ã€ŠRed is the Color of Youã€‹


 Chapter 1: A Needle in a Haystack

    During the night, only the laughter of families can be heard in this suburban East-Asian town, most notably, the family of photographers which only consists of two: Izumi and his mother Kanae. The boy¡¯s father wasn¡¯t present and never will be, parenthood was something he wasn¡¯t ready for and refused to believe could even be affiliated with him, but that was something Kanae and her son had long since accepted. Despite the heavy burden of taking on the roles of both mother and father, she knew in her heart that she would give Izumi the world and more. Even through their struggles, she made it her sole purpose to bring a smile to his face, and her effort would come to bear fruit as her son became a bright torch in a dark cave for all affiliated with him. While Izumi was still young, she worked as a freelance photographer in order to make her own hours and support him as much as possible. As such, photography became one of many things that Izumi would learn from his mother.

    There was nothing to hate about Kanae¡¯s son, who always had a sparkle in his eyes, signifying his never ending curiosity. Many would liken him to a puppy or a kitten, as his baby face would stick with him into adulthood. While he would take many things from his mother, one of the few things he didn¡¯t inherit was his mother¡¯s long brown hair, as his was short and coral pink, yet both were straight. On the other hand, their eyes matched, both a soft shade of mint, in addition to the same star birthmark which tended to blend in with their skin, although located in different areas: Izumi¡¯s a bit above his left cheek while his mother¡¯s was on her right shoulder blade.

    In the mornings, his mother would continue work, and she often travelled, always taking Izumi with her. The beauty of the world would reflect in his eyes and always bring a wide smile to his face, and in turn, his mother¡¯s. She was a firm believer in developing a child¡¯s imagination, so she wanted to show him everything the world had to offer; even the fictional. Before she tucked him into bed, she would always read him a story which was fantastical. Knights battling to save their kingdom from a dragon, ghosts exacting revenge on those who wronged them, anthropomorphic animals teaching morals through their conflicts, minotaurs and goblins terrorizing towns, myths and legends, anything and everything. There was a particular story that Izumi had his mother read to him time and time again. They would sit in the living room in a pile of blankets and pillows as she read passionately to him the story whenever requested.

    ¡°Tell me the one about the remanant again!¡± The five year old jumped up and down, a large smile stretched on his face. His mother had him at a young age, 22 to be exact, so she always was able to return his energy. She pinched her son¡¯s nose and he rubbed it with a scowl on his face.

    ¡°It¡¯s re-ve-nant! If you don¡¯t remember his name right next time, he¡¯ll eat you up!¡± Kanae grabbed her son and tickled him, causing him to erupt with laughter.

    ¡°Ok, ok!¡± He shook off his mother and sat attentively.

    She let him go and adopted a stern tone. ¡°Legends tell the tale of a near inhuman entity which plagues the hearts of those who are at their lowest. He goes by many names, but they all originate from one of two words. Demon, and ghost. For your sake, my little cherry blossom, we¡¯ll call him the revenant.¡± Kanae pinched her son¡¯s nose again, reminding Izumi to practice saying the name correctly. ¡°The revenant is said to take on many appearances in order to trick his prey into falling to his schemes, but there¡¯s one part of his appearance that has been noted on many occasions. His long crimson robe. Some believe this robe to be magical, some believe it to be an extension of himself, but none truly know. He only approaches when a person is alone and distressed, offering them solace in an offer that¡¯s nearly impossible to decline: a wish with the ability to change your life. Riches, love, power, anything and everything you can think of.¡± Kanae leans in slowly. ¡°But¡­at a steep price¡­.¡± In a flash, she snatches her son up once more, raiding him with tickles, bringing a beam to his face. ¡°Your life!!!! He eats little naughty kids like you who don¡¯t say his name right!!¡± Instead, she pinched and pulled her sons lightly blushed cheeks, ensuring he never forgets the legend of the revenant.

    Some part of Izumi wished to meet the revenant as he wanted to ask him so many questions. For some reason, he found the story of the revenant the most interesting of them all. Something told him that there was more to the revenant than what his mother told him, but he wasn¡¯t old enough to search for the answers himself.

    On a warm autumn day, his mother woke her son up bright and early to take him to a large wheat field. There was a small two way road that was along the perimeter of one side of the field while the other was met with a cliff which led to the ocean. As such, the field received a beautiful cool breeze that swayed the wheat stalks gracefully. Most notably, there was a large oak tree in the center, where the wheat which encircled the tree was cut. Many of the locals believed it to bring good luck as it survived all sorts of natural disasters and has been erected for decades, likely even centuries. When they arrived, Kanae set her son free to roam the fields, telling him to yell for help if a stranger tried anything weird, but she knew she didn¡¯t have to worry about that since all the residents of the town, although few, were incredibly kind and would never harm a fly, and her son was smart enough to not deliberately get into trouble. As she went off to take pictures of the field, Izumi ran off with his fully functional mini camera, which his mother got him for his fifth birthday to promote his growing passion. He steadily approached the large oak tree, which peaked his interest the most. Looking through the camera lens, he snapped pictures of the base of the tree excitedly, slowly veering his camera higher and higher before suddenly stopping. An unexpected sight, as Izumi has never seen an adult in a tree before. Izumi zoomed in with his camera to get a better look at the man since his appearance was unlike anything he¡¯s ever seen. Most people in the suburban and rural areas don¡¯t dress so flashily, but now that he thinks about it, he hasn¡¯t seen many city folk dress like that either. The most prominent thing that Izumi could see was the man¡¯s red hooded robe, which was lined with black fur and patterned strangeley. He couldn¡¯t make it out clearly from how the robe was draped, but it looked like black thorns. It seemed as though he was wearing a teal dress shirt, although mostly open, and black slacks with two darker teal belts attached in a hoop on each hip, each had a similar black thorn pattern. The man¡¯s hair was wavy and reached to the nape of his neck. Izumi wondered how someone could color their hair, wondering if the man used paint to make the ends of his black hair fade into a vibrant red. Izumi shook his head to regain his focus, thinking to himself that the best way to record this strange sight would be to take a picture and show his mother. Snap. The man immediately looked downwards, evading his eyes from the book in his hands.

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    ¡°What are you looking at kid?¡± Izumi couldn¡¯t see his face well before because of the book, but now Izumi came to the realization that his eyes are mismatched, with the right being a royal blue and the left a dark amber, both glowed vibrantly, almost inhumanely, all of which only added to his mesmerization with his appearance rather than fear of a possibly dangerous stranger as his mother warned.

    ¡°How did you get up there mister? And why do you look so funny?¡± Izumi lowers his camera and gazes upwards at the mysterious man, cocking his head in curiosity. The man, clearly annoyed, wedges a bookmark into the novel and closes it.

    ¡°Funny huh?¡± He sighs heavily then mumbles to himself, ¡°man, I hate kids.¡± He adjusts his posture, sitting upright in the tree, an arm on his bent knee, the same of which holds his book, while the other leg hangs over the tree branch. ¡°How can you see me kid?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t even know why I bothered asking.¡± The man scratches his head with his free hand. ¡°You wanna come up here?¡±

    Izumi¡¯s eyes light up and he eagerly clenches his fists. ¡°Really?! Can you show me how!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do you one better little boy.¡± With a snap of his finger, Izumi and the man switch places, with Izumi now standing in the tree looking down at the man who is now on his feet below him. Scared, Izumi immediately tries to sit down and he holds onto the tree trunk the best he can, but he quickly forgets his fear in turn for curiosity.

    ¡°How did you do that??!!! That¡¯s so cool!!!!¡± His ocean lit eyes annoy the strange man.

    ¡°Magic. Have fun.¡±

    He turns his back to the boy and waves, allowing Izumi to get a better look at the design of his robe, which he now realizes is a mix of black thorns which circle what looks like a pair of clawed wings with a thin vertical eye in the center and spread out to the different ends of the robe. Izumi fumbles for his camera to take a picture of it on the way out, but once the camera clicks, the man disappears into a cloud of black smoke which quickly fades. He lowers his camera, his mouth completely agape and his eyes sparkling. The only thing that is running through Izumi¡¯s mind is a rapid fire series of questions that he¡¯s begging for answers to, not realizing that he¡¯s stuck in the tree with no way down. Rather than shouting for his mother for help, he calls her over in order to express his excitement to her in hopes that she can help him find that man again, while his mother rushes over in fear.

    ¡°Izumi! How did you get up there!!¡± Kanae climbs the tree slightly and reaches her hands upwards to pick up her son. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t know how to climb trees, you nearly gave me a heart attack!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t, but mom mom!!! There was this guy he was tall and he was dressed so funny he had this funny looking robe on and super weird colors and he knows how to use magic!!!! He put me in the tree and all he did was snap his fingers!!!! I can show you I can show you!¡± Izumi pulls out his camera to show his mother the pictures, but the pictures lack a figure. The first shows an empty branch while the second is only of the ground, making Izumi become frightened and frantic. ¡°Whaaat! I know I took them-¡± He whips his head towards his mother, ¡°mom you have to believe me!¡±

    She ruffles his hair and picks him up once more. ¡°I do, I do. You can tell me all about it on the car ride home, ok? But promise me you won¡¯t teleport into trees again.¡±

    ¡°I promise, I promise!¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± Kanae smiles. ¡°So, what was this guy like?¡±

 Chapter 2: The Ethereal in the Garden

    On the drive home, Izumi watched the trees and telephone poles as they drove past, but he noticed something strange. There were faint apparitions of people on occasion, yet they didn¡¯t look quite right. The car finally came to a slow halt at a traffic light as they began to transition into the suburbs once more, so Izumi peered out the window in all directions. Nothing. He sat back down and held his camera tightly in his hands. Something seemed unsettlingly eerie about the air around him. Izumi glanced upwards at his mother, who returned his gaze through the rearview mirror.

    ¡°Are you alright sweetie?¡± She asks. ¡°You look scared.¡±

    ¡°Mom, are ghosts real?¡± His voice a little shaky.

    ¡°If you believe they are, then yes. But don¡¯t be scared, I¡¯ll always be with you.¡± Kanae smiled at him through the rearview mirror. The boy rested in his seat more, releasing a bit of the tension in his body from his mothers words, but he wasn¡¯t entirely convinced at the same time.

    Izumi ran into the house once they got home and flew under his covers, camera in hand. He opened the camera roll once again, shifting through the gallery to find a picture of the strange man with the red robe, to no avail. The images that he snapped were absent of a body, as though he was not there to begin with, but Izumi was sure of what he saw. In the morning he asked his mother if you can take pictures of ghosts. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember what I taught you? Most people can¡¯t see ghosts, that¡¯s why people blame things on them all the time, like their cup moving.¡± Kanae ruffles her son''s pink hair. ¡°I¡¯m sure you wouldn¡¯t be able to see them in a camera if people can¡¯t see them in the first place.¡± But I SAW him, he thought. He saw him through his camera but he didn¡¯t appear in the actual picture. Was he just a weird ghost? It would make sense since he was dressed so strangely, the boy pondered. Suddenly, an idea came to his mind. ¡°What about the revenant? Hmm,¡± his mother repeated his question as she cleared the dining table. ¡°The revenant can do a lot of things, so yea, I suppose something like that could happen.¡± Kanae knelt over and grinned slyly at her son. ¡°You think you saw the revenant at the wheat field the other day, don¡¯t you?¡± Izumi rapidly nodded his head. She picked up her son and tickled him ferociously. ¡°Then how come you weren¡¯t eaten little boy!!!¡± With this, suddenly Izumi forgot about his conflict as his mother overwhelmed him with tickles and laughter.

    The following week his mother took him to a wedding in the city, as she was hired to take pictures for the bride and groom along with a few other photographers. Izumi stayed by his mothers side as per her request, but he itched to run around the botanical garden and take pictures of all the plant and wild life. People interested him too, especially the ones at the wedding since the guests were dressed more extravagantly than he was accustomed to, but his eyes were more captivated by the variety of flowers and trees in the garden. As he began to lose control, he tried to slip past his mother, and every attempt at such was thwarted as his mother would catch his arm and give him a stern yet gentle reminder to stay with her, afterall she couldn¡¯t afford her son running off and getting into trouble as it could cause her to be fired. Izumi settled with taking pictures of the guests around him until the bride walked down the aisle, in which he decided to mimic his mothers movements. The bride was beautiful, the boy admitted, but something else was more interesting to him, which people didn¡¯t seem to care for. There was an old man who floated beside her with tears in his eyes. Such an obviously otherworldly sight would not be ignored, so Izumi didn¡¯t understand why no one paid him any mind. In fact, he seemed transparent, like he wasn¡¯t even there. After the groom and bride said their vows, the guests ate and congratulated the newly wedded couple. Since the highlight of the wedding was over, Kanae allowed Izumi to leave her side, with the restrictions of staying in her sight, so no wandering off, which was more than enough for Izumi, as the only thing he aimed to do was talk to the old man. He found the old man not too far from the crowd, but alone nonetheless. There was somber joy in his countenance, something that Izumi didn¡¯t quite understand.

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    The young boy got closer to the old man, who barely noticed him approaching, and Izumi barely noticing that he could see straight through him.¡°Mister, why were you crying?¡± He decided to hold off his curiosity on the old man¡¯s transparency.

    ¡°Young lad, you can see me?¡± The old man was agape.

    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I? I mean it¡¯s kinda hard though.¡±

    ¡°I¡­.¡± It seemed like he was fishing for a way to approach the child without frightening him. ¡°My daughter, she¡¯s the one in the pretty white dress, did you see her?¡± Izumi nodded his head. ¡°I was just happy to finally see her get married.¡±

    ¡°But she didn¡¯t seem happy to see you. No one even looked at you and you were right there!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your name, young man?¡± He decided to start a bit easy.

    ¡°Izumi.¡± His light freckles shone in the light along with his smile, which touched the old man¡¯s heart.

    ¡°Izumi, a few years ago, I had to leave and I never got to say good-bye to my family. As I closed my eyes, I realized that my biggest regret was that I would not get to see my daughter leave the nest, but when I opened my eyes again I was like this and no one could see me.¡±

    Izumi¡¯s eyes grew wide and he clenched his fists in excitement. ¡°Are you a ghost Mister?!!¡±

    ¡°You could say that.¡± The old man weakly smiled.

    ¡°But how come I can see you and no one else can?¡± Izumi cocked his head.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, little Izumi. But can you do me a favor?¡± Izumi loved helping others, so he accepted before even knowing what it was. ¡°Can you tell my daughter that her father is very happy for her?¡± Izumi nodded again and ran off immediately to go tell the bride the news.

    Izumi zigzagged through the crowd as he struggled to reach the bride. His mother, who was busy taking pictures of the couple, only lifted her head from her camera when she saw her son enter the frame as he tugged on the bride¡¯s dress. Kanae immediately left her camera to rush towards her child, but by the time she reached him the damage had been done. ¡°Lady, your papa wanted me to tell you that he¡¯s really happy for you.¡± The bride¡¯s cluster of emotions could be seen in her inability to properly react as the crowd around them gasped and whispered amongst themselves. ¡°Y-you..!¡± Her voice was shaky as she fought tears, causing her now husband to pull her away and hand her to her family. The husband stormed towards the child and ferociously roared in his face. ¡°How dare you say something so insensitive on the day of our wedding! Where is your mother! You should be ashamed of yourself!¡± Izumi began to fold into himself as he gazed upwards at the overwhelming unknown faces looking down on him, many of which began to join in with the husband¡¯s rage and scold the frightened boy. Kanae pushed through and swept up Izumi as fast as she could, stroking his hair, she began to return the aggression towards the crowd. ¡°How could you yell at a child to the point of tears? He obviously didn¡¯t know!¡± The crowd barked back. ¡°He¡¯s your child! Why weren¡¯t you watching him?! What kind of mother are you to let your child run around so carelessly?!!!¡± The husband grabbed Kanae¡¯s arm with fire in his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re that photographer right? You¡¯re fired, get the hell out of here, you and your brat of a child.¡±

    She shook his arm off and pushed him away. ¡°People like you who get off on talking down on unknowing children are disgusting. He clearly didn¡¯t mean any harm because he¡¯s beyond tears at this point-¡± Kanae clicks her tongue to stop herself from commenting further. With a traumatized Izumi in one arm, she gathers her equipment and heads home as the crowd of guests shout insults as she leaves. In the car, Izumi attempts to apologize and his mother hugs him with reassurance. ¡°It¡¯s alright sweetie, I know you didn¡¯t do anything, there¡¯s no way you could¡¯ve known.¡±

    ¡°B-but I saw him..!¡± Izumi wipes his eyes but he continues to sob, his mother straining to properly hear him through his mumbling. ¡°Her papa was right there! H-he axed me to t-tell her!¡±

    Kanae used her sleeve to help dry his overflow of tears. ¡°It¡¯s ok, it¡¯s ok. I believe you, ok? Just be careful next time and ask me first, ok? Not axed, ask.¡± She smiled. Izumi felt a bit more at ease and his tears calmed down, so he softly nodded his head.

 Chapter 3: A Method to the Madness

    Ghosts became a common occurrence for Izumi since the wedding incident. Usually he''d see the majority around expected areas, like cemeteries or accident prone locations, but sometimes he''d see them walking down the street causally. He would always point them out to his mother in excitement and few of the ghosts would antagonize him, causing him to cry; nonetheless, Kanae always comforted him and told him that she wouldn''t let any ghosts hurt him. When Izumi finally started elementary school, he met an energetic boy named Eiji, who grew to become his best friend as he loved to hear about the ghosts Izumi had seen, especially the fabled revenant. Despite being an athletic person, he would never have anything more than the build of a runner. In addition, he kept his blueish black hair in an ivy league cut since childhood. On their walks home, Eiji would listen with large brown glossy eyes as Izumi told him the story about the red robed stranger.

    By eighth grade the boys decided to bring some other friends along and visit their first abandoned building, which was rumored to be haunted. They went at night to make the experience more thrilling, but the entire time Izumi was on edge, hoping that no ghosts would be in the building. Most ghosts don''t intervene with human affairs, but rarely Izumi will run into villainous ghosts which try their best to instill fear into human hearts. Hence, eventually Izumi stopped pointing out ghosts like he used to when he was younger, and he would try his best to not catch their attention. The chances of one being in the building was at least fifty percent, since people have reported hearing strange noises coming from the building as they pass by. Due to the complaints, the city scheduled the demolition of the building, hence the boys rushed to see if the rumors were true before then. The abandoned office building was only five stories tall, but the age was clear as the building was primarily made out of cracked and decayed concrete. Broken windows, cobwebs, and dust decorated the worn structure, but what really added to the building''s charm was the variety of crawling insects and vermin. While the thought of seeing a spirit frightened the other boys, Izumi stuck by Eiji''s side, not for the same reason, as he was already accustomed to the poltergeists, but because the one thing he never became comfortable with were critters. Faint hoarse groans could be heard in the building as the boys traversed and some began to wonder if it was a wise idea to enter. They went one floor at a time, with the goal of exploring all five stories, but several of the rooms had unstable flooring which was ready to cave in beneath their feet, causing their resolve to waver. Through the chattering of their teeth, a sudden thunderous crash could be heard from the floor above them, the third floor, which shook the building to its core. The roar was akin to a boulder being shot through the building, and the boys, finally convinced the building had seen its last, screamed as they ran towards the exit, Eiji included. However, Izumi held tightly to his best friend as he heard something else the other boys didn¡¯t hear, a bloodcurdling scream...and voices.

    Eiji tried to furiously shake off his friend''s hand. ¡°What are you doing Izumi??!! Didn¡¯t you hear that, what if the building collapses!¡±

    Izumi continued to hold on and his face was unwavering. ¡°I hear something, like someone is up there.¡±

    ¡°Are you crazy?! There¡¯s no one up there and even if there is we''re better off not finding out!¡±

    Izumi couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that he needed to find out what the source of the scream and the voices were. Since Eiji doesn¡¯t seem to hear it, it¡¯s probably a ghost, he thought to himself, but ghosts usually don¡¯t fight each other...maybe it¡¯s him¡­ More determined than ever, Izumi began to make his way to the third floor, with Eiji yelling at him to come back running after him in the process, ¡°Dude what the hell are you doing!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna go see what it was.¡±

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    ¡°Did you not hear what I just said!! What if the building just caves in?! Your mom¡¯s gonna kill me if you don¡¯t come back!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re coming with me!¡± Izumi continues on ahead as fast as possible in hopes to catch the ghost before they retreat.

    ¡°Wai- ughhhh!¡± Eiji scratches his head in frustration before hurriedly trying to catch up to his best friend.

    The third floor¡¯s main hallway was adorned with splatters of blood and large holes in the walls, as though someone swung another person repeatedly as they walked past. Above the entryway to the staircase was an enormous gaping hole in the ceiling, which stretched to the above two floors, therefore making a makeshift window from the third floor to the sky. Pebbles and concrete stones dripped from the hole, indicating the recent damage, and directly below the hole in the third floor¡¯s ceiling was a stain of blood on the ground. Izumi didn¡¯t want to point out the blood, as he assumed Eiji couldn¡¯t see it or else his nerves would be more over the roof than they already are. His thoughts were quickly interrupted by what sounded like someone tearing through flesh and bones with their bare hands. He momentarily hesitated, realizing it would be foolish to investigate something that could and would most definitely result in his and Eiji¡¯s demise, but his curiosity overwhelmed him. Izumi hasn¡¯t seen or heard of the strange man from the wheat field since that fateful day. If it was him, maybe he could give him some answers. Why? Why could Izumi see ghosts when no one else could? It had to have been because of him. Ever since he met that man he gained the ability to see them, and although his mother humored his stories when he was a child, as he grew older he knew that his mother never truly believed him and only didn¡¯t want to hurt his feelings, as she likely thought it was the vivid imagination and paranoia of a child shining through. Pushing his doubts aside, Izumi rushed down the hall, Eiji following after him. Eiji continued to try and convince him to turn back, but his words were dull as Izumi drowned them out to focus on the path ahead. He turned the right corner down the hall, with the door across from them wide open. Izumi caught a glimpse of a tall man in red who vanished before Izumi could utter a syllable. Crap-! He sprinted down the hall to what remained of the old conference room, the smell becoming more and more putrid as he approached, and as the sight became more clear, he began to slow down and his body started to quake. The conference table was split in two, the jagged edges indicating that it was done by hand rather than by machine, with the pieces separated by about a yard in length in order to make a clear walkway to the front of the room. In addition, there were chairs arranged to face the front next to each half of the table, as though there were an audience present to witness the sickening sight which laid there. Whatever the body was, it didn¡¯t seem to be human, but it didn¡¯t seem to be any known animal, as the individual parts of its body were too large and the appendages contained claws and extra fingers and toes between each wedge. What remained of the torso laid beneath the center of the white board in an openly fashion, revealing the ribs, organs, and intestines which lay inside. The skin and flesh was peeled back to let the ribs rise to the surface more. Intestines were intertwined with the ribs, weaving in and out in a clearly thought out pattern, resulting in the start of a cat¡¯s cradle. In the center was the beast¡¯s head which no longer had a discernible face, and supported by dismembered arms that were lodged into the chest with its hands sprouting outwards like leaves to carry the bud. A leg was tucked neatly onto each side in order to wrap the torso perfectly, but this did not add the finishing touch. The last stroke of paint was a symbol of spread out clawed wings on the wall made with blood. Located in the center of the wings was a thin vertical eye, which was all too familiar to Izumi. He covered his mouth as vomit flooded out, Eiji rushing over to attend to him. ¡°Are you alright? I¡¯ve never seen you run that fast in your life, you should be more careful next time.¡± For once Izumi began to realize the double edged sword he possessed. Although he was grateful to see ghosts, as it made him feel unique, he didn¡¯t think about the possibility of being left alone to a harrowing scene such as this. Nonetheless, he was glad. Glad that Eiji didn¡¯t have to have the same memory etched into his very being. Glad that he wasn¡¯t...whatever that was. Glad that it wasn¡¯t him. And surprisingly, glad that the unnerving man got away.

 Chapter 4: Every Coin Has Two Sides

    Izumi tried his hardest to forget what he saw that day to no avail, so instead, he decided to find out why the red robed man did what he did. Over the weekend, Izumi went alone to the cemetery to ask the ghosts about him, but they all had more or less the same response. They would disappear immediately, become frightened, reluctant to answer, tell him off, that he¡¯s better off not sticking his nose in, or a mix of all of the above reactions. No books would tell him what he didn¡¯t already know either, afterall, he knew the legend like the back of his hand. Kanae came to notice her son¡¯s restless behavior and hence bought him a female border collie puppy which he came to name Lala, who meant the world to Izumi. Since he was younger, Izumi always liked the prospect of a comrade in arms, which Eiji did itch that scratch he had; however, with Lala, Izumi no longer had to be so reliant on Eiji or his mother¡¯s company.

    Come his high school career, Izumi decided to relax on his ghost hunt and focus on his schooling in order to prepare for college. It was his dream to graduate from a university as his mother was unable to because she was too busy supporting Izumi all on her own. If he could graduate, he could fulfill her dream for her and show her that the effort she put into raising him bore fruit. He became a little off track, however, as one day he brought home a boy from his class, later disclosing to his mother their romantic relationship, to which she fully supported. With some a bit of struggle here and there, he managed to tackle his romantic relationship, his studies, and Lala. During junior year, Izumi and his partner drifted apart before they finally broke off as he began to push for intercourse more and more. Izumi didn¡¯t believe in abstinence, but he didn¡¯t want to do so during his high school career, and it became clear to Izumi that it¡¯s all his boyfriend wanted at some point. Lost in thought, Izumi lay on his bed, with Lala beside him whimpering. ¡°I¡¯m alright girl.¡± He pet her softly. ¡°He sucked anyways. I mean, is it really that hard to wait? I don¡¯t know what happened. When we were first together he was fine and nice and all that then suddenly oh Izumi why don¡¯t we try something like no! What the heck?! We¡¯re like sixteen! I¡¯m not ready for that! He shouldn¡¯t be ready for that! I¡¯m sure he thinks he is but there¡¯s no way he is I bet all guys think they are until some stuff happens like an STD or like pregnancy or SOMETHING because it never goes right since they¡¯re never ready!¡± Lala nuzzles her nose against his face as he sighs heavily, holding her head. ¡°I swear I¡¯m alright, don¡¯t worry about me. Eiji punched that guy square in the nose for me so it¡¯s fine.¡± Izumi laughs, Lala licking his face as she can tell he¡¯s finally being more genuine. He sits up and holds his knees to his face, analyzing his room in order to occupy his thoughts with something other than his ex. The walls are covered in photographs, mostly done by him as he continued to pick up his mother¡¯s hobby. They were mostly of scenery, but some were of people, like Eiji, his mother, or his other friends. Across from the door was his desk, which was small and could only hold his laptop and a few books in the back, while on the left of the desk was his dresser, also fairly small since he didn¡¯t have too many clothes, and on the right was his bed, a full size. On top of the dresser was his photography equipment, which was not nearly as top-notch as his mother¡¯s were, only the basics. His camera went with him everywhere, and it¡¯s strange to think that it all started with him. Izumi got up from the bed, Lala moving aside and watching him as he moved across the room. He kept the photos from that day above his equipment so he¡¯d always remember where it began: the two pictures of the empty wheat field where that man most definitely stood. Izumi carefully removed one of the pictures from the wall, the one which contained the tree he was sitting in. ¡°Lala do you think he still goes there?¡± Lala cocked her head, unsure what he was talking about. ¡°There was a guy here. Dressed kinda funny, but now that I think about it, he was good looking just-¡± Izumi thinks about what he saw in the abandoned office building and shakes his head. ¡°I wonder if that¡¯s what he really is like. I guess it fits with the legend, but still. Why not me then? Maybe I just wasn¡¯t worth his time? Or maybe there¡¯s a method to the madness.¡± Lala is still staring at him completely clueless, but he seems to have come to some form of conclusion in his mind. ¡°Come girl. I wanna go to that field again, it¡¯s about a two hour drive, we can take the bus, it¡¯s still early in the day so we should get back for dinner.¡± Before he left the house, Izumi locked up since his mother wasn¡¯t home, and he headed off with Lala for the wheat field.

    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    It was close to noon by the time he arrived, and the field was just as he remembered: breezy and quiet, with not a single person in sight. He made his way to the oak tree and veered up, only to be met with disappointment in the leaves as the man was not there. Disappointment or relief? Izumi wasn¡¯t really sure. He decided to wait under the tree in hopes that he would show up. Lala sat by his side and the two took in the scenery. ¡°I can see why he read here, it really is nice.¡± Is what he uttered, but his mind was somewhere else. How could a man who did such a gruesome, unfathomable act enjoy reading in a tree while taking in the ocean breeze? Sure, Izumi was afraid of him, but he somehow couldn¡¯t bring himself to move on. There was something captivating about the strange man, although he never knew him. Perhaps that¡¯s why, or at least part of the reason. He believed that there were too many questions unanswered. No ghost would talk about him nor even dare utter his name. He saw the side of him which seemed normal by all means, and the other side which was...Suddenly he felt himself drifting off, with the calm scenery wavering his resolve to fight it. Izumi finally awoke when he felt Lala licking his face. Shaking her off as he fumbled for his phone to check the time, he rapidly gathered himself and arose. He was out only for an hour or two, but what if he came during that time? The sun peered through the tree leaves and shone heavily upon him. If he hadn¡¯t been under the tree he could¡¯ve gotten sunburnt, since it¡¯s mid fall. It¡¯s better that I head home, the breeze helps with the heat but it¡¯s starting to get humid. Lifting his eyes over the stalks, he once more saw a familiar sight, yet hardly believable. There he was, the man in red, standing over in the distance, kiseru pipe in hand, completely ignoring the fact that he¡¯s in a dry wheat field. Izumi¡¯s mint eyes widened as he stood and watched in disbelief. There¡¯s no way, was it really that easy to find him? Although he dropped embers onto the field, the dry stalks did not ignite. His crimson robe danced in the wind making the ebony design on the back come alive. The black thorns looked as though they reached out towards the sun as the clawed black wings took flight and rode along the smoke which he emitted from his pipe and lungs. Izumi was mesmerized, momentarily forgetting that this was the same man who made that horrific scene from the abandoned structure. The tall man soon enough gently let go of his pipe, as though letting the wind carry it off. It too erupt into a cloud of smoke and feathered away. Once he began to walk away, Izumi came to his senses and chased after him, calling out in desperation, ¡°Wait-!¡± It was too late, the man had escaped him once more. ¡°Dammit! Crap...¡± Izumi sighed heavily. ¡°I¡¯ll try coming a few more times I guess. Man he was right there-! I don¡¯t know what got into me just-¡± He replayed the image in his head. There was something beautiful about the way he carried himself which caused him to feel so out of reach. As per his promise to himself, Izumi returned to the field a few times a week, which turned to a few times a month, which turned to once every other month. The man never appeared again, at least in Izumi¡¯s presence. With his spark reignited, Izumi began to strive to find him once more. Practicing his artistic skills, he steadily learned to draw in order to have a clear image of how he looked. The first few times he tried drawing him weren¡¯t the best, but they progressively got better over the years until he nearly replicated the man. Conflict came with his resolve as his mother began to believe he was ill upon discovering the picture of the man, which he tried to explain was the man and ghost from when he was a child. Kanae believed that even with Lala and Eiji, loneliness still overcame her son. Nearly immediately, she had him see a therapist once a week, who prescribed medication for what they believed to be loneliness induced hallucinations. Frustrated, Izumi would flush them down the toilet and rarely tell his therapist anything. He vented to Eiji instead, stating that he dislikes how his mother won¡¯t believe him, and Eiji returned his frustrations with sympathy, yet understanding of both sides, telling him that his mother is just worried about him, but it¡¯s understandable to be angry since he¡¯s so passionate about the subject of the paranormal.

 Chapter 5: My Greatest Blessing and My Greatest Mistake

    By his college years, Izumi began to work two jobs as a server at two different cafes in the city in order to pay off his tuition. His mother continued to pour money into what she believed to be his well being, causing them to struggle to pay bills on occasion, hence he worked not just for his education, but to help keep a roof over their heads too. Arguments between the two would ensue upon him telling his mother that he¡¯s fine and he doesn¡¯t need therapy, even lying a few times and saying the medication worked, but Kanae knew her son all too well to know when he¡¯s lying, so she kept him in therapy regardless.

    One of the server jobs was at a normal cafe, which paid about fourteen dollars an hour. On the other hand, his second job which paid a more handsome eighteen dollars per hour was more...eventful. He worked at a cat maid cafe and became fairly popular as unfortunately, feminine men were highly sought after at the time, and Izumi was very dainty for a male. His skin was as perfect as porcelain and his slim figure and soft voice made him a hit in the cafe, earning him bonuses and tips constantly. He was quite disappointed in himself for accepting the job, especially due to the occasional creeps he would get, but the pay was good, and if he didn¡¯t have so much to pay for, he would only work the one job. In comparison, college felt slow and overwhelming to him. If he wasn¡¯t working on papers he was working in a cafe or helping his mother at home. He never had time for a relationship, a social life, or anything outside of work, school, and his family, which included Eiji, who became the one person he really maintained contact with on the daily. Even worse, after Izumi graduated with his bachelor¡¯s in journalism, he didn¡¯t feel as happy as he thought he would. His mother, Eiji, and Lala were happy for him, sure, but he didn¡¯t feel it. Izumi came to see that he couldn¡¯t even enjoy college with the workload he had, and he couldn¡¯t even enjoy the degree after the fact because he couldn¡¯t find a job in the industry. So, he continued to work his server jobs, while on the side he searched for a job as a photographic journalist. He hoped to be able to write about whatever he wanted, but he knew that such a dream couldn¡¯t be achieved for years to come. It would probably be yellow journalism for a few years, if he could even get into journalism period.

    Exhausted, he walked alone on a cold spring night one day with no real route in mind. He had already been walking for a few hours, but he just wanted to clear his head, figure out what to do. At this point he was already twenty seven and five years had passed since he graduated from university, his debt still haunting him. He wondered if it was worth it, just to see his mother smile the way she did that day- No. It was. In time, fate would take its turn and carry his steps, leading him to the wheat field from all those years ago. He¡¯s never seen the field at night before as he came to notice that the field was especially hard to see through at night as it was nearly completely pitch black. At least this is still here...come to think of it, I haven¡¯t even tried to find that guy, I completely gave up after college started. As the cold air sifted through his hair, Izumi hugged his jacket, pulling it in closer. I should probably head back, maybe I can still catch a bus. He took his phone out of his pocket to check the time, about 8 p.m., and it would take him at least thirty minutes to reach the next bus stop. I think the last one is at 9, I should be able to make it but maybe I should walk faster to be safe. The sound of a car coming down the empty street caught his attention, as he looked back in hopes that maybe it was one of the locals so he could ask for a ride to the bus stop, but as the car approached, he became uneasy. It was moving at high speeds, and as the car swiftly loomed in, the heavy tint of the windows became more and more apparent. He picked up the pace in the opposite direction, wondering if it would be a wise idea to run into the wheat field and hide, but before he could implement his plan, the car came to a sharp halt in front of him. Several men, many wearing normal street clothes with lackluster covering over their faces, came out of the car and grabbed him. Before Izumi could yell for help a man covered his mouth with a cloth and his consciousness faded.

    Rope dug into his wrists and ankles and the violent shake of another finally woke him up. Around him were several men, the area seemed to be an old warehouse, judging by its smaller size. Izumi still struggled to see clearly as his vision was still hazy, but surprisingly, his mouth wasn¡¯t gagged. This at least showed him that screaming won¡¯t help, so negotiation was his best option, but whatever they wanted, it wasn¡¯t money. If they just wanted to rob him they wouldn¡¯t have gone through all this effort. Did they want to kill him? That would make more sense, but it didn¡¯t look like they had any weapons...still, it wasn¡¯t completely ruled off. Plenty of murders have been committed without the use of a weapon.

    ¡°What do you want from me?¡± Asking couldn¡¯t hurt, he thought to himself.

    ¡°You¡¯re that server right? From the maid cafe?¡± Oh no.

    ¡°Why are you asking me? Go through all that effort and now you¡¯re concerned if you got the wrong guy?¡± Izumi wanted to try taunting him. If he got him angry, there was a chance that he would make a mistake. At the least, it would buy him some time to figure out what to do. Some of the men started laughing amongst themselves at his comment, infuriating the man who spoke, who yelled at them to shut up.

    ¡°There¡¯s no way you aren¡¯t. You wanna know why we kidnapped you? Because everyone wants a piece of the pie, we were just the first ones to take the initiative.¡± The man motioned to the others, who began to undo Izumi¡¯s ropes. He tried to shake off their arms, but he couldn¡¯t even shake off one man, let alone six. Small towns are strange in the fact that either events like these rarely occur, or they commonly occur, and he wondered if it has always been the latter and he never realized it. They pinned him against the ground and he shut his eyelids tightly, hoping that it would will it to stop. That he would be at home with his mother and Lala. His mom would be downstairs on her laptop, photoshopping a photo for work while watching TV on the recliner, and Lala would be sitting on the couch beside Izumi. He never liked any of the late night shows, most were usually graphic, and ever since that day, he became ill at the slightest hint of gore. Yet still, he refused to believe that was the only side of that man who he never came to even know the name of. Izumi always referred to him as¡­

    A crunch and a splatter. Izumi opened his eyes in confusion, feeling the weight of the men who pinned him down disappear. There was no one around him. His eyes frantically tracked the sound: screams, more splatters, more crunches. The sound moved too fast for him to keep track of, but the end result was clear as day. They were dead. All of them. More or less the same way; they were thrown against the ground or walls, pressed down upon by their skulls, slashed to pieces, but that was the worst of it, nothing as bad as that time. A curdling choke caught his ear; he drifted his eyes to the direction of the noise, and there he stood. The man in the hooded red robe lined with black fur. His hood was down, as it usually was, his eyes glowing, and his robe masquerading the stains of blood on the rest of his clothing. What was a new sight to Izumi was his right arm, which was a staticy black and his fingers were long and sharp, nothing like normal human hands. They were more like the talons of a carnivorous bird than anything else. The right sleeve of his robe seemed like it was burnt off, yet simultaneously merging with his skin to transform his arm, but as far as he could see, his left arm was normal. Blood dripped down his right talon-like hand and he squeezed the throat of the last barely alive man.

    ¡°Apologize, won¡¯t you?¡± The tall man threw down the kidnapper before Izumi¡¯s feet, who unconsciously retracted from the man as he held in his disgust. The kidnapper struggled to speak as blood poured out of his mouth and through the holes in his neck. He reached outwards towards Izumi, and for a brief moment, Izumi felt pity. He felt the overwhelming fear in his eyes and knew that he once experienced something similar, caused by the same man. Shortly, the kidnapper¡¯s hand dropped down along with his head, lifeless. The red robed man sighed, ¡°Maybe I should¡¯ve been a bit more careful, but people like him piss me off. They flock together to take down someone they could¡¯ve overpowered by themselves, and for what? Do they feel more dominant after? A power high is it?¡± The man clicks his tongue and kicks the body aside, wiping the blood off his talons using his clothes. ¡°They¡¯re not even worth eating, pieces of shit.¡± He holds his right arm outwards and the staticy black retracts and reforms into the sleeve of the robe as he regains his human right arm. Using his left hand, he reaches for Izumi, who backs up immediately. The red robed man sighs once more. ¡°I get it you¡¯re scared but do you really think that I would hurt you after showing the others no mercy?¡± Izumi glared at him, still a bit distrustful, he gets himself up. ¡°Well?¡±

    ¡°Thank you...for saving me.¡± Izumi mumbled, his eyes looking downward. He had no idea what his intentions were. Maybe he just wanted to finish the job. The crimson robed man was too unpredictable for Izumi to let his guard down.

    ¡°At least look at me when you say it. It¡¯s not everyday I help someone, especially a human, for no reason.¡±

    Izumi looked up. ¡°Thank-¡± He made eye contact with the strange man. He never realized how enchanting his eyes were until he was a few feet in front of him. When Izumi was younger, he did notice that his eyes were different colors, but he never saw his face up close. The tall man¡¯s face was well formed, as though made by an artist who envisioned the definition of striking as a person. His right royal blue eye complimented his left amber orange eye incredibly well. What added to his eyes was the glow that they had. Typically, one would find such unsettling, but the glow was soft; it was more something that made the eyes a bit sharper and brighter than something unnaturally glowing. The main unnatural thing about his eyes though were the white lining his pupils had, yet they only seemed to compliment his eye color more than distract from it. His shoulders were broader than he remembered, but Izumi couldn¡¯t distinctly tell his body shape due to his clothes. At the very least, he seemed to have an athletic build, if not a bit more on the muscular side, but since his muscles weren¡¯t bulging through his clothes, he figured he wasn¡¯t heavily built. A wave of a hand in front of his face snapped him out of his trance.

    ¡°Kid? You alright?¡±

    Izumi became flustered and his ears red hot. ¡°Y-yes! Thank you!¡± He bent in a 90 degree bow as quickly as possible and lifted his head once more.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name kid?¡±

    ¡°I-Izumi!¡±

    ¡°Izumi. I actually want to talk to you for a sec. You mind? Or you got some plans?¡±

    ¡°Ah- actually¡­¡± Izumi thought about his mother, who is probably worried sick at this point. ¡°I need to get home, my mom-¡±

    ¡°Yea, right, I get it. I¡¯m more of a night person though so after you sob to your mom you got time to talk?¡±

    ¡°Tonight?¡±

    ¡°No seven years from now. Yes tonight. The sooner I see if you¡¯re worth my time the better.¡±

    Izumi wasn¡¯t sure what he was getting at, but he wasn¡¯t about to let his opportunity slip by. He¡¯s been waiting for this since he was a child. ¡°I-I can do tonight. I just need to talk to my mom first.¡±

    ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll drop you off and you can go in and talk to her and I¡¯ll meet you in your room, sounds good? Oh, and don¡¯t tell her about me, or you know, this.¡± He gestured to the room around them, which Izumi forgot was now filled with corpses.

    ¡°What are-¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it, no worries. I¡¯m not gonna pin you for something you didn¡¯t do. No point in it anyways.¡±

    ¡°And how do you plan on taking me home? Do you have a car?¡± Izumi started to realize the stupidity of his question as it came out, but it was too late, the well formed man was already laughing at him.

    ¡°Pfft car yea sure I have a car, it¡¯s right here.¡± Before he knew it, Izumi was swept off his feet and held like a bride by the red robed man. ¡°Hold on tight yea?¡± In the blink of an eye they were outside and the man was effortlessly hopping over buildings. With each jump he would launch several meters into the air, the wind pressure was enough for Izumi to have to shout to hear himself.

    ¡°How do you know where to go?!¡±

    ¡°I can trace your scent back. I have a keen nose you see.¡± He shouted in response and smirked at Izumi, which caused him to avert his gaze. In no time, they arrived at Izumi¡¯s home. ¡°Go do your talking then kid, I¡¯ll be in your room.¡±

    ¡°How are you gonna get in?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me just do your thing.¡± He flicked Izumi playfully between his eyebrows, but it still stung.

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    Izumi rubbed his forehead, his brows now furrowed. ¡°You never even told me what your name is.¡±

    ¡°Wraith.¡± He smiled slyly, his teeth showing. They were sharp, like that of a lion or bear. With every passing moment with him, he learned something new, more than he knew before today, and Izumi liked that.

    <hr>

    After talking to his mom and reassuring her nothing was wrong, he went upstairs to find Wraith playing with Lala, his clothes magically cleared from the blood stains. He ruffled her fur over and over again and the smile on his face was the widest Izumi¡¯s seen so far, unexpectedly touching his heart. He was sitting on the edge of the bed. For once, his robe was off. It was draped over the bedpost by the backboard of Izumi¡¯s bed. His current clothing consisted of what he remembered when he was a child, a teal dress shirt and black slacks with a dark cyan ebony-patterned belt looped on each hip. The only thing he didn¡¯t know was that he wore his dress shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows, likely because he was always wearing that red cloak which covered his arms entirely. His hair was still wavy and voluminous, reaching to the nape of his neck. Nothing changed about him, but that didn¡¯t surprise Izumi. If he really was a ghost, or even the one from the legends, it would make sense.

    ¡°So, what did you want to talk to me about?¡±

    ¡°Well, maybe send your dog to bed? I don¡¯t want to scare her.¡±

    Izumi got a little off put from his comment, but he listened, motioning for Lala to leave the room and she immediately did what she was told. Closing the door behind her, Izumi pulled out the desk chair and sat facing Wraith.

    ¡°Yea..?¡±

    ¡°Hmm...where do I start...how about, why I saved you? I was sitting in the oak tree and really I was thinking about taking a nap when I saw you walking on the road by the field. I recognized you immediately, because you see I never forget a face. It¡¯s been some years for sure, I¡¯m not sure how many exactly I don¡¯t really count the years as they pass, you were only this high then.¡± Wraith holds out his hand to demonstrate. ¡°Saw me in the tree in that field.¡±

    Izumi shoots up from the office chair in excitement. ¡°You remember me!¡±

    ¡°Course I do, I¡¯m more surprised you remember me considering you were so young.¡±

    ¡°I do because you weren¡¯t in the pictures I took! I still have them wait-¡± He runs over to the pictures which are mounted above his dresser. Removing them from the wall, he hands them to Wraith, who studies the empty images. ¡°I never understood why I didn¡¯t see you in the pictures and everyone thought I was crazy, but you really are real!¡±

    ¡°Yea well, if I¡¯m honest you''re the first human I¡¯ve met that can see me, even when I¡¯m invisible to others.¡± Wraith hands the pictures back to Izumi and looks curiously at him. ¡°And I honestly have no idea why. I didn¡¯t think much of it at the time, thought maybe I was getting old and I just thought that was concealed, but then some years later I heard rumors about some kid asking around about me, matched your description perfectly. You¡¯ve got balls honestly, if you asked the wrong person you probably would¡¯ve ended up dead.¡± Izumi was well aware of how risky his behavior was but he still shuddered at the thought. ¡°I never really felt like trying to find you, as interested as I was, so I just left it to fate. Lo and behold, I see you again several years older walking past the same field. I was debating approaching you but those guys threw you into their car and then I had some moral conflict. I never really help people, just not my thing, not unless it¡¯s for a price of equal value to what they want.¡± Like the legends, Izumi thinks to himself. ¡°Decided not to charge you though since it had mutual benefit. I get to learn why you can see ghosts, including myself, and you get to live to see tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°So you really are a ghost then?¡± Izumi tries to hide his excitement. He¡¯s long since awaited the chance to ask his overflowing amount of questions to him.

    ¡°Of sorts. There¡¯s three different kinds of ghosts: shades, spirits, and specters. What you¡¯ve been accustomed to seeing are shades, normal dead people. I¡¯m assuming you never saw anything outside of that, or I¡¯m sure something would come to mind, right?¡±

    Izumi racks his brain, but Wraith¡¯s assumption is mostly correct. He never really saw a ghost that seemed abnormal, except¡­. ¡°There was one, some years ago, but it was dead.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯d it look like?¡±

    The grotesque image of the torn apart body from the conference room replays in his mind. He shakes his head, deciding to find a way around describing what he saw. ¡°Do you kill other ghosts?¡± Izumi asks, trying to keep his composure.

    Wraith doesn¡¯t seem like he wants to answer the question, but he does anyways. ¡°For reasons.¡±

    ¡°Did you kill one in an abandoned office once?¡±

    Wraith thinks to himself for a moment before visually having an ¡®aha!¡¯. ¡°Actually I did, some random spirit picked a fight with me, was that the one you saw?¡±

    A nod in response.

    ¡°What a small world we live in. I¡¯m surprised I didn¡¯t notice you were there. But yea, he was a spirit. Spirits are born ghosts, so they¡¯re not humans that died, hence why that one didn¡¯t really look like a human. They have all sorts of weird forms, in some cases, can do a little bit of magic, that kind of stuff.¡±

    ¡°What about specters? Are they born too?¡±

    ¡°Yea but not from the same source. They¡¯re usually born from some form of strong negative emotion, like rage or sorrow, and they feed off of it.

    As far as the food chain goes, specters are at the top.¡±

    ¡°Well, if you have a human appearance, does that make you a shade then?¡±

    Wraith smiles widely. ¡°If only. I never said that specters can¡¯t have human appearances. I¡¯m a specter, specifically, the specter of despair.¡± He places both his hands on the bed and tilts his head to the side. ¡°Do I not look like I fit the part?¡± Wraith, grinning playfully, clearly wanting to see how Izumi will react, who in turn becomes flustered.

    ¡°N-no you do you! I-I just thought-¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just messing with you. Most of us do look mostly human because of our job. We¡¯re the only ghosts that can materialize and become invisible at will, while shades and spirits are always invisible. We can change our form too, but the range really depends on how powerful the specter is.¡±

    Izumi can¡¯t contain himself any longer. ¡°So like the legends then?¡±

    ¡°The legends?¡±

    ¡°You know, you grant people¡¯s wishes for a price and then one day you devour them?¡± He¡¯s sitting on the edge of his seat begging for a response.

    ¡°Yea, that. Do people really have legends about us? Actually I¡¯m not surprised now that I think about it.¡±

    Bursting with excitement, his mint eyes brim with joy. ¡°That¡¯s so cool!!! How do you do it? Like how do you grant wishes? Is it just magic? Do you really need to ask for a price? Why-¡±

    Wraith retracts, gesturing to Izumi to calm down, placing his right calf over his left leg with his left hand resting in between the gap. ¡°Geez kid one thing at a time. I¡¯m sure you have plenty of questions and I unfortunately need to answer all of them if I¡¯m gonna need your help figuring out your situation. So first, yes it¡¯s just magic, plain and simple. Specters can do a lot of things, there¡¯s not too much of a limit, but I can¡¯t do stuff like make other people a specter or make someone immortal or create a person or whatever, stuff that¡¯s obviously way out of our limits, which usually has to do with changing someone too much. Like if someone wanted to be prettier I could do that, but only I really know how to do that. That¡¯s because a specter¡¯s range of what they can and can¡¯t do also depends on how strong and experienced the specter is, but that¡¯s a bit too deep. All you need to know is shades can¡¯t do any magic, spirits in some cases can do basic things but not all of them, and specters can do the most magic but they still have limits.¡±

    ¡°If specters are so strong, there can¡¯t be that many, right?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d be correct, there¡¯s only thirteen of us, myself included obviously.¡±

    ¡°And where would you rank? In terms of strength and experience I mean.¡±

    Wraith smiles once more and teases Izumi, now knowing that he gets flustered easily. ¡°Where do you think I rank?¡±

    In order to avoid the seemingly inevitable situation, Izumi decides to think before he speaks. He¡¯s done plenty of research on ghosts matching Wraith¡¯s description, and he was the only one in the records who was described, the others were only generally matching the ¡®wish granter and devourer¡¯ description. If so, then he must¡¯ve been the most memorable, and therefore¡­

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re the strongest?¡± Izumi answers, hoping he¡¯s correct or else he¡¯s in for another mocking session.

    ¡°Correct.¡± Wraith responds, a little disappointed. ¡°I¡¯ve been alive the longest, don¡¯t ask me how long that is because I¡¯m way past knowing.¡±

    ¡°So you guys do die?¡±

    ¡°Not the way humans do, as in old age. We basically just live until we¡¯re killed, that¡¯s about it. Only thing that can kill any ghost is another ghost.¡±

    ¡°But why would they do that?¡±

    ¡°Food chain, remember? You said it yourself, we devour humans. Other ghosts too, but humans are usually better. Spirits and specters eat more specifically, shades don¡¯t need to eat. The more they eat, the stronger they are. Sure things like just practicing how to fight and use magic and all that helps but that¡¯s still a core factor.¡± Izumi assumes that means that he¡¯s both the most experienced fighter...and in turn the most seasoned murderer. Thinking back to the previous scenes, both the warehouse kidnappers and the spirit in the conference room, it makes sense, both clearly one way fights.

    ¡°But you also said that specters feed off of whatever emotion they were born from.¡±

    ¡°Yea, that too. How do I explain it¡­¡± Wraith seems to always be smiling widely and he speaks very casually, making Izumi wonder what kind of person he really is once more. That¡¯s the one question he hasn¡¯t really seemed to have answered yet. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re familiar with wagyu right?¡± Izumi nods his head. ¡°Super expensive beef well cared for from start to finish. Compare that to ground beef or sausages, just stuff mushed and thrown together, usually pretty cheap. Normal humans are like ground beef to specters, while humans that experience said emotions are like wagyu. What specters do is make the person drown in whatever emotion they¡¯re born from, I suppose I¡¯ll use myself as an example. Since I¡¯m the specter of despair, I do whatever I can to make the person become overwhelmed by despair. Sometimes it takes a few months, sometimes a few years, but the end result is worth it to any specter.¡±

    ¡°So why do you grant wishes then?¡± Izumi tries to wrap his head around it all.

    ¡°To lead to that. You remember that politician that died recently? Some years ago he had money laundering and bribery allegations, was on the road to ruining his entire livelihood. Then, I appeared. I promised to make the world forget about the scandal if he would give me his only child, his daughter. Of course, he was hesitant, but he ultimately agreed. I knew that without his daughter, he¡¯d feel constant regret, sorrow, all of which would lead to despair.¡±

    ¡°And then when he couldn¡¯t handle it anymore you ate him?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re getting better at this.¡± Wraith¡¯s smile was more unsettling this time around as Izumi began to stomach the fact that he eats people. Not just people like Izumi, but his own people. Was there really a world like that and no one ever knew?

    Izumi regained his composure, trying to ignore the nausea he felt. ¡°So only specters eat¡­people with overwhelmed emotions?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡± Wraith seems to want to wrap things up as he¡¯s clearly losing interest from the extensive questioning.

    ¡°But if ghosts just eat so much, then wouldn¡¯t more humans be dead? Or more ghosts?¡±

    ¡°Well, most usually have blood and the like as a substitute, works just fine for a while. Plus, if spirits aren¡¯t affiliated with a specter, they basically can¡¯t eat humans period. Each specter has a territory and their own following of spirits. The specters regulate how much the spirits eat from the human world to avoid humans basically going extinct. But¡­¡± Wraith gets up and comes closer to Izumi, placing a hand on each of the arm rests, he entraps him. Izumi is looking up to Wraith, his eyes fixated on his sharp teeth. A carnivore. Heart beating out of his chest, Izumi grips his clothes tightly, hoping he doesn¡¯t become Wraith¡¯s next meal. ¡°Calm down kid I¡¯m not gonna eat you¡­ Or am I?¡± Wraith holds Izumi¡¯s right wrist in his hand, feels the pulse, and laughs. ¡°I don¡¯t blame you for being scared, but I¡¯m a man of my word. I won¡¯t eat you, I genuinely am curious why you can see ghosts, so how about this, I¡¯ll sweeten the deal for you. I¡¯ll do anything you want, in fact, I¡¯ll be your personal bodyguard. Someone like you is bound to end up in a tight spot with how much you go parading the fact that you can see ghosts. There¡¯s a catch though, I¡¯ll only protect you without a price, but anything and everything else you want you have to pay for, just like everyone else.¡±

    ¡°But I don¡¯t even have a daughter to give you-¡±

    Wraith starts laughing again. ¡°Man you¡¯re good kid. Unless you plan on asking for something as tall as that politician, you don¡¯t have to worry about that. Most things you can just pay for by letting me have some of your blood, other things I¡¯ll play it by ear. But just so you don¡¯t get all worried, I won¡¯t ask you for anything that¡¯ll harm you, your family, or your friends. Deal?¡±

    It¡¯s incredibly tempting. Izumi still has many questions for Wraith, but Wraith was dangerous. Although he promised not to hurt anyone he cared about, there was still a chance he could attack others unwarranted.

    ¡°You can¡¯t hurt other humans.¡± Izumi tries his hardest to be firm with his demands.

    ¡°And if they¡¯re trying to kill you or anyone you care about?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Izumi thinks for a second. ¡°You can¡¯t kill them unless I give you the ok.¡±

    ¡°Sure, but that only applies for when I¡¯m with you, got it?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡±

    Wraith holds out his hand. ¡°Then, I look forward to working with you, little Izumi.¡± He smiles cockily. Izumi hesitates for a moment before shaking his hand. ¡°Ah, I almost forgot. If you ever need me, you just need to say my name, either orally or in your head both works. I¡¯ll know don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll see you first thing tomorrow kid.¡± Before Izumi could respond, Wraith vanishes into the air, leaving Izumi in his room alone to process the events of today.

 Chapter 6: Uncertain Fear

    There was great anticipation in Izumi''s heart when he woke up the following morning as he could hardly believe that he finally met the ghost from the legends. Not only that, but he saved him. He was interested in him. Izumi didn''t want to let this long awaited opportunity slip through his hands. Despite his anxiety spiking through the roof, Izumi gathered himself so he could go to work. After yesterday, he wasn''t looking forward to working in the cosplay cafe. Some part of him wanted to quit just because of it, but he needed the money. If only he could have a job in the field he graduated in... Wait, he said he''d do anything right? There was that closed case, what if I ask him for help? If I could solve it and write an article, it could kick start my journalism career. In the employee room, Izumi put on his uniform. He never gets used to wearing it, but hopefully with Wraith he''ll be able to quit for good. A few hours into his shift, one of his co-workers came up to him while he was on break.

    ¡°There¡¯s a customer who specifically requested you. Said you know him? He looks pretty eccentric.¡±

    Izumi prayed it wasn''t who he thought he was. Collecting himself, he went out of the break room, his eyes immediately landing on him. Wraith. He was sitting by himself next to the window of the cafe. Upon noticing Izumi''s arrival, he turned, smiled, and waved. Izumi came over, completely embarrassed.

    ¡°I¡¯m begging you to go home.¡± Izumi mumbled, trying to make sure his co-workers don¡¯t hear him shooing off a customer. He was standing over Wraith, trying to hide his flustered expression from the others in the cafe with his soft coral pink hair. Wraith studied Izumi, causing Izumi''s ears and cheeks to burn hot. ¡°S-stop staring!¡± He wasn''t very assertive.

    ¡°It looks good on you.¡± Wraith slyly smirked. ¡°I don''t see why you''re embarrassed, you''ve got a nice body.¡±

    Izumi''s soul jumps out of his body momentarily, immediately shrieking, ¡°Just please tell me why you''re here!!¡± He barely noticed that Wraith wasn''t wearing his red robe. Instead, he was wearing a black blazer, the sleeves also rolled to his elbows. There was the same design on the back of his blazer as there was on his red robe, but instead of a black design, it was red.

    ¡°I did say I would stop by and I was curious what job you have. It''s quite fitting.¡±

    ¡°Pleaaaassse if you don''t actually need anything can you go?¡±

    ¡°Then I''ll order a drink, one for you too. You''re on break right? Sit down.¡± Wraith gestures for him to sit, reluctantly listening. A simple coffee is brought for both of them. ¡°I¡¯m more of an alcohol person myself.¡± He takes a sip from his coffee. Izumi is sitting across from him, holding the skirt to his maid outfit tightly and looking down in shame. ¡°You have a fan outside by the way. He smells similarly to you.¡±

    ¡°It''s probably my best friend, Eiji. We got into a fight a few weeks ago because he called me childish for believing in ghosts and I got upset because he used to support me in that regard but I guess he was faking it.¡±

    ¡°Well, you could introduce him to me and prove him wrong.¡±

    ¡°I could, but¡­ I don''t even know if I want to do that just yet because I still need time to get over it¡­ Did you really just come here out of curiosity?¡±

    ¡°Yes and no. I''ve got a feeling that you want to ask me something. So?¡±

    Izumi doesn¡¯t know how he guessed that but he doesn¡¯t feel like asking, the sooner he leaves the better. ¡°There was a murder about a week ago, some lady died. They were investigating it but then stopped for some reason, closed the case and said it was a lost cause only about a day or two later. I thought it was super weird, so I wanted to look into it myself.¡±

    ¡°And find the culprit I¡¯m guessing, but why?¡±

    ¡°Well, I wanted to be a journalist, I even went to college for it, but I haven''t been successful in landing a job. I was hoping that writing an article on this would help me with that, but I also think her family deserves closure.¡±

    ¡°And you want my help?¡±

    ¡°...yea. I¡¯m hoping it won¡¯t cost too much on my end, but considering it could be dangerous¡­¡±

    ¡°Course I¡¯ll help you, as for the cost I¡¯ll play it by ear. Obviously, anything that directly involves saving your life is free of charge, so no need to worry about that. Where and when do we start?¡±

    ¡°I get off of work around eight, we can go to the crime scene around then.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you humans block that stuff? And wouldn¡¯t it be cleaned up by now?¡±

    ¡°Well maybe we¡¯ll catch something they didn¡¯t since it seems like a cover up, they could¡¯ve been sloppy with it.¡±

    Wraith seems lost in thought, like he has his own speculations about what happened. ¡°Sounds good to me, just call me when you¡¯re ready.¡± Surprisingly, Wraith pays for the drinks before he leaves; Izumi wasn¡¯t sure if he had normal money, but then again it¡¯s possible that he could just make it with magic.

    Come 8:30 p.m., Izumi was out of his work clothes and at the train station. He wasn¡¯t the type of person to dress incredibly fancy, only wearing a sky blue short sleeved jacket and shorts with a graphic white tee, paling in comparison to Wraith, who already stood out from his eyes alone. Just as he came to mind, Wraith appeared right beside Izumi, scaring the daylights out of him.

    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°H-how-?¡±

    ¡°I told you, all you have to do is think or say my name and I¡¯ll be there.¡± He was still in the blazer from before.

    ¡°What happened to your robe?¡±

    ¡°A little too flashy don¡¯t you think?¡±

    Ironic considering that every part of him is flashy, but sure, Izumi thought. ¡°I guess? Moving on, the murder took place up a kinda big hill a little ways from here. There¡¯s a path we can take since people walk through it often.¡±

    ¡°Funny how first it was those kidnappers with you and now some girl gets murdered in the hills of a suburb. Maybe you should move to the city.¡± Wraith joked. If I could afford it, Izumi thought to himself.

    The two walked out of the train station, considering it was late at night in the suburbs, there weren¡¯t many people, maybe one or two in passing minding their own business. As they got closer to the hill, Wraith became noticeably more and more on edge before Izumi finally decided to ask him about it.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m hoping it¡¯s not what I think it is. The last thing I need is¡­¡± Wraith sighs heavily, baring his fangs. ¡°It¡¯s faint since we¡¯re far away, but I can feel a trace of magic.¡±

    ¡°Really? So you think a spirit or specter did it?¡±

    ¡°If someone did it it¡¯s a specter. You said that the case was closed right? And no one questioned it? Had no basis or anything?¡± Izumi nods in response, Wraith clicks his tongue.

    ¡°How are you so sure it¡¯s a specter?¡±

    ¡°Specters grant wishes, remember? Usually the wish has something to do with changing human perception, like I did with that politician. I¡¯m guessing in this case, whatever specter it was had everyone believe the case was impossible to solve, and the last thing I want is for that to be true.¡±

    ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± Momentarily, Wraith thinks about how Izumi always has a never ending stream of questions. Usually he¡¯d find such behavior annoying, but for some reason he started to not mind with Izumi.

    ¡°I told you the other day that specters have their own territories. There¡¯s a pretty strict rule where other specters and their followers can¡¯t operate in other territories without running it by the other specter first. To put it simply, by entering another specter¡¯s territory you¡¯re essentially declaring war. The issue for me isn¡¯t the fact that I¡¯d have to duke it out with another specter, it¡¯s the fact that afterwards I¡¯ll have to hear it from the others and it¡¯s just a hassle overall.¡±

    Although Wraith says that, Izumi can tell that Wraith is slowly rising to a boil judging by his furrowed brows and tense demeanor.

    Careful with their steps, they travel off the path and weave between the trees in order to find the location of the girl¡¯s death, Wraith making a small magical light to illuminate their way. With each step forward, Wraith became more and more noticeably tense and furious. As expected, the crime scene was cleaned up, but nonetheless Izumi wanted to look around. Wraith stood by Izumi as he studied the area, clearly his mind was elsewhere, yet at some point his eyes were fixated onto something in the distance. Once he separated from him, Izumi shot up and directed his attention to Wraith.

    ¡°Why what is it? Did you find something?¡± Wraith didn¡¯t respond, only continuing on ahead, with Izumi following in pursuit. He bent over, fishing around in a bush before pulling out a knife that was soaked in dried blood.

    ¡°You were right about the sloppy work at least.¡±

    Izumi¡¯s eyes lit up as an idea came to his mind. ¡°You said you have a strong sense of smell right? Do you think you can track the culprit?¡±

    ¡°Think? I know I can. I¡¯ll probably find him after we part ways, can tell you tomorrow what I find.¡± Wraith lays the knife open on his palm, which disappears upon him doing so. ¡°That¡¯s all you needed right? We can head back then.¡± Before Izumi can rebuttal, Wraith is already on his way to leave the hill. Chasing after Wraith, he becomes increasingly worried about the thoughts running through his mind. The walk back is in deafening silence, with Izumi watching Wraith intently. They follow the street back to the train station, and on their way, they come across a stray dog, a shiba inu. In certain areas, its bones are visible. Unexpectedly, Wraith squats down and pets the dog with his left hand, finally speaking.

    ¡°You said you saw me in that office some years ago right kid?¡±

    A little uneasy, Izumi is trying not to make his growing fear apparent in his voice. ¡°Y-yea.¡±

    ¡°Funny enough, that guy didn¡¯t actually piss me off. He just picked a fight with the wrong person. But, if there¡¯s one thing I am, it¡¯s possessive. You should remember that, because when someone touches something that belongs to me¡­¡± The sleeves of Wraith¡¯s blazer burn off and merge with his skin, forming the familiar staticy black talons on his arms and hands. Izumi, recognizing this from the kidnappers the other day, reaches forward hoping to stop Wraith, but is unsuccessful. The talons pierce the dog''s flesh, starting with its back, making a jarring squelch as the dog yelps in pain. Izumi stops in his tracks, too appalled to do anything but watch. The care that Wraith takes with his actions is unnerving. With both his hands, Wraith pulls back the dog¡¯s skin and muscles, as though removing a button-up shirt. At this point, the dog has long since passed away, as Wraith completely and delicately removes the dog¡¯s outer layer, making a flat husk that could almost pass for a taxidermy if it was stuffed. The process is slow and excruciating to watch as he turns the husk inside out, with the dog¡¯s bones, vasculars, and internal organs still lying in front of him, making a rancid abhorrent smell, leaving Izumi agasp at the fact that he hasn¡¯t vomited yet, but he slowly feels the acid rising from his stomach and to his throat. Wraith cracks the dog¡¯s ribs with ease, surgically removing the heart and the major arteries. With the muscles now exposed rather than the skin, Wraith places the internals of the dog inside the sac, leaving the heart and arteries outside. In order to add the finalizing touches, Wraith places the dog in a sitting position, like a dog waiting for its master to come home, and ties the heart around its neck using the arteries, creating a makeshift collar. The deceased shiba is hardly recognizable, as its golden fur is no longer present, rather its been replaced with muscles soaked in blood, making a pool of such on the ground. The staticy black of Wraith¡¯s talons can no longer be seen, covered by a crimson red coating which drips into the puddle below. The same can be said about his clothes, and skin, particularly his once teal dress shirt and face. When he turns, Izumi finally understands how the glow of someone¡¯s eyes can be unsettling. He immediately jerks away and throws up upon making eye contact, but nothing but a clear acidic liquid emerges. Wraith flings off the blood from his hands, wiping the remains on his clothes before retracting his talons, which reform the sleeves of his blazer. ¡°Go home by yourself, I have things to take care of.¡± Those were his final words prior to his departure from Izumi, who was brought to his knees by the pain in his stomach. He covered his mouth and tried to quell his urge to vomit once more, avoiding eye contact with the disheveled shiba. Struggling to his feet, he gulped and panted heavily. To him, it was confirmed. He couldn¡¯t let his guard down with him, the specter of despair.

 Chapter 7: In This World I Rule

    With a mere passing thought, Wraith¡¯s clothes were replaced and his blazer turned into the red robe once more. His pace was fast as he walked down the enormous white marble entryway to the dining hall. A loud crash was accompanied as he threw open the doors, causing everyone in the room to whip their heads towards him. The followers of the specter sat at the tables feasting, not caring about the mess they made, but neither did Wraith, hence the dining hall was always draped with all shades of red stains and leftovers. Although he had it cleaned after every meal, it would dirty nearly immediately. His followers stopped eating and went on one knee upon his arrival, particularly two spirits came directly in front of him. On Wraith¡¯s left was a large empty suit of black armor which emit a dark smoke, while on the right was an orc-like man with four arms, blue skin, and a long white ponytail. They were typically considered his generals, while others call them his right hand men. The terminology made no difference to Wraith, what mattered to him was that he knew he could trust them.

    ¡°Boss, you look upset, what¡¯s up? We picking a fight?¡± Neio, the orc, asked; although his head was still down, he could feel the immense fiery aura coming off of Wraith. Although Dahlia, the suit of armor, didn¡¯t- or rather couldn¡¯t- speak, it was clear to Wraith that they had the same question. Somehow, Dahlia was always understood without uttering a word.

    ¡°Ianthe invaded the territory.¡± Those were the only words that they needed to hear. Neio and Dahlia rose to their feet as Wraith left the room. ¡°To arms!¡± Neio roared, the other spirits rallying to the cry in response.

    Wraith sat in his room spinning his kiseru pipe, thinking about how he wanted to go about Ianthe. The room was fairly simple, although incredibly large. There were few decorations, and even fewer sets of furniture. At the far end was an immense vermillion bed, which surprisingly took up most of the room and was draped with a canopy, which was more opaque than most. The only other set of furniture in the room was the lounge area matching the bed in color. He only really used the room for resting and intercourse, so he didn''t care if others came in uninvited, as long as they paid their respects. Regarding Ianthe, she had a spell active which kept the world oblivious about the murderer¡¯s actions. If he killed her, then the spell would be released and the murderer would be caught, so Izumi wouldn¡¯t be credited. Whether he wanted to or not, he had to keep Ianthe alive in order to keep his promise to Izumi. It wasn¡¯t all bad though, as he had already come up with an ingenious plan as to how to repay her for the kind act of trespassing in his territory. Regardless of the reason, Wraith wanted to make it clear to her that she made a mistake, one that she would live long enough to regret. It didn¡¯t take much time for Wraith¡¯s followers to prepare, they were always itching for a fight, but Wraith was always a theatrical person. To start with, he only took Dahlia and Neio and set off.

    Ianthe fancied the medieval European style of buildings, so she had her home designed the same. It was made primarily out of stone and the decorations were more melancholic and mostly devoid of color, which many would describe as tacky, but she liked them nonetheless. To add to the charm of the castle, she always wore a dress, one that was modern yet still extravagant; in addition to keeping her long hair cared for everyday, which was black to her shoulders, while the rest was indigo. By all means, she was a beautiful woman, and many followed her based on that alone. The specter of guilt didn¡¯t enjoy her job, however. She detested getting filthy, so she always tried to carefully devour her victims, although she was always unsuccessful. On the other hand, Wraith didn¡¯t care. Most of the time he enjoyed making a mess of his victims, only giving care to those he doesn¡¯t care to eat. Nothing vexed her more than him, as he was the complete opposite of her in every way. And with that, she finally decided to put an end to his vile behavior.

    ¡°Wraith.¡± Ianthe sat upon her throne, knowing exactly why he has appeared before her. In comparison, Ianthe had a total of six generals by her side, who stood at the foot of the stairs which led to the throne.

    He exhaled a cloud of smoke from his kiseru pipe, Dahlia and Neio standing behind him. ¡°Ianthe~ I really am busy, so I won¡¯t waste your time. Before I liquidate every spirit in this building, you mind telling me why you had the most incredibly deranged idea as to set foot AND cast a large scale spell in my territory? You can¡¯t tell me it¡¯s just because you hate me, because everyone hates me, but they all have the common sense to not deliberately piss me off.¡±

    ¡°It goes beyond hate, Wraith. You¡¯re disgusting, repugnant, arrogant, putrid, disagreeable, vile, foul, beastly, abominable. You¡¯re the entire reason why our world has shifted. With your growing power you reach a complete monopoly over the human world. Before we know it, you¡¯ll have conquered every territory and the human race will reach extinction under a leader such as you. Without humans, our own race will follow and subsequently die off. Utter chaos. Anarchy. You feign power and you rule by fear, yet I am the only one willing to act because only I can see definitively what you¡¯re planning.¡±

    Wraith erupts into a roar of laughter, which only serves to enrage Ianthe even more. ¡°You think I want to what now? HAH and you think I¡¯m the insane one! If I really wanted to do that, I would¡¯ve done that a long time ago, don¡¯t you think? Or, let me guess, you think I¡¯m going to do it all nice and slow, slip the rug from right underneath your feet one day. You¡¯re killing me!¡± He continues to maniacally laugh, Ianthe on the verge of ending him sooner. ¡°Then let me tell you why YOU¡¯RE the dunce. Once I kill you, I¡¯ll have added your territory to my own, which only adds to my ¡®growing monopoly¡¯ as you call it. Have you ever thought about that?¡±

    Ianthe clicks her tongue in anger. ¡°I have no intention of losing.¡±

    ¡°Then, my little pierrot, why don¡¯t I show you why that¡¯ll be your fatal mistake.¡±

    As though on command, a tear in the air appears behind Wraith and his generals in the form of a claw. The sky peels back, revealing a fiendish swarm of spirits, all ravaging with bloodlust as they¡¯re pushing each other to be the first to be released into the castle. Roaring voices and cries fill the throne room, and for a passing of a moment, Ianthe debates if she made the right decision. Wraith slowly lifts his hand, the feral spirits coming to a halt in the same beat. With a motion downward, the spirits flood out of the tear in the sky. A highly exhilarated Neio draws his four swords and rushes down a hallway with a section of the flock of spirits following in suit, while the others follow behind Dahlia, who charges down a corridor on the opposing end. Ianthe¡¯s six generals launch forward in an attempt to cut down Wraith to end the battle before blood can hit the stone, while Ianthe stays behind, biting the bullet and sacrificing her generals to see what she¡¯s truly up against. With a casual motion, Wraith tosses his kiseru pipe towards them. Rather than the pipe disappearing as it usually does, it morphs into a six legged colossal malformed beast, whose skin is peeled tightly onto its body. Its head is split into three unequal pieces, all of which are roughly triangular in shape and lined with jagged teeth all around. There are no distinguishable eyes, and the claws of the beast are layered several times, while on its back are two long malnourished human-like arms. Before the generals could react, they were shredded and torn to pieces by the beast, not even coming within twenty feet of Wraith. The small chunks of meat rain down as the beast lands, making its way back to Wraith like a hound to its master. Ianthe knew that a fight against a specter would be difficult, but she still didn¡¯t expect her generals to be defeated so easily, and all without Wraith taking a single step forward. Down the individual halls nightmarish shrieks could be heard, but judging by Wraith¡¯s unbothered nature, Ianthe knew it wasn¡¯t the cries of his men. As the monstrosity paced around Wraith, Ianthe observed. Observed his nonchalant demeanor that she hated so. Observed as he smoked a cigarette while blood began to leak out of the corridors and into the main hall where they stood. Observed as it pooled around his feet while he merely stood, uninterested, and returned her stare. Nothing irked Ianthe more than the fact that she never knew what he was thinking. She believed all spirits to be the same, with only bloodshed and their next meal on their mind. She believed the same of him, given his past records, yet here he stood. Nearly motionless, aside from the occasional inhale from his cigarette, which he lit in place of his transformed pipe. She didn¡¯t know what he was waiting for, but she didn¡¯t want to initiate combat either. Whether she wished to admit it or not, the creature which circled around him terrified her, more specifically, the fact that he made it with ease. A careless toss of a smoking pipe resulted in the deaths of the entirety of her generals which she had spent centuries with. Ianthe nearly considered them as close as blood, and they were gone without so much as putting a scratch on the opposing specter. Despair. For a brief moment the emotion flickered in her heart and she shook it off immediately, but it was futile. He knew. The man cloaked in red which stood in a pool of blood at the center of her grandiose throne room wickedly beamed from ear to ear, his creophagous white teeth matched those of the beast that stood beside him. He flicked the cigarette into the scarlet bath beneath his feet, extinguishing it immediately. Recalling the disfigured beast, which vanished rather than reforming into his pipe, he finally took a step forward. The emotion pounded on the door to Ianthe¡¯s heart, but she knew that if she let it in again that it would overwhelm her, and against this opponent, it was the one thing she couldn¡¯t afford. As she stood from her throne, she stretched out her hand as the indigo segment of her hair detached itself and formed a spear in her hand, but the moment it materialized she found the barbaric hellhound of a man in front of her and the gate in her heart flooded open as the color drained from her face. The speed of his movements were unmatched as he emerged before she could finish rising from her throne, her unparalleled distress causing her to collapse into the throne once more. His mismatched eyes burned as she gazed upwards, completely static, like a deer in headlights. Ianthe was always a confident person, and despite odds being against her, she would always keep her head high and face the obstacle head on. But she couldn¡¯t. Vast emotions overwhelmed her as the man before her moved slowly and apathetically. He placed his right foot between the gap of her legs. Leaning on his knee, he slipped the spear from her hands; Ianthe too distraught to prevent the action. With one hand, he tightened his grip on the spear and it shattered like glass, showering by the foot of her throne. Not for a moment did his eyes part from hers. There wasn¡¯t a shred of emotion displayed on his countenance, juxtaposing Ianthe¡¯s inordinate range of sensations. Delicately, he lifted Ianthe¡¯s right arm, with a hand on her wrist and the other by her elbow. With each passing second, Ianthe¡¯s breath and heart rate grew more and more rapid before he finally squeezed the area by her elbow and pulled her wrist, effortlessly detaching her forearm. The screams fell onto deaf ears as her followers were reduced to the vermillion pool which lay beneath them. Without a word or a wince, he repeated the process for the other arm. Using her legs, Ianthe attempted to launch herself out of the throne in an effort to escape, which was thwarted immediately by Wraith pushing her down into the throne and grabbing ahold of her remaining arm. This time, he was slow. As he pulled the arm, her skin, muscles, and tendons could be seen detaching like the torn sleeves of a worn down coat. Crimson ichor poured out of what remained of her arms while he moved onto her legs, Ianthe now too defeated and drained to attempt to resist his removal of them. She sat motionless on her throne as Wraith lifted her chin. He placed both of his blood soaked hands on her cheeks and seemed to carefully plan his next action. Leisurely, he slid his hands up her cheeks and placed his thumbs over her indigo eyes before finally gouging them out, allowing the last sight she saw be his depraved smile which equally matched his eyes. On the right arm of her throne, he set down her eyes. Using the blood on his hands as makeshift paint, he slid his fingers across to make a smile. Her voice was hoarse from screaming, but it didn¡¯t matter, as the last thing he did was remove her ability to speak. He placed a hand on the backboard of the throne. Lifting her chin, he locked his lips with hers. Briefly, she graced his tongue, which became the last sensation that she felt before his carnivorous teeth bared into her tongue, removing it completely. Detaching his lips, he spit her tongue onto the floor. There was nothing left of Ianthe. A husk of her former self. Never did she think to herself that she would know what it¡¯s like to lose her sense of being, but now, she did. And to her most loathed foe, the specter of despair.

    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    It takes time for specters to die, especially from blood loss, this, Wraith knew. As such, he knew he didn¡¯t have to rush to cauterize her wounds, but at the least, she was immobile, so he didn¡¯t have to worry about her escaping his grasp. Wraith licked his lips, letting the blood of another specter swirl inside his mouth, savoring every second of it. If there was one regret he had, it was the fact that he couldn¡¯t devour her just yet. He turned and gazed upon the empty throne room, the massive hall¡¯s floor now covered with a red blanket. It didn¡¯t take much time after he finished with Ianthe for his generals, Neio and Dahlia, to return to the throne room with their legions. The tear in the sky was still present in the hall, allowing for Wraith¡¯s followers to take their leave after they had their fill. Neio and Dahlia, however, knelt before Wraith at the foot of the stairs. At times like these, they¡¯re grateful to be on his side. If he could reduce a specter to a pitiful sight such as that, then what about them?

    Wraith began to lick the blood off of his hands while he addressed his generals. ¡°The castle is clear?¡±

    ¡°Yes boss.¡± They both responded, with Dahlia responding telepathically and Neio orally.

    ¡°I don¡¯t really like this place. Quite tacky. Have the servants come in and salvage what they can, food and the like. If either of you want the castle after that you can have it. Here, for your effort.¡± Wraith tossed them each an arm, which once belonged to Ianthe. They lifted their heads in disbelief.

    ¡°Are you sure boss? We can have this??¡± Devouring a specter yielded incredible power, and rarely has a spirit ever even tasted the blood of one.

    ¡°Or would you prefer to give it back?¡±

    They rapidly shook their heads and bowed once more. ¡°We¡¯re eternally grateful, but may we ask, what do you intend to do with...the rest?¡±

    ¡°I need her alive, unfortunately. I¡¯ll eat the legs for now, probably keep the eyes as a token. What remains of her though, I¡¯ll keep as a toy. Go ahead and eat, after you can leave. In the meantime, I¡¯ll make sure she doesn¡¯t bleed out.¡±

    Neio and Dahlia nod; obeying his order, they feast on the gift presented to them. The taste of a specter was unlike anything they¡¯ve ever consumed in the past. It was incredibly savory and with each bite they could feel their prowess increasing ten fold. Some would ridicule Wraith for allowing spirits to consume a specter, even if it was only a small segment, but he didn¡¯t care. He knew that no matter how much they ate, or anyone for that matter, specters included, they would never surpass him, and that was all he cared about. Wraith sealed Ianthe¡¯s wounds with magic before wrapping them in a black tape and circling a chain around her neck. He had a sweet spot for dogs, their blind loyalty was cute to him, especially the way that they would gaze upon their masters with glittery eyes. Since Ianthe was unconscious, Wraith decided to teleport her to his room. He materialized a steel container upon arrival and threw her inside, sealing it shut. Ghosts didn¡¯t need to relieve themselves, and neither did they require a constant supply of fresh air, so all that was with Ianthe was her thoughts, or what remained of them.

 Chapter 8: The Pierrot and the Princess

    Izumi rolled in his bed unable to sleep. With each replay of the shiba¡¯s reversed body, he became more and more sick to his stomach. What sickened him even more was the fact that Wraith had once played with Lala and thus the possibility of her taking the shiba¡¯s place. That night, he procured no more than a handful of hours of rest, which were incredibly unfulfilling, so in the morning he felt more drained than the previous day. When he woke up, he saw the last person he wanted to see sitting beside his bed, gazing down on him with his contrasting eyes. Once more, he was in his blazer rather than his red robe. Wraith¡¯s hand was over Izumi so that Izumi lay between the gap of his hand and body. This time, his smile was sweet, but Izumi wasn¡¯t fooled.

    ¡°Good morning sleepy head. You look like you¡¯ve seen better days.¡± Izumi didn¡¯t want to respond to someone like him, and Wraith could tell. ¡°It didn¡¯t take very long for you to hate me. It doesn¡¯t necessarily bother me either, the majority of the people, ghosts and humans alike, despise me. I could give you a reason to like me, at least a little bit, though.¡± His smile grew wider and more cocky than sweet. ¡°I found your little murderer.¡±

    Izumi shot up from his bed in both surprise and joy. ¡°Really?!¡±

    ¡°Yep, did a bit of research for you too, only a little. He lives by himself, looks like a shut-in considering he doesn¡¯t take care of himself nor his apartment very well. I could track his scent for you, could follow him today and see where he goes. Might help you figure out how you¡¯re gonna bring him in. Theoretically, with the murder weapon found, you could just turn it in and get credit immediately.¡±

    Izumi shook his head. ¡°No, I could, but I wouldn¡¯t be able to write a good article on it. I wanna know more about him and why he killed her, how one event led to another, like a whole story. It¡¯ll make for a better piece. So approaching him would be better.¡± Izumi paused to think, not realizing that his face is less than a foot from Wraith¡¯s. ¡°Can you help me with something before? My mom, she thinks that I¡¯m hallucinogenic. If I could show you to her, then she¡¯ll finally believe me, I¡¯m sure you could do that disappear and reappear thing and that would be good enough. She¡¯ll probably faint for a second but it¡¯s fine.¡±

    Wraith tilts his head slightly in both confusion and surprise and chuckles. ¡°Show me? Like some sort of talent show? Pfft. Sure alright. It¡¯ll cost you though, just a bit of blood, how bout it?¡±

    ¡°What about tailing the murderer?¡±

    ¡°Put it under the same tab, it¡¯s not big enough for me to ask for anything more than that. And before you ask, I promise I won¡¯t ever drain you until an inch of your life. I can¡¯t have you dying on me or anything close until I figure out your situation.¡±

    Izumi wishes he didn¡¯t have to work with him, but he was the only one he could rely on if he wanted to catch the murderer. ¡°Alright.¡± He agreed.

    The blissful smell of a delicious breakfast flooded the house as Izumi opened his bedroom door and went downstairs into the kitchen. His mother had already finished cooking and the table was set to perfection. Hearing his footsteps, Izumi¡¯s mother turned around and greeted him.

    ¡°Good morning, sweetie! I was right about to call you down.¡±

    ¡°Morning¡­¡± Izumi wasn¡¯t really sure how to start. Wraith was waiting at the top of the stairs since Izumi figured it would be better for him to appear normally first rather than out of thin air. ¡°I wanted to talk to you about something mom.¡±

    ¡°Sure, what is it sweetie? You finally leaving the nest? Or maybe you got another boyfriend.¡± Izumi shuddered at the thought of Wraith being his boyfriend.

    ¡°Well, it might be better to just show you I guess. You can come downstairs.¡±

    Wraith descended the stairs slowly as the last thing he wanted was to take care of his unconscious mother. Luckily, Kanae didn¡¯t pass out right away, but she was still agape nonetheless.

    ¡°The man from the drawings you do?!!¡± Her mouth and eyes were wide in shock. Wraith looked at Izumi with a face that clearly mocked him for drawing him, which embarrassed Izumi enough for his cheeks to burn red.

    ¡°Well, yes, but-¡±

    Wraith sighed. ¡°Look lady, I¡¯ve got stuff to do with your kid so the faster that we clear this up the better. Your son isn¡¯t delusional, ghosts are real.¡± With one hand, Wraith pulled a cup towards him using magic and made the other invisible. ¡°See?¡±

    Kanae thud onto the floor.

    ¡°Why the hell did you do that! I told you to let me talk to her first!¡± Izumi turned and scolded.

    Wraith put down the cup and rematerialized his hand. ¡°Yea and I did and you were taking too long. You want me to wake her up?¡± Lala was licking

    Kanae¡¯s face as she slowly rose. ¡°Oh just kidding. Your mom¡¯s a real trooper kid.¡±

    Izumi rushed over to his mother, who was on the floor holding her head. ¡°Mom, are you ok?!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m as fine as I can be. Is he-?¡± She peeked over the table to find Wraith still standing there. Shaking off her son, she went over to Wraith and cautiously stuck out a pointed finger, poking Wraith¡¯s body in several areas, Wraith doing his best to not become annoyed and reduce her to paste. ¡°He really is real. Do that thing again.¡±

    ¡°Which thing?¡± Wraith asked.

    ¡°The invisible thing.¡± Wraith decomposed his hand. Kanae tried to touch the area his hand once was, but her hands passed right through. ¡°Ok put it back.¡± He rematerialized his hand, his patience thinning, but work was work. She felt his hand with both of her own, her eyes sparkling. Wraith can clearly see where Izumi gets his starry eyes. ¡°Woahhhhh. So you¡¯re like, dead?¡±

    Wraith pulls away his hand and makes some space between himself and Kanae. ¡°Not particularly. Your son can explain it later if he wants to, but some ghosts are dead while others are born. I¡¯m a born ghost.¡±

    ¡°So were you really that ghost he saw in the fields when he was a kid?¡±

    ¡°The one and only.¡±

    Another ¡®woahhh¡¯ expression emerges on Kanae¡¯s face before she turns to her son. ¡°Well, then I¡¯m sorry for not believing you, I mean-¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Izumi interrupts. ¡°I don¡¯t really blame you, even after seeing him for real I couldn¡¯t believe it, for sort of similar reasons.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± She turns back to Wraith. ¡°Join us for breakfast won¡¯t you?¡±

    Izumi turns to his mom trying to gesture to her no, but since she isn¡¯t looking, he tries to ask Wraith to decline.

    Wraith shrewdly smiles. ¡°Sure, I don¡¯t eat though, so a drink would be nice if you have booze.¡±

    Izumi groans in the background as his mother excitedly gets a drink for Wraith.

    The three of them are seated at the dining table, which only has four seats. While Izumi and his mother eat breakfast, Wraith merely has a glass of whiskey.

    Izumi watches while his mother curiously peers at Wraith. Soon enough, his mother¡¯s lips part in an effort to speak to him, in which he tries to stop her from asking the question before she starts, but he¡¯s too late. ¡°You don¡¯t want to eat?¡± Kanae asks.

    ¡°I don¡¯t, but it¡¯s not like I can anyways.¡±

    Izumi directs his attention to Wraith as his wonder overwhelms him once more. ¡°Wait, why not?¡±

    ¡°I can only eat what I told you kid.¡± He handsomely winks and smirks at Izumi, causing him to break eye contact as he tries to hide his red cheeks. ¡°If you want to tell your mom what that is, that''s your choice, but I¡¯m assuming you don¡¯t want me to say anything, so I won¡¯t.¡±

    Izumi coughs in an attempt to brush off his embarrassment. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t really answer my question.¡±

    ¡°Ghosts can¡¯t eat anything outside of their diet. So things like this, eggs, toast, vegetables, etcetera will make us sick, it¡¯s like eating something completely flavorless and textureless. Drinks are fine though, as long as they are more on the liquid side than solid, so shakes are a no.¡±

    ¡°So you can never try my cooking¡­¡± Kanae sounds a bit disappointed.

    ¡°Have you ever tried eating something else?¡±

    ¡°On occasion I do it if I need to blend in but I¡¯d rather not. Imagine if you ate something rotten, that¡¯s how normal food is to us.¡±

    A passing feeling of pity fills Izumi. Food is widely enjoyed by all, and to him, it¡¯s disheartening to hear that he¡¯ll never have a meal other than humans or his own kin. Maybe that¡¯s part of the reason he¡¯s become so monstrous, he thinks. After breakfast, Izumi and his mother talk, and she agrees to talk to the therapist and have Izumi stop attending her sessions. Izumi debates telling Eiji, his best friend, about Wraith, but he decides to wait, as he still hasn¡¯t entirely forgiven him.

    As promised, Wraith tracks the scent of the culprit, which leads into the city, specifically the arcade. Behind a machine, a hooded man stands alone. He looks scrawny and worse for wear; Wraith was right about him not caring for himself well, as he also appears malnourished. The two watch him discreetly from a distant dining booth.

    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°Is that really him?¡± Izumi asks.

    ¡°Sure is.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t think someone like him would be capable of killing anyone.¡±

    ¡°Yea, and according to you I don¡¯t look like I¡¯d be the strongest ghost there is, but here we are.¡±

    Izumi tries to ignore his teases, gripping his shorts to cope. ¡°W-well, I have an idea.¡±

    ¡°Which is?¡± Wraith¡¯s alluring eyes throw off Izumi for a moment. Sometimes, it¡¯s easy to forget the things he¡¯s done, as he clearly doesn¡¯t carry the burden of his actions on his shoulders.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get to k-know him, try to get a confession through that.¡±

    ¡°Hmm. Normally I¡¯d call you stupid, but it could work.¡± Wraith leans in closer to Izumi, who¡¯s sitting across the table from him. ¡°You see, I caught the specter that helped him just yesterday.¡±

    ¡°That quickly?!¡± Izumi nearly shouted in surprise.

    ¡°Shhh. Yes. I told you didn¡¯t I? I¡¯m possessive. It would¡¯ve irked me if I didn¡¯t take care of her asap. Lucky you though, it was the specter of guilt.¡±

    ¡°Which means he feels super guilty?¡±

    ¡°You catch on quick. Exactly. If you get close with him, he will probably start to feel even more guilty. If you¡¯re having trouble, I could always pull some strings, since I have her in my possession and all.¡±

    ¡°You captured her?!¡± Izumi tries to be quietly surprised this time around.

    ¡°I did indeed. I would kill her, but if I do then the spell on the town would be released and you could kiss your article and the culprit goodbye, so I¡¯ll wait until after you¡¯re done.¡±

    ¡°Ok, that works for me. I need to do research though before I approach him, and a lot of it, so you could probably go about your business for a while. Is there a way you can get me his name?¡±

    ¡°Well, I can see from here that he ranks the highest on the leaderboard on that arcade game. Completely crushed anyone else on there. Name is VIX? Might help.¡±

    ¡°How can you see from this far away?¡±

    ¡°I can turn completely invisible at will and you¡¯re wondering how I can see from this distance?¡± Wraith laughs, Izumi trying to ignore his constant mockery as he looks up the name on his phone.

    ¡°His name¡¯s Fuhiro Nakamura apparently, professional at that game, seems like it¡¯s kind of like Tetris? Actually, one of the top five.¡± Izumi scrolls some more, glancing at a few articles. ¡°For whatever reason, he doesn¡¯t go to tournaments anymore. Doesn¡¯t say why, people speculate that he retired, but I doubt that if you said people¡¯s perceptions were changed. Would it be possible to talk to the girl he killed?¡±

    ¡°Sure, if you know where she¡¯s buried.¡±

    ¡°Cemetery records aren¡¯t public in Japan. Could you try and find out for me?¡±

    Wraith sighs. ¡°What¡¯s her name?¡±

    ¡°Toshiko Eri.¡±

    ¡°Got it. I could probably get you that by tonight and we could go tomorrow to check, that good with you?¡± Izumi nods in response. ¡°Great, I¡¯ll come by later today.¡± Again, Wraith disappears before Izumi could say anything in response, making him realize how much he hates that Wraith is in his own world on his own schedule.

    The rest of the day is spent behind his desk, sitting with his knees tucked into his chest as he does extensive research on Fuhiro. Still, there are no firm assertions on why he left the competitive scene, but Izumi does manage to find out the name of his previous sponsor just as soon as Wraith arrives, who scares the soul out of Izumi.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know how to use a door?!¡± Izumi shouts halfheartedly, his voice somewhat quivering, since he¡¯s not the assertive type.

    ¡°Maybe you should have eyes on the back of your head, or just be more aware of your surroundings.¡± Wraith flops onto Izumi¡¯s bed, where Lala is sleeping. Izumi side eyes Wraith, trying to gain the courage to tell Wraith to leave his dog alone. ¡°Say it then, why don¡¯t you?¡±

    Izumi feels his heart in his throat from Wraith¡¯s comment and gulps it back down. He tries his hardest to sound firm. ¡°P-please,¡± mannnnn, ¡°leave her a-alone.¡±

    For the second time, Wraith¡¯s smile is more sweet than sinister. ¡°You need to work on standing your ground. Believe me, I don¡¯t mind, it¡¯s a cute look on you, but one day someone like me might take advantage of that.¡±

    Izumi turns red from ear to ear and immediately goes back to working on his laptop. Wraith, who¡¯s sitting comfortably on his bed, studies his room.

    ¡°I can tell you¡¯re not a virgin, but you sure act like one.¡±

    A shiver runs up Izumi¡¯s spine and he whips his head to Wraith, nearly about to explode in embarrassment. ¡°Can you please-!¡± Sounding downright in tears without the waterworks. Wraith¡¯s smile shifts to his usual cocky one.

    ¡°You mind if I ask how long its been?¡±

    ¡°Of course I mind!¡± Izumi barks back.

    ¡°I won¡¯t tell anyone.¡± Wraith tries to hold back his laughter. There¡¯s nothing he enjoys more than playing with him, but even he doesn¡¯t know why he enjoys it so much. ¡°Come on. If it makes you feel more comfortable, I did it just a few days ago. I have people for that so I do decently often.¡±

    ¡°Well I don¡¯t!¡± Izumi tries to go back to his work again, but Wraith gets up from the bed and turns his chair around. Placing a hand on each arm rest, he surrounds Izumi.

    ¡°I promise I won¡¯t laugh. I¡¯m just curious. You always ask me questions and I always answer. Just this one, please?¡± Wraith gives a fake pleading voice in order to persuade Izumi, which surprisingly works, especially considering it¡¯s the first time Izumi has ever heard him say please.

    ¡°Maybe like four years¡­.¡± He mumbles.

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Wraith teases.

    ¡°Like four years!¡± Izumi shouts in humiliation, his face burning.

    ¡°See, wasn¡¯t that hard.¡±

    ¡°Yes it was!¡± Izumi¡¯s voice cracks as he messies his hair, trying to forget the conversation. ¡°Why do you even ask!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just curious. Consider it a judge of character.¡± Another sweet smile, more genuine than the last, causing Izumi¡¯s heart to skip a beat. He violently shakes away his questionable thoughts. Wraith is clearly getting a kick out of him, more than he usually does. He gently picks up Izumi¡¯s wrist. ¡°Do you mind?¡±

    ¡°M-mind w-w-w-what?¡± Izumi¡¯s head starts to spin, he can¡¯t take it anymore.

    ¡°Relax, I¡¯m not going to fuck you. Not unless you want me to.¡± His comment nearly makes Izumi retract his hand and ask him to leave. ¡°Before I forget, you need to repay your debt so far. I promise it won¡¯t hurt too bad, just a sting.¡±

    Wraith holds Izumi¡¯s wrist up to his mouth and licks, making Izumi shudder, although his heart is racing. He briefly felt a bump on Wraith¡¯s tongue when he licked him, but his thought is interrupted as he winces in slight pain the moment Wraith bites down. Surprisingly, Wraith told the truth. Aside from the initial pinch, Izumi doesn¡¯t really feel anything. Watching Wraith drink his blood makes Izumi wonder how blood tastes to ghosts like him. Eventually, he stops, pulling his teeth away and licking the wound, Izumi feeling the same bump again. Wraith¡¯s saliva heals the wound, making it look like nothing happened in the first place, causing Izumi to pull his hand back and check his wrist in surprise and awe. He¡¯ll never get over the prospect of magic. Wraith licks his teeth, swallowing the last bit of Izumi¡¯s blood in his mouth. When Izumi makes eye contact with Wraith, he notices that Wraith is looking at him entirely differently, like someone overcome with the desire to devour him, but not in the sense to eat him, but rather, to truly feel him, and Izumi wasn¡¯t sure which he was more scared of. Wraith wiped his mouth and ran his fingers through his hair as he softly laughed, reminding Izumi that despite his abhorrent mannerisms, he still is unexpectedly attractive.

    ¡°W-what is it?¡± Izumi rubbed his wrist and tried to shake off the thoughts in his head, trying to remind himself that at heart, Wraith wasn¡¯t a good person, no matter what outward appearance he may hold.

    ¡°You get more and more interesting with each passing second, that¡¯s what.¡± Wraith looks overjoyed as a delightful grin stretches across his face. He sits on the floor, leaning his back against the bed, his knees bent with his arms on top.

    ¡°What¡¯s t-that supposed to mean?¡±

    ¡°Your blood is sweet. Incredibly sweet. If it was anyone else, they would¡¯ve accidentally killed you.¡±

    ¡°Is that not normal?¡±

    ¡°No. Normally, people just taste normal, like when you bite your tongue, you can taste the iron in the blood, basically the same taste. For specters, humans that they mold usually taste more savory or sweet, depends on a few things like their character or how they¡¯re built but you get the idea. But you taste sweet without any of that. No specter marked you, molded you, nothing, yet you still taste sweet.¡±

    ¡°Is that a bad thing?¡±

    ¡°Not for me, now I¡¯ll definitely look forward to charging you for my services. But for you, a little bit. If another spirit or specter catches you, they¡¯ll definitely want to eat you.¡±

    Izumi tightly grips his shorts in fear. ¡°You won¡¯t let that happen right?¡± He right away exclaims.

    ¡°Course not, remember it¡¯s my job to keep you alive.¡±

    ¡°Until you figure out why I can see ghosts, and apparently why my blood is sweet. Then after that you¡¯ll eat me too.¡± Izumi deducts.

    ¡°Maybe, maybe not. Maybe, when I find out why you can see ghosts, I learn that I can¡¯t let you die. Who knows.¡±

    ¡°And if that¡¯s not the case? Will you eat me?¡±

    Wraith looks like he doesn¡¯t want to answer the question directly, like he has an alternative in mind. ¡°I¡¯d rather not eat you. You¡¯re more useful than that. Oh right, I found that lady for you. Some cemetery in the city, we can go tomorrow night, like I said. You got anything on that Fuhiro guy?¡±

    Izumi clears his throat and tries to get back on track. ¡°Yea, actually. I wanted to ask you something. Could you make someone tell the truth without them realizing it?¡±

    ¡°Would be a bit of work, which translates to pricey on your end, but yea I could do it.¡±

    ¡°What about making them believe anything they¡¯re told?¡±

    ¡°Same thing. I could do it but it¡¯ll be pricey.¡±

    ¡°Like how pricey?¡±

    ¡°For both? It¡¯s better that I tell you some other time, when it¡¯s more in the moment. Could go ahead and throw in finding that girl¡¯s grave too. So, what were you planning?¡±

    ¡°I wanted to talk to his sponsor, but it¡¯s obvious they won¡¯t talk to some random guy, let alone say why Fuhiro stopped playing in tourneys. Especially since they¡¯re probably under that spell that you mentioned from the specter of guilt, hence why I asked that.¡±

    Wraith looks impressed, which is a first for Izumi. ¡°Nice job kid, you¡¯re smarter than you look. Sure, cool with me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll make the appointment for the day after tomorrow, their office is probably closed now, since it¡¯s so late. Actually, I think it¡¯d be better to talk to that girl after that then, because I have a long shift tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Then that means I have to do something to do tomorrow that¡¯s not poking fun at you. How boring.¡± Wraith jokes, making Izumi think I knew he did it on purpose! ¡°Then I¡¯ll see you in two days.¡± After Wraith leaves, Izumi grips his chest and repeatedly tries to shake off his unholy thoughts as Wraith¡¯s kinder side spins around his head, begging his heart to change its mind.

 Chapter 9: Investigating the Root

    The following day, Izumi goes to work the first of his two shifts, and although he passes by Eiji on the way, he ignores his calls and continues on. Too much is on his mind currently for him to think about how to approach the situation between them. Progressively, Wraith has been edging his way into Izumi¡¯s life, and he doesn¡¯t know how to feel about it. On one hand, Wraith has some kindness past his sometimes annoying playfulness, but there¡¯s some charm to it. While on the other, he¡¯s a malformed creature that¡¯s only human on the outside. Nothing terrified Izumi more than when he recalled Wraith playing with Lala when they first met, and remembering that it could¡¯ve been her, or possibly even himself. Is it just a matter of anger? Even if it was, just the fact that he didn¡¯t seem to hold any remorse was unnerving. Regardless of Wraith¡¯s actions, Izumi still wanted to know more about him, as he held firm in his heart the belief that Wraith is more than his grotesque deeds. Later that evening, Wraith assisted Izumi in securing an appointment with the executive the following day, using magic to make the receptionist compliant. After Wraith carried out his purpose, he left and Izumi headed for bed immediately, exhausted from a long day of work. A dream plagued him that night, as it contained Wraith, yet in a way in which Izumi never wished to visualize. It was promiscuous in nature, and of all places it was at his cosplay cafe job, yet before the deed could reach its completion, Izumi shot up. He sat in his bed, his head in his hands, realizing he¡¯d never be able to look at Wraith the same. Of all people...uAgh, I can¡¯t believe I let what he said about four years get to my head let alone his stupid...face, he regretfully reflected. Flustered, Izumi goes to shower to try and brush off the strange dream he had. Upon leaving the bathroom, he finds Wraith waiting for him on the bed, laying down. Immediately, Wraith sits up and Izumi tries to avoid eye contact with him in order to avoid being reminded of his salacious dream. Although Wraith notices this, he decides to file it away for later. Regardless, he still attempts to set him off in order to gauge his reaction.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s the plan little Izumi?¡±

    Izumi tries to ignore his antics. ¡°Well, since we already made the appointment, all I really need help with is just making sure that the director actually tells me the truth, which you said was related to that other specter¡¯s spell right?¡±

    ¡°Yea but it won¡¯t be a problem.¡± Wraith nonchalantly stretches and rises from the bed, making Izumi realize their height difference now that they¡¯re standing side by side. Incidentally, he also finally noticed that Wraith keeps his dress shirt a bit open. ¡°I could just override it by making him tell the unfiltered truth. What I¡¯ll probably do is just turn invisible so no one else will see me, but you still can, then after we could go to that girl¡¯s grave.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m alright with that.¡± Izumi agrees.

    Since Kanae wasn¡¯t home, Izumi made himself breakfast while Wraith waited for him, smoking outside and having a drink. Afterwards, the two set off to talk to the executive.

    The corporate building was pristine and clearly highclass judging from the immense use of glass and marble, and while Izumi was gazing with starry eyes, Wraith, who was translucent, didn¡¯t seem to be impressed in the slightest. A receptionist guided Izumi to the executive he was scheduled to have an interview with, who was the very definition of business oriented and money hungry, as the middle aged man¡¯s suit barely held his overweight body together and he always seemed to be in a rush. There was an earpiece connected to his lobe and on his right wrist was a smart watch which he checked constantly for notifications, irking Izumi slowly. Much to Izumi¡¯s surprise however, the executive¡¯s office was made primarily out of dark red wood, although unmistakably highgrade judging by the gloss it had. Other than that, the office was quite average, excluding its above normal size, allowing it to have a lounge room, where the two spoke. Wraith stood behind the couch Izumi was seated on, which was across from the executive. Izumi fumbled for his notebook and tape recorder, his nerves finally getting to him.

    ¡°May you please make this quick? I have other matters to attend to, so the faster this is concluded, the better.¡± The executive snapped.

    ¡°Ah, right! Um..¡± Izumi glances at his notes with his nervous behavior resulting in Wraith suppressing his laughter, nearly forgetting his job. ¡°Mr. Saito? I wanted to ask about Fuhiro Nakamura, he went by VIX in tournaments?¡±

    ¡°He left us not too long ago.¡± Mr. Saito responded.

    ¡°That¡¯s what I wanted to ask about. He seemed to be a very good player from what I could tell, so there was no real reason for him to have stopped playing competitively, especially considering he played the game as a full time job for years. Why did he stop? Or did the company let him go?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t kn-¡± Wraith snaps his fingers and Mr. Saito restarts his sentence, although awoken from a trance. ¡°Nakamura was a good player, yes, but he got himself involved in quite a bit of controversy.¡±

    ¡°Which was..?¡± Izumi pressed.

    ¡°A girl, I don¡¯t quite remember her name-¡± Again, Wraith enchants the executive. ¡°Toshiko Eri.¡± Both of their eyes widen at the familiar name as Mr. Saito continues. ¡°She had accused him of sexual assault. Judging by the severity of the allegations and the amount of evidence she presented, we had no choice but to let him go. Subsequently, he was banned from tournaments and left the professional scene altogether.¡±

    ¡°How can people be so sure he did it? Isn¡¯t it difficult to prove that?¡±

    ¡°There were people who claimed to have witnessed either his suspicious behavior towards her or they interacted with her after the fact, in which she was obviously distraught.¡± Something didn¡¯t seem right to Izumi, and Wraith felt the same.

    ¡°Kid, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re going to get anything out of him. Stories are stories, people lie all the time. Even if I make him tell the truth, if she spread a lie, to him it¡¯s the truth, and we¡¯ll never know unless we take it to the source.¡± As Wraith was appearing ethereal, people other than Izumi can neither hear nor see Wraith.

    Izumi agreed with Wraith¡¯s take, he didn¡¯t feel like he would get anywhere with the executive, but at least he knew ahead of time to pressure Toshiko.

    ¡°Well, thank you for your time, Mr. Saito. That¡¯s all I wanted to ask.¡± Izumi wrapped up the interview and shook his hand.

    ¡°My secretary will see you out.¡± He immediately rushed out of the room and his secretary took his place, guiding Izumi to the exit. Once they were outside the office, Wraith took on his opaque appearance once again.

    ¡°We have some time to kill until then, so, you got somewhere in mind?¡± Wraith asked Izumi, to his surprise.

    ¡°You want to...hang out with me?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m just asking so I can juke you. Yes? You¡¯re always brimming with questions, so gives you a chance to ask, and hell, maybe I¡¯ll ask my own. If I¡¯m gonna be stuck with you for who knows how long, I might as well learn more about you.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a park nearby we can go to, if you just wanna sit and chat.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine with me.¡±

    Upon arriving at the park, the unlikely pair sit by the fountain, with about a foot space between them. Wraith immediately pulls out a cigarette and smokes.

    ¡°Are you, how do I phrase it...like, does smoking harm you? Like how humans get lung cancer and stuff.¡± Izumi right away lets his curiosity get the best of him and Wraith smiles, knowing it would happen sooner than later.

    ¡°Nah. Ghosts don¡¯t really get sick or things like that the same way humans do, most that¡¯ll happen is if they have some super strong addiction to something, like stronger drugs.¡±

    ¡°Human drugs?¡±

    ¡°Yea, some use them, not a lot though since you have to really hit them for them to be effective. For specters though, basically nothing works.¡±

    ¡°Woahh, so you don¡¯t get sick or hurt or anything at all then? How do you guys even die?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say we can¡¯t get hurt. I already told you before that ghosts can devour other ghosts, and really ghosts can only die to another ghost period. We sustain injuries, but they heal fairly quickly, especially for specters, and especially especially for me. I could cut my arm off right now and regrow it instantly. Dying though, basically the same way normal people do, just in some cases it takes a bit longer, like blood loss. If you cut off their head, slice them in half, things like that, they¡¯ll die like any normal person.¡±

    ¡°But not you?¡±

    ¡°Not me.¡±

    ¡°Why¡¯s that? Do specters die to things like that?¡±

    ¡°Well, yes and no. To kill a specter, you have to be a bit more meticulous than that, like cutting them up a bit more so there¡¯s too much damage to repair, or just straight devouring them, which really wouldn¡¯t work but hey it¡¯s technically still an option. In my case though, I¡¯m just special.¡± Wraith grins, clearly not wanting to answer the question, giving Izumi the impression that no one knows how to kill him then.

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    ¡°That¡¯s cool though, you guys are basically immortal!¡± Izumi relaxes into the park bench, turning to watch the fountain.

    ¡°Well, some would disagree with you. Not everyone wants to live forever.¡± Wraith had a hint of solemness in his voice, catching Izumi¡¯s attention.

    ¡°And what about you?¡± He watched Wraith¡¯s face.

    ¡°Hmm.¡± Wraith thinks for a moment. ¡°I can say without a doubt that I¡¯m one of the oldest ghosts out there, and sure it was boring sometimes, but in that case I just sleep if I really can¡¯t find something. Then I wake up and it¡¯s a new era so I get to do new things again.¡±

    ¡°Sleep? Like hibernate?¡±

    ¡°Exactly that.¡±

    ¡°And you can do that for years?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡± He responds nonchalantly.

    Izumi¡¯s face is clearly impressed and a little jealous that he can brush off problems so easily. For a moment, they sit in silence. The fountain is giving off a refreshing mist which compliments the slight spring breeze. Unsure what to say, Izumi nervously looks down before watching Wraith, hoping to find a hint in his face. Wraith eventually turns to Izumi, making him jump a little in his seat.

    ¡°Am I that pretty that you have to stare?¡± He blows a puff of smoke and puts out his cigarette on the floor.

    Izumi becomes flustered, his ears burning. ¡°N-no! I was just thinking-¡±

    ¡°So I¡¯m not pretty? How harsh of you.¡± Wraith teases, setting off Izumi even more, his face becoming more red hot and his grip on his clothes becoming tighter.

    ¡°No I didn¡¯t mean-!¡±

    A boisterous laugh erupts from Wraith as he struggles to get his words together. ¡°You¡¯re killing me! Pfffft- hah, I can¡¯t do this anymore you might actually make me feel bad, go ahead go ahead, what did you want to say?¡± He tries to stop laughing, Izumi feeling a mixture of frustration and embarrassment.

    ¡°I-I wanted to ask you if you were ever lonely!¡± He shouted accidentally, catching Wraith off guard.

    ¡°Oh.¡± His laughter immediately ceases, Izumi calms down upon Wraith¡¯s change of tone. ¡°Huh. Hmm. I¡¯m gonna have to say no. I was...hmm¡­¡± Wraith stops to think several times, trying to dance around his past. ¡°I have people, let''s just say. I had a time where I didn¡¯t, and I was fine then. Then I had people, and still have them, and I¡¯m fine now too. So, I¡¯m fine either way. A question for you, then. What happened to your dad? I looked around your house the other day and didn¡¯t see any pictures of him, or any other family member for that matter, excluding your mom.¡±

    Wraith can tell that it¡¯s a somewhat touchy subject judging by Izumi¡¯s more tense demeanor. ¡°I don¡¯t know what he was like, really. According to my mom, he was a deadbeat and left before I was even born.¡±

    ¡°A fling then? If you don¡¯t mind me asking.¡±

    ¡°If you want to put it that way.¡± Izumi kicks at the floor, his head low. Wraith gets closer and rests one arm behind Izumi. He jolts, whipping his head to Wraith, not realizing how close he got, as they¡¯re now side by side. Lightly stroking his hair, Wraith studies Izumi¡¯s mint eyes, noting to himself how soft Izumi¡¯s expression always seems.

    ¡°As far as I¡¯m concerned, you¡¯re not a mistake, Izumi.¡± This time, Wraith¡¯s kind smile and soft voice sets off Izumi¡¯s heart rate and cheeks. ¡°Even disregarding your special prowess with the supernatural, your life holds more worth than a lot of people I¡¯ve seen, and I¡¯ve seen more than you can imagine in terms of scum of the earth. I may ask for people to give up their child, spouse, or relative, but that doesn¡¯t mean I hold people like that to a high standard. Anyone willing to do something like that for monetary value, looks, what have you, is disgusting. That¡¯s why¡­ I¡¯m glad. For you. Neither your mother nor you are marked by a specter.¡±

    ¡°I-I thought you liked your job? At least that¡¯s what it seemed like.¡± Izumi half mumbles, still distracted by the lack of distance between them.

    ¡°I do. Hell, I love it. I¡¯m basically taking out the trash.¡± Wraith scoffs as he gets up from the bench. ¡°We should get going now. By the time we get there, it¡¯ll be night.¡±

    ¡°Ah, r-right.¡± Izumi shakes his head from his dangerous thoughts and follows after Wraith to the cemetery.

    To help Izumi find the grave, Wraith asks the other shades there, who are clearly terrified of him, to point out Toshiko, but when they arrive, there¡¯s no ghost at the grave.

    ¡°What do we do now-¡± Izumi turns and asks just as Wraith kicks the gravestone. ¡°What are you doing!¡±

    ¡°Get the fuck out here before I drag you out of your grave.¡± Wraith snaps at the gravestone. Instantaneously, an ethereal young woman comes out of the grave. Her hair is long and her clothes are somewhat plain.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you guys know anything about respecting the dead-¡± She starts to bark back, then retracts. ¡°A-a specter?!¡±

    ¡°You really are famous.¡± Izumi comments to Wraith.

    ¡°No, she can just tell, consider it like an aura. Well? Ask your questions kid. I¡¯ll be here if she doesn¡¯t want to comply.¡± He glares at Toshiko, who shrinks in terror.

    Izumi nods and focuses on the young woman. ¡°You¡¯re Toshiko Eri right? You died recently? Murdered to be specific.¡±

    ¡°Congratulations, you can read the gravestone.¡± She sarcastically responds. After accidentally exchanging a look with Wraith, she changes her attitude slightly. ¡°Is this about that guy? Fushiko or whatever his name was.¡±

    ¡°Fuhiro, Fuhiro Nakamura. I don¡¯t want to talk about him yet though.¡± She seemingly gets irritated at Izumi¡¯s approach, but tries to contain herself out of fear of Wraith. ¡°To back track, how did you two know each other?¡±

    ¡°I was at some of the tournaments, not as a player, just as a moderator. Doing stuff like setting up the brackets or livestream. I never really had genuine interactions with him, just stuff in passing. There¡¯s usually an afterparty for bigger events and I got a bit tipsy so he helped me back to my room-¡±

    ¡°And you accused him of rape?¡± Izumi purposefully interrupts to catch her off guard so she won¡¯t lie, which he¡¯s successful in doing as she starts to get more agitated and defensive.

    ¡°Moderators don¡¯t even make that much money! I have to work all these stupid little jobs just to get by and do you know how much publicity people get when they do shit like that?!¡±

    ¡°You ruined his life for publicity?!¡± This is the first instance that Wraith¡¯s seen of Izumi full heartedly boiling with infuriation, as his voice is more aggressive and clamorous, making him feel a hint of pride. ¡°He lost everything because of you!¡±

    ¡°Well I lost my life because of him!¡± She snaps in retaliation. ¡°Why are you acting like I¡¯m the only one who¡¯s done shit like that?! People do it all the time and they never get punished for it!¡±

    ¡°Others doing something deplorable doesn¡¯t make the action any less-You-!-UGHH!¡± Izumi reaches a loss for words, unsure how to convey to her the wrongdoings she committed.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, you got the information you needed.¡± Wraith interjects; Izumi reluctantly nods and leaves with Wraith.

    Outside of Izumi¡¯s house in the driveway, Wraith sits on the bike rack and smokes while Izumi rants to him about how greatly in disbelief he is at her incapability to realize how detrimental her actions were. For once, Wraith listens without saying a word. No teasing, no sly remarks. Out of breath, Izumi finally stops and sits beside Wraith.

    ¡°I guess, at the least, thank you. I know you said it¡¯ll cost me and all that, but still, thank you.¡±

    ¡°Just doing my job.¡± He blows a cloud of smoke. ¡°You mind getting me a drink? Should get one for yourself too.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m alright, I¡¯m a light drinker haha.¡± Before retreating into the house Izumi smiles, the street light illuminating his face, throwing off Wraith slightly so he looks away in an attempt to suppress his attraction. Down the dark alley, a familiar man runs past Wraith, eyeing him the entire way. Wraith recognized him immediately as Eiji, Izumi¡¯s best friend, who seemed to be doing a late night workout, but decided to keep his appearance to himself. Izumi returns shortly with a cold drink for Wraith.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you at least remembered that I prefer alcohol.¡±

    ¡°Well, you only eat a few things, it¡¯s not that hard to remember, even for me.¡± When Izumi chuckles, Wraith realizes the line that Izumi is threatening to cross, which scares Wraith to the point of complete and utter disbelief, so he shakes off the possibility entirely. ¡°You said you were planning on telling me what you wanted after the fact, right? What is it? I know you said it wouldn¡¯t be blood since I had you do a lot this time around.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you tomorrow, since you¡¯ve had a long day.¡±

    ¡°But I have work tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll see you at work.¡±

    Izumi is reminded of how embarrassing it was for Wraith to see him in his maid outfit. ¡°Please don¡¯t.¡± He instantly requests.

    ¡°What are you going to do to stop me then?¡± Wraith smirks as he turns to Izumi, his right hand holding both the drink and the cigarette while his left is resting on the bike rack.

    Izumi tries to think quickly of a proposition. ¡°If I give you some of my blood, will you not show up while I¡¯m working?¡±

    ¡°Fine with me.¡± Wraith puts out his cigarette and holds out his left hand; Izumi didn¡¯t think it would be that easy. He rests his right wrist upwards on his hand. Leaning in closer, he bites down. Once more Izumi winces slightly from the quick yet sharp pain, then after he doesn¡¯t feel anything. While Izumi watches Wraith drink, he thinks about how soft his hair feels as it barely grazes his hand and arm despite its somewhat short length, although his bangs are much longer. When he licks the wound, Izumi feels a bump on his tongue once again, but decides to hold off on asking about it.

    ¡°Does it still taste the same?¡± Izumi rubs his wrist again, still amazed that the wound closes so quickly.

    ¡°As sweet as before.¡± Wraith makes space between them. ¡°And I¡¯m still at a loss.¡±

    ¡°You really have no clue why?¡±

    ¡°Well, anything I thought of was already debunked. I know someone I could ask, she¡¯s like an encyclopedia with a heartbeat.¡± Wraith pauses for a moment before mumbling, ¡°as much as I don¡¯t want to talk to her.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Izumi doesn¡¯t hear the last part.

    ¡°Nothing, I¡¯ll probably go ask her about your case whenever you start talking to that Fuhiro guy, since you¡¯re gonna take forever buttering him up.¡±

    ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t want too many others to know about me?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s an exception, I¡¯ve known her for a while, just was kind of a last resort, for reasons.¡± Izumi decides not to press him about her, since it seems like a sore spot. After his last sip, Wraith hands the empty glass to Izumi and stands. ¡°Then, I won¡¯t see you at work tomorrow, since I¡¯m a man of my word. But no one said anything about not seeing you period, so maybe you will, maybe you won¡¯t, depends on how I feel.¡±

    ¡°As long as it¡¯s not while I¡¯m working.¡± He firmly reminds Wraith.

    ¡°Promise it won¡¯t be.¡± Wraith reaches over to Izumi and ruffles his hair. ¡°Keep your head up kid. See you.¡± As per usual, Wraith fades into the darkness of the alley before Izumi can react to his antics. Slapping the blush off of his cheeks, Izumi shakes his head to keep himself together before going back into the house.

 Chapter 10: A Favor for a Favor

    Although Izumi is aware that Wraith is a man of his word, he still remains on guard during his work shift, looking out for a tall man with gradient hair and mismatched eyes at all times. Thankfully, Izumi finishes his shift without a sight of Wraith, but he sees something arguably worse. Upon walking out of the cafe, he makes eye contact with Eiji, whom he¡¯s been successful in avoiding up to this point. Before Eiji can yell out to him, Izumi runs back into the employee room of the cafe and tries to figure out how to get around him. The back entrance of the cafe still leads to the main road, so there¡¯s no way to maneuver around Eiji, not unless he uses his trump card. I just have to think his name? I think he said, Izumi contemplates, then¡­

    ¡°Wraith?¡± Izumi thinks to himself.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Izumi jumps when he hears Wraith¡¯s voice in his head.

    ¡°You can really read my mind from this far away?¡±

    ¡°If anyone calls my name I can hear it, part of the job. So? I doubt you¡¯re just wondering what I do with my free time.¡±

    Izumi nearly loses focus as he does in fact realize that he wonders what Wraith does when he isn¡¯t with him, but he stays on track. ¡°You remember how I said I¡¯m avoiding my best friend? Well, he¡¯s outside of the cafe right now¡­.and I¡¯m hiding in the backroom.¡±

    ¡°And? What do you want me to do about it?¡±

    A plan sparks in Izumi, remembering Wraith has seen Eiji before. ¡°You mind going on a fake date with me?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± That was the last thing Wraith expected to hear.

    ¡°If you pretend to be my boyfriend, he¡¯ll back off for a while, since he¡¯ll probably think that I¡¯m more unbothered from the whole conflict.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s quite petty of you, and unexpected. I mean, I¡¯ll do it sure, but are you sure? I will have you know that I¡¯m quite the rental boyfriend.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m begging you, anything to get him off my tail for a few days until I can clear my head.¡±

    ¡°I could just do some spell to make him fuck off you know.¡±

    ¡°Which would most definitely cost more I imagine! And I already owe you for yesterday as it is.¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright. Just come out the front, I know he¡¯s there but I¡¯ll catch you before he does.¡±

    Hesitantly, Izumi leaves the employee room and tries to find Wraith in the crowd before he leaves the cafe. He¡¯s standing much closer to the entrance of the cafe than Eiji is, who¡¯s much further away and frantically waiting for him to leave the store. As soon as Izumi steps out of the cafe, Eiji stops in his tracks when he sees Wraith walk up to him.

    ¡°You sure were taking your time.¡± Wraith¡¯s hand slides behind Izumi¡¯s ear as he pulls him in for a kiss, Izumi too stunned to react. The kiss only lasts a few seconds, but to Izumi it felt like a lifetime due to its unexpected nature. Wraith takes hold of his hand and lovingly smiles. ¡°I have a whole day planned, what are you waiting for?¡± He pulls him along the sidewalk, leaving Eiji surprisingly more staggered than Izumi. They leave the cafe and walk down the sidewalk, Izumi still confusedly holding Wraith¡¯s hand.

    ¡°A whole day planned??!¡± He mumbles to Wraith.

    ¡°I made that up, how the hell could I have planned a date on the fly like that?! I don¡¯t know the first thing about this kind of stuff, I¡¯m just playing it by ear. Your little best friend is following us by the way, although pretty far back.¡±

    ¡°Ughh, I knew this would happen.¡± Izumi¡¯s mind is running in circles as he can¡¯t seem to brush off the fact that they kissed, although Wraith doesn¡¯t seem too shaken up by it. Collecting his thoughts, he makes up for Wraith¡¯s slack in the romantic field, ¡°Since we¡¯re still in the city, do you want to go to the aquarium? He¡¯ll probably follow us in there too but it¡¯s fine, the more convinced he is that we¡¯re dating the better I suppose. Then after we can go to the botanical gardens and then the park?¡±

    ¡°Despite my age, you seem to have more experience in date spots than I do. Whatever you want to do kid, I¡¯m just here for the ride.¡±

    ¡°Well, I used to travel a lot with my mom since she used to do freelance photography and there¡¯s usually a lot of couples at those places so.¡± Although Izumi says so nonchalantly, he¡¯s incredibly eager to carry his mother¡¯s torch and photograph everything he can.

    Since it¡¯s a weekday, the aquarium isn¡¯t too packed, yet just as Izumi predicted, Eiji is still following behind them and watching from a distance. Clearly, Wraith isn¡¯t interested in the sea creatures as his demeanor is more neutral, which juxtaposed Izumi¡¯s exuberant enthusiasm as he snapped pictures left and right with glittery eyes. He dragged Wraith across the aquarium, trying to hit every spot that he could to get the most out of the day. They reached an exhibit which allowed the viewers to touch the sea creatures within the tank and Izumi eagerly took up the offer, reaching his hand into the water to graze any fish that passed by. Disappointed with Wraith¡¯s disinterest, Izumi turns to Wraith and scolds him.

    ¡°Come on!! You do it too!¡± Wraith didn¡¯t really seem like he wanted to despite his nagging, so Izumi took hold of his hand and pulled it into the water. Izumi¡¯s hand laid atop Wraith¡¯s while he assisted him in caressing the fish as they passed by.

    ¡°Cool, right!¡± Izumi beamed towards Wraith, ¡°You¡¯d expect them to be kinda slimy, but it¡¯s like a weird kind of smooth and wet slimy.¡±

    Wraith snickered but his smile was genuine, ¡°Pfft, what kind of description is that?¡± Sometimes Izumi wishes that Wraith didn¡¯t have such a heartfelt smile, let alone the fact he did so frequently, as it caused his cheeks to flush red and burn hot. He retracted his hand away from Wraith¡¯s in disarray.

    ¡°I-I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Izumi avoids eye contact with him, flinging the water off of his hand.

    Thankfully for Izumi, Wraith changes the topic. ¡°We saw all the exhibits, right? If you¡¯re good, we can go to the garden thing you mentioned.¡± He dries his hand on his blazer.

    ¡°R-right, y-yea I saw everything.¡±

    ¡°Then here, my little princess.¡± His comment releases a flurry of butterflies in Izumi¡¯s chest as Wraith holds out his other hand. ¡°Shall we?¡± Half reluctantly, Izumi accepts Wraith¡¯s invitation. Holding his hand, he attempts to refrain from becoming any more flustered.

    On the way over, they passed by a few restaurants and Izumi tried not to make his hunger apparent, but Wraith noticed anyways.

    ¡°If you want to go eat, we can.¡±

    Startled, Izumi slightly jumps and rapidly exclaims, ¡°N-no it¡¯s fine! You can¡¯t eat human food, so it¡¯ll be awkward if you¡¯re just watching me eat.¡±

    ¡°I can stomach it if I have to, I¡¯d rather not have to deal with having you keel over in hunger.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure..?¡±

    ¡°No I was just messing with you, yes I¡¯m sure sheesh. I probably won¡¯t have much though just so my disgust isn¡¯t obvious to your stalker back there.¡±

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    Begrudgingly, Izumi and Wraith stop at an eatery, Izumi ordering a small tuna sandwich just so Wraith doesn¡¯t have to wait too long for him to finish, while Wraith gets a soda and only a few pieces of takoyaki. As they eat, Izumi watches Wraith in complete guilt.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry...¡±

    ¡°Why are you sorry?¡± Wraith is obviously not interested in the meal since he¡¯s eating slowly, but he¡¯s doing well to suppress his nausea. ¡°It¡¯s not going to kill me, and like I said, I¡¯d prefer that you don¡¯t collapse on me.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be so hungry that I¡¯d pass out!¡±

    ¡°With how skinny you are? Sure.¡± He half heartedly scoffs. ¡°If you¡¯re so concerned about my well being instead of your own, then you can feed me after, how¡¯s that sound?¡±

    ¡°In public?¡± Izumi questions, thinking about the crowd which will most definitely find the act suspicious.

    ¡°Can just go to an alley between one of these restaurants. If I bite your neck, it¡¯ll look less strange.¡±

    The suggestion throws off Izumi as he gets sent into a spin. ¡°M-my neck?!¡±

    ¡°Yea? To passerbys it¡¯ll just look like we¡¯re doing PDA, but if you don¡¯t want to then I can wait, I don¡¯t get hungry that fast.¡±

    ¡°N-no that¡¯s fine! I¡¯m fine with that!¡± Although a bit confused at Izumi¡¯s behavior, Wraith doesn¡¯t think anything of it.

    After they eat, Wraith pulls Izumi into a narrow alley. ¡°Here is fine.¡± With Izumi¡¯s back to the wall, Wraith places his left arm onto the wall, their faces only a few inches apart. Despite how dark the alley is, Izumi can see Wraith¡¯s face clearly, especially his sapphire and amber eyes, which stand out most of all. Using his right hand, he pulls back Izumi¡¯s jacket and shirt in order to expose more of his neck. ¡°It¡¯ll look weird if you stand there so tense, here.¡± Wraith guides Izumi¡¯s hands around the nape of his neck, lightly grazing his hair. Although Izumi¡¯s heart is beating out of his chest, Wraith, as per usual, doesn¡¯t seem too phased, even as he pulls Izumi closer and bites down. Surprisingly, it initially doesn¡¯t hurt as much compared to when he bites his wrist, but nonetheless, Izumi is still grasping Wraith tightly. Overtime, it starts to hurt more and more, causing Izumi to grip tighter, with Wraith eventually parting his teeth, but he doesn¡¯t seal the wound. He licks his teeth, Izumi feeling his breath against his face. ¡°Are you alright? Like I said if you don¡¯t want to it¡¯s fine, I can wait. You¡¯re just so tense that if I try it¡¯ll hurt a shit ton.¡± Their bodies are pressed against each other while Wraith¡¯s hair is a bit disheveled, making Izumi try his hardest to push away the suggestive thoughts running through his mind. Izumi takes a few deep breaths and tries to relax, ¡°N-no, I¡¯m ok, y-you can go ahead.¡± For once, Wraith seemed worried, but he trusts Izumi¡¯s input and bites down again. Momentarily Izumi tenses up again, but then quickly calms down, remembering Wraith¡¯s words. As such, it no longer hurt while Wraith drank, but Izumi couldn¡¯t help but feel a strange flutter in his chest. It didn¡¯t take long after the fact for Wraith to pull away and close the wound, Izumi feeling the same bump on his tongue, yet he¡¯s too shaken to ask. ¡°The garden right?¡± Wraith asked, Izumi rapidly nodding immediately. Once more, Wraith took hold of his hand and led him out of the alley.

    The garden was somewhat small and was located in the park that the two planned to rest in later. Like in the aquarium, Izumi energetically took pictures, this time though, of the various plants in an effort to brush off the preceding event. They didn¡¯t spend long in the garden, due to its small size, so shortly after arriving they sat on a bench in the park which lay in front of a lake. By this time, the sun was setting, giving the lake a serene orange glow. Few people were left in the park, most wrapping up their events and beginning to head home, while the ones who remained consisted of bikers and runners. Because of this, the park was quiet, as even the ducks and squirrels were beginning to head to rest. The two sat by each other in relative silence, taking in the scene. Wraith¡¯s arm was behind Izumi, resting on the bench, while Izumi was unnerved, sitting with his hands tightly clasped on his shorts, his knees buckled together as he fished for a topic.

    ¡°D-did you have fun?¡± He tried asking.

    ¡°Honestly, I didn¡¯t really care too much about the places themselves, but¡­ugh how do I put it.¡± Wraith runs his hand through his hair in contemplation. ¡°It¡¯s not something I¡¯d usually do, go to an aquarium, garden, or a park, never really even crossed my mind. But somehow, going with you was fine, probably because of how funny it is to watch you go googly eyed at everything.¡± A little surprised at his response, Izumi¡¯s mouth drops a bit open as he stares at Wraith. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that.¡± Wraith breaks eye contact, turning away. For a moment, Izumi thought he saw Wraith turn red ever so slightly.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad it wasn¡¯t a drag for you at least.¡± As Izumi looked down, Wraith turned back to him, studying his soft, puppy-like expression. ¡°Is he still following us?¡± Izumi looks back at Wraith.

    ¡°He¡¯s across the lake, somewhere in the bushes.¡±

    Izumi tries to point him out, to no avail. ¡°How can you even tell?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask that before?¡± Wraith laughs, ¡°About that Fuhiro guy.¡±

    ¡°Oh, right. But you never answered, you just said ¡®I can turn invisible, how would I not be able to see him¡¯. The two things have no correlation!¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯m just more aware of my surroundings.¡±

    In the midst of their conversation, Izumi suddenly remembers something he¡¯s been meaning to ask him. ¡°Oh yea, you know how you always use your saliva to heal the bite mark? There¡¯s always this weird bump on your tongue, what is that?¡±

    ¡°Do you really want to know?¡± The way Wraith asks the question makes Izumi a bit uneasy, but he always lets his curiosity get the best of him.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve been wondering for a while, so yea?¡±

    Leaning in, Wraith places his left hand on Izumi''s cheek and kisses him, this time, more passionately. Despite his shock, Izumi accepts the kiss without resistance, and as such, rather than clasping his own shorts, he loosens, holding Wraith¡¯s chest. Momentarily, their lips part, only to be reunited after a short breath. Finally, Izumi¡¯s long awaited question is answered, as Wraith¡¯s tongue slides between his lips and intertwines with Izumi¡¯s, feeling the same bump on his tongue, which he comes to know as a piercing. The overwhelming fiery sensation causes Izumi¡¯s body to burn up and swell, feeling his heart pounding out of his chest. A slight metallic taste fills his mouth the longer the dance lasts, their saliva becoming one. Panting, they finally part lips, a string of saliva still connecting their mouths. In both of their eyes a bright flame is alit, yet they restrain themselves, knowing that this interaction is only a temporary act. Wiping his mouth, Wraith swallows, savoring the taste of Izumi¡¯s lips, his seductive countenance only serving to launch Izumi¡¯s heart into his throat as he tries to sustain from swelling elsewhere. Wraith leans back into the bench, releasing his hold on Izumi, and vice versa. The tension between them is immensely venereal yet simultaneously awkward as Izumi¡¯s mind races, looking for something to say.

    Still out of breath, he attempts to break the tension, ¡°I-I didn¡¯t know you had a tongue piercing.¡±

    Surprisingly, he¡¯s successful in doing so, since he gets a short and sweet laugh out of Wraith. ¡°Pfft, I¡¯m surprised you never noticed, see?¡± He sticks his tongue out briefly, a small silver ball shines from the center.

    ¡°M-most people don¡¯t have piercings other than on their ears, so I didn¡¯t really consider it a possibility I guess. Did it hurt?¡±

    ¡°Not really? I don¡¯t really remember when I got it, but it''s been centuries for sure.¡±

    The conversation dies off once more, making Izumi retreat to his old antics of looking down bashfully while holding the seam of his shorts.

    ¡°S-so I paid you back for today, right?¡± He tries again to break the silence.

    ¡°In the alley, yea. I¡¯ll really only ask for something else if you wanted me to use magic or something like that.¡±

    ¡°That reminds me.¡± Izumi finally makes eye contact with Wraith. ¡°You said you¡¯d tell me some other time what you wanted? For the other day?¡±

    ¡°Well.¡± Wraith lights a cigarette and begins to smoke. ¡°Since you love that camera of yours, how about doing a little act in your maid outfit in front of it? Meow or something.¡±

    Blood rushes up his body, flushing his face red and stumbling on his words, ¡°W-What?! Why that!!¡± Izumi shrieks.

    ¡°Why would I ask you for something that you would gladly agree to? I won¡¯t show the video to anyone, I can guarantee you that much at least.¡± He exhales a large puff of smoke, tapping the embers off his cigarette.

    ¡°But you¡¯ll still see it and it¡¯s still embarrassing!!!¡± Izumi dishevels his hair in frustration and embarrassment. ¡°Can I do something else?¡± He pleads.

    ¡°Sure, if you can think of something equal to that. I¡¯ll give you, say¡­. Two days.¡±

    ¡°And if I don¡¯t think of anything?¡±

    ¡°I could always make you do it, although I¡¯d rather not, since I really don¡¯t want that on my conscience.¡±

    ¡°Then don¡¯t ask for it in the first place!¡±

    ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t even watch the entirety of it, just a few seconds to make sure you actually did it.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make it any better!!¡± Izumi cries out before finally giving in. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll try and think of something else...¡±

    ¡°Remember, two days.¡± Izumi only wishes he could forget.

    Wraith stands up then seemingly recalls something. ¡°Oh right, I¡¯ve been meaning to tell you, especially after today. You should talk to your friend.¡±

    ¡°Eiji? Yea...I know...I just-I don¡¯t know. I want him to understand that him calling me childish and all that was really out of line, especially considering the time he chose to do that.¡±

    ¡°I think he gets the point if he¡¯s stalking you everywhere in hopes of conveying an apology.¡± Wraith leaves Izumi to his thoughts upon the end of their date. Running through his mind, Izumi contemplates how to approach the situation with Eiji.

 Chapter 11: The Librarian

    An earthy scent is always present in the vast library, which is consistently accompanied by pin-drop silence with only the creaking and settling of the bookshelves heard on occasion. Several floors worth of books stretch up and down the halls and floating books whiz past, putting themselves back in the correct location, while others are scattered in hovering shelves which occupy the center gap between each floor. Looking up the gaping hole, one can see a window of stained glass which adorns the ceiling along with an extravagant chandelier, usually low lit. Despite the comfort the immense library excretes, Wraith still dislikes coming here for one primary reason. ¡°Long time no see, abhorrent specter of despair.¡± The brassy smart-ass voice unnerves Wraith and he starts to regret his arrival. A somewhat tall, mature woman, seated on a large paintbrush, floats down next to him. Her straight brown hair is incredibly long and voluminous, hence tied in a ponytail by an emerald ribbon with bangs draped around her face. The ribbon was given to her by none other than Wraith, for the sole reason that it matches her eyes. Rectangular royal green open framed glasses rest on her face, complimenting her beauty mark beneath her left eye. Despite her mature demeanor, her clothes are flowy, yet revealing, as her white dress and black belt hugs her torso, barely containing her large chest, while the lower half wades in the wind, her black open ankle strap heels nearly completing the outfit, but what truly does is her long multi-colored scarf, which wraps around her, resting nearly off her shoulders. Like Wraith, she owns a kiseru pipe, but unlike him, it always seems to be glued to her hand. Around her are various books and papers, which seem to be writing themselves as a quill etches into them with great speed.

    ¡°You couldn¡¯t at least call me by my name?¡± Wraith¡¯s tone is simultaneously annoyed, yet defeated, as this wouldn¡¯t be the first time she referred to him in a degrading manner.

    The mature woman gets off of her paintbrush, landing on the floor. ¡°You demand respect as a man who respects no one.¡± She exhales smoke from her pipe, blowing it in his face in disgust while Wraith swats it away and rolls his eyes. ¡°In all the time you have in the world, you couldn¡¯t stop by and visit?¡±

    ¡°For obvious reasons, which you¡¯re currently reminding me of.¡± Wraith groans. ¡°I wanted to ask you something, Lavina.¡±

    She dismisses the books and quills around her, taking another whiff of her pipe. ¡°Obviously, why else would you come here?¡± Without another word, she walks down the corridor away from him, Wraith begrudgingly following after. Lavina checks the books as she passes by the shelves, rearranging some, while straightening others, Wraith still walking behind her, his red robe standing out in the low lit hall. Silence fills the air before Lavina finally decides to get to the point.

    ¡°So? What did you want to ask?¡±

    ¡°I was waiting to see if you¡¯d do that thing you always do where you predict what I¡¯m going to say.¡± Wraith reaches for a book, only for Lavina to slap his hand with her pipe, him glaring inturn as he rubs the back of his hand.

    ¡°Then, my guess is that you¡¯ve run into a strange human, since all it seems like you do lately is eat, sleep, and fornicate.¡±

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    ¡°You¡¯d at least be right in the first half. I found a kid that can-¡±

    ¡°See you?¡± She interrupts, which slightly ticks off Wraith.

    ¡°Not just me but-¡±

    ¡°Other ghosts as well.¡± She interrupts again. Repeatedly, Wraith asks himself why he decided to put himself through this aggravation. ¡°I would ask if I¡¯m correct, but your irritated visage already answers that for me. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard of mediums?¡±

    Wraith tries to put aside his vexation in order to get the answers he needs. ¡°Yea, but I thought they were basically extinct? Or one in a billion chance, since I have never seen one before.¡±

    ¡°Well, yes and no. How much do you know about them?¡±

    ¡°Not a lot, honestly. I just know them by name, some special humans or whatever.¡±

    ¡°Well, they¡¯re not their own race, since in every aspect they¡¯re human except for the fact that they can see ghosts...and there¡¯s one specific ghost in which they resonate with.¡±

    Arriving at a study room, Wraith seats himself while Lavina sits on the table in front of him.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Mediums are meant to help a ghost who feels a sense of unfulfillment, like something is missing, or something they wish they had, like a friend or someone to listen to them. As such, in order to fulfill their role, the medium has to interact with the ghost in a way which increases their bond.¡±

    Wraith gestures to Lavina for her to pass the pipe, which she surprisingly complies with. ¡°As in¡­?¡± He takes a whiff of her pipe and exhales.

    ¡°Take Neio for example, your blue brute of a general.¡± Wraith ignores her comment, since he¡¯s grown accustomed to her manner of speaking after all these centuries. ¡°He feels as though he understands people better when he sits and has a drink with them, or he spars with them. Some others resonate with people better if someone just listens to them, or they share a meal, spend quality time, things like that. Your case is a little bit different, since you understand people best when you either nearly kill them, or-¡±

    ¡°Sleep with them...ugh¡­¡± He hands the pipe back to Lavina. ¡°I don¡¯t want to do that right away, since it¡¯s difficult to manage, and beating him within an inch of his life is obviously not an option¡­ Is there something else I can do to see if he¡¯s really a medium? More specifically mine I suppose.¡±

    ¡°In terms of mediums, their blood tastes different depending on their emotion, so if they¡¯re sad, it¡¯s salty, anger makes it spicy, etcetera. But to know if they¡¯re  your  medium, I imagine physical touch will do it, as in light foreplay, since it¡¯s close enough to the act itself. To know for sure, you¡¯ll feel something in your soul that feels like a spark or a tether to them.¡± Wraith seems like he¡¯d prefer another alternative, but knows there¡¯s no other option. ¡°Actually, another thing, ask when he started to see ghosts. If it was after he met you, then chances are you two are linked, but I would still try physical contact for reassurance. The key aspect between a medium and a ghost is the bond between their souls.¡±

    He clicks his tongue, crosses his arms, and leans back in the chair. ¡°And suddenly I supposedly feel unfulfilled? For as long as I¡¯ve been alive? Ugh.¡± Wraith runs his fingers through his hair with a stressed countenance. ¡°The last thing I needed was a walking weak point, I wasn¡¯t planning on letting him die in the first place but now? Shit¡­Tell me, what area of my life do you think I could possibly be unfulfilled in? Since you know so much.¡± He sarcastically remarks.

    ¡°And why would I tell you that, after all the information I¡¯ve given you for free?¡± Lavina blows a cloud of smoke in his face again, Wraith¡¯s brows becoming more and more furrowed. ¡°In terms of payment, update me on your little medium friend, a male I assume judging by your use of pronouns. A specter with a medium is an odd pair indeed, which I can¡¯t say I¡¯ve ever recorded, so I¡¯d like to know how it turns out.¡±

    Wraith rolls his eyes. ¡°Fine.¡± Lavina wickedly grins inturn, knowing full well what he¡¯s getting into.

 Chapter 12: Im Sorry

    For the first encounter, a translucent Wraith accompanies Izumi when confronting Fuhiro Nakamura in the arcade. He conducted research regarding the game he plays in order to gain his trust much more quickly, which would prove to be incredibly effective, also in part because of Izumi¡¯s listening skills. Everyday Fuhiro was located at the arcade, playing the same game, wearing the same hooded sweater, his black shaggy hair covering his forehead always, making him easy to find. Between him starting up another run, Izumi interjected.

    ¡°Wowww! You seem super good at this game!¡±

    Startled, Fuhiro jumps and turns around before somewhat mumbling a response. ¡°Y-yea¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty terrible myself actually haha.¡± Izumi smiles. ¡°I tried to learn from watching tourneys, but nothing beats practice I suppose.¡±

    Fuhiro has difficulty maintaining eye contact as he stumbles on his words. ¡°H-have you tried, um, watching guides?¡±

    ¡°Yeaaaa but I don¡¯t know, they just kind of didn¡¯t click, you know? I was having a hard time implementing what they showed.¡±

    Hood over his eyes, Fuhiro seemed to be debating something. ¡°I-I can try to help you.¡±

    Izumi¡¯s face lights up. ¡°Really! I¡¯d super super appreciate it! But fair warning I really am a handful haha.¡±

    ¡°I-it¡¯s fine, I don¡¯t mind.¡±

    The two switch places, Fuhiro guiding Izumi while he plays the game. Fuhiro is surprisingly patient, and his clear passion for the game comes out as he speaks with more confidence. Thus far, Izumi has a hard time believing that he could be capable of murder, but all fingers pointed to him, regardless of his shy mannerisms; then again, it could be the result of his guilt. To show his engagement, Izumi makes sure to ask questions frequently and discuss the game in depth. The more they talk, the more Fuhiro opens up. After a few hours, Izumi invites Fuhiro out to eat, to which he accepts, and after eating they continue their conversation.

    ¡°I¡¯m kind of embarrassed to say this, but I never got your name I don¡¯t think.¡± Izumi asks.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, since it¡¯s mostly my fault for rambling. It¡¯s Fuhiro Nakamura, I use VIX in tournaments.¡±

    ¡°Like the pro?!¡± Izumi shouts before realizing that he was too loud and lowering his voice. ¡°Sorry, like the pro? No way! That explains why you were so good then...That¡¯s crazy!¡±

    Fuhiro becomes a bit bashful at the praise. ¡°I¡¯m not that great¡­¡±

    ¡°But you are! You¡¯re one of the best, I feel bad for making you put up with my antics then.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, really¡­¡±

    Wraith, who¡¯s still invisible, finally interjects, ¡°Maybe try and sympathize with him? It¡¯s better if he feels like you understand him.¡±

    ¡°And how do I do that? ¡± Izumi thinks, Wraith reading his thoughts.

    ¡°You can¡¯t get a job in the field you want, basically neither can he.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ ¡±

    ¡°Oh, and be sure to keep your journalism thing a secret, you¡¯ll probably scare him off if you say that.¡±

    ¡°I know, I know! ¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking, do you miss the competitive scene?¡±

    Fuhiro doesn¡¯t seem too eager to respond, as though it hits a sore spot, making Izumi momentarily regret asking. Lucky him, Fuhiro decides to answer regardless. ¡°...yea, honestly...now that I think about it...Being able to do what I love for a living was great, and now, I¡¯m just struggling to get by, honestly.¡±

    ¡°Life always does its best to beat you down.¡± Izumi half heartedly laughs. ¡°I know how you feel, five years after college and I¡¯m still paying off debts, and I still haven¡¯t made use of my degree. If I wasn¡¯t so busy trying to help with all the house¡¯s finances, then I probably would¡¯ve paid it off at this point, but things never go your way, right? Honestly, I¡¯m a little jealous, but then again I think it¡¯s worse to have something like that taken away from you than to never have it in the first place.¡± He optimistically beams.

    Fuhiro¡¯s eyes light up, feeling a sense of comradery.

    ¡°Really, I do wish I never even started now. If it weren¡¯t for¡­¡± He stops mid sentence, retracting, he shakes his head. ¡°I-I should go. But...thank you, um¡­¡±

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    ¡°Izumi.¡± He smiles.

    ¡°Izumi.¡± Fuhiro shyly repeats. ¡°I haven¡¯t really talked with people lately, and...you really helped me too.¡±

    ¡°I take it not with your elite skills?¡± Izumi jokes, successfully getting a light laugh out of Fuhiro.

    ¡°Do you mind if I get, um.. your number? I¡¯d really love to hang out again.¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± Izumi fumbles for his phone ecstatically since his biggest fear was messing up their interaction. The two exchange their numbers, say their farewells, and part ways.

    At this point, the day is done and Izumi decides to make his way home, Wraith rematerializing and walking with him. Sitting on the bike rack outside Izumi¡¯s home, Wraith smokes a cigarette while Izumi kicks his feet beside him.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t do too bad kid.¡±

    ¡°You think? I was trying really hard to not be nervous. I nearly thought about just asking you to do a spell to help, but I already owe you enough.¡±

    Wraith taps the embers off before inhaling once more. ¡°You come up with anything yet?¡±

    ¡°No! I was too focused on the whole thing for today.¡±

    ¡°Well, you¡¯ve got another day left, and by that I mean tomorrow night if you don¡¯t have anything¡­¡± Wraith pinches Izumi¡¯s cheek with one hand and pulls. ¡°The original demand still stands.¡± Letting go of his cheek, Izumi rubs his face and scowls.

    ¡°I will come up with something! There¡¯s no way I¡¯m doing that!¡±

    ¡°You do it at work I assume so I don¡¯t see what the issue is.¡±

    ¡°Work is different, and the owner is nice so I don¡¯t have to do any of that embarrassing stuff most of the time, unless a customer is being difficult. It¡¯s basically a normal cafe minus the outfits. And in front of a camera is much worse!¡±

    ¡°Sure, sure-¡±

    The sound of fast footsteps interrupts their conversation as a familiar face appears from the shadows of the driveway, causing Izumi to become unsettled.

    Eiji, out of breath, halts in front of the bike rack. ¡°Please, Izumi, just hear me out.¡± He looks like he was in the midst of a late night run based on his athletic clothing.

    ¡°You want me to leave? Or shoo him away? ¡± Wraith telepathically communicates to Izumi.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, you told me to talk to him, right? I might as well  .¡±

    Izumi folds his arms, not bothering to hide his upset expression. ¡°What is it?¡±

    Glancing disapprovingly at Wraith, Eiji tries to find a way to approach. ¡°...Maybe in private..?¡±

    Immediately, Wraith barks back, ¡°If you can¡¯t say it in front of me, you might as well keep your mouth shut and turn tail.¡±

    Returning his aggression, Eiji storms in front of Wraith. ¡°This is about me and Izumi, I don¡¯t know who you are or who you  think  you are but would it really hurt you to buzz off for five seconds? Or are you so glued to his side like a duckling codling his mom?¡±

    Wraith shoots up from the bike rack and flings his cigarette to the ground, rising to a boil, his fangs become more visible. ¡°Are you picking a fight with me kid?¡± Izumi tugs on Wraith¡¯s blazer to try and tell him to back down, but Wraith shakes him off, lifting the shorter Eiji by his shirt, his feet hovering off the ground. ¡°Would you prefer that you take your little statement to the grave?¡±

    Despite the odds against him, Eiji stands his ground. ¡°I didn¡¯t think Izumi would keep a baby like you arou-¡± Before he can finish his sentence, Wraith launches him across the street, his back crashing on the brick wall, nearly going straight through. The wall cracks as pebbles and stones from the bricks fall on Eiji¡¯s head, which is already spinning to begin with. Izumi rushes to Eiji, kneeling down, he shakes him with frantic visible concern.

    ¡°Eiji, are you alright?!¡± He whips his head to Wraith in anger. ¡°What the hell is wrong with you!¡±

    ¡°He should be glad that you¡¯re here or else he¡¯d have more than a dazed head to worry about.¡± Although infuriated, Wraith tries to suppress making Eiji match the stones around him in size. Wraith¡¯s nails dig into his skin and he grinds his teeth, ¡°And I tried to defend your shit head of a friend.¡± Blood starts to drip down from Eiji¡¯s forehead, Izumi¡¯s voice rises to a shout in retaliation.

    ¡°What happened to not hurting anyone?! He didn¡¯t even touch you! Are you so sensitive that you have to show  everyone  that you¡¯re the cock of the walk?!¡± Something about Izumi taking Eiji¡¯s side enrages Wraith even more. Neither of them were right, and Wraith knows that he should¡¯ve calmed down, but Eiji got under his skin, yet Wraith wasn¡¯t sure why. ¡°Heal him or something!¡± Reluctantly, Wraith obliges, his blazer turning into a spectral cloud of mist. Floating over,  it repairs the wall and heals Eiji¡¯s injuries before returning to Wraith, turning into his red robe rather than his blazer. Eiji steadily comes to his senses, recovering due to Wraith¡¯s magic, so Izumi redirects his attention to him. ¡°Eiji?¡±

    ¡°I...think I¡¯m ok.¡± He tries to shake off his surprise at Wraith¡¯s inhumane strength.

    ¡°Wraith, can you please leave? It¡¯s better I talk to Eiji alone.¡± Clicking his tongue, Wraith scoffs and begrudgingly vanishes into the night without a word, holding back his frustration.

    Izumi helps Eiji off the ground and immediately apologizes, ¡°I should¡¯ve stopped him before he got riled up, I just didn¡¯t think he¡¯d get mad so quickly, let alone throw you against a wall, I¡¯m so sorry... Are you sure you¡¯re alright?¡±

    ¡°Yea, I¡¯m fine, but who- or what- the hell is he?¡±

    ¡°Where do I even start¡­¡±

    Izumi explains how he met Wraith and what he is from start to finish, Eiji remaining silent for the most part, only listening intently. He had no issue believing Izumi, since he saw Wraith for himself and what he was capable of, both with and without magic. Once Izumi finally finishes explaining everything, Eiji finally says his piece.

    ¡°You know, I came by because I wanted to apologize for calling you childish and all that, but especially now do I wanna say sorry, because you WAYYY proved me wrong, at least somewhat unintentionally.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s not how I would¡¯ve wanted you to find out.¡± Izumi laughs. ¡°Still¡­¡± He thinks to himself how unexpected it was for Wraith to get so upset, then again, when it came to that specter¡­ Izumi shudders at the possibility of Eiji meeting the same fate as the deformed shiba. ¡°I¡¯m sorry too, I¡¯ll admit I was being kind of- no- really petty. Just had a lot going on and it felt like the world was against me, kind of thing¡­¡±

    ¡°You had every right to be.¡± Eiji playfully punches Izumi¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It was bad on my part to say something like that when you were already in a bad spot in life. So what do you say, truce?¡± He holds out his hand, Izumi happily shaking it.

    ¡°Truce.¡±

 Chapter 13: A Bond Formed

    The following morning, Wraith doesn¡¯t show up, which Izumi somewhat expected. However, he imagines that by the end of the day Wraith will be at his doorstep, since he still needs to repay him for helping with the interview with Fuhiro¡¯s ex-sponsor. To pass the time, Izumi decides to spend the day with Fuhiro again. After playing in the arcade, they go out to eat for a second time, spending the remainder of their time talking.

    ¡°Mannn, I remember that! I wasn¡¯t there, but I watched footage of it, it was so close! You were really in the lead that time,¡± Izumi comments on a past tourney.

    ¡°Yea...even top players choke sometimes. He started to catch up and the crowd really got to me, that¡¯s why I prefer to have headphones in, it can be really nerve racking.¡±

    ¡°I would imagine! I feel kind of bad for you pros because of that, it¡¯s really a lot of pressure, especially if you have a fanbase.¡±

    ¡°Lucky me, I never really had many fans haha.¡± Although Fuhiro laughs, Izumi can tell that he was quite disappointed.

    ¡°Well, consider me a fan! Even if you don¡¯t play anymore. You really were- and still are- an amazing player.¡±

    Flattered, Fuhiro feels a short quiver in his chest. ¡°Thank you¡­ it means a lot to hear that.¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± Izumi beams.

    ¡°I guess, to some degree, I¡¯m glad to have stopped playing competitively, since I never got paid for winning tournaments unless it was out of the country, which I rarely went out. And¡­ I got to meet you.¡±

    Izumi is somewhat surprised that Fuhiro became attached to him that quickly, but thinks about the possibility of it being rooted at his vulnerability currently, since he likely just wants someone to latch onto for emotional reassurance.

    ¡°Aww don¡¯t say that, you¡¯ll make me blush.¡± Izumi bashfully puts his hand on the side of his neck. He changes the subject, returning to the topic of games, this time outside of the one that Fuhiro used to play professionally. Eventually, they leave the restaurant, continuing their conversation as they walk around town, only parting ways when the sun began to set.

    Izumi flopped onto his bed and sighed in exhaustion. Nearly immediately, his peaceful bubble burst as a shadow took form in his room. Not lifting his head from the bed, Izumi groaned. Wraith pulled out the desk chair and sat down, leaning forward with his arms on his lap. He scratches his head, clearly finding difficulty in speaking.

    ¡°Look I-...ugh¡­¡± Wraith sighs heavily and somewhat murmurs, ¡°I¡¯m...sorry.¡±

    Izumi skyrockets from the bed in disbelief. ¡°You¡¯re what?!!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! Ok?!¡± Wraith shouts, originally avoiding eye contact. ¡°Just, ugh I don¡¯t know even know what to say. For some reason I got ticked off, and I know I said I wouldn¡¯t hurt anyone but just something got to me, and really I wasn¡¯t thinking straight.¡± Apologizing was very visibly out of Wraith¡¯s element, making Izumi wonder when was the last time he apologized for anything, so he considers himself lucky.

    ¡°I can¡¯t really say it¡¯s fine, but at the least you healed him. Honestly, Eiji tried telling me not to trust you and all that.¡±

    Wraith disliked the ache in his chest that he felt at the thought of Izumi retracting from him. With every step forward, he always made a step or two back, now realizing that his old habits of solving his problems with violence won¡¯t help him now.

    ¡°I...won¡¯t do it again. I promise.¡±

    Unexpectedly, there¡¯s genuine remorse in Wraith¡¯s voice, Izumi nearly shocked to the point of being agape.

    ¡°At the least, I accept your apology. But you have to apologize to Eiji too.¡±

    Wraith momentarily winces in reluctance. ¡°Fine.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± Izumi smiles, making Wraith finally understand how a smile can be annoying, but at the same time he¡¯s glad that Izumi didn¡¯t ask for anything more. Taking off his red robe and draping it across the desk chair, he finally relaxes, a feeling of relief washing over him as the tension leaves his body.

    ¡°Did you talk to that guy today?¡±

    ¡°Fuhiro? Yea, I¡¯m making pretty good progress with him I think.¡±

    ¡°You think you¡¯ll be alright? As in I don¡¯t have to babysit you. Could always call me if something happens.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine with me, why though? Are you leaving?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve put off specter stuff for a while now since I¡¯ve been bothering you so much. I¡¯ll probably let you off for some time.¡±

    ¡°Yea, that¡¯s alright.¡± Although a bit disappointed, since he came to enjoy Wraith¡¯s company, he understands, and he¡¯s somewhat glad to have a break from his teasing for once. Wraith gets up and gestures to Izumi for him to scoot over, which he does, allowing Wraith to sit on the bed with him. All that can be heard is the sound of crickets from outside the window, albeit closed. Izumi twiddles his thumbs, his eyes drifting towards the window. Now that he thinks about it, Wraith always smokes outside, even though Izumi never told him that he couldn¡¯t smoke in the house.  So he does have some common courtesy¡­  he thinks to himself.

    ¡°I don¡¯t smoke inside because no one smokes in your house, so it¡¯s obvious you wouldn¡¯t want me to do so.¡±

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    Izumi jumps in surprise, his ears nearly turning red. ¡°D-don¡¯t read my mind like that!¡±

    ¡°I usually don¡¯t do that unless people say my name first, but honestly...sheesh.¡± Wraith sighs, holding his head in his hand. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s up with me today. It just bothered me for some reason, I wanted to talk to you and I wasn¡¯t sure what to say.¡±

    His mouth drops open in surprise. ¡°Really, are you alright?¡±

    Wraith turns away. ¡°Don¡¯t ask me that.¡± Izumi can only recall one other time that Wraith got embarrassed, even if it was slight, compared to Izumi¡¯s long track record, the thought causing him to chuckle. Now, Wraith wholly grasps what it¡¯s like to be on the receiving end of a tease. Some part of him wants to pinch Izumi in retaliation, but he decides not to. Instead, he laughs with him. Maybe he is his medium¡­

    Wraith leans against the wall, finally looking back at Izumi, he warmly grins, giving rise to Izumi¡¯s sheepish behavior from his staring.

    ¡°You know, I thought about forgiving your debt to me, since I went back on my word the other day.¡±

    ¡°And now..?¡±

    ¡°I leave it up to you. You can repay me if you want to, but if you don¡¯t, that¡¯s fine too.¡±

    Pausing, Izumi thinks to himself for a moment.

    ¡°I...want to repay you. I think you biting the bullet and apologizing for the first time in your life was good enough in that regard.¡±

    Wraith ignores Izumi¡¯s snarky remark. ¡°Then, did you have something in mind as a replacement for my original proposition?¡±

    Pausing, Izumi thought long and hard, racking his brain for something that Wraith would want, meticulously combing through each of their interactions for any possible hint. Soon enough, it hit him. When they kissed in the park and when Wraith had his blood for the first time, there was a clear fiery sensation in his eyes that wanted more. If Izumi was wrong, he was in for another mocking session, but it was a risk he was willing to take. As long as he didn¡¯t have to do anything in that maid outfit.

    His heart in his throat, he ultimately spoke up. ¡°You can...do whatever you want¡­¡±

    A bit surprised, Wraith tries to clarify, trying to verify that Izumi knows what he¡¯s proposing. ¡°As in¡­?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I know!¡± He quickly shrieks in return. ¡°Exactly what you think I mean!¡±

    ¡°Are you sure? I feel like that¡¯s worse than what I said honestly.¡±

    ¡°Not to me it isn¡¯t, you have no idea how much I hate wearing that outfit, I only do it because the job pays well, so doing it essentially for free?¡± Izumi vehemently shakes his head.

    ¡°Alright, alright. That¡¯s fine with me, but I honestly feel bad, so I¡¯ll tell you at the least I won¡¯t take it to the full extent, nor will you have to do anything for me in terms of that. That¡¯s good with you I imagine?¡±

    A bit relieved, Izumi sighs and nods, some tension leaving his chest. Although he was the one who proposed it in the first place, he wasn¡¯t sure if he was mentally prepared to go the full length with Wraith. His nerves, however, quickly return the moment Wraith pulled him closer, Izumi now sitting on top of Wraith with his knees on the bed and his hands on Wraith¡¯s chest. Feeling a bit guilty, he decides to start off easy. With a hand wrapped around Izumi¡¯s back and the other on his cheek, Wraith softly kisses him, yet his delicate nature surprises Izumi more. His lips are much less aggressive and carnivorous compared to before; rather, a romantic affection can be felt through them, but Izumi isn¡¯t sure which he preferred more. The two sides of Wraith are too alluring, both dancing with his heart, mouth, and emotions in a way that he¡¯s never felt before, with Izumi beginning to discern the dangerous line that he¡¯s beginning to tread, considering that Wraith fulfils the roles of both a passionate lover and a romantic one with ease, and who knows if there¡¯s more to come. A shiver runs up Izumi¡¯s spine as Wraith¡¯s hand sneaks under his shirt, making bare contact with his back. Progressively, Wraith¡¯s kiss becomes more fervent, making it harder for Izumi to catch his breath in between. His warm hand delicately traces his spine, the wave in Izumi¡¯s frame swaying in tune. Giving into temptation, Izumi is the first to keel and crave more; desperately, he attempts to intertwine his tongue with Wraith¡¯s, who delightfully accepts the invitation. Quickly he¡¯s reminded about the piercing in his mouth, which Izumi came to enjoy as the cold metallic ball pressed against him. Izumi¡¯s grip on Wraith¡¯s chest tightens, gasping for air when their lips part, and saliva streams down both their mouths. Using his thumb to wipe the corner of Izumi¡¯s mouth, Wraith gives Izumi little time to recover before he kisses him once more. Becoming more galvanized, Izumi moves to remove Wraith¡¯s teal dress shirt, who clasps his hand to a halt. This time, when Wraith speaks, his voice is much lower and more tantalizing compared to his usual manner, ¡°Don¡¯t, I said you don¡¯t have to take care of me, remember? Tonight, I¡¯ll take care of you.¡± He gives him a peck before turning Izumi around, his back now against Wraith¡¯s broad chest. In the midst of kissing his neck, his hands maneuver across Izumi¡¯s body, with one hand fondling his chest and the other unfastening Izumi¡¯s shorts, his breath becoming more and more rapid while Wraith takes hold of his hardened shaft, caressing both areas with care. Wraith¡¯s warm breath graces Izumi¡¯s now inflamed ears and he playfully licks him, softly biting to tease. Within himself, Izumi feels something akin to a jolt, like something tethering him to Wraith¡¯s essence. Distracted with Wraith¡¯s movements, Wraith takes the opportunity to bite Izumi¡¯s neck, consuming the honey-like blood. His teeth part, directing his attention once more to Izumi. Wraith¡¯s pace quickens, occasionally stroking the tip with his fingers, Izumi¡¯s heart rate matching the speed in turn. A soft moan escapes Izumi¡¯s lips, unable to contain the burning sensation in his body any longer, releasing it into Wraith¡¯s sultry hands. Izumi¡¯s breathing finally begins to slow as Wraith closes the wound on his neck with his saliva. It doesn¡¯t take him long to realize the fact that he ejaculated into Wraith¡¯s hand, and he immediately tries to turn and apologize, still trying to catch his breath.

    ¡°Hah¡­ I¡¯m sorry, I should¡¯ve warned you, l-let me get you something to wipe it off.¡±

    ¡°No need.¡± Wraith licks his hand, although trying to savor every last bit of the moment. Unexpectedly, Izumi suppresses his precarious arousal from the act. ¡°I can say for certain that you paid off your debt and then some.¡± His seductive smile is incredibly tempting. Izumi, registering that they¡¯re still conjoined, panics and fumbles to straighten out his clothing as he gets up from the bed. Wraith, as per usual, doesn¡¯t seem too shaken in comparison. ¡°Hopefully you don¡¯t have to have so much alone time now, my little four years.¡±

    Even after all that, Izumi is amazed that Wraith can still manage to tease him, but he tries to brush it off by ignoring him, learning that it¡¯s the best way to deal with his persistent taunting. However, his strategy doesn¡¯t last very long.

    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want me to¡­?¡±

    ¡°Unlike someone, I can contain myself pretty well.¡±

    Izumi picks up a pillow from the bed and hurls it at Wraith in complete and utter shame. ¡°T-then go! The longer you stay the more embarrassed I get!¡±

    ¡°So you admit to it?¡±

    ¡°Ahh!!! Just leave!!!¡± He cries out, chucking another pillow.

    ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Wraith playfully grins, ruffling Izumi¡¯s hair. ¡°Have a good night princess. I¡¯ll see you next time you call, probably.¡± This time, Wraith phases through the wall to leave Izumi¡¯s room. Izumi falls onto the bed, hugging his blanket in an effort to recover from the events of the night, his mind racing in circles as he recalls every moment with fumbled and confused emotions.

 Chapter 14: Man of My Word

    For the following month, Wraith left Izumi to his own devices, as he began to grow closer and closer to Fuhiro to the point that their conversations exceeded past the topic of games, treading into a much deeper one regarding their lives and upbringing. Six years ago, Fuhiro was disowned by his parents the moment he finished high school, making him 24 now, Izumi being his elder by three years. They didn¡¯t approve of his decision to play competitively for a living, believing that no one could ever make a stable living off of games, and that anyone who didn¡¯t attend a university was doomed for life. Luckily for Fuhiro, he made enough money from part time jobs enough for him to get a small apartment in the suburbs. It didn¡¯t take long for his skill in the field to gain recognition as even before he was on his own, he secretly practiced playing in arcades, lying to his parents and stating that he was working or studying. Even when he played competitively, he didn¡¯t have too many friends, and even less after the incident, making him more grateful for Izumi¡¯s presence than Izumi realized. Progressively, Fuhiro began to struggle financially, since he no longer had an income and he spent the majority of his money at the arcade, but it was his way of escaping from reality. He couldn¡¯t handle the truth of his actions, and while his friendship with Izumi grew closer, he became washed over with unparalleled guilt. How come he was allowed to live and walk the streets while she had to die? The only thing Fuhiro had to lose in his life was his purpose for living, the game he so passionately played. On the other hand, Toshiko had more of a purpose in life. She was at the age of opportunity, only being 19, and there were many paths ahead of her, which Fuhiro brought to a halt. She had a loving family, unlike Fuhiro, and they would mourn her death, and mourn the fact that they will never receive closure on who committed the murder. Cracks would start to appear in his mask as self-condemnation and penitence drowned him, until finally, he invited Izumi out to a park one fateful night.

    The park was rarely visited, especially at night, since it was a little outside of the city. As such, only the two reside inside. Izumi was both jittery and tense from this strange request by Fuhiro, and the way he spoke lately was of even greater concern. For once, he contemplated calling upon Wraith, but he had already made it this far, and he wasn¡¯t about to let Wraith possibly interfere and cause him to lose his confession. Tape recorder in his pocket, Izumi listened to what Fuhiro had to say.

    ¡°Thank you for accepting my selfish request, I know you work all day, so it¡¯s hard for you.¡±

    Izumi reassuringly shakes his head. ¡°No, no, don''t worry about it! You said you wanted to talk to me about something?¡±

    ¡°Yea...about that¡­¡± Fuhiro clearly looks anxious, his nerves over the roof. ¡°The reason that I stopped playing competitively...I¡­¡± Izumi listened intently, putting his worries aside, wondering if it was finally the moment he had been waiting for. After an excruciatingly lengthy pause, Fuhiro tries to recompose himself and try again. ¡°Toshiko Eri, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard of her. She had accused me of assault and I couldn¡¯t do anything but watch as the one thing I had left was taken from me. And I-I-¡± His voice began to match the quiver of his body, the words pouring out of his mouth in the moment, ¡°I killed her, I don¡¯t know what came over me I just couldn¡¯t bear it and I followed her when she went on a run at night and I killed her, I-I-¡± As though finally realizing the weight of his actions, Fuhiro breaks down into a wave of tears. Despite the fact that Izumi has been awaiting his confession since the moment they met, he still isn¡¯t sure how to react, only watching Fuhiro as he sobbed, coming to the realization that Fuhiro kept his hands in his sweater¡¯s pocket the entire time when it was far too late. Overwhelmed by emotion, Fuhiro lifted himself from the bench and drew a hidden firearm, directing it at Izumi, who instinctively stood up and retracted, yet through this hasty sequence he scrambled to put his spiking terror aside and immediately tried to calm him down before he can act, but to no avail.

    ¡°Fuhiro-¡±

    Breaking off Izumi¡¯s words, Fuhiro attempts to plead his true sentiment through his waterfall of tears, ¡°Izumi, I¡¯m really grateful, truly. I- realize now, what I have to do. It¡¯s like what you said, isn¡¯t it? Life will always beat you down, so what¡¯s the point of living? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll join you shortly. Thank you, for everything...¡±

    As his finger pulled the trigger back, Izumi had only one thought, one name, which emerged in his mind. Before he could complete the thought, a crimson robe draped his view, accompanied by the thunderous burst of a gunshot. The robe didn¡¯t have time to rest as his movements were conducted in a flash, disarming the now panicked and disoriented Fuhiro and pinning him to the floor, knocking him unconscious. Rising from the ground, the gradient haired man kicked the firearm to the side, away from the criminal, with Izumi still trying to register the swift events that unfolded.

    ¡°Geez, and here I was wondering why your heart rate was faster than a stampede. I decide to stop by to check on you and you nearly get yourself killed!!! What happened to calling me?!¡± Even Wraith is a bit shaken, but more so at the possibility of losing Izumi than anything else, which he would rather die himself than admit.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    ¡°I was in the midst of doing so-¡±

    ¡°A little too late don¡¯t you think?¡± Wraith runs his fingers through his hair, trying to destress. ¡°Ugh, look, it¡¯s fine, not really, but can¡¯t change the past. You got your confession?¡±

    With the close miss of death¡¯s hand, Izumi takes a moment to finally breathe before responding, ¡°Yea, although I¡¯ll have to think about how I¡¯m supposed to explain how I didn¡¯t die,¡± he shivers, still bewildered, imagining the outcome if Wraith wasn¡¯t there.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t be too hard.¡± With a wave of his hand, Wraith¡¯s appearance changes, his outfit becoming that of a police officer, his hair black rather than a gradient, and both of his eyes royal blue rather than mismatched. ¡°I¡¯ll just use magic to make them believe I¡¯m an officer, and I happened to be in the area and saved you. The get-up is just so I don¡¯t have to put more magic in than I already have to.¡±

    ¡°I imagine this¡¯ll cost me¡­?¡±

    ¡°I should honestly charge you just for the fact that you nearly DIED because you didn¡¯t decide to call me sooner, but honestly I¡¯m too relieved to even be upset so it¡¯s fine, don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Wraith sigh heavily, also still distraught at the thought.

    The pair take the unconscious Fuhiro to the nearest police station, Wraith using magic to make the public disregard anything that could possibly seem suspicious, while the firearm and tape recorder were submitted as evidence. Both Wraith¡¯s and Izumi¡¯s testimony of the event were taken, the whole affair taking longer than Wraith would usually care to bear, making him begin to regret not fining Izumi. Although saving his life would always be free of charge, Wraith still couldn¡¯t stand the meticulous nature of human affairs, especially regarding the law. The two were brought in a few times after the fact for more clarification, but soon enough, they were left alone, at least by the law. In comparison, the press still tried to get Izumi to crack whenever they would find him on the streets, with Wraith eventually having to enchant the public into leaving Izumi and himself alone. After the fact, Wraith changed his appearance to normal once more and spent the subsequent days with Izumi, as in reality, he was worried about him, but he didn¡¯t care to admit it, even through Izumi pestering him about his strange lingering presence. Kanae and Eiji were both equally frightened upon the news, nearly dropping to a heart attack, yet they settled on scolding him for getting himself into such a dangerous situation, ignoring the fact that Wraith was more than your average bodyguard and ghost. Izumi spent the days following Fuhiro¡¯s arrest writing, but something seemed off to him, as his heart wasn¡¯t in the words. As he was writing one day, Wraith lay on the bed beside Lala, and although Izumi side eyed him every now and then, he grew to trust that Wraith would stand by his word, considering the heartfelt remorse he had regarding the incident with Eiji, who he eventually apologized to as well, albeit through gritted teeth.

    ¡°Wraith? Are you asleep?¡± Izumi paused from his article in-progress, turning the desk chair to face Wraith.

    ¡°If I was, I¡¯m not anymore. What¡¯s up?¡± His eyes were in fact closed, but he wasn¡¯t really trying to sleep. Wraith, feeling tension in the air, decided to sit up and give his full attention to Izumi, while Lala was still sleeping beside Wraith.

    ¡°How should I put this¡­¡± Izumi looked down, distress written across his face as he resorted to his normal nervous antics, silence filling the air before he ultimately continued, ¡°Did I do the right thing?¡± He finally utters, gazing upwards at Wraith.

    Unexpectedly, Wraith found himself unsure how to approach the question, as for the first time in a while, he finally cared about giving the correct advice. ¡°....I think you did.¡± He scratches his head, trying to fish for the right words. ¡°Listen, Izumi. I¡¯ve seen a lot of things in my long lifetime, and if there¡¯s one thing I can say for certain, it¡¯s that nothing can so easily be divided into two opposing categories. Take that politician I told you about, the one who made a deal with me to cover up his bribery allegations. Sure he did some despicable things, but he still was a good father and husband at the end of the day. So, essentially I robbed his wife of both her husband and child, while on the other hand, the world lost one of many corrupt politicians. I guess what I¡¯m trying to say is...nothing you do will ever be one hundred percent correct.¡±

    ¡°But I...what makes me different from Toshiko? She tried to use Fuhiro for her own gain, aren¡¯t I doing the same thing?¡±

    Wraith adjusts, sitting on the edge of the bed in order to close the distance between himself and Izumi. ¡°Not at all. She falsely accused him of a severe crime and had no shame for her actions, while you sought to have him atone for the crime he committed after the fact. If you think about it that way, then aren¡¯t all journalists profiting off of the suffering of others? In fact, anyone involved in the system is. The police get paid one way or another, whether the person was fully innocent or fully guilty, or in the middle, like Fuhiro; people who are one of many unfortunate souls who got caught in the wedges of the world. Hell, even the mourning family gains something: media coverage, and in some cases, genuine profit. Yet due to the severe nature of losing a loved one, no one points it out. No matter how you look at it, no one is free of criticism.¡± Wraith sighs. ¡°At least, to put it into simple terms, I¡¯d say you¡¯re the least guilty in this situation. You gave her family- no- the city closure as to what occurred. Nothing frightens people more than a loose criminal, no matter how forlorn they are. And¡­¡± He finally stands from the bed, warmly ruffling Izumi¡¯s hair, he full heartedly smiles with great reassurance. ¡°You saved Fuhiro from himself.  Despite how unforgiving the world can be, I think it¡¯s always worth living, or else, I would¡¯ve let the hundreds of thousands of enemies that I have tear me to pieces a long time ago. So, keep your head up, Izumi.¡±

    Through Wraith¡¯s hand, Izumi feels an unexpected sensation, one that he hardly believed Wraith capable of conveying. Comfort. Izumi lay his hand on top of Wraith¡¯s, absorbing the tenderness before lifting his head and, from the bottom of his heart, uttering, ¡°Thank you.¡±

 Chapter 15: Blood is Thicker Than Water

    Murmurs and hearsays swarmed the grandiose hall, which consisted of several large stone columns, with the only furniture being a long oval table surrounded by thirteen chairs, two of which were empty. A shudder of the double doors finally silenced the room. The first discernable sight through the crack of the doors was a tall figure draped with a crimson robe, who flicked his cigarette to the side as he walked through the doors. Most of the other specters held their tongue as he made his way to his seat, but not the specter of regret, who despite being younger than Wraith, maintained the appearance of a stern old man.

    ¡°For you to be unpunctual and dilatory at a time such as this is disgraceful.¡± Barron rebuked with a scowl adorned on his visage.

    ¡°Can it, old man. You should be glad I even showed up at all.¡± Wraith relaxed into the chair, placing both of his feet on the table as he lit another cigarette, the other specters, excluding Lavina, were both discernibly disgusted and disturbed by his deplorable disrespectful actions.

    The specter of merriment, Madeline, who was quite child-like in appearance although being a few centuries old herself, tried to defuse the situation quickly, as Barron nearly rises from his seat in anger. ¡°W-Well! Y-you know why we called for a counsel right? I mean what am I saying of course you know I can be so stupid sometimes-¡±

    Adelard, the specter of loneliness, interrupts her, half annoyed. Unlike the others, he has a more teenage appearance, borderline young adult. ¡°Why did you devour Ianthe?¡± He gets straight to the point, knowing that the entire conference is a waste of everyone¡¯s time.

    Wraith tosses his cigarette into the center of the table, stretching in his chair. ¡°She invaded my territory. I¡¯m sure that¡¯s good enough of a reason?¡± He sarcastically responds.

    Barron, not buying it, retaliates, slamming his fist onto the marble surface. ¡°Why would Ianthe antagonize you willingly, knowing full well that it would lead to imbalance due to the loss of the specter of guilt?!¡±

    ¡°Apparently you don¡¯t know her well enough then. She had this conspiracy theory in her mind and she was willing to attempt to kill me over it. In her world, she thought she could win. And obviously, she was wrong.¡±

    There¡¯s visible doubt on the vast majority of the other specter¡¯s faces, the story seeming too anomalous to be believable. As such, they turn to Lavina as a source of information. As the specter of knowledge, she takes an unbiased account of all that occurs, so her word is always taken as truth, even in matters regarding Wraith, despite their past history together.

    ¡°Does he speak true?¡± Barron directs his question to her.

    Lavina, as a sign of respect, didn¡¯t bring her kiseru pipe. Often do people wonder how Wraith and Lavina came to be at one point and time, considering their completely opposing personalities and mannerisms. ¡°He¡¯s telling the truth. Ianthe deliberately invaded his territory in an effort to battle him, as she knew full well that he wouldn¡¯t humor her otherwise.¡± Whispers fill the hall once more from Lavina¡¯s words, since no one could wrap their head around why. Such a foolish act could only have one result.

    ¡°Ianthe believed Wraith to be a man who manipulated others by fear, and as such, she declined to believe that he held any strength.¡± Despite the fact that everyone knew she wouldn¡¯t lie, they still found it hard to believe. What could possibly cause her to come to such a conclusion?

    ¡°You happy now?¡± Wraith kicked the table in order to push out his chair as he stood to leave while shooting a glance towards the specter of hate, who for the first time, had nothing to say. ¡°You got your answers, so I¡¯m seeing myself out.¡±

    Barron clicked his tongue and tightened his fist as Wraith left, many of the other specters sharing his resentment, yet they were unable to stop him.

    To lighten his mood, Wraith decided to check in on Izumi, who was taking a break from writing by vegetating on the couch. Startled, he jumps in his seat at the sight of Wraith and reprimands him.

    ¡°How many times do I have to tell you to use a door?!¡± He cries out, trying to settle his frightened soul.

    ¡°And why would I do that when I can just invite myself in? It¡¯s less work on your part.¡± Wraith drapes his robe across the armrest of the couch, sitting beside Izumi.¡±Got some good news for you though. I might know why you can see ghosts.¡±

    Forgetting his slight anger, Izumi lights up. ¡°Really?! How?!¡±

    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t in mutual benefit I honestly would¡¯ve made you pay for it, because I had to talk to the last person I wanted to see.¡±

    ¡°Which is¡­?¡±

    ¡°My ex.¡±

    Izumi¡¯s mouth drops open as his eyebrows raise. ¡°No way, you dated someone before?! I never took you for the type! Who, what was she- or he- like? What-¡±

    ¡°Sheesh, calm down. I did just once, her name¡¯s Lavina, she¡¯s the specter of knowledge. We dated for awhile, and by awhile I mean like six of your lifetimes, then we fell off because, how should I put it¡­ we annoyed each other I suppose.¡±

    ¡°After that long?¡±

    ¡°Yes! She gets on my fucking nerves with her smart ass attitude I can¡¯t stand it!¡± Realizing he lost his temper, Wraith clears his throat and restarts. ¡°So I try not to visit unless I have to, and in that case, I didn¡¯t see an alternative. According to her, you could be a medium, well by could be I mean it¡¯s pretty likely, it¡¯s just a matter of who.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±

    ¡°To shorten it, your fate is conjoined with another ghost who feels dissatisfied, and it¡¯s your job to fill that void. I have to¡­ run some tests, let''s say, to see if I¡¯m the supposed ghost in question.¡±

    ¡°Dissatisfied? What am I supposed to do about that?¡±

    ¡°Well, according to Lavina it would be in a specific area, like maybe the ghost just wants someone to talk to or spar with, only time can tell what it is really. Only way to find out is by doing something that resonates with them, in the case of some ghosts, it could just be sharing a meal or travelling, whatever the ghost feels helps them understand a person best. So first question little princess, do you remember when you started seeing ghosts?¡±

    Without hesitation, Izumi responds. ¡°Yea, it was after I met you in that field when I was a kid.¡±

    ¡°Never saw anything before?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°You sure?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°Hundred percent?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    Wraith looks a tad unsettled.

    ¡°Is there a second question?¡±

    ¡°More of a request really. I need to taste your blood when you¡¯re experiencing different emotions. For mediums, the taste changes based on that. Got any ideas on how to do that?¡±

    ¡°Well, my mom is out for the rest of the week with Lala, since she went upstate to do a bit of work on the side since it pays better. We could watch some movies if you want? I get too invested for my own good.¡± Izumi laughs off his slight shame. ¡°After work, I can do, say, three? Movies.¡±

    ¡°You think you can handle me taking that much blood from you?¡± Before Izumi can respond, Wraith comes up with an idea. ¡°We have a week right? I¡¯ll come every other day. If you don¡¯t mind starting today, we can.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine with me, since I don¡¯t have anything planned.¡±

    Izumi reaches for the remote in order to put on a film for them to watch. Rarely did Wraith ever watch a movie, since it wasn¡¯t something he really fancied; hence, his focus was more on Izumi, as he sat between Wraith¡¯s legs with Wraith¡¯s chin resting on his shoulder if he wasn¡¯t relaxed into the couch. This made it easier for him to receive Izumi¡¯s blood, since he didn¡¯t need to consistently reach for Izumi¡¯s wrist or ask him to come closer; although this resulted in Izumi being greatly distracted for the start of the first movie, his mind occupied by the lack of distance between the two. The first movie was action packed, which Izumi didn¡¯t really care for, and as such, his blood maintained its usual sweet taste. On the other hand, the second was a drama which sent him into a rage, feeling the immense struggles of the protagonist, causing his blood to be lukewarm and peppery, Wraith nearly coughing it up immediately since he didn¡¯t expect the sudden change in flavor. To end the day, they watched a tearful romance. Izumi¡¯s crying made Wraith a bit uncomfortable because he wasn¡¯t sure how to properly react, but he figured that Izumi wouldn¡¯t mind if he had a taste, although he nearly regret it immediately. His blood was cold and salty, as though he drank a glassful of ocean water. After the fact, Wraith relayed his findings to Izumi. There was no question in Wraith¡¯s mind that Izumi was a medium at this point, but the issue at hand was who he was connected with. He didn¡¯t know how to approach Izumi, considering the only way he could be certain if it was him was if they slept together, since that was the way in which Wraith best resonated with people and nearly killing Izumi was out of the question. In order to delay this problem, Wraith somewhat lied, telling Izumi it was best they tried watching some more movies at later dates to be certain that he was a medium, until finally, on the third day, did Izumi ask the question himself at the end of the now ninth movie. He sits next to Wraith, rather than in front of him, a little annoyed.

    ¡°My neck¡¯s gonna get swollen at this rate, there¡¯s no way I¡¯m not a medium just from the change of taste of my blood alone. Didn¡¯t you say that the other thing you needed to see was if I¡¯m connected to you or something?¡±

    ¡°Well yea, but- ugh¡­¡±

    ¡°What is it? You said we just had to do whatever connects you with others the most, right?¡±

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°That¡¯s the issue, you see¡­¡± He scratches his head in an effort to find the right words. Never did Wraith think he¡¯d have a hard time asking someone for sex, but there¡¯s a first time for everything. ¡°You can obviously say no, and I guess I¡¯ll have to think of a way around it, but, thing is, for me there¡¯s two ways in that regard. The first is I have someone at the ropes which-¡±

    ¡°NO!!¡± Izumi shrikes. ¡°There¡¯s no way!!!¡±

    ¡°Calm down, I wasn¡¯t saying it in a way of suggestion. Even I have the common sense to not do that.¡±

    ¡°Then...what¡¯s the second option?¡±

    Wraith sighs heavily, knowing that he had to ask eventually. ¡°We sleep together.¡±

    ¡°Like..?¡±

    ¡°Yea.¡±

    Izumi seems to be thinking about it, making Wraith ramble to fill the uneasy silence.

    ¡°Like I said, you can say no. Lavina had suggested foreplay as a secondary option, there¡¯s some technicals for how I would know that I can explain some other time, so I honestly wasn¡¯t sure when we did, like it was a weak connection and I wasn¡¯t sure so-¡±

    ¡°We can do that, sleep together I mean. You said you weren¡¯t sure when we made out, right? I want to know for sure, and I¡¯m sure you do too, so it¡¯s fine.¡±

    Wraith didn¡¯t know how he expected Izumi to respond, but he¡¯s still a bit surprised nonetheless. ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure, especially since my mom is out of town-¡±

    Wraith pinches Izumi¡¯s nose. ¡°Don¡¯t say it like that, you¡¯re how old now?¡±

    Izumi rubs his nose and scowls. ¡°27.¡±

    ¡°You really don¡¯t look like it, my dainty little princess.¡± Clearly, Wraith regained his composure, making Izumi miss the short period of time in which he wasn¡¯t so collected. Sweeping him off the couch, Wraith swiftly picks up Izumi, who in turn becomes incredibly flustered.

    ¡°W-what are you doing?!¡±

    ¡°Getting this off my conscious as quickly as I can.¡± Carrying Izumi, he vacates upstairs to the bedroom.

    Wraith carefully set Izumi onto the bed, sitting on his knees between his legs, figuring that a much gentler approach would be better for Izumi considering the long gap between his last encounter and the one to come. Thus, Wraith held Izumi by his waist, and using the bed as support, he leaned in for a kiss, with Izumi wrapping his arms around the nape of Wraith¡¯s neck. Izumi doesn¡¯t share the same patience and care as he swiftly slips his tongue into Wraith¡¯s unexpecting mouth. There¡¯s something alluringly addicting about his piercing, likely due to the fact that it added a bit of zest to the already tantalizing kiss, their lips only parting when Wraith removes Izumi¡¯s shirt and jacket. As they exchange a passionate dance, Izumi craved for more, hurriedly unbuttoning Wraith¡¯s dress shirt which now lay open, revealing his bare stalwart torso. Wiping his mouth, Wraith pulled from Izumi and fully removed his dress shirt, allowing Izumi to absorb the sight. He was never able to truly tell what Wraith¡¯s form was because of his clothes, but now his long held question was finally answered, and it sent a pulsation through Izumi¡¯s body in more ways than one. On the other hand, Wraith studied Izumi, deciding upon which part of him to devour first, Izumi interrupting him as he directs him to the lubricant located underneath the bed, Wraith holding off on his sarcastic comments for once. Simultaneously, he removed Izumi¡¯s shorts and undergarments, his shaft only in a semi, which was quickly about to change as Wraith bent over, taking hold of Izumi and enveloping his mouth around him. He softly sucked as his tongue massaged the length of his private, his piercing pressing against Izumi''s tip and shaft, only removing his mouth for a moment in order to release an ounce of lube onto his hands. Izumi held his hand over his mouth while the other held firmly onto Wraith''s smooth ombre hair, trying to suppress his voice as Wraith pleasured him from both sides. A hot sensation boils inside Izumi''s torso and nearly escapes him, holding himself back for Wraith''s sake. Sensing his limit, Wraith removes himself from Izumi''s person. Unfastening his belt, Wraith removes his lower garments, Izumi''s eyes widening at the sight of his length which is at least double the size of his own. Wraith lifted Izumi''s leg over his shoulder, caressing it as he lubricated his hardened shaft. A sense of anxious longing grasped Izumi''s heart as he impatiently watched Wraith. Pulling him closer, he gradually inserted himself inside, Izumi attempting to calm his breaths in an attempt to cope with the sensation. Due to the vast size, he doesn¡¯t- or rather is unable to- insert the entirety of himself. With his hands around his hips, Wraith slowly shifted inside, only thrusting quicker when he felt that Izumi was more accustomed to him. Izumi wrapped his legs around Wraith''s now bent torso, his nails digging into Wraith¡¯s back the more his pace quickened, and unable to contain it any longer, he whimpered Wraith¡¯s name. Removing himself, Wraith pulled Izumi close and engulfed him from behind, wrapping a hand around Izumi¡¯s tip while he groped his chest. Softly, Wraith bit Izumi¡¯s neck, consuming his enriched ichor. Their heated heavy voices echoed throughout the confined bedroom along with the squelching and beating of their bodies as they made repeated contact. Reaching a climax, a feverish moan burst out of Izumi''s chest alongside his ejaculation, Wraith following shortly after, filling Izumi with his nectar. At that moment, they both felt it as clear as day. A strong pull which went beyond a physical connection, it was a spectral tether which tied the two souls together, giving an even greater sense of satisfaction from the intercourse. Catching their breath, the two lay in the bed side by side. Izumi wanted to ask if he was attached to Wraith as his medium, but in his heart, he knew the answer, and truthfully, he was glad.

    The sun shone through the blinds, signifying the start of the day, but Izumi didn¡¯t find himself ready. He lifted the covers over his head and buried his face into Wraith¡¯s wide warm chest.  His chest?  Izumi felt the body in front of him, which had an arm around him. Patting Wraith down, Izumi began to slowly come to terms with the previous night, shooting up from the bed. Now sitting up, he gazed at the fast asleep specter beside him.  We-we-  Izumi¡¯s head spinned in circles. For some reason, at the time he didn¡¯t think anything of it, but seeing the aftermath cemented the event into his mind. Blood rushed to Izumi¡¯s cheeks, setting them on fire as he pulled the sheets tightly against his chest. Because he was preoccupied with his own affairs, Izumi didn¡¯t notice the two unfamiliar bodies in his room until one eventually spoke.

    ¡°Hey, the human kid is awake. After he leaves, we should wake up the boss.¡±

    Izumi whipped his head and jumped, his soul escaping his body at the sight of the two inhuman figures in his room: one of which was a colossal blue four armed orc, while the other was a black empty suit of armor which emitted a dark smog.

    ¡°Who the hell are you and what are you doing in my room?!!¡± Izumi shrieks, some part of him wanting to wake up Wraith, but he refrains.

    The two, equally surprised, frantically turned to each other, then back at Izumi.

    ¡°You can see us kid?!!!¡± The blue orc shouted.

    ¡°Yes now who are you!!¡± Izumi shouted back.

    The bed sheets rustled as Wraith rose, clearly, he wasn¡¯t a morning person. Wraith¡¯s hair was disheveled and he squinted from the sunlight, his countenance conveying his vexation with the noise.

    ¡°Why the hell are you shouting in the morning?¡± His voice was low and disinterested. Pulling Izumi closer, Wraith cuddled him with his hands wrapped around his waist and his chin on Izumi¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Boss!¡± The two fell to one knee in a bow. ¡°Dahlia and I were worried sick! You always return by the end of the day, so we tracked your scent and found you here.¡±

    ¡°Obviously I''m fine. I appreciate the concern but I can handle myself.¡±

    Izumi tried to turn to look at Wraith, but struggled since he was located directly behind him.

    ¡°Who¡­?¡±

    ¡°Oh, in a way easy to understand, they¡¯re my generals. Blue man is Neio, the dullahan is Dahlia.¡± They lift their hands respectively. ¡°The only two I have. Dahlia doesn¡¯t speak, so they use telepathy to communicate. And for you two, this is Izumi. I¡¯ll explain his situation later, but for now, treat him like you would me. And¡­do you mind waiting downstairs while we freshen up?¡±

    ¡°Right right! Sorry boss, and nice to meet you Izumi my boy!¡± Neio salutes, Dahlia greeting Izumi as well with a nod before they both leave.

    After showering, Wraith and Izumi went downstairs to find breakfast already prepared. Dahlia sets the table while Neio unwraps his apron.

    ¡°Little Izumi!¡± He runs over and grabs him with two arms, the other two messing with his hair. ¡°You¡¯re so lanky and small, I thought I¡¯d cook you up a meal to make you big and strong!¡± Neio seats Izumi at the dining table. The breakfast is pretty simple, only an omelette with a side of bacon and orange juice, but the omelette seems filled to its maximum capacity. There¡¯s only enough food for Izumi, which he expected. Other than Izumi¡¯s cutlery, there are two glasses of alcohol on the table. Wraith yawns, lowering the hood to his red robe as he sits across from Izumi in front of one of the glasses. After cleaning up the mess they made in the kitchen, Neio and Dahlia join them at the dining table. A glass firm in his hand, Neio throws the alcohol to the back of his throat with a wide, hearty smile stretched onto his face, while in comparison, Wraith drinks at a normal pace.

    ¡°How do you know how to cook? I thought ghosts don¡¯t eat human food.¡± Izumi asked Neio.

    ¡°We don¡¯t, but I figured hey with four arms my cooking would be pretty snazzy! So, is it?¡± Izumi takes a bite of the omelette and colorful flavors fill his mouth, unconsciously beaming in approval. ¡°Your face says it all kiddo!¡± Neio roared a thunderous laughter.

    ¡°How did you learn? This is super good!¡±

    ¡°Hehe, well, I asked the boss if we could expand the kitchen and he said  do what you want .¡± Neio repeats in a mocking tone, getting a chuckle out of Izumi from the familiarity and accuracy of his impression. ¡°So I went ahead and had the servants procure some human goods and utensils, and bam! Plenty of time in our long lasting lifespans to practice, and practice always makes perfect! Only issue was that I couldn¡¯t really accurately test if what I made was good or not, since I can¡¯t taste it, so what I would do is leave it out in a park in the hopes that someone would pick it up instead of the birds. Eventually, I tried going for areas more occupied by the homeless since they were more up for grabs. From there I just watched their faces to learn if I was hitting the right marks.¡±

    Izumi thought it was a bit sweet that he fed the homeless, although it was really just to test his cooking. Originally, Izumi was a bit scared of Neio, since he seemed about seven feet tall and his muscles were enormous and bulging. His various amount of scars didn¡¯t make his appearance any more approachable, but really, he has a big heart.

    ¡°I thought that ghosts heal from injuries?¡±

    ¡°We do, but we can still scar if it¡¯s bad enough.¡± Neio responded.

    ¡°Like..?¡±

    ¡°Well you see this one.¡± Neio points to a gash in his right shoulder blade. ¡°This one¡¯s from the boss.¡± He boisterously laughed, Izumi a bit weirded out since Wraith is sitting right there. ¡°Tore my arm off when I arm wrestled him! Can you believe that?¡± As Neio continues to laugh, Izumi worriedly looks at Wraith and the difference in their sizes. Despite Neio being much larger than Wraith, he still was able to do sustainable damage with ease. ¡°He put it back for me though.¡±

    Izumi turns to Dahlia. ¡°Can you even get hurt?¡±

    The voice which speaks in his mind startles him for a moment, but then he remembers what Wraith told him. ¡°I can, as my armor is sewn together by my essence, so if it sustains injury, it harms me directly.¡±

    Izumi isn¡¯t sure what they mean by that, but he decides not to ask.

    ¡°What about you Wraith?¡±

    He seems unnerved as he responds with little emotion. ¡°I¡¯m gonna go for a smoke.¡± Wraith quickly leaves the room; Izumi, a little confused, looks at Neio and Dahlia, who shrug in return.

    ¡°Well¡­ how did you two meet Wraith?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a long story on both of our parts, but the short version¡­ He found us at our lowest and gave us a home. Most spirits follow him due to his sense of comradery. The boss doesn¡¯t act all high and mighty like most specters, really, he only sets his foot down when someone intentionally disrespects him, which never happens at this point.¡± Neio answers.

    ¡°So, do you guys live with him then?¡±

    ¡°Sure do! All specters own a huuuuuge home where they house their followers. Boss usually comes back sometime during the night, he likes to spend his days outside if he¡¯s not hibernating, hence why we got so worried when he didn¡¯t come home.¡±

    The topic of Wraith¡¯s home was incredibly intriguing to Izumi, since he never talked about where he lived before. Neio, however, directed a storm of questions towards Izumi before he could do so first, asking Izumi all about how he came to know Wraith and more. Eventually, the pair left Izumi, paying their respects as per Wraith¡¯s request. After they left, Wraith returned, relaxing onto the couch. A little suspicious, Izumi wonders why it took Wraith so long to come back from a smoke break, but he decided not to ask, since he already seemed a bit unsettled. Izumi sat beside Wraith, nervously kicking his feet.

    ¡°Um...so¡­¡±

    Wraith turns, ¡°Let¡¯s hope that you being connected with me doesn¡¯t get you killed, my little medium.¡± Picking up Izumi¡¯s hand, Wraith pecks the back, flushing his cheeks red as he pulls his hand away.

    ¡°S-so, that means¡­¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t pressure you, don¡¯t worry. Whenever you want to, I¡¯ll oblige, or if I start to and you¡¯re not feeling it, you can always stop me. Time will tell what is supposedly lacking after all this time, and hopefully, we¡¯ll learn what¡¯s in it for you as well.¡± Although he smiles, Izumi can tell that there¡¯s a pinch of sadness in his heart.

    ¡°Then¡­ I look forward to working with you.¡±

 Chapter 16: To Look Him In The Eye

    An uncomfortable silence filled the space between the two bodies. Something about Wraith seemed even more unapproachable than before, greatly conflicting Izumi. He thought that he made progress with Wraith, but somehow the events of the previous night put a wedge between the two of them rather than merging them together. Defeat and frustration started to simmer in the coral boy¡¯s chest, but he knew he couldn¡¯t give up yet. It was likely a temporary issue. Maybe he had something on his mind? But it was coincidentally after they were together, and he clearly doesn¡¯t look like he wants to talk. To verify if he was in his own thoughts too much, Izumi decided to attempt to spark a conversation with Wraith to gauge him. The moment he takes a breath to speak, Wraith side eyes him, throwing him off, but he tries anyway.

    ¡°U-um, what¡¯s your home like?¡± A firm clasp on his clothes, his eye contact with Wraith wavers along with what little confidence he had.

    ¡°My home? Why do you ask?¡± At the least, the tone of his voice didn¡¯t seem disinterested or bothered, which is a good sign.

    ¡°Well, Neio was talking to me about it earlier when you stepped out, and I just got kinda curious is all¡­¡±

    ¡°Whatever he said I¡¯m sure he was exaggerating. It¡¯s just a normal house, just big since it has to fit all my members.¡±

    ¡°What about your room?¡±

    ¡°Average?¡±

    This isn¡¯t working, maybe something else, Izumi breathes his mental frustrations out and switches the topic.

    ¡°On a different note I guess...what um¡­.I know I haven¡¯t done it in awhile and all that but-¡±

    ¡°Why doesn¡¯t it hurt?¡±

    ¡°Yea¡­..¡± The urge to suffocate himself into a pillow and scream his lungs out grows the longer this poor excuse of a conversation continues.

    ¡°I used magic. If I had to hear you complaining about the pain later it¡¯d annoy me, especially since I tried to be as gentle as possible. But¡­¡± Juxtaposing his past mannerisms, Wraith closes the distance and whispers sweet nothings, finally relaxing Izumi, ¡°You surprised me, my little harlot. You were  thoroughly  enjoying yourself.¡±

    Heat and a fervent vermillion color fills Izumi¡¯s once snowy skin as he inadvertently attempts to create distance between the two of them, stumbling on his words, ¡°S-shut upp!!¡± His efforts are pitiably futile, since Wraith wraps his arms around him and playfully smirks. Even though Izumi wanted to break the ice, this isn¡¯t how he wanted to do it.

    ¡°Of all the people I¡¯ve been with, the way you say my name just...how do I put it? I  adore  it.¡± The lack of space between them allows for Wraith¡¯s breath to delicately graze Izumi¡¯s skin. ¡°You know, you almost seemed to melt in my hands the more I caressed you. Did you really enjoy it that much?¡±

    He¡¯d rather tear out his gallbladder, eat it, and repeat the process several times than answer that question, but the moment catches him by surprise at his own words that escape him, nodding and responding with, ¡°Your...tongue piercing¡­.¡± Wraith¡¯s smug smirk smears wider, knowing where he¡¯s going, despite Izumi somewhat mumbling the next few words, ¡°...it turns me on¡­¡±

    Satisfied, Wraith leaves Izumi with a brief phrase, ¡°Is that so?¡± A hand snakes around Izumi¡¯s neck, giving Izumi a not-so gentle reminder about how infatuated he was by Wraith¡¯s tongue piercing, melting once more into Wraith¡¯s embrace. Their spin only lasts for a fleeting instance, an important question bursting into the mind of Izumi, pushing the now confused Wraith away.

    ¡°Did you cum inside me?¡±

    ¡°Pfft-HAHAHA- what!!! That¡¯s so random-¡± Thoroughly amused by the genuine nature of his question, Wraith nearly bursts a blood vessel in laughter.

    ¡°I¡¯m serious!!!!¡±

    ¡°I know you are! That¡¯s what makes it funny-ahh I can¡¯t that¡¯s hilarious. Yes I did, why?¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t even ask!¡±

    ¡°Not like you¡¯d get pregnant. And you passed out immediately anyways, so I cleaned it up for you. What, do you want me to ask from now on?¡±

    ¡°I mean...no¡­.but¡­.I don¡¯t even know why I asked ughhhh¡­¡± In full embarrassment, Izumi groans, the burn in his ears causing inflammation all around.

    Feeling a bit remorseful, Wraith ruffles his hair. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Izumi. That¡¯s why I like being with you, you¡¯ve got this cute aspect that I love, but you have your... moments  let''s say.¡±

    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a compliment, I promise. In short, you¡¯re cute, but hot. It wasn¡¯t a one sided affair.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if that makes me feel any better.¡±

    Now Wraith feeling a bit defeated, he sighs and lifts himself from the couch. ¡°Then I¡¯m not sure what to say honestly. I...have something to do so I¡¯m gonna see myself out. If you ever need anything, you know how to call.¡±

    Without another moment wasted, Wraith leaves a now baffled Izumi to his humiliation and self-consciousness. In order to shake his immense shame, Izumi met up with Eiji and vented his frustrations, coming to terms with the fact he had more suppressed emotions than he expected as the majority of his speech is in a riled voice, but not to Eiji¡¯s surprise, who gave him the usual  I told you he gave me bad vibes  lecture. Still, as much as Wraith poked and teased, Izumi couldn¡¯t help but like him. Like him? No...how did he feel about Wraith¡­? With a shake of his head, the thought was blacklisted for the time being. Hence, he tried his best to put his thoughts and feelings towards the erratic man aside and focus on his day to day life, specifically, he began to think up his next article. He already completed and published the previous one by this time, and it did well, but he needed more. For a polished resume, he couldn''t just have one successful work; although some lower end jobs would be willing to accept him, he wasn¡¯t willing to accept a small paycheck. Afterall, whatever job he would have in the field needed to compensate for the loss in pay of his current occupations and preferably more. Doing another article on a murder would only prove that Izumi knew how to do one thing, so he decided not to go down that path, in addition to the fact that he could¡¯ve died the previous time. The last thing he wanted was another diatribe from not just his mother and Eiji, but from Wraith as well. Although Wraith wasn¡¯t as verbal as the other two the first time, Izumi knew in his heart that another near miss would send Wraith into a wild spin of rage at his carelessness. Even now, he feels a bit guilty for not calling Wraith sooner, but he can¡¯t change the past, and at the least, he came out of it unscathed although by sheer luck. A murky Izumi wiped down the tables of his normal cafe job, still never finding the answer to his question on a topic after several days. What do the people want to know? What would they find interesting? As interesting as crime stories are, having flexibility in the field would show his strength. But what else was there? Tourist spots wouldn¡¯t catch anyone¡¯s attention, and that¡¯s more something he could write after already landing a job. Celebrity drama is interesting to the masses at times but is very much so yellow journalism, which Izumi despised above all types. Almost as if his prayers were heard, while cleaning the dining tables, he overheard a pair of customers in a nearby booth.

    ¡°Did you hear about that town out in the countryside?¡±

    ¡°The haunted one?¡±

    ¡°Yea, well, that¡¯s what they say at least.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no way it isn¡¯t haunted though! Anyone who goes there ends up missing, no body, no nothing. What else would you call that? Just a random coincidence?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know man, all I can say is that it¡¯s reaaaaaal creepy¡­¡±

    A haunted town? That might actually work...hits that same mystery aspect that people love without me falling into crime stories again, unless it¡¯s crime related I guess but I suppose I wouldn¡¯t know until I tried. Plus, I¡¯ve basically got a paranormal expert with me, it should work...Maybe I should call him and ask?....Wraith?

    A familiar body plops into the booth that Izumi was cleaning, scaring him shitless.

    ¡°AH-¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Wraith asks nonchalantly, not realizing the few people looking over in confusion at the sudden yelp. Izumi waves that everything is fine and redirects his attention back to the oblivious selective idiot, raising his voice in a whisper.

    ¡°Don''t!!!! Do that!!!!!!!¡±

    ¡°Do what?¡±

    ¡°Randomly appear like that!!!¡±

    ¡°Well I was bored and you called so I decided to cut to the chase. I was hoping you had something for me, so¡­? Do you?¡±

    ¡°Kind of, I wanted to get your thoughts on something.¡± Wraith gestures for Izumi to sit down with him. ¡°I can¡¯t, I¡¯m technically working right now.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine if they come over I¡¯ll tell them I asked you to, customer¡¯s always right.¡±

    ¡°But-¡±

    ¡°Sit.¡±

    Reluctantly, Izumi sits across from Wraith, worryingly glancing over at times, hoping his coworkers don¡¯t catch him.

    ¡°So?¡± Wraith ushers Izumi to continue.

    ¡°I was trying to think of something for my next article and I overheard these people talking about this haunted town. I remember hearing about it before in passing, so I don¡¯t really know too much, but I wanted to ask what you think.¡±

    ¡°Well, do you have anything else you could give me? Haunted town doesn¡¯t really tell me much.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s somewhere in the country apparently and anyone who went to check it out went missing. Here,¡± Izumi flips through his phone and scrolls through articles on the town, quickly skimming them. ¡°The residents of the town reportedly disappeared and after the fact, the investigators did as well, which started the cycle of people entering the town and never coming out. It¡¯s about here.¡± Turning his phone towards Wraith, he shows him where it¡¯s located.

    ¡°Hmm. It¡¯s in unclaimed territory so at the least we don¡¯t have to worry about some specter getting mad at us for snooping around. Thing is, it¡¯s not in a known spirit hangout either¡­¡± Wracking his brain for a second, Wraith ultimately comes to a conclusion,

    ¡°Consider me intrigued. It¡¯d probably make a good piece for you too. When¡¯d you wanna check it out? I imagine it¡¯d take a few days, considering the distance and how much ground we have to cover, but since you have work and all, how¡¯d you plan to go about it?¡±

    ¡°I can take a few days off, I never really took a vacation so I¡¯ve got some days saved. Maybe the start of next week? You can come by and we¡¯ll go together.¡±

    ¡°Fine by me.¡± Wraith thinks to himself once more and mumbles, ¡°I do wonder though¡­¡± Noticing Izumi¡¯s curiosity, Wraith shakes his head. ¡°Nothing. I¡¯ll see you later then.¡± Without a moment¡¯s notice, Wraith exits the cafe as Izumi concerningly observes his back. What was on his mind just then?

 Chapter 17: The Veil Before Us

    The time between their meeting in the cafe and the start of the coming week was excruciatingly long for Wraith, who astoundingly found himself with the grand urge to bother Izumi. This, his followers noticed, as a vibrant burning aura cloaked him and his countenance was locked in a seemingly permanent scowl, so they all avoided him in hopes of not becoming a victim of his fury. On the other hand, Izumi was a bit more unbothered, although the scene of their night encounter repeated in his mind on occasion. Still, he wasn¡¯t sure how he felt about Wraith. There was a strange sense of attraction towards him, but Izumi couldn¡¯t discern what was the cause of such and exactly what kind of attraction he felt. He wasn¡¯t opposed to liking him romantically, but was there really a place for Izumi in Wraith¡¯s world? A world so filled with the supernatural and uncanny, with death and battle around every corner. In such a universe, Izumi couldn¡¯t always rely on Wraith, in fact, it¡¯d probably burden him. Nonetheless, just the thought of never seeing Wraith again ached him, but, it¡¯s too early for such thoughts. The time is yet to come, if at all, and there¡¯s more immediate matters ahead. Come morning of the following week, the outlandish duo made their way to Hodaira, the rumored haunted town, arriving in another small settlement located only a few miles away during the afternoon, which is where the two stayed the night following their long journey. After procuring a room at a nearby inn, Wraith and Izumi split up and asked around in order to learn more about the mystifying town of Hodaira and by nightfall, they reconvened in their shared room, both equally exhausted. The room was fairly small, only consisting of the essentials: a singular queen sized bed, a bedside table, a wooden desk accompanied by an oak chair, and of course, the bathroom. Neither cared though, considering they spent the entire day travelling and running around the stunted community. What at least Izumi cared about on the other hand was the aspect of a shared bed. Regardless if they had slept together once before in the literal sense, he wasn¡¯t exactly ecstatic at the thought of doing so again. Just remembering the weight and warmth of Wraith¡¯s body along with his soft breathing against his own was enough to fuel his imagination, for better or for worse. Still, they didn¡¯t have a choice in regards to the number of beds. This was not only the cheapest inn, but it also coincidentally had only a single bed lodging available. With a large sigh, Wraith sank into the mattress, only sitting up when Izumi sat on the edge of the desk across from him, clearly wanting to speak.

    ¡°Did you find anything out?¡± Izumi asked, some part of him wanting to wait until tomorrow considering he¡¯s partially not in the mood to receive information.

    ¡°Kind of? Mostly stuff we already knew, but someone mentioned something about it getting unusually cold and foggy sometimes ever since the people in Hodaira went missing.¡± Wraith combs his hair with his fingers.

    ¡°Here?¡±

    ¡°Yep. I¡¯m still not too sure what that¡¯s supposed to signify though. Could be a spirit, sure. But no one has really gone missing here. Only people that actually  go  to Hodaira. And you?¡±

    ¡°Fairly the same honestly, not much new information and if it was new, it was fairly useless.¡±

    Beaten by the day, the pair don¡¯t even bother to wrack their brains in order to decode the meaning of the fog; hence, they gratefully accept the embrace of the simple yet comforting bed. Unbeknownst to Izumi, however, Wraith leaves in the middle of the night, only returning by the break of dawn. The morning felt weak as there was no sunshine peering through the windows, rather, it was still dark and cold. Izumi awoke to a distracted Wraith standing by the bedside, lost in thought as he always seemed to be lately. One thing stood out to him, however. His red coat wasn¡¯t draped over him. Instead, it was covering Izumi, which explained why he felt warm despite the chilled air. Sitting up in the bed, Izumi pulled Wraith¡¯s coat into a tight squeeze about himself, unconsciously taking in the blissful smell of Wraith that excreted from the fabric. Earthy with a slight tinge of cigarette smoke. There was something comforting and invigorating about Wraith¡¯s scent that he couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on.. ..wait. Comforting?

    ¡°Izumi?¡±

    With a jolt, Izumi fumbled to pretend he wasn¡¯t sniffing up his robe and tried to compose himself, ¡°Y-yea?¡±

    Lucky Izumi, Wraith didn¡¯t seem to notice since he was absorbed with whatever was outside. ¡°I know we were supposed to check out Hodaira today, but I¡¯d hold off for tomorrow. Went outside earlier and there¡¯s a dense as hell fog, can¡¯t even see past five feet. Well at least you can¡¯t, I can see just fine.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Izumi stood up from the bed, reflexively equipping Wraith¡¯s lengthy robe to accommodate for the drop in temperature. Looking out the window, Izumi immediately sees Wraith''s point, or rather, he doesn¡¯t see at all. A mystical opaque cloud blankets the town, blinding all its occupants and sending a chill down Izumi¡¯s spine. ¡°What the¡­The weather did a complete 180...How¡­-?¡±

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    ¡°Magic, and pretty strong too. I doubt it¡¯s a specter. It doesn¡¯t seem likely they¡¯d gain anything from doing so, especially due to the proximity to my territory, I can guarantee you they¡¯d be scared shitless about getting into a fight with me if I came across them. Spirits though, they¡¯re a lot more ballsy, since it¡¯s more likely I¡¯d ignore them because I wouldn¡¯t think they¡¯re worth my time.¡±

    ¡°So what are you implying?¡±

    ¡°My guess is there¡¯s a spirit living in Hodaira and using it as a feeding ground. He spreads a rumor, attracts tourists and journalists, feeds on the visitors, as weird of a method as it is to procure a meal. Which means-¡± Looking away from the window, Wraith finally faces Izumi, who¡¯s unexpectedly wearing his robe, and for a moment, Wraith feels his heart skip a beat, but he quickly snuffs out the emotion with a strong  ahem  and faces away once more to avoid the sensation springing up again. Izumi, noticing the strange reaction, decides to file it away for later. ¡°It¡¯s probably gonna be dangerous, not that that should stop you, since I¡¯m here and all. You should keep my robe on though, you know, because it¡¯s um...cold outside. And it¡¯ll protect you too,¡± Wraith continues, semi-distracted at the thought of Izumi wearing his mantle, ¡°It¡¯s kind of sentient in its own way so.¡±

    Just for protection huh?  Izumi jests to himself.  Your face just now didn¡¯t say that.  He decides to spare Wraith the mockery, despite the fact that Wraith rarely does so for him.

    ¡°I always thought something was off about your robe, but sentient?¡±

    ¡°I said kind of. I mean...nevermind. Maybe I¡¯ll tell you the full story some day. On a different note, you wanna come to the cemetery with me? I was going to check it out, ask the shades if they know anything. Could probably give us more than the locals since they can see spirits.¡± And with a nod in agreement from Izumi, the two set out for the cemetery.

    By Wraith¡¯s directive, Izumi held onto his arm so he wouldn''t lose Wraith in the fog. It wasn¡¯t really surprising to Izumi that Wraith could still see decently well, even through the fog although a bit hindered, considering his eyesight is impeccable on a normal day. In comparison, Izumi still couldn¡¯t see anything aside from Wraith and the occasional lamp post. Not many of the residents were outside, at least that¡¯s what Wraith noted. Even the small cemetery was empty, aside from the residing shades, who were stunned in fear when their eyes laid upon Wraith, murmuring to each other in confusion and fright. At least in this weather, they didn¡¯t have to worry about looking suspicious when talking to what others thought was nothing. A few of the shades gathered around but still kept their distance from Wraith.

    With a sigh, Wraith clearly disliked his position sometimes, but it was the life he chose to live, at least in part.

    ¡°Can you all calm down? I¡¯m trying to do you a favor.¡±

    One of the braver, or more idiotic, shades spoke up in retaliation, ¡°A favor?! By what, eating us! We don¡¯t even taste good!¡±

    Izumi sensing Wraith¡¯s patience being tested, took over instead, hoping that they¡¯d be more willing to listen to a human. ¡°Please? We really need your help. We¡¯re trying to learn about Hodaira and we think a spirit is at root, so anything you could tell us would be extremely helpful.¡±

    The shades exchanged contemplating stares to each other before finally coming to an agreement. One of the shades stepped forward and acted as a spokesperson for the rest. An old woman, who seemed to be the kindest of them.

    ¡°Honestly, we aren¡¯t sure ourselves. Most of us here died in this town of natural causes, but there are a few who are unsure how they died.¡±

    A more calmed Wraith adds onto the elderly woman¡¯s comment, ¡°Definitely a spirit then. Humans that die to spirits never know how, since they can¡¯t see them and all. Only issue is how many, if more than one.¡±

    Izumi stops and thinks to himself for a moment,  at the least Wraith¡¯s theory on tourist attraction seems right...lead people here and they¡¯ll naturally go to Hodaira the more curious they become. I¡¯m guessing they don¡¯t just kill everyone here just to keep a constant flow of food, but still...something seems off, even Wraith admitted that. It¡¯s a lot of work for nothing really, since they¡¯d have to stay in Hodaira and just eat all the time, which doesn¡¯t sound very fulfilling, let alone a reasonable motivation for their actions. Maybe they¡¯re injured and trying to recover?

    ¡°Izumi?¡± Wraith¡¯s voice breaks Izumi out of his self induced trance.

    ¡°Hmm? Oh- right. Is there anything else you could tell us? Maybe about Hodaira in specific?¡±

    Wracking her memory, the elderly woman pauses before answering. ¡°Ah. This town has been like this for about five years. Us shades have taken to staying around the area out of fear of what potentially lies in Hodaira. During foggy days like these though, someone always turns up dead, with no recollection of how.¡±

    Sensing the end of any valuable information they could give, Izumi decides to wrap it up. ¡°Thank you, we really appreciate you helping with this.¡± He looks at Wraith, signaling his desire to leave.

    ¡°Before you go mister,¡± Izumi looks back upon hearing the old woman¡¯s voice, ¡°Good luck, and take care. If there truly is a spirit behind all this, then it would set all our hearts at ease if you were to get rid of it.¡± The elder¡¯s heartwarming words bring a smile to Izumi¡¯s face and he thanks her again, elbowing Wraith in order for him to do the same before they finally take off.

 Chapter 18: Foggy With A Chance Of...

    They didn¡¯t spend very long outside after the fact, only taking another look around the town before heading back to the inn. With boredom taking over him, Wraith left Izumi in the room alone to do some investigation of his own, only returning by the signal of the night. By this point, the room was nearly frozen solid and the heater was completely ineffective, so Izumi was tucked under a thick blanket and Wraith¡¯s cloak, as ineffective as his efforts were.

    ¡°D-did you f-find any-th-thing?¡± His chattering teeth make it difficult to speak to Wraith, who barely entered the room.

    ¡°Nope, at least not without going to Hodaira ourselves. Someone did say that this is the worst fog they¡¯ve had in awhile though. Wayy too chilly outside,¡± he sighs, ¡°Are you alright? It¡¯s a freezer in here.¡± Wraith removes his shoes and comes over, slipping under the covers with Izumi. Pulling him close, he rubs his arm and places a hand over his forehead. ¡°Geez, you¡¯ll catch a cold like this. Heater isn¡¯t doing anything?¡±

    ¡°N-no.¡± Originally, Izumi thought that Wraith just so happened to be warm the day after they slept together, but now he realizes it¡¯s a natural warmth. Even through the unbearable weather and his unaccommodating clothes, Wraith is still toasty and homely. Trying to absorb the heat from his body, Izumi holds Wraith tightly and buries his face, while Wraith continues to caress him to help gather warmth. Still, Izumi can¡¯t help but remember the familiarity of this scene, thinking back to the night they slept together...

    Actually...that might not be a bad idea.

    He debated asking him directly, but predicting it¡¯d be awkward, Izumi decided to just take the initiative for once.

    Shifting up to attract Wraith¡¯s attention, Izumi leaned in for a kiss, to which Wraith wasn¡¯t opposed, not that he almost would ever be. They started with light pecks, slowly moving into kisses of longer duration. It wasn¡¯t often that Wraith anticipated intercourse, as much as he enjoyed the act itself. At some point, he felt consistently unsatisfied, with no one living up to the standard that Lavina had made for him. But now, he felt the once locked wheel beginning to turn. Gently clasping Izumi¡¯s hand, he pulled apart from him and readjusted, sitting atop Izumi, who now laid beneath.

    ¡°Can you give me my robe? I¡¯d rather you don¡¯t freeze to death in the middle of it all.¡±

    A little reluctantly, Izumi removes the red mantle and hands it to Wraith, feeling the temperature drop in an instant, albeit temporarily. With a toss in the air, the robe dissolves into orange sparks and circles before finally reforming into a thick opaque canopy, blanketing the queen-sized bed. The darkness which filled the area after the fact was short lived, with small magical flames giving light. Now, the warmth was enclosed, and they could continue uninterrupted. With Wraith knelt over, Izumi was able to encase his arms around him. Once more they exchanged gasps, but this time around much more intimately. Strings of fluid transferred between their lips as a zealous desire to intertwine with the other rose. But, if there was one thing that Izumi would never grow tired of, it was Wraith¡¯s tongue piercing, which he declined to vocalize his longing for as obvious as it was. A small part of him wishes that Wraith also had piercings elsewhere just to know what it¡¯s like, but he didn¡¯t care enough to ask. Wraith was already more than enough for him. Caught in the moment, Izumi¡¯s hands began to drift and undo the buttons on Wraith¡¯s dress shirt while Wraith removed Izumi¡¯s tee and jacket. Finally, Wraith pulled away and sighed, his dress shirt hanging open for Izumi to see the enticing torso that lay beneath. Tenderness wasn¡¯t what Wraith preferred, but he did so to accommodate for Izumi¡¯s delicate figure.

    Steadily, Wraith pulled Izumi closer by his waist, massaging his rear against himself.

    ¡°You should wear something sexier sometimes.¡±

    Baffled at his words, Izumi¡¯s ears burn in embarrassment at the suggestion, ¡°W-what? -mm..¡± Wraith presses harder against him, the two becoming more aroused with each passing second.

    ¡°Well, I noticed that you didn¡¯t try to take off my shirt both times, just undid it. Do you like it?¡± He lightly pulls back his teal dress shirt in a flirtatious fashion, now sneakily unzipping Izumi¡¯s shorts.

    Refusing to answer the question, Izumi attempts to redirect, ¡°Is this really the time to ask me that?¡± In response, Wraith feigns a light thrust. ¡°W-wait- ah- S-stop-¡± His words don¡¯t have much will behind them, indicating his hidden attraction to Wraith¡¯s actions.

    ¡°Do you really want me to? Your reactions are telling me otherwise, especially here.¡± Wraith unsheathes Izumi¡¯s shameful but adorable risen length, nearly causing Izumi to look away in humiliation, getting a chuckle out of Wraith. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d think a dick is cute, but there¡¯s a first time for everything.¡±

    ¡°S-shut up!¡± Reflexively, Izumi tries to ineffectively kick him, but Wraith holds his thighs.

    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s a compliment. It¡¯s not nearly as cute as you though.¡± Bending over, he places a hand beside Izumi¡¯s hair and affectionately pecks his lips, Izumi semi-reluctantly accepting his indirect form of an apology.

    Unfastening his belt, Wraith unveils his own shaft, which does everything but humble Izumi¡¯s as it towers over him. Grasping both of their privates, Wraith begins to fondle them against each other. Gently, his hand shifted up, then down, and back again, pinching them together and treading the line between pleasure and pain. Izumi regained his hold of Wraith, gripping the nape of his neck and collarbone while Wraith¡¯s breath caressed his face. Wraith lifted Izumi¡¯s chin and their lips locked again, a soft sensuous exhale spilling out of their mouths between each kiss.

    He pulled away and licked his lips, his face still only a few inches away from Izumi. ¡°Hah¡­ It¡¯s much better when you look at me, as embarrassed as you might feel.¡± Just the suggestion was a lot for Izumi, considering how lustful and cocky Wraith¡¯s gaze tends to be, but he figured trying to comply wouldn¡¯t hurt; though he regretted it almost instantly as he felt his heart turn and quiver the moment he did so. Wraith was clearly aroused, much more than Izumi expected and could handle, slowly beginning to fear what''s to come.

    ¡°Mmn-ah...Wraith...slow dow-mnh-¡± The cold weather outside was no longer of a concern, with Wraith¡¯s erotic massage leading to Izumi¡¯s internal temperature to sky rocket as he quickly approached his limit. Wraith, sensing this, halted, letting Izumi catch his breath.

    As he fully removed Izumi¡¯s shorts, he poked fun at his comparatively low tolerance and snickered, his fangs peeking, ¡°I wonder how fast you¡¯d cum if I wasn¡¯t so gentle with you.¡± Izumi was too defeated to respond, but his ashamed countenance said it all.

    After his rapid breaths decreased to a slower pace, Wraith lifted Izumi from the bed and into his arms so that Izumi was now straddling him. The hair across his body shot up as Wraith¡¯s fingers traced out his spine until finally reaching his rear, slithering between and grazing his hole. A shiver jolted him upon the entry of his fingers, his hands desperately clawing Wraith¡¯s back to cope with the sensation which he had yet to grow accustomed to. To help with the process, Wraith coated his fingers in saliva before insertion, which seemed to help albeit not as much as normal lubricant. Still, it didn¡¯t take long for Izumi to sink into Wraith and relax, even though he still had difficulty restraining his voice. The sudden stroke of Wraith¡¯s dick against his rear made Izumi''s heart and soul jump, his voice a little frantic.

    ¡°W-wait, you¡¯re not going to take off your clothes?¡±

    ¡°Pfft, that¡¯s what you¡¯re concerned about?¡± Wraith speaks in a lower, more sensual tone, and purrs, ¡°Do you want me to?¡±

    Concealing his ablazed face in Wraith¡¯s shoulder, Izumi mumbles in a barely audible voice, ¡°..no¡­¡± Like a loving owner to the adorable puppy, Wraith softly ruffles Izumi¡¯s hair to help calm his bashfulness. Their fond moment is short lived however, as it becomes quickly consumed by salacity, with Wraith pressing against Izumi¡¯s entrance yet not quite penetrating. He repeated this process of caressing and teasing entry before Izumi discerned his antics.

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    With a hint of desperation, he nearly falls for Wraith¡¯s trap, ¡°What are you doing? Just-¡± But he catches himself, though at this point, he already dug himself deep.

    A sly smile is all that Izumi needs to understand where this is going. ¡°Just what?¡± Wraith teases, knowing that he already won this battle.

    ¡°Just-! Y-you know!¡± Izumi tries to dance around it but Wraith only encloses him more.

    ¡°Beg.¡±

    The words alone are enough to cause his heart to race and his body to flare. He presses his lips against each other in stress and contemplates if it''s really worth it. Maybe if he was stubborn enough?

    ¡°N-no!¡±

    ¡°Alright, you can put your clothes on and go to bed then.¡± Wraith begins to lift Izumi off himself and unconsciously, Izumi halts him. Curiously, Wraith stares and smiles, clearly awaiting his response.

    With a deep breath, Izumi recollects himself and tries to erase the memory before it can even begin. ¡°P-please put it in.¡±

    More than satisfied with his response, Wraith spares no further time to insert himself into him, as he does so in one quick motion rather than in his usual gentle manner, forcing an unanticipated yelp and moan out of Izumi.

    ¡°Ah~-!¡± Shock overwhelms him at the sound of his own voice and he covers his mouth, staring agape at Wraith, who seems to be sparing him the mockery for once, but his fervent aroused eyes spoke a thousand words. Both hands were firmly cupping Izumi¡¯s ass as he guided his movements, starting easy in order to make up for his mischievous behavior from before, yet the longer these slow maneuvers lasted, the more impatient he became. Suddenly, he pounded harder, keeping the now impassioned and aggressive rhythm, preventing Izumi from holding back his moans any longer. Fingers fumbled for a secure grasp on his intimate partner while Wraith continued to drive himself into Izumi¡¯s limits.

    Heavily, Izumi panted in a struggle to keep quiet, but soon enough he didn¡¯t care, only wishing to relieve the tightness in his chest. ¡°Mnfh...ahh~-¡±

    Wraith, at least thus far, has never outwardly moaned, not that he didn¡¯t enjoy the sex. In fact, this was the most he¡¯s ever enjoyed having sex with someone, as he never realized how much he enjoyed a line between cute and foxy until now, and there was nothing he enjoyed more than watching Izumi delicately walk that line. ¡°Hah...Why don¡¯t you...say my name?¡±

    Already absorbed in his spell, Izumi doesn¡¯t think twice before complying, ¡°Wr-wraith..mmn~!¡±

    A throb in his groin begged for more. ¡°Again.¡±

    ¡°Wr-ah~nhm~..Wraith..~-!¡± Izumi continued to moan louder and louder. He was in love, at least lustfully. A stream of precum dripped down Izumi¡¯s shaft and onto Wraith¡¯s lower torso, with the same trickling out of his hole.

    ¡°Ahh~-! Wraith I¡¯m-...mnah..~¡± The hold on Wraith grew tighter as they both reached their climax until finally a heaved breath from both concluded the act. Together, they were winded and attempting to quell themselves. It took Wraith a moment before he finally pulled out, a milky white substance still connecting their privates. When they finally calmed and Izumi recollected his scattered and absent mind, he realized this.

    ¡°....Did you...cum inside me again?¡± Although he asked, he already knew the answer, considering he could feel the remains, but he felt for it anyways, his hand retracting after barely grazing the lukewarm fluid.

    ¡°Yea..why?¡± Wraith leaned back, Izumi still on top of him.

    ¡°Y-you-! Why-!!¡±

    ¡°Because it turns me on, like how my piercing turns you on.¡± Teasingly, Wraith sticks out his tongue as if to demonstrate, but he doesn¡¯t stop there. At their climax, Izumi had released himself onto Wraith¡¯s torso, which Izumi failed to notice, but was immediately shown as Wraith coddled the remains with his fingers before finally licking it off and swallowing. It was as if Izumi had short circuited from an overflow of emotions, so he could do nothing but stare with his mouth agape.

    ¡°W-W-W-Why!!!!! Did you!!!¡±

    ¡°To see your reaction, but also¡­¡± Wraith lifted Izumi with ease, seductively whispering into his inflamed ears, ¡°To show you that you have no idea what you signed up for when you agreed to sleep with me.¡± He flipped Izumi over, sliding his hand up Izumi¡¯s back so that his ass protruded. ¡°You should put your hands on the headboard.¡±

    ¡°W-wait! But we just-¡±

    ¡°I know we did, put your hands on the headboard. Or do you want to stop?¡± The press of Wraith¡¯s large and surprisingly hard cock against his twitching, almost longing, ass was enough to influence his decision, so he complied, placing his hands on the headboard.

    ¡°Nmhgh..-!¡± There was no need for Wraith to put much force behind the initial insertion, as he slid in with ease due to the previous creampie. Unlike previous rounds, Wraith didn¡¯t start slow for once, rather he vigorously pummeled into him from the get go. Wraith was right, he didn¡¯t know what he was getting into. It was a first for Izumi to have a sexual partner that knew no boundaries, but, strangely enough, he didn¡¯t object. Well, at least not after a false and futile attempt of doing so.

    ¡°Wai-mmnf- '''' As though to quiet him, Wraith lasciviously locked lips with Izumi the moment he tried to speak, with his tongue twisting and dancing inside of his mouth. At that moment, any resistance that Izumi had left faded as he melted into Wraith¡¯s warm and passionate embrace.

    Pulling away, Wraith devoted his attention to pleasuring Izumi from behind, thrusting into him over and over again, each thrust sending an amorous fiery jolt throughout his frame, with the occasional clank of Wraith¡¯s belt buckle against his thighs only added to the sensation. A hand ran through his hair as he gazed upon Izumi¡¯s naked back in great gratification, using the other to enticingly squeeze his rear. Wraith relished in the moment, taking a mental snapshot of the image, sighing with contentment at the alluring sound of Izumi¡¯s rampant moans, his molten and provocative expression that implored for more, and the thuds of the headboard which struggled to provide support.

    ¡°Wraith..- mnfah~! Ahh~~!!¡± Already, he was reaching his limit. The mixture of Wraith¡¯s zealous vigor and his sensitivity from before was more than he could take.

    Lightly chuckling, Wraith licked his canines and only drove into him more violently. ¡°If you keep that up...hah...we¡¯re going to get a noise complaint you know?¡±

    It was evident that neither of them cared though.

    ¡°Mmnha...Wrai-th-Ha~-...I can¡¯t I-nnh...I¡¯m-mnah~~!¡± The end result of his fragmented sentence is displayed through the now stained pillow cases, Wraith releasing himself into Izumi only seconds after due to the contraction on Izumi¡¯s behalf. Once removed, an exhausted Izumi collapsed onto the bed, completely out of stamina. Sure, Wraith was panting as well, but he wasn¡¯t out of energy. In fact, he looked even more energized, yet he noticed Izumi¡¯s expiration and decided to calm himself. Some part of him felt a little guilty, watching Izumi, who looked like he was on a different plane, try and gather himself.

    Wraith knelt over, delicately gliding Izumi¡¯s coral locks out of his face, caressing his cheek. ¡°Are you alright?¡± There was a sincere affection and sympathy behind his words, so Izumi stroked his hand in reassurance.

    ¡°Y-yea...I just...need a second.¡±

    Still not entirely convinced, Wraith picked Izumi off the bed in the form of a bride and carried him to the shower. A shiver ran down Izumi¡¯s spine as soon as they stepped out of the enclosed canopy, remembering how cold the room is. To repay Izumi, Wraith thoroughly washed, cleaned, and dried him, even going to the extent of clothing him before finally setting him back in the bed after the sheets were replaced. Izumi, now tucked like a child under the blankets, trailed Wraith¡¯s fingers as he sat upright on the edge of the bed beside him. Now that he had time to recover, he decided to ask again to be safe.

    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re alright?¡± Wraith worryingly asked, his eyes resembling a forlorn puppy.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± Izumi smiled. ¡°Why are you so concerned?¡±

    ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know.¡± Wraith looks away, a little embarrassed now that he puts his mind to his concerns. ¡°I just hoped I didn¡¯t upset you I guess. But I mean, if you didn¡¯t like it you would¡¯ve-¡±

    ¡°Told you before you even started.¡± Izumi completes his sentence.

    ¡°Right. I guess it¡¯s just because it¡¯s the first time I-.....nevermind.¡± It was obvious to Izumi that whatever Wraith wanted to say was something he wished to keep to himself for the time being, as he felt a sudden distance between them. There was a spectral thread that connected their souls, and through each act of intercourse, they both felt the thread shrink in size, inching them closer together. The shorter this thread became, the closer they got to the answer of the current lingering question: Why was Izumi paired with Wraith and what was Wraith lacking in his life? Though their interactions brought them near this answer, Wraith didn¡¯t seem to want to know. No, not that he didn¡¯t want to know. He was afraid to know. This fear was repeatedly reflected in his desire to consistently push Izumi away whenever he got close.

    ¡°Do you mind if I leave you for a second? I¡¯ll be back before you sleep, I promise.¡±

    ¡°Sure, you don¡¯t really have to ask. Where are you going though?¡±

    ¡°I need to take care of something real fast.¡±

    Wraith didn¡¯t elaborate any further, only adding to the distance that plagued the scene. Sealing the vermillion canopy, Wraith quietly left the room. However, the person to open the drapes following their closure wouldn¡¯t be Wraith. Instead, it would be a different face that was familiar to Izumi.

 Chapter 19: Hodaira

    A bright light peered through the now creaked canopy just as Izumi began to doze off. Lifting his head from the covers, he rubbed his eyes and glanced over, but the figure, or figures, on the other side weren¡¯t those he expected. There was a large framed inhuman male standing in front of a dark suit of plated armor.

    ¡°Neio?¡±

    ¡°Izumi!!!¡± Neio, who looked more than overjoyed to see him, threw back the drapes with a shiny grin, a chilled wind breezing through with their removal. ¡°Boss asked us to watch you because he was worried about leaving you alone.¡±

    ¡°But he said he wouldn¡¯t be very long?¡±

    ¡°Well, he doesn¡¯t think he will, but he still was paranoid so here we are.¡±

    Dahlia, only greeting Izumi with a slight bow, leans against the wall behind Neio while he does all the talking, as per usual. On the other hand, Neio pulls the desk chair, which creaks in a struggle to contain his enormous body, and plops himself into it, setting it beside Izumi.

    ¡°How¡¯ve you been kid? Although it¡¯s been only a few days.¡±

    It¡¯s rare for Dahlia to ¡®say¡¯ anything, hence when they do, all ears are attentive. ¡°He told us to treat Izumi with respect, so don¡¯t call him ¡®kid¡¯.¡±

    Sarcastically, Neio rolls his eyes and asks, ¡°Do you mind if I call you kid sometimes?¡±

    ¡°Yea it''s fine! Wraith used to call me that sometimes when we first met, so...¡±

    Neio childishly looks back at Dahlia like an annoying sibling with a clear  you wanna say something else? face, to which Dahlia only responds with a disgusted groan.

    Redirecting his attention back to Izumi, Neio spoke in an exuberant tone once more, ¡°So! You mind if I ask what¡¯s with you and the boss?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind answering but I¡¯m not sure what you mean by that.¡± Izumi, somewhat confused, responds.

    ¡°As in are you his girl? Or well guy I suppose, but you know what I mean.¡±

    If there was any hint of sleepiness left in him, it was gone now, as his flustered eyebrows shot up in alarm, as though he couldn¡¯t make an inference of what Neio was implying. ¡°H-his girl?! Like dating?!¡± Izumi shrieks, clasping the sheets. The temperature in the room seemed to increase, but he wasn¡¯t sure if it was genuinely starting to warm up or because of his embarrassment.

    ¡°Or in any relationship in general. Boss seems to really fancy you, and before you ask no I don¡¯t know his opinion of you actually but I¡¯ve been with him for what at least a thousand years now? And the only time I¡¯ve seen him interested in someone was Lavina, and he shows that same kind of interest to you. I mean, he looked like he was about ready to implode when he was waiting that week before you guys met up for this investigation thing.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Izumi fiddled and fingered the blanket bashfully. ¡°At least officially we aren¡¯t dating or anything...and I don¡¯t really know how he feels about me either, or even if I want that from him¡­I¡­.¡±

    An image plays in his mind of what it¡¯d be like to be in a relationship with Wraith, testing his heart to see if it is something he desires. All the times Wraith smiled, treated him with care, provided comfort and consolation, expressed concern for him and more. There emerged a light flutter in his chest, giving him his answer. Yet, through all of this, he felt defeated before he even began. With each step closer to Wraith, he only pushed Izumi back. But, why?

    An adequate emotional reader, Neio knew exactly what Izumi was thinking by his distressed face alone. ¡°Keep your hopes up kid. I think you¡¯ve got a shot. Boss is probably being weird with you right? Being kinda distant?¡± Izumi nods in response, willing to accept any advice. ¡°Yeaaaaa he¡¯s probably trying to figure stuff out himself. If he really is in the process of growing feelings for you, knowing him, he¡¯d deny it even with a knife to his throat like the stubborn bastard he is.¡± Dahlia angrily barks Neio¡¯s name at his ¡®bastard¡¯ comment, with Neio only sticking his tongue out in response. ¡°Also because Lavina was the only person he supposedly was ever affectionate for, so it¡¯s not a far-fetched idea that even  he  doesn¡¯t know what he thinks of you. So, don¡¯t worry kid. Just keep doing what you¡¯re doing, which I imagine is being yourself.¡± To end off, Neio largely beams with his crystalline teeth matching his hair in color.

    On the other hand, Dahlia doesn¡¯t give the same grandiose advice, only affirming, ¡°You¡¯ll be fine, Izumi.¡±

    Compassion wasn¡¯t something Izumi expected upon the entry of the opposing pair, but he was more than grateful, even more than words could express, for their reassurance, and in return, he softly smiled and sincerely uttered, ¡°...Thank you.¡±

    Just as their conversation came to a close, a tall shape began to form behind Neio. The ombre hair was recognizable alone, but for an instant, it felt as if someone else entirely had entered the room as his expression was unimaginably apoplectic, eyes brimming with an incandescent flare, truly displaying how unnerving his gaze alone can be. Yet, almost on command, it faded, becoming more of an exhausted display. Nonetheless, Izumi knew what he saw, but he left it to fate whether he would explain his whereabouts or not. In his hand was his smoking pipe, which Izumi hadn¡¯t seen in awhile, but almost as though he noticed Izumi¡¯s ogling, he dematerialized it. ¡°You two can leave now.¡± Wraith finally uttered, the two obeying immediately, bowing and saying their farewells to both before leaving. Maneuvering to the other side of the bed, Wraith removed his shirt, belt, and shoes before sliding the drapes shut and shifting under the covers. Seeing the motion to sleep, Izumi laid down as well, unsure whether he should face Wraith or not, so he laid on his back. A tug on his arm answered his question, however, so he came closer to Wraith and turned to face him, the two now not too far apart.

    ¡°Did they treat you alright?¡± His voice was in a concerned whisper, but his fatigue was discernible.

    ¡°More than alright honestly. They¡¯re pretty fun to hang out with.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Wraith faintly smiled. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡±

    He really does feel like a different person, he¡¯s acting so...weird¡­

    ¡°Well...are you...um¡­.alright..? You seem kinda off, like I don¡¯t know, tired?¡±

    A light sigh is his initial response. ¡°That¡¯s because I am. I¡¯ll tell you tomorrow I suppose, right now, I just want to clock out.¡±

    Before Izumi could even say good night, Wraith drew Izumi into a cuddle, a hand still wrapped around him as he began to drift off nearly instantaneously. The soft tickle of Wraith¡¯s breath against the top of Izumi''s hair and the accompanying slow rising and falling of his heated chest sent his heart into a rapid flurry, making it incredibly difficult for Izumi to fall asleep, especially through his racing thoughts.  Ahhhh just kill me!!!! When did we establish that we sleep together like this?!! I only slept with him ONCE. Once! And it made sense then to just cuddle or whatever but this is different he left and came back and just didn¡¯t even ask not that I¡¯m opposed but this is more than I can take ahhhhhahhhh..! It¡¯s ok just calm down...just calm down¡­ Alas, albeit after an extensive amount of time, he finally fell asleep.

    The following morning, Wraith was the first to rise, and thus had to wake up Izumi. Immediately, he noticed that despite the removal of the canopy, which was now reformed into Wraith¡¯s robe once more, the room was warm and the sun shone brightly. Reading his face, Wraith answered his clear question.

    ¡°I took care of it the other day.¡± He leaned upon the desk, crossing his feet. ¡°Something led a horde of spirits over here, so I took care of it and then figured I¡¯d get rid of the fog too.¡±

    ¡°You...changed the weather?¡±

    ¡°Hence why I was so tired, it¡¯s kind of an aggravating process. The spirits were nothing, but the magic put into changing the weather?¡± Wraith whistles, expressing the drastic amount. ¡°It was a pain to do that after taking care of that horde. My guess is whatever or whoever caused the change is trying to test for something. The locals said this was the worst fog they¡¯ve had in years, and my guess was that it wasn¡¯t going to go away anytime soon.¡±

    ¡°So, they were trying to see what they were up against kind of thing?¡±

    ¡°Exactly that. Which really says something if they can sense me from miles off. I get the feeling they¡¯re not a normal spirit, but I suppose we won¡¯t know until we find out, right?¡±

    A nod in agreement affirms Izumi¡¯s desire to head into the rumored town and unravel the puzzle before them. ¡°Then, did you want to go now?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll go around sunset. Ghosts prefer the night, so if we want to talk to shades or anything that might be in Hodaira, it¡¯s better we go then. And also because the inn lady yelled at me so I¡¯m waiting for her to cool down.¡±

    Izumi sat on the edge of the bed. ¡°......why?¡±

    ¡°Noise complaint, called us ¡®mutts in heat¡¯ which is a first for me.¡±

    Realization slowly seeped into Izumi¡¯s expression and he launched from the bed with scarlet cheeks. ¡°Y-you--!¡±

    ¡°Me? Haha! You mean you!¡± Wraith sneered, ¡° Please put it in~ ah~! ¡±

    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    A swift pillow nearly slams against his face, but he catches it and throws it in its proper place.

    ¡°I hate you!!!!¡± Izumi¡¯s voice quivered in utter shame, defeatedly plunging back into the bed, shadowing himself with his hands.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯ll stop, don¡¯t hate me.¡± Wraith unveiled Izumi¡¯s covered face and pecked the corner of his eye. ¡°If you cry I might just fall apart.¡±

    Ping!

    The tension nearly climaxing, Izumi sighed in relief at the near miss and reached for his phone, Wraith a little disappointed.

    ¡°Crap! It¡¯s my mom, I missed so many texts from her and Eiji yesterday she¡¯s worried sick! What were-?¡±  Oh¡­

    ¡°What were¡­?

    ¡°Nothing! I¡¯m gonna call her! So! Wait here!¡± Izumi dashed out of the room with his heart in his hands. Panting, he sat beside the door and felt his scorching face, butterflies loose in his torso.  Hahhhh¡­.how am I actually falling for you¡­.

    It didn¡¯t take too long for them to reach the town, as initially Wraith carried Izumi and leapt through the air to cut time, but just when Hodaira came into the horizon, he let him down and walked the rest of the distance in order to not attract potential attention from whatever possible residents were located inside. The buildings of the deserted village were worn down and in some cases partially destroyed, with bits and pieces of wood and stone hanging and creaking in the icy howling wind. This caused the town to emit an eerie mystical air which was almost oppressive in nature, sending a chill down Izumi¡¯s spine in fear of what possibly lie in wait. It was incredibly apparent that no live soul had entered Hodaira in an extensively long period of time, as there wasn¡¯t a hint of life, not even in the trees, which were painted a charcoal black and cracked at the slightest force. There seemed to be few homes in the town, and even fewer businesses, which implied that it was a small village to begin with. In a case like this, it would make more sense for a population to disappear without a trace, and while Izumi began to become increasingly afraid, Wraith was increasingly weary in comparison, keeping his eyes and ears peeled for danger. To start with, they decided to check out the homes in hopes of a sign for the possible cause of the disappearances, Izumi taking plenty of pictures for his records while Wraith provided a small magical light whenever it got too dark. However, each residence had the same pattern, there seemed to have been a struggle of some sorts, yet one that was inhumane in nature. Slashes and claw marks that would appear to have been done by an otherworldly bear if one didn¡¯t know any better. For the specter of despair though, he knew the cause. Spirits. And vicious ones at that. It was evident that they were bloodthirsty and sought a meal. If the claw marks didn¡¯t show this, the dried splashes of blood in each home were proof enough. Plus, there weren¡¯t any corpses left behind, and when spirits and specters feed, this is typically the case. For once, Izumi felt lucky that he had prior exposure to such things, as he gained a form of tolerance to it, as unfortunate as that also is. Despite this, there wasn¡¯t much evidence that showed exactly why spirits targeted Hodaira in particular, and why they continued to target it despite the lack of occupants. A tourist attraction wasn¡¯t enough of a reason, considering that eventually, people began to be wary of the blood-strewn town, with only college students with nothing better to do falling for the trap. This made the pair more and more frustrated with each home examined. There was only a repeating pattern between each abode, nothing that could possibly help them pinpoint the cause. Finally, when particularly Wraith was about to lose patience, Izumi stumbled upon a diary in one of the homes, which was located on an old, crumbling desk. The diary was falling apart at the seams, the paper beige and yellow, and the black ink nearly faded to the point of invisibility. Excited at the prospect of possibly valuable knowledge, he hurriedly began to read, only calling over when he ascertained the contents, ¡°Wraith!¡±

    Wraith, who was in the bedroom with him, yet looking elsewhere, returned, ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Come, look!¡±

    Dragging himself in exhaustion, he peered over Izumi¡¯s shoulder. ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°A diary, I read it already but, pretty much there was this man who lived here, his wife, who he thought to be the healthiest person he knew, suddenly grew terminally ill and despite all the money he poured into her recovery, she still passed. The doctor was apparently critically acclaimed and they said she worked miracles. Weird thing is though, his wife got sick  after  a visit to that doctor, in which she was supposedly healthy. Even though he was suspicious, he thought it was just an act of fate.¡±

    ¡°And¡­.?¡± Wraith ushered.

    ¡°And after the fact other people in the town began to get sick and die. Super suspicious, right?¡±

    ¡°Yea, but if we assume that the doctor was the cause, what would they gain from killing off the town? Obviously they weren¡¯t the cause of all these blood stains and all that, and death alone doesn¡¯t attract spirits because they want to eat LIVE humans, although they can eat shades too, just live ones are more sought after.¡±

    ¡°Well, you said that whatever spirit or spirits we¡¯re dealing with, they¡¯re probably strong right? Since they can change the weather?¡± Wraith nods in response. ¡°What if the doctor was working with them?¡±

    Unsure where the speculation came from, Wraith¡¯s brows furrow. ¡°Huh? How would they do that? If not just  why . You do know you¡¯re basically the only human alive that can see ghosts, right?¡±

    ¡°I know, just go along with it. Think about it, they had an audience. People came in for their supposedly miraculous cure, while some people mysteriously died. There¡¯s a continuous stream of people flowing in and out. Healing magic  is  a thing, so that could be the so-called miraculous cure for everything, and the price is that they have to pay up in human lives from time to time.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± He runs the idea through his mind repeatedly, thinking about the likelihood of such an event. ¡°I mean...not too far-fetched. The only thing I find hard to believe is how a spirit would communicate this whole plan to a human. After that, I could see it coming together that way.¡±

    ¡°Which is a reasonable flaw in this whole theory. I¡¯m just speculating though.¡±

    ¡°Ok let¡¯s go with it for now. Let¡¯s say your theory is right, despite that flaw. Why didn¡¯t they just freely kill humans in non-occupied areas or just join a specter¡¯s faction?¡±

    ¡°That...I¡¯m not sure.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a motivation we¡¯re missing in that case. Why go through all that effort when there¡¯s easier ways to feed? And they¡¯d get more out of it too.¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Back to frustration once more, Izumi groans.

    ¡°And if they were eating the dying patients, how did that get explained to their families? It would look even MORE suspicious if they never had the bodies available, and like I said, the spirit would want to eat them alive.

    Izumi scratches his head trying to think of a better idea. ¡°Now that you put it like that, there¡¯s more flaws in that theory than I thought¡­¡±

    ¡°No, no it¡¯s fine, I¡¯m just saying. It¡¯s better than anything I came up with, which was practically nothing. Tell you what, we can go to the graveyard and see if there¡¯s bodies in the caskets.¡± Izumi¡¯s look of concern is immediately answered by Wraith, ¡°Don¡¯t worry we¡¯re not gonna dig any of them up, I¡¯m a ghost, remember? I can just go through the ground and check. Then we can see if the doctor¡¯s office has anything.¡±

    The cemetery matched the rest of the town in appearance, old, dreary, and defeated, yet the atmosphere felt more somber than heavy in comparison. To normal individuals, it would make sense for a graveyard to be empty, especially in the case of an abandoned city, yet in this world of the paranormal, it was especially unnerving for a cemetery of all places to be empty. Not a single shade or spirit lurked around the tombstones. The cause of this could be pointed to the shades themselves being consumed, as in whatever spirit or spirits feasted on the town not only ate them when alive, but when they passed as well. Yet, as Wraith cared to note to Izumi, this is an exceptionally rare event. Typically, shades aren''t eaten, although they could be. To spirits and specters alike, they''re seen as essentially flavorless and unfulfilling, so there would be no point in doing so, thus only adding to the growing mystery. One thing that was confirmed, however, was the absence of the bodies of some of the buried residents, which at least confirmed that they were likely eaten by the spirit at the center of all this, but how? Did the doctor fake their deaths only for them to be killed later? The only way to find the answer to their rising questions was to finally visit the hospital where these events would have occured in hopes of records that would uncover the truth. It was incredibly easy to find the hospital, as it was the most prominent building among the others. In its prime, before the tragedy of Hodaira, it was eminent that the hospital was the town''s pride and joy, as it was vast in size and much more modern in appearance compared to the rest of the bland village. Despite this, it was the most ominous of all the complexes they''ve visited thus far. Nothing made a person''s hair stand more than an abandoned hospital, especially one that was already framed as a crime scene, and even more so in the case of Izumi. Unconsciously, he clenched Wraith''s arm as they traversed in search of the hospital''s records, specifically that which the head doctor owned, as the rest were likely falsified. Insects and vermin made this hospital their home with the vast amount of space it provided, and Izumi only hoped that arachnid spirits didn¡¯t exist or he would give up on the spot. Door to door they went in search of the head doctor''s office, as the markings on each door were too faded to read or torn down, until eventually they were able to locate it after Izumi suggested checking a directory, which for whatever reason they didn''t think of doing to start with. The office wasn''t very luxurious, only having the bare essentials, but it had plenty of bookshelves and file cabinets to boot. Wraith, who was tired of looking through rooms and papers, left it to Izumi to find what they were looking for, only helping by providing a magical light for him to see, considering how dark it was inside. He flipped through files upon files, some useless to look at as they were torn to shreds, others too faded, and some too stained to discern. Within time, he gathered any of the information he deemed useful and reported back to Wraith, who was surprisingly smoking indoors, likely out of fatigue.

    ¡°So? What''d you find?¡± A cloud of smoke fled from his pursed lips.

    ¡°Well, the husband''s speculations were right: she was poisoning them. At least sometimes. There''s records of medication she gave to patients when they didn''t need it, or giving them higher doses than what''s required.¡±

    ¡°Anything about why?¡±

    ¡°Surprisingly, or maybe not so surprising, nope. The only thing there is are falsified records and the real ones. I''m guessing the head doctor was the only one who knew about it then, but why would they have kept the untampered versions? Wouldn''t they be afraid of getting caught?¡±

    ¡°Guilty conscious maybe?¡± Wraith extinguished the cigarette on the back of his hand in order to avoid setting light to the scattered documents on the floor. ¡°Wanted to remember what they did.¡±

    ¡°But not  why  they did it?¡±

    A shrug in response. ¡°Maybe they''re just not a diary person, considering that between all the houses we visited, only one guy did.¡±

    ¡°I guess...but now what? We didn''t really find anything which explicitly said how the rest of the town went missing. I mean, now we know it was partially the fault of this doctor. We know that whatever remained of the town was probably done in by a spirit or multiple spirits, judging by the damage and blood everywhere. But that''s the thing. We still don''t know WHO caused the end result. The doctor isn''t really the issue here, it''s the fact that Hodaira is  plagued  by some bloodthirsty beast that just keeps coming back for more.¡± For an instant, Izumi notices that Wraith looks a little off put from his words, which only moderately confuses him. Spirits and specters always appeared to live in a world of kill or be killed, at least from Izumi¡¯s perspective, and it was clear to Izumi that Wraith cared little for those outside of his circle. This made him doubt that the reason for his disturbed expression wasn¡¯t due to pity, sympathy, or even offense, but it was likely something more. Regardless, Izumi knew better than to pry into Wraith¡¯s past.

    Recollecting himself, Wraith sighs and formulates a plan, ¡°Who said we¡¯re giving up? Whatever spirit is behind all of this is likely still nearby, since it would be a pain for them to leave and come back. So, it¡¯s just a matter of finding them.¡± Just as their expedition seems to make progress, the end goal only seems to get further and further away, but such is the determination required for such things. Luckily, or unluckily, the answer to their questions was about to fall into their lap.

 Chapter 20: A Wolf In Sheepâ€™s Clothing

    The closer they approached to the front door of the hospital, the more that Wraith seemed to grow uneasy, his expression becoming sterner with each step until they finally came to a sudden halt in front of the double doors. A concerned Izumi stared at Wraith, waiting for him to speak, but he only continued to glare forward. The expression was familiar to Izumi: bared fangs and raging eyes, just like when he had first learned of Ianthe¡¯s intrusion in his territory. But this wasn¡¯t Wraith¡¯s territory, so what could be getting on his nerves? Just as Izumi opened his mouth to ask, Wraith spoke first.

    ¡°You¡¯re likely safer with me than alone in here.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± That was the last thing Izumi expected to hear, and he still didn¡¯t understand what was going on.

    ¡°Spirits. Listen.¡±

    Straining his ears, the sound soon became clear. Wild cackling. The thunderous movement of mountainous amounts of bodies. Shrieks and roars. The abundant noise only grew louder with each passing second. They were getting closer, and fast.

    ¡°What are we gonna do?¡±

    ¡°What  I¡¯m  going to do is not going to be very sightly for you. Sadly, I can¡¯t leave you alone, and Dahlia and Neio are doing something for me right now. So, what I¡¯ll probably do is do something so you can¡¯t see-¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I...can handle it.¡±

    ¡°I really don¡¯t think you can.¡± The sentiment behind this statement was due to the shiba from earlier on in their relationship, this, Izumi knew, and he appreciated that Wraith was concerned, but if he was going to be around Wraith, he knew he needed to come to tolerate such things.

    ¡°Even if I can¡¯t I will. If I¡¯m going to know you, I want to know the unfiltered version of you. Not just as your medium, but as a friend too.¡±

    Even though he didn¡¯t mean to, the line unexpectedly gets a scoff out of Wraith, ¡°Pfft haha, I don¡¯t know if you want to think of me as a friend.¡± Although he says this, Wraith¡¯s eyes are full of melancholy. ¡°I¡­-¡±

    BOOM

    A winged beast shoots through the wall, rubble crumbling onto it, twitching before finally lying still.

    ¡°I suppose this conversation will have to wait.¡± Wraith snickers, then returns the sudden blaring noise with one of his own, as with a powerful kick, he sends the double doors flying forward, which slams into several spirits, knocking them out of the air.

    The horde of ravaging spirits push and shove each other to get a look at the legendary specter of despair, vigorous voices clearly itching for a chance to battle and take him down. Victory cries and taunts such as ¡° A human pet? How pathetic!¡±, ¡°His head is mine!!¡±, ¡°What a poor excuse for a specter.¡±, ¡°Even a specter couldn¡¯t defeat this many spirits.¡±, ¡°This is the specter of despair? He looks like a human frat boy!¡±  could be heard through the growls and snarls of the beasts. All odds seemed to be against Wraith, as he was more than outnumbered, with the sky colored in spirits. Despite this, Izumi held hope. Wraith was considered the strongest of not just the specters, but of ghosts  period  . He couldn¡¯t lose. Right? Almost for reassurance, Izumi looked back at Wraith to see how he was fairing. What was once an expression of fury was now that of pure delight, and Izumi didn¡¯t know if he should be glad...or frightened. Wraith didn¡¯t pay their taunts any mind, and as though they didn¡¯t even exist, he rematerialized his smoking pipe and threw it into the air, turning into two enormous malformed creatures with jagged teeth, torn skin, and a multitude of appendages. ¡°Forgive their look, I promise they¡¯re the sweetest.¡± In order to display, he pets one of them, still, Izumi doesn¡¯t buy it. ¡°They¡¯ll protect you though. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll still be here, but it¡¯s for the off chance something gets past me.¡± Reaching his hand out, Wraith ruffles Izumi¡¯s hair with a smile, his heart pitter pattering for a moment before the barbaric hound-like creatures stand between the two, circling around Izumi and demonically snarling at the horde. With a grand welcome, Wraith flung his arms outwards and beckoned the swarm to bare their claws. No words needed to be said. The grandiose gesture was all that was needed for the spirits to beg to put Wraith¡¯s arrogance to rest. Little to their knowledge, their decision to challenge the specter of despair was about to become the cause of their demise. A flurry of spirits swiftly charged through the air, stumbling one over the other in order to be the first to take a bite in  their  imagination. The real outcome of their efforts was not just demoralizing, it was  beyond  repulsively horrid. Through the gust of wind did Wraith¡¯s robe come alive, the thorns becoming animated and detaching themselves from the flowing cloth, branching out infinitely at an unbelievable pace and forming several towering walls. The unfortunate spirits that came into contact with the branches soon met their ultimate punishment as consequence of their unthoughtful rush forward, if the branches themselves didn¡¯t catch their pursuit by default and shred them like a barbed wire trap. They entered through every hole, every orifice, of every spirit they secured and entangled, travelling through their bodies and piercing their internals as they went through. A deadly cancer for thorns overcame their body like a parasite, wringing around the organs, leisurely digging into them and compressing tightly, as though to mockingly express the helplessness of its victims. Blood gushed out of the spirits which were touched by the hands of death, first from their jaws, then their ears, then eyes, until finally, the branches completed their parasitic control by emitting from their agape mouths in waves before locking themselves into the ground beneath, creating a disgustingly falsified image of a deceased evergreen. Still, this was a much preferable outcome than to die by the hands of Wraith himself.

    For those who escaped the clutches of the thorns, the specter of despair himself eagerly awaited on the other side. Cloth merged with skin to form his infamous ebony static talons over his arms, giving each adversary the same slow death as his thorns. Clenching his fists, blood dripped from his palm, sending those who approached into a wild frenzy. Specter blood was every spirit''s dream to consume. It brought an unimaginable boost in magical and physical prowess, but the chances of one having even a drop in their lifetime was impossibly low. Hence, just the smell alone was a mouth watering sensation for the horde, resulting in their lack of an ability to discern an obvious trap. Wraith was the most powerful specter of them all, and thus, his blood was the most sought after. At the same time, he was the only one who not only learned how to control the rate of his healing abilities, but he also knew how to manipulate his blood as well, particularly, how to make it lethal rather than power inducing. A beastly claw would rip into their chest, the blood on his palm leaking inside. Like a thin threaded needle, his blood would traverse within, weaving into the rib cage of its host. From here, two scenarios were created. First, it would sew itself into the individual ribs, securely clasping them together, and in some cases, bones overlapped and grinded against each other. Then, it would violently pull, creating an excruciating pain that could only be likened to horses pulling on the opposite ends of one¡¯s body. This would be done until the rib cage bursted from the chest, tearing the muscles and tissues apart in an attempt to break free, revealing the lungs which once laid encased inside. If this wasn¡¯t enough to end their life, then the blood would continue to the spine, weaving inside the cervical region located in the neck and tugging and towing until the spine breached free, splitting the back into two halves of flapping flesh. The second outcome was the reverse: first the spine, then the ribcage. However, there was a third fate which possibly awaited them, which was the most preferable of the three. Those who believed themselves to be more intelligent than the rest inferred that the trick was to ambush Izumi first. This, however, would result in the individual being gashed by sawed tusks and canines. Cleaved, mangled, and mutilated; their unrecognizable jagged strips of meat clashing with the dust below. With the combination of Wraith, his hounds, and his thorns, the horde was reduced to mere nothingness in no more than a few minutes. Although Izumi requested his eyesight to be free of obstruction, the beastly pets of Wraith blocked most of the revolting scene, yet at times he saw flashes of the events occurring before him. There was not a single spirit left after the one sided battle, and the creatures stepped aside when this was ascertained, allowing Izumi to absorb the image the best way his body felt fit. Nothing. An immense gut churning desire to vomit overwhelmed him, but he couldn¡¯t, or he wouldn¡¯t. Should he vomit, Wraith would only believe that he was indeed right, and that the true nature of himself was too much for Izumi. So, there he stood. Motionless.

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    The unruly hounds made their way over to their owner, nuzzling against him and licking the blood off his skin. He then whispered a command to them, which became clear what it contained, as they then parted from his side and began to devour all the corpses which remained. While this was being done, Wraith¡¯s branches of thorns made their way back into his robe, becoming the still design once more. At this point, Izumi didn¡¯t even realize the approaching figure until he waved his hand before him.

    ¡°Izumi?¡±

    The once motionless young man blinked several times, coming to. ¡°Y-Yea?¡± He tried to suppress the quivering in his voice.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    ¡°K-kind of¡­¡± Izumi tried to avoid eye contact with the feasting creatures, trying to unsuccessfully mentally deafen the sound of the crunching of bones, gnawing of flesh, and slobbering.

    Wraith clearly didn¡¯t believe him, but he had little time to provide consolation, if at all possible, as it was evident to him that they had visitors.

    ¡°Show yourselves, shades.¡± He barked into the darkness.

    Through the shadows emerged a small group of shades: the once residents of Hodaira. A man who appeared to be the mayor based on his well dressed appearance stepped forward.

    ¡°Y-you¡¯re not going to kill us, right?¡±

    ¡°No, or I would¡¯ve done so already.¡± In order to demonstrate his peaceful intentions, despite what the display before them would lead one to believe, he retracted his talons, regaining his human limbs. Conveniently, his pets had finished cleaning the remains and made their return to Wraith, reforming into his smoking pipe and dematerializing once more. Izumi, realizing it¡¯s his time to shine, shook off his nerves and regained his senses.

    ¡°U-um, I¡¯m Izumi. I¡¯m not a ghost or anything, just a human that can see ghosts, but we¡¯re not really sure why yet. This is-¡±

    ¡°The specter of despair.¡± One of the townsfolk bitterly hissed, inviting a roar of like minded statements which had a discernible loathsome hate for his kind. ¡°What is a human like you doing with a savage barbarian like him? Did you not just see what he did?!!¡±

    Izumi pressed his lips together, still trying to forget the grotesque event. ¡°We¡¯re here to help, we¡¯re trying to figure out what happened to the town.¡±

    Murmurs amongst themselves filled the air, testing Wraith¡¯s already limited patience. Sensing this, the mayor hushed the villagers.

    ¡°We WILL hear him out! If this human could come to trust a man such as the specter of despair, even after that display, then we shall as well. This human is more at risk than the likes of us, as he still has a life to lose.¡± The townsfolk whisper to each other in progressive agreement with the mayor¡¯s words.

    Looking back to Wraith, Izumi gestures in suggestion if he wants to take over, but Wraith shakes his head, letting him proceed.

    ¡°At the least, we were able to find out that the head doctor had been poisoning some of you, and we gathered that those that had been poisoned were then fed to a spirit, who later came and consumed the rest of the town. Is that at least correct?¡±

    ¡°To some extent.¡± The mayor sighed, a solemn recollection filling in his eyes. ¡°It is as you said, the doctor which we had fabled as our savior served us on a silver platter to a spirit.¡±

    ¡°I thought shades typically don¡¯t have a recollection of dying to a spirit?¡± Wraith skeptically intrudes.

    ¡°We don¡¯t, but  all  of us here had been felled by the hands of the same spirit. We¡¯re unsure of its name, but it was similar in appearance to that of your creatures, specter of despair. Yet we are certain it wasn¡¯t them. The appendages of the spirit were much thinner, and it was much taller. The doctor had made a deal with the spirit: in exchange for fortune through ¡®miraculous¡¯ healing, a number of admitted patients had to be fed to it in return. Eventually, we came to uncover the doctor¡¯s deception and they were sentenced to death. In a fit of fury, the spirit had destroyed our city, killing all of us who resided inside at the time before mutilating the shade of the doctor before our very eyes.¡±

    One of the shades spit and shouted, ¡°Good riddance! The wicked witch of a woman.¡± Several of the others cried in approval, while the mayor ignored their comments and continued.

    ¡°The spirit had then threatened us, saying that we would meet the same fate if we didn¡¯t attract humans into the town and entrapped them. So, we did. When others had come to investigate our disappearance, we butchered their vehicles, allowing no chance for escape. It¡¯s not something we¡¯re proud of but-¡±

    ¡°You had no choice.¡± Izumi completed. For the life of the dead to still be at risk...Dying a second time was not something anyone wanted, least of all those who already had a short life, such as the residents of Hodaira.

    ¡°No...we didn¡¯t. This allowed the spirit to feed and overtime, he used this to bait other spirits into appearing to feed on the humans. However, he then ate the spirits  and  the humans which entered the village, only adding to his growing strength over the years. We hide when people enter the town, only emerging to prevent their exit so that it may feast, letting us live another day. But...you two were different. It knew you were coming before you even entered Hodaira and it told us that we were free.¡±

    ¡°Free?¡± This didn¡¯t sound right, that much was obvious not just to Izumi, who spoke up about this, but to Wraith as well, who merely continued to listen intently.

    ¡°We aren¡¯t sure either, but there looked to be an expression of contentment on its face, which we have never seen before. Yet that is all that we know that we can convey to you along with this message:  I am awaiting in the cave located at the Northmost mountain . It shouldn¡¯t be difficult to find. If you exit Hodaira and follow the trail, it will lead you to it directly. In the past, before this town met its ruin, it was a well known location where people went for some peace of mind. I do not doubt your safe passage, but still, we wish you the best.¡± The mayor clears his throat to signal to the rest of the town before they all bow. Although seemingly indirectly, the arrival of the pair had granted the shades of Hodaira their freedom.

    Elbowing Wraith to do the same, the two thank them, although only Izumi smiled, before setting off for the mountain.

 Chapter 21: If You Are a Monster, Then I Am a Demon

    To save on time, Wraith, after using magic to remove the blood from his clothes, lifted Izumi and swiftly traversed through the air. During this trip Izumi tried to discuss what the mayor conveyed in order to formulate a new theory, but Wraith had halted him, only stating: We¡¯ll find out soon enough. Whatever it is, it¡¯s clear he¡¯s after me in specific. For only a brief instant, the cave was dim and cold, but it was quickly lit by a row of small flames on each side, which led the whole way down. Now, with the cave enveloped by light, the details were able to be seen. It was man made, this was evident. The small flames from before were now noticeably torches which were hung on carved walls. Even the floor and ceiling were paved, creating an eerie atmosphere which filled the empty cave. Their footsteps echoed as they walked down the long corridor until finally, they reached an open low lit room where there, it awaited. The spirit behind the destruction of Hodaira. Its beady pellet-like silver eyes glowed and pierced the darkness, sending the cave into a quiver as it stood. As though reacting to their arrival, the torches in the room grew brighter and the true form of the spirit became clear. Its head was that of a skeletal deer with jagged teeth, including the large set boned antlers on its head. What was strange, however, was the fact that the spirit also had a pair of furred ears which looked to be that of a wolf. Its body was similar to an underweight dog with dark blue-black fur and an externally armored spine. Some of its ribs were coated with the same kind of outward armor, but not many. Unlike normal armor, this armor was sewn into its body rather than being detachable plates. The tail, or tails per se, were mechanical and lengthy, the end of each resembling an arrowhead in appearance. When the spirit had finally risen, the full sight of its four legs were revealed: they were similar to a deer''s, only hairless and white, the sturdy smooth texture resembling bone. It stood at a little over a story in height, which was about two meters taller than that of Wraith¡¯s pets. Despite its unsettling image, Izumi was unphased. He had seen much worse before, such as not too long ago when Wraith had taken care of the swarm of spirits. Wraith, on the other hand, had been scowling since they left Hodaira and continued to scowl even now. Unexpectedly, the first thing the spirit had done upon standing was immediately dropping its head in a bow before rising again. And then, it spoke.

    ¡°Specter of despair.¡± The voice was deep and fiendish, one that would most definitely never come from a human, or even a shade for that matter, even distinguishing it from other spirits like Neio and Dahlia. ¡°My name is Faelan. It¡¯s an honor to finally meet you.¡± A pause indicated the need for introductions on their behalf as well, but Wraith only continued to glare, so Izumi took over.

    ¡°I¡¯m Izumi, and-¡±

    ¡°Lord Wraith.¡± Faelan interrupted. ¡°I¡¯m aware of who he is.¡±

    Teeth bared, Wraith¡¯s patience grew thin. ¡°Tell me what you want. If you staged all of this for some pathetic reason as wanting a fight with me, then not only would I not believe you, since there are much easier ways to do so, but I would call you a blind idiot as well. I¡¯ll give you the benefit of the doubt, since I doubt that it¡¯s that simple.¡±

    The ghastly deer gave another slight albeit respectful bow and began their story.

    ¡°In terms of this village, by a strange stroke of fate, I had entered the city¡¯s church in order to gain shelter from the rain while I slept. The people of Hodaira did not strike me as men and women of faith, so I believed that I could rest without disturbance. However, a woman had flung herself through the large doors amidst the storm and prayed. She pleaded her life, claiming that her livelihood was at risk as she could not save a soul, with each person she touched ultimately losing their life. Then, I had come up with an idea. I wished to make myself known in our world in order to gain your notice.¡± Faelan¡¯s statement was evidently directed at Wraith. ¡°And I believed that growing in strength was the most likely outcome of you hearing my words. I etched our deal into the stone which laid before her, and she, believing it was an act of a fateful deity, agreed. Yet once she outgrew her usefulness, I moved onto manipulating the shades and spirits. As you may have speculated, the fog was merely a theatrical ploy to lure in those who didn¡¯t know any better.¡±

    Only the story of Hodaira had been elaborated upon, but still, one major question remained. Taking the initiative, Izumi asked what was on both of their minds.

    ¡°But why Wraith? What could you want from him?¡±

    ¡°I wished to beseech him.¡±

    Unsure of his meaning, Izumi turned to Wraith to explain.

    ¡°He wants a favor.¡±

    ¡°But don¡¯t you do that normally?¡±

    ¡°Not for spirits. Specters only make deals with humans, since they¡¯d only benefit from a deal with a human. Spirits don¡¯t have the same pay off. In that sense, it makes more sense for him to go through those lengths to get my attention, especially with me being the least of all specters who would even care in the slightest to grant a spirit that hasn¡¯t garnered my respect a favor. And in terms of whatever you want, I¡¯m sure I¡¯m the only one who can grant it then, am I right?¡±

    ¡°Correct.¡± Faelan¡¯s inhumane voice echoed through the cave. ¡°I was a lost spirit, unsure of my purpose and disgusted with my being. I deplored the survivalistic nature of our world. For one to finally gain peace, they had to claw their way to the top, and in some cases, not even that was enough, such as in your case, Lord of Despair. You have been and are challenged by many, thus it was not a life I wished to live. As such, defeated, I waited to pass in an alley, and there, I had seen my answer. Humans. They were enjoying themselves without the fear of their life being snatched away at any moment. That they could live their entire life without ever killing or battling. I longed for this peace that humans had so freely. At the time, I had been serving under Ianthe, the specter of guilt.¡± The familiarity of the name caught the ears of both Izumi and Wraith. She was the same specter who had manipulated Fuhiro, challenged Wraith, and later died by his hands. And from this, Wraith only seemed to grow more and more disquieted. ¡°I had asked her of this, whether it would be possible for a spirit to change forms, just as specters can. Even if I was merely human in appearance, I would be able to detach myself from this cruel world. It was then that she informed me that it was possible, but only one man was known to have the ability to shift another. You. The specter of despair.¡±

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    An uneasiness filled Izumi¡¯s heart as the air grew dark and heavy, making it difficult to breathe. Something was off, particularly about Wraith. The last lines of Faelan¡¯s speech had disturbed Izumi because of this. It almost seemed as though the room twisted and turned in distortion just by the tension alone. A pause. Silence. Raspy and hoarse breathing produced by the undead hybrid which stood before them. Until after what felt like centuries, Wraith spoke, but the sound of which was unfamiliar to Izumi, seeming like a different person entirely. It was more otherworldly than that of Faelan¡¯s, and he could hardly believe that Wraith was the individual who produced it.

    ¡°And What Gave Her The Impression That I Could?¡± The callous cloak began to seep into Wraith¡¯s arms, forming a color which was unperceivable, akin to that of the darkness of a void. Creaking and forking, the almost parasitic cavity began to spread into his chest, then his neck, and then his face, overcoming and tainting the whites of his eyes.

    There was a reasonable dread in both the hearts of Faelan and Izumi for what lie after the answer to the specter¡¯s question, but the end result had already been set in stone.

    ¡°Ianthe had claimed that you had changed your guise, as you were once-¡±

    Before the phrase could be finished, the static of Wraith¡¯s arms leaked and formed a mass of tendrils, bursting outward and bringing the towering beast to the floor in the duration of a blink. Fissures in the pavement emerged with the more pressure added, jolting the cave which began to threaten to collapse.

    ¡°If You Had Any Care For Your Life, You Would Refrain From Speaking Any Further. Otherwise, I Will Tear Your Chest Open And Remove Your Insides One By One.¡±

    Faelan struggled to even breathe or cough from the position it was in, unable to even show understanding of Wraith¡¯s threat. Pebbles began to rain and scatter from the cracked ceiling the tighter the tendrils squeezed on the soon to be lifeless spirit and through this, Izumi knew he had to act. Not just to save Faelan from asphyxiation, but to prevent the cave from sealing them inside. Even though Izumi feared that Wraith could possibly harm him as well in a fit of fury, it was a risk he had to take.

    His shaking heart forced his legs to move and reach out in desperation, holding his arm and calling out in a tearful voice, ¡°Wraith, stop!¡±

    The nearly unrecognizable specter shifted his blank gaze to Izumi, and then...he felt his heart shatter. Izumi was crying. Streams of sorrow glistening and flowing down his cheeks. And it was because of him. He told himself he didn¡¯t want Izumi to be afraid of him, to hold disdain or distrust in his heart for him. And he¡­

    Instantly the tendrils released their hold on Faelan, who hacked up a storm, its lungs burning in pain from the sudden influx of air. The colorless void detached itself from Wraith¡¯s body, reforming into the sleeves of his mantle, restoring him to his natural image. Forgetting that Faelan was even in the room with them, Wraith devoted all his attention to Izumi, frantically wiping his tears with his sleeve and apologetically kissing the corner of his eye.

    Wraith, his voice now its usual tone, shakenly cupped Izumi¡¯s cheeks in his hands. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I-...¡± His words came to a halt. He didn¡¯t have a justifiable reason for his actions. He was livid, and he acted on his ferocity in the worst form possible in front of the worst person possible. Izumi, on the other hand, was having none of his antics. Now unbelievably upset, he pushed Wraith away, swatting his hands from his cheeks and nearly slapping him in the process.

    ¡°Don¡¯t-! Apologize to me! You nearly killed him! You¡¯re older than I am so act like it! Use your words instead of always relying on your brute strength to solve things!¡±

    It wasn¡¯t the first time that Izumi scolded Wraith, but it stung much more now. Taking a deep inhale with a slow exhale, Wraith repeated Izumi¡¯s wrathful sentiment in mind.

    Words. Words. Words.

    ¡°Faelan.¡± The spirit jolted at the call of its name, hoping that it wasn¡¯t the last thing it would hear. ¡°The only living souls that know that this isn¡¯t my original appearance are myself, my generals, and Lavina, The Librarian and specter of knowledge.¡± Although Izumi was muddled at the sentence, he knew this wasn¡¯t the time to ask for elaboration. ¡°So, if you could...tell me anything else about how Ianthe knew that, and if anyone else knows, I would...appreciate it.¡± It was out of Wraith¡¯s element to try and discuss things when he was irritated, but for Izumi, he¡¯d do anything.

    Faelan was still fearful of speaking, but he was steadily calming down as Wraith seemed to be doing the same. ¡°I...don¡¯t know how she came to learn of such, but I don¡¯t believe she shared the information without care.¡±

    With a feeling that each solved problem only generates a thousand more, Wraith sighed and stressfully ran his fingers through his dark hair. ¡°Ugh...forget about it then¡­¡± He crossed his arms. ¡°Regarding your request, I decline. Hating the lifestyle of spirits and specters is justifiable, but no matter what outward form you hold, you¡¯ll never be able to escape it. The only way you could is if you were either dead or a specter that lived by their own rules...like myself. What I¡¯m trying to say is, I¡¯ll take you under my wing. Whether you feed or fight I don¡¯t care, but no one will bother you. If you want to live a peaceful life holed up in your bedroom, I won¡¯t stop you, which means no one else will.¡±

    Faelan could hardly believe what was being proposed to him. Specter¡¯s factions usually operate under whatever set of rules the specter imposes, but no rules? How could order ever be maintained?

    As if reading his mind, Wraith responded to this very question. ¡°Everyone knows better than to do something that¡¯ll either piss me off or put me in a position that¡¯ll piss me off, which is the only established standard. If you think I¡¯m lying, then you can leave. The one thing I won¡¯t let you do though is die. You...partially remind me of myself, a long time ago but still. If I was able to find purpose through all my self-hatred, you can too. Could take you years, or centuries like it did for me, could take you months, or even days. Who knows, but I¡¯m giving you a chance to take the time you need.¡±

    ¡°I¡­.truly?¡±

    ¡°My word is bond.¡±

    At a loss for words, the silver beady eyes quivered, a single drop flowing down. ¡°Please...I would be...eternally grateful¡­¡±

    ¡°You have to apologize to the people of Hodaira first though!¡± Izumi interjected. ¡°Although an apology won¡¯t fix the damage you did, it¡¯s still better than doing nothing.¡±

    Faelan desperately shook its head up and down, not wanting this unforeseen opportunity to slip past, even though Wraith groaned at having to revisit the town, and just as expected, they hissed and roared at the spirit in hatred, and at Izumi and Wraith even more so for not killing it. Remembering Izumi¡¯s words, Wraith contained himself and they left Hodaira for good. However, with Faelan gone, which it also confirmed since it was the one luring them, there would no longer be swarms of spirits invading Hodaira or the neighboring city, so they would be safe regardless of their everlasting resentment. When all was said and done, it was time for them to make their return, but not to the inn from before. This time, Izumi¡¯s long held curiosity of Wraith¡¯s home was soon to be fulfilled.

 Chapter 22: A Past Left Unnamed

    Before entering the portal to Wraith¡¯s home, Wraith gave Izumi his robe, pulling the hood over his eyes and warning him to keep his gaze low. Trying to explain to his entire faction Izumi¡¯s situation was too much work, and the more people that knew about him, the more at risk he was. The red robe was enough to mask Izumi¡¯s human scent due to its magical properties, yet at the same time Wraith was grateful for any opportunity to see Izumi wearing it. Upon entry, a legion of spirits entered the hall and bowed, humbly greeting Wraith before he sent them on their way once more. Dahlia and Neio, who were previously watching over the neighboring town to Hodaira per Wraith¡¯s request, took Faelan in order to give them a tour of the grand estate as well as briefing them on Izumi¡¯s case, since Faelan already met him. The interior of the manor was similar to that of a Victorian palace of ages, which explained Wraith¡¯s lack of amazement at modern structures. It was several stories in height and Wraith¡¯s bedroom was located on the top floor at the far opposite end of the estate. Strangely enough though, Wraith¡¯s room wasn¡¯t really furnished at all in comparison and it lacked the same variety of colors that the rest of the home had, consisting primarily of shades of blacks and reds. The room itself was of black marble, which per Izumi¡¯s question of it, Wraith only noted that it was easier to clean, although he was still unsure what that meant. In addition, there was a set of couches surrounding a glass coffee table which never lacked alcohol and accompanying glasses. Located on the far end of the room was an enormous circular crimson bed draped with a near opaque canopy, the likes of which could fit at least ten Faelans, likely more. To the left was a door which led to his private bathhouse, which was beside a few dressers; while on the right...nothing. Somehow, Wraith¡¯s room met Izumi¡¯s expectations in a weird way, but they were also below them. It most definitely was in character for Wraith to have a simultaneously simple yet in some ways extravagant bedroom, but the rest of the estate was undeniably more of a sight.

    ¡°What, you don¡¯t like it?¡± Wraith ruffled Izumi¡¯s hood and sank into a couch. Back to the bed, he lit a cigarette, Izumi nearly chastising him until he remembered that it¡¯s his home, and his room, so he could do what he wanted, including smoking indoors. There were only the two of them in his immensely spacious bedroom for the time being, as Wraith requested Neio to bring Izumi dinner when he finished with Faelan.

    ¡°I mean it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like it, it¡¯s just¡­¡±

    ¡°Not what you expected?¡±

    ¡°Kind of?¡± Izumi continued to look around the room, while Wraith sat unbothered, not even watching him. ¡°It is but isn¡¯t. At the least it is very...you in its own way.¡±

    ¡°That sounds like an insult.¡± Wraith jokingly scoffs.

    ¡°It¡¯s not! I kinda like it¡­I guess? Could use something that isn¡¯t...you know...red or black.¡±

    Izumi made his way to the bed, gliding his hands across the fabric. A feeling of fluffy comfort tempted him into relaxation, as the cloth was unimaginably warm and soft, almost pulling him into its homely embrace. Suddenly, through his mesmerization, he felt a hand against his own, jumping in surprise. Wraith had made his way over unbeknownst to Izumi, since he was so absorbed in the texture of the bed, caressing the back of his hand, delicately trailing up his arm. Resting the other on Izumi¡¯s waist, Wraith whispered into his ear, ¡°But...you seem to like the bed, right?¡±

    ¡°I mean...it¡¯s nice¡­¡± Unsure how to react, Izumi only awkwardly accepted Wraith¡¯s advances. Although he was previously upset with him, Wraith did apologize then, and he also said that upon Faelan¡¯s return he would explain himself. So...perhaps it¡¯s fine...Izumi had little resistance when it came to Wraith as well, especially in matters such as this.

    ¡°Could you believe there was a time where I needed a bed this big?¡±

    Words contradicting his actions, Izumi stiffened at Wraith''s touch. Now with both hands lightly holding his waist, Wraith pulled Izumi closer, pressing against him. ¡°Are you still upset with me?¡±

    Izumi whipped around to face Wraith to protest his statement, now torso to torso. ¡°No! And before you ask I¡¯m sure.¡±

    A relieved sigh. ¡°I¡¯m...sorry again anyways. Seeing you cry just¡­¡± Tore me apart, he wanted to say, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to pull the words out. Why? Why did he struggle? Why did he act so differently with Izumi? Why did he care what Izumi thought of him? Why did Izumi¡¯s tearful expression hurt him? Even now, his heart ached, Izumi¡¯s cry etched into his mind, and even now, he couldn¡¯t answer these raging questions in his mind. Wraith swallowed hard, drowning his worries for the time being.

    ¡°Then,¡± Wraith leaned in, waiting for Izumi to close his eyes first before he gave him a peck. ¡°Do you want to see how comfy the bed really is?¡±

    The answer comes in the form of another kiss, this time from Izumi. Onto the bed they slowly inched with each exchanged kiss, their hands overlapping until-... the doors opened. Izumi felt a lump in his throat as his soul fled his body, too stunned to even move. Through the large set of doors came Neio, Dahlia, and Faelan along with maids which carted in Izumi¡¯s dinner and a set of cool drinks, placing it all on the table. They came to slowly discern the scene which they interrupted, making the situation even more unbearable for everyone.

    Boisterously, as per usual, Neio burst through the doors. ¡°Hey Bo-OOOOOSSSS WOAH OOPS!!¡± Dahlia groaned at Neio¡¯s overt reaction, which didn¡¯t help in the slightest. ¡°Would you prefer we leave and come back later orrrrr¡­.?¡±

    Wraith closed his eyes, imagining Izumi¡¯s crying and his scolding, taking in an aggressively deep inhale at the same time before smiling with clear hostility, ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±

    Pulling Izumi¡¯s hood lower to cover his inflamed face, Wraith held his hand and led him to the living area, Izumi standing behind Wraith as much as he could. The maids had wheeled out the food carts by the time Wraith sat down, Izumi beside him. Across from the pair were Neio and Dahlia, Faelan sitting on the floor beside their couch. The three were too ashamed to even pick up their drinks, while Wraith on the other hand had to drink to quell his violent compulsions that were simmering to a boil the more he had to watch Izumi fold into himself. To try and ease the tension, Wraith had suggested for Izumi to eat his food before it gets cold. Neio vigorously avoided eye contact with Wraith, already knowing that he was in for it later if Izumi didn¡¯t pull some strings, and luckily he did. The delicious food effectively saved Neio¡¯s hide as Izumi felt his embarrassment fade the moment he took a bite.

    ¡°I know you said you practice but it¡¯s still amazing to me that you¡¯re this good at cooking without ever having tasted your own food!¡±

    Neio fails to suppress his obvious relief, his eyes clearly giving it away even through his hearty smile. ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it as always, it¡¯s always a pleasure to cook for you little Izumi! It¡¯s like cooking for the boss, except I don¡¯t cook for the boss since he can¡¯t eat, so it¡¯s a good substitute.¡±

    Tapping his glass, Wraith deafened their voices, trying to come to terms with the fact that there will never be a proper moment for him to speak up about the matter he called them here to discuss, but it was an inevitability. So, with a heaved sigh, he began.

    ¡°I...should explain to you why I got so upset earlier, Izumi.¡±

    Izumi¡¯s eating came to a slow halt, trying to give Wraith his full attention.

    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine if..?¡±

    ¡°They know. And now I suppose you do as well. I told you once that I was the only specter that knew how to change someone¡¯s physical appearance, and that still stands. But...the reason behind that is because I had changed my own.¡±

    ¡°I thought you said specters could shapeshift though?¡±

    ¡°They can, but they still have a true form regardless, which is whatever they looked like at birth. Obviously you¡¯d be more comfortable in your own skin than in the shape of an animal or anything. In my case I¡­Let¡¯s just say if Faelan thinks that he looks like a monster, I¡¯d be your worst nightmare.¡± Izumi isn¡¯t sure if he should ask the questions which arise in his mind, unsure to which extent Wraith is willing to unveil his past, but Wraith sees this to his luck, as he knows how curious Izumi always is about their world. ¡°You can ask, I¡¯ll answer what I can, or what I¡¯m comfortable with.¡± In truth, he wasn¡¯t comfortable disclosing this information period, yet fate had forced his hand.

    ¡°Then...why did you change it?¡±

    ¡°Most of the world¡¯s hate for me comes from who I am now, but it¡¯s also rooted at who I used to be, at least in terms of rumors. No one is really sure when this version of me came to be, but the common consensus is that the ¡®old me¡¯, that is my true form, was a different specter altogether. They believe that the specter of despair before me had died and then I came, which in truth, I was both. And...there aren¡¯t many records of my old self to begin with. I avoided being seen by the public and if I had I¡¯d kill whoever did. At least usually. It wasn¡¯t necessarily for the reason you may be thinking, but I don¡¯t want to say anything else about that. I was¡­scared, is honestly the best way to put it. Scared that other people would know who I once was. There was something I did at the time and¡­¡± Wraith pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to step around the topic, ¡°...nevermind. Maybe I¡¯ll tell you one day, maybe I won¡¯t. Just if anyone knows about that then there¡¯s the chance they know something else. I guess...in short....I wanted a fresh start. Funny enough, it was because of Lavina. After I met her, I wanted to change and leave my past behind me, and that was the best way to do it.¡±

    For love. Although it wasn¡¯t entirely for that reason, the thought still made Izumi smile a little. Mainly the fact that even someone like Wraith was capable of the emotion, and to theatrical extents.

    ¡°What is it?¡± The weirdly timed smile had caught his attention.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I just thought that it was kind of funny that even you do strange things for love.¡±

    Hurriedly Wraith denies the accusation. ¡°At the time yea but I don¡¯t love her anymore and haven¡¯t for a long time, but still.¡± Recalling his innocent days, he softly smiles. ¡°She¡¯s still important to me in her own way.¡±

    Wraith¡¯s expression at the mention of Lavina sets off an unfamiliar feeling in Izumi¡¯s chest, like a knife had been twisted through. Fingering the hem of his sleeves, he looked away to avoid the growing ache within him as he searched for an answer. Am I...jealous? Izumi thought to himself. But they broke up forever ago. Still though...he loved her enough to do a complete 180¡­I...wish¡­

    ¡°Izumi?¡±

    ¡°Y-Yea?¡±

    ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    ¡°Yea, I¡¯m fine¡­¡± He was jealous, but he couldn¡¯t admit that. He had nothing to be jealous over, they weren¡¯t even in a relationship anymore. Nonetheless, Izumi couldn¡¯t stop the emotion from taking hold.

    In an attempt to change the topic, Neio swooped in with a story of his own. ¡°Welllllllll I don¡¯t suppose I ever told you how I met the boss, right?¡± Izumi shook his head, Wraith returning quietly to his glass. ¡°SO, right, what happened was there was this HUUGE war, I¡¯m talking world scale, any and every spirit and specter alike knows about it, most ghosts do too, depending on when they died. You¡¯ll hear it called The Great War a lot, pretty self explanatory right? Well, anyways, after the war there was basically no specters. No specters meant no factions. No factions means that spirits just did whatever the hell they wanted, but that¡¯s not important for this story. I was damn right on the door of death when the boss found me, was right after this battle that annihilated the specter I used to follow and basically everyone else along with it. And you know what he did? Sat next to me, who was bleeding out and all, and asked if I wanted a drink. Can you believe that?¡± Roaring with laughter at recollection of their meeting, Neio held his sides in delightful pain. ¡°A drink! A doctor would¡¯ve been nice!¡±

    The repetition succeeds in getting a chuckle out of Izumi, until he realizes a flaw in his story. ¡°I thought you said that there were no specters or factions though? So how come Wraith was there?¡±

    ¡°I said basically no specters. Thing is, him and Lavina were still around, but neither of them had factions. Lavina still doesn¡¯t, never did. The boss though, he didn¡¯t have a faction for a reaaaallly long time, when I had met him he looked like what you see now, so if you were curious, none of us ever saw his true form. I think Lavina knows what he used to look like though.¡±

    Wraith takes a sip of his drink, approving the statement with a nod.

    ¡°So...obviously you didn¡¯t die, so what happened?¡±

    ¡°So you ARE interested.¡±

    ¡°Yes yes I am please keep going.¡± Izumi impatiently ushers on.

    ¡°Well, I had thought to myself well shit I¡¯m already dying, would be nice to have one last drink, so he gave me a bottle which he claims he so happened to have on him at the time and we shared a drink. I had even dropped it at some point because I was so weak! Honestly, I didn¡¯t even know he was a specter. Didn¡¯t recognize him and maybe I was too frail to even discern the aura, or maybe it was because he was so informal. I genuinely felt relaxed when he talked and drank with me. In the end, I was happy to accept that it was my time, since my supposed last moments were so joyful. Obviously though, he asked me to join his faction and I leapt at the opportunity since he made such a convincing case by just being himself and the boss healed me after obviously. And here I am today! First of the nation actually.¡±

    ¡°Does that make you the second¡­?¡± In an attempt to get Dahlia to reveal their side, he directs a transition to them.

    ¡°Yes. I was.¡±

    ¡°Dahlia¡¯s story is nowhere as good as mine though.¡± Neio puffs, Dahlia only sighing.

    ¡°He found me after The War as well. Spirits were running rampant at the time, killing not just humans but other spirits as well. At the time I was quite pathetic. Weak. I couldn¡¯t fend for myself, or even speak for that matter. A cluster had nearly ended me when he found me. Put me to shame in an instant. Reducing them to splatters on the wall. I thought he was like the rest until he wiped the blood off before offering me his hand. Something in my heart told me then that I wanted to follow him, and he had asked me to anyway. He noticed I couldn¡¯t speak, so he offered to take me under and teach me how to use telepathy so I could communicate.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t always know?¡±

    ¡°No. I was completely mute before. Only being heard in my own thoughts. So for that and my life, I¡¯ll always be indebted and thankful.¡±

    A collection of broken people. Faelan was the same. He was a lost spirit who thought that his road had reached its end, then Wraith came and paved a bright path forward. As heartwarming as it was to learn this, Izumi was puzzled. Why did Wraith pride himself about being such a terrible person? Sure, he¡¯s done horrific things, but he¡¯s done plenty of good as well. In his own words, not everyone was clear cut between black or white, so why did he believe that he was only in the wrong?

    Another thought had crossed Izumi¡¯s mind, one that he held since their initial meeting in his bedroom forever ago. ¡°Dahlia, do you mind if I ask¡­um¡­are you¡ªwhat gender do you um-¡±

    ¡°Neither. I never felt like either, so neither.¡±

    ¡°Faelan¡­?¡±

    The undead wolf-deer had remained fairly quiet yet attentive during their conversation, speaking once ushered to. ¡°Male.¡±

    Izumi wasn¡¯t sure if he expected their responses or not, but at the least his curiosity was satisfied.

    ¡°What, you¡¯re not gonna ask me?¡± Neio pouted.

    ¡°You¡¯re obviously a guy too, have you ever seen yourself in the mirror?¡± He sneered jokingly, even getting a slightly smirk from Wraith as well.

    ¡°Hey you¡¯re starting to sound like the boss now! Is he rubbing off on you?¡± The infamous wide grin adorned his face and his tease caused Izumi to bashfully sink into Wraith¡¯s mantle at the suggestion.

    Deducting the end of their welcome, Neio stood up, ushering the others to leave.

    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t take anymore of your time though, right guys?¡± Neio emphasized the end in hopes of them realizing the previous scene they interrupted. Rapidly agreeing, the trio rushed out of the door, leaving the couple to themselves.

 Chapter 23: The Power of an Oversized Shirt

    By the time things had settled down, Wraith had finished his drink and Izumi¡¯s food went cold, but he was full anyway. They had been out all day going from door to door trying to unravel Hodaira and quite frankly, they never wanted to hear anything about the town ever again. Unfortunately, Izumi still had to turn all the information they received into a coherent article, though that was a problem for later. In preparation for bed the two had shifted into more comfortable clothing, Wraith reducing to only his beltless slacks as he usually did, while Izumi wore a dress shirt provided by Wraith under his robe. The baggy dress shirt didn¡¯t fit him in the slightest, with the sleeves extending well beyond the tips of his fingers and the end reaching to about the middle of his thighs. To Wraith¡¯s fortune and dismay, he only noticed this when they had both already made their way under the covers. And, a part of Wraith snapped, in both a good and bad way.

    Smiling uncontrollably, he teased, ¡°If you wanted to have sex you could¡¯ve just asked.¡±

    ¡°W-what?!¡± Izumi tossed a pillow at Wraith, his ears on fire and jumping in his skin. ¡°You were the one who gave me the stupid shirt!¡±

    ¡°Huhhhhh? I think you¡¯re imagining things.¡± Canines still peeking from his wide grin, he jokes with Izumi more.

    ¡°I can¡¯t handle you.¡± A defeated sigh leaves him, knowing that the more he says, the more entertainment he provides for Wraith. Even his baffled statement is utilized for fun.

    ¡°More like you¡¯re the only one who can handle me.¡± Putting the pillow aside, Wraith crawls closer, holding Izumi¡¯s hand and pecking his cheek.

    Mumbling, he tries again to not promote his antics, ¡°It seemed like Lavina could handle you just fine.¡±

    ¡°Pfft- sure. In your eyes. We¡¯re like oil and water. The reason that we broke up is because she can¡¯t handle me, and I can¡¯t handle her. What, you getting a little jealous of my ex?¡±

    ¡°HUH-no!¡± Whipping his inflamed head away, Izumi could feel his heart beating out of his chest. Wraith couldn¡¯t take it any longer. The embarrassment which overwhelmed Izumi was too cute in his eyes and his desires finally overcame him.

    A sudden push onto the bed sealed Izumi¡¯s fate, and his lips. The intimate tension from earlier rushed back to them, any care or leisure pace that may have been considered thrown away. Streams bounced between the two locked tongues as Wraith furiously undid his partner¡¯s clothes. With Izumi¡¯s oversized shirt now lying open, his adorable torso was unprotected from his grasp. Almost in a territorial manner, Wraith left a stream of hickeys on his body, leading from his neck all the way to his happy trail. There was an odd sense of enjoyment that Izumi received from stroking Wraith¡¯s hair, and his current maneuver allowed him to fulfill that unusual craving to its fullest. And with this, something sparked inside of him. A fervid desire to do something he never thought of before. In fact, before the thought frightened him. Yet, in the heat of the moment, it started to creep into his thoughts, whispers turning into a high pitched demand. Until finally, he listened.

    Izumi held Wraith by his shoulders and pushed him back onto the bed, so that now he was the one facing up, while Izumi mounted him. Wraith¡¯s wide, albeit welcoming, eyes clearly egged him on more.

    ¡°I-I wanna do it this time. You¡¯re always focusing on me, so I want to do it for you.¡±

    ¡°Obviously I don¡¯t mind, but you don¡¯t have to you know.¡± Is what he says, but he prays that Izumi doesn¡¯t change his mind.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, like I said, I want to.¡±

    There was no further rebuttal from Wraith¡¯s end, allowing Izumi to take charge. Now, with being the one leading, Izumi realized how much confidence it takes as not only does he have to adequately please his partner, but he has to do it while Wraith is giving him his full undivided attention. At the least as cocky as Wraith is, he has a major soft spot for Izumi, so just his attempt is enough to get his blood rushing. On the other side of things, Izumi¡¯s blood was rushing in a different way, more in anxiety and nervousness than being aroused; and knowing he would feel even worse if he let his cowardice overcome him, he pushed himself to see it through. Gathering his courage, Izumi set his hands onto Wraith¡¯s torso for support, rested himself on Wraith¡¯s shaft, which was currently in a semi, and stroked the full length with the lower half of his body. He tried his hardest to avoid eye contact with Wraith, looking anywhere he could that wasn¡¯t him. The sheets, his own hands, Wraith¡¯s abdomen. Knowing full well that Wraith was taking in the sight and solidifying the memory. Still, Izumi knew he had to be doing something right, feeling the rising heat of Wraith¡¯s body along with a throb and swell in his groin. A warm comforting hand nuzzled against his thigh, catching Izumi off guard and raising a glance up in surprise.

    ¡°You¡¯re doing alright, don¡¯t worry.¡±

    The power of eye contact proved strong once again, and with Wraith¡¯s reassuring words, Izumi had regained his vigor and determination to continue, if Wraith¡¯s positive physical reactions weren¡¯t enough already. Instead of being fearful, he was now aching to have Wraith inside of him. In an anxious rush he sat up right and straightened Wraith¡¯s member, lowering himself onto him without so much of a bit of hesitation, Wraith though was worried for him, since he didn¡¯t loosen himself at all, and in the midst tried to stop him, coming to a half sit up.

    ¡°Wait Izum-mmn¨C¡± Fortune was in Izumi¡¯s favor, as it most definitely would¡¯ve strained him to be so hasty despite Wraith always ensuring to null the pain with magic. Regardless of this fact, it was still risky to insert him without any preparation, considering that Wraith now felt like his dick was about to get torn in half. He didn¡¯t voice this concern though, as oddly enough, it felt strangely thrilling. Izumi forced Wraith deeper inside until there was no space left to fill, eliciting a sharp exhale out of both. This time, it was Izumi¡¯s turn to ease his partner.

    Resting his forehead against Wraith¡¯s and a delicate hand on his collarbone, Izumi stole a sigh from Wraith¡¯s lips. His heart full of fervor, Izumi read Wraith¡¯s radiant contrasting eyes with the softness of his own. ¡°Wraith, I¡¯ll be alright, trust me. What¡¯s the worst that can happen? It¡¯s not like I can break a bone or anything.¡±

    Lightly chuckling, Wraith¡¯s worries seem to fade. ¡°Pfft, you¡¯d be surprised what happens to people sometimes.¡±

    ¡°Oh yea?¡±

    Another kiss is exchanged.

    ¡°Your confidence is starting to rival my own now. Maybe Neio¡¯s right and I am rubbing off on you.¡±

    ¡°And you being so on edge is very like me.¡±

    When they had first slept together, there was evidently more lust than love behind the act. Yet now, whether they realized it or not, they were beginning to become more fond and affectionate of the other, which conveyed adequately through their trade of flirtatious remarks. A sense of solace and openness was greatly mutual, and soon, they would grow steadily more aware of their temporarily underlying sentiments.

    ¡°Then, cowboy, if you¡¯re so cocky now, let¡¯s see if you can tame this horse.¡±

    Easing Wraith back onto the bed, Izumi resituated himself on his saddle. ¡°I¡¯d move to the city if I had a horse as talkative as you.¡±

    Izumi raised himself, but not enough for Wraith¡¯s tip to slip out, and squatted again, Wraith struggling to keep his own hungering impulses in the meanwhile. There was a certain rhythm that had to be found which was a balance between comfortability on Izumi¡¯s end and pleasure for both. It wasn¡¯t hard to please Wraith in this case, however. Just the image of Izumi independently moving his hips on top of him was all that he needed. He was less concerned with the act itself and was more focused on studying Izumi¡¯s expressions. A cute concentration, a form of aha when he finally grew accustomed, the sensual contortions with his face alit in flames, letting himself dissolve and fuse with Wraith. And when he was finally comfortable, Izumi returned Wraith¡¯s gaze with a seductive one of his own. At this point, he knew Wraith¡¯s buttons, and he was determined to thrust him over his limits before he reached his own to finally repay him for months of mockery. He knew that Wraith was infatuated with the picturesque frame before him, so he decided to give him a clear view. Izumi removed his arms from the sleeves of Wraith¡¯s robe, keeping the hood on just so it didn¡¯t remove itself from his person. He pushed the fabric aside so it dangled behind his shoulders rather than allowing it to conceal Wraith¡¯s view. For more exposure, he rolled the teal shirt¡¯s sleeves to his elbows to reveal more of his skin. And finally what stirred Wraith the most: Izumi¡¯s alluring voice. The bedroom, being solitarily located on the far end of the estate, allowed for Izumi to be as vulgar and feverish as he wanted.

    ¡°Wraith¨Cmmnh~...hhaa~!¡±

    His charmful spell worked wonders and fast. For the first time since their initial sexual encounter, Wraith had his hand over his mouth, teeth baring into his finger as he firmly gripped Izumi¡¯s thigh. And then, in a low, soft exhale, ¡°...fuck..hahh¡­¡±

    A slow sense of triumph started to take over Izumi; he was nearly there. Just a little more. Another slight push.

    ¡°Ahh~-nhmm-...Wrai-th-ahh~~!!¡±

    Wraith was audibly heaving harsh breaths, trying to quell himself to no avail. Then, Izumi felt a pulsation within himself. He dug his fingernails into Wraith¡¯s torso, trying to hold himself back. It didn¡¯t matter when he reached his limit, as long as it was after Wraith. Telling himself this, he tried to sustain himself through his clasp on Wraith, knowing full well he was nearing his end as a stream of precum flowed out of his beating shaft, trickling outside of Izumi¡¯s entrance. With this, an idea came to his mind: a feint.

    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°I-ca-an¡¯t-! I¡¯m-!¡±

    ¡°Mnhh..shit-...Izu-mi-...¡±

    A surge of a heavy fluid poured and flooded inside of him. He won. But his celebration was short lived, as shortly after he too relieved himself. It didn¡¯t matter though. At the end of the day, Wraith still came first, and he was going to enjoy rubbing it in.

    It took everything that Izumi had to pull off such a feat, leaving him out of breath and helpless. The lower half of his body was sensitive and weak, barely managing the strength to remove himself from Wraith¡¯s crotch. If Izumi had any doubt that Wraith felt gratified after the fact, the river of Wraith¡¯s seed that stained not just his rear, but his thighs as well as it leaked down showed this fact clearly. A deep sigh spilled out of Wraith as he sat up from the bed and gathered himself, while Izumi removed himself from Wraith and seated onto the sheets, trying not to show his exhaustion. When he finally regained his breath, he flaunted his victory.

    ¡°What was that...about me taming a horse?¡±

    It would¡¯ve been Wraith¡¯s turn to avoid eye contact if he wasn¡¯t trying to maintain what was left of his superiority, but he still managed to make him flush, albeit only a little.

    ¡°Shut up.¡± He scowled half heartedly, with more affection than anger behind it.

    Leaning in, Izumi cockily smirked and crawled closer, ¡°You came first.¡±

    Wraith sighed, ¡°And? You want a prize?¡±

    ¡°I want you to say it.¡±

    Now Wraith was the defeated one, and he humbly accepted it, knowing that Izumi¡¯s pestering would only continue if he didn¡¯t comply. ¡°...I came first.¡±

    ¡°And¡­?¡±

    He rolled his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m a broken man, Izumi. You killed me. You didn¡¯t just tame me you slaughtered me.¡±

    ¡°Oh. I wasn¡¯t expecting all that but I¡¯ll take it hehehe.¡±

    As a prize for abiding by his antics, Izumi provided a slew of kisses, many of which were quick pecks on the lips.

    ¡°I assume you''re done reveling in your victory then?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes I am.¡± Izumi was beyond proud of himself, and Wraith partially didn''t mind because he thought it cute. Especially since it was the first time that he ever beat Wraith in anything. The recent triumph was soon to be short lived as Wraith had already made plans to make Izumi eat his words. The lack of the disappearance of Wraith''s smug demeanor began to stir an anxious anticipation in Izumi''s now fluttering chest. And of course, at this point, he knew Wraith well enough to know he would return the favor, but he held hope he would be generous anyway.

    ¡°Well, I hope you enjoyed it.¡± And within a flash, Izumi''s hope was gone and he could do nothing but accept his punishment. In a fell swoop Wraith lifted him off the bed and shifted to the wall beside it, Wraith now standing and carrying Izumi.

    ¡°What are you-?¡±

    ¡°Teaching you a lesson about bragging.¡± He stood Izumi on his feet, facing him towards the wall.

    ¡°But we just did!¡± Izumi tried to turn in refutation but Wraith only slammed him harder, his overwhelming weight sandwiching Izumi between him and the wall.

    ¡°And you said that last time but who made us get a noise complaint?¡± Pressed lips and a shattering will reflected in Izumi from the reminder he didn''t want or need. ¡°You need to improve your stamina if you''re really trying to keep up with me. The day you outlast me I''ll let you hog all the glory you want, but not today.¡± The cloak rustled, as though alive and sentient, reacting to his words. It grew shorter in length, reaching to Izumi''s waist instead, and the hood lowered on its own, the robe now being supported by the reinserted sleeves. ¡°I¡¯d prefer to see your face, so you can¡¯t hide in my clothes.¡±

    Mentally Izumi had cussed out the red mantle and its inherent loyalty to Wraith, refusing to vocalize this annoyance as he realized how daft he would sound being angry at a piece of fabric. In the middle of this, Wraith had lifted Izumi''s shirt and leg, his knee nearly reaching his chest, allowing for his rear to become more exposed with the combination. A light breeze sent a shiver down his spine, giving him a reminder of the now cold liquid remnants that still stained him, followed by Wraith wedged between his cheeks. Although Izumi always vehemently protested whenever these events occurred, he never fought for long as deep down, he was immensely thrilled by it. Never did he think he would like or come to like a more controlling intimate relationship, but as Wraith once said, there is a first time for everything. And... perhaps that''s why he was gentle to begin with. It was evident Wraith was capable of more, but he was only exposing Izumi to small doses. Letting him gain a tolerance before increasing it once more. It made him wonder...what else lay in store? By their subsequent encounter how else would he tease him? Dominate him? The thought alone excited him. For now though, he wasn''t ready to bring himself to vocalize this sentiment. A purr against his ear brought him back to the present moment. His punishment.

    ¡°If you try to hide your face or voice, next time I¡¯ll fuck you in front of a mirror, and I¡¯m sure you wouldn¡¯t like that if you wouldn¡¯t even meow in front of a camera for me.¡± Ombre hair brushed against Izumi''s skin and the light nibble on his ear caused his frame to tighten and quiver. Little did Wraith know, the idea of intercourse in front of a mirror tantalized Izumi, and for a moment, he thought about purposefully pushing Wraith to do so, but he already knew that for the time being, twice was his limit, and the last thing he wanted was for his mind to break.

    ¡°Would you look at that?¡± Soft breath still grazing his ear, Wraith delicately traced a thin line on Izumi''s adorable erection. Starting from the bottom, making his way to the tip, Izumi''s fingernails digging into his palms in an effort to prevent himself from covering his mouth.

    ¡°Mnnh-hahh¡­.¡±

    Pleased with his compliance, Wraith''s fingers lightly circled his tip before wrapping around and pressing against the crevice.

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who didn¡¯t want to do it again? This says otherwise.¡± A not-so gentle reminder from behind revealed the lingering threat to Izumi. Pleasure from both the front and back. He was already sensitive from before, knowing he wouldn¡¯t be able to last more than thirty seconds if Wraith proceeded with his devious plan, so Izumi had to come up with his own to stop it. If he could just shift his attention...

    Shamefully, Izumi pleaded, ¡°...Please just...put it in¡­¡±

    Revenge was bitter sweet, and milking it was Wraith¡¯s utmost priority, so he removed his hand from Izumi¡¯s tip and relocated it to his hip instead, his other still lifting Izumi¡¯s leg. Using his leverage on Izumi¡¯s hip, he bore down on him once more.

    ¡°Put what in?¡± Although Izumi couldn¡¯t see his face clearly, he could feel Wraith¡¯s arrogant yet flirtatious smile. This was a predicted outcome, and already coming to terms with this, Izumi¡¯s response came out a bit easier.

    ¡°Your dick...please put your dick inside me¡­¡±

    Removing the bulk of his weight from Izumi, Wraith teased him one last time, ¡°See? You¡¯re getting better at this.¡± Fortunately or unfortunately, Izumi wasn¡¯t sure. Without so much as a warning, Wraith rashly filled him with ease, exerting a slight gasp from Izumi. A self-fulfilling prophecy and fear began to swarm his mind: he wouldn¡¯t last very long and any slight leverage he had over Wraith would be lost. This fear only worsened with each forceful drive and it soon became incredibly evident that this was his aim. The urge to sink his teeth into his lip or hand to focus his attention elsewhere overwhelmed him, but¨Che couldn¡¯t. Izumi knew that Wraith¡¯s earlier threat wasn¡¯t a bluff, being a man with no shame and only controlled by his own desires and impulses.

    ¡°Slo-w-ah-!...Downm-hn~-¡±

    Through his raspy breaths, Wraith ignored Izumi¡¯s plea. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be disciplining you properly if I was gentle...now would I?¡± As though to spit on his request some more, Wraith thrusted deeper, the palms of Izumi¡¯s hands screaming in pain from how hard he was clenching them. Yet despite this, he still couldn¡¯t break his attention away from the ravaging of his insides. And then...Izumi felt a bolt tear through him and his heart nearly lept out of his body. Immediately he tried to pivot around but Wraith only pushed him back onto the wall.

    ¡°Wai-t¨Cahh~¨C!¡±

    ¡°Is it here then?¡± To test his theory, Wraith probed the area again and Izumi¡¯s instant reaction gave it away; his body jolted and his leg felt like it was being swept from under him.

    ¡°Mnhgn-hha~ah...Nnot¨Chhaa~...there¡­¨C!¡±

    Arrogance and temptation began to worm their way into Wraith''s movements as he slows his pace and toys with his prey. Impatience. Wraith knew that Izumi was becoming less shy the more he pushed Izumi over the edge of innocence. That if he held out the bait Izumi would become entrapped of his own volition. And he was right. The grip on his palms loosened and his breaths quelled. An itching thirst craved for fulfillment. Leisure, gentle thrusts weren''t enough to satisfy him, and steadily, the urge to voice his desire crawled from his chest to his throat until finally, it spilled out.

    ¡°Hah-...harder¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re gonna have to try better than that.¡± The devil over his shoulder whispered into his ear.

    ¡°P-please..fuck me harder¡­¨C¡± No sooner had the word left his lips did Wraith oblige with a pleased smirk. He violently pounded into him with discernable lust and vigor. Throughout the immense room could the lewd squelches and pummels be heard, which extended to the nearby exterior corridors, albeit faint and muffled. Unbearable sweat and heat poured out of Izumi; while Wraith¡¯s thick coat was not helping in the slightest as it only served to worsen his condition.

    ¡°Ngh~-! Ahh~mnhf-aahh~~!!¡±

    Wraith tried to shake his wavy hair away from obstructing the delightful image before him. In the cage that Izumi found himself in there was only more traps ahead, as Wraith wasn¡¯t ready to ease the pressure. ¡°What was it...that..hahh...Neio asked me? Are you my girl?¡± A hand slid between Izumi¡¯s strands of hair, a soft voice tingling his ear. ¡°Why don¡¯t you answer that for me?¡±

    Izumi¡¯s mind was too scrambled and fogged to even process the question, nor his own unconscious response. ¡°Mnnah~-I-I¡¯m-hha~-! Y-your mngh-girl-ah~ ha~-¡±

    Wraith¡¯s grasp shifted lower and snaked around Izumi¡¯s tip, only lightly stroking to tease.

    ¡°Do you want to cum?¡±

    ¡°Y-yes-fhah~~-!¡±

    ¡°Ask.¡± To prevent his release, Wraith clasped onto him, pressing his thumb against his urethra which was already excreting a thin stream of clear fluid and throbbing in his hand. Part of the sentiment for this was located behind his wish to satisfy himself as well, and it was evident that at this rate, Izumi would finish much sooner before he did.

    ¡°P-plea-ahh~!! Please...let me c-cumm-mnhh¨C¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say beg. I said ask.¡±

    Gloss stained Izumi¡¯s eyes, being well past what he could take, his frame quaking in Wraith¡¯s arms. ¡°Wr-Wrai-ahh~-th~! Fhaah..~-!! C-Can I c-cum- nmfh~¡± The wall didn¡¯t provide the support he desperately needed as his limbs began to fail him. Only Wraith¡¯s firm hold kept Izumi on his feet, or else he would¡¯ve caved long ago.

    Wraith wanted to savor every living second, seizing any opportunity to make this anymore excruciating for Izumi, so he continued his picky behavior. ¡°May.¡±

    ¡°M-mnh-ahh~~!! M-mnm-ay I ple-ase- cu-m--mn-Wr-aithh¨Cahh~-hhah~¨C!¡±

    Finally satisfied, Wraith allowed Izumi to liberate himself, semen splattering out and onto the black stone wall, nearly blending in with the streaks of white already carved into the stone. At the same time, Wraith had left another gift inside of him before removing himself, freeing his hold on Izumi. The power and will drained from his body, his legs gave out immediately and Wraith had to catch his fall.

    Izumi laid limp in Wraith¡¯s arms, too shaken and breathless to move an inch. A little remorse floated around in Wraith¡¯s chest, but he figured, or at least hoped, that Izumi wouldn¡¯t be too upset later. Like a bride in the arms of their groom, Wraith carefully carried Izumi off the ground and to the secluded bathhouse.

 Chapter 24: My Promise To You

    The bathhouse made up for the lack of color in the bedroom, being arranged with a colorful arrangement of blues, whites, and tans. It didn''t exceed the size of an average bathhouse, but it was still much larger than the average bathroom, containing a few shower heads along with a singular large bathing pool. Near some of the showers were backless wooden benches, should the need arise for them, and usually, they were just there for decoration. Nothing was exchanged between the two while Wraith rinsed Izumi with the shower head, scrubbing the sweat and grime along with the sticky substance below. Purposefully Wraith tried to avoid looking directly at Izumi as it would only cause his guilt to grow. For whatever reason, he couldn''t stand seeing Izumi so worn down and broken. It got under his skin in a more hurtful way, giving off the same effect as a stray puppy''s starry eyes as one leaves it in the rain. It was even worse since both were completely undressed. They didn''t see each other naked very often, and as much as Wraith didn''t want to admit it, he was a bit bashful and tried not to stare.

    When Wraith had finished washing him down, he finally spoke. ¡°...Do you think you can stand?¡±

    Rather than giving a verbal response, Izumi simply nodded and struggled to his feet, stumbling in the process and falling back into Wraith''s embrace. Too tired to even be embarrassed, Izumi just pressed his lips together and sighed before shaking himself off of Wraith and entering the bath, Wraith only following after Izumi sat himself down. There was a few feet of distance between them¡ªno more than two meters and a whim of silence filling the space. Izumi twirled his fingers and watched the ripples in the steaming water; while on the other hand, Wraith stared at Izumi, his head resting on his hand, leaning on the pavement to his side.

    A bit more collected after letting the relaxing water soothe his mind, Izumi was the first to genuinely break the silence. When shifting his eyes from the water to Wraith, he slightly jumped but decided to disregard Wraith''s staring.

    ¡°You¡¯re...not gonna make fun of me?¡±

    ¡°I think I paid you back and then some, so no. Unless you want me to?¡± His guilt seemed to fade in place of his usual smirk.

    ¡°No! I got the idea engraved in my mind, I don''t need anymore salt on the wound.¡± Izumi bashfully blurted.

    ¡°....you aren''t mad at me right?¡±

    ¡°We had this same exact conversation last time.¡±

    ¡°Oh. Right.¡± It¡¯s unlike Wraith to be so irrationally concerned about someone else''s well-being, and he really wasn''t sure why either.

    ¡°You know Wraith¡­You¡¯re not as bad as a guy as you think you are.¡±

    Completely caught off guard, Wraith¡¯s jaw drops open. Izumi wasn¡¯t sure what was wrong with what he said until he realized how out of the blue it was.

    ¡°I mean-¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to know what you mean. I think that¡¯s the first time anyone has ever told me that in my...what...over a thousand years of being alive?¡±

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    ¡°Really..? That¡¯s¡­¡± Depressing. Is what he wanted to say but couldn¡¯t bring himself to. Sometimes, he forgets that in Wraith¡¯s world, he¡¯s widely detested and revered by all, with exception to his own followers, although they still fear him in a more respectful manner.

    Shaking off his sympathetic sorrows, Izumi continued. ¡°Well, I mean what I said. How should I put it¡­ When I first met you, in the fields when I was a kid, I was more intrigued really, but after that I was honestly just terrified. The thought of someone being so...strong and inhuman was terrifying to me. Weirdly enough the eating people thing didn¡¯t bother me, I guess because I never really saw you do it or saw the aftermath or anything, compared to the shiba or that spirit in that office building. I honestly just thought that you were some sick serial killer of sorts because of that.¡±

    Although a little hurt, Wraith couldn¡¯t blame him for the sentiment, so he just continued to lend his ear.

    ¡°But...you were really nice and sincere sometimes, mainly the more I got to know you did you start acting much nicer. I could tell that your teasing and sarcasm was just your way of talking so it didn¡¯t really bother me and it still doesn¡¯t. Then, after the whole thing with Fuhiro I could tell you were worried about me, since well, I nearly got myself killed, even though you didn¡¯t explicitly say you were.¡±

    And that was a fact, which Wraith would still not care to admit even when the evidence piled and presented itself. Since Wraith hasn¡¯t interrupted him so far, Izumi figured that his theory was correct. ¡°You were genuine with your advice too, both with me and Faelan, as upset as you were at the time in Faelan¡¯s case, which I think says a lot if you were still able to be hospitable and invite him to stay with you.¡± Which was at least partially because Izumi¡¯s crying broke his heart, though yet again, Wraith didn¡¯t say anything in response.

    ¡°I guess, to put it in short terms, I misjudged you, like...a lot.¡± The following words were incredibly mumbled, but nothing got past Wraith¡¯s animalistic ears, ¡°And...you kinda...started to...grow on me¡­.a bit¡­¡± Sighing, he spoke up again, ¡°You¡¯re not a monster Wraith. At least not in my eyes, but I think- no- I know that Neio and the others agree with me, so I know that as much as you may believe so, it isn¡¯t true.¡± Whether the flush and heat in his cheeks was because of the prolonged stay in the bath or because of the topic, Izumi wasn¡¯t too sure. Either way, he was still glad to get his feelings off his chest, relief spilling out in the form of another exhale.

    Not often was Wraith more gentle in approach, but this time was different.

    His heartwarming, tender smile reached his soft yet appreciating eyes, melting Izumi¡¯s heart. Though Izumi was the one often compared to a puppy, Wraith was very much so the more adorable one now. Even his voice was low and soothing.

    ¡°I wonder if you would still say that if you saw my true form.¡±

    Insecurity; Izumi hardly believed Wraith capable of feeling such through all his confidence and ego. But now, it was his turn to provide comfort, and he did so without hesitation.

    ¡°I¡¯d accept you as you are no matter how ugly or disgusting you look. I¡¯m sure that plenty of people would say that whatever you looked like before, your personality and actions are much worse than whatever you could look like, and if I was able to accept those things, I can accept that too.¡± He ended off with a smile. There weren¡¯t any words that Wraith could say to express himself or what he felt at that moment. A mixture of surprise, affection, disbelief, which was all reduced to a small flutter in his heart that he once believed he lacked.

    Feeling obligated to do so, Wraith closed the distance between them, leaning in for a short, yet tender kiss, whispering softly, ¡°Then...one day I¡¯ll show you. Until then, bear with me a little longer.¡±

    His forehead against Wraith¡¯s, Izumi held a cheek in his palm, solidifying the promise with his eyes and words. ¡°With pleasure.¡±

    Then...to himself, a thought creeped and began to linger in Izumi''s heart.

    And...I¡­.think I like you¡­.

 Chapter 25: A Special Case

    With a new oversized shirt and Wraith¡¯s cleaned and elongated robe to boot, Izumi delightfully fell asleep in Wraith¡¯s arms that night, the fluffy warm bed only adding to his immense comfort. He felt as if it was the best he¡¯s ever slept in years. Not even the slightest bit of discomfort or tension tainted him, as if the thick canopy enclosed and secluded them from the world. This, however, was eventually disturbed from within. Come morning Wraith began to rustle and groan, his expression visibly distressed, which woke Izumi. The temperature in the room seemed to steadily increase, and especially notably, Wraith¡¯s red mantle. It seemed almost as shaken as Wraith was, as the fabric grew coarse and stiff, completely opposite to its usual silky cotton and flow.

    An increasingly worried Izumi shuddered Wraith¡¯s shoulders in an attempt to wake him up, shouting, ¡°Wraith! Wraith! Wake up!¡±

    Nothing. If anything, he only rose in agitation and disquiet. Suddenly, with a thunderous burst the large doors flung open, a familiar group of three running through, Dahlia closing the door behind them.

    ¡°Boss!¡±

    ¡°Neio!¡± Leaping out of the bed Izumi ran across the room to the trio who were by the couches. ¡°Wraith-¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s having a nightmare.¡± Dahlia spoke, a hint of concern in their voice. Izumi looked between the three of them, evidently having no clue what that meant, so Neio took it upon himself to explain with a worried and frustrated sigh.

    ¡°When boss first made the gang, he used to get these reaaaaally awful nightmares. He never said about what, but they fucked up the place BADDDD. The building is held up by  his  magic so if anything happens to him, the building goes down with it.¡±

    It took no time for Faelan to realize that this too applied to Wraith¡¯s cloak and he hastily attempted to remove the robe from Izumi with his teeth. ¡°Izumi take off-¡±

    The robe began to sizzle and spark, steadily burning Izumi¡¯s skin and pain seeping into his face. Immediately he threw the nearly hardened fabric aside and it clanked against the stone, sparking into flames.

    Reading his distress, Dahlia responded to his clear question. ¡°I closed the door and you¡¯re wearing his shirt, so I doubt anyone will smell you. And his robe will be fine. Nothing could destroy it. We aren¡¯t really even sure what  it  is.¡±

    ¡°In terms of the boss though, usually what we learned to do is try and attack him, as weird as that sounds. He¡¯s got a strong survival instinct so that would always wake him u-¡±

    The estate trembled and quaked in response to Wraith¡¯s groans which were nearly at the point of screams, ushering them to pick up the pace. World spinning in circles, Izumi nearly falls to his knees until Neio catches him and perches him on one of his broad shoulders.

    ¡°Then can someone wake him up!¡± It was becoming unbearable to hear Wraith yell in such agony, both for the building and for Izumi¡¯s well-being.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that easy! Whoever wakes him up is bound to get splattered on the wall!¡± Neio shouts over the earthquake.

    ¡°Which I¡¯d imagine would only get worse the more you guys wait here and bicker! Just someone do it!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll wake him up.¡± Faelan tried to sound as confident as possible, but in reality he was scared. Dahlia and Neio were much more suited to the job, considering they were stronger than him and also more familiar with Wraith. Still, Wraith put a roof over his head, and to him, it was only right that he repaid him in some way.

    The other two wanted to suggest the same, at least in terms of Faelan stepping aside, but they had their share of nightmares from centuries ago. Consider it a rite of passage, they thought. Faelan cautiously approached the large bed where Wraith tossed and turned, unsure how to go about attacking him; ultimately he decided the best method would be to attack from a distance to avoid Wraith countering. Alas, this plan didn¡¯t work in the slightest. One of Faelan¡¯s metallic tails zipped forward in an attempt to stab Wraith, who immediately awoke and caught the tail in midair, using it to heave Faelan towards him and impel a fierce kick into his bone jaw, fracturing it and slamming him against the wall. There was a clear power difference between the specter and his followers, as not even Dahlia, who tried to catch Faelan¡¯s fall, was able to stop the momentum, so both lay dazed against the fissured stone wall. The unconscious, reflexive nature of Wraith¡¯s counterattack made it apparent that he had a long history of war and strife. Coming to his senses, Wraith, rather than checking on Faelan and Dahlia who took the brunt of his blow, he rushed over to Izumi, panic strewn across his face, while the estate quelled to silence and the crimson fabric returned to normal with its master¡¯s return. It was up to Dahlia to heal the both of them, since Wraith didn¡¯t seem to notice his actions. On the other hand, the damaged wall repaired itself, being made by magic.

    ¡°Are you alright?!¡±

    A little confused by the fact he completely ignored the obviously more injured ones, Izumi didn¡¯t vocalize a response, only nodding as he shifted his eyes between Faelan and Dahlia across the room and Wraith. The others were even more baffled than Izumi was, as they¡¯ve never seen Wraith so concerned about someone else to the point of disregarding others, especially his generals.

    Neio set down Izumi and immediately Wraith began patting him down, making sure he wasn¡¯t hurt. There were spots of a light pink on his skin, primarily his arms, and upon touch Izumi would wince in pain.

    ¡°Ah- it¡¯s fine, just the robe burned me a little. It doesn¡¯t hurt too bad, I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll go away.¡±

    Wraith pressed his lips together, a bit vexed and dejected, studying the light wounds. Then, delicately he held Izumi¡¯s hand and kissed the back, trailing up his arm, the faint burns vanishing in the process. Openly staring, Neio and the rest couldn¡¯t believe the affection and care that Wraith gave to Izumi. There was only one person that he ever showed the same tenderness to, and that was Lavina, the specter he dated centuries ago.

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    Wraith, still not recognizing the presence of the others, or at least choosing not to care about them, sighed and held his wavy strands in distress. ¡°Do you think you¡¯ll be alright with them?¡±

    ¡°Dahlia and the rest? Yea, I¡¯ll be fine, where are you going though?¡±

    ¡°I...need to take care of some things. I¡¯ll be back as soon as I can, but I can¡¯t guarantee if it¡¯ll be before you head to bed. You can keep this though.¡± Dusting the robe off, Wraith removed it from the floor and situated it onto Izumi¡¯s shoulders, lifting the hood over his head, while the sleeves of the cloth faded into two black patterned bracelets which wrapped around Wraith¡¯s wrists. Ruffling his hair, Wraith smiled. ¡°You look like a gothic red riding hood.¡± Izumi had opened his mouth to bite back, but Wraith sealed them with a peck and a smirk, the hood luckily hiding his flustered cheeks. ¡°You three take care of him.¡±

    Once Wraith had left the room, Neio seized his chance to interrogate Izumi, shouting in his usual overt tone, ¡°What was that!!!! I thought you said you two weren¡¯t a thing???¡±

    Izumi slapped the pink off his cheeks and plopped onto the couch before answering. ¡°We aren¡¯t!¡±

    Already exhausted, Faelan trotted over and collapsed beside the couch, Dahlia and Neio resting on it beside him. ¡°He didn¡¯t even look at me and he nearly cracked my head open.¡±

    ¡°Well he  clearly  cares about you, which is a first. Last person he was that over protective with was-¡±

    ¡°Me.¡±

    The feminine voice was new to Izumi and Faelan, but  extremely  familiar to Neio and Dahlia. They knew her for as long as they¡¯ve known Wraith, since they had once come in a joint package. Through the doors emerged an elegant woman whose long brown hair flowed as much as her snow white dress. Black framed glasses on her face and shawl almost off her shoulders, the specter of knowledge made her presence known¨Cheels clacking against the dark stone, echoing throughout the discolored bedroom. Typically, spirits only bow to their leading specter, but Wraith¡¯s faction was different. Every spirit under him was not only ordered to show respect to Wraith, but to Lavina as well. Immediately, Dahlia signaling for Faelan to follow, the three spirits rose and respectfully lowered their heads until she gestured for them to sit back down.

    ¡°I was surprised his royal majesty didn¡¯t notice me enter the estate. Now, I see why. He was so absorbed with you.¡± Lavina lifted her glasses and bent over before Izumi, studying him closely, as if seeing through his soul. The first thing that Izumi noticed was her sizable chest and Izumi¡¯s lack thereof, since it was hanging in front of his face as much as he tried to look away.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name? Since that detestable man couldn¡¯t even spare me that.¡±

    ¡°Izumi.¡±

    ¡°Your  full  name.¡±

    ¡°Izumi Mitsue.¡±

    In all honesty, he was a bit intimidated by her. He could hardly believe that Wraith once dated a woman so strong and assertive, which completely juxtaposed Izumi¡¯s timid and unconfident personality. They didn¡¯t need to have an extensive interaction for him to see how different Wraith was from her and how their relationship fell apart.

    ¡°Hmph.¡± Lavina lights her smoking pipe and sits next to Izumi on the opposite end of the couch, where Wraith typically sits. A cloud of smoke floats from her pursed lips, inhaling to speak once more. ¡°Then he¡¯s treating you well I take it?¡±

    ¡°Y-yes.¡± Sweat started to saturate Izumi¡¯s palms.

    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. I actually came today to ask him about you, per our agreement, which he seems to have forgotten.¡± She taps some of the embers out of her pipe.

    ¡°W-what agreement?¡±

    ¡°I had told him that if he updated me on his situation with you, I¡¯d give him the information he wished for regarding mediums, yet he never stopped by to talk after that. I knew that would happen, hence why I came to force him to talk to me, but here he isn¡¯t. And instead, here you are. So? Has anything notable happened?¡±

    Izumi searched through the files of his mind and memory, ultimately, only a few instances came to his mind. Still, they didn¡¯t show Lavina anything that she didn¡¯t already know.

    ¡°Not really¡­¡±

    ¡°Not this?¡± Lavina pointed to the vermillion hooded cape with her pipe. ¡°The only person to ever even lay hands on that other than Wraith was myself.¡±

    ¡°H-he just gave it to me to cover my scent.¡±

    ¡°Is what he says.¡± Another puff of smoke leaves her chest. ¡°It¡¯s much more than that. From his bedroom it¡¯s unlikely that anyone will smell you unless they had a nose as good as Wraith. You¡¯re wearing his shirt as well. If I were to take a gander, I¡¯d say he gave it to you for an extra layer of defense, in the case you are unlikely attacked and even more unlikely they get past his three best fighters. Like I said, overprotective.¡±

    ¡°Was he not like that with you?¡±

    ¡°Yes and no. Naturally he is when he cares about something or someone.¡±

    ¡°Lavina is a specter though.¡± Neio explains, to which Lavina nods in approval of the statement. ¡°She can handle herself, and it¡¯s not like anyone would threaten her anyways. Spirits and specters don¡¯t bother her since she¡¯s pretty respected.¡±

    ¡°Really? That¡¯s weird. I mean- no offense sorry.¡±

    ¡°None taken.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just...Wraith always talks about how everyone hates him so-¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because she¡¯s completely neutral: no faction, no followers, doesn¡¯t really eat, doesn¡¯t fight, unbiased and neutral everything. Boss though, complete 180 compared to her, you know.¡±

    ¡°So, you don¡¯t have any enemies or anything..?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t people know about you and Wraith though?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but as Neio stated, I¡¯m impartial, so they know that I won¡¯t take his side by default.¡±

    Their differences in experiences and character intrigue Izumi, tickling his curiosity about Wraith¡¯s past self.

    ¡°What was your relationship like then?¡±

    ¡°In simple terms, we were very different back then. Believe it or not, he used to have a childlike innocence to him.¡±

    For confirmation of this fact, Izumi turns to Dahlia and Neio, who knew Wraith in the past and confirm with a nod.

    ¡°He was still pretty egotistical and everything, but definitely lived under a rock or something. Didn¡¯t really know much about the world.¡± Neio comments.

    ¡°How though? I thought he was super old or something?¡±

    ¡°He is, but before he had encountered any of us, he was alone. Did he tell you anything about his past by the way?¡±

    ¡°That he changed his appearance or something after he met you?¡±

    ¡°Surprising.¡±

    ¡°He was kind of forced to in a way¡­¡±

    Lavina looks like she wants to ask for further details, but she decides not to and continues with her previous thought. ¡°At least before he changed, he was by himself. Never conversed with anyone, never did anything but fight. Battle was all he knew. Didn¡¯t even know how to read or write. I ended up being the one who taught him, grew a fondness for books because of it.¡±

    Izumi¡¯s mind drifted off,  So THAT¡¯S why he still appreciates her. I wonder what made him like that and how he turned into who he is now¡­

    ¡°If you¡¯d like, I could show you the library I own.¡±

    With starry eyes, Izumi leapt from the couch, taking any opportunity to learn more about Wraith¡¯s world: the world of the paranormal. ¡°Please!¡±

 Chapter 26: To Convince a Stubborn Man

    The magical library exceeded Izumi¡¯s already high expectations. He already inferred that it wouldn¡¯t be an average library and still almost everything surprised him. The floating books, quills, and parchments which appeared sentient, the towering shelves which reached higher than even Faelan and Neio combined, and especially the large gaping hole in the center of the library which contained a plethora of racks and tomes that led to a stained glass ceiling at the top floor. When looking down from the top floor, one couldn¡¯t see the lowest story, not just because of how low lit the library was, but also due to the multiple layers in height of the building. It didn¡¯t take long for Izumi to become exhausted from walking around with too much to explore, so in the end he rested at a table with everyone else. Neio was far from the reading type, being bored out of his mind, while Dahlia and Faelan were indulging themselves in some of the material. On the other hand, the athenaeum was Lavina¡¯s home, and as such she knew it well and was more than comfortable, simply relaxing at the table with Neio until Izumi joined them, Faelan and Dahlia still nearby as they didn¡¯t stray very far.

    ¡°You returned quite fast.¡± Lavina notes.

    ¡°I barely looked around haha. I walked around this floor a bit and it felt like it stretched on for miles so I just came back. I still like it a lot though! It¡¯s really peaceful here, like I can sleep without a care in the world.¡±

    ¡°Which is what Wraith used to-¡± Suddenly, Lavina appeared incredibly cautious and concerned. She rose from the wooden stand and glanced up the center gap. ¡°Stay here. All of you.¡± A stern glare across the four of them before she left, maneuvering a few stories higher with ease.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Izumi turned to the others and asked.

    ¡°Specter, not sure which though.¡± Neio didn¡¯t look too worried, if anything, he looked nosy. ¡°Faelan, your wolf ears just for show?¡±

    Faelan snarled. ¡°If you¡¯re asking me to eavesdrop on a conversation between two specters of all people, the answer is no.¡±

    ¡°Would you do it if I asked?¡± Izumi whimpered, ¡°Please? Wraith told you guys to take care of me¡­¡±

    The puppy-like innocent expression of Izumi¡¯s plea and the manipulation of Wraith¡¯s request was too much for Faelan to resist. With a groan and a sigh, Faelan inched closer to the edge of the rail and put his hearing to the test. Dahlia disapproved of the whole ordeal as well, but kept their thoughts to themselves, as they too were at least a little curious. In silence the others sat and waited, letting Faelan work his magic, until finally...he returned.

    ¡°So¡­? What were they talking about?¡± Izumi couldn¡¯t stand the anticipation any longer.

    ¡°The specter sounded like an elderly man.¡±

    ¡°Barron.¡± Neio and Dahlia instantly commented, while Neio was the one who continued. ¡°It¡¯s even worse that he showed up. He HAAATES Wraith, so I bet it had something to do with him.¡±

    ¡°It did actually. He was asking if Wraith was going to attend the ball tomorrow night, but it sounded more like a threat, stating that if he didn¡¯t, it would look incredibly bad for him.¡±

    ¡°That it would.¡±

    The clearly annoyed female voice sent shivers down their spines and they all jolted in fear. Lavina leapt down from the above floor, her heels rapidly tapping the dark wooden ground. A heavy frustrated sigh left her mouth along with her anger, deciding it''s pointless to hold it.

    ¡°Since you so rudely eavesdropped, I might as well relay what he said. Yes, it was Barron, and yes, he was relaying a threat to me which I was supposed to tell Wraith. There''s a ball tomorrow night to welcome the new specter of guilt, and because Wraith killed the previous one, it would look extremely terrible for him to not show up.¡±

    It felt like so long ago since Fuhiro was apprehended, which marked the end of Ianthe, the previous specter of guilt, to the point that Izumi almost forgot that there was a specter behind that whole ordeal.

    ¡°Isn''t that like if a murderer shows up to the funeral of the person they killed? Wouldn''t it be more disrespectful for him to go?¡±

    ¡°The opposite actually. It''s more as if a convicted criminal didn''t show up to their own trial, causing them to be deemed guilty by default. In Wraith''s case, not only did he kill the previous specter of guilt, but he also has a long history of purposefully not attending the ball, which already is impertinent in itself. The balls were made as a form of peace treaty between specters after The Great War, and him not attending them is equivalent to spitting on a peace treaty.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­.¡± The weight of what seemed to be a simple celebration starts to sink in for Izumi. Still, he couldn''t wrap his head around why Wraith doesn''t attend if they''re so important. How this all related back to the war Neio and Dahlia once mentioned was beyond him as well, so he voiced his concern. ¡°What does this have to do with that war though? Neio mentioned it before, that there weren''t any specters for a bit excluding you and Wraith.¡±

    ¡°The entire reason the war started was because for a time, specters were ruthless and constantly bickered over territory. At some point it grew to a full scale war between every specter, save Wraith and myself who had no territory at the time. After the fact, I had come up with the idea to hold the ball as a way of extinguishing any tensions that may rise from the death of a specter.¡±

    ¡°Well, in this case Wraith DID kill a specter, and I mean...I know that Wraith isn''t the best person and all, and that he already has so many enemies, so I can see why he would think that he shouldn''t go, but I still don''t really get it. It wouldn''t really kill him right? More in this case it would kill him to NOT go since what you said, it''s like he''s stepping all over the treaty.¡±

    ¡°Boss thinks it''s a waste of time and would rather be doing anything else.¡± Neio answers for Izumi.

    ¡°He needs a plus one as well.¡± Dahlia adds. ¡°Lavina used to be until they separated. After, he only went three times out of ten I believe. Those times, he chose a random spirit from his followers to go with him, who all got under his skin. In his words, they were clingy and trying too hard to impress him, which only added to his annoyance from having to attend in the first place. Thus, he stopped going.¡±

    A little lost still, Izumi opens his mouth to ask another question until Lavina reads his mind.

    ¡°Since I don''t have followers, I''m the only exemption from bringing another person, and Wraith is too stubborn to swallow his pride and ask me regardless of our relationship status. In my opinion, it''s a half-assed excuse to not go in the first place.¡± Rolling her eyes, Lavina takes a break to light her pipe and smoke. ¡°Neio and Dahlia don''t count either because by default each specter has to bring two generals and a spirit which they have some form of romantic or lustful interest in.¡±

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    The last few words of Lavina''s statement whirl and repeat in the minds of the four ghosts until they all turn and stare at Izumi.

    ¡°.....what¡­?¡±

    A plan starts to brew in Lavina''s mind. ¡°Do you have something to do tomorrow night?¡±

    ¡°No¡­¡± What she was thinking starts to register and he becomes more panicked. ¡°...no..nonono! Wraith tells me all the time that the last thing he wants is for a bunch of spirits to know about me and specters are even worse!!¡±

    ¡°That''s not really a problem. Illusion magic is my specialty, so I could make you look and smell like a spirit. Not even a specter would be able to see through it.¡±

    ¡°But-¡±

    ¡°If you go, then Wraith will go. I can guarantee that.¡±

    Even though Neio thought the same, he still takes Izumi''s side, ¡°Miss I see where you''re going with this and yea I want Boss to go too because I''d rather not start an avoidable fight with nearly every specter, but Izumi has a point. Not just that, but how the hell would you even convince him? You said it yourself, Boss is wayyy too overprotective with him. I don''t think something like a disguise, no matter how passable it is, will change his mind.¡±

    ¡°True. That''s why we have these.¡± With a snap of her fingers, a multitude of beautiful evening gowns, accessories, and high heels appear. ¡°I was in a relationship with Wraith for centuries, I know what he likes.¡±

    ¡°Dresses¡­?¡±

    ¡°Not just any dresses, specifically the kind that you don''t see incredibly often, like wedding gowns or...what was the other one humans have..? Quincea?era. Events like that.¡± Being Japanese, Izumi has no idea what that is but declines to ask considering the lack of importance.

    ¡°But I''m a guy though¡­¡± The thought of wearing a skirt or dress shudders him, having trauma from doing so at his maid cafe job, and doing it essentially for free is worse to him.

    ¡°That only makes it better.¡± A smirk nearly resembling that of Wraith''s taints Lavina''s visage.

    ¡°Huh?!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡±

    Swiftly, Lavina snatches Izumi''s wrist and leads him down an aisle of books, the dresses floating after them while Neio and the other spirits waited at the table, somewhat speechless. If there was anything Lavina loved other than anything knowledge related, it was dressing up and glorifying appearances. This reflected in her presentation, being that she wore beautiful blouses herself and always made sure to look as alluring as possible. Through Izumi¡¯s complaints and resistance, Lavina forced Izumi into a regalia and the spirits debated saving him, based on Wraith''s take care of Izumi request. Before they could come to a consensus, Lavina emerged from the aisle with a glamored Izumi, draped in a glittery teal dress. Even his make-up was done, although light, containing eyeshadow to match the dress, a bit of foundation to shine the cheeks, and gloss for the lips. Bashfully, Izumi looked everywhere but at the agape spirits. Somehow he always found himself under a constant stream of embarrassment and shame whenever he spent time with ghosts and he started to regret his never ending interest in them.

    ¡°Ta-da! I told you I can work magic. Tell me that Wraith won''t like it. You can''t.¡± Lavina boastfully puffed, which is the most expression she''s shown thus far.

    Too stunned to even speak, the three spirits merely stared, Neio being the first to garner words.

    ¡°....You look amazing kid!!!! What did she do to you, you look so¡­.changed. Like if you practiced abstinence for a year or something.¡±

    Izumi''s face twists unsure how to even begin unraveling that statement, but at the least he can tell that Neio meant it as a compliment.

    ¡°Well...do you think Wraith will like it..?¡±

    ¡°Like it? He''ll love it! Right guys?¡±

    Dahlia and Faelan reassuringly nod. ¡°He does like dresses.¡± Dahlia affirms. ¡°Are you at least comfortable in it? It doesn''t matter what he thinks if you dislike wearing it, because it''ll only upset the both of you for you to put up with it.¡±

    For a moment, Izumi seemed a little reluctant, and to diminish this Lavina materialized a full length mirror so that Izumi could see himself. Insanity, his opinion changed entirely. Rotating several times, he studied himself in the mirror, or what he believed to be himself. Even he couldn''t comprehend how stunning the whole attire was.

    ¡°It''s...actually not that bad...I kind of like it..? The heels and stuff are fine too, since I''m used to wearing them for work sometimes.¡±

    ¡°Maybe a different color though?¡± Faelan suggests. ¡°I wouldn''t be surprised if Lord Wraith wore teal, and it would look strange for you two to match.¡±

    ¡°I thought the teal would get the message across, but I see your point. Come, come, we''ll try another color.¡±

    Again Izumi was dragged away by Lavina and thrown into another set of clothing. This process was repeated several times: changing and getting the opinions of the others. Although it took several hours and Izumi nearly believing it to not be worth the effort, within time the regalia which they all approved of was found and chosen as the suited gown for the occasion. Lavina had promised to hold onto it until tomorrow as well as helping him get ready for the event. Tired from all the changes in clothing, he flopped into a chair beside Dahlia, who rubbed his shoulders for him.

    Paranoia and uncertainty started to creep into Izumi''s heart and the obvious became apparent to him. ¡°You know¡­.I just realized that we did all this preparation and we haven''t even gotten the O.K. from Wraith yet¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I''ll talk to him.¡± Lavina assured, although equally exhausted. ¡°Tomorrow that is. I can guarantee you that he won''t say no, trust me. We might not be together anymore, but I still know him better than anyone else. You should go back though, it''s late and if you aren''t home when he gets back, he¡¯ll have a panic attack.¡±

    ¡°Oh shoot- right! Thank you so much by the way!¡± Izumi stands in an attempt to bow but she stops him.

    ¡°If you''re important to Wraith, you''re important to me. As much as we fight and bicker, he still would flip over a city if I asked, and I know he would do the same for you. So, don''t bow. Especially not tomorrow.¡±

    At a time, Izumi once felt jealous of Lavina and some part of him began to dislike her based on that alone. Now though, he saw her as a friendly rival. Although he knew there was no chance of the two of them reuniting, he still wanted to be a key figure in Wraith''s life as much as Lavina is, if not even more so. Thanking her one last time, Izumi returned home with Faelan and the two generals, who left Izumi to Wraith''s bedroom when he was ready to sleep. The double edged sword of Wraith''s bed then became evident to him. As comforting and homely as it was, if it lacked another it became incredibly lonely. This was due to its enormous size which caused it to feel empty and cold when one slept alone, only adding to the list of reasons why Izumi believed that Wraith still appreciates Lavina so much. The thought of the two together uneases his heart. Did he even have a chance? Lavina was irresistible in every way. Not just in physical appearances, but in personality and mannerisms as well. She was smart, artistic, thoughtful, strong, assertive, and best of all, she was a specter. He didn''t have to worry about protecting her as much as Izumi. All of the problems they''ve had came back to Izumi being a human. Wraith had to protect Izumi from Fuhiro, spirits at the inn, spirits at Hodaira, other spirits and specters in general, and even the spirits in Wraith''s own home. Now, the major problem before them is also rooted at Izumi being a human. They have to make a well thought out plan just for Izumi to attend the upcoming ball, which wouldn''t be an issue if Izumi wasn''t human in the first place. Self-confidence faded in place for self-hatred. The more the sentiment brewed, the more he felt as though he was a burden to Wraith. This only worsened with Izumi theorizing that the reason that Wraith left that day was to eat, since he had spent the last few days with Izumi without consuming anything, not even a drop of blood. Through his anxieties, it made it difficult for him to fall asleep that night, and still, by the time he did, Wraith hadn¡¯t returned.

    In the dead of the night, Izumi rested under the crimson covers, seemingly undisturbed. There did the specter of despair appear, sitting beside his peaceful medium and gazing with melancholy and guilt in his eyes. The specter¡¯s fingers tenderly caressed the boy¡¯s soft coral hair. A peck adorned Izumi¡¯s temple and a tickle graced his ear. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I came so late. I promise I¡¯ll make it up to you.¡± Shifting other the covers, Wraith pulled Izumi into a warm embrace. Unbeknownst to Izumi, Wraith knew he was still awake, the pink of his ears being a dead giveaway.

 Chapter 27: Bloodstone

    Morning was especially excruciating for Izumi this time around. There was a lot on his mind and if Lavina¡¯s plan went well, then there was even more to come. Plenty of pressure came with the attendance of the ball. After all, every specter would be there, and Izumi wasn¡¯t sure if he was up to the challenge. Regardless, he tried to push his anxiety to the side as there was much more at stake than his pride. If he went, then it wouldn¡¯t just allow him to learn more about Wraith and his world, but it would prevent the rise of hostility between Wraith and the other specters. With this in mind, he forced himself out of bed, awaking to the smell of tobacco rising from Wraith¡¯s smoking pipe. He was sitting in the living area, his back to the bed in his usual spot, with his legs crossed and a drink in hand. Breakfast was already prepared on the coffee table, which was clearly meant for Izumi only, since it was a simple bagel filled with an assortment of eggs, avocado, tomatoes, and other ingredients. The drink provided for Izumi was non-alcoholic in comparison: a small glass of orange juice. Overall, a fairly healthy breakfast, making Izumi wonder whether Neio actually knew about the concept of eating healthy or if he just presented whatever his mind was set to cook. Sitting beside Wraith, Izumi reached for the plate and began to eat.

    ¡°Good morning.¡±

    Swallowing a bite first, Izumi cleared his throat before replying. ¡°Morning¡­¡±

    ¡°They didn¡¯t give you a hard time right?¡±

    ¡°Y-yea we were fine, we went to um-¡± He hesitated. Was it alright to stay that he talked to Lavina? Their relationship was strange, considering that they seem to dislike each other''s characters but they still rely on the other in their own way. A mental sigh, he''ll find out eventually anyways. ¡°Uh... Lavina''s library-¡±

    Suddenly Wraith began to choke on his drink at the mention of her name. ¡°Hck¨CLavina?! You met her?!¡±

    ¡°Is that bad¡­?¡±

    ¡°Not explicitly just- depends. What did she say to you?¡± Sitting at the edge of his seat, Wraith put down his drink and gave Izumi his undivided attention.

    ¡°Well originally she showed up after you left yesterday, said she was gonna talk to you but you happened to walk out at the same time, so she talked to me instead. You guys had an agreement of sorts¡­? Was about that.¡±

    Wraith groans, remembering his side of the bargain that he almost purposefully forgot. ¡°...Did you tell her anything about us then?¡± Realizing he framed the question in the implication that there was something to be had in the first place, Wraith panics and rephrases. ¡°I mean like you didn''t say anything about um any sort of nightly activities or whatever right?¡±

    ¡°...Noooo¡­? She pretty much just made her own inferences about what she could see.¡±

    A relieved sigh. ¡°Sounds like her. Alright, what else?¡±

    ¡°Well...if I''m honest I asked her about you a bit. I was just kinda curious what you were like back then, and then it somehow resulted in us going to her library so¡­Do you¡­-?¡±

    ¡°Nope, nope. Whatever she said to you about me you can keep it to yourself because there''s a super high chance it''ll invoke some sort of reaction out of me that isn''t happiness.¡±

    ¡°When are you ever happy though?¡±

    To Wraith, the smart aleck voice is ear straining and he rolls his eyes almost unconsciously. Izumi on the other hand is more absorbed with the fact that this is the third time she''s made an entrance like this.

    Lavina strut through the doors to the bedroom, Neio, with the other two behind him, mouths sorry, Wraith only holding his emerging headache in his hands.

    ¡°I¡¯m happy when you''re not around.¡± He barks, putting out his pipe and lighting a cigarette instead.

    ¡°Are you happy when Izumi is around then?¡±

    In a flash, Wraith stands from the couch and bares his fangs, the abrupt motion causing Izumi to flinch.

    ¡°What in the living fuck do you want?¡±

    ¡°I came for Izumi actually. I wanted to ask him if he wanted to stop by the library again today, instead of being holed up in your man cave all day.¡±

    ¡°The answer is-¡±

    ¡°Yes! I don''t mind! I didn''t really get to look around much yesterday.¡± Izumi cuts Wraith off before he could answer for him. In Wraith''s mind swirled Izumi''s past advice, and he repeated to himself, Remember Wraith, peaceful thoughts. Don''t start a fight with her. You always fight with her. Fight her some other day if you want but not in front of him. Just suck it up. Look at him. Doesn''t he look excited to go? You know how much he likes learning things. Lavina is perfect for him then. It''s alright, he''ll be fine. You could just go with him. Right?

    With Izumi''s adorable contentment in mind, Wraith stomped out his cigarette, grinding it into the stone.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± The words came out as Wraith shifted his eyes to the wall, away from any figure. ¡°Finish your food first.¡±

    No other prompt was necessary. Izumi quickly scarfed down his food to leave as soon as possible.

    Now, the area around the table became quite crowded. It was located between an aisle of racks, which were several meters apart to accommodate for the study space. A few steps forward would take one to the rail which circles the center most hole, and down the aisle were a few more sets of tables and chairs before finally ending with another set of shelves. At the desk, Neio and Dahlia were seated, with Faelan on the floor beside them. Lavina only appeared on occasion, bouncing between checking on Izumi and taking care of the athenaeum, while Wraith was leaning on the railing, trying to cope with the fact that he almost always finds himself in her home against his will. Izumi, however, was exploring the library¨Cat least the surrounding area¨C asking several questions to not just Lavina, but the other spirits as well. Most of his questions regarded the nature of the other specters: what they were like, how old they were, what their relationship was with Wraith and Lavina, how their faction and rules were different to Wraith''s, so on and so forth. The specters he found strangest were the ones related to positive emotions, such as the specter of merriment, considering he always associated specters with negative emotions. Then again, he has a memory, albeit faint, of Wraith saying that they exist as well. Only rarely did Wraith add something on to the conversation, usually in the case of him knowing something that the others didn''t, and if Lavina was there, that wasn''t often the case. Eventually, Lavina stopped working and rested on the railing next to Wraith. The tension between the two was clear as day as soon as Lavina began to whisper to him. Izumi stopped exploring and sat with the others, pretending like he wasn''t trying to eavesdrop on their conversation. What they were talking about though soon became evident. In seconds it escalates into a full blown audible argument.

    ¡°Fuck no.¡±

    ¡°Wraith-¡±

    ¡°I said no and there''s no changing my mind. Are you crazy?!¡±

    ¡°Me? Crazy? I''m not the one who would rather start a war with every living specter rather than suck up my pride and attend some party that won''t even last a full evening!¡±

    ¡°It''s more than just that and you know it.¡±

    ¡°Oh I''m sorry, you''re right. Too many whores on your rod and you can''t stand them all fighting over it so you''d rather have needless bloodshed instead. You''re right.¡±

    ¡°It''s not because of the fucking shitty plus one rule that YOU made up!¡±

    ¡°You know why I made it up? Because of people like YOU who think they''re hot shit and build walls all around. You''re not approachable Wraith! Ask anyone in this room! And if they agree with me, then doesn''t that show something because these are your supposed closest allies.¡±

    Just the two excruciating seconds filled with crickets spoke volumes. The audience awkwardly bounces their eyes between the two as their quarrel boils over and bursts into raging flames.

    ¡°See! If you have a ¡®shitty plus one¡¯ you look less like a barbaric simpleton which is exactly what you of all people need!¡±

    ¡°I am not fucking taking Izumi with me. Over my dead body. I would rather fight every specter and spirit in that room with my hands tied behind my back than take Izumi with me.¡±

    ¡°Give me one good reason.¡±

    ¡°All of them hate me for starters Lavina!!! They hate me, they see Izumi and they think oh now would you look at that, the specter of despair is interested in someone and now I have to fight a bunch of people anyways!!¡±

    ¡°First of all you''re delusional, not everyone hates you. Madeline is scared of you and Adelard could care less. Second of all you know I could masque his scent, so he just looks like a spirit to everyone. Did any of the other spirits you brought ever get attacked? No.¡±

    ¡°Izumi is different.¡±

    ¡°HOW?!! Oh because you actually care about him now you''re gonna be all irrational about it.¡±

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    ¡°It''s not that-¡±

    ¡°It is that! You keep saying oh it''s not that it''s not that. What is it then? Hmm?¡±

    ¡°You- uGhHhh!!¡± Wraith dishevels his hair in utter aggravation, wondering why he even dated her at one point in his life.

    ¡°I¡¯m not saying this just to keep my mouth running. Izumi wants to go you know.¡±

    Instantly Wraith''s piercing gaze falls to Izumi who jumps in his seat. Steadily, Wraith''s eyes calm down so he doesn''t scare him.

    ¡°Is that true?¡±

    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Izumi mumbles at first, still a little scared anyways, then vocalizes a better response. ¡°Y-yea. Lavina helped me pick out a dress for it too.¡±

    Dress?

    All of Wraith''s anger seemed to fade away. Instead, it looked like there were little dandelions around him. Dress¡­.

    ¡°....Alright...if you want to go¡­But on one condition. You can''t EVER be left alone. You either have to be with me, Lavina, Dahlia, or Neio. Ok?¡±

    Izumi rapidly nods his head, trying to contain his excitement. ¡°Yes ok I will!¡±

    Defeated, Wraith exhales deeply and walks away, hiding his shame in one of the neighboring aisles.

    Heels against the wood, Lavina triumphantly struts over, head and chest held high.

    ¡°Told you to leave it to me, right?¡±

    Only partially in jest, they all applaud.

    ¡°Women are terrifying¡­¡± Faelan mumbles.

    ¡°I can''t believe you did that..I''ve never seen Wraith back down like that.¡± Stars in his eyes, Izumi felt nothing but pure admiration for Lavina''s unwavering resolve.

    ¡°It''s actually one of the reasons we fell apart. He''d lose almost every argument we had and it got under his skin. But also, you''re to credit too! Mentioning the already set up outfit just dealt the final blow. Told you, he''s a sucker for dresses. You''ll see.¡±

    ¡°That much though? He looked like he was on cloud nine for a second there.¡±

    ¡°I told you, you''ll see!¡± Another cocky smirk which strikingly resembles that of Wraith. Did he get it from her or vice versa? Izumi couldn''t tell.

    Between two bookshelves, Wraith wallowed in his pitiful loss, the public humiliation in front of not just his generals and new found follower, but Izumi as well. On the floor he flumped with his back against the tomes until he heard a pair of footsteps creep closer. Dusting himself off, Wraith stood on his feet before he could be caught in his sorrows.

    ¡°Oh, Izumi. It¡¯s you.¡±

    ¡°I guess it¡¯s my turn to ask if you¡¯re alright.¡± Izumi awkwardly smiles, coming a bit closer.

    ¡°Hah, yea, I¡¯m fine. I owe you anyways for being out all of yesterday.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t owe me anything, it¡¯s not like it burdened me for you to be away, and I¡¯m not your girlfriend or anything so¡­¡± Across from Wraith, Izumi leaned against the bookshelf. ¡°If anything, I owe you for the whole thing in Hodaira, by like, a lot.¡±

    ¡°I nearly forgot about our deal actually, but I¡¯ll ask for that payment some other time. You could¡¯ve gotten away with murder you know.¡±

    ¡°So you could penalize me more for delaying the inevitable? Sure.¡±

    They exchange a heartfelt smile, time almost seemed to freeze to preserve their secluded moment. Izumi used this time to gather his courage into words.

    ¡°Umm...Wraith¡­¡±

    For the first time, Wraith actually found himself nervously anticipating what Izumi could possibly say, even though he tried to play it off.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°I...um... know it¡¯s hard for you to let me come to the ball, but I wanted to let you know that I really appreciate it. I don¡¯t wanna say that my life was boring or anything, since I still had my mom, Eiji, and Lala, but I guess what I¡¯m trying to say is...I appreciate just having the opportunity to learn about all this, and everyone treats me like I¡¯ve been here for years.¡±

    Wraith is a bit lost at how to respond, scratching his head to try and think.

    ¡°That¡¯s just kind of how they are though. Not all ghosts are as welcoming as them. To say the least, we¡¯re all man-eating killers, no matter how you look at it. Myself more than anyone.¡±

    There it is again. Pushing me away...

    ¡°You remember our promise right? I said I would accept you no matter how ugly you were. That doesn¡¯t just apply to your appearance. People could have ugly personalities or mannerisms too. I¡¯d accept you with all of it.¡±

    Abruptly, someone calls, ¡°Izumi? Where are you? We should start getting you dressed!¡±

    Of course it¡¯s Lavina, Izumi holds in a sigh in turn for a finalizing smile, turning to leave until a hand promptly latches onto his arm.

    ¡°Wraith-?¡±

    Izumi couldn¡¯t tell if it was due to the lighting, or whether he was seeing things. Wraith was blushing. Not just a little either. His cheeks and ears were dyed a passionate pink. Eyes mushy and lips barely parted, Wraith wasn¡¯t even sure what he was doing either.

    ¡°I...I remember¡­¡± Sighing a cuss, Wraith put Izumi¡¯s palm to his cheek, nuzzling against it. He could feel the heat dyeing Wraith¡¯s face. Now Izumi was the one who felt fluffy, with the image of Wraith in his hand resembling an affectionate canine. ¡°I...thank you. I know you said it before, and I thanked you before too, but really, thank you. You have no idea how much it means to me to hear that.¡± Wraith returns Izumi¡¯s hold to his person with a tender smile. ¡°Lavina is calling you. If she¡¯s going to help you get ready, then I¡¯ll meet you back in my room.¡±

    Steps approaching, Lavina looks down the aisle and lays eyes upon the pair, her expression shifting ever so slightly. ¡°Izumi, you should go back to where Dahlia is.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you coming?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll follow after you.¡±

    Izumi turns back to Wraith for confirmation, who nods. With one last glance, Izumi returns to the group, Lavina taking his place. Immediately Wraith falls to the floor in a ghastly groan, hanging his head in his arms.

    ¡°What the hell am I doing Lavina.¡±

    ¡°I was about to ask you that.¡± She stood beside him smoking.

    ¡°I-...I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on with me. I didn¡¯t even do that on purpose my body just moved. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m doing. I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m acting how I am. I don¡¯t even know how I¡¯m feeling. I don¡¯t know. It annoys me so fucking bad and I can¡¯t stand being so- so-¡±

    ¡°Lost.¡±

    ¡°Yes! You¡¯re so smart. You tell me. I¡¯m sure that¡¯s why you want to know everything about me and him so badly. In fact, I bet you already know whatever this is and whatever I¡¯m unsatisfied with to have a medium for in the first place.¡±

    ¡°I do.¡± Lavina exhales. ¡°But I can¡¯t tell you how you feel, or what you lack in your life. You need to figure that out yourself.¡±

    Although Wraith expected that answer, it still frustrates him, being left with nothing but what he started with.

    The clock steadily approached the hour of the upcoming ball and the only ones left to reconvene in the bedroom were Lavina and Izumi. Going down the line, Faelan, being a normal spirit and not actually one of Wraith¡¯s generals, wasn¡¯t dressed in extravagant attire like the others since he wouldn¡¯t be attending. Dahlia¡¯s armor had a gold design and there was a small yet refined fabric over their shoulder, but other than that was fairly normal. On the fabric contained Wraith¡¯s insignia: a pair of clawed wings surrounding a thin vertical eye. The same was printed onto Neio¡¯s drapes, which were red in color instead, making Neio appear more colorful than he already was with his blue skin and white hair. Then, there was Wraith. For once he forgoed the usual red, instead wearing primarily black. Gloves weren¡¯t his thing, but for the occasion he made an exception. The black suit was normal excluding it¡¯s embroidery in certain areas, which resembled roses and thorns. Under the blazer he wore a vest, which he also didn¡¯t like but put up with, over his usual teal dress shirt, this time with the sleeves down to the cuffs and buttoned up. Never was Wraith seen without his robe, and this still applied along with the black theme to his attire. The robe was transformed into a cape, with the same thorn and insignia design, this time in gold rather than its usual black. And finally, over his shoulders was the cape¡¯s abundance of pale teal fur. Neio and Dahlia already knew what Izumi would be wearing, but Wraith only waited with his heart in his stomach. A shudder of the bedroom¡¯s entrance only spiked his nervous anticipation, sitting closer to the edge of his seat. First came Lavina, who was dressed in a slitted white evening gown and fur coat. Then, behind her came the main star of the event. Izumi.

    Around his chest, the dress was a silky royal blue containing specks of silver jewels and embellishment, both a combination of thin straps and off the shoulder sleeves. Below the night sky were swan colored threads, which only partially covered his open toed high heels. There wasn¡¯t much additional make-up to be had, only a bit of finalizing touches such as thin eyeliner, light lip gloss, and more. In terms of accessories, there were only two, but they perfectly completed the regalia. Clamped on each ear were low hanging silver earrings and over his head sat a simple tiara. Attached to the diamond crown was a sapphire cloth resembling a veil which concealed his back, stretching to the singular silver bracelets which encircled each wrist. And finally, per Lavina¡¯s promise, there were spots of illusionary light blue scales in order to add a spirit-like image to his appearance.

    Everyone was more concerned with Wraith¡¯s reaction to Izumi than anything else, and his thunderstruck shock was simultaneously exactly what they expected and more, making a picture perfect frame of a deer in headlights.

    ¡°S-so? What do you think?¡± Izumi¡¯s fingers weaved in and out of each other, his timid antics finally catching up with him, only getting worse the eternity that Wraith seemed to ogle.

    ¡°What do I think? I-...¡± Wraith rose from the couch, still towering over Izumi despite the presence of his heels, fondly holding his hands in his own. With evident and nearly fantastical sincerity, Wraith smiled and said, ¡°I love it. You look amazing.¡±

    He kissed the tips of his fingers, the others looking between each other in awe. ¡°Here, I want to give you something.¡± In the pocket of his blazer Wraith reached to unveil a deep ruby jewel laced by a silver necklace. The others immediately knew the meaning of the gem and Neio almost interrupted until Lavina gestured for him to keep quiet.

    ¡°It¡¯s a bloodstone. In our culture, if you can call it that, spirits and specters alike give jewels like this to people they cherish. And...I cherish you. Mine is a little more special though. If you hold it in your hand, it¡¯ll turn into almost anything you want. Nothing like a full on house or anything, but it could turn into a weapon if you need to protect yourself. And, it¡¯ll protect you on its own.¡±

    Although the great weight behind the gift was explained to him, Wraith didn¡¯t disclose all of the details regarding it, Lavina already knowing full well she was going to tell him later if someone didn¡¯t beat her to it. For a fleeting instant, Izumi wanted to decline the gift. He couldn¡¯t accept something that meant so much, not just to Wraith, but to their entire lifestyle. But...He also longed to be someone important to Wraith.

    ¡°Wraith I-I don¡¯t even know what to say¡­¡±

    ¡°I could put it on for you for starters?¡±

    ¡°R-right! P-please¡­¡± Izumi¡¯s hair was short, so there was no need for him to lift it to allow for Wraith to clasp on the necklace. It shimmered only a little below his collarbone, the silver fitting in perfectly with the rest of the outfit.

    ¡°If everyone is going to see you anyways, we might as well give them something to stare at.¡± Wraith grinned, gracing Izumi¡¯s cheek with his thumb. ¡°So,¡± Holding out his hand, Wraith knelt over slightly, a clear invitation for Izumi. ¡°Shall we leave, my princess?¡±

 Chapter 28: Peace in the Form of a Dance

    The glittering ruby was a beacon for all to behold and effectively conveyed the intended message: the specter of despair¡¯s heart fell into someone¡¯s lap for the first time in over five hundred years. This was a fact that even the most daft of spirits and shades alike could understand as the scarlet gemstone¡¯s symbol was known by all ghosts. Timid Izumi would have no choice but to grow accustomed to the attention that it garnered; his first exposure to such being Wraith deliberately leaving through the front door of the estate hand in hand to broadcast to his gang that Izumi was to be held to the same standard as himself. It wasn¡¯t required in the slightest for them to leave out the main entrance, since they needed to use a portal to arrive as the peace party was held at Madeline¡¯s palace. As the specter of merriment, she was quite faint of heart and always tried to appease the crowd, making her a perfect host in comparison to most of the other hot headed specters. Had Lavina lived in a regular home rather than her athenaeum, she would have been the chosen host instead due to her neutrality, but alas shelves of books didn¡¯t make for a suitable dance room.

    Surprisingly, Madeline¡¯s home was very much like Wraith¡¯s, also being Victorian in style although with much brighter lighting and lighter colors. Izumi absorbs the sights, knowing this is a once in a lifetime opportunity even for spirits, wondering if all specters were suckers for Victorian architecture or if it just so happened to be the style of the two specter¡¯s homes he¡¯s seen, minus Lavina who lodges in a library. He wasn¡¯t sure if he was more fascinated by the mansion¡¯s interior or the ghosts which lie within. Just Neio, Dahlia, and Faelan were anomalies to him. The spirits inside though? They were even more bizarre than the new set of standards he had, equipped with all sorts of colors, shapes, sizes, tails, horns, wings. Some even having multiple eyes, or multiple fingers, or multiple tongues. Specters on the other hand stood out surprisingly more due to their more elaborate clothing and Izumi could see what Neio meant by they just felt important. As rude as it was, Izumi couldn¡¯t help but stare in awe, forgetting that to them, Izumi was more surreal in comparison. Few spirits ever gifted a bloodstone in their lifetime, and even fewer specters. People would laugh had they heard the legendary specter of despair bestowed the gem onto someone if they had not seen it for themselves.

    Deeper inside the manor was a shortened staircase which led down to the vast ballroom. Ivory and gold seemed to be the primary theme of Madeline¡¯s home, opposing Wraith¡¯s black and red, which translated to the dance hall as well. A row of brilliant incandescent chandeliers coated the towering ceiling that reached towards the skies. On the edge of each side of the room was a long dining table that consisted of an assortment of alcoholic drinks. Yet, no food. No appetizers. Nothing in the slightest. Only beverages. Which made sense, Izumi knew that ghosts didn¡¯t eat normal food, but he wasn¡¯t sure if he was surprised or not that there wasn¡¯t any blood or flesh, not that he wanted there to be. His uncontrollable disgust at watching them consume such would be a dead giveaway, so in his eyes, he got lucky. It was a little hard to see from where he stood, but there appeared to be a lounge area of sorts where several were gathered already. On the right end of the hall there was a large paned window which led to what looked like the garden. By the staircase stood Madeline and another face which wasn¡¯t familiar to any of Wraith¡¯s party, although all but Izumi could make an inference as to who it was.

    The childlike specter, both in appearance and personality, nervously beamed, trying to hide her fear, overcompensating with emotion in her speech, ¡°L-Lavina! And Wraith! Wow I am!!!!! Very surprised that you¡¯re here Wraith I mean specter of despair I mean am I allowed to say your name? I hope I didn¡¯t offend you I didn¡¯t mean it I never really talked to you before and I just didn¡¯t expect you to be here because everyone said you wouldn¡¯t be because you don¡¯t usually coooooome-¡± Madeline¡¯s eyes drifted to Izumi and his shimmering stone in the midst of her rambling, nearly choking a gasp, her eyes flaring, ¡°W-w-w-w-w-wwhen did you- I mean- congratulations!!!!!!!! That¡¯s um- It¡¯s nice to meet you!!! What¡¯s your name misssss-¡± The specter of merriment rapidly studies Izumi¡¯s appearance trying to gauge Izumi¡¯s gender before she treads on an imaginary mine.

    ¡°Mister. My name is Mitsue, it¡¯s nice to meet you too. Thank you for inviting us.¡± Per an earlier suggestion made by Wraith, Izumi doesn¡¯t give his first name and tries his best to sound professional in the hopes of not standing out anymore than he already is. Izumi tugs on Wraith¡¯s sleeve to signal him to be nice, his suppressed annoyance being increasingly obvious.

    ¡°Wraith is fine, and thank you as well. Right, Lavina?¡± Wraith sarcastically smiles at Lavina, who ignores his childish behavior.

    ¡°Yes, thank you. May I ask, is this the successor to Ianthe?¡±

    ¡°Oh my where are my manners!!! Yes, yes it is, Thia why don¡¯t you¡­?¡±

    The shy woman steps forward, her indigo eyes shifting everywhere but Wraith. ¡°T-thia, m-my name is Th-Thia. I¡¯m the new specter of guilt.¡± She looked like she could pass for the little sister of Ianthe, as her hair was the same indigo that she once had. Her dress was similar to the ones that her predecessor would wear, and even their names were close. Though, their similarities ended there.

    With the conclusion of her sentence, her gaze drifts to Wraith and locks, and through her leer Wraith read her unspoken words-her blood clearly running cold. Murderer. You killed me. You tore me to pieces. You demolished everything that I had built.

    Specters had no recollection of their predecessor¡¯s memories, Thia included, but she didn¡¯t need the memories. Everyone, shades, spirits, and specters alike knew Wraith¡¯s deeds. Afterall, it was impossible to hide the death of a specter and their legacy, not that Wraith tried in the first place. Usually such a glare wouldn¡¯t shake him, this time though, it did, snaking inside and wreaking havoc in his mind. There were two reasons for this: Firstly, Izumi was here and he always tried to keep impressions with him. Secondly, Ianthe knew that Wraith¡¯s current form was false, and the only ones to know this were Wraith¡¯s generals, Lavina, and now Izumi as well. For the life of him he couldn¡¯t discern how she could possibly have learned this and it irked him. What else did she know? Was her act against him really just some lunatic suicide or was it apart of a larger plan? He had no way of knowing now. Ianthe was dead, and by his hands. Perhaps it was her way of enacting some form of wicked justice, plaguing Wraith with these paranoid thoughts, yet only time could tell.

    To cease the prolonged awkward tension, Madeline took the reins as the host and gathered the courage to speak again. ¡°I hope that you have fun at least!!!! You can go ahead and go down the stairs, please make yourselves comfortable!! It was nice to meet you mister Mitsue I hope you and Wraith enjoy yourselves!¡±

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    With the invitation, the group made their way to the dance floor, where no one was dancing quite yet. There was an orchestra produced by spirits in the corner, but everyone in the hall was merely conversing for the time being.

    These events were evidently out of Wraith¡¯s element judging by his lost and confused expression. Lavina wasn¡¯t going to help him though, and neither were his supposed loyal generals, who left him the moment they descended the staircase, Lavina included. Neio went to the lounge, Dahlia stood around just not with the pair for whatever reason, and Lavina socialized with other specters, leaving Izumi and Wraith to themselves, disoriented in the crowd. Izumi hugged Wraith¡¯s arm tighter and he started to understand the fear behind swarms of people.

    ¡°What now!¡±

    ¡°Why are you asking me? I never go to these stupid parties for a reason, I never know what to do with myself. Usually I just sit with Neio but as you just saw, he left.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you guys dance??¡±

    ¡°Yea but later. Look, if someone comes, just let me handle it-¡±

    Hasty tapping of heels against the white marble stone floor cut his sentence and ignited an instant irritation within Wraith. An extremely pale skinned woman with long forest green hair approaches head first and thoughts later.

    ¡°You-!!¡± The first commonality that Izumi noticed between spirits and specters were their piercing teeth which protruded when angered, this estranged maiden included.

    ¡°What?¡± Wraith countered her snarl with his own.

    ¡°Who is this!!!¡± She disrespectfully flung her hand in Izumi¡¯s general direction, not even glancing his way, skin shifting from a pale white to a light pink in certain areas.

    ¡°Why should I tell you?¡±

    ¡°Because you can¡¯t just walk in here with someone with that! Everyone is staring at you!¡±

    ¡°And why is it your problem? You know, it¡¯s quite unbecoming for a specter to display the emotion they¡¯re supposed to be gatekeeping.¡±

    Now, her skin was painted deep green as she groaned in fury, ¡°UGH!!!! Forget it! Talking to you is like talking to a corpse! You!¡± When it conveniences her, she finally recognizes Izumi¡¯s presence, startling him. ¡°What¡¯s your name?!¡±

    ¡°M-Mitsue.¡±

    ¡°Well, Mitsue,¡± She mocks, ¡°I hope your relationship burns and crashes!¡± The specter storms off, the crowd side eyeing her as she passes by.

    ¡°Rosalind, she¡¯s the specter of envy. Can you tell?¡±

    ¡°Pfft,¡± Izumi smirks, getting Wraith to do the same. ¡°What¡¯s her problem though? Did you¡­?¡±

    ¡°Noooooo, not in a thousand years. She tried on multiple occasions but it wasn¡¯t really ¡®cuz she liked me, more that she wanted a guard dog. And now, I suppose she¡¯s upset because I¡¯m your little guard dog now.¡± Wraith playfully bites at the air.

    If it weren¡¯t for the breathable dress, Izumi¡¯s face would¡¯ve scorched more. ¡°...are you really...flirting with me in public..?¡± The words were barely discernible from his drifting eyes and shamefully low vibrato.

    ¡°Two for you, and..how many for me?¡± Pecking the back of Izumi¡¯s hand, he tenderly smiles, a tight twist rounding about Izumi¡¯s chest and entrapping his insides, leaving him utterly speechless.

    ¡°....¡± Izumi presses his lips together, the emotions whirling within struggling to settle down.

    The crowd which surrounded them began to break apart and shift, circling around the room in pairs. They moved around the still couple, some even a little annoyed from their hindrance of their dance.

    ¡°Well, since they¡¯re starting to waltz around,¡± With the same heartful beam and an extended hand, Wraith knelt forward slightly which could almost be taken for a bow. ¡°Will you grace me with a dance, Izumi?¡±

    Internally, Izumi¡¯s entire being screamed AHHHH YES YES YES, but with sensory overload, it reduced to a nod and a meek, ¡°...ok¡­¡±, as he accepted his invitation.

    Hand in hand, the disquieted Izumi was pulled into an embrace and his panic reached a verbal level, ¡°W-wait-! I-I don¡¯t know how to dance¨C¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, just follow my lead. Put your hand on my shoulder for starters.¡±

    Once done, the specter of despair leisurely led the pair across the ballroom. Dancing wouldn¡¯t look like it¡¯d be in Wraith¡¯s skillset, but Izumi was proven wrong. In fact, he was quite comfortable and confident in his strides.

    ¡°H-how do you even know how to dance?¡±

    ¡°Lavina taught me, one of the first things she did actually. I haven¡¯t danced in awhile though, but I do enjoy it with the right person.¡±

    Glistening radiance shone down from the pearly chandeliers and clearly revealed the affection in Wraith¡¯s sapphire and amber eyes. Now, Izumi¡¯s mind spun as well, ...me¡­?...I¡¯m the right person¡­?....Why am I....does he¡­? If there was one thing he knew, it was the fact that a person¡¯s eyes can¡¯t lie, and Wraith¡¯s eyes, smile, and words told the same story. Regardless of this, disbelief still burned his hope. I couldn¡¯t¡­.he couldn¡¯t...I...I can¡¯t be...

    Prying eyes were still fixated on the mysterious yet alluring love interest and his horrid hound, and although this was hard to notice with the rotating room, Izumi still knew they were there. A numbing chill rose his hairs, the attention soon flooding in his previous irrational thoughts as their eyes bore into his skull. He didn¡¯t belong. Everyone knew. Wraith knew. Wraith couldn¡¯t care about him. He¡¯s a human. Wraith only cares about figuring out what he¡¯s unsatisfied with. Wraith doesn¡¯t care about him.

    Shaking himself free from Wraith¡¯s grasp, Izumi digs his nails into his arms, backing away.

    Immediately Wraith grew worried and anxious, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you want to sit? I can get you a drink-¡±

    ¡°No...I just¡­¡± Looking everywhere but Wraith, Izumi¡¯s short breaths quickened. ¡°I- can I go outside? Anywhere just outside¡­.¡±

    ¡°Yea of course, I¡¯ll take you-¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, I just need to be alone for a second.¡±

    Shit, Wraith mumbled to himself, sighing and painfully saying, ¡°I can¡¯t let you go alone, if-¡±

    ¡°Fuck fine then I¡¯ll take Dahlia with me!! Just not you!¡± The hostile snap pierced deep and shed Wraith¡¯s faded gratification, each ferocious step away that Izumi took only grinding it further into dust.

    Although Izumi didn¡¯t notice, Wraith had reached out to stop him, ultimately deciding to let him go. The once dazzling eyes grew dim and dark, a melancholic sorrow and grief taking its toll. Maybe this is what I deserve¡­

 Chapter 29: Laughable Jesters

    Through the tall glass window pane was a low lit garden that could be entered once descending another small staircase. The yard¡¯s primary lighting came from fireflies and little magical ethereal spheres, and not too far forward was a fountain which was more simple than one would expect from such an extravagant estate but still large nonetheless. Past the fountain was a row of towering hedges that created a series of labyrinths, none of which occupied anything of value. Madeline just had a soft spot for the theatrical. Most importantly, between the staircase at the foot was a bench tucked away by vines, bushes of flowers, and miniature trees, allowing it to camouflage with the greenery and nearly fade into the darkness. Yet through this, it still extended itself for those of broken heart and loss of soul. Plunging into the hidden seat, Izumi heaved a groan and held what was left of himself in his trembling hands. Dahlia, who followed him per Wraith¡¯s request, stood by the top of the staircase out of view and out of mind, giving Izumi the space he craved. Darkness separated itself from the overbearing light excreting from the ballroom, creating a calm, quiet haven. Crickets chirped. Water dripped. Izumi sobbed. Silent tears streamed down his painfully reddened cheeks, spilling onto his dress, adding stars to the night sky. Confusion and pressure. From the scalding light of the chandeliers, to the probing glares, to Wraith¡¯s expectations. The tranquility of the shadowed garden provided the time and space he needed to breathe. Just..

    Breathe.

    ¡°Haaa¡­.damn it¡­¡± Izumi only caught a glimpse of Wraith before leaving, but that glimpse was still engraved within him: a doleful broken expression that stung his chest. ¡°He probably hates me now¡­Ugh I¡¯m so pathetic, crying at a party¡­¡± Wiping his eyes, he watched the water flow from the fountain, the moonlight glistening each drop. Albeit unintentionally, he hurt Wraith, but Izumi couldn''t bring himself to face him and apologize. In truth, he wasn¡¯t sure what to do. The only thing that he knew was that he wanted distance between him and Wraith for a moment to figure things out. Why was Wraith being nice to him? Why was he so gentle now? Even everyone around them who allegedly knew him best were confused, so Izumi was even more astray. How did he really feel about Wraith? He thought he liked Wraith, but now, he wasn''t so sure. To Izumi, Wraith was an unattainable beacon and he had enjoyed just being able to follow the light, but was that really what he wanted? Things would be much simpler if he could just know what Wraith was thinking with each smile, each touch, each kiss.

    Then, it hit him. Dahlia knew Wraith for centuries. If Neio was able to help Izumi once, maybe Dahlia could do the same.

    ¡°Dahlia?¡± Izumi called out.

    ¡°Yes?¡± They were still standing by the top of the staircase to keep watch.

    ¡°Do you mind if I ask you something?¡±

    ¡°No, of course not.¡± Dahlia descended the stairs and sat beside Izumi, looking away to save him the shame of his puffy eyes. ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°I know there''s no way for you to know for sure, but...how do you think Wraith feels about me? It''s just¡­all so confusing and I just don''t know what to think or how to feel¡­¡±

    A pause. Dahlia ponders deeply how to properly answer, not just as Wraith''s friend and general, but as Izumi''s as well.

    ¡°Your feelings shouldn''t be determined by how the other feels about you. If you''re concerned about his emotions to discern your own, then, and you can correct me if I''m wrong, you''re afraid. Afraid to feel anything towards him because if Wraith doesn''t feel the same, then you''d be left alone and heart broken.¡±

    Surprise and shock at Dahlia¡¯s bluntly acute analysis translates into a wide eyed and agape Izumi. ¡°Mm..mhmm¡­¡± Fiddling with his dress, Izumi mumbles a response and nods.

    ¡°Then, for a second forget about what Wraith thinks, or anyone for that matter. How do you feel towards him? You can take your time.¡±

    How I feel about him?

    In his heart, Izumi told himself that he liked Wraith romantically. If there was a way for them to be together in that sense, he would accept it without hesitation. Still, in the last few days his body told a different story. Something stronger than just liking him. Always blushing and getting flustered, his chest and stomach fluttering just by thinking about Wraith, let alone their tender interactions, the rapid beating of his heart when they were alone. The world almost seemed to slow to a halt when he was with Wraith, as if only he mattered. Izumi always doubted himself when it came to Wraith on the other hand. Never thinking he¡¯s good enough, or that Wraith could do better. A specter like Lavina or even Rosalind of Envy would be leagues better than him. But...that sentiment was rooted in his aforementioned fear, making any excuse why he shouldn¡¯t or couldn¡¯t be with Wraith before even trying in order to avoid a tragedy. Without his fears and self-doubt, without the pressure of the masses, without the consideration of Wraith, how did he feel about Wraith? Izumi¡¯s chest stiffened when he told himself that he liked Wraith. Something didn¡¯t fit. It was more than that. More than a light crush. More than a small desire to be a close friend or even boyfriend. He¡­

    ¡°I¡­¡± Shaking off his hesitation and doubt, Izumi tried again. With confidence regained he faced Dahlia and held the bloodstone around his neck firmly. ¡°I love him. If I could be someone important in his life, that would be more than I could ever ask for. I wish that I was different, not some helpless brat that he has to worry about all the time. Someone like Lavina, who can handle themselves. Honestly, I¡¯m jealous of her for that. No one looked at her weird when she was with Wraith, at least it didn¡¯t seem like it judging by everyone¡¯s accounts. It didn¡¯t matter even if they did. She¡¯s confident, assertive, and well respected. They like to say that they¡¯re like oil and water, but really, in my eyes they were more like peas in a pod. I wish¡­..¡± Izumi shakes his head to diminish his envy. ¡°Even with that, I love him. I promised Wraith that I would accept every part of him and I mean it. I don¡¯t care about what he¡¯s done in the past or however he looked before. I¡¯ll love him regardless of it all, the past, present, and future.¡±

    A deep, relieved sigh leaves him along with any tension in his body.

    It felt...surprisingly good to admit all that¡­

    Dahlia pat Izumi on the back, and even though they lacked a face, Izumi could tell they were smiling, if their reassuring words weren''t already a sign. ¡°I know it took a lot to tell me that, but I know it helped relieve some of your stress at least. Then, whatever I think about how Wraith feels, don¡¯t let it sway you. Hold onto how you feel and take steps in that direction, and don¡¯t take everything I say as full fact. Still, about Wraith¡­ Don¡¯t be jealous of Lavina, and don¡¯t try to be like her. She¡¯s her, and you¡¯re you. In straight terms, I¡¯m confident that he cares about you even more than Lavina. So, you should just continue to be yourself.¡±

    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    M-me? Over Lavina? But-

    ¡°How? Like...how are you so sure he prefers me over her..?¡±

    ¡°This.¡± Dahlia taps Izumi¡¯s hand which held the shimmering scarlet stone. ¡°Wraith didn¡¯t tell you the full meaning of it. Maybe he didn¡¯t want to scare you, or maybe he was pressed for time and spared you the full explanation, or maybe he gave it to you for his own reason, knowing him. Regardless, Wraith said it was a custom to give such to people that a ghost cherishes, which is true, but that¡¯s an oversimplification. In truth, they¡¯re given to a ghost¡¯s significant other whom they believe is their soulmate, that they would live and die for the other without hesitation. Some give them to incredibly close friends, however those cases are rare. Typically they¡¯re exchanged, but there hasn¡¯t been a case with a human so. Especially since they¡¯re usually made with the blood of the other, hence their name, but there¡¯s been cases where ghosts put a fraction of their heart or soul, depending on their love. Because of this, if for whatever reason they¡¯re destroyed, they could weaken the host. And...a ghost either gifts one during their lifetime, or not at all. Which means, Lavina never received one from Wraith, and she never gave one to him either.¡±

    Dahlia was right about one thing, Izumi was scared¨Cterrified. Not of Wraith¡¯s sudden show of possible affection, but because of how priceless the artifact is. And it was in his possession. The most susceptible person to lose it, or even worse, someone else gets ahold of it. What if he did lose it? Could Wraith die if it was broken? Like a hawk, Dahlia¡¯s perception reads Izumi¡¯s anxious visage and eases his heart.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s Wraith. I know he accounted for everything, and he said it himself: it was made of magic. His magic no less. I¡¯m sure if you were to lose it, or if someone stole it from you, that it would find its way back to you.¡±

    ¡°Spot on again¡­¡± Izumi mumbled to himself, getting startled when Dahlia hears him.

    ¡°You learn how to read faces well when you don¡¯t have one yourself.¡± They joke in a still neutral tone. ¡°The bloodstone was just a solidifier to me. Even before that, he treated you differently than the rest of us.¡±

    ¡°Neio said that to me before too. I didn¡¯t really notice though. The only thing I did notice was that he started to be nicer and I don¡¯t know...less confident? In a weird way.¡±

    ¡°I would give him some time, which Neio said too.¡± A chill rolls down Dahlia¡¯s nonexistent spine at the thought of agreeing with Neio, but he was right for once. ¡°Wraith is...not the best, to say the least, at expressing himself. He¡¯s known the same people and the same lifestyle for centuries, so for someone like you to show up and start shifting gears, it takes getting used to. On his end that is. But, no matter how Wraith feels, know that we¡¯re supporting you. You¡¯re like family to us now.¡±

    ¡°..family¡­?¡±

    A twinkle in his eyes brighter than the moonlight itself. From strangers, to friends, to family. And from people that normal people would consider monsters.

    ¡°...thank you...for everything¡­helping and supporting me, it¡¯s more than I can ask from you, and the others too. Wraith included. So...Thank you.¡± Standing from the bench, Izumi stoutly embraced Dahlia, as strange as it was to hug an empty suit of armor, but he didn¡¯t care.

    ¡°You can always lean back on us. If Wraith did ever break your heart, it would start a war in the house.¡±

    The image of the childish arguments that Wraith gets into lights a chuckle within.

    ¡°...Can you do me a favor though? I...want to talk to Wraith, to apologize for storming out like that. I just want to clarify some things. Don¡¯t worry I won¡¯t confess or anything.¡±

    ¡°I was about to suggest that you don¡¯t. I¡¯ll go get him then. Do you think you¡¯ll be fine on your own for a second?¡±

    Izumi nodded, affirming Dahlia to retrieve the man himself.

    Meanwhile, when Izumi had left, Wraith stood baffled and depressed in the center of the dance hall before finally collecting the scraps of himself and making his way to Neio, who saw the whole thing. Neio shooed the women that were sitting with him, leaving the two alone in the secluded lounge.

    ¡°What happened?!!!¡± Immediately Neio poured a drink for Wraith and offered it to him as he flopped onto the sofa beside him. Now, Wraith was the one running his paranoia in circles.

    ¡°I don¡¯t even know.¡± He tossed the alcohol to the back of his throat and Neio filled the glass again. ¡°We were dancing and he looked happy then I don¡¯t know what happened. Got pissed and walked out. Even cussed. Can you believe that? Izumi? Cussing?¡± Wraith scoffs, but Neio knew him all too well to know it was just a cover up. The walls around Wraith began to crumble and disintegrate, his true feelings becoming vulnerable and exposed. ¡°Ughh¡­.fuck¡­¡± The once unphased and arrogant specter of despair was now heaving deep breaths in an attempt to push his heart out of his throat and back in its proper place. Wraith rubbed his nose bridge and shut his eyes, the scene reluctantly repeating. ¡°...He told me that he wanted to be alone. When I said he couldn¡¯t, he yelled at me. ¡®Anyone but you¡¯.¡± Another shot flew past his heart and failed to drown his screams. The empty glass was slammed against the table and Wraith hung his head back into the couch, his hand over his eyes. ¡°What did I do? What did I-¡± In the last syllable, a faint break in his voice could be heard. Harsh inhales burned his lungs on the way in and mollified them on the way out. Only on a handful of occasions did Neio see this side of Wraith, and he never learned how to properly provide support, though at the least, he knew that providing an ear was enough for Wraith. ¡°Neio, my eyes are burning.¡±

    Neio¡¯s already uneasy nerves shot to an all time high and he fumbled trying to figure out what to do and what to say.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±

    It¡¯s not fine!!!! Neio shouted internally, still struggling to articulate any form of advice or consolation.

    ¡°Did he um...say anything else? Or was there anything else that happened? I saw you talk to Rosalind earlier, something with her?¡±

    A deafening silence filled the space between them, while the roar of laughter and banter danced around them.

    ¡°.....¡± Wraith sat up, and despite his previous statement, his eyes were still white rather than the red of a sob. ¡°She was just being her. It didn¡¯t seem to get to him at the time. I don¡¯t know.¡± Fidgeting seemed to be his way to cope, as he shifted in his seat again, this time crossing his legs and leaning on his arm. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have brought him here. What if it is that? What if he feels pressured to be perfect or something? Ugh¡­¡±

    ¡°But you said he looked happy, so I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that.¡±

    ¡°Then what!! What the hell did I do?!!¡± Again he moved, leaning forward and downing another shot before sitting with his arms on his knees. ¡°....I feel like I could cry, but it won¡¯t come out. You know, I wanted to go after him but I didn¡¯t. With all the shit I¡¯ve done in my life, who am I to try and chase after someone? Why am I even trying to chase after him? Neio- look at me.¡±

    Neio hadn¡¯t shifted his gaze from Wraith for even a moment since he sat down, so he just made more firm eye contact.

    ¡°You tell me. What am I doing? I feel like a mouse in a maze but the cheese is in another fucking room.¡±

    The instant Neio opens his mouth to speak, Dahlia approaches the two who whip their heads around, Wraith in trepidation and Neio in relief that he didn¡¯t have to answer him.

    ¡°Izumi asked if he could talk to you, Wrai-¡±

    Before their sentence could even be finished, Wraith teleports across the ballroom to the garden.

    ¡°You look like you gained a few extra white hairs.¡± Dahlia takes Wraith¡¯s place beside Neio and jests, pouring a drink and handing it to him.

    ¡°Yea¡­.¡± Neio sighs, nearly in tears himself from the major stress he just experienced.

 Chapter 30: Regret and Hate

    In the moonlit garden, Izumi anxiously awaited on the hidden bench, weaving his hands and fingers between each other until Wraith finally arrived, looking equally disquieted and sitting as far away from Izumi as he could. Neither of the two looked at each other, staring at the foliage that swayed in the light, chilled breeze instead. Surprisingly, Wraith was the first to break the uncanny silence, yet he still didn''t glance his way. He craved for the relief of a cigarette at times like these, but refrained, knowing it would be out of place.

    ¡°Um, you don''t have to tell me what''s bothering you if you don''t want to. But I-....¡± Swapping a mumbled curse with a sigh instead, Wraith continued to speak, ¡°I want you to know that no matter what other people may think, you''re important to me. Not as a medium or because of our deal, but as a person. As you, Izumi.¡±

    After coming to terms with himself about his feelings for Wraith, Izumi¡¯s heart pitter patters within. Ahhhhhh kill me¡­.I have no idea what to say to that¡­

    Instead of trying to conjure a proper response, Izumi merely stays silent, his insides running amok until ultimately deciding to indirectly show his appreciation towards the fond sentiment.

    ¡°Can I um...sit...closer..?¡± His voice was barely audible, hidden behind his uneasy nerves.

    ¡°Y-yea of course.¡±

    Awkwardly, they shorten the distance between them, now sitting in the center of the bench before following another moment containing crickets and running water.

    ¡°....c-...c-an you¡­.do that-......th-thing with my hair¡­.?....like you always do¡­.¡±

    Had Wraith been a normal person, the words would¡¯ve been lost to the atmospheric lo-fi chirps, and despite having heard him, he was still in disbelief. Hesitantly, he reached forward and gently ruffled Izumi¡¯s hair, although it was a tad difficult due to the tiara¡¯s placement. Each grace of his paw made an aloof euphoria so fervent that Izumi¡¯s expression twitched in an attempt to suppress his ecstasy. Yet still, Wraith saw this and melted, He looks so cute, I just want to¡­.no, nonono what if he¡¯s still upset? But there¡¯s no way he is he wouldn¡¯t ask me to pet him otherwise. No, just wait for him to take the initiative...but didn¡¯t he already just do that..? UGHH The hold you have on me Izumi...You know what, fuck it, what are you waiting for Wraith? Just-

    Wraith ceased his caressing and held Izumi¡¯s hand in his own. Nearly in sync, they finally read each other¡¯s eyes and gravitated into a kiss. For the man who only knew how to bed another, he began to remember the sensation of a kiss without underlying lust, and for the first time in a thousand years, he felt the spark of affection. It was still foreign to him: this indescribable emotion. Only time would determine when he would acknowledge and admit to himself that he felt this way, yet for the time being, he knew this: he didn''t want to leave Izumi''s side. Not now, not ever, and not when their deal came to its conclusion.

    Their seclusion under the solace of the surrounding foliage would eventually be disturbed by a plagueful familiar scent. Emerging from the twilight and descending from the stairs an elderly yet stern and fit man cleared his throat; Wraith clicking his tongue in disgust and exasperation as he approached. The refined and formal nature of the elder was reflected in his stance: a straightened back and a clasp of his hands behind him.

    ¡°Good evening.¡±

    Due to Wraith''s lack of response and cold glare, Izumi could gather that he should stay silent as well.

    ¡°I wished to separate myself from the festivities, and had I known you were here, I would''ve refrained from entry. You have my sincerest apologies.¡±

    Detest flared in Wraith''s scowl and scorn. Then, it began to twitch and turn until he groaned and complied. ¡°Your nose and ears getting to you with old age, Barron?¡±

    Barron scoffed, ¡°High words coming from the specter of despair, you who have lived and suffered at least ten times my lifetime if not more. Yet, your suffering has seemed to come to its halt. Who is your chosen spouse that sits beside you?¡±

    Spouse?!!!!!!! I wouldn''t go that far! Silently, Izumi shouted.

    Wraith opens his mouth to speak, but Barron interrupts him, ¡°The young man can speak for himself, do you not believe so, Wraith?¡±

    A picture perfect image of tearing off Barron''s head and reducing it to a scarlet stain on the grass became very tempting for Wraith.

    Izumi first looked to Wraith for approval before answering, who nodded. ¡°Mitsue.¡±

    ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you, Mitsue. I see that Wraith still has a high standard when it comes to his partners of choice. You are incredibly beautiful. Here, a gift. To congratulate you on your matrimony.¡±

    A vibrant red rose materialized in Barron''s palms and he offered it to the couple, a clear lean towards Izumi. It didn¡¯t look like a normal rose, as its stem was black and the thorns appeared much sharper. There was an eerie yet mystical and alluring nature to its crimson petals, almost like it drew him in and begged for his touch. Immediately, Wraith snatches the rose instead.

    ¡°Thank you, but maybe you should take your leave? I''m sure they''re missing you, and I would prefer if you would leave me with my partner. He''s quite shy you see.¡± Wraith grins sarcastically.

    ¡°And I am sure that they are missing your bridegroom as well. Do not stay out for too long.¡±

    The moment Barron exits the garden, Wraith sets fire to the rose, flames raging from the palm of his hand, flinging the ashes to the floor.

    ¡°He is¡­.?¡±

    ¡°The specter of regret. Of all the people who hate my guts and are praying that I choke in my sleep, he''d be the second.¡±

    ¡°First being?¡±

    ¡°Vahan, the specter of hate. Ironic isn''t it. He¡¯s here too, hard to miss. Looks like an owl.¡± Wraith dusts the ashes from his glove and tries to relax back into the bench. To quell himself, he weighs Izumi''s hand in his own, tracing his fingers.

    ¡°So did you just get rid of the rose because you hate him?¡±

    ¡°No, because he was trying something. That rose could only grow from a specter''s blood. In its own way, it functions similarly to a ghost in terms of diet, but just specters only instead, so you can imagine they¡¯re not very common. Giving or receiving them means the same as normal flowers though, just a bit more special, and they aren''t really magical in any way. But, their thorns are sharper than a normal rose, like the blade of a knife. If you grabbed it, it would''ve pricked you. You''d bleed and-¡±

    ¡°...everyone would know I''m human from the smell.¡± Izumi accurately completes his sentence. ¡°So was he testing me? I didn''t give him any reason to doubt that I was spirit though.¡±

    ¡°Your existence is doubt enough for him. Plus, you don''t have a discernible scent right now. To us at least, you smell like me and Lavina¨Cthe bloodstone will always give you a strong scent of me, and Lavina''s magic is on you. Barron knows a lot about Lavina, admires her as an intelligent person and all that, so he probably took her scent on you as a possible sign that she disguised you. As much as I hate Barron, he''s got a keen eye, but Vahan is even worse. I''d like to avoid him if we can, but I don''t know how probable that is.¡±

    ¡°Do you wanna go back inside then? The longer we''re away, the more suspicious they''ll get.¡±

    ¡°Only if you want to.¡±

    ¡°We can just¡­.no more dancing.¡±

    Wraith snickers, ¡°Alright.¡± He stands from the bench and kneels in front of Izumi. His feet in his gentle grasp, Wraith heals and pecks them with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m sure your feet hurt from wearing these, but I appreciate you putting up with it for me.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s ok¡­.¡± Izumi blushes.

    ¡°Then, my lovely spouse, shall we?¡±

    The nod to Barron''s comment delightfully disturbs Izumi, but for his own well being, he refrains from adding anything further, taking Wraith''s hand.

    By the time they reconvened in the ballroom, the dance was over and a mass of conversations occupied the hall instead. The estranged couple acquired refreshments in an effort to blend in, which was ineffective to say the least. A tall figure, which rivaled that of Neio, approached them. Their skin could nearly be mistaken for charcoal had it not glistened a dark purple in the light, spots of stars glittered across. Most of what encompassed them was stained ivory: their suit, their short hair, their wings that enveloped their lower back, and even their irises. However, the whites of their eyes were black, highlighting their incandescent eyes. As soon as Wraith''s eyes laid upon the figure, he mumbled fuck and held Izumi close.

    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°Wraith.¡± Their greeting didn''t reach their gaze, which was icy and piercing.

    ¡°Vahan.¡±

    ¡°I had not expected you to show your face. Yet, here you are. With someone I did not expect nor am I familiar with. Would you care to introduce us?¡±

    ¡°His name is Mitsue.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Quite shy isn''t he?¡± Vahan kneels over and offers a handshake. Again, Izumi looks to Wraith for confirmation before shaking his hand. When he tries to pull his hand away, Vahan secures his grasp and kisses the back of his hand, but his eyes were focused on Wraith who wore his irritation blatantly, Izumi wiping off the kiss on his dress during Vahan¡¯s distraction.

    ¡°You look quite ravishing this evening.¡±

    A cold chill quivered Izumi¡¯s spine, unconsciously taking hold of Wraith''s arm.

    ¡°Where is your wife?¡± Wraith redirected.

    ¡°Elsewhere. Last I saw she was speaking with Lavina. But, do enjoy the rest of your evening. I must continue making my rounds. It was a delight to meet you, Mitsue.¡±

    Neither gave a response as the specter of hate leaves, Wraith only groaning after the fact.

    ¡°Well, I think you did the opposite of avoid him.¡±

    ¡°Yepppp!!!!¡± Wraith pours himself a shot and howls again. ¡°Not like I can just walk away if he approaches me though. Getting into the upteenth fight with him especially right now is the last thing I want.¡±

    ¡°You handled it well though!¡± Izumi attempted to cheer up Wraith, which didn¡¯t take much effort at all as his irritation faded nearly immediately.

    ¡°Yea?¡±

    ¡°Really! I mean, you¡¯re getting better at not starting fights I noticed.¡±

    ¡°More because of you than because of me, since you yelled at me for it before. I¡¯m sure even Vahan himself is surprised that I didn¡¯t start a fight with him. We¡¯ve had physical fights who knows how many times.¡±

    ¡°Specters are allowed to do that?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t really have rules it¡¯s more like a consensus to keep the peace, and everyone knows that we just do that, or did do that, because we hate each other. They know I won¡¯t kill him because I¡¯m trying to avoid the hassle of drama and he can¡¯t kill me, and even if he did, it¡¯d be more of a good riddance kind of thing. Ianthe was a different story though, since she actually broke a rule.¡±

    As they spoke, Izumi looked over Wraith¡¯s shoulder, watching the tall owl-like man reconvene with Lavina and a woman he assumed to be his wife. Despite the distance, the ruby on his wife¡¯s ring could still be seen plain as day. ¡°He gave his wife a bloodstone?¡±

    ¡°Who, Vahan? Yea. They¡¯ve been together for I don¡¯t even know how long, one of the few specters to be married let alone actually give a bloodstone. ¡°

    As intimidating as he was, it was a little sweet to think that he loves his wife so much.

    ¡°Do they have any children?¡±

    Wraith shakes his head. ¡°Only spirits can have children, specters can¡¯t have children period, and shades are actually dead so it¡¯s a given they can¡¯t. At least according to Lavina, some weird research she did, it¡¯s because of specters¡¯ shapeshifting properties? Something about their reproductive organs lacking certain things and just being for show or something. I forgot.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s kind of sad¡­ Did any specter ever have children through adoption or anything like that?¡±

    ¡°Not as far as I remember. They could adopt a spirit, yea, but for whatever reason most specters don¡¯t really have that same desire to be a parent like humans and some spirits do. Maybe because of having to take care of our followers already. Personally, I don¡¯t want children either. I couldn¡¯t handle that kind of responsibility, I can barely handle myself sometimes, and as Lavina would say, You act like a child anyways.¡±

    The accurate impression gets a slight laugh out of Izumi before a follow-up question comes to mind. ¡°I remember you said once that not all spirits follow a specter, so the ones with families and stuff, where do they go if they¡¯re not with a specter?¡±

    ¡°Anywhere really. There¡¯s towns for spirits, which humans can¡¯t see in some cases, excluding you of course. They either live in towns they built or in abandoned cities. Pretty much like normal cities actually, but there are some pretty bad ones out there. By that I mean they¡¯re chaotic, the best comparison would be like a high crime rate city, but that¡¯s an understatement for certain spirit abodes. It¡¯s really eat or be eaten there.¡±

    A tap of a champagne glass gathers their attention and the crowd''s to the front of the hall where Madeline and Thia stood. The two thanked the guests for their attendance, stating that by coming they''ve shown their dedication to easing tensions and withholding peace. Although these were the words that were spoken, Thia''s leer said otherwise. Her indigo gaze was fixated on Wraith, only occasionally looking elsewhere. Yet, the message was clear. She knew something. Something more than the fact that he murdered her predecessor, as everyone was aware of that. Why else would she be so focused on him? The list of problems for Wraith continued to stack. Barron, Vahan, and now Thia. And it was his responsibility to shield Izumi from them, no matter the cost.

    The end of their speech marked the end of the ball and the dispersal of the attendees. While some stayed awhile longer, including Lavina, Izumi and the others went their separate ways, with Neio and Dahlia leaving the couple to their devices in Wraith''s bedroom. Wraith removed his vest and blazer then undid his dress shirt and tie, relaxing on the bed with a sigh before he even finished changing.

    ¡°How much did you drink?¡± Even Izumi didn''t get undressed, as he only took off the veiled tiara and his heels.

    ¡°I¡¯m not drunk if that''s what you''re asking, I have a high tolerance.¡±

    ¡°Lucky! I''m terrible with alcohol.¡±

    Wraith gestured for Izumi to come closer, cuddling him from behind. His head on Izumi''s shoulder, Wraith intertwined his hands with Izumi''s.

    ¡°Did you have fun at least?¡±

    ¡°I learned a lot, so yes! I''m not really a party person but it was super cool to see all the specters gather like that, even though I only met a few of them.¡±

    ¡°And nearly the worst of them too. Madeline is fine, Thia I''m not sure, but the rest ugh. You wanna see something else that''s cool though? Here.¡± Wraith guides his hand to the scarlet gem. ¡°Ask it to change into something, like a knife.¡±

    ¡°Alright¡­? Umm...turn into a knife¡­?¡±

    The stone and chain brightly glows, the light shifting and transforming into a crimson blade with an extravagantly detailed silver hilt.

    ¡°Woahhhh!!!!¡± Eyes wide, Izumi rotates the knife and ogles.

    ¡°Cool right?¡±

    ¡°How does it do that???!!¡±

    ¡°I told you, my bloodstone is special. Usually they can''t do stuff like this, but obviously I have to be better than everyone else so.¡±

    ¡°Can it do anything else?¡± Izumi exclaimed with a bright beam.

    ¡°Sure can, almost anything you want. Most things that are bigger than me it can''t do though.¡±

    Ok¡­.then...turn into a bracelet!

    Per his whim, the blade glows once more and transforms into a bracelet.

    A dog..?

    The bracelet glows and turns into a red Pomeranian, which looked like a dog carved from stone, yet it was alive and wagged its tail.

    ¡°No way!!!¡± He ran his hand across the pup. It lacked fur and resembled a live statue. ¡°Do a flip!¡±

    The Pomeranian leaps and flips. Instantly Izumi looked back, amazement written across his face.

    ¡°How did you-?!¡±

    ¡°Magic is cool right?¡± Wraith enjoys Izumi''s enthusiasm more than the sorcery itself, being used to magic. The longer the act lasts, the more Wraith can absorb Izumi''s joy¡­.and his dress.

    ¡°Mannn you guys are so lucky to just always have this.¡±

    ¡°Well, now you do too. It''s yours to keep.¡±

    All the possibilities of what he can do with the stone run through his mind. It was mainly for protection purposes, but entertainment was still a welcomed outcome. Izumi wanted to try one last thing before he reverted it to its original shape.

    He said no bigger than him right? Then¡­.turn into Wraith.

    With another glow, the once Pomeranian transforms into a spitting image of Wraith, only made out of a red gemstone instead. It was nearly face to face with Izumi, as it hovered over him, hands on the bed. Although it was implied it would work, he was still surprised and he jolted back, burrowing himself deeper into Wraith''s arms and getting a laugh out of Wraith. Now, he was sandwiched by Wraiths.

    ¡°Crap-! That scared me, I didn''t expect it to be so close!¡±

    ¡°Pfft-¡±

    Izumi elbows Wraith''s side and cries, ¡°Shut up!¡±

    ¡°Ok ok! Heh.¡±

    The statue of Wraith was almost creepy, mainly from how expressionless it was. Unconsciously, Izumi placed his hand on the statue''s cheek and it unexpectedly smiled and caressed him in turn.

    ¡°Hey! I''m right here you know.¡± Wraith jested, but it still made Izumi startled.

    ¡°S-sorry I just wanted to touch it I wasn''t really thinking.¡±

    ¡°Just touch it, hmm? You wanna check if it has something else?¡±

    ¡°N-no!¡±

    In an effort to face the real Wraith in embarrassment, Izumi bumps into the statue then panics, falling back into Wraith and accidentally pushing him onto the bed, laying on top of him.

    The statue brushed against him and along with a heated shiver, his disquieted heart forcing a shout, ¡°T-turn back!¡±

    Following his directive, it returns to its original necklace form.

    ¡°What, you don''t like two of me?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re already more than enough and can handle!¡± Izumi exhaled his stress and relaxed, forgetting that he was straddling Wraith.

    ¡°Are you going to get off so I can continue to change or¡­?¡±

    ¡°Oh-¡± The positioning fully marinated in his mind and he rushed to get off, fixing his dress in the process.

    A little disappointed, Wraith sat up and watched Izumi¡¯s back, his shoulders red. ¡°It can call the others as well if you need to talk to them for whatever reason.¡±

    ¡°Just-shut up and change!¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Sighing almost affectionately, Wraith finally let him be.

 Chapter 31: Donâ€™t Kill The Messenger

    Kanae, Izumi''s mother, who right about had a heart attack with her son''s prolonged absence, heavily reprimanded him upon his return the following morning and their canine Lala synchronized barked in anger. But, his mother wasn''t truly upset. She was more worried and then relieved. Kanae knew her son well, so she understood what the aloof smile across his face meant. Still, she decided not to bother him about his clear crush and left him on his way. Per Wraith''s suggestion, Izumi began to steadily type up the article on Hodaira, and due to the unbelievable supernatural cause, he focused the article more on a growing mystery to promote theories. Through this, Izumi made sure to take plenty of breaks between work and writing by spending time with Eiji for the first time in what seemed to be forever, usually going out to eat. On the initial instance of the reunion, Izumi caught Eiji up to speed with his adventures, from Hodaira, to the ball, and more importantly, to Wraith.

    Eiji nearly spit out his drink, choking instead. ¡°Hck- you what?!!!!?¡±

    ¡°I said I like him.¡± Izumi tried to say with a straight face.

    ¡°No you don''t. Look at me.¡±

    The best friends stared at each other intently, Eiji peering into his soul until finally, he broke.

    ¡°Ugh fine! I love him, ok?! I love him like a jittery high school girl and I wanna marry him and have his kids! Is that better for you?!!¡± His face a vibrant red, Izumi tries to hide in his seat through slouching.

    ¡°Yes, it is.¡± Eiji says with contentment. ¡°You thought you could get away with just I kinda like him. I''ve known you since what, grade school? Yea sure, you slept with him a few times, basically did everything he said and things he didn''t even say to do. Wearing a dress and dancing? Yea sure you just like him. Just a bit,¡± he continues to mock.

    ¡°Ok I get it!¡±

    ¡°No you don''t! Next time just say you love him!¡±

    ¡°I didn''t because you hate him!¡±

    ¡°Hate is a strong word, more like, I would fist fight him to regain my pride from last time if he wouldn''t just flatten me like a pancake again. At the end of the day though, you know him better so it¡¯s your choice. Clearly he treats you better than he¡¯d ever treat me..-¡±

    From the corner of his eye, Eiji spots a strange looking dog in the distance, which is clearly staring right at them. Its fur is primarily black with some strange dark red streaks, and its eyes are bright and...mismatched?

    ¡°Eiji?¡± Izumi waves his hand in front of him. ¡°What? Are you seeing things?¡± The dog leaves once Izumi tries to see what''s there.

    ¡°I guess so.¡±

    This, however, wouldn''t be a one time occurrence. Nearly consecutively, when Eiji and Izumi were together, Eiji spotted the same dog, while Izumi never noticed. He had a feeling about the true identity of the dog, but decided to keep its emergence a secret, though Eiji¡¯s conjecture would soon be answered. After about two weeks of the dog¡¯s lingering presence, one night Eiji is walking home from Izumi¡¯s house when he sees the dog again. Strangely enough, it doesn¡¯t run away. No matter how long Eiji stared, it wouldn¡¯t leave. A little angrily, he approached the dog.

    ¡°Why the hell are you stalking us? You jealous or something?¡±

    The canine doesn¡¯t answer, but its annoyed visage was enough of a response. It turned and started to walk away.

    ¡°Hey!! I¡¯m talking to you! You better not run off again!¡±

    It looks back, then continues forward.

    ¡°What, you want me to follow you or something?¡±

    It keeps going, rudely giving Eiji his response. Several times did he try to ask where they were going, but it merely kept treading, growling on occasion to silence him. Eventually, they stopped at a bridge, where the dog curls by the edge, Eiji about two meters over.

    ¡°So? What do you want? And why are you a dog?¡±

    Finally, it speaks, ¡°It makes it easier to talk.¡±

    ¡°Ok¡­?¡±

    ¡°....¡±

    ¡°....¡±

    ¡°.....¡±

    ¡°.......¡±

    ¡°.....Is Izumi doing alright? How is his article coming along?¡±

    ¡°Why are you asking me? Can¡¯t you ask him yourself?¡±

    Wraith snarls, but surprisingly doesn¡¯t bite back. ¡°I...can¡¯t bring myself to face him right now.¡±

    The sincere honesty shocks Eiji to the point of unconsciously looking around for cameras. It starts to situate into his mind that Wraith isn¡¯t here to insult him, mock him, or start a fight. He wants help. Doing a complete 180, Eiji adopts a more serious attitude, understanding the weight of Wraith approaching him of all people.

    ¡°Did you guys get into a fight¡­.?¡± Eiji knew the answer to this question but he asked anyway to seem more natural.

    ¡°No. I haven¡¯t seen him in awhile. I...need some time to figure things out. Which is why I¡¯m here.¡±

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    ¡°....¡±

    ¡°.....¡±

    ¡°.......¡±

    ¡°...So, how is he doing?¡±

    ¡°Good. He¡¯s probably going to publish the article on Hodaira soon, since he¡¯s nearly done with it. You know, he talks about you a lot.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Wraith¡¯s furred ears rear up in excitement. ¡°I mean-¡± He tucks his head back on top of his paws and tries his best to snuff out the emotion, though his curiosity ultimately takes over. ¡°...About what?¡±

    ¡°Stuff like he enjoys hanging out with you and learning things.¡± To himself, Eiji notes, aaand that he thinks about you often and wishes you¡¯d stop by but yea sure!

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Yea.¡±

    ¡°.......¡±

    ¡°........¡±

    ¡°How does...Izumi feel about me..?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°If I have to repeat I¡¯ll carve your head off with my teeth and throw it in the river.¡±

    ¡°Ok!¡± Well fuck!

    An untimely demise wasn¡¯t really a preferred option, but answering the question truthfully wasn¡¯t either. The relationship between Wraith and Izumi was for them to figure out, and thus, for Eiji to keep his hands clear. Confessing for Izumi would only bring about resentment from Izumi¡¯s end, and getting into another argument with Izumi was far from desired.

    ¡°I think¡­.it¡¯d be better for you to ask him that yourself.¡±

    ¡°Hmph.¡±

    Although Wraith knows he¡¯s right, it still irritates him, while Eiji was arguably more irritated that Wraith gave an attitude.

    ¡°Tell Izumi that I¡¯ll come by soon for him to repay me for Hodaira.¡±

    ¡°What? You¡¯re just gonna-¡±

    Before Eiji can finish, the dog leaps into the shadow of the night, vanishing completely.

    ¡°-leave¡­..ugh. Bastard. Of all people that the nice guy has to fall for it has to be the dick head.¡±

    The next day, Eiji didn¡¯t hesitate to relay their encounter. Now Izumi was the one who nearly choked on his drink.

    ¡°Ck--You saw him?!!!! What- when- what did he say??¡±

    Obviously, he couldn¡¯t tell him about the primary reason Wraith approached him, so he lied on the spot, at least partially, ¡°Well, he came by the other day and wanted to tell you something but saw you were asleep, so he told me instead.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s...unlike him?¡± Even with this sentiment, Izumi doesn¡¯t think too much of it, his joy to hear from Wraith clouding his judgment. ¡°What did he say though?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure exactly what it meant but, he said he would come by sometime soon to collect his debt for Hodaira?¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°We never talked about how I¡¯d pay him back for that...¡±

    ¡°Like money..?¡±

    ¡°Uh, yea¡­.¡± Izumi lies, but Eiji decides not to pry, seeing that they have a strange personal agreement between them. Still, Izumi was anxious. The last time he paid a debt was for Fuhiro, and that was already a steep price, which acted as a catalyst that led to their first sexual encounter. If that was anything like the price he had to pay now, then he wasn¡¯t sure if he was excited or terrified.

    <hr>

    Most specters kept to themselves, usually only being allies with one or two others. Between the thirteen of them, the longest friendship was between Lavina and Wraith, while the longest rivalry was between Vahan and Wraith. Vahan loathed Wraith for more or less the same reasons as everyone else, but Wraith¡¯s arrogance irked him to no end. He could hardly believe a man with so much power could be so carefree and reckless with his actions, ignoring any possible consequences and brushing them off as though they were specks of dust in a light breeze. To an extent he could see Ianthe¡¯s sentiment: that Wraith could easily gain a monopoly over them all if he really wanted to. The fact that he didn¡¯t was likely what made it so hard for Vahan to understand him and his motives¨C if he had any. Why have so much power and do nothing with it? No, not nothing exactly. He causes problems constantly just by merely being present in an area. Then, there was the boy that Wraith brought to the ball which only served to muddle his thoughts all the more.

    By comparison, Vahan¡¯s palace resembled an old English castle and was composed of few colors. Similarly to Ianthe, he took a liking to medieval architecture, even extending to mannerisms and lifestyle as he was a firm believer in a daily tea. Today was no different, but instead of having tea with his wife, he sat with the enemy of his enemy: Barron. He didn¡¯t prefer talking to Barron either, but of all the specter¡¯s he could possibly utilize Barron¡¯s hate to his advantage. Though this, he had to gauge.

    ¡°That boy is human.¡± The specter of hate swirled his spoon, dissolving the cube of sugar in his tea.

    ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± Barron enjoyed coffee more, but he drank the tea to appease his possible ally as truthfully, Barron would get more out of their companionship than Vahan would.

    ¡°I had a shade observe. He spoke and interacted with humans. Only specters can, and it''s more unlikely that after millennia we somehow have a fourteenth specter than for him to be human.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s possible for a human to see us? I¡¯ve never heard of such a thing.¡±

    Vahan had hoped that Barron was as knowledgeable as he appeared, but he began to see that his assumption was incorrect. All the time he spent in Lavina¡¯s library was probably for show then. ¡°Lavina likely knows, but asking her is akin to asking Wraith himself. She will answer, yes, however she will run to him immediately after.¡± He held in a groan. The conversation was already pointless and wouldn¡¯t tell him anything he didn¡¯t already guess, but he humored Barron anyway. At least this way, he could see what Barron wanted to do about the situation, though he already had inferred the obvious.

    ¡°Then the bloodstone? There¡¯s still the issue of why would Wraith give it to a human.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s clear why. Wraith isn''t daft, as much as you would care to believe. Regardless if he gave the boy a bloodstone or not, his mere presence at the ball would garner attention. Anyone could see that Wraith was favoring him. That makes Mitsue a target in and of itself. The bloodstone is a warning: a territorial claim in a sense. It''s almost definite that Wraith infused his magic with the stone, knowing full well spirits and specters alike will try to attack him, and thus, it''ll defend with or without Wraith''s presence.¡±

    ¡°Then that already makes it nearly impossible to learn more about him, and Mitsue is the best way to learn how to put an end to Wraith.¡±

    Vahan slammed his cup against the table, nearly shattering it. Although, he didn¡¯t raise his voice. On the contrary, his voice was its usual neutral yet chilling tone. ¡°I never said I would kill Wraith. I have fought that man tens of hundreds of times. I severed his head. I tore his limbs. I destroyed his heart. Yet he still walks this earth. Never once did he attempt to kill me. Merely toying with me in each battle. Like a dog catching a bug and setting it free, only to catch it once more. He''s aware of his immortality, and I have given up on the fantasy of watching the light fade from his eyes and I would suggest you do the same.¡±

    Barron refrains from his vexation getting the best of him. They were on uneven ground and he had once believed their motivations to be aligned. Now, he isn¡¯t even sure what Vahan wants or why he called him in the first place. Most of the other specters were too afraid to try and kill Wraith, even with the supposed new vulnerability. If Barron wanted Wraith dead, it seemed as though he had to find his own means on his own terms.

 Chapter 32: Leaving A Work Stain

    One day, Izumi would be able to quit his cat maid server job, but today wasn''t the day. At the least, he put in his notice already. The article on Hodaira did better than he could ever have hoped, landing him a stable job at a distribution''s freelance department. At long last, he could leave his two caf¨¦ jobs. Still, this day was in the future, not the present. Currently, he was tending to customers with his usual shame, the revealing skirt embarrassing him more than usual. And just when he couldn''t believe it could get any more humiliating, the last person Izumi wanted to see while he was dressed like this appeared. Bursting through the doors came Wraith who looked like he fell down a flight of stairs and then was told his whole family was in the hospital.

    ¡°Wraith?!¡± Rushing over, Izumi tried to speak in a loud whisper to avoid the already garnered attention. ¡°What are you doing here? I told you not to come by when I''m at work!¡± He completely ignored Izumi''s protests and snatched his hand, leading him away to the bathroom. Izumi tried to free himself of Wraith''s grasp, but their difference in strength was too great.

    ¡°Hey-wait-! It¡¯s still my shift-¡± The words fell on deaf ears as they entered the closest stall, Wraith slamming the lock behind them.

    ¡°What¡¯s up with y--mmnf-...¡±

    A forceful press of Wraith¡¯s lips against his own muffles the rest of his sentence. Still, Izumi tried to fight back, shoving Wraith¡¯s chest away ineffectively. To prevent any further objections, Wraith pinned Izumi¡¯s hands above his head and slid his heated tongue between Izumi¡¯s lips, writhing in his mouth. Just like that, Izumi felt his defiance fade with the entry of the metallic taste, forgetting that he¡¯s supposed to be working.

    ¡°Nmfhn...¡±

    ¡°Mnh..¡±

    It was the first kiss they¡¯ve exchanged in two weeks, and their longing for each other showed. Through the aggressive passing of their saturated endearments, Wraith snuck his free hand up Izumi¡¯s skirt, coddling a cheek and ramming a thigh against his crotch. With the parting of their lips and subsequent heavy panting, Izumi saw the blaze of impassioned arousal in the shine of Wraith¡¯s eyes. His fingers tread under the maid¡¯s thin-strapped underwear, leisurely slithering to his entrance and only delicately outlining it.

    ¡°Hah-...You still owe me for Hodaira, you know..¡±

    ¡°Is this-mnh-f--what this is...about?¡± The fondling of both his rear and groin scramble his words.

    ¡°I would give you a breakdown, but you¡¯re pretty busy right now.¡±

    ¡°Nmhh--..!¡± They finally penetrate, flowing inside and out.

    ¡°You once told me that my dress shirt turns you on.¡± A soft purr tickles Izumi¡¯s face and sends a titillated shiver across his frame. ¡°For me, I love seeing you in this.¡± Freeing Izumi¡¯s hands, Wraith escalates a caress against his thighs. ¡°Thigh-high stockings, a mini skirt, cat ears, and a tail.¡± A quick yet lustful peck from Wraith invigorates Izumi, restoring the energy once lost in his embrace. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll get you one of those butt plug tails instead.¡±

    The clutter of silverware and chatter of customers snaps Izumi out of his enchantment, remembering that he¡¯s still at work.

    ¡°Wraith we-ssshhou-hhah-....¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t? I can feel how hard you are, let alone how loose you are without any lube.¡± Closing in, Wraith whispered in his ear, ¡°Did you masturbate?¡±

    ¡°N-no!¡± Izumi instantly objected, clasping onto Wraith¡¯s shoulders.

    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me. We haven¡¯t had sex in awhile, you¡¯d be at least a little tighter. Or maybe...you saw someone else?¡±

    ¡°Of course not-mnh~-¡±

    A sudden wet sensation filled him along with Wraith¡¯s fingers. At what point or even how that came to be, Izumi wasn''t sure but it was far from the time to ask.

    ¡°I know you didn¡¯t, so tell me you masturbated.¡±

    ¡°I-...ahh...¡± Wraith lifts Izumi¡¯s legs, guiding them around his torso, now carrying him and allowing for easier insertion. The pleasure obscuring his more sane thoughts, he caves with little effort. ¡°..I di-d¡­¡±

    ¡°To who?¡± His belt buckle echoed in the secluded stall. A proud and firm erection emerged, massaging Izumi¡¯s own.

    ¡°...You...¡± Out poured a shame-filled mumble.

    ¡°Keep going. Tell me where you touched yourself. What did you picture, when did you do it?¡± Nibbling Izumi¡¯s inflamed ear, he felt completely powerless under Wraith¡¯s will.

    ¡°A-few da-ahh-ys ago--....From both sides-...¡±

    ¡°Like this?¡± Wraith kissed Izumi¡¯s neck, stroking their shafts together and disarranging his insides, only able to mumble a response.

    ¡°Mnhmm-~-¡±

    ¡°Go on...¡±

    ¡°M-mnh-mmissionary- ahh~- I i-imagined us i-in-mn--my room-¡±

    ¡°Why missionary?¡±

    ¡°B-because I like s-seeing your ffaah~-f-face-...¡±

    ¡°Then look at me.¡±

    Cupping his cheek, Wraith faced Izumi¡¯s already melted expression towards him, giving him another kiss as his length finally entered him.

    ¡°Mnhf~! Fwahh- wait--...!¡±

    In the past, Wraith would start with being gentle before picking up the pace; however this time he didn''t have the same patience. The violent thrusts inside rattled the bathroom stall¡¯s loose door, creating more noise than already existed and only adding to the squelching and passioned breaths. One would imagine that he¡¯d be less rough given the public setting, but it was clear that it only aroused him more. Izumi covered his mouth and etched his nails into Wraith¡¯s shoulder, trying to suppress his moans. Even if he was already going to quit, he didn¡¯t want to be known as the employee that got fired for bathroom sex.

    ¡°Wrai-th- mnhh-! Slow-er..¡±

    ¡°Let them...h-ear.¡±

    ¡°Ahh~-! Not- so ha-hhard--¡±

    If it weren¡¯t for Wraith¡¯s keen ears, the approaching voices and shutter of the bathroom¡¯s main door could almost be lost. With this, he stopped and Izumi held his heart in his throat. It was a collection of steps, and from the sounds of it, about three people.

    ¡°Where¡¯d you wanna go after this?¡± Asked the first.

    ¡°Ehhh I¡¯m not sure honestly,¡± responded a second, ¡°I¡¯ve got a lot of work to do so maybe I¡¯ll just go home.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s only the afternoon! Plus, you didn¡¯t even get to ask that maid you like for her number!¡± The third finally spoke. A faucet turned on, while one sounded like they entered a stall. Masked by the running water, Wraith continued to impel Izumi, albeit much slower. In his eyes, sitting still with his sick inside was more unbearable than light movements, so waiting for them to leave wasn''t an option. Though Izumi didn''t quite agree.

    He yelled in a whisper, trying to get off of Wraith, ¡°What are you doing?!! Mnh-¡±

    ¡°If you keep talking they¡¯ll hear us, or would you rather go out there with an erection?¡± Wraith quietly barked back.

    He pressed his lips together, realizing the alternative is much worse; thus, he resumed his subtle thrusts.

    ¡°Don¡¯t even talk to me about her. You know I found out she was a guy?¡±

    ¡°Really?!¡±

    ¡°Yes! I asked one of the other employees to see if they would think she¡¯d be into me and then they were all oh, she¡¯s a guy. How! She¨C he¨C looks so-¡±

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    ¡°Feminine?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°Mnhh-¡± Izumi sank his teeth into the back of his hand. It felt more agonizing for Wraith to go so slow, and at this point, he almost didn¡¯t care if other people were with them. He just wanted Wraith. And he wanted Izumi more than he was aware of.

    ¡°Then we can go to a bar or something, cheer you up.¡±

    ¡°I think a bar would just make me more depressed, especially this early in the day¡­¡±

    ¡°Come onnnnn-¡±

    ¡°...fuck¡­¡± Wraith exhaled, some part of him just wanting to use magic to scare them off so he could drive himself into Izumi with full force.

    ¡°Oi, be quiet dude! Someone else is in here, let them take their shit in peace.¡±

    Izumi glared at Wraith and he mouthed a half assed apology.

    ¡°Hurry up so we can go!¡± One of the men knocks on his friend¡¯s stall.

    ¡°Oh I¡¯m sorry, let me pinch it for you!¡±

    Frustratedly, the man flushed the toilet and threw open the door. ¡°I just had my heart broken, let ME take MY shit in peace!¡±

    ¡°What if that guy in there has it worse? Come on! Suck it up, let¡¯s go!¡± Before he could even finish washing his hands, they drag him out of the bathroom, leaving Izumi and Wraith alone again.

    ¡°This is exactly why I didn¡¯t want to do it in the bathroom!!¡± Instantly, Izumi retaliated.

    ¡°Says your throbbing dick.¡± Wraith sneers as he squeezes the tip, translucent drops streaming out.

    ¡°Fh- sto-p-...¡±

    ¡°Mhm? Are you sure it didn¡¯t turn you on instead?¡±

    ¡°Plea-se just finish- ahh~!¡±

    Wraith squeezed harder, almost trying to extract the fluid. ¡°Just say you like it.¡±

    ¡°Fucking fine! I like it-!! Just fuck me I¡¯m begging you-hhaa~-!¡±

    The plea was a lot more than Wraith expected, and he wasn¡¯t opposed in the slightest. Gripping his hips, Wraith drove himself deep inside, slamming him against the bathroom stall repeatedly. It clattered with each thrust and threatened to unhinge, struggling to provide support for the couple.

    ¡°Mnmn~-~fhn~¡± Tightly, Izumi closed his mouth and held it shut the best he could, gasps occasionally slipping out. He cursed himself silently for always being so incapable of restraining his voice. ¡°fhhah~-! nnfh~~¡±

    ¡°Shit...hahh...Izumi¡­¡±

    His toes curled in his heels, legs wrapping Wraith closer and inviting him further. Rarely did Wraith kiss his partner during sex, but his heart ached and yearned for the warmth of Izumi¡¯s lips. Pulling his hand away, Wraith replaced its presence with his own.

    ¡°Mmnfh~!¡±

    ¡°Mnh¡­¡±

    A flutter brewed in Izumi¡¯s chest, the unforeseen kiss elating him. At times, he was scared of the misinformation that intercourse could give. One could feign an interest, only aiming for the other''s body and not their heart. But a kiss was harder to feign, and especially during the act. Izumi didn¡¯t think this of Wraith. Still, he was relieved. Through their union he felt Wraith¡¯s mass adoration and affection, clearing any slight doubts that he might¡¯ve had.

    ¡°Fhah~- I¡¯-m-¡±

    Luckily for Izumi, his ejaculation only reached Wraith¡¯s torso and not his work uniform, while Wraith¡¯s devotion only stained the inside of his skirt.

    Even after their climax, Wraith kissed Izumi, trying to make out once more. He debated pushing Wraith away, as he was finding difficulty breathing considering he just came, but Izumi bit the bullet. It was strange for Wraith to act this way, he began to realize, yet he wanted to see how it would progress. And now Izumi¡¯s fortune would take its down turn if it hadn''t already. Parting their lips, Wraith exited the stall, dragging Izumi with him and using magic to lock the bathroom¡¯s main entrance. They stood in front of the mirror, Wraith turning Izumi to face it while he embraced him from behind, planting more pecks on his neck. Unable to stand the embarrassment of the sight¨C himself in a maid outfit ¨CIzumi shifted his eyes away, looking anywhere but the mirror until Wraith moved his face back.

    ¡°Look.¡±

    ¡°N-no, it¡¯s embarrassing¡­¡±

    ¡°Is it? I think you look adorable.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s even worse¡­¡±

    ¡°Really? I could make it worse.¡± With one arm, Wraith held Izumi in place as he lifted his skirt, bearing his temporarily limp dick in the mirror.

    ¡°He-y!¡± His ears already burning, Izumi rushed to pull down the skirt, but Wraith maintained his grip.

    ¡°If you keep trying I¡¯ll use my belt to tie your hands. I doubt you¡¯d want me to have that much freedom, would you?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s-..¡±

    Defeated, he stopped, letting Wraith pursue his fantasies. He delicately stroked his shaft, and every time that Izumi looked away, Wraith merely turned his face back. From behind, Izumi felt Wraith¡¯s rise and arousal as he watched Izumi¡¯s slight twitches in the mirror.

    ¡°W-wait what if-¡±

    ¡°Someone walks in? I locked the door. You really think I¡¯d let someone see you like this? This is a sight for me only.¡±

    Suddenly, Wraith lifted Izumi off the floor, carrying him and spreading his legs before the mirror. Instincts nearly overcame rational thought as Izumi almost tried to writhe his way out of Wraith¡¯s hands, ceasing when he remembered Wraith¡¯s warning, and knowing that he could potentially slip out of his hands and fall onto the ground, which would be far more humiliating. In the mirror reflected Izumi¡¯s bare privates, the stand of his shaft allowing for his seed-drenched rear to be seen unobstructed. The shameful sight was overwhelming. Several emotions swept through his mind and failed to formulate a proper verbal reaction to the exposure, merely staring in utter shock. Only when Wraith¡¯s length threatened to enter did Izumi articulate a response.

    ¡°Wai-t you can¡¯t-¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°Like this?!!! My- I don¡¯t wanna watch-!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the point. You don¡¯t see what I see. Your face, your body, your ass begging me to fuck you harder. I want you to know what you look like, and maybe you¡¯ll think about your decision to dress like this on a near daily basis in public.¡±

    ¡°Stil-¡± No further did Wraith listen to his concerns, sliding inside with ease. ¡°l-hhaa~-mnh!¡± Reflexes kicked in and Izumi covered his mouth once more. His eyes watched the reflection, watching as Wraith drove into him over and over again. The leftovers from their preceding instance staining Wraith¡¯s cock and nearly the floor below. It petrified him to know that this is what Wraith always saw. Mainly, Izumi¡¯s scarlet expression that bore his underlying emotions. He was aroused without a doubt. The melt in his eyes said it all. And eyes never lie.

    ¡°Fhh- nhha- ahh~-¡±

    It began to pour orally, almost caving into his desires. Slowly, Izumi started to disregard his fears, losing interest in whether he became labeled as a bathroom whore. Putting sound and pleasure to a visual output stirred him, already pulsing in stimulation.

    ¡°Izumi¡­¡± Wraith sang softly in his ear. ¡°...Do you like it? Seeing yourself?¡±

    ¡°Mnmnhh~-~...y-ye-a-ah~-hhah~!¡±

    ¡°Tell me what you see.¡±

    Fully bewitched, Izumi doesn¡¯t hesitate to answer, ¡°Y-you mnh- in-nnhm~-me-¡±

    ¡°What...are you wearing?¡± He exhaled against him.

    ¡°Mn-mh-maid-....c-c-a--aht m-nmaid-fhaa~!!¡±

    His moans fueled Wraith¡¯s intoxication and forceful pounds that deteriorated his dignity and quivered his frame. The tiles beneath became steadily drenched as a mixture of fluids dripped onto it.

    ¡°You feel...amazing...hahh...shit..¡±

    ¡°Wr-aith-ahh~~-!¡±

    In the reflection of the mirror Izumi witnessed his orgasm that was painted on his expression and now the floor, along with the sloven white mess that Wraith left below. Even if he wanted to, he couldn''t forget the image of Wraith''s perspective, and post-sex clarity mocked him for enjoying it. A small spark inside wanted Wraith more, almost putting his fatigue aside and fear from being at work. Though Wraith had a different idea in mind, surprisingly sparing Izumi for the day. Albeit not too well, Wraith removed the mess he made both on the floor and on Izumi with napkins, yet Izumi still felt grimy. Swallowing the inevitable, he slid his underwear back on and waited for Wraith to finish wiping the tiles, who washed his hands and came over after cleaning. His forlorn eyes resembled a stray canine that was left to starve in the rain, causing Izumi to cup his face in his hands.

    ¡°Why do you look like that?¡±

    ¡°Like what?¡±

    ¡°Like you feel guilty or something.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that, I¡­¡±A myriad of thoughts cut his sentence. I don''t know who I am anymore, or you, or us. I don''t know what I want from you or what to label the feeling I get when I see you, your smile, or when I hear your voice. The jealousy and frustration I feel when I think about you being with someone else. It''s all so confusing¡­

    The thoughts couldn''t be articulated, sticking to his throat. After swallowing hard, he spoke again. ¡°Nothing¡­ I, um, need to go.¡±

    ¡°Wait-¡±

    Wraith slipped out of his grasp, making his way to the exit.

    ¡°You¡¯re just gonna lea-¡± Mid sentence, Wraith turns back and kisses Izumi again. It was almost impossible for him to fight back when Wraith did things like this, acting as his Achilles Heel.

    ¡°Please...change jobs or something. I can''t stand the thought of other people seeing you dressed like this.¡±

    Turning tail, Wraith left through the bathroom''s main entrance, leaving Izumi stunned as he traced his lips, flustered.

    ¡°...since when did you care¡­?¡±

    After tidying his uniform and regaining his courage to face his likely upset coworkers, Izumi left the bathroom, preparing himself for a reprimand, yet the opposite occurred.

    ¡°Izumi? What are you doing here? You don''t have work today.¡± One of his coworkers questioned

    ¡°Huh? Yea I do, I was working since morning, my shift ends in a few hours.¡±

    ¡°No you weren''t..? Well, anyways, you can just go home.¡±

    Izumi''s brows curl in confusion, certain that he was there and that he clocked in. In the employee room, he checked the schedule, which conveyed his coworkers sentiment. Nowhere did it say he was to work today.

    Insanity seemed to strike until he remembered, ¡°...! Wraith, he left normally. Maybe he changed their perception on the way out to cover for me. Still¡­¡± It¡¯s unlike him to do something like that. I wonder... did he do all that from jealousy alone¡­? But why¡­

    From start to finish, Wraith acted strange, showing more aggression and affection than usual. Is he¡­?

 Chapter 33: Per Your Request

    Neio, Dahlia, and Faelan watched Wraith since the ball''s conclusion. Since then, he''s nearly isolated himself, staying in his room and only leaving on rare occasions. Steadily, their concern and worry grew until they felt an oppressive air leak from his bedroom, pushing them to gather themselves and confront him. The three entered the dark room and were immediately met with a dense humidity, making it difficult to breathe. Although the almost fully opaque canopy hid him, from the atmosphere alone they knew that Wraith was in his true form. This was further confirmed by his change in voice and manner of speaking, which was far from normal or human.

    ¡°...Boss¡­?¡± Neio initiated. ¡°You doing alright in here¡­? Everyone''s been wondering about you, and by everyone I mean mainly us.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Fine.¡±

    ¡°You don''t seem fine.¡± Faelan added.

    Dahlia stepped forward post Wraith''s silence, ¡°Please tell us what''s on your mind. It''s difficult to watch you like this.¡±

    ¡°.....I¡­..Worry, For That Boy. By Associating With Me, He Puts His Life At Risk, Yet He Turns A Blind Eye, Or Chooses To. I Am Surrounded By Snakes And Vultures That Will Wait Centuries Upon Centuries For The Rat To Peak Its Head From Its Hole, And He Is Akin To Leaving Out A Tail For Them To Grab.¡±

    ¡°But Izumi is fine with that, and he''s got us and you to help him. No one''s laid a finger on him yet, and I doubt they ever will.¡± Neio reassuringly affirms.

    ¡°That, I Do Not Understand. Why? Why Is He Willing To Put His Life At Risk? For Knowledge? Enjoyment?¡±

    ¡°If you''re so unsure, and it''s irking you that much, then you could ask him.¡± Dahlia suggests.

    The temperature in the bedroom decreased, allowing for easier breathing, and through the drapes emerged Wraith in his human form, or at least mostly, save a dog¡¯s tail and ears. His hair and clothing were disheveled, reflecting his lack of self care the past few days. Wraith gestured for them to sit down, and he sat across from them but upside-down, his head hanging off the edge of the couch.

    With the disappearance of his true form, his normal voice and speech returned, ¡°You know, someone told me that once before.¡±

    ¡°Then why don''t you?¡± Faelan asked.

    ¡°I don''t know..it seems...weird. Oh hey, Izumi, by the way, how do you feel about me?¡± Wraith simulates. ¡°It¡¯s just...why would I care? Or more he''d say why do you care? Except he wouldn''t because it''s Izumi. But I don''t even know why I care.¡±

    ¡°Then, ask yourself the same question: How do you feel about Izumi?¡± Between the three of them, Dahlia always seemed to have the wisest decisions.

    ¡°How do I feel about him...?¡±

    ¡°Yea, break it down maybe. Pretend we''re not here if it helps.¡± Neio adds.

    ¡°I¡¯m a grown man I can talk to people.¡± Is what he says, but then again, he''s sitting upside-down to make it easier to speak. ¡°I...I get this weird feeling I guess, when I see him. Super happy..? And it kills me to see him sad or upset. His smile and laugh makes me feel like people hate me less and he does this adorable thing when he gets embarrassed or shy, his ears burn up and he fumbles over his words. When he''s nervous he likes to hold things, like his shirt or pants, and everytime he says my name I feel this weird ripple in my chest and I just want to spend time with him, even if we aren''t doing anything. Just his company is enough for me.¡±

    He pauses.

    The spirits exchange glances with Wraith and amongst each other.

    ¡°Oh. Shit. I like him.¡± Pouring his thoughts aloud helped him put emotions to a label. Wraith rubs his hands on his face and groans, ¡°UGHHH fuck I like him...¡± He flips himself, sitting properly on the couch and grabs a glass of alcohol that''s always on the table, throwing a shot back while fighting the imaginary voices in his head. ¡°Fine! I''ll ask him out. I don''t care if people think less of me for it, people already think I''m a shit stain. I just-...calling him my boyfriend would be nice...and if he doesn''t feel the same then maybe I''ll try to get him to like me or something I don''t know I just wanna be with him.¡±

    For them, it was a bit frustrating to watch Wraith turmoil with his obvious feelings for the longest time, knowing since even before Hodaira that he started to like Izumi, but the end result was worth it. It was better that Wraith came to terms himself rather than being told how he felt.

    ¡°So...how are you gonna tell him?¡± Leaning forward, Neio poured a drink for himself as well after refilling Wraith''s glass.

    ¡°I¡¯ll figure it out. Ugh¡­¡± He downs another shot, heaving a sigh. ¡°The clown falls for the queen. Lavina would laugh but I''m sure she knows, and knew for the longest time.¡±

    So did everyone else, the spirits think, but don''t vocalize. Still, at least he finally resolved his convictions. Next though, was the difficult part.

    At home, Izumi celebrated his new job with Eiji, his mother, and Lala, along with the conclusion of his part time jobs. Yet, something felt off. As happy as he was to be with them and to be free of the maid uniform, something was lacking. This reflected in his foggy gaze that struggled to match the concern.

    Noticing this, his mother approached him with worry, ¡°Are you alright Izumi?¡±

    ¡°Y-yea¡­¡± He outlined the rim of his glass, avoiding eye contact with his mother.

    ¡°That wasn''t a very convincing yea. Look at me.¡±

    Nothing got past her, and she saw it all through his eyes.

    ¡°Do you miss him?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°That guy, he helped you with your articles. The revenant.¡± Kanae remembered his name, but only wanted to egg her son on.

    ¡°Wraith?¡±

    ¡°Him, yea.¡±

    ¡°....I guess I do¡­. It''s just, he¡¯s been acting weird lately so I left him alone but...¡±

    ¡°Well, I think it''s only right that you have a party with him and his friends too. They helped you get your job after all.¡±

    ¡°Yea... you''re right. I should...But what if he doesn''t wanna see me?¡±

    ¡°I don''t know what''s between you two but I doubt that''s why since you''re always thinking the worst. Just ask if you can come over and celebrate, I doubt he''ll say no, and even if he did, what''s the worst that can happen? You get a little disappointed and just brush it off.¡±

    Izumi continuously nodded, his mother''s advice invigorating him. ¡°Ok, ok! I''ll ask him.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°So, why did you come to us first instead of Wraith?¡± Lavina walked down the hall to Wraith''s bedroom with Neio and the others.

    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°I wanted to surprise him.¡±

    Everyone knew that was a partial lie, and Neio was the first to call it out, ¡°Just say you didn''t wanna ask him because you were scared.¡±

    ¡°Ok fine yes I was scared he''d say no because I thought he would say something like you shouldn''t be drinking or whatever because I told him once I''m a light drinker.¡±

    ¡°Then the last people you should drink with is this lot, specifically Neio.¡± Lavina huffed a cloud of smoke.

    ¡°You know I''m the reigning drinking champion here! Minus Wraith he beats me all the time but he doesn''t count.¡±

    ¡°More like reigning alcoholic.¡± Faelan jokes, a faint and nearly missed scoff slipping from Dahlia and even Izumi.

    ¡°Oh yea? I''m not the one who got painted on the wall by a sleeping specter!¡±

    ¡°You two made me do it!¡±

    ¡°Both of you be quiet. Neio, you open the door.¡± Lavina ushered, making Neio bite his rebuttal as he moved to creak open Wraith''s bedroom door.

    ¡°Boss¡­?¡±

    Wraith was in bed, trying to sleep away the pain.

    ¡°What?¡± He groaned.

    ¡°Izumi¡¯s here.¡±

    In a flash, Wraith shot out of bed and teleported over, completely ignoring Lavina''s presence and nearly scaring Izumi in the process.

    ¡°Hi! What are you doing here? You don''t have work?¡± His bed hair along with his dog ears and wagging tail were too adorable for Izumi to handle and he tried his hardest to focus his eyes elsewhere. Though he knew Wraith could shapeshift, it was still surprising to see.

    ¡°No, I start on the first day of next week. I got a new job.¡±

    ¡°Really?!¡±

    ¡°Mhm! I finally got a job in my field! So I quit doing part time. Mainly thanks to you honestly, the pieces I did on Fuhiro and Hodaira really helped.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s great- wait, you''re still gonna come by, right?¡±

    ¡°Well yea, of course. Even without the whole medium thing not being solved yet, I still wouldn''t just leave without a trace. You gave me this, remember?¡± Izumi held up the bloodstone chained around his neck. ¡°That¡¯s like if you gave me a diamond and I moved out of the country.¡±

    Neio, tired of watching their amorous exchange, ushers everyone into the bedroom. ¡°Come on!!! Enough talking, time for drinking!!¡±

    The spirits sit in their usual spot, while Wraith and Lavina sit across from them but on opposite ends, with Izumi wedged between Neio and Dahlia. Wraith''s ears went back to normal¨C his tail also disappearing. Neio poured drinks for all of them, boisterously laughing and grinning from ear to ear as he gulped drink after drink. By comparison, everyone else had a much slower pace, including Wraith. Faelan and Dahlia didn''t seem to drink at all really, since the process they had to go through to do so was too aggravating, with Faelan¡¯s skeletal head and Dahlia''s lack of a body.

    ¡°WOO!!! Here, let me tell you a story. So you see this scar up here?¡± Neio gestured to the large gash on his shoulder.

    ¡°Yea, you said that Wraith gave it to you, right?¡± Izumi remembered a past conversation that felt like ages ago, back when Wraith and himself first shared a bed.

    ¡°Yep! So, what happened was some centuries ago, there was some hubub in the dining room. There usually is because there''s always a party in there but it was more than usual, you know? So Dahlia and I go in and we''re like alright if they''re fighting we''re gonna have to break it up because Wraith is gonna have a follower count of zero if he catches them and the last thing we wanted was to be the only spirits in this huge ass mansion again. There''s like this huge circle, and everyone is surrounding this pair in the center.¡± Neio takes a quick pause to swig another drink, Izumi sitting on the edge of his seat waiting for him to continue, the others listening as well.

    ¡°Gah-! So! We part the crowd and we''re like alright alright what''s going on and they''re arm wrestling right. Dahlia looks at me and is like, you think the boss will be ok with this? And I''m like I don''t know they''re not tearing up the furniture or anything so it should be fine. Then after the match the spirit who''s running the whole thing is like oi Neio and Dahlia, you guys should run some rounds you¡¯d smoke these guys and Dahlia is all shaking their head like hell no I''m not trying to get in trouble because you see Boss wasn''t home at the time and Dahlia wasn¡¯t trying to get caught condoning anything in case he did get pissed. I was kinda feeling the same way but then everyone started being like yea come on who''s the stronger general! You''re a big brute with four arms Neio, Dahlia only has two! So eventually we caved and were like alright alright. First round, Dahlia wins, second I do, and it just keeps flipping between us. Then we say ok, we''ll run some rounds with the others, so we start arm wrestling the other spirits. Obviously we win each time, and then the whole room goes SILENT. Like imagine when a teacher comes in or something, exactly like that. The crowd parts like the sea and we just see Wraith coming down the aisle, robe in the wind and all. Dahlia and I look at each other and kiss our jobs good-bye, and then Wraith says what are you guys doing? We say arm wrestling and Dahlia tries to cover for us but Wraith is like nah it''s fine I don''t really care, but who won the most between the two of you? We say it''s even and he tells us to do some quick rock paper scissors, and we''re like ok¡­? I pull rock, Dahlia pulls paper, so he says ok Neio play me. My dumbass thought he meant rock paper scissors for a second and he swatted my hand away and said no arm wrestle me. So Dahlia scoots over and lets him sit and my heart is RACING just straight about to burst out of my chest because I knew I was in for some shameful beating but it was even worse than I expected! Soon as the referee signaled to start, he tore my arm off!! Broke the table and everything! The whole crowd was just dead quiet and you could hear some gasps and murmurs here and there and then he finally said ah crap my bad and just glued it back on with magic like it was nothing. My bad he said! Boss is a beast man!!¡±

    Lavina side eyes Wraith and Dahlia to confirm the story, and Wraith looks away while Dahlia nods.

    ¡°And then what? Did he arm wrestle Dahlia?¡±

    ¡°He did! You see, Dahlia tried to get out of it, because as soon as he finished with me he looked at them and said you wanna go? And Dahlia said no I''m alright and he said ok well you''re gonna and they just lost their will to fight back, hard to say no to the boss.¡±

    ¡°And he tore my arm off too.¡± Dahlia finished the story, trying to save themselves the embarrassment of Neio relaying the information.

    ¡°Seriously?!!¡± Izumi eyed Dahlia''s arms and shoulders, looking for any hint of damage.

    ¡°I don''t have any flesh for him to scar, so it was just a matter of putting it back on, but yes, he did. It still hurt though.¡± Their slight shame could be heard in their voice.

    ¡°What happened after?¡±

    ¡°He just went about his day like nothing happened! Got a drink and left the dining hall. Everyone dispersed because they were all shit the generals got rocked so fast and we just felt our pride shatter.¡± Neio concluded the story with another drink, refilling his and Izumi''s glasses.

    Izumi sipped some of the alcohol and coughed from the burn before turning to Wraith, who was fairly quiet the whole time. ¡°Why did you do it?¡±

    ¡°What? Tear off their arm? I didn''t do it on purpose, I just didn''t know how much strength to put into it.¡±

    ¡°Oh bullshit you were putting your dick on the table.¡± Lavina barked at Wraith.

    ¡°No I wasn''t! You always do this shit I''m not always trying to boast my ego for fucks sake.¡±

    ¡°You don''t know yourself well enough then because you sure are.¡±

    ¡°It was centuries years ago! I spent over a thousand years like a gigantic walking corpse I wasn''t used to fighting or anything in a human form.¡±

    ¡°Mhm?¡± Lavina taps the embers out of her pipe sarcastically.

    ¡°Ugh, whatever.¡± Wraith sinks into the couch.

    ¡°Here, Izumi. I want you to try something.¡± Neio materializes an extravagant bottle of alcohol that he''s never seen before.

    Immediately, Wraith intervened, ¡°Nonono, don''t give him that.¡±

    ¡°Why, what is it?¡± Izumi asked.

    ¡°Aw come on boss, it''s a party and he''s never tried it! It¡¯s this booze that we spirits made, some strong stuff. You want some?¡±

    ¡°No he doesn''t.¡±

    ¡°Please Wraith?¡±

    Fuck, ¡°Fine. But if you get drunk off your ass don''t blame me.¡±

    Lavina scoffs at Wraith''s inability to decline Izumi and he clicks his tongue at her.

    ¡°I won''t!¡±

    And indeed, he did get drunk. It didn''t take more than a shot or two of the fancy alcohol before he was intoxicated to the point of his cheeks turning a bright scarlet pink. Neio and Izumi exchanged drunken interactions with slurred words and light slaps across the face, while Wraith stared in worry.

    ¡°YoiuuUuuU are rEaaally NiCe!¡± Izumi fumbled a gesture to Lavina.

    ¡°At least someone thinks so.¡±

    ¡°Can it.¡± Wraith snarled.

    ¡°NeeeiiiiO! When did chuew get ssso many armssSss? Hick-!¡±

    ¡°Hwhat do you mean? I ALWAYS ditd!¡±

    ¡°NoooOooooooo, Wraaiittthh, did heee?¡±

    Wraith sighed, ¡°Yes, he did.¡±

    ¡°Nooo!!!! Youu-hick-! Told nmme not to liEe, so whY cannchu?¡±

    Izumi crawled across the table, nearly falling onto the floor if Wraith didn''t catch his ragdoll of a body. He pulled him closer to try and keep him from falling as he wriggled and writhed in his arms.

    ¡°ahHhh!?! don''t hug mee!!! my hehart can''t zhtake iT!!!!¡±

    Wraith''s leer studied Izumi''s bashful shame and close proximity, looking up back at the others. With a gesture of his head, they understood to leave them alone, with Dahlia and Faelan having to drag the intoxicated Neio out of the room. Before she left, Lavina smirked at Wraith and he rolled his eyes, knowing Wraith''s intentions.

 Chapter 34: Drunk and In Love

    The wasted Izumi quickly lost strength and merely lay in Wraith''s arms, returning his stares.

    ¡°Do zhu.. hate me?¡±

    ¡°Of course not.¡± Wraith felt his heart titter and tatter as he observed the gloss in Izumi''s eyes.

    ¡°Thenn why haf you ben actingn wei-hick-!-rd?¡±

    ¡°Because I wasn''t sure how I felt about you. I needed some time to think, because every time I''m with you, I don''t feel like myself.¡±

    ¡°wHhat dus that meen?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you when you''re sober, alright?¡±

    A caress graced Izumi''s hot cheeks. ¡°Ok¡­.¡±

    Unable to hold himself back any longer, Wraith hugged Izumi''s lips, which were warmer than usual. Quickly did Izumi sink into his grasp, pleading for the sweet sensation of his piercing. The tang of alcohol permeated from his mouth and saturated the inside of Wraith''s. Securing his stance, Izumi sat on his knees over Wraith, shoving himself into his clutches. Now, Izumi was the more forceful one, trying to reach the depths of Wraith''s throat until he pulled Izumi away.

    ¡°Are you- alright?¡±

    The slurs in his speech began to fade, a much stronger emotion taking its place. ¡°Fwhahhh¡­I¡¯mnn reaalllyy hornyy¡­¡±

    Ahhh fuck me¡­ Wraith took deep breaths, trying to quell his inclinations.

    ¡°Pleaasee...I want...you inside¡­.¡±

    A burning swell twisted Wraith''s torso and groin, still fighting his raging desires. Wraith he''s drunk don''t do it...don''t do it¡­

    In the midst of his turmoil, Izumi forced himself onto Wraith once more, securing another loose kiss. Desperately his hands shuffled to undo the buttons of his dress shirt.

    ¡°Nndmfh~-fhah..hahhh...your chest...really turns me on¡­.¡±

    Wraith was stunned into helplessness, unable to halt Izumi''s advances. They exchanged amatory sighs, the unsavory aftertaste of liquor pouring into Wraith''s mouth. Izumi redirected his hands elsewhere, fondling the protruding bulge in Wraith''s slacks. He rushed to unbuckle his belt and unveil his shaft as quickly as possible. As Izumi continued to trade saliva with Wraith, he stroked the full length of his firm erection, up to and including his tip and gems. This was the closest Wraith ever got to extricating a moan, tightly gripping Izumi''s shirt to restrain himself. But, Izumi''s mouth longed for something else. Removing himself from Wraith, he seated himself on the stone floor before him, leaning forward between Wraith''s spread legs while he cradled Izumi''s hair. Every part of him was screaming in an effort to push him to stop Izumi, as the sight of his private so close to his face was already above his tolerance limit, yet he couldn''t bring himself to do so, only watching as it disappeared into Izumi''s mouth. Wraith muted himself with his hand, too aroused by not just the image, but the act as well. Steadily bobbing his head, Izumi wrapped his lips around Wraith''s pulsing cock, sucking softly as he outlined with his tongue, giving more care to the tip.

    The tightness in Wraith''s chest pained him to the point of finally releasing his voice. ¡°Mhnn-.....hhahh¡­¡± In comparison to Izumi''s, it was much deeper and more sultry, motivating him to continue, now a bit faster.

    At times he would remove his mouth, resuming the deed with his hands that sought to extract as much pleasure as possible, while Wraith clasped his hair and haphazardly held his other paw in front of his mouth, resisting the urge to thrust inside.

    ¡°Fuck...ahhh-~-...nmhh¡­¡±

    The need to release himself vastly approached, and if he had to witness his sperm on Izumi''s face or in his mouth, he couldn''t promise that Izumi would make it home in one piece.

    ¡°S-stop...sh-hit-hhah-...Izu-mi..--...¡±

    Wraith pulled Izumi away as his words weren''t reaching him.

    ¡°Did I¡­.not do good¡­?¡± A gloss in his gaze indicating sadness.

    Aughh how can you be this cute and hot at the same time? ¡°N-no you were doing great, but I want to try something.¡±

    Wraith brought him closer, removing Izumi''s lower half of clothing and guiding him onto the couch. Laying down, Izumi now hovered over Wraith, his naked rear hanging over his face, while he was still presented with Wraith''s moistened shaft. Although drunk, the intent was clear enough for him to understand, so he reunited his mouth with Wraith''s private, while Wraith synched his with Izumi''s hole, using his hands to spread his cheeks.

    ¡°Mnhf-..?!¡± Izumi tried to focus on the task before him, but the sensation of wet french kisses from behind was new to him. He struggled to devour his course with Wraith¡¯s ravaging of his lower area serving as a major interference.

    ¡°Fhnhhmhfn~!!¡± Izumi''s lips smacked as they detached from Wraith''s length, his need to orally release himself overcoming his desire to finish the act. ¡°Fhhaa~-hhah~~!¡± Wraith''s ushered Izumi to sit up by tugging on his jacket, resulting in him situating himself on Wraith''s face. He held his shirt and jacket by his chest to prevent it from impediment. It was the first time a tongue has ever thrashed inside of him, let alone so insatiably.

    ¡°Mnhah~! Wraithh- pleasse.. I want...yyour dick..mnhh¡­~¡±

    By his whim, like a slave to Izumi¡¯s wishes, Wraith perches up and they both discard the rest of their clothing. Izumi bends over onto the sofa, invitingly lifting his ass and arching his back. Without any further hesitation, Wraith fills his walls, a vice-like grip on his hips.

    ¡°Hfhaa~~!!¡± His fervent voice was much louder compared to usual, squirreling and twitching at every touch. Using Izumi¡¯s hips as leverage, he continuously lunged within, titillating his depths.

    ¡°Ss-sslap mn-hnfme¡­.ahh~!!¡±

    Albeit ever so slightly reluctantly, Wraith spank his rear, a loving twitch clutched Wraith.

    ¡°Mnhaa~~!¡±

    ¡°Nhhf-fuck don¡¯t...do that...hahh¡­..¡±

    Although he says this, Wraith strikes him again, getting a kick out of his verbal and physical controtions.

    ¡°Ahh~ahh~~! Wra-ai-th~!!¡±

    Izumi¡¯s skin began to scorch and sting, coloring a light red with each slap, but he enjoyed it regardless. Any doubt that Wraith had regarding his convictions were gone at this point. He had forgotten how phenomenal sex was when he actually had feelings for the person. Ever since Lavina, Wraith¡¯s heart remained locked, and the key was buried within the abyss of his past. But Izumi changed him. Without knowing anything about who he used to be, or rather, uncaring of his past self, Izumi broke through his barriers and shattered the lock, bringing him into a tender embrace. Like a dog on a leash, he was Izumi¡¯s. And he would give him anything he wanted, even if it was out of his control, he would find a way.

    ¡°Qu-it...mnh-hhah-~-...squeezing me¡­¡± Wraith combed his hair with his fingers and sighed in pleasure, taking in Izumi¡¯s meshed moans and melted eyes.

    ¡°Nmhha~~!!~¡±

    There was no warning preceding Izumi¡¯s milky outburst, juxtaposing the color of the scarlet sofa, while Wraith was unable to finish on his end. Still, he removed himself to allow Izumi a second to recover. In his gaze was a quiver that craved for more, even through his slight fatigue. Wraith¡¯s affections turned into an obsession, getting the best of him. Sweeping Izumi off the couch, he carried him over to the bed and laid him down by the edge while Wraith stood wrapped by his legs. Almost immediately he reinserted himself, a yelp jolting out of Izumi.

    ¡°Wai~hha~~!! I-ahh~-!¡±

    It didn¡¯t take long for the blood to rush back to him, fueled by the brewing and burning liquor within him. Nails scratched Wraith¡¯s back as he set aside his partner¡¯s sensitivity, who was almost pushed over his boundaries nearly instantly had he not clutched onto Wraith. Even through the mattress¡¯s size it struggled to stay silent, creaking in chime with the vigorous swings.

    Wraith elevated Izumi¡¯s flushed face that dissolved in his embrace, emitting a soft whisper, ¡°Look...at me..¡±

    Too stirred, or too drunk, or likely both, the request didn¡¯t reach Izumi¡¯s ears, as his gaze remained concealed. So, Wraith pressed his lips to Izumi¡¯s to gain his attention, which did the trick. Every person, be it human or ghost, had a soul, an essence that acted as their core. Many overlook the importance of souls, yet Wraith knew how to read them well. In his relaxed eyes reflected Izumi¡¯s long held affinity for the specter, a fervid thread that pulled them close and weaved into a knot, securing their bond forever. Several times did he try to extinguish this thread, knowing what it entailed, but it always persevered. As though mocking his attempts, it only drew him in more, and seeing the human before him which gladly welcomed his mixture of debauchery and affections was a foreign fondness to him. This cultivation of emotions, ranging from confusion and fear to attraction, caused a sentiment to slip from the confines of his mind and into the humid air.

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    ¡°Do you...like..me..?¡±

    The question was a genuine one, not one meant to stimulate the passion any further. Rather, it was a revelation of Wraith¡¯s heart and the constraining disarray he was at a loss to handle. Not even under normal circumstances would he wish to ask this, but he only realized the mistake after the words had already left him. He didn¡¯t want to take advantage of Izumi¡¯s incredibly intoxicated state, so he tried to retract the statement, to no avail.

    ¡°I-¡±

    ¡°M-mnhm¡­¡±

    Wraith was willing to brush the response off as a moan and drown his conflict with his self-hatred, yet even through the alcohol, or because of it, Izumi made himself clearer.

    ¡°I...l-love..hahh....y-ou...ahh-a~h-l-lot¡­¡±

    His pace slowed to a halt. There was a constriction in his throat that prevented him from speaking or reacting properly. It didn¡¯t matter though. All that would come out would be a myriad of curses, cusses, doubts, and refusals. Perhaps it was a good thing. It allowed him a moment to breathe, as hard as it was, and absorb the statement. The liquor that Neio provided to Izumi was familiar to Wraith, and Izumi, being a light drinker, would likely have little to no recollection of the entire affair. Wraith was well aware of this and still, he thought carefully about his response. One that had to resonate well with him and one that he would not regret in the future. Through Wraith¡¯s mental gymnastics, Izumi repeated himself, throwing him further into the abyss.

    ¡°I..love you, Wraith.¡±

    The benign suggestion of Izumi possibly meaning someone else was completely tossed away; and now, he repeated the confession to himself, running through every response and all possible scenarios, gauging his own emotions, resulting in one conclusion. Something he couldn¡¯t understand and would only continue to run in circles unless he asked.

    ¡°Why..?¡±

    It didn¡¯t ever occur to Wraith that someone could find who he is now a romantically likable person. Yes, at a time Lavina once loved him, but she loved his innocence. At the time, Wraith didn¡¯t know about the world, and Lavina loved not just to learn but to teach as well. With time he grew into a different person altogether and they fell apart. For the duration of his extensive lifespan, the only one to feel such a way towards him was her. Despite being by all means a sight for sore eyes, the majority of individuals that knew of him were accosted by him, now including Lavina who abhors his mannerisms. He didn¡¯t think about changing himself, he already did so once. Even after a thousand years he wasn¡¯t comfortable in his human skin and he truthfully felt more lax in his original form, but in terms of character, he preferred who he was now, and although he cared little for others opinions of himself, he wasn¡¯t deaf to the constant condemnations. Through their eyes he believed that anyone would be incapable of accepting him, and yet...the phrase and its sentiment felt real.

    With a now glossy gaze, Izumi¡¯s voice quivered on the edge of sobs. ¡°I...hick-...can¡¯t just¡­love you..?¡± A slight sorrowful sniff matched the question. Wraith¡¯s concerns required too much thought for the wasted pup, who started to rub the shine out of his eyes. This became apparent to Wraith only after the fact, and he stumbled to prevent his cries before they were released.

    ¡°Ah-¡± crap, ¡°Nono you can, you can.¡±

    Looking a little relieved, he unveiled his face. ¡°..really..?¡±

    ¡°Yes, really.¡±

    ¡°ahhhh...I¡¯m glad¡­.¡±

    The arms which encircled Wraith constricted him further, lowering him into another kiss, though one Wraith didn¡¯t expect.

    Guilt overwhelmed him, having accidentally forced a confession out of Izumi, and he wanted to make up for his lack of care. Again he carried his princess with ease with their lips still intertwined, locating themselves further onto the bed where his robe lay and setting Izumi¡¯s back across the pillows. Parting from him, Wraith removed the sleeves to his mantle which rearranged and transmuted into two long, thin pieces of fabric.

    Noticing Izumi¡¯s curiously frightened leer, Wraith reassured him. ¡°It¡¯s alright, if you don¡¯t like it at any point, just tell me to stop, ok? I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡±

    Izumi affirmed his faith in Wraith with a nod, albeit a hesitant one. The intricate lacing which Wraith proceeded to perform went over his understanding, but he held his trust firm. With one string of cloth, Wraith tied an elaborate pattern which spun around and fixed Izumi¡¯s limbs, securing them into place, leaving his arms bound behind him and his legs sprawled open. Surprisingly, he was quiet and conforming, only protesting when Wraith used the remaining piece to blindfold him.

    ¡°W-wa-it-! H-how am I s-sup-posed to s-see?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Wh-mnhf-~...¡±

    With only darkness before him, Izumi couldn¡¯t prepare himself for the sudden kiss, and despite his slight fears, he felt a tinge of arousal from the unknown which only continued to grow as Wraith¡¯s motions remained hidden until performed. When Wraith removed himself, Izumi grew weary and tense, straining to hear any hint of his presence and flinching the moment a moist warmth grazed his neck. He was able to discern at the least that it was Wraith¡¯s lips which trailed down and covered the length of his torso, leaving several hickeys in their wake. They raided his thighs, down to his knees, then calves, then ankles before parting again, rekindling his anticipation and fanning his thrill. Several hard, sharp objects took their place and pricked his skin, though not enough to cause bleeding. Teeth. The bites treaded a similar path to Wraith¡¯s kisses, albeit not as numerous in number, until they too were absent. A shuffle and rustle of the sheets indicated Wraith¡¯s movement to what sounded like his right, especially from the lingering presence he felt along with the dip in the covers. Then, he ceased movement altogether. All Izumi heard was Wraith¡¯s light breathing, which he had to strain his ears to make out. As such, he knew Wraith was still with him, but he couldn¡¯t tell what he was doing, if anything at all. The gap in time felt excruciatingly long, to the point that Izumi¡¯s worry began to spark again.

    ¡°...Wrai-ah-!¡±

    Something divided his lower walls and pushed deep inside. It felt abnormal, as it lacked the same heat and weight that Wraith had, and it was smooth, almost conical in shape. Wraith was still next to him, at least he believed he was from what he could discern, and it was too large to be his fingers and too varying in size and different in texture to be Wraith¡¯s shaft, which he knew the feeling of quite well at this point. Liquor clouded his mind too much to properly match sensation to a known entity, not that the lack of would help him any further. It was too foreign to him. There was a possibility of it being a sex toy, one he wasn¡¯t familiar with, but the suggestion was destroyed the instant he felt the another smooth texture encircle his confused erection, stroking him and teasingly toying with his tip. With nothing to hold onto, he merely clasped his hands into a fist, digging his nails into his palms, his breaths turning into pants.

    ¡°Mn-nmm....hhhaa~~...¡±

    A soft voice against his ear and a hand which pulled him close confirmed the presence of his partner. Though, the hand felt strange to him. It didn¡¯t have the same sensation that his grasp usually does, mainly the ends of his fingers, which felt jagged. ¡°You¡¯re burning up, Izumi.¡±

    The strange animated object writhed about within his already loose hole and violated him, while the other squeezed his shaft, seemingly at Wraith¡¯s command.

    ¡°Fhha~-...f-fheels-...nhh~...good¡­¡±

    ¡°What do you think it is?¡±

    ¡°Hhhi¡­.don¡¯-t-...mnhh~ow¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you want help?¡±

    ¡°M-mnhmm¡­¡±

    ¡°Here, open your mouth.¡±

    Not putting two and two together, Izumi blindly listened and a third object entered his mouth, identical to the other two in size and texture.

    ¡°Mnhf..-!¡±

    Tasting the object didn¡¯t help in the slightest, as it lacked a taste as well. Even with all his senses, minus sight, he couldn¡¯t make out what it was, giving him a greater appreciation for his vision. It slid back and forth in his mouth, saturated itself in his saliva, allowing him to fully absorb its shape, size, and surface. Still, Izumi couldn¡¯t label the animated object.

    ¡°Mmmnh~-nhm¡­~¡±

    Although the pleasure it provided didn¡¯t amount to Wraith himself, it was still better than anything a toy could provide.

    At once, they all released their hold on him and retracted, leaving Izumi gasping for air. ¡°Mn-fhha...hahh..¡±

    The bedsheets rustled again, the presence beside him relocating to the gap between his legs as a familiar sensation pressed against his rear. Bewilderment was still washed over him, however, as everything about it was familiar to him, though the length and girth felt larger than normal. Before he voiced his confusion, a grip on his hips swiftly pushed him into the rod.

    ¡°Hhaa--!¡±

    ¡°Shit-...why did you twitch like that..?¡±

    ¡°Tha-at¡¯s...you¡­?..!¡±

    ¡°Yea..?¡±

    ¡°Y-you¡­.feel we-ird¡­¡±

    ¡°Weird in what way?¡± The curiosity here was feigned, as Wraith obviously knew the cause, but wanted to hear Izumi¡¯s conjectures.

    ¡°..b-..big-...?¡±

    This extended beyond his private, as Wraith¡¯s palms and legs seemed to cover more area.

    ¡°Why do you think so?¡±

    ¡°I-I-...don¡¯t...know¡­¡±

    Using a similar method to before, Wraith lets Izumi use as many senses as he had available, taking the place of the previous entity fully: at his rear, length, and mouth, slithering his tongue inside to help. It was difficult for Izumi to properly study Wraith¡¯s change in size, since Wraith gave no room for him to think, consecutively thrusting into him while fondling his rise and playing with his chest.

    ¡°Mnhf~hh~~! Nnh-mhh~...!¡±

    The previous assertion still stood, his hands didn¡¯t have the same texture as human skin, but it wasn¡¯t coarse either, and the tips were still pointed. In terms of his mouth, Wraith¡¯s fangs were sharper and threatened to puncture Izumi at every twist of their sodden dance. With him leaning forward, a soft tickle grazed his torso, which could only be associated with hair. But...Wraith¡¯s hair was short, only reaching to the nape of his neck. So it couldn¡¯t be hair...could it? Before he could come to a conclusion, Wraith focused his efforts onto his hips that clapped repeatedly against Izumi, nearly removing himself completely save for his strangely larger rod.

    ¡°..hfha-hahh~! Ahh~!!¡±

    His limit rapidly creeping, Izumi no longer cared about what was hidden by the blindfold, succumbing to Wraith fully. And seeing this, Wraith no longer asked, though a little voice within him craved to relieve a burden, knowing that this memory would be lost to his intoxication.

    Leaning in, Wraith cradled Izumi¡¯s face in his palm. ¡°...hhah...Izumi..I...like you¡­¡±

 Chapter 35: Who You Made Me

    Being hungover wasn¡¯t entirely foreign to Izumi, but it wasn¡¯t something he was accustomed to either. Far from it, in fact. He rarely drank to the point of losing complete sobriety, if he drank to begin with, as he knew his limits. For whatever reason, the previous day he neglected his limitations and went incredibly overboard, to which he was now paying the price. Izumi awoke with a throbbing headache and aches all over. There were no windows in Wraith¡¯s room, so he had no way of knowing what time it was. Groaning a ghastly groan and fumbling for his phone, he tried to get at least some form of his life back together. Alas, he realized he was naked, which was much later than when he should¡¯ve noticed. Looking to his left he saw the perpetrator sleeping soundly. Izumi lifted the blanket and glanced below, revealing Wraith¡¯s equally naked body, which was faced toward his own. Trying to erase the sight, he covered Wraith up to his shoulders. And then, a question arose in his mind. How bad was the damage? He peered over Wraith¡¯s shoulder to study his back. Scratches.

    ¡°.....¡±

    Somehow with the sight of the scratches, he felt the grime seep into his body, particularly his soiled rear, which still seeped yesterday''s leftovers. Growing more tense, Izumi took a better look at his own body, squirming in the bed. Bite marks and hickeys scattered across his body, from torso to ankles.

    ¡°............¡±

    It was the first time that Wraith didn¡¯t wash him, and also the first time he left such obvious territorial markings everywhere. What really worried Izumi though was his lack of recollection. He had no way of knowing what led to the event and he prayed he didn¡¯t do something his sober self would regret. As far as he could tell, their clothes weren¡¯t on the bed, save Wraith¡¯s robe which lay beside himself, and after drifting to the edge he saw they weren¡¯t on the floor either. Like a newborn calf his legs momentarily wobbled upon trying to stand, rubbing his hands on his aching lower back as he stumbled to the bath. There Izumi learned that Wraith didn¡¯t have a mirror, not just in his bedroom, but in the bathroom as well. Any form of reflective glass would¡¯ve been helpful for him to get a full grasp of whatever happened the previous night, yet the closest thing was the wine glasses in his bedroom which wouldn¡¯t do the trick. Swallowing his shame, Izumi disregarded the idea and cleaned himself the best he could, although the hickeys and bite marks would remain at least for some time. Afterwards he searched for his clothing in the bedroom and decided against wearing them minus his pants and undergarments, siding with the alternative of wearing one of Wraith¡¯s clean shirts as his own was stained. Izumi shuffled for his phone and checked the time: an hour after noon. On the coffee table in the living area was a breakfast that was clearly intended for him, since it was a plain set of white rice with an egg draped over, and although cold, Izumi ate it with few other options. Even after all of this, Wraith still wasn¡¯t awake. The meal now gone, Izumi sat by the edge of the bed instead, staring at his peaceful resting expression in near annoyance.

    How are you still asleep?! I have an excuse, I¡¯m beyond hungover and in pain but you barely even drank!

    His impatience was rooted at his inability to recall a single event from the previous night, going blank after he consumed what Neio offered him now in regret. There was sustainable doubt in his mind that Wraith would be reluctant to answer, but it couldn¡¯t hurt to try. Crawling onto the scarlet sheets, Izumi shook Wraith and called his name in an effort to wake him up.

    ¡°Wraith?¡±

    Nothing.

    ¡°Wraith, it¡¯s nearly two.¡±

    Still, the specter was motionless.

    ¡°You¡¯re not messing with me right and you¡¯re secretly awake?¡±

    Izumi heaved a sigh, already giving up on waking him.

    As he stared at his undisturbed expression, he steadily felt drawn towards him. A bit hesitantly, he reached over and twirled Wraith¡¯s ombre hair, trailing lower to the red ends.

    Is his hair naturally like this? I wouldn¡¯t put it over him to dye the ends red with how much he likes the color-

    ¡°Mnnm...what...are you doing..?¡± Wraith groaned, still half asleep.

    ¡°N-nothing-!¡± Izumi jerked his hand back, but Wraith swiftly grasped it, sitting up while rubbing his eyes. Bed head would be an understatement for the disorderly mess that covered his scalp. Izumi tried to conceal his amusement unsuccessfully.

    ¡°Kk-hahaha!! Your hair- what-!? How can it even do that, that¡¯s hilarious!!¡±

    ¡°Shut up.¡± Letting go of Izumi¡¯s wrist, he tries to massage his facial muscles to wake himself up.

    ¡°Come here, let me fix it. Do you have a brush or something?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    Of course you don¡¯t, he scoffs to himself.

    Sighing, Izumi patted down Wraith¡¯s locks, which surprisingly didn¡¯t comically shoot up and merely followed the path, while Wraith sat with his legs crossed in a pout.

    ¡°There! I¡¯d show you but you don¡¯t have a mirror in your room so...¡± In an indirect way, he framed a question.

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    ¡°I don¡¯t like looking at myself.¡±

    ¡°Why? You don¡¯t look bad or anythi-ow-! What!!¡±

    Wraith pinched Izumi¡¯s nose. ¡°Don¡¯t go loosely flirting with me like that.¡±

    Izumi¡¯s scowl turned into an irritated fluster on the edge of punching him. ¡°I¡¯m not!!!¡±

    ¡°Yea?¡± He smirked, fangs slightly peeking. ¡°Why are you wearing my shirt then?¡±

    ¡°Mine¡¯s dirty!¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s fault is that?¡±

    Throwing his hands in the air, Izumi rolled his eyes in frustration, turning away. Wraith apologetically hugged him from behind, holding his palms.

    ¡°I hate you.¡±

    ¡°Mmm sure.¡± Nuzzling against his ear, Izumi started to hate himself for loving Wraith, let alone to the point of quickly disregarding his mockery, or maybe he just got used to it.

    ¡°What did we do last night?¡± Finally remembering his long held inquiry, he asked.

    ¡°What do you think we did?¡±

    ¡°Wraith you do this all the time just tell me.¡± Izumi was too defeated to properly fight back, already at the point of begging.

    ¡°Well, what do you remember?¡±

    ¡°Nothing, that¡¯s why I¡¯m asking. Like I remember drinking whatever Neio gave me and then after that it¡¯s a blur.¡±

    ¡°You want a hint?¡±

    ¡°No! I just wanna know.¡±

    ¡°Hmm...nah.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean nah?!¡±

    ¡°You can get an idea, or what? You think some ghostly entity molested you while you were sleeping? Under my watch?¡±

    ¡°UGHH just tell me!¡±

    ¡°Ask for a hint.¡±

    ¡°Fine! Give me a hint!¡±

    ¡°Apparently, you get horny when you drink too much.¡±

    Whipping around, Izumi¡¯s eyes grew wide. ¡°I initiated?!¡±

    ¡°You were going off about something ridiculous and tripped over yourself, I thought you were gonna fall so I caught you and you started acting weird so I sent everyone out.¡±

    ¡°And then¡­?¡±

    ¡°You¡­¡± Wraith remembered everything, down to the second, yet his mind tattered in debate of how much he wanted to say and how much he wanted Izumi to recall on his own, if ever. With a ghastly groan, Wraith continued, ¡°You asked me if I hated you and I said no and¡­¡± ugh fuck me¡­ ¡°I kissed you but I really just meant it to be a peck and you wouldn¡¯t let me go then you asked me to you know.¡±

    Too stricken to even speak, Izumi only stared in internal mortification before finally voicing some form of reaction. ¡°Well, forget it happened!¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t even if I tried because that wasn¡¯t even the worst part.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?!!!¡±

    ¡°I guess you¡¯re gonna have to remember.¡± Smirk remerging on his smug face.

    ¡°How am I supposed to do that!¡±

    ¡°Think about it.¡± Wraith gently shifted Izumi aside and stood from the bed, his clothes materializing over his once naked frame. Snatching his robe, Izumi chased after Wraith who leisurely left to the living area, cigarette in hand.

    ¡°Don¡¯t just walk away tell¨C!¡±

    Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks, Izumi thudding into his back. They traded stares without words, a grey cloud leaving his pursed lips. His eyes drifted to his robe in Izumi¡¯s grasp and he knelt over, sneaking in a kiss to loosen Izumi¡¯s hold on it which unsurprisingly worked. Wraith slipped the mantle out of Izumi¡¯s hands, carrying it in his own as he continued to walk away, leaving Izumi flushed pink, who remained paraylzed for a moment.

    ¡°-h-hey-! W-raith!¡±

    The vibrant gem swayed from side to side in Izumi¡¯s attempt to catch up.

    ¡°I told you to think about it.¡± Liquor flowed into one of the many wine glasses on the table and he sank into the couch, Izumi hovering over him with a mixture of chagrin and irritation.

    ¡°But-¡±

    With a loud gush of wind, the large entrance to the bedroom flung open as the usual trio flooded in, looking distressed and out of breath.

    ¡°Boss-!¡± Neio said in almost a worried yell as he took two steps at a time, Faelan and Dahlia following.

    ¡°What?¡± Nothing usually happened, so the fact that they were on edge caused Wraith to perch up and set aside his drink.

    ¡°There¡¯s-! Um-....¡± The blue orc¡¯s eyes drifted to Izumi mid-sentence and Wraith clicked his tongue, rising from the sofa and facing Izumi.

    ¡°What, what is it?¡± Izumi innocently inquired.

    ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll tell you later, but...how do I put it¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh. No, I get it! It¡¯s alright, if you want you can but you don¡¯t have to, I¡¯ll go home.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s just-¡±

    ¡°Nono don¡¯t worry about it-oh wait, your shirt-¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, you can keep it, I have a thousand of them anyways.¡±

    ¡°Really? I mean like, I can keep it..?¡±

    ¡°Yea sure, consider it a memento.¡±

    Quite frankly, Izumi was unmeasurably overjoyed at the prospect, still, he tried to hide his creeping smile. It was disheartening to get such a bitter reminder about the separate worlds they live in, yet somehow the casual gift made up for it entirely in his mind. Without any rebuttal, Izumi left the spirits and specter to their affairs, brushing off his self-doubt.

 Chapter 36: Possessive Obsession

    The following day was monumental for Izumi: it was the first day at his new job. To him, it was a little ironic that the thorn in his side was the same person who ended his years of part-time strife. At the least he was glad that their agreement didn¡¯t end with this, but he didn¡¯t know what other excuse he could come up with to spend time with Wraith. Though, an accidental meeting would occur soon enough.

    Due to Wraith''s lack of control, Izumi had to be a bit modest with his clothing and wearing a jacket in the summer was beyond uncomfortable. A man with straight jet black hair, glasses, and disheveled clothing approached his new desk with a wide welcoming grin. ¡°Hey! You¡¯re the new guy right? Mitsue? Mitsue Izumi?¡±

    ¡°Y-yea that¡¯s me.¡± Izumi was still in the midst of familiarizing himself with the corner when he arrived, so he was a bit reluctant, only paying him an ear since he¡¯s new.

    ¡°Pleasure to meet you!¡± The medium height man forced him into a handshake. ¡°Name¡¯s Takeda Jun, but you can call me Jun if you want!¡±

    ¡°Takeda is alright.¡±

    ¡°Ssss ouchhhhhh, is it ¡®cuz you don¡¯t know me? Come on, you¡¯ll get to! After all, we¡¯re partners now!¡±

    ¡°Uhhh, partners?¡±

    ¡°Yep! Sometimes we run in pairs around here, there should be a note somewhere on your desk about it. Only the big guys are allowed to work alone. We can switch off on photography and writing, Izumi is fine?¡±

    ¡°Mitsue.¡± He shut off his overbearing friendliness, searching for the letter. Unfortunately it was what Takeda relayed: they were partners.

    ¡°Mitsue, Mitsue, got it. I can show you around if you¡¯d like?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± Izumi annoyingly smiled, Wraith really starting to leave his mark albeit accidentally.

    Takeda enthusiastically gave Izumi a tour of the company¡¯s building, as small as it was. There were a few different divisions and each didn¡¯t have many workers, most seeming to drown in paperwork, but there was a good air at the least. Generally they all seemed to be enjoying themselves, even through the stress of it all, and it gave a familial bond between them all, relieving some of the tension Izumi had felt. Even Takeda, who had got under his skin a bit to begin with, started to grow on him quickly, coming to realize that it¡¯s just his personality to be so expressive from vocal influxes to an overuse of hand gestures and exaggerated facial expressions. The thought of Wraith meeting Takeda leaked into his mind and he chuckled, knowing that Wraith would probably snap in a matter of seconds.

    Ahh...there I go thinking about him again...I wonder what happened with him and the others. I hope everything is alright¡­

    Although he had his concerns, he let Wraith be, figuring he was too busy to tend to his worries.

    For the next few days, Takeda helped him become comfortable with how the company was managed, doing minor things such as file assortment and the like, until he finally came to him with a proposition. The two were already in Takeda¡¯s car at this point, Izumi in the passenger seat while Takeda drove to the supposed article-worthy location.

    ¡°I saw your profile, you did that article on Hodaira, right?¡± Takeda was surprisingly a safe driver, keeping his eyes on the road as he spoke.

    ¡°Yea, what about it?¡±

    ¡°Well, this is another one of those haunted places or at least the rumors say, most people think they¡¯re baseless though since the town is just empty.¡±

    ¡°Like a historical landmark?¡±

    ¡°Yep! I think it could be more than that though, but it wouldn¡¯t hurt to check out, even if we¡¯re wrong. Honestly even if it was we could do a piece on that, just talk about it in a tourist sense and try and make it fancy.¡±

    Izumi pictured the words in his head, thinking of how he would feel reading it as an average day person. Tourist spot isn¡¯t necessarily a bad idea, but it would require a lot of work to paint an interesting image, Takeda was right. Still, with the recent release of Izumi¡¯s article on Hodaira, it would be an overkill. ¡°That¡¯d be kinda boring though, and I would rather not repeat topics.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re already on our way over there though! Come on~~~¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say no, I mean you¡¯re right, you already have me in the car so we might as well. We can talk about it later I guess, we¡¯ll see when we get there if it¡¯s worth it.¡±

    ¡°Yessss!!!!! You¡¯re the best Mitsue!¡±

    I wouldn¡¯t go that far but sure, Izumi sighed, gazing out the window.

    The closer they got to the town, the more weary Izumi grew, a churn tossing in his stomach. Something didn¡¯t feel right, and it wasn¡¯t Takeda¡¯s fault, that much he knew. What made him worry was the fact that Takeda was innocently naive, so the idea of going blindly into an abandoned town wasn¡¯t the brightest, he now realized. To make matters worse, the ruby around his neck slowly glowed in a pulse, which was a first, and he had know idea what it meant. Wraith never mentioned that being a possibility, only hoping it didn¡¯t mean something dire. It set his heart a bit more at ease knowing he could use the bloodstone to protect the both of them if needed, or he could at least try to call Wraith or the others, but that was a last resort. Whatever was occurring on their side, he wished to leave them to it for now. Progressively, the sky grew dark with clouds and Izumi soon struggled to see in the distance as the village creeped into view.

    ¡°I thought you said it was abandoned?¡±

    ¡°It is.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t-?¡± He stopped. If Takeda couldn¡¯t see it then¡­.

    ¡°Turn around.¡±

    ¡°What? We¡¯re almost there though!¡±

    ¡°Just trust me, turn around. Whatever is there is probably a waste of time.¡±

    ¡°Ok but we¡¯re less than five minutes off, it wouldn¡¯t even take us that long to look around.¡±

    ¡°Takeda I¡¯m just saying it would be a much better use of our time to just not go and figure something else out. We can do some random piece on one of the other cities we passed by, just not this one.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s up with you but we¡¯re way over the point of turning back, come on, just two seconds!¡±

    Sinking into the car seat, Izumi suppressed his rebuttals, knowing that it would lead to nothing with Takeda¡¯s stubbornness.

    How did people even come to this town? Did the spirits just ignore them? There¡¯s no way, Wraith tells me all the time how most spirits, especially non-affiliated ones, just eat whatever. Maybe they¡¯re in a specter¡¯s group then? I know Wraith¡¯s territory is close by, could be his, then again I have no clue the exact borders of it, let alone why they would just be out here doing nothing. Ughhh...I should call him...no, I¡¯ll wait. What if I¡¯m being dramatic and it¡¯s just some big birds or something?

    While lost in his thoughts, they arrived in the not-so abandoned city which most definitely contained spirits and not big birds. They all had their sights on the pair, watching them from the moment they drove in, to parking, to when Takeda left the car, Izumi rushing out and trying even harder to convince him at this point through the spirits¡¯ ogling.

    This has to be one of those spirit towns that Wraith told me about!!!! They¡¯re all just staring ahhhhhhHHHHH!!!!!!!

    ¡°See. Nothing! Go back in the car. As a matter of fact, I can drive.¡±

    ¡°What! We didn¡¯t even look around!¡±

    ¡°Yes we did! We saw how empty it is, very nice, now get back in the car!¡±

    ¡°But-¡±

    ¡°Takeda! Now!¡±

    ¡°No!¡±

    The spirits began to mumble and gesture to one another, Izumi unable to make out what they¡¯re saying, but their hungry looks were words enough.

    ¡°Takeda-¡±

    ¡°You are acting so weird, you know that?¡±

    Takeda pushed up his glasses and moved past, Izumi frantically following him.

    ¡°I PROMISE you that we would be so much better off going home. I will actually pay you money to go home right now.¡±

    Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    ¡°We would get paid if we get a good piece written! Why are you so against it all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°I was against it to begin with!! Listen-¡±

    Their patience growing thin in exchange for famine, several spirits began to surround the pair, their mumbles turning into shouts.

    ¡°Oi, can that kid see us?¡±

    ¡°Why does it matter?¡±

    ¡°I bet the glasses guy tastes like shit.¡±

    ¡°Is that a bloodstone?¡±

    ¡°Who cares!¡±

    ¡°I do what the fuck?! If some spirit or specter got dibs on him we could be toast!¡±

    ¡°What kind of specter would give a bloodstone to a human? Not even I would!¡±

    ¡°Hey, I wanted the pretty boy!¡±

    ¡°Then fight me for it yea?¡±

    ¡°First come first serve dickhead!!¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t he smell like that one specter?¡±

    ¡°Shove it, you¡¯re making bullshit up to scare us.¡±

    Takeda waved a hand in front of Izumi¡¯s face. ¡°What are you looking at bro? Seeing ghosts?¡±

    YES! ¡°Takeda I swear to-¡±

    A long piece of black furred fabric Izumi knew all too well panned into his vision, wedging between the two of them as it descended. No sooner had it emerged did Takeda fall unconscious, thudding to the floor, and the jewel around Izumi¡¯s neck answered his unspoken request as it glowed, creating a translucent magical barrier to protect the pair who couldn¡¯t defend themselves. Relief washed over Izumi, although he figured he would end up reprimanded later for his lack of communication, similarly to the event with Fuhiro, yet for now Wraith didn¡¯t seem to care. He didn¡¯t stop to analyze the situation, or try to verbally shoo away the spirits, not even shooting a glance or reassuring smile towards Izumi. Instead, when he had fallen from the sky, he already appeared to be overly prepared to fight, regardless of the actual situation. Whether the spirits meant no harm or not, Wraith didn¡¯t care. All that mattered to him was what he believed and what he saw. Sleeves already merged with skin to form his well-known claws, he quickly disappeared into the crowd of spirits. Discourse turned into shrieks as the specter tore through them without a sliver of hesitation. By now, Izumi had grown accustomed to the sight of blood and light fading from one¡¯s eyes, so he wasn¡¯t disgusted or repulsed; not even queasy. Strangely, he was more concerned than anything else. Concerned for Wraith, who he saw flashes of glimpses of from time to time, but it was all he needed to know something was on his mind. When he fought the spirits in Hodaira, and even before that in the forsaken office building, Izumi quickly learned Wraith¡¯s taste for the theatrical. He knew no matter what, none could stand even close to equal to him, regardless of numbers, so he prolonged their deaths, using several methods of attacks to make the act more enjoyable and worth his time. Yet now, his single desire and intention was clear: to kill. There was no thought of how. Their bodies lifeless on the floor was his only aim. This was evident enough, as all he utilized was his demonic strength that outmatched that of any known human, animal, or machine. With ease the specter mutilated every opponent, if one could even call them opponents. They were more victims. Victims to his immeasurable rage that surpassed that of the instances with Ianthe and Faelan.

    A dark shroud concealed his featureless face, save for his eyes which lacked white, now being dyed onyx, which Izumi had only seen when they first encountered Faelan. The source of this outburst of hostility was unknown to the helpless observer, who couldn¡¯t at the least throw darts in the dark. His only guess was whatever Wraith was doing before had pushed him over the edge, or perhaps he was just that vexed with Izumi¡¯s decision to delay calling him. Each spirit that attempted to retaliate, and even those who tried to flee, were felled in a matter of seconds; a beastly black claw cleaving through and rendering them a puzzle of limbs in the pool of blood below that quickly grew in size and volume, circling around the centered pair of humans. Their once vast numbers shriveled in size in what felt like mere moments, the specter only slowing when the last victim had stood. Catching its thwarted attempt to escape, the talons drowned their pleas for pity, sinking into their chest and cheek to muffle its screams with gurgles as he leisurely slashed tore open the torso, disconnecting the organs to allow them to tumble out of their own volition, finishing the deed by tearing off the feeble spirit¡¯s head as though to scorn its helplessness by prolonging the torture. Wraith tossed the body into the mass around him, only adding to the already strewn piles of dismantled spirits which once called this town home. And there, Wraith had remained motionless. His featureless visage remained low, static amongst the pile of equally inanimate corpses, only moving slightly to gaze at the ichor that dripped from his claws, juxtaposing their color. Slowly, the blackened shadow lifted from his countenance once he settled, not even bothering to delicately maneuver around the corpses, grinding them further into the pool instead as he walked to Izumi, who didn¡¯t shift his eyes from Wraith for a second. Stopping before him, Izumi could finally see the extent of the massacre. It was draped across him in every way: staining his face, arms, shirt, pants, anywhere and everywhere, only adding to the deepening red of his clothing. Though, strangely, he didn¡¯t seem as furious as before, his eyes seeming more...woeful? The barrier dispelled, stone resting against Izumi and its glow fading once more. Izumi twisted and twirled the gem in his hands, unsure how to even begin speaking to Wraith, who luckily initiated.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    ¡°M-mhm¡­¡± Izumi looked around him. Somehow, not a drop of blood entered their circle, likely due to the barrier created by the ruby.

    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± Wraith gestured with his head, his talons still leaking.

    ¡°A c-coworker, his name¡¯s Takeda.¡± Immediately, Izumi tried to explain himself, believing Wraith was still possibly displeased with him, ¡°He suggested coming over here for a story and I only realized there were spirits here when-¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not mad.¡±

    ¡°W-really?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. You had no way of knowing. You¡¯re fine, right? That¡¯s all I care about.¡± The sleeves finally retracted, his human arms remerging. Wraith removed his mantle, draping it over Izumi¡¯s shoulders as he knelt over to get a closer look at Izumi.

    Briefly, he believed the sadness in Wraith¡¯s gaze was a mistake on his part, but now, he knew, finally remembering something Wraith once told him when they had first met long ago, and something Lavina once said. Wraith was unbelievably possessive, going to great lengths to safeguard whatever belonged to him. This included people. Lavina once said that Wraith would turn over a town for her, and more for him, and the root of his sorrow and anger became apparent. He was just worried. The thought of losing Izumi frightened him beyond what he¡¯d ever admit, and steadily, Izumi¡¯s emotions changed for the worse. Suddenly, the stains of scarlet across him became a twisted symbol of affection, quivering his heart and flushing his cheeks, seeing how close Wraith got.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m fine!!¡±

    ¡°You sure?¡±

    ¡°Y-yep!!!!!¡±

    Wraith didn¡¯t know what made him so flustered, but he paid it no mind, summoning his pipe turned demon hound, which held Takeda in its teeth by his shirt. Sweeping Izumi off his feet, Wraith carried his bride, treading across the corpse piles, the hound following behind.

    ¡°A-ah-!¡± Izumi tried to squirm, his weak heart unable to sustain hugging him so close at the moment.

    ¡°Stop moving, I don¡¯t want you to touch the ground, it¡¯s dirty.¡±

    ¡°So are you!¡± He tried to find any excuse to make distance between the two.

    ¡°You¡¯re not touching me and I would suggest you don¡¯t. Why do you think I gave you my robe?¡±

    ¡°Ok well let me ride the dog or something!¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    Defeated, Izumi pouted and childishly crossed his arms, trying to smother his blaring inappropriate thoughts.

    ¡°....¡±

    ¡°....You liking work?¡± Wraith tried to make small talk to fill the deafening silence aside from the sound of crunching bones and splatters as he walked through.

    ¡°Y-yea¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡±

    ¡°....¡±

    ¡°....¡±

    ¡°....What happened when I left?¡± Izumi asked.

    ¡°When Neio came in? It¡¯s...a long story, I don¡¯t wanna worry you.¡±

    ¡°That only makes me more worried, just tell me.¡±

    Wraith glanced at Izumi, looking away instantly upon seeing his adorable rose cheeks tucked in his arms. ¡°Um-, some unaffiliated spirits started attacking recently.¡±

    ¡°The house?¡±

    ¡°No, they can¡¯t get to the house. The territory. It¡¯s not out of the norm per se, but it doesn¡¯t happen often either. Now, its been happening nearly every day and quite frankly it''s exhausting. Faelan and the others have been helping of course, which makes less work on our part, and the number isn¡¯t enough to constitute using just any of my followers, it¡¯s just tiring. My day has usually just been wake up, basically spend the whole day fighting and figuring out the cause of this random influx, and then going to bed. Then today, the bloodstone called me so I rushed over.¡±

    ¡°It...called you..?¡±

    ¡°I told you, it can sense danger. It¡¯ll call someone to try and help you if the danger is great enough, usually me.¡±

    Wraith set Izumi down beside the car, removing Takeda from his pet¡¯s mouth and situating him in the passenger seat delicately in an attempt to not transfer any blood, while Izumi only stared, his thoughts running wild with the image: his loose shirt rolled to his elbow¡¯s and the spots of red all over that surprisingly complimented the teal well.

    How do you even make blood look hot??!

    Lifting his head from the car, Wraith turned back to Izumi, who jumped in his skin. ¡°You think you can drive home?¡±

    ¡°Y-yea! I think..? I haven¡¯t driven in awhile since I always take the train, but I think I can do it.¡±

    ¡°Uh-huh?¡± Wraith became increasingly suspicious of Izumi¡¯s peculiar bashfulness, so to gauge him a bit better, he drew closer, studying his expression which fluctuated in color.

    ¡°W-what..!?¡±

    ¡°....You¡¯re acting weird.¡±

    ¡°No I¡¯m not!¡±

    ¡°Yes you are.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s up? Something on your mind?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Nothing aside from the fact that I can¡¯t believe I fantasized car sex two seconds ago but yea I¡¯m great!! ¡°Can you go?!!¡±

    ¡°Alright alright, I was just checking.¡± The towering fiendish canine nuzzled against its master, Wraith petting under its jaw. ¡°When are you free by the way? I wanna show you this place I found.¡±

    ...Like a date¡­? ¡°Um-.....this weekend? I should be.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll come by in the morning and pick you up.¡±

    He wanted to ruffle his hair, but with his gore ridden hands, he decided not to, waving a farewell instead as he vanished into thin air with his pet, leaving the corpses as they were. It was a bit concerning to Izumi that he didn¡¯t cover his tracks, then he remembered that no one could see it anyways, so it didn¡¯t really matter. Still...a date? Even though he didn¡¯t word it as such, the intention was clear, since they never casually went to locations without a predefined purpose. And truthfully, he was thrilled at the prospect, happily weighing the gleaming stone in his palm, letting his smile and fluff take over.

 Chapter 37: The Specter of Despair

    Upon Takeda¡¯s regain of consciousness, Izumi made a random excuse as to what happened, stating that he randomly passed out so he just took the pair home, and while Takeda was suspicious, he didn¡¯t seem to pay it any mind, brushing off the event altogether. The week was excruciating, with Izumi impatiently praying for its end in order to see Wraith once more. And, before he knew it, the day arrived. Springing out of bed, Izumi shuffled to get ready, trying on several different outfits to find one that best suited the event. He didn¡¯t want to be too fancy, nor too casual, yet none of his clothing really matched a good middle, ultimately, coming to his trump card. Lavina. She seemed to have an eye for fashion, so there was a chance she could help.

    He said the bloodstone could call any of them, so I guess I could try? Um¡­.Lavina..?

    A refined female voice echoed in his mind. ¡°Yes? I didn¡¯t think I would ever hear from you.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s rude to ask you this, since he¡¯s your ex but-¡±

    Instantly, Lavina appeared in person, almost seeming excited as she levitated, although scaring Izumi a bit as he jumped in his skin.

    Wow-! That was fast! ¡°Um¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes?! Do you need advice?¡±

    ¡°Yes and no? We were gonna go out today, nothing too big I think? I¡¯m not sure he wasn¡¯t very specific but at the least I wanted to wear something a bit nicer and¡­¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know what to wear?¡±

    ¡°Yea¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh-oh, I¡¯ve got just the thing!¡±

    As though preparing for this exact moment, Lavina materialized a set of clothing: a white blouse paired with a short beige skirt and casual yet nice pair of heels.

    ¡°Um¡­¡±

    ¡°No?¡±

    ¡°I mean¡­¡±

    ¡°What, you don¡¯t wanna cross-dress? You did it before I think he¡¯ll love it! Well, I mean if you¡¯re comfortable and all that, you liked the dress sooooo..¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m uncomfortable it just didn¡¯t come to mind¡­? Like unexpected? I¡¯ll try it I guess and see how I feel, but are you sure he¡¯ll like it? I thought you said he liked dresses.¡±

    ¡°If it was a tier list, then evening gowns would be at the top and stuff like this right after. Come on come on come on come on come on put it on!!!¡±

    ¡°Ok ok! Turn around!¡±

    Lavina did a 180, allowing Izumi to change.

    ¡°So he didn¡¯t say where you guys are going?¡±

    ¡°No, just that he wanted to ¡®show me some place¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Definitely a date. Wraith¡¯s like that, but I¡¯d still hold off on confessing or anything. You¡¯d probably scare him away if you do, so just wait, I¡¯m sure he will.¡±

    ¡°How can you be so sure? Also you can look now.¡±

    ¡°I am actually a miracle worker you look amazing, here look.¡±

    She materialized a mirror to show Izumi, who hardly recognized himself.

    ¡°..I look like such a femboy.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s cute!¡±

    ¡°It is¡­¡­..mannnn- fine I¡¯ll wear it.¡±

    ¡°Yessss! Ok, I¡¯ll go then I don¡¯t want him to know I helped you so don¡¯t tell him either he¡¯ll choke me, he knows my work anyways but have fun!!¡±

    ¡°Wai- aaand she¡¯s gone, didn¡¯t even answer me. What¡¯s with specters and just suddenly coming and going all the time?¡± Izumi flopped onto the bed, smiling to himself. It was a little amusing to see Lavina change so much when it came to fashion, when usually she¡¯s more reserved. Still, Izumi wondered why she put so much effort into seeing her ex get with someone else, considering how much enmity seemed to be between them. Then again, Lavina did say that their hatred for each other is more feigned, similarly to how close friends speak to each other.

    Not long after he finished changing did Wraith arrive, who also was wearing a different set of clothing compared to usual, although not by much, as the only change was his robe which bore the appearance of a red denim jacket with a black design and dark grey hood instead. It looked like he attempted to try a different style with his hair, but ultimately gave up and fell back to the norm. Luckily, Izumi¡¯s mother wasn¡¯t home, as she stepped out to walk Lala, so he didn¡¯t have to bear through the embarrassment of his mom seeing him in a skirt, but he still had to put up with Wraith seeing it. He tried to pull down the skirt to conceal his revealed thighs a bit more, to no avail.

    ¡°U-um¡­.we can go if you want¡­.¡±

    Wraith tried to stop staring, though he didn¡¯t put much effort into doing so. ¡°Y-yea¡­¡± With no proper way to put words to emotions, he stumbled, ¡°...you look um- really nice...¡±

    ¡°T-thanks¡­¡±

    ¡°I kind of-umm- need to carry you, so uh...if you want I could give you my jacket¡­?¡±

    ¡°The roof hopping thing?¡±

    ¡°Y-yea.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine¡­? I think...no one should be able to see anything.¡±

    ¡°You sure..?¡±

    ¡°M-mhm..¡±

    The unsettling tension between the two swayed both their hearts and minds, already wishing to just hurry to wherever they were going, which is exactly what Wraith did. Trying to cut time and strain, he didn¡¯t waste another moment, speedily lifting Izumi and hurrying over to their location.

    It was only a few miles off, somewhere in the mountains yet off the trail and covered by trees and vines. Upon arrival, Wraith set him down and peeled the vines back, revealing a secluded botanical garden encased in all sorts of towering trees. Immediately, Izumi pulled out his camera, snapping away at the colorful scenery in awe. All sorts of foliage, flowers, and greenery, some of which shouldn¡¯t even be in season or even native to Japan, adorned the garden, which was mostly a straight linear path so everything was clearly seen, similarly to an orchard. It didn¡¯t stretch very far, only about the length of a football field, yet still, it was beautiful, and most of all, quiet. The only sounds were of the rustling leaves in the light breeze and the chirping of birds. While Izumi was absorbed with the scene, Wraith was caught up in Izumi¡¯s blissful joy as he guided him further into the garden. Finally stopping near the middle which was by a maple tree, he materialized a large sheet and set it down, covering a patch of grass. Izumi had only sat down when he realized Wraith was resting against the maple. He put down his camera, still glancing wildly at the vegetation.

    ¡°Where did you even find this?! Half of these trees and flowers shouldn¡¯t even be here!¡± Izumi exclaimed, still amazed.

    ¡°I made it.¡±

    ¡°How???¡±

    ¡°Specter, remember? Actually, I didn¡¯t know how to. Anything related to growing stuff isn¡¯t my thing, I actually had to suck up my pride and ask someone¨C Madeline¨C you met her before.¡±

    ¡°The specter of merriment, right? Looks like a kid?¡±

    ¡°Yep, her. She could hardly believe it honestly, asked if I was alright and I almost threw a hissy fit in embarrassment but I just did it for the better good. So I guess, to put it bluntly...I did it for you.¡±

    This wasn¡¯t a conversation that Izumi expected to hear when he agreed to come, and he wasn¡¯t opposed to it either, yet his heart was still racing in anxiety. Wraith wasn¡¯t exactly ecstatic either, but he knew he had to do so eventually.

    ¡°...for me..?¡±

    Sitting up, Wraith sighed and faced Izumi, trying to come to terms with the words himself, while Izumi said nothing, only giving his full attention. ¡°I¡­When I first met you, I was interested in you because you were different, I guess. You could point it to my curiosity towards why you can see ghosts or whatever, but I don¡¯t know, it just felt like more than that? You like talking to me because you have this never ending wonder for new things, and I just brought all of that for you, but for me, I just found it so fascinating that you were so engrossed in it all. I¡¯m usually the type of person that doesn¡¯t care what other people think, which is pretty obvious I think, but for you...ugh, it just killed me, when you were scared of me when we first met. I didn¡¯t know why, but I just didn¡¯t want you to hate me for whatever reason, so I tried to change and be a bit nicer although I didn¡¯t really know exactly how to do that at first so I messed with you instead since that was the only way I knew how to be more friendly, and I¡¯m glad you at least seemed to be receptive of it because I don¡¯t know what else I would¡¯ve done. Then the whole thing with Fuhiro happened and I felt my heart drop at the thought of something happening to you, I was worried sick. The entire reason I stayed with you for days after the fact was because I nearly had a heart attack and I just wanted to make sure you were safe. There was the whole thing with having to be with you to figure out the whole medium issue and I actually almost threw in the towel then. I usually don''t have an issue sleeping with whoever, but it just didn''t feel right with you, in terms of doing it so...I don''t know, nonchalantly? It just got worse from there, that I didn''t know how to feel about you generally speaking. I felt so...lost. Especially around the time of the ball, I just acted on a whim without just whatever I felt like doing and I didn¡¯t give my actions much thought.¡±

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    Stopping to breathe, Wraith tried to quell his own rapidly beating chest, feeling the heat rise and flow throughout his body. Even he couldn¡¯t believe that he was nervous, the palms of his hands beginning to perspire slightly. And through all of this, he still continued, his resolve already firm. ¡°You had asked me what happened while you were drunk, and I said you asked me if I hated you, but you also asked why I was avoiding you at the time. And...I told you what I¡¯m saying now, that I didn¡¯t know how to feel about you. I couldn¡¯t think straight whenever I was with you and I always felt this strange need to keep a positive image in your mind of me, and it got to the point where I couldn¡¯t be around you anymore because I wanted-needed time to figure it all out. By that point, when you were drunk and flailing in my arms, I already knew how I felt though, and I said I¡¯d tell you when you were sober but didn¡¯t really get a chance to because of what¡¯s going on with the territory and stuff. But...I¡¯m here now.¡± Again, he exhaled deeply, reaffirming his eye contact which before shifted from time to time, while now, Wraith made sure to keep his gaze locked.

    ¡°Izumi, I like you. I know I¡¯m not the best person and everyone makes it a point to constantly tell me that, but I¡¯d give the world for you to give me a chance. If you wanted to be the prime minister or get the best job in your field, CEO or owner of your own company, even if you asked me to be your own personal assassin, whatever and anything, I¡¯d do it in a heartbeat, no questions asked. I just...want to be with you. I don¡¯t care how, even if you don¡¯t feel the same, just being able to stay friends or something would be enough for me. I guess to put it in shorter terms, I...would like to be in a relationship with you.¡±

    With every instant that ticked by, Wraith¡¯s unease only seemed to spike, patiently yet impatiently awaiting Izumi¡¯s response. After what felt like an eternity, he finally spoke.

    ¡°...like¡­.dating..?¡±

    ¡°Y-yea..¡±

    It was hard to read Izumi¡¯s expression, as it looked more at a loss for words than anything else. From what cause, Wraith couldn¡¯t tell, and all he could do was hope. Wraith truthfully had no clue how Izumi felt about him. As far as he knew, Izumi tolerated his antics at the least, but he was kind and would let almost anyone do anything, even if it bothered him. This whole time Izumi could¡¯ve been sustaining his teases and characteristics just for the purpose of resolving their deal; though, Wraith didn¡¯t feel this was the case. The promise Izumi had made with Wraith spoke volumes, as he knew it was a genuine, heartfelt sentiment: that Izumi didn¡¯t care about how monstrous people believed Wraith to be, and at the end of the day, Izumi would accept him regardless of his actions or appearance. It¡¯s completely possible that this was an act of kindness, rather than of affection, yet Wraith could only yearn for the latter.

    Resorting to his usual timid antics, Izumi fiddled with the necklace, now trying to formulate a proper sentence himself. The only thing that prohibited him from bursting a response for all to hear was his own self-doubt, that he was human, and Wraith was not. A torrent of the advice passed to him by everyone he knew played in his mind, with one primary phrase in common. Don¡¯t worry. Naturally Izumi was always timid and paranoid, and this always hindered him from making such monumental decisions, but now, of all times, did he need to cast aside this and gather himself.

    A slow, deep sigh, preceding his response, Izumi smiled, his heart in his hands, ¡°I¡¯d love to. I...actually have liked you for a while now, and I don¡¯t know how obvious it was since I didn¡¯t really try to hide it. You know how bad I am at stuff like that haha¡­.but....I...I¡­¡± His voice began to quiver and break apart, no longer able to suppress his joy which started to stream down his cheeks in the form of tears. Wraith frantically leaned forward, wanting to help but unsure how, paralyzed as he watched Izumi rub his glossed eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if this is a lot you don¡¯t have to give me a response right now-¡±

    Struggling to speak through his sobs, Izumi tried his best to give a reassuring beam. ¡°N-no, it¡¯s...kkh-alri-ght--I¡¯m...j-just-kkh-...hap-py..¡± With no other way to know how to truly express this, seeing that his smile didn¡¯t quite do the trick, Izumi tugged Wraith by his jacket and pulled him into a kiss. He longed to fully pour his heart out and profess his love to its fullest extent, but just this was enough for him, and only time would tell if they would ever reach this.

    The warmth of Izumi¡¯s lips provided Wraith his answer in its truest form, welcoming Izumi in his arms, nearly smiling through the kiss himself. Relaxing into Wraith¡¯s essence, Izumi¡¯s tears slowly dried, euphoria translating into their loving trade. There was no salacity or temptation, just a sincere, heartfelt affection for the other. Wraith hugged Izumi close, leaning against the maple as he caressed his soft coral hair, both gazing with a tender smile.

    ¡°Don¡¯t cry like that, it makes me want to eat my heart out.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like I did it on purpose! I really was happy, I swear!¡±

    ¡°Mhm?¡± Wraith whispered, ¡°Then tell me again.¡±

    ¡°I like you Wraith, a lot.¡±

    ¡°A lot now?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take it back if you¡¯re gonna be like that.¡±

    ¡°Nono, I¡¯m just kidding, please don¡¯t do that.¡± Wraith guided Izumi¡¯s palm to his rapid beating heart. ¡°Then, I like you a lot too, Izumi. See? I¡¯m not lying.¡±

    Bashfully, he pulled his hand away. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you were¡­¡±

    With a smitten leer, Wraith kept his eyes on his newfound partner, already enamored with his shy antics.

    ¡°S-stop staring at me!¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t stare at my boyfriend now?¡±

    If Izumi wanted to be at ease, Wraith always seemed to make it his sole duty to make sure it didn¡¯t happen. Wiggling out of his arms, Izumi properly seated himself on top of Wraith so that his back was straight, pouting until Wraith eventually caved.

    ¡°That was the last time I promise. At least for today.¡±

    Izumi sighed, some exhaustion behind it.

    ¡°Izumi? Can I tell you something?¡±

    ¡°Yea of course, it better not be another tease though.¡±

    ¡°No, don¡¯t worry it isn¡¯t, I...I think it¡¯s only right that you know a bit more about me, at least before we met. I feel like I know so much about you but you really never learned anything about who I was way back in the day. And by that I mean before I actually looked like what you see now.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me if you don¡¯t want to¡­¡±

    ¡°No, I want to, it¡¯s fine.¡±

    The full story of Wraith¡¯s past would take time and a comfort that he didn¡¯t quite entirely have just yet. Still, he wished to relay at least some information, as much as he could for the time being.

    ¡°You once asked some time ago, before Hodaira I think, if we can get hurt or get scars, things like that, and I left. Not even Lavina knows this by the way, so you better keep your mouth shut.¡± Wraith pinched Izumi¡¯s nose.

    ¡°-Ow-! I wasn¡¯t gonna even if you didn¡¯t tell me-!¡±

    ¡°I know you wouldn¡¯t, I just wanna be sure,¡± Wraith sighed and carried on, ¡°People don¡¯t think I can die, Vahan being the prime example of that. Did everything in the book to try and kill me at some point, and I just let him because I knew he couldn¡¯t. I¡¯d just regenerate almost instantly every time. But, I can die, and I have, several times in fact. Now is a different story, no one knows how to kill me, but of course I do, I won¡¯t tell you that for now though. A really long time ago, at least two thousand years I think but years feel like seconds to me honestly so I¡¯m not exactly sure, I was born in the middle of a large-scale war, not in our world, in yours. Before The Great War you hear spirits talk about all the time, centuries before actually. Specters are born from certain emotions, Lavina knowledge, Vahan hatred, Barron regret, the list goes on. And me, despair. As you¡¯d imagine, during a war that¡¯s all there is. I don¡¯t know what happened to the previous specter of despair, maybe he got wiped out or something, I don¡¯t know, nor care. In my case though, when I was born, I¡¯d die almost immediately. Eaten alive and torn to pieces by surrounding spirits. Then, because of the war, I¡¯d be born again immediately. As far as I know I was the first and only case of this happening. Normally, when specters die, it takes time for them to come back. The time varies depending on the state of the world and the emotions it bears, but it''s always been a different specter, never an essential reincarnation of the same one. I always pointed it to how grim the world was at the time, so everyone was hopeless and in pain, but who knows if that¡¯s the actual reason. For me though, that was my scar. Being born and immediately shredded apart like repeatedly...just¡­¡± He started over again, trying to overcome the vivid recollection of the pain and horror he felt at the time. ¡°I lost count of how many times it happened. I didn¡¯t even have time to think, barely had time to take in a single breath before I would die. I couldn¡¯t come to terms with who I even was. Eventually, I lost sight of who I used to be, what I looked like, and I still don¡¯t know what my original appearance was.¡±

    Izumi didn¡¯t mean to interrupt, but the question unconsciously left him. ¡°But...how did you¡­?¡±

    ¡°Get out of it? After being killed so many times I steadily learned how to piece myself together, heal at a faster rate, doing it bit by bit until I was finally able to use it to save myself. I wasn''t even thinking really when I did, just threw together some form, something I could fight back in and then it kind of stuck. I guess you could root my knack for twisted methods of killing people to that. I¡¯m not gonna describe it to you though; just after, I felt...relieved. That it finally stopped. I never wanted to have a faction because of that, and obviously my opinion changed, but for a while, I was alone. And by a while I mean for the longest time. I didn¡¯t know what to do with myself, honestly. That¡¯s why I saw myself in Faelan. The feeling of being lost, with no purpose, just wondering and repeating the same pattern of fighting, killing, eating, waiting for some form of calling. I gave up on looking for a purpose pretty fast though, and if I fought so hard to live, I didn¡¯t want to die either. Ghosts were different back then compared to now. If you thought that they¡¯re always thinking about their next meal now, your stomach would churn at how they were in the past. Then...I met Lavina. We didn¡¯t meet until the start of The Great War. Although I wasn¡¯t involved, I was still often attacked by territory hungry spirits, and I had just finished taking care of a batch. It was at that field actually. The same one I met you.¡±

    ¡°The wheat field? With the oak tree?¡±

    ¡°Yep, fate really does work in strange ways. She was almost exactly like she was now, didn¡¯t care who I was, just insulted me for sleeping on a pile of dead bodies. Lavina demanded that I get rid of them because they were ruining her painting, which was supposed to be of the ocean beside it, and she couldn¡¯t work with the smell. I, in short, told her to fuck off and she just continued to yell at me. Normally, at least back then, I would¡¯ve either just left or eaten her, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to do either. I saw her painting and for the first time realized that the world wasn¡¯t all so bad, so, I asked her if I cleaned the corpses, if she would let me watch her paint. She agreed, so I listened and did as she asked, and I fell asleep watching her paint. Not because I was bored, but because I just felt so...blissful, I guess. I never felt that way before. Everyday after that, I came to that field hoping I¡¯d find her painting again, and she usually was, and she always let me watch. Eventually, she said that if I cleaned myself up from all the blood and everything, she¡¯d invite me to her library, and obviously, I didn¡¯t hesitate to do so. I had never felt so enamored by someone before, let alone someone peaking my interest period. I would go years, sometimes decades or longer without speaking to someone, so I didn¡¯t know how to properly speak to her either. I didn¡¯t exactly fit very well in her library, size wise, and that¡¯s part of what pushed me to my decision to change my appearance. I asked her to draw one for me, and she could¡¯ve made the ugliest person imaginable, but she didn¡¯t. Lavina actually asked for my input a lot, but I didn¡¯t really have any. I didn¡¯t have any particular likes or dislikes, so she drew whatever she felt like. Maybe I¡¯ll tell you some other time how I was able to do it, which is another personal secret of mine, but what you see now is what she drew for me back then. She taught me basically everything I know and just for the sake of doing so, and well, you know the story from there. Fell in love, met Neio and Dahlia, started a faction, dated for awhile, fell apart, stayed friends or whatever you call our dynamic. Then basically nothing eventful happened until I met you.¡±

    ¡°Nothing?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. Told you, I would just sleep for years sometimes because I was bored, see what the next generation entails. Could you imagine if I slept through your lifespan? I don¡¯t know where I¡¯d be honestly.¡±

    It was a bit inspiring, his unwavering desire to try and live no matter how many times he died, albeit saddening in its own way. Izumi couldn¡¯t begin to wrap his head around how he must¡¯ve felt before meeting Lavina. Spending so many years alone, no one to call a friend or even an acquaintance¡­

    ¡°It never bothered you? Being alone I mean, before you met Lavina.¡±

    ¡°No, I used to think it was just how life was, but then with how I lived, I really started to believe it was what I deserved. I thought because I fought so hard against fate, that I was just cursed to be a walking carcass that should¡¯ve stayed down.¡±

    ¡°But you didn¡¯t really do anything wrong yourself, you just adapted to the circumstances you were in.¡±

    Izumi¡¯s naivety was a bit cute to Wraith, who knew the full story of his life and what he left out. ¡°You say that for now, but maybe I¡¯ll tell you the rest some day, and maybe you¡¯ll change your mind.¡±

    ¡°Well I won¡¯t! I told you I wouldn¡¯t and my opinion of you hasn¡¯t changed yet and never will!¡±

    ¡°So certain. I suppose we¡¯ll see one day, but not today.¡±

 Chapter 38: Falling Into Temptation

    It was almost Neio¡¯s habit at this point to feed Izumi and this time was no different, as he provided Wraith with a picnic basket of food before he left for his date. There was some liquor for Wraith too but it was haphazardly thrown in, clearly as a last second addition. Izumi set his camera on top of the picnic basket, while Wraith was laying on his back beside it. It was still a bit too early in the morning for him to eat just yet.

    ¡°Did Lavina help you with the outfit by the way?¡±

    ¡°Ummmmm¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°So yes?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t even say anything.¡±

    ¡°That was enough of a response for me, I know you, and I know her. You don¡¯t own skirts, at least I don¡¯t think you do, and Lavina loves stuff like that. I wouldn¡¯t put it past her if she told you to keep her involvement out of it too.¡±

    ¡°Ahhh...nail on the head¡­¡±

    ¡°You know you don¡¯t have to wear stuff like this for me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not just doing it for you, I-¡± Stopping, Izumi caught himself before he could admit to liking it.

    ¡°Yea?¡± Wraith smirked, knowing full well what he intended to say.

    ¡°I¡­..don¡¯t mind! Yea!¡±

    ¡°Whatever you say, I-zu-mi.¡±

    In a childish show of dominance, trying to gain whatever ground he could, Izumi seated himself on top of Wraith and pouted, although Wraith had his eyes closed in an attempt to nap.

    ¡°I swear!¡±

    ¡°Mhm?¡± He paid him no mind, still relaxing and basking in the sun that shone through the trees.

    Izumi thought about how he could get his attention. Then, he remembered Wraith¡¯s greatest weakness, only registering their position much later. Supporting himself with Wraith¡¯s lower abdomen, he adjusted himself against Wraith¡¯s crotch with a clear intent and forcing his notice.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re on a date and you¡¯re falling asleep!¡±

    ¡°Because it¡¯s all calm and peaceful, I should take advantage of it. You could sleep too you know.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t wanna sleep I woke up barely an hour or two ago.¡±

    ¡°Then let me sleep at least!¡±

    ¡°No! Get up!¡±

    Reluctantly, Wraith sat up and took off his jacket, setting it aside while groaning.

    ¡°Yes honey?¡±

    The unexpected add-on flushed his cheeks and put him on the verge of punching his stomach. ¡°You-!! Can¡¯t just use pet names so soon!!¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s some unspoken rule about relationships I don¡¯t know about now?¡±

    ¡°Now there is!¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± Going against his word, Wraith falls back into his flirtatious teases, intertwining his hold with Izumi¡¯s. ¡°Honey.¡± Already, Izumi¡¯s will broke, letting Wraith win this round. ¡°Do you remember anything when you were drunk?¡±

    ¡°Still no. Where¡¯s this coming from?¡±

    ¡°How you¡¯re sitting on me, I remembered that you took it in your mouth.¡±

    ¡°I what?!!!¡± He instantly shrieked. ¡°You¡¯re joking please tell me you¡¯re joking.¡±

    ¡°I wish I was too honestly, I thought about stopping it but you were really taking the reins so I let you do your thing.¡±

    ¡°My thing is not doing that while I¡¯m drunk!¡±

    ¡°Would you prefer to do it when you¡¯re sober then?¡±

    ¡°N-no¡­.mmmm¡­.¡± ughhh he was so slick with it...I should¡¯ve just let him sleep¡­

    Trying to egg him on, Wraith gave a bit more motivation. ¡°You actually got me to moan a bit you know?¡±

    ¡°Seriously? I don¡¯t even remember that¡­¡±

    Finally, Izumi sighed and decided to bite the bullet, repositioning himself between Wraith¡¯s legs.

    It actually had been longer than Izumi can remember since he did something like this, hence his shock at having done so with Wraith before, especially since that would¡¯ve been the first time he did such for him. Usually Izumi was the one on the receiving end and Wraith didn¡¯t mind this in the slightest, some part of him even preferred it. With the more they occurred however, Wraith started to grow fond of his advances. A sliver of guilt was hidden within him, knowing it¡¯s mostly his fault that Izumi started to descend further into salacity as he wasn¡¯t like this in the slightest when they were first together, but he never pressured him to do anything, always doing it of his own volition, so he let him act on his growing desires.

    In the middle of unfastening his belt, a benign proposal left Wraith.

    ¡°We should record it.¡±

    ¡°Huh?! You should consider yourself lucky I didn¡¯t twist you just now for even suggesting that!¡±

    ¡°If you really don¡¯t want to then alright, but you haven¡¯t even tried it yet. Remember the mirror? There¡¯s no way you knew you would¡¯ve liked that before.¡±

    ¡°.....fine. But you can¡¯t keep the footage, and we¡¯re turning it off if it bothers me.¡±

    ¡°I told you it¡¯s always your choice if you want to go along with it, and it¡¯s not like I could anyways, you¡¯ve been to my room, you know I don¡¯t have a computer or anything.¡±

    ¡°I know but I just wanna be clear.¡±

    Being the only technological one of the two, Izumi had to be the one to set up the camera, which was propped above the picnic basket. Over and over again did he think to himself how stupid of an idea this is and he had no idea why he complied in the first place, but it didn¡¯t stop him from doing so anyways. At the least, it wasn¡¯t like anyone was actually watching. It was only meant to feign the feeling. This, he repeated to himself for reassurance, trying to forget the camera¡¯s existence.

    Izumi had a tinge for clothed intercourse, so when he removed his underwear, he kept his skirt on, not removing Wraith¡¯s lower garments either. Unzipping Wraith¡¯s slacks, he removed his limp private, only feeling additional pressure from not just Wraith watching him, but the lingering presence of the camera as well. The only thing that helped was the fact that Wraith¡¯s bent leg partially covered it, so it was harder to see from where he was situated. It was better to use his hands to start with in this scenario, which he knew despite his lack of experience in providing such to others. Although they¡¯ve been together several times, Izumi only now noticed that he never actually saw Wraith¡¯s dick up close and it was a little intimidating for him, hardly believing that this had been inside him several times. He could barely wrap his grasp around the girth, let alone how it towered over him when it rose.

    The most comfortable position he found was to arch himself, raising his rear and lowering his head, as promiscuous as he felt. Without any underwear on in addition to wearing a skirt, there was an uncomfortable yet tantalizing breeze that sent a shiver down his spine, but Izumi didn¡¯t let it distract him from pleasing his newfound lover. Once Wraith swelled and pulsed in anticipation he knew it was time to muffle his anxiety and overcome the looming stench before him. It helped to avoid looking at Wraith during this time, even though he planned to do so eventually, particularly when Izumi inevitably encircled his mouth around him. There was a lot more effort required than he had anticipated, as he wished to meet the same standards that his drunken self had set for him, so he tried to measure Wraith¡¯s enjoyment by his verbal and non-verbal reactions. Just the sight of Izumi¡¯s mouth about him and ass in the air was enough to deepen his respirations, but he could tell that his methods weren¡¯t doing the trick. Since he hadn¡¯t given oral sex in a considerable amount of time, Izumi wasn¡¯t too sure what to do, trying to improvise along the way. He tried to vertically oscillate, not really doing too much, until Wraith eventually caught onto inexperience.

    ¡°Use...your tongue more..¡±

    Changing tactics, Izumi took his advice and slid his tongue against the length of his shaft, immediately forcing an elongated exhale. With the positive feedback, he knew to continue, doing the same to his tip.

    ¡°Mnnh¡­.¡± Wraith suppressed himself with the back of his hand.

    Now, Izumi assessed how he fared with sucking.

    ¡°-Fuck-ow--! Not-so hard..¡±

    Easing his maneuvers, Izumi started to understand the method, only occasionally lightly sucking while he licked every part of the head, massaging the rest with his hands.

    ¡°Nmh..hh¡­¡±

    He could tell that Wraith was on the fence of losing control, and with this, Izumi decided to make eye contact with the broken man, pushing him over the edge. Wraith¡¯s hand dropped down, desperately grasping Izumi¡¯s soft hair instead as his face burned bright.

    ¡°Hhaah...shit...mhhnn~-...¡±

    Quickly did Izumi¡¯s goal extend itself, now desiring to elicit an orgasm from Wraith. Swapping his mouth and hands, Izumi pressed his tongue against the entirety once more, kneading Wraith¡¯s tip and following something he recalled Wraith did to him once before, fondling between the crevice, all while still gazing directly at him.

    ¡°Mhha~-! Sto-p--¡±

    Sounding quite genuine, Izumi listened and halted, albeit a bit confused, finally swallowing the mass of saliva he cultivated. ¡°Did I..?¡±

    Wraith¡¯s panting caused him difficulty when trying to speak, ¡°N-no it felt good...fuck like...amazing but..hah..if I cum on your face I might just marry you.¡±

    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°Then let me finish!¡± Izumi whined, who unbeknownst to Wraith would gladly marry him without hesitation.

    ¡°No way.¡±

    ¡°Did you let me before?¡±

    ¡°No, I stopped you then too and ate you out instead.¡±

    The sentence threw him into disarray, forcing him to sit up. ¡°You didn¡¯t need to add that last part.¡±

    ¡°Well, now you know I did.¡±

    Wraith tugged Izumi¡¯s arm, flipping him over so that his back was to his chest, turning to face the camera that Izumi had once forgotten about. He held Izumi¡¯s legs open for the camera to see, allowing it to capture a full view of his semi erection and exposed rear. It was almost impossible to look away from the camera as it had an inherent ability to attract one¡¯s gaze by its mere presence, so Izumi tried to cover his face instead.

    ¡°W-what are you doing-!¡±

    ¡°I should be asking you that. Why did you take off your underwear so soon? Do you like having your ass in the air, violated by the wind?¡±

    Izumi didn¡¯t even attempt to close his legs, letting Wraith manipulate him as he pleased as he began to outline his shamefully growing erection and twitching hole.

    Wraith nestled himself beside Izumi¡¯s inflamed ear, playing the role of a temptress. ¡°It¡¯s alright, I¡¯m right here. No one can see you except me. Imagine the camera is just a mirror, but you can¡¯t see yourself.¡±

    The siren¡¯s song didn¡¯t need to play for very long, persuading him to unmask his flushed face and look forward, his lips pressed against each other while he struggled to hold Wraith as much as he could, despite the awkward position.

    It¡¯s just Wraith watching me...just Wraith...I don¡¯t know if that makes it better or wor-

    ¡°Mfhn¡­¡±

    While Izumi was lost in his own mind, his fingers penetrated, fondling him from inside as well as out, simultaneously stroking him. The thought of Wraith watching him only aroused him more, descending him further into Wraith¡¯s unyielding yet tender grasp. Izumi¡¯s blood began to boil at the prospect, fidgeting in his arms, gasps turning into soft moans.

    ¡°...~ahh...hh...Wraith¡­¡±

    Gentle kisses planted themselves across, ranging from Izumi¡¯s ear and cheek, to his shoulder.

    ¡°I love it when  you say my name,¡± Wraith whispered, stirring his volant heart, ¡°Izumi.¡±

    ¡°...Wraithh...mn-hnn~...haa~-!¡±

    ¡°Do you like it there?¡±

    ¡°Mn-mhnm~...fhh~~!¡±

    They had switched places, as Izumi was now the one on the edge of losing himself, though he didn¡¯t try to fight it, letting his feverish urge take over.

    ¡°Wrai-thmnhh...I..wa-nt you¡­¡±

    ¡°Then take me.¡± He purred.

    With the release of Wraith¡¯s embrace, Izumi promptly twisted around, straddling him and repositioning to keep them both in frame.

    Their unbearable yearn for the other reached its peak, coupling into a forceful mess of a kiss that resembled animals trying to devour each other. Both were sitting upright, hungrily disheveling the threads of their clothes and their once neat hair, tainting any purity the date once had. Izumi wished to be the one in control, rushing to lower himself onto Wraith¡¯s cock before his grasp on his hips could do so, conveying this direct message to Wraith. The part of their lips echoed in the serene garden with a wet smack and satisfied sigh. He used Wraith¡¯s broad shoulders as support, taking in as much of him as he could with each squat.

    ¡°Mmhh¡­¡± A firm hand on his thighs, Wraith struggled to match Izumi¡¯s fixed leer, as he clearly sought to see who would crack first.

    ¡°It-¡¯s..my turn t-o...ah-ah-sk if mnhh..you...like..it..?¡±

    ¡°Of course...I do...hh..ah¡­¡±

    This would only be the second time that Izumi rode him, but he already knew how to manipulate Wraith. In an invitational tease Izumi lifted his blouse, though he didn¡¯t remove it; the gesture effectively getting a rise out of Wraith judging by the twitch of his melted eyes. Normally Izumi wasn''t much of an athletic person, so such repetition in straining movements would tire him quickly, but fueled by his desires, he was able to surpass his limit, although it would likely hit him later in the form of sore legs. The necklace about him thudded against his collarbone in chime with his bounces along with the rattle of Wraith¡¯s belt buckle. A metallic clatter would scrape his skin, progressively causing a sting that Izumi completely ignored. He questioned how Wraith could maintain such long bangs without becoming irritated while having sex, as this would be the upteenth time he had to guide his hair back, wanting an open view of Wraith: from his euphoric expression to his bare abdomen. Though Izumi knew he could complete the act himself, it wouldn¡¯t bring the extent of satisfaction that he began to crave.

    ¡°Izu..mi...hha..¡±

    ¡°Nmh-h~-...fhaa~-I-...can¡¯t-...Wraithh I-...want it-ff-hh-...from behh-hind¡­¡±

    Wraith, a bit stunned at the lewd request, followed Izumi¡¯s lead as they swapped positions. The placement he presumed was the same as when he mouthed Wraith¡¯s rod: head low to the ground and tail high in the air. Hips to ass, Wraith pierced his quivering barrier with a firm hold, pulling Izumi towards him while concurrently thrusting forward. As fun as it was to subjugate Wraith, it was something he only enjoyed from time to time as it didn¡¯t provide the same amount of gratification as when Wraith was in control. With only a few drives, Izumi already felt his thighs and knees relenting, a mixture of heat in the form of passion and affection rippling within him.

    ¡°Ahh~~hhaa~! Not-mhnhh~...s-o ff-ast-!¡±

    ¡°Slow...and-ah¡­.from behind...don¡¯t go in- the same..sentence.¡±

    Running his fingers through his hair, Wraith smirked at his regained superiority, slapping Izumi¡¯s rear to grind the leverage further.

    His body flinched almost invitingly, a loud, unrestrained moan straining his voice, ¡°Fhha~!!¡±

    ¡°So...you do like it when I slap you.¡± To demonstrate and reaffirm his theory, Wraith struck him again, eliciting the same response.

    ¡°Nmhh-...haa~!!~-St-s-mnhf¡­~-..st-op...ahh..!¡±

    ¡°If you..really want me to, ask again.¡±

    ¡°Mffhh~nhh...n-mn-o¡­¡±

    He scoffed, spanking Izumi again, unconsciously squeezing Wraith in pleasure.

    ¡°..mhh-aa~!¡±

    ¡°You can..nh..be such a slut sometimes.¡±

    The notion of arguing with him didn¡¯t even cross his mind in the slightest, as he was both too shaken and also didn¡¯t necessarily disagree with the label, at least now he didn¡¯t. He felt himself slip away bit by bit, falling for Wraith in more ways than one. Just as Wraith promised to do whatever Izumi asked, he too, would provide anything and whatever he could.

    ¡°Wra-ah-ith-! I¡¯-m-..mhh-~!¡±

    ¡°Mnnh..~..¡±

    Even though the sheets were white, the ejaculation was still plain to see, especially as it soiled the area, lightly deepening the color. A thread of semen still linked the two until eventually breaking under stress, trailing down Izumi¡¯s thigh instead. Wraith sat on his knees, catching his breath, while Izumi turned to lay on his back, unarguably panting much harder. The prospect of sleeping under the warmth of the sunlight sounded incredibly comforting now, and he repeatedly told himself that he should¡¯ve just let Wraith do the same to begin with. When he finally regained his control over his respirations, Izumi asked a question which loomed in the back of his mind.

    ¡°You...how did you know I-¡±

    ¡°Like it when I slap your ass?¡±

    ¡°You could¡¯ve chosen less vulgar words but I¡¯m too tired to fight with you right now..¡±

    Wraith took a more relaxed stance, licking his canines and leaning against his arm and seating himself properly. ¡°When you were drunk you asked me to.¡±

    His past mistake still haunted him, and never did he ever regret drinking to the point of memory loss so much in his entire life. Groaning, Izumi tried to rub his humiliation away before sitting upright, glaring at Wraith.

    ¡°Wraith just tell me everything I don¡¯t want you to surprise me again some other time with something like you lied and apparently specters can get guys pregnant only when they¡¯re drunk and I¡¯ve been carrying your child this whole time.¡±

    ¡°Pfft-hahaha!! That¡¯s a tall tale! With how many times I left your ass looking like a tarnished vanilla cupcake I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if something like that did happen!¡±

    ¡°Stop! Being you! And tell me!¡± He aggressively leaned in, scowling.

    ¡°Alright alright!¡± Wraith forced a cough to halt his laughter. ¡°In order, and to put it very bluntly in the simplest way possible,¡± The warning helped Izumi prepare himself for the inevitable shame he was about to feel, ¡°you gave me a handjob, sucked me off, then I ate you out while you did that, which ended up with just you sitting on my face. After you begged me to put it in and that¡¯s where you also asked me to slap you- this was all on the couch by the way. We moved to the bed later in a sort of missionary. Then, I tied you up and blindfolded you, had some fun, then just did it normally after that, still tied and blindfolded though.¡±

    ¡°Is that it¡­?¡±

    ¡°Nope, flipped you over and did it again, rode me blindfolded but at that point I untied you, then actual missionary, and then that was it.¡±

    Holding out his hand, Izumi tallied how many times they changed positions, based off of Wraith¡¯s relay of the story. ¡°Eleven?!!!¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s what you counted.¡±

    ¡°Do you know how miserable I felt that morning!!!!¡±

    ¡°I could imagine.¡±

    ¡°You couldn¡¯t! You weren¡¯t on the receiving end! I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t knock the liquor out of me! How did you even stop!!?¡±

    ¡°You passed out and I¡¯ll be honest, I only left you like that because I knew exactly how you¡¯d react in the morning, I¡¯m just disappointed I didn¡¯t get to see it live. At least I get to see the aftermath though.¡±

    Wraith swiftly stole a kiss and he nearly received a brutal slap in the process if he didn¡¯t catch Izumi¡¯s hand.

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna die young at this rate because of you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the negative nancy way to look at it, see, I¡¯m just improving your stamina. What if you¡¯re trying to eavesdrop for a scandalous article and you need to make a break for it? You¡¯d get away all thanks to me.¡±

    ¡°Or thanks to you I collapse after two steps because my poor legs can¡¯t take this abuse any longer.¡±

    They gravitated into another peck, this time reciprocated rather than thieved.

    To try and maintain his lead, Wraith provoked his already tamed partner. With a sly smile stretched, he challenged, ¡°Do you want to put on a show for the camera?¡± Izumi had nearly forgotten that it had been recording this entire time. There was slight hesitation, sensing the imminent trick. Be that as it may...he wanted to know what the statement entailed.

    ¡°As long as we don¡¯t change positions eleven times again..¡±

    Another smirk didn¡¯t exactly invoke confidence, but it was too late to back out now. Wraith interlocked his lips with Izumi¡¯s, his pierced tongue already charming its way down his throat. He eased Izumi onto the sheet, sliding a hand across his bare chest, tracing his nipple and lightly pinching.

    ¡°Mnffh~....¡±

    Wanting to return the caress, Izumi stroked his lower region in an attempt to revitalize him.

    ¡°Nmhh¡­¡±

    They detached with a light exhale, though still continuing their fondling of each other.

    ¡°I don¡¯t touch your chest often but...you¡¯re actually really sensitive here.¡± This reflected in the partial rise that had accumulated, shifting his hand there instead to speed the process.

    ¡°I¡¯ll-nnh-never...forgive you if you get one of those milkers..¡±

    Just the idea was hilarious to Wraith, who lightly laughed. ¡°I won¡¯t, I won¡¯t. Maybe for a joke gift.¡±

    ¡°N-nnot even that..!¡±

    ¡°Whatever you say, Izumi.¡±

    Exchanging a soft kiss, Wraith set Izumi on his side so that the front of his body faced the camera, pulling away. It wasn¡¯t as bad as he thought, as with this he was able to discern the intent, yet it was still a bit embarrassing, unable to even attempt to forget the camera¡¯s presence. Wraith lifted Izumi¡¯s skirt to reveal more of his skin, resting one of his legs over his shoulder, making it easier to sink inside. The knowledge that this and everything preceding now had a permanent place, not just in their minds, but physically in the camera¡¯s gallery as well only served to stimulate him further upon hearing the squelch of Wraith¡¯s insertion. Due to the difficult stance, it was on him to do all the work, which he usually did so even now he didn¡¯t mind.

    ¡°Ahh~!~nmhh-ahh~!!¡±

    ¡°Mnhh...ha...Look at you...you¡¯d fit right into a porn like this.¡± Wraith playfully bit his calf, licking the blood that dripped from the wound.

    If there was any chastity left in the garden, it was far from diminished at this point as Wraith sought to physically express his confession. It didn¡¯t help that Izumi¡¯s imagination began to run wild, creating an entire scenario influenced by the camera. Although he didn¡¯t admit it before, he actually liked it when Wraith sexually demoralized and degraded him, so the insults repeated and repeated in this self-made fantasy. Despite Wraith being very evidently right there as it was impossible to forget him with his violent ravaging beneath, not that he tried to. Rather, it was more a fantasized addition that he didn¡¯t wish to express, as it would only indirectly reveal how head-over-heels Izumi was for the specter. This extended beyond insults, his fantasy turning into slaps, spits, hair pulling, only getting worse. From his lewd day-dreaming he already couldn¡¯t take anymore of his thrusts.

    ¡°Wwraith~!! Hhaa-ah~mnhf-Wr-aith~!!!¡±

    Not even Wraith expected him to climax so quickly, but he brushed it off as him just enjoying the camera that much, so he finished himself without complaint.

    While Izumi was in disarray, now laying on his back again, Wraith tried to wipe away the extensive mess they made the best he could with the napkins that Neio packed with his new lover¡¯s lunch, even going to the extent of rearranging Izumi¡¯s clothes along with his own, only joining him after the fact. Instantly, Izumi buried his face in his chest, trying to diminish his preceding fantasy with it.

    How did I even get like this..?

 Chapter 39: Around Every Corner

    They napped for only about an hour, and upon waking up Izumi ate the meal Neio prepared for him: an arrangement of vegetables, rice, and salmon, while Wraith rested his head on his lap. Albeit simple, the food was as delectable as it always was. Izumi only wished he could have Neio¡¯s cooking on a daily basis; his mother¡¯s wasn¡¯t bad, just not as good as Neio¡¯s. He didn¡¯t realize how loud he was earlier until his throat stung when water coated it, desperately craving some form of soothing liquid at the same time. Clearing his throat didn¡¯t help, and the cold water only seemed to make it worse. The remaining alcohol was also far out of the list of options.

    ¡°Pretty surprising how you¡¯re actually not the loudest person in bed that I¡¯ve ever met.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll poke your stupid mismatched eyes out.¡±

    ¡°Then I didn¡¯t say anything. Give me your water bottle.¡±

    Handing it to him, Wraith took a slight sip, quickly whirled it in his mouth, and put it back, shaking the bottle and handing it back to Izumi.

    ¡°That¡¯s disgusting I¡¯m not drinking that.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll kiss me and give me head but you won¡¯t drink after me?¡±

    ¡°One it¡¯s not the same thing and two you just spit in that basically!¡±

    ¡°Keep your sore throat then, or kiss me, I don¡¯t feel like getting up.¡±

    Izumi didn¡¯t want to oblige to either, yet in this scenario, he¡¯d prefer to just take a quick swig of the water than kiss him. Immediately, he tried to erase the thought from his mind, putting the bottle back into the woven basket. At the least, Izumi¡¯s sting was relieved, but at what cost.

    ¡°Did you stop the recording?¡±

    ¡°Yea, I¡¯ll probably delete it later or something, I don¡¯t want someone to get their hands on it somehow.¡±

    ¡°Boooo. Consider yourself lucky that I don¡¯t have my own computer or camera or anything.¡±

    Picking up the camera, Izumi scrolled through the gallery until landing on the video, hesitating when it came to pressing play.

    ¡°Hey! Let me see if you¡¯re gonna look at it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡±

    ¡°Yes you are, I know you.¡± Wraith sat up, slipping the camera out of his palms.

    ¡°Wraith!!¡±

    Their size difference was too great for Izumi to successfully reach forward and take it back.

    Wraith mockingly extended his pierced tongue. ¡°I¡¯ll never give you back this camera if you don¡¯t play the video at least one time.¡±

    ¡°Ok ok fine just let me fast forward!¡±

    ¡°Deal.¡±

    Izumi snatched the camera once it came into reach, annoyingly plopping himself in Wraith¡¯s crossed legs. He perched his head on Izumi¡¯s shoulder, staring at the small screen as the video played.

    ¡°Oh wow the quality is pretty good.¡±

    ¡°My mom and I are both photographers so..¡±

    Scrolling through to avoid any further shame, Izumi only occasionally lets the video play, albeit only for a few seconds.

    ¡°You¡¯re so into it, look at your face! You almost never look away from the camera.¡±

    ¡°Do you want me to show you what you look like getting oral?¡±

    ¡°Nononono, I¡¯m just kidding. You can do whatever you want with the footage now.¡±

    Truthfully, Izumi didn¡¯t know if he wanted to delete it or not, so he turned off the camera and put it back in the basket for now.

    ¡°Where are we gonna go now?¡±

    Wraith shrugs. ¡°I might go home honestly, see how they¡¯re fairing. I asked them to try and handle things for a bit today so I could spend some time with you.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t plan anything else?¡±

    ¡°Pfft no, I told you, I¡¯m terrible when it comes to dates. Just figuring this much out was a lot of work. Unless you have an idea?¡±

    ¡°I only dated someone maybe twice, so I¡¯m equally lost¡­¡±

    ¡°Perfect aren¡¯t we?¡± He ruffles Izumi¡¯s hair and stands. ¡°Then yea I¡¯ll just take you back.¡±

    Although Izumi wanted to spend more time with Wraith, he didn¡¯t want to hog him all day, considering the pile of problems that he put aside just to spare a few hours with him.

    The picnic sheet was dematerialized, while Wraith decided to carry the small basket along with Izumi who was one his back, transforming his jacket back into its original robe appearance and hanging it over him by the hood so that it would cover more skin. It would¡¯ve been a living nightmare had a coworker witnessed Izumi wearing a skirt, so it was also in an attempt to conceal his face. They took a more humane route back, simply walking from the mountains to town and taking the train.

    When the couple was only a few minutes away from the house, a sudden question arose in Izumi¡¯s forever curious mind.

    ¡°This is kind of random, but how did you get your name? Specters don¡¯t have parents or anything from what I can tell.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t, we¡¯re usually born already knowing our name. I don¡¯t know what mine used to be though, since, you know. I didn¡¯t really bother to come up with one either since I didn¡¯t necessarily need one. Then, with everything related to that time, Lavina ended up indirectly naming me Wraith. Always said some form of abhorrent specter, living corpse, lowly wraith. Last one was obviously her favorite, and it just kind of stuck.¡±

    ¡°Do you like it at least?¡±

    ¡°If it bothered me THAT bad I wouldn¡¯t have let it stick for as long as it did-¡±

    After turning a corner, Wraith suddenly set Izumi down, handing him the picnic basket.

    ¡°Wh-¡±

    ¡°Shh.¡±

    Not long after, a figure followed in suit and Wraith swiftly caught them by their shirt and slammed them against the wall.

    ¡°AHHHH!!!!¡±

    The man was unfortunately familiar to Izumi. ¡°Takeda?¡±

    ¡°Your glasses coworker?¡±

    ¡°Yea, he¡¯s fine, you can let him go.¡±

    Even though Wraith listened, he crossed his arms and snarled at the fragile man who nearly soiled himself, still in the process of trying not to as he regained his breaths.

    Izumi took over, knowing that if Wraith had to do any questioning, Takeda would get his head bitten off. ¡°Were you following us?¡±

    ¡°HAAAAHH..! Yes! But only because I saw you and was like ¡®Hey! That¡¯s Izumi! I wonder who that guy is with him!¡¯ And I was gonna leave you alone since you guys seemed to be you know but I thought aww what the heck let me see where they go.¡±

    ¡°I still don¡¯t see why you would, don¡¯t you know anything about privacy?¡±

    ¡°Of course I do! But I was just so curious, you know? Like imagine you saw me walking with a girl, you¡¯d think ¡®Oh wow didn¡¯t know Jun could get laid! I wanna see where this goes.¡¯¡±

    ¡°I would NOT think that and I would leave you alone. If I was so curious I¡¯d ask you at work some other time.¡±

    The timid Takeda only seemed to dig himself further into a hole with every false excuse he made, and the looming threat of Izumi¡¯s overprotective boyfriend became more frightening by the second.

    ¡°Ugh, just say what you wanna say.¡±

    ¡°Ok, are you guys dating?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m gay. Does that satisfy your curiosity?¡±

    ¡°It does! I¡¯m sorry that I made you come out to me like that though I¡¯ll keep your secret don¡¯t worry¡­.And the skirt thing-?¡±

    ¡°Takeda please just go.¡±

    ¡°Right right right!! I¡¯ll be seeing you!!¡±

    Without even so much as looking at Wraith, Takeda bowed several times and darted off, tail between his legs.

    Izumi sighed, brushing off Takeda¡¯s antics as just being Takeda and turned to Wraith.

    ¡°Why were you so on his case? I know you well enough by now to know that look, you looked like you would¡¯ve smothered him if I wasn¡¯t here!¡±

    ¡°Something¡¯s off about him. It¡¯s not paranoia, I can guarantee you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s just how he is though-¡±

    ¡°No, Izumi, hear me out. He said he saw YOU. There¡¯s no way in hell he could¡¯ve seen your face. Not only was I carrying you so I was blocking most of it, but you¡¯re wearing something completely different from what you usually do and you had a hood over your face. The only person he could¡¯ve possibly seen is me, and he shouldn¡¯t know who I am to know that I know you.¡±

    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°When you saved us he was unconscious¡­¡± The cogs start to turn, processing Wraith¡¯s theory.

    ¡°Exactly. So, he was looking for me in particular.¡±

    ¡°Then Takeda knows who you are..? But how would he even learn that? I thought you said humans can¡¯t see ghosts, only spe-¡± In the midst of the question, Izumi realizes he answered his own question.

    ¡°Specters. A fucking specter. He doesn¡¯t have the scent of one so he didn¡¯t make a deal or anything, but it¡¯s possible they could still have some form of leverage. I could only take guesses at who and why; you went to the ball, basically every specter saw your face and wanted to know who you are and what you mean to me, could give them some form of upperhand or a way to finally make me eat my words.¡±

    ¡°But isn¡¯t there a chance this is all speculation and Takeda isn¡¯t working for a specter? I mean, it¡¯d be hard to work around your territory and all that since if they wanna figure out who I am, they have to take some risks.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s possible but unlikely, why else would they use a human? Harder for me to trace back than a spirit or shade. There¡¯s the whole thing with the both of you going to that spirit town too, and I¡¯m sure that whole thing was staged. You know, I could just interrogate-¡±

    ¡°No! What if you¡¯re wrong and you just scare the crap out of him for nothing?¡±

    ¡°Why do you care? If they figure out anything about you, you or Eiji or your mother could be at risk, and that¡¯s more important than the trauma of some random middle aged man you barely know.¡±

    ¡°If whoever this specter is had the confidence to have a literal spy so close to me, don¡¯t you think he knows full well you¡¯ll see him eventually? They¡¯re prepared for that so they¡¯d be prepared for you finding out whoever they are!¡±

    Wraith backs down, lighting a cigarette to distract himself. ¡°Fine, I won¡¯t. Then what?¡±

    He thinks for a moment, trying to come up with a plan. ¡°We could just do what he¡¯s doing.¡±

    ¡°What, spy on him? What¡¯s that gonna do?¡±

    ¡°Takeda is...well...kinda timid so he¡¯s the type to just do what he¡¯s told. I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll really try to cover up anything, so we could at least try and figure out whatever that specter¡¯s full plans are. Who knows, it could always be more than what it looks like. Basically he spies on me, I spy on him.¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s like I¡¯m using you as bait. I¡¯d rather-¡±

    ¡°Go start a fight? Cuss at them until one of them fesses up?¡±

    Leaning against the wall, smoke leaves in the form of a sigh. ¡°You¡¯re really sounding like Lavina now with her innate ability to make me sound stupid. Ugh¡­.it just leaves a bad taste in my mouth, I don¡¯t wanna use you like that. The latter sounds more preferable honestly.¡±

    Izumi tries to persuade Wraith not just in words, but in actions as well, closing the distance between them and resting his hands on his shoulders. ¡°You¡¯re not using me I¡¯m offering. Plus, what is Takeda gonna do? Even if I was attacked somehow, you didn¡¯t give me this necklace for nothing. If it won¡¯t protect me, then you or one of the others will.¡±

    The endearing display overcoming what¡¯s left of his rebuttal, Wraith caves. ¡°Alright, but if anything happens, you have to tell me.¡±

    ¡°I will just so I don¡¯t get chewed out again.¡±

    Giving Wraith a peck, they trade a smile.

    There was still time left in the day, as it was only around noon, so after changing Izumi called Takeda as soon as possible in order to ¡®apologize for his boyfriend¡¯ and arrange a meet up to talk about it, while Wraith pushed his time in order to at least be there for him when he first spoke to Takeda about Wraith. He assumed the form of a german shepherd, since Takeda would likely filter himself more in Wraith¡¯s presence, reading and speaking through Izumi¡¯s mind in order to communicate with him. They sat outside of a cafe, Takeda immediately pointing out the canine.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had a dog!!¡± Takeda kneels over and tries to pet him.

    ¡°Izumi if you let him I¡¯ll bite his hand off.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s um actually not that friendly so I wouldn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    The dog-turned-Wraith glares through him before curling by Izumi¡¯s feet.

    ¡°Geez, is he trained?¡±

    ¡°Uhh kind of? He¡¯s not really my dog¡­..my friend asked me to watch him for a bit. I do actually have a dog though, but she¡¯s with my mom right now.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell him anything if he didn¡¯t ask.¡±

    ¡°And don¡¯t be so paranoid. I get you¡¯re worried but it¡¯s fine.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry if my boyfriend scared you by the way, he¡¯s the protective type.¡±

    ¡°I WOULD say it¡¯s fine, but I nearly shit myself, so it¡¯s half fine. He didn¡¯t want to come with you?¡±

    ¡°No I sent him home since I figured you wanted to ask about us with how weird you were acting earlier.¡±

    A bit panicked, Takeda whips out an excuse on the spot, ¡°Well I mean it¡¯s because I¡¯ve never known someone that¡¯s well um¡­¡±

    ¡°Gay?¡±

    ¡°Yea, gay.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s lying.¡±

    ¡°About..?¡±

    ¡°Why he¡¯s asking. His tone changed.¡±

    Takeda awkwardly tries asking, ¡°Like how do you¡­?¡±

    ¡°If you try to ask me anything about my sex life I¡¯m going home.¡±

    ¡°Ok ok nevermind nevermind! Then ummmm¡­.can I ask what he works as¡­?¡±

    Knowing Izumi probably isn¡¯t the best liar, Wraith immediately comes up with something. ¡°Security.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a security guard.¡±

    ¡°That explains the fight or flight instinct! I didn¡¯t take you for the type to be with a guy like him.¡±

    Takeda reads Izumi¡¯s confused yet semi-offended expression. ¡°Not in a bad way! Like you¡¯re a nice guy, he kind of gave me...I don¡¯t know...a bad boy feeling? You know what I mean.¡±

    ¡°I guess..?¡±

    ¡°Ok, then you tell me. What¡¯s he like? Not that?¡±

    He debates how honest he should be, considering Wraith is listening to their entire conversation. ¡°He is a bit? At least he said he used to be but not anymore. Kind of hot-headed, leader type, brutally honest sometimes but he can be nice too, he usually is with me.¡±

    ¡°What made him change?¡±

    ¡°You.¡±

    ¡°Wraith if you don¡¯t shut up-¡±

    ¡°Uh-...time? Grew out of it, one of those college things. I never really asked him but I¡¯d assume that.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you guys dating though?¡±

    ¡°We are, but he doesn¡¯t talk much about his life.¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s...weird! What if he¡¯s a serial killer or something? With how strong he is, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised! You have to know SOMETHING. Ok, let¡¯s start with this. How¡¯d you guys meet?¡±

    ¡°What does that have to do with anything?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s trying to redirect it back to our relationship. If he really is just working for a specter, he already knows who I am. Just say something random.¡±

    ¡°I used to work as a server and he was a regular, was always talking with staff and eventually he asked to meet me off hours. We hung out a lot after that then eventually he asked me out.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s actually¡­.more normal than I thought.¡±

    ¡°You expected some grand story about how he fell from the sky or something?¡±

    ¡°Well yes but no? He just seemed more...eccentric. With his weird eyes and all. What¡¯d he see in you-? Not in a bad way I¡¯m just curious because you guys are so different and all you know he¡¯s super aggressive and you¡¯re like the opposite of that.¡±

    ¡°Wraith...?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m thinking...Opposites attract.¡±

    ¡°Is that your actual reason?¡± He jokes, sensing a hint of Wraith being flustered.

    ¡°No, we¡¯re not talking about this right now.¡±

    ¡°I think he liked that in me, the fact that I wasn¡¯t like him. He...considers himself a bad person a lot of the time so I think he took comfort in the fact I didn¡¯t think of him like that while others did.¡±

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t exactly try to be a nice guy! He nearly strangled me!¡±

    ¡°Ok, neglect the fact that you were following us. Anyone would¡¯ve done that.¡±

    ¡°Yes but then he continued to look at me like I killed his wife!¡±

    ¡°How would you be able to trust someone you just met when your first opinion of them is that they followed you for blocks?¡±

    ¡°That- ok fine fine, I¡¯m sorry, I wasn¡¯t thinking I was just curious¡­..can I at least how long you¡¯ve been together? You put so much trust in him so I¡¯m guessing awhile¡­?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve known each other for a few months, but only started dating recently. He¡¯s helped me with a lot though, since I met him, so he means...a lot to me.¡±

    ¡°Then you guys are like¡­.for real..? Full committed relationship and everything?¡±

    ¡°Y-yea...why are you so curious about him in the first place?¡±

    ¡°Well like I said I saw you and thought wow didn¡¯t take Izumi as the relationship type I wonder what kind of uh men he¡¯s into and you¡¯re basically the first gay person I¡¯ve met so-¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t say that like we¡¯re a rare breed.¡±

    ¡°Right right!! Sorry! Look, you know what, I¡¯m gonna go, I feel like I offended you a thousand times over so I¡¯m just gonna do some self flagellation for redemption. Yea? Yea. I¡¯ll see you at work-!!!¡±

    Before they knew it, Takeda sprinted away, Wraith taking his place in the chair across, shifting back into his usual form.

    ¡°He didn¡¯t even ask you for my name. Don¡¯t you think that if he really was ¡®just curious¡¯ that he would ask for the most basic thing?¡±

    ¡°Okay, you were right, I was wrong. He¡¯s definitely suspicious. I¡¯ll just do what I said then, see where he goes with the whole thing and try to figure something out from it.¡±

    ¡°Izumi, just...be careful.¡± Wraith combs his hair with his hand. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to tell you this earlier but¡­the spirits that keep invading the territory are looking for you. That¡¯s why I¡¯m so worried and why I¡¯ve been overworking the others. I already knew that someone at the ball had to have spread a rumor about it, and with your coworker friend Takeda that only confirms that someone is targeting you. I highly doubt they think the spirits will do anything, so it¡¯s probably a ploy for something else, but I¡¯m just as lost right now. I doubt it¡¯s to kill you either, since that wouldn¡¯t really achieve anything.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no rules for stuff like this?¡±

    Lighting another cigarette, Wraith scoffs, ¡°If I went complaining they¡¯d turn it back on me immediately. Why are you so concerned? Do you have something to hide? People target you and whoever you know all the time. The only thing I¡¯m scared of is if it¡¯s Vahan behind this whole thing, he¡¯s the only one smart enough to know what to look for and how to use that information. He knows he can¡¯t kill me, so it¡¯d probably be some other absurd goal I can¡¯t even think of right now. We can¡¯t even do anything really right now until we get more information.¡±

    Izumi, a little angrily, walks over and snatches Wraith¡¯s cigarette right out of his hands and grinds it into the floor. ¡°Then trust me. You figure out what you can, and I¡¯ll do the same on my side. I promise I¡¯ll be careful.¡±

    Even with his reassurance, Wraith still couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious. Izumi was worth more than he knew, or could ever know, and the last thing Wraith could afford was him getting captured, or worse, killed. And if Vahan was really involved¡­

    Standing, he sighed, ruffling Izumi¡¯s hair. ¡°Promise me that if you feel in danger even in the slightest that you¡¯ll call me. If another Fuhiro happens-mnh-...¡±

    A forced kiss muffles the rest of his sentence along with his paranoia. ¡°I told you, I will. I promise.¡±

 Chapter 40: Best Wishes

    Just to ease his heart a bit more, Wraith walks Izumi home when his mother catches them exchanging an amorous farewell. Although a little embarrassed, he¡¯s honest with his mom and truthfully explains their new-found relationship. Kanae, being the mother she is, excitedly congratulates the couple and invites Wraith into the house but he respectfully declines considering he needed to get back to his own affairs. Once inside Izumi collapsed on the couch with Lala wagging her tail and nuzzling her wet nose against his face, begging for the missed attention, his mother sitting beside him.

    ¡°You told me you were going out with a friend this morning!¡± She half heartedly scolded.

    ¡°I was! And I came back with a boyfriend, which I didn¡¯t expect either belieeeve me.¡±

    ¡°To think that you would end up not just meeting but DATING the guy from the ghost story I used to tell you all the time. Do you still remember how you used to pronounce his name?¡±

    ¡°Remanant.¡± Izumi smiled as he happily ruffled Lala¡¯s fur, recollecting the fond memories with his mother.

    ¡°Yep! I used to always correct you and you did it anyways. Ahh¡­you grew up, Izumi.¡±

    Hearing Kanae¡¯s change in tone, he perks up, letting Lala go and looking at his mom. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°You really like him. I¡¯d even go as far as to say you¡¯d gladly spend the rest of your life with him.¡±

    For once, Izumi didn¡¯t have an outward denial or embarrassment, only shifting his eyes to the coffee table. ¡°....what gave it away?¡±

    ¡°How you look at him. Nothing gets past a mother. At the least I can say I think he feels the same about you, he had this sort of aloofness when he was with you and he doesn¡¯t strike me as someone to normally act like that, at least based on the stories about him and how he was when you first introduced us. I was really worried for a second because it had been so long since you properly dated someone so I hoped that he would be nice.¡±

    ¡°And you could tell that he is just from that?¡±

    ¡°Told you, mother¡¯s intuition.¡± Kanae smirked. ¡°In short, he has my blessing. I think he¡¯ll treat you well.¡±

    ¡°You know they only say that for marriage right..?¡±

    ¡°What, you don¡¯t wanna get married? I¡¯m trying to have a son-in-law!¡±

    ¡°NOOO nonono!! It¡¯s way too soon to be talking about that!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s never too soon! If you can¡¯t give me a grandchild at least give me a son-in-law.¡± She pinches Izumi¡¯s cheeks and he pulls his face away, rubbing the sting with a scowl.

    It was most definitely too early to think about marriage, but the thought still swirled about him. Would Wraith be alright with that kind of commitment? He didn¡¯t mind himself, and he also didn¡¯t mind if Wraith didn¡¯t want to. After all, they wouldn¡¯t necessarily gain or lose much, since Wraith lives in a completely different circle. But that was something to contemplate some other day if at all.

    In the meantime, for the first time in what could''ve been centuries Lavina was cordially invited to Wraith''s home to a banquet with his followers. He too had relayed his relationship status to them, which naturally included the usual trio as well, and they had insisted upon feasting to celebrate. Truthfully however, he had called Lavina for a different reason. The notable five were seated together but not too far away from the rest; still, they spoke in a quieter tone that would end up lost in the robust chatter, letting their conversation stay a secret.

    ¡°Think about it more rationally, Wraith. What could Vahan possibly gain by targeting Izumi?¡± Lavina exchanged a blow from her pipe with a sip of wine. She wasn''t much for eating and surprisingly could go quite long without doing so. Comparatively, Neio finds food one of the greatest joys in life, although Dahlia and Faelan would side with Lavina''s opinion on the matter. Wraith had once held the same opinion as Neio, but with his time spent with Izumi, he began to steadily agree with Lavina.

    ¡°And you think Barron would come up with some elaborate plan?¡± He questioned as he took a sip from his glass.

    ¡°You¡¯re underestimating Barron. I don¡¯t know why you think he¡¯s incompetent.¡±

    ¡°I just can¡¯t see him essentially sending a spy, isn¡¯t his thing. And I doubt he would do anything without the support of someone else.¡±

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    ¡°The latter I agree with. Still, I just can¡¯t understand their motive. Obviously it isn¡¯t to kill Izumi, they wouldn¡¯t really do much from that.¡±

    ¡°Maybe he wants to talk to him?¡± Neio intrudes. ¡°Vahan¡¯s weird like that it might not be as menacing as you think.¡±

    Quickly, Wraith shook off the thought. ¡°There¡¯s a thousand different ways to go about it, I doubt that he figured the best way to talk to him was to set up some elaborate trap in a hostile spirit city.¡±

    Faelan, who¡¯s usually just about as quiet as Dahlia, comes up with a speculation of his own, ¡°Or he wants to see what he means to you.¡±

    ¡°Or both.¡± Dahlia affirms.

    ¡°That!¡± Slamming her hand against the dining table, Lavina excitedly grins. ¡°Both I think. He wants to know what Izumi means to you and vice versa. From there he can figure out what to do with the whole thing. I don¡¯t think his intentions are currently hostile, maybe they are to you, but at least not to Izumi. Weirdly enough people have been coming to the library more often too, had some even look at what few books I have on mediums so he probably knows he''s human too at this point. I¡¯d suggest just waiting honestly, let him put more cards down first.¡±

    ¡°And in the meantime hope all of you right?¡± Sighing, Wraith runs his fingers through his hair, trying to comb the stress away. ¡°Great.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°HCK-ckjh- WHAT?!¡± Nearly choking on his coffee in the process, Eiji shouted, the other patrons glaring at him so he reiterates in a lower voice, ¡°I mean, what?! Dating?! Just two seconds ago you were telling me that you just liked him!¡± Even though he should¡¯ve seen the news coming, considering he spoke to both Izumi and Wraith and knew of their affections toward each other, he still gives an exaggerated reaction.

    ¡°Yea and then he asked me out and I have no reason to reject him so now we¡¯re dating.¡± Izumi calmly states. They were sitting in front of a coffee shop with several other outdoor seats around them.

    Since it was early in the morning, they were nearly all filled. At this point, it had been a little over a week since the couple started dating. Izumi wanted to tell him sooner, but work on both ends caused schedule conflicts, and he much preferred to relay the news in person. Even now, he was occupied with work as he had to leave in a few hours for his shift.

    ¡°Ugh I don¡¯t even know what to say. You do realize he¡¯s not human right?¡±

    ¡°Yea.¡±

    ¡°And that he basically kills people like you and me for a living? Sorry, not just kills, EATS them?!!¡± He tried to say in a quiet yell.

    ¡°Yea.¡±

    ¡°And you don¡¯t have a problem with that?!!¡±

    ¡°Look I don¡¯t know how to explain why I don¡¯t, but I don¡¯t. It¡¯s not as bad as you think and HE¡¯S not as bad as you think.¡±

    ¡°He could flick you and split your head in two! What the fuck?!! Are you hearing yourself?!¡±

    ¡°Eiji you¡¯re judging your entire perception of him based off of ONE interaction with him months ago!¡± Edging on frustration, Izumi groans and rolls his eyes, mumbling, ¡°Maybe I should¡¯ve just waited to tell you if you were gonna be such an ass about it.¡±

    ¡°Oh, so now I can¡¯t look out for my best friend? You have a habit of dating bad guys and all I¡¯ve seen in him is the same traits of the others just amplified a hundred fold!¡±

    ¡°Ok tell me then. How is he like them since you know him better than I do apparently.¡±

    ¡°Always wants sex, always makes you do whatever he wants, always putting you in harms way-¡±

    ¡°Never pressured me for sex, always makes sure that I¡¯m ok with everything first, and I¡¯m the one always putting myself in danger, if anything he¡¯s the one who keeps me safe-¡±

    An annoyingly familiar voice suddenly bursts his ears. ¡°IZUMI?!!¡± The shaggy man rushes over, completely ignoring the equally annoyed customers. ¡°You mind if I sit? I wanted to get a drink before work and it¡¯s packed man!¡± Takeda tries to catch his breath, pushing his glasses back up.

    ¡°Ye-¡±

    ¡°No, not at all go ahead.¡± Eiji interrupts, sarcastically smiling at Izumi who returns a glare.

    ¡°Sick thanks! So, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve met. Friend of Izumi¡¯s?¡±

    ¡°Yes just a friend.¡± Izumi quickly answers which Eiji just as quickly corrects.

    ¡°BEST friend.¡±

    Izumi cocks his head in irritation and tries to telepathically tell Eiji to shut up. Takeda was already on Izumi¡¯s case enough, the last thing he needed was more information to tattletale to Vahan or whoever.

    ¡°Even closer than I am! How long have you known each other?¡±

    ¡°A year.¡±

    ¡°Childhood.¡±

    The best friends locked eyes in a standoff. Questions would only continue to rain and Eiji would only continue to blurt truths. He knew this would happen and he didn¡¯t want to humor either of them. Almost immediately, Izumi stood from the table in an attempt to escape.

    ¡°Hey! Where are you going I just sat down!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve got things to do before work. I¡¯ll see you then.¡± He tried to cut the conversation as quickly as possible, not even staying long enough for Takeda to exchange a goodbye. As he took two steps at a time, Eiji rushed after him, grabbing his arm.

    ¡°What the hell is wrong with you?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me? What¡¯s wrong with you! You can¡¯t take a fucking hint Eiji?! You think I¡¯d introduce you as a friend just to be petty?¡±

    ¡°Then why? Why¡¯d you lie when you¡¯d basically gain nothing from it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a long story that I¡¯m not in the mindset to explain right now and at this rate ever. I should be asking you why you can¡¯t just trust me, not just about earlier but about Wraith too!¡±

    ¡°Just tell me then why Wraith is so great and I¡¯m so wrong!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to tell you and you won¡¯t listen to me!¡± Shaking Eiji¡¯s grasp, Izumi exhales his vexation. ¡°Maybe when you¡¯re not a stubborn hotheaded bull I¡¯ll try and get it into your head again but right now just leave me alone. We¡¯re just gonna keep going back and forth and it¡¯s exhausting. I have to get to work.¡± Without another word nor a farewell, Izumi turns away. For a moment, Eiji debates running after him once more, but the ring of Izumi¡¯s words halt his legs.

 Chapter 41: Secrets Are Meant To Be Revealed

    Work was fairly uneventful, aside from Takeda¡¯s constant pestering as to the morning¡¯s events, though Izumi was unrelenting and refused to give Takeda any more information regarding Eiji. To clear his mind, Izumi decides to take a different path home. He visited a few areas trying to elongate his trip, before ultimately heading home by the call of the night, but not before he made one more stop. Izumi stood before the abandoned office building, one that he would never forget. It reminded him of the time in which he feared Wraith: his strength, guise, mannerisms, wrath. Some part of him chastised his younger self for taking the specter at face value, but then again, Wraith said it himself that he somewhat preferred it that way. The thought of being in a romantic relationship with the same man now still mesmerized him. Maybe one day Eiji would grow past his hatred for Wraith¡­

    An enormous black blur suddenly whizzes by his face accompanied by a gust of wind as it crashes behind him. His hand clasping his necklace, Izumi was prepared for the worst upon turning around, which to his surprise was actually a face he welcomed.

    ¡°Faelan..?¡±

    The deer spirit stumbled to its feet, rubble still dripping onto its dusty fur. ¡°Oh, Izumi. What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°I should be asking you that.¡±

    ¡°HEYYYY IZUMII!!¡± Before he could even react, a large brute slams beside him and yanks him into a tight squeeze, roughly messing his hair. ¡°Haven¡¯t seen you since¨CI don¡¯t know when! But it feels like forever!¡± Neio releases his vise hold, Izumi trying not to make his slight pain obvious.

    ¡°The party.¡± Dahlia emerges from the shadows, dusting off Faelan.

    ¡°Yea, that! Which now that I think about it really wasn¡¯t too long ago. New job treating you well?¡±

    ¡°The best it can haha.¡± He nervously laughed off. It was a lot at times, mainly the aggravation of working with Takeda, but he still enjoyed it overall nonetheless. ¡°What about you guys?¡±

    ¡°BORED!!¡± Neio loudly groaned, giving an exaggerated eye roll. ¡°We¡¯ve resorted to fighting each other now!¡±

    ¡°What Neio means to say is that the attacks started to die down and he forgot what it¡¯s like to sit peacefully from time to time, so now he¡¯s trying to solidify his position as a general to Faelan who is very much so not trying to steal it.¡± Dahlia sighed, shaking their imaginary head.

    ¡°But he thinks I am because Lord Wraith had joked and said, ¡®If you don¡¯t pick up the slack Faelan just might take your job¡¯.¡±

    ¡°You think he¡¯s joking! You don¡¯t know Boss like I do, my position is never safe. He could easily just wake up one day and say you know what I don¡¯t feel like having generals anymore and he would just run with it!¡±

    The near perfect read on Wraith¡¯s character gets a chuckle out of Izumi, which turns into slight fondness and remembering that he hadn¡¯t seen Wraith in the last week either. ¡°How is he by the way?¡±

    ¡°Boss? Same as usual but he¡¯s got this funny glow to him, like nothing could piss him off, which is weird.¡± Suddenly, Neio kneels over and slyly smirks. ¡°What, you miss him?¡±

    ¡°Kinda.¡± Izumi scratches the light pink off his cheeks and glances away.

    ¡°He isn¡¯t doing anything right now I don¡¯t think if you wanna come over, sure he wouldn¡¯t mind. If it¡¯s you, he lets anything go.¡±

    Although he wanted to, he was a little hesitant. In the case Wraith was busy, he didn¡¯t want to intrude or bother him. Then again, he could just blame Neio and feign innocence¡­ Just the imaginary scenario made him smile. The idea was more like something Wraith would come up with. After texting his mother, he agreed to stop by Wraith¡¯s home.

    If there was something the trio was unexpectedly good at, it was giving the couple their space, as almost as soon as they arrived, they left Izumi alone in Wraith¡¯s room, only telling him that he was probably taking a bath. He stood before the door to the bathhouse, steam clouding the stone directly in front, his heart rapidly beating. Fiddling with his necklace, he stuttered to open the door. Why am I so nervous? It¡¯s only been a week and I¡¯m just here to say hi and then go home. With a deep breath, Izumi entered.

    There was a thick cloud of steam in the bathhouse, making it incredibly humid and impossible to see more than a few feet in front. Closing the door behind him, Izumi carefully waded through the fog, trying not to slip on the wet tiles. It surprised him that Wraith didn¡¯t say anything. Surely he heard him enter if he didn¡¯t smell him beforehand. Was he even here? A plop of water quickly answered that question as a figure came into view. He was sitting in the bath, back against the pavement. Something seemed¡­different. Not just in his lack of notice, but in appearance as well. The fog made it hard to discern. Maybe his hair? Izumi didn¡¯t give it much thought. With his nerves fading in turn for excitement, he knelt against the tiles and leaned his lover¡¯s head back, cradling his hair which he now realized was longer than usual.

    ¡°Guess who!¡±

    ¡°I smelled you the moment you got here you know.¡± Wraith warmly smiled. Lowering himself more, Izumi sealed the greeting with a kiss. ¡°Why don¡¯t you come in?¡±

    ¡°Sure, if you turn the temperature down. What¡¯s with all this steam?¡±

    ¡°I like it hot sometimes.¡± With a wave of his hand, the steam slowly fades away and Izumi¡¯s vision clears. He laughed at himself for not noticing Wraith¡¯s change in appearance even with the steam, but he decided to question him after getting in the bath. As such, he threw off his clothes and sat beside Wraith, which didn¡¯t last long as he pulled Izumi on top, now facing each other. Wraith¡¯s hair was not only longer, reaching to about his waist, but it was dyed fully red rather than its usual ombre. Both eyes were a royal blue, no longer differing in color. In regards to his body, it was the most inhuman that Izumi has seen so far for him but still humanoid. Overall he was larger, still not bigger than Neio but noticeably taller and most of his skin lacked normal pigmentation, as it was a charcoal tone¨Chis talons now present. Only his face and chest were its usual tone. An extensively long spiked tail waded in the water, his wolf ears twitching in curiosity.

    ¡°So¡­what¡¯s with the look?¡± Izumi finally asked.

    ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡±

    ¡°If I¡¯m honest, it¡¯s fine, I prefer your short hair though.¡±

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    ¡°Then I¡¯ll change back later, I¡¯m too lazy right now. I sometimes use this form when I¡¯m fighting and sometimes to stretch my legs, use something other than my 100% human look from time to time.¡± As he spoke, Izumi glided his hands across his partner¡¯s body, trying to fully absorb the difference. ¡°I wonder if this is how I looked before everything, but at this point it doesn¡¯t really matter.¡±

    Somewhat spacing out, he drifted to Wraith¡¯s animal ears, delicately rubbing them as they fluttered at the touch, his mind absorbed in amazement.

    ¡°I won''t start panting if that''s what you''re thinking, they''re just for show.¡±

    ¡°Ah-¡± Snapping back, Izumi retracted his hands. ¡°Sorry it''s just...weird I guess, but in a cool way.¡±

    ¡°Or maybe you have some repressed emotions you''d like to get out?¡± Wraith smirked, pulling him closer.

    ¡°I can miss you without being horny, Wraith.¡±

    Gradually, they gravitated into another kiss, the bathhouse echoing the amorous interaction. Their intertwined embrace spoke louder than words ever could, and if Izumi had any doubts that Wraith felt the same, they were gone now. When he tried to part, Wraith only held him tighter, deepening the kiss with his tongue. It became increasingly difficult for him to not get aroused at this point, but just as he began to reach his limit, Wraith finally released him--though a string of saliva still connected the two. On the other hand, Wraith was the more excited one, repressing his desires for Izumi''s sake. Still, if he had to go another week without seeing him...

    ¡°Do you wanna go on a date?¡±

    Wiping his mouth, Izumi tried to catch his breath. ¡°Like...a date date?¡±

    ¡°Unless you know another kind apparently?¡±

    ¡°N-no, no I was just surprised is all. It''ll be our first actual date right? As a couple I mean.¡±

    ¡°Minus that time some months ago with the whole Eiji thing, yea, and if you''re not counting the picnic.¡±

    Eiji. The name rang bitter in his ears. He didn''t want to be reminded of their argument earlier in the day.

    Wraith caught onto his slight facial twinge and questioned, ¡°What¡¯s up? You guys got in another fight?¡±

    ¡°Kinda, just him being stubborn. I''ll talk to him again some other time I promise, you don''t have to worry about it.¡±

    ¡°You sure?¡±

    ¡°Mhm.¡± To affirm, Izumi gave him a quick peck. ¡°We can go on a date, I''m off tomorrow. Did you have an idea of where you wanted to go?¡±

    ¡°I have a place in mind but only one really, so if you wanted to do anything outside of that it''s your choice.¡±

    ¡°Where?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a surprise.¡± Wraith grinned, playfully pinching his nose. Momentarily scowling, Izumi sighed, too tired to pester him. They wrapped up their bath, drying and clothing themselves as Wraith reverted to his usual appearance. ¡°You know, you actually saw me like that before technically. But you also didn''t.¡±

    ¡°Huh? When?¡±

    ¡°When you were drunk and I blindfolded you. I can change my tail, have more or less, spikes or no spikes, fur, whatever it is-¡±

    ¡°Please don''t even finish, I don''t wanna think about what you might''ve done with those tails, let alone everything else.¡±

    Lightly laughing, he refrained from ruffling Izumi''s hair, knowing it would only make him more embarrassed.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take you home and tomorrow morning we can go out.¡±

    Magic always proved to be a valuable convenience, as they quickly arrived in Izumi''s bedroom, skipping the steps of going through the front door and up the stairs. He wanted to greet his mom and Lala, but supposed it''d have to wait until Wraith left. As Izumi got ready for bed, Wraith looked around the room, going through his belongings.

    ¡°Man it''s been forever since I''ve been in here. Few months at least I think. Smells less like virgin.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m too tired to even fight you right now.¡± Defeatedly, Izumi sank into the bed, staring at Wraith as he fumbled about the room.

    Gesturing to the office chair draped in teal, Wraith teased some more, ¡°Hey look it''s the shirt I gave you. You wear it that often I see?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s comfortable to wear around the house.¡±

    ¡°Sure that''s the only reason?¡±

    Again, Izumi only sighed in response as Wraith continued scouring until he finally found the photos above the dresser. They consisted mostly of himself with his family, but there were two that stood out--both of the wheat field where they met. While Wraith was busy drowning in his nostalgia, Izumi was entangled in his infatuation. As much as he knew how and why people feared Wraith, it still was strange at times. On the surface, he was alluring. An unachievable temptation for most. Tall, well-built, with an enticing face and a heartwarming smile. Even under the surface, Izumi loved every part of him. Though exhausted, he still loved Wraith''s teasing and its familiar yet caring fondness. He wished he could spend everyday with him, fully devoting himself to Wraith''s side just as Neio and Dahlia have, and now Faelan. But, he had his place here, too. He couldn''t leave his mother and Lala, and as much as they fight, Eiji too. A muffled voice eventually broke through, bringing him back to the present moment.

    Wraith sat on his knees, cradling Izumi¡¯s arms. ¡°Izumi? You alright? I¡¯ve been calling your name.¡±

    ¡°Y-yea I was just thinking about something.¡±

    ¡°Mind if I ask what?¡±

    ¡°....¡± Izumi scratched his temple. ¡°....you¡­¡±

    Wraith¡¯s lips slightly parted then closed with a gentle smile. ¡°Why are you thinking about me? I¡¯m right here.¡±

    He stood up, gliding a few locks of Izumi¡¯s hair behind his ear and giving him a comforting kiss. Before he can pull away, Izumi jerks him back by his shirt, reconnecting their lips. Desperately he flipped Wraith over, pushing him onto the bed and adding more moisture to the inside of his mouth. Originally, Wraith was unsure what to do with his hands as he was surprised from the sudden advance until finally he settled them on Izumi¡¯s waist. Aggressively he parted Wraith¡¯s dress shirt, the buttons dismantling with a collection of loud pops. Izumi pawed at his partner¡¯s torso, ranging from his chest to his abdomen. He didn¡¯t necessarily want intercourse; rather, he just wanted to feel Wraith. The warmth of his skin, his touch. The comfort and consolation provided from just his presence alone. Through their connected mouths Izumi tried to convey these feelings to him and soon enough he understood, relaxing in his embrace and letting him do as he pleased. They became so engrossed with each other that they didn¡¯t hear the footsteps creeping towards the door until it creaked open with a gasp. While Wraith didn¡¯t care too much, Izumi felt his heart sink as he quickly peels himself off with a petrified stare at the entryway. Lala rushed in, excitedly wagging her tail and nuzzling Wraith¡¯s leg.

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    ¡°Mom¨C¡±

    Kanae cleared her throat, looking away. ¡°Sorry I didn¡¯t know you were home, I was wondering why Lala suddenly ran upstairs and well um¡­.¡± She took a quick glance at Wraith half shirtless under her son before immediately removing her eyes again. ¡°N-nice to see you, Wraith.¡±

    ¡°Y-yea¡­um¡­¡± Embarrassed, he fumbles to button his shirt as Izumi moves over to let him stand. He ruffles Lala¡¯s fur and awkwardly smiles at Kanae then Izumi. ¡°I was uh just leaving so um yea¡­have a good night.¡± Quickly, he gives Izumi a peck and disappears with a slight puff of steam.

    ¡°So¡­¡­good night¡­?¡±

    Too flustered to even respond, Izumi watches his mom leave the room, Lala trotting behind. As soon as the door shuts, he screams into his pillow, wishing for a moment that he didn¡¯t live under his mother¡¯s roof.

    <hr>

    Vahan¡¯s smile didn¡¯t reach his eyes; this, even the new and innocent specter of guilt could discern. She held some of her Victorian dress in her quivering hands as she sat down before the small coffee table. Her eyes darted everywhere, trying to figure out Vahan¡¯s intentions for the invitation before he could speak. Before he sat, he poured a cup of tea for both then offered sugar, to which she declined. Thia didn¡¯t even reach for the cup, keeping her fists balled over her knees.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so tense, I won¡¯t hurt you.¡± The only response he received was kneaded eyebrows in doubt and contemplation. Sighing, Vahan¡¯s wings stretched out, fluttered, then relaxed once more. ¡°Then I suppose I¡¯ll get to the point. I saw how you looked at Wraith at the ball. It¡¯s only natural that you feel strangely about him considering he brought an end to your predecessor, but it¡¯s something more, isn¡¯t it? It looked more like you know something about him, something no one else knows.¡±

    Finally, she spoke, breaking under the pressure. ¡°I should go! Thank you for inviting me!¡± She bolted from the chair, nearly tripping over herself on the way out. Vahan didn¡¯t try to stop her. The robust reaction was all he needed to know that he was right, and that he needed to learn what she knew.

 Chapter 42: Like a Normal Couple

    Some part of him didn¡¯t want to see Wraith after his mother walked in on them making out the other night, but it was something he simply had to bury deep in the back of his mind. To erase the memory, he showered and aggressively dried himself before throwing on a set of clothing, also prepared by Lavina just like before. Another skirt paired with a cropped hoodie and a headband, which had tassels attached to each side. Throwing a small bag over his shoulder, he rushed out of the house where Wraith was waiting. Something had been bothering him for the longest time, and since he had Wraith for the day, he could finally satiate his need.

    ¡°A phone?¡± Wraith questioned as they walked around the city.

    ¡°Yes! Do you know how inconvenient it is that we have to meet up all the time to talk? If you have a phone, it doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re busy or I¡¯m busy, you can still just text or call me.¡±

    ¡°I mean I wouldn¡¯t mind but you¡¯d be basically my only contact.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, just kinda defeats the purpose of a phone. I can just visit you more often¨C¡±

    ¡°No! We¡¯re getting you a phone!¡±

    Just as soon as the statement had left did he drag Wraith into a mobile store. He refused to let Wraith buy a phone that was red or black, begrudgingly letting him get a coral one with a flowered case. The flowers weren¡¯t what he expected, but upon asking Wraith only responded with a simple they¡¯re nice.

    Afterwards, they made their way to Wraith¡¯s planned destination, which was unexpectedly a zoo, especially since he was unarguably more excited to be there than Wraith was. He couldn¡¯t remember the last time he had been, likely when he was still in grade school and only once or twice. As such, he took the opportunity to snap as many pictures of the variety of animals as possible. In truth, Wraith just brought him here to see his excitement, knowing full well that the inner photographer would get the best of him. Though what Wraith didn¡¯t expect was for Izumi to ask for pictures of them together on several occasions, and in some cases, he took pictures of Wraith in secret. After all the drama going on in his life, it was refreshing to take time off and focus on his relationship with Izumi. Lavina and himself never went on dates, so it was a new experience for him. Even something as small as holding hands was new, but for once, he didn¡¯t try to hide his emotions. If he wanted to maintain his relationship, it was better for him to be open, especially now. He didn¡¯t want to make it seem like he wasn¡¯t enjoying himself when that was far from the case. It was the happiest he¡¯d been in awhile, save for Izumi accepting his confession. Just watching the one who stole his heart smile and laugh with a vibrant light was enough for him. And for a fleeting moment he thought to himself, maybe he felt something deeper for Izumi. The devotion he felt towards making him happy and satisfied was heavy in his chest. Wraith knew he felt more for him than he ever did with Lavina, and that spoke volumes in itself. If he believed he once loved Lavina, then maybe he¡­

    ¡°Oh-oh-! Wraith we have to feed the birds come on pleaseeee!!!¡± A tug on his jacket interrupted his dangerous thoughts and he tried to brush them away, focusing on the present moment.

    Glancing between the large aviary and his ecstatic boyfriend, he grimaced. ¡°If you want to but I honestly would rather not.¡±

    ¡°Well, I want to, so can we?¡±

    Sighing, Wraith tried to force a smile. ¡°Sure.¡±

    The zookeepers had offered small cups of nectar to those who entered, and while Wraith rejected the cup, Izumi happily accepted. Some of the others were trying with no luck to get birds to land on the arm, but Izumi seemed to have no trouble at all as almost instantly did a bird perch itself on his shoulder, then another his hand.

    In a delicate yet exuberant turn, he faced Wraith and grinned, ¡°Quick take a picture! I wanna send it to my mom, she¡¯d love to try something like this!¡±

    Still bearing a weird frown, Wraith unwillingly listened, keeping his eyes locked on the birds that seemed to never stop chirping. After the shutter of the camera, his patience snapped and he shooed the birds away, grabbing Izumi by the wrist and rushing out of the aviary.

    ¡°H-hey! What¡¯s with you?¡± He tried to shake off Wraith¡¯s hand, but his grasp didn¡¯t break until after they had already left. ¡°Wraith!¡±

    ¡°I hate birds. They¡¯re just so¡ªthey¡¯re dickheads! I can¡¯t stand them all they ever do is talk trash on everyone and they only suck up to people to get stuff out of them and it¡¯s always the pretty ones.¡±

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    ¡°What are you even saying? Do you know how irrational you sound right now?¡±

    ¡°Ok, maybe I should¡¯ve started off with this. I can hear animals.¡±

    ¡°Like, talk?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Like you hear me talking or anyone else.¡±

    Izumi looked a bit skeptical at first. ¡°If you could why didn¡¯t you or anyone else ever mention that? And why did you bring me to a zoo in the first place?¡±

    ¡°It just never came up it¡¯s not really important and I just thought you¡¯d like it. It never really bothers me because it¡¯s just like people talking in a crowd or something. I can read minds so I don¡¯t know just kinda thought you¡¯d figure too..? It¡¯s basically just that.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­what were they saying that got you so irritated?¡±

    ¡°Ugh,¡± Wraith groaned, already trying to forget. ¡°Being all flirty with you and just bad mouthing me saying you could do better or something.¡± Realizing how his explanation didn¡¯t really help, he shamefully looks away, holding his hair in his hand.

    ¡°Pfft¨Cseriously? Kh¨C¡± Izumi struggled to hold in his laughter although he didn¡¯t really fight it as it quickly burst out. ¡°Hahahaha!! You got jealous of birds??¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t jealous!!¡± Steadily his ears started to burn in embarrassment. ¡°They just pissed me off ok!!¡±

    ¡°Ahh so you got mad! At birds! Birds!¡± He repeats, driving the stupidity of it all further.

    ¡°Izumi I swear¡ª! I will actually never take you to a zoo again!¡±

    ¡°Ok ok I¡¯m kidding!! Just a bit.¡± Snickering, Izumi treaded closer. ¡°We can leave then, alright?¡±

    ¡°That just makes it worse.¡±

    Maybe Wraith was rubbing off on him, as he took the opportunity to tease him some more. ¡°Then we go back in the aviary?¡±

    ¡°No! We¡¯re leaving. I don¡¯t care where at this point I just want to go before I crawl in myself.¡±

    ¡°Hehe.¡± Izumi chuckled, holding Wraith¡¯s arm and leading him in the opposite direction. ¡°Then we can kill some time at a park. I have another place I wanna go but that¡¯s at night.¡±

    Knowing he wouldn¡¯t say where and also to prevent Izumi teasing him anymore, Wraith didn¡¯t bother to ask, only following his lead.

    They sat against a tree by the lake, Izumi on top, playing with Wraith¡¯s wavy locks. Children were tossing a ball back and forth nearby, but other than that, they were remotely alone. This could probably be pointed to the time, being a bit late in the afternoon, and at this point most families and friends had completed their activities. The couple, however, preferred it this way as it allowed them to give each other their full attention, divulging in the seclusion.

    ¡°Wraith, I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you¡­so, you were with Lavina right? And now you¡¯re with me. I forgot who said it, but I remember hearing something about you being a playboy. Is that¡­?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s one way to put it. I didn¡¯t really flirt with people nonchalantly if that¡¯s what you¡¯re asking. I did kinda sleep around though.¡±

    ¡°With um¡­who¡­?¡±

    ¡°Spirits?¡±

    He was trying to dance around the real meaning of his question, but since Wraith didn¡¯t seem to understand, he had no choice but to be blunt. ¡°I mean like¡­what gender¡­like¡­.have you um¡­ever been with a guy before¡­?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yea. A few times. I don¡¯t really have a preference if that¡¯s what you¡¯re asking. Guy, girl, both, neither, doesn¡¯t really matter to me.¡±

    Izumi wasn¡¯t sure what response he expected, though that somehow matched the expectations he didn¡¯t really have. ¡°Well, then I can¡¯t do the thing where I ask if you¡¯d like me if I was a girl.¡± He joked.

    ¡°I think I¡¯d prefer you as a guy anyways.¡± Wraith smiled, kissing Izumi¡¯s palm. ¡°A guy doing cute things is cuter than a girl doing cute things.¡±

    Normally, Izumi would get flustered and pull away his hand, but he started to grow accustomed to Wraith¡¯s behavior. Plus, they¡¯re dating now. Things like this should be normal for him anyways.

    ¡°You know, Izumi, I could always shapeshift into a girl for you if you wanted¡­¡±

    ¡°No!¡± After that statement, Izumi tugged his hand back.

    ¡°I was just kidding.¡± Wraith sneered. ¡°Hey, maybe you were curious how a¨C¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t even finish.¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright.¡±

    Scowl fading, the longer they stared into each other¡¯s eyes the more they felt a tight desire build, inevitably gravitating into a kiss. They believed themselves to have been lucky that the park was fairly empty, until that same group of children tittered by, ogling the pair.

    ¡°Ewwww!!¡± The kids shouted in disgust, interrupting the couple¡¯s embrace. Wraith looked over and glared coldly, causing them to panic and run off. One of them scooped up the ball as they ran, when suddenly, it deflated in his arms. His friends stopped and berated him, blaming him for the loss of the ball as much as he tried to plead his case, swearing it wasn¡¯t him.

    Izumi pinched Wraith¡¯s cheek and scolded, ¡°You did that didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Oww¨Cfine yes I did.¡± He rubbed the sting with a pout. ¡°Kids should be more respectful to their elders.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re just being kids Wraith.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t really excuse their behavior. If one of them came and pulled your hair or spit on you or something would you say that?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s different. What they did was just something kids do all the time.¡± Feeling like he wasn¡¯t getting through to him, he asked, ¡°How much have you even interacted with a child?¡±

    ¡°Basically never I guess.¡±

    Sighing, Izumi gave up on explaining after that. He felt a bit glad that neither Wraith nor himself could bear children, as from that, he believed that Wraith wouldn¡¯t really be the best father. Then, he thought about it. I mean¡­he wouldn¡¯t necessarily be THAT bad, just one of the clueless ones. I think most dads are like that so I guess he¡¯d fit right in. Laughing at the image, Izumi rose, dragging Wraith with him.

    ¡°So, where to now?¡±

    A wicked glee tainted Izumi¡¯s expression, knowing his plan full well. ¡°A love hotel.¡±

 Chapter 43: Dog on a Leash

    Even though he¡¯s walked this Earth for countless years, Wraith had actually never been inside a love hotel, at least for its intended purpose. Generally speaking, he never really slept with humans either and he could count the times on one hand. Regardless, he was a little thrilled to see where this would go. If it was Izumi¡¯s idea, he likely had more in mind than to just have normal intercourse. After all, if that was the case they could¡¯ve just gone to either of their homes. The love hotel was one of the few that occasionally contained windows in certain rooms although they were small and shuttered, being not even a meter off the ground. Smoking was allowed in the room because of this, but he left to smoke outside to allow Izumi the time he imagined he needed to implement whatever idea he had. It was a little obvious that Izumi wanted him out of the room for a second anyway, since he pushed him to smoke outside making some excuse about stinking up the room, though Izumi specifically rented a room that allowed smoking just for him. While outside, Wraith ran the possible scenarios in his mind several times. Izumi had only taken charge a handful of times, so what could he possibly pull now? What required a love hotel? Was it just for the experience? He found himself getting a bit nervous. There were just too many outcomes to think of. Grinding his cigarette into the cement and his anxieties along with it, he paced back to the room, ultimately coming to no direct conclusion. Even with this, nothing could¡¯ve prepared him for what he saw upon entry.

    Knelt on the floor in front of the bed was Izumi in a pair of sheer lingerie, which consisted of a bra, a short open skirt, and thigh high stockings, all attached to each other by straps. Around his neck was a leash attached to a collar, blatantly sticking out in comparison to the rest of the outfit. Obviously, the clothing did nothing to actually cover his skin as everything including his genitalia could be seen clearly. He was already in a partial erection.

    ¡°W-welcome back.¡± Izumi¡¯s fingers were curled, palms between his legs in a sprawled position.

    Something within Wraith broke, the dangerous mix of romantic and lustful attraction overcoming any restraint he might¡¯ve still had. Holding Izumi¡¯s jaw, he tilts his face upwards, barely leaning over.

    ¡°Did you touch yourself?¡± With an icy tone, his shoe grinded against Izumi¡¯s member in slight annoyance, extracting a soft whimper.

    ¡°Mmn¨Cah¨C¡± Unable to articulate a response, Izumi nodded, then was met with a sharp sting across his cheek, painting it red as it burned in pain. But, instead of retracting, he only felt his lower-self swell and rise more.

    Wraith pulled his hair back, tugging at the leash as he closed the distance between them. ¡°Slaves only do as their told, and I didn¡¯t tell you to touch yourself, now did I?¡±

    He struggled to shake his head through Wraith¡¯s unrelenting grip on both his neck and hair, hacking a gasp as he carelessly tossed him onto the bed.

    ¡°Finish yourself off then. Not even a pig would fuck you with how filthy you are right now.¡±

    Flipping a chair over, he sat resting his arms on top, leaning against them.

    If Wraith had asked¨Cordered¨Cthis a month ago, Izumi would¡¯ve vehemently declined to do so, drowning in the shame and embarrassment from the thought alone. Now, things were different. Without even the smallest rebuttal, he listened. On the bed Izumi spread his bent legs to provide an open view of his self-pleasure. When Wraith had stepped out, Izumi had prepared prior to his arrival, so his entrance was already wet with lubricant. His fingers easily disappeared within, wading with a moist squish. Breaths shortened to light pants as he gave care to both his walls and shaft, making sure to keep his watery eyes locked with Wraith¡¯s unnatural glow.

    ¡°Mhnn¡­ha..¡± Encircling the shaft, Izumi¡¯s thumb pressed underneath skimming upwards. Being watched by Wraith furthered his impassioned high; after the mirror and camera, he learned about this once concealed desire. Although, Wraith didn¡¯t seem to be impressed or pleased.

    With an indifferent sigh, he briefly stretched. ¡°You aren¡¯t trying very hard.¡± For a moment his lengthy tail emerged, opening a nearby drawer and tossing his dog a silicone bone before vanishing once more. ¡°Show me how much you want it.¡±

    Propping the toy and himself up, Izumi listened to Wraith¡¯s directive without complaint as he hastily lowered his hips. Whenever he masturbated in the past, it was never in such an obscene position, usually laying on his back or side. It¡¯d be the first time he did so on his knees, let alone with a witness only a few feet away. The erotic toy had trouble staying balanced with Izumi¡¯s aggressive squats; and as such he held it by the base while continuing to work his member.

    ¡°Ahh..~..¡± He thought about forcing a louder, more indecent moan in the hopes of exciting Wraith, but he refrained, knowing it wouldn¡¯t work. From how he was acting currently, he knew that Wraith had full control of his desires. Something as simple wouldn¡¯t do anything but further Izumi from his goal: Wraith. The best thing to do in this situation was simply cave into his will. A toy couldn¡¯t do much for him. He needed Wraith.

    Whimpering with glass eyes, Izumi ceased his movements and begged, ¡°P-please¡­y-you¨CI¨C...I want you.¡±

    Maintaining the same neutral expression and cold tone, Wraith stood up, rolling the sleeves to his jacket and kicking off his shoes. ¡°Lay down.¡±

    Wraith didn¡¯t need to tell him, Izumi knew to keep his legs wide, but his arms above his head was his own touch. The bed creaked as Wraith sank beside him, though his face hovered over his own. He flung the toy out and replaced the silicone with his fingers, the sudden gestures causing Izumi to wince and squirm. A tight boil simmered within his abdomen and made its way to his private where a translucent bead already formed. It trickled down his tip, then shaft and testicles before finally arriving at his rear, getting lost in the pre-existing moisture and weaving of Wraith¡¯s curled fingers.

    ¡°You¡¯re so loose down here that you can take three. How would my followers react if they knew I had such a whore under my wing?¡± The specter¡¯s breath was surprisingly soft and comforting against his ear, feeling more akin to a serpent¡¯s kiss than a true endearment.

    ¡°Nhh¨Cha~..-!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d be quite the laughing stock you know? All those centuries of fear and intimidation gone. All. Because. Of. You.¡± Fangs pricked Izumi¡¯s ear, a wet tickle and subsequent breath echoing inside, the sound chilling his spine. His free hand held Izumi¡¯s arms in place to quell his shivers, though it couldn¡¯t prevent his back from arching.

    ¡°Fhh¨C...aahh¨C!¡± Respirations against him adorned by the image of Wraith¡¯s trademarked smirk watered his mouth and melted his tongue. Seeing this, he knew that he tamed his pet.

    Just when he was about to climax, Wraith removed his fingers and hauled Izumi onto fours by his leash while he sat upright on his knees, undoing the buttons of his shirt. He cupped Izumi¡¯s cheeks and pinched, tether still in hand. With the proximity¨Cor lack thereof¨Cbetween his face and Wraith¡¯s crotch, he knew what he was being asked to do. The belt clattered. The fly lowered. Mouth to member, Izumi took Wraith whole, nearly gagging in the process. Only using his hands initially, he stayed on fours, palms and knees resting against the sheets, figuring it¡¯s what Wraith wanted. His usual self started to show¨CIzumi could tell from the way he held his hair alone. It was also comforting but discernibly sincere, unlike before. The gentle touch and Wraith¡¯s light yet sultry moans motivated his actions, thoroughly dampening his cock and caressing it with his tongue.

    ¡°Nhh¨Chha-...fuck¡­¡±

    As he stared at Izumi devouring his meal, an ache churned his chest until it grew enough to the point where he couldn¡¯t ignore it any longer. Holding Izumi¡¯s locks in both his hands, he thrust within. His teeth nearly grazed Wraith¡¯s length in shock at the abrupt shift, but he caught himself beforehand.

    ¡°Mffgh¨Chkh¨C!¡± Gag reflexes threatened to kick in. If Izumi had trouble containing Wraith¡¯s fullness before, it was amplified a hundredfold now with the addition of his aggressive impelling. Lowering his tongue, Izumi let Wraith defile his mouth and dishevel his hair.

    ¡°Sh-it¨C...haa-...~¡± Wraith¡¯s breathing grew harsh. Every part of him wanted to continue¨Cbut he could¡¯t. He knew himself all too well and knew the fire that¡¯d rage within him if he ever fully satisfied himself with Izumi¡¯s lips.

    A loud sticky pop sounded their disconnection, leaving Izumi hacking and Wraith gasping. Trying to redirect his desires elsewhere, he immediately dragged Izumi by his restraints and flung open the windows with a shudder. Half of Izumi¡¯s body laid outside, only being supported by Wraith¡¯s tight grasp on his leash and hips along with his legs around Wraith¡¯s waist. The cold gust of wind stood his hairs and he realized how far off the ground they were. Several stories in fact. Instincts kicked in and he desperately held the hand around his tether.

    ¡°Wraith¨C¡±

    ¡°Relax, I¡¯m not gonna drop you.¡±

    ¡°But out the window¨C?¡±

    ¡°You like being watched don¡¯t you? Then hope someone¡¯s watching.¡±

    ¡°Wai¨Cah-!¡±

    Before he could finish, Wraith pierced his entrance and probed his walls. Izumi bit into his lip in an attempt to muffle his voice. Now that they were partially outdoors, anyone could hear them, and although he was partially afraid, just as Wraith predicted the thought grew to excite him and dwindle his fear. The window seal scraped against his back and progressively numbed the skin but he didn¡¯t really care. Wraith¡¯s forceful pleasure drew a blank over his mind, diminishing any thoughts or objections he may or may not have had.

    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Fhh-hhaa~!...nmh-...¡±

    Claws dug into Wraith¡¯s hand as his heat plunged inside, electrifying Izumi¡¯s frame. The shameless scene would be a first for both. Before, Wraith wasn¡¯t sure why he went to such lengths and beyond with Izumi; but now, he knew. At least partially. People would do anything for those they were infatuated with, and Wraith was no different. Not so say he didn¡¯t enjoy it himself¨Crather on the contrary. He¡¯d never confess such to Lavina, but Izumi was the best he¡¯s ever had in every aspect. Wraith felt the surge of passion and affection within as he watched Izumi¡¯s hair sway in the breeze, his hands holding him, his yearning yet foggy gaze met with his own.

    With a ragged breath, he exhaled and flinched. ¡°Mhh-nh-...you- didn¡¯t want to before¡­but now-fuck-...it feels like you keep sucking me back in¡­¡±

    Izumi¡¯s body answered before his voice could, his legs squeezing tighter, drawing Wraith closer. ¡°Ahh~~!! Hha~-...mhh-! I-..I like it¡­~...ah-!....I-t¡­feels go-od-hhah~...really good¡­~¡± His sentiment reflected in his ushering expression that craved for more. Wraith wasn¡¯t sure who between the two was really at will to the other. At this time though, he didn¡¯t give it much thought.

    The chilled air didn¡¯t do much to cool Izumi¡¯s body as it was well past the point of redemption. Hearing his own moans and the slap of his hips against Wraith¡¯s heighten in the open space then trail off and get carried by the light wind brought the tinge in his shaft to its peak, and with the increase in aggression on Wraith¡¯s part, Izumi knew he was as well.

    ¡°Wr-aith-! I¡¯m¨Cmnhaa~!..-..gonna¨C...come-mhnn-...¡±

    The hand once on Izumi¡¯s waist shifted over, holding one of Izumi¡¯s palms in his own.

    ¡°Fuck I like you¡­way too much..mnhh-ha¡­¡±

    Briefly mumbling something to himself, Wraith quickly shook his head and pulled Izumi closer by his restraint, muffling his final moan with a deep kiss that merged their tongues.

    ¡°Fhhmn~-!

    ¡°Nhmh¡­¡±

    A thick outpour besmirched his abdomen and hole, though their oral exchange still continued after, Wraith only bringing him inside once he felt Izumi shiver from the cold as the heat provided by passion no longer blanketed him.

    Izumi rubbed his entrance and the sperm that left it with a smile that was half in disbelief.

    ¡°Did you miss me that much? There¡¯s more than usual and it¡¯s only been a week.¡±

    ¡°I should be asking you that.¡± Scooping up the white streaks on his torso, Wraith licked the remnants with a sly smirk. Izumi tried to do the same in retaliation, but Wraith grabbed his wrist before he could, cleaning his hand with his mouth. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you if you do that.¡±

    ¡°One day I will and you won¡¯t be able to do anything about it.¡±

    ¡°Mmm, keep dreaming.¡± Pecking his fingers, Wraith set Izumi onto the floor after removing both of their garments, including the collar and leash.

    The bed right next to them seemed far too simple of an option for the pair and it was almost comical that they decided to continue right next to it. They reunited their lips, trading the moisture inside. Usually Wraith¡¯s mouth tasted a bit metallic with a slight burn, likely from his piercing and all the alcohol he drinks. Now, it had a faint and slight bitterness to it, which could be pointed to his earlier consumption of both his and Izumi¡¯s orgasm, albeit only in a small amount. It was a strange sensation to be sure¨Cessentially tasting his own ejaculation¨Cbut in his own unprecedented way he was able to ingest Wraith¡¯s as well. While they passed the unnatural tang between each other, their hands coddled their partner¡¯s length until they grew stiff in excitement once more. Wiping the saliva off with the back of his hand, Wraith licked his sharp fangs and pecked Izumi¡¯s palm.

    ¡°If you ever feel uncomfortable or want to stop, just pat the ground, ok?¡± His eyes were kind but behind them Izumi could see an idea he wasn¡¯t sure he liked, and as much as he wanted to question him, he didn¡¯t.

    ¡°A-alright..¡±

    With both legs sprawled over his shoulders, Wraith reinserted himself as Izumi clasped the nothingness above himself. The ground stuck to his body in an uncomfortable pull from all the procured sweat. In his desperate flailing of his limbs, Izumi longed to hold onto Wraith. Although, he did admit to himself, Wraith in his current position, with an aroused leer and vigorous drives, was more preferable and of greater priority than his desire to grasp him.

    ¡°Mhh-ah¡­~!¡±

    ¡°If I could show you¡­your face right now..¡± He chuckled an exhale, pounding him harder.

    ¡°Ahh~!! nmhh-..fhha-~~¡±

    A caress glided across Izumi¡¯s lower limbs, Wraith smiling as he littered them with bites and hickeys. Nails turned into claws as Wraith scratched his torso, leaving several thin trails of red in their wake. Izumi winced in pain but gripped in thrill. Without even realizing it, Wraith¡¯s tail had slithered beside him and begun to wrap itself around his neck. By the time he had noticed, it was too late. It had coiled around several times and began to squeeze, cutting his airflow though not entirely.

    His hands didn¡¯t know what to do, fighting between instinct and desire as it debated retaliating in some way. Wraith¡¯s earlier suggestion replayed in his mind, but¡­he wasn¡¯t ready to cave just yet. ¡°Kkh¨Chhg-¡±

    ¡°Here.¡± Wraith bent over, Izumi¡¯s knees nearly touching his own chest. He didn¡¯t know his own body could contort in such a way and it gave him a slight strain, only piling onto the scratches that stung his torso and back, and now, the asphyxiation around his neck. Still at a loss, his palms and nails merely pressed and slid against his collarbone, then his nape, then cheek. Through Izumi¡¯s dimmed and blurry eyesight, he could see Wraith¡¯s sly albeit weirdly consoling fanged smile. His body switched its focus between the tight constriction and the bolt that seemed to run wild in his privates. Gradually, they became muddled together, fusing into one predominant sensation.

    ¡°Hahh¡­you like it..? You-...only wring my dick like this when..you get super into it..¡± Wraith swallowed hard and drew closer, his harsh breaths reaching Izumi¡¯s unarguably worse respirations, or lack of.

    ¡°Hkgh-...nhh¨C¡±

    A strong thirst for Izumi¡¯s lips plagued his heart, but he didn¡¯t want to obstruct his breathing anymore than he already was. So, he maintained his pace and fell into the fog. Unable to think straight, Wraith¡¯s body almost seemed to move on its own, fueled by his infatuations. He failed to realize that his claws scratched at Izumi¡¯s back. Drops of blood leaked from the wounds and onto the wooden floors, the smell unconsciously stirring him and escalating his actions.

    Since Izumi couldn¡¯t speak and Wraith was too engrossed to notice the signs, he had only discerned his encroaching end when it presented itself nearly on Izumi¡¯s own face due to the bent and angle of his body¨Cthe unexpected spasm eliciting the same and a near moan if Wraith didn¡¯t rush to mute himself with his hand. The drain in Wraith¡¯s energy caused him to release his tail although he didn¡¯t necessarily mean to. Air burned Izumi¡¯s throat and lungs as it rushed in while he coughed up spots of saliva.

    ¡°Ghha¨C!!-kh-hah¨C¡±

    In the midst of trying to catch his own breath, Wraith peered at Izumi before mumbling a curse under his breath, feeling himself rise again.

    Neither were sure at what point they made it to the bed, or how the blood and cuts got cleaned up. All they knew was that by morning the only marks left were the hickeys and bites on Izumi¡¯s legs, the bruise around his neck, and the scratches on Wraith¡¯s arms and chest. A ringing broke their exhausted silent slumber as Izumi groaned, rolling over to grab his phone. His alarm had gone off several times, all of which both him and Wraith completely slept through. Eyes widening, the time and date sank into him.

    ¡°You-!!!¡± He kicked Wraith awake.

    ¡°Ugh-fuck-ow-! What!¡± Wraith begrudgingly sat up, rubbing his bed head.

    ¡°It¡¯s an hour till noon!¡±

    ¡°So what?¡±

    ¡°I have work today! I was only off for one day!!¡±

    In comparison, Wraith was quite calm, leaning back onto the bed. ¡°When?¡±

    ¡°In a little over an hour, I genuinely have no time-¡± Just as Izumi tries to leave, Wraith tugs him back. ¡°Wraith I don¡¯t-¡±

    ¡°You do. Stay with me. Please?¡± The specter¡¯s eyes glistened.

    ¡°I-..¡± Sighing, Izumi easily caved. ¡°Five minutes.¡±

    ¡°One round.¡±

    ¡°No!¡±

    ¡°Please?¡±

    There was something about Wraith sweetly asking that Izumi couldn¡¯t resist, and to make matters worse, Wraith had already begun to stimulate his member.

    ¡°Mnhh¡­¡±

    ¡°Look, you can¡¯t say no now. You¡¯re already starting to get hard.¡±

    The growing erection in front of and behind him clouding his judgment further, he pleaded, ¡°Just-...ah-...shut up and-...hurry up¡­¡±

    With a light laugh, Wraith moved and traced Izumi¡¯s entrance. It was a little sticky from yesterday¡¯s leftovers, but it was still loose and he didn¡¯t have the time to be delicate. Propping Izumi against the headboard, he pushed himself in from behind and Izumi clenched his fists.

    ¡°Mnhh-! Don¡¯t- grope my ass like that-!!¡±

    ¡°Why? You seem to like it. Just like this.¡± A hand over his tailbone, Wraith¡¯s slap across his rear stung a cold burn.

    ¡°Ahh~-! Wr-aith!! You-!!!¡± Izumi glared over his shoulder, his gaze met with Wraith¡¯s smile that bore his enjoyment clearly. The glare didn¡¯t last long as the pleasure swept over him, his body still sensitive from the preceding night. ¡°Mnhaa~-hha~~¡± His eyes narrowed and his head rested against the backboard, liquifying from Wraith¡¯s thrusts.

    ¡°Mmh¡­¡± Combing his hair with his fingers, Wraith spread Izumi¡¯s rear wider and continued unrelenting. The sun blared through the open window and sparkled Izumi¡¯s naked back. Wraith¡¯s eyes trailed up his spine to Izumi¡¯s rustling coral hair, watching the strands as they parted and reformed into locks. Then¡­Izumi¡¯s soft, melted expression. His red cheeks. His parted lips. His glossy eyes. Matter overcame mind as Wraith leaned in closer. A once steady beat in Wraith¡¯s chest grew hot and heavy the longer he stared, quickening by the second. He hadn¡¯t even realized he was staring until Izumi¡¯s eyes looked back, straight at him. Instantly, he retracted, falling onto the bed.

    ¡°Wraith..?-ah-!¡± Izumi attempted to turn, but he quickly pulled him down into a tight embrace from behind, Wraith¡¯s scratched arms wrapped around Izumi¡¯s chest, his face burrowed into his shoulder. Against his upper back he could feel a loud rapid thumping and a burn against his cheek. Was that..Wraith¡¯s¡­?

    ¡°Wraith what¡¯s wrong..?¡±

    ¡°Just¡­stay like this for a bit. Please¡­¡± His voice was so quiet it was nearly inaudible, but if Izumi¡¯s ears didn¡¯t deceive him, it was quivering. Against his chest he could feel Wraith¡¯s shortened exhales, his face obscured by the close distance and his long ombre hair.

    Inside of him rushed a variation of emotions he was foreign to, but he knew the meaning of the end result. Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck I¡¯m falling for you-shit. I¡¯m so falling for you¡­

 Chapter 44: Search and Rescue

    After Wraith had calmed down, he let Izumi go and showered first to help ease his heart. They showered separately in case they couldn¡¯t suppress themselves¨Cmainly Wraith in this case. As he waited for Izumi to finish, he dried his hair on the bed, scrolling through his phone and the pictures they took at the zoo. Wraith didn¡¯t lack knowledge in technology, but he still needed help with certain things, like finding specific settings. It was nice to customize his device and he smiled upon the change in lockscreen and wallpaper. The former consisted of a photo of the couple, smiling in front of the tiger exhibit, while the latter was only of Izumi, beaming towards the camera. Tapping the embers off his cigarette, the fond memories replayed like a reel in his mind. Eyebrows relaxing, Wraith affectionately smiled. Beside him a vibration shook the covers¨CIzumi¡¯s phone. Glancing at the contact, it was a name he wasn¡¯t familiar with: Mrs. Gotou. Wraith mulled over whether to answer the phone or not, and by the time he came to a conclusion, the ring had stopped just as Izumi stepped out of the bathroom.

    ¡°Someone called you, Mrs. Gotou? Or something.¡±

    ¡°Eiji¡¯s mom? That¡¯s surprising, she never calls unless-...¡± Looking a little strained, Izumi picked up his phone and called back. The conversation was somewhat brief, but Wraith got the idea of what it contained. His mom couldn¡¯t get ahold of Eiji and had been asking if Izumi had seen him. The phone rang again, this time with Izumi trying to reach his best friend to no avail. Scowl growing, he turned to Wraith.

    ¡°That¡¯s weird, Eiji always tells him mom if he¡¯s gonna be out. It¡¯s not like he¡¯s dating anyone.¡±

    Extinguishing the cigarette in the ashtray, Wraith held Izumi¡¯s paws. ¡°Worried?¡±

    ¡°A bit¡­¡±

    ¡°I can look into it for you if you want? With my sense of smell, I¡¯m sure I can find him.¡±

    ¡°It could just be nothing, so I don¡¯t know. What worries me is that his mom said that even last night he wasn¡¯t answering, but she decided to wait till morning just in case she was just being paranoid.¡± A little lost in thought, he weighed his options: have Wraith go, him and Wraith could go, or he could let time tell. With the first two, he¡¯d have to call out of work. But would he really prioritize his work over his best friend?

    Almost reading his mind, Wraith pecked his temple to ease his worries. ¡°Like I said I can check it out, it¡¯s not like I have anything to do.¡±

    ¡°No, no. I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Sighing, Izumi dialed his boss after coming to his conclusion. ¡°He¡¯s my best friend so I should be looking after him, not sending you to do my dirty work¡­.Before we leave do you mind getting some pants for me? My hoodie covers my neck but my um legs¡­¡±

    Looking down, Wraith saw the teeth marks and red spots that marked his legs and laughed. It honestly looked like Izumi had slept with a bear the previous night. ¡°Pfft sure yea.¡± With a snap of his fingers, a pair of black pants appeared and Izumi snatched them immediately in somewhat embarrassment, swapping his skirt with them.

    He had given a not very convincing story about a ¡®family emergency¡¯ in order to get out of work that day, but his boss didn¡¯t seem to mind although he dreaded Takeda¡¯s inevitable whining later. They left the hotel, heading to Eiji¡¯s work first: a gym trainer. He had been trying to get a job in athletics, starting with a coach for a school though he hadn¡¯t been successful yet, settling with a volunteer coach for a club. Izumi did most of the talking while Wraith listened for possible lies. It would¡¯ve been much easier had that been the case, yet to their dismay, the employees had no reason to lie. The preceding day was fairly normal. Eiji had come in for work, seemed normal in every way, then left. With no leads, their next stop was the club he volunteered for, which had more or less the same result. The only useful information they learned was that he had a job interview that day so he left early, and according to one of the other volunteers, he mentioned it being for a school. After catching the name, they headed over there as well. Luckily, Wraith seemed to be calm. That was a good sign. In times like these, Wraith always seemed to grow more agitated with time, catching onto something that Izumi couldn¡¯t see, but so far everything matched up. Maybe he and Mrs. Gotou were just being paranoid. Though, his gut told him otherwise. And soon, his hunch would be right. The school led to a dead end as well, so all they had left to rely on was Wraith¡¯s sense of smell to track Eiji.

    While trailing his scent, they walked side by side but didn''t hold hands. At this point it was already late in the afternoon and the backstreets were fairly empty. ¡°You guys are always talking about having a good sense of smell.¡±

    ¡°Just a spirit and specter thing. I''m not sure how to explain it, like we have a strong presence and it kinda lingers. Your friend smells like crap though.¡±

    ¡°Like..?¡±

    ¡°Like crap. Like the sweat off a camel''s balls.¡±

    ¡°Huh?! How do I smell then?!¡±

    ¡°Not bad haha, how do I put it...sweet but soft. Similar to vanilla but with a tinge of flowers. I guess vanilla flowers then.¡±

    ¡°You sure that''s not just because you like me and hate him?¡±

    ¡°If it worked like that most people would smell bad to me-¡± Stopping in his tracks, Wraith glanced around.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°His scent ends here.¡±

    They were in the middle of a residential alley, with no possible explanation as to where he could''ve gone.

    ¡°Not exactly though, it ends here but continues in the air, a little muddled mixed with something I don''t recognize.¡± Mumbling a curse and heavily exhaling, he continued. ¡°Don¡¯t panic but-¡±

    ¡°Spirits?¡±

    ¡°Proooobably but that''s not the worst part. If I''m right then it''s in the direction of Adelard¡¯s territory. At the least if I do have to use magic I think it''ll be fine. Adelard usually doesn''t care about that kind of thing because he thinks fighting is a hassle. The issue is more you being there and he''ll wonder why you care about a human AND why he can see you, since they think you''re a spirit remember? I''m not gonna send you home but it''s more a problem for later. For now, just hold on tight.¡±

    ¡°Wh-¡±

    Sweeping Izumi off his feet, Wraith hitched him over his back and leapt over the rooftops in a flash. Within no time the buildings began to fade and they grew close to a forest, at which point he set Izumi onto the leaf-covered ground. Despite it being summer, the leaves on the ground were shades of orange and red, while the trees were some mix of green, though some already started to fade.

    He had traveled with Wraith by that method several times and still never got used to it, patting the cold air off his face and stretching his legs.

    ¡°Is his scent still here?¡±

    ¡°Yea, just ahead-¡±

    Abruptly, a giant figure thundered before them as it dropped from the sky, shaking the ground enough for Izumi to nearly topple over if Wraith hadn''t caught him. If he thought Faelan was tall and Neio wide, the enormous spirit completely toppled his former expectations. It was at least two stories in height, its muscles and veins bulging as a meaty tail struck the floor, kicking up leaves in the process.

    With a thunderous bellow it bent like an ape and roared, spit flying and their hair gushing back. ¡°YOU!!!¡±

    Wiping the drops off his face with the sleeve of his jacket, Wraith seemed more annoyed than anything else. ¡°Me.¡±

    ¡°For the sake of YOUR SPOUSE I will be GENEROUS. TURN. BACK.¡±

    ¡°Listen. Of all people you shouldn''t give me demands. I''m looking for someone and if you don''t back down big guy, I''ll make you.¡±

    ¡°YOU are INTRUDING in OUR TERR¨C¡±

    Before the brute can finish, the thorned pattern of Wraith¡¯s jacket detaches itself and flings the spirit by its ankle with ease, colliding with numerous trees and shattering them with a loud burst. Shaking his head, Wraith continues to walk forward, Izumi bewildered following behind.

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    ¡°He isn¡¯t gonna follow us¡­?¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t and can¡¯t.¡± Wraith gestures left with a nod. In the distance, through the broken stumps and rustled leaves, Izumi could faintly see the spirit laying on the floor, its violent vociferations could still be heard. It seemed like it was struggling to get up-like something kept pulling it down. ¡°The thorned vines are holding him in place. Ugh I hate that guy, one of Adelard¡¯s generals. I think he only keeps him around because he¡¯s all brute and no brains. Glass cannon.¡±

    ¡°More like just glass with how easily you tossed him aside, geez. You didn¡¯t even move.¡±

    ¡°Infamous for a reason my looooooooovely day outside right? Yea.¡± Wraith rubbed the nape of his neck and glanced away, Izumi a little puzzled but ultimately ignoring it.

    It didn¡¯t take long for them to reach an abandoned worn down structure, charred black from either age or a fire, likely the latter or both; strangely it was located in the middle of the forest, which lacked any other buildings. Judging by the interior, it seemed to have once been a home, although who would live here or once lived here was a question that would never be answered. The scent brought them here and continued to a cellar beneath the home, and there unconscious in the dark was Izumi¡¯s best friend. Bolting over, he shook him awake, noting his lack of wounds though he was restrained by several ropes and tied to a beam.

    ¡°Eiji! Wake up!!¡±

    Wraith thought about how the scene gave him a bit of deja vu and searched for why. Then he remembered. Oh right, when I kicked his ass.

    ¡°Wraith!¡±

    ¡°Hmm-?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know do some¨C¡±

    Just as the words left, Eiji slowly came to with Izumi¡¯s repeated shaking. ¡°Mmm¡­.Izu..mi?¡±

    He almost asked Wraith for a blade, but remembered that he gave Izumi the bloodstone for a reason. Holding it in his palm and with only a thought, it turned into a knife and he cut Eiji¡¯s bindings. As he rubbed the area, he blinked hard, trying to analyze the situation. Then, his eyes landed on Wraith and he scooted back.

    ¡°It¡¯s just Wraith he¡¯s not gonna hurt you.¡± Izumi glared for confirmation and Wraith just scoffed and looked away. ¡°He helped me find you, your mom had called and said you didn¡¯t come home last night. How did you even get here?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know honestly. I was walking home after my interview then the next thing I knew I woke up here. Some teen? Started talking to me. Something about making a deal with him or being lonely I honestly couldn¡¯t tell you I just remember cutting him off because I figured he just wanted to eat me or something like you ghost people do. Then he just said I¡¯ll give you some time to change your mind and well, here I am.¡±

    Struggling to stand, Eiji wobbled before gaining his footing with Izumi¡¯s help.

    ¡°Did he have black hair? Bags under his eyes? Looked kinda emo?¡± Wraith asked, lighting a cigarette.

    ¡°Yea¡­?¡±

    ¡°Adelard.¡± He sighed a cloud of tobacco. ¡°Better we don¡¯t loiter around then. If I can avoid a confrontation I¡¯d like to.¡±

    Wraith opens a portal to what looks like Izumi¡¯s room and gestures for them to go in first. Eiji hesitates, standing in front of the portal and shifting his gaze between Wraith and the wall behind him.

    ¡°Ugh fuck it. I don¡¯t know if Izumi told you the things I said but I¡¯m sorry anyways, to both of you. I guess¡­you¡¯re not all that bad¡­¡±

    He didn¡¯t really know what the argument was between him and Izumi, but he could take a guess from the statement. Then he twitched slightly. For a moment Izumi thought Wraith sensed something.

    ¡°Well, everyone hates me so who can blame you. Take care of Izumi for me, with yesterday and all the walking today I¡¯m sure his legs hurt like crazy.¡±

    ¡°Wraith what are you¨C...?¡± Izumi didn¡¯t finish his thought before Wraith pushed the pair into the portal and closed it. The last thing he saw was Izumi¡¯s torn and confused face, and although it mangled his heart, he couldn¡¯t risk being seen by-

    ¡°Adelard! Funny seeing you here.¡± Ashes of his cigarette fused with the burnt wood as he forced a smile. Behind the teenage boy was the boar of a spirit crouching since he couldn¡¯t really fit in the cellar.

    ¡°I¡¯d prefer you skip the humor and hellos, why¡¯d you run off with my meal? I don¡¯t need to tell you of all people the consequences of that. Or maybe Barron¡¯s right and you picked a fight with Ianthe rather than the other way around?¡±

    ¡°Short story, I need that kid. Alive. I¡¯ve got a deal with a human where I can basically be their errand boy with obvious caveats and pay-ups but that kid was a friend of theirs. Shorter shorter story, forget about it.¡±

    A deep harsh clamor burst from the visibly enraged general. ¡°My Lord he is a SERPENT that committed an act of WAR!!!¡±

    Both the words of the specter and his own general rang back and forth within Adelard. Let it go or start a war.

    ¡°Listen, you of all people I know wouldn¡¯t want to start a fight and do you really care if people think you less of it? Honestly I¡¯m sure most of the spirits under you would actually prefer it if you don¡¯t fight me. The outcome is obvious and really avoidable. If I really wanted to kill you I wouldn¡¯t be going through such lengths to convince you not to.¡±

    ¡°WHERE is your SPOUSE.¡±

    It took everything Wraith had to not paint the general onto the wall a second time and he merely sighed his aggravations and continued. ¡°You don¡¯t attack me, I won¡¯t attack you.¡±

    ¡°And how do you plan to explain this when a meeting is called?¡±

    ¡°Same thing I told you just now. I don¡¯t care if they believe me or not, but that¡¯s the truth.¡±

    ¡°MY LORD¨C¡±

    ¡°Shut up.¡± Pausing to think, Adelard didn''t take long to come to a conclusion. ¡°We¡¯re leaving it. He¡¯ll take more backlash for entering the territory than we¡¯ll get for letting him go. Or do you value your pride more than your life? Dying in honor? It¡¯s more stupidity. Look where that put Ianthe and her entire ¡®legacy¡¯, followers included. If you want to pick a fight with him and die be my guest, but I won¡¯t bring the rest into this because he beat you and you want payback. And if you had any sense of mind, you¡¯d let it go too. Neither Ianthe or Vahan could beat him, so what do you think a spirit like you can do?¡±

    For once, the beastly general backed down, lowering his head in both respect and shame.

    ¡°I¡­understand.¡±

    With one last exchanged glare, the brute left with his master, leaving Wraith alone in the cellar as he sighed in relief.

    Izumi didn¡¯t hear from Wraith until the end of the day. Desperately he tried to call him once the portal had closed, both through the gem and his phone, to no avail. Eiji apologized several times after the fact, only getting yelled at in return for a multitude of reasons.

    ¡°Do you know how much he put on the line just to save your sorry ass and then you want to tell me he¡¯s a bad guy?!¡±

    ¡°I said I¡¯m sorry ok!! I said sorry to him, I said I¡¯m sorry to you, why can¡¯t you just let it go!!¡±

    ¡°Because now there¡¯s a half and half chance that he just dug himself into a hole for you and the fact I can¡¯t reach him is killing me.¡±

    ¡°Can you at least explain??¡±

    ¡°You got caught by a specter like Wraith of all people and they have rules about messing with each other. I¡¯m not worried about Wraith getting hurt or anything but it¡¯s the fact that he already got in trouble for the same thing not even that long ago. Just-ugh¡­¡± Izumi collapsed into the office chair, lost at what to do.

    Eiji leaned on the desk beside him, folding his arms. ¡°I still don¡¯t really get what¡¯s going on but I think it¡¯ll be fine. He¡¯s a¡­.¡± Denying to himself that he was even saying the words, he paused for a moment before trying again. ¡°He¡¯s a reliable guy. Seems to like you a lot so I¡¯m sure he wouldn¡¯t do anything that¡¯d put him in a bad spot for your sake. Maybe he¡¯s just talking to that Adelard guy or whatever and can¡¯t get back right now. Try later, yea?¡±

    Starting to realize he was getting a bit hasty, Izumi calms down and nods his head.

    Just as Eiji said, Wraith called him much later, when it was nearly midnight and Izumi was half asleep. It¡¯d be the first phone call they¡¯d had and it felt strange, but it wasn¡¯t the time to think about that.

    ¡°Wraith are you-?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry. Talked it out with him. Told you, Adelard¡¯s a bit more reasonable but it¡¯s more because he has this sort of ¡®don¡¯t care¡¯ attitude to him.¡±

    Through the phone line he could hear Izumi¡¯s subtle and soft breathing and he knew him all too well. He was worried anyways.

    ¡°You promise? If I see you next time and you¡¯re missing an arm because you gave it as compensation I¡¯ll kill you.¡±

    ¡°I promise.¡±

    Even though they couldn¡¯t see each other, they could feel the other¡¯s smile.

    ¡°Do you like the phone?¡± In an attempt to get his mind off things, Izumi changed the topic.

    ¡°It¡¯s nice, but I¡¯d prefer to just come over next time.¡±

    ¡°And scare me like you always do since you never use the front door?¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll come through the front door next time.¡± A slight itch to pinch Izumi¡¯s nose irked him and he exhaled. ¡°Go to bed, Izumi. You have work in the morning. If you keep making excuses to talk to me I really might just come over, and then you won¡¯t sleep.¡±

    ¡°Shut up.¡± Izumi chuckled, knowing that nothing ever got past Wraith. ¡°Goodnight.¡±

    ¡°Night.¡±

    Hanging up the phone, Wraith held the device against his chest. Hearing Izumi¡¯s voice so close to his ear set a cage of butterflies loose within. And likely, Izumi felt the same.

 Chapter 45: Just Ask

    It bothered him that he had to wear a hoodie again in the summer, but he needed to cover the mark around his neck. The same applied to his lack of shorts as well, since Izumi¡¯s legs still had bites and hickeys on them. As much as he liked receiving them, their lingering presence always proved to be an inconvenience. Upon entering the office building, Izumi was immediately met with a headache as Takeda pestered him for his absence.

    ¡°Is everything alright?!! I heard that you had an emerg¨C¡±

    ¡°My um¨C¡± Izumi quickly fished for a lie. ¡°Friend, got robbed. Jumped on his way home.¡±

    Takeda¡¯s expression seemed to drop, and if Wraith taught him anything, it was how to read a room. ¡°Oh. Is he..fine..?¡±

    ¡°Yea he just needed help getting home, didn¡¯t have money or his train pass so.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t hurt or anything..?¡±

    ¡°No..?¡±

    ¡°....¡± Darting his eyes anywhere but at him, Izumi could sense a tinge of guilt in both his voice and mannerisms. ¡°Is your um¡­boyfriend doing well?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­?¡±

    ¡°Good¡­that¡¯s uh good to hear. You know what? I just remembered that I¡¯ve got some work to do so I¡¯m gonna dooo thatttt nowwww yea mhm I will talk to you some other time!!¡± Scuttling off with his tail between his legs, Takeda left to his desk as fast as he could go. This only served to heighten Izumi¡¯s suspicions, but there wasn¡¯t much he could do about it right now. Izumi could probably ask him to the point of cracking with how timid Takeda can be, though that method was more suited for Wraith. Intimidation and playing with people with words didn¡¯t really sit well with his conscience, he was too kind for that. Instead, he decided to follow Takeda after work in hopes of finding answers.

    It probably would¡¯ve been a good idea to tell Wraith in advance in case something happened but nothing happened yet, he thought. The entire time, Takeda¡¯s mind was clearly racing as he did all sorts of nervous antics, from biting his nails to readjusting his glasses several times. This continued even as Izumi followed him to his unknown destination. Following people wasn¡¯t his thing either, yet it was easier for him to do than the tactics Wraith used. On the train they passed stop after stop getting further and further away from the city. Eventually, Takeda unboarded and rushed off, Izumi parting the crowd in suit. They had stopped at a rural town in the mountains, Takeda going off the beaten path into the woods. The closer Takeda got to his destination, the more Izumi¡¯s necklace began to glow in a slow pulse that gradually quickened. It did this once before, when he neared that town of spirits. Danger. He promised Wraith he¡¯d contact him whenever he was in trouble, and he still wasn¡¯t in trouble yet. Still, he grew worried and soon enough Wraith did too.

    Izumi¡¯s phone rang and his heart nearly leapt out of his throat from surprise, trying to fumble for it before Takeda could hear the chime.

    ¡°Yessss honeyyy?¡± Izumi whispered as low as possible.

    For a second, Wraith felt a flutter in his chest and he tried to brush it off so he could speak. ¡°Whaaat are you doing? You¡¯ve never called me honey before and the stone''s acting weird.¡±

    On the other end, Izumi could hear some form of shouting and clattering. Maybe a random spirit attack again? But for him to be calling in the middle of something like that...Izumi mentally sighed but more in affection than anything else. Wraith never changed.

    Better to be honest, he thought. ¡°I am currently following Takeda. Quite the way to spend my day.¡±

    ¡°Well, is everything alright? Should I head over?¡±

    ¡°Nono! I''m great no problems if something happens I''ll ask Lavina you seem a bit busy right now.¡±

    ¡°I can make time.¡±

    ¡°Nope! As you''d say Lavina does nothing but sit in her library anyways I''ll just ask her. Talk to you later bye!¡±

    He hung up quickly, nearly losing Takeda in the process as he tried to keep a greater distance than usual to accommodate for the call.

    Takeda suddenly stopped in front of a tall green tree, looking more anxious than ever as he paced back and forth. ¡°I-¡±

    A voice that came from an unknown but familiar source interrupted him. Izumi recognized it but wasn''t sure where. ¡°I would normally be aggravated by the sudden call, but it appears you brought compensation. Hiding is useless, Wraith''s repugnant smell of burnt blood afflicts you. Tainting an innocent human with such is quite unbecoming. Izumi, is it?¡±

    The sound of his name jolts his body. That harrowing, cold tone that saw straight through him. Izumi couldn¡¯t believe he forgot. Hesitantly he emerged from the bushes with a forced neutral expression that clearly strained and cracked at the seams. Takeda¡¯s eyebrows rose and evidently wanted to say something, though the specter didn¡¯t give him the chance. The only thing he could get out was a mouthed apology. In the branches was an owl that flew down and transformed into a tall man clad in white, juxtaposing his star-night skin. Tightly gripping his necklace, Izumi mentally called Lavina for reassurance who appeared instantaneously. With her presence, the ruby¡¯s glow quelled to a stop.

    The owl cocked his head with a leer. ¡°Lavina. A pleasant surprise. I would much prefer you than that boy¡¯s unfortunate lover anyways. Though I believed you to be neutral?¡±

    Lavina¡¯s scowl almost reached the level of hatred that Wraith had when gazing at the man. ¡°I am, Vahan. I merely owe Wraith plenty of favors, keeping this boy safe being one of them.¡±

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    ¡°Then I can assure you I have no intentions to harm him. I hate the man but I have my own methods, and hurting him would do nothing for me.¡±

    It scared him that the only thing that prevented Vahan from doing anything was the one superficial reason and he began to see why Wraith had a margin of hated respect for Vahan.

    Suddenly, Takeda had dropped to the floor unconscious and in sight of Izumi¡¯s concern, Vahan immediately explained, ¡°A little useless to use him now since I can just talk to you. I¡¯m sure you have questions for me as well, so how about a deal? I¡¯ll answer your questions, and you answer mine. If you¡¯d like, Lavina can be there as well.¡±

    It was nearly impossible to read Vahan¡¯s intentions. Whether he was being genuine or not, Izumi couldn¡¯t tell, so he relied on Lavina¡¯s input. With a glance that spoke volumes, Lavina gave him a reassuring nod, and he returned the same to Vahan.

    ¡°Good. Oh, and one more thing. I¡¯ll let you decide. Would you like him to retain his memories of this? By this, I mean Wraith, myself, specters and his involvement regarding them with you. He will still remember you, of course, but not anything related to us.¡±

    It didn¡¯t take long for Izumi to come up with a response. ¡°If you can erase them, please do.¡±

    Vahan chuckled, the unnatural laugh chilled his core. ¡°I figured as much.¡±

    As much as he disliked Takeda, he would still be better off living in blissful ignorance about the beastial world hidden within their own. Most people would be terrified to know that such beings walked amongst them in their day to day lives, and even more terrified knowing that they couldn¡¯t even see them. Living with that knowledge, that a spirit could be around any corner waiting for its next meal¡­ He partially regretted telling Eiji and his mother as well, but with their deep connection to him, it was only natural that they¡¯d learn of Wraith. Especially now that they were together.

    Every nerve in his body tightened, becoming aware of the slightest movement or sound as he sat across from the calm specter, who¡¯s demeanor was white compared to his black. Lavina didn¡¯t sit with them, though she was still in eyesight listening from a distance. The clatter of his tea cup with the small plate beneath screeched throughout the library¡¯s halls and it almost seemed to grow colder with his presence.

    ¡°I am a courteous man, so please, go first.¡± Vahan gestured with his gloved hand.

    Now that he was presented with the opportunity, Izumi was quite frankly at a loss of what to ask. There were so many questions that crossed his mind before and it became a matter of recollection through his uneasiness.

    ¡°What did¡­you want with Takeda?¡±

    ¡°He was more a means to an end. You interested me at the ball, given your strange relation to Wraith, but I couldn¡¯t approach you directly. I¡¯m well aware of Wraith¡¯s¡­behaviors, let¡¯s say, so I knew in his eyes, had I simply waltzed up to you I would be asking for my head on a platter. At the time he had no relation to you, believing you to be a stranger, so he originally harbored no guilt in what I had asked him to do.¡±

    He likely threatened him with his life, Izumi thought. It was a simple but effective method for most, especially people like Takeda who would throw in the towel without one even asking them to. Once Izumi inhaled to utter a follow up, Vahan read him well.

    ¡°So yes, I had asked him to lead you to that town, follow you that day you were with Wraith and interrogate you, even the previous day, when your best friend was kidnapped. In the final case, he had only given me the information of someone you cared for, I assure you he had no hand in it. You seemed to have influenced him in your own way, however. Today I believe he wished to fan his feathers like a peacock and show me how much he¡¯s grown. Probably came to the conclusion that putting you or anyone else for his own sake was immoral. An interesting development but it doesn¡¯t matter anymore, in the end, I still got what I wanted.¡±

    Then came Izumi¡¯s final inquiry. One that had been not just on his mind, but everyone¡¯s as well. ¡°What do you want?¡±

    Vahan smiled and he found himself missing Wraith¡¯s. If Wraith had a gentle or playful smile, Vahan¡¯s was a complete contrast. It never seemed to reach his eyes.

    ¡°You. Believe me, not in that sense. I am a married man after all.¡± He flashed his own bloodstone and delicately placed his hand on his crossed legs. ¡°I want to know more about you. Specifically: What you mean to Wraith, what he means to you, how did you come to meet him, why do you stay with him, and¡­what do you believe you mean to him. Answer in any order or mixture you please. I can follow the stream. Oh and, please don¡¯t lie. I promise that I was truthful in my responses, so I expect the same from yours. Specters are quite skilled in catching lies, as I¡¯m sure you know by now.¡±

    For a second, Izumi glanced at Lavina. Her back was turned away but she was still following the conversation. It was more for reassurance that he wasn¡¯t alone, and he held his necklace in his shaking hands to help the nerves. From it he could feel Wraith¡¯s warmth, as if he was there with him as well.

    With a deep breath, he began. ¡°I met him when I was younger and afterwards I was able to see ghosts. We didn¡¯t really interact after that until he saved me some months back and he recognized me from when I was a kid. He thought it was strange that I could see him and the others as well so he said that if I helped him figure it out, he¡¯d help me with whatever I wanted.¡±

    Although Vahan didn¡¯t maintain eye contact, it was evident he was absorbing the information as he sipped his tea. Izumi could only imagine that he was already making his own conclusions or ideas based on what he told him.

    ¡°I originally stayed with him for that, but now I¡­I grew feelings for him and that¡¯s why I stay. He doesn¡¯t scare me like he did at the start and he treats me well¨Cbetter than well honestly. Lavina and the others make it a point to tell me that.¡± Izumi grins to himself, almost forgetting the person he¡¯s talking to. Shaking his head, he resumes. ¡°In formal terms, we¡¯re in a relationship and he says he likes me, in the romantic sense. But in terms of what I believe..?¡±

    With a slight pause, Izumi thinks about the question more thoroughly. In all honesty he couldn¡¯t tell the extent of Wraith¡¯s feelings. Of all people, he was the worst at expressing himself properly and there were so many signs that pointed to something deeper than what he conveyed. Yet, if he believed that Wraith felt more for him than what he let on, he could potentially be getting his hopes up. Droplets of accumulated moisture stuck to his clammy hands and he wiped them on his pants, trying not to transfer it to the necklace.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I think¨Cknow¨C he has feelings for me but how much I don¡¯t know. Wraith¡­struggles to be straightforward with that kind of thing and I think he just needs the time to come to terms with himself first because he gets there eventually, just takes more time than others.¡±

    The owl¡¯s wings rustle and flutter. Izumi wasn¡¯t sure if it was from the low lighting deceiving him, but for a moment, Vahan looked surprised-his eyebrows had risen slightly. Another clatter of porcelain chimed as the specter of hate set down his empty cup.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been fairly mature and cooperative, I commend you for that. Your counterpart, however, wouldn¡¯t have been.¡± With a creak, the chair moved back as Vahan stood, offering his hand in a shake. Hesitantly, Izumi shook it. ¡°Thank you for meeting with me, that¡¯s all I wished to know. I¡¯ll see you again, I¡¯m sure of it. And¡­do send your lover my regards.¡±

    As he passed by Lavina, he gave a farewell grin and left. An exhausted sigh burned as it left Izumi¡¯s chest, still in disbelief that he spoke to Vahan of all people, let alone specters. Whether he was going to tell Wraith, he still wasn¡¯t sure.

 Chapter 46: Little Spoon

    In the meantime, Wraith was in an alleyway with Neio fighting off spirits as Izumi had suspected. It didn¡¯t take much effort and really didn¡¯t require both of them to do but it killed time and that¡¯s all that really mattered. Afterall, they usually spent their days loitering around, drinking and eating, just waiting for something to happen. So, Wraith was a little excited when the stone called him, although simultaneously a little worried and then disappointed that Izumi chose Lavina over him. Sighing, he shoved the phone back in his pocket as Neio loudly stomped over.

    The big blue orc wiped the blood off his scimitars and onto the nearby cadavers. ¡°So? How is the little boss?¡±

    ¡°Alright I guess, said he was gonna ask Lavina for help.¡± Wraith was equally covered in blood so he was a little grateful Izumi didn¡¯t ask him to come. Despite the fact that he could always get rid of the blood with magic, it still gave him a gritty feeling and the stench still lingered. Shortly after the call ended, Dahlia and Faelan arrived, having finished on their end as well.

    Dahlia, being the most perceptive of the three, noticed something was off immediately. ¡°Are you alright Wraith?¡±

    The specter¡¯s contrasting eyes jumped then settled with an uncertain knead. ¡°Just...have something on my mind.¡±

    Glances exchanged between the spirits who turmoiled on whether to pry, their deep care for their leader ultimately taking over.

    Faelan was the first to speak albeit in a low and hesitant tone. ¡°...What is it?¡±

    ¡°The only thing that really has ever been on my mind lately. More like person.¡± Wraith¡¯s sigh was solemn and confused, the same reflecting in the nervous scratching of his nape.

    ¡°Did something happen?¡± Neio rubbed his bloody hands on his clothes and sheathed his weapons. ¡°When you went out the other day I mean.¡±

    As much as Wraith wanted to smoke, he couldn''t bring himself to do so. Maybe he was too anxious. ¡°Not really, it''s just¡­¡± Mumbling a curse to himself, Wraith tried to affirm the certainty of his thoughts before releasing them. ¡°I¡­I think I um¡­I¡­more that I know I guess¡­that I¡­fell for him¡­It¡¯s a little embarrassing to say out loud but¡­.hahhh¡­that¡¯s what it is! And here I am trying to get my mind off of things because I don¡¯t know if I want to see him or not. On one end I¡¯m dying to see him despite just doing so just yesterday and on the other I have no idea what to say to him. I don¡¯t feel like I can act like myself because I¡¯ll just be getting all mushy about every little thing.¡±

    They were a little surprised, to say the least. More than anything though they somewhat expected this to occur eventually, although they didn¡¯t really prepare a proper reaction.

    Faelan was the first to ask what was on their minds, ¡°Are you¡­going to tell him?¡±

    ¡°I mean I have to don¡¯t I? I just don¡¯t know when. It feels like just yesterday I wrote it off as just liking him a bit, but¡­ugh¡­.I¡¯ll see how it goes I suppose. I work better on instinct so I¡¯ll just hope it works out for me.¡± Wraith weakly smiled but his words spoke true. His most trusted allies wished they could help, though deep down, they knew it was better to leave things in Wraith¡¯s hands.

    By the end of the day Izumi had returned home, ready to collapse onto his bed and sink into tomorrow. He was a little partially glad that Wraith had let Lavina take over for him, since he most definitely wouldn¡¯t have let him talk to Vahan, or it would¡¯ve taken a hefty amount of convincing. The two still kept in touch, on the other hand. It was a little funny watching Wraith get used to how phones work, unsure about certain abbreviations in texts and the like. Occasionally they sent each other pictures of where they were, Izumi usually at work or home while Wraith seemed to always be up and about typically on top of roofs. This only lasted a little over a week though, as it didn¡¯t take long for Wraith to realize the value in physical interactions. The one time Izumi forgot to put his phone on silent before going to bed, it buzzed on his nightstand nearly to the point of falling to the floor.

    Without even looking at the contact name, he answered with a groan and nearly inaudible words. ¡°...Hello..?¡±

    ¡°Were you sleeping?¡±

    Instantly recognizing the voice, Izumi quickly propped himself up and rubbed the sleep away. ¡°It¡¯s three in the morning so yes, I was. It¡¯s alright though, did you need something?¡±

    A low, raspy breath paused and he could almost feel the air warm his ear.

    ¡°I just wanted to hear your voice.¡±

    An eternal silence filled the gap after. Even so, it wasn¡¯t uncomfortable, nor awkward. Rather, the silence was one of a mutual understanding.

    ¡°....You mind if I sleep over?¡± Wraith wanted to say that he remembered how lonely the large bed could be yet refrained.

    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    ¡°No, not at all. I have work in the morning though so we can¡¯t go out.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡±

    Before he knew it, Izumi heard a knock on the door. Thinking to himself that it took no time at all to arrive, he leapt out of bed to let him in. The moonlight amplified the soft glow of his yearning eyes. There was a strong urge in his heart to pet the specter and it took everything Izumi had to quell it.

    ¡°I told you I¡¯d use the front door next time.¡±

    ¡°I suppose you can break habits as well. I¡¯d talk but I kind of wanna get back to my bed so¡­¡± Izumi gestured for him to come in and he obliged, leaving his shoes at the entryway.

    It had been awhile since Izumi saw the red robe in its natural appearance. Lately, Wraith had it in more casual forms, like a blazer or jacket. The robe extended to the floor when draped across Izumi¡¯s small office chair. Weirdly enough Wraith seemed like he was more exhausted than Izumi was¨Chis mind occupied. If it wasn¡¯t so late at night he¡¯d ask what was bothering him, but it was a conversation that would have to wait. They both nearly immediately were under the covers once more, Wraith¡¯s face buried into his chest. This was the first time that they slept in this position. Usually it was the reverse. Anyone who saw Wraith now wouldn¡¯t believe that he was the same supposedly morbid killer whose name alone would invoke fear in the hearts of others. In Izumi¡¯s arms he seemed so harmless, so gentle, so delicate. No one could tell that he wasn¡¯t human like this. That he was a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing. Or maybe¡­that¡¯s how he really was. His inability to express himself was genuine and anything he did express was heartfelt. The months he spent with Wraith somehow cleared misconceptions he¡¯s had and only deepened the mystery. At the same time, Izumi slowly started not to think much about it. As much as he loved to learn more about Wraith, he¡¯d grow out of his shell at his own rate and Izumi was in no rush.

    Kanae was thoroughly surprised to see Wraith descend the stairs with her son in the morning and she nearly offered him breakfast as well before remembering he doesn''t eat, so she prepared a drink instead. Lala always seemed to enjoy Wraith''s company, consistently getting incredibly excited to see him. He pointed this to Wraith''s ability to communicate with animals, but Wraith said that Lala actually didn''t talk at all and her emotions displayed one-to-one with her actions. In reality, Wraith just loved dogs and they all seemed to love him. After breakfast Wraith walked Izumi to work and strangely enough walked him after the fact as well, even staying the night again. This pattern ended up recurring for the next month: Wraith would walk Izumi to and from work and even spend the night in the same position. Since he began to essentially live with Izumi and his mother during that month, Kanae also started to grow fond of Wraith as she believed him to have a charming and vibrant personality¨Cmainly it was because he helped with housework. On their days off the couple went to pretty simple date spots to hang out. A park, cafe, beach, others as well and sometimes they''d just stay home. Izumi had asked what was wrong after a few days, though Wraith only said he was bored and just wanted to hang out. This didn''t reflect in his actions though. Not even once did he make an advance on Izumi aside from a light kiss, cuddle, or holding hands. And everytime time that Izumi attempted instead, Wraith pushed him away with the sentiment that he wasn''t feeling it. It didn''t seem like that was the case. Whatever was on Wraith''s mind was evidently eating him alive and it started to get under Izumi¡¯s skin that he was so closed off. Wraith was right there, with him every day, and yet still seemed so far away.

    The month ended with Kanae¡¯s temporary departure for only a few days based on the premise of work. With Kanae and Lala out of the house, it would''ve been the perfect time for the couple to have some to themselves. To Izumi''s dismay the usual posse was there with them, minus Faelan who couldn''t fit in the house due to his height. His patience running thin, Izumi dragged Lavina to his room to talk.

    ¡°Did you try asking why he won¡¯t touch you?¡± As badly as Lavina wanted to, she didn¡¯t smoke considering she could tell that no one in his family did and it¡¯d therefore stink up their house.

    ¡°I did but he just gave some weird excuse about not wanting to but he¡¯d get really flustered..? Like it was his first time or something.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Is what she responded with, but her face had dropped and she knew the exact meaning and cause of the problem from that alone. She was inherently a Wraith-Encyclopedia with all the years she spent with him, both in and out of their relationship. Disclosing this information though would be putting her business where she shouldn¡¯t. ¡°I¡¯ve got an idea and you¡¯re either gonna like it or hate it.¡±

    A pair of footsteps descended the stairs and Wraith noticed Neio¡¯s cartoonish shock before he saw the cause. Lavina was wearing more casual clothing and Izumi was in a dress albeit casual as well.

    The moment Wraith opened his mouth to ask, Izumi interrupted his inhale. ¡°We¡¯re going out, I¡¯ll be back later.¡±

    Mouth dropped wide, Wraith wasn¡¯t sure where to direct his question first. The attire or the intention and his body had to unconsciously choose for him.¡°Wheerree¡­?¡±

    ¡°Out.¡±

    ¡°Yea I uh got that but¨C¡±

    ¡°Bye!¡±

    Without another exchange the pair left, leaving the three with no more information than they already started with.

    Time seemed to pass in slow motion as minutes turned into hours with Izumi and Lavina still absent. During this time Wraith¡¯s anxieties grew to its peak. Of all people to be with, Lavina was the worst choice. Truthfully he would¡¯ve preferred if he went out with Eiji even because there was nothing Eiji could do. Lavina though? She had her way with words and always had these insane ideas. Worst of all Lavina could easily tip their relationship one way or the other, although he knew she wouldn¡¯t do anything to impede it. Just as easily though she could do something with the prospect to help that Wraith won¡¯t particularly like. He couldn¡¯t do anything now so it was pointless to dwell on it any longer. The two came back around sunset, a few shopping bags in hand. Izumi never told Wraith where they went or what they bought and he didn¡¯t really pry either, since he didn¡¯t really know if he wanted to know or not. They went out again the day Izumi¡¯s mom was supposed to come home and he eventually learned the inevitable idea that Lavina force fed into his once innocent partner¡¯s mind.

 Chapter 47: The Tricksterâ€™s Scheme

    It was late in the night by the time Izumi came home. His mother had already gone to her room and went straight back to work. She had always been the type to listen to music via headphones in the process, and Wraith came to know this as well as there would be times he¡¯d accidentally scare her since she couldn¡¯t hear very well with them on. Wraith though was sitting on the couch waiting for Izumi to come home like a dog waiting for its owner. For whatever reason he chose to sit nearly in the dark, the only light coming from the moon which shone through the blinds.

    Hiding his excitement, Wraith welcomed him with a smile. ¡°Did you have fun?¡±

    Izumi was wearing a cropped, sleeveless turtleneck and a long open skirt. With the long duration, the marks he once had faded so he could wear such revealing clothing. The one thing he gave to girls was that their clothing options had more variety and had more of a charm to them. By comparison Wraith didn¡¯t have his usual teal dress shirt on, but he did have his robe-turned-blazer on being black instead of red, which was folded and clasped at his elbows.

    ¡°Yep! I got this wine for you, I¡¯ll give it to you in a second I wanna use the bathroom first.¡±

    As Wraith watched Izumi¡¯s back while he went upstairs, he thought how the outfit was very much Lavina¡¯s style and her influence on Izumi was in plain sight.

    The bathroom trip took longer than Wraith would normally estimate but he didn¡¯t really question it. Tapping downstairs, Izumi quickly set a plastic bag down beside the couch with a rustle and headed for the kitchen to get a glass. Temporarily he turned the kitchen light on so he could see what he was doing. Almost in a trained fashion he poured the wine into a glass before Wraith and offered it with a smile.

    Wraith took a slight sip, then took a more extensive chug. ¡°Oh it¡¯s pretty good, where¡¯d you get it?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s this place Lavina showed me that has a larger variety of drinks than grocery and convenience stores do. Was a little ways from town.¡± As he spoke, Izumi trailed off to the kitchen and washed the dishes so his mom didn¡¯t have to later. Meanwhile, Wraith continued to drink, finishing a full glass quite quickly and pouring another.

    ¡°Is it that good? You usually drink a lot slower.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s good yea but I also drink faster if I can¡¯t smoke and I don¡¯t really wanna walk out with a wine glass.¡± Wraith scratched his ear. It began to burn and he cleared his throat. Something wasn¡¯t right.

    ¡°Lavina acts really different when she¡¯s excited. Let¡¯s loose? Is the only way I can really explain it.¡±

    ¡°Mm-...mhm..?¡± The burn traveled to his face, then his throat. Inhaling through his nose and exhaling through his mouth, Wraith tried to calm down whatever was happening. ¡°She¡­really only got excited with me when she had some¡­trick up her sleeve.¡± He blinked hard, vision getting blurry. This finally pushed him to stop drinking with a clatter of the nearly empty glass onto the coffee table. Elbows to his knees, Wraith held his head in his hands in what looked like agony.

    After drying his hands, Izumi noticed Wraith¡¯s turmoil and came over, reaching his hand out. ¡°Are you alright¨C?¡±

    Swiftly Wraith snatched ahold of his wrist and held tight, a sting of pain shooting up his arm. Slowly his head tilted up and through his long bangs he could see Wraith¡¯s eyes. Foggy but sharp and glowing, like that of a feline or snake. There was a greater variation of blues and oranges swirling within them than usual.

    His voice was low and clearly stuck to his throat as it came out. ¡°Izu..mi¡­what¡¯s¡­in this..?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­you¡¯re either gonna like it or hate it.¡±

    ¡°...Just¡­tell¨Cme.¡±

    ¡°Something Lavina gave me, the alcohol included.¡± With Wraith¡¯s strength waning, Izumi was able to shake off his grasp and he rubbed his wrist. ¡°An aphrodisiac made specifically for spirits and specters. She said since your healing abilities are above the norm to give you a stronger dose but I didn¡¯t expect you to drink nearly two glasses of it. I hope you¡¯ll be alright.¡±

    ¡°You¨C¡± Almost every emotion he could feel in this moment seemed to rush through him a hundredfold with the effects, resulting in his inability to properly convey anything but an increase in his respirations.

    ¡°I think you¡¯ll be fine though. You said almost nothing could kill you and I doubt that the only thing that could was overdosing on a sex drug.¡±

    ¡°Can you¡­.at¡­least help¡­?¡±

    ¡°Of course, but in my own way.¡±

    Although Wraith was fighting himself with every bone in his body, he could still tell the difference in Izumi¡¯s behavior. Lavina had really done a job on him.

    Rustling in the bag beside the bed, Izumi pulled Wraith¡¯s arms behind his back, fastening them with some form of belt and chain; tying them tight enough to the point of hurting and speaking like a maniacal villain all the meanwhile. ¡°The difference between you tying me and me tying you is that I couldn¡¯t break out of them in a thousand years but I¡¯m sure you could snap this chain without even trying so for some incentive,¡± After securing the belts, he cupped Wraith¡¯s inflamed cheeks and stared into the depths of his melting eyes that were now akin to an animal in heat. ¡°I¡¯ll break up with you if they break. Ok?¡±

    Wraith couldn¡¯t even respond. His body felt like it suddenly weighed as much as a building and was simultaneously thrown to the sun¡¯s surface¨Chis chest rising and falling at a deep and orally rapid pace. Though in his eyes that didn¡¯t really look like they could see anymore, Izumi could tell he understood. Finally he sat over Wraith, knees bent on the couch.

    ¡°Do you want a kiss?¡± Izumi purred, still coddling Wraith¡¯s face, who responded with a broken nod. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± With one hand holding his scorched nape, Izumi¡¯s other streamed lower. Down his chin, jaw, neck, chest, abdomen, but not his already predominant bulge. Not yet.

    ¡°It really annoyed me, you know? I¡¯m not usually the type to be really sexually active but I was with you. Maybe it¡¯s because I actually enjoyed it for once.¡±

    While Wraith was physically here, his mind and spirit seemed to be already broken and elsewhere in Izumi¡¯s light caress which liquified in his hands. The little pink imp smiled to himself. This is kinda fun actually¡­maybe this is why Wraith teases me all the time. He traced the curved zipper and faintly gripped; his smile became tainted, shifting to a pleasantly satisfied smirk with the contortions in Wraith¡¯s expression.

    ¡°Mmh-...¡±

    ¡°Are you going to explain yourself?¡±

    Clearly Wraith was in no mindset to respond to that properly and Izumi knew this well. Since he didn¡¯t want to give him too much just yet, he removed his hand from his crotch and gently lifted Wraith¡¯s chin to get a better look at his eyes, which only seemed to grow more distant yet illuminated by the second. Then, did he finally kiss him. First with a slight exchange, progressing slowly into a trade of saturated gasps. The inside of the specter¡¯s mouth was hot-his tongue feverish. A strange rapid thud against the couch parted Izumi¡¯s eyes and he was a bit surprised to see the source. Behind Wraith was a dog¡¯s tail, his ears transformed to the same animal and they twitched in excitement. Though, weirdly enough his black talons had formed as well and the color nearly stretched all the way to his jaw. Izumi didn¡¯t even notice the sudden change and his deep kiss halted in curiosity. It seemed a little familiar and then he remembered¨Csomething similar happened after their date. Maybe the more aroused Wraith became, the harder it became to contain his natural appearance. One thing that Izumi did admit was that he actually found it attractive when Wraith¡¯s claws emerged though he never expressed the sentiment. Another sly smirk resumed their passionate twine, shifting angles to further engulf the other. Wraith¡¯s fangs became sharp enough to the point they were hard to avoid, so Izumi stopped trying. Drops of blood would leak from his tongue and add to the already metallic taste of Wraith¡¯s mouth. With a sharp inhale, Izumi retracted, almost forgetting that he was supposed to be punishing him.

    The belt clattered open, unveiling Wraith¡¯s length which stood at attention, veins thick and protruding. Fingers replacing his tongue, they slid into Wraith¡¯s mouth and curled.

    ¡°You¡¯re a lot harder than usual, I don¡¯t even need to touch you to see that.¡± His breath was soft against Wraith¡¯s cheek. Preferably Izumi would whisper in his ear but that was a little difficult with dog ears.

    Not before long they were thoroughly coated and dripped with Wraith¡¯s saliva but he still refrained from touching him. ¡°If you ask nicely I¡¯ll help you.¡±

    It took everything Wraith had to push an audible form of language out of his throat. His face still bled red-his body still on fire. And it wouldn¡¯t go away anytime soon. ¡°P-ple-ase¡­.t-touch m-e¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re gonna have to be more specific than that.¡±

    This was revenge for the time¨Cmore than several¨Cthat Wraith had done the same to him, when their roles were reversed.

    ¡°Y-your hand¡­plea-se¡­touch my dick¡­¡±

    ¡°Not request, ask. In the form of a question.¡± He thought about teasing a caress to egg him on further, but Wraith was already disoriented.

    ¡°C-can you¡­¨C¡±

    ¡°I can but won¡¯t if you don¡¯t get the words right.¡±

    ¡°W-will y-ou¡­please touch¡­m-my dick¡­¡±

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Rather than orally answering, Izumi gave a physical response as he delicately outlined the tip before encircling his hand around the base of his shaft. Like a bandaid had been ripped off, Wraith gasped and twitched in content.

    ¡°Hhaa¨C...h¡­¡±

    Working his way up, Izumi made sure to cover every inch with a gleeful smile, the saliva adding extra moisture. He would¡¯ve preferred to use his mouth, yet he needed to show some form of restraint if he wanted to drive the thought home.

    ¡°Do you like it?¡±

    The furry tail slapped the couch harder and Izumi could hear the chain clink as Wraith attempted to contain himself.

    ¡°Mmnh-~-...mnhhmm.-...¡± First articulating an unclear reply, Wraith struggled to find his words. ¡°Hh¡­y-ea¡­ahh-...¡±

    Every stroke of his member sent an electric chill throughout his frame and Wraith already looked like a dam about to burst. Though, Izumi didn¡¯t want Wraith to be fully satisfied with his hands. With all the times Wraith prevented him from doing so, it was finally his chance to finish orally.

    Izumi sat on fours on the couch, his body to the side as he lowered his head and slid Wraith passed his lips.

    Immediately, Wraith twitched and the metallic clang resounded. ¡°Ahh~-..!¡±

    A laugh almost came out from Izumi with Wraith¡¯s amplified reaction. At this rate it wouldn¡¯t take very long for him to climax. Aphrodisiac was a first for Izumi, and according to Lavina it would be for Wraith as well. The only reason she suggested it was to do exactly this: put Wraith into a situation where he couldn¡¯t refuse. She knew that what Wraith was hiding would take forever for him to confess properly unless put under a situation where he had no choice, and the longer he took, the more his relationship with Izumi strained. It was already getting to the point where Izumi had started to act a little colder, rooted by his vexation with Wraith¡¯s erratic behavior. He told himself he¡¯d be patient with him, but Wraith¡¯s actions made it incredibly difficult and especially with the prolonged duration. Now, Wraith was at his mercy and if Lavina was right, then he¡¯d crack in time.

    Tongue to tip, Izumi switched between using his hands and his mouth, sometimes a combination of both. Wraith¡¯s hands were evidently desperate to hold something-anything-as the tether continued to chime and he continued to rustle on the sofa.

    With the more frequent use of his vocal cords, his normal speech started to return. ¡°Mmh-...hha~-...Izu..mi¡­fuck-I-...can-¡¯t¡­-!¡±

    Izumi slid his hair behind his ear and held his shaft firm as he bobbed up and down, licking Wraith all over in the meanwhile.

    The fidgeting on Wraith¡¯s end grew more unsettled until finally they ceased with a heaved exhale. ¡°S-st-..fuck-sto-p-...I¡¯m-...hhaah-..-!¡±

    A bitter taste suddenly filled Izumi¡¯s mouth, partially splattering on his face as well. He never experienced getting someone else¡¯s ejaculation on himself in such a way, and it was a little weird, but he sort of liked it. To show Wraith and test his self-control, Izumi sat up once more and stuck out his tongue. If Wraith was breathing heavily before, it only worsened now. Something clawed and tore at his insides and he pleaded and pleaded for it to stop, having to repeatedly tell himself don¡¯t break the chain, calm down. Don¡¯t break it. Calm down. Don¡¯t. It¡¯s fine.

    The intense mental gymnastics he performed within reflected in his turmoiled gaze and Izumi chuckled, cleaning up the mess with his fingers before licking those as well and swallowing, using his skirt to wipe away any leftover moisture. Wraith couldn¡¯t even properly come to terms with what he was seeing before Izumi tempted him more.

    ¡°I would kiss you but I¡¯m not as filthy as you are when it comes to that. I have standards you know.¡±

    He straddled Wraith once again after removing his own underwear, considering himself lucky that Wraith happened to be partially shirtless today. The no-shirt blazer look suited him well and was extremely arousing.

    Everything about this situation was difficult for Wraith and Izumi¡¯s repeated use of words didn¡¯t help in the slightest. ¡°When I went to the bathroom earlier, I actually loosened myself for you. I¡¯d let you feel it but you¡¯re, well, tied. You¡¯ll feel it here soon anyways.¡± Another fondle of his lower region whipped Wraith¡¯s tail that had momentarily slowed. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re hard still after orgasming-either specters are really different or the stimulant did wonders, maybe both with how much you had.¡± A slight shrug accompanied Izumi¡¯s genuine surprise.

    And then, his eyebrows lifted, remembering something. Reaching into the plastic bag he pulled out two rings¨Cthe thing he was most hesitant about using. He could always stop if neither of them liked it but it was worth a try. Wraith seemed to know what they were and he wanted to get away but knew that backing out of this situation in any shape would break Izumi¡¯s heart. Afterall, he seemed to be enjoying himself and their role reversal. Not to say Wraith wasn¡¯t as well. He had only been upset about the deception for no more than a few moments before forgetting about it. Maybe the stimulant had clouded his judgment, he wasn¡¯t really sure but he didn¡¯t really care. All he wanted right now was Izumi and the more he complied the more he received.

    Izumi slid the rings around both of their shafts then sank his hips, the slow heat inching through. Now came the hardest part: being quiet and self-control. The reason Izumi restrained his member as well was because he knew that despite all the barking he could do, he had no bite and would cave as soon as Wraith was inside. It happened basically every time without fail and if he came as well, he¡¯d likely release Wraith¡¯s restraints sooner. Riding could only go so far for him at the end of the day. To make matters worse his mother was upstairs-likely still awake-and he knew full well how unrestrained his voice could get. She rarely came down once holed up in her room working, and even less likely to hear with how loud she played music, but the last thing he wanted was for her to see her son mounting another man on her couch of all places. Never would he ever have imagined willingly doing this at any point in his life and never would he ever have believed that he could feel like such a tramp for liking the added risk factor.

    Shaking his head to drown away his worries, Izumi began to shift propped by Wraith¡¯s shoulder blade. Already feeling a tinge in his throat he immediately muffled it with his hand. His skin connected with Wraith¡¯s with a saturated slap.

    ¡°Mmnfh¨C~!¡± Izumi pressed his palm hard against his voice.

    On the other hand, Wraith¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t a problem. He wasn¡¯t ever loud and would only heighten at climax, which still was nowhere near Izumi¡¯s decibel level. ¡°Hha-h¡­¡±

    The tail¡¯s thuds and the chain¡¯s clanks started to pick up again in sync with Wraith¡¯s pants. While Izumi dug his nails into his skin, Wraith dug his claws into his own palms to prevent himself from shattering his constraints.

    Harshly exhaling, Izumi bit his lip and changed his approach. He reached behind Wraith and detached the chain, moving his arms to the front before clasping it shut again. Then he guided him on his back, his arms above his head. Had Izumi been the one afflicted with an aphrodisiac instead, the image alone would have almost been enough to bring him to a climax. The only light in the living room came from the glow of the night, which shone on Wraith¡¯s feverish yet weak expression, the open blazer, Wraith¡¯s bare chest underneath, the black static that blanketed his hands and arms, writhing towards his neck as though it tried to overcome him.

    Feeling more motivated than ever, Izumi completely forgot to cover his mouth as he connected their hips continuously. ¡°Nnhh..-ha-..!..A-h-...ha~!!¡±

    With the change in position, Wraith¡¯s tail was more restricted in movement as it was covered by Izumi¡¯s skirt and it felt limiting but he didn¡¯t pay much attention to it. ¡°Mmhh..~..¡±

    His movements were increasingly more aggressive when likened to previous instances of similar events, almost like the stimulant had started to affect him as well.

    Obviously in comparison Wraith was feeling much worse with his hands so close but so far and he reached the point of begging. ¡°Please-...let-...nnh-..me go¡­hha-..fuck I- wanna touch you so bad¡­¡±

    The plea reached his glistening almost starry eyes and Izumi finally learned why Wraith couldn¡¯t say no when he gave the same look to him. He paused. A tightness constricted his insides. Staring at the melancholic yet desperate yearn in his eyes ate Izumi entirely. Instead, he felt like the one who broke. And, with a near sigh, Izumi removed the restraints, the belt-like straps around his wrist and the rings about both included. In a heartbeat Wraith sat up and lifted him by his waist.

    Izumi¡¯s room was incredibly close to his mother¡¯s, being separated by only a few feet, though neither of them took notice in the heated moment. With a quiet slam Wraith shut the door and ripped off his partner¡¯s clothes, the claws nearly making contact with his skin in the process. Naturally Izumi couldn¡¯t have the same beast-like ferociousness that Wraith had since he lacked claws, but his removal of Wraith¡¯s attire still measured to be quite near it in violence. They slammed into the desk with a rattle which knocked several items over, some even falling onto the floor. Now that they were bare, Izumi could see that the onyx dye in his skin covered his back as well, even reaching partially to his thighs and calves. With Izumi leaning against the desk, Wraith lifted his bent leg and reinserted himself with a forceful thrust. The aggression caused the back of Izumi¡¯s head to hit the desk¡¯s shelves on multiple instances though it only stimulated them more. At this point, they were doing the complete opposite of being quiet with the additional noise.

    ¡°W-raith~! Mmnh-hha~- aahh~~!!¡±

    Like he had never been at Izumi¡¯s whim, their typical roles were resumed and Wraith went back to his cocky self. ¡°You¡¯re being so loud and your mom¡¯s room is right down the ha-ll..¡± Wraith combed his bangs back, which fell into his face again in the same instant. ¡°Maybe you want her to hear? Just like all the people-...outside that hotel window.¡±

    ¡°N-nnh-mhh~ n-no-! I-hha-~..!¡±

    ¡°Really? Your voice and body are telling me something diff-erent. Why don¡¯t I help-..you..?¡±

    Detaching himself, Wraith dragged Izumi out of the room against his will. His heart sank, already being able to discern what Wraith was planning to do and Izumi tried as much as he could to push his feet in the opposite direction. Their gap in strength was plain to see as his hold didn¡¯t budge in the slightest. Wraith only stopped when they had reached their destination: the door to his mother¡¯s bedroom. To make matters worse he faced him against the entrance, back to Wraith, and pinned an arm behind, bending and lifting a leg once more. The only thing he could be grateful for¨Cif anything¨Cwas that he only pinned one arm, so Izumi was free to use the other to muffle himself and he did so immediately.

    ¡°Mnffhh-! Ffhh-~!¡±

    Wraith spared no expense in returning the favor of stimulating him against his will as the door rattled with each pound. Both knew well that Kanae was inherently deaf when she was working, and he only hoped that remained to be the case now. Another worry that plagued Izumi was the possibility of Lala attracting his mother¡¯s attention to the door, and with how violent Wraith was being, that seemed to be a very likely outcome.

    ¡°A month really does a lot to you.¡± Wraith whispered, nibbling his ear.

    Drops pattered onto the carpet with a deep tap. ¡°Hhh-mff...nmhhm~~..!¡±

    The clear stream that almost made contact with his mother¡¯s door showcased his hidden arousal and simultaneous shame. A wet trail tingled his neck caused by Wraith¡¯s rough tongue, the slight bump felt throughout. ¡°Look how compliant you¡¯ve become.¡±

    Releasing Izumi¡¯s arm, he held his member instead. ¡°Hahh-shit¡­¡± I missed you he thought about saying, but the moment wasn¡¯t really right. If he said so now, Izumi might just choke the life out of him. It was partially his fault that they were in this strange situation anyways. Avoiding this only made things worse for both of them.

    ¡°Mmnh-fh-nmhh~!!¡± Izumi bit into his palm nearly to the point of drawing blood in an attempt to suppress his oral orgasm, not even realizing he came in Wraith¡¯s hand until he licked it up like he always did. He had almost collapsed onto the door as his knees and thighs felt weak, wobbling in a struggle to stand. Whipping his head back, he glared at Wraith with cold but affectionate eyes.

    Wraith¡¯s unnatural healing seemed to be kicking in as his breaths were more or less what they normally were during intercourse and his eyes went back to normal, his fever calming down. Realizing the extent of what he did because of Izumi¡¯s glare, his canine ears drooped. ¡°...S-sorry¡­I just kinda¨C¡±

    Before he could finish, Izumi lugged him into a tight embrace. Wraith was more confused than ever and he hesitated to wrap his arms around him in turn, but soon enough he did.

    Voice quivering in the slightest, Wraith could only hear Izumi in his ear. ¡°Don¡¯t you ever avoid me like that again¡­asshole¡­¡±

 Chapter 48: Iâ€¦

    They made their way back to his room without incident and Izumi couldn¡¯t tell if it was fortune smiling upon them or if Wraith had done some measures via magic to prevent it and quite frankly he believed himself to be better off not knowing. Either case would upset him in their own right. For a second they almost continued on return but he stopped Wraith, the big question still irritating him. So now, they were both sitting on the bed facing each other at a distance. At this point, Wraith was in his normal human appearance one again, likely due to the stimulant''s effects wearing off.

    ¡°What is it..?¡± A little worried that he went overboard, his hairs stood on edge.

    ¡°Why¡­did you..¡± Izumi wasn¡¯t even sure where to start, so he tried again, knowing full well it would diminish the mood but it bothered him too greatly.. ¡°...why did you avoid me..? Why did you refuse to do anything even remotely close to sex before..? Why did you stay over for so long but kept your distance? Why¡­-?¡±

    The words scraped his throat as they left. Conversations like this weren¡¯t his expertise and he hated being confrontational but when there¡¯s a problem in a relationship the best thing to do was to confront it head on rather than let it fester and worsen. Despite his lack of experience, he at least knew this.

    ¡°I started to think that maybe you just didn¡¯t like my body or something-..¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Immediately Wraith perished the thought. ¡°I would never I-...I still like you, your body I-¡±

    ¡°Then what?! I-¡±

    ¡°Izumi.¡± The moon seemed to be shining brighter that night as it peered through the open blinds and sparkled Wraith¡¯s skin. Even though he no longer felt the effects of the stimulant, the sweat from his fever still lingered. Izumi couldn¡¯t remember the last time he was afraid of Wraith¡¯s once terrifying glow in his eyes. It felt so long ago, especially now that he could only see sincerity reflected in them. So, he gave Wraith a chance to speak.

    If Izumi¡¯s nervous tick was grabbing his clothes, Wraith¡¯s seemed to be scratching the nape of his neck or fiddling with his hair in some way as he did a variety of both as he spoke. ¡°I¡­honestly...I¡­didn¡¯t know¡­¡± Wraith had never been so anxious in all his life and the heartbeat that rang in his ears just made him choke as he spoke more. It felt suffocating. But, it would feel more suffocating if he didn¡¯t get them out. Like when trying to fit something large through a tight space, getting it in wasn¡¯t a problem. Then came pushing it through. Eventually, it would pop out. One just had to push it past that point. ¡°I stayed at your house because I wanted to talk to you. I¡­needed¨Cneed to tell you something. I just¡­couldn¡¯t figure out the right time. I never knew that words could feel so¡­.so important and I couldn¡¯t figure out how to go about it and I couldn¡¯t bring myself to just say it to just¡­.¡± Pauses for a breath were littered throughout his speech and Wraith struggled to meet his eyes with Izumi¡¯s. ¡°I¡­couldn¡¯t touch¡­you¡­because it¡­reminded me of the hotel¡­when I realized what I¡¯m trying to tell you and¡­I¡­.I couldn¡¯t handle it. It¡¯s¡­better I just get it out¡­I realize that.¡± From his cheeks to his ears a soft red was dyed though the burn reached every inch of his body. He knew it wasn¡¯t the aphrodisiac still lingering. It was his nerves. And now, he made sure his eye contact was firm. ¡°Izumi I....¡± Finally, it burst. ¡°Izumi I love you. I love you, your laugh, your smile, your hair, your eyes, your touch, your voice, anything that¡¯s you I love. I love you more than I¡¯ve ever loved anyone and I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s an achievement or not because I only really liked one person before and I don¡¯t even love myself despite my massive ego but I love you. When I saw you in the hotel room that day, something just clicked in my head. For whatever reason at that moment I knew that I fell for you but I feel like it¡¯s been longer than that honestly, maybe even back in Hodaira I felt that way and just didn¡¯t realize it. Or maybe I did and just pretended like I couldn¡¯t. When I confessed to you originally I thought it felt right but then I started to feel tight, saying that I only liked you didn¡¯t fit. Neither did saying I like you a lot. But¡­I know now that I love you and just couldn¡¯t figure out how to say it. I thought maybe I needed to be theatrical but I didn¡¯t know how and I didn¡¯t know if it was that big of a deal or not because¡­because I know you love me too.¡±

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    During the entirety of his second confession Izumi had remained still and quiet as though if he made the slightest noise or inch that he¡¯d shatter. He wanted to ask how but couldn¡¯t bring himself to interrupt.

    ¡°I don¡¯t even feel like I deserve your love or I have a right to love you with all the things I¡¯ve done, with you not any better. I feel¡­so so guilty but¡­.at the party that night when everyone had left you told me and it¡¯s all my fault. If¡­someone knows how they can read someone¡¯s soul and the easiest way is in their eyes and¡­as I was holding you I just felt the words slip and I tried to take them back but by the time I did you told me and I couldn¡¯t tell you because I didn¡¯t want you to know I didn¡¯t want you to treat me differently or for things to get awkward because of it so I tried to forget about it but I¡¯m sorry and I¡¯m-begging you to stay with me. I love you so much that it hurts and I feel crazy for saying it but I feel like I¡¯d lose my mind if I didn¡¯t have you but I knew that you were out there so please-¡±

    Unable to bear his self-deprecation any longer, Izumi recovered his lost speech. Though, he didn''t focus on the actual weight of the confession. It would likely hit him at a later date, but for now his mind was preoccupied with the need to console his partner. ¡°Wraith, it¡¯s alright.¡± He pulled him into a hug, petting his wavy hair. Against his chest Izumi felt Wraith¡¯s blaring beat and it quickened before starting to slow. ¡°Who said anything about leaving you? You said it yourself, I love you. I¡¯d have been more upset if you never told me and let me say it again under the impression it was the first time. So, don¡¯t beat on yourself so much.¡±

    Now forehead to forehead, Izumi held Wraith¡¯s burning cheek in his palm, Wraith¡¯s hand over his own. He thought he was mistaken, maybe just being sweat, but he could feel it clearly now. A tear, albeit only a single, had streamed down his face from his sapphire eye. Izumi smeared the line until it faded.

    Almost in a whimper, Wraith¡¯s voice quivered. ¡°Can¡­can I say I love you¡­?¡±

    Izumi nearly laughed at the strange request. Although a little funny, it was a little sad watching him walk on eggshells when he didn¡¯t have to. ¡°You didn¡¯t ask me before, so why are you asking me now?¡±

    Not really knowing why he asked either, Wraith merely burrowed his face further into Izumi¡¯s delicate hold. ¡°Then¡­I love you, Izumi.¡±

    Replacing his laugh with a tender smile, he replied, ¡°I love you too, Wraith.¡±

 Chapter 49: Love and Lust Go Hand In Hand

    Originally the kiss was just a peck and with repetition it grew deeper until they eventually laid onto the bed again. The previous mood slowly rekindled and soon enough the couple was already incredibly close in proximity, Wraith being on top and his arm around Izumi¡¯s back. It felt notably different to entwine oneself with another that they truly loved with all their heart to the point it made Wraith question if he really loved Lavina at some point or if he used the word loosely at the time. No, he did. Izumi just had a stronger place in his heart.

    A sincere intimate endearment flowed into him in the form of Wraith¡¯s touch. From his hair, to his cheek, neck, collarbone, chest, waist, hips. His hips against Wraith¡¯s. Kanae would be sure to wonder what happened when she¡¯d see him the following morning. Izumi shook his head. Now was a very inappropriate time to think about his mom and he had just started to forget what he did against her door.

    Wraith¡¯s ragged breathing was all he heard along with the small bed that strained to contain the pair and didn¡¯t even try not to creak. The same was against Wraith¡¯s ear with the lack of distance between them which slowly shrank until they were against each other. Skin to skin. Nails in his back. Arms around both. Hair brushed hair. Wraith smelled like roses that were oddly sweet.

    Their faces now no more than an inch apart, Izumi felt Wraith¡¯s bangs tickle his face as he spoke. ¡°I..love you..mmhh-...Fuck..I love you so much..hhah..-..¡±

    Normally Izumi would respond with something like don¡¯t say that while you¡¯re inside but he had a change of heart. It felt¡­nice. His eyes burned and he really wasn¡¯t sure why. ¡°Wra-ith-...mnhh-ha-~...I love¡­you too..¡±

    The difference this time from the others was that now, they repeated the same phrase, over and over again as though making up for lost time.

    Sunlight replaced moonlight and neither really knew at what point they fell asleep, all they knew was that it was suddenly morning. Fumbling for his phone, Izumi saw that it was still early and he had time before work so there was no real need to rush. It would be better if I woke up instead of risking sleeping for too long, he thought to himself, remembering how much he rushed that one morning in the hotel. Wraith felt like he peeled off of him with how their bodies stuck. Was it really that hot? Rubbing his rear, he became increasingly uncomfortable as memories from the previous night oozed out.

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    Izumi jumped when he was suddenly pulled back down onto the bed with great force. ¡°Where are you going?¡± He said sweetly, nuzzling against his neck as he subsequently kissed it.

    ¡°The shower because someone has no self control and I should honestly start making you pull out.¡± With a sigh, he pinched Wraith¡¯s nose.

    ¡°Ow-at least let me help you to make up for it.¡±

    ¡°So you can do it again?¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±

    That ended up being the greatest lie that Izumi fell for from the specter as before he knew it, his back was against the shower wall, legs around Wraith¡¯s waist as he drove into him under the showerhead. He specifically avoided ever showering or bathing with Wraith for this exact reason but his foolish self believed that maybe today he had some self control, when it was in fact the opposite. To make matters worse, his mom was awake and downstairs making breakfast. The bathroom walls naturally caused an echo, so Izumi had to muffle himself again.

    ¡°Ffhh-mnfhh~...!¡±

    ¡°Did I tell you I love you? Because I do.¡± Wraith whispered in a smirk that would¡¯ve been lost in the shower¡¯s reverb had he not been right beside him. An urge to punch him churned his gut but if anything it¡¯d prolong his torture.

    Warm water splattered onto the pair and Izumi could feel streaks sliding in with Wraith¡¯s heat. Whether it made it feel better or worse he couldn¡¯t tell, his thoughts were too mushy and clouded.

    Planting a kiss across his lips, Wraith licked his fangs and smiled. ¡°I love you.¡±

    Izumi¡¯s angry but impassioned eyes said it all. Momentarily, he removed his hand. ¡°Shut up¡­nhmhh-...¡± The glare shifted away in a blush. ¡°I..love you too.¡±

 Chapter 50: Harmless

    While some may shame a twenty-seven year old man for still living with his mother, at the least he can still boast about the beauty of having a pre-made breakfast accompanied by the most alluring scent almost every morning, and today was no exception. The only difference in his morning, however, was the presence of his love beside him, who unsurprisingly was fast asleep. Although they only slept together¨C in the literal sense¨C on a few occasions, as far as Izumi could tell, Wraith was the type to wake up late in the day for whatever the reason. He never seemed to stay up late or really exhaust himself. If anything, Wraith was more on the lazy side if not for the rare times where he had territorial fights. Still, nothing set Izumi¡¯s heart more at ease than the smell of his mother¡¯s morning meal with a silently and solemnly sleeping Wraith next to him. It almost felt like a crime to wake him up, but Izumi knew that with Wraith¡¯s perception, just him leaving the bed would be enough to get him awake.

    Lightly, he shook Wraith and whispered his name, ¡°Wraith? I have to leave for work soon.¡±

    The specter mumbled as he sloppily tried to find his partner¡¯s hand, still in the whims of sleep. ¡°Ugh, what time is it?¡±

    ¡°Eight. I have to be there by nine.¡±

    Wraith sat up and combed his hair back with his hands before Izumi could laugh at his bed hair. ¡°Give it thirty minutes.¡±

    ¡°You must still be asleep because only in your dreams would I wait that long. I really can¡¯t be late, you know that.¡±

    Trying to work his charm, Wraith nuzzled his cheek in Izumi¡¯s palm and smiled a smile that was both sinister and sweet. ¡°And you know that I could get you there in under a minute.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, let me think.¡± Izumi sarcastically stated before standing. Giving Wraith a quick peck, he delivered an unexpected answer in a devilish yet flirtatious fashion. ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tease me like that.¡± Wraith sat on the bed as he watched Izumi fumble for his clothes.

    ¡°After you¡¯ve teased me since¡­always? Yea not a chance. You know, there¡¯s some beauty in doing the mundane walk to work rather than having my superpowered ghost boyfriend leap through the air taking me there. With all that¡¯s happened since I¡¯ve met you, I feel like I¡¯ve rarely had a chance to enjoy the mundane.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a compliment, because that means I made your life exciting.¡± Following after Izumi, Wraith got dressed as well, as reluctant as he was.

    ¡°Well, yes, but¨C¡±

    ¡°Nice to be human, I get it. I¡¯ll come with you so I can step down from my title for once.¡±

    There was a hint of exhaustion in his statement, and before Izumi could question it, Wraith continued. ¡°Meeting you really helped me feel normal, like on an even playing field I guess? Who knows, maybe I¡¯d still be a cocky ass-hat without you.¡±

    ¡°Who said you aren¡¯t anymore?¡± Izumi playfully smirked, wrapping his arms around Wraith¡¯s neck as he held his waist.

    ¡°Yea, yea, but I wouldn¡¯t be me entirely without at least some ego. Look at you talking back now, it¡¯s almost hot.¡±

    ¡°What can I say, I learned from the best¨C¡±

    A sudden knock against the wooden door jolted the pair and their moment. Kanae¡¯s voice followed soon after. ¡°Whatever you two are doing in there, wrap it up and come have breakfast before it gets cold! And Izumi honey, if you¡¯re going to have fun with your boyfriend on my couch at least do me the favor of picking up your clothes afterwards.¡±

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    ¡°Ah-¡± Rapidly Izumi felt his ears burn in embarrassment.

    Feeling the scapegoat coming, Wraith already prepared an excuse. ¡°Hey, you can¡¯t even blame me this time because you tied me up, that¡¯s on you.¡±

    ¡°I¨Cyou¨C! Fine!¡± Quickly he felt defeated and sighed. There was no denying his actions and their consequences, as much as he wanted to.

    As per usual, Wraith didn¡¯t eat breakfast with them, but it was at least a pleasant surprise for Kanae to prepare liquor for Wraith, knowing he can¡¯t eat and his preference for alcohol. Sitting at the dining table felt more natural because of it, and for a moment, he felt the same comfort that he experienced when he¡¯d sit with Neio and the others; and that meant worlds to the man who felt nothing like a man, let alone a friend or boyfriend, and especially to everyday human people.

    Just as Izumi described, the walk to work was quite mundane, but it was a nice change of pace for the both of them, mainly Wraith who couldn¡¯t remember the last time he did what others would consider normal things before meeting Izumi. What one would consider boring and almost repetitive to an almost insane extent, he believed to be peaceful. And even more so with Izumi beside him.

    But just as that peace came, it soon left with the emergence of Takeda, one of Wraith¡¯s many headache incarnates. The glasses-wearing talkative fiend was waiting outside the office complex, clearly for Izumi, as he waved frantically upon his arrival in his line of sight. Before Wraith could say his farewells and make a break for it, Takeda already encroached upon the couple.

    ¡°HEY! Ten to nine, you¡¯re almost late Izumi!¡± Although Takeda meant it as a joke, anything that spilled out of his seemingly permanently agape mouth would get under any person¡¯s skin eventually.

    ¡°Yeppp!¡± A fake smile adorned his face, which he intended to send a message to both parties but only the smarter of the two understood, as he avoided eye contact with his beloved.

    ¡°So, you gonna tell me who this tall-yet-incredibly-intimidating guy is or are you going to make me ask?¡±

    Wraith¡¯s eyes finally came back to the present moment yet in confusion, so he turned to Izumi who tried to tell him with his glare that he¡¯ll explain later.

    ¡°Just a friend of mine, I¡¯ll go in a second.¡±

    The three exchanged glances as Takeda continued to remain still.

    ¡°Oh, you want me to go, sorry yea got it, I willll see you inside!¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡± Izumi maintained his plastic smile until he vanished behind the automatic doors.

    ¡°So¨C¡±

    ¡°I met with Vahan.¡±

    ¡°WHAT¨C¡± Remembering they¡¯re in public, Wraith lowered his voice immediately but maintained his reasonably shocked tone, ¡°I mean sorry, what?!!¡±

    ¡°Well I kind of followed Takeda don¡¯t be mad at me and just one thing led to another and yea, I ended up talking to him and he sort of erased Takeda¡¯s memory of us so he won¡¯t be involved in this whole thing anymore? Yea.¡±

    ¡°You say it so casually! Why didn¡¯t you tell me before?! When was this?!¡±

    ¡°Like¡­..a month ago. I honestly meant to tell you before but never had the chance to.¡±

    ¡°I suppose I should just count my blessings and take it as a good sign honestly, you¡¯re fine and he didn¡¯t do anything, but Vahan isn¡¯t usually slimy like that anyways. Then, I guess he probably just talked to you then? I can see that.¡±

    ¡°Yea, he just asked me somethings about us, you, me, you know.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know but I suppose I can imagine.¡± Sighing out his worries, Wraith recollected himself and tried to brush it aside. ¡°Well if you¡¯re pretty calm about it, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s fine. I honestly can¡¯t tell what he¡¯s thinking at this point. I was originally under the impression he was causing all these problems we¡¯re having right now but¡­I don¡¯t know. At the least, thank you for telling me eventually. I¡¯ll try and figure something out if I can, but promise me you won¡¯t do little investigations on your own like that again. If it was anyone else they wouldn¡¯t have just had a ¡®chat¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Fiine, I promise, but you know I¡¯m smarter than that.¡±

    ¡°I do but at least hearing that will make me a little less worried.¡± Giving Izumi a kiss, he ruffled his hair and smiled. ¡°Try not to lose your head at work.¡±

    ¡°And you try not to get yourself killed with all the people you piss off.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± With his usual cocky smirk, he finally let Izumi go about what¡¯s left of his mundane life.

 Chapter 51: Proudly My Boss

    Over the weeks Izumi steadily became more and more comfortable with visiting Wraith¡¯s home, whether he was present or not. At first it was a matter of testing if the bloodstone around his neck would really take him there instantly and unsurprisingly it did. Strangely enough, none of Wraith¡¯s followers really questioned whether he was human or not, and whether that was because of the necklace masking his scent or because they didn¡¯t want to question their boss¡¯s lover and essentially Wraith himself or both, Izumi wasn¡¯t sure and he didn¡¯t want to bring it up to Dahlia and the rest either. All of Wraith¡¯s followers treated Izumi with respect along with a warm and friendly welcome and to him that was enough. It was rare to see Wraith home with his generals, since if Wraith wasn¡¯t taking out invasive spirits alone then it was usually them doing it in his name. More often though did Wraith take matters into his own hands, leaving Izumi to converse with them more frequently. This gave him the opportunity to see where they reside in the massive estate as well as the rest of the land, as before he had really only known Wraith¡¯s room. For obvious reasons, the dining hall was off limits for Izumi, but everywhere else he was free to roam although not on his own, not that the generals would leave him by himself anyways. Considering how enormous it was, however, he decided not to investigate the entirety of the manor and left it to the only rooms that were really important.

    Neio¡¯s room was pretty predictable. It consisted of plenty of different types of weights, exercise equipment that clearly wasn¡¯t for the average person, dummies that were torn to pieces and few really still intact, an extensive liquor collection and bar to match, as well as any supplies one can name for the culinary arts. Otherwise, the room seemed like the average room of a middle class citizen.

    Dahlia¡¯s room was more plain than one would really expect, only containing a bed, a wall of books, and a coffee table with surrounding couches. The only thing that really stuck out was a fireplace which was by a single recliner. Theirs was overall stylized in a more medieval fashion however.

    And finally, Faelan¡¯s bedroom was incredibly dark and wasn¡¯t too different from the cave he was already living in before. Rather than electric lighting, the room was lit by small yet surprisingly bright glow bugs, maybe by some feat of magic. Grass replaced the flooring and the walls were adorned by bushes, vines, and miniature trees. The entire bedroom gave off a small hidden fantasy garden, which strangely actually had furniture. Faelan noted that the only reason it was included was due to both Neio¡¯s and Wraith¡¯s complaints about sitting on the grass every time they stopped by, so two cushioned couches were implemented.

    All of the rooms were quite large in comparison to an everyday bedroom, though none met the size of Wraith¡¯s, which was to be expected. Yet of all the general¡¯s rooms, Izumi found comfort in Faelan¡¯s the most and thus spent the most time there if Wraith wasn¡¯t around. Naturally, they stayed with him as well.

    Usually Izumi didn¡¯t eat much other than the forced snack Neio would provide since he always reserved dinner time for his mother, so instead Neio forced drinks into his hands in his attempt at hospitality, but really it was for Neio to try out his culinary expertise.

    While taste testing a drink for Neio, Izumi conversed with the group. ¡°Neio always jokes about you stealing his job but aren¡¯t you a general already Faelan?¡±

    ¡°Hah! He wishes he was!¡± Neio scoffed loudly as he scarfed down a glass of his usual liquor.

    Ignoring Neio, Faelan answered, ¡°No, I¡¯m not. Not officially anyways, but I help them with what Wraith asks because I want to.¡±

    ¡°Wraith doesn¡¯t ask you to go with them?¡±

    ¡°Not directly no. At first I thought he did, since once it seemed like he implied he wanted me to go with them, but when I had asked him on a separate occasion he told me I could do whatever I wanted, whether stay or go. And¡­I¡¯d like to help them as much as I can. Wraith gave me a home when he didn¡¯t have to offer me kindness in the slightest, considering the trouble I have given him in the past. I want to prove myself to him and show that he didn¡¯t waste his energy on me.¡±

    ¡°But you don¡¯t have to, Wraith said you could do nothing and he¡¯d still be glad he made the choice to have you.¡±

    Adopting a less boisterous tone for once, Neio put down his glass and interjected, ¡°I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s something you¡¯ll understand, little boss, and I mean that respectfully. All of us here in this manor, Dahlia and I included, were lent a hand by him when no one else would so much as spit in our direction and he wanted nothing in return. We all do whatever he asks as a means of showing gratitude, and even going beyond and just seeking his approval in voluntary actions. Kind of like when you wanna impress your parents, you know? They didn¡¯t ask or expect you to clean the house or make them breakfast in bed but you wanna make ¡®em proud ¡®n happy. Same thing. Except we¡¯re just putting our lives on the line instead, but he¡¯s done the same for us and is still doing so. Gets shit from everyone all the time, you know the deal.¡±

    Both Faelan and Dahlia nod as Neio speaks, affirming his statement.

    ¡°As much as I hate to agree with Neio, he¡¯s right.¡± Faelan adds. ¡°It¡¯s just something I want to do to repay him. Whether he rewards me or not is no concern of mine let alone the fact that it is not something I am after, I just want to be of use to him somehow.¡±

    Finally speaking, Dahlia concludes their collective thoughts on the matter, ¡°For as long as he¡¯ll lead, we¡¯ll follow.¡±

    The concept of a deathly loyal group wasn¡¯t something foreign to Izumi, he¡¯s always seen it in shows or movies, but to experience such before him felt entirely different and almost inspiring. It gave him a greater appreciation for Wraith¡¯s actions and made him question even more why Wraith seems to hate himself so much. He never could understand why Wraith always believed himself to be deserving of the animosity that he constantly receives from those outside of his followers, and the looming question plagued Izumi¡¯s mind still.

    The pair spent less physical time together, with Wraith getting busier with otherworldly affairs, and their time reduced to texts that would receive responses with hours in gaps, usually wildly late in the night or early in the morning. Eventually, Izumi decided to just wait in Wraith¡¯s room around the usual time that he seemed to supposedly come home in the hopes of seeing him, which turned out to be for better or for worse. It was sometime near four or five in the morning and Izumi was right about to fall asleep when a sudden tap of slow but heavy footsteps echoed in the once deafeningly quiet room. Sitting up from the couch and rubbing his eyes, Izumi tried to force himself awake. Wraith was in a form that Izumi had only seen briefly one other time before, which was in the bath some time ago. His hair was a long red with a pair of canine-like ears adorned atop, mostly deep black skin save for his face and the front of his torso, his usual talons, noticeably larger figure overall, and a spiked tail which could coil around a person several times and still have plenty of feet in length left over. The appearance was almost enough to hide the smears of blood that dripped from his body onto the cold marble floor beneath.

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    Through his exhaustion, Wraith drew a look of almost petrification upon eye contact. ¡°...Izumi?¡±

    ¡°H-hey, I decided to surprise you by showing up randomly, so um¡­surprise!...?¡±

    His brows grew into a knit as he looked away shamefully. As he pulled his weight across the room, he shifted into his everyday human form and his lengthy crimson robe reemerged over his shoulders, its weary droop reflecting the fatigue of its owner. ¡°Well, I¡¯m surprised alright.¡± Wraith weakly joked as he sat across, leaning his elbows against his knees with his head somewhat hanging low. ¡°....I¡¯ll just be honest, I hate for you to see me like this.¡±

    ¡°You know that I¡¯ve seen you kill people right? Viciously.¡±

    ¡°I get that. But that¡¯s not the side of me I want you to get used to, nor is it something I intend to do for much longer. I honestly just want to be done with this whole thing already.¡±

    ¡°With¡­?¡±

    ¡°All this specter spirit bullshit! I just fucking can¡¯t¨Cdo you know how annoying it is that so many fucking people come barging in thinking I¡¯ve gone soft or something and just run to their deaths and the only way they fucking learn is if their head is smeared into the pavement and their heart stops. I¡¯ve never hated anything more than the fucking stubbornness of our race and I hate it even more now. I don¡¯t care if they think I¡¯m a nice lovey dovey guy now, I care that they¡¯re fucking picking a fight with me because of it. I thought it was getting better but it honestly feels like it¡¯s getting worse. At this point I just feel like letting it all fall into the grave and just let them run wild but then my followers won¡¯t have a safe place to go about their business and then I¡¯ll hear it from the other specters oh you¡¯re not doing your job and you¡¯re ruining the balance when I already know they¡¯re gonna tell me I¡¯m already ¡®ruining the balance¡¯ by killing off so many spirits but what do you want me to do?! I¡¯m trying to do the only solution that I know but no matter what I do it just makes more fucking problems.¡±

    Taking in a deep breath, Wraith takes a long exhale to help calm himself, and unexpectedly, a warm hand held his own, blood and all. For once, Wraith didn¡¯t even notice when Izumi came beside him.

    ¡°Wraith, no matter what you or anyone does you can¡¯t fix everything yourself, let alone make everyone happy. And you of all people aren¡¯t as alone as you think you are, you have Dahlia, Neio, Faelan, Lavina, and your other followers who¡¯d do anything for you. And, I¡¯ll always be here for you too. Even if we can¡¯t spend much time together anymore, I¡¯ll still be here.¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± Wraith stopped. Rather than speaking, he took the time to absorb Izumi¡¯s heartfelt words before finally responding. ¡°Thank you. I honestly should remember that more often, but¡­¡±

    ¡°I know, it¡¯s hard since you¡¯re the one they look up to. But you¡¯re trying your best and they see that and appreciate that more than you know. Just know that you can lean on them from time to time.¡±

    ¡°Yea¡­yea.¡± He sighs, most of his overwhelming stress leaving with it. ¡°Still¨C¡±

    Knowing what Wraith is going to say, Izumi interrupts his anxieties, ¡°Still nothing, blood on your clothes or what have you doesn¡¯t bother me.¡±

    Finally accepting Izumi¡¯s comfort, Wraith stopped and relaxed. ¡°Alright, alright. At least let me clean myself up first, as hot as you think it is.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I said¨C¡±

    ¡°Yea, sure.¡± Playfully pinching Izumi¡¯s nose, Wraith stood from the couch and left to shower.

    In the meantime, Izumi wiped the blood from his hand, and now nose, and waited. It surprisingly didn¡¯t take long for Wraith to come back, who threw the red robes into Izumi¡¯s arms.

    ¡°You can sleep in it if you want.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like you¡¯re asking me to.¡±

    ¡°Maybe.¡±

    As Izumi shook his head affectionately, he got ready for bed by taking off his sweater and pants before Wraith threw one of his shirts at him.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t wear my robe with just your underwear on.¡±

    ¡°Why? Can¡¯t contain yourself?¡± Izumi flirtatiously teased.

    ¡°Yes and no, just¡­don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Ok no really now, why? I did it once before.¡±

    ¡°First and last time you¡¯ll ever do it and we were having sex that¡¯s different.¡±

    ¡°How?! Now I¡¯m really confused.¡±

    ¡°Look, I don¡¯t know how to explain it, like¡­nevermind. Just don¡¯t ok?¡±

    ¡°Does this have to do with your robe? You know, I¡¯ve been meaning to ask, no one seems to know anything about it no matter who I ask. Neio is convinced it gives you superpowers while Dahlia and Faelan just think it¡¯s for aesthetics and Lavina doesn¡¯t seem to care. So?¡±

    ¡°No comment.¡±

    ¡°What!¡±

    Wraith lit a cigarette and sank into the bed, letting the comfort of its cushioning and a good smoke take over him. ¡°I said no comment.¡±

    Izumi laid beside him, trying to ask in the sweetest tone possible. ¡°Will you tell me someday?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Charm was immediately not working its usual magic, and from that Izumi could tell that Wraith wouldn¡¯t budge.

    ¡°Like when?¡±

    ¡°Like when it happens.¡±

    ¡°It?¡±

    ¡°When I tell you. It happens when it happens.¡±

    ¡°So why not tell me now.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t really feel like it.¡±

    ¡°That seems like such a scapegoat.¡±

    ¡°Honestly honestly I don¡¯t and it¡¯s not. Here, you want to know something about me that no one else knows?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m all ears~¡± The ever-intrigued Izumi smiled.

    ¡°I mentioned to you that no one knows how to kill me and they think I¡¯m immortal, which I said wasn¡¯t true and I wasn¡¯t lying. So, can you take a guess about how someone can kill me?¡±

    ¡°Not a stake to the heart I assume?¡±

    ¡°Pfft no, but it might as well be that simple. Someone who doesn¡¯t know my real appearance can never kill me, in easier to understand terms, you could kill me by any normal ways, but it has to be in my actual form.¡±

    ¡°Really? That¡¯s it?¡±

    ¡°Yep. Told you it wouldn¡¯t be all that crazy, because you see, the reason why it hasn¡¯t worked before is because there¡¯ll always be an essential piece of my body left that I can just regenerate from.¡±

    ¡°Did you split your heart in half or¡­?¡±

    ¡°Something like that you could say. And now, you know how to kill me. Don¡¯t go selling that information, yea?¡±

    ¡°Then don¡¯t make me upset.¡±

    ¡°Hah, I¡¯ll try not to.¡±

 Chapter 52: A Sincere Gift

    The following morning Izumi had decided to pay a visit to Lavina, as he only really got to see her whenever she rarely stopped by Wraith¡¯s home. Wraith had left to handle his usual affairs, which was to be expected, so Izumi went on his own. There¡¯d be no harm in doing so after all; Lavina¡¯s library was a neutral ground that all shades, spirits, and specters alike upheld. Upon arriving via the necklace once more, it didn¡¯t take much wandering for Izumi to find Lavina to the point that he believed that she deliberately showed up before him since it was far too convenient and unlikely to locate her so quickly in the immense athenium. Through the slight shine of her lens she looked almost pleasantly surprised, and for Lavina that was unusual.

    ¡°Izumi.¡± A hint of a chipper tone could be heard. ¡°And without Wraith or his lackeys, strange. I assume you¡¯re not just here to say hello, no one ever is and I would almost prefer it to stay that way.¡±

    With her response seeing through his intentions, he felt shot down before he could begin.

    ¡°Well¡­.¡±

    Lavina sighed as she set a stack of books down onto the desk. ¡°Yes? I¡¯m assuming it¡¯s about that carnivorous maniac you call a boyfriend.¡±

    ¡°Yea well¡­I kind of wanted to get him a gift? And I wasn¡¯t sure what so..¡±

    Another sigh left her lips before she reached for her once levitating kiseru pipe. This time, a cloud of smoke escaped instead.

    ¡°For what?¡±

    ¡°Just a gift, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever given him anything but it feels like he does so much for me so I wanted to show my appreciation somehow. I thought about like a ring or something but¨C¡±

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t wear jewelry.¡±

    ¡°Yea, and I feel like he¡¯d¨C¡±

    ¡°Complain about it getting in the way when he fights.¡±

    ¡°Yea.¡± For a moment, Izumi began to understand Wraith¡¯s distaste for Lavina and how they split apart. While her interruptions and almost mind reading didn¡¯t bother him too much, he knew Wraith well enough at this point to know how insufferable he finds it. ¡°Then I thought maybe just a nice coat or something but¨C¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s pretty content with what he has.¡±

    Izumi calmly nods. ¡°It just feels like what he doesn¡¯t have he doesn¡¯t need and he also could really just have whatever he wants at the same time so I really didn¡¯t know.¡±

    Tapping the embers out of her pipe, Lavina sighed again. ¡°For once I can¡¯t really help you. I¡¯ve never given Wraith a gift and I know little to nothing about the romantic ways, I¡¯m sure you can see that from how my relationship turned out. Though, I know someone that can. Whether you want to actually ask them for help is up to you, but I will go with you if you decide to.¡±

    ¡°Which is¡­?¡±

    ¡°Vahan surprisingly.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes, believe it or not he¡¯s quite the hopeless romantic¨Cdeathly in love with his wife. If anyone would know what a man would want it¡¯d be him.¡±

    ¡°Would he really help us though? I thought he hated Wraith.¡±

    ¡°He does, but he has a respect for love and those who are in love. There¡¯s a good chance he¡¯ll put aside his differences to at least try to help you¨C if you¡¯re up for trying.¡±

    A flash memory of Wraith¡¯s reaction to his initial meeting with Vahan replayed in his mind. He wasn¡¯t really upset perse¡­.sooo.

    ¡°Sure, we can try.¡±

    Lavina had likely been waiting on a baited breath as without hesitation she snapped her fingers and they found themselves before Vahan¡¯s home in a flash.

    It was simultaneously different from what he expected yet also fell into his expectations, being an old English castle that didn¡¯t have a very extensive color palette. No sooner did they arrive did Vahan¡¯s wife appear in the entryway. Izumi had only recognized her because of the welcoming party for Thia, and if that wasn¡¯t a giveaway then the shining bloodstone for a wedding ring on her finger was sign enough. The engagement ring brought life to her equally vermillion eyes and darkened lipstick. Her hair, although lacking in color, made up for its beauty in volume and waves; though its absence of color only seemed to compliment her appearance more. Around her neck was a diamond necklace which matched her earrings and champagne evening gown with what slight jewels it contained. Wrapped around her waist was a pair of white feathered wings, almost similar to that of her husband¡¯s.

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    With her hands clasped softly in front of her, she spoke in a comforting yet elegant tone, ¡°Ah, guests! I hadn¡¯t known that we were expecting visitors, though I suppose that means you¡¯ve arrived on a whim, correct? That¡¯s unlike you Lavina dear! You¡¯re always so formal with matters, I suppose I find it refreshing that you¡¯ve come by without writing a notice first. And you¡¯ve brought Wraith¡¯s spouse to boot! Quite the treat I must say. Izumi Mitsue, correct? It¡¯s truly a pleasure to finally meet you. I saw you at the party a few months ago and wanted to introduce myself but didn¡¯t get the chance.¡±

    Delicately she reached forward for a handshake, which took Izumi a second to notice due to his entrancement with her refined beauty.

    ¡°S-sorry, yes, Izumi¡¯s fine.¡±

    ¡°Adira, I¡¯m pleased to make your acquaintance. May I ask what you¡¯re here for?¡±

    ¡°U-um¨C¡±

    Seeing Izumi¡¯s struggle, Lavina decides to take over. ¡°We¡¯re wondering if we can talk to Vahan? Izumi was thinking about getting a gift for Wraith and neither of us could come up with something.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ll have to ask him. I¡¯m sure he wouldn¡¯t mind helping, neither would I, but you see he¡¯s¨C¡±

    The large doors shuddered, cutting off Adira¡¯s sentence as a pair stood in the entryway: Thia and Vahan, to both Lavina and Izumi¡¯s surprise. A slight twitch of concern and distaste formed in Lavina¡¯s brows as she made eye contact with the pair and her mind began to wander about the thousands of possibilities for their interaction, though this wasn¡¯t the time for an investigation. For now, she would have to simply take note of it. Without any words, Thia shuffled on by, keeping her head low as she passed. Vahan looked equally perplexed about the presence of the contrasting pair, only speaking when Thia had finally left.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you all come in? It¡¯s uncustomary to talk on the doorstep like this.¡±

    Adira clasped onto her husband¡¯s arm as they all migrated into one of the home¡¯s lounge areas. Izumi was past being amazed at specter¡¯s homes at this point, since they all seemed to flaunt wealth in some form, though a small part of him was still always impressed with how extravagant they are. The couple sat beside each other, no more than a few inches apart, while Lavina and Izumi sat across from them.

    ¡°They wish to ask for your help, love.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡±

    Finally collecting himself, Izumi figured it was time to put the pants on. ¡°Y-yes um, I wanted to get a present for Wraith since he¡¯s done a lot for me but I wasn¡¯t really sure what to get, and neither was Lavina, and then she suggested asking you.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I see the problem. Considering that I know not much about Wraith as a partner, I will try my best. Is there maybe something he likes? Perhaps a hobby or something of the sorts. I doubt it, from what I know of him.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure he doesn¡¯t have anything like that.¡± Lavina immediately answers.

    ¡°Well let me think first.¡± Izumi dismisses her response just as fast. ¡°I mean he likes fighting? And drinking.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps a custom made flask? With an engravement.¡± Adira suggests.

    ¡°No, no. I take him as the type to prefer a glass, just as even though I¡¯m fond of tea, I¡¯d prefer a teacup over a steel carryon pitcher always. Though I do like the suggestion of something with heart, like an engravement.¡±

    ¡°Could get some expensive hard to find alcohol.¡± Lavina throws in, which causes the couple to quickly shake their heads.

    ¡°If he wanted that he could retrieve it himself.¡± Adira points out.

    ¡°And I imagine he has a liking for average liquor regardless. Usually those who drink frequently do.¡± Vahan adds.

    ¡°When you spend time with him, have you noticed anything that he does? Maybe a habit or a preference?¡± His wife continues.

    ¡°Umm¡­¡± Thinking back on the time they spent together, Izumi recalls a lot of the time that he¡¯d move his hair out of his face, or ruffle Izumi¡¯s own. Cutting his hair is obviously something Wraith doesn¡¯t want to do, and he couldn¡¯t imagine him wanting a hair tie or hair band.

    ¡°For example, Vahan loves to have a chat with someone when he drinks his tea. Tea time is essentially a house staple now!¡±

    ¡°I mean, he likes to have a drink when he smokes? But I don¡¯t know how that¡¯ll help.¡±

    ¡°Oh!¡± Rising in excitement, Adira claps her hands and beams. ¡°An engraved smoking pipe! I¡¯m sure he would love it!¡±

    ¡°Or an engraved lighter.¡± Vahan suggests further.

    Lavina¡¯s eyebrows raise at the propositions. ¡°Ooh those are good, right?¡±

    After thinking for a second, Izumi voices his opinion, ¡°I kind of like the lighter idea better. He has a smoking pipe right now and I think it might be magical or something? It turned into a pair of demonic dog-like things once.¡±

    The mention seems to bring up poor memories within Vahan as he holds back an eye roll.

    ¡°Do you need help formulating something to engrave, or perhaps a design?¡± Adira asks, trying to quell her excitement.

    ¡°I think that¡¯s something he should figure out for himself, my love. It¡¯ll come to his heart and with that it¡¯ll mean more.¡±

    Izumi nods in confirmation of Vahan¡¯s statement. ¡°I can figure that part out myself I think, it¡¯s better I do anyways, but you¡¯ve both been a big help already, thank you. I know that Wraith and you don¡¯t have the best relationship but¨C¡±

    Vahan sighs, shaking his head politely. ¡°It¡¯s of no worry. I can put aside my differences with him to aid you. Let alone you have nothing to do with my conflict with him, though I appreciate your thoughtfulness.¡±

    ¡°Oh, wait before you go!¡± With a wave of Adira¡¯s hands and some stardust, a white box appears. ¡°We should have been more hospitable, I completely forgot to prepare refreshments, so please take this. It¡¯s a tea I¡¯ve brewed myself, plenty of supplies for you and your family if you have!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine¨C¡±

    ¡°Please please!¡± She pleaded as she forced the box as gently aggressive as possible into Izumi¡¯s hands until he finally accepted. Thanking them once more, he and Lavina bid their farewells before leaving. And now, Lavina was left to wonder on Thia¡¯s presence at the castle.

 Chapter 53: Plagued by Guilt

    All that remained of her predecessor was her wardrobe. Not her home. Not her followers. Not her legacy. Madeline and many others would note that Ianthe always seemed proud of her wardrobe, so something is better than nothing she supposed. Although, the thought was terrifying to say the least. When a specter dies, everything that they built is always left behind for their successor to continue¡ªafter The Great War that is. Before then is what Thia was seeing now. Nothing. Before and during the war, when a specter would die, the one who killed them would take over everything, leaving nothing for whatever specter came after. But, at least she had the wardrobe. An extensive amount of dresses, shoes, and the like. But mainly dresses. In fact, Madeline coined one dress to be Ianthe¡¯s favorite, which has apparently been worn by the specters of guilt before her. It was black and had a strange arrangement of beads and feathers, yet it was incredibly alluring to the eye. She had worn it to her welcoming party in which most seemed to recognize its origin.

    Madeline was a kind soul. Being the specter of merriment suit her well. The only specter to offer a home to Thia was her. The only specter to offer her guidance was her. Otherwise, she would have to navigate the complex world of the unknown on her own.

    Thia.

    All the specters of guilt seemed to be some variation in name of each other.

    Reportedly they were the only ones who did so.

    Thia.

    Ianthe.

    It was almost interchangeable.

    Some part of her disliked that. Everyone always compared them. Did her predecessors have to go through this too?

    Apparently they¡¯ve been the only line of specters to stay somewhat consistent both in appearance and mannerisms.

    Usually standoffish, prideful, strict, but with a soft and merciful side.

    Thia was all soft. No pride. No bone. She couldn¡¯t stand her own ground even if it would kill her to do so.

    People always pointed that out to her. Told her that she was a push around.

    Some part of her hated it.

    But they were right.

    Wraith didn¡¯t even do anything to her and she cowered in fear of him. Not just from the stories about him, but from what he had done to her predecessor.

    How could he love someone? She didn¡¯t understand.

    The man is a monster. Or so she heard.

    So how could he love someone?

    Wraith had come by one day to ask Madeline for help. Apparently he wanted to know how to grow plants. A garden, is what he wanted.

    A garden?

    That didn¡¯t seem right.

    Why would a man like him want a garden?

    His partner, he claimed.

    A garden? For his partner?

    That couldn¡¯t be right.

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    Everyone told her that he couldn¡¯t be trusted, that he had killed her in a past life. He was a detestable beast they all said. A repugnant savage who killed for sport.

    Then why would he want a garden for a boy who seemed just as soft as the plants around him?

    She didn¡¯t understand.

    A lot of things she didn¡¯t understand.

    Thia would often sob in the seemingly endless wardrobe in confusion.

    Nothing ever made sense to her. She was always frustrated with it all. The people. The gatherings. Wraith. The confusion. But most of all, herself.

    What was she supposed to do?

    Ianthe¡¯s prized dress called out to her once when her tears gleamed in the moonlight which peered through the wardrobe¡¯s singular window. The tears moistened the feathers of the dress and from them,

    A note emerged.

    Several in fact.

    Some seemed quite old. The handwriting was faded but someone clearly tried to trace over them to preserve the content.

    The notes could be organized by handwriting, as it seemed to be a few different people who wrote them. Though, their content was almost identical. It traced the history of one man, or beast, or both, dating back to his origins about two thousand years ago. Once a wandering pitiful creature, a shell of a specter, who suddenly went mad and killed another, sparking The Great War. The madness was a theory, the document clarified at a later point. Another theory was out of thrill, but that was the weaker of them. A third stated that perhaps the opposing specter had stumbled into its destructive path. The only way to know for sure would be to simply ask, but that was out of the question.

    And while every shade, spirit, and specter fought for their lives, their homes, their peers, their followers, their families, their loved ones, their friends, there he was. Or it was. Or both. Leeching off of the madness that they had started. The chaos of war.

    With each consumption of a specter, be it something as small as blood or as great as their entire self, they would grow stronger.

    Their first murdered victim was only a taste. Then, they desired the rest.

    The casualties of war didn¡¯t bother them. After all, they had nothing to lose. No friends, no family, no loved ones, no home, and no followers. If they died, then so be it. Death didn¡¯t bother them. After all, they had died more than once before. To them, if fate was so cruel to make them bear the pain of dying so many times, then is it not just to bring it onto others? Is it not just to attack the world which wanted them dead?

    And so, they ate. And devoured. And consumed. Let them be revived as another. They didn¡¯t care. To them, it was just more fodder. Let the war continue. To them, they¡¯d always have more to ingest.

    And if they died? Then let it be. Whether they are revived or not, they didn¡¯t care. So long as life will have me, I will reap another''s.

    That seemed to change one day, however.

    Something changed in the beast¡¯s heart.

    A woman had changed the beast¡¯s heart.

    They didn¡¯t believe it so either. But, overtime, they learned. Learned what it was like to be a person. And so, they changed.

    The war must end, they thought.

    And so, they ended the war the same way they started it. By devouring all the pieces at play. With no specters, how can there be a war? With no leaders, who will the spirits follow to battle?

    Now, they had loved ones. A family. Friends. Followers. They understood the destruction of war, and decided to change.

    But to change, they had to have the world forget.

    After all, if any knew of their origins, what would they think? What would their friends think? Their family? Their loved ones? Their followers? What would they do if they knew that he was the cause of their strife?

    No.

    No one can know.

    Never.

    This, the notes delivered by the feather¡¯s of her ancestor¡¯s gown conveyed.

    And now,

    She knew.

    They knew.

    Thia was only more confused. She sobbed more.

    Did Ianthe try to stop him?

    But how can he love?

    But how can he care for another?

    But how can he change?

    What was she supposed to do?

    Is it her responsibility to tell the world?

    Is it her responsibility to keep the record?

    If only the feathers conveyed directions.

    How did the other¡¯s know what to do?

    She was only more confused.

    Vahan seemed to know that she is aware of something. He doesn¡¯t seem to know what.

    What does she do?

    What¡¯s the correct path?

    What is he truly?

    What is she supposed to do?

    What is she supposed to do?

    What is she supposed to do?

    What is she supposed to do? What is she supposed to do? What is she supposed to do? What is she supposed to do? What is she supposed to do? What is she supposed to do? What is she supposed to do? What is she supposed to do? What is she supposed to do? What is she supposed to do? What is she supposed to do? What is she supposed to do? What is she supposed to do? What is she supposed to do? What is she supposed to do? What is she supposed to do? What is she supposed to do? What is she supposed to do? What is she supposed to do? What is she supposed to do? What is she supposed to do? What is she supposed to do?

 Chapter 54: Fallen Path

    Rip and tear. It felt like all he did lately. Perhaps he should¡¯ve cherished the time he spent with Izumi more, he thought. Now, it seemed like they rarely saw each other. It¡¯s only gotten worse with the attacks, and he began to detest the repetitive nature of fights. That was a first for him. Since when did he hate fighting? He always loved the thrill. But all he wanted now was to just enjoy what others would consider normal everyday activities.

    Red was his favorite color. When he died over and over again all he saw was red, it was the only thing that comforted him. The satisfaction of its shine draped across his victims was delightful too. But red meant more to him than that overtime. It meant himself. It meant him. Izumi. When he saw Izumi all he saw was red. Red in warmth. Red in comfort. Red in lust. Red in love. Who knew a color could hold so much and more. And now, he hated seeing the shine. He wanted to see Izumi.

    The static-painted talons dripped crimson, flickering as the drops fell like tears onto the concrete for the duration of his sigh. To make matters worse, his generals and Faelan showed up with distressing news written across their visage. A drink accompanied by a cigarette would be nice right now.

    No one seemed to want to tell him the problem, but it had to be done, and so Neio carried the torch initially. ¡°Boss, you¡¯re not gonna like this.¡±

    At first he tried to wipe the blood off onto his clothes, then he figured that just using magic to remove it would be easier. ¡°Cut the theatrics and just tell me. I¡¯m already exhausted as it is.¡±

    ¡°A specter counsel has been called.¡± Dahlia continues.

    ¡°For what?¡± The specter of despair¡¯s fangs matched his clenched claws in exasperation, causing the group to shrink within themselves. Although they knew he would never take his vexation out on them, the thought still frightened them.

    Splitting the burden of the notice wasn¡¯t planned beforehand, but in the moment they figured it would let the group feel at least a slight bit of comradery and comfort, so Faelan took up where Dahlia had left off. ¡°They didn¡¯t say exactly what, but they noted it would be about your recent actions.¡±

    ¡°My recent actions? Hah! Sure alright. As in, if I don¡¯t show up, I¡¯m condemned guilty. Though whatever it is, I suppose they already believe me to be guilty anyways.¡± He scoffed, a tempest already brewing inside.  ¡°I¡¯ll go. You three, stay with Izumi. I have an idea of where this is going to head.¡±

    All it took was a bow of acknowledgment of his request before he immediately set off, a flame already in his step as he walked down his path to judgment.

    Nothing irked him more than this room. This bland and madness inducing room. The oval table and its accompanying thirteen chairs. Now the only one that wasn¡¯t filled was his own, for better or for worse he wasn¡¯t sure, though he leaned towards the former. His red and black robe had the same fury in its flow that he had in his stride, chaotically following his movements until he finally seated himself. He was in the eye shot of Barron of all people.

    Condemn me then.

    ¡°Wraith, the Specter of Despair.¡± Barron announced immediately, clearly in a mocking fashion. ¡°Late as usual. You clearly care not for the depravity of your own deeds.¡±

    ¡°Or maybe I¡¯m late because you and everyone else always hold these meetings without telling me just to paint me worse than I actually am?¡± For once, Wraith didn¡¯t sit with his feet on the table, nor did he smoke. Instead, he sat straight up with his arms folded and his fangs as hidden as he could.

    ¡°No one could worsen your image more than you have already done by your own hands¨C!¡±

    ¡°Barron, please just shut up and get on with it.¡± Adelard interrupted. ¡°If your evidence is so damning then let¡¯s hear it so we can do our job and get on with our day.¡±

    With one last exchanged destructive glare, Barron cleared his throat and calmed himself. ¡°You are under the accusation of overstepping your boundaries as a specter.¡±

    Oh how much did Wraith want to bark back instantaneously, but it would only make it worse. This, he finally understood.

    ¡°For the sake of argument, let us say that your murder of Ianthe was justified for now. After all, it was previously determined to be so due to her intrusion of your territory. Though, how do you explain your slaughter in Hodaira? Unclaimed as it may be, you still murdered hundreds.¡±

    A hyperbole. The more Barron spoke, the more Wraith remembered his detest for the man. Their knowledge of the event itself was of no surprise to him; they¡¯re always watching him, waiting for him to step off the path. ¡°They attacked me, I was defending myself.¡±

    ¡°But why were you there?¡±

    Stating that it wasn¡¯t of his concern would only worsen his case, so vague honesty was his decided approach. ¡°A client¡¯s request. I made a deal with a human as specters do to survive.¡±

    ¡°A client requested you to murder spirits that they cannot even see?¡±

    ¡°No, they were looking for something in that town. I had agreed taking into consideration that the town was uninhabited by humans, spirits, and specters alike. They had only shown up sometime after being there to challenge me, as spirits tend to do, which I¡¯m sure you and everyone else are well aware of that.¡±

    It was surprising that Vahan wasn¡¯t joining with Barron to attack him. In fact, he had been silent the entire time, and as much as he didn¡¯t want to admit it, there was some fear in his heart for what Vahan could possibly be planning. Thia kept her head low with Madeline holding her hand beside her. Lavina usually never spoke unless necessary, while the others were a mix of too afraid to speak against Wraith and wanting Barron to finish his case so they could persecute the specter already.

    ¡°Would this human be perhaps the boy you brought to the ball? Mitsue, as you so coined. But that isn¡¯t his true name now is it?¡±

    With the mention of his name, Wraith had momentarily lost his temper as he rose in a flash and dug his claws into the marble table, creating a deafening screech as they drug across the stone, albeit for the slightest moment. There was no use denying his human origin, again, lies would only defame him more.

    Lavina glanced at Wraith in a motion for him to calm himself, He¡¯s trying to get under your skin, control yourself, Wraith.

    Letting his claws retreat, he remembered the position he¡¯s in with Lavina¡¯s help. They¡¯re all watching him. Waiting for him to take even the slightest step out of shape.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you assessing my actions? He has nothing to do with this.¡±

    ¡°Oh, but he does.¡±

    Almost as though planned, the large double doors flung open with a group of unsettling faces being thrown in before the door shut once more. They were all restrained in some way if their mere presence wasn¡¯t enough for the color to drain from Wraith. Though he had a hunch, he prayed for it to not come to this, but with Barron, of course it will. He¡¯d do anything to take the specter down, no matter how deplorable he has to stoop.

    ¡°Izumi!¡±

    His heartfelt cry was enough for Vahan to wince, though not due to its volume, but because he saw in that moment that the man and beast he despised and tried and tried and tried again to end for so long was no longer present. To believe that such a vile creature couldn¡¯t be killed by fire, a blade or even several, bullets, or anything else, but by something as beautifully destructive as love? The only thing that kept the specter in place was his desire, not to save himself, but to save his partner. This, Vahan saw. And now, he knew. The care and devoted affection wasn¡¯t a ploy or an act just for his own selfish benefit. It was real. He could feel their reach for each other from across the room, with him and the other specters in the middle. It made him feel¡­guilty. Who was he, or they, to deny them? Hearing the boy scream his name, and then his followers the same. It tore him. Because,

    It was his fault.

    If only he hadn¡¯t planted those ideas in Barron.

    This wouldn¡¯t have happened.

    ¡°Wraith!¡±

    ¡°Boss!¡±

    Solve the problem the only way you know how.

    This repeated in his mind over and over and over and over again. It would just be easier that way.

    All these niceties aren¡¯t getting anywhere. They¡¯ve already decided your fate.

    No. Calm down. Calm Down.

    As much as it destroyed him to do so, Wraith sat back down, trying his hardest not to look at his struggling companions and lover behind Barron.

    ¡°Izumi! As you all see, it¡¯s a nice name, no? If only Wraith had the courtesy to tell us sooner.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your point Barron?¡± Lavina started to lose her patience as well, which only ever seemed to happen with matters relating to Wraith in some way. Even she believed Izumi¡¯s inclusion to be too far, but it wasn¡¯t the time to voice such.

    ¡°My point is that he lied. To everyone! Bringing a human to a ball occupied by specters and spirits? Insanity! And to make matters worse he covered it up and gifted him a bloodstone!¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no rule against any of that.¡± Wraith noted as politely as he could muster, but his frustration could still be heard.

    The specter of envy, Rosalind, asked the question on most of their minds. ¡°I¡¯m more concerned about how he can even see us honestly.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure Lavina would care to explain.¡±

    She used to be on good terms with Barron, but now? She wanted just as badly as Wraith to wipe the smug grin off his face. Bitterly, she responded, ¡°In short, he¡¯s a medium. They¡¯re humans that rarely have appeared overtime, but they only appear to a specific spirit or specter that they resonate with in order to fill a hole in their heart. The only difference between them and normal humans is their ability to see all types of our race, shades included.¡±

    ¡°And there you have it. A medium, but a human nonetheless.¡±

    ¡°And like I said, there¡¯s no rule against it.¡±

    ¡°You aren¡¯t understanding your own crime. A lie is a lie, Specter of Despair. Not only did you lie about his origins, but he is also the cause of all the wrong you have done. Ianthe¡¯s death was caused by the meddling of this boy, the slaughter of both Hodaira AND a spirit village, the invasion of Adelard¡¯s territory, and massacre after massacre in your own territory as well! All for a human.¡±

    ¡°B-but didn¡¯t he say he made a deal with him? Wasn¡¯t he just doing his part of the contract¡­¡± Madeline tried to see the possible good in all the accusations being thrown at the man.

    ¡°Precisely! Tell us, what was the deal then, Wraith? What did you grant this human in return for his soul?¡±

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Wraith hesitated to answer, already knowing how Barron would twist his words. ¡°In return for not his soul, but to learn his purpose as a medium, I gave him permission to ask whatever he wanted of me and that he would be under my protection.¡±

    ¡°Do you hear how BENIGN that is?! You would give a human power over you for not even the cost of their own life! You are a SPECTER, and the most powerful one at that. You essentially gave an infant a firearm!¡±

    The murmurs across the hall was all that Wraith needed to hear to solidify that he was fighting a losing battle. They weren¡¯t listening to him. Only to Barron.

    ¡°And this is only the least of your insurmountable crimes! Perhaps Thia, the specter of guilt, would be so kind as to elaborate further.¡±

    Everyone was all ears upon Barron¡¯s mention of her name, and especially Vahan, Lavina, and Wraith, who had been trying for months to uncover whatever she possibly knew. They knew, however, if it were to be mentioned at long last here of all places, then it was damning. Damning beyond belief.

    The indigo in her hair quivered as rapidly as herself, building to a climax until she finally gathered the courage to speak. With a sudden jolt she burst from her seat and locked eyes with Wraith, and for once, he was the frightened one. Her gem-like eyes glared a passion and anger unbeknownst to the once believed to be soft hearted girl.

    Pushing all of her bravo into her voice, she thundered what her ancestors could not. ¡°He caused The Great War! And every specter that died then died by his hands! He murdered and devoured them all! His current form is a guise meant to fool everyone!¡±

    Just as the words left her lips, the specters in the hall ruptured into roaring flames, each one trying to topple the other with their voice. A mirage of questions and exclamations and accusations, directed at not just each other, but at the perpetrator who sat on the far end with his arms still folded. The only ones who remained seated were the same three: Vahan, Lavina, and Wraith. Vahan and Lavina though were subjected to the shadows as the heated beams of light shone upon him. Neio, Dahlia, Faelan, and most of all Izumi were left in a heightened state of confusion. For the spirits, their loyalty to the man or creature was questioned for the first time since they bent their knee. If he caused the war, didn¡¯t that also mean he caused their strife which led to their eventual union with him? No. They shamed themselves for their doubt. And although Izumi didn¡¯t question his love or loyalty, he did in fact question what it would mean for them.

    Chaos in the hall would not solve their problems. Barron felt himself more prideful than ever. The being he has detested for centuries was finally being backed against a wall.

    But what¡¯s more dangerous than a wild dog?

    A cornered one.

    He spoke above the crowd in order to continue the already decided trial, and so they were quiet, awaiting another chance to strike again. ¡°Lavina! You are the specter of knowledge are you not?! Tell us! How was The Great War started in your records!¡±

    Lavina didn¡¯t want to answer the question. She knew it would only worsen Wraith¡¯s case, but not answering it at all would only do the same thing.

    ¡°....A specter had been found in pieces of unknown causes or origin, most of their body missing. As the murderer couldn¡¯t be determined, they began to accuse one another until it led to a full scale war.¡±

    ¡°And how were the specters felled during the war?!¡±

    ¡°.....¡± She didn¡¯t want to look at Wraith. No matter what bad blood they had between each other, she did truly care about him. Even now. She¡¯ll never forget their moments together, all those centuries ago. He did always have an amazing smile.

    ¡°Of unknown causation as many had suffered the same fate. Either no body was found, or only pieces. This led people to believe they were consumed but with no knowledge as to whom. Some denoted seeing a large black creature that couldn¡¯t be made out, as in the chaos of battle, it¡¯s hard to get a clear recount of every detail.¡±

    ¡°And what do we know of the Specter of Despair during that time?¡±

    ¡°....Not many had seen them long enough to pinpoint a description, but they were rumored to be a sizable creature.¡±

    ¡°Sounds familiar, does it not?! And then this man shows up after the war! The only two specters alive following the war''s end were none other than Lavina and Wraith! Lavina is the only specter who makes sense due to her neutrality, but what of this Wraith? The Specter of Despair? The same Specter of Despair who prior to the war¡¯s end no one knew a description of! Other than they were a massive shadowy beast, the same description of the theorized murderer of the previous specters! Of all of your ancestors before you!! How else would he gain such strength that he has now?!! Ianthe didn¡¯t try to invade his territory out of benign ignorance, she was sending a warning! To all of us! That this man before you¨C before us all¨C is here to destroy us! To destroy and control the balance that we have built!! What say you to this, Specter of Despair?!!!¡±

    The thorns on his crimson robe rustled, itching for the ichor of another on its vines. On occasion he would glance at the desperation in his lover¡¯s eyes, remembering who he is now. But it was difficult. He didn¡¯t look at Izumi any longer. Perhaps just this once, he thought. He could remember his old days. It would be easier that way.

    Wraith flung his arms forward in a villainous fashion with not a hint of regret or guilt in his mismatched eyes and a wicked, maniacal smile stretched across his face. ¡°Oh well you¡¯ll have to arrest me officer. What do you think I¡¯m going to say? Damned if I do, damned if I don¡¯t, Isn¡¯t that right Barron? Yes, I started the war, I Killed all of those Specters, and you know what? I¡¯m That creature you All So fear Too.¡± In the middle of his sentence, his voice began to change into an unsettling ring as his robe scorched and seeped into his skin, changing his form. ¡°What Do You All like to Say? A Monster?¡±

    An unimaginable convulsion drove the room into a plunder, launching Barron into the depths of his seat as a shadow cast over them all. Insurmountable, charcoal, static. Mouths and limbs that one could spend a lifetime counting. Jaws stretched back to reveal hundreds of teeth and bone. The most miniscule semblance of a disformed hound could be made out if one strained an eye. Rubble rained from the ceiling, dislocating from its futile attempt to contain it.

    The Specter of Despair.

    Vahan laughed at himself for the foolish thought of thinking he could ever overcome his so-called rival. No wonder why he always openly mocked him.

    ¡°Then Why Don¡¯t You Tell Me, Oh Specter Of Regret, What Is Stopping Me From Killing You All Again?¡±

    Barron had to continue the trial, if it could even be called that now. Now, every word he spoke determined the fate of the specters in the room. It was an open prairie, and he was the quarry.

    ¡°Y-your lover! You would not want them to see such a sight¨C!¡±

    ¡°Oh Please. They Have Seen Me Kill Time And Time Again. It Is Not A Picture I Enjoy Painting, But If It Silences You Forever, I Will. And Pray Tell What Will You Do If I Kneel? Kill Me? Should We Allow Executions, How Do You Think The Balance You Care For Will Change?¡±

    The specters looked between each other. As much as they didn¡¯t want to admit it, he was right in every capacity. Without Wraith, disorder will ensue. The fear rogue spirits had for him was the only thing keeping them in check. Other than that, they had no reason to abide by the laws that the specters set. Even before The War, it was a fight for survival. Lavina changed that, but it was only possible because of him. Wraith. They began to slowly realize this. They knew removing him wouldn¡¯t be easy, but they didn¡¯t believe it to be nearly impossible.

    That was the best card Barron had, and now, he wasn¡¯t sure what to do. If Vahan was in his place instead, he¡¯d surely have thought of this outcome, but Barron didn¡¯t. And now he was faced with his soul on his tongue.

    Vahan.

    For the first time since he had arrived, he spoke. And he spoke words and phrases that one would never believe to come from him. If he were to remain silent any longer, Barron would surely talk them all into becoming a mere memory. Mutilated and left within the depths of the Specter of Despair.

    ¡°This council can beg and plead for the specter¨CWraith¡¯s¨Cremoval, but it is a fictional task. Yes, every member and individual here can agree that The Great War was and still is one of the greatest tragedies that has ever befallen our race. But without it, we would have never grown out of our old barbaric and bloodthirsty ways. The only reason that you can all sit here today without a fear of another overthrowing you is because of him, whether you would like to believe that fact or not. Since Barron and the rest of you deem Lavina¡¯s word to be truthful, tell us the average lifespan of a spirit or specter before The War.¡±

    With the tides turning in their favor, Lavina was more than happy to answer. ¡°Spirits would live no more than the average human being at the time, while specters no more than a century and a half.¡±

    ¡°Excluding the specter of guilt, all of you here can say that you¡¯ve lived at least double that amount, and your followers more than the same. Marriage and children and a peaceful life were foreign to us all. The only way that our race ever learns is through bloodshed, which has only been proven time and time again. Even now, the spirits which attack the man before you won¡¯t step down without a fight. It is in our nature. Without Wraith¡¯s removal of a generation, without the fear that he instilled, we would still be the same as we were both before AND during The War. And after the division of territory afterwards, who has known this man to deliberately invade another? None of you. If any of you were invaded, you would act in the same manner as he. Such are the rules, and the rules that he made and follows which protect everyone here from a recurring of that same tragedy over a millennia ago. And now, you all shame him for being in love with a human? Shame yourselves. You all wouldn¡¯t so much as breathe the same air as a human had it not been for your next meal. If a human can love the man you see now¡ªA HUMAN, the same species that you all only see as fodder¡ªthen that should tell you all that he is no longer the same carnivore that you believe him to be.¡±

    A small wave of Vahan¡¯s hand removed the restraints on the group, and without a moment¡¯s hesitation Izumi rushed forward ignoring the screaming pain his wrists voiced from being shackled for so long and embraced what he believed to be the neck of Wraith¡¯s true form. Through the warmth of his hand, he caressed and quelled the same specter that the rest couldn¡¯t so much as bear to look at, let alone be in the same presence with.

    Softly, Izumi whispered a statement only audible enough for Wraith to hear. ¡°It¡¯s alright Wraith. I¡¯m fine and so are the others, and you¡¯ll be fine too.¡±

    The council witnessed something they couldn¡¯t even fantasize.

    Did his eyes and voice¡­quiver? In this form?

    ¡°Izumi¡­Do You Not¡­¨C?¡±

    ¡°Do you remember what I told you? I don¡¯t care how you look, you¡¯re still my Wraith.¡± Consoling mint and starry eyes demolished the loathing and vengeance in his heart and so,

    He returned to normal.

    A hooded red robe trimmed with black fur and a design of thorns and vines. Wavy ombre hair, the same black fading into the same red. An amber left eye, and a sapphire right. Slacks, dark teal belts, and a lighter teal dress shirt that he always left slightly open to bring it all together. And most of all, his uniquely cocky yet soul-stirring smile.

    ¡°Izumi¡­I could almost cry, it feels great to hold you again¡­¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m here now aren¡¯t I? I¡¯ll always be here.¡± He returned the affectionate smile, holding Wraith even tighter than before. ¡°And don¡¯t forget that.¡±

    ¡°How could I when you¡¯re about to break my bones trying to make a point?¡±

    ¡°Says the guy who could snap my arm in two on accident.¡±

    Together, they forgot about their surroundings and only acknowledged one another. Every shared instant they cherished.

    But the trial wasn¡¯t over. At least not to Barron, who¨C with the disappearance of Wraith¡¯s true form¨C regained a small fraction of his confidence.

    ¡°If a human that you all deem as delicate repast can accept Wraith in his true form, something that none of you would even think to attempt, then does not attest to his character now?¡±

    ¡°Then what do you suggest Vahan?! That he goes unpunished for his actions?!¡±

    ¡°And what punishment would you suggest, being that you are so keen on it? You cannot kill him, nor remove him from his position as you would so desire.¡±

    Barron remains silent, glaring and clenching his nails into his fists all the meanwhile.

    Vahan expected his speechlessness, and so he continues without too long of a pause. ¡°I have a suggestion then. I agree that regardless of the outcome his actions still caused some form of grief and deserves some form of punishment. So, I have a proposition that will appease you all, including those who desire to see him dethroned and his head off his shoulders. For his punishment, he will tell us if there is a means to end his life, and if there is not, he will make it so. This shouldn¡¯t be a tall task, considering his strength in the magical arts. Not only that, but it will give you all who wish to see him dead a way of doing so. To everyone here, he cannot be killed. Would knowing how not make you in some respect pleased? If you¡¯d like to kill him so, you¡¯ll finally know how and you can take matters into your own hands if you so dare.¡±

    Some of the specters glance at each other and mumble their thoughts, slowly nodding into a uniform agreement. Yet Barron was still keen on trying to find a flaw in his argument.

    ¡°And even if we knew how to end his life, no one has ever been able to win a battle against him to date! How would this knowledge help us?!¡±

    ¡°You would know it¡¯s possible, your objective would seem closer in reach than it is now, believing he¡¯s immortal, this you cannot deny. Why should a textbook way of how to go about murdering him be included? Would that not make everyone scramble to do so and only cause more chaos? In such a case, it would result in the same thing as just executing him here and now.¡±

    The click of the specter of regret¡¯s tongue echoed in the now open room. Now, they were all against him. He had lost.

    Noting Barron¡¯s regression, Vahan knew he could finally conclude. ¡°For those who agree on the aforementioned, that Wraith the Specter of Despair will reveal a means for his life to cease if one wishes to pursue it, as punishment for the crimes that he has wrought in the past and to date, raise your palm.¡±

    Lavina was the first to throw her hand in the air after Vahan, followed by Madeline, Adelard, Rosalind, and slowly many more. Until finally, Thia agreed. And reluctantly, Barron who looked away from the council in shame and defeat.

    ¡°A unanimous agreement. Then it is decided.¡± Vahan smiled, welcoming Wraith¡¯s presence with a nod in his direction.

    ¡°If you would do us the pleasure then, Wraith?¡±

    Through his grasp on Izumi''s hand he held in a relieved sigh. Vahan of all people saved him. In truth, he was ready to kill them all if he had to if it meant protecting Izumi, but because of Vahan, he was able to get through it without any bloodshed. He saved him. He saved Izumi. The same Vahan that would try over and over again to kill him years ago.

    Wraith chuckled to himself and began, ¡°So¡­¡±

 Chapter 55: Under The Oak Tree

    It was a comfortably warm day, not delving into being too hot or too chilly, which was surprising for this time of the year¨C- the strange middle ground between the end of summer and the start of fall. Nothing had changed about the wheat field by the ocean cliffside in the best way imaginable. No matter what happened throughout these months, it still stayed the same. Wraith would say that it¡¯s been the mildly same for millennia. A graceful, light breeze rustled the champagne stalks, creating a soft chime of tranquility. And still, on the far end of the field stood the large oak tree, undisturbed by the turmoils of time. There was one thing in particular that Izumi recognized a change in though. The once unknown man was still sitting atop a branch, but now he knew him, and very well.

    ¡°I hope you didn¡¯t fall asleep waiting for me.¡±

    The robe rustled in excitement before the man could. ¡°In all honesty I almost did, the weather is amazing today.¡±

    Hopping off the branch and on his feet, Izumi gave his boyfriend a welcoming kiss before they sat against the tree trunk, hand in hand.

    ¡°How¡¯d it go with Vahan?¡±

    ¡°Weird?¡± Wraith took off his robe, draping it over Izumi¡¯s exposed legs due to his skirt. ¡°He apologized to me if you can believe it. Blamed himself for everything¨Cwell¨Cnot everything everything. Just stuff like Barron knowing you were human and telling him that Thia probably knew about my past and all that. Really after talking to him I feel like I¡¯ve misunderstood him, you know? I always thought he had a stick up his ass and was always on mine, but he¡¯s a pretty cool guy. I still think he sort of dislikes me a little bit though, just can tolerate me now which is leagues different from before.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s great to hear I think? Least he doesn¡¯t one hundred percent hate you now, just like, ninety.¡±

    ¡°Ehh, like ninety eight.¡±

    They both laugh together at their silly, low effort joke. Ever since then, the attacks began to die down almost to a close, save a stray here and there. This led them to believe that maybe Barron had spread the rumors about Izumi to frame Wraith some more, but there was no use dwelling on it now.

    ¡°Sucks though, I can¡¯t sell that information now.¡±

    ¡°What, about how to kill me?¡± Wraith scoffed. ¡°Shame, you would¡¯ve been rich. Could¡¯ve quit your journalism career and kicked your feet up on the beach.¡±

    ¡°Well this is no beach but I¡¯m still kicking my feet up aren¡¯t I? It¡¯ll have to do, as long as it¡¯s with you, I don¡¯t really care.¡±

    ¡°Oh look at you, being flirtatious for once I see?¡± He kissed the back of Izumi¡¯s hand before planting another on his soft smile.

    Izumi tried to further work his enchantment, continuing to cutely grin as he caressed Wraith¡¯s arm. ¡°There is something you could tell me though.¡±

    ¡°Let me guess, what¡¯s the deal with the robe?¡±

    ¡°Nooooo~¡­Yes. Please?¡±

    ¡°Tell me what you think it is first.¡±

    ¡°Aw come on!¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say I wouldn¡¯t, so, tell me what you think first.¡±

    ¡°Hmmm¡­judging by your pipe and the thorns being able to move and some other things, I just think it¡¯s magical in the same sense as your pipe. That you can just turn it into things or whatever.¡±

    ¡°Final answer?¡±

    ¡°What the hell is that supposed to mean?¡± Izumi gleefully chuckled, a slight sway in his tender coral strands; Wraith could listen to him speak and laugh forever. ¡°Yes, final answer.¡±

    ¡°Right in your own way. You remember when you asked me if I split my heart in pieces?¡±

    ¡°Yea?¡±

    ¡°It was my soul actually. I split my soul in half. One is here.¡± Wraith placed Izumi¡¯s hand over his quietly beating heart. ¡°And the other is here.¡± He slid Izumi¡¯s palm to his robe, still draped on his own legs. ¡°And technically, the smallest fraction here too.¡± The last place he guided him to was his necklace: the bloodstone.

    ¡°What?! You let me carry that around?!!!¡±

    ¡°Oh don¡¯t worry my love, it¡¯s just a crumb in the pie. You know when I was in my true form at the council? If they really did try to kill me then I¡¯d still be alive juuuust because of that small part in your necklace. So really, you¡¯d save my life.¡±

    ¡°You made me a backup plan.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t take the romance out of it!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s romantic about giving me a beacon that says,  ¡®Hey if you want to kill the most hated man in the world, a part of his soul is right here!¡¯ ?!¡±

    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    ¡°You¡¯re already dating that same man, you¡¯re already a target baby.¡± Wraith snickered as he pulled Izumi into another kiss with a tug on his necklace. Izumi couldn¡¯t even be upset, getting flustered immediately instead.

    ¡°Fine yes it is romantic it¡¯s incredibly romantic that you¡¯d give me a piece of yourself so you¡¯re with me always! Happy I said it I admit it.¡±

    ¡°Yes I am veeeery happy, heh.¡±

    Izumi shook his head in embarrassment, feeling the burn in his ears along with a slight nibble from Wraith to solidify his humiliation.

    ¡°Is that it? It just has a part of your soul? The robe I mean.¡±

    ¡°Yes and no. It actually is a specific part of me. My¡­unsettling side I suppose. The once monster of a man is all contained in the piece of red and black cloth before you. So, my not-so-human form really.¡±

    ¡°And how did you manage to do that? I remember some time ago everyone finding it insane you even managed to change your appearance so drastically.¡±

    ¡°Do you really wanna know? It¡¯s kind of disgusting, you might not like the robe after that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen and heard all sorts of things at this point, it couldn¡¯t get any worse.¡±

    ¡°You remember that rose that Barron gave you at the ball?¡±

    ¡°The one that feeds off of specter¡¯s blood or something? With really sharp thorns?¡±

    ¡°Yea that one. So wellllll, I tore off my skin and parts of my body and sewed it back together with my soul and using that same rose, more of the stems but you know. So in actuality, that robe is just as much of me as the me you¡¯re seeing now.¡±

    Surprisingly, or unsurprisingly, Izumi was pretty unphased by the methodology behind it all. ¡°Could it turn into you then? Or like speak or anything?¡±

    ¡°It can actually, but it won¡¯t be any different from me. Like I said, it essentially is just me like if I cloned myself but shared the same consciousness if that makes sense. As in it would just respond to whatever I¡¯m feeling or thinking or however I¡¯m acting.¡±

    ¡°I think I get it? If it turned into you then, would it look exactly like you do now or a bit different?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯d be like that one form you¡¯ve seen like twice.¡±

    ¡°With the long red hair?¡±

    ¡°Yea that one.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t say I expected that or didn¡¯t. The only thing I don¡¯t get though is why you were so on edge about me not wearing it semi naked.¡±

    Wraith looks away for a moment, his cheeks flushing in the slightest. ¡°Ugh it¡¯s embarrassing¡­¡±

    ¡°Just tell me! You said it wasn¡¯t just because you thought it was hot, just tell me what else is it! Pleaaaase~!¡±

    ¡°Alright alright, fine. I can feel whatever it feels, alright? As in if it¡¯s brushing against your skin like it is now, I can feel that. If someone set it on fire, although it wouldn¡¯t burn I¡¯d still feel the heat. And if you  really  want me to say it, then yes, I don¡¯t want you to wear it whether you¡¯re semi or fully naked because I can¡¯t control myself if I¡¯m feeling your body like that. Happy?¡±

    This time Izumi¡¯s face tinted a light pink instead yet at the same time he laughed boisterously. ¡°Oh you can¡¯t contain yourself? PFFT¨C  Oh Izumi~ Your skin is so soft~ I just have to have sex with you~~! ¡±

    ¡°Shut the actual hell up.¡± Wraith grew even more flustered and it truly burned. All of months of tormenting Izumi finally came back to him, and he was reveling in it.

    Trying his best to quell his laughter, Izumi attempted to change the subject. ¡°Here, maybe this¡¯ll help calm you down.¡±

    Handing him a sapphire gift box with an amber ribbon, Wraith was visibly dumbstruck.

    ¡°Well, open it won¡¯t you?¡± Izumi probed.

    ¡°You got me something?¡±

    ¡°No, give it back it slipped out of my hands. Of course I did! You gave me a gift before and so much more, it¡¯s the least I could do for everything you¡¯ve done.¡±

    ¡°Izumi, you didn¡¯t have to¨C¡±

    ¡°Ah-ah-ah, just open it open it.¡±

    Pulling what strands of himself together that he could find, Wraith took a deep breath and delicately unfolded the ribbon. Lifting the cover he found a slick, steel black lighter. On the front was an intricate carving of roses, thorns, and vines, while the back contained some slight carvings of the same as well as a message in the center:

    ¡°I love you and always will, so please

    love yourself just as much.¡±

    ~Izumi ?

    The fluttering lighter moistened and gleamed by the grace of a tear. For a moment Izumi was frightened that he had done something painfully wrong, but he soon realized that wasn¡¯t the case because¡­Wraith was smiling the kindest smile he has ever seen befall him.

    With his wrist, he wiped the streams off and spoke in the softest voice Izumi ever heard from his partner. ¡°You realized it faster than I did then¡­.what I was lacking.¡±

    ¡°Self worth. You¡¯ve always hated yourself and thought you were never good enough, that people were right about you. But that¡¯s not true Wraith. You¡¯ve grown past your actions and you¡¯ve shown not just me but the world that you¡¯re more than what they see. You¡¯re more than what you once were. One or a thousand or a million things that someone has done before doesn¡¯t necessarily determine who they are right now at this present moment because everyone can redeem themselves, and that applies to you too. To you of all people even. You¡¯ve been alive for centuries, Wraith. You¡¯ve changed and made changes to better your own world and ours, and you became the better person that you never believed yourself to be, but you are. Do you remember when I had asked you if I did the right thing when we finally apprehended Fuhiro? You told me that the world is worth living in. If that¡¯s true, then act like it Wraith. You have a place in this world and you have worth, and don¡¯t let the words of anyone take that from you.¡±

    Just as the streaks left, they had swiftly returned and almost in full force. Wraith clenched the lighter in his palm, his voice shaking as he spoke, ¡°I.....I love you so much Izumi. I want you to know that and that will never change either. Whether I revert to who I once was or not, I will always love you. I am hopelessly in love with you, Izumi Mitsue. You and only you.¡±

    Sunlight peered through the leaves and illuminated their jointed smiles. A light flush of pink tinted Izumi¡¯s cheeks, almost matching the coral of his hair. And with his mint eyes he locked gazes with Wraith.

    ¡°I love you too, Wraith. Specter of despair and all. Or as they say, the  remanant , hehe.¡±

    ¡°Who says that? What?¡±

    ¡°No one, don¡¯t worry about it.¡±

    And thus another playful fight broke out once more. All that could be heard in the wheat field was no longer the howls of a forsaken creature, but the joyous banter of a couple and all¡­

    Under the oak tree.

    Fin.~