The Taming of the Human, Chapter 1: Territory

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Okay, loyal fans. This came to me, an AU of an AU, and I was encouraged by my good friend, lilly11594, to publish it. It fits in—sorta—somewhere between chapters 4 and 5 of "The Taming of the Demon," and is a perfect example of how worlds diverge in hypertime. This is a what might have been of a what might have been…had certain things happened differently.

But, differently or not, all things seem to come home, sooner or later, don't they?

I dedicate this story to lilly11594, for her encouragement. Thank you, Lilly! (And check out her stories on Wattpad!)

Enjoy!

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Owari no Seraph: The Taming of the Human, Chapter 1: Territory

Chapter 1: Territory

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The next day, they were eating in the commissary when Asuramaru overheard something interesting from a table three aisles away.

"He's cute, I'll give you that," said one of three women sitting at the tables. Asuramaru thought they all looked like they were each wearing a solid inch-thick slab of makeup. He smiled a nasty smile when he remembered the human expression, "war paint." These ladies definitely gave off the "vibe" of being "on the hunt." Asuramaru's ears twitched, slightly, and he frowned.

At first, when Asuramaru had first materialized in this physical plane of existence, they both had been concerned about the demon's ears (which protruded slightly from beneath his hair) and his tiny horns, both of which were usually the mark of a demon. But as it turned out, while Yu'd been out on patrol, humans, especially human females, had begun wearing such artificial extensions as a fashion statement. It was a big relief for both him and Maru, who otherwise would have been confined to Yu's apartment.

He focused his senses on the trio at the table. Yes, they were most definitely eyeing Yu. Something about their attention made him do a slow burn.

"Who's that with him?"

"Dunno. I heard somebody say she's his cousin or something."

"I heard that's a guy.'"

"Oh, come on. No guy looks that good. Hell, most women don't look that good."

Shrug. "Dunno. That's just what I've heard."

"Nice. I always did like a man in uniform."

"I heard that's a guy. The other one, I mean."

"C'mon. That soldier can't be twenty."

"I heard that's a guy. The one in the dress, I mean."

"Hm. I think soldier boy, there, will do. For the first one this week, at least."

"I still think that's a guy."

"Well, then, good. No competition."

"How?" said one of the women, excitedly. "How you gonna do it?"

The one who'd spoken smiled smugly. "Eh, a little cleavage is usually all I need." Though not looking at them, Asuramaru glanced at her. She did indeed have an impressive rack.

"Yu?" he said, keeping his voice low, "move back from the table a little."

"Huh? Why?" He was in mid-bite of a rice cake. Now he stopped and looked at his demon companion.

His eyes narrowed. Uh oh. Maru had that look on his face, the one he always wore right before he got either or neither or both of them caught up in some military grade level of mischief. "What are you up to, Maru?"

"Saving your life. Now just do exactly as I tell you, and save the questions for later, okay? Move back a little more." And he got up from his seat, leaving his sushi-and his banana! Yu's eyes almost bulged out of his head. Maru never left an uneaten banana in his wake! This must be important.

The Black Demon casually sauntered over to him...and slid down into Yu's lap. Took his surprised face in his hands. "Now put your arms around me and close your eyes, dummy." At Yu's surprised look, "Just do it, stupid! I'll explain why later! And hurry! We don't have all day!" And he closed his lips around Yu's in a sizzling kiss, all the while keeping his keen sense of hearing focused on the other table.

"What th-*? He's kissing his cousin?"

"I know I heard that's a guy!"

"I've never seen a liplock like that in my entire life!"

"That's a guy!"

"Oh Em Gee, they're gonna Do It right there on the table!"

"Ew, gross!"

"I am so outta here!"

Maru broke away from Yu, after his senses confirmed that The Enemy had stampeded from the room, and looked after their retreating backs, with a certain sense of professional satisfaction. Stupid cows. Think about playing with his human, would they? Think again, bitches. Then he stopped, and took in Yu's angry expression. All the other patrons in the restaurant were staring, eyes wide, some stopped in mid-chew. One woman's mouth was stopped in mid-bite of a cake. "Okay. Wanna tell me what that was all about?"

….

"What do you mean, 'female sharks'?" They were back at Yu's apartment.

"How many interpretations of that are there? You were being targeted by heavy estrogen-powered ordnance, and the only thing standing between you and emotional devastation," sighed the Black Demon, histrionically rolling his eyes, "was me. Your humble demon servant." He was currently sitting on the bed, leaning back on one hand, left leg swinging over the right. Yu was half hypnotized by the movement. How could any guy have legs like that? There oughtta be a law. Then he jerked his head away, when he saw Asuramaru noticing his look. Maru grinned. He so loved toying with Yu this way. This was almost as good as bananas.

"I got the 'demon' part, but 'humble' and 'servant'? Where did those come in? Oh, never mind." He swallowed audibly. "Th-thanks. I guess."

"Gee. Such enthusiastic appreciation. Not sure I can handle all that." Yu just glared at him.

Asuramaru figured he'd pumped all he could out of that well. Time to move on. He got up and went over to where Yu was sitting at the small faux wooden table. "Yu, I'm bored. Come play with me." He took his host by the arm and tugged.

"Can't, Maru," said Yu, without looking up, "I gotta pay these bills. You like bananas, don't you? Well, this is the only way to keep 'em coming in."

Still, Maru pulled on him. He couldn't exert his full vampire strength on his host, due to the amended curse, but he could be damn insistent. "C'mon, Yu. Just for a little while." His large red eyes lit up as he considered the possibilities. "You like playing chess or cards with me, don't you? Even though you always lose."

"Maru. Look. I just can't right now, understand? I gotta do this."

Pout. "You just don't wanna be around me anymore. I'm just a burden to you." Maru sure could pout, when he put his mind-and lips-to it. His lower lip actually trembled slightly. Yu knew he had just been shot down in flames.

But still he fought on. "That's not it, and you know it. C'mon, Maru. A little mercy, here."

But Maru was all out of mercy. Just like every other day of his 1,200 years of life. Then inspiration hit him. "Come take a bath with me." Yu's apartment, like many rotating servicemen's, particularly those whose rotation would carry them back into Level 3 Stages of danger and above, was equipped with a spacious tub that could double as a Jacuzzi.

Level 3 and 4 Stages were among the most dangerous there were; every amenity the culture had was made available to those servicemen and women. The only one more dangerous-Level 4-was jokingly said to be reserved for those with strong suicidal ideation.

There was no Level 5.

"Wh-what?" The request jolted Yu out of his concentration. "What?"

Maru pulled on his arm some more. "A bath. You know, that thing where you take off all your clothes," and here he hugged himself tightly, and let out a very small, almost inaudible sigh, almost like a gasp, "an'...get all...wet…"

Yu put his hands over his ears. "Not...lis...ten...ing. Not...lis...ten...ing…"

"C'mon, Yu. You know you never win these kinds of arguments with me. So c'mon, already. You may as well surrender to the inevitable. It saves time, and you do have those bills to pay." He paused, a mischievous expression on his face. "Or is it that you don't really believe I'm a boy? Well, here, I'll prove it to you." And he reached up and unsnapped the top retainer of his dress, pulling it down around his waist…

"Maru! Don't do that!" Yu had turned his head, and now was covering his eyes.

"Aahhhh...soooo...you don't believe I'm a boy. Well, I guess I can see why you'd be so scaaared…" He let the word drag out a bit.

Yu slammed his pen down on the desk and stood up, still not looking at Maru. "I," he began, "am not scared. It's just...you're my guest, dammit! It, it, I just, it just wouldn't be right, that's all!"

But Maru was ready for this one. "Well, then, if I'm your guest, it's your responsibility to make me feel at home, isn't it? So come on." He turned, clutching the top of his dress to his upper torso. "I'll even go draw the bath. Baths are safer than showers, you know. Ask me why."

"Why?"

"Can't drop the soap!" And he stuck his tongue out at a groaning Yu and pirouetted into the bathroom. Shortly, Yu could hear the sound of the water running.

I can't believe I actually fell for that.

Quite against his better judgment-or even his bad judgment-Yu found himself at the bathroom door, wearing his bathrobe-and his swim trunks. He braced himself and went in.

"Hey, no fair! I don't wear a swimsuit! You don't either! Besides, you can't get fully clean in those things!" Maru reached up to the sides of his trunks…

"No, no, now stop it, Maru!" He swatted, half-heartedly, at the demon's questing fingers. "Hands off! I swear, if I didn't know better, I'd think you were-* Never mind." He was studiously avoiding looking at his demon guest, who had clasped his hands in front of his chest and was jumping up and down in the water, practically squealing with the delight of anticipation. "Okay, okay, already!" He turned his back on Maru and slid out of the trunks.

"Niiiice tush, Yu!"

"Shut-*" But he strangled the rest of the command. One thing they'd learned, in Asuramaru's time in the physical realm, was that if Yu gave him a command, no matter what it was, Asuramaru was bound to obey it for at least twenty-four hours. While twenty four hours without any sound from Maru might sound like heaven on the surface, Yu was ever mindful that his guest was, just that: his guest. And he'd promised to be his guest's friend… and friends don't tie a gag around you all day, no matter how annoying you get. He slid the trunks the rest of the way off, then made to back into the bathtub, to Asuramaru's sounds of delight. What did I do to deserve this?

A pair of slender arms were flung around him from behind. "Oh, Yu! I'm so glad you...came!" The ever-so-slight emphasis he put on the word did not go unnoticed by Yu. "I was starting to feel lonely, just me in this big ol' tub." He continued to press, squishily, up against Yu from behind, making Yu all the more nervous.

Yu knew, intellectually, what Asuramaru had, down there, below his abdomen. It was the same thing he had, basically. At least, he guessed it was. It only differed in the details. (But if that was true, why was his natural scent so, so...enticing? Why was his body so soft? More mystery.) But he was really uncomfortable with empirical verification of anything.

But what did Maru have upstairs? Several times, when he wasn't being observed (he thought), he'd glanced at Maru's upper torso, at the part of his dress over his chest. There was definitely something up there, some sort of swelling that looked to be firmer, and...dare he think it? More pert, than, than any simple "man boobs."

But right now, the owner of whatever was up there was slipping and sliding his soapy way across Yu's back. Yu couldn't really tell what Maru's upper chest was like, not from feel alone, not with his back turned. But... Is he doing this deliberately? Is he trying to get me all worked up? To turn me on?

'Cause it is so working.

"Here. Just because you were so nice to come join me, I'll...do you...first." Again, that ever-so-slight emphasis on certain words. Now, I know he's up to no good. But then a little voice in the back of his head responded, What am I saying. He's Asuramaru, a Black Demon, who hates my guts. He's never up to any good. Am I supposed to be surprised?

Maru grabbed the sponge and began to rub Yu's back with it, across, up and down, sideways-Yu was beginning to wonder if the demon was just trying to find an excuse to keep at this longer-when Maru said, "Here. Now for the front." And he began moving the sponge across Yu's chest, laying his head down on Yu's back, actually moaning slightly. It sounded genuine, to Yu. He'd tied his hair up (that wonderful hair) before getting in the tub, and Yu found himself wishing he hadn't...

And, although he was using a sponge, he was holding it in such a manner that it was less washing and more groping. "Uh, M-Maru?" Yu was feeling an awful lot of hand-to-chest contact there.

"Just getting you clean, Yu, darling. After all, you do want to be clean, now, don't you? And your chest," suddenly, his breath hitched just a tad, "such a...delectable chest...just isn't as smooth as your back...it just takes a bit more work, that's all." And he kept on with his washing / copping a feel with a kind of languid speed that indicated he was perfectly content to do this all night.

Unless he thought of something better to do. Yu resolutely refused to think about what that might be.

Especially since this male demon was right behind him, apparently getting all hot and bothered by Yu's naked body...Yu braced himself to explode out of the tub at the slightest poke, er, provocation.

But just as Yu was about to suggest that maybe they find something other to do, say, outside the tub, maybe with their clothes on, the demon pulled away from him slightly, and handed him the sponge. "Your turn, Yu. Wash my back, would you, sweetie?" And he turned his back on Yu.

Er, "sweetie"?-thought Yu. But okay. At least, this way, he could sorta control things a bit better. At least, he thought he could.

He took the sponge, added some soap, and began to move it back and forth across Maru's bare back. Back and forth, up and down, sideways, circular...and it began to dawn on him that he was actually enjoying this.

This whole misadventure was just three different dimensions of wrong.

"Don't forget the front, honey." Sweat broke out on Yu's forehead, sweat that had nothing to do with the heated water. "Honey," now, is it? God help me. Why was he going along with this? But he gathered the sponge together, and, holding it in such a way as to minimize actual physical contact with his bath partner, moved it around across Maru's chest. Maru's breathing began to hitch. Of course, thought Yu, it was all an act.

Wasn't it?

Primarily due to the way he was holding the sponge, but also because of the half-trance he'd put himself into, he really couldn't tell that much about the topography of Asuramaru's chest, and he was exerting himself quite a lot to keep from finding out. "There," he said, moving away, "That's got y-*"

"A little more. I don't feel really clean yet."

"Rrrrgh. Alright," and he moved the sponge back and forth…

"Got an erection yet, Yu?"

He jumped as though stung. "Gaah! Maru!"

"Come on! Just answer the question, yes or no?" His mouth quirked in even more of the mischievous smile it had been in all afternoon, he started to turn around there in the tub… "I do. Wanna see?" He made as though to stand up.

"Aaaah! You keep back, Maru! Sit back down! This has gone far enough!"

"So...do you?" Clearly, the little demon was going to keep on until he got some kind of answer.

Yu knew he couldn't lie to the empath. "Y-yes, I, I do. Okay? Satisfied?" Then he felt a disturbance in the water, as though something hand-shaped was fumbling near his crotch… "Oh, no! Enough! I have HAD it! This bath is officially over!" And he hitched himself away from Maru, climbed out of the tub.

"Oh, come on, Yu!" pouted the demon, "I just wanted to see how big it is!"

"Keep wondering!" He pulled his clothes on.

More of that same mischievous smile. He crossed his arms on the side of the tub and rested his chin on them, eyes bright. "You show me yours and I'll show you mine."

"En Oh. Don't get waterlogged, now. It'll be bedtime, soon…" Then he closed his eyes as he waited for the demon to make some remark related to "bedtime."

"Oh, phoo. I'm coming out, killjoy." Yu glanced back around at Maru, who was climbing out of the tub on the far side.

How could any guy have a butt that cute?

To be continued…