Hozuki's Shadow--Hozuki x reader (Hoozuki no Reitetsu)

Chapter 7

It had been ten minutes, and Lilith still had yet to stop laughing.

"Oh, come on!" (F/N) whined. "It's not that funny!"

"Yes, it is!" Lilith slammed her hand on the table, causing the glasses to jump. "I can't believe he took it that far! Good lord!"

"Took what that far?"

"Oh, sweetie." Lilith shook her head. "You wouldn't get it even if I explained it to you."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Oh, nothing, nothing. Don't mind me."

Lilith took a giant swig of her beer, and (F/N) frowned. They were currently eating dinner at one of Hell's restaurants—the only one in Japanese Hell that sold craft beers—where (F/N) had regaled Lilith with the tale of her husband's strange actions. (F/N) hadn't thought it was funny--kind of odd and maybe a little creepy, but not funny. Lilith, however, found it hilarious.

"I still don't get it," (F/N) said, swirling the ice around in her cup. "I know he doesn't like Hozuki-kun, but why go after me? Sure, we're friends, but what does taking pictures do? And why was he so desperate to get into my house?"

"Oh, honey-bun," Lilith said, leaning back in her chair. "I can't believe you've made it through four-thousand years and a job in Mortal Hell, and still came out so innocent."

"Innocent?" (F/N) tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

"Never mind." Lilith shook her head. "I'm tempted to go into more detail, but I don't think a certain one-horned oni would be very happy with me if I did that, so let me explain it like this: a few months ago, I took some pictures with Hozuki-sama at the Lake of Blood. My husband found them and became hilariously jealous—ah, I can still see him crumbling to dust now...anyway, he's been angry about it ever since, and how best to get his revenge than to take pictures with the woman closest to Hozuki-sama?"

"The woman closest to Hozuki-kun..." (F/N) thought for a moment, glass clinking as she set it down. Now that she thought about it, she supposed that was her—it's not like he'd ever had a girlfriend. Then again, it still didn't make any sense. (F/N) wasn't anything special to him—just a friend. Had Beelzebub mistaken their relationship for something else?

She sighed, taking a bite of her food, and rolled the thoughts around in her head. Then her mind stuck on something, and she froze, a sickening feeling settling in the pit of her stomach.

"Um...Lilith..." she mumbled. "About Hozuki-kun...at the Lake of Blood...were you two really...you know..."

"What?" Lilith let out a laugh. "Of course not!"

(F/N) sighed. "Thank goodness..."

"...Though I wouldn't be opposed to it," Lilith continued, causing (F/N)'s shoulders to stiffen. "I have to say, he is my type...but you know him, he said he wouldn't want to get involved with a married woman. Oh, well...guess he doesn't like me as much as I like him."

She turned to (F/N), a Cheshire-cat grin on her face, and (F/N) forced a smile back. There was a strange feeling in her gut, but she forced it down, and stuffed another bite of food in her mouth. Meanwhile, Lilith watched, laughter dancing in her eyes.

"By the way," she said, "have you told your boss what happened today?"

"My boss?" (F/N) echoed. "You mean Hozuki-kun? Yeah, I did. He asked what happened while I was gone, so I told him. Why?"

"Oh, nothing." Lilith snickered. "I was just thinking...he's quite protective of you. You don't think he'd do anything to my husband for getting you involved in their little rivalry, do you?"