Disclaimer: I do not own Magi, its story, or the characters. That right belongs to the amazing creator, Shinobu Ohtaka. I do own the idea(s) and OC's that are contained within this story. And hope that as you read, respect that. Please don't use the OC's without my permission, as she has been with me since I was six. On a different note, she and her other half are starring in another of my stories.
Author's Note: The story will be taking a bit of a faster twist and turn now. But as the 2.5 yr gap between the end of the Mandstadt war and Alibaba returning is free play, I am going to go have some delicious story-altering fun. So if you do not like that, I politely ask you toturn around and leave now because I don't see the point in you wasting your time and mine.
Author's Notes: I also dedicate this chapter to my friend and fellow FF Writer, Dracula316, who helped me figure out the word to use as I was at a loss and afraid to fall over that ledge and chose.
Em·brace /əmˈbrās/
verb
1.
hold (someone) closely in one's arms, especially as a sign of affection.
"Aunt Sophie embraced her warmly"
Synonyms:
hug, take/hold in one's arms, hold, cuddle, clasp to one's bosom, clasp, squeeze, Clutch, Seize, Grab, Nuzzle, Caress, Enfold, Enclasp, Encircle, Enclose, Envelop, entwine oneself around, Canoodle, Smooch, Embosom,
Nine months after Ren Kouen arrives on samon island.
Year 1, Month 10 (April), Day 20
Koumei
He felt amusement, plain and simple. It had been a few days since the incident at the cove, and tension in the hut has become almost palpable. Koumei was currently doing his level best not to burst out laughing at the scene unfolding before him. He had learned young (with all of his sisters) that women can be creative and vindictive. And the even interesting housemate, Lunaria, was definitely creative and vindictive.
Koumei knew Kouen was near his breaking point. Koumei was amazed at how easily Lunaria could get under his (usually) composed and stoic older brother's skin. Then again, Kouen was just as good at getting under her. Hence the current scene he only he was privy to.
"Good gods, woman! Go change, right now!"
"No!"
"Dammit, Lunaria. That's not decent."
"How so? all the parts of my body that you said needed to be covered are. My breast, ass and -"
"Do not finish that sentence. And while they are, you're still practically nude."
"Excuse you! The children wear less than this, prude."
Koumei had to admit Lunaria had a valid point. But still, what she had on as a young woman of nineteen or twenty was definitely not appropriate. A part of him wanted to intervene to keep it from escalating and Lunaria leaving again. At the same time, the other part wanted to see how far it'd go before he'd be forced to intervene, if at all.
"You are wearing children's clothes, and you're a grown woman. Those are boy shorts, and you modified them. And that top is a young woman's halter wrap for when they lack in the assets a woman such as yourself has in spades."
"Yes, I am aware. Yet, I am covered decently. But thank you for saying I am a woman. I will go change now."
Koumei felt his jaw drop as he watched Lunaria leave the main room for her personal one to do as she stated. Though the mix of shock, confusion, and anger running rampant across Kouens face were utterly priceless. Not many could one-up his elder brother. But a point had been made.
Koumei walked to where Kouen sat and draped his arm over his elder brother's shaking shoulders. A simple embrace to show he cared.
"Kouen, who do you do this to yourself?"
There was nothing but silence before Koumei felt Kouen's shoulders droop.
"I have no clue as to what you refer to, Koumei."
Knowing it was a blatant deflection, Koumei removed his arm. Feeling a bit of frustration at this, since he too, was deprived of what he wanted.
"If you insist, fine. but don't keep punishing others or your own inner strugglers, brother."
Kouha
'Swish! Thwack! Crack!'
His eyes tracked the fast movement of the roughly hewed quarterstaff. Kouha had found Lunaria in a fine mood practicing. She was now an inch smaller than him, yet she wielded the eight-foot pole as if it was a natural extension of herself. It furthered his curiosity about her past that she was unable to recall.
Then again, with the look on her face, from the sharp glare to the thin line her lips were pressed into. Kouha knew Kouen was the source of her current mood. Leaning against the palm tree, he stayed silent, watching as the pole was slammed into the ground and Lunaria jumped up, kicking out viciously. Causing her body to swing forward and then around the pole from the momentum, to land on the sandy ground softly and silently. It was a lethal grace that took years of training to achieve.
"You want to spar or just stand there like an idiot?"
Blinking before narrowing his eyes, Kouha glared at Lunaria, unamused at the insult. Her back was to him, so he was unable to see the expression on her face. When she said nothing more, instead of just picking up the quarterstaff and shifting her body to go back to the mock fight she'd been hacking, Kouha got an idea.
"How about you teach me to use that quarterstaff as you do?"
He watched as she stopped in mid-thrust. Kouha took in the way she straightened before turning to look at him. Enjoying the fluid movements of her body. Though what he hadn't expected was the mix of skepticism and happiness shining in the depths of her odd eyes.
"Sure, but I find it hard to believe you cannot use a quarterstaff."
Frowning, Kouha pushed off the palm and marched over to Lunaria. Staring down that single inch in an attempt to intimidate her.
"I have the basics, but due to my height at the time, it wasn't something they felt I could use appropriately."
"Oh, then they're idiots."
Internally Kouha was laughing at her simplistic reply while feeling anger well. It had been Kouen who had made that decision, more-so after Larajea as his Djinn.
"Do you want to start with a smaller pole? Or try this one?"
Giving a small nod of his head to indicate he wanted to try with the one she held, Kouha stiffened as she grasped one of his hands, which was quickly placed just below the staff's mid-point. Though the contact was brief, it was very warm and gentle. Before he could react, she was behind him, grasping his other hand and placing it again just above the midpoint. All the while, her feet, and knees were moving his legs. It wasn't an intimate embrace, but the heat from her body being pressed against his was something Kouha found he was enjoying.
"Now, I'll take you through what I do. Finding your balance a pole this length isn't easy. Especially with a small, petite body. I often overbalance myself, Kouha."
Letting a smile curl his lip at the feel of her breath, moving his hand and fan across his neck, ear, and cheek. Kouha realized he might have found a way around Kouen's no touching Lunaria rule, which was not a bad thing at the moment.
Kouen
How he ended up in this situation behooved him. But one thing he could blame it on was another of Lunaria's nightmares and his damn brothers. Hell, even the damn panther cub, Kida, was at fault. Saying his head hurt since he couldn't sleep thanks to the position he was in.
Closing his eyes and tilting his head back, Kouen tried to reign in the natural urges his body was having. It helped that the deep rumbling growls of the ten months old, overly protective black panther cub helped. Again, making the whole situation even more awkward.
"No... Stop! Please, no!"
Tensing at the quiet whimpers, Kouen stilled and opened his eyes. Lunaria had tears falling down her face and soaking into his sleeping robe, from what he could see of her face that was not being pressed into his lower abdomen. It did bother him that she had them, and it was connected in some way to her trying to get her memories back.
"En?"
Flicking his eyes to Kouha, he saw the genuine concern on his younger brother's face. It was odd yet endearing. The fact when Lunaria's cries had awoken them all. When they entered, the Kida had been nudging the sleeping Lunaria, giving plaintive whines. So they'd done what they had always done. Him sitting against the wall, his legs used as her pillow, while Koumei and Kouha held her. Or they tried to.
The shrill screams and violent, half-awake fighting had his brothers backing away. Even Kida had given space as the Rukh appeared around her in chaotic droves. When his eyes had met her glazed ones, seeing the scared, fearful and uncertain look she had as a child after the incident, Kouen had just acted.
He'd dropped (painfully)and pulled her into his arms. Being bitten, clawed until she calmed. Though she was now sleeping and crying out, it wasn't how he had intended ever to embrace her or her him?
"you two just stay. Whatever is terrorizing her dreams, having us all here when Lunaria wakes is what will matter."
The slow nods he got from Koumei and Kouha were all Kouen needed. In less than a year since her arrival, Lunaria had become a part of their lives, their family. And while she was aggravating and persistent, Kouen was glad she was there.
"About time you admitted it, even if it's to ourselves. If she were easy as the others, there'd be no point or real reward. Now sleep."
Kouen frowned at the voice speaking up. However, it had a valid point. Slowly closing his eyes, Kouen let sleep claim him.
It was horrifying. Everywhere Lunaria looked, there was death. Blood seemed to stain the ground a black-red. A sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach had Lunaria lifting her hands and seeing them glow. If it were any other situation, the silver-white would be beautiful. Yet, the blood running down her fingers, across her palms and onto her arms, illuminated by that glow, was worrying.
"This is you. You'll never stop feeding into this need. You're mine now; kill her."
Turning her eyes to look where the dark voice seemed to indicate, Lunaria saw a tall, faceless blonde. She felt familiar for some reason, yet Lunarai couldn't place her. Then her body began to move on its own as if an outside force compelled it. The target, the blonde, who just stood there, not defending herself as Lunaria approached. Then Lunaria struck her hand, punching through the blonde's rib cage and grasping the warm, beating heart and then yanking out and crushing it.
"No...stop! Please, no!"
"Damn, you dream some messed up shit."
The world around her faded at the intrusion of the new voice. Something told Lunaria that whatever brought that hellish dream on would bring it back. But instead, she focused on the new voice.
"Trust me. It's not by choice. So, are you going to tell me who you are, Mister?"
"Nope. And why do you think I am a guy? I could be an ugly woman with a deep voice."
At this, Lunaria snorted rudely. "I don't think so. You're still flying with nowhere to go?"
"Nah. I have an idea of where now. Or at least I do. What about you? I mean, that was a vivid and very nasty dream."
"I don't know. Besides, it's been almost four months since I last heard from you."
"That long? Feels like a few days at the most. What were you doing the last time we talked? or rather who?"
Lunaria felt both embarrassed and disgusted at what he was implying. This mysterious voice could be a pervy jerk.
"I'm untouched, thank you very much. And accepting an apology from an...friend?"
No reply came, though she felt the owner of the voice was still there. Either way, it was time to rest. Dream or no dream to embrace her, Lunaria needed sleep.
TBC!
The next story to update is: Life in Seireitei's Squad 11
