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damienthepious · 4 years

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boy howdy it Sure Is Time For Lizard Kissin’. like. lots of Lizard Kissin’, honestly.

Scattered On My Shore (Chapter 17)

[Ch 1] [Ch 2] [Ch 3] [Ch 4] [Ch 5] [Ch 6] [Ch 7] [Ch 8] [Ch 9] [Ch 10] [Ch 11] [Ch 12] [Ch 13] [Ch 14] [Ch 15] [Ch 16] [ao3] [Ch 18] [Ch 19]

Fandom: The Penumbra Podcast

Relationship: Lord Arum/Sir Damien/Rilla, Sir Damien/Rilla, Lord Arum & The Keep

Characters: Rilla, Lord Arum, Sir Damien, The Keep

Additional Tags: Second Citadel, Lizard Kissin’ Tuesday, Pre-Relationship, (for the three of them. it’s established r/d), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Injury, Injury Recovery, Hurt/Comfort, Slow Burn, (this will also be), Enemies to Lovers, (for damien and arum eventually lol), Mutual Pining, canon typical Arum ignoring feelings

Fic Summary: Strange things wash up out of the lake near Rilla’s hut, on occasion. But this monster… this monster is certainly the strangest.

Chapter Summary: Morning, warm and safe, and together.

Chapter Notes: A short chapter and a weird chapter and i don't know whether to be sorry about it, but a certain someone(s) will yell at me if i am, so. I hope you enjoy? One more chapter probably to wrap things up, hopefully. probably. probably. I love you, kiss a lizzer.

Damien wakes at the same time he does nearly every day, regardless of the light strain in his muscles from the last leg of the journey, from the duel. He inhales deeply before his eyes are even open, and he hears an unfamiliar creak of wood, smells rich soil and vague sweet florals, feels the softness of his Rilla close by his side, feels-

The rise and fall of a scaled chest, beneath his own cheek. Scaled arms, wrapped around him. A clawed hand, curled at his lower back.

Damien blinks his eyes open, and stares at the gleaming, dappled scales he is resting against, and his heart-

His heart beats steady, and calm, and certain, and Damien wishes to wake like this… every day, if he is able. As often as he is allowed to do so, at the very least. His forever-flower close and safe and warm by his side, Arum's hands wrapped around the both of them.

He closes his eyes again, feeling their bodies beside him, committing this precise feeling to memory, future rhythms and rhymes tickling the back of his tongue. He breathes, slow and safe, and Rilla and Arum breathe as well, untroubled in slumber.

Content as he is, though, Damien knows that if he remains in their arms for much longer he will come in danger of waking them. The urge to press his lips to Rilla's shoulder, to the scales above Arum's heart- he would not dare risk it, but the temptation is too strong.

And- well, it is morning, and Damien has a routine to maintain, of course.

Arum's grasp upon him is loose in sleep; it is not terribly difficult to extricate himself, to allow the lizard's limbs to curl around Rilla instead, and neither wake though Rilla mutters something in her sleep as she presses her face into Arum's shoulder. That alone is enough that Damien needs press a hand hard over his mouth, the words on his tongue threatening to spill past his lips with the force of his adoration.

As Damien pulls his eyes away from that utterly enthralling sight, he realizes that they are no longer in the same place they fell to sleep the night before. They are not by Arum's table- in fact, they appear to be in a bed.

Arum's bed, Damien must assume.

He bites his lip, feels heat in his cheeks, and decides not to think too deeply on that particular detail.

Not at the moment, at least.

He tiptoes away from the bed, towards the loose curtain of leafy vines that separate the room from a wide balcony outside, shrugging off his shirt as he goes. The swamp below is utterly beautiful, breathtaking and thrumming with life, splotched with color and vibrancy, and Damien inhales the floral morning air of the Keep deeply, and then he begins his exercises.

Tranquility. Damien is filled with the feeling again as the sunlight hums warm through his eyelids, and he did not realize that he had been lacking, before. No, he had settled into his knighthood and achieved not tranquility, but complacency. Perhaps the one had preluded the other, but nonetheless he had allowed himself to forget the water, forget the flow of the river, to stagnate.

Damien slowly works his body, wakes his muscles, whispers his prayers to the morning air, to his Saint.

Mostly, this morning, his prayers revolve around the theme of thankfulness. Damien does not think he has ever felt so blessed.

He is settled, sun-warmed, utterly tranquil by the time he is finished, and he takes a long moment to simply… lean on the woven structure of the balcony railing, looking down upon the hazy glory of the swamp beneath him, rich greens and browns speckled through with vibrant purple, colors that echo and summon to memory the elegant visage of the monster still resting inside. The echo alone is enough to make Damien's heart ache, and he cannot think of a single good reason to deny himself the joy of returning to their sides, of holding patient vigil until his loves wake.

He gently sweeps the vine curtain aside as he steps back in from the sunlight, but he pauses in the threshold when he sees the flash of violet, gazing at him from the bed.

Rilla is still sleeping, still curled against Arum's chest, but the monster is awake. Awake, and attentive, if the brightness of his eyes is any indication, and Damien feels his cheeks heat again.

"A-Arum," he says, his voice pitched carefully low. "I- I did not wake you, did I?"

Arum shakes his head, his mouth curling into a slight smile.

Damien stands in the threshold, licks his lips, and Arum watches him quietly.

"I… it is… your home is beautiful, Lord Arum," he says eventually, and Arum's expression softens even further, going pleased and warm. "Thank you for… for sharing it with us."

"Honeysuckle," Arum says softly, and Damien feels the word like a ribbon wrapped around his throat. Soft, and welcome, but undeniable as well.

"Yes, Arum?"

The monster stares for another moment, one of his palms drifting very, very slowly up and down Rilla's back as she sleeps, and then his tongue flicks before he meets Damien's eyes again.

"Come here," he murmurs, and then he lifts a hand in Damien's direction. "Please."

Arum's eyes are soft, warm, perhaps a little worried- more worried, the longer Damien does not respond. He shakes off his surprise, and he does as Arum asks, padding closer until he is within Arum's reach.

Arum does not reach, though. Not immediately. He holds his outstretched hand just away from Damien's arm, and Damien sees him swallow before the monster glances up enough to meet his eyes again. "Honeysuckle," he repeats in a murmur, the nerves in his eyes sparking brighter.

Damien feels his lips pulling into a smile, affection making him feel near giddy, and then he kneels beside the bed, putting himself closer to eye level with the monster as he reclines, trapped beneath Rilla's quietly sleeping body.

"Arum," he murmurs, and then he drifts his palm across the back of Arum's hand, feeling the texture of scales against his skin, and then he gently pulls Arum's hand to his mouth so he may place a kiss at the heel of his palm, joy welling higher and hotter within him when that makes the monster give a keening sort of noise.

Arum swallows again, his hand flexing in Damien's, and then he drifts the tips of his claws across Damien's cheek with delicate care.

"Come here," he breathes again, and Damien blinks. "Closer, honeysuckle."

Damien leans forward, Arum's hand on his cheek tickling gentle as the space between them softens. Damien pulls himself back onto the bed beside them, careful, and Arum's eyes stay fixed upon him, steady and determined and only barely edged with nervousness now.

Damien pauses, then, close but still with space for breath between them, and there is something expectant on Arum's face now, but Damien is still not entirely sure…

He reaches out, cupping Arum's face as Arum is cupping his. Arum's breath catches, his frill raising just barely, and he leans into the touch, a rumble growing in his chest.

"Well?" the monster says in a whisper, and Damien blinks again.

"W-well?" he echoes, uncertain, and Arum's hand on his face flexes, claws so terribly careful against the skin beneath his ear. "Well, what?"

Arum exhales, his frill raising further, and the nervousness returns to his eyes though he does not pull his hand away. "I… I am… I imagine that you understand better… what is expected next. Human… convention is quite beyond me."

Damien tilts his head, letting his cheek rest more fully in Arum's palm. "I am not quite sure what you mean," he says gently.

"All- all of this." Arum gestures with another hand, vague and wincing as he does. "Being- being together. I have your example- yours and Amaryllis', but- but I have been- attempting not to allow myself to- look. Not to look too closely at the pair of you."

Damien blinks, warmth blooming brighter in his chest at the uncertainty and worry on Arum's face. "Oh." He breathes a light laugh, caressing Arum's jaw when the monster winces again. "Oh, well- if- if you are concerned for convention, I think you may safely set those concerns aside. This- this," he strokes his thumb over Arum's cheek, lifting his other hand and placing it over Arum's to draw light down Rilla's back. "This us. This you, and I, and she… it would be madness to expect us to be conventional, Arum. We must find our own rhythms, our own union, our own strength."

Arum exhales slowly, some of the tension in his shoulders softening, and he nods very slightly. "A fair point," he murmurs. "Nonetheless I am… uncertain what I should… do."

"Your instincts seem to be sound," Damien says, his voice warm, and then he pulls his hand back to cup Arum's own, cradling it against his cheek. "This is… quite lovely. I no longer need pretend that I have not longed for your hands upon me… longed to know the caress of scale upon my skin, longed to discover how your arms would feel around me… around us."

Arum's breath whirs, his tongue flicking, his slitted pupils slowly widening to dark diamonds. "You…" he smiles, very slightly. "Even at this hour you drift into poetics. I suppose I should not be surprised to hear the songbird lilt with the rise of the sun."

"I will lilt for you whenever you like, Arum," Damien breathes. "I am afraid I cannot help myself… the only words I can find to describe you, to describe what I want from you- they are all of them rather poetic."

"What you… want from me," Arum echoes, his tongue flicking again, and Damien feels his cheeks heat.

"I find myself more concerned, at the moment," he answers, "with what you want from me. If you are unsure what you should do, Arum, I think perhaps that would be the place to start. You answered me yesterday in a much grander sense, what you desire from us, but- what of this moment? No expectations, no convention. What do you desire?"

"You," Arum answers instantly, and Damien's breath leaves him in a sharp exhale. "Amaryllis," he continues. "This." He caresses Damien's cheek, the sharpness of his claws utterly careful, utterly safe. "Only this."

Damien blinks quickly, fighting back the dampness in his eyes, and his smile is helpless and warm. "An easy desire to fulfill, then," he murmurs, his voice wavering only slightly with the force of his adoration, and he edges a little closer, one arm pressing against Arum's as he arranges himself back on the bed more closely to the pair of them. "Have you any other desires we may meet with such ease?"

"I…" Arum trails off, his eyes flicking between Damien's, and then he gives a very soft laugh. "P-perhaps-"

Damien waits, but Arum does not finish the thought. He raises an eyebrow, staring at the monster as his frill begins to flutter again. "Arum?"

"Closer," Arum manages, his voice vaguely strained. "Would you-" he breaks off, hissing low, ducking his head, and then he sucks in a slower, steadying breath before he braves meeting Damien's eyes.

Violet, violet like-

Like nothing else. No metaphor Damien can summon would even come close. And those eyes, full of so much feeling, full of emotion, full of-

Love. Warm and overflowing, brighter and bolder than whatever fear is attempting to hold Arum's tongue.

"Kiss me again, Damien," the monster says at last, and the words may be a command in form, but Damien hears the desperation coloring them into a plea.

Damien's heart pulses, love rushing through him like a wave, and he knows that he could not possibly deny Lord Arum so sweet a request. He could not. Moreover, he does not want to.

Damien leans down, slow and patient, feeling Arum's sharp breath against him for a lingering moment before he presses even closer, and Arum's name bounces on his lips as they brush soft over the monster's mouth.

Arum gasps, light and sweet, one hand slipping back to claw gently through Damien's hair, the monster's breath whirring at the back of his throat, the texture of his scales making Damien's lips tingle.

Arum's mouth doesn't move like Rilla's, the contact stiffer, cooler, but the way his claws flex at the nape of Damien's neck, the soft whine he gives, the light pressure of his teeth against Damien's lower lip, all of it spins together into something strange, overwhelming, enthralling, and Damien is utterly helpless against the pull of it, utterly unable to do anything else besides press another kiss to Arum's mouth, and another, until they blend out of individual context, until he loses the thread of anything besides the sensation itself.

"Good morning," Rilla says, some time later by Damien's hazy estimation, and her voice is syrupy with sleep. Arum hisses as Damien pulls back with a sharp inhale, his heart swelling with delight as it ever does when his flower blesses him with her attention. She stretches against Arum (the monster gasps again), looking up at the both of them with warm, dark, gleeful eyes and a smile that squeezes Damien's heart. "Gotta say, I'm not a morning person, but if I can wake up to that more often I could probably be lured over to your side, Damien."

"Rilla," Damien murmurs, and Arum's claws are still in his hair as Rilla gives him that sly, loving smile, and Damien's fevered mind wonders briefly how happy it is physically possible to be. "Oh, oh love-"

She leans up and kisses him without preamble, and Damien's eyes slip automatically closed even as he hears Arum give a ticking rattle of surprise mere inches away, his palm drifting down the back of Damien's neck. Rilla's mouth slides against his own, familiar and intoxicating before she pulls back with a low hum of pleasure. "Sleep well, Damien?" she murmurs, and Damien presses another kiss to her cheek, chaste and delicate.

"Entirely soundly," he answers, "and blessed to wake with such beauty surrounding me, as well."

Arum ducks his head, his smile both flustered and pleased, his chest rumbling- purring, Damien realizes, at the base of his throat, and Rilla turns her warm gaze upon him next.

"Good morning, Arum," her voice soft as she smiles up at him, pressing her palm to his chest. "Are you feeling okay today?"

Arum blinks, as if taking a moment to remember his own injuries. "I… yes. I feel… I… I think, perhaps, I feel better than I ever have," he says, very quietly.

"Really," Rilla says, her eyebrows raising as her smile goes wider, her hand drifting up from his chest, up the column of his throat, gently brushing the edges of his healing frill. "All better, that quick?"

The monster wrinkles his snout, huffing a breath. "Well. A- a little sore, still, perhaps. But-"

Rilla lifts herself up, leaning to press her lips to the scales of his frill, and Arum breaks off into a whirring hiss.

"Saints," she whispers, and then she kisses him again, lips brushing his neck. "Y'know- I'd be lying if I said I hadn't wanted to do that for a long time."

"I-" Arum pants a breath, the hand he still has curled around her lifting to stroke down her braid. "I- I would be lying if I said I had not been longing for…" he exhales a laugh. "I didn't even know what. Your touch, your conversation, your attention … all of it. This." The arms he is caressing each of them with curl more tightly around them, tugging them into a proper embrace. "This," he says more softly, and then he runs the tip of his snout along Rilla's jaw, nuzzling and flicking his tongue lightly at the skin of her throat. He lifts his remaining two hands, taking Rilla's own in one and Damien's in the other, tangling his fingers with theirs, squeezing. "This," he repeats. "This, I wanted quite dearly."

Damien's heart swells almost painfully, and he lifts Arum's hand to kiss his knuckles, his mind a tangle of prayer and poetry and love.

"I wish I could keep you here forever," Arum whispers, giving barely enough breath to be heard, closing his eyes as Damien kisses his knuckles again. "I know, of course, I cannot. I know you must… return to your lives, but- but so short a time, knowing- allowing myself- so little time to- to love you properly, takatakataka. So little time before we must- before you leave-"

Rilla cups Arum's face in both hands, her dark skin so indescribably beautiful against the jewel-gleam of Arum's scales, and then she kisses him, slow and thorough and sweet, and Damien's heart swells yet again at the sight of these two precious creatures tangling together.

When she pulls back, only leaving just enough space between them for breath, for words, Arum exhales slowly, calmly.

"We'll figure it out," Rilla says, her voice utterly confident. "And… in the meantime," she pauses to kiss him again, "I don't see any reason to rush off home this instant, if you aren't eager to kick us out anymore-"

"Of course not," Arum growls. "Don't be ridiculous."

"Good," she says, and then she glances Damien's way, raising her eyebrow in a question that makes Damien's cheeks go hot, and he knows that she understands his desires precisely without him needing to even nod. "In that case… I think maybe we could just… spend the morning here... just like this, and we can work out something else I think we all want."

Arum stares up at her for an uncomprehending moment, and then Rilla presses another, deeper kiss to his mouth, her hands slipping back to wrap around him, one cupping the back of his head, her tongue darting out to trace the line of his teeth, and when she pulls back again Arum pants out a wild sort of breath, his diamond pupils widened such that they are nearly round, now.

"If," Damien says gently, "that is something you desire as well." He smiles, leaning up to peck the tip of Arum's snout much more chastely. "Whatever it is you do desire, we will love you all the same," he says, and Rilla nods beside him. "So… why don't you tell us, then. What do you want?"

Arum stares down at the both of them, his frill flared and flushed, his eyes wide and bright and intense, and then the monster smiles.

"You," he says, simply. "Both of you. Of course I want you, however much of yourselves you choose to share. I will treat your generosity with precisely as much care as it deserves."

Rilla's smirk softens, and she draws her hand down the back of Arum's neck slowly, making him hiss and shiver. "You big softie," she murmurs.

Arum narrows his eyes, though he cannot seem to clamp down on his own smile as he hisses, "Arrogant little creature."

"I love you both so much," Damien keens, the words bubbling up past any semblance of control, and Arum and Rilla both look towards him.

Rilla's smile is soft, understanding, and Arum looks nearly awestruck with it before he flicks his tongue, breathing something like a laugh. He shifts, pulling himself up to lean over Damien, crowding close enough to rub his cheek along Damien's, sweet and affectionate.

"I love the both of you more than I know how to say," he says in a voice that trembles with both emotion and laughter. "So perhaps-" he pulls back, his violet eyes so determined and full of undeniable desire, and he reaches a hand out, drawing Rilla closer as she laughs. "Perhaps, little humans, I should show you, instead."

[->]

#elle's fanfic #scattered on my shore #the penumbra podcast #second citadel #rad bouquet #lizard kissin' tuesday #sir damien #lord arum #amaryllis of exile #pblease....im.. self conches

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pocket-luv101 · 5 years

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Across Time || Chapter 1

Fandom: Servamp Ships: KuroMahi (main), LawLicht (side) Characters: Kuro, Mahiru, Hyde, Licht

Summary: Mahiru falls into a well and is taken to a new, fantasy world. He comes across a half-blooded cat demon trapped in a tree. After he frees Kuro, he helps him collect the shards of the sacred jewel. (KuroMahi, InuYasha AU)

A/N: For this InuYasha AU, I wanted to take out the many love triangles (I never liked the trope). So, Kikyo, Kouga, and Hojo/Akitoki won’t be playing a role in this fanfic. I will also be trimming down the filler the best I can.

(Ch.1) || Ch.2 ||

The Thousand Year Old Tree was the first thing Mahiru would see whenever he walk out of his home. He didn’t know why but he was drawn to it ever since he was a boy. There was a mark on the tree trunk and it looked like a diamond was embedded in the wood. He turned his focus back to his morning chores. He hummed softly as he swept the leaves on the shrine’s ground.

His uncle was the shrine’s caretaker and Mahiru started living with him after his mother died. He respected his uncle and thought of him as the father he never had. He would help him around the shrine even after he moved out. A white cat ran past him and scattered the leaves he was sweeping into the air. Several kids followed the cat and chased it around the tree.

“Please, boys, be careful. You shouldn’t play here because it’s disrespectful to the spirits who made their homes here.” Mahiru stepped forward to stop them before they could damage the tree. He gave them a light lecture before he patted their heads. “I remember when I was your age. I was full of energy too but we need to channel it properly. You boys can play by the gate over there.”

“What about our cat?” The boy pointed to their pet. While he was giving the lecture to the boys, the cat had wandered to a nearby shrine. It jumped up and grab a braided cord charm. Mahiru gasped when he saw how its claws turn the cord to strings. The cat managed to use the cord to climb to the opened window and jump inside.

“I’ll get him.” Mahiru told them and ran after the cat. He picked up the remains of the charm: a bell hanging on a string. Then, he slid open the door and peered inside. His uncle’s many warnings to never enter the small building echoed his mind. He didn’t see anything dangerous though. There was a flight of steps that led down a pit. At the bottom stood a simple well.

It was dark inside but Mahiru could hear claws scratching against wood. He walked down the stairs and each step made his feet feel heavier. Mahiru didn’t know why the well suddenly seemed ominous. He told himself he needed to get the cat. It was difficult to see in the dark but he spotted the cat scratching on the wood. “There you are, you little troublemaker. Come here.”

He picked up the cat and cradled it against his chest. Mahiru started to walk away with it but a chilling realization made him stop. The scratching sound never stopped but became louder. Slowly, Mahiru turned around and stared at the well. He thought the noise was from inside the well, as if something was trying to break free. It had been sealed for a thousand years so there shouldn’t be anything inside.

“Mahiru!” He jumped at the sound of his name. His uncle was the one who called him and he turned around. There was fear in his eyes as he urgently said, “I told you never to enter here. Come back.”

“I’ll be right there, Uncle Toru.” Even though Mahiru didn’t understand why he would be scared for his safety, he tried to reassure him. The cat in his arms jumped free and it landed on the well’s door. He reached out to pick up the cat again. At the same time, Toru raced down the stairs to stop him. His fingers brushed over the well and the spell tags sealing it started to glow.

The ground began to shake and Mahiru was too confused to react. He quickly grabbed the cat and stepped back from the well. Chunks of wood flew into the air as something broke out of the well. Mahiru gasped at the sight of a giant centipede rushing towards him. He couldn’t escape before the demon grabbed his arm and dragged him down with it.

Mahiru struggled against the centipede the best he could but it had a death grip on his arms. He frantically looked around him for help. His heart sank when he saw that his surroundings had changed to a violet abyss. They were falling slowly and he couldn’t see the ground. The large fangs on the centipede opened and revealed a woman’s face. “I can sense the jewel’s power in you. Give me the sacred jewel.”

“Sacred jewel? I don’t know what you mean. Let me go!” Mahiru screamed and shoved the centipede away from him. He felt a burst of energy flow through him and light burst out of his hands. The centipede winced away from the bright gleam and let him go. They were both blinded and Mahiru closed his eyes. He was almost too afraid to open his eyes again.

He took a deep breath and slowly opened his eyes. To his relief, the strange world he found himself in was gone. Mahiru sat at the bottom of the well. He didn’t know if what he just experienced was from the shock of falling or something else. He stood on his shaky legs and stared upwards. “Uncle Toru! Are you up there? Please throw down a rope so I can climb up.”

No one answered him. His brows furrowed in confusion because he knew his uncle wouldn’t abandon him. He couldn’t wait at the bottom of the well for help. Mahiru cautiously tugged on the vines lining the wall to ensure that they wouldn’t break from his weight. He placed his foot on a protruding rock and started to climb up. As he neared the top, he saw the clear, blue sky above him.

Mahiru exited the well and found himself in a whole new world. A forest surrounded the well instead of the shrine he was in before. He stepped out and looked around him for anything familiar. There was nothing but trees around him and he couldn’t see any sign of human civilization. His eyes fell onto a tall, familiar tree that stood above the others. “The Thousand Year Old Tree!”

He ran towards the only thing he could recognize. Mahiru pushed past the branches and bushes blocking his path. The greenery became sparser as he approached the tree and the sunlight shined over him. He walked out of the bushes and stepped in front of the tree.

A handsome man was sitting against the tree trunk and he appeared to be sleeping. Thick vines circled the man and there was an arrow in his chest. Mahiru didn’t know what happened to the man but it saddened him that he was left for dead. He thought he deserved a proper burial. The man must’ve been stuck to the tree for a long time for vines to grow around him. Yet, the man’s body hadn’t aged.

“Are those cat ears?” Mahiru asked the question even though there was no one around who could answer him. He reached up and lightly touched the ears. They were warm and he moved his hand to the man’s chest. He had a heartbeat. He realized the man was still alive and rushed to save him. “Don’t worry, I’ll take you to a hospital.”

He gripped the arrow to pull it out but he was stopped before he could. Mahiru heard the arrow buzz past him before it struck the wood above his head. He yelped and instinctively ducked his head. He pressed his face into the man’s chest. A strong hand pulled him away from the tree. “Wait, this man is still alive! We need to take him to a hospital and save him.”

Mahiru looked back at the man. For a moment, he was certain he saw the man open his red eyes. Their gaze held until he closed his eyes once again.

“Please, let me go! This is all a big misunderstanding.” Mahiru insisted. The man that had captured him took him to their village. They called him a demon and yelled other confusing accusations. He stiffened when one pointed a spear at him. The weapons they had were as ancient as the buildings around him. It was clear to him that he wasn’t in the world he knew.

“Look at his strange clothes. He must be a foreigner sent here as a spy.” One yelled.

“What if he’s a kitsune?” Another suggested.

“What is going on here?” A loud voice cut through the crowd.

“Uncle Toru?” Mahiru was confused to see his uncle but he was happy to find someone he knew. He ran forward and hugged his uncle. He hoped that his uncle could give him some answers and help him make some sense of the situation he found himself in. “I don’t know how but found myself here after I fell into a nearby well. What is this place?”

“Who are you? I don’t have a nephew.” His heart sank at his words. He took a step back and shook his head lightly. Mahiru looked back at him when Toru placed his hand on his shoulder.

“If it’s true that you fell into the Bone-Eater’s Well, this is your home but not your time. There are spiritual grounds that can connect to different times. The well is one of them.” Toru pointed towards the well he came from. Then, he gestured to the tall tree where he saw the man earlier. “The Ash Tree is another. They have a powerful spiritual energy that can even bend time.”

“Mystical forces brought me back in time? Is there a way to take me back?” Mahiru’s head was spinning. He was still trying to make sense of the situation he found himself in. His stomach rumbled audibly and Toru gave him a sympathetic smile.

“You’ve been through a lot and you must be hungry. You can rest and eat in my home. I will do my best to answer your questions.”

Mahiru sipped the tea Toru poured him. While he looked, sounded and acted like his uncle, the man wasn’t the person he knew. Everything was surreal to him. He told him everything that happened after he fell into the well. Toru nodded solemnly in time with his short story. “Do you know how the well took me back in time? Maybe I can use it to go back home.”

“The deity in the well is benevolent so she wouldn’t take you from your home. That centipede demon you describe shouldn’t have the ability to pull you through time either. I don’t know how this could have happen.” Toru paused and thought over the possibilities. His face became grim and said, “You mentioned that it wanted a Sacred Jewel.”

“Yes, but I don’t know what that is. I’m not wearing any jewelry like that and the only thing I have is this simple bell.” Mahiru took the bell charm he picked up earlier. He paused when he noticed that it was glowing faintly. He rolled the bell in his palm and it jingled lightly. The world held magic and Mahiru considered that was the cause of the glow.

“I thought the Sacred Jewel was a power lost to time.” Toru said and Mahiru turned back to him. “The Sacred Jewel can grant its holder the powers of a miko and a demon. Wars had been started to possess the jewel until a priestess sealed it in her soul. She also ordered that her body be burned after her death. Her ashes were placed in the Bone-Eater’s Well.”

“I can only imagine how difficult that had to be for her family. To stop the fighting, they had to sacrifice their daughter.” Mahiru bit his lip. He placed the teacup down and sighed. His reflection in the tea was the only familiar thing in the world. “I never heard of that legend before. In my time, we don’t have things like demons and magic. Why would the demon think I have it?”

“My sister was the priestess that sacrificed herself to seal away the Sacred Jewel. You look remarkably like her.” Toru didn’t know what to make of the person before him. “My sister didn’t have children before her death but you’re not a reincarnation of her either. Your souls are different. The centipede demon must’ve mistaken you for her based on your appearance.”

“So, she thought I had that jewel. You said that she didn’t have the power to manipulate time.”

“She doesn’t but the jewel does.” He didn’t explain further but his grim expression made Mahiru think that there was more. Toru stood and said, “We need to return you to your time as soon as possible. Hopefully, you can return the way you came. I will help you through Sleepy Ash’s Forest. It is the home of many demons.”

“Thank you for your help, Uncle. Oh, I mean, Toru.” Mahiru bowed his head. Even if the man wasn’t his uncle, he was able to trust him.

He followed his uncle out of the hut and looked towards the forest. A light blanket of colours was draped over the sky and it made a path. Mahiru unconsciously took a step towards the forest. He stretched a hand to the sky and spoke his thoughts aloud. “I thought we could only see the aurora in the north. It’s pointing towards the Thousand Year Old Tree. There was a man there.”

“Mahiru, it is best that you be wary of the demon sealed to that tree. He may be only a half demon but he is still dangerous. Thinking simply, we must go directly to the well.” Mahiru pictured the man. With his cat ears and piercing red eyes, he was likely a demon.

The ground began to shake beneath their feet before it split between Mahiru and Toru. He didn’t have anything to help him stay balanced and he fell to the ground. Villagers ran out of their homes with spears and arrows. Mahiru didn’t have a weapon so he couldn’t defend himself when the centipede demon ascended from the cavern.

“You have it. Give me the jewel.” The demon’s shadow eclipsed him and its power made him shiver in fear. It loomed over him with its large pincers, posed to attack. Mahiru looked around him for help but he saw that the villagers were frightened as well. The reason the centipede was attacking the village was because of him. He had to lead it away from the village.

He gripped a handful of dirt and hurled it into the woman’s eyes. His weak attack was enough to stall the demon. He kicked the demon’s nose and then hastily crawled away from it. Mahiru picked up a rock and threw it at the demon again. “If you want me, then you have to catch me!”

Mahiru sprinted into the forest. The demon followed him like he predicted it would. He heard his uncle call for him to stop but he only ran faster. He was certain that he couldn’t outrun the centipede’s many legs but he could draw it away from innocent people at least. His only hope was to find a place to hide in the dense forest. Everything in the forest looked the same at night and he quickly found himself lost.

He relied on his instincts and reflexes to outmaneuver the centipede. Mahiru ducked beneath a tree branch and ran through a bush. As the demon chased him, it destroyed everything in its path. A tree branch flew towards him and struck his leg. He lost his footing and he stumbled down the small hill until he finally hit something. To his confusion, the trip didn’t hurt as much as he thought it would.

“I knew you were trouble the first time I saw you. Can’t deal.” A voice groaned above him. Mahiru realized that he had fallen against a man’s chest. He sat up and saw faced the cat demon he saw before. His red eyes looked more tired than angry. “I’m trying to sleep. Can you and your friend play tag somewhere else? You’re noisy.”

“That demon is trying to kill me!” Mahiru stood and took the man’s hand. He tried to pull him to his feet but he sat firmly in place. “It’s going to catch up to me soon so we need to run away.”

“I haven’t moved from this spot for the last century.” The man gripped the arrow that kept him pinned to the tree. “My brother placed a curse on me and I can’t leave this tree. Don’t make that face. This curse isn’t too bad since I get to sleep in this nice shade. You should worry more about yourself. That demon is nearby so you better start running.”

“Oh no!” Mahiru scurried to his feet but it was too late. The demon burst through the trees and rushed towards them. Its jagged nails dug into his skin when it gripped his neck. He crawled at its fingers in a hopeless attempt to free himself. Adrenaline and panic rushed through his body and hands started to glow again. “Leave me alone! I don’t have your stupid jewel!”

“I can sense it in you.” The centipede screeched. A scream was torn from Mahiru’s throat when its razor sharp leg cut his side. He gripped the injury to stop the bleeding but he felt something else press against his fingers. Mahiru glanced down and slowly tok his hand back. He found a stunning, pink gem in his palm. “That’s the sacred jewel! Give it to me.”

The centipede wrapped its long body around the tree until they were trapped. He was certain they would be crushed soon. It became difficult breathe but he knew it was too dangerous to give the jewel to her. He heard the man groan beneath him. “So troublesome.”

Mahiru said, “I’m so sorry I dragged you into this. My name’s Mahiru. Can I know your name? I don’t want to die with a complete stranger.”

“My name is Kuro.” He answered and looked down at him. “But neither of us will die tonight. You have a lot of spiritual energy, even without the jewel inside you. You might have the power to break this curse. Purify this arrow and I’ll defeat that demon for you.”

How could he possibly purify a cursed arrow? Mahiru didn’t know if there was a spell or an incarnation he should chant to break the curse. He reached up and grabbed the arrow but his consciousness was beginning to falter. A warmth spread from the Sacred Jewel. While it felt comforting to Mahiru, it made Kuro and the centipede wince in pain.

The demon loosened its grip and Mahiru looked back over his shoulder. He thought he saw someone standing in the pink light created by the Sacred Jewel. A woman stood between them and the centipede, protecting them. “Mom?”

Her image faded with the soft light of the sacred jewel. Mahiru could breathe again and he pulled on the arrow with all his strength. It came free and turned to ash in his hands. Kuro wrapped his arm around Mahiru’s waist and helped him stand. The centipede began to circle them again and Mahiru pressed himself closer to his chest.

“I hate fighting.” Kuro said but gently pushed Mahiru behind. Smoke coated his hands and became claws. The air seemed to crack around them when Kuro glared at the demon. He brought his claws down on the centipede with enough force to make the dirt rise around them. His attack broke through the demon’s thick skin and cracked a crack in the ground. He kept it in place as dark spikes rose from the dirt to stab the centipede.

Mahiru cautiously peered out from behind Kuro. The demon laid motionless and he asked, “Is it dead?”

“Yeah. I’m glad this demon was weak. Fighting someone strong right after a nap would be troublesome.” Kuro pulled back his hand and the centipede turned to ash and bones before them. Mahiru noticed that there was blood on his hand took out a napkin. He offered it to Kuro but he shook his head. “If you want to give me something for saving you, I’ll take the Shikon Jewel.”

“What?” He assumed that Kuro was uninterested in the jewel because he hadn’t mentioned it before now. Mahiru took a sharp step away from him and clutched the gem to his chest. He saw him defeat the centipede so he knew he was strong. Yet, Kuro didn’t attack or threaten him. They watched each other carefully, waiting for the other to move first.

He heard the leaves rustle behind him and Mahiru looked over his shoulder. He was relieved to see that it was his uncle and the villagers. The moment he turned away, Kuro stole the Sacred Jewel from him. He ran away from the group before anyone could react. Mahiru ran after him and called his name: “Kuro, please, return that gem! Its power is dangerous.”

He ignored him and continued to dash through the forest. The distance was quickly growing between them. Mahiru didn’t know what he would want from the jewel since it couldn’t be for power. He was already strong and he said he disliked fighting. He didn’t seem to be lying either. Kuro didn’t bother to fight the villagers and merely dodged the arrows they shot at him.

Mahiru chased him until Toru caught his arm. “Wait, Mahiru, do you have the bell you showed me earlier? It’s a spiritual artifact and we can use it to cast a spell on Kuro that will stop him. You only need to speak a prayer to subdue him. It can be any words you wish.”

“Will it hurt him? He hasn’t attacked anyone yet so we might be able to talk to him.” Mahiru took out the bell. He didn’t want to fight Kuro but he understood he couldn’t let him leave with the jewel. Toru nodded to reassure him. He chased after Kuro and chanted an incarnation. The bell glowed lightly before it vanished from his fingers. In the distance, a bell rang and Kuro stopped.

Mahiru could see that he was struggling with something around his neck. The bell rang louder each time Kuro tried to remove the necklace. He knew that he needed to shout a phase to complete the spell. Kuro’s ears flattened in reaction to his frustration. At that moment, Mahiru yelled the first words that came to mind: “Sit boy!”

The bell shined and gravity changed around Kuro. He was forced to the ground with a loud thud. The jewel rolled out of Kuro’s hand and Mahiru picked him up. He kept a secure grip on it as he knelt next to him. He gently touched his shoulder and said, “Are you okay, Kuro? That sounded like it hurt.”

“Troublesome, I only wanted the jewel to be human.” His words were a soft whisper that only Mahiru heard. Before he could ask what he meant, the villagers took Kuro away.

#servamp #kuromahi #sloth pair #servamp kuro #mahiru shirota #fanfiction

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