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“What am I to you, Sara?”
“You are… You’re my friend, of course.”
“’Friend,’ huh.”
One… Two…
“Is everything alright?”
“Sorry, I think I’ve had too much to drink… I’ve got to go.”
Three… Four…
“Goodbye, Sara.”
Five…
One… Two…
The sun hung low in the sky above the Tenryou Commission Headquarters.
Three… Four…
Its soft orange glow filtered through the windows of a large sitting room on the second floor. Inside, Kujou Sara sat alone.
Five…
From the courtyard below emanated the sounds of shouting and clanging, muffled through the walls. Soldiers in training, finishing their drills for the day. The general listened enviously, counting along to their rhythmic strikes. It was all she could do to calm herself. She was restless – restless yet exhausted.
She wished to be out in the training yard, or the dojo… hell, even the battlefield would be better. That is where she belonged. Exercising her immortal strength, her combat precision, her unparalleled skill, and then pushing her limits further; that did not tire her. No, what drained Lord Kujou Sara’s energy were people. Specifically, a day full of nonstop meetings. Commission officers, foreign dignitaries, civilian representatives, all in need of the Tenryou Commissioner’s attention.
Sara was not the Tenryou Head, not yet, but she and her brothers were acting in his place for the moment. Their father was gone on special business the details of which not even his children were privy to. Ever eager to prove herself, Sara had accepted whatever work she could perform as his substitute – today, that proved a mistake. Her mind worked in the realm of logistics, strategy, and orders, not the abstracts of socialization. Performing in such a space agitated her, and keeping up the act for long hours on end left her in a foul mood. It was a product of her upbringing, not that she would ever concede that.
The general performed dutifully nonetheless, riding through negotiations on the respect she had garnered in the Shogunate and… perhaps a bit of her natural intimidation. Fortunately, the day was nearly over, so here she waited impatiently for the last visit. They were late, and she was starving. Counting fives at least stilled her nerves.
One… Two… Three… Four… Five…
One… Two… Thr-
“Lord Kujou,” a secretary bowed in the doorway, “the Kanjou representative has asked to cancel your meeting. They send their apologies.”
“Very well. Have it rescheduled. You are dismissed,” the general replied curtly.
Thank the Almighty Shogun. Her irritation at the interruption was assuaged by her relief. She could finally do something productive with her time, something to reorder herself. She didn’t waste a moment preparing to leave. In the midst of hurriedly filing away documents, Sara felt a tinge of excitement, like there was something she was looking forward to this evening… But… nothing came to mind. The unexpected feeling gave her pause. What am I forgetting? Her stomach answered with a growl. Ah, of course: food. The general’s regime was all out of sorts due to her new workload, which disturbed her normal eating schedule and no doubt put her on edge even before the day’s appointments. She reasoned that her emotions must be getting out of sorts, pushing aside the gnawing feeling that something was missing.
By the time Sara stepped outside, the Tenryou grounds were already quieting. She hadn’t realized how late it was. The sun already rested right on the horizon.
Walking out into the evening air, Sara felt the cool breeze against her skin. The wind might as well be beckoning her to stretch her wings. She wouldn’t, not in public. It felt too primal, too animalistic. Her wings often felt restless when she was too stressed or stimulated. Suppressing the urge kept her inner imbalance at the forefront of her mind.
Sara moved through the city streets unconsciously. Routine sufficed when she was too absent to think. Before she knew it, Uyuu Restaurant came into view. She thought that her favored dining spot was what she needed to destress, but as she approached, a tight feeling pulled at her stomach. Strange – it was midweek, the time she would usually come to Uyuu to… Ah, right – she usually met someone here: a friend… one of her only friends, and certainly her only civilian friend. This is the day – used to be the day – they ate together.
With that realization, the tension in her gut intensified. I thought I was over this.
The general shook herself out of that line of thought. Uyuu Restaurant was out of the question – she hoped to internalize that by now. There was a loneliness, a distinct absence, in that space… one she didn’t get from just being alone. But there was no use in dwelling on that. Her mind had one track as far as she was concerned: eat, anywhere else.
And so, she ended up in the lower part of the city, dining in the open air at Kiminami’s. It did not take long to realize why she did not come here often. Everyone in Inazuma was keenly aware of the Shogun’s general wherever she went, and the open-faced restaurant made her presence known to all. Their attention was positive – people generally respected and admired her – but The Lord Kujou Sara was not the most approachable person. Regardless of what they said about her, stares and whispers were what she received. It was difficult to enjoy such a meal in peace.
Not to mention the couple sitting next to her. Unlike everyone else, they seemed to take no notice of her arrival, too engaged with one another. It was obvious they were on a date. The way their hands touch gently, the bright glimmer in their eyes as they look at each other, their sweet smiles. Sara’s eyes kept glancing towards them. She told herself that personal matters were none of her concern, especially those of others. But something irked her about their sappy intimacy. Like it was on purpose. Like they wanted to annoy her. And she was annoyed, though it made no sense to her. Why was she so tense?
The general took a breath to refocus herself. Redirect – she couldn’t go around scowling at innocent girls on the street. Take a bite, chew five times, repeat in counts of five. It must be her work – she hadn’t been able to recruit a competent assistant for clerical duties. That was interruptive. Yes, and all that performative banter she’d endured all day. Ah, of course, her routine was off, too. Now the little deviations were piling up: new restaurant, new food, too many people, no Shinobu…
No Shinobu? Why did she single that out? It’s not like dining with Shino- with Miss Kuki was a part of her everyday routine. Yes, Miss Kuki had been gone for 39 days, but who was keeping track? Yes, one of Sara’s only friends had up and left, but that didn’t bother her. No, not at all. She’d keep pushing on like always.
“Damnit,” Sara hissed under her breath as she lost count of her bites. The tension returned to her body as she prayed that no one heard her talking to herself. She needed to leave, to relax or release some of this implacable frustration.
The sounds of a shouting began rising from further down towards the edge of the city. The few remaining patrons around her turned their heads as they noticed the commotion. Perfect – she could go back on duty, slip into a comfortable role. Maintaining public order was her job, after all, and one suited perfectly for hammering down her own frivolous thoughts.
Sara stood to make way towards the disturbance. At that moment, a doushin ran by from further up the road. Noticing the general, the doushin halted.
“Lord Kujou,” he said with a stiff salute.
“At ease. Where are you responding, soldier?” Sara assumed her austere military demeanor.
“Sir, there are reports of an altercation at Hanamizaka, sir.”
“Just as I thought,” she sighed, “Go on ahead and begin securing the area. I will defuse the situation.”
“But sir you-”
“I have an idea of who we might be dealing with. You will need my help,” she explained sternly.
“Yes sir!” The doushin saluted once again before rushing off.
Someone at the Police Station doesn’t have their head screwed on right. That doushin had almost questioned her direct order. Here in public was not the place for even the slightest fault in rank… but neither was it proper for a reprimand, so the general held back. Excellent – this is what she needed. Procedure, order, decorum. All maintained for the safety of the Almighty Shogun’s people and, for Sara, to keep herself in check. If she could maneuver past a soldier’s tiny hint of disobedience, then her emotions were back in line, as far as she was concerned.
Sara turned to the server, “My apologies for the disturbance, Miss Kiminami. I will pay when I return.”
“Please, General Kujou, it’s on the house!”
“Very well. You have my thanks.” Sara attempted to soften her expression for a slight smile. She wasn’t sure if it worked.
In the brief exchange, Sara caught a glimpse of the couple that had sat next to her. Their attention was now fully on the general. The closer girl sat wide-eyed as she whispered to her partner, failing to keep her tone hushed. Sara caught a bit of what she was saying. “…didn’t you tell me she was next to us? I’ve never gotten to meet…” Though not speaking, the girl’s partner was somehow louder. Their arm was wrapped around the girl’s shoulders, and their eyes shot daggers at Sara. The general was taken aback for a second. Did she do something to make this person mad? Perhaps they were upset that their date was interrupted… There was no time to let that get to her now – she had a job to do.
Refocusing, Sara took off down the street towards Hanamizaka. It wasn’t far, especially for a tengu. With her inhuman speed, she could easily make it there before the doushin, despite his head start. Still… it was times like these – running through the city on a clear night, the moon peaking over the rooftops – that made her want to fly. The tengu clutched her fists to bear through her primal urge. It was getting harder to suppress for the past month, harder to calm the pulse of her inhuman blood. She couldn’t have that freedom, for both her sake and…
Nevermind that. She slipped her thoughts back to strict situational assessments, far more comfortable than… whatever had been occupying her earlier. Hanamizaka – it’s most certainly the “Arataki Gang.” Just thinking the name soured her mood. Those delinquents hadn’t been stirring up trouble lately, so she’d hoped they had disbanded or moved on. Fortunately, their lackeys can’t fight worth a damn, but it sounds like a physical altercation. There might be a Vision user. Bystanders? At this hour, at the edge of the city, likely not many. If there’s conflict-
Her thoughts were cut short as she reached the end of the street where the paved road gave way to the open ground surrounding the large cherry blossom at the heart of the quarter. Sara cursed her distracted mind – she hadn’t had time to properly assess the situation, so she was working on the fly. Scanning the area, she spotted the disturbance. The sun had long set, and the street lights were faint, but her night vision was clear enough to make out four figures in the darkness: the three gang lackeys and a shorter unknown individual. Clearly their oni leader was absent. Good – they didn’t cause as much of a scene without him. As the doushin arrived just behind her, she momentarily diverted her attention to direct him toward a group of citizens approaching the ruckus.
Out of the corner of her eye, a flash of purple. Her head spun back towards the fight. An Electro Vision? No other members of the gang had Visions… Were they fighting someone else or... Sara redoubled her guard. The troublemakers were on the far side of the clearing and hadn’t noticed her arrival. She moved quickly and silently to the central tree before making herself known.
With a hand on her sword, she shouted in a commanding voice, “This is the Tenryou Commission! Stand down!” Immediately, all four figures froze.
“D-deputy! It’s the Kujou Tengu!” one screamed in panic.
Deputy?
“W-what do we do?” another whimpering voice spoke towards the short figure.
“Run, idiots! Split up!” a rough voice ordered through clenched teeth.
The three men dashed clumsily into the darkness. Sara was prepared for this. She was close enough, fast enough to snatch each one of them. But that voice…
The smaller individual stood for a moment, facing Sara from the darkness. Were they planning to stand and fight? Or surrender? No, their stance spoke more of hesitation. Tension hung in the air between them before the figure abruptly turned and sprinted. The others could get away – Sara knew who they were and breaking up the commotion was a sufficient resolution – but this individual… she wanted to know their affiliation with the gang. She poised to dart after them.
Just before she moved, a ring of Electro energy flashed around the fleeing shadow. For a split-second, the figure was illuminated. Green hair. Sharp, purple eyes glaring back at Sara over a masked face. Sara staggered.
“…Shinobu?” she gasped. As swiftly as she appeared, the figure vanished into the night.
It wasn’t too late. She could pursue. Her body screamed no, blood pulsing, joints stiff. She stood paralyzed, unable to think.
“…jou! Lord Kujou!” It was the doushin. “Are you alright, sir?”
She tried to regain her composure. It wasn’t working. Her mind wouldn’t return to her. Orders – just give orders.
“It’s nothing,” she said flatly, still looking off into the dark, “Continue your patrols. I’ll draft a report. Submit testimonies to me tomorrow.” Without waiting for a response, Sara turned and walked back to the street. That would have to do; she just wanted to get away from here.
The long trek to the Police Station provided little respite. Her pulse continued to pound, her muscles tense, even her wings – especially her wings, which trembled impatiently, tucked away on her back. The quiet night streets pulled her away from the gaze of the social world. With nowhere to go but inward, her train of thought caught a rail and refused to let go.
Shinobu. Kuki Shinobu. Her friend – reasonable, talented, intelligent, capable, charming – with a gang. With that gang? Absurd. There was no two ways about it. The very thought of it… it infuriated her. How many times had Sara offered her a wonderful position at the Tenryou Commission? And she chose this? After leaving so unceremoniously? They could have done excellent work together. They could have worked together every day. They could have spent so much time together. She could have been mine.
Sara stumbled as her head spun and vision blurred. Stunned into sobriety, she regained awareness of her body: fists clenched, chest pounding, brows furrowed, wings nearly flexing out of their hiding place. She paused for a deep breath. Count them in fives. Such instability was unbefitting. She went to such pains to maintain an ordered life, and how could she not? Order, stability, Eternity: these were the highest directives of the Almighty Shogun, and Sara was entrusted with their fulfillment. That started within.
A small prayer to the Narukami Ogosho. Calm. If she couldn’t retrack her mind, she could at least be reasonable. She counted her paces.
It must have been a coincidence – she was fighting those delinquents after all… No, they clearly took orders from her. Perhaps Sara was mistaken – she only caught a brief glimpse… But it looked just like her. But that mask… she couldn’t see the figure’s whole face. What if she had jumped to conclusions? Maybe it was a person who just looked like Shinobu. A comforting thought. Good enough.
Such thoughts soothed the tengu, if only slightly, as she approached the Police Station. She was exhausted, but she could push through, decompress with some paperwork in the quiet of her auxiliary office. Then finally get some rest.
The general walked through the halls to her office. It was no Kujou Estate, but privacy and organization were all she really needed. She could count on the night staff not to disturb her.
Sara stopped halfway down the hall to her room. A light was on – she could see it through the door. Someone was inside. Caution be damned – the tengu had suffered enough disturbances today. They weren’t getting out unscathed.
She marched straight for the door, swiftly entered, slammed it behind her, and-
“You sure took your sweet time getting here.” A familiar voice confirmed the worst.
On the opposite end of the room was a small-framed woman, especially small to the tengu. Sara’s vision trailed along her figure, lingering as it made her way up to her face. Shapely legs exposed by incredibly short shorts. Belly completely bare before a netted black top. This outfit was… new. Sara did her best to ignore a sharp peak of her pulse. Pieces of armor and a jacket laid upon the floor behind her. Her green hair was half tied up behind her head, and her purple eyes bore a glare that matched Sara’s. She stood indignantly, hip cocked to one side and arms folded across her chest. Her posture and intense stare conveyed the emotion hidden by her mask, a demeaner that seemed defiant of the warm glow of the room’s lighting. Kuki Shinobu.
After weeks apart, this is not the reunion Sara wanted. All of her rationalizations, undone without ceremony. This was, without a doubt, the gang member she saw earlier. She wasn’t surprised, honestly; she was furious.
The general broke their staring match and walked to her desk. She methodically, almost performatively, glanced through drawers and files.
“Not even a ‘hello’?” Shinobu spoke gruffly.
“There is an intruder in my office. I am making sure nothing is missing. I have responsibilities, Shinobu,” Sara looked back pointedly, “In case you forgot.”
“Oh, I haven’t forgotten your ‘responsibilities,’ Sara, but would it hurt to show some trust in me?”
Sara felt pressure rising inside of her. The question was ridiculous – how could she trust her right now? …But it wasn’t that simple. She wanted to trust Shinobu and, honestly, she still did. Shinobu was the human who knew her best, understood her, so she had thought. It hurt her to act so coldly, but her attempts to decode her own actions only ended in frustration. She could not see past her own feelings – vague, confounding things.
Sara stood at her desk and faced Shinobu, trying her best to present a neutral expression.
“Let’s get this straight, then. You’ve joined the Arataki Gang?”
“That’s right, what about it?”
Sara couldn’t hide her scowl.
“Got a problem with me making my own decisions?” Shinobu’s voice carried a casual sourness.
“No, of course you’re free to do what you like, but…”
“Don’t bullshit me, Sara,” she interrupted.
The tengu grimaced. Shinobu knew her too well to let cordial statements smooth things over. Sara expected her to back out at her callous reception, but Shinobu was pushing back. It spurred a more straightforward instinct.
“Fine. You want to know what I think? I think you’re making a foolish mistake. You have a stellar reputation and wonderful talents, and you’re wasting it all with some deadbeats? It’s not too late to change your mind.”
“I thought you might say that. Sorry, not gonna happen. You may not like it, but this is the kinda freedom I’ve been looking for. Besides, those losers need me. They already feel like family.”
Sara’s wings twitched, her knuckles white.
“Is that so. How nice for you,” the tengu hissed, “And so you’re here to what, taunt me? It wasn’t enough for you to up and leave? To deny my offers again and again? You had to come back to tell me you found something better?” She barely kept from shouting.
“And what did you offer, Sara?”
“Stability! Honest, fulfilling work. You could have been-“ Sara caught on her words, like she didn’t know what she was about say.
“Right, of course,” Shinobu’s eyes drifted away for a moment, “I never see you this worked up, so let me give it to you straight: I don’t want your jobs or camaraderie.” She took a step toward Sara.
Was that supposed to be calming? Sara shoved the thought aside. “Then what do you want?”
Shinobu’s gaze bore intensely upon Sara, “I could ask you the same question.”
“What?”
“You said it yourself; I’m intruding in a general’s office, and you’re clearly not happy with me. Yet,” she strolled closer, “why haven’t you told me to leave?”
Sara was caught off-guard by the question. She knew she didn’t have to entertain it, but… “I’m still deciding if I should arrest you,” the response came anyway.
“And why wouldn’t you?”
“I’ve… never had to arrest a friend.” A terrible excuse, she knew, but there was no room to think.
“’Friend,’ huh? You still consider us friends?” Knives spoken with seeming indifference, but her eyes watched intently for Sara’s reaction.
“W-what?” a hint of panic arose in Sara’s voice as the words stabbed into her, “What do you mean by that?”
“I mean that I’ve gotten tired of our distance,” Shinobu took a final step to put herself right before the tengu.
The tight knot in Sara’s stomach wrenched. Realization hit her like a sack of bricks. Shinobu was pushing at her nerves, trying to provoke something, and Sara wasn’t keeping up. The tension fueled her building aggression. She was reaching her limit – no, she was being lead there. It all started to seem more straightforward…
Shinobu continued, “I’m not here about a job, Lord Tengu, and I don’t think you’re fixated on that either.”
The words resonated with Sara. There was truth there. Her body responded to it before her mind, and she followed. Towards the woman before her, where it was being pulled, all her disquietude and frustration and heat. Her heart drummed.
“Tell me, deputy, what am I fixated on,” her voice now demanding.
“You’re upset that you lost,” the intruder’s voice lost its bite, “You had a prize right in front of you, and you let it slip,” she brought her body within an inch of Sara’s, looking up with narrowed eyes, “right out of your fingers.”
Lost. Language the general could understand. That’s right, maybe she had lost. Something more than a comrade, more than a friend… It had been eating at her nerves because she refused to recognize it. Instinct continued to lead as her tension began to unwind, not into calm but… energy. She knew where to direct it.
“Maybe so, but you’re wrong about one thing: I haven’t lost yet. After all, you’ve walked right back into my grasp,” Sara leaned forward, leveraging her height to stare down at the shorter woman, “Why is that I wonder…”
She placed her hand over Shinobu’s mask and cast it aside. Seeing her face for the first time in weeks was a breath of fresh air. Everything about her looked so much softer, even her fierce purple eyes… no, her expression really did change. She peered at Sara with wide eyes, oozing sweet affection. The contrast shook out an epiphany. How could I be so stupid. I’ve always found her cute. Sara cursed herself, but self-loathing was nothing in the face of her desire to make up for her – their losses.
“I’m waiting, Lord Tengu,” Shinobu’s tone dropped to a murmur, “been waiting for too long,”
“How conceited.”
“What, is the big general afraid to take charge?” Without her mask, Shinobu couldn’t hide her smug expression.
Like in the heat of battle, instinct stood above reason. It all clicked into place – circuits joining to flow Sara’s power electric to an eager conduit. Release – unsettled anger, frustration at her own foolishness, late realized longing – into a primal appetite, vengeful loving. Grasping Shinobu’s exposed waist, the tengu turned to pin the smaller woman against her desk.
“You’re a real brat, you know,” the tengu growled.
“And you’re an idiot,” Shinobu jabbed back cheekily.
“Shut it.”
“Make me.”
Four black wings unfurled violently from Sara’s back, enlarging her already-imposing silhouette and obscuring Shinobu’s view. The outward sign of her inhuman blood laid bare for her elusive prize to behold. It felt freeing, not as relief, but a stimulus to go further.
Shinobu smiled at the sudden apparition. She’d never witnessed the full sleek glory of a tengu’s wings. Her heart beat rapidly, instincts signaling danger; the human fear of youkai long ago imbedded in their brains’ coding. This human now repurposed that fear into a thrill – the excitement of having a demon set upon her. She had tempted this, and she anticipated receiving her just desserts.
Sara’s hand moved to hold the side of Shinobu’s neck. Her lips looked delicious; she dove in. Their lips met with a spark, a fuse that set them into a frenzy. Sara knew, she could feel it in her skin, there was no going back as her mind fell back against a wave of lustful tension finally set free. Kiss upon kiss, growing fiercer. The sensation of flesh at her mouth triggered hitherto unknown instincts in the savage blur of Sara’s mind. Between kisses, she bit at Shinobu’s lips, provoking cute moans and heated breaths that tingled her mouth. Their lips grew wet as the tengu pushed forward with her tongue.
At the thrust of Sara’s hips, Shinobu was pushed up onto the desk, her legs spread. Dark-feathered wings closed in, enveloping her in shadow. It was hard to breath, and Sara’s body continued to grind against her. Shinobu’s strength began to wane against the general’s sweet onslaught and the blissful realization of impatient desires. She grasped Sara’s garments in a feeble attempt to stay upright, but a zealous rush finally shoved her on her back, splayed out on the desk. She laid, panting and red, a trail of saliva running down her cheek. For the moment, she could catch her breath, but she had to be sure Sara wouldn’t let up. It was electrifying, and it wasn’t enough.
Sara stood between Shinobu’s open legs, hands tightening around her supple thighs. She felt the rush of her blood tossing her thoughts beyond reach and filling her with vigor.
Through gasps of air, Shinobu managed to speak, “You’ve been pretty pent up, huh.”
“I want you, Shinobu.”
“Then just fuck me alread- Ah!”
Shinobu yelped as Sara swiftly turned her over onto her stomach. Her legs dangled off the desk helplessly, her butt stuck out over the edge of the surface. A single large hand pressed firmly against her back, holding her in place as she heard clothing hit the floor behind her.
Sara brought her hands to Shinobu’s hips. She grasped Shinobu’s shorts and roughly pulled them down. She ran her long, rough fingers over the newly exposed skin, halting with a firm grab at Shinobu’s supple butt. She could see the flush of Shinobu’s skin and her body rising and falling with heavy breaths – infectious excitement. Too exciting; Sara unintentionally let out a faint Electro energy, lightly shocking her partner’s skin. Shinobu flinched in response, and Sara quickly wrested control of the energy.
“No, keep going,” Shinobu directed.
Wordlessly, Sara reignited her Vision and channeled a small amount of Electro through her hands. She groped Shinobu’s rear once again, this time with a spark. Another flinch and sharp moan encouraged her. She felt a rush of excitement witnessing severe reactions of pleasure and pain to Sara’s mere touch. She continued, running her other hand across Shinobu’s side and back with a sharp tingling power. The electric massage caused Shinobu to arch her back, quivering and building a tingling in her heat.
Sara drank in her work. Shinobu felt so small beneath the tengu’s hands. This woman who provoked such resentment, only to flip it into lust, now laid vulnerable before her, cooing at her strokes. The inclination to subjugate, the capacity to love – what she wanted, what she had feared, was to exert the strength of her emotion… Raw, almost bestial, and now begging, demanding to be satisfied.
The tengu’s hips moved forward with a mind their own, her cock hard and twitching, her pussy pulsing with heat. She slipped between Shinobu’s wet lips as she leaned forward to press her body over the smaller woman’s back.
Sweet gasps of delight escaped Shinobu’s mouth, her pussy squeezing around each passionate thrust of Sara’s dick. The general teased out her voice even more, biting and sucking hard against her neck and back, generating small shocks here and there. She wanted to leave her mark, to stake claim to her spoils – primal, brutish, but liberating.
“Sara… Ahn~ Harder!” the deputy cried.
The command brought Sara to a fever pitch. Faster, harder, deeper, she plunged herself in, eliciting ecstatic cries from her partner. The force began to shove Shinobu further up onto the desk. In her hazy state, the general could only think to hold her down, so she arose and gripped her hand around the back of Shinobu’s neck. Shinobu tightened in response, her legs clasping together and shaking.
“You like that?”
“Ah~ Fuck yes!” Shinobu breathed.
“Good.” Sara tightened her grip to Shinobu’s screams and spasms, indulging in the opportunity to release more of her strength. It was invigorating to do away with poise and civility in the name of blunt physical domination. She loved it. She loved that Shinobu loved it. God, she really loved this woman. Their carnal intimacy was insufficient – the very same raw passion that led her to dominate demanded expression routinely caged.
“Shinobu, I love you.”
Amidst tender shocks and constriction, while pounding her from behind, Sara spoke her love. Again, and again. Her dearest responded with huffs and cries in a voice Sara had never heard from her friend, beautiful to her ears. Her black wings tensed, their senses peaked, and Sara fell over Shinobu to embrace her small body tightly as she came. The lovers climaxed for what felt like an eternity in a burst of amorous relief.
Clarity washed over Kujou Sara in the aftermath. As she slowly stood, she was taken aback by how calm and refreshed she felt. She knew she had been stressed lately, but it was only now that she realized how long that tension had been sitting in her heart. Weeks, maybe months? But clarity also brought forth a reckoning with what had just transpired. Shinobu still laid upon the desk, her naked figure shifting with steady but audible breaths. Hickeys and bite marks adorned her neck and shoulders, and her butt was red and tender. Doubts began to infiltrate Sara’s mind. She had just professed her love for her friend, but was it really reciprocated? What if she misread the whole situation? What if Shinobu was just placating her? What if she had gone too far? Every word of confirmation Shinobu had spoken that night now litigated within Sara’s mind. Whatever meaning they carried in the moment seemed muddled.
One… Two… Three… Four… Five…
She had to at least do something about the present. Sara quickly set out the futon she kept in the office for late nights at work. Gently, she lifted Shinobu in her arms, eliciting a tired groan from the half-conscious woman. Sara slowly brought her to the futon, and as she knelt to place her down, Shinobu half-opened her eyes. The general had never feared Shinobu’s sharp gaze before, but now… If she looked at her with disapproval, with disgust, what would she do?
One… Two… Th-
Cradled in Sara’s arms, Shinobu put her hands upon the tengu’s broad shoulders and pulled her in for a soft kiss. From her lips, warmth spread throughout Sara’s body. Her doubts melted effortlessly; faster and more completely than any sense of order could accomplish. This is real.
“I love you too,” Shinobu whispered as she drew back, her breath brushing Sara’s cheek. The comfort of those words pulled a smile to the tengu’s face, warm and full-hearted – a final release that put her constant worries to shame.
Shinobu entreated her gently, “Come. Lay down,” her voice hushed and raspy. The general followed.
Once they laid together, Shinobu’s arms moved to embrace her as though it were the most natural thing. Sara was caressed with a sense of relaxation like she had never felt with another. Her words, her body, everything could be disarmed here. She reciprocated Shinobu’s embrace.
They basked together in the small hours of the night. Shinobu stroked the tengu’s silky feathers, which tenderly wrapped around her form.
Running her hands over Shinobu’s bare back, Sara felt the need to break their restful silence. “Are you okay?” she offered.
“More than okay,” Shinobu reaffirmed, “but I didn’t expect you to go that far our first time.”
“I… didn’t expect you to be so receptive.”
“Heh, are you kidding? I’ve been waiting for that for quite a while.”
Sara hesitated to ask the question implied, “…How long?”
Shinobu was silent for a moment, “…I thought we had been dating for weeks before I left.”
The revelation hit Sara with a tinge of regret. “Shinobu, I’m so sorry,” she said earnestly, “And I shouldn’t have lashed out at you. I really have been stupid.”
“Yes, you have.” She let the words set for a beat, but she wasn’t quite satisfied with leaving it at that, “But don’t guilt yourself too much. I kinda… hoped it would hurt you if I left.”
“It did.”
“Me too. I wished you would come after me.” Shinobu ran her fingers through her lover's feathers.
“I’m sorry, I couldn’t do that.”
“I know, you’re too tied down. It’s not good for you.”
“It’s the only way I know how to live.” Honest, but perhaps not the full truth.
“Let’s see how you feel after we’ve had some more quality time together.” She squeezed Sara’s waist, signaling to lighten the mood.
“Alright. But don’t think I’ll go joining your gang.”
“Believe me, that’d be a terrible idea,” Shinobu chuckled at the thought. Cute. “And don’t worry about them, I’ll keep those boys in check.”
Sara still wouldn’t bring herself to approve of Shinobu’s new company, but now that she was thinking clearly… Maybe there’s some benefit to this arrangement…
“I’ll be counting on you then. And if they give you any trouble…”
“Relax, they don’t mean any harm. And they have just as much reason to fear me as they do you.”
“Glad to hear it,” she kissed the top of Shinobu’s head as it laid upon her chest, “Oh, that reminds me… Your tattoos, are they new?”
“You would know if you’d taken my clothes off a bit sooner.”
…
Sara awoke before first light, five in the morning – a deep-seated rhythm. Shinobu still laid beside her, head resting by her arm. Five minutes. She had five minutes to admire her lover’s sleeping face in all its gentle charm. An eternity too short.
She pulled herself away a minute late, sitting up with the utmost caution to not disturb her sleeping beauty. But with the way Shinobu clung to her, failure was inevitable.
Shinobu stirred at her movement. “Sara,” she said groggily, “why are you… oh, is it five?”
“Five o’ five,” she stroked Shinobu’s messy hair, “Sorry to wake you, you can go back to sleep.”
“Ugh. What could you possibly have to do right now?” Shinobu groaned, rubbing her eyes.
“To start, I need to write up an incident report on a certain public disturbance last night.”
“What?” she was fully awake now, “You’re gonna write us up?”
“It’s procedure, deputy. You of all people should know the law.”
“Seems you’re not loosened up enough after last night,” Shinobu pulled Sara back down onto the futon and sat atop her hips, “How about you forget all that procedure and let us deal with this matter privately, general?”
“Oh? Is this bribery?” Sara said with a grin.
“Let’s call it an advanced payment on the fines.”
“I don’t have to accept that; I could just lock you up.”
“I bet you’d like that, but it feels like your dick has already agreed,” Shinobu shifted her hips and leaned close, “Be honest – you’ve been rearing to go again all night, haven’t you, Lord Tengu?”
Almighty Shogun, forgive me. “This better not become a habit.”
END