"Fuck me, yer poundin' that back! Ahahaha, you been practicing since ya tried my sake?" Wakaba cackled, as Iori downed her third drink in just as many minutes.
"For real, Iori, I can't handle more than…maybe two cups of this stuff tops?" Shizuku chuckled, flicking the side of her own cup and watching the amber liquid within shimmer in the festival light. "It's way stronger than anything on Earth, that's for sure. Damn, if I'm ever taken to any office mixers, I'm gonna have to really step up my game, huh?"
"If anyone forces you to drink, I'll give them a piece of my mind," Iori assured her, grinning confidently.
"Oooh, Iocchi's gettin' fierce~! Booze getting to your head, girl?" Yuuki teased, bringing the group another round of drinks.
"I'm not!" Iori laughed. "Just looking out for a potential future employee, that's all. And I don't think this is really that strong, honestly. One sip from Wakaba's gourd got my head spinning, but now I barely even feel tipsy."
"Guess my drink kicked yer tolerance up a notch or twenty! Try some, Shii! It'll do ya good for those mixers or whatever!" Wakaba grinned, holding out her gourd for her partner.
"No way," Shizuku vigorously shook her head. "I've got finals to study for soon, no way I'm giving myself another two-week hangover."
"Do your best, Shizuku," Iori smiled, patting her on the shoulder.
"Well, one new drinkin' buddy's enough for me!" Wakaba shouted, knocking her own cup against Iori's before downing it all. "You've got a demon's fightin' spirit, that's fer sure!"
"You pick up a talent for this sort of thing when your family's constantly weighing on you, that's all," Iori let out a sardonic chuckle, before shaking her head and starting on her fourth drink. "But tonight's no time to feel bitter, is it? This festival's delightful, really. Such pretty lights…"
Yuuki silently watched as Iori gazed at the lights above the stalls that twinkled like gemstones. Her eyes seemed hazy and unfocused, lost in the beauty that surrounded her.
"Right!" Yuuki beamed, firmly slapping Iori's butt to snap her out of things.
"Hyah~!"
"Hey Yuuki, isn't it dangerous for you to-?"
"Cold compress!" Yuuki giggled, cutting off Shizuku's question before Iori could worry about things. "Bestie was lookin' kinda sweaty, so I thought I'd cool her down."
"...Right," Shizuku nodded. That…didn't sound right, but Yuuki wasn't the type to do things maliciously, so she trusted her.
"And now that you're nice and cool, you're ready to heat back up again, yeah? Let's get some spicy food, Iocchi! My treat! I'll give you a little tour of the festival grounds, too!"
"O-oh, of course," Iori nodded, rubbing the spot Yuuki had slapped.
It's still so big…
"You girls wanna come with?" Yuuki turned to ask the group.
"I'm good, I ain't leavin' this table til the fireworks start! There's way more drinkin' to be done!"
"And I'm babysitting Wakaba," Shizuku chuckled. "Gotta make sure she doesn't start challenging everyone around her to a fight, y'know? We'll meet up with Adri before the fireworks, though. See you then?"
"KK~! Love you~!" Yuuki winked, blew the girls a kiss, then turned and headed for the stalls, beckoning for Iori to follow. "So like, be honest with me, Iocchi. You're waaaay more drunk than you're letting on, yeah?"
"I'm not, really!" Iori chuckled. "It tasted strong, sure, but I feel pretty clear-headed. Maybe a little more upbeat, though."
"Whatevs, liar," Yuuki teased, sticking out her tongue as they reached the queue for what looked to be yakisoba. "Kidding, but that's seriously impressive. You really could give Wakaba a run for her money if tonight's anything to go by, y'know?"
"In the moment, maybe, but I know I'd feel like death in the morning. She'll always have me beat there."
"Well, if drinking just makes you as happy as you look tonight, I'm all for it. You look crazy good when you're smiling, y'know?"
"Well thanks, I'll do my best to keep it up." Iori chuckled.
"Ehehe, you like spicy food, Iocchi?"
"Love it."
"Ooh, then you're in luck~! Unless your taste buds are seriously fried, there's no way this won't give you a boost!"
With a wink and a promise as they reached the front of the queue, Yuuki cheerfully ordered for the both of them.
"Two Large Demon King's Ever-Burning Flames~! Make 'em extra wrathful, 'k?"
"That sounds…intense."
"You'll be fine, Iocchi! Promise! Shizucchi loves this stuff, so it def isn't dangerous."
"A yuki-onna?" The server asked. "Can you handle it?"
"Worried the mist'll put out the fireworks?" Yuuki joked, paying for the food. "But nah, I'm good! It'd need to actually spew flames to do anything to me, lol."
"Ahaha, got it! Just have to ask for safety's sake, y'know? And your…human friend? Oh gosh, that makes two I've seen tonight! I hope you're enjoying your time here, ma'am!" the server smiled, handing the both of them their food.
"It's been lovely, thank you," Iori smiled. "I've never seen a festival quite so grand before today.
"Ahaha, isn't that something?!" The server cheerfully laughed. "I hope you enjoy the food! Getting a human's seal of approval'll be great for business!"
"I'm sure I will. Have a great night," Iori smiled, as she and Yuuki wandered through the festival streets.
"So spill the tea. How'd you fall for Rina? Everyone shared their love stories, but I haven't heard a word of yours!"
"Because mine's unrequited."
"So far, sure! But just 'cuz we haven't reached the climax, doesn't mean the journey so far hasn't been worth it, right?"
"You're very sweet, Yuuki," chuckled Iori, before starting on her yakisoba and fanning her lips as the heat hit her. Still, they were delicious, the savory flavor melding with the spice to create something truly wonderful.
"Mm! A real bleeding heart!" Yuuki giggled, eating a mouthful of her food with far less difficulty than Iori. "One who wants to hear a hottie talk about her first love! Wait, is first right? No way, right? She's your employee! You must've had some steamy relationships back in high school, yeah?"
"She's my first. And yeah, that's when we first met." Iori nodded. "We go way back."
"No way?! You've known her that long and you still haven't hooked up?! What's going on, girl? You asleep at the wheel?"
"God, you sound just like Haqua right now," Iori sardonically smiled. "But believe me, nobody knows how long this has taken better than I do."
She ate some more of her food, the heat only building with every bite. Considering the daunting portion sizes, it seemed like the real test here would be one of endurance. Iori felt silly for it, but…she really wanted to finish it, no matter how hot it might get. Not just because she liked the taste, but the idea of being beaten by it annoyed her, like her pride just wouldn't let things go that way.
"So, what's the story there?"
"Y'know how you joked about how I should kill my parents?"
"Lolol, I sure do!"
"Well Rina offered to do the job for me."
Yuuki froze for a moment, her eyes widening in surprise before she doubled over laughing.
"Ahahahaha! Little Rinarin seriously did that?! What a dork!"
"Nothing little or dorky about her back then. She was taller than me, and devastatingly handsome. You'd think she was my senpai. Demonhood is what made her a runt."
"No cap?"
"...Sure," Iori furrowed her brow.
Whether that's demon slang or just how people speak these days…it's staggering how out of touch you just made me feel, Yuuki.
"I'm asking if you're being real with that, dummy," Iori playfully stuck out her tongue.
"Right, yeah, I am. She was far more cool and collected than she is now, too. I don't think she knows it, but I really relied on her back then. I always felt so beaten down by my family, but she was always quick to tell me how strong I seemed, soldiering on despite what they threw at me. Whenever we got the chance, she'd take me out with her, insisting she wanted to give me as much time away from my family's prying eyes as possible so she could see the real me beneath it all. She wanted to free me from all that pressure and show me a better life and…shit, how could I not fall for that? We even ended up taking things further a few times, you know? We had sex in a karaoke booth, and we snuck up to our school's roof to have fun a few times. I never felt quite as free as I did with her."
"You're kidding! You two fucked and you still never said anything?"
"I think I was just trying to enjoy things as long as I could, like I was worried that- whoof, sorry…" Iori gently fanned her lips, the heat from the food building with every second that passed.
"You were freaked out that confessing would mess things up?" Yuuki asked, giggling as Iori's cheeks reddened a little.
"Mm. And then I made her forget all of it. Every last day we spent together," Iori sighed, scorching her frustrations in the burn of Hell's spiciest yakisoba.
"You're kidding?!" Yuuki loudly gasped.
Iori let out a sigh, and explained the whole situation. She hated it, thinking about how her horrible behavior as her boss pushed Rina into blocking out everything, but it was important to confront, all the same. If she wanted things to move forward with Rina at all, she couldn't hide away from anything she'd done. No matter how much Haqua had helped her, she needed to go the rest of the way on her own.
"Well shit, Iocchi, I'm glad I only just met you, I bet we'd have had beef if I knew you when you were an asshole, lol."
"We'd have despised each other," Iori laughed. "So I'm glad I met you now too. I'm really lucky to have a friend like you, Yuu- ah!"
Iori winced, doubling over and clutching her stomach tightly, her remaining noodles falling straight to the ground.
"Shit, you OK, Iocchi?!"
"Th-the noodles, they're…it's just so hot…"
Iori felt pathetic, was she really being taken down by some festival food? That's all it took, a little bit of spice?
"Here, drink this!" Yuuki handed her a bottle of water, chilled by her touch. Iori quickly pressed it to her lips and started to drink, but it did nothing to help, a searing heat raged in Iori's breast, growing hotter and hotter by the second. Iori was panting now, gasping for air. It had been hot from the getgo, sure, but the sheer speed at which it built up to this intensity was staggering. How could Yuuki handle this? How could anyone?
She started coughing, desperate to rid her body of this heat, and then, just as it felt like she was going to burst, a large jet of flame spewed from her lips, singing the hair of an extremely flustered festivalgoer.
"H-hey! Watch it you-!"
"Sorry, sorry! We're just…dealing with some stuff, 'k?" Yuuki gestured at Iori, hoping the festivalgoer might see the distress on her face and back off. Thankfully, they seemed to get the message, and turned around with little more than an annoyed grumble.
Yuuki let out a small, relieved sigh, then then turned her attention back to her friend.
As quickly as it had appeared, the flame within her began to mellow. Iori could bear it now, at least.
"Wh-what…what on earth…?"
Iori shuddered, disbelief and shock weighing down her every word.
"D-did I…what? H-how? F-food shouldn't have…"
"Iocchi, don't worry, OK? You're fine, you're safe. I've got you."
"B-but…th-that was a flame. Fire poured out from inside me. What if it kills me? M-my internal organs might have been damaged, and-"
Yuuki gently took Iori by the hand. Her palm was cool and calming to the touch.
"There's no need to panic, you'll be OK. I know you will. You just had a bad reaction to the food, that's all."
"But still, I…I…"
Iori stared at her hands, as if worried they could ignite at a moment's notice.
Yuuki bit her lip, then nodded to herself.
"There's a little monument just over that way," Yuuki pointed. "A statue of the Demon King. Shops and stuff can't be set up around it, so it'll be like, totally quiet. How about we go sit there for a sec, Iocchi? Just until you're feeling better."
Iori gave a small, shaky nod, and followed Yuuki's lead until they came to a small clearing, with the Demon King's statue standing proudly in the middle, her gorgeous visage gently bathed in the golden glow of the festival.
Yuuki gave Iori a small, reassuring smile, and walked her to rest at the base of the statue.
"You comfy, Iocchi? The king's watching over you, y'know?" Yuuki asked with a giggle, handing Iori a bottle of water. The CEO was in no state to answer her question, though.
"Right, shoulda figured. Still, bet it's nice to get away from all those people right now, yeah? You can shoot all the fire you want and you wouldn't hurt a fly! Ehehe, maybe we'll put you to work and grill some meat together later."
The joke, judging by the pensive look on Iori's face, hadn't landed the way the gyaru had hoped it would.
"What's…what's happening to me, Yuuki? Am I-?"
"You're fine, Iocchi, promise," Yuuki cut her off with a warm, gentle smile. "You just had a bad reaction to some spicy food. I didn't really consider how a human body would handle it, so that's on me."
"You said Shizuku loved it, though…"
"Soz, Iocchi!" Yuuki clapped her hands together, her gaze downcast and her eyes shut tightly as she spoke. "Those noodles are just my fav, y'know? So I kinda lied 'cuz I wanted you to try them, too! Shizucchi's never had them before."
Iori blinked a few times, surprised by just how hard Yuuki was taking this. She was trying to reassure her, but this sudden break from her easygoing demeanor made it clear that she was overwhelmed, too.
And oddly, Iori found a great deal of comfort in that. If, despite all her worry, she still insisted that it was nothing more than a bad reaction to food, then Iori could try to believe that. What good would panicking do right now, anyway?
"You're OK, Yuuki," Iori gave a shaky smile, resting a hand on the gyaru's head and lightly petting her hair. "You were just trying to be nice."
"Right!" Yuuki nodded. "You're feeling OK right now, yeah? Not gonna faint or shoot out a fireball or whatevs?"
"I…well," Iori pressed a hand to her chest, trying to swallow any remaining anxiety. "The heat's still there, I can feel it in my chest, but it's a lot calmer. It felt like it was swallowing me up earlier, but now…it's almost pleasant, honestly. Like I'm sitting by a fireplace. I know that's silly to say after all that, though."
"Nah, I feel that," Yuuki giggled, scooting just a little closer to Iori.
"You're sure you'll be OK near me?"
"Please," Yuuki scoffed. "You ate some spicy food, you're fine. Shit, I'm probs more OK around you than anyone else. You breathe fire on me and I'll melt, might even become mist, but I'll always come back to my bestie's side eventually, ehehe."
"...If you're sure," Iori nodded.
"You know it! No way you can get rid of me now, Iocchi!"
Iori felt lost in Yuuki's wide, upbeat grin. She looked so very, very beautiful, her visage bathed in the loveliest golden light as the first firework shot up into the sky, whistling for a few moments, before bursting and filling the sky, like a flower in full bloom.
"Oh! Check it out, Iocchi! They've started!"
For a moment, Iori couldn't bring herself to look away from Yuuki, but at her insistence, she finally turned to face the fireworks. They really were nothing less than incredible, but Iori felt a touch melancholy gazing upon them. The last time she'd attended a festival, she'd been in high school, and even then, the fireworks couldn't quite bring her the joy she hoped they would.
"A part of me, silly as it is, thought that I'd be able to tell Rina about things tonight, y'know? That I'd be confessing to her in the light of the fireworks, like a teenager," Iori sardonically chuckled. "Missed the chance back in the day, and it looks like I've missed it again."
"You're a dummy, Iocchi."
"Don't I know it…"
"Not 'cuz you missed your chance or whatever. You're just way too focused on treating everything like it's lost forever, y'know? So what, you didn't get a firework confession. That sucks, sure, but time's moving forward and you should too. Think about where you go from here, 'k? There's plenty of vacay left, you'll tell her before you go back home, I know it."
Iori went silent for a moment, listening to the rhythmic bursts of each firework.
"...And if I don't? If I let this pass me by too?"
"You won't," Yuuki took her by the hand. Just when had her touch become so very comforting? "You've got me by your side, after all."
Iori gently squeezed Yuuki's palm, and looked skyward with a small, hopeful smile on her face.
"Thanks, Yuuki. You're the best."
"Damn right I am."
Neither Iori nor Yuuki had expected to watch the fireworks quite like this, but that was OK. Just getting to share the hours with a friend had made this greed festival one that neither of them would ever forget.
❖❖❖
Damn, I'm glad I won that plushie.
I'd been worried in the moment, a small part of me convinced that it was a shitty gift that my partners'd look down on me for, but…nah, Haqua and Mio were too sweet to ever do that.
Well no, they looked down on me constantly, but when they did it it was hot, not actually disappointed. I…I think?
Look, I'm getting lost in the weeds here! But the point is, the gift had gone over well, and watching Haqua hold it to her chest as she walked looked so disarmingly cute that I had the biggest grin on my face while she walked us to her favorite spot. That sight alone was enough for me to feel like all those losses at the stall were worth it.
"We're here," Haqua spoke, pulling me out of my thoughts, gesturing for the three of us to take a seat on a stone bench that was juuuuuust big enough for all of us to fit. I was squeezed in tight between the both of them, but you and I both know that I'm very used to being sandwiched between these two. I'm an expert in handling this stuff.
The spot she'd taken us to was a little outside of the festival grounds. A small, shady hilltop that overlooked the city's ports. Though the festival must've been blindingly bright even out on the sea, boats still traveled to and fro. I wonder if anyone on deck was looking out at all of this, enjoying the festival in their own little way.
I pretty immediately got why Haqua liked this spot. I'd have killed for a place like this back when I was at my most burned-out, I'd've taken every lunch break here if I could've.
"When I was younger, I used to watch the fireworks from this very bench whenever I'd attend a festival. Nobody else ever comes up here, you know? So I felt truly unburdened whenever I came here to rest."
"You were pretty shy back then, huh? Ehehe, I can't stop thinking about that photo of you from high school. You were so cute then, Haqua."
"Any words to say about that, Rina? Any comments about what a 'cute little dork' I was, hmm?"
"N-no ma'am…"
"Good girl," Haqua cooed, gently petting my head with the spade of her tail as she gazed up at the stars. "But I was terribly anxious in front of others, it's true. Adri and Yuuki were my shields back then. I never felt as confident as I did in their company."
"But you're a lot more confident now, so it's OK!" Mio grinned. "Though I think you really did look adorable back then, too."
Treading on thin ice, Mio…
"Well thank you, I'm sure you'd treat my younger self very well, dear," Haqua chuckled, leaning over me to kiss Mio on the cheek.
R-right, yeah, I'm teeny tiny next to you, but only I can ever really crack that ice. Haqua wouldn't punish you, you're not a mutt.
Haaah, the cross I bear is so heavy~! I could have a vibe shoved in me at any moment, you know?! One second I'll be wearing a suit, the next I'll be in bondage gear, forced to show off my succubutt for a~nyone who passes by! It's so tough! Nobody's stronger than me! Why, I could get punished right now, I'm always in danger!
"Uehehehehehe…"
"Ah, Rina's off in her own little world, huh?"
"Just ignore her, dear, she'll bark her way out of this stupor eventually."
"H-hey! I'm listening, I was just-"
"I said you'd bark your way out of things, didn't I?" Haqua asked, licking her lips as she poked the tip of her tail against my back, running it up and down my spine like a knife.
"W-wan! Wan wan!"
"Much better," Haqua petted me again, before kissing the top of my head. "So I brought you both here, to a spot I've shared with nobody else."
Mio and I both went quiet at that, gazing out at the horizon as she continued to speak.
"It's funny, I found the solitude of this bench so comforting in the past, but now that it's terribly cramped, I think I rather prefer it this way," Haqua smiled, leaning over and laying across my and Mio's laps, plushie clutched tightly in her arms. "Indulge me for a time, if you'd please. I know this might seem childish, but…well, I can't seem to find it in me to care about that right now."
"Of course, Haqua," Mio smiled, and gently stroked her hair. "We'll stay here for as long as you'd like."
"It's my first festival in way too long, not since…high school…" I mumbled, my memories of the last few that I'd attended were murky, ground down by years of overwork. "But for as fun as everything is in the thick of it, I think this is what I've always wanted out of them. A nice, quiet spot to cozy up with the girls I love and bare it all."
"Bare it all? I'm rather proud of the outfit I picked for you, you know? To think you'd so readily discard it!"
"Not like that!" I chuckled, holding back from calling Haqua a 'dummy', certain that I really would lose my clothes if I did. "I just mean that we don't have to hide anything from each other. We can just relax and be ourselves, knowing that anyone we share this moment with understands us completely."
"Ehehe, you must've been a real romantic back in school!"
"You know it! I used to daydream about moments just like this! Well, with way fewer wings and tails, of course."
"But they make it all the better, no?"
It was a surprisingly childish question coming from Haqua, like she wanted me to validate just how pretty I found every part of her. But I'd indulge her, like she asked.
"Much better, I couldn't ask for a lovelier pair to share it with. Tonight's special because I'm spending it with you."
"Gosh, no matter how adorable you get, you still have some suaveness buried deeeeep inside you, huh?"
What's with the emphasis there, Mio?
"Unfathomably deep. This is a once in a millenia event, Mio. Preserve it in your mind forevermore, for we'll surely never see her rise to this level again," Haqua teased, reaching an arm up and petting my head, setting my cheeks on fire.
"I'm trying to be nice!" I protested, as if I wasn't getting a kick out of what they were saying.
"And it's wonderful, dear," Haqua said, the smile she wore was evident in her gentle tone.
"Mhmm, I meant it when I said you're still cool, silly," Mio giggled, playfully sticking out her tongue.
"So thank you both, truly," Haqua spoke softly, as the first of the fireworks burst, its brilliant golden light reaching even our quiet, shady little hill. "I never thought I'd find myself feeling this way, but my days are much richer with you by my side. Thank you for summoning me, Rina."
"Yeah, Haqua. You've got it." I smiled, my hand resting on her thigh as I continued to watch the sky. "We'll always be with you, no matter what."
"Mm, I love you both so much, y'know? My life's gone so many directions I just never would have expected, but…I'm so happy it did."
"And I love the both of you, more than I can ever truly express."
"Yeah," I nodded. "Me too."
We sat there in silence for a while longer. No matter how much I thought back, I couldn't find a festival that had ever come close to being as special as this one. The fireworks were almost blinding, but they were so, so very beautiful.
Huh, I thought, smiling to myself.
They really do block out the moon.
❖❖❖
"Ohhhhhh, they're so pretty, Addy! Addy, look, they're amazing! Wuff wuff~!" Inumi giddily barked as she stared up at the sky with wide-eyed wonder. Though she needed a magical sound dampener to be able to handle them from up close, Inumi had always adored fireworks, never losing the childlike awe they'd instilled in her.
"Aren't they just?" Adri chuckled from her position in the center of the gathering of loving wives that surrounded her, gently petting her hellhound wife's fur. "But I daresay it's the joy they bring you that excites me the most, sweetheart."
"You think I'm more exciting than fireworks?!" Inumi gasped, her eyes lighting up as she beamed broadly.
"Who couldn't?" Resta, in an artificial body, warmly smiled and reached out to scritch her ear. "You're always so precious, Inumi."
"Indeed, no firework could ever hope to compare."
"But-! But-!" Inumi tried to protest, but came up empty, so she happily licked Adri's cheek and barked at the fireworks again. "Wuff wuff wuff!!!!!"
"You're fine not having Haqua around for this? Gosh, none of our guests are watching with us, are they?" Resta asked, pressing a ball-jointed hand to her cheek.
"Mm, but I am content," Adri smiled, lazily flopping into Wakaba's lap as she watched gold blot out the crimson sky. "I'm confident that each and every one of our guests is having a wonderful time. Making memories of this night that will surely become precious to all of them."
Her eyes drifted to a nearby hill. Haqua likely didn't know it, but Adri had always known that was where she snuck off to on occasions like this, desperate to remove herself from Adri and Yuuki's presence, as if she was just a hanger-on to their relationship. It had always made her a touch melancholic, in truth.
But now, though she knew she'd snuck up there once more, Adri couldn't bring herself to feel even the slightest bit bothered. After all, she wasn't alone anymore, and what was once an escape had now become something Haqua truly cherished, and that she could finally share with others.
Dearest sister, I hope you find the fireworks particularly beautiful tonight. I can only imagine the shades of gray that once tainted their light for you…
Thank you, puppy, and thank you, Mio.
Her thoughts then turned to Yuuki. She'd spent precious little time with her since Haqua and the others had arrived at the manor, but that too, didn't bother her in the slightest. No, she was thrilled. She could tell at a glance just how heavily Iori's burdens were weighing on her, and Yuuki surely must have noticed that too. Iori needed someone like Yuuki, who wouldn't let her mood falter, and who'd help her with anything she set out to achieve.
You two so quickly became inseparable, it does my heart good to see.
May the fireworks serve as your guiding light, Iori. Unconditional happiness is surely at hand in your future. Don't let her falter, Yuuki.
"Their happiness is my happiness, no matter how they've chosen to ring in the festival's climax. It's through our invitation that they're here to see this night. That is more than enough to satisfy me."
"Ahaha, yer a sweetheart, but I bet yer just dyin' for some quality time with big sis, huh?"
"That, I'll confess, is undeniably true," Adri chuckled, and nestled in against Wakaba's body, her head coming to rest squarely beneath her heavy, sake-scented chest. "But for now, we celebrate," she said, grabbing Wakaba's gourd and drinking from it, the taste of her wife's lips enriching the drink with her passion and vitality.
What a wonderful night this has been…