What happened in the bedroom, stayed in the bedroom, that had always been the rule. “Were you followed?” Naoya’s hiss broke the silence of the night and his cool, smooth hand wrapped around her wrist and pulled her in. Before his bedroom door slid closed, he’d already pushed her away from it, as if concealing her into the room’s depths would hide his shame of what they were going to do.
“Of course I wasn’t followed!” The bed caught her and he double checked that the windows and doors were locked and covered.
“We can never be too sure.”
“Don’t push me!” She hissed.
“Did you bring the stuff?”
“If we did this in my room, we wouldn’t have to worry about anyone following me or leaving the stuff behind.”
His hands went to his hips and he pouted, “That’s not what I asked you.”
“I don’t care. You’re not in charge of me and if you want me to do this for you, you’re going to straighten up. Now.”
Despite himself, the marionette strings she had over him, pulled his back rod straight. The only thing he could control was his mouth, twisting his pout into a scowl, “Why- I never- the gall-”
“On the bed.” She patted the bed beside her. Cheeks flaming, he crawled on to the bed and assumed his position on his back. His cheeks puffed out and he glared at the ceiling.
“Sorry for taking the last of your rice. And for trying to trip that servant. I think it’s funny but you don’t and I shouldn't have done it.” The confessions always happened this way. The moment before it happened. “Sorry I chased the ducks you were feeding and for saying it looked like you had split ends-”
“You said what?” She climbed on top of him and began pulling the contents from the bag.
The blood drained from his face. “I-I said it looked like it. Not that you had it! You know your ends are fine.”
“Fine?”
“Great!” He gulped, “You have great ends!”
She pulled string in between her fingers and began to twist it. “That’s what I thought.”
An angry twinge of his brows returned him to his former self. “Do you know how special you are to be in this place? Other people would be thankful that I’ve chosen them for this!”
“Chosen?” She gripped his face in between her fingers and his breath caught. “Before I met you, your pores were huge, your cuticles were a mess, and your brows were uneven.”
His face scrunched, but he swallowed his defiance.
“Now lay down and close your eyes.” She put one piece of thread into her mouth and almost began, but his hands grabbed the back of her legs and squeezed.
“Gently.” Naoya sat. “My face is delicate. And remember, I apologized? You have to be nice and gentle to me now.”
She rolled her eyes. “Just squeeze my legs if it hurts.”
His grip tightened on the back of her knees and she shook his shoulders. “I haven’t done anything yet! Stop being a baby and just lay there. Fix your face so your eyebrows aren’t crooked.” His face and hand relaxed, gently tracing the back of her legs, and she began to thread his eyebrows.
It wasn’t uncommon for (Y/N) to pop in and out of the clans as needed. Freelance afforded her the luxury to the Zenin compound tucked away on lush land under a blanket of birdsong. A visitor to enjoy their riches and partake in that sake Naobito wouldn’t reveal the source of. A fun vacation while she waited to see who would fight for her attention in business and pleasure next. Clinking jade kept time with Naoya leaning against the couch, legs spread open, and a sly grin slashed across his face.
A servant tucked on the other side of one door, the other opened to reveal the garden and allow a breeze, and a tea tray sat between them. Naoya played with the jade bracelet and shoved a tea cake into his mouth. “Not the best looking thing,” His eye flickered to her and she kept the challenge of his gaze. It was Naobito she’d come to see, but as he was currently disposed of, she’d have to make due with his annoying son. “I’ve seen much prettier playthings.”
It was an obvious truth that Naoya was the most mentally weak of Naobito’s children. Some arrogant child propped up by genetics and given the title of next in charge simply because he was born the right way. Easy to manipulate, scared of confrontation, and boring to speak to.
Since no one else could currently keep her checking account full, in the Zenin that was, this was an annoyance she’d have to come to terms with. Like accepting the fly buzzing around her face wasn’t going anywhere. “Such a shame. You seem the type to only want the most stunning. I brought it for your father. He doesn’t have an eye for beauty like you do.”
His grin widened, staring like a viper, “My father’s cheap and easy to please. I’m to be the next clanhead. Only the best should touch me.”
Pure professionalism kept the grimace from her face. Typical. His siblings were far more couth. “That’s why I’m so picky. You did a good job choosing the tea and location of our meeting.”
Naoya held the bracelet into the sunlight. “I have much more to offer. I’d share it with you, but I’m not sure you’d be able to handle it.”
She felt her cursed energy surge. She could take him right now. Beat that smirk off his face before the servant on the other side could intervene, if they would, but that would mean ruining Zenin relations. “Are you sure you could handle me?”
Red crept up his neck, he cleared his throat, and took a sip of tea. It leaked from the side of his mouth and dripped off his chin. Too easily shaken, his father would be disappointed.
A gentle knocking at the door broke Naoya’s demeanor and he glared at the door, “What?”
The door slid open and a small man bowed, “Masters Haruta and Minato have returned from their missions and are waiting for you in the main room, sir.”
Naoya scowled, “That was what was so important that you’d disturb me?” The teacup whizzed through the air, but her hand shot out and caught.
She smiled sweetly and gently placed his hand down. “Naoya, you don’t want to ruin that cup, do you? Surely you know how to communicate better than that.”
His face turned red and he snatched his hand away, muttering, “I’ll do as I please.”
“Have fun with your brothers. I’m here for the next few weeks, so we have time to catch up.” She rose and waited for him to do the same before waving him off. The servant bowed to let him pass and she followed suit. As long as she remained on his good side, there would be a way to get through this. “Has there been word of Master Naobito?” She asked the servant.
“None yet, madam.”
“I’ll be the first to tell you.” Naoya puffed out his chest when he walked. Even in his late twenties, he still looked like he did when he was a kid. All that was missing was his bloody nose from running into walls.
“I look forward to it.” His knees buckled at her batting lashes and he tilted his chin up.
“See to it that she’d taken care of until my return. Lunch in the garden. Move it inside if it’s too hot.” Naoya stormed deeper into the compound, to whatever mysterious meeting his brothers were holding, and the servant took her outside and into the garden.
On the opposite side of the compound was the training yard. Usually, the sound of bodies hitting each other and the ground mixed with the zap and whizz of techniques and weapons, but since it was about to be lunchtime, the area was quiet.
“My apologies, madam, food and drink will be brought to you. Please enjoy the garden in the meantime.”
“Don’t worry about it. Please take all the time you need. I know he told you last minute and the garden is so lovely that I’m perfectly comfortable here.”
The servant bowed and scurried back inside. She huffed a laugh and turned back into the garden. A willow wept over a small pond lined with dark rock and tall shoots, grass cushioned her under her, and a family of ducks billed through mud for snails, insects, and small fish.
“Ma’am?” A woman bowed from outside the tree. A plate of fruit and vegetables balanced in each of her hands while the man next to her carried a small table and chairs.
She quickly rose, “Thank you very much for the table and chairs, but I’m quite comfortable here. Whoever takes care of the ground has done a fantastic job. Please send them my compliments. Let me help you with those.” Before the servant could reply, she took the plates and set them along the grass.
The picnic was steamed dumplings, fruit, vegetables, a pitcher of cold tea, sweet cakes covered in honey and powdered sugar, rice, and meat. Naoya hadn’t returned and since the meat shouldn’t be wasted, she ate alone. When she was full and sleepy, she leaned against the tree and tossed peas at the ducks, but they wouldn’t approach her.
“Come on, ducks.” She hissed, “Let me pet you! I’ll give you cake. Can you have meat?” The green faced mallard quacked defiantly at her and she scowled. “Don’t you know who I am? People pay me to hang out with them! I’m petting you for free! Just-” The brown duck and her babies swam quickly away from her and to the other side of the pond. She crossed her arms and hit the tree with her back.
There was no point losing her wonderful mood after such a great lunch to this, a nap would be a better use of her time, and why did she care if these ducks didn’t like her? She could buy a better duck or have Naoya run on the water and catch one for her so she could pet it. He could run on water, right? There was no doubt he’d listen to what she said, but could he run on water? Or would he have a servant do it? It wouldn’t be as fun if a servant did it.
A lumbering shadow emerged from the other side of the pond and took form of a giant. He stood far taller than any man she’d ever met and twice their size. Long hair flowed down his back and a contemplative expressive painted his furry face. A scar in the shape of an “X” marked his forehead.
He wore training clothes. A fighter for the Hei? The ducks swam to the water in front of him, chirping and flaring their wings. They were scared of him and it made sense. He was a monster of a man who could crush with a fist. Like the one he tucked into his robe.
She leapt to her feet, a yell stuck in her throat to stop him, but he pulled out a brown pouch, deposited its contents into his hand then threw them into the water. Soybeans.
The ducks didn’t like peas. They enjoyed soybeans. They ate ravenously and the green mallard padded to the shore with his hungry children and ate at the man’s feet. Rage swelled in her chest as he bent over and pet, not only the mallard, but the mother and ducklings! When their meal concluded, they attempted to follow him back inside, but he scooped the babies and tenderly returned them into the water. Then, he went back inside.
She stabbed into the honey cake and glared at the door. If that man could do it, then she could too. When the sun began to descend from its peak, servants checked on her and began taking away the food. A man bowed, “Is there anything you need, madam?”
“The lunch was lovely, thank you so much for caring for me. The Zenin truly are a testament to sorcery. I do have a question. There was a man here with an X shaped scar. He looked like he was really interesting, can you tell me about him?”
Here’s what would (probably) happen if these dorks volunteered at a cat shelter. XD
This was originally going to be like a 2-panel doodle for @adrinettemonth, but I decided to take it a bit further, so I didn’t get to post it on the original day as planned. Oh well!
I don’t know if this has been done before, but it was very fun to draw regardless! XD
