Okay. So everyone, can I just...;a;
Can I just say I'm really surprised at all the positive responses to this? Thank you so much, everyone who reviewed, followed, or favorited! You made me feel like I've achieved something in my otherwise bland life.
Akashi stared out the window at the trees visible from his house. It had been a week since his daring expedition to the woods, and he was itching to explore it once more. He was sure the eyes he felt boring into his back was not just another animal, but a fellow human.
He had asked around about the story, but everyone had stared at him with wide eyes until an elderly man had ushered him in inside his home and told him about the small details of the legend. The demon took the shape of a young boy of about Akashi's age, and drew humans in with his strange beauty. Then, he killed them and fed on their blood.
"Until about seventy-five years ago, the attacks kept coming. No one wanted to go into the forest, but to get food the poor had to travel there and attempt to hunt the wild animals living there. My own father was killed thus. I still remember the body as they carried him into our house to tell my worry-striken mother.
"His face was shrunken inwards, and his skin was two shades lighter, like no blood was left in him. There was a wound in his neck that looked as though you scooped the skin out with a fork. The strong, muscular arms that I had admired so much were nothing but sticks. My father was unrecognizable." the old man wiped a tear from his eyes and said,"The attacks came mostly in the night, when the full moon was up. They stopped many years ago, and now that we have a steady pile of food no one bothers with the forest, but many men and women still here have lost their husband, wife, child, or parent to the cursed forest. Do not venture into the forest at any cost. Nothing is more valuable than your life, boy. I hope I will not regret telling you all this."
For a moment, Akashi contemplated the possibility of the stare he knew he'd felt belonging to the legendary youkai, but he told himself firmly that if it had been, it would have killed him the moment he set foot in the heart of the woods.
Deep inside, he wasn't convinced, but pushed down the anxiety and left his house, heading for the forest.
The afternoon sun cast a deep glow over the whole town, painting it orange. The marketplace was still full of people buying fresh vegetables and the occasional meat for the dinner stew. Akashi nodded curtly to a few aquaintances and exited the bustling booths. He wound his way expertly through the maze of ragtag houses, the one and only apocathery house, and bakeries with the pleasant smell of fresh bread pouring out the open windows. the road now gave way to farmland, fields of wheat and cabbage and potatoes swaying their green leaves in greeting. The meadows occasionally used for grazing was growing long enough to cover the already unnoticeable forest road, but Akashi located it easily and walked on.
Akashi treaded along the path on a steady pace, the overgrown grass brushing his ankles. When he reached the edge of the forest, he hesitated for a split second before steeling himself and entering.
The moment he set foot on the gnarled roots of pine trees, he was on guard and glanced around warily for any disturbances. When he concluded that all was safe, he began walking, but one could still tell from the stiff muscles of his neck that Akashi was still tense.
Everything seemed exactly the same from yesterday, kittens wandering from its family to occasionally brush its soft, furry body against the redhead's ankles before returning to its mother, the sound of cicadas and songbirds chirping in an oddly sweet melody, and even a deer or two looking back at him with large, soft eyes before running into the deep woods. But this time, Akashi paid little attention to the animals around him, but focused more on the wavering shadows that the tall tresses of trees cast over the mossy ground.
It wasn't long before the sounds of crickets and cicadas faded into silence, and the sunlight no longer shined through the limbs of the willows. Tendrils of fog curled around his feet, much like the cats, but this time in a more malicious manner. Akashi was on high alert, waiting to see what would happen, and took one step after another, carefully testing the ground before each one. He had no desire to experience the painful fall again.
"Why are you here?"
As he grabbed a tree trunk for support on the slippery moss, a quiet voice echoed through the trees all around him.
"I thought you humans knew better than to set foot in this cursed forest."
Akashi hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "I was curious to see why no one wished to explore the woods," he paused, waiting for an answer. When there was none, he continued, "Is it because of you? Are you the youkai in the legend that spreads through my town and frightens the children in their beds at night?"
When the silence continued, Akashi feared he had said the wrong thingㅡthis was unmarked territory that even he could not predict.
"Yes."
Akashi smiled. So it really did exist. "Do you mind clearing away the fog? I fell down a hill yesterday because of it."
At those words, the fog seemed to retract, and after a moment, clearing away completely.
"Where are you? I do not harbor malicious intent, you do not have to be afraid of me. Rather, I should be afraid of you as a youkai." At Akashi's words, a young boy materialized from the shadows after a brief second, staring at him with eyes as blue as the morning sky. Akashi stared back at the boy, each just taking in the other's appearance.
The so-called demon had alabaster skin a few shades lighter than Akashi's own. He looked to be about Akashi's height, and had a thin frame that looked as though Akashi could break it all apart with a hard punch. Akashi had to resist the urge to step closer and run his fingers through fair hair the color of his eyes and looked as soft as silk. He was clad in a simple black kimono, and Akashi took note of the torn edge of the white obi around his thin waist.
"Yesterday, when I fell down and injured my head, you bandaged my wound, did you not?"He indicated the torn obi and lifted his bangs to reveal a thin white scar, barely visible."Thank you. Not to mention you took me back to the edges of the forest."
When the other boy just stared at him with blank eyes, he tried again. "My name is Akashi Seijuurou. What is yours?"
The boy was silent for a moment, and seemed to decide whether to answer or not. A pink tongue wet chapped lips, and he said," My name is..Kuroko Tetsuya."
Akashi smiled."It's a pleasure to meet you, Tetsuya."
Kuroko could not understand why this boy ventured into the forest again. Had he not heard about the 'demon' that lived in these woods? How he had hurt and killed those people so many years ago? His eyes had seemed intelligent, sharp, alert. This boy couldn't possibly be foolish enough to wander in here again?
But there he was, the red-haired boy striding quite confidently through the bushes. Kuroko observed him from afar, watching as he made his way into the heart of the woods where he lived. Inwardly, he felt a little guilty that he was happy to see someone was here again. He had been lonely for the past few decades, with only his pet dog and the eerie silence to accompany him. But he didn't blame anyone. After all, he was just a monster.
His eyes were really strange. Red and gold. Kuroko stared at them for a long time until the boy spoke again.
"My name is Akashi Seijuurou. What is yours?"
He blinked hurriedly, swallowed, and replied, " My name is... Kuroko Tetsuya."
The boy called Akashi smiled, and said, "Nice to meet you, Tetsuya."
Kuroko just looked at him. First name basis already? "..Nice to meet you too, Akashi-san." Inwardly, Kuroko smiled at having someone to talk to again. Akashi reminded him of another boy from many years ago. But there was still a trace of fear, of worry, that he might lose control again, just like last time.
"No...No... NO! What have I done.."
Kuroko was kneeling on the wooden floor of a small house, looking down at his bloody hands with horror evident in his large blue eyes. The floor around him was soaked in crimson blood, and was all over Kuroko's face, the crimson red contrasting with pale white skin.
"O...Ogiwara-kun..no..."
Shakily, he crawled over to another boy lying motionless on the ground, and cradling his head, started to cry, thick tears gathering at the edges of his eyes and trailing down a slim jaw.
Outside, the full moon was shining..
"Tetsuya.. Tetsuya? Wake up!"
Kuroko was suddenly jerked out of his memories as firm hands grabbed his shoulders and shook him. He looked into heterochromatic eyes as he realized where he was, and shook Akashi's hand off, none too gently.
"Tetsuya, are you alright? You suddenly went pale in the face." Akashi asked him, worry creeping into his tone.
"I am fine, thank you very much." Kuroko turned around, away from questioning eyes. "You should go now."
"I can't just leave you alone. You seem sick."the other boy protested, grabbing at Kuroko's hand.
He pulled his hand away, and said,"The full moon is coming. I advise you to not come here anytime soon, for the woods are dangerous when the moon is round. In fact, please do not come here ever again."
He walked away, disappearing into the trees soundlessly. Akashi could only stare at his retreating back, before he sighed and reluctantly turned away.
He would come here again, no matter what.
#ImsorryIjusthadtokkeeeelhim
English isn't my first language, so please tell me about any grammar/spelling/punctuation mistakes, or if some parts don't make sense. I'll try and fix them!
I was actually going to post this yesterday, but my parents took away my laptop before I could. But I think the extra day gave me more time to think up on the plot and make this longer!
R&R? :D
