Good Night

Chapter XXIII

Kuu gasped the second he was free from the nightmare's clutches. He clutched the man's comforter set, fingers trembling. Whenever Kumo left dreams after a job, he felt satisfied―happy, even―to see the humans sleeping without a care in the the world. But Souta wasn't like the others. He was still drenched in sweat and tossing around in his sleep.

Just for tonight, Kumo thought, Just for tonight, I'll bend the rules a little.

His guilt tried to make him turn back his actions, but he couldn't. Not when the result wouldn't make as much of an impact as he first expected. Maybe when they were apart, he would've acted differently. But that wasn't the case, and never will be again.

Kuu patted Souta's forehead. "You'll be okay," he mumbled, offering a sympathetic smile.

After watching the nightmare's fumes pulsing in the room, Kuu slipped out the house.

Both Yuu and Kumo knew where they had to go next without exchanging words. They walked down streets and crossroads, past sleeping houses and crickets hiding in their gardens, until finally their feet stopped in front of the all-too-familiar forest.

Kuu turned to the moon. His grey and black hair could never dare to rival the night sky's beauty. Yet he was grateful he wasn't in their place. Being that close to Lady Tsuki surely must've been a living hell. After shaking his head free of such thoughts, he *dashed into the woods. The late summer winds cooling his skin, along with the leaves crunching under his feet made Kuu grin between gasps. He never thought he'd enjoy coming back here. But really, it was the only place that accepted him.

The fireflies lit his path and comforted him when he was in pain. Suna was there too, if only to silently watch over them from her coffin. The thought fastened his pace. He had friends waiting for him at his grave. Those scary adults could deal with their own problems.

The Lady said to face my past, and I was doing that in my own way, he concluded. I don't need to protect them from myself any longer. They're grown-ups; they can do it themselves.

Kuu slowed to a stop in front of the rock with his name on it. He leaned on his knees while catching his breath. I wonder if this is the resolution Suna would've wanted me to reach.

As if on cue, he plopped onto the ground next to his dear companion. If only she were here.

"I," he whispered, arms hugging her hourglass tight, "I miss you, Susu. I know I've said that too much already, but it's true."

He spent a moment brushing his cheek against the device's cool surface. "I-I should've listened to you more. Not been such a brat. You were only doing what you thought was right, but that damned Lady Tsuki―she had to butt in!"

Despite being ecstatic to be back in his own skin again, a part of Yuu wished they were apart, if only for this fragile time. He wanted to hug his counterpart and let him know he could depend on him. Of course, he could never replace the mark Suna left in his heart, but he could've at least tried to heal the wound her premature departure left. Yet he was useless in times where Kumo needed someone by his side, not inside of him.

A sniffle interrupted his self-reflection. Kuu lifted his head to wipe his nose. "It's okay. You're still here―that's enough for me."

He tried to laugh it off, but could only manage a concoction of sniffing, coughing and a light chuckle. "This is why I hate kids. Always whining over the littlest things."

It's not little, you dumbass. You don't need to act tough. Not when it's just us. Kuu wiped his tears away, but to no avail. Suna was your best friend. Don't be ashamed to grieve, okay?