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The Battle of Nagoya wasn’t the first time Yoichi trained with Shinya.
Guren had walked into the Shinoa-Squad apartment a few days after Yuu got out of hospital, into the new living space filled with teenagers, that in a sense, were new themselves, now in different skins after their first actual battle. The five bedroom apartment was light and airy, full of flatpack furniture and generic trinkets. Shinoa brought as much of her own room from the Hiiragi mansion with her; Yoichi with some of his prized possessions; Kimizuki had an extra bed in his room for when Mirai got out; Mitsuba managed to replicate her room from home; and finally Yuu, who just brought a pile of books, some clothes, his first sword, and a gold and bronze gun, that no one wanted to ask how he got it.
“I don’t mean to intrude while everyone’s getting settled, but I’m here for a reason.” Guren greeted, already halfway in before Shinoa and Yuu could protest.
“He left his shoes on,” Mitsuba grumbled to Kimizuki, who only nodded.
“It’s not training is it?” Yuu asked, dropping the box of Mitsuba’s clothes. “If it is, is it with you? Is it about the Cursed Gear? Is it-”
“It’s got nothing to do with you Yuu,” Guren placed his hand flat against Yuu’s face. He felt Yuu’s brows crease under his palm.
“I will like your hand if you don’t get it off my face.”
Guren pushed his head lightly “Try me.”
The tall dark haired man walked into the kitchen, towards the Squad leader who sat at the table, a bored expression on her face as she sat amongst the chaos that was her team readying their living space. Beaded drapes hung around the eating area and at the mouth of the door, almost matching the colour of the soft carpet the man had walked on. Guren made a face at her.
“A little tacky, don’t you think?”
Shinoa mock-frowned “How come? They’re Kimizuki’s, y’know. He thought they’d go nice with the rest of the room.”
“The walls are green and cream, easy colours to match with, no?” Guren said.
“This is our team home, Guren, you can’t expect us not to make it reflect us, can you?” She paused, holding up her small yellow cup. “Tea? I can’t guarantee I didn’t spit in it though.”
“Is there a reason you’re here?” The pink haired teenager said from the kitchen, glaring at the commander through his glasses.
“Actually yes, and for once, it's not for the idiot we know and love-”
And at that moment, Yoichi emerged from his room on the corridor, an easy smile on his face.
Guren looked directly at him. “It’s for you. Suit up and meet me in ten minutes outside. I have someone you should meet.”
Yoichi blanked, hand jumping to the neck of his jacket. “Uh- yes sir!”
Guren nodded at the boy, then turned to Shinoa, a sickly sweet smile forced onto his features. “Thank you for the offer of tea Shinoa, but I have to turn it down.”
She shrugged “Your loss I guess.”
Once the Lieutenant Colonel left, Yuu pounced.
“What do you think you’re gonna do?! Special training?!” The boy pounded against his chest with a scowl “I’m so jealous! I’m off duty until Guren takes that stick out his ass!”
“You are injured by the way, or have you forgotten already.” Mitsuba drawled, hefting a box up into her arms.
“I’d be surprised if he remembered.” Kimizuki snorted, earning a growl from Yuu.
Yuu glared at his team “You’re all assholes, you know that right? Except for Yoichi. He’d never hurt me.”
“I’m sure it’ll be nothing serious. Probably just a drill, like how it used to be in high school.” Yoichi laughed, attempting to hide the haywire nerves frazzling his brain.
“It’ll be training, if I’m guessing correctly.” Shinoa spoke in a nonchalant tone. “That stick you mentioned earlier Yuu?” She looked up.
“He has a name, and he just happens to be the best sniper in the Moon Demon Company.”
-
When Yoichi first set eyes on Shinya Hiiragi, he was expecting something a little more frightening. The only thing somewhat scary about him was his height, and the cold gleam in his eyes. Actually, scratch that, what Yoichi meant was, he expected him to be naturally frightening, without the sniper rifle-bayonet and the empowering surname. Yoichi wondered if Shinya was used to that, people expecting him to fill the name.
The man smiled brightly, extended a hand, and endearingly called him fresh meat.
“A Black Demon series? Wow, I’m very impressed Yoichi, you certainly don’t look it.”
The backwards compliment Yoichi had been getting for weeks still hadn’t lost its sting.
“Oh! Thank you sir. I don’t really know what I’m doing here, but I thank you for you time.” Yoichi said with a bow.
Shinya waved him off “Nonsense Yoichi, Guren made you sound so gifted when he called me.” His eyes roamed up the sixteen year old’s form “I always love to meet more snipers, we’re in decline these days.”
Yoichi gulped “I saw your gun, is it also a Black Demon series?”
The man reacted like he hadn’t even noticed the rifle propped up against his leg. “Yeah, it’s a nice one isn’t it. Surprisingly easy to use. How is your bow holding up?”
Yoichi was taken aback. Guren must’ve told the man a lot about him then, maybe even praised him. Anxious joy bubbled, a new giddiness found in the idea of the Lieutenant Colonel saying something nice about him.
“It’s good! Shinoa said she wants to start looking at manifestation since I have a high tolerance to possession.” Yoichi explained, brightening at being able to talk about his progress. It wasn’t until Shinjuku, did he realise that progress was an arrow, and could never go back.
“Lucky!” The older man whined, mouth dragging into a frown.
“I knew I just had to follow the grown man-child to find you both.” Guren said from behind the two. He kept one hand on his sword’s hilt at his waist, the other buried in the loose bangs.
“You wound me Guren, after all, this is one of your little prodigies you can’t shut up about. I’m honored you trust me with him.” Shinya said, sharing a glance with the shorter boy. The new-found comradery built up confused Yoichi, since it felt so natural for something so young.
“Can you name another Black Demon series sniper? If so, tell me and you can go home.” Guren said dryly, now standing in between the teenager and the man. He looked down at Yoichi. “You ready for some training?”
It suddenly clicked. The stick apparently up the Lieutenant Colonel’s ass was none other than Shinya Hiiragi, Shinoa’s older brother. Then the gears began to move, he was now training with, the stick up the Lieutenant Colonel’s ass, at request of the man.
“I hope you don’t mind having me, I’m not the greatest teacher. It’s why I don’t have a squad of my own.” Shinya smiled down humbly.
“That’s because no one listens to you.” Guren said, a joke lodged somewhere in his words.
“True, but then why do you have one?”
Yoichi bit back a laugh, coughing into his hand. The two men broke off from their banter, eyebrows quirked at the boy.
Shinya broke first “I like him, he laughs at my jokes and thinks you're pathetic. What else could I ask for in a student.”
“Just try not to taint him too much. Give him some pointers on battlefield techniques then you both can go home.” Guren said, ending in a sigh “Shinoa might kill me if I keep him too long, she already doesn’t want me around Yuu.”
“Why wouldn’t she want you around Yuu?” Yoichi said without thinking. He quickly recovered “If you don’t mind me asking, sir.”
He shrugged “Maybe you could ask, report back to me later.” Then Guren laughed, as if what he’d just said was a joke.
It made Yoichi feel deeply uncomfortable, as ever since Yuu was hospitalized, the atmosphere around Yuu, Shinoa and the Lieutenant Colonel was heavy, but wafted completely above Yuu’s head, leaving Mitsuba, Kimizuki and Yoichi to simmer in the dark air. He wouldn’t dare ask what even happened to Yuu in Shinjuku, but he hoped that one day, everything would be explained. He hated to lying to Yuu, even if it was to protect him.
If progress was an arrow, then Yoichi’s was irreversible and straight, and Yuu’s was a shot in the night, clear and fast, illuminating to the eyes.
“Right, let’s start up here then, shall we?”
-
Yoichi had been sitting down for what felt like forever. His shoulders hunched, his knees hurt against the gravel of the dilapidated office building, and his stomach had been growling quietly for god knows how long. His older companion was spread out on his stomach, carefully looking down the barrel of the gun on the edge of the window. When they’d finally scaled to the highest, most stable floor offered, Shinya had asked him to get in position, and watch for Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The order was kill on sight, and occasionally, Yoichi let a green arrow fly, watch it spiral through the air with a sharp whistle, and wedge itself into its target with a satisfying spray of blood. Yoichi didn’t know what the liquid actually was, but it looked like blood, felt velvety and soft, and stained his uniforms.
“You’re very good Yoichi, you must have a good aim for someone who only recently took up your weapon.” Shinya said, voice higher than a murmur. Perhaps it was training that kept his voice so quiet, during their training, a skill Yoichi presumed was the man’s job to teach him.
“Thank you sir.”
“Part of demon manifestation is having a better aim, which is good for us snipers when we’re needed. For instance, take me during Shinjuku, I would've never got a shot so accurately without it.” He let out a loose chuckle “I never thought I’d be thankful to a demon, but here we are.”
“If this demon allows me to protect my friends, I’ll be forever grateful.” Yoichi said, his grip on the bow tightening.
Shinya observed him for a few seconds, sitting up from his position. The calculating gaze Yoichi fell under made him realise why Shinya was one of the greatest snipers the army had to offer.
“Well no wonder Guren likes you. He’s easy prey to anyone who talks like that.” Shinya said. He smiled again when he noticed Yoichi’s frown “It’s a good thing to have a mentality like that. Everyday’s a warzone nowadays. You just have to look at Yuu, he’s proof that underground, there’s a whole world of obstacles under the surface, too powerful for us to save them.”
Shinya looked down at Byakkomaru, running a gloved finger along the gold rim of the barrell. “There’s so many problems with using a cursed gear. Not many are as lucky as you are to have such a high tolerance towards the demon currently trying to possess you. Even I have my own issues.”
Kimizuki had told Yoichi before, what it felt to have a demon feel so wrong inside you. How it made him feel like he had to stay on guard constantly, in case it attacked when he was vulnerable, or feeling low. It felt like electricity running under his skin, defiling every cell in his body, surging through his veins until he didn’t feel right anymore, until the idea of giving into the demon resting in him sounded perfect. Yoichi wondered if Shinya felt the same.
“I mean, my uniform and my weapon don’t match. I know it seems arbitrary, but when I was a colonel, my uniform and weapon used to match! Stupid-lucky Guren, his sword matches his uniform. Why can’t that happen to me!?” The man whined, face falling as he cradled the gun against his red and black chest.
Whatever Yoichi was expecting from the man, it wasn’t that. Shinya Hiiragi truly was an enigma.
Then he sobered, eyes falling to the floor. “All we as an army can do is try our hardest to get stronger for our citizens. It’s why us snipers are so important. Do you know why, Yoichi?”
Yoichi gulped again, feeling the bow in his arms tremble under the question. He chose the bow as his sword skills were subpar at best. But the appeal of having his friend’s back drew him in. Maybe Gekkoin sensed it, and called him forth.
“We have the greatest range on the battlefield, and can protect our allies when they need us.”
Shinya mulled over his words, the thick stretch of sunset dimming behind him, layers of pinks and oranges pulling into spectacular hues. When Yoichi and Shinya first set out for the day, the sun was high in the sky, giving a better sight of the Horsemen of John roaming around outside of Shibuya. Through the remains of the windows of the building, Yoichi could see the dying light of day sink beneath the semi-stable Shibuya, stars not yet dotting the cloth of sky.
“I guess yeah, that’s a good answer. But we’re also so much more than that. Do you know why snipers and medics are the two most important soldiers on the battlefield? Some would say that snipers have the easier job, just wait and shoot, but what are we waiting for? Why do we stall?
“It is our job to protect our allies, and watch over them. Our range means nothing if we can’t help our friends. Much like how a medic’s ability is meaningless if they can’t heal their friends when they’re needed. Snipers are crucial to a formation; they make or break the battle. We may not have the highest death rate, or the biggest in numbers, but I suppose we leave the battle with more injuries than a foot soldier.”
Shinya’s eyes reflected the dying sun before him, an evening breeze ruffling his white-blonde hair. “We must watch our comrades die in front of our very eyes. I’m glad, so glad, that you have such a strong team, so you won’t have to watch that happen.”
Shinya ended his tangent with an easy smile, eyes projecting the inner heartbreak he felt. Maybe this was his way of getting Yoichi to trust him, or maybe this was the main part of Guren’s reason for Shinya to teach him, a warning for the future. Yuu had Guren to guide him, Mitsuba had her past experience, Shinoa had her entire family, Kimizuki was not afraid to look death in the eye. What was left for Yoichi? He didn’t have a name, or money, or a past to support him. Guren’s plan made sense to him now, he gave him something even the greatest soldier took advantage of.
He gave him a mentor, and then in turn gave him someone who understood.
Yoichi nodded at Shinya, no words needed to thank. Behind them, the pink building at the base of the horizon thinned out to a light lilac, awaiting the darkness of night. But Yoichi has learnt, with Gekkoin curling in his cut, that there are far more things to fear then the dark.
-
“So! What happened?”
Yoichi returned just after dinner was ordered, the apartment somewhat cleaner than before. Instinct told him that it was Kimizuki who rallied his lazy team to get to work on making it look as livable as possible. What little personal items the team held were rightfully on display, Mitsuba’s photo of her and her sister and her various, potted plants, Yuu’s game consoles on a shelf, Shinoa’s books in a pile against the wall, waiting until the extra bookshelf they ordered came in. Weirdly, it was Kimizuki who came with the most personal things, photos of his sister, her dolls she had before the infection plagued her, some books, photo albums, her clothes. Yoichi’s items were still in his room, resting in a box on his bed. What Yoichi appreciated about his team was that they all had respect for one another, so the teddies and blankets from his childhood remained untouched by his friends.
“Well, I did some training with Shinya Hiiragi. He’s a sniper too, so he taught me stuff like breathing control, different positions, what range works. It was different since he has a rifle and I have a bow, but still, I’ll take any advice.”
Yuu slapped his thighs “Well that’s awesome! You’re gonna be great in no time! Right Shinoa!”
“You’re already a great sniper Yoichi, anything he taught you you could’ve figured out yourself.” Shinoa sighed with a laugh.
“Guren’s never offered to teach me anything new.” Yuu stated “He must have an eye on you then.” Yuu winked when he finished his sentence.
Kimizuki chuckled “Jealous Yuu?”
“Not nearly as jealous as you dumbass!”
Mitsuba put a hand between her two male teammates, shaking her head at their antics. “I think we should all be glad that Yoichi has a mentor as good as Shinya.” Mitsuba smiled at Yoichi “His advice might just save one of our lives.”
“We all know Yoichi has our backs,” Kimizuki stated, patting his brown haired friend on the shoulder. “Right?”
Yoichi looked up at the expectant faces of his team; Shinoa’s small smile, Mitsuba’s proud grin, Kimizuki’s sincere half-smirk, and Yuu, in all his blinding glory, with his face split in a bright grin. The intense orange-faded sky seemed to match the joy roiling in him, dragging a laugh from his lips.
“Of course I do!”
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