Oh Boy. I Have Been Eager To Get To This One. Like, Yall Have No Idea. This Was A Suggestion By Groundhog0202b

Oh boy. I have been eager to get to this one. Like, y’all have no idea. This was a suggestion by groundhog0202b and I got excited to do it.

And yes, they will be recurring characters in the upcoming drabbles. Who are they? You will have to read and find out!

Reminder that you can suggest things you wanna see!

Hajime was pleased as he felt around on his ribs. The dark splotches had disappeared and the pain was non existent. He had healed completely.

Much to everyone’s delight and relief. Especially Nagito, who expressed this by immediately picking him up and nuzzling once he was told the news. “Ahhhh, this feels so wonderful to do again! I bet you missed this, too. Don’t you worry! We shall continue for a while!”

Hajime rolled his eyes but didn’t protest or push against the actions. He knew that the naga had been holding back throughout his recovery. He was extremely gentle with all his movements, treating Hajime as if he was the most delicate object. He abstained from long nuzzling sessions the entire time, which the human knew took an incredible amount of self restraint.

And now he was going full force, nuzzling the smaller man like it was his life’s mission. And it kept going until the naga was satisfied. “Perfect! You are all good to go. Now let’s head off!” The giant body turned and headed to the forest, bringing along Hajime for the ride. Not that he minded. He too was eager to get back to sightseeing in their forest.

Nagito kept him cupped in his hands as he maneuvered through the trees. A stable platform that the human trusted to keep him safe from falling. It was one of his personal favorite ways to travel now. Though he would always claim the fluffy white hair as the perfect place.

But putting that aside, Hajime gazed around. The colors of the leaves had drastically changed during his weeks of recovery. He always did love the colors autumn brought around. And the chill in the air was kept at bay from the warmth of the hands around him. It was wonderful.

Nagito began rambling in his excitement, pointing out various things as they passed by. Hajime happily listened and responded, glad to see the naga being so energetic. A stark contrast to the worry and fretting from the previous weeks. It was relieving.

It continued for the hour they traveled, neither one getting tired of each other’s company. Eventually, the human recognized the area. “Oh wait. Are we going to your cave? Haven’t been there in a while.”

This delighted the naga. “Yes! I’m so glad you could tell! I haven’t come back in a few days. I want to make sure everything is still fine.”

“Gotcha. But I’m sure the bears are fine. And whatever else you have in there. How large is that cave, anyways? I don’t think I’ve been all the way to the back.”

“Oh, it is very large. I’m sure multiple nagas could comfortably live in there. Maybe we can go to the end today! Is that fine with you?” Nagito lifted him up to better see his reaction.

Hajime nodded, reaching forward to pet the face in front of him. “Yeah, I like that idea. Your shawl will help with the cave’s coldness, I’m sure.”

Nagito giggled. “Yes. It is nice to have. I feel all warm outside and inside.”

The naga wore his gift constantly. But he took excellent care of it, the lilac fabric never appearing dirty or worn. And it was clear that he loved every fiber of it. It was also very cute on him, in Hajime’s opinion.

And he was extra glad that he had given him it as they entered the cave. It was certainly not warm and Hajime knew that snakes didn’t do well in the cold. But Nagito appeared to be doing just fine.

He found himself placed down on the stone floor, near the entrance where several plants were growing. “Ah, just as I feared. It does appear that some creatures have entered while I was away. Thankfully the bears are too high up for anything to touch them. But they certainly made a mess.”

Various bits of dead plants and fur were on the ground. Clearly some animals had made themselves comfortable here. Much to Nagito’s annoyance.

“I bring my beloved Hajime to my cave for the first time in so long and this is how it looks. Of course. Why wouldn’t it not be a total mess? Just perfect,” Nagito began muttering to himself, grabbing a large wad of moss and dipping it into the spring water. “Am I the only one in these woods that has a sense of neatness? All the animals here are hopeless. Pathetic. Can’t even be bothered to pick up after themselves. They should be ashamed.”

Hajime snorted at this. Hearing the naga go on a rant was something he didn’t know he needed to witness. It was too amusing. He collected himself and raised his voice enough to be heard. “I’ll stand by the entrance while you clean. Don’t get too stressed over details, alright?”

An ear twitch indicated that his words had been heard. But continued grumbling was all that was said. Hajime smiled and shrugged his shoulders, heading to the cave’s mouth. He looked around and took a deep breath. The air was clean and fresh. Truly a treasure that the world was gracious to offer.

He took notice of a few trees off to the side, several full red apples hanging off the branches. They looked really good. So he thought it wouldn’t hurt if he went over and grabbed one.

With that thought in mind, he began walking over to the tree.

“Halt. Who dares to enter and witness my presence?”

That… was unexpected. A deep voice was audible from somewhere in the trees. He paused where he stood, rotating slowly towards the voice’s direction.

“Who’s there? I’ll have you know you are on my private land. So I have every right to be here. Come out and explain yourself,” he demanded in a firm tone.

“Ah, so you are this land’s possessor?” A man emerged from the trees, black and gray hair, pale skin, and a long purple scarf dangling over his shoulders. “What do you plan to do with this land? To the animal population?”

“Huh?” Hajime was taken aback. He felt as if he was the one being interrogated. As if he needed to prove his innocence to this stranger. “Nothing. I want to keep these woods as is. I promised someone I would do everything I could to protect it.” He crossed his arms. “Now why and how are you here?”

The man struck a dramatic pose. “I am Gundham Tanaka! The Supreme Overlord of Ice! Master of the Dark Arts! Tremble before my might, mortal!”

Hajime just raised an eyebrow. “Come again? You are what now?”

That seemed to take some of the wind out of the stranger’s sails, as he appeared to deflate from the lack of reaction. “You appear to be immune to my malicious aura. You are stronger than you appear.”

Hajime took some steps towards him. “Listen, I get the feeling that you mean no harm. But you really do need to tell me what you are doing here.”

Gundham stood straight, piercing eyes watching his every movement. “I would suggest you keep your distance, foolish mortal. My Lady requires much space in order to not be tainted.”

“Your… Lady?” Hajime asked. It was then that he noticed movement from behind the man. Lots of movement. The type of movement he recognized. “Wait… is she…?”

The answer was revealed with the movement’s creator revealing herself. Just as he thought, it was a naga. Her scales were blue in color with cream belly scales. She was wearing what looked like a light blue ruffled crop top, not a speck of dirt visible on it. Her blond hair draped far down her back, partially held in place by a silver tiara on her head. And her stormy gray eyes were locked onto him.

“Ah, so you are the one Gundham was speaking to. Apologies for intruding. We were simply enamored by this place. These woods are certainly amazing,” she said, voice smooth and calm.

“I… I guess,” the brunette stammered, a bit unsure of how exactly to go about this. He didn’t want to call for help, as it might antagonize the two in front of them. They seemed amicable enough, so perhaps he could discuss his way through this.

But it quickly became far more difficult to remain calm as the blue naga leaned forward, practically hovering over him. “You are a strange one. Many have run in fear at the sight of my kind. But here you stand.” Her tongue flicked out a few times, eyes widening. “Wait… you have the scent of…”

“GET AWAY FROM HIM!!!”

The sudden shriek startled them all, the blue naga jolting away from Hajime. The brunette then found himself grabbed and lifted off the ground in a dizzying rush. He was pressed against lilac fabric, pressure around his body from the grip surrounding him. And he could both hear and feel the threatening hissing.

“I will not allow for my Hajime to be harmed by another one of my kind. Don’t even think about trying anything. I will defend him with my life,” Nagito stated with anger. His green eyes glared at the two, fangs in full view.

The two looked incredibly startled. Speechless for some time. But the naga recovered first. “Oh, please forgive us! We didn’t realize these were your woods! And I didn’t intend to do anything to your human companion. But I realize that it appeared quite horrible from your perspective. My sincerest apologies.”

The hissing stopped, Nagito now appearing confused. “You… are apologizing?”

The female naga nodded. “Of course! It was very rude of me. I do hope I can make it up to you somehow. Please know that I have no intention of causing distress. We were simply looking for a place to live. Had I known these woods were yours, I would have not entered. My… sense of smell isn’t the greatest. It only registers when I am close by a creature.”

Hajime wiggled enough to get Nagito’s attention. “We had been talking when you weren’t here. They didn’t do anything to me. I think we are okay.”

Nagito took a few deep breaths to calm himself. His posture became less threatening and more relaxed. “Okay. Hajime has vouched for you so I’ll listen. You were passing through? Nagas only travel when searching for a place to settle. Did you lose your previous home?”

The stormy gray eyes became clouded. “Yes. Despite Gundham’s best efforts, my forest was destroyed to build a new human factory. I wasn’t sure what to do when that happened. But he encourage me to search for a new home. A place that could be better protected and maintained. He was so kind as to accompany me. I am blessed with such company.”

The man on the ground grabbed his scarf and used it to hide his blushing cheeks. “M-my Lady! You have not been blessed! My presence is a curse! The most horrific of curses! Please remember that for future interactions.”

The previous low mood was quickly eradicated, as the blue naga smiled fondly at him. “Ah, yes! My apologies. I shall correct my statement!” She turned back to Nagito. “As he said, he is a curse!”

Hajime cracked a smile. This was really entertaining. “By the way, what’s your name?” he called out, wanting to satisfy his curiosity.

She perked up at that, making a polite bow. “My name is Sonia. A pleasure to meet you both.”

Nagito nodded with a happy expression. “I’m Nagito and this is Hajime.” He raised one of his hands to gesture towards her head. “That’s a really pretty accessory. Where did you get it?”

Sonia clapped her hands in delight. “Gundham had it made for me! Isn’t it pretty!? I love it so much! And your shawl looks wonderful! So pretty and warm! Did Hajime make it for you?”

That just elated the green naga even more. “Yes! It’s my prized possession. Oh! Want to see my other things? My cave is right over here!”

“I would be honored! Thank you so much!” she replied, slithering closer to him. “Please lead the way.”

Hajime was lowered and placed down next to the other human. “I’ll be back soon. I just want to show her around,” Nagito explained, moving away and with excitement towards the cave entrance with the other naga.

The humans watched them go, observing until the last bit of tail vanished from sight. “Well, that happened,” the brunette muttered to himself.

“Indeed,” Gundham replied, having heard this. “I am aware that many of the naga species are not as… drawn towards companionship. But it appears she has found another who is like-minded. This bodes well.”

“Yeah,” Hajime agreed. “Sonia mentioned looking for a new home. And I anticipate that Nagito will allow her to stay, seeing as they are getting along very fast and easily.”

“That would be beneficial. She deserves only the finest of locations. And this one is truly spectacular. A fine job you have done, mortal!” Gundham declared loudly.

Hazel eyes were rolled before he thought of something else. “So where will you go? Will you try and stay with her here in the woods?”

Gundham looked pleased with the question. “I am so glad you brought up the subject! I shall request to make myself a residence here should the emerald one allow us sanctuary. But do not fret! For I shall take up the financial responsibility! I can compensate you for all that is required. Be it supplies or something akin to leasing the section of land I choose to inhabit. Now then, does that sound like a fair and reasonable bargain?”

Hajime crossed his arms and thought about it. There really wasn’t much reason for him to refuse. He got the impression that Gundham was just as, if not more, firm on keeping the forest as natural as possible. So he wouldn’t cause any issues in that regard. And the forest was enormous. If he took up residence in the woods to be with Sonia, it wouldn't interfere with his privacy and work. The offer to compensate was also nice, he wouldn’t deny. “If Nagito says yes, then I see no problem with allowing you to live in the forest. Are you sure you would be fine out here?”

Gundham laughed boldly. “You underestimate my survival skills. I shall flourish here!”

“Alright. I’ll believe you. Just… make sure to let me know if there’s an emergency, okay? Check in every once and a while,” he requested.

“I suppose I can do that. Then we have a deal. Shake my hand, mortal. So that this agreement shall be forged onto our souls!” Gundham said as he stuck his hand out towards the other human.

Hajime chuckled as he clasped the other’s hand in his. “Here’s to a hopefully beneficial new relationship. For all of us.”

Masterpost

Do you take requests?:)

I guess it depends on what is requested. But for the most part, if it is a SFW idea, I’ll be interested in doing it!

It is time! For the best gamer girl!!! Hype!

So my research into the matter says that bruised ribs can take up to three to six weeks to heal. Man oh man. Doesn’t sound fun for our dear Hajime. Good thing he has such great help!

This idea was one that @tortadecereji and I came up with. So we hope you like!

And also, I hope you like the art they made for this too!

Hajime had come to the incredible and wise conclusion that bruised ribs sucked. A lot.

“Will they ever get better?” he muttered, wincing as Makoto helped replace the bandages winding around his chest. He was grateful that his coworkers had been more than willing to come visit him to help him out once he explained what had occurred. Sadly, Nagito was simply too big to properly help.

“I bet. I have never had this kind of injury before, so I hope I am doing alright,” Makoto commented, tying the last of the knots.

“I wouldn’t recommend it,” Hajime said with a grimace, pulling his shirt back down to cover the injury. “And thank you again. I’m sorry that you have to come out all this way to help me.”

“It’s fine!” his coworker reassured quickly. “But I will admit that I do worry when I leave. It really would be better if you had someone keeping an eye on you more closely.” He then waved his hands frantically. “I mean while in the house! I know Nagito is very devoted to you. But…”

Both glanced out the open patio door, seeing the giant naga basking in the sunlight, eyes closed with relaxation. A rare sight nowadays, considering how much fretting he had been doing the past week.

“Yeah, he isn’t capable of doing much. Not while I’m on bed rest,” Hajime agreed. “What to do…”

Suddenly, his phone made a noise, indicating that he got a text. He took a glance at it, reading the name on top of the message. It made him grin. “Actually, I think the problem was just solved.”

~~~~~~~~~~

“So your friend from your previous hometown is coming to visit? To help you out? And her name is… Chiaki?” Nagito asked with an inquisitive tone, currently serving as a seat for Hajime.

“Yeah. I told her about my injury and she insisted to come and stay with me to take care of me. She can be quite stubborn and persistent when she wants to. So she will be here later today,” Hajime explained, reclining back into the creature’s palm. He was glad that the pale skin was so comfortable.

“I see! That is nice of her! I’m sure you will have a great time together! But… uh… do you know how long she is staying? So I can stay in the forest until she leaves.”

Hajime looked over, a casual expression on his face. “Oh, you are welcome to stay. She won’t react too much.”

“Huh?”

Hajime continued. “She plays a lot of video games. So not much phases her anymore.”

“HUH?”

The human threw up an eyebrow. “What’s so unbelievable about that?”

The naga looked very confused. “I just… every other human I have encountered has reacted in a more intense way. So the idea of practically no reaction is… bewildering.”

Hajime laid down fully against the fingers behind him, closing his eyes in relaxation. “Everything will be fine. I can guarantee it. So if you want to meet her, it’s up to you.”

“Oh! If… you truly think it will be fine, then yes! I would love to stay and meet her,” Nagito exclaimed, trying really hard to keep his hand still.

“Cool. Now I’m gonna take a nap for a while. That alright?” he asked as he started dozing.

“Of course! I’ll let you know if anything changes!” was the response. So he felt comfortable enough to pass out for a bit.

And true to his word, Nagito only disturbed him when something happened. He carefully used a claw to tap him awake, making sure to do it on his legs and avoiding his chest. “I hear something. I believe a car is approaching the gate.”

Blinking himself awake again, Hajime checked his phone. Sure enough, there was a text from Chiaki sent a minute ago. She was close by. So he went ahead and opened the gate remotely. Once that was done, he let his arm and phone fall to the side. “Thank you. She’s almost here. You ready?”

Nagito smiled sheepishly. “I think so. I want to make a good first impression. She’s someone important to you, right? So she deserves only the best.”

That in turn made Hajime smile as well. “I appreciate that. She is my best friend who I’ve known for years. I’m glad you will finally be able to meet her.” He hummed to himself, staring skyward. “Two of the most important people in my life in the same area together. Sounds like a good time.”

A quick glance over revealed that his statement had left the naga with a flushed face. “Do… you really mean that?”

“With every fiber of my being.”

It had become very clear to him that Nagito could pass out compliments, but had a harder time accepting ones that were given to him. As such, he buried his face in his arms, hiding his face from view. But that was alright. Hajime was glad he found a way to make the usually composed creature flustered. He couldn’t allow him to have all the power.

But putting that aside, he definitely could hear the sound of crunching gravel and a motor running. Looks like she was here.

He sat up carefully, wincing a bit when his ribs pulsed with some pain. But it faded not long after. Looking up, he saw his friend step out of her car, sleepily walking over to them. “Hey Chiaki. How was the drive?” he asked, feeling Nagito lift his head slightly behind him.

“Long, but fine. I took a lot of breaks. Four hours is not fun to do all at once. Again, I wish fast travel was possible in real life. It would make things so much easier.” She came to a stop next to them, looking up with no change in expression. “You certainly look like you are comfy. Is he helping take care of you?”

Hajime patted the skin under him. “Yeah, he is. Here, I’ll introduce you two.” He shifted his position so that he could see both of them. “Chiaki, this is Nagito. And Nagito, this is Chiaki.”

“Nice to meet you. Please continue taking care of Hajime while I’m away. He sometimes doesn’t know what’s good for him and needs supervision,” Chiaki stated with a smile.

Before Hajime could respond with exasperation, he heard a snicker from the naga. “I swear to do all I can to keep him in one piece. He’s done so much for me, it’s the least I can do.” Nagito raised himself more, nodding politely towards the other human. “It’s nice to meet you as well. And I hope you don’t mind me being here.”

Chiaki tilted her head. “Why would I mind? You seem to be pleasant company. I am far more concerned for how we will do activities as a group considering you can’t enter the house.” She closed her eyes as she thought hard. It took a minute, but she seemed to come up with something. “Hajime, do you have extension cords?”

“Huh?” He startled from the unexpected question. “Yeah, I do. Why?”

Chiaki got a smirk on her face. “You will see. It involves my great technological prowess.” She took a step forward, easing into a more normal expression. “But that can wait. First we should discuss your injury and how to best handle things around the house.” She made eye contact with the naga. “Would you mind terribly if I stole him for a little? It won’t take very long, I promise.”

Something seemed to communicate through the stare. Something he couldn’t decipher. But whatever it was, it caused Nagito to nod. “I can’t go into the house, so I will leave his well-being up to you while in there. Please be careful with him. His ribs are very bruised.”

“Gotcha. I’ll use extreme caution.” Chiaki reached up and grabbed Hajime’s hand, lightly tugging. “Do you need help getting down?”

The brunette slid himself to the edge of the naga’s hand, moving his legs over so that they were hanging off the edge. “Yeah, can you help stabilize me once I get down. I’ll probably stumble from the impact.”

Nodding, his friend braced herself. Nagito also assisted with slowly tilting his hand to help him slide off as gently as he could. His feet touched the ground and he shifted into putting weight on his legs. As he thought, it did make him stumble from pain. But luckily, Chiaki was there to catch him and hold him steady while he regained his balance.

“Thank you both. I’m okay now,” he assured after a few seconds. He stood straight and managed to take some steps forward. Satisfied that he was walking fine, Chiaki let go.

“Let me know if you need help. I’ll follow close behind just in case,” she told him, rushing forward to be by his side. Together, they made it to the door, opening it and stepping inside. But they both turned around to wave at Nagito before going further. They both smiled when he perked up, waving back. Then they went further into the house.

He didn’t feel confident in his abilities to give a proper tour of his home, so he pretty much let Chiaki go exploring on her own while he sat down on the couch. She returned after her adventure, first aid kit in hand. “This is a nice house. It looks comfortable. So you like it?”

“I do. The neighbor is especially nice to have,” he responded, earning a knowing look from his best friend. “And I see that you found the first aid kit. Do you want to go ahead and check out what we are dealing with?”

“Yeah. Show me what you’ve been doing.” And so he did, lifting his shirt to display the bruises. Chiaki didn’t react other than a sympathetic look, getting right to work and following Hajime’s instructions.

Once done, he lowered his shirt and sat back with a sigh. “Done at last. Thank you.”

Chiaki closed the first aid kit, setting it on the side table. “No problem. I’m not squeamish around injuries. I’ve seen far worse in some of the games I’ve played.”

“Of course you have,” Hajime laughed. “And I was correct on that being the reason you didn’t react to Nagito being here. I told him you wouldn’t be phased.”

“I am glad you have such faith in me. And I’m equally glad that you two are so close. This seems like a very beneficial relationship for the both of you,” she said with an easygoing tone. “It’s always nice to see you make a new connection. I know it’s hard out here, but you still managed to do it. Congratulations.”

He rolled his eyes, but kept his smile. “Yeah yeah. Thanks.” He then recalled her earlier request. “By the way, the extension cords are in that storage closet in the hall. Will you now reveal why you wanted them?”

But he only got a sly smirk. “Nope. Not yet. But don’t worry, you won’t be in the dark for much longer.” She approached him again, holding out her hands. “Now that I know where the cords are, I have everything I need. All that is required now is for me to set things up. So I’ll take you back out to your naga and let you two wait together while I finish.”

Knowing very well that he wasn’t going to get any hints, he nodded. So the two humans stepped back outside and to the large creature, who’s tail tip began swaying with happiness once he caught sight of them. “You’re back! How are you feeling?”

The brunette shrugged. “I’m fine. Chiaki is being mysterious so I’m gonna hang out with you while she does her thing.”

“Oh? I am most curious now,” Nagito admitted, laying his human half fully on the ground. His face was now in reach for them. Which Hajime made full use of by leaning against his pale cheek.

“Guess we will have to wait and see.” His and Nagito’s eyes followed the other, watching as she grabbed a few bags from her car and scurried into the house like she was on a mission. They heard several noises, both electronic and thuds. And he honestly was pretty stumped as to what she was doing.

“Is this… normal for her?” he heard being asked from behind him in a whisper. He felt the vibrations from the vocalized question from where he was leaning, too. It was very fascinating to feel.

“Yeah, I’d say so,” Hajime answered. He trusted that she knew what she was doing so he didn’t worry. “Her usual mood is sleepy. But when she is excited about something or an idea she has, it’s truly amazing what she can accomplish in such little time.”

Right as he finished saying that, Chiaki reappeared holding two wireless controllers and a projector connected to an extension cord. She looked over to them before gesturing back to the patio table. “Hey, Nagito? Can you help me move that table over here? I need it to set this up.”

The naga smiled with glee. “Yes, absolutely! Just tell me where you want it.” He reached over and took hold of the table, transporting it over and setting it down right where Chiaki indicated.

She tested the stability of the table, nodding in approval when it didn’t move. “Perfect.” She busied herself with setting the projector up and aiming it at the side of the house. Soon, the home menu of her gaming system was on display. “There we go. Now we can play out here.”

“Oh, I see. You were hooking up your game system in there.” Now things made sense. Chiaki always seemed to know how to do these types of things. When it comes to games and systems, she knew all.

“Yeah.” She got closer to them, handing a controller to Hajime. She then stared into one of the reptilian eyes. “I’m sorry I don’t have a controller big enough for you to play as well. But you can watch now. Is that alright?”

Glancing back, Hajime saw hints of moisture at the corners of his eyes. “The fact that you went to such lengths for me is so touching. You are a kind soul.” The eyes blinked, trying to regain composure. “But yes, watching is more than fine. I’m sure I would stand no chance against either of you anyways.”

“Glad to hear. Now then, where to sit…” Chiaki pondered, looking around to try and gauge their options.

But Hajime got an idea. He knew a great spot. So he tapped the cheek near him, getting the naga’s attention. “Hey, Nagito. Can you lift us up to your hair? We would be at a good angle to play from there.”

Another smile, this one much wider. “If you want to, then sure! I can keep still!” Both faced Chiaki again, questioning expressions. “Are you comfortable with that placement?”

Expressing no concern or fear, she nonchalantly walked forward and stood next to her best friend. “Sounds good. I was just thinking about how fluffy your hair looked. I wanna touch.”

Seeing that he had consent, Nagito laid a hand down next to them, palm up. He waited while staying perfectly still, watching as the two humans climbed on and sat down. Once confident, he raised his hand up to the top of his head, letting the smaller bodies climb off his hand and onto his hair. “Everything alright?” he called out.

Hajime patted the white locks beneath him. “I’m all good.”

Chiaki did the same. “Yes. It’s like a cloud. If I were Hajime, I would stay up here forever.”

Nagito laughed at that. “I’m glad it meets your approval.”

Chiaki then got into a comfortable sitting position, hands on her controller as she navigated the menu. “Are you ready? I have some games downloaded, including some of our favorites.”

Hajime joined her in sitting, grabbing his controller and preparing himself. “Yeah, I’m ready. Ready to get my butt kicked at everything.” Nagito and Chiaki both giggled at the statement, to which he grinned as well. “I’ll let you choose the first game, since you are doing me a favor by being here.”

“Okay.” His friend picked one pretty fast and they watched as it began loading. It wasn’t long until they were battling, fingers moving in a frenzy on the controllers.

Underneath them, they felt a happy sigh. Nagito was enjoying what he was watching, quiet and pleased. It was a nice feeling, knowing that everyone present was content and having fun. It was very comforting.

But Hajime pushed back those thoughts to think over later. He had games to play.

Masterpost

I… uh… I did another Nagizuru. I couldn’t help it! It’s such a fun idea!

Au belongs to @karugoround . And I also want to mention this art done by @aliveko. It’s so amazing! Nagizuru being spoopy!

Anyhoo, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy!

Izuru had memories from when he was Nagito Komaeda. He was very aware that the scientists had tried to wipe away everything of his previous identity. But some did remain. Including the memories of being sickly.

Something he did not miss. And sadly something that kept going even after the surgery.

Such unfortunate luck, he thought to himself as he laid on his bed with a fever. It wasn’t anything very serious. It was a result of him being locked away and drugged so often. His immune system couldn’t repair itself well with all that went into his body. He was sure that if given enough time away from the sedatives and other drugs keeping him weak, his body would go back to being healthy on its own. But that was not in the cards for him with the ones keeping him here. They feared him and his luck. So this was how his life would be until something changed.

Hajime had noticed when examining him in the morning. He appeared worried once he realized. But it also looked as though he was thinking hard on something. A little plan was forming in that brain of his. Oh, it was positively adorable to see. And if he had been more well, he would have pointed it out to get a reaction. But not this time, as he could barely move from the combination of sedatives and illness. What a pity.

So he was currently laying under his sheet with his eyes closed. His mind would not let him fall asleep so he was having a hard time resting. But there was not much else he could do. At least the clock was muffled by the stuffiness. So it was far more quiet. The one upside he could find.

Time passed. He didn’t care to try and keep track. Not when he was feeling like this. He was trying to conserve every ounce of energy in case movement was required for whatever reason. But it was difficult, even for him. This room felt suffocating at times. And it didn’t inspire positive emotions.

Not that he had many emotions anymore.

An unexpected sound interrupted his musings, to which he looked over. It was Hajime again. Much earlier than usual. And his expression was subtly different. He seemed excited about something. But he was sure he would find out soon.

And he was correct. “I told the doctors about your condition. I was able to convince them to let you walk around outside your room. They are certain you won’t be able to do much while like this. So we have half an hour to go to the outdoor courtyard. Can you stand?”

Outside? He hadn’t seen the outside since the very beginning of his existence. His only experiences with the outside was gazing out his window in his regular room. But he had been in solitary confinement for a few weeks. He desired to see it again. And being able to actually go outside was something he could absolutely find the strength to get up and go see. “I shall. I may require you to help keep me steady, so be prepared for that.”

He ignored the questioning ‘huh’ from his caretaker, instead focusing on getting to his feet. It was a dizzying experience. But Izuru was not about to let this opportunity slip by. A change. Something different from the normal routine. It made his heart beat faster with excitement. An emotion he had not felt in so long. It overpowered the illness he had for a brief amount of time. So he knew it was best to get to the courtyard as quickly as possible. “Lead the way, my dear caretaker.”

Hajime coughed awkwardly, a hint of red on his cheeks. But he opened the door and held it for the human experiment. Izuru walked through gracefully, instantly feeling a change in temperature. It was cold. And the hospital gown he was wearing did little to warm him. He loved it.

He heard Hajime close the door behind him before stepping in a specific direction. “This way. It’s not very far.”

He silently followed, eyes darting around to memorize every detail around them. He had not left that room in so long. When he was brought to this room, he was always unconscious. But now he was getting some semblance of an idea of how the whole building was constructed. He would file all this information away for future use.

Unfortunately, his body decided it couldn’t go on for very long, making him have to pause as he tried to regain his balance. Something his observant caretaker noticed. “Are you out of breath? Do you need assistance?” he tentatively asked, a bit hesitant to voice the question.

He was lucky that Izuru was very amicable today. “Yes,” he stated, grabbing an arm with one hand and winding the other around the broad shoulders, gripping tight. It left no room for escape. “Proceed.”

Hajime took a second to register what was happening. But he recovered and did as instructed, practically carrying the white haired experiment. The brunette did appear to be quite strong, as he was able to carry him without any difficulty. Or perhaps he had become incredibly lightweight from his inactivity. Regardless, either option meant that they arrived swiftly to their desired location.

True to his word, it was an outdoor courtyard. Various flowers and a few trees were present. But what struck Izuru the most was the air quality. It was fresh. It was open air. It was outside. HE was outside again. After so very long.

But again, his body betrayed him. He was losing strength in his legs. But he would not go back so soon. Instead, he had another idea. He squeezed the shoulder he was holding, getting his caretaker’s attention. “There looks to be a soft patch of grass under that tree. Take us over there and sit down. I shall utilize your lap as a pillow. I will not take no for an answer. Understood?”

Hajime nervously swallowed, but was quick to fulfill the request. They were soon under the tree, the brunette sitting with his back against the trunk. Once there, Izuru did as he proclaimed, laying his head down on the other’s lap with his eyes facing the scenery. This was much better. He was obscured by a large flowering bush so the sunlight wouldn’t be blinding. Already his dizziness was fading, him feeling more relaxed than he had ever been. But, he could think of one other thing that might help. “Use your hands to brush my hair. I desire the tangles to disappear.”

He felt Hajime startle at the unexpected request. It was something he had never asked for before. But like a good caretaker, he did as he was told. Hesitant hands ran through his long hair, growing more confident when there were no complaints or admonishments.

Izuru did not receive physical contact often due to his… current living situation. But even then, he would not accept it from just anyone. If one of the doctors or scientists tried while he was conscious, they would surely find their arms shattered. So again, Hajime was extremely lucky that he was given express permission to do this. And he would admit that it helped him relax. It was soothing. And productive. He was only allowed to use a brush under extreme supervision. Mostly Hajime. It was due to an… incident that may have ended in brutal injuries. Who knew a small plastic brush could cause so much damage to the doctor he detested?

But putting that aside, this was good. If being ill meant he was able to experience this, he would gladly accept every upcoming fever.

It really was nice. Which made the interruption all the more aggravating.

“Hey! I see you there! Answer me!”

A voice he had heard before. He searched his memory. It seemed to be one of the directors. One that talked big but in actuality did very little for the team. A waste of human life, really. All of these things he had overheard from others. So he was not well liked by his colleagues. And based on the tone, Izuru would say those thoughts were not unfounded.

But Hajime was still in a position under him. And as such, answered to him as a subordinate. “Good day, sir. I shall be heading back to Izuru Kamakura’s room momentarily,” he said politely and respectfully.

But it appeared that the respect only went one way. “You are that abomination’s caretaker, right? What are you doing here?! Slacking off? You dare to do such a thing? After the graciousness we gave you? We could have kicked you to the curb to waste away without any opportunities. But we didn’t. And this is how you repay us? Ungrateful brat. Just wait until I tell the others of this insolence. You won’t be coming back ever, mark my words.”

“Oh? So I’m an abomination? It is nice to know what some really think of me. Even if this information comes from a pathetic insect that doesn’t know his place.”

All blood seemed to drain from the older man’s face, realizing exactly who had spoken. He began to tremble as Izuru lifted himself off Hajime’s lap, standing up to his full height and red eyes practically shining with malice. All with a wide smile that never went away.

“Y-you… I… I just… S-stay back!” the director screamed out, but wasn’t able to do much more than cry pathetically and take one measly step back.

Izuru sensed Hajime getting to his feet behind him, but not making any move to try and stop the superhuman experiment. He was smart. Unlike the roach in front of them.

“Stay back? I suppose I can do that. But it is very foolish of you to think you are safe from that distance.” He turned his gaze skyward, seeing dark clouds rapidly forming and the wind picking up. A storm. He was interested in how this would play out.

His red eyes lowered again, making eye contact with the director. “Let us see what Lady Luck has planned for you. I can assure you that it won’t be painless.”

A startled and pathetic yelp emerged from the older man. He tried to back away towards one of the courthouse doors. But a sudden gust of wind made him lose his footing, sending him falling into the small pond. Izuru knew what would most likely happen next. So he turned and grabbed his caretaker’s hand, tugging him away from the courtyard and to the other door. He shut it behind him and pulled Hajime in close just as an earth shattering BOOM sounded behind them. Then the lights shut off, kicking on the emergency power. “Another lightning strike. Good thing we exited the courtyard before anyone of significance was hurt. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Hajime’s head was tucked under his chin. And through the embrace, he could feel minute trembles. He had unfortunately experienced a lightning strike before. It had left a scar on his torso, one Izuru knew ached on occasion. So he could forgive this moment of silence, of not answering back. Fear was very much a present emotion in his caretaker.

So he rearranged them, hands and arms winding around Hajime until he was the one being carried. Still no response other than an instinctual need to grab onto the hospital gown for support. “I got some good rest today. I was able to recover some of my strength. To thank you, I shall do this. I recall the way back. Don’t move.”

Hajime again proved to be obedient, staying as still as he could. Not even his collar and chain made a noise. So their walk was silent, save for his footsteps. The blinking red lights didn’t hinder his ability to see, so he had no trouble navigating through the short periods of darkness. Miraculously, for everyone else in this establishment, they ran into no one else by the time they reached his room.

“We are here,” he announced, putting Hajime back down. “Now then, if you would open the door.”

The caretaker, to his credit, recovered fairly quickly. “Of course, sir.” He regained his normal composure, getting right to unlocking the door. It opened, allowing access to both of them. Izuru beckoned for his caretaker to follow him in, which was done instantly. The experiment sat back down on his bed, looking up at the one standing in front of him. “I predict that this experiment of theirs was a success. They truly can be cruel when they feel like it.”

Hajime looked confused. “What do you mean? If you don’t mind my asking.”

Izuru grinned wickedly. “It was not out of the goodwill of their hearts that I was allowed out today. The scientists wished to test how my luck would be if I was ill. That director was likely not informed intentionally. They eradicated a pest while getting results. Clever.”

“They sent him… to die?” Hajime questioned. “Would they actually do something like that?”

He raised himself again, this time cupping the caretaker’s cheeks in his hands. “Oh my dear, sweet Hajime. You have yet to see the true cruelty that mankind is willing to inflict on their fellows. Such innocence. Such naivety. I wonder how long it will last.” He brought their foreheads together, seeing the fear in the one hazel eye. “I shall be keeping an eye on you. But you knew that already. So do continue to entertain me, won’t you?”

He released him, sitting again on the bed. He watched as Hajime tried to calm himself, taking deep breaths. And he decided to be kind. “You have done well today. I did enjoy our time outside. I shall rest now. You may go and report the… unfortunate accident of your superior. I shall see you later.”

He didn’t wait for an answer, positioning himself in a comfortable way on his bed. He drew the sheet up to his chest and closed his eyes, evening his breathing. It seemed to relax Hajime, who’s heartbeat slowed down more after this. “Rest well,” he whispered, taking his leave with no other additional words.

The door clicked as the lock set. Leaving him alone once more. But his mind was abuzz. Much had occurred on this day. Events that he would surely replay over and over again in his sleep. It was… thrilling. He had been so close once more to death. Not only him, but his caretaker as well. But what exactly was this emotion?

He turned onto his side, the corners of his mouth widening. He was most eager to ponder over this.

Masterpost

And now he have a good ol’ snake staple! Suggested by Liano4ka!

There will be a few differences, seeing as our Naga Nagi still has some human parts and isn’t all snake, but I think I did alright.

Lemme know your thoughts and feelings!

Hajime would like to think that he had a good handle on Nagito’s mannerisms and general attitude by now. After all, he was frequently around and interacted with him on a daily basis. So he knew what he was typically like.

So when Nagito began acting differently, he noticed fast.

He had almost thought he was imagining things during the first few days. He had been wondering to himself if the naga was quieter than usual. And as more days passed, it became more apparent that this was absolutely the case. Nagito was not as talkative and sluggish. And during their talks, he was able to learn that he hadn’t been feeling hungry.

Hajime got worried, as he was used to a talkative and clingy naga. But now? It was almost too quiet. Nagito sometimes didn’t have energy to come all the way to his house. He was thankful that at least he had agreed to rest at the forest’s edge so that Hajime himself could walk over to see him.

These were his thoughts swirling through his mind as he made his way over. And his worries grew as he took in the sight before him. The naga was resting on the ground, staring off to the side with unfocused eyes. He was laying in the sunlight, but despite this, his usually vibrant scales looked dull.

In addition, his senses appeared to be damped as he didn’t react at all when he reached him. It took several pats on the cheek for any reaction to occur. “Hajime. You’re here,” he whispered. He didn’t reach up to touch or grab the human. Another sign of something being off.

“Hey Nagito. Can I hang out with you for a bit? We don’t have to talk much if you are tired,” Hajime replied, tone warm and gentle.

A sigh. But one of exhaustion and not of annoyance. “Yes, you can. Quiet sounds nice right now.”

And so Hajime agreed, wanting to respect his wishes. He sat up on the naga’s arm, leaning back against the large cheek. Nagito didn’t move or react, just simply laying there.

Hajime couldn’t claim to have much knowledge about snakes or nagas. Was he sick? Were these symptoms of illness? Plagued by these thoughts, he took his phone out and typed his observations into the search engine, hoping that it wasn’t serious.

And as it turned out, it wasn’t. All of Nagito’s behaviors and changes were very common during a specific process.

Shedding.

Suddenly, everything clicked into place and the worries he had evaporated. Nagito was just about to shed. That’s why he was acting differently.

But he did feel the need to mention something to the naga. “Next time, tell me when you are about to shed. That way I won’t panic at your changes.”

He was sure that if Nagito had the energy, he would have jolted. But seeing as he was tired, all he got was a low reply. “You figured it out?”

“Only thanks to the internet.” Hajime leaned harder onto the soft cheek, making sure Nagito could feel him. “You can tell me things, you know. Maybe I can help out.”

The naga hummed, thinking about the offer. “Soaking in water helps. But sometimes I have trouble getting the little bits left behind. They get itchy if I can’t get them off quickly.”

Hajime smiled, happy for the given response. “I think I can help with that.”

~~~~~~~~~~

A few days later, Hajime found himself sitting on the bank of the waterfall pool, cross legged on the soft grass as he watched Nagito soak in the water. He appeared more content than the previous days, ready for the extra skin to come off.

“How are you feeling?” he called out, making sure to be loud as he knew the naga’s senses were a bit dull at the moment.

A green eye lazily opened, lacking its usual shine. But that would change soon, he knew. “Fine. Should be ready in a minute.”

Hajime nodded, standing up and walking over to the larger creature. He reached up to pet the white locks, earning him a small happy noise. That was nice to hear. “You will do great. And I’m here to help if you need me to.”

He continued petting the soft hair, enjoying both the feel and the noises. Nagito remained still during this, eyes closing again as he focused all he could on the touches.

Eventually, Hajime backed off to give him room. He had watched videos on snakes shedding their skin and knew they required space while it happened.

Once he registered that the human was a good distance away, the naga braced himself on the pool’s edge, gripping tight with his hands. And then he began, slowly dragging himself up and out. The rough rocks under the water helped pry off the loose skin near his midsection. He was successful, and so he continued.

Hajime watched fascinated. He could see the muscles in his tail move as he inched his way out of his old skin. It did seem quite strenuous, needing to move so carefully and slowly. But Nagito continued without stopping.

It took close to half an hour, Hajime calling out encouragement the entire time. And finally, with one last pull, the green tail tip pulled free of the shed. Nagito practically collapsed on the ground, panting heavily from exhaustion. The human walked over to his head and rubbed his neck, feeling how hard it was working. “You did amazing. Your scales look gorgeous.”

“Hah… Thank… you,” Nagito managed to say between pants. But he did lean in to the touches, already more responsive than an hour previously. That made the brunette relieved. His naga would be back to normal faster than he expected.

A few more minutes passed as Nagito recuperated, the human keeping up the touches all the while. And then he noticed Nagito beginning to rise, a tiny grimace visible. “It wasn’t a perfect shed. There are a few places that are beginning to itch. Would you mind terribly…?”

Hajime grinned. “Hey, I told you I would help. I’m not backing out now. Just show me where you need assistance.”

Some nearly invisible tension vanished from the large shoulders as Nagito moved his tail closer to him. “There, there and there,” he pointed with a claw. “Can you see them?”

Leaning in closer, the human was able to see bits of shed stuck in between emerald scales. “Yeah, I can. Now hold still.”

He raised his hands and placed them on the scales, running his hand over the smooth surface before reaching his target. Pinching the skin in between his fingers, he peeled them off. Nagito sighed in relief every time this occurred.

They repeated this until every last inch of shed had been removed. Hajime stepped back and admired his work. Nothing but vibrant, bright green scales in front of him. “Again, your scales look amazing. They look so much brighter.”

And then without much warning, his body was grabbed and his feet left the ground. He found himself being nuzzled quite vigorously. “I cannot thank you enough. Not only for understanding, but also helping! I am truly blessed to have you here in my life.”

This was the naga he was more familiar with. So he happily rubbed his cheek back with his own. “It was my pleasure. I’m glad to see you back to being your old self.” He poked the cheek next to him hard. “But tell me this. How often do you shed?”

The nuzzles paused for a moment as Nagito thought. “I believe… once a season?”

“So about four times a year. I’ll keep that in mind.” He then glanced over to the tan shed laying off to the side. “What do you usually do with that?” he asked, pointing to it.

“My skin? I leave it where I shed. It breaks down and becomes nutrients for the soil. So you don’t have to worry about it!” Nagito exclaimed, beginning to move away from the waterfall. “But now that it’s all done, we can do more! I feel a lot better now that it’s off. So let’s go!”

Hajime rolled his eyes but didn’t protest. He got what he had hoped for. “Sure, sure. Just remember to bring me back to my house before sunset.”

He was gently squeezed in lieu of a hug. “I can most certainly do that.”

Masterpost

Another one. And another one. And another one. And… yeah you get it.

Another suggestion from IsabelleFukawa. They had a ton of great ideas so I felt the need to use a lot of them!

Though I will say I put some extra editions in here cause I could. It’s fun!

And also, this is dedicated to @moontail13 and @tortadecereji for both inspiring me to create this series. Thank you guys!

Plz enjoy!

It had been a routine video call for work. Nothing out of the ordinary. Nothing urgent was coming up and the mood had been relaxed. Some people had left and currently, it was just him and Makoto.

And since he knew his coworker well, he often divulged more details than he would with other people. Like how Nagito was doing.

“Yeah, we had an unexpected situation. Well, at least on my end it was unexpected. I don’t have much experience with reptiles and he often doesn’t tell me when things are wrong. I don’t think he fully realizes that withholding information to keep me from worrying makes me more worried.”

Makoto laughed. “Yeah, that doesn't sound fun. But what was it this time? And is everything alright now?”

Hajime waved a hand. “Oh yeah, everything is fine. So you don’t have to worry.” He heard his coworker let out a sigh of relief before continuing. “He was just shedding. It makes snakes less mobile and tired. So once I figured that out, I helped him. Sometimes leftover bits of shed stay stuck on the scales, making the areas itchy. But thankfully I did some research and was able to get a better understanding about it. I was even able to help get the extra bits off. So I am much more prepared for the next time he goes into shed.”

“Wait, you know how to help a snake shed?”

A new voice joined in, asking the question. A quick look showed that two other coworkers had joined the call while he wasn’t looking. Not that it was a bad thing. “Yes I do. Is there a reason you asked?”

His young coworker lit up at the acknowledgement. “Yes, sir. See, my friend went out of town and asked me to look after his ball python. But… it is about to shed and… I don’t really know what to do. I’m kinda panicking to be honest.”

“How is this the first time I have heard about you pet sitting a snake?” the other chimed in. “I demand pictures! What morph is it? How long? What colors?”

Hajime rolled his eyes with fond exasperation. “Cereji, Luna, focus please. Let’s get back to the original question.”

The two sat up with a straightened posture. “Right. Well, I was wondering if you could give me some advice on what to do. I want to make sure the snake is comfortable and does well.”

“Snakes shedding is such a cool process. And you can keep the skin afterwards! Perfect sheds can be cool decorations,” Luna tacked on, clearly enthused at the idea.

Hajime shook his head, but had a smile present. “Let’s stay on track again. But yes, I can give you some advice.”

~~~~~~~~~~

Hajime wasn’t entirely sure how it had happened, but somehow the advice turned into a plan for Makoto, Cereji and Luna coming over to visit his house. Cereji bringing his friend’s snake as well.

He wasn’t worried about this, as he liked having company over. But he did make sure to inform Nagito of this new plan. He told him that he could stay nearby, but to try to not interfere unless it was important. The naga had agreed, way more understanding than the first time he had Makoto visit. Already he was feeling better about things.

Hajime wasn’t terrified about people finding out about the large creature living nearby. After all, the world knew they existed. But if he could help it, he would like to keep the number low. Mostly so that the peace and quiet remained the same. But partially, and he only would admit this to himself, he liked having the naga’s attention focused on him.

Hajime pushed that thought back, needing to concentrate on his preparations. Snacks, a clean space, and a bowl of warm water to prepare for the snake. While he was sure that some advice and maybe some videos would have done just fine, he couldn’t deny the thrill of company.

Speaking of company, he heard the notification of movement at his gate. The cameras confirmed that it was who he invited, so he let them in remotely. Then he headed to the front door, stepping outside and into the yard to better watch his guests approach.

Though he did get curious. He looked back towards the forest’s edge. And sure enough, he spotted green scales. But thankfully, Nagito was far enough away that he wasn’t easy to spot. He looked more like a grassy hill to those who weren’t actively looking for a naga. So this worked fine. The creature could be close enough to keep watch, but hidden so that none would be suspicious.

The brunette turned back to the driveway, not wanting to give away any indication of the extra guest. He didn’t want to frighten off his young coworkers. They had just moved here, it would not do if they immediately wanted to move away again.

He waved as Makoto pulled up first, the other two cars following right behind. Hajime guessed that he had led the younger two to his place, having been here a few times already.

The three stepped out of their vehicles and waved back, Luna doing so with far more energy and enthusiasm. And he was sure Cereji would have done the same, if he hadn’t been carrying the ball python in a box.

“Welcome to my place. It’s quiet and restful when the wildlife allows it,” Hajime began, inducing laughs from his guests. “But anyways, make yourself at home. I have food and drinks. And I have a warm bowl set up for the snake. This shed should be fairly easy after a soak.”

He stepped to the side and let his guests enter in through the front door, each of them thanking him as they went in.

But on a whim, he glanced back towards Nagito. And to his surprise, the large creature had moved. There was an opening in his coils, to where the emerald eyes were peeking through. But at this distance, he couldn’t make out the emotion. So he just waved before shutting the door.

Putting Nagito briefly out of his mind, he focused on his guests. Showing them around much like he had with Makoto. And similarly, Cereji and Luna became heavily interested in the green naga scale.

“Oh my goodness! Where did you find this!? It’s gorgeous!” Luna cried out, reaching out and gently touching it. “So smooth! You are certainly lucky to have this! I would love to have one, too.”

Cereji nodded in agreement, reaching out to touch it as well. “For sure. And it looks amazing as a decoration as well.”

Awareness seemed to pass over their features at the same time. “Ah, sorry. We touched your things without permission.”

But Hajime shrugged. “You are fine. It’s durable and can handle a few touches. And to answer your question, someone important to me gave me it.”

“Oh! That was nice of them!” Cereji then turned back to the table, where he had left the snake box. “So… should we begin now? Should it soak for a little before shedding?”

Hajime nodded, bringing the bowl of warm water closer. “Yes, let us do that. It will most likely want to stay in the bath. So we can eat while it soaks.”

And so they did just that. The ball python, which Luna stated was a banana morph, happily laid in the bowl as the humans ate and conversed. And half an hour later, they watched as the snake squeezed out of its previous skin.

“This is so amazing! I’ve always wanted to witness this in person. Makes me want to get my own!” Luna said with excitement, holding up the shed at its full length.

Cereji agreed as he put the ball python back into the box. “I am thinking about it too. And now I know I can go to someone for advice.” He faced Hajime again. “By the way, where is your snake? The one that you were talking about yesterday?”

Both he and Makoto suppressed a flinch. “Ah. He isn’t in the house currently. He lives outside and comes by a lot.”

But that sadly wasn’t enough to convince them. “What? But snakes aren’t terribly social creatures. While they can show affection, it isn't common. Is yours a special one?” Luna asked with a head tilt.

It seems that she had a lot more knowledge on reptiles than he thought. Now how was he supposed to go about this…

“Well, I can go look outside for him if you want me to. It won’t take long if he is here,” he answered. This would provide him with some time to think of a good excuse. So he went to the patio door and opened it, stepping out into the evening air.

But when he stared off in the direction where Nagito had last been, he saw nothing. The naga had disappeared. That could only mean two things. One, that he had gotten bored and went back into the forest. Or two, that he was somewhere near the house, in an area not immediately visible.

His answer was provided as he felt claws hook around his waist and drag him backwards. He managed to swallow his surprised shout, not wanting to alert anyone of what was happening. And when he finally felt himself come to a stop, he turned to give Nagito a piece of his mind.

Only to be met with an equally miffed expression on the naga’s face.

“And what are you so upset about?” Hajime demanded, crossing his arms and trying to step out of the creature’s hold on him.

But it got tighter, his waist being pinched hard enough that he couldn’t get out without some serious effort. Nagito’s tongue darted out frequently and rapidly, eyes narrowing with each second. “I have every reason to be upset. Your attention is being stolen! The company you are keeping is taking you away from me!” Tears began gathering at the corners of the reptilian eyes. “Am I not enough? What do I need to do for you to not replace me!? I can do more!”

The brunette raised an eyebrow. “What on earth are you talking about? I’m not replacing you! My coworkers only have my attention for tonight. They aren’t moving in. Surely you know that.”

“I’m not talking about the other humans!” Nagito cried out with distress.

Wait… he wasn’t talking about Makoto, Cereji or Luna? So that meant… “Hold on. Are you jealous of the ball python?”

Nagito buried his face into the human’s body as best as he could. He rubbed his cheek against him as if trying to replace the previous scent. He must have smelled the new snake when it entered the property. “I’m the only one you need! So don’t let that one live here!” One of his eyes made contact with his. “If it comes to it, I’ll defend my territory. I’ll make sure it knows who the superior reptile here is. And who has claim over this land and its inhabitants.”

Hajime patted the skin in front of him. “First of all, the snake doesn’t even belong to any of us. One of my coworkers is pet sitting for a friend. Second, it would be no match for you. Third, we need to really work on these abandonment issues. We have been having so many crises lately.” He sighed. “I don’t know how long it will take until you fully accept that I’m not leaving you or forgetting about you. But I’ll remind you as many times as it takes.”

“Oh…”

“My…”

Sudden voices from right behind him made him freeze. He saw Nagito’s eyes widen as well. They both glanced over, seeing Cereji and Luna staring wide eyed at them.

Makoto looked frantic. “I’m sorry! I tried to stop them! But they wanted to know who had been speaking!”

So they had heard Nagito and him talk. Guess the walls of his home weren’t very soundproof. So it naturally attracted the attention of his guests. And he would have felt the need to panic, if not for the fact that the two looked thrilled and excited.

“Hajime! I can’t believe you kept the fact that you know a naga a secret!” Luna cried out.

“He must be the one who gave you the scale! The rest of him is just as amazing!” Cereji tacked on.

Hajime managed to escape from the claws in the moment of confusion as Nagito didn’t look like he knew quite how to react. “Before anything, I need you two to promise me to not tell anyone. I don’t want loads of people on my property trying to see a naga. Would ruin the peace around here.”

“Of course we won’t say anything!” Cereji quickly assured.

Luna then noticed more details. She rushed forward to Nagito’s face, patting the skin. “Oh you poor dear. Were you upset? Did we take attention away from you? Don’t worry! We can shower you with attention now!”

Cereji approached the other side, patting the skin as well. “We have lots to give!”

Nagito finally reacted, a smile growing as he relaxed. “Attention sounds wonderful. I would like that a lot.”

Squeals of excitement sounded before the two younger humans plastered themselves to the naga, giving him the best hugs they could manage.

Makoto walked up to stand by Hajime, who honestly was baffled by the turn of events. He had not expected this to happen whatsoever. But he wasn’t complaining. Seeing Nagito so happy made him happy.

“I guess… we won’t have anything to worry about,” Makoto commented, laughing a bit at the sight.

Hajime grinned. “Yeah. I think things will be just fine now.” They definitely had some things to work on, but he felt content for the night. They could experience the joy of company all together, without leaving anyone behind.

Masterpost