Work Text:
My entire life was spent training to be the best Ranmaru. On my distant planet, surrounded by countless others claiming the name and title of Ranmaru, it was a constant fight to become the best Ranmaru. Cramming in school, extra classes, anything and everything to keep up and ahead. Those days are long gone, but I put in so much time to become the Ranmaru you know now, the adorable and superb super-attendant Mysterious Ranmaru X!
There were no Nobunagas. There were no Yasukes. No Hideyoshis, either. On our sister planet were countless brutes called Nagayoshi. Our other embedded job besides one day obtaining a Lord was to completely destroy every Akechi Soul that existed. I knew nothing of the Pan Human History's version of Mori Ranmaru.
His devotion to Nobunaga, to call out to the stars to protect her head... It was what brought me to this place. It brought me memories that didn't make sense. Feelings I couldn't make out. Emotions that overwhelmed me. Even now, they confound me.
But even so... I think I know how that Mori Ranmaru felt. Beloved by their Lord Nobunaga. Trusted beyond life and death, to protect what remained. Ranmaru doesn't know the feelings personally... but this time alongside her, the Nobunaga of these new memories...
I think I get it now.
"You think so loudly, Ran."
The low rumble of Maou's voice was followed by a sharp bite into Ranmaru's shoulder, pulling her immediately out of her introspection with a gasp. She was no stranger to pain, but feeling pleasure as well... it was a strange thrill under her skin. Unfamiliar with the feeling, she squirmed.
"I'm not boring you, am I?" Maou's question was gentle, her hands caressing Ranmaru's bare sides. "Surely, I haven't lost my touch."
"N-not boring!" Ranmaru argued, whimpering at the feeling of Maou's next bite. She threw her head back, attempting to make sense of the pleasurable feelings. "J-Just... just..."
Maou chuckled against her skin. "New to you, then."
Ranmaru hesitantly nodded. Physical contact like this wasn’t something she ever trained in, much less experienced. There weren’t many options on Ranmaru, after all! Maou’s expression softened at her admission, affection softening her normally fiery eyes. A soft kiss was placed where Ranmaru had been bitten, calming with Maou’s gentle touch to the rest of her body.
“So innocent. It always brings me joy to show you pleasure for the first time.”
This Nobunaga is mind boggling. Kinda like how Ranmaru is the best Ranmaru from Ranmaru, Maou Nobunaga is the greatest collection of Nobunagas. She explained it to me once; that her Saint Graph was imprinted with the countless lives of Oda Nobunaga from past, present, and future. A nigh-quantifiable saint graph. Truly a Demon King with the power to drive her foes to desolation, and scorch galaxies.
She must remember so many different Ranmarus. Just like how Ranmarium changes how all the other Ranmarus looked on Ranmaru, she must have seen so many!
“Truly, you think out loud, Ran.” Maou whispered, sounding as if scolding her. “Well, it is a relief to know I am not boring you.”
Flushed in embarrassment, Ranmaru attempted to turn her face away. As words of apology were said, Maou gently urged her eyes back to her, and Ranmaru couldn’t help but comply. Where Ranmaru expected scolding, disappointed eyes, there was understanding and that ever present affection in Maou’s eyes.
“I know your face, Ran.”
Ranmaru’s eyes widened in surprise. Was Maou truly involved in her universe, in her planet?! No, that’s not right at all! There were no Nobunagas. Maou continued to explain with a tap underneath Ranmaru’s chin, urging her to look up again, and stay looking up.
“My memories are as vast as galaxies. When you embody countless lives, normally faces blur and disappear. But not you, not my Ran.” Maou shifted in her place straddled over Ranmaru’s hips. “My beloved Ranmaru… my loyal Ran. No matter which life was lived, I know my Ranmaru. Even if this face now lives in an entirely different universe, and lives a life unlike any Ranmaru I can recall… I know this face. I know this exact face. Somewhere, in some life… this face stood by my side until those flames that day claimed us together.”
“Lord Nobunaga…”
“Lord, Lady… it does not matter to me.” Maou assured her, running her thumb under Ranmaru’s right eye. With Ranmaru’s permission, her eyepatch had been removed earlier. It was safe for Maou, as something deep in her would always see a Nobunaga as her Lord. “Rest your loud thoughts. Be assured with my words. You are my Ranmaru… and I your Nobunaga. Your recollections recall naught the original, but my own visage. That is all you need.”
Despite Maou’s oddly spoken words, Ranmaru understood. She would always understand, she realized. Ranmaru nodded to Maou’s unspoken command to her. A smile came to Maou’s lips, leaning down to once again kiss Ranmaru fully. Having become used to that part, Ranmaru kissed back, and submitted with an exhale as Maou’s tongue slipped into her mouth.
“Lay back for me,” Maou instructed Ranmaru, fingers curling under the waistband of her leggings, “Let me show your body the true affection of your Demon King.”
I don’t know a single thing about sex, or pleasure. It wasn’t needed for a good Ranmaru education! However…
It really, really should be.
Ranmaru could only arch her back at the feeling. Her hands curled tightly into Maou’s hair as her tongue touched her lower lips, moaning at the alien feeling. She blinked through the tears drawn out by the sudden pleasure, trying to keep together as Maou ate her out an inch from her life.
“M-My Lord! M-Maou!”
“That’s it,” Maou murmured into her thigh, biting roughly into the imprint left behind by Ranmaru’s straps and reveling in the scream she got from Ranmaru, “Cry for me, call my name to the stars while I bring you to climax.”
She told me of the things she did with Ranmaru, the other Ranmaru in her many lives.
How she took those Ranmarus to her bed, and taught them every pleasure under the sun. How her love and affection for Ranmaru never changed despite the countless lives the one named Nobunaga lived. Ancient past, odd present time, and confusingly complex futures; no matter the time, Oda Nobunaga would love Mori Ranmaru until death marched for them both.
My place is at her side, no matter if it’s a battlefield, or the bed.
“NOBUNAGA-!!”
Ranmaru saw white as the coil in her belly sprung loose with one last push against her clit, her back arching as she came. Maou held her legs still as she tasted Ranmaru through her earth shattering orgasm, sucking at her clit and grinning at the pained whimpers her darling Ranmaru gave. She would be kinder this time, only pushing the limits of Ranmaru’s pleasure that far. She ran her hands up and down Ranmaru’s thigh, easing her down from her orgasmic high.
“Good girl.” Maou praised her, kissing her face and pulling her into her embrace. “Such a good girl. You did so well.”
Ranmaru blindly grabbed onto Maou, pulling herself further into the warmth of Maou’s arms. Her legs shook as she blinked away the white blinding her, gasping for breath. More praises were sung into her ear, more rewarding kisses placed upon her skin. Ranmaru’s mind had been unanchored, adrift in the pleasure of the body.
She could hear Maou chuckle at her, commenting quietly about how innocent her body was, how easily she lost control under her touch. Ranmaru would defend her honor, but there was nothing lost in the arms of Maou. She was no sexual savant. She was a Ranmaru, born of stardust and eternal revenge. She rested her head in the crook of Maou’s shoulder, whimpering as Maou’s fingers pressed and teased her lower lips once more.
“Shh, it’s alright. Just cleaning up,” Maou reassured her, shushing her complaints and softening her touch. “You look ready to drop after such a release, so I shall let you rest.”
“‘M okay…” Ranmaru tried to convince Maou, but the demon king was having none of it. Ranmaru closed her eyes as Maou cleaned her, making a noise of complaint as she was lifted off of the floor.
“Such a whiny child. While tatami mats are not bad bedding, I’m sure you would want to lounge in something softer.”
Ranmaru couldn’t argue against Maou’s logic. She nodded in assent, laying her head on Maou’s shoulder as she was carried away from the room. She briefly hoped whoever came upon whatever mess they left behind would forgive her for her sloppiness in cleaning. For now, her duties were pushed aside in favor of the self-declared more important tasks.
When Ranmaru opened her eyes again, she was laid upon red-laden sheets as soft as silk. The room’s lights had been darkened, but not entirely turned off. To her right, Maou busied herself with dressing down, setting aside her grand mantle. Training kicked in, and Ranmaru sat up. Ignoring the momentary spinning of the room, she gently laid her hands on Maou’s back, and grabbed for the hidden zipper on her back.
“Allow me, my Lady.”
Maou’s hands stilled as Ranmaru pulled the zipper down, marveling at the skin beneath the polished leather. She pulled the zipper all the way down, pausing in continuing to undress her lord to gently touch Maou’s back. Taking a breath, Ranmaru found her wits once more and continued her duties, pulling away the leather from skin, and laying bare more of Maou for her to see. Eventually, her hands could not help further. Maou’s hands gently touched hers, softly telling her she could sit once more.
“Patience, my Ran,” Maou murmured, “I will be but a moment longer. Rest now.”
Maou kept her promise. As Ranmaru returned to the bed, tucking a leg to her chest and resting her chin on her knee, she watched Maou continue her undressing ritual. Eventually nothing remained to hide Maou’s body, not a scrap of fabric to be seen, littering the ground with clothing. Maou turned back to face Ranmaru, approaching with a growing smile. Ranmaru let her leg dangle back over the edge, lifting her chin to fit into Maou’s outstretched hand.
“Hi.” Ranmaru said, choking on her own voice in the presence of Maou in full form.
Maou couldn’t help but smile more. “Hello.”
Ranmaru couldn’t help herself as a laugh escaped her chest, grinning as she heard Maou’s own laughter joined her own. Without another word, she welcomed Maou’s embrace. Through the little bouts of laughter, and the quiet teasing from Maou, Ranmaru let her lord do as she pleased. Soft kisses along her collarbones, a long caress of her legs up to her waist. Just as Maou touched her, Ranmaru gave back just the same. It was her first time seeing Maou naked in such a context, where nothing held the demon king back from devouring her whole.
The other Nobunagas had scars, she recalled. The Nobunaga everyone called ‘Nobbu’, dancing between outfits and annoying the manslayer named Okita, had scars from times all across her life. The one that went by Kippoushi had scars both faded and fresh, a mix of childhood scars and newfound battle scars. Maou, however, had none. Despite being the one most likely to have scars, countless scars from bullets, blades, and those last consuming flames, she had not a spot on her skin.
Ranmaru has no scars, either. I should have tons of them too! Fighting for the top title of Ranmaru had me fighting countless others. I had my fair share of horrible battles, near deaths, and attempted backstabbing. You name it, I’ve seen it! Yet, nothing remains. It could be my Ranmarium, but I don’t know.
I wonder if Maou misses her scars too.
“Did you wish to continue, Ran?”
Maou’s voice startled Ranmaru, looking up at the curious expression on Maou’s face. She took a moment to realize what Maou was asking, and a moment longer to realize one of her hands had come to rest on Maou’s lower stomach. She withdrew her hand as if scorched by Maou’s skin, feeling her face burn with the strength of her flustered blushing.
I got lost thinking about that time… that final plunge before…
“Such loud thoughts once more.” Maou’s tone betrayed no annoyance, but instead understanding. Ranmaru’s hands had come to a resting place she knew of, picking up on Ranmaru’s thoughts. She gently took that fleeing hand into her grip, kissing the knuckles.
“If I let those scars show,” Maou began to say, shushing the words coming to Ranmaru’s lips once more with a finger. “Shh. I bear no scars for good reason. Trust in my judgment to hide so many wounds.”
Ranmaru could only speculate how much Maou hid from her, from everyone. When one embodied so many lives, and had the ability to shift between those countless forms, she could barely fathom what sorts of wounds, scars, bodies and such Maou could show the universe.
“Let us rest.” Maou stated, pressing one last firm kiss to Ranmaru’s throat, “Let the mind rest. I’ve certainly done enough to your loud thoughts by showing you pleasures unknown.”
“I don’t mind it, my Lord.” Ranmaru admitted, her blush still glowing on her cheeks, “It’s… it’s simply new to Ranmaru. But I trust you’ll show this Ranmaru what she was missing from her important lessons!”
“I will certainly fill in those missing gaps,” Maou purred into her ear, making Ranmaru shiver. However, that was as far as Maou went. She curled onto her side with Ranmaru in her arms, drawing up the sheets and blanket as she settled into the bed. “Perhaps tomorrow I will spend more time showing you my affections. There’s still so much I wish to do to you.”
To anyone else, it would sound like a threat, but to Ranmaru, it sounded like an exciting announcement for tomorrow. She curled up into Maou’s arms, embracing the heat that radiated off of Maou.