The wind outside the Kyōgetsu mansion was quiet...too quiet for the chaos still ringing inside Kyoren's head. He stood by the tall window, silver-blue moonlight cutting across his face, slicing the shadows on his bandaged arm.
His glove was gone. Burned away during that fight.
His fingers slightly trembled as they curled near the fabric wrapping his wound. Not from pain. Not from weakness.
From confusion...
"Why the hell did I catch him?"
He had fought cursed beasts, yokai, even soul-swallowers. But nothing had left this kind of glitch in his chest.
Across the glass, he saw the dark hills outside—somewhere out there, the red spider lily danced with its devil again.
(Flashback begins...)
Kirihito's 's mouth was still stained with blood when he spoke, licking it clean like a wolf savoring his art.
His voice was cold, casual, and cutting . He's suddenly back to his revenge mood which felt like lost at the way towards the ceremony..
"This throne… It's mine now. I'm too old for childish heirlooms. Don't you think it's time someone younger ruled it?"
Kyoren's temples pulsed. Not only from the insult, but from the calm arrogance laced in every syllable.
He stepped forward sharply.
"You destroyed everything I prepared for! Those humans.."
"Were already rotting,"
Kirihito interrupted, circling him like mist.
"You just didn't smell it yet."
Yurei takes a light sharp breath , his excretion worried , confused and something else..which hand to understand right away . His footsteps echoed behind them, but Kurama lifted a finger.
"No. Stay where you are. This is a king's fight."
Kirihito says without turning his face at him , his attention on kyoren .
"You..."
Kyoren clenched his jaw asks a bit loudly
" don't talk with him like that ! He's more then just a normal guard "
Yurei swallowed hard , a bit impressed by the way kyoren defended him..it reminds him of something...
Kirihito smiled, his fangs peeking a bit
" great..I can sense something deeper you two have "
. Then he suddenly comes too close , eating up Kyoren's personal space . Kyoren presses his lips tightly together ,a thin line forming at his lips , swallowed hard , kirihito was making him more uncomfortable .
Yurei huffs while annoyed and maybe.. sometging else..but he can't disobey kyoren . His gray eyes fixed on them .
Kirihito says in a bit teasing tone
"But playing with you… might be my new favorite pastime..angry furballs are Even more fun to play with ."
Kyoren says in tight voice,
" m..move away ! You're acting weird ! "
Kirihito makes an innocent yet confused face , his soft lips parted silently . Kyoren feels like if he could dig the ground and hide inside . He's really sensitive about those things..especially if it looks that way .
Kirihito grins and asks softly ,
" what kind of weird , furrball king ?~ "
Acting like you don't know what I'm "
"saying..don't make me spell something unholy..and don't call me furrball ! "
Kyoren tries to make a bit distance after saying those but kirihito was enjoying by annoying him too much so he smirks a bit widely , purrs and hisses softly while relaxed and follows him just like an animal found something interesting .
Kirihito asks while tilling his head like a innocent child who knows nothing .
" how I'll understand if you don't tell me ?~ "
Kyoren takes a deep breath before saying while their face close , his golden eyes flickering here and there with angry mixed with embarrassed expression
" I . Meant . Are you gay ?! "
Kyoren throws out those words like he was struggling not to keep those inside his throat yet also can't say it loud , his face more red , golden eyes wide , his sharp fox pupils becomes small and sharper .
Yurei gasps in surprise by kyoren's question . He lightly bites his lower lip . He wasn't to do something but yet can't . His hand subconsciously goes to a necklace on his hand which he grabs tightly which is also unseen by them...
Kirihito makes a confused face , clearly doesn't knows what that word means but kyoren silently catches his confusion which makes him think
" that..yokai looks 100 or 200 yet..he doesn't knows that..word ? How can it be ? Is he stupid or born without a stomach of mother ? Without being a baby ?? "
but kirihito isn't going to admit it because he won't to let his pride down . So he crosses his arms on his chest , he tiled his head a side mockingly , masking his confusion like he knows everything but he understands it must be something.. different then normal and insulting so he decides to deny it and says .
" of course I know that word , old . Fox . King..and I'm not that what you're saying..g..gay or whatever it is , you hear me , huh ?~
Kyoren moves away a bit , finally he got some space , a mocking expression on his face , he's also crossing his arms , subconsciously mirroring kirihito , he keps his eyes on Kirihito's covered eyes , trying not to subconsciously flicker his eyes at his half exposed chest and one thigh because of the way he weared his yokata and also crossed his legs . He never felt so embarrassed more then ego or anger in any fight , but he also needs to know what that creature is as long as they talks . He asks to kirihito in smooth , mocking tone
" Yeah yeah..of course you know..you're a new adult yokai..you should know that..then may I hear what you know about it ? "
Kirihito awkwardly clears his throat , his smirk fading , cheeks gets a bit red , pouting lightly, looks away , says in guffy tone .
I know that word , isn't it enough ?
" No..it's also a part of king fight..you know ? So tell me..let's see if you're really worgy for the throne or not "
Kyoren teases , smirking lightly .
Kirihito struggles to find the answer , bitting lower lip , gets a bit more red .
" see you can't tell.."
Kyoren says after a chukle . Kirihito's ego spikes up again and he hisses lightly , his mouth shaking while a bit open , says in a bit annoyed and hissing tone
" Then you tell me , old king.. what does that " gay " means . In details , ok ? I don't understand short sentences . "
Kyoren feels embarrassed because he struggled to say only the word and now he's asking for not only the meaning but also the detail . He takes a deep breath .
Yurei watches in amaze because of their unexpected conversations like throwing light yet hard effecting bomb on each other , almost like snake and fix hissing at each other , one pinching other by knowledge and mock and another using others disliking thing , making him say those he barely even thinks .
" G..gay means..gay means when a male..falls for another male . When they does those..which should be done between male and female..not..both male..or not both female.. is this much detail fine , huh ? "
Kyoren says in almost whisper , tight and embarrassed tone yet the determination to win the fight with that yokai even by tease , pride and knowledge , that yokai crossed his first boundary after all ; dared to challenge him .
Kirihito says while noding , says something unexpected .
" Oh now I've understood..but I'm not a male..I'm a high ranked genderless yokai..I look like male but I'm physically both..I've both male part and female part.. but my kind hates women..I can make baby and also be--- "
" shit up shut up shut up !!! You're too much shameless !! You're saying those so casually like those are the most normal thing I can't win with you at words ! "
Kyoren screams out , he really can't handle that yokai at this much shameless confidence , holds Kirihito's mouth , kirihito pouts and screams and hisses muffined
" Mmph ! "
Yurei also can't take it anymore , their ego crashing, teasing and intimate conversation made him feel uncomfortable and something else which wasn't too clear to understand He says to kyoren and kirihito ,
" What you two are doing ?! Why aren't you doing anything , kyoren Sama ?! And you..you shameless snake ! Stop waving words once sharp abd then innocent !! "
Kyoren jumps moves back from him , his golden ribbon floating sharply by his quick moves and black pearls around echoing into the air softly , kirihito also moves back , ready to fight , his one thigh fully out of yokata . He was about to stumble a little because of losing balance but holds himself . Kyoren throws his golden foxes fire at kitihito .
The air broke as golden foxes fire rushed forward...Kyoren's rage lighting the entire clearing. Kirihito didn't dodge. He danced. His body weaved between flames like wind slipping through silk.
" You get red so easily , hehe ~ "
Kirihito says in mocking tone while fighting only with his body, he doesn't have spiritual powers yet but his dance manipulation waves were still deadly .
" Shut up ! I just don't like those ! I also hate how your c..chest and legs always out of your yokata !! It's like you're wearing nothing while wearing ! My ears are burning ! Cover yourself or I'll make you look like a Mummy by covering you with so many white fabric and throw into a cofin !! "
Kyoren says while changing his place and throwing his golden fixes fire at him , the place lights up with bright golden flame
Kirihito dodges all by spinning , his hair messing flying around . He also answers
" I feel too much hot and sweaty so I'm never going to wear too much cloth like you !! You wear so many cloths that it almost feels like I can't even walk with those ! "
Kirihito's words rings into kyoren's fix ears like shameless comments as those humans , the fact that kirihito is genderless , can play both roles as male but also female physically was overwhelming to believe , his words also feels like double meaning which makes kyoren more frustrated because unholy thoughts wear running onto his head which he doesn't wants to think . He answers
" Shut up ! What do you mean by hot and sweaty huh ?! "
" Stop saying shut up too much ! You're keeping repeating the same thing like an old fox !! "
Kirihito says. They were like fighting with both mouth and body . Energy curled around Kyoren's limbs, not just beautiful, but sharp enough to cut bone. Each twist pulled the world closer to his rhythm..manipulation not through force, but through art.
Kirihito tried to aim again...
But the next second, Kurama's glowing form spun through smoke, catching him by surprise. He gasps softly . He stumbled...
kyoren catches him subconsciously..or willingly by his hips from for the back . Kyoren also gets too frozen by his own unexpected action
Soft. Cold . Safe ?
Kurama landed right into Kyoren's arms . His heart rate spikes a bit , body trembling slightly from the sudden glitch.
Their eyes met . Kyoren sees Kirihito's covered eyes and kirihito sees Kyoren's golden eyes though the white fabric .
Something shifted.
A strange sensation exploded across Kurama's lower stomach...not pain, but a crawling tension he didn't recognize. A faint, echoing flash tried to rise in his mind… but nothing came.
Just an unknown heat
"Tch… get off..you're.. too close..and for the sake of God, cover yourself "
Kyoren muttered, his voice stiff , his cheeks a bit red with anger and embarrassment . He suddenly removes his hands from his hips . Kirihito yelps softly , his long hair covering his face as he falls on his back ,
" Ouch ! Why did you held me if you'll drop me next ?! You're crueler then me..I atlist don't hold when I know I won't going to hold forever ! "
Kirihito yalls , huffs like he wasn't the one who fall or nothing happened.. his mood changes too fast . He quickly stands up , fixing his hair gently .
Kyoren on the other hand looking at his hands with wide eyes and red cheeks, his lips pressed in thin line. He looks like he held any sin which he shouldn't . Kirihito's words.. those were also deep and subconsciously kyoren embraced it into his mind . He clears his throat awkwardly before turning back and wonders ,
" that yokai..he's too strange to handle..like a child accidentally got into an adult body..yet look how well he knows to manipulate, dance , sing and talk when needed even after tripping.. "
Behind them, Yurei's fists tightened. But he said nothing. Shadows whispered under his breath like jealous ghosts.
(Return to present...)
Kyoren opened his eyes again.
The moon hadn't moved.
His hand dropped from the window as he stepped back. The heaviness in his chest didn't fade...it was worse now . He wonders what kirihito said . About the gender type..the words which he spelled when he let him fall.." Why did you held me if you'll drop me next ? " , " I atlist don't hold when I know I won't hold forever " .everything is both confusing , embarrassing and also..silently hurting .
"Before he becomes something else…this world can't control.." he whispered.
His fingers reached for the chain around his neck..a small charm hanging there. A seal.
He couldn't let the Eye awaken again. Not now.
Not for him.
Not for that mysterious creature who moves like tides of sea with guqin and bamboo flute music..
[ end of Chapter 04 ]