Nik's morning has never been as hectic as today. He looked at the teasingly dressing Shinobu for a brief moment before gazing back at the wide-eyed Mitsuri who nibbled on the fish stick with an equally wide-eyed Nezuko nuzzling on her laps as the little demoness once again let out 'hums' of approval. It looked like Mitsuri was just as good as petting as Nik, if not more.

But as much as the realization made Nik vow internally to pet Nezuko's brains out the next time, Nik still had to satiate the inquiries of the curious Mitsuri.

"There are more flavors?"

The same question left her lips the moment she tasted the chocolate bar and a packet of potato chips. Not that Nik was complaining or anything, but he didn't have any sleep for the entire night and while he could definitely function regularly, sleeping was still one of Nik's favorite way to utilize his time more efficiently. 

Just rolling on the bed!

"There are many of them." Nik smiled in exhaustion. This was happy exhaustion. Nik could be tired and all bloody and he would still answer Mitsuri's question to see that innocent and naive smile that contributed to her charm. Either way, firstly, he would try not to get all bloody and exhausted.

"Awesome!" Mitsuri squealed when Shinobu finally took Nik's and Mitsuri's attention.

"So? Can I ask you about your next targets?" 

Although Shinobu tried to her… complicated feelings, Nik could feel them from miles away. This feeling was something that Nik had no right to take away from his girls. They are right and justified to be envious of the woman Nik pays his attention to. All he could do is compensate… and a wee bit of tweaking to their minds the entire time as Nik petted Nezuko's head. This was a decision he concluded and as selfish Nik actually felt for not telling anyone about this and silently using the [Partner Communication] to commit the task, he just sucked it up. While the effect of partnership with Nik did cause a major influence on the mind of his partners, Nik still decided to do a bit of his own. Maybe he was being paranoid. Maybe the two voices in his head, one trying to make him more connected to the girls and the other one trying to make him dominate them, were right. 

But, one thing was for sure, Nik would continue to tweak his girls a bit from now on.

Once again, Nik exhaled loudly and looked at Shinobu.

"I wouldn't go as far as to call them targets… but…" It didn't take more than a moment for three names to escape his lips, "Nezuko, Saya and Rei."

With her name called out, Nezuko looked towards Nik and sniffed softly before crawling towards Nik, leaving a distraught Mitsuri in her sudden departure while Shinobu draped her Haori over her shoulders and looked at Nik with thinly-veiled curiosity.

"Why them?" Shinobu inquired and finally walked towards Nik and leaned down to peck his lips, which Nik accommodated by pushing his face up while Nezuko took the chance to finally push her soft rear against Nik's lap and leaned her body over on his torso.

"Well, I just can't leave Nezuko, right?" Nik reasoned and let his palms cup he chin and rub it softly. Instantly, Nezuko broke into a wide smile. With the scroll filled with wisteria flowers tied around her mouth taken away, Nezuko looked especially charming with her gut-tearing canines exposed. Her expression backed up Nik's argument while Shinobu nodded.

Nobody could leave Nezuko behind.

"As for Saya, how cruel would it be of me to separate a pair of mother and daughter." Shinobu could only admire Nik's acting skills to not break into an embarrassing smile while speaking such shameless words.

"And Rei is just too, hot." Nik concluded his reasoning while Shinobu kept gazing at him for a full minute before Mitsuri finally stood up and hugged Shinobu from behind, an action that surprised Nik and Shinobu alike. But her words instantly made Shinobu elbow right into her cleavage with a vein popped out of her temple.

"Don't worry, Shinobu! Even if we all are cuter and hotter than you, I will never push you- OOF!"

Kneeling down with her arms hugging her bosom, Mitsuri gazed at Shinobu with a bitter expression. But that was just the start of it for the moment her pale-green gaze met Shinobu's violet one, the Pillar of Insect smiled menacingly. A smile that Nik had seen on a particular demon in Shinobu's memories.

"Ara… Are you maybe… calling me ugly? Surely, that couldn't be what you are implying, right?"

Mitsuri's expression froze as all her indignation extinguished in just a mere moment.

"Ah… no… Why would I?"

"I apologize then," Mitsuri could swear that she saw a shadow of a demon receding back into Shinobu's body as the petite girl continued, "Now… is there going to be that event where the entire state is covered with demons or not?"

She faced Nik, who looked a little bit ponderous while his free hand flew in motion when a pained Mitsuri crawled to Nik. Seein her head getting petted so gently made Shinobu realize that she had to stop giving others a chance to come into Nik's contact at her own expense.

"I'll have to check it with my… colleague."

Nik spoke softly and then finally felt something strange. Extremely so.

The entire room was filled with light, unlike the place where Shizuka and Yuriko are staying at.

Gazing at Nezuko's head, Nik finally wondered out loud.

"This is quite strange."

***

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