Gtronpa - Tumblr Posts

Art trade!!!

Writing is a form of art, right? Anyways, this is my piece of the trade with @moontail13. Inspired from a piece of art we really liked by @tortadecereji. Hope you like it!

There were many pros to owning a home near a great and large forest. Plenty of space, noise minimal, and a sense of calm that was simply not present in a city. Clean air and pleasantly dark nights were also wonderful.

But if someone asked Hajime what a con was to living near the woods, he would have told them the wildlife.

More specifically, a particular animal. One of the reptilian variety. And one that was currently tapping a large claw on the glass of his large balcony door.

“Haaajimmeeeeee,” a sly and hypnotizing voice slithered in, much like it’s owner’s method of travel. But the human grabbed the extra pillow and put it over his head, turning his body away from the doors. Couldn’t he enjoy sleeping in at least once? Was that too much to ask?

Apparently it was, as the tapping became more incessant. “I know you can hear me, my little treat. So why don’t you come out and greet me? You don’t want to be rude to a guest, do you?”

If it was anyone else, then yes, Hajime would spring up to welcome them. But this creature was an exception to that. So he continued to try and ignore the voice. Maybe today he will give up and leave.

But a part of him knew it was foolish to think there was even a chance at that happening. The creature outside his home had proven on multiple occasions to be very persistent.

“Oh my! No response from my dear Hajime? Is he possibly in trouble? I guess I have no choice but to investigate!”

That was all the warning he got before the door slid open, slowly and teasingly. Hajime stayed still in a pitiful attempt to avoid detection. But of course, it didn’t work. That much was evident when a large heat source approached him and enclosed around his body. Once he felt the physical contact, that’s when he gave up being still and began wiggling to escape, the blanket falling away from his body as he was raised. The creature chuckled as he felt the useless struggle, pulling his captured prey away from the bed and out the balcony door.

Hajime glared as best as he could while adjusting to the bright and harsh light that he was suddenly exposed to. “Nagito! I told you to stop doing this!”

He got a fanged smile in response. “And good morning to you, small one.”

Nagito was not a usual woodland creature. His classification was one of the Naga species. A creature with the upper torso of a human and the tail of a serpent. In Nagito’s case, his scales were a beautiful emerald green with golden belly scales. And he was large. Very large. So large that he could easily hold a person in his hand. Which was what he was currently doing with Hajime.

The human continued to try and escape, if only to show his agitation at the whole situation. “It is NOT a good morning. I thought you made a promise to me that you wouldn’t do this again! Clearly you broke it!”

“Ah ah ah, I did not break my promise,” Nagito replied, not losing his cheeky grin. “I promised you that I would try to work on this habit. And I did try, only to fail. Therefore, I kept my word!” He turned his body to the forest, beginning to slither in that direction. “Now then, let us go!”

“Wait! Hold on! Don’t I get a say in this!?” Hajime cried out, struggles increasing as he saw his house grow distant with every passing second.

“Hmmm… Nope!” Nagito cheerily announced, ruffling the short brown hair. “I shut the door behind you, so nothing will get into the house. So there’s nothing to worry about!”

They passed the forest's edge, the large trees soon blocking the view of his house. And that was what finally killed the fight in Hajime. He went limp in the naga’s hold, surrendering to his fate of entertaining the creature for the day.

It didn’t go unnoticed. “There we go. I knew you would come around!” Nagito lifted him up and gently nuzzled him against his cheek. “Don’t worry, I’ll take us to the berry grove first. I still find it fascinating how often your kind needs to eat. It’s much simpler to eat a large meal once a week. You should try it!”

Hajime sighed and let the creature do what he wanted. “No thanks, I would rather not starve.”

Nagito hummed as he continued through the forest. “It would be unfortunate if my favorite human got sick from malnourishment. It would cut down on our time together. It is already a pain when I have to let you go to do your job. I can’t follow you into your home.”

“Don’t you dare try. You will wreck it,” Hajime ordered. He worked from home and needed to stay inside to get enough connection to work properly. It had taken a lengthy explanation to the naga to acquire that undisturbed time. He relished in it.

He didn’t hate the time spent with Nagito. But the creature’s insistence to be together almost all the time could be very draining.

“We are here!” Nagito announced, lowering his hand down to the ground and releasing his captive. “Eat as much as you want! They should be very ripe!”

Hajime stumbled a bit, regaining his footing after a few seconds. He stood up straight and watched as the naga moved away from him and towards some large flat rocks. He curled his snake half up on the rocks and laid his human half on the grass, sighing in contentment as he began warming up from the sunlight.

The sight made Hajime pause. He looked so relaxed and happy like this. And the human had to admit that the sight was a pretty one. The green scales sparkled in the sunlight, much like precious gemstones. And the rest of his features were easy on the eyes as well.

Hajime stopped himself, shaking his head before focusing on filling his complaining stomach. Just as the naga had said, the fruit was ripe. He was able to eat a fair few before he felt satisfied.

Now that the issue of hunger was gone, he wondered what was next. Often, Nagito would immediately scoop him back up and carry him off to explore the forest. But the large creature showed no intention of moving from his current spot, basking in the sun’s rays.

Hajime knew better than to wander off and away from the naga. As beautiful as the forest was, it was still full of potential danger. He didn’t know it very well and had no ideas as to what direction was the correct way to return to his home. And also, the other wild animals that were present. Being near the naga deterred the others from attempting anything.

Nagito was his key to returning home. A fact that the creature knew as well, hence why he wasn’t monitoring at the moment.

But as annoying as this situation could be, Hajime did find some enjoyment out of it. He was able to see so much that many could not. And he could do so with a guarantee of safety. There was also the fact that it provided the human with some social contact, as his home was a bit isolated.

There were pros. There were cons. But that was true of most things in life.

Settling on that conclusion, he began moving. Seeing as there wasn’t much to do now, he did the first thing that popped into his mind. He was bored and still a bit tired, so he decided to go join the naga in his warm spot.

He reached the large creature and took a seat on the grass, leaning back against the crossed arms. The touch alerted the naga to his presence, a single reptilian eye opening. “Hajime? Are you done?”

“Yeah,” he confirmed. “But I know you won’t move once you are comfortable. So I figured I might as well do the same.”

A moment of silence. Then the large arms moved. It happened so fast that it took the human a few seconds to realize what had occurred. Nagito had moved him so that he was now inside the space behind his crossed arms, close to his face and neck. “Ahhh, this is much better. Don’t you agree?”

While his personal space was all but gone, he did think it was a bit more comfortable. The light was blocked and he was in shadow. But it was still a nice and warm temperature. His sleepiness returned full force at this conclusion. “Sure. Now I’m going to take a nap. No rude awakenings this time.”

He heard a giggle as he laid down and closed his eyes. “I suppose I can do that. Sleep well, my little one.”

Masterpost

Welp, I ended up enjoying writing the first Naga Nagito drabble that I wanted to do another. And so I did! Cause none can stop me. I HAVE THE POWER OF WRITING!!! Anyhoo, this is again based off artwork by @tortadecereji. Hope ya like!

Hajime looked around his living room another time, making sure things were fine. The room was neat and clean, vacuumed and dusted. His kitchen was stocked with all kinds of food and drink, a variety just in case. The room temperature was nice, not too warm and not too cold. And most importantly, the absence of a certain individual.

Hajime’s coworker, Makoto Naegi, was coming to visit his home. It would be his first visitor to his new place, his parents living much too far away. So he found himself working hard to make sure the visit was a comfortable one. And that included more factors than one would usually worry about.

See, Hajime’s “neighbor” had a tendency to pop by whenever he felt like it. The forest’s naga, Nagito. And on his most recent visit, Hajime had stressed and repeated multiple times that he was going to be busy with company and to NOT drop by. He didn’t want one of the few people willing to visit him to be scared off.

The giant creature had mulled it over for a few seconds, before giving a half answer that wasn’t very clear if he understood or not. But this was all he could do. And so far, from his multiple glances out the window, he hadn’t come by. No reptilian eyes visible at the forest’s edge. Good.

His phone buzzed, indicating that he got a text. And glancing at the message revealed that Makoto had arrived. So he went to the front door and opened it. “You made it. I hope it wasn’t too confusing of a drive.”

Makoto shook his head. “Not at all! It was a very nice drive! So many trees on either side of the road. It must be very peaceful out here!”

Hajime couldn’t help but laugh a little. His days were anything but peaceful. But his coworker didn’t need to know that. “Well, come on in. I can give you a tour of the place.”

And that’s what the next ten minutes were dedicated to. Hajime took Makoto all around the house, showing every room and how each was decorated. His coworker seemed impressed, eyes sparkling and clearly interested.

When they reached the living room, something specific had caught his coworker’s eye. On the mantle above the fireplace was a single emerald green scale, about the size of a cutting board. Makoto had walked over and admired it. “This is beautiful! It looks like a scale. Where did you find it?”

Hajime kept his cool. It wasn’t all that rare for people to have naga scales in their homes. They were rare creatures and were not often seen. But most knew they existed. And having a scale in one’s home was said to be a good luck charm. Whether or not it was good luck in Hajime’s case, he couldn’t definitively say yet. “Someone gave it to me. He said it was a housewarming gift.”

Makoto looked over, curious. “Oh wow! They must be a good friend to give you this.”

Hajime shrugged, a half smile on his face. “I suppose we are more or less friends. But enough about that, let’s get something to eat and drink.”

His coworker looked like he had wanted to ask more, but thankfully read the tone and didn’t say any more. And after one last glance at the scale, he joined his host in the kitchen.

Soon enough, they were sitting on the couch with their plates and drinks on the coffee table in front of them. They had several lines of discussion while they ate. Some about work, and others about their own lives. Eventually it came to how living in the house had been going.

“It’s a nice house, that’s for certain. It’s quiet at night and it can feel so tranquil. It’s great for focusing on work, no distractions. And for the most part, the wildlife keeps to themselves and don’t bother me.”

Makoto raised an eyebrow. “For the most part?”

Hajime sighed and leaned back. “Yeah. There’s been one creature that has been… an attention hog, shall we say. He has been coming to my home at all hours, though he loves dropping by in the mornings. That’s why I’m sometimes a little late to our online meetings.”

“Really? What kind of animal is he? I’m assuming he’s a large o-” Makoto’s words cut off as the sunlight from the patio doors was blocked, a large shadow darkening the room. And his eyes widened in surprise and slight fear, locked on something behind him.

Oh no, Hajime thought as he turned around. And he saw the naga’s large eye peeking in through the glass. He got to his feet and stormed over, throwing the door open. “What did I tell you yesterday!? To NOT come around! Now go back!” he shouted in frustration.

But Nagito didn’t appear to really take in the words, instead smiling. “You came out on your own! I didn’t even have to snatch you! And I see you have a little friend with you. He should come out to say hi too, don’t you think?”

Hajime stalked forward more, finger sharply poking the skin under the eye. “No. Listen to me for once. Go home.”

But again, the words were useless. Nagito reached a hand up and positioned it behind the human. Fingers curled and he was soon locked in the naga’s grip. Both he and the human part of the creature rose off the ground. “Someone sounds grumpy. I know! I think we should go have fun! And your little friend can join in too! Let me get him!”

Seeing the naga’s other hand begin to move to the open patio door, Hajime saw red. His rage grew too high. And he exploded. “NAGITO!!! THAT’S ENOUGH!!! STOP THIS INSTANT!!!”

The large creature paused, having never heard the human sound like this. “Hajime? Is something wrong?”

If his arms had been free, he surely would have thrown them up into the air in exasperation. “Oh!? Is something wrong!? Let me think! How about the fact that you ignored my direct request and did exactly what you knew I didn’t want you to do!? And how you disregard everything I say?! All of the time?! And to top it all off, you were planning on grabbing someone who doesn’t know you! Think of how terrifying that would have been for him!”

Nagito looked upset. “I…” he tried to speak, voice tiny in comparison to his earlier one.

Hajime stared directly into his eyes. “Put. Me. Down,” he commanded.

And the naga did so, slowly moving his hand down and releasing him on the ground. Nagito’s expression was sad as he slithered away from the house, slower than usual. He knew he had messed up. He had made the human actually mad. And so he was removing himself from the house’s perimeter.

Hajime watched him for a few seconds before returning into the house. He had an explanation to give. “I’m so sorry about this Makoto. I tried to tell him that tonight wasn’t an option. But he doesn’t like to listen to me.”

His coworker still seemed a bit frazzled, but not nearly as much as earlier. “I’m okay! Just… didn’t expect that. Does… that happen often?”

Hajime ran a hand through his hair. “Way more that you think. Practically every day.”

“I… have never heard you get that angry. It was surprising. You usually are so even-tempered,” the shorter man observed.

“Crap, you heard? I’m sorry again. I don’t like getting angry. I feel so guilty about it afterwards. Even now, when I had a legitimate reason,” he said, glancing out the patio door.

Some silence occured as he stared outside. But Makoto broke it with a question. “So… is he the one that gave you the scale?”

“Yeah. Plucked it right off his body. He wanted to give me a gift of some kind. He says that no one really comes around these parts. And that I’m the first person to live here in a while.”

“Really? Sounds like he’s lonely,” Makoto commented. “Is that maybe why he comes around so often? Because he has no one else to talk to?”

“If that’s true, then that explains some things. Namely his lack of social cues and awareness,” Hajime replied. He groaned a bit. “Guess that means I can’t really fault him for his actions. But I do need to establish some firm boundaries. Namely to not scare any of my guests.”

Makoto laughed a bit at that. “If you are worried about me not coming back, don’t fret! I would be more than happy to come over another time! As for your naga friend, if he isn’t threatening and dangerous, then I wouldn’t mind interacting with him.”

The taller man raised a brow. “Huh? You wouldn’t mind? No offense, but I didn’t think you would want to be close to something like him. You get terrified at the Halloween decorations at the office parties.”

Makoto’s cheeks flushed a bit with embarrassment. “Well, this is a different situation. And seeing as you are free of wounds, I’m assuming he’s careful when holding you, as he demonstrated earlier.”

Hajime crossed his arms and closed his eyes for a few moments, thinking. He reopened them once he came to a decision. “Alright, I’ll go talk to him.”

His coworker looked a little surprised. “Huh? Right now? Didn’t he go back into the forest?”

He pulled the patio door open again. “I have a feeling he didn’t actually leave. That he’s still close by. Feel free to come if you want, just stay a little distance away to be out of the snatching zone.”

“O-okay!” Surprisingly, Makoto actually did come with him, following behind as they walked around the house and towards the woods. And just as Hajime had thought, the naga was still here. He was laying on the ground right on the forest’s edge, moping. He was absentmindedly pushing a stone around, small for him, but an enormous boulder for the humans.

He twitched when he heard the footsteps approaching, but didn’t look over. Not until he was directly addressed.

“Nagito. We need to talk.”

The large creature flinched, as if afraid. But he still slowly turned to face the human. He instructed Makoto to stay where he was as he approached the naga. He got very close, close enough that he could be touched. But Nagito didn’t move, too worried to try.

“First of all,” Hajime began. “You do realize why I am upset with you, right?”

Nagito looked like he was trying to melt into the floor. “Because I came by when you told me not to.”

“Correct. And do you understand why I wasn’t happy with this?”

“Yes,” the naga whispered.

Hajime moved so that they made eye contact. “So what drove you to do it anyway?”

Nagito looked sheepish, a vast contrast to his usual attitude. “Well… when you told me that another human was going to be coming here, I was overjoyed. I don’t get to see many, as I live so far away from your kind’s typical civilizations. I guess… I forgot how jarring the size difference can be at a first interaction. I grew used to your reactions. So part of me thought it would go well. But I can see that I was foolish to think that. And also, thinking about you having a guest made me long for your attention as well, I suppose.”

Hajime walked up more, reaching out and placing a hand on the large creature’s cheek. “Listen to me. I don’t dislike your company. And I know you like mine. But you need to understand and accept that I can’t spend every second with you. I have things I need and want to do that require us to be apart. But that doesn’t mean I will forget about you and leave you alone for good. So can you respect my wishes for time by myself? And to follow instructions if I give any to you?”

A few tears gathered at the corner of the naga’s eyes as he gave a small, wobbly smile. “Yeah, I can do that.”

The human saw Nagito’s hands twitch, subtly indicating what he wanted. He sighed and relented. “Fine. You can do it,” he said.

Nearly squealing with happiness, the naga happily obliged. Hajime felt his feet lift off the ground again as he was hugged against the large cheek. Clearly, he was back into positive spirits. And hopefully he would be more responsive to instructions in the future.

But then Hajime recalled his guest. He turned as best he could and peered down to the other. “Alright, things are fine now. Nagito will be respectful to you.” He turned back to meet the reptilian green eye. “Right?”

Nagito laughed a bit. “I will, I promise.”

“Umm… okay!” Makoto took some steps forward, still a little cautious. But he did approach despite some lingering concerns. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Makoto Naegi. I work with Hajime.”

Nagito smiled wide, exposing his fangs. He leaned down a bit and extended a finger out, raising the human’s hand up and down to best simulate a handshake. “It is a pleasure to meet you. Please do come around some other time. If you want, I can show you around the forest! There are so many beautiful areas hidden in there. I would be happy to share them with you! Oh! We could even go now if you want!”

“Nagito,” Hajime said in a warning tone.

To which the naga deflated a bit. “Ah, my apologies. I got a bit excited.”

But Makoto didn’t seem wary or uncomfortable. “That’s a generous offer. Maybe not tonight and probably not next time. But perhaps I will accept at one point.”

Nagito nodded. “I understand. I shall respect your wishes.” He began nuzzling Hajime again. “In the meantime, I’ll devote my attention to you. Aren’t you glad?”

Hajime rolled his eyes but let the naga do what he wanted. The evening had not gone exactly as he had planned. But, he found that he didn’t mind the change. Perhaps this was a good start to something. Better communication? If so, he looked forward to the results.

Masterpost

How many drabbles of this au am I going to do? The answer is: yes.

So here, take this.

Inspired from @tortadecereji

They actually did a drawing of Naga Nagi and Haji being cute. Go check it out here!

When traveling through the woods with a naga, there were several ways to accomplish it, as Hajime had discovered. The least effective way was him walking on the ground with Nagito slithering next to him. That method resulted in little ground coverage, so it was not one that was utilized often.

Which meant that he was carried in various fashions. Sometimes on a shoulder, where he held onto the white hair for balance. Other times, in the naga’s hands, which was the creature’s favorite. And on other days, such as today, Hajime rode around in the white hair.

The naga’s hair was extremely soft and fluffy, almost unusually so. Especially given the fact that Nagito lived in the forest. But he didn’t try and fry brain cells thinking about it. All he needed to do was hold on to it and enjoy. Which was fairly easy to do, as the naga’s movements were slow and practically graceful. Hajime never worried about falling.

“We are almost there,” Nagito announced cheerily, continuing steadily through the trees. The human hummed in response, indicating that he heard. But other than that, he really didn’t move much from his position. This one was very nice, in his opinion. It was like he was on the world’s softest bed. He was sure that he could easily fall asleep up here. He was even tempted to try.

But a certain someone needed attention. “We are here! It’s really pretty today!” A large hand rose up and poked the human’s back. “You like it?”

Hajime patted the finger and rose to a sitting position. He took in the sight in front of him. An absolutely stunning waterfall. The sunlight hit the spray just right and created a rainbow midway down.

Nagito paused near the edge, looking around himself. But then he continued forward, much to Hajime’s surprise. “Hey! Wait! What are you doing?” he shouted, grabbing tighter to the white locks.

“Huh?” Nagito inquired with an innocent tone. “It’s warm today, so I wanted to cool off. Don’t worry! I won’t put my head under! You won’t get wet!”

The human relaxed, tension leaving his body at the words. So he didn’t protest as the creature went deeper and deeper into the water. The pond beneath the waterfall was deeper than he expected, enough so that Nagito was able to get in up to his shoulders. He sighed in contentment, but made sure to keep his head still. “This feels so nice. You should try it with me one day!”

Hajime leaned back on his hands, staring up at the roaring waterfall. “Perhaps. I’ll need to wear swimming trunks if we do.”

The head underneath him vibrated from the giggle. “I look forward to it.”

Together, they enjoyed the sounds of nature. The rushing water, the croak of frogs, and the wind rustling the trees. Peaceful and beautiful. And something Hajime was growing to appreciate.

After a half hour, it occured to the human that he had never properly thanked the naga for showing him these sights. He had been too caught up with being annoyed at being snatched away from his home with little input. But since their talk a week ago, things had gotten better. Nagito still had moments, but still, it was better. So he figured now was a good time to express his appreciation.

He patted the hair, hard enough to get its owner’s attention. “Hey Nagito. There’s something… I want to tell you.”

“Oh? Whatever could it be?” the naga said excitedly.

Well, here goes. Might as well come out and say it. “I just wanted to th-”

A loud sound interrupted him. And more followed after the first one. Hajime knew that sound. Gunfire. Someone was shooting in the woods.

He felt himself get angry. Whoever was shooting, they were not supposed to be here. Let alone use firearms. “I’ll tell you later. This requires our attention more.”

Nagito began creeping forward, towards the bank. “I agree,” he replied in a cold, flat voice. “It seems there are trespassers in our woods. And they have brought along objects that I strongly dislike. They need to be dealt with.”

If not for the fact that he knew they were on the same page, Hajime would have been worried and maybe even scared. He had never heard the naga talk like this. It was clear that Nagito was ready to chase these trespassers out.

“Let’s sneak up and see what we are dealing with first. If things look relatively negotiable, then I shall go and talk to them. If they get hostile, then you may come in. Does this work for you?” Hajime asked as the snake scales met dry land.

“Yes. But do know that I shall swoop in the second I feel you are in danger.” Nagito raised a hand up to the top of his head, offering a platform for his passenger. Hajime got on, feeling himself being lowered. Nagito put him on the ground when they were closer to the sound’s origins. Which turned out to be near the waterfall’s edge.

The naga had placed him towards the top, so he didn’t have to climb much. Meanwhile, the creature himself remained hidden, the cliff obstructing the sight of him. With one last silent confirmation of his location, Hajime walked forward.

He came across two men, both about mid twenties and each kneeling over their own firearm. They were both excitedly blabbering to each other, counting out the magazines of bullets next to their weapons. It appeared to be safe to approach.

“What are you doing here?” he demanded, tone stern. It freaked the trespassers out, them scrambling back a few steps from the new voice.

“Wh-where did you come from!?” one asked.

“That is not important. What is is that you are on private land. You cannot be here,” Hajime stated.

The two glanced at each other before turning back to the angry man in front of them. “Well, we just got these and wanted to try them out! Surely it’s fine to shoot a few rounds and maybe bag a buck! Come on, you can let us do that right?”

“No. Please leave.” Hajime spoke firmly, wanting to give no indication that he could be bargained with. “I wish for this forest to remain untouched and untainted. Take everything you brought and go back.”

But instead of listening, the brunette could see the stubbornness and frustration begin forming in the trespassers’ eyes. Not a good sign. “You know, you are not being super smart right now,” one commented.

Hajime crossed his arms and retained his unbothered expression. “How so?”

The other gestured to the weapons on the ground. “You are interrogating two armed men. You are unarmed and alone. You better choose your next words wisely. That is, if you don’t want to get hurt.”

Hajime raised an eyebrow. “Who said I was alone?”

He could both hear and feel the movement right behind him. Nagito had heard the threat and was none too pleased. He ascended from his position, towering over the humans. All the while glaring and hissing, fangs exposed.

The blood in the trespassers' faces drained at the sight and sound. They were now terrified beyond belief. And they screamed when Nagito brought a fist down next to them, destroying the firearms. Their legs collapsed under them, the terror rendering them temporarily immobile.

Hajime took this time to step forward, phone camera unlocked. He took a few pictures of their faces while they were distracted. “Show me your identification,” he requested.

The two scrambled to do so after their inactivity made Nagito hiss louder. They handed their driving licenses to the more relaxed human, who took pictures of them as well.

He handed them back. “I have your faces and information now. I could potentially report you to the authorities for trespassing and threats. But I shall refrain on two conditions.” He held up a finger. “One, that you never return to this forest.” The second finger joined the first. “And two, that you do not tell anyone about my naga. He is to remain a secret. Do you understand?”

Frantic nods. It was clear they had no intention of breaking these conditions. So Hajime felt confident in letting them go. “Now please leave.”

They obeyed quicker than Hajime thought possible. They were gone in all of a minute. Once he was certain they were far enough away, he let out a heavy sigh. “This is not how I expected the day to go. Life is full of unexpected turns, I suppose.”

The sense of vertigo began as he was grabbed and raised. The naga was no longer threatening. Only worry was evident. “Are you okay? Are you hurt? Did they touch you? I heard them threatening you. I responded as soon as I heard it. Was I fast enough? Are you still scared? I can comfort you if you are! You did so well and were so brave. I’m so proud of you!” All of this was said as the creature nuzzled him delicately.

Hajime patted the large face near his. “I’m fine! I’m fine! Everything is okay now!” he assured, slightly exasperated. If he was being honest, the naga’s instant shift from terrifying to endearing was a bit mind reeling. “Honestly, I don’t think that they would have made good on their threat. I think they were just trying to scare me into compliance. But I am still grateful for your help.”

“I’m glad! Now our forest is peaceful again!” Nagito cheered.

The human took notice of something. “You said this earlier, and just now. You consider these woods… ours? Not only yours?”

Nagito nodded. “Of course! I may not fully understand the details on owning property, but I know this forest technically belongs to you. And you have allowed me to remain its guardian. So I think it is appropriate to consider it ours!” His green eyes then squinted as he smirked. “And do not think I didn’t notice what you said earlier as well. You called me your naga. Oh, it is such an honor that you consider me yours.”

Hajime blushed, having momentarily forgotten exactly what he had said. But he didn’t deny the words, which made Nagito even happier.

He hugged the human against his cheek. “You truly are the greatest human. I am so glad we met. And I hope for so many more years together.”

Hajime felt his face flush even more. “Yeah, yeah. I’m glad to have met you, too.” He smiled and leaned into the embrace. “And thank you, for everything.”

Masterpost

Looks amazing! I’m so glad you liked my drabbles!

From @draconicsparkle 's last drabble of this au!Also, if u haven't read it yet go check it out!

Have our big snake boy and his smoll bf. They're cute

Another one!

This time, it’s a prompt requested by @tortadecereji. To which I am happy to deliver!

Especially since they actually drew a few scenes from my last drabble. And my goodness they are wonderful! I love them so much.

Here, check it check it!

Hajime and Nagito were excited, though one was visibly more so than the other. Makoto and another person were coming to visit. And this time, they were staying the night.

It was the younger man’s celebration on getting a promotion and Hajime wanted to give him a unique gift in the form of a quiet retreat in the woods for a night. To which he happily accepted. And Hajime even offered for his girlfriend to come along. He knew Kyoko was trustworthy and could keep secrets, so he was not worried about Nagito being around.

And when he told the naga that he was welcome to attend, well… he was very happy to say the least. Hajime was sure the hug lasted a whole half hour.

But that is why he was present at the house when a nice, fancy car pulled up into the house’s driveway, the couple stepping out. Kyoko was the daughter of the CEO of the company’s partner, so it wasn’t a surprise that she had access to such options. But other than the car and professional clothing, Kyoko didn’t flaunt her position. She worked hard at her job in her father’s company and was respected by all. But none could beat Makoto in respect, as he thought his girlfriend was amazing in everything she did. He liked her a whole lot. Which was good, considering they were dating.

The respect went both ways, as the cool headed woman also admired Makoto’s optimism about life and his drive to be friendly with everyone. They were a good match, and Hajime couldn’t be happier for them. Hence his extension of the invitation to her as well.

The two walked up to the house, Kyoko’s only visible reaction to the large creature being a quick raised eyebrow. “I see we have extra company. I take it he lives nearby?” she inquired.

Hajime nodded, patting the scales next to him. “Yes, he does. This is Nagito. He will be joining us for the evening.”

The naga dipped his head in a nod. “Nice to meet you!” The reptilian eyes shifted over to Makoto. “Hajime told me that something really good happened for you and that this is a celebration. So I wanted to give a gift as well!” He lowered his hand down, extending it to the shorter male. “I hope it’s good enough. I can’t exactly go shopping, as you are well aware.”

On his large hand was a green scale, shining bright like an emerald. Makoto gasped as he took it in his own hands. “You… you are giving me one of your scales? Are you absolutely sure?”

Nagito smiled, happy that his gift had been received with positivity. “Of course! I have plenty so it’s not like I will miss it.” He moved the lower half of his body, displaying the glistening green that covered his snake tail. “I know having a naga scale in your home is considered good luck. So this is my gift to you, in hopes that your future continues to shine bright.”

“That’s so thoughtful! Thank you! We shall treasure it!” Makoto exclaimed, delicately handing it to his girlfriend. “Isn’t it really pretty?”

Kyoko inspected the scale. “It is. We should place it in the office. It would help inspire motivation.”

The two continued to discuss the interior decoration of their office space. Hajime tuned out as he leaned back against the snake tail, glancing up to the naga’s face. “I think they like the gift. Good thinking.”

Nagito leaned down, resting on his own coils. “I’m glad!” He peered down at the human, poking him in the side with a claw. “The thing I was worried about most, actually, was you getting jealous of me giving a scale to someone else besides you. Don’t worry! You are still my favorite human! You can have as many scales as you want! Would that perhaps prove my loyalty to you?”

Hajime snickered. “No, that’s not required. I am very aware of your devotion.”

The naga let out a breath of relief, ruffling the human’s hair. Another grin and a pat, and then Hajime rose again to stand straight. “Alright. I have food and drinks set out on the outdoor patio table. We can sit out there so that Nagito can be with us. If you want to follow me around back.”

The couple nodded and did so, settling down in the two chairs that were set out. They also watched as the naga slithered around the backside of the home, curling his tail and laying his human half on his stomach, arms crossed and content. Kyoko did question one thing though. “There are only two chairs. Where do you plan on sitting?”

Hajime didn’t move as he felt a large hand lift him up and place him on a pale forearm, his back resting against the soft cheek. “I think someone wants me to sit by him. So this is where I’ll be.”

The woman simply nodded in understanding, not making much further comment about it. And thus, socialization began. The topic of discussion varied from minute to minute. Lots of different things were talked about. And it eventually landed on how Hajime was liking his life in this home.

“It has been nice living here. My one neighbor and I figured ourselves out and have been doing well. I get to see many unique things in the woods thanks to this guy,” Hajime said, causing a pleased hum from the naga. “We did have one incident that was less than ideal a few months ago, but we dealt with it quickly and efficiently.”

“Huh? You did? I don’t think I remember you saying anything about this. What happened, if you don’t mind me asking?” Makoto asked with curiosity in his eyes.

“Oh, it wasn’t too crazy. Just a few trespassers with firearms that wouldn’t listen to reason so Nagito had to scare them away,” Hajime casually retold, feeling Nagito nod slowly in agreement.

“Excuse me… did I hear that correctly?” Kyoko asked, expression serious. “Two armed men intruded and refused to leave. So your naga had to get involved in their departure?”

“Yes, that’s what occurred!” Nagito answered. “They left the forest with no injuries and broken weapons. They are fortunate that I didn’t resort to violence.”

Kyoko met his large green eyes. “Would you resort to violence?”

Nagito firmly looked back. “I will do anything to keep Hajime safe. He is the most important thing in the world to me. Nothing else comes close. And I shall protect what I hold dear.”

A few beats of silence followed the declaration. Hajime himself was trying to fight the redness that was wanting to color his cheeks. Once he managed, he cleared his throat. “Well, hopefully it will never come to that. Anyways, let’s move on to something else.”

Everyone was fine with that and the subject line changed. The group continued until late into the evening, when the sun was about to disappear. It was about then that Hajime guided his guests inside and up to the bedroom. “You may take this room for the night. It should be big enough for you both.”

“Oh! But isn’t this your bedroom? Are you sure it’s okay for us to use it?” Makoto looked unsure.

“Positive,” the taller man told them. “I shall stay on the couch for tonight. It’s quite comfortable so I will be just fine.” There was also the fact that it was close enough to the patio door that he could see the naga, who wanted to stay close by tonight. But they didn’t need to know that. “Well then, have a good night.”

He returned to the living room, the last bit of sunlight hitting the green scale on the mantle. It was a very pretty sight. It inspired him to return outside, where the large creature was waiting.

“They are staying in my room for tonight. So don’t even think of disturbing them,” he commanded, pointing right in between the reptilian eyes.

The naga’s expression screamed innocence. “I would never! Such honored guests deserve the best treatment.”

Hajime crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow. “Oh? And I do deserve to be disturbed and awakened early in the morning?”

Nagito simply scooped up the human, nuzzling him as they moved slightly away from the house. “You know you like me! So you will always forgive me.”

Hajime grumbled a bit. “You having this information is dangerous. You utilize it too much.” But he didn’t struggle in the creature’s hold, allowing him to place him on a soft bit of grass. Nagito then proceeded to curl up around him, until all he could see was green coils and the naga’s upper torso. “Are we sleeping here?” he inquired, already knowing there was no possibility of leaving now.

“Yes, that was my plan. And don’t worry! Even if some people drive by, I’ll just look like a small grassy hill. It’s all fine,” Nagito assured, getting closer to snuggle as best he could. His nose ended up nestled next to the human’s stomach, him sighing happily once in this comfortable position. “Goodnight, my little Hajime. May you have pleasant dreams.”

Hajime closed his eyes as the warmth around him began sinking in. “I hope you do as well.”

And so the two drifted off, lulled into slumber by the sounds of nature.

But it didn’t last.

About two hours after, something pulled them out of their sleep. A car engine, approaching the house and then cutting off. Both the human and the naga stayed still and silent, listening in for any more clues.

“Oh, dude! Look at that baby in the driveway!”

“What the heck!? This guy must be loaded. Got such a fancy car and all.”

“Bros. What if we, like, went in to borrow the keys to this. And help relieve him of the burden of some other things?”

“Oh yeah! We would totes be doing ‘im a favor by doing this. I’m game!”

“Me too! Let’s check it out.”

Three guys. And by the sound of it, ones that were intending to break in and steal his things.

The low beginnings of a hiss rumbled in the tight space in the coils. Nagito was very much not happy about these people. “Filthy intruders. They will regret their decision tonight.”

“Shhh. Don’t let them hear you,” Hajime frantically told the creature. “But yes, they need to be stopped. Makoto and Kyoko are still in the house. They are also in danger.”

He remembered that the patio door was open, so he got a bit worried. “Okay, I need to go in and get something to defend myself with and make sure everything is secure. Keep an eye out and make sure they don’t sneak up on me from behind.”

Nagito hissed again. “I don’t like that you are willingly putting yourself in danger again.”

Hajime met his eyes. “But it’s necessary.”

After a few seconds, the naga uncoiled enough for there to be a gap. Hajime managed to squeeze through, looking back to see the green eyes staring out of the gap. “I’ll be careful. And you do the same.”

And with that, he silently and quickly made his way to the patio door. He had no idea if these men had anything dangerous on them, so he didn’t want to startle them. It was best to strike first and knock them out with a single blow. That was his line of thinking as he went into the kitchen and grabbed something he thought would be useful. A heavy frying pan, solid and sturdy. This would work well.

His next move was to check the front door. It was locked tight and would not budge. He heard the men try the doorknob soon after, a few bangs as they tried to ram into it.

“This thing is solid! Won’t move at all! Let’s try another door,” he heard one say, and the footsteps retreated to go around the house.

He knew he had only the patio door left. And that one was not as secure. So that one needed more defending. So that was his next destination, maneuvering around his household furniture with ease in the dark. He was next to the door soon, pan at the ready.

The intruders approached not long after, jiggling the door handle and making excited noises as it opened. “We are in, boys! Now, let’s see what we can fi-”

*BONK*

The man crumpled to the ground, knocked out cold by the heavy metallic appliance. The other two stared dumbfounded at their companion, not understanding what happened.

The sound of crunching metal also stole their attention, whipping their heads around to try and see what was happening. And their eyes bugged out at the sight of a huge naga constricting their car, destroying it completely. And they flinched as the green reptilian eyes locked onto them. With speed none were prepared for, the creature lunged forward, slamming the intruders onto the ground and knocking them out as well.

“May your mind be filled with nightmares for daring to threaten my Hajime,” he coldly told their unconscious bodies, gaze piercing.

It shifted immediately upon seeing the human in question. Concern now filled his eyes. “You are okay?” he asked quietly.

Hajime nodded. “Yes. I got the first one before they realized I was here.” He peeked around the large body. “And I see you took some anger out on their car.”

The naga smiled smugly. “I did. And I am glad I did.”

The human nudged one of the bodies with his foot. “Well, we should deal with these guys before they wake back up.”

And dealing with them consisted of Hajime taking pictures of their faces and IDs again, Nagito gathering the limp bodies in a tarp, and carrying them and their destroyed car far away from the property. They were dumped at the edge of the forest, close enough to civilization that they could walk. Hajime made sure of this, riding along on the naga’s shoulder to witness the creature placing them down in a more gentle way. He didn’t want them to be tossed aside and get further brain injuries. He didn’t need that in his conscience.

It was mostly quiet on the way back, though Hajime did speak up at one point. “I’m having a gate built. So that no one but those I invite can get in. And perhaps some signs and cameras. I don’t want a repeat of the last two instances. And if they try to get in through the forest, well, they will be at the mercy of the wildlife.”

Nagito peeked over at him, a mischievous grin present. “Am I included in the wildlife category?”

The human shrugged. “I suppose you are. But I will make the request that you try to not seriously injure anyone that tries. Just scare them off or knock them out. That should do just fine.”

“I suppose that is an acceptable request. Though there usually isn’t much that comes into the woods. It should be undisturbed for a while after tonight,” Nagito commented, looking up to the stars that were visible through the trees. “But there is one good thing that comes out of these incidents.”

Hajime was very curious about this. “Oh? What is it?”

Nagito returned his gaze to him. “They have solidified my trust that you have this forest’s best interests in mind. You want to protect it as much as I do. And I am eternally grateful.”

That was heartwarming to hear. And it certainly boosted the human’s spirits. He leaned against the creature’s neck, closing his eyes. “You’re welcome. I don’t plan on going anywhere. So I shall do my best to maintain this forest with you.”

A comfortable silence followed, all the way up until the house was in sight again. Hajime made an observation. “The lights aren’t on. Did they sleep through that entire thing?”

Nagito seemed a bit surprised at this too. “That is astounding. I wasn’t exactly quiet back there.”

The human shrugged again. “Well, I think it’s for the best. Let’s not ruin their weekend.”

No more was said as they returned to their previous position, falling asleep quickly. They went undisturbed until the morning, when Makoto and Kyoko walked outside and called out to the naga.

Hajime emerged from the coils, waving to his guests to signal his position. “Sorry. I know I said I would be on the couch, but the snake got needy.”

Makoto shook his head. “It’s fine! It’s fine! But did you at least get a good and full night’s sleep?”

Nagito and Hajime exchanged a look. “Yup, it was a nice night.”

Masterpost

Who wants another one!?

I know @moontail13 does, as this was requested by them. So here we are!

As always, inspired by the wondrous @tortadecereji . Do go check them and their adorable art out.

Hajime began stirring late into the morning. The gentle light coaxed him to rise as it shone through the window’s glass. And given the fact that it was the weekend, it was extra relaxing. And he hadn’t been disturbed at all.

It was a morning he was extra grateful for. He had learned to not take these for granted anymore.

A benefit that had come from his discussion with his not-so-human neighbor had been the decline of rude awakenings in the mornings. Nagito instead waited until the human got up first and then made the move to socialize. It was only when Hajime slept very late into the morning that the naga grew concerned and checked in on him. But that wasn’t a common occurance thankfully.

So Hajime got up at his own leisure, choosing an outfit for the day and walking downstairs to the kitchen, making himself a nice breakfast. And he was able to eat it all and even clean up after himself without interruption. It was amazing.

So he left his house in a very good mood, sliding the patio door shut behind him. He didn’t bother to lock it behind him. He had several security measures installed, making it very difficult for anyone to enter his property. So he felt like his house would be safe.

And so he walked towards the forest edge, seeing the naga resting there and waiting for him. Ever since the home intruders incident, Nagito had felt it best to sleep close by the house, so that he could guard the home should anything be foolish enough to try and attack again. Hence why he was here this morning.

Hajime approached the large creature, getting up close and next to the pale head. He placed a hand on the soft cheek, patting it a few times. “Alright, Nagito. I’m here.”

The reptilian eyes opened, blinking a few times to refocus. They then locked onto the human, causing a smile to grow. “Good morning! How was your sleep?”

Hajime returned his smile. “It was wonderful. I feel well rested. How about you?”

Nagito gently picked him up and nuzzled him. “Fantastic as well! It is much more comfortable to sleep on the soft grass than the hard floor of my cave. I prefer this location a lot more.”

That made the human curious. “Huh? Your cave? Is that where you are when not with me or in the forest?”

Nagito pulled back, a look of surprise evident. “I never told you? That’s strange. I figured I would have already.” The smile returned. “But yes. I took shelter and slept in a cave that’s deep in the forest.” An excited look then became dominant. “Would you like to see it? I can take you there today!””

The happiness and joy that the naga displayed certainly was infectious. “Sure. We can go there if you don’t mind me seeing it.”

“Of course! You are more than welcome to everything I have to offer!” Nagito raised them both off the ground. Hajime was lowered slightly, just about the height of the creature’s collarbone. “Let us be off!”

And so began another day of being carried through the woods. But Hajime certainly couldn’t complain when it was a comfortable and smooth ride. All he had to do was sit back, relax, and occasionally respond to a question or observation.

The distance traveled through the sea of green was much faster than he could ever be able to accomplish. Surely one of the benefits of being a large size. And Hajime was impressed with how seamlessly the creature fit through the gaps in the trees with well practiced movements. He knew his home very well.

And that idea sparked Hajime to ask a question. “So how far away is your cave? You said it was deep. But how deep? Would I be able to reach it?”

Nagito laughed. “Oh no. You would not come close. It’s very deep in and there are several dangerous areas that humans would have a very difficult time crossing. Plus, the animals further in tend to be more… how shall we say it… pushy and bossy? They don’t like when other creatures intrude. Even the herbivores. Though they have never given me any trouble.”

“I can only imagine why they wouldn’t challenge you,” Hajime replied sarcastically, earning another giggle from his transporter. “But noted. I shall not enter the forest without you.”

The naga moved one of his fingers and patted his claw against the human’s side. “Yes. Please do wait for me to take you in. As long as you are within my sight, I can protect you from harm.”

Hajime patted him back. “I will keep that in mind.”

The rest of the journey was fairly quiet, with an occasional observation from either party. It was a bit surprising how long it took though. The forest really was massive. It would have taken him more than a day to walk this far on his own.

“We are almost there!” Nagito exclaimed, passing over a creek that had lush vegetation growing around it. Then he suddenly paused, expression dropping into one of worry.

Hajime noticed. “What’s wrong?” he called up.

Nagito then looked very sheepish. “Well… I just remembered that I haven’t been to my cave in a while. So it might be a bit… messy. I would really rather straighten it up really quick before you come in. Make sure there aren't any other creatures that decided to move in while I was gone.” He peeked down with embarrassment. “I know I just said that I wouldn’t let you out of my sight. But… would you mind? Nothing should bother you. I can put you somewhere out of reach!”

The human could see that the idea of him seeing a possible mess was stressing him out a lot. Perhaps he was the type that greatly preferred everything to be neat and tidy. One that really did not like messes. And while Hajime could confidently say that he was not like that himself, he understood the compulsive need for some things. “It’s alright. If you want to go clean the cave, then I can wait! I’ll call for you if I need you.”

The acceptance appeared to help relax the large creature. “Thank you. I promise I won’t take very long. I’ll be back soon. And yes, please shout for me if anything happens.” Nagito glanced around, eyes settling on a hill overlooking a chasm. It too was framed by plants, trees and ivy all over. Some of the vines even spilled over the edge, dangling in the air. “Most animals besides the birds avoid this area. You can stand near the edge if you want, but not too close. Don’t go beyond the trees.”

“Okay, okay. I’ll be careful,” Hajime assured as he felt himself be lowered to the ground. His shoes met the soil and he turned around to look up at the towering naga. “Now go on. Get cleaning. Chop chop,” he jokingly commanded.

Nagito saluted with a smile. “Yes sir! I’ll get right on it!” And he slithered away, going down into the chasm and disappearing into an opening at the bottom.

Hajime tried to safely peer down the chasm to try and see the entrance. Sadly, his view was obstructed by parts of the stone wall that jutted out. But he wasn’t too disappointed. He was sure that he would get to see it up close soon. All he had to do was wait.

He spent a few seconds observing the view, once again in awe of nature. These sights were surely worth more than anything money could possibly buy. So he was grateful he was able to play a part in its preservation.

But his internal musings were interrupted by a loud huff and snort. One that was right behind him.

Slowly, Hajime turned his head. And his eyes caught sight of a massive stag, with full antlers full of sharp points. It began stamping the ground and huffing more once their eyes met. It looked… unhappy that he was here.

He then recalled the naga’s earlier words, that the wildlife around here were more pushy. Usually, deer would flee instantly. But this one had a sour attitude. And it was making that fact known.

“I’m not here to cause trouble. I won’t do anything,” the human tried to say in a calm, low voice. But his attempts to soothe were unsuccessful, as the stag stepped forward, head twitching.

It wasn’t backing down. And Hajime didn’t have anywhere to run.

The human tried to frantically think. What could he do? Really, he didn’t have many options. But the stag didn’t give him much time to decide, charging forward with its head lowered, antlers at the ready.

“Wait! No! Stop!” Hajime cried out, stumbling backwards on instinct. “Nagito! Nagit-”

His ankle caught on a root, twisting it and forcing him to fall backwards. Where the earth gave way. And several hundred feet of air separated him from the ground.

But miraculously, the vines hanging down caught him, twisting around him and holding him up like a hammock, though slightly upside down. Hajime laid there frozen from shock, all he could do was try to suck in breaths of air. Though the throbbing in his ankle did make him pay attention. A vine was wrapped tightly around it, his weight making the plant constrict more. It hurt a lot, but he couldn’t move much. His arms were similarly bound, restricting his mobility. He could do nothing but hang precariously over the chasm, praying that the plants would hold.

The ringing in his ears from the stress was only now beginning to die down. As such, he heard scraping sounds and a muffled yell. They sounded… frantic? He tried to turn his head towards where he thought the sounds were coming from.

It was Nagito, swiftly returning up the hill he had descended earlier with an expression of worry and absolute panic. And he was shouting what looked to be his name over and over again. The blood rushing to his head made things hard to process from his inverted position. But he could tell that the naga’s form was getting bigger and bigger. Until it briefly disappeared as he ascended to the very top. A startled bleat that sounded like the stag and an enraged hiss from Nagito were audible from the top of the cliff. Then the naga’s face appeared.

“Hajime! Stay still! I’ll get you right away!” the panicked voice said, the close proximity making it easy for Hajime’s foggy brain to understand. Soon after, the creature’s hands reached down, cradling his body and carefully snapping the vines holding him. He was lifted back above the cliff once free, away from the drop.

“You’re okay now. You’re okay. I won’t drop you,” Nagito whispered, green eyes scanning him. “Are you hurt anywhere?”

Hajime felt his senses returning to normal, and the pain making itself known once more. “My… ankle. Think it’s… twisted.”

The naga thought for a moment. “I’ll bring you to the spring in my cave. It’s cold and should help numb it. I’ll go as carefully and quickly as I can. Just relax,” he told him, beginning to move while speaking.

The human did his best to do so, not really registering the descent into chasm. He only paid attention when the light disappeared and the temperature dropped. They were in the cave, traveling deeper and deeper inside.

Nagito halted at one point and lowered him again. This time, the surface was cool stone next to a small pool of water. “Can you manage to take your footwear off?” a concerned voice asked, the creature laying down on his stomach to be closer.

“I think so. Let me…” Hajime cut himself off as he began removing his shoe and sock. He put his injured foot in the water, nearly shouting from how cold it was. But it did numb the pain fast. He sighed in relief.

“Better?”

Hajime nodded. “Much better.”

The naga nodded. “That’s good.” His gaze shifted to the floor, clearly upset.

Hajime knew exactly what was going through his brain. And he wanted to put a stop to it. “Before anything else, I need to say something. You are not allowed to blame yourself for this. Understood?”

Nagito looked at him stunned. “But… but I-”

Hajime held up a finger, shaking it. “No,” he stated firmly. “Nature is unpredictable. It was a one in a million chance for that to happen. And tell me, am I alive?”

“Yes.”

“And who is the reason for me surviving that with only a twisted ankle?”

“… me.”

“Yes. So take pride in that,” Hajime said, running the hand through the snowy locks that he could reach. “Now then, do you want to know what occurred?”

Nagito hummed, in both contentment at the touches and in affirmation of the request. So the human recounted what had led to his situation.

By the end, the naga’s tail tip was thrashing with irritation. “That stag will be my next prey,” Nagito muttered to himself with a frigid tone. “It dared to charge even with my scent present. It is too bold.”

Hajime let him be, not wanting to try and change his mind about this. So he looked around the cave, seeing the various objects that were inside. A few plants growing near the entrance where light could reach. A collection of beautiful stones of all colors and sizes. Some smooth tree trunks that the naga had decorated with some of his scales. There was a pile of unidentifiable objects farther down, looking like it had been left in a hurry. Guess the naga had dropped everything to come save him. It was touching in a way. “I like your cave. It seems like a nice place to take shelter in.”

Nagito regained his happy mood. “Oh, thank you! I really appreciate your kind words. I would offer to let you walk around, but…”

Hajime shrugged. “It’s alright. Maybe another time. And how about I give you advanced notice so that you can clean beforehand?”

Nagito leaned in and carefully nuzzled his cheek against his body. “That would be wonderful. You are so considerate and kind. What did I do to deserve you?”

Hajime let him do it for a bit, knowing the action would always improve his mood. Though he did have a question. “You do this a lot. Are you scenting me or something?”

Nagito raised an eyebrow, but grinned mischievously. “Oh? You aren’t aware? Well, it doesn’t matter I suppose.” He raised himself back up, positioning his hands by the human. “I think we should transport you back to your house. So you can more properly treat your injury. Can you get on?”

The human tested his ankle, the cold water having numbed it completely. So after grabbing his shoe and sock, he shifted onto the warm platform. Which raised back up once he was comfortable.

The trip back felt quick, and they were back at his home in no time. Nagito hooked a claw on the patio door, opening it and letting his passenger off right at the door. “I’ll stick around for a little longer just to make sure you are truly okay. Please don’t hesitate to let me know if you require anything. At least, things that I can actually do or get.”

Hajime chuckled at that, imagining the naga trying to shop for painkillers in a store. “Thank you. I’ll holler if anything comes up.”

Nagito curled his tail and rested his crossed arms and head on them. His green eyes shut and his movements ceased. He was resting. That was fine. He had a stressful day, so he deserved a bit of relaxation.

Hajime turned away, limping into his home and grabbed an ice pack from the freezer. The painkiller bottle and a cup of water was also retrieved. He returned to his living room and collapsed onto the sofa, propping his injured foot up and placing the ice pack on it. Popping two pills in his mouth, he washed them down with the water. He sat back once finished, having done all he needed to do.

Grabbing his phone from the side table, he did a quick search on how to best heal an injured ankle. Many results described exactly what he had done. All he needed to do was rest and not put weight on it. So that was easy enough.

But right as he was about to shut his phone off, a thought re-emerged. He recalled his question to Nagito earlier, to which he got a non-answer. Maybe the internet would tell him instead.

So he typed in “snake rubbing face against me.”

And he got his answer all right. One of the top results told him this.

‘A snake rubs their face against the object they have affection towards.’

Affection.

AFFECTION!?

Hajime let out a loud embarrassed groan. He buried his flushed face into a throw pillow.

Meanwhile, outside, Nagito cracked an eye open and smirked. “Guess he knows now.”

Masterpost

I’m flipping the script this time in a way. Snek no longer big. Now smol. Inspired by a pic of me holding a very small green snake I had found while at work. (Psst, let me know if you want to see the pic, I’m fine with sharing it) It got me and @tortadecereji thinking. And then boom! Idea. I’ll return to big snek after this one. Just wanted to get the itty bitty out of the system. Cause I love it.

Btw, if you want to suggest things, feel free. Just send me a message or leave a comment.

Late morning had arrived. A nice time for college students on the weekend. Enough extra sleep to feel satisfying, and enough time in the day to accomplish errands and tasks.

That was Hajime’s opinion on it anyway. He felt himself awaken and he rose to a sitting position on his bed. He stretched his arms above his head and groaned in relief when he felt a few pops. As tempting as it was to simply stay in bed all day, he had plans that he had to attend to. So up he got.

Placing his feet on the floor, he stood and walked over to his dresser, pulling some drawers open and grabbing some articles of clothing for the day. But before he went to the bathroom to change into them, he had one quick thing he needed to do.

Rouse his roommate.

Stepping over to a small table, he scanned the small terrarium-like home he had made in a glass tank, one of the walls having been removed. There were a few plants here and there with flat rocks that were carefully positioned under basking lamps. And on those rocks was his roommate. A small naga.

Hajime tapped the table twice, paused, then tapped one more time. It was a signal they used to help the small creature identify who was approaching. “Hey Nagito. It’s morning. Can you start getting up?” He then braved through the tiny jungle, hand coming in contact with the green scales of the snake tail. In response, the tail curled around his finger, keeping it in place.

“Warm,” the naga sleepily mumbled, moving to hug the human’s wrist as much as he could, almost able to reach all the way around.

Hajime chuckled at the sight and feeling. “Yes, I know. But come on, you need to let go for a little. Otherwise putting a new shirt on and cooking breakfast would be difficult.” Nagito tightened his holds in almost a pouting way, so Hajime sweetened the deal. “You can ride around my neck when I go out today if you let me go.”

“Really?!” The naga let go almost immediately, which the human made sure to quickly retrieve his hand.

“Yes, really. Now go ahead and fully wake up. I’ll come get you once I’m ready for the day.” He stepped back and exited the room swiftly, going to the bathroom to perform his task. It didn’t take long, swapping his night clothes into day clothes. So it wasn’t long before he returned to his room. By the time he did, the small creature was out of his terrarium and on the table waiting for him, wearing one of the small shirts that had been custom made for him.

“All good? And do you want to join me while I make myself something quick?”

He really needn’t have asked, as Nagito always said yes. “Of course! I will go wherever you do.”

Hajime grinned as he extended his arm, allowing the serpent to wrap his tail around his wrist. The tight hold secure, the human raised his arm and held it still as he traveled to the kitchen. “Alright, where do you want to be while I make some toast?”

“Can you please lift me up to your hair? That would do very nicely,” was the response.

And not a surprising one. “Yeah, sure.” The human did so, feeling the coils loosen so that the naga could slither onto his head from his wrist. A happy sigh occurred once he was in place. “It shouldn’t take too long. And one more quick question. You still good on nutrients? Don’t need to feed today?”

“I’m still perfectly fine. I will need to eat in a few days but I won’t need anything for today. Thank you for asking though!” He felt a small hand pat his hair. “I don’t think I will ever fully come to terms with how considerate you are. So nice. I wish the rest of the human race was like you.”

Hajime smirked as he put some bread in the toaster. “First of all, I do appreciate your compliment. But I must say that you would likely find that many humans are caring and considerate. But you need to allow them the chance to show it. Rather than biting them upon first meeting.”

His hair antenna got yanked. “Well excuse me for acting on defensive instincts from being grabbed by someone I didn’t know. You at least waited for permission before trying to hold me.”

Hajime kept up the smirk, knowing that Nagito couldn’t see it. “I am meeting up with him and another friend today. So try to be on good behavior. I’m confident he won’t try again, but don’t scare him. Can you do that for me?”

Cue an over the top dramatic sigh. “I suppose I could try to be cordial.” He then let out a tiny ‘eep’ as the toast popped up, gripping tighter onto the brown hair. The human didn’t mention it, though he did think the sound was adorable.

The cooked bread was slathered in butter and eaten fast. Keys and shoes were grabbed soon after, with the two residents now by the apartment door. But Hajime stood still, recalling the promise he had made. “Time to go. Want to get into position?”

Nagito began moving, slowly sliding down off his head and onto his shoulder. Then proceeded to wind around his neck like a necklace. He was long enough to do a full loop, his human features resting on the left shoulder and the extra bit of tail hanging down on the right shoulder. It was tight enough for the naga to remain in position, but not enough so as to strangle. It was comfortable for them both. “Ready!” he called out.

“Great. Now let’s head out.”

Hajime opened the door, sunlight washing over them both. It was the beginning of spring, the weather getting to a comfortable temperature and the skies being clear. It was a nice day. And an even nicer one to walk.

His destination was a cafe on the university’s campus, where he was meeting up with some of his friends. He lived in a complex near the school grounds, so it meant a bit more legwork. But he didn’t mind. Especially because the route he took was quite scenic. And most importantly, Nagito liked it. He deeply enjoyed seeing the trees and flowers starting to bloom and grow. So the human made sure to go this route frequently.

They passed by some students and casual walkers, everyone glancing at the small creature for a few seconds in awe. Nagas were very uncommon and they were known for their elusive nature. So to see one was unusual and considered an omen of good luck. Nagito didn’t seem to care all too much about the stares, so long as none besides Hajime tried to touch him.

Their walk went undisturbed, making it to their destination in good time. Hajime saw his friends sitting at a small table and headed their way, sliding into the empty seat. “I’m here. Were you waiting long?”

Fuyuhiko shook his head. “No, you’re good. We got here not too long ago.”

Kazuichi’s attention was drawn to the green around his neck. “Wait, you brought him along, too?” He frantically pulled his hands behind his back as if the creature could bite him from a glance.

Nagito didn’t hiss or display any threatening behavior, so Hajime felt it safe to assume he had no plans on terrorizing the pink haired man. “It’s alright, Kaz. He won’t do anything. He promised me he would be on good behavior today in exchange for his attendance.”

Kazuichi slowly brought his hands back out into the open, hesitantly placing them on the table again. “Are… you absolutely sure?”

Nagito let out an almost offended huff. “I am not a barbaric animal. I only react in defense. Humans don’t always have the kindest of touch. So sometimes instinct takes over.”

Kazuichi pointed at the brunette. “But you let Hajime touch you all the time with no complaint! What’s up with that?”

Nagito leaned his human half up against the full human’s neck, voice raising back to his happy tone. “Hajime is special. The only one for me.”

“How did you come across him again?” Fuyuhiko inquired, speaking up after watching the interaction.

“He fell through one of the ceiling vents in my place. Landed right on my head. He was taking shelter from rain and got lost, somehow ending up where I was.” Hajime raised his hand and gently began scratching the naga’s hair, earning him a happy noise. “He wasn’t the biggest fan of me initially. But he grew to trust me over the course of the week-long recovery. And now, he is attached. And I don’t think he wants to leave anymore.”

“Nope!” Nagito chirped. “I want to stay with Hajime forever.” He again relaxed, comforted by the human’s touch. Hajime could feel the coils around his neck loosen from it, though not enough for the naga to slip off and fall.

Fuyuhiko smirked. “That loyalty must do wonders on your confidence levels,” he commented to Hajime.

“Man! I wish someone would fawn over me like that. It would boost MY confidence for sure,” Kazuichi complained, taking an annoyed swig of his drink.

Hajime reached over and patted his shoulder. “Maybe one day. But enough about that. Let’s talk about something more interesting.”

That made the pink haired man squawk in indignation. He began to whine about it more, to which the blond and brunette smiled in a teasing fashion.

The conversation carried on naturally, entertaining all the while. Hajime kept up the head strokes to Nagito the whole time, pampering the snake while he talked. Everything about this was fantastic. And nothing could change his mind.

Masterpost

MORE DRABBLES! Much to the happiness of @tortadecereji and @moontail13 and everyone else I’m sure.

This was a suggestion by IsabelleFukawa on ao3. To have the boys discuss birthdays and Hajime doing something for him.

Hajime didn’t know exactly how it had come up in conversation. He had been chatting with Nagito about various topics while laying on the fluffy hair. And then suddenly, curiosity struck.

“Hey, when is your birthday? I don’t think I’ve ever asked.”

Nagito paused in his trek through the woods, eyes looking up to try and see his passenger. “Huh?”

Hajime crawled forward so that he was visible. “Your birthday. When is it?”

“Birth… day? I am unfamiliar with the term,” Nagito admitted, a claw reaching up and beginning to twirl a lock of hair.

The human thought for a moment, then facepalmed. “Oh right. Snakes hatch. So when was your hatching day?”

The naga perked up at that. “Oh! I see! Well, I don’t know the exact day, as my kind doesn't use your kind’s calendar. But I think it was some time in spring. After almost two full moon cycles, if I had to guess.”

Hajime closed his eyes as he took in this information. “So late April most likely. We can simply assign a day for you. How does April 28th sound?” he asked, deciding on a random number.

The naga seemed happy with it. “Sure! You can help me remember that.” His voice then dropped back to his normal one. “But why do you want to know? It’s just a regular day. Nothing too important.”

“Huh?” That surprised the human. “You don’t celebrate your hatching day?”

“We don’t. We are more solitary creatures, so celebrating anything doesn’t hold much appeal. After all, it isn’t as fun celebrating something on your own than with other people,” Nagito explained. He reached up to make physical contact with his rider. “I’m assuming by your species’ tendency to gather together and your surprise that you do celebrate your first day of life. I am sorry that I can’t sympathize or truly understand.”

Hajime laid his hand on the much larger one near him. “It’s alright! I was just curious. Now then, where are we headed today?”

He tried to act as if the subject was gone and forgotten, dropped to avoid further discussion. But in the human’s mind, it was anything but erased. He had a plan, one that he wanted to do as a surprise. He just needed to go to the store soon, as he had a few things he needed to get.

~~~~~~~~~~

Hajime placed his paper bags of supplies on the table, letting out a breath of relief once his arms were free. Since his idea needed to be big, he had to get a lot of ingredients to complete it. Thankfully, he had enough experience in the kitchen that he knew how to make his idea. So he got to work.

He had told the naga to come over to his home around sunset, as he had something he needed to do. And while the creature had pouted slightly, he agreed, giving him a head nuzzle before leaving.

After learning about what the gesture meant, each nuzzle sparked strong reactions in him. More often than not, he blushed heavily for minutes afterwards. But he pretended to not notice. And the naga only smirked when it happened, never mentioning it. Much to his relief.

But putting that aside, he did intend to do something for the large creature. Since he had obviously never celebrated his birthday before, he had a few to catch up on. So it didn’t matter that today wasn’t the chosen day. This was to make up for birthdays past.

And he knew exactly what to make. A staple for all birthdays. But he took the recipient's size into consideration, so it would be a bit more work than usual. He didn’t mind though. It was exciting to make it for someone other than himself.

Time passed and the day grew older. And as the sun set, the sound of scales scraping against the ground were audible. Right on time, as the human put the finishing touches on his gift. He took his apron off as a claw tapped on the glass of his patio door.

“Hajime? Is it alright for me to be here?” Nagito asked with a hint of caution.

The human went over to the door, opening it and peeking his head out. “Yes, it’s alright. But can you do one thing for me?” He saw the large creature nod. “Close your eyes and don’t open them until I tell you to.”

“Okay!” Nagito agreed, reptilian eyes shutting tight, almost like a small kid overloaded with excitement. The sight made Hajime smile, returning inside briefly to grab his creation, which was a bit heavier than he expected. But he managed to carry it all the way, placing it down on the outdoor table. Grabbing a lighter, he lit the candles and was pleased to see the full creation. And now he could finally give it to its intended recipient.

“Go ahead and look. I hope you like it.”

Nagito did so eagerly, only to be stunned into further silence at the sight. A large plate with four cakes clustered together in a four leaf clover shape and covered with green icing. Each cake had a large lit candle standing proud and flames bright.

“I know you said that you don’t celebrate your hatching day due to not having anyone to celebrate with. But, well, I’m here now. And I want to give you something to thank you for all you do. It’s not the day we picked, but here is something for the other years.”

“Hajime…” Nagito breathed out, still stunned.

The human gestured to the cake. “This is a sweet treat that is extremely common for birthdays. I made multiple because, well, you’re huge. And I decided to have fun with a design because nagas are supposed to bring luck.” He stared up at the green eyes. “Do you… like it?”

He felt himself being grabbed and nuzzled with enthusiasm. “I don’t just like it! I love it! No one has ever done something like this for me! It must have taken you so long to do this. I’m truly grateful.”

Hajime felt his cheeks warm again at the contact, but this time, he didn’t feel shy about it. He was really happy that he had brought so much joy to Nagito. “It wasn’t too hard. Now then, you should try it. See if you like it. If you do, I’ll make you another on your actual birthday.”

“Yes! I can’t wait!” The human was placed back down on the ground. The naga began reaching for the platter, but paused right before grabbing. “Did you want any? I would feel bad if I had it all and didn’t let you have any.”

But Hajime had thought of this. “Not to worry. I made myself some cupcakes with extra batter and icing. So you can have that all,” he assured, whipping out the mini cakes and showing them to the large creature.

Nagito perked right up. “You are so smart. But anyways, thank you for the treat!” He carefully picked the platter up, forked tongue darting out as he smelled it. “Smells nice!”

Not wanting to be rude and stare at someone eating, the brunette focused on his own cupcake. It was a nice vanilla cake with buttercream. Tasty and not too rich. A good cake to introduce someone to. He finished his and saw Nagito putting the platter back down, a bit of green icing on his mouth which he licked off. “Nice and small. I didn’t even have to unhinge my jaw to eat it!”

Hajime suppressed a shudder, recalling a time when he had stumbled upon the naga right before eating. There was a near invisible seam along his jaw that popped open when he ate. But it always took time to return to his usual appearance, which led to a very… unsettling visual. He had simply turned around and exited, doing his best to not think about it.

“I’m glad you liked it. Happy belated birthdays,” he said with a grin.

Nagito leaned down and hugged him to his cheek. “This has been the best birthday ever. Thank you.”

Masterpost

So this is a bit of a combination of ideas from IsabelleFukawa and Sapphire on ao3.

Btw, uploads of drabbles might slow down in comparison to the rate it was before. It’s cause I am working on three different aus at the same time. (Which you can check out on ao3. I have a few completed ones there as well.) But yeah, just wanted to let y’all know about that. I trying to not fry the brain.

Also, I do in fact know that being cold and wet do not actually cause sickness. So let’s just pretend it does for this chapter. ‘Kay? ‘Kay!

In Nagito’s humble and correct opinion, there was nothing better than spending time with his small human.

He constantly reminded himself of how lucky he was that he had a companion. Nagas usually were solitary, preferring their own company over others. But he had been different. Especially about the human species. He found them fascinating and desired to know more about them. But he didn’t get the chance to during his childhood.

His parents had left him on his own when he was old enough to catch his own prey. He didn’t hold it against him, as that was the naga way. So he went off to find his own territory. And Lady Luck blessed him with a bountiful and enormous forest. There was even a human residence nearby. He would occasionally peek out at them, but never make contact. The repeated warnings about the species from his parents echoed in his mind. And by the time he worked up the courage to go interact, the humans had moved out.

It had been a very lonely few years as the house sat empty. He found himself constantly passing by the house, hoping that one day, it would have life within it again.

And once more, his prayers were answered. A moving truck pulled in and began unloading items into the house. Someone was going to live there! It was so exciting!

Nagito had managed to hold himself back from showing himself for the moving day and the day after. But the years of no interaction caught up to him and he went to introduce himself early in the morning.

The human had certainly been surprised. And almost a bit resistant to his attempts to comfort and help transport around. But now, things are much much better. He had someone who he could talk to and express his affection towards. It was very easy to do so, as Hajime was receptive to his requests for conversation. And his personality was extremely likeable in Nagito’s eyes.

And since they had managed to talk about the human’s boundaries and him respecting them, they had gotten closer. Hajime was more talkative and happy when they went into the forest now. More excited to see new sights. It filled the naga with glee.

That was what they were doing currently, in a meadow of flowers down in a valley. The sweet scents were very strong as well as the abundance of color.

He was laying on his stomach, tail stretched way behind him. His head rested in his crossed arms, eyes closed as he felt Hajime occasionally climb on him to place blooms in his hair. He had requested this of the human, partially because he wanted to see his cute flushed face. Hajime agreed with crimson cheeks, gathering flowers by the armful and placing them in between his snowy locks.

It was so nice. He was loving every second.

Eventually, Hajime sat down on his arm, leaning back against his cheek as he took a break. He let out a content sigh as he reclined. “Who knew being a naga’s hairdresser would be a workout?”

Nagito giggled. “Exercise is important. And I am happy to provide such a means.”

He felt Hajime bat him lightly. He returned to his relaxed position and stared up at the sky. “There really is almost no end to new discoveries in this forest, is there?” he thought aloud.

Nagito answered the thought. “Things are always changing here. Even I get to experience new sights occasionally. I’m just glad I have you to share them with.”

“Thank you. I do appreciate it. And I hope you know that,” the human said softly.

Nagito moved slowly and carefully so that he could reach a hand up to gently touch his small body. “I do. And I hope you know how much I enjoy your company.”

Hajime snorted. “Oh yes. I am very aware of that. I have such a clingy snake.”

The naga giggled again, hugging the human tighter to his cheek. “Only for you.”

A comfortable silence filled the valley, only the slight wind rustling the plants making noise. And both of them were perfectly content just laying there. Enjoying the sunlight, clean air, soft breeze, and the company of another.

Until the sky darkened and the wind began picking up.

Nagito’s instincts became more alert, getting more rigid as he reopened his eyes. His tongue darted out as he tasted the air. And the results were not good.

“There is a storm coming. And it is coming fast,” he informed the human, who hadn’t noticed anything. “We need to get to shelter as soon as possible. My cave is closer. I will take you with me.”

He didn’t wait for an answer, grabbing Hajime in a firm grip and raising himself off the grass. He began slithering towards his cave at a fast pace, hyper focused on the storm’s approach.

Hajime didn’t struggle in his hold, which relieved him. But he did speak up. “You can tell? I guess your animal instincts are better at picking up changes. But do you know how long it will be?”

Nagito scented the air again, daring to peek back towards the darkening clouds. “I cannot say with certainty how long. But I feel it will be lengthy. And strong. It will not be safe to be outdoors.”

He continued forward, as quick as he dared. At one point, he had to put Hajime down on top of a steep hill so that he could use both of his hands to hoist himself up. And of course, that was when the heavy rain began. Both were drenched in seconds.

“Curses. I was hoping this would not occur,” Nagito grumbled to himself as he successfully climbed onto the hilltop. He swiftly regained his hold on the small human, using his other hand to shield him from more raindrops. He could feel Hajime shiver a bit, though it died down with the close contact to his human half’s heat. “We are almost there. Just a little longer,” he promised.

They arrived a few minutes after the rainfall began. And though Nagito was still not happy with how long it had taken, he was grateful for the cover. “Okay, we are out of the rain. We will stay here until it passes.”

He set the human down on the hard stone before moving away. Once a safe enough distance, he shook his head, getting the water out of his hair. Thankfully, he got most of it out with this action, satisfied when he ran his hand through his hair.

But once he turned back, his heart sank at the sight of his poor human shivering and hugging himself to try and warm up.

Nagito grabbed a bit of soft moss that was growing on the roof of the cave, approaching and offering it to Hajime. “I wish I had something better to help dry you off. Perhaps this will get some off.”

“Th-thanks,” the human managed, grabbing hold of the moss and doing his best to wipe off the moisture. But it wasn’t enough to get all of it. So he was still shivering by the time he tossed the moss aside.

Nagito knew he had to warm the human up. Getting too cold meant dreadful sickness. He was certain the human would get ill from how wet he still was, but he could try and prevent it from getting really bad.

He raised his hands close to his mouth, breathing a few puffs of hot air onto them, then reached down and cupped them around Hajime.

The brunette practically melted into the touch, legs losing strength as he collapsed into the hands around him. Nagito found the sight to be equally adorable and concerning. He brought the rest of his body closer, cradling the smaller one and curling his tail around them. It was the best he could do to increase the temperature.

“I’ll take you home as soon as the rain stops. I swear to you that I will,” he whispered, careful of his volume.

“That… sounds good. You… are so… warm,” Hajime muttered, eyes closing and body becoming limp. “I… can’t stay awake… Can you…?”

Nagito nodded, resting his head near his cupped hands. “Yes, I shall wake you up when it finishes.”

Hajime needed no further prompting, breaths evening out as he fell unconscious. Nagito did not follow suit, eyes remaining open and alert. And they were focused intently on his human, watching for any sign of something going wrong. Very occasionally, he would flick them over to the cave entrance to see the state of the weather.

He didn’t keep track of time. The amount of minutes that passed meant nothing. All that mattered was when the storm ended and when he needed to wake Hajime back up. But he would admit it did take some time. More than he expected.

But the storm did clear up, the dark clouds leaving the forest behind to travel elsewhere. And once the naga saw the beginnings of sun rays shine again upon the plant life, he moved. He nudged a finger against Hajime’s side, slowly and gently. “The storm has passed. You can wake back up now.”

The human grumbled but did not open his eyes. Or move much at all. It made Nagito tilt his head. “Hajime? We can go back to your house now.”

“Mmmmhh.” The human rolled over and hugged one of his larger fingers, burying his face into the warm skin. “Tired… stay…”

Nagito felt his own face flush at the action. Hajime had never done anything of this sort before. What was happening?

Then he noticed a particular detail. The human was much warmer than he usually was. So he was sick. That explained the change in behavior. “Okay, now it is very imperative that we get you home,” he declared, lifting himself up and beginning to slither out and into the forest.

“Nagito? Are we… moving?” Hajime sleepily asked, his hug tightening ever so slightly to better hang on.

The sight was too cute. And the naga couldn’t help but stroke the brown hair softly with a finger. “Yes, we are. Do you want to stay where you are for the trip?”

The human nodded, the action more felt than seen. “Yeah. You’re warm. And comfy.” He then turned his head to reveal one tiny hazel eye. “You are so caring. What did I do to deserve someone like you in my life?”

Alright, this was bordering on too much for him to handle. Compliments were not something he was used to. And to hear his beloved human say something like this was giving his heart a workout from how fast it was beating. “You… you are too kind.”

Hajime shook his head. “No. It’s the truth. You are really important to me, you know? So I gotta say it to let you know,” he said in a loopy voice. “And yeah, you are one of the greatest people I know. Which is funny, cause you’re a snake. Heh.” And then he proceeded to fall silent and back asleep.

Nagito could practically feel the steam blowing out of his ears. His face flushed and his pace stuttered. Hajime was going to kill him with all these kind words.

He repeated the words told to him in his mind the rest of the way, managing to get a grip on himself by the time the house was in sight. He loathed to disturb Hajime again, but he knew it was necessary. But he made himself feel better by doing it with a nuzzle.

“Mmph… what?” Hajime grumbled, rolling on his side and weakly batting at the cheek. “I was sleeping. Why?”

Nagito smiled warmly. “Because we are here. You need to go get changed and take some medicine. If you do that, your sleep will be even more comfy. Can you do that?” he asked, lowering his hands to the patio door.

Hajime didn’t look happy about the prospect of leaving, clinging tighter. “But…”

The naga shook his head. “No ‘buts.’ Off you go.” He slid the grumpy man off and guided him over to the patio door. He hooked a claw on the door, opening it and giving Hajime a small push inside. Slowly, the human walked further in, a bit wobbly but managing to stay on his feet.

Satisfied as he watched the brunette disappear into the house, Nagito relaxed and rested on his coils. His human should be alright now. He wasn’t terribly sick so he trusted that he could function enough to help himself. Now he could replay the words told to him earlier all he wanted. He knew that sickness tended to loosen the brain enough for one to speak their mind more easily. So he was confident that what he was told was really the truth.

Oh, the decision to inform the human of what he had said or to not until later. Nagito giggled as he imagined the reaction. It might overwork his brain if he was informed now. He would wait until the human was better. And he looked forward to it.

Masterpost

Another idea combination from IsabelleFukawa and Sapphire on ao3! Though I did kinda take some creative liberties.

And this is also for everyone that wanted to see Hajime’s reaction to the previous drabble’s ending.

Without further adieu, please enjoy!

Colds were not fun. That much was obvious for the days after the storm. His nose ran, his limbs were achy, and his throat was sore. But thankfully, it didn’t last very long. And with medicine and rest, Hajime was back to full health in no time.

Much to the great relief of a specific reptile, that was for certain. Nagito had been really good in leaving him be in his home other than staying close to the house. He would occasionally tap on the glass of the windows and patio door to inquire about his condition. But he didn’t try to grab or hold him, allowing him to get lots of rest. And Hajime could tell that the naga had been really worried when he couldn’t touch or really see him. He was far too large to enter the house.

So the day that Hajime exited the house and announced his good health, he was immediately scooped up and nuzzled. This was accompanied by a string of questions and praise. About how he was doing and how amazing he was to get through the illness. Hajime also took notice after a bit how the naga was trying to subtly move away from the house.

“Hey, I still have to work today. So don’t you think about it,” he stated with a hard poke.

“Awwww,” Nagito whined, but he did stop his movement. “Why must factors of life bar us from being together all the time?” he lamented in a sad voice.

Hajime rolled his eyes. “You know it’s necessary. I need to work to get money to continue living. That’s how the human world works.”

Nagito sighed. “Yes, you have told me. I will say that I don’t fully understand or like it, but I shall allow it.” He lowered the human back to the ground, lowering himself as well to continue nuzzling. “But I can survive this ordeal. I know you shall return to me eventually. And I’m comforted by other facts as well.”

Something about that statement struck Hajime as odd. “Huh? Other facts? What other facts?”

He could see a grin growing on the larger creature’s face. “Oh, something you told me the first day you were sick.”

The human felt his heart momentarily stop. He didn’t recall practically anything after falling asleep in the naga’s cave. His next clear memories were waking up in his home much later. What could he possibly have said? “Um… can you remind me? Of what I said?”

Nagito pulled away just enough to make eye contact. “That you thought I was one of the greatest people in your life. And that I was important to you. Such kind words! Ones that I will never forget!”

Hajime felt his face instantly flush deep red. Had he really said those things? To Nagito? It wasn’t that they were untrue. It was just that he hadn’t expected them to be told so soon.

“Ummm… I have to go to work now. So… yeah. I’ll see you later,” Hajime managed to get out before turning and fast walking back to his home.

“Huh? Oh. Alright! Good luck!” Nagito called out behind him. A subtle glance back revealed the naga still smiling with a hint of a smirk. He knew what he had done.

He shut the patio door behind him and rushed to the bathroom, shutting that door behind him as well. He rested his hands on the side of the sink, staring at his crimson face in the mirror. “Get a hold of yourself, Hinata. You have to. So what if your true feelings about Nagito were admitted before you wanted? It’s…” He groaned and buried his head in his hands. “Who am I kidding? I can’t stay calm about this.”

He took a few deep breaths, trying to settle himself down. It worked… slightly. His cheeks were still red and he looked frazzled. Hopefully Makoto wouldn’t point it out when they had their morning meeting.

Actually… maybe his coworker could help him out with this. He had experience with expressing strong feelings to another. Maybe this would work out after all.

**********

At first, Nagito hadn’t been worried. He had predicted that his reveal would inspire strong and overwhelming feelings in the human. Ones that may make him retreat for a while.

But that had been days ago. And he rarely saw Hajime during that time. He only got glimpses about once a day when the brunette would peek out of his house and tell him he needed more time to himself with hurried apologies. Then nothing.

It began to dampen his mood and spirit. He began second guessing his decision to reveal the information. Had he utterly destroyed what they had? Would he not be welcomed back? Would he go back to his solitary existence? He wasn’t sure he could go back to that after learning what companionship was like. Hence why he obeyed the human’s requests for time alone, desperately hoping for something to happen.

On day four though, he couldn’t take it anymore. He had to peek in. And so as stealthily as he could, he did so. He was able to witness something. Hajime was at his desk and was furiously scribbling something in a notebook. He was hyper focused on his task, not noticing the large creature at his window. At least, not until he threw his hands in the air with a groan and turned to look out the window suddenly.

Nagito tried his absolute best to duck out of sight quickly. But he knew he had been caught. Feeling ashamed, he retreated to the forest’s edge, laying down in the sun with his back to the human residence. Had he messed up? Maybe Hajime really wouldn’t ever come out again. He was the worst. A terrible existence. A hopeless mess.

He wallowed in his misery there for a while. Nothing around him grabbed his attention. Nothing else mattered. His eyes glazed over, not retaining any sights in front of him. All that was important was reminding himself about how stupid he was.

“Umm… Nagito?”

Was that Hajime’s voice? Oh it was so wonderful to hear. Even if it was a delusion of his horrible mind.

“Nagito? Can you hear me?”

It was nice. The delusion was trying hard to be real. Well, who was he to stop it? He could have one last comfort before complete loneliness.

“Nagito!!!”

The naga sighed. He could have sworn that he felt something touch his tail. He must be far gone already. That hadn’t taken long. His glazed over eyes lidded, a sad smile growing.

That was until something yanked hard on a lock of his hair.

His green eyes refocused, looking down to see the human in front of him. The pain was enough to convince him that this was no delusion. This was real. Hajime was in front of him. And looking ticked off.

“Oh! So you are here! That’s very relieving. I haven’t lost my mind yet!” Nagito practically cheered.

Hajime looked very confused. “What? What are you talking about?”

Nagito smiled wide, wider than a human would be able to. “I thought my selfish need to check on your activities was the end! But here you are! Out of the house and here with me! Oh, I am so happy! I missed you so much during these long days.”

The brunette flushed again, looking off to the side. “Y-yeah… that…”

The naga brought his tail tip closer to them both, grabbing onto it with a hand. It was a habit he had developed when he was a child. He felt compelled to do it when stress began building. He felt like holding his scaled tail assisted in grounding him. So it helped his mind try to settle as he spoke again. “I apologize for peeking in earlier. I swear I didn’t see anything that you wrote. I was just worried about you. But I know it was rude and invasive. I understand if you want me to go and never return. That way you can be spared from my foul presence. Who would want someone like me around? I should know my pl-”

“Stop.”

Nagito did, shutting his mouth the second he heard those words. Hajime was staring up at him with a firm, if not a little annoyed, expression. “We have discussed this multiple times. What are you not supposed to do?”

Nagito glanced down at the grass. “… talk bad about myself.”

Hajime crossed his arms. “And why is this a rule?”

The green tail was gripped tighter. “To help my self confidence.”

“Good.” Hajime began petting the bridge of his nose. He happily melted into the touches. “Now then. To address the earlier event. I have no intention of leaving you to be alone. If anything, it’s the opposite.”

That piqued the naga’s interest. “The… opposite?”

The flush returned once more. “Yeah.” Hajime took a second to clear his throat. “It’s about what I said when I was sick. It’s all true. You are extremely important to me and I don’t intend to let our companionship die. I want to spend the next several years getting to know you better. And I wanted to thank you for accepting me as me. Not many people in my life have done that. So, it really means a lot.” The human finished nervously running his hand through his hair. “And I need to apologize as well. I caused you worry for the past few days. I was trying to… sort my feelings out. You know me, this kind of thing is unusual and different. So I was… anxious about it.”

Nagito had to remember to breathe after waiting with baited breath to hear all of what Hajime had to say. Every word was seared into his brain. These were officially the best moments in his life. “Hajime… that means more to me than you will ever realize. And I am so, so grateful.”

He finally worked up the courage to move again, moving his hands around the smaller man, lifting him up and burying his face into his body. “This is truly paradise. Nothing could make this better. It’s perfect.”

Hajime patted his cheek. “Well, I’m glad you think so. So don’t expect me to spill my emotional guts again. It took a lot to be able to do this. Don't expect it to be a regular occurrence.”

The naga laughed softly. “I won’t, I won’t. Rest assured I know.” He peeked down at his human with a questioning glance. “But I do have one thing to ask. What were you trying to write down earlier?”

The human groaned as he leaned forward to try and escape the reptilian gaze. “That was my attempt to write my thoughts in a coherent and legible way. Makoto told me it helped him in confessing to Kyoko. Turns out I suck at that too. So also don’t wait for any poems or grand letters.”

Nagito nodded carefully, hugging Hajime as close as he could. “Don’t worry. Your verbal words are all I need!”

Masterpost

Another smol! Surprise!!!

A very unique suggestion from Kirbytin249! I certainly don’t think I would have come up with this. But it was super cute so I had to!

Big snek, smol snek, we love them both!

Btw, just a reminder that you are free to leave suggestions if there’s anything you want to see.

Storms were a weather phenomenon that were not the greatest, in Hajime’s opinion. He much preferred sunny and partially cloudy days. And he knew that Nagito felt the same.

As he was partially a snake, the small naga loved basking in the warm rays. He had told the human that while the basking lamp did its job, it couldn’t compare to the actual sun. So Nagito regarded the dark clouds in the distance with disdain.

Hajime joined him in watching the bad weather approach. “Looks like we are staying in for the night,” he commented, idly stroking the smooth scaled tail.

Nagito hummed in appreciation and agreement. “Yes, indeed. Here’s to hoping that it isn’t a bad one. It would not do if the power was knocked out. I would have to find a new source of warmth.”

The brunette glanced down at him, a smirk on his face. “Oh, I’m sure you and I both know exactly where you would go to find warmth.”

Nagito returned the smirk, not a hint of shame on his face. “You can’t blame me. Resting under your shirt, in direct contact with your skin, is practically heaven.”

Hajime rolled his eyes with a hint of a blush. “You really are certain on what you want in life. And bold enough to make it known to all. I wish I could have that level of confidence.”

There was a minuscule pat on his hand. “The key is to not care what people think! And then your filter will be loosened quite a bit!”

“Not to care what others think, hmm?” His strokes stopped in favor of scooping the naga up and into his hand. “If that’s the case with you, then what is the point of loudly announcing to everyone that you are heavily attached to me? And making sure they hear you?”

The white haired creature tilted his human half to the right. “Well, how else am I supposed to spread the word of your greatness and amazing soul? Most of your species are oblivious to this clearly obvious fact.”

Hajime laughed, the contradicting viewpoints being a staple for Nagito. He had grown used to it, even a little fond of it. It was something unique that made Nagito different. “Well, regardless of that, I need to go get the mail before it starts heavily pouring. Do you want to go under the lamp or come with me?”

The tiny emerald eyes sparkled. “With you please! I’ll stay on your wrist. That way I won’t be in the way!” The scaled appendage got to work, wrapping around his arm and tightening its hold. Soon, he had a living and sentient bracelet.

Hajime made sure to be smooth with his movements, lifting his arm and his rider off the desk. “Alright, that’s fine with me. We may get a little wet, so I’ll warm up some towels after we get back in.” With that, he traveled to the apartment door and opened it, a gust of wind blowing its way inside. He shut the door behind him before any droplets could get in as well. Quickly and carefully, he made his way over to the mailboxes, checking his and grabbing the contents as the first raindrops began falling.

“Ah!”

A sudden small and unfamiliar voice sounded nearby. It was incredibly strange. “Did you hear that, Nagito?”

The naga on him was alert too. “I did. And I think I can smell where it is. In the grass. I think… it’s one of my kind.”

“Huh? Another naga?” That was very unexpected. He didn’t think he would ever come in contact with another of Nagito’s species. But the marvel on the matter could wait. If there was another naga close by, they might be subject to the cold rain and get sick. Or worse. It was imperative for him to help.

Slowly, he stepped over to the grassy yard, kneeling down with his arm outstretched, letting Nagito search around. “Hey, if there’s someone here, please know that we just want to help. I swear no harm will come to you. I just want to provide a warm shelter through the storm. You can leave after.”

He heard something that sounded like a breath hitch. So his words had been heard. That was a step forward at least.

He lowered his hand to the ground fully, letting Nagito uncurl and slither further into the taller grass. He knew that there was a better chance of something happening if he let the nagas communicate with each other.

And indeed, he was able to barely hear a muffled conversation between the two. He wasn’t able to make out many words, but he did catch a few. Mostly Nagito assuring the newcomer that this human was extremely safe and trustworthy. He did his best to shield the grassy area with his body, trying to minimize the amount of moisture that would surely be pelting the small reptiles.

Finally, after a few minutes of convincing, Nagito called out louder. It helped identify their positions to the human, who reached his arm down into the grass next to them. He felt two sets of coils tighten on his arm, cold and shivering. Well, that would be fixed momentarily.

He lifted his arm once Nagito gave him the signal, again moving carefully to not jostle anyone. He moved his limb close to his body, still trying to protect them from the rain. He took a couple seconds to glance down at his passengers.

The new naga was smaller than Nagito and appeared to be female with dark hair. Her scales were a different shade of green. If Hajime had to guess, they were more olive green. But her small shirt was ragged and soaked, her whole body trembling from both the cold and fear. But even though she was clearly scared, she was still here. It was very admirable.

“Thank you for trusting me. Now let’s get you inside and warmed up,” he reassured, turning and quickly walking back to his apartment. The door was opened and shut fast, not allowing many raindrops access to the interior. He removed his boots and made his way to his bedroom, extending his arm over to Nagito’s terrarium.

Once his passengers disembarked, he drew his arm back over to his side. “I’m going to go get some towels. Nagito, you can lend her a shirt once you are both dry.”

Hajime exited the room after those sentences, going to do just that. He also stuck some chunks of steak on a plate, putting it in the microwave to heat up. Who knew when the last time the poor naga had eaten? And he was sure the white haired one could use a meal as well.

Hot plate and towels in hand, he returned to the bedroom, seeing the female naga partially hidden by some of the terrarium plants. Nagito was near her, seemingly trying to coax her back out. But Hajime understood. This was not an easy thing to do, trusting a stranger who was so much larger than you.

He knocked on the wall, drawing the attention of the smaller creatures. “Here, I warmed this up for you. And some of the heat transferred to the towels. I’ll leave these here and give you two some privacy.” He set the plate down and handed a corner of the towel to Nagito. “I’ll be back in half an hour,” he told him, backing up and leaving them be. Though the male naga did reach out towards him as if trying to convince him to stay.

But Hajime still left, knowing that it was necessary. He was hopeful that Nagito’s presence would help calm the new naga down. Thankfully, he had remembered to grab a change of clothes before leaving, switching out his wet ones for dry ones. Then he set off to the other rooms.

His ringing phone awaited him in the living room, buzzing on the table he left it on. Grabbing it, he saw it was a classmate of his. And so he answered. “Hey Makoto. What’s up?”

“Hi Hajime! I know we were supposed to meet up at the library, but the weather looks bad. Would it…?” Makoto’s voice trailed off, shyness creeping into his tone.

Hajime couldn’t help but laugh a bit. “Yes, it’s fine if we don’t meet up there. If you really want to go over the materials from class, you can always come by my apartment. We live in the same complex so it isn’t as far as the library,” he offered. “I know Nagito likes you. But even then, he’s preoccupied at the moment. So I doubt he would distract us.”

“Oh? If you don’t mind me asking, what has him preoccupied?”

Hajime sat down on the couch, relaxing while he talked. “Well, we found another naga. She was in the rain and looked starved and freezing. So we managed to convince her to let us bring her inside for the night. Nagito is currently with her.”

“Wow! Another naga? You are extremely lucky! What color scales does she have?” his classmate asked with excitement.

Hajime thought for a second. “Olive brown, a bit darker than Nagito’s.”

“Olive brown? That’s… an interesting color.”

The brunette noticed the shift in tone. “Makoto? Is something wrong?”

“Huh? Oh, sorry. For some reason the color brought back feelings of nostalgia. But… I don’t know why.” He went quiet after that, probably deep in thought.

After a minute, Hajime spoke up again. “Well, the offer still stands. I have plenty of snacks.”

That seemed to get Makoto out of his funk. “Uh, yeah! If you don’t mind me being there, that sounds good! I’ll be over in a few minutes.”

The call ended. Hajime put his phone back down at the table and began to think. Makoto definitely was acting a bit off after hearing the detail about the color. Would could it possibly mean?

He spent so long trying to think of theories that he almost didn’t notice the knocks on his door. That was speedy. As quick as he could without falling, he ran to the door and opened it just as fast. “Here, come in quick.”

He ushered his classmate inside, who had a huge raincoat on to protect himself from the rain. Miraculously, he and his possessions were pretty dry underneath the coat.

“Thank you. I didn’t expect it to be this bad!” Makoto exclaimed as he hung his coat on the stand near the door. He then followed Hajime in, setting his bag on the floor near the table. “Thank you for letting me come over! I really appreciate it!”

Hajime waved a hand. “No problem. I could use some help with this week’s material. I swear, our professor is as sharp as a fifty year old worn knife.”

Makoto laughed. “Yeah, that’s pretty accurate. He definitely could explain things better.”

But before either sat down, Hajime happened to glance at the time on Makoto’s phone. “Oh crap! I told Nagito I would check back in on them. Sorry, this will be really quick. Do you want to come say hi to him?”

An excited nod. “Sure! But I’ll be sure to keep some distance between myself and the new naga. I don’t want to scare her.”

Hajime returned the nod, taking the lead back to his room. Nagito was eagerly awaiting, tail tip practically wagging like a dog when he caught sight of the humans. “Hajime! You’re back! Thank you for the food. We both ate and are quite satisfied.” He gestured behind him. “Our guest is taking refuge in the plants. But she did accept the new shirt!” The tiny eyes then spotted the other human. “Oh! Welcome Makoto! It’s been so long since we last saw each other!”

The shorter human waved. “Hey Nagito! I stopped by to study with Hajime. I hope I’m not intruding. And I hope your guest is doing well, too.”

The white hair was practically a blur as the naga shook his head rapidly. “You are never a bother! You rank highly on my ratings of humans I have encountered.” He straightened and clasped his hands together. “But our guest is doing well! She even told me her name! It’s Komaru!”

A loud thump and gasp was heard behind him. Hajime whirled around to investigate, only to see Makoto with an intense expression of confusion with his back against the door and a hand on his forehead. “Ko-Komaru? And… olive green? Wait… it can’t be…”

“Makoto? What’s happening?” Hajime almost demanded, hands gripping the other human’s shoulders to keep him steady.

“This… this is going to sound crazy… but I think your guest might be… my sister.”

A blink. And then another one. Finally a reply. “Huh? Your… sister? How is that possible?”

Makoto scratched his cheek. “Well, I just got a flurry of memories from when I was really young. I remember clearly playing with someone named Komaru. Someone I thought was my sister, though her full appearance is hazy in my mind. And the color olive brown is associated with these memories. Though I couldn’t remember why.” He paused, taking a breath. “But if she is in fact not human and is a naga, then things would make sense. Such as why my parents didn’t know what I was talking about when I told them about her. And why one I viewed as my sibling isn’t prevalent in my adult life. I recall moving away from this area around that time, and that’s when the memories of her stop. Perhaps… she is a reason why I desired to attend this college. An unconscious desire to see her again.”

Hajime turned this information over in his head. It was certainly something he had never heard of happening, but who was he to say it was impossible? “Alright, the logic makes sense. But I guess there is only one way to know for sure.” He stepped aside and released his classmate, who managed to stay steady on his feet. Together they glanced over to the terrarium, where the nagas were. Nagito, as well as Komaru. She was staring up at Makoto with wide eyes, looking very similar to how he had appeared moments earlier. Like a rush of memories were flooding her brain.

“I… I remember you. My lost big brother. You came back,” she said with much emotion evident in her voice.

She didn’t flinch as Makoto stepped forward, slowly reaching down towards the table. Nagito read the mood and slithered off to the side, closer to Hajime.

“Who knew this would happen? What a lucky coincidence,” the emerald green naga commented, curling up on top of his human’s hand.

Hajime smiled as he carefully raised his hand, moving it closer to his collarbone. “I agree. I certainly did not expect to see this happening.”

Nagito gladly took this opportunity to move onto his shoulders, curling around his neck and settling there. Once Hajime was sure that he was steady, he looked back over to the other two, seeing Komaru in Makoto’s hands, raised to his chest and them embracing. Tears were visible and they both had smiles.

It brought a smile to his own face, reaching back up to stroke the small white fluffy hair. “What a nice family reunion.”

Nagito leaned into the touch, happy for the attention. “Yes, a very nice one.”

Masterpost

A suggestion from the glorious @tortadecereji!

So I am confident that some of you know where this is going if you are on tumblr. There was a specific piece of art that they uploaded that was of a scenario they had envisioned. And I was a big fan!

Link to the piece if you haven’t seen it.

And yeah! Enjoy snake boy!

It was cold. So very cold. Both externally and internally. And that worried Nagito like nothing else.

That was his first thought as he looked around. He wasn’t sure why he was laying in a deep section of the forest. But that’s where he found himself. How long… have I been out? Has… it been days? Wait! I need to make sure Hajime is alright!

Nodding to himself, he rose to do just that. But something felt… off. His arms and tail felt heavy. And it made all of his movements slow. No matter how much effort he put in, his speed remained slow. And the sun in the sky was moving at an accelerated rate too. What was going on?

He shook his head. He could figure out the strangeness later. He needed to get to his human as quickly as he could. So he began to slither in the direction of the house, feeling like he was moving through thick mud.

The sun set and rose multiple times as he traveled, but he didn’t bother to keep count of how many cycles occurred. He was focused entirely on his destination, pushing himself to the limit.

Finally, FINALLY he saw the forest’s edge. It renewed his spirit and gave his exhausted body enough energy to push forward. Gasping heavily, he practically lunged towards the tree break.

He reached it. And his heart sank.

The little house in the woods he had grown used to seeing was no longer in the same state as he had left it. The wood sidings were dark and rotten, some pieces having fallen or were hanging on by a rusty nail. Windows were shattered. The roof had holes in it. Grass and ivy were overgrown, some plants reaching inside the broken and open doors. And there was no car in sight. It was as if the place had been abandoned for years.

But that couldn’t be! He hadn’t been gone for that long, had he?

His body no longer felt weighed down, but his movements were still slow as he creeped to the house. He dreaded what he was about to see. But he needed to look.

“Hajime?” he weakly called out, the coldness inside growing with every passing second. “Hajime? Please answer.” The creaking shutters tapped against the wood with the small gusts of wind. “Haji… me?”

He reached the house, lowering his head to peek in as he had done so many times before.

He began with the patio door. The living room was empty and dusty. No furniture in sight. The coldness was reaching freezing temperatures.

Shakily, he willed himself to raise up to the bedroom doors. Nothing. Nothing except one thing that had been left near the doors on the floor.

There was a single piece of paper. On it was a single word, written big enough for him to see.

‘Goodbye.’

His heart shattered. And he shrieked in despair.

~~~~~~~~~~

Nagito gasped desperately for air as he awoke, eyes flying open. He could feel the sweat dripping down his brow and his limbs felt shaky. And most apparent was the twin waterfalls of tears running down his cheeks.

He… had been dreaming? It was such a horrible and terrifying one. The most dreadful nightmare.

But that knowledge did little to calm him down. As the possibility of it happening in actuality was very much real. Hajime could leave him. And he would be alone again. He had grown to love the company he was blessed with. The idea of the relationship terminating so suddenly and harshly scared him more than anything. He couldn’t bear to go back to lonely isolation. He wasn’t sure his spirit could handle it.

So that is why he hurried to the house, desperate to confirm that the dream hadn’t come true. Thankfully, his body moved at its regular speed, making the trip much faster than the nightmare’s. When he burst through the tree line, he sighed when it wasn’t broken down. It looked sturdy and undamaged, as his past memories recalled. It gave him some relief.

So he slithered closer to the house. “Hajime?” he called out, perking his ears to listen for any sound within the house. But to his dismay, he heard nothing. He tried to not lose hope too quickly though, as there was a possibility that the human was asleep. So he peeked through the windows, like he had in the nightmare.

But no one was there.

Heart plummeting again, Nagito quickly moved around to the front of the home, desperate for some answer. But there was no car in the driveway.

Hajime was gone.

Heart breaking again, the tears started flowing once more. He collapsed where he was, not caring about the tiny sharp rocks digging into his soft skin. Nothing mattered anymore. He was alone again. The one he cared for most had left him. Without telling him why. The realization of that fact doubled the pain, leaving him crying so hard he couldn’t breathe properly.

This was truly the worst he had ever felt. Nothing came close. He felt as though his world was shutting down. That all of his reasons for existence had been extinguished like someone dousing a candle. He already had accepted that he was a pathetic excuse of a naga, needing company to keep him sane. But he had truly felt something special with Hajime. Something that he knew would never be present in any other human he may meet. So what was the point of existence anymore?

Drowning in misery, he didn’t hear any sounds occurring around him. There was no reason for him to pay attention. Some hunter could try and capture him for all he cared. He had no fight or energy left.

Then he barely felt something making physical contact with his arm. He didn’t lift his head from where it was buried in his crossed arms, but he did try and focus enough to listen.

“-ito! Nagito! Answer me! What’s wrong!?”

That sounded like… Hajime!

As fast as he could, he raised himself so that he was supported by his crossed arms. And glancing down revealed what he had hoped for. The brown haired human was there. And looking worried.

“Nagito. You’re crying. What happened?” he asked, rubbing the pale skin in front of him gently. “Are you hurt? Sick?”

So kind. But who knew how long it would last. This experience had taught him that he was taking the human’s company for granted. It wasn’t infinite. And it could be erased in a matter of minutes.

All these negative thoughts overtook the earlier happiness. Tears continued to fall as he stared sadly down at the human. “You… you weren’t home. Just like in my dream. I… was so terrified. That… that you…”

Hajime continued to rub, gaze supportive. “That I what?”

Nagito hiccuped before he was able to talk again. “That… that you left for good. That I was… all alone again.” His voice dropped in volume, practically a whisper now. “Are… you going to leave me one day? Move away to some other place?” he asked as he lowered his head down to the ground again, almost hiding his face behind his crossed arms.

The arm pets stopped, as did the responses. It worries Nagito, but he dare not say or move any more for fear of total rejection. He didn’t have to wait long though, as he felt Hajime climb over his arms and jump down into the space between them and his face.

Giving him a warm and comforting smile, he slowly started raising his arms. “Hey, look,” he said calmly. “I’m here.” He emphasized his point by placing his hands on the naga’s cheeks. “I’m not going anywhere.”

He then started rubbing soothing circles, the actions and the words helping to calm Nagito down. “R-really?”

“Of course. I would never leave you without discussing it way in advance. That would be a huge jerk move. And even then, it would not be for very long. This is my home. And the home I plan to stay at for the rest of my life.” He patted the large cheek with one of his hands. “I’ll make sure to leave a note explaining what I’m doing if I leave. If I had known you would be this distressed, I would have told you it was only a grocery run.”

He had… gone out to get groceries? Now he felt embarrassed with himself. “Such an overreaction. The stupid nightmare messed my mind up. But I should have known. I don’t know why you bother to comfort me. I’m weak and pathetic. Just a disgusting waste of space and time. Why haven’t you abandoned me and gone onto better things and people yet? People who are the same species and closer to your size. People who don’t lose their minds at you being absent for only a few hours.”

He knew he was being backwards. But he couldn’t help but blurt those things out. Would Hajime be happier if he was somewhere else and surrounded more by his own kind? The idea tore him apart inside, but he would not fight it if it meant the human having a better life.

There were some beats of silence. The circles stopped too as Hajime fell still. Had he said too much? Was he going to leave now?

But that guess proved to be incorrect as Hajime leaned in closer, doing his best to run his smaller cheek against the larger creature’s. Nagito blushed as he registered it. Hajime knew what this gesture meant for snakes. So was he…?

“This is a way to express affection, right? Well, I’m not about to leave behind something or someone I clearly like. And also, try not to talk badly about the one I care about. I would appreciate it.”

Both the human and the naga blushed heavily at the words spoken. But it made him smile for the first time that day. “I’ll try,” he replied, nuzzling his human back. “Thank you.”

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

So we had jealous Nagito in a previous drabble. I think it’s about time we had one of a jealous Hajime, wouldn’t you agree?

Suggestion is from Sapphire, who also thought of the subject of Hajime’s annoyance. You will see what I mean once you start reading. I’m trying to not give too many things away.

Also, I’m wondering if someone will catch the reference I made with the name. It’s something from a certain artist on tumblr I am a fan of.

Hajime thought long and hard about what to do. He knew very well now that Nagito was having some troubles with abandonment issues, especially recently. But his words and gestures of comfort could only do so much. Was there something else he could do?

This was a question he had posed to the three coworkers in the know. And together, through some discussions and suggestions, they landed on a possible solution. One that had cost a bit of money. But if it helped, it was absolutely worth every penny they all spent.

And he did really have a good feeling about this idea. So he felt pretty positive as he and two other cars pulled into his driveway after a trip to the post office. He was just glad all of their cars had been big enough to fit them. These items were not small at all.

Nagito was there when they returned, putting down the small piece of paper that Hajime had left for him telling him where he went. Thankfully, he didn’t look panicked or distressed. So the note was a technique to stay. “Oh? Do we have company?” the naga asked as he watched the humans exit their cars.

“Only for a little. We had to bring a few things here and it required multiple cars,” Hajime explained as he glanced back to Makoto, Cereji and Luna. He gave them a nod and a grin, signaling that they could go for it.

Makoto nodded back, while Luna and Cereji got excited expressions. The older of them went first, popping open the back of his car and pulling his item out. “Well, we have heard about how you sometimes get lonely. And we thought that these might help! This one is from myself and Kyoko.” In his arms was a huge tan teddy bear, which he dragged over to the naga.

“I…” Nagito wasn’t able to finish, clearly stunned.

The younger two took advantage of this and pulled out their own enormous bear, this one with black and green markings. “This is from us! We didn’t like the usual colors so we decided on this!” Cereji proudly announced as he tugged on one arm.

Luna grabbed hold of the other, looking over to the creature with a grin. “The green even glows in the dark! So you will never lose it!” She patted the smooth scales once they finished dragging the bear over. “This should do the trick to help with those lonesome moments!”

Hajime finished off by grabbing his, the color dark brown. “These were the biggest we could get. But they are durable and soft. You can hold them and cuddle with them when I’m not around. So, what do you think?”

The reaction was one he kinda expected. Waterfalls of happy tears began as the naga picked the three bears up and hugged them to his chest. “This… is so… nice. Thank… you all… so much,” he managed to say between sobs. “I love them all. I will treasure each one.”

The sight of the giant bears with the giant creature looked almost normal. And it was adorable. Everyone else looked to be just as pleased at the sight, thrilled that their gifts were accepted with such joy.

In addition, Nagito snuck his tail around the humans, tightening the coil in a hug. “I don’t know what I did to deserve such kindness from you all, but please know that I appreciate it with every passing second.”

The four were a bit surprised from the sudden hug, but none were upset. In fact, Hajime thought that they all were delighted. It was a very sincere expression of thanks and they all knew it.

This helped Hajime come to the conclusion that this was a really good idea. And that things would get better for Nagito now.

~~~~~~~~~~

After many more rounds of thanks, including hugs and gifted scales to the two younger humans, the guests left and it was just him and the naga. Who had yet to put down his new possessions.

“I see that you really like them. I’m glad you do,” Hajime called up to Nagito, turning to fully face him.

Nagito nuzzled the top of the bears’ heads gently, smiling at the softness. “I really do. I’ve seen young human children carrying objects like these. But I never thought I would be able to have any myself.”

“Good. And if they get dirty or ripped, just bring them here and I can fix them,” he offered.

To which he got a beaming smile. “You will? Oh thank you! I’ll be sure to let you know!” Then he turned away and began slithering towards the tree line.

That caught the human off guard. “Wait, where are you going?” he shouted after the naga.

The white hair fluttered as the large head turned to look at him. “I’m going to put them in my cave! There’s a ledge in there that I want to put them on. That way they will be out of harm's way if anything enters! So I shall see you later!” And with that explanation, Nagito disappeared into the trees.

Hajime found himself taking a half step with his arm outstretched, as if that would stop the large creature from leaving. But he recollected himself and straightened back up. This was absolutely fine and to be expected. Nagito didn’t have many possessions due to being what he was. There wasn’t a whole lot he had access to. So of course he would be ecstatic over having new objects. Especially toys, which he would never have had as a kid.

Nodding to himself, the brunette accepted this. So he went back into his house. Now that he had some extra time, he might as well use it to do chores.

Things were good. This would be nothing but helpful. He was sure of it.

~~~~~~~~~~

The next few days were… different. Never did Hajime think when purchasing the teddy bear that it would change things this much.

But he was proven wrong. Very wrong.

Nagito, much like an excited child, began carrying one of the bears with him everywhere since he got them. Changing them with every passing day, so it was never the same one twice in a row. He would hug the chosen bear tight, nuzzle it, play and talk with it, and devote much attention to it.

And because his hands and attention were focused entirely on the bears, it left little for Hajime.

Now at first, he didn’t mind all too much. He understood that this was a new experience for the naga. To have a new possession that was soft and cuddly and could easily hold attention. But he had to admit, after a few days, it was starting to nag at him. Nagito hardly paid any attention to him now. The bears had stolen practically every ounce over the last week. And it annoyed Hajime way more than he thought possible. Especially if it was the dark brown bear.

But he tried to reign in the frustration. He was being irrational. Was he really getting jealous of stuffed animals?

And as he glanced out the window to see Nagito holding the bear up and moving it as if it was walking, he determined that the answer was yes. He was jealous of the stuffed animals.

He knew he had an effect on Nagito. But until now, he hadn’t fully realized the impact the naga had on him. No one had ever engaged with him in interactions as much as this creature had. And now that they had ceased, the vanished presence was all the more obvious.

He felt cold inside. And he very much did not care for it.

Shaking his head almost violently, Hajime took a deep breath. Things were fine. And things would be fine. He just needed to work through this. The logical first step in his mind was to step out of his house and make his way over to Nagito.

The reptilian eyes glanced over once his footsteps were audible, which made his spirits brighten. Only to immediately dampen again when they turned back to the bear. “Look here, Chestnut! We have a visitor!” he said to the dark brown bear, moving it up and down in an excited manner.

Hajime felt one of his eyes twitch, but he didn’t let any annoyance show. “You seem to still be enjoying them. Have they been helping you?” he asked, trying to walk around to be more in Nagito’s line of sight.

This time, the green eyes didn’t even look over as he replied. “Yes! They have been wonderful! I love to cuddle with them at night. It makes my cave feel more homey now. I don’t feel so alone with my new friends keeping me company!”

The human took a breath to calm himself. He then strolled forward and came to a stop in between the pale arms. “Oh really? Is it comparable to other interactions you’ve had?”

Nagito visibly paused at that sentence. His eyes slowly lowered to the human, studying him with an unreadable expression.

Then a smirk grew. A mischievous one. “Oh, I’d say so. After all, while being cute, they also don’t talk back or reject my requests to hold them. I feel as though they are the perfect cuddle buddies.” He finished with a long and vigorous nuzzle to the bear’s head, eyes closing with a dopey smile.

Hajime crossed his arms, nails slightly digging into his skin with his irritation. “Are you messing with me?” he asked point blank. This was too suspicious of an action for the naga to be oblivious now.

One green eye opened, glancing down at the human. “I don’t know. Am I, Ha-ji-me?”

He definitely was. That confirmed it. Blood pressure now rising, he turned again. This time heading back to his home. “Fine. Clearly the bear I gave you is better. I’ll get out of your space then,” he snapped, harsher than he meant it to be.

But thankfully, it didn’t seem to matter. He felt fingers wind around his legs and torso, stopping him from progressing any further. “Awww, someone sounds grumpy. Well, lucky for you I have a perfect solution!” The grip around him tightened and lifted him off the ground, transporting him back over to the larger creature. “I think you and Chestnut should get to know each other a little better. Give him a hug! I’m sure he would love it!”

Hajime found himself placed down right next to the bear, the hand behind him pushing him forward so that he was pressed against the soft fur.

And just like that, his precious sour mood dripped away. The warmth of the skin on his lower back and legs in combination with the giant stuffed animal worked wonders. One of his own hands raised to take hold of some of the fur, the scent of nature clinging to it.

“There we go. It’s far better to be relaxed than all stiff and tensed up,” Nagito commented. He lowered his head and nuzzled the human’s back. “I do apologize for contributing to it though. I forgot how many days had passed since receiving your gifts. So I didn’t notice that I neglected to provide you with attention until now. But, I will admit it was entertaining seeing you so worked up over an inanimate object that you gave me.”

Hajime groaned, reaching behind him to slightly push at the face. “You will speak of this event to no one. Understand?”

A giggle, followed by more nuzzles. “I hear you loud and clear. Now, let’s make up for that lost week shall we?” Nagito lifted them all up, holding the bear and the human close to his sternum as he began slithering into the woods. And despite having not expected or prepared for this to occur, Hajime felt himself smile again.

Things were fine. Truly fine now.

Masterpost

So this actually was something I debated on for a while. I had wanted this series to be super fluffy and nice with hints of angst. But the thought of something more drastic and impactful started to grow. And grow it did with each new chapter. Until finally I gave in.

So yeah, this one is a bit different. You shall see why.

Also, it was heavily inspired by a comment from WaterfallFirefly. So please enjoy!

“Stop! That’s enough! No more!” Hajime cried out, struggling to escape the tight grip around him.

“Don’t you know your struggles are useless? You are my prey and I’m not about to let you go,” came the hissing reply. “It would be in your best interest to cease. And let me do as I want.”

“No!” the human cried out, pushing against the creature’s skin as much as he could. “It’s been twenty minutes! You have had more than enough time to scent me!”

He was currently being pinned by the naga, who was nuzzling him thoroughly and had been doing so for a while. And nothing he said could get the creature to stop.

“Oh hush, little human. I need to be sure my scent is everywhere on you. Can’t let any other creatures get any ideas,” Nagito replied smugly, going back in for another nuzzle.

“As if you let me leave your sight for too long anyways,” Hajime tried to argue, before getting smothered with the white hair. He shut his mouth and eyes to prevent any from entering. He kept up his pushing, even a few hard pats to inform the other of his disagreement.

But he only felt the naga smile against him, the grin wide enough that he could feel the outline of his fangs. “Stubborn. But that’s one thing I like about you.” He finally let up, raising his head and resting it on a hand. “But you know, I left Coffee, Spooky and Chestnut behind in order to give my full attention to you. I feel as though you aren’t appreciating my efforts.”

The human let his arms and head fall to the ground, a loud groan emerging. “I can never win with you, can I?”

The hand pinning him tightened as its owner laughed. “Nope.” The claws carefully slid under his body and enclosed around him, lifting the human off the forest floor. “Now then, I would say this session has been sufficient. We can go now.”

Hajime did his best to right himself and get comfortable in the hold as the naga began moving. “Do you scent your territory as much as you do me?” he called up while trying to brush the dirt and plant matter out of his hair.

Nagito shrugged. “I do try to keep it up to date as much as I can. But the forest is very large. So I sometimes forget. Especially when my mind is preoccupied with a certain someone!”

The human sighed, slumping forward as he gave up. “Yeah, yeah. So where are you taking us today?”

The naga looked pleased at the question. “Well, it’s been a long time since I’ve been to this one area. It has tons of large trees that I can actually climb! So I wanted to go there today!”

“Huh? You climb trees?” Hajime asked, a bit bewildered. He had never seen the naga do anything like that. But then again, not many trees could probably hold his weight. “But fine. I’m okay with that.”

“Thank you!” Nagito cheered. “It’s really fun for me! My scales blend in really well so it’s quite hard to spot me in the trees! Maybe you can join me to see the view at one point!”

“Yeah, maybe. But definitely not today. I need hours of mental preparation to be up that high,” the brunette stated firmly. But he was grateful that Nagito appeared to not be insistent on him joining in on the climbing. That was good. So he didn’t complain as he was carried farther and farther away from his home. It was always a nice ride. Smooth and with company.

Such things made the trip go by quickly. Soon they were in an area that Hajime had not been to before. Enormous trees stretched far above both of them, dwarfing even the giant naga. It was spectacular. He didn’t know that trees could get this big.

But he still had one question. “How are you going to climb these? There aren’t many low branches.”

Nagito giggled. “You will see.” He then carefully placed the human on one of the lower branches of the nearest tree. “Since I haven’t climbed in a while, I am hesitant to bring you with me. So I will let you sit here for a bit. It’s high up enough that only the birds and myself can reach. Nothing should bother you. And I promise I will be back soon. I’ll keep an ear out if you need me. So don’t hesitate!”

After seeing a nod, the naga backed away and moved closer to the tree. And then he began scaling it. Through usage of his claws, belly muscles, and moving in an S shape, his massive serpentine body was able to slowly ascend. It was fascinating to watch. Twenty minutes later, the last bit of the green tail vanished into the leaves. He was now hidden from sight.

Hajime kept his gaze upwards for a little while longer, trying to see any hint of his companion. But after a combination of not spotting anything and his neck beginning to hurt, he lowered his head.

He did enjoy seeing the world from this high, from the height of his naga. He did feel blessed that he was able to experience such things. He knew not many were lucky enough to have such a bond. He smiled to himself, leaning back against the tree trunk and closing his eyes.

He sat there for some time, listening to the sounds of nature around him. The soft rustling of leaves, the chirp of various birds, and the distant sound of animals in the distance created wonderful white noise. He could easily zone out with an environment this peaceful.

With his eyes closed, the sounds around him were more audible. So he definitely heard the familiar sound of snake scales scraping against the forest floor. He grinned but kept his eyes closed. “Trying to sneak up on me? Sadly it didn’t work. You will have to try better next time,” he called out.

“How very bold.”

Hajime felt a flash of coldness run through his body at the words. That wasn’t Nagito’s voice. But the volume and the accompanying sound of slithering must mean…

His eyes opened quickly, turning his head in the direction the voice had come from. And there, just a little ways away, was an unfamiliar naga. This one not looking so friendly. The predatory stare left him trembling.

“Hmmm? Not so talkative now?” the naga mocked, flashing his teeth with a grin. “That’s too bad. I like my prey to be more vocal. Oh well. I should be grateful that my first catch here was so easy.” Swifter than he thought possible, a clawed hand shot out and grabbed him tight. Too tight. The air was squeezed out from his lungs and the hold around him didn’t allow for much intake.

“W..wait,” he wheezed out once he could, straining in the grip. “This is… another naga’s territory. You… really shouldn’t… be here.”

“Still able to converse? Interesting. And yes, I did smell the markings of another of my species. However, it is very old. So clearly they are gone. And I’m certain the scent covering you is fake as well. You humans really enjoy creating false versions of reality. But it leaves you nothing to threaten me with anymore. Too bad really. I pity you and your species for being this small and fragile. With no effort I can do this.”

Along with his words, he tightened his grip to the point that it was painful. Hajime cried out, knowing that his ribs were surely bruised. The intruder let up after a few moments, evidently enjoying this.

Hajime gasped for breath desperately. “S-stop. Just… let me go,” he said in between pained coughs.

“How about no? Also, nagas don’t take orders from your pitiful kind. You are alone here. Accept your fate.”

The human couldn’t keep up the struggles much longer. His vision was getting spotty and breathing hurt. Weakly, he lifted his head to try and see around him for any possible method of escape.

And then he saw Nagito.

The green naga was creeping down the tree, eyes cold and expression murderous. And they were honed in on the grey naga holding him captive. He was dead silent as he came towards them, careful to not alert the enemy. And once he was within distance, he struck.

The grey naga let out a pained cry of his own as Nagito sank his fangs into his shoulder. The pale hands shot forward and grabbed onto the intruder’s wrist, forcing him to let go. Hajime fell a short ways before landing on the green naga’s palm. Which drew closer to its owner’s chest as Nagito glared menacingly at the now shocked naga.

“You are a true fool to think you could get away with this. These woods are mine. I hold claim over all here. Especially this one right here. Get out now. Before I put my venom in a place more fatal.”

The other naga, who didn’t have any fangs, seemed to be getting ill from the venom in his system. His face paled and became clammy, body beginning to shake. With a look of terror, which worsened as Nagito hissed threateningly again, he fled. And he didn’t look back.

Nagito didn’t budge from his position for a while, making sure he was really gone. But as soon as Hajime let out a pained sound, he directed his attention back to him. “He hurt you.” Raising his occupied hand closer to his eyes, he began to reach forward with his other to touch.

But in a flash of blind panic, Hajime found himself flinching harshly when it got too close. The fresh memory of what caused his pain made him react strongly. Something Nagito certainly saw.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean for this to happen. Please forgive me.” The voice was so small in comparison to his large frame. It was full of sorrow and fear. And once he calmed his heart and mind, Hajime felt like it didn’t suit him. He wanted to help make this go away.

“Nagi…” he managed, extending one arm up and towards the large hand. “You… can’t slack off on this… anymore. Scent thoroughly and… properly from now on. Got it?”

A surprised expression replaced the previous one, green eyes staring confused at him for a few. Then a smile grew. And it was accompanied by small giggles. “Yes, I will be more on it now. I swear this to you.” He moved forward again, smiling more when Hajime reached and made contact. “Do you… know how bad your injuries are?”

The human lifted his shirt up as best he could, grimacing at the dark splotches forming on his skin. He felt around with winces, but ultimately came to the conclusion that nothing was broken. “I’ll heal with rest. So let’s…” he pulled his shirt back down. “Not go on… adventures… while that happens. Alright?” He then had one more thought. “And… sorry for the reaction. I… didn’t mean to. Instincts, you know?”

Nagito softened. “I understand. And I’m glad you still trust me even after…” He gave a soft headshake, hair bouncing and swaying along. “No, we can talk more about that later. But for now, let’s get you back home.”

Hajime felt them begin moving soon after the words were spoken. It was careful and slow, and he felt no pain. But that did bring to mind another inquiry. “You bit that other naga. What will… happen to him?”

Nagito didn’t pause in movement, voice containing no remorse. “My venom is not strong enough to end another naga’s life. However, it will affect his systems and cause him great pain and illness. This is due to him not being a venomous species himself. He should not dare come back after such an experience.”

“Okay.” The human laid back down, eyes closing. “I’m going to… take a nap. Wake me when we… are back at the house.”

“Of course!” He felt a claw gently brush through his hair. “Rest well, my beloved.”

Masterpost

It’s another smol!!! Yahoo!!! It’s been a while since I last did one, hasn’t it? Don’t worry, I have not forgotten about handheld snek!

The last one was a bit angsty. So how bout some fluff? Sweet, tasty fluff.

Suggested by Sapphire. Written by me. Enjoyed by you. Hopefully.

“Come on, Hajime! We need to hurry! We don’t want to be late!” Nagito cried out from his spot on his table. He was out of the terrarium in a small comfortable sweater and eagerly waiting, impatiently if the tail tip twitching was anything to go by.

“It’s alright. We still have plenty of time. And besides, I can’t go out in public to a store with no shirt on,” Hajime replied from the other side of his room, pulling a few drawers open and choosing from his options.

“Is that really necessary? I’ve seen you shirtless. It’s a very nice sight, if I do say so myself.”

“Nagito!” the human exclaimed, face turning bright red. “You are absolutely not permitted to say anything like that when other people are around!”

The small naga laughed. “Alright, alright. But I shall still speak my mind when in our home.”

Hajime somehow managed to control his flush as he finished getting his shirt on. Running a quick hand through his hair, he closed his wardrobe drawers and turned to face his roommate. “I am here and ready now. Happy?”

Nagito gazed up at him with half lidded eyes. “Oh, I am very happy now.” He then stretched up, balancing on his tail as he raised himself as high as he could go. “Now come on! Pick me up!”

Rolling his eyes, Hajime did as requested. He reached down and scooped the small creature up into his palm, then lifted his hand up to his shoulder. He felt the smooth scales transfer over from his hand to his neck, tightening around comfortably. “All good?”

Tiny arms hugged his neck. “Very good.”

The human couldn’t help but ruffle the soft white hair. “Okay. Now we can leave. Again, with plenty of time.”

If Nagito had been part cat, he was sure that he would have been purring from the contact. “It’s still good to be cautious of time. You never know what may happen.”

“You punctual python,” Hajime teased, starting to move out of the bedroom and to the door.

“Excuse me!? I am not a python! I am a glorious member of the viper family! There is a huge difference!” Nagito proclaimed with much pride.

Hajime chuckled a bit. “I know, I know. I’m also grateful you can control your venom. I’m sure Kaz would have not had a good day if you had injected any in him.”

The naga huffed with faux annoyance. “Of course I have control. I am not a wild beast.”

Another ruffle, then Hajime took his hand away to open the door. “I know you aren’t. I am very grateful for the company you provide. And I am thankful especially for your help in this situation. I definitely would have been at a loss if I was by myself.”

He felt Nagito get comfortable as he prepared for human travel. He mostly rested on folded arms on Hajime’s shirt, holding on with his tail. With how the human walked, he didn’t need to worry about falling off. “Happy to help. Is Komaru joining us today?”

Hajime was careful as he shook his head. “I think she isn’t ready to interact with too many humans. She’s probably only comfortable with Makoto currently. That’s fine, though. I don’t want to force her into a stressful situation.”

He felt Nagito lean his head against his neck. “So kind and considerate. I am truly lucky to have fallen into your life.”

It made the human crack a smile. He too felt lucky with the surprise encounter. Never did he think an elusive naga would become so important to him. He cherished every moment they had. Nothing could ever replace it or be better.

The walk was comfortable, the temperature nice and pleasant. And they weren’t interrupted at all on their trip. The store was reached in no time.

They spotted Makoto standing by the store’s entrance, looking around. He saw them as well after a few seconds, waving and approaching. “Hey! Thank you again for this. Both of you.”

“No problem. It’s a good excuse to leave the apartment anyways. I know this one has wanted to go outside for a while,” Hajime responded, poking the green tail around his neck.

The tail tip wrapped around the finger, squeezing as if hugging it. “Yes, indeed! So I of course wished to accompany you.”

Makoto smiled. “I am very grateful. Now, shall we go in?”

He received two nods in return, so they all entered the pet store.

In all honesty, Hajime had been so sure that Nagito would be offended the first time he brought him here when looking for supplies for his roommate’s living situation. But the naga had actually found the place to be amazing. He adored seeing all the things there, even in the sections for other animals. Much of the stuff in his terrarium had been purchased from here. So it was a good place to go if one suddenly had a naga living with them. Like Makoto now.

“Let’s try to not get distracted. Straight to the reptile section,” Hajime declared, grabbing his friend’s wrist and tugging him along behind him.

Makoto sounded fine with this. “Oh! Sure! You are the expert here.”

Soon enough, they were in the aisle of reptile supplies. There were so many options, for all different kinds of creatures. Hajime recalled being lost the first time he had come here. Thankfully, both that time and this time, he had help.

“Oh, look! That stone decoration would work amazing for shedding! And that cave would be great for hiding if she gets overwhelmed. Especially if you have company over. And those fake plants are lovely! The ones with the flowers? I feel that she would love those.”

Nagito didn’t miss a beat, launching into a list of his recommendations. He gave his opinion on several things they saw, at one point requesting to be placed on the shelf to examine things up close. They did garner some attention from people walking down the aisle, including a few kids who lit up at the sight of the tiny creature. But again, no one tried to grab or touch him. Something they were all very thankful for.

Not long after, keeping in mind Makoto’s budget, they had a nice selection of items in the cart. The younger man looked excited, eager to show Komaru what they had found. So off to the register they went, Nagito curled around his favorite human’s wrist.

But before they arrived, Hajime noticed something. Nagito’s gaze had become fixated on something in another aisle. It made him curious. So he told Makoto to go ahead, as he wanted to look for something. He got a confirmation, so he followed the naga’s gaze.

Which ended up being the shelf of stuffed toys. More specifically, a cute green plesiosaur.

Hajime was pretty sure he knew what this meant. And to test that theory, he lifted his wrist up to the shelf, next to the dinosaur. The coils around him loosened as the naga slithered off and moved to the toy. He wound around its neck, hugging the head to his chest tightly. It was extremely adorable.

So Hajime decided to spoil his snake. “If you like it that much, how about we take it home with us. Do you like that idea?”

Nagito’s green eyes flew towards him with sparkles. Several rapid nods occured before going back to rest on the soft plush material. Guess he was very much in favor of the idea.

Carefully and slowly, he picked the plesiosaur off the shelf and into his arms. He did so in a way that wouldn’t jostle the small naga clinging to it. And just as gently, he walked them back to the register, getting in line behind Makoto.

“You found something?” he asked, smiling when he saw the sight.

Hajime looked back down, seeing the content snake hugging his new toy. “Yeah, we did. I just hope he doesn’t mind that the toy will need to be scanned before I can buy it.”

Turns out, he didn’t really need to worry. He kept still and silent even as Hajime extended the toy over to the cashier to scan the tag. Much adoration was had by everyone nearby, to which the human was in agreement on.

The payment was completed, both for him and Makoto. So now it was time to leave. “Stay safe when going back. And do let me know if you need any more assistance,” he said to his classmate as they finished loading his car.

He got a grateful smile. “I will. Thank you again for all the help. I take it you guys are going back home as well?”

He grinned. “Yeah. I think we will need to redecorate his terrarium. Now that he has a new friend.” He glanced down again, noticing the relaxed posture and peaceful expression. “Or maybe a nap with his new cuddle buddy.”

Masterpost

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

So I needed one more low energy, fluffy chapter to illustrate how long it’s taking Hajime to heal. Luckily for me, I have a great idea!

Hajime is a stubborn lad. Once he sets his mind to something, he will accomplish it no matter what. And we love him for that. Go Haji go!

So I might start to slow down on uploads ever so slightly. Cause like Nagito and Memphis Tennessee (oh I hope someone will get this reference) I am part lizard/reptile and can’t function very well in the cold. Which is especially hard when I work all day outside.

Four weeks had passed since he was injured. Chiaki had been extremely helpful during that time, helping him with the house chores and running errands for him. As well as providing both him and Nagito with company, which they appreciated and enjoyed.

Sadly, she couldn’t stay forever. Hajime knew that and mentally prepared himself for her departure. She noticed during his third week of healing. But instead of feeling down, she instead suggested something to help keep them occupied. Something she felt would be beneficial, for him and the naga. When he first heard the idea, he flushed red from the mental image, making his friend grin wide.

But even so, he wanted to do it. Even if it meant hours of painstaking learning. And a few days of not seeing Nagito very frequently. The naga had been informed of this time being required away from him, so he understood. But he definitely rejoiced whenever he saw the humans again.

The project was completed in a week. Quite a feat, considering it was only two of them working on it and neither being experts in the subject. But they accomplished it. To both of their happiness. And it was lucky, as Chiaki had to go back home the next day.

Hugs were had. Both from Hajime and Nagito. He even gave her a few nuzzles, expressing his gratitude for her kindness and help. “I’ll miss you dearly. Please come back soon to visit. I enjoyed every second.”

Chiaki reached her arm up and pet the soft hair. “I will be back soon, I’m sure. I’ll miss you, too. I’ll let Hajime know when I arrive home and he can tell you when I do.”

“Yes, that sounds good. Please drive safe,” Nagito said as he slowly pulled away to give her space.

Chiaki then went over to Hajime, pulling him in for a hug as well. Not as hard as she usually would, as the man’s ribs were still tender. Once close, she whispered softly in his ear. “You got this. Just be confident in yourself. Things will go well. And do tell me the details later. With photos. I eagerly await them.”

Hajime fought hard to keep redness from coloring his cheeks. “I will. Can’t let our hard work go to waste, right?”

They separated soon after. Hajime stepped back and Chiaki went to her car. The engine roared to life and her vehicle turned and headed out. Hajime watched the cameras, seeing her vehicle move through the gate and drive away. Until it was no longer visible on the feed. He closed the gate and put his phone in his pocket, letting out a sigh. “There she goes. Hopefully her drive isn’t bad.”

Something large nudged him from behind. He didn’t need to turn around to know it was Nagito bumping his nose against his back. “We will see her again, right?”

Hajime reached behind him, patting the skin. “Yeah, we definitely will. Once we both have the same time off, I’m sure she will return.”

“I hope so. I can tell that her company meant a lot to you. And I was also able to make a new friend.” Nagito breathed out a sigh, making Hajime’s clothes and hair rustle. He rose up to a more upright position, head out of the human’s reach. “Well, I guess I’ll go hunt now. I didn’t eat while she was here. Probably not the smartest decision on my part.”

Hajime felt his concern levels rising. “Wait, you didn’t eat for three weeks? Are you okay? Are you sick?”

But the naga simply giggled. “Oh, please don’t fret. I am perfectly fine. I’ve gone much longer without eating.”

This bewildered the human for a second. Then he facepalmed. “Snake. Yeah, got it.” He then raised his eyes again. “But anyways, after you eat… can you come back here?”

Nagito tilted his head. “Hmm? I certainly can return here afterwards. But why?”

After taking a few subtle breaths to calm himself, he replied. “Just… come back when you’re done. You will see.”

The naga looked very confused. But he nodded anyway. “I shall return very soon. I’ll tap on your patio window when I am back. Please relax in the meantime.”

With that, Nagito slithered away. Disappearing into the sea of trees. Off to procure some food for himself. Hajime just hoped that he remembered to fully close his jaw seam before returning. It was… unsettling to witness sometimes.

But putting that mental image aside, he went back into his house. He climbed the stairs, making it to his bedroom. Pulling open a few drawers, he chose articles of clothing that were warm. His plan required staying out for a while. And it was starting to get colder, so warm clothes were ideal.

He changed, went back downstairs, checked on his creation one last time in the garage, and then sat on the couch. He relaxed as best he could, closing his eyes and picturing how he wanted tonight to go. He wanted this to go well. And he needed to do it. Otherwise Chiaki would never let him live it down.

About an hour was spent on that couch, Hajime mindlessly scrolling through his phone and waiting for the naga’s return. And once the sound of scales moving across the grass was audible, he put it away and moved to the patio door.

“Oh! I didn’t even need to tap! You have good timing!” Nagito exclaimed, smiling happily. Thankfully, the mouth seam was hardly visible so he looked as he usually did. Though his snake section was a bit more plump than usual. But the reason for that was pretty obvious.

“Something like that,” Hajime responded. He then gestured to his side. “Anyways, can you move around to the other side of the house? Where the garage is?”

The naga glanced over before returning his gaze to the smaller man. “Sure! I’ll move over there now.”

The human nodded and began walking that way as well, hearing the sounds of movement behind him. They reached the location about the same time, though he didn’t turn around to visually confirm this. He focused on imputing the garage code to open it up, the gift laying inside.

Once the mechanisms began working, that’s when he faced Nagito again. “So I’m sure you were wondering what was holding our attention the last week. Well, it’s in here. Go ahead and pull it out once the door is up.”

The naga looked eager now, staring at the garage door and waiting for it to open enough for him to reach in. He did so at the first opportunity, sneaking his hand in and taking hold of the object. His expression morphed into one of confusion as he felt it, carefully dragging it out and into the open.

“Fabric?” he asked, unfolding it to its full length. It was lilac in color and soft. But he clearly didn’t know what he was looking at.

But Hajime expected that. “This is called a shawl. It’s something humans wear. Chiaki and I made it for you with several blankets. It’s getting cold and we thought you might want something to cover your shoulders. Put your head through the hole in the middle.”

A dozen emotions were running across Nagito’s face. But he ended up simply following the human’s instructions, pulling his head through the hole. The fabric draped over his shoulders and chest, extending down to where skin met scales. The perfect length for him. “It’s… so warm and soft. I… I love it!”

Hajime soon felt himself get cupped in the large hands and raised to Nagito’s cheek, where he was gently nuzzled. “You did this for me? Made this for me? I feel like I’m dreaming. It’s so nice. I’ll treasure it. I’ll be sure to take good care of it.”

Glancing up, the human noticed some tears in the corners of the green eyes. He really had been moved by the gift. “I’m glad you like it. I hope it helps.” And internally, he felt that every accidental needle poke was worth this reaction. And this visual. Yes, the visual was quite something. “Hey, can you put me down for a second? I want to send a photo of you to Chiaki. I’m sure she will want to see you in it, too.”

“Oh, okay. But can I nuzzle more after? I haven’t adequately displayed my appreciation quite yet and I intend to do so,” Nagito stated as he lowered the human to the ground again.

“Fine, fine. Now smile,” Hajime told him, holding his phone up and quickly snapping a photo. He looked at the picture and decided very quickly that it was his new favorite picture. He sent it to Chiaki and put his phone away before his cheeks turned red and was noticed. “Okay. Go ahead.”

With a squeal of glee, Nagito happily obliged. Another round of nuzzles, hugs and sweet words that would last for who knows how long. But Hajime was content with that. He wouldn’t give up this privilege for anything. It was priceless.

Masterpost

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