Eros. (Benimaru Shinmon)

☾五十 ☾

Nighttime was the best time. It was when the scorching heat surrendered to the onshore breeze and we could be outside without the need to cover every inch of our skin. The stars would come as if to welcome us back to these hours of comfort and relaxation. We would sit, our heads tilted toward the sky, observing the constellations and the patina of the moon. Our chatter went on until the small hours, always with a backdrop of crickets in the long grass.

Yet I was shocked to see that I was still in Asakusa and that Konro really convinced me to stay here for so long. I pain I was in just staying here because of the memories this place bought back.

I lowered my head to the two twins and the boys from company eight playing with the handheld fire sparklers. The way the light flickered off of those sticks kind of reminded me of the good days back in Asakusa when my mother and I would spend time with one another and play with those things.

"Mom..." I thought as I lowered my head.

Those harsh memories of seeing my mother running to protect me from some suspicious men that were chasing after us. My father was usually the one to blame for our misfortunes back then. He would sign terrible loans just to gamble it away and lose the money only to had the loan sharks come back and harass our family. Only this time, they were out for blood and got my mother's the moment their dagger was thrown into her heart and she fell. The blood that had flowed so freely from her chest now lay in pools around her corpse and soaked into the dirt roads like some garish.

It was at that moment, my eyes glowed a pristine white and I had lost complete control of my flames. If it wasn't for my father back then, Benimaru and Konro would have probably found out much earlier about my flames. All Asakusa knew about that night was the charred bodies of my mother and the idea of the two loan sharks turning infernal and that my 'father' had put an end to them.

I blinked continuously as a single tear rolled down my face. The beads of water started falling down one after another, without a sign of stopping.

"Inori?" Konro asked.

I rose from my seated position and kept my head down. Being in Asakusa was bring all these bad memories to the forefront and I didn't need that clouding my mind. Sure I couldn't run away from my problems and leaving Asakusa only put a bandage to the wound but it was a secure bandage that was now losing its adhesive properties now.

"Inori..." Konro said.

I walked away from them, hiding the unbroken stream coming down my face. The muffled sobs wracked against my chest. The world turned into a blur, and so did all the sounds. The taste. The smell. Everything was gone.

Why was it now that all these thoughts and memories about my mother had sparked in my mind. My hands clenched into shaking fists, in a desperate battle against the grief. I wept, tears streaming from my eyes, loud, heaving sobs tearing from his throat, and still, I did not look away from the ground.

Until I was forced to by a hand being placed underneath my chin and forcing it upwards to meet the mismatched eyes of Shinmon, Benimaru. I really couldn't deal with him and this moment so I slapped his hand away from my face and turned my head away from him while having my hair cover my eyes.

Suddenly he wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me close against his body, gently rubbing my arm before slowly moving down to my waist. Despite the heaviness in my stomach and shock that rushed through my body, it fluttered at the feeling of my body pressed against his.

"I know you better than anyone around these parts Inori," Benimaru mumbled, "I know those sparklers sparked a memory of the good times you shared with your mother when she was alive...it happened back when Konro and I played with them and you would distance yourself from us...but just know when those memories rush through your head...I will be there to comfort you."

I instantly sunk into the warmth of his side, appreciative of the simple gesture. His touch made the outdoors warmer somehow, my memories of my mother seeming a little less bleak. This was the rare side Benimaru would never allow anyone to see. Konro and I were the only ones to ever see this side of Benimaru.

His embrace was warm, and his big, strong arms seemed very protective when wrapped around my small framed body. The world around me melted away as I squeezed him back, not wanting the moment to end.

"This was the Benimaru...I loved..." I thought as I closed my eyes.

-------

I opened my eyes and raised my blade up to shield myself from the blow Arthur threw my way with his plasma-filled blade.

I held the blade even, a perfect, undaunted horizon; always leveled with the nose, just as my father had taught me. I had stalled the man's strike but watched a wretched, stained grin split Arthur's lips as my blade shivered under the brutality of his compelling strength. "Weapons do not belong in the hands of women," he heroically crooned, pressing closer to my face. The blade flashed as he brought it over his head and hummed a low, swift tune when he brought it down only to have it blown out of his hand.

"Excalibur!" he yelled

He looked down at me as I swiftly pushed him down and held my blade to his neck.

"You're better than you were yesterday," I praised while sheathing my sword and bowing respectfully, "But never say anything about a woman not being able to wield a sword or any weapon as a matter of fact...or you will suffer her wrath."

Arthur looked at me as faint stains of pink circled his cheeks causing me to smile and wink towards him.

"Konro, it is time I leave," I replied.

Konro sighed and gave a small smile, " try to not be a stranger and come visit us here in Asakusa,"

She smiled and waves him off. There was no need to say bye to Benimaru since he had seemed focused on training with Shinra that I didn't want to break his concentration.

Yet, I couldn't roll my mind back to those moments yesterday that was completely out of character for him...then again it was that side of Benimaru that a select few know about.

"Inori."

I turned around to see Benimaru standing a good 2 feet from me. I guess he acted quickly when he noticed I had left. I didn't even know what to say to him-some part of me had an asshole remark but he did also comfort me so I couldn't really act on my impulse.

"I want you to come back to Asakusa tonight," He said.

"Why?" I questioned.

"Because the Mid-autumn festival is here and I want you to come as my date," he said with a lazy tone while holding his stereotypical gloomy facial expression, the least romantic way to ask a girl out.

"I'll think about it," I answered as I turned my back towards him and headed towards the exit of Asakusa.

"Make sure to be here by 7 pm," he responded as I tsked at his fruitless command

Now the asshole was back.