Love you
The Mark of Belonging
The soft blue light of the laptop screen cast flickering shadows against the walls of Yuta’s room. On the small screen, the credits of a romantic drama rolled in silence, the melody of the ending theme humming low through the speakers. The room was cool, the air conditioner whirring softly, but under the heavy duvet, the heat between Yuta and Yumi was palpable.
Yumi was tucked firmly into the crook of his arm, her long black hair fanned out across his chest like silk. She felt the steady, rhythmic thrum of his heart beneath her ear—a sound that had become her favorite lullaby. For the past few days, a fragile peace had settled over them. She was trying, desperately, to be the "mature" version of herself that the school demanded. She didn't snap when Maki spoke to him in the halls, and she didn't cry when he had to leave for afternoon briefings.
But then, Yuta broke the silence.
"Yumi?" his voice was a low vibration in his chest. "I have a mission tomorrow. It’s an investigation in Sendai. Gojo-sensei assigned Maki and me to check out a lead on some Grade 1 cursed spirits appearing near the old residential districts."
Yumi’s fingers, which had been tracing the hem of his t-shirt, stilled. The familiar, cold knot of jealousy began to tighten in her stomach. Sendai. A different city. Hours on a train together, hours of fighting side-by-side, sharing meals, sharing the adrenaline of a hunt.
"Oh," she said, her voice small but remarkably steady. "How long will you be gone?"
"We’re taking the early Shinkansen," Yuta replied, his hand moving to stroke her hair comfortingly. "We should be back by tomorrow night, late. I’ll text you as soon as we’re on the train home."
"Okay," Yumi whispered. She closed her eyes, forcing herself to breathe. She wouldn't make a scene. She wouldn't give Maki the satisfaction of calling her a child again. "I’ll wait for you."
Yuta shifted, looking down at her with a mixture of relief and pride. "Thank you for understanding, Yumi. I know it’s been a lot lately."
He leaned down to press a chaste kiss to her forehead, but Yumi didn't let him pull away. She shifted her weight, sliding upward until she was hovering over him, her dark eyes searching his. The moonlight through the window caught the moisture in her gaze, making her look ethereal and desperate all at once.
"Yuta," she breathed, her heart hammering against her ribs. "I don't want to just wait. I want... I want to belong to you. Completely."
Yuta’s breath hitched. He was a Special Grade sorcerer who had faced down literal nightmares, but the look in Yumi’s eyes made his blood turn to ice and fire simultaneously. "Yumi... you already do."
"No," she whispered, her hand sliding up to cup his jaw, her thumb brushing over his lower lip. "I want to be yours. Tonight. I want you to take me."
The air in the room seemed to vanish. Yuta’s eyes widened, his face flushing a deep, frantic red. "Yumi, wait—are you sure? I... I’ve never... and you haven't either. I don't want to rush you just because I’m leaving for a day. We have time."
"I am sure," she insisted, her voice gaining a sudden, fierce strength. She leaned down, pressing her lips to his, tasting the hesitation and the underlying hunger that he always tried so hard to suppress. "I don't want to be the girl you protect because she’s a childhood friend. I want to be the woman you come home to because you love her."
Yuta’s resolve crumbled. He reached up, his large hands framing her small face, his touch trembling. "I love you so much it scares me," he confessed against her mouth.
He moved with an agonizing gentleness at first. He treated her like the most precious cursed tool in existence, something that might shatter if handled with anything less than absolute reverence. He peeled away the layers of her uniform, his eyes filled with a raw, dazed wonder at the sight of her. When she finally lay beneath him, her black hair stark against the white sheets, he felt a surge of protectiveness so strong it felt like cursed energy overflowing.
"Tell me if it hurts," he whispered, his voice hoarse. "I’ll stop. I promise I’ll stop."
Yumi shook her head, her fingers digging into his shoulders. "Don't stop. Just... don't leave me behind."
As he moved to join their bodies, the reality of the situation hit him. Yumi was small, her frame delicate, and as he entered her, he felt the resistance of her innocence. She was so tight, so incredibly narrow, that the sensation sent a jolt of pure, unadulterated electricity straight to his brain.
Yuta gasped, his head snapping back. He had intended to be slow, to be the perfect, patient lover, but the physical reality of her body clinging to his destroyed his self-control. His movements became more urgent, his breath coming in ragged, shallow bursts. The "Special Grade" composure he maintained in battle vanished, replaced by a primal, desperate need to be as close to her as humanly possible.
Yumi let out a sharp, stifled cry—half pain, half shock—and arched her back. To ground herself, to reclaim some sense of control in the storm of new sensations, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down. Her mouth found the sensitive skin just below his ear, and she bit down.
It wasn't a gentle nip. Driven by a surge of possessive love and the overwhelming intensity of the moment, she sucked and bit at the column of his throat. She wanted to leave a mark. She wanted something that would stay on him when he went to Sendai, something that would remind him—and everyone else—exactly who he returned to at the end of the day.
Yuta groaned, his fingers tangling in the sheets as he surrendered to the rhythm, his heart racing in sync with hers until the world narrowed down to just the heat of the room and the sound of their shared breath.
***
The sun was barely over the horizon when the alarm on Yuta’s phone began to blare. He groaned, reaching out to silence it, his muscles feeling heavy and sated. Beside him, Yumi was still fast asleep, her face peaceful, a small smile playing on her lips even in slumber.
He dressed quietly in the dim light, pulling on his high-collared white jacket and adjusting his sword bag. He felt a lingering soreness, a reminder of the night before that made his face heat up even now. He leaned over the bed, kissing Yumi’s cheek one last time before slipping out of the room.
By the time he reached the school gates, Maki was already there. She looked as sharp as ever, her uniform pristine, her glasses reflecting the early morning light.
"You’re late," she said, checking her watch. "The Shinkansen won't wait for a Special Grade, you know."
"Sorry," Yuta said, rubbing the back of his head. "I overslept a bit."
Maki scoffed, turning to lead the way toward the station. "Whatever. Let's just get this over with. The report says the cursed energy signatures are erratic, so keep your guard up."
The train ride was mostly silent. Yuta stared out the window at the passing scenery, his mind drifting back to the warmth of his bed. Maki spent the time reviewing the mission files, her brow furrowed in concentration.
It wasn't until they arrived in Sendai and began walking toward the outskirts of the city that the sun rose high enough to illuminate everything clearly. They stopped at a small park to coordinate their approach.
"Okay," Maki said, pointing to a map on her phone. "The highest concentration is near the old shrine. I’ll take the perimeter, you head straight for the—"
She stopped mid-sentence. Her eyes narrowed, focusing on Yuta’s neck.
Because of the heat of the morning, Yuta had unzipped the top of his high collar just an inch or two for some air. It was a mistake.
"What the hell is that?" Maki asked, her voice flat.
Yuta blinked, confused. "What?"
Maki stepped forward, reaching out with a blunt finger to point at his throat. "That. On your neck."
Yuta’s heart skipped a beat. He reached up, his fingers brushing against a spot that felt slightly tender. He hadn't looked in a mirror before leaving.
"It’s... nothing," Yuta stammered, his face turning a bright, tell-tale crimson.
"It’s not nothing. It’s a deep purple," Maki said, her voice dripping with a mixture of realization and disgust. She stepped back, crossing her arms over her chest. "It’s a hickey, Yuta. A massive one."
The silence that followed was agonizing. Yuta felt like he wanted to sink into the pavement. He quickly zipped his collar all the way up, nearly catching his chin in the process.
"I didn't realize... I mean, it’s just..."
"Save it," Maki interrupted, her expression hardening. "I don't need the details of your pathetic domestic life. I told you she was a distraction, and now you’re walking around a mission site looking like a marked dog."
"It’s not like that," Yuta said, trying to regain some shred of dignity, though his voice lacked its usual authority.
"Isn't it?" Maki snapped. "She did that on purpose. She knew you were coming here with me today. She wanted to make sure I saw it. She’s marking her territory because she’s insecure and childish."
Yuta looked at the ground. He knew Maki was right about one thing—Yumi probably had done it on purpose. But as he felt the slight sting of the mark under his collar, he didn't feel the annoyance Maki expected him to feel. He felt a strange, warm surge of affection.
"She isn't insecure," Yuta said quietly, looking up at Maki. His blush was still there, but his eyes were steady. "She just loves me. And I love her. If she needs to leave a mark to feel safe while I’m away, I don’t mind carrying it."
Maki stared at him for a long beat, her jaw tightening. She looked like she wanted to say something cutting, something about how a sorcerer should be above such earthly attachments, but the look in Yuta’s eyes stopped her. It was the look of a man who was completely, hopelessly content.
"You’re an idiot," Maki finally muttered, turning on her heel and marching toward the shrine. "A powerful, Grade-A idiot."
"I know," Yuta whispered to himself, a small, private smile tugging at his lips.
He followed her into the shadows of the shrine, the weight of his sword on his back and the mark on his neck serves as two different kinds of protection. One kept him alive, and the other reminded him exactly why staying alive mattered.
As they moved into the veil to face the curses waiting for them, Yuta reached up one more time, his fingers pressing against the hidden purple bruise. It was a brand, a promise, and a piece of home that he carried into the battle. He could handle Maki’s judgment and he could handle the Grade 1 spirits. Because tonight, he would be going back to the girl who had claimed him, and he wouldn't have it any other way.