Between The Sinners And The Saints

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Well.

This is a long time coming my nerds! Considering that I didn't think I'd be able to write again I'm surprised I managed to scrounge this up. But yeah anyway, this idea started out as inspiration from a song, then it spiraled out of control into whatever the hell it is now. I'm actually quite proud of it though, so hey, at least I wrote something. Note: there is some mentions of blood, dead bodies, among other somewhat disturbing things. So if you don't want to see that, I ask that you do not read. Thank you very much and please tell me what you think!!!

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"Holy fuck." The two words were whispered, Kenma's voice was harsh and frightened. "I can't believe we did that!"

Kuroo exhaled heavily as he surveyed the two lifeless bodies slumped on the floor, wiping one blood soaked arm across his forehead, carelessly smearing the thick red liquid on his skin. "Stop..." he muttered.

Kenma stood from his kneeling position beside the bodies, his eyes flashing in fear. "B-But we just killed two innocent men!" He exclaimed fearfully. "They had lives, partners, families-"

"Stop!" Kuroo snarled, cutting Kenma off. He shook his head, taking a deep, shuddering breath to calm himself. "Just... just be quiet, Kenma. We need to leave soon, they'll be here any minute."

Kenma flinched, trembling harshly as Kuroo hurried past him, his steps heavy and echoing in the hollow, empty space of the warehouse. He clutched tightly at the sleeves of his own jacket, his teeth chattering. Kuroo sighed, leaning down and gently running one hand through Kenma's hair.

"I'm sorry I snapped at you, Kenma." He said. "I'm just stressed. We need to leave, and I need your help. Freaking out and being noisy won't help anyone right now. Please. I need you."

Kenma gulped, his breath shuddering anxiously. He couldn't take his eyes off the bodies, no matter how much his mind was screaming at him to look away. They hardly even looked like bodies anymore, just mangled and bloodied pieces of flesh, as if they had been attacked by a large animal.

He glanced up at Kuroo tearfully, once again reminded that behind his friend's usually joyful and friendly personality, lurked something much more dark and sinister.

"What do we do?" He whispered.

Kuroo smiled at him gently, his features soft despite the blood streaked across his face and forehead and the fierce look in his eyes. "We survive."

■ ■ ■

He's nineteen, almost twenty, when he sees Kuroo again.

His hair was still the same messy, tangled black mop that it was two years ago, his bangs still partially covering his right eye like he was that one emo character in a dating simulator. His golden eyes were as sharp and narrow as ever, but now held a sort of dark, tired loneliness to them.

He looks up and meets Kenma's eye from where he's kneeled on the floor, his hands and arms restrained behind him with thick, heavy chains. Ancient demon repelling runes are inscribed on both sides and the chains themselves were soaked in holy water. The Council was not taking any chances with Kuroo, especially now that he wasn't just a halfling anymore.

"Hey, Kenma," he says quietly. "Long time no see?"

Kenma remains silent as he looks away, not willing to open his mouth for fear of saying something he would regret. It had been a long time since he had his old friend, and seeing him here now, alive, breathing, and still as stupid and carefree as he was back then made his heart ache. The feelings from so long ago that he had tried so hard to bury were resurfacing, spurred only by those five measly words.

"Silence, you foul thing!"

Kenma gasped silently at the outburst of one of the hunters near the front, his gaze returning upward just in time to see holy water being flung at Kuroo's face. Kuroo recoiled with a hiss of pain, rearing himself backward as much as his chains allowed, patches of his skin already steaming and sizzling as the holy water burned him.

"Comrades! Hear me!"

Kenma fought the urge to look away again, knowing that if the head priestess of the Council saw his weakness, she would condem him as well.

The priestess continued. "We are gathered here today for the cleansing ceremony, of this wicked creature you see before you. He has caused us much pain and suffering, but tonight, we will destroy the sin that he has cast upon this place, and give our fallen brothers and sisters the peace they deserve in the afterlife! Join me, my comrades, aid me in the destruction of this sinful beast!"

Having successful riled up the rest of the Council, the priestess bowed her head and started chanting. The rest of the room soon joined in.

The sound that left Kuroo's mouth wasn't human. Then, he screamed again, and again, and again, until he was just sitting there, screeching and screaming like a wild animal.

Kenma closed his eyes tight, wishing he could just cover his ears so he wouldn't have to hear those god awful screams his friend was making. Even with his eyes closed, the image of Kuroo twisting on the floor, his face contorted in pain as he bucked and struggled in his chains made Kenma's entire being hurt for him.

"I... I didn't mean..."

Kenma shook his head, tears burning behind tightly closed eyelids. That was a lie. He had meant to. And he hated himself for it.

"The hell you didn't mean to! Yes you did, I can see it in your eyes! You're afraid of me, just like everybody else!"

Kenma had been afraid, afraid of what Kuroo was doing, and afraid of what he had become.

"Kuro..."

"No! You want to be afraid of me? Fine! I'll give you something to be afraid of."

And that Kuroo did. His true demon form had been terrifying, his jagged horns, his whip-like tail, his sharp fangs. He looked monstrous. Just as a demon should.

But now, as Kuroo's screams of agony stabbed at both his ears and his heart, Kenma found he didn't care. He didn't care that Kuroo was a demon. He didn't care that he had killed people. He didn't care about any of that.

Right now, in this moment, Kuroo was suffering. Because of him.

And Kenma knew, that eventually, a long time from now, he'd forgive himself for what he did.

But for right now, he decided as he called upon his magic. He'd have to prove it to himself.

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