Crimson Moon

Chapter 4: Butterfly Wings

The pain was overbearing as the red cleared from the sky. Mahiru and Kuro stood there. Both stunned and confused. Mahiru's fear scent was powerful again. In the back of his mind, Kuro knew he mess up. He fucked up badly. He didn't mean to scare him. He didn't want him to witness that. Yet Tsubaki knew the right buttons to press. He knew what would make him tick. Glancing at the boy, he watched him rub at his arms. He watched him avoid eye contact. Kuro grimaced a little. A new Eve and the boy was already frightened of him. He tainted the child completely. Mahiru could have gone his entire life without having to learn of the sins of the world. He could have lived a life free of slaughter. Free of Sloth.

Red eyes glared at the ground. He could hear the faint taunts. The tugs in his mind from the demon within. You always bring misfortune into the lives of the innocent.  The voice would repeat itself. Over and over again. It drove him mad. It made him want to vomit. Each word it whispered filling with more rage that threatened to eat him whole. Kuro never realized Mahiru approaching him. The gentle hand that placed itself on his shoulder startling him out of his dark thoughts. Red eyes glance at brown orbs. Those orbs being watchful of his movements and expressions. Kuro could feel the gentle hand rub circles into his back. His skin twitching at the sensation. It was calming, even luring him into a small, steady purr. The noise foreign to his ears. It was such a strange noise, Kuro nearly forgot that he could even purr. He hasn't felt this relaxed since his death.

"So...should we forget about...uh, y'know, what happened?" Mahiru clicked his tongue a little. Kuro could hear the worry lacing his voice. It brought a weird ache to his heart. Why did that ache hurt so much? Shaking his head, Kuro only snorted in reply, keeping his gaze down cast as he followed Mahiru down the empty streets. Neither of them realized how late it had gotten. The street lights dancing in Kuro's vision. Glancing towards a separate street, the Servamp swore he could see someone. A soft scent hit his nose. It was familiar. Like lavender and lilies. Glancing at Mahiru, he noticed that the boy had caught the scent as well. Thing was, Kuro knew the scent. It was the same scent that was always with him when he'd get sick. 

"It has been a long time, Sleepy Ash, my dear brother," The voice was soft. Silky like even. A sense of calmness filled Kuro, dulling his senses. All of Love of Lust, the youngest of the 7 sins. A Servamp who was always friendly. He was a kind soul, never enjoying the bloodshed that was bestowed upon his life that was cut short. All of their lives were cut short. Kuro blinked as the dirty blond moved towards them. Gentle red eyes watched Mahiru back away, the smile never faltering, "My apologies if I startled you, Shirota Mahiru, but my Eve would like to meet you."

"You...know my name?" Mahiru paled a little. This was a little...odd. The stranger had red eyes much like Kuro did. Plus Kuro seemed to know him. Is this one of the other Servamps? Brown eyes look at Kuro, the Servamp of Sloth oddly relaxed. All of Kuro's defensive desires were gone. He was completely chill, yet he looked slightly curious as he eyed the stranger in thought.

"Who's this Eve of your's, All of Love?" Kuro finally spoke up, rolling his eyes as Lust hugged him gently. Kuro didn't fight against it. Lust was one of the only one's Kuro allowed to touch him. Other than The Mother, and occasionally Lawless...thought their relationship was broken. Kuro wouldn't admit that he missed the affection of the youngest Servamp. How the male made him feel safe. Lust was the only Servamp that knew of Sloth's illnesses anyways.

"Misono Alicein, he is a fairly well young Eve, I would say he's the same age as your's. He'll be able to help Mahiru to become a better Eve for you, brother," Lust coos, rubbing Kuro's back. Letting go of Kuro, he poofed into a butterfly, startling Mahiru. Kuro closed his eyes, opening them again at the sound of a vehicle. Watching a rather fancy car pull up, he backed away as the door swung open. Purple hair was all he could see. The scent of an Alpha hit him. He wasn't territorial, however he did not expect it at all. Eyeing the smaller male, he found himself to be a bit shocked. The boy was a bit smaller than Mahiru. He looked a bit sickly himself. He wore a fancy purple and black shirt, and had...you guessed it, purple eyes. So much purple, it made Kuro snort a little. The boy raised a brow at him, he seemed a little snobby. How bothersome.

"Shirota Mahiru, good, you and Sleepy Ash, get in the car," The boy ordered. Mahiru blinked, yelping as Kuro poofed into his cat form to sit on his shoulder. This boy sounded mean. He didn't like it, but Mahiru obliged to the boy's orders. The vehicle's interior was fancy. Things were decked out in a nice, white leather that made Kuro slightly uncomfortable. This kid was obviously rich. Just how rich he was, he didn't know. Feeling the vehicle pull away, Kuro couldn't help the wave of nausea that rushed over him. Scrambling off of Mahiru, he moved towards the floor, sitting there and shutting his eyes tightly. The feeling made his stomach twist into knots. He really didn't want to vomit. Purple eyes watch him, curious yet slightly cold. Mahiru was concerned. That gentle hand patting his back, trying to help settle his anxiety. Kuro forgot that the link of a Servamp and Eve allowed the Eve to feel their emotions. Yet the Servamp could feel their Eve's emotions as well. Mahiru was worried. The boy knew that something was wrong, yet Kuro wouldn't open up. The strange boy's voice broke out over them, judging them with each letter that rolled off of his tongue, "Sleepy Ash is one of the only Servamps that is broken. He is cursed to immortality with a sick and dying body. It's a cycle he can't free himself of. He'll always be sickly, it's a shame that he's the strongest Servamp of his siblings. It's a waste of power if one were to ask me."

"It's not his fault that he's sick, and you shouldn't judge someone just because of that! He's had a hard life if that's the case, and I don't care about his powers," Mahiru snapped. This startled Kuro, his red orbs gazing up at him in shock. What did he mean by that? This also seemed to startle the other male. Purple eyes watch Mahiru closely. Studying him as if trying to pick up a lie. Shaking his head, the boy grumbled to himself, crossing his arms before glaring at Lust who was perched on his shoulder. The butterfly's wings flutter a little, lifting enough for Lust to poof back into his human form. 

"You...really don't know that much about us?" Lust asked, and Mahiru gave him a odd look. This seemed to answer Lust's question as he glanced back at his Eve, "What all did Sleepy Ash tell you?"

"Not much, uh...he told me that he's mine to command, but that's not what I want. I want him to trust me, I want us to be a team," he replied. The statement didn't hold much resolve, and Kuro couldn't really care about it. Yet he was fascinated as well. His other Eves knew about him before hand, and they wanted him for power. Yet this Mahiru boy didn't want power. He just wanted him to be with him. It confused him. He saw what he could do. What he will do. Yet he wanted him as his friend? 

"Sleepy Ash is a vampire, yet you talk of him as a friend? Do you not know what he's capable of? Don't you know what will happen if you use him with no resolve to your purpose? What is your purpose of the contract with him anyways?" The other boy spoke up, slightly shocked as Mahiru only offered him a friendly grin.

"If I have to have a purpose, than I made the contract with him to keep my friends and family safe, but I want him to have a say in things as well. After all, he's a living person as well. It's what he deserves," He smiles, looking down at Kuro. The feline stared up at him, eyes wide with wonder. This was new. It felt warm. It was amazing. He makes you happy. The voice was cold. Yet Kuro ignored it for the first time in his life. Lust smiled happily at the two. The two were actually a lot like his Eve and him. It was about time that Sleepy Ash found himself a Eve that saw him as a being, and not a weapon. Speaking of a weapon.

"Mahiru dear, has Sleepy Ash given you your weapon yet?"

"EH???" The boy nearly jumped from his seat. Kuro had to move aside to avoid being stepped on. Good job, Lust, alarm his Eve why don't you? Mahiru stared at Lust with wide eyes, paling as the other Servamp giggled.

"Goodness, he truly is lazy~ Sleepy Ash, your Eve needs a weapon to lead you, remember?" He giggles, irking the oldest sibling. Lashing his tail from side to side, his gaze shoot towards the other male, glad that he saved him...sort of.

"You are not going to give your Eve a weapon in my car!" He snapped, exhaling through his nose in annoyance, "Damn it...other than that, I guess I forgot to mention my name. I'm Misono Alicein, and you both will listen to me. Both me and Lily are after Tsubaki, and we need Sleepy Ash's power to take him down. You two already met Tsubaki, BUT YOU DIDN'T ATTACK HIM!"

The scream caught all three of them off guard. Kuro eyed Misono as he leaned forward to cough a little, the boy struggling a little for air. Lily rubbed his back, worry in his red eyes. So Lust's Eve was indeed sickly. He felt sorry for the boy. Yet modern day technology gave him better chances of life than Kuro's life ever did. Shaking his head, he glanced at Mahiru who watched him a little.

"Tsubaki...doesn't seem that bad," Mahiru mumbled, flinching as Misono glared at him. The anger in the purple eyes could turn anyone to stone. Inhaling sharply, the boy blinked as Lily shook his head with a sad smile. This confused both Mahiru and Kuro, their eyes widening in shock as Lily turned towards them.

"Tsubaki and his Subclasses have been harming our Subclasses for a while now. A lot of them are disappearing and it's all being linked to them. They want to cause harm, and we wish to stop it," Lily mumbled sadly, his eyes glazing over, "It leaves a lot of Subclasses feeling unsafe and frightened. They are scared to live because of this. I do not want any of my Subclasses to be afraid. I wish for them to have easy lives, free from pain."

"I...didn't know that," Mahiru swallowed. He sounded so guilty. Kuro scowled, looking at his paws. He didn't know about this either. Tsubaki may have brought up memories that caused him to break. He may have been cruel with his tongue, yet he seemed lonely. He didn't expect something so much more sinister to arise from any of it. 

"This is why we need Sleepy Ash. With his power, Tsubaki can be stopped," Misono sighed. He sounded guilty, the boy feeling bad for upsetting someone who looked like a ball of sunshine. Purple eyes glance at Kuro, than back at Mahiru, his eyes narrowing in thought, "So, Shirota Mahiru, will you help us bring Tsubaki's reign to a end?"

Brown eyes lock with purple, a new determination filling them. Misono and Lily eye him, shock filling their eyes as Mahiru smiled at them, his words full of warmth, "Of course! Not as some sort of weapon though, but as your friend~"