Awakening Beast. (Hellhound's Entry)

[Balthier]

Akemi half smuled silently at the Hellhound’s concern, the steam swirling around them as the last of the suds vanished down the drain. "Don't worry about the clothes for now, hero. We’re in my home, no one's going to judge you for being a little uncovered while we eat. I might have a yukata that will fit you" With the Hellhound clean, Akemi turned her attention to herself. She moved under the spray with a practiced, feminine grace that was a stark contrast to the Hellhound's raw power. Her hands, still smelling of honey and sandalwood, traveled over her own petite, delicate curves. She lathered her medium-small breasts and the soft slope of her hips, her skin pale and gleaming under the artificial light of the bathroom.

She took a moment to tilt her head back, letting the hot water sluice through her dark hair, washing away the tension of the previous night. Finally, she turned off the dial. The sudden silence was punctuated only by the heavy drip-drop of water hitting the tiles. Akemi stepped out, wrapping herself in a fluffy white towel. She grabbed a second, much larger towel and draped it over the Hellhound's shoulders. "Dry off well, like a good girl. I'll get the kitchen ready."

A few minutes later, Akemi emerged from her bedroom. She hadn't gone for a full outfit yet, opting for comfort in the safety of her apartment. She had pulled on a pair of blue and white striped panties that hugged her hips, her perfect ass, and a crisp white button-up blouse. The shirt was a little long on her petite frame, the hem barely covering the top of her thighs, and she had left the top two buttons undone for breathability, giving her enticing cleavage. As she moved around the small kitchen, the fabric pulled and flowed in a way that was inadvertently alluring, a casual, domestic beauty that could mesmerize.

The kitchen was soon filled with the comforting, savory aromas of a proper Japanese breakfast. Grilled Mackerel, sizzling gently, its skin crispy and salted. Miso Soup, steam rising from bowls filled with tofu and green onions. Steamed Rice, perfectly fluffy and white. Tamagoyaki, sweet and savory rolled omelets, sliced into neat yellow rectangles.

Akemi moved with a light step, her bare feet silent on the floorboards. She set the table for two, placing a generous portion of everything on the Hellhound’s side. When everything was ready, she slid into her chair, her legs crossed comfortably beneath the table. She would look up as the Hellhound approached, a truly adorable, beaming smile lighting up her face. The morning sun caught the moisture still in her hair, making her look radiant and entirely at peace. "Breakfast is served," Akemi said softly, patting the seat next to her. "I made sure there's extra fish for you. Come sit."

Edited April 19 by Balthier

[Warning]

Hellhound didn't argue about staying naked. Her nature was fully alright with that. After the shower was over, she only watched Akemi without moving for the moment. Being approached with the towel, it felt soft when her friend covered her with it. Being told to dry off gave her ideas of what she could do but to be a good girl, fire probably was not a good idea at that moment. The towel itself would do a good job. All Hellhound had to do was to use it to rub her skin with it and it absorbed the water enough to let her natural heat eliminate what little water was left on her skin. Her fur needed a little effort to get dry but she worked on it while her friend was gone, ending the process with drying her paws off.

Hellhound had to wonder what a yukata was but she did not search for any clothes. Her mischievous side was a little more controlled in this place, out of respect for Akemi. Besides, being naked felt natural to her. Once ready, the hound left the shower room and poked around to look curiously at this place. She did not touch anything but freely looked, trusting her friend and hopefully being trusted enough to be left alone for a moment on each others' side. If anything fragile was around, she tried to move tail in a way she did not tilt or push anything by accident. As she was not all that often among humans, Hellhound had a certain fascination with a lot of what she was seeing, as simple as it was for humans.

Once the scent from the kitchen started to spread, Hellhound finally found herself being lured toward the source while her belly grumbled, begging to be filled. Still, she did not appear in the kitchen just so casually. Poking her head from behind one of the entrance, the hound curiously peeked inside for what smelled so good. First, she eyed Akemi herself, appreciating the sight at the least. Her own pretty girl taking care of cooking a meal worthy of her hunger. Seeing and smelling it excited the beast girl enough that her tail wagged behind her and she had to control herself so she didn't drool. While she was not making much sound, her presence would soon be made noticeable as she was not trying to hide.

As soon as Akemi carried the food to the table then sat down on her chair, Hellhound finally came out quietly then moved closer. Naked in appearance but doing nothing to make it weird. She looked like she was in her element, acting perfectly natural about it. The welcoming sight made the hound smile, at least, That was not the breakfast that she had expected but it sure was the one that she desired at the moment. Still, she had to behave. Looking at another seat, Hellhound moved close to sit down, letting her tail free where she could. "It smells good, Akemi...~", she commented, her ears perking up at the sound of extra meat. Calmly, she started to eat what was offered, making cute sounds of satisfaction.

[Balthier]

Akemi watched the Hellhound eat with a quiet, private fascination. Seeing the Hound so content, so thoroughly humanized by a simple bowl of rice and fish, sent a warm flutter through her chest. Beneath the table, she let her guard down further. She extended one leg, her soft, bare foot lightly grazing the Hellhound's dark, powerful calf. It was a gentle, flirtatious brush, a secret communication in the quiet morning. She let her toes linger there for a moment, a playful smirk dancing on her lips as she watched for the hound’s reaction.

However, as the flirtatious moment settled, Akemi’s expression shifted. The lightheartedness in her eyes dimmed, replaced by a clouded, somber look. She set her chopsticks down neatly across her bowl and took a slow, steadying breath. She looked directly at the Hellhound, her gaze steady but heavy with a complicated truth.

"I’m so happy you’re here, and that you’re safe," Akemi began, her voice dropping to a serious, quiet tone. "But... we have to talk about what happened before. Before we were friends."

She leaned forward slightly, her cleavage heaving with one deep breath, fingers lacing together with Hellhound's on the tabletop. "My friend Hikari... she was in the village during your first attack. She was badly hurt when things caught fire. She’s been in the hospital since then, recovering."

Akemi paused, searching the Hellhound’s fiery eyes, not with anger, but with a plea for understanding.
"I want to go see her today. I want to visit her and make sure she’s okay. And..." She hesitated, her heart beating a little faster. "Do you to come with me. It might be hard, but I think it's important..."

[Warning]

Hellhound was focused on eating for a moment until the touch on her leg made her jump slightly, letting out a subtle vocal sound as well. She was not caught off guard often but she didn't need to check what was touching her. If anything, she felt embarrassed that it made her react but she otherwise smiled, being even entertained that Akemi was comfortable enough to play with her like this. While she did not voice any comments, being too busy to eat, her tail at least looked like it wagged a little more, showing that she enjoyed it.

As the moment settled and Hellhound quickly finished her meal, she remained sitting down to behave and curiously watched her friend. What she saw before as a playful attitude seemed to change into an other mood. The beast girl could not tell what but she was not expecting anything bad from it. She knew that Akemi could get serious at times, perhaps for personal reasons. Humans had many of these complexities in their life after all. Many of which the hound did not understand. To try and understand humans was still a bit hard.

Akemi showed her happiness but then the words turned into something darker... Hellhound did not guess right away that it was about the village. Before they were friends could be anything that she was doing in hell or elsewhere. Still, her ears could not help but drop slowly with her eyes showing some concern. Akemi suddenly asked about something she did not do before and the hound did not expect this kind of conversation but perhaps it had to come sometimes. She could barely speak to ask but listened very carefully to her.

As Akemi leaned forward, Hellhound felt her hands touch hers left limp, her fingers interlocking with hers, before the village was finally mentioned. In this position, Akemi would surely feel the beast girl's reaction through her hands which showed no resistance nor hostility of any sort but still gave a nervous movement. Her ears dropped on her head completely. She was not the kind to show regret over any humans hurt in battle but her pride had changed since meeting with Akemi. This memory made it harder to feel like a good girl.

The hound's eyes showed that she felt worried, maybe of disappointing her new friend... A scar that may never be forgotten. Akemi wanted to go see this friend of hers and Hellhound did not mind as she was not the only friend of Akemi, after all. Maybe she could hide in her room and wait. It would make Akemi happy. But then, this request made her ears perk up. "...Y-you want Hellhound to come with you? Are you sure it's okay...?" She did not argue it. She would do as she wished. "If you think so, I will...", she said, willing to behave.

[Balthier]

A small, subtle reaction betrayed the internal conflict the beast was grappling with. Akemi didn't pull away, if anything, she tightened her grip, offering the Hound an anchor of warmth and reassurance. Seeing the hound’s ears flatten and her eyes cloud with worry, not because she was afraid of a fight, but because she feared losing Akemi's approval, was a sight that cut right through Akemi's heart.

"I am sure," Akemi said, her voice soft but unwavering. She reached out with her free hand, gently brushing a stray lock of hair from the Hellhound's temple, her thumb stroking the skin with a soothing, rhythmic motion. "It isn't about ignoring what happened, or acting like it never occurred. But you aren't that same person today. You're a hero, and I want her to see that too."

Akemi stood up and walked around the table, pulling the Hellhound into a tight, grounding embrace. She rested her cheek against the hound’s shoulder, smelling the clean scent of the soap they had just used together, a reminder of the peace they had built between them.

"She's scared, just like anyone would be," Akemi whispered into the hound's ear. "But she's kind. If I explain... if she sees you standing there with me, I think she’ll understand. And if she doesn't, I'll be right there beside you. You won't have to face her alone."
She pulled back just enough to look the Hellhound in the eyes, her expression earnest and full of trust.
"We don't have to stay long. We can just walk in, ssee her. But I would like you to be there. I want to show her that my protector is someone who can choose to be better."

Akemi leaned forward, placing a soft, lingering kiss on the Hellhound’s forehead, right between her eyes.
"I think, It will be okay. Just stay close to me, and keep being the good girl you've been with me. Can you do that?"

[Warning]

Hellhound's eyes remained locked on her friend. The confirmation of Akemi that she wanted her to come did feel good to hear. Being told that the event of the past would not be forgotten but that she was still a hero did a certain effect on her. She was Hellhound, a proud destroyer and hunter regardless of what damage she caused, but being treated the way she now was brought a feeling she rarely felt. A certain pride that was not related to fighting, destroying, hunting or killing. Akemi brought that pride upon her.

The finishing touch of this feeling was that her friend came around to embrace her. This alone made her freeze, look forward and not to her friend, simply feeling the feeling. This was a reward and not any punishment. The hound could not really explain what it felt like other than it feeling good. It was a sign of a lasting bond for her that would not break if she remained a good girl. Lost in her thoughts for a moment, she thought about what her life may be like now if she decided to be the hero Akemi said that she was.

The whispering made Hellhound listen without turning her head. She was told of a girl who was scared after a monster burnt her village down. Humans were once the hound's playthings in many cases. On random times, she approached them like she was a pet hoping for headpats, like she did not realize what the problem was. She did not deserve kindness but Akemi still treated her as a friend, offering to be there beside her. Her pulling back slightly made Hellhound finally turn her head so they looked at each others.

The beast girl was not too talkative now but words could barely come out... The feeling she felt in her heart with Akemi trusting her like this was difficult for her to comprehend but she liked it. "Okay...", she finally said as reply but only after she received a kiss on the forehead and more encouragement did she speak more, "I will do my best. Stay close, be a good girl. Hellhound can do it. I hope she will like to see you, too. I will behave even if she does not like me...", she said, trying to avoid a depressed tone in her voice.

[Balthier]

Akemi held the Hellhound's gaze, her expression softening into a look of profound warmth and pride. The way the beast had accepted the vulnerability of the situation, putting aside her natural instinct to fight or flee in favor of trust, made Akemi's heart swell.

"You're already doing better than you know," Akemi murmured, tracing a fingertip along the hound's jawline. She took a breath, letting the moment of intimacy settle before her mind shifted to the practical matters at hand. She glanced over the Hellhound’s powerful, athletic frame, considering how to present her to the world, or at least, to Hikari, in a way that felt respectful yet true to the beast herself. "We need you to be comfortable, but... let's give you a look that says 'hero' instead of 'monster,'" Akemi mused, a small, playful glint returning to her eyes.

She led the Hellhound toward her bedroom, her mind cataloging her own wardrobe. She settled on a vibrant, deep-red skirt, the color of good fortune and courage, and a crisp, fitted blouse in a cream-colored fabric that would contrast beautifully against the Hellhound’s charcoal skin. As they began to dress, the atmosphere became almost sacred in its intimacy. Akemi moved with careful, deliberate motions, guiding the Hellhound’s arms through the sleeves. The blouse was tailored for a human, and as it settled over the Hellhound’s chest, it grew quite snug, the fabric straining slightly across her breasts. Curious... she liked the way the Hound looked. Really liked it. Was her own heart thumping a bit stronger?

Akemi stood on her tiptoes, her focus entirely on the task. Her fingers, steady and light, moved from the bottom button upward. She took her time, brushing her knuckles against the hound’s skin as she worked the small buttons through their loops. Every time she reached a button near the center of the hound's chest, she felt the steady, powerful thrum of the beast’s heart beneath the fabric, an intimate rhythm that made Akemi’s own breathing hitch. She smoothed the front of the shirt once it was fastened, her hands lingering for a heartbeat against the snug fabric. She stood back to look at her handiwork, her eyes roaming over the Hellhound, she looked striking, a blend of primal strength and poised, accidental elegance.

"There," Akemi said, her voice barely a whisper, a trace of a blush coloring her cheeks. "I think it suits you. Come on... let's go." She reached out, taking the Hellhound’s hand in hers once more, her grip firm and resolute. She was ready to face the past, as long as she was walking toward the future with the hound by her side.

(The ride shouldn't be too long)

Edited Saturday at 03:00 AM by Balthier

[Warning]

Hellhound could hardly avoid giving a little smile to the comment made toward her but she held herself back from at least saying something, instead listening to Akemi. The liberty her friend took touching her, even if in very subtle manners, made her unavoidably happy seeing how comfortable she was with it. The proposition of Akemi to give her a heroic look instead of a monster one also sounded fun. She had plenty of other times to be the monster girl she was but for now, she obeyed and played along. Being lead toward the bedroom made her follow cooperatively, actually enjoying this moment between them while she curiously wondered what they would be doing together to get this plan started for success.

Unlike Akemi, Hellhound's eyes stared at the wardrove with some unusual excitement based solely on the fact she never really wore much clothes, much less human ones. If her friend wanted to play dress up with her, she would not resist. If she was required to move, she could easily guess how or be lead to move her limbs in ways Akemi needed her to. A skirt really was not a kind of clothes she ever wore but the softness of it was pleasant. The blouse intriguingly followed up with the good feeling against her skin, on her top body instead this time. The girl was not quite done yet, seeming to adjust what she was wearing. Humans and their fashion was something the hound probably would never understand likewise.

Still, Akemi was hard at work while Hellhound stood still unless she needed to move, not realizing what was happening in the girl's mind. It was not like she was trying to decipher her thoughts either. For all she cared at that moment, she was having a good time being the plaything of her friend. When the final touch was over and Akemi took a look at her, the hound looked at her then at herself, shifting from one to another, to try and understand what the result of this moment was. With the clothes she wore, her skin probably became unnoticeable except for her face, only leaving the beastly paws and hands out to be seen but in quite a cute way. She was still monster but the dress gave an oddly human feeling to it.

That was it. Her friend was finally done, drawing a smile out of Hellhound. "Mhm, it feels soft, Akemi... I will not use my fire this time. Hellhound doesn't want to burn your clothes.", she said to her, almost with a guilty tone in the end. It could happen that she'd have to fight but her idea for now was to strip naked if she needed to do so. To her, it would be completely natural. For now, she held Akemi's hand and followed her. Hellhound would do her best, climbing into her car when they were out then sitting still, putting her fluffy tail where it would not bother. She would only look outside as they went, liking to do so during the ride for some reasons. However, at the end of it, she patiently waited for Akemi to lead her.