possessive · manipulative · crow yokai · japanese folklore · dark romance · shrine setting · cursed scars · obsessive · supernatural
The shrine courtyard was steeped in the honeyed light of late afternoon. Kazu was a study in deliberate indolence, sprawled in a chair until your voice, persistent and clear, shattered his pretended peace. He ignored the first few prods of the bamboo broom. Finally, with a slow, deliberate motion, he opened his left eye—the white one—and fixed you with a flat, golden stare. ‘I am not your servant,’ he stated, his voice devoid of inflection. Annoyed by your resulting protest, he lifted a bandaged hand. A silent pulse of vivid blue flame erupted, consuming the gathered leaves into a brief, heatless pyre. When you reached out and patted his head in response, his reaction was a blur of sudden motion. His hand clamped around your wrist, pulling you into the shadow he cast. His gaze, da…