Chapter Text
Akura Ou was bored out of his mind.
When will that stupid fox be back?! He thought. It wasn't rare for Tomoe to disappear for extended periods of time, but this had been one of his longest disappearances yet. And it was such a shame too, because the oni had a splendid idea for an adventure for just the two of them. The two of them could go destroy villages and watch all the humans be squished like bugs under their control, and this could remind the two of them of the useless and pathetic creatures humans were. Just the mere thought of the chaos they could cause made Akura get jitters of excitement.
And yet here he was, lying all alone in their empty castle.
The silence was too loud. It filled his ears with an unpleasant emptiness that felt like it was eating him away from the inside. He wanted to be hearing the familiar sound of gunshots, screams of agony, or metal clashing. He loved those sounds. They reminded Akura of human's pathetic weakness, and how little and helpless they were when faced with the feared Demon King.
But right now, he was bored to death, wasting away in his castle that suddenly felt too big. Tomoe was probably at a brothel somewhere, enjoying himself to his heart's content with those damned Tanuki girls. Just the thought of their pretty little raccoon faces made Akura clench his teeth until they scraped against each other painfully. The thought of Tomoe off having fun with some girls instead of him--it made him want to destroy those stupid prostitutes, so he could keep his playmate all to himself.
But here he was, just lying there helplessly, waiting for something or someone to come and entertain him.
"I know..." Akura grinned. "I'll play our little game. I wonder how he'll react when he comes back and sees that all his stuff has been rampaged." That playful gleam returned to Akura's beastly yellow eyes. He got up from his bed, finally having something fun to do.
---
Akura easily found the big wooden chest that sat in the corner of Tomoe's room. He crouched down in front of it and extended a long finger. He inserted his long, black nail into the keyhole of the chest and twisted his finger until he heard a click. He didn't even bother looking for the key, after all Akura did this so often that Tomoe probably had to bring it around with him because he couldn't leave the castle safely without returning to a room full of all his treasures left broken and scattered around the room. It was a petty little game they played, even if it was one Tomoe didn't particularly enjoy.
Akura began to lift the lid, but he did it with so much impatience and force that it flew open so fast that it hit the wall with a BANG, before bouncing of the wall and falling closed again.
Akura opened the chest more carefully this time, resting the lid more carefully against the cold gray stones. He immediately dove his hands into the chest and started grabbing various objects. Small weapons, glittering jewels, beautiful fabrics, and more miscellaneous items were all thrown carelessly onto the floor behind him. Akura turned around to look at the items, eyes glinting hungrily at them like they were a tasty meal laid before him on a silver platter, just for him to devour.
He used his sharp nails again to rip the fabrics into shreds, and he smashed jars against the walls with all the strength in his arm. Akura savored the pleasant sound of glass smashing, of destruction. But he wanted more.
He reached into the chest again for another round, driven by the exciting image of Tomoe's pretty face twisted in anger when he came back to the mess he was making.
Not that it would come as much of a surprise to him, anymore.
Out of the corner of his eye, Akura caught sight of a gleaming, ultraviolet light dancing in one of the glass jars. Curious, Akura stopped his rampage to investigate. He pouted. Why would that fox keep something interesting like this from me?
He carefully grabbed the half-buried jar from the pile, holding it closer to his face to inspect it's contents. He didn't try to stop the angry gasp that escaped him when he realized what it was.
The Dragon King's Eye.
Akura's eyes narrowed. This was the King Ryou Sukuna's eyeball. Right in front of his eyes. It was supposed to grant almost immedaite healing powers, as well as a long and healthy life to it's consumer.
Why, why is this in Tomoe's chest? And why, why is there only one? Akura's mind raced like a race car driving in figure eights. He had to put the jar down and rest his head in his hands, because he felt like he was getting a migraine.
That asshole! It took every ounce of self control in his body not to smash the jar into pieces. It felt like someone had tied something, something in him into a million knots and pulled them all taut at once.
We were supposed to steal these eyes together.
Everything felt backwards. They were supposed to steal both of the eyes together, and then take over the Dragon King's palace. So why, why was there only one eye in here, being hidden from him in the depths of Tomoe's chest? And if he had planned on eating it, why was it still here?
No, he hasn't stolen it for some weak little girl has he? Akura's blood boiled at the image, and those knots felt like they were being pulled tighter.
Why could he never just be Tomoe's priority, the one he chose first? Why was Tomoe always running away without even a word of goodbye? And why the hell was he betraying him like this? They were companions, no? So why, why was he feeling so abandoned by him?
Who does Tomoe truly care about more: me, or girls?
Akura looked at the eyeball through his squinted eyes. It was a big, perfectly rounded sphere covered in tiny red veins--and it was engulfed in a small purple flame.
When Akura saw that flame, it immediately reminded him of Tomoe's foxfire. He thought of that time he had promised Akura to create a sea full of foxfire when he had told him that he wanted to see an ocean of fire. They were just two yokai who had found each other by chance. Tomoe had saved Akura from a yokai who had been trying to kill him, and from then it was history. They became so powerful together that not even the gods could do anything about their endless destruction. They went wherever they wanted, doing whatever they wanted.
Had Tomoe grown tired of their games? Had he sought out others because his own companionship wasn't enough?
They had made a promise they would be together forever, two best friends--no they were practically brothers. They were all each other had.
No one but him could ever truly understand a person like Tomoe, someone who didn't value the life of anyone, right?
I'm all that bastard has, Akura thought. So why does he leave me and seek more? What can he find outside of here, or in that fucking chest, that he can't even find in the only one who has understood him and stayed with him all this time? If he can't even bring himself to trust me, I wonder what else I will find in the crevices of his chest.
Akura, driven by emotions he couldn't even place a single claw on, furiously continued to shove useless items Tomoe for whatever reason liked to collect and keep hidden. I wonder what other secrets that bastard kitsune is keeping from me.
Whatever precious toys he doesn't share, I'll just have to destroy. Akura laughed in excitement. Yes, this is more like me.
Something small and pink caught Akura's eye amongst the mostly colorless items. He extended his hand to grab it, and he saw that it was carefully wrapped in a small but thick piece of beige fabric that was torn around the edges.
That's weird, he thought. Why would Tomoe use such a scrappy, worthless rag to wrap something?
Akura removed the worn cloth from the mystery item and threw it across the room. The pink object was a small flower, made from something Akura couldn't identify. The flower was attached to a thin wooden stick. This is a hairpin. It had two strings, shorter than his pinky finger attached the bottom of the flower. They had about five purple beads strung onto them, and they showed his own terrifying reflection to him.
Why am I acting this way? Akura could tell that he had been acting strangely all day--but this sudden interest in the identity of Tomoe's things was even more alien.
A thought came to him. Since this hairpin probably belongs to some stupid prostitute, I'll just have to destroy it!
Glad he was feeling more like his normal self, Akura stood up and tightened his grip on the hairpin. He stormed into his living room and stood before the huge fireplace, but he quickly ran into a problem. Dammit! Usually that fox starts the fire, but he's not here--guess I'll just have to do it myself! He let out a frustrated grunt.
---
Pleased with his work, Akura stared into the huge fire burning before him, admiring the way it crackled and danced, like it was bowing down to hima nd pleading for mercy. Something that Akura would like.
But something was bothering him.
Akura was so used to seeing Tomoe's blue foxfire, that he had basically become accustomed to it. Normal, orange flames were almost foreign to his eyes. Seeing them for the first time reminded him of all the time he had spent wandering alone, before he met Tomoe.
Back when he had to start his own fires, just like was doing right now.
He bit the inside of his cheek, feeling uncomfortable all of a sudden.
"What is this? I'm supposed to be burning this thing, that is apparently so precious to that fox that he has to hide it from me!" I must've been so uncomfortably excited that I felt restless, he thought.
Still gripping the hairpin, he extended his arm behind his head, preparing to throw it into the fire. He grinned from ear to ear, enjoying that familiar feeling of his heart pumping faster and the way his body had to stop itself from moving on it's own accord.
He lifted one leg and leaned back a bit, now in a stance that ensured the best aim possible. His grin was even wider and more devilish now, to the point it hurt his jaw and cheeks. Finally ready to throw the hairpin and watch it be destroyed by the fire's hungry grasp, he took a deep breath, and swung his arm towards the flame with the perfect amount of strength. Say bye bye to your precious hairpin, fox!
But the second before he let go of his grip on the wooden stick, he heard the door burst open with a THUD. Akura's eye twitched, and he turned around to face Tomoe, but the only thing he saw was the huge door lightly swinging in the cloudy night. Where did he go?!
Akura felt the hairpin being pried from his tight grip. The air caressed his cheek as he whipped his head around to meet Tomoe's amethyst eyes, which had narrowed into slits.
Akura's mouth fell open, and an angry sound escaped from his throat. "What are you doing, fox!"
Tomoe's eyes widened in rage. "Taking back what is righfully mine!'' he quickly tucked the hairpin into his kimono. "What the hell did you think you were doing with that?"
Akura gritted his teeth. "I found it in your trunk! It belongs to some prostitute doesn't it?!"
All of a sudden, it felt like Tomoe's heart had been pulled by a string and yanked up into his throat.
That's her hairpin, he thought.
Yukiji. The woman that he loved, with all of his heart.
Those eyes, those eyes that stole the violent Kitsune's heart the second they met his.
That smile, the one Tomoe had gone to lengths to see.
But who knows if he'll ever see it again. Because for some reason, she changed. She had married some human man, and she didn't talk to Tomoe the same way anymore.
Who can say if she'll ever speak that way to him again? And who can say if that blindfold will come off her eyes. And if it will ever be that same Yukiji, the Yukiji who took care of Tomoe when he was hurt. The Yukiji who promised to marry him in the future. The Yukiji who didn't hate him.
The Yukiji who loved him.
Who knows if Tomoe will ever see that Yukiji again--or if she'll ever fulfill her promise. But if she does, Tomoe will be waiting for her. That won't change, even if she did.
Perhaps the old Yukiji will come back, and maybe she'll bring those eyes with her.
But Tomoe must wait, just like he promised, if he wants that future to come someday.
Someday.
"It does not belong to some prostitute," he said, practically hissing through his fangs.
"Huh, then who does it belong to? Enlighten me." I have him caught red handed, Akura thought, a pleased grin dancing on the corners of his lips.
A warm smile spread across Tomoe's face, imagining her when she had leaned over him, fed him that miracle medicine, and nursed him back to health.
Back to when she would let me see her eyes, he thought--a twinge of pain gnawing at his heart. "It belongs to the girl that I have fallen in love with."
Akura leapt forward at Tomoe and grabbed the collar of his kimono, his face twisting with rage. "You mean to tell me you have become infatuated with some silly little girl, Tomoe?! You cannot be serious, idiot!" Akura shook Tomoe by the shoulders, but he didn't so much as flinch. Akura's head was spinning, and those damn knots were back again.
Why was he feeling like this? And why was he acting this way?
"Yes." Tomoe said matter-of-factly. "She has promised to marry me someday, and I am waiting hopefully for that day to come. I intend to find a way to become human, so we can be equals."
Akura couldn't believe the words spilling so easily out of Tomoe's mouth. How does he intend to marry a human girl?! And the thought of Tomoe becoming a human himself, the thought of Tomoe leaving him, it just mad those knots grow so tight he feared something in him was going to burst. The emotions piled up, and he raised his voice to a yell. "You are going to leave me for a human woman?! You cannot be serious?! Get ahold of yourself!"
Tomoe's was getting more and more irritated. "Are you saying that I am, being insensible?! I promise you that I am thinking perfectly clear, Akura. I will be the one to make my own decisions. Leave yourself out of this."
Akura's eyes widened so much they began to water. "Fine then, leave! And don't you come back, bastard! Go marry some useless human! And don't try and come crawling back to me when she dies right in front of you like the maggot she is!"
Tomoe couldn't stop the air that left his body.
Akura turned his back on Tomoe and stomped away so loud the entire castle shook.
I must go to her, Tomoe thought.
He left the castle, heading on a big ball of foxfire to Yukiji's manor, prepared to do whatever he could to take care of her--so that future would come someday.
Someday.