sunset before you or the man sitting next to you. It didn’t really matter. You would love to feel like this everyday.
The carriage came to a halt in front of a big mansion, sheltered between dense camphor trees. The both of you hopped off and thanked the farmer. Walking further inside a lot of questions swarmed around in your mind. Most of them surrounded Enishi's job, that he didn't tell you too much about. Any way you turned it, there was no way he was the owner of this place.
As you got closer to the front door you noticed three men waiting by, coming closer to greet him. They looked like they busied their time counting money and beating up people who inconvenienced them the slightest.
“Welcome back, boss,” said one of them. He was smaller in stature, wearing what looked like an expensive fur coat. He eyed you suspiciously through the monocle on his right eye.
Enishi spared him a nod and walked inside the house. Following right behind, you couldn’t help but marvel at the architecture of the place. All kinds of colour schemes were present on the walls, from red and gold to the most beautiful sage green you’ve ever seen. The space was decorated with antiquities and traditional Chinese art.
The aesthetics of this whole place charmed you, distracting you from the elephant in the room, until you snapped out of the trance induced by the scenic interior.
What did monocle guy mean by ‘boss’?
Just as you turned to the center of the room you just entered you spotted a desk littered with guns, from small pistols to hunting rifles. The round walls were ticked with swords of both Chinese and Japanese making. Studying everything around you at full speed, you came to a conclusion that made the hairs rise on your arms. Spinning around to find Enishi looking right back at you, you let out a breath you didn’t know you were holding.
“You... You’re the boss of the Shanghai mafia?”
—————————————————————————
Next
Thank you for reading! As always comments and reblogs are welcome! Hope you enjoyed :)
#Addicting Taste#enishi yukishiro#rurouni kenshin#enishi yukishiro x reader#enishi yukishiro x you#enishi yukishiro fanfiction#stay tuned for more
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Addicting Taste Chapter 3
Synopsis: Enishi Yukishiro was on a mission to execute his piece de la resistance. A plan to avenge his beloved sister. Until you showed up. Will you be a part of his downfall or will you try to save him?
Pairing: Enishi Yukishiro x reader
Genre: strangers to lovers, sunshine and sunshine protector, comedic relief, slow burn, a lot of fluff, occasional smut
Words: 8k+
A/N: Chapter 3 is finally here! It is more of a filler to give you more of a back story on our lovely oc. Things will start picking up speed soon :)
Powered by Mackenyu’s outstanding portrayal of Enishi’s character in Rurouni Kenshin: The Final, I hereby present you a story ripped from the figments of my mind. I hope you’ll love their story as much as I do. Enjoy lovelies, Paula.
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Next Chapter 5 Bonus Chapter 6
“You’re the boss of the Shanghai mafia.”
“You’ve been saying that for the past five minutes.”
This was too much for your brain to process.
He’s a mafia boss? He was the person in command of the gang with some of the best mercenaries in the whole continent? And you just so happened to get involved with his kind?
You hated his kind. They took everything from you and left you with nothing. You were on a mission to wipe them out no matter what. But your confidence was currently faltering and you couldn't stop the trembling that overtook your hands.
You sat down on the couch in front of the desk he was leaning on, feeling too overwhelmed. The embroidered plush seat offered you some comfort, providing relief to your aching back and tense muscles.
You couldn’t comprehend this situation at all. Nothing about it made sense. You stared into the nothingness in front of you, trying to find some sort of clarity. All kinds of thoughts swarmed around your mind, ranging from worse to well, much worse.
Enishi observed you from his spot against the mahogany desk. He looked worried, which was a first. Your sudden quietness was like a bad omen. The moment you stopped smiling was the moment light disappeared from the room. The paleness of your face and the way your hands trembled told him something was very wrong.
He felt that squeeze in his chest again, wanting to hear you beaming and chatting eagerly again. He didn't know what made him react like this whenever he was around you but it drove him insane. He wanted to say something, anything to bring back your smile, but he couldn’t exactly find the right words. So he settled on a distraction. The reason he brought you over to his mansion.
“You can stay here for the night. I owe you that much,” he said. He wanted you to react, to say something, anything.
You turned your head in his direction, eyes lost in a spiraling abyss. Stay here? I can’t stay here.
But where am I supposed to go? I’m not exactly able to find another place to stay, especially around here. And it’s pretty late already.
What’s gonna happen if I spend one night here? He will eat me. Or send me to the woods as wolf bait. I could make friends with the wolves though. They might not eat me.
He watched as you thought his proposal through. You tilted your head on all sides, analysing all possible scenarios whilst anxiously bouncing your leg. Then finally, your small voice broke through the room, barely audible to anyone else but the both of you.
“I… I don’t want to be a bother.”
“Nonsense. You took me in and you didn’t have to after everything. Please stay… for tonight?” he pushed, unsure of how else to plead with you. He couldn’t believe that he was begging for a stranger to stay the night.
“Okay.”
“Okay?” he asks, surprised that you accepted his offer.
You nodded shyly to show him your certainty and he felt relieved. He didn’t know why he needed you to accept so bad. All he knew was that he wanted you here for as long as he could have you.
Your bright aura somehow mingled with his dark one and they couldn’t be separated anymore. It was like you were magnets, unknowingly attracting each other.
“Come with me,” he said as he took your hand and pulled you off the couch. His grip on your hand was even softer than the first time he grabbed it when you escaped the precinct. It gave you goosebumps again.
He led you out of his office, taking a left down a long corridor. The tall walls were decked with even more paintings. They were all so captivating, landscapes and silhouettes mingling into one as you flew by. But one in particular caught your attention. Pale orange and green bled to make a sunset, cresting over the steep hills of a valley. There was something about the way the green from the bottom morphed into a dark blue the more your eyes went up the slopes and the sky got darker. It strangely reminded you of Enishi’s eyes, the same dark blue hue gracing the outline of his irises. The hills sat strong and reliable, guarding a tiny village down in the valley. They were letting just enough sunlight in to shine down on its crops. It was beautiful. You wished you could look at it for longer but the hand holding yours was itching to get somewhere.
The wooden floors creaked under your steps the more pressure you put on them. The mansion may have looked like a new building from the outside, but the interior seemed lived in for decades prior to your visit. Tapered walls curled in some corners as if they were afraid that standing straight would be too painful. White silk curtains flowed by the windows in a ghostly dance, twisting and twirling against each other and resisting the close pull of the wind. They would push and pull until one of them kicked the other out in the cold even if they didn’t mean to.
You were yanked back to reality by Enishi’s feet coming to a halt in front of a pair of oak double doors. Pushing them open with a creak, he walked you in, his hand still holding yours.
A gasp got stuck in your throat as you took in the sight before you. A beige princess-like aesthetic dominated the whole room, from the queen-sized bed to the vanity in the corner. The wooden floors decorated with floral carpets contrasted perfectly with the style. A few more paintings hung off the walls to add some colour to the space. It was almost identical to your old bedroom back home.
He watched as you marveled at the room’s interior. Your cheeks gained back their blush came and you looked like your normal self again. Looking down at your interlocked hands he noticed that your hand stopped trembling too. It was only then he saw how well your small hand fit in his. It looked protected from any possible danger that could ever threaten you. He kind of liked the feeling.
“It’s beautiful,” you said as you snapped him back to the present.
“I hope it’s gonna be to your liking. In case you want to… stay longer than just for tonight.”
You turned back to him. It was a tempting offer. You didn’t have a place waiting for you or anything urgent to tend to. But you needed some time to mull it over, starting with everything that happened in the last 24 hours.
“I’ll think about it,” you said, trying to not get his hopes up too much.
You weren’t sure why he wanted you to stay. You were strangers after all. You weren’t useful to him in any way and you weren’t really planning to be.
“I’ll leave you to it. There should be towels in the bathroom. If there’s anything else you need please let me know.”
He was awfully hospitable to you and you found yourself a little unable to refuse him. Those eyes of his started charming you to accept anything he could ask of you. They looked so doe and warm whenever he looked at you. It made you wonder if he's ever looked at anyone else like that.
“Thank you,” you said shyly.
Nodding to you he headed towards the door. You didn’t even realise he was still holding your hand this whole time until he let go. You were kind of getting used to his cold fingers lacing with your warm ones. With his hand on the door handle, he threw one more look your way to see if you’re okay and he left for his office.
You walked further into the room and sat down on the bed. Feeling the golden patterns sawn on the duvet on top you sighed. You felt nothing but drained. All you wanted to do was to lay down and sleep. But after taking a whiff of your blouse you thought a shower would do you better first. You couldn't roll around in these expensive sheets smelling like a pig.
If the room impressed you, the bathroom left you even more in awe. The gold and white aesthetic seemed to whirl around in here too. Your family was somewhat well off from the tailoring business and your house was nice, but this was next level rich. The tiles on the floor were sparkling clean and a floral design spread across the walls from corner to corner. The sink surface was marble and the cabinets had golden handles with all kinds of drawings resembling birds. A deep bathtub in the corner had brass designs on the feet supporting it and they were like an artwork in itself. The whole bathroom screamed comfort and relaxation. You were pretty sure that if heaven existed this was it.
“Maybe I don’t have to leave this place so soon... IS THAT BUBBLE SHAMPOO?!”
—————————————————————————
After a long shower you were dressed in clean clothes and ready for bed. Diving under the big duvet and setting your head on the soft pillows, you sighed and closed your eyes waiting for sleep to take you. A few minutes turned to a few hours and you couldn’t fall sleep. You tossed and turned around until the whole bed was thrashed.
Flopping on your back you huffed an exasperated sigh and sat up. Thinking of what could do the trick and lull you to sleep somehow you remembered tea was always a go to solution. Tea it is.
Kicking back the duvet you let your feet pad onto the wooden floors and out of your room. You didn’t know the place so getting to the kitchen was an adventure. You circled the mansion multiple times before you found it… three doors down from your own. Well, you had to admit your sense of direction wasn’t the greatest.
Pushing the doors open, your feet met the cold tiled floor. The kitchen was more of a green and beige cottage style making it look so cozy. A big kitchen island entered your vision, furnished in the same marble the bathroom sink in your room had.
Your room. Huh. You could get used to that actually.
The island stretched in the middle of the cooking area, with a few stools around the side. Sliding your palm along its smooth top you couldn’t help but wonder how rich this man actually was. Like sure, arms trades were hugely profitable in these times, but that couldn’t be a big source of income.
Turning to the shelving you noticed there were a lot of them. You scourged every single cabinet until you found a mug and what looked like a tiny satchel of herbs. Holding it to your nose you smelled it to discover it was hibiscus tea.
Is this a joke? Of all the teas I could find, it’s my favourite. The one I used to drink a lot as a kid. A soft smile took over your lips as you scanned the tiny satchel.
You couldn’t help but relish in the small moment as you were brewing your tea. You haven’t had a warm cup in a long time and it got you excited. Letting the herb mix sit for a few minutes, you took the teapot and slowly poured it into the cup. You got lost in the rosy colour of the liquid and filled the cup to the top on accident.
“Oh, crap,” you said as you leaned down to slurp the drink so it wouldn’t overflow.
Just as you leaned back up a deep voice spoke to you from the door of the kitchen.
“What are you doing here?”
The sudden disturbance made you jump, knocking the cup to the floor in the process. The tiny porcelain smashed to the floor and broke into dozens of small pieces. Your eyes widened and you quickly scrambled to the floor to pick them up muttering curses.
“Shit. I’m… I was just… the tea…”
You didn’t even realise he was crouching next to you until his hand latched onto yours, stopping you from reaching for a sharp piece.
“You’re gonna get hurt.”
As you looked up your eyes met his. They looked troubled, sailing in stormy waters and his words sounded like a warning of something far worse than a ceramic cut on your finger. He wasn’t telling you off for breaking the cup. He was telling you off for being clumsy. Was he worried?
The way his eyes peered into you made your insides flutter. You felt your cheeks getting warm and your throat got dry the more you continued with this staring contest. So before you could crumple your pride and throw it to the bin you pulled your hand away from his and sat up straight. He seemed to snap out of a similar trance as he coughed and shook his head.
You leaned back on the counter and watched as he picked up the rest of the broken china. When he finished inspecting the tiles for any stray bits he got back up and dropped the contents in his hand in the bin.
Then he turned to you and he had that look again. The same one he had in that alley as he took your breath away. He took you in, from your wet hair to the bathrobe that sat secure over your nightgown. He took slow steps towards you, making you push farther into the island counter. Coming close enough that your noses almost touched, he put his hands on the counter top on each of your sides. He caged you between his body and the marble island and you felt your heartbeat rising to an all time high. Leaning even closer to your face he stopped at a distance you could feel his breath fan your lips.
“You didn’t answer my question.”
“W-what question?” you stuttered. Why am I stuttering?! I need to get a grip.
“What are you doing here?” he asked again, this time with a teasing smirk playing on his lips. He loved how initiating the smallest proximity between you was enough to make you cave. If he could have you like this every day he would.
“I couldn’t sleep,” you admitted dropping your head to the ground to avoid his prying eyes. When you lowered your head he was hit with your fresh rosy scent. It drove him wild.
Trying to muster up some courage you pushed a question his way too.
“What mafia member drinks hibiscus tea?”
“I do.”
“You do?” you replied a little surprised. Last time you checked hibiscus was too girly for men.
“Yeah. It’s the only tea I like.”
You’ve got to be shitting me. The boss of the powerful Shanghai mafia likes hibiscus tea. You tried to keep your giggles to yourself but failed.
“Hey! Why are you laughing?”
“Nothing. I just… this is too good. The leader of one of the most feared mafias in the world drinks hibiscus tea! Do you know how ridiculous that sounds?“
You continued laughing until your stomach hurt. He shook his head at your antics and stepped away from you, freeing you from his hold.
“I’ll make you another one.”
“You don’t have to.”
“Just shut up and sit down.”
You obeyed and took a seat on the other side of the island. Watching as he made quick work of the teapot with his back turned to you, you couldn’t help but wonder how muscly he was underneath that blouse. You smacked your cheeks lightly to make these thoughts disappear from your head just as Enishi turned around with a freshly brewed cup of tea. He walked around the island and placed it down in front of you, taking a seat by your side.
“Why are you up this late?”
“I told you, I couldn’t sleep. Figured a tea wouldn’t hurt,” you said as you scratched the back of your neck. “Why are you up this late?”
“I don’t really sleep that much.”
You could tell from his sunken eyes and the bags pooling around his orbits that he lacked sleep. What was he working on so hard in the middle of the night?
“Do you want to talk about it? Or we could talk about something else. Like the fact that you’re really good with those guns.” He was deflecting but you let him off this time.
“I’m not. It’s just something that helped me survive in the long-run. My father used to teach me how to shoot in our garden, whenever mom went down to the market. The pistols I use were his,” you said with a small smile recalling all the times your mother caught the two of you and scolded your dad.
Enishi noticed how relaxed you got whenever you talked about your family. It seemed you were brought up in a really loving one. He’s always wondered how that felt like.
“What happened to them?”
“That’s a story for another time. But after that… I had to leave and try to survive on my own. I joined a few fighting rings in Edo and I learned a thing or two about combat and shooting.”
“Wait. Fighting rings all the way in Edo?”
“Yeah. It was the only place I could make some money and have a roof above my head. It wasn’t the most comfortable thing in the world but it was decent. I did that for a few years until my reputation got the best of me.”
“What do you mean by reputation?”
“I was known for leaving my opponents in a pool of their own blood whenever they underestimated me,” you said as you sipped on your tea.
“Wait,” his brain seemed to shortcircuit as it recalled a few memories. It all suddenly clicked in his head. “ You’re Barairo?!”
“At your service,” you smiled.
Flashback
Rounding the corner, Enishi continued following a man he caught sight of on the street. He heard him talking about a fighting ring down in the suburbs and the exclusive fight happening tonight.
He’s been constantly hearing about this fighter called Barairo. There was no way they could be that good that the whole city would talk about them. So he went to see it for himself.
Sneaking behind the man he got inside an underground tunnel and continued following him. The closer he got to the end of the tunnel the louder the yelling got.
Coming out of the tunnel he saw a bunch of people gathered around the mouth of a pit. They were chanting as two fighters took center stage. He stepped closer to the barrier to take a look.
“In the corner we have the big and bulky fury. All the way from Osaka, please welcome the shadow of night, Yanokage.”
He raised his axe in the air and hit his fist on his chest in a show of power but people didn’t really cheer for him. It seemed like they were waiting eagerly for the other opponent to make their presence known.
“In this corner we have our pride. Representing Edo, please welcome our crimson rose, Barairo.” Cheers erupted from all sides. Seems like they all came for… her? Barairo is a girl? She doesn’t even look much older than me.
As she stepped closer to the middle of the pit, he got a better look at her. Her clothes were torn on all sides and her hair was long, cascading down her shoulders. Her hands were holding two pistols in a death grip. Her eyes were screaming crimson red, just like her nickname, and they had a murderous glint. As if all it took was a wrong breath in her direction and she would skewer you with her guns without even pulling the trigger.
“Let the fight begin!”
“A girl is the famous Barairo? Ha ha ha! A girl. This is ridiculous,” Yanokage said as he was twirling his axe around.
His laugh was enough to make her look his way. A sickening grin took over her features. Oh, this guy was fucked.
She let him bask in the moment. But he was just a little fish that didn’t know it was caged with the biggest shark. Testing the territory of his predator was going to cost him dearly.
Seeing his hesitation in attacking she took the reins and with one swift kick to his ankles he was sprawled on the ground. She straddled his middle, dragging her pistols down his neck as she watched him struggle. How she managed to pin him to the floor when he was twice her size was beyond me.
Yanokage got annoyed by her antics so he threw her off to the side with a grunt and got back to his feet.
“I’m going to enjoy killing you, little girl.”
He launched himself at her but she was quick to dodge his attacks. When he got tired of swinging his axe she started digging punches everywhere she saw a spot left unprotected. The force of her moves pushed him back making him stumble on his feet. With one swing of her leg she got high enough to hit his face. A few teeth flew out of his mouth onto the floor.
He was pissed and he wanted to end her. But before he could take a step in her direction she pulled the trigger. Not just once or twice, but multiple times. He didn’t even get a chance to block the fire, his body getting churned by all the bullets she fired his way. What was scarier was that she was smiling. She was enjoying this in a sick way and the crowd loved it.
The cheers intensified as the bulky man crumbled to the floor of the pit. The girl took her guns and headed towards her corner to exit stage. Before she went inside she turned to the gray dot in her peripheral vision. A gray mop of hair was staring down at her from the end of the railing. She stared back at him and he noticed a change in her eyes. They were sad and filled with regret, a total contrast to the sadistic look she had a few moments ago. One blink and she was gone from his sight.
After that, he went to a few of her next fights and studied her combat style. She moved on impulse and trusted her gut but she was lacking the force to execute them. Her small stature allowed her to lead her enemies into a trap, waiting ready to kill them in cold blood. That was the last he’s seen of you before he left Edo. Until now.
————
You looked different now. The energy around you was changed. Your smile didn’t hold that much murderous intent. It brimmed with calm and peace. It was like Barairo didn’t even exist.
“Why did you stop?”
“I was good. But it was only an outlet for frustration. I couldn’t control her anymore. She consumed me to the point everything I did felt empty,” you said with a heavy sigh.
“Barairo is in the past. She was angry and upset at the world. The best thing I could do for her is let her go. For both my peace and hers.”
“After that, some rich people hired me to get rid of their trash. Bureau officials, clan members stepping wrong, their spouses’ secret lovers. It wasn’t much better but it’s the only job I could do,” you said as you rolled the remaining tea in the cup.
He listened intently as you told him about your past, a part of it at least. He knew you had your limits. You weren’t Barairo anymore. You were Miyu now. And he was the only one to meet both of you.
“You know, the men that work for me are all skilled in steel weapons, like knives or swords. But I don’t have anyone who can shoot a gun on my team.”
He knew what he asked of you was way over the border. What he asked of you was commitment. A long term job. Something you’ve done before that left you asking yourself if anything you were doing was worth it.
“Enishi…”
“I could pay you. Anything. You’d have a roof over your head and… warm tea every night.”
“But I’m not trained in combat properly and I don’t know how to use other weapons. And you saw how my stamina is the worst part about me.”
“I could train you. We could make it become the best thing about you.”
We. He really wanted you here. The truth was that he didn’t want you to wake up tomorrow and go out the door knowing he might never see you again when he finally found you again after all these years.
“You don’t have to give me an answer right now. Just sleep on it and tell me what you decide in the morning,” he said as a small smile graced his lips.
Were you dreaming? Enishi was actually smiling? A real genuine smile that wasn’t his usual cocky grin? Maybe you needed to get to bed first before doing any rational thinking.
“Okay. I’ll think about it,” you say as you got up to put your cup in the sink, heading towards the door. Before you walked off you turned back to Enishi to find him looking right back at you.
“Thank you. For the tea… and everything,” you said, smiling.
With that you quickly spun on your feet and made your way back to your room. Enishi was left in a daze staring at the spot you were at mere seconds ago. He felt his heart squeeze again and punched the feeling away with his fist. Was he getting sick or something?
You got in bed and felt sleep take you as soon as you slipped under the covers. You kind of made up your mind regarding what Enishi asked you. Smiling to yourself you drifted off to sleep.
————————————————————————
You woke up pretty early. The room was still pretty dark with the October mornings keeping the world in slumber for a few more hours. You sat up with a stretch and went over to your bag to pick an outfit for today. Most of your clothes needed serious washing. Going for a clean shirt with silk strings laced up at the front and a pair of practical pants you changed and made your way to the kitchen.
You thought of reviving your cooking skills by making some food for everyone, to repay the hospitality. Counting about ten men you saw around the mansion, including Enishi, you went looking through the cupboards again. Unfortunately, you came to the conclusion that there weren’t enough supplies to make anything.
Just as you were recalculating your plan you caught sight of a figure leaning on the doors that went from the kitchen to the outside terrace. Checking to see who it was, you found the monnocle guy from last night.
“Good morning madame,” he saluted you, rather enthusiastically at the ass crack of dawn.
“Good morning…”
“Wu Heixing, madame!”
“Good morning, Wu. You don’t have to call me madame.”
“It’s to show my respect to you as you’re a guest of Master Enishi.” The members of this mafia surprised you one by one.
“Do you happen to know if there’s a market nearby? I want to cook something for you all.”
“There is one in the village down in the valley. You have to go through the meadow though.”
“Thank you.”
“With pleasure, madame.”
You found a shopping basket laying around and got your coin pouch, leaving for the meadow to try and find the village. Just as you reached it, the sun started rising up in the sky. The light made it easier to notice the busying merchants and all their carts already set all around the small square.
Your stomach was growling at the sight before you. Vegetables, fruits, cured meat, pastries. Your mouth watered at all the delicacies. As you were browsing the vendors you spotted the farmer that gave you a ride yesterday. He was in charge of a cart full of fruits. He recognised you right away and sent you a polite smile.
“Good morning.”
“Good morning, miss.”
“Thank you again for the ride yesterday.”
“It was no problem. I’m always glad to help Master Enishi considering all that he does for us.”
He was helping out the villagers? Huh. It seemed like he had more layers to him than you thought. You wanted to find out more.
“What does he help out with?”
“He helps us with the crops every once in a while. He’s also our main customer and always comes here on Sundays to get food for his family.”
Ah, so the villagers don’t know the mafia lives close by and that Enishi is the boss. Or they do, but they’re too charmed by him to question it.
“Is there anything I could get for you, miss?”
“Yes! Give me all the fresh produce you’ve got.”
You went around shopping for everything you needed to prepare a hearty lunch and to have some food around. With your basket full to the brim you checked your coin satchel. You had only one left. Everything you had left from your jobs was spent on all the food you balanced on your arms.
“I spent them well. This was for a good cause,” you thought to yourself, shedding a small tear as you walked back to the mansion.
—————————————————————————
The kitchen smelled absolutely divine. The scent of different flavors danced around in the air, reaching all the way to Enishi’s office. He was fast asleep on the chair after working on plans all night.
Something tingled his nose and made him wake up. A few quick whiffs of the scent made his stomach grumble. The pronounced aroma of a pork roast and the distinctive spices of a vegetable soup put him in a trance.
He was on autopilot as he made a beeline towards the kitchen, debating whom could it be that cooked food this divine. Wu couldn’t stir a soup to save his life. The rest of his goons were not kitchen staff material either. That left only… you.
Pushing open the double doors to the kitchen, the smell was so intense it hit him like a train. He closed his eyes in silent appreciation and just took in the tang of spices sitting in the air.
Opening them he took sight of the whole kitchen. The oven was set on the roast while busy hands worked on stirring the soup on the stove. The island was filled with all different kinds of specialties already prepared. Fruit platters, fried rice, boiled eggs, trays of steamed dumplings, even salads. There was enough to feed a whole army. You definitely thought of everyone around the villa.
Creeping closer he saw you sway around humming a tune foreign to his ears. An orange apron hugged your body and looked adorable on you. You had a small smile on your face as you stirred the contents in the pot and he couldn’t help but smile at you.
An evil idea crossed his mind as he sneaked up behind you and put his hands on your waist. You jumped at the sudden contact and were ready to smack whoever sneaked up on you with the wooden spoon. That was until a familiar chuckle came from behind and you relaxed in the hold.
“I almost had a heart attack,” you say turning around and smacking him on the chest. “Don’t ever sneak up on me like that again.”
“Okay, okay. I won’t. I promise.”
“You better,” you say still smiling.
You stayed like that for a few more moments until the smell of the pork roast getting a little too roasted alerted you it needed to be pulled out of the oven. Breaking away from him, you spun around to the oven and got it out, placing it on the stove to check it. Cutting a small piece you blew air on it and held it to Enishi’s mouth. He hesitated at first, but the rumble of his stomach made him take a bite.
The more he chewed on it the more his insides melted at the amazing taste. He hasn’t had this kind of tasty cooking since his sister. He does cook for his gang members but it could never come close to the magic you made.
“It tastes amazing, Miyu.”
“Thank you,” you say with a smile.
He was melting inside again but he couldn’t tell if it was because of the food or your smile.
“Can I help with anything?”
“Yes! You can call everyone to the table outside and take some of the food out there.”
With a nod he picked up a few trays and headed outside. He was surprised to see the table wiped clean with cutlery and dishes already arranged for everyone.
As soon as the soup was done cooking, you served the food to everyone and went back inside to put everything back to its place. By the time you were done, everyone was done, leaving only you and Enishi at the table.
“Come sit and eat with me.”
“You didn’t eat with everyone?”
“I was waiting for you.”
Despite his stomach protesting at the lack of contents inside he decided to wait for you as you surely didn’t eat anything either.
“Well I’m here now so let’s dig in.”
You piled two plates up high with everything you cooked and dove straight in. The way you were gobbling up food in a very wild manner made Enishi stop mid-way from slurping his bowl of soup to look at you. Despite your lack of table manners, he thought you looked absolutely adorable. Sensing him staring you looked at him and stopped chewing.
“What?” you said with a mouth full of food.
“You have something on your face.”
“I do? Where?”
“Here,” he said as he raised a hand to your lips to get the hanging piece of salad away.
“Thank you.”
The only sounds in the air were of you enjoying the lunch together. The silence made your mind wander back to his question last night.
Did he still want you to stay? What if he changed his mind? What if you made up your mind for nothing? Deciding to get it over with you swallowed the food and took a breath.
“I need to talk to you about something. It’s about what you asked me last night.”
“Go on.”
Taking a chug of water from your glass you braced your throat to tell him your answer.
“I decided… to stay. I’ll join you.”
“Wait. Really?”
“Yes. I don’t really have anything else to do and I could use something to work on for the time being,” you say taking another sip of water.
“Great. Then we can start training tomorrow.” You spit out the water you were drinking.
“TOMORROW?! So soon?”
“I don’t have time to waste especially with the failed plan that got me in the precinct a few nights ago. We need to get going.”
You nodded sinking back into your chair as you ate a little slower. You had no idea what awaited tomorrow you, but it should be quite an enjoyable experience to receive training from someone like Enishi.
————————————————————————
There was nothing enjoyable about this shit. Instructor Enishi was a total asshole. You could barely hold your own and he threw you straight into combat with his goons. Something about ‘building character through practice’. You defended all their attacks but you couldn’t get absolutely none in.
“If you’re going to keep defending you will tire out faster than your opponent.” He was watching you from the side as five of his men ambushed you.
“It’s kind of impossible to attack when I don’t know how,” you strained as you defended a few more punches thrown your way. You lost your footing for a second and a punch was dug into your side so harshly that it threw you to the other side of the garden. You groaned as you hit the ground face-down, tasting some grass in your mouth. A pair of feet came into view as you lifted your head up off the ground to see a familiar mop of hair towering over you.
“Giving up already?” he teased as he crouched down next to you.
You weren’t going to give him the satisfaction. No, you were going to prove a point. That you belonged here.
So grabbing a fistful of grass you sat up and dusted your clothes of the dirt. Huffing out a breath you ran into the circle of men and went at it again. And again. And again. You only got a few kicks and punches in each time before you were thrown back to the ground.
“Enough. You’re dismissed.”
You leaned against a nearby tree and took a breather. Your face was covered in dirt and dust pricked at your eyes. You were nothing short of frustrated with yourself. Staring at your hands you tried to visualise the attacks she used to do. You couldn’t bring that fight instinct back no matter how hard you tried and it drove you up the fucking wall.
Shooting wasn’t a problem, but combat was essential. You had to rewire those instincts back into you somehow, but you were lost on where to even begin.
Enishi walked over and sat down in front of you. He saw the look in your eyes as you scanned your hands. He could tell you were afraid. You couldn’t let Barairo back in without losing yourself in the process and he had to find a way to help you.
“I saw you fighting back then.” Your eyes snapped up at him as he spoke. “I was amazed at how a small teenage girl could manhandle all those beasts. I snuck in a few of your fights and studied the way you moved a lot.”
“If you can’t remember the way I’ll teach it to you. We can start at the beginning and work our way up again.”
There was that word again. We. He was so adamant on training you the best he could. But he couldn’t do it if you weren’t willing to. It’s not that you didn’t want to. You just couldn’t.
“What if I’m a total waste of time?”
“If you were,” he got up and dusted his pants, “I wouldn’t have asked you to join me.”
That was enough to drive you back to your hopeful self. Maybe you could do this. Maybe you could become good without bringing that monster back. You just needed to try.
—————————————————————————
The next few days were spent running over the basics. Increasing your stamina was the first goal on the list. It looked easy in your head. That was until Enishi turned full commando on you.
You were hiking the hills and the trails around the village at least twice a day. He increased the pace every time you went there. You took short breaks every half an hour only to do sit ups or climb a tree to strengthen your muscles. He always chose the most difficult trees and it felt like it was on purpose at times.
You were currently sat in one of the trees about three meters from the ground, hugging its trunk like a koala as you sat on a branch. You were exhausted out of your mind.
“Come on, Miyu.”
“Can I stay here for five minutes?”
“We’re only halfway through the hike. If you’re not coming down I’m leaving you here.”
“WAIT!”
Despite all the difficulties of training there was one part of it you really enjoyed. The sight of Enishi in a tank top as he walked in front of you. It was the highlight of your day.
You came out of the woods to a clearing, a river running through the dunes and down to the village. Enishi went closer to get some water, gathering it in his hands. After sipping on it he gathered a bit more and swept it back over his face and hair. Droplets of water were shamelessly running down his arms, making his veins sparkle. Some of it was going down his chest soaking his tank top and letting you see a little more of the hidden goodies.
You were sure you were drooling as your trance blurred all of your surroundings. Taking a step forward you failed to see the rocks on the ground, slipping and falling into a grass patch to the side. Enishi’s head snapped to you.
“You good?”
“I’m good,” you say, giving him a thumbs up from your spot on the ground.
You continued on your trail until you reached the last tree line to the top of the hill. Your lungs were heaving and your breath was anything but normal. If I just let myself fall would I reach the bottom faster? Looking behind you to see the distance to the bottom you shook your head to get rid of the thought.
The tree line ended and you came to a big opening. You made it to the top of the hill. So the training was proving a little useful.
You pushed your aching limbs to where Enishi was standing. Reaching him you stood up and stretched your body. You saw him looking off into the distance and you followed his eyes to see what he was looking at that had him so captivated.
The minute you laid eyes on the view you fell in love. The hill you hiked was overlooking the village down in the valley and the other hills that were protecting it away from the world. Wait… This was the same as the painting back at the mansion.
You made a habit out of stopping by it before you went to sleep every day. Each time you stood in front of it you noticed other little details hidden inside. The way the trees covered each other, creating a bird shelter for the night. Or the way the hills looked as if they were silently whispering to each other. They couldn’t move to embrace each other but the slopes they laid on together seemed to be enough for them.
Someone was watching you every time you stopped by, unbeknownst to you. Leaning on a wall further behind you, he analysed your face to try and make out your reaction. He was taken aback when all he found was admiration and curiosity, wonder dancing in your eyes as you took in each detail. He got a little confused every time you leaned in closer and quirked your eyebrow at it, only to let out a breath of relief when you sat back and had a grin on your face.
“The painting back at the mansion… the orange and green landscape. Did you paint that?”
He only chuckled in response and went to sit down on the grass, as you followed suit. You both mimicked each other’s position, spreading your limbs on the grass, arms supporting your upper bodies.
“I thought you’d figure it out faster.”
You pushed his shoulder at that remark, ripping another chuckle from him.
“The painting is beautiful. So detailed and intricate in technique. But it does not compare to the real thing. This view is pure art.”
He looked at you as you elaborated on everything you loved about the painting. You seemed to know a lot about the arts. It was nice to have something new in common with you, besides your love for hibiscus tea.
“I’m glad you like it. If you wait just a second… there it is.”
The sky bled orange meeting the green mounds of earth, exactly like the painting. Your breath got caught in your throat as the sunset became more prominent. It was the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen.
Enishi wasn’t focusing on the sunset over the hills. He was watching another sunset happening right beside him. Your cheeks were flushed pink from the effort you put into hiking. The light breeze was brushing your hair with every wave in the air and your clothes were sticking to you uncomfortably. But you looked absolutely serene. He wished he could paint this view instead of any landscape in the world.
—————————————————————————
You got back to the mansion just before it got dark. Grabbing an apple you ate it and quickly dashed to the bathroom to get out of your sweaty clothes and enjoy a bath. You made the mistake of sitting on your bed before actually getting to the bathroom, laying down on top of the duvet.
“I’ll just close my eyes for five minutes.”
Those five minutes turned into a few hours. Enishi was looking for you to ask if you’ve eaten anything. As he came to your room he noticed the door was open halfway. Knocing on it he called your name but got no response. Pushing it open he took in the sight of you sprawled on your bed still in your training clothes. His heart warmed up so much he thought it would burst. You must’ve been so tired.
Coming closer to your bed he sat down on the edge. Your head was sitting uncomfortably on the duvet so he gently put a hand under your head and lifted it to place a pillow under it. Laying your head back down he let his hand card through your hair to let it loose. You sighed in your sleep at the action, a smile tugging on your lips.
He smoothed a hand from your temple down to your cheek and you took him by surprise turning on your side, curling into him. Your hand grabbed at his shirt and he was locked into place with no way to escape.
His heart started beating rapidly as he looked at you. You had his shirt into a death grip as if you were holding an anchor that could bring you back from dreamland to the real world. He found himself smiling again. It started coming out more naturally the more he was with you.
He folded his big hand over your small one and stroked it lightly to get you to loosen your hold. Your fist unclenched and you let him free. He slowly got up from the bed careful not to wake you. Finding a spare blanket he draped it over you so you wouldn’t get cold. He smoothed your hair once more to get some stray hairs away from your face and went out the door, softly closing it behind him. He couldn’t stop smiling.
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Thank you for reading! As always, comments, notes and reblogs are welcome :)
#Addicting Taste#enishi yukishiro#rurouni kenshin#enishi yukishiro fanfiction#enishi yukishiro x reader#enishi yukishiro x you
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Addicting Taste Chapter 8
Synopsis: Enishi Yukishiro was on a mission to execute his piece de la resistance. A plan to avenge his beloved sister. Until you showed up. Will you be a part of his downfall or will you try to save him?
Pairing: Enishi Yukishiro x reader
Genre: strangers to lovers, sunshine and sunshine protector, comedic relief, angst, slow burn, some fluff
Word count: 14k+
A/N: Welp, she's a long one but she's a good one. It could be taken as a filler but she's important to the story so I hope it's not too much of a nuisance read. Also, give a big welcome to none other than Sword Hunter, Cho Sawagejo. He was so bleak in the story it took me this long just to rewrite his character. He's important to the story so take this as his introduction! Chapter 9 is coming too and she's wild. Enjoy lovelies, Paula.
Now Playing: beating heart - ellie goulding.
Previous
"Miyu?"
No fucking way.
Is this some sick joke?
Of all people, he wasn't supposed to be here.
"Cho?"
Cho Sawagejo. Known as the Sword Hunter and one of the former Ten Swords, used to fight against the Meiji government. Additionally, he was an old friend of yours... sort of. The fact that history ran deep between you two was the understatement of the century.
Your hand froze on the golden doorknob, mouth hung open in shock to see him after all these years. Memories of him fired one after another in your head the more you looked at him, including those you tried really hard to forget. Your mouth moved on its own trying to make some sense of what you were seeing, but all that came out was whispers of his name. A name you wanted to forget for as long as you lived.
Snapping out of it you noticed he seemed to be in a bit of a situation, which was something normal for him, considering how you met each other.
4 years ago
Life was a constant fight for survival. You escaped the fighting rings in Edo but you did so at the cost of having to fend for yourself in the only way you knew: killing.
A rookie assassin, with barely enough training, murdering to stay alive. You barely got hired because your face said you didn't have experience like others did. But once they saw what you could do with two pistols and a heart that was hungry for mayhem they instantly hired you.
As much as you wanted to do something else with your life, you couldn't. You lived with the sole goal of finding your parents, even if it meant destroying your soul in the process.
There were times where your appetite got insatiable and you killed more than you needed to. It was where Barairo got her reputation from, Yokohama's crimson rose turning into a twisted bloodthirsty demon.
The only advantage of letting her out was that it made getting some of the jobs done easier. Though the stench of her blood soaked claws haunted you every night together with your usual nightmares.
You worked on yourself trying to limit her vengeful spirit so you could focus properly on missions. Little by little, she retracted back in her cage and all that was left was you. A woman so sure of herself that nothing could stop her.
Until you met him and all of that went to shit.
You got the job to kill a really well-known conman who got on the nerves of the wider business community in Osaka. He stole a lot of money from them and it was to no surprise most of them wanted his head on a pike. Multiple people got hired starting a hunt for him but there was a catch. Whoever got the job done first was rewarded with half of the stolen money. You had to move fast if you wanted to be first. Because you wanted it badly.
The plan was simple: get in his highly secured villa, put a bullet through his skull and be on your way. But things didn't work exactly like you wanted them to.
Come on now, did they ever? It's a Miyu Hikari tradition at this point.
You staked out the man's mansion for a full 24 hours under the scorching heat of the summer sun. Every time you wanted to go in and get the job done, a flurry of guards would round the grounds and you had to move spots constantly. Sweat trickled down your back in waves, clothes drenched to the brim from just sitting in the bushes. Summer was definitely not your favorite season, especially when you had jobs like this to do.
Finally, when the night let out you managed to advance. Infiltrating inside was a fluke, easily taking out the small number of guards on night duty. Checking for any more of them in all rooms at the bottom floor, you made your way to the top floor where his master bedroom was located. Getting a little distracted by completing the mission, bags of steaming dumplings occupying your mind more than the mission at hand, you failed to see the incoming competition.
You just rounded the top of the stairs when something clanged against the window behind you. You turned around in a heartbeat, guns held out ready to pull the triggers. Intuition told you to put multiple holes through whoever it was until you got a better look at him.
There he was, one leg in and two sharp katanas held between his teeth, trying to balance his way inside the mansion. You lowered your weapons as your curiosity piqued by the man before you. You retracted to a dark corner away from his line of sight, silently snickering at his struggle. The moment he finally got himself through the threshold and thudded to the floor making the loudest noise possible triggered a fit of giggles from you you couldn't keep inside anymore. If the guards were still alive and breathing they would have had his ass so fast.
Once he heard you, he got back to his feet and made quick movement to hold one of his katanas to your throat. You stopped laughing and put your hands up in fake surrender deciding to mock him a little.
"Who are you?"
"Someone on the same mission as you. You're kinda late to the party though."
Seeing as you weren't too much of a threat, he put down his sword. He cleared his throat to sound more sure of himself than he appeared to be and smoothed a hand over his hair that was sat in all directions, including his mouth. He looked harmless without his katana unsheathed. If this was your competition you surely held yourself a lot better in the short time you've been working the field.
"Thank you for the clean up, but I'll take it from here."
I just gave you the benefit of the doubt dude. Turns out I was wrong.
"I think the fuck not."
Pointing your pistols his way, you got ready to defend your territory. There was no way you would let this rando of all people steal your moment after you did most of the work.
He flashed you a smirk and in the blink of an eye vanished. Confused, you spun around to see the door to the master bedroom opened. It was way too dark but once your eyes focused on the shadow lurking above the man tucked in bed with his katanas ready to slice him open, you panicked. Thinking fast you aimed at the man the best you could in the pitch black, using the glimmer of light reflecting off the blade as guidance and took the shot. One of the blades intercepted your bullet just before it could hit the man, cutting it in half, leftover pieces of the bullet flying into the bed frame. You gasped in shock as he chuckled darkly.
"Nice try."
Beyond annoyed at him and determined to see this mission through, you put the guns back in their hold and got into a fighting stance.
"I was here first. I am not moving an inch before I kill him," you rasped.
He smirked and sheathed his sword, walking closer to you and mirroring your position.
"Fair enough. Let's see if you've got any real fight in you."
He went easy on you, thinking you couldn't fight him.
Terrible mistake.
The minute he came at you, you sent him flying to the other corner of the room, watching as his back hit a dresser tumbling down to the floor with him. He got up and lunged at you and you dodged all of his moves. When his punches got sloppy, it was your turn to swing at him, decorating his face with your fists. At one point your hits turned slower and he managed to lay down a few punches of his own. He caught you off guard and pushed you into the wall, hands digging hard into your arm as he pinned you to it. Amused at your struggle to break free, his head dipped down to your ear.
"Is that all you've got, princess?"
"Don't call me that ever again."
He pissed you off beyond coming back now. You growled and threw your head into his with all the force you had, throwing him off balance enough for him to release you and to drop down and swipe his legs from under him. As soon as he was flat on the ground you straddled him, pining his hands beside his head.
Trying to will some breath back into your lungs you looked at him and he looked at you for a while, taking in the damage you've both done to each other. One looked worse than the other, a broken nose gracing his face as payback for the cut lip he gave you.
His dark eyes had you in a trance. There was something about him that screamed danger but familiarity the more you looked at him. A weird feeling crawled up your spine and you couldn't help the sensation that something was really wrong. Snapping out of it, you straightened and got up from the floor, looking around at the mess you've caused. You wondered why the man wasn't awake and screaming for mercy or applauding the free fight show in his bedroom. You moved to the king sized bed in spite of the protests to continue the fight and examined the man tucked into bed. You pulled the duvet down from his face and the marks around his neck told you all you needed to know.
"Someone got the job done before us."
"What?"
He ran next to you following your pointed finger to the neck of the man who appeared to have been dead for a while. How did none of you notice this before?
"The guards were pretty much alive when I arrived. Whoever killed him must have been waiting for him here."
You pulled the curtains near the window so the light could filter in a little more. Truthful to your suspicion, there were no signs of forced entrance on the window sill or the door, so it had to be a job from the inside. Main conclusion was that you were left with a busted ego and you could kiss your precious dumplings goodbye for a while.
"Well, that's a bummer," he said, slumping against the wall. At least you weren't the only one disappointed.
"We should leave before more potential suitors want to decorate him and us as collateral damage."
You made a move for the door only to hear shouts and multiple pairs of boots rushing up the stairs.
We're in deep shit.
Closing the door, you tried to pull the wardrobe in front of it to block the men from entering. It was too heavy to push by yourself so he moved to help you. You successfully barricaded yourselves inside just as angry fists started banging on the door. You moved away from it and scanned the room for a way out. The big double window looked like the only viable option. You hesitated in even suggesting it as an escape route but he seemed to have other plans as you watched him run over to it and bust it open with a chair. Shards of glass flew everywhere on the floor and the banging on the door intensified. You rushed to the window where you were met with a five meter drop to a patch of grass smaller than your hopes and dreams at the moment.
Hell no, nuh-uh. I'm not playing the flying bird game.
He was out of his fucking mind if he thought that was a safe plan, but before you could say anything he just jumped out first with his katanas strapped to his back, swiftly landing on his feet. Your jaw dropped open.
Okay, so he is indeed out of his fucking mind.
He looked back at you, waiting for you to follow, but the way you gripped the curtains told him you weren't keen on jumping too. He couldn't leave you there when there was no telling how many men were behind that door that was now close to being torn open.
"Look, I know you don't know me, but I need you to trust me and jump the fuck out," he yelled at you, trying to get your attention away.
"You want me to trust you in willingly pivoting down to my death?"
"It sounds horrendous when you put it that way. I promise I will try to catch you."
Putting my life in the hands of a stranger who tried to kill me just a few moments ago? Not a chance. But I want to taste my favorite buns again, alive and breathing on this earth.
Getting on top of the windowsill, you closed your eyes and took a deep breath, jumping out. Truthful to his promise, he caught you, falling down on the grass with you in his arms. He cushioned your fall and your head landed in the crook of his neck, his scent closing around you. He smelled like vanilla and lavender. The way he cushioned your fall made you think you were laying in a field of flowers but that might have just been the euphoria from the fall, pumping adrenaline through you.
You opened your eyes to be nose to nose with him, breaths meeting halfway. Through the messy blonde hair falling over his bandana, you noticed his eyes were actually a deep shade of brown as they bore into yours. You lifted your hand to brush his locks away halting when you heard more shouts and commotion behind you. Quickly, you got up and pulled him up too, bolting towards the gates. His hand intertwined with yours as you both ran until you reached town.
Finally stopping at the back of a shop you checked around for any sight of the men following, relieved to see none. You closed your eyes willing in a breath when you felt something weighing down your hand. You looked down and he followed your gaze to your hands that were still tightly locked together. He let go first, rubbing his neck nervously.
That's cute.
His touch ghosted on your finger tips and you cradled your hand close. You've never been this close to anyone before.
"That was eventful," he exhaled.
"Yeah. Thanks for catching me back there, uh..."
"It's Cho. And of course! Anytime, uh..."
"Miyu."
"Miyu," he said your name softly. "Well, Miyu, if you ever find yourself in a pickle or something like that again feel free to call on me."
He smiled genuinely at you this time, previous cocky smirk gone. It made you feel warm inside for some reason but you quickly shook that thought away.
"I'll make sure to call on you then."
A lot of time passed after your encounter. Summer turned to fall and winter. There were times where you laid awake at night and your mind drifted to him, contemplating his offer. He shouldn't be that hard to find if need be to have him help on a mission and it felt tempting to team up with someone else, especially since your fighting styles were so similar.
You finally met again a few times after you were both hired on other missions. You fought your way out of them together, often splitting the earnings. It turned out you made a really good team, your logical skills complementing his sword skills just right.
You started hanging out more and paired most of your missions together, getting to know more about each other. Soon enough, he turned into a part of your routine and you were inseparable, both on and off the field. You ate together, fought together and trained together.
He opened up about himself too. He told you why the Ten Swords fell to their demise with the new government and how he was left wandering for a while until he took up sketchy jobs like you. You told him a little about yourself and your mission to find your parents. He thought it was admirable to have a goal like that and eished he himself had one that righteous.
Over time, one thing led to another and you found yourself catching feelings for him. It was stupid really. He did the smallest things, like throwing you one of his crooked smiles full of mischief whilst stabbing someone who tried to attack you or getting you dumplings because he knew how much you liked them. You even started liking the annoying way in which he called you princess instead of your name, reatliating with a nickname of your own for him, blondie.
All these gestures were small, but you couldn't deny that they made you swoon. Your feelings only grew stronger the more you spent time with him and it took everything in you to work out the courage to confess to him.
But you never got to tell him how you felt.
And it was all his fault.
You spent years thinking of what you would say if you ever saw him again, only for all those words to erase themselves from your mind the minute you laid your eyes on him tonight.
He was tied to a chair in the middle of the room. A man sat in front of him most likely torturing him up to the moment you and Enishi entered. He was now turning around to you with a big knife in his hand, blood dripping from the blade onto the white carpet. You interrupted him and he didn't seem too happy about it because he quickly lunged at you. You wasted no time in kicking away the knife from his hand and knocking him out with a roundhouse kick.
"Fancy seeing you here, princess."
You sure didn't miss that nickname. As much as it grew on you back then, it made you beyond disgusted to hear it now.
"I wish I could say the same. Who did you piss off this time?"
"A lot of people as you can see," he spoke motioning to his body littered in cuts and bruises.
His white shirt, now a mix of dried blood and dirt, was torn in most places, just like his skin. Your eyes lingered over the cuts on his arms that appeared to be made with small knives. Your gaze stopped on the gash on his leg which was definitely the product of the knife you kicked away from the man's hand. It looked deep enough to drain a normal person.
But he wasn't a normal person.
"I hate to break up this reunion but we have more guests incoming," said Enishi rather alarmed. And he had every reason to be because you heard the rapid footsteps in the hallway most likely rushing to the room you were in. His hand latched on your arm in urgency to pull you towards the door but you froze.
"This feels oddly familiar," said Cho with a chuckle.
His face was so pale and devoid of colour that it scared you. He looked barely alive but he still carried that shit-eating grin on his face and it annoyed you to the world's end for some reason.
"Miyu, we have to go," pressed Enishi.
You looked at him then back to Cho. It wasn't in your nature to leave people behind, especially wounded people. Both of the men looked at you expectantly, one more desperate to get out of there than the other.
I can't leave him here. But I can't stay here either.
Your brain was already working at an inhumane speed trying to process everything. Once you made your mind up and opened your mouth to say something you got interrupted by the men pooling inside the room.
About ten of them circled you, lining up around the walls to push you towards the center of the room. You surrounded Cho defensively. He was tied to a chair and in no way fit to fight even a fucking fly. As much as you hated his guts you needed to protect him.
You pulled out your guns and scanned the men to see only half of them were armed. You looked at Enishi and he nodded at you telling you to open fire.
You shot at the armed men while Enishi launched at the others. You threw a table down and took cover behind it, shooting at them. You took out most of them before you ran out of bullets.
Oh, for fucks sake, I really need to carry refills with me.
You got out from behind your hiding spot and stretched your arms, preparing your fists.
Your first opponent was a fairly big guy that cornered you at a wall. He came at you with the intention to put you through the wall, but you were quicker and grabbed his hands, sliding between his legs to drag him after you. You kicked the back of his head and he fell forward, his own head going through the wall instead.
Another one spotted you and you broke into a sprint, using the wall to push yourself up and swing your leg in his face. He fell on his back getting the air kicked out of his lungs. It was one fo the aerial tricks Enishi taught you recently and it came in handy.
Enishi left a trail behind him. Most of the men on the floor were just slightly knocked out. He finished knocking the last two head to head and let them fall to the floor with a thud.
Seeing that he was safe, you turned and ran to Cho, untying him as fast as you could. The rope around his wrists was tied so tight it made them bleed. You stopped in your tracks slowly tracing your fingers over them. What the hell did they do to you? You bit your lip trying to keep yourself together. This was not the time to be soft.
"You don't have to take me with you," he grunted as you got his hands free. "I'll only slow you down."
You went and crouched in front of him looking him straight in the eye. The you back then told you to leave him here to suffer like he did to you. To let him get out of his own mess by his own two feet if he still held himself so prideful. But present you was not the like her.
He didn't deserve your help at all. But you knew the guilt coming with leaving him here would eat you up later. And you didn't need that right now.
Without saying a word, you got one of his arms and draped it around your shoulders to get him up. He groaned in pain when he put weight on his injured leg and you wrapped your arm around his waist to balance him better.
Did he get ripped or something? I swear he wasn't this heavy before.
Enishi looked at you nothing short of confused. His face told you he had a lot of questions. But yours looked conflicted to the point he was sure a hurricane was already brewing in your mind. He knew now was not the time for asking questions, considering there were five mafias willing to shish kebab the three of you without as much of a reason besides the fact that you breathed inside their territory. Getting out of this place as soon as possible was the priority.
He rushed to the other side of Cho and lifted his arm, helping you carry him. You looked at him and he locked eyes with you, reassuring you he had your back. Even if he had no idea what the fuck was going on. You sent him a grateful look and he nodded, a small smile of acknowledgment on his lips.
The three of you managed to slip out the back of the villa and you quickly got into the carriage, avoiding being seen by anyone. The ride back to the mansion turned from relief to utterly painful. For both you and the blonde bleeding out next to you. You kept patting his cheeks to keep him awake every time his head fell on your shoulder. Once you were sure he was conscious enough, you turned your head to the window getting lost in thought.
Cho being back resurfaced so many feelings and memories you tried so hard to drown out over the years and you could do nothing to stop the flood.
Screw me for wanting to help all the time. It only comes back to bite me in the ass anyways.
Another thing weighing hard on your heart was that you didn't find your mother tonight. Or any leads on where your parents could be. Oh, and apparently the man you interrogated, the one who was the only one who knew something about the whereabouts of your parents escaped, since most of the men on duty were mobilised for the ball in case shit went sideways. Conclusion, it was by far the shittiest you've ever felt.
The carriage stopped in front of the mansion and Enishi got down first holding his hand to you to help you down. But you were too worried about the other man bleeding on the beige carriage seats and got down by yourself, dragging him down after you.
Enishi was left behind as you hastily went inside. A weird combo of regret and sadness were spinning around his heart at everything that happened tonight. He knew you probably felt defeated about what went down and blamed yourself for the outcome. He needed to talk to you asap about everything. For now, he was going to give you the space you needed for a while to tend to your guest.
With a storm raging in your mind and a bleeding man supported solely by your shoulders, you trudged the hallways to an empty guest room. You found one two doors down from your room, in case he needed further assistance.
You pushed the doors open with a huff and helped him sit downon the bed, rushing to look for medical supplies. You scoured every drawer both in the room and the bathroom throwing everything on the floor in the process. You were growing anxious and angry at the fact that you didn't find anything you needed. Taking a deep breath to calm yourself you tried looking again through the mess on the floor and found what you needed. Chucking everything back to its place with shaky hands, you went back to him to start taking care of his wounds. You felt his stare at you as you started working on the cut on his cheek.
"It's good seeing you after all these years."
You say that as if we're the best of friends who went our own ways and just met up to talk over tea and biscuits.
You ignored his attempt at making conversation and helped him shimmy his way out of his shredded shirt as he grunted at the movement. He was held captive for a while, judging by the darkened bruises around his ribs.
"You look different," he continued, trying to get you to talk to him.
You tensed as you moved to patch up the bigger cuts on his arm.
What does different even mean in his vocabulary?
You didn't change that much. If anything you got better at detecting bullshit when you saw it. Looks wise you just looked better in the mirror and didn't have a bird's nest on your head anymore.
On the other hand, he looked absolutely the same as the last time you saw him, with a slight upgrade to his wardrobe choices, plus a few muscles here and there. His hair was a darker shade of blonde now, unfitting for the nickname you used to call him by.
"Is that a good or a bad thing?" you asked absentmindedly, trying to humour him for the sake of conversation and to take the edge of a little.
He dipped his head down to the side you were patching his arm and took a proper look at you.
You were different since the last time he saw you.
Your hair was longer, curling around your shoulders ever so slightly. You held yourself a lot more confidently than he knew you to be. But the thing that changed the most about you was your eyes. He used to be able to tell what was going through your head by just one look. Now, they were rougher and didn't let him in like they used to. It wasn't that you were hiding. You just closed yourself off entirely, at least to him.
"That wild spark in your eyes is gone. That's what I liked the most about you."
You narrowed your eyes at him and it took everything in your power not to snap at him. Tell him everything that's been weighing on your heart. Shoot words at him hoping he would understand the pain he put you through. But you had to keep it together so you settled for some sarcasm as you tied one of the bandages a bit tight on his arm.
"So what? I'm not to your standards now?"
The big gash on his leg was the last thing left unbandaged and you moved to it to get it done and be out of the door. But god forbid something could go the way you wanted today because he leaned forward to catch your hand.
The sharp inhale of air you took was to ground you from exploding. You noticed his touch was still the same one that used to make you shiver with butterflies.
Cho was a touchy person and it only added to your feelings back then. It made your insides twist remembering the effect it had on you.
"That's not what I meant."
You tried to avoid his eyes but you couldn't do it, letting them find his. You were surprised to see them filled with nothing but sincerity.
"Look, I'm sorry."
Oh, hell no. I am not doing this right now.
"There's nothing to be sorry about," you yanked your hand away from his grip. He wanted to say something else but you didn't give him the chance as you packed the medical supplies and put them away. You put some clothes borrowed from Enishi on the bed and bid your goodbye.
"Get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning."
You made your way out of the room hoping to get to yours faster. The dress suddenly felt too tight on you and you needed to get out of it before it constricted your air flow. You had a hunger for chaos boiling inside of you and you didn't know how much longer you could keep it inside.
Before you made it to your room you bumped into Enishi. He seemed to be looking for you since you just left him hanging outside. You didn't want to worry him and thought of something to say to cut the incoming interrogation short.
"Can we talk-"
"Look, Enishi. I need to get out of this dress and get some sleep, but I will tell you everything you need to know in the morning. Deal?"
You let the words out in a rush and he looked dazed for a moment as he processed them. He tilted his head and let his eyes linger on your face. You looked way more exhausted than you were when you left for the ball. He could also tell something was eating at you by the way you were frowning. He decided he could wait until tomorrow.
"Okay."
He put a hand on your shoulder rubbing it in comfort and you couldn't help but lean into his touch. It felt so soothing that it made the burning fire in your heart dim a little.
"But we're gonna talk tomorrow," he added. You nodded and placed your hand on his squeezing it in reassurance, before walking off to your room.
You felt bad leaving him like that againbut you weren't in the right mindset to sit and talk about your past right now. Maybe after some sleep and thinking you would be.
Sleeping was a torture. You couldn't fall asleep at all, tossing and turning until the sheets bunched up under you. Your pillows got warm fast the more you switched sides and it pissed you off. The universe was against you catching one wink of sleep.
Getting annoyed, you sat up and threw the duvet away letting it fall on the floor. You laced your fingers through your scalp trying to massage the storm of thoughts away, but it only got more unbearable.
Your head was getting so loud swirling with countless questions. You drowned yourself in regrets and what ifs.
The regrets revolved around the reasons why you saved Cho. You hoped it would leave your conscience clean but it only made it worse. He was two doors away from you and you weren't sure if it was a case of being that close to him that had you on edge of your feelings coming back. You also regretted the mission a lot and well, pushing Enishi away like that when he clearly wanted to help you.
The what ifs surrounded the feelings you had for Cho that were definitely awakening in your heart again. It felt like they never left, as if they just laid dormant until they felt him near to wake up. It was like a grenade was placed in your hand without a safety pin. And you couldn't do anything to stop it from blowing up the more you thought about him and that night that changed everything.
3 years ago
One of your clients sent you on a hunt for a powerful businessman. He was in possession of a samurai tachi sword belonging to the great Fukushima Masanori, who fought in the Battle of Shizugatake almost 300 years ago. Legend says it was the sword that drew the first blood in the battle. It was worth millions on the arms trade market. To have it hung up somewhere and just admire it whenever you wanted was truly a rich person activity.
Your client wanted you and Cho to work together and steal it. Most people who hired you knew you worked better together and often came as a package deal, but none of them asked you to do so until now. Frankly, he was a client of Cho's and he reassured you that he worked with him before and that there was nothing to be worried about.
You've been staking out the businessman's building for a while now, watching out for any sign of movement. A bonus clause of the deal was to take him out too, since your client had some hatchet to bury with him he wouldn't tell you about. You were getting hungry and tired while Cho stepped out. You didn't expect him to come back with dumplings.
"I got you these. It was the only thing I could find around here."
"You didn't have to."
You munched away on your buns, peering at his back from time to time. He leaned over the railing busy scanning the streets.
It's been a year since you've met on that mission. You loved spending time with him and he seemed to enjoy your company just as much.
You've been paying more attention to his actions and words towards you and you could tell that he had feelings for you too. From the way you caught him looking at you when he thought you wouldn't notice. Or the fact that he would spend money on dumplings for you every time you sighed when you saw them, knowing you were saving yours up for other things. Those things were expensive as hell nowadays, but he still chose to treat you to them on occasion.
Your feelings for him grew stronger day by day and you had to tell him how you felt before you combusted spontaneously.
"Cho?"
"Yeah?"
"I want to tell you something."
He hummed as a sign for you to continue, busy scanning the area. Your heartbeat quickened, drowning out the rest of the world around you, the only thing on your mind being those five words. You thought of many different ways to tell him and all kinds of words passed through your mind, some cringier than others. The normal "I like you" should be enough considering none of you were big on declaring things. You did try to confess a fee times before but it always got blocked by something.
Deciding against beating around the bush while you still had time on your hands, you took a deep breath and just went for it.
"I think I like-"
"They're on the move," Cho cut you off.
You sighed in defeat. There went my chance.
Cho got up and you followed, throwing away the empty bag of dumplings with your almost confession in it. Turns out it had to wait until you were done with the mission.
The man you were after arrived in front of the building with a few of his men and went inside. You looked for a way in and noticed a window on the side of the first floor but it was too high. Cho put his hands together motioning you over. He used them to propel you upwards and after a few failed tries you successfully reached it. You found it slightly creaked open and climbed in through it, with him following suit.
You helped him in and landed down inside, taking a look around. The place was full of crates stacked on each other nearly reaching the roof. One of them was opened near you and you cautiously walked over to take a look. It was filled with guns. But not just any guns. They weren't branded and most of them looked like imports from abroad, which meant that they came off the black market. Only one group had access to this much ammunition: the mafia.
This wasn't your first rodeo with a mafia but you knew you had to be extra careful. Snooping around some more you found a big crate made from dark wood. It looked out of place compared to the others. You motioned Cho to it and you tried prying it open as silently as you could, to not attract any unwanted attention. Digging inside among strips of paper your hand landed on what felt like the handle of a briefcase. You pulled it out and looked at Cho. Opening it you found jsut the katana you were looking for, dark sheath decorated in golden chrysanthemums, a symbol of royal value bestowed upon the most trusted samurai. Unsheathing it, you ran your hand along the worn out hilt in awe at the fact that you were holding a relic of ancient Japanese history. Illegally but then again what you were doing wasn't legal either.
One of the guards walked in and spotted you, not thinking twice before opening fire on you. You took cover behind the crate and threw the briefcase over to Cho, getting your guns out to fire back. More men came to see what caused the ruckus and started shooting as well once they saw you taking some of them down.
You shot your pistols until the trigger clicked empty. Slumping back against the crates you needed to think of a way out that didn't involve getting bullet holes punched through you and you had to do it quickly.
You turned to your right and noticed Cho was no longer next to you. You looked around and saw him by the window you came in through, one leg away from freedom with the briefcase in his hand. The window was hidden from sight which made it the perfect escape.
He waved his hand and you thought he was waving you over. You waved your hand at him too telling him there was no way you could reach him while they were still firing at you. He smirked down at you and you tilted your head at him in confusion.
What the hell was he doing?
That's when it clicked. The way he was holding the briefcase. The shushed talks with the client behind your back. That stupid smirk.
You've got to be shitting me.
He used you. While you shot away at the men he used that as cover to get away. He used you to get this far because you knew how to plan things so the game would play out in your favour. There was no telling if he didn't use your feelings as leverage as well. And all this time you hoped he felt the same.
He trained you. He ate with you. He slept next to you. You worked together for almost a year. He pretended to care about you only to toss you to the side. It was all a fucking lie.
Son of a bitch.
With one last look at you he jumped out, leaving you at the mercy of fate. There was not a single glint of regret in those eyes you learned to love so dearly as they disappeared behind the wall. He took you for a fool and you were so blind to see it.
Every mission you did together flashed in front of your eyes. Every moment you spent together. Everything you told each other. Only for him to throw it all away for a chunk of money.
You didn't know what hurt more. Your heart for being stupid enough to try to love. Or your soul, for believing in the good in people.
One thing was certain. You let Barairo out that night, after years of struggling to keep her away, leaving the building covered in blood and with a broken heart. All because you loved him.
Only god knows how you made it out of there. But you completed the bonus gruesome part of the mission, killing the businessman and all his guards with your bare hands. Using her.
It took you years to get her back in, away from people. You fought her to the bone, until you managed to lock her away for good. But the damage was already done. You swore not to let yourself get played like that ever again.
He abandoned you there. You told him how much it hurt when your parents disappeared and he knew how much it scarred you. And he still did it in the most fucked up way he could think of.
Your memories were of a person that sold his soul to whoever paid more for his interests and you wanted nothing to do with him. You swore to put a bullet through his head the next time you met.
But you couldn't help the hurt that came with your reunion tonight. Seeing him again only reignited that pain in you. The same smirk he parted away from you with plastered on his lips in the exact same way tonight.
Why can't I just forget he exists? Why is he still in my head like he never left?
It hurt like hell and no matter how much you tried to erase him your heart wouldn't let you. She would keep reminding you of him everywhere you went.
It was also why you were afraid of what you felt for Enishi. He was different than Cho. Gentler, kinder and understanding. But it scared you that your feelings were in so deep now to be able to get back from it. And you had no security that history wouldn't repeat itself once you let yourself fall for him.
It was times like these you wished your mom was here, able to give you some advice. To guide you towards what was right and kill some of the pain away. You hoped desperately to find her at the ball tonight. Either the man gave you a false lead or they were alerted you were coming and she was moved elsewhere. You didn't know. And that only made everything else worse.
How much longer do I need to search to find her? To find dad? Are any of them even alive anymore? Is there even a point to keep looking for them?
Your thoughts were eating you up again and you needed a distraction before it got too much. Grabbing your pistols from the nightstand and a few cartridges you walked the hallways in a haste to reach the outside garden. The cold stung on your exposed arms but you paid it no mind as you strung up a few targets and started shooting at them.
Normally, shooting for practice relaxed you and gave you the clarity you needed to think things through. But shooting to relax turned into shooting your anger and hurt away pretty quickly. At one point you stopped shooting at the targets and just shot through the blur of your tears, aim faltering away from the targets. You aimed at the trees, the ground, the air. Anything just to feel your pistols empty hoping that your feelings were etched into every bullet so you could stop feeling them.
Enishi was in his office when he heard the shots. He tensed at first ready to get into butchering mode until he recognised the familiar click of your pistols. He rushed to your room thinking something happened only to find you gone, sheets on a disarray on the floor. He followed the sound only to find you in the garden, angrily shooting at something in the dark. He walked closer and sighed when he saw the tears streaming down your face. You seemed devoid of the world around you as you shot away and that scared him a little.
One of your pistols was left without bullets and you angrily threw it away, pulling the other one out from its hold. He had to stop you before you hurt yourself or someone else. Getting a little closer he called your name multiple times. But all you could focus on was the click of your gun and the sound of the bullets ricocheting off the trees.
“Miyu, you need to stop," he said, cautiously taking another step towards you.
“No," you shook your head.
He couldn't take this from you. It was the last thing you had that you knew how to do. The last thing keeping you sane right now. If he took it away you would lose the last glimmer of self control you had.
“Give me the gun," he tried again, voice a little softer this time.
“Leave. me. alone," you growled.
You wanted him to leave you be. To just go back inside and forget he ever saw you like this. Because you knew if he pressed on you would let go of all rational thought and say something you didn't mean. Something that you would regret. But he stood his ground, taking a few more cautious steps towards you.
“I’m not leaving you.”
That was enough to trigger your pent up anger. Everyone in your life left. Your parents, the people you loved, even Cho. What if Enishi would wake up one day and choose to leave too? You convinced yourself he didn't mean it. That he was just saying it now without any security that he would feel the same tomorrow.
“Enishi, please just go!" you yelled as you turned around to him, the last of your munition emptying away in the murky ground. You took a shaky breath as you kept pressing the trigger, turning the gun around and hitting it with your palm trying to make it work, but the empty click of the gun was still the only sound that greeted you.
“Fuck."
You didn’t realize you were sobbing until your sight got too blurry with tears and you started wiping furiously at your face. Enishi went forward and closed the distance to you, warily wrapping his hand around yours that was holding the gun. Loosening the grip of your fingers, he gently took the gun out of your hands and dropped it next to the other one on the ground.
Your eyes met his and you couldn’t hold the pain in anymore. A wail of a sob crawled its way out of your throat, letting out the last fractures of your anger. You crumpled down on the ground, nails digging into the grass around you to hold yourself together a little more. Enishi knelt down to you and wrapped his arms around you. You tried fighting him off, pushing him away as much as you could but his hold was too strong. You punched his chest, desperately trying to get away from him, but he just wouldn't budge. You didn't want to hurt him too, because if you did, you would never forgive yourself.
Your punches got slower the more you sobbed until you settled for gripping his shirt tightly in your hand. He only tightened his arms even more around you, pressing you against his chest.
He hated seeing you like this. It was breaking him inside to know the pain you were feeling all too well because it was the same kind of pain he dealt with alone for years. But none of you were alone anymore. You had each other now and he needed you to know that.
“It’s okay," he whispered.
“Enishi,” you sobbed his name. That was the only thing that kept you from spiralling down in that corner of your mind. The one where she waited with her teeth bared for you to let the door wide open. He was your anchor right now and the only one standing between the two of you becoming one again. The minute he let go of you, you would land the key in the lock of her cell and let her out, letting her consume you. You knew if that happened right now there would be no way back from it this time.
“Please don’t leave me."
“I’m not leaving you.” He grabbed the sides of your face and made you look at him. “I am not leaving you, Miyu.”
He would say it as many times as it took for you to understand that he wasn't going to move an inch away from you unless you told him to. He wasn't going to let you lose yourself, not when he could help it.
You just sobbed harder upon hearing his words and he scooped you up from the cold ground, taking you back inside to the warmth of your room. He helped you get in bed before he himself got in next to you. You moved back into his arms and he cradled you close.
You sat like that for a while, letting it all out while he held you to him, whispering an occasional 'I'm here' or 'You're okay' to let you know he wasn't going anywhere.
"Miyu, I know now's not the time, but you need to talk to me. I want to help you but I don't know how until you tell me what's wrong."
He knew you weren't okay and suspected that it would come to this sooner or later. The sooner you told him what was wrong the closer he would get to knowing how to help you. He would wait for you as long as you needed but it had to be soon. Before you would slip away in the one place he didn't wish upon anyone.
His hands moved to rub your back and you took in a shaky breath preparing for the unavoidable. You lifted your head up from his chest and wiped some of your tears away. You kept him in the dark enough.
You told him everything. From what happened to your parents, detail by detail, to how you dreamt of it almost every night in vivid pictures as if it was happening again. From your life before you met Cho and your life after he left you, leaving out a few things that could ultimately get him kicked out of the guest room in his sleep, including the whole thing about the feelings involved.
You finally laid all the pieces of your broken soul on the table and watched nervously as he looked at each one with a mix of emotions you knew all too well. His jaw twitched with anger learning about the things you had to go through. His eyes reflected the same sadness you felt for years on end. His hands held yours the whole time and he felt the hurt washing over you like it was his own. But not once did his eyes show pity and that told you that you laid your heart out in good hands.
He seemed deep in thought after everything you told him and well, who wouldn't be. You expected him to be appalled at most of the things you told him and push you away. But he didn't. He welcomed the entirety of your past with open arms and it made the walls you've built up so high quiver.
There was still one thing you needed reassurance about and you gathered up all your courage to ask it.
"Can you promise me something?"
"Of course." He brushed a few stray hairs from your face to get a better look at you, frowning at your red and puffy eyes. "What is it?"
You swapped the hold of his hands so your smaller ones covered his, holding them tightly in your lap. They weren't as cold as they used to be when you met him, a whole lot warmer now than yours were. You looked down at them with an unfamiliar yearning. It felt like you held the whole world in your hands and it terrified you. You found solace in this world and you wanted to protect it like it protected you. No matter what it would take to keep it safe. To keep him safe.
"Whatever happens, be it in a mission or whatever situation, promise me we will stay together. We go in together and we get out of it together."
"I promise," he said without hesitating. He lifted a hand to your cheek cupping it softly. "I told you I would keep you safe as long as you're with me. I tend to keep my word, you know."
You leaned into his touch, closing your eyes as you felt another wave of tears coming. But this time, they weren't tears of pain or sorrow. They were tears of appreciation. He was so attentive and understanding while listening to everything you had to say that it overwhelmed you, in a good way.
"I know," you said sniffling away another sob. You played with his fingers counting the calluses on them to distract yourself. The fear that he would turn against you some day was still there and there was nothing you could do to quiet it down. But his words lowered it a bit.
"I really need to stop being a crybaby. You're probably tired of it."
"I could never get tired of you. Come here," he said opening his arms for you with the most genuine smile on his face.
You fell into them and pressed your head to his chest while he carded a hand through your hair to calm you down. His other hand rested on your back, lightly drawing patterns on it. He rocked you back and forth for a little while, until he felt you relax against him. Peeking an eye down at you, he saw you fast asleep. Your hand was fisting his shirt so tight as if the world will fall to pieces if you let go. It reminded him of that night after he took you to watch the sunset on the hill overlooking the village. He found you plopped on your bed, so tired that you didn't even change out of your clothes. You had the same adorable pout on your face now and it made him melt.
He held you for a while to make sure you were deep in sleep before deciding to let you rest. You looked like you really needed it after the day you had. Getting up as quiet as he could, he laid you down in bed, placing your head on your pillow gently. He covered you with the duvet and tried to move away, but your hand kept him in place, fist tightening around the fabric of his shirt to pull him closer. He placed his hand on your fist, untangling it from his shirt to lace his fingers with yours instead. You turned to his side and cuddled around his hand pulling it closer to you. He knelt down beside your bed and just looked at you as he brushed your hair away from your face.
I'm not going to let anything happen to you. You're not alone anymore, my light.
It must have been the early hours of the morning when Enishi left. You've been sound asleep for a few hours and he decided to go work on some things since he wasn't going to catch any sleep for himself.
Reaching his office he was met with the door creaked open. He narrowed his eyes on it thinking back to when he left for your room. He definitely shut it closed.
Someone who wasn't supposed to be inside was messing around judging by the clutter of swords to the ground. He pushed the door open only to see his unwanted guest playing around at the sword wall. His presence went unknown to the man who had his back at him as he just stood there watching him for a while until he got annoyed.
"I would appreciate it if you stopped snooping around."
The blonde man turned around surprised that he had company, dropping the sword he was holding on the ground. It clanged loudly on the floor and Enishi moved to the door to close it, releasing an exasperated sigh.
If he wakes her up I am turning him into paper tinsel.
"So the master of the house does speak."
"What are you doing here, Sword Hunter?"
"You know who I am?"
I just said your nickname, dumbass. He really does lack intelligence doesn't he?
You didn't tell him too much about Cho. But the more he looked at him he started remembering who he was. He's heard about him before but never got a chance to see him until now. Once you told him more he pieced the puzzle together rather quickly.
Cho ignored him and continued messing around until he picked up a sword he seemed rsther interested in. He unsheathed it, testing its balance in his hand.
"A wo-dao Chinese sword. I've never seen one before."
He swung it around and held it closer to his line of sight tracing his eyes along the silver blade.
"This is a great sword."
"It could hurt you. The balance is different than Japanese swords."
Enishi's patience was running thin. The last thing he wanted to confront at the ass crack of dawn was a sword freak. He debated knocking him out and dragging him back to bed but you probably wouldn't be too happy if you knew that happened.
"You seem sure of yourself."
And you're acting like a fucking idiot.
Cho racked through the stash and threw a different sword at Enishi, suggesting testing the blades in a duel. Enishi just stared him down taking in all the bandages that littered his body. He wouldn't mind adding some more on there. But you worked too hard patching him up to do that.
"I'm not gonna fight you," he retaliated, placing the sword on his desk.
I don't want her to wake up to that. She has enough on her plate already.
"Are you you scared you'll lose?" huffed Cho.
"I could kill you right now if I wanted to." He unsheathed the sword and chuckled darkly. The look in his eyes turned murderous and it was enough to make Cho's jaw tick. He was looking for a fight and Enishi struggled keeping himself away from giving him one. With a deep sigh he put it back in its hold and went to place it back to its place neatly.
"I'm only letting you stay because she wants you here for some fucked up reason. One wrong move and you're out of here in seconds."
"Oh, but that's where you're wrong."
He put the sword he was holding on the table and looked Enishi dead in the eye.
"I'll stay as long as she wants me here," he said placing a hand on Enishi's shoulder tauntingly. "Not even you can convince her to let me go."
Morning couldn't come fast enough. You heard Enishi leave sometime in the early hours of the morning but you were too tired to register it and quickly fell back asleep. Before he left, you felt a feather like touch of what could only be his lips connecting to your temple and smiled in your sleep, hoping he noticed it.
Trudging to the bathroom you looked in the mirror and nearly screeched. Your eyes were the size of rice balls, the ginormous kind that Wu would stuff in his mouth for dinner, but with a slight touch of pink and bloodshot.
You didn't want to deal with the aftermath of yesterday at all. But you promised Enishi you would talk more things out, especially about the blondie residing in his guest room without a good explanation on why he was here other than the fact that he was hurt.
You hung your head low in shame gripping the edges of the sink. You brought a total stranger in the house that wasn't yours, got him comfortable and did not even have the courtesy of telling Enishi who the fuck he was or why he should even stay after everything.
I might be going off the rails sooner than I predicted.
Enishi had every right to be mad at you for every shitty choice you made in the last 24 hours. From going over his word multiple times and not staying in the house like he told you. For talking rudely to him at the ball for no particular reason other than what was probably jealousy. For bringing a total stranger into his house. To keeping him awake for most of the night with your own problems.
But he wasn't. On the contrary, he comforted you even after you put him through all of that. He took care of you again even after all you did was push him away. And fuck if you knew why he still did it.
I'm surprised he hasn't kicked me out yet.
But one thing did bug you. He did all that and you still weren't clear of what his intentions were or whether he felt the same for you because he hasn't said anything to seal the deal yet.
Did he even want to seal the deal? Or was it all a play again?
You did not want a rerun of what happened with Cho. You weren't sure of what exactly you felt for the blonde man but you knew it wasn't anything good. Besides, if you went through that again, especially with Enishi, it would crush you for good. You wondered when he would come clean and open up to you, hoping it would be sooner than later.
Until then, you had a breakfast to attend that had the potential to turn really messy. Both males were highly unpredictable and liked to act on impulse. If you managed to get through it without anyone getting their head ripped off their body it would be a miracle.
Lord give me strength to face the males you put on this earth.
Breakfast was going well so far, you would say. All three of you ate quietly, sparring looks at each other sheepishly. You all waited for someone to speak first and cut the tension wafting in the air.
You surely didn't want to be first as you didn't even know where to start. Start explaining some more things to Enishi and apologize for everything? Put a plate in Cho's hand and kick him out yourself? Complimenting the chef on the food? Wait this is leftovers I prepared yesterday.
You looked at Cho who was picking at the food in his plate like an ungrateful child. What could he even say? Introduce himself in a really Cho manner, jazz fingers and all, spew some lies about who he actually is and making himself more unwanted than he was at the moment? Highly likely. He didn't owe Enishi anything other than to return the clothes he borrowed.
Looking to Enishi, you didn't know what to expect. He would most likely start awkward conversation with "So what do you do?" and then expect you to elaborate whilst trying to keep Cho's mouth shut in case he decided to talk about things Enishi was better off not knowing. Or unsheathe one of his swords and turn this into a fight, considering the daggers he was throwing at him.
The possibilities were endless.
To your disappointment, Enishi did speak first and you braced for the joy that was about to become the breakfast table.
“So, how do you two know each other?”
Okay, an easy question that didn't need a complicated answer.
“We used to work together,” you said peeling a boiled egg for yourself trying to keep your composure.
Cho tapped your leg under the table asking you to peel one for him using the injured person card. He was holding the fork just fine so you just threw an eggshell at him.
“We did more than work,” said Cho, earning himself a kick under the table from you.
You narrowed your eyes at him silently telling him to watch it. He only smirked in return, enjoying that he could annoy you this much.
“It was just work,” you gritted, turning to look at Enishi. “We took out a few people in uh... team missions.”
“Oh, and how much fun we had doing it together,” chirped Cho, leaning his head on his palm.
And I thought I was off the rails. I forgot that he literally exists.
“You should’ve seen her back then. She was so ruthless and unforgiving."
Why was he suddenly acting like the president of the Miyu Hikari fanclub?
If the you from back then was sitting here now she would probably blush and feel giddy at the remark.
But your face fell at the mention of the person you used to be back then. She haunts you at night and you wished you could just forget everything about her.
Enishi saw the way you uncomfortably shifted in your seat and picked at the shell of your egg with a frown. Squinting dangerously at the blonde who seemed to be enjoying himself a little too much, he interfered.
“Actually, she appears to be doing pretty well now, I would say.” Your eyes snapped up to him, a small smile of acknowledgment on his lips directed at you. “She’s so much stronger now.”
Your heart skipped a beat at his words. Now that he knew about your past and how much it took to get to where you are now, he seemed to have a different level of admiration for you. He was still so trusting in your abilities and it was beyond your understanding how he could just sit there believing you could lift planet Earth if you wanted to. And he would totally support you.
But of course, Cho had to ruin the moment.
“If that’s true, then she should be able to actually take me down in a fight now without using tricks,” he cocked an eyebrow at you.
It was a little bet you always had going when you trained with him. Whoever pinned the other to the ground first would get bragging benefits for the day. Loser would also have to chip in with whatever the winner wanted. You smiled a little remembering all the times you won over him and he had to buy you a ginormous amount of sweets. You did use a few tricks to get him off guard like winking at him or blowing him a kiss and he fell for it every single time. He liked the attention and that was one of his biggest weaknesses.
The good times blurred the bad ones for a little moment of bittersweet melancholy. Maybe it wasn't all that bad that he was back.
“I’m not fighting you when you’re wrapped in bandages like a mummy,” you said, munching on a piece of bread.
“Then when I’m better!”
“You’re not staying here,” cut in Enishi.
Did he mean here as in the mansion or here as in near you? From the way he gripped his mug it could be both.
“But he’s injured,” you turned to him as did Cho, with a more dramatic expression akin to distorted puppy eyes. "Stop making that face. It's creeping me out."
Enishi got up and took your wrist pulling you to the side to discuss privately about your guest. He had a bad feeling about him ever since he caught him snooping around his office last night. His mere existence pissed him off and it was slowly becoming a problem.
“I don’t want him here more than he should be staying here.”
“And he won’t be here longer than it takes to heal his wounds,” you prodded. “Let him stay for at least a week.”
A week would give you time to sort some stuff out with both of them and send Cho away with a clean conscience that he was healed and hopefully in one piece.
“A week?! Two days max."
“Five days!”
“Three days.”
“Four,” you begged, hands held together in a prayer. “You won’t even know he’s here.”
His tongue poked his cheek as he thought your proposal over. He didn't have anything to lose but the guy made him really suspicious. The way he looked and talked to you infuriated him beyond normal. He didn't understand why you were so keen on him staying here. But he would yield in, for now.
“Okay,” he sighed defeatedly. "But one wrong move or word and he's gone."
“Thank you, Enishi!"
You got a bit too excited and without a second thought you leaned up and kissed his cheek. Your brain short-circuited when you processed your lips touching his soft cheek. Both of you got surprised by your gesture, eyes widened in shock as you pulled away. The slightest tint of a blush was painted on your cheeks.
“I’ll uh… go do the dishes.”
What the hell was I thinking?!
You started backing away shyly before your heart could implode. Rushing your steps you nearly knocked down a chair as you hastily ran inside.
“Do you need help-“
“IM GOOD!”
He touched his cheek feeling the spot where your lips were pressed in a peck just a few moments ago and shook his head at you with a smile. You were truly something else. But the minute his eyes laid on the unwanted guest munching away at the food on the table like a gorilla, his smile fell.
I’m doing this for her. I need to show her that I can interact with other people without wanting to skewer them alive.
He went to sit back down at the table. He wanted to at least finish his tea before looking for excuses to leave.
“It’s so nice to have company after being solo for so long.”
“Mhm. I bet.”
“You’re not much of talker are you?”
“Nope.” I am but not with people like you.
“I’m sure you’ll warm up to me soon.”
“Surely," he smiled. I’d rather go sit with Wu for a week than spend one more minute with you.
“Enishi!” You called out to him from the kitchen. Ah, thank god.
“Coming!” he sat up from the table quick as lightning and dashed inside to you. “What do you need?”
“Can you fold my sleeves so I won’t get them wet?” You didn’t even finish and he was already doing your sleeves all the way up above your elbows. “Thank you!”
“No problem."
He looked at the pile of dishes you started washing, hoping you would ask him to help. Anything to stay in here with you than go outside to that creature.
"Is there anything else I can help with?”
“You could ask Cho if he wants anything else.”
His hopes were shattered the second his name cane oit of your mouth. He looked at you as if you asked him to bring you a bear or something. His eyes were pleading to stay with you in the kitchen but all you saw was a look that was weirding you out.
“Or you could wipe these dry," you suggested pointing to the dishes that needed to be taken off the drying rack so you could put the others instead.
Okay, that I can do.
“Gladly," he smiled.
You shook your head, giggling at his antics. You could tell he wasn't that fond of blondie. Cho's presence bugged you at first too but he grew on you over time. He was still the same idiot putting himself in danger recklessly but most times you were there to get him out of it.
Whatever you saw in him back then was pure and underneath all that mischief there was a boy who just didn't know what to do with his life. You understood him more than he understood you and you couldn't help but empathise with him.
"He's not that bad, you know," you said washing one of the bigger plates. You handed it to Enishi and watched him wipe it dry on all corners. Clean freak, you thought smiling.
"I'll believe it when I see it. All he's done so far is eat and sleep for free," he picked up another dish, "and make you uncomfortable after you literally saved and took care of him."
He had a point. But then again that was what you were doing too. Enishi took you in and cared for you like you were one of his own and all you did lately was abuse that. And it made you feel bad no matter how much he told you everything was okay and that he wasn't mad about it in the slightest.
"He's the only person I had for a while. As much as we didn't part on good terms I owe him a little."
Enishi wasn't stupid. He could tell there was something more between the two of you, besides slaying people for money together. He just wasn't sure if that something died three years ago, but he knew that feelings don't go away so easily. No matter how hard you try to make them disappear.
Living with not one but two copies of the male species was interesting to say the least. It's been only one day of cohabitating together and there was already a growing tension between the two.
Enishi didn't really acknowledge Cho's existence unless you mentioned him in conversation. Cho tried to annoy him on occasions where he let his guard down around you but most of the times it didn't work in his favour and he ended up being ignored.
However, the macho vibes were very strong as you were training today. Cho looked up to joining in with you and you let him despite Enishi's silent protests. You wished you listened to them.
Stretching your bodies before practice turned into a muscle flexing competition. Cho rolled his sleeves above his elbows and unbuttoned his shirt down to his navel, while Enishi took off his kimono to be left only in his tank top.
You gulped at the sight, eyes darting from one man to the other. Cho's veiny hands caught your attention first. Then your eyes moved from his collar bone all the way down to the outline of his abs that were peeking from under his shirt. You've seen them in passing when you patched him up. But seeing them in broad daylight was a totally different story. They looked so defined and sculpted. You unconsciously licked your lips at the sight, wondering how it would feel to take your time counting the squares one by one.
Your eyes then settled on Enishi and your breath hitched. His muscly biceps were already glistening with sweat from just stretching, but it was enough to make you want to chomp down on them. You've seen them so many times before but they made your mouth water every time. One flex of it and you would be on the floor seeking medical assistance.
You didn't even realise they were looking at you until you heard Cho's high pitched laughing. Enishi seemed quite amused by your reaction too, chuckling to himself. They caught you full on staring at their goodies with no shame. You wanted the ground to swallow you whole from the embarrassment.
Cho walked to you and you planted your feet to the floor trying to get back to your serious face. He stopped just a patch of grass away from you but it was enough to make you breathless. His abs were right in front of you, an elbow away.
"Better wipe the drool on your lips, princess," he said as he wiped it from your lips with his thumb.
This fucker. Wait until I wipe my fist on your lips.
"Fuck off," you pushed him away and got back to stretching with your back to them.
All was well until sword practice turned into a contest of the fittest. You were getting back to grips with your jian sword trying to remember the basic moves Enishi taught you. But the two men in front of you were deep in focus with their own longer katanas, practicing deep slashes coupled with some aerial moves. Looking at them sitting side by side, you noticed their styles were awfully similar, the only difference being that Enishi was faster and made use of his surroundings, while Cho was slower and used more tricks to slow down his opponent. Both of them appeared to be in their own element and it was a sight to behold.
Sparring wise you were kind of tossed to the side. They were too busy staring daggers at one another to notice you were there to learn stuff too. One rude insult from Cho and a twitch of Enishi's jaw later they took it upon themselves to duel.
Stepping backwards to give them more space you watched as they lunged at each other. Their eyes turned dark as their blades clashed, all semblance of humanity gone from both of them. Enishi was back in his unyielding form, forcing his attacks like a wild beast pouncing on his prey. Cho was actively trying to piss him off with tricks, sneering viciously the more he dodged Enishi's blade and pushed his buttons.
After some push and pull, combined with some cussing, the two broke apart with heaving breaths. They swirled their swords around to stretch their wrists as they continued circling each other.
"Quit playing around and fight for real," gritted Enishi.
"I am fighting for real," grunted Cho. "I think it's you who's holding back."
"I'm only holding back so I don't accidentally kill you."
"Why don't you do it then?"
He chuckled. For a brief moment his eyes locked with yours and he got some of his rationale back. He wasn't a fool. He could see right through his intentions.
"You want me to lose it and make myself look bad in front of her, don't you?"
Cho stopped moving around and played around with his blade. He got caught in the act and the look on his face gave it away too easily.
Enishi swung at him and he jumped over the slash that could've cut him in half. He spun trying to get Enishi off balance and tried cutting him back but Enishi was too fast and he could only dodge left and right.
Cho started getting sloppy. He swayed on his feet due to the gash in his leg that didn't heal properly yet. He knew he wasn't supposed to be out here but his pride got the best of him. He wanted to see what Enishi was made of and it was quite clear that he was a strong opponent.
Enishi noticed he was getting slower and used that to his advantage, combining moves that only pushed him to the edge. He wanted him to give it up and accept defeat.
Cho was forced to defend himself when Enishi's sword came down from above, blades meeting again with much more force than before. Both of them pushed with as much strength as they could to throw the other one off.
"If you're that sure of yourself, why don't we take a bet?" proposed Cho in a ploy to get Enishi to retreat.
"Oh yeah? What's in it for me?"
Cho turned his head to you and Enishi followed his gaze as they both lowered their blades. You were sitting on the ground staring up at the sky. You looked so at peace for once in a while that it calmed him down too, adrenaline from the moment drawing back into him. Cho was just as entranced by you.
"Let's see which one of us she actually wants. We both have a week to figure her out. If it's you she wants I'll be out of both of your lives in a heartbeat."
The offer was tempting. Enishi believed he had the upper hand here. He saw the way you looked at him and he wasn't entirely blind to your feelings, even if he himself was confused with his. You also had a connection between you that was hard to tear down, as much as blondie tried to interfere. If all these things played out in his favour, he could fly out the door sooner than the agreed timeline. It was a win-win situation.
But there was the possibility of him being wrong. There was a chance you still felt something for Cho and those feelings could just be waiting for him to do something to try and get you back. What if they would grow back stronger the more time you spent around him?
As much as he wanted to believe things could play out in his favour, the situation said otherwise.
Although, he was sure of one thing. That he was willing to bet everything to keep you with him. No matter what.
"But if she wants me-," Cho continued only to get cut off harshly.
"I won't let that happen," thundered Enishi.
He was more sure of himself than he's ever been before, especially because this involved you. He would stop at nothing to win you over.
"Bring it on."
Thank you for reading! As always, comments, likes and reblogs are welcome :)
#Addicting Taste#enishi yukishiro#enishi yukishiro fanfiction#rurouni kenshin#enishi yukishiro x reader#enishi yukishiro x you#i truly hope you don't hate me after reading it
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Crimson Desire 🩸
Pairing: Enishi Yukishiro x reader
Genre: vampire au, smut
tw: blood
Word count: 4.4k+
A/N: this drabble is dedicated to my fellow vampire land occupiers. happy national day to us ;) this is a little self-indulgent on parts but don't mind that.
ps. the visceral gut-wrenching feeling this gif instillls in me is maddening. it gives me the eebie jeebies in both a bad and a good sense.
He had everything.
The fame with the parties he threw in his castle. The wealth to put kings to shame, drowning in precious jewels and gold. The young girls falling at his feet after just one look at him, that he later turned into victims the moment they crossed his threshold.
But he didn't have a heart. He was ruthless, too impatient not to kill his catch in cold blood. Too cold-hearted not to torture them so barbaric that you could hear their screams echo from the castle walls all the way into the village in the middle of the night.
And people just let him do whatever he desired, whenever he desired, to whoever he desired.
Ever since you were a child, you were told to avoid him at all costs. To keep the doors shut tight at night so he wouldn't be able to haunt you. That once he laid his eyes on you, you were done for. That you would become just one of his many victims. A mere human at the mercy of the Prince of Darkness.
Run, evil spirits, ward off the home
Wretched be thy dirty souls,
Run, tainted innocent blood
For the sun will burn your load
These chants reverberated around the square as the villagers gathered for their annual protection ritual to ward off evil spirits. Well, they mostly wanted him gone.
They danced and sung at the top of their lungs with the objective to get him angry enough to leave the area once and for all. They tried everything from showing up to his castle with pitchforks to cutting down trees and blocking the roads to keep him away from the village. But every year on this day, he would pick up one of the girls in the village and take her with him just to spite them. To make them think twice before trying stupid ceremonies with bland herbs and vegetables. To show them there was nothing they could do to get rid of him.
The girls he would take would either disappear or come back as totally different people, traumatised for life by the things they had seen in his castle. They couldn't talk about what they experienced, but the few that did ended up losing their sanity or dying in mysterious ways. The villagers turned them into outcasts and never spoke of them again.
The next day, he would waltz into the square with a grin on his face, proud to see them cower in fear. He walked around like he owned the land, which he did. The businesses in the square were his wealth and entertainment providers, whether they liked it or not.
You've seen him a few times when you went out for groceries. He was rounding the shops with a few servants following him, sheltering his eerily pale face from the sun under a dark umbrella. Everyone would throw him fake smiles, too afraid to not cross him. He wouldn't mind the prying stares or the way people hid away, going about his day like it was a normal thing to instill fear into people both at night and in broad daylight.
But you were intrigued by his presence. The way he carried himself with calculated steps, back muscles moving back and forth with sheer power and stealth, entranced you. Though his hair was whiter than anything you've ever seen and his roots staggered gray, his physique put him in his early twenties. The most you've seen of his face was below his sculpted nose - two lips, top one so long and crescent-shaped, bottom one so round and plump. You didn't need to see his eyes to know they were perfectly fitted for a killer.
You couldn't help feeling curious about him. He couldn't be as scary as they painted him out to be. Although, you had the bad habit of seeing the good in the worst people and it led you into a trap most of the time.
You started going out more, for the sole purpose of looking for him. Before you knew it, it turned into a daily habit. Perched on the side of the same alley you walked back to your house, you watched as he did his usual routine, scouting the grounds for his new victim. You let out a deep sigh at seeing him turn for the gates to go back to his castle.
Today, more than any other day, your mind wandered to dark places that spoke of your newfound want to be one of the girls he picked up. To get the opportunity to see his eyes up close, even if it would cost you the clarity of your mind or your quick death.
He stilled in his tracks by the entrance into the square and turned the side of his head around just slightly your way. You could faintly make out the corner of his mouth twitching upwards in a knowing smirk. As if he heard your deepest thoughts being voiced aloud before your conscience could take control.
Curiosity killed the cat, but you couldn't care less about that.
Nightmares were a common ordeal for you lately. You would go to sleep in the most comfortable position only to wake up in a cold sweat, confusion swirling in your head at the chilling scenes projected by your subconscious. The weirdest thing was that it was always the same dream making you toss and turn endlessly, bunching the sheets under you and pushing the pillows off the bed. Though the scenes replayed in your mind a lot rougher tonight.
You were being chased in the woods, an unknown figure set for your capture. The forest seemed to come to no end as each corner you rounded looked exactly the same, tall trees and interwoven bushes the only thing in your path. You would run as fast as your bare feet could take you but the silhouette chasing you seemed to gain even more speed on you. You were certain it fed on your fear and desperation to get away, thing that only made it grow faster on your tail. Your night robe got caught on all the weeds springing from the grass, tearing apart higher and higher up your legs.
The creature inevitably closed in on you, an icy hand touching your exposed shoulder as a dark chuckle rumbled from behind you. I caught you, it would say. You turned to see its face just as you jolted awake.
Frantically, you looked around to see you were in the safety of your home, door in the corner latched closed. You took a few deep breaths to calm your racing heart, dabbing your soaked shirt along your forehead to collect the new beads of sweat forming.
The room felt way too hot for the cold weather outside. A look through your window told you it was way past midnight, pitch black drenching the contour of the woods surrounding your house.
As much as you didn't want to go against popular belief and walk the woods especially tonight when he lurked around, you really needed the fresh air if you wanted to get any sleep at all.
You put on a coat over your night robe and laced up your boots sauntering outside, daze of your previous nightmare still lingering around. Your warm face instantly found relief in the cold air as you walked through the meadow with slow steps.
The full moon illuminated the night, its brightness becoming dimmer the more you walked into the forest. You were too engrossed in your thoughts to notice how far you were from your house, until you stumbled on a rock and fell down a slope. You rolled around in the murky grass and spiky bushes until you hit the bark of a tree with your leg, letting out a pained scream.
You hissed as you felt the scratches on your arms grow deeper and looked at your bleeding leg, the skin around your knee pulled up from the bone. It definitely shouldn't look like that. Blood spilled onto the humid ground and it looked like it wouldn't stop unless you closed the wound soon.
"This is what I get for being a klutz," you huffed, leaning back against the tree. You had to get help before you bled out.
A chill suddenly crawled up your spine, as if you were being watched. Turning around to look at your surroundings you saw nothing. You shook your head thinking it was just a remnant of your earlier night terror or a product of your current wound that started hurting the more you just sat on the floor.
Looking around you found a twig beside you. It was long enough to at least support your weight on it until you could find help back in the village. Groaning as you tried to lift yourself up, you used the bark of the tree as support only to slide back down to the ground the moment you put pressure on your leg.
You took a few more deep breaths as your heart started racing again in the same way it did when you woke up. The forest suddenly felt more suffocating than your room as you looked up to the sky to see it entirely covered by the tree line. You strayed way too far from safety and now you were injured with no way to get back.
Multiple chills climbed up your back again and this time it felt like someone was right behind you, breathing icicles down your neck. You spun around looking at every bush and tree only to find nothing again.
"My mind is playing with me," you breathed in slowly with your eyes closed trying to calm down. "No one is following me."
"Are you sure about that, darling?" a deep voice spoke from behind you, hair rising on your arms.
You let out a piercing scream as you whirled around only to come face to face with dark eyes boring into you. They screamed hunger and delight as they identified you as their dish for tonight.
"Don't come any closer!"
You tried to look confident despite your voice betraying you, coming out barely above a whisper. He smirked at your attempt at false bravery.
"Or what?"
The playfulness in his tone made you feel sick. The adrenaline of your wound and the fear of coming face to face with the Prince of Darkness himself made you stand up on the defense. Though you knew you had no chance against him you wanted to try and guard yourself.
You waved the twig in your hand in front of his face in a show of attack that he found extremely amusing. He left out a chuckle that turned into a sinister laugh echoing around you in the endless forest making you shiver.
The familiarity of it... It couldn't be. But the more you heard it the more you could confirm that it indeed was the same dark chuckle haunting your dreams every night.
"You're cute." He started walking closer to you and you panicked, shrinking into the tree that was supporting you. The tip of the twig pressed into his broad chest as he stopped a few meters in front of you. A safe distance some would say, but too close for your liking.
"I'm going to make it easy for you," he spoke, trailing his eyes from the end of the twig to your hand, until they reached your own. "You either come with me or you become a late dinner to the wolves."
Just as those words came out of his mouth you heard wolves howling nearby. Way too near to make it out in your current state by yourself. The pain in your leg pulsed unbearably the longer you stood, turning your sight blurry. Training your eyes back to him you saw him lick his lips as he looked at your bleeding leg.
You weren't keen on either of the choices he offered you. You would've went with him willingly before but now, as he stood dangerously in your space, you would rather become food for the wolves.
"I'm not coming with you." You were going to tell him where to shove it but just as you finished the sentence a wave of nausea washed over you and you stumbled.
Your knees grew weak, gravity pulling you to the ground as the bark of the tree did little to support you anymore. Your energy drained out quicker than you wished it to. Your predator took notice of it as the twig in your hand clattered to the floor against your will, eliminating the only obstacle between you and the blood-thirsty monster before you.
You prayed someone would find you before this monster took you away. But your prayers remained unanswered as you started your descent to meet the muddy ground, only to have a strong pair of arms wrapping around you before your head could hit the ground. They pulled you closer gently, one icy hand cradling your head in his chest where no heart was beating.
"I don't think you have a choice, sweetheart," you heard him say as he whisked you up in the air.
You wanted to thrash in his arms, scream for help with the little strength you had left. But you were too weak to save yourself. You tried to keep your eyes open as your head lolled to his shoulder, body growing weaker by the second as darkness threatened to take you away.
"Don't die on me now, human." The way he said the word like he loathed the whole human species terrified you. Your eyes closed as you felt heavier in his arms. You heard him curse and mumble something before you let unconsciousness welcome you in her arms. "Not now when I can finally hold you."
The throbbing in your head intensified as you tried to pry your eyes open. It felt like an impossible task but you finally got them open just a crack, blurry with the same mental fog you were trying to navigate.
The first thing you noticed was that you were not in your room. Feeling the material draped over you under your finger tips you figured it was a satin duvet, more valuable than anything you ever owned. The walls were painted in dark and golden motives, the only patch of light colour being the white bedding you were safely bundled in.
You sat up and moved your legs to the edge of the bed, wincing at the pain in your leg. Remembering the wound, your fingers moved to it to find that it was bandaged up pretty well. You got up to test your leg and it seemed stable enough to get you out of this place.
Making your way out of the room you came to a long hallway that was filled with paintings. There was a portrait of some dead person that probably inhabited the house above every other wall. All of them so dashing and young looking that it was hard to think anyone old actually ever lived here.
The vintage air of the place made you uneasy. There was no presence of life anywhere you looked. No ghostly existence either. As if both life and death feared this place.
You rounded a corner stepping into what looked like a big living room. It was ticked in gold and red from the furniture all the way to the carpeted floors. Another portrait sat above the fireplace that looked unused for decades, gathering dust on the piles of coal ready to be scorched.
Something about the portrait drew you closer. You definitely saw the guy in the portrait somewhere but you couldn't tell where. Until you focused on his eyes. They were dark and hungry, a dark blue enunciated around the black pupils, just like those in your nightmares. Just like those of the person everyone feared the most.
"Great portrait isn't it?" asked a voice from behind you. You jumped, stumbling around the room to put as much distance between you and him.
Each furniture piece you circled became a lost effort as he would find a way to appear right in front of you in a heartbeat. You tried running back to the hallway only for the doors to shut tight, locking you inside. You sped around the room to find another way out but wherever you turned he would come face to face with you.
"We can do this all day. Or we can talk."
"I have nothing to talk with you," you spat as you were currently rounding the couch in the middle of the room.
"Oh, I think you do." He suddenly appeared in front of you making you stumble and fall on the couch with a groan, your injured leg hitting the side of it.
He came closer to you, kneeling down to place his ice cold hands on top of your thighs. You wanted to push them away but the stern look on his face told you to stay put.
"Your eyes don't lie, darling. I can see you're curious about me."
His dark eyes bore into you a little less threatening than they did the night before. But they still made you feel bare. Like you wore nothing but fear in front of him.
As much as he intimidated you, he also piqued your curiosity. You were torn on whether he repulsed you or attracted you. No human in your position would have thoughts like these cross their mind in the face of danger. Maybe your sanity was already off the rails.
He reached out a pale hand to touch your face and you recoiled away. You wanted to stand your ground but you were scared.
"I won't do anything to you," he reassured you, his deep voice sounding much softer now. As much as you wanted to believe him you couldn't help but feel afraid. His ghostly appearance and the way his fangs flashed ever so slightly when he talked made you tremble.
But you wanted to see where this would go. You hesitantly leaned forward and let his hand warily cup your cheek. He felt cold compared to the blood that ran through your cheeks. A thumb stroked the dark circles under your eyes, tracing the soft skin.
"You haven't been sleeping, have you?"
"How did you know?"
"Your face is so pale, you look more like a corpse than I do."
You slapped his hand away and looked down at your lap fidgeting with your hands. It was true your nightmares have been keeping you awake for a while. Okay, maybe more than a while. You tried everything to fall back asleep the way you used to. Different herbal teas, meditation, even warm milk that mostly worked for babies. Nothing seemed to work or give you the slightest relief.
"I can help you."
You lifted your eyes to him. You were desperate but you didn't know what he would ask of you in return. You weren't dumb enough to think this could be just a one time deal. He wanted something from you.
"At what cost?"
"So you're smart too," he chuckled darkly, shaking his head. "At the cost of a taste of you," he fixed you with his eyes. He said it so nonchalantly like it was a normal thing.
"A taste of me?" you pointed to yourself confused as he nodded.
Well, he wouldn't really eat you, would he? You could tell from the way he held himself that he wasn't much into cannibalism. Brainstorming every other possible way he could mean taste, you came across a very lewd scenario.
At the bare thought your hands shot up to cover your chest. Not that you would mind those fantasies coming true, but you were far from experienced in that field.
He seemed to be able to tell where your mind went and shook his head at you.
"Not that," his laughter boomed. "You really are the cutest thing, aren't you?"
"Just tell me what you want from me."
You were growing impatient and all you wanted was to go back to sleep in your own bed, safe from the creature in front of you. Sleeping soundly in the comfort of your own home, not in this cold castle devoid of human life.
"What I really want from you is your blood."
My blood? What was so special about my blood?
You knew he chose you for some reason. But why you? There were so many other girls who would kill to have him taste their blood, as idiotic as that sounds considering the villagers' efforts to drive him away from here. But from all those girls he picked you. You fit the description of his victims perfectly, a young adult girl who had no experience on anything besides doing groceries and existing. But there were more prettier girls out there with probably a lot more satisfaction to offer him. Or he wasn't looking for satisfaction?
"Why me?"
"Because I've had my eyes on you for a while and I want to help you."
He was lying. You knew he had to be lying because there was no way in hell he actually wanted to help you.
How could you know he won't bleed you dry? What made you so sure that your nightmares would actually stop once you let him bite you? All these questions made you reluctant to accept. He was too evil to be trusted so blindly. Even if a part of you wanted to trust him.
"I won't bleed you dry. The venom from a bite has healing properties in that sense so the more you consume the less nightmares you'll have. And your knee will heal better."
You pulled your legs away from his grasp sinking deeper into the couch as another chill ran down your spine. He could read your thoughts. It terrified the fuck out of you.
"You can read thoughts too?!"
"You don't even know the half of it."
You mulled the situation over, his earlier revelation kept close in case he decided to read your thoughts again. The worse that could happen if you let him bite you is that you could die. The best in that case would mean you were nightmare free, able to sleep soundly again.
You still didn't trust him enough to accept his deal and he sensed it together with your uneasiness and the new wave of anxiety washing over you. He moved to sit next to you in an attempt to calm you before you started hyperventilating, but you shifted into the couch corner tucking your knees to your chest.
He sighed trying to think what to do with you. You were a ball of nerves right now. He wanted to try to get you to open up and trust him but he knew he would get nowhere if he didn't open up first.
Normally, he would have bled you dry by now if it wasn't for the hold you had on him, more specifically the hold your scent had on him. He did not have a conscience but something told him to take it easy on you. It was unnatural for him. He was quick to kill his catch, torturing them by entering their thoughts and using their weaknesses to his advantage. But he couldn't do that with you.
You looked like the smallest rabbit being cornered by a predator. He didn't want you to think that that was the current situation as you shuffled away from him in fear. So he told you something no human, dead or alive, has ever heard before. His name.
"Enishi."
"What?"
"My name is Enishi. I know everyone refers to me as the Prince of Darkness but that just makes me look ancient as fuck."
His words seemed to work as you couldn't help but giggle. Your nerves eased a little bit as you uncurled your legs from your chest. He told you his name to make you feel more comfortable and more compelled to accept his deal. He still made it entirely your choice and didn't force anything on you. You wanted to accept it but there was still one question that was left unanswered.
"You still haven't told me why you want my blood specifically."
He looked away from you, debating on whether he should tell you. What if that made you refuse his proposal? Hell, if he told you his name of all things he had to continue being honest with you.
"It's your scent. It drives me crazy the more I feel it," he said as he leaned down towards your neck. "You have to let me get a taste of it."
You could tell by the way he fisted the ends of his shirt that he was holding back from taking you then and there. His eyes were closed and his jaw ticked from simply being close to you, annoyed that he couldn't just sink his fangs into you until you gave him the approval. He craved you so badly, but he had to wait until you were ready. Something told him that was the only right way.
"I'll do it."
His eyes snapped to you. All your life, you were told to stay away from him. To hate him like everyone else did. To blame him for all the evils in the world. But the way your hand sat over his right now, making it warm like he hasn't felt in centuries, told him you weren't like the others. You had a mind of your own. You knew what you wanted and it put him off wanting to attack you like he did with his usual prey. As much as he piqued your interest, you piqued his too.
Underneath all of that he managed to see right through you.
"You want something else besides a cure, don't you?"
He could see that your nightmares weren't the main reason you were so keen to accept a deal with the devil. Though your thoughts were empty now, your eyes told him all he needed to know.
You wanted to know how it felt like to sin with him. To throw all resolve to the fire. To be bound to him in some way other than seeing him in your night terrors.
"I will not do that to you. All I want is your blood."
You lifted a hand to rest on his cheek and he visibly tensed at the touch. You felt him draw in a sharp breath as you trailed your hand down to the base of his neck, his hands coming to sit on your waist as a warning.
"What if I want that too?"
You did something you've never done before. You closed the distance between you as your chaste lips connected with his. He couldn't hold back anymore when you bit down on his lip and one of his hands climbed up to grab the back of your head to give him more access to your mouth.
He laid you down on the couch and your hands reached out to roam his body, palms coming into contact with his defined chest and abdomen. He grabbed your hand roughly and pinned it next to your head.
You thought the couch was a little uncomfortable in your current position. That thought was all it took for him to wrap his arms around your back and lift you up from the couch. In one swift move you were now pressed against the wall, legs anchored around his torso. A few paintings fell down from the force he used to push you against the wall. His lips returned to yours with even more hunger, raising fire into your mouth the more your tongues fought for dominance. His hands moved to feel your body now, icy fingers scorching your heated skin. The second they snuck under your shirt to hold your waist you lost it and moaned in his mouth. He smirked in the kiss, loving the sounds you were already making for him. He didn't even touch you and you were already falling apart.
The ache in your core felt painful the more he overlooked it and you cursed youreelf for being so transparent because all of a sudden you were moved to a table at the corner of the room. Books and trinkets were swiped to the floor as you were laid down in their place. His hands came to slide off your shirt ripping it at the seams one by one as your chest was now exposed to him. He licked his lips at the sight. You were exactly how he imagined you would be.
He got on top of the table standing above you as his lips found your again, this time with an addition as his hands came to cup your breasts. He swallowed all of your moans, ears delighted to hear you so vocal. All for him and no one else.
"Don't hold back, darling. Sing to me all you want."
His voice rumbled as he laid his mouth on the slope between your mounds and it turned you on even more. Your hands laced in his gray hair pulling at it when he swirled his tongue in places you never thought would give you this much pleasure. He let his lips walk agonisingly slow down your torso as your breaths quickened.
He groaned when he reached the band of your pants and you sat up taking them off and tossing them to the side too impatient to wait. The wooden table felt cold as all parts of your body were now exposed but his hands warmed you up quickly as he laid you back down. One of his hands came to secure you in place before he nipped at the skin around your soaked core. Your hands had nothing to grab onto except his own. He laced his fingers with yours before he dove into you.
The feeling you were experiencing was so new and so different but it felt so good. It felt like your body was on fire as it was held down by the biggest iceberg that refused to melt at your high temperature, steam pouring out the more it leaked into you, stretching you out beyond your limits. His skilled tongue worked inside you and licked every drop dry as your dam broke. The grip on his hand let loose and he moved back up to your mouth, letting you taste yourself.
If this was how good you tasted he wouldn't be able to hold back the minute his fangs pierced your neck and the smallest drop of your blood would be on his lips.
You pulled at his shirt sliding it down his back. He looked tones with a shirt on but the sculpted figure that sat before you was heavenly. You fantasised about a moment like this before and it was not doing you well the more you stared. So you took to showing your appreciation by peppering kisses all over his neck. He grabbed your hair and pulled at it the more you bit into his skin.
He loved the feeling you gave him, unlike anything anyone ever did for him. But he was growing impatient too, a different hunger replacing him as he took a hold of your hips to place you on top of him. He saw the uncertainty in your eyes but he reassured you as he guided you to where you needed to be, mouth finding yours again.
Your pace was slow because you weren't accustomed to this. It was all way too new to you. He helped you roll your hips and you felt the discomfort turning to pleasure.
In an instant, you ended up on the floor in the hallway of the castle, laid on the cold tiles as your body was burning with desire. He devoured you whole, pounding into you so raw and rapid that it made you see stars. You were like two animals in heat scalding in the light of the moon. He trailed kisses all over your neck looking for a spot to mark you, indecisive in picking just one spot. He finally chose a place and looked at you one last time for confirmation and you nodded ardently at him.
You wanted to know what kind of new feeling he could give you when he bit you. Whether it was pleasant or not you welcomed it with open arms.
He picked a spot below your neck, near your collar bone. He stopped moving inside do you and kissed the area until it rendered you mad. Your whines told him you couldn't wait anymore so he started moving again, fangs now lightly grazing your neck. The moment he reached deep inside of you, hitting that sweet spot that made your eyes roll back, he sunk his teeth into you. A scream erupted from you as it hurt worse than you imagined it could. But the pain quickly turned into pleasure, mixing with the euphoric sensations in your core. Your moans turned erratic and you gripped his back like claws on a board, pulling them down his defined muscles, feeling the bumps as you made them deeper. He was the one who moaned this time, enjoying the three different ways he was consuming you right now. You were both somewhere between pain and pleasure, dangling above the pit of lust dangerously. One push to any of them and one or both of you would lose yourselves completely.
You were getting dizzier the more he sucked on your neck, blood leaking through the bites he made in your skin. He seemed to be too entranced in the taste of your blood to notice that your grip on his back loosened. Your moans turned quieter as you finally reached your release but he kept going trying to reach his, both inside and outside of you. Your sight got blurrier and the crystal ceiling was the last thing you saw before you let darkness consume you.
Thank you for reading :) As always, likes, comments and reblogs are welcome!
#enishi yukishiro#rurouni kenshin#enishi yukishiro fanfiction#enishi yukishiro x reader#enishi yukishiro x you
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Addicting Taste Chapter 4
Synopsis: Enishi Yukishiro was on a mission to execute his piece de la resistance. A plan to avenge his beloved sister. Until you showed up. Will you be a part of his downfall or will you try to save him?
Pairing: Enishi Yukishiro x reader
Genre: strangers to lovers, sunshine and sunshine protector, comedic relief, slow burn, a lot of fluff, occasional smut (soon), angst
Word count: 8.9k+
A/N: This chapter is full of angst I would say. Enishi's true nature comes out a lot and he vents his frustrations on Miyu. Please don't hate me :') This is only the calm before the storm.
Powered by Mackenyu’s outstanding portrayal of Enishi’s character in Rurouni Kenshin: The Final, I hereby present you a story ripped from the figments of my mind. I hope you’ll love their story as much as I do. Enjoy lovelies, Paula.
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Previous Next Bonus Chapter 6
Enishi's brain was playing a rerun of today's events as he walked the hallway to his office. The smile that stamped his lips seemed to not want to leave at all after the moment in your room. The way you cuddled up to him made that cold heart of his thaw over. You looked like the smallest creature on earth seeking comfort in the presence of your biggest predator. That’s when it hit him that you weren't afraid of him. And it confused him.
People were always throwing him disapproving looks, calling him heartless and all kinds of insults in just one breath. But they could barely muster the courage to look his way without a chill running down their spine. They were afraid of him and he used that to his advantage every time he needed to. But you were different. He was taken aback by your compassion and warmth. It was something he hasn’t felt since his sister. Tomoe.
He stopped in his tracks in the dark hallway as the thought of her crossed his mind, your favourite painting sitting stark before him. He recalled the day he made it, a heavy weight tightening around his heart at the memory. He painted it after one of his hardest days, when his mind couldn't give him the respite he needed.
He was sitting in his office, plans scattered across the desk, stressed out of his mind. He felt suffocated in this big and empty house, so he furiously left the mansion in search of a way to breathe. Taking to the wooden trail up the hills, he climbed until his feet felt sore and his lungs were gasping for air. The earlier rainfall tore apart at the forest, the same way his mind was destroying everything in its wake.
Reaching the opening in the trees overlooking the village he settled on the ground, dirt sticking to his clothes. He tried to fight his thoughts away, gripping his chest in a plea to push some air inside. He kicked and punched his emotions until he couldn't fight them anymore, letting himself be consumed. Everything suddenly became too much. Feeling, seeing, tasting turned into the hardest tasks.
It felt like death was upon him, knocking on his door with a sick grin. But he couldn't go just yet. He couldn't go in peace until he avenged her. He didn't believe in god but he raised all the prayers he could for anyone to hear him and help. Help him find the way back to the light that left his world.
Just when he thought all resolve was gone to shit, he got a response. Warm rays of sun hit his cold skin, willing him to regain some of his energy. Opening his eyes he sat up from his curled position on the ground and looked ahead. A sunset rose on the horizon, drenching the hills into a vivid green, the valley below dressed in a warm orange. The cold hills appeared to warm up as the sun turned golden in the sky.
As far away as the sun felt, it managed to comfort him. It let him know he was not alone, drying the salty tears falling down his face. That's when he found solace in this place. A place where he could let himself be even just for a while without prying eyes or battle plans clouding his mind. Just breathing, existing and feeling.
He didn't even know how long he was sitting there until the slow fall of night darkened the crests of the hills in a dark shade of blue. The valley was still basking in the warmth of the sun's last rays for the day. The hills looked willing to let the cold and darkness surround them just to see the valley this bright and warm. They would sit and face the chaos of the world just to see the valley full of light. It was like a secret promise of protection until time would end.
He wanted to protect someone like that too, even after failing to do that for his sister. He had all this power with nothing real to use it for and he wanted to give it a shot. He would face the world with all his might if it meant he could feel warmth like this again.
When he got back to the mansion, he scrambled for an empty canvas and pulled up the colours stacked in the desk drawers. He painted the scenery the best he could, pouring out everything he felt onto the canvas before him. He took extra care in capturing the light the right way, desperately flicking the brush to make it as warm as possible. A smile sat on his lips as he hung it in the hallway, making a wish for light to come his way.
You surprised him. It was almost every evening since you came here that he caught you in front of the painting, studying it like a student trying to understand its teacher. He felt exposed every time you traced the lines with your eyes, hoping you wouldn't be able to notice the intense emotions dangling off the canvas. He thought you would scrutinise him like everyone else, calling him a fool for trying to put his heart into something. But you didn't. You liked looking at the painting almost as much as he did making it and that connected you.
That was why he decided to take you up on the trail, trying to open up to you in the only way he could. You were like an open book, letting him fly through your pages anytime he wanted to know more, so naturally he felt compelled to give back a piece of him. Even if it felt small compared to everything you gave him in the short time you've been together.
Sitting there with you looking at the same sunset that brought hope back in his being when the sky came down on him at full force, he felt comforted by entirely something else. Your presence. It felt stronger than the sun's warmth. He couldn't settle the weird nerves crawling up his spine as he looked at you, shining in the sun like some divine being. His mind was going a hundred miles an hour, swarming with all kinds of thoughts. Until one hit him like a train at full speed.
Was the one he was supposed to protect now... you?
This question was enough to mess with his head as he made his way to his office. Sitting down in the chair he let his eyes wander over the maps and plans laying on the desk in a chaotic mess. He wasted precious time getting caught up in feelings that probably weren't even real.
What if you were going to mess up his plans even more than you already have? He did take you in on a weak moment, he had to admit that. It was merely a favor he returned because he was a man of his word. But you were at most a distraction, a fleeting moment meant to catch him off guard, as his mind convinced him.
He wasn't stupid to kick away all his hard work for some strange feeling he had that might have been fabricated by the little conscience he had left. He wanted warmth. He needed it. But what if the warmth you gave him was not genuine? Was it just empty sympathy?
His fist collided with the desk to snap him out of spiraling. What he truly needed was to get his head back in the game and continue with the plan. He was far from ready to take on the man that took away his world.
He was going to train you harder to minimise the time lost on sweet gazes and chaste touches. If you were going to get to the level of everyone else you needed to show him you wanted it. Even if that meant pushing you away and making you hate him.
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Warm rays of sun tickled your face urging you to wake up. The comfort of the blanket draped over you covered the sweaty smell coming off your clothes. Rolling around in the cozy space of the bed you sighed and stretched your arms above your head. A yawn brought yesterday’s events rushing in leaving you a little confused.
Enishi showed you a side of himself you didn't think could exist under that cold attitude he carried around. He took you on that hike for good reason and you were grateful for it. He seemed so at peace up there on the hill, like the world stopped spinning for a while, letting him feel it through every bone in his body. His cold facade was melting away with the sunset and he looked beautiful. The kind of beautiful you thought was reserved for angels in heaven.
Your mind took you back to the descent down the hill when he held your hand to help you down some of the steep rocks. He was so gentle with you and it made your insides become mush. He could be so soft despite the harsh way he was training you...
"Training! Oh god, I'm so late," you screeched as you jumped out of bed. You washed up at lightning speed and put on fresh training clothes on autopilot.
"I'm in deep shit. He's going to kill me."
You ran around the hallways the fastest your feet could take you. Passing by the kitchen you quickly downed a glass of water and a banana to give you some energy for at least a few hours. Dashing outside the doors to the terrace, you saw him leaning against a tree. His arms were secured over his broad chest, jaw slightly twitching as he caught sight of you slowly approaching.
He pushed off the tree not sparring one look at you, shoulders rolled back in a defensive manner. Was something wrong?
Coming closer he leaned down and threw something at you. Catching the foreign item you noticed it was a bo staff. A long red oak stick sitting heavy on your hands as you balanced it around to get a feel for it. You knew its agility was an advantage in a fight, easily becoming an extension of its owner's energy if used correctly.
"We're sparring today," he said as he got his own staff off the ground.
"Sparring? I don't even know how to use this-" you were cut off as a hit came your way, catching you unprepared, shielding yourself just before it could smash into your side.
Okay... Did someone pee in his tea today?
Sparring was difficult considering you were defending against a martial arts connoisseur. Every time you defended a hit on your left, your right side was left uncovered, earning you a smack from his staff. You had no idea what you were doing but kept going, thrusting your staff around with no actual direction of where you wanted your swings to go. You got excited whenever you managed to send a strong hit down on him only to get caught off guard when he would catch it, shoving you back double the force.
"You can't defend yourself," he huffed pointing out the obvious.
"No shit, Sherlock."
He continued the attack, every blow coming in faster and stronger than the last. He even started combining aerial moves with the swings of the staff for extra force. If you couldn't defend the hits before you definitely couldn't keep up now.
He almost got your head off your shoulders in a horizontal swipe of his staff, but you managed to slide down to the ground before it could happen. You jumped back a few meters away from him to catch your breath. He was being too aggressive in his training today. Did I do something to upset him?
"Is this about me being late?" you said, trying to will some air back into your lungs. Getting no response from him you looked over to where he was standing.
There was something weird about his energy today. He had that storm catching speed behind his irises again, knuckles turning white from the iron grip he had on the bo. He looked ready to plunge that stick through you if you weren't threading carefully around him.
As dangerous and wild as he appeared you saw straight through him. He was being this rough on purpose, trying to push you to your limit in hopes your instincts would kick in.
Before you knew it he charged at you again and your weapons collided with a loud crack. The force with which he came at you pushed you backwards, making it difficult to keep the hold on your staff. Willing the wobbling muscles in your arms to keep going you tried to match his pace, fighting his raw strength the more he forced his staff down on yours. You tried so hard to find a way out of his attack that you didn't even realise your back hit the tree trunk behind you.
This wasn't training anymore. He looked like he actually wanted to kill you. The more he pressed down on his staff the more yours cracked down the middle, sending little ripples down the upper and lower parts. One last push of his bulky arms made your staff cave in and break in half, leaving you defenseless. Enishi's staff continued to press down on your neck as you tried to push it away with the little energy you had left.
"Stop!" you yelled, but he didn't seem to hear you. He was far too lost inside his mind to come back to the real world, eyes roaring as they bore into yours. You were nothing but prey to him.
"Enishi, snap out of it!"
At the sound of your broken voice he froze. His pupils decreased back to a normal size and his breathing evened, the hold on his staff going limp. Shaking his head he looked at you, lowering the weapon away from your throat. You bent over to catch your breath, leaning your trembling hands on your knees to support you. By the time you straightened back up he was already gone, his staff discarded by the broken remains of yours.
What the fuck just happened?
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He acted even weirder the next few days, leaving you to train by yourself most of the time. You took the time to get a better form on your bo staff, practicing your hits on wooden dummies you found laying around. Practicing by yourself gave you a chance to enhance your skills, making your hits gain power and improving your balance.
You tried to focus but your mind was elsewhere, a certain mophead occupying it. You could tell he was stressed by something from the way his personality did a 360 spin towards asshole land out of nowhere. You hated the way he shut you out.
The door to his office was locked tight every time you passed by. You wanted to ask him what was going on, see what you could do to help, but every time your hand lifted to knock on it you froze and laid your palm flat on the door. With a heavy sigh you would trudge back to your room and sit awake, hoping he would come out sooner or later.
He finally showed up for training one morning, glasses sitting idly on the bridge of his nose trying to cover the dark circles under his eyes. He looked like he hasn't slept in days. His eyes were looking at a spot next to you, darting everywhere but into yours.
A few sets of knives were set out on a table a few feet away from what looked like a bullseye target. Walking towards the table you recognised the weapon: the kunai. A sleek 30 cm blade with a round handle, easy to hide and deadly in close combat. He probably assumed mastering the kunai should be easily at the same level with your shooting abilities, which was debatable.
He stood over on the side and watched as you analysed the weapons. Weighing one of the double sets in your hand you noticed they were the same as your twin pistols, just a little on the lighter side. You didn't wait for his directions as you positioned one in your hand. Visualising where you wanted it to hit the target like a bullet, you swung your arm backwards, angled it and threw it towards the target.
Anticipation built up in you as you watched it twist for its destination. Maybe you found something else you were good at. Your optimism was quickly destroyed as the knife fell three circles away from the center of the target, jaw dropping in confusion. My aim couldn't be this bad, right?
Picking up another one from the pile on the table, you went for a different arm technique. Swinging the knife from the other side of your body with a lot more force from your torso than your previous throw, you watched as it barely got stuck in the outer layer of the bullseye.
What is this fuckery? Has my aim gotten this shitty?
You took more of the kunai and tried again, desperately trying to hit the red spot in the middle. Each time you threw a knife it barreled through the air rapidly only to avoid getting stuck anywhere in the damn target. You were seeing red, frustration gripping you the more you tried. There was no way you couldn't control any other weapon besides your guns. You had to get the hang of at least one but it felt impossible.
An idea popped into Enishi's head and he made his way to the target. He positioned himself in front of it arms wrapped securely around his torso. You tilted your head at him, confusion swimming in your brain. What was he doing?
"Throw the knives."
His tone sounded so casual as if he asked you to make him tea, not to decorate him like a Christmas tree with combat knives.
"What? You mean throw them at you?"
He nodded showing you he was hellbent on this incredibly stupid idea. You shook your head in refusal, but he wasn't going to budge from that spot until you did what he instructed.
"What if I stab you or something by accident? This is stupid."
"Just throw the knives," he said, sharp glare piercing you, making chills run down your spine.
You took one of the few available kunai left on the table and turned towards him. Taking a few deep breaths to calm your nerves you considered the few possible outcomes. If you were successful you would live to tell the tale. If you weren't cautious you could injure or worse, stab him somewhere vital by mistake. All these scenarios clouded your mind, making your hands shake slightly.
I can't do this. I can’t have blood on my hands again.
"We don't have all day."
That was enough to push your buttons, rage slowly flooding your veins. He was acting like a dick to you while you were working your hardest. He didn't show up to your training for countless days and he was the one throwing a tantrum.
Getting into a throwing stance, you lifted up the knife and pushed it forwards with as much force as you could muster. Watching as it left the safety of your palm and headed straight for Enishi, all your reason fell apart. The earlier anger was replaced by horror as you watched it closing in on him. You were praying he would get out of the way before it was too late. But he didn't move an inch.
Closing your eyes to avoid witnessing a possible crime of your own doing, you listened for the impact. When no sound came from the other side you opened your eyes to see Enishi holding the kunai with his bare hand, a hairsbreadth off his face. Releasing the breath you were holding you struggled to contain your rage. What if he didn’t catch it in time? What if his face was now a bloody mess? He could have gotten seriously injured and all I could do was sit and watch.
His face sported that sick grin of his and you couldn't hold back your tongue anymore.
"Are you out of your fucking mind?" you gritted out, trying to get your shaky hands under control.
"What?"
"What?! I could have injured or worse, killed you!"
"But you didn't," he chuckled. "And frankly, I don't think you would be able to do that."
"Excuse me?"
"I thought giving you a real target would help with your limitations. But as it turns out, you can't even aim properly at anything. How did you even learn how to shoot with an aim this shitty?"
"Why are you suddenly being a dick?"
"I'm just telling you the truth. You can't keep hiding behind Barairo just because you're scared," he spat out as he walked closer to you. "It makes you look like a coward."
"I'm not listening to this shit,” you say turning away from him to make your way inside. You couldn’t be in the same space as him right now without strangling him. Before you could get far his hand latched onto yours spinning you around to face him.
“Running away already?” he taunted, adding to your irritation.
“No. I’m done listening to your bullshit,” you say shoving his arm off of you roughly, his eyes widening at your outburst.
“You think I haven’t tried? I’ve been trying my hardest ever since you agreed to train me. I’ve done everything in my power to become better at shit I’ve never done before. Because you told me I could make the worst parts of me become the best," you said, voice slightly breaking.
"The least you could do is show me some respect as your student, the same way I show it to you as my teacher instead of treating me like I'm nothing,” you spat and turned around, leaving him in the middle of the garden.
Tears threatened to spill on your cheeks and you couldn’t let him see you like that. He didn’t deserve your tears. You ran inside your room and locked the door, angrily throwing your shoes around the room. Sitting down on the floor in front of your bed you brought your knees up to your chest. Your mind started spiraling out of control again.
What if he’s right? What if I’m hiding behind who I used to be like a coward? What if I really can’t get better at anything?
You couldn’t stop the tears cascading down your cheeks in currents. You were angry with yourself and the aching in your muscles from the endless training made it all too much. Violent sobs wracked you as you let out the built up frustration from the last few days.
You hated him. He took your trust and stepped on it like it was a bug crawling on the floor. He crossed you once again, just like the night he left you to fend for yourself and you felt like a fool for thinking he wanted to help you. You were nothing but a pawn in whatever scheme he was playing, easily discarded whenever he wanted to.
You wished you were back home with your parents, laughing at the trouble you would get yourself into with the maids. To have your mom patch you up as your dad gave you an earful. To feel cared for again.
Mom, dad, I need you. Please come back to me.
—————————————————————————
Enishi was back in his office, barricading himself away from the world. On the way back from the garden he passed by your room and heard your frantic sobs. He wanted to knock on the door and comfort you, begging for you to forgive him. But his pride got the best of him.
I hurt her. She was trying her best and all I did was push her away. I'm a monster.
He got up from his chair and pushed everything on top of his desk to the floor. Leaning his hands on the empty wood he huffed a few breaths trying to steady his racing heart.
I wanted to protect her. To help her come out of hiding and show her that she can become the best . But I broke her trust again.
He threw his chair across the room knocking down a few swords onto the floor. He was losing control again and there was no coming back from it this time.
I hurt her the way I let people hurt me. I promised her I would help and I failed. The same way I failed Tomoe.
—————————————————————————
You cried your eyes out until there was nothing left to cry. The darkness surrounding your room told you it was the late hours of the night. Rain started pouring outside a few hours ago, accompanying the sadness you were feeling.
Cold and quiet. That was how your heart felt right now. It seemed like the mansion mirrored your sorrow, no sound of humanity present in its hallways. The same hollowness walked the walls of your heart.
It felt like the world stopped the minute you let your walls down. You felt numb, sitting in the same position you were in when you locked yourself in the room. You didn’t move an inch, afraid it would do more damage than good.
Your stomach grumbled and you whined in protest. All you wanted was to stay in here, avoiding everything and everyone until the pain would go away. Avoiding him. But your stomach insisted you grab something to eat something before it would shut your system down.
With a huff you pushed yourself off the floor and stood upright. Stretching your body to get rid of the ache in your joints you walked over to the door. Unlocking it, you were surprised to see no one around. There were usually guards around walking the grounds on patrol but it seemed they were dismissed for the night.
You walked to the kitchen and looked in the cupboards for the leftover potato salad you made yesterday. You made a little extra in case he would want to eat some if he would come out of his office. It turned out he didn't even touch it, judging by the foil still wrapped around the pot to conceal its warmth. Sitting on a chair at the kitchen island you unwrapped the pot and dug into it, eating in silence. You watched as the rain fell down the kitchen window in rapid waves and sighed to yourself.
After you were done with the food you went over to the sink to wash it before you headed back to your room. You reached to turn on the on the tap freezing as your eyes focused on the window above the sink. The view of the garden made you panic as you saw a person sprawled on the ground. Your heart was stuck in your throat.
Grabbing the broomstick leaning by the door, you slowly pushed the doors to the terrace open. Your shoes were splashing against the puddles turning the green patio to mushy mud. The crisp air pierced your skin as you advanced towards the figure laying still on the grass.
Looking to your right your heart immediately softened. A drenched Enishi was laying on the ground in a star shape, rain ruthlessly hitting his face. You put the broom away and took slow steps in his direction until you stopped just beside his head.
His hair was sticking to his forehead in a wet mess. His eyebrows were scrunched up and his jaw was tense, looking like he was crying. He’s been laying here for quite a while considering that his clothes looked soaked beyond just a few raindrops. His eyes seemed lost so far away, gazing at the dark sky in search of something.
Crouching down you shook his shoulder, getting no reaction. Your clothes were getting soaked as well uncomfortably sticking to your body. The rain falling through your locks cascaded down on his face. Your warm hand met his icy cheek caressing it gently, action that got him to finally look at you.
“Hey,” you said softly.
He just looked at you. The way he was acting scared you. He looked absolutely broken and you had no idea what could have caused it. You rubbed soothing circles into his cheek and he faintly leaned into your touch.
“Enishi, talk to me.”
He just blinked and turned his head away from you, continuing to stare at the raindrops falling from the sky. You didn’t know why he was acting like this but it looked like it wasn’t the first time it happened.
“I want to help you,” you say hoping he would say something. But he only stayed still as a rock letting mother nature drop her sorrows on him.
Trying to think of what else you could do you did the only thing you could think of. Laying down on the ground in the same position he was in you turned your head to him. Your hand searched for his, locking your fingers between his cold ones once you found it. He turned to you and the look on his face made your grip on his hand tighten. His eyes were glazed over with unshed tears, reddish lines telling you he already shed enough before the rain covered his cheeks.
As mad as you were at him you weren’t going to leave him like this. You knew how bad it felt when you had no one to lean on whenever the world came crashing down. No one deserved to suffer alone.
His hand gripped yours like an anchor keeping him tethered to the real world, helping him find control again. He needed comfort and you were willing to give it to him for the time being.
So you both laid there, letting the rain wash away your hurt, your hands intertwined in a promise. A vow to never let each other hurt in silence like this ever again.
—————————————————————————
The rain clouds broke apart a while ago and you were still in the same position on the muddy ground of the garden. He made no move to get up so you did it first, eyes shooting up to you as you were sitting up. He looked at your hands afraid you would let go and he would fall back in the deep relentless ocean in his head. But you didn’t let go.
You moved to get him to sit up with you and he obliged with your actions. Getting to your feet your hand was pulled back by his. He was sitting on the ground his eyes sparkling and a pout on his lips. You thought he looked like a puppy. You pulled on his hand to make him get up but he didn’t budge. Sighing you crouched back down to his height and stroked his hair away from his face.
“Let’s go back inside,” you said softly.
He nodded and slowly got up with you. He waited for you to lead him inside so you did. You took small steps to the kitchen holding the door for him. Walking the long hallway you stopped in front of his room. He shook his head and you were confused. Wasn’t he going to change in his room?
“Where else do you want to go?”
He took the lead and lightly pulled you to your room. Pushing one of the double doors, he returned your earlier gesture and held it open for you.
“I’ll get us some towels,” you said as you made your way to the bathroom only to be stopped by the hand that was still holding yours.
“I’ll be right back,” you reassured him and he hesitantly let go of your hand.
You went over to the bathroom and grabbed every towel you could find. Coming back you found him sitting at the end of your bed, lost in thought again. You placed the pile of towels beside him and picked one up to dry his hair. Placing it on his head you started making your way through his gray locks, untangling them. You worked from the top of his head to the ends on his neck, drying up as much as you could. Before you could swipe the towel over his forehead his hands came up to rest on your wrists. It was only then you realised how close you were standing. He looked at you tilting his head in confusion.
“What’s wrong?” you asked, searching his eyes for anything that could hint at even more distress.
“Why are you helping me?” he croaked out, voice smaller than the wind blowing outside.
“Because I know how it feels like," you sighed, "to be alone with the world ripped from under your feet.”
His thumbs moved in circles on your wrist, a silent response to your confession. You took that as a sign to continue drying him up. When you were done with his hair you moved to the rest of his body. His blouse was sticking to him like a wet rag. He noticed your hesitation so he took off his blouse by himself, leaving only his navy tank top on.
“I can go get you some clothes—“
“Just stay here,” he said. His hands got hold of a new towel and his hand guided you to sit down on the bed next to him.
He started drying your hair this time, taking extra care to smoothen out the knots in your hair. He was gently drying it on all sides coming back to your face. He placed a few stray hairs behind your ear before patting down the droplets still running down your face. He pat your forehead stopping when he came up to your eyes. He noticed they were red and puffy just like his and he knew he was the reason for it. He hated himself for hurting you. He never wanted to do that. Setting the towel in his lap he looked down at his hands.
“I’m sorry,” he said softly, a tone you haven’t heard from him before. He looked genuinely apologetic as he fidgeted with his fingers in his lap.
You placed a hand on top of his and rubbed your thumb in soothing circles to warm his cold hands. His eyes snapped up at you to see a soft smile forming on your lips.
How you could still smile after everything was beyond him. This must have been your secret power, comforting others when you yourself needed comforting. He realised your compassion and warmth were real and he admired you even more now than he already did.
“It’s okay," you replied. “I’m gonna go change. You sure you don’t want me to bring you some clothes?” He nodded and you made your way to the bathroom.
After you changed, you came out and he was in the same position you left him. You put the rest of the towels away on the vanity and moved to get under the covers. Exhaustion was knocking on your door after the day you had, feeling consumed and drained completely. Setting your head on your pillow and getting comfortable you looked at Enishi. He was still sitting at the end of your bed, clueless as to what to do with himself.
“You can… uhm… come up here. I don’t bite.” He turned his head to see you tucked in bed already. He didn’t mean to bother you any more than he did.
“Are you sure?”
You nodded and patted the place next to you. He got up and crawled his way up to the headboard laying down on his back. You turned on your side to look at him finding him gazing up at the ceiling mind pestering him again.
“You can talk to me. I’m here to listen.”
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to settle his nerves. He debated on whether he should tell you what was on his mind or not. What did he have to lose if he told you? The most you could do was push him away and call him a monster like everyone else. Taking a few more deep breaths, he spoke words no one else has heard before.
“Tomoe. That was my sister’s name.” He paused to gather his thoughts and you reached up to hold his hand, letting him know he could take his time. You weren't going to push him away and that made him relax.
“She was killed 13 years ago and I saw it happen. I couldn’t do anything to protect her.”
“I’m so sorry, Enishi,” you said rubbing his knuckles to try and soothe his pain a little. He squeezed your hand in appreciation.
“It’s okay. I’m planning to avenge her and make the one who took her away from me suffer,” he gritted through his teeth as his hand tensed in your hold. You wanted to know more about what happened to her but you knew it would be too much to ask of him right now.
“I left Japan and came here to build my resources and train until I became the best I could be. I dealt and fought until the Shanghai mafia became mine so I could lay the plans in my favour.”
At least now you knew why he was doing all this in the first place and why it meant so much to him. Losing the only family you had is like losing the only thing that made you mean something in this world. It scars you so deep that you can’t move forward without someone else supporting you on the way.
If avenging her was his wish, the last thing to get him moving on, you had to help him. You still didn’t know all the details but you knew enough to want to help him see this through.
“I’ll help you,” you said making him turn his head to you. A yawn made its way out of your mouth and you tried stifling it but failed. He thiught you looked like a lion cub.
“Let’s avenge your sister and find you some peace,” you said sleepily as exhaustion took over you. Your eyes closed and you gave in to the darkness of dreamland. You were going to help him no matter what.
Enishi turned on his side to get a better look at you and saw you were fast asleep. Your hand was still holding his hand and he felt a small smile come to his lips for the first time in a while. He pushed some stray hairs away from your face. He was so grateful to you. You came through just when he needed it the most. Like a miracle he's been waiting on for ao long.
Maybe his wish came true, but only time would be able to tell. What he did know was that he wasn't going to let his mind push you away anymore. He was going to protect you properly from now on.
Lifting up the duvet over the both of you he closed his eyes and let sleep take him, his hand securely holding yours between you.
—————————————————————————
You woke up the next day in the late afternoon, the warmth enveloping your hand still ghosting around your fingertips. Creeping your eyes open you shut them closed, a mild headache forming. Your stomach was growling you awake after it digested the last of the food you ate the day prior. You wanted to sleep some more but it just didn't want to let you.
Sitting up in bed you took notice of the smell of something cooking. Sniffing more of the essence floating through the air you realised it smelled like pancakes. You were either hallucinating from hunger or someone was actually making pancakes.
Slipping on shoes and tying a robe around you, you made haste for the kitchen. The aroma got more divine the closer you got and you could already taste the sweetness of the pancakes. Pushing open the doors you saw broad shoulders working busily on the stove, flipping the plump dough in the pan, pressing down with a spatula to get it baked evenly on all sides.
"Good morning," he said, sensing you behind him. He could easily recognise your light steps after the few weeks you've spent together.
"Good morning," you replied walking over to his spot near the stove. Peeking over his shoulder you noticed a plate stacked high with pancakes, red bean paste smoothly spread in the center.
"Are those dorayaki pancakes?" you asked, drool pooling at the side of your lips at the sight of the traditional confectionery. You haven't had those since you left Japan.
"Mhm," he nodded a smirk on his face at your reaction.
"Can I have one?" you asked, eyes twinkling in anticipation.
"No," he said seriousness taking over his face.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN NO?" you yelled ready to throttle him until he started laughing.
"I'm joking," he chuckled. "You should've seen your face."
"Very funny. So, can I have one?"
"Of course you can. I made them for you after all."
Your heart melted. Dorayaki pancakes required an immense amount of focus in getting the dough right and if you didn't know the recipe properly you could mess it up and they could turn all mushy. He put time and effort into them considering how soft they were. And he made them for you.
He flipped another one on the pan and turned to see why you got so quiet. You had a pout on your face and your eyes were sparkling in the afternoon sun shining through the kitchen window. You looked nothing short of adorable and he had to physically restrain himself from pinching your cheeks. Your stomach growled loudly ruining the moment and he chuckled.
He grabbed the plate full of pancakes and put it on the kitchen island pulling out a chair for you. You sat down and thanked him, grabbing a fork to dig in. The soft dough melted in your mouth and the red bean paste tasted exactly like the street vendors in Japan made it. It was a taste of home away from home.
Enishi waited for your reaction, releasing a breath he didn't know he was holding as you sighed happily chewing on a pancake. You looked like you enjoyed the small dessert and that made him happy. He wanted to do something for you to thank you for yesterday and to apologize.
"Is it good?"
"It's ahmazhing," you said with your mouth full making him shake his head.
"Come eat with me," you prodded pulling on the chair next to you. You pushed the plate closer as he sat down so you could share the pancakes. You ate in silence, silently gazing at each other when the other wasn't looking. You both wanted to say something and you both rushed in, accidentally speaking over each other.
"About yesterday," you started.
"I'm sorry about yesterday," he said at the same time.
You both chuckled and went on to argue about who should go first. Finally giving in you let him go first.
"I'm sorry about yesterday. I was a total jerk to you these past few days. I left you to train alone and I pushed you away instead of helping you learn things the right way."
"You forgot the part where you almost decapitated me with a wooden stick and almost killed me. With the same stick," you say trying to rub salt in the wound.
"Yeah, I'm sorry for that too. I got too carried away and I shouldn't have lashed out on you like that."
"What about the part where you made me throw knives at you?"
"Technically that was all you-"
"Don't push it mophead." At the sound of the nickname he let a small smile walk his lips. He didn't know why you kept calling him that but he kind of digs it. He wasn't going to tell you that though.
"Point is, I am sorry and I promise to not do that ever again."
"What you said out there was so way out of line," you say slowing down on the pancake you were chewing. You still felt the punch of his words drifting around your heart.
"I know. I shouldn't have said those things to you. I gave you my word that I'll help you become the best and I intend to do just that."
A comfortable silence sat in the air. His face was covered in regret as the sun's rays tried to reach him. He was trying to make it up to you which was probably way out of his character. Tension was wafting through the air in thick waves, so you decided to make the mood a little lighter.
"Sooooo... are these apologetic pancakes?"
"Only if you want them to be."
"You softie."
"Oh, shut up."
Things felt better between you now. You still needed to talk some things out but for the time being you were back on track. Whatever tried to sway you these past few days was long gone now.
Finishing up the dorayaki, you took the plate to the sink and got started on the dishes. Enishi joined you on the other side, wiping dry the utensils as you put them on the drying rack. Team work made the dream work and you were done cleaning up fairly quickly, the earlier sunset turning to nightfall.
Wiping his hands dry on the cloth his hand attached to your wrist to grab your attention.
“Come with me for a bit,” he said motioning you towards the door. He was leading the way again just like last night, hand gently resting on your wrist.
The office came into view and he pulled you inside. You haven’t been in there for a few days and the place looked pretty beaten up. Enishi left you standing in the middle as he went to pick up maps and papers off the floor next to his desk. You looked around and spotted a few swords laying on the ground, their scabbards on the walls empty.
Kneeling next to them you picked one of them up. The robust wooden hilt was decorated with metal motives ranging from animal details to florals. The blade was heavy on your hand, tilting it on the side to see the light reflect its sharpness. Something about this sword called out to you. A red tassel hung from its end, delicately floating around the sword. Enishi watched you inspect the sword, surprised to see you so keen on learning more about it as you moved it around.
“That’s called a jian. It’s more of a practice sword but it can still be used in combat.”
“What’s with the red tassel?”
“It’s meant to give you a reference point during a fight,” he said taking hold of your hand and placing it on the hilt with his on top. He manoeuvred your body into an attack position, his other palm resting on your hip to direct you.
“The tassel moves with the sword,” he moved your hands together to create a wave with the sword. “It gives you balance as your moves get more pronounced.”
He made a show of a relaxed horizontal line, lifting your hand up to then drag it down vertically. He was supporting most of the weight of the sword as he waved it around, letting you feel the strong pressure of his wrist against the weapon. His other hand guided your hips to move in sync with the swings.
“It can make your moves faster,” he exhaled as he went for a quick diagonal slash causing your bodies to get impossibly closer. You looked up at him to find him already starring down at you. Your hips were pressed firmly to his, both of your breaths quickening the more you stared at each other.
His adam’s apple bobbed down, the trunk of his neck now in your direct view. You didn't realise it was so defined until you stood this close to it. His red robe sat on his nape, covering the extension of his collar bone under it to your disappointment. Taking a nervous gulp you lifted your eyes back to his only to find his looking at you with hunger. The hand on top of the sword went to hold yours lowering the weapon towards the ground. The palm on your hip moved to the small of your back bringing you even closer.
Want suddenly ignited in you as you waited for what could follow, your heart racing. You didn’t care what would happen as long as he would close the distance between you. He seemed to notice the change in mood, the flush painting your cheeks being a dead giveaway of your current thoughts. His signature smirk raised to his lips and he let out a chuckle, earning him a smack on the chest from you. Fucking flirt.
You stepped away from him trying to bring your heartbeat back to normal. The sword was left secure in your hold as you left to look for its sheath. Scanning the scabbards on the wall you couldn’t pinpoint the location of the jian’s casing. Enishi came from behind you and took the sword from you, fingers lightly grazing yours in the process. It was enough to make your stomach flutter again. Why did he have this much of an effect on me?
Spinning around you went to pick up the rest of the swords looking for their sheaths. You found most of them without his help, successfully cleaning up around the office.
Once you were done you went and sat on the couch stretching your arms above your head. You didn’t really want to leave to your room just yet. Enishi took to arranging the maps on his desk folding them around to make some space. You got up and went over to help him sort them out. Putting all the paper away you wiped the desk clean with a cloth and put every gimmick back to its previous spot.
You then took to walking the office rounding up every sword and weapon on the wall. Curiosity got the best of you wondering which one was his. He was definitely a swordsman considering the trained grip he had on the jian a few moments ago.
“Which one is yours?”
Your question caught him a little off guard as he was sorting through his drawers. He walked over to the wall besides his desk and took down a sword. Its blade was longer than a meter, hilt covered in leather strips criss-crossing each other, matching the copper colour of the tassel attached to the end. It had a mix of both Chinese and Japanese elements.
“This is a wato. It’s similar to a katana in its power and to a tachi in terms of agility,” he said giving it a spin with his wrist. He held the handle to you urging you to give it a try.
You took the sword feeling its heavy hilt be entirely balanced by the length of the blade. Despite needing a lot of force to move it around the blade followed the hilt accordingly creating fluid movement.
“You have to combine it with some kind of martial arts to make it work in battle.”
You were taken back to your bo staff lesson a few days ago. The way he was easily moving with the staff whilst blending in aerial moves to push more force into the blows was due to the way he wielded the wato. You thought his fighting style was an art of its own.
“Will you teach me?”
“Sword fighting?” You nodded eagerly as you waited for his response. He seemed deep in thought about it. You were far from ready to use a sword. However, he's seen you train by yourself with the bo staff and you surely got better at it. Your grip seemed to be stronger on it the more you practiced on the dummies. He saw how bad you wanted this and he wanted to give you a chance. But not without making it a challenge.
“I will teach you," he said getting your hopes up. "If you manage to take me down in hand to hand combat at least once,” he continued making your jaw drop.
“Are you crazy? How on earth am I supposed to do that when you’re a literal martial arts god?”
“You’re smarter than you give yourself credit for. You’ll find a way," he encouraged you as he took the wato from your hold to place it back in its sheath on the wall.
You sat on it for a while. Would you actually be able to take him? You got better at one weapon but you still lacked the combat skills, but you weren't one to back down from a challenge.
“So, deal?” he extended a hand to you.
Well you know what they say, hope dies last.
“Deal,” you said confidently as you shook his hand.
You didn’t know what you got yourself into but it should be fun. Sword fighting has always been something you wanted to try and this was a better time to learn it than ever. All you had to do was devise a plan to take down the crime lord of Shanghai in a fight. Should be easy right?
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#Addicting Taste#enishi yukishiro#enishi yukishiro x reader#enishi yukishiro x you#rurouni kenshin#enishi yukishiro fanfiction#This is only the calm before the storm
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Addicting Taste Chapter 9
Pairing: Enishi Yukishiro x reader oc
Genre: strangers to lovers, mutual pining, found love, fluff, spice, a lot of teasing
Word count: 27.6k+ (on another recount)
A/N: Let the rizz games begin! I know it's been a while but she's here finally. I think I went all out on this one so I hope you enjoy it as much as I did :) Consider this an early Valentine's Day gift from me to you.
Now Playing: positions - ariana grande
Previous
The scene in front of you was wild. You weren't watching a training session anymore. You were watching two feral animals preparing to rip each other to shreds, caramel and dark brown eyes filled with bloodlust and raw rage as the gates of hell opened in front of you.
As critical as the situation was, you couldn't help feeling greedy that you weren't getting any action.
Your hands reached for the grass around you, trying to focus your thoughts elsewhere because right now they were nothing short of insatiable. They stretched to indecent places with every twitch of stringy muscles fighting for dominance. The hair on your arms raised with each sharp shriek of blades clashing against each other.
Get a grip, Miyu.
Tipping your head back, you closed your eyes and took a few deep breaths. The pent up frustration of everything that happened in the past few days manifested in either having a breakdown or craving sinful acts. Right now it felt like the latter. In more than one way. Like you were craving a dangerous combo of the deathly sins, with lust and wrath having a death match to see who would win you over.
Just breathe. Clear your mind. Think of happy things.
You were not in control of yourself anymore. It was clear as hell that you needed release in some way to be able to function normally again. Be that through training or some other way.
I'm gonna explode if I don't hit something or someone soon.
Discretion went to shit the minute you opened your eyes and saw the two men stare directly at you as if they heard you say that out loud. You hoped they couldn't gauge the desperation on your face that was flaring up your cheeks the longer they looked at you.
Why are they looking at me like they want to eat me or something? Could they... Nah, there's no way they feel this too. It might just be me craving attention... of some sort.
You got up from the ground and made your way over to them. Their eyes followed your every move, seemingly in a trance as your voice managed to snap them back to reality.
"Can I have some training now?" you asked, slightly annoyed that they pushed you to the side to get their own frustrations out.
"Of course you can," said Enishi, blinking away. He completely forgot of your presence for a moment and why he was outside in the first place. "Was it hand to hand combat today?"
"Yeah-"
"Only if I join," chimed Cho.
You considered his request for a little. Taking on Enishi was easier lately. Maybe having Cho join in would throw him off his game and it could give you that fighting release of wrath you were looking for.
On the other hand, it was a risky gamble to take. This could end badly if you let your guard down even for a second. They knew better than feigning attacks with their pride at stake.
Enishi saw the uncertainty flashing through your eyes.
"Miyu, you don't have to accept-"
"Sure," you said confidently. "On one condition."
"I know that look," said Cho, smirk falling from his face like it was punched off. "You want to bet on something, don't you?"
"That's right. Let's have the old throw down showdown. There's three of us so, to make it more interesting, there can only be one winner. And the losers who end up on the ground will have to fulfill the winner's wish."
"Can we wish for anything or-" you cut him off with a smack.
It didn't take a genius to figure out that he was already making up scenarios in his head on how to make Enishi his butler for the day. Who knew what fucked up things he had planned for you.
"Something normal, blondie."
"But it's MY wish," he argued.
"Only if you win," smirked Enishi.
Hmm, so he liked games when an unknown variable was present.
If the greedy look on their faces told you anything, it was that anything but good thoughts ran through their heads. That meant that they were desperate for something. But they were on your territory now.
And you were gonna stop at nothing to win this bet.
Disposing of their weapons on the table they took their places in your line of sight. You never imagined you would sit face to face with both of your teachers in a triple combat match. It all got a bit too real and it sent your brain haywire.
You closed your eyes and took a deep breath, focusing on your surroundings just like Enishi taught you. As much shit as you gave him for his meditation tricks, they worked tremendously. You found yourself doing it a lot more during missions to calm incoming bouts of anxiety and doubt before they could take over your senses.
The wind brushed against your arms, blowing through the barren trees as it rustled up the last leaves of autumn. Your hair drifted on the gust of wind, falling to shelter your ears from the cold air enveloping the rest of your body. Your racing heartbeat decreased to a normal rhythm and you felt the worries flow off your body to be carried on by the wind.
You needed to get in the combat mindset 100% since your opponents required at least 300% together on a sunny day.
The frosted ground crunched under a pair of boots, alerting you that one of them was approaching. Judging by the sloppy balance it could only be the blond hyena who loved teasing and playing around with his prey.
"Whenever you're ready, princess."
Your eyes snapped open, earlier annoyance consuming you again.
"I thought I told you to stop calling me that."
"Old habits die hard," he grinned before charging at you.
He took quick strides to close the distance between you. Rushing to get the opening blow first, his clenched fist aimed carelessly at your left side. You intercepted it turning to the left and dodged it, catching it between your hands as you made use of his own speed against him to fling him to the other side of the garden. His back hit an empty barrel with a loud crack but he didn't hit the ground to your disappointment.
Typical Cho, you shook your head.
"I guess they do," you chuckled.
Dried leaves and small twigs clung to his clothes as he straightened, frantic hands brushing them away. His eyes flared up in irritation as he came at you with much more determination. You tried attacking first but he reached you faster. His hands caught yours pinning them together above your head, bending you backwards towards the ground.
"Are you going for a re-enactment of our first meeting or something?" you strained looking between him and the ground in a frenzy. If you didn't do anything soon you could kiss any chance of winning the bet goodbye.
"Don't mind if I do," he grinned. His face drew closer to yours, warm breath hitting dangerously close to your lips.
Playing the temptation card, are we? I can do that too.
"Remember what happened after this?" you taunted licking your lips.
"Of course I do. I ended up on the floor with you on top of me," his tight hold loosened around your wrists.
"Are you sure about that?"
"Wouldn't be sure if I didn't want it to happen again."
Little shit.
"You're missing a teeny tiny little detail. Let me refresh your memory," you looked down at his lips, smirking at his oblivious remark before smashing your forehead into his.
He let go of your hand trying to catch his footing but you didn't give him the chance as you dove an uppercut under his chin followed by a roundhouse kick before he even saw it coming.
It never gets old.
Enishi sat at the back, leaning against a tree as he watched you fight. Well, more like enjoying his own private show since your opponent was eating your punches real good. He thought most of what he was telling you about combat fell on deaf ears but you actually did take note and practice.
He was enjoying being in the audience way too much for his own good until your eyes shot to him and his amused grin fell.
"Enishi, honey. I know I look pretty when I fight but why don't you get involved in here? We have a bet going on, don't we?"
Mentioning the bet seemed to rewire his brain, feet finally on the move to your spot in the middle of the garden.
You weren't dumb. You knew Enishi sat at the far back in case Cho went rabid and he needed to intervene between you. Although, that included letting him blow off some steam so he would be easier to take down. Like he wanted you to take him down yourself so he had less work to do. Thing that only added some fuel to the flames growing inside of you.
He became totally unreadable since you started training. The haze sitting over his eyes wasn't foretelling of his usual hunger for violence. It was a long throw to even assume this but it looked exactly like the look you were casting the two as they dueled. Like yearning. But yearning for what exactly?
Your mind flew back to the moment you suggested the bet. The quick way they both accepted it. Cho's wish was probably some fucked up fantasy he wanted to live out with you. But Enishi gave none of his desires away. Not even a wink of it. Whatever was on his mind wasn't good. For your sake at least.
While you played spinning roulette on what Enishi could wish for, your attention was diverted from the hyena preparing a surprise attack behind you. Quick and stealthy on his feet he went around you and pinched your back with a kick just enough to tip you off balance.
The blow sent you flying forwards and you saw all your chances of winning burst into flames as the ground approached imminently. And you almost kissed it if it wasn't for Enishi's reflex to catch you. Arms flew under you to steady you back on your feet as you gave him a look of gratitude.
He had your back even when you were supposed to fight against each other. Could he be on the look for an alliance?
"That's was low, even for you blondie," gritted Enishi.
"A bet is a bet. If I wanted to play Cinderella I would've asked the cook to join in."
"I am the cook in this house, you moron," you boomed, angry at his words. There was no holding back your rage now.
His confidence faltered realizing he was skidding on thin ice.
You looked at Enishi and he seemed to understand what you had in mind, lining up with you to attack Cho. You circled him as he took in his chances of survival if both of you lashed out at the same time.
"Two against one is low. I am an injured person." He smiled guiltily as a last resort to appeal to your forgiveness but it was too late.
"That didn't seem to be a problem when you agreed to the bet."
"Do you accept my sincere apologies?"
"Eat shit," you spat out.
With that you both ran to him. Enishi went high while you went low splitting the man between you. Enishi arrived first, landing a few hits that felt way too personal. If you didn't know any better you would think he had those prepared for a while, stashed away in his rage compartment. Cho took a few of the hits until Enishi stopped his attacks. His broad shoulders covered the blonde and you couldn't see anything until he moved to the side and you caught a glimpse of Cho's freakish smile that would disturb even the most ruthless assassins.
He was playing around with Enishi taking advantage of his unfocused nature, pushing and pulling jabs of his own like a ball of thread thrown to a cat that couldn't help but launch itself after it. Enishi losing his marbles during training wasn't a first but this was next level fuckery for one of the biggest criminals on land to let himself dazed by the clown of Japan's sword elite.
This was worse than a dog fight.
This shit is survival 101.
Every reach of Enishi's hand was cut off by a fast kick. Every swing of his leg was evaded perfectly. You couldn't believe what you were seeing. He used all of Enishi's attacks against him returning them with the same force.
He got a lot better than I knew him to be.
Enishi got ahold of the blonde's upper body trying to restrict his movement and you took that as your cue to join in. Cho's punches flew around and you ducked out of their way, taking advantage of the slippery ground around you to swipe his legs from under him. With Enishi latched on his back he jumped over you as you slid across the ground.
He got a hold of Enishi's arms and ripped them off his body, launching him in the air towards you. Thankfully, you moved out of the way before he came barreling into you, avoiding trying to keep yourself the game. You silently hoped he would fall on his back and tap out so you had one less opponent to worry about, but he twisted mid-air before he hit the ground behind you and landed on his knee. The material of his pants ripped off at the seams of his knee.
You loved those pants on him. Maybe you could try and save them once this was over.
You were ready to get back to the blonde hyena behind you motioning Enishi over to help when you noticed something weird. Instead of looking at the other man you were after, Enishi eyed you intently. It didn't take you long to recognize his intentions.
He wants to take me down first and get me out of the way.
You wanna play the Judas game too, Enishi?
That's fine.
He nodded at the man behind you in a pact of temporary armistice to which he approved as they surrounded you. It's lion and hyena territory now and you knew damn well you became their prey. They just waited for the right moment to sink their teeth into your flesh and you looked forward to that. Forward to kicking some ass.
Come at me you cowards.
It was no surprise that Enishi moved to you first. He wanted to get this out of the way as quick as possible. You dodged all of his hits surprising yourself that your defence got better but that didn't rub his ego well. The endless hours of endurance through the forest built up your stamina enough to catch sight of his fist before it was even aimed at you. You spent enough time training together and on the field to remember every one of his moves, but he still managed to underestimate you.
Turning his offensive against him, his agile air moves fell victim to your quick thinking. Turns out he forgot you moved faster around him since you were smaller. His hands extended to you like claws as you kicked them away. You didn't lay a finger on him and you managed to make him run out of steam.
Too busy battling Enishi, Cho creeped behind you once again. He didn't let you notice it until it was way too late and his hands were already entangled in your hair.
Spawn of satan.
He pulled on it and your hands flew up to pull it out of his grip, leaving you exposed to Enishi's incoming kick to your middle. The blow was probably not intended to be this painful but you felt it to the depths of your soul. Your eyes shut tight as you felt the impact worse in your stomach of all places. A little closer to it and your breakfast would've been thrown back outside.
I can't be weak. Not now.
Upon opening your eyes you saw the apologetic look in his eyes. You hated that look the most.
Even the man behind you stopped pulling on your hair. But the damage was done now. It's definitely gonna leave a nasty bruise.
Taking advantage of the moment to plunge your elbow into Cho's guts he doubled over releasing your hair. You turned around and the murderous look on your face was enough to make him try to run away, but before he could you caught hold of his own blond locks yanking him back to you. You jumped and kicked your knee up into his torso projecting him into the same barrel at the back of the garden once again. He wouldn't stand down any way you tried.
You ducked avoiding Enishi's lucky grab to your shoulder and came back up, fist heading straight for his chest. At the same time, Cho prepared to sneak his arms around your waist in another surprise attack when your leg kicked back to push him away. Enishi caught your arm and Cho caught your leg as you struggled to get out of their grip. They thought they had you now but they were wrong. So very wrong.
Twisting your body around, you kicked your free leg into Cho's face, hearing a crack in his jaw. Enishi let go of your hand, stepping to the side to avoid your fist as you spun your other leg that hit him right in the ribs. You stopped to check on him as a small hint of a pained wince crossed his features though it disappeared as fast as it flashed. It was replaced by his patience running thin.
You kept going at it switching between offence and defence constantly. You were running out of steam and you made the mistake to leave yourself open.
Enishi seized the chance and caught your right arm, while Cho rushed over and clamped down on your left. They had you locked in place this time. You thrashed around in their hold refusing to back down but they were too strong for you. You couldn't move no matter how hard you tried.
"I think this was it, Miyu."
"Giving up, princess?"
"Who do you take me for?" you chuckled darkly, dropping your head down to the ground.
Their heads tilted in confusion at your behaviour which was unlike you. They looked at each other trying to understand why you were acting this way as you felt their hold on you weakening the tiniest bit. That was your cue.
You turned your forearms upwards, grabbing a tight hold of the collars of their shirts and jumped forward into a tumble. You flipped and landed on your knees while the force of your grip pulled them with you. They flipped through the air landing on their backs with a thud. Their pained groans was music to your ears as you sat above them with a smirk on your face.
"How did you-"
"What in the world."
Looming above them, you pulled on their collars again, hoisting both of their heads closer to you so they can hear you loud and clear.
"Next time you hold yourselves so high and mighty that you can take me down, remember you both trained me. I know all of your moves, strengths and weaknesses inside and out."
You untangled your fingers from their shirts and patted their chests before you got up, looking down at their forms on the ground with a proud smile on your face.
"Now, about that bet," you started.
Their heads turned to each other in horror.
"We're fucked," they said at the same time.
Training went better than you expected, save for the growing bruise around your middle. You half expected the two to tear each other apart. And they almost did but you were there to prevent it from happening.
You've never seen them have this kind of temper before. For Cho it was something normal. Just with a tad bit more cockiness thrown into the mix. But you didn't expect Enishi to act like that at all.
Could it be about the wish? Now you were tempted to find out what his wish was if he won.
The day was barely past noon, sun shining brightly through the large windows along the halls. The curtains swirled around softly as they danced around the bouncing rays of sun. It was the perfect time to get your apron on and enter the kitchen for the remainder of the day.
You happily skipped your way inside and walked to get your apron on, tying it tightly around you. Strolling to the kitchen island that was sparkling clean you laid your hands on it and smiled brightly.
Though your excitement was met with two very displeased figures at the other end of the marble top. Sulking faces made it hard to keep your hands away from squishing their cheeks at how sweet they looked. They've changed out of their training clothes too, wearing a pair of aprons.
"Ready to execute your punishment, boys?"
"Out of all things you could have wished for you picked this," said a rather irritated Cho, picking at his light pink apron. He looked way softer than he normally does in his dark suits and you couldn't help but smile at his discomfort.
That's what you for being a dick. Now deal with it.
"I don't mind helping out," said Enishi, a small smile directed back at you.
He wore your orange apron and you wondered if it was a ploy to get you to wear his blue one that was the only one left available on the corner hanger. Either way he looked amazing in orange. The sun made his eyes look a few shades brighter than they naturally were, almost like melted chocolate.
He looked at your apron on him before letting his eyes fall on his sitting snug around your body after you tied it twice so it wouldn't fall off. Feeling a blush creeping up to your cheeks, you diverted your eyes away from him and focused on the task of the day.
You pulled out all the ingredients on the marble top as they looked at you with curiosity.
"I will be in charge of the main course," you tapped a big turkey on its chest. You then pointed your fingers at the two confused men. "You two are in charge of the dessert: Shanghai style soup dumplings filled with chocolate and strawberry."
"How are we supposed to do that if we don't know how to cook?" asked Cho.
"You don't. I do," admitted Enishi, puffing his chest out proudly.
"It's okay. I can teach you," you smiled, overlooking Enishi's display of manliness to toy with him a little. Which seemed to work as he glared at Cho like a child.
You gave them the instructions for the dough and how much they should make. The whole gang was going to sit down for dinner and you did need to honour your promise to Wu of a full month of desserts. But at least it wasn't you who would be kneading dough for hundreds of dumplings.
Starting on the potatoes, you gave them a thorough wash to get rid of any excess dirt before peeling their skin off and dicing them up into smaller pieces. Then you worked on getting the turkeys coated in your special seasoning mix to get them out of the way. Potatoes were already on the stove boiling away in a wide pot for a big batch of mashed potatoes. Next up on your list was a salad to go with the main course on the side.
The two just sat behind the kitchen island and watched you work, forgetting about the task at hand. Your hands skillfully cut a bunch of onions julienne style, sliding them off your cutting board into a bigger bowl before you moved to the tomatoes.
The gang got so used to your cooking since you've been here that Enishi couldn't even remember the last time he had to cook for them himself or when he would just give them money and send them out in town to eat and drink as much as they wanted.
Wu did pass it by him recently that besides the magic you made with the food, the gang loved you. When you got sick and Enishi put you on bed rest they refused to go and eat in town saying they would rather not eat anything if it wasn't made by your hands and he could tell why. He loved your cooking just as much, maybe a bit more.
On the other hand, Cho was new to your cooking. The most of it he ate were the boiled eggs at breakfast this morning and he could've sworn they were perfect. He didn't get to taste your cooking in the time you've spent together before. You were always moving from place to place together and most of them did not have even the smallest kitchen area.
But the way aromas wafted through the air in the kitchen made his insides melt. He closed his eyes breathing in the smell. If heaven had a smell it would definitely smell like your cooking. His stomach gurgled loudly snapping him and the other man beside him back to work.
You mixed the salad, watching lively colours swirl in the big bowl along with your thoughts. The main reason you put them in the kitchen with you was so they could start bonding, much to their disappointment of being here.
Food was a natural softener of emotions, your mother always said. If anything could disperse those deadly glares they passed around to each other when they thought you weren't looking, it would be making dumplings together.
After a while, you finished up on most of the main course. You wiped away the small beads of sweat on your temples that formed with the growing heat in the kitchen. The only thing left was the turkeys in the oven which weren't done yet.
You were growing suspicious of the eerily quiet kitchen. Nothing could be heard except the birds chirping outside and the whirring of the oven. Not even Cho chattering like he usually does which was a first.
You wiped your hands clean and turned to your apprentices. They were each kneading their separate doughs for the two batches of different filling, focused solely on the plump bundle of ingredients in their hands. It was impossible to mess up dumplings but you had your reservations. Anything became possible when it came to these two.
You walked around inspecting their doughs. Cho's was perfect, it just needed a little more kneading and it was good to go for the cutter. You gave him a thumbs up and he smiled brightly at you. The compliment must have reached deep because that was a smile unlike any he ever gave you. Too sweet and genuine to be coming from him.
Moving to Enishi's dough you noticed it didn't look as firm, appearing a little too liquid to be rolled around like. He pushed it forwards only for it to plop back sadly, bottom lip between his teeth concentrating intensely on the dough that just didn't want to cooperate with him.
This is why we don't puff our chests out saying we're good at something. It will always come around to bite you in the ass. Always.
"Easy there, cowboy. Put a little love into your dough."
"Dough is the number one enemy for me. How am I supposed to love it?" he grimaced at it.
Mind you, this is the same man that made you apologetic dorayaki pancakes like it was the easiest thing in the world.
"Let me show you," you giggled at his remark, shuffling closer to him. "Take some more flour and pour it here," you pointed to the marble counter top and he did as you requested.
You moved to grab some of the flour, spreading it on your palms and on top of the dough so it wouldn't stick. You rolled it around until it caught some sort of firmer shape that you could work with. Then you motioned for him to place his hands in yours.
He was a little skeptic at first but he obliged, sliding his dough covered hands into yours, warmth meeting your cold ones. You turned his palms around so yours sat on top of his and moved them to grab onto the dough starting to knead it again.
Your hands moved in sync with the dough as it got bigger and a lot more stretchy than it was before. The more you pushed it forwards to smoothen the lumps, the more your fingers slid over his longer ones, almost like they were dancing on top of the dough. Trying to be sneaky, you cast a look at him only to see him looking right back at you. Surprised to find him staring at you, your hand slipped downwards, fingers falling between his. Just one move from him and they would be intertwined together.
Its been a while since he held your hand like this. Well less than 24 hours ago. But every time you hands ended up together gave you butterflies. The longer you held onto it the more dangerous and out of control they became in your belly, fluttering around wildly. Just like your heartbeat that was drumming louder and louder in your ears.
A cough from Cho snapped you out of it. You cleared your throat and moved your hand away from Enishi's. You frowned at how cold it suddenly felt without it holding your palm.
"Yeah, uh... that's how you do it," you nervously scratched the back of your neck forgetting you still had dough on your fingers. "You can cut it up into smaller parts and I'll get the fillings to you in a bit."
You tiptoed around them and pulled out the turkeys before they scorched themselves. You got to making a chocolate ganache and the strawberry filling on the stove, stirring the pots simultaneously trying to calm your still racing heart.
The chocolate ganache was done quite quickly with the heat swirling around the kitchen. The strawberry filling boiled rather quickly in a jam composition but something about the taste wasn't quite right. It felt like something was missing.
Calling for some tasting help from your apprentices, Cho was the first to respond. Before Enishi even registered what happened, the blond quickly planted himself next to you happy to help. You held the spoon to his mouth after blowing on it and he tasted it. While you waited for the verdict, he licked his lips and you couldn't help but stare at them. Your eyes traced their outline from top to bottom, resisting the urge to reach out and touch them.
Were they always this soft and pink?
"Miyu!" he waved his hand in front of your face.
"Huh, what?"
"I think it needs more sugar."
"But I added more than the recipe said to."
You got another spoonful and tasted it again. It seemed sweet enough to you. If anything you could always add some more sugar when it boiled down in a bit.
Cho stood still next to you staring at you. What is it with men and staring? You were about to ask if you had anything on your face when his hand lifted to your cheek. You froze as his thumb brushed against it retrieving what looked like leftover jam. Instead of wiping it on a towel he licked it clean from his thumb. You watched shamelessly as his tongue grabbed the filling all the way to the top of his thumb that stopped to seal his lips like a letter.
That was hot- Get it together, Miyu.
"So you think I'm hot?"
I did not just think out loud.
"Yes, you did," he grinned, stepping closer to you. "Now answer the question."
"You're not hot," you said turning back to turn off the stove on the pot. You felt your cheeks warm up and you hoped they wouldn't give away more of your previous thoughts.
"That's not what your face said during training," he leaned on the counter next to the stove and crossed his arms on his chest trying to prove a point.
"My face said nothing during training," you argued, gathering the rest of the leftover strawberries in a container.
"It did."
"Did not."
"Did too."
You got one of the strawberries and shoved it in his mouth to shut him up. Getting on your tip toes, you leaned up towards him and bit half of it away leaving him wide eyed.
The knife in Enishi's hand dropped to the floor as he watched the scene before him. The sound echoed throughout the kitchen much like the bang of realisation in your head at what you just did.
"To the dumpling assembly station. NOW!" you exclaimed waving your hands around frantically. "We don't have time to spare people."
You moved the pots of filling to their assigned chef at the kitchen island. Cho took care of the strawberry jam since he liked it so much while Enishi took the chocolate.
Turns out they were better at moulding the dough into dumplings than kneading it. Before you blinked, the first batches of twenty for each filling was ready to be steamed. But of course they had to turn this into a competition too. Was there anything in the world that didn't require a display of macho behaviour?
You watched as they moved quicker and smoother with each dumpling that passed through their hands. Cho worked hastily, delivering the dumplings to steam as fast as the strawberry filling hit the dough. Enishi took his time maneuvering the small bundles around more gently, but with a little urgency to not fall behind and to keep the chocolate ganache from melting.
They were both on their final rolls of dough. Your eyes darted between the two watching as they quickly sliced it into smaller pieces.
Cho's knife got stuck in his dough slowing him down in the face of Enishi's fast cutting technique. He tried making it work but it would just get stuck with more dough on it. Placing it down with a low growl, he turned the kitchen island taking quick strides towards you. The extremely focused look on his face matched the one he usually sported during combat. The same look that made your breath catch in your throat every. damn. time. even as he stopped right in front of you. He leaned towards you as one of his hands came to rest on your waist. You closed your eyes at the contact, anticipating his next move.
He wants to get me back for that strawberry trick doesn't he?
He's not gonna kiss me is he?
Actually, I wouldn't mind-
Jesus, Miyu calm the fuck down.
You sat there waiting for something to happen. But to your relief and sheer disappointment nothing did. Opening your eyes you found him smirking down at you. You were about to smack him for railing you up again when you noticed the shiny blade in his free hand. Turns out he just used your waist as support to lean over and grab a clean knife from the dish rack behind you. Nothing suggested he did it to kiss you.
I'm such an idiot.
Amused by your reaction, he let his hand linger around your waist for a few more seconds before he dragged it down to your hip. You dragged in a sharp breath, feeling his rough hands through your the layered apron over your shirt. Satisfied with turning you into putty, he let go, walking back to his spot at the kitchen island.
You couldn't prevent the furious blush forming on your face this time. Turning to the sink you turned on the tap to splash some water on your cheeks to cool yourself down.
Okay maybe he is hot. I might be in need of mental and medical assistance. Who knows anymore?
"You okay there, Miyu?" asked Enishi with a mix of worry at the way you slapped your cheeks and a slight teasing tone. He definitely saw the earlier exchange and how flustered you got.
"I am fantastic!" you chimed a little too enthusiastically turning back to them, water dripping down your face.
The sun shone through the kitchen, covering it in the golden glow of the warm afternoon. You leaned back on the counter watching them take the fight to the end. Beads of sweat lined their brows, falling down the side of their faces, glistening in the flickering rays of sun. You chased each drop descending down toned arms, moving meticulously to finish in first place. Each turn of lean forearm muscles moving in tandem with sleek, long fingers had your bottom lip between your teeth like a prisoner, chest raising and falling with soft sighs.
Who knew that my plan to make this excruciating for them would turn against me in this torturous way? Lord, I'm just a girl.
"Done!"
They both shouted at the same time pulling you out of yet another misty daydream. You blinked rapidly at them, confused until you noticed the last batches of dumplings arranged neatly on the two separate trays ready to be steamed.
"Who finished first?" you asked, oblivious to what went down while you were busy drinking in their appearance.
Their cocky smiles fell, replaced by dropped jaws at your question.
"YOU DIDN'T SEE?!" yelled Cho, followed by Enishi snickering as if he knew something you didn't by just one look at you.
"Of course she didn't. Look at her for a second." Your cheeks were flushed bright, pupils blown wide like you were coming down from a high on something. Your nails dug into your arm in restrain and it wasn't long until your teeth pierced your bottom lip to draw blood. They both looked at you, the blond more confused until he pointed at your lips and chuckled knowingly. "She's drooling again."
Your hands shoot up to your lips wiping at nothing in particular but your skin. He was just messing around with you.
"Are we that hot doing kitchen work?" Cho turned to him, eyebrows raised in a teasing tone.
"Maybe we just fulfilled a fantasy of hers. Wearing aprons, listening to her instructions, helping with kitchen duty. Being submissive," smirked Enishi, dragging the last word on purpose to push your buttons.
"You little shits. I WILL BOIL YOU ALIVE," you yelled, running after them when they opened fire on you. Flour flew your way getting stuck in your hair and in your eyes. You didn't retaliate either smacking cheeks left and right with the powder in revenge.
They broke front lines in different directions as you chased after them around the kitchen island. Despite it being a rather small surface, they were too fast for you to even lay another floured finger on them. The kitchen roared with laughter as you rounded the marble top like three children playing.
It's been a while since I've felt this happy. These two have a way of melting every one of my worries away. As surprising as it feels to admit this, I think... I think I'm home.
Enishi neared the kitchen sink coming in your range of snatching. You marched to him, fingers stretching to grab the sleeve of his blue kimono turned white from the patches of flour. You're mine now. The pad of your pointer finger was the only thing that reached him before you slipped on the small puddle of water in front of the sink heading towards your doom.
I'm gonna smash my head on the tiles and die.
This was it from me world.
I didn't even get to eat those dumplings.
With a lot of regrets for the way you lived your life, your eyes sealed shut as you braced to hit the floor expecting severe pain to follow. But you didn't feel a thing.
Did I die and go straight to heaven? That's weird. I swear you normally roll around in gut-wrenching pain and yell in agony before you kick the bucket.
Cautiously, you cracked one eye open only to see Enishi swift at your side. You sighed in relief thanking his quick reflexes until you opened the other one, seeing Cho on your other side. A pair of arms from each side was secured under you securing your back, while the others grabbed at your forearms to hold you up. Both of them looked down at you, brows creased with worry at your clumsiness. The embarrassment made you wish you did hit your head and die.
You could almost hear Enishi's incoming nagging voice chastising you for not having "any space awareness" and Cho's annoying laughing at you being a klutz. But none of that came. Instead, their eyes moved from you to each other, concern morphing back into the rivalry they carried during training and their dumpling competition. You could feel their hands tightening around you as they looked at one another with the kind of hatred that starts wars. You just happened to fall right in the middle of it.
"Uh, guys? You can let go of me now," you tried getting their attention back to you.
Their eyes didn't waver from each other in the slightest but they did as you asked and let go of you. In all sense of the word as you crashed to the floor on your butt. Your pained winces seemed to snap them out of their blazing staring contest.
"Why did you let go of her like that?" howled the gray-haired man, getting closer to invade Cho's space.
"You did it first," protested the blonde, pointing his finger into Enishi's chest.
"You want to see how I break your neck first?"
"Not if I get to do it before you."
"I would like to see you try, blondie."
"Getting ahead of yourself again, mophead?"
They stood one breath away, jaws clicking with impending wrath. The kitchen was to become a battle ground if you didn't interrupt them.
"Can you both stop this testosterone match and help me up? I think I broke my ass."
One whiff of your clothes and your nose nearly fell off. You smelled somewhere between a well-cooked turkey and a wet rat. That's what you get for going from training straight to kitchen duty.
You were long overdue for a bath. That you couldn't take. Because Enishi still hasn't fixed the water tap on the bath tub like he said he would. You asked him to do it multiple times and he said he would do it soon.
In Enishi language, that meant he wanted you to keep showering in his room. That cheeky rascal.
You got a change of clothes and headed to his room. Pushing open the big dark oak doors, you peeked inside checking for any sign of him. You sighed in relief seeing no trace of him.
The bed was tidily made, edges of the duvet tucked under the mattress and smoothened out. Clean freak, you smiled. Turns out he hasn't been in here for the day.
You didn't mean to avoid him. Today was sprinkled with too much Enishi time and any more of it would make you go insane. The constant teasing had you on edge. It was just harmless teasing but it was enough to spin your brain to another dimension. You did like the attention. Who didn't like the full attention of two available handsome single men? You just never had this much of it before to know how to deal with it.
You didn't take a towel with you since Enishi had plenty of them laying around, stashed neatly on top of a book shelf. Plus, they all smelled like him. That addicting mix of amber and sweet jasmine was etched into every corner of his room and it drove you wild.
You picked up a towel from the pile of dark blue, feeling the material. It was so soft you couldn't resist a tempting invitation to bury your nose in it to take a whiff. His essence captured you with closed eyes, every inhale consuming you more than the previous. The scent took you to an azure sea with sandy beaches stretching beyond what your eyes could see. The waves splashed on the shore so serene, reflecting the cloudless blue sky above. He was just like the sea before you. The calm you needed to get yourself back to shore whenever the shallows of your mind pulled you into a storm. You smiled at the thought.
He was just as unpredictable as the sea. You never knew if you stood face to face with the sunny and tranquil sea or the torrid and perilous waters that sunk ships.
"I didn't think you liked my towels this much," a deep chuckle rumbled from behind you.
Turning around to make sure you didn't hear his voice in your mind from how much you inhaled his scent, you saw him leaning on the frame of his bathroom door, arms folded on his chest.
So that wasn't me imagining it. Can you get high from someone's scent? I think I just did for a second.
Besides the smug look on his face, what didn't help your predicament was that he was freshly showered: water still dripping from his hair down on his chest in consistent drifts kind of fresh. A towel sat around his lower half, hanging way too low on his hips for your liking. Your lips our became victim to your gnawing teeth again as you stared at him.
"Earth to Miyu?" he called but it fell on deaf ears like everything else he said today. You could see his lips moving but no real words made their way to your ears. He lost you daydreaming again.
He knew where your mind flew towards by the way your eyes looked at him so boldly. Discretion wasn't your forte and he knew that. You couldn't hide from him no matter how hard you tried.
He took slow steps your way, towel moving side to side with each sway of his hips. You took a few guarded steps back until your back collided with the wall. His steps halted in front of you, hand inching towards the hem of your blouse. Lifting it up to your ribs he inspected the skin around your middle, a light shade of purple visible even in the dim lighting.
"Does it hurt?" he asked softly.
You shook your head in response. His fingers reached to touch it expecting you to flinch away. But you only sucked in a breath, more affected by him being so close than the bruise.
"I'm sorry," he said, without tearing his eyes away from it.
He had that apologetic look in his eyes again. The one where he gave himself shit for things that weren't his fault.
"It's okay. It's bound to happen during training anyways," you scoffed as you didn't pay it too much mind. "Besides, I got you pretty hard too."
He was confused until you reached out a hand to his rib cage. There, a bruise just as big as the one he gave you but lighter in color covered an area big enough to at least feel some discomfort. He probably forgot about it until you pointed it out.
You let the pads of your fingers trace the outline of the bruise in similar regret. Your fingers were ice cold on his warm steaming skin. He sucked in a harsh breath at the contact before pushing you flat to the wall behind you.
One of his hands planted to the side of your head as the other wrapped around your waist drawing you closer. He leaned in as you shut your eyes tight out of instinct. Droplets kept falling from his wet hair, drenching your blouse. You could feel his breath fanning your lips, hand closing around your back pulling your hips flush against his. Your palms landed on his chest to keep yourself steady on your legs even if he supported your weight just fine with one hand. You could feel all of him and yet none of him.
You needed him. Your whole being needed him in more ways than you could count.
It frustrated you that he could make you feel like this. That he could just make your heart race whenever he pleased by just holding you close. That he could turn your mind into a filthy place full of lust for him and he didn't even know it.
He leaned down to your lips until he suddenly stopped, just a nail away from brushing those plump lips of his on yours.
"I want to kiss you so bad," he whispered, so quiet and full of desire that it rattled places within you that you didn't know existed. His words sounded like pleas for control like he was just on the brink of giving into that same lust you felt but something held him back.
"Why don't you do it?" you exhaled breathlessly.
"That's cheating," he placed a piece of your hair behind your ear, letting his fingers trace the shape of your ear all the way to the side of your neck raising goosebumps on your skin. "I like playing fair."
Playing fair? Fairplay? Foreplay? What?
"What are you talking about, Enishi?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?" he smirked, pulling away from you.
You whined at the loss of his touch, longing for his hands to sit back on your body. No one made you feel this insatiable, wishing for more. And it angered you that he did it without expecting any repercussions.
He was beyond satisfied that he provoked you to the point you were trembling out of anger. He wanted to give into you so bad and have it his way a long time ago. But the need to play it safe and take it close enough to rail you up but not close enough to get his own needs sated at the same time raged a battle in his head.
Among all that push and pull he wanted you to give into him. To tell him exactly how much you wanted him. To pick him.
As selfish as it sounded, he wanted you to only have eyes for him. He wanted to erase the other man from your memory, from your heart, from your blood. To have his touches on you like a tattoo similar to the one behind your ear. To have you only to himself, body and soul.
But he couldn't do that when your heart was torn between him and the blonde man down the hall. As much as your mind argued with you between them, he couldn't lift a finger for his own needs. Yours would always come first to him.
You had enough of his playing so you pushed him away, grabbing your things from his bed. You rushed towards the bathroom, closing the door with a thud.
"Don't you need a towel?" he shouted after you.
Cursing yourself, you cracked the door open just a crack to hold your hand out. With a laugh at your grabby hand, he got one out of the pile and handed it to you. You pulled it inside, holding your hand out signaling you needed more.
"Jesus, woman. How many do you need?"
"As many as it takes to wrap myself like a mummy. Now give me two more before I decide to walk around the mansion naked for everyone to see the goodies."
He shoved a couple more into your arms rushing you inside the bathroom with an awkward cough. The door shut behind you and you fell against it with a sigh.
Your thoughts were in a flurry of the man on the other side of the door, who's scent was still lingering on the steam in the air. You could faintly see yourself through the foggy mirror, rosy hues blooming on your cheeks. You slapped them feeling the same warm feeling seeping through the rest of your body.
What the fuck is wrong with him? What kind of fucked up satisfaction does he get from playing with me? I want to shove his balls so deep down his throat until he chokes and UGH WHY IS HE LIKE THIS-
"See you at dinner," he called out. You could hear the playful tone even with his voice muffled by the door behind you.
"Wouldn't miss it for the world," you replied, grinding your teeth in extreme annoyance.
Showers bring you clarity on the usual. But this one left you more puzzled than when you got inside.
You spent a while just leaning on the shower wall, staring at the opposite wall like it could speak and give you some clarity on what you were actually feeling. The warm water cascaded down your limbs drawing the dirt and flour on your body to the drain in the corner.
Everything ached. Your head from daydreaming and thinking way too much. Your heart from feeling too overwhelmed with all the different emotions you experienced in just one day. And one more part of you that has been neglected for, you counted on your fingers, three weeks now. The part that ached the most, especially now with the doubled sexual tension around you.
You weren't desperate to soothe that ache. But if more of today's events happened, you would reach your breaking point and beg for it if you had to because doing it yourself just didn't feel the same.
The shower did little to help with anything other than cleaning yourself. It only got you more stressed so you got out, wrapping the bathrobe around you tight. You picked your clothes up and made your way to your room.
The wooden floors felt way too cold under your feet. You tried to justify the mess Enishi left in his wake with whatever that interaction was finally coming to the conclusion that his words didn't make any sense to you no matter how much you turned them inside and out.
I wanna kiss you so bad. That's cheating. I like playing fair.
They echoed in your head like a broken record as if they were broadcasted out loud for everyone in the world to hear them. Each word bounced off the walls towards you at full speed over and over again and you couldn't drown them out.
I wanna kiss you so bad.
I wanted the kiss too. Why couldn't he just kiss me? Why was he holding back? Why was it suddenly so hard for him to be in my space when I craved being in his so much?
That's cheating.
Cheating. Cheating as in deception? Deception of what exactly? My heart constantly racing, my head being a mess, needing his hands on my body in all the right places? What game was he playing that the rules forbid him from indulging in something he obviously wanted just as much?
I like playing fair.
Fairness. Playfulness. It must be all the same thing to him. He's a man after all. These two things can't coexist in a way that's not to his own gain, right? To his own entertainment. I'm a fool to believe otherwise when his actions say exactly that.
You threw on your blouse and your underwear on before noticing that your pants were missing.
"I swear I had them in the pile."
You thought back to when you left Enishi's bathroom. You didn't leave anything behind except a trail of water you wished he would slip on in case he found his way back to his room after your shower.
You looked everywhere from your own bathroom through the drawers of the vanity and the laundry basket but there was no sign of them.
Pulling off the bed covers you threw all the pillows aside, hand desperately searching every corner of the bed only to come up empty handed. Dipping beside the bed, you lifted the covers to look under it in case they fell there before you went to shower but they weren't there either. Almost like they dissipated into thin air. You would wear another pair of pants if everything else you had wasn't elastic combat gear that you couldn't be bothered to struggle to wear over freshly damp legs.
You could go back and check Enishi's bathroom but you didn't want to see his face right now. Especially because your only cover was the blouse that fell oversized on you, stopping just above your knees. That would only give him all the wrong ideas.
"Looking for these?"
Your eyes shot up at the voice. You looked for its owner finding Cho leaning on your door frame, twirling around something that looked oddly identical to your pants.
"Found these on the floor in the middle of the hallway. Considering they're awfully western-looking and smaller than what I wear, I assumed they could only be yours."
Oh god, in the middle of the hallway of all places?! At least that saved me the trouble of having to go back there and face that devil.
"Thank you," you breathed in relief. You walked to him reaching for them when he dashed out of your room with them tossed over his shoulder.
You've got to be fucking kidding me.
"GIVE THEM BACK, BLONDIE."
"If you want them you're gonna have to catch me."
You looked left and right in case anyone spotted you dressed indecently before you took off running after him while cursing his entire bloodline. He dove inside of his room preparing to shut the door on you before you kicked it open to follow him inside. It smacked against the wall from the power of your kick.
"Give. them. back. now," you growled, ready to pounce on him. That only pushed him to torment you more, lifting them up in the air way out of your reach.
"Come and get them if you can."
You jumped after them trying your hardest to reach them but it was no use. He was way too tall for a normal sized person to reach over and bonk his head even and he only kept raising his hand higher with every jump you took. Pissed beyond the ordinary, you resorted to his favorite practice: violence.
You kicked his injured leg and he lost his balance, lowering the hand that was holding your pants. You caught one leg of the fabric and pulled on the other as he fell back on the bed. But not without dragging you with him. You landed on top of him, hand still around your pants as the other sat on your waist in case you fell over. Your free one fell beside his head pinning him against the headboard.
The position was less than favorable. For you at least since the grin on his face told you he enjoyed this.
"Since when do you use vile attacks on injured people to get what you want?" he cocked his head at you.
"Since the injured people in question is you," you said, narrowing your eyes at him annoyed he even questioned your motives.
"You don't mean that, do you?"
"I can do much worse if you don't let go."
"Of what? The pants or you?"
Does he mean let go in the physical way or the literal way?
Because from how he looked at you it looked like the latter.
"Are we still talking about the pants?" you asked trying to gauge what he was thinking behind those caramel eyes of his.
"They got you into my room didn't they? But no, I'm not talking about the pants."
"I don't want that."
"What exactly?"
"You letting go," you exhaled in one breath.
You almost missed the glint of shock that passed through his eyes if you weren't looking directly at them. You said those words without thinking but frankly you didn't feel any remorse for them. Almost like they waited inside of your heart ever since you met again for a small chance to be voiced out in the open.
Even if that could change everything.
"I can't tell what's going through that head of yours," he said, leaning his head on the headboard to get a better look at you.
"Me neither lately," you answered sitting back, fidgeting with the seam on the pants.
He always had this thing for noticing when you closed off. But he also knew how to make you open back up if he knew just what cogs to turn in your head. You smiled to yourself remembering how good of a listener he used to be. Nightmare, doubt or worry, you could always count on him to untangle it for you. No matter how insane or stupid it sounded to you it mattered to him.
Seems like he still had his arms open for you after all this time. You just wished you hadn't grown apart like this.
"I liked it better when we weren't strangers," you let out below a mumble, just loud enough for him to hear it. As if the walls would close in on you if you spoke your heart out too loud and carry your words somewhere you didn't want them.
"We don't have to be. I miss having you around like before."
He searched your eyes for anything that told him you missed him just as much as he did. That he had a small but existing chance in this fight. That his efforts weren't in vain to get you to listen to his heart too.
He saw the way you looked at the gray-haired man like he could break the world in two and put it back together if you so much as asked him to do it. Was it so bad that he wanted you to look at him at least half of that same way?
You were way too quiet. If anything it added to his uneasiness. He knew he deserved the cold shoulder, but not now. Not after he gave up the coy act he had going on for so long, to be open with you for a moment that felt real.
He reached out and put a hand on your heart, feeling how fast it was beating against his palm. You closed your eyes trying to stop the intense drumming shaking your whole body alive.
Stupid heart.
"You can't tell me at least half of your heart doesn't still beat for me, Miyu." He took your hand and put it on top of his own heart that surprisingly was beating just as fast as yours did.
"Because mine still beats for you," he continued.
You could feel it pumping through your palm, rhythm in sync with the one pumping in your chest. Before you knew it you moved closer to him. The hand on your heart moved to cup the side of your face, thumb brushing your cheek gently. Your foreheads met halfway, breathlessly waiting for one of you to make the first move. Although for now, just sitting like that for a moment in each other's presence seemed to be enough.
You've waited for this for the longest time. Imagined it late at night when thoughts of him just wouldn't leave you alone. At times when your life with him flashed before your eyes so vividly that the memories got harder to thread through. So much that you forgot your hatred for what he did. Because you missed him. Training with him, eating with him, coexisting in the same space. You missed hearing his awfully annoying voice the most.
You would never admit it but you craved to have him like this many times before. To have his hand caress your exposed thigh the way he was doing now, rough fingers from all the years of wielding a sword making your spine quiver with shivers. Just like a violin player strumming the strings with their bow, so skilled from years of training, yet still so gentle, afraid to break a string.
"I still feel safe with you," you whispered. "But I need time. We both do."
"The last thing I want to do is rush you into anything. I just want to be on the fair field with you."
You moved your forehead away from his, confusion hitting you harder this time around.
Fair field? What the fuck does that mean? Is that horse lingo?
"What do you mean by that?"
"Nothing to worry your pretty little head about," he snickered, petting down your damp hair.
Suddenly too aware of how exposed you were and the way you were straddling him a little too hard you moved to get up. With a shove to his shoulder, you snatched your pants away and put them on.
"Wait! Where are you going?"
"To dinner," you said angrily, tired of being teased by the male species for simply being a woman with needs and feelings.
"Did I do something wrong?"
"I don't know. But I sure as hell will find out."
Was it so bad you wanted him to try and leave this game be for once? To just be honest with you when you asked him to be even after he broke your heart, broke your trust, and had a part of you locked away somewhere only he knew.
Was any man in this house, besides Wu, normal in the head?
Hiding in your room would've been better than whatever this was. Turns out Wu and the gang sat down to eat as soon as you vacated the kitchen. Which meant you had to sit down at the table with the two people you currently wanted to avoid like the plague.
They had you second guessing everything. Every move of theirs came with some kind of double meaning. It was messing with your heart more than your head and when it came to that it wasn't long until you spit fire.
Your leg bounced up and down nervously under the table while the two made light talk. They spared glances at you every now and then wondering if something the other did set you off.
Little did they know they were both at fault.
Wu pulled out a case of red wine for the rest of the gang but they were left with two bottles that the boys gladly accepted before you even sat down at the table.
None of them knew, but red wine was not your alcohol of choice. It made you wear your thoughts on your face with as much as just one glass. You could drink anything as long as it wasn't that.
You didn't mean to but the mood made you indulge in the liquor a little too much. Instead of taking the edge off a little like you hoped it would it just magnified everything around you.
The fleeting touches of Enishi's hand grazing your fingers as he passed you the salad bowl. Cho pouring some more wine into your glass as he kept your gaze. The way they both seemed to drink you in like you were the very alcohol spinning in their glasses. Their drink of choice that they couldn't get enough of.
Unable to take it anymore you pushed your chair backwards and sat up abruptly. The pair turned to you ceasing their chatter.
"Are you okay?" asked Enishi with a hint of worry in his tone. You looked like you could murder someone and that wasn't a good sign.
"The fucking audacity to ask me that," you chuckled lowly, throwing a hand through your hair. "After all you've both been doing is try to get under my skin. Well, guess what. It worked."
"I don't think we're following here," said Cho, trying to cover the obvious hesitation in his voice. He knew exactly what you were on about but he knew that it wasn't the time to admit to it.
"Figure it out yourselves. I'm out of here."
You drank the rest of your wine and smacked down the cloth in your hand, before turning around to leave. They called after you but you were already out the door with an angry lump in your throat you had to calm before it exploded.
Maybe it was best you didn't stay because another rage contest started at the table caused by the rest of the red wine.
"It's all your fault," said Enishi, sourly and more bitter than the taste of wine ebbing his throat.
The blonde could only laugh and shake his head at the remark.
"Actually, I think you're as much to blame for that as I am."
"Well, please do enlighten me what prompted her to up and leave like that."
"We both played a little too much with her these days, don't you think?"
"I would never-"
"Play with her? But you did. And it clearly worked well, didn't it? At least I have the courtesy to admit it."
"Courtesy my ass. The most you did was toy with her head as if she doesn't have enough on her plate already."
"You act like you know her but you don't."
"And you do? Remind me exactly why you two separated again?"
Cho gripped the knife next to his plate a little too hard to calm himself down. He couldn't cause a scene right now. The game was still on and a slip up would only set him back four steps behind the three he took so far.
"Don't act like you won this fight when it's far from being finished."
Enishi could only click his tongue against the inside of his cheek in response. He knew the blonde had a point but he was to proud to admit it taking another sip of wine with the hope it would numb him a little.
They ate the remainder of food on their plates in silence out of respect for your hard work. They expected you to cave in under their taunting sooner or later. Just not like this.
You were down in the only place that could give you some well-deserved peace and quiet: the artillery room. Wu brought some new stuff a few days ago and asked you to check them over when you had some time and now was as good of a time for that as any.
They were new generation rifles that more mafias took on to upgrade their chances of survival. It took you a while to learn how to assemble them due to the complex mechanisms. Working on them made you forget how about your anger for a minute and just feel like a normal person doing normal activities that didn't involve males.
Twenty minutes. That's all you got to yourself until you felt a stare burn holes in the back of your head. The unwanted guest sat by the door watching you work for a while until you tossed the gun you were fiddling with on the table visibly frustrated.
The person just walked towards you like his senses picked up on your inner turmoil. You knew it could only be one person.
"I knew I would find you here," spoke Enishi, making his presence known officially.
"Are you just going to stand there and infuriate the fuck out of me?" you huffed in irritation at the fact that you didn't want him here. This was your space and you needed it clear of him.
He walked closer and you heard him stop right behind you. His fingertips ghosted your shoulder to the nape of your neck and you froze in place.
Your heartbeat picked up for nothing as he just pulled out your hair from under your blouse. You let it free to air dry forgetting that most of it remained underneath and you didn't notice it until now.
"Thanks," you breathed out.
Something told you he wanted more from you as he didn't say anything more and just stood there behind you. He must have been intensely staring at you because you could feel chills rack your body. You didn't dare turn around in case your heart would trick you to fall into one of his games again. The tension got more palpable and if you didn't say or do anything soon you would implode. He made the first move.
He stepped closer to you, arm snaking around your waist to pull you against him. His scent was now everywhere around you and you couldn't escape it. It was intoxicating and drowning you.
"What are you doing-," he cut you off as his head dipped to your ear, lips diving to the skin under it. You gasped in surprise at the feeling of having his lips on you again, though they weren't even close to where you needed them the most.
Slow and sloppy kisses travelled down your jaw all the way to your collar bone. He stopped there and sucked on that one spot you liked, tilting your head backwards with his other hand for more access to your neck. You couldn't resist tangling your fingers in his gray locks pulling him closer. He smirked against your skin and you hated it.
You were supposed to be mad at him. To push him away from you like the traitor he was for denying you for so long. But the way his lips attached to your skin was like sin and you craved sin badly right now.
"You like that?" he asked, voice deep and raspy against your neck. You hummed not trusting your voice to speak for you and break showing him just how desperate you were for more.
The hand holding your waist rubbed circles on your hip and it was driving you wild. His touches were unlike anything you've ever experienced. You were both fully clothed and he still managed to set off that want in you.
He was diabolical. A wicked demon that liked to play with his object of desire until he had enough but for him personally, enough was never enough.
The moment his kisses got slower and more measured, the hand holding the side of your neck trailed down your arm all the way down to your finger tips in the slowest way possible, raking goosebumps on your skin. Blood rushed through your ears, drumming out of control when it settled around your other hip, dangerously close to where you needed to feel him.
"Can I?" he whispered in your ear, feeling you melt in his hold from something as simple as his voice.
Your head was up in the clouds too foggy to think things through as you nodded at him to get on with whatever he had planned, curiosity arousing you even more. Your pulse picked up again as he traced a finger around the band of your pants tauntingly and you bit your lip in silent expectation. When he did nothing you let out a low whine in protest.
Satisfied with your reaction, he sneaked his hand inside and all rationale was officially gone from your mind. Every thought that plagued you disappeared as cold fingers pressed into you where you needed them the most. It took everything in you to not fall to the floor. Thankfully, the arm around your waist did not move, moreover it held you in place, pulling you even closer to him.
You clung desperately to his wrist rolling in circles to please you exactly like you wante him to for so long. You couldn't hold the moans in anymore and the second one slipped out multiple followed. The strokes were slow and rapid acting as a guide to your ragged breaths coming out in the same rhythm. Nothing you could do yourself could ever come close to what he could do to you.
"Enishi," you moaned, trembling in his hold.
"Does it feel good?" he brushed his lips on the skin of your ear making you shudder.
"Fuck, it does," you exhaled, leaning your head back on his shoulder. He chuckled at how quickly he had your head spinning for more.
"I know you, Miyu," he whispered sending your mind in a spiral. The closeness of his body turned your legs to jelly but his voice mixed with his wrist were enough to get that fire in your belly raging. The way his hand worked on your core had you seeing the seventh heaven.
Your heartbeat increased so much it was somewhere to the fucking moon and beyond. He could feel it through your abdomen and the way you throbbed under his touch. It alerted him that you were close to your release and he took advantage of that, pulling his hand out of your pants as you whined like a bitch in heat.
He denied you yet again.
You slumped against him trying to come back to yourself since you were too far gone. He held you stable for a while as your knees were shaking. Your breathing was way off its normal pace, as if you just ran a marathon and you struggled to get it back to normal.
"Can you breathe for me?"
"Can I what?" you asked, too dazed to process anything around you except his strong hold on you.
He chuckled and moved to place you down on the chair next to the table filled with gun parts. Crouching down in front of you, his hands came to sit on your thighs drawing random patterns as you tried to steady your breath. Your hair fell over your face and you could only pray that it hid the flustered redness spreading across your features.
"I know you better than you know yourself," he placed a stray hair away from your face, behind your ear. "Remember that the next time you're on top of someone else."
What does that mean- Shit, he saw me with Cho. And I was half naked too sitting on him like a whore desperate for attention. Oh god. But nothing happened.
With one last dark smile full of dirt your way he got up and was gone out the door before you could even argue your side of the story.
What the fuck just happened?
You sat on that chair unable to feel anything but the ghost of his hand. Every emotion boiling in you today was channeled into that release that was bubbling up inside you. Anguish, desire, greed, lust, stress, rage. Every single one of them.
The truth was no one could do things to you like he could. He knew how to give it to you just right and he made sure that no one could ever come close to that.
Something suddenly clicked. The teasing in the kitchen. The playful behaviour. The scene in Enishi's room and the way too emotional confession from Cho.
I like playing fair.
I just want to be on the fair field with you.
I let myself get played by two idiots more desperate than me.
Your arousal was long gone now, replaced by something darker - pure anger with a touch of needing to even the score. You gripped the material of your pants, knuckles turning white from digging your nails into it as the realisation sunk in.
They were playing you for a fool. The daggers they threw each other. The way they both tried to get you to submit to them like you were a fucking toy to be manhandled around from one to another.
Just how far were they willing to go to get you caged between them?
This ends now. They want a game? You're gonna play the game like hell thawed over.
Oh, it's so on.
Just wait until I make both of you beg on your fucking knees.
After all, you're both men.
You awoke with a smile on your face. It was a brand new day perfect to seek revenge on the male species. Oh, how much disaster you had planned. But your amazing plans had to be postponed due to a certain blonde man pulling you along on a shopping spree down in the village.
Something about not wanting to see another kimono in his life and needing something other than the bloody white shirt you found him in. He kept washing it over and over again like a madman but the material turned more of a beige tone with spots. It had him going crazy to the point it was driving you crazy too.
You got ready and went to look for Wu to borrow some money, finding the old man eating breakfast with the rest of the gang members. They all smiled seeing you walk through the door like you were the sun in the sky. You still couldn't get used to having more than a dozen of the best mercenaries in the country eating your food and looking at you with so much respect as if you owned the place.
"Hello, everyone. Hope the food was to your liking yesterday."
"It was divine, madame. And those dumplings were absolutely delicious," replied Wu, walking your way with the promised money pouch. "Hope this is enough."
"Well, I didn't make those but my extremely hardworking apprentices did." He handed you the money pouch weighing heavily in your hand. There was probably a little extra in there even though you calculated a rough sum you needed beforehand. "It does look like more than enough. Thank you, Wu."
"Are you going by yourself?"
"No, I'm taking this one with me," you turned back to point at Cho who was busy scratching at the material of the kimono you forced him to wear to look like a normal person.
Wu looked behind you, squinting through the monocle on his good eye. He wasn't too convinced that the blonde would offer you enough protection.
"Madame, are you sure you don't want me to send someone else with you?"
"I know he looks like he can't fight a fly but he's alright in the protection field," you reassured him, a little taken aback at the push for protection. "Is there a reason you might want to pack me up with extra security detail?"
"You didn't hear this from me, but Master Enishi told us to secure the mansion grounds tight. That includes your visits to the outside, madame."
"Wait a minute. My visits?"
"Yes. He made a great deal about letting you out by yourself when he wasn't around."
"So he's not around right now?"
"He left in the early hours of the morning. Though he didn't tell us where."
He wants me on lockdown now while he's out waltzing around freely after the shit he pulled last night? Hell no. I'm not staying in the mansion like a damsel. I can protect myself and I believe I proved that to him yesterday in training. He can shove his demands up his ass for all I care.
"Thanks for letting me know. Well, I'll be on my way now. Rest assured protection is covered and thank you again for the money," you smiled, trying to sweeten the situation a little.
"With pleasure, madame. In any case money happens to run out, tell the shop owner to put it on Master Enishi's tab."
"Won't that put you in trouble with him?"
"Just think of it as if you didn't hear this information from me either," he whispered, walking back to the table.
You laughed at the old man's antics, knowing you could always count on him to spill secrets in your favour. You bid your goodbyes to everyone and took to the village with Cho close behind you.
For someone that's been around for only a few months, they surely treated you with a lot more favoritism than their own leader. All it took was cooking and treating them with a little more love than they ever experienced in their life and they were ready to go to war for you. That included going behind Enishi's back. If he knew how much you plotted with Wu against him he would have you both skinned alive.
The shops in the village weren't doused in fashion staples like the ones at the market but they should do for now. Exploring the textile market was not the best thing at the moment, considering how many people you managed to piss off in your last endeavours around Shanghai. The village seemed like the safest bet. Besides, you could just buy some stuff that looked decent and alter it yourself if need be. You weren't a Hikari for nothing.
Hangers screeched under your hands as you whizzed through the racks of clothes in the third shop you stopped at. Pale yellow, light blue and something that resembled maroon were the only colour schemes you could find. Cotton farmer clothes and Cho Sawagejo don't really sit on the same spectrum.
Cho watched you scour the shops, unable to process what he was seeing. He knew you were a stylish person coming from a prestigious family specialising in that industry. But comparing materials and checking their specifications to the smallest detail with a great amount of focus and dedication was something he hasn't seen before on you.
The displeased look on your face told him this shop was a bust too. So he tried to make some conversation as you were on your way to the last shop in the village to animate the mood a little and see what you've been up to lately since you didn't get a proper chance to catch up.
"Back at the mansion," he started grabbing your attention. "If I didn't know any better I would think that you were the master of the house. They all look at you like you're their saving grace," spoke Cho from beside you, falling in step with you.
"Yeah," you laughed softly. "Crazy what cooking and training with a bunch of killing machines can do for you."
"Have you been with them for long?"
"Just a few months. I interfered with one of Enishi's missions." You smiled remembering the events and how quickly they escalated in the span of a night.
"One thing led to another and we ended up sticking together, trying to help each other out," you continued.
"I see. What about before that? After you know, we split up," he mumbled the last part unsure if he was crossing into dangerous territory there.
"I've been looking for my parents. It's all I've been doing with my life and I intend to find them no matter what. We got a lead on where my mom could be two days ago and well, we found you instead."
For a moment, he deluded himself into thinking you were looking for him. He waited years for you to chase him down and ask him to explain why he even left in the first place while you pointed a gun to his head. Torture him to tell you all the reasons why he had to do it. It was selfish but he wanted to cross paths with you again. Every mission he had without you was a drag and made him realize just how much of an idiot he was to let you go like that.
Your relationship was messy from the start. But for a while you had each other and it made everything else less important.
"Do you regret it? Finding me instead?"
You kicked stray stones away from your path. Did you want to find him as much as he wanted to find you?
"Not really," you didn't know what to tell him. Finding him seemed like a sign that you needed to fix the broken bond between you. Maybe it was a chance to do it all over again and start anew.
You were upset you didn't find your mom. But you didn't regret finding him.
"I think we were bound to meet again. We've got a lot of shit to talk through but on a more positive note, I'm glad you're here," you said, reaching the doorstep of the final shop in the village.
This was your final chance at finding something wearable for him. You really didn't want to but you would raid Enishi's wardrobe for another creative project if you had to.
Pushing the doors open your face instantly lit up. This one was filled with more western clothes than the other shops. Though most of them were basics, you could work with it.
Cho ventured around on your tail as you browsed through the stands. You found a few tops and shirts that resembled his style. Holding them up to his chest, you measured them with your eyes in length and width before tossing them into his hands.
"I realise I haven't asked this before, but are you an mophead a thing?"
You snorted at the mention of your nickname for Enishi.
"Where did you hear that one?"
"I heard you cuss him out down the hallways last night. I thought you had beef with an actual mop but the more I heard the more it clicked that it was a person."
"I'm not crazy to fight with inanimate objects," you said, even though he knew it wasn't true. You always fought with your training weapons as if they would magically choose to work against you.
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Now answer my question. Are you two a thing?"
"We're not," you answered, hand falling still on a pair of tailored pants.
The words flew out of your mouth like you trained yourself to say them. Not like you wanted them to have any meaning but the more you sat in silence staring holes into the dark fabric in your hand, the more you seemed to think them over. As if you wished they did have a meaning and you wouldn't have to deny it.
If we're not a thing then why do I feel my heart squeeze in pain every time I have to clarify that?
Resuming your searching, you tried to focus on the task at hand, pushing the thoughts back inside. You needed some free time away from contemplating his existence.
"Why are you asking me that anyways?"
"It just seemed like you were something."
You stopped walking turning to him. The way he put pressure on the word rubbed you wrong for some reason.
"What exactly was that something in your head?"
"I'll just be blunt about it."
"I'm listening."
He made a pause rethinking the question before uttering it out like it was the most normal thing to ask someone in public.
"Did you two fuck?"
Okay, maybe I'm not listening.
Before your flustered face could give anything away, you turned around and speed-walked towards the suit section at the back.
"Oh my god, you did! That explains a lot now."
"Can you just shut the fuck up?"
"Was it any good? Are you pregnant? If we look at the fact that you met two months ago it adds up which would also explain your mood swings and why you crave dumplings so much."
You looked around for anyone that could listen in to your conversation relieved to find the shop empty.
"I am not telling you shit about it. No, I'm not pregnant. My hand pulling your guts out and strangling you with them will explain a lot more if you don't shut up."
"So you don't deny that it did happen. Interesting."
Your hand landed on a random suit and you shoved it into his hands rushing him to the try on cabin before you would combust.
Sitting down on a chair in the corner, you made yourself comfortable. Your foot tapped anxiously on the floor, waiting for him to come out. He took his sweet time in there like he was trying on the whole stock in the shop.
I swear he fits the princess nickname more than I do. He's taking way too long in there.
"I'm glad you two aren't a thing," he suddenly spoke from behind the curtain.
"And why is that?" your ears perked up curiously.
"It means I have a shot with you."
You could almost see the smirk on his lips as the words left his mouth. The small flutter in your stomach did not help the situation either. You were supposed to start your scheme of revenge but there he was making your heart do flips instead.
"In your dreams," you replied, shaking your head at his flirty remark. "Now come on, are you getting ready for a wedding or something in there, blondie?"
"Why do you like to rush the magic?" he said, pulling the curtain aside to step out.
Your jaw dropped wide open at the view in front of you. The suit you pressed into his hands too preoccupied with shutting him up looked way too good on him.
You sat up and circled him like a hawk. The suit was a green olive shade that brought out his light brown eyes. It hugged his body smoothly, complimenting his long arms and broad shoulders. You ran your hand on the material from the collar all the way down to the hem of the double-breasted blazer under his watchful eyes. One pull on the wool-blend textile told you it was built to last. It was a little on the bigger size around his waist but with a bit of tinkering on your side it could be perfect.
Following your close inspection, you pulled back to really admire it and the full picture nearly gave you a heart attack. He looked charming - like someone's soon-to-be husband kind of charming. That is if you ignored the rugged way he shoved the end of the tailored pants in his boots and the messy hair that were a custom for him.
"Well, what does the in-house expert say?"
"Who?" you asked, still to entranced by the way he looked. You had a thing for well-dressed men and it showed.
"You're giving me that look," he said, corner of his mouth lifting up in the smallest hopeful smile.
"What look?"
"The one where I look like someone you're falling for."
Your heart skipped a beat and you couldn't hide the shy pink painting your face.
Stupid heart.
You left the shop, hands filled with bags. The money Wu gave you turned out to be just enough for all the things you bought. Somehow you managed to spoil Cho with a new wardrobe and still have a little extra to spend on something else like a sweet treat. Too much walking around made you crave the sugar.
Gasps erupted around you as a boisterous crowd of village girls swooned over Cho's new look. You told him to change out of the suit so you could work on it but he refused. That resulted in having a catwalk show through the square attracting the eye of every female, single or married, both young of school age and old ladies doing their grocery shopping.
You couldn't blame them for displaying their interest so openly. Especially when he enticed their behaviour, winking at them with his signature playboy smile.
He was attractive, that much you couldn't deny. Beyond the obvious physical attraction you felt for him, there was a fresh maturity he carried around with him that was even more alluring. His shoulders got wider and more reliable in the years you've spent apart. On top of that, he wasn't as impulsive and rash now. He thought things through with more tact, but his old habits showed at times he got too comfortable with you.
A red rose popped into view pulling you out of your train of thought. You looked at the crimson petals, eyes travelling down the stem to see a hand you knew all too well clad in an olive green sleeve. Cho was holding onto the flower with a smile.
"It's for you, princess."
The one time the nickname wasn't used for teasing but to compliment you. You don't think you ever got given a flower before. At least not in this way.
You took it out of his hands to admire it. The thorns were carefully picked off the stem. Probably by his own hand deducing from the indents along the green parts. You took a whiff and was instantly embraced by the fragrant smell of fresh rose, smiling in appreciation at the gesture. The moment of bliss was cut short when it dawned on you that he was penniless.
"Where did you get this from?"
"I found it."
"You found it."
He just nodded, grinning guiltily like a child who plucked flowers for his crush from somewhere he wasn't supposed to.
"You mean stole it?"
His shoulders slumped in the snowdrop position at the disappointment in your voice and you almost cooed at the sight. He looked too adorable for you to be mad at him when it was just a sincere gesture.
"I'll let it slide for now. But no more stealing."
"Funny you say that when we make our living from stealing."
"Correction, I don't do that anymore."
You touched the soft petals delicately. She was just like you. The large petals were drawn inwards from the world, protecting the small rosebud in the center. Your heart was just the same. There were a lot of layers keeping it safe inside, though it was laying dormant waiting for the winter to pass, wishing for a spring that could open it up into a blooming rose.
"I just saw it and thought it could make your day better," he added. "I know how much you love flowers. It's not a big colourful bouquet like you deserve, but it's still something from me to you. So please accept it and don't smack me."
You couldn't hold back the smile pulling at your lips at his rushed breathless confession.
You've always loved flowers for the simple fact that they had so many meanings and stories waiting to be uncovered. Back then, when you would end up on a mission at some big shot with a villa together, you'd spend most of the time snooping around in their garden. You saw all kinds of flowers and often kept a list of all the ones you found in hopes you could plant them in a garden of your own one day.
Gardening used to be your mother's favourite activity. While you weren't one to keep flowers or plants alive for more than a day with the wreck of a life you had, you always wanted to try it out.
Besides, Cho knew about the list. It was one of your most prized possessions. At first he thought you were crazy jotting down all kinds of flower names and descriptions until he started keeping a smaller list too, in the missions you worked separately, just in case he saw a flower he thought you would like.
"Thank you," you leaned up to press a small grateful kiss to his cheek. He tensed up at your action, the faintest blush spreading on his cheeks.
"I'm craving ice cream. How about you go find the vendor selling it and get us some?"
"On it."
"Wait! Take the money pouch."
"Oh, right."
Before he could leave you pulled on his sleeve, eyes peering at him with a warning look.
"No. More. Stealing," you punctuated each word making sure they got through his head.
"Got it, princess."
Taking on walking around by yourself, you explored the rest of the village. The most you've seen was the open farm market square and a few shops so the rest was pretty much undiscovered land.
Passing by the mid-day crowds and the popular areas, cobble stone streets turned into green grass pathways. Laughter and loud chatter was replaced by humming birds and a peaceful quiet as you came across the more quiet side of the settlement.
Every house looked the same - two-story buildings, split between a ground floor and an upper level. Walls painted alabaster white ran along the ground floor, some homes in a more parched shade than others. A product of the unforgiving weather in the countryside. Worn out amber wood enclosed around the top floors and the roof, resembling a modest terrace overlooking the crops and the rest of the village.
Only a handful of people were outside, most of them out gathering the last crops before winter installed for good. The unexpected sunny weather made the cabbage and garlic sprouts grow a few weeks before their harvest time.
Passing the crop fields, you spotted an older couple, about early into middle age, doing what you assumed to be a daily routine for them. You could tell they have been together for a while, silver bands on their ring fingers glinting in the sun.
The man was leaning over the railing of the wooden terrace with a steaming cup of coffee. His wife was busy with the laundry basket, smoothening the damp clothes before hanging them onto the washing line. You couldn't hear what they were talking about but from the naughty smile on his face and the way she shook her head at him in disbelief it must have been their usual banter. He said something else and looked at her in awe as she threw her head back laughing, like only the two of them existed in this wide world.
For a brief moment, you wanted to have that. Living simply in one of these traditional houses, away from the jungle of your current life. Planting your love into the crops stretching out on the fields and far into the forest, growing it with someone you treasured.
Someone you wanted to give your world to with the good and the bad and everything in between.
Your mind wandered to a sullen gray-haired man that held half of your heart captive with him at the moment. Then it went back even further, to the night you laid in bed together talking about life. To how much you wanted to mention that you wanted to experience love. To tell him all about this alternate life you wanted for yourself.
Now, in the present, you would even go as far as asking him if he wanted to live that life with you. To see if there was even the smallest chance of him wanting to give it a try with you.
The whinnies of horses brought you out of your reverie. You stumbled upon a horse paddock extending to a bigger farm house. A few horses galloped around, hair coats flying in the wind with every step raising the dust on the ground. They looked so carefree.
Walking closer to the wooden fence, you leaned your elbows on it as you watched them prance around.
Your eyes landed in the corner where a strangely familiar person had their back turned to you. You squinted through the bright sunlight trying to make out who it was.
You could recognise those wide shoulders anywhere you went and the back of his head was just another dead giveaway it was him.
So, that's where you've been hiding, stranger.
You got more comfortable on the timber edge, resting your head on your palm as you watched him work. He was covered in dirt from head to toe, hammering nails into wooden planks. With precise manner, he measured them before hooking them up to the bigger part of the paddock. Even through all the mud covering him, you could still see the outline of his bulky biceps twisting with every move of the hammer. You could watch him do that all day long and you wouldn't get tired of it.
The man you are Enishi Yukishiro.
"He's been here all day long," spoke a familiar voice from behind you. You spun around coming face to face with the lady you met that night you dragged Enishi into the village with you. The same lady who gave you that destiny talk and the earring dangling on his ear at this very moment.
"Oh, uh. Hi"! you bowed to her in respect.
"No need to bow to me, young lady."
"The habit," you giggled as you sat back up straight. "Has he really been here all day?"
She nodded, moving to sit next to you on the railing.
"He came early this morning." She pointed to bits and pieces of torn wood that were thrown to the side, replaced by new sturdier ones. "The main fence broke down last night and some of the horses ran away. He came by with one of them that he caught on the road and stayed around to help out. We told him there was no need to stress over it but he insisted."
One of the horses came to you, dipping its head down to greet you politely. His honey coat shined in the sun, a lighter mane falling over his long neck. You reached a hand out and the horse nudged you to pet him.
"Mazu, be nice to our guest. This one is a troublemaker."
"Mazu... like the sea goddess?"
"You know the myth. She's the patron of the seas. Sailors called on her name in the midst of a storm and she helped them out." She ran her hand on the horse's head and he neighed in appreciation. "Our Mazu here happened to be my saviour one stormy night I got lost in the woods. He brought me here and the rest was history."
"What do you mean by history?"
"I happen to be married to his owner," you gasped when she pointed to the farmer that helped you and Enishi on numerous occasions. He waved at you from the stacks of hay he was unloading off his carriage before getting back to work.
"You and mister farmer? I did not expect that."
"It's okay," she laughed. "We didn't either. It just happened."
"I guess love works that way."
"You'd be surprised. Love comes when you least expect it to, when you need it the most," she sighed softly. A hunch told you she was speaking from her own experience. "You and prince charming over there should come over for dinner some time. I would like to get, how does your generation put it... the deets on what's going on with you two."
"I would love to! But only if you give me some of your advice on how to handle childish men."
"A deal is a deal," she patted your arm caringly like a mother. "I have to go help my own prince before he hurts himself, but feel free to hang around here for as long as you'd like," she said, throwing a knowing look at Enishi.
"See you soon!"
She walked off and your attention went back to the horse, memories of back home flooding back to you. They consisted of a fellow hooved friend that you grew up with. She was your dearest companion for many years and grew just as big as Mazu. But the bitter hands of fate took her away from you way too soon.
"I had one just like you," you spoke to the horse as you continued petting his coat. "She had hair this soft too. I always braided it with flowers from mom's garden and she loved it. Though I doubt you'd like flowers in your hair, Mazu."
The horse neighed at your remark almost as if he understood you, urging you to pet his neck again. You giggled at his excitement, raising your arm higher to brush his coat down.
Enishi finished his work just as an oddly familiar giggle echoed in his ears. The only giggle on earth that made his heart warm. He turned around hoping he didn't imagine it. He was relieved and surprised to see you at the other end of the paddock.
He wiped his hands clean and leaned back on the wooden post behind him to look at you. You were petting down Mazu with so much joy that unknowingly a smile made its way onto his face, filling him with a small joy too.
He expected you to avoid him after your previous encounter in the artillery room. The thought that he went too far kept him awake for most of the night and he wanted to make it up to you. And he had the perfect idea to do that.
After testing the fence again to make sure it won't break apart again, he put the rest of the materials away and made his way to you. Mazu turned to him, neighing excitedly in his direction.
"I see you've met Mazu," he smiled at the horse, joining you in running his hand down his coat.
"I have. He's a sweetheart," you beamed at the horse.
"He's a softie, but he's definitely not an angel."
"As if you're better or something," you chuckled dryly, reminding him he was skidding on thin ice with you.
"Or something," he smiled mischievously.
The afternoon sun was setting, telling you night time was just around the corner. You closed your eyes basking in the temporary warmth it provided. When you opened them they fell on his face. His eyes were closed too, reeling in the glow of the sun like you did.
He looked as ethereal as he always did, though a splotch of mud sat on his cheek and it bugged you greatly. You reached a hand out trying to wipe it off with your sleeve. His eyes opened widely, confused at what you were doing, until they landed on your focused face.
Your eyebrows were drawn together in concentration, bottom lip pulled between your teeth as you worked on getting the dirt off. Once you were satisfied with your work, you pulled away with a smile, smoothing a thumb on his cheek. When you noticed how close you were even with the timber board separating you, you held your breath.
He stepped closer, leaning over the edge to you, eyes moving between you and your lips. Your hand was still on his cheek, his own rough palm taking a cautious hold of your wrist. He got closer, stopping just a breeze away from your mouth. You closed your eyes expecting to really have his lips on yours this time. You missed their softness and the rhythmic way they moved against yours. The way he tasted like the sweet jasmine scent lingering off him.
You were ready to commit arson if he didn't kiss you this time either.
And he didn't. He pulled back and you groaned at being denied a kiss yet again. From the chuckle rumbling in his throat it sounded like he really wanted to be fried alive.
On the other hand, Mazu was on your side. He pushed Enishi a little to the side to take his place in front of you. Enishi narrowed his eyes at the horse, putting his hands on his coat to try to move him away only for the horse to refuse and resort to pushing against him again. You laughed petting the horse in amusement.
"Okay, okay! I'll stop teasing her."
The horse turned his head to him, squinting him up and down. You laughed in disbelief at what you were seeing.
A literal horse was giving Enishi attitude. This is a sight for the history books.
"Mazu," said Enishi on a warning tone. "Stop that. Don't think I let you off the hook for breaking that fence last night."
"He broke the fence?" you asked shocked that a sweet thing like him could do such a thing.
"I went out for a walk and found him wandering in front of the mansion with wood splinters in his hooves."
"He probably just wanted to go for a walk too."
"In the middle of the night?"
"Good point."
"There you were!" shouted Cho from behind you carrying two carton boxes of ice cream, before his excitement died down at the sight of Enishi. "Ah, you're here too."
"Who's coffin did you crawl out of?" asked Enishi, looking him up and down with disgust.
"I would explain what style is, but fashion is probably afraid of you," said Cho, pointing to his muddy attire. "Right," he turned to you, "I got you ice cream."
"GIMME!" you ran up to him snatching the one he was holding out to you. You took a spoonful realising its a vanilla flavor. You felt it melt in your mouth, sighing at the cool feeling.
"Can I have a some?" asked Enishi, eyeing the small makeshift bowl in your hand. He licked his lips at the sight and he could almost feel the taste in his mouth.
"I don't know. Do you deserve one?" you taunted, trying to get him back for his earlier scheme. But his imploring eyes told you not to push it too much. After all, he's been outside in the sun for most of the day and by the looks of it he was way too dehydrated.
Besides, you couldn't say no to those doe eyes. Since he was covered in dirt, you scooped a spoonful stacked double with ice cream and held it to his mouth. Just like you, he sighed softly at the cool relief slipping down his tongue.
"What do you guys say about having a bonfire and some drinks later tonight?" he suggested.
Bonfire and drinks. My favorite combination of words. He sure knows the way to my heart.
"It would be amazing. We could roast potatoes by the fire too," you suggested too.
"I can go and chop some wood," piped in Cho, actually volunteering to be helpful for once.
"Great. I'll finish up here and come around in a bit. But until then, gimme another scoop," he opened his mouth waiting for you to feed him another one. Before you could scoop up some Cho shoved his ice cream into Enishi's hands.
"Take mine."
"I don't want yours. I want hers."
"I want hers too."
They bickered like that while you sneakily took hold of both ice creams, slurping them down. You even licked the boxes clean. They stopped fighting and looked at the empty containers in your hands. Smiling innocently did not stop the blonde from chasing after you.
"I PAID FOR THAT!" he yelled grabbing a hold of your blouse to shake you.
"WITH HIS MONEY!" you clamped your mouth shut at the realisation you said something Enishi wasn't supposed to hear.
His eyes raced between the two of you, finally making sense of the multitude of bags surrounding you. He didn't give you the money this month so he wondered where you got so much from. He would've been less mad if you spent them on you but you chose to dress up blondie. He stretched his head on both sides, before jumping over the fence, taking off after Cho who started running the minute he clicked his fists.
"YOU HAD A SHOPPING SPREE WITH MY MONEY??? DO I LOOK LIKE THE NATIONAL TREASURY TO YOU?"
He cursed him a whole bunch, reaching out to smear the mud on his hands all over Cho's face. You laughed so hard your stomach started hurting but you couldn't help it when they looked like two weasels wrestling.
The farmer and his wife were at the other end of the paddock when they heard shouting. They stopped working, looking at the three of you with fond smiles on their faces.
"Remember when we used to be like that too?" she laughed.
"I remember it very well, my dear. Though we were a lot rowdier than those three. It took a lot of persuasion to get you to stay with me," he circled his arms around her, resting his head on her shoulder.
"It did not," she slapped his hand sinking back into his arms.
"Oh, it did."
"It did not."
"Did too."
They both laughed at their antics, feeling like they haven't aged a single day. Their bodies may be showing the strain of time but their hearts were still beating for each other like the first day they met.
"Love keeps us young forever, doesn't it?"
"It sure does, my love."
Attacking the kitchen first thing when you got back, you worked on some quick finger foods to snack on. You made sure to prepare some actual food for Enishi too since he hasn't eaten anything all day and he must've been famished.
Cho chopped up the fire wood and cleaned up the area in the middle of the garden setting up the bonfire. You caught a glimpse of him struggling to light the fire and rushed over to help him. It was getting darker and soon you wouldn't be able to see anything if you didn't start it. Inspecting the problem, you noticed some of the wood wasn't actually dry but green. A harmless rookie mistake. You got rid of it, replacing it with other logs and were able to finally start a fire.
The sky turned dark shades of violet and soon the night arrived. Timber crackled, ember flames reaching higher with the gentle wind. You rounded up thick blankets and spread them out on the ground around the fire. Tossing a few potatoes wrapped in thin foil closer to the fire and bringing some platters over, you sat down on a blanket.
The fire's been raging for a while, but there was no sight of Enishi just yet. You pulled your knees up to your chest, laying your chin on top of them as you watched the fire consume the logs.
Today was a peaceful day. Despite your earlier plans to seek revenge, you were glad you got out and did something else. You also got to see the two in their natural habitat, plus a few new sides to them. Maybe revenge could wait a little more until tomorrow.
Cho changed out of the suit into more casual clothes. He still looked handsome but at least it wasn't too over the top to give you a heart attack.
He saw you on the floor, deep into your thinking cave. He hated whenever you got in there because it usually made you distance yourself. Closing yourself inside. So, he walked over to the bonfire holding a hand out to you.
"Come dance with me."
You looked up at his hand. You didn't really feel in the mood for it.
"There's no music," you pouted.
"Nature is here to provide us with music," he said, spinning around to show you the wild singing back to you. He leaned down and pulled on your hand until you gave in to his pleas and sat up. You let him pull you closer to the fire, swaying together to the rhythm of the crickets singing in the night. It was a comforting silence, filled by the sound of nature.
You moved closer, placing your head on top of his chest. The familiarity of vanilla and lavender engulfed you washing away the blues. You took a long deep inhale of the scent, nuzzling your head deeper into his chest. There, his heartbeat greeted you in the same rapid manner it did the day before, when you felt your hearts speaking to each other for the first time in years.
"Cho?"
Taken aback to hear his real name come out of your mouth instead of the nickname you reserved for him, his heart skipped a beat. You heard it and smiled as he glanced down at you. He hummed, motioning for you to continue with what you wanted to say.
"Do you like me?"
You looked up at him and he looked back at you. Time felt still for a moment as his arms tensed around you. Despite looking at you like you put the moon in the sky he seemed a little hesitant to open his mouth and answer.
You didn't know what you wanted to hear.
I don't like you, would be the soul-crushing rejection you braced yourself for ever since that night you met him, four years ago.
I like you, would have you over the moon but torn over what the other half of your heart wanted.
The longer he didn't say anything the worse you felt for saying anything yourself. You prepared yourself to brush it off as a joke. Because it felt like a joke to voice out your thoughts unedited by a long train of contemplation. But it wasn't a joke to him.
"I do like you," he declared with the most sincerity you've ever heard from him. "I've liked you for a while. Well, ever since I met you that night."
Oh lord. Out of everything I didn't expect this.
This is bad.
This is catastrophic.
What the fuck do I do now?
"I regret leaving you that night."
No. I am not ready to have that conversation. Not yet.
"Cho, stop."
Peeling yourself away from him you stepped back.
"We need to talk about it, Miyu. How long are you gonna put it off?"
"Until I'm ready. You said it yourself that you wouldn't rush me into anything." You pulled out the you said so card to avoid this from escalating.
"You're right," he sighed loudly, possibly angry at himself that he couldn't get through to you. "I just wish you would talk to me."
"I know and I will. I just need-"
"Time?" a tight lipped smile made its way onto his lips as he stole the words from your mouth. You nodded. "You have all the time in the world. I'll wait until you're ready."
"I'm here and I brought alcohol," chimed Enishi from behind you. He looked between you noticing a weird tension sitting in the air. You were looking at the ground dejected while the blonde diverted his eyes away from you. "Am I interrupting something?"
"I'll go get make us some cocktails," you excused yourself, making your way inside before he could ask you what happened.
He threw a silent "what did you do" at Cho and he just shrugged in response. They made their way inside where you already got to work.
There were at least a dozen bottles of different alcohol on the kitchen island - rum, vodka, beer, some local liquors and wine. You put the wine far in the corner of the kitchen to avoid another emotionally shattering outburst.
"Right, so what are you drinking?" you asked them getting some glasses ready.
"I didn't take you for a drinking connoisseur," said Enishi, surprised to see you prepared like a barman.
"You'd be surprised how much of a drinker she is," spoke the blonde, reminiscing the times you went out drinking together. "You can't take her anywhere if there's alcohol involved."
"That's not true," you gasped. "It's not my fault you're the biggest lightweight I've ever met. If anything it's you I can't take anywhere!"
Cho turned to Enishi who was more and more invested as he saw you mix a few liquids in different pitchers.
"Did you know that the entirety of Osaka's bar district is afraid of her? Besides being the famed crimson rose, she drinks like an old aged pirate who's seen too much in his life. I'm shocked she still has a liver."
You smirked at his retelling. It was true. As long as it wasn't red wine you could literally drink a bar dry. You inherited that from a long line of Hikari ancestors that loved drinking more than anything else. There were times were you got kicked out for ordering too much.
"One time she got into a bar fight. We went to a bar after one of our missions went sideways and she got angry at a man who drank the last drops of vodka in the bar." He stopped to contain his giggles as the scene came back to him. "Instead of going to another one like normal people do, she punched the man and drank the cocktail that was barely placed down in front of him."
"No way," Enishi laughed at how unbelievable it sounded. You were impulsive when he met you but he would never imagine that it used to be worse. You were much more calmer and collected now.
"Anyways, that was a long time ago. Now, tell me what you would like to drink."
"Why don't you surprise us?"
"Well, how about we start with the Shanghai special? Since we're the Shanghai mafia after all."
The Shanghai special was a good starter, especially for Cho's lightweight ass. You added the rum to a pitcher with some raspberry syrup you found around the kitchen to sweeten it and some lemon juice. Then you crushed anise for some spice and to bring out the flavor of the alcohol just a little. You mixed the red liquid and poured it into glasses, with a slice of lime on the rim of the glass.
"It's not the original but it's close to it," you pushed them to the two and waited as they took a sip.
Their eyes widened at the bitter yet sweet taste. It wasn't strong to throw your head off but you could feel it warm you up inside.
"This is amazing, Miyu."
Cocktails and beer bottles turned into cups of traditional liquor from the area as you sat around the bonfire. Enishi received a few bottles of baijiu from the farmer as a gift for his hard work. You were curious how it tasted since you haven't had it before.
He poured a cup to each of you and you clinked them together before throwing it down your throat. It had the base aroma of a spirit made from rice, spicy at first but fruity on the aftertaste, and the alcohol concentration to kill you if you weren't a drinker. It felt as strong as the usual vodka you drank. Just my type of poison.
The other two however scrunched their noses in disgust as the liquor burned down their throat. You laughed at them before throwing lime halves at them. Enishi ate it whole while Cho squished every last drop of it into his mouth like a madman.
Heated discussions began after a few more cups were passed around.
"I think that Japanese swords are better on every level. They're balanced and you can put so much power into a katana for a single strike. You can feel the weight like its your own hand extension," argued Cho, trying to dismiss Enishi's previous point about katanas being way too overrated.
"You've been in my office and all you could look at was the katanas? Have you seen the rest on that wall?!"
"I have and I was not impressed," he replied, munching on a baked potato. He held it with the tin foil between the pads of his fingers as he ignored you when you told him they were too hot to eat yet.
"Not impressed?! The jians in there are more agile and flexible than a katana can be." Enishi looked like he could pop a vein as he listed the reasons why Chinese swords were so much better. "You have strength, they're not that long and you can swing them a lot more easily in combat."
"What is this the annual literary circle gathering?," you snorted.
Enishi turned to you with a tiebreaker question.
"What about you? You've trained with both and know enough about each of them to decide which one is the best."
He put you on the spot there. It was true you trained with both and explored the different styles enough to have an opinion.
"Well, I think they're both the best in their own ways. I trained with Cho's double katanas and though they're hard to handle they get the job done."
Cho looked hopeful that you would choose him before you even finished your argument.
"Buuuut, I trained with the jians more and they feel better in my hands in slashing," you shrugged as Enishi threw his fist in victory way too soon.
"So, which one do you choose?"
You looked between both of them. From their intense stares you could only pick one of them if you liked staying in one whole piece. So you chose an answer that would satisfy both sides.
"I would pick... my pistols over any sword. Have you seen those babies? You just aim and shoot and you're excused of any extra physical effort."
"I still think my katanas are better," huffed Cho, keeping his side of the argument up.
"My wato could take on your double katanas any day," said Enishi cockily, acting like the Sword Master Extraordinaire you knew him to be.
"If you're that sure of yourself in everything, why don't we have a drinking contest?" suggested Cho.
"I don't think that's a good idea-"
"I'm ready when you're ready."
Before you could argue that this was the stupidest idea ever you just let them be. You placed your bets on Enishi, since you knew enough about Cho's habits to know he won't win. On the other hand, you had no idea where Enishi's alcohol intake sat. The man drank tea instead of coffee so you weren't sure what to expect.
They lined up the unopened bottles of baijiu next to each other as you sat in the middle acting as the referee.
"3, 2, 1... GO!"
The drinking contest ended as fast as it began. Not for you though.
Cho was the first one to tap out after barely half a bottle, head banging on the blanket beside you. You knew he couldn't hold shit after your cocktails and the liquor would be way too much for him. You've drank him under the table time and time again but he never learns.
Enishi almost drank the whole bottle but he stopped when he saw the blonde sprawled on the floor.
Turning to Enishi you noticed that tight-lipped smirk full of mischief sitting proudly on his face. Then it clicked.
"This was your plan all along?" you pointed to the sleeping mound next to you, gone like a log.
"If I heard one more word out of his mouth, I would've gone crazy," spoke Enishi, pouring the rest liquor in his cup.
"Cheeky bastard," you shook your head at him.
"You caught me," he lifted his hands up in defense. "But you can't tell me you enjoyed hearing that shit on and on."
"Nope," you laughed. "But what I am enjoying is this new side of you."
The corner of his lips lifted up with a deep chuckle, allowing you to see his pearly teeth. Handsome.
You loved this new side of him, so carefree and devoid of his normal seriousness. He grinned like the biggest hippie in the world, just riding the wave of not giving a shit about every single thing. His thoughts were fully unfiltered and he spoke his mind way more than usual.
This was the most you've ever seen him be himself.
A sudden gust of wind made you shiver. He noticed and put down his cup before moving to sit on your blanket shimmying you to move a little and make some space. He got the blanket he was sitting on and wrapped it around your shoulders while it was still warm.
"Can't have you getting sick again, little Hikari," he rubbed your arms over the blanket to will some warmth into you. The way he said your surname intended to be a nickname, since hikari is Japanese for light and he kept calling you that lately like it had another meaning.
He turned his back to you before placing his head in your lap, getting comfortable. His gray hair fell over your legs like another blanket, a comforting heat radiating off the rest of him. He was like your personal heater.
"Why do you keep calling me that?" you brushed your hands through his hair and he sighed at the comfort.
"Because it's your name."
"I know there's a different reason behind it."
He just smiled. Nothing went past you, even now after you had some drinks. You were totally unaffected while he felt drunk from simply your presence above him waiting for an explanation.
"Because that's what you are to me. A little light in this dark and twisted world of mine."
Your hands stilled as another heartfelt confession hit you. But this one you were not prepared for. And you will probably never be.
"You came in my life when I needed the sun to stop hiding from me. When I needed it to shine the most," he spoke slowly, eyes fixed on the cloudy sky above. There was no sun up there but the lonely moon. "I needed a reason to feel like there's warmth out there. Even for someone like me. I don't know how to explain it but that's what you are to me."
You felt overwhelmed. Like someone pulled the ground from under your feet. He was being honest with you, wearing his heart on his sleeve.
The last time he opened up to you was that night you caught him outside in this very garden, in the same position he was in now, soaked to the bone. You caught him before he could hit the ground and break and for that he was beyond thankful to you.
"Thank you," his eyes shut up to you. "For telling me this."
You would've said more if you didn't feel the waterworks gather in your throat. So you chose to just let the moment be until you had something to say that would match his honesty.
It looked like the liquor almost settled in his system by the pout on his lips. He looked so adorable you couldn't hold back from cupping the side of his face.
Your touch brought him back from whatever reverie he was having, shifting his head to look at you as his hand came to sit on top of yours, closing around it as you just looked at each other in silence.
"I wish we could stay like this forever," he whispered thoughtlessly hoping you wouldn't hear him but you did.
Little do you know that I wish for that too.
"What are you thinking about?" you asked.
"The farmer's wife said there was a meteor shower tonight or something like that. But I can't see anything."
You looked up too being met with a bunch of clouds cuddled up together much like you were sitting with him right now.
"Maybe the sky will clear up soon and we can see them," you sounded optimistic while he looked like he lost all hope.
"What if it doesn't? What if it stays this cloudy forever?"
You giggled at the way he said it with a pout on his face like a little kid upset that he couldn't see a meteor. This was anything but the Enishi you knew.
"You're so cute when you're drunk," you squished his cheeks and he looked at you with wide eyes. "All I wanna do is squish your cheeks like dumpling dough."
"Let gwo," he struggled to say as you bunched his cheeks as close together as you could.
Then you did something that caught both of you off guard - you leaned down and booped your cold nose to his in an eskimo kiss. It lasted only a few seconds but it was enough to send him into overdrive, blushing furiously. He turned his head more into you to hide in your lap and you raked your hand through his hair with a smile at seeing how flustered he got.
You looked up randomly and saw the sky cleared. Shaking him wordlessly you pointed upwards at the starry sky. He followed your finger and sure enough there they were.
Twinkling across the sky were a few shooting stars. The more you looked at them even more appeared, dancing between constellations as you struggled to catch one in full view. Your jaws fell open as you stared at them in awe.
The rest of the world just faded away as you gazed at the night sky together. You leaned forward a little to see his face better, surprised to find his eyes twinkling just like the stars above you.
"Do you know what you're supposed to do when you see a shooting star?" you asked him at which he shook his head.
"Legend has it that if you wish upon a shooting star the wish will come true."
"How do you know it will come true?"
"I guess that's the magic of it. You don't know until it happens."
He debated whether he should believe in it or treat it like any other legend. When he saw you close your eyes and put your hands together he made his mind up on doing it too.
He got up from your lap and got in the same position as you, looking for a star. He caught one just when it flashed on the sky following it all the way to its peak. Closing his eyes before the star could disappear forever from existence, he put his everything into a wish. Something he's been wanting with all his might for a while.
He opened his eyes seeing you stare at him in disbelief that he joined you. He wondered what you wished for that you looked so at peace and proud of.
"What did you wish for?"
"You're not supposed to tell on your wish unless it comes true," you clarified at which he sulked. You wanted to know what he wished for too but for the sake of the magic you let it be.
You drank some more as the night rolled in and you got to see another side of his drunken behaviour. This one sent you howling inside.
Meet extremely touchy Enishi.
He was being way too touchy, like he couldn't get enough of gluing himself to you on the blanket and taking your air away.
Somewhere in the middle of your conversation about the rest of his day, his hand sneaked to your thigh laying flat on your clothed skin. Even with the fabric of your pants in between, you could feel the heat coming off his hand as he drew circles on top of your leg.
The butterflies in your stomach ran even wilder with the way he held your eyes. As if you were a better toxin than the alcohol in his cup.
You tried holding his gaze but it was no use when it was so deeply looking for your soul with intimidation and something else you couldn't put your finger on. Like want.
You took peeks at those dark circles filled with light every once in a while, unable to decide what kind of want it was: the comfort kind or the lust kind. It appeared more like the latter.
Shifting under his gaze told him enough about how it affected you. But he wanted to hear you say exactly how it made you feel so he moved impossibly closer.
"Am I making you nervous, Miyu?" he asked, fingers tracing your hand. They walked up and down your knuckles trailing down to the tip of your fingers.
You sucked in a breath at the contact, eyes moving to his where he caught you and you couldn't escape which was exactly what he wanted. To see whether your eyes spoke of the same emotions his did.
"No," you answered simply trying to evade his prying eye.
"You don't look so sure," his hand tilted your chin up to face him. "You want something but I'm not sure what it is."
Gulping away the hope that your face didn't give away what you felt at the moment, mentally and physically, you blinked rapidly wishing for the torment to stop before you did something you would regret later.
"I wonder what fantasies you're cooking up again in that head of yours."
Beside touchy he starts with the teasing. Noted, for the next time I see him near alcohol I will strangle him.
"I'm so not letting you drink again," you smacked his hand away from your chin, fixing the blanket on your shoulders.
"And why is that?" he tapped his fingers on top of your thigh again.
"Because you're playing with me again and I don't like it."
"That's not what your body is saying, babe," he pointed to your hand, sitting on top of his. You just moved it to search for some extra warmth. It just happened to be his hand that provided it.
"I'm just cold."
"Sure you are."
You groaned getting tired of his pushing.
"Enishi, I love you. But this is next level idiocy from you."
"Wait rewind that. What did you just say?"
"That this is next level idiocy?"
"No. Before that."
"That I-," the rest got caught in your throat as you realised just exactly what you let slip out.
Well shit. That wasn't supposed to happen. At least not in that way.
"Ooooookay! Bed time for you. Come on grandpa," you nudged him to get up.
"I am perfectly awake." Just as the words left his mouth, his head fell on your shoulder sleepily.
You looked at the two men sprawled around you, one in deep sleep and the other in-between.
This was supposed to be me getting shitfaced, not you two.
You scanned the garden grounds to finding no trace of humanity. I thought they said they tightened the security. Not one gang member was around, meaning you had to carry them to their rooms by yourself. Although, they deserved to sleep a night out in the cold for their teasing.
Sucks that I'm not that evil like you.
With a grunt you got up and grabbed a hold of Enishi's arm, wrapping it around your shoulder. It took you three tries to hoist him up standing enough to be able to lean and catch the arm of the other drunkard busy snoring the night away. With both men secured in your frail hold you made way for the warmth inside the walls of the mansion.
Getting three people inside through the one person kitchen door was a challenge. You tried going in sideways, pushing Cho in first. He almost got through when his head fell backwards hitting the door frame.
"Ow, what the fuck," he groaned with his eyes closed. You stopped mid-way in and continued, pulling the other man inside, kicking the door shut with your leg.
Every step had you dragging in deep breaths, back hunched under the weight of the two. They might have looked attractive but the muscles you admired so much were giving you hell at the moment. It took a great deal of strength and mental encouragement to not drop them both in the middle of the hallway and just leave them there each time a mumble or an arm slid off your shoulder, throwing off your whole balance.
"Two of the best sword masters my ass," you spat out, stopping to rest your legs a little.
Enishi's head lifted up to look you straight in the eye like you cut off his balls and he wasn't aware of it. Realising it's just you, he smiled like an idiot and let his head fall back in the crook of your neck.
"Children. Absolute children both of you." You started your descent again as their bodies started growing heavier on you. "Just wait until I get my revenge plan going."
Somehow you managed to make it to Cho's room. You dropped him on the bed just as Enishi slid off your shoulders and sunk down to the floor with a thud, head falling against the edge of the bed.
You moved the blond in bed into a position that looked sleepable and not like he was getting exorcised. Though he coukd use one of those.
Taking off his boots was a mystery to you. The laces were done up so messily and tight that you wondered how his feet haven't exploded. You fiddled with the straps and pulled on his feet trying to loosen them off, cautious of the way his body slipped down the bed with each pull. Finally, you felt the easy slide of the boots before you fell on your butt in the middle of the room with them in your lap. You placed them down at the foot of the bed.
At least I got these bad boys off before his toes blew up. He could thank me later.
Moving his head higher among the pillows, you pulled the duvet on top of him. The bandana holding his hair let loose, blonde locks falling all over his face. You brushed a hand through it, sweeping it away before he could inhale it and choke.
"I wanted to impress you," he mumbled in his sleep.
All he thinks about, even in his sleep, is being the better one. Or at least trying to become the better one for you. He indulged in the alcohol knowing how it impacted him, to get some more liquid courage to tell you how he felt about you. But it got the best of him in the end.
"You did impress me today," you stroked his cheek with care. He deserved a little softness too. "We're gonna have a talk tomorrow to sort some things out, okay? I owe you that much."
His eyes opened drowsy with sleep, looking at you with those caramel eyes of his pouting just like a puppy.
"You promise?"
"I promise. Now get some sleep."
Once you were certain he was asleep you moved to your other friendly giant. Kneeling down to him, you shook his shoulder trying to get him a little awake. He only groaned in response.
"Come on. Let's get you to bed."
You got to his room and helped him to the bed. He kicked his shoes off himself and got in, making himself comfortable while you covered him. Grunts turned into evened breaths telling you he was fast asleep too.
Looking forward to clean up and get into bed, you got up only to get pulled back on top of him, eyes staring at you like you were an intruder. He's been wide awake the whole time, slipping between the real world and the unconscious. You tried moving away but that only made him move you to his lap, steel grip on your waist keeping you in place.
"Enishi, you're drunk."
"So, are you," he hit back, hazy eyes boring into yours. "Did I ever tell you how much I love it when I hear you call my name? When you're mad at me, when I make you laugh, when you need me for something."
Your mouth ran dry at his sudden revelation. Was this the same Enishi you knew? The same cold guy keeping his feelings at arms length? Or was this just the damned liquor talking?
His dark pupils gazed at you with so much affection that it scared you. Like he felt something for you, deep down in that wrecked soul of his. Honesty this raw like he gave you tonight was something you haven't seen before, given the dangerous position you were in.
He seemed to be too drawn to your lips, staring at them just like you stared at his. He had enough and pulled you down to him. Third time had to be the charm. You would finally have your lips on his again. Taste them and drown in them for how long he kept them locked away from you.
"I never wanted anyone in my bed this much," he slurred, lips just a bite away.
Ah, so alcohol makes him needy as well. Too bad you weren't.
"I'm not having drunk sex with you," you sat back up.
He slapped a hand across his face, mumbling more nonsense you couldn't understand.
"I didn't mean it that way. Fuck."
You giggled lightly at his struggle. You would have this version of Enishi all the time if you could.
"I meant, I never wanted someone as much as...," he spoke the last part so small and quiet.
"What?"
"As much as..." he tried again but you still didn't get the last part. His eyes slipped shut and soft snores echoed around the room, to your sheer disappointment.
"Way to confess something to a girl, big guy."
You patted his chest and got off from his lap, draping the covers on him. Leaning down you placed a small kiss on his temple. Checking back to see him sound asleep you smiled and left out the door.
Going back to the garden, you stifled the small flames still pricking from the leftover burning wood. You shook the blankets and folded them before you took them back inside then went about your usual kitchen routine: foiling the leftovers, washing the dishes and putting stuff back to its place.
With everything in order you took to the hallway, steps as slow as a tortoise. Laying down in bed, nuzzling your head in the pillows and feeling the warmth of the covers would be actual heaven right now.
You yawned with a stretch of your arms when you heard extremely loud snoring come from Cho's room. At least someone in this household knows how to make the most of their sleep.
The door to his room was thrown open. You vaguely remembered you closed it when you left. You reached to close it when you noticed a figure that looked awfully like Enishi leaning over Cho's bed.
The fuck is he doing lurking in the dark like that?
You were about to shout after him when he flopped face first on top of Cho, clearly still asleep.
Stepping quietly in their direction you stopped at the end of the bed, hand flying to your mouth to stop the wheezing laugh in your throat.
There, tangled pristinely in the sheets sat the two men occupying your mind and desires. Cho was the big spoon, nose deep into the nape of Enishi's neck, who acted like the smaller spoon. They hugged each other closer sighing in relief at the comfort of holding each other. It was highly likely that they imagined you in their arms judging from the wide smiles on their faces that were usually reserved for you.
You spared one more look to the two before backing out quietly and closing the door shut. Their loud snores echoed in tandem all the way in the hallway.
I can't wait for them to wake up tomorrow, you snickered to yourself walking to your room.
Your hand reached for your door when a shriek stilled you in your tracks. Thinking it was just a product of your slumbered mind you shook it off. When you heard it again. And again.
You followed the sound arriving at the main entrance to the mansion. You couldn't hear it anymore. Your heart started beating faster the longer you sat in front of the door in the pitch black.
Where is everyone? The guards supposed to be guarding the mansion? What if someone was behind the door? The only people able to protect me are currently cuddled like a happily married couple.
You had to open the door and check if there was truly anything on the other side or it was just the alcohol kicking in. Better to be safe than sorry and check rather than sit in bed awake all night, waiting for a sign to go to war with the spirits of the night.
A shaky hand landed on the door knob, door almost rattling under your touch.
Is this how I meet my end? Alone, single, looking like a snack? Is there no end to my suffering?
Closing your eyes in prayer to all existing gods, you twisted the knob and opened the door with a screech. You waited for the claws of a demon to scratch you, a gun to be pointed at you, a sharp sword at your throat. But all you heard was a sweet whimper followed by a meow.
Breaking an eye open you were met with a dark-furred creature, shiny yellow crystals looking up at you with the same fear you felt. A cat.
Your earlier anxiety dissipated into thin air as if it didn't even exist as you crouched down to the feline with a smile on your face.
"Well, hello there little creature of the night," you cooed, holding your palm out to it. "What are you doing out here in the cold?"
The cat sniffed your hand curiously, before nuzzling its head against it allowing you to pet it. You did so for a while before it jumped up in your lap.
"You're a girl, thank god! There is too much testosterone in this house," you laughed, picking up the cat and shutting the door behind you. "Let's get you some food and warmth, shall we?"
The cat just meowed in response, purring in your arms. For some reason, it felt like she belonged here just like you did when you first came here - like she was bound to find her way here.
Making your way back to the kitchen, you fished out some leftovers from what you cooked. You found some roasted turkey just enough to shred into smaller pieces for her. Placing the food on a small plate with a cup of water next to it, you picked her up and put her on the marble top. She spun around on the surface even more curiously. Once she inspected all corners, she turned to the food and dug in hungrily.
Chin propped up on your hands, you watched as she ate.
"I don't know if you have a name, but I want to give you one. What about Kiiro because your eyes are so yellow?"
The cat looked up from her food disapproving of your suggestion. It's way too late in the night to sit and browse for cat names. You tried wracking your head for another one as you got lost in her beautiful black fur. The moonlight shone through the kitchen window making the ends glow a silvery-blue. She reminded you a lot of Enishi, the same stiff attitude to humans radiating off of her even as she ate.
"I'm going to name you Koru," you grinned at the play on words in your head. The cat lifted her head from her food and meowed in approval.
After she was done, you took Koru and the cup of water and headed to your room. You stopped to check on the boys. Turns out they were still cuddled but face to face now, legs intertwined and arms thrown over each other's waist.
"See Koru, this is what I have to deal with on a daily basis. But now you're here so I should have some semblance of peace."
You reached your room and placed her down on the carpet. She padded around on her small paws sniffing each and every part of the room until she clawed at your bedding.
"You wanna sleep with me? You could use a mini bath first."
Finally, you laid down in bed with Koru. She was clean and smelling just like you after a quick bath in the sink since she was so small. You pet her fur down as she nestled into your side, getting comfortable.
She seemed to like you so far. You were glad that you had someone to share your loneliness with other than the idiots in the other room down the hall.
The last 48 hours were a nuisance. Getting teased left and right like you were a prize to be collected at the end of a battle got to you. Angry, bothered, hopeful, overwhelmed. You couldn't name a single emotion you weren't feeling at the moment. They made sure to put everything into the game they were playing. But so were you.
Sleep well tonight boys.
You're not ready for anything that I cooked up for you.
The morning was soon making her presence known, birds singing cheerfully through the dewy trees. Mornings were a lot colder lately, but luckily the mansion kept the heat inside really well, windows fogging up easily from the built-up of condensation. One room in particular experienced a different kind of warmth.
Enishi slowly came to his senses. A wrenching migraine greeted him, reminding him why he wasn't one to indulge in alcohol. A weird but comforting warmth enveloped him, the weight of a hand on his hair smoothing out the discomfort in his head.
He smiled, moving his face closer to what he could only assume was you. His arms tightened around a wide waist pulling it closer to him. Weird, he thought. He definitely remembered all your curves perfectly from all the times his hands held you.
Nose rubbed against another and he breathed in expecting to be met with your scent. Except, he was met with another scent - a strange combination of vanilla and lavender. He got another whiff trying to remember just where he smelled it before because this wasn't your scent.
Opening his eyes, he was horrified at the view in front of his face. He was cuddling the blonde man tight to his chest like it was you. Smelling him like it was you. Brushing his nose in an eskimo kiss thinking it was you.
Before he knew it a high-pitched scream ripped from his throat, so loud it could probably be heard all the way in the center of Shanghai. You heard it and knew exactly who it belonged to as you woke up with a smirk on your face, laughing grimly inside.
Let the torment begin bitches.
Cho woke up with a scream just as loud, not knowing what he was screaming at until he took notice of the extremely manly hands wrapped around him. Enishi pushed him away so hard he fell off the bed with a thud.
"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING IN MY BED?" yelled Enishi at the blonde who was still on the floor trying to make sense of what was happening.
"THIS IS MY ROOM YOU FUCKING IDIOT!"
Enishi was about to crack him in two like a toothpick before he noticed the blonde was right. The covers on the bed were white, not dark blue like his. The whole room had golden motives, similar to your room, except it was more of a beige combination of colours.
"Oh. I was sure I was in my room or hers?" he groaned trying to remember what got him in this situation but his memories were too hazy and mixed up that he couldn't make anything out of them and the growing headache wasn't helping.
"What do you mean hers?" Cho stood up menacingly, ire coursing through his veins. "YOU WANTED TO SLEEP NEXT TO HER? DRUNK OUT OF YOUR FUCKING MIND?"
"Wait, that's not...," he fumbled around for a reason that could explain all of this but all he could do was smile innocently hoping this wouldn't escalate. Only he forgot he was dealing with the most impulsive person on the planet.
"I'm gonna fucking kill you," gritted Cho before dashing to lay his hands on him.
Enishi jumped on the bed trying to evade his attacks and reason with him.
"Let's calm down and find the cause of this and AH! WHY DID YOU SCRATCH ME YOU ANIMAL."
"Don't tell me you didn't want to take advantage of her!"
"I didn't. I was just looking for her."
"In the dead of night with nothing but pure intentions? Cause that sure wasn't the way you dug your filthy hands into my hips."
"Filthy hands?! And what about you? You're not that gentle with the way you squeezed my butt either!"
"Master Enishi, we heard screaming-" voiced Wu, walking inside only to stop in his tracks. His eyes bolted around the room, from the messy sheets to the two flustered men, widening with each new detail he was taking in. "Oh, my apologies. I didn't mean to interrupt anything."
"NO! WU! THIS IS NOT WHAT YOU THINK!"
There was no use in explaining as the older man just walked away, meeting you in the hallway just outside the door. He was about to greet you before you shushed him with a cheeky smile, sticking yourself to the wall.
"I should've known it was your doing, madame," he whispered, joining you into eaves-dropping.
"I did nothing. They did this all by themselves," you whispered back.
More accusatory shouting resumed in the room.
"Hold on a minute. Don't you think it's strange its this quiet?"
"What do you mean? We've been yelling so much we probably woke the whole country up-," he stopped speaking when it hit him.
"A certain girl interested in dramatic situations has not made her way here yet."
"You think it's her doing?"
"There's no doubt it is."
You looked at Wu guiltily, turning back to silently run to your room in hopes they didn't know you were there. You shut the door and went into the bathroom letting out the burst of laughter you were holding back.
One thing was for sure. Breakfast was going to be interesting.
They were both sat around the marble island in the kitchen. Enishi nursed a cup of tea hoping it could help with the migraine that got worse after the earlier screaming match with the blonde. Cho sat across from him, gobbling down on some leftovers seemingly unaffected by a hangover.
He felt Enishi's intense stare and lifted his own from his food, making eye contact. He smirked at him teasingly.
The candid and intimate touches shared between the two flooded Enishi's already pained mind. He shuddered at the thoughts, burning them mentally hoping he could scatter the ashes somewhere in the depths of hell.
His thoughts flew to you, trying to reboot his memory of the events that occurred last night. He recalled everything up to you taking him to his room and pulling you on top of him, feeling the need to have you close to him in more ways than just one.
This is why he hated getting drunk. He stops thinking rationally, gets really talkative and really needy. A walking disaster.
"I think she caught up to us," groaned Enishi, rubbing at his temples.
"I don't know what happened to her, but that's not the Miyu I know," agreed Cho at which Enishi just laughed. For once, he did agree with blondie.
"I think we both underestimated her."
"A shitload if I may add," you added walking into the kitchen with a proud smile on your face. "But that cuddle, so affectionate and intimate, you did it to yourselves."
Koru joined you, curling around your feet as you worked on a tea for yourself.
"Am I still drunk or is that a cat I'm seeing?" asked Cho, confused at the feline that spawned herself into the kitchen out of thin air.
"If you're drunk then I am too," said Enishi tilting his head at the ball of fur strutting on the tiled floor. "Miyu, where did that come from?"
You turned around seeing them look at the cat inquisitively.
"Oh, right," you picked Koru up in your arms, petting down her fur. "This is Koru. I found her wandering outside last night and brought her inside."
Enishi studied the feline in your arms. By the looks of it, she had taken a bath too and looked way better and put together than the males in front of you. She even had a collar you probably made yourself out of some red material.
Cho moved to pet her and she purred in satisfaction at being welcomed so warmly. Confident that he won't drop her, you handed her to him while you brewed your tea.
Enishi put a hand against his forehead, shutting his eyes to filter the light that felt too bright.
"We're not keeping the cat, Miyu," he said sternly.
"Oh, come on. It's too cold for her to be roaming outside like this. She doesn't require much, just some food and warmth," you spoke trying to convince him.
"I think I've had enough strays roaming inside," he said, although he instantly regretted the way his words came out because he didn't mean it in that way.
"I honestly don't give two shits. She's staying whether you like it or not," you huffed taking the cat out of Cho's arms. "Besides, if you hate strays so much why don't you kick us out?"
"You know that's not what I meant." He tried reasoning with you but there was no going back now.
"I honestly have no fucking idea what you do mean lately."
"Miyu, come on."
"Talk to me after you sort your shit out," you spat out, grabbing your tea and going back to your room with Koru.
"That was rude, man. I thought you knew better," said Cho trying to add more fuel to the fire as if it wasn't raging enough to be seen from fucking space.
"Do you mind shutting your damn mouth for once?"
"Yes. I do mind."
Enishi got up with a grunt and left the table in the opposite direction. The waters were way too shallow to communicate civilly with anyone in this house right now.
Thank you for reading! As always, likes, comments and reblogs are welcome :)
#Addicting Taste#enishi yukishiro#rurouni kenshin#enishi yukishiro fanfiction#enishi yukishiro x reader#enishi yukishiro x you#chapter 9 is hereeeeeee peopleeeeeee
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Addicting Taste Chapter 6
Synopsis: Enishi Yukishiro was on a mission to execute his piece de la resistance. A plan to avenge his beloved sister. Until you showed up. Will you be a part of his downfall or will you try to save him?
Pairing: Enishi Yukishiro x reader
Genre: strangers to lovers, sunshine and sunshine protector, comedic relief, slow burn, tooth-rotting fluff
Word count: 8.8k+
A/N: Chapter 6 is finally here! This one was a ride to write. There is a lot of back and forth between Enishi and Miyu's povs and I hope you enjoy the little details plastered around. This is the last fluffy chapter you're gonna get for a while as we venture more into things.
Powered by Mackenyu’s outstanding portrayal of Enishi’s character in Rurouni Kenshin: The Final, I hereby present you a story ripped from the figments of my mind. I hope you’ll love the story as much as I do. Enjoy lovelies, Paula.
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Bonus
You woke up fairly early. The clouds of dawn lighting up the dark blue of his room. The he in question was cuddled into the back of your neck, arms wrapped tightly around your body as if the smallest gust of wind would make you fly away if he let go. Turning your head around you smiled at him, a pout sitting on his face as he looked deep in sleep. He definitely hasn't slept this peacefully in a while, judging by the relaxed crease between his eyebrows that were usually knitted in a frown.
A few strands of damp hair fell over his eyes and you brushed them away, careful not to wake him. After the steamy shower you took together, you sat and talked for the rest of the night. About him, about you, about the world. You debated all kinds of topics, from small things you appreciate about nature to the way the world is so quick to judge people. He sat with his head supported by his arm, listening to you speak your thoughts no matter how ridiculous they sounded.
Last night
"I feel like everyone's rushing to live their life so much that they forget to actually live it," you said gazing at the ceiling.
"Why do you think that?" he inquired.
"Well, look at us. We're hellbent on fulfilling our plans without stopping at nothing. Don't you feel like there's something more out there for us?"
"Like what?"
"Like having a real job that doesn't involve killing. Or taking the time to smell the roses. Or," you stopped as you turned to look at him. You would've said something stupid like love, if it wasn't for the shit eating grin on his face.
"Or what?"
"I'm gonna stop talking if you keep laughing at me," you said annoyed, a chuckle escaping him. Then he suddenly seemed to be in deep thought, your words rolling around in his head as he tried to make sense of them.
He knew where you were coming from. You don't get to enjoy simple things in the rush of seeing revenge be done. He knew how you felt because he felt it too. There were times where he would venture into the village to help out just to feel like he was doing something for himself. He enjoyed doing it because he was helping people out and it made him feel like there was more to life than avenging Tomoe. But the joy was always short lived. The moment he stepped back onto the mansion grounds, he would be bombarded with countless information on the missions he was working on. As much as he wanted things to be different, he needed to stay on the path he chose. He had a duty to his sister first and foremost.
Truth be told, he didn't know what to tell you. He wanted to agree with you and yell at the top of his lungs that he was a free man who could do anything he wanted. Instead, he blamed the universe for the mess he was in, and he blamed himself for not being able to get out of it because it was easier than trying to change things.
"You know that's... not for people like us," he breathed out, a tinge of disappointment present in his voice.
"But you want it to be, don't you?"
"I don't have the luxury to say that," he said flopping onto his back. "If I could go back in time, maybe I would do things differently. But there's no way of knowing that."
"There is," you said making his head turn to you. "Present you has the luxury to change things."
"But present you has a duty to past you, so future you can be happy," he added.
"It doesn't have to be a responsibility to fulfill that duty. You've got a life full of unforeseen circumstances ahead of you. Wouldn't you want to give present you a shot at enjoying it?"
"I don't know," he sighed. "But what I do know is that's enough philosophical thinking for today."
His arms circled around you to pull you closer, a familiar scent of bamboo and jasmine overtaking your senses.
“Can I go sleep in my own bed?”
“Nope.” He snuggled into you. “You’re sleeping here with me tonight.”
————
You blushed at the memory. He was so easy to talk to which was weird considering how everyone else looks at him like he is the most intimidating person. But what he said stuck with you. He had a point. You had your own responsibility to find your parents, even if sometimes you just wanted to stop and do anything else but that. It was cowardly even feeling that way considering all you've done for the past decade was look for them in every hole of the earth. You owed it to yourself to see this through, just like he did with avenging his sister.
Your stomach grumbled bringing you out of your thoughts. You cursed at the fact that you had to sneak out of Enishi's room without waking him up. The hold he had on you tightened the more you moved. Taking a deep breath, you grabbed the hand circled around your torso and lifted it up slowly only to see that it wouldn't budge. His fingers dug into your side, molding into the shape of your ribs. You huffed a breath, moving some hair away from your face. Trying the hand on your other side, you picked it up and tucked it against his side, successfully uncurling the other one as well. You slid off the bed as quietly as possible, feet touching the cold hardwood floors. Lifting up the duvet to cover him, you turned around to leave when a hand on your wrist stopped you.
"Where are you going?" he said groggily, eyes still closed.
"I'm hungry," you whispered.
"Okay."
You wriggled your hand around as he wouldn't let go. He was sprawled across the side of the bed where you were just a few moments ago.
"Can you let go of my hand?"
"If you stay for five more minutes," he pulled on your hand to make you sit on edge of the bed. His head moved from the softness of his pillow to the plush of your thighs. You couldn't help the urge to rake your fingers through his hair. "I could get used to this," he mumbled sleepily, comforted by your massage that slowly lulled him back to sleep.
Little did you know, I could get used to this too.
————
November was making its presence known, the last leaves falling on the ground creating warm coloured piles of maroon and yellow. Sitting down in a chair on the terrace, you admired the sunrise, the morning air crisp on your skin. Birds were chirping in the trees around the garden announcing the arrival of a new day.
It wasn't long until Enishi joined you at the table. He draped a blanket over your exposed shoulders and sat a cup of tea in front of you, taking a seat to your right with a cup of tea of his own. It was little acts of service like these that made you look at him in a different light.
It felt nice, being in each other's presence in the early hours of the morning after spending time talking until the late hours of the night. At the memory of the previous night you felt warmth race to your cheeks. You were trying to convince yourself that it was all in the spur of the moment. That it was a mutual need to release pent up frustration. For you, it was also a need to say what was on your heart.
There was one thing that confused you the more you thought about it, his words replaying in your head.
"You! You matter. You drive me up the fucking wall."
Those words echoed in your head so many times and you couldn't make anything of them. He delivered them to you like a hard wax stamp on a letter, so breathless and emotional. Like he cared, beyond the care he was currently showing you. Once again he broke you out of your thoughts that were becoming too much.
"What are you thinking about?" he asked, voice still as husky as it was a few hours ago when he clung to you to make you come back to bed.
"I was thinking about the lack of clothes in my wardrobe," you say sipping on your tea. “I kind of got my only coat, my favorite corset and my really good quality blouse ruined last night.”
“About that. How does a shopping spree in the city sound like?”
“In broad daylight? While the commander in chief’s men are probably still looking for us?”
“You have a point,” he thought hand on his chin. “What if we get disguised?”
“Like what? Grandma and grandpa?” you laughed.
“That’s not entirely a bad idea.”
“Maybe that could work. But I have nothing else to wear out.”
“Come with me,” he stood up and got a hold of your wrist pulling you off your seat.
He brought you back to his room and sat you down on his bed going to his wardrobe in the corner of the room. He pried open the dark oak doors, clothes all but piling on the floor from the release. There was material flying around, seemingly being stuffed inside rather messily.
“You’re a clean freak. Why is your closet like that?”
“As you can see I wear the same clothes all the time because I’m lazy in just that one aspect.” You got off the bed and went to look through what stood intact on the hangers. “Most of them are made from expensive materials and they’re—“
“A nuisance to clean,” you continued for him holding onto a golden kimono that was probably worth more than any garment your parents ever made.
“This is really fine satin so I see your issue. Too bad it’s sitting in this wardrobe gathering dust,” you sighed as you smoothed a hand down the sleeve decorated in dragon motives.
“It doesn’t have to sit in there. You can wear it,” he said taking the hanger and shoving it to you.
“Really?”
“You know more about clothes than I do so if you like something it’s yours to wear,” he rubbed the back of his neck.
“I am moving in here,” you stated, sinking down to the floor to cuddle all the material to your chest. A memory of your childhood days spent in your parents’ atelier came to you as you sniffed the smell of fabric around you.
“Miyu, come out of hiding.”
Your mother was looking for you as you managed to hide away from her for a while. She was currently working on a dress for a really important customer that frequented the atelier. You were playing around in the material storage, going through all the different fabrics that hung off the shelves.
Lotus silk, golden satin and white cashmere popped out at you and you made a mental note to ask your mom if she could combine all of them into one. “The magic makers”, as your father called her hands, could design anything the clients asked, no matter how impossible their requests would sound. If the garment didn't exist she would create it from thin air, using only her inspiration. She never had a problem in delivering exactly what the clients wanted and you admired her hard work.
“I need a hand over here sweetheart,” called your father. You got up from your spot in the corner to make your way to the exit as you of the storage room. Your leg got tangled in the ribbons hanging off the corners of the shelves and you stumbled.
You fell to the floor, materials on the shelves on top of you. Your parents heard the ruckus and rushed over to see what happened only to see you laughing as ribbons got stuck in your hair. The only thing that could be seen among the sea of fabric was you small head. They wanted to scold you but they couldn’t help but laugh with you at the mess you caused.
You zoned out as you recalled the memory and the good days. Enishi saw you looked deep in thought as your face fell, the small trace of a tear making its way down your cheek. He knelt beside you on the floor and waved a hand in front of your face to make you snap out of it but it didn’t seem to work. He shook you by your shoulders and his words finally seemed to register in your ears.
“Miyu! Hey, you okay?”
“Huh, yeah.” You wiped away the few tears rolling down your face and put on your best smile.
“You sure? We can hold off shopping for a while if you don’t feel up to it.”
“No,” you said placing your hands on his that were still resting around your shoulders. “We have to go get some clothes before the cold comes.”
You didn’t even realise you used the word ‘we’ until it was already out of your mouth. He was the one who used it the most and it seemed to rub off on you the more time you spent together.
“Well then what do we wear?”
“Give me a second.”
You picked up a worn down cotton kimono and turned to him making quick work of taking off his usual blue one, leaving him in only his tank top.
“If you wanted me to get naked you could've just asked” he teased and you smacked his arm.
“Just shut up and turn around,” you gestured.
He did as you said and you placed the dark blue kimono on his shoulders, helping him get dressed. He turned around and you could feel him look at you as you tied up the strings at the front. The intensity of his gaze made a breath hitch in your throat. Being this close to him always made your heartbeat pick up speed and you hated it.
Once you finished, you smoothed a hand over the material and stepped back so you could see the look. The cotton kimono was the best thing you could ever pick for him. His gray hair added an old air to the overall look and you giggled.
“What’s so funny?” he deadpanned.
“You really do look the grandpa part you know,” you continued giggling.
He picked up another kimono, that was in a better condition than the one he was wearing. He put it over your shoulders, tucking the shirt you were wearing inside your pants, so he could tie it up. The beige satin sat comfortably on you.
“Now you can be the grandma to my grandpa.”
“That sounds cringe. No, thank you.”
“Can I do your hair?"
“What do you wanna do to my hair?”
He sat on the edge of his bed calling you over to sit down. You cocked an eyebrow at him, suspicious of his intentions, but you decided to see what he had in mind. You went and sat down on the floor, back pressed against the bed as his legs spread out around you. He let your hair down from the messy bun you quickly pulled it into and grabbed a comb to untangle the knots, brushing your hair so gently that it felt almost therapeutic. He separated your hair into three strands and started what you assumed to be a braid.
He can braid? Ah, wait. He had a sister. He probably did her hair a lot.
You smiled at thought. He definitely got the caring side from her. The more he showed you this other side of himself, the more you thought she did a great job raising him. They were just two kids against the world, trying to survive whatever life threw at them.
He gently tilted your head to sit on his thigh while he worked on your long hair. You played with your hands, unsure of what he was actually doing with your hair. From the way his hands worked around your difficult hair you could tell he was doing something more complicated than a braid.
“There,” he said patting down your hair.
You got up and went to the mirror next to his dresser, a gasp of shock coming out of your mouth. He braided your hair in a crown, with the longer pieces pulled into a normal braid. The smaller baby hairs sat untucked framing your ears and your cheekbones. The beige kimono added a vintage touch to your look and you looked like you worked the kitchen at some high esteemed mansion. Well, you did but not in that way.
“Do you like it?” he asked unsure of your reaction.
“I love it. Thank you,” you said, a blush creeping up on your cheeks.
“You look like…”
“A princess?”
“Like a grandma,” he chuckled. You went to smack him for the third time today as he dodged you around the room, laughter bouncing off the dark walls. There was only one thought bouncing around his mind.
You look beautiful. I just can't say it to you yet.
You got a hold of his kimono's collar and pulled him to you too harshly, ending up on top of his bed. His hands caged you and he tried to resist the urge to lean down and kiss you. Your eyes locked on each other's, unwilling to break away. His brown orbs bore into you, the blue outline around them reflecting with the light filtering in the room.
"We should go," you both started at the same time giggling at how in sync you were. He got up first lending you a hand to help you up too.
"Let's go."
—————————
You travelled with the farmer again. A convoy of black carriages heading into the city had the biggest 'capture me now' sign on them. Laying low was your best shot at staying under the radar for your short visit so you were thrilled the farmer could give you a ride.
You hope your disguises would work at least until it got darker. You found a handkerchief in Enishi's closet that you tied around your head so most of your features were covered. He had his glasses on and fixed his hair so it looked messier than it actually was. You could say you looked the old part.
The carriage came to a halt at the side of a bridge. You got off with the help of Enishi and thanked the farmer. He was going to be back after delivering his produce to the next market somewhere after the sun sets, which should give you enough time to find some clothes.
You looked around at the place, feeling a strange familiarity about it. It felt like you knew this place. You caught sight of a dusted sign that read the entry to the market in bold red letters.
“This is the famous Fabric Market?” you gasped. Your parents always talked about it being the fashion centre in these parts. There was no fabric or textile in the world that you wouldn’t be able to find in here.
“It is. You know it?”
“My parents used to talk about it a lot.”
“Let's see what we can find before nightfall.”
You whizzed through about a hundred stands filled with typical traditional Chinese clothing. The hanfus on the racks were way too showy and uncomfortably looking, while the qipaos were way too extravagant. The entourage you were currently rolling with required practical clothes you could fight in, not ball gowns. Besides, if you needed something like that you had Enishi's permission to raid his wardrobe.
Finally, you found a more western looking booth filled with cotton blouses and practical pants that were more your style. You went and picked out a few, the lady in charge looking at you weirdly. You smiled at her, bringing the bandana over your head closer to hide your face, while Enishi paid for the clothes.
"I hope that's not all you plan on getting," he pointed to the small bag in your hand.
"Am I supposed to get something else?"
"Are you sure you're a girl? How come you haven't gotten at least one dress?"
"I don't like dresses. They're not practical to fight in."
"I don't have any dresses for you to borrow in case we have a mission at a select event."
"Are you saying we have one?"
"Maybe?"
"What the hell! When were you going to tell me? A day before we were going?"
"That's the main reason I brought you here but I didn't think you wouldn't get anything remotely girly."
You hated dresses. You knew it was a crime to say that considering who your parents were. The biggest downside to being the daughter of a tailoring couple was having to dress up nicely. All. The. Fucking. Time. Be it you were studying with one of the maids, playing in the garden, being at the atelier. You had to look the part, ribbons in your hair and low heel pumps included.
Being a Hikari was both a blessing and a curse to say the least.
Suddenly, you were pushed into a store by Enishi. Looking around you wanted to puke. There were dresses upon stacks of dresses from the entrance to the far back, all kinds of materials piled up on each other. You turned around trying to leave but a strong arm on your shoulder stopped you and before you could say something the lady at the till came over to you.
"That's a very nice kimono you're wearing," she chirped.
If looks could torture Enishi would have been in immense pain right now. He was enjoying your suffering a whole lot right now, chuckling as you struggled to contain your rage. You settled for a silent fuck you mumbled through your teeth and plastered a polite smile on your face as you turned to back to the woman.
"Thank you," you chirped back to her in the same annoying tone.
"We have a selection that will probably suit your taste over to this side," she said as she dragged you along the store pointing to every piece she thought you would like.
She brought about thirty pieces in the small try on cabin. You tried on most of them on, sorting them in categorized piles on the floor, ranging from unfitting to ones you deemed illegal to even be woven. Some didn't even fit you as the bust sizes were way too big, the melons on your chest floating around in the breast cups. The others were way too flashy for your tastes or anyone elses. You didn't know how long you've been moping in the cabin until a slightly irritated Enishi called out to you from the other side.
"Miyu, come out of there and let me see at least one of them on you."
"But it looks awful," you huffed.
"I'm sure it doesn't look that bad."
You sighed and opened the door to the cabin, stepping outside to the space where he was sitting. His eyes shifted to you and you swore you saw his eyes bulge out of their sockets.
You were wearing a red qipao with a golden dragon running up the open slit of the dress. The silk material was flowy around your legs so it wouldn't restrict too much of your leg movement. On the other side of your bust a golden phoenix curled around your bust, a small stone sewn into its eye just above your chest. You liked the detail but it felt uncomfortable to sit in it like a mannequin.
"I told you it looks bad," you huffed getting ready to hide back inside the cabin.
"You look beautiful." You looked at him, sincerity pooling out from his eyes. He had a hand clasped on his mouth, the compliment most likely climbing out of his mouth against his will.
"She does indeed," said the woman walking closer to you. She twirled you around on each side to get a good look at you. "I knew you would like it. This is a handcrafted wedding qipao."
"A WHAT?" You and Enishi said at the same time. His ears were burning redder than the garment you were wearing.
"Are you not looking to get married? This is mostly a shop for wedding dresses. I also assumed you were a couple, despite your really poor attempt at an old couple disguise."
"We are leaving," you say turning to the cabin to gather your things and change out of the dress.
Enishi beckoned the lady over and asked her to pack the dress up. He didn't know why but he wanted to get it for you. Forgetting the whole wedding dress symbol, he loved the way it looked on you. It was made for you, no matter how much you tried to deny it. While waiting for the lady to pack up the dress, he spotted a coat on a mannequin behind the till. It was lined with white fur and the silk on top was woven with silver embroidery. It was exactly your style.
"Is that one for sale?"
"It is! You have good taste."
You went out before him, angry at his idiocy. The want to strangle him went beyond any murderous urge you ever had. Not only did he take you to try on dresses even after you told him how bad you hated them, but he failed to notice that it was a wedding dress store. He also managed to blow your covers in the process.
"Don't be mad at me... But I got you the dress."
"I will burn it."
"I paid good money for it. So if you won't wear it," he held the bag to you, "at least keep it. I also got you a coat so please just take it."
He awkwardly shifted on his feet, waggling the bag in front of you until you took it with a huff. You weren't going to waste money unnecessarily. At least you could revamp it into another dress with scraps from your old clothes. But he didn't need to know that.
————
The night was just about to set, lanterns hanging above the stone sidewalk to light up the market. The sweet sound of a guzheng being strummed filled your ears as you walked around some more. Three ladies sat on the floor in traditional clothes, playing their instruments. People stopped to look at them and you joined in to listen.
Enishi walked around the rest of the stalls on the street, keeping you in his sight. He stopped by a jewelry stand absentmindedly looking around.
"She's a pretty one that one," a woman spoke from behind the stand. He hummed at her not willing to make conversation but she continued pushing.
"Are you a couple?"
Why does everyone keep asking that?
"We're not." He looked around at the stuff on her stall spotting some handmade jewelry. Just when he was about to walk away, a pair of red bracelets called out to him. He picked them up inspecting the red string sitting around an intricate knot of a darker red shade.
"You have a good eye. Those are a symbol of the red string of fate."
"The witch in the village tried to sell me something like this too." He recalled the times he went into the village to help around or just to shop, only to have her pestering him with those bracelets.
"I don't know who that is but they were right in doing that. I can sense that something connects you and the girl over there."
He looked back at you to see you swaying along to the melody sung by the women on the instruments, clapping your hands along with the rest of the people gathered around. The lanterns above just turned on and they illuminated your face just enough for him to spot the soft smile on your lips. He swore he never saw anything more beautiful than the scene before his eyes.
"Destiny knows you will walk the path together, as much as both of you try to push against it. The path may stretch and tangle like the knot on the bracelets. But you will never stray away from each other."
It was true that he felt something for you. The last time he tried to decipher it he went berserk and lashed out on you, so he decided to keep them stored away in the farthest corner of his mind. But the more time he spent with you he found them struggling to get out of that box.
He felt giddy whenever you flashed him that smile, the real genuine one you normally gave him while you were training. He felt cared for whenever you left him half of the food you made for yourself, even if it was just some pudding made quickly because you craved it. He felt less lonely when you checked his office to see whether he was alive or not, staying to help him work on his maps or annoying him about the smallest things. As much as he tried to push these feeling away he knew they would keep coming. He might as well indulge in them and see where they could go.
"I'll take them," he said, pulling out his money only to get stopped by the lady.
"They're on the house," she said as she closed his fingers around the small bracelets. "You can pay for packaging though."
"Pack hers only."
He fiddled with the red ribbon on the box as he made his way back to you. He needed to find a good moment to give it to you. His already sat around his wrist. It was the perfect size, almost like it was made for him.
“Ready to go?”
“Yeah,” you turned around to him. “Wait. Are you not getting anything for yourself?”
“I’ve got everything I need,” he smiled.
————————————————
Sword fighting was both an art and a torture to learn, especially after spending a whole day shopping. Enishi insisted you start your training before the next mission so in case of anything you could defend yourself with something other than your gun.
He brought out a twin set of jian swords, the ones with the red tassel you held a couple days ago in his office. He showed you a few basic moves, from the normal slash cut to thrusting your sword forwards in a stable manner. He was not holding back on flaunting his strength, even if it was something as simple as doing a horizontal cut. He even taught you how to knock off your enemy with just the hilt, a small trick he deemed good to know in any situation.
The hard part was when you tried out the moves. You couldn’t balance the sword with both hands but he managed to do it so effortlessly with just one. It pissed you off that he was so good at everything.
He noticed you struggling so he placed his sword on the floor and moved to correct your posture. His hands reached out to sit on your hips, directing your body into a diagonal line. They moved to your shoulders to straighten your back, then lowering to your forearms to position the sword in a better hold. He stepped back and you looked at him expectantly, hoping you were doing it right this time. He nodded with a hum, a toothy smile breaking on your face.
Once you got a hold of some of the moves, you started sparring with him. Your muscles burned with the intensity of every move Enishi instructed you to use to block his hits. You didn't pay attention and he knocked the sword from your hand, tip of his blade sitting at your throat slightly lifting your chin. You gulped as he smirked at you. He was enjoying this a little too much.
You went back to sparring, trying to hit his sword only to get pushed back. You could tell he was only using half of his usual force but it still made it hard for you to try and respond to his attacks. Just holding the sword tired you out, not to talk about the need to put your energy into a swipe of the blade.
“Time-out. I need a minute.”
You laid down on the ground, muscles spasming a little too violently. There was no way you could keep up with him even if you practiced for decades.
“You okay?” he knelt down beside you and started massaging your limbs.
"Saw stars for a second. What are you doing?"
"You can't just lay down after intense physical effort. You could pass out or worse, get irreparable damage to your muscles."
"How do you know all this? Oh, wait. I forgot you're the sword master extraordinaire," you said at which he laughed.
"I know because I felt it on my own skin. I would be mad not to do something if I can help it."
"Well, I do appreciate the free massage." He lightly grazed the back of your knee, tickling you. "Enishi! Stop it!"
He continued tickling you until you got up and chased him around the garden. He found refuge from you by climbing up one of the trees, tongue poking out at you. The tree was too tall and sturdy to be climbed in your current exhausted condition.
"Get down from there."
"Nope."
"Enishi, stop being such a child."
"Teasing you is the highlight of my day."
"Oh, really? How would you like me to tease you by setting your precious maps on fire?"
"HEY! HEY! They haven't done anything wrong."
"But you have. Now get down from there AND LET ME SMACK YOU!"
“Definitely not.”
“I’m leaving.”
“To your room?”
“To Japan," you said as you showed him your middle finger.
——————————
Bubbles were softly popping around you as the warm water engulfed your sore body. You were finally taking a well deserved bath. The sword training drained you beyond your powers and you needed to recharge your batteries somehow. The peace and quiet in the foggy bathroom was pure serenity. However, it was disturbed pretty quickly when Enishi all but burst inside without knocking.
"Can you shoot long-range guns?"
Well that was out of the blue.
"Technically, yes. Practically, I wouldn't know until I tested the guns myself. Why?"
"I need an eye in the sky for our next mission. We're infiltrating the base of another mafia for information and a few more resources."
"I can go by the storage later and see what works," you said. He nodded and left for the door as you released a breath happy to be back in peace in quiet. That was until he came back in, this time a smirk plastered on his face.
"Mind if I join?"
"Get out."
This was your precious time to yourself. As much as you would have him here with you any other time you felt funky but this was not one of them. You enjoyed his company but you needed time away from each other too. A girl can handle only so much sweat dripping down his toned muscles in a day.
"Are you sure?" he taunted coming closer to sit on the edge of the tub.
I will not indulge you. I refuse to indulge you. I need my girl time.
"Yes, now please get out. This is my me time—" he cut you off as he threw off his clothes and jumped in, splashing your face in the process. The water in the tub overflowed, spilling over the edge and wetting the small foot rug on the floor.
It was like the heavens were against you being alone in your own peace. You didn't know how much you could resist holding back from ripping his head off its trunk.
"Enishi. Get the fuck out!"
"But it's nice and warm and are those bubbles?" he popped a big bubble that was sitting on top of your knee.
"Oh, lord."
There was definitely no way to go back from it now. The moment his legs touched yours it felt like electricity sparked under water. You leaned your head back on the edge of the tub and sank back in the water, trying to stretch your legs around his. You tried to avoid further contact only for his hand to sneakily catch hold of your legs, spreading them around him. You cracked one eye open only to see that stupid smirk of his still on his lips.
"What are you plotting now, besides disrupting my peace?"
"Nothing."
His fingers said something else as they lightly massaged your calves. He was so good at this. As annoying as his teasing felt there were also moment where his touch would relax you and make you feel like you were on a cloud. It was like a drug to you too, burning into your skin when his intentions were less decent. You hated how his touches lingered around for hours and it made you crave more and more. And that wasn’t a good sign.
"You could've been an amazing masseur," you chuckled.
"I'd rather do it for people that really deserve it."
"Am I one of them?"
"Isn't that obvious?"
He did have a point. He was being really affectionate with you lately and it both confused and overwhelmed you. The night you slept together was imprinted not just on your mind. Your body wanted a repeat of it. Your kept fantasizing about him and you couldn't stop it no matter how hard you tried to push those shameless thoughts away. Plus, the fact that he was here, in close proximity to you, softly stroking your legs drove you crazy. And he seemed to take notice as you drew in a sharp breath the higher his hand hitched up your leg.
"Don't start," you said barely above a whisper.
"Start what?"
"You know damn well what."
You tried yanking your leg away only to get pulled closer to the middle of the tub. He moved to cage you in his space, hands firmly gripping your waist.
"I take it I'm bothering you?"
"N-no," you coughed, averting your gaze away from him. He rubbed circles into your sides, the water doing little to stop the shivers running up your spine. You hated how quick you turned to putty in his hands.
"Are you afraid of me, Miyu?"
"Of course not," you snapped your eyes back to him trying to read his intentions.
What kind of question is that? Why is he suddenly playing mind games?
He studied your face before leaning in to catch your lips in a kiss. It's been too long since he felt you this close and he wanted you closer. Your hands raked through his scalp, tugging at it as the kiss turned sloppy, rushed breaths turning the air steamier than it already was.
You leaned back in the tub dragging him on top of you. His hands took hold of the edge to support him so he wouldn't lean his whole weight on you, head craning down to devour you. Your nails clawed at his back to pull him closer to you and he obliged. One of his hands stroked down your thigh, looking for your entrance. Once he found it, he entered you, both of you unwilling to wait for foreplay.
The water moved around you, bubbles turning to foam from the force of his thrusts. You wanted to feel him even closer so you hoisted a leg around his waist, tugging him forwards. It threw him off balance, palms sliding off the edge of the bathtub. One of them quickly settled beside your head, while the other clutched onto the water tap. His hand wrapped around it, using it as a lever to push deeper into you. You were near your release, heartbeat pounding in your head, when you heard the screech of the water tap breaking off its hinges. The pressure of Enishi's hand was so strong that it broke the golden pipe attached to the bath tub. You pulled apart to look at the pipe sitting in his hand, eyes widened in shock.
"Did you just-"
"Yeah...," he exhaled eyes stuck on the golden item.
In one brisk move, he threw it backwards and you watched it hit the floor.
"I guess you're gonna be showering in my room for a while," he smirked leaning back to your lips.
Your bathtub time was cut short but you didn't really mind it. If it was like this you would have him barge in any time. He got up and stepped out of the tub, back muscles flexing as he picked up a towel from the pile on the sink. You found yourself drooling at the sight.
To be fair, I wouldn't mind another round.
He picked up his clothes from the floor and made a move for the door before you stopped him. You panicked as you remembered the broken water tap which meant you couldn't finish washing up. You called after him.
"Could you at least help me out?" you asked, making puppy eyes at him. The soreness from training and your earlier adventure left you too spent to move and your body was slowly pruning up from sitting in the tub for too long.
"Ah, so you want me here now," he taunted. He made a move to you once your puppy eyes turned murderous.
Picking up a bath robe he hung it on his shoulder as he walked to you. He waited for you to drain the rest of the water and then he wrapped it around your body. He placed a small kiss on your shoulder before picking you up from the tub. You couldn't help but lean your head on his shoulder. You looked up at him feeling nothing but grateful. It was moments like these that made you see him in a new light, and you realised he did it again. He made your heart flutter.
"Where to madame?"
"A shower could do considering you broke the water tap."
"Say no more," he said and started dashing to his own room down the hall as you laughed at him.
"If you haven't noticed we are naked. What if someone sees us?"
"I don't give two fucks."
"Does someone have a voyeurism kink?"
"I don't think you actually want to see what my kinks are, madame. Although, I do think yours are wilder than anything I could ever have in mind."
You're not wrong about that.
——————————
After you finished rinsing the leftover shampoo from your hair you went to the arms storage. It was a mess to say the least. Hundreds of weapons and cartridges were just laying around wherever there was space. You went through so much trouble to get them only for them to be tossed around all over the place.
You rolled up your sleeves and got to work, starting with the smallest pistols. You cleaned up a table for each category, from short to longer distance guns, setting the magazines under them in rows.
Once the bigger rifles were set on their hangers you cleaned a table to wipe the smaller ones. Enishi was passing by the arms storage and saw the door slightly open. He peeked in, leaning on the door frame as he watched you wipe the pistol parts in your hand until they were sparkling clean. You then checked the barrel and the magazine for any residue, swiftly reassembling the gun. You finished up and tested the hand grip, loading a few bullets and aiming the gun at a target on the wall. The shot echoed through the room, bullet hitting the target in the middle.
"How long have you been standing there?"
"Enough to be at peace that you know what you're doing. What kind is that one?" he spoke up, walking closer to you.
"This is a dragon firearm. It's practical in short range but the aim is a bit off. It's more of a display gun," you smoothed a hand over the golden dragon carved on the muzzle. "Wanna give it a try?"
He was taken aback at your request as he was more of a blade person. The few times he held a gun were foggy in his mind. He wasn't even sure how it worked. You noticed his reluctance and stepped closer to him, taking his hand to place the firearm in it.
"It's easy. You just take a hold of the grip," you put his hand around the gun, "and set on the trigger. Then you aim," you moved his forearm, your own on top of his to direct it towards the target. You felt him tense under your hold, smirking as you leaned closer to his ear to whisper. "And you pull the trigger."
He fired the gun and the bullet ricocheted off to the side of the target. You laughed prying yourself away from him as he placed the gun down on the table.
"Now you know how I feel when you train me," you said unloading the pistol to wipe it again and store it away.
"Fair enough." He looked around to see the storage way cleaner than it would normally be. "You didn't have to do all this."
"It was no big deal. I was getting bored anyway," you shrugged. "Ah, I tested the rifles. Most of them are single shot weapons so they don't hold more than a single round of bullets. But," you picked up a shorter rifle, "this one should work. It's a bigger version of the normal Colt revolver."
You turned to him to see him look lost. The words you said went in through one ear and came out of the other as he was too busy admiring your gun knowledge. Waving a hand in front of his face you pulled him back to earth.
"You're amazing," he uttered breathlessly.
"What?"
"I mean at guns. With guns. Like a gunlord." He wasn't one to give compliments so it confused you a little.
"Uh, thank you."
"Briefing for the mission in my office later. Be there," he said making a quick beeline for the door, leaving you there dumbfounded.
———————————
You were stationed on top of a hill, hiding among the line of trees. The mafia base down below was heavily guarded, despite being just a couple of rusty barracks. You monitored both the base and the rest of the gang as they advanced down through the forest. You were in a spot easily noticeable for him, being able to signal if shit went sideways and there was a possibility of them being ambushed.
However, no one was covering you. Enishi made you carry a sword with you just in case you run out of bullets again, which happened a lot more recently. You were still no master at the weapon, having only had one training session with it, but you prayed it wouldn't come to using it because you would need a miracle to power through with it.
You joined your hands and called down to Enishi using the coos of an owl. It was a trick your father taught you. His head turned to you and you signaled the coast was clear. He beckoned his crew forwards to the middle barrack and entered while you scanned the area through the visor. You spotted a few men heading towards the barrack. Aiming, you waited for the wind to stop blowing and took the shot, taking out three of them.
It's been quite a while since the crew went inside. You spotted another quartet heading straight for the middle base and shot them down. A few more rows ran to inspect the commotion and you tried clearing them out as best you could, loading and unloading the magazine at lightning speed.
The crew came out with some weapons they stole and what looked like a hostage. You threw Enishi an okay sign that everything was good when a surprise blow came from behind you, throwing you against the bark of a nearby tree. Your dropped the gun during the hit and you saw it flying down the hill. Enishi bolted up the hill to get to you before it could be too late.
You quickly got up and got a hold of the sword attached to your back. You mentally thanked Enishi for the extra thoughtful gesture and got in a fighting stance. The man who pushed you was a brute, two heads taller than you. He must’ve been the guard dog of the base.
He launched at you with a sword of his own bringing the blade down on you, but you managed to duck and roll out of the way. You tried attacking but he was too fast. He moved to stab you and he might have succeeded if it wasn’t for Enishi stepping in between you, raising the sword you were holding to push him away. He took hold of your sword running to fight off the brute. They struggled and he used the hilt of the sword to knock him out cold at least until you managed to get out of there.
You were looking down at the ground, head down in embarrassment and anger. You couldn’t protect yourself, needing Enishi to come to your rescue once again. It made you feel weak and disgusted at yourself the more you stared at your hands, wishing they were capable of more. Wishing that you could just wake up one day with more strength than you had now, able to do more to help. Enishi had no use for you if you couldn't match his pace or the gang's.
He checked that the brute was knocked out cold and ran back to you checking you for any injuries. He was relieved to see only a minor cut on your cheek. He cupped your face to get a better look at the superficial wound but you moved your head away from his hold. You couldn't be this close to him right now after you failed to protect them.
“I’m fine,” you muttered. You went and looked for the gun thrown in the bushes and once you found it you slung it over your shoulder, heading towards the carriages.
You didn’t speak a word on the way back, staring out of the window as thoughts swirled in your head. You were mad at yourself for a lot of things, but especially for the fact that you couldn’t use another weapon or fight better. It felt like everything you learned for the past few weeks just evaporated into thin air. All because you got surprised and couldn't check your surroundings properly before stationing yourself on the hill. All because you were more confident in having a gun at your side than anything else.
Enishi tried to get you to talk but all he get in response to his questions were mumbles and absent-minded nods. He gave up asking and just let you wallow in your self-pity.
All you wanted to do was lock yourself in your room away from everything and that was your direction before you got pulled by Wu to the basement along with everyone else to interrogate the man they captured. You didn't know why you needed to be present too but Wu insisted that everyone had to be there.
You entered the poorly lit room and saw the man tied to a chair, his head lolling around as he slowly came to. You didn't really want to look at him but the chuckle that came out of his mouth prompted you to. You heard that chuckle before loud and clear and your eyes snapped to his face. There was something about it, too familiar to forget and too strange to remember, but when his eyes focused on you and a sneer graced his ugly face it finally hit you.
"I didn't expect to see you so soon, kiddo."
The colour drained from your face. The last time you heard that nickname was back when your parents were still around. You stumbled to a nearby wall to lean on it as memories of the man flooded your mind. He used to be a really loyal customer of your parents, coming around at least a few times a week on business with your father. He always called you that awful nickname, petting your head as you tried hard to keep your disgust inside for your parents sake. Him and your father would go behind the shop to discuss whilst his wife sat and talked with your mom. She was a rather annoying person, her high pitched voice scratching your ears worse than chalk on a board. Your mom never liked them.
The man smirked at you and was about to continue speaking until Enishi walked in the room. He felt something was off by the way you were clenching your fists by your side, eyes throwing daggers into the man tied on the chair. He wanted to ask if you knew him but the man spoke before he could.
"You look just like your mother. Well, she looks a little damaged now."
You wanted to know where she was. You wanted to know where your father was. You wanted to know what happened to them. But all you could muster was pure anger in the storm of thoughts in your mind. It clouded every rational resolve you previously had as you grabbed the collar of his blood-stained white shirt pulling him towards you.
"What the fuck did you just say?"
"It's a surprise she's still alive after the torture we put her through. And your father," he laughed, " he was so keen to protect her even after being beaten up over and over. It was a really entertaining show to watch."
"You have no right to talk about them," you yelled launching yourself at him. You punched his face hard, using all the pent up anger from all the years you spent looking for the people who took your parents. They were under your nose the whole time placing false leads to cover their tracks.
"They helped you and that bitch of your wife even when they had nothing themselves."
You were young but you weren't stupid not to notice the anger on your mother's face every time they left the atelier. Your father gave them money almost every week they came over. They begged their way into his good heart that they were in debt and needed help and your father was too blind to see that. The man was always dressed in the finest silks and his wife always had a collier around her neck adorned with precious gems. They definitely weren't in need of charity.
They would get their money even when the atelier was running low on profits as your father scrambled around for scraps. You hated that your parents were good people and failed to notice that they were being used.
Your attention returned to the man on the chair as you punched him again and again, not caring about the scabs forming on your knuckles. The blood on your knuckles mixed with his as it poured from his broken nose onto the concrete floor. All he could do was laugh as you hit his face repeatedly. The faint glimmer of something red around his neck reflected off the dim lights and you stopped. Your hand moved from his face to clasp the chain around his neck to get a better look.
Mom's necklace.
"That whore fought so hard to keep it around her neck. It looks better on mine, don't you think?" he smiled, blood smeared on his teeth.
You pulled the necklace harshly off his neck as tears threatened to spill from your eyes. You wanted to resume your earlier punching but Enishi pulled you away before you could lay your hands on him again. You could kill him if he didn't stop you and he needed to get information from him, as much as he wanted to break his body apart and feed it to the wolves for what he put you through.
"You're not getting out of here alive. I'll make fucking sure of that," you spat as Enishi tried to drag you away.
"You're nothing but a whore just like her."
Enishi let go of you to land a punch of his own on the man's face, knocking him out cold again. He wasn't going to let anyone speak to you that way. You couldn't comprehend anything that happened in the last few minutes so you did the best you could in this situation and ran away to your room. Enishi told Wu to keep an eye on the man as he ran after you.
You sprinted to your room, too many thoughts swimming in your head. Enishi was calling after you trying to get you to stop but you didn't hear him. You couldn't hear him.
You locked yourself in your room and he knocked desperately on the door trying to talk to you but all he got in response was silence. He figured you needed some time to yourself and once you heard him walk away, you finally allowed yourself to break down.
Mom was alive.
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Thank you for reading! As always, comments, likes and reblogs are always welcome :)
#Addicting Taste#enishi yukishiro#enishi yukishiro fanfiction#enishi yukishiro x you#enishi yukishiro x reader#rurouni kenshin
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Addicting Taste Chapter 7
Synopsis: Enishi Yukishiro was on a mission to execute his piece de la resistance. A plan to avenge his beloved sister. Until you showed up. Will you be a part of his downfall or will you try to save him?
Pairing: Enishi Yukishiro x reader
Genre: strangers to lovers, sunshine and sunshine protector, comedic relief, angst, slow burn, some fluff
Word count: 11.4k+
A/N: This chapter is probably the bane of my existence. All I'm going to say is that it's one of my favorites and I am so proud of it. I hope Enishi figures his feelings out sooner or later. Hope you like it. Enjoy lovelies, Paula.
Now Playing: run for the hills by Tate McRae
Previous
Anger, fear and pain.
That was all you could feel as you laid on the floor in front of your bed. They had a boxing match in your head, throwing different thoughts into the middle of the ring to see which one had the most impact and could come up on top to win.
The anger argued that you had every right to go back in the basement and rip the man's head off. To pull out his guts with your bare hands as he would watch in horror. But that was Barairo talking. That wasn't you. She yelled at you to let her out the minute you laid your hands on his collar to show him just as psychopathic you could get. You tried to keep her away as much as you could but the second your eyes laid on your mom's necklace around his neck you wanted to throw the door to her prison cell open wide and let her devour everything in her sight.
And you almost did. If it wasn't for Enishi's hand latching around your hand to ground you and bring back to earth. Your eyes found his, pleading for destruction only to get refused by a wary shake of his head. You suddenly felt self-conscious as you registered that all the eyes in the room were directed at you with a mix of confusion and pity, the feeling you hated the most in the world because that was the only thing present in people's eyes every time they looked at you. Whether it was begging for food on the street or fighting in the rings, it was always there, reminding you that you had no safe place to call yours in the world anymore. That everything you knew was gone and you only had yourself to blame.
The fear insisted that it was all because you couldn't do more to prevent any of this happening. Your parents disappearing. The massacre written in the walls of the place you called home. Not being able to finish the job when you had the chance at your feet. All because you were scared and weak. You couldn't fight for them just like you couldn't fight for yourself back there on the hill when Enishi had to step in and save you. Or back at the casino where you almost got injured fatally because you couldn't pay attention to the world around you.
You tried to put on your bravest front when you trained with him, masking all of that fear even when you felt insecure about your lack of skills. You tried your hardest in training, but whenever you went one step forwards, you would fall four steps behind when it came to the real thing. It was the fear that made you run away, trying to hide yourself away in hopes no one could find you. Even if it meant hiding yourself in the depths of your soul.
In the end, the pain was the only one that could win the fight. It was the only thing you felt as you laid on the cold wooden floors staring at the ceiling day and night, clasping your mother's necklace close to your chest. Time stopped for you in that basement. The hands on the clock ceased their ticking as you drowned the sound out with your cries or your fits of rage directed at things in the room. that would end up all over the floor. The jungle of thoughts in your head was making you lose yourself and the only thing keeping you from spiralling was the hope that you would hear something about your mom.
I need you, mom. I don't know what to do without you. Please come back to me. Please tell me what to do to find you.
You couldn't sleep, couldn't eat, couldn't train. You couldn't function at all. These thoughts seemed to be the only ones keeping you sane enough in the confines of your room.
The only times you did leave your room was to knock on Enishi's office door to ask if he had any new information about your mother, be it any small speck of a lead on her whereabouts, her state or if your father was alive too. But the answer was the same each time.
He won't talk.
Enishi hated the way you looked more broken each time you came by. He tried to get you out of your room. He would bring you food and leave it outside of your door at lunch only to find it still there by dinner. He tried to get you to train but you refused to even hear it. The light in your eyes dimmed the more you stayed locked in your room and he was running out of ideas to get the you he knew back.
He tried to make that son of a bitch talk but he just wouldn't budge, no matter what torture techniques he tried with him. He wanted to have something to give you whenever you came around to keep you with him longer but every time he tried changing the subject you would run away back to your room.
-----------
After two days of moping around in your room you finally decided to start training again. You needed to get better if you wanted to find your parents any time soon and strengthening your skills was the starting point.
Enishi saw your determination as you pulled him out of his office to train with you at random hours of the day or night. But he also saw that you were pushing yourself way too much. You wanted to get better but he wouldn't sit there and watch you hurt yourself like that willingly. So, whenever he refused training with you it was for the sake that you would take a break yourself. But you kept going. Whether it was raining or it was too cold to be outside you were there practicing with the sword until you got it right.
Last night it was raining heavily, the garden grounds turning to sloshy mud. But the storm inside of your heart was louder and more menacing than any rain mother nature could bring. Your clothes were soaked and stuck to you uncomfortably, hair wet like you just took a bath. With a solid grip on your sword you practiced thrusting until that one attack came out perfectly. You did it over and over, until the mud around you made it harder to continue.
-------
Waking up this morning was pure agony. You got a few hours of sleep from exhausting yourself enough to feel like you could fall asleep peacefully. It felt like the room was caving in on you and all you wanted to do was beg whatever force put you on this earth to take you back and leave you there if it meant that the throbbing in your body could stop, even for a little while. But you had to get up and go back to training because Enishi finally agreed to train with you again. It took a lot of convincing to get back to it together so you couldn't kick it away just because you didn't feel 100%.
The duvet around you was doing little to keep the warmth in as the room felt way too cold for your liking. You got out of bed with a groan, all of your muscles aching as you trudged to the bathroom with slow steps. Stopping in front of the mirror you took a look at yourself. If this was a zombie movie you would have gotten the lead role. The dark circles around your eyes looked like a raccoon's, a dark contrast to the paleness of your face. It scared you to look at yourself and the hollowness that consumed the light in your eyes.
You shook your head and turned on the tap, slapping some cold water on your face to make yourself look more alive. Your cheeks were weirdly warm under your cold palms but you brushed it off to be due to the sudden temperature change in the weather. With a bit of a struggle you managed to change out of your clothes and stepped outside of your messy room, making a mental note to clean it up after training.
You thought of stopping by the kitchen to put something in your system but you decided against it as you didn't really have an appetite. You drank some water but the liquid seemed to do more damage than aid your dry throat. Placing down the half drank glass of water in the sink you headed towards the garden. Opening the doors, you felt your lungs struggling to breathe in the chilly air.
Enishi was already there swinging around his sword to warm up. Sensing your presence behind him he turned around to you and scanned you quickly. He hasn't seen you in days and he could tell that something felt off about you today. Your shoulders were slumped over like you were in pain. Your eyes looked sunken in, worse than they were the last time he saw you. Not to mention that your normally rosy cheeks looked awfully pale for you to be anywhere near okay. Even your steps seemed slower. They weren't like your usual anxiety soaked steps whenever you came to train, but they were different. He wanted to ask you if you were doing okay but you beat him to it and changed the subject.
“Let’s-“ you started talking but your scratchy voice stopped you. Clearing your throat you tried that again trying to sound more convincing so you wouldn't raise any suspicions about your state.
“Let’s get this over with,” you said as you put on a fake smile. He took one more look at you and shook his head, moving to his place. He thought you would tell him if something was wrong but seeing as you were so hellbent on training he didn't prod any further.
He knew you practiced one move the most these days. A slash across the diagonal, good in any close combat. He wanted to see how you would use it against an opponent so you started sparring. He came at you slow at first to ease you back into training with another person. But the more you sparred he saw you were back to dodging his moves instead of attacking him. It confused him that you kept stepping back every time he came closer.
“You’re supposed to attack,” he said as a matter of fact.
“I know. I’m just trying to figure out a scheme of attack,” you lied.
You could barely keep yourself upright, legs feeling like lead every time you took a step. Dodging his hits took less energy than attacking him, but it still made you sweat more than you normally do during training. A fever was taking a hold of you and that was bad news. You didn’t know how much longer you could hide your predicament before he would take notice and bench you for an undetermined period and you didn't want that. But the sparring got to a point where it was way too intense, the cold air around you changing to an unbearable heatwave. Enishi continued to charge at you and you barely caught most of his hits. You felt like you were going to pass out if you didn't take a break.
One misplaced balance of your sword and Enishi was quick to notice something was wrong from the way you faltered when he swung from a closer distance. You took longer to lift the blade and tired out too easily when blocking his own. So he stepped back from you and put down his sword. You stopped and looked at him confused, hoping your body didn't give away too much about how shitty you were feeling. Straightening your back to look more stable than you felt inside at the moment, you tried to get your rapid breaths under control.
“Why are we stopping?” you panted.
Getting air in was a pain as less and less usable air travelled inside of your chest.
“You don’t feel well do you?” he asked, fixing you with his eyes in case you decided to lie to his face.
“I’m fine,” you said through gritted teeth. “I just want to get this move perfectly.”
He tilted his head at you looking for any signs you were lying and was surprised that he couldn't find any because it did seem like you were. He got pretty good at reading you in the month you already spent together and knew when to call it quits in annoying you or when you were overthinking. But right now it was hard to figure out what was going on in that head of yours. Your body looked ready to give out but your eyes were piercing through him telling him you were just too focused. He seemed to buy your doughnuts for now but he still looked a little worried.
“Are you sure you don’t want to take a break?”
“I’m sure.”
You looked too determined and he failed to see through that.
You resumed training, more forceful attacks coming your way. Enishi got too lost in thought to see that he was delivering blows a little too hard, like always. It was one of the things you liked about him the most: how focused he was on training. He would get really engrossed in it even if was just practice and usually you would be able to sense his attacks. But right now your senses were in overload.
You tried to hit back but the most you mustered was a slash that almost accidentally cut into his arm if it wasn't for his quick thinking to duck out of the way. He moved around you looking for your uncovered areas and you tried your hardest to spot him, breaths coming out heavier as you whirled around. Your swords clashed again and you almost had him when all of a sudden he went for a side cut from your left with his sword. You barely defended the hit by pushing your blade to catch his, the quickness of the move sending your vision spinning.
The exhaustion, the heat and the sweat clinging to your body overwhelmed you. You tried to push his sword once more before you leaned your weight on your sword for support, dark spots appearing in your clouded vision. You didn't even notice you were careening to the right until your blade screeched as it slid down the length of his all the way down to the hilt. Before you could hit the ground you heard the blades clang to the floor as strong arms secured around you to keep you upright. Your ears felt like they were stuffed with cotton unable to register that Enishi was frantically calling your name. A cold hand touching your cheek offered some relief from the warmth boiling your body. Your head fell on his shoulder and you looked up at him, eyes focusing enough to see the worry on his face. You could see his lips moving but none of the words made any sense until they finally made their way to your ears.
“I knew something was off,” he said looking down at you with a glint of guilt in his eyes.
“I’m fine,” you grunted regretting even speaking as it turned the mild headache you had into a drilling migraine. Your hand moved to hold your head as the pain only got worse.
"You're anything but fine right now."
The tone in his voice told you he was angry with you, probably for lying to his face that you were fine when you definitely weren't. And for continuing to train when he always told you that training without being in the mindset or the health for it was bad for you. But you refused to listen and look where that got you now.
"You're so fucking stubborn."
In a swift move, Enishi hooked one arm under your legs and secured the other around your back lifting you up to carry you back inside. He figured that staying outside in the cold would do you more worse than good. You wanted to protest but you didn't want to argue with him about your idiotic life choices right now, so you snuggled your head closer to the crook of his neck. that provided you some warmth as your body was now racked by chills. You felt like dozing off from the comfort of your temporary pillow until you felt the vibrations of his voice against your temple.
“Hey, stay awake. We’ve got to get your fever down a little before you sleep.”
You tried your hardest to keep your eyes open but the way he carried you lulled you to sleep and made you a little nauseous at the same time.
“Miyu, open your eyes,” he said sternly, picking up his pace.
“It makes me dizzy,” you croaked out annoyed at him.
“Then keep talking to me. Say anything, just don’t shut down just yet,” he asked you, concern too present in his voice for you not to notice it.
Why was he so worried? It wasn't like you would drop dead if you closed your eyes for a minute.
You tried to think of what to say that would be more than just rambling random words and you came empty-handed. That was until you looked up at him and you saw those crystal balls glistening in the dark hallway. His eyes.
“I like your eyes,” you said and he seemed to get a little taken aback by your confession as his steps slowed down.
Truthfully, it was something you didn’t want to tell him just yet. It was like your own little secret. You weren't one to fancy prolonged eye-contact with anyone or look people in the eye when they spoke. But you found yourself looking for his almost all the time. You admired the way they twinkled with every emotion he was feeling. Most of the time they blazed with anger at the world, consuming everything in their wake. But there were a few times where they twinkled with joy, whenever he talked about his sister or when he was spending time with you. There was something oddly comforting about them and they always put you at ease. Swallowing your pride for once you admitted to this secret out loud.
“What do you like about my eyes?” he asked, uncertainty behind his question.
If only you knew. I could write books and it still wouldn't be enough to describe what they make me feel.
“They’re dark and so full of pain. But they hold so much warmth in them. You don’t want to admit it but you’re not just a big bad mafia boss killing people for a living. You’re more than that, to me at least,” you said the last part in a mumble hoping he wouldn't hear it but he did, tensing slightly and halting his steps.
He looked down at your shivering form tucked safely in his arms. He had so much to say to you but he settled for a quick kiss on your burning forehead for the time being. It was the smallest peck, so soft you could have missed it if you didn't have your eyes open. It was his way of acknowledging the things you said and that you will talk more about it when it was time. But for now taking care of you was a priority.
In your dazed state you noticed he went past your room and he saw the confusion on your face.
"You're staying in my room for a while so I can make sure you're going to get better," he said as he pushed the doors to his room open, the warmth of his room surrounding your body. You whined in protest when he headed for the bathroom knowing exactly what he was thinking. You felt anything but ready for a shower right now.
He stepped inside and placed you on the floor an arm still around you in case you slid down to the floor. He turned on the water and let it get warm as he turned his attention back to you. You were gripping his tank top in a frenzy trying to hold yourself up against the bouts of nausea. He kept a hand around you to let you know he wasn't going anywhere and that you were safe in case anything happened.
"I know you don't want to take one right now," he said as he moved some hair away from your face. "But if you sleep this sweaty, you're just going to get worse."
You shook your head in his chest childishly but you knew there was no way to get out of it now. He wouldn't leave it alone until he saw you healthy enough to annoy again and you just had to accept his perusing.
"Just hold onto me and I'll do the rest, okay?"
Giving in to his pleas as he rubbed your back comfortingly, you nodded weakly. You hated how easily he got under your skin and knew everything that made you click in such a short time. Back rubbing was one of the things you loved and he always did it when he needed you to accept something that was for your own good.
He helped you undress discarding your sweat clad clothes to the floor. Once he took his own off too he helped you step into the shower. The warm water hit your body and the comfort made your knees weak. You remembered you haven't had a shower since your last one that was with him too, after your bathtub adventure before the mission. He still didn't replace the broken water tap and you had a feeling it was because he wanted you to shower in his room willingly without him whisking you away for other adventures. It was sneaky but you gave him credit for it being a smooth move to get closer to you.
He stepped in with you and checked to see if you were okay or ready to drop still.
"Let me know if it gets too much and I'll get you to bed, okay?"
You nodded and wrapped your arms around his torso with the little energy you had left. Your head laid flat to his chest where you could hear his heartbeat that seemed to be accelerating beyond a normal speed. He must have been panicking a little and you felt bad for putting him through all this trouble. You wanted to push him away and tell him to let you deal with the mess you caused yourself. He didn't need to take care of you like this, especially after you shut him out. You didn't think of his feelings at all and it made you feel even more guilty than you already did for everything else going wrong in your life.
But there he was, holding you close to him so gentle like you were made out of glass. He washed your hair, massaging your scalp softly to get rid of all the dirt that gathered there from your days spent training outside. It felt like he got rid of some of the dirt in your soul too. As cold as he was, he was the also the warmth you needed. You knew he cared even if he didn't show it a lot.
He tried to hurry, moving to wash the rest of your body as you looked ready to lay down on the floor of the shower cabin and just sleep there like it was a premium bed. He kept asking you things to keep you awake and talking even if all he received from you was a blabbering mess of mumbles.
Once you were cleaner than you have been before in your life, he turned off the water and wrapped you in a bathrobe. Leading you to the counter near the sink, he placed you on top of it while he dashed to his room to bring you some clothes. The warmth of the shower water was replaced by the cold marble surface that made your shivers return even worse than before, coming with a new wave of nausea. He started dressing you and you put your head on his shoulder, managing to only pull a blouse on you before he noticed the way you gripped his own that he threw on harshly before he came to you.
"What's wrong?"
You had your eyes shut tight trying to swallow whatever tried crawling up your sore throat.
"Miyu, look at me."
"I feel like I'm going to throw up-" you didn't even get to finish as the bile rose in your throat. You hopped off the counter and leaned over the toilet bowl emptying whatever your stomach gathered up. Enishi knelt down beside you a hand grabbing the hair out of your face while the other rubbed your back.
"What are you even throwing up? You haven't eaten anything in the past few days."
"My hopes and dreams."
He would have laughed at that if it wasn't for your head hanging above the toilet bowl. It amazed him how you still tried to ease the seriousness of the situation in your state.
When you were done you wiped your mouth on a spare towel and threw it in the corner, falling back into his chest. The shivers intensified as your whole body was now consumed by cold from all sides, the only source of warmth being the man beside you. He pulled you up from the floor, careful not to make you more woozy and took you to bed.
He placed you down on the mattress and tried to dry a bit of your hair and then let you lay down. You grabbed one of the blankets he put on the bed, wrapping your body like a burrito, while he covered you with the duvet. He had more blankets prepared in case you needed them and you made a mental note to thank him for the extra thought. The extra thoughts coming from him lately warmed you up inside because they were like little notes telling you he was there and ready to help with anything and you couldn't tell where all this care was coming from in the first place.
He got in bed next to you sitting against the headboard and you cuddled into his side, seeking his warmth. Your body couldn't produce enough heat even after the hottest shower you ever took and the fact that you were wrapped tightly in bundles. He shifted closer to you and carded a hand through your hair, which soothed your migraine.
"Do you need me to get you anything?"
You shook your head and grabbed onto his other hand pulling it on top of your stomach. He laced his fingers with yours. All you wanted was to have him next to you right now.
"I just need you here."
The last few days were hell to bear alone and it took ruining your health to notice that accepting help wasn't all that bad. Enishi was ready to help you no matter what you needed and you didn't know how to thank him. The way he cared for you was something akin to the care your parents gave you. As scary as it was to let yourself feel it you couldn't help but welcome it. Maybe a part of your chills didn't come from the cold but from the way he was acting towards you.
Emotions swirled around your head and everything suddenly felt too overwhelming. The muscles aching, the migraine, the pain that was numb for now but promised to return soon. You tried to hold the tears at bay but you couldn't. So you let them out unable to keep things bottled in anymore.
"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked as he cupped your face.
You tried to say something but all that came out was air through choked sobs.
"Miyu, what hurts? Talk to me."
"Everything," you cried out as you hid your face in his side.
You wanted to tell him every thing that hurt from the biggest to the smallest thing but you couldn't do more than tighten your grip around him. He moved to hug you, pulling you on top of his chest.
"I'm here. I've got you now," he whispered as he rubbed your back. "You're going to be okay."
--------
His heart stopped when he saw your eyes roll to the back of your head back there. He tried to keep the worry away but he couldn't help panicking a little when the familiarity of the scene hit him way too hard. A fraction of a vivid memory took him back to the day he lost his sister, a day he couldn't forget no matter how hard he tried.
The snow blanket that was forming around the woods made him smile. It wasn't long until he got back to the house and he could play in the snow with Tomoe. The recent times he went over to her place ended up in arguments and unwanted words thrown at each other all because he didn't want to accept that man for her. He was walking trouble in his eyes and Tomoe could yell at him all she wanted but it wouldn't change the disdain he felt for him. He hoped they could make up this time around and just forget about everything else.
Last time it snowed this much they made the biggest snowman. They placed him in front of the house and called him the guardian, decorating his face in an angry manner. His mouth was an intimidating sneer made from a few stones that matched the small twig eyebrows above his eyes. Tomoe forgot to pick up carrots but she used a sweet potato for his nose. It looked absolutely horrendous but it was their source of entertainment until the cold winter passed and the snowman melted with the coming of spring.
He went into town and picked up more sweet potatoes so she could boil some too. He almost made it to the house but stopped once he heard grunts nearby, followed by his sister's voice so he followed the sound, pushing away frozen tree branches until he reached the scene. His heart stopped at the sight.
Tomoe was holding tightly onto a man to protect him from the man he called trouble. The one she fell for, pushing her only family in the process. He slashed his sword across her back without a glint of regret in his eyes, crimson blood staining the white snow as she fell to the floor. He had the audacity to cradle her close to his body as he watched the light drain from her eyes.
He wanted to run to her and be the one holding her instead. He deserved to be the last one she saw before her eyes were consumed by darkness. But the fear kept him glued to the tree a few feet away, unable to move or do anything else but cry and blame himself that he couldn't do more.
He hoped he would never experience that feeling again but here he was, cradling you to his body like the world tried its hardest to take you away. Your cold scared him not because you looked the worst he'd ever seen you but because of how much pain you went through to get you in this state. He wasn't a fool. He knew this was the result of you closing yourself away from him and everyone else to process everything. You were living his worst nightmares all on your own and it made him want to burn the world. He knew he couldn't take your pain away and feel it for you even if he wished to.
He wanted you to talk to him. Tell him everything that hurt and ask him to fix it for you. Tell him that you needed him to hold the sky off your shoulders for a minute and he would hold it for as long as he could. But he couldn't push you. He knew better that help was best when it was accepted rather than forced. He just hoped you would ask for it and lean on him like you let him lean on you that rainy night in the garden. If you didn't find him in time he might have lost it completely and there would be no coming back from that.
He checked your temperature hourly, hand laid across your forehead hopeful that you would get better. Whenever it went up you would toss and turn around in your sleep, waking up abruptly to search for him in the dark. He tried to reassure you that everything was okay and that you had nothing to worry about as he went back to being your human pillow. Every time it happened you found his hand and held it close to your chest in a death grip until your hold would loosen telling him you fell back asleep.
The day turned into night and he didn't move an inch from his spot beside you. He just wanted to watch over you and keep you safe and warm, occasionally dozing off with you in his arms.
-------
You woke up to the smell of food. Sighing contently you opened your eyes and sat up slowly just as Enishi entered the room, a bowl and a mug of tea balanced carefully in his hold. He smiled seeing you awake.
"How did you sleep?" he asked as he placed everything on the nightstand to sit next to you.
"A little better. Is that for me?"
"Yes. It's porridge and some tea."
Porridge was the bane of your existence. As much as you knew it was what your body needed to get better you hated it with a burning passion. Your mother made it whenever you got sick and you always tried to convince the maids into eating it for you on the promise that you will stop being a trouble for them for at most a month. But they would always rat you out to your parents and you would get scolded for it.
"I want real food," you mumbled disappointedly. You puffed your cheeks and made puppy eyes at him to let you off this time but by the stern look on his face he wasn't buying your doughnuts anymore.
"You're getting real food when we're sure you can keep it down. For now it's this," he placed the bowl in your hands and waited for you to try it.
You took a spoonful and put it in your mouth only to grimace at the taste. This was anything but porridge.
"What the hell is this?"
"Hey, now. I know I'm not the greatest cook but you have to eat that whole bowl if you want real food."
He knew he botched the recipe but as bad as it tasted you needed the nutrients. You didn't eat anything in days and giving you a whole meal wasn't a good choice. He really didn't want to watch a rerun of your hopes and dreams spilling out through your guts again.
You sighed and ate a few more spoons until your stomach said it was enough and you handed him the bowl. He gave you the tea and you took a sip smiling at the taste as it was your favorite. At least he knew how to sweeten you. You placed it back on the nightstand and leaned back in bed.
"I have some stuff to work on in my office. If you need anything please call me. As big or small as it may seem."
He was coddling way you too much and it wasn't in his nature. You felt bad for keeping him away from his work. But he reassured you time and time again that it was okay to lean on him. Even if what went through your head wasn't a big deal. It came from a place of understanding and as much as he tried to hide it you could tell he went through the same thing.
You tried sleeping but every position you changed to seemed more uncomfortable than the previous. Each time you did fall asleep the thoughts that left you in pain for days on end would creep back into your mind and you would wake up looking for him. Deciding that enough was enough you decided to pay him a visit. Wrapping one of his chunkier kimonos around you, you stepped out of the comfort of the bed and went to his office. He sighed when he saw you come in like a lost puppy looking for its owner.
"You're supposed to be in bed."
"I was getting bored in there," you said as you walked to his couch and plopped yourself on it getting comfortable.
"Well, you're not going to find much fun here either."
You didn't really need any entertainment. You just didn't want to be alone and if you just sat there with him whilst he worked it was enough for you.
After a while, you dozed off on the couch to the sound of him scribbling away on paper. He heard your light snores and looked up from his maps to see you fast asleep, head nuzzled into the plush of the couch backrest with your knees pulled up to your chest. He smiled and shook his head at you walking to to your spot, He only now noticed that you were wrapped tightly in his kimono. It was a dark blue one he really liked because it was comfortable to wear. He thought you suited warmer colours until now when he saw you in blue. The material was big enough to be a blanket on your small form, falling over you so effortlessly. As if his aura rubbed off on you in a way that welcomed it rather than pushing it away like the other people he tried getting close to before. He knelt beside the couch and pulled it up to cover your exposed shoulder.
"You're so stubborn," he whispered.
He slid his arms behind your back and your legs and lifted you up to take you back to the warmth of his bed.
--------
The days passed by in a blur. You spent most of the time sleeping or annoying Enishi because he wouldn't let you do anything else. He benched you from cooking or training and it drove you insane.
It took about a week until he let you train again in a way that wasn't straining for you. Little by little you got your strength back and it showed in your sparring sessions. You could handle yourself better and it was all thanks to him and his incessant nagging telling you to rest and take it easy. As annoying as it was you had to accept his way of nursing you back to health.
You had a lot of time to think about everything, thoughts ranging from finding your mother to figuring out Enishi. His presence affected you in a multitude of ways lately. You contemplated his actions, his touches, his words. Every gesture he made towards you that you couldn't understand the reason of. It went beyond the sex drive you felt mutually and the thoughtless words said in the act.
It all started the night of the casino mission. You tried shaking off his words, convincing yourself it was just the lust talking for him and that it was the same in your case. But when you told him 'I need you' you said it with your whole being. And it seemed to change everything.
You started questioning if he felt the same things you did. If the hands carding through your hair or the late night conversations in the dark meant anything to him, because they meant everything to you. If they did, he was making a great job at hiding that because you spent the whole week analysing every single thing that happened to the both of you until you wanted to literally take a bite out of the wall.
As blind to the obvious as you were sometimes, you thought you could pinpoint where his feelings stood, but you often got side-tracked by the butterflies forming in your stomach while you watched him cook for you or tell you new facts about the swords you were training with. He did everything to turn you away from thinking too much and it felt like an avoidance tactic. You needed to talk about a lot of things sooner or later and you hoped it would be the first.
The next mission was nearing up and you shoved all of these thoughts under the rug for the time being. You needed to focus because it involved your mother. The man in the basement finally chirped after going days without basic necessities like food and sunlight. He gave Enishi a lead on your mother's whereabouts, restoring a little hope in your broken soul.
She was apparently working as a maid for a mafia he had ties with. They were throwing a ball to celebrate the birthday of their leader and she was going to be there. You took the information with a grain of salt because it seemed like it was too good to be true. You thought of the possibility that he just tried to lead you further away from finding her. But Enishi made everyone dig around and they found that the ball was truthfully being held tonight.
Enishi told you to stay put, insisting that it was only him who would go with the rest of the gang. You tried to convince him to let you come but he refused to hear it. So, like any kid getting told not to do something, you went and did the exact opposite, just getting dressed to kill.
You finished strapping your pistols to your thighs under the dress and looked in the mirror, smiling softly at the person starring back at you. She was so different from the person who came here a little over a month ago. She was so scared of herself, unable to let go of her past. But now she looked so confident in her own skin and so much more powerful. She was so much healthier too and back to herself that it made you proud. You blew a kiss to yourself in the mirror and winked at how pretty you looked. Confidence looked hella good on you.
Enishi told you about the mission a few days ago and you thought of every possible way to not let him leave in that carriage without you. It took a little prodding and the promise of a month full of desserts for the whole gang but you managed to coax Wu into keeping Enishi here as long as you needed to get ready.
Enishi was pacing around, mid-argument with his second in command as to why he wasn't moving the carriages. Wu just shook his head and kept his mouth sealed shut as part of your deal. Enishi stopped yelling once he heard the click of an all too familiar pair of heels and cursed himself for being so blind. He should have seen it coming from the way you gave in so easily and stopped trying to convince him to let you come.
Turning around to scold you his breath got stuck in his throat. You looked breathtaking. Your hair was down to the side, locks falling in wavy curls over your shoulders. You were wearing the red qipao dress he bought for you at the market even if you hated his guts for buying it for you. But the dress seemed to have some major adjustments that altered it a lot from the original.
The constricting part at the top was turned into an off-the-shoulder neckline and the small slit on the side run up higher almost to your hip. The bottom was full of flares from the same material in a darker burgundy. The sleeves were now made into gloves that ran all the way up to your elbows, fabric at the end looking like scraps from the corset you wore the night of the casino mission. Your mother's necklace sat around your neck, red stone bringing out your eyes.
"Close your mouth, dearest. A fly might fly in."
You were satisfied by his reaction that if fuelled your confidence beyond the normal levels.
"Is that what I think it is? Miyu?"
You followed his eyes and noticed he was staring at the very familiar golden material running around the bottom that you used to amplify the dragon embellished on the slit by adding a few pieces of material to the red flares.
"You said I could borrow anything from your closet," you scoffed.
"I said borrow, not cut up to pieces."
"Oh, come on. It looks less like a wedding dress now, doesn't it?"
You batted your eyelashes at him and he huffed an annoyed sigh. Letting Wu help you into the carriage you got comfortable and smiled back at him. You knew you were in deep shit for countless reasons, but the biggest being that you cut up the really expensive golden kimono in his wardrobe. It was gathering dust in there anyways. At least you put it to good use.
"Shall we go?"
As angry as he was at you he was glad to see that mischief smile back on your face. He was going to let you off. For now.
"You will be the death of me one day, Miyu Hikari," he grunted before he sauntered in the carriage next to you.
He let his eyes linger on you for a few more moments. He couldn't help but admire the alterations to the dress and how skillfully they were done. It was clear as daylight you were a Hikari. You had craftsmanship running in your blood as much as you didn't want to admit it.
"When did you even modify the dress?"
"I think you forgot that you had me on house arrest for like a week," you said playing with one of the ruffles on your dress.
"It wasn't house arrest."
"It was."
"It wasn't."
"Twas," you sung.
"Twasn't," he followed suit.
The both of you erupted into a fit of giggles. It was your turn to let your eyes wander over his outfit, unable to get enough of it from just one look.
"You know, you don't look too bad yourself."
"I let Wu style me. Don't know if that was a mistake or not considering he wears furs like he's the madame of the house."
"He did a good job."
Wu had an eye for fashion and you had to give him that because when you stepped out of the mansion you thought you were hallucinating. You only saw a broad back clad in what looked like a western suit. You recalled him saying he would never be caught dead in something like that. Thank god you didn't miss the show.
The wind was knocked out of you when he turned around and you got a full view of the outfit. He wore a full tailored black suit. The vest sat on top of a white shirt, hugging his body like it was made on order. It was the sluttiest thing a man could wear. A silver chain ran from the vest to the blazer, matching the silver earring in his ear. Thoughts that weren't exactly pristine passed through your mind and it took a huge amount of rationality to not act them out.
The thing that shocked you the most was that he wore a fucking tie. You knew he hated that tie by the way he fidgeted with it to loosen it around his neck. He most likely contemplated arson from the way he looked at Wu. But he definitely looked the mafia boss part now and it made your knees weak.
"Why didn't you stay back like I told you?"
"I think it's fair to say you already know I don't listen to orders. And this is about my mom," you fidgeted with the piece of fabric in your hand. "I've spent so many years searching for any trace of them and I can't just sit back when we might know where at least one of my parents is."
He put his hand over yours and pulled it to his leg, rubbing comforting circles on your knuckles to ease your nervousness. He was doing it again. Getting you out of your mind to focus back to the present.
"I know. I just didn't want you to come in case it was a false lead."
"Even if it is we will check it out together."
The carriage came to a halt. You heard excited chatter and music which meant you arrived at the venue for the ball.
"You ready?"
"Always."
-----------
The place was nothing like you've ever seen before. You've seen mansions that looked like castles before, when you used to work the paid assassin gig for the rich and powerful, but none of them came close to this one. The sculpted fountains outside should have been enough of a giveaway that this place was scalded in gold and money that was murdered and stolen for. No human being should be able to have this much wealth especially when it wasn't theirs to keep.
The event was on an invitation basis and you were surprised to see Enishi pull out one with your names on it handing it to the men standing guard at the doors. Once they gave you the okay they opened the doors to let you in and closed them back up. You walked in and realised you were on the first floor of the building. Walking further away from the horde of people around the entrance, you scouted the place. The architecture was really European, column walls lined on every side supporting the building. The artwork on the walls was the same, the running theme of naked people painted angelically to depict romance sneering at you, as if to say you didn't deserve romance too.
You sighed leaning over the stone railing as you scouted out the place. You had a perfect view of the ballroom and all the guests that pooled downstairs. Most of them were couples of all ages, dressed elegantly in such a way that flaunted their wealth. The men smoked expensive cigars while their women had their necks decorated in rubies of all shapes and colours. You couldn't lie that you felt a little out of place.
The minute you walked in with Enishi on your arm chatter ceased and all eyes were on you, well mostly the female ones seeking something to gossip about. They started picking apart your hairstyle, your dress, your face. The fact that the man at your side chose you as a plus one instead of one of them. They called him 'too handsome to be real' while fanning their faces and you would have agreed if it wasn't for the intense urge to poke your tongue out at them. But you had to behave like a lady, so you settled for throwing daggers with your eyes their way.
You didn't know why you suddenly felt so protective of the man at your right. The group eventually scurried off, possibly terrified of your facial expressions, and it was weird that the satisfaction you felt was good enough of a reason to justify your actions. Enishi saw the exchange and struggled to keep his laughter in.
"I suggest you to keep your claws hidden tonight."
You turned to face him, eyes narrowing onto his. What was that supposed to mean?
"Are you suggesting I'm jealous or something?"
"Maybe."
"Last time I checked we weren't a couple or anything," you said wrapping your arms around your chest.
He looked around before he pushed you to a wall behind you, hands firmly gripping yours. Playfulness and seriousness were dancing around in his eyes and you couldn't tell which one peered more into your eyes right now. He stood so close to you that you forgot how to breathe. His eyes darted between your own and your lips, leaning closer to your face. Stopping just a few inches off your lips you felt your patience running thin. All you wanted to do was close the distance between you. He closed his eyes and blew a breath that hit your lips.
"Don't fall for me, Miyu," he whispered loud enough for only you to hear.
I think it's a little too late for that.
You had enough of getting teased so you made a move for his lips. Your lips barely brushed his before he pulled away from you, signature smirk on his face.
"We're on enemy territory so keep an eye out."
With that he turned around and walked off, leaving you there nothing short of confused. You released a breath and leaned on the wall for support, the ghost of his touch still lingering on your arms.
He was back to leading you on and you couldn't tell if it was just an act this time or it was what he actually felt for you. He was cold again but this time it seemed different, like he was forcing it. The minute you both stepped out of the house he would turn into this other person that liked taunting you.
You slept together for so many times and it still seemed to be no strings attached for him. But it made you crave more than that. You couldn't deny that your feelings for him were real but you couldn't tell if they were strong enough to push for them when you knew deep down that this back and forth will never be something more than that. And that kinda felt like an arrow was shot straight through your heart.
Every time you kissed him ran through your mind. You wanted to find at least one that you could hang onto that was sincere. But most of them were fuelled by anger and hunger. You never kissed each other with real feelings and you felt like a fool for thinking it could ever be more than back and forth with him.
You shook the thoughts form your head and walked to catch up to him. If it was up to you you would've left after that stunt he pulled. But you were here for your mom first and foremost. These mind games could wait.
Making your way downstairs into the main room where everyone gathered you looked around for him but he was nowhere in sight, figuring you lost him in the big crowd.
Great. What am I supposed to do now?
The band started playing a slow song and you recognised it to be the one of the tunes for the Viennese waltz. A small smile cracked on your lips at the memory of your father teaching it to you. He would place you on his tiptoes and swing you around the living room while your mother sat and clapped for you as your audience. They taught you all kinds of dances to help you fit in easier with the higher status people.
Didn't think the mafia rolled with this much finesse.
The dancefloor cleared as everyone split into pairs and you found yourself alone in the middle. As much as you would have loved to dance you didn't feel like it. You were about to walk off until an arm pulled you back, making you collide with a sturdy chest. The familiar jasmine smell was enough to make you grunt in annoyance as you turned to the man before you. He held your hand as he stepped away to do a curtsy, moving your other hand to sit on his shoulders as he gripped the other one. You tried prying your hands off but the hold he had on you was way too firm. He wouldn't let you go unless he wanted to and he seemed hellbent on doing so.
"Let me go," you gritted out. A few pairs looked at you struggling and you both flashed your fake smiles telling them kindly to fuck off.
"The music already started so let's just do this."
"I don't want to do anything with you."
You looked away from him getting into your position as you started leading him, stepping forward with your left foot. He tried to take the lead away from you but you were better at this than he was, getting your uncoordinated waltz in rhythm with the music. The weight you stepped with from side to side didn't go unnoticed. He could feel the tension coursing through you just from holding your waist.
"Why are you suddenly mad at me?"
"Because.."
Because you almost kissed me. Because the way you touch me makes me want to run for the hills. Because you're a coward and can't admit to your feelings. Because I hate you.
"Because what?"
You separated to do a spin and came back to him. His hands landed a little lighter on your waist this time around.
"I don't know I just am."
The dancing pairs around you faded to a blur as your bodies got closer and you spun together to the music, swaying left and right. The fact that he knew how to dance the waltz amazed you a little. He seemed to have a lot of tricks hidden up his sleeve.
There was no denying he liked the female attention. Even while he danced so close to you you could feel the lonely girls by the side of the dancefloor staring holes through the back of your head. You knew exactly how they felt because you couldn't help but swoon at his charms too. That was until you got too annoyed by his staring.
"Can you stop looking at my boobs?"
"It's not my fault they are up in my face."
"Jesus Christ."
Parting away from each other again, you lifted your palms to sit against each other. Your warm fingertips met his cold ones again as you circled each other. It took every ounce of self control in your being not to intertwine your fingers together. You were mad at how quickly you went from hating to appreciating him.
You went for the final waltz section of the dance and prayed for the music to end faster. He took the lead this time and you followed suit.
He kept his eyes on you the whole time trying to figure out what you were thinking in that little head of yours. The tension between you was suffocating. You were back to the normal push and pull, getting too close to keep his hands off of you, but too far to actually touch you. He didn't want to push you away or play pretend but he didn't know what else to do to keep his urges away. Staying away from you was better than being this close to you and not knowing what to do or say.
Getting too lost in his own thoughts he took a wrong step that made you lose your footing. You thought you were going to kiss the floor if it wasn't for his hands catching you. You were bent backwards with one of your hands fisted in the collar of his blazer. One of his arms wrapped around your torso and the other sat at the back of your neck supporting your head. Maybe it was the thrill of danger from all the eyes looking at you that you felt like you couldn't take your eyes off of his. He seemed so close yet so far, easy but so hard to get through.
The music ended and you stepped away from him thanking all gods for the late but welcome help. You needed a drink if you wanted to get through the night so you headed to the bar leaving him on the dancefloor.
---------------
You were on your fourth vodka cocktail when he joined you at the bar. You cursed your high tolerance to alcohol wishing to be tipsier than you felt so you could deal with him in a way that your conscience wouldn't scold you for.
"You should slow down on those."
"I can do whatever the fuck I want."
He didn't know where this attitude came from. He was a little annoyed by it but he brushed it off to be just one of your mood swings.
"Okay, so, what's holding us back from going in?"
"There's about ten armed guards on every floor."
"If that's a problem I think you're forgetting we took down a whole gang in that casino using our wits and wooden chairs."
"The problem is that once they see us coming they will sound the alarm to everyone else and we will be fucked. There's five mafias present and the last thing I want is a gang war."
"That's what you said last time and the Daos kinda went extinct the minute we got involved."
You had a point. But it was still too dangerous to go in through the front. He studied the map of the place countless times and knew there was a hidden staircase with access to all levels. It was typically the maids who had access to it. He looked around and spotted one at the far corner with a tray of finger foods in her hands.
"I will be right back. Behave yourself."
You would've smacked him if it wasn't for the crowd around you. Following him with your eyes through the sea of people you saw him approach a maid. What was he gonna do with a maid?
Your question was answered when you saw him plaster that playboy smirk on his face, leaning down to whisper in her ear. She giggled at whatever he told her and you gripped your glass tightly. The scene made your jaw clench even if you had no reason to feel like that.
Keep it together. We are not a couple. This is all just for show.
After more flirting, he came back and you threw the last contents in your glass down your throat. He dangled a set of keys in front of you and you looked at him confused.
"The maids have access to a hidden staircase at the back of the mansion. It leads to all levels including the top one where she said the rest of the maids are gathered up."
"Those open the doors to this secret magical staircase?"
"Yes."
Maybe you went a little too far with your sarcasm but it was the only way you could keep yourself from snapping at him. He only shook his head at you and lead the way.
You circled the entire mansion through the garden at the back. Whenever people passed by you, Enishi would hold your hand and smile to make it believable that you looked like a couple and that you weren't doing anything you shouldn't be doing. You played along leaning closer to him and smacking his chest as you laughed. It disgusted you, playing pretend like this when you wanted it to be real.
Once you were out of sight you looked for the staircase. You found it under a deep layer of wild vine and unlocked the doors, locking them after you entered. A few lanterns lined up the wall all the way to the top but it was still too dark to see anything. You went up first, lifting your dress up so you wouldn't step on it. The long ruffles covered the front part and you couldn't see where you were stepping. You got halfway up the stairs and placed your foot wrong on a step, stumbling backwards colliding with Enishi's chest for the second time tonight. One of his hands wrapped securely around your waist while the other gripped the railing.
"You should be more careful," he said breathlessly.
"I am-" you started but were cut off by the sound of guards patrolling at the top of the stairs.
Suddenly, you were pressed against the inner wall of the staircase, his body impossibly close to yours. The proximity made your heartbeat accelerated and you shut your eyes to take a few breaths in. The way his head dipped down to your neck gave you a thrilling sense of deja vu, reminding you of the night you hid in an alley from guards patrolling the city. You couldn't deny the attraction between you back then but you looked for every reason to do it now. Your hand laid on his chest and you could feel his rapid heartbeat under your finger tips. You opened your eyes and tilted your head at him.
If your body says it wants me why does your mind keep pushing me away?
His eyes turned from the top of the staircase to you laying on your lips again. He's gone too long without your taste and it was driving him crazy. All he wanted to do was kiss them sweetly until he drew blood. He thought just one taste would quench his thirst so he leaned down to you again. But this time, you didn't let him play with you.
The coast cleared and you pushed him away, making your way towards the top. You beckoned him over and checked the hallway to see it empty. He huffed and made his way to you.
"You take the ones on the left," he said.
"I'll take the ones on the right," you said at the same time.
You couldn't come to terms with anything and it pushed your buttons greatly. Shaking your head, you moved to the ones on the right without saying anything else. Wasting time you didn't have wasn't on your list right now. You needed to find your mom ASAP unless you wanted to piss off some blood-thirsty mafias by snooping around their palace.
Opening door after door you found either a guest room fixed up by a few maids or a storage space where they put cleaning supplies away. The next one you opened was a bathroom occupied by a couple who appeared to be making out or having a contest on who could eat the other's face off first. You couldn't really tell. They stopped their smooching to look at you startled.
"My bad. Uh... enjoy yourselves. Use protection," you yelled and closed the door leaning on it in embarrassment.
Enishi just closed the last door on his side and you looked at him hopeful only to have your hopes crushed when he shook his head.
"Only young maids on this side. What about you?"
"Loads of maids and I think I just cockblocked a couple."
He started laughing and you clamped a hand on his mouth reminding him no one needed to know you were there. You turned your attention back to the hallway. There was one last door to check on your side and you prayed to all gods she would be in there.
You moved to the door placing a shaky hand on the golden doorknob and you froze. You had no way of knowing if she was going to be behind that door or if something else would wait for you. You hoped you didn't come this far for nothing because if you did it would break you. Conscious of time ticking away, you drew in a shaky breath and tried to push through your hesitation and move your hand to open the door. But you couldn't open it.
Enishi saw you struggling. He knew how badly you wanted her to be inside that room. If she wasn't in there you were going to blame yourself for it even if it wasn't your fault. This was exactly why he didn't want you to come in the first place. He knew if there was nothing behind that door that it would break you. You hung with your teeth onto the little hope that the information you got from that asshole was true and he wished it was too.
He placed his hand on top of yours in reassurance and you looked at him. He was back to being his serious self, the Enishi who promised you he would help you get your parents back no matter what. With a deep breath, you both turned the doorknob and pushed the door open. Your breath got stuck in your throat at the sight before you.
"Miyu?"
No fucking way.
---------------------------------------------------------
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#Addicting Taste#enishi yukishiro#rurouni kenshin#enishi yukishiro fanfiction#enishi yukishiro x reader#enishi yukishiro x you#running for the hills as we speak
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