The Moon and The Sun Shared The Sky (akaren/renkaza)

Chapter Fourteen

The sheets were cold— why?—Akaza's eyes opened to a room, Kyojuro's room. Kyojuro's room was small and dusty with a golden glow encompassing it, lighting even the darkest corners of the room. Akaza sat up slowly, the cold had become more apparent without Kyojuro in his presence. Had the other left him for hunting duties, weren't they supposed to go to a festival today? Akaza felt a sense of loneliness in the almost desolate room. Was it day out still— Akaza didn't even know if he could leave. Akaza pulled the covers over himself hoping to make up for the missing warmth that Kyojuro had disappeared with. Akaza closed his eyes back, hoping to fall asleep, but he was sorely mistaken. Akaza heard yelling, the yelling of — a drunk man?— Akaza peeked back up from under Kyojuro's sheets waiting for the entrance of someone. Akaza could feel the presence of a Hashira level human who was certainly stronger than Kyojuro but he couldn't figure out if they were dangerous to be around. Akaza couldn't fully hide his presence after all. Kyojuro was right to be skeptical of him at first but he was lucky to have the ability to hide most of it from him. Akaza jumped as Kyojuro's room door was slammed open by a human heavily under the influence of alcohol.
"Father!"
Kyojuro seemed surprised to see his father act so irrationally even though he is blackout drunk, this was obviously a first. Akaza and Shinjuro kept eye contact with each other, every bone in his body being rattled to his core. This man could tell he was a demon very easily, why wasn't he saying anything and just being stared at. Shinjuro was barely standing. It was a weird sight to see a hashira strength man barely have his grounding. Was the man even okay? Shinjuro was unkempt and holding a jug of alcohol held up by its seams. Maybe if it broke the man could catch a break. Akaza didn't feel fear but this man scared him like possibly he should be nice. There was a small boy behind Kyojuro. He looked scared but his expression shows that this has happened numerous times already. Akaza connected the dots and found it intriguing that Kyojuro never seemed to mention a brother or at least a brother he remembers Kyojuro had mentioned to him.
" Who the fuck is this, Kyojuro? Get the fuck out of my estate."
Shinjuro spoke with his voice being raspy as he took a wobbled step forward.
" Father! He's a friend. Now please go back to your room, you can barely walk!"
Kyojuro spoke confidently as he walked forward to grab his father. Shinjuro backhanded Kyojuro though it seemed like an accident. Kyojuro followed through with his grab and forcefully dragged his father out of the room. Kyojuro looked fairly apologetic to Akaza while Akaza was confused by the whole interaction. Senjuro looked over to his brother and then to Akaza, wondering where he should go. Eventually, he chose to not deal with his drunken father. Senjuro entered the room with the foreign person, Senjuro was hesitant. Akaza finally snapped back to reality once he heard the creak of the flooring. Akaza's head snapped into attention for Senjuro. Akaza was less alert than usual because he didn't need to have his guard up for Kyojuro, they formed a bond with the only reason he should ever mistrust him is if he ever found out he was a demon, which he would never let happen.
"Hello, what's your name?"
Akaza's voice was light and he offered a slight smile. Senjuro was obviously scared of him in some sense. He could tell Senjuro went through some training but it had gone nowhere even then there would be an uneasy air around him if the other went through any amount of training. Senjuro's eyes lit up having not expected to have the other talk to him. Senjuro just wanted to wait to make sure his brother was fine, Kyojuro did after all just get smacked by his drunken father.
" Hello— who are you? Why are you in my big brother's bed?"
Senjuro had reason to be cautious but he couldn't help but question the obviously confused Akaza.
"Sir—?"
Senjuro asked once again but Akaza seemed rather transfixed on the doorway. Akaza was also intensely awaiting Kyojuro's return.
"Yes— sorry I just woke up, I'm just a friend of his who was put in a tough position, your brother is helping me out."
Akaza didn't know what to call their relationship and he didn't want this kid's brother to tell him himself. Akaza wasn't bothered by the kid's questions, Akaza enjoys talking and he doesn't always just have to talk to someone who's doomed in the future. The kid seemed intelligent and was definitely going somewhere in his future even if that path wasn't fighting. Akaza was biased against people who were weak but this kid seemed like he could get somewhere. Though a father who's under the influence all day and a brother who's gone to risk his life every day can halt the process of becoming better. Akaza felt more pity for this kid.
    Kyojuro was barely coming back when he heard his and Akaza's relationship get put under the label of 'friends'. Kyojuro was already feeling under the weather after being yelled at and belittled by his father. Kyojuro had expected this though since being gay isn't too acceptable, he couldn't tell if him hiding it was genuine or to protect Kyojuro. Kyojuro waited a bit, listening to the conversation of his brother and the one he would like to call his significant other.
"Why wouldn't you come here during the daytime and why are you showing yourself now— you're also rather pale for a human."
Senjuro spoke quickly, trying to back the other into a corner. Akaza was correct in that Senjuro was perceptive, even without much battle experience.
"It's a skin disease I suffer from, I have a sunlight allergy and anytime I step out into the sun my skin rashes and begins to peel— rather rude of you to ask such personal questions, have I done anything to cause such distrust from you?"
    Akaza was quick to defend with a sharp comeback. It almost felt like he's had this conversation before with another person. Senjuro did give up on prying answers out of the man he just met.
"What's your name— ?"
    Senjuro had to just get in one more question. He was being rather rude, but there was a random man in his family's estate so his actions were not unusual.
"Quite the questionnaire aren't you. Hakuji, what about you—?"
Akaza offered a slight smile to the kid, he could also tell Senjuro did not smile much or at least less than his brother did.
"What are you two doing—?"
Kyojuro's voice was like a rock in the middle of a pond, loud but full of the warmth of a hot summer day. Kyojuro had an unwavering smile— that still had the weirdest resemblance of an owl. Kyojuro always made any room Akaza was in much warmer, Akaza wouldn't mind being a human if it included this warmth and maybe then he wouldn't have to hide from Kyojuro. Akaza could come clean and they could actually pursue a relationship, that's all Akaza wants and he would give anything for it.
Akaza loved being a demon but it would never work between him and Kyojuro if both of them stayed the way they were. Akaza wanted Kyojuro to become a demon, and if a time where they had to fight came, he would convince him no matter the cost.
"Big brother!— Are you hurt?"
Senjuro spoke first quickly but quietly as the realization someone else was still here with him set in.
"No! Father was blackout drunk. I doubt he could hit me well enough to hurt at any point in that state."
Kyojuro's smile was still perfectly plastered across his face. Akaza's posture became sharper as Kyojuro directed his attention back onto the other.
"It's nighttime, I believe I still owe you a trip to the festival tonight. If it's still fine with you, perhaps tonight was a bit too much for you?"
Akaza shifted so his feet were dangling off the mess of a bed. Akaza believed he hadn't forgotten but was still worried that he had. Tonight must have been a mess for Kyojuro, Akaza didn't think this was at all what the other's home life was like. Akaza thought his life was perfect and he was probably overlooked but that was far from the truth. Instead, he was faced with a child who had a much rougher time than he's had as a demon.
"I would still like to go."
Akaza stood from his seated position, his clothes since he's got to this town have been somewhat mild but nowhere near fashionable to want to leave the house like he is now. Akaza's clothes were also around three days old by this point.
"Could I borrow some of your clothes, Kyojuro? Just for the festival— I need to get mine from the Inn."
Akaza didn't want to ask but it wasn't like he had a choice in the matter. Kyojuro nodded, not like he would deny the person he has a romantic interest in clothes. Kyojuro's attention was directed back to his younger brother.
"I'll take Senjuro to his room to sleep and come back for you. Then we can begin our walk to the festival— we should make it in time for the fireworks."
    Kyojuro then lightly put his hand on Senjuro before they both left the room to let Akaza change. Kyojuro's words made Akaza warm inside. He enjoyed the other's words. Akaza began to sift through some of Kyojuro's clothes for something to wear. Kyojuro, on the other hand, did a slight detour with Senjuro to talk to him.
"I don't like him, big brother— he has a weird air to him."
Sanjuro's words were careful since he didn't know how to describe it. If he accidentally told his brother that 'Hakuji' was a demon and he wasn't actually the guilt Senjuro would feel at that moment. Kyojuro looked confused by the statement and even a bit hurt that this was the person he liked being talked down on by his little brother.
"I have been around him and shared a room with him on multiple occasions. If he can hide his aura that well he could easily, what use would a demon have keeping a slayer alive other than to preserve themself! Senjuro there's no need to worry, I'm careful."
Kyojuro's words as always reassured Senjuros weary thoughts but it wasn't enough to sway his heart. Deep down Senjuro felt a cold and sharp fear of the next few days. Kyojuro just a few days ago had to attend a meeting too, there's a demon joining the demon slayer corps as well— Senjuro couldn't help but feel sick.
"Ok, I trust you, big brother. Have you been put back on duty?"
It was a question Senjuro dreaded to ask, Kyojuro had been out for 5 months of time 4 of those months he had spent with someone he, Kyojuro, just now decided to introduce to Senjuro. Kyojuro could also tell Senjuro wanted more time with his little brother but it wasn't something he could do.
"Yes— though I don't have a mission, I feel I'll only have a week's time. We can spend the rest of it together though! I'm sure Hakuji won't mind my absence. I would actually like to see if he wants to accompany me on my missions from here on out or till he gets bored!"
Senjuro thought that was a terrible idea, Hakuji was already giving off a creepy aura. Kyojuro's thoughts were more one track though. Kyojuro opened the door to Senjuro's room letting his little brother in first. Senjuro takes a slow pace to get to his bed though tucking himself in without his brother's help.
"You can go on your date now big brother, I'll hold you to our week."
Kyojuro nods as his brother smiles and turns over to sleep through the night. Kyojuro then leaves Senjuro to his own devices in his room, Kyojuro closes the door for him though once he makes it out of the room. The moonlit night was peaceful with the slight smell of food in the air, of course, there was, the festival wasn't going to wait on them to start. There is slight noise in the distance that Kyojuro couldn't hear even if he tried. Kyojuro's eardrums were busted. How could he hear was the real question, it was a miracle he kept partial hearing ability. The air was thick— was Kyojuro anxious? Kyojuro was anxious but what for, why should he be anxious?
Akaza had finished changing long ago and found his way back into the bed Kyojuro shared the night previous. Akaza was worried maybe Kyojuro had overheard something Akaza wished he wouldn't have, Akaza also had the guilt of leading Kyojuro on. Akaza rolled over in the bed making a small area of pillows and blankets. There really wasn't anything that gave him warmth other than Kyojuro.
Kyojuro walked into his room, rather loudly making the demon in his bed jolt a bit before he recognized the presence.
"Ready, Hakuji?—"
Akaza rolled and sat up on the others bed. Akaza had on a blue yakuta with white stitchings and accents. The outfit completely complimented him and it was surprising it even was in Kyojuros wardrobe. Akaza stood up showing off his outfit to Kyojuro.
     "I believe so—"
Akaza grinned at the Kyojuro who was gleeful to finally be able to go to the festival. Akaza walked up next to Kyojuro as Kyojuro puts his arm over Akaza holding him close as they walked together to the festival.

To be continued
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Sorry, this took so long, writers' block and I crushed my arm!
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2349 words