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Okay...before y'all get mad at me... I CAN EXPLAIN 😭😭😭. A lot of mental issues came up, causing more medical flare ups. 2023 has not be kind to me creatively and because of how unstable my health is at the moment + my night job and tattoo apprenticeship, it's been very difficult to find time and energy for me to write. I only been editing older chapters of this book whenever I find time. I feel terrible only posting this short chapter but as what my partners told me, as long as this fic is ongoing, y'all will be happy 🤟🏼 i REFUSE to abandon this book, okay >:[ anyways. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. The next one is currently in progress 🖤
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"See you next time, lovely."
Oh how Akashi wished he could keep the little human close to him much longer. But it is for the best. A mere mortal such as himself isn't suited to remain in the Infernal for long periods of time. His soul could burn or he'll be eaten by Hellhounds. Their intelligence is...selective. It's hard to resist a random human soul in their territory. Akashi can't have that! It would break Koutarou's heart and Tetsurou would get upset.
Upset...of course.
Aside from his charming personality and flirting, patiences is not a virtue to the devil. It's constant walking on eggshells with him. Sometimes Akashi wonders what in Satan's inferno did Koutarou see in the bastard. When they first met, it was under very nasty circumstances.
Circumstances that it never talked about again. To put it bluntly, they bonded because they didn't have a choice. At least that's how Akashi sees it. Now here they are, several centuries later.
Love is a hard concept many entities cannot understand. Between the demonic trio, Akashi understands it from centuries of working with humans and watching their behavior. There are many forms of love and he accepted Tetsurou's way of showing off with some physical affection and gift giving.
But, as human society evolves, so does the meaning of love. Sometimes, love is a cover up for something sinister.
Love bombing. Gaslighting. Emotional manipulation.
Akashi tells himself that maybe he has been spending too much time with humans and he is blurring the lines between demonic and mortal emotions.
Oh no. He wasn't. Demons aren't above the laws of nature. Emotions are universal. What he feels is valid. What he is witnessing is real. Being with Kenma made him realize just how unhappy he is.
Akashi's whole demeanor changed the second Kenma left the Infernal.
As always, secrets are kept and for good reason. A mortal's opinion means nothing to primordials. Especially if said mortal is in the center of an ongoing issue. A special mortal they all agreed to keep around. Why must they keep things a secret from him? Tetsurou knew right off the bat the second the area surrounding them became hostile and cold. Turning his feet away, Akashi began walking towards one of the halls, hearing his bondmate speaking to him.
"Keiji, are you seriously going to keep this up?"
The blue demon stopped his tracks. "Yes I am." He said over his shoulder. "As always, you go behind my back when I tell you a warning from the stars."
"He knew better than to try some shit with me and Koutarou. It's already over and done with. I don't understand why you can't get over it??"
Akashi's feathers stood up. He wasn't going to stay quiet about this anymore. "As always, you are arrogant." It slipped out without hesitation, followed by a hint of instant regret.
"What do you mean by THAT, Keiji???" The taller demon approached him, amber eyes now glowing red. A growing swarm of flies circled around the atrium, waiting for orders from the demonic king.
"I'm not going to entertain you." Akashi stepped back.
"Oh no. You're not going to avoid me again. You have been making smart comments behind my back and I was nice enough to let it slide because you are my bondmate and that big owl would have my neck. I don't need that on top of other issues I have."
The last part set a bomb off in the avian demon.
"Perhaps we wouldn't be in this predicament if you care enough to hear what I have to say!" He raised his voice, causing ice crystals to form on the floor around him.
"What are you talking about???
"You know what I'm talking about, Tetsurou. I warned you since the day I came back from confronting Iwaizumi that something bad is going to happen. All you did was turn your back on me! You are being just like your father, an arrogant idiot of a King, believing Tooru isn't up to something! You're falling RIGHT for his trap and we will end up losing-
"Enough, Keiji!" The sudden loud bass in his voice rattled throughout the halls. The Hellhounds roaming nearby howled and whimpered, scurrying away to hide somewhere. What was left was a deafening silence and Akashi staring at him with unreadable eyes.
"..We are not having this argument again." The King of Hell began. "Your little stars aren't 100% accurate anyways. They are not but speculations. Not fact! Tooru got a warning from me and Ushijima is already aware of the disaster taking place. You can go on and on, with your pin feathers in a bunch, about how much you dislike Tooru, Iwaizumi and their pathetic hellhounds all you want, but what you are not going to do is question my authority. Do you understand??"
He waited for Akashi to answer but nothing was said. Instead, the blue demon just turned around and walked away. It was better that way as an overwhelming feeling of emotions was starting to boil up inside that could wake up the dormant Leviathan in the Abyssal realm. Tetsurou didn't bother chasing after him. There was no reason to anyway. His words are final and Akashi has to abide by it.
Akashi could remain in the Eight Realm and cool off but the realm was scorching and he didn't want to be in the same place as Tetsurou. He was rightfully angry at him. He needed space from that moron.
A single swipe across the stagnated air, a portal ripped open and he stepped right inside, transporting him back to his icy dark realm. The same realm Kenma visited weeks ago. There was one part of the realm that the Satanist didn't notice. The ceiling is the night sky. Thousands of stars and galaxies glistening on the black black sky. Stars began to float down from the sky like snow, settling right onto Akashi's open palm. One star flickered. It showed a glimpse of the mortal realm.
Everything looked normal. It was just a neighborhood on the other side of town, not far from Kenma's university and apartment complex. Kenma seems alright. Not showing any signs of illness from projecting. He was smiling and laughing with his orange haired friend.
His name is...Shoyo? Wasn't it? He ponders for a moment. The mortal shares a close relationship with Kenma and he reminds him too much of the giant owl.
Ugh..I hope Koutarou never meets him...they are definitely too much alike. I cannot imagine the chaos those two will create. Akashi closed his palm, crashing the star into stardust.
He had come to terms that his attachment to Kenma was a lot stronger than Tetsurou. Maybe even Koutarou too. He can't just sit by and let Kenma get blindsided by whatever is coming. Is this a sign that he has grown soft around the mortal? Maybe so. After all, it feels right and he knows he has to protect Kenma if his so-called bondmate refuses to do anything.
