Megumi stood beside the door leaning his back against the wall while watching the make up artist put the finishing touches on Lily's make up. The woman had been rubbing on this and brushing on that for the last hour. He did not understand why it took so much effort to make her look pale and as if she did not have any make up on at all.
The wardrobe person stood patiently beside the chair holding the white lace nightgown. Megumi shifted uncomfortably at the thought of seeing Lily in it. Her body would be covered by the silk sheath gown underneath, but plenty of skin could still be seen through the spaces between the flowers in the pattern on the lace.
"There. You're good to go," the make up artist announced after dabbing on a sheer pink lip gloss.
"My turn," the woman holding the dress said, leading Lily behind the screen to change.
Although the large red curtained screen partitioned off a quarter of the room and hid both women completely from view, Megumi turned his back anyway. A few minutes later, the light hand on his shoulder made him jump before he turned to see Lily smiling at him wearing the gown.
"What do you think?" she asked, taking a turn in the nightgown with a train that wrapped around her ankles. She cried out as she toppled forward, but Megumi caught her safely in his arms which caused them both to turn beet red.
"You're beautiful," he complimented her, staring at her slightly parted moist lips as he steadied her on her feet. Despite wanting to kiss her, he did not because now was definitely not the time and here the place.
"Be careful," the wardrober cautioned her, untangling the length of fabric from around her feet.
A white silk sheath covered most of her body underneath while the long sleeved lace overlay covered her from her neck down past her ankles to trail behind her. The garment looked more like a Victorian wedding dress than nightwear. Although Megumi seriously doubted that piece of clothing would ever make to it bed and clothes for sleeping was not its purpose at all. It was mean to be worn for a short time, admired briefly, then taken off the wearer (or the admirer) to decorate the floor beside the bed as she was laid down on it by her lover.
Megumi gulped, taking in her appearance fully.
There was a knock on the door before it opened without an invitation to come in.
"Are you ready, Lily?" the man asked who held the camera in one hand although it was hanging around his neck by a strap. He left no doubt he was the photographer.
"All ready," she confirmed, gathering the material in her hands to lift the skirt a few inches to allow her to walk without tripping.
They exited the room through the double doors onto the beachside deck. This room was on the opposite end of the one story hotel from hers.
"Ah, what a perfect day for this shoot," commented the photographer, looking up at the sky covered by steel gray clouds shutting out the sunlight.
"Hello!" hollered a man further down the beach. He was wearing a suit and waving at them. He must by the tourist bureau representative. Her manager and the two assistants were with him struggling under the weight of the equipment hanging on both of their shoulders.
After introductions were made, Megumi being introduced as her bodyguard of course, they headed down the beach to the arch. The clouds were already turning a darker gray, the winds getting stronger, whipping everyone's hair. All of the holes in the lace made it possible for the air to blow through, only thrashing around the flowing train instead of blowing the whole thing over her head.
"Well, the weather is certainly cooperating to give us the ambience we're looking for," Mr. Sunagawa the rep said, cowering at a distant rumble of thunder.
"I suppose we better hurry," suggested the photographer. "We can take a few shots today and if we don't like them, there's always tomorrow. But I'd like to get the ones we need today."
Me too, thought Lily, watching lightning flash down from the sky to touch the ocean.
"Storm looks to be several miles out still, but we gotta hurry," shouted one of the assistants over the wind. "I'm gonna have to clean sand out of all this equipment tonight."
"That's why I brought you along," the photographer reminded him. "All right. Let's do this people! Mr. Bodyguard. I know you're here to protect her but you gotta get outta my shot!"
Megumi reluctantly backed off, taking a seat on a big rock at the edge of the sand behind the photographer. He watched Lily make different poses, all looking toward the expanse of the ocean or the sand at her feet and never at the camera. His favorite pose was when she looked straight ahead, her hands folded together and pressing to her heart. The wind caught the dress and billowed it out behind her giving the impression she was floating above the sand.
The group edged closer and closer to the arch until they were under it and the shadows engulfed her. Lighting was set up to illuminate the dress but not her face or hands to make it look like a ghost was there inside the dress.
A blue white flash of lightning and crack of thunder made everyone jump signaling the end of the work day even before the fat raindrops began to fall. The crew and Mr. Sunagawa staggered through the sand, sliding and almost falling, but hurrying as fast as they could to the safety of the hotel.
Lily threaded her arm through Megumi's while they slowly made their way back to the room despite the rain falling on their heads.
"You should go take a shower to get warmed up," Megumi suggested, pushing her toward the bedroom. He looked like a drowned rat himself and shivered despite the air conditioner not being on.
Lily extended her hand toward him. He glimpsed at her hand then her face.
"What?"
"Come with me," she said, shaking her hand to signal him to take it since he stubbornly kept his hands tucked into his arms folded over his chest.
"What?" he repeated, his eyes widening.
"Come on. We're just going to rinse of the sand and the cold, nothing sexy, I promise," she swore, raising her hand like people do in court when taking the oath to tell the truth.
"Lily, I - "
"Come on," she ordered him, seizing a handful of drenched fabric at the collar of his now transparent white t-shirt. "I need you to help me get out of this anyway. If I rip it, Suna will not be happy."
Lily turned the hot water faucet on full blast in the walk in shower. She commenced to unbuttoning the dozen tiny pearls buttons down the front of the lace gown.
"What do I do?" Megumi asked, standing behind her and keeping his eyes on the floor.
"Help me peel it off. Slowly and carefully."
"Slowly and carefully," he repeated, reaching around her to take hold of the edges of the fabric at her neck. When he felt her tugging at the lace, he pulled as well to begin, as she had said, peeling the soaked fabric off of her arms. Once that was done, he made a fast exit to the bedroom in search of a hanger.
"Megumi! I need you!" she yelled out sounding quite panicked.
"What the hell," he muttered, hanging the lace dress on the bar with the empty hangers.
Oh, what a sight! Lily had attempted to pull the sheath gown over her head all by herself underestimating how much the wet garment wanted to stick to her skin. She had gotten the gown halfway up her body, the drenched fabric becoming a prison around her arms and preventing her from raising it another inch. Although her breasts were still covered, from below them down was revealed, including her skimpy lacy underwear that looked like nothing more than a V shaped swath of fabric.
"Megumi, please," she begged, shifting her body from side to side as her fingers grabbed at the bottom of the gown holding her arms upward in a fabric vise. "Help."
Megumi gulped, cautiously moving forward as if she was an animal ready to attack rather than a helpless woman trapped in a weird silk straight jacket. He took hold of the silk near her armpits, pulling upward to set her free. Glancing down, he noted that she was wearing a white lace bra that matched her barely there panties.
"Oh, god," he gasped, pivoting on his foot. At least he had the gown to give him a good excuse for a quick exit. He hung up the silk sheath then stood in the middle of the bedroom dripping water on the floor. His entire body felt hot despite the freezing rain soaked clothes stuck to his skin. Panting open mouthed, he willed himself to calm down, to stop the thrumming of his pulse through his ears temporarily blocking out all sound.
"Megumi! Are you coming?" she asked a few minutes later when he did not return immediately. "Come on! Get out of those wet clothes and warm up!"
"Oh, I think I'm warm enough," he mumbled, reluctantly returning to the bathroom. Keeping his eyes on the floor, he stripped off his clothes, laying them out on the sink countertop.
"The water is nice and hot," Lily said, moving out from under the stream so he could find out for himself. "Uhm, I'll be getting out so you can relax."
Lily could not help but notice the way he kept his eyes on his toes and his stiff movements. There was no mistaking his discomfort. He was more modest and shy than she had anticipated. Sliding on the plush terrycloth robe provided by the hotel, she hung the other robe on the hook beside the shower for him.
While he was finishing up, she ordered room service. She distracted herself by watching the driving rain beating against the windows. Lightning flashed and thunder boomed, it was a violent soaker. She shivered just observing the stormy weather. The hot tea and soup she ordered would really hit the spot.
"What are you doing just standing there?" Megumi asked when he came out of the bedroom dressed in the robe.
"Watching the storm," she stated wistfully.
"Are you okay?"
"Of course. Why?"
Megumi shrugged, coming to stand beside her. "You look incredibly sad. Maybe even a little hurt."
"Not hurt really. Worried, maybe? I'm not sure." Lily turned toward him, looking into his deep blue eyes that reminded her of the deepest parts of the ocean.
"Are you afraid of Mahito?"
"Terrified."
"I won't let him hurt you," he promised her, putting his arms around her. "If it makes you feel any better, I think Sukuna would come out and kill him if he tried to hurt you. I believe he's taken a liking to you himself."
"Somehow that doesn't really make me feel better," she chuckled lightly, running her hands along the puffy lapels of the robe.
"It's nice to see you can smile through the fear and uncertainty. You're gonna need that sense of humor. Otherwise you'll be angry all the time...like me."
"That anger is good though right? It helps you create lots of cursed of energy."
"That's definitely one way of looking at it." He embraced her briefly, pressing her cheek into the softness of the robe. "It's okay to be afraid. Once you stop being afraid you become a little less human. Fear is also a source of cursed energy. That's probably how you sustained the barrier so well when that cursed spirit tried to kill you."
"That makes sense."
They stayed quiet for several long minutes, content to be in each other's arms. The awkwardness of earlier had been replaced with their usual comfort and contentment found in each other's presence. Her grandmother had always had that calming and peaceful effect on him.
"Do you regret coming here? Entering into the world of jujutsu sorcerers?" Megumi asked, nuzzling his nose into her damp hair that smelled like her lavender shampoo.
"No. Not really regret. It's more understanding and...resignation. I hate to use that word because it sounds like giving up and giving in but that's not it at all. Now I see what my father attempted to protect me from all these years. I think he really knew what it was all about, what was going to be asked of him, what is now going to be asked of me. I can see why he ran...but I won't. Grandmother had faith in me I would be here for you so I won't disappoint her...or you," Lily said, raising her head to meet his gaze firmly.
Megumi's eyes fluttered closed, those luxurious lashes laying against the perfect light skin of his cheek. Lily kept her eyes open until his lips touched hers. He was beautiful and sweet. Gentle with her body and emotions even though he could be quite stern and sometimes painfully honest with his speech.
His lips pressed forcefully against hers, continuing to move, searching. There was no hesitancy, no restraint like he normally exhibited. Need. She could sense the need and desire behind his kiss which he usually hid or did not have at all. His tongue poked at the small separation between her lips, shocking her which made her flinch away with a gasp.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to...I thought..." His face burned with his humiliation. His eyes were glassy as he looked her, a bit dazed and confused. "I shouldn't have done that."
"No wait!" she exclaimed, grabbing his wrist when he turned to walk away from her. Although he could not go far, she could not bear allowing him to turn his back and be embarrassed thinking he had offended her somehow.
Lily tugged on his arm until he turned back around to look at her. Without saying a word, because words would surely ruin what was happening, she took his face between her hands and pushed up on her toes to plant her lips back to his. Her lips parted, catching his upper lip, then his lower lip in individual kisses before fitting themselves squarely back to his without pressing completely together.
Megumi placed his hands on her waist, holding her securely as if she might run away. Growing bold once again, his tongue teased the space between her lips before she opened up more to invite his searching tongue inside.
Did he kiss Yuji this way or is he experimenting for the first time with me?, Lily wondered. The tentative, clumsy prodding of his tongue told her this was definitely his first time for this kind of kiss. Her fingers slipped down his neck to the lapels of the robe, grabbing on tight because he posed more of a flight risk from this intimate encounter than her.
Lily pushed back on his tongue to which he quickly reacted by retracting his tongue fully into his mouth then tried to break contact entirely. Holding onto him firmly, pushing her mouth against his when he backed off, she puckered to finish off the kiss with a gentle curtailment rather than an abrupt breaking of contact. She smiled when he pressed his forehead against hers to continue their close affectionate contact. They were both breathing heavily.
"That was nice," she panted lightly. "Did Yuji teach you that?"
"No," he huffed in return. "There are some firsts I want to have with you."
"I'm happy to hear that. Soooo...was he the first person you fell in love with?"
"Maybe."
The knock on the door startled them, causing them to jump apart as if they had been caught in the act.
"Room service!" the person on the other side of the door called.
"Room service?" Megumi questioned her with a dubious glance at the door.
"I ordered something while you were in the shower. To warm us up, you know. I never anticipated..." She waved her hand around, still a bit breathless and very much at a loss for words. "This."
There was second, louder knock on the door.
"Coming!" Lily returned, tightening her robe en route to the door to unlock it. She did not realize her robe had been loosened during their kiss.
The woman rolled in the cart, smiling broadly at Lily. She handed her a little clipboard with the receipt and a pen attached to it.
"I just need your signature. It will be added to your room bill," the woman explained, continuing to study her. "Hey, are you Lily Luz? I heard you were staying here for a photo shoot."
"I am. And you heard right." She handed the clipboard back.
"Be careful going down to the beach at night. They say the Wailing Woman sometimes shows up there and will try to drag women into the water to drown them because she thinks they are coming to steal her long lost lover."
"Oh, really?"
It would have been nice to know that twenty four hours ago, Lily thought, maintaining her polite but forced smile.
"These legends are crazy huh? Well, it was nice meeting you. Enjoy your food." The woman bowed and left.
"That would have been useful to know sooner," Megumi commented, helping her roll the cart toward the couch.
"I was thinking the same thing."
They placed the bowls of soup, bread basket, and plate full of fruit on the table along with the teapot and cups.
"It looks like this storm has set in for the day. What should we do?" Lily asked, slathering butter on one of the still warm rolls.
"How about a nap?" Megumi suggested. "That's all a day like this is good for."
"I agree."
Another knock on the door sent Lily scrambling, abandoning her meal. It was Suna asking for the dress. While Lily ran to get the gown and overlay, she stepped inside giving Megumi a questioning glance since he was still in his robe and so was Lily. The woman rocked from her heels to her toes and back again as if trying to get his attention so she could ask him a question. Megumi ignored her and kept eating, not really caring what questions might be going through her head.
"Here it is," Lily proclaimed, extending the still dripping garments to her on the hangers.
"I'll wash these and have them ready for tomorrow. We're scheduled to start around ten." She cast a glance at Megumi raising and eyebrow. "But don't stay up too late."
"Nosy," Megumi muttered without looking up from his food.
"What?" Suna inquired.
"We'll be ready," Lily assured her, pushing her out the door. "Bye."
Lily hung the plastic "do not disturb" tag on the handle before closing the door.
"Don't you think that will make them talk even more?" Megumi asked when she engaged the security lock.
"Mmm, you're probably right," she agreed but did not bother to unlock the door and remove the tag. Flopping down on the couch, she exhaled loudly. "I'm tired."
"Finish eating and let's take a nap. I'll sleep in here."
"No. Sleep in the bed with me."
"But - "
"I'll get dressed. Don't worry. The only thing on my mind right now is sleep."
~\'/~
Lily awoke disoriented, her head pounding. She had no idea what time is was or even what day it was. How long had they been asleep? Surely it wasn't the next day or the crew would be banging on her door. Opening her eyes, she guessed it was dark outside because no light radiated around the edges of the heavy curtains. Listening, she did not hear the pinging of raindrops on the window or rumbles of thunder. If the storm had passed, what woke her up?
"Liiiiillllyyyy."
Lily recognized the voice calling her name as if singing. Her abdominal muscles tightened with fear. Her lungs forgot to expand to inhale air for a moment. Closing her eyes, she waited and listened to hear the voice again to be sure.
"Liiiillllyyy," Mahito called out again in that same sing-song tone.
He sounded much closer this time. Right outside the window. There was a light tapping on the glass confirming her guess.
Sitting bolt upright in the bed, Lily glanced at Megumi who was still sound asleep. He had put on his baggy sweatshirt and sweatpants and slept on top of the blankets. At least he had put his arm around her to hold her while they slept.
Wearing yoga pants, a t-shirt, and a hoodie, she felt a chill run down her spine as she prepared to open the door to walk out onto their private porch. Mahito stood up from the chair he had been sitting in. When the cursed spirit stood within arm's reach of her, she took two steps back to distance herself to avoid being touched by his hand. Raising a barrier between them offered further protection from his soul warping touch.
"Hello, Mahito," she greeted him in an apathetic tone despite the absolute terror welling inside of her.
"Hello, Lily." He took a step forward, she took a step back, and their usual dance had begun.
Lily stepped to the side and spun around to avoid being trapped in the corner of the deck by the wall of their room and the banister. Her back was presently to the beach but she was still on the deck. If he decided to attack her, Megumi would hear it and come to her aid.
"So you exorcised the Wailing Woman? Well, your boyfriend did," he corrected himself, glancing around as if looking for someone. "Where is he? Close by I'm sure. In your room? In your bed?"
"What do you want?" she inquired, not missing the insinuation. She was tired of the naughty double entendres and outright threats he through at her, using her fear to terrorize her. The way he instilled fear in her so easily was annoying and tiresome. She was tired of being afraid. Anger started to filter in. Anger could sometimes be a stronger negative emotion than fear.
Mahito closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, waving his hand toward his face as if wafting the scent of a delicious dinner to take it into his nose deeper. Exhaling with a groan of satisfaction, he opened his eyes to meet hers that studied his face with both disgust and inquisitiveness. He had never had someone show curiosity about him like this woman did. She captivated him.
"I can always count on you for the most wonderful and fulfilling emotions," he said, leaning toward her with his hands clasped behind his back. To his surprise and fascination, her eyes did not slide away to look off to the side nor did she back away. "Is there something you're curious about? Something you want to ask me?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact there is," she answered honestly, clenching and unclenching her fists inside the pouch of her sweatshirt. "For your technique to work, you have to touch someone with your hands. Lay your entire palm on them. Correct?"
"Yes. Very perceptive of you. What else is there?"
"Can someone touch you without being transfigured?"
"Yes. But you can't hurt me or kill me."
"I'm aware."
Cautiously raising her hand, allowing the barrier to mold around it like a glove as she reached forward, Lily pressed her fingertips to his cheek. Not yet sure she could believe the childlike spirit who could be lying to her, she was not taking any chances.
"No one has ever touched me. At least not without the intent to injure or kill," he added, keeping his hands behind his back. "Take down the barrier. I won't harm you. I swear I won't touch you with my hands."
Lily pulled back her hand, biting her lip. Mahito manipulates souls with a touch of his hand. His target is the thoughts and emotions of a person, the true essence of what makes someone who they are. He liked to take their soul and destroy it, bringing out only the most awful and hidden parts of them to turn them into monsters of his making. He gave them a spiritual death before permitting them to have a physical one to put them out of their misery.
He was like a child, endlessly curious about humans and their emotions. Sometimes a mean, cruel child. Obviously something has stirred up his inquisitiveness about love and sex. What if someone was curious about him? All children wanted to be loved. Is that why love piqued his curiosity? What if she could touch his soul too but by playing on his emotions? He enjoyed emotions particularly the negative ones that fed his power. How would he react to positive emotions? Compassion. Affection. Love. Maybe she was just fooling herself, but she wanted to find out how he would react if she tried to turn the tables on him.
Lily would never dare to think she could do any damage to his soul and certainly not cause him any real injury. But if she could only touch it, toying with his thoughts and emotions...maybe, just maybe, that would make him see her as some kind of a threat no matter how small and leave her the hell alone. She was tired of being afraid, of living in fear of what he would do to her and when he would do it.
"Tell me, Mahito," she began, dissolving the barrier. "What are you really curious about? Is it sex? Or is it love?"
"What does it matter? People have sex and sex feels good right?" he asked with blunt curiosity.
"I wouldn't know. I haven't had sex yet," she confessed, moving exceptionally slow, hoping her nerve did not give out - or her knees. She would swear she could hear her kneecaps knocking together her legs were shaking so badly.
"Oh? You haven't? But I thought you loved him. Two people have sex when they love each other, don't they?"
"That is how it is supposed to work, yes, but that is not always the case. People can love each other without having sex. You don't have to love someone to have sex with them either," she explained trying to use the simplest terms possible.
"All of that sounds complicated. I don't understand." His eyebrows drew together questioningly as he stared at her face.
Lily smiled. "Honestly, I don't understand either. The emotions of humans are complicated. Even the positive ones like love."
His eyes slid to the side to watch her shaking fingers moving closer to his face. When her fingertips pressed to his skin under the horizontal scar under his right eye, he blinked at her. Her hands were freezing cold. Her blue lips trembled. She was so frightened, nearly literally frozen with fear.
"What are you doing?" he asked, taking a step back from her when her fingertips traced the scar under his right eye.
"You said this was okay, didn't you? Tell me what is it you're really curious about," she said, following the scar over to his hairline. Her fingers grazed his jawline then her palm pressed to his cheek. He was warm; his skin soft and smooth, feeling like that of a newborn baby despite his scarred appearance. Was he stitched together from several souls like Frankenstein's monster had been comprised of several cadavers?
"What do you mean?" Mahito inquired, lowering his eyes to observe her other hand inching toward his opposite cheek. He had never been touched easily and gently before. Brief contact had been made during a fight but his opponent soon died when he touched them. He had made the occasional contact with Haruta Shigemo such as putting his arm around his neck before without transfiguring him, but the boy never made the effort to return any physical contact.
"Is it love or sex? Do you think sex is equivalent to love?" Lily asked, holding his face between her hands. "Did you think you could make me love you? Is that why you were threatening to rape me? Do you even really understand what the word you used means? Rape," she said, the word grating on her nerves and setting her teeth on edge. She was speaking to him like one would a toddler, using a low, cadenced voice. "That's a very strong and frightening word, Mahito. You really shouldn't say that. Please don't say that again."
"I don't understand," he repeated, his eyes searching hers. "I don't understand any of this."
"I know," she said, smiling at him in a pitying way like a grown up would a confused and misguided child. "You shouldn't say things you don't mean or talk about things you don't understand."
"I'm not a child," he insisted, standing up to his full height and backing away from her so her hands would drop away from his face.
"But you are a child, Mahito," she responded calmly despite her spine tingling with the fear he might reach out and grab her, killing her and turning her into a hideous monster. "And there's nothing wrong with that. We all have to grow and learn. But don't make those kind of threats again."
Lily felt nauseated, her boldness wearing thin. She thought she might faint due to the sheer terror overtaking her underlying anger as he glared down at her like an embarrassed and chastised child. Her tremulous hand toward his face. This time he was the one who backed away two steps.
"I'm leaving," he announced, transforming into a crab to scuttle across beach and disappear into the night.
"Oh, my god," she sighed, staggering over to one of the chairs to take a seat.
Leaning her head back, she looked up into the sky. The clouds were gone and stars twinkled. She inhaled the cool salty sea air to clear her lungs and her head.
"What the hell are you doing out here?" Megumi asked, still half asleep with only one eye open peeking out the door at her. His hair was even messier than usual, looking more like a fuzzy dandelion.
"I had a visitor," Lily informed him, deciding it was best not to try to hide it like she had before.
"Are you okay?" He rushed out the door, pulling her out of the chair. After looking her over from head to toe on the front, he spun her around to check out her back. "You look okay. Did he touch you?"
"No. But I touched him."
"You did what now?" Megumi sat down in the chair across from her. "Please explain."
Lily told him about the entire encounter from beginning to end.
"That was incredibly stupid of you," he scolded her, standing up. He pulled her out of the chair to pull her into him with a bone crushing bear hug. "Don't you ever do something so reckless again."
"I won't," she replied, not promising because she did not know if she could keep that promise. "I'm just tired of being afraid of him."
"In our world the fear can make you strong," he reminded her.
"But it can also kill you by drawing the cursed spirits to you."
"That's true too. I guess that's how he found you tonight. Damn." He squeezed her until she could no longer breathe.
Lily raised her hand, patting his back like a wrestler tapping out.
"It's a fine line we walk, I suppose, balancing our emotions. And life and death," she said, taking him by the hand to lead him back inside. "I'm just glad I don't have to walk it alone."
"Me too."