Broken Wings - BokuAka

Chapter 14

- Akaashi

Bokuto and I walked along the streets of our small village, fingers intertwined. Kuroo and Kenma walked together behind us, talking in hushed voices about things I couldn't understand.

"What do ya think they're talking about?" Bokuto asked, as if reading my thoughts.

"No idea," I admitted. "Probably some new game Kenma wants to play."

"Maybe," Bokuto pondered. "What do you want to talk about? You've been pretty quiet, even for you."

I bit my lip, a habit Bokuto knows I do when I'm nervous, and I felt him squeeze my hand. I sighed.

"You're right. I've been putting this off for way too long," I said, stopping in my tracks and looking directly into Bokuto's eyes. He stared right back, sensing the serious air around the conversation.

"You can tell me anything, Keiji," Bokuto said. "I won't judge you."

"I know," I smiled. "That's what I love about you." Bokuto smiled back at me, and I let mine drop, mentally preparing myself.

"Bokuto, I'm not entirely Tenshi," I said, and Bokuto frowned.

"What does that mean?" I opened my mouth to respond, but never got the chance before someone else beat me to it.

"There he is! The part demon!" a voice yelled, and I looked over in confusion to see my grandfather pointing at me with terror on his face, several Tenshi armed with traditional battle swords behind him. Soldiers. After spotting me they surged forward, the crowd that had gathered immediately getting out of the way.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing-?!" Kuroo tried to yell, but one Tenshi shoved him to the side forcefully along with Kenma. Bokuto let go of my hand and stood in front of me, arms and wings spread as far as they would go.

"Don't you dare come any closer," he snarled, but two of the soldiers grabbed him roughly, pulling him to the side.

"Bokuto!" I yelled, and started making my way towards him, but a soldier took me by the collar, throwing me to the ground.

"Don't you touch him!" Bokuto roared from where they had him pinned to the ground, but a soldier kicked him in the head, dazing him.

"Bo-!" I tried to shout, but the soldier flipped me onto my stomach against the hard-packed dirt, pining my hands behind me and pushing my face into the ground so I couldn't talk.

"Why are you doing this?!" a female voice demanded, and I recognized it as Mrs. Bokuto's. "You will let my grandson and future grandson-in-law go this instant!"

"We can't do that, ma'am, this one is dangerous," a soldier told her, and Mrs. Bokuto scoffed.

"How in the hell is that sweet, innocent little boy dangerous?!"

"He isn't innocent, ma'am," another soldier said, and I pulled my head out from the hand that captured it, craning my neck to look at Mrs. Bokuto, who was fuming.

"Of course Keiji's innocent! He's never done anything wrong in his life!" Bokuto protested, clearly enraged.

"He may not have done anything bad, but his family is a race of vile ugly beasts," the soldier insisted.

"Hey!" Bokuto complained. "I'm not ugly!"

"Not you," the soldier spat. "Were you aware that this boy's mother was half Yokai?"

Silence. Not a single person spoke, not even Bokuto. The soldier smirked.

"This boy is not 'innocent'," the soldier said, and I could basically hear the smirk in his voice. "He has Yokai blood flowing in his veins, and if I'm not mistaken, it was a Yokai that burned down your house, no?"