I stood just outside his door, hand hovering near the handle, debating whether to knock or walk in unannounced.
This would be the first time we met since the… accident, since the mission. And well, I wasn't sure how to react, should I be angry that he pissed on my face? Should I be glad that he is recovering well?
Even beyond that, there was the fact that now that I was back in the village, our relationship might not be the same as out there… Here, I wasn't just Yuki, I was a representative of the Hyūga Clan and Hiashi's future wife.
But I wasn't the only one waiting.
"I can smell you, you know," came the muffled voice from inside.
I took a deep breath, and shoved the door open. "And whose fault do you think that is? Even now, I get stopped on the street by members of your clan, all wanting to see Koji Inuzuka's private piss spot." I said as I glared at him, pushing the door closed behind me.
He at least had the decency to choke when he heard that, looking embarrassed and guilty, even if I saw a hint of pride in the depth of his eyes.
Koji coughed into his fist, ears twitching as he looked away. "To be fair, it wasn't exactly… intentional."
"Oh, please, the only thing not intentional was you doing it without permission, you enjoyed it far too much to be an accident," I said, crossing my arms and leaning against the wall. "But that doesn't stop your cousin from greeting me as Koji's bitch." I said, rolling my eyes as the fool beamed with pride before remembering he should be guilty and quickly did his best attempt at wounded puppy.
"Woof!" Kuro barked, coming to Koji's rescue as he greeted me.
"Hey there," I said, squatting down to hug his big head. "How are you holding up? Tired of hanging out with this fool yet? Because I've got room back home for a good boy like you."
"Woof!"
"Hey! Kuro is mine, don't try stealing him when I can't fight!" Koji protested, but honestly, it was pretty weak with him strapped down in bed and looking like he did.
I snorted and petted Kuro a bit more before standing up and moving beside Koji's bed, looking down at him.
"Oh yeah? Well, I don't smell your scent on him, so how do I know he is yours? Because I was sure you Inuzuka marked your belongings… isn't that what you did to me? Marked me as yours?" I said, leaning lower with each word, until my face was near his, letting him really smell my scent, or rather, his scent on me.
And smell me he did, he breathed in my scent greedily, no doubt enjoying the way he had marked me, it might have earned him the beating of his lifetime but he had enjoyed it all the same.
Koji was still greedily taking in my scent, his gaze soft, ears twitching ever so slightly. Until—
His nose wrinkled. He blinked. And blinked again.
Then his entire expression shifted.
His nostrils flared slightly, the muscles in his jaw tightening as he inhaled again—sharper this time. Less appreciation, more assessment. And when his gaze snapped back up to mine, all the warmth had vanished, replaced by something more possessive.
"…You were with someone else."
His words were a deep growl, angry, yet not. He wasn't stupid; he knew I was promised to another man, and he knew this, so he could put two and two together, but that didn't mean he liked it, not one bit.
He was angry, but not at me, not really, his anger was at himself, and at Hiashi and the clan for giving me away.
"On your neck. Your collarbone. Lips too." He clarified, his eyes burning hot as they roamed over me, as if checking how much Hiashi had done.
I didn't hide it, what would the point be? We both knew the truth, and despite being shinobi, liars and killers by trade, there was no point in trying to lie here.
I straightened slowly, brushing imaginary dust off my sleeve. "You're not wrong," I said, voice calm, careful. "We kissed. A lot. It wasn't some hidden secret. The whole clan practically gave their blessing—hell, they were probably listening."
Koji's lip twitched. His eyes followed my hand as it moved, as if he could see the ghost of Hiashi's touch there.
"Did he know?" he asked, voice a deep growl, domineering and wild.
"Did he know the lips he kissed used to worship my dick? Did he know the neck he kissed was covered by my collar? That the face he admired was covered in my piss? Did he lick your face? Like the spots my dick slapped you?"
I rolled my eyes, "It's good to see you are doing well." I lowered myself next to his ear, "Partner."
"Fuck Yuki… I'm so sorry… I didn't mean to do it, I just… got carried away." At my word, Koji instantly calmed down, gone was the beast, and all that was left was the sweet guy behind it all.
"…got carried away."
His voice cracked, just a little.
That was all it took.
I let out a slow breath and sat down on the edge of his bed. The mattress dipped slightly under my weight, and Koji tensed beneath the bandages, like he wasn't sure if I was here to scold him, tease him, or just leave him again.
"I know," I said, softer now.
My fingers brushed through his messy hair, gently smoothing it away from his face. Even with the wildness tempered by injury, it was still stubborn and unruly, like the boy himself.
Koji blinked up at me, dark eyes wide and cautious, but he didn't pull away. If anything, he leaned into the touch, just a little.
"You were scared," I continued, tracing a slow circle along his temple with my thumb. "You knew that once we returned… things would change… that we wouldn't, couldn't be the same… and you didn't like it, there is no shame in admitting that."
He swallowed hard. "But I still—"
"Koji," I interrupted, not harsh, but firm. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't forgive you, you made a mistake… but so did I… Koji, I almost killed you, and for what? Because you got carried away? I had every right to be angry, but I too got carried away, so Koji, we are even, alright?"
He didn't answer right away.
His throat bobbed in a tight swallow, his eyes locked on mine with that look—the one he only gave me. The one full of disbelief and relief and the fragile hope that maybe, just maybe, this wasn't the end of whatever we were.
"…Even?" he echoed, voice barely more than a whisper. "After everything?"
I nodded. "Even."
A silence settled, but it was a warm one. I slid my hand from his hair to the side of his cheek, fingers trailing over the rough edge of a healing cut. His skin was warm beneath my palm, and the way he leaned into it—like a starved pup finally given food—made something in my chest ache.
"You surprised me, "I admitted. "But… I'm pretty sure I asked for that at some point, so really, I'm the one that should ask for forgiveness."
"Woof!" Kuro barked, and I waited, letting him speak.
I didn't understand, but Koji did, and if I needed to know, I'm sure he would translate dogspeak for me.
Koji seemed to find his fire, his confidence, that cocky attitude that he always wore from Kuro's little speech, and while he was still stuck in bed, he seemed to grow larger from the confidence.
"Yuki… There is nothing you need to be forgiven for… I asked for it too. I mean, what was I thinking? Marking your face without permission? That's just not right, so I fucked up, we are even, remember?"
I smiled at him, soft and tired, and for once, didn't bother to hide it.
"You really are hopeless," I murmured, brushing his bangs back again.
"And you really do like me," he shot back, voice barely above a whisper, but cheeky all the same.
I snorted. "Don't push your luck."
"I'm tied to a hospital bed with half my bones broken," he grinned, though it hurt to do so. "Pushing my luck is all I've got."
I leaned down, pressing my forehead gently to his. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't like you, idiot. But could you get your clan to not address me as your bitch in public? If the clan finds out… we will be in trouble."
"In private then?" He asked, his tone a bit too cheeky, but I ignored it, despite knowing some stupid joke was coming.
"I can't decide what you guys say in private, so go for it, but remember, not in public."
"Hehe, fine, I will get them to stop, but since it's true, I can't promise anything, because Yuki, you are my bitch." He teased, causing me to roll my eyes.
"Really? That is the best you have? After weeks on this bed? You have nothing else?"
I shook my head, but I didn't stop smiling.
"Woof!"
"Fine… I admit… I spent all the time fearing you hated me… and hoping you didn't… I spent so long thinking about how to beg for your forgiveness… I didn't have time to think about funny quips."
"Oh? Now I'm curious."
"Oh no! You already forgave me, so I will leave the begging to you, you are so good at that, that practice has paid off." He said, flashing a cocky grin.
"Kuro… are you sure I can't kill him?"
Kuro played along, and looked like he was taking a moment to consider it before barking. "Woof!"
"Hey! Traitor! I'm your partner, so don't go thinking about trading me for Yuki."
"He is your partner? Here I thought that was me." I shot back at him.
"Nahh, you are my little bitch, and I'm your alpha, don't forget it."
Yeah, too cocky. I briefly opened the Byakugan, and after checking his bones, I found a place to punch.
"Owww! Yuki, please, you are going to break something again!"
"Don't worry, I know what I am doing."
I kept lightly punching him in places that might hurt, but wouldn't harm him in any way.
I might have forgiven him, but that didn't mean I had forgotten what he did… so a bit of payback was fair, not to mention he was getting too cocky for someone in his position.
Kuro just kept barking, even I could understand that he was laughing as Koji kept yelping in pain, asking for forgiveness, but always by calling me his bitch, so yeah, he was asking for it.
And I, in my infinite generosity, am more than happy to give.
Because while I didn't mind taking on the role of being his bitch in bed, he better not go around saying it so loudly in public, it was enough that one clan already knew such things about me, I damn well didn't need more.
Stupid Koji… stupid Alpha…
(End of chapter)
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