A/N: Hey everyone, just to warn you in advance that this is a really long chapter. I was struggling to find a good cut off point, plus, you can consider this an extra treat for waiting so long for this chapter to come out. I Hope you all enjoy it.
It had taken some time, but eventually, Yuuto and Lala found themselves standing hand in hand outside of Akihabara Station and were greeted with the sight of tall buildings plastered with advertisements for anime merchandise, video games, maid cafes and the like. The street itself was crowded with humans and liminals alike, all looking to fritter away their hard-earn wages on whatever they desired. The young reaper couldn't help but stare in awe at what she saw, while the MON operative let a warm smile cross his lips at her reaction, which was akin to a child in a candy shop.
"Me Love, this place…" The dullahan trailed off as even she couldn't find the words to describe the joy she was feeling right now.
"Yeah, welcome to Akihabara, the otaku capital of the world, though most people just call it Akiba these days." He explained to his girlfriend. "You can find pretty much anything to do with anime and manga, video games, or anything to do with the otaku subculture."
"The realm o' Akiba. Truly, ye have shown me a world o' infinite possibilities. I canna even begin tae envision where tae start our journey in this most wondrous corner o' existence." She replied as she wrapped her arms around his own and pulled it to her chest to make sure she wouldn't lose him in the crowds.
"Well, there's a manga store nearby that I wanted to check out. Maybe you'll find something that'll catch your interest while we're there." Yuuto said as he started guiding them to their destination, though he quickly slipped his arm from her grasp and placed it on her back, placing his hand on top of her head. "It can get a bit hectic around here, so I don't want to risk you losing your head, alright?" He told her in a caring tone.
Lala smiled at him as she now wrapped her arms tightly around his chest from the side. "I do nay plan tae leave yer side anytime soon."
The blonde smiled back at her as he started escorting her to their first stop for the day, trying his best to navigate them through the bustling crowds.
They eventually arrived at the store in question, which was a manga store that was at least five stories tall. Lala's eyes lit up in wonder as they went in through the ground floor entrance, seeing shelves filled to the brim with manga of every genre, with many potential customers browsing the wares for their favourite titles. She looked up at her boyfriend with doe eyes as if pleading with him to go look around. Yuuto responded with a warm smile and a nod of his head, at which point the dullahan smiled back and went off to explore.
"Don't go too far, I'll get us a shopping basket." He called out, unsure that she even heard him.
Thankfully she hadn't wandered off too far as she was scanning one of the shelves near the entrance. The MON agent soon came back with a shopping basket and started looking through the shelves himself.
He stopped for a moment as he spotted a particularly popular series right now and picked up a copy to scan it over. "Neat, the new volume of My Hero Academia. Should be a good read." He muttered to himself as he placed it in the basket.
He just had a feeling that they might be stuck here for a while.
They soon found themselves on one of the upper levels of the building as they continued to browse the shelves for anything good. Yuuto was in the middle of looking through the available volumes of D-Fragment, though he hadn't been able to find a recent volume that he didn't already own. It was a shame that there weren't any recent updates to the series, seeing he was quite the fan of it.
"Hmm, maybe there's a new release for Seitokai Yakuindomo or Grand Blue Dreaming…" He muttered as he continued to browse the shelf.
He was soon interrupted as he felt someone tug at his sleeve. The human looked to his side to see Lala look up at him with a warm smile and reddened cheeks, clutching several books to her chest. He couldn't help but return a warm smile of his own at the adorable sight.
"Hey Babe, found anything good?" He asked as he turned to face his girlfriend.
The dullahan held out the books in question, showing them to be the first three volumes of Angels of Death. "Aye, these tomes have captured me attention."
"Go on, stick them in." He replied as he held up the basket for her, and she proceeded to place them in with the greatest of care.
"I hope ye do nay insist on procuring all these tomes fer me, I do have me own wealth tae make use of." Lala said as she moved to his side and wrapped her arms around his.
"Well, it is a date, and I'd like to treat you at some point." He answered as they started walking down the aisle.
"Then I suggest ye pause fer now and wait till we need to procure nourishment tae do so." She said to him with a sly smile on her face.
"Of course, you'd make me pay for the most expensive thing." He replied jokingly as he smirked back at her.
Suddenly the pair stopped and Yuuto looked to his side to see Lala glaring at a red curtain covering a section of the shop from public view. It had 'R-18' printed on it.
The blonde's cheeks went red as he glanced down at his girlfriend. "Lala are you really going to-" He was cut off as she started dragging him towards the curtain in question.
"Aye, I must uncover what is sealed away in this space." She replied with a hint of determination.
Before he could respond, they had made it through the curtain and found a single aisle with shelves running either side, filled to the brim with hentai manga and even some DVD's as well. Thankfully, they were the only people in this section right now, people would get suspicious if they found a human and liminal alone in such a place.
"I see this is where they have sealed away the forbidden tomes o' this world." Lala broke the silence as she looked around with slightly reddened cheeks.
"Well, it is the hentai section after all." Yuuto replied as his own cheeks went red.
After a moment of silence, the young reaper broke away from her boyfriend and started to examine the shelves and their contents. The blonde just merely stayed where he was, content with letting Lala explore at her leisure. He glanced to his right and saw some DVD's that stood out from the rest. He picked one up and examined the cover.
*Sigh* "Of course, they would have Bible Black of all things…" He muttered as he placed the case back where he found it.
He looked back down the aisle and found the dullahan standing in front of the shelves with a manga in hand. The MON agent smirked to himself as he made his way to her side once more, and found that she was frozen on the spot with her cheeks bright red. He peeked at the cover of the book and saw a picture of a nude woman covered in slime and tentacles with a lewd look on her face.
"Ah, I see you found the tentacle hentai then." He said as he looked back at her with a teasing look on his face.
Lala quickly slammed the book shut and hurriedly placed it back in its place on the shelf. "It seems some mortals have some strange tastes when it comes tae self-arousal…" She replied in an embarrassed tone.
"Not so much nowadays seeing that scylla are a thing."
"…I suppose I canna judge a mortal's preferences in sexual desires…" She said as she fidgeted with her fingers, trying not to overthink the matter.
As she glanced around the space, she spotted another manga that caught her attention. The young reaper made her way to where the book was, and Yuuto decided to follow her this time. He stopped right next to her as she picked up the book in question, the pair now examining the cover in great detail. It showed a young woman with long scarlet hair bent over with her buttocks in the air with a crimson scythe at her side, only wearing a pair of black high heels and scatterings of black ooze to cover her modesty. The couple just stared at the cover as both their cheeks went bright red.
"…Well, I should've known there'd be at least one with a grim reaper focus…" Yuuto said out loud as he rubbed the back of his head nervously.
Lala still had an embarrassed look on her face as she silently placed the hentai doujin into their basket, earning a quizzical look from her boyfriend.
"…May I ask why you're getting it?"
The dullahan locked eyes with him for a short moment before breaking her gaze from him in a fit of embarrassment. "W-W-Well, if we are tae eventually combine our life essences, then we should prepare fer what is tae come as best we are able tae…" She answered as she fidgeted with her fingers once more.
The blonde couldn't help but smirk at her as he gently patted her head. "Hentai isn't exactly an accurate representation of actual sex, but I guess it's better than nothing."
Lala smiled back at him as she wrapped her arms around him from the side. "Then let us leave this space and obtain the treasures we have discovered. I wish tae see what the rest o' this realm has tae offer."
"No need to tell me twice." Yuuto answered as they started making their way back to the ground floor to purchase the manga they found.
Needless to say, the task of getting the hentai through checkout would prove to be an awkward experience for them both.
Sometime later the pair were strolling through the streets of Akiba once more with several shopping bags between them. Lala had the manga that they purchased earlier, and Yuuto was carrying a couple of video games that took his interest, as well as a figurine of Lisara Restall that the young reaper had insisted on getting. Coincidentally it was the same character that was portrayed on the cover of the hentai doujin that they found. As they continued to walk, the blonde suddenly heard a growling sound to his side. He saw his girlfriend wrap her arms over her stomach as her cheeks went bright red.
"Looks like someone's ready to eat." He said with a light chuckle.
"Aye, it seems I am in need o' sustenance…" She replied in an embarrassed tone.
As they were talking, they were confronted by a young woman with long black hair wearing a stylish black yukata top with a large red bow around her waist, a red gothic Lolita skirt with black frills reaching down to her knees and a pair of gothic studded high heel boots. She also seemed to be carrying several leaflets with her.
"Greetings, weary travellers!" She announced in a chuunibyou fashion as she placed a hand on her chest, startling the couple. "It seems you are in need of restoring your life forces. I may be able to assist you in this matter."
A confident smile soon appeared on Lala's face as she faced the girl and entered her reaper persona. "Aye, we have been traversing this plane fer some time and must ready ourselves fer the trials ahead." She replied as she placed a hand over her face.
Yuuto just stood there quietly, not wanting to get dragged into this little act in front of him.
"Well, you are in luck." The Lolita girl said as she handed a leaflet towards the dullahan, which she accepted. "I beseech you to make your way to Café Eclipse this very moment. They will gladly restore the two of you to fighting strength, and for a reasonable price as well."
The blonde looked over his girlfriend's shoulder as he looked over the leaflet she received. "Great, a chuunibyou café…" He thought as he internally cringed at the offending item.
"I thank ye fer yer assistance." Lala answered as a smirk crossed her lips. "Tell me, how do we traverse tae this space?"
The girl pointed down a nearby side road overdramatically. "Head down that path and take the second right. There you shall find salvation."
"Ye have me eternal gratitude." The young reaper replied as she grabbed her boyfriend's wrist and started dragging him towards their new destination. "May the Fates smile upon ye."
"Hey, quit being so ruff, will you?!" Yuuto exclaimed in annoyance as he was dragged along.
"Farewell, brave souls! Tell them that Yumiko sent you down this path!" The Lolita girl shouted with a wide grin as she waved the couple off.
It only took them a couple of minutes to get there and they soon found themselves standing outside the establishment. The storefront didn't stand out much, apart from the large sign that had 'Café Eclipse' written on it in black gothic cursive writing. Lala was eager to make her way in, though Yuuto was less than enthusiastic about being dragged into such a place.
"This must be the place the guide mentioned. Let us make haste, me Love, fer I feel meself grow weaker by the minute." The dullahan said as she continued to drag her boyfriend by the wrist.
"Yeah, right behind you…" He replied in a barely audible mutter.
Normally he would avoid themed cafés like this one like the plague. The food and drink were normally overpriced for what they were, and it felt cringy for him to watch some teenage girl wearing some ridiculous outfit to 'cast' a magical spell on his food to make it taste better. Why bother when you expect the food to taste decent in the first place? He felt like he wanted to shoot himself to avoid the embarrassment of it all, but his girlfriend was obviously enjoying herself, and they hadn't even gone inside yet. The human couldn't bear to ruin her fun and decided to just roll with it. He survived worse.
As they entered the building, they found themselves in a typical café layout, with a large room filled with wooden tables and chairs, with a service counter to their left which was also made of wood, and the place even had wooden floors. The motif absolutely screamed Gothic Lolita, with pictures of dark and brooding artwork covering the walls, and all the waitresses wearing black and red frilly maid outfits. Yuuto noticed that at least two of the waitresses in question were in fact liminals.
One who was currently serving a table had feline ears covered in brown fur sticking out from the top of her head and a long slender furry tail sticking out from under her skirt. It appeared that she was a nekomimi. The other one, who was currently approaching them had blue skin and long raven hair which she had tied in a ponytail to the left side of her head and long bangs reaching down to her shoulders. Her eyes had brown irises and the sclera was as black as night. Like the rest of the staff, she was wearing a black and crimson frilly maid outfit with a frilly maid headdress of the same colour scheme.
The woman stopped in front of them and immediately took on a pose with one arm crossed over her midriff and a hand over her face, her fingers spread so she could lock eyes with the couple. "Greetings, Denizens of the Light. Do you seek to restore your life energy in this realm of shadows?" She asked in a chuunibyou fashion with what seemed to be a British accent. "You must have travelled far to reach this sanctum."
"Okay, she's definitely a dullahan." Yuuto thought to himself, trying to keep a straight face.
The dullahan waitress continued as she struck another pose. "Fortunately for you, we are able to accept you into-"
"Ophelia."
Yuuto glanced to his side to see Lala smiling at the woman with a look of recognition on her face. The young reaper soon entered her persona once more and struck a pose of her own, placing a hand in front of her face. "It seems that the Fates have destined our reunion after so long, it is good tae see ye once more."
Ophelia paused as she looked over to the other dullahan, only just recognising her old friend as her eyes widened with realisation. "Lala!" She exclaimed as she bound forwards and took a hold of her free hand. "By the Gods, I didn't recognise you in those mortal garbs! Please, forgive me!" She continued with a wide smile on her face. "Tell me, how has the mortal realm treated you?"
Lala removed her hand from her face and placed it on top of her friend's hands still clutching at hers. "I have fared well, but I did nay realise that ye had come tae Japan also. How are ye faring?"
The waitress stepped back excitedly and immediately struck another pose. "I have found great comfort in this land thus far. My warden assisted me in acquiring this profession, and I have found much joy in it." She then glanced at Yuuto and quirked an eyebrow at him before looking back to her friend. "Tell me, Lala, is this mortal your warden perchance?"
The young reaper shook her head in response before she wrapped her arms around her boyfriend's closest arm and rested her head on his shoulder. "Nay, this is me Love, Yuuto Kazama. We have forged a pact together recently and we have found great joy in this union." She said in a joyous tone before turning her attention to the blonde. "Yuuto, this is Ophelia. She and I have been allies o' darkness since our youth."
"Oh, neat." Yuuto replied before he turned to face the waitress and raised a hand towards her as he gave her a polite smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ophelia."
Ophelia just furrowed her eyebrows at him, not impressed by the gesture. "I see…" She replied flatly, brushing him off before returning to her persona to perform her duties, returning a confident smile to her friend. "Let us make haste, I believe there to be adequate space for you. Please, allow me to guide you to your respective space." She continued as she started to lead the couple to their table.
Yuuto glanced at Lala with a confused look on his face, to which she returned an apologetic look. "Ye must forgive her, she has trouble dealing with newcomers, so do nay take it personally."
"...Okay then…" The blonde responded as they started to follow Ophelia to their table.
The group made their way to a free table and the couple took their seats as the waitress handed them their menus. Ophelia seemed to act in a friendly enough manner towards her old friend, but the human couldn't shake the feeling of hostility he was getting from her as he started to look through the menu.
"Take your time in finding your preferred sustenance, I will return shortly with your refreshments." She announced as she went towards the front counter to get them some water. As she excused herself, she let a sinister grin cross her lips while no one was looking. "I do not see what Lala sees in that mortal, but I will discover whether or not he is truly worthy of her affections. No one dares to make a pact with her without my consent." She thought to herself as she was about to set her plan into action.
Back at the table, the couple browsed through their menus, though Yuuto was having trouble coming to grips with the names of some of the dishes available. "Devil's Omelette, Abyssal Rice, Forbidden Tart…" He trailed off as he found a particularly peculiar dish name, which caused him to quirk an eyebrow at the offending item. "The hell's a Dark Nexus Offering?"
Lala glanced at the item on her own menu and smiled in confidence. "I believe it tae be some sort o' chocolate parfait fer two." She answered as her cheeks went red, imagining them romantically feeding each other the chocolaty delight.
The human's own cheeks started to go red as he let a warm smile cross his lips. "Doesn't sound like a bad idea." He replied as they locked eyes with one another and stared at each other lovingly.
They didn't wait long as Ophelia made her way back to them, holding a tray with a large jug of water and two glasses already filled with water. "Worry not, weary travellers. Your thirst will be sated shortly." She said in a dramatic fashion as she approached them.
As she reached the table, she placed the tray down and grabbed one of the filled glasses to hand over to the human. As Yuuto was about to reach out and grab it, Ophelia's hand twitched and the contents of the glass spilt all over the blonde agent. The waitress shot up straight and gave him an apologetic look while he sat there with a deadpan expression, not quite believing what just happened.
"My apologies, Mortal!" Ophelia exclaimed as she bowed her head at him as best she could without letting her head fall. "It is unforgivable of me to assault a visiting denizen in such a manner! Please, allow me to make amends!"
"No, it's alright!" Yuuto replied with a polite smile as he tried to reassure the dullahan waitress. "I'll just go dry myself off in the restroom. Where can I find it?"
She pointed towards the back of the café in a dramatic fashion. "Head towards the darkest corner of this space and you will find what you desire."
"Thanks." He said as he got up and headed towards the restroom.
"Will ye be alright, me Love?" Lala asked in a concerned tone.
"Yeah, I'll be fine. This won't take long."
As the human left to sort himself out, a smirk appeared on the raven-haired dullahan's face as she pulled a cloth from her person and began to clean up the mess she had made. "It seems he is not easily flustered. I suppose it's a good start." She said out loud as she glanced towards her friend, though she was unnerved by the sight she was greeted with.
Lala stared back at the waitress with a look of annoyance as it appeared that she had a dark aura surrounding her. "Ophelia, what are ye playing at?" She asked in a menacing tone.
Ophelia shot up straight in a panic as she waved her hands apologetically at her. "I do not know what you speak of, it was merely an accident." She replied with a look of panic on her face, but her childhood friend wasn't falling for her innocent act.
"Do nay take me fer a fool, it is clear as day that ye do nay approve o' Yuuto." The young reaper said as she eyed her friend suspiciously.
The waitress moved to her friend's side and crouched down, so she was at eye level before speaking again in a hushed tone to avoid attracting any unwanted attention. "And why should I? All I see is a mortal who's been taken in by your beauty. He isn't even a Spectre of Death; your mother and father would surely disapprove."
"He is nay a mere mortal, and if ye knew what we have been through, then ye would understand why I love him so." Lala answered before giving the waitress a pleading look. "Please, all I request o' ye is tae give him a chance."
Ophelia's face dropped into a look of guilt as she took in what her friend had said. Ever since they were children the raven-haired dullahan had been very protective of Lala, only allowing those who were trustworthy in her eyes close enough to her friend. This human was an unknown to her, yet Lala seemed to trust him to no end. Ophelia had to make sure he was right for her, but she couldn't risk damaging her friendship with Lala. To that end, the waitress gave a warm smile and nodded at her friend.
"I shall give the mortal his chance to prove himself worthy in my eyes. Let us hope for your sake he does not squander it." With that, Ophelia stood up straight and returned to cleaning up the mess.
Lala returned a warm smile as her features softened. "Thank ye, Ophelia. Ye will nay regret this decision."
"Let us hope you are right…" The waitress muttered to herself.
Just as Ophelia was finishing up, Yuuto returned from his excursion to the restroom with his red button-up shirt buttoned up and his drenched white T-shirt slung over his shoulder. "I'm back." He announced to the pair.
The two dullahan women glanced at his direction and their cheeks immediately went bright red at the sight. Though his shirt was buttoned up, it had been partially soaked at the front and they could barely make out the outline of his toned abs as the material clung to his skin. A small smirk crossed Lala's lips as she imagined her boyfriend without his shirt on. Ophelia, on the other hand, had a look of shock on her face at the sight of the man.
"…Is everything alright?" The blonde questioned the two women.
The waitress shot to her feet and stomped her way towards him. "N-N-No! E-Everything is not alright, M-M-M-Mortal!" She stuttered in an angry tone before prodding a finger against his chest. "Y-You are practically exposing yourself to everyone in this space!"
The blonde looked down at where she was prodding him and noticed that the front of the shirt he was wearing was still slightly damp and clinging to him. His own cheeks went red and he took a step back as he raised his free arm to cover himself as best as he could. "Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't realise it was that bad!" He exclaimed as he waved his arm still holding his damp T-shirt apologetically at the waitress.
Many of the staff and the other patrons took notice of the spectacle, though before it could get any worse, the nekomimi waitress they saw earlier came in to intervene. "Do not fret, honoured guest." She interjected with a polite smile on her face. "I can take your garb to be cleansed while you replenish your life force. It should be ready for when you leave this space." She added as she held out her hands to receive that clothing in question.
"Oh, thank you very much." Yuuto replied in an embarrassed tone as he handed over his shirt to the nekomimi.
"Think nothing of it." She responded before turning her attention to her co-worker. "You can calm yourself now, Ophelia. There is nothing to get troubled over."
"O-Of course. Thank you for aiding me…" The dullahan waitress replied in an apologetic tone.
"Do not worry yourself so." She answered before making her leave to get the human's shirt dried. "I hope you enjoy your stay here, honoured guest."
With the nekomimi gone, Yuuto made his way back to his seat as Ophelia kept a judging gaze on him to make sure he didn't try to stir up any more trouble. Lala just merely smirked to herself, finding the situation somewhat amusing.
"Me Love, ye always seem tae find a way tae stir things up." The young reaper said as she stared at her boyfriend lovingly with a warm smile on her face.
"Give a guy a break, will you?" He replied in an embarrassed tone. "It's not like I try to cause any trouble…"
Ophelia broke her gaze from the human and took a deep breath before pulling a pencil and notepad from her person to take their order. "I apologise for the disturbance, but are you ready to make your request?"
The blonde looked through the menu and struggled to make a decision. "Hmmm. I'm not sure what to have." He replied before looking up to speak to his girlfriend. "Anything caught your fancy, Babe?"
Lala smiled back at him before turning her attention to the waitress. "I would like tae request a Dark Nexus Offering fer the two o' us, please."
The raven-haired dullahan snapped the pencil she was holding in her hand in half as she gave the pair what seemed like an innocent smile, though in reality she wasn't the least bit pleased by the order her friend had requested for herself and the mortal she held affection for. "I see you like a challenge, old friend." She answered as she wrote down the order with what was left of her pencil while she struggled to keep her face from contorting into a grimace.
"Aye, but I will nay be facing this challenge alone." The young reaper replied in chuunibyou fashion as she pointed a finger towards her boyfriend overdramatically. "Me Love will aid me in this conquest."
Yuuto just gave a nervous smile, feeling Ophelia's glare on him. "Sure, I'd love to help…"
"Is that so?" The waitress asked, still trying to hold a polite smile, though the hostile intent radiating from her sent a shiver down the human's spine. "Be warned though, the Dark Nexus Offering will take all your willpower to conquer. I have seen it curse many a traveller."
"Then we shall see tae it that we overcome this trial." Lala interjected in a confident tone.
"Very well," Ophelia replied as she put away her notepad and left to get their order. "I ask you to be patient as we manifest the Offering from the void."
With the waitress gone, Yuuto was finally able to let out a sigh of relief before turning his attention to his girlfriend. "Babe? Is your friend always like this?"
Lala nodded in response with a resigned look on her face. "Aye, ever since we forged our alliance in our youth, Ophelia has been both possessive and protective o' me. She would keep those she did nay trust at arm's length o' me and she has continued tae do so in the years since. Please, do nay judge her fer that, fer she is only trying tae look out fer me best interests."
"Alright." He answered as he crossed his arms and leaned back into his chair with a pensive look on his face, breaking eye contact with her. "Seems like she's going to be hard work then."
The dullahan face dropped into a look of concern at how he was acting. "Yuuto, are ye truly well?"
The blonde glanced back at her and gave her a reassuring smile. "Yeah, I'm fine, so you can stop-"
"Nay, ye are far from fine." Lala interrupted as her voice took on a more serious tone. "It is obvious that something is troubling ye." She continued as she furrowed her eyebrows at the MON agent.
Yuuto leant forwards and rested his arms on the table as his face took on a serious look. "Lala, it's my problem to deal with, so you don't need to worry about-"
"Of course, I'd worry about ye!" The young reaper blurted out as she reached over to grasp his hands in hers and squeezed them comfortingly. "How do ye expect tae get better if ye continue tae bottle up yer feelings? I canna bare tae see ye suffer. Do ye nay trust me?" She asked as she gave him a pleading look, her eyes watering as she was on the verge of tears.
The human's eyes also started to water up as he smiled back at her and gave her hands a comforting squeeze in return. "Of course, I trust you. It's just that it's a very personal matter and I don't want to burden you with it."
"But it is something ye are struggling tae burden by yerself, me Love. Ye have been stressed out as o' late, and yer time spent caring fer meself and me fellow wards has nay helped in that matter. Can ye nay tell me what troubles ye so?" She asked, practically begging him to open up.
"…Lala…" Yuuto couldn't bear to see his precious girlfriend get upset like this, so he eventually relented and nodded at her, causing her to smile back at him. "It's just this whole situation with my dad. I hear nothing from him for five years, and then out of the blue he contacts me and pretends nothing's happened, and he even has the gall to try and bribe me with his own fucking katana. He really just pisses me off."
The young reaper quirked an eyebrow at him, not quite understanding the full situation. "What is it about yer father that bothers ye?"
"Well, as far as I know, my dad's side of the family has always been part of the Yakuza. It's part of the reason why my mom left him after a while." He started as he grasped tighter at her hands. "After she left, he became stricter with me and Hikari, to the point he'd lash out at us for not meeting his expectations. The asshole didn't treat us like his own children, but rather his own fucking legacy." Yuuto grew more flustered as tears started to roll down his cheeks. "Once I was old enough, I got myself and my sister out of that hell hole of a home and haven't spoken to him or our grandfather since. It was a struggle for a few years after we left, but we got through it, though not without some emotional trauma from that bastard."
Just as he was on the verge of breaking down, Lala leant forwards and freed a hand to wipe the tears from his cheeks with her thumb. He looked back at her to see a reassuring smile on her face.
"I am sorry tae hear that yerself and Hikari went through such an ordeal, but the two o' ye seem tae have come through stronger fer it. Ye both possess a strong force o' will, and it has aided both o' ye greatly in life so far. Please know that I'll always be there fer ye, whatever affliction may affect ye." The dullahan replied as she placed her hand on his cheek and caressed it as she looked into his eyes lovingly.
The blonde eventually smiled back at her and placed his free hand on top of hers. "Thank you, Lala. I don't know what I'd do without you sometimes."
"Do nay worry about such an event, I am here with ye now and always."
With that the pair's faces started to slowly edge towards each other, ready to plant a kiss on the other's lips, though they wouldn't be given the chance to enjoy the moment.
"Ahem!"
The couple were interrupted as Ophelia announced her arrival. They looked to see the waitress with a deadpan look on her face, holding a tray with large glass ice cream sundae bowl filled to the brim with chocolate ice cream, chocolate syrup and even a wafer biscuit on top.
"I apologise for interrupting, but we have successfully pulled this offering from the Dark Nexus." She said in chuunibyou fashion as she placed the tempting dessert on the table between the pair, along with a pair of dessert spoons. "I hope it will meet your desires."
"Aye. Thank ye, Ophelia." Lala replied as she looked up at her friend and smiled at her.
The raven-haired dullahan smiled back as she overdramatically placed a hand in front of her face. "Think nothing of it, I am only fulfilling my duties here in this space."
Yuuto wasted no time as he picked up a spoon and dipped it into the chocolaty delight, pulling out a heaped spoon full of chocolate ice cream. "Damn, this looks great." He muttered to himself before locking eyes with his girlfriend. "Hey Babe, you want the first bite?" He asked as he held out the spoon towards her.
A look of anticipation appeared on the young reaper's face as she nodded at him. "Aye, I have waited an age tae indulge meself with this offering." She replied before she leant forward and opened her mouth to accept the treat. "Aaah~"
The MON agent smiled back at her as he started to edge the treat towards her. Ophelia was less than pleased as her conversation was brought to an abrupt end by the human's romantic gesture, and she felt the need to put him in his place.
"Cease your interruptions, Mortal!" The waitress exclaimed.
This caused Yuuto to flinch momentarily, which had also caused the ice cream to fall from the spoon. The dollop of chocolate ice cream missed Lala's mouth completely and it splattered onto her blouse, right on top of her chest. A look of surprise appeared on the young reaper's face as she felt the cold treat splatter against her, her cheeks now gone bright red in embarrassment. Yuuto's cheeks also went bright red in embarrassment while a look of worry crossed Ophelia's face as she crouched down at her friend's side.
"Lala are you alright?!" She exclaimed as she moved to grab a cloth from her person.
"Oh, my god! I'm so sorry, Lala!" The blonde exclaimed in an apologetic tone.
"It is alright, ye two." The white-haired dullahan replied in an attempt to get them to calm down "I am unharmed, so do nay fret. Though it seems me garbs in need o' cleansing…" She continued as she looked down at her now stained blouse with a look of disappointment as the remainder of the chocolate ice cream dropped from her chest and onto the table.
"Please, allow me to assist you in this matter."
The group looked to their side again as the nekomimi waitress from before arrived just in time to quell the chaos. "Miss, allow me to guide you to where your garbs can be cleansed of this accursed stain. We can provide you with something to protect your person in the meantime while we expel this stain from the Dark Nexus." She explained as she went to Lala's side and helped her to her feet.
"I thank ye fer yer offer. It is most appreciated." The young reaper replied as she stood to her feet.
The nekomimi nodded with a confident smile before turning to face her co-worker. "Ophelia, cleanse this stain while I see to our traveller here, and please try to refrain from causing any further misfortune while I am gone." She said with a teasing grin on her face.
The raven-haired dullahan gave a look of guilt as she nodded apologetically at the nekomimi. "Of course, thank you for assisting me in my time of need, Rebecca."
"It is no trouble." Rebecca replied as she left with Lala to go get her cleaned up.
Yuuto and Ophelia were left together as the waitress began to clean up the chocolate ice cream as best she could. "To think you would assault your loved one in such a manner, it is disgusting." She said out loud in an irritated tone.
The human's eye twitched in annoyance as he locked eyes with the waitress. "It was an accident, and besides, it wouldn't have happened if you didn't spook me like that." He replied as he tried to hold his temper.
"Then you obviously do not have the nerve to stand by her then, Mortal." Ophelia answered as she stood up straight and stared back at him with a disapproving look on her face. "You should cut your losses and allow her to-"
"That's enough." He interrupted in a stern tone, causing the waitress to look back at him in surprise. "You might not like me, but Lala and I are trying to have a nice date, and the two of us bickering like this will only end up ruining it for her. Is that what you want?"
The waitress went silent for a moment as a look of realisation of what she was doing crossed her face, looking like she was ready to break down. "I, I didn't mean to-"
"I know, you're just looking out for her, just like I am." He interjected as his features softened. "Let's just agree to disagree and leave it at that for now. You're free to dislike me all you want, but I just want to make Lala happy at the end of the day."
Ophelia managed to calm herself down and nodded to his proposal. "Very well, I will agree upon this truce for now," She started as she pointed a finger at him dramatically. "but know this. If you so much as cause her the slightest bit of distress, then you shall know a fate worse than-"
"I have returned." Lala announced as she returned to the table.
Yuuto and Ophelia turned to face her and saw that she was now wearing a similar top to what all the waitresses were wearing. She was also wearing a frilly choker like the one her friend was wearing to keep her head from toppling from her neck easily. The human's cheeks went bright red upon seeing her, and Ophelia was impressed with how well her friend wore it.
"It is fitting of a Spectre of Death such as yourself." The waitress complimented in true chuunibyou fashion.
"I'll say." The blonde added as a smile crept onto his lips. "You look great in that."
Lala blushed and broke eye contact with them as she took her seat, but she couldn't hide the smile that was curling onto her lips. "Thank ye, I am glad ye both approve o' it…" She replied in an embarrassed tone before turning to face the pair once more. "Has there been any trouble during me absence?"
"Oh, of course not! No trouble here!" Yuuto blurted out with a nervous smile as he tried to reassure her that everything was alright.
"The mortal speaks the truth." Ophelia added overdramatically. "He and I have come to some sort of agreement, for the time being, so you have nothing to fret over."
"That is good tae hear. Thank ye."
The waitress smirked to herself, happy with her answer. "There seems to be no imminent peril at this time, so I shall make my leave." She announced as she started to leave their table.
Unbeknownst to the raven-haired dullahan, she had dropped her cloth during her time bickering with the human. As she moved off she caught her feet on it and tripped. As her body began to fall forwards her head was flung from her shoulders and the girl let out a yelp of surprise.
"Ophelia!" Lala yelled with worry.
In an instant, Yuuto launched himself from his seat and dove underneath the waitress. He stretched his arms out as far as he could and was just barely able to catch her head in his hands. The human landed on his back as the dullahan's body landed on top of him as he managed to keep her head from touching the ground. Ophelia opened her eyes to see the blonde grinning at her with her body splayed on top of him.
"You should be more careful, don't want to make a regular habit of being saved by a mortal now, do you?" He asked jokingly in an attempt to help ease her tension.
Ophelia struggled to find the words to respond with as she stared in awe of him with reddened cheeks. Her head broke eye contact with him after a moment as her body hurriedly got off of him and started waving her hands apologetically at the human. Yuuto sat himself up and handed the girl's head back to her body, who in turn placed it back on her neck, making sure it was on right. As she did so, she couldn't help but think that this mortal just might be more reliable than she had initially expected.
"Hey, Ophelia. You okay there?" Yuuto asked in a more concerned tone this time, worried she might've hurt herself.
The raven-haired dullahan stared back at him for a moment before breaking his gaze once more. "I-I-I am fine. It seems I owe you a great debt…" She trailed off in an embarrassed tone.
"Hey, don't worry about it." He replied as he stood up and offered her a hand. "You need a hand?"
Ophelia shot up to her feet and quickly brushed herself down before she entered her persona once more. "I-I do not require your assistance, but I appreciate the offer. Now, if you'll excuse me…" She answered as she gave him a curt nod and began to make her leave once more.
"Ophelia are ye truly unharmed?" Lala asked in a worried tone from her seat.
"I have survived worse, old friend. Please, cease your fretting and enjoy yourself." The waitress replied without looking back as she returned to her duties.
The young reaper smiled to herself, happy that her friend hadn't caused harm to her person. Yuuto returned to his seat and let out a sigh as he tried his best to relax once more.
"Never a dull moment around you, is there?" The blonde asked jokingly as he smirked at his girlfriend and gave her a wink.
The dullahan locked eyes with him and returned a smirk of her own. "Ye seem tae be correct in yer assumptions, though I must thank ye fer looking out fer Ophelia, despite her difficult personality."
"Hey, I would've done the same for anyone."
Lala gave him a warm smile before she picked up a spoon and dipped it into the chocolate parfait. "Let us make haste, I do nay wish tae let this offering go tae waste."
Yuuto returned the warm smile and did the same. "That's the best idea you've had all day, Babe."
As the couple began to dig into their dessert, Ophelia went back to ferrying orders to the other customers. She would occasionally take quick glances at the couple, seeing them happily chatting and feeding one another. She couldn't help but smile at the sight of her friend enjoying herself.
"It seems I can trust that mortal to protect Lala after all. I hope that he doesn't prove me wrong." She thought to herself idly as she went about her business.
The pair had finished their treat and went up to the till to pay for their order. Ophelia accepted the human's payment and gave him his change. Yuuto noticed that the waitress was acting friendlier towards him now, though in a slightly meek manner as opposed to her overconfidence from before. Lala and Ophelia took some time to exchange phone numbers, and Rebecca came back with the couple's T-shirt and blouse, now fresh and clean. They quickly got changed back into their clean clothes and made their leave, waving at the two liminal waitresses as they did.
They were back on the streets of Akiba with their purchases and Yuuto took his girlfriend's hand as he started leading them to their next destination. Lala gave him a questioning look as she noticed that he was acting slightly more eager than he usually did.
"Me Love, have ye already planned fer where we are heading tae next?"
The blonde looked back at her and gave her a cheeky grin. "Oh, I think you'll enjoy our next stop." He replied in a mischievous tone before looking ahead of them once more as he guided them through the crowds.
The young reaper smiled back at him as she quickened her pace to match his. "Then let us hurry."
Yuuto pulled out his phone and opened up the map function as he looked through it to find their destination. He then guided them down a narrow road and walked for a few minutes. The dullahan looked around and noticed that the surrounding building had none of the usual advertising that could be seen on the main streets. After a while, the pair stopped outside one of the buildings and the MON agent put his phone away.
"Well, this looks like the place." Yuuto said as he looked up at the sign.
Lala did the same and she saw that the sign had 'Hotel Release' written on it, earning a confused look from her. "Yuuto, what is this place?"
He glanced back at her as his cheeks went bright red. "Well, I know you've been thinking about us doing 'It' a lot lately, so, I thought that we could, well, if you wanted too…" He trailed off in an embarrassed tone as he started to rub the back of his head nervously.
Her eyes widened in realisation as she understood what her boyfriend was talking about. "I know I have, but would we be risking a great deal just fer a short moment o' bliss? What if some mortal caught us?" She asked in a worried tone, and understandably so.
The blonde smiled back at her. "Don't worry, there's practically no one here, plus, there's someone I know inside who'll keep this a secret for us. But I'll only do this if you really want to, I don't want to force you into doing anything you don't want to do." He answered in a more confident tone now.
Lala's cheeks flushed red as she smiled back at him. "Of course, I want us tae combine our life energies. Can this acquaintance be trusted though?"
"Of course, she can."
Her face brightened as she wrapped her arm around his. "Then let us nay waste time out here."
Yuuto nodded back at her, and with that, the pair made their way into the love hotel. As they entered, they were greeted with the sight of a small lobby decorated in a purple and pink colour scheme with the counter to their left. Standing behind the counter was a woman with pale skin, green eyes and long brown hair wearing a white long-sleeved button-up with a black waistcoat on top and black work trousers. She looked towards the pair with a polite smile as they made their way towards the counter.
"Good afternoon, and welcome to Hotel Release. How can I help you today?" She asked in a professional manner, seemingly unphased that a human and liminal couple have come into the establishment.
"Yeah, can we book a room for a couple of hours, please?" The blonde replied as they reached the counter. "You got anything that's Gothic themed at all?"
"We certainly do, and I have just the room for you. I'll just sort out the key for you before we process the payment." She answered with a nod. "And just so you know, we have a strict customer confidentiality policy here, so don't worry about us spilling the beans on you and your girlfriend here."
"Greatly appreciated, thanks." Yuuto answered before turning to his girlfriend. "Lala, you can go sit down for a sec while I sort this out."
The dullahan looked up and smiled at him lovingly. "As ye wish, me Love, and thank ye fer doing this." She answered before she pecked him on the cheek and went to sit down on the nearby couch.
He smiled back at her just as the hotel employee came back with the key. "Here you are, Sir. Now, if you would like to make the payment, please." She spoke up as she got the card reader out.
The MON agent nodded and got his card out of his wallet. As he placed it into the reader, he looked up at the woman and noticed that her eyes had turned amber with her sclera now black and her fringe had turned white. She stood there smirking at him as she crossed her arms under her chest and rested them on the countertop.
"Took your sweet time getting here, Romeo." Doppel said in a snarky tone, low enough so that the young reaper couldn't hear her.
Yuuto smirked back at her as he leaned in closer to the disguised doppelganger. "Consider it extra prep time for you, and thanks for doing this for us. How did you even get in here?" He said in an equally low tone.
Doppel gave her co-worker a mischievous grin. "Let's just say I have an acquaintance here that was in desperate need of a day off."
"Lucky us then." He replied just as his card payment went through.
With that, they both stood up straight and she handed the key over to the human. "Yeah, guess that makes us even now. I better get some juicy details of this little escapade of yours out of this."
*Sigh* "It's the least I can do, I guess. Anyway, thanks again, Doppel." Yuuto said as he left the counter.
Doppel fully changed back into her disguise as she gave him a polite smile once more. "You're welcome, Sir. Enjoy your stay."
As Yuuto made his way to Lala, she stood up with the rest of their purchases and quickly moved to his side. "Yuuto, is everything alright?" She asked, curious about his discussion with the employee.
"Yeah, everything's alright, so there's nothing for us to worry about." He replied in a confident tone as he looked down at her with loving eyes.
She smiled back at him lovingly as her cheeks went bright red, gleeful of the fact of what they were about to do behind the government's back. "Then let us hurry, our destiny awaits."
The pair wasted no time and quickly made their way inside the elevator and pressed the button for the second floor, soon followed by the doors closing in front of them.
They soon found the room they were staying in and the human opened the door as quickly as he could. He allowed Lala to step in first and followed suit before he shut the door behind them. They saw that the room had everything they needed. It was decorated in a black and grey colour scheme with a black wooden bed covered in black bed sheets, as well as two black wooden bedside tables, one at each side, one of which had a bottle of lubricant, while the other had several packs of condoms on top. The curtains that framed the window were dark grey and had frills at the bottom. The room even had an on-suite bathroom for convenience. Lala stared in awe as she inspected the room thoroughly while Yuuto placed the bags he was carrying to the side of the room.
"Like what you see, Babe?" He asked with a smirk on his face, but he already knew her answer if the look of awe on her face was any indication.
"Aye, it is perfect." She replied as she smiled back at him.
The dullahan dropped her bags off with the rest of their belongings and took her ankle boots off before making her way to the bed. She sat at the edge of the bed and looked up at her boyfriend expectantly as she patted a hand to the side of her, eager to feel his touch. Yuuto chuckled to himself before giving in to her silent request, quickly taking off his trainers and making his way to her before sitting himself right next to her. He rested an arm on the bed right behind the young reaper as she placed a hand on his leg, the pair now looking into each other's eyes longingly.
"Me Love, ye have nay idea how overjoyed I am right now that we are about tae truly become one." She said as she started to slowly caress his thigh.
The blonde smirked back at her as he edged himself as close as possible to her. "Hey, you're not the only one who wants this you know. It's hard to resist temptation when I've got such a loving girlfriend constantly begging for attention."
"Aye, I believe it is time I truly thanked ye fer everything ye have done fer me."
The pair soon leaned into each other and locked their lips together. They turned to face each other properly, now pressing their chests together. Lala raised her arms and placed them on his chest, her hands eagerly grasping at his shirt, while Yuuto wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her in closer into his embrace. Their lips continued to gloss against one another as the young reaper would occasionally let out quiet moans of pleasure. After a moment, they broke the kiss as they paused to catch their breath, but the dullahan took the initiative and straddled his waist as she wrapped her arms around his neck and without hesitation, pressed her lips to his once more. The human was just as eager, and he wrapped his arms tighter around her waist as her hips started bucking against his manhood. He answered in kind as he started thrusting against her, the pair now driving their tongues into the other's mouth as they finally mutually gave in to their desires. Lala's moans slowly grew louder and more frequent as she felt her boyfriend continually grind his crotch against her flower, the growing stimulation egging her on towards sexual bliss. She broke the kiss once more and pressed her forehead against his as they both started to pant loudly, their eyes locked with the others as they stared at each other lustfully.
"Ah~ Yuuto, I need ye~" She said pleadingly as she let out a series of pleasurable moans.
"Don't worry, Lala, you won't have to wait much longer." He answered in between barely audible grunts, unable to hold back against the young reapers continual thrusting.
The pair eventually started to slow their grinding to a halt as they lightly peppered each other with loving kisses, taking a moment to recuperate themselves. They soon stopped as they stared at each other once more with mischievous glints in their eyes. The dullahan smirked at him before she moved her hands to his chest and shoved him onto his back, keeping herself upright as she stared at him lustfully, slowly grinding her hips against him once more. The human stayed as he was and smirked back at her as he enjoyed the attention he was receiving. Whilst she was distracted by the pleasure coursing through her entire being, the blonde raised a hand and placed it on her cheek, caressing it gently with his thumb. The young reaper turned her head to the side slightly and took the appendage into her mouth, wrapping her tongue around it and sucking on it sensually. The slurping sounds she was making drove him crazy to no end. Eventually, he pulled his thumb free, much to the disappointment of his girlfriend, and continued to gently caress her cheek with the now slimy appendage. Lala stared down lovingly at him again as she slowed her grinding to a halt once more.
"Me Love, there is something I wish tae confirm while I have ye like this." She said to him as she let a mischievous smirk cross her lips.
"Oh, and what would that be?" He asked as he gave her a cheeky grin.
She stayed silent as she slid a hand under his shirt and traced her fingers over his abdominal muscles. She bit at her bottom lip sensually as she glided over every inch of the taut muscles underneath, enjoying the feeling of them against her soft skin. She gently grazed her fingernails over them, causing the human to let out a hushed grunt of pleasure.
"I did nay realise that ye were so well toned." She spoke up as her already reddened cheeks took on a brighter shade of red.
"What did you expect?" Yuuto asked as he quirked an eyebrow at her while smirking back at her. "I'm the captain of a spec ops squad, I have to keep myself in shape. Hell, Blare sees to that on a daily basis." He added with a slight chuckle.
Lala smirked back at him once more as she removed her hand from under his shirt and started gently gliding it towards his nether regions. Yuuto looked up in anticipation, eager to feel the touch of her bare skin against his shaft.
Just as the young reaper placed a hand on his jeans to undo the button and zip, she had a flashback, back from the night of the moon's accursed phase. She remembered looking down at him as he desperately tried to hold her back, the human she loved looking up at her with tear-stained eyes, pleading her to stop.
"Lala… we can't… not like this…"
Those words he spoke on that accursed night rang through her very being, her eyes widened as she was forced to remember the very moment she nearly defiled him against his will. Yuuto looked up at her from his position on the bed with a look of concern.
"Lala?" He asked in a worried tone.
Tears started to trickle down her cheeks as she was forced to replay the memory in her mind. The way she forced him down onto the ground, the way she pinned him under her and took advantage of him, how he struggled to put a stop to her selfish lust-fuelled actions as she continued to take advantage of his position. If not for his sheer force of will and his determination, neither of them would be here today.
After a moment of being stuck in her trance, she pulled his hand from her cheek and got off of the human, sitting at the edge of the bed once more as she covered her face with her hands and started sobbing to herself. The MON agent wasted no time as he sat himself up straight and placed a hand on her shoulder, giving it a comforting squeeze.
"Babe, what's wrong?" Yuuto asked in a caring tone, wanting to be there for her.
Lala continued to sob into her hands for a moment before she calmed herself slightly, balling her hands into fists just under her chin. "I'm sorry, me Love. I was reminded o' that accursed night when I nearly took ye against yer will. The more I think about it, the more I feel that I do nay deserve ye after what I put ye through…" She trailed off as she placed her face in her hands and started sobbing once more.
"…Hey, come here." He answered in a low and gentle tone as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a gentle hug, resting a hand on the back of her head as he gently stroked her hair comfortingly. "There's no need for you to feel like that. Neither of us was fully in control of what we were doing, so don't be so hard on yourself."
Her sobs started to die down slightly as she relaxed into his embrace. "…Yuuto… I do nay think I am ready…" She spoke in between her sobs.
Yuuto smiled warmly at her as he tightened his arms around her. "It's okay, we don't have to rush into anything."
The young reaper removed her hands from her face and looked up at him with widened tear-stained eyes. "But, ye went through the effort o' making this moment fer us." She replied, feeling guilty about ruining the moment for them.
"Don't worry about that. It doesn't have to be today, because I'll wait for you for however long it takes." He replied as he locked eyes with her and placed a hand on her cheek once more. "Like I told you before, I'm not going anywhere."
Lala smiled back at him with tears still trickling down her face and gave him a chaste kiss on the lips, pulling back as she stared at him lovingly. "Ye truly are an incredible soul, Yuuto. I love ye so much." She answered as she wrapped her arms tight around him and pressed her cheek against his chest, nuzzling up against him affectionately.
"…I love you too…" He replied as he started to stroke her hair once more.
The pair stayed like this for a moment before the dullahan pulled herself free from the embrace and got off of the bed, earning a confused look from her boyfriend. "Do nay worry, me Love. Make yerself comfortable while I find us a tome tae gleam through." She said with a warm smile on her face.
"Alright then." Yuuto answered as he moved himself up the bed and rested his back against the headrest. "So, what did you have in mind?"
She pulled a book from one of the bags before turning around to face him, holding the hentai doujin in front of her mouth as her cheeks went bright red. "Seeing that we will nay be combining our life energies today, I thought that we could glean knowledge from this particular tome tae prepare ourselves fer when we eventually do so…" She answered in an embarrassed tone.
The blonde quirked an eyebrow at her momentarily before he started chuckling to himself for a moment, much to the dullahan's annoyance. "I told you those doujins aren't exactly accurate depictions of actual sex."
"…But like ye said, they are better than nothing…"
He calmed himself down as he looked up at her with a cheeky grin. "Alright, fine. Get your adorable butt over here and let's get to reading." The human said as he patted a hand on a spot on the bed right next to him. "Guess we have plenty of time to study at least."
Lala gave him a warm smile as she got onto the bed and sat right next to him, nestling herself into his side as she lay her legs over his. Yuuto wrapped an arm around the back of her neck as she rested her head against his shoulder. Once they were comfy, the young reaper held up the book in front of them and opened it up. Upon seeing its contents, her eyes widened in shock upon seeing a particularly graphic page. The blonde merely smirked at her reaction.
"You know, these doujins do tend to get a little graphic."
"…Aye, it seems so. At least we will be well-prepared fer when the time comes…" She replied in an embarrassed tone.
He chuckled to himself as they continued to scour the tome for its knowledge, though he did fear that it would be a bad influence on his loving girlfriend. Though in the end, they would both benefit from it.
Their time was up, and they were back in the lobby as the human returned the key to the employee stationed behind the counter. As he did so, the woman revealed her golden eyes and white fringe once more as she smirked up at him.
"So, how did it go, Romeo?" Doppel questioned as she gave him a mischievous grin. "Bet the two of you must be exhausted from all that built up sexual tension."
Yuuto's cheeks went red as he broke eye contact with the doppelganger. "Well, that's the thing. We didn't end up doing 'It' in the end…"
Her eyes widened in surprise before quickly furrowing her eyebrows in annoyance. "Are you kidding me?!" She exclaimed in a hushed tone as to avoid grabbing the dullahan's attention. "Did I seriously go through all that for nothing?!"
The blonde smiled back at her as he rubbed the back of his head nervously. "Sorry, but I guess neither of us were quite ready for it."
Doppel pouted to herself as she broke eye contact with him. "Well, I can't force the two of you to fuck each other's brains out, but to say I'm a little disappointed is a major understatement…"
"I know, but thanks for helping us out regardless."
She couldn't help but smirk back at him teasingly. "Whatever, but just so you know, you're on your own next time."
Yuuto chuckled to himself. "Figured as much. Anyway, thanks again." He said as he left the counter and waved at her.
The doppelganger resumed her disguise as she waved back at him and gave him a polite smile. "Your welcome, Sir. Please do come again."
With that, Yuuto made his way to his girlfriend, who promptly wrapped her arms around him before the pair walked out of the building. As they started walking down the narrow road though, the suspicious man from before who was hidden by the side of the building pulled out his phone and made a call. It didn't take long for it to be answered.
"…"
"Yeah, it's me. The target's heading your way right now. Get your asses into gear."
"…"
With that, the call ended, and the man started following the couple from behind, making sure to keep his distance. He wanted to make sure that they caught his target, otherwise, he'd face the consequences.
The couple spent the next few minutes strolling down one of the quieter streets in Akihabara, taking their time heading back to the station as they took the time to enjoy each other's company. Lala had a bright smile on her face as she gently nuzzled her cheek against her boyfriend's shoulder. Yuuto just smirked to himself, happy that his girlfriend had enjoyed herself today.
"So, did you enjoy your day out?" He asked, knowing full well what her answer was already.
"Aye, it has been an age since I was able tae enjoy meself like that, and I have ye tae thank fer it." She replied as she tightened her grip on his arm.
"No problem, but I have to admit that meeting your friend was quite the experience." He said as he rubbed the back of his head.
"I am sure ye will come tae like her in due time, but I canna deny that she can be difficult tae handle at the best o' times."
"Well, that's an understatement…" He replied unenthusiastically.
Lala giggled to herself at his reaction and nuzzled her cheek against his shoulder lovingly. The pair continued to walk in silence until they heard a rattling sound ahead of them. They didn't see anything out of the ordinary but as they moved forwards the rattling got louder.
"Babe? You hear that rattling, right?" He asked with a questioning look on his face.
"Aye, but I canna fathom what could be making such a sound." She answered with a quizzical look of her own.
"HELP! SOMEONE! ANYONE!"
They heard the shrill voice of a young woman coming from where they heard the rattling sound. In an instant, Yuuto dropped what he was holding and rushed towards the entrance of a nearby alleyway, stopping by the edge of the entrance so he could peer around the corner while staying hidden. Lala followed behind him and took her head off her shoulders, so she could do the same. They both saw two scruffy looking men wearing hoodies and jeans, and they seemed to have cornered a young liminal woman. The woman in question appeared to be some form of lamia with shoulder-length green hair and blue slit eyes, wearing a black tank top, a grey hoodie and a blue denim skirt. Yuuto noticed that the girl's arms were covered in green scales of differing shades, and like her tail, they had a dark dirty green diamond pattern going down them, similar to that of a Mojave green rattlesnake. She also had a large rattler at the tip of her tail, and he could also barely notice a pair of fangs protruding from her mouth. It was obvious to the human now that the woman was an echidna.
"Quit your screaming, girlie. We promise we won't hurt you if you let us have a little fun." One of the thugs said in a lecherous tone as he moved towards her holding a knife in his hand.
"Yeah, we're just looking for a good time is all." The other thug added as he pulled a taser from his back pocket.
"BACK OFF! I DON'T WANT TO HURT YOU!" The echidna screamed in a panicked tone as the rattling from her tail grew louder, pressing her back against the wall with nowhere else to go.
"Shit, we've got to do something." The MON agent muttered to himself in a low tone before turning to face his girlfriend. "Lala, I need to go find some help right now. I'll hold them off as best I can."
"But me Love, ye are unharmed." She replied in a worried tone.
"I'll be fine, just go."
Lala placed her head back on her shoulders and nodded at him before turning around to find another man wearing a pair of tattered jeans and a scruffy hoodie right behind them. The dullahan froze in shock just as Yuuto noticed the man himself.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." The man said as he held his hands up apologetically. "What exactly is going on?"
"There's a liminal woman in trouble. The two men assaulting her seem tae be armed." The young reaper explained.
"Damn bastards." The man uttered to himself in annoyance. "Alright, I'll help your boyfriend deal with them, you go and get the police. You got that?"
"Aye, and thank ye." She replied with a nod before making her way back to the main street. "Stay safe, both o' ye."
"Will do." The blonde answered before turning his attention to the newcomer. "C'mon, let's go."
"Right."
Back in the alleyway, the two thugs were slowly closing in on the echidna with their weapons raised. The girl was cowering against the wall, fearing what the two humans would do to her. The thug with the taser was about to reach out to grab her but was interrupted as he felt a fist collide with the side of his face. Yuuto had charged in and sent his fist flying towards the thug, sending the man toppling to the ground as he lost his grip on the taser. The echidna looked up at the blonde, her face in awe of the man that just saved her.
"What the hell?!" The other thug with the knife exclaimed in shock.
The passer-by that had accompanied the MON agent had picked up a loose brick from nearby and hurled it at the man, knocking his weapon from his hand as the man gripped at his now bleeding hand in agony.
"Hey! I suggest you back off from the lady before you end up in a world of hurt!" Yuuto shouted as he took up a fighting stance, the man accompanying him picking up another brick to fight with.
The echidna shook herself from her stupor and slithered herself behind the blonde as fast as she could, hiding right behind him for protection. "Thank you for coming! I'm sorry for dragging you into this!" She exclaimed in an apologetic tone.
"Don't worry." Yuuto answered as he glanced back at her with a smirk. "Are you hurt?"
The girl shook her head in response.
"Good." He answered before turning back to the thugs. "Now, I suggest you surrender and come in quietly. I don't want to beat you up any more than I already have." He said to them in a threatening tone as he raised his fists.
Both of the thugs had gotten back up on their feet at this point, though instead of shouting abuse like the blonde had expected, the two men merely smirked at him. A look of confusion crossed the MON agent's face as the echidna hung her head low behind him. The passer-by now had a smirk on his face too as he slowly approached the blonde from behind, holding the brick he had picked up above his head. Before he could do anything, the girl had shot the tip of her tail forwards and wrapped it tightly around Yuuto's neck. The blonde looked back in shock as the coil tightened around his neck and had started to lift him up with ease. He was now struggling to pull himself free as the woman's rattler started to rattle loudly right next to him. He was struggling for breath as he saw that the echidna still had her head hung low, but he could just barely hear what she had said.
"…I'm sorry…"
With that, Yuuto started to black out, and he was soon unconscious as his arms hung limply at his sides. The girl lowered him onto the ground before removing her tail from his neck, her head still hung low in shame.
"Now bad, for a scaly bitch that is." The passer-by said as he knelt down next to their target and placed his fingers against his jugular, trying to find a pulse. "…Good, he's still alive. The boss will be happy."
"And here I thought you were gonna smash his head in with that brick." One of the thugs said out loud.
"Thankfully I didn't need to." He replied before turning to face the echidna. "Good work, Roxanne. You even had me believing you were all sweet and innocent with that act." He said to her with a sinister grin.
"…I did what I had to…" She replied, not wanting to look him in the eye.
"We all did. Now, let's get him in the van before someone shows up, pronto."
The two thugs nodded and went to pick the MON agent up, now carrying him towards the other end of the alleyway with the man and Roxanne following close behind. The group had soon disappeared from sight, vanishing with Yuuto without a trace.
Lala was running back to where she last saw her boyfriend with a police officer holding a bicycle to his side following close behind. "They should be close by!" The dullahan exclaimed with worry.
"Are you sure, Miss?! I should go get some backup!" The officer shouted back as he started to tire.
"There is nay time fer that! Me Love is in danger!"
They soon rounded the corner where the tussle was taking place, but they arrived to find the alleyway now void of life. Lala looked around in a panic, trying to find any sight of her boyfriend.
"Me Love?! Where are ye?!" She shouted as she started to lose her composure.
The bicycle cop propped his bike up against the wall and quickly scanned the area. "It looks like there was a fight here, but it looks like there's no one here now."
Lala noticed a pool of blood and knelt down next to it as her eyes widened in shock. Dread filled her mind as she imagined the worst-case scenario.
"YUUTOOOOOOOOO!"
A/N: So, yeah. A lot has happened in this chapter, I just hope it wasn't too much for you to digest in one go.
First off, some of you will have noticed that I've given Lala a slightly perverse personality, well, when it comes to Yuuto at least. She hasn't had too much development in the main series compared to the other homestays, and I wanted her to be a bit more than some 'Chuunibyou Chick', so to that end, I thought that I could have some fun with her and have her drag Yuuto into embarrassing situations.
Next up is Ophelia. I felt like needed some sort of childhood friend, seeing she's become a prominent character in this story, so it stood to reason that I'd want to introduce friends and family for her at some point. Ophelia fills in the role of Lala's overprotective childhood friend, and someone for Yuuto to come to blows with, seeing that the raven-haired dullahan hasn't fully excepted him as her friend's boyfriend. I wanted her to be a chuunibyou too, but I also wanted her to be more animated to balance off Lala's dark and brooding demeanour. Hopefully, you'll like her, but I could see why people could find her annoying, but too bad, she's in now!
As for the sexy time scene, I decided not to take it all the way this time, firstly, because I felt it was a little too early for them, with it still technically being illegal. Don't worry, they'll go all the way at some point, I promise you that much, but the reveal I have planned for next chapter will explain why I held them off having sex for now.
Finally, the abduction. For the most part, there hasn't been that much in the way of drama in this story so far, so I thought having Yuuto get abducted by an old nemesis would spice things up a bit. Normally, I'd say that Yuuto wouldn't normally fall for such a trap, but with a damsel in distress, I thought his White Knight syndrome would kick in and threw caution to the wind. I thought I executed the scene well, but I'll only know once I hear what you all think.
Anyway, thank you to everyone who has read this far into the chapter, you are real troopers! As always, drop a follow and favourite if you haven't already, and leave a review or a suggestion for anything you'd think would add to the story.
Thanks for reading, and I'll see you next time!