#yoketsu

his hobbies alone proved to provide a contrast to the type of money they came from. eru’s stringent upbringing followed a strict adherence to old-time traditions. her family’s customs and practices were very old-fashioned, timeworn, antiquated-- her affluence paled in comparison to his. while hers was subdued and conservative -- his was modern, sleek, up-to-date, ever changing and adapting to the world around them. but that wasn’t to say the seo family wasn’t old money-- they absolutely were. she was well acquainted with the fact that his clan’s origins in 1920 and their notable contribution to reigniting japan’s floundering economy after the events of wwi. 

his family adapted accordingly. hers remained stagnant. 

she gathered enough information about him to gain valuable insight that she was out of her depth here: he attended the most prestigious schools designed for individuals who could change the world-- 

no. not that they could. they would. they had the means to do so. that’s why his family became what they are today. their influence, their significance, their impact on modern society all because of what they were able to accomplish back then… so much of how things are now can be traced back and attributed to what they were able to do. what could her family possibly do if they stubbornly stayed in ther old ways?

and yet, her optimism prevails. her smile perseveres despite deep-seated feelings of inadequacy… embarrassment over not having any kind of familiarity with his hobbies and interests. but she doesn’t feel resentment, no, not at all. her constrained rearing and outworn observances wasn’t his fault. though sheltered, it was an indisputable fact that she was a well brought up young lady capable of wielding considerable influence over a city responsibly. 

his subtly positive reception to her indecorous display of love for beetles cause her eyebrows to lift in surprise, lips parting just slightly to expel a quiet, stunned gasp. her astonishment tarries for several beats, before a hand comes to clasp over her agape mouth. why didn’t he chastise her for mentioning bugs during dinner?

        she swiftly ( but without lacking in grace ) places a morsel of one of their appetizers into her mouth to try to draw attention away from her searing - hot complexion. once she feels the heat on her cheeks begin to quell, she swallows quietly, tucking a few loose strands of hair behind her ear. 

        “ you’re quite amazing, sir. forgive me for having trouble speaking to you a bit more...  intimately... i’m thankful you’re being so kind to me despite my inexperience. all those hobbies you mentioned ... if you’ll have me even just as a friend, i hope we can partake in each other’s interests together ! i’ll gladly take on anything you have for me. ”

        she never tore her eyes away for any longer than a moment or two during this entire exchange. 

The feeling of a cool, gentle breeze causes her eyes to flutter open, met instantly with a starry night sky. When did she end up outside? The last thing she remembered was falling asleep next to her lover...she didn’t end up sleep walking did she?

Ah...no...this feeling is familiar.

And seeing as how the clothing on her body was not, she was now certain this was a dream. There was no possible way for her to have changed into an entire kimono somehow...and as she takes a moment to finally look around she realizes that this isn’t in America, either. East, most likely Japan given her attire.

She hears a twinkling in her ear, like a starry crystalline windchime, and walks along the dirt path passing fields of rice to attempt to figure out whose dream she’s in and why. She didn’t want to just assume it was his, for it was impossible to narrow down an endless possibility of options.

But it truly was a beautiful night. The wind, the trees, the moon, illuminating decorative and simple houses alike. It was quiet and peaceful, somewhere she could honestly get used to after dealing with the loud and bustling noise of the city for most of her life. She wonders if this is what her life will be like at some point, daydream (nightdream? dreamdream?) interrupted by a particularly strong gust that makes her try to shield herself with her sleeves.

And it’s then that she sees him....a man standing in the middle of the road looking up at the stars. The moment she sees him there’s a strange pull, bringing her instantly closer to him without hesitation. She keeps walking until she’s right beside him, turning to get a good look at his face. Whoever this man was...she had a strange desire to stay by his side.

「✿」 varina  stumbled  through  the  doors  of  the  hotel,  heart  racing  rapidly  as  she  hurried  towards  the  elevator.  heels  clicked  across  the  floor  as  fervent  thoughts  begged  those  eyes  around  her  to  not  notice  the  dark  red  stains  clinging  to  the  tights  above  them.  a  thick,  white  fur  coat  draped  around  her  shoulders  covered  the  worst  of  the  viscera,  her  arms  held  tight  to  her  torso  as  to  not  draw  attention.  of  course  she  would  stick  out  here  like  a  sore  thumb...  she  pressed  the  elevator  button  in  sequence,  all  but  running  inside  when  the  door  opened  before  her. 

she  slumped  against  the  back  wall,  giving  herself  a  moment  to  breathe  as  she  felt  the  elevator  jolt  to  attention.  she  should  have  known  better  than  this.  she  was  smarter  than  this.  why  oh  why  did  she  ever  leave  home?  she  only  strayed  from  the  path  for  a  second...  she  could  still  see  it  vividly  in  her  mind.  the  man  lying  in  the  alley.  she  assumed  a  robbery  gone  wrong,  his  wallet  laying  besides  him  emptied  sadly  of  all  of  it’s  contents.  the  knife  still  embedded  in  his  chest,  the  sweet  smell  of  blood...  and  then  the  MONSTER  inside  of  her  coming  to  the  surface. 

‘  i  found  him  like  that,  i  tried  to  help.  i  found  him  like  that,  i  tried  to  help.  ’  she  repeated  the  words  over  and  over  under  her  breath  like  a  mantra.  it  honestly  wasn’t  a  lie,  she  hadn’t  been  the  one  to  kill  him.  but  no  one  would  believe  her  after  what  she  did  to  the  body.  as  soon  as  the  doors  opened  she  flung  herself  into  the  hallway,  rushing  into  her  room  and  closing  the  door  behind  her.  she  scanned  the  room  with  wide  eyes.  no  one  here.  only  her  closest  maid  had  joined  her  on  this  trip,  and  of  course  when  she  would  need  her  the  most...  varina   didn’t  hesitate,  grabbing  the  clothes  from  her  closet  and  throwing  them  into  her  bag.  she  would  have  to  give  her  a  call  to  explain...  

she  tore  out  of  the  hotel  room,  encountering  a  sudden  obstacle  as  she  ran  face  first  into  somebody’s  chest.  pain  thudded  through  her  head  and  panic  at  someone  seeing  her  in  the  state  she  was  in.

‘  s-so  sorry,  i’m  in  a  rush...  ’  her  bag  hadn’t  been properly  secured,  spilling  the  contents  haphazardly  across  the  hallway.  she  struggled  to  sit  up,  the  adrenaline  making  it  hard  to concentrate.  this  was  beyond  bad.

                                                         「  @yoketsu​ ❣‘d 」

/cue evil laughter.

Smooches!! || @yoketsu

Five months.

It felt so surreal to know he had been gone for that long, to know that not a day went by where she wasn’t thinking of him. How many times had she reread their text messages? How many times had she thought about their first ‘not really’ date? How many times had she replayed the first night she spent with him in her head? How desperately had she continued to keep those memories of their time together so vivid in her mind?

Five months.

It was such a long time for her. So long that there were more than a few times where she thought he’d never come back. She kept hoping, and hoping, and hoping....but as more time kept passing the more she felt her prayers were falling on deaf ears. The more time that went by the more her hope began to fade, and fade, and fade. At some point she’d just accepted that she wouldn’t keep her hopes up anymore. 

Five months without him was much too painful.

And yet here he was, in her bed, next to her as if he’d never left. All that time spent keeping those memories so close to her heart allowed this moment to remain familiar. His touch, his smile, his presence - it didn’t feel like an old friend you hadn’t seen in a while. It felt like when you told someone ‘I’ll see you tomorrow’ and tomorrow couldn’t come fast enough, but once it got here and you saw them again everything just felt right. Being with him just....always felt right.

So when she thought she’d never feel this again....when she thought he would be gone forever...

It terrified her. 

She was so scared, so hurt, so distraught for so long that  the weight of it all being lifted from her heart with relief felt almost like ascension.

And with that feeling she can’t help but to pull him close and kiss him. Hard. Deep. As if letting him go too soon would make him disappear again. She wanted him to know just how much it meant to her that he was here - that he was still here - and only when they were both breathless would it be enough.

She loves him. She loves him so much. 

50 Types of Kisses (Accepting) || @yoketsu

11. Morning kisses that are exchanged before either person opens their eyes, kissing blindly until their lips meet in a blissful encounter.

Even early morning rays of sunlight beaming through the window onto her face couldn’t compare to the warmth she felt being by his side. To feel his arm holding her close, to feel his heart beat steady, to feel lips press against the skin of her neck and the vibrations of a content hum from his throat.

She sighs, though it comes out more of a huff, as her arm reaches back to press fingers through black locks.

“Mornin’“ Comes her sleepy mumble, earning another deep hum in response before kisses continue. She feels him lift himself only just enough to reach her cheek with more kisses - butterfly light yet deep enough for ghosts to linger on her skin. First thing in the morning and her heart is already pounding so loudly in her chest - so eager to beat for him and his attention, his affection. Face tilts towards his, causing him to kiss the side of her nose and earning a soft giggle to break through the sounds of rustling sheets and small actions of love.

Her own lips manage to find him, though feeling that she caught his cheek right under his eye. She hears another hum from him - topped off with a chuckle as he’s clearly just as amused and enamored with their desire to be affectionate before the day even begins. She sneaks another kiss, catching his nose, then the corner of his mouth, until finally lips meet and they can’t seem to pull away. Faces do not part, and the moment lips do they’re quick to return to each other, filling them with vigor and euphoria. Only after having their fill do eyes finally have the strength and will to open, becoming entranced with soft shimmering lavenders and deep burning reds. 

“Good morning. Sleep well? ” Finally does he give her a proper response, and his voice resonates within her very core to cause a shiver of excitement up her spine. Her body turns so she may fully face him, feeling him adjust his arm from around her waist to pull her closer by the small of her back. She smiles, nuzzling her nose against his and wondering how on earth her life had become so perfect.

“Better than I have in a very long time, but maybe that’s because I have such a wonderful husband that makes me feel safe~” Her words had gotten the reaction out of him that she’d hoped for, her heart swelling at the sight of his smile. She has no complaints when he steals another kiss, hand cupping his cheek to return it before caressing skin. 

“I love you.”

Childish chuckles fill the air, her burying her face against his collarbone, because how corny it was that they said it at the exact same time, but what’s worse is how unbearably happy it made her feel.

She can’t imagine a world without this - without him. Not now, not in a million lifetimes. She would burn in the hottest flames of Jigoku and let him consume her in her entirety if it meant they could remain by each other’s side.

BIRTH (Accepting) || @yoketsu

Most people would prefer to go out and do something big for a birthday celebration, but honestly something like this is what she wanted most right now. Just her and the love of her life, cuddling on the couch and watching one of their fantasy romance films they’ve come to make their ‘thing’. 

It was perfect. Something small, private, personal. Something that was special in its own way. She’d have to get used to the money, the glamour, the attention. She’d have to get used to being surrounded by such big things that felt far beyond her and her world.

But moments like this? Moments where he’d join her in her own tiny little world of simple pleasures? Moments where they can both sit down and enjoy the presence of one another and just exist together? She wouldn’t give these up for the world.