The Blue Mononokean Master

Recognition

The Executive and Justice walk out with Ashiya who wanted to get fresh air. The Executive didn't want anything to do with these two unless it was work related, and so he headed off back to his office. Justice stood by Ashiyas side and took a breath with him.

"How are you feeling?" He asks, sticking out his tongue due to the heat. Are you sure you want him working with yokai again..?"

Ashiya grabs the cloth over his heart, he wasn't sure. He was happy his friend was back, but he didn't want Abeno to remember. He was too ashamed of not helping Abeno sooner, the look of his face on the ground calling his name keeps replaying in his mind. Shaking his head, he began to answer Justice.

"I'm afraid of him knowing I killed a yokai when Aoi and everyone else who raised us here treated us so kindly. I'm scared of how he will react if he did remember.. I don't want to lose him after I just found him, you know?" A small chuckle escaped his mouth, he knew it was inevitable. He needed to find time to tell Abeno. Ashiya wasn't ready yet. His heart was beating fast at the thought of mentioning the incident. One more deep breath was taken.

Justice kept a close eye at Ashiyas expression. The shaking in his voice told him that he didn't want Abeno to suffer. He runs his hand through his hair, thinking about the future of the mononokean master after just reuniting with Aoi's son. When Ashiya was not working, he would search for Abeno in both the mundane world and underworld. Ashiya did not know if Aoi left Abeno in the underworld or if he was in his world- but he searched every week for him. Justice knew how precious Abeno was to Ashiya, especially when they were children. Their bond was so deep, it was hard to separate the two. They practically grew up together, but only ever saw each other in the underworld.

Phew.. I just.. Maybe I'll wait a bit until he feels comfortable being in the underworld again, then I'll slowly bring it up.

Taking one last inhale, he goes back inside the building. Justice followed behind, making short conversation until they hear in the distance-

"..that's why you've never been back."

Ashiya stood clear away from the doorway. His heart sank to the floor. Was he listening to this correctly?

"LEGISLATOR STOP." He ran up to him and grabbed the outside of his collar. "Did you tell him everything?" Abeno looked at Ashiya, pain and confusion mixed together on his face.

"Abe-... I'm sorry."

The sound of Ashiyas voice echoed.

It was quiet.... For Abeno.

He had fainted. Receiving a rush of memories he had forgotten as a child.

...

"Don't run too far kids!" The motherly tone he remembered so well.. He watched two little boys run into a flowery field in the underworld. Their age must have been around 4 or 5, dragging their kimono behind them and giggling. Not too far from their guardian who is basking in the sun, the two boys wanted to make a flower crown for her. They ran around the field, gathering grape hyacinths with a purple and blue hue to form into a crown. The black haired boy frowned as he couldn't follow along the blue haired one.

The blue boy was patient, and smiled at his friend who was trying his hardest. After a few ruined crowns, the friend finally got a few to connect together in order to make a complete circle. His grin reached his ears, and thanked the other friend for teaching him how to make crowns. That way, he could make as many crowns for her when his friend wasn't around. He could roughly hear their voices.

..Ashiya?

The blue haired boy, now recognized as Ashiya, ran over to Abeno and Aoi who was sitting beside the mononokean. Abeno had given her the crown, telling her he worked really hard with Ashiyas help. Ashiya had something in his small hands as well, but he looked shy to give it. After closing his eyes shut, he raised his arms up and reached over to put a crown on Abeno as well. A little blush came across Ashiyas face, rubbing his nose with pride. All three of them, with energy depleted, took a nap together on the mononokean while the sun was still out.

Abeno tilted his head, watching the two boys together. This was something he doesn't remember, but it felt warm in his heart.

His vision washes over again. He squints, blinking a few times to adjust to the new light. It was winter, and they were sitting inside the mononokean for warmth. A large blanket covered their heads as they played under them, making air pockets and shuffling to the other side as if it was a new environment.

Aoi was peeling mandarins for the boys to eat, taking turns eating the small sweet fruit. She pat the two on their heads, enjoying the moment of peace between the three of them.

Abeno's blurry would go blurry once more, showing another scene of them sharing hot cocoa as it was too much for one of them to drink.

..we always had chocolate on our cheeks, and she would wipe it off for us.

One last time, his vision goes blurry. They were in their playroom located inside the birdcage. They took the pieces of paper with gusto, drawing on each of them with the different yokai friends they've met. Little Abeno looks up at Ashiya drawing, so he takes his time to drag his chair to the tall chalkboard.

I.. I asked how to write "Hanae" earlier, I think.

The little black haired Abeno, started drawing lines on the board.. An umbrella with their names underneath. "If you put our names under an umbrella, that means we will always be together!" He grins, making his eyes squint in the process.

Why did I forget this?

His real body started feeling pressure, it's here, Abeno turns to see the yokai bursting through the door. Abeno clutches his chest, it's heavy.. It hurts.. He could hear his younger selves thoughts--

I'M GOING TO DIE, I'M GOING TO DIE, I'M GOING TO DIE.. AOI.. HANAE- HELPHELPHELP-

Abeno's real body started clawing, reaching for help, but he couldn't find anything to latch onto. He felt something catch the tip of his fingers, and started clawing at it in hopes the pain would stop. His body slowly became even more compressed, but in a way that felt comforting.

"I..ki.. Its..ki-- I'm h..re.."

In the mononkean lays Abeno curled up in Ashiyas arms. Ashiya bites his lip, accepting the nails digging into his skin. He accepted it all. He would take the wounds that Abeno kept hidden.

Abeno gripped the front of Ashiyas school uniform that the robe did not cover. With Ashiyas arms wrapping around Abenos' back, they stay there until the tears stopped flowing between the two.

________________
Hello, Anon11400.

I had writers block with this piece. 

Please continue to support Wazawa Kiri and their future work.

Thank you,