Demonic Po*nstar System

Chapter 1040: Serious Woman

”I have watched your streams for a long time. All of you say whatever comes to mind, argue over the most remarkable things, and laugh whenever the mood takes you.” Yunohana folded her hands in her lap. ”You always appeared to be having so much fun together.”

In this moment, she seemed to have lost her eternal gracefulness, the aura that made her appear more than a normal human woman.

”I was a very serious child. I earned the best grades, won academic competitions, and served as class president. As I grew older, people came to expect that seriousness from me. My position rewards it now. Becoming High Shrine Maiden felt like the natural result of a lifetime spent working hard and behaving properly.”

Her thumbs began worrying gently against each other.

”But then I would watch your family fight, swear, tease one another, and somehow become happier through all of it.” Yunohana lowered her eyes to her hands. ”I was jealous.”

Uncertainty entered Yunohana’s voice. The High Shrine Maiden whose soft words made council chambers lean closer was struggling to admit that she wanted to be silly with them.

”I wanted to have fun with you too,” she said. ”When Miss Luna offered me the opportunity, I thought I might try playing along instead of being the boring woman I was my entire life.”

Yunohana looked toward Luna.

”I am not certain I did it correctly. I took three deep breaths before answering her.”

Luna remained silent for so long that Yunohana’s fingers stopped moving.

Then the Storm Gremlin set her bowl down, crossed the room, and placed her palm on top of Yunohana’s head.

”You’re my spirit animal.”

Yunohana’s protest came out astonishingly small.

”Miss Luna... I am human.”

She looked remarkably happy beneath Luna’s palm. Her hands fidgeted together again as a soft smile spread across her face.

Kaiden finally understood that Yunohana had wanted a place inside their nonsense all this time.

”You have not answered my question,” she reminded Luna.

Luna stroked her hair with complete solemnity.

”You’re a natural, Miss Milf.”

”Really?” Yunohana beamed.

Bastet regarded the two of them with immense satisfaction.

”We are corrupting Japan’s High Shrine Maiden.”

”The Shrines offer no complaints...” Yunohana whispered.

That broke the room. Luna cackled above her, Aria covered her smile, and the others joined them until Yunohana’s softer laughter disappeared happily beneath theirs.

When the laughter eased, Luna finally lifted her hand from Yunohana’s head.

”Could my spirit animal keep this idiot sitting down while we wash and change?” she asked. ”He gets slippery when he’s injured.”

Yunohana glanced toward Kaiden, her tender smile returning.

”I believe I can manage one injured man.”

...

After Kaiden had eaten and changed into a clean robe, Yunohana remained beside him on the cushioned bench beneath his room’s window. She had taken Luna’s request seriously enough to question every attempt he made to stand.

The girls had gone to wash and change in the adjoining rooms. Alexandra and Alice had taken the trays away, leaving tea on the low table and the door open toward the veranda.

Kaiden leaned against the wall and immediately regretted it. The cushion slipped beneath his neck, pressing his head forward at an angle that made the ache behind his eyes throb.

”Oh, for fuck’s sake.”

Yunohana looked over from the silver cord she was replenishing.

”Still fighting the furniture?”

”It’s winning.”

She set the glowing braid on the table and studied the offending cushion. Then she shifted toward the middle of the bench and smoothed her robe over her knees.

”Perhaps one of the professional sitters should intervene.” She patted her thighs. ”Would this be more comfortable?”

Kaiden looked at her lap.

Then he looked at her face. Yunohana met his eyes with the composed patience of a hostess offering a wounded guest somewhere comfortable to rest.

”You’re offering?”

Yunohana smoothed the silk beneath her palm again.

”I might as well put the ’plump’ part of my new nickname to proper use, no?”

”You’re far too happy to accept such a title...” Kaiden began stretching out along the bench. ”But far be it from me to decline such a generous offering.”

Her laugh followed him. She supported his head with her right hand until it rested across her thighs, then adjusted a folded towel beneath his neck.

”Better?”

Kaiden looked up at her. Long hair fell past her shoulders, and the loose neckline of her robe framed the graceful line of her throat. It was a much better view than the wall.

”I might not be able to get up.”

”I could ask the staff to serve dinner here.”

”You’re encouraging me.”

”Yes. We both need to spend the rest of the day healing. Might as well do it in good company.”

She said it so pleasantly that he couldn’t help but smile.

Yunohana brushed his hair back from his forehead, taking care around the tender skin where the horns had emerged during the transformation. He let his head rest more fully in her lap, enjoying the warmth beneath the silk and the light touch of her fingers.

Watching her bleed for him had left Kaiden worried for her, grateful to her, and furious at everyone who had made it necessary. Now they were both safe, and the hand moving through his hair made it easier than ever to believe that.

Then he caught her fingers beside his cheek.

”Thank you for this.”

Her fingers curled around his.

”You are welcome, my lord.”

”Yunohana.”

Her eyes widened.

”If you’re serious about joining our nonsense, you should probably stop calling me that.”

Her fingers tightened around his.

”What should I call you, then?”

Kaiden grinned.

”Kaiden.”

”...Kaiden,” she repeated carefully, tasting the foreign word on her tongue. ”I shall try my best, my lo-”

Yunohana caught herself and giggled.

”This is harder than I thought.”

She resumed stroking his hair with her free hand.

”Then it is only fair that you call me Yunohana.”

”I already do, though?”

Her hand paused above his forehead.

”You do.”

A shy smile returned to her face.

”Then I have some catching up to do.”

Neither of them let go. Yunohana’s thumb moved once over his knuckles before she seemed to notice what she was doing, and her hand went still in his.

Kaiden looked at their joined hands, then up at her.

Yunohana was already looking down at him.

From the doorway, Nyx cleared her throat.

”Khm.”

Yunohana looked up. Kaiden turned his head enough to see pink hair and a phone held beside a thoroughly amused face.

”Rook wants an update for your mother. How are you feeling, Kai?”

”Very well cared for.”

Nyx looked at his head in Yunohana’s lap, then at their joined hands.

Her smile widened.

”I’ll phrase it carefully.”

Nyx left them alone with that, closing the door behind herself.