Chapter 58: Teasing and Temptation
"I must admit, I didn't expect this of you." I remarked, looking at the blond haired maid cheerfully examining different boxes on the counter in front of her.
"Is it that surprising that I am interested in tea?" Naomi asked back, pulling some leaves from one of the samples and giving them a sniff.
"No, I was more suggesting your attire." I replied, "It is rather daring."
Indeed, the ex-heiress was rather fond of different blends and types of tea, frequently experimenting and changing up the type she prepared for the rest of us. So her being interested in a tea shop was not too much of a shock, even for a date destination. What was surprising, was the clothes she was currently wearing.
It was a French maid outfit, the provocative clothing something she had taken to wearing around the house, but the set that I was used to seeing her in was a lot more functional. This one though? This one got the blood pumping.
She grinned at me, looking over her shoulder as she bent low to pick out her favoured flavour of tea, allowing her short skirt to ride up and expose her choice of panties to me. Black lace, by the way.
"Why?" She questioned, seeing where my eyes were and giving her hips a shake, "Is it causing you some trouble?"
"More like trepidation." I responded, "You are seducing me and I don't understand why."
She paused, obviously not expecting me to call her out this blatantly, however she recovered quickly with a saucy grin, "Is it working?"
Her behaviour on this date had been very… out of character. She had been sensual, teasing, attempting to get a rise from me and flaunting her body. I had some idea of why she was acting this way, of course, but assuming wrongly in this situation could backfire badly.
Still, I was not one that enjoyed being toyed with.
"Well my little tease," I let my voice rumble, stepping close behind her, leaning over her and pressing my chest into her suddenly stiff back and whispering into her ear, "If it is, are you prepared to handle the consequences?"
Her breathing started to pick up, before hitching as my palm was placed on her inner thigh, a trail of goosebumps following it upwards as I dragged it slowly to the heat that lay at the peak. She let out a shuddering sigh when I stopped just short and stepped away from her.
"And you call me a tease." She grumbled, gripping the counter she had leant over for support.
"My question remains, Naomi. I am worried about you, and why you are acting so…" My voice trailed off, struggling to find the correct wording.
"Slutty?" She finished, giggling at my unimpressed look.
"The fact that you can call it that and are doing it anyway just proves my point." I deadpanned.
She smiled, looking down at the boxes of tea, pulling out her choice and turning back to me, "It's… Well, it's freeing. I am acting so different from the prim, proper girl I was supposed to be, it feels like I'm doing something I'm not supposed to and I like it. You make me feel safe, so I feel comfortable doing this around you, it's fun."
"I see." I hummed, taking in her words, before I moved into her personal space, putting my hands on the counter behind her and trapping her in-between me and the tea display, "Don't you know it's dangerous to tease a man like that? They are like ravenous beasts, dangle a piece of meat in front of one and he might just decide to snap it up."
"Maybe I want to be snapped up?" She breathed, her face an inch from mine, "I get self conscious you know, with you showing so much attention to Kasane and not me."
I captured her lips, giving her a short, sweet kiss before pulling back, "Does it feel like I'm not giving you enough attention right now?"
She blushed magnificently, the rosy hue of her cheeks intensifying before she gently placed a hand on my chest as she bit her lower lip, "Not at all…"
Taking the hint, I let her go, stepping back and watching as she recovered herself. She moved the hand that was on my chest to hers, keeping it there as she took in a few deep breaths.
She straightened, one last deep breath being sucked in before she stared at me with resolute eyes, "I want to speak to you about something. Its not something I'm ready to say just yet. I know it's unfair of me to do this, but could we wait a bit until I'm ready?"
Apparently my willingness to respond to her provocations was not something that she was ready for, "Of course, Naomi. It was never my intention to force you into anything."
She giggled, "That's why I feel safe around you."
So saying, she linked her arm with mine, pressing herself to my side as she held her prize. Again, I was rather surprised by her forwardness, how aggressive she had been today, but I supposed that showed just how much I had to learn about her.
After sending the tea back to the Manor, we spent the rest of the date visiting different stores and shopping around Kyoto, the city perfect for such activities in the middle of the afternoon. We received no attention, the perception wards working perfectly on the humans around us, making us seem unremarkable and not worth paying attention to.
Naomi was happy to talk as we walked, gushing over how lively and inhabited the city was, it having been a wreck of it's former glory back in her world. Although not her first time seeing it, the novelty was apparently still present for her. Our conversation meandered, her asking after my preferences as we looked at clothes, learning of my favourite colour and things like that. I learned her own as well, that being surprisingly enough red, as she modelled and showed off different outfits to me.
She was flirty and teasing, but it never escalated to the point it did in the tea shop, as I held myself back for her sake. Although that didn't stop me from flirting back at her, ensuring that she was never without a healthy hue of her favourite colour in her cheeks.
The ending had only one more event of notice.
"Damocles?" Naomi asked, pausing as she fidgeted.
"Yes, Naomi?" I asked, tilting my head.
"Do you mind if I go somewhere alone? I need to buy something… private." She asked, looking away from me as her blush deepened considerably.
"Of course. I'll wait here for you." I responded, "Do you have your amulet?"
She smiled and fished the sapphire adorned pendant out from her dress, leaving it easily accessible as she nodded.
"Be back soon." She said, before moving back into the mall we had just exited.
I waited a few minutes but was soon joined again by my Bishop, who was holding something behind her back.
"Promise not to look inside?" She asked, causing me to playfully roll my eyes.
"Do you not trust me to be a gentleman?" I asked sarcastically.
"Of course not, you are the most gentle person ever. How could I think anything else?" She teased while she grinned and handed me the oblong box that she was hiding.
"Humble too, don't forget that." I joked as I sent it through my portal back to the manor, keeping my word and not looking inside.
However, that didn't stop me from glancing at the symbol that adorned the box.
What could she have purchased from a pet store, I found myself wondering. The obvious answer was a titillating thought, but I would let it rest for now.
"Yes, oh so humble." She laughed, leaning over and kissing my cheek, "Thank you."
"Think nothing of it." I replied, holding out my hand to her to continue the date.
-XXX-
"Thank you for coming." Yasaka spoke, her tails fitfully moving behind her.
"Your request came at a good time. I had something to discuss with you regardless." I responded, getting a blink from the Kitsune, "But first, what was the issue you wanted my help with?"
"Ah, well. Its Kunou. She's been having trouble sleeping ever since that attack happened. She keeps seeing 'the man with the spear' coming after her and waking up." She looked down, a considering look on her face as her hands clenched, before she decided to share, "She wakes up screaming and crying."
I frowned, "That's upsetting to hear. But I'm unsure how I can help?"
"I had the thought that since you killed him," Yasaka spoke, "You being here would be calming to her. She looks up to you a lot, you know?"
I laughed, "Seems odd that the presence of a Devil would make her feel safer."
"You aren't just any Devil, Damocles." She spoke, her voice serious, "You have proven to be a faithful ally to the Yokai, not just in your fair dealing with us, but also by saving my daughter. There is not a soul in Kyoto that would dare badmouth you after all you've done."
"I've just been a merchant, nothing more. As I've pointed out many times, I saved my sister too." I replied, stopping as she glared at me, her tails puffing out in annoyance.
"You need to learn to accept compliments. The access we gained to the underworld's, and therefore the entire world's market was immense for us. It allowed us to expand four times as quickly than we used to. As for Kunou, we already had this conversation. Do I really need to sit you down and repeat my thanks until you accept it?"
"That's not necessary." I held up my hands in surrender, "You win. I'll speak to the little one."
"Good." She smiled, her tails once again beginning to wave behind her, "Because she's almost here."
"What?" My question had barely finished coming out of my mouth before the door to the room slid open slowly, a sleepy looking young girl being framed by the open frame.
"You called mama?" She asked, rubbing her eyes, that stopped when she saw me, her ears perking up as she exclaimed, "Damocles?! You're visiting?!"
"Yes little fox." I smiled, conscious of the intense green gaze hitting me from across the table, "I had something important I needed to talk to your Mother about."
"Oh…" Her tails and ears drooped, "Do you need to speak to her alone?"
"Not at all." She perked back up at that, a small smile being brought to her face, "although it's important, it's not immediately urgent. Why don't you sit down and chat with me for a bit? I'm interested in how Shiro's best friend is doing."
"Really?" She asked, her tails curled defensively, "You won't mind?"
"Of course not." I smiled, causing her to smile back and shuffle over to the table, sitting down and smiling towards her mother who offered her a wide one in return.
"So what have you been up to?" I asked, causing her to pout.
"Mostly studying. Learning maths and history and all that boring stuff." She sniffed, "The tutors say I'm really smart, but I think they are just saying that because they are scared of Mother."
"It's boring, huh?" She nodded emphatically at my question, ears flopping with the motion, "But it's important. I know you've been told that and are probably sick of it by now, but if you don't know your people's history then you will be taken advantage of by people who will take advantage of your lack of knowledge."
"I know." Her pout intensified, "But I wish they made the lessons a bit more interesting, like my magic class. Speaking of, I recently started learning Magic!"
She perked up in excitement at the end there, causing me to smile at her enthusiasm, "Oh really? What type of magic are you learning? I know the Yokai practice Senjutsu…"
"It's not that." She shook her head, "I'm learning that too, but I wanted to learn Ice magic! Apparently I'm really good at it too!"
"Really?" I smiled, looking at Yasaka's knowing look as I continued, "Ice magic, huh? Any particular reason you chose that one?"
Kunou paused, before she attempted and failed to act nonchalantly, "No, I just thought it sounded cool."
"I see. Interestingly enough, did you know I am quite good with Ice magic myself?" I asked, causing her eyes to widen.
"Oh?" She laughed nervously, "What a coincidence."
"Indeed." I decided to let her off the hook, "Would you like me to help teach you some tricks?"
Her ears pricked up at that, looking at me in excitement, "Would you!? That would be so cool!"
I laughed, bringing up a hand with my palm facing up, "Sure, watch closely…"
She stared at my palm with intense attention as her mother looked on happily as I showed her daughter some of my personal quirks with Ice mage.
-XXX-
"She's quite the handful." I spoke softly, not wishing to disturb the girl whose head was resting in my lap.
"You handle her well. It seems dealing with children is an innate talent of yours." Yasaka remarked just as softly, watching as I gently stroked her daughter's head.
"I've been told." I remarked, grinning cheekily at her, "Just as I've been told that that is an attractive trait. Especially to mothers."
"It is." She responded, her gaze moving up to stare into my own, "I will not lie."
"When you don't get flustered it's not nearly as fun." I complained, causing her to smile before she looked at her daughter again.
"Thank you for this, Damocles, truly." She whispered, "This is the most peaceful I've seen her in a while."
The emotions behind her words were complicated and tangled. I could imagine that as a mother, not being able to make her child feel safe must be frustrating.
"You are welcome. I enjoyed talking to her." I responded, gently scratching the fox behind the ear, causing her to let out a pleased hum.
"Still, you came here for something else and I took advantage. I should apologise." She pressed, causing me to raise an eyebrow at her.
"Apology accepted, even if it wasn't needed." I looked back down to the sleeping girl, "We should get her to bed."
"Would you mind carrying her?" Yasaka asked, causing me to shake my head.
"Not at all. Let me get up." I gently put my arm behind Kunou's knees, while gently holding her head.
Standing up, I had the little Kitsune safe and sound in a princess carry. I turned towards her mother, who was smiling at the sight.
"You'll need to lead me, I don't know where her room is." I whispered.
"This way." She responded, moving to the door and quietly opening it.
Leading me through the complex, we received looks from guards and staff, who took one glance at the sleeping fox in my arms and turned away, hiding their smiles. It seems Yasaka was not lying, at least when it came to her servants. They didn't see me as a Devil, they saw me as a friend.
We finally arrived at Kunou's room, allowing me to gently place her into her bed, as her mother held open the covers for her. She frowned as I let her go, but her expression eased as I started to gently rub her head.
"Damocles." Her mother whispered, causing me to softly hum as I turned to look at her, only to be surprised as she met my lips with her own.
The kiss barely lasted more than a second before she pulled back, staring into my eyes with a look full of meaning.
"Careful." I softly warned, "If you act that cute I might wake up Kunou with what I'll do next."
She blushed but couldn't hide her smile, "You couldn't stay serious for this?"
"Not when I get to see your beautiful smile." I rejoined, causing her to roll her eyes.
"You truly never stop." Her whispered voice was full of fondness regardless, "Do you take that much amusement from my embarrassment?"
"I do, ye-" I suddenly stiffened, my change in attitude immediately apparent to the Faction Leader.
"What's wrong?" She asked, her voice full of concern.
"Shiro's emergency amulet just activated." I spoke, causing her eyes to widen, "She should have been safe at the Manor. Sorry but-"
"Go." She said, "We'll talk later."
I had already been preparing the teleport spell as we spoke, so I merely nodded to her, "Thank you."
With those words, I vanished from the Yokai's lands.