Chapter Text
Tenri could admit that this was not what he had been expecting. Tenri didn’t have to really pry the information out of Guren. Guren had just given it to him. Tenri had suspected that there could be more at play, but he didn’t expect an actual… relationship between the two. At most, he would have thought that maybe Kureto decided to use the Omega for his own personal servant. That had always been a possibility. Though, Kureto would have known that would have pissed Tenri off. Kureto did have a knack for doing things he knew that Tenri didn’t like. He would have thought maybe actually close friends. He could admit that it wouldn’t be the first time either that a Hiragi had used one of their subordinates to tend to their nightly needs. They always said yes. They never said no. Tenri never would have approved to even that due to Guren being an Ichinose and the chances of what could happen.
Of course, Kureto did just that.
Kureto did always have a sort of his own rebellious side.
Tenri wasn’t sure if he was truly surprised by this revelation or just impressed that the two had managed to hide it so well that even Tenri didn’t suspect the true nature of it all.
Guren had no idea
He was none the wiser to the fact that he had just told the one person he didn’t want to know. Practically sealing his fate for the moment that Tenri could do something about it.
If Kureto could hide something like this from him, what else was he hiding? What other information did Guren know that Kureto didn’t want anyone else to know about? Tenri was very much aware of what people would say to others that they shared a bed with. The people taken into one’s bed should be trusted. Though, they didn’t always follow that, and it wasn’t always like that. At least, if you spoke to them about intimate things regarding one’s life, Tenri would think it would be that way.
A lot of Kureto’s behaviors were making a lot more sense. Kureto would say that he didn’t care about names and he only cared about strength, power, and the ability to use someone… This was different. Guren had always been different. Hadn’t he?
Though, it felt very fitting to how he made his little discovery. His suspicions being confirmed by words, but everything coming together by Guren himself. Guren always had that knack for being unable to hide his real emotions. He had done it the entire time in Kureto’s office and now here. With the two of them alone, that mask that Guren tried to wear wasn’t there anymore and he was showing himself. He gave himself away before he ever uttered a word.
Even the way that Guren was clinging onto him at the moment. It felt like genuine vulnerability. Something that Tenri would suspect that he would only do with certain people. He had watched Guren for a long time. He had been the one to accept him as the head of the Ichinose clan. He knew his flaws, but he also saw something of the things one could deem strengths.
Guren not knowing that he was consorting with the one person that he hated the most… That was rather… appealing.
Guren might never know about it – and Tenri had a suspicion that once they changed back, it would never matter what they said – it left Tenri with the thought.
If he couldn’t execute Guren now… There was always other ways to punish the two of them for their transgressions.
Guren was already showing the signs that he was wanting to do the opposite of what “Tenri” said. It was the stupidest choice that he could make. If Tenri had known while still in his body, there wouldn’t have been this conversation. The fact that Guren didn’t suspect anything was amiss was working in his favor.
Guren’s scent was right in his nose. It made sense now to why that scent seemed so appealing. Kureto’s body remembered. The reactions that he involuntarily had were the remnants of what this body knew. Kureto’s body was already giving away one of his most kept dirty little secrets. The secret relationship was enough incentive for Kureto to want Guren to stay away from who Guren would believe was Kureto. Tenri wasn’t buying that it was just that. There had to be more. Kureto went out of his way according to Guren’s own words to try and persuade Guren to stay away from him.
Kureto… cared.
Emotions had no place in their lives.
Kureto knew that.
Only, it would seem Kureto was still just a fool.
Getting involved with an Ichinose?
How… selfish.
His own son was a damn fool. He would have known the risk that he was putting on Guren’s life, and he still took it anyway. In the ways of a true Hiragi. The Hiragi didn’t care about anyone but themselves. Kureto going to those lengths though made Tenri question the true extent of what Kureto might feel for Guren.
It would seem that even Kureto needed a reminder of why no one crossed Tenri Hiragi and thought they could get away with it. By trying to drive Guren away, it only further cemented the one thing that he was trying to avoid.
Guren showed no aversion to the embrace. Rather, he melted right into it. He welcomed it. There was no flinching away. No tension. Guren didn’t seem like the type who would be able to hide his body’s reactions well in Tenri’s knowledge. It must mean that it happened enough.
Guren had leaned back and Tenri dropped a hand to allow the Omega to do so. Those violet eyes were giving him that same look from before. Tenri could see it all clearly now. Guren had easily said a thousand words with just a single glance. Silence communication.
Admiration… Care… Safety… Security… Love…
So many words could be used for that glance.
Tenri knew he recognized that look. He had seen it before. Many times. It had been a long time since he had seen it directed towards him. While the one looking at him didn’t know, he would be looking at the face of the person those emotions belonged too.
There was something that Tenri could say about all of this. Within a new body… A body that was young and in its prime and… healthy, Tenri hadn’t felt this good in a long time. This body didn’t hold the strength that he did but it was strong. Nearly to his level. Tenri could admit that. No one would suspect a thing. They realistically couldn’t without the risk of him and Kureto losing their souls. There would be no point to anything if they did that. So, playing the part of living Kureto’s life until he could figure out what to do was the best course of action. That also meant playing this life as if he was Kureto himself. Even if it meant using the people that Kureto held dear.
So, Tenri needed to play this right.
He couldn’t let Guren suspect a thing.
Right now, Tenri was sure that Guren was the one person who held the answers that Tenri was currently searching for. His own little personal side quest in the meantime. It was all about playing a part. If Kureto ever thought that he was going to one day be the head of the Hiragi family, he would need to make smarter decisions. Clearly, he wasn’t so good at doing so if he thought that sleeping with an Ichinose was a good idea. Maybe he could give the benefit of the doubt to Guren. He couldn’t deny a Hiragi. He was placed right into a situation where no matter what he said, it could come back on him in some way. Though, Tenri could admit that he didn’t think Kureto was spiteful enough to do so. Tenri didn’t think that was the case at all from the way that Guren looked at Kureto.
In that moment, Tenri knew that he needed to talk like Kureto. To say something that would lower Guren’s guard even more. This was a moment of vulnerability. It was the perfect time to exploit it all. That was exactly what he needed to do. If he was right, Guren was Kureto’s confidant.
So, Tenri finally spoke up again, “I’ve told you what I would do, Guren.”
The look on Guren’s face told him what he needed to know. This had been a topic before. The Omega looked down and shifted on his feet before looking back to him. “You’re an idiot, Kureto.” Guren murmured, shaking his head. “He’d see that coming… And then he would know it was true… I’ve already told him it wasn’t, but he’s not just going to believe me, Kureto.”
“You told him?” Tenri questioned.
Guren nodded, “This morning.” Guren’s voice had gotten softer. “It was… I was expecting him to do something.” Guren’s face quickly cloaked in confusion as he shook his head again and looked away. “I don’t understand why he’d keep me alive instead of just ordering for my execution.”
Tenri hummed and trying to think of an answer that would sound believable. Guren was right. If he had known about this before the incident with the demon, there would have been no hesitation. He could already think of all the ways that he would have done it. Humiliated Guren and taken away his dignity before eventually taking his life.
In this moment, he couldn’t talk like he would. He had to talk like Kureto. Guren was expecting a Kureto answer. Tenri would have taught his children well. They would know how to easily be charming and smoothly talk their way through anything. Kureto was very persuasive and charismatic in his own right. Tenri couldn’t deny that. Kureto would easily manipulate a situation if he needed it too. Tenri knew how to do the same thing.
“Well,” Tenri started, “Maybe he finally sees your worth on the battlefield. Sees you as an asset that can be used.” Guren looked back at him. There was no suspicion in his eyes. So, Tenri was sure that he was going down the right path. He had to lace some truth into it. Guren was the last Ichinose. He was the one person that they could still use. “Threatening you with compliance and using it to his advantage to still show that he still has control over you by keeping you alive. Making you know that your life is in his hands.” It was true. That was a perfect way to fuck with someone’s head. Let them know that they could die at any second on a whim just because someone said so and holding that over their head. It has been a tactic that Tenri had used in the past. So, it was believable. Tenri stepped forward and lifted a hand up. He let the back of a finger trace over Guren’s cheek as the Omega immediately followed the movement. “I won’t let that happen.”
“Kureto,” Guren whispered, “We can’t hide forever.”
“You just have to put your trust into me,” Tenri replied, “Like you always have.”
Guren was eyeing him now. Not saying a thing but a calculated glance was going over his face. It was as if he was searching for something. Then, he noticed that Guren started to take a slow step back. “Kureto… Are you sure that you are okay?” Guren wasn’t even attempting to hide it now. Suspicion. It was in his eyes. “You’re not acting like yourself.”
“What makes you say that?” Tenri questioned.
“Normally by now… You’d be about ready to explode in rage.” Guren started, his voice losing more of that soft tone, but the concern was still there. Guren sounded accusing now. Tenri had to think quickly on how to cover this. He supposed that he didn’t think of Kureto’s anger. That was something that he had noticed before. Just how quick to anger Kureto could be and if the right buttons were pushed, he would explode. Tenri hadn’t thought of that possibility. “Kureto…” Guren’s voice sounded testing. Testing to see if he was right about something.
Tenri could not let him catch on.
This was too good of an opportunity to let it slide through his fingers.
Tenri would not let it show. He was too good at concealment for that. Instead, he thought of an answer quickly, “There is no point in being angry right now, Guren.” Tenri stated as he took a step forward. Guren was still looking at him with a sharp glance and there was a tension on his shoulders now. The Omega was on guard. “I can’t be angry about something I could foresee coming.” Guren still didn’t look trusting of what he said. Tenri hummed, smiling as he got close to the Omega and reached up again. Guren watched it. Watching as Tenri ran the back of his finger against Guren’s cheek. “I can’t be angry whenever I have the perfect opportunity to show I won’t let anyone take you away from me.”
“He could execute me in an instant.” Guren replied, “Maybe that is what he is waiting for. I denied it to him.”
“He would have executed you if he was certain.” Tenri said back, “But there must be a reason that he hasn’t done so. He needs something from you. He wants something from you.”
Guren looked confused, shaking his head, “Like what? What could I give him?”
“He just wants to control me, Guren,” Tenri continued, “He is showing his power by trying to get you to stay away from me. He’s threatening you with your life to tell you that your life is in his hands, but now… He’s given me the perfect way to show that he can’t. I can’t be angry whenever he dug his own grave.”
“That still doesn’t change that you haven’t been acting like yourself, Kureto.” Guren said back to him, “You won’t tell me anything.”
“Nothing happened, Guren.” Tenri replied, “But I can’t have you turning against me now.” This was rather weird to even him speaking about himself in the third person in a way that would anger him. It was what Tenri needed to do right now. “My father is getting weaker. He knows he’ll struggle against me. So, there is no point in getting angry.”
Guren appeared to relax a bit but still was slightly guarded. Tenri looked over Guren’s eyes specifically to find something to decipher among them. The Omega seemed to be accepting the answer as it was but still seemed weary. Slowly, Guren started to nod, “Okay.”
“There was always a chance that we could have gotten caught,” Tenri continued, “We knew this… And that’s why no matter what happens… I won’t let anything hurt you.” He needed to sound like Kureto here. At least, hope that he sounded like what Kureto would say. “I can’t be angry whenever I know nothing in this world will stop me.” He had no idea the true dynamic between the two of them. There was something about the way that Guren looked at Kureto that kept telling him that it was a lot more intimate than he initially would have thought.
Especially from hearing how Kureto should have reacted to that. With anger. Kureto only did that whenever he truly felt something. It was Kureto’s one fatal flaw. It was something that his son had never been able to control. So, if he was supposed to get angry over the thought of Guren getting executed, that said a lot to Tenri in the ways of a dynamic of a relationship between the two.
Which he didn’t like at all, but he needed to capitalize on it.
The idea had come to mind in an instant. Kureto was actively trying to keep Guren away from him, so he had to make sure that didn’t happen. It had to be far more than just a relationship between the two of them. It would appear that Kureto was indulging on the forbidden fruits of the world. A sin in their eyes. Only, Kureto should have known that Guren would have been the one punished for their actions. It made reasonable sense. No one would ever have guessed Kureto would have. It was the perfect cover for Guren to know valuable information. Kureto would have known that Tenri couldn’t have done a thing against Guren if it was just the relationship. At least, right now. There was another reason he wanted Guren to stay away from him. Maybe, it could have truly been as simple as that, but Tenri doubted it.
He knew how a Hiragi worked.
It also gave him the perfect way to punish them both for their actions and one of them wouldn’t even know it.
At least… Not yet.
Tenri would normally look down on this type of thing. None of this never should have happened underneath his nose in the first place. Kureto should have known that. Kureto was just rebelling in his own way. An Ichinose… Kureto was a damn fool.
If Guren meant that much to him that he was willing to risk it all, maybe… Tenri could use that same thing to tell Kureto that he was not above him. That it would never matter what Kureto did, he would still be underneath Tenri’s control at all times.
By breaking the one thing that he tried to protect.
Ruining it all.
Kureto would never be able to look at Guren the same again.
Tenri wouldn’t even need to execute Guren for this transgression. He had the perfect punishment that he could use to ruin the very foundation that these two had built and let it all crumble away.
Guren was looking at him like that again. That admiration in his eyes. The belief. All the doubts that he probably add were slowly draining away, and Tenri knew he had him right where he wanted him to be. He had said the right thing. Guren must have some form of unconditional trust in Kureto. He would believe whatever he said, or at least, who he believed was speaking to him.
No… It was so much more than that.
Tenri was certain of it now.
He could get what he wanted out of this. Guren wouldn’t even realize he was playing right into Tenri’s hands. Tenri had a suspicion on Kureto for a while. Guren had just been the catalyst for making sure that he truly looked into it. What was kept behind closed doors couldn’t truly stay hidden forever. Kureto would have been smart about it. Entrusting anything that he could think of to someone Tenri never would have expected to know. Tenri did not believe that he was wrong on this. He was absolutely certain of it. Guren was going to blindly trust him now. That was a good thing.
All Tenri could do was smirk.
Kureto had went to his own home. What he had noticed first was the fact that the home was dark. He didn’t see a single light on. Considering the time, he wasn’t going to immediately assume anything. It still gave him this off feeling as he took a quick look around to make sure that he was alone, and no one had noticed him before he went inside. Kureto had entered his home using his spare key that he kept hidden – typically for Guren if he ever lost his keys or Kureto lost his own – and was met with silence. Just like he would have thought.
Kureto wondered if he should just remain here until his father had returned here. It was Tenri’s idea for them to go on as if they were living as each other. It shouldn’t take much longer before he would arrive here. They needed to talk about this. Once he had handled trying to do something regarding Guren, Kureto had started moving into his father’s archives to see if he could somehow find a way to explain what kind of demon that they were dealing with. He wasn’t sure if his own would have the information, but from his father’s, he was having a bit of difficulty finding much of anything to help. Considering Tenri didn’t seem to know what this demon was or was capable of, Kureto was beginning to wonder if they had any texts regarding the demon at all.
There were still things that he needed to take care of. Such as looking into what was going on with Raimeiki. Trying to find the little tidbits of information might actually help them in understanding what this demon was truly capable of. All that he had were that their souls were switched, and he could seemingly feel exactly what his father’s body would feel like on a daily basis. He was really starting to feel it as the day progressed. It was leaving him feeling fatigued and exhausted. It hadn’t been that long of doing this and he could already feel it. He was already tired of this and wanted to get it over with. Could they just wake up the next morning, and this would all be over?
Unfortunately, life was not that simple.
Kureto made his way through his home, and he was now certain that Tenri wasn’t here. Kureto made his way upstairs and to his bedroom. This would actually be beneficial to him. He had a feeling whenever it came to his father. There was a lot that he couldn’t put at risk. It would be best to do whatever he could while his father wasn’t here. This had just been thrown on him. It wasn’t giving him much chances to be able to move around freely. All he could do was realistically hope that the small things that he had done would work.
Kureto was quick to get to his room, and it was only more evidence to tell him that Tenri wasn’t here. He quickly walked over to where his dresser was and pushed it out of the way. He didn’t need to move it much to get to where he needed. He went to the correct spot that he was looking for. It was perfectly blinded into the wall even to the naked eye. It didn’t appear as if anything was there. He was very careful about it. It was even positioned into a place that if someone did see it, it could be explained away as general building styles. It worked for him perfectly. Kureto reached for it and pulled it out of the way to reveal the hidden compartment. It popped out with ease, and it revealed the hidden safe inside. Kureto pulled it out, taking a quick look at the door and listening for any sounds. Whenever he didn’t hear anything, he quickly typed in the code and opened it up.
Kureto was quick to grab exactly what he needed and what he wouldn’t want to be found by anyone else. Kureto undid the top buttons of the uniform and stuffed the folders and documents into the front and made sure that they were secured there before closing it. He placed the safe back into the small area and quickly closed up the compartment before putting everything back in its proper place.
What he needed to do now was wait for his father to get here. They needed to talk this through. There wasn’t much else that he could do until they could really start getting into their research. As he looked across the room, he spotted Raimeiki. Kureto eyed his sword as he walked over to it. He was still unsure if he was able to touch his own weapon.
Kureto approached it and kneeled down next to it. He was the one in the contract with the demon. The only issue was being with being unsure of what would happen considering he was in his father’s body. That thought was even more there now that he was certain that he could feel the difference. If this body was continuing to act as it did with the Apocalypse Virus, so it made him start getting more questions. He needed to try and talk to Raimeiki. If their research failed them, Raimeiki might have valuable information. Raimeiki was an extremely powerful demon who did have a vast amount of knowledge.
The more that he thought of Raimeiki, the more he kept thinking of how off his father’s body felt. Sure, that could be explained away as Kureto being in his father’s body. It was just an inkling feeling that wouldn’t go away. It was familiar in a way.
Kureto looked over the sheath of the sword. He couldn’t hear a thing. He couldn’t even feel a thing. It was truly as if he had been completely cut off from Raimeiki. This could be a problem. Neither of them knew the other’s true fighting style. Kureto had been taught in the Hiragi way of things, but he had carried himself further and trained himself as hard as he could. The way that he used Raimeiki was a way that he taught himself to do. If it ever came down to it, he would hope that his father would be able to emulate how he fought. He kept getting the temptation to reach out and touch his sword. Just to see what it would do. The limitations of this curse from the demon was uncertain. It was not a probability that Kureto could do unless if he had too. Another big issue would be being spotted with his sword. Tenri was not supposed to carry it. It gave a lot more of an annoyance to the situation.
Kureto let out a sharp breath as he thought against it. He never thought he would be wanting to hear his demon right about now whenever she spent most of her time trying to coax him into his lust and desires. It would still be reassuring to know that his demon was there by his side as he continued to navigate this fucked up world in an even more fucked up situation. Raimeiki might be able to give him the one thing that he needed right now to solve this.
Kureto decided not to stay much longer. It would be a better idea to get what he had on him out of the home. He would just need to find a good place to stash it or just destroy it in general. Both him and Guren were the only ones with knowledge of what were in these files. He didn’t really need the physical copies anymore and he definitely didn’t want them to get into the wrong hands.
With his decision being made, Kureto had quickly started to leave his own home. He would figure out what he wanted to do by the time that he got back to Tenri’s home. If anything, he would just return. Kureto was able to slip out of the home quietly and locked the door behind him as he took another quick look around. Luckily for him, there was no one around as he simply moved to get back to the street.
Right now, he just needed to keep his head on straight. As he was walking, Kureto found his mind venturing off. Guren. It was all that he could think about. All he could do was hope. He knew how Guren could be, but there was no chance that he could say something to his father without raising suspicion. He had done what he could do.
Well, he could have ordered for Guren to be locked away in a cell and that would be right up Tenri’s alley. It would have been something he would have done. The problem with that was that he didn’t want to do that to Guren, and it could just raise more suspicion. Kureto hated the thought that it could be one way to protect him, and Kureto would have to secretly find a way to make it up to him. Kureto was actually shocked at himself for the thought even crossing his mind. As if it had just taken over in an instant. He had it handled. Shinya would not let anything happen to Guren.
Why did that thought even cross his mind?
That was the last thing he wanted to do.
Kureto had forced himself to shrug it off as he carried on with walking back in the direction that he needed. It would all be okay in the end. Kureto was a Hiragi after all. He wasn’t going to let a demon fuck with his life and get away with it.
Guren couldn’t really explain it. Something just felt… wrong. The Omega kept questioning himself. Looking at Kureto’s face and trying to find any sign that would tell him what this alarm bell was. Kureto seemed like himself aside from a few things. Guren had noticed it before too. Kureto was acting off in his office. He knew that Kureto had a lot on his plate and now adding this to the mix. It was certain to get a reaction. Just not the reaction that Guren had been expecting.
It was as if he was looking at Kureto but he… wasn’t.
That was completely absurd.
Kureto’s words and the way that he was speaking was like him, so Guren could feel himself relaxing a bit. Despite all of that, he still couldn’t get the feeling to go away. It was making his stomach twist up to even think that something was amiss. Kureto was fine. He had been fine – for the most part – after getting back and here he was standing in front of him perfectly fine.
Guren almost felt… guilty for thinking something else.
“Are you okay, Guren?” Kureto questioned.
Guren looked back to Kureto and smiled. “Yeah, I’m fine.” He whispered, “Just… really tired.” He was. That wasn’t a lie. “It’s been a long week.”
“It sure has.” Kureto replied.
Why couldn’t he get this feeling to go away?
Kureto was right. The things that he said. He made a very good point, and Guren needed to listen to that. Guren knew what he was getting into whenever he agreed to this. Kureto had made reassurances to him, and Guren had been so selfish in his own right. Maybe, Guren was reading too much into all of this. It had been a long few days. It was probably just the stress of everything piling down on them, and they were unable to do anything about it. They still had a lot of work to do regarding what had been going on outside of the safety of Shibuya.
Guren kept asking himself why he even had that shred of doubt in his mind. There was nothing to truly tell him what he was seeing was anything wrong. Guren was trying to tell himself that.
Guren could only hold his breath as he was pulled into another embrace and eventually he let himself relax as he closed his eyes.
Everything was fine.
It just had to be.