He had never really thought about it before. Never thought about the sky, that is. It used to be something that was always there and constant, so the demon didn't pay any attention to it. Miku was right, though. It was something that one could only see, not touch. As much as they may try, people could only watch it beautifully hang above them, forever unreachable. Perhaps that was why the color blue represented sadness.
He couldn't help but wonder if that sort of situation followed other aspects of normal life. Then again, his life was different. He was a dangerous beast, after all, right? A loathsome monster. A horrible demon. The blue-haired demon thought about it more and more, only to come to the same conclusion every time: the sky was untouchable. To him, it could be compared to a normal life. He could watch the people live out their days happily and among others, but he would never be able to have what they possessed. Would never have anything like them. He looked up from his thin hands to the back of Miku's head, the white, silk sash shining underneath her long hair.
Could anything reach where he couldn't? Could anything leave this cursed and gilded cage of his? It was if he was a trapped bird that no one wanted to see... If that was true, though, then it would mean...
"Hey Miku," he said, calling her attention to himself. He hoped she couldn't hear the strained smile in his voice. "Can the birds touch the sky?"
"What?"
"The birds," he repeated. "If they can see the sky too, can they fly to it? Can the birds touch the sky when all others can't?"
She allowed a silence to pass in what he assumed was her thinking about it. "I suppose they can," she answered at last.
Was it possible for such a simple answer to give him such happiness? The blue demon clenched his hand shut around the used bandages, a mixed feeling of regret and relief stirring within himself.
"Kaito, do you play an instrument?" she asked. He barely registered that she was talking to him, too caught up in his own enjoyment of her answer and voice.
He flinched, coming out of his thoughts as she turned around to face him. She was blind, but she still had manners. It was actually rather charming. Putting that aside though, he focused on her question. It was certainly an odd something to ask. He couldn't really understand how the topic was brought up, and his curiosity got him, so he asked. "Why do you ask?" He made sure to say it gently. The last thing he wanted was for Miku to be making assumptions on his mood from the way he sounded.
"I thought I heard a shamisen fall before," she answered, simply and honestly. It seemed like such a pure and harmless reply, like she could cover her poking curiosity effortless with her normal tone.
"Well," he started, unsure of how to continue. Truth be told, he was a little embarrassed by his musical skills. He felt like, whenever he created a song, it was a tune never meant to be lived her life solely on sounds, though, so couldn't he make an exception and let her listen? "It's been a long time," he lied, downplaying it so easily. No, no, he shouldn't bother her with his silly music.
"So you do play!" she exclaimed, a happy look scrawled across her face.
He shifted his eyes away from her and to the polished shamisen in the corner. It hadn't really been that long, and he knew it. "I'm not really that great," he said. Was it modesty? No, it felt more like selfish-ness. Keeping his music to himself, forbidding her or anyone else to hear it.
"Please, just a little bit," she plead.
It felt like Miku could possess him to do anything with just a few simple words. The demon sighed softly before crossing the room. His left hand grasped the familiar and yet foreign neck of the instrument. Perhaps it had been a while.
He returned to his place beside her and rearranged himself to play, his fingers resting on the strings. His doubtful orbs took in her expecting look. It was clearly anticipating greatness, while outlined in excitement. "Promise me you won't listen to it," he said.
Her face dropped for a second before returning to its bright normalcy. "I promise," she said, so simply.
The demon paused again before running his fingers across the shamisen strings, enticing them to play a distantly familiar tune. A few simple plucks and then a cascading rhythm. He knew she wasn't listening. He knew that Miku didn't hear story as he stepped into the main melody of the piece. She couldn't possibly hear what he was saying. He couldn't either, in all honesty, because even though he felt the words at the tip of his tongue, he could not recall the words to this old tune. It was an aged piece, about lovers, no doubt. It always was. However, this held a certain... closeness to his heart.
Kaito knew he was approaching the end of the piece, but he suddenly stopped.
There was a brief moment of silence. "Why did you stop?" Miku asked, her voice not as cheerful as it always was, but enchanting all the same. This time, it held a lovely, sad tune to it.
"I can't remember the rest," he admitted shamefully. It was a song he knew so well, but he was unable to recall how it ended. Thinking of it, he wasn't even sure what it was entitled.
"That's fine. I know you'll remember it eventually, and when you do, you can finish your song."
He smiled at her, wishing she could see just how innocent she was. Dropping his eyes away from her face, the demon noticed that she had put down her flower next to her. He hadn't even realized how its scent filled the air until he saw it sitting there, no longer in Miku's hands. His hand stretched out for it and gently picked it up, being careful of his nails not to flaw it in any way. There he held the delicate white flower, pure and untainted in his hand. The blue demon traced its stem with his other hand, his mind drifting to when he first saw it. She had it, and she was waiting for him.
The tips of the white petals were starting to soften now, most likely wishing it had not been picked. If the flower hadn't been pulled from the ground, from its home, then it would still live. It wouldn't be dying in an unfamiliar place. It would still be pure for another day. Untouched to be surrounded by other flowers.
The cold demon placed it back down beside her, not wanting to taint it any further. Such innocent purity like that should be preserved. The common silence fluttered around the two of them again. Silences were always easier to handle when she was around. Perhaps because it wasn't so quiet then. Perhaps "quiet" was not the right word. More like, dead. Everything wasn't so dead and lifeless when she was around.
"Kaito," she said, using his name to strike down the silence. Somehow, with her there, he knew the silence would still live. "Can you play your shamisen for the festival?"
He took no time in showing his surprise. "What?!"
"You play it so beautifully." Miku was now facing out toward the path, her hands delicately placed on her lap. "I want everyone to be able to hear you play. Well, can you?"
He looked at her expecting smile again, once again feeling the lure of it to do her bidding. But to appear in the village?! In front of everyone!?! Unheard of!
"I can't," he answered nervously. He was unable to hide his surge of panic. "They wouldn't like it." No, she couldn't find out. Not about that. About him. "My music isn't good enough."
She giggled wonderfully at his nervousness. Perhaps she wasn't able to tell just how much distress he was in. "If you're worried about what everyone will say, then wear a disguise. I'm sure they won't be able to tell." She seemed so confident in the idea of hiding his identity, that even he believed it would work. "Please? I want you to be at the festival, too."
Dare he read that for more than it was worth? She wanted him at the festival? Specifically him? "Alright," he sputtered, his brain no longer using logic. It was running on pure emotions. "I'll do it. Tell them I am a traveler though. I don't want anyone getting worried." She held such promise for this plan, this scheme, that it seemed foolproof. How could it possibly go wrong?
Miku's smile beamed more radiantly than usual. "Oh, thank you so much!" she shouted, her voice becoming overwhelmed with excitement. Without warning, she reached out, found his shoulder, and pulled him into a hug.
This time Kaito didn't dare think of pushing her away. Instead, he paused to fully understand that it was reality, and then carefully placed his arm around her in return.
The white flower was left alone, wilting outside of its safe meadow.
Ho snap! Symbolism galore, neh? Tell me what you think on that, please.
Anyway, credit to PrinceRoxas for telling me that it was a shamisen that Kaito plays in the PV in their story Demon & Daughter.
I really wanted to get through this chapter with no author comments, but eh, I'm starting to think it's hopeless for me.
That aside, you know what to do. ;D Thanks for reading!
