"It's time to make use of your ability."

(Y/n) dropped the sewing needle she was holding.

"What?"

"You got it. Tomorrow you're coming to work with me."

The girl tried to find an answer that could save her.

"And what about the dress for Elise? You wouldn't..."

"Honey. I'll be the one to get angry if you don't listen to me." Whispered softly Mori Ougai.

"Dad I'm already 20 I don't think..."

Mori sighed.

"How long should I deal with such a weak person like you?" He answered cuttingly.

The conversation ended.

There wasn't anything more to add.

(Y/n) had always known that the father, being the Port Mafia's boss, would have never allowed a waste of her ability.

She knew this was going to happen.

She picked the sewing needle and attached it to the bust seam.

Before leaving her and Mori her mother taught her something about sewing. Maybe also the woman had sewn dresses for Elise.

Her father's ability wasn't as disgusting as hers.

Umi to dokuyaku (the sea and the poison). The ability to make people suffer, to torture them just with mind's power.

She used it for the first time during primary school against a child who was targeting her. (Y/n) exploded in anger and used her ability.

Her mother was shocked after this revelation and next week she was gone leaving her with her father Mori Ougai.

The girl never knew what happened, but she never dared to ask her father.

That man terrified her, she was sure that contradicting him would cost her dear.

The man still tried to teach her to control her ability somehow, willingly volunteering for this.

And she never saw him losing his composure.

She has always thought that her ability mustn't be that strong, but then in high school she used it again against a boy who was trying to take advantage of her. There was a mess with the school.

At that point Mori had proposed to her to join the Mafia, but she refused. She had found a new passion in fashion with the few things her mother had left behind.

And that was her only occupation till now.

The next morning she was inside the Port Mafia with Mori.

Nobody knew who she was in that place.

It wasn't a surprise for her.

If everyone cared about Elise, the same didn't happen for her.

(Y/n) was a dead weight.

She followed her dad without realizing where he was leading her.

"Where are we going?"

She asked while going down some stairs that seemed to lead to Hell.

"Don't be impatient, my dear."

For a second she really thought he was going to kill her.

Would he use a scalpel like he did with the previous boss?

"Here we are! She's the girl!"

(Y/n) lifted her gaze.

It wasn't death that was waiting for her.

Unless the one in front of her was an angel ready to welcome her in Paradise.

Where were his wings?

"Her?"

A melodious sound came out from this angel's lips, enchanting (Y/n).

"I know. I know. She's pretty weak. But her ability..."

The girl came back to reality when Mori's hand reached her shoulder, startling her.

She swung around her father.

She wasn't dead after all.

"Don't...?" She mumbled.

"Honey, this is Paul Verlaine."

(Y/n) turned back to the angel losing herself in his icy blue eyes.

She didn't understand what was happening, but she felt helpless.

Mori's voice brought her back to Earth.

"Verlaine, she's (Y/n). From today she's in your hands."

A shiver ran down her spine.

"Of course Mori sensei. Don't worry. I'll turn her into a jewel."

"Have a good work, then."

The words of the previous day echoed in her mind while her father went away.

When he was far she looked in fear at Verlaine, but he seemed unmoved as if every feeling had left his body.

She wanted to say something, display her displeasure, but her gut suggested to her it wasn't a good idea.

She was still trying to understand what to do when she found herself against the wall with a blade pointed at her neck. A cold hand pressed her wrist to the wall.

She closed her eyes.

After all, he really wanted to kill her.

A second later she was freed and she fell to the ground shaking.

"The boss is right. You don't even know how to defend yourself. I'll have fun with you. Come on. Stand up."

Verlaine's cold voice forced her to obey.

Was it possible that there was someone that she would fear more than her father?

"Stand up."

She obeyed, still shaken by his sudden attack

The first week was exhausting for (Y/n). She wasn't used to physical effort and every single fiber of her body writhing in pain. Maybe she had really found someone worse than her father.

The next week her mentor was waiting for her.

"Mori also wants me to help you with your ability... but I've never seen you using it. Maybe it isn't that great if I can defeat you that easily."

The only answer the girl gave him was her silence.

"So?" Asked Verlaine unmoved.

"I don't know how to use it... I don't control it..."

Verlaine sighed.

"You're the worst case Mori gave me."

"I know."

She tried not to break down, but that sentence triggered all the stress of the previous week.

She didn't know how to use her ability but she knew when it might activate.

When the pain she felt seemed inconsolable.

Another sudden attack from Verlaine surprised her, one of his knives had brushed her cheek, breaking her delicate balance.

Umi to dokuyaku (the sea and the poison) was active.

(Y/n) realized it seeing Verlaine's eyes widen in surprise before collapsing on the ground writhing in pain.

She panicked. In the same way she couldn't activate it she couldn't stop it.

Verlaine was making her suffer during their training, but she couldn't see him like this just because of her.

She kneeled down to him sobbing.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I don't know how to stop it..."

Verlaine was feeling an intense pain but he perceived the girl's words and he could also feel something else. It seemed that the pain she was making him feel had worsened as soon as she started crying.

He grit his teeth and stood up surprising her.

Verlaine noticed an improvement. It was the right path.

He took (Y/n)'s face in his hands and he tried to wipe her tears away.

"Ehy... (Y/n). Calm down... nothing happened..."

It took him five minutes before the girl calmed down alongside Verlaine's pain.

The man sighed.

"Your ability..."

"It's horrible, I know... I-"

"Sssh"

(Y/n)'s eyes widened, feeling Verlaine's finger on her lips.

"You're speaking with the King of assassins... your ability is amazing... Let me show you how to master it..."

The girl stood still for a moment.

She would never have imagined a similar reaction, but the fire she saw in the man's eyes convinced her that she wasn't being fooled.

He didn't find her ability horrible, indeed.

She burst into tears again. This time with no consequences.

Verlaine was surprised.

"Ehy, ehy."

Not knowing what to do he embraced her briefly, but the girl clinged to him, surprising him again.

Verlaine wasn't used to showing any human traits to his students and what was happening wasn't familiar at all.

And yet...

After a few moments (Y/n) break abruptly away from the embrace.

"Sorry... I... Nobody thinks my power could be a gift..."

"If Mori has sent you to me it means he believes in your ability, don't you think?"

The girl lowered her gaze.

"Mum left us because of my ability..."

The man was being challenged. What was he supposed to say? What was he supposed to do?

He didn't know.

But he knew it was bothering him seeing the girl in that state.

Her tears bothered him.

(Y/n) startled feeling Verlaine's fingers gently wiping her tears away.

The man noticed this change and he asked himself if he had done something wrong.

"You'll learn how to use it, (Y/n). Don't worry, okay? I'm feeling no pain anymore.

He smiled.

She nodded.

It took almost a month to Verlaine before the girl could control her ability a bit. This led to an incredible emotional effort for (Y/n) and Verlaine knew it. But it was the only way to let her be free from her ability.

Her happiness for finally being able to control it, even if just a bit, was contagious.

A lot.

So much that Verlaine let her bring him out of that hole where he was hidden for the last years.

He didn't know where she was leading him, but it didn't really matter. Anything would have been fine.

After a while they reached a small isolated beach.

(Y/n) looked at Verlaine.

"How is it coming back to the outside world?"

He chuckled.

"Not that bad."

(Y/n) took off her shoes and soaked her feet in the water. She sat down.

Verlaine hesitated, but then he followed her example.

"I'm glad I can finally use my ability... It's a nice feeling..."

"I'm sorry..." whispered Verlaine.

The girl looked at him confused.

Verlaine's icy eyes lingered on her remembering each time he had hurt her emotionally to force her to use her ability.

"Your training was tough..."

(Y/n) looked at the sea.

"It happens..."

She whispered, not expecting what was going to happen next.

Verlaine got closer to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, bringing her closer to him.

After a moment of hesitation (Y/n) laid her head on his shoulder.

Her heart started beating faster, feeling Verlaine's lips on her head, gentle as gentle breeze.

No one spoke for a while.

"Why hadn't you come out before?" She whispered.

"You don't have to answer me." She added.

Verlaine sighed and told her everything that happened in the past.

They kept silent for a long moment after his story.

(Y/n) moved away from him and took his face in her hands.

"Arthur didn't give you his life to see you rot underground! I'm sure he didn't want this for you... He wanted you to live! To enjoy the life he gave you!"

"Do you really think so?"

Verlaine's eyes shone with a light she hadn't seen before.

"Yes, I-"

Before she could finish Verlaine's lips were on hers, gentle as blossom petals.

(Y/n) was surprised by his sudden move, but she didn't resist him, indeed.

From that day their training became more interesting.

Ever more frequently their lips met and none of them got tired of it.

They were distracting too much.

(Y/n) took a pair of knives between her fingers.

"Do you really think you could touch me with those? You should have already understood that I won't give you an advantage, even now."

Whispered softly Verlaine.

"And my ability??"

The man laughed.

"Actually it's been a while since the last time you tested it on me. Are you afraid of hurting my feelings perhaps?"

He asked, mocking her.

The girl puffed.

"Do you want to suffer?"

"I'll gladly accept whatever you want to offer me, also pain and misery... Come on... Try.. You should also be able to hurt me..."

(Y/n) attacked him first with the knives.

"Not bad... but you know pretty well there would be no way out for me with your ability... show me our work wasn't in vain.."

The girl focused and shortly after Verlaine slumped to the ground.

(Y/n) kneeled to the ground keeping the ability active.

"Have you seen? I can perf-"

She saw Verlaine smiling at her and before she could end the sentence she found herself with her back on the ground, the man's body on hers while he blocked her arms on the floor, preventing her from moving.

"Do you think so?" He asked softly.

"I was using..." The girl widened her eyes. "Is it not strong enough?"

Verlaine chuckled.

"No... It's strong just as the first time you used it, but I think that, after all this time you've used it against me I got used to it..."

He lowered his face on her without letting her go.

The girl was expecting a kiss. It arrived, but not on her lips.

Verlaine was venturing on her neck.

"P-Paul...?"

In response he kept leaving a trail of kisses along her skin.

"You're making me suffer with your ability... I need to distract myself..."

He whispered mischievous.

He chuckled, noticing how his words were enough to persuade the girl to stop her attack.

"Didn't you like my kisses?"

He asked grazing her neck where his lips were.

"Or maybe you want to feel them elsewhere?"

He asked in a whisper.

The girl tried to escape his grip, but he held her close and gave her a sweet kiss.

"Can you really bear the pain of my ability?"

Verlaine sighed. "Yes... It's pretty strong, but I'm used to it... And... You won't think you're hurting me."

"Pretending to suffer that much was a pretty neat trick..."

She mumbled.

He laughed.

"I think this thing is slipping out of our hands."

And it was happening. There were strange balances in their relationship. Balances that broke in the middle of the night.

That night (Y/n) stayed with Verlaine in his hideout in the Mafia, but the man seemed cold and detached and she couldn't understand the reason.

"Is everything alright, my love?"

She asked, sitting on the bed.

"Yes... goodnight." He slipped under the covers.

(Y/n) was speechless, but she didn't insist and tried to sleep.

She had a restless sleep.

When she woke up in the middle of the night she found the bed empty.

"Paul?"

She rose from the mattress and saw the man looking at her from the chair.

"(Y/n) let's end it."

Her heart stopped.

"We can't go on like this... we'll never go anywhere."

She didn't dare to move.

"Paul... Aren't we going well together?"

He sighed.

"My heart beats only thanks to Arthur's sacrifice. I'm not even human... I was made to kill... To be alone... Stop pretending I could be human..."

(Y/n) stood up to reach him.

"Paul... it's not true, you're not only this. I'm sure Arthur knew..."

"What do you know of him?" snapped suddenly Verlaine.

The girl's eyes widened in fear.

"Just because I told you something you think you know everything?"

"No! I know I can't..."

"Sure! How could you understand what I'm feeling? Do you really think that hugs and kisses can fix everything?"

The girl was trying to understand what had happened.

"I couldn't care less! Paul I... I love you..."

"Love?" He bleakly laughed.

In that moment he realized the consequences of his actions. Or rather of his words.

Suddenly he was on the ground, writhing in pain.

I've learned how to bear her ability? What the hell...?

He opened his eyes wide and he knew.

He hurt her.

So much so that her ability was activated.

Becoming aware of this made him feel like an inhuman monster.

How could he have done something like this to her?

When he stood up the girl was gone.

Verlaine panicked.

It was almost 3 a. m., where had she gone?

He didn't waste time and ran out to look for her, hoping she could be where he thought.

He reached the beach where she brought him when they first went out.

Her nightgown glowed under the moonlight.

He sighed. At least she was fine.

"(Y/n). It's me."

The girl stood still.

Verlaine approached her slowly.

"I've just shown you I am a monster."

"I thought..."

She whispered and Verlaine realized she couldn't speak because she was crying.

He kneeled down and sat next to her.

She would have been even more beautiful if she wasn't crying because of him.

What a piece of shit he had been.

She shivered.

He wrapped an arm around her cold body. The girl tensed, but then she got closer to him.

"I really think I don't deserve anyone's love... especially yours. You're so young and beautiful... when I woke up before I realized I wanted you forever. I want to never let go of you, never. But what right do I have to be with you?"

"I want to be with you. Just with you. What I've told you before it's true. I love you."

She was ready to hear a pretest from him, but Verlaine surprised her.

"I love you too. I'm in love with you. You are the best thing that's ever been mine."

(Y/n) drew him into an embrace.

Verlaine gave her a kiss on her head and then lifted her in his arms.

"Let's go back... I'll make up for it..."

He gently placed her on the bed and kissed her while his hands started caressing her body. (Y/n) didn't stop him and soon their bodies merged into one, the room filled with their sighs of love.

The next morning (Y/n) woke up still wrapped in Verlaine's arms.

"Good Morning" He whispered softly.

"Good..." The memories of the night swirled in her mind making her blush.

Verlaine chuckled.

"Don't be shy. I've seen every inch of your body..."

(Y/n) buried her head in his chest while he caressed her naked back.

"You're also the best thing that's ever been mine, Paul..."

He hold her close.

"I'm sorry for what happened. I got carried away by my feelings..."

"This shows that you're more human than you think..."

"Maybe you're right..."

"Now do you believe it? In us?" She asked.

"Yes, (Y/n). With you it seems life is worth living."

07/07/2023

Welcome to this new collection of one shots of mine, I know I started with a character less known to the fandom, but he just needs more love!

For all the one shots I've decided to create an ability for (Y/n) so I could have some fun and maybe introduce you to other Japanese works!

In this case the ability in question is 'Umi to dokuyaku', 'the sea and the poison', a work by the Japanese writer Endō Shūsaku. In a nutshell, the text tells of some characters involved in the experiments that the Japanese army carried out during World War II (no, it wasn't just the Germans who did it), although the focus of the novel is on the Japanese's conception of sin. So I have played up the element of experiments, but it is by no means the focus of the work!

I'll be posting a new one shot every week, as I go along I'll update the story tags with the new characters I'll be using; I've also thought about spoilering the character for the next song, but I think it's more fun with the surprise effect!

See you next week with Sparks Fly ✨✨✨