Verdant Skies

Weeks melted into months as winter gripped Kou in it's icy claws, the soft warmth of spring began to teasingly ghost across the lands threatening to tear the ice and snow away. It was a thing of beauty to watch as the snow finally began to melt away and flowers bloomed once more. But beneath the tranquility that lay on the landscape's surface, an intricate dance was developing in the shadows. Within the main palace and outside of it, Kou was gripped with tension even if most within the empire were seemingly oblivious to this fact.

Cloaked in the shadows on night, Iris ventured across the empire going further each day though always making sure to return to Kouen's palace before dawn broke the next day. Her nights were spent meeting with those who had become trusted informants, the men and women whispering information that she vetted and planned around. Bloodstains slowly decorated her darkened clothes and weapons, the 'allies' of Gyokuen meeting a bloody end. Old skills were dusted off with each night, the tiredness that had been haunting her after those sleepless nights fading. Even as she returned to Kouen's palace and acted as if she'd slept the night before, the guilt weighed down her heart though seeing the smiles on Kouen and Koumei's face made it worth every moment.

Unraveling Gyokuen's web was a tiring task, Koumei worked through each message sent by his informants and used the information to plan out strategies with Kouen. The study was often filled with sounds of their discussion though both of them tried to keep it quiet around Iris. For all that they both agreed her input would be a welcome addition, they were reluctant to disrupt the fragile peace she had found during the night. Even still each day that Gyokuen continued to offer them thinly veiled threats grated on their nerves, it made them both want to lash out at the woman though they couldn't without risking their father's wrath. But oddities arose as they continued to work, Gyokuen's allies were being found dead by both Koumei's informants and patrolling soldiers.

"How are so many of them dead?" The question should have been easily answered.

But it wasn't, the amount of differing wounds on each body and just how they were found was too different to give them a proper answer. His lips pulled into a grimace at the disbelief in Kouen's voice, the slight narrowing of his eyes as confusion spawned in them. There was no answer to what should have been a straightforward question, the dead bodies of Gyokuen allies were growing in number by the day. Hand rising to his face, Koumei rubbed at his temples as he sighed and leaned back against the chair. Had it been the yearly sickness that always came around during this time of year, he could have excused it, but no, someone was killing everyone who was allied to Gyokuen.

Speaking as he let his hand drop, Koumei looked at his elder brother with a tired gaze, "That is what I'm trying to work through myself," He looked at the papers scattered across his desk and found a frown forming, "If what I'm working through is right though, we may have another player in the game or someone is on their way to committing mass murder," Kouen looked at him with a sharp gaze, "I'm leaning towards the former though as they only seem to be taking out Gyokuen's ilk."

Jaw tensing as he absorbed the information, Kouen's eyes narrowed, "In one of these reports, the informant said that each kill had some skill to it?"

Nodding as he began searching through the pile, Koumei found the scroll and tugged it free, "According to my informant, the wounds on each body were inflicted in such a way that blood spray would be limited, but death was assured," He looked at Kouen, "An assassin? Do you think Gyokuen's pissed off someone with the ability to hire one?"

Expression darkening as he considered Koumei's words, Kouen's hard eyes met his own. Tension filled the room as they both considered the implications of an assassin being present within the empire, the last time an actual one had been present their mother had met her end and that left a bitter taste in their mouths. Fingers tensing against the scroll in his fingers, he eyed Kouen as his older brother spoke, "An assassin...Gyokuen has either pissed off someone very powerful outside the empire or someone within it has finally gotten tired of her bullshit," Kouen eyed the papers scattered across his desk, "For someone to go to such lengths, they are either desperate or powerful...But they must have spent a pretty penny to get someone this good."

Leaning forward against his desk, Koumei realized what Kouen was getting at, "You think there is a paper trail somewhere," He smirked as Kouen nodded, "No one would be stupid enough to use up the amount of money that assassin had to of cost and not make note of it. I'll look into it, but it'll likely take a while."

"In the meantime, we will continue working on Gyokuen's allies and hopefully nab some of them before the assassin manages to kill them off," Kouen leaned back with a slight smirk, "While I would rather the satisfaction of being able to taunt Gyokuen about taking out her entire web, I won't deny the convenience of someone else thinning out her ranks for us,"

His eyes were alight with amusement and annoyance as Kouen steepled his fingers, Koumei nodded in agreement as he put down the scroll in his hand. Reaching into the pile, he began looking for another scroll, "Even so there is no denying that the assassin may try to turn their blades on us, we need to be cautious," Kouen's lips pulled into a grimace, "Should it look like that may happen, we might need to pull in Iris as she was instrumental in dealing with Gyokuen's assassination plot."

"At great risk to herself," Kouen muttered earning a wince from him, "But I will admit her insight may be worthwhile if we cannot track down whoever is lining this assassin's pockets,"

"I'll work on searching for the paper trail alongside everything else," Koumei loathed having yet another thing added onto his plate though admitted this was a lesser evil, "Will you see if Iris can brew us more truth serum, my informants are almost out,"

Nodding as he released a light sigh, Kouen ran a hand through his hair, "I'll ask her tomorrow as it's unlikely she'll be up when I return home tonight."

Tilting his head, Koumei glanced at Kouen in surprise, "I thought she was starting to sleep better as of late."

"She is, but there are days when she's quite tired," Kouen's lips twitched into a small smile, "She's admitted that the cold has made her lethargic due to her dragon form,"

Shaking his head in amusement, Koumei snorted, "And to think she lets Kouha and Judar drag her around whenever there aren't nobles attempting to get her to paint for them," He pulled open a scroll and began reading through it, "At the very least, she should be back to her old self again once it starts heating up."

"Agreed," Kouen's lips pulled into a small smile.

Gripping the large wooden pillar above her, Iris carefully watched as the three men below her. Each one had become a member of Gyokuen's web of allies though it was only tonight that any of them had realized that fact, it would be tonight that they would also meet their ends. Her head darted towards the door as it opened and a maid entered carrying the tea set that Iris had swapped in not even ten minutes before, she licked her lips and watched with bated breath as the men were served their tea. Above them within her hidden perch, she watched as they began to drink the tea that would paralyze them within the next ten minutes.

Her senses sharpened as the door opened and another man entered the room, Iris's eyes widened before narrowing at the sight of a fourth member of Gyokuen's web. Fingers tensing on the wooden pillar, she took a deep breath to steady herself as he was served tea. Even if the paralytic wouldn't have time to completely set for him, she could easily dispatch the man and be on her way out. But just as the paralytic within the tea began to take effect, the door opened again to admit a fifth man and she inwardly cursed. Unlike the other four, she knew nothing about this man and felt the guilt within her chest deepen.

As he took a seat and the discussion continued, Iris realized with a jolt that this man was the little ring leader of the group and in deeper than the others. Part of her wished that there would be time to question him, she pushed it back and focused as the men started to falter. Before either man who hadn't drank much tea could feel any alarm as their tablemates started to slump, she hit them both with a stunner. Dropping down as choked sounds of alarm left the three other men, she unsheathed the twin blades she'd chosen for this task and began the bloody part of her night. Each cut created was done with a diligent hand, she crafted together a scene where these five had attacked each other only to succumb to their blood wounds.

Even with guilt guiding her hands, Iris knew what each man save for the fifth had done and there was little mercy in the stroke of her blades. Arranging the men and staining their hidden blades with each other's blood took little more time than actually killing them, the twisting of her stomach made it feel as if this were a monumental effort. Burning away the blood with a muttered spell, she barely glanced over the macabre work that she'd just completed before glancing towards the door. Her ears picked out the sound of footsteps approaching. Without making a sound, she opened the window and climbed outside carefully.

Closing it with another spell, Iris made her way to the top of the mansion and began walking along the rooftop as a scream rang through the air. Bile rose in her throat, she forced herself to swallow it down as no matter how you looked at it she'd killed five people tonight without giving them a chance to fight. Gyokuen's allies or not, she had ended them though there was a glimmer in the darkness of their deaths. Of the five, she knew that four of them deserved to die a much worse death than at her hands and would have if she hadn't done this tonight. With a shake of her head, she began heading to the edge of the roof closest to another building and jumped across the somewhat large gap.

Making her way across the alleyways as the moon steadily made its way toward the horizon line, Iris began heading for Kouen's palace. Part of her was pleased with that notion, the fact that she'd be able to actually sleep for a few hours more than usual, and with the amount that she'd killed, she would be able to take a small break. Moving across the rooftops like a skilled cat, she wondered if Kouen would mind her slipping into his bed before inwardly shaking her head. Tomorrow would be a night for such things, she was better off sleeping off what she'd done though a bath would come first. With a mental sigh, she made her way down from the rooftops and began slipping between the alleyways.

It took little time for her to reach Kouen's palace and slipped past the guards. Her skin buzzed as the invisibility potion started to wear off just as she slipped onto her balcony, she quickly slipped inside and sank onto the floor with a soft sigh. Glancing towards the bed, she smiled slightly at seeing Sirius laid out by the pillows. Rather than go to him, she began slipping off her clothes and checking them over. Nodding to herself, she dropped them into her trunk while making a mental note to get them cleaned up at a later time. Grabbing a potion from the small box she was keeping out, she downed it and sighed as the small aches and pains caused by her nightly actions faded. With a flick of her wrist, the dying fire roared back to life and she grabbed a set of clothes before carefully slipping into the hallway after checking to see if anyone was outside.

Her bath was short even if she would have preferred to take a long one, Iris cleaned away the blood that coated her skin and dried off as soon as the scent faded. With a flick of her wrist, the tub was drained of water and she returned to her room after ensuring no one was in the halls. Slipping into her room, she lay down beside Sirius with a deep sigh. Eyes closing as her familiar curled up against her, the wolf cub let out a low sound as his cold nose pressed into her neck.

"Either Gyokuen pissed you off or someone is trying to send you on another campaign," Iris's voice was soft.

Turning from where he'd been glaring into the setting sun, Kouen's lips twitched into a soft smile as he saw the paint flecking Iris's tunic and trousers. Concern toyed with the edge of her playful words, she stepped up beside him on the balcony as he turned towards her. Reaching out to cup her cheek, he ran his thumb along the smudge of yellow that decorated the green marking that sat there and chuckled softly as the drying paint began coating his thumb. Pressing a kiss to her lips, he shook his head, "How did you know?"

"You had that scowl and glare on your face that always appears when Gyokuen's involved," Iris's lips pulled into a teasing smile, "So Gyokuen? What did she do now?"

Lips pulling into a small smile despite the fact they were discussing his least favorite person, Kouen wrapped his other arm around Iris's waist, "Not her exactly though I would love it if she would just leave the palace," He wished the bitch would be like any of the concubines that his father sent around and take a 'vacation' away from Kou, "That network of allies she has? It's becoming harder to untangle thanks to some recent developments."

Head tilting as she blinked at him, Iris made a low noise in the back of her throat, "Recent developments? What did some of them drop off the face of the planet or something?"

Chuckling at her playful sarcasm, Kouen leaned in and nuzzled her neck. Breathing in her scent and enjoying the warmth that radiated from her skin, he murmured. "Not quite that dramatic, but close. It seems someone is taking matters into their own hands and eliminating Gyokuen's allies. They're being found dead, and not by our doing."

Pulling back from him, Kouen could see the frown curling across Iris's lips as concern filled her eyes, "An assassin, perhaps? Someone trying to get revenge on Gyokuen or clean up the mess she's made before we can get to it?"

"That's what Koumei and I believe might be the case," Kouen began tracing small patterns along the small of back as he knew it was one of the best ways to make her relax, "Whoever it is, they're skilled. The kills are efficient, and there's a certain pattern to it," He admitted the thought that had been creeping through the back of his mind as the reports had been coming in, "Whoever it is seems to have a personal vendetta against Gyokuen's allies based on how each one is killed. I suspect it might be someone within the Kou Empire, but without more information, it's all suspicion,"

Letting out a sigh as her expression grew serious, Iris shook her head, "More trouble on the horizon," She tilted her head, "Are you two sure about leaving me out of this, En? I'm fine-"

His grip tightened and he pulled her closer, Kouen shook his head, "We're not leaving you out of this to protect you, Iris," The lie felt heavy on his tongue even if he knew Iris would vehemently disagree with their need to protect her, "It's precisely because we know you're more than capable of handling yourself that we're keeping you away," She looked at him in confusion and he relaxed his shoulders, "With how unpredictable the situation is, we don't want you to take unnecessary risks that could land you into trouble that we're unable to get you out of. If the situation escalates past where Mei and I are capable of dealing with it or we need your expertise, we won't hesitate to involve you," She looked at him with some reluctance, "We're a team, Iris. But right now, Mei and I can handle things."

Biting her bottom lip, Iris's eyes held a small amount of uncertainty that disappeared after a moment. She released a soft sigh, "I will trust you on this," He smiled at her, "Keep me in the loop though, I want to be able to jump in unhindered."

"I will," Kouen promised as he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

His fingers ran along her back for a few moments, Iris let out a soft sigh as she pulled back from him. Her lips pulled into a curious smile, "So...why did you have a maid ask me to find you?"

Smile pulling at his lips, Kouen chuckled softly, "While I partially wished to simply see you as Kouha and Judar have gotten into the rather horrid habit of monopolizing your time if the nobles aren't trying to get a painting from you, I wished to ask a question."

"A question?" Iris eyed him with a raised eyebrow.

As a mischievous glint flickered through his eyes, he nodded, "Yes, a question. would you consider moving into my quarters permanently?"

Surprise flickered across Iris's face as her eyes widened and her mouth slipped open, she blinked slowly and shook her head softly. Disbelief coated her softly spoken words, Kouen realized he'd caught her off guard, "Move into your quarters? Permanently?"

Nodding as he watched the wheels turn in her head, Kouen spoke warmly, "Yes, permanently. I know you already have your own quarters here, but I find myself missing you during the nights we spend apart," He'd found himself searching for her in the mornings as of late which had been a jarring thing to realize, "Besides, I'd like you closer in case anything happens. With Gyokuen's allies and the unknown assassin on the loose, having you nearby would put my mind at ease."

His eyes softened as he saw the emotions flickering across her face, the fingers tracing patterns along her back trailing upward. Kouen knew this was a big thing to ask of Iris. With her need for personal space and independence, she was more likely to say no. But the need to have her close, especially with what was going on prompted him to ask this of her, he wanted Iris there. But even after everything had calmed down, he would insist on her staying in his rooms, he wanted her at his side unless it was Koumei's time with her.

There was a searching look in Iris's eyes, a mixture of emotions flickered through those emerald orbs as she reached out to cup his cheek. She breathed out softly, "I'm not an easy person to live with, you know? I mean you've heard the staff complain about the odd hours that I tend to keep. And how Sirius has started to take to them as well..."

Chuckling as he pressed a kiss to the palm of her hand, Kouen gifted her with the softest look he could, "I'm well aware, Iris. And I would never dream of changing anything about you, I love you. Little quirks and all," Iris's breath hitched and her eyes closed, "So...?"

There was a long pause, Iris's eyes remained closed though he could see the waves of emotion flicker across her face. From uncertainty to a soft warmth that made his chest feel light, Kouen waited for her to speak. When she finally did, the words were soft and her eyes slid open with utter slowness, "I...Okay..." She stared at him for a long moment as pleasure filled him, "I'll move into your quarters, En. But if I need my space, you'll let me have it without any complaints, deal?"

Smile widening at her words, Kouen nodded uncaring that she had a single stipulation. All he truly cared about was that she'd be even closer to him now. He pulled her closer earning a soft squeak, "Deal. I want you to feel comfortable, Iris. We can always adjust things to suit both of us."

Leaning in and kissing her gently, Kouen felt her fingers slip across his cheek to the back of his neck as a low sigh left her lips.

While a majority of her things would be moved into Kouen's rooms, the rest would stay within the room Iris had been staying in. Much like the studio downstairs, she was free to use it however the mood struck her. Lips pulling into a slight grimace as she glanced around the chests that had been settled within Kouen's room, she found the same lost feeling from her first night within Kouen's palace slipping into her chest alongside the guilt that wouldn't leave her. Dropping onto the couch with a heavy sigh, she ran a hand through her hair though found herself smiling as Sirius leaped up next to her. Nosing her side with a soft bark, he wagged his tail and peered at her curiously.

Reaching out to him, Iris began petting him as the door opened and glanced back to see Kouen walking in. His lips wore a firm frown that melted into a soft smile as he took in the scene before him, Kouen walked towards her with a curious tilt of his head, "You haven't started unpacking."

"I'm not exactly sure where to put anything," Iris gestured to the room around her, "Despite coming in here quite often as of late, you've never really made it clear about what I'm allowed to move around,"

The fact that Iris's head was growing somewhat hazy from being surrounded by Kouen's scent wasn't making matters any easier either. Amusement filled his eyes as he reached her, Kouen's arms wrapped around her shoulders. Head tilting back to peer at him, she reached up to touch his cheek as he leaned down to press a kiss to her temple. Warm breath ghosted across her skin, he spoke with his lips brushing against her skin, "Move anything and everything you want, Iris. This is your space as well, I want you to be comfortable."

Conflict coiled in her gut, the warmth rising within Iris's chest at Kouen's words warred with the guilt coiling like a persistent serpent. Not for the first time since she started these nightly outings did she wish they weren't done in secret, the weight of them felt like it was going to bury her underneath them. Her eyes closed as she wondered just how Kouen would react, would he still want to share his bed? His room with her? Breathing out slowly as she forced her body to stay relaxed, she knew those answers wouldn't come until after Gyokuen's web had been dismantled and her base of power had been shorn away.

Lips pulling into a wry smile, Iris opened her eyes and peered at Kouen. Noting the concern in his eyes, she murmured, "I think it would be easier if you help me, En. It might make me feel less like I'm invading your safe space."

Expression softening as the concern in his eyes dissolved into understanding, Kouen tightened his arms for a moment before releasing her, "If it will make you feel better, I have no trouble helping you," He walked around the couch and offered her a hand, "Shall we?"

Her throat felt tight, Iris slowly took his hand as she remembered the last time she'd taken his hand. Each time had always brokered a significant moment since they'd first met, she wondered if this was the same and felt a bolt of dread rush through her. Forcing it from her mind as Kouen tugged her up and towards the first chest, she reminded herself that it was just a simple gesture. Lips pulling into a soft smile, she dropped to her knees and pulled the chest open, "Let's get started."

For the better part of an hour, they worked through the chests with Kouen slowly taking the lead when it came to organizing certain objects in the room. Soft touches were exchanged as laughter echoed, Iris found herself slowly forgetting about the guilt lingering within her chest as Kouen's warmth seeped into her. Much to the amusement of the humans in the room, Sirius raced about with each toy that was uncovered and refused to settle until it had been played with for a bit. As they worked through the contents of the chests, she couldn't help but marvel at the ease with which Kouen seamlessly integrated her belongings into his space.

Coming to the final chest, Kouen eyed the small thing that was intricately carved with little stars, "What's this and why have I never seen it before?"

"It's something Ginny gave me before they left," Iris opened the chest revealing quite a few wooden cases, "It's a games chest that we put together back during our first two years here. Gin and I put in a lot of work getting copies of everything," She glanced at Kouen and saw the raised eyebrow he was giving her, "You'd be surprised at how many people stop looking at you because of a game. And thanks to my luck with games of chance, we didn't need to rely on Lord Jackass as much,"

There was a spark of mischief in Kouen's eyes, he eyed Iris with a look of amusement, "Games of chance?" He leaned forward on his knees with a sly expression crossing his face, "How about we play?"

Raising an eyebrow at him, Iris set down the hand she'd been holding over the chest's lid and peered at him. Head tilting as she saw his expression, she felt her lips twitch into a light smile, "Have you ever even played any games of chance before? You do know that a wager is usually placed when one plays."

Mischief glittered through Kouen's eyes as he smirked at her, he spoke in a light tone, "While not as familiar as you, I have spent time around my soldiers and played my fair share of games," She hummed lightly in reply, "So how about it?"

Her lips pulled into a slight grin, it had been a while since she'd played any games for the simple pleasure of them. And playing with someone other than Ginny and not having to worry about any ulterior motives felt nice, she nodded slowly, "Alright though what game do you want to play?"

"How about a game of dice?" Kouen suggested making her want to chuckle, "Something that will give us both a fair chance to win," She reached into the chest for the case of unloaded dice, "After a few games to familiarize ourselves...how about a wager?"

Letting out an amused huff, Iris eyed him for a moment before shrugging her shoulders, "Sure though what do you suppose we wager? A box of personal potions? A painting?"

Smirk growing as he shifted a bit, Kouen suggested, "Something a bit...intimate."

Raising an eyebrow, Iris leaned back as she held the polished dice box with a careful hand, "Intimate? Like what?"

Smirk deepening as he leaned even closer, Kouen's voice took on a husky tone, "Ever play strip dice?"

Eyes widening as her fingers tightened around the dice box for a brief moment, Iris almost couldn't believe Kouen had suggested that. Then again, she could seeing as he'd sent letters just about detailing what he'd love to do to her once the campaign had ended. Cheeks turned crimson as she let out a soft cough, she admitted it would probably be a lot more fun than any games she'd gotten up to with Ginny even when the ginger-haired woman had gotten drunk. Lips pulling into a playful smile as she cleared her throat, she murmured, "Strip dice? Bold suggestion, En," She saw his smirk grow, "But are you sure you want to take that risk? I've been known to have quite a bit of luck."

Snorting as he leaned back, Kouen inclined his head with a challenge clear in his gaze, "I've faced tougher challenges on the battlefield, Iris. Besides, it's all in good fun. What do you say?"

Her smile grew at his boldness, Iris couldn't wait to see his confidence dissolve when her luck truly started to kick in, "Alright, strip dice it is. But don't say I didn't warn you," She stood up with a slight stretch and moved towards the coffee table while opening the polished case, "Let's see who Lady Luck favors tonight."

Dropping down as she prepared the dice and a soft mat to drop them on, Iris watched as Kouen joined her at the table. Both of them glanced up as a maid walked in to drop off some refreshments they'd asked for earlier on, Kouen spoke as she paused long enough to drink some hot chocolate, "How about you throw first?"

"Alright," Iris offered him a light smile before gathering up the crystalline dice and shaking them gently before tossing them down.

Even with the soft mat, they clattered about sharply against the table and it was only the wooden barriers she'd set up that prevented them from falling off the table. With a soft giggle, she tossed Kouen a light smile as five sets of four and three fives finally settled on the table. Lips twitched into an amused smile, Kouen grabbed the dice and gave them a firm shake before tossing them down. There was little disappointment in her gaze when four sixes, three sets of five, and one four settled on the mat. With a light smile, she shrugged off the thin jacket currently covering her shoulders as Kouen chuckled, "First round is mine.

As the game progressed and they both equally began to lose clothing, the room was filled with light banter and playful remarks. There was a simmering heat just below the surface growing with each layer of clothing removed, she noticed Kouen's eyebrow twitching as he lost the fourth game in a row. His initial confidence was starting to wane, she watched his expression turn sulky for barely a moment before he forcibly smoothed it out as his kimono top slid off leaving him with only an undershirt to cover his chest. Grasping the dice, she tilted her head lightly, "You looked a bit frustrated for a moment, En. Problem?"

Expression shifting into a playful one as he chuckled, Kouen shook his head, "Frustration? Never heard of it," She bit back the urge to snort at his attempt to feign innocence, "I'm merely warming up."

"Warming up?" Iris shook the dice in her hand with a sly grin, "Or cooling down?"

Tossing the dice and snickering as multiple sixes darted across the mat, Iris watched his expression turn sulky. She crossed her arms across her chest which was only covered by the thin breastband she'd pulled on that morning. Her trousers were still firmly in place as were her underwear though she'd given up her socks during the last round, it was something she regretted to a point as her toes were becoming somewhat cold. Gathering up the dice in his hand, Kouen shook them fiercely and tossed them down. Her lips pulled into the slightest smile at the sight of a matching roll darting across the mat. Grabbing a single die, she looked at Kouen as he did the same and they both tossed the dice down. Letting out a soft laugh as she rolled a five and he managed to roll a six, she tugged off her trousers as he said, "Lady luck hasn't completely abandoned me."

"And you looked so sulky, I'll have to tell Koumei about it later," Iris grinned at the glower Kouen sent her way, "If you manage to win, I'll keep my mouth shut,"

"You're on," The competitive light in his eyes was something she adored.

As the game continued though, Kouen's luck faltered and ultimately failed as Iris's rolls grew increasingly better. Watching as he peeled off his undershirt, she spoke in a light tone, "So...do you concede?"

His expression mulish, Kouen glared at her for a second before releasing a sigh as he dropped the shirt beside him, "I don't have much of a choice, do I?"

"Not really," Iris leaned back against the couch with a soft laugh, "I won't tell Koumei about how sulky you got. While I do think it's a bit funny, it's also something that I got to see during a moment that was just between us," She watched his expression ease and smiled at him, "So do I get something for winning?"

Raising an eyebrow at her, Kouen chuckled as he shook his head in amusement, "I suppose you do deserve a prize for beating me for the first time," He stood and walked towards her with a light smile on his lips, "Perhaps a kiss?"

"A kiss?" Iris rose a bit as he approached, "I suppose that would be a decent prize,"

Leaning down to kiss her, Kouen trailed a hand down her side as his fingers dug into the visible skin. Her fingers found their way into his hair as she quickly deepened the kiss, she felt the despite that had been slowly building up since Kouen had suggested the game finally sink in. Arching into him as his fingers ran across her skin, she broke the kiss as he undid the bindings of her breast binding. Pulling away long enough to pull the fabric away and drop it onto the small pile of her clothes that had formed, she tilted her head back as Kouen began nipping at her jaw. Pressing against him as one of his legs slipped between hers, she let out a low sound as he muttered, "Let's get rid of the rest of our clothes and head to bed."

"I-" Iris's breath hitched as his leg pressed harder between her legs, "Fuck, yeah, we can do that,"

Stumbling to her feet as he stepped back from her, Iris's underwear came off and joined the pile of clothes as Kouen's fingers slid along her skin. Arching into the touch, she kissed him as her fingers burrowed into his hair again. Her tongue tangled with his as his fingers dug into her hips, she dropped a hand to his pants as he broke the kiss. Breathing heavily as his eyes darkened, Kouen told her, "Get on the bed, I'll join you once I get rid of these."

Half-wanting to disobey him as she wanted to keep kissing him, Iris nodded with a slight shiver as his fingers tightened on her hips. Pressing a quick kiss to his lips, she moved towards the bed and climbed through the draperies. As darkness closed around her, she felt her heart thud heavily against her ribs and began moving towards the pillows. Pausing as the draperies pulled open behind her, she glanced back and met Kouen's eyes. Heat trailed down her spine, she flexed her fingers within the bedspread below her as he got onto the bed with her.

Haltingly starting to move towards the pillows again, Iris paused as she felt his fingers close around her ankle. Glancing back at him as darkness fell over them when the draperies closed once more, she murmured, "En?"

"Stay in that position, Iris," Kouen's voice was a low rumble as his fingers slid up her calf, "I have something that I want to try with you,"

Swallowing as she shifted slightly, Iris nodded while trying to relax her body. Jolting as Kouen tugged her legs further apart, she looked at him, "What are you planning?"

Lips pulling into a sly smile as the heated gaze he bore ran across her, Kouen moved in front of her seemingly satisfied with what he'd done, "You'll see in a moment."

Kissing her softly as his fingers dragged against her hips again, Iris slowly forgot the question she'd asked. Her fingers found his neck and hair as she tried to deepen the kiss only for Kouen to pull away, she frowned at him until he moved to lay down beside where she knelt on the bed. Eyeing him in confusion, she tilted her head as he reached out to her, "En?"

"Come here," Kouen beckoned her with a hand.

Moving towards him, Iris grabbed his hand and found herself being guided to kneel by his head. Her face burned when he began to tug her leg closer, she murmured, "What are you-"

"Trust me," Kouen's lips pulled into a teasing smirk.

Swallowing as her heart hammered against her ribs, Iris finally allowed Kouen to guide her to kneel above his face. Opening her mouth to ask what he intended to do, she jolted as he nipped at her inner thigh. Her muscles clenched around his head at the unexpected sting, a low chuckle rumbled from Kouen's chest before she felt his tongue dart against her entrance. Breath hitching at the feeling, she moaned as his tongue flattened and dragged as it dug in. Her hips jolt at the first pass of his tongue along her clit, the almost aggressive way it dragged and dug into the nub. Fingers dug into her hips as a low moan slipped from her lips, the urge to rock into the sensation eroded any surprise she felt.

Her hips started to rock against his face as Kouen made a noise of approval, Iris's legs shook as her fingers burrowed into his hair. Her hips lifted occasionally, the pleasure biting at her spine too much though Kouen was quick to drag her back. Head dropping back as she felt him suck on her clit, she found her senses slowly dissolving as pleasure began to consume them. Her body stiffened as waves of it slid down her spine and washed away any perception, the cry she released was muffled to her own ears. Her body trembled as she struggled to pull away from Kouen, he kept her against him for a bit longer before finally allowing her to sink onto the bed beside him.

Panting heavily as she lay on her side, Iris shifted slowly to peer at Kouen as he sat up beside her. Voice shaky as she breathed out heavily, she murmured, "If that was you wanting to try something, I'm almost scared to see what else you have in store for me,"

A low chuckle left Kouen as he reached out to shift Iris onto her back. Rather than slip between her legs immediately as had been the case as of late due to certain time constraints and the fact they'd been horny as hell, he laid beside her with a light smile, "I do have other ideas, but they can wait."

Humming low in her throat, Iris shifted to wrap an arm around his neck and tossed a leg over his waist, "I see."

"Mhmm," Kouen rubbed her hips.

As she slowly calmed down from what he'd done, Iris shifted to kiss him. Kouen rolled them until she was lying beneath him as the kiss deepened. Her fingers trailed down along his side, she broke the kiss as his cock pressed against her. Arching into him as her leg curled tighter around his waist, she panted as he started to sink into her. Her fingers dug into his skin as she murmured, "D-definitely made this feel better somehow."

Chuckle transforming into a grunt, Kouen started to thrust into her as his fingers dug into her hips. Iris knew she'd have bruises come morning and these would likely take longer to fade. Pressing kisses into her neck, Kouen chuckled, "Good to know, I'll-" He swore as she clenched down around him after his thrust harshened, "Have to do it again."

"I-I wouldn't mind," Iris bucked into him as his mouth found one of her sweet spots.

Digging her fingers into his back, Iris dragged her nails along the skin with each harsh thrust. Her head was growing hazy, she could feel herself getting close, the feeling of him starting to hit the one spot that had her seeing stars made it hard to focus. Her breath hitched as one of his hands slid between them, the familiar touch of his fingers against her clit. Each time she bucked into him had her grinding into his fingers, she found herself crying out as the edge came far more rapidly than she expected. Her entire body seemed to lock up, she panted heavily as she was coming down.

Not quite pulling free of her, Kouen laid his head on her shoulder as they both came down. Her eyes were closed as his arms settled beside her head, she cracked open an eye to peer at him as he pressed a kiss to her sweaty forehead. Her head tilted as he spoke, the words soft, "A bath would probably do us both some good."

"True though I'd rather not move just yet," Iris was content to simply lay where she was for a little while.

Lips pulling into a small smile, Kouen kissed her and she curled her arms around his neck. He pulled away after a moment, "If we take a bath, we can just cuddle after."

"True," Iris hummed lightly though her lips pulled into a teasing smile, "But who's to say that I won't want to do anything else tonight?"

Shaking his head with a low huff of amusement, Kouen kissed her again, "And here I thought I'd be the one taking advantage of having you within my rooms."

"Did I not say that I'd want to have sex a lot after we fucked the first time?" Iris asked with a teasing grin, "Though if you're not willing-"

Catching her lips, Kouen finally pulled away from Iris and settled down beside her with a low laugh, "I am quite willing though perhaps not tonight," She gave him a mock pout, "Tomorrow will be another day."

"Fine," Iris let out a dramatic sigh even as she inwardly cringed.

As Kouen coaxed her out of bed and into a robe, Iris felt the guilt she'd been ignoring surge. While she could be with Kouen tomorrow, she would need to continue her nightly activities the next night and begin adapting to actually sharing a room with Kouen. Her lips wanted to pull into a frown at the thought, she wondered how long it would be before Kouen noticed any holes in the lies she told him about any alternate plans. How long would it be before he tried to verify her whereabouts? Chest growing heavy, she wondered how long it would be before he started to give her looks of suspicion-

Cutting off those thoughts, Iris reminded herself that this was being done to prevent Luna's prophecy from occurring. She would finish everything before Kouen or Koumei had a chance to realize what was going on.