Started 07/12/2014
Finished: 09/15/2014
Revision: 11/24/2014
Mood Music: Celestial by Phidel
Apology: My bad! A day late! oh well! Better late than never!
Notations: Spirits and gods AU, Manami Honey appears, REMEMBER THIS IS FICTION! A lot of imagery, and annoying poetic language in this one.
WARNINGS: ANGST! MAYBE? Also: Twice as long as the others.. And very very weird…Please keep an open mind, yo!
Give Thanks to Prince: My wonderful BETA! Prince is my saviour!
Repletum
Chapter 06: Deity
In which Onoda meets a being out of this world
How the world may be changed, in just one burst of light!
And what was right, seems wrong
And what was wrong, seems right…
~ Les Misérables
He was not human. He was not a god.
He was something in between.
Which was the same as being nothing.
He had no place in the universe.
Akira watched the people below with utter boredom. Humans were low stupid creatures, whose stench was worse than the filth that they poured down into the rivers.
He found himself there once more, in the Land of the Rising Sun, watching them. 500 years had passed on the earth since his birth, the rich soil of the planet covered in the colorless slabs of what the humans lathered over for the sake of convenience, stretching endlessly.
Akira swept his large black eyes across the forest where the humans were loitering about, cattle mindlessly grazing.
He kept returning to this hallowed spot year after human year. His mother was there, bonded with the unworthy dirt of the ground and her grave shrouded by the old oaks that protected the spot of land that Akira visited with unintentional tradition and dedication. He floated down further, closer to the ground, his body shimmering into view of the foolish humans below.
The late afternoon sun was giving way to the darkness. She was fighting the oncoming night fiercely, shooting out her rays across the sky, as if reaching to cling to the Land of the Rising Sun.
Akira regarded the horizon, laughing at her efforts. His father would rise as he always did, and shine in the dark night until the sun would return to chase him away once more. Their petty battle was endless and foolish.
Akira was waiting for the moon to reign in the sky before he descended to his mother's grave. Time ticked away so slowly. When one had eternity to claim, time was always too long, too pretentious, of no importance. So he continued to watch the humans on the earth, his toes barely touching the tops of the utmost trees, his large round eyes peering into the city and watching. Watching like a child ready to destroy the carefully built intricacies of an anthill.
Humans were nothing but insects, after all. They lived and died. What happened in between was pointless to dwell on.
The looming city was so threatening lately. In the last hundred years, the people had built and built, attempting to make something for themselves, and what they created kept inching closer to the sacred ground of his mother's resting place.
If they dared to get closer, Akira decided that he would burn them all to the ground again.
The night finally stretched over the sky, swallowing up the last of the dwindling arms of the sun, and the twinkling lights of celestial bodies lit up the sky. Such a distraction, the city and all its false empty lights poisoning the darkness. Human feared the darkness...
Akira was glad.
He drifted down and landed on the ground beneath the old oaks. He remembered planting them, using the ashes and charred remains of his fellow villagers to create a suitable fertilizer. It was nice to come and see how well they had grown..
The moon was graceful enough to bathe the ground with a beam of holy light. Perhaps his father did feel something after all these years.
"Mother." He breathed out to the ground. She wasn't there and the dirt, the soil no longer held any trace of her, but still he returned to this spot, to this moment, every earth year.
"Akira…"
A long lanky boy moves forward, hurriedly at the sound of his name said so weakly. Her bright eyes are so dim now, so tired, barely open, "Akira…"
"Mother…" The boy says, his large eyes blinking at the sight of his kind mother so empty. "Y-Yes… Mother?"
She starts to pant, her eyes grow so unfocused, in and out, and suddenly a black shadow appears in the room. A terrifying figure, so large, and ominous with black pointed teeth in his mouth and he watches them, patient and evil.
A reaper to collect a soul.
"Akira…"
He rips his sight from the great, horrid creature in the room and turns to her.
"Akira… I love-" She coughs, blood splattering on her hand, on her white robes, the red marking the pristine white and staining. When she stops, she reaches out with such strange strength, gripping Akira's kimono tightly until her fists are white. She pulls him to her chest, and he closes his eyes, feeling so warm in her arms. The light from within her is so wonderful, so bright, but even through the joyful warmth, he can hear her slow ragged breath, can feel her heart stuttering. "I love you, Akira..." whispering it in that low calm voice, "I love you…"
Akira nods against her, smiling.
Love is beautiful. It's warm and kind. He loves it and he never wants to lose it. His eyes are closed so he doesn't see when the beast in the room reaches out with a clawed hand and takes a soul for his own.
Akira crouched down and placed a thin bony hand to the ground, digging his nails in the soil. He hated humans because of her. He hated them because they die, because they were disgusting and useless. She was the only one in all of time that was of any worth. They should all be annihilated, he secretly thought.
It was a quiet moment that was over too quickly because there was a rustling in the underbrush and Akira shifted back into the shadows.
It was late. What sort of stupid human would go out this far in the forest at this time of night? Akira tasted the air and smelled sweetness. It was blood of a human; sweet and young, untainted. Perfect prey if he had any inclination to eat the creature, but he wasn't gross like that. Stupid they were, but humans were not food to him. He may be only a half god, but he was not as low as a demon.
He heard quiet sniffling.
A child. Of course.
There was warmth in the air pressing against him and Akira felt like gagging at it. How disgusting. What was coming? What sort of child had this warmth?
Steps were coming closer and all of a sudden they were on top of him, light piercing into the sacred grave land of his mother.
It was a child, small and pale. He looked male judging from his clothing. He wore glass on his face, and the eyes behind the glass were magnified to such an extent that his eyes looked so grossly large. Innocence dripped from him and his soul light was…
The child turned, and in the darkness, they met eyes.
It was a blindly light that exploded upon him, meeting those eyes. The boy's soul spilled out of him like an overfilled cup. It was so bright and pure. Akira felt something stir at the sight, clashing eyes with someone so open and clean. This child was so young and naive. It wasn't all too strange. A lot of human children had such bright souls, but soon they were tarnished by their dark desires and evil hearts.
But this human, he was so bright like uncontaminated gold. Akira could see everything in him, every nook and cranny of his being. A soul so clean it was like looking at the sun. So bright! So bright it was blinding.
Akira slinked away, hiding in the darkness. He knew that the child couldn't see him in the night, but he hid anyways. Children were more likely to see a spirit. Their minds still open enough to believe in those from the other world.
The boy's eyes were wet, as he went through the small clearing, calling out for his mother and father.
So, he was lost.
In this forest, with the demons prowling and the hungry spirits, he didn't have much chance to survive. The wilderness was unforgiving for foolish stupid humans.
The boy was going to die. And he should. Akira knew that, wanted that, even.
So, why did he follow him deeper in the forest?
His presence in the area was scaring off all the potential predators that wished to feast on the boy's delicious looking soul. He felt the eyes of the damned creatures and spirits watching them. If Akira left, the boy would be annihilated, his untarnished soul ripped to pieces and eaten. That was what should happen.
But for some reason he kept following, not able to stay away from the light for too long, not able to let the boy out of his sight, and therefore kept the beasts at bay.
He didn't know how long he followed for because he never kept time. It was meaningless for him. All he knew was that the boy was becoming more and more distraught as he traveled deeper in the forest.
Akira traveled from shadow to shadow, sometimes close enough to be suffocated by the boy's warmth, blinded by his light.
It wasn't until they came to a deep chasm at the edge of the forest that Akira risked being exposed. The boy stepped out and Akira watched mercilessly as he stepped off the cliff. It was a sure death and Akira wanted to walk back into the confines of the forest, and ignore the boy's distress, but in a sudden weak second, he let out a frustrated growl and leapt off of the cliff and grabbed the boy by the collar. The boy screamed, loud and so afraid, and usually Akira enjoyed the screams of a human suffering, but this boy's sounds were just so grating, unwelcomed. He wanted to make them stop.
He flew up into the night sky and then gently landed on the cliff edge. The boy was quiet now, gasping as if he couldn't catch his breath. Did he break or something?
Akira dropped him unceremoniously on the ground, and the boy yelped as he hit the floor. He turned around and his round innocent eyes stared up at Akira.
Akira glared back down at him.
Then he did something strange.
He smiled.
He smiled, and the blue of his eyes was beautiful as the sky, as pure and deep as the ocean. A glow lit from him, from that slight curve of his lips, a light shone as if he himself were the sun.
"Ah! Thank you! Thank You! Thank you for saving me! Um... My name is Onoda Sakamichi!" He fixed the glass on his face, blinking his vivid eyes, and he got off the floor. "What's your name?"
He found himself replying, with no control over his own tongue, so entranced with that smile. "Akira."
The boy's smile beamed at him, stronger than the gold in the sky.
"Akira!? Akira-sama! I like your name! Really! It sounds like you!" His smile made his face glow, and something sharp pierced Akira's chest.
"You are pure, my son. You were named Akira because you are as pure and as clear as the most beautiful water." She reaches into the pool they are sitting in, scaring the fish that had settled around them, "See! Look!"
Akira listens and eagerly looks at the liquid cupped in her hands. It looks like there is nothing there and Akira has to touch it with a finger to make sure the water is truly there. The water ripples at his disturbance and she lets the cool colorless liquid run through her fingers back into the shallow pool. "When water is clean and pure and clear, it's beautiful. Like you, Akira. You are beautiful, my child. Wonderful and pure. Never forget that, my son, never."
What would his mother say now? She wouldn't recognize the blackness of his soul. What a filthy swamp he had become. The name didn't suit him anymore, but he refused to be called anything else.
"Don't speak, human." Akira growled, but he stared and stared at the smile. Why had he given his name to a mere mortal, an insect of earth? One did not reveal his name to an ant that crawled upon them. More than that, why had he saved him? What was going on? Was the boy a spirit? Why did he shine so bright?
The light of his smile faded just slightly, "Ah...Akira-sama… Are you an angel?" The boy asked, directly disobeying him.
Akira widened his eyes at the boy, and then a cruel mocking laugh escaped him, forcefully exploding from his mouth, and he had to double over too because it was such a stupid foolish question.
The boy was smiling at him as he laughed, and when Akira finally collected himself, he spat in his face, "Idiot Human! Do I look like an angel?! Fool!"
The boy shrugged his tiny breakable shoulders, and cocked his head, "I've never seen an angel before so I don't know, but you saved me, so you must be an angel. You're too amazing to be like me." He reached his small thin arms to the sky, "You can fly! And you're so tall! It's so cool! It's amazing! So I think you're an angel."
The way his smile shone so bright reminded him of someone. He could see the golden light expelling from his soul. He had only seen one other soul so bright and pure. It looked so… sacred, so holy.
It was like his beautiful, human mother. Was that why he had followed the light? Because it was like his mother's?
Akira took a step back, watching the child with his large black eyes, "Leave!" He suddenly growled. Light or not, this human was useless and stupid and disgusting. This was not his mother nor her light. Just a gross little human boy.
The boy blinked, "Akira-sama! Am I botherin-"
"LEAVE! LEAVE! LEAVE NOW!" Akira shouted. He wanted to reach out and blow out the light of his soul, feel the burn of the boy's life scar his skin. A hate growing in him. Hate and Fear. This human had the sun, the holy, burning sun in him. Like his mother, like his wonderful mother, who was gone, never to return. He didn't want to see this child. He didn't want to remember the smile of her graceful lips, her quiet sweet words, didn't want to remember how he had watched the life leave her body, the flesh fall from her bones, the bones turn to ash.
The boy widened his sky blue eyes, alarmed for a moment, "But…but I'm scared. It's dark and I'm lost! Can-Can I stay with you?"
Stay? Wasn't the boy afraid? He was a monster; pale skin and black jutting eyes beneath his long midnight hair. The boy thought he was an angel. What a foolish little human. He grinned maliciously. He should kill the boy, take him into the sky, and drop him. Wait to watch the shinigami to come and collect his soul. Destroy him to keep painful memories from attacking him.
"I'll take you." Akira said, and hunched down so that he was eye level with the boy. The boy looked so happy, "To my mom and dad? Really!?" He paused, and bit his lip, "Are… we going to go flying again? I-I'm kinda scared."
Akira's grin stayed, his large tombstone teeth shining in the moonlight, a cheshire smile, "Oh. Don't you trust me? I'm an angel, didn't you say?"
The boy lifted his hands, waving them frantically, "NO! I DO trust you! Of course! With all my heart!" Akira's smile became a tad smaller at that, and the boy looked sheepish, "It's...It's just I'm scared of how high we go."
Akira felt his heart pounding, "Are you scared to die, little human? You think I might drop you?"
"NO! I don't think that at all! I think you are a good person, Akira-sama! I promise I do! You saved me! You are a good person! I think you are a really good person! Really!"
Akira stared at him.
"They hate me."
His mother sweeps her hand through his loose hair, "No, They fear you. Not hate."
Akira doesn't agree. They do hate him, "They hate me because I am evil." She brings him to her chest, hugging him close and so tight that it would hurt if he could feel pain,"No! Akira, never say those things! You are not evil! You are good, so good!"
Akira shakes his head, "No! No! I'm not good! I don't do any good!" He cries out. It's true. The villagers hate them because things happen around him, because there is evil in him. They call his mother a witch and shout at her because of him.
"Listen to me, Akira. You make me so happy! You are so good, so kind, and you make me so glad. You are good, my son. You are a good. Your soul is good. Don't worry about what they say. You and I know what you really are. Good, straight down to your very heart.
The memory passed through his mind so quickly and he tore his gaze from the boy's smile. "Gross." He muttered.
He wanted to get rid of the boy, "Well, do you want to go or not?"
The boy started and nodded his furiously, "Yeah! I want to go! Uh… Th-Thank you!"
Akira grabbed the back of his jacket, taking off the ground. The boy squirmed so much that Akira finally hauled him up to his chest, wrapping a hand around his tiny waist.
It was disgusting how warm he was, so happy in the arms of the one who could so easily kill him. What a fool.
He wanted to drop the boy, watch him helplessly fall to the ground and crash magnificently on the hard unforgiving earth.
But, instead, he tightened his arms hard enough so that the boy squirmed, but didn't tell him to stop. His arm was locked around the boy's frame, and even as he tried, his body was committing mutiny against him, disobeying. He couldn't let go.
What was this?
"This is amazing, Akira-sama! I feel like I can touch the stars! The moon looks so big." He outstretched his arms to the sky, and in the air, flying here in his arms, the boy truly was the sun.
Something welled up in Akira's heart, a place he didn't realize existed anymore. It was so warm, so filling and satisfying, feeling the weight of the boy's body in his arms, the joy spilling from his pores, drenching everything in sight.
Akira swallowed hard and squeezed his eyes shut.
"Akira! You are so amazing! I'm so lucky to have a son like you!"
Akira smiles, wide tombstone teeth, so happy at the praise. "Do you want me to take you?"
His mother's eyes widen, "Flying!? Oh! I don't know! It looks so amazing, but I have never been off the ground before! I'm not as brave as you, Akira!"
Akira steps forward, awkwardly grabbing her thin cotton robe, fisting it nervously. "I can give you a piggyback ride. Just get on my back."
He is so much taller than his mother now, long and lanky, and she is so little and frail. It won't be a problem to take her flying. "I promise I won't drop you. I won't let you go, mother, never! I promise! I'll take you flying on my back."
She smiles, fondness in her expression, but it is short lived because she begins to cough, covering her mouth and when she pulls it away, there is red. She lets out a quiet breath, "Can you take me another day, Akira? I'm very tired today."
Akira feels disappointed, but nods, "Okay, I guess we can do it another day." She wipes her hand on a rag in her pocket, and reaches for Akira, bringing him close, "Another day we can go flying." She says again and Akira smiles against her snow white hair.
They never did go flying. When Akira lifted his mother into the air, her soul had already been taken, and he was so angry, so confused that he went to his father and asked for the impossible.
Was this what it would have felt like? Holding her like this, flying in the air? Is that why his body refused to listen to him? His mind knew that it wasn't his mother he was carrying, but his body seemed not to care, reacting to the light that was so familiar and yet not at all.
Akira wanted to fight, to take control, but it was so warm and filling that the pleasure of holding the boy outweighed his pride and hate and fear.
For a moment, he felt real and alive again.
They flew for so long that the boy began to quiet and the long beams of light began to invade the comfortable darkness. Akira set down on the ground, near the edge of the forest, where he could see humans gathering, calling out for the boy. Many humans were there. People cared about the boy, loved him, and missed him.
Akira shifted to look at the boy in his arms and saw him sleeping at total ease in the arms of a creature like him. He gave his trust too easily. Akira had full intentions of dropping him to the ground, but thought better of it, and gently set him down at the foot of a large tree, leaning him against the old trunk. He whimpered and refused to let go of his hold on Akira's black sleeve. It made Akira feel wanted and he had to choke down a painful lurch of rushing emotion.
Emotion… How gross.
He pulled away until the boy let go of him, his breath even and his face serene. Even in sleep with his eyes closed, his light was so penetrative, so beautiful. Akira stayed there, hovering over him, and then he leaned down, placing his ear over his heart, hearing a rhythmic beat of the blood being pushed through his body.
He used to do this with his mother; he would press himself against her chest, so fascinated with her heartbeat because it felt so different from his.
The boy's heart was soothing, even and healthy, and sounded so perfect. It filled something in Akira, and he doesn't want to stop listening. So he laid there until his skin burned with the sun's glaring angry rays, offended that a creature of the night was so outrightly defiant in the sun's reign.
The sun was so petty sometimes.
Finally, the humans looking for the boy came in too close, and even though most adults could not see deities, he was still part human so he should be careful. Humans fear and strike out at whatever they can not understand. He had learned that from experience.
Akira reluctantly leaned away, and even away from the boy, he could still hear his heartbeat in his mind. He stared at the figure laying there, watched and waited.
After a moment, after he was satisfied, he crawled away, curling himself in the cover of some trees.
He watched the humans find the boy and how excited they were at finding him, safe and sound. They woke him and a woman grabbed him and held him tight. All mothers do that, Akira mused. The boy's mother is also bright, not as clean and pure, but still shining.
But no one could compare to the boy.
The boy was also excited and he started going on about how an angel saved him, and how he went flying with the angel. Akira snorted, annoyed at being called an angel.
The adults around the boy laughed, of course, because they don't believe him. They humored him, but Akira could see their mocking looks. The boy detached himself from his mother, and then his sky blue eyes swept the forest surrounding them. Akira hid further, realizing that the boy was looking for him. "Ah! Akira-sama!" The boy called out, even if he can't see Akira hiding there, "Akira-sama! Thank you! Thank you for saving me! I will come back to look for you! I promise! Thank you so much!"
Akira grimaced at the use of his name, but also felt a certain stirring in his stomach at the promise. Does he want to see this foolish little boy again?
No. He wanted to forget this entire ordeal and go back to not feeling anything. He watched the boy be picked up by his mother and Akira felt a jolt of nostalgia. He pushed it away. He had too many memories resurface today and he wasn't enjoying it.
He kept his eyes on the retreating back of the people, on the boy's face over the shoulder of the woman, beaming at the forest. He was still shining, competing with the sun, and Akira stared and stared until his light disappeared from view.
Akira let out a breath, laying out in the branches of the trees. He drags fingernails down his face, trying to forget the feel of the light facing him. The boy's face is so perfect in his memory, and yet such a weak imitation. He missed him and Akira growled at his thoughts. Disgusting! Gross! Pathetic! That stupid human boy was not worth anything. Akira was sure, that even though his human side longed to see the boy again, he embraced his deity side and spat at the idea of missing a human.
No, he decided.
He never wanted to see Onoda Sakamichi again.
It felt like mere moments, but it must have been longer, and he found himself looking at his bright blue again.
Time had passed. Many human years, because the boy is no longer a boy.
Akira had spent the last human years sleeping, drifting aimlessly in the dark span of the universe. He spent it hiding from this human, avoiding remembering that fateful day they met, even if it would strike him daily, the memory and sight of his soul.
Today, he was visiting his mother's grave once again, and he had found the man kneeling there, his soul still so bright and full.
When Akira saw him, he snapped back into the darkness of the trees. What was the boy doing here!? Had he truly kept his promise? He kept returning! When would he stop!? Akira watched him.
He scribbled on a piece of paper, the glass shining in the sun's light. He looked so innocent and harmless, but Akira knew better.
Why was he hiding? He was not afraid, he told himself, even if a cold drenching terror filled his stomach, mixed with something… hopeful. No, to get rid of an insect you had to crush it under your foot. He decided to do just that.
He stepped out into the sun's light, and winced at the beams attacking him. The sun really disliked him, didn't she?
He suddenly remembered that adults often can't see those of the spirit world, and Akira waited for the man to react, if he was a rare one that can see.
It wasn't really a surprise when the boy looked up and gasped, dropping the book and scrambled to his feet. He looked so overjoyed, that for a moment, Akira forgot that he was an insect he needed to squash. He looked so holy and ethereal.
"Aki-Akira-sama! I can't-! " The man leaned forward, so excited.
His name sounded so rich in his tones, so wanted and praised, and Akira realized that he made a bad decision revealing himself again. He should have continued avoiding the bright soul of this human. It's...It's too addicting, too satisfying.
"You remember me." Akira accused, trying to sound hostile, but all that came out was a breathy, awed whisper.
The boy, no- the man's smile grew tenfold, "Of course! I could never forget it! No one believed me, but I knew you were real! That you saved me that night. I owe you everything. You know I visited every year, hoping I could find you."
Akira knew, could feel his skin crawl with warmth every time the boy entered the forest, neared the ground of his mother's grave, and he took great lengths to avoid ever seeing him.
His outer appearances had changed. He was a man, small and compact, but grown. But that hardly mattered because his soul, oh his rich pure soul, still shone so brightly, illuminating him.
Akira stepped back, standing straight instead of slouching as he usually did, acting regal, "You found me, human."
"Ah, it's Sakamichi! Akira-sama! I-I have so much to tell you!"
Akira lips curled, "Disgusting. You have no right to talk to me, insect. Why are you so bold?"
Sakamichi blinked, and then a red covered his cheeks, and the flush of color is so fascinating that Akira frowned and cocked his head, so perplexed by the sight.
"I'm sorry! I just… I felt like we became friends that night! I owe you everything, and I wanted to come back and thank you. You know…" He chuckled, brushing his hair back, "A lot of people thought I was crazy for believing you existed, but I dreamed of you every night. It was my goal to see you again…" His eyes fill with liquid, and it reminded him of how his mother's eyes used to crinkle and grow wet when the villagers threw rocks at her as they passed by. Akira never understood why. The sight distressed something in him and he crouched forward, eyes boring into Sakamichi's wet ones.
The man doesn't step back, isn't surprised at Akira's closeness, as he continued, "I'm- I'm so happy, Akira-sama. That I found you again. I'm so-" He reached out with a hand and tentatively touched Akira's arm. Akira recoiled away, and his skin burned like under a brand at the slight contact.
"Gross! DO NOT TOUCH me, human!" He shouted and slapped the hand away. Sakamichi's voice is high, and he quickly waved his hands in front of his face, "I'm so SORRY! I just- I was so- I was just so excited that I got to see you again! I- I'm so sorry! I will never try it ag-"
Akira glared at him. He wouldn't give him another chance to do so. He spat at the ground in front of him, his saliva scorching the ground at his feet as a warning. Sakamichi looked worried, and Akira wanted to laugh at it, but it got stuck in his throat. The touch on his arms is growing, little rivers of warmth stretching under his skin, tingling and pleasing. It felt feather soft and Akira wanted to rip off his arm. Gross! Gross! Disgusting!
He turned away, and flew into the forest, ignoring Sakamichi's desperate call. He does hear him say that he was going to be back tomorrow and that he would wait for Akira to return.
Akira cursed at him.
Sakamichi's soul was visible for miles, smelled so pure and clean, that it was luring all the ravenous creatures of the forest. Akira crouched in a tree near enough that his presences is warning all those nearby to not try anything. He doesn't know why, but he didn't want Sakamichi- no, the human-to die by anyone's hand, but his. That's what he tried to reason, anyway. He gripped his arm hard, marking into his moonlight skin with blunt nails. It was so strange that he can't feel pain, but he can feel Sakamic- no the human, the human, he scolded himself. It's strange that he still felt the human's touch as if he was still there, pressing his hand to him.
The human kept his promise, and returned the next day. And the next. And the day after that. Akira tries several times to leave the forest, but anytime he gets too far away, he ached and feared, and he found himself searching back to look for his soul.
It was disgusting.
The human kept returning, and Akira finally confronted him, so annoyed. He couldn't seem to stay away, couldn't seem to stop the warmth invading his body from that single damn touch.
So he drifted closer, some days coming only to yell at him, and Sakamichi always reacted the same to his appearance; always so joyous, no matter the reason why Akira came.
Other days, he sat in the underbrush and watched him, memorizing the lines of his face, they way his hand moved as he wrote with the wooden utensil. Other spirits came too like little foxes who realized that Akira wasn't going to bother with weak spirits like them. Sakamichi could see them, and played with them, and the spirits preened in Sakamichi's holy light.
It didn't take long for Akira to cave. He finally started to accept the fact that Sakamichi was strange and bright, and Akira liked the light. He was from the moon, but his mother had made him love the light.
He called him Sakamichi, and he always said it to mock him, but it was a double edged sword because Sakamichi would always light up with such strength at his name being called.
They talked, no, not they, he talked. Akira never had many words. Sakamichi would tell him of his life, of petty human things, and Akira listened. He listened to this insect talk about such mundane things. He couldn't rip himself away from his light. He became so comfortable, so routine.
Sakamichi started stay through the night tucked against a tree, and Akira would watch the moths gather around him forming a light halo over his head.
This human…. Sakamichi was….
He was beautiful.
Akira gripped the dirt under him, fire in his belly. What was it that he felt? Deep in his bones, a sharpness in his heart. He could not look away. What sort of power did Sakamichi have to make him feel so joyous and comfortable, but at the same time, so utter miserably and afraid?
Was it his soul? Is this why the demons ate them? Was he lusting after the fullness of the bright clean soul? He crept over, hovering over the man's still from, sleeping so peacefully. He could reach in and rip a hole into Sakamichi's chest and pull out his soul, like viscera from a body. He could shred it apart with his large white teeth. Is that what he wanted? He came closer, slipping out his tongue to taste the edge of his soul and it did taste so wonderful.
Should he just take it for his own? Would that answer the question in his heart?
Is that what he desired?
Akira hovered closer until his mouth was near his neck, his tongue reaching out farther to taste, but as he did, he touched moist smooth skin.
It burned. He was fire exploding in his lower stomach. It felt so good, so right. He craved something else. It was disgusting, tasting his flesh, but it made Akira's body writhe with pleasure. He licked again, with purpose, and he closed his eyes at the sensation.
Was this his humanity? Did he want to eat his flesh?
No, it wasn't that he wished to eat him, to ingest his flesh. It was something… more. He brought his hands to shackle the thin wrist of the man, and Sakamichi woke with a start. Akira was so close that he could see every single eyelash. "Akira-sama? What are you-"
Akira glared at him, "You are disgusting." He said, pulling his tongue back in.
Sakamichi looked apologetic, "Ah… I know. I'm human. I'm sorry about that-"
Akira let his tongue out again and licked a wide streak up a red cheek and over his temple. Sakamichi stiffened in his hold, and his eyes were suddenly so wide. "Aki-"
Akira brought his tongue against the speaking lips and Sakamichi stilled so quickly. He tasted him, wanting to eat him alive, but not at the same time.
This is what he wanted, to taste him like this. Sakamichi's soul was tinged with red, and though his soul was still bright and pure, red was leaking through. Red like the color of his cheeks. Something clawed through him, a want so deep and strong that he tightened his hands on Sakamichi's wrist until he yelled out in pain. Akira frowned, not liking the sound, and he let go of him.
"It's okay! Akira-sama, it was… just a little too tight." He was breathing hard, his blue eyes a little darker than usual. Akira leaned in closer, and Sakamichi leaned into him, "Akira-sama, I-"
His voice was thick, deep, and Akira could feel their weight, "Akira, I love you. I really do. I-"
Akira's eyes widened and he flew back hissing, "What! What!?"
Sakamichi stood up after him, "I- I'm sorry! It- It came out! You were kissing me so I thoug-"
"I was going to eat you." Akira spat out, eyes blazing with anger. How dare he! How dare he! Love was disgusting. Love was cruel and evil. Love was human.
What was he doing? Spending all this time with an insect? He was turning human! A disgusting putrid human! The same that had poisoned his mother because they were afraid. The same ones that would try to burn Akira and cried in fear when the fire danced on his skin leaving no marks. The same as those that he had burned alive, relishing in their screams of pain and agony.
Sakamichi was human. No matter how beautiful his soul was, no matter how he filled with light and joy, no matter how pleasing he tasted, he was a filthy, evil human.
How could he have been so blind?
He left Sakamichi, no the human, left the human, and hid in a tree, scratching at his memory, trying to rid himself of the feel of his warmth.
Warmth from a putrid, vile human.
Many sun and moons passed before he left his tree. He didn't feel the warmth of Sakamichi anymore, and he wanted to vomit when he felt his heart sink at the thought of him gone. It was a constant battle between his humanity and his deity, and Akira wanted to cut off the human out of himself.
He floated up over the treetops scanning the horizon. The sun was setting and Akira welcomed the upcoming night.
He suddenly whirled around feeling someone powerful coming his way.
A human was flying to him, thin and slender, dark hair with ocean blue eyes. Akira's eyes widened when he recognized that spirit.
No, not a human.
A deity.
A god.
The Wind God, brother of his father, troublemaker and incredibly destructive.
Akira prepared himself for a confrontation. The god stopped near him, calling out, "Ah, Akira. How are you?"
Akira started at him. The Wind God was not one you can trust. Why was the Wind God here, and why was he in a human form? Another whim? Was he bored once again?
The god floated closer, a light breeze ruffled the leaves of the forest, "I am doing very fine, if you wanted to ask. I had the most interesting conversation with a human today, by the way. Perhaps you should meet him also."
Akira's eyes narrowed, "What?"
What was he up too?
"One by the name of Sakamichi. A nice human as far as humans come. He has the most beautiful soul I have ever seen though. And he seemed to be marked as well. It was so strange." The god laid out flat in the air, crossing his hands behind his head, "I introduced myself. He was fascinated and not afraid at all." He smiled, " Oh! I have a human name now! You're not the only one anymore, Akira."
The Wind God was mocking him. He could feel it. He felt anger burn in his bones.
The Wind God merely grinned that falsely innocent smile of his, "It's Sangaku! His name is Sakamichi so I went with Sangaku. Feels nice on the tongue. SAN-GA-KU." He said slowly and let himself fall down so that he was looking up at Akira, and his smile was tighter, darker…
"Almost as nice as Sa-ka-mi-chi…" His grin grew at the slight, unintentional flinch in Akira's face. The Wind God had perfectly replicated Akira's mocking tone when he talked to Sakamichi. Which meant…
A shiver ran down his spine and he narrowed his eyes at him, "You've been watching." He accused viciously.
He laughed that eerie, light laugh that deceived one on how terrifying this creature was, "How could I not! So strange to see you of all talking to a human. I was so bored, but I'll be truthful and say that I do like Sakamichi. He is fascinating." The eyes of his pretty human form blinked up at him, and Akira could see the interest in his eyes.
"Leave it alone." Akira hissed, still not acknowledging the fear that passed through his being at the thought that the Wind God was fascinated by Sakamichi, "It's a game I'm playing."
The Wind God smiled, showing teeth, "I do enjoy games, Akira. Why not include me? Sakamichi is an excellent play thing."
Akira twisted his neck grotesquely, and the fear caught in his throat. He could not react in front of this monster. What would he do if he out found how much he cared about the human? "It's mine. I claimed it."
"Are you going to eat him?" The Wind God said, twirling in the air, "I know you tasted him. His soul probably is exquisite. I mean I do think that I would love a taste, if I ate souls."
Akira glared at him, "What I do with the human is my business, Fujin, not yours."
"It's Sangaku," The Wind God replied airily, "I told you, dear nephew." Akira growled at the familiarity. He was also so annoyed by the Wind God referring to Sakamichi as he and him instead of it. It meant that the Wind God acknowledged Sakamichi as a being.
"But, I understand, Akira. I won't bother him. I don't want to start another war. Well, perhaps not this century. But you know, Sakamichi considers me a friend. I never had one of those. I usually kill humans when I'm bored, but Sakamichi is interesting. I have never seen such a pure soul." He smiled wickedly, "Like father like son, no?"
Akira flew higher, disgusted by his comment, "Leave it alone. I'll do away with him when I'm ready."
The Wind God grinned. "Oh, alright. I won't hurt him. I told you, Akira, I like Sakamichi. If he caught your eyes, he must be something." His eyes shifted, and Akira suddenly saw his real self shine through, the terribly great and horrible black of his eyes, "If you don't want him I'll take him, young one."
Akira didn't look back at his sneering face as he flew away, already in search of Sakamichi.
He found him dipping his feet into a pool, tree spirits surrounding him, little foxes jumping on the shores, barking playfully at him.
"You met the Wind God." Akira accused loudly, and Sakamichi was so startled that he slipped and fell on his bottom in the water. Akira couldn't help a cruel sneer form on his face. "Ah, you mean Sangaku? He's...He's a god?"
Akira glared at the ground. So the Wind God hadn't told him of his title. "Stay wary of him." He said, and took a step back to the forest.
He could have flown away, but he stayed on the ground. Sakamichi rushed out of the water, following him desperately, "Wait! Akira-sama! I'm sorry about the other day! I didn't-"
"You didn't mean it." Akira snapped at him from over his shoulder. The man stopped and shook his head hard, "No, that's not true."
Akira frowned and turned around to face him. "What was that?"
Sakamichi tightened his jaw, his round innocent eyes sharpening, "I meant what I said. I do love you."
Akira wanted to strangle him. Love had hurt him so long ago. He hated it.
"Say it one more time and I'll kill you, Human" Akira growled, fire lighting from his jaw. He could kill the human so easily, so simply. He could do it with his hands, with his teeth, with fire from his mouth. So simple to crush that small frail figure, burn that delicious tasting flesh. "What is your answer."
Sakamichi stared at him, his eyes calculating, "If I tell you the truth, you'll kill me?"
Akira grinned, "Yes."
Show your weakness, Sakamichi. Show your humanity, your depravity.
Sakamichi closed his eyes and Akira felt so victorious until he opened them again and it was a burst of light so powerful that Akira flinched.
"I- I love you. I don't understand how… or when it happened, but I do… So…"
He looked away, and instead of fear as he should be feeling, he had the red color on his cheeks, blood moving quickly under the skin of his face. That was not fear.
He should kill him, take him up and strangle him until the human did. Did fear.
Love.
Disgusting.
"I'm sorry." Sakamichi said quietly, "I know… I know it's weird but… It's how I feel and I'm not going to lie about it."
There was a burning in him growing like waves crashing on the shore. He hates it. It feels so real, so different, and so familiar.
Akira felt the anger drain right out of him. "Gross." He said, and hovers off the ground. "Whatever. I don't feel like killing you today. You're lucky."
Sakamichi looked surprised. "Ah...thank you so much." He got out of the river, and walked over to Akira, "So… can we be friends, Akira-sama?"
Akira flew away from him, "No. Never. I'm just going to be around so when I feel like it, I can kill you quickly. There is no point in running away." He warned, sneering, "So don't think about it."
Sakamichi shook his head, "No. I wouldn't anyways,but.. ah, I do go back into town. That's where my house is. Even though I sometimes live out here, I have a home there. I sometimes sleep there! I'm not running away though! I promise."
Akira looked out to the city. Gross.
"I'll go with you so you don't even think about escaping, you gross little human."
Sakamichi lit up at the declaration, "Really!? I can make you dinner! And I have another bed you can sleep in!"
Akira growled at him, "Shut up. I'm going to kill you. Don't you understand that?"
Sakamichi looked sheepish, "Ah...right, but...I think I'll enjoy your...ah.. presence in the meantime."
What an idiot human.
"It's your life." Akira replied, dangerously.
And he stuck close to him, careful to warn the deities that he had claimed the human. He was especially wary of demons, and he wondered how Sakamichi had survived this long without getting eaten.
He joined Sakamichi in his life, biding his time for when he can't stand him anymore, so he could strike him down.
The day never came.
It happened so slowly, that Akira didn't realize what he was doing until he was right in the middle of it. It took many earth years, but Sakamichi was so persistent.
He never said the words back, and didn't think he ever would, but he couldn't deny that he was what the humans called happy. Akira was happy. Sakamichi made him happy, full, and content. He gave him a life that he wanted to live.
He would often grumble at Sakamichi being so human, so loving ,and honest. He would complain about his playful smile and his bright honest eyes. He lived once again after all the years of loneliness from his mother's departure. He felt alive again.
He felt something towards Sakamichi that he hadn't even felt toward his mother. They were different in his mind now. Sakamichi no longer was a reminder of his mother's great light. He had his own now. It was sometimes tinged with the blushing red in the dark of the night when Akira caved to his humanity. Other times hued blue of sadness, like when Sakamichi's mother died. No matter the bleeding edges though, it was always clean, pure, and so bright, always bright.
Time didn't touched them. They lived on and on, with only each other to cling to.
Except for the occasional visit of the Wind God. Akira hated the obvious infatuation that the Wind God had with his human. He would always smile so annoyingly when he came by to visit, always taking away Sakamichi's attention, sticking around to spite Akira. At first he would always ask Akira if the time was nearing for the event of feasting on Sakamichi's soul but as time grew on, the Wind God, Sangaku, Akira found himself calling him, became so attached to Sakamichi, and Akira could sometimes feel the envy dripping from him.
Sakamichi always reassured him in the quiet hush of the night that he loved him, and only him, and that he didn't have to worry. That Sangaku was a very good friend, and that he could never take Akira's place in his heart.
"I've loved you since we met." He confessed one night, his eyes watching Akira intently, " I know I was only ten, but I think I fell in love with you then. I wanted to be with you always so I dedicated my life to find you again. I never dreamed that…"
Akira couldn't look at him, not liking the feelings coming up to choke him. "Go to sleep. You gross humans need sleep."
Sakamichi blinked at him, something passing through his eyes. Something sad and disappointed, "Of course. I'll go to sleep. Good night, my love."
Akira bit the inside of his cheek and the words spilled out his mouth, "...Dreamed of what? Go ahead and tell me your gross human feelings, but hurry up."
Sakamichi smiled at him, his gaze so deeply loving, "I never dreamed that you would let me love you, Akira."
Akira grit his teeth, "Whatever." He grounded out, but he felt so pleased, so loved.
Sakamichi reached out to his face, leaning forward to gently touch his lips. Akira didn't pull away. It had been years upon earth years since he pulled away. His touch still burned, still set Akira's nerves on fire, but he welcomed the flames, knowing how good, how right it was. "I love you, Akira." Sakamichi whispered, "Forever and ever."
Akira grimaced at his words, "I know. Sleep already." Sakamichi just smiled back at him.
For the first time in a very, very long time, Akira was so thankful for his immortality. If this was what the rest of time had to offer, he was glad it was eternal.
It was perfect, everything was so right, so well.
But, one day, Akira had to open his eyes to the truth.
"I'm really tired today, Akira."
Akira flipped over in the air, "Oh don't be lazy, Sakamichi. Get up!" He pulled at the sheets, but he stopped when Sakamichi smiled tightly, "I know you wanted to go flying today, but…."
The words stirred a memory, and he landed back down on the floor, "Sakamichi, what is wrong with you?" Akira walked over to the bedside, and he put a hand on Sakamichi's hair pulling at the grey strands, "Are you…"
Sakamichi's eyes are still so bright, even as they blinked up at him, "Oh, it's nothing! Akira, I am just tired. I'm human, remember?" His eyes dimmed a little, and Akira shifted uncomfortably, feeling like this was so familiar, but he couldn't place it.
"I guess if you're so lazy you can stay in bed." Akira drawled out and he rolled his eyes at the smile that Sakamichi beamed at him, "Akira, you are so kind." He reached out with a hand, and Akira frowned at how much it trembled as it came up to caress his face.
"I love you, Akira."
Akira scrunched his nose at the words. Sakamichi always told him that, especially lately, "Yeah, so you've told me a million times. Stop being so sentimental, Sakamichi."
He laughed and sighed, "Right. Sorry for being so touchy feely, my love."
Akira groaned at the sweet name and floated up before dropping himself back into the bed. He reached for Sakamichi, winding his arms around his small frail figure. He was hot, not warm like usual, and he frowned at how much thinner he felt, but Sakamichi let out a breath against his throat, distracting him with pleasure and it was so lulling that he closed his eyes, and caved to something so human as sleep.
He felt a presence in the room and he woke with a start. He felt fire in his mouth ready to burn the intruder to death when he saw who it was.
A shinigami.
Akira frowned. What was a reaper doing here in his home? Was he some sort of messenger? Did his father need something after all this time?
Akira floated up from the bed, his wings folding back against his torso. "What are you doing here?"
The Shinigami revealed black pointed teeth. He has always hated Shinigamis. They were wicked and cruel. Especially after they took his mother's soul. "I am here to collect."
Akira snorted, "Oh? Someone sent you for me?" He said, sneering back, but there was a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.
The Shinigami had no shame, no feeling as he said the next words, "No. I am here for the human's soul."
Akira whipped around to see Sakamichi. His eyes were closed, brow furrowed, and he was breathing hard, as if he couldn't catch his breath.
Akira stared at him for a moment. That… That couldn't be right. Sakamichi was healthy. He was fine. He was just tired. There must've been a mistake. He whirled around and met the reaper's black eyes. He could see nothing in those eyes, "You're wrong." He screamed at it, and rage made his form start to transform, black sharp scales piercing through his skin, his wings sprouting from his back and his claws dug into the wood of the floor.
Fear passed through the eyes of the shinigami.
The shinigami was afraid. They could not die,but they felt pain, felt fear. Akira was going to bite into it, rip it to shreds and burn the pieces to ashes, knowing that he would feel every strike. That was what he deserved for making such a mistake, for coming here and saying such things. Sakamichi would not die. He would never die.
He launched forward and the death reaper flew back, his eyes wide. Akira was about to attack him with fire when he heard a ragged call, "Aki-"
He stilled and turned around, his dragon form crashing everything in the room. Sakamichi's eyes were on him, gripping the sheets in one hand, "Plea-" He panted, gasping and he closed his eyes, tears falling down. Akira scratched at the floorboards, and his dragon form fell away as fast as it had come. He took quick and fast steps to the side of bed, dropping to his knees. He can't fight the Shinigami yet. He had to make sure that Sakamichi didn't see, made sure that he went back to peaceful sleep.
For some reason, Sakamichi looked like he was in pain, and Akira didn't understand why.
"Sakamichi, this idiot made a mistake. Go back to sleep. I'll take care of this gross insect." He wanted to get up and fight, and kill and destroy. There was something happening in his heart, a desperate pain in his chest, something gripping his heart so hard that even he can feel it, even he who has never been hurt before can feel this pain. It was unbearable. Why did he feel this? It felt… familiar.
Sakamichi shook his head, "No, wai-" He stopped gasping for a breath, reaching out to grab his hand and Akira stared at him. His light was dimming, the brightness wasn't as blinding, not as full. "Sakamichi…" He whined, "What are you doing...? Stop this. Stop…."
He didn't understand why Sakamichi was acting so weird. All this felt so familiar, it made him fear.
Had he been here before, kneeling by a bedside, watching someone…
watching someone…
...die?
He looked down at the hand clutching his. It's pale and wrinkled, dark veins almost see through. When had Sakamichi…. when had he grown old? Why had he grown old? And why hadn't he noticed? He looked up at Sakamichi's eyes. There were lines of age in his face, but his eyes looked as young as ever.
"No…" He whispered, grabbing the hand, "No. No. No. No." He kept repeating it over and over again, wishing it was a spell. Sakamichi would not die. No, never. He would never let him die.
He pulled him into his arms, flying off the ground. He gripped him to his chest, and kissed him, trying to put life essence into him, something that the immortals threw around so freely. The essence flowed into him, and for a moment Akira sighed a breath of relief.
It was short lived as the essence flowed right out of him. Akira tried again, and once again, it drifted out of Sakamichi, floating uselessly in the air. Why wasn't it working? Why wasn't it staying?
He knows why. No matter how much life he tried to breath into him, his old battered body couldn't sustain it. Humans were not meant to live forever.
"No…" He said against Skamichi's lips, kissing him desperately now, gripping him tighter. Sakamichi murmured against him, "Aki-Akira." He whispered, his breath soft now, his heartbeat slow against his chest. "Akira, I love y-you. Y-You made me so... so happy. I love-"
Akira was breathing so hard now, and he felt water on his cheeks, his humanity showing itself, "I-I love you." It felt so wrong to say it for the first time at this moment. He could have said it years ago. He should have said it when Sakamichi first said it. It was so late now, "I love you. I love you. Don't leave me, please not you too. Please." Sakamichi's hand came up to grip his shoulder, nails digging in, and Akira continued his mantra, claiming the words, trying to make up for all the time he had lost. Sakamichi whispered in his ear, "I love you too. I'll love you until my final breath and after that, too. I promise. I love you. Forever and ever."
Those are the last words he heard from him.
When Sakamichi's soul left the empty shell of his body, it was a bright sun dawning. It was so beautiful, so breathtaking that it seems like it could be the sun, drowning out the pretentious light in the sky.
It's Sakamichi's last gift to the world.
Akira still clutched the body in his arms, eyes red as blood, and he watched the shinigami collect that beautiful golden soul.
The face of his Father is pale as the moon he reigns over, his long never ending hair spans into the universe, like the eternal night, and he wears the stars on his robe. Akira does not look at him directly, hatred in his heart. His mother's body lays at his feet, floating weightlessly.
"Why?" His voice is swallowed by the the universe, and he feels light on him when his father turns to him. When he speaks, it is a thunderous waterfall, many waters crashing against a sea cliff, "Humans are but flowers, my son. They bloom bright and beautifully, but their season passes and they must wilt. They must fade and die. Such is their place in the universe." The voice quiets to the hush of the night.
"Why." It is said again, not a question, never a question, but an accusation. Why must humans die, why was the only being he ever loved a mortal. He still does not look at his Father for he is afraid, but the hatred keeps him there.
"Do not be deceived, child. The humanity in you cries, but the god…" Akira looks up and finds himself trapped in the dark frightening orbs that are his father's eyes, black as the dark side of the moon, "The god in you knows this is what is right." Those round impossibly large eyes look down at the figure of the woman, youth faded from her, her once honey colored hair white as snow, "She had the sun in her, and so I coveted. I wanted to feel the sun again." His eyes shot up once again to the emotionless face of the boy floating there, "But she wilted, as they all do. Be wary, son of mine. The sun is deceitful." His eyes turn sharp, fiery hate in them, "Be wary."
Akira turns away, and floats down to wrap his arms round the limp, empty form of his mother.
How he wanted to weep, how he wanted to scream, but she is gone, and nothing will bring her back.
He leaves that day, turning his back to the moon, to his father, and returns to the putrid stench of the village his mother lived in.
He burns the village to the ground that day, takes his true and terrible form, and spits fire upon the filth of the people; who all their petty, meaningless lives had done nothing, but mock a god and his mother.
When he finishes, he sit in the ashes laying next to her, and watches time eat her away, sits there watching the earth take her for it's own.
And he swears never to love another human again.
What had happened to that promise, that swear? He was a fool that doesn't learn from his mistakes.
He sat hovering over the still figure of his beloved, watching the sun highlight his face. His face was so peaceful in death, so serene. He didn't know the wreckage, the pain he was leaving behind.
He can still hear him, the full rich tones of his voice call his name in the dark night. 'Akira, Akira'.
"Akira."
He started,turning his eyes to see the Wnd God standing there in his disgusting human form. What was he doing here? Why was he here? Akira only wanted peace, a moment to grieve. Why was the god here?
He wasn't looking at Akira. He was looking at Sakamichi laying in the cold dirt floor. He was staring hard, his pupils dilated, boring holes.
"He really is gone."
Akira wanted to kill him, but against the holy deity he can not match. It would be like a child fighting a giant, but the anger burned in him. Why is the Wind God here?
The Wind God strayed closer, "I never felt this before... Never felt anything before."
Akira didn't react to him, and turned away to also stare at Sakamichi's prone figure.
Strange that even in death, he was beautiful.
"I'm keeping my name. I'll be Sangaku for eternity now." The Wind God said, and he took a step nearer, not to Akira, but to Sakamichi.
Akira hissed at him, his back arching and fire flaming on his tongue, his black scales threatening to pierce through his delicate pale skin, his form transforming in his rage, ready to sink his teeth into his enemy. The Wind God looked at him, unafraid. The eyes of his human form were blue, but they lacked any life. They were hollow and haunted, "I just want to watch. I-" His eyes drifted over to the figure laying there, "I feel it. It's a wound in me that I can not seem to heal." He looked at his hands, staring wide eyed at them, "I wish he were not human."
Akira narrowed his eyes at the god, not trusting his words. For this god to feel something, anything for a human was laughable.
He didn't believe him, but he understood what he said. Was the god experiencing pain? Could he feel this loss?
He let his rage fall away. It was a burden so heavy for his already weak state. The pain weighed him down enough. If the Wind God wanted to stay, so be it. Akira didn't care.
Sangaku kneeled next to him, sinking to the floor with strange humanity.
They sat there, not needing breath or food, not wanting to move, just watching the sun fade from Sakamichi's profile and then the moon, and then the sun once again.
Times passed, touching everything but the two immortals sitting in their quiet mourning.
Sangaku made a small undecipherable noise, and then he spoke.
"They come back, I heard."
Akira glanced at him, and his eyes made contact with the god.
Sangaku continued, "Their souls return to earth, and they live again. It takes hundreds of earth years, but they do. I never cared before, but…." The eyes turned black, void, and Akira saw the power in him, the deity in him. " I thirst for him. I want him to return."
There was something so dark interlaced in his words, but the meaning of the declaration was so hope filled.
Would Sakamichi return? Would he come back to him? His mother had never returned, but then again, he had never looked for her, didn't know she could came back.
Perhaps she was alive now, walking in a new body, shining light at those fortunate to face her. Maybe he would look for her.
Could he find his loved ones again?
Sakamichi was gone now, but if what the Wind God said was true, could he return? And if he did, what of it? It would just be this again. Loving only to lose once more.
He wished again that his humanity claimed him, so he could lay next the cold body of Sakamichi and let his life extinguish. What was anything worth now?
But if Sakamichi could return, would Akira find him? Would he be the same? Would the sun be in him once again?
Akira reached out and touched the colorless skin of Sakamichi's face. There had been so much color in him, so much soul, and so filled with life.
Akira clenched his hand.
If he had an eternity to wait, so be it.
Time would pass, as it always did, and he would search, endlessly for the return of Sakamichi's soul. Time was nothing, but the Sun and Moon fighting for dominance after all. So, he would wait all the earth years necessary, and he would plan, he would fight for what, no, not what, but for who he loved.
For the next time Sakamichi graced the earth with his light, his sun, his beauty and grace, Akira would not let him go. Would never let him go.
And as he sat there, he understood, finally.
With zealous resolve, he set his place in the universe.
He was not a man nor was he a god.
He was something in between.
He didn't care if he was worth nothing at all.
And none of that mattered. He did not matter.
All that mattered was the moment, somewhere in the future, when on a glorious day, a burning sun, a bright soul, one small human would return.
And this time Akira would not let him go.
Notations:
Are you asking yourself, WTF did I just read? Good, because I'm the asking the question: WTF did I just write?
. I tried to be very vague because I didn't research enough to put details in. Japanese Mythology is so different from Greek and Roman….which is what I originally had in mind. In the end I twisted facts and gave up on the extensive research to just make a story. I hope you enjoyed despite me bastardizing proper Japanese Mythology.
I am so sorry…. please don't give up on me.
Personal Note:
I personally love writing alternate universes. They are really fun for me to write. I'm sorry if you don't like them, because that's all I got. Hey Yo.
Chapter 08: Chasm
Summary: In Which Midosuji want to let go and Onoda refuses.
Mood Music: Not Broken Anymore by Blue October