Demonic Po*nstar System Chapter 1045: Ashamed

Luna stared at him for another moment, then burst out laughing. She slapped Nyx’s back, nearly knocking the cup from her hand.

"You knew! That’s why you were guarding the door like a fucking Doberman! A wingwoman Doberman."

"I suspected they were enjoying themselves."

"Enjoying themselves?! He’s picking up Japan’s High Shrine Maiden while we’re washing our hair!"

Yunohana pressed her fingers to her hot cheeks. Luna was having far too much fun to stop, leaning forward to grin at Kaiden.

"You couldn’t even stand up properly when we left! Now I understand how you mustered the strength to stand again."

"Passage of time."

"’Passage of time.’" Luna mimicked using her deepest tone. "Yeah, sure. Nothing else. Mhm."

"He really was resting," Yunohana insisted. "We were only sitting together."

Luna turned toward her.

"Oh? All nice and cozy beside him?"

Yunohana’s lips curved into a helpless, wry smile.

"Well..."

Aria set her cup down with exquisite care. When she spoke, the warmth had disappeared from her voice.

"Yunohana, where were you sitting?"

The shrine maiden lowered her head in a stiff, mechanical little movement until she was looking at her own feet.

"Between his legs," she murmured.

Nobody spoke. Yunohana could hear Alexandra setting the teapot down behind her.

Then Calypso burst into delighted laughter.

"Well done, Darling!"

"This is fucking hilarious!" Luna folded against Nyx, cackling so hard that the Space Valkyrie had to hold her tea out of reach. Kaiden opened his mouth, but Bastet leaned toward Yunohana and sniffed.

"Hm. I don’t smell any evidence of wrongdoing."

"I would never!"

Yunohana looked up at once, her rosy face going into full serious mode.

She gathered her sleeves against her chest, mortified that they might think she had come to ask permission after already helping herself to him.

"I would never be so shameless. I might’ve given you the wrong image of myself in recent times, but I’m very strict about the rules by which I live."

"She was only letting me massage her shoulder," Kaiden explained gently. "It was still sore."

His voice steadied her enough to look at him. He was smiling at her, and she managed a small, grateful smile in return.

"Yes. Kaiden was being very kind to me. He helped me dry my hair first."

Luna’s attention snapped toward Yunohana.

"Seriously? You let him touch your hair?"

"Through an act of extreme bravery and self-determination, yes."

"Wait, what?" Kaiden was confused. "It’s just drying hair."

"Kai."

"Kaiden."

"Darling."

"Master."

All women called out to him in perfect sync.

"Please keep silent in these matters."

"...Okay."

"Good~" Nyx purred, then turned toward Yunohana. "So how did it go? I need details."

"His first attempt was rather troubling."

Kaiden looked at the ceiling while Nyx laughed into her hand.

"But after a thorough scolding, he became very careful. He did everything; I didn’t even have to touch my hair or towel."

"Ohhh!!" Many of the women turned toward Kai, their expressions showing that they saw him in a new light.

"...Really?" Kaiden exhaled, and was promptly ignored.

"He was much gentler with my shoulder," Yunohana continued, growing quieter. "We spoke for a while, and I found that I..."

She glanced at him. His smile made finishing considerably harder.

Nyx lowered her cup, her teasing softening as she watched them.

"You have my blessing."

Calypso leaned forward over her cup.

"You like Darling?"

"Yes, I think so," Yunohana admitted. "But we decided to go on a date so we can know for certain."

Hearing herself say it before his women made her heart race. She had spoken on behalf of her nation with less difficulty than this.

Calypso’s delight softened into affection.

"Then I hope you have a wonderful time. He looks very happy beside you."

Kaiden reached for Yunohana’s hand. She let him take it, grateful enough that her fingers closed around his immediately.

Luna watched their joined hands, then looked up at the shrine maiden.

"Oh, you’re welcome to him. But you’ll have to beat me at a game first, Miss Milf."

"A game?"

"Yeah. We have standards around here. You can choose the game."

Yunohana considered her with such earnest concern that Luna’s grin began to falter.

"I am afraid I have very little experience. Would you allow me some time to practice?"

"Just beat her in mahjong or some other Japanese board game," Bastet offered.

"Mahjong isn’t a video game! I meant video game!" Luna scoffed.

In response, the tanned felinid pulled out a tablet from the sofa’s crevice, tapped with her fingers a few times, then turned the screen toward Luna.

It was a mahjong app. The bronze-skinned woman had a smug expression. "Wrong."

"Oh, for fuck’s sake."

"Damned casuals..." Luna muttered under her breath. "Board game app..."

"Well, I think you got bested, gremlin." Nyx placed an arm around her friend’s shoulders.

"...I was kidding! You’re allowed to date him. You were allowed before I said that."

"Oh." Yunohana’s shoulders relaxed. "Thank you, Miss Luna."

"You can still play with me, though. I’ll show you what a real game is."

The invitation brought a shy smile to Yunohana’s face.

"I would enjoy that. Provided you are patient with me."

"I’ll be the nicest teacher you’ve ever had."

"Then I shall look forward to playing with you."

Luna stared up at her delighted smile.

"Good."

Bastet sighed fondly at Luna before turning her attention to Yunohana.

"I hope you still intend to spend time with us. I would be rather disappointed if Master got all your attention."

"Oh... Of course I do."

Yunohana looked around at them, touched that Bastet would even ask.

"I have enjoyed being with all of you. I would be very sorry to lose that."

Bastet’s ears tipped forward. She looked at Kaiden, then smiled warmly at the woman holding his hand.

"Then you have my blessing too."

"Thank you. Truly."

Yunohana bowed her head to Bastet, relief making her grip on Kaiden’s hand loosen.

Then she looked toward Aria.

The Moon Valkyrie remained seated beside the empty cushion. Her tea stood untouched before her, and she was watching Yunohana with an expression the shrine maiden could not read.

Yunohana’s happiness faltered.

Aria loved him so openly. Even when Kaiden was surrounded by people tending to him, she stayed close, touching his arm, waiting for a smile that meant he was feeling better.

And here Yunohana was, holding his hand and asking for more of him.

Her fingers slipped out of his.

"Miss Aria..."

The Moon Valkyrie rose. Yunohana bowed toward her before she could speak.

"Please forgive me. I have been foolish."

Regret burned through her so fiercely that she wished she had never left the bench. She had allowed herself to become excited, accepted the others’ kindness, and assumed she could ask this of a woman whose feelings she understood perfectly well.

"You have all been so generous to me, and I repaid that by putting you in this position. Please forget the request. I shall take it back."

The room had grown quiet. Kaiden was sitting right there, and knowing he was hearing this made the humiliation worse.

"It was an absurd thing to ask. I am sorry."

"Yunohana."

Aria’s fingers touched beneath her chin. She gently lifted Yunohana’s face until the shrine maiden could see her smile.

"I am a jealous woman," Aria admitted. "Very jealous. I would happily keep Kai locked in my arms all day if he allowed it."

Her thumb moved gently beside Yunohana’s chin before she lowered her hand.

"But I already share him with four women I love. Not only are they my good friends, but I also know how happy they make him. I want them to be happy with him too."

Yunohana listened, hardly daring to move.

"I knew there might be someone else eventually. I have thought a lot about it." Aria’s smile warmed. "And I’m glad it’s you."

"You are?"

The question escaped Yunohana in a whisper.

"Yes. I like you. You care for him, you care about our feelings, and you still found the courage to come here and ask us."

Aria took her hand between both of hers.

"I think I could learn quite a lot from you, too. You always seem so graceful..."

Yunohana gave a faint, embarrassed laugh.

"I fear I have done very little to deserve that description tonight."

"You’ve been adorable tonight."

Her eyes stung. After spending those awful moments wishing she could disappear, Yunohana found herself holding hands with the very woman she had feared hurting most.

Aria meant it. She wanted her here.

"Thank you," Yunohana whispered, struggling to say anything more. "I would be very happy to become closer to you as well."

The Moon Valkyrie’s smile was angelic.

"Please take care of my Kai."

"I will."

Aria leaned closer, still holding her hand.

"But if you ever try to take him away from me..."

Her voice was velvety, yet it carried an otherworldly edge.

"I’ll kill you."