I'm so sorry for being so late to update ! My life had been really hectic this year :(
Please enjoy this double update! I will be posting chapter 10 and 11 in a couple of days! :3

" If fate means you to lose, give him a good fight anyhow,"

Chapter 8

Akashi's grandmother took another sip from her, now, cold tea and placed the cup back down, the knocking sound against the wooden table, echoed, in the otherwise silent room. Her mouth was now set in a straight line, contradictory to the polite smile she had plastered on her face when she first started talking.

Furihata only continued to stare at his trembling hands, in his lap. His heart was thrown into turmoil of emotions, ones of shock and fear…and a certain amount of guilt at the revelations of the story. As if those actions were conducted by them and not their ancestors. He could tell Akashi felt the same, by the way his hands clenched on the fabric of his Kimono and the slight pained expression that replaced his usual calm demeanor.

The guardian of fortune and the boy he, unexpectedly, came to befriend…

Both knew they were breaking the rules, but neither knew why the rules were established in the first place. It was because Furihata's parents never thought there would be a need to tell him, or maybe they thought he was still too young. They just never anticipated that their obedient, shy son would go into the forbidden forest, and have the courage to speak to someone other than his own family.

The guardian of fortune was to forever remain hidden from the public eye; such was the destiny of those born with this power, for the person the guardian would come to like, would be able to hear the Yakujin, making it easier for them to control.

He was a powerful god, and even after being sealed, he was always waiting for an opportunity to be freed. That opportunity came when the two, unknowingly, started harboring feelings that surpassed those of friendship towards one another. When Furihata's will weakened and he fell ill, it was the perfect time for the Yakujin to lure Akashi into releasing him.

"What…happened to them?" Furihata asked, voice wavering, raising his head to look into Akashi's grandmother's eyes. "What happened after the Yakujin was sealed in his body?"

The old lady adjusted her seating and took in a deep breath, and continued to speak with a calm voice. Furihata and Akashi listened, attentively.

"It wasn't long before the staff of the sacred temple noticed something was wrong…"

Akashi held Furihata's body close with quivering hands. His skin was burning with fever and he wouldn't respond, no matter how many times Akashi had called his name. His weak breathing was the only indication he was still alive, as he lied, limply, in Akashi's arms. Tears of confusion and fear for Furihata's life trailed down his face.

The small shrine's doors were still opened and the cold mid-winter air sent shivers down Akashi's spine. He knew Furihata's condition could worsen because of the cold. He slowly placed Furihata's body on the floor and took his hori off and wrapped it around Furihata's body, then slowly tried to pick him up. His legs nearly gave out at the additional weight of the body in his hands, but once he found his balance, he walked slowly towards the entrance. Furihata's head was leaning against his chest and he could see the small clouds coming out of his mouth each time he breathed.

"Kou-chan!"

Akashi looked up to find a woman with long brown hair running in his direction, followed by a number of men and women, all which he guessed were part of the staff living in the temple. She stopped before him and instantly her hand moved to touch Furihata's forehead, she quickly withdrew her hand like it's been stung, her expression mirrored the horror and worry in her big brown eyes.

She slowly tries to release Furihata out of Akashi's vice grip and he, reluctantly, relaxed his grasp. Once she had him in her arms, she quickly turned to an older looking female staff and handed Furihata to her, and told her to take him to his room. Then, she turned to look directly at Akashi.

"Akashi-kun, what happened? How did you get here?" She asked, fretfully.

Akashi only averted his eyes, not entirely sure of what he should say, it wasn't his wish to get Furihata or himself into trouble, but with what had happened, he knew he must tell someone who would understand what unfolded before his eyes back at the shrine. Sensing his inner battle, she forced her nerves to calm down by taking in a deep breath, and then spoke to him once more.

"Akashi-kun, my name is Kaori; I'm Kouki's mother," Akashi turned to look at her. "I can't help him if I don't know what had happened. Would you tell me everything?"

Her voice was very soothing to the ear in much the same way Furihata's was.

Akashi slowly nodded.

"Nearly four years, but none of us noticed a thing!" Furihata's father, the head priest, said, throwing his arms in the air.

The three of them were talking in the room, next to the one where Furihata was resting. Unlike his wife, who tried her best to keep her composure, he didn't bother masking his frustration and anger, more so at himself and his staff for not noticing Furihata's continuous absence.

Akashi sat in silence, his mind still wrapping around what Furihata's mother explained about the god of disaster and the misfortunes that were to befall Furihata and all those around him, if his powers were ever to waver.

If… if Furihata was to lose his life because of one of those misfortunes, then the Yakujin would be freed from his body to roam the lands once more.

His insides twisted in a sick and bitter feeling of guilt.

Kaori placed her hand over her husband's bigger one and circled her thumb over it in a comforting gesture. He sighed, his shoulders lowered, but the pained expression never left his face. Kaori, too, looked like she was holding back her tears.

"Is there anything that could be done? That, I can do?" Akashi said, hands clenching into fists in determination.

Kaori shook her head. "We don't know for how long Furihata's powers can keep the misfortunes at bay. We will send the remaining students back to their homes, and…prepare for the worse," She said and hung her head low, but Akashi had already noticed the tears descending down her cheeks.

"I will stay," Akashi said, firmly. "I won't leave Kouki alone,"

Kaori's head jerked up to look at him, looking quite surprised at Akashi's statement. Before she was to say anything, her husband interrupted.

"Don't you understand that your presence by his side was the cause to all this mess!?" His voice was laced with venom. "If you were not so close, then you wouldn't have been used by the Yakujin. If the bond you share deepens, it would only bring disarray to Kouki's powers,"

Akashi's mismatched eyes narrowed at the man, who flinched at the intense gaze of Akashi's eyes, but said nothing, as a part of himself knew Furihata's father had every right to deem him responsible for what had happened. But, leaving the temple and let Kouki suffer the consciences alone, was not something he would readily agree to.

"I-it's not Sei's fault,"

Furihata's weak voice halted their conversation, as three sets of eyes turned to look at him. Akashi immediately strolled to where Furihata was standing by the door, wrapped in a thin blanket, and touched his forehead. It was still warm, but no longer burning and Akashi couldn't stop the sigh of relief that escaped his lips.

Their exchange never escaped the careful eyes of Kaori, whose tears stopped the moment she saw her son standing on his own.

"I'm the one who broke the rules, it's not Sei's fault," Furihata said, directing his gaze to his father, who looked irritated at Furihata's attempts to defend Akashi.

"But, Sei," Furihata said, this time turning his gaze to Akashi. "Father is right, you have to go back. I don't know what kind of misfortunes I'll start attracting." His voice was barely above a whisper as he spoke the next few words. "I-I can't see you anymore,"

Akashi's hands balled into fists and he could feel his nails digging into his flesh. "If it has come to this then…" He took a calming breath in and forced Furihata to look into his eyes once again.

"I'll take responsibility and bear the Yakujin instead,"

Three identical gasps sounded in the room as they looked at Akashi in disbelieve.

"N-no! What are you saying, Sei?" Furihata said, his hands clutching to Akashi's Yukata. "I told you this isn't your fault! You don't have the power to stop him! You can get injured or even killed!" Furihata looked at Akashi, pain and worry crossing his visage. "I c-can't bear to see you hurt,"

A small smile played at Akashi's lips at Furihata's words. "Then, how are you asking me to stand aside and watch you get hurt?"

Breath halted in Furihata's throat, and tears were at the brim of his eyes at Akashi's words. Not trusting his voice to say anything he buried his head in Akashi's chest, who wrapped an arm around Furihata's shoulders, his other hand threading through his hair for comfort.

"There might be a way… A way to stop misfortunes from befalling others, to stop the Yakujin even if for a while," Kaori's voice interrupted the moment, and both boys turned to look at her, interested in what she had to say.

"You can't mean…?" Her husband said while looking into her eyes, and she nodded.

"We could set a binding contract, if the twelve pieces are separated, then he can't escape." She explained. "If Akashi-kun is truly willing, of course,"

Furihata's eyes widened, but before he could say anything, Akashi pressed his hand in front of Furihata's chest, gently, and turned to face Kaori again and nodded at her to continue talking.

"If the both of you can overcome the misfortunes, then he's done for. If not, then the binding contract doesn't allow him to escape," She paused a little, then continued. "But, what befalls one of you, befalls the other, it's what a binding contract means,"

"In other words, it binds our souls to one another," Akashi stated and Furihata's mother nodded.

"I understand if you won't do, it. Surely, I'll try and find ano-"

"I'll do it," Akashi interrupted, not a hint of hesitation or uncertainty in his voice.

"No!" Furihata's grip on Akashi's clothes tightens. "You have your own life, Sei. I won't get you involved! Y-you don't have to feel obligated to do anything because of guilt,"

Furihata's parents remained silent and waited for Akashi's response.

"Kouki," Akashi lifts Furihata's chin so the two were looking into each other's eyes. "While I do admit I still hold myself responsible for what happened, my decision wasn't clouded by guilt,"

"But-"

"Weren't you the one who told me not to do everything alone?"

Furihata shook his head. "This and that are different things!"

"It's not," Akashi, calmly, said.

"To be separated, and live my life away from you would be my greatest misfortune of all,"

"W-what!?" Furihata stuttered, his cheeks deepening in color and Akashi is sure it wasn't induced by his fever.

"Share your fate with me. Let me protect you this time," Akashi clasped Furihata's hands in his and stared deep into Furihata's eyes, and Furihata knew there was no changing his mind once he's set on doing something.

"Are you sure? You're about to throw yourself into a fatal situation. This is not a laughing matter," The head priest said in a serious tone. Akashi turned to face him fully and nodded.

"I know,"

"Very well then,"

Akashi's grandmother placed her, now, empty cup on the table. Kuroko's cup was empty since before the story had started, but the two cups across from his were barely touched. Akashi and Furihata remained silent and only waited for his grandmother to continue.

"They set up the contract after that and Furihata's powers were able to stop the Yakujin for almost three years," She paused and lowered her head instead of looking at them in the eye. Furihata's chest tightened.

"On the night of his seventeenth birthday, all sorts of accidents began happening and he knew his powers were no longer enough to stop the growing power of the Yakujin," She paused again and Kuroko took note of the slight tremble in her hands.

"They survived the first misfortune…but not the second,"

Furihata's eyes were wide with shock and he couldn't stop the gasp from escaping his lip, Akashi could feel his nails digging deeper into his thigh. For a few minutes, no one said anything.

"The fate of the Akashi and Furihata families cross once every 100 years, because until this day none of the previous pairs was able to overcome all twelve misfortunes." Akashi's grandmother interrupted the awkward silence. "The binding contract along with the curse it carries continues to be inherited through the generations,"

"I never wanted to believe my grandson would be next, but…all the signs were there," She said with a sad smile on her face, but it was soon replaced by a serious expression as she looked in the eyes of her grandson and his companion.

"You have a duty now, to protect each other and overcome this curse. It's the only way to break this chain of misfortune,"

Furihata shot a worried glance in Akashi's direction, the redhead only moved his hand and rested it on Furihata's own and squeezed. Furihata's nerves calmed down a bit at the gesture and he squeezed Akashi's hand back.

They were into this together.

I hope you liked it :33 I'd be happy to hear your thoughts