Reapers and Keepers

Chapter 2: New Life

The light faded away to reveal an area that looked like a guest lounge. There were a few couches and chairs surrounding a rectangular table. The entire area was carpeted and a lone, unlit fireplace stood nearby as well.

Akaashi blinked, noticing one figure lounging around the fireplace and another sprawled out across one of the couches presumably sleeping. He stuck a little closer to Kenma's side as they made their way from the glowing entrance towards the middle of the room.

Wordlessly, Kenma sat down on the other remaining couch and Akaashi followed, eyeing the figure across from them who had his eyes squeezed shut. He looked to be a delinquent from his shaved head and the black suit jacket they all wore draped across him like a blanket. He had broad shoulders and seemed to be grumbling in his rest.

"When we sleep, we have the same dreams that our human has," Kenma explained, lying down more comfortably. "Helps us get to know them better or something, I have no clue."

Akaashi shifted slightly in his seat, eyeing the screwed face of the delinquent man. "Looks uncomfortable."

"We get our fair share of nightmares, though it doesn't affect us as much as it does our human." Glancing at the figure across from them, Kenma made a face. "Honestly, the wet dreams are the worst."

"Newbie?" a voice from behind droned.

Akaashi jolted, and turned around to see the figure around the fireplace directly behind him, looking down at him with a condescending smirk.

"What'd you do to land here?"

"Huh?" Akaashi voiced, confusion clear in his tone. He looked the stranger over from the top of his blonde curly locks to his long, lanky form. The man seemed to be younger than him, but his golden eyes spelled trouble. The suit he was wearing made him look sharp and professional, despite the fact he was slouching over to look at the two on the couch.

Feeling slightly apprehensive, Akaashi arranged his body so that he was facing towards the blonde. He glanced over at Kenma once before looking back up at the man's sneering face. "What does that mean?"

The blonde began to talk back, but was interrupted by Kenma.

"Akaashi-san currently does not have memories of his death."

"Ah, is that so?"

"Excuse me," Akaashi frowned at the two of them. "Who is this? What is he talking about?"

Kenma gestured towards the man's lanky form. "This is Tsukishima Kei. The one Oikawa calls Kei-chan."

"Please don't call me that, Kenma-san," 'Kei-chan' said, looking disdainfully at the bleached head of his fellow guardian.

Kenma shrugged, laid back on the couch as a video game console popped into his hands out of thin air.

Akaashi stared at the device in Kenma's hands for a moment longer before looking back up at Tsukishima. "What did you mean by that question before?"

"What question before?"

Akaashi deadpanned. "The one about what I did to get here?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Tsukishima hummed before making his way over to one of the chairs and sitting down comfortably as a pair of headphones appeared over his ears.

Inwardly, Akaashi groaned. He didn't know he'd be working with a bunch of cheeky little shits at his new 'job.' Was he going to get answers out of anyone at all? He lay back on the couch, huffing as the figure on the couch across from them stirred and slowly sat up.

The delinquent blinked a few times, smacking his lips together before slowly turning to look at a very tense Akaashi.

"AHHH?"