#softspotforrui

“What the hell?” Akaza snapped, eye catching on the bluish hue peeking out from Rui’s sleeve. “Is that a bruise?”

“What-” Rui didn’t get a chance to respond before his arm was grabbed, Akaza’s expression thunderous as he pushed up his sleeve. “Lord Akaza, wait-”

“Who did this? When I find out who hurt…” Akaza growled, only to pause, staring at the younger demon’s arm. "...you.

What he found was not a huge ugly bruise, but rather…marker. Blue marker to be exact. Two horizontal lines stretched across Rui’s slim arm, wobbly along the edges. One was smeared by his sleeve, shooting faded ink up his skin.

“...Erm, I-I…erm…” Rui whimpered behind his other hand, trembling as he stared up at Akaza’s blank expression. “I’m sorry, L-Lord Akaza.”

That shook the demon from his shock. Blinking, he looked at Rui, guilt squeezing his chest at the tears forming in his eyes. “Oh shit- hey, eh- don’t cry! I’m not mad, I promise.” Akaza dropped his hand to Rui’s, pulling the spider into his chest so he wouldn’t run away. “It’s okay- I promise I’m not mad. Just…surprised, that’s all.”

“I’m sorry…” Rui sounded so pitiful it broke Akaza’s heart. Sighing, he gently pulled the spider out from against him, squatting so they were eye to eye.

“You’re fine- well; kinda. I thought someone hurt you- that’s why I was mad. But…why are you drawing on yourself-” Then it hit him. “Oh. You were trying to be me.”

Rui didn’t respond, wiping his face with an embarrassed expression. Akaza sighed, dropping his head with a tired laugh.

“Figured- you even got the exact shade of blue to match. Heh.” Akaza looked back up, reaching out and ruffling Rui’s hair. “Come on- let’s get that off before you stain your clothes.”

~~~

“Why do you have stripes, Lord Akaza?” Rui asked as he sat by, watching the older demon scrub away the blue ink against his skin. “Did you have them when you were human?”

“What did I tell you before, spider squirt? Just call me Akaza- the Lord part is only when Lord Muzan’s watching.” The cloth was stained blue, and it further spread the ink. What a mess. “And yeah, I guess you could say that.”

“...Were you born with them?” The question made Akaza laugh, nearly dropping the cloth into the bucket.

“That’d be a shock! No- I wasn’t born with them- at least not as a human.” The humor in his voice died some as he looked at his hand, the blue along his fingers turning his stomach. “I wasn’t a good person when I was human. In my day- when you do bad things, they permanently mark you with lines so people know you’re scum.” He laughed, the sound bitter. “I guess now that I’m covered in them, I’m truly what they said I was.”

Rui was quiet, frowning as he looked at Akaza. Then he stood up, walking over and hugging him around the neck.

“I don’t think you’re scum. I don’t know about when you were alive, but I know you’ve never treated me like that. You always find time to play with me, and you always check in at the mountain even if Lord Muzan doesn’t think it’s necessary. I think you’re pretty great.”

Akaza felt his eyes mist, lips quivering as he pulled the tiny demon against him. Taking a shaky breath he really didn’t need, he pressed his face into Rui’s shoulder. “How’d I get so lucky to meet a kid like you?”

“I got turned.” Rui sounded muffled. Akaza laughed through his tears, shaking his head as he let him go.

“Cheeky spider.” He poked him in the belly, making Rui double over with a giggle. Then he did it again, and again- deciding he rather liked the sound of the spider laughing.

“Ahehahhahahah! Ahahahahkahahahhazaa ehehahahhahhahah!” Rui tried wriggling away, but Akaza had him in his clutches once more, gently tapping along his ribs. “Waahhhahhahait!”

“Can’t kid- gotta get rid of the rest of the marker! Lets see- oh, here’s some- and here, and here- oh definitely can’t forget about here.” Akaza danced his fingers all over Rui’s torso, scribbling along his belly and ribs for maximum giggle fits. It wasn’t long before the spider was a ball of tired giggles curled up at his feet. “Had enough, kid?”

“Ahehehe…hehehehe…heh..” Rui sighed, sticking his tongue out at Akaza. The stripped demon mock gasped, clutching his pearls.

“Oh, that is IT!” Akaza cried dramatically, rapidly poking at Rui’s ribs once more, making the spider squeal and cackle. “Take that back, you brat!”

“Ahehahahahhahahah! Oohohohohokay Ohoohohhoohkay!” The tickles ended once more, and Rui rolled to safety out of Akaza’s reach. “Ehehehe..ohohokay, okay- I’m good.”

Akaza snorted, shaking his head as he turned his attention to the bucket and cloth. The water was blue, reflecting a surprisingly calm expression back at him. He supposed that was the effect the younger demon had on him. “So- what did we learn?”

“Not to use such a pigmented marker next time?” Rui asked, giggling when Akaza raised a brow. “Not to draw on myself.”

“Good. Next time you do I’m calling in the tickle monster sooner!” Akaza wiggled his fingers playfully, chucking when Rui squeaked and ran off. He gathered up his things, cleaning up.

I think you’re pretty great. The voice he heard wasn’t Rui’s, but a woman’s. Soft and sweet- with a smile that never failed to warm him from the inside out. Tears pricked at his eyes as he looked up towards the ceiling with a small smile.

“Maybe you were on to something then, Koyuki.”

“Come here!” Hands grabbed him from behind as Rui exited the main room. The Lower Moons had been summoned for their yearly quota, so he figured he wouldn’t run unto any of the upper ranked. “There you are, little spider! I’ve been looking for you!”

“L-lady Daki?” He yelped upon seeing her grinning face. Her hair was still stained black- she must have just gotten back from the district. “Can I help you?”

“I thought I told you before- drop the lady part! I hate it.” Something dark passed over her expression before she was grinning again, pulling him in her arms and spinning him around. “If you want to call me anything, call me Big Sister Daki! You’re only what- a few centuries younger right?”

Big sister. So many spiders in his forest call themselves that by his order, but they didn’t feel genuine. This…this did. “B-Big sister, Daki?”

“There you go! And Gyutaro- he’s your big brother. I’ll get him to go with it, don’t worry.” When she put him back down, he was slightly dazed- more so at the claim then the twirls she pulled. “As your official big demon sister- I want in on this whole game you got going on with Lord Douma and Akaza.”

“Game?”

“Yeah! They always play with you whenever you come by- I want to play too! We both do, right Gyo?” She grinned as her brother emerged from her back, landing on his feet with ease.

“Don’t speak for me so easily, Daki! But…yeah, I guess so.” He shrugged, eyes curious as he looked down at the wide eyed spider. “Why so shocked? Don’t like what you see?”

“No…No, that’s not it.” Was he hearing this right? Two moons willingly seeking him out to play! “I just..I guess I’m a bit happy.”

“PFFT! Just a bit?” Gyutaro laughed, slapping his knees as he doubled over. “I guess we aren’t as grand as the big three, are we sister?”

“That’ll change. Come on- I know a fun game!” Daki reached out, taking Rui’s hand in hers as they began walking to wherever. Rui felt his hand trembling some in her own, his reflection in the red polish of her nails.

He looked…alarmed, but also…happy.

With a hesitant move, he squeezed her hand back.

~~~

“Okay- this is the deal. You come right here…yeah, good. Now- stay still and close your eyes.” Daki brought his hands up to his face, using his sleeves for extra coverage. “Count to ten, and then look.”

“Hide and seek?” Rui asked behind the thick fabric of his sleeves.

“Not exactly. We call it ‘Bat Vision.’ The goal is to figure out where we are before we tag you, okay?” She squeezed his shoulders once before backing away. “Ready…go!”

“Erm…1…2…3…” As he counted, the smell of Daki’s perfume faded. Gyutaro must have returned to her back-he couldn’t hear or smell him either. There were no footsteps, no sounds at all behind his cocoon of sleeve.

“4….5….6…”

Was he doing this right? Were they nearby?

“7….8…”

Did they…did they leave? He wouldn’t be surprised if they did.

“9….”

Still no smell, sound, or indication they were near. They left. Rui felt his lip quiver.

“....10.” He brought his arms down, fighting off tears in the still room.

“GOTCHA!”

“AH!” Rui squawked when hands grabbed his waist, digging into his ribs. “Aheahhahhahahaha! Whahahahhat?”

“Like my new trick? Even demons can’t detect me!” Daki laughed from behind, pulling him back until he was squirming in her lap. “Even with all those spidey senses of yours! I figured you’d set a web up so you’d sense me, but you played fair!”

“Whahahahhait, yoohohohohu diihihiihihihdn’t leheahhahahhahve? Ahehahahhahahaha I tohohohohought yoohohoohohu juuhuhuuhuust ghahahahhahve uhuuuhuhp!”

“Pfft- like I’d do that! Where’d I go?” Daki rolled her eyes, something soft entering her voice as she carried on scratching her nails along his belly. “You really thought I’d leave you?”

“Ahehahahahahaha! Ahehahahahhahha, I dhooohohohn’t knohohohohohw!”

“Well- that makes me mad! Gyutaro- get out here! We got a spider to squish!” Daki called out, her brother running out from around the nearby corner.

“Oi, so little spider boy thinks we’d be asshats and leave him, eh? Tch, tch tch. Shameful.” Once there, he gestured for Daki to roll him over. “Come here- you little runt!”

“AH! Ahehahahahaha, nohoohohoohohooho I’m sahahahahhahharry!” Rui squealed as his feet were grabbed, Gyutaro wiggling along his kicking soles as Daki carried on pinching his ribs. “Aheahhahhahahah sthahahahahhhap, pleahahhhahahse!”

“Heh- alright, alright. Daki, reel it in.” Gyutaro scribbled a hand against Daki’s chin, making her jerk back with a short squeal. Rui slumped, arms around his belly as his skin tingled. “But seriously- you didn’t think we’d leave you behind, did you?”

“I…I did.” No point lying- they must have heard his voice crack while counting. “I’m used to people doing so, I guess.”

“Huh.” The siblings shared a look over him in silent conversation. Then Daki’s arms pulled him up so she could hug him properly, resting her chin against the top of his head.

“That makes you like us officially then. We’ve had people leave us behind too.” She squeezed him gently. “That’s why you’ve got us now.”

“Yeah. No matter what happens, we’re a trio going forward.” Gyutaro reached out, wiping a stray tear that fell down the spider’s cheek. “Unless a fourth guy shows up- then we’re a square.”

“Why the hell does it have to be a square? I say we’re a diamond! And also- what if she’s a girl?”

“You know what I mean! And besides- squares are better. They hold more things.”

“Diamonds are prettier.”

“Eh.”

“Oh you wouldn’t know good jewels if they were stuck up your-”

Rui giggled in his hands as the siblings argued, snuggled back into Daki’s arms with a happy sigh.

Just like that- his pretend family became a little more real.

~~~

“You’ll play with me?” Rui sounded surprised, eyes wide behind his fringe of hair as Douma made his offer.

“Why act shocked? An Upper Moon can play every once and awhile.” Douma shrugged, leaning into his hands. Really- he was bored. The cult proved to be less than stellar as of late; two of his followers just ended their secret relationship, meaning his well of gossip had dried up. Daki had already given him all the latest tea about the Entertainment District, but now it was old news. Even his assignment for Muzan proved boring- Douma found the whole search for this rare spider lily tiresome and lacking of any real enjoyment. Better to leave that to Akaza.

So he once again found himself at Infinity Castle, where Rui had just finished reporting to Muzan alongside the rest of the lower moons. Enmu had already disappeared- saying something about trains and whatnot, and the rest…Douma didn’t really care either way- he found them dry.

That left only the Spider Demon.

Perfect.

“I just…I didn’t think you’d want to play with me. I didn’t think any of the Upper Moons did- well; besides Lord Akaza.” Rui tugged on his sleeves, his childlike eagerness showing even when he tried to keep his expression neutral. “What do you want to play?”

“Oo, I get to pick? Excellent!” Douma thought about it, making a big show as he hummed. Really- he already knew what game to play. “Kakurenbo!”

Hide and Seek. Rui’s eyes lit up.

“Okay! I’ll be it first, and you go and hide.” Douma nodded towards the castle. “Pick wherever- I’ll find you, Little Bug! And when I do…” The ice demon smirked, hands raised and fingers curling. Rui’s expression grew from excited to nervous- though Douma suspected there was something else there. “I’m gonna getcha!”

~~~

“N-No! Nohohoho no, nooo!” Rui giggled out, trying in vain to wiggle away from Douma’s grip. He could easily use his threads to cut off Douma’s hand- it was probably out of respect for their ranks he didn’t; but Douma liked to think it was because he really wasn’t trying that hard to get away. “Whahahhait!”

“I haven’t even touched you yet, Little Bug!” Douma laughed, Pulling Rui up so he hovered off the ground. The spider ran anyway- little feet kicking up air as he scrambled. When he looked down and saw his predicament, he dared a peek at Douma.

The ice demon gave him a little wave.

“Oohohoho dear-” Rui squeaked before he was pulled into Douma’s chest, bursting into giggles almost immediately when bony fingers attacked his sides. “Ahehahahhahhaha, Lord Dohoohohoohohuma!!!”

“Now now- I’m not “Lord” Douma- I’m just Douma! I told you that!” Douma grinned, taking a seat on the floor with Rui still in his lap, tapping his fingers along his ribs and making him squeal and cackle. “I’m not gonna stop tickling you until we can break that habit!”

“Buuhuhuhuuht Lohohoohhoohrd Dohoohohohohuma- Ahehahahhhahahaha!” Rui arched with a shriek when Douma’s hands found his belly, drilling in against the thick kimono. His feet kicked around sporadically, covering his face with his sleeves in an attempt to muffle the sound. “Whahahhahahait, whahhahhahahait not thehehehhehehhere!”

“Ah ah ah.” Douma drilled into a soft spot, earning a fresh squeal. “What did I say about the ‘Lord’ thing? Dou-ma!” He wiggled a finger up into Rui’s armpit, making him shriek. “Wanna try again?”

“GEHAHHAHAHAHHAHA! FIHIHIHINE FIHIHIHIHINE, DOHOOHOHOUMA!” Rui howled. The hands stopped, and Rui let out a tired sigh through a string of giggles as Douma pulled his hands back, holding him up and against his chest. “Aheehhhehe..hehehehe…” His soft giggles slowly shifted to a yawn, little tears filling the corner of his eyes.

“Aww, is someone tuckered out?” Douma teased, running a hand through Rui’s hair as the spider blinked sleepily. “Wanna nap, Little Bug?”

“Mm..No, I’m alright.” Rui stretched, standing on his feet. A new look entered his gaze, something determined entering his expression. “Looks like I’m it this time!”

“Oh no! How scary!” Douma held his face in mock shock, making Rui giggle. He jumped to his feet, starting to run. “Count to ten, Little Bug!”

It was only after he thought he found the perfect hiding spot when he saw the thin string of thread tied around his ankle.

Well played, Rui. Well played.

“OH SHIT!” Akaza squawked, smacking it off frantically. When he looked up, Rui was a few feet away, hands covering his mouth in a vain attempt to hide his giggles. “Oh ho ho, so that’s what you’ve been up to, huh? Alright, shorty- you wanna play? Let’s play!” He cracked his knuckles, grinning deviously when Rui startled, eyes widening. “Run.”

And run Rui did. Without a second glance, the spider bolted for safety, speeding down the long halls of the castle. Akaza took his time at first, walking slowly after the younger demon and stretching his arms out.

Once he was a solid distance away, he took off.

“No! Nohohoho stay bahahhack!” Rui’s panicked yelps were mixed with laughter as he ran faster. He turned the corner, tossing out some webbing in hope it would slow the other down.

Akaza leaped.

“GAH NO!” Rui squealed as Akaza gathered him up, pressing him into his chest before descending ten wiggling fingers along his torso. “Ahahahahhakahhahahzahahhhaha whahahhahait!”

“Wait? Wait for what? You said you wanted to play, so let’s play!” Akaza snickered, one arm tightly around Rui while the other drilled into his belly, making him arch with a squeak. “How about a game of Squeal? If I can make you do so, I win!”

“Thahahhahat’s not a gahahahhame!” Rui swatted at him, giggling harder when Akaza’s hand found his ribs, pushing firmly through the thick layers of his Kimono. “Yohohohohour juhuhuhuuhst behehheheing mehehehhehahahahan!”

“Oh? Am I now? I’d say I’ve been playing fairly nice.” Akaza grinned, starting to lean down. “If I wanted to be mean…I’d do THIS!”

Rui barely had any time to react before Akaza blew a massive raspberry into the crook of his neck. This time he did squeal, torn between arching away or scrunching up. Eventually- he just settled on curling against Akaza’s chest, giggling helplessly as his strength was zapped away; one raspberry at a time. “Ahahahhahakhahahhahahzahhahahahaha!”

“Yes?” The striped demon asked.

“Stahhahahahahp ihiiihihiht!” Rui patted his chest rapidly, signaling he was done. Without question, Akaza let him go, watching him roll to safety. Once there, Rui just kinda…laid there. Flat on his face, hiding himself in his sleeves while Akaza chuckled.

“What’s wrong? Did I get ya too good, Spider boy?” He reached out and poked his armpit, making Rui scrunch up with a giggle.

“Stop it!” He laughed, swatting him away lightly. When he pulled his arm down, his expression was curious. “Why do you do that?”

“Tickle you? Because it’s funny.” Akaza grinned, earning another swat to the knee.

“No! Play with me, I mean. You’re usually so...” Rui tucked his hands beneath his head, his hair curtaining his Kizuki eye. “Angry I guess. At least- to everyone else.”

“Hm.” Akaza nodded, crossing his arms over his chest in thought. “Well…everyone else is annoying. You’re not.” He nodded, satisfied with his answer.

“That…I don’t get it.” Rui blinked, brows furrowing.

“When you become an Uppermoon, you’ll understand.” Akaza reached out, combing a hand through his hair. “Just you wait.”

“I don’t like to wait.” Rui pouted, but didn’t swat the hand away. Instead, he seemed to lean into it. A kid craving the smallest bits of affection. It weirdly hurt to see it.

“Neither do I, but we gotta do it.” Akaza grinned, suddenly standing up. “Too tired to play more, or do you think you can catch an Uppermoon?”

Rui seemed surprised by this, but soon he was smiling, standing as well. “I’m ready!”

“Okay- GO!” Akaza took off, slowing his pace enough to at least give the kid a chance. It wasn’t long before Rui’s threads came into play, tripping him up and forcing him to up his game. The sound of their yells and laughter rang through the halls.

Akaza only had a soft spot for one demon.

And it was for Rui.