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I have a strong, sneaking suspicion that some will really REALLY like this nagizuru fic. The mental image it will paint in your minds will be a splendid one, for sure.

And if it makes you feel things, do feel free to share your thoughts. I am most curious.

As always, the au is by @karugoround! And I am very grateful for the chance to help these two grow and interact. Very fun indeed!!!

Hajime grumbled as he pushed his cart into the elevator. He was not pleased with how things had been going today.

The reason? Some imbecile had decided to leave a bucket full of water behind him while he was gathering materials and he had tripped over it, soaking his clothes. The laughs that his fall caused led him to believe it hadn’t been an accident. And unfortunately, Hajime didn’t have enough time to get changed. All he had been able to do was grab another change of clothes and put them on the cart to Izuru’s room. He hoped the Ultimate Hope would allow him to use his bathroom to change while he ate.

He tried to wipe his displeased grimace off his face as he swiped his card and entered the room. Of course, he wasn’t successful in fooling the best analyst in the world.

“It seems an unfortunate accident occurred. A possible sabotage? You know you only need to reveal their identity for them to receive their punishment.”

The offer was given to him half a second after he walked in. And Izuru looked to be a mixture of subtle amusement and not so subtle aggression. Hajime felt his mood improve upon seeing this, feeling slightly vindicated for his anger at the incident.

But he still shook his head. “I couldn’t really tell you. I didn’t see whoever put the bucket behind me. Just that they were new.”

Izuru rested his head on a hand while laying on his side. “I’m sure that’s the case. No one who has been here for more than a week would dare do such a thing to you otherwise. If only they knew what misfortune they have brought upon themselves.”

Hajime raised an eyebrow. “Wait. So you can affect people even if you’ve never seen them?”

“My abilities are not to be underestimated, my dear caretaker.”

Izuru fell silent after, sitting up on the bed and extending his arms for the routine tests. Hajime took a few moments to think on what he was told. It sometimes really did seem like Izuru really had surpassed human limits and was some supernatural force.

However, he didn’t dwell on these for long, as he didn’t want to make his charge wait any longer than he had to. So despite his discomfort of being in soaked clothes, he did the tests as he usually did. And he breathed a sigh of relief once he handed the plate of food off to Izuru. “I hope you don’t mind if I borrow your bathroom. I won’t be long, I swear.”

The experiment took his first bite, then nodded. “Very well.”

Breathing a sigh of relief, Hajime grabbed his dry clothing and entered the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. He was quick to shed the wet pants, shirt, and suit jacket. Thankfully, his undergarments had escaped the water, so he didn’t have to remove those. But the same could not be said for his eye covering. He undid it, the strip of cloth lowered onto the wet pile. But as he moved to grab his dry set, he found himself drawn to what he saw in the mirror.

A body riddled with scars.

He quickly averted his gaze, not liking what he saw. All of them were acquired during his time at the lighthouse. And while he might not have any regrets in coming to this place, that didn’t mean he had no opinions on the scars. He was damaged. Worthless. Undesirable. No one would look his way if they knew what he hid under his clothing.

He sighed with a deep frown, reaching over to grab his shirt. But his progress was halted when he felt arms wrap around his waist from behind. Panicking, his eye shot back to the mirror.

He was no longer the only one in the bathroom. That much was clear by the sight of a smiling Izuru staring right into his working eye from the reflective glass. “S-sir? Was I… taking too long?”

He felt the hum as Izuru rested his head on his caretaker’s shoulder. “Not at all. I grew bored and wished to join you. And to see a new sight.”

Hajime frowned again. “It’s not much of a sight. I’m… not easy to look at anymore.”

“I have to disagree.”

The firm statement made the brunette pause, booting him out of his unhappy spiral. He looked over to the Ultimate Hope, who had raised a hand to begin tracing the scar on his chest. “Where did this one come from?”

Somehow, the question also eased his mind. “A lightning strike from three weeks into my job. I somehow survived without too much damage.”

“I see.” Izuru then moved to his right leg, where a nasty long cut disfigured his skin. “And this?”

“A week after recovering from the lightning strike. The ceiling gave out and sent lots of metal appliances crashing down. A sharp piece cut my leg open,” Hajime replied. “Thankfully, it doesn’t inhibit my ability to walk. I often forget it’s there.”

A finger then traced around his blind eye. “I know what caused this.” Then the pale hands reached down to grab his wrists. They lifted them up, displaying the several small cuts and burn scars littering his hands and arms. “But I do not know the origin of these. Do inform me.”

Hajime managed a small smile. “These don’t have crazy stories. They are all from minor accidents in the kitchen, preparing things for you. N-not that I blame you or anything! I would never!”

The white haired man laughed, the sound a wonderful noise. “Calm yourself, my dear caretaker. I assure you that the thought never crossed my mind.” He let go of the right wrist, returning it to its position around Hajime’s waist. But he kept hold of the left one, twisting and turning it as if trying to memorize every detail. “So many scars. So many encounters with harm. But you survived them all, even the dangerous ones. You have quite a tenacious soul. Something I am most pleased about. And I enjoy the sight of your collection, for it is an admirable one.” Izuru then raised the hand towards his face, planting a quick and gentle kiss to the damaged skin.

Hajime hadn’t thought it possible, but he felt the most intense amount of emotions flooding through his body. Nothing the Ultimate Hope had said or done to him had ever affected him this much. His entire body went scarlet. He knew this because he saw it happen in the mirror.

Izuru smirked, enjoying the sight, too. “My, my. One would think that you enjoy my praise. Do not worry though, for I shall reveal this information to no one. Your secrets are safe with me.” The experiment withdrew, stepping away and out the door. “My curiosity has been satiated. You may continue as you were. Though I do insist you keep the door open.”

The embarrassed whine that threatened to escape was barely contained. Just barely. He heard the bed creak as Izuru returned to laying on it, which prompted the brunette to complete the task he came into the bathroom to do. And as ordered, he left the door open. He got dressed in a speed he had never accomplished before, fueled by embarrassment most likely. Though his eye covering was being difficult for some reason. He tried and tried again as he left the bathroom, biting his lip in frustration as it slipped off another time. “Stupid thing. Stay on!” he muttered to himself.

“Calm yourself, Hajime. It won’t do to be so upset. Come to me. Allow me to assist.” Izuru’s gentle voice beckoned him over. And he dutifully obeyed without question. He sat on the bed near the experiment, feeling his cold fingers on his head once more. The fabric was woven around his face, placed and tightened with expert hands. It wasn’t long until the eye was fully covered.

But before he could stand up, the hands placed themselves on his chin, turning his head to make eye contact with the Ultimate Hope. The ruby red eyes scanned his face, observing him in his entirety. He appeared satisfied by this. “Not a hair out of place. Excellent.”

The blush that had just faded returned with full force. He was certain Izuru could feel it along with seeing it. But no additional emotion ran across the man’s face. A perfect doll-like smile, unreadable and unchanging. And a sight Hajime would never tire of seeing.

“Th-thank you, sir,” he stammered out, not daring to move out of the hold he was in. He wasn’t in charge here and he knew his place very well.

It didn’t last too long this time, Izuru’s hands and arms pulling back to slip under the covers again. “Now that you are properly dressed once more, I shall allow you to attend to your other duties. Oh, and do be sure to avoid the first floor today. I sense the new hire training will go poorly for a few souls.”

Understanding the implications, the caretaker nodded. “Yes, sir. I shall remain on the floors above.”

“Good, good. Now run along. I grow weary,” Izuru told him, eyes closing.

Hajime stood and pulled the covers up and around the experiment’s shoulders. “Sleep well. I shall see you soon.”

Masterpost

So I was not sure if CountrygirlJade21 wanted big or small for this prompt. So I just chose one! And I chose smol!

And we get even more clinginess! I think people like it a lot. I do as well!

Not many notes this time cause my brain empty. So have fun!

At this moment in time, Nagito would surmise that he had been living with his human for several months now. And how wonderful those months had been. Every single one was amazing, with new discoveries and fascinating occurrences. All with his beloved Hajime.

He found himself thinking about this as he woke up and stared dreamily up at the large face in front of him. He had snuck over from his terrarium again during the night. And who could blame him for doing so? Hajime was warm and comfortable, not to mention a nice sight. So of course, he did it as often as he could.

But, in truth, that was not the entire reason he had come up this time. Something else had motivated him. Some strange instinct that he had never felt before instructed him to stay as close as possible to his beloved. And he was more than happy to listen to it. Which led to now, as the morning sun woke his human up. “Good morning! How was your sleep?” he cheerfully asked.

Hajime groaned and groggily opened his eyes. “Again? You have your own space, you know.” It was said in a neutral tone, so Nagito knew there was no annoyance.

“I know I do. But you are so much better!” he replied, moving so that he was resting on his crossed arms. He sighed wistfully as he stared, making Hajime roll his eyes with a blush.

“You are such a sap,” the human grumbled, reaching down and pinching the thickest part of the green tail to lift him off. In response, Nagito slithered in between his fingers and forming a complex knot. Now he couldn’t be shaken off. He grinned with his fangs in full view when he heard Hajime sigh. “Fine. You can stay there for a little.”

A little? Nagito wanted to stay the whole day. But he supposed that he could reposition eventually, provided that it didn’t take him far away from his beloved. He planned to not spend even a full minute away, and he was willing to use every method possible to ensure it. His instincts demanded it.

So he tightened his coils when Hajime yawned and sat up, stretching his arms above his head. Nagito felt as though he was on a ride, like the ones at those human amusement parks. Especially when the arms lowered again at a quick speed. The rush of adrenaline was so interesting to feel, and he liked it. Maybe he could ask Hajime to simulate a ride at another point in time. But not now, as the human had to prepare food.

This time, Nagito would partake in food as well. It had been two weeks since he last ate, and he was feeling a little peckish. The naga was very curious as to what would be made today. He very much enjoyed Hajime’s cooking. It was really a shame that he couldn’t enjoy it more. He had learned in the past that trying to eat even a bite everyday led to him feeling sick. So he stuck to his schedule, eating only after two weeks had passed. And today was the day.

What unfortunate timing, it was. But Nagito didn’t let it get him down. He could work around it.

He stayed glued to Hajime throughout the cooking process. He had to relocate to the human’s upper arm, climbing up in a well-practiced manner. Hajime didn’t seem to mind, and Nagito certainly didn’t mind. He could feel the muscles under his tail move with every action preformed, a very enjoyable sensation. It was a shame when he had to again relocate to the neck in order to be stable enough to eat. But at least he could feel the heartbeat.

Nagito knew that humans often found his method of eating off-putting, which is why he did it out of Hajime’s range of vision. Thankfully, today’s breakfast included small sausages, the perfect size for a naga. It was also very tasty, which made swallowing it quite easy. It was gone from sight in practically no time.

Grateful that his mouth was free again, he utilized his regained speech to ask a question. “What are your plans for today?”

Hajime took a second to reply. “I have to go to the library to work on a project. So I’ll need to be there for a few hours. Will you be alright on your own for that long?”

That sent a wave of panic through him, heightened by this strange instinct. “No! No, don’t leave me behind! Take me with you! Please!” he cried, hugging the human as best he could with his small arms.

His begging clearly shocked Hajime, who stiffened slightly. “Huh? What’s going on? You sound like your life is on the line.”

Nagito squeezed his arms and tail tighter. “It is! I must stay with you today!” he pleaded with desperation. “I’ll be quiet! I’ll be still! Just don’t go without me!”

“Okay! Okay! Calm down! You can come with me,” Hajime said in a voice laced with confusion.

Nagito instantly relaxed, rubbing his cheek against the brunette’s neck. “Thank you. Thank you. I am eternally grateful. This shall go into the book of greatest deeds ever performed. May countless blessings rain down upon you for-”

His speech was interrupted by a finger ruffling his hair. “I already told you to calm down. Don’t praise me that highly for a simple task. I don’t know what’s gotten into you all of a sudden, but I’ll let you work through it with assistance if you need me to.”

Feeling his cheeks redden a hint from embarrassment, the naga did rein in the heaps of praise threatening to spill forth more than it already had. So he settled for a more condensed response. “Thank you,” he repeated before drooping on the huge shoulders and closing his eyes. He had a full stomach and was with his beloved. He couldn’t ask for a more perfect scenario.

Hajime, ever so considerate, seemed to realize he was dozing. As such, he did his best to be silent in his movements. From getting dressed, gathering his required materials, and stepping outside to go to his destination. All was quiet. Especially when they entered the library.

It was as if they had entered a whole new world. Only the sound of rustling pages was audible. No voices, no music, no footsteps. It was so peaceful.

The naga was sure he would have loved to investigate and observe more. However, his meal and the satisfied instinct made it very hard to stay awake. So he ended up passing out for a few hours while Hajime worked on his project. It was a very restful nap and nothing disturbed him. Not until he felt something begin petting his hair and tail gently.

“Nagito? You’ve been asleep for a while. Time to wake back up.”

That was Hajime’s voice. The most wondrous of sounds. It coaxed the naga back into consciousness, flexing and stretching as he blinked his eyes open. They were back in the apartment.

“Oh… I didn’t see anything outside today. How… strange…” he noted as he yawned wide, his mouth seam splitting a bit. It settled back into place momentarily, fangs folding back up onto the roof of his mouth comfortably.

“Yeah, you were totally zonked out. Feeling better now? Clinginess subsided?” the brunette asked as he lowered one of the hands to set his bag back down.

Nagito reached over and grabbed ahold of the digit on his hair, hugging it tight. “Well, if I say yes to that question, then it would be a lie! I’ll always be clingy for you!” He did take a moment to evaluate his instincts. It was there, but far more muted. He thought it was slowly disappearing as the day went on. “But as for what I know you are referring to, I think it’s almost over. Just a little more and it should be gone.”

Hajime hummed as he returned to the kitchen to make a snack. “Have you gone through this before? Some strange naga thing?”

Nagito shook his head. “I must admit that I am not quite sure what it is. I’ve never had this happen before. Though, I do recall having a day of extreme loneliness around this time in years past. Perhaps it has changed now that I have someone precious to me.”

He felt the skin heat up under him, informing him of the human’s blushing. “O-oh. I… I see. Well, I’m glad you are doing better now.”

Nagito again hugged the human as best he could, smiling wide. “Oh, yes. I am doing just fine. More than fine.”

Masterpost

The SCP au first meeting! Some of you have been asking for it. And I am happy to provide!

I really enjoyed writing this one. It was very entertaining the whole time. It also ended up much longer than I expected. But I suspect no one will be upset about that.

It’s so fun switching between the Lighthouse au and the SCP au. The Nagizurus are so alike, yet so different. It’s awesome to explore the differences.

Btw, if you are squeamish, there is going to be a scene depicting something unpleasant. So I just wanted to caution people just in case.

Hajime sorted the papers and envelopes on the table in front of him into a near stack. He tied them up tightly with a bit of twine before handing it off to one of the facility staff. “Here. This is all I want sent. They’ve been looked over already and are clear to go. Nothing confidential is in them.”

The doctor standing nearby nodded in approval. “Excellent. I’m sure you know the routine by now. We can proceed with the interview immediately. Though… I have to ask. Is he going to be accompanying you during it?”

Hajime rolled his eyes as he felt Nagizuru hum in amusement. He was currently being hugged from behind with the entity nestling his head on Hajime’s shoulder. “Correct. Any attempts to remove me by force shall have consequences,” the SCP warned.

“Believe me, I tried to convince him to stay in the room. But he wouldn’t take no for an answer. He swore that he wouldn’t interfere, though,” Hajime told the doctor, who still looked a bit on edge.

“If he will not leave, then there’s little we can do to prevent him from attending. Very well, he may be present for this,” they relented. They pulled over a recording device, adjusting some settings and preparing it. “Have a seat. We shall begin momentarily.”

Nodding, Hajime moved to do just that. Or, he tried to. The arms around him held tight, not allowing him to move forward. Then Nagizuru whispered in his ear, sending thousands of shivers down his spine. “No need to force yourself upon such a stiff seat. I have a better idea.”

Hajime felt some kind of energy run through his body, making him feel strange and light. And soon, both he and Nagizuru were floating in the air a foot off the ground. He yelped and clung tight to the arms around him, as this was very new to him.

“Calm yourself. It is alright, my dear Hajime. Just relax and lean back into me. You’ll get used to it very quickly,” Nagizuru assured, soothing and gentle. It made his body instinctively lose tension, even while his mind raced.

“Warn me next time!” the human scolded, releasing his death grip on the arms holding him. He got a laugh in response, but nothing else. That was all he would be getting this time. He tried to regain his composure while in his new position, seeing the doctor watch them while furiously taking notes. “Hope you don’t mind me being in the air for this,” he commented to them. He didn’t want to admit it aloud, but it was strangely comfortable like this. He understood why Nagizuru wanted to do it.

“Of course. The recorder will be able to pick up your voice even from your current position. Are you ready to begin?” they asked, flipping to a new page on their clipboard to take more notes.

Upon seeing Hajime nod, they pushed the recording button. “Today is May 29th. We are sitting down to interview Mr. Hajime Hinata. SCP-49878 is also currently present in the room.” They paused, then spoke again. “Today, we want you to describe your first encounter with SCP-49878 in greater detail. Can you remember enough to accomplish this?”

Hajime nodded again, seeing Nagizuru’s smile widen out of the corner of his eye. He made a point to lean back firmly into the other, hearing a tiny giggle in response. “Oh yeah. I remember it all. Would be hard to forget that whole week.”

~~~~~~~~~~

Hajime sighed in aggravation as he felt the first drops of rain begin falling. Perfect. This was just what he needed. He had already been stressed from a hard day at college, and now the weather was turning against him. The only saving grace was that he had an umbrella with him, which he quickly grabbed and unfolded. He heard drops hitting the material above him, grateful that he managed to escape most of the moisture.

Then he set off for his dorm room shortly after, wanting nothing more than to collapse on his bed and sleep. It was the beginning of the school year, yet he was already drained. What did that mean for the rest of the year? He found himself sending out a silent prayer to the universe that it would help him find a way through this. That he wouldn’t have to struggle and stress through college. That he would be able to find a life that would be exciting.

He huffed as he walked forward, about to pass the bus stop. “Yeah, like that will happen,” he muttered to himself as he avoided a large puddle.

“What do you want to happen?”

A calm, neutral voice ripped him out of his thoughts. He turned to the source of the noise, seeing someone his age sitting on the bus stop bench getting drenched. His clothes looked tattered and filthy, sticking close to the pale body they were on. Long, white hair also covered the man’s shoulders and back, stringy and unbrushed. But despite his obvious poor state, the man looked at him with a smile.

Hajime still couldn’t help the words that spewed forth. “Are… are you okay? Do you… have a place to go to? Are you a student?”

A humorless laugh arose. “I am not a student. As for shelter, I can make do with any location. However, I must admit that I’m surprised. You are the first to exchange words with me. All others simply ignored me and carried on.”

The brunette felt pity for the poor man. Was he homeless? Did he have nowhere stable to sleep? It must be rough. He wanted to try to do something to help. So he reached into his bag, pulling out the granola bar he had been saving for later. He extended both it and the umbrella over to the white haired man. “Here. Take these. I know it’s not much, but it’s all I have to offer. I… hope it’s enough for tonight.”

The red eyes widened, staring at the offered objects. Pale arms reached out and took a hold of them, bringing them closer to himself. “You… are gifting me your rain protection and sustenance? Are you quite sure?”

Hajime nodded, feeling the drops of rain hit his head. “You need them more than I do. Now, can you tell me your name? I’m Hajime.”

“Hajime? A nice name. I shall remember it for all eternity.” The stranger fell silent for a few seconds, then resumed talking. “I was once called Nagito. Recently I have been referred to as Izuru. And there are several other titles I have been given that I don’t care much to recall at the moment. You may use whatever name you desire.”

Hajime groaned loudly. He hated needing to choose between options. Especially after a long day of studying and stress. “If you are going to be so difficult about your name, I’ll just make it easier for myself. I’ll merge the first two together. You’re Nagizuru now,” he stated, earning an interested look from the other.

“Nagizuru, hmmm? Interesting. So very interesting. But I shall accept that as my identity now. You alone may call me this.” He stood up from the bench, keeping the umbrella over his head. “Many thanks for your kindness, Hajime. I am sure your desire for excitement shall come true in due time. Be patient until the moment comes. I shall see you later.” Then he turned, walking across the street to the other side of the road. He faced Hajime again once he reached the other side, waving to him with the hand still holding the granola bar. The view of the man was then suddenly blocked by a large truck. And once it passed, Nagizuru was gone. As if he just vanished.

Hajime stared at the spot he had been standing at, full of questions. Where had he gone? What did he mean by saying that he would see him later? And how did he know what Hajime had been thinking? He hadn’t revealed his earlier thoughts to the man. So how?

A large, cold drop landed on his neck, reminding him that he was still in the rain. He immediately started sprinting towards his residence. He could think about this later. He needed to get home now.

~~~~~~~~~~

It was the day after, and the weather had improved greatly. Not a single cloud in the sky and no wind. A nice day, and it helped improve his mood. So much, that he decided to go grab takeout at a place near campus.

He was excited. The food smelled so good and was warm. He hummed as he walked down the street, oblivious to his surroundings through a combination of exhaustion and tunnel vision.

Which is why it startled him so bad when something grabbed his arm and tugged hard from the alleyway.

He yelped as he was pulled, ready to fight for his life with his meager abilities. But he soon came face to face with the man from the previous night, still with that smile. He lifted a finger to his lips, instructing Hajime to be quiet. The man then turned to face the alley’s exit, staring at it while blocking Hajime from sight. It was silent for a few seconds, then a group of four men stood there, peering in as if looking for something. They spotted Nagizuru, expressions morphing into ones of unease and discomfort. Then they left much quicker than they had arrived.

Once they were gone, Nagizuru turned back to look at Hajime. “They had been tailing you since you left the restaurant. I suspect they intended to mug you. How fortunate that I happened to be nearby to witness it.”

The explanation helped calm the brunette down. “Th-thank you. I… I appreciate it.” He watched Nagizuru step back to give him room, breathing deeply to calm himself. “I… I didn’t expect to see you again. Do you live around here?”

The man grinned. “Temporarily. But that is not important. Come, I shall escort you to your home. It’s not safe to be alone at this time.”

Hajime had to bite back another yelp as his wrist was again grabbed and pulled, forcing him to follow. Nagizuru was strangely strong, despite how frail and skinny he appeared. Distracted by this fact, it took him a bit to notice that they were now on the opposite side of campus, close to the student dorms. “Wait, how are we here? That was so fast!”

Nagizuru released his arm, smirking. “I have my ways.” He gestured down the street. “You are headed that way, yes? It will be much safer now. Nothing will bother you the rest of your journey. And before I forget, allow me to return this to you.”

The pale man revealed what his other arm had been holding. The folded up umbrella, dry and in perfect condition. Hajime took it back in amazement. “Thank you again. Are you sure you don’t want to hold onto it? I can always get a new one.”

Nagizuru shook his head, his crazy hair way more fluffy looking now that it wasn’t soaked. “I don’t require it any longer. I had my fill of the sensation of rain. I shall take measures to protect myself from it should another storm arrive.”

“If you say so.” Hajime felt grateful to the person in front of him. He not only returned the umbrella, but he had saved him from a mugging. Was there anything he could do to show his appreciation? It was around then he recalled the bag in his hands. He held it up, attracting the attention of the red eyes. “Hey, want to split this with me? It’s the least I can do since you saved my bacon back there.”

Nagizuru nodded with a look of great interest. “I shall accept your gracious offer. Many thanks.”

Hajime portioned the food in half, wrapping half of the sandwich in napkins and giving the container of fries to Nagizuru. After a nod of gratitude, the strange man walked around a corner, disappearing again. Hajime stared after him, wondering if he would ever see this person again. But something in his gut told him he would.

~~~~~~~~~~

“How do you do it?”

Nagizuru looked up from the textbook he had been reading, snatched from Hajime’s bag. “Whatever do you mean?”

Hajime repeated his question with more details. “How is it that you always find me? Are you just super lucky? Or…”

Nagizuru laughed and shook his head. “I am not stalking you with intentions of harm. You can rest assured of that.”

Hajime raised an eyebrow. “That doesn’t answer my question.”

The white haired man smirked. “I won’t deny that I’m fascinated by you. However, it is mostly luck and the will of the cosmos that allowed our meetings.”

The student rolled his eyes, taking a drink from his cup. “I’ll never get a straight answer from you, will I?”

The smirk got wider. “Keep trying and see if the result will be different next time.”

The student decided to just let the question go, as he often found himself doing. His new companion was mysterious and had no problems in continuing to be so. Even after a week, Hajime knew very little about him. All he could confidently say is that he was… unusual. Both in speech and in behavior, including all his crazy vanishing and appearing acts. He always seemed to find Hajime when he was on his own, worming his way into his schedule with ease.

But, Hajime was strangely fine with this. It was nice having someone to talk to. He had no friends at college and his family was far away. It had been lonely up until Nagizuru. And now, he felt happy.

“I’m glad we met,” he blurted out, surprising both Nagizuru and himself.

The other person recovered pretty fast though. “I feel the same. Existence had largely been immensely boring. But now, I have something to look forward to. Someone to look forward to. The eons before our meeting were worth the wait for the treasure I have found.”

Hajime grabbed his churro and held it up close to his mouth. “Geez, you always make it sound like you’ve been alive for millions of years. What are you? A cosmic horror?”

Nagizuru chuckled, closing the textbook. “You will soon find out.”

That was… not the answer he expected. “What do you mean by that?” he asked before biting into the churro.

His companion stood up, walking around the park table they had been sitting at, standing close by him. “They located me. They will arrive shortly. I suggest you pack your things in your bag. You have 23 seconds, starting now.”

Thoroughly confused, Hajime stood up from his chair. “Who are ‘they’? What is going on?” he inquired as he shoved his possessions into his bag. He managed to get everything in as several armed cars screeched down the park roads, heading right for them. Hajime felt himself freeze in terror as they circled around them like sharks. They parked, and a horde of armed soldiers piled out, surrounding them in a matter of seconds.

“SCP-49878! Halt where you are! Don’t resist recapture!”

The commands came from one of the people, though he couldn’t tell who exactly had spoken. In addition, the actual words made no sense. SCP-49878? What was that? Recapture? What was going on?

He jolted as one of the soldiers approached. “You! What are your connections to SCP-49878? Have you been working with it? Explain yourself!”

“I… I… I don’t…” he tried to speak, but fear overrode his mind.

“Explain yourself!” the man repeated, stepping aggressively towards them. But his progress was halted unexpectedly, in a way Hajime had never seen.

In the blink of an eye, the man in front of him was changed. His armor, clothing, and weapon disappeared, but that wasn’t all. It looked like something straight out of a horror movie. All skin was red and raw, pulsing as the man’s heartbeat increased from pain and fear. This was very evident due to the fact that his heart was in full view of everyone, as well as the rest of his internal organs. He had been… inverted. The shock of what he was witnessing muffled the pained screams from the man, which continued until he fell over and laid still.

Hajime stepped back in fear, but was only able to accomplish that single step. His feet felt heavy, as if made of lead. How… how was this happening? It shouldn’t be possible! He wasn’t really witnessing this, right?

The body in front of him continued to prove his desperate thoughts wrong.

“SCP-49878! Refrain from inverting anyone else! What is the reason for your continued stay in this town? Why haven’t you caused mass destruction yet? Does that human beside you have anything to do with this calmness?” another soldier shouted out towards them.

“Correct.”

The single word answer came from behind him. In a voice he had grown to know. Eyes widening, he realized who they were talking to.

Nagizuru. They were here for him.

But before Hajime could ask any questions of his own, he felt the man approach and wrap his arms around his waist. With his crazy strength, he pulled the student close, sighing contently into the hug. He looked satisfied, as if being near the brunette was soothing.

Evidentially, Hajime was not the only one to notice. The next round of orders were directed at him. “Civilian. We need your assistance. Guide SCP-49878 over to the truck and get in. You will need to accompany us back to the facility. This is of the utmost importance. The world is at stake.”

“The… the world? Someone please tell me what’s happening!” he practically screamed, desperate for answers.

The soldier looked at him with understanding. “I know this is a lot to take in. But please, sir. Get into the car and we will do our best to explain things.”

“I don’t have much of a choice, do I?” Hajime asked rhetorically. He took a shaky breath, and nodded. “Okay. I’ll… I’ll get in.” He looked over to the person, or rather creature, resting on his shoulder. “Will… you follow me in?”

The red eyes met his, which made the always present smile widen. That was enough of an answer for him. “Okay. Let’s go.”

~~~~~~~~~~

“After that, we were brought here. I learned about the SCP Foundation, everything they knew about Nagizuru, and what he was capable of. And since I’m the only human he has been amicable with, they have required me to remain here to help keep him contained. And I’ve been here ever since,” Hajime finished, taking a sip of water from a glass Nagizuru had willed into existence for him.

“This concludes the interview. Thank you for your insightful recounting,” the doctor stated, stopping the recording and setting their clipboard down. “That is all that is needed as of this moment. You are free to leave.”

The entity seemed to have been waiting for those words, as not even a second later, they had teleported back to their apartment. “Finally. I have you all to myself again.”

Hajime patted the creature’s cheek firmly, but not painfully. “You know as well as everyone else here that you have me almost all the time. Relax for once in your eternal life.”

“In OUR eternal life. And yes, I plan to do much of that activity. With you and you only,” the SCP told him as he nuzzled into the crook of the human’s neck.

Hajime relocated his hand from Nagizuru’s cheek to his hair, petting the soft strands and earning a happy noise. It made him smile, knowing he had such an effect on the creature. Despite all the horrors he had witnessed, all the terrifying sights and sounds, he still looked forward to being in Nagizuru’s company. And he was sure he would forever and always.

Masterpost

A suggestion from sweet hearts cakery! A very cute idea for sure!

A staple of many fics with vast size differences. Wondering how it would be if they were similar heights. Both angsty and cute at the same time. Though I’d say this is more on the cute side.

Hey you!!! Yes, you!!! I need your ideas! Please share them with me!

While the twins were preparing and consuming a wonderful smelling dinner at the human’s home, Nagito found himself lying out in the grassy open area and staring up at the sky. He had turned himself so that he was laying on his back, gold belly scales facing up and his head resting against the soft dirt. He never tired of watching the stars, a gorgeous painting of light on a dark canvas.

He loved it when the moon was full and no clouds were present. Such a pretty sight with all the stars. He heard from Sonia that other places closer to human cities didn’t have as good of a view. Something about artificial light. But he didn’t care to analyze the reason for it. He just considered himself immensely lucky to be blessed with his forest and its natural treasures.

The only thing that was unfortunate was that he was alone to see this. Sonia and Gundham were at the eccentric human’s residence in the woods and the twins were occupied in the brunette’s home. And while he understood that humans fed themselves much differently than his kind, he couldn’t help the loneliness. His life partner was in a place he couldn’t reach. And a thought popped into his mind, one that was not new. What would life be like if he was smaller? If they were of similar sizes? Would their relationship be different?

He shut his green eyes, taking a deep breath and releasing it. The calm and stillness were encouraging his body to doze off. And he saw no reason to refuse the call. So he slowly drifted away, his last waking thoughts entirely on his human.

~~~~~~~~~~

“Nagito. It’s time to get up.”

The naga groaned and buried his face in his arms, wanting to continue his rest.

“Come now, don’t be so stubborn. It’s late morning. You can’t sleep the day away.”

The voice above him kept insisting. But not yet! He was still very sleepy.

“I see. Guess I have no choice but to do this.”

Nagito jolted as he felt someone card their hands through his hair. Nails gently scratched at his scalp, making him let out happy noises in response. “Feels… nice…” he sleepily whispered, tilting his head for a better angle.

“Glad you think so. Maybe you can have more of you get up and come with me.”

It was tempting, so very tempting. He guessed it wouldn’t hurt to do as the voice said if he got more head scratches. So he slowly blinked his eyes open, adjusting to the light. Though once the haziness cleared, he shot up suddenly. “Hajime? Wait, why are you…?”

The brunette tilted his head eyebrow raised. “Why am I what?” he asked, at eye level with the naga.

Nagito wasn’t able to reply for a few moments. Hajime… was the same size as a naga? Or was he now more human-sized? He still was in his normal body, as he felt and saw his emerald tail. But somehow, there was no massive size difference. Magic? A different universe? Or something else?

Whatever the reason, he did not care. This was an opportunity that he would not waste. “Nothing. Pay no mind to my earlier question. Can you please lead the way? I’m still sleepy and need a handsome, reliable guide to help me.”

Hajime rolled his eyes with a blush. “If you really want me to, I can’t say no. Come on, let’s go,” he said as he held a hand out. Nagito stared at the hand, slowly slotting his own on top of it. So similar in size now. His were only slightly longer, but he was able to grab hold without fear. He squeezed the hand, smiling when he felt a squeeze back. Hajime laughed a bit. “You’re acting like you haven’t held my hand before. Do you like doing it that much?”

Nagito squeezed again, meeting the hazel eyes. “I would never tire of holding your hand. All the touches we share are special.”

“I think so, too.” Hajime tugged on his hand, silently requesting for the naga to follow him. To which Nagito was more than happy to do so. They traveled through the house they were in, though Nagito didn’t recognize any of the decorations or furniture. It was as if they were in a totally different house. But he didn’t pay it much mind, as he was enjoying this so much.

They finally reached a large open room, with a few chairs and a tv on the wall. “Here. We can relax in this room together.”

Nagito smirked as he moved in closer. “Hajime. Did you wake me up only to relocate me to this room? Did you perhaps miss my company?”

Hajime rolled his eyes, though his cheeks were still tinted red. “And what if I did? Are you complaining?”

The white hair bounced as Nagito shook his head. “Not at all. It’s perfect.” Then he finally went for it, something he had wanted to do for so very long. He wound his arms around the human’s body, hugging him tight. “It’s just as wonderful as I imagined. I’ll never forget this feeling,” he whispered to himself, closing his eyes and nuzzling into Hajime’s neck.

He felt the human’s strong arms wind around his back, one on his upper back and the other tracing the area where skin met scales. “Clingy, aren’t you? But I can’t blame you. I’m crazy about you, too.”

Nagito sighed blissfully, lowering both himself and his beloved onto the floor. He laid him down on his coils, making sure he was comfortable as he did. “This okay?” he still asked.

Hajime began petting his locks again. “Couldn’t wait til we got to the couch? I’m fine with that.”

Nagito leaned into the scritches, whining happily. “So good. I love whenever you do this. No matter what size.”

“Size?” Hajime questioned, though his hands didn’t stop their movements in his hair.

Nagito opened his eyes slightly. “I know this isn’t my reality. I’m dreaming. And it’s a truly wonderful dream. When I wake up, you will be different. But only in size. You are just as sweet and caring as my Hajime. Truly, I am the luckiest naga in the world.”

Dream Hajime hummed. “Glad to hear that you think so highly of me. But now that you know this is a dream, do you want to awaken?”

Nagito shook his head, clinging tight. “Not yet. Let me indulge in this feeling for a little longer.”

“As you wish.”

~~~~~~~~~~

Nagito didn’t keep track of how much time passed in the dream world. All he really remembered was being softly pulled away from the embrace by a warm light. It had been so comforting, so he didn’t fight it. The next thing he knew, he was opening his eyes in the real world. And he was delighted when he felt and saw his Hajime petting his hair. Though he did have to strain his arms a bit to reach.

His beloved did notice his consciousness, lowering his arms and resting them on his cheek. “Hey, I didn’t mean to wake you. We didn’t mean to take so long. You can go back to sleep. I just wanted to come check on you.”

He was so small compared to the naga. Not even taller than his shortest finger. But somehow, in this small body, there was so much kindness. So much care. It made his heart beat like crazy.

Carefully, Nagito used his hand to hug the human to his cheek. He wanted to say one thing before falling back asleep. “No matter what bodies the universe places us in, be it big or small, same or different species, I know one thing for certain. You are the one I love the most. Please don’t forget that.” He let his hand fall away and he closed his eyes, drifting off into a dreamless sleep. He looked forward to the next morning, when he could see his beloved again.

Masterpost

Here we go! This is one that I think many have been curious about. The reason for why Nagito became Izuru!

I’ve been discussing this with @karugoround a lot to make sure it fits their vision. We worked together for a while to come up with the details and this is the result! I think it turned out pretty good if I do say so myself.

So please enjoy the wonderful angst!

Talent.

A vital aspect of the world he lived in. Something that was adored and practically worshiped by all. Something he himself was blessed with.

Though, Nagito Komaeda often thought talent was a curse. Especially his own. The death of his parents and the winning lottery ticket being staple examples of his cycle.

But regardless of how his life had been up until now, he still held onto his hope. Not for him, but for the rest of the world. His worthless self didn’t deserve such kindness. He kept trying to express that to his classmates, who treated him well despite his protests. He saw them all as bright beacons who could contribute to the world with their abilities. For as much as he hated talent, he couldn’t deny the fascination he had with it. It was contradictory and perhaps a bit hypocritical, but he didn’t care all too much about that. He just wanted to help raise his classmates to achieve their fullest potential.

Which is why it had confused him greatly when one of his classmates, Chiaki, had introduced him to someone she called her friend. An average looking Reserve Course student. A leech and waste of effort. How dare he latch onto an Ultimate like that.

Time and time again, he had tried to convince his classmate of the need to distance herself from this Hajime Hinata. Nothing good would come from a friendship with one of his ilk. But she always puffed her cheeks out and insisted that he was a good friend of hers. So he begrudgingly would attend her meetups with this Reserve Course to make sure she wasn’t being tainted.

Which had led to him finding out about the Kamukura Project.

He was sure that he wasn’t supposed to see it. However, his curiosity had spiked when he saw some kind of confidential form sticking out of Hajime’s bag one day with the Hope’s Peak logo stamped on the top. Chiaki had instructed him to watch their things while they went to grab drinks, so he was alone with this file. So of course he gave into the temptation and looked through the file.

A project to try and create the Ultimate Hope by using a person’s body as its host.

Nagito memorized every word and shoved the form back in Hajime’s bag. Then he sat there, lost in thoughts about what he had just read. How would one be transformed into the Ultimate Hope? He read that it would involve surgery, but how far would it go? And if it was successful, would this hope be artificial? And why did Hajime have such a form? It had the headmaster’s name attached to it, so why was someone like Hajime in contact with the headmaster of the prestigious Hope’s Peak Academy?

Needless to say, his curiosity only grew and he had resolved to do some more research about it in the following days.

But he sadly hadn’t gotten much of a chance, as his luck struck once again. This time in the form of a medical report from his last visit to the hospital.

Lymphoma and frontotemporal dementia. And a life expectancy of six months.

When he had read that letter, his first reaction was to begin laughing hysterically, to the point of tears. Of course this was his to be his fate. To die alone in a hospital bed while still a teenager. How pathetic and wasteful. Mother Nature had decided that he wasn’t worth anything and was trying to take him out. But that was not unexpected. He had figured something like this would happen. No use fighting it.

The days after his diagnosis had been bland. Nothing excited him or held his attention. And the fascinating part? No one noticed or asked about it aside from Miss Yukizome briefly in the hallway. He had brushed off her concerns and she let it go fairly quick, proving how worthless he really was.

One day, he found himself listlessly wandering around campus after classes were over. There was no real reason, just a meaningless task to occupy his dwindling time on. Which is how he had happened upon Chiaki and Hajime once again playing video games on the bench near the fountain. Hajime seemed more stressed than usual and Chiaki questioned him about it. Nagito leaned against a tree nearby, listening as Hajime began talking.

“But what if someone else were the Super High School Level Gamer? Every time they left your score in the dust.”

Chiaki was quiet for a second, but then spoke confidently. “There’s more to life than just talent.”

Hajime’s eyes widened, and he returned to looking at Chiaki.

“Miss Yukizome likes to tell us stuff like that all the time. She says that talent is never a guarantee of an interesting life. Making memories with other people leads to hope. And hope is way more important than ability in the long run.”

“Hope…” Nagito muttered to himself. “Hope… is the most important thing. Yes, that’s right.”

He went home after that, his mind consumed with the battle between talent and hope. Which would triumph if such ideals clashed? Which was stronger? He was sure that others, like the headmaster, desired to know this answer as well.

He was then reminded of the form he had seen, about the potential to become the Ultimate Hope. Perhaps he could be of use with that. But if he did enter into the pool of candidates, he knew he would be selected. There was no chance he wouldn’t. He knew how his luck was, especially after his diagnosis.

He was on the fence about it the following day, debating whether it would be beneficial or detrimental to Hope’s Peak if he entered. Would he destroy the project, or become the beacon that the world desperately needed? Who knew? Certainly not him.

But his mind was made up after a conversation with Hajime. Seeing the Reserve Course being so set on trying to be talented lit a small fire in him. One that made him want to prove the opposite to the other. So he walked off, saying his last farewell. And within minutes, he found himself in front of the headmaster’s office. He took a deep breath, clenching his fist before relaxing again.

“I’ll show you, Hajime. I’ll prove to you that talent dooms a person from the start. That your ordinary life is so much better being talentless. That being talented always changes people for the worse. That the only use my talent gave me was the opportunity to be a useful stepping stone. And if I die in the process? At least it was for the greater good.”

He pushed open the doors, stepping inside to speak with the headmaster. To enter into the pool of candidates. To be chosen to become someone new.

~~~~~~~~~~

Izuru came out of his memories after finishing his food. He had not thought of those events in a vast amount of time. The thoughts and feelings that his previous self experienced felt so foreign, yet so familiar to him. It was a fascinating mental dilemma, one that would keep him entertained for hours. But it did bring to mind an inquiry, one that he wished to solve now.

Luckily for him, he did have a source of information right in his room. “Answer me this, my dear caretaker. Have you gotten the chance to observe the scans the doctors have taken of my brain?”

Hajime widened his eyes for a moment, stopping his sweeping. He surely had seen the scans when they were still labeled as Nagito Komaeda, even though he was no longer the owner of his brain. Remembering that name seemed to give him a growing sense of anxiety, but that didn't stop him from answering Izuru's question.

“I had the opportunity to look at those scans, yes. I don't know exactly how to read them, but I know by firsthand that Nagito Komaeda was someone impressive and difficult to understand. I don't think there was another person like him...”

Izuru watched him with a curious look, sensing that there was more to say. “But?”

Hajime gave a shaky breath, as memories of an angry face and bitter insults clearly flooded his mind, and the doubt that had been burning his skin for months finally surfaced. “I just… I just don't understand why he did such a thing. He had friends, he had a future full of opportunities waiting for him. He… he had talent. Why did he sign up? What was he planning to do?”

The white haired man listened carefully, but when he met the caretaker’s shaky hazel eye, Hajime looked as if he was feeling incredibly guilty. “Sorry, I feel like I shouldn't have said something like that to you.”

Izuru began laughing quietly to himself, confusing his caretaker. “You have nothing to apologize for. It is natural to wonder what it would take a person to come to his decision.”

The brunette tightened his grip on the broomstick, no doubt thinking about how he, in the past, was also prepared to do exactly that.

The Ultimate Hope turned his eyes back to the brunette. “The previous identity that hosted this body never told you about what was going on in his life before I was created, did he? I was just thinking about how things might have been if he had known.”

Hajime’s eye widened, clearly interested. “Knew what?”

“That he had been misdiagnosed. That he had never been in danger of dying whatsoever. The poor fool. He threw his life away for nothing.”

Hajime froze, shocked by what he was hearing. “D… dying? That’s why?” He looked off to the side, clutching the broom handle tight. “That’s why… he looked like that when we last spoke. I… had no idea.”

“Both he and I share one thing in common. If we have secrets, none will ever know them unless we willingly give up the information. But the past is not something that we can change, therefore we must not regret it. Maybe there was something more to his intentions, but I see no reason to dwell on my body’s previous owner. Still, I shall not stop you should you desire to,” Izuru stated.

“Thank you, sir,” Hajime replied, returning to sweeping with his practiced proficiency, a bit lost in thought as he cleaned.

The experiment laid back on his fluffed up pillows, sighing as he sank into them. The sedatives were doing their work unfortunately. He again cursed the doctors who forced this routine. He desired to be rid of them, both the doctors and the sedatives. He wanted to feel his body at its full capacity with no restrictions. It was the one thing he was envious of Nagito for. At least he had been free to travel where he wanted, to eat what he wanted, to do what he wanted. No such freedom existed in this hell.

But, this would not last forever. He would not permit for his existence to solely be a lab rat. No, he would get his freedom one day, by any means necessary. And maybe, he thought as he turned to stare at his busy caretaker’s back, he would not accomplish this alone.

Masterpost

This one has been on the list for a while. And I haven’t done it until now for a very special reason. I’m sure you will find out what that reason is very soon.

Edit: the reason.

But yeah, this one made my cold dead heart happy. Pets and snuggles galore! But who exactly is getting and giving these pets and snuggles? Read and find out!

Enough rambling, Naga time!

Nagito recalled all he had said the previous night with perfect clarity. He knew he had finally told Hajime verbally and explicitly that he ‘loved’ him. And because of previous reactions to his advances, he was sure that the brunette would need a little time to process this. Probably in his home on his own. So Nagito didn’t fret when morning came and Hajime was nowhere to be seen.

But that didn’t stop him from inquiring about him to his twin. “I trust he is doing alright in there. Flustered?”

Izuru had come out with a mug of tea, ready for the day with his hair tied back. “Correct. I suspect he didn’t expect your boldness. Though he really should have seen this coming.”

“Ah, so he told you? Do you approve?” the naga asked, tilting his head.

“I do. You are a good match for him. Though I might not feel those kinds of sensations myself, I understand that this makes my brother happy. And that’s all I want to see.”

Nagito smiled, his fangs in view. “I appreciate it. It means so much to hear that from you. I’ll do my best to ensure he continues to be happy.”

Izuru nodded. “See that you do.”

A few moments passed between them, Izuru taking a sip of his tea. Then Nagito backed up a bit to begin ascending. “I will need to go scent the border of my forest today. I shall be back by your lunchtime. Could you tell Hajime this? And tell him not to worry.”

The red eyed human hummed as he watched the giant creature rise above him. “Very well. I’ll inform him. I expect he will be anxiously awaiting your return. Travel safe.”

With a small wave, Nagito began slithering away to his forest. He kept his smile up even as he faced away and when he crossed the forest boundary. How could he not? He was so happy. And he didn’t think much could bring his mood down.

And he was correct. The hours he spent navigating through his woods were full of positive feelings as he accomplished his set task. He tried to be thorough in his scenting ever since the clash with the gray naga. And it seemed to have worked with keeping more potentially dangerous creatures at bay. Sonia was the exception, as she had proved to be a valuable friend. But he was fulfilling his promise to his beloved, making sure his territory was properly marked.

He had nearly finished by early afternoon, proud of himself for the speed and efficiency of his work. He couldn’t wait to boast to the humans of his good job and receive the well deserved praise. However, his premature celebration was interrupted by a strange scent. One he had never encountered before.

He lowered himself to the ground, silencing all movements as he observed. What could this creature be? And so close to the human road, too. Not many creatures dared to come this far, so he was perplexed by this creature’s choice in location. Although, the scent seemed to get stronger by the second, indicating that it was approaching. It smelled young, so most likely not a threat. So Nagito simply waited and watched.

Sure enough, the creature came bounding through the bushes, bumping into his face with a startled whimper.

Blinking in surprise, Nagito pulled back to observe what had run into him. It looked like… a dog? At least, that’s what he thought it was from Hajime’s previous descriptions of the species. It was light brown and quite small, so it was probably a puppy. It didn’t look to have any injuries and was walking just fine. In fact, it’s composure was fine as well. It barked excitedly, wagging its tail at a rapid pace as it looked at him.

“No fear, huh? You certainly are a brave little one,” Nagito whispered. His voice excited the puppy more, who ran up to him and placed its paws on his cheek. It reached forward and licked him over and over again. And just like that, Nagito found himself completely endeared to the young dog.

“You are… so adorable. I love you already. Hey, how about you come with me to Hajime’s house? There’s food and water there,” he asked the puppy, receiving a happy yap in response.

He was grateful that the forest edge wasn’t far away. Only a few minutes of traveling. The puppy wasn’t exhausted by the time they made it. The little one had eagerly followed him, keeping up while yipping. And soon, both the naga and the puppy were in the sunlight. Glancing over to the human’s home, he saw both of the twins out on the patio. And they had for sure noticed him.

Once he was close enough, he waved to them. “Please come over! I have someone for you to meet!”

This piqued their interests, so they put down their drinks and made their way over, though Izuru kept ahold of his yogurt container. Both widened their eyes in surprise when they saw the brown puppy running around the naga.

“Nagito, where did you find a puppy?” Hajime asked with bewilderment. It seemed like this event had overridden the possibility to be flustered.

“It was near the fence line that is close to the road! I’m not sure why. I couldn’t smell any more dogs. So I think it was on its own.”

Izuru and Hajime exchanged a very quick glance, as if they knew something. But Izuru returned his gaze to the puppy who was now at their feet. “May I do a quick examination? I would like to determine its health and overall condition.”

Nagito nodded, lowering himself onto his stomach again. “Please do! I want to make sure it’s okay.”

Thus, Izuru got to work. He looked over the puppy with a keen eye, petting it and allowing it to eat his yogurt while doing so. Hajime joined the naga while this was going on, leaning against the soft cheek. “What to do now? I didn’t think this would ever occur while living here.”

Nagito raised one of his hands to hug the human to his cheek. “Can we keep it? Please? It’s so cute and friendly! Can it stay with us? Please? Please?” he begged, doing his best to convince the human.

Hajime’s cheeks reddened at the closeness, which he would have teased about if he wasn’t pleading to keep the puppy. But his efforts paid off, as Hajime sighed. “I… guess we can. Izuru and I can go get supplies in a bit.” He looked over to his brother, who had allowed the puppy to run back over to them. “What’s the diagnosis?”

Izuru brushed the dirt off his knees before standing. “A wolf dog. Female. No sign of injuries or illnesses. A bit underweight, but not dangerously so. A good temperament, too. And she clearly feels comfortable around people, be it human or naga.”

“A little girl, huh? A precious sweetheart. Yes, you are,” Nagito cooed, carefully petting the soft fur with a finger. In response, the puppy flopped over onto her back, exposing her belly for more pets.

Hajime laughed a bit, joining him in petting the puppy. “So, now that she’s going to be living with us, what shall we call her?”

Nagito hummed as he pulled his hand back slightly to curl around the wolf dog. “I don’t know! Can you choose for me?”

“What? You’re making me choose. Ugh… I’m bad at this kinda stuff. But fine. Hmmm…” Hajime repositioned himself so that he was laying in the shawl, getting comfortable as he thought. The puppy rolled back onto her feet, jumping up to lick his face. The brunette laughed a bit as he pulled the dog off of him. “Huh, she has a clover sticking out of her fur. And it’s a four leaf clover. Man, she’s just as lucky as you. Oh wait. That’s an option. What about Clover as a name?”

“Clover. It’s very cute. Very fitting for our little girl,” Nagito said cheerfully. “You are now Clover, and this is your new home.”

The puppy barked and spun in a circle. She clearly was overjoyed.

Izuru cleared his throat from where he was standing. “The name is finalized, correct? Then I shall go procure the necessary items from the store. I have memorized her sizes and shall have a collar made for her. Hajime, you may stay here and bond with Clover. I shall head out now.” The raven haired human turned abruptly and headed to his car, getting in and driving off with no additional words.

The three watched his car disappear, a bit surprised, but not too shocked. This was typical Izuru behavior. So they settled back down, relaxing in the warm sun.

“Thank you, Hajime. I feel like we are building a little family now. It makes me so happy,” Nagito spoke quietly, watching as Clover wiggled her way under his hand and popped her little face up close to his nose.

“Y-yeah. I'm glad you are.” Hajime pet the neck near him tenderly, the motions so soft and full of care. “Hey, about what you said last night… I do feel the same. I just… can’t say it aloud as easily. Give me some time, I’ll try to work up to it, okay?”

Nagito’s smile grew so wide. “This moment could not be more perfect. I am truly the luckiest naga. And yes, I can wait forever. Please take your time. I’ll be here.”

Hajime pet his skin a final time before relaxing back into the shawl around him. He would likely fall asleep there, as he had in the past. Nagito was more than fine with this. He had his treasures here with him, both of which loved him back. He couldn’t possibly ask for more. So he too relaxed, closing his eyes as his family soaked up the sun’s warmth.

Masterpost

PUPPER!!! GIVE HER ALL THE PETS!!!

And iiiiits puppy time!!! More from @draconicsparkle 's naga au

Nagito has a puppy now!!

Chapter here. Go read it!!

SCP! SCP! You want it? You got it!

This was one I was eager to get to as soon as I thought of it. Made me grin like mad whenever I recalled that it was coming up on my list. And now it’s here!

It was so fun to write. And I’m sure it will be fun to read as well.

If you make a character a cosmic being, might as well give him some crazy abilities! Oh and don’t worry, I shall explore more abilities in the next SCP au too.

“Hey, can you clean up the dishes? I’m really tired tonight and don’t have the energy or motivation to do them,” Hajime requested his companion, who was sitting across the table from him.

The SCP tilted his head, but still nodded. “I can most certainly clean up. But if I may inquire, are you doing alright? Anything worrying you or stressing you out?”

“Nothing that you need to concern yourself over. Just… tired.” The brunette slowly pushed himself out of the chair and stepped over to the bedroom. He shut the door behind him, sighing as his hands left the doorknob. He wasn’t sure why, but he just felt drained today. He had tried his hardest to overcome it all day, but he had no more energy left. Hence his request to avoid doing the clean up.

But… he supposed there was something that could have influenced this energy deficiency. Lately, he had been thinking more about the friends and family he had left behind when he came to this place. Were they thinking of him? Were they doing okay? Did they worry about him? Would he ever see them again?

“Ah, so that’s what is on your mind.”

Hajime didn’t even flinch when the entity’s voice suddenly appeared behind him. Nor when the arms wrapped around his waist. He only sighed, not speaking.

Nagizuru was quiet for a few moments, but spoke again soon. “You know, perhaps we could, I don’t know, sneak out of the facility during the next containment breach. They wouldn’t know if we, let’s say, paid your family and friends a visit. How does that sound, my dear?”

Instantly, Hajime’s heart felt lighter. “You… you mean it? We could… go see them?”

Nagizuru laughed softly, the vibrations of the action felt through their physical contact. “Of course. They may not hold much meaning to me, but they do to you. And your happiness is my top priority.”

Hajime sighed, nearly shedding tears at the thought. “Thank you so much. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m eager for the next containment breach.”

“Indeed. Best not share this with the staff. They would surely not be of similar thinking.” The entity squeezed him a little tighter. “But in the meantime, let us preoccupy ourselves with other activities.”

The human raised an eyebrow. “You sound like you have something in mind.”

“Perhaps.”

Hajime blinked rapidly. The voice… had come from Nagizuru who was now standing in front of him. But if he was there, then who was holding him? He looked back and to his shock, the one holding him was the same person. “Wait! What? How?”

“Oh, Hajime. You underestimate my abilities.” That voice came from his left, where a third entity grabbed hold of his arm.

“I am quite capable of doing this. Is it that surprising?” a fourth asked, grabbing his right arm.

The one behind him tugged him backwards, so that they were now on the bed. The one in front extended a pale arm, pushing on his chest so that he fell back onto the other’s lap. The two on his arms wiggled close, still holding tight. And the one in front moved so that he was laying on the human’s legs.

He was now unable to move, trapped by four copies of the same creature. His heart and mind felt like they were about to explode from both confusion and being more flustered than he had ever been in his life.

Front looked at him with an amused grin. “I’ve not seen this expression on you before.”

Right rubbed a thumb on his shoulder. “It’s a sight I wouldn’t mind seeing again.”

Back ran his fingers through the brown hair. “Penny for your thoughts, Hajime?”

Left maneuvered so that he could whisper in his ear. “I would love to know.”

The human had to really fight to speak without squeaking in embarrassment. He could barely keep himself composed. Who could blame him? But he did manage to ask his question with only a bit of shakiness. “Are you… all different people? Isn’t… cloning yourself a bad idea? Won’t you fight each other to be the one true body?”

All four laughed. “Where did you get that idea? So silly,” Right asked him.

“Perhaps too many sci-fi films? They get so much about the universe wrong,” Left tacked on.

“As if they know anything of the horrors lurking at the edge of the universe,” Front commented, eliciting a bit of a shiver down the human’s spine.

Back pet his hair. “But to answer your question, Hajime, we are not separate.”

“We are one and the same.”

Hajime gulped as the four spoke at the exact same time. It was a little freaky, if he was being honest. Not to mention the implications of his earlier comment. “Uh… what did you mean by the horrors?”

“Oh, don't worry about it, Hajime.”

“You have nothing to fear from them.”

“They won’t come this far.”

“I’ve made sure of it.”

Again, that did little to calm him. “How powerful… are you?”

“Don’t concern yourself with that.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“All that matters right now is us.”

“And making you feel better.”

“Huh? You are… trying to make me feel better?” Hajime asked, not having expected that to be the reason for the clones.

“Of course!”

“You were feeling down and tired.”

“So I wanted to help in some way.”

“And I decided on comforting touches.”

Hajime let out a huff. “Don’t lie. You also wanted to do this to see my reaction.”

“Maybe.”

Groaning a bit, he laid his head back with force on the lap he was resting on, the only movement he could accomplish at the moment. Four sets of identical giggles filled the air, and the soothing touches began again. “I… guess I’ll admit that this is nice. But I’m surprised it’s taken you this long to do. Knowing you, I’m shocked you didn’t do this from the start.”

“Oh, it was considered.”

“Multiple times, in fact.”

“But I refrained.”

“I didn’t want to overwhelm you.”

Hajime raised an eyebrow. “Your definition of overwhelming is clearly not the same as mine. You waited for this but didn’t on inverting another person in front of me?”

“Priorities.”

“My.”

“Dear.”

“Hajime.”

The brunette decided to give up, knowing that winning was an impossibility. “At least you are comfortable,” he conceded.

The four smiled wide, the two on his arms slotting one of their hands into each of his. He curled his fingers around the hands, feeling them squeeze back.

“That’s right.”

“Relax.”

“Let your worries fade away.”

“And your mind ease.”

The combination of the various hands massaging him made all the tension in his body fade away. He felt himself go limp, not wanting to move at all. He was practically a rag doll now. He had half a mind to drift off, but would that be rude?

“You may if you desire to. This can certainly be repeated. And allow me to assist in another way.”

Hajime supposed he was thankful for the mind reading capabilities for now, as he didn’t have to speak to express his wants. He closed his eyes as the four around him began to hum in harmony. The gentle tune along with the gentle touches were enough to make him drowsy. And with one final squeeze, he fell asleep while held by the entity.

Masterpost

Time to go to the aqua zoo! Along with smol snek!!! Who has the most devious of plots. Hehehe.

Another suggestion from @bobasriduur! You got lots of good ideas, my friend. Thank ya for all the help!

And you can send me ideas as well! Just comment down below!

Nagito pet the head of his tiger and plesiosaur plushes in his terrarium with a smile. He tried to make sure that they were always clean and presentable, even though only he and Hajime were going to see them. But he still did it, as he loved his space and possessions to be clean.

He was grateful that Hajime also tried to keep his apartment clean. He wasn’t sure what would have happened if his human was a messy person. Seeing the mess and not being able to clean would have driven him crazy. But he was fortunate, a fact he reminded himself of every day.

Currently, Hajime was on his bed, typing stuff on his laptop. The naga wasn’t sure exactly what he was doing. Could be homework, could be something else. It didn’t matter too much to him, as he was at an angle where he could watch him work. And he could see Hajime’s expression change every so often from the comfort of his terrarium with his stuffed animals. It was wonderful to witness.

But he would admit that he had a bit of a selfish desire. He wanted more; more stuffed animals to fill his area. But he wasn’t exactly sure what he wanted yet, and he didn’t want to drain Hajime’s wallet. So he would have to grow his collection with strategic moves over time.

Luckily for him, a potential opportunity presented itself to him. “Hey, it looks like there’s an aquarium nearby. There’s a sale on tickets. Want to go?”

“An aquarium? That’s like the zoo, right? But just for aquatic animals,” Nagito asked, getting excited. Not just because of the potential of new plushies, of course. He actually was interested in learning more about the world’s species. And anything he did outside the apartment with his human was fantastic.

“Yeah, that’s right. I’m assuming you are on board with this. We can go tomorrow afternoon.” Hajime glanced over top of his laptop to see the naga, a half-smile present.

“Yes! I’m excited to go!” Nagito replied, hugging his tiger’s neck in happiness. Tomorrow, yes, he could wait that long. An adventure awaited, and he looked forward to it.

~~~~~~~~~~

Time passed. And soon, the new day was upon them. Which meant that their plans could commence.

This conclusion was running through Nagito’s mind as he laid coiled around the human’s neck while he traveled to the aquarium. He didn’t bother to try and hide, knowing that he was safe to be out and in sight. And everyone around them were being respectful, with no one trying to approach to ask questions. He watched with observant eyes as Hajime walked, interested in all the sights they passed. But none could compare to the actual aquarium building. Decorations depicting coral reefs and some of its inhabitants were on display, indicating what could be found inside. The walls of the building were also painted with marine life. It was all so colorful. He couldn’t wait to see these animals in real life.

And maybe perhaps get one in stuffed animal form, but that would come later.

For now, he gazed at everything. He hardly registered Hajime presenting the tickets and speaking with the other humans. He was too enraptured with looking at everything.

Then they entered the first room with the giant tank.

Every ounce of air was stolen from his lungs when he first laid eyes upon it. It was so enormous, with all sorts of colorful creatures happily swimming around. So many shapes and sizes. It was nearly impossible to count every individual animal inside. “It’s so beautiful. I could watch this for hours,” Nagito whispered.

Hajime heard him and replied. “I could, too. It’s truly something special.”

The two fell silent as they watched the fish swim around for a good ten minutes. But eventually, Hajime tapped on the green tail. “Hey, there’s more areas we can go see. There’s a lot more animals they have living here.”

Nagito looked up at his human, shocked. “They have more? More than what’s in here?”

Hajime grinned, amused by his reaction. “Oh yeah. There’s a lot more. Let’s go see them.”

And so they left the enormous tank behind to see the others who were in their own enclosures. And Nagito was astounded by every single one. The jellyfish that floated around in their cylindrical tank. The horseshoe crabs that he got to touch. The eels that poked their heads out of their pots to look at him. The turtles, both freshwater and saltwater varieties, and their colorful shells.

But none impressed Nagito more than the octopus. The way it moved and looked were already impressive enough, but it also changed its patterns and colors right before their eyes! He didn’t think that was actually possible! “What an amazing creature. So unique and talented,” he found himself whispering, entranced by the octopus.

He felt Hajime move his head to glance down at him. And he also felt the muscles in his neck move as the human smiled. “It really is. It’s one of my favorite sea creatures.”

“I think it’s mine, too.” Nagito squeezed his coils in excitement at a new thought. “I wonder if they sell stuffed animal versions of the octopi. What colors would they choose to make them?”

Hajime caught on. “I bet you are going to ask me to buy you an octopus plush. Am I right?”

Nagito looked up without an ounce of shame. “We simply must bring home a souvenir to help remind us of our time here! And I choose to get an octopus. Simple as that.”

The brunette rolled his eyes, though he still was smiling. “I swear, you are the most spoiled naga.”

Having just gotten confirmation that he was indeed getting his prize, he thanked the human with a neck hug. “Perhaps I am. But I am nonetheless grateful to my Hajime for his kindness and generosity.”

He wasn’t fooled by the human’s indifferent huff, as he could feel the skin heat up under his touch. “Fine. We can go to the gift shop. But only one thing, got it?”

“Understood.” Nagito rose and gave Hajime’s cheek a nuzzle. “Thank you.”

The human certainly turned red at that, making the people around them grin at the sight. Hajime tried to calm himself down and walk away, ignoring the knowing giggles of the other visitors. He had managed to make the blush mostly disappear by the time they arrived in the gift shop. Several different types of items were for sale including clothing, home and lawn decorations, toys, and books. But Nagito had his sights trained on a specific section. The rows and rows of stuffed animals. And to his delight, there were indeed some octopi for sale.

But then came his dilemma. Which color should he choose? There were so many options, but he was limited to one. So what color did he like the best?

As he agonized, he was barely aware that Hajime was moving, arm stretching to grab something. He didn’t have to wait long until the reason was revealed.

“This one was kinda hidden on top. I wonder why it was in a different area. Oh well, I suppose it doesn’t matter. What do you think?”

And now, before his eyes, was an octopus with rainbow fabric. The colors swirled and mixed perfectly, creating a beautiful pattern. “That’s the one. I shall choose this octopus,” Nagito declared, reaching out to pet the head.

“Alright. It’s yours,” Hajime replied, beginning to head to the register. “You will have to make room for it in your terrarium. Better start planning.”

“Oh, don’t you worry. I already have a plan in mind,” the naga said cheekily. His tail tip swayed with happiness as he watched the rainbow octopus be lowered into a paper bag. Yes, he was pleased with today. New memories and a new friend had been made. He couldn’t have asked for a better outcome.

Masterpost

We have arrived at the Lighthouse. Shall we investigate what it hides?

And perhaps, dare to stir up the creature within? What reaction might it have to a disturbance? When its patience is tested? Are you curious enough to find out?

Very well, let us commence. But beware of the disturbing sights that are to come.

“Hinata. Another experiment on the subject will be happening tomorrow. You are to meet us at the front doors before breakfast to receive instructions.”

That had been what Hajime had been told upon leaving Izuru behind for the evening after turning in the test results. Needless to say, he was frustrated. Would they ever learn that Izuru needed to be left alone? That the experiments they ran would only end up in fatalities and accidents?

But he had simply nodded and agreed. He had to keep giving them the illusion that they could control him. He had to wait until the right moment. But until that day arrived, he would do as they say.

So that’s how he found himself in front of a group of security guards, doctors, and… Yasuke Matsuda? What was he doing here? He knew the Ultimate Neurologist was enlisted to help with the experiments every now and again, but they rarely interacted. So why was he here?

He got his answer soon enough. “Hinata, Matsuda. You are to leave the premises for the first half of the day. We will tell Matsuda when we will allow you back inside.”

The security guards grabbed their keycards off their belts and grabbed Hajime’s arms, forcefully pushing him out of the building. And when they shoved him away from the doors, they locked behind them. He tried the handle to no avail, panic beginning to set in. “No! You can’t do this! Izuru Kamukura needs me to help him! Let me back in!”

“Stop wasting your time and energy. It’s pointless. You had to be removed for the experiment,” Yasuke bluntly stated, looking unamused and unimpressed.

Hajime slowly released his death grip on the handle and turned to face the other. “What exactly is going on? What is this experiment?” he asked, glaring at the neurologist.

Yasuke looked unaffected. “They want to see how he reacts to you being replaced. They know he likes you enough to not kill you. They want to see if he is more temperamental, or simply focused on you.” He shrugged. “And if it puts your simple mind at ease, he’s supposed to be fed. By someone else, though.”

But instead of calming him down, this news sent a wave of rage through Hajime. He stormed away from the building, chain clinking violently with his steps. He walked until he found a large tree to collapse against. He stared down at the ground, furious and unsure what to do with this energy. He had half a mind to punch the tree, but withheld as he didn’t want to hurt his hands. He needed them to care for Izuru.

So he clenched his fists as he seethed, raising his head to look at the clouds. The calming blue and lazy clouds did have an effect on him, the anger simmering down to a controllable degree. He was still angry, but not to the point of potential violence. He could do this.

“Is your little tantrum done?” Yasuke’s voice cut through the silence.

Hajime felt his irritation grow a hint higher, but he only allowed it that much. He turned his head to see Yasuke nearby, arms crossed and annoyed. He took a breath and asked a question. “What details were you given on this experiment?”

The neurologist raised an eyebrow, but replied anyway. “As I said, they are testing his patience with a new person. And they chose quite the candidate. A former drill sergeant from the military, one who was terminated for misconduct.”

This time, Hajime was the one to raise an eyebrow. “What kind of misconduct?”

“He was neglectful to those under his care. He forced them to do as he said and exhausted them beyond what is considered appropriate. Let the power of his position go to his head. And from my observations, he doesn’t appear to have changed that much. Hence why the staff hired him on. I’m sure they expect him to fail.”

“They sent him in to die,” Hajime concluded. The head staff here were not precious about human life outside of their own. Sacrifices were often and frequent here. He had seen it happen countless times. And he knew he himself had been intended to be a sacrificial lamb. But none had expected him to survive.

“Right. So don’t be eager to return, Servant of Hope. Unless you want to be caught in the crossfire.”

A bout of silence overtook them again. Neither of them felt the need to say much to each other; they didn’t interact often and when they did, it typically left one of them less than pleased. That was fine with Hajime. He wasn’t here to make friends. He was there for one reason and one reason only.

Hours passed, every second feeling like an eternity. Out of necessity, Yasuke had to leave the property temporarily to get food for them both. He had insisted he go alone as Hajime would have drawn too much attention with his chain and eye covering. But he returned swiftly, as he was still supervising the caretaker. It never stopped being tense, even after food. Hajime was just stuck thinking over what was happening in the Lighthouse. It was Izuru’s lunch time soon. Was he eating? Was the replacement being rough with him? He swore that if even a hair was out of place on Izuru, he would kill the drill sergeant himself so that the Ultimate Hope wouldn’t need to bother.

But it seemed like that was unnecessary. That much was evident as Yasuke’s phone began ringing and the sound of frantic voices were audible once he answered.

The neurologist didn’t visibly react, as he had expected something like this to occur. He just confirmed they were heading back and hung up. “They need you back. I’m sure you can guess what happened.”

“A bloody mess splattered everywhere.” Hajime grimaced as he imagined what had happened. But he didn’t care about the potential mess as long as Izuru was okay. “Let’s go back, now.”

Thankfully, Yasuke didn’t disagree. So the two hurried as fast as they could back to the building. The doors opened as soon as they got close, the doctors beckoning them inside. Only now, they didn’t look so confident. They looked… disturbed.

“What happened?” Yasuke demanded, still not displaying any emotion.

“It… would be easier to just show you,” one of the doctors replied, gesturing them into the security room with various cameras on display. One of them was black, as if not turned on. Another doctor pointed to it. “The temporary caretaker was required to wear a camera as he performed his duties. We were keeping an eye on him through it. The footage has been saved, so we can play it back.”

Yasuke tilted his head as he crossed his arms. “And why is the camera not on currently?”

“You’ll see,” was all that was said. A few buttons were pressed, then the screen flickered to life, showing the room exactly what had occurred.

**********

The footage started when the man was in the elevator. He was grumbling and muttering under his breath, which the camera picked up.

“What are they doing here? Why assign me to this station? Degraded to a caretaker of some freak? This is not befitting of someone of my stature. But after today, they will surely see reason. They will put me where I belong. Above others as a commander. They will see. I’ll wrangle this beast they fear into submission.”

The elevator dinged, the metal doors opened. The pristine white hallways that Hajime was familiar with were now in view. The man pushed the cart in front of him, approaching the locked door with no sign of hesitation. It made Hajime wonder if the staff had truly debriefed this replacement of what Izuru was capable of.

Regardless, the man scanned a card, Hajime’s card, and entered the room. A room that many would not dare approach. Soon, the Ultimate Hope was in the camera’s line of sight.

Instantly, Hajime could tell that Izuru was not happy. His smile was empty, eyes cold, and mouth sealed shut. He did not make any noise. He was as silent as death itself.

But that only seemed to make the man hesitate for a few moments. His gruff voice soon began barking out orders. “Alright, you maggot. You are going to listen and cooperate with my instructions. And wipe that grin off your face. This isn’t a day at the fair. This is your imprisonment. So listen and listen well to those above you. And I might just let you off easy.”

Silence. Izuru didn’t move, simply staring. And based on the angle of the camera, it looked as though the red eyes were directed right at the other’s own eyes.

But this only enraged the man. “Useless and worthless! That’s what you are! If you weren’t confined to this room, I would be putting you through the most grueling exercises! I bet you wouldn’t be smiling after that!” He grabbed Izuru’s pale arm roughly, shoving the sedative syringe into him. “As punishment, you get no food. Perhaps you will be more obedient at lunch.” The man then turned and violently shoved the cart out.

The camera cut out soon after, the screen remaining dark for a few seconds. But it came back to life again, with the man still muttering while in the elevator. He returned to the locked door, scanning the card and clipping it on his belt. The door slid shut with a click as the man stepped into the room while dragging the cart in. “Well, freak of nature, it’s time again. Let’s see if you are willing to listen… now…”

The man’s voice changed in an instant. Instead of a loud, boisterous tone, it turned into one riddled with terror. The camera on him showed the reason why.

Izuru was standing in the middle of the room, eyes wide and smile menacing. It was clear in its message: this intruder was not welcome or liked by the room’s resident.

It was a sight that would make anyone afraid. And it was evident by the camera beginning to vibrate that the temporary caretaker was terrified. He tried to turn and leave, rustling around for the keycard. “What? Where is it!? The card was right here!”

A faint jingling noise began right after his words. The shaking stopped, as if the noise froze him in fear. It was something right out of a horror movie.

Not having much choice, the man slowly turned around. And the location of the keycard was confirmed, being delicately pinched in Izuru’s long, pale fingers. The experiment tilted his head slightly and gently shook the card again, as if teasing the replacement caretaker.

“How… how did you… get that?” the man feebly asked.

He got no reply, only Izuru extending an arm out with the card loosely held in his fingers. As if acting on instinct, the man lunged forward and snatched the card, turning back to the card reader and scanning it. “Let me out! Get me out of here! It’s a monster!”

Instead of the normal speed, the electronic door began opening painfully slowly. As if it too was teasing the frightened man. The lights also began flickering, cutting in and out in the hallway outside the containment room. And if one listened closely, over the sound of heavy breathing, various explosions could be heard from somewhere below. It was as if all the electronic equipment were going haywire from the card being scanned.

The man didn’t seem to want to ponder over this, as the door had opened just enough for him to try and squeeze through. He shoved himself in, upper torso first. It almost looked as though he would make it.

Hajime knew better. A pained scream proved his prediction.

The electronic hiss of the doors returned to normal after they had abruptly closed. And they slowly opened again, allowing the bisected body caught in the middle to slump to the ground. The camera began getting fuzzy as the blood seeped into it and its wearer’s clothing. But it caught one last thing. The visual of Izuru’s arm delicately plucking the keycard from the dying man’s loosened grip.

“I’ll take this,” a calm, yet sinister voice said.

Then the camera cut out.

**********

“We called you pretty much right after this occurred. He wasn’t given the afternoon sedatives and he has the card. He could be trying to escape. We need you to confirm his location,” a doctor told Hajime with urgency, a hand on his shoulder guiding him towards the elevator. “You are the only one who can survive him. Go get him under control.”

Hajime swallowed the question on whether the elevator would even be operational with the electronic malfunctions that occured. He was positive it would. After all, Izuru was surely waiting for him.

He was correct, as the metal doors opened and allowed him access. They closed and he began ascending. He took this time to breathe deeply and calm himself. He needed to ensure Izuru was alright. The mess left behind could wait until after.

But he was in for another surprise. When the elevator opened up and he stepped out, there was no mess to be seen. Not a single speck of blood. Only two things looked slightly out of place. The cart near the wall with filled garbage bags, and the keycard laying innocently in front of the closed containment room.

Did… Izuru clean this up? Wanting to get an answer, Hajime didn’t hesitate to grab the card and scan it. The door opened with no issues, allowing him inside.

“Welcome back, my dear caretaker.”

Izuru was there, sitting under his covers and reclining against his pillows. How he usually was when Hajime came in.

“Sir, are you alright? I saw the footage. He was not gentle at all with you. I’m so sorry you had to experience that. They forced me out of the building. I didn’t want to leave you with another, I swear!” he rambled, feeling strangely guilty.

But the guilt vanished with a gentle shake of the head. “I figured as much. I know you would never leave me. But it doesn't matter anymore. You are here now.”

The caretaker breathed a sigh of relief. The retreating panic made way for curiosity. “Uh, may I ask… where…?”

Izuru smirked. “Oh, I think you can figure that out.”

Hajime looked behind him, as if he could see the garbage bags through the door. “Y-yeah… I think I know. But… why did…?”

Again, Izuru predicted his question. “Why did I wait until this time to deal with him? Simple. I didn’t want to create a mess for you to have to clean. But I lost my patience with him, so I took care of matters. Both extermination and clean up. There is nothing for you to worry about now, my dear caretaker.” He then nodded to the keycard in his hands. “Also, do take care to keep a tight hold on that. I sense that it will now affect others differently than it does yourself.”

Hajime held the keycard to his chest tightly. “It won’t leave my side. I’ll do my best to ensure that.”

Izuru hummed. “See that you do. Now then, my dear caretaker, I do have a request for you.”

Hajime nodded. “Anything, sir. What do you need?”

Izuru smiled, this one more genuine than the ones on the footage. “I am quite hungry. Would you go acquire some sustenance for me?”

A simple request. And one that made Hajime crack a smile. “A man was just cut in half in your doorway. I’m kind of impressed you have an appetite after that.”

Izuru let out a humorless chuckle. “All I did was squash a pest. Nothing more.”

The caretaker fluffed the pillow behind the long white locks and brought the blanket up to fit more snuggly around the thin body. “I shall go and make you something. I won't be long. Just relax until I get back, okay?”

“So reliable. So devoted. Truly, you are the only capable one for this role,” Izuru said, closing his eyes and evening his breathing out.

“Your words mean the world to me. Thank you, sir,” Hajime replied. He backed out of the doorway, the doors not closing until he was far away. He glanced over at the loaded cart, but only for a moment. He would deal with that later. He had a far more important task to do.

Masterpost

Snakes and humans and a wolf dog puppy! What a combo. What will they do?

Have a fun time, that’s what!

But yeah, Clover is gonna be a new regular in the giant naga chapters. Must give pupper all the love! She deserves it, I tells ya!

Hajime found himself once again needing to get used to a new constant in his life that he hadn’t initially prepared for. That being Clover, the newest edition to the household and forest. But he was happily surprised when it didn’t take much effort, as the tan wolf dog puppy was very well behaved for him.

She took to life in a house very quickly. She didn’t break or chew anything she wasn’t supposed to. She only barked when excited and was respectful of the rules. All around, she was practically the perfect dog.

She also loved running around the woods with Nagito. The naga had reported similar good behavior whenever she went with him. Clover always stayed close, never straying too far from her snake parent. She would smell the various plants and landmarks, but never attempted to eat anything. So both Hajime and Nagito felt no worries with her running ahead of them on their forest adventures.

So she of course went along with them as they all went to the expansive flower field to meet up with Sonia and Gundham. They had also dragged Izuru along, so the whole gang was there.

The main focus was, of course, Clover. Sonia and Gundham had cooed over her as soon as they saw her. But, to the more eccentric human’s dismay, she didn’t stay for very long at their side. Clover instead chose to stay near Hajime and Nagito, displaying who her preferred people were. Gundham had sulked briefly, Sonia claiming that this was the first time he hadn’t been an animal’s automatic favorite. Hajime and Nagito reigned in their snickers, not wanting to offend their friend.

And so time passed in the field. It was primarily spent playing and petting the puppy, who was overjoyed with all the attention. But eventually, she tired out. She crawled under one of Nagito’s large hands, flopping onto her side and panting herself to sleep.

Hajime stretched under to gently ruffle the fur on her head. She let out a doggy sigh, relaxing under the shade the naga was making. After confirming she was doing fine, he returned out into the open. Stretching his arms above his head, he glanced around to see what Izuru was doing. And to his surprise, he saw his brother carefully weaving the stems of some flowers into a crown.

“I didn’t know you knew how to do that,” Hajime found himself saying, attracting his twin’s attention.

Izuru scoffed. “Of course I know how to make them.”

Nagito leaned down, reptilian eyes gazing over the humans’ shoulders. “Wow. How pretty! Is it a crown made of flowers?”

Both of the twins looked up. “Yes, it is. Perhaps if you request it of him, maybe Hajime can learn to make one for you.”

Hajime rolled his eyes at his brother for planting that idea into the naga’s mind, as the green eyes stared pleadingly down at him. “You will, won’t you?” the larger creature asked while gently nudging the smaller body with his other hand.

Having fallen completely into the trap, Hajime felt slightly resigned as he agreed. “Okay. Izuru, teach me how to make them.”

“I would like to acquire this knowledge as well, powerful one,” Gundham chimed in, walking close and sitting down close to the other humans. Sonia followed behind, laying down next to Nagito to watch the process.

Seeing he had an attentive audience, the raven haired man nodded. “Very well. Let us begin.”

And so the lesson started. Flowers were plucked and carefully woven together to make a circular band. Hajime and Gundham picked up the technique right away, which was not terribly surprising considering who their teacher was. The nagas constantly praised their work, entranced as the crowns were slowly made.

Soon, all three humans had completed natural circlets in their hands. Hajime and Gundham held them up to admire, amazed that they were able to create them.

“Those are so cute! You did so good,” Nagito complimented, gently touching it with a claw.

That’s when Hajime got an idea. Well, two ideas. But he was able to do one of them right then and there. He grabbed hold of Nagito’s finger and slid the crown on. “Here, you can have it. It looks nicer on you.”

The pale cheeks darkened with a blush. “Are… are you sure? You worked so hard on it! And you’re giving it to me?”

“Of course. I can always make another now that I know how.” The brunette then looked over to his brother with a curious expression. “Although, it is a shame that it’s not big enough to fit your head. I wonder…”

His twin caught on very fast. “I suppose it’s possible. Allow me to assist.” He stretched his arm out to place his flower crown on the sleeping dog before returning to his original position. “We are fortunate in this field having plenty to work with.”

Nagito was far too distracted to take notice of their work, staring down at his new flower ring. And Sonia was very much in the same boat, admiring Gundham’s gift and sweet words to her. So Hajime and Izuru went undisturbed in their task. Which partially surprised Hajime, considering how long it took them.

But finish it, they did. The brunette let out a triumphant shout once the last flower was in place. “It’s done!!!”

Izuru sent a tiny, almost invisible smile his way. “Yes, it is.”

This small exchange of words attracted Nagito’s attention, who had been zoned out while petting Clover’s side. “Huh? What happened?” he asked, glancing back down to them. He let out a surprised gasp when he saw the completed project though. A flower crown, but this one significantly larger than the others. “Is that…?”

“Yes, it’s for you. Hopefully it’s big enough. Want to try it on?” Hajime confirmed, lifting part of the crown as a gesture.

“I would love to!” the naga exclaimed, happiness very evident in his voice.

It made Hajime’s cheeks redden a bit. “Lower your head a little more so Izuru and I can help put it on.”

Nagito did so instantly, cheeks also a bit pink. Together, the humans carefully dragged the floral construction over the snowy hair, doing their best to not break the fragile crown. But they were successful, and Nagito was soon adorned with the pretty blooms. Hajime patted the cheek once it was in place. “It’s on. You look wonderful.”

Nagito rose a little, tucking a stray lock behind his ear. “You… think so? I’m so happy!”

Hajime had to force his heart to not explode from the scene in front of him. It was almost too much for him to handle. It was way too cute. “N-no problem. I’m glad… you like it.”

“I don’t just like it. I love it!” Nagito then got a kiss attack from Clover, who had woken up from the noises. “Look, we match now!”

With Nagito distracted again, Hajime took this opportunity to take a picture of the two. He smiled as he examined it, making it his new Lock Screen photo.

“I take it you are pleased with the result, too?” Izuru asked, a smirk present now.

But the brunette was in too good of a mood to care. “I am. It was worth all the effort if it makes him that happy.”

“Is that right? Well, I’m glad you both approve.” He patted Hajime’s shoulder. “Good work, brother. And keep it up.”

Hajime pocketed his phone and returned to looking at the naga and wolf dog. “Yeah, I will for sure.”

Masterpost

Three cheers for SCP Nagizuru! For he has made a glorious return! We can rejoice!!!

I love writing both Lighthouse au and SCP au Nagizurus. They are incredibly fun. And I hope they are fun for y’all as well.

As promised, this one is more cosmic being powers. What will it be this time?

Hajime found himself getting impatient for quite an odd reason. A reason that most others were thanking whatever deities they believed existed for. There had not been a containment breach yet.

Now, Hajime wasn’t wishing for the death or destruction that typically came along with the breaches. Just the breach itself, as it would allow Nagizuru to sneak them away from the facility to visit his friends and family back home.

However, the facility remained as secure as usual. Nothing out of the ordinary had occurred.

His annoyance was noticed, as he soon felt his companion begin running his hands through the spiky brown hair. “Relax, darling. It will come one day. No need to fret or worry.”

Hajime sighed as he closed his eyes. “I know. I know. But it still doesn’t lessen my eagerness.”

He heard a soft laugh behind him, tickling the back of his neck. “And you call me impatient.”

Hajime scoffed. “Don’t try that. We both know you are far more impatient than me. Remind me of who can’t go even half an hour without seeing me?”

The entity hummed. “You can’t blame me for being so desperate to stay by your side. You are simply perfect for me.”

The human rolled his eyes, though he couldn’t deny that his cheeks reddened a bit from the words. Never before had someone declare their devotion to him. It was… flattering, and he enjoyed it a lot.

He felt Nagizuru grin behind him, lowering one of his hands to grasp the human’s own. “Now tell me, my dear. What would you like to do today?”

“Hmmm…” Hajime stared up at the ceiling as he thought. “Honestly, I don’t really want to leave our place today. I don’t feel like walking around.”

“A lazy day in, is it? I am more than happy to oblige. I shall take care of chores, so relax and do what you like,” the SCP told him.

“Geez, having powers sounds pretty convenient. Is there any limit to what you can’t do?” Hajime asked without really thinking.

“Oh? Are you curious about my abilities?” Nagito asked, pulling his arms and hands away from the human to his slight dismay. “I am capable of much. Almost anything your mind can conjure up. For example…”

The large mass of warmth behind him vanished suddenly, leaving his back cold and his mind confused. “Nagizuru? Are you still here? What happened?”

“You will see.”

The voice wasn’t spoken out loud. He felt it echo in his mind, like it was transmitted directly into his brain. But before he could ask why this method was chosen to communicate, the reason was soon revealed.

A large, white rabbit with glowing red eyes hopped next to him on the bed, staring up at him with a nose twitch.

Hajime stared back with wide eyes. “Wh-what? Is… that you?” was all he managed to say.

A wide smile grew on the rabbit’s face. A sight that looked unsettling from how abnormal it appeared. “What have I told you about underestimating me? I can do more if you wish to see.”

The rabbit turned and hopped off the bed, body growing much larger as it moved through the air. Soon, a giant white tiger with red stripes was standing in front of him.

Hajime barely swallowed back the yelp at the sight of such a large creature. “I… I didn’t know… they were that big,” he said, body instinctively stiff from fear.

Again, the entity's current form grinned, the predator’s sharp white teeth on display. “No Earthly animal or cosmic creature is beyond my capabilities.” The tiger crouched down and began to leap, body shifting in midair again. Hajime couldn’t help closing his eyes and bracing for impact. But instead of something large, he felt a tiny body make contact with his hair. He cracked open his eyes, widening them when he saw a small white bat hanging down in front of his face. “It is nice to see you from varying perspectives. You are wonderful to look at even when upside down.”

Hajime ignored the tugging on his hair antenna where the bat was hanging from to focus more on the mischievous entity. “You really can turn into anything?”

The bat nodded. “Anything. Is there anything in particular you would like to see?”

The brunette had to force himself to keep his head still and not shake it with Nagizuru on him like this. “I can’t think of anything at the second. But I am curious about something. What’s your favorite form to take?”

“Other than the human form? I suppose there is one I have found that gets me the most attention and treats.”

The bat released his grip, shifting while falling. And soon, Hajime had a fluffy snowy cat on his lap. The feline purred as he settled down on the human’s lap.

“Ah, I understand now,” Hajime muttered, bringing his hand down to stroke the soft fur.

“Humanity seems to practically worship this species. Almost none were able to resist the charm when I approached like this. I found it quite fascinating,” Nagizuru told him, tail flicking in happiness as he relaxed into the pets.

“Yeah. Cats almost seem to have magic.” Hajime paused, thinking for a second. “They… don’t, right?”

The SCP on his lap laughed, clearly amused by the question. “No, they don’t. They are simply smart creatures. Though I will admit that it’s funny you asked.”

Hajime poked the entity’s head. “Well, you can’t blame me for being skeptical on occasion nowadays. I mean, there’s several facilities with objects and creatures that most would think too fantastical to be real. There’s a coffee machine that can produce magma, for example. Or that creepy teddy bear. Or, I don’t know, a clingy cosmic horror who’s first display of power to me was inverting a human. Shall I go on?”

The cat smirked at him. “You could if you so desired. But I understand the point you are trying to make.”

Hajime sighed, resuming his strokes. “Well, I suppose it is a good thing you were in human form when we first met. Otherwise, it would have been strange if an animal began asking me about my life.”

“Hmmm? I suppose that is true of our first direct encounter. But we saw each other before that rainy night.”

That made the human’s eyes widen. “What? I saw you before that night? How? What were you?”

“Multiple times. But I appeared like this.”

The cat shrank, the entity transforming into a smaller creature. One that fluttered up to rest delicately on one of his fingers. The butterfly’s wings were pure white, with the antenna and legs being red. It looked… familiar. But where had he…?

Suddenly, Hajime’s brain was flooded with memory snapshots. Of him in his college classes, staring out the window as his mind wandered away from the boring lectures. Of seeing a strange, white butterfly perched on the dying flowers outside of the math center. Of him wondering if it was the same one every day.

It made a fond smile grow. “So you were there. And I had no idea.”

The butterfly vanished and a heavier body landed on the bed behind him. The pale arms circling around him pulled him back into an embrace. “You had no reason to know. If I don’t want people to be alerted of my presence, they will never find out.” Nagizuru nuzzled into the brown hair, sighing happily. “But this body is my absolute favorite. I can do so much with you in human form. Especially this particular activity.”

A blush colored his cheeks at the actions and words. “S-so clingy,” he stuttered, trying and failing to sound stoic.

The SCP was not fooled. “Come now, Hajime. No need to try and hide it. You enjoy this, too. Don’t you?”

The last two words were whispered directly into his ear, sending several shivers down his spine. His reaction made Nagizuru giggle and hold him tighter.

Hajime grumbled, but didn’t protest or deny the words. They were true, after all. Not that he had any desire to admit it to the smug man behind him at the moment. But he didn’t mind spending time like this, especially with one so devoted. The days would certainly fly by, as he knew the entity had far more abilities he could show him. And he was eager to see them.

Masterpost

ErrandBoyTV was the one to suggest this one! And boy oh boy it was cute.

Will Hajime ever stop spoiling his little naga? Oh heck no. It’s his life mission now.

Also, sorry Kaz. You make it too easy for the snek.

Hajime could easily trace the exact path of events that lead to him beginning a weeks long scavenger hunt in his own apartment. Oh yeah, it was not hard to recall what had led him to this.

It all began with a quick trip to a craft store as requested by Kazuichi. His friend had requested assistance on gathering materials for a new project and Hajime had figured he could tag along for moral support and to be an extra set of arms.

It was at the store that he had spotted them, sitting innocently on a shelf in an aisle they were in. A box of mini pencils, thin and delicate. Practically the perfect size for a certain someone he knew. So Hajime had grabbed it, knowing it would be adored by the recipient.

Sure enough, the gift was received very well. Nagito had been astounded and overjoyed by the present, pulling each individual pencil out and looking them over with wonder in his eyes. To the human’s surprise, he didn’t use them right away, instead dedicating the rest of the evening to hugging and expressing his gratitude. Which Hajime had no issues with; he liked those sessions, too.

The next day, Hajime had cut up sheets of paper and had laid them out for Nagito to try his new pencils out on. The naga got to work instantly, eyes focused on his task as he practiced writing and drawing. It worked as a great distraction as Kazuichi had swung by to show off pictures of his project to his friend.

“It’s coming along super well! The parts we got yesterday were exactly what I needed. Thanks for the help, by the way. You are the greatest soul-friend a man could have!”

Hajime had rolled his eyes at the dramatic declaration, but still nodded with a supportive smile. “No problem. Glad to help.”

Kazuichi grinned before putting his phone away. “So what are your plans for the rest of the day? Studying? Or something fun?”

“He is to provide me with love and attention, if you must know,” Nagito spoke up, drawing the humans’ gazes to him. The tone changed in a second once the naga shifted his full attention to the brunette. “Look, Hajime! I was able to draw a clover! Do you like it?”

He was sure that his cheeks were a bit red from the words, but he again nodded. “Looks fantastic. You got the hang of that pretty fast.” Hajime had then smirked. “Are you going to now turn into the doting partner who leaves little notes everywhere?”

But his joke had ignited some fire in Nagito, green eyes filled with inspiration. “What an absolutely wonderful idea! Yes! I shall!” He then turned his sharp gaze to the other human. “And you shall assist me in this task.”

Kazuichi looked down, terrified. “What?! Me? Why?”

Nagito scoffed. “Because if Hajime helps me with this, it’ll ruin the surprise. Now come on! We have work to do!”

And so, under the strict guidance of Nagito, Kazuichi had become the naga’s temporary assistant in scattering the notes around. The naga had gone with the pink haired human, instructing him on where to place the various bits of paper. Meanwhile, Hajime just sat back on his chair, sipping water and listening to the nervous chatter from his friend.

Which led to now, as a very frazzled and stiff Kazuichi returned to the living room, nearly collapsing onto the couch. “Can I be free now? Are we finally finished?”

The naga, who had been clinging to his wrist with tight coils, sighed. “I suppose we can be. I’ll release you now.” Nagito loosened his hold and slithered onto the plush cushions, making use of their angle to ascend to the couch’s armrest. “It is done, Hajime! We hid them all around the apartment. But don’t go looking for them yet! Wait until later, okay?”

“Fine, fine. I won’t, I promise,” Hajime assured, reaching over to offer a hand to the naga. He felt the smooth scaly tail quickly make contact, crossing his arm and reaching his shoulder in no time. “You are spoiled rotten. You know that right?” he asked as he felt Nagito get comfortable on his shoulder.

“You like spoiling me. Don’t deny it,” was the reply.

Hajime huffed, not admitting out loud that it was true.

Kazuichi groaned from the couch. “If y’all are gonna be mushy, I might as well see myself out. Hajime, you should definitely come by my place next time. I can show you my progress in person that way!” The pink haired human stood up and made for the door, pulling his shoes back on.

Hajime smiled at his friend. “Sounds like a plan. I can’t wait to see it. Good luck!” he called out, getting an enthusiastic thumbs-up before his friend exited the apartment.

“It’s just us now. What bliss,” Nagito muttered dreamily, nuzzling and sighing contently.

“You say that as if we don’t spend a good majority of time together,” Hajime pointed out, though he did nothing to stop the naga’s actions. “By the way, can you try and be nicer to Kaz? Or at least tone down the sternness? He’s already apologized a hundred times for grabbing you that one time. And we both know he’s not brave enough to ever try that again.”

Nagito hummed in thought, making the note last several seconds. “I suppose I can try. Though I make no promises.”

“Just keep it in mind the next time you see him, okay? For me?” He knew that last part would get him somewhere. If Nagito was allowed to play him like a fiddle with sweet words, he would do the same.

“For you? Anything.” Sure enough, it worked. “But enough about him, let’s get back to the main focus! My notes to you. I’m going to set rules that you can only find and read one per day. Draw it out as long as you can. Then I can hide them all over again once all have been discovered!”

Hajime laughed a bit. “Alright, I suppose I can do that. But how many did you hide?” he asked as he took a sip from his glass.

“45.”

Hajime nearly choked on his water. “45? That many? How did you make that many?”

He felt Nagito hug his neck. “Determination for my one and only, obviously. As I said, anything for you.”

It now was very apparent that Hajime had quite a task ahead of him. One he was eager to do.

Masterpost

Here comes the boy!!! Hello boy! Welcome! There he is! He is here!

Nagizuru!!!

Let us all take a moment to bask in his glory. And maybe give him something nice for once, cause man, he goes through some crap. Imma pretend like I have nothing to do with that for now though. Just focus on the nice stuff, Nagizuru!

Also! Gaze at this lovely artwork by @duckybathperson!

It had taken him far longer than he had wanted for him to accomplish this task. Far too long, but he hasn’t wanted to risk getting caught. However, he had finally managed to snag the last thing he needed for his plan.

Carefully concealing the small half dozen carton of eggs, Hajime quickly ducked into the elevator. He sighed as the doors closed, taking him up to the fifth floor and to safety. The cameras on the fifth and sixth never worked anymore. After a few attempts to repair them only for them to break, the staff had given up trying. They saw it as a waste of time and money, so Hajime was able to get away with sneaky objectives from time to time.

And he was ecstatic that after such a long time, he could finally accomplish something he had been wanting to do since the very beginning.

Make something nice for Izuru to eat.

The staff here were very strict on the types of food their experiment was allowed to have. Light food that provided just enough nutrition to keep him alive and stable, but the options were very limited. Hajime had done his best over the months to try and ease the monotony of the meals, throwing in whatever spices were provided and changing it up as much as he could, but it never felt like it was quite enough. And although Izuru had never complained about the food, it didn’t take a genius to know that he was bored with the menu.

So, Hajime had been determined to give him a decent meal at least once. He was careful and managed to sneak into the food storage for the other staff’s cafeteria. Slowly, he gathered ingredients and stored them away on the fifth floor, away from prying eyes and blabbermouths. The eggs had been last, and he had them in hand now. Therefore, Hajime rolled up his sleeves and got to work in the kitchen.

For the first time in a while, he was excited to make his charge’s meal. He dove into the task with excitement and motivation, expertly handling the kitchen equipment as he created his dish. And soon enough, he had the dish plated, warm, and ready.

He really had to hold himself back from rushing up to Izuru’s room as soon as it was done, knowing that he had to be careful to not jostle it. He placed a metal cover over top of the plate, which would help to keep the food warm. And perhaps add an element of surprise for the Ultimate Hope, to make things interesting for him. He took a deep breath, placed his hands on the cart, and began pushing it to the elevator.

Finally, he scanned his card and walked into the room, unable to keep the excited grin off his face. “It appears you have something new to share or provide,” Izuru observed as he sat up in his bed. “And what did you manage to sneak by the fools below?”

“You’ll see,” Hajime replied, grabbing the clipboard. “Let’s get these tests over with so you can have your surprise.”

“Very well. Proceed.”

So they did, Hajime writing down the results and administering the sedatives, though a little quicker in pace than usual. But Izuru made no comment on it, eyes occasionally flicking over to the cart to analyze the contents. It hadn’t taken long for him to notice the covered dish on the bottom, his gaze honed on it upon discovery. It made Hajime even more anxious to get to it. But he knew he had to do the boring parts first, then they could spend more time on the more interesting portions of this session.

Hajime couldn’t help the relieved sigh when he was finally able to put the clipboard back down on the cart. “Done. Now I can give you this.” He knelt and pulled the covered dish from the bottom shelf, pleased when it was still warm. He handed it to the white haired man, who gazed at the shiny metal cover with interest. Hajime grabbed the top of the cover, lifting it and revealing what he had made. “I was able to gather enough ingredients to make you a fresh omelet. It has bits of ham, grilled peppers, melted cheddar, and is topped with parsley. I… I hope you like it.”

Izuru hummed as he took a fork from his caretaker. “I can imagine how difficult it was to gather everything to make this. Let it be known that your efforts are noted and appreciated.”

The words made a genuine smile creep onto the brunette’s face. “Well, wait till you try it before praise. I want to see if it matches your palette.”

“Then I shall not waste a second more. Thank you for the food,” Izuru said as he cut a corner off and delicately ate it. His ruby reds locked with Hajime’s hazel. “My dear caretaker, you have done very well. This is the tastiest food item I have consumed upon my awakening. Take pride in this.”

Hajime found himself fighting the urge to pump his fist in excitement. Izuru liked it! He even praised it! It was the best possible reaction he could have asked for. “I am truly honored, sir.”

Izuru then seemed to get an idea, his smile morphing into a smirk. But before Hajime could ask what it was about, the experiment had cut off another piece of the food and speared it with the fork, raising it up and towards Hajime. “I know I am not the only one deprived of variety in the food category. Come now, give your creation a try.”

The brunette shook his head while feeling his cheeks redden. “I couldn’t possibly! It’s entirely yours to enjoy. I don’t deserve it.”

But instead of backing off, Izuru reached forward and grabbed the chain on the metal collar. It was tugged so that Hajime was forced to lean down, face now inches away from Izuru’s. “I insist, my dear caretaker.”

Swallowing down the lump in his throat, Hajime gave a small nod of understanding. It was now a request he dared not reject again. So he allowed the Ultimate Hope to feed him the forkful of egg. He had been correct, it was pretty good. It made him want to try and recreate this again. Provided, of course, he was able to obtain more ingredients.

Izuru didn’t immediately release him after he finished chewing. The grip on the chain remained solid as the other hand released the fork and rose to caress his cheek. “I can see the thoughts running through your head. If you desire to attempt more creations in the kitchen to provide for us both, I shall send you off with my blessing. But it would be wise for you to retain your sense of caution. I wouldn’t want anything unfortunate to happen to you. After all, you are the only one I will allow this close without consequences.” Then the grip on the chain was released, the experiment returning to eating with pleased hums.

Hajime took a step back and covered his mouth as he failed to control the heat in his cheeks. Whenever Izuru spoke to him like this or forced them to be close, it made him react strongly. And he was sure that his reaction was getting stronger and more obvious with each new action. But he knew Izuru enjoyed eliciting such reactions from him. And who was he to deny the Ultimate Hope of sights he clearly wanted to see?

He had received luck’s blessing. That was the least he could do for such a gift.

Masterpost

So is this a bit out of nowhere? Yes, and I freely admit that. But hey, sometimes inspiration strikes when you least expect it. Such as when I was listening to a certain song by Utata-P. (This one in particular: https://youtu.be/D-SeN8ccXHM)

With that, and aided by the fact that I see komahina everywhere, I had an idea. And I know that these ideas will fester inside my mind until I write them down. So here we are! Hope y’all enjoy this little one-shot.

Time for a fun summertime game! Time to teach the naga and puppy what a sprinkler is!

You know, I can’t honestly recall the last time I have played in a sprinkler. I mostly went swimming in pools to cool off. I should get my friends together and just do it one day. I bet the dogs would love it too.

Also also, if you haven’t seen it already, look at this.

And this!

Hajime hoisted the final bag onto the table, grunting with effort and panting briefly once it was set down. “Could you have picked anything heavier, Izuru? Sometimes I feel like you are trying to rip my arms off with your selections.” he complained loudly.

His twin snorted with a smirk, easily setting down three other bags that had weighed more than the single one Hajime had been able to carry. “Perhaps you need to practice more and build up arm strength. That way you can accomplish much more in terms of house upkeep and outside cleanup.”

Hajime rolled his eyes. “Oh please. I have a partner who can lift up boulders taller than us in a second. There is little need for me to become a bodybuilder.”

Izuru smirked. “Fair enough. Changing the subject, you will be happy to know that was the last of the bags. We can begin sorting and organizing the purchases now.”

“Fine,” Hajime relented, plunging his hands into the closest bag to begin. And so began the boring task of replenishing his house. He was secretly grateful that he had his brother there to assist, as it definitely cut down on the time he would have had to do it if he was by himself.

Needless to say, the pile of bags rapidly began disappearing with each item that was put away. Soon there were only a few left, which was incredibly relieving. But his relief turned to confusion as he pulled out a box from a bag. One for a sprinkler system, something he did not recall grabbing. “Hey, Izuru? What’s the deal with this?” he asked, holding the box higher.

His brother looked over, recognizing the box. “It is summertime. Hot and muggy. So I thought you might want to have that to help keep your yard watered during the intense sun.” He pointed over his shoulder to the dog bed, where Clover was chewing on a toy. “And perhaps provide some entertainment to those who aren’t aware of it. Not only her, but a certain neighbor of yours.”

Hajime picked up what Izuru was implying. “Yeah, I’m sure they would love it.” He repositioned the box under his arm and headed to the patio door. “I’ll go see if I can hook this up. Can you finish putting away the groceries?”

“Of course,” his twin called out, confident as always.

Hajime rolled his eyes as he stepped out, getting hit with the heat pretty much instantly. But he did his best to ignore it, walking over to the hose on the side of his house. As he opened the box, he heard a jingling noise approach. And soon, a wet snout poked his cheek. He smiled and pet the puppy near him, getting a happy tail wag. “This is for you and Nagito to enjoy. Can you hold on for a little longer? I think you will like it a lot.”

Clover licked his face before backing up and sitting next to him. He couldn’t help reaching over and petting her head before focusing on his task. Somehow, he was able to figure it out and finish before Izuru had come outside.

“Successful, are we?” the raven haired man asked, leaning up against the house with his arms crossed.

Hajime shot him a fake glare before standing back up. “Yes, I got it working. So there’s no need for you to employ your handyman skills today.”

Izuru snorted. “We shall see. But in any case, Nagito is approaching. Best get things set in place quickly.”

Turning his head, the brunette saw that his brother was right. The emerald naga had emerged from the tree line and was heading their way. Luckily, Hajime had a good distraction tactic. “Clover, look! Go get him!” he instructed, pointing in Nagito’s direction.

The wolf dog followed his finger, barking excitedly when she caught sight of the naga. She took off like a bullet, speeding through the grass towards the giant creature while yipping. She reached Nagito in no time, attracting his attention. “Well hello, sweetheart! Did you come to greet me?”

Seeing that Nagito had been sufficiently distracted, Hajime relaxed as he set the sprinkler up in the yard. It was far enough away from the house that it wouldn’t damage anything. So he felt confident in turning the hose on and retreating to the patio chairs and table. He joined Izuru, who had already taken a seat with cups of lemonade prepared. “Overachiever,” Hajime teased as he took one of the glasses.

“Lovestruck sap,” Izuru fired back.

The twins rolled their eyes with smiles, too used to the sibling banter. They didn’t bother moving even as Nagito and Clover arrived, the dog looking proud as if she had been the one leading Nagito back to the house. Hajime still stroked her head as a form of thanks. “Good girl. You found him.”

The naga settled down on the warm grass, resting his hands on his crossed arms. “She is a good girl. In fact, I’d argue that she is the best girl. No one will change my mind,” he stated confidently.

“I’d wager that I’d agree on that,” Hajime said, conjuring a large smile to grow on the naga’s face. After giving one last scratch behind the puppy’s ears, he pointed over to where he had set the sprinkler up. Right as he did, the water had finally finished traveling through the hose, setting off the sprinkler.

Both naga and puppy were initially startled by the sudden noise. But curiosity won out and they both moved closer to investigate. Clover reached her face out and attempted to bite at the water stream. She must have enjoyed the sensation as she barked happily and began chasing the water back and forth.

Nagito leaned in closer as well, trying to see where the water was coming from. Luckily, the black material stood out from the green grass so it wasn’t too difficult to find. He reached down and felt the water hit his skin. He smiled wide in wonder, especially when Clover began chasing it. “A device that sprays water without you needing to control it? Fascinating! What is this called?” he asked when he briefly glanced over to the humans.

Hajime leaned back in his chair, getting comfortable. It definitely would take some effort to get out of this position, but he didn’t care at the moment. “It’s a sprinkler. It will help the grass survive the heat and be entertainment for our energetic canine here.”

“Ah, I see! How innovative,” Nagito replied, watching the dog’s and sprinkler’s movements.

Then Clover found out that she could move the sprinkler’s base. The second she discovered this, she grabbed it in her jaws and ran over to Nagito, spraying him with the chilly water.

He giggled as the water splashed him. “Oh my! Look what you got! What a silly dog you are!”

Hajime snorted with laughter. “Having fun over there?” he called out, realizing a second later that he had made a terrible mistake.

Clover, upon hearing his voice, turned back towards him and rocketed forward, still holding the active sprinkler in her jaws.

Hajime only had a second to feel relieved that the patio door was shut before both he and his twin got sprayed by the water. “Na-Nagito!!! Call her- Call her back over to you!” he shouted as he tried to stand and avoid any more splashes. Izuru didn’t appear to move, having accepted the inevitable outcome with a scowl.

Nagito smirked for a few seconds before deciding to fulfill the request. “Come on back here, sweetheart. Show me again,” his angelic voice said over the sprinkler’s noises. Clover was more than happy to listen, trotting over to the naga.

Hajime shook his head, trying to get water off as he wrung out his shirt. “Note to self, only let the dog near the sprinkler if I am fully prepared for the splash zone.” His spirits were slightly improved when he looked at his sopping wet brother. Seeing him pouting like a wet cat more than made up for the uncomfortable dampness. “Looks like we have to dry off in the sun.”

Izuru huffed, having noticed his brother’s amusement. But no comments or alternatives were offered, so Hajime turned back to his other family member’s activities. He shrugged his shoulders with a grin. “Eh, a little water was worth it to see them have some summer fun.”

Masterpost

It’s the naga Hajime again! Did you miss him? I certainly missed him.

Time for a fun activity outside of Nagito’s house this time. How exciting! Whatever will they do?

Guess you will have to find out!

“Can you swim in all kinds of waters?”

The question slipped out as Nagito had been scrolling through an advertisement on his tablet for a kayaking service not too far away from his home.

Hajime raised his head from where he had been lounging on the pillow pile, looking up at the human relaxing on the recliner. “Swim? Hmmm… well, I suppose I can swim comfortably in most lakes and rivers. Pools are fine so long as the chlorine is low. Not the ocean, though. Far too salty for me.” He raised an eyebrow as he rested his weight on his crossed arms. “Why do you ask? This can’t have been a random thought spawned from nothing.”

Nagito chuckled. “Well, you aren’t incorrect. I just found something that I was considering doing should you be up for it.”

Hajime seemed to give into his curiosity and slithered closer. He maneuvered around the recliner, raising himself to rest on the chair’s arm. “Show me.”

And so Nagito did, scrolling through the ad again and showing it to the naga. Hajime hummed as his reptilian eyes scanned the words, tail tip flicking from its place on the pillows. Once he finished, he retreated back to the soft bed. “A river, huh? It’s been a while since I was able to swim in one. And even then, it was shallow. Not enough for me to submerge.”

The human looked over the tablet at the naga. “So are you interested?”

Hajime scoffed. “Sure. If you can find a way to sneak me and my 25 foot long tail into a populated activity area with tons of humans. But it’s not like that is possible.”

Nagito grinned as he pulled up a new tab on his tablet, a plan already formulating as he typed in his request in the search bar. “Oh, I wouldn’t be so sure about that, my dear Hajime.”

~~~~~~~~~~

Nagito hummed to the tune on the radio as he drove down the road. Traffic was practically non-existent today for him, which he was grateful for. It was his first time driving such a large vehicle, after all.

He reached the kayaking rental place, pulling into the parking lot and surveying the options. And to his delight, the perfect spot was available. The farthest corner, with plenty of trees near the river.

He backed the truck up, this task made easier due to there being no others this far away. No one would possibly be able to see what he was about to do.

He got out of the truck, walking calmly and nonchalantly over to the back and unlatching the door. He started trying to lift the door, managing to get it up a few inches. Then tan, clawed hands joined his effort from the other side, lifting it the rest of the way with ease. He was soon face-to-face with his beloved naga again. “We are here! Are you excited?” Nagito exclaimed with excitement.

Hajime crossed his arms as he stared at the human in front of him. “To be out of this metal box on wheels? Yes. Are you sure this is necessary?”

Nagito shrugged his shoulders. “It’s the best I could come up with. It’s easy to acquire and inconspicuous. But anyways, you are free to go to the river now! No one is over here and the river is just beyond these trees.”

Hajime turned his head to look where Nagito had been pointing, eyes lighting up in excitement. “I can smell it. Smells clean and free of pollutants.” He peeked out around the truck, satisfied when he saw none near them. That gave him confidence to leave the truck and slither into the woods. “I’ll find you once you get a kayak. But I’ll stay out of sight for the most part. See you later.” Then the brown tail disappeared into the trees.

Nagito smiled as he locked the truck again and headed to the service station. He was able to get a bright green kayak easily, donning a life vest and pushing off into the water. Hajime had been right, the water did look clean. There was plenty of algae and other water plants near the bottom, obscuring anything that might be there. And the lush vegetation on the river’s banks were also large and healthy. Clearly, this river was well maintained and taken care of. Perhaps he could make a sizable donation to the place later.

His thoughts derailed slightly when he looked up the river, past the other distracted kayakers. He saw Hajime’s half submerged head peeking out from some reeds, eyes clearly locked on him. Upon making eye contact, the naga appeared satisfied and vanished under the surface. Seemed like he was enjoying the water, which Nagito was glad to see. So he sat back in his kayak and relaxed, intending to enjoy himself, too.

For a while, there was only the sound of the voices of those around him and the splashing of the small boats on the water. It was peaceful, allowing him to people-watch.

Which, of course, meant he was watching the moment things began changing to something far more entertaining.

He noticed someone begin peering into the water below them, eyes straining as they looked. Someone near them inquired about this, to which they replied that they thought they saw something. It was brushed off briefly, before someone else started looking into the water with a confused expression. More and more began seeing something in the water, concern growing. Nagito also decided to look under the water, managing to catch sight of a large dark shape near the river’s bottom.

But unlike everyone else there, he knew exactly what was causing it. And he got the feeling he was going to enjoy what happened next. Especially after he began tapping the surface of the water in a similar pattern to how he did at the pool in his home.

It had an immediate reaction. Hajime had heard his tapping and began moving towards him. And in doing so, he started rising to the surface. Which meant his tail began bumping into some of the boats in front of the white-haired human’s kayak.

Needless to say, people began freaking out, screaming and frantically paddling back to shore. Nagito found himself needing to raise his shirt collar up and above his mouth to hide his laughter. It was like something right out of a movie.

Soon, he was alone as the staff and lifeguards tried to calm the frantic crowd who claimed a river monster knocked their boat. All eyes were off of him, so he tapped the water surface once more. Hajime’s wet head came into sight, the long snake tail holding him steady from its position on the riverbed. He breached quietly, raising an eyebrow at the human. “What happened? I saw lots of movement.”

Nagito had to fight the wave of giggles fighting to emerge. “Oh, the people are claiming they have witnessed something in the water. I wonder what it could have been.”

Hajime gave him an unimpressed look. “Is that why you called me over? To cause chaos?”

Nagito reached over to stroke the wet brown hair. “Not to worry. I am sure we will be able to return should you want to swim here again. After all, strange creature sightings have quite an attraction on people. I’m sure this place will see more business after today.”

The naga grumbled, but still leaned into the touches. “I suppose I wouldn’t be opposed to returning. Even if it means going into that truck again.”

The human nodded, already looking forward to their next outing. “I’ll be sure to fill it with more blankets and pillows. I’ll throw some towels in as we go home so you can dry off.”

Hajime pulled away from the kayak about a foot. “Alright. But I want to swim a little more. Tap the water after ten minutes, okay?” And then, the brown hair disappeared under the water again.

Nagito smiled as his companion vanished from his sight. He relaxed again on his kayak, bobbing gently on the water once more. From the corner of his eye, he saw some people returning to their own kayaks and into the river after seeing the one remaining person was still there and no monster was visible. The thought of Hajime inspiring a new urban legend made him grin again. He couldn’t wait to tell Chiaki and Izuru about it. It would be a fun story for many years.

Masterpost

So this suggestion from Sapphire was worded as: Clover protecting her dads from pure evil.

Now I’m sure you are wondering. What could this pure evil possibly be? And the answer is: bubbles.

How could I not do that one next? I’m sure you understand why I simply had to.

So, I may take a short break from this au for a little. I dunno when it will return, but I wanna explore some other things for now. Thank you for all the support on this fic thus far. It means the world to me.

“I simply do not understand your powers, mortal. How could you tame something that I could not? It vexes me to no end,” Gundham stated with annoyance lacing his voice.

Hajime rolled his eyes as he pet Clover’s belly as they sat on the couch. “I don’t know what to tell you. I guess she just likes us better.”

The dark haired human grumbled, clearly still sulking. No matter what he tried, Clover did not favor him in any way. Apparently, this was the first time this had ever occurred, leading to this rampant confusion on Gundham’s part. Everyone else thought it to be entertaining.

Hajime then remembered something, to which he got a grin. “Maybe we can help improve her opinion on you. I just hope Izuru hasn’t left the store yet,” he said as he whipped his phone out and sent his twin a message. The reply was instant, getting a confirmation on the request being heard and carried out promptly. “Alright. All we have to do is wait.”

Gundham looked confused, but didn’t bother to ask. “Shall we await the almighty one outdoors? I’ve had my fill of this era’s technologies. The grand wilderness calls.”

Giving one last belly pat to the wolf dog puppy, Hajime stood up from the couch along with Gundham. They exited out of the building, both humans smiling when they saw their nagas sunbathing in the distance. Clover also saw them, prancing in place as she looked to Hajime for permission.

“Yes, you can go,” he told her, to which she sped off, rocketing to the large emerald green snake. Gundham deflated even more when the puppy reached them, giving licks to both Nagito and Sonia. Hajime patted him on the shoulder, taking a seat on one of the patio chairs. He rested comfortably in it, head tilted back and eyes closed as he relaxed.

The humans stayed there, enjoying the outside weather. Hajime didn’t bother to move during that time for a couple reasons. First, that he would be able to greet Izuru when he returned from his shopping trip. And second, because he was feeling incredibly lazy. So, he didn’t bother trying to exert any energy.

He continued to do so until his twin’s car pulled back into the driveway. But Hajime kept his eyes closed until he heard footsteps approaching him. “I’m guessing you got what I asked for,” he called over.

His brother rolled his eyes. “Of course I did. You know I will accomplish anything I set my mind to.”

Hajime grinned as he was handed the bag that contained the things he requested. “Thank you, by the way. I don’t mean to make you do all the shopping all the time.”

Izuru’s mouth crooked up into a tiny smile. “You are welcome. And rest assured, I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t want to.”

“Of course. Now then, let’s get this set up.”

The three humans got to work, pouring the container of liquid into the shallow plastic dish. Hajime then grabbed the wand, pressing it into the liquid and ran a few steps forward. Creating giant rainbow bubbles.

“It works! I’m sure they will love this,” Hajime stated as he gave the wand to the awestruck Gundham. The brunette then shouted over to the nagas. “Hey! Come over here! We have something to show you!”

The two serpents lifted their heads, eyes widening when they saw the giant bubble rise in the air and pop. They rose fully, slithering over to the house with the excited puppy trotting in between them. But once they got close, the wolf dog’s eyes locked onto the bubbles that Gundham and Izuru had been making. She raced forward again, leaping up into the air and opening her jaws to snap at one of them. It popped, leaving a very confused puppy behind.

Nagito giggled as he watched his dog frantically look around, setting off to get another bubble. “What are these? They are pretty!” he asked, reaching out and popping one himself with a claw.

Hajime nodded, walking close once Nagito had settled down near the ground again. “They are. These are bubbles created with a soap mixture. Most of the time, they are smaller than this. But we got the giant ones for you guys to enjoy.”

“Really? That’s so considerate of you!” the emerald naga exclaimed, watching with new appreciation as Sonia watched the bubbles that Gundham made float up into the air. And also how Clover kept jumping and running around, trying her best to get all the ones Izuru made.

Hajime then saw a third wand and extra basin that were off to the side. “Want to try it yourself? I think you will be able to.”

The green eyes sparkled. “Really? Yes, I would love to try!”

And so the brunette jogged over to the extras, grabbing them and bringing them closer to his partner. He filled the basin with more of the bubble mixture, testing the wand out and smiling triumphantly when a large bubble formed. “Okay, so it’s fairly easy. Put the wand in the liquid and move it sideways. Don’t move the wand too fast or else it will pop.”

The reptilian eyes narrowed in concentration, doing his best to follow the instructions given to him. His first few tries ended up in failures, but he didn’t let them discourage him. And when he successfully made his own bubble, he looked absolutely elated. “Look! Look! I did it!” Nagito almost shouted, watching his bubble fly into the sky. Now filled with more determination, Nagito dipped the wand into the basin and made another.

Only for it to be broken by a flying dog.

Clover looked at both her human and naga owners, tail wagging furiously as she panted. Both Hajime and Nagito laughed, happy to see their puppy having fun. “Are you getting all the bubbles? Do you want to get more?” Nagito cooed, getting his wand ready and making more rainbow spheres.

Clover was more than ready, getting every single bubble that appeared in the area. She even raced back to the other two humans at points, getting their bubbles before returning to her owners. But her energy did run out eventually, ending up with her flopping down on her side in the shade under the patio table. Izuru went in to get her a bowl of water and Sonia took hold of Gundham, entering the woods together. Soon, it was just them.

“Humans have made so many fascinating things. The creativity is astounding,” Nagito murmured as he lowered himself onto the grass fully.

Hajime hopped up to sit on the pale wrist, now sitting directly next to the naga’s cheek. “Yeah, I can agree on that. I am sure I would never come up with anything like that.”

Nagito carefully tilted his head so his cheek made contact with the smaller person on him. “You are very creative in your own way. I know you don’t see it quite as clearly, so I’ll remind you whenever you need me to.”

Hajime found himself blushing with a smile, rubbing his own cheek against his naga’s. “I appreciate it.”

The two closed their eyes and relaxed, leaning against each other in complete contentment as the warm sun’s rays shone on them.

Masterpost

I am such a fan of reading and writing physical contact between characters. Luckily, Nagizuru is similar in enjoying physical contact with his bff too!

Fellas, is it gay for you to hold someone close and carry them carefully and respectfully through your home? Hajime ain’t sure quite yet, but I’m sure he’ll get there one day!

Also, a bit of news. I’m gonna have to take a break from writing fics for this au. Sadly, I’ve currently run out of ideas I can do and will need some time away from it. I do hope you can understand. I do intend to return should Karu or I think of anything else! But when will that be? I can’t say. This is also not a guarantee of anything, so do keep that in mind.

Huge thank you again to @karugoround for letting me write for these babies for this long. It’s been a crazy adventure and I had tons of fun! Please go check out their art on their blog and give them love and attention!

And with that, I bid you a good day!

Another day. Another round of sedatives. Another dreamless sleep caused by them. It should have by all intents and purposes been another boring and dull day.

But Izuru made up his mind to find some sort of entertainment come evening. He had a plan, and he found himself more than eager to execute it. All he needed was for his caretaker to come in.

And right on time, the door opened. In stepped his caretaker, so diligent and thoughtful. So reliable and… easy to convince. It was a part of his charm, and something Izuru was secretly fond of. Though he would admit he was both amused and frustrated at the lack of awareness Hajime sometimes displayed. Most of his subtle hints went unnoticed, not registering in that simple little mind of his. But again, it was a part of his charm. And Izuru was not quite ready to reveal it all to the other. After all, they were still trapped in hell.

But he still desired to indulge in pastimes he found entertaining. And his current favorite? Interacting and teasing his dear caretaker.

“Welcome back. Your presence was deeply missed,” he greeted, sitting up on his bed to gaze at the brunette.

That adorable pink flush filled the caretaker’s cheeks. “Y-you missed me?”

Izuru nodded. “Of course. You remain the sole human on this planet who I desire to see. No other has earned that privilege.”

He wasn’t lying when he said this, but he still enjoyed weaving together such declarations of affection to see the reactions again. He would never tire of them, and this one was just as glorious as the others. Hajime stuttered as he replied. “I-I’m honored, sir.”

Izuru then decided to begin putting his plan into action. “Hajime, there is something I wish to do. Something that we shall do once these ridiculous tests are done.”

“Huh? You want to… do something? May I ask what you want to do?” Hajime asked as he prepared the instruments on his cart.

Izuru reached forward and took hold of the chain, lightly tugging it. “I wish to see the floor you live on. To explore a section of this building I have yet to see. That is doable, yes?”

That flush increased, turning several shades darker as the words processed in Hajime’s mind. “You… want to see the fifth floor? I… I guess we can do that. No one ever comes to that floor other than me, so it’ll be safe.”

Izuru leaned in, whispering into his ear. “Perfect.” His smile grew when he saw the shiver that single word elicited. He then extended his arms, resigning himself to the tests that ruled his life. He did his best to ignore the dullness of it all, eyes roaming his caretaker’s form and observing every little detail. It didn’t matter that he had long since memorized every microscopic part, it was still thrilling to rediscover it all.

Finally, it finished. Everything was completed and stored back on the cart in their proper places. How organized, his caretaker was. But that wasn’t important for now. No, he had something else to say. “Since I have the sedatives in my system, I will require you to carry me. That won’t be difficult for you, right?” he sweetly asked, widening his eyes and easing his expression into one that would be hard to refuse.

Hajime wasn’t able to reply, too overwhelmed by the request. But still, his caretaker was reliable and willing, never refusing a direct order from the Ultimate Hope. Thus, the brunette carefully wrapped his arms around his thin, pale body. He was lifted effortlessly, held tightly and securely as if he was a freshly married bride being carried off to his honeymoon. What a nice mental image that was.

But that was something he could picture later, as he felt Hajime begin moving once more. Out of the doorway and to the beautiful elevator. Oh, he loved these devices. Such a smooth ride with amazing technology behind it. If only he was able to ride it more often. And when he got out of the lighthouse, he would insist on a place with access to an elevator. He knew he would receive no objections to this request.

The ride ended, the twin metal doors opening to reveal the new floor to him. He gazed around with interest, taking it all in. Hajime saw this and began talking. “I can give you a tour, if you would like. Show you all I have here.”

Izuru turned his head so it rested on Hajime’s shoulder. “That would be preferred. Proceed.”

After another of those full body shivers, the caretaker did just that. He was shown the kitchen, where all his meals were prepared and the ingredients were stored. It looked as though Hajime had procured more of a variety of items through the luck blessing, and he was eager to see what was to come. Next was the side room, where the washer and dryer combination was along with shelves of clean towels and linens. He also saw an ironing board with a suit on it. Seemed like his caretaker was diligent in many other aspects.

And finally, Hajime showed him his own bedroom. It was small and cramped, the bed looking like something stolen right out of a hospital. But still, he couldn’t deny his sudden desire.

“Hajime, I am beginning to feel the effects of the sedatives. Place me down on your bed so that I may rest. You will join me on it,” he declared, turning his head so that he could see the reaction.

As predicted, it was fantastic. Intense flush, eye darting around everywhere but at him, and fidgeting. “You… want to rest on my bed? But… wouldn’t you rather go back to your own?”

Izuru shook his head, lifting a hand to the brunette’s cheek and forcing him to meet his eyes. “No. I wish to lie on yours. Won’t you indulge me, my dear caretaker?”

With a gulp, Hajime did as requested. He carefully laid the Ultimate Hope down on the bed, making sure his long hair was out of the way. He rushed over to a tiny closet nearby, pulling a fluffy blanket out. “I… managed to snag this afternoon. I was waiting to bring it to you tomorrow for you to have it all day. But I guess this works, too.”

Izuru watched as Hajime unfolded the blanket and spread it out on top of him. It was warm and cozy, settling on his body and relaxing him. But he knew something that would make it better. “Hajime, I will ask you to recall the second part of my request.”

From the way Hajime appeared to be biting the inside of his lip, that request had not been forgotten. “If… you want me to. I’ll do anything you ask of me,” the brunette assured, pulling part of the blanket up and slipping underneath it.

Once he was fully under, Izuru pounced. He locked Hajime in his grip, arms holding him tight and not letting go. Izuru rested his chin on top of Hajime’s head, so his caretaker was leaning against his sternum. “This is to be our positions for this. You are not to leave unless absolutely necessary.”

He didn’t need to hear the reply, the warmth and sedatives lulling his mind back into unconsciousness. And as he drifted off, holding the only human worthy of his presence, he had a thought.

He pictured them in this exact position, in a king sized bed in a decorated room full of personal effects. A gorgeous sunset visible out the window, painting the sky with vibrant colors. And Hajime was asleep, no worry lines on his face. Peaceful. That was the best way to describe it.

And one day, he would make that a reality.

Masterpost

A very happy birthday to the precious boys!!! I’m always happy to spoil them rotten.

Nagizuru au creatures ~ probably their most normal drawings ever.

🩶

Today marks one year since I made my first Nagizuru post. I never thought I would love this beast so much. Thank you all so much for enjoying this au!

Here you have a small lighthearted fic written by @draconicsparkle as a gift. It's not connected to the original story, just them celebrating a regular birthday. They spoil them too much! ⬇️⬇️

How long had it been since then? So long. Both the creation date and their escapes. But in a strange way, Hajime was glad they had experienced all those hardships and difficult times. For without them, the two of them wouldn’t appreciate the bliss they were living in nearly as much.

Hajime thought this as his one working eye stared out the window in the small kitchen. The garden was visible from here, where all kinds of flowers and plants were growing. Gardening was one of Izuru’s many talents, after all. It would be odd if it wasn’t growing splendidly.

A small smile grew as he recalled the many hours they had spent sitting in the gazebo they had built in the middle of the garden, sandwiches and lemonade in hand while the butterflies and bees flew by.

But today wouldn’t be spent in the garden. No, Hajime had other plans. Hence why he was in the kitchen earlier in the morning. Izuru was still in their bedroom, sleeping away without sedatives. He wouldn’t dare wake him up, even now when they were far away from the Lighthouse’s rubble.

He bent down to check the oven’s window, pleased to see the cake sheets baking nicely. He grabbed an oven mitt and pulled the pans out, sliding them on the cooling rack. They were the perfect shade and smelled amazing. While they cooled, the brunette got busy preparing the whipped cream and cutting the strawberries he had picked yesterday. He focused hard on his task, not stopping until his creation was fully constructed. A beautiful and practically flawless strawberry shortcake. He almost felt bad for cutting into it and pulling a slice out to place on the plate. But he was far more eager to see the reaction, so he didn’t mourn the perfection.

After gathering a fork and a glass of milk, he placed everything on a tray and carefully picked it up. His months of practice came in handy, as the tray remained balanced the whole way to the bedroom. Using a shoulder, he bumped the door open so his hands didn’t leave the tray. Soon enough, he was placing the tray down on the nightstand. By this point, he knew the Ultimate Hope was awake now. “Good morning. Was your sleep restful?”

The red eyes gazed up at him, still mysterious and cryptic, though not nearly as hard anymore. Being free of pain and drugs was most likely the reason. “I can confirm that it was. The aroma of your creation coaxed me back to consciousness. Not that I mind this pleasant method of awakening.”

“I’m glad you think so, si-” Hajime paused, laughing in embarrassment. “I mean Izuru.”

The white-haired man smirked up at him. “Slip of the tongue?”

Hajime scratched his cheek, right under his silk eye cover. “Old habits die hard, I guess.”

“But they are getting to be fewer and less frequent,” Izuru observed. He sat up, the large shirt he was wearing slipping off a shoulder. “Can you hand me a hair tie, my dear caretaker?” he requested once he had risen into a comfortable position.

The brunette was quick to do so, though he did it with a grin. “That was on purpose. You’re teasing me, aren’t you?”

Izuru’s smirk didn’t diminish, even as he began gathering his long hair and weaving the hair tie around the locks. “Observant as always, my dear. Just one of the many traits I adore about you.”

Hajime felt his cheeks redden. He still wasn’t able to hide his reactions to Izuru’s words of affection. “I-I do my best.”

“That you do.” Izuru finished making his ponytail, letting it rest against his back. He then reached forward, tugging on Hajime’s arms. The strength of the tugs had been unexpectedly strong and Hajime found himself falling onto the bed alongside Izuru with a yelp.

“Much better,” Izuru stated as he hugged Hajime to his chest. “Wouldn’t you agree?”

The brunette wiggled only slightly to get more comfortable. “But… don’t you want your cake?”

“In a few moments. Let me indulge myself on this first,” was the reply. A pleased hum followed, along with some shoulder rubs that felt amazing. “Another day of tranquility. One that we earned for our perseverance through the blood and pain. The torture those foolish scientists inflicted while playing God. But I suppose it would be best to not dwell upon such horrid memories. It is beneficial to move on and build oneself back up stronger than before.”

The caretaker chuckled. “That the Ultimate Therapist at work? Putting in overtime, for sure.”

“Perhaps. But I will utilize my abilities for our sakes and lives. And I’m sure you are well aware of this.” One of Izuru’s hands migrated up to his hair, scratching his scalp and conjuring happy noises from the receiver.

“What did I do to deserve this? So nice,” Hajime muttered, relaxing into the comforting touches.

“If you would like reasons, I can compile a list. But be aware that it is a long one. It would take some time to read them all,” Izuru replied with his eternal smile.

“I appreciate the offer, but I think I’ll decline. You know how I am with rapid fire compliments.” The brunette relaxed under the ministrations, enjoying every second.

“Oh, I do have something to retrieve. Remain here in bed, okay?” Izuru withdrew and extracted himself from the bed covers, standing up and walking over to his closet. Hajime watched in confusion, especially as the pale man pulled out a giant crocheted blanket with a mandala design. “You are always making things for me, so I figured I could return the favor. It was surprisingly easy to keep my work on this little project secret from you. Though, I am certainly not complaining,” Izuru commented as he brought the blanket over, laying it over Hajime and tucking him in. “The pattern is a representation of our spiritual and physical journey through our lives. That we found our fulfillment after our struggles. Quite fitting, wouldn’t you agree?”

Hajime’s eyes, both functional and broken, widened at the colorful blanket now around him. He ran a hand over the design, admiring the nice material and the quality of the gift. “I… I don’t know what to say… This is…”

Izuru sat next to him, sliding under the blanket next to him. “I already know, so don’t fret. Nothing needs to be expressed.” He leaned over to the nightstand and grabbed the plate and fork. “Now then, how about we try your splendid creation?” The full strawberry on top was speared with the fork and was raised to their faces. “I’ll give you the honor of taking the decoration. You won’t refuse, will you?”

Hajime’s breath was shaky as he nodded. “You know that I would never refuse anything from you. Neither back then, nor now.”

“Excellent. Though there is one condition to get this. You will have to take it from me.” Izuru placed the lower half of the strawberry into his mouth, the thicker half sticking out. And the mischievous look in those ruby red eyes implied exactly what Izuru was insinuating.

Hajime’s face turned as red as the berry. They were about to do this, weren’t they? But he couldn’t go back on his promise, so he swallowed his nerves. He leaned forward and locked lips with the other, the kiss tasting like the sweet fruit. It lasted for several moments, neither of them eager to break it. Eventually, they did separate, the strawberry now in Hajime’s mouth. He focused on chewing to buy himself time to calm down from the rush of emotions. Though this was easily seen by the Ultimate Analyst, if the smirk was anything to go off of.

“Now, I shall taste test your work. Though I don’t doubt it will be fantastic. Thank you for the treat,” the Ultimate Hope said as he cut into the cake and took a delicate bite. “A nice way to wake up and start the day. And here’s to many more in our future.”

Hajime snuggled under the beautiful blanket a little more, resting his head on Izuru’s shoulder. Finally comfortable with initiating close contact after all this time. “Yes. I hope and wish for that, too.”