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“Gaah! It still hurts! Sou– you greedy jerk!” Sora winced as he used the herbs Mamoru gave him to soothe the pain on his shoulder. The Gokuzoku who was kneeling beside him looked at him apologetically.
“Sorry, I really thought I could hold it in this time.”
“You said that last time!” Sora pouted.
“I am sincere about it this time.”
Sora glared at him. “I don’t believe you.”
“I really am–gah!” Soushi groaned. Even if he did say that and mean it, he knew that it would only come off as a lie to the human. He couldn’t help it. He’s a Gokuzoku. By nature, these higher demons are persistent in their pursuit of their interests. And Soushi is very interested in Sora.
The human motioned him to help him press the herb on the wound. Not wanting to further anger him, Soushi followed and gently pressed on the wound. Sora relaxed and leaned on his chest, sighing in relief. “I’m so mad at you, but you’re also relaxing to be around.”
“Really now?”
“Yeah. I wouldn’t stick around a demon who keeps biting me to the point of bleeding.”
“... Sorry.”
“Hahaha.” Sora laughed. “It’s rare for you to apologize like this. You used to be so mean when we first met.”
It’s true. Being a child in Gokuzoku terms, Soushi was very naive about the world and unconsciously looked down on humans because of it. To him, humans were food that would come into the forest as a prey. Ren disliked his view of humans, but he couldn’t help it as it was the only interactions he had with them.
That changed when he met Sora and Mori for the first time. There was a strange link and resonance he felt with Mori, probably due to the man being a half-Gokuzoku, but to Sora, he experienced the strangest emotions that he felt for the first time.
An intense feeling to devour the short human before him yet there was also the intense feeling to hold him close and to be with him forever. That feeling confused and frustrated him that he ended up acting rudely towards Sora until he made peace with his emotions.
That didn’t stop his desire though. Whenever he kisses Sora, an urge to bite him would swell inside him and there are times when he would succumb to his instincts. Safe to say, that didn’t please the human who was at the receiving end of it.
“That’s all in the past now, is it?”
“Yeah yeah.” Sora chuckled. “The sexy Gokuzoku we met is now one of my partners, who’d have thought?”
“I really don’t understand your concept of sexy.”
“You’ll get used to it.”
“Hmmm…”
The sound of the river’s current surrounded them as the sat in silence.
“Hey Sora.”
“Hmm?”
“I want to make up to you for hurting you… is there any request you have from me?”
Sora blinked at him, a bit taken aback from the straightforwardness. He placed his hand on his chin, thinking about a request. His eyes the widened, as if knowing what he wants to request.
“A lap pillow.”
“A wha–?”
“Lap pillow. I want a lap pillow from you.”
Soushi looked at the human hair whorl, confused about the request. Is Sora requesting to rip Soushi’s lower body for a pillow? What a strange human tradition.
“Do I just have to rip off my legs and give it to you?”
Sora sat up straight, almost hitting Soushi’s chin. He looked back at Soushi with a bewildered expression.
“Not like that! God! Don’t repeat it like the time you ripped your heart off!” He whined. With Soushi replying with a confused expression, Sora then realized that Gokuzoku didn’t understand what he meant by lap pillow. He shook his head. Not wanting a repeat of the last time Soushi ripped his heart off and attempted to give it to Sora and Mori, he explained.
“Look, Sou. Lap pillow means me resting my head on your lap–not making a literal pillow out of your thighs.”
“Ah. I see. Then…” Soushi closed his thighs and dusted off his lap. He motioned Sora. “Is this ok?”
“Very much!” Sora beamed and lunged forward to Soushi’s lap, resting his head and relaxing. It was nice, it was warm. He smelled like the earth, and overall, nature. Sora liked the feeling a lot.
Soushi observed as Sora relaxed and eventually, soft snores were heard. He smiled upon seeing Sora’s sleeping face.
He still doesn’t understand why this is a big deal for the human, but if it makes him happy, then he’s willing to stay like this for eternity.