Fireflies in Moonlight [boyxboy]

Chapter II

~Friday 28th October 2011~           -Kija-

Jidal was quiet as they walked. It made Kija nervous. There was rarely a time Jidal wasn't talking; babbling on incessantly or singing under his breath. Speech was a comfort to him, security against the silence of the Deadlands. Seeing him so still, so absent, it was almost alarming. Kija thought best not to ask what might be occupying the human, there was no need really. For the first time in three hundred years, Jidal would feel the breeze on his skin, watch the moonlight scatter against the dewy grass, hear the evening song of birds nesting high in the canopies. For the first time in three hundred years, Jidal would be free.

"Do you think there'll be snow?" Jidal spoke suddenly, almost startling Kija out of the trance he had slipped into during their journey. The path to the doorway they would use that evening was arduous, a winding tunnel unused and easily disorienting. If it weren't for the scythe Kija possessed, he might have been a tad more apprehensive of their trek. The subtle vibrations ebbing higher and lower through the dark metal of his ring, it was Kija's only guide.

"It might be too early, there wasn't any yesterday," Kija would love for Jidal to see the snow again. Winter was his favourite season despite the fragility of his existance. The cold so easily tore away at humans, creating all sorts of problems. Life would be easier if Kija could turn Jidal, not that he ever considered that beyond spiteful thought. Jidal's eternity was in no way Kija's place to choose.

"You were on the other side of the world," reaching out, Jidal slipped his hand into Kija's, a friendly gesture between the two. Being so isolated within the Deadlands, Jidal relied almost solely on Kija to survive. Be it food or comfort or treatment; Kija was always there. Kija also knew he was just a placeholder. There was another on Jidal's mind, another so much more than the lowly vampire he had found himself paired with. More than a protector, more than some loyal servant. Kija never minded.

"Korea is surprisingly close to America, sounds like we need to get you a map to refresh your memory," with Jidal's laughter reverberating off the walls around them, Kija felt a tad less worrisome. The doorway was close now, another few turns, it was best that Jidal focus on his happiness rather than what might greet them in Bestia. No matter what happened, Jidal would be safe. Kija had been firm on that, stern when he reminded Jidal over and over that his life came first. Whatever happened, whoever died, Jidal would make his way back to the Deadlands. To safety.

With the final turn, Kija's hand fell away from Jidal's. The human kept his distance, waiting a few feet away whilst Kija reached the archway. To any outsider, it was nothing more than carved rock, an indent into the wall that appeared familiar to a vague arch. The edges were jagged, sharp in some places and smooth in others. Deathly. A warning. The last caution offered to those unaware of what they were truly seeing. Kija ignored the signs, lifting his right hand and letting it wander along the curve of that rock. His eyes closed, unaccustomed to the entryway in front of him. Others were used more commonly, this was a tad trickier.

Concentration had Kija's brow furrowing, lips moving in silent murmurs as he felt for the indents. Seconds passed, then minutes. Kija worried. The reapers watched, they checked in here and there, unknown and unnoticed. Did they know? Had they sealed the doorway in preparation? Was Kija's purpose about to crash down around him? A soft hum from behind Kija set his mind at ease. He peered over his shoulder, opening his eyes briefly, finding Jidal lost in his own little world, picking at a loose thread on his sleeve. The hoodie was too big, one of Kija's, swamping the human in black fabric and the coppery tone that followed his protector.

Kija got back to the task at hand, another of those pointless deep breaths calming his thunderous mind. Finally, his fingertips brushed against the harsh bite of stone, barbed and razor sharp, nicking his skin as he pulled back his hand. The metal encircling his middle finger pulsed, hot then cold, ice then fire, before light burst forward through the archway, blue-tinged at an almost blinding intensity. Kija stepped back, giving a second for the process to stabilise, before looking to Jidal again. He offered a hand to the man, then a smile to quell his anxiety. Jidal moved to his side, clutching onto the hand that was far bigger than his own, a child and his protector. Kija prayed for a safe journey, then the two stepped through.