Chapter Text
Hitohito was excited. Although that was an understatement.
He felt his heart pounding in his chest as he soared in the clouds to the top, with the evening sun shining in the background.
The feathers of his broad wings, pure white like his chiton, cut the air with their movement.
A big smile remained on his face.
The reason? Today he was determined to declare his love for the most beautiful Goddess in the garden of heaven.
With his impassive expression, slanted silver eyes, and the grace of an angel of her kind; Rami was perfection incarnate and Hitohito had feelings for her for years now. She was perfect, and he was sure she felt the same way he did.
The soles of his sandals touched the floor of the entrance to the Palace, but when he almost reached the doors, a voice stopped him.
"Hey, hey, Hito, where are you going in such a hurry?" Chiarai jumped in front of him and intimidated him to make him back away.
He was one of the guardians of the gates of heaven, and it seemed that today it was his turn to guard those of the Palace.
"This is not the time, let me pass." Hitohito tried to cross the redhead's side, but he spread his wings, preventing him from continuing.
"Come on, Hito, why the hurry? Don't you want to be with your old friend Chiarai for a while?"
"We are not friends," he answered, but another voice cut him off and made them look at one of the pillars to the right.
"Don't leave all the fun to yourself, Chiarai." Sonoda flew to land next to his friend and looked at Hitohito with a mocking smile. "What are you doing here? Planing on ruin the banquet like last time?"
The rredhead chuckled.
"Yeah, didn't the old man forbid you to return?" He moved to Hitohito's side and pointed to his ears. "Besides, don't you think that you would attract too much attention? You don't want to ruin Rami's show, do you? She has a presentation today, in case you didn't know.
Hitohito turned away from him, covering his ear. Of course he knew she would be at the Palace today, that was a reason he came there.
The boy with the flower frowned and gritted his teeth. These two could be a pain when they put their minds to it.
With Shinobino included, the trio constantly sought to make his life miserable, either by mocking him for not having pointy ears like the others, or for the supposed "uselessness" of his power.
"I'm just as allowed to come as you are." He breathed. "Guys, why don't we just put down our differences for once and leave me alone, just for today, deal?"
Hitohito clasped his hands in front of his face, in a gesture of supplication, and looked into their eyes. Both boys exchanged glances and laughed.
This further annoyed the god, who clenched his fists, spread his wings and flew over them.
He again almost crossed the pillars of the entrance, but something happened right in front of his face and he was pinned to the ground. A Shuriken. Hitohito turned his head to the left, knowing well who it belonged to.
He growled exasperatedly as he exchanged glances with Shinobino, who also jumped in front of him, while the other two grabbed him by both arms.
"Where do you think you're going, Hitohito? We didn't finish talking." Chiarai said with a smile, which Hitohito knew was not friendly.
The flower god struggled to get free, while both dragged him back. They laughed at his attempts.
Both boys grabbed his ankles to turn him upside down as they lifted themselves off the ground slightly. Hitohito screamed and rushed to hold the lower part of his chiton in place.
“LET ME GO!” As soon as he said it, they let him fall.
It wasn't very high, but it didn't give him time to react. He hit his head and back hard, lying face up on the ground.
The orange sky stared back at him, as the other three gods surrounded him with mocking smiles.
Hitohito closed his eyes, waiting for whatever this idiots had in store for him. However, that did not happen.
"Someone's coming!" Shinobino whispered in panic and the group ran, jumping from the clouds on the edge.
A second later, two familiar hairs took their places.
"Hitohito! What are you doing lying there? Are you coming to see Rami today?" The onion with fantasy hair extended their hand.
"Hey...Najimi."
Hitohito took their hand and stood up with difficulty. He grumbled about his back and sighed, then looked at Najimi, who had a wide smile and their arms thrown back.
The god looked them up and down.
“Why are you wearing that?” he asked, referring to the dull cyan dress their were wearing.
"I have a party to entertain, besides, isn't it cute?" Najimi played with the fabric, showing it to him. "Well? You are going to come?"
The god nodded with his head lowered and let himself be dragged by the arm for his friend.
They both walked through the golden doors. Hitohito raised his head as he noticed the purple petals covering the golden tiles of the Palace.
The bougainvillea trees grew next to the road, on the walls and near the statues, in the ponds and wherever they will reach.
Hitohito's heart raced. The meaning of the flower improved his mood and his conviction to declare his love became stronger.
The great Palace loomed over them. There were gods of minor and middle ranks chatting on the entrance stairs. When they entered, Najimi immediately left him to go greet someone.
Hitohito looked around, searching for the person of his affection.
The final rays of sunlight entered through the glass ceiling onto the circular stage in the center. There were tables in the hallways behind the pillars, with armchairs next to the stairs and Gods chatting and flying around.
Noticing Rami's silver hair disappearing into the other corner of the building, Hitohito jumped and flew across there.
Then he ran down the hallway, came to a crossroads and hesitated where he should go, when he heard voices from the right, where there was a room.
He approached slowly and drew the thin fabric of the curtains.
He took a few steps inside, the voices growing louder as he reached the curtain on the other side of the room.
"...Don't be nervous, you'll be amazing, just like always!"
Hitohito recognized thattit was one of Rami's friends.
The boy moved the curtain aside a little. He knew this was inappropriate and he shouldn't even be there, but he stood enthralled looking at the Goddess.
She had his arms outstretched while the other three girls held a cloth to tie around her waist.
"I'm never nervous. I don't know what you're talking about."
Suddenly one of the girls noticed him and gasped, all the others looked at him in surprise and he panicked.
"Hitohito! Get out of here!" Rami screamed and he leaned back, covering his face with his forearm.
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean...!" The girl with pigtails ran up and started yelling at him while she aimed at his chest with her finger.
"You 'Didn't mean' what?! You are a disgusting, depraved, degenerate! What are you doing spying on a girl's changing room?!"
Hitohito knew he did wrong and apologized profusely as she continued yelling at him.
"Sugakiya, that's enough." The silver-haired Goddess appeared behind her, followed by the other two.
"B-But, Rami-!" The aforementioned girl gave her a cold look and the girl fell silent, moving to side with her gaze downcast.
Hitohito blushed when Rami looked into his eyes and he adjusted his posture.
"Why are you here? Gods like you are not allowed to come to this place, especially boys. So answer me before I call a guard."
He coughed.
"I'm sorry for my boldness, but I need to talk to you."
She looked at him for a second.
"It is important?"
"Very important."
She seemed to consider it before nodding.
"Come with me." She turned to the three girls. "You all stay here."
Rami walked past him and he followed her from behind.
They walked in silence down the hallway, turning corners a couple of times, until they crossed two doors that led to a balcony.
Hitohito approached the silver railing and leaned on it to look down. The Goddess closed the door tightly.
"I don't think anyone will listen to us here." Rami turned around. "What is it?"
The boy's cheeks were painted pink, and deep inside she thought it was cute.
"Hey, I've been thinking for a long time, I really did." Hitohito didn't want to make it long.He turned around and looked at her. “I like you.” Since a long time ago, you know? Since we were children...
The God chuckled and scratched his neck. He blushed as he met the girl's gaze and looked at the ground. She did not say anything.
"...We were always together. That's why... Yeah. So tell me, do you accept?
Hitohito finally looked at her and smiled, his eyes shining with eagerness, waiting for an answer. Unlike him, Rami's eyes didn't show emotion.
The Goddess's gaze darkens, as do the white clouds around and below the Palace, warning of an impending storm.
"How do you think that someone like you would have a chance with me? You must have lost your mind." The boy's expression fell. His heart seemed to stop for a second and it could be hear falling to pieces. “You're really pathetic, Hitohito. Really stupid. Ridiculous."
However, Hitohito's heart wasn't the only one who broke that day. Rami's soul cried, hating herself for saying those things to him, but they both needed this.
She wasn't ready, and neither was he.
Before bursting into tears, the Goddess made an impulsive decision. She didn't want to continue seeing the face of the boy she adored so much, so she suddenly yelled:
"You shouldn't even be standing here!" Why don't you go to the stupid place where you belong?!"Rami stretched out her hand to the sky. A lightning struck the boy, destroying the railing in the process.
Hitohito was thrown to the void with a cry of pain. As he fell, the girl's face was the last thing he saw before losing consciousness.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
The sky was getting dark, but not because of the darkness of the night. The black clouds gathered around, full of lightning, and soon it began to rain.
The maids and the young apprentice knights hurried to leave the Castle grounds and go indoors.
However, as everyone entered inside, no one seemed to notice the hooded figure outside.
It walked through the rain, following a path that led to the Castle Temple. Upon entering, it was a relief that no one was there. The figure removed its hood and revealed a beautiful young woman with dark plum hair.
Although her beauty could challenge the most beautiful Goddess, she knelt before the altar of the Gods in prayer. She prayed, even though no words came out of her mouth.
'Please... Protect my parents on this travel...' Her mind pleaded, hoping to be heard by those deities.- 'Make them return safely soon...'
She repeated the words in her mind forcefully. This never worked for her before, but she wished it would this time.
Someoneopened the door of the temple.
"Princess!" The girl quickly stood up and turned around to face the captain of the Royal Guard. Kishi approached her and bowed. "I've been looking for you.
The Princess Shouko said nothing and looked at her, then moved her right hand, with her ring and middle fingers closed, close to her face.
She beckons, asking "What do you need?"
Himeko stood up straight.
"It's time for you to return to your chambers. You know that the Temple is reserved only for ceremonies. You can't be here." She said with a stern tone.
Shouko moved her hand in circles on her chest, "I'm sorry." She lowered her head at the scolding and Kishi's gaze softened.
"Come on, let's go back to the castle."
They both walked out of the temple The looks and murmurs in the hallways followed the princess until she was left at the door of her room.
She looked around her at the pale pink walls, at her perfectly made bed, and at her desk with unfinished embroidery on top of it.
Shouko didn't feel like doing it at the moment, so she decided to open the curtains on her balcony window.
She looked at the rain outside for a second, when she was suddenly startled by the palm of a hand hitting the glass. She screamed, but her throat immediately closed as she fell backwards.
It was a hand covered in a black substance that Shouko could only assume is blood, behind it, the face of a boy appeared.
His face had black stains and he was crying, although it could very well be rain.
"Help me...Please!" He begged, kneeling in front of the window and with both hands on the glass.
The princess was paralyzed, trembling as panic ran through her, but when she heard his cry she stood up.
Shouko approached slowly, with caution. She examined the boy's face, who looked back at her.
He had large eyes, as well as a large black blood stain crossing his right eye. She feelt a little sorry for him, and very curious too.
Shouko opens her mouth, but then closes it. The princess tries to think of how to communicate her words to him.
He tilted his head to the side in confusion, then his eyes widen with an idea in mind and very large wings open on his back.
She stepped back and almost fell again, but the boy immediately dropped to the ground, grabbing his left wing.
Shouko realizes the wound it has; There is a hole in his wing, the white feathers around it turn dark and fall to the ground as he bleeds profusely.
The boy groaned in pain, saying comforting words in a low voice to calm himself.
She had no idea who he is, nor was she sure what was he, but she wasn't going to leave the poor creature suffering.
Shouko quickly opened the window and went outside. The boy lifted his face to her and before he said anything, the princess easily picked him up and taked him inside.