"Woa-Baby…", Naoya mumbles the pet name as his wide, luminescent eyes rake over Elska's new feathers. Her right wing curls inward, the tips dancing inches from his face, subduing details that show his princess harboring new colors. '...They're beautiful.', the words slip past his lips even while studying how prevalent Gojo's alabaster influence has become.
Suguru's expression glows red over Elska's new form; the light from his own illuminating against the chromatic dashes that materialize within hers as she stares right back. 'Did she switch?', Her presence remains the same which baffles him and her unsettling gaze that follows him as she suggests her body closer to Zenin has caution's claws hooking in, 'What is she doing?"
Elska slowly wraps a hand around Naoya's throat and smirks to both of their surprised reactions but since she is merely trying to make a point, a brief reassuring glance is shared with Naoya to demonstrate her lack of actual anger.
"Baby...are you trying to sedu-"
Focusing her sight back to Suguru, Elska crashes her lips to Naoya's and nips his bottom one when he hums into her seductively, thinking to them both, 'See? Isn't it so much nicer when everyone gets along?', tittering to the way her prince's left hand hooks behind her head.
Naoya closes his eyes and pulls Elska onto his lap, warning, "Baby."
He really isn't in the mood for this with Suguru around but figures if it's going down he'll just have to try and dominate the situation so that the Titer will be forced out of the equation. Naoya darts his eyes over to Getou and narrows them with disgust while savoring the soothing taste of Elska's heated skin. The Titer minutely flares his presence but Naoya ignores this to lose himself and dilute the emotional agony of Rini's act of aggression in exchange for the peace his princess forces into its place.
Getou's irritated. Elska is still training her eyes to him even while Naoya aims his face into the crook of her neck and begins fondling her nipples with explicate hands. He stews in anger but his own eyes glow even brighter now as she whimpers to how the Zenin deeply drags her across his bulge, causing Suguru to anxiously mutter, "What is your goal here, little one?"
Naoya, still fully dressed, thinks to free himself through his pants slot but instead aims his right hand between her thighs. When he feels himself being blocked he chuckles and wantonly whispers, "Princess, mmmm...would you prefer my mouth instead?"
The Zenin patiently waits for some kind of enchanting response but instead, all he hears is, "Fuck you.", to which his hand is now slapped aside.
Elska lowers her gaze to Naoya and watches his eyes dash over to Suguru's once he figured out that it was the Titer that prevented his second-base advancement.
Suguru hatefully scrunches his expression when Naoya growls a warning to the interference. After scoffing to his displeasure, Getou stands up and wraps his fingers into Elska's hair beside them and villainously explains, "I just fucked her a few minutes ago but I suppose I'll have to do it again…she just needs to get dicked down so much...", and then tilts Elska's head back and sends his tongue into her mouth.
Naoya grimaces to the insinuation and now picks up on how both of them have wet hair but Suguru's robes are dry.
"Fucking Titer…", the blonde then only snarls before sending a vengeful, energized attack at Suguru. His amber eyes feign disaster and he knows this for a fact when Getou's sail open with aggression.
Elska huffs in disappointment, "My prince…", she huffs, "What did I say about you two fighting?"
When Naoya sends her a displeased look, Elska wraps her hand around his throat once more and uses her weight to enforce his leisure decline down against the bed. Next, she fumbles over his pants searching for that opening within them, "Play nice, please."
Suguru shifts his stance and unties his burned robes that suffer from the Zenin energy. He is confused by Elska's actions because she knows they cannot stand each other but despite that, she seems adamant about fueling this fire. This detestable situation calls to something depraved within him though and he knows exactly how he's going to respond to the unfair predicament he's been put in. A cruel smile crosses Getou's lips as he patiently waits for her to successfully mount Zenin while not paying attention to the blonde all the same.
Naoya grits his teeth angrily and assists her with freeing his erection but throws his head against the bed when she sinks over his length. "Did you…", he's trying to ask if she actually had relations with the Titer like Getou said but Elska leans down and kisses him passionately, interrupting his words.
"Shhhh…", Elska trails her lips all the across his cheek and then down his jaw to his neck, "Stop fighting this my prince, you-…", but she's caught off guard to the role reversal when Naoya's large hand chokes her instead.
Naoya slaps her ass hard and jerks himself upwards to lean on one elbow, taunting, "This is starting to piss me off, princess.", lifting his hips into her. He hums to the way she becomes mush above him and smacks her ass again to hear her yelp. Snatching her back down his level he bears his fangs and expresses, "I'm not fucking sharing you with him.", and then proceeds to thrust into her from below.
Elska shuts her eyes as she tries to retract the releasing of her pheromones. Naoya is certainly making her feel good but his attitude makes her want to stave off the wave to make him understand that she's serious about them finding some kind of common ground. It's for naught though and Elska realizes she never stood a chance once the waves rips from her.
Suguru fills his lungs and spits into his hand, coating his tip with it as he nears her to enact his own revenge. He's not completely sure as to what's come over him but before he allows himself too much time to think, Getou activates his gravity technique to weigh over her and Naoya both. He snickers to their shock and gears up to allow the chaos within him to unveil.
"GOD DAMN IT GETOUUUUU!", Naoya strains against the weight and holds against his chest Elska to try and protect her, "WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!"
The Zenin's deep voice causes Elska to jump as it ricochets off of the newly painted dark blue walls but it makes his mind trail to their child and it has Naoya completely panicked as he feels Elska's weight folding into him, "STOP!!" He listens to Elska's whimpers as an additional force sinks her against his chest but becomes even more enraged when he sees it's one of the Titer's hands gripping her wing. Trauma is instantly triggered within Naoya and he does his best to regain control over the situation but falls into insanity as he finds that he cannot effectively attack with Elska on top of him.
Elska's eyes are wide and frightful as she isn't sure as to what could be going on inside Suguru's head. The golden light travels over Naoya while she helplessly lays into him, shuddering as her prince's presence reaches a malicious new height. She feels Getou prodding at her rear and honestly is concerned with how he's going about things.
"My turn again, little one..."
Suguru tugs on her wing again knowing full well that she's caught under this malevolent technique but hides her sounds of discomfort to the best of her ability in fear of how Naoya will handle this.
Suguru releases the gravity on Elska and uses her wing to yank her backwards against his own chest where he then secures her as he pushes his tip into her unoccupied entrance. Naoya continues to berate him from below but he couldn't care less as he rolls his hips to open her up as the Zenin's member is trapped within her core. He glares down to Naoya with a furrowed brow and parted lips as Elska's body relaxes to let him in, groaning with satisfaction into her ear when his length is swallowed and taunts, "See, Zenin? She loves how I fuck her...already has the entire thing in her ass and mmmm...so fucking tight...", then proceeds to obdurately ram Elska.
---------------------------
Toji caught Gojo and is wrestling him to the floor now hating the fact that he's still bare-assed but was left with no choice. Gripping the silver shaman by his collar and pinning him with a forearm, he seethes "Never touch my dick again Gojo or so help me God…"
"What? Ohhhh, what are you going to do, Toji? Hit me with it?!", Satoru snickers to the fed-up repulsive response that flashes over Toji's expression, forcing Gojo to shout, "I'M KIDDING! I'M KIDDING!!!", after the giant retracts his fist into the air as if he was about to pummel him. Satoru lowers his voice and teases with false confidence, "Can't you take a joke?", but then immediately attempts to scurry away.
Toji grunts to the silver shaman's desperate squirming not being able to fight the sensation that he's acting like a child who's being tickled to death.
Lowering his tone, Toji squints his eyes, "You are begging me for an ass whooping right now, aren't you?"
He can barely keep a straight face when Gojo's odd innocent giggles of nervosity ultimately infect him, disarming the situation. Trying his best to not show his shared amusement, Toji pushes off of Satory and stands facing the other direction with folded arms, "You're so fuckingweird…"
Gojo has to catch his breath, feeling Toji is far to easy to ruffle but loves how the giant reacts to his rascality. He can't see the giant's face but that becomes a really good thing when Toji's neck becomes his focus. With a mischievous grin, Gojo wonders to himself, 'I wonder what you taste like big guy…', or so he meant to.
Before Satoru can take a step closer to find out, Toji is whipping around with sheer hostility and throws him back to the ground.
"What was that fucker?!!!", Toji squeezes Gojo's throat, "We're you about to fucking bite me?!?"
A scowl consumes the giant's expression when Gojo grabs his forearm and merely tries smiling through suffocation.
"Oh hellll no, Gojo…", Toji lifts the shaman a few inches from the floor and slams him back down, "You got a death wish bud?! Because I'll fuckingkill you if you try that funny shit on me. I am not the others!" Toji's attention is skewed as Choso's energy condenses into the corner of the room but he remains in the way they are figuring his nudity won't be that shocking to the being but the blood leaves the giant's face and he freezes when a collection of gasping voices sound off with awe.
Shoko, Nobura, Yuuji, and Hiromi stand there, unsure of what the hell is going on as Toji's snaps his neck to meet horrified eyes.
Choso loudly laughs to how strange they're being as although Gojo is clothed, Toji is completely naked, addressing, "What are you two doing?! You should at least get dressed Toji! How silly!"
Gojo takes this opportunity to fan the flame and looks to Ieiri with bright puppy dog eyes, "Shoko do you have any sedatives?! Please! Toji won't take no for answer!" He's manically giggling to the group's mixed reactions but unfortunately, finally receives that hard punch to the face.
Toji jumps away as Satoru stumbles and puts his hands out while trying to explain, "It's not what it looks like!", frustrated when wide eyes dart away out of discomfort, "YOU GUYS DON'T UNDERSTAND! HE TOUCHED MY DICK! I HAD TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!"
Hiromi fails to hide his revolt and vocally laments to how strange he finds the blood shaman to be, "Animals.", he retorts will full blown repugnance.
As Toji stomps away, Gojo shrugs his shoulders and quietly states, "Well…it's a nice dick!", and winks when it's obvious that Shoko is figuring him out.
Toji turns around, "SHUT-THE-FUCK-UP, GOJO!! THE NEXT PUNCH IS THROUGH YOUR SKULL."
Satoru snickers and is all smiles until Getou's gravity can be felt along with an inflating wave of Naoya's scalar warfare, his eyes instantly darkening, "Something's wrong."
Gojo isn't sure what he was expecting but when he warps back into the bedroom and sees how Suguru is behaving, it actually makes him upset. Remotely shocked, Satoru's clouding eyes drop down to Elska and Naoya where he can sense the infallible rage seeping from the Zenin. Elska's meet his though a moment later and that's when Gojo comprehends that he was right because he can visibly see that she's scared.
Suguru of course notices Satoru but doesn't falter from his pitiless thrusting as he forces Elska back under his gravity against Naoya, "Oh look, little one! Your boyfriend is here to watch you take it too!" He's actually made to feel as if he's on top of the world in this moment; Elska's handling him so well and he's also able to enact this devilish scene on top of his enemy. What more could he ask for?
The door knob starts to turn but Gojo slams his hand against the door and yells, "GIVE US A MINUTE!", before hastily rushing to the bed. Snatching Getou's shoulder, he advises, "Stop this right now.", but can only shudder when he sees the immense pleasure draping down the Titer's face.
It's something Gojo can completely relate to.
"GET HIM OFF OF US GOJO! I'M GOING TO FUCKING KILL HIM!", Naoya ends this loud sentence with a guttural roar that screams his ferocious intentions.
Elska feeling sore and battered can only take what is being dished to her, a bittersweet moment of confusion. She knew Suguru was acting strangely before but this viciousness he's enacting onto her and her prince is far harsher than she would have anticipated. She screws her eyes shut and continues to muffle her sounds, hoping that Satoru can get through to him before Naoya snaps.
'What is wrong with my Titer?!', she asks herself as a tear forms in her eye. Finally though, the relentless pounding ceases and the gravity collapsing her into Naoya dissipates, leaving them both gasping. Before even catching her breath, she sends her hands to her prince's face and with sorrowful eyes, attempts to relay her regrets for putting them in that position.
Naoya launches from his back, cradling Elska into his lap as he wildly searches for the Titer with numbered days. All he finds is Gojo though who is already studying him with sadness but he pulls his princess away, tucks her in his arms and asks with a broken voice, "Baby! Are you alright?!"
Gojo sits down next to them and wipes the blood from his hand onto the sheets. He's unsure of what to feel because it was clear that his new frenemy was acting like a feral psychopath so he ultimately had to attack, and did. He was really beginning to actually like Suguru though so his heart twists to all that he found happening within that room, "Love, Naoya…talk to me. Are you okay?
Elska doesn't say anything right away but rather clings to her prince who's hyperventilating makes it sound like he's close to breaking down, "I'm sosorry Naoya…", she regrettably offers with a small a trembling voice, "I shouldn't have pushed either of you."
Naoya holds her closer while bringing his welling eyes to Gojo, "He fucking…", he shakes his head in disbelief, "I can't believe he just fucking…"
Toji busts through the door with all of his bareness and immediately reads the room, frantically questioning, "What the hell happened in here?!", when he sees the tormented state his cousin and her are in.
"Doll?!", he quickly makes his way over to the bed and crosses over the far side to reach them now realizing that only remnants of gravity remain, "Where is Getou?", but then stops with the questions when Naoya's maroon eyes narrow.
Gojo depresses even further because this all reminds him of how he acted the first time he, Elska and Toji slept together. This stings a little more currently though because he's able to witness the aftermath of such actions and how it directly affects everyone but states, "Getou…he used his gravity to pin them and used that opportunity to…", he doesn't even want to finish the sentence.
"To...what?!", but Toji's eyes widen with remorse and wrenches his hand between her cheek and Naoya's chest to guide her face, "DOLL?! DID GETOU FORCE HIMSELF ON YOU!?" His eyes search hers frantically, trying to figure out exactly what information he's missing here.
---------
Choso smells the scent and stands still to focus and breathe in its heavenly aroma but snaps back to reality as Nobara, Shoko and everyone else is following him down the hall. Blocking the door with new-found urgency, he regroups and shakes his head while telling them, "Umm. Let's give them a moment…I don't think they're decent.", battling himself on appropriate behavior.
Sukuna manifests on the side of Itadori's face and instantly drools to the scent. His eye twitches uncontrollably and feels his spirit becoming increasingly restless. "I need that wench…", he lustfully shares but gets slapped with Yuuji's palm as the junior shaman turns around runs back to the dorms. "NO BRAT! STOP! WHY ARE YOU RUNNINGGGG?", but he's too captivated by the crippling aroma to be able to take over Itadori's body.
Shoko looks over Hiromi who appears incredibly flustered as his breathing quickens and he tugs at his tie but she then darts her eyes to Nobara who must be confused. Ieiri totally comprehends why Yuuji had to book it but worries about how the rest of them will all keep calm amidst this immoral air but once Nobara chases after him, she sighs graciously. Shoko has never been met with potent exposure to Elska's pheromones before so she's not sure with how to deal with its affects but there's one thing Shoko does now knows for sure; they're tantalizing in the most unnatural way.
Suddenly, Hiromi pushes past the hybrid and rushes the bedroom door, locking it behind him. His breaths are heavy as if he's not receiving oxygen and sweat is accumulating on his skin from the heat that boils in his chest. He takes a few swaying steps into the room, beguiled until he lands his eyes on the source of his suffering, "Oda…"
Elska peeks behind Toji over to the mysterious man she's never met. His dark eyes are half lidded, his lips parted and that famished expression hones into her, conjuring familiarity. She hears Gojo warn, "Fuck. It's the scent.", before he turns towards the stranger and puts out an energized hand, "Stay the fuck back man…", but its as if this intruder can't hear him or is choosing to ignore it.
Toji twists his body to orient his view and growls into a protective stance on the bed, shielding her and Naoya as Hiromi begins charging into their direction. Toji can sense the man's desperation and puts together that its due to her pheromones, but laments, "God damn it.", before launching from the mattress to pin the crazed bureaucrat to the floor.
Naoya stands with Elska in his arms and backs them up into the corner, "No one is going to touch her!"
He calls for his wings and drops to one knee as they tear through his back but he sighs his relief once they flex into the air. Elska releases hers at this time which allows him the ability of wrapping his blueish black feathers around them, "It's okay, baby…", he assures in a near whisper.
Gojo planned on helping Toji but is rendered useless when Toji overpowers and subdues the stand-in manager with ease so he turns his attention to the Elska and Naoya in the corner. Without words he opens his arms and hugs them both while the horrid compression of seeing Suguru's animalism unravels him from this difference in perspective.
"My love…feed if you're hurting.", he sweetly soothes to Elska while exhaling near Naoya's ear. He knows better than to think she's fine after that.
"STAY DOWN FUCKER!", Toji sees no other choice aside from choking the guy out and is doing exactly that. Pressing his forearm into Hiromi's neck, he snarls as the man's eyes begin to roll back and remains there until his limbs fall flaccid to the wooden floor. He looks to the door, "CHOSO!", but grinds his teeth when he sees the jiggling knob showing that it's locked. He pushes himself off of Hiromi and runs into the bathroom for towels, one to wrap around himself and one for Elska. He tosses the driest one towards them before opening the door.
Shoko walks in with Choso, still not feeling quite like herself but is a woman of science and understands what the pheromones are doing to her. She blushes heavily however when Gojo erupts into a loud, telling moan as Elska begins to feed from him. She avoids looking at Toji again, having now become far more acquainted with him than she ever cared to. He's not completely exposed now but his broad chest is unusually distracting under the scent so she trains her eyes to Hiromi on the ground, snarking, "Men can be so weak…", half joking, half unamused.
Naoya leans his forehead against the back of Elska's neck as she pulls from Satoru, his heart frozen in this malicious way as he mumbles, "I fucking knew Getou was no good."As far as he's concerned, Sugurudies on sight. The Zenin inconspicuously tucks his member back into his pants but regains his hold on his princess, wishing he would've been able to do more to stop the Titer during his sexual onslaught.
Elska inadvertently begins crying when she tastes all of the remorse in Satoru's blood. She knows why he's partially so bothered and wishes to reassure him that they've long passed that troubling time in their lives, 'Sati…don't be sad…'
'But my love…', he thinks back to her, 'I did that to you and Toji too…' He feels emotional even with the bliss circulating through him, wishing that he'd never treated her like that during their first threesome. It took seeing her and Naoya's face to come full circle in understanding just how awful of an act it truly was.
Naoya heard Gojo too and stands there despondent as he puts the pieces together. 'No wonder Toji didn't want to tell me the details…', he thinks with an even more shattered heart. Nestling his face into Elska further, he locks up his rage for Gojo and thinks to save that conversation for another time when he's not so exhausted. He doesn't have the ability to stir up more drama and he also realizes that what Gojo's talking about happened a while ago and Satoru hasn't done anything like that since, 'Still...'
Toji watches Shoko scan over the temporary manager and defensively expresses to her, "He didn't give me much of a choice, he was being controlled by the scent." This is when his emerald eyes fall to Elska though. He squeezes his fists as he pictures Getou doing the unthinkable and decides that the Titer is going to have to pay for this, 'But…', Toji studies Elska's trembling form but finds it odd that she's not nearly as upset as she was when Getou attacked her in the past, wondering, '...will she let us kill him?'
Elska closes Gojo's wounds but keeps her face tucked against him. He even comes closer so she could feel the full comfort of being sandwiched between himself and Naoya. Her mind takes to Suguru and how he was behaving inadvertently causing a chill to course through her spine. She doesn't believe that even with his dark tendencies that he would've done something like this unprovoked so she's figuratively kicking herself for trying to force the collaboration between him and her prince. Perhaps if she'd commanded them and stole their free will, this would've turned out better but she didn't want to go about it like that.
Naoya sniffles and gently lowers Elska to the ground. He feels like he needs fresh air; this was all too much, too fast and the aftermath is viscerally uncomfortable. It not only hard for him to believe that he was rendered useless while she was being taken like that but he feels like a fraction of the man he was prior.
It was yet another horrendous moment in his life caused by that fucking Titer.
He knows Getou did that all on purpose too; he knew that Naoya wouldn't risk Scalar Warfare with her caught between them. The golden light travels over his body and burns a piece of Elska's hair due to how intense his emotions are raging. His stance falters after he comprehends her singing hair and the culpability of knowing that he even just accidentally did that turns his stomach. Naoya jumps into a roll over the bed and launches into the bathroom.
Gojo now holds Elska while the room falls silent aside from Naoya's vomiting. Choso walks up beside them and leans his head against Satoru's shoulder while his hand brushes down her arm, "Master…I didn't think he would do that.", the being sighs, "I know Getou genuinely cares about you."
"SHUT THE FUCK UP!", Toji can't contain his fury, "FUCK GETOU!". He didn't mean to snap at Choso but he truly could not listen to such sorry words when actions speak louder. Guilt crushes him however as he watches as the being's lip quiver and immediately feels horrible for losing his cool. Toji opens his mouth to apologize but Naoya's still getting sick and those unpleasant sounds churn everyone within their reach.
"Sati…", Elska gazes up to his darkened blue eyes, flinching to how morose they seem, "I need to check on Naoya…", she timidly states, afraid of how that situation may have scarred her beloved prince even more.
"Okay love…", he reluctantly lets her go and studies her as she rushes away. It isn't until she shuts the bathroom door behind her that he plummets to the bed and buries his face into his hands.
'What is going to come of that now?', Satoru questions while thinking about Suguru. He should hate the Titer but Gojo knows all too well that he's actually not much different so jumping on the anti-Getou bandwagon would be incredibly hypocritical. He's certainly not happy with Suguru but he's tasted his blood. He knows how deeply the former enemy cares for her now. 'Why would you fucking do that?', he wonders, hoping he'd receive some kind of response.
----------------------------
Getou traveled to the Titer compound but is experiencing quite the explosive outrage. He's crushing everything in his room, everything the turned have ever touched; the bed, the dressers the floor, the couch, his nightstands, the doors. He's beside himself, half baked into an out of body experience as his current state of mind deteriorates.
"WHYYYYYYYYY?!!!!!", he screams at the top of his lungs, knowing that he likely hurt Elska in his lustful fit.
He didn't mean to.
He didn't mean to go that far.
Getou collapses to the ground and erratically sobs his own abhorrence to himself, contemplating on how that was it. The wound caused by Gojo on his shoulder pumps blood.
He will never be accepted now.
He will never be able to come back from this.
Suguru doesn't even know how to come to terms with the possibility of Elska hating him all over again.
In the smallest voice, he miserably chokes out, "Li-ttle one…", and stares at his palms before punching the hardened clay floor so hard, that he instantly shatters his right hand. Increasing his presence, he's determined to do the same to his left thinking he doesn't deserve to even breathe and follows through.
Sain felt the energy and now panics outside of the misshapen door as Suguru cries out in agony.
"MASTER SUGURU!", he desperately calls out but the rage on the other side doesn't quell. The surroundings begin to shake as a large and a devastating crash can be heard coming from inside. Sain uses his traveling technique to wind up in the room but his knees buckle upon registering what he sees.
"MASTER SUGURUUUU!!!"
With absolute haste, Sain begins grabbing large chunks of clay and tosses them aside.
One piece after another, some large, some breaking into dust and finer bits as he grasps them.
"MASTER SUGURU!", he cries with all of his heart as he slowly digs out the head of their clan, "WHY?!"
Sain can tell by the precision that Getou meant to crush himself. With nerves shot and his body shaking, the dedicated Titer's adrenaline ramps in full swing as he continues to remove the rubble, "PLEASE!"
----------------
Shoko steps over Hiromi and saunters over to Gojo.
"Satoru…are you okay? What else happened in here?"
Lightning strikes close by and due to the dimness of the room, it illuminates the space greatly. The thunder follows almost instantly, adding to their gloom as Ieiri runs her hands through his silver locks. She can tell he's abnormally distressed and it kills her to see that so she throws a friendly arm around his shoulder and brings his head to her collar bone where Satoru latches his arms around her waist and almost silently cries.
Toji starts sinking in place but walks over to Choso who's visibly upset and apologizes, "I didn't mean to yell at you bud, I know you're just trying to figure this out too…", but his brow sorrowfully furrows when he picks up on the being's reluctance to meet his gaze.
Choso, with watering eyes and a pouted lip, looks up but chooses not speak because he doesn't want to make things any worse than they already are. He listens to Gojo being consoled and can't help but feel he needs that too so in search of it, he falls over against Satoru and clings to the silver shaman.
Shoko is initially startled by the hybrid plopping onto Gojo but ultimately, she feels his sorrows as well and spares a hand to brush through his thick, wavy black hair. She almost chuckles but staves off the need to but honestly releases, "The terrifying blood shaman…", in a way to express that she's bewildered by their sentimentality. Gojo pinches her but she's happy to see he's being at least a bit like himself, a little playful.
-------------------------
Elska dampens a wash cloth with cool water and dabs the back of Naoya's neck while he remains leaning over the toilet. He's gripping it so fiercely that she's waiting for the porcelain to crack but luckily, it never does. While he heaves, she takes one of the plastic dispensable cups from under the sink, fills it with water and hands it to him the moment he finally lifts his head.
Naoya can't bring himself to look at her immediately. He's trapped in this moment of despair as he ruminates over how futile his hatred was while all of that was occurring.
'I failed her.', maliciously echoes in his mind, bringing him to tears that he tries his best to hide.
"I'm so sorry baby…I couldn't…", he actually can't even finish speaking because relaying the truth out loud cements the reality that he was once again unable to save her from harm.
Elska drops down beside him, lighting scratching his back while she flushes the toilet.
"Please don't do this to yourself Naoya, it wasn't your fault!"
She breaks into tears when he turns his body to rest into her, his own lamentable sounds joining hers in the acoustics of the tiled room.
"I should never have tried to force your hands…", she shivers while thinking about how maniacal Suguru was being but knows they were actually both showing signs of frustration pretty early on. These were things she blatantly ignored in hopes of them magically getting along just because she wanted to try the sexual avenue.
"You did not fail me my prince…I failed you."
Naoya, lost in his own misery, jolts with a stark realization and with breathless words, exacts, "OUR BABY!"
He makes anxious eye contact with her but rapidly pierces her chest; his world ceasing to spin while waiting for the horrible indication of his new greatestfear.
Elska moans to his intrusion and does her best to remain still because she knows he's checking to see if the plant still appears. Seconds turn into hours as she waits for any kind of sign, listening for his first gulp. He drinks though and doesn't stop, her heart falling into her stomach while wondering if he's continuing because the plant isn't showing up.
"No…", Elska fastens her eyes shut as tears pour from them, figuring Naoya would've said something either way by now but his fingers only tighten where he grabs her.
'How do I bring him back from this?!', she hysterically cries internally, knowing that her prince is going to be devastated if their child did not survive.
'Please…no…don't let this happen…'
Naoya closes her wounds and tackles her onto her back, albeit tenderly.
Feeling the cold tile cling to his knuckles underneath Elska's back, "BABY!", he cries into her breast, "It's…still there…" soon lifting his head to collide their lips together while thinking, 'Our baby is okay!'
The Zenin feels her relief as it washes over her body, the stiff uncertainty morphing into celebration as they roll around with each other in heartfelt giggles. He pulls Elska over to him and cradles her with the greatest gasp of reprieve that he's ever experienced. Planting harsh kisses into her hair, he runs his fingers through it but squeezes her arms excitedly as she chuckles through her tears.
He didn't mean to take so long in sharing the news, he just couldn't bring himself to stop feeding when he was brought to the image. He was so grateful that he just needed to spend more time with it.
"I fucking love you princess…I swear to all that is good, I fucking love you."
He's still angry with his uselessness but is saving the pity party for himself exclusively. In this moment, he's merely happy to know that his little family is fine. Crashing his lips to her hair again, he exhales heavily through his nose, "So fucking much…"
Toji can feel his cousin's presence lighten and smiles widely to it. He jogs to the door and opens it, laughing exhaustively to how her and Naoya are cuddling on the bathroom floor.
"Get up you two…", he cackles out while squatting down to lift them both, "This floor may be new, but it hasn't been cleaned!" When Elska's glowing but tired eyes reach him, Toji feels a little better and leans down to kiss her cheek. "Is everything alright?", he inquires while glancing back and forth between them.
"Both of my babies are alive and well!!", Naoya sobs out a laugh when Toji's hand ruffles his hair.
"I'm glad boy.", he brings his view to Elska and softens his entire demeanor, "I'm really glad for that."
Gojo lifts his head when they all walk out of the bathroom and feels at ease when he hears the tub filling. He figures things must be somewhat alright if Naoya's worrying about bathing.
Satoru perceives Toji's hand resting against Elska's womb which causes Satoru's eyes to widen immensely, as he almost hadn't considered the baby. "Is Zenin Jr. still good my love?!", he couldn't even mask his concern. When Elska responds with a soft, puffy smile he leans his lips into the Shoko's arm and sighs into it.
"Zenin Jr.?", Shoko asks with surprise. She catches the once again warm smile on Choso's face and then swivels to see Elska, "Are you...?", she starts but hesitates.
"I am!", Elska saves her friend the energy and even goes to explain more but Naoya chimes in, "It's mine!!!!", overjoyed by their shared excitement.
Thinking about the baby makes other problems feel so small, trivial. Elska's entire mind is still rocked from what Suguru did but she's not convinced that she's capable of hating him anyways. She knows in her heart the whole disaster would never have occurred if she'd simply not cornered them together like that but she also knows that she can't say anything to defend her Titer about this subject at the moment, nor would she dare.
Ieiri lights up to Naoya's intense pride and even checks Satoru's face to see if this was just a joke.
'He's really okay with her carrying another man's kid?', sitting in disbelief as the silver shaman stands up to mingle with the Zenin. As Gojo pulls Naoya in for a comforting hug, Shoko who is shocked, peels her eyes away to ask, "How far along are you? I will order an ultrasound machine in the morning!" When Elska shyly admits that it happened earlier that day though, Ierie can't help but express her skepticism but is quickly recalling that 'With the turned, literally anything is possible.' Elska's kind is still quite the mystery despite them now understanding elements of her clan's history and other aspects about her origin curse.
"Are you going to make it, little Naoya?", Gojo lovingly constricts the Zenin, "Let me know if you need anything…" Truthfully, Satoru is still concerned about Naoya because of how nasty that scene was and understands how soft the blonde truly is; how good his heart is.
"I don't know….", Naoya's voice bears uncertainty but its honestly the truth.
His heart still bleeds when he glances to the bed. He can still feel the pressure underneath the gravity, the way Elska did her best to not cry out as if she wasn't terrified over the Titer's vicious way. Naoya knows she did that because she was thinking about how he would feel, she was worried that Naoya would decompose from the horror and act itself. He's positive of this.
Toji slaps the blonde on the back playfully but then tilts his head at Shoko, verbally wondering, "Is everything good on the campus? Why did y'all come here?" He fidgets momentarily while his mind takes to his son, "Megs is fine, right?!"
Shoko assures, "He's as good as he can be, considering…"
Megumi's locked himself away since Sachiko's passing but she's at least received a few updates from the Titer girl with him. Ieiri's head hangs low though for the topic she's about to bring up, she doesn't think this is the best time to discuss something of this miserable nature but there's also not a lot of time left, period.
"Shoko? What's wrong?", Elska now lowers herself on the edge of the bed where Ierie cups her hand.
Elska's actually elated by this because Shoko hasn't really spoken to her since their quick and cold exchange after she woke up, when everyone assumed that Gojo ran away.
In the back of her mind, she recalls the way Suguru comforted her through that depressive spell. His words, "I would rather be here than anywhere else in the world.", play back internally, sinking her with regret as she worries about his absence.
'Suguru…where did you go?'
Ieiri takes a second to gather herself before making heavy eye contact, "It's Kento…"
That was all that needed to be said however because the culpability floods Elska's expression as tormenting emotions claw their way back through. Shoko can sense the fluctuations in Elska's energy and wonders if there's any way to know how this will turn out.
Naoya's shoulders lower, "Shit…", comprehending what Shoko's words ultimately mean.
Toji sighs heavily but does his best to hide his discontent. He cares about Nanami too and gets that the bonding is probably unavoidable.
Gojo looks over to Choso who seems to be empathetic to everyone's plight but asks, "Love…are you alright to discuss this right now?", placing his hand on her head before scooping it lower to lift her chin. He also wants things to work out well and deeply cares for Nanami but has hated the idea of them bonding ever since he found out that Nanami was turned yet on the other side of that, he would literally do anything to see that Kento returns to Shoko.
Elska's face reddens, beyond mortified with the recent events but pushes that uneasiness aside.
"We need to talk about it.", she admits, "I've been trying to forget about this problem entirely…", knowing it wouldn't exactly solve itself. Before saying another word, she brings her weary eyes to Ieiri, "Shoko…I'm so sorry this is even a thing. I really wasn't thinking that much about the consequences when I-…."
Ieiri interjects. "Consequences?", she almost sounds offended, "You saved his life, Elska!"
When her winged friend still seems rather down in the dumps, Shoko fully grabs her hand and offers, "I should've shown my appreciation better…or at all for that matter. He would've died in that forest sweetie but he didn't and it's because you saved him."
Naoya catches the sadness engulfing Satoru so he nudges him and narrows his eyes while thinking, 'No one is mad at you Gojo. You were frenzied.' He's relieved to see the shaman's eyes return to a lighter blue and feels fortunate that he's able to assist in uplifting his mood, soon hearing, "You're totally myguy.", resound through the room which makes the Zenin chuckle deeply. He doesn't even deny it this time.
Toji asks, "So do you think its best that they bond then?", hating that he's having to inquire about such a gross endeavor. Ieiri nods yes but says nothing more. Everyone in the room would rather there be another way but they all care for Nanami and don't want to risk him slipping into a terrible frenzy either.
"I hate to say it, but I agree.", Gojo chimes in, "Nanamin may not act arrogantly but he's not a Top-tier shaman for no reason. He's probably a special grade when he taps into his full power too." Satoru kneels down before Elska, "If you do this for him though, it will only have to be a one-time thing, love. I know it'll be extremely weird for you both but its either that or we take the risk of feeding him the synthetic form of your blood. That Genghis cunt said it would suffice for the lower-level shaman but I really don't think it will work for Nanamin."
Naoya pouts but keeps his thoughts to himself. He never really got that close to Nanami but its clear as day that everyone in that room respects him which he figures is enough.
"Baby…", he mutters in her direction. When Elska slowly turns to him with regret, he lets her know, "I understand why this is important, princess. I just wanted you to know that I will…", Naoya frowns but forces out, "...support...you."
Gojo gives a heartwarming, sweet smile to the Zenin, "Thank you, Zenin…"
"You're not my princess, Gojo.", the blonde taunts.
"But you are m-…", Satoru bites his lip when he sees the annoyance surface in the Zenin's expression.
Naoya sighs, "Don't say it."
Gojo titters in place, "My guy!"
Elska and Choso crack up, needing that laugh.
Shoko even finds means to smirk at the odd exchange. She's never known Gojo to be so social. She knew they'd all grown closer but she honestly can't believe at how much Satoru cares for everyone that lives under this roof; that being what truly what makes her smile grow.
Toji puts Naoya in a chokehold, "I knew something weird was going on with you two! Ya FRUIT!", adding to Naoya's innocent frustration.
"Oh yeah?!! Well at least I don't play find the trouser snake with him!", Naoya laughs fully now but is soon wrenched into an impossible grasp when Toji puts effort into the hold.
Toji mumbles, "Say that again boy and you'll suffer the repercussions."
Elska settles down, shaking her head at her goofy turned when she feels an affectionate hand resting in her lap. Choso smiles to her warmly and lays on his side so his head can rest on her thighs. She sweetly calls to him, "My hybrid…", and smirks to his nuzzling.
Shoko, though she's still apprehensive about what will become of Nanami, completely understands that Elska is happy with the turned she already has. She never thought Elska harbored any kind of romantic feelings for Kento but she now guesses that perhaps she was allowing her own feelings to cause her alarm. Ieiri finds Nanami to be the perfect man, the pinnacle of what a man should be, so she found it hard to believe that Elska never saw him that way.
She doesn't understand how anyone could overlook a gem such as Nanami but is beyond relieved as she watches these endearing interactions. Now all she has to fear for is how Kento's feelings respond to the synthesis, 'Can love conquer all?', she childishly asks herself while knowing the world is far too cruel to allow such immature ideologies to flourish.
Elska has an idea and it only struck her when reliving her turned's awakenings.
"Oh my God! Shoko, even when they all woke up, their feelings played a large role…", Elska ponders on the possibility that Nanami might even be able to recognize that she's not Ieiri, "Choso and Gojo both sought me out while Naoya was even able to oppose the ritual to an extent…"
"But I thought you and Choso were platonic before his awakening though?", Shoko is on the edge of her seat, waiting for this explanation.
"The other Elska and I grew really close over time!", Choso announces from her thighs, "She taught me how to have sex whenever I went to sleep! It was reeeallly nice!"
"Jesus…", Toji runs a hand down his jaw while feeling the abrupt awkwardness, cackling deeply, "It's a long story but that basically sums it up. Weird shit was happening.", he tries his damnedest to not make fun of the being but he can't help but think about how terrible that all sounds without any context. To his surprise though, Shoko merely mumbles, "So he didn't randomly become obsessed?"
Elska now understands why she was so interested in this factor and assures, "No Shoko, he didn't wake up and change into someone that felt strongly for me.", she smiles to her worried friend, "Choso already had those feelings layered into his subconscious by that point!", and offers a heartfelt smile.
Toji noticed how his bonding experience was left out of the discussion and he'S fine with that but feels it would help ease Ieiri. "I kind of attacked Elska when I first woke up but I'd already been infatuated with her. I think my desires to keep her to myself brought me over the edge there…"
Gojo smirks as he recalls that night, "Fed like an animal!", he adds but with comradery to his friend. Now looking over at the giant in wrapped in nothing but a towel, he shares, "I can't believe I ever wanted to kill you. I love you Toji."
Toji wants to take that to heart but he's afraid there's some fruity punch line attached to it but when nothing perverse leaves Gojo's lips, he relaxes and confesses, "I'm pretty fond of you too fucker…but I still think you're the most unstable dude I've ever met."
Naoya wheezes with dire affinity to the deescalating atmosphere, "It's true you're fucking nuts!"
"I'm not that bad…", Gojo pretends to pout but looks over and winks to his love. He's so happy in this moment, so gratified that they were able to move past the Suguru incident so quickly. Satoru is terribly troubled by what happened but hopes the Titer just took a little time to cool off. 'I'm going to have to do some major damage control…', he surmises when thinking about how Toji and Naoya are now rallying against him.
"My point is…", Elska redirects her meaning of bringing the awakenings up, "Maybe if Nanami sees you first, he will be attracted to that versus going after me!"
Everyone looks like they're mauling that over so she continues, "Shoko…what if we can make it to where the physical aspect of the ritual is performed with you?!" Elska beams when Ieiri's eyes regain some life, "He can feed from me still and bond without ever having crossed inappropriate boundaries!"
Naoya perks up to this too, his eyes hopeful and dancing around to the others to see how they feel about that.
Toji sighs and with fading tensions adds, "Shiiiiit. Could that actually work?!"
Choso and Gojo meet views and they both look a little less convinced. Satoru has this bad feeling like that isn't going to cut it but at the same time, doesn't want to be a Debby downer or risk dodging the opportunity of his love fucking his friend but when he notices Choso about to add some input, he signals for the being to wait.
The hybrid ignores that though and states, "Master, the ritual should be done in full. Splitting the responsibility might not work…"
Elska takes a deep breath, a piece of her ultimately agreeing but she's still thinking its worth a shot. "I say we at least try."