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"We're going to be together forever, yeah?"
Radiant rays of the diminishing sunlight imprinted across his face, leaving, in its final moment's, his wide smile to imprint into his memory. Like a film tape, the picture rolled repeatedly in his head: the same ethereal smile; the same joy; the same boy he had been infatuated with for so long. Everytime the picture disappeared, he simply clicked replay.
Here, just the two of them, they could pretend they were anything, expanding the universe far and beyond with their imaginations. Fuelled by their united dreams alone, they'd create and create until they found a world right for them, because here, no one could tell them any different.
Here, they could hold hands for a little longer.
He stared upon the beautiful figure before him, the wind pushing back his hair and his eyes squinted in a carefree smile. Within their bubble of fantasy, he looked like a deity- a ruler of lands which expanded across the horizons. He was a beauty to worship, to be thankful for and to cherish at the likes of a furnished and decorated alter.
Yet despite all that, he couldn't answer his question.
In fact, his mouth remain clamped and feet nailed to the path beneath him. Whipping his face and neck in a gruelling act of torture, the wind strangled his vocal cords, suffocating him slowly. Black, deformed spots formed across his vision, mind hazed and dizzy when tried to reach his hand out toward the glowing figure before him. Ignoring the growing bile and his weakening limbs, he stretched his arm, his hand, all for a single touch of his most dearest companion.
Yet the sun had hid behind the mossy trees and shadows had enveloped their bodies, until the endless void of darkness remained. His body felt light, as if he were about to float away, ripping him from his fantasy. No, no he couldn't let it happen. Surely not yet, surely not now.
Just one more minute. One more hour. One more lifetime.
How foolish he was to think he could outlast the laws of time. Even worse, to think he could stand about the rules of the mere word 'end'. In his fantasies he tried to hide the word away, ignore it, stomp it to the group and bury it. However, the concept of the end still lingered, still haunted him. Now? It had merely caught up, snatching its revenge.
Because the words 'forever' and 'end' could never truly co-exist. Dreams, fantasy, life; all were to eventually end, even if it is not visible before us.
Nothing lasts forever.
Shards of the moonlight stabbed and tore at his insides and created cracks in his vision. It ate away at the ground, the rubble, around him, splitting the safety of their solitude apart with its presence. Attempting to move was deemed fruitless, leaving him to simply watch as his matching half was snatched into the darkness, leaving nothing but the shattered heart in his chest as a reminder of their delusions. They truly thought they could stay here? In their dreams?
How pathetic; when the sun glistened and brims life across the day, the moonlight of the night will always follow, destruction trailing its path.
'We were going to be together forever'
Yet the day must always have its end.
-
"Ah, ah. Mic check! One two!"
Among the artificial spotlights so harsh they branded like sunlight on his skin, a ginger haired boy by the name Akito Shinonome firmly tapped on the mic in his hand. Voices surrounding him overlapped as he trudged slowly toward the curtains leading to the main stage. From live house workers, to security, to other performers- it seems all sorts of people swarmed the minimal backstage space frantically. One guitarist had an out of tune guitar, another security member was searching for a missing performing pair which Akito briefly remembered as the two singers after his set. It was all so chaotic, and he was stuck within the centre of it.
Yet his body merged into the chaos effortlessly, indulging in its never ending motion, for standing still simply made him uncomfortable. Even now, he was rolling forward and backward on the balls of his feet, waiting anxiously for his name to be called. It would be neither the first nor the last time he would step toward a crowd alone, just him and a microphone in hand. In fact, it had become routine to merely rely on his own scratchy voice to get him a couple of tips and cheers by he end of the night, the stage lingering with a strange chill despite the humidity of most venue's.
Tonight was like no other, the hours blending into seconds effortlessly until he found himself scanning the audience, eyes sharp while he tried to ignore his rapid heart. His sweating hand tightened on the microphone, and it was only then he noticed that he was shaking, like a rabid dog lost to the dingy streets. Amidst his onlookers, he almost grew lost, drowning in the sea of expressions impossible to decipher.
'Breathe' he repeated, lungs burning as if he were inhaling volcanic ash, 'you've done this a million times before.'
Staff members hiding at the corners of the live house gave him the signal when he entered centerstage. He held up the microphone.
And his instincts took over, legs mechanically moving on their own, his brain repeating like a mantra that there was simply no time to remain still now. Not with a crowd to please, not when he still had so much to prove.
Heart resonating to the beats of the audience’s claps, Akito mindlessly treaded on after the show until the artificial flashes of harsh vivid lights dimmed into the melting hues of the golden sunset. He carried the overwhelming exhaustion on his shoulders as he slumped, soon finding comfort in the icy brick of an unnamed alley wall. Avoiding the gum and gunk staining the ground around his feet, he shuddered out his breath as he pushed his back against the wall to sustain his balance. Sweat dripped off him swiftly, like a pathetic ice cream fighting the rays of summer heat. He wrenched out a raspy cough, ignoring the way his throat ached for water which he had not carried, and closed his eyes to relive the thrill which was still echoing in his heart beat.
It had, by all means, not been the best performance of the night- he had paid proper attention to the audiences reactions to each performance- however it had still left the same adrenaline overflowing through his veins until he felt his head close to spinning. Shadows which draped across the alley all submerged, fighting to consume the last brimming glow of life which breathed air into the cobbled path. And with the staggered breeze occasionally tugging at the baby strands of his hair- tearing at the loose threads which had stuck to his forehead- he allowed himself to momentarily make sure of the deafening silence before he close his eyes.
Now among the solitude of the turning night, he allowed his sighs to fall lost to the quietening breeze. Occasionally, his shoe scuffed against the path, kicking away at the gravels as the illusion of a goal net flickered in his vision, and quickly disappeared again. He let time escape from him, drifting with the scarce echoes of faraway voices occasionally breaking the silence, yet never getting close enough to disturb him. Oftentimes, he found himself contemplating whether to slide in extra practise, yet the lead which was his skull was saying otherwise and like a magnet, he remained nailed against the wall among the graffiti and shrivelled, torn posters.
Almost lulled to sleep, Akito didn't hear much else until the soft padding of footsteps gradually grew louder. When he concluded the steps weren't going away, Akito forced his eyes to open, leaving him squinting into the shadows until there, emerging from the alleys entryway, a tall figure hidden within the shadow of the falling sun. It was only then when he noticed that enough time had passed for the stars to be visible within the sky, for only a slither of light had lingered across the town.
As the figure creeped closer, the initial detail Akito noticed first was that he was wearing heavy padded headphones atop his head, a connected wire loosely falling into his jacket pocket and the faintest slither of music protruding into the silence he was once relishing in. What followed was the abnormal strands of dual toned blues which were his hair: a style Akito could only dream of pulling off with his own hair and the expensive dyes from the store. Besides the colour, his hair fell naturally, only reaching to tickle at the sides of his neck as he walked closer and closer to Akito. His unfitted jacket slumped with his posture, way too loose to be giving off enough warmth to battle the chill of the night. His pants also sagged, in a fashion which seemed less stylish and more in a fashion where he closed his eyes and picked the first set of clothes off the rack he could find.
Yet despite it all, something about him was strangely angelic.
His eyes were sharp, glancing across the alley in a fox like glare which almost made the ginger shiver. When his crystal, silver-lines eyes soon landed on his own sweating face, time which had been sprinting so quickly suddenly halted to a stop, for he only felt warmer under the protruding glare. Neither of them talked for a brief moment, rather, the boy remained frozen on his features until he eventually blinked. He halted his steps, shifting his body to face the exhausted boy.
"I'm lost. I need to get to Scramble Crossing."
The figures voice was melodic, smooth, sweet enough to be a syrup he'd pour on his pancakes. It was the type of voice one would use to enchant, and it took Akito mere seconds to fall beneath the spell. So much so, it took him a moment longer than usual to process what he was saying, and even longer to remember where he had walked himself from the live house. He swore he turned a few lefts, maybe one right near the end, and did he cross any roads?
"Uh," he muttered, pushing the pounding still lingering in his head to the side, "I dunno man, do you not have an app on your phone for this kind of thing?"
Unlike the strangers, his voice was still hoarse, desert dry after the show and showing no sign of recovery. The other raised a slight brow, before looking down at his phone, a small frown furrowing onto his face. Final spurts of music rang through his headphones before it stopped, the boy lowering the device from his ears with a disappointed stare.
"It'll die any moment now. I didn't think to track my movements."
Akito glanced over at the boy, brow raising and nose wrinkled. Surely you wouldn't wander around unfamiliar streets in the late hours of the night without some way to get back.
'Seriously, it's like he's asking for trouble...' Akito pondered as he sighed and reached for his own phone, briefly using his jacket sleeve to wipe the lingering sweat off his brow. He was momentarily blinded by the obnoxious screen light, before he quickly dimmed it down and began to scroll for his maps app. The boy could've genuinely gotten in trouble if he had turned into the wrong alley, especially when the music of the live houses diminished and the long winded hours of drinking emerged in the streets. Even more especially, with the damn clothes he had on: he had noticed the branding alongside its size, and fucking hell, it wasn't exactly on the cheaper side. Yet he walked around like it was nothing, as if he didn't feel the weight of his money threaded clothing.
If he wasn't so tired, he'd probably be jealous.
He found Scramble crossing on his phone, finally sparing a glance up at the expectant expression of the stranger. He forced himself to leave the wall- at first taking unsteady steps, then finally gaining a shaky rhythm in his footing. He stood aside the boy, gesturing to his phone, "follow me."
He had obliged, trialing behind Akito quietly as they both paved their way across the shadow-lined streets which were highlighted on Akito's phone. Now, only a slither of light remained, with most of it being from the limited, artificial, hung lights above the 24/7 stores. On occasion, he even had to slow down for the boy trudging behind him when he didn't hear soft breathing on his shoulder. He made a worthless note that the boy wasn't the most athletic, as he slumped against the vending machine said boy whispered to stop for; the extent of their conversations. He didn't pay attention to the movement of the other, instead fixating his vision to the fading muted colours of graffiti tarnishing the brick wall across from him. Mold and overgrown weeds framed the fraying paint, and the jingling of two falling items echoed from the vending machine.
It only took two more minutes for the two boys to reach Scramble Crossing, Akito shutting his phone off to take note of the limited passer-by's due to the time of night. Beneath the flickering street lamps of Japan, Akito turned to the stranger, before his heart leapt from his chest with incredible embarrassment.
The boy was bowing quietly toward him, the strands of his hair hanging down and hands clasped tightly onto whatever he grabbed from the vending machine. It wasn't even an extreme bow- only reaching 45° at the most- yet it still wavered Akito flustered nonetheless, especially for such a menial task. Akito shrugged in return, suddenly finding great interest in the soulless void of the city behind the boy.
"Don't sweat it man, glad to help," he murmured, ignoring how the sweat protruding from his head was returning. He knew Ena would reel in disgust the moment he opened the door.
For a brief moment, the boy had raised his head, eyes dilated to the likes of a soft and adoring pet. Within seconds, the expression hardened, and the boy with a death grip on the items within his hand stiffly pushed his hand out toward him, where a can resided in his slender fingers.
"Water," the boy quietly muttered, glancing down at the can then at Akito expectantly, "a can of water, you seemed tired."
Akito gawked at the gesture for a moment, brows raised and mouth agape in unmistakable confusion. He didn't know if he wanted to know when the boy had noticed his exhaustion, or why he would buy a stranger something so out of the blue, yet he decided on neither and instead took the can from the boys hand. The strangers fingers were cold, matching his icy complexion, yet his fingertips were rough to that of unshaven wood. It wasn't the first time he had seen someone work so much with his hands as tools to unlocking their creativity (hell, he had an artist for a sister), but to say he wasn't intrigued at the potential hidden talents before him would be a complete utter lie.
He struggled to open the can once he ripped his hand away from the boys, before taking a fat gulp of water which allowed his throat to tingle at the cold liquid once he succeeded. Wasting no time, he crushed the can with both his hands and stepped toward the closest bin to chuck it. Lucky for him, most main streets in the area were always accustomed with some sort of cheap basket bin drilled to the floor. He briefly smiled at the memory of kicking one which had broken once before as a kid. Alongside him, the stranger also smiled, for what reason, Akito simply assumed his face had cooled down (it hadn't, it had only burner further at the gentle grin plastered on this somewhat attractive guy).
"Thanks, man," Akito had fondly sighed, his head feeling slightly more manageable, "you know where you are now, yeah?"
"Yeah." The boy had replied, distantly looking out to the dimly lit streets. Many shops had closed by now as ashy clouds swarmed the sky, hiding away the soft twilight and moon. Instead all which remained was the void of the dulling shadows and the occasional window light dimming as many went to sleep. Akito knew he'd be pestered on where he was that night, and from the furrowed brow and unsteady frown upon the stranger, he was no different.
"Is this goodbye?" A quiet whisper asked. He gazed up at Akito, gentle eyes dull, concealing whatever secret truth he wanted from his response. In all honesty, Akito didn't know what response to give- what would be the correct one or what would be the most realistic. In reality, did he want to meet the boy again? The boy that walked onto random streets with a dying phone? The boy in causal clothes so expensive Akito would have to give away a kidney to purchase?
"I don't know," he mumbled, shrugging as if that would make his response all the more genuine. He ignored the way the strangers shoulders deflated, and the sharp eyes and rigid posture returned. Akito almost felt guilty for the response, almost, for an interaction as minuscule as this was simply created to not be revisited, to be locked away in the memories he'd probably never look back to.
They were completely different people, who just so happened to collide. A small escapade- nothing more. That was how life often unfolded.
The stranger, despite his disappointed stature, nodded in acceptance and stepped from the rusty street light. He took three steps, Akito counted silently, before he had turned back, a flush painted on his cheeks and ears, from what Akito supposed was the chill of the night.
"I hope I can see you again."
Akito didn't respond, instead watching the taller slowly blend into the shadows of the moonless sky, until he turned the corner and disappeared from his vision.
And something, very deep inside him, screeched at him to follow, to ask if he could walk the boy home, or perhaps get his name. Maybe the last fight of the boys battery life could even mean he could collect his number, where they could organise another meet. But he hadn't, he had just stood stupidly under the streetlight, gazing off for a figure which had long disappeared into the late hours of the night.
The street light above him flickered off; he never caught glimpse of the boy again.
-
Like a film tape, the flashes of images coursed through his head.
"I hope to see you again"
Endless rolls of turmoil, of fruitless proclamations of love in the spotlight of the sun. Until the darkness would swarm them again.
"I'm sorry- my father won't budge. I must marry a princess."
As if the universe had damned them to never be at peace. Constantly slipping their hands away.
"Must you return to the sea? Can't you stay just one more day?"
He reached to tear at the film, to rid it from his brain. Then he halted, because as miserable as each life was, he still treasured each moment.
Instead, he silently searched through the film again, alone, drowning in solitude.
"We're going to be together forever, yeah?"
-
"Tokio funka is a crazy town."
Keeping his eyes glued to the vast display of the golden sunset, the fiery haired kitsune smirked, his olive eyes burning with sparks of jubilation as he chewed on the juicy berries they had both been nibbling on. Toya tore his eyes away from the matsuri happening below them to glance at the young diety, whose cheeky grin was dangerously contagious. The blue haired knight failed to hide his growing smile too, sticking another blueberry into his mouth as he returned his sights on the blurry view of the festival. Up on the highest point of the hill, the crowd’s faces were nothing but indiscernible blobs, dressed in an array of vibrant colours. The occasional bang of the drum and would reverberate loud enough to ring in Toya's ears, alongside the cheers and laughter of the carefree families and friends.
Toya watched it all, the way the tragedies of war were concealed behind the flurry of waving flags in the air, obscuring the reality that tomorrow, they could all be killed. He let out a sigh which fell lost to all but the boy besides him, who turned his head curiously, the fluffy ears atop of his head spiking up. Toya ignored the innocent stare, maintaining his attention on the traffic lines of people below in hopes that he'd be able to recognise at least one of their faces- one of their names- before it winded up on a gravestone. The kitsune ears twitched again, and Akito shuffled closer.
"Do you want to go down there?" He had questioned, his smirk softening into a smile Toya knew was reserved for very few. Akito's sharp snaggletooth caught on his lip, and the action alone earned a fond huff from the heavy armoured knight. In Toya's silence, Akito continued, "I won't get upset if you do, you know. You're free to celebrate with the other humans."
Toya finally spared a glance to the kitsune, the way his hair curled down to his nape and his head leaned on his knees as he sat on the stone slab. It was one of the newer editions to the shrine: which still needed a lot more tendering to overall in order to recover its glorified state. He had dragged the slab up the hill himself, essentially falling flat onto to the ground in exhaustion as Akito stood above him and heartily cackled over his weaker strength- as if the brawn of a human and a deity could ever be compared. After his laughing fit, Akito took hold of him from under the arms, gently lifting him from the floor and allowing him to rest against the pillars of the shrine while Akito finished the remainder of the work. It was a memory among many others which he had drifted back to with a gentle smile, for each memory with the energised otherworldly being besides him had grown even more precious with each day nearing his return to the front lines.
He shook his head at Akito's question, raising his brow in slight amusement at the way the kitsune's curious face leaned toward his. "It's quite alright," he responded, inhaling a deep breath of the nature surrounding him, "I'd like to spend the night with you, if you don't mind?"
Akito stifled a snort, inconspicuously dragging his body in an attempt to be even closer to the human. It was humorous, the way Akito acted, as if it wasn't painstakingly obvious that the kitsune didn't want Toya anywhere but next to him that night. Yet despite the ridiculousness of Akito's behaviour, Toya welcomed in by shuffling his own body toward the kitsune, chuckling at the sudden tickles brushing his neck when the boy leaned his head onto Toya's shoulder. He was almost positive it was uncomfortable- for the metal blades on his shoulders were certainly too firm to be considered a pillow- yet Akito relished into the contact as if he were made of feathers and velvet. He supposed that's what the kitsune had grown familiar with for so long, considering for so many years he had been resting in a shrine made more of rubble and rubbish than of prosperity.
In truth the meeting with such an ethereal being was still a shock on his brain, despite the weeks he had already spent working with the kitsune on their little deal. Then again, it was complete chance which had lead the trembling knight here close to death, and Toya wasn't about to start saying he was regretful for meeting the boy which had essentially saved his life. Despite the blaring sun before him, Akito had emitted a heat which could not be compared. Where the sun only layered atop of his skin, the warmth Akito produced coursed through his veins, reaching his heart, then spreading across his limbs until he was overwhelmed with the pure tranquility which came along side the boy. Perhaps it was one of the natural abilities gained by being a kitsune, or a natural talent of his, but it left Toya addicted and clinging to more, especially during the icy nights he were to spend alone, or in the trenches and tents of the front lines.
Akito's eyes lingered from his face to his neck, before he too looked across the festivities miles away from them, earning a dramatic sigh as he lifted his face to grumble into Toya's ear, "couldn't we have brought some sake from a nearby village or something?" He'd question with glistening, wide eyes like a baby puppy, which made Toya snort with glee. Despite foxes typically being sly and mischievous, Akito was quite the opposite- reflecting the likes of a household pet rather than a fierce predator. The idea made Toya laugh further.
"You're my age, no? You're practically a baby in terms of kitsunes," Toya giggled, raising a snarky brow to the blushing God, "grow a tail before you think to indulge in alcohol."
Akito rolled his eyes, leaning his body further into Toya's as he whined quietly, only triggering Toya to laugh further.
"Shut it," Akito snarled, with little malice,"you're not my mom, damn it, and my first tail will take forever to form."
With a light nudge from the kitsune, Toya let out a final huff before calming down, yet his amusement hadn't diminished any less. He pointed toward the matsuri below, earning a scrunched face from Akito in return. Toya almost burst into chuckles again.
"That could be you, you know," Toya began, earning a huff from the other boy, "I'm serious, you could have humans celebrating your name one day. You need to see a good example."
Akito whined again, the seriousness of Toya's tone shocking even the knight himself, but Toya knew that he had a good point. Akito was majestic, a beauty above human, and had charms which should be worshipped- appreciated- in Toya's eyes. To reside on a desolate hill never visited by people for the rest of his thousands of years? It simply wouldn't do.
Perhaps that was one of the reasons he had agreed to help the kitsune with recovering the shrine. Even if it weren't for him directly, it still meant he had a home he could be loved by all alongside his sister. They could both be celebrated, naturally falling into the festivities of villages nearby. Dancing Sakura women would twirl in their name, children would play games inspired by their very existence, even the likes of gangs would holler with katana's in celebration, joining their parents, friends and partners in an act of harmony.
And even if Toya wouldn't be there to see it, he knew it would be a majestic celebration, which could be spread across centuries.
As the sun began to hide amidst the mountains, the people had began to settle. The lively shows of the evening drifted into lamps illuminating the likes of stalls and poker games set around the tables of bars. Akito himself had forced himself from Toya's shoulder to stand, entering the half built shrine and returning with the small, fierce flame of a candle. He settled it down into the ground between them, sitting back down with a hefty sigh.
"The moon will be up soon," Akito mumbled, ears twitching to the sound of Toya's armour clinking together as the human sat straight. Toya clutched his legs tightly, trying to maintain his posture and ignore the anxiousness brimming in his stomach, the bile rising further up his body as he felt his eyes twitch from drowsiness.
"Want to go inside? Settle for the night?"
"No." Toya responded firmly, eyes glaring at the candle before him. Above him, the sky was painted in a midnight blue, stars littering the vast space in constellations that would've brought Toya endless joy any other day.
"Not yet, let the candle burn out first."
Akito raised a bushy brow to his words, glancing briefly to the candle, which certainly had a few more hours before it would start to fully erode. His voice, with the smoothness of syrup, enveloped his ears- swarmed his brain.
"The candle will take a while, plus you'll be tired if you remain up for any longer," he reprimanded, lowering his voice to a gentle whisper laced with concern, "what is it? What's actually bothering you?"
Akito's fingers slowly reached his own, causing the knight's breath to hitch at the sudden contact. He tried to keep his composure- to push Akito's hand away and ignore the nagging in his brain- but Akito's fingers intertwined with his own and he faltered.
"I hate the night, Akito," he whispered in a fragile manner near intelligible if it weren't for Akito's advanced hearing. He took a shaky breath, "I don't like seeing the moon at night and knowing the day is over. I don't even know why- it's just-"
As Toya's voice cracked, volume dwindling until silence encapsulated the two of them, Akito let out a thoughtful hum, glaring up at the moon- the supposed root of Toya's issues. In the cloudless sky, it daunted upon the shrine, its harsh white light disorienting. He had seen it many times before. Sometimes before meeting Toya, he had even simply stood or sat and watched it glide across the sky all night, until the sun rose once again. During those long nights, only the light buzzes of bugs and fireflies would accompany him, and he hadn't dared asked the human beside him to stay up for so long, especially during the nights he was invited to lay besides the human to maintain warmth across the chilly nights. (And the kitsune hadn't known this, but those nights were another treasured memory in Toya's brain.)
Akito nodded, not quite understanding, but more as an indication that he was listening. Toya had squeezed his hand further, not daring to look up in the way the other had so easily done. Instead, he focused his eyes on the candle- the orange flame and the way it spun with the wind. He followed the way the wax trailed against the sides, until it fell to the ground and grew lost in the dirt. Perhaps it wasn't the best idea to place down a candle without a stand, but neither of them cared all that much.
Toya attempted to continue, despite the clogging in his throat. His voice was like glass, cracking and only growing weaker as he blinked harshly to fight the harsh chill brimming his eyes.
"The moon, the night, I hate it and the way it means the day is over. I hate the darkness which comes with it, and the cold, and I hate that I may not see you in the morning." Which each word he spluttered, he raised his free arm to lay on his knees so he could lean his head against his arm, disgusted at the mere fact that he wasn't alone shouting into the void, but rather, dumping his problems to the gorgeous kitsune besides him. It was what went against the very nature of being a night: chivalrousness, bravery and honour. And if he were being honest? He was none of those things, and he'd never had been. It was all a fabrication built on the cracked, unstable pedestal of being his father's perfect son. And look at him now- not even able to brave face when all that repeated in his mind was the bloodbath of bodies which littered each battle, and the ear-screeching cries of those begging for one more chance to continue on.
He hated the night because it meant that by tomorrow, he too could be gone, and never return. He hated how it signified the end, how each day was only brimming closer to the night which Toya would never open his eyes again. He hated how most nights he drowned in his loneliness, locked away in his parents hopes that somehow, one blessed night would be what transformed him into the son they had always wanted. He hated it all, and he found himself hating that he hadn't been honest with himself about it until then, when his life could be over so soon. He took another deep breath.
"I hate the dark, Akito, I hate it," he whispered, not even sure if the boy next to him was listening anymore. He found he didn't care, "just a bit longer, then I promise I'll sleep."
Akito had grown silent, unresponsive, besides him- to the extent that it took Toya a while to even find his quiet breathing amongst the wind chilling his ears. Toya kept his head down and buried, ashamed to catch a glimpse of the other boy as he attempted to regain his composure after how easily he foolishly lost it.
He had expected Akito to silently walk inside, or perhaps chastise the childish way he crumbled into near tears. Perhaps, even, send him away from the shine, disgraced by the dramatics. He hadn't expected the tender hum of Akito's voice, nor had he expected the kitsune to shuffle until they were once again snuggled against each other.
He certainly didn't expect the arm around his waist, or the head leaning against his. Yet oddly enough, he welcomed it, sighing into the brewing warm which was Akito's side.
The kitsune reached his hand toward the candle, brushing his fingers over the tip of the flame without a care for the repercussions. Toya relaxed once he noticed he had no intention to extinguish the fire out. Instead, he simply let it fester beneath his hand, until Akito pulled it away and instead rested his hand on Toya's side. He could feel the simmering heat through his armour.
"I get it, I think," Akito sighed, tone still gentle on the fragile knight, "unlike us, your life span in much shorter, you humans are much more weaker in physical form." Toya's breath shuddered out, the reminder unsettling in his stomach. When Akito noticed, he circled his thumb around Toya's side, and the knight slumped toward the kitsune in return.
Akito continued, "I can see how you'd hate the night, and sometimes I find myself disliking it too," the kitsune glanced up, the trace of a grin on his face, "but I also find it beautiful sometimes, even more so than the day."
Toya raised his head, eyes darting across Akito's face for any sort of lie. When he couldn't find it, his mouth fell agape, looking at the genuine smile on Akito's face often left him dumbfounded- but this was beyond his usual fluster.
"I don't get it." Toya had croaked in response, a near scoff escaping his throat in an attempt to maintain some sort of dignity.
"Why ever like the night over the day? Is it to do with being a kitsune?"
"Eh?" Akito muttered in bewilderment, before snorting slightly at the sudden accusation, earning a quiet sulk from the knight which made him laugh further.
"Goodness no, I don't think so at least," Akito chuckled, calming his lighthearted joy before his brows lowered and a stretched smile appeared on his face.
"Rather, I find beauty in the way the day ends, because that way, something new awaits me very soon. Something either great or maybe a little crap- but you get it- a new experience nevertheless."
Toya still looked slightly confused, his head tilting as he frowned. That simply made no sense; no person could guarantee a tomorrow, it was mere delusion to expect to constantly be greeted by one. So why would Akito say such a thing?
What did he know that Toya didn't?
Akito must have noted his confusion, thus, he continued, "it may sound stupid, but I believe there's lives out there that reflect our own, other universes," he whispered, grinning at Toya's curious expression.
"So even if we cease to exist, and the moon ends our timeline here, there will always be a sun rising somewhere else to start a new story."
Under the candlelight, Akito's toothy smile grew contagious. The soft ruby flush dusted on his cheeks matched the raspberries they had both eaten, and even his soft ears were twitching with such unbridling excitement of sharing his theory that Toya felt his mouth naturally stretching into a shaky smile. He uncurled his arms until he was fully leaning against Akito rather than his knees, closing his eyes as he considered Akito's words.
The miraculous concept of other lives is unimaginable, on the surface, for the idea of another him in another world experiencing another life? Overwhelming, to say the least. When a life is so carefully constructed off of each day one experiences, could the concept of another life be possible?
And if it was, would Akito still be at his side?
He entertained the thought: sat in a cozy home, sharing warm blankets and spending the day in each other's company. He relished in the idea Akito could be a human just like him, and they could both nestle within a home far away from the impending war unfolding in mere hours.
"I think I like that idea," he muttered, the deep breaths he was taking beginning to slow as he quietly asked, "do you think in one of those lifetimes, we could also be together?"
Akito didn't speak, instead, he shifted his head and leaned forward, planting a light kiss on the side of Toya's cheek. The knight's eyes widened, brows raised as he stared across the kitsune's bubbly expression- just from that one look he knew he had gotten the answer he wanted. Toya choked up a laugh, one cracking from his exhaustion, but a laugh nonetheless. Akito had joined after quite some time; the moment of comfort had bloomed in Toya's heart and created another memory to treasure away. The candlelight continued to fight against the cold of the night.
"We'll let the flames roar for a while," Akito whispered, still giddy and vibrantly flushed, "then I'll accompany you as you rest, so I can be there when we part in the morning."
Toya's eyes squinted under the pure brightness that was Akito's expression, heart thumping with a melody familiar with him. A melody of tranquility, perhaps, or one of something much deeper, much beyond companionship.
"I would like that," he whispered, looking up at the white surface of the moon. It was less intimidating now.
"I want to stay here for as long as possible."
Akito nodded in response and snook a glance at the knight beside him. Beneath the moonlight, he began to question who was the deity and who was the human between them, laughing fondly to himself at the prospect of Toya and him spending thousands of years together. When Toya turned to look at the kitsune quizzically, Akito redirected his attention to the candle.
"Then I'll keep the candle alight for as long as possible, even if we're here for a few hours."
Toya hummed and allowed himself the inhale the light cinnamon scent of the candle’s fumes, knocking the two of their heads together in an act to be even more impossibly closer to the boy beside him. Perhaps for once, he'd let the darkness surround them, especially if it meant he got to bathe in the beauty of Akito's light.
"Tokio funka never sleeps all night, anyways."
-
Within the confines of the cage, the birds danced together.
Tethered to each foot, a new story to tell. A new tale which unravelled, destined to end happily, tragically, or painfully mundane.
For a majority of them, he found reading them lead to a tearful conclusion, in which he couldn't face the innocent beady eyes of the crow which watched him, that waited for him to take action. Yet how could he chew through the bindings of metal? Just like them all, he too was trapped.
Sometimes it wasn't all bad, for some of the stories he read could be comforting, heartwarming at times to the extent it was a tragedy in itself that the stories had been written with an ending so soon. After all, an ending in which they could smile was few and far between. The dove melodically chirped, then flew away to join its limited number of companions. He remained still as he watched.
For all these stories- relieving and miserable- he found they all reached an end, and the paper would be cut off regardless of its length. It almost made him uneasy to gaze his eyes across the papers with such little lines, not daring to know what happened to cut their lives so short. With a sigh, he released another bird to the illusion of freedom, the final story among the flock to be read. He set upon the floor of the cage and watched them dance, watched them sing without care.
All he could do now was wait for a new story.
But how long would that be? How long for a chance for them to love again? And who's to say it won't end instantly in tragedy. No, it simply was unfair, for why must things end so quickly?
Were they doomed to simply live their cycle forever, constantly starting and ending, constantly watching the sun rise and moon fall in hopes that they could smile together one day?
No, to be torn apart so frequently, he couldn't allow that, for his fragile heart couldn't bear to be broken over and over. To wish for a lifetime where they could remain together, was it such a difficult task?
There must be a solution, there must-
He looked down to the metal surface of the cage, battered from the scratches of the birds claws as they landed and took flight. As a flightless bird, the cage was all he had known for an eternity, yet for such a simple solution appear so quickly, he almost felt foolish to not think of such before.
If he couldn't bear to wait, he'd simply write his own tale, even if it meant scratching it into the surface of the cage with his own damn fingernails.
A tale where they could hold hands and laugh, where they could go on dates without judgement, or explore the world without the fear of death. They wouldn't die at early ages from sickness, nor would there be war or prejudice to tear them to shreds.
A beautiful story, which would last as long as he could write for in the damn confines of these metal bars.
Above him the birds may stare, gawking at the strange way he knelt and tore at his neck until his necklace came loose. It was branded steel; a name-tag which would become his quill. Testing the metal on the ground, he winced at the screeching of the colliding material. However, it made a scratch, and that's what mattered. Ignoring the defending sound, he began to write.
'I'll hold my heart out for you in these words,' he ignored the way the birds stared at him like he was insane, because he probably was, but there was only one way to find out if this chance of escaping their suffering was real, or mere illusion.
'Please hear my words, please reply to me too, so we can create our future together...'
'We were meant to be together forever, after all'
-
Akito Shinonome woke to a blinding light hurting his eyes, causing him to groan as he attempted to lift his arm and block it away. However, when he tried, he found his left limb wouldn't budge. He whined into the blinding void of light further, and it responded with a gentle laughter, confusing Akito's hazy brain further.
He attempted to look past the light, at whatever angel was laughing at him. And soon enough, a gorgeous boy by the name Aoyagi Toya was staring back at him. What he believed to be the blinding heavenly light was in fact just the light to their living room, and neither of them were dressed in wings and halos.
No, it was just Akito and Toya. Two people sharing a home, who just so happened to be infatuated with one another.
He attempted to lift himself from the comfortable pillow which was Toya's lap, then his boyfriend's cold fingers rested atop his forehead, lowering him back down with another cheeky grin. Akito grumbled, but didn't fight back, sighing gently as he let his head lay back, soft hair draped back across Toya's legs, and let his eyes close again. The cold hands shifted to thread his fingers into Akito's hair, as a melody was hummed from his partners lips: a familiar one.
'Aun no beats,' he pondered, 'our anniversary song?'
He still vividly remembered the day Toya sang it to him, one year into their relationship, leaving An to laugh at his blushing face and a sympathetic Kohane patting his shoulder while miserably failing to shush her girlfriend. It was all so ridiculously sappy, so ridiculously sweet, that they had both affirmed it to be their "anniversary song" to play in the following years, where often-time, they would sing a duet to commemorate their old days of singing in the streets. He often grew sentimental of those days- in which he was young and naive, still trying to find his place in the world- but in his honest opinion, he certainly found a childish joy out of performing in professional recording studios and stages across the world. And he wouldn't trade it for anything else.
Though today was not their anniversary, it wasn't because Akito would've made sure to note it on his calendar. So he opened one eye to look at his smiling partner, a bushy ginger brow raising as he tried to conceal the way his heart was rapidly beating from hearing Toya's singing.
"What's the occasion? Not like you to burst into song?" He questioned, earning a light laugh from Toya's soft lips (ones he couldn't tear his eyes from in particular, despite the amount of affection Toya often spoiled him with. What could he say; he was addicted.)
The blue haired boy shrugged, paying much more attention to the way Akito's hair felt weightless and fluffy under his finger pads. His extra expenses into the pricey citrus conditioners were certainly worth it.
"I felt like it, it's the date we first met, you know? And I'm a bit sentimental."
"Shit, man-" he mumbled, attempting to sit up again. Once again, he was pushed back down. With a heavy sigh, his face scrunched, "if I knew today was important, we could've gone out."
Despite Akito's sulking, Toya only smiled wider, dragging his thumb over to Akito's face, where he pushed his thumb over his lips to stop him from talking. Akito thinks his heart must’ve skipped a couple of beats. Seriously, even after so long, it took Toya so little to catch him off guard.
"I didn't tell you because I didn't want anything fancy." He explained, earning a muffled confused hum from Akito's mouth. It only made him chuckle further,"I wanted to spend the day with you at home. Relaxing, just like this." Toya gently moved his hand from Akito's mouth and smirking when he noticed the crimson which dusted his boyfriend face. He slowly dragged his thumb over to his cheek, pressing down gently where he often found Akito's freckled, covered dimples. The ginger weakly attempted to swat away his hand, only making him laugh further.
Within seconds, Akito caved, falling too into his partners contagious laughter. Toya's head leaned forward and covered the ceiling light, allowing the ginger to catch a full glimpse of his boyfriend's porcelain features. Here, in their cozy home and on their comfiest couch, his eyes sparkled, reflecting the beautiful crystals which built up his silver irises. His mouth was stretched in a wide smile, and cheeks painted with intricate moles and dusted with a soft pink which glowed beneath the warm lights of their living room. Before Toya could stop him again, Akito (successfully, this time) leaned up to steal a quick kiss, only heightening the laughter in the room.
Perhaps Toya was right, he wouldn't want to spend time with his partner in any other way.
His partner, amidst their giggles, left a reciprocating kiss on Akito's lips, before helping him back to his lap, raising his brow in amusement, "go back to sleep, Akito." He'd mumble quietly, leaning to kiss across the hollow skin of his under eye, "you looked so peaceful, and you stayed up late writing lyrics last night."
Akito childishly whined, kicking his legs out to stretch them as he sulked, "no way, it's already the afternoon." And as if to emphasis his point, he tilted his head to the uncovered windows, still pouring golden sunlight across their home, shining upon the fake emerald plants which decorated the windowsills.
"If I sleep anymore, we'll loose the whole day."
Toya hummed, as if considering Akito's words, before snorting again with laughter. Traitor. "And? I don't see the issue," he'd push, taking Akito's face in his gentle hands to face him back toward his own eyes, "we have all the time in the world to be productive, a day sleeping won't hurt."
Still unconvinced, Akito grumbled: a big mistake. Toya leaned to leave a flurry of kisses at the side of his face, causing Akito to weakly sulk about his “coffee breath” despite his little efforts to push him away. Toya's affection, while often little in terms of PDA, seriously knew no bounds behind closed doors. It drove Akito crazy, purely because Toya knew the perfect ways to make him dizzy with affection, making it difficult to ever compete.
And in his frank opinion, way too unfair.
"I don't care if you rest until the moon is up, Akito," Toya prodded, his tone gentle and melting into the crevices of Akito's rapidly thumping heart, "as long as I get to stay alongside you, today will be perfect."
Akito's body shuddered at the words, his limbs deflating onto the couch, embracing its feathery support.
'Dammit stupid body,' he chastised with a grumble, 'betraying my stupid brain for my stupid boyfriend.'
Yet as much as he resisted, the soft way in which Toya brushed his fingers across his face made him swiftly give in, letting out a breathy sigh as he began to close his eyes and let the drowsiness still lingering in his body to overtake him. He heard Toya let out a celebratory humph.
"Sap." He insulted, ignoring how he was very much in love with said sap, "you better keep your word, I don't care if your legs grow tired."
Toya simply laughed in response, leaning his head back to rest against the vibrant colours pillows they had both picked for the sofa.
"Thats quite alright with me," he admitted, eyes squinting as he admired the half-asleep boy lead atop of him. Truthfully, it was more than alright. He relished in their close proximity, drowned in the days where they could simply be Toya and Akito- with little expectation from anyone. And there would be a time they'd have to get up, move on with their lives and eventually, even leave them all together. But for now, with both of them young and healthy, craving for warmth? He wouldn't want to be anywhere else, doing anything else, with anyone else.
Akito was his, at least in this lifetime, and he'd appreciate every second they had.
"Now get some sleep, Akito," (I love you).
Akito quietly scoffed, "yeah, yeah, night." (I love you too).
Akito fell asleep that afternoon to the soft humming from his boyfriend and the gentle glow of the sun resting across his features. And Toya, entranced by the ginger on his lap, would keep his word, remaining still to ensure he wasn't stirred awake. To pass the hours of Akito being a heavy sleeper, he read a plethora of chapters in his most recently bought book, and altered it between staring at the handsome features on his boyfriend's face.
Yes, he considered himself incredibly lucky. To be doing nothing in the comfortable confines of his home- not chained to his obligations- one may describe the scene as perfection.
Even when the sun drifted away and the moon rose, Toya never stopped smiling down at his snoring lover, for he knew that even with the day gone, they would both be there to continue their story when the sun rose again.
Because no matter the timeline and universe, Toya and Akito were simply meant to be together forever.