claws brush back against his cheek, that which falls into her palm so willingly. he was a dope, endlessly falling head over heels regarding anything shinobu did. thumb strokes slow under his eye, kneads a soft heart against his cheekbone as itto pours himself closer to mold against kuki’s form, something she welcomes with a curl of forearms around his head that comes to lean upon her toned stomach. what a sap, her heart sings, knowing full well how his honest intentions gave her goosebumps with every meeting of their skin. fingers move to comb through his bangs, brush over forehead and carefully trace around horns as they sweep by.
“ happy birthday, ” murmurs under breath, mask hiding the god-forsaking smile that rots with sweet sin for her candied oni, layered with sugary years of innocence and practiced altruism. lips splice into a light-hearted chuckle as the feeling of his smile splitting as kisses reflect on her abdomen, something that makes her scruff his hair and matt it down with a ruffle. “ hey, i haven’t even given you your gift yet ; calm down with the affections. ” even then the kisses double down, easing knees up to cradle his head as she spools around him, folding over to bend in and bump her forehead to his shoulder while he buries into her physique.
warmth spills out in fluttering fluster, relenting only when itto parts to find her face and reaches for it. shinobu reciprocates by hooking a finger to her mask to pull such down and flow forward to connect their river of electric love in a long, passionate liplock. the soft presses and rolls of kissing waves send chills down to the depths of the koji, hands slowly crawling up his chest to curve and tenderly push at his collar once she’s certain she can separate for a brief spell of oxygen. drawn out breath rag on the air, hot and flushed, her expression bewildered and lost in a fog of smitten admiration, her only saving grace her fingers coming up to hook his cheek and flick his nose in deterrence.
“ enough ! i cannot give you your gift if you keep spoiling me. ” careful not to drop him, kuki rolls her legs out from under arataki, his mate rising from their spot in the field grass so that she can fetch his surprise. back around a rock pile she ducks, her only visible features being that of her wild hair and jacket back, her height rising with a few items in tow. as she returns to his side, shinobu sits onto a folded leg, the first of many gifts set onto her lap. inside of a small bamboo crate sits a decorated onikabuto, nibbling on a few slices of lavender melon. “ i. . . i wanted to invest in your favorite pastimes, so i’d like you to meet ‘ devoted demon hustler ‘ . i had him examined by a few experts, and from what they say, he is a fine specimen for your. . . ahem. games. ”
cage is set upon itto’s lap as shinobu plucks the next of his gifts into her hands. “ next, i had a friend from mondstadt ship this out just for your blessed occasion, so keep in mind this was difficult to get my hands on. ” over a small parcel is passed, its contents CANDIED APPLES, well preserved and wrapped individually for him to sample. next to come is a bracelet shinobu comes to remove from her own wrist, one matching upon her opposing wrist. “ these in specific are made from the pearls of watatsumi, each engraved with a letter regarding our species. mine reads koji, as your will read oni. . . -- if you choose to wear it. i figured that after all this time, since you have been by my side for so long, i should. . . well. i should once again embrace my koji-hood. ”
as kuki offers out his accessory with embarrassment teasing free hand along the back of her neck, eyes dart away from his gaze with a shrimpish smile that tugs like fishhooks at her lips. is she proud of herself? or is it just how enchanted she is by her mate? either way, once he takes it from her, she awkwardly folds her face into her hands with a timid laugh and shudder over how she had even come to terms with such out loud. were these gifts worth his time? only itto knew. but no matter the measurement of his gratitude, shinobu would never let herself get over the lengths she went for this extravagant birthday surprise.
