I'm feeing pretty good right now.
Tamamo is by my side, hugged close by an arm around her waist as she does the same with three tails pressing me into her. Three fluffy tails, very warm.
Sukuna sits to my other side, perpendicular, looking down at us as if we are doing something disgusting.
Welcome to the world of being the third wheel, I think but do not say, because this asshole will definitely ruin the moment if I do.
It's just nice. It could be better though. I know it's human nature to never be satisfied with what we have, but being here with two of my favourite people just leaves me wondering how wonderful it would feel if all of my favourite people were here together.
Just imagine it, a big meal being shared over a big table. Not just Tamamo and Sukuna, but Kamo-Sensei too and Nagiko and Tengen and Ashiya. Tayū, Takiyasha, Yoshiie, Sabishī, Gojo—or Isanko is his personal name now. Setsura and Kazuro and little Reiti. Even that snow hag can come.
I'd have liked to include Suzaku in this hypothetical, but that's obviously not an option, for similar reasons as Amaterasu and Inari and Izanami probably wouldn't come. My old man could though, as well as Shōshi-sama and her handmaidens. Not to mention all the little friendships I've made on my travels during missions.
The point is that I know quite a few people and there can never be too many friends around me.
However, even if more makes merrier, I'm still incredibly happy with who I already have. So after enjoying another sip of this really good saké, I give Tamamo a squeeze and move the conversation forward.
"So what have you been up to?" I ask, and I find it a little bit funny how I know Sukuna is paying attention despite his disaffected air. I know it's just because he knows Tamamo is strong and is curious as a result of that alone, but still, it's nice.
"So much," Tamamo answers with a sigh while leaning against me as if physically offloading a weight onto my own shoulders. "I am ostensibly the leader of half of all affiliated Yōkai now, it is far more work than I originally anticipated."
Eh? Isn't that like super impressive? I don't know how many Yōkai there are though.
"How'd you manage that?" I begin in curiosity, before changing my expression to a teasing smirk with a matching tilt to my voice. "Have you been a Princess this whole time, Tamahime~?"
Apparently that was the wrong thing to say, or perhaps the very right thing to say as Tamamo's expression near immediately turns—frankly, a little bit obscene as she leans closer and whispers with a damn purr straight into my ear,
"Call me Hime again~."
It appears that I have found a weakness, except it is a weakness that puts me in danger.
Yet, in response to her sultry whisper, all I can do is shiver and then glare at Sukuna.
Fuckin' third wheel bastard.
I am making the executive decision here and now to not invite other people to come with me when I visit Tamamo ever again.
Though... I get the feeling that Tamamo wouldn't really feel shy about having an audience, which doesn't actually surprise me too much with what she's told me about Kitsune.
I'd rather not have sex in front of Sukuna though, that sounds like a dangerous idea. Cutting my arms off is one thing, I wouldn't want him getting any ideas.
So instead of 'fighting back' against Tamamo, I take the path of valiant retreat instead and cough very convincingly.
"Leading half of all Yōkai huh?" Tamamo titters at the deflection and Sukuna's mocking look shall be punished in the future via good natured pranks and possibly unconvincing lies to Kamo-Sensei. "That already sounds like it'd be a lot of work, did you underestimate it or is there just a lot going on right now cuz've the change in leadership?"
Tamamo accept the conversation change with an easy nod, likely only because of Sukuna's presence else I'd have probably had to have run away in order to avoid snu snu, which I obviously would not have done.
Damn Sukuna. Traitor.
"Yes and no," she responds with a soft tilt of her head both ways. "Being a leader among Yōkai is likely not so effortful as you expect; us Yōkai are rather self sufficient, or self governing in the case of the varying Clans."
More like an Emperor than a King, I assume. Or maybe like that Chinese tributary system, probably. I don't actually know how that system worked so I probably shouldn't be guessing. Point being that it's more of a 'rule but do not govern' type of thing.
"I had still expected some degree of work in taking over," Tamamo continues, once again getting comfortable against my side, which is great because her tails are incredibly warm wrapped around me. I feel like a burrito, it's awesome. "The previous leader, Hagoromo Gitsune, made a habit of saying that I was her student, so there were few who would protest me in the first place."
I remember her being a self-proclaimed teacher, but I didn't know this Hagoromo lady was so important politically speaking. Does this mean that Seimei-kun is a Prince? I wonder how he's doing. I feel like whatever path he chose, it is going to be important somehow.
See how I don't go around calling myself a Diviner just because of a hunch?
"The only issues are that there is one man who is quite strong, and his existence alone, not yet acknowledging me, is enough to cause a few holdouts and weaken my position somewhat. There is also another man who has a similar claim to this seat as I do who has decided to try and rise. Depending on how successful he is, I may wind up with only three quarters of my faction actually submitting to me, and he'd likely be taking the stronger and more militant Yōkai with him."
I squeeze her hip a little bit as I hear the touch of tiredness behind her placid tone. I don't think she's anywhere near the point of exhaustion thankfully, just the usual tiredness of having to work hard. Still, what kind of a man would I be if I didn't offer to share the burden anyway?
"Do you want any help? Even just with the minor stuff?"
"You would?" She asks, looking up at me with faux-vulnerable eyes. I know there's no way she doesn't already know the answer to that, which can only mean that she wants to hear me say it anyway. So I do.
"I would do anything that you asked of me."
A long moment passes between our eyes, and even with her expression distracting so much of my attention, I can't help but think with amusement on how I am beginning to have a suspicion about the sort of play that Tamamo enjoys.
A loud slurping sound interrupts the moment, and we both turn to face Sukuna with matching grins as he stares back with a flat expression, saké cup held up to his lips.
"Jealous~?" I tease with a smirk that is naturally matched by Tamamo.
"Of Kamo, for once," he shoots back, getting a laugh from me. It's extra funny because of how true it is; I know how he Hates seeing displays of affection.
Tamamo chuckles lightly before turning her attention back to me and shaking her head gently. "The thought is appreciated, Dear, but these matters are not something that you can help me with. This is something that I need to handle myself, else it would be meaningless."
I give her a quick smile and plant a gentle kiss on the top of her head.
"Okay."
And that is that.
I'm aware that—at least in my previous life there'd have been some level of societal expectation to insist or double check or something. But Tamamo is strong, she is also mature which is probably more important. I trust her, so if she doesn't want my help then that is that.
Tamamo isn't someone who needs to be smothered. I just need to be around during the peaceful nights and whenever she needs me, but that's true of any relationship so eh.
The silence that stretches is a comfortable one, but not a long one.
"Though," Tamamo continues, her tone thoughtful, "I feel I should ask, how close are you with Abe no Seimei exactly?"
I tilt my head slightly, an act that shifts Tamamo's smile slightly in turn. "We're not really close, I suppose, though I think I owe him one. Why? Is he the one you mentioned as having an equal claim to your seat?"
That seems like the only reason she'd bring him up, what with Seimei being Hagoromo's son and all. I probably don't actually owe the man—I've heard that he was the reason I got to enjoy being ganged up on by the Onmyōji students, but that was probably him evening the score.
I, however, believe in the concept of infinite favours. I do something nice for you, you owe me something nice, thus making me owe you something nice and so on and so on for eternity. It's a much better way to live than actually squaring debts out in my opinion, since it's basically just another friendship with extra steps.
"Indeed he is," Tamamo confirms with an easy nod. "Abe-kun already has the loyalty of Kidōmaru-san and Kyōkotsu-san, both of whom are both powerful, influential and evidently more loyal to Hagoromo's blood than her words."
I enjoy another sip of saké as I understand the implication of her earlier question.
"Are you going to kill him?"
"I will not if you do not wish me to," she answers, meeting my placid tone with her own. I don't really like that answer though, even if I do find it flattering.
"My preference will always be for you to act as you and you alone wish to act. I'd rather he live, but if killing him was your choice then I would rather he die."
Sukuna snorts, adding to the conversation only a snide comment of, "How cold-hearted."
I shrug. "For a man who chooses to live by lofty ideals there is no greater honour than dying to uphold those ideals. Seimei-kun seems to me to be someone with ambitious eyes, it would be more insulting to him to treat him with a half-hearted effort. Conviction should be matched by conviction."
It's a little bit wild to me how genuinely and truly I believe these words. In my last life in the twenty-first century, I couldn't have so much as fathomed the concept of showing someone respect by allowing them to die, or even by killing them myself.
There were plenty of activists and the like that I'm sure said things to the effect of how they'd die for their cause, whatever that cause may be. But somehow I don't think they really meant it, not like the people of this time and place do. Shooting an activist in the head would only have been a horrific crime or abuse of power, yet I have met Curse Users—only a couple, I can admit—who have refused to change their ways even when I stood in front of them.
If I had hated those man, I would have spared them. Imprisoned them. Refusing them the chance to die by those same ideals that they lived by would have been the greatest insult I could levy upon them, yet in my previous life, the opposite would have been true.
It really makes me wonder what exactly changed between then and now.
"I do not intend to seek his death," Tamamo mentions, pulling me from my derailing thoughts. "It could even be considered a slight boon to have the more radical members of my faction pulled away, as such would allow me greater impunity to mould my faction as I wish. A fresh start, if you will. However, should he overreach or become a true obstacle, then I will indeed kill him. If you would like, I could inform you should such a situation arise, allowing you a chance to play mediator?"
"Tamamo," I chuckle the word out before kissing her on the nose, making her placid expression twist into a slight smile. "I appreciate your consideration, but if it gets to that point then I doubt there is anything meaningful that I could say to change things. That being said, in the spirit of compromises, if Seimei-kun taking too many people with him is an issue, would that issue be solved if your faction were to have an influx of membership? 'Cuz I happen to be buddy-buddy with a clan of Yuki-onna and a clan of Kappa; I could put in a good word for you?"
Tamamo appears to mull my words over for a moment, tilting her head this way and that in thought. She knows about Kazuro and Setsura, both of whom are pretty strong in their own right. Maybe not quite as strong as the dude Tamamo was with before we arrived, but I feel like they have the potential to surpass him. Kazuro and little Reiti certainly do at least.
"That would indeed be helpful," Tamamo eventually decides. "Assuming that your only influence is convincing them to listen to me. Should two new clans join my faction purely for your sake and not because I myself have convinced them, then it would only cause greater instability. Unless..."
"Unless?" I prompt with a helpless smile at the suggestive tone and smirk of hers.
She grins and winks shamelessly at me, pulling me even closer with her tails.
"Unless~," she repeats, teasing, "We were to wed. By then, loyalty to you would become loyalty to me as loyalty to me becomes loyalty to you, thus making the issue moot~."
I can't help but chuckle at that, shaking my head with fond amusement. I sure do seem to get propositioned a lot. I'm not really the same person anymore though, so the instinctual response that I feel is a little bit different this time.
"Sure." I return her grin with a matching one of my own, leaning down to peck her on the lips. "Let's get married."
Tamamo blinks, her expression faltering as surprise takes its place. "You mean it?"
"Would I joke about this?" I do get why she would ask. I've been so hesitant about this stuff before now. I can't really see why anymore, 'cuz fuck it, I Love her so why not? "No take backs~."
Tamamo stares into my eyes for a long moment, her own eyes slowly widening as she processes. Until at some point her expression flips entirely, jubilant glee lighting up her features as brightly as the stars as a girlish squeal of excitement leaves her throat and she tackle hugs me to the ground.
I can feel her joy, how happy these simple words have made her. That alone solidifies my decision more than anything else. I don't think I've ever felt anyone else feel this happy before; how could I not want to do anything that brings her so much joy?
It's infectious, her joy, and when she pulls away just enough to meet my eyes, I can only laugh as I see actual, literal hearts in her eyes. The imagery fades as Tamamo joins me in laughter, giggling enough to lose focus on the illusion before she begins just peppering my entire face with kisses.
Tamamo only pauses her kisses to breathlessly whisper a single sentence, and it remains music to my ears no matter how many times I hear it.
"I love you, Narauko."
Leaning up, I kiss her back and reply just as softly, "I know."
She giggles again at that before diving back into me, tightening our embrace while my own happiness starts to grow as I also begin to comprehend what I just impulsively agreed to.
Maybe in another context my response would have been some cheesy, corny thing to say, but here? Now?
'I love you too' would be the usual response, but my Love isn't in question anymore. What matters instead is to validate her own feelings, to make sure that there can be no misunderstanding that these feelings are mutual.
I Love Tamamo, and Tamamo Loves me.
I'm really going to get to marry her? I find myself growing a little bit shy thinking that, and that only makes me happier. Even if it is a bit embarrassing to be blushing, but sue me, I'm getting married~.
Tamamo pushes herself up again, just enough to look me in the eyes, and I feel my breath be taken away by the sight of her.
"You really are so beautiful," I whisper without thought.
Her smile widens, somehow, and she pecks my lips one more time before whispering some truly dangerous words.
"You should send your friend on his way." Her words cause me to glance behind her where Sukuna sits, staring straight back at me with a flat expression before rolling his eyes so hard I'm surprised they don't fall out of his head. I just smirk back at him with a wink. "We have consummation to do. No take backs~."
"Le gulp." Kami-fuck-damnit why did I say that?
Tamamo titters as I glare at her while ignoring the heat on my cheeks.
IT'S NOT MY FAULT SHE'S SO DAMN BEAUTIFUL!!!
I don't even want to know Sukuna's reaction to that, so instead I simply close my eyes and focus on my Shadow, connecting it to Kamo-Sensei's at speeds never before seen.
My eyes open to the sight of a door of darkness growing on the wall behind Sukuna, who walks through it without needing to be asked, leaving only a mocking smirk for me as he does.
In any other scenario, I'd have worried about him ruining the moment for fun, but ruining this specific moment could potentially diminish his Curse on me—which would defeat the point of why I brought him here in the first place. So I wasn't worried that he wouldn't go along with things and just leave.
That said, I'm sure that he's going to pull some shit later to get back at me for showing him happiness. What an asshole, right?
"Stop thinking about him," Tamamo's voice cuts in, commanding as she physically holds my chin and forces me to face her, as if I would want to look anywhere else in the first place. "Right now, you are only allowed to think about me, Husband~."
That is not a difficult task.
"The world could end around us and I would die knowing every detail of your eyes, Wife."
Her lips are warm against my own in the next moment, my hands seeking out hers and entwining together, as if any amount of physical connection could ever fully express the Love that we share.
After that, well...
I'm not telling you what I do with my wife-to-be.
///
Ki no Tokibumi
///
Within the Imperial Palace—now freshly rebuilt after the recent disaster—there lies a suite known as the Pear Chamber for the artfully placed quintet of pear trees that decorate its garden.
The eponymous chamber itself sits at the edge of said garden, one wall removed entirely to allow for a clear view without obstruction while the inside is sparsely decorated by tastefully chosen works of art and recorded poems.
However, this is not where Tokibumi finds himself today.
Instead, he finds himself in the much lesser known chamber, this one hidden away deep inside of a mountain nearby to the capital.
This chamber is far larger, it's ceiling scraping well above his head to the point a normal person wouldn't even be able to touch it with a thrown stone. The same applies to the rest of the chamber's dimensions.
The chamber itself is set up somewhat akin to a throne room. One half is raised by a man's height above the other, separated by a set of stairs. At the upper half, five wooden pillars rise all the way to the ceiling, each with a throne carved out of them at their base to look down on the lower half.
The lighting is dim, only small candle fires hanging from stalactites and around the edges of the room to brighten it, leaving much shadowed in darkness. Especially the thrones themselves, which are only lit from behind such that any petitioner would only see silhouettes from below.
Personally, he's always found it to be a bit much. But there is a Ritual to it all, so the extravagance is warranted.
Besides, the people who sit in these chairs are pretty important, so it's not too out of place. Of course, he himself is now one of those important people, having inherited his seat fairly recently.
So now he has to spend his evening here, welcoming the latest Sorcerer to join this cabal of theirs.
And of course it's a woman who's insulted him in at least half of their few conversations.
Kiyohara no Nagiko kneels at the base of the stairs, though only on one knee. Tokibumi doubts they could get her to kowtow if they tried. She looks different with burn scars covering so much of her body.
The chamber's candlelight flickers, exactly forty-nine fires dancing in tune to an unseen breeze that sings like Death itself.
The Five Men of the Pear Chamber isn't just a political bloc after all. Not that anyone could know that. Tokibumi kind of wishes it was just a political bloc. That'd be less work for him.
But no, there is a greater secret to their collusion. Being the representatives for the middle powers against the Major Clans and the Imperial Family is something that just sort of happened along the way.
It was about a hundred years ago if he's remembering right. No one even knew the Chamber existed in any capacity before then, not even the Emperor himself.
The secret of this Chamber is quite the significant one; a secret protected by multiple Binding Vows to ensure that it remains secret.
They wouldn't want the Emperor crying treason, after all. For the Pear Chamber does not serve the Imperial Family.
No, the Pear Chamber serves a much higher purpose; they serve Izanami-Ōkami herself. That is their secret.
Five mortal agents to do the work of her Shinigami up here in the Realm of the living where they are forbidden to tread.
Not every Spirit is Vengeful in the end. Someone has to send those who refuse to pass on their way before the wrongness of their existence after death turns them into Vengeful Spirits.
Tokibumi is sure that that old line-counter would die of shock if he ever learned just how expansive a network this Chamber possesses. If the means at their disposal were used for anything other than their Sacred Duties, then a lot of important people would become very uncomfortable very quickly.
Luckily, they are apolitical, so it isn't an issue.
"—and we bid you welcome to your seat at this Chamber, Captain of the Living Division, Kiyohara no Nagiko of the South."
Tokibumi blinks into awareness at the words of Minamoto no Shitagō, their nominal leader, though the position is mostly academic. It's also rather amusing for the Division Commander of this group to be a Minamoto of all people. If Shitagō wasn't already beyond doubt, then he'd have found it to be laughably blatant.
It's over, huh? Tokibumi thinks to himself, realising that he totally zoned out all the formalities. It was only the old Minamoto using the Division's true name that snapped him back to attention.
Nagiko rises from her knee without a word and strides up the stairs as if they belong to her. Tokibumi still has mixed feelings about her.
On the one hand, it'd be nice to not be the only Captain in this Division that isn't an old bag of bones. But on the other hand, he kind of liked Motosuke and is saddened to see him gone, especially when his daughter is kind of a bitch.
Still, he'll try and get along with her. There's no harm in that. If she turns out to still be a bitch, then whatever, he'll just go back to being the lonely Captain of the North and leave her be.
Honestly, Tokibumi just wants to do his duties in peace and leave it at that. It's annoying enough that he has to do the work of a Jujutsu Sorcerer on top of his actual duties.
At the very least, Izanami-sama is a rather 'hands off' kind of boss. She actually speaks to them so rarely that he doubts her silence will break anytime in his lifetime, a fact that he is grateful for.
As much as he may worship her, Tokibumi knows that her attention never means anything good.
Their entire job is to ensure that she has no reason to turn her gaze upwards after all.
///
A/N: He~llo! Dear readers!
Another short chapter :/
Yatta!! Marriage!!
That celebration was false, I am not happy. That shit really came out of nowhere lmao, I legit even tried to rewrite it like 3 times but Tamamo likes to tease too much and Narauko doesn't know how to hesitate anymore.
fukin lovebids...
and seriously, what's with these two assholes!!?!??! First Sukuna with the last fuking chapter and now Narauko?!?! Fuking assholes are too fucking goddamn egotistical lmao. Their characters are so fucking strong that I legit can't imagine them doing anything but what they wind up doing without it feeling disingenuous or ooc. the fuck is the point in me trying to plan out plot points if these cunts just fucking spit in my face and do what they want. is this how dnd dms feel when they make a big set of quests or whatever and the party just spends all day dicking around in a cave?
So yeah, that's happening now apparently. And narauko officially broke the 4th wall lmao, only after breaking every other wall in tamamo's house lol
to the other part, I'm not too happy with how that came out either. I'm lowkey burning out a bit, plus just generally tired all day every day. I was gonna go into more detail on all the ritual vows and shit, a real fancy and solemn back and forth, but I lit just can't think of anything.
But yeah, it wasn't written as well as I wanted it to be, but the information I wanted to portray got portrayed, so that's good enough I guess.