Ladies, Gentleman, And The Fine Non-binary And Gender Fluid Users Of Tumblr, Please Welcome To The Stage:

Ladies, gentleman, and the fine non-binary and gender fluid users of tumblr, please welcome to the stage: Nagizuru!!!

I know, I know. This took a bit. I was having a slow writing period last week. In addition, sad life events. But I’m all good now. And here you all are.

This is my take on how Hajime got his eye injury based on some details @karugoround gave me. I’m pleased with the result.

Buckle up, my friends. This one is going to be reeeeeaaaaalllll fun. Hehehehehehe.

Another day, another round of tasks to accomplish. Thankfully, Hajime didn’t mind doing them day after day. He took great pride in his job. It was one that no one else could say they had. Looking after and tending to the Ultimate Hope.

A job that he brought all his energy into every time he entered the experiment’s room. “Morning, sir. How did you sleep?”

Izuru was already sitting up and leaning back against the pillows, staring out the window. But he turned to face his caretaker once spoken to. “I slept quite deeply. Though not of my own choosing or doing.”

Hajime did his best to remain neutral. “The sedatives they give you are quite strong. I can’t imagine what they feel like.”

“No, you cannot. But on the subject of sleep, you appear to not be getting much as of late,” Izuru observed. “They really do work you to the bone. My poor caretaker.”

He wasn’t incorrect. Lately, his superiors had been hounding him with extra tasks and errands around the building. Even at early hours in the morning. And like a good subordinate, he obeyed all calls and requests. Which led to very few hours of sleep. Which Izuru had noticed.

“Hajime. I request that you stay after the morning examination. I require your assistance on something,” the white haired man stared, firm and absolute.

The request was kind of unexpected, making Hajime pause for a moment. But he collected himself and nodded. “As you wish, sir. I’ll be sure to be quick with the tests. I’ll get started now.”

True to his word, he did everything as fast as he dared. Not too fast, as he didn’t want to mess anything up. Thankfully, he had done this long enough that everything was practically second nature. Izuru was done and eating while he scribbled down the last of the numbers.

“Thank you for your patience,” he said while collecting the empty dishes. He placed them on the cart and set it aside, close to the door. He returned to stand next to Izuru’s bed. “Alright, I am ready to assist you. What can I help you with?”

The experiment turned to look out the window again. “Come over here and tell me what you see. I wish to know what a mind not on sedatives perceives this as.”

That… had not been at all what Hajime had expected. But then again, Izuru was unpredictable. So he tried to reign in the befuddlement and instead looked for the best way to see what Izuru wanted him to see. But he came to the realization that the window was right next to Izuru’s bed. So the only way to get to the window was to…

“You have permission to climb on my bed. No need to fry your brain cells thinking of a solution when the answer is so simple.” The voice startled him out of his thoughts. And upon registering the words, he had to take a breath to calm himself. Things would be alright. He had been given permission. He was allowed to do this.

With those thoughts, he climbed onto the bed, sitting on his knees near the window. The small size of it meant he had to sit very close to the room’s occupant. He tried to ignore that in favor of gazing out the window. “I… just see some trees and rocks. And some homes in the distance. Was there… something you were hoping to see?”

“No. I just desired for you to be in this position.”

Hajime wasn’t able to voice his question before he felt hands grab his shoulders tight. Then he was tugged hard, resulting in him falling back with a yelp. He landed on his back, head facing up. And when he gathered his bearings, he noticed that Izuru was staring straight down at him. “Perfect. Now I have you right where I want you.”

The caretaker realized where he was now. He was now fully laying on the bed, his head positioned on the Ultimate Hope’s lap. He wouldn’t be able to get out of this position easily. Especially when the pale hands placed themselves on either side of his jaw.

“Ah ah ah. No protesting. Just accept it,” Izuru teased, smiling a bit wider. One of his hands stayed on his jaw, but the other began moving, tracing around the covering over his eye. The fabric was pinched and slowly pulled away. It lifted easily, the fall having loosened it. Soon, his blind eye was uncovered and exposed for the experiment to see. “There. Now you can relax more easily. Wearing bindings while resting can do more harm than good.” A thumb rubbed circles on the cheek under it. “What an interesting color. So different from your other eye.”

Hajime suppressed the grimace. He was very aware of the differences in his eyes now. His blind eye’s iris had lost its hazel and was now a rusty red, with the veins around it more pronounced. It paled in comparison to Izuru’s brilliant ruby reds. His was hideous.

“On the contrary, I do like it.”

Hajime’s attention snapped to Izuru’s face, a knowing expression present. “You… are you sure you can’t read minds?”

Izuru laughed humorlessly. “I assure you I possess no such mystical abilities. But back to the previous subject. You are not a fan of your eye, are you? Did the incident behind its condition traumatize you?”

“I…”

The caretaker fell silent, breaking his eye contact with the other. He closed both eyes tight, both the one that could see and the one that could not. A flood of memories were beginning to come back. Ones he thought he had suppressed.

~~~~~~~~~~

Hajime slowly walked into the kitchen on the floor below his charge’s rooms. He needed to begin preparations for the next meal. He knew that if he didn’t, the scientists and doctors would let Izuru go hungry. And the brunette refused to allow that to happen again.

So he went about the kitchen, grabbing all that was necessary. He unfortunately didn’t have many options, as his superiors failed to see why their experiment should have variety in his diet. So Hajime did the best he could.

Today was soup. He had prepared a large batch of it the night before and only needed to be warmed up in the microwave. He set the full bowl inside, closed the door, and punched some numbers onto the timer. After that, all he had to do was wait.

As was common nowadays, his thoughts landed back on Izuru Kamukura. How taking care of his needs had been. It had not been easy so far. He always felt intimidated by the man, with his cold eyes and his eternal smile. And the knowledge of what he could do if not kept in check. And he had been taught very well about his abilities even when locked up. Namely, the disasters and horrible accidents that occurred whenever his mood was low. Hajime… knew very well how dangerous it was. The scar on his chest still throbbed as if a reminder.

Another thing was the lack of communication. Izuru so rarely uttered a word to anyone, him included. He wondered if he was doing something wrong, or if the experiment simply wasn’t a talker. His previous personality had certainly been. It was so different witnessing this change. He had spent multiple sleepless nights trying to wrap his head around this in the beginning.

A sound interrupted his thoughts. A sound from the microwave. The humming of a typical microwave was no longer present. It was instead rising in pitch and intensity. To the point where he had to cover his ears to try and block it out. But it did little good. Especially when the machine exploded.

The force and surprise made him reel back in shock, tripping over a small stool and falling on his back. The impact knocked the wind out of him, forcing him to remain motionless for a few seconds. During that time, the security in the building went into panic mode. The lights began blinking red and a warning siren started up too.

*Initiating emergency lockdown systems. Preparing to scan for life forms.*

An artificial voice spoke right before a laser grid started scanning the area. Hajime tried his best to get up and make himself noticeable for the grid. He was so focused on this that he accidentally knocked a cart stacked high with several miscellaneous objects. Heavy objects. That all fell onto him and pinning him to the ground again.

And as if that wasn’t bad enough, he noticed the grid beginning to glitch. It started moving rapidly in multiple directions, no pattern or concise plan. Was the system… malfunctioning? Of all times for this to happen. But it wasn’t like he had a choice. He just needed to focus on getting out.

Then one of the lasers landed on him.

*Li-Li-Life form detected-ed-ed. Scanning for-or identification.*

All of the lasers formed a single beam, all concentrating on one location of his body. His left eye.

He knew he should move. Cover his face so the lasers weren’t burning his eye. But he felt frozen from shock. All he could do was breath rapidly.

The robotic voice was constant. Never ending. Terrifying.

*Scanningscanningscanningscanningscanningscanningscanningafbkydbjkiggydeifkgufusfkgigvu…*

The voice cut off with the power. As did his left eye’s vision.

~~~~~~~~~~

“Ah, I see. So that is what occurred. How unfortunate that all those events happened simultaneously.”

Hajime opened his working eye, looking up to Izuru who had been listening intently to his retelling. “Yeah. It was. Getting used to having one working eye was… not easy. But I had to. The scientists weren’t very empathetic and wanted me back to work as soon as I could. But I didn’t need their pressure. I would have done it anyway.”

“Yes, you have proven your loyalty to the extreme.” The thumb began rubbing gentle and soothing circles under his non-functional eye. “I will admit to being surprised to see you that day. Fresh bandages over a body part that most cherish. And a wound that will never recover. And yet… there you stood.”

Izuru leaned down, face directly hovering over his. “Let me ask you this, to satisfy my curiosity. How many accidents due to my luck have you experienced since then?”

Hajime thought hard about it, trying to recall every accident that had occurred to him. But to his surprise, he couldn’t think of a single one that had happened after his eye injury. “None. But… why?”

“Oh, I think I have an idea as to why,” Izuru said with a smirk.

“And I’m going to guess that you won’t tell me what it is,” Hajime responded, gazing up into the red eyes.

“Correct. You will have to use your brain to figure this one out.” Izuru leaned back up, carding his hands through the brown locks. “So while you lay there, trying and failing to find the answer, you shall serve as my distraction. You have no issues with this, hmmm?”

Of course he didn’t. Hajime wouldn’t dream of refusing the white haired man’s requests. So he didn’t move, staying completely still as the experiment played with his hair.

He remained silent in his thoughts, attempting to discreetly enjoy the physical touches. What could the reason for the decreased accidents be? He only noticed when it had been pointed out to him. He had just been going about his days grateful for another safe one. And prayers that the next would be just as painless.

But he had a brief thought. Izuru had also changed after the injury. He had begun talking to him more. Interacting more frequently and emoting just a hint more. But did that correlate at all?

He sighed, closing his eyes again. It couldn’t possibly correlate. He meant nothing compared to the one he was resting on. The one who was simply the most important person in the world. Not only to the whole of humanity, but him as well.

And so, he once again swore to himself to perform his role exceptionally well. Which meant more sleep. He would have to readjust his schedule with his superiors soon. But he had a feeling he would get what he desired. After all, luck was now on his side.

Masterpost

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Not that he had many emotions anymore.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Hey! I see you there! Answer me!”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Masterpost

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

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

So you will never guess who got another commission from the ever wondrous @xxtc-96xx.

This time, featuring my favorite Pokémon character Cynthia with my Mewnokuma! And it is amazing!

Now I’m gonna go off and admire this for a while. Feel free to join in!

Do you take requests?:)

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