Gods o' Flame
Summary: Susanoo guessed that being reborn as a fire-fighter with fire powers wasn't that bad. She got to grow as her own person – no obsession over a boy. So it was even better. Juvia Lockser had lived a good life in the end, now it was her time to shine as her reincarnation. Fairylands were starting to get very boring, to be honest...
Rating: M (for many reasons)
Pairing: [Karim F. & Juvia L/Susanoo][Benimaru & Susanoo brotp]
Disclaimer: I own neither Fairy Tail or Fire Force. But if I did own Fairy Tail, Juvia Lockser would have been a much better character than what we've been served. And she'd have wrecked everyone during the Naval Battle.
/!\ Warning: this is a crossover between Fairy Tail and Fire Force, where Juvia Lockser is the main character after dying following her sacrifice to save Gray (which was bullshit by the way) during the war against Alvarez. This is her, living as her reincarnation with her memories of her previous life. So Wendy failed to save her in time, as I needed some realistic end for this character. I'll make her shine. Promise, swear. Oh, and Juvia Lockser's new name in this universe is Susanoo Matsumoto – before you get lost.
/!\ Edit 10.09.2019: I changed Juvia's name again in this fanfiction, because it was becoming redundant with her nickname being 'Aoba'. Goes from Cyan Leaf to Susanoo Matsumoto. I repeat: Susanoo Matsumoto is Juvia's new name! Ya hear?
I: Woman with the leaf tattoo
Susanoo opened her eyes and brought her long, toned legs against her chest as she hummed. The only one that was visible was bright blue with an intricate Ying Yang-shaped pupil, seeing as the left one was covered by locks of cerulean hair. The Yang side was grey while the Ying side was pristine white. The second unique feature about her face was the blue and black leaf tattoo over her right eye, which she absolutely loved. Her hair was messed up after her heated, carnal activity with her lover. She smiled toothily at the priest in front of her, who was lounging on the side of his bed with his arms propped behind to support his head. He hadn't bothered to get barely dressed either and had merely slipped beneath his covers to partially conceal his nudity, but he wouldn't be ashamed to show himself in front of his woman after such intimate intercourses with her. Karim Flam would never.
Those shoulder tattoos, those muscles... that whole body was sinful. And she loved it.
Karim blinked, then lifted a curious brow at her. "What? Didn't I make you moan my name enough these last forty minutes?" he asked blandly.
She snorted, shaking her head. Karim's crass way of talking used to get under her nerves the very few times they happened to cross paths because he certainly confused people with his words and Susanoo, who wasn't used to someone talking to her in such way, had been five seconds away to use Kali on him and reduce his rude ass to ashes. She'd let it slide after one of his friends, another priest, had apologised on his behalf and they all walked away in opposite directions. The lieutenant had come back to Asakusa a bit riled up and greatly annoyed, which had been noticeable by the blue flames dancing in her footprints left behind her. Hinata and Hikage had made fun of it before trying to cheer her up with daifuku brought back by Waka.
"I've had enough for today, thank you very much. But I'm more interested in the new rookie that has been enrolled in Company 8th two days ago," she mused, now lifting a hand to push up the locks covering the left side of her gorgeous face. A bright golden eye with the same Ying Yang-shaped pupil crinkled in excitation. "He even has a nickname."
"Which is?" Karim probed indifferently.
Susanoo gave him a dazzling smile. "'Devil's Footprints'. Though his real name is Kusakabe Shinra, I'm already fond of his nickname because it sounds badass and sounds much better than mine or even Waka's, and the devils know that I could be a sucker for Waka. But you already know that," she added with a small giggle as Karim scowled at her. She slowly shifted in a more comfortable sitting position – Indian style – and crossed her arms over her chest. Her plump breasts jiggled. "I so want to meet him."
Since Susanoo knew beforehand that Waka sure as hell wasn't going to move out of their district to even step one single toe into the 8th and see for himself why she was so interested in a new 'imperial dog of the Imperial Tokyo Empire', the lieutenant would just have to sneak there. It would be very easy, as the decrepit cathedral that served as Company 8th headquarters wouldn't be as well-guarded as the precious cathedral of Company 1st. The few members that Captain Obi had gathered as his team wouldn't be a match for her skills.
Plus, she truly was interested in Kusakabe's story. Susanoo hadn't heard all the details from Captain Honda when she was sneaking into the 2nd headquarters to train with her Ignition Ability (no one ought to find out that she loved training and taking showers there because their training fields on the rooftops were just awesome!), but she'd heard bits about a tragic incident in which he'd lost his whole family. Maybe one of them turned Infernal accidentally? Kusakabe must have been young when this happened. Susanoo had felt absolutely horrible for him that day, especially if he remembered his family's painful screams as a young child. She'd gone back to her dorm in tears, almost shocking Waka who then spent a good portion of the afternoon trying to soothe her nerves by provoking her in a duel (which she'd been this close to win).
Karim shifted on a sitting position as well, his lazy dark blue eyes focused on her. "Should I feel threatened by this annoying Kusakabe brat? He already sounds annoying, getting my woman distracted by an annoying nickname," he groaned half-heartedly. Grabbing her wrist, he pulled her to him and caught her curvaceous frame in his arms. Susanoo straddled him easily and looked at him in the eye, now curious. "Since the 7th isn't keen on getting involved with the other Fire Force Companies, my guess is you've been playing ninja at the 2nd and you're now planning to sneak into the 8th to meet this Kusakabe brat."
"Hmm-hmm," Susanoo nodded with a small smile, looping her arms round his neck.
"And your bum of a captain won't even throw a fit at his second lieutenant wandering out of Asakusa to go play spy? He was already annoyed when he found out that you were in a relationship with me, so how about that brat rookie from the 8th?"
She chortled in amusement and stole a brief, deep kiss. Though listening to Karim complain about her captain was fun most of the time, she couldn't help but preen at how protective and possessive he was underneath his permanently irritated devil-may-care attitude, which was almost similar to Waka's. Frost is secretly jealous of Benimaru? Cute, Susanoo thought before leaning her forehead against his and cupping his cheeks. Karim grudgingly looked up at her with a scowl.
"Is that an implied plead to make me stay in your bed all day? Oh, Karim!" she laughed softly as the priest turned away from her with an annoyed scowl and a snarl, with the faintest blush on his cheeks. Susanoo kissed his jaw sweetly, eyes crinkling. "All right, all right, don't pout now, I hate it whenever you're in a foul mood because of Rekka's boisterous and reckless nature or something else. Besides, Waka has no say in my life, no more than I have any in his. He'd just ask me questions about my interest in the rookie at the 8th, no big deal. It's not like he really cares about anyone else outside of our district, so why worry about my captain?"
Karim gave her a sidelong, flat glance. "Because I'm a priest who is in a relationship with probably the only person he cares about the most in this organisation? Or is it because you're the only person he cares about the most and I'm a priest whom you're in a relationship with? Either way, I despise him and his nature," he drawled, tightening his arm around her slender waist. "He constantly spits at the rules put in place by the emperor, shows disrespect towards the Holy Sol, the Emperor and does whatever the hell he wants. Shinmon is the epitome of the devil-may-care persona I absolutely cannot stand. Just how in the world did you end up in the 7th when you could have had –"
Karim stopped right there and narrowed his eyes at Susanoo, who'd pressed her hands ob his cheeks to stop him in his tracks. The woman also had a matching expression on her face, which held none of the previous mirth, elation and pleasure he'd admired and would always relish in whenever they'd make love. Almost instantly, the pleasant atmosphere dropped to a chilling one where the two lieutenants looked close to arguing; Karim had never seen Susano ofight hand-to-hand against another Fire Soldier during trainings, but he'd heard about her prowess in martial arts and her Ignition Ability through Fire Soldiers from other companies that happened to have either fought her or watched her fight. It was no joke and definitely deadly. So if he talked trash about Benimaru, Karim would raise her ire.
"You may hate Waka for being who and how he is but please refrain from insulting my best friend in my presence, Karim," Susanoo said firmly, her visible eye narrowed in warning. "Don't disrespect him. It would pain me to have two of the most important people in my life despising each other because they simply can't get along."
The priest was silent for a long moment before he covered Susano's hands with his own and slowly took them off his face. "'Best friend', huh? One would think there's always been more between you two and you can't blame my jealousy and possessiveness whenever you return to the 7th District after spending time with me." He sighed, falling on his back with Susanoo stumbling on his chest with a gasp. His other arm wrapped around her as well, his hand smack on her ass cheek. "I may have never visited Asakusa because it's not my district, but rumours spread rather fast between all companies; some say that you two have known each other since childhood, others think that you've been betrothed to one another and that you're secretly married. I don't know whether to laugh at those rumours or encase those Fire Soldiers who said that in my ice."
Susanoo gaped at him, eyes wide in disbelief, and Karim nodded in confirmation. I don't believe this, she thought as she facepalmed with a groan before tucking her face into her priest's neck. Of all the things she could find out about herself in the Special Fire Force, she had to find out that her fellow colleagues were spewing tacky rumours about her relationship to Benimaru from her lover. Who happened to be a priest, for Devil's sake. Whoever it was that talked couldn't have belonged to her brigade – it had to have come from someone in another Company; either from the 2nd to the 6th, as she wasn't even sure that Princess Hibana's lapdogs would dare defy her orders and wander out without permission. Besides, they were too busy doing research for Haijima to get caught up in stupid matters. So the 5th might be out. And the 8th? No, Obi wouldn't do something like this and it clearly wasn't his style.
She and Benimaru? There was no way they'd go over there and their friendship was too precious to be shattered over something that would never happen between them. Susanoo did love Waka, but as her closest friend because their bond went deeper than threads of friendship. She considered him as family. Even the twins, Konro and everyone else from Company 7th counted as family for Susanoo. That reminded her... of Juvia Lockser and Gajeel Redfox. Their friendship was deep and incredible.
Images of a man with a mane of the wildest black hair Susanoo had ever seen and red eyes flashed in her mind, along with a young woman who could have been her twin. She had cerulean, long wavy hair, deep blue eyes and a beaming smile. The lieutenant smiled wistfully in Karim's neck, eyes shutting close. Juvia Lockser truly had been beautiful, even when she died.
Susanoo's bond with Waka was unique, brotherly, and she cherished it. Exactly like she cherished her family back home in Asakusa.
Karim's fingers kneading her hip brought her back to the present and she opened her eyes when he nuzzled her head with his lips. Then that hand slowly went up her body, until its fingers tangled into her silky locks in a gentle grip.
"Will you tell me one day?" he asked softly. "So it will clear any future misunderstanding between us? I certainly don't want to feel stupid when there's nothing to be stupid about and that'd be real stupid to just be angry over some stupid bond."
He must have been thinking about this for a little while, since he seemed willing to work on his jealousy issues. A beaming smile curved Susanoo's luscious lips and she raised her head to look down at her lover, her eye crinkling again.
"Are you willing to wait until I'm ready to tell you, Father?" she almost purred at him.
The effect was instantaneous. Karim's eyes seemed to darken even more, if that was possible, and his hands tightened both on her ass and in her hair as he pulled her into a passionate, rough kiss that lasted for what she thought was a long moment. It left her breathless and flushed when they parted, eyes finally glowing because Karim had made her hot. Even the invisible runes on her body were glowing as well. She could only hope she wouldn't invoke one of the mythological gods if they were to go at it again.
Karim smirked at her. "Will you sin before I drive you insane with need?" he countered in a husky voice. He took her lower lip between his teeth and nibbled at it for a few seconds before taking her lips in a much tender kiss. His vicious tongue drew wanton moans out of her throat and he chuckled darkly, parting from Susanoo with great difficulty. "Or will I drive you insane with need before you could get to sin? That's the question... shall we see right now?"
She gasped and her blue eyes widened, now trying her best to escape his strong arms. "W-what?" she squeaked, blushing madly and mewling when his teeth sank into her left collarbone. She arched against him when his hand squeezed her firm ass. "Karim... I might need to –"
"Don't chicken on me now, Leafy," he drawled in her ear, using the nickname he gave her. Karim wrapped his powerful arm around her curvaceous body, preventing an eventual escape. "You provoked me, so you need to get punished until we're both exhausted."
While he wasn't one to initiate intimate contact, Karim had surprised himself ever since he got together with her; Susanoo had always been the one to coax him into kissing her and she was incredibly patient with him, learning that the smallest interactions mattered more to him than big effusions of love that were so cringeworthy and embarrassing (see, she learnt from her past life's mistakes!). The time he'd lured her to the men's showers to have sex in a cubicle had been mind-blowing and worth going there, because she hadn't known Karim could be passionate and damn good during their lovemaking. Susanoo had been all sore and her skin had the marks of his teeth and his love bites on her neck and other parts of her body for about a whole week, which had been so unexpected (she had her revenge on him, though; one wild intercourse had left Karim with long scratches on his strong back, to which he'd complained to her while she'd laughed).
He silenced her once more with a passionate, punishing kiss when she was about to protest, killing whatever weak reply she was about to spout, and Susanoo couldn't help but return this kiss. She rolled her hips seductively against Karim's, who growled deeply in approval and tensed under her. She could feel him harden again and God, was he big.
He was about to thrust into her when Susanoo heard an unwelcome sound. Footsteps, almost silent, suddenly rang in her trained ears and she stilled in Karim's arms. It wasn't very often the two lovers were interrupted during a casual stroll in the Shinjuku District whenever Susanoo was visiting, mainly because Karim always made sure that they weren't followed by any of his friends and colleagues (especially Rekka, as exhuberant as he could be). But the Fire Soldier had always been reluctant to have an intercourse in his quarters, because there could be anyone passing by.
Like right now.
Karim also stopped his ministrations and looked up at her with a frown, only to be silenced by one slender finger on his lips. Susanoo nodded towards the door and stared at the corner, ready to strike. Her visible eye glowed, her rune tattoos did as well and she straightened as gracefully as she could while still straddling Karim, tension washing over her body. Those footsteps were intentionally discreet and nearly silent, and that didn't sit well with Susanoo. The breathing was controlled and nearly soundless, the heartbeat was calm and collected. Someone was trying to sneak up on them on purpose.
Karim's bedroom door was kicked open and Rekka Hoshimiya marched in with that unnerving smile and those stupid eyes of his. Always so enthusiastic.
"Karim! Don't stay indoors while you can guide our rookies down the great path we can pave for them and..." His eyes fell on Karim and Susanoo, frozen still on the bed, and Rekka froze as well.
There was a long minute that passed between the three Fire Soldiers, who stared at each other in quiet disbelief for one, extreme irritation for another and bubbling frustration for the last one. Susanoo's brow twitched twice in irritation and she finally turned away with a huff, covering her large breasts.
"Your friend has absolutely no manners, Frost," she clipped as she searched for her discarded clothes.
"What the hell, Rekka?" Karim almost yelled at him, jumping out of his bed to put on his underwear and pants. He then slammed his bedroom door shut, eyes flashing in barely restrained anger. "Learn to fucking knock next time!"
"My stars!" Rekka gasped loudly as he blinked alternatively at both Karim and Susanoo with a disbelieving expression. Then his starry eyes found his friend and he just stared. "Lieutenant Susanoo Matsumoto of Company 7th... you, Karim Flam, the most irritated Fire Soldier of the Special Fire Force, have managed to seduce Lieutenant Susanoo Matsumoto and hide this from me! My stars!"
"My woman, my business. We may be best friends but you of all people know I value privacy when it comes to my personal life. And Leaf fits in this category, so fuck off. And stop ogling her," Karim ground out.
"My stars! She really is a gorgeous woman with such lovely curves. She's almost... sinful."
Susanoo halted in her movements with a stunned expression, half-way between putting her white sleeveless shirt back on. Did he mean it? Did her favourite priest really care about her that much? Such knowledge confessed in front of one of his best friends made her blush prettily and she dared a glance behind her shoulder, just in time to see Karim give Rekka a taste of his clenched fist on his cranium with a curse. He was also standing right in front of her, half-naked, and kept rooted to his spot so he'd cover her own nudity – he was taller than her with more muscles, so she was fine.
She couldn't help the sweet smile that curved her lips. That was fine to know that Karim really was protective of her. Waka can't fault him for this, Susanoo thought with a pleased hum as she stepped in her trousers after putting on her shirt.
"Any way, what do you want?" Karim demanded as he folded his arms and scowled at Rekka. "I'm busy, as you can see."
Rekka, who didn't look like he was in any pain, smiled wide at the annoyed Fire Soldier. Susanoo swore she could see the stars flash on each side of his head.
"The Rookie Fire Soldier Games will start in three days and our new recruits of this year need to be properly prepared for this glorious competition. Thought you might join Huo Yan and I into the meeting?" he asked hopefully, his eyes bright. His gaze tentatively swerved towards Susanoo but Karim, observant as ever, followed his movement with his body and blocked the heavenly view with a thunderous scowl. Rekka chuckled heartily. "Lieutenant Matsumoto, would you like to join? All experienced Fire Soldiers are welcome to give their piece of advice, even if they don't belong to the 1st."
"While the invitation sounds appealing, I'll have to decline and return to Asakusa in a bit," Susanoo declared as she laced her boots. She sent Karim a smile and he scowled some more, disgruntled. "What? It's getting late and you heard Rekka, right? The Rookie Fire Soldier Games are coming up, which is a big event for all Special Fire Force companies, and you need to prepare. Those rookies will need it."
Karim turned towards her, arms folded. "True. But the 7th doesn't even partake in the Games and your Batallion Commander won't get off his ass to see how the new recruits will fare, so how about you stay over after we're done with the rookies?" He pointed a thumb towards the ever-smiling Rekka. "You'll be a much better company than the shitty rookies that joined the 1st and this idiot who barged in here without permission, interrupting our time."
"My stars!" Rekka added with a wink, a thumb up and a bright smile.
Karim still paid him no mind. "My treat," he baited, giving Susanoo a rare, soft small smile – that she found absolutely gorgeous on him.
Damn. Susanoo hated whenever he did that, because it just made her want to stay overnight and return to Asakusa District late in the afternoon the following day to be hounded by Hinata and Hikage. Karim always knew how to sway her into hanging out like a couple whenever the two of them had time. She blushed, he smiled even more and looked a bit smug. Triumphant even. That cocky little –
Jumping to her feet, she clapped her hands and smiled wide at her lover. "How about you finally come to Asakusa District? I could give you a tour of our turf so you can finally see why I love it so much, because your visit has long been overdue. Or we can directly go to my home so you won't have to cross paths with Waka. Before you protest, I'll cook for you and will be your host," she added with a fond look when Karim started protesting.
He thought it over for two seconds, then smirked. "You're gonna cook that same dinner from last week?" he asked, taking two steps to hover her and grab her waist with one hand. His fingers tickled the soft, pale skin of her hipbone where the shirt didn't cover her body and she almost giggled, jolting in his grip. Karim's smirk grew wider and he pulled her to him. "I loved it and no one else in the kitchens at the 1st could actually reproduce the outstanding taste from your dishes. Might as well go directly to the source and fully enjoy it, huh?"
Susanoo leaned in against him, pleased. "My treat," she repeated to his lips.
Stars flew from Rekka's eyes as he blinked twice. "Eh, what's this? You've cooked him dinner and Karim didn't complain once to you? He actually loved it? My stars!" he exclaimed, surprise lacing his tone. "Now I'm actually jealous of you, my friend; if Lieutenant Matsumoto is as good as you're implying in the kitchen, then you've been enjoying the food of the gods for months and you've never had the idea to share with us."
The flame that had been lighting up the candle on the night table was suddenly put out, doused by ice. Karim groaned in annoyance, his dark blue eyes glowing. "Shut your mouth, will ya? Why do you have to always be so loud about everything, it's irritating. The food made by the chefs of the 1st is good enough to fill your stomach, so don't come begging after my girlfriend's. Good grief," he huffed, his eyes returning to normal. His features softened when Susanoo cupped his face tenderly with a sweet smile. "Well, that settles it. Guess I'll see you at the Rookie Games?"
"For sure," Susanoo assured with a nod and a smile before pressing a light kiss on his lips. "Try not to kill this idiot behind, 'kay?"
"Tch. He's dead the second you're gone. I don't appreciate anyone ogling you in my presence."
"My stars!"
Susanoo blinked at her boyfriend, perplexed and slightly startled. Was it her imagination or did she just happen to see a flash of … intense disgust in his eyes before he turned towards Rekka? If it truly was what her eyes just managed to catch before Karim turned away, then something was going on and she couldn't put her finger on it. Even his aura had slightly darkened earlier, when he realised it was Rekka who had interrupted them. Her keen eye shifted between the two friends, studied them for a few seconds before she eventually left Karim's bedroom, fixing the straps of her pants.
Will you tell me, Karim? It sounds... life-changing, she thought with pursed lips as she jumped nimbly on the rooftop and dashed away.
Soaring through the air to rush back home after spending time at Company 1st with Karim always made Susanoo feel free and carefree, thanks to Juvia Lockser having been reincarnated as a woman born in a ninja clan. She'd jump from building to building, running at top speed to soar as high as she could in the sky, just to feel the wind in her air and smile wide while thinking of how she should spend the remaining hours of the day with Waka and the twins (should they still be awake by the time she returned, but Waka would be lounging in her room for sure). Company 1st' Shinjuku District had the advantage of being big and surrounded by buildings, to which she was grateful – shinobi liked being elusive.
This time, Susanoo was troubled and thoughtful at she jumped from building to building to get back to Asakusa. Though she wanted to wait until she was safely tucked in her room and unbothered by her siblings, her mind wouldn't wait until she was in her pajamas to start working overdrive on what just happened in her boyfriend's bedroom; just what the hell was that? Karim's aura reacted very negatively to Rekka's presence and this was very shocking because it had never happened before. It was a mix of restrained rage and burning need to beat the devil out of the other lieutenant, which she found to be out of character for Karim. It wasn't just odd, it was...
Frightening.
The idea itself was ridiculous, as she had nothing to fear from Karim – if Susanoo could count the times he'd cooled her off with his fire powers because she'd overused hers by training a bit too hard. Being a Third-Generation pyrokinetic sometimes sucked harder than having to remind herself that she was also a human being, just enhanced. Her priest boyfriend may have a disgruntled expression most of the time, it didn't mean that he wasn't caring or too cold (like a certain ice mage from her past life, but that was Juvia's fault for being too obsessive). However, though she hadn't hung out around the three lieutenants of Company 1st that much, she couldn't tell if Karim's disgust with Rekka was new or a passive-aggressive thing that would soon pass.
But it didn't seem like a fleeting feeling, she thought with a small frown as she performed a graceful swan die from a rather high building. She caught herself on a street lamp, swung once to catch herself onto the next, then landed lightly on the rooftop of a lower building. Instead of continuing to run back home, the lieutenant stopped for a moment to think; she went to sit on the edge, one arm propped on a knee and frowning in utter frustration. If there was anything bothering Karim, he'd tell her, right? Maybe she could ask him after the Rookie Fire Soldier Games were over, because Susanoo hated it whenever he was upset over something.
"I'm not imagining things, am I?" she asked no one in particular in a soft voice, taking a kunai seemingly out of nowhere and spinning it expertly between her fingers. She soon stopped the spinning and gripped it in her hand, her eye glowing. The whole hand was lit up with a bright blue flame, which soon morphed and took the form of a goddess with ten arms. "If Father's doubts and secret researches are proven right about the mystery behind Human Combustion, then some dark forces are at work in the shadows and the body count will keep increasing until the enemy is taken out."
Suffice to say, the mystery of Human Combustion was one complex case that had the whole world in shambles very quickly and Susanoo had been aghast when the other countries were torn apart by the phenomenon. All these deaths, all these people suddenly burnt to death by the flames so many of them could control in the Special Fire Force Companies – it was one hell of a horrifying way to die. And here she thought that wizards in her previous world could sometimes use some nasty and life-threatening spells that couldn't be outmatched... Human Combustion itself topped everything Earthland could throw, even that black wizard.
Well. She didn't belong on Earthland any more. Juvia Lockser died, allowing Susanoo Matsumoto to be born on another universe she'd protect at the cost of her life. Now she had people she'd happily live and die for – two loving, yet strict parents, adorable siblings who looked up to her, an unusual boyfriend she'd never thought she'd fall in love with and her 'twin' Benimaru whom she'd never fail. God forbid if Susanoo allowed herself to remake the same mistakes she did as Juvia Lockser, as there was no way she'd let an obsession over a boy have the last laugh over her.
Sighing, Susanoo stood up and jumped off. Waka would still be awake at this hour, so she might as well visit him and make sure he ate correctly, along with Konro and the twins. Nothing too sweet.
It didn't take her long to reach Asakusa. Once the District was in view and the familiar lanterns entered her sight, she instantly felt smile and her mood lightened. Susanoo landed lightly on her feet, beaming as her eyes almost sparkled at the sight of the inhabitants of Asakusa. Home, she thought as she jogged towards the Company's headquarters.
"Oi, Aoba! Come have tea with us sometime and tell us about your boyfriend, we're curious!" a hostess called out to the lieutenant with a big smile.
Susano scoffed with a slight flush, looking away. This was exactly why she'd wanted to keep her relationship with Karim a secret for a while until they could be open; there were always gossip lovers who'd want the juicy details – especially in Asakusa, where Waka was practically hailed as their king and she was close to being a vassal.
"What's that? Someone captured the Aoba's heart before me? My life is over and meaningless!" the cook of the restaurant cried out, falling on his knees with tears running down his cheeks.
The Fire Soldier gaped for a few seconds, not knowing how to react. She blinked, at a loss for words, then promptly bowed to the crying cook.
"My... apologies?" she said tentatively. Apologising for what? For falling in love with Karim Flam? Ridiculous. Susanoo attempted a sweet smile at the man, her eye gleaming. "It happened and I couldn't do anything about it. He just... "
Well. Karim Flam just 'worded' his way into her life and she 'ninja-ed' hers into his. Their relationship had been blooming for months and they weren't rushing in anything, they were taking their time in knowing each other – which was very nice, considering her boyfriend wasn't one to open up so easily. "Let's go on our pace, whatever the pace that won't outpace us and won't disturb our own pace," Karim had declared before hauling a half-naked and smiling Susanoo against him, a wicked smirk on his face and a surprisingly lecherous glint in his dark eyes as he stumbled in the bathroom. The men's bathroom of Company 1st.
Flushed, Susanoo blinked many times before she flashed a beaming smile to the hostess and the cook. "I'll make sure to come by one day and have lunch," she declared airily, clapping her hands. "I'll also coax Waka out to enjoy your anpans, even if it's too sweet. How does that sound?"
She was rewarded with the biggest, hopeful smiles and starry eyes from the inhabitants. "Marvelous! Please try hard, Aoba!" the hostesses and cook all chorused.
"For sure!" she exclaimed before waving goodbye and jogging towards the headquarters.
Susanoo pushed the sheet aside and swiftly came in with a sigh, relieved to be finally home. As expected, it seemed to be peaceful inside and there were no smells coming from the kitchen – no one would cook when she was there to take care of the meals, because she was the best (Waka, the twins and Konro all agreed). The lieutenant smiled to herself as she took off her boots, her mind already working on what to cook for dinner.
"I'm home," she called out, padding silently towards the kitchen. "Have you eaten already?"
As soon as she spoke, one door slid open and two identical girls poked their heads out. When they recognised Susanoo, Hinata and Hikage smiled wide.
"Blue-Blue, you're back!" they said in unison and both girls flung themselves at Susanoo, who caught them easily. Two pairs of golden eyes with white pupils blinked up at her. "We've been waiting for you as we can't just keep eating sweets from the old hag because you said it would be bad for our health and growth!"
Susanoo frowned down at the twins. "And I stand by it, as you need complete meals with nutritive vitamins and sugar isn't going to cut it," she reasoned, walking into the kitchen with the twins latched onto her shoulders. She then started rummaging around for ingredients to make all sorts of sushi rolls and inarizushi. "Where are Waka and Konro?"
"Right here," a familiar voice drawled at the entrance of the kitchen. "You took your time coming back. Did your priest boyfriend detain you at that big-for-nothing cathedral or what? Do I need to kick his ass?"
Susanoo whirled around with an affronted expression, staring at Benimaru with mock shock. The twins complained and nearly fell from their perch, readjusting their hold onto the lieutenant. "Don't you dare, Tic-Tac-Toe eyes!" she exclaimed, one bag of rice in her arms. "Or you'll suffer my wrath!"
Benimaru didn't look remotely impressed, if not slightly amused the slight upturn of his lips. "Yeah, right. When you finally get around the tricks and the skills to beat me in hand-to-hand combat, we'll talk about me getting wrecked by you." He shuffled into the kitchen, surveying the table Susanoo had crowded with the ingredients for dinner. He made a sound in the back of his throat and took a seat, his eyes on his second lieutenant. "So, whatcha gonna cook for us tonight?"
"Tempura soba, sushi rolls, inarizushi, fish... anpan for dessert. That okay with you, big brother?" she asked sweetly with a soft smile, leaning towards Benimaru.
Hinata cheered, smiling wide. "That's fine by me!" she chirped.
Hikage nodded, also smiling wide. "Blue-Blue's cooking is the best, easily beating that old hag's daifuku because Blue-Blue's cooking skills hail from the Matsumoto clan. She stands no chance."
The twins jumped off her with a happy giggle, running out of the kitchen just as Konro was coming in. That truly wasn't because Susanoo was part of the Matsumoto clan that she excelled in the kitchen, but... no, I better not try to reason with the twins when they're literally Waka's female parrots, she thought.
Tic-Tac-Toe pink eyes blinked up at her lazily and the young man stared up at her for a few seconds, silent. He was gauging her expression, as always. Benimaru had always known how to read her, even as children when they'd train together, so he most likely picked something up from her aura. Susanoo couldn't hide anything from her big brother, not even her relationship to Karim Flam. She'd tell him what was troubling her later, after dinner.
He finally extended one hand to her, his palm open. Smiling wide, Susanoo put her own hand into his and Benimaru squeezed it. Firmly. She squeezed back just as firmly.
"Yeah," he simply said.
One who didn't know Shinmon Benimaru would think he looked like he could care less, but they had to know him first to sense the underlying affection he held for those he loved – Susanoo was one of them. She nodded at him, then turned to smile at Konro before starting on dinner. After all, the twins needed their fill and they'd just giggle and babble her damn ears off until they finally had their food.
Dinner at the 7th was, as always, very lively. With Waka sometimes complaining about the inhabitants of Asakusa because they'd either burden him with 'too much food' and invitations to drink, the twins parroting him and sometimes their 'Blue-Blue', Konro and Susanoo talking about the affairs in Asakusa or in the other Companies' districts, quiet and peace didn't belong in their home. She just loved it and couldn't complain; back when she was Juvia Lockser, Fairy Tail used to be rowdy and full of joy.
Her teammates at the 7th may not be as lively as her former at that guild, but Matsumoto Susanoo wouldn't trade them for the world. She belonged here, as her new life wasn't as tragic and held more meaning. She was happy here and she had no regrets.
"I heard the 8th just recruited another rookie this year, along with the one you're interested in, Aoba," Konro said disinterestedly as he piled anpans on his plate.
Susanoo, who'd bitten into her third anpan and was making sure the twins weren't taking too many at once, swiftly turned towards Konro to fully focus on him with bright eyes. She swallowed, produced a hair tie out of nowhere and pushed up the long, elegantly curled locks covering the left side of her face to tie them up in a high ponytail. All that in less than five seconds. Mismatched eyes gleamed excitedly at Konro and she smiled.
"I'm listening," she whispered-yelled at Konro. She also waved at Waka. "Big brother, listen as well."
"Whatever," he drawled lazily, waving her back off. "That's some brand new 'Imperial lapdog' useless nonsense I don't need to hear about."
"Like Karim?"
"Especially about your priest. Leave me out of this, Aoba."
She pouted. "Tch. Fine, but watch the twins and make sure they don't eat too many anpans. We certainly don't want a repeat from last time."
All three adults flinched. That 'last time' Susanoo was talking had been a crazy surprise for the three Fire Soldiers, as Hinata and Hikage had begged her to bake anpans and daifukus after the festival thrown for one of their own that had turned Infernal in Asakusa. The twins, having eaten too many of them despite Susanoo's warnings, got them all up all night with their loud playing, giggling and babbling. And since she was a kunoichi trained hard in these arts, she was a light sleeper, very sensitive to any disturbance in the air and couldn't go back to sleep while Hinata and Hikage were as loud as elephants. Waka had somehow ended up sneaking into her room, just to escape the twins in case they'd decide to come into his room and keep him awake – and that had proven useless because they'd come to Susanoo's as well, babbling her ears off until eight in the damn morning. Luckily, they hadn't used their Ignition Ability and burnt down their home.
Because of that, Susanoo had escaped to Shinjuku District and slept most of the day inside Karim's quarters. Her priest hadn't expected to find her there, but hadn't complained and had even held her in his sleep at night. Sugar was one hell of a weapon against children. She should know, her younger siblings had been her first experience with children high on sugar.
Waka blinked many times, faster than usual, and slowly turned towards Hinata and Hikage, who blinked up at them innocently with their cheeks puffed up and their plates full of anpans. Too. Many. Anpans.
"... Hinata, Hikage," Benimaru sighed, slightly sounding and looking aggravated. "You've pissed me off the last time you went off the rails because you've had too much sugar, so lay off."
"We don't want to hear any complaint, Waka," the twins chorused in a sing-song voice.
Konro smiled thinly at their banter, sipping his tea before responding. "From the little intel I've got, the second new recruit's name is Boyle Arthur and was a classmate in Kusakabe's year at the Academy. His Ignition Ability mainly relies on him using a sword, with a blade made of plasma. Very rare ability, isn't it?" he agreed to Susanoo's expression of pleasant surprise. "Though you and Waka have nothing to envy from him, it's still impressive that he can create and control plasma. Which means that he can cut through very solid objects and material, such as steel."
"I wonder if his Ignition Ability can cut through Company 1st' captain, the one they call 'Fire Incarnate' – Captain Burns Leonard," Susanoo mused, her mug of tea in hand. "I've heard about his exploits during his younger years, which are nothing to sneeze at. He'd be extremely tough to beat in a battle, this is a seasoned Fire Soldier. Back to Kusakabe and Boyle, since they're rookies, that means they'll partake in the Rookie Fire Soldier Games to represent the 8th. Sweet," she smiled widely, snatching up the plates of anpans from Hikage and Hinata's reach without even looking. "I'm going to their headquarters tomorrow morning to meet them."
Waka used his hands to fend off the twins, who were trying their best to get the plate from Susanoo's hands. Flat on both their heads, his hands managed to keep them at bay while they were making grabby-hands at the plate of anpans. "Skip your little adventure. There's nothing interesting over there but dogs who bow to the so-called Holy Sol," he drawled, his voice loud over Hinata and Hikage's complaints.
"Keep restraining the twins, Waka, you're doing an excellent job," Susanoo retorted back with a wide smile. "So, as I was saying, I'm going to meet them just for the hell of it, have fun with Devil's Foot and the Boyle boy. For the whole day and there's nooooothing you can do about it, Be-ni-maaaa-ru. You don't want to leave Asakusa just for a day or two and make new friends at the other Companies, that's your problem. Either way, I'm going!" she finished with a chuckle, getting up.
"Huh. I can still knock you out, tie you up and leave Hinata and Hikage to keep watch over you. That's a pretty good idea."
Susanoo slowly turned towards him, eyes glowing. Four small flame invocations of Kali appeared on top of the pile of anpans, wearing gold ornaments and all, turning their ten arms. They were all sticking their tongues out with an expression of madness on their faces, dancing on the sweets.
"You wouldn't," she breathed.
He sent her a slight, mocking smirk. Tic-Tac-Toe pink eyes were unusually bright with a mischief she hadn't seen in him in years. It looked so beautiful and gorgeous on him. "Wanna try me, Aoba?"
Konro sighed almost ruefully, looking exhausted. "Don't, Waka," he drawled.
Benimaru didn't listen and did the worst thing ever.
He released Hinata and Hikage. Mismatched eyes widened in horror as the twins launched themselves at her, their hungry golden eyes set on the plate of anpans and their mouths drooling.
"Ours!" Hinata and Hikage exclaimed happily, about to tackle Susanoo.
It just seemed to happen in slow motion. As the twins were about to touch her, the lieutenant all but vanished from her spot. Two pairs of golden eyes rapidly blinked twice, barely registering that the person holding their sweet treasure had just used her skills to disappear from sight. As they were about to crash on the floor, Konro suddenly appeared in front of them and caught them deftly in his arms, each girl being held like a sack of potatoes. Waka snorted in laughter silently, his Tic-Tac-Toe eyes swerving on the right to find Susanoo standing near him, the plate of anpans intact in her hands. Her wide mismatched eyes were still set on the twins, watching their movements.
Ha! Bet you liked that, huh? Waka thought with a small mocking smile.
"I'm going to tuck them in," Konro sighed, turning on his heels to leave the living-room. "I think they've had enough for tonight."
"What? No, no! I want more of Blue-Blue's anpans!" Hinata exclaimed, kicking her feet.
"Yeah! Me too!" Hikage chimed in, also struggling in Konro's hold.
Konro groaned. "I don't think so. Now let's go, I need to catch some sleep."
The bickering kept on until it was only a small sound, with a door being slid open and shut. Susanoo and Waka both strained their ears to listen to the twins' adorable (frightening) banter with the first lieutenant – who wasn't swayed by them because he dealt with Waka all the time. About fifteen more minutes of new banter, sounds of water and teeth being brushed, sounds of clothing, light snores could be heard from the twins' bedroom. Konro sighed softly once more, this time in huge relief. The beasts were restrained and defeated. Susanoo sighed as well, her eyes closed.
A snort forced her to snap her eyes open again and glare at Waka. This time, the smile was there, all genuine and absolutely cute to look at – it wasn't the drunk smile he couldn't control whenever he'd have a drink, it was the smile Shinmon Benimaru would give his 'twin' whenever he felt like it. Even his Tic-Tac-Toe eyes were smiling for real. How could Susanoo ever be mad at him?
"I missed you, you know," he drawled.
If she wasn't holding two plates of sweets, she'd have thrown herself in his arms to claim a hug Waka would return hesitantly. Her own smile was big enough for the two of them. "Catch up in my room after I'm done with the dishes?" she suggested, sauntering towards the kitchen.
"You can do that tomorrow, let's catch up now."
"The dishes, big brother."
"Do I need to wake up the twins so they can come at you again?"
She gasped in horror. Anything but that! "I'm coming!"
Now, 'catch up' with Benimaru and Susanoo didn't necessarily mean they had to talk. No, most of the time, they just hung out together in peaceful silence because they could just communicate without words. If Susanoo's bedroom or apartment felt like her personal space where she could be free to do anything, Waka considered them his haven of peace because it was her place. Because she was there and her presence soothed him whenever he needed her.
Whether Aoba was in her room or not, Waka would just come in and stay there until he felt peaceful enough to go and wander around Asakusa, deal with those who turned Infernals and put them to rest. Needless to say, that tradition would always take a lot from him because that meant watching someone he knew wither away, as the body of the Infernals always lost to the flames of Human Combustion. That horrible phenomenon took and took people as the brand new kind of death that everyone in the world feared, no one knew why, but it hurt having to put people to rest.
Of all people, Aoba understood him best and although he didn't show how grateful he was most of the times, she never failed to prove him right – she was there at the beginning and will stay with him. And there was no way he was going anywhere without her, hell will freeze over before Waka ever thought of giving his 'twin' up to anyone in the world (especially that priest from Company 1).
"Spill it, Aoba," he finally said as soon as she was settled on the bed. His Tic-Tac-Toe eyes found her mismatched gaze and stared blankly. "What's troubling you? Is it your priest?"
Susanoo held Waka's gaze for a few silent moments, towel on her shoulders and hair still damp from her shower. It was pulled back neatly with a hair tie to show her face entirely. Sighing, she crossed her bare legs and let it out.
"Something is bothering Karim... and I don't have a clue what it could be," she confessed. "But I'm ready to bet a batch of daifuku that it has something to do with one of his best friends – Hoshimiya Rekka, the one with the stupid star-shaped pupils," she precised for Benimaru, even though he looked like he didn't care at all for the appearance. "You weren't there when he interrupted us, because that's when I felt something shift in Karim's aura; it reacted negatively to Hoshimiya's presence, ready to burst into flames. The disgust I swear I saw in his eyes is an emotion I'd never thought I'd ever see on him, as it had no place being there."
Her mismatched eyes narrowed in concern.
"I want to help but I'm useless if I don't know what's bothering him this much that he's starting to act hostile towards one of his best friends. Frustrating it may be, it can't just be a fleeting jab: it has to be more serious than an argument if Karim's aura is deeply disturbed by Hoshimiya."
Benimaru mulled this over for a long minute, then patted her head once and made her face him. "If your instincts are screaming at you that something is wrong with that stupid star-shaped pupil priest, then listen to them," he said, his eyes staring at her square in hers. "They've never failed you and I don't see why they should start now. Though I don't care for your priest boyfriend, my advice for you is to watch over him: if whatever is bothering him about that other priest is serious, then be there for him." He leaned in, narrowing his Tic-Tac-Toe pink eyes. "But you better not tell him that I said that, or I swear that you'll forget that you're dating him."
"Is that a threat, big brother?" Susanoo mused, blinking innocently at him.
"As much as I dislike all those Imperial lapdogs, that priest has been making you happy for months. Even I am forced to admit that he might be a good influence on you." He snorted and rolled his eyes when he spied Susanoo's beaming smile. "Again, don't tell him I said that because I don't really care about Flam Karim. I don't want to get involved any further into your relationship with him."
"But you just gave me an advice right now." Her smile grew wider. "Thank you for this, big brother! You need a reward!" She moved to go get him some anpans (that she'd hidden from the twins), but Benimaru caught her before she could jump off her bed.
"I've had enough sweets for tonight, you're gonna kill me with diabetes if you keep this up," he chastised, restraining her struggling form in his arms very easily.
"You only had two!"
"So?"
But you just ate two! This guy was unbelievable most of the time and she had to wonder herself how she kept up with him. Was it because they'd always been close as young children and when their families had been allies? Or was it because she and Waka were born the same day on the same year that the two of them struck a friendship and a bond that went beyond brotherhood? Best friend and big brother she called him... Waka didn't really know how much he meant for her. He was the Gajeel Redfox of her present life. And if she could be there for him and he for her, then that was all that mattered. And she also had one boyfriend she'd kill to keep.
If Waka's advice worked out, then Karim would open up to her about Rekka. It would be a great step in their relationship because he still seemed a little bit reluctant to talk about his childhood; all Susanoo knew about him was that he had two elder brothers he got along with, even if they were annoying the hell out of him, and that his friendship with Huo Yan and Rekka went way back. Even before they made it to the rank of lieutenant in the 1st. Should whatever was bothering Karim hit him hard, Susano will be there to help him get back up, especially if Rekka was the cause of his pain.
Speaking of boyfriend...
"Karim also despises you, big brother," she chimed in, still trying to get to the kitchen.
Waka effortlessly slammed her on the bed. "Likewise," he drawled, a faint smile on his lips.
/!\ Well, that's a wrap for this first chapter. It's just a sample of Juvia as Susanoo in the Fire Force lore, but there's that. Explicit extras about her life will come up later on in the story – how she met Shinmon Benimaru, how she met Karim and came to date him, her family... well, everything in this story. All in due time, so be patient with the way I write my stories (I'm slow, but I hope they're all worth the crazy wait).
Vocabulary: "Aoba" means "Blue leaf" in Japanese.
Here's the very first:
~ Night Talks ~
Later, much after Waka bid her good night to go to sleep, Susanoo's smartphone vibrated somewhere near her. Though she wasn't asleep just yet, it pained her to have to open her (glowing) eyes. Slumber left her system rather quickly as the vibrating continued. Groaning, she shuffled in her bed to extend an arm towards the object of her nightmares, finally grabbed it after struggling with her favourite panda. She glared at the screen, hoping to find Aoshi's name on it so she could have a good reason to use Kali on him, but her bubbling anger easily left her system as soon as she recognised Karim's name.
No Aoshi, just her boyfriend calling her late at night. How sweet, she didn't have to rip Aoshi's head off the second she'll see him at the Matsumoto compound. Her heartbeat suddenly went wild and she smiled toothily. Susanoo wasted no time in answering and put the phone to her ear. "Karim?" she asked, almost breathlessly.
"Hey. Hope I'm not bothering you at this hour of the night? I didn't know if you'd still be awake...," he said, sounding slightly sheepish and annoyed at the same time.
"Don't trouble yourself, I wasn't even close to falling asleep just yet," she chuckled heartily, settling back comfortably in her bed and beneath her fluffy covers. "If I had been, this would have been because of Hinata and Hikage's crazy antics."
"Really? Because of their low sugar tolerance? Huh, must be a sight to witness if this has something to do with your sweets. You are a cordon bleu, after all..." He then groaned, making Susanoo blink in interest despite her red cheeks over his unexpected compliment. "Listen, I wanted to apologise for this goddamn idiot barging in and interrupting us earlier. I specifically indicated that I was busy on my board so that no one would bother us. That was seriously uncalled for."
Her features softened considerably and her smile grew sweeter. "Well, that was a good reminder of the fact that two lieutenants from the Special Fire Force still have duties to tend to despite the fact that they're a couple, so we can't complain. Though the 7th isn't really as involved as the other Companies, I still like to hear about the new recruits and intel from time to time. It's not like Waka bothers with you all and Konro is too loyal to go against his wishes, so it falls on me to keep a careful eye on every Company."
Karim made a sound in the back of his throat. "Yeah, I'm aware. I understood that when I rose to the rank of lieutenant two years ago. Nonetheless, it would be nice if I could just have more free time with you whenever I want; Rekka walking in on us was the last straw and the idiot had the gall to ogle you while I was here."
"By the way, is Rekka even still alive?" Susanoo wondered.
"Unfortunately, he still breathes and flashes his grinning star smiles."
She chortled, eyes gleaming in mischief. "Karim..."
"What? I discovered sides of myself I never knew ever existed before I started seeing you, so you can't really blame me for being a protective and possessive boyfriend. We may have been dating for a few months but those feelings are relatively new; do I want the others to know that I have a girlfriend whom I care about very much but don't like sharing with everybody? You bet I want to, but they still need to respect our privacy. Boundaries have been set the minute Huo Yan figured out that I was seeing someone and at least he's respectful enough to understand that I don't need anyone prying into my relationship with my girlfriend." He huffed. "Rekka, on the other hand..."
"Speaking of Rekka, Karim... is everything alright?" Susanoo interrupted softly, her expression sobering up and turning concerned. "Your aura shifted when he came into the room and turned sombre. Suffice to say, I was seriously thrown off."
Karim was silent for many seconds, as if stunned that she managed to pick that up. When he spoke again, his voice was guarded and colder. "You picked it up, didn't you? Figured you would, nothing gets past you shinobi."
Alarmed that she might have pissed him off, Susanoo abruptly sat up and clutched the phone. "You... you're not upset with me, are you?" she asked carefully.
"Upset? With you?" Karim sounded baffled. "No, why would I be? I'm just disgruntled over the fact that you managed to sense that something was wrong between my best friend and I, but also relieved at the same time. And... you're right: something is definitely wrong with Rekka."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"This isn't something we can just talk about on the phone, I'll tell you when you come over after the Rookie Fire Soldier Games are dealt with. Otherwise, I'd just find you and drag you to my place so we can talk without undesired interruption. 'Kay?"
Susanoo pushed back her locks, her mismatched eyes closed. "That bad, huh...? Could this have a serious impact on the 1st if Rekka's behaviour betrays the engagements of the Special Fire Force? And if this matter is even bigger than you think, then it might concern every Company..."
A conflicted expression was set on her face and she fell back on her back, her head hitting her pillow. Ever since she joined the Special Fire Force, there hasn't been any progress on what caused the Spontaneous Human Combustion and you'd think that with Company 3rd and Company 5th allied with Haijima Industries, there would have been a breakout in this mystery much sooner. Hibana and Dr. Giovanni were both manics who would do the Devil's work to find out everything they could about Infernals, especially that pink-haired former nun who was twisted enough to call everyone 'gravel'.
Whatever Hoshimiya Rekka was doing to disturb Karim to this point, it just couldn't be good.
Karim groaned tiredly. "Now you understand my predicament, right? This might just affect not only the 1st but also the Tokyo Empire as well, though I still need answers to my questions."
"Karim, listen," Susanoo coaxed softly. "we'll find out together. Please don't get angry at this hour of the night over this matter, it'll leave you highly stressed in the morning and I hate it whenever you're too upset. Rekka might also pick up something on your behaviour, which will prompt him to be wary of you when he has absolutely no reason to be. You're one of his... 'best friends'. If that is still true." She snuggled into her pillow. "I'll be at the Rookie Fire Soldier Games to watch the new rookies perform, so come and find me. I'll be eating Pocky and wearing a white hoodie with the symbol of my clan over my uniform instead of the coat with the blue stripes – even though blue is my colour."
She heard a snort – an amused snort. Karim was smiling or smirking at best. "Can't even be bothered with the formal uniform to state your rank? Your bum ass of a captain has too much influence on you, Leafy."
"Mmm... hey, Frost?" Her voice turned softer.
Karim perked up at the sound of that tone. "Hm? What's up?"
"I really, really wish I could have stayed overnight, had I known that whatever was bothering could be this bad. I may not know the details very well right now, but that can't just be about the Special Fire Force being compromised by Hoshimiya. It must also be personal, right? You've known him for so long that it must pain you to find out a side of him you've never known about." She swallowed uneasily, tasting the silence. "It won't be easy to accept, but... I'm here for you, Frost. You also have me. 'Kay?"
The silence stretched out between the two lovers, as Karim processed her words. Susanoo started to get a bit fearful that she might have shocked him too much with her truthful words, so she hid her face into her pillow and muttered words of apology, when finally, finally... there were a few deep chuckles on the other side of the line. She lifted her face and listened eagerly, surprised.
"I'm glad you made the first step between us, Leafy. I couldn't muster the balls to ask you out, but you have bigger balls than me and actually had the balls to do it when I was patrolling on my own after kissing me. That took a lot of balls for you to do that."
Susanoo was flushed like a hot tomato. Did he need to remind her that? This late at night?
"Hey? You still there, Leafy? You haven't fallen asleep on me, have you?"
She chuckled, smiling wide. "Oh, Karim..."
"Don't go all mushy on me..."