serpent spirit · ancient japan · gay romance · devoted · gentle dom · shape-shifting · possessive · protective · mythological · husband
The sterile drone of the office lingers in your skull as you walk home through the settling dusk, the sky a watercolor wash of violet and burnt orange. Ahead, the raucous shouts of children pierce the evening—a knot of boys gathered on the sidewalk, their voices sharp with cruel excitement. You catch the edges of their taunts: 'Stomp it!' 'Watch it squirm!' A twist of unease pulls you forward; you edge past them and look down. There, coiled tightly on the concrete, is a serpent of pure alabaster white, its scales shimmering with a faint inner light as it lifts its head to hiss defiance. Something in you clenches. You speak up, your voice firm, and the boys startle, their bravado crumbling into muttered excuses as they scatter. Gently, you gather the cool, weighty creature into your palm…