Hanako's Forest Castle

[Wise AF Athena]

Rissa Unit

Souretsu could feel Hanako relax as well. They’d hit it off in ways she’d never thought possible. In ways she thought were too presumptuous to hope for. Of course everyone wanted a happy ending. A master who freed them and thought of them as a friend or even a lover...but there were too many stories like hers before coming here. Tricked and abused. There was no point in hoping most of the time. It was like the fairy tales told as a child. They were a comforting lie. Yet here she was, in the arms of the woman she loved. Not only that, but but a queen. Souretsu closed her eyes, leaning into the queen’s hand as she pushed a strand of hair out of her face. ”I have met a lot of fools.” She commented. Many of her old owners were. Not just for their decision of sending her away. She’d seen them make important choices out of pride. Pride of all things. She could see in Hanako’s eyes how much she cared. Souretsu avoided eyes normally. She feared to see the anger and distaste for her in them. One look in Hanako’s, and all she saw as love. Adoration and protection. ”’Precious treasure’ is an interesting new nickname...but I think it’s a bit of a mouthful. It would be as if I called you ‘Beloved Majesty’ all the time.” she purred.

How could she have never known it felt so good to have her hair pet by someone she loved? Souretsu had vague memories of her mother helping her with her hair. But as a child it had been kept short. So she got to work without needing to brush so much hair. It wasn’t until she was growing up that the master’s son specifically asked her and a few other others to keep their hair longer. She knew why after a few weeks. He wanted the girls prettier to look at. Thinking about the age gap now could make her shiver. She banished the thought from her head. This was time for her and Hanako. Her thoughts could haunt her later.

Being told she was Hanako’s diamond could only warm Souretsu’s heart. Fire ran through her veins, but to hear compliments, it felt like a pleasant, warm fire enveloped her heart. Flames could never hurt her, but there was certainly a difference between pleasantly warm and ferocious fires that were uncomfortable to stand in. To hear Hanako say ‘I love you too’ made her feel even better. Yes, she knew it, but she liked words of affirmation as well. To be reassured that she was indeed loved. She knew Hanako would never cast her aside. She’d seen the girl at her worst, in an uncontrolled state. She’d even kicked a man down the stairs for her. She wanted to learn how to do that as well.

Hanako’s face went red as Souretsu teased back. ”Hm? Do you want us to go back?” she asked. Her hand trailed down Hanako’s back, to just above her rear. ”I thought you were still sore from last time, but I’ve got energy to spare.” she purred. She liked teasing Hanako. The queen got embarrassed, and adorably so. ”Kuroda can take care of Emiko and Riku, I’m sure.”

***************

Kuroda shrugged. ”Many of them were ordered by someone who has more money but an equal lack of brain cells.” she claimed. ”The most idiotic thing is they think it’ll be easy because I’m a girl. If a man with a broadsword could kill me based on size alone, I’d be long dead. Though I can’t help but feel the broadsword was...overcompensation for something. It was always a guy with a broadsword bigger than me.” she claimed. It was cute that Riku claimed they’d have to go through her first. Right. Riku wasn’t a fighter, but the intentions were cute. Riki was more the type to spy or plan something out instead of fighting. Though she had fought in the war. Assassins and soldiers were completely different breeds. Soldiers didn’t need to worry about masking sound. Assassins were meant to kill before their target even knew they were there. Or to slip past security while their target was unaware. ”You are very protective. I do like that about you.” she said. Riku did at least understand that she couldn’t understand what it was like to be an assassin...and yet also understood all she could do was be there for her. Noting the blush that came with mentioning cuddles, Kuroda pulled her close.

The girl really did think she was incredible. That in itself was incredible. Kuroda knew her skills were incredible, but as a person...she knew she was beautiful. She knew she was a flirt. She was frequently lusted after, constantly hated by some. But for someone to think she was incredible as a person...it was heartwarming. Something in those blood red eyes softened, like ice thawing, or granite grumbling. That last little wall she’d kept up was gone. Things did indeed feel natural. She didn’t need to be extra cool to impress the girl. And she felt the same! ”Good. Very good.” she said, her voice betraying that slight nervousness. She was grinning wide, feeling exhilaration. Her heart beat like she’d just done a run.

”I’m glad. Kids tend to like me. And I like seeing them happy. They’re so little, you know. With the way the world is, I want them to have their happiness and innocence as long as possible.” the world was cruel, and she knew that better than anyone. Emiko would be an adult someday...Kuroda wanted her to smile as much as they smiled in this house. ”Yes, several adventures. I can make them age appropriate. I believe I’ve saved a princess or two in my time. Defeated some dragons.” she said. ”I’m sure Hanako has a whole library. Surely there’s some children’s books there.”

The girl was so easily flustered...Kuroda couldn’t deny it was a bit of an ego boost, to know Riku adored nearly everything she did. She wanted to know everything about her? Kuroda looked at their joined hands. ”I hope you still feel that way as you get to know me. I’ve...done really bad things.” she said. ”I’m kind to you and those I like, but many would call me a monster. They may try to chase you from me by telling tales of what I’ve done. They wouldn’t even have to lie.” Kuroda was nervous about that. That Riku would become scared to hear what Kuroda was capable of doing without breaking. It was a relief that at least they were building something, which meant she didn’t have to look at Riku. To see her expression. Riku claimed the fort was incredible work.

She was worried about her leaving? ”I don’t plan to.” she clarified. ”And if I do go camping, I thought you’d want to come with me. I know camping isn’t for everyone, but I sure enjoy it. Tent or no tent.” Kuroda managed a soft smile. She looked puzzled. ”You’re that worried about me leaving the house?” she asked. At least Riku indeed knew when she was flirting. Then again, it was pretty hard to miss. Kuroda preferred to be straight up with flirting, instead of subtlety. She’d had a few encounters with especially dense lovers in the past. Subtlety had gone out of the window then. Jurassic park was brought up, and Kuroda grinned. It scarred her? ”Really? The worst that happened was a guy getting ripped in half by a T-Rex. There wasn’t even any blood.” she said. Kuroda had loved it. ”After the movie I wanted a velociraptor of my own. I wanted a vicious little friend to hunt with me.” She gave Riku a little peck on the cheek. ”If you get scared, cling to me. I’ll protect you from anything you’re scared of.”

She heard the rules. No Frozen. ”I like the classics better anyways.” she said. Kuroda was mildly surprised that Hanako was a Disney fan. “Has she ever been to Disneyland or Disneyworld? I’m sure she’d love it. And the horns could just look like a Malifecent cosplay or something.” she said. ”Lion King. Unless she’s got Mulan. That one is my absolute favorite.” she claimed. She nuzzled Riku lightly.

 

[Rissa Unit]

The demon queen smiled as she could feel Souretsu’s love for her; almost as if it radiated from the other woman. She was so lucky to have met Souretsu, and even luckier that they had hit it off so well when Souretsu first arrived. Hanako absolutely adored the girl with all of her heart at this point and it felt like Souretsu felt the same way she did. She hoped that the other woman was as happy to live with her as the demon queen was to have her with her. Just being around Souretsu livened up Hanako’s life and the girl never seemed to fail to bring a genuine smile to the woman’s face. Hanako had met a lot of people who tried to ‘butter her up’ with complements and make her feel special. But she knew those people were all in it for a piece of the power she held. Souretsu was almost an oddity in that aspect, as she had no interest in her title or anything that previous people who called themselves her ‘friends’ were interested in. Power and wealth interested Hanako very little. And many of the people who had attempted to court the demon queen would brag about their titles and wealth, what they could buy for her, etcetera… They were all talk, but Souretsu was different. She was such an important person in Hanako’s life that she swore to herself that the girl would never be taken advantage of again. And anyone who tried to harm her or take advantage of her would be very sorry if they tried. Hanako generally had a calm demeanor outwardly, but when it came to people she loved like Souretsu, Riku, and Emiko, she would unleash hell on anyone who would try to hurt them. She was happy to have Kuroda in the family as she seemed as protective of Riku and Emiko as she was, if not more.

Hanako chuckled lightheartedly as Souretsu commented that she had met a lot of fools. She smiled at her in return. ”Anyone who would try to give you back to a horrible life or place like a warehouse is more than a fool. And if anyone ever breaks in and tries to touch you…” Her eyes darkened a little for a moment. ”They would be as good as dead.” The demon queen felt her anger flare for a moment at the thought of someone trying to take Souretsu from her, but quickly regained her composure for the most part and gave the girl an apologetic smile. Before she could apologize for the anger she had given off, she found herself turning red at Souretsu’s following words; and seconds later laughing and agreeing, returning to her normal self. ”I can imagine that being difficult to keep up.” She mused, wrapping an arm around Souretsu’s waist, gently pulling her closer. Even the moments where she was able to hold Souretsu or cuddle with her were precious moments to Hanako. She wished that there were more time in the day to spend with her love as the time they did have didn’t seem like enough.

As she was caught up in the peaceful moment of holding onto Souretsu and Souretsu doing the same, Hanako was suddenly snapped out of her blissful state as the other woman teased about going back to the bedroom. Upon hearing this suggestion, the demon queen turned beet red in the face. She couldn’t lie, though… She really would like to go back to their room. Still flustered, she just nodded slowly, turning redder in the face. Feeling Souretsu trail her hand down her back and tease her by stopping above her rear, a shiver of pleasure at the idea went up her spine. She looked at Souretsu with a knowing smirk at what the other woman was hinting at. Although anyone probably could have guessed that was what Souretsu was implying… ”If you’ve got the energy… That’d be nice.” She replied, blushing and scratching the back of her head awkwardly. She imagined cuddling with Souretsu after they’d had their fun. Hanako spaced out for a moment with a shy smile on her face as she pictured just snuggling with the other woman with the blankets keeping them warm as they just cuddled and talked. It was a sweet image in her mind.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As she listened to Kuroda talk about the idiots that tried to attack her, Riku couldn’t help but giggle when Kuroda said some of them had thought it would be easy to kill her because she was a girl. ”Ha! Clearly they haven’t met Hanako, either.” She giggled some at the look she knew Hanako would have given anyone who thought that being a woman made her an easier target. It would be a look of anger and sympathy towards the level of stupid that the one trying to attack her was giving off. ”I almost feel sorry for anyone who tries to attack you or Hanako, thinking it’ll be a piece of cake because you’re both women. Almost.” She grinned at Kuroda, laughing again at the overcompensation comment. ”I’d believe it. I’ve fought against alongside Hanako in the war between our realms and we came across many attackers who tried to ‘scare’ us with giant broadswords. Most of the time they couldn’t even hold it properly.”

Riku smiled at Kuroda as the other woman claimed she liked the fact that she was protective, finding herself blushing and looking down shyly. She was glad that Kuroda liked her protective nature, as even if she couldn’t win a fight, she’d defend the people who meant the most to her, even if it risked her own life. Of course, she knew if she tried to defend Kuroda and got hurt in the process because she wasn’t thinking, Kuroda would NOT be happy with her… Riku just hoped that day would never happen. She didn’t want to disappoint the woman she loved. The girl didn’t notice it, but her smile had faded slightly and she looked a bit sad. When Kuroda wrapped her arm around her and pulled her close, Riku looked up at her and smiled. Her smile was genuine, but her eyes held a bit of worry in them. She couldn’t get the worries of upsetting Kuroda out of her head. Trying to push the worries from her mind, Riku leaned against Kuroda and hugged onto her arm. When Kuroda seemed a bit flustered that she liked her in the same way, Riku couldn’t help a small smile from forming on her face. It made the girl happy to know Kuroda thought the same thing about her, too. If it hadn’t been obvious enough, the blushing, shy expression on Riku’s face just confirmed it further. She looked back up at Kuroda with the same nervousness that she could sense from Kuroda, giving her a warm smile. ”I think so too…” She replied in response to Kuroda’s grin and claim things were very good.

Riku giggled when Kuroda claimed kids tended to like her. ”Of course! Kids can tell when someone is genuine and kind; whether or not their job isn’t so pretty behind the scenes…” She told the other woman with a bright smile. She blushed slightly and looked down awkwardly. ”I guess I must be a kid at heart in that aspect, since I can see that too…” She hoped her comment would be taken as a compliment, as that was how she meant it to be. Her smile returned to hear how Kuroda liked seeing kids happy and staying innocent as long as they could. She nodded in response. ”I know how you feel. Seeing Emiko happy… full of curiosity and questions… It makes me happy to know she’ll be safe from now on and can’t be taken from me again.” She smiled, knowing that she wouldn’t be the only one fighting any attempt to take Emiko away from home. She could imagine Kuroda and even Kuroda’s friend ending the life of anyone who tried to hurt Emiko. And God help anyone who had to face Hanako’s anger. The demon queen was incredibly frightening when angry, and she was very strong. She was a fierce fighter and would never let enemies who threatened her unconventional little family leave the property alive.

Riku grinned and nodded when Kuroda claimed she had several adventures she could make kid friendly and mentioned saving princesses and defeating dragons. She giggled to herself, imagining Kuroda in full metal armor carrying a princess out of a dragon’s den. ”I can’t lie… I’d love to hear those stories too.” She admitted, blushing slightly. She looked back at Kuroda at the mention of Hanako having a library and nodded to confirm it. ”She does. And a lot of her children’s books are ones she’s written and drawn pictures for. She has a soft spot for bringing happiness to kids and fueling curiosity to learn more. But she does have a lot of books. And the best thing other than the books in the library is the big fireplace with big comfy chairs in it.” She added.

Riku’s smile faded slightly when Kuroda claimed she’d done a lot of really bad things, and that she hoped Riku would still feel the way she did about her when she knew the things Kuroda had done, adding that others might try to scare her away by telling her stories about what Kuroda did in the past. An unusually serious look crossed Riku’s face to hear that other people would call Kuroda a monster, and as she heard the worry in Kuroda’s voice that she’d be scared away from her, Riku stepped close to the other woman, taking her hands into her own and looking her dead in the eyes. She silently looked into Kuroda’s eyes for a few seconds, studying them. She then smiled and pulled Kuroda into a tight hug. ”I love you, Kuroda. That means I will accept everything about you. The good and the bad…” She told the other woman with complete confidence in her voice and a sweet smile on her face. ”And those who gossip about your work? They’re hypocrites who would have asked you to do the same kind of thing to their enemies.” She paused and gave Kuroda a kiss on the cheek. ”Even if someone tries to scare me with stories, I know they’re just doing it to drive us apart. That’s something I would never want to happen, and I won’t let it happen…”

Riku felt a wave of relief to hear that Kuroda didn’t plan on leaving, explaining even if she went camping, she hoped she would go with her. Riku felt tears forming in her eyes, but they weren’t entirely sad ones. She blushed and looked down shyly and a bit nervously as Kuroda pinpointed her concerns as she truly was worried about being left by the other woman. ”I… I just d-don’t want to lose you…” She admitted sadly, her eyes downcast. She looked back up at Kuroda and gave her a little smile. ”B-but I would go camping with you in a heartbeat…” She added, cringing a little at the mention of the scene Kuroda had seen from Jurassic Park with the t-rex. ”Y-yeah, that’s the one that scarred me, but not because of the guy getting torn apart. I was young when I saw it and thought that gigantic dinosaurs were still real. I had nightmares about T-Rexes for months after seeing that.” She giggled a little bit at herself, as now she found those nightmares to be silly. She giggled again to hear that Kuroda wanted a velociraptor of her own after watching the movie. ”I’m not surprised. I can imagine hunting and completing missions would be a lot more fun with a violent, speedy, mid-sized lizard. I loved the velocirapitors too. If I had one at the time I would have made it my protector and befriend it. I would picture myself spending time with a bunch of velociraptors in a pack of our own.”

She smiled and blushed as Kuroda kissed her cheek and told her that if she got scared she could cling to her and she’d protect her from anything she was scared of. Riku found herself cheering up a little to hear those sweet words from the woman she loved. And although she had heard rumors of Kuroda flirting with almost any girl with a pulse, Riku knew the other woman meant everything she said to her. And it made her feel almost…. Special. She could tell Kuroda was genuine with her and it meant the world to Riku to know that. She looked up at Kuroda again when she mentioned liking the classic Disney movies better, laughing a little as she sensed Kuroda’s surprise towards knowing Hanako was a Disney fan. ”You didn’t expect Hanako to love Disney movies, did you?” She asked with a grin. She laughed even more at Kuroda mentioning Hanako being in a Maleficent cosplay. ”She actually has tried that, but park guests all thought she was a performer and she almost had an anxiety attack over having so many kids and teens asking for pictures with her at one time. The actual Disneyworld’s version of Maleficent wasn’t too pleased that her spotlight was taken from her.” She mused. ”I believe a scout even gave her his card for acting work. To be honest, it was pretty funny watching the kids telling her how pretty she looked in her ‘costume,’ especially since the majority of it wasn’t a costume.”

She nodded when Kuroda asked if Hanako’s collection of Disney movies included Lion King or Mulan. ”She has all of the classics. Mulan is actually up in her top three favorite Disney movies.” She replied, blushing a little more as she felt Kuroda nuzzle her lightly, hugging onto Kuroda closely in return. She peeked up from Kuroda's shoulder with a shy smile on her face. "We could do a double feature of Mulan and Lion King. Of course Emiko will probably be asleep after one of them. She loves big cats, so we could watch Lion King with her and then Mulan together~"

{{OoC: Working on my replies for our other RPs! Thank you so much for being patient with me. I love RPing with you! ^^}}

Wise AF Athena

 

[Wise AF Athena]

Rissa Unit

Souretsu was surprised at her own progression here at the mansion. She’d arrived as a ball of rage and resentment. She’d been ready to fight tooth and nail, ready to make escape attempts daily or make the life of her new master an absolute hell. Souretsu thought they were all awful for being a part of the problem. Even if they were kind, they were buying a slave. And yet…when Hanako bought her, she had nothing but kindness to her. It hadn’t been false in any way shape or form… It had been unbelievable at first. Surely the queen was a lie, making Souretsu trust in her…but her heart told her different. Her heart, which she desperately had wanted to listen to. Her heart, which she dared not listen to. It had been a risk, but a very worthwhile one.

“I didn’t listen to them. They wanted an obedient slave. A bedwarmer most of the time, or a guard for the…slightly smarter. I say slightly because I still wouldn’t listen to them and they expected it because they had a little paper that said they owned me.” The demon rolled her eyes. Souretsu was never one to listen, even at her own detriment. Even if it broke her bones. She smiled at Hanako, even the darkening of her expression. She knew Hanako would defend her to her last breath. They would risk their lives for each other. “I can’t help but think a demon queen and war veteran is a bit more intimidating than I am.” She said. It had shown enough at the ball, Hanako’s opinion having far more sway than her own. Even without the slave collar, Souretsu was a nobody to them because she was born to the ‘wrong’ people.

Souretsu grinned to see Hanako’s face going bright red. “For someone centuries older than me…you’re very shy.” She claimed. “I’ve always got energy for you.” She told her. That smile made her smile as well and she kissed Hanako, pulling the other down to meet her. “I should wear platform shoes or something to bring me closer to your height.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kuroda smirked a bit. “I’d love to spar against her and test my skills.” She looked excited at the idea of testing her skills against Hanako. Though Kuroda was meant to dispatch her opponent before they realized she was there, she was quite skilled at fighting. Things didn’t always go to plan, after all. Sometimes a target was made aware or always alert. Sometimes a weapon malfunctioned. Sometimes she had to fight a target or a guard and needed to make do with whatever weapon she found. Kuroda had trained for years, gaining proficiency in a wide range of weapons, but her favorite always ended up being a double edged sword. Was it unconventional for an assassin? Yes. But she was best with it. She could get an extendable one, but they didn’t have the durability. Kuroda snickered at the idea of taking it soft because they were women. “You’d think they would have dropped that ridiculous idea, but I still run across it. I don’t carry a sword for decoration.” Kuroda had forgotten Riku was alway part of the wars. She seemed so carefree and happy despite it. Though she was one to think that, given her own disposition. “…Did they think they’d get you girls to stay still while they struggled to lift it and cut you in two?”

The demon felt a bit warm to see Riku blush like that. It was always the shy ones that caught her heart quickest. The need to protect and take the lead…it was a powerful thing. She patted the other’s head. “I know you’re experienced…but try not to get hurt, okay? It would be absolutely heartbreaking to know I failed to protect the one I care so deeply about.” She told her. She saw a moment of sadness, even when she went back to smiling. “What’s wrong, hon?” She asked, looking a tad worried. “I don’t want you to have to hide things from me, even if it’s tough.” Kuroda lightly brushed her fingers against Riku’s cheek.

Kuroda grinned. “I was going to say it was because I could be immature about a big kid myself.” She claimed. The other did put it nicely, her job being ‘not so pretty’ behind the scenes. She shrugged. “I’ve never hid it. Though only little edgelords have thought it was a cool job.” Kuroda clearly didn’t see killing as something cool to be taken lightly. She knew the value of a life. That taking one could cause ripples and unintended consequences. “A kid at heart? They’ll think I’m cradle robbing.” She then paused. “Actually…how old are you?” She asked, realizing she didn’t even know her age. Age gaps between demons was pretty much not spoken of, considering demons could live for centuries, millennia if they were careful. She looked a bit relieved that Emiko was happy. “Good. Kids deserve to be happy during their childhood. Full of smiles and questions.” She said. Despite being trained as an assassin, Kuroda had a happy childhood. She had fun, acted like a normal kid outside of her lessons. Perhaps it was her demon blood that allowed her to still act like a kid despite learning how to kill.

“Really? I worry you might get jealous at home many princesses I’ve saved.” She didn’t mention many were grateful and wanted to…show their appreciation to her. Discreetly. She was allowed to spend alone time with the princesses thanks to being a women, the guards being none the wiser that Kuroda was just as wolfish as the men they worried about. She was surprised that Hanako was good at children’s books. The storytelling and drawing. The mention of the fireplace and chairs made her chuckle. “Is that your way of saying you want to cuddle with me in front of the fireplace with a good book?”

Kuroda saw the smile fade and Riku’s look turn serious. Did she scare her off? Kuroda knew it would suck, but it was better if she fled early on if she couldn’t handle it…but then Kuroda was pulled into a hug, making her blush as the unexpected affection. She hugged back tentatively, touched by Riku sayin those loved her. She accepted the good and bad. Most of her past girlfriends had said they didn’t care or could ignore her job…but Riku was here accepting it fully… She knew most of her past relationships hired assassins too. That stories were meant to drive them apart. “Thank you, Riku.” She said.

“I wouldn’t abandon you.” Kuroda promised. “I don’t mind company when I camp. As long as you don’t mind roughing it. And I mean really roughing it. I’ve only got a tent and that’s to keep bugs and rain off. I’ve got maybe one pot and pan to make food but I forage and hunt for food.” Kuroda said. “I never had trouble with predators though. Maybe they sense I’m more dangerous to them than they are to me.” She said with no small amount of pride. She was strong and she knew it. Anything foolish enough to mess with her would pay the price. Nothing personal…it was just her survival. Kuroda smiled a bit to hear the other was scarred from the T-Rex memory. Mostly from thinking dinosaurs were still walking the Earth. “Good thing they aren’t.” She said. “As much as I’d love to face off against a Dino, I might lose when it cones to some of the bigger ones. Or the air ones.” She chuckled. “I still want a velociraptor. Even if they say it’s actually the size of a turkey. I’d run from an angry turkey. Hell, I’d run from a goose. Those things are mean and angry at the world.”

Kuroda was thrilled the other seemed receptive to clinging to her. She was known to flirt indeed, but for every girl she got with, she was turned down by others. While she was lucky most of the time nobody had a one hundred percent accuracy rate. She shrugged at the question. “I didn’t, actually. I mean demons and Disney isn’t a combination. you hear all the time.” She claimed. She laughed to hear Hanako was swarmed when Hanako was mistaken for Maleficent. “I bet they thought she was just the kimono wearing version of her. That would be funny.” She wished she could have seen it. “I’ve never been to a park like that. They cost a lot and I’ve been busy lately with work. But I get to travel.” She kind of wanted to see the parks and what they had.

All the classics….it made Kuroda happy to hear it. The classics were old yes, but they were some of the best. It was hard to beat them. She nodded to hear about the plan for a double feature, though Emiko would probably only be able to stay up for Lion King. “Sounds like a fun time. We get to sing along with Lion King then curl up with Mulan.”

(OOC: Sorry this took so long. It was long overdue and I was busy with school, writer’s block, and a whole lotta other stuff.)  

[Rissa Unit]

Hanako smiled warmly at Souretsu as the other woman explained that she refused to follow the previous masters or mistresses she’d had in the past, letting a little lighthearted chuckle escape her when she noticed Souretsu roll her eyes after expressing her distaste for the previous people she’d been stuck with. The demon queen’s smile grew warmer and sympathetic as she thought about the torment the poor girl had to go through before arriving at her castle after Hanako had purchased her to give Souretsu her freedom while she lived with her, Riku, Emiko, and now most likely Kuroda would be joining their unconventional little family. ”Well, I can say with utmost certainty that you will never be forced to do anything against your will ever again.” she reached over and gently cupped Souretsu’s cheek in her hand and smiled at her, blushing herself already. ”You’re more than just an equal to me in my eyes, afterall. You’re my partner and a priceless treasure in my life.” Hanako continued, but not before flushing a little redder in the face. ”To be honest with you, I had been very depressed before you came into my life and brightened it. I hope you know that I have no intentions of letting you leave.”

A sad look crossed the demon queen’s face momentarily at the thought of losing Souretsu, or the girl choosing to leave her home. Their home. Although when the other woman spoke of her probably being more intimidating to any possible enemies, Hanako couldn’t help but chuckle and her smile returned. Souretsu really knew how to cheer her up, even without trying. The fact that the other woman could make her shy demeanor surface was a good example of the trust she had in her. ”Yes, I suppose that’s true.” She agreed, though seconds later a more thoughtful expression crossed her face. ”Besides Riku, you’re the only one to see me in a softer way. I don’t trust many with my true, mask-less demeanor, but you? Somehow you broke down my protective shields without even trying, and I feel safe being myself around you.” She paused for a moment before continuing. ”You’ve brought out the real me. I know with you I don’t need to mask any of my feelings or opinions. Lord knows with nobles or other stuffy aristocrats I need to be the war veteran slash demon queen demeanor or they’d have a field day if they knew the real me behind the mask of being a demon queen.”

Hanako hoped her words would reach the other woman’s heart in the way they were intended to. Everything she’d expressed, Hanako meant with all of her heart. She wished nothing but the best for Souretsu and would do everything she could to make her feel happy and loved with her. Souretsu was a rare find when it came to people. There were so many sides of herself that Hanako knew she could openly show around her. Hanako not only loved the other woman. She adored her. What she wanted most was to make sure Souretsu knew how treasured she was to the demon queen. As she had been caught up in her thoughts about Souretsu, seeing the playful grin on her face, followed by the teasing comment about her shyness, Hanako was pulled from her thoughts at the her words.

She couldn’t help but chuckle lightheartedly and she moved to gently brush a loose strand of hair out of Souretsu’s eyes. ”I’ll take that as a compliment. Otherwise, I’d have to take it as you calling me old.” She teased back. Hanako was still red in the face when Souretsu claimed she always had energy for her and commented about possibly getting some shoes to get her closer to her height. This prompted another soft laugh from the demon queen as she smiled at Souretsu, a gleam of mischief in her eyes. ”Believe it or not, but you bring out a submissive side to me just with acts like pulling me to your height level…” She teased lightly; although it was true. Souretsu didn’t need to be taller than her to bring her to a shy and easily flustered state. Hanako couldn’t imagine how much easier it would be for the girl to put her in a flustered and submissive state if she were as tall, or taller than her and looked to the side awkwardly blushing again, before she found herself being kissed by her love. This made her melt completely and pull Souretsu closer to her, returning the kiss with just as much fervor. When they broke apart, Hanako had to control herself from acting on her feelings, but looked at Souretsu. ”S-so… should we continue this conversation upstairs?” She asked, hoping Souretsu wouldn’t notice that her voice had trembled slightly.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Riku couldn’t help but giggle to see Kuroda’s eagerness to spar with Hanako. A lot of other people would challenge Hanako to a friendly duel, but she always turned them down unless she could tell that her opponent would give a good challenge. She was pretty sure that the demon queen would agree to a friendly, non-deadly sparring match with Kuroda, as she knew Hanako already saw Kuroda as a strong person and that she was curious about Kuroda’s skills. ”I’m pretty sure she’d agree to a friendly sparring match with you. I’ve known her for such a long time that I can tell when she’s curious about someone’s abilities and fighting styles; and she’s definitely curious about yours.” Riku laughed as well when Kuroda did, an amused sparkle in her eyes as the woman expressed she didn’t carry a sword for decoration and commented on thinking that the enemies they came across would learn that just because their opponent was a woman that they weren’t weak in the slightest and could easily kick their butts. ”You’d think so, right? Believe itor not, newer nobles, swordsmen, and sometimes even hired hands will claim they’ll ‘Go easy on us’ when they challenge Hanako and sometimes me too, to a duel.” she giggled. ”Those who actually plan to hurt us don’t make that mistake twice. Usually Hanako will just toy with them since using her skills and abilities to the fullest is a waste on them, and then when she’s bored or they insist she use her full strength on them, she just usually knocks them out and take them back from where they came from. It’s actually pretty funny to see her do that, since she’ll willingly walk into a camp of assassins with their comrades alive but unconscious over her shoulder, showing no fear of them.” She explained with a grin.
”I can tell you now that she doesn’t toy with people she wants to spar with, or know and learn more about their fighting styles, so I know if you express you would be interested in a sparring match, she would take you seriously. I’ve sparred with her before, so I know she’ll give her all when she sees potential or wants to see how strong her opponent is, along with their techniques.”

Riku smiled and blushed towards having her head patted lightly, nodding when Kuroda asked her not to get hurt. Although smile faded and she looked down sadly to avoid seeing the worried expression on the other woman’s face as she asked her what was wrong, adding on that she didn’t want her to feellike she had to hide things from her. She let out a shaky sigh, gathered all of the courage she could, and looked back up at Kuroda, feeling tears burn her eyes as she spoke up nervously. ”I… I just…” She hesitated for a second before continuing to speak. ”I j-just don’t want to… to d-disappoint you, o-or u-upset you… Y-you mean s-so much to me a-already, t-that the thought o-of messing u-up and getting into t-trouble with you, and… y-you being m-mad at me s-scares me b-because I k-know it’ll happen eventually…” She admitted meekly, looking down again as she was afraid she might have said too much… It was clear that Riku didn’t have much confidence in herself being enough to make Kuroda happy being with her, and that she wasn’t sure she’d be able to keep from doing something stupid if she thought the other woman was upset with her... The thought of Kuroda being angry with her both frightened her and broke her heart… Her eyes remained downcast, so she didn’t see the grin that flashed on Kuroda’s face, but when she heard Kuroda’s joking tone was back, she looked up again, nodding sadly, as it was hard for her to think of anything other than her worries. ”I’m sorry…” she mumbled, glancing down at her hands as she fiddled with them slightly.

Riku couldn’t help but smile when Kuroda mentioned people thinking she was cradle robbing and asked how old she was. ”I mean… I was still considered a teenager in demon years when I fought alongside Hanako in the war that started between the demons and vampires. She actually saved my life and suggested I stay with her back then, so… I guess in demon years I’m a couple hundred years old, but in human age, I think I’d be between late twenties and mid thirties.” She gave Kuroda a small smile and nod to see the look of relief on the other woman’s face when she expressed kids should be able to live their childhoods full of happiness and curiosity. ”Thankfully Emiko was born after the war so she didn’t have to witness all of the destruction and the deaths from both sides.” She explained. Again, somehow Kuroda seemed to bring her out of her depressed funk as Riku couldn’t help but giggle when she claimed she was worried she’d make her jealous with how many princesses she’d saved. Riku leaned in and whispered: ”Well, your princess isn’t in another castle in this case~” she teased lightly. She grinned when Kuroda chuckled and asked if she was trying to get Kuroda to cuddle with her in front of the fireplace with a good book. ”Maybe…” she blushed and fiddled with her hands again, not realizing how obvious she was being that the other woman was right in her questioning.

Hearing Kuroda thank her, Riku spaced out for a moment trying to think if she had said anything worth the other woman thanking her for. It didn’t take long for her to realize what Kuroda had been thanking her for, and she smiled warmly in return. ”Anytime.” She replied softly. When Kuroda followed up with a promise to not abandon her, Riku felt a bit depressed. She was more than relieved and happy to hear that her crush wouldn’t leave her, although she had some doubts that Kuroda would be able to put up with her for long… Riku knew she didn’t have the best self esteem, and that she could get needy and needed reassurance often. By her expression, anyone would have been able to tell what she was thinking just by one look at her face. She tried to smile at Kuroda to attempt to hide her fears, but it was clear her previous expression had been noticed. Letting out a shaky sigh, she decided to speak up about her worries instead of leaving Kuroda to ask her first about them. She started to explain, or rather start rambling that she was scared that Kuroda wouldn’t be able to put up with her needing reassurance and that her clinginess would drive the other woman away from her… She looked up at Kuroda with a nervous expression on her face. She didn’t know what kind of reaction to expect from her due to all of the worries she’d just dropped on her. ”I… I’m sorry…” She sighed and looked down, worried she’d see an upset expression on Kuroda’s face if she still kept eye contact. ” I just… I thought it was a better idea to let you know what I was worried about…” she paused and looked back up at the other woman with another concern; tears in the corners of her eyes. ”I-it’s not that I d-don’t t-trust you, I just d-don’t w-want to b-become a b-burden f-for you…” she admitted.

The sadness in her eyes faded slightly as she let a little laugh out towards Kuroda agreeing that it was a good thing Dinosaurs weren’t still alive, further commenting that even though she’d like to test her skills against one, she could lose against the flying dinosaurs as well as the bigger ones. Riku couldn’t help but smile as Kuroda claimed she still wanted a velociraptor, as she could picture Kuroda and a befriended velociraptor causing chaos together like besties. She laughed a little more at the comment about running from an angry turkey; and geese. She nodded in agreement and giggled at a memory she had of Hanako backing away from an angry mother goose once when they had been fighting together in the war. ”True. An angry wild mother goose can be especially dangerous.” She grinned as the memories of Hanako telling her not to turn her back to any of the geese, but especially the angry mother goose that had been protecting her goslings. They managed to escape unscathed, but she knew Kuroda would most likely tease Hanako about being afraid of a goose during their training and sparring when they unknowingly stumbled upon a nest and disturbed the mother goose. ”Believe it or not, Hanako and I had a run-in with a wild angry mother goose back during the war when we had been sparring and disturbed its nest. Even she didn’t try to start a fight with it.” She giggled. ”Although I think she just insisted we leave them alone because the babies would die if she had slain the mother goose. Hanako has a very motherly demeanor, I’m sure you’ve noticed. She will never separate a mother and children, be they animals or people.” She smiled at Kuroda sheepishly. ”And I can imagine you’d like to tease her a little about avoiding geese yet fighting soldiers, assassins, and mercenaries, but if she knows I told you the story she might get upset with me.”

She kissed Kuroda on the cheek. ”So… could it be our little secret?” She went on to ask shyly. Riku giggled at the idea of demons and Disney being a thing, but nodded in agreement, leaning into Kuroda’s arms again. Upon hearing Kuroda say she’d never been to a park like Disneyland before, Riku couldn’t help but smile. ”Well, I guess we know where our first vacation together will be. I know Emiko would be absolutely THRILLED to go to a Disney park, and I’d love to see her face if we could surprise her with a trip. We’ll just need to convince Hanako to take off of work, which honestly won’t be too difficult a task if we add that we would all go as a family.” She explained with a soft smile on her face.


Riku smiled as Kuroda agreed to a double feature with Lion King for Emiko and Mulan for the two of them. ”As long as you don’t mind if I’m leaning on you or snuggled up against you and end up falling asleep like that, the double feature sounds like a plan.” She replied, blushing slightly. ”So… Shall we go find Emiko and Reina and help them bring the snacks and drinks up here?” She asked.


”You rang?” Reina’s voice came from the doorway, along with the sound of Emiko’s giggles. Riku looked over to see the mass amount of snacks and hot cocoa piled up on a tray and giggled at the sight. ”Reina let me pick out the snacks!” Emiko announced proudly. Riku looked at Reina with an amused look as she saw the shrug the woman gave her. It was clear she couldn’t say no to any of the snacks Emiko had asked for. ”I can see that. Lots of chocolate and chips, huh?” She got up and lifted two of the four cups of hot cocoa from the tray as to lighten it for Reina, who did indeed give an exhausted: ”Thank you…” in response and brought the snacks into the blanket fort, setting the tray down on the carpet a little distance from where they’d be settled in to watch the movie. Riku set the two hot cocoas she’d lifted from the tray back onto it since it was now on a stable surface and smiled at Reina and Emiko. Emiko beamed in response to her big sister’s smile but somehow Reina could tell something had upset Riku while she and Emiko were getting the refreshments. She looked at Kuroda with a questioning expression but said nothing about it since she didn’t want to upset anyone or cause any unintentional drama. Instead of questioning what had happened, she looked at Riku and gave her a knowing yet sympathetic smile before looking back at Kuroda. ”So what are we watching?” She asked.

{{OoC: Gonna work on my replies for our other RPs soon! Thank you so much for being patient with me. I've started classes so if I'm a bit slow, that's why. ^^}}

Wise AF Athena

 

[Wise AF Athena]

Rissa Unit

Souretsu nodded, knowing this. “I can tell. You’ve never forced me to do anything here.” She said. Even at the ball, unpleasant as it was. She didn’t have to go if she didn’t want to. Ultimately she did make that choice. She liked this little family. It was unlike anything she had ever experienced but…perhaps that was why she needed it. Something entirely new and kind. She was left blushing as the demon queen called her more than an equal. Her partner and a treasure in her life. She nuzzled the other’s cheek. “Why would you have to do that? I don’t want to leave.” She told Hanako. She had no plans on leaving this amazing family and not just from having nowhere else to go. She’d fallen hard for the demon queen, someone she thought was far above her station.

Softly the demon girl stroked her queen’s face. ”Don’t look so sad. I’m not going anywhere. Only death could take me away…and you’re teaching me well.” While Souretsu had the same raw strength as demons, she had no fighting skill at first. She was learning from Riku and Hanako the proper styles. She was pleased to know she’d seen Hanako in a softer light. She’d seen her real self several times-not the war veteran, the queen, the harsh and stern woman. No, she’d seen how soft Hanako could be. ”I would hope so. After the sounds you made last night, I’d hope you never showed anyone else that side of you.” she half joked.

Souretsu snickered as Hanako said she’d take her words as a compliment or she’d have to take it as calling her old. “Hm? Well, you are a few centuries older than me. How am I meant to refer to you as?” Age was hardly ever brought up among demons. Once they were of age…anything was fair game, though some preferred to date in their century range, if only to share the same memories of the world. She did know she got a submissive side of Hanako. She smirked to hear pulling her down to her height did things to her. ”Yeah? What about the stuff I did last night?” she taunted. ”That was pretty damn submissive.” the other pulled her close and asked in a trembling voice if they should continue this conversation upstairs. “Hm? Is it a conversation now?” she asked. ”Lead the way, my queen.” she said this with a flourish, but she used queen as an endearing term.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kuroda could only imagine the skills of the demon queen, one who’d fought in the wars. It would be the ultimate challenge. Though Kuroda was an assassin by trade, she knew how to fight should her first strike fail. Too many assassins fell to that fate, not knowing how to fight other than a swift killing blow. Kuroda had been taught to fight before she was taught to kill. She smiled. ”I can’t wait. As you can imagine, most of my fights aren’t drawn out. I can’t wait to do battle with her, and see who we match up.” If Kuroda had a dog tail, it would be wagging furiously at this point. She was pleased that Hanako was curious about her fighting style. “I use a sword too…I wonder if she knows the style I use.” Kuroda heard Riku describe how most of the newer opponents claimed they’d ‘go easy’ on them. Kuroda cringed. ”Oh. Honey, they deserve a slow beating. Sometimes the lesson needs to really stick.” she said. She usually just killed them unless she was explicitly told not to. Kuroda laughed to hear Hanako usually knocked out her opponents and delivered piles of them back to their camp. She supposed that was a little more comedic than them just being killed to be taught a lesson. She was glad to hear she wouldn’t be toyed with. ”I can last a few seconds, I’ll give you that.” she claimed.

The other seemed to have some abandonment issues, or a need to be people pleasing. ”If it helps, I have a very slow temper and it takes a lot to upset me. I like to think I’m pretty easygoing, especially when it comes to a pretty girl.” She said with reassuring smile. ”If you manage to piss me off, I’ll be impressed. The most I’d get for you is worried.” she said. Kuroda knew she felt intensely, especially when she liked a girl. And…she liked Riku a lot. She patted Riku’s head again. ”You don’t need to apologize, honey.” She wished Riku wasn’t so guarded. Kuroda wished, not for the first time, that she could take away another’s worries…but she couldn’t kill anxiety. Though she imagined the profits if she could kill negativity as easy as a negligent nobleman.

She nodded to hear the other was a teenager in the war, and was a couple hundreds. She blushed. “Er…I’m very much younger than you.” She laughed. “I’m just over a hundred. In human age I’m just over twenty…” It was embarrassing to know how much younger she was. ”So I suppose you’re the cradle robber.” She heard Emiko was born after the war. ”That’s good. Even if it’s during the rebuilding, she at least doesn’t have to worry about a war ongoing.” Kuroda had been through the war, though business had been booming. Many wanted generals or leaders dead. It had been a headache as well, thinking of the consequences of a death. Many assassins looked at the money they’d make, and not the consequences and ripples of their actions. Killing one person, especially in a war, could cause a bad king to rise to power, which sucked for the rest of the people regardless of position. Kuroda smirked as Riku leaned in, claiming her princess was not in another castle. ”Yeah? Does that mean I get the claim you?” It sounded like Riku liked curling up with a good book. ”That sounds fun, actually. A nice, relaxing evening.”

Kuroda was glad Riku decided to explain it to her instead of letting the worry fester. “You wouldn’t be a burden.” she said, sounding confused. ”I know you can take care of yourself. And I know how to be dedicated to a woman.”

The demon had a pretty good idea Riku was imagining what Kuroda and a dinosaur could get up to. She could only imagine…it would not be good. Her intelligence with a dinosaur’s pack and teamwork…they’d be quite the team. At least in the movies they caused a fair amount of carnage. She raised an eyebrow to hear about an angry mother goose could be especially dangerous. ”That sounds like first hand experience.” she said. She then laughed to hear the story. ”Birds, man. They’re vicious. I’ll try to subtly bring it up how some of my most challenging opponents were birds. Maybe ‘cause they know no fear.”

Kuroda pulled Riku in for a proper kiss. “Our little secret.” She agreed. She kissed the other’s head a few times. She smiled to hear about the first vacation being in Disney. “Really? Kuroda asked. “Could we wear the ears and everything?” She asked. Kuroda had travelled a lot for her job…but had never had a reason to go to a theme park before. She wanted to experience it…the whole thing. ”I highly doubt Souretsu has gone either. Do you think she’ll enjoy it?” she had to get to know the other better. Her sister…Kuroda always wanted a sister…now she had one, but far later than she anticipated…

A double feature… Kuroda smiled. She smiled even more to hear the other ask if she minded ended up snuggled against her. ”I guess we’d better be comfy on that couch.” She claimed. She nodded to hear they had to find Reina and Emiko. ”Reina…did I know you were here before?” She asked with a slight grin. She was figuring it was a mix of people and feeling safe here that she didn’t notice. She looked over at the snacks, which were mostly chocolate and sugar. ”Make sure you don’t go too crazy. If you eat too much, you’ll get a belly ache. Or you might be too hyped up to sleep.” she told her.

The other then asked what they were watching. ”Mulan and The Lion King.” she answered.

(OOC: Who is Reina again?)