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Kyojuro is getting ready for bed when he hears a faint noise. He looks around for a moment and doesn't see anyone. Could it have been his imagination? Kyojuro shrugs his shoulders and prepares to lie down, only then he notices that he's not alone. Akaza is standing right in front of him, but there's a strange expression on his face that he has never seen before. It almost looks like he is scared of something.
"Akaza?" He calls him. “Akaza?”
"Kyojuro," Akaza calls him somewhat uncertainly. "Why are you here?"
"What do you mean?" Kyojuro asks, slightly confused. "This is my room. Are you okay? You seem a bit confused."
That's a polite way to put it. If Kyojuro has to be honest with himself, Akaza not only looks somehow lost but also weirdly half-asleep. Is it even possible? The only demon he ever saw getting sleepy, and actually falling asleep, was Nezuko, but never Akaza. Not even once, and he’s worried. Did something bad happen?
"Your room?" He asks even more confused, looking around as if he couldn't quite believe it.
Kyojuro nods and reaches out to him, but Akaza moves away slightly.
“No,” he breathes. Akaza doesn’t know if he can control himself, so he keeps his distance, trying not to let his torment show.
"Are you hurt?" Only after a moment does he realize that what he said is a bit silly. Akaza is a demon; any wound would have already healed. But then again why does he look sick? How didn't he notice before? “Akaza tell me what's wrong, please.”
Of course, Kyojuro sees right through him. It has always been this way. He has to tell him, otherwise he'll worry even more, and he doesn’t want that.
"I'm hungry," he murmurs then, somewhat reluctantly. "I don't know what to do." Akaza looks at him desperately, as if he could find an answer just by looking at Kyojuro. “I have nowhere else to go,” he then adds, an edge of anguish in his voice.
Oh. It's been many months since Akaza broke his bond with Muzan, and Kyojuro strongly doubts that Akaza has eaten in any way. It was bound to happen, sooner or later. Perhaps Akaza hoped that it would happen much later, and certainly not now.
"You have to eat, Akaza,” he says softly.
"I don't want to," he replies, averting his gaze. “I don’t want to.”
"But you have to," Kyojuro says again, "or you will lose control, and I don't want that."
"I don't care," Akaza retorts, closing his eyes for a moment. “I'll hide so deep in the woods that no human will ever find me,” he adds, gazing at Kyojuro intently.
He probably means that he wouldn't be a problem for the demon slayers, since he would avoid humans completely. But that's not what he wants, and deep down neither does Akaza.
Kyojuro doesn't want to lose Akaza. He loves him, cares about him, and he would never part ways with him. Not now that their lives are so profoundly intertwined.
There's only one solution that comes to his mind, so simple and obvious, and doesn't waste any time saying it.
"Drink my blood, Akaza," Kyojuro says with no sign of hesitation in his voice.
"What?" He asks, so astonished he forgets about his hunger for a moment. “What did you just say?”
"I said drink my blood," he repeats. "Would that be enough? Would that satiate your hunger?" Kyojuro asks, somewhat uncertainly. It might not even be enough, not that he thinks about it. But it would still be better than nothing, right? Better than starving himself, that’s for sure. Surely better than run away and leave him alone forever.
Akaza widens his eyes for a moment, as if he couldn't believe his ears. Did Kyojuro really say that? His mouth waters just by thinking about it. How warm would his blood be? What would it taste like? It would surely taste sweeter than anything he has ever known. He clenches his hands into fists, nails digging deeply into his skin, in a desperate attempt not to give in. The pain lasts only seconds before it turns into something too faint, too weak to be a distraction. So he sinks his nails even deeper, in a desperate effort to distract himself.
"No."
"It wouldn't be enough?"
"No, I will not drink your blood," Akaza says forcefully, his throat burning with desire. He wants to drink his blood, to satiate that overwhelming hunger that has been torturing him for weeks now. But he can't do that, Akaza doesn't want him to feel obligated to do something to help him.
"Why?" Kyojuro asks, voice so utterly sincere it breaks Akaza's heart. "You are not forcing me, you know?”
Akaza stares at Kyojuro, and he doesn't see any trace of hesitation. He knows very well that when he makes up his mind, it's hard to change it. The Flame Hashira can be so stubborn when he wants to do something.
"I can't, Kyojuro," he mutters agonizingly. “I can’t do that, please.” He feels as if the words are being torn from his mouth by force — he doesn’t want to show how desperate he is. How hungry he truly feels, and how his stomach feels so hollow it hurts. Akaza feels as if every movement costs him every ounce of energy he has left. Every breath is too painful, every beat of his heart overwhelming. His head is throbbing painfully. It hurts, it hurts too much.
Kyojuro gets closer to Akaza and holds his hand. "I don't want you to suffer. Don't hurt yourself, please." He says softly as the cuts on his palms heal.
Akaza feels like Kyojuro's touch is burning his skin to the bone. It feels so overwhelming to have him so close. He breathes fast, as if that could be enough to satiate his hunger. Kyojuro lays a hand on his cheek, gently caressing his skin, and Akaza leans into his touch, closing his eyes for a moment. He allows himself to feel the softness of his touch and the brief relief that it carries.
"Akaza," he says softly, as he helps him to sit down. "You can barely stand."
"I have to leave," he murmurs, as if uttering those words costs him every ounce of energy he has left. "I can't stay here. I don’t trust myself, Kyojuro, please.”
"You can, Akaza," he says very softly. "I trust you, and you can stay."
Akaza doesn't say anything. It's hard to resist the temptation, and he wants to give up. His mouth is still watering, and he wants to stop breathing because it only makes things worse, so much worse. It feels like he can smell Kyojuro’s blood, if that’s even possible. Akaza had never felt something like this before; it seemed to shatter every single bone in his body into tiny pieces. He wants to move, to run away as fast as possible. But every slight movement causes him pain throughout his body, so running away is truly out of the question.
Drink his blood, his heart whispers with every beat. Drink his blood, drink his blood.
Kyojuro knows full well that he will probably never say yes, no matter how much he wants to, and can see how much he is struggling. It is desperation that drives him when Kyojuro pulls Akaza close, holding him tightly, his face pressed against his shoulder. Kyojuro can feel Akaza’s lips against his shoulder, his warm breath hitting him in erratic waves. Kyojuro wants him to drink his blood, to use it to silence that dull hunger that is torturing him.
He wants that with all his heart.
"Drink my blood, Akaza," he says again, more desperately this time. "If it's going to help you, to nourish you — then drink it."
"Kyojuro," Akaza murmurs agonizingly against his warm skin. "Kyojuro. I don't trust myself,” he repeats and this time there is more pain, more doubts that consume him.
"I trust you, Akaza," Kyojuro says. "Bite my shoulder."
Akaza moves away slightly to look at his shoulder, caressing the skin almost reverently. He leans down to kiss Kyojuro's shoulder gently. Akaza tries to resist until he feels his throat burning at the thought of being able to feed, to satisfy the dull hunger he feels. Akaza tries to resist by kissing his shoulder some more, as if that could satisfy his hunger somehow. But of course it doesn't, if anything it seems to make things a bit worse.
Something in his stomach seems to throb painfully, and resisting is not only difficult but impossible. He has no other choice but this. Akaza feels his eyes water with tears and tries to hold them back, not even knowing why he's feeling like this. He feels strangely vulnerable, as if he were ready to crumble into tiny pieces, each more fragile than the other.
"Akaza," Kyojuro says softly.
"Lie down, Kyojuro," Akaza murmurs painfully. "Lie down, please,” his voice breaking as if it were made of glass.
Drink his blood, his mind begs. Drink it now.
Akaza can’t resist anymore — not when his whole body is begging him to do it. To drink Kyojuro’s warm and precious blood, finally giving his body what he denied it for too long.
"Don't go," Kyojuro begs him. "Akaza, please. I won't let you leave. Not until you nourish yourself, somehow."
"It's not for that," he says. "I don't want you to hurt yourself. I want you to be comfortable."
"Will you do it, then?" Kyojuro asks, almost beaming with happiness.
Akaza looks at him for a moment, indecision etched on every feature of his face. His beautiful eyes still shone with unshed tears, and Kyojuro wanted to dry those tears that were fighting not to roll down Akaza's cheeks. But how can you dry tears that are unshed? How can you soothe an ache that hides behind every gesture? Kyojuro just wants to help him, that's all.
"Don't be afraid, okay?" Akaza begins to say. "I won't hurt you, you know that, don't you?" he murmurs as he helps him lie down.
Kyojuro smiles and nods. "I know, and I am not afraid. I will never be afraid of you."
"Kyojuro," Akaza murmurs, astonished. “You shouldn’t trust me, not now.”
“But I do. I always do.”
Kyojuro trusts him too much, honestly. More than Akaza trusts himself right now. What if it goes too far? What if he hurts him too much? What if he kills him, too busy to satiate his hunger to notice?
"We can do this until we find another solution," he says. "Until then... Don't worry, I'll always be by your side."
They'll find another way, but for now this is the only thing they can do. Akaza has been starving for who knows how long, so that's the easiest and fastest solution. No time to elaborate on another plan.
"If you feel like I'm going too far, if you feel sick in any way, stop me," Akaza pleads, his voice as fragile as glass. "No matter how, I don't care, punch me, kick me — it doesn't matter."
"Okay," Kyojuro nods, trying to make Akaza understand how much he trusts him. That he's not afraid, and that he wants this. He wants to help, to soothe that terrible hunger that has been tormenting Akaza for who knows how long. It pains him to see him suffer like that, especially when he can do something about it.
"The last thing I want to do... is hurt you."
"I trust you with my life, Akaza," Kyojuro says. "I trust you with my heart."
Kyojuro reaches out to him and lays his hand on Akaza's cheek, caressing his soft skin. Akaza leans into his touch, turning his head to softly kiss his palm.
"Are you sure?" He gives him one more chance to change his mind, even though he knows that Kyojuro would never do that.
He nods. "Yes. Drink my blood, Akaza."
Akaza positions himself above him, knees on either side of his hips, and hands firmly placed on the floor to keep balance. He bends down slightly, gazing at Kyojuro's eye, trying to see a sign of indecision. But what he sees is absolute trust, no trace of fear or anything else. So much of it that it warms his chest, but also makes him feel unworthy of such devotion. Akaza kisses him for a moment, feeling Kyojuro smile against his lips, giving him goosebumps.
"I'm going to do that, now," Akaza murmurs, his lips brushing against Kyojuro's. It's impossible to resist; he can't do it anymore. “But remember, if I go too far, just punch me, or kick me. Whatever, I don’t care, anything to keep you safe.”
"Mhmh," he hums. "Do it."
Akaza bends down and kisses Kyojuro's shoulder some more, as if he wanted to delay that moment as long as possible.
"Akaza," Kyojuro murmurs, overwhelmed by his feelings, closing his eyes as if savoring Akaza's affection. “Do it, please, please.” He begs him, as if somehow that was also his desire.
He licks his skin, warm against his tongue, as if he wanted to warn him that he was about to do it. He feels his heart beating painfully in his chest, and he can barely breathe.
Drinks his blood, drinks his blood. His body is begging him to do so, and Akaza simply gives up. Overwhelmed by hunger and anguish.
Kyojuro caresses Akaza's arm slowly, leaving a trail of warmth on his cold skin. He tilts his head to give Akaza better access to his neck and shoulder. It doesn't matter where he decides to bite him, as long as he does it. Finally, Akaza bites his shoulder, fangs sinking into the soft flesh. Kyojuro's warm blood enters his system, leaving a sweet taste on his tongue. The hunger is too much to bear, and his blood tastes too delicious to resist. Besides, there's no reason to, isn't it?
His mind is completely hazed, devoid of any thought except Kyojuro's warmth and his blissfully delicious blood. He lies down on top of him, feeling his strong body against his own, seeking comfort and to better access his shoulder.
"Akaza," Kyojuro whispers, almost breathless. "Akaza."
Kyojuro lays his hand on the back of Akaza's neck and presses him against his shoulder even more, inviting him in. He keeps drinking Kyojuro's blood, quenching the overwhelming hunger that has been wrecking his body for too long. It's so warm and sweet, it feels like having the rays of the sun pumped directly into his veins. If floods his body like an uncontrollable strom, colliding against his essence.
Akaza's arm wraps around Kyojuro's body, feeling the warmth of his skin against his own. He feels like he can barely think, completely overwhelmed by Kyojuro. Overwhelmed by his warmth, and the touch of his fingers, and how his fangs sinks deep into his flesh. All he wants is for his blood to enter his body, fusing into his organs, and intertwining around his veins like a thread.
It feels like he has been starving himself for years, never able to make the hunger disappear. He hums against his shoulder, sinking his fangs even deeper into his flesh, completely lost in a frenzy. It feels like he never drank blood in his life, even though he did so many times during his lifetime. But Kyojuro's blood is sweeter than anything else, terribly so. So he continues to drink, feeling that emptiness in his stomach, that hunger that was clawing at his body, slowly becoming smaller, more bearable.
His stomach stops throbbing painfully, and it seems easier to breathe. The smell of Kyojuro's blood enters his lungs, and it's so sweet it makes Akaza want more, so much more. So he sinks his fangs a little deeper, but not too much, to suck even more blood. He knows that he should stop, but Akaza can’t bring himself to.
He keeps drinking, as his tears run down Kyojuro's skin, making it clear how he desperately needed this. Kyojuro caresses the back of his neck, fingers ever so gentle. He closes his eyes, filling his body with something that feels like a blessing. The fact that Kyojuro trusts him so much that he allows Akaza to drink his blood, to use it as nourishment, makes his heart flutter.
"Akaza," Kyojuro murmurs, his voice a loving whisper. “My Akaza,” he breathes as he presses him even more against his shoulder. As if he wanted to be closer to him, as if their bodies weren't already pressed against each other — almost one.
It doesn't seem like he's begging him to stop; quite the contrary, if he has to be honest. Akaza can feel how Kyojuro’s hand is pressing against the back of his neck, as if he wanted him to drink more blood. It feels beautiful to silence that hunger, so intense that it took his breath away, which had tortured his body for weeks. He tried to resist as long as he could, but it was bound to happen. No matter how much he tried to resist the urge to feed himself.
Akaza allows himself one more moment, seconds of pure and overwhelming bliss, before stopping. Akaza kisses the bite mark, licking the blood that seeps out with the tip of his tongue. He then licks his lips, not wanting anything to go to waste, and his tongue seems even more eager to catch every single drop. It almost feels like being reborn, and his body is full of Kyojuro’s purest essence — what flows into his veins is now forever infused into Akaza’s very being, as well.
"Is that enough?" Kyojuro murmurs, eyes slightly hazy as he stares at Akaza.
"Yes," Akaza says, feeling dizzy. Is this what it feels like to be drunk? He feels like his head is spinning very fast.
"Are you sure?"
"Mhmh," he hums, resting his head against his shoulder for a moment. "Are you okay, Kyojuro?"
"Yes, don't worry," he replies, wrapping his arms around him. “I’m more than alright.”
"I should take care of your wound, Kyojuro," Akaza says reluctantly, not wanting to leave his embrace. “It’s better to take care of it as soon as possible.”
Kyojuro nods. "Mhmh."
Akaza reluctantly separates himself from Kyojuro's warm body, taking what he needs to treat his wound. He sits next to him and when he notices there is still blood, slowly rolling down his skin, he bends down to lick it. Then he cleans the wound carefully, touching it very lightly so as not to hurt him. It will take a long time to heal, and it will probably scar very badly.
"I don't need too much of it," Kyojuro says, pointing at the small bottle in Akaza's hand. "A little is enough."
Akaza spread a thin layer of ointment, which smells herbal and fresh, on the bite mark. He hadn't realized he had sunk his teeth in so deeply. Then he bandages it carefully, trying to be as gentle as possible.
"Are you really okay?" Akaza asks again. “For a moment, I felt like I couldn't control myself. So is everything alright?”
"Yes," he says as if it didn't matter that much. "But what about you? Was that really enough? Be honest, please." He always worries about others, rarely about himself.
"It was, I promise. Th — thank you."
"Good,” Kyojuro smiles gently, eyes brimming with kindness. “You look better now, you know? I wonder how long you were starving yourself. But never do that again, okay? Just come to me,” he murmurs, lovingly caressing his cheek. Akaza nods, and that makes Kyojuro’s smile even brighter, if that’s even possible.
"Can I lie on top of you, again?" Akaza asks, suddenly shy. With Kyojuro, sometimes, he feels more open. A shade more fragile, something he never thought he would allow himself to be. “It felt really good.”
Kyojuro smiles, as bright as the sun, and nods. Akaza lies down on top of him, chest to chest — heart to heart. He briefly closes his eyes, feeling blissful. Akaza kisses Kyojuro's neck, light kisses falling over his skin like rain, until he reaches his shoulder, lips pressed against the bandage ever so gently. It must hurt a lot. But nothing in Kyojuro's expression seems to suggest pain, not that Akaza is surprised about it.
"Does it hurt?" Akaza murmurs, kissing his neck.
"Not much, don't worry," Kyojuro predictively replies. Of course, that's his answer. He's not even surprised at this point, so typical of him to never let others worry.
They stay silent for a moment, enjoying each other’s warmth and company. It feels so good to have Kyojuro’s body pressed against his — he would happily spend his nights lying on top of Kyojuro. He sighs softly when Kyojuro wraps an arm around him, pressing him closer. He has never felt so calm in such a long time. There has always been tension in his body, intense and overwhelming. But now pressed against Kyojuro's body, Akaza feels lighter. They stay like this for a moment longer, breathing slowly and feeling at home in each other’s arms.
“Do you think you can sit down?” Akaza asks, moving away and sitting next to him.
“Sure,” Kyojuro nods, sitting so close that he can feel Akaza’s warmth mingling with his own.
Akaza suddenly remembers how he whispered his name, so gently and lovingly. Kyojuro called Akaza 'his', in a way that sounded very lovely.
“You called me yours,” Akaza says softly, ever so gently. “You said my Akaza.”
In many ways, he belonged to Muzan for so long he forgot what it felt like to be free. To be truly free. That belonging, that possession wasn't normal. It made him feel like he was nothing but propriety. He was bound to do what he asked, and felt like the chains wrapped around him were never going to break.
But the way Kyojuro said that made him feel precious and cherished. Belonging to someone in this way, selflessly, is something that will never cease to amaze him. It fills his heart with so much warmth it almost takes his breath away. He belongs to him — body and heart. Akaza feels as if belonging to him is liberating, in a way. Kyojuro is a warm and loving presence beside him — and feels like being loved by him is a precious gift.
"Oh, yeah, I did," Kyojuro replies softly. "Does that bother you?"
"Being yours?"
Kyojuro nods.
"No. It doesn't," Akaza says softly. "Does that mean you belong to me?"
"It does," he says. "If you want me, that is."
"I thought it was pretty obvious, Kyojuro."
Kyojuro's cheek turns a bit red, an ink stroke on his adorable face.
Akaza can see how much he's forcing himself to stay awake, but it's clear that Kyojuro is tired.
“You are tired, Kyojuro,” he murmurs. “You should try to get some sleep.”
“Yeah, maybe,” he says. “Will you stay with me? This room is very dark even during the day, so you don't have to worry. We can spend the day together, if you want. I would love to spend all day and night with you, Akaza.”
“I am going to stay as long as you want,” he replies with a smile. “Night and day."
Kyojuro lies down and Akaza follows him soon after. They stay silent for a while, simply enjoying each other's warmth, before Kyojuro turns to his side. He smiles when he notices that Akaza has been staring at him the whole time. His breath catches seeing his smile and how his eye soften as if seeing Akaza was the best thing he could ever want. There is something absolute about the way he feels now — he feels enveloped by Kyojuro's affection, and Akaza loves him deeply.
“Thank you, Kyojuro.”
“What for?”
“For trusting me so much that you allowed me to drink your blood.”
“You can always drink my blood, if that's what you want. It really doesn't matter to me, as long as it helps you. As long as it nourishes you.”
He wants to feel that sensation again, that overwhelming feeling of being full of Kyojuro's blood. The only thing he wants is for Kyojuro's blood to be inside his body again and again. Giving him energy, silencing his hunger most beautifully. Thinking about his fangs sinking into his flesh, his mouth being filled with his terribly sweet blood, is enough to make his head spin. He wants that, so much.
“Really?” Akaza asks, astonished by this turn of event.
“Really. It was an overwhelming sensation, you know? To be so close to you that I could almost feel your heart beating. Your soul trembling against mine,” he says in a loving whisper. “Your fangs buried deep into my flesh felt good.”
Kyojuro wraps an arm around his waist, bringing Akaza closer to him, gently kissing his forehead.
"You really liked it?" Akaza wonders, slightly astonished.
Kyojuro nods. "As I said, it felt very overwhelming. But you were so close to me, I could hear every little sound that you were making. The relief you were feeling as you drank more and more blood."
"What do you mean?" he asks, not really knowing what he's talking about. To be fair, Akaza was solely focused on drinking Kyojuro's blood, everything else didn’t really matter.
"The more you drank, the more you relaxed against me," he says. "I could feel your relief reverberating throughout my body. The little sounds you kept making at the back of your throat, it was like you were enjoying every drop of my blood."
He never thought Kyojuro would say something like that.
"It felt so intimate, Akaza," Kyojuro says softly, caressing his bare back. "I was sincere when I told you that you can always drink my blood, whenever you want."
Akaza wraps an arm around his waist just because he needs to touch him, to feel his warmth against his skin. Kyojuro’s fingers are leaving a trail of fire on his back as a shiver runs down his spine.
He kisses him and bites his lips until he draws blood. The tip of his tongue licks the blood very carefully, enjoying its sweetness.
Every cell in his body rejoices at the prospect of this happening again and again, in the intimacy of Kyojuro's room. Their bodies pressed against each other, his fangs sinking deeper and deeper into his flesh, and their essence mingled as one.
"I would... like that very much," he says, fingers lightly playing with the fabric of his shirt. “Your blood is sweet.”
"Really?"
"Yes. Sweeter than anything else," he murmurs, as if afraid of being heard by others. "What I experienced was so overwhelming that no words could describe it."
"Yeah, same here."
"You kept pushing me against you, inviting me in, and I couldn't resist. I didn't want to, really. It’s as if my body were still on fire, full of your blood that wraps around my veins like a thread."
The bite wound throbs faintly, and instead of being painful, Kyojuro savors that sensation. That pain that pulses through his nerves feels almost like a triumph, and maybe it's weird, but he doesn't really care. He loves Akaza so much it sends waves into his already scorched veins.
"Akaza," he whispers against his skin, leaving a trail of kisses.
It feels beautiful to be so close to him, to feel Akaza's body against his own. His cooler skin is like a balm against his body, against the fire that keeps running through his veins, traveling straight into his heart. Kyojuro kisses his cheek and then the corner of his mouth, lingering for a moment that feels like eternity.
The throbbing pain from the bite sends continuous shivers down his spine. Fortunately, the bite is hidden, so he highly doubts that anyone will ever see it. But he will always feel it with every movement. He will feel the wound slowly healing, until it forms a scar that will remain on his body forever. It will happen again and again, and Kyojuro secretly can't wait for that moment to come. He kisses Akaza, tasting the tang of his blood on his lips. Kyojuro moves slightly away to stare at him, and he feels his chest getting warmer. My Akaza, he thinks — only mine.
Knowing that his blood is pumping into Akaza's veins is enough to make his head spin. He never felt something like this before, not even once. He said to Akaza that it felt intimate, but the truth is... it felt more than that. Something so profound that it doesn't have a name, and probably never will, but closely feels like complete and utter devotion.
"Kyojuro?" Akaza calls him. "Are you okay?"
He smiles lovingly. "Yes, of course.”
"You look so tired," Akaza murmurs. "I'm sorry if I kept you up."
"Don't apologize, Akaza," says in a loving whisper. "It's okay."
"But now you have to sleep, okay?"
“What about you?”
“What do you mean? I don't sleep,” Akaza replies, getting slightly confused.
“Yeah, I know,” he replies. “But wouldn't you feel… alone?”
“Kyojuro, you need to sleep, and I don't. But I won't be lonely, don't worry. I'm with you, right? Just sleep, you need it.”
"Turn around."
Akaza looks at him, slightly confused, but does as he is told. Kyojuro wraps his arms around him and brings him close to his body. His hands lay on Akaza's chest, fingers lightly caressing his skin. He turns his head and gives him a lingering kiss on the cheek.
"Are you comfortable?"
"You know that these things don't matter to me," Akaza replies with a smile.
"But it matters to me."
There's softness in Akaza's gaze when he says, "I'm comfortable." After all, he's wrapped in Kyojuro's arms, his back pressed against his warm and strong chest. It doesn't get better than this, that’s for sure.
"Good," he murmurs into his ear, sending shivers down Akaza's spine. Kyojuro can feel his body slightly trembling against his own.
Suddenly, Kyojuro feels exhaustion invade every inch of his body, and keeping his eyes open seems impossible.
"Sleep," Akaza murmurs. "You need it, otherwise you are going to be exhausted in the morning."
He hugs him tighter before closing his eyes, surrendering to fatigue. The last thing he hears is Akaza humming something under his breath, a song perhaps — so sweet and gentle that it lulls him to sleep.