Not gonna sugar coat it; House of Rand has dominated my muse for the last 6 months and coming back to this has been a struggle. When you get into one frame of writing, it's hard to shift universes, especially since I've been practically writing everything from scratch on that end. Here, I have to play by the rules of what's established. Not as fun.
Now, as of time of writing, we've officially reached 100 favorites. For someone who is just fumbling through this fandom, you guys give me the motivation to see this thing through to the end. As such, I'll be releasing the next few chapters within a matter of days, if all goes as planned. I've already got the first two written up; just need to get in and do a little proofing. It ain't much but consider it my way of saying thanks for keeping up with this story for... 3 years? Jesus it's been that long already?
I will say though. Things are gonna get a little darker for Tamotsu and the girls going forward, especially after certain truths come to light. And depending on how it all comes out, I'm likely to lose a few of you as a result. I wholeheartedly accept that risk but that being said, please let me know what you think in the reviews. I encourage and welcome any criticism you have.
Note at the end, let's begin.
Disclaimer: I do not own Sekirei; if I did, the situation with certain characters would've turned out very differently and we'd have more than two seasons of the anime. It belongs solely to Sakurako Gokurakuin - who is overdue for a continuation by this point.
"speech"
thought
"phone call"
"Norito"
SOUND EFFECT!
"flashback"
The old woman fixed him with a glare so withered and dry, Seo half-expected dust to crumble from her face. She looked like a prune that hadn't seen the sun in decades—for all he knew, she hadn't.
Not that it mattered what the old bag did with her life. What did matter was getting paid. Maybe squeezing a little extra out of her while he was at it...
"Now, about that finder's fee—" he began, grinning wide.
A wad of yen smacked him square in the face.
"Beat it, punk!" the old bat screeched, her mangy cat hissing right along with her before she slammed the door in his face.
Seo exhaled through his nose, plucking the bills off the ground. "Pleasure doin' business, ya old hag."
That was the last time he ever got involved with animals. It wasn't that he hated them, but they sure as hell hated him. Dogs, cats, rabbits, snakes—hell, even a gerbil once—they all seemed to despise his very existence. Catching them was a nightmare, and getting them back to their whiny, ungrateful owners was even worse.
Well, except for that one gig with the German Shepherd and the owner. She'd had legs for days—
BZZT!
Seo shrieked from the sudden jolt, voice cracking loud enough to send pigeons scattering. "The hell was that for?!" he howled, spinning on his heel—just in time for another bolt to hit him. "AIEEE! WHY TWICE?!"
"Pervert!" Hikari snapped, sparks still crackling from her fingertips.
At her side, Hibiki just huffed, equally unamused.
"You're like an open book at this point. Can you not think about tits and asses for once?" Hikari spat.
"When it comes to you two? Never."
Both twins stiffened, their faces turning red—Hikari immediately looking away while Hibiki pressed gloved hands to her cheeks, dazed.
Heh. Still got it.
Hikari was the first to recover, though her voice wobbled. "A-anyway, are we done here? I'm starving."
"Yeah, yeah, we're done." Seo groaned, rubbing his sore backside. "Any of you wanna help me up?"
Twin glares answered him.
"…Guess not."
With a grumble, he hauled himself to his feet, dusting off his jacket before throwing one last sour glance at the old woman's door. "Man, what a day. I could eat a horse."
"Whatever we get, it better not be fast food again," Hikari muttered. "Because if I find another roach in my burger, I'll be the one doing the deep-frying."
"To be fair, that place wasn't exactly up to code, sis," Hibiki said, shooting a pointed look at Seo. "Seo's taste in food is… questionable."
"Hey! The owner gave us a discount since we helped him out that one time!" Seo protested as they started down the stairs.
"I'd rather pay full price for cooked meat than bite into something that can't even be called that," Hikari sneered, instinctively taking up his left flank while Hibiki took the right.
"Well, excuuuuuse me, princess! Not everyone's got champagne tastes like you!" Seo shot back. "If we had a little more scratch to throw around, we wouldn't have to worry about it!"
""AND WHOSE FAULT IS THAT...?!""
Their voices boomed in perfect sync, rattling him down to his bones.
Seo gulped nervously.
Damn. They had him there.
Times like this, I'm not sure who's scarier...
"It's a miracle One still puts up with your ass," Hikari muttered. "Though heaven knows why."
Seo exhaled slowly, the teasing rolling off him like smoke in the wind. "Yeah… well, that's more on the part of an old friend than anything."
The shift in his tone was enough to kill the mood. He could feel the twins watching him now, quiet for once. Concerned. But he didn't turn around. Didn't acknowledge it.
Instead, he let his mind drift—back to old days, old faces. Back to a man who shouldn't have left things the way he did.
Damn it, Takehito. Why the hell did you have to play the hero back then? Why did you leave him in charge? Now everything's gone to shit. And Miya…
Even now, she was still carrying that quiet hope in her eyes, like he'd walk through the door any second, cracking some dry joke to lighten the mood. But he wouldn't. Not while he was stuck in that goddamn coma as another casualty of Minaka's twisted game.
Seo ground his teeth.
No one really knew what happened back then—just that Takehito hadn't died exactly, but he wasn't alive either. For all of MBI's advancements in the medical field, even with Sekirei influence, they could only just wait to see if former S Plan head would ever wake up. Takami was a good substitute but her hands were tied.
But the only real shot at waking him up, the only real chance… lay with those damn Jinki that Minaka guarded like his life depended on it.
That was his other motivation beyond having Hikari and Hibiki with him from now on.
For a man who made a living out of being a shameless bastard, who indulged his vices without a second thought even to the ones around him… he went soft when it came to the people he actually gave a damn about.
A bitter chuckle slipped past his lips.
Memories of old times flickered through his mind—the two of them going out for drinks with a young Miya tagging along, Takehito trying to explain to her how alcohol worked with Seo being the instigator of it all. Hell, even Minaka wasn't as insane as he was now due to him and hardass assistant of his supposedly being a thing.
Seo clenched a fist, letting out a slow breath.
Letting those things fall into the hands of someone like South or East isn't on my bingo card. Besides, if those things really are as miraculous as that crackpot makes them out to be… then maybe… just maybe…
VRR! VRR!
Seo's phone buzzed in his pocket, dragging him out of his thoughts. He fished it out, thumbing over the notification.
"Well, guess you girls got lucky," he said, glancing at the twins. "There's a decent joint nearby, up to code too. Long as you don't mind the company."
Hikari scoffed. "More like baggage. I still don't see why we're bothering. Sanada-san aside, that kid got in way over his head with Southm, even if he did it to save Uzume-nee."
"Nee-san," Hibiki chided gently. "That may be true, but Uemoto-kun is the reason we're not already fighting her. If nothing else, give him that."
Hikari's scowl deepened, but she didn't argue.
Seo wasn't exactly thrilled either. He had no stake in this mess, and getting tangled up in someone else's problems wasn't his style. But he owed Nishi for help on a job in the past—big time too. And if there was one thing Seo did believe in, it was settling debts.
Miya would probably say otherwise, not that I can blame her.
Still, he could almost hear that smug little hum of disapproval of hers in his head.
Shoving the thought aside, he started down the road, his Sekirei falling into step on either side of him. Their presence alone was enough to turn heads. Men shot him jealous looks. Some women, too.
Heh. Never gets old.
The scent of warm pastries hit them before they even spotted the place—a little hole-in-the-wall café tucked between larger storefronts. Quaint. Cozy.
Seo grabbed the door and held it open for them — only to receive a flat stare from Hikari and an apologetic glance from Hibiki before they breezed past him.
So much for chivalry.
Inside, it didn't take long to find the group of mostly women, two men, all tucked into a booth at the far back.
Nishi gave him a casual wave, but Seo barely registered it. His attention had already landed on Uzume.
She sat hunched, shaking, her usual energy and bravado stripped away. The other Sekirei - well Blondie and Pinkie that is were huddled around her, boxing her in and preventing anyone else from getting close.
Seo had never been particularly close to the Veiled Sekirei—not that she'd ever liked him much neither, for reasons he didn't want to get into—but seeing someone like her reduced to this?
It was… unsettling.
Almost as much as the rumbling in his stomach, actually. Food always did wonders for nerves like this.
"You guys order yet?" Seo asked, cutting through the awkward air.
"Held off till you got here—figured your girls would be hungry after that little workout," Nishi smirked, leaning back in his chair.
"Eh, it was nothing," Seo said, only to yelp as Hikari's boot slammed into his shin. "OW! The hell, woman?!"
"You weren't the one fighting," she snapped. "And more importantly, we shouldn't have even been there. Your shit isn't our shit to clean up."
"What Sis means to say is that we're glad you're all okay," Hibiki corrected, giving her twin a admonishing look. "South is dangerous even before you factor in his Sekirei."
Blondie huffed. "Like we had a choice? Running into him was bound to happen eventually."
Seo had to admit, she wasn't wrong. That rich brat had been snatching up Sekirei left and right, whether they reacted to him or not. As things stood, he had the second-largest flock in the Plan, right after that smug bastard Higa in the East.
Uzume was a prime target, being as powerful as she was on top of being unwinged. It was only a matter of time before either South or East made a move on her.
Though, judging by the way she was practically glued to Uemoto, that might not be the case for much longer.
Seo didn't miss how she refused to let him out of her sight, her fingers clutching at his sleeve, eyes darting warily around the room like she was afraid he'd vanish if she blinked.
And, for what it was worth, Seo had to give the kid credit. Standing up to someone way out of his league, throwing away an offer that could've set him for life—all to defend a girl he barely knew?
Almost makes me proud of the little punk.
But as an ashikabi, he had taken one hell of a risk. If Seo and the twins hadn't shown up, that psycho Sekirei of Mikogami's would've shredded him—rules be damned. And judging by the bandages peeking out from under the kid's sleeves, this wasn't the first time he'd thrown himself into the fire.
Seo sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
"Oi, Nishi." He jerked a thumb toward a quieter corner of the café. "Grab the kid. We need to have a little chat."
Nishi raised an eyebrow but didn't question it. Instead, he turned to Uemoto and gestured for him to follow.
"W-wait—!" Uzume's voice wavered, panic flashing in her eyes as she clutched at the kid's wrist.
"Relax, 'zume." Seo kept his tone easy, laidback—like nothing was wrong. "We're not bailing on ya. Just need a little privacy. We'll be within sight, so don't go losing your mind, yeah?"
Uemoto placed a reassuring hand over Uzume's. "Uzume-san, I promise, I'm not going anywhere."
"You better not," she murmured fiercely, her fingers tightening around his.
From the other side, the kid's Sekirei looked less than thrilled at the interaction. Pinkie didn't seem too happy about it either from how her cheeks were puffing up.
When she finally did let him go, Uzume looked like she'd just given up her lifeline, her eyes trailing after the kid with a quiet, almost desperate intensity. Then, her gaze landed on Nishi, the man flinching, to the point his Sekirei were tensing up.
Now there's a story I wouldn't mind hearing.
Soon after Nishi slid out of the booth, following Uemoto as Seo led them to a table within sight of the girls. Seo dropped into the seat across from the kid, while Nishi slid in beside him, already anticipating trouble.
"Alright, kid," Seo started, arms folded. "Let's talk."
"About?" Uemoto asked, tone unreadable.
"You realize the kind of risk you took back there, don't ya?"
The kid's blank stare spoke volumes.
Seo sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Guess not. Thought you were smart enough to know better than to throw yourself in harm's way like that."
"You're telling me that if it were Hikari-san or Hibiki-san, you wouldn't?"
Seo barely resisted the urge to sigh.
Of course he wouldn't make this easy.
"First off, those two don't need protection. If you haven't noticed, they can handle themselves just fine. Hell, 'Kari would electrocute me if I even tried. Second…" Seo leaned forward, voice sharpening. "Even if they did need it, they'd never let me take that risk."
"What's your point?"
"What you did was brave, kid," Nishi cut in. "And you made the best out of a crappy situation. But—" He met Uemoto's gaze, serious. "You could've died back there"
"So?"
Seo started, staring incredulously at the kid.
"You… do you hear yourself?" Nishi asked, equally stunned. "This isn't a game, kid! This is your life we're talking about."
"And that's why I'll be the one to decide what to do with it. And I'd sacrifice it for any of them. Any day. Without hesitation."
That… that was dangerous.
Seo had suspected something was off about the brat ever since their first meeting at the construction site weeks ago, but had merely pegged it as the kid being another chunibyou.
After all, no sane person threw their life away so easily. Self-preservation was instinctive. Overriding it? That took years of conditioning—years of damage.
But the kid... he meant every word.
"...you're an idiot," Seo blurted.
"Seo," Nishi chided.
"No really, you are for thinking that way."
"I don't care what you think, Kaoru-san," Uemoto shot back, voice edged with defiance. "You're not like me."
Clearly. There's something seriously wrong with you, kid.
"Maybe not, but you do have a Sekirei, just like me and Nishi-kun here. That puts us on the same playing field. So tell me—why do you think Blondie's hellbent on protecting your scrawny ass?"
"Because I'm weaker than her," Uemoto admitted, looking away, voice tight. "But I'm going to change that. I've already been training with Mitsuha."
Seo chuckled, low and humorless. "Get real, kid. You and her? You're worlds apart. No amount of training is going to change that. The only way you'd ever close that gap is through genetic experimentation, and take it from me, it doesn't do a lot."
Uemoto's expression darkened. "Get to the point."
"Fine. How much did Miya tell you about a Sekirei's bond with their ashikabi?"
"How do you know Asama-san?"
"Old friend, don't got time to get into it. Don't dodge the question either."
"Alright, alright. It was only the basics," Tamotsu replied. "She said that Mitsuha and I, like every ashikbai and their Sekirei are bonded at a spiritual level, to the point we can feel each other's emotions if the bond is strong enough. She's technically bound to obey my commands, even if she doesn't like them—but I think she might be the exception to that rule if you ask me..."
You can add Hikari to that list.
"That's the gist of things, yeah. Like right now, I can feel that Hikari over there is constantly shifting between wanting to cave my face in, or smother it with kisses. Hibiki's the same just to lesser, more demure extent. It's a great early warning system, even if I still end up cooked most of the time."
"I wouldn't brag about something like that, Seo," Nishi commented but Seo brushed him off.
Uemoto frowned. "What are you getting at?"
Seo placed his arm on the table, jabbing a finger at his skull. "Use your damn head for a second. Think about how your girl felt when you ran off like that. You really want her to keep feeling that?"
For a moment, Seo thought he'd gotten through to him. Uemoto's eyes widened, his expression thoughtful.
Then, just as quickly, he shook his head. "If you expect me to just abandon someone in need like that, you're barking up the wrong tree."
Seo's patience snapped.
Alright, time go for the nuts.
"Who's more important, kid? Blondie or Uzume?"
That hit its mark. For the first time, Uemoto hesitated, visibly torn between the two.
It was a dirty question, but it had to be asked. The brat needed a wake-up call. He wouldn't last much longer if he kept playing around like this.
"Kid," Sanada interjected, voice calm but firm. "It's not just you risking yourself out there. Sekirei and their Ashikabi are linked in more ways than you can imagine. You ever heard the phrase 'half of my heart'?"
Uemoto frowned. "Yeah...?"
"It's literal in our case."
"So what?" Tamotsu's voice was quiet, skeptical. "You're saying if I die, Mitsuha does too? You really expect me to buy something like that?"
Seo almost said yes, but he knew the kid wouldn't listen.
"She might as well," Sanada said instead. "Blondie sees your relationship as a marriage and here's a little fun fact for ya. Sekirei don't get divorces, and they don't become widows. When their Ashikabi dies, so do they—in every way that matters."
Uemoto's hands clenched into fists. "That's why I have to get stronger. I can't have her worrying about me constantly, and I won't make her sad."
Seo exhaled sharply. "News flash, that's never gonna happen. You're that girl's whole damn world, whether you like it or not. She's gonna fret over you even when you're fast asleep. Trust me, I hate sitting on the sidelines too, but if it means letting my girls do their job, then I'll bite the bullet and play cheerleader."
Not that I can't pull my own weight if push comes to shove, he thought smugly.
Those years at MBI weren't a total waste after all.
Uemoto's gaze dipped, falling to the table but in a matter of moments, it rose back up...
And Seo shuddered.
"The last time I stood back and did nothing while someone I cared about was in trouble," the kid murmured, voice distant, "it wasn't just them that suffered." His gaze was far away, as if he wasn't even here. "I won't let that happen again. If there's even a sliver of a snowball's chance in hell I can protect any of them, then you better damn well believe I'll take it even if it kills me."
That look in the kid's eye... It was something that eerily aligned with conditions some of his old drinking buddies from MBI's security force had, due to a lot of them being ex-military and having been deployed to some of the most harsh environments known to man. It wasn't a look that a country bumpkin like this runt should be showing.
This kid… No, this guy had seen things. Lived through things that no one his age should have, or maybe even could.
No one normal anyways.
Whatever happened in his past... it had left him shattered.
Seo exchanged a glance with Sanada, the biker just as much at a loss.
Suddenly the idea of this runt taking on Kei's gang made a shocking amount of sense.
At this point… he couldn't tell if that was a good thing or something he would need to watch out for in the future, especially when the Plan kicked off in earnest.
Uemoto might become something even worse than either South or East.
It was strange—unnerving, even—to see the same Sekirei who had been so brash and confident only hours ago now reduced to this fragile state.
#10 sat stiffly, her gaze locked on a single point: the booth where Tamotsu was sitting with Seo and Sanada. She barely blinked, barely breathed, as if willing herself to hear their conversation despite the distance.
Kujika doubted she was having much success, though she could guess the topic well enough.
South.
A shiver ran down Kujika's spine.
That sleazeball's name alone was enough to make her skin crawl, and she knew she wasn't the only one. The only time she ever wanted to cross paths with him again was with her master's arms wrapped securely around her, her sister-wives close at her side.
"Think he'll listen?" Kuzuri murmured, leaning in close. "It's rare to see Nishi so serious."
Kujika frowned. It wasn't that she didn't agree with them.
Tamotsu had done something reckless—stupid, even—but…
"For his sake, I hope he does," she admitted.
Her gaze drifted back to #10, who remained silent, eyes never straying from the boy.
Kujika sighed. If she weren't still wary of the woman's earlier threat, she might have laughed at how obvious it was. Ten wasn't just on edge—she was desperate.
She was practically begging to be winged at this point, especially after what happened earlier.
And the only thing stopping her was sitting right beside her. #38's face was growing darker by the second, her face twisting into a scowl that would've had Sahashi-sama back at MBI taking notes.
Kujika couldn't blame her. Sharing an Ashikabi wasn't an easy thing, and while some Sekirei accepted it, like Kuzuri and Shijime, others… did not.
"Ano," a soft voice broke the silence. "C-can I ask how Tamotsu-san got hurt?"
Kujika turned to the only pinkette among them, but didn't miss how Uzume tensed up.
But it was #38's expression that caught Kujika's attention—the way her jaw clenched, the sharp glint of something unreadable in her gaze. "I'd like to know that myself," she all but hissed, her voice tight with something close to anger. "And since getting anything from my master is like squeezing water from steel, I expect you'll be more forthcoming, Ninety-two."
Kujika swallowed a bit, feeling #38's aura flare in agitation.
Blondie's reaction was understandable.
There was a reason Sekirei weren't allowed to harm regular humans or anyone unassociated with the Plan unless absolutely necessary. A Sekirei's first instinct was to protect their Ashikabi, to be their shield against harm, and that often resulted in whatever threatened them being dealt with via extreme prejudice.
Just knowing Tamotsu had been hurt, no matter how minor or before they had even connected, was enough to set the blonde's blood to a rolling boil.
And while Kujika personally wouldn't lose sleep if Kei and his band of degenerates got what was coming to them, she wasn't about to throw Tamotsu under the bus either. The guy was a far cry from the hunk her master was, but Kujika tolerated him because he didn't shun her master, as most usually did.
Though I'm still not over that assumption he made about us and Master, she groused.
What's more... if she told the whole truth, especially with what they'd learned earlier from the brunette herself...
Deciding what to order would be the least of their worries.
"We don't really know, to be honest."
At that, #10's eyes widened to almost comical proportions.
Kuzuri blinked, puzzled. "Huh? But didn't he—?"
Kujika shot her a sharp look, and even the twins fell silent with a subtle prodding from Hibiki to her sister.
"We found him like that when Master took us out riding one night," Kujika went on, trying ignore how intense #38's glare was becoming. "Master took it upon himself to bring him back to our place and patch him up. He stuck around for a few days after until he ran into you, and the rest is history."
"You expect me to believe that?"
"You can believe what you want. I'm sure Tamotsu-san would say the same thing."
That, at least, gave the blonde pause.
"Tamotsu-san..." #49 murmured, her hands pressing to her chest.
Guilt flickered across #10's face, subtle but unmistakable.
Kujika saw it. So did Kuzuri.
So did the twins.
"That may've been fine when he wasn't hitched to anyone, but kid's gotta stop throwing himself into danger like that," Hikari grumbled. "Sekirei are supposed to protect Ashikabi, not the other way around."
"I won't disagree, but…" Hibiki sighed wistfully, placing a hand to her cheek. "Uemoto-kun was quite gallant back there, don't you think? If only Seo could be more like that..."
"That guy? Gallant?" Hikari barked out a laugh. "Puh-lease! He doesn't have a chivalrous bone in his body. And even if he tried to treat me like some damsel, I'd fry his ass."
"Tamo cool!" Shijime chimed in brightly, smiling.
"Stupid, more like," Kuzuri muttered, crossing her arms with a huff. "But what do you expect from a guy whose dream was to go to that Akihabara place or whatever it's called. How lame is that?"
Kuzuri, for love of Kami, don't forget that there's a Sekirei who might as well be a Single Digit sitting across from us...
"It was stupid," Blondie agreed, surprisingly enough, and earned her a thunderous look from the brunette next to her. "But… it's not like I could do anything against an Ashikabi either. Tamo was the only one who could. The real bastard here is that rich punk. What's his deal, anyway?"
"There's a rumor that Mikogami-kun recently lost his parents, though nobody seems to know what happened but him," Hibiki mused. "If that's true, it could explain a few things. He's heir to a fortune, yet he's obsessed with Sekirei. It just doesn't add up."
"It's pretty obvious - it's because rich boy got bored like everyone does and decided to start collecting the newest fad," Hikari pointed out with a sneer. "That's all it boils down to. Kid can have everything he wants and it's still not enough."
"Not everything," Hibiki murmured with a pointed look at #10 whom flinched again. "Onee-sama... You know he won't stop coming after you, right?"
"I know."
"If he's hung up on the fact you're the closest to the Single Digits, then it's not like he doesn't have options," Hikari mentioned, getting Blondie's attention. "'Setting aside the fact that Kagari's single and looking to mingle, there's Nine somewhere out there too."
"The Water Sekirei?" Pinkie questioned, looking thoughtful. But... doesn't she hate ashikabi though?"
Kujika mentally filed that info away for future reference. That way, if they ever caught wind of where Nine was, they'd be able to keep Nishi as far away as humanly possible.
"Kagari's got a... situation, let's say" Ten said, mustering a sort of bitter smile for the first time. "Plus he's not into guys and even if he was, I doubt he'd be interested in a rich brat like Mikogami. And Nine would just shoot on sight probably, especially if he tried to get close to her."
"What about the other Single Digits? We know where One and Two are, but what about the rest?" #38 cut in, oddly insistent.
Ten just shook her head. "The only Sekirei that haven't been accounted for are Five, Six, and Nine."
"You left out a couple there."
"I didn't," Ten retorted coldly. "Two of them are still part of MBI's Discipline Squad, and the other has been dead for a few years. Don't ask me what happened either; neither Miya or Matsu would tell me. And as for the ones left, they'd likely be too strong for Mikogami's Sekirei to handle. Even I'd have trouble with one of the lower end Single Digits, let alone the ones in the top five."
So that was the crux of everything. #10 really was screwed here. Mikogami would keep gunning for her since she was the most strongest Double Digit and the "weakest" Single Digit. There was really only one way to get him to back off at this point.
"Then you should hurry up and find your Ashikabi," Hikari aired her thoughts. "If we're gonna fight it out someday, I want things to be on even terms—not that 'biki and I intend to lose, even to you."
"…sorry for the wait, ladies. What can I get you today?" A waiter suddenly appeared, smiling politely.
Hikari scoffed, leaning back in her seat with her hands behind her head. "Should we even bother? Seo's broke ass can't afford all of us. We might as well starve."
"Actually, Hikari-san," Kujika pulled out her master's unlimited card, holding it loft with two fingers, "I think you'll be able to eat your fill for once."
The silence that followed was priceless.
"…Hibiki, trade seats with me."
"Eh? Why?"
"Because I'm gonna have a little yuri action with Kujika-chan. Now scoot."
Somewhere deep down, Kujika felt her heart lurch at that notion, and it wasn't entirely unpleasant either.
Okay... let's just ignore that for right now.
Suddenly #10 spoke up, addressing the waiter directly. "Give me the spiciest thing you've got. Keep it coming."
"…Really?" Blondie smirked. "You couldn't even handle Tamo's cooking earlier. What makes you think you can stand anything like this?"
"I can handle it." There was more weight in those words than usual, and all while #10 was glaring across the aisle to where the youngest ashikabi was.
Something #38 didn't miss.
"…give me the same," Mitsuha demanded suddenly, meeting #10 gaze head-on. "Make mine hotter than hers."
And just like that, another competition had kicked off - one that Kujika and the rest of them had found themselves unwitting participants in.
"T-then I'll—!" #49 started, but shrunk back with a pair of looks from both #10 and #38. "...I'll wait for everyone else to go."
Kuzuri, ever the instigator, turned to the twins with a grin. "Wanna bet on who folds first?"
"I don't think we—" Hibiki started, only to get shoved out of the way by her more chaotically-natured sibling.
"I got a thousand yen on Uzume-nee!" Hikari slammed her money on the table. "You're going down Thirty-eight!"
"Down~!" Shijime echoed happily.
"M-Miss?" The waiter, now sweating, looked at Kujika helplessly. The poor guy seemed to realize just what kind of mess he'd stepped in, looking at her for some kind of rescue.
Kujika just sighed, rubbing her temples to stave off the incoming headache. "Just take the card."
Way to make things awkward, Uemoto.
Tamotsu sat stiffly, the weight of Sanada and Seo's words pressing down on him like a slow-building migraine.
They weren't wrong. Even he could admit that now.
Throwing himself into the fire for Uzume had been reckless as hell. Mikogami's Sekirei had looked ready to carve his soul from his body after he decked that little creep—closing in on him like death itself, scythe poised. If Mitsuha hadn't arrived when she did, he'd be in the afterlife right now, getting a stern lecture from his grandfather about thinking before acting like a goddamn idiot and leaving his grandmother all alone again.
But that was the thing—he hadn't thought. Just like at the mall, when Mitsuha was in danger, his body had moved before his mind could catch up.
She was important to him. That was all there was to it. Protecting her, no matter the risk, was instinct.
It had been the same with Uzume.
The moment he saw that bastard trying to take her, something in him snapped.
It wasn't just anger, or even disgust. It was terror—a suffocating certainty that if he didn't do something right that second, she'd be gone forever. That fear had gripped him so completely that it drowned out everything else—his own safety, the consequences, even his own damn survival instinct.
And that's what scared him most of all.
Because even though Uzume hadn't found her Ashikabi yet, he already saw her as his.
It was pathetic. Shameful. Selfish.
But it was the truth, damn him.
Tamotsu let out a slow, self-deprecating sigh and rubbed a hand over his face. He jumped a bit when a plate of food was set down in front of him. "Huh? But I didn't—?"
"Eat up, kid. No sense letting good food go to waste," Sanada muttered, already halfway through his own meal.
Tamotsu opened his mouth to argue, but his stomach had other plans—growling so loudly it was a wonder the whole restaurant didn't turn to stare. Heat crept up his neck as Seo snorted into his drink.
With a defeated sigh, he picked up his fork and half-heartedly poked at the stack of pancakes in front of him.
"So, what is Uzume to you, anyway, kid?"
Tamotsu nearly choked on his soda, coughing as carbonation burned his throat. "E-eh?" he managed, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
"Don't 'eh' me." Seo leaned in, elbows on the table, grin sharp as a switchblade. "You decked Mikogami for her. Stood your ground against a Sekirei for her. And back there? You two looked real cozy, like nothing else in the world existed. You oughta realize what I'm getting at, don't ya?"
Tamotsu did.
And he hated that the bastard was making him acknowledge it.
He cast a quick glance at Sanada, hoping for an intervention, but the older man merely quirked a brow—watchful, curious.
Seriously?
Just his damn luck.
"She's just a friend."
Seo sighed long and slow, dragging the moment out before taking a deep swig of his drink. He set it down with an obnoxiously loud clunk. "Said every dense rom-com protagonist ever. You really expect us to buy that after what you pulled?"
"I just wanted to protect her—"
"THAT!" Seo's voice cut through the restaurant, making Tamotsu jolt. A few patrons shot irritated glances their way, but the man didn't give a damn. "That right there is what I'm talking about. I get not wanting a babe like Uzume to end up with some slimy rich kid, but you stood down a Sekirei for her. That doesn't just take guts, it takes heart—and she's got yours, doesn't she?"
Tamotsu clenched his jaw, forcing down the heat creeping up his neck. "I did the same for Kujou-chan," he muttered, grasping at straws. "What's your point?"
Seo rolled his eyes so hard Tamotsu half-expected them to fall out of his skull. "Alright, kid, lemme spell it out real slow. 'Zume and Pinkie over there? They've been stuck to you like glue since they wound up at your place. Any clue why?"
"Because they feel comfortable around me."
Seo imitated a buzzer noise. "Wrong answer, try again."
Tamotsu's patience frayed. "Because they think they owe me," he snapped. "And I don't want them to. But I plan to set the record straight soon."
Seo snorted. "Oh, for fuck's sake, it's like listening to a broken record."
Tamotsu slammed his palm against the table. "Then how about you stop beating around the bush and get on with it?"
Seo's smirk sharpened like a honed blade. "Fine. Do you like her or not, dipshit?"
The words left his mouth before he could stop them.
"What of it?!"
The moment hung in the air, frozen.
Tamotsu blinked, his mind catching up to the heat of his own voice. He swallowed hard, heart hammering against his ribs as he whipped around in his seat, desperate to see if anyone had overheard.
Across the room, the girls were too busy with their own chaos—Uzume and Mitsuha locked in some sort of eating contest, Kuzuri and Hikari cheering them on like it was the goddamn World Cup. Kujika and Hibiki merely watched, hands over their faces, looking as if they wanted to crawl into the earth.
Tamotsu exhaled shakily, turning back around, sagging with relief.
That is, until he caught Seo was watching him with an infuriating smirk.
"Heh. 'Bout time you coughed that up."
Tamotsu paled, mind scrambling for a way to backpedal. Maybe he could brush it off as a joke, twist his words into something that let him off the hook.
But did he really want to?
No. No, he didn't.
To hell with it. If they wanted the truth so badly, they could have it.
"I like her, dammit," he snapped, leveling a glare at both men. "There! I said it. Happy now, you bastards?"
Sanada, for once, looked uncharacteristically serious, as if weighing his next words. But Seo? Seo's smirk had stretched into a full-blown shit-eating grin, one that made Tamotsu want to punch him right in his smug face.
"Now was that so hard?" Seo drawled, stretching his arms behind his head like he'd just won a bet. "Honestly, kid, it's like pulling teeth with you. If you like her, then quit dicking around and do something about it."
Tamotsu clenched his fists beneath the table. "It's… not that easy."
Seo exhaled through his nose, shaking his head. Then, casually, like he wasn't about to drop a bomb, he muttered, "Know what I think? I think you're just a coward."
Tamotsu's eyes snapped to him, sharp as a drawn blade. Across from them, even Sanada's easygoing demeanor hardened.
Seo, however, remained unfazed. "You've got two literally out-of-this-world women looking at you like you hung the damn moon, and here you are, too stuck in your own head to even try and figure out why. Makes me sick just watching it, to be honest."
"Seo, that's—" Sanada started, but Tamotsu cut him off, voice low and edged with ice.
"What the hell would you know?"
Seo's smirk faltered.
Tamotsu leaned in, his words deliberate, venomous. "You, who can't even take care of your own Sekirei."
The shift in the air was instant. The lightness in Seo's posture vanished. His grin disappeared like a flame snuffed out, leaving behind something far uglier.
The low growl that rumbled from his throat made the hairs on Tamotsu's neck stand on end.
But he didn't waver. He met Seo's glare with one of his own, pushing the knife in deeper. "Truth hurts, huh?" he sneered. "Instead of digging at other people's shortcomings, maybe you should take a long, hard look at your own. You know, I pity those two, being saddled with an insensitive jackass like you for an ashikabi."
Seo moved faster than Tamotsu thought possible. One second, he was sitting back, the next—his fist was tangled in Tamotsu's collar, yanking him forward with a snarl. "You got some balls talking shit like that to me, runt. You don't know a damn thing about me or what I've been through."
Tamotsu didn't flinch. He didn't back down. "Back at you," he spat. "That's why I've learned to cherish the things I have and the people I care about."
"Will you both sit the hell down before the girls notice!?" Sanada hissed, darting a glance at the other side of the restaurant.
The two men remained locked in a silent standoff, neither willing to look give ground.
In the end, Seo grunted, letting Tamotsu go, shaking his head and dropping back into his seat, though the tension in his shoulders remained.
Tamotsu exhaled slowly, pulse still hammering. "Yeah, what I did back there was risky," he admitted, voice quieter now, but no less firm. "But I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Uzume-san is important to me. Just like Kujou-chan is."
Seo didn't respond, still visibly chewing on Tamotsu's earlier words.
Fine by him. He wasn't in the mood to argue anymore.
"And what if next time, you can't?"
At Sanada's words, Tamotsu's gaze flicked to him, narrowing slightly.
The older ashikabi held his stare, steady and unrelenting. "You got lucky this time, kid. But rich boy isn't gonna cut his losses after one ass-kicking. Not until he gets what he wants. And what he wants—" he jerked his chin toward the girls "—is Ten."
The man then leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "So if I were you, I'd stop pussyfooting around and figure out where you and she stand… before you lose the chance to."
Tamotsu swallowed hard, unable to argue, because deep down, he knew it was true.
But there was one more thing holding him back.
"…and what about Mitsuha?" His voice was quieter now, barely above a murmur. "If… if I explore what these feelings I have for Uzume-san mean… how am I supposed to keep Mitsuha from getting hurt?"
Silence settled over them.
Then, he felt a hand fall on his shoulder. Sanada's grip was firm, grounding. "You're a newbie, so let me clue you in on something," he said, voice calm, even. "Anyone in a relationship gets hurt eventually. No matter how perfect everything might feel." He gave Tamotsu's shoulder a small, almost brotherly squeeze. "But anything worth doing is never easy. Like being friends with this lug." He jabbed Seo's ribs with an elbow.
Seo made a wounded noise, rubbing his side. "Hey now, you're gonna hurt my feelings."
"You have those?!"
"Oh bite me, leather-brain."
"Alright, shrimp. Pay up."
Kuzuri scowled, her fingers curling around the wad of yen before slapping it into Hikari's outstretched hand, shooting a venomous glare in Uzume's direction.
The brunette in question, along with Mitsuha, was currently hunched over a trash can, their battle against the third round of curry having ended in a spectacular, gut-wrenching defeat.
Unfortunately for Kuzuri, the blonde had caved just before Uzume, meaning she had lost the bet.
And now, both of them were paying the price.
Kujou stayed a safe distance away, her nose scrunched as she watched the unfortunate victims of gluttony suffer. But despite the spectacle, her gaze kept flickering toward Tamotsu.
He stood apart from the others, his usual easy expression replaced with something uncharacteristically solemn.
Kujou bit her lip.
A part of her wanted—needed—to go to him, to say something, anything that would lift the weight pressing down on his shoulders. She took a tentative step forward — and nearly collided with the Lightning Twins' ashikabi, forcing her to course correct at the last second.
"Hey, nice going there, 'Kari! Mind if I see—AIEEEE!"
A bolt of lightning cracked down from the heavens, slamming into him mid-sentence.
Kujou gaped as the man spasmed, his hair standing on end as smoke curled from his singed clothes. And yet, somehow, he still stood, twitching but very much alive.
Hikari, utterly unfazed, sneered. "See what? The light? Sure. But it might not be good for your health, Master."
Her twin merely sighed, unwilling to get involved in their spat.
Sanada chuckled awkwardly. "Sorry to put it all on you like this, Hibiki-chan."
"It's nothing I'm not used to. I'll just have to make sure Sis doesn't break him," Hibiki replied smoothly, offering a polite bow. "Thank you for the food by the way. We'll be sure to pay you back."
"Don't sweat it, it's on the house."
"I insist. And I'm sure Sis will too."
Sanada sighed in defeat. "Have it your way."
Kujou barely registered their exchange, too focused on the boy she so desperately wanted to reach.
Tamotsu was still staring off, lost in his thoughts.
She swallowed hard, her fingers tightening around the hem of her dress. The words tangled in her throat, nerves clawing at her chest. And for the briefest of moments, a wild, reckless thought crossed her mind—
...what if I just hugged him?
She had just begun to move when he turned.
Their eyes met.
Her breath hitched.
Tamotsu blinked, clearly surprised by her approach, and before she could lose her nerve, Kujou clenched her fists and forced the words out.
"Tamotsu-san, I—I don't know how much help I can be," she started, voice trembling but firm. "But please… don't keep it all to yourself!"
For a second, he just looked at her.
Then, he smiled. "Sure thing, Kujou-chan."
The smile he gave her wasn't real; Kujou had been around him long enough to know the difference.
Something inside her snapped.
Before she could second-guess herself, she grabbed his arm and—face burning all the while—pressed it against her chest.
That finally got a real reaction.
Tamotsu jolted like he'd been electrocuted by the twins, his entire face turning scarlet. "K-Kujou-chan!?"
Kujou wasn't doing much better, her heart hammering against her ribs, but she was tired of watching him suffer alone.
If a little embarrassment is the price to pay to bring him back, then fine.
"I mean it," she murmured, her grip tightening. "I don't want you to be sad."
Before Tamotsu could respond, another voice whined from the side.
"Tamo-chaan," Uzume groaned, staggering toward them like a zombie, her face still tinged green. "Can we go home now? I think I need to lie down."
Tamotsu exhaled, clearly thankful for the distraction. "Oh… right. Yeah. What were you two thinking eating that much curry? The one here was supposed to be pretty spicy. Considering what happened last time, I didn't expect you to get through one plate, let alone three."
The brunette shot him a sour glare, as if he was to blame for everything. Despite that, she claimed his other arm for herself, sucking it into her chest. "It's your fault, you know."
"M-my fault?"
"Hey, don't go—hergh—clinging to him like that, Ten," Mitsuha cut in, wobbling dangerously before trying to claim his other arm.
Except Kujou still had it.
Purple eyes narrowed darkly at the younger Sekirei. "Move it, squirt."
Kujou swallowed reflexively, but something inside her refused to budge. She had already taken a stand against the Mitsuki, who looked just like Mitsuha apart from the eye color.
Why should she cower now?
"I—I don't want to."
Mitsuha stared. Even Uzume, despite her condition, seemed stunned by her defiance.
"…excuse me?" Mitsuha hissed.
Sanada, sensing the escalating tension, clapped a hand on Tamotsu's shoulder. "Guess we'll call it quits here for now. Catch ya on the flip side, kid. And try to keep the heroics to a minimum, would ya? Think about what I said."
"No promises."
Kujou felt his arm tense slightly under her grip, but she refused to let go.
Not yet.
"We're calling it too," Hikari announced, grabbing her dazed master by the collar and dragging him off. "It's been real you guys, but next time you need a hand, don't call us."
Hibiki offered an apologetic bow on behalf of her unruly twin. "Please take care, everyone."
The other two groups dispersed and just like that, it was only the four of them.
Kujou risked another look up at her desired ashikabi and found him looking pensive again, much to her chagrin.
Tamotsu-san...
As if hearing her thoughts, Mitsuha frowned, recovering some of her color. "Tamo… are you sure you're ok? And don't give me the same spiel you gave everyone else. Don't think I forgot about what Scruffy said about your shoulder, either." Her eyes darkened. "I'd love to meet the bastard who did it."
"I second that," Uzume grumbled, then immediately groaned, her stomach lurching again. "But can we go home first? My legs feel like jelly."
Tamotsu hummed in thought before glancing at Kujou.
And then—he smiled.
A real one this time.
Her heart fluttered.
"Kujou-chan, mind if I get my arm back?"
"O-oh! S-sorry!" She released him quickly, flustered.
Now free of her grip, Tamotsu turned to Uzume and hoisted her onto his back.
"Kyaa!" Uzume squeaked, her arms instinctively looping around his neck. "T-tamo-chan?"
"Does this work?"
"U-uh… yeah," she muttered, wobbling a bit, leaning into him. "B-but a little warning next time, okay? Everything's spinning..."
"I'll try not to jostle you too much then."
Kujou stared, her brain short-circuiting, squealing internally despite herself.
This is just like a scene from Lunar Sentinel!
"TAMO," Mitsuha growled, her possessiveness flaring.
"Let her have this one today, Mitsuha-chan," Tamotsu placated, effectively shutting her down for once.
The blonde huffed. "Fine! But you owe me one next time."
"Oh? I didn't think you liked this kind of stuff," he teased, smirking. "I would've given you one if you asked."
Mitsuha turned scarlet. "C-can we just go already?! It's supposed to rain and I don't want my hair ruined!"
"Ok, ok, we—"
Tamotsu froze.
His entire body went rigid, his eyes darting behind them with an alarmed look.
"Tamo-chan... you ok?" Uzume murmured, but too weak to look at him now.
Kujou however followed his gaze—but saw nothing.
Her stomach knotted.
"…Tamotsu-san?" she murmured, stepping closer. "What is it?"
"…it's nothing." He turned away, forcing another smile. "Let's get going."
But Kujou wasn't convinced and as they walked, she made sure to stay close to him, daring anyone to try and mess with what she was quickly coming to see as where she belonged.
Across the street, half-veiled in shadow, a lone figure loitered near the mouth of an alleyway. Smoke curled lazily from the cigarette between his fingers, glowing red in the dim light as he exhaled, his gaze locked onto the retreating forms of the quartet.
His eyes narrowed.
Tamotsu.
So that was the little fuck's name, eh?
Kumuro smirked, fishing his phone out of his pocket.
The line rang once. Twice.
Then, a voice, slow and lazy, dripped into his ear. "Yeah...?"
"Boss, it's Kumuro. Got some news."
"Unless you're about to tell me you won the lottery or stumbled onto a warehouse full of drunk call girls, I'm cutting this chat short."
"That kid you're looking for? Found him."
Silence fell over the line, and for a moment, Kumuro thought his boss had hung up.
"…He alone?"
"Not exactly." Kumuro took another slow drag, watching as the brat stopped to adjust the babe on his back, her arms tightening around his neck. "He's got a few girls with him now, and one of 'em matches the description you gave us."
"Blonde. Twin-tails?"
"With a bitchy attitude to match, yeah."
A low chuckle crackled through the speaker. "That so…? Well, guess we'll have to arrange a little get-together soon. Tail 'em for now. I'll let Jun-kun know what's what."
Kumuro's smirk faltered. "Boss, the kid's looks like he's on a fucking date right now. Just give the word; Me and the boys can handle a few bitches—"
"I couldn't give less of a shit what you think you limp dicks think you can handle." The voice on the other end turned razor-sharp, making him still. "I call the shots. You? You shut your shit and keep tabs on the runt's piece of ass. Got it?"
Kumuro clenched his teeth. "Got it, Boss. But you oughta know," he said carefully, "the brat's got an in with Nishi-kun and Kaoru-san."
A pause.
"Well now. Ain't that just a kick in the ass. And here I was wondering how we'd be able to catch up with that leather head." The voice curled with amusement. "But if Jun-chan ain't bullshitting about what Yashima-chan is, we'll be paying Nishi-kun a house call before long."
"What about Kaoru-san?"
"Long as we don't bother him, he won't bother us and it'll stay that way, capiche?"
"If you say so."
"Cheer up Kumuro-kun! It'll be nice to catch up with our old friend, yeah?"
The call cut out.
Kumuro slipped his phone back into his pocket, watching as the kid and his little harem disappeared around the corner. He flicked his cigarette to the ground, crushing the ember beneath his heel, imagining it was the kid's skull.
Gonna pay for making a fool out of us, runt. And we'll start with taking the interest from that bitches of yours.
For some reason, this one was a mess to put together. I had the first part written out months ago but with a far different sequence of events. Needless to say, I scrapped it for a later date since it seemed too out of place.
That's not to say that what's coming won't be to some but I'm tired of dragging my heels on this. Call me impatient but I want to get Tamotsu's flock established and get his arc to a stopping point so I can work on Minato and Yukari.
I don't have a lot to say here with the plot except that Uzume will be stepping up her game here shortly, and Kei will likewise be making a move. When all is said and done, nobody is going to come out whole from what comes next. That's all I'm willing to let slip. Read the next two chapters to see why that is.
Once more, thank you guys for giving this story so much love. While a part of me is sort of incredulously envious of how canon male leads are written as hilariously overpowered in AU fics by other writers, I'm still grateful for what you've given me. 100 favorites is already more than I could've ever asked for, especially for the Sekirei fandom. And I'll do my best to deliver something special going forward...
Till then,
Take care.