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Chapter Text

Shin was, to put it simply, annoyed. Not the fiery rush of irritation he felt after an unsatisfying battle, nor the exasperated (fond) sighs that were pulled from him as he watched Ebisu run circles around Fujita. No, this was a slow-creeping biting annoyance that nipped at the back of Shin's neck and whispered taunting insults that sat on the tip of his tongue as he watched Noi saunter over to the bar. 

Earlier in the day, she had outlasted him at the gym. "Going soft, senpai?" Shin hadn't the energy to muster a glower at her smug, sweaty, glowing face as they collapsed on the matts together and he tossed a bottle of water to her. But the bone-deep exhaustion and aching muscles had not quite managed to quell the surge of pride and admiration Shin felt for her, so he swallowed a sigh of longing; turning away from her sparkling eyes and facing the bland gym roof.

And as per their tradition, he would foot the bill tonight. Naturally, she had picked one of the most expensive joints in town, despite the fat paychecks En supplied them, he was already wincing at the damage Noi would do to his wallet. They were at a cosy steakhouse with, dare he say it, a romantic air. Subdued light fixtures and dark furnishings lent a quiet atmosphere that Shin was thankful for after a hectic week at work. He'd never grow tired of fighting but can't a guy relax once in a while? Sure, En had thrown a huge party a couple weeks back, Shin could hardly remember it so he didn't count that as a proper session of R&R. He had tried to recall the night, try being the objective term, and all that came back to him was a sweet-smelling perfume paired with a husky laugh. Shin knew he didn't get laid, especially not with someone he didn't know nor trust (someone who wasn't Noi), though he was puzzled, to put it mildly. He could always ask her, she handled her drink far better than he could but judging by the odd looks she had been giving him lately, he wasn't sure if that was a good idea. Had he really embarrassed himself that much? Shin adjusted his tie and set aside those troublesome thoughts, Noi had insisted that he wear one of his formal suits for tonight, although he grumbled and griped, he was looking forward to their meal together so he agreed. The extra hassle getting dressed up entailed was worth it upon seeing Noi’s beaming smile as they met at the restaurant. Shin felt the tension melt away when she started nattering on about something En had done, then it hiked up when he heard how much food she was planning to order. Although, a quiet night with his best friend to keep him company was almost worth forgiving the small fortune she was about to cost him.

Said best friend had reached the bar and Shin swept an eye over Noi, purely professional of course. Through sheer chance or his predictable wardrobe (probably the latter when he thought about it) she had matched his all black outfit with her own. Snug fabric wrapped around her long legs, accentuating the muscles he knew could decimate stone and flesh. The fitted suit jacket hung over her chair and her white shirt hugged her trim hips. Yeah, purely professional, Shin. The black material was of the sort that looked plain but was probably fancy, if he had guessed aloud if it was cotton, Noi would have likely slugged him and testily informed him that it was cashmere not cotton ; this was why he didn't get into fashion. He didn't need to, really, when she would always be there. 

Noi leant against the bar, crossing her arms, the light caught on the jewellery looped around her neck and subsequently drawing Shin's attention to her chest and those few undone buttons. He choked on his spit and reached for the pitcher of water on the table, fuck, what was wrong with him tonight? He really was a creep. 

Briefly distracted from his irritation as he toed the line to asphyxiation, Shin looked back at Noi as she gave their orders to the bartender, who was currently making eyes at her. 

She smiled beatifically down at them as they rushed to pour the drinks and relay their food orders to the kitchens. The bartender wasn't bad to look at per se, wide-faced with laughter lines on their brown skin, short and plump compared to Noi’s towering figure; in short, Shin was looking at two beautiful people chatting.

So why did he feel so… bad? 

She was an adult, he was an adult, both of them were single and considered highly desirable both for their power and looks. Shin was hardly jealous about Noi getting some action, he couldn't fault her for having no-strings-attached fun. He didn't care what she got up to when the work was said and done (never mind the teeny tiny crush he had harboured for the last few years). 

Lost in his reverie, Shin didn't notice that Noi had returned until she slammed down his drink in front of him, almost capsizing it into his lap.

"Fucking hell, Noi, watch it!" He yelped as he rushed to steady the top-heavy wineglass. 

"Oops, sorry senpai!" She replied, not contrite in the slightest. "I got you your favourite." 

Mollified, but still aware of the simmering ball of emotion in his chest, Shin schooled his features and smoothened his voice so she wouldn't pick up on his inner turmoil. "Thanks."

Noi peered owlishly at him. "You okay?"

"What?" 

She shrugged and took a swig of her beer. "Oh, it's just that you're doin' that thing you do, you know?" 

No, he didn't know. "What are you talking about?" 

"It's the face you pull, the I-am-not-okay-but-I'm-just-gonna-say-that-I'm-okay-to-shoo-away-Noi face." She said matter of factly. 

Well shit, he couldn't very well lie to his Partner now that he's been called out on his usual bullshit, could he? Instead, Shin expertly changed the subject. "Who's your friend?" Maybe not that expertly. 

Noi raised her brow at him and stared at him, baking him in her scalding regard. Shin felt sweat gather on his palms and he met her laser vision, only relaxing when she pulled away her death beam to fiddle with her tie. A pop of colour set apart their outfits, Noi wore a dark maroon toned red tie that looked somewhat familiar to him, too deep to match her eye colour; it was actually more akin to his mask. She noticed him staring at it and winked, blood rushed to his face and he gulped at his wine to try hide his embarrassment. 

Laughing quietly, the soft noise ricocheted off Shin’s brain as the familiarity struck him, Noi answered his earlier question. "Who, Aiko? Nah we're not friends, a while back someone tried to rob the place when I was having lunch." She grinned, showing off sharp canines. 

Her cheeky expression made Shin smile. "You turning into a hero or something, Noi?" He teased. 

She snorted. "Not fucking likely, senpai, the robbers were making me wait for my food!" 

Gluttonous to the core, Shin didn't doubt that Noi only intervened in a potentially lethal altercation (never lethal for her) just to chow down. "They seem to like you though." He ventured nonchalantly, swirling his wine. 

Noi's eyes widened nearly imperceptibly, he would have missed such a minute detail had he not been giving her his sole attention. "Really?" She said as she turned to look at the bar. Observing the strong curve of her jaw and her full cheeks, something in Shin's chest unfurled when he heard only curiosity in her voice; not hope. "They're cute, but I'm with you!" 

Did she not realise the endless meanings a statement like that could have? Obviously she meant physically here with Shin, there was no way she meant with him, right? 

At the precise moment Shin's blush spread to his ears and when the first cackling notes erupted from Noi, their server arrived with the food, firmly ending that train of thought. 

Steaming platters of freshly cooked meats doused in rich gravys and accompanied by sautéed vegetables held all their attention. Unlike Noi, Shin wasn't in the mood to scarf down his food as fast as he could, he wanted to savour his perfectly seasoned (extremely expensive) steak. She finished before him, but even after an attempt to calmly eat his food, he just gave up and started eating at his usual pace. 

" Mmm ...that was so good, senpai! Thank you!" Noi said as she stretched luxuriantly across from Shin. 

She was so easy to read sometimes, her earnest appreciation brought a genuine smile to his face. "You're welcome, Partner." 

"You treat me so well." Noi batted her lashes and hunkered down in the booth to gaze up at him admiringly. 

Smirking, Shin knew what she was up to. "Y'know I'm not going to stop you from getting dessert, you don't need to butter me up."

"Yes!" Noi shot up and almost punched the light hanging over their table with her enthusiastic fist pump.

Once they had calmed down the shrieking server and had their plates cleared away, Noi quickly ordered a strawberry tart (the most expensive cake he had ever seen in his life).

They waited in the interim, a comfortable silence filling the spaces between the pair. Shin watched the other denizens in the restaurant, eyes lazily ticking from table to table, observing their comings and goings. None of them looked particularly dangerous or strong, so he wasn't worried about their evening being interrupted and that part of his brain that would always belong to a dine-and-dasher knew where all the exits were. He was a respectable man now, who could pay for his meals through the money he earned from honest work. Yeah, right. Shin had a feeling that if he suggested bailing on their bill, Noi would jump at the bit to cause a chaotic fight. 

A soft touch at his wrist garnered his attention. Shin looked down and saw Noi's large hand covering his own. 

(Despite being outsized by her by a fair amount, he was smug that he retained a semblance of physical superiority to Noi. When she discovered his hands were bigger than his, she sulked for half an hour until slyly saying: "Hey, senpai, you know what they say about guys with big hands!" To which Shin replied: "They wear big gloves?" "Hah! You're such a nerd, Shin-senpai!" )

"For what it's worth, you do treat me well." Noi said as she squeezed his hand. There was also this, Shin had noticed that she had been, well, more touchy recently. Only for the past couple of weeks, he reckoned. He didn't object to it, no, it was…nice in a way. Gentle caresses when she put him back together after a bad job, touching his stitched hands and going as far to lean on his shoulders with her elbows (if he leant back against her thick side it would put a smile on her face for the rest of the day). And so, adapting to his unpredictable Partner, Shin swept a thumb over her knuckles and responded with a noncommittal hum. 

"I mean it! Do you think I'd be with you if you didn't?" Noi exclaimed indignantly. 

Fair enough. Shin rolled his eyes and replied. "I suppose so." 

Noi's cake arrived and she ripped her hand off his in her haste to eat, arming herself with a tiny dessert spoon and tucking in. He thought about taking a quick combat nap while he waited on her finishing, crossing his arms to fight off the sudden cold he felt. Then, he was utterly, helplessly distracted. A burning jolt pulled at his middle when he looked up and saw Noi's pink tongue sticking out and licking the last of the silky strawberry syrup off her spoon. The tilt of her neck told Shin that she knew he was watching but she continued until her tongue followed the curve of the spoon, dipping in then flicking from the top and disappearing back inside her mouth. 

"You ready, senpai?" She murmured, her eyes even darker than the syrup and Shin felt like he couldn't breathe.

"Huh?" He said intelligently.

Noi straightened and tossed her napkin on the table, the dizzying flurry of motion had him blinking rapidly. She shrugged on her jacket and stood, waiting at his side with an extended hand. "Ready to leave?" She chirped and Shin nodded silently, throwing a bunch of bills on the table before taking her hand. 

For some reason, Noi didn't let go and the combination of her soft skin with the cool night air was disorienting. Shin thought about taking his arm back but didn't want to, not really. En wasn't here to scrutinise with a calculating eye and Ebisu wasn't here to squeal at the affection they were showing each other. They wandered the streets back towards the mansion and passed a gang or two of lowlifes that slunk into the shadows when they recognised Noi. Out of their masks, she was definitely the more memorable of the two, Shin was known for his heart insignia but only paired with the massacres he left in his wake. Noi, being related to En and a hulking stack of muscle able to heal any mortal injury, caught more looks than Shin in his baggy suits and sneakers ever would. He didn't think he was unattractive necessarily but he knew for a fact he couldn't hold a candle to his Partner's blood-wet eyes, thick silvery curls of hair with biceps larger than his head. 

"So…" Noi broke the silence. "Wanna hit the club?" 

"Don't you remember the last shit storm we, no I, went through last time we 'hit the club'?" Shin winced at the memory. 

Four dead and five left in pieces. The result of the pair getting blind drunk from a combination of beer, wine and hard liquor.  Noi had put her fist through the bar top by 'accident' and Shin suggested that her and the irate club owner fight it out to see who would pay for the damages, in between drunken giggles. A sober mind would have realised that this wager was extremely unfair from the outset but neither had cared at the moment and the owner took the bait. When their head sailed into the crowd of dancers, the bouncers took exception to the decapitation of their boss and a grimy bar fight broke out. The club cleared out quickly and Shin distinctly remembered passing out on Noi's shoulder as she vomited into a bucket. En was not pleased. He forced them to pay for the funerals themselves, not a problem for Noi as she shared En's wealth but Shin was eating cup noodles for months after the incident. 

"That was great, senpai! We should do it again some time." 

"No, we shouldn't." 

"Tch, you're such a stick in the mud, you know that?" 

"As if you don't remind me on the daily."

Noi cackled and squeezed his hand. "Don't worry, you wouldn't be my Partner if you didn't act like such a nerd sometimes." 

"Oh, so you only latched onto me because of that?" 

"Me?! Who was the one that volunteered to be En's lackey just to meet me again?" 

The wind must have kicked up, that was the only reasonable explanation for the sudden rush of blood to Shin's face. "Don't say it like that, you make me sound like a creep." 

"Senpai!" Noi said, shocked. "Anyway, you were a breath of fresh air for me back then. Even with Duston's training, being around En was…not great." She trailed off sullenly. Shin let her gather her thoughts, knowing the turbulent relationship between the Boss and his cousin was complicated as all Hell. "That bastard was boring as shit, still is, but you were fun! Nobody in the Family ever wanted to bust up some shithole in the city with me." 

Shin nodded in agreement. "That was pretty great. First time I lost a leg, how old were we again?" 

"Wasn't the last time either," Noi grumbled, her grip on his hand tightening. "Uhh, well I was still in my armour and you hadn't cut your hair yet." 

"Yeah I remember how fucking noisy that suit was, it got us busted because your clumsy ass tripped up the stairs!" 

"You try sneak around in a 150kg tin can!" Noi paused and looked at Shin side on. "I wonder…"

"What?" Shin asked cautiously. 

"Could you even take the Devil exam?" 

Well shit. Shin had never thought about how his hybrid nature would affect the more Devilish aspects of Sorcerer life but he sure was now. 

Noi continued. "Maybe we could ask Haru or Duston and see what they think-" 

"No, no, I'd rather not."

She relaxed beside him, was that a sigh of relief? "Yeah, wouldn't want to give Duston any ideas about me getting involved in training again."

"You wouldn't do it?" They had never really spoken about the prospect of Noi as a Devil, not after the destruction of Flower Smoke. It was a touchy subject for both of them.

"On my own? Nah, but if you wanted to, then sure. I'd do the exam with you, senpai."

"Noi…" Being Partners was one thing, but to undergo Devil training together? That level of commitment made Shin's palms sweat, hopefully Noi wouldn't notice, and the fact they could feasibly be together for an eternity was dizzying.

"Although, you are ridiculously strong as a Sorcerer so maybe you wouldn't be allowed to do the exam just cos of that." 

Shin snorted. "What a load of shit, are you saying your magic isn't strong?" 

"Not offensively, no. You know that." 

"Yeah, true, a hybrid and possibly the only Sorcerer with healing smoke wouldn't make great Devils." 

That must have been the right thing to say since Noi swung their linked arms together happily. "Still don't feel like hitting the club?" 

" No , Noi." 

Noi shoved him against the door, slotting her muscular thigh between his legs and pawing at his clothes. First the jacket, then his tie and shirt joined it on the floor, in tatters from his Partner’s enthusiasm, buttons flying across the room. The clinking of his belt being undone shook Shin from the cloud of lust.

“Mm, Noi, maybe we should slow down?”

She paused in worrying the skin in the divot between his shoulder and collarbone red-raw and leant back. “Getting cold feet?”

“No, just...” An insistent ringing noise interrupted him.

Noi smiled, hand trailing below his waistband. “Maybe you should answer that, Shin.” 

“A-answer what?”

Gripping him through his boxers, she teased his, rather obvious, arousal and grinned fiercely, those sharp canines glinting in the light. “Wake up, senpai~”

Shin jolted awake, the sudden motion startling both himself and Gura-Gura. The sheets were sodden with sweat and his heart was racing, Gura-Gura snorted and hopped off the bed, padding towards the kitchen. 

Fucking Hell. Fucking Hell. Why the fuck did he dream about Noi like that? He had never been so confused nor as hard as he was right now in his entire life. Groaning, he collapsed back against the mattress, grimacing as his overly warm back stuck to the damp bedding. He must have had too much to drink at that restaurant last night, yeah, that had to be it. He was just confused. This totally didn’t mean anything more than a once in a lifetime wet dream about his Partner. Except, this wasn’t the first time it had happened. Each time it did though, he couldn’t look Noi in the eye for days afterwards. Shin set himself to imagining the most boner-killing things he could think of. 

After the third rendition of being eviscerated by the briefly reptilian Noi and with no change to the stubborn stiffy underneath the sheets, Shin rolled over to prepare himself to submit to an ice cold shower. Then his phone chimed helpfully. 

Swearing heavily, he snatched it up from the bedside table and slid his glasses on.

3 new messages from The Best Partner Ever.

Noi had set her nickname to that when she helped Shin set up his new phone, the last one had been sliced up by his smoke when he lost his temper with all the damn buttons. Usually, seeing the nickname made him laugh but now, it filled him with a mixture of dread and arousal. Shin inhaled shakily and thumbed in his passcode, opening the chat application warily.

hey senpai

im hungry

are u awake lol

Shin sighed through his nose and scraped his hand through his hair, the first message from her came in roughly ten minutes ago. He squinted and checked the time, scowling then replying.

Why the fuck are you awake at 5am, Noi?

finally

wdym i always go to gym at this time

Good for you.

u know what would cheer u up

Getting a peaceful sleep without my Partner waking me up?

no :)

tht night bakery w/ the coffee u like

Wow. You treat me so well.

ik <3

Shin’s stomach clenched as he took in the ridiculous emoji and he chastised himself. One of the strongest Sorcerers in their world blushing at his Partner sending him a heart? Get a grip. 

Why don’t you cook something or go to the kitchens?

dont wanna

Shame.

dont be such a tightass 

im wasting away here

bastard

You are doing a poor job of convincing me.

when was GG last walked

That’s a low blow, Noi.

hehe

meet u in 20?

Fine.

yayyy its a date

ly senpai <3<3<3

Shin responded with a single modest hammer emoji and tossed his phone to the side. Twenty minutes, plenty of time. He suppressed the wave of guilt and slid a hand under the covers, recalling the finer details of his dream.

Gura-Gura darted away from Shin’s side, scampering over to Noi as she sat on one of the low walls in the gardens, swinging her legs impatiently and kicking her sneakers against the bricks. Her outfit was out of place for the frigid morning air and low hanging fog lurking over the grounds, a sleeveless vest and sweatpants, no jacket or coat in sight. She had braided her damp hair into a thick plait which slipped over her shoulder as she caught sight of the approaching dog. 

“Hey, boy!” Noi hopped down and scratched his ears vigorously, expertly avoiding the ropes of drool coming from the dog’s chops. “At least someone is happy to see me!”

Shin didn’t reply and pulled a hand out of the pocket of his hoodie to stifle a yawn, glaring at Noi all the while. 

She stuck her tongue out at him and cooed at his traitorous dog. “Poor baby, don’t worry I’ll save you from our horrible senpai.”

Shin whistled and Gura-Gura returned reluctantly, giving Noi a farewell lick as she grimaced. “You have a key to my apartment and we practically share custody of him, it would hardly be difficult to ‘save’ him from me.” He groused, voice still thick with sleep.

Noi raised her eyebrows. “Wow, you really aren’t a morning person.”

“You’ve known me for 10 years and we’ve been Partners for 8, this is the first time you’ve realised that?”

“No, it’s just funny how grumpy you get sometimes senpai.”

“Just for that I’m going to order that deluxe coffee that costs an arm and a leg.”

Noi responded nonplussed. “Sure, get what you want. You spent loads on me last night anyway.”

He narrowed his eyes. “You stole En’s credit card again, didn’t you?”

“...No.”

Shin laughed so hard at Noi’s sulking that she shoved him into a bush and stormed off with Gura-Gura yapping in excitement around her ankles. Worth it. 

Shin practically inhaled his first sip of coffee and moaned in satisfaction as the rich bitter flavour filled his mouth. Noi had ordered for him, no sugar or cream thank you very much. This early in the morning he needed the pure caffeine that six shots of espresso mixed with a strong black coffee afforded him. 

They were sitting in the outdoor courtyard, a bowl of water for Gura-Gura and the sunrise as their entertainment. 

Noi watched him with a small smile on her face and Shin noticed she hadn’t gotten anything. “Aren't you hungry? Thought you were practically wasting away.”

Was she blushing?

“I’m still deciding what I want!” She replied, far too defensively. 

“Noi...” Shin warned, if she had woken him up just to poke fun at him he would not be happy.

“ Ijustwantedtospendtimewithyou ” Noi mumbled in a rush.

Shin blinked. Huh? “What?”

Noi squared her shoulders and stared at him resolutely. “I just wanted to spend time with you.” Gura-Gura whined and rested his head on her leg, staring at her forlornly. “And you too you dumb dog.” She said fondly, kissing him on the forehead.

He took an extra large gulp of coffee then swiped a hand down his face, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Noi,” He began, controlling his temper. “You woke me up at 5am just to spend time with me.”

“Er, yeah senpai. I did.”

“Why the fuck did you not wait until a reasonable time?!”

She wilted and Gura-Gura turned to him, the expression on his muzzle looked far too much like disapproval to be comfortable. “You always complain when we miss the opening hours of this place and I know you love the coffee here so I wanted to surprise you.”

Shin counted to ten then sighed, releasing his anger in a great breath. She had had good intentions with this impromptu meeting (date???) so he decided to let her off the hook. Besides, he did love the coffee. “Next time, warn me the day before? Got it?”

“Okay!” She exclaimed happily, a rosy glow to her cheeks.

“They are closing the kitchen in ten minutes so you had better go get something to eat.” He warned, chuckling fondly when she knocked her chair over in her haste to get up and run to the counter inside. 

Gura-Gura whuffed and wagged his tail slowly, Shin bent down and cupped his dog’s face. “You aren’t allowed to play favourites, you know.” Gura-Gura responded by licking his chin. “You’re a good boy.”

“Cute.”

Knocking his knee against the table, Shin bolted upright and stared accusingly at Noi who stood with a smirk on her face, phone out and pastry in her off hand. “You better not have taken a fucking photo-”

Noi gestured carelessly, crumbs sprinkling over the table and nearly into his coffee. “Calm down, senpai, I only took the one. You can delete it if you want.”

Shielding his coffee with his arm and snatching her phone, Shin peered at the offending image. He looked like an idiot. Hoodie and sweats stained with dog drool and the shower earlier hadn’t tamed his ridiculous bed head but the soft giggle Noi gave as she looked over his shoulder at her phone stayed his thumb hovering over the delete button. On second thought, the photo wasn’t nearly the worst she had ever taken of him. He turned in his seat and held up her phone to her.

“You can keep it. But I want a piece of that cake first.”

Shin immediately regretted saying that as Noi’s eyes widened then narrowed, her canines appearing as she grinned. “Oh , you want a piece of my cake, huh senpai?” She curled her tongue around the word filthily and blood suffused Shin’s cheeks. He sunk down into his hoodie churlishly and drained his coffee to save him having to force his brain to respond to that. 

In a rare stroke of luck, Noi’s phone rang and she startled, distracted from teasing him for once. She swore and picked up. “What do you want, bastard?”

Shin shook himself, pitching his empty coffee cup in the bin and standing up to stretch. Looked like their early morning would get busy soon enough. 

“Huh? Is Turkey alright?” Noi sounded worried and he paid attention to her as he petted Gura-Gura who looked confused at the sudden tension.

“Right, South side, by the river with fish masks.” She looked at him and he nodded, committing the information to memory. “Gura-Gura is with us so make sure someone puts him back in Shin’s apartment.” Noi paused, then, rankled, she shouted down the phone. “Fuck you! You never use that credit card anyway and I was hungry, deal with it.” Snapping the phone shut, Noi huffed in aggravation. 

“What’s the mission?” Shin drawled, amused that En noticed her thievery.

She pulled out her mask and donned it. “Turkey is the latest target for a hit and run job, since the cottage is so far out from En’s mansion it’s at risk normally but these guys are stronger than the usual dumbasses.” Noi tucked her plait under her mask, how she managed that he would never know. “You got your things?”

“‘Course.” Shin looked at Gura-Gura, clicking his fingers to get his attention. “Go home, boy!” The one command the damn dog could follow, he turned tail and sprinted down the street, heading back towards the mansion where he would be picked up by a goon.

Turning back to Noi, then frowning in confusion when she was nowhere to be seen, he sighed and glanced around the street. At the other end she had picked someone off of their broom, they were kicking and screaming but Noi snapped at them impatiently, swiftly shutting them up. “For fuck sake, its just a broom. I’m not gonna kill you, relax will you?”

Shin rolled his eyes and jogged towards the person dangling from Noi’s grip. “Here,” He turfed out some bills from his wallet. “That should pay for this piece of shit.” They scooped up the money and ran away. 

“I’m driving today, Shin-senpai.” She hooked her leg around the saddle and mounted it fluidly, tossing her head back to Shin, waiting on him.

“Fine by me.”

Despite having a coffee that had enough caffeine to fuel an army, Shin dozed against Noi's shoulder on the way to their job; simply unable to stay awake. His glasses were safely stowed away in his pocket, his mask was on and his hammer easily reachable from his sleeve. Ready to rumble at a moment's notice. Still, Noi was warm and comfortable so Shin didn't feel bad about catching a few Zs. 

"Don't let go, senpai!" She called as they coasted through the clouds. 

His arms wound tighter around her middle, bunching the sleeveless vest she wore. "'M fine." Shin mumbled, trying to shift closer to the toasty hot pillow he had found himself with. 

"Hey, senpai." 

"..." 

"Senpai." 

"..." 

"Wake the fuck up!" 

Shin's eyes snapped open and he gasped as realised they were still in mid air, high above the docks. "Fucking-! Shit, what the fuck, Noi?!"

"It's your own fault for falling asleep. We're here." She cleared her throat. "Do you mind? I need room to breath, y'know."

Sat flush against her back, practically sandwiched together as his inner thighs bracketed Noi’s legs, Shin froze and the cogs in his brain slowly ticked. Seconds passed and he realised how low his hands had drifted around her, now clasping her waist in his palms. She spoke up again. "Shin?"

Wheezing, he pushed himself away from Noi, perching on the very end of the saddle. "Sorry, I uh, fell asleep. Yeah." 

"Rrright." Another awkward pause. "I'll take that as a compliment. You were snoring in my ear."

Shin's own ears burned as he tried to control his heart rate, turning his attention to the quiet pier below them. A few people milled around, none were wearing the fish masks they were to be on the lookout for though. "What's our plan here?" Opting for a professional tone, he turned his attention to the task at hand and definitely wasn't reminiscing about the feeling of Noi’s strong abdomen in his arms. 

"We arrived a few minutes ago, I let you sleep some more since you seemed comfortable and kept an eye on the dock." She glanced behind, making sure Shin was watching her and pointed to an older looking vessel anchored in the shipyard. "That one is our target I bet, rest of the workers have been avoiding it like the plague. Plus, it's got a great vantage point over the rest of the docks and there's plenty of cover from the shipping containers." 

Shin silently agreed with her assessment, proud at how far her tactical thinking had come. "Good job, Noi." He praised quietly. "What else?" Encouraging her to take the lead on this mission and to plan it out, he was feeling lazy after all. 

She beamed at him, eyes crinkled in happiness behind the tinted glass of her mask. "So I was thinking, senpai, I don't think there's any sentries on the deck- but that doesn't mean they aren't there!" Noi tacked on hurriedly and Shin nodded in approval. "We take this hunk of scrap 'round the West side down to the water line, then when we reach it, you can get us inside the ship. Where they won't expect it." 

"How am I going to do that?" Shin had an idea about what she was thinking but needed confirmation. 

"Magic!" 

"Noi, this is a shit idea."

"Jeez, where's your sense of adventure, senpai?" 

"Must have left it in bed when you woke me up at the crack of fucking dawn." 

They hovered a few feet above the murky water at the rear of the ship, coasting beside the rusty hull where Noi was insistent that they should bust in. Shin drummed his fingers against rivets the size of his fist, tracing the seams of the paneling and considering. 

"Tch, here!" Noi twisted around, jostling her legs against his and facing him then snatched his hand in her own. Her movements were rough but her grip was sure and firm, she repositioned his hand to a panel several feet to their left that he hadn't noticed. Weaving her slimmer fingers through his, Noi pressed his hand onto the cool metal. "Like this." She whispered as she leaned towards him. Their shoulders brushed and she tilted her head to check that he was listening. Shin couldn't help but listen. Noi was so close, her breath ghosted across his cheek and the end of her plait hung between them. Realising he was counting her eyelashes, Shin grit his teeth and forced his gaze to the boat. Targeted use of his smoke was difficult enough, never mind with his Partner murmuring in his ear like that. Focus. Why was it so hard to focus ?

"C'mon senpai, we don't have all day." Hearing the smirk in Noi’s voice was the last straw. Smoke billowed out his fingers and he roughly carved a circle through the metal. Shorn away, the panel drooped and slipped into the water, disappearing beneath the choppy waves. "In you go!" She said cheerfully. 

Shin scowled. "What about you?" 

"Well I gotta keep the broom running, Shin-senpai. You go in first and help me after, I'll give you a leg up!" 

Balancing on a skinny shot-to-shit broom proved a challenge and it was only Shin's hands on Noi’s shoulders that prevented him from falling headfirst into the river. Gracelessly, he hauled himself inside and scanned the interior. Empty. Shin crouched by hole he had made and reached out for Noi. 

"Make sure you've got a good grip on me, Noi, you're heavy enough to turf us out of here if you slip." 

"If you ate your veg you'd be just as big as me, senpai!" Noi snarked back and held onto his forearms. She slowly rose, straddling the seat between her legs then standing on the tiny makeshift platform. The engine ran for a few seconds after being left unoperated so they had to act quick. Shin braced himself and pulled. Noi was damned big. 

The broom dropped and so did his Partner. Huffing in exertion he walked back whilst yanking her into the room. Naturally, the boat just had to sway at that precise moment and Shin slipped with a muffled yell. Dropping backwards on his ass provided Noi with the leverage to be pulled on top of him. 

Noi. On top of him. Fuck. 

The lack of blood to his brain was equally due to partial suffocation and due to Noi’s tits in his face. Thank Chidaruma that he was wearing his loose sweats today.

"Sorry senpai." Noi coughed, scooting back, a smear of dust along her neck and her vest. She sat along his thighs and tugged him upright easily, swatting away the grime on his hoodie. He regarded her, suppressing the urge to shiver as her body warmed his legs. 

"You alright?" He asked. A pointless question, if a bullet to the brain couldn't put Noi down then a tumble in a boat wouldn't do shit. But he just had to fill the painfully still silence. 

"Mhm." 

Shin chewed on the inside of his cheek, unable to look away from the dust on her throat. "Just-" Inhaling shakily, he clasped her side and reached up with his free hand. "Stay still."

The first touch barely skimmed her skin. What was it that was so daunting about touching her there? The pale muscled column of her neck bobbed as he watched her swallow and he mirrored the action. Stop being a coward and just do it. Just a friendly, platonic and totally relaxed helping hand. That's all it was.

Firmer now, he slid the pad of his thumb along the mark, rubbing firmly and cleaning it up. Noi remarkably stayed quiet and perched in place, eyes closed underneath her mask. "Feels nice, senpai." 

Shin couldn't respond, his throat was too dry. Somewhere along the way, his other hand wound around her waist and slipped under her shirt, splayed across dewy skin. Opening her eyes, peeking at him, she timidly shifted forward and slid her hands around his chest; embracing him. Heartbeat thundering, Shin froze as Noi started kneading his shoulders. This was not good (this was so good). Cautious to break the strange spell that had come over them both, he palmed her hips, holding her tighter and stifling the embarrassing noises that threatened to escape him as she worked on a stubborn knot in his muscles. "Noi," He started, unsure of what he was trying to say. 

She hummed, then, her breathing hitched as Shin's thumb carded up the ladder of her spine. "You're so stiff and tense, wonder why?"

"You figure it out." Shin replied gruffly and scratched lightly at her back, biting his lip as she arched against him. 

Noi leaned down. "Maybe I will." 

A crash and cacophony of noise outside the room made them jump apart and bring their fists up. Shin's skin prickled and he nodded at Noi to take point. She stared at him silently then rolled her shoulders. Game time.

Chapter Text

They crept through the tight corridors, the metal groaning as the ship bobbed and set about following the sounds they had heard. In front of them, were two fish masked magic users and between the pair was a large crate that they were struggling with.

"This much prep - urgh - better be worth it." One groaned. 

"Trust me, you can never be too prepared with En. This is the one time where we have the entire group together to go over the plan. We can't afford to fuck this up." 

Shin glanced at Noi, who was vibrating with excitement, barely able to hold herself back.

Cute.

Wait what? 

Shin refrained from shaking his head, didn't want to stand out from the shadows, to get rid of those sorts of thoughts. Thoughts about Noi. He pinched his side, forcing himself to pay attention to the sorcerers ahead. "Noi," He whispered, waving her closer. "Know what that means?" 

"Yes!!!" 

Rocking forward on the balls of his feet, Shin slunk closer to Noi and with a deep breath, touched the small of her back; urging her forwards. "Wanna go ruin someone's day?" 

Giggling to herself, rather ominously in fact, she picked up a scrap of trash from the floor and launched it into the room they had exited. The resounding clang jolted the sorcerers to action.

"What the fuck was that?!" 

"I dunno, you check it out! 

"I'm not going alone, man!" 

Noi leaned against Shin as they watched the sorcerers cautiously make their way down the hallway and bumped him with her elbow. "D'you wonder if they think something fishy is going on, senpai?"

Okay, that was one of her better ones. Suppressing a noise akin to steam escaping a kettle, he held himself still as they drew closer and closer. 

In easy synchrony, Noi snapped the neck of one while Shin slammed his hammer into the side of the other's head.

"Your jokes are getting worse and worse." Shin grunted as they lowered the bodies to the ground. 

"You're smiling though, senpai." 

"I am not." Shit, how could she tell? 

"If you say so." Noi sing-songed in response and proceeded further into the bowels of the ship. 

In an unusually stealthy manner (for them), they dispatched each unfortunate soul they came across. By the time they reached the cargo hold, Shin’s hammer was caked in gore and viscera whilst Noi’s tank top clung to each sweaty swell and dip of her muscles in the most distracting of ways. 

The deck above was open, where a shipping container was in the process of being lowered into the cavernous room, illuminating the crowd of fish-masked sorcerers gathered in the morning sun. 

Probably around 50 or so of the losers. One well timed surge of Shin’s magic could disable them all at once. But where's the fun in that?

“How do you want to do this, Partner?”

“Let’s go all out, senpai. Really cut loose and tear them apart!” Noi urged and cracked her knuckles.

Shin’s entire body coiled up like a spring, muscles tense and prepared for the ensuing fight as her manic energy fired him up. “What are the stakes?”

“Whoever wins gets to decide, that way it’s a surprise for us.”

“How do I know you won’t make me do your dishes for a month or some menial shit like that?”

“Oh it won’t be anything like that, senpai. I’ve already decided what I want.” Noi replied mysteriously.

“And that is?” Shin didn’t trust her. Well, he did, with his life actually but this was different. That tone she was using… she was definitely up to something. 

She looked at him steadily then winked at him. “You’ll find out.” Shin shivered at the heat in Noi’s voice and watched her haul herself onto a nearby crate with ease. “Hey, shitheads!” She roared at the group and leapt into the fray. “Time to die!”

Shin gawked but pulled himself together as she started dismantling their enemies. As much as he was curious about what would happen if she would win, he had a reputation to uphold. Darting forwards, he targeted the magic users at the fringes with the claw of his hammer, clipping and wrenching into their skulls. 

Caught with their pants down so to speak, they were slow to mount a defence and it dissolved into a storm of bloody violence and death. Easy as breathing, Shin and Noi weaved around each other, expertly coordinating their attacks to their full potential. Wordlessly, he jerked his chin to the side and she knocked a trio in front of him with a devastating roundhouse kick before pivoting and moving out of his way, stalking towards several unfortunate sorcerers. With barely a thought, a thick wave of smoke gushed from Shin’s hands and vivisected everything in its radius. 

“Oof!” Noi’s surprised shout had his head turning to her so fast that his neck cricked. A smoky harpoon impaled itself into her chest and propelled her through a shipping container, leaving a near 7 foot tall hole. That was an interesting brand of magic, but Shin couldn’t compare it to his own; not after the ordeal he had put himself through just to merely access it. Besides, the hefty dose of sadistic pleasure he derived and the overwhelming destruction he wielded at his fingertips was totally worth the self-mutilation. 

Twirling his hammer and keeping his foes at bay with a dark glower, Shin called out nonchalantly. “Pretty sloppy of you, Noi, at this rate I’m gonna win.”

An ear splitting shriek of metal and a hollow echoing gong later, Noi punched her way out of the container with a growl of effort. Her arms were shredded, quite literally, and hastily weaved themselves back together whilst the white gleaming edges of her ribs peeked out from under her torn skin. With a fluid lunge, she seized a fish and hefted them up over her head, bringing them down across her knee with a wet crunch then tossing their limp corpse into the harpooner. 

Noi’s ribs disappeared as they were sheathed in newly generated flesh and Shin lamented their absence. There was something wholly intimate and visceral about being exposed to each other’s injuries like that. She had scraped him off the ground more times than he could count and he helped her resituate stray organs that had unfurled from her stomach practically weekly. It was character building stuff in his humble opinion. 

With the harpooner briefly incapacitated by their comrade’s broken body atop them, Noi stomped over and put her foot through their chest; mirroring the injury she had sustained just seconds prior. Blood splashed up her leg and saturated her sneakers. Yet another pair to go in the trash. 

She ripped her leg out and faced the horrified crowd of fish. “Who’s next?” Then she grumbled to Shin as she passed. “You’re not winning this time.”

He’d have to work fast, now that Noi was pissed off. “Heh. We’ll see about that.” He teased and turned his back to her, wordlessly trusting her to protect him and handle her own batch of fish. The majority of their enemies still remained and he dived into the ranks, slashing and bashing as he went.

A brutal wave of magic sent him crashing into the side of a crate, the wood splintering around him as he unceremoniously fell on his ass. He had definitely heard the crunch of several bones breaking. Finally. The head honcho must have shown up. 

Shin grinned and wrenched himself into a fighting stance, eyeing up the shark-masked leader who balked then threw out another shockwave. Too bad for the leader that he now knew the type of magic he used. A wide span of smoke with blunt physical damage, but slow and thick, childsplay to dodge. He could see how this magic user could have levelled Turkey's cottage with ease. 

Although, they should have used as much smoke as possible while they had caught Shin unawares. Shame. That would have been fun. 

The leader didn’t stand a chance. Their recovery time proved their death as he shouldered through a knife or two to get close enough to splatter their brains everywhere like some macabre modern art.

Shin’s chest ached and his leg wobbled but he rode the shark’s body to the ground and beat the living daylights out of them. His world was tainted red and the only thing worth his notice were his enemies as adrenaline pumped through his body. 

A bullet sunk into his shoulder, he grunted and used the momentum to lodge his hammer inside the gut of the nearest fish, tearing it to the side and relishing the wet slap of organs spilling onto the floor. With the first bullet fired, the rest appeared to have armed themselves, panicking as their leader now closely resembled a pile of butcher meat. Shin had the pleasure of watching Noi pick out a piece of lead the length of his finger as she staggered back from a rifle shot to her side.

Sometimes, he was jealous at how much damage she could deal whilst being the equivalent of a bullet sponge. Even now, he became aware of the several guns aimed at him and thinking quickly, thrust his hands down to the ground and surrounded himself in smoke. During fights, Shin had to remain conscious of what he wanted to rip up, otherwise he would have surely sent himself through floors or collapsed buildings on many occasions. An idea sprung to mind and Shin chuckled menacingly. 

Changing directions, he raised his arms and forced his smoke through the suspended shipping container. Just a little further. He pushed and a gargantuan plume shot upwards, and ate through the metal of the crane that loomed nearly 30 metres above the ship. 

“Heads up, Noi!”

Metal and sorcerers screamed as huge chunks of debris crashed into the cargo hold, flattening anyone underneath and plummeting through the floor.

“Woah! Cool, senpai!!!” Noi shrieked over the noise and perched on a crate, well away from the chaos. She was drenched in blood to the elbows and laughed at the excessive violence.

After a final groan, the ship settled and only a few fish remained standing. 

“Get the shit, get the shit!” One of them shrieked as another followed into a surviving container. 

“I’ll clean up, Shin-senpai!” Noi chirped and picked up a twisted bar of metal, swinging it ominously as she went inside after the two sorcerers. 

With a lazy flick of his wrist, Shin threw his hammer at the head of a retreating fish. Bullseye. He wandered towards the screaming after collecting his weapon, hoping to catch a glimpse of Noi finishing the job whilst dodging the yawning pits in the floor. 

There was a stilted moment of silence, interrupted by an odd twang and Noi’s angered exclamation. “Ouch! That hurts for a pissy little dart like that!”

Wait a minute, dart? That can’t be good. 

Shin hurried his pace and came upon Noi bashing the face of the last sorcerer open with a slender scoped rifle, having abandoned her rebar pole whilst a purple dart had pierced her waist, jerking around with her impassioned movements. “Oi,” Shin said, attempting to catch her attention. “What was that about?”

Grunting as she finished off her assault with a final thwack , Noi stood and picked the dart out with a wince, tossing it to the ground. “Some shitty sedative I bet, doubt it's strong enough to affect me though. That’s the usual choice with these types, fucking cowards.”

“Right.” Shin replied, unconcerned and began to root through the cache of supplies in front of him. Inside, he found guns, ammunition, and bandoliers of smoke canisters which he was willing to bet contained the harpooner and shark's smoke. Shin slung it over his shoulder, certain that En would want to trace the fish gang's previous locations.

As he shouldered the pack, the glass bottles clunked against his side and he winced.

"Lemme fix that for you." Noi came to a halt at his flank where she cocooned him in the healing embrace of her smoke. 

Shin groaned gratefully as the pain disappeared and he turned to thank her but a frown replaced his smile. "Shouldn't that have healed by now?" He asked, pointing at the entry site of the dart which was still bleeding steadily from her hip. 

"Huh. That's weird." Noi took her mask off and Shin followed suit, then they both leaned in to examine the bizarre wound. 

Pressing her fingers around it in an attempt to squeeze out any leftover drugs had her swearing and ceasing immediately. "God. Fuck! That has no right being so painful." She shook her hand roughly, trying to work away the sting and blood flicked from her fingertips. "I think it hit the bone, senpai."

"Why should that matter?" The terseness in his voice was brought on by the unwelcome situation and he could feel Noi grow steadily more frustrated. 

"Skin and muscle I can easily fix, regrowing bone is no problem either. But if whatever the fuck that's now in my system has been deposited into a big bone like the pelvis, it's going to be a lot harder to heal." Noi explained impatiently, obviously dumbing down the medical jargon so Shin knew what the fuck she was talking about. "Also…" She added then stopped, closing her eyes briefly. 

"Noi?" 

"This isn't a sedative." Noi replied tightly and looked at him, a foreign emotion in her gaze. Worry? 

"What makes you say that? Last I checked you aren't an alchemist." Shin couldn't suppress the encroaching anxiety that made his stomach turn.

"Heh, no we'll leave that to Chota." She joked weakly and bit her lip. "I don't feel so good, it doesn't have the usual haze of a sedative." 

Eyes widening, Shin noticed how her pallor had faded from the lovely pink sheen of exertion to a shivery pale hue. 

Well. Shit.

This was totally out of his comfort zone. When was the last time he was even ill? Let alone Noi? Who was nigh on immortal and indestructible? 

"Okay." Shin responded helpfully. "Okay, let's get out of here and call En at the pier. Sound good?"

Noi nodded and wiped at her hip, the blood stain had progressed down her trouser leg in a gruesome splash of scarlet and it didn't seem to be stopping any time soon. Her lack of protest about informing En of her current condition informed Shin that this was serious. 

What really sealed the deal though, was the way Noi wobbled as they made their escape from the ship. He hastily pulled her arm around his shoulders, bearing her considerable weight and steering her towards the surface. Shin couldn't even enjoy the closeness, the intimacy was ruined by Noi’s feverish shivering and cold limbs. 

Easing Noi down against a street lamp with a gentleness that Shin didn't know he had, he then pulled out his phone and tapped in En's number, switching it to speakerphone when he answered. 

"Shin." 

"En-san, we cleaned up the fish gang and found a huge supply of weapons. They'd been planning this for a while and…" Shin trailed off, unsure how to broach the topic that En's only family, who was supposedly unable to get sick, was actually sick. 

"Yes?" 

"Noi's hurt." Straight to the point. Trusting him to understand that Shin didn't mean in a typical manner.

"What." En's gravelly tone pitched even deeper and Shin felt a rare spike of fear. 

"Some sort of drug. Poison maybe, fuck if I know. She can't heal the wound and it's getting worse by the minute."

Noi slapped at his leg woozily as she protested. "I'll be fine." 

"Noi, I'm sending a car to you now and you are coming home. Shin?" 

"Yes, En-san?" 

"Sink that fucking ship." 

En hung up and Shin let out a breath, relaxing his jaw then patting Noi’s shoulder. "Wait here." 

"Don't need to - huff - baby me so much, senpai." 

"As if I could baby you. No, I'd just rather not become a mushroom." 

" Fuck En." Noi snarled.

"Shush. I need to concentrate." Shin chided and knelt at the pier, pointing his fingers towards the ship beside them. 

This would be difficult, but as he thought about the discomfort his Partner was in because of this group; it suddenly became a lot easier. 

A torrent of smoke snaked across the ship, furrowing into the divots and seams. Shin continued to produce smoke, thoroughly coating the surface of the ship and forcing it down. His magic chewed and cleaved it apart, the entire vessel cavitating and sinking under the water with a horrendous racket. 

He stood, watching the fish return to the river and smirked to himself as he imagined his victims drowning slowly. As they should. 

Shin's sadistic thoughts were cut off by the sound of thick hacking coughs. Looking back in disbelief, his gut twisted witnessing Noi spit a mouthful of blood to the side. 

"Don't look at me like that, Shin." She growled, chin gleaming wet and red. "I don't want your pity. I just need to catch my breath." 

Whilst healthy, Noi normally had a short temper but this was unprecedented. "Pity? Is that what you think this is? I pity the idiots who take too long with your food order." Shin laughed and sat beside her, pulling his sleeve down and over his hand. "Don't get me wrong, this is fucked up but it's my job as your senpai and Partner to worry for you. Got it?" He dabbed away the blood firmly. 

"It's weird, senpai. I'm normally the one who takes care of you like this." Noi groused. 

"Well it's high time I repay the favour then, huh?" 

"Mm." Her breathing sounded strained and her chest rattled. It was clearly exhausting her to remain chatting as if things were normal. 

Shin mustered his courage and pulled Noi’s head down to rest on his shoulder. "Try get some rest before our ride gets here." 

"'m not tired, senpai." Her breath tickled his neck and her entire body went limp, slumping against his flank. 

"Liar." Shin whispered and stroked her hair as blood stained his thigh. 

Throughout the wait for their pickup, Shin couldn't help but reflect on his stranger-than-usual morning. 

Firstly, coffee at 5am? The fuck? Where Noi had confessed a desire to spend more time with him. As if they weren't already joined at the hip with a part of each other literally inside their chests. Such a placid lazy outing, sprinkled with odd gestures that Shin was slowly realising could be flirting. 

But that didn't make sense. There was no way Noi was interested in him like that. She just… held his hand on numerous occasions, straddled his lap and on the rare occurrence that Shin was down for the count, she made sure to heal him nearly mouth to mouth. Would she do that for anyone else??? The experience gifted to him from a 10 year friendship with her said a resolute nope. 

The harder he thought about it, the weaker his defence grew. This was really not the ideal place for such ruminations. At the precise moment Shin attempted to calm his suddenly racing heart, Noi sighed into his collarbones. 

Goosebumps crept across his skin and he chanced looking at her. Her brow was furrowed and sweat glistened on her forehead, disappearing towards her hairline. "Hey, Noi?" 

The only response she gave was nosing his pulse, she was freezing and it took all he had not to twitch away from her touch. 

"Dinner last night was nice," Shin began, carefully listening for any change in the cadence of her breathing. Still shallow and croaky. "Coffee was good too." 

"Knew you'd like it, senpai." Noi mumbled unexpectedly and Shin flinched. She lifted her head, slowly, as if it was filled with lead and looked at him. "How're your arms and back feeling?" 

"Huh?" 

"Think you will need to carry me." Noi blinked as she peered down her body. "Can't feel my legs." 

"Still sure it's not a sedative?" Shin attempted weakly. 

She was still trying to wrestle his hammer from its chain to hit him with when the car pulled up. 

Maneuvering Noi into the car was no mean feat. Ignoring the height and weight difference, Shin’s arms were aching from the gratuitous use of his magic; whether that was from his hybrid nature or because of the pre-existing trauma to his arms, he wasn’t very sure nor did he care. 

Briefly manhandling his Partner into the optimal position for hefting nearly cost him the last shreds of composure. Noi didn’t appreciate it either. Would have been easier were she still unconscious. They snapped and snarked at each other loudly as the driver waited awkwardly.

“Stop pissing around and just lift me already, senpai! I’m not going to break!”

“If you’d stop screaming in my ear then maybe I would have done it already!” 

“Screaming?! I’ll show you-”

While Noi was distracted, Shin swiftly tucked his arms under her shoulders and knees, pulling her towards him and standing; only teetering on the spot once. The act shut her up as she woozily adapted to the change in position and perspective. 

“Happy?” Shin huffed and blew some of her stray hair out of his face. Her silent nod made him worry and her red cheeks had him suspecting that her fever was getting worse. “Oi, you okay?”

“Yep.”

“Not gonna be sick, are you?”

“Nope.”

“Right.” Shin replied skeptically and trudged towards the car, getting Noi to reach down and paw open the door. 

Inside the car presented a dilemma, it was simply too narrow to fit both Shin sitting in the back and Noi reclining without either of them overlapping onto the other. Sighing, he crouched and carefully deposited her across the leather seats, slipping in behind her while rubbing his arms. 

Noi however, didn’t have any reservations about the lack of space and Shin didn’t know whether to attribute that to her weakened state or just that she didn’t particularly care. Probably the latter. Suppressing pained noises, Noi shuffled back on her elbows and levelled a look at Shin. 

“You just gonna stand there, senpai?”

Shin winced. “There’s not exactly a lot of room thanks to you.”

Rolling her eyes, she replied glibly. “Oh sure, sorry for slowly dying from poison, senpai.” Shin must have made a face at that as she gentled her tone. “Lift my legs and sit there. I’d do it myself but y’know, they don’t work right now.” 

His dithering and protestations were cut short as she broke out in increasingly wet coughing. So he did as she asked, knocking on the partition as a signal for the driver to get going. 

Noi’s legs, although cold through the bloodied sweatpant fabric, weighed on Shin’s lap comfortingly and his hands somehow found themselves fisted on top of her calves. What a day.

Usually, on the drives back to the mansion, Shin took the time to nap away the journey; on the few times that Noi deigned to drive. But not this time. 

Even if he wanted to, he wouldn’t be able to catch a wink of sleep. Noi’s tremors had gotten worse. So had the coughing. And the fever. The whole nine yards.

Barely minutes into the initial ride and they were both covered in fresh blood, Shin had bruised ribs from an uncontrollable spasm causing Noi’s leg to drive itself into his side.

“D-do you want me to f-fix that, senpai?” Noi began, teeth chattering violently.

Shin shook his head and rubbed at her legs, trying to reintroduce some semblance of warmth. “Don’t be stupid. I’ve managed worse and you need to save your strength. Plus, I’ll get you back in sparring.”

“T-that’s what you think.”

As the car slowed to a crawl, Shin looked out the tinted windows. They had been brought to one of the lesser used entrances, the backdoor really. And En was waiting for them. Alone. Uh oh. Well, Kikurage was there. But still, shit. 

En opened Noi’s door as soon as the car stopped; she gave him a venomous glare as her head slipped backwards, no longer supported by the door. Without preamble, he placed the back of his hand against her head, frowning. 

“Not you too!” Noi exclaimed. “I’m hardly - cough - dying.”

“Hush,” En ignored her spitting curses at him and turned to Shin. “How is she?”

“I’m not deaf you fucking-!”

Stuck between a rock and a hard place. His Partner, whom he had relied on and cared for for close to 10 years and the Boss who could turn him into a cluster of shiitakes quicker than you could say “ Kikurage ”.

Deeply uncomfortable, Shin moved to take Noi out of the car, thankful that she was otherwise preoccupied with glaring daggers at En. Avoiding both of the cousins’ stares, he attempted to appease the two of them. “She’s lost a lot of blood, partially paralysed and passes out every few minutes or so. But Noi can tell you more.” Shin explained tightly. 

“Damn right she can.” The sorcerer in question replied. “Or are you going to ignore me again, bastard?”

“Noi.” En said, endless frustration in his voice.

Shin carefully squeezed Noi as he held her, trying to convey that the quicker she answered En, the quicker they could get her to her room and rest.

Inhaling deeply, she gave her cousin a final scowl and replied to him. “Poison deposit in my pelvis. It’s some nasty shit, don’t know where they could have gotten that ‘cos normal poison is simple to fix.”

“I’ll find out. How long do you need to heal?”

Noi shifted and alarmingly, her nose began to bleed. “For fuck sake!” She cried out. “I don’t fucking know.”

“You do know.” En pressed as he produced a handkerchief for her.

Pinching her nose, she replied nasally. “A few hours at least. Since it’s so fast acting and it’s probably spread throughout most of my skeleton by now, my magic is trying to catch up to heal everything. Probably why I can’t stop bleeding either.”

En nodded, as if he already knew that and addressed Shin. “This doesn’t leave you or me, got it? I don’t want anyone knowing Noi is incapacitated. As far as anyone else knows, you are both out of town on a mission.”

“Understood.” He did understand. While En treated Noi more like an investment, there was still an inkling of familial protectiveness; one which wasn’t mutual on her part. She was in the rare position of being vulnerable and Shin wasn’t about to let anyone take advantage of that.

“You have 15 minutes to get what you need from your apartment then return to Noi’s apartment. I’ll have Fujita keep an eye on Gura-Gura.” En ordered, then a smirk appeared on his face, signified by his eyes crnkling. “Sorry, Noi.”

“Huh?”

“Nyah~”

Blowing smoke to the side, En formed a mushroom soldier and Noi stiffened as she realised what was happening. “No. No. Don’t you fucking dare.”

Shin was lost. Clearly this was something that En had done before, something which, judging from Noi’s furious vibrating, she detested. 

“Don’t be difficult. Unfortunately for you, I’m not a hulking brute like your Partner, no offence, Shin-kun, and as such we will have to make do with a blast from the past.”

Mildly offended and flattered, Shin could only watch as the mushroom soldier held out it’s spongy arms to take Noi. “You’ve done this before?” He asked dubiously. 

“Not willingly!”

“Only when she was young and I was too busy to carry her.” En clarified. 

"More like too weak." Noi’s temper had the consequences of worsening her cough and blood gushed from her mouth. 

Her cousin scowled and gestured impatiently as she refused to leave Shin’s arms. “Noi, you need to be somewhere safe and quiet.”

Through her spluttering, she flipped the bird at En and Shin sighed. She was heavy and he was tired. “En's right. And I'll be with you the whole time.” He said quietly, glancing at En who nodded in response.

Something in his tone must have convinced her as she relaxed her death grip on Shin and wiped her mouth shakily. “I’m not happy with this.”

“You never are.” En grumbled.

Relieved of his cargo, Shin rubbed his neck then grimaced as his bloody hands smeared his skin. He checked the time on his watch and addressed En. “This might help in tracking their movements." He passed the bandolier to the Boss. "I’ll be back soon.” He said to Noi who wearily waved him away as she rested in a fungal cradle, Kikurage had helpfully hopped up onto her lap, eager for the free ride. Noi was struggling to keep her eyes open now that she was in the wider and probably softer grip of the mushroom clone with a warm furry weight on her stomach. She looked so small. It didn't sit right with Shin and he departed, forcing his strides to remain calm whilst moving as fast as he could without appearing visibly shaken. 

Back in his apartment, Shin had to first fend off an uncharacteristically worried Gura-Gura who jumped him as soon as he set foot inside.

“Oi, get off!” 

The dog whined as he sniffed and licked at the blood coating Shin head to toe. “She’s fine, or she will be.” He added unsurely then quickly filled up his dog’s food and water bowls and headed for the shower. 

Shin hastily hosed himself down and grabbed the nearest shower gel to scrub himself with, paying special attention to his stitches. He was filthy . Even his glasses needed to be washed. As Noi’s blood flowed down the drain, his mind strayed to the tentative embrace they had shared in the ship. Her strong body perched on his lap with her arms wrapped protectively around him. Recalling the feeling of her spine underneath his fingers made his heart pound. 

Now is not the time. 

Turning the temperature to ice cold, he forced himself to stay under the spray until that stirring of lust had been blasted away. Shuddering, he stepped out of the shower and rubbed himself down with a towel. He left it and his sodden clothes on the bathroom floor, no time to deal with them and padded through to his bedroom. 

Throwing on the first vaguely matching outfit then sourcing a bag, he packed a second outfit, not bothering to grab his toothbrush; he had a spare at Noi’s flat anyway. On top of his folded clothes went his phone charger, then upon cleaning his hammer he gave a final cursory scan to the room. Shin deemed himself ready to play nurse for the night and headed to his Partner's side. 

The corridor outside Noi’s apartment was usually patrolled by squads of goons sent to keep an eye on her. All that stood beside her door now though, was two looming mushroom soldiers. 

Shin passed them by tersely. He never did like those things. Their lifeless eyes tracked him each step of the way and they only parted in front of the door they guarded when he was a scant few inches away. He swore loudly as they shuddered and split down the middle, dividing in half and producing two more soldiers that ambled down to either end of the hallway. Fucking gross. 

Not particularly keen on witnessing anymore freaky fungal feats, Shin hastily entered Noi’s apartment.

Finding the kitchen and living room empty, he headed for the bedroom. Apparently having raided a linen closet on the way, Noi’s bed was swamped in towels as her duvet lay in a heap in the corner of the room. A stack of thin blankets perched at the foot of the bed and more towels covered her plush pillows. Noi was stretched out on her good side as En fussed over a freshly tied dressing. Shin blinked and pinched himself as he took in the bizarre sight. 

The Boss'jacket hung neatly on the coat rack and he had his sleeves rolled up. He'd even discarded his mask as he sat at the chair pulled up beside Noi’s bed. Not once in all the years he had worked for the Boss had he witnessed him looking after his cousin this… gently. Sure, he checked in on her health from time to time, mostly through asking Shin but he had never been this hands on. 

Given the brief glance towards Shin, En had noticed him entering, never mind the eyes he had throughout the mansion from his clones. But Noi, however, had her eyes closed and she listed into the mattress with her fingers smoothing through Kikurage’s fluffy ears. 

"How does that feel?" En asked her quietly. 

"Better." Noi replied just as lowly. 

Cleaning away the excess blood with all the brisk efficiency and care that only a close relative could have, En mused aloud. "We haven't done this for a while. Not since your smoke reserves were tiny, considering your age at the time." 

"At least you've gotten better at bandaging a wound, En."

"Still complaining in the exact same way, as I expected." 

Noi opened her mouth to answer but was overcome by violent coughing that shook her entire frame. Shin quickly made his way to the bedside but En just calmly held a towel to her mouth and kept it in place until the fit had ended. 

En then handed him a clean towel and nodded towards Noi. 

Taking the direction gratefully, Shin swapped places with him and mopped away the remaining sweat and blood. Noi cracked open her eyes and frowned at him, as if struggling to see. 

"Hey, you." He murmured, still touching her face even after he had cleaned the mess.

Noi sighed and relaxed into his hands. "Senpai." 

"Check the dressing hourly and redo it if necessary. Supplies are in the bathroom and make sure to disinfect everything. I don't know if she is susceptible to other injuries as she is now, but I'm not risking it." En said as he emerged from the bathroom with clean hands and shrugged on his jacket. He paused and clipped on his mask, watching Shin. "You aren't leaving this apartment until Noi has healed herself." 

"Where else would I go? I'd be staying no matter what you said," Shin replied dubiously then hurriedly remembered his manners. "En-san." 

En regarded him coolly and nodded (in approval?) before turning to leave, scooping up the sleepy Kikurage then calling over his shoulder as he did so. "If you need help with anything, say my name to my soldiers and I'll check in with you. I'm trusting you implicitly to protect my cousin, Shin-kun, don't let me down."

After that final ominous statement, the door clicked shut and they were left alone once more. 

Chapter Text

"Who would've thought that En is such a good maid?" Shin wondered. 

Noi snorted. "Careful, En likes you but he doesn't like you that much, senpai." 

"I don't think he likes anyone, 'cept Kikurage and maybe you." 

"Hah! Don't make me laugh, it hurts too much." 

"Who else is he gonna babysit when they're ill?" 

"One. You're somehow forgetting En literally did babysit me and two, I'm poisoned not ill, there's a difference."

"Oh excuse me, I forgot you had a medical degree, Noi." 

"Dr. Noi does have a good ring to it, don't you think?" 

"Sure." 

Noi breathed out heavily and Shin mirrored her. What a fucking day. 

"Don't suppose I could convince ya to bring me a beer, senpai?" 

" No, Noi, what the fuck? Some doctor you'd be."

"Come on, it's not gonna kill me!" 

"You're getting water or you're getting nothing." 

"Tch, fine! Make sure it's got ice in it, I'm getting warm again." 

On his way to get her drink, he plugged his phone in to charge. The several panicked text messages from Fujita caught his eye but he didn't bother replying. At least, he assumed it was Fujita, he had never saved the boy's number to his contacts but as the messages were related to Gura-Gura, it was probably him. 

On a whim, Shin found a face cloth and soaked it in cold water as he ran the faucet for Noi; memories of his father laying one on his forehead when he was ill came unbidden.

When he returned, Noi was fast asleep, snoring hoarsely. Typical. Shin set down the water on the bedside table and folded the damp cloth in half, placing it across her forehead. He watched for a couple of minutes, wishing he could do more to help but ultimately accepted defeat and went on his phone. 

Shin-san Ebisu has been chased up a tree by guragura

Are yuo tehre,, 

Pls

Shin laughed aloud at Fujita's obvious misery and fear in the misspelled messages. He took a screenshot and sent it to Noi's phone for her to cackle over later. 

Have you never walked a dog before, Fujita? 

The " ... " typing bubble appeared and disappeared a few times. 

…how could you tell

Just a hunch. 

Be assertive and GG will listen.

Maybe. 

Right,,

Fujita was in the middle of typing another message as Shin closed his chat window and opened the local news. He browsed through numerous articles, checking if there was any public report on their jaunt to the docks. Considering En owned every single news agency in town, he doubted it. There was a review on a new pizza joint that had recently opened, seemed pretty credible and the menu looked good (no mushroom themed dishes, thank Chidaruma). He made a mental note to take Noi there in future.

Wasting time scrolling through his old photos, Shin found multiple selfies Noi had apparently taken on his phone. When did they get there? 

A soft noise distracted him. Distracted him from the surprisingly well-shot images, the red of her eyes complimented by the blood-stained backgrounds. He glanced up, locking his phone and watched Noi scrub at her eyes as she woke up. 

"Mm, Shin." She blinked sleepily and he was struck by affectionately gruff and relaxed she sounded, her voice wrapping warmly around his name. The moment was ruined when blood ran from her nose once again. She brushed it away, frustrated, and ended up leaving a streak across her cheek.

"Would it kill you to not get blood everywhere? You're surrounded by towels." Shin bit out even as he cleaned her. 

Noi ignored him and reached back awkwardly to grab her glass of water, startling when the damp cloth slid off her face with a wet plap . "How long have I been asleep?" She asked in between sips. 

"20 minutes? Give or take." 

She closed her eyes and a furrow appeared on her brow. "Fuck this." Noi muttered, face lined with pain. 

"What does it feel like?" Shin asked, genuinely curious. He had withstood all manner of injury over the years but he had never been poisoned before. 

"Imagine the worst hangover you've ever had, then multiply it 'till your veins feel like they've been filled with acid. And you can't move because that will make it worse and you can't breathe or talk without choking on your own blood." 

"Ouch."

"Pretty much."

"You're handling it well, all things considered." 

"That's not helpful, senpai." 

"No, I don't suppose it is." Shin said half-heartedly. "What would be helpful?"

"You could get me out of these clothes." 

"Eh?!"

Noi looked at him and repeated herself slowly as if that clarified anything. "The clothes. My sweats are sticking to me and cold blood isn't the best remedy for what should be a fatal fever." She huffed and wiped her nose, with a towel this time. "I'm wearing boxers underneath, senpai, don't look so scandalised." 

"I - uh - shouldn't risk using my magic on you."

"What the fuck has that got to do with anything?" 

"I've used it too much today to be confident in something fiddly like this. What if I chop off your fucking leg or something?" 

"I'll heal??? Have you somehow forgotten what I'm capable of?" 

Shin chewed on his bottom lip and carefully broached the topic En had theorised on earlier. "I don't think your healing is reliable at the moment." 

"Wanna bet?" 

" Noi. If I fuck up and you bleed to death, well then we're both fucked aren't we?" 

"Scissors exist, senpai." Noi interjected snidely. 

Shin pinched the bridge of his nose and vowed he wouldn't strangle his Partner. "Why wouldn't you just suggest scissors to begin with?!" 

"I'm a bit preoccupied with not dying if you hadn't noticed!"

They glared at each other but Noi was the first to break out into giggles and Shin chuckled. "You're insufferable when you're ill. I want you to know that." 

"Poisoned. Not ill, senpai." 

"Where's the fucking scissors?" 

A quick rifle through the bathroom cabinets later for the damned utensil and Shin began debating on how best to approach cutting the clothes off his Partner’s body. Shuffling from foot to foot, the gravity of his task set his pulse racing. 

He started at the hems, working the scissors through thick damp fabric and cursing as they became stuck intermittently. Noi dozed on, blissfully unaware. Once Shin reached her thighs, he had to pause to wet his abruptly dry mouth. 

Maybe he wasn’t cut out to play nurse if he couldn’t concentrate on helping Noi if the mere sight of her legs rendered him frozen. 

Carved and deadly, even in a relaxed state her muscles bulged impressively and the soft fuzz of her body hair brushed against his knuckles. 

“Stop worrying, senpai.”

Shin was thankful that he had set aside the scissors otherwise he could have stabbed them into the bedspread in surprise. “I never worry. Dunno where you got that impression.” He replied gruffly. 

Noi looked at him through half-lidded eyes, her legs flexed in what had to be a subconscious manner (there was no way she could be deliberately teasing him like this. Right? Right???) and Shin gulped discreetly before continuing. 

Inches below her waistband, hands shaking from nerves and excitement, he had to admit defeat. "They've jammed." 

"Hmm?" If Shin could ignore the obvious pained aura clinging to her, he would compare her to Kikurage getting her cream. Laying out in a long sleek stretch of limbs, blinking warmly at him; despite the painful tension of the scenario they were both in. 

"The scissors, Noi." 

"Oh," Her words slurred the slightest amount but she still seemed altogether there, mentally. "Rip 'em, then." 

Shin would be lying if he hadn't imagined a scene exactly like this in those dangerously realistic dreams that had plagued him recently: Both of them, together, usually right after a mission and still damp with blood. Noi's lips would bruise his own and she'd bite his neck into a red ruin. He'd brace himself and lift her up with her legs hooked around his waist. They would kiss like that for a while (she was far too heavy to sustain lifting for more than a couple of minutes). Against a wall. Against the door. Even in the shower one time. His clothes were always the first to go but he would get the pleasure of spreading her across the bed and tearing her trousers off roughly. Noi would either gasp his name as she trembled in his arms or hiss it against his neck whilst yanking on his hair. 

Unfortunately though, this was real life. And Shin was reminded of that glaring fact as his hands brushed against a gauze-wrapped hip. 

He gripped the two halves of fabric and wrenched with a controlled flex of his arms, trying not to jostle Noi. It tore apart easily with a satisfying rip. 

With her wounded side now free of restrictive clothing, he set about pulling down the other intact leg of her sweats, chewing a hole into his tongue as the branded waistband to her boxers slipped a little. Far from attempting to make Shin's life easier, Noi just watched him with that same heavy gaze as he had to prop her leg in the crook of his elbow to shimmy the last quarter down past her calf. 

Tossing the destroyed pants over his shoulder, Shin could suddenly breathe again (kinda) and dreaded (anticipated) the new dream fodder he was just exposed to. 

"You there? Earth to senpai? Gosh, what does a gal have to do to get a blanket around here!" 

Oh god. Had he really been standing and gawking like a fool? Surely he couldn't have failed his one job of keeping Noi safe and comfortable already. "R-right! Blanket, shit, here." Shin draped the light linen on top of her and cleared his throat. "Sorry. Must be getting tired. Drifted off, yeah." 

“Uh-huh,” Noi eyed him dubiously. “If you are worn out then come to bed.”

"N-no fucking way, you need your rest, I take up too much room. Besides it's… uh…"

Noi didn't look impressed. "Shin, you're big, sure, but don't flatter yourself. It's custom made to fit me twice over. And it's what exactly?" 

"...Inappropriate…" 

"Huh?! Man, what a load of shit! I've known you for ten fucking years and we've kept each other alive that whole time. Sharing a bed is nothin'! Unless, you don't want to?" 

"No!" Shin startled himself with the intensity of his shout. "Of course not, dumbass, I just mean… En wants me to keep an eye on you." 

"What better place to keep an eye on me than right beside me, huh senpai?" 

Shin clucked his tongue. He couldn't argue with that. Shrugging off his jumper, he maneuvered the linens and towels to free up a part of the mattress, pulling a pillow from the forlorn pile beside the bed. Noi watched him quietly, taking longer to reopen her eyes each time she blinked. 

He reclined stiffly beside her, crossing his hands over his lap and regarding her from the corner of his eyes. “Happy?”

“Heh, yeah,” She replied blissfully then breaking out in a jaw-cracking yawn. “This sure gives me dejavu, what ‘bout you?” 

A whisper of a memory itched through his head; musky perfume, a chuckle against his lips and now, newly recalled, an accompanying warmth surrounding him. He frowned. “What are you talking about?”

"Don't you remember? Remind me to - yawn - tell you later." With all the casual gracelessness that Noi possessed, she stretched out a hand, placing it close enough to Shin that her pinky casted along his forearm stitching; reassuring herself or reassuring him? 

The faint stroking abated with each increasingly deeper breath she took, but still their skin remained touching as she drifted into a hopefully restful sleep.

And Shin remained wide awake, guarding his Partner, with an increasingly warm feeling in his breast. 

Chapter Text

A plush object was squashed against his cheek. Soft. He burrowed his face closer to the comforting mystery object, a satisfied thrum making its way from deep in his chest. 

“Aw would you look at that, I wouldn’ta thought you’d be into snuggling.”

Hm? Shin? Snuggling??? Nah, there’s no way. This was just a talkative heated pillow. Yeah. Stranger things had happened in his dreams. 

“Still though, you’ve been giving off some real mixed messages lately senpai. I dunno if you are trying to be a tease or what, but you sure are driving me crazy! Were you joking about not remembering the party?”

What party? Oh wait, that party, heh. He had been as drunk as a dancing devil and thrice as forgetful.

“Ah well, I can hold out for a few more days. I really love you, y’know? Tch, this is pointless. Sleep tight senpai~”

A delicate wet touch brushed his brow and a fluffy weight settled over Shin, sending him resolutely further into nonsensical dreams.

“Ah shit!”
Shin’s eyes snapped open and he sat up, the comforter rolling off of him to settle on the floor. Turning his head this way and that, there was no sign of his errant Partner. Just him alone in Noi’s bed. 

“Noi?! Where are you?” Shin called, finding his glasses at the bedside table and slipping them on as he stood. The clock informed him that they both must have slept through the night. 

There was a pregnant pause. “...In the bathroom, senpai.” 

Frowning, he replied. “Your legs working now?”

“They were until I got into the fuckin’ tub.”

“Do you, uh, need a hand?”

“...Yes please.”

He laughed at her disgruntled tone and made his way down the hallway. Shin’s chuckles trailed into silence as he stood outside the closed door. “How are we gonna do this?”

“Come in. Eyes shut, senpai.” Noi said quietly and he gulped in trepidation and excitement. 

A thick cloud of steam hit him, dampening his skin and clinging to his clothes. The air was heavy with Noi’s scent, perfumed and floral. Shin inhaled greedily and felt his way blindly to the centre of the room. “Little guidance here, Noi?”

“Bit to the left, no, your other left! Okay, keep walking forward like two steps?”

Her voice grew closer as he listened to her, frankly shit, instructions. “What were you thinking, having a fucking spa day in your condition!” Shin admonished.

“I felt gross and I didn’t think you would wanna clean me up, like I was Gura-Gura or something.”

“I might.”

“What? Speak up, senpai!”

“It’s nothing,” The combination of steam, luxuriant bath oils and the thought of a naked dripping wet Noi in front of him made it hard to think, let alone speak clearly. “Let’s get this over with.”

“Okay,” She replied faintly. “Gimme your hands.”

And he did. With that familiar bull-headed strength, she used his bulk as a counterweight to rise to her feet. "How you feeling?" Shin asked. 

Noi's arms snaked around his neck letting go of his hands and wetting his shoulders. "Better, I think, senpai." She wobbled ominously, and instinctually, he steadied her. "T-thanks." 

He clung to her hips, God he wished he could see the contrast of his large hands encapsulating her pale skin. Gently, for once in his life, he tested his grip, minding her wound and pulled her closer to him. 

There was no question about what was now pressed against his chest. Keep it together, keep it together, don't fuck this up. 

Shin lifted Noi up and out of the bath. A slight struggle to his arms due to the angle and her size but he'd be damned if he ever dropped his Partner. 

But for some reason, he just couldn't let go and they remained standing there. So close but so far to a full embrace. "Shin," Noi said, her voice near his ear. 

"Noi," He replied. Surely she could feel how his hands trembled? Or see how red his face was? Fuck. Fuck. He didn't know what to do, but he sure wasn't gonna leave. "I-" 

She kissed him. An unmistakable peck on the cheek, but she didn't lean away. Instead, trailing closer to his own mouth, small noises escaping from where they connected. Breathily, she murmured to him as her nose brushed the tip of his. "Don't freak out, okay?"

The warning didn't make much difference as Shin's entire body locked up when Noi captured his lips, slowly and carefully tasting him, bending down to meet him from her lofty height. She worked him open, patient but insistent and drew her tongue along his bottom lip. 

Pulling quietly lustful noises from him, she leaned further into his hold, trusting him to bear her weight. Shin's mind kickstarted and his hands coasted along the sculpted planes of her back, pushing up onto his tiptoes and reciprocating eagerly. Noi groaned, the noise reverberating deep in her chest and her fingers curled themselves into the hair above his nape. 

As her tongue slipped into his mouth, Noi's legs shook and Shin's eyes snapped open, then shut again. He pulled away, shame burning high on his cheeks and he spoke to the side. "No, this isn't right. You're hurt." 

Instead of the expected bluster and indignation, Noi just sounded… sad. "Why? Why isn't it right?" 

"I'm not taking advantage of you." 

"You aren't, Shin. Please?" She leaned in again, a sliver of hope brightening her voice. 

"No, Noi." 

"O-oh." 

Shit. That was much too harsh. Seems like he didn't need his magic to ruin things he touched. Shin sighed and turned around, keeping Noi's arms around his neck so she could use him as a walking aid. "C'mon, the heat will have worn you out." 

She didn't reply. Damn, that stung, but he supposed he deserved that. 

The agonisingly awkward walk to the bedroom lasted an age, Noi pushing off of him and quietly telling him to leave so she could get dressed again had him retreating to the bathroom with his bag. 

Now that he could see, the previously romantic air of the room was firmly shattered. Dotting the tiles on the floor, the walls (the ceiling???) and the porcelain tub were streaks of blood. Shin looked down and found his hands covered in the stuff. He ran the shower and took some time to freshen up both himself and the bathroom, ignoring the ache in his chest that felt more than just emotional. 

Shouldn't his Contract be happy that he wasn't placing his own needs above his injured Partner? Fucking Devil magic. It never made any sense. 

Noi sat at the end of her bed, dressed casually in an ancient t-shirt from the Hanakemuri merchandise chain, to add insult to injury. 

"Yeah, yeah whatever." She said tiredly, hanging up on the phone with a decisive click. Without looking at him, she explained curtly. "En is coming by with Chota. You can leave when they get here." 

"Right, so they got an antidote or..?" 

"Uh-huh." Noi replied and fluffed up her pillows and bedding.

"Need a hand?"

Finally, she looked at him. "What do you think?" Shin felt like one of the Cross-Eyes when they went out cleaning, with the way her red eyes were narrowed at him scathingly.

Shin held his hands up in defeat and deposited himself in a chair. "Alright, alright, fucking hell." 

Sneaking glances at Noi, he watched her texting, somewhat furiously. That couldn't be good. "Who you writing an essay to?" 

"Turkey." 

Oh that was definitely not good. Those two had an odd relationship spanning several years and Shin was quite sure that he didn't want to be on the receiving end of a kitchen cleaver. 

In no time at all it seemed, En and Chota arrived, loudly on Chota's part who bustled into the room with a nondescript bottle. En followed sedately (with Kikurage of course), peering between Shin and Noi with a brow raised, no doubt picking up on the tension in the air. 

Chota and Noi quickly became immersed in an anatomical alchemy discussion that flew over Shin's head as he listened in. 

"If we use it as a topical ointment, it will be less painful, Noi-chan~" 

"What, you think I'm a weakling? It will be far quicker injected direct into my bloodstream." 

"Nyah~" 

Noi caught his eye, but the way she pursed her lips and turned away from him hurt more than he expected and he suddenly wanted to leave. 

"Am I needed here, En-san?" He asked the older man. 

"No, you can leave. That is, if you want to." 

"Yeah, I do." Shin muttered and ignored En's mildly surprised expression, gathering up his bag and striding out the room.