[AYAMI]
All her life, Ayami had met different levels of stubborn, unrealistic, and unreasonable people.
She had met difficult people who never let shit go easily, let alone try to reason with them on things they never wanted to. She had met all walks of people, but none ever matched the two women she was seeing here.
On one hand, she was a desperate mate, one who wanted to stay longer with Yuzu, but on the other hand was Rinko, the warrior who had made it obvious that she would tear through Ayami like yesterday's food if she so much as insisted.
It was even worse for both of them because Yuzuki was not trying to say no to Ayami. If anything, she was encouraging the woman. Something was so simple and crazy at the same time.
Clearly, the woman knew Ayami was the most dangerous enforcer in the realm, yet somehow, the way Yuzuki looked at Ayami was different. It wasn't the way that warriors looked at other warriors.
It wasn't the way that civilians ever looked at Ayami Araki, the enforcer with the crazy king's ears, no. She was looking at Ayami like Ayami was just a person. Just a woman she had been mated to.
The innocence in that look was Ayami's undoing because initially, Ayami had planned on using these two to get leverage over the mad Kurayami queen, but now, she just didn't know what to do.
The sincerity in the way that Yuzuki defended her to Rinko was just heartwarming. It had her heart changing in the best of ways, and gods did Ayami see herself having a future with Yuzuki.
And that was insane because their kingdoms hated each other.
If Kazuya knew what was happening at the moment, he would have a field day. He would do everything just to make sure the mad Kurayami queen showed her face to them, but that didn't seem like a good thing for Ayami.
Because right now, the only thing she could think of was just Yuzuki. Not even the way that Rinko was protective of the woman. All she wanted was to be in the same space as Yuzuki, even if that meant she would be sitting and smiling worse than an excited goat.
Perhaps it was too much of a risk, but that was the first time Ayami was willing to risk everything for someone who wasn't Kujo. And that went on to say a lot about the woman.
"Rinko… can I say goodbye to her then?" Ayami asked gently.
Rinko raised a brow at the woman.
She wasn't sure if she was supposed to be disgusted at what had happened, or terrified that her queen had managed to manipulate a whole lethal Yamashita enforcer into believing that there was an actual mate bond between them.
Yuzuki was terrifying.
And Rinko was seeing that in the most unhinged of ways.
This shit wasn't comforting. It just made her remember that the woman who was here acting like a little weak saint was the devil reincarnate. This woman was dangerous, and gods had it never been more obvious.
"You can do that here. In front of me. I am not trusting you with her, especially now that you say she is your mate. Who knows what you will say to her to convince her to say it with you," Riko insisted.
Yuzuki smiled sheepishly.
"Rinko, please. I trust her," Yuzuki said sincerely, like this was the one thing she wanted to do. Like this was probably the most dangerous decision she was making, but at the same time, she was choosing to trust the one woman she didn't need to.
It was not alright in so many ways, but life wasn't always easy for Yuzuki. Then again, was it even supposed to be realistic at this point, or was it just a game even as the enforcer was star-struck?
Ayami Araki felt the world come to a stop in the most beautiful of ways. She had never been that excited to hear any say they trusted her.
On a normal day, the enforcer was trusted by everyone in Yamashita. They trusted her to save their lives, to go to war for them, and to win. They trusted her to take care of them; they trusted her with everything because he had always proven herself.
But to hear Yuzuki say that she trusted Ayam was a different kind of feeling; it was almost euphoric. Ayami felt like this was the best thing that had ever happened in her life, and it was strange to say the least.
Nevertheless, that didn't bother her, because he loved that Yuzuki had said she was a trusted person; she didn't ever try to defend herself.
Instead, she just stood there, watching Yuzuki defend her like this was something they had agreed upon; it was the most selfless form of love, and Ayami found herself falling in love.
It was dangerous for her, but she couldn't help it. Maybe this was a bad idea, but she would deal with the consequences later. Right now, the only thing that mattered was that Suzuki trusted her. It was everything.
"Ah, Yuzu, ah," Rinko sighed as she ran a frustrated hand down her face. This was not what she had wanted, but clearly, there was always going to be more to this. Always. Perhaps she just had to give themselves time.
Besides, the longer they stared here, the longer everything would go to shit, right?
"Alright. You have thirty minutes. No fucking. You hear me? And no marking. If you come back reeking of sex, I will never let you come out of Kurayami again, and you both will NEVER see each other again," Rinko warned, her tone dead serious.
She was acting like the older sister you never had, and it was the prettiest sight Yuzuki had ever had to witness. This was perfection. All the cards were played correctly.
Maybe she was insane for loving this, but a little drama in life would never hurt that much, right? After all, something had to give, and if it was Rinko's trust and sweet little threats, then it was going to be worth it.
"C… can she kiss me though? I mean, she is my mate. We won't fuck. I haven't been kissed. Can she be my first kiss, Rinko, please? After that, I will come back with you. I'll go home with you.
"Just please… and a hug… can she… Can she hug me?" Yuzuki asked innocently.
Rinko felt like her mind was going to blow.
Ayami, on the other hand, was fascinated with this; she had never gotten to this point with anyone, and the way Yuzuki was so innocent had her heart almost leaping out of her chest. This was just a kind of purity she had never encountered.
For the first time, Ayami felt the urge to protect Yuzuki with her life. She felt like this woman was right; she was everything to her. That this woman was worth everything that would come, and that would step in.
"Gods, Yuzuki. I don't care what you do with each other; just no mating marks and sex," Rinko said defeatedly as she looked into her queen's eyes before she turned to Ayami, the woman who had brought all this.
"If I find a scratch on her, I will kill ten of your servants. If you make her cry, just know I will make sure King Kazuya will cry harder. So be careful with my sister and your thirty minutes, too," Rinko said.
Yuzuki stared at her sheepishly.
"Thanks, Rinko… but… why would King Kazuya cry if Ayami makes me cry?" Yuzuki asked, and Rinko could swear this was not what he had signed up for when she had agreed to be part of the mad queen's inner circle.
This was the kind of insanity that even hell wouldn't save her from, so defeatedly, she just stared at Yuzuki, holding her face gently like that was supposed to make her understand shit.
"Don't worry. She knows what that means. Go have fun, little sister," Rinko said before kissing Yuzuki's cheek and then walking away, leaving a stunned Ayami staring at her back like Rinko had said something dangerous.
"Don't mind my sister. You should see how she gets when boys look at me," Yuzuki said softly, adding fuel to the fire she had set on her own.
Gods, she was a menace.