Broken Wings - BokuAka

Chapter 3

- Akaashi

I slowly walked home, a soft smile on my face and humming quietly. The stew that Bokuto's mother had made was the most delicious thing I'd ever eaten, and to make things better, Bokuto's family had said I could come over whenever I wanted. That's helpful, I thought. Now I had an escape to go to whenever things were bad at home. That meant less nights afraid for my life.

Sadly, the view of my house soon came into my vision. Actually, house would be an overstatement. It was more like a hut. The walls were made out of loose wood, and the roof was only pieces of bark slapped together. We didn't have the money to afford flooring, so we had dirt as our floor. Since we didn't really have a roof, rain always got into the house, making the floor a muddly, slippery mess. It was those days that I wished I had a blanket.

I slowly pulled back the cloth we used as a front door, and pulled my wings in tight around my body so they wouldn't catch the doorframe. As I stepped into our one-room hut, I saw my mother stirring something in the only pot we owned over a fire. My father was nowhere to be seen.

My mother looks a lot like me, with the same curly, black hair, and light blue eyes with smooth, pale skin. Her wings are as soft as silk, and whiter than light. She's an incredibly kind person, the opposite of my father. To him, I'm nothing but a mistake.

"I'm home," I said quietly. My mother turned around, surprise evident on her face.

"Keiji?" she said, before dropping her spoon and rushing over to me, inspecting every inch of my body.

"How are you so clean? Where did you get the new kimono? Who gave you new socks?" she kept on rambling questions, clearly confused.

"I made a friend," I said, and smiled, slightly blushing at the memory of the hyper boy known as Bokuto. "A really good friend."

"A friend?" my mother pondered, but she returned my smile. "Oh, Keiji, I'm so happy for you!" She hugged me, and I hugged her back. When she pulled back, it was my turn to be surprised at the tears running down her face.

"Mom?" I asked, but she just laughed and wiped them away.

"Sorry, I'm just so happy," she said. "Your father isn't home yet, would you like to sneak in something to eat now or later after he goes to bed?"

"Actually, I already ate," I told her. "My new friend Bokuto gave me really good food."

"Really? What was it?" my mother asked.

"It was meat stew!" I said, my eyes lighting up at the memory. "It had real meat that wasn't spoiled in it! Isn't that awesome?!"

"Oh, I'm so jealous!" my mother exclaimed. "You'll have to bring some home one day so we can all try it."

"So, then just bring some home for me and you?" I said, and my mother and I laughed.

"You look like an angel, Keiji," my mother smiled, placing a big kiss on my cheek. "Sometimes it amazes even me how beautiful you are."

"Well, I did get it from you," I reminded her, giving her my own smile. My mother blushed.

"Oh, what did I do to deserve such a cute little munchkin like you, huh?" my mother asked, gently pinching my cheek. We both just laughed.

"What the hell?" came a gruff voice, and my mother and I froze. Because there, standing in the back doorway, was my father, eyes narrowed.

"O-oh! Hey honey!" my mother said hurriedly, standing up and almost running back to the stove, ladling some of the stuff inside into a worn-out bowl. She carefully set it on the table, pulling my father's chair out for him.

"Why wasn't my food on the table when I got home?" my father asked, his tone beginning to anger.

"I apologize, I just lost track of time, please forgive me-" my mother started, but I cut her off.

"It was my fault, sir," I said, and my father's cold gaze fell on me.

"Where did you get those clothes?" he asked, and I gulped.

"They were given to me," I answered carefully. My mother and I both knew that my father didn't like us interacting with other people, so I didn't say Bokuto's name, not wanting to get him in trouble.

"Where is your old kimono?" my father asked, and I looked at the ground. "Answer me boy!" my father yelled, and I flinched.

"I-I threw it out," I answered softly, my gaze never leaving the ground. Fear was coursing through me, and I quietly scolded myself. I should have changed back, I shouldn't have worn my new one inside the house, I made a mistake-

"You what?" my father asked quietly - too quietly.

"I threw it out," I managed to whisper, and my hands began to grip the cloth of my kimono unintentionally. I heard my father's rough footsteps as he came towards me, and his fist grabbed my collar, forcing my head back. I only had time to see the anger in my father's eyes before his fist connected with my face, making blood begin to flow from my nose.

"Keiji!" my mother gasped, eyes wide in horror as she covered her mouth with her hands. My father dropped me onto the floor, and his foot came around and kicked my stomach. I felt blood in my mouth, and for a moment I was blinded by pain.

"I paid for that kimono!" my father hollered. "And you think you have the authority to just throw it out?!" Another kick. By now I was getting dizzy, and my thoughts were swirling in and out of my head.

"I work hard to support this family, and this is how you repay me?!" my father roared.

"Please, stop! He didn't mean to!" my mother pleaded, but I heard her gasp and the sound of skin meeting skin.

"Shut up!" my father yelled. "And you, you better get your ass off of the floor this second," my father seethed at me. I didn't want to obey, but I knew I had to. I carefully stood up to the best of my ability and looked square at my father's ugly face, anger replacing my fear.

"Take it off," my father commanded.

"What?" I asked, my eyes widened.

"Do I need to repeat myself? Take off the damn kimono!" my father yelled at me. I stared in horror at him before slowly untying the front of my kimono with trembling hands. The warm cloth fell away from my body, leaving my pale, bruised skin completely exposed. My father grinned triumphantly, picking up the kimono from off the dirt floor and slowly going towards the fire. That's when I realized what he was doing.

"Please don't," I whimpered, but my father didn't stop.

"Please, father stop!!" I was begging now, tears beginning to roll down my cheeks. That kimono was a symbol of my friendship with Bokuto, and the kindness in his heart. And it was about to be destroyed.

My father reached the fire, and made sure to smirk back at me before dropping it into the flames.

"No!" I cried, dropping to my knees as despair washed over me. "No. . ."

"You don't even deserve a kimono in the first place," my father spat. "You're nothing but a mistake."

For a few minutes the only sound that could be heard was the sound of my quiet sobs. My mother just stared at my father in horror as he walked out of the room again. The second he was gone she rushed over to me, dropping to her knees as well. She wrapped her silk-like wings around me, pulling my naked body close to hers.

"Shh, it's okay," she murmured, trying to calm me down. "He's gone now, there's nothing to be afraid of. . ."

But we both knew that he'd be back. He always, always came back. To, "keep us monsters in check."

My mother had a secret, a secret she passed down to me. My mother is not a regular Tenshi. You see, she's half Tenshi and half Yokai.

Making me ¼ demon.