Chapter 196 – Spicy Dinner Conversations With A Side Of Self-Reflection
After Rumi had handily beaten John up for nearly thirty minutes, he limped back to the house to make dinner. He served the three women a simple beef stir-fry he had prepped earlier, using some leftover cuttings from a slab of beef he had paid way too much for. He was craving steak, and having mainly pork and fish for the last few weeks was bothering him. He had some lovely cuts prepped in the fridge for tomorrow night and planned to fully enjoy the treat.
He set the serving dish down on the short table, then sat down. Rumi was on his left, Mei on his right, and Yu across from him. They kept the conversation fairly light at first, but the elephant in the room continued to stare at them, so he finally asked the question. "So, what happened today to make you come to that decision, Rumi?"
"I'm being pragmatic and making a preemptive strike. The Takeyama are going to try to get their hands on you, so I either become flexible and make a concession or roll over and give up, and I never give up." She replied, gesturing with her chopsticks.
"I'm still a Takeyama, Rumi," Yu said, reminding her that she was part of the family as well.
"Yes, but you're not towing the family line like some of the others I've met. I'd rather throw my lot in with you than try to go on the run with John. I might be a hero now, but my past isn't clean. If I become a thorn in their side without a plan, they could report that past to the HPSC, and suddenly, I'm out of a job and put in Tartarus with all the criminals I've helped put in there. I'm up for a fight, but even I need to sleep sometimes."
"Is it really that bad?" John asked. He knew Rumi had a questionable past, but he didn't think it was put in jail bad.
"Our family isn't against assassinations, but they prefer to do it the legal way, by destroying your reputation. They prefer to make you look like the bad guy, so they seem altruistic when they bring you in. Or, they keep their hands off you directly and just send an anonymous tip to the police." Mei said, joining the conversation. They all looked over at her, causing the normally extroverted girl to squirm a bit. "What? I'm in this, too."
"Don't you have some homework to do?" Yu said, clearly not wanting Mei in this conversation.
"I already finished the entire curriculum for the year. Plus, I have been talking with a few others within the household and already have a good idea of what their plan is. Whatever happens here is going to affect me too, you know."
"Mei,"
"Mom, I like John. He would be good for us."
"Mei, look at me," John said, interjecting before they started to squabble. He took her hand. "Listen, I need to talk with both Rumi and your mother for a few minutes first. Can you step outside for a bit while we talk about a couple of things first? When we get that part cleared up, I'll call you back in."
"Promise?"
"I do."
"I'll hold you to that," Mei replied, then left the table. Once she was outside, he looked over at the other two.
"So, I want to clear a few things up. Do you two actually want to have a relationship with me? Not just because of the Takeyama's newfound obsession with me? Not because you're afraid they are going to try and snatch me away? You're both young women, and I'm middle-aged, not to mention I have some secrets I haven't shared with you yet."
"I already told you that I did. You would have to say something pretty crazy for me to change that." Rumi said, clearly already having decided her course.
"You're good with Mei, which makes me think you would be a great father. I'm... I feel really good around you, and you make me want to be a better person. I don't know why, but when you're being firm with me, I think it's hot. God, do I have one of those weird kinks Midnight talked about?" Yu replied, shivering a little.
Midnight? I know she is the art teacher at the school, but I haven't met her yet.
"It's not weird to be attracted to restrained strength, and John has that," Rumi said, then squeezed his arm as if that made her point.
"And you are good with sharing me with each other?"
"I was already expecting to be part of some powerful Quirk users' harem at some point, so a poly relationship isn't a problem for me. Breaking free from them didn't really change that." Yu said, a slight blush entering her cheeks.
"I did have some hang-ups with that, but with a beautiful woman like Yu, who is finally training to be a better fighter, I can accept her," Rumi said between bites of food.
"You think I'm beautiful?"
"I think power is sexy, and you can knock a building over with your ass. Even if I didn't like you flaunting yourself on the internet doing it, it's hot as hell to watch. We just need to replace some of that flab with muscle, and instill more discipline in your bones." She said, poking Yu in the thigh.
"You really don't hold back, do you?" Yu replied, sounding a little embarrassed.
"No point. I could be killed by some villain tomorrow, so I'm saying what I'm thinking to avoid confusion. So, Yu and John, here is what I want. I want John to beat me in a fight so he can claim me. I want you to become a better fighter so our agency can become one of the top ones in Japan.
I want him to massage both our bodies until we melt into the bed. I want him to take you in front of me, turning you into a quivering mess, then toss me on top of your body and do the same to me. I want to be loved tenderly, I want to be ridden hard. I want to be covered in his cum, and I want to see you drowned in it too. I want to explore all these new feelings I have with both of you, together. And I want another serving of this stir-fry, it is delicious!"
They both just stared at the rabbit woman who was scooping up more stir-fry from the serving dish. Little John woke up from her words, threatening to bust the seams on his pants. Yu had turned a rosy shade of pink, almost the same colour as her magenta eyes.
Rumi looked up at both of them, then cocked one of her ears to the side. "What? Is there something in my teeth?"
"Are you sure you're a virgin?" Yu said, sounding exasperated.
"Yep. Though I can't prove it, my hymen broke years ago. Why?
"You sound like some college slut talking about going to a frat party."
"I'm in my own home, I'll speak however I want. And I'm not some slut. I don't want some random people; I want you two. So eat up and get stronger, so we can make my dream a reality. What do you want, Yu?"
"Ah... I dunno. I never thought about it. I just want to be held tightly while I look into my lover's eyes." Yu said, looking over at John.
"Eye, he only has one. Do you want him to take you gently? Or do you want to be on top? Maybe you want to squeeze his head with your thighs, or have him suck on your nipples. Or maybe you want me to kiss you while he takes you, him looking down at our hot, sweaty bodies locked together?"
"I ah... Umm," Yu looked ready to crawl under the low table.
"Rumi, that's enough. This isn't the spot for our sexual preference talk." John said, finally trying to get Rumi back on track instead of this weird side tangent.
"What? I'm just curious about her taste. What about you? What do you want to do with us?"
John paused, considering how he would get her to back down from this sexual talk. "If I tell you, will you drop this topic for now?"
She nodded. "Sure. We have other things to discuss anyway."
Thank god. I'm not sure how much longer I can deal with this.
He smiled, remembering her inner thoughts. He activated his Quirk to make sure he had her full attention. "I'm going to beat you in a fight. Then, while you're still in a broken mess on the floor of the dojo, I'll take the wraps and tie up your limbs, making you helpless. Then I'm going to blindfold you and plug your ears so you can't see or hear anything. Then I'm going to drag you over to the Koi pond and lay you across my lap and tear your pants off. I'll start playing with you, teasing you, then when you get close to orgasm."
He paused.
"You'll what?" She asked, enraptured by his description, which was somewhat similar to her daydream from the hero suit store.
"I'm going to spank your ass until it's purple for this conversation we are having at the dinner table. That's a promise." He said, with as much power and certainty as he could muster.
"Eeekk!" She said, jumping back from the table, covering her ass with her hands like he just did that.
"God, John. Are you a sadist? I mean... You can spank me, too, if you want." Yu added, squirming a little in her seat.
John just sighed. Apparently, his Quirk had more power than he thought.
They invited Mei back inside a few minutes later, the topic changing from sex talk to more important matters. This was the moment John was dreading, actually, revealing himself. He didn't want to, but with the Takeyamas already knowing his secrets, he needed to let them all know who he actually was. He thought about avoiding it, but after what Mei said about how they would destroy people, that would just give them something else to dangle over his head.
"Listen, I told you I had secrets earlier. Well, the Takeyamas know them as well, so I want to let you know the truth about me."
"Is this about why they are so eager to have you join our family?" Yu asked.
"Yeah. They are calling me a true paladin, which, I technically am."
"The paladin orders died out a thousand years ago. How are you a Paladin?" Yu asked.
"What's a paladin? Isn't that something from a video game?" Rumi asked at the same time.
"Oh! Is that how you could hold Godslayer?" Mei added.
He sighed. "Yes, they died, no, they are not just from some game... at least not in some worlds. And yes, that is how I handled that blade. Now, please don't interrupt me. I'll answer your questions afterwards. Now, first off. I'm not from this version of Earth... I died on my Earth and was transmigrated to a place called DEN, located in the Omniverse."
John explained to them that he was on a game show for these gods, and how he was hopping between different worlds. He activated a few of his powers to prove what he was saying was true, even inviting them to his party so they could see the screen pop up in front of their faces. He didn't check their status panels; he continued with his explanation instead. Finally, he came clean as being the Twilight Knight, activating his armour.
"HAH! I knew it! That was you!" Rumi laughed, slapping her thighs. "Your voice was a little different in that tin can on your head, but I was positive it was you."
"And you're okay with this? I did kill that guy. Well, actually, I did worse to him."
"At the time, I was concerned with upholding the law." She said, then sighed. "With everything you just dropped on us, I'm not sure what to think about it yet. I'm not like these two; my Quirk doesn't enhance my brain. Sure, you broke Japan's laws, but you saved some people and ended the life of a powerful villain. My hands aren't clean either, so who am I to judge? I think... I'm going to go for a walk. I need some fresh air to clear my mind."
She stood up and placed a hand on his chest. "I'll be back in a couple of hours... I'll let you know my decision then." She bounced up and kissed his cheek, then left the house without any more ceremony.
"Yu?" John said once Rumi had left.
"You're really from another world?"
"Yes."
"It's hard to believe."
"Any harder than me believing your grandmother is a spirit embedded in a blade? Or that ninety percent of humanity has superpowers called Quirks?"
"Hah, when you put it that way, I can see your point." She replied, then leaned on his chest. "I can see why my grandmother would want you to have as many children with our blood as you could. However, my mother isn't my grandmother; she is a much more reasonable woman... She only banished me because I pushed the family away, letting me make my own way in the world."
"What are you saying?"
"Would you be willing to become engaged with Rumi and me? If we solidify our relationship, she would probably be happy enough with that and shut down my grandmother from trying to cause more chaos."
"We barely know each other, Yu."
"I know, that's why I said engagement. We can date for some time, then, as long as you're willing, get married. It's going to be a rather massive affair if it happens, so I'm sorry in advance. My family doesn't do small."
"Yu. No."
"What?!? Why?"
"Mei, can you give us some privacy, please?" John said, belatedly remembering Mei was still in the room.
"Uhm... Sure, Mr. Wayne." She said, then went back outside.
She is probably going to hear every word anyway, but this needs to be said.
"Two weeks ago, what was Mei doing at this time?"
"Umm..."
"Two weeks ago, what were you doing?"
"I was... in a bar... trying to get you to buy me a drink."
"Were you taking care of your daughter or partying on the town?"
"It was a work meeting, but I went home afterward."
"To start cleaning, for the first time in a long time."
"How? Mei! Wha-"
"Don't blame your daughter. Adoptive or not, she wanted nothing more than to spend time with you, and other than the last couple of weeks, she got almost nothing from you. Tell me I'm wrong?"
"It's..."
"Tell me, Yu."
"I have no excuse. I was a bad mother... I'm trying to change."
"Tell me. What do you know about her future plans?"
"I know she likes to build things. She is always in the basement workshop."
"She is literally planning on how to support herself without the aid of your family. To prove she is worthy of your family's name. She wants to make you proud. Have you ever told her how proud of her you were?"
"No..."
"I've barely known her a week, and I'm already proud of her."
"What do you want me to do, John! I can't change my past, I can only do better going forward."
"Then do better, Yu. Show me that you are a woman with some self-respect and willing to change your ways. If you do that, and you still want a relationship with me, I'll consider it. Until then, focus on improving yourself and getting to know your daughter better. I know she loves you with all her heart, and it tears at my heart to know you didn't really give her any reciprocation."
"What about Rumi? What about that talk of us wanting to be with you?"
"Neither of you asked if I wanted to be with you. Rumi has my respect, and I would be happy to be with her. I'm willing to get to know you better, Yu, but you need to show me you have changed before I consider something like an engagement. I won't fake an engagement just to appease your family, I have too much self-respect to do that."
"Are you sure you don't hate me?"
"I think the question is, do you hate yourself enough to change?"
"Can't you say one nice thing about me? Please." She said with a sob.
John realized that he had Yu in tears. He cupped her cheek in his hand and gently forced her to look up at him. "You're smart, you know you need to change your ways, and you have very beautiful eyes." He said, brushing a tear off her cheek.
"Thank you. I'll do better, I promise."
"Good. That's all I ask. Now, it's getting late. Go take your daughter home. I'll see you tomorrow."
John saw them off, making sure he retrieved his motorcycle from Mei. She gave him a sad smile as she grabbed onto her mother's arm, the pair of them exiting the compound, chatting quietly.
He went back to the house, cleaned up the dishes, and then went back out to the dojo. He and that speed bag had a date, and he wasn't going to stop until he knocked it off its mount.
