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Post-Kamisato Ayato's Story Quest: Cypressus Custos
After the commotion dies down, Kujou Kamaji and Hiiragi Chisato paid the Yashiro Commissioner a visit to thank him for his assistance in navigating their developing relationship. Off the books, of course - the Yashiro Commission is meant to remain neutral in their affairs.
Ayato congratulated them. “It’s wonderful that you have found each other.” He takes both their hands in his. “You should cherish each other.”
“We will,” Kamaji says.
“The path ahead will be difficult, and a lot of arrangements have to be made if I were to eventually marry into Kujou’s clan,” Chisato says. “I have an eye on some of my cousins, but I shall take them under my wing to observe their competence for now.”
Ayato nods at them. “If you need my assistance, always do reach out.”
The conversation eventually took its turn towards, topically, the idea of romance. Chisato was hanging off Kamaji’s shoulder, smiling shyly as she recounted to Ayato some of the details of their courtship, and Kamaji was beginning to impress upon Ayato the color of a bright cherry.
Kamaji coughed to distract her. “What about you, Ayato?”
It worked. Chisato leaned forward with her chin on her hands. “So, what kind of woman does our Yashiro Commissioner like?”
“Or man,” Kamaji said. The two turned to look at him. He shrugged, face a little pink, “We are open with these sort of thing nowadays.”
Chisato turned back to Ayato. “We certainly are!” She chirped. “Surely a man like you must have a lot of suitors, then?"
Ayato shook his head. “I’m afraid I will disappoint you, my Lady.”
“That’s not fair!” She whined, and slapped the meat of Kamaji’s shoulder, who startled at her. She kicked her legs out. “Isn’t it so nice to come home to someone waiting after you, doting on your needs, warming your bed… giving you a foot massage…”
“Chisato,” Kamaji said, blushing.
Ayato laughed. “We all have servants, Chisato.”
She levelled a finger in his face. “I’ve seen the way that housekeeper of yours looks at you. The young one.”
“Thoma?” Ayato said. “He’s a good boy.”
Kamaji said, “Do you call him that, too?” He took a sip of his tea. “I see why he’s wrapped around your little finger.”
“Then again, all of Inazuma does…” Chisato nibbled on a finger. “That Thoma boy-”
“I think he’s sweeter on my sister,” Ayato said to her, eyes curved into little crescents.
Kamaji shook his head. He muttered, “Poor Thoma, stuck between the both of you.”
Ayato coughed lightly, a blush having blown - like a stray petal on a breeze - across his cheeks. “Truthfully, I suppose the gender of the person would hardly matter. I treasure a lot of qualities beyond that.”
“Such as?” Chisato asked.
“My family,” Ayato said immediately, and Chisato and Kamaji gave him soft looks. “My family is very important to me. My sister. I couldn’t be with someone who cannot love her like their own.”
“Of course,” Kamaji said. “You are such a strong, devoted man. I can only hope I will be able to protect my family like yourself.”
“It’s hard as well,” Ayato said, “To find someone who understands duty.” Again he took their hands into his emphatically. “I’m glad you both have found someone who understands.”
The couple smiled warmly at Ayato, and then looked at each other. “We understand,” Chisato said.
Kamaji said, “Thank you for sharing. We will take that into consideration.”
Ayato began to get a nagging suspicion. “Are you both proposing to set me up with someone?”
“Now, you don’t need to worry too much about that,” Chisato said. “Ayato, Ayato, just let us take care of you, hm?”
Ayato squinted at the both of their mischievous faces. "That's reassuring."
"Relax," Kamaji coughed, "Do you think we can outwit you in any plan we could cook up?" Ayato supposed that was true, although he didn't admit it, even though they all knew. It was good to give the new Heads a challenge, Ayato supposed, and if his own love life was on the table, he didn't see any harm in the fun of it.
(Famous last words.)
In the mundane day-to-day and weeks that go by without any blind-date ambushes, the conversation he had with the two Heads almost slipped his mind.
“My Lady!” Thoma calls out one day. Ayato doesn’t bother lifting his head from his paperwork as he listens to the children chatter.
“What do you have there, Thoma?”
“Looks like you’ve gotten a gift from The Tenyrou and Kanjou Commissions,” Thoma said, and that made Ayato look up.
Thoma spied him across the room and flashed him a grin. “You have a gift too, my Lord.”
Ayaka had begun to tear into the package. “Some lovely accessories from the Kanjou Commissioner!”
“Lady Hiiragi is about your age,” Thoma said approvingly, “It looks like she has good taste in what a young lady like yourself would appreciate.”
Ayato meandered over, and saw Ayaka admiring an ornate hair pin with a lotus that curled around her hair. She attached it in the reflection of the koi pond.
“You look beautiful, my Lady,” Thoma praised. “What did the Tenyrou Commissioner send you?”
Ayato wished to know as well. He looked over her shoulder as she unwrapped a long, thin package… and pulled out a blade.
Thoma and Ayaka gasped in unison.
It was sleek, and sharp, and glinted in the sunlight. Ayaka immediately jumped to his feet. “Big brother, spar with me!”
“I think I need to scold Kamaji,” Ayato said, in mild alarm. “Lest he lead you astray.”
But Ayaka’s grin was blinding, and she pulled him to an empty space in the courtyard.
When he retired to his room at night, there was a wrapped bundle on his desk. Curious, Ayato picked up the note - in Thoma’s handwriting - that rested on it.
Lady Ayaka was too excited, she did not leave you an opportunity to open your own present. Ayato unfurled the bundle, and, surprised, pulled out a brand new set of clothes that look tailored to suit his taste. A little awed, he smoothed out the creases in the folded fabric and draped it over his shoulder.
And then he noticed: Carefully concealed in the inner stitching of one of the sleeves, it was the respective insignia of the Kujou and Hiiragi clans. Ayato examined it curiously, and briefly wondered what they expected of him, and whether they expected him to return the goodwill; or respond to a threat.
It was a nice set. Ayato admired the fit in the mirror, and wondered if the youngsters were simply trying to gauge Ayato’s level of observance, or test the waters with how much of the Yashiro Commission they could wade into with the subtle mark of their possession.
Ayaka’s present accompanying the set also served to lower Ayato’s guard with his own gift.
Feeling rather endeared, he decided to meet them soon, and he donned their present.
The next (unofficial) Tri-Commission meeting took place in the Kanjou Estate. The three sat in a pavilion overlooking the ocean, and Ayato shared about having been forced to abandon his work for an afternoon, for his sister's ruthless whims.
“I’m glad to hear she liked my gift,” Kamaji laughed, and then he looked at Ayato appreciatively. “You, as well.”
Ayato brushed down the silken fabric of his yukata. “This fits very well. I’m surprised you had my size.”
“Ogura was very happy to assist us,” Chisato said. “You look quite ravishing, Lord Kamisato. Truly a man befitting of your title.”
“Are you implying my clothes were ugly before?” Ayato teased.
She fanned her face. “Never, Ayato, dear.”
“Is it possible for you to look bad?” Kamaji mused aloud. “We’ve both grown up seeing your face on the Guuji Yae’s magazines.”
Ayato sighed. “She likes to make fun of me.”
Chisato leaned forward. “The Guuji Yae, is she the sort of woman that you like?”
Ayato choked on his tea. “Lady Hiiragi, that is quite an accusation!”
Chisato sniffed. “I don’t know any man who doesn’t have an appreciation for the Guuji Yae’s assets.” She patted her fiance’s thigh. “Even Kamaji-”
“Chisato,” Kamaji hissed, face aflame.
Ayato laughed at them. “The Guuji Yae is certainly attractive. I don’t think I could claim otherwise even as a blind man.”
Chisato hummed. “She’s a capable woman, as well.”
“And I believe she prefers my sister’s company to myself,” Ayato said, his eyes twinkling. “Alas, I suspect she’s rather sweet on the Raiden Shogun. Perhaps you’d fare a better chance than me if you are eyeing her bed, Chisato.”
She giggled high, her face a lovely pink. “I’m sure it’d be Kamaji’s dream come true.”
“Stop teasing,” Kamaji told her. “I missed you pretending to be coy.”
Chisato kissed him on the cheek, and Kamaji hummed in her direction, and Ayato turned away, bringing his cup to his lips so he could hide his face behind his sleeve. The youngsters were so liberal with their displays of affection these days.
The next quarter, after the administrative matters had been discussed, Ayato observed the couple clinging to each other with quiet giggles and marvelled at the state of the Inazuman political landscape.
It was the sort of situation that would give the elders heart attacks - which meant he was quite proud of it.
He began to excuse himself, but Kamaji caught him by the arm. “There’s hardly a need for you to leave so soon,” he said. “I was gifted a nice brew the other day. You have a discerning palate, Ayato, I would like you to partake in it with us.”
“I did not prepare the meeting to run quite so late,” Ayato apologized. “I’m afraid that Ayaka and Thoma might be waiting up for me.”
“All the more reason to let them spend more time together,” Chisato suggested, and the two of them blinked up at him with earnest eyes. It was a valiant effort, and Ayato felt it tug at his heartstrings, so he allowed himself to be cajoled to stay.
They drank into the night.
“The both of you are strangely persistent tonight,” Ayato said, as Kamaji poured him another drink. He confirmed his suspicions when the man’s fingers slipped a little on his glass, which Ayato caught quickly.
“I’m afraid Chisato might be drunker than you are,” Kamaji swallowed, observing her, and Ayato acquiesced that it was true. Kamaji was no lightweight either, but he had a red flush on his face, and he continued to sway a little as he cutely stammered his way through the multitude of excuses, that Ayato decided to forgive him.
“Nothing like a good drink to strengthen our bonds, no?” Ayato said. He supposed Kujou was too naive to be a drunken schemer. Nor could Ayato’s (albeit currently tipsy) mind draw up any ulterior motive they could have against him.
Kamaji mumbled, as Chisato dozed lightly with one arm loosely encircling Ayato’s bicep, “We just wanted to get to know you better.”
It sounded sincere. Ayato was touched. “Always a pleasure to serve alongside you, Tenyrou Commissioner.”
Kamaji tripped as he clamoured to his feet. “I’ll get us another drink!”
Amused, Ayato wondered why he had not called for a servant, but Chisato had started to stir.
Without her partner’s presence to distract him, Ayato finally noticed the sleeve of her kimono having slipped slightly off her shoulder. He thought of adjusting it. He swivelled his gaze to look at the door to wait for Kamaji’s swift return.
He strained his ears. There were only a set of retreating footsteps, that likely belonged to only Kamaji, but no sounds of patrolling guards. Were they alone?
Chisato drew his attention back to her, and rested one hand on Ayato’s knee. Ayato swallowed, and looked firmly at the wall across him past her ear. Chisato’s hand moved up an inch, and Ayato grasped her wrist gently.
“My Lady,” he tried to say, although his head felt as shaky as the line she was drawing with her other arm on his shoulder, “Perhaps you are mistaking me for your fiance?”
She giggled at him. “Kamaji doesn’t mind.”
“You are drunk, Lady Hiiragi,” Ayato said. “I am most certainly sure he will.”
Chisato pouted at him, dew on her eyelashes, and she pursed her cherry-red lips. There was a faded color on her mouth that Ayato noticed, and he watched, in fascination, as her tongue drew across it. He swallowed.
She grabbed him by the collar. Ayato turned his head so her mouth glanced over his cheek instead, and she laughed breathlessly in his ear, and pulled one hand up to loop loosely around his neck.
Ayato didn’t dare move.
The door opened. It could only be Kamaji (Ayato could see his shoes step into his view). He heard the man sigh, and the sound of the sliding door clicking shut.
Ayato straightened up and tried to detach Chisato from his chest. “M-my apologies.”
Kamaji looked at them, expression pinched.
“She is intoxicated.” Ayato swallowed. “So am I. But that is not an-”
Kamaji murmured, “Now this is quite a sight to return to.” He did not sound upset.
Ayato shut his mouth. Kamaji knelt down to take a cup and pour a shot, and downed it. Then he said, “It looks like the three of us are inebriated.”
Chisato lifted her head, almost like they’ve rehearsed the steps to this play Ayato has found himself tangled in. “How unfortunate do you think it would be, Lord Kamisato, if we all made a mistake?”
Ayato rarely finds himself speechless. His tongue is tied - up, by Kamaji’s mouth, and his large warm hand bracketed Ayato’s jaw, angling his face so that Ayato, seated cross-legged with Chisato in his lap, had to lean forward and upward to meet him.
Chisato mouths the side of his neck. Her breath was hot.
Kamaji broke away from him, and thumbed the bottom of Ayato’s wet lip. “We talked about this, Ayato,” Kamaji said. “We talked about you.”
Ayato murmured. “I’m quite flattered.” His own voice sounded ragged to his own ears.
“We wanted you so badly we couldn’t think of a single way to propose it without some liquid courage,” Chisato whined. “Our sincere apologies.” She did not sound sorry at all.
“But we were supposed to do it together,” Kamaji reminded her. It seemed that her impatience was the only thing that displeased him about their current entanglement.
“Dear, you should have seen how he looked. I couldn’t wait.” Chisato gave Ayato a quick peck on the lips. “Did I scare you?”
“Very much so,” Ayato admitted. “I feared I would have been at the end of a Tenyrou assassination plot.”
“I do plan to incapacitate you in another way,” Kamaji said earnestly, staring down at Ayato’s lap. He reached forward - Ayato did not stop him - and put his hand over Ayato’s inner thigh. His palm was searing. Ayato felt the sudden need to hide his face, and Chisato still had his left arm hugged to her front, so he used his other hand.
He promptly lost custody of it when Kamaji wrenched it away. He was looking at Ayato with a gaze akin to wonder. “You’re so fucking cute,” Kamaji muttered, and surged forward to kiss him again, a lot rougher, and this time the three of them toppled backwards to the floor.
Ayato quickly finds himself dispensed of his pants.
Kamaji rolls Ayato from his side to his back, and then tugs him back upright to strip him of his shirt. Ayato, too embarrassed to look him in the eyes, turns to his side to see Chisato wriggling out of her Yukata - she winks at him.
Chisato took his cock in her mouth. Ayato let out a strangled moan, and Kamaji laughed at him, and patted her hair. “Careful, dear,” he said fondly.
As Chisato worked him in her mouth, Ayato felt Kamaji crawl up behind him and bracket his waist. “You’re so delicate,” Kamaji murmured, and fondled the flat of his stomach, the swell of his chest, the curve of his waist. He touched everywhere.
Chisato lifted her head up Ayato’s crotch to lap at his abdomen. “I think you’d look quite stunning in one of my dresses, Lord Kamisato.” She batted her eyelashes. “I’m sure you’ve got the figure for it.”
“You both hardly have to keep flattering me,” Ayato panted, and tightened his fist in Chisato’s hair as she dove down again. “You’ve already - ah - gotten me where you want me.”
Kamaji said, “Do I stop complimenting my wife once I’ve married her?” And, in delight, when Ayato shivered deeply and curled up into himself, nipped him on the neck.
Kamaji patted Chisato’s face to coax her off Ayato’s cock, and then pulled the man onto his lap. To his fiance, “Chisato, darling, I’m afraid our love can’t be. I’m marrying Ayato instead.”
“I’d tell you to stop bullying him, but unfortunately he does look very cute,” Chisato said, like it was some great pain to admit. Rather seriously she proposed, “But what if I have him instead? What do you think, Ayato?”
Ayato begged, “I apologize for always teasing the both of you.”
Delighted, Chisato said, “I’m sure you can continue to convince us.”
“We weren’t too hard, were we?” Chisato said apologetically, after Ayato eventually stops sobbing.
“Mmngh,” Ayato mumbled into her breast. “It’s alright. Hydro… enhanced healing…”
Kamaji kissed him on the shoulder. “Are you good to walk?”
“I-I am.” Ayato stood up on shaky legs, braced by the couple on either side, and they stagger to the nearest bathhouse.
And then, eventually, Kamaji’s bedroom. Three bedrolls.
“You both were optimistic,” Ayato commented.
“Well, the extra space is always nice, regardless,” Kamaji chuckled. Exhausted, sandwiched between them, Ayato quickly fell asleep.
“Big brother!” Ayaka flounced up to him. “You didn’t return last night. Did the meeting with the Tri-Commission last night run so late?”
Ayato cleared his throat. “We were just. Caught up in our discussion.”
“So that’s what we’re calling it these days,” Thoma coughed, and Ayato whipped around to stare at him. Thoma motioned to something at the back of his neck that Ayaka couldn’t see, peeking out from under his collar.
Ayato activated his vision - and the two undoubtedly felt it - to cool himself down.
Uncertainly, Ayaka said, “Are you sure you’re doing alright?”
“Children shouldn’t ask too many questions,” Ayato said, and then froze, remembering Chisato and Kamaji’s ages. His sister glared at him and kicked him in the shin.
Thoma, of course, having done Ayato’s laundry for the past decade, commented to him as he folded Ayato’s clothes (including his used and abused yukata which Thoma had become quite intimate with, with a washing board and a brush): “They were quite bold, staking their claim on you so obviously.”
Ayato tried to hide his face in his hands.
His housekeeper smiled sweetly at him. “Do you need an extra cushion to sit on, my Lord?”
Ayato ignored him. “The future of Inazuma is quite bright,” He mused, “Given the craftiness of the newest generation of Commissioners.”
“Are you fishing for compliments?” Thoma said, unimpressed. “Given the amount of time you spend with the Guuji Yae, I’m surprised her savviness for the art of seduction hasn’t rubbed off on you.”
“Do I not give you a high enough salary, Thoma?”
“Are you offering me a raise?”
Ayato’s face turned even redder and he said, “You’ll get one if you distract Ayaka next Tuesday night.”