This writing piece is a collaboration with Spice @strawberryandspiceandchocolate. We had a lot of fun writing this together. We hope you guys enjoy it!
Kirishima Eijirou X Reader
This contains Angst and Fluff, along with a Timeskip.
↝ After some peculiar messages appear on a phone you found in your mailbox, you are led to a mysterious apartment by an Unknown number. What secrets will you uncover in this mysterious place along with a secret chatroom with 6 strangers?
A/N:here’s the first story mode of kirishima’s route! :)
↝ After some peculiar messages appear on a phone you found in your mailbox, you are led to a mysterious apartment by an Unknown number. What secrets will you uncover in this mysterious place along with a secret chatroom with 6 strangers?
With a few sniffles, you had composed yourself. You had never wanted Kirishima to see you like this, even after the rough night before. With a soft promise to fill him in over brunch, he sent you off to get dressed. Knowing he was waiting- looking over the eerie white of your living room- made it easier to go through your clothes and ignore what was missing. It was nothing fancy, a pair of jeans and a shirt you’re pretty sure got bleach on it at some point, throwing your hair up and trying to ignore the messy baby hairs.
When you came back out, the glass and the frame were mysteriously missing, but you didn’t feel like bringing it up. The wall may have looked even more empty, but Kirishima took up so much space that it was easy to ignore.
“I’m ready, I think…” Your voice was still soft, too soft, and you tried to give him a grin.
“You look great.” Sincerity rung out in his voice, and you felt your smile soften into something a little less forced. “I’ll drive.”
He offered you his arm again, and you felt no qualms taking it. It was the kind of stability you needed right now, something to anchor you to the waking world. A comfortable silence settled between the two of you, Kirishima opening the door for you to slip in, nestling into the seat, half hoping you’d just sink into it.
He turned on some music when he got in, keeping it low enough for you to speak if you wanted, but you were content to watch the traffic pass and steal the occasional glance. As he drove, you noticed that the traffic was getting less congested, the cramped city fading into the rearview mirror.
“Kiri, where are we going?” You were surprised he even heard you over the music.
“You looked like you could use some time out of the city. There’s a little roadside diner just a bit out that serves the best skillets.” His grin filled the car and you found yourself smiling back before you knew it.
“Thanks, that sounds amazing right now…” True to his word, a few miles past the city limits sat a well-loved diner, seemingly empty after the morning rush. He pulled in and parked so seamlessly, you knew he had to have been here before, many times.
You waited in your seat, smiling at Kirishima as he opened the door for you, offering a hand to help you out of the seat. You both knew you weren’t so feeble you couldn’t do it on your own, but the fact that he offered anyways spoke so much to you. The way he knew you could, but didn’t have to. Such a small thing that had been missing from your life for so long now.
He led you to a booth tucked away in the back, the waitress greeting him with a big grin when she dropped off the menus.
“Finally decided to stop eating by yourself, Eijirou?” She teased, Kirishima’s cheeks reddening a bit as you snickered.
“Yeah, guess I found someone who needed this place as much as I did.” The waitress fwaps his arm with an extra menu before walking away with a chuckle, leaving the two of you to settle back into your calming silence, looking over the menus.
“If you’re having trouble, I can order for both of us?” He spoke up after your eyes reread the same line three times.
“Thanks, I guess my mind’s somewhere else right now.” He nods, gathering the menus.
“I figured… you good with chocolate milk?” He waggles his eyebrows, pulling another giggle from you. “What? Chocolate milk is like a comfort food, drink, whatever.” He grinned.
When the waitress passes by next, he places an order for the both of you, letting her bring two big glasses of chocolate milk to the table before he brings the silence to an end.
“Time to pay up, tell me what’s going on?” You busied yourself rearranging all the sugar packets and little packages of jam and jelly.
“My fiance is Katsuki Bakugou…” You paused expecting a reaction, but it seemed that he had already put that together. “I’m guessing you know him? Knew him..?”
“Yeah, I did. We hung out a lot in high school, fell out of touch when I got injured.” He left it there, staring at the scratched-up table, his statement holding more weight like there was understanding just out of your reach. Instead, you nodded, continuing on.
“We’ve been together five and a half years now. You picked me up from his house- our house.” You corrected yourself, words stilted. "He’s always been dedicated to his job, if you knew him in high school, that shouldn’t be much of a surprise. Things were good, really good, for a long time. But when I moved in, something changed. You know how Katsuki is, the second feelings get tossed into the mix, he gets all…" You pouted, trying to come up with the right words.
“Blasty? Emotionally constipated? Straight up abrasive?” He deadpans, focusing on his drink as he talks.
“Yeah. That. He proposed to me in the living room. Can’t let the press know more than I exist. We got into a fight a few weeks ago when the tabloids got a picture of me and Mina at the mall, not that they know who I am… I was trying to be someone before all this, but now… I don’t even know who I am. All I do is sit and wait for Katsuki, and when he comes home, I can barely stand being in the same room as him.” Panic sets in as you vent, “N-not that it’s been all bad! He makes sure the house is well stocked and as long as the house is well-kept, I can get pretty much anything I want…” you stopped as you felt a warm, calloused hand over yours.
“You don’t have to make excuses… I’m not going to go tattle to him, I haven’t seen or spoken to him in years…” You took a moment to breathe, easing the tension built in your shoulders.
“Yeah… thanks. Anyways, lately, I’ve gotten tired of waiting around in an empty house. I’ve been going to see Ochako or going out with Mina, and he doesn’t like that. He wants me to be his happy little housewife, but that’s never been me… and last night, he saw you drop me off.” You caught the flash of guilt in Kirishima’s eyes and were quick to intercept it. “Please, don’t blame yourself. You did nothing wrong…” Your hand flipped under his, giving him a soft squeeze. He swallowed his apologies and nodded.
“So, mind explaining what happened?” His voice was lowered, trying to keep the conversation between the two of you instead of the whole diner. You took a sip of your chocolate milk, the nostalgic sweetness oddly helping you keep your composure.
“We got into a fight. I was tired of Katsuki treating me like some caged animal and scolding me every time I went out. He… accused me of cheating. And I haven’t, you helped me make sure of that… I just lost it. I yelled back, and he told me if I wanted him to be the bad guy, he’d be the bad guy. Burned some of my clothes in the sink, and then…” You took a breath, still emotional. “He broke the frame my degree was in, burning the certificate. Then he just left.” You felt oddly unemotional at the end. “That’s not to mention the weird rivalry he has with Izuku. He wants me to have a baby just so he can ‘catch up’ to him…” Kirishima shook his head.
“I thought he grew out of that in high school.” You shrugged, just tired of whatever it was. “I’m sorry… I had no idea it was that bad.”
“Last night was as bad as he’s ever been… part of me is just waiting for whatever this is to pass.” Kirishima’s brow furrowed.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea. When people do stuff like this, they’re testing the limits of how much they can get away with. Hero or not, it’s dangerous.”
“He wouldn’t hurt me… He’s serious about being a hero, he would never put his job in danger.”
“See? Even the way you’re justifying it has nothing to do with you, but with him! You want him to be this person he’s not, you’re waiting for someone who doesn’t exist…” His words made sense, so much sense, but you couldn’t… Agreeing with him just means that you let this happen. Relief filled you as your conversation came to a sudden stop, smiling at the waitress as she put your food in front of you.
After a few bites, you found your voice again.
“It’s not that bad, I just have too much time on my hands. Besides, even if I did leave Katsuki, I don’t know where I would go…”
“You have friends, and they care about you a lot. They’ve told me so…” You shook your head.
“I can’t do that to them. I’d be a burden, and I don’t want to ruin their view of Katsuki even more than I already have.” You heard Kirishima place his silverware down.
“Hey, look at me.” You kept your eyes on your food, scared to see his face. Would it hurt more if he didn’t understand, or if he agreed? “C’mon, I can be pretty stubborn. Just look up for a minute.” With a sigh you looked up, reluctantly seeing the sympathy in his eyes. “The only person ruining Katsuki’s friendships is Katsuki. They may be his friends, but they’re your friends too. Plus, most of them are heroes too, and they can tell when something’s wrong. They’re worried about you. I’m worried about you. Any one of them would be happy to give you a place to crash.” You were speechless, looking away from the burning sincerity in his eyes. Mercifully, he let you drop the subject, focusing back on your food.
He finished much faster than you, absentmindedly munching on some bacon as he let you finish. “Thanks, I noticed you didn’t like talking about him much. I can see why, but I’m glad you decided to trust me with this.” You nodded a bit.
“Of course, Kirishima…”
“You should call me Eijirou… or Eiji, if you want.” He smiles when you look up, “I know we haven’t known each other that long, but you’re a good friend. I’d like to be the same for you.”
“Okay, Eiji… you should call me by my first name too, then.” The two of you share a smile, finishing off your food and Kirishima paying the bill despite your protests. Even as the two of you were on your way back to the city, he noticed your reluctance, the fading of conversation as you neared Katsuki’s house.
“You want to ride around for a while?” It was a flimsy excuse, but one you jumped on eagerly.
“Yes, please, we can go where ever you want!” He laughed, rolling down his windows, the wind pushing his dark hair away from his face. He didn’t shy away from it, and you couldn’t help but think
He looks beautiful like this.
It had been a few days, anxiety-fueled cleaning binges only broken by Kirishima picking you up for adventures on his time off. Sometimes you’d visit a restaurant or out to the mall, other times, the two of you would just drive until the sky turned a brilliant orange. The two of you strayed away from bars now that you were comfortable enough to speak with him without liquid courage. Each time he picked you up, the two of you would talk a little more about the situation with Katsuki…
Which right now was a confusing subject. After your fight, he hadn’t been back. While it was a relief, you had to prepare yourself each time you walked through the doors, expecting him to be seated, seething on the couch. The lack of his presence only made that panic grow, and Kirishima was less and less willing to drop you off as each day passed.
An entire week passed since your fight with no sight or even a peep of Katsuki, your message history filled with texts from Kirishima, Mina, and Ochako, even a few from Sero and Izuku, and one little apology from Kaminari for getting so out of hand at the bar. It was unsettling, a deep chill seeping into your bones whenever you sat at home for too long. Then, the morning after the week mark, you awoke to sounds out in the living room.
There he sat, lounging on the couch, watching some old All Might special, looking like he just got out of the shower. Relaxed, no hint of the anger he displayed before. He tilted his head when he heard you come in, acknowledging your presence.
“Hey, babe. I’ve got the day off, let’s spend it together.” You were confused, how was he acting as nothing had happened? You approached warily, ready to bolt at the first sign of anger, but he just made room on the couch for you. Cautiously, you moved to sit next to him, and he pulled you against his side, his arm hanging over your shoulders.
That’s where you remained as he watched the special, only stretching out when it finished. “I’ll make breakfast, so you just sit your ass right there. It looks like you’ve been busy keeping this place clean, so relax for once.” You just stared as he got up, heading to the kitchen without complaint.
What was this? Where you just being overdramatic? Maybe it wasn’t as bad as you were remembering… Sure he burned a few things, but those things could be replaced, right?
Right?
The day passed with you feeling like you were acting out a relationship, going through the motions, and questioning every move you made. Katsuki didn’t seem to notice, or if he did, he was happy to ignore it. Even the little pauses before you kissed him back didn’t seem to phase him. He even let you order take out for dinner, not giving you any shit for your mild food. As night fell, trepidation made you move slower, rinsing each dish two, three times, making sure each piece was spotless, anything to delay going to sleep next to your fiance.
When you finally did go back into your room to change for bed, you found Katsuki on the bed, reading as he waited for you. You slunk into the bathroom to change and do your nightly routine, walking back out. He looked up from his book, setting it aside.
“Finally, shitty woman. Didn’t I tell you to relax today?” You gave a nervous chuckle and walked to your side of the bed, once again confused as Katsuki lifted the covers for you. Slipping in next to him, you immediately turned off your bedside lamp, rolling away from Katsuki and hoping he took the hint. You heard him set his book down, turning off his light. Your stomach sank as you felt his hand on your side, but to your surprise, he just slipped his arm around you, settling behind you. “G’night, babe. Love you or whatever.” Your throat was dry as you opened your mouth to respond, swallowing your nerves.
“Love you too, Katsuki.”
He was gone in the morning, a note scribbled and left on your bedside table saying he headed off to work and there was breakfast in the fridge. All of these actions left a heavy weight in your stomach, an unease you couldn’t shake. After eating the pancakes he left cold, you decided you just needed to get out, but the thought of seeing Kirishima right now made you feel oddly guilty. With a quick text, you settled on bringing some breakfast over to the Midoriya household, not having some one-on-one time with Ochako since her baby boy was born.
You rolled up an hour later, a bag full of warm bakery sandwiches and some bagels for easy snacking, barely knocking on the door before it’s thrown open.
“Oh my goodness, adult human contact!” Ochako threw her arms over you in a desperate hug as you giggled.
“Hello to you too.” She shushed you, pulling you into the house and all but attacking the bag of goodies you brought. “So where is Yuudai?” You looked around the empty living room.
“Oh! Izuku is home on paternity leave, they’re upstairs right now!” She grinned happily, taking her stash of food out to the couch while you walked over to the stairs, whisper yelling up to said Izuku.
“Hey, broccoli boy, I brought food!” You heard Ochako chuckle from her comfy position on the couch as Izuku bundled up the baby, carefully taking the steps one at a time. “Let me take that little bundle of joy for you…” You slipped your arms under Izuku’s as he smiled gratefully.
“Thanks, It’s harder than I thought to get breaks for things like food…” You nudged him off toward the remnants of the bag as you went to join Ochako on the couch, staring down at the chubby face looking back at you. “Is it just me, or are his cheeks even bigger??” Ochako whines at your innocent statement.
“Don’t remind me, he already looks too much like me!” She pouts, still munching on her sandwich.
“I think it’s cute~” You coo, mostly at Yuudai, watching as he tries to grab your hair. Ochako rolls her eyes as Izuku slips into a comfy chair nearby.
“So do I, but Ochako doesn’t listen to me.”
“Enough about cheeks, what have you been up to? You look happier than the last time we hung out! I need to hear all about it, please, I’m dying to talk about something else for a few minutes!” You knew she was head over heels for Yuudai, especially with how her eyes flew to him every time you moved even a little, but after so long of people constantly checking in for updates and pictures, you couldn’t blame her for wanting a little variety.
“Well… Katsuki has been gone more often…” Ochako pouts again, taking a big bite of her food. “But I’ve been talking with Eijirou, and we’ve been taking little day trips to get me out of the house.” You felt the tension grow in the room, Ochako all but glaring at Izuku.”
“Eijirou, huh?” Izuku questioned innocently.
“Deku, no.”
“I’m just curious! If they’re close enough to be on a first-name basis, she must already know Kaachan and Kiri were friends!”
“Of course I know…”
“Deku, stop!” Ochako’s glare only intensifies.
“Then she must also know Kaachan gave Kiri that scar!”
“Izuku!” The silence that settled over the room was stifling as you processed his words.
“What…? No, he definitely would have told me…” You stared down at Yuudai, pieces slowly falling into place in your memory. The story he told that first night in the bar, his reluctance to tell you he knew who your fiance was, the damn near intimate knowledge of Katsuki’s behavior… you could tell Ochako was scolding Izuku, but your mind couldn’t make out the words.
“I’m just worried! Kirishima disappears for years, and suddenly he shows up only to get close to Kaachan’s fiancee! I don’t want to think badly of him, but it doesn’t sit right with me.” Deku defends himself. “She should have a chance to protect herself.”
You clear your throat, giving them a tight smile. “Thank you, really. It’s fine. I’ll talk to him later, right now, I just want to spend time with you three.”
You fall into another tense silence before Ochako speaks up, crumbs dusting her face. “I started watching reality shows…”
Once they were done eating, Ochako took Yuudai upstairs to feed him, Izuku following after to keep her company, leaving you to your thoughts. Before you could second guess, you pulled out your phone, clicking on Eiji’s contact.
You knew you must have looked a mess in that moment. You could feel the dried tear tracks pulling your skin taut, the tangle your hair was after falling asleep in Kirishima’s car, and the water you had been sipping did nothing for your chapped lips. For a moment, guilt coursed through you; you had been a few fleeting moments from bringing Kaminari into this mess… but the alcohol still burned in your veins, feeding the flames of anger bubbling in your stomach. Fuck, you were going to do something stupid, weren’t you?
“I told you I was going out with Mina and the guys tonight, Katsuki…” Good. The anger in your voice was tempered.
“That’s not who dropped you off.” You rolled your eyes, of course, he’d be keeping an eye out for you.
“Well, maybe you’d know who it was if you were ever home! It’s not my fault you don’t know anything about my life anymore, Katsuki.” You spat, the venom sneaking into your voice. “You leave for weeks at a time, come home and expect me to roll over on my back like I’m nothing more than your bitch! You moved me into this godforsaken house only for it to be my glorified cage. Then you accuse me of cheating because I stopped waiting for you and went out with my friends.”
“I gave you everything. A home, a ring, fuck! I’m even trying to give you a fucking snot-nosed brat. You should be happy I would even give you that much.” Your body went rigid as Katsuki stood, your blood running cold at the almost serene look on his face, but your sense of self-preservation had apparently left with Kirishima tonight.
“I was supposed to be something, Katsuki, and now I can’t even get a job because of your stupid rules.” You stood up to him, puffing out your chest in some sort of drunken confidence.
“You want me to be the bad guy, babe?” He sneered, getting in your face, his fists popping at his sides, “I’ll be the fucking bad guy.” He walked off to your room, letting you catch your breath, belatedly noticing how the air froze in your lungs as he closed in on you. You started to follow after him only to be roughly shouldered out of the way, Katsuki carrying an armful of your clothes over to the kitchen sink.
“Katsuki, what the hell are you-” You nearly screamed when the first burst came from his hands, the material held over the sink quickly catching, scattering embers as they burned and dropped into the sink. “Stop! What are you doing?!” You reached out for his arm, fresh tears on your face as Katsuki dropped the rest into the sink, watching with a malicious grin as the fabric caught and flared.
“Hope you like that dress. Looks like it’s the only thing your ass has to wear out to the fucking clubs anymore.” He walked away with a manic chuckle, abandoning you to try to salvage what was left in the sink, running the tap over the dwindling flames. “Every time we fight, you bring up this stupid piece of paper. I get it, it sucks you wasted years for this, but just accept it.” The sound of breaking glass drew your attention back to him as he held your degree in his hand, the frame shattered on the ground in front of him. “This was never going to be more than a piece of paper for you.”
You think you may have screamed by the way your throat ached, but it was hard to tell with the way your chest tightened, watching the only thing you had been proud of fall to ash on the floor.
Katsuki stood, as he always did, proudly in front of you, watching you fall to pieces. Without another word, he turned and left, slamming the door behind him.
And you hated how that even when he destroyed everything, you missed the heat he brought to the frigid walls surrounding you.
The moments pass in silence, the emptiness closing in around you. How funny it was to feel claustrophobic in such a large space. All the fight left you as quickly as a breath, and it was all you could do to drag yourself to bed. You hoped to wake to a perfectly pristine house, the way you had for the past seven months, to not have to pick up the pieces of glass, to not try to wash the ashes out of the sink. To wake up to the man you had agreed to marry not even three months before instead of the ugly thing that took his shape tonight.
Something inside you had finally frayed until it snapped, but you were trying so hard to tie it back together. That must count for something, right?
The next morning, you moved as if you were still asleep. Your chest didn’t feel heavy, it didn’t ache, it just felt empty. Like this house, like your life: hollow. You peeled your dress off, placing it in the hamper, and went through the motions. Washing the alcohol off of your skin, staring past your reflection as you brushed your hair, barely thinking as you dutifully picked up the clothes strewn across your room from Katsuki’s tantrum. That’s what it was, just a tantrum. Things would get better.
Your phone buzzed from the nightstand, your eyes barely comprehending Kirishima’s words on the screen. Later. You’d be able to focus later. So your phone was left on your bed as you rolled up your sleeves, intent on tackling the kitchen.
Soot had tainted all the white. It got under your nails, coating your skin and making you feel like some sort of antique. Dusty and placed on a shelf to be forgotten about. Even as the last bits of dingy grey swirled down the drain, you could still feel it on your skin.
It was when you went to pick up the glass that the first flash of emotion hit you that morning. A spike of hurt, of betrayal, piercing through your chest, but you soldiered on with single-minded determination. The sooner you finished, the sooner you could pretend it never happened. You couldn’t bear telling Mina… You couldn’t ruin the image of her friend even more than you already had.
You hadn’t heard the door open. You hadn’t felt the sting of tears in your eyes or the bite of glass in your hand. But you felt the calloused hand against your cheek, saw the concerned crimson eyes boring into your own.
“K-Kirishima? What are you doing here?” Every word felt like sandpaper against your throat.
“I… I asked if you wanted to grab brunch… You said yes. I’ve been knocking at your door for the past ten minutes…” He brushed back your hair, catching sight of the tears in your eyes. “What happened?”
You had been holding on so hard, you had wanted nothing more than to mend what had broken. And then Kirishima walked in, taking the glass from your hands, showed you how holding on to something broken only hurt you more.
This is my fic for The Citrus Dome Server Lover’s Day Literature Collab! Please go check out The Masterlist and support all of the amazing artists and writers that have contributed.
A/N:WHEW guys… I don’t think I’ve put this much work into a fic EVER. I’ve been feeling pretty bad about my body and wanted to write a reader who struggled with it as well. Who better to boost your confidence than DILF Kiri feeding your praise kink?! I was heavily influenced by this amazing drabble by @rat-suki and got permission to use it as my inspiration for this fic. (for reference, reader is 30 and Kirishima is 42)
Thanks to @afictionalwhore and my dear friend Orchid for the beta read!
RetiredProHero!Kirishima x YoungerF!Reader
Word Count:5.3k
TW: size difference, oral (both receiving), daddy kink, praise kink (lots and lots of praise), TBH the sex is pretty vanilla but very passionate, both are insecure about their bodies.
Pairing: WolfHybrid/ForestGuardian!Kirishima x FemmWitch!Reader
Word Count: 1K
TW: slight mentions of violence. This is just a setup for the rest of the story. A lil’ bit of fluff at the end ❤
Author’s Note: This is one I started months ago and haven’t had too much motivation to finish. Maybe getting it out into the Tumblr void and people expressing interest will inspire me to actually finish! And it WILL get spicy so this is still 18+ MDNI!!!
Eijiro Kirishima hated humans. The small, foul-smelling menaces were a constant threat to the forest he was bound to. The forest was part of him… much like a mortal’s arm is connected to their body. So when the forest spirit saw you entering his lands from high on his windy clifftop, he was immediately suspicious.
He quickly shifted into wolf form and began his descent, fur bristling along his spine. He thought that leaving hunters along the edge of the tree line missing their throats was an effective deterrent. In fact, it had been years since one of your kind had dared entered here… Eijiro thought to himself that you were either ignorant to the tales of a viscous wolf-god who ate humans or had a death wish. He’d soon find out, he mused, licking his dagger-like fangs. He began to salivate at the thought of tasting human flesh again.
He could hear the rustle of leaves before he saw your cloaked form flitting through the tall trees. However, what puzzled the spirit was the smell… or to be more accurate, the lack of smell. Human smell was something he’d never forget. It burned his nostrils and made his eyes water. The smell of their pheromones and sweat and oils was abhorrent to him… so when the calming smell of herbs assaulted his senses, he questioned all together just what he was dealing with…
He sniffed, raising his muzzle to search the air for any signs of foreign smells… he closed his eyes, and a small whimper slipped through his teeth (surprising himself)… beneath the smell of herbs and flowers, he smelled… well, he smelled YOU. He’d never before encountered a more delicious fragrance. His mouth watered and his pupils engulfed his crimson irises. He wanted to feel your fingers in his fur… he wanted to run his nose along your thighs to inhale the source of your entrancing scent… he wanted to mount you, and….
WAIT…
What was he THINKING? You were a human. You were vile. Your kind brutalized the land and tore down everything that he was created to protect. He shook his head as if it would rid him of the scent that had invaded his entire body. He set his mouth in a grimace, determined to make an example out of you to other humans who were stupid enough to enter his home.
You walked and walked, deeper into the forest than any other human had been before. Ejiro told himself he’d let you come this far out of sheer curiosity. He wouldn’t admit to himself that he longed to see the face behind the hood. Finally, after what felt like hours, you stopped in a clearing and knelt. His head cocked to the side in confusion.
You laid out a woven cloth and placed various vials and crystals and herbs atop it. You were meticulous with how you arranged your materials. Eijiro had never seen a human act in such a strange manner. The next thing he noticed was that you carried no weapons or axes… if you weren’t here to take his trees or his creatures he protected, what could you possibly want?
He stayed watching as you bowed your head and lifted your hands in reverence… his heart did a little somersault in his chest. Were you… worshiping his forest? Several conflicting emotions washed over him at that moment, but he wasn’t able to process any of them before you slowly removed your hood.
You were stunning… your features were calm and delicate, not ugly and twisted like the hunters or the ax wielders he’d devoured before. He noticed how your hands worked, measuring out herbs, pouring water from a flask into the tiny bottles. As you worked he began to feel it… he felt the magic radiating from you. You had a faint glow all around your form as you prayed and worked. Gold tendrils snaked from your body along the forest floor, infusing everything they touched with energy. You were pouring your love and devotion into his forest, and in turn, into him.
Eijiro stood frozen in the edge of the clearing until the ceremony was over and you began packing your things away. As you clasped your bag shut, your eyes wandered over to where he stood. You were in awe at the magnificent creature. You knew immediately he was a spirit, a guardian of the forest. Your wide, surprised eyes met his flaming gaze. In an act of submission, you knelt before him.
“Great spirit,” you began, head still hanging low, “I beg permission to enter here and worship the mother tree. I swear to you that I bring no harm with me. If I ever do,” your head slowly raises, “slay me where I stand.” With that, you pulled out an ornate dagger, sliced your palm, and squeezed a few drops of blood into the soil.
The wolf spirit was truly stunned. How did you know exactly how to approach and communicate with high-ranking guardian spirits? You were a complete mystery to him. You raised your palm out towards him and he sniffed the shallow wound. It smelled like honey and lavender. His mouth watered and before he could register what he was doing, he licked over the cut… tasting the delicious blood and healing it at the same time.
“Thank you, Great One,” your warm smile and the devotion in your eyes caused a warmth to spread in his chest. A giggle escaped you as his wet muzzle met your neck, sniffing you all over while his tail wagged behind him.
“I guess this means I am welcome to worship here?” you spoke into his dark red fur as you scratched his sides. His eyes met yours again and he bumped your chin with his cold, damp snout. Your smile cast warmth over his whole being.
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
Eijiro promptly curled up beside you in the soft grass and laid his head in your lap. You knew you wouldn’t be leaving anytime soon… but who cares what else there is to be done when you’ve won the favor of a god?
