Heaven's Fall

Cherry Blossoms of Autumn

She gripped her sword as she stood up. Surrounded by broken swords like fallen glass, shattered shield and stray arrows that lie dormant in the blood-soaked ground. Her undying gaze was fixed on the figure before her. Her left hand wrapped around her wounded side. Her once perfect platinum blond hair now took the colour of fragile southern lycoris. The copper taste of blood lingered on her tongue as she fringed closer and closer. The skin once spotless and pale like winter canopies now had patches of sun set red. The vermillion gaze of eyes, the rosy gleam of her lips, there were wounds upon her skin, like the bodies of slithering serpents, they poured blood and flooded the ground. She was death, rogue and shining, green-eyed life would take her in her gaze and scurry away. Her breaths dampened with bloodied mist and she took in her last, with that she plunged her sword into the figure before her. At last, with a simple utterance from her mouth it exploded in a storm of fiery petals and she let her breath wither away into the blistering tempest of her own creation.

The morning sun road its way to the ground gliding on a falling autumn leaf. The sweet taste of autumn and morning, mixed creating divine flavors for your nose.
A near cry of an alarm woke me up. The sun peaked through the half open blinds, illuminating my room. Half written homework open on my desk and clothes hung from chairs and corners and where it could be hung. It smelled like almonds and fresh earth, like earth after winter drizzle.
My eyes glanced back at themselves in the shower mirror. Crimson they were, like fresh milk of a red rose. The water was cold, sending shivers down my spine. I stared at myself as I continued the boring morning routine that I had done for years. toothpaste, brush, wash, dry, cloth and leave. I tightened the leather watch I got as a present from Amane on my wrist. The dark jet black fit my school uniform perfectly. The long sleaves that slid down my arms, the tie that was tightened around my neck, the noir trousers reaching my shoes, it was my school uniform which thousands of boys would wear. It was in that did I go down the stairs to have breakfast.
"Good morning" I uttered as I stepped through to the morning lit kitchen
"Good morning Yuuki. It's a bit late so hurry up"
"It's Monday, right?" I questioned with my favourite dish in my mouth. It was a simple dish of tamagoyaki. A thin layer of egg rolled together with cheese and dried sea weed. I don't know how my mother makes a simple dish like this taste divine, like ambrosia served to gods on their altar.
My mother looked at me with horror as a reply to my question. Of course, its Monday. Her eyes said. but they slid into the calendar hung on a corner, as if to conform that in fact it was Monday.
"Yes... yeah, its Monday." She somehow uttered. "Keep some food for your sister, she's like a monster in the morning"
Speak of the devil and he'll appear. So did she. Wobbling into the kitchen and taking a seat. Dressed neatly in her own uniform. Head to toe navy blue and a dark ribbon atop her hair.
"Oh tamagoyaki!" her azure eyes gleamed.
"How many did you eat?"
"four"
"There's only two left for me"
"You snooze you lose I guess" I said and shrugged my shoulders. Fully aware of her pouting face.
"I did not snooze. It's the unforms fault. It's impossible to get in"
"Not my problem is it. Get up sooner next time then" she saw red. I could see it. Her eyes gleaming with vengeance over breakfast. I do agree that I am in the fault here but how am I to stop myself when I have my favourite dish in front of me. It's as if keeping a dead deer carcass before a lion and saying it not to eat.
"Shut up both of you"
"No I want my eggs back"
"OK OK, I knew this would happen so saved you some. So, calm down Yuri." My mother tried to calm her down. It's like a morning sitcom for me. A break from repetition of the boring dawn cycle.
I got up from my empty plate and took my bag into hand. By then Yuri had finished her tantrum and her breakfast. Her cheery mood had return. It's as if a switch was turned in her, going from monster to innocent little girl. It sent shivers down my back.
The morning mist was gone by the time we set foot outside. Yuri clinging tightly to my arm as we walked. It seems as if though everything has gone back. I pondered. Has everything really returned back to normal? I could see students walking to schools. Shopkeepers opening their shops for the morning crowd. Joggers sweating and running through the desolate morning roads. Perhaps it has? Who knows?
"Yuuki!" his voice was as playful as ever.
"Akio"
"It's been ages since I last met you"
"It's been two days Akio"
"For you it is. Do you know how hard it is to live that man?"
"I can't imagine that to be honest"
"You're the only hope I have ya know. So be a bit kind when we meet"
"How many times have you asked me this?"
"More than I can count. Yet you're still cold to me"
"Cold to you ho-. Well doesn't matter" I could feel Yuri's hand loosen. Time had gone yet I didn't feel it. We were near her school. She wouldn't let her friends see her with me. 'you aren't a cool brother like others' she would say to me when I asked why. That's just being cold now. I let go of her hand she runs of, leaving me and Akio alone.
We had not walked ten meters when I felt his hands touch my sides and then my chest and they clasp, tight, like a mother holding on to her single child. I could feel his chest touch my back, his warm breath on my neck and his arms around my hips.
"Yuuki! Promise me something"
"How many promises have I made?"
"I can't count. Not do I want to. But this time Yuuki. Please" I could feel something rough in his hands. I look down. Bandages, bandages covering his hand. I didn't see him with these when we met nor did he have these two days ago. I could feel my heart beat fasten; I knew he could feel it too. How dumb am I? why... why did I not notice it before? How could I have not?
"Promise me. Promise me you'll never leave, without me"
That asshole, I'll kill him, I'll kill him. I'll make sure he will no longer breathe the same air as him; he would not dare to hurt my friends again. I could feel my self almost saying that. But I stopped myself.
"I don't need to promise Akio. I'll never leave, not without you and Amane and Yuri by my side."
"Please Yuuki, promise me, I know you won't leave, I know that but I want to hear it. From your voice, a promise that you'll never leave"
You smell like strawberries and cinnamon
"I promise" I said. I could feel his grip loosen. My body felt cold without his touch. It yearned for warmth, like a cat in the rain.
How can I be so selfish? It was autumn. Of course, it was. And Akio, I know what he has lost, I know why he acts. And I know how the bandages got there. I want to help him. Yet I can't. I feel powerless. Like a fly in a storm. I want to fight, fight for him, yet I can't. I'm powerless. Utterly powerless.
"We should continue. We're kinda late." He returned back to his old self. His playful tone and carefree life. It chars my heart to look at him. Hence, I don't.
"Ye...yeah." I only look up at the falling leaves and then at the road ahead. I can feel his subtle presence in the air next to me.