A Tale of Two Foxes: (Kogitsune X Mikazuki)

A Tale of Two Foxes - Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

Kogitsune groaned as he sat up his bed, pressing his palm to his forehead in an attempt to stave off the throbbing pain. The room felt like it was spinning, but after several deep, steadying breaths, Kogitsune managed to focus his vision and center himself.

Kicking his feet off the bed, he set his bare feet on the cold ground. He wriggled his toes, feeling the grains of sand stuck between them. Leaning forward, he looked down at his feet. They were covered with dirt and what appeared to be... blood. Kogitsune frowned, examining the rest of his body and clothes.

He was filthy, his garments tattered and torn. Lifting his hands, he turned them over, the sight of them making his skin crawl. They were stained with what could only be blood, chunks of hardened flesh still underneath his nails. Images of Mikazuki's broken body flashed in his mind, bile rising in his throat as realization dawned. He was a murderer. He'd killed Mikazuki...

Guilt and shame consumed Kogitsune, their combined strength snatching the air from his lungs. Pushing off the mattress, he staggered drunkenly towards the door. The floor seemed to shift and sway under his feet, but he forced himself to put one foot in front of the other. He needed to tell someone what he'd done. Confess his sins so he could be punished for his horrible crime. Kogitsune was almost to the door when it burst open, Tsurumaru's flushed face and wide amber gaze appearing before him.

"Son of a b!tch!" Tsurumaru cursed, closing the door and locking it behind him. "I was hoping it wasn't true."

Kogitsune squeezed his eyes shut, dropping to his hands and knees onto the floor. "I-I didn't... I tried not to...I-I swear! Oh God, what have I done?!"

"Not enough if you ask me," Tsurumaru replied, squatting next to Kogitsune as he struggled to pull him to his feet. "You should have killed the bastard when you had the chance."

"What?!" Kogitsune wheezed, grabbing Tsurumaru's shoulders and shaking him violently. "How can you say that? Why would you want me to kill Mikazuki?!"

"Mika-chan? I'm not talking about him."

"Y-you're not?" Kogitsune asked, blinking in confusion.

"Of course not! Why the heck would I want Mika-chan dead?"

Kogitsune ignored Tsurumaru's question; hope fluttering precariously in his chest. "So he's... alive? H-he's okay?!"

"He's fine," Tsurumaru replied, his brow furrowing in concern. "I just left him a few minutes ago. Are you okay, Kogi? Don't take this the wrong way, but you look like sh!t on a stick set on fire."

Kogitsune couldn't care less about how terrible he looked. Mikazuki was alive and well, and that was all that matter. He pulled Tsurumaru into his arms, squeezing him tightly. Tears streamed down his face, sweet relief washing over him in wave after glorious wave.

"He's alive," Kogitsune breathed. "He's alive!"

"Okay, I think you need to sit down for a second," Tsurumaru said, leading Kogitsune to the bed.

"I thought I... I..."

"Calm down, everything's gonna be okay," Tsurumaru whispered, grunting as he sat Kogitsune down. "Take a minute to catch your breath. I'll pour you a glass of water."

Kogitsune closed his eyes, the tightness in his chest easing as the knowledge of Mikazuki's well-being soaked in. Unfortunately, his relief was short-lived. Looking down at his blood-stained hands, Kogitsune started to shake again. If it wasn't Mikazuki he'd attacked, who was it?

"Here," Tsurumaru said, handing Kogitsune a cup of water.

Kogitsune took the glass, but his hand was trembling so badly that most of the water ended up on the floor. Tsurumaru wrapped his hands around Kogitsune's, steadying his hand and helping him lift the cup to his lips. The first drop of water tasted like Heaven. Kogitsune guzzled the rest, grateful when Tsurumaru refilled the glass.