Chapter Text
Vox Akuma, the stray young demon, hated midnight moon.
Morning sun meant that he had to go into hiding from the eyes of humans, but at least they knew their own limit not to approach thick forest or haunted places. Vox, who had been survived on his own for as long as he could remember, would find a little bit salvation in any tiny spaces he found and enjoy what's nature had offer to him to fill his stomach.
Midnight moon was different. Midnight moon meant all human would go into slumber, and demons would roam free whenever and wherever they wanted, eat and destroy as their heart desire.
Midnight moon meant that he had to run. Run, run, and run to escape another demon who wanted his life. Run, run, and run to avoid another youkai who carve for his blood. It was race against time; until dawn came shooing off troublemakers, Vox's fate was left on his skinny legs and how much the stamina left on his body.
Run, hide, pray. Repeat.
Run, hide, pray. Repeat.
He ran. He hid. He prayed.
Repeat.
A cycle he couldn't break if he wanted to survive. A cycle he had to repeat, repeat, and repeat many times as possible if he still wanted to witness another sunrise.
'Why?' always latched inside his brain as he hid himself behind the bush, barely avoiding being eaten alive for the nth tome. Vox knew that his position wasn't exactly ideal, but he had no other choice. He was completely surrounded.
He shut his eyes tightly. 'Why me?'
He felt like he should cry or scream in frustration, but no wails or tears able to come out from his mouth. He now had given up to express emotion more than necessary.
Emotion was nothing but a waste of energy. And thus, crying, wailing, or even laughing, everything was unneeded. As long as the one had vowed down to their own position, promised to not ruin it.
Vox just wanted to see another tomorrow. Another day to say hello to the birds on the sky, another day to enjoy crisp apples, and another day to live, completely safe and breathing.
But right now...he might not able to see another tomorrow. He could smell the blood lust. He could hear the mocking laughter surrounding him, coming closer and closer wanted to see their victim squirm and struggle.
It was a hopeless fight. There was nothing the young demon could do so.
Vox let out a big sigh, head looking up to the starry skies watching above. As always, their beauty was unparalleled but that's it. They were just there, watching him suffer. They were just there, witnessing his soon-to-be execution in silent and nothing would change.
Nothing would change. Even if he died, even if half amount if people int he world died, the world kept spinning nonetheless. Life, essentially, still went on, swaying here and there.
It was a foolish thought hoping someone, something to save him.
Ahh, how tiring.
The demon child, still in looking up position, promptly closed his eyes. He no longer cared if the growl kept getting closer. Whether he died or survive, it wouldn't change that tomorrow would still come without his presence. The world would keep spinning, spinning, spinning as he just one of billions poor souls on the bottom part of hierarchy.
How sad, his ears caught the sound of branches being stepped. Anytime now, huh. To think facing death will be this lonely...
He waited.
One minute.
There was a foreign sound he couldn't pinpoint where and how.
Two minutes.
Laughter turned into shriek. The growl was still there, but somehow it was more aggressive. Curses, angry howl, and other things like that were being thrown here and there uncontrollably.
The lullaby of death still kept going.
Five minutes.
There was silence. Vox couldn't feel the presence of those greater demons, but he was too scared to open his eyes. What if it's just a fluke? What if they're just playing with him?
'Please, just kill me already,' his body trembled trying to withstand his own emotions from taking over his mental. He didn't like the uncertainty feeling; it reminded him with how weak and helpless he was. It reminded him the very same reason why his own kin chose to forsaken him to the fate of nature.
Until he heard that voice.
"Um, you okay?"
Instinctively, Vox opened his eyes and looked at the foreign speaker.
Perhaps at that time, all he did was just a psychological effect. It was not unlike tired traveler finding an oasis in the middle of savannah; his tired mind and soul had playing trick with his brain that he might or might not mixing reality with fantasy.
But,
"Hey, it's okay, I'm not a bad person, I promise."
Bathed in moonlight and thick smell of what remained from demon's ashes, there was a young man knelt down in front of him to match their height and position. From one look alone, Vox knew that this man had slayed down the greater demons targeting him. But what made him speechless wasn't that, instead he couldn't stop staring at his savior's eyes.
He could see his pathetic condition on the reflection if his pretty purple eyes, yet his gaze was full of kindness and concern. It was warm, so warm that he didn't want to let go of it for eternity. It's as if the owner of said eyes were trying to persuade him to escape from this hellish and threw himself into the unknown but not unwelcome warmth.
'Angel,' his mind whispered, thick of awe in every syllables.
Angel had descended upon him.
The man who has been dubbed as angel extended his hand. "Can you stand?"
Vox stared at the open palm. His entire body was screeching to get away from human's touch, but his heart and mind were telling the otherwise. After weighing the option, Vox finally accepted the offer. "I can... Thank you, kind sir."
Much to his awe, his smile bloomed beautifully it's framing his angelic features. His purple eyes, full of foreign warmth and kindness, lit up like a thousands stars twinkling merrily.
There was a galaxy in his eyes.
"My name is Shu," the angelーno, Shu, introduced himself. "Shu Yamino."
"I'mー" Vox paused. Savior or not, Shu was still a stranger with unknown background. Was it wise to give a complete stranger his real name?
He decided to stick with a lie, just to he safe.
"I'm... Hako. Just Hako."
"Hako," Shu tested the name with his tongue and smiled. "It's a cool name. Nice to meet you, Hako. Do you have a place to live?"
Vox paused, expression shifted to uneasy. He then shook his head slowly.
Shu blinked owlishly. "Sorry, my bad," he said apologetically. "Still, I can't leave a kid here alone... Hmm."
What? No. It's too much. Vox didn't want to trouble his savior. "Uh, it's okay. You don't have to worry about me. I'm used to live alone."
The young man pursed his lips disapprovingly. "Yeah, no. There is no guarantee other demons won't target you again."
Vox cringed. He was right. Right now he was lucky Shu came to save him, but there were still thousands of hungry demons more than happy to gobble him up like a fresh pig thrown to the sea of hungry piranhas.
Shu sighed fondly watching his troubled expression. "How about you come with me?" he offered. "Right now I am traveling around here and there, but at least it's safer if you come with me. How do you think?"
It sounded like a dream.
For as far as Vox could remember, no one ever wanted him. Not even his parents. Not even his siblings. It's always only him, and himself only.
The offer Shu gave to him was like a dream came true it's scary. He wanted to trust Shu. He wanted to take his hands, but he was too scared. He was scared for another betrayal, scared for another goodbyes without any chance of him to repay their kindness. His entire body still screaming on his ears to get away from here, don't trust anyone, it's not worth it.
"It's okay. You don't have to push yourself."
Such a gentle words and tone. He could sense that the young man had no hidden agenda; he genuinely worried about him.
Vox wanted to cry for the first time. Not because of fear, not because of frustration, but because of relief. A feeling he never felt up until now.
After being silent for awhile, Vox braced himself to open his mouth. "Is," nervous coming through to his sense. "Is it alright for me...? Even though I'm not a human...?"
Shu nodded, mouth morphed into a knowing smile. "Of course."
Two words of confirmation. Two words that shutting up his alerted senses, overwhelmed by foreign but not unwelcome feeling running through every inch of his body.
Desire, and hope.
Vox took Shu's offered hand, and the most beloved warmth of morning sun greeted back. Like a most brightest light among the darkness.