A child born was not without wanting to be loved and cherished. Every child sees a home..but unfortunately not everyone got one. He didn't. He didn't even know his parents or family. As soon as he could understand the world around him, he was very aware of the fact that he wasn't like the other kids waiting at the bus stop for their mom or dad to pick them up. Signing permission slips to go on field trips he had to stay behind and 'study' on. Packing them lunch instead of going hungry. Not having to sit alone for parent teacher conferences.

Obviously he was the odd one out.

... Don't get him started on 'home'. But then again with how many people he was passed around with, could he even call it that? It was truly a revolving door. A man one second, a woman the next, another woman, woman, man, man- So many faces he lost count truly of his many times he was passed around like an ugly doll at Christmas nobody wanted to play with.

"Don't call me that! I'm not your father!"

Not a father. Not a mother. Not a family. He learnt what he was early on. An inconvenience no one wanted to bother with until he was forced to pack up and be taken to the next home when they got tired of him. Never a true stability.

"Don't worry, Hairo! We'll find you a really good family!"

He came to DESPISE the forced smile on that stupid social worker's face. He hated her excuses even more!!

"This one will be better! It's in the country and has lots of fresh air!" Spoiler alert. The farmer was busted for using child labor to run his business. "She's so sweet and kind. She's been fostering kids since she was twenty!" Only girls and she was a misandrist who neglected him on purpose. "You'll like Mr. Cinuki. He has kids just a little bit older than you!" Teenagers. Way older than him and who loved to shove him under cabinets and blame things on him to the point he ran away. "We'll find your perfect family. Don't lose hope." He never had anyway to begin with.

Loneliness and resentment though? Yeah. He had PLENTY of that.

He'd rather just have her be blunt with him instead of hiding behind a front. He hated being lied to his face. Although he supposed it did sorta came to a stop when he was twelve and moved to another home for the millionth time. A home he had no idea of what to expect from but a scruffy old man and some doll looking lady next to them at their feet was a blonde toddler, and two other children that was also blonde and holding a pet snake(??)..maybe two years younger than him wasn't on his bucket list.

"Hairou, this is Mr. and Mrs. Rengoku and your brand new fosters brothers! You're going to really like it here."

Yeah right. The woman looked sweet welcoming him in and offering him pizza of all things for his first dinner living with them, but they were going to call and have him transferred within a few months.

Though they didn't.

He had been offered his own room. Food. And..well the old man was strict and beat his behind a few times, but there wasn't anything like before...So he guessed it was ok. The toddler was ..well he was still a wimp. Never changed besides the fact he didn't go hiding from him anymore. Still whiny, annoying, loud mouthed, and he talked about toys WAY too much to be normal...But he was...ok. He guessed. Didn't like the snake kid, they tried to kill each other with the occasional fist fight over stupid things.

Was this a home?? He didn't know. Could be call it that?...For now yeah. Yeah he'd call it that for now.

The snow looked beautiful tonight.

The soft snowflakes coming down from the skies fluttering and falling from the dark clouds but there was still enough light peeking out of the silver clouds to allow her to see what was in the sky. Like little shiny diamonds shining in the moonlight and sparkling in the sky on the way down until they joined the ground where they joined the white blanket covering the earth that sparkled more than a thousand strands of studded silk. His eyes scanned the beauty before him shivering as the wind blew the cold winter air across his body and dusting him with the sparkling snowflakes. They seemed so... familiar to him. When was the last time he took time out to watch the snow fall just for fun?

"What are you doing outside?"

"GOOD BUDDHA!!" Those red eyes snapped up at the male voice, hands instinctively grabbing the hilt of the katana at his side. Approaching footsteps echoed throughout the back deck as a large man approached him. The man, demon, gazed down at him,with a stoic face. Barely showed emotion he did. Stopping just in front of him as he clutched his sword. "You demons enjoy scaring the daylights out of humans don't you? Would it hurt to at least knock first?"

That got a laugh out of him before he shrugged. "I'm a predator. It's only nature we stalk our prey silently." He then looked him up and down. "But you seem to be uncomfortable. Makes sense. It's cold outside. Humans aren't really affected the way I am."

"And how would you know that?"

The demon rose a brow looking his body up and down gesturing to him like it was so obvious. "Your body is shaking more than a naked man in the cold." The slayer paused to look at his arms, and noticed the light tremble in his arms moving without his permission. "It'd be easier to patrol if you took time out to keep your body heat up."

"I know but the snow is beautiful." His head turned back on the environment around them. "It's so peaceful."

Dark eyes took a moment to look around. It was just white everywhere. Sure it was peaceful with all the quiet, but he found it annoying since that meant it was both easier to hear prey but the prey was also able to hear him easier because there wasn't any natural sounds to cover up his approach. ..It was kinda pretty when the moonlight sparkled off the snow however so he'd give him that.

"As pure as the heavens yet it can cause much damage by becoming a blizzard. Snow really is an interesting thing. Do you not agree?"

He didn't answer at first gazing out upon the winter season. "..Yes. It's a formidable foe that shouldn't be underestimated. Like you and I."

Her smile settled upon her face however that was followed up by a more violent shiver as instinctively his hands rubbed his arms in an (failed-) attempt to warm him up further. The demon watching before stepping forward, hands reaching up to his shoulders and fiddling with something. Then a shadow fell over the slayer as he flinched hard and leaned back with arms reached for him-

"What are you doing!?"

"Relax, Ember."

He blinked as a long black cloth fluttered over his shoulders. Calloused hands casually tied the over sized cape up on is shoulders, his neutral expression unchanging as he finished pulling it across his chest before backing away.

"That ought to help somewhat."

He opened his mouth-..Before just looking at the heavy cape over himself. "It's..heavy. How are you even able to move around so easily in this thing?"

"I'm a demon. Remember? The cold doesn't affect me like it does you....Don't stay out here for too long. You'll catch a cold. Alright?"

Red eyes gazed up at him still before smiling again. "Of course. I need my strength!" That statement was ironically followed up by a second much harsher shiver.

"Maybe you should just go inside."

"C-Can't. It's my turn on night patrol! I never neglect my duties!"

His face went deadpanned. "You slayers are so stubborn you're gonna end up killing yourself!" He held up his arms in defeat as Rengoku scowled hard on him. "Fine. I have a few hours until I have to run my ass off from the sun so I might as well."

"What are yo-?"

He fell silent as two hands suddenly grabbed him and then he was just pulled into a chest tightly. His mind buffered processing the fact his face was squished into a ...VERY toned chest easily felt through the uniform he always wore, before in an instant his face exploded a red.

"W-WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" He choked as those hands firmly rubbed his back.

"Sharing body heat." He said it like it was as normal as waving hi to someone. "And rubbing your body helps generate heat due to the friction. That's why you were rubbing your arms earlier wasn't it? This is what humans do if someone is suffering from frost bite, I've seen them do it before." He didn't answer but he sure felt his face become warmer before a hand suddenly slapped itself to his forehead. "...Ha! Look at that. I cured you already!~"

"I-I changed my mind." He pushed against the demon's insane strength but didn't get him to budge. "I shall temporary warm up inside indeed!"

"Nah." He was forced by against him more, secured in place by arms locking around him. "THIS is the most sufficient way.~"

"You are a stupid stubborn demon!"

"And you are a stupid stubborn slayer. Yet here we are embracing like lovers.~"

"Because you're trapping me!" A hand pushed against him despite the fact that he WAS warmer. "This isn't the way!"

"You're right. Skin to skin contact would be MUCH better.~"

Kyojuro made an embarrassing noise. "Don't. You. Even. THINK. About it."

"Then I guess we're staying like this until the sun comes up."

With a defeated groan, Kyojuro just let his head flop onto his shoulder with a frown on his face.

As a janitor of the facility he sometimes clean up the cells where they kept the creatures. He never paid them attention. Rengoku was more interested in going in, doing his job, and then going home at the end of the day just to cash in his paycheck at the end of the week. He didn't care what these scientists are doing and it wasn't any of Rengoku's business so he just kept his head where it belonged and just did what he was paid to do, which was to clean. But that made it hard to do when THOSE things started to be shoved into their cells. They always made messes. Mostly tossing around objects, breaking things, and leaking whatever it was that green ooze was.

He thought he heard the scientists call it 'flesh melting excrements' or something along those lines but he never bothered to pay too much attention to it. He was only paid to clean around here and nothing else. Which included going into those cells when the scientists took out their experiments and getting them cleaned up before they put the creatures back inside. On one such day it was business as usual. One of the scientists (Doctor Shinobu he thinks?) brought out one of those creatures, the one that looked like a giant fox thing and he were tasked with cleaning out his cell before he came back. It wasn't too bad. At least this creature didn't leave a trail behind it like that orange jelly thing did. It was a quick job wheeling his cart over and beginning the familiar process of sweeping, mopping, and then taking his spray bottle and cloth to start wiping at the giant reinforced window looking into the cell. His bosses always stressed to everyone the importance of making sure these windows were clean at all times to allow the scientists and security clear view of the creatures. He were just wiping at the glass when you heard it for the first time.

"Hey, Good Looking.~"

He paused before looking around the cell. No one was in here with him.

"Look across the hall."

He looked through the window at the other side of the hall and nearly passed out from what you looked at eye to eye. A humanoid creature was staring at Kyojuro from the cell just across from him, one hand holding it's grey skinned and black haired head as it smirked at him. He stared at it stunned.

The creature was unlike anything he's seen before. What looked like black robes covered matching it's skin and hair, the only thing of color on it was the blue eyes glowing at him from behind the reinforced glass as he continued staring at him with a sultry look.

It knocked lightly on the glass making him jump and drop the cloth in his hand. "You'll pardon me for bothering a cute snack like you but by chance can you tell me what time it is?"

He stared at it stunned before looking away. "It's near noon."

That's it. That's all you said. Keeping to the rule of do not engage and ignoring it in favor of finishing wiping the window. It didn't say anything else but he felt it watching him the entire time before he finished cleaning the other side of the window and walked away quickly just as they were bringing the fox thing back. One of his coworkers must've noticed Kyojuro's spooked look because he laughed.

"So you met Scp Lower Moon Two!"

He ended up looking at him. "Lower Moon-?...What the heck is that?"

He gestured back down the hallway you came from. "They say he calls himself 'Hairou'. They found him impersonating a human police officer pulling people over on deserted roads. I wouldn't linger around him if I was you. That guy gives me the creeps."

"Why? What's he done?"

Again he shrugged. "Can't say since we don't have enough clearance." It was that moment when he paused, taking a look around before leaning over. "But I overheard something about cannibalism from the security guards that brought him in. Pretty creepy stuff right?"

"A cannibal? Really?"

"Don't believe me if you want but if I were you, I'd stay far away from it. That's just asking for trouble."

He again said nothing as he just carted off. It wasn't any of his business anyways. The next time it spoke to him, he was again just doing his job three weeks later. In fact he had forgotten mostly about it since you really didn't bother to think about it often. It was none of Rengoku's business after all. Leaving the push bucket nearby and just mopping up the orange slime trail that orange jelly thing left behind as they took it out of it's cell for some reason. It was disgusting and one of the least things he wanted to do.

"You don't look like you're having a good day." He again jumped and looked up at the cell Kyojuro was passing. The thing was again looking at him from the window. It tilted it's head at the human's startled face. "My apologies. I didn't mean to startle you. I just couldn't help but notice your cute little frown.~"

He blinked before just going back to dunk the mop back into the water and plopping it back onto the floor. "Well you try cleaning up this gunk every time something goes through here."

"I take it that you don't like it?"

"What do you think?"

"....I see you down through here a lot. A lot more than some of my peers really." Peers?? Was that what he was calling his fellow monsters?? "You're doing a good job taking care of all of the facilities."

"Thank you! At least someone seems to appreciates the work I do."

"I know there's lots of janitors in the facility considering how large it is, but you're the only one I've seen who comes down here."

"No one else wants to." He scrubbed a little harder at the slime trail. The thing's cell was even harder to clean up with all the slime built up in there but of course HE had to be the one to clean it up. "*Sigh* Don't understand why I couldn't have just gotten a job upstairs cleaning the kitchen or the office areas."

"Do you want a transfer? Not sure if that's in my power but I'll definitely look into getting you a raise for all the underappreciated work you do."

That actually had him laughing and looking back at him. "HAHA!! Oh yeah? And how are you going to do that?"

"I'm surprised that you didn't recognize me. I should be very recognizable..." He shrugged. "Then again I suppose we haven't met face to face before have we? You aren't one of the guards who brought me in."

"No. No we haven't." Kyojuro stopped mopping a moment to look at him with a smile of amusement. "But I was told your name by someone."

"Oh?" He also sounded a bit amused tilting it's head further at you. "Then who am I?"

"You're scp Lower Moon Two aren't you?" To his surprise the thing sighed and shook its head.

"Is that what everyone's still calling me? No, no. That's not it but if it makes it easier for you then I guess you can call me that. And what is your name?"

"KYOJURO RENGOKU!!" He rose a brow. "If that isn't your name though then what is it?"

"Hmm.." He smiled wider. "Usually I don't tell people, but since you're a cutie I'll tell. The names Hairou."

"AH!" His face shot a red turning back to the floor. "A pleasure to meet you then. Please excuse me. I must finish my work."

He went back to cleaning the slime's mess down the hall as he watched from his own window. He felt a bit better than before. From then there was a few times they both would talk. Sometimes it was only a sentence. Usually a question about something or what time or day it was. Sometimes the two would have full conversations about random things although mostly it was inhuman biology stuff he didn't understand although Kyojuro wondered where he learnt it from. Although he never spoke when someone else was around. He supposed he wanted to keep their talks a secret for his own reasons. Fine by Rengoku. He didn't see any reason to tell anyone about the conversations as they were harmless.

"You're a very beautiful man, Kyojuro.~"

He paused in the middle of cleaning a window next to his cell, blinked, and then looked at him. "What?"

He only tilted his head. "You heard me. When I finally get things sorted out, maybe we can speak over a cup of coffee sometime."

Wait. Was an inhuman humanoid anomaly hitting on him? And asking him out for coffee?? The absurdity of it all had him laughing a bit before grinning and shaking his head.

"I'm flattered but I don't think it'd work out between us."

He again shrugged. "Can't blame a man for shooting his shot."

He was amused and in a better mood for the rest of the day. Despite how strange it was. But soon things got...strange. All of a sudden Hairou just stopped talking to him and interacting all together. It was strange. His cell was reinforced. More guards were patrolling down here more than usual. And security cameras were installed where they previously weren't. And people were acting a little more on edge. What was going on here? Perhaps being just a janitor the classified Intel of what was happening didn't need to be told to him about this but he still felt unnerved by it all. However he would have one more encounter with the demon before danger struck. He was pushing the cart again past his cell to clean up the now unoccupied cell of that smaller demon that went missing.

"Kyojuro." He jumped as a hand suddenly pressed against the window of Hairou's cell hard enough to make a sound and rattling the glass a bit. He stared at Kyojuro with a look that made a shiver run down his spine. "Do NOT come to work tomorrow."

His hand slid down the glass before he backed away without a single word to explain what he meant by that although the warning made a shudder run through Rengoku. It stuck with you and..he didn't tell anyone about it. Why would he? It'd only get him in trouble possibly? Besides tomorrow was his day off anyways. It's not like taking a day off work would really be a burden to anyone especially if he already had the day off. Although the way hairo looked at him stuck in his mind.

It wasn't until he saw the destruction of the nearby laboratory later on the news did that sinking feeling make sense.

What was it that drew out the obsession in living things? 

Could it be a taste for something they never had before? A new sudden interest in something? A feeling of familiarity that they wanted to cling onto? Or was it just a sudden snap in the brain that screamed 'must have it'? She hadn't the foggiest clue. The very reason she was here was because she was fascinated with the thinking of the inhuman and call of the unnatural. Such was the reason that brought her here to this situation in the first place. 

She shouldn't have let it happen. GOD she shouldn't have let it happen! What was she thinking?! It was stupid. She knew better than to be lured in by sweetened words and let herself become entangled in something else that was only to be the downfall of her own self, safety, and sanity.

"Hey, Kiejuro." The sounds of a voice snapped her back into the world from her stupor as she looked up from the papers standing still in her hands and towards the smiling face of a fellow female employee. "I heard you're about to go on maternity leave. We're gonna miss seeing you around the office."

Despite the feeling of dread pooling in her guts she managed to voice a steady tone and a smile despite her shaky hand. "YES! It's better for me since I don't need all the stress."

Luckily the fellow scientist nodded without any arguments. "I hear you. This place can give you enough stress to give you permanent anxiety. It's probably why they took you off the demon's case to avoid anything bad happening to you." With a small sigh she crossed her arms. "I don't know anyone who'd willingly just surveillance the thing."

The thing. The demon. 

The literal reason she was in this situation in the first place. The very thing she was avoiding at all costs. God why did she allow him to sweet talk her into intimacy. She was lucky to have been able to avoid the place without much argument from the higher ups due to request. What request? Simple. A request to transfer to a less stressful job due to her pregnancy. 

The problem that had arisen because of the stupid thing.

It was a stupid mistake that shouldn't have happened. How was she supposed to know that it was possible for it to- ..God. if anyone found out then she'd be terminated immediately if she was lucky. Interrogated and then forced to be locked away until her child was taken away for them to do who knows what to them at worst. The only good thing to come from this is the fact that no one would have any suspicions to the baby's origins. After all how could they suspect it?

He was a demon.

A very dangerous demon, but the reason why she couldn't believe the situation she was in. If it wasn't for the literal pregnancy attached to her then she probably would've written everything off as a bad fantasy. However it was impossible to write off cravings, constant morning sickness, and the literal swell of her abdomen as a figment of her imagination. 

"No. I guess not...Are you here for the transfer order for scp upper moon five?"

She nodded. "Yep. I need the orders to get started." At which she stepped forward and held out her hand. "Do you have them?"

With a nod Kiejuro just held out a single piece of officially documented paper, signed by a higher up with their stamp of approval. "Here. Don't loose it. Im drowning in enough paperwork and insurance coverages as we speak."

With a smile on her face she received her part and departed. "Thanks, Kie! Oh. Congratulations on the baby by the way."

She simply held up a hand back with a smile on her face that dropped the moment the other woman left before she sighed, leaning back in the uncomfortable office chair. Hand coming to lay on the problem that was the unwanted passenger currently here for the ride. 

"You're going to be the death of me."

~~~~

Like the flashes of hellfire red lights flashed upon the freed and bloodthirsty creatures that reigned supreme of the mesh of concrete and steel that once made up their confined cells of torture. The whirring of alarms sounded overhead instead of warning the innocent of humans seemed more of a praised laugh to announce the arrival of the manic chaos that was to befall all.

Blood. As red as the lights and as copper as the metal was the main decoration for the parade of monsters descending through the halls and disemboweling the humans and in some cases each other. No one cares. Certainly not the beasts that now ran ramped with adrenaline and bloodlust in their minds.

An inhuman screech went off into the night as a stronger forced ripped away arms from torso. Eyes turned and stared into the bloodlust abyss of bloodshot eyes. A mix of shrieks echoed out into the darkened night above. So much blood spilt in that night that it might've even spilt into the moon illuminating red down on everything.

R E D

The color clouded vision beyond reasoning. Inhuman yells of pain and murder carved way by him. One by one. Body by body. Life by life. Flesh torn from bone. Blood cleaved from muscles. Arms from torso. Limb from limb. He was a beast tonight. The thirst for blood was not just a want but a need. For tonight he was not a man. Not a demon. Nor anything else comprehendible by human thought.

~~~~

A wave of relief from the stress after so long was finally hers after her request for the maternity leave was approved and sent to her almost right away. Almost as quickly for her request months ago to be transferred to a less strainous job. But she supposed the foundation didn't want the reputation of putting a pregnant woman in danger on their heads on top of the amount of questionable things that they already had done. 

As for scp lower moon two, she at first didn't worry to much. He couldn't get up and walk around on his own freely and while he could've noticed her ..condition, she transferred from his case before she began showing and didn't tell him, so she was confident that he hadn't any idea of this. Which would be better in the long run. Who knows what might happen if he found out. 

Apparently there was quite the tantrum throwing down his way anyways. The timing of her leaving and him acting out wasn't a coincidence, she was smart enough to know that but that wasn't really a priority right now. Her main priority was trying to figure out what to do about this. Her first thought was possibly just giving it up to adoption services which still hadn't really left the table. After all it might be better id there was as least minimal contact between this child and it's 'Father' as possible. 

When she first found out about this it was panic and anxiety. Still is but less than it was in the beginning. The sonograms of the child weren't actually any different than that of a normal infant but that didn't mean anything was normal yet. Would it possess any blood demon art level abilities like the demon? Was it just a normal human regardless of its parentage? Would they get any physical features like that creature? Fangs? Claws? Strange colored skin? She already had a reasonable excuse if anyone asked about the father.

"He was just a fling I had at one of Tengen's parties. He doesn't know and honestly I don't know who he is."

No one really suspected. People had one night stands all the time and several of those resulted in unexpected pregnancies. So why would anyone give any grief if it just happened to her? Although Sanemi offered to personally track down the 'asshole who left his pregnant friend strung along'. Sigh. She really needed a break. The next few months off was exactly what she needed to help her figure out what to do about this. 

~~~~

The darkness both swallowed him up and closed off the ways both in front and behind him making each end of the pathay difficult to see with the already limited vision he had. Heightened senses were one thing he had been thankful to have retained from years of familiarity to his body and mind. Closing off all senses to be more enlightened to one's world in a different light. Each echo of his footfalls ringing in his mind as the airways of his body forced himself to absorb more oxygen out of the air and each heart beat thudding against his ribcage. Throbbing sensation reaching from his head to his feet with every passing second he was surrounded by the buzzing swarm of danger. Enlightened by the stings of fear. Danger. Dread. Doom. Like many wasps penetrating his most basic human emotions and swelling them up to the point of combusting dangerously all over the peeping, teasing darkness.

Both basic instinct wasps forcing him to do something so familiar to combat the combustible feelings. To grab at which to protect him and cut it away like a sickeningly sweet cake of misery and despair. Instincts wailing to protect himself from dangers he had yet to see. Had yet to reveal themselves to him. Hopefully to be chased away by the sounds of the bullets of the gun and held out into the darkness to cut it's tainting self down a notch. That his willpower will always prevail over it. Each burning room slowly passing a tainting gateway. Each with a promise of safety behind it and perhaps even it had occupants inside using it. taking up it's offering of safety from the darkness now dead to the world highly unaware of the demon just roaming outside arm outstretched and staring down the one that dared teased him the most with it's fake promise of protection.

The beast approached slowly, one hand still gripped at his gun, fingers strumming against the metal handle as if his nerves where itching to use it. Yet he remained stoic despite the clouds that where casting gathering to add to the storm inside his head. Upon closer inspection the scalpel in the door was too purposeful for this to be an improvised job, this job - this attack, this entire get away had been just a waste of his time so far. His eyes narrowed or would've if he was capable of that.

"Dam it. Where is that damned exit?!"

A inhuman scream tore through the area drowning out the other terrible screams and blaring alarm.

The blaring alarms hid well the sounds of his footsteps and the chaos of murder around him covered the intention of the desire and want which was the driving force of the shared minds that combined with one another to become one.

The screams rang into the air as his pathway was made, him walking through its wake of cadavers long since dead. The morbid sight earning a slight chuckle despite his annoyance with the situation. 

"It looks Upper Three escaped down got here before I did."

He probably was the one responsible for all these battered bodies with fists sized holes in them. Terror. Fear. Danger. Get away. Get away! All the pathetic ones scream. Like a car accident, terrible yet one couldn't look away from the incoming storm of tragedy. He was so used to such actions as he came with the reputation. The woman who continued to shriek in his way meant nothing to him. She was merely just an obstacle. An annoying hindrance to what he wanted-..No.

What he N E E D E D.

WHO HE N E E D E D!!!

And he always dealt away with obstacles. The bodies was easily chuckled to the side, he not caring about where it landed or how the other ended up. Screaming. A true testimony to his being. Power. Force behind it and he knew that as screams filled out his eardrums and killed him into the comfortable lullaby of chaos incarnate. Arms rising and head tilted back in display for the passionate dance of bodies scattering blurred to his vision footfalls thundering like a rain dance of nature. A true place a demon would find peace. Eyelids fluttered shut as the sounds blurred out around him until he heard nothing. Saw nothing. Felt nothing. But-

WHAT HE NEEDED WAS THAT DAM EXIT!!!

The fact that there was a lack of an exit messed with his irritation much more than it usually did but there was more urgency than before because of someone else who especially didn't like him found out about this little problem he'd gotten himself into and got there before he did...Well even just the thought of it happening was enough to drive him to insanity and rage and many other emotions he didn't want to unpack right now and didn't really have time to. As he paced past rooms with destruction already painted on it's walls and with the distant sounds of footsteps drowned out by screams and alarms stopped in their pacing to back track. Poking his head inside a room. It looked like an office. The owner of which was long since dead slumped over against the wall. But what caught his interest was the thick window. Usually reinforced but now broken to the outside, most likely broken by the previous stronger demon who had first come down this hall before him.

An exit. How convenient.

"Hm. I think I'll take what's behind door number one.~"

~~~~

The peace of mind she'd gotten for once was short lived. As if she couldn't catch one break in this entire process. A breach. Just what she needed in this time. Her only saving grace was that she wasn't there when it happened. That probably would've been much more disasterous than actually taking this damned problem home with her. It was only inviting trouble...But she shouldn't worry, she told herself. Her home was a decent distance away from the sight and by the time she was due back most of the staff would probably be on leave anyways until repairs were made during damage control. 

So for now she'd relax and get comfortable on the couch and worry about just figuring out what to do next. Not as if she could do much with the equivalent of a bowling ball attached to her middle. Not until she was finally through this. 

However fate would've had other plans as they usually do.

When something from the outside of the room would've made their way in. Without warning the doorknob turn, the door swinging open by itself jolting her from where she lied, and horrified fear enveloped her when the body of her regretful fling stood there. Dramatically posed like.

"Honey!~ I'm home!~"

She stared for a long, long moment. Sandwich comically falling from her hands allowing lettuce, tomato, and lunch meat to spill from the bread and dirty the floor at her feet as the demon just casually closed the door behind him and then stretched his arms out like a man coming home after a long day of work. She didn't say anything as he just walked over and plopped himself down on the sofa next to her and threw an arm around the shocked woman's shoulders. A kiss was pressed to her forehead before he gave a big grin.

"Did you have a nice day, Dear?" A hand reached out to pat the swell of her stomach. "Little one isn't giving Mommy too much trouble are they?"

That finally got her to snap out of her shocked stupor as she leaned away from the smiling demon in front of her. "YOU!! W-What are you doing here!?"

He shrugged. "Can't a man come home to his pregnant wife and child?"

"Be serious!" She struggled to get to her feet, quickly to get away but was pulled back onto the sofa by the demon after she teetered dangerously off the edge.

"Fuck! Will you sit down?" Kiejuro glared at him making him sigh. "Upper Moon One woke up from inside his cell. I guess someone forgot to inject him with more of those knock out drugs that keeps him asleep in that reinforced chamber of his." He waved a hand. "He broke out and started a chain reaction. Should've seen the destruction! It was like dominos falling down!"

"Why. Are YOU. Here!?" She hissed instinctually one hand resting on her stomach. Hairo was quiet at first, giving a small glance down at her swollen stomach then back to her, and she suddenly knew the answer. "How did you find out? I transferred before I even started showing."

"You'd be surprised by how much gossip people say while they're tying me down for blood samples." He held up his hands badly mimicking a woman's voice. "'Oh my gosh! Did you hear about Kiejuro's baby shower coming up?' 'Yes! I'm so excited! I still don't know what gift to get her. Mitsuri already bought her the entire baby aisle at Walt-Mart.'" He then frown raising a brow. "You really think I wasn't smart enough to put two and two together with your transfer happening around the same time you 'mysteriously' got pregnant?"

"That still doesn't explain why you'd show up on my doorstep in the middle of the night!" She turned away. "You did this to me! You realize how much trouble I can get into by getting pregnant with the child of a demon!? I thought demons couldn't reproduce other than spreading their blood like a virus anyways."

!?

She turned hearing a shuffling sound, finding Hairo on his knees arms suddenly around her waist and a small kiss pressed to the swell of her stomach easily hearing the small heartbeat growing inside. Cheek pressed to the skin as he smiled.

"Well then, I guess I'll just have to take responsibility."

Warm blue skies faded to make way for her dark sister to claim for night. The sun kissing the horizon good night as it's last few rays of light disappeared from sight. Mothers called their children inside their warm houses to sleep in their cozy beds safe and sound until the next morning. The silence was peaceful on the warm summer night breezes. The calmness soothing the crickets to sing their lullabies to the dimming lights of the homes. Lantern lights being put to sleep after a long usage. The bustling town settling down and falling asleep soundly.

His door opened quietly and the man stepped out of his house and into the quiet, barren streets. The moonlight shining down and kissing the man's form. A shiver running down his spine from a warm breeze ghosting over his skin, It would be a good night to fish. The door closed softly as he started walking towards the woods outside the village, fishing line curled up within his right hand. The moon shown down upon the forests illuminating the night bright enough for him to see and watch as the trees swayed in the warm breezes and hear the peaceful rustling of their leaves and lullabies of the crickets. It was just so beautiful and lively. He always loved doing this. Free from crowds of people and being able to peacefully just live in these moments.

The sweet smells of flowers and grass were encouraging his lungs. Combined with the warmth of the summer air warming his muscles and urging them on. Both made him feel as light as a feather on her mere feet and the ground felt soft under her. She was smiling. Arms out splayed against the wind blowing around his hair like crazy and cooling his body against the warm heat beaming down on her. Step after step. Faster and faster. She joyously started to run through the pathways and around a corner of a house as soft dirt pathways turned into grassy floors of forests as she excitedly entered the beckoning woods on the way to the beach. The moonlight being blocked out a bit because of the swaying trees and branches but she could still see perfectly fine. The small river so many people liked to fish at during summer wasn't too far from where she entered. It was just nearly a quarter of a mile into the woods. She loved coming out during these warm months and gathering the natural resources the forest provides her small village. It really was a perfect place to live being so abundant in resources and stationed within such a secluded and safe location. The way he found the beach was walking through a bush and having to blink when a flurry of sparkling lights glared his eyes for a second.

Blinking the man's eyes adjusted to the beautiful and wonderful sight of a dark beautiful sight reflecting the moon on its surface and sparkling as if the reflection had its own stars and consolations within its ripples. Completely untouched and waiting for him to touch its soft silence. Soft footsteps approached the gleaming water and a carbon copy of a man appeared in the gleaming reflections. He smiled up at the original mirroring the actions of the man above. The man's fiddled with his line and the small contacts he brought along with him. A hook with a big, juicy worm stabbed on the end of it dangled over the man in the dark reflection before dropping into the water and rippling the reflection woman away back into the darkness of the waters.

He sighed and sat back on the rocky shore, feet dipped in the cool waters helping his relax back in the moment. Eyes closed and feeling the calmness wash over her listening to the waves crash against sand and the crickets sing. Serene. Bliss. Peaceful. He didn't even suspect the the rippling of the water's surface or the dark lumbering shadow under the waves that came swimming from the depths. Orange eyes however did blink open when a particularly strong tug on his line was given. That snapped him out of him zen, strong hands quickly grabbed onto that fishing pole and PULLED!!

A hard tug was pulled back on the pole as it bent dangerously much to his pleasure. HELL YES!! It was a big one! It'd feed him and his father and brother for a few days if they were lucky! It was probably a tuna!! Another hard tug. Or a giant catfish!! He grunted pulling back harder, spinning the reel back. Or an incredible large tropical fish!! He leaned back harder. Or a-

?!

Something gave sending him sprawled backwards. Oh no. Did his line just snap?! Quickly his hands found the line once more reeling the light line all the way back, finding nothing but an empty hook. What the-? Giving a scowl he glared at the dark water that dared to mock him. DAMMIT!! That was a good fish by the strength of it. He'd have to reset the line and see if he could entice it back. With a sigh, the pole was lowered temporarily letting the line dip back in the water as he turned and began fiddling with the small tackle box looking for another worm or a bottled cricket he could put on the hook. 

"I'll catch that blasted fish!"

But the line began to slowly be pulled back into the water.

A clicking sound had him pausing blinking before he looked back to the reel that was moving as the line began disappearing into the salty waters by itself much to his shock and confusion.

"What in the world?"

His hands grabbed onto the reel and PULLED back hard stopping the reel from spinning and spinning the line straining-

SNAP!!

With a yelp, he was sent sprawled back onto the sand as the line snapped with a groan, he slowly pushed himself back up and held up the pole, watching as the now hookless line swung uselessly from the end of it.

"What the-?"

"And here I thought you were stronger than that, Kyojuro.~"

In response he turned his head towards the bobbing torso in the water, and immediately scowled at the pink haired menace grinning at him. "Akaza! I should have known you'd be the one behind this."

The pink haired man smiled widely at Kyojuro from where he was on the sandy beach, his pupils dilating now that the blonde man was paying attention to him. Daring to float closer and allowing the man to see his colorful Betta fish tail in the dark water. "I knew you'd come here eventually. You always did."

Kyojuro sighed. "Are you to try and drown me again because I wouldn't let you harm that Kamado boy?" He pointed the pole at him angrily. "I have no time for your stupid games! I have a responsibility to get food for my family and you'll not get in my way!"

"Who said anything about a fight this time?" His smile widened head tilting. "I just wanted to see if you were still around...But if it's food you want, I can provide you that..I can provide a lot of things."

This made Kyojuro pause staring at Akaza. He was acting..strange. He ALWAYS tried to fight him or kill him on sight every time they met. "What are you talking about? You know I always return to this beach along with countless other fishermen from the villages. What angle are you playing at?" Was he trying to poison him by offering him poisonous fish to eat or something.

It was then that Akaza paused, smiled even WIDER showing his fangs and flexing the gills on his neck, before offering a webbed hand towards the blonde. "Become a merman, Kyojuro.~"

Kyojuro paused. Blinking once..twice. "What?"

"A merman. Become one and come back with me." He repeated still holding out a hand.

"I-...I wouldn't last ten minutes under the water." He cautiously took a step back. "Besides, I can't magically turn into a fish-''

Neither really noticed the approaching shadow rushing under the waves-

"Of course you can! We have ways of turning our mates."

Now that word REALLY made him take a bigger step back as Akaza floated closer. "Mates?! Now look here! Whenever did I say anything about wanting a relationship with you!? We are NOT mates!"

"Not yet! I can provide everything you need. Enough food for you and your family. Protection in the waters. Me. All you have to do is accept."

The threat was gaining speed cutting through the waters-

"If you're here trying to get me to become your mate, then I'll have to decline!" He firmly frowned. "I have no interest in starting a relationship with any of your kind! Especially not you!"

Now Akaza frowned lowering his hand. "What do those puny humans have that I don't?!"

"Well how about most of them don't try to drown an innocent helpless child while he's fishing!?"

"I didn't drown him didn't I!?"

"Because I stopped you!"

"Minor details!"

"Attempted murder is not anything minor, Akaza! Don't you forget you've tried to genuinely kill me a few times!"

"I was testing to see how strong you were!"

A black tipped fin cut through the water right towards them. Kyojuro noticed it first out of the corner of his eyes turning automatically. Akaza snapped around next-

And a black shadow arose from the depths.

Water sprayed, flung into the air from the depths as a monster surged from under the waves. Claws reached out. A mouth unhinged it's jaws wider than a humans'. And then Akaza was body slammed back under the dark water.

It happened too fast. "AKAZA!?"

The pole dropped to the sand with a thud as he held up his hands. The black water churned and bubbled violently as just beneath the surface two things fought violently. He couldn't see! The nighttime made it too dark to see who or what had just dragged Akaza under the water and was now making him fight for his life under the salt waves. What just happened?! What had attacked Akaza?!

Underwater fangs sunk into the flesh of one's neck and pulled away blood from the throat. Another's claws tore open the other's stomach exposing it to the stinging salt waters making a chorus of water bubbles towards the surface. Kyojuro didn't know what was going on until both rammed into the surface, a grey shark tail surfaced for a moment slapping the water's surface violently before disappearing back under!

A SHARK!?

Was Akaza being attacked by a desperate hungry shark!? But that didn't make sense! Sharks barely ever came to this area let alone this close to shore! And even if one did, Akaza was strong enough to kill a great white single handedly! He shouldn't be struggling against one just his size-...Unless it wasn't just a shark.

"HAIROU!!" Kyojuro's voice shouted out just as one of Akaza's arms was briefly surfaced for a little while. "LEAVE HIM ALONE!! DON'T KILL HIM!!" There was no reaction other than one big giant bubble coming to the surface and popping- "I'LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU IF YOU TAKE ANOTHER LIFE IN FRONT OF ME!!"

Something released under the surface.

Akaza broke the surface a gasp of air was giving, a hand clutching his neck where his gills were torn as thick red blood oozed from his neck and down his body washed away by the water, he gasped paddling back and coughing. A second head bobbed up after him but farther away, pulling himself onto a large rock just a few yards away from Kyojuro. Hissing and glaring dialated blue pupils at Akaza like two feral dogs after a bloodied fight.

"Hairou!" Kyojuro called. "You're bleeding!"

His grey body was littered with long gashes and a chunk of flesh or two was missing from his flesh, a long gash across his stomach had Kyojuro almost gagging. He was bleeding heavily from there despite the arm firmly keeping it shut, a similar gash was split from the left corner of his mouth tearing three inches into his chin. It was pure instinct that drove him. One moment he was standing there horrified, the next he was above the grey merman pressing his shirt into the wound of his stomach as he continued to hiss and and snarl at the just as badly wounded Akaza, desperately trying to breath despite his wounded neck.

"Stop this both of you! You'll die at this rate!"

"We're not like some weak humans!," Akaza spat out through blood, "Are wounds will heal within a matter of minutes!"

"DON'T TALK TO HIM!!" Kyojuro had to physically hold back the angry merman from trying to lunge off after the other, Hairou's claws left long marks down the rocks as the fists tightened on his side to keep him from diving back into the sea after Akaza. "You bastard!! What the hell gives you the right to come here and try to court someone else's mate!?"

Kyojuro now blanked at him. "Mate?! Now hold on a moment-!!"

"HA!! I didn't see any claiming bites on him!" Akaza pointed at him. "Why the hell would he chose a weak little shrimp to mate with anyways!? You couldn't even give him strong gups like I could! His strong genetics would be wasted on your bloodline!"

"YOU SON OF A-!!"

Kyojuro had to physically scoop up the rabidly thrashing shark merman from under the arms and start pulling him back across the beach to make it hard for the both of them to start fighting again.

"Get over here and say that to my face, Sakura Colored Bitch!"

"Why don't you come back in the water and make me, Saturated Charcoal Skinned Asshole!?"

Kyojuro sighed pulling him farther away. How in the world did he get himself into this situation? He hoped his father and Senjuro didn't find out.

"Let's summon a demon!"

A thunderstorm rolled across the sky that night. The sun was just setting over the horizon with the last few rays of daylight disappearing but it was hard to tell when the dark storm clouds took over the sky and claimed them as their own. Thunder shaking the lanes of the windows and lightning sounded off like an angry whip from whatever deity was angrily stomping around the clouded skies, lighting up the sky and city below for nothing but a brief second.

It would've been absolutely dark if he hadn't lit up a few candles inside the comfy room and placed them on the table to light up the room. The warm light comforting against the scary night sky that just appeared as the last few daylights were chased away. The candlelight was pretty but you might be asking yourself one question. Why are they using candles to light up the room when you can just turn on the light switch on the wall or use a flashlight like a normal person?

Well because it wasn't his idea. It was his friend's.

If it were up to him, his bedroom light would've been on in an instant and the four wouldn't be sitting here in the dark. But as another thunder clap shook the sky outside, Tengen's face had scrunched up into a mischievous grin wide enough to let the other three men around him know that he had come up with a devious idea. It started when of his friends said that they were bored during the usual guy night activities and so Rengoku suggested watching a scary movie instead!

"How about The Death Book?"

"What's it about?"

"It's about this girl who finds this blank diary and everything she writes in it becomes true! It turns out the diary is possessed by a demon who becomes obsessed with her and grants her wishes with horrible twists!"

That's when his most devious friend gotten that look before hijacking the convo. "I have a better idea! Hey Kyojuro! You have any candles?"

"Only scented candles. Why?"

"That'll work! Go get them all and we'll do something that's actually thrilling!"

He had no idea what he was talking about but decided to humor his best friend and go get them and matches he asked for. He had had a few scented candles collecting up space in the closet, most were Christmas gifts he was just planning on re-gifting that year anyways since he never really used them. But he was curious about what his friend was up too so he grabbed up all the jars, the different scents making his nose snort, and brought them out to everyone watching him take them out of the closet and plopping them down on the bed. Tengen then proceeded to grab a glass jar containing a 'holiday sugar cookie' scented white candle, lit it, and then got up to turn off the lights and asked Sanemi to close the curtains.

Oh! He wanted to do the classic ghost story telling in the dark game! Nope. As soon as he turned around and they looked at him, the statement left his mouth.

"Let's summon a demon!"

The three of them stared at him and his smile lit up by the scented candle, a nice scent of sugar cookies in the air. The only sounds being the thunder still rumbling outside. Eventually one of them broke the weird silence.

"You mean like...Use a ouija board?," Obanai asked annoyed, "That's something teenage girls do at sleepovers-"

"No! I meant actually summon a demon!," he corrected excitedly clenching a fist!

"Uh..Have you lost your dam mind?"

"Oh come on! We all know that ghosts and stuff don't exist anyways!" he waved a hand dismissively. "We've tried using a ouija board when we were ten at the Halloween party remember? But nothing ever happened so why not try taking it up a notch!"

"Because it sounds like a waste of time." Sanemi deadpanned raising a brow. "Why go through all the effort to do something when we already KNOW that it's just stupid Hollywood stuff?"

"For the thrill of it!" The three looked at each other. Two of them having bored looks while the third looked worried. "Come on! Just this once! And if nothing happens I'll pay for two pizzas from that pizza place we all like!"

"...Throw in those chicken wings and a couple sodas and you have a deal," Sanemi bluntly stated. "Might as well get something outta this."

"DEAL!"

"I don't know.." Rengoku with a worried frowned. "This is how a bunch of horror stories start. What if something really happens?"

"PSH. It won't. If nothing happened when we used a ouija board then we got nothing to worry about!"

"And you just magically happen to know how to summon a demon how?"

"Not just a demon!" His hand pointed up as she grinned. "A Yokai!!"

"A yo-..What?"

"A Yokai! Or oni if you prefer to call it that instead! It's a Japanese spirit!"

"We know what that is! And you happen to know that how?"

"During my culture studies at school I was studying the local folklore and stumbled onto an old legend of the area! They say that a monster used to roam the lands and strike down people every night until a shrine was put up for him. It's still there now! I visited it during a school trip!" He explained excitedly. "I did an interview with the caretaker for my extra credit report and it turns out his family's descendants of the shrine maidens that used to be there!"

"That's good and all but that still doesn't answer my question."

Tengen groaned loudly and slumped his shoulders with an eye roll. "He said the shrine maidens used to have a symbiotic relationship with the specific oni. They'd perform a ritual once a year on a new moon or full moon to summon him and leave him really good offerings. If he liked it enough he might grant you something in return!"

"And he told you how to summon this thing?"

"Yeah because he didn't believe in it. I don't either since ghosts and goblins only exist in books and movies. But what's the harm? If nothing happens I'm buying everyone food and we can have a good laugh if we do happen to summon something we might get a wish granted! Whaddya say?"

There was more silence until Sanemi sighed and rolled his eyes from where he sat. "Fine I guess. Sounds like a win win situation. And I wouldn't mind getting an A on my next math exam."

Obanai sighed. "Alright. Let's just get this over with."

"That's the spirit! But first thing's first!.. Does anyone know if it's a new or full moon tonight?"

Rengoku, who still looked nervous, had to pull out his phone and look it up online. The glow of the screen making his face light up in the dark as the thunder still rang out and the first few raindrops began hitting the roof of the home.

"Full moon but does it count if the storm is blocking out the sky?"

"He only told me it has to be a full of new moon, not that you had to see the moon. We're also gonna need thirteen white candles to represent the sacred number of his, something red to draw the symbols in, and an offering from each of us that has some kind of connection to our wishes!" His eyes lit up in excitement. "Let's try it out!"

If it got them free food and their rowdiest friend to be quiet, then Rengoku weren't going to complain. So the four got to work. Obanai found an extra red lipstick when he dug out his bag from Mitsuri forgetting it and like said before, Rengoku had a bunch of scented candles he wasn't using....but that begs the question.

"Does scented candles even count?" He gazed down at two white scented candles with the scents labeled 'fresh morning snow' and 'shortbread blast'.

"He just said that the candles had to be white, not that they couldn't be scented."

"Yes. But there's another problem. I only have twelve white candles. .." Orange-red eyes looked around the mini candle collection. The others were different colors like the red one that smelt like cinnamon and the purplish-black one labeled 'midnight lilacs'. Eventually he found a glimmer of white in the limited darkness with only his phone to see, and pulled out a candle that was half white half brown labeled 'chocolate and vanilla delight'. "I got a brown and white one. Does that count?"

"We're gonna have to make due with it. Well just put the white half facing the center and maybe that'll help."

Well if that's all he had then the four really were going to have to make due with whathe had on hand. One friend helped him clear up space in the room at least a yard and a half clear, while Tengen drew red lipstick marks onto their floor(He sure hoped Mitsuri wouldn't mind her lipstick being destroyed-) and Obanai began placing the candles in a circle around him lighting them up as he went until both stepped away and the four were left looking down at the circle of thirteen candles and three symbols in the center of them. Lightning clashed outside behind the curtains barely lighting up the room but you managed to make out three words written in Japanese kanji in red lipstick.

Lower. Moon. Two.

He didn't know what that meant but it was ominous in his eyes. The room smelt far too heavy with the pretty scents of sugar cookies, vanilla, daisies, and a few other scents. It was overwhelming and Sanemi snorted from it all.

"Dam. It smells like someone spilt the entire isle of air freshener from Wallace-Market in here." He waved a hand before pinching his nose and turning to Tengen. "So what now?"

"Now we put down an offering related to what we want to wish for? Like if you wanted to wish for a million dollars you put down like some rare collector coins or something! Just look around and see what you got!"

While the others looked through their bags, Rengoku mindlessly searched around the room for something meaningless he could just throw meaninglessly into the circle. Red eyes gazed over at his mother's old jewelry box...and shrugged. Why not? He had a pair of thick hooped silver earrings she got as a tourism trinket but never really wore. They weren't even real silver, just cheap copper ones painted to look silver. Ruka never wore them anyways so they'd be perfect for this. He opened up the lid narrowing his eyes into a squint. Despite the light of the phone, it was hard to see in the dark. His hand moved things around inside the box. Old necklaces and things jingling until he saw them. Ah! There they were! Right next to his great grandparents' wedding rings. Now THOSE were actually worth a lot. Real gold and studded with real diamonds. He inherited them box along with their old jewelry box but that didn't matter right now. He wanted the useless tacky earrings next to them. Even now most of the shiny silver paint had peeled off revealing the cheap copper hoops underneath.

"C'mon, Kyo! Hurry up! I want that pizza as soon as possible!"

He looked around mindlessly just reaching in and grabbing two round things into his hand. "Coming!"

"What did you grab?" Tengen's brow rose as he just rolled his eyes.

"Just some old jewelry. What about you?"

Tengen held up an ink stone. Probably got it from his school bag. "I was gonna use it for an art project but since I want an A for my exam and I have to write on the test, it was a good enough match."

"Sounds like a good start."

His other two friends pulled out a book on rare poetry and a small bag of store bought mochi candy. ...Strange offering but Rengoku guessed it was the only thing that Obanai could find and he didn't really care about this. Tengen instructed them all placed the offerings on the strange words in Japanese and stepped back without a second thought to look at them....And the four stood there in the dark with nothing but the candles to light up the darkness and the rain still pounding at the rooftop.

Silence other than the storm rang out and the four looked around the room exchanging looks sometimes.

".....Is that it?"

"I told you it was a waste of time! Let's just get some food now. I'm starving!"

"Wait! I forgot about the last important step!" Hee held up his hands as their mutual grumpy and hungry friend turned to go flip on the light switch. "I need to chant the incantation and then we have to say what we want!"

Sanemi's arms folded. "Well get on with it! I'm hungry and this is really not fun!"

"Alright, alright! Let me try to remember what the guy told me!"

He stood there staring at the mess of lit candles and lipstick smeared kanji scrunching brows in deep thought. Sanemi and Obanai exchanged mirrored deadpanned looks before he cleared her throat and held his arms out.

"Full moon on the rise. New moon hides from eyes. Abyss of darkness conquering the skies! We summon, summon him from the ground. To our circle lit and round. Oh one who walks the path of limited light, we come once more to ask you to show your blight! Come from slumber, to seek out what we offer! Great one of limited light, we ask for you to once more walk the night!"

His voice shouted out dramatically loud enough that Rengoku was sure he'd be getting a complaint from the neighbors tomorrow morning. As he finished her chant, a lightning bolt struck out temporarily lighting up the sky outside as the rain poured out as they all waited looking around more.

"Would you look at that? Nothing happened again. NOW can we get food?"

"Wait! We didn't say what we wanted yet!," he protested, "The wish is a part of the ritual so let's complete it ok?!" Obanai friend groaned but Tengen quickly excitedly exclaimed. "I wish to become the flashiest artist in the country!"

"Um..." Obanai cautiously and worriedly looked around the dark room. "C-Can I- Oh this is stupid!"

"SAY IT SO WE CAN GET THIS OVER WITH!?," Sanemi barked.

"Fine! I want Mitsuri to like the mochi I'm getting her!"

"That wasn't too hard was it?! I want an A on my next exam!"

...All three looked at Rengoku expectantly. "What?"

"Say something, Kyo."

"Like what?"

"I don't know. What did you put down?"

He shrugged. "Some cheap jewelry I don't want honestly."

"OOOH. Wish for something good then! Oh! I see you always sitting by yourself! Ask him to get you a girlfriend?," Tengen teased making Sanemi snort laugh.

"Really? We summon a Yokai just for Kyojuro to ask him for a girlfriend? If he was real, he'd probably think we were fucking crazy."

"Well it doesn't have to be a girlfriend. You can ask for a sign of who you're meant to be with." That devious smile returned again. "Y'know that caretaker guy told me a lot of maidens would pay the shrine maidens to do rituals and summon the onis as offered brides in exchange for good fortune for their villages. Why don't you ask him to put a ring on it? You'd be the first person to be get a real life monster boyfriend. All the monster lovers on the Internet would be so jealous."

"Plus you're beautiful," Sanemi added also with a teasing grin. "You made home coming and prom king in highschool!"

Kyojuro laughed loudly. "HAHAHAHA!! Looks aren't everything." He could barely contain the giggles. He then rolled his eyes sarcastically. "But sure." Playing along with the joke, his hands clasped together and pressed against his chest as he spoke. "Oh great Oni please hear my pleas for your heart!" Even Obanai looked amused now as he dramatically fell to his knees. "Bind our blood in ceremony and let me share your name." A hand outstretched to no one as he fake acted out processing his 'love' to an invisible imaginary person. "Under the stars of the heavens, I solemnly swear, that this hand will always be kind and never cruel. That my voice will only speak truth. That this life is now forever yours." The outstretched hand pretended to take the imaginary person's hand. "Now as yours is mine."

A loud snort went off as Tengen fell back on the bed where he sat laughing at the cheesy lines Rengoku was making up on the fly.

"Bind our souls to infinity and I will promise you love and devotion through sickness and health and beyond the realms of death." He continued to speak remembering some lines from a rom com chick flick he saw last night hanging out with Mitsuri. "I will love you in all your forms now and forever. Through several lifetimes and back." Your voice was low and smooth now speaking it like you meant it with pride. "From now to infinity. Unyielding. Untainted. Undeniable. With this voice I promise you my love and heart. With this offering, I ask you to be mine!" He then bowed your forehead to the floor as everyone continued to laugh loudly.

They all continued to laugh and laugh and laugh as he finally broke into laughs again and sat back up-

And then all the candles went out at the same time.

Pitch black immediately enveloped the room and at once all laughs ceased. Nothing but silence rang out other than the rain and thunder and occasional strike of lightning. The four stayed silent as they all say there in the dark before Sanemi became grumpy again.

"Ok. Haha. Very funny, Kyojuro. Now we can't see shit!"

"That..w-wasnt me," he stuttered out staring at the floor in front of him silently and wide eyed.

"Sure it wasn't. You're literally kneeling in front of them!"

"I don't have the ability to blow out thirteen giant candles at once! Besides some of them were out of my reached! I'd have to crawl over! It wasn't me!"

"Well it's not me! I'm standing up!"

"It wasn't me!" "I'm sitting all the way over here on the bed."

Silence fell once again as they all sat there.

"....It must've just been a draft! There's no such thing as ghosts and demons! Get the light! I'm tired of this game now!"

Someone was heard stumbling and shuffling around in the dark before they heard hands patting along the wall and then a serious of clicks as someone tried turning on the lights. "It won't turn on!"

"No one panic!" Someone finally turned on the flashlight on their phone and lit up the room. "The storm just cut out the power supply. Let's just get some food and call it a night!"

"Wait! The offerings!"

The light shines towards the middle of the circle. One bag of mochi candy, an ink stone, and a book still laid there. Where was his mother's earrings? He pushed the book aside and froze as he realized that it wasn't a cheap pair of earrings that greeted him..but one beautiful gold ring.

"My great grandmother's ring!" Kyojuro quickly snatched it up safely into his hands in horror. "I-I must've grabbed them by mistake!" Wait. He remembered feeling two hoops in his hands. "My great grandfather's ring!" Quickly he pushed aside everything else and was horrified to discover that it was gone. "IT'S MISSING!!"

"Calm down. It must've rolled away or someone accidentally kicked it in the dark. It's still around here."

"Yeah. And so is everything else. I CALLED IT! I TOLD you it wasn't gonna work! Now order the food!"

"B-But my ring!"

"It's too dark to look with the power out. Let's just wait until it's day time and then we'll look around. Ok?"

"I-...*sigh* Alright."

"GREAT! Now let's eat. And don't forget the chicken and drinks!"

He went to go stand up-

Creak!

A shriek left someone as the floor boards beneath their feet began to shake and quake under them. The boards shuttered to life joining the storm's tags as they rattled around everything in the room including them. Books and knickknacks fell off shelves and Kyojuro's desk hitting the floors scattering about like it was a full earthquake of in his room. Windows shook and the bedroom door rattled around as one of his friends fell over onto their side hitting the continued moving boards hard. Until all at once it stopped.

And then all the candles lit back up at once.

He blinked at the sudden light. But froze as his eyes were met with black boots. Ever so slowly his terrified eyes looked up. Pupils shrinking as eyes widened at the sight of black pants. A black coat hung loosely around a thin but muscular frame. And finally his eyes met a face. A smile full of sharp teeth met him and blue slitted eyes looked down upon him. Shoulder length black hair hung from his head and two horns protruded from his forehead. The silence carried on as you Kyojuro and his three friends looked on horrified, and then a clawed hand was held up. A shiny golden band around his ring finger.

"I accept."