How Marriages Are Supposed To Be - Mirei, Jun

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How Marriages Are Supposed To Be
Kiritani Mirei, Matsumoto Jun
tinyangl, 386 words
Prompt: jun/mirei, "tell me all your secrets by the hearth." from sinonymity. Written here originally.


"I hate what you guys are doing to Ohno."

Jun hates visiting the main hall of Olympusyama for many reasons, the primary of which is Mirei's eternal presence. She never leaves, has never expressed any desire to do so, and Jun can't understand how she would willingly live in Olympusyama with nothing and nobody (especially mortals) to entertain her.

Instead he morphs his mild smile into a sneer. "And what exactly is being done to Ohno? Shall we talk about it beside your hearth?" He stalks over to her, relishing in her bristle at the term "hearth" but she is sitting by the fireplace, a pot boiling at her side.

Mirei purses her lips. It's no secret that she has never been fond of the Goddess of Love, but it's another for her to put herself willingly into an internal battle. Jun wonders which way she'll turn. "It's just not right," she mutters.

Jun's eyes darken. "Have you asked him how he feels?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Mirei looks away from him, staring into the brewing fire.

"Is love ever obvious?"

"Marriage is," Mirei says, jaw set. "Satomi and Ohno are married. That should be all there is to it."

Jun places a finger on her chin and angles her attention back to him. Mirei's eyes go wide as he leans even closer, his lips hovering not too far from hers. "Do you not account for love, for passion?"

Mirei swallows, narrowing her eyes. "I account for faithfulness and the right order of things."

"Well," Jun purrs. "Maybe you'll be the one to set me aright."

Mirei slaps his hand away, pulling back. "Now you're just playing with me."

Jun smirks, sitting back in his chair. "If you're sure." He stands up after a beat, leaning over her. Mirei looks up, breath caught in his gaze. "Just so you know, not that it's any of your business, but we're all consenting adults and free to do what we desire. Maybe that doesn't fit into your box of what marriage and the household is, but it works for us." He leans forward, but Mirei pulls back, eyes blazing.

"Are you so sure about that?"

"Yes." Jun walks away, feeling the burn of Mirei's glare on his back. It's not until he's at Satomi and Ohno's that he realizes he'd completely forgotten why he'd gone to Olympusyama in the first place.