Actions

Work Header

Rating:
Archive Warning:
Category:
Fandoms:
Relationships:
Characters:
Additional Tags:
Language:
English
Stats:
Published:
2025-06-24
Updated:
2025-06-25
Words:
5,359
Chapters:
2/?
Comments:
26
Kudos:
14
Bookmarks:
2
Hits:
166

A Regalia Named Rage

Summary:

Cold.

It was cold. There was a bright light shining everywhere.

Yet, the sensation was ever so slightly strange. Contorted. As if the boy wasn’t a human…

And then, he existed as a human.

In front of him stood a man completely decked out in black, with the sole exception of the white bandages wrapped practically all over any exposed skin and even one of his eyes.

“I am Shuuji Tsushima, a deity and your master. You are Akutagawa, my Regalia, my weapon. I permit our bond to be stronger than blood and deeper than kin.”

.-. . -. . .-- .- .-..

A boy and his Master, a weapon and its wielder. Akutagawa navigates his new life as a Regalia of Shuji Tsushima, suffering along the way with the gripping fear of being abandoned.

Chapter 1: Divine Chain

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

The boy stood in the darkness. No one was around, and only a vague feeling of emptiness graced his presence.

 

He didn’t have a name.

 

Did he exist?

 

Only the solitary night could know.

 

.-. . -. . .-- .- .-..



Cold.

 

It was cold. There was a bright light shining everywhere.

 

Yet, the sensation was ever so slightly strange. Contorted. As if he wasn’t a human…

 

And then, he existed as a human.

 

The boy blinked, uncomfortably aware of the biting cold and his less-than-appropriate clothes. He donned a thin white yukata and wore no footwear, though somehow, the snow beneath his feet didn’t cause all that much pain.



“Are you cold?”

 

His eyes snapped up to the voice, his frail body hunching up on instinct, almost as if to try and protect him. A useless motion.

 

In front of him stood a man completely decked out in black, with the sole exception of the white bandages wrapped practically all over any exposed skin and even one of his eyes. His dark brown hair– almost black– softly ruffled in the biting wind, and his gaze remained trained on the boy. As if assessing him, yet giving no sort of clue what the result of this hypothetical examination was. In a way, no thoughts were betrayed by any tiny tick of his movement.

 

Slowly, the boy nodded, his face morphing from its previous numb state to one of utter confusion when the man approached him, unclasped his cloak, and draped it around the boy's shoulders.

 

It was warm. Comforting. Even in the almost suffocatingly powerful aura of the man, the boy felt a sort of connection to him.

 

“I am Shuuji Tsushima, a deity and your master. You are Akutagawa, my Regalia, my weapon. I permit our bond to be stronger than blood and deeper than kin.”

 

His tone was monotone, almost as if this was just another normal day and he was reciting a learned script. Perhaps this was a daily occurrence for him, whatever this was. This monologue sounded familiar, as if something similar had been iterated just moments ago…

 

Akutagawa blinked again.

 

“...Master…”

 

The words didn’t feel foreign on his tongue, somehow. This bond thing that was explained to him was no joke…

 

Shuuji hummed.

 

“Hm, good. Teens are usually a handful, I guess I was lucky that you were...” He trailed off, straightening up to look at the sky. But he wasn’t looking anywhere specific. His eyes were glazed, obviously thinking of something else. “Never mind. Come.”

 

He beckoned the boy to follow as he started walking away without looking back.

 

Akutagawa didn’t hesitate, clutching the cloak tighter around him and dashing off after his new master.

 

.. -. .... ..- -- .- -.

 

After some struggle of grappling with the need to speak up, Akutagawa posed a question for the first time in this new life.

 

“Where are we going?”

 

The landscape had changed considerably from the frozen riverside they had been at to a thicket of dense bushes inside a forest. Yet, the path they travelled on was well-kept, the stone steps being spotless and lanterns orderly arranged on the sides.

 

A few seconds ticked by. Akutagawa kept on following, his gaze more or less trained on the ground, with only his master’s legs visible. 

 

Just when he gave up on getting an answer…

 

“To my boss.”

 

Shuuji’s voice was cold and Akutagawa swore that he heard a sneer.

 

“...You… gods have bosses…?” The boy asked in confusion, an incredulous look forming on his face.

 

Silence, before…

 

Shuuji scoffed.

 

“Unfortunately.” He said.

 

No more words were spoken, and Akutagawa didn’t feel like continuing a conversation anyway.

 

Everything was so surreal. He had so many questions, so much confusion that he didn’t even know where to begin. And yet, somehow, the weirdest part was that he wasn’t completely at wits' end with this situation. Somehow, he was able to come to terms with the knowledge that he was dead and was now serving as a sort of weapon. Shuuji had only briefly explained the whole situation while they had walked, but Akutagawa's subconscious seemed to fill in the gaps on their own.

 

The journey continued, with Akutagawa lagging behind multiple times and having to dash forward with all his remaining strength, his breath visible in the frigid night. His master didn't so much as glance back.

 

Soon enough, they approached a large Tori gate, the ground beneath it covered in neatly arranged flowers and wheat. Offerings, perhaps, or a way to say thank you.

 

After a short pause in his walk, Shuuji continued, though this time keeping close to the boy.

 

A humongous shrine stretched out in front of them, unnerving but tidy. No one was around, but it didn’t seem like such a far-fetched occurrence, seeing as how the weather was absolutely terrible. Akutagawa could imagine the place overflowing with visitors.

 

They were walking through the inner courtyard now after passing through many winding hallways– All eerily empty.

 

“Shuuji-kun.”

 

Akutagawa froze. Shuuji paused, sighing. He didn’t turn as he replied to the voice behind them.

 

“What?”

 

His nonchalance was almost unfathomable for Akutagawa. After all, he was currently being subjected to an overwhelmingly powerful aura. After a few seconds of shaking, his knees finally gave out, and he landed knee-first on the snow with a crunch. Even through his yukata, the cold seeped through his bones, but he couldn’t move. 

 

He could. He wouldn’t. Or maybe he really couldn’t. It was hard to tell.

 

Vaguely, he heard Shuuji sigh and turn around, moving to stand in between the mysterious voice and his Regalia.

 

“Hm, a new one, I see? I remember quite well you refusing to use any for a few weeks now.”

 

The voice was level, almost gentle, yet something was off. It was like someone talking to a younger child, but with none of the love and care that was required in the task. Like a coo to a wounded animal, but with an undertone of heavily disguised maliciousness.

 

The air remained heavy. Akutagawa shook on the ground, his eyes wide and lips pursed.

 

“I was in a pinch. And if I may add, it was you who sent the others away first.” Shuuji retorted, his voice uninterested and bored.

 

The other voice laughed. Akutagawa clutched the cloak tighter around himself.

 

And then, yet another mysterious voice spoke up, this time of a woman.

 

“It’s unsightly for a Regalia to bow to someone that isn’t their master.” She said, her serene tone almost masking the hushed mockery.

 

“Now now Elise-chan, it is not his fault.” Mused the first voice.

 

Shuuji grumbled, and before Akutagawa could react, his hair was harshly grabbed and he was yanked up, forced to get onto his feet to avoid further pain. The boy hissed in pain, but even after he stood up, the grip didn’t relent, only disappearing after he was further manhandled to turn around and face the two voices.

 

Through his ruffled up hair, he observed them.

 

There stood a tall man, facial features indicating his age to be around his late twenties or early thirties, with shoulder-length black hair tied up in a short ponytail. He wore simply designed but at the same time, masterfully crafted clothes, their colors mostly black and blood red. Beside him was a shorter woman, with light blonde hair tied up in a bun and an elegant expression, donning a bright red kimono with similarly coloured hair accessories.

 

Beautiful… Akutagawa thought in awe.

 

And then, he got a sharp jab at the back of his head. If he hadn’t been tense already, he would’ve surely lost his balance and fallen, but thankfully, he caught himself just in time, hissing in pain and turning towards Shuuji with indignation and confusion.

 

“Wh–”

 

“Stop looking at them with those eyes. Eurgh.” His master said, not even looking at him but staring at the other two with an expression of disdain.

 

The mysterious man chuckled.“We shall talk about this later.” He said, the sound of his clothes ruffling in the wind dancing through the air. 

 

And then, all of a sudden, he disappeared, along with the woman.

 

Akutagawa gaped, eyes practically bulging out of their sockets. He could swear that he saw them materializing out of existence, yet it was so rapid that he wasn’t sure.

 

Shuuji grumbled something under his breath and grabbed Akutagawa’s hand, dragging the stunned boy to who knew where.

 

“I told you to stop.”

 

His words were harsh and full of authority. Full of the same overwhelming aura present just moments ago, but dissipating just as quickly, settling back into the simply foreboding feeling that always surrounded the man. Akutagawa collected himself immediately and started taking control of his legs to walk steadily behind his master.

 

However, it seemed his compliance wasn’t enough, for the iron grip on his wrist didn’t relent.

 

They kept on walking through the courtyard in silence, the only noise being the soft crunch of snow underneath them. Slowly enough, the scenery changed, from the presumable second entrance or exit of the shrine, to the pathway leading out, to the forest surrounding it. As they traversed farther inside, the dense forest got thicker, more overgrown, and of course, darker. If one wasn’t careful, it must have been incredibly simple to lose their way and get lost.

 

For once, Akutagawa was glad that Shuuji still had a firm grip on him.

 

Soon enough, the path cleared up. Some cloth pieces could even be spotted tied onto trees, as if hastily put on to remember the way in a fit of desperation.

 

Akutagawa shook his head. He was overthinking.

 

As they slowed down, it was clear that their destination had been reached.

 

It was…. Another shrine. Way smaller and dingier, but a shrine nonetheless. It wasn’t unclean, but it wasn’t lavish. Painfully average, if one were to ignore the fact that it was hidden deep in the woods away from most eyes. 

 

Finally feeling some sort of confidence, Akutagawa wet his throat and spoke. 

 

“Is this your shrin–”

 

“No.”

 

The interruption was quick and sharp like a knife, leaving no room for arguments. Akutagawa’s face twisted up in confusion once again, especially when Shuuji let his hand go and started walking away.

 

“Wh– Master?? Where are you going??” He called out, debating whether to try and follow or not, the conflicted feelings having no reason to war each other as Shuuji momentarily stopped.

 

And sighed. As if this were just an annoyance to him. As if he was the one inconvenienced here.

 

Akutagawa gritted his teeth.

 

“Stop asking questions. Just stay here, there’s a door at the back.” Shuuji listed in a monotonous voice, not even bothering to turn around, something that was about to be quite usual, the younger boy felt.

 

How unfair! That was so vague!

 

Anger bubbled inside the boy’s chest, an almost foreign feeling, yet not entirely something new. Odd.

 

Shuuji hissed and, for once, turned his head just enough so that his unbandaged eye could stare right at Akutagawa, who flinched.

 

“And keep your damn emotions in check. I can feel them. If you make me experience these pointless sensations again, I will slit your throat myself, forget releasing you.”

 

Silence.

 

Akutagawa watched as Shuuji departed, going deeper and deeper back into the woods, before he disappeared.

 

Letting out a breath he didn’t realise he was holding, the boy slumped to the ground, an uncomfortable amount of sweat dripping down his forehead despite the freezing cold.

Notes:

Posted: 25th June ~12 AM 2025

OMG HIIII okay so I genuinely need to finish writing my other stuff but I started writing this ages ago and had the first chapter ready and the second one almost too and I needed some more motivation to keep writing and stop feeling so down... so i was like.. I'll post!!

Shuji IS Dazai !!! next chapter has chuuya..!!
i thought sooo much of this au!!!! excited... hopefully i dont die like the ballet au (Which i'm also writing!!!)

I LOVE NORAGAMI SOOOO MUCH PLEASE it's SO PEAK i'm reading the manga finally and ARGGHGH this this this is so peak it's so awesome

Chapter 2: Thunder at the Door

Summary:

Akutagawa meets two new faces but really, he just want a particular man to return.

Notes:

Noragami terms for anyone who hasn't consumed it or need a refreshor ! :3 :
Regalia: Spirits turned into weapons
Noras: Regalia with multiple masters
Near Shore: The realm where the living reside
Far Shore: The realm where the spirits and Ayakashi reside.
Regalia and deities are in between both worlds :3

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

 

Sure enough, when Akutagawa ventured over to the back of the shrine, he found a small door which he opened to find a quaint room. A living space. 

 

The room was mostly dusty, as if barely used, with the only part slightly more cleaned being a window on the opposite wall of the door that was boarded up by wooden planks. Still, he went closer to inspect it, finding that the tiny hole that still allowed him to see outside acted as a sort of peephole for the small offering area made at the front of the shrine. He hadn’t noticed it earlier.

 

After a brief urge to simply lie down and go to sleep, he decided to hunt for something warmer to wear, lest he freeze to death(??). At least the inside of the shrine was warmer, he supposed. He took off Shuuji's cloak and, after folding it neatly – fairly fast, almost as if it were muscle memory – he set it on the cleanest part of the floor he could ascertain. 

 

On the right wall from the door was a wooden box, so Akutagawa figured that, likely, something useful would be stored there. As he thought, once he lifted up the lid, he faced many different trinkets, most of which he couldn't even name, some books, and thankfully, some clothes. After some investigation, all of the articles of clothing seemed to be the colour black. How bleak.

 

Still, it wasn’t like he could pick and choose his wardrobe. Plus, the boy had a tiny feeling that he liked that particular colour, so after rummaging through the different-sized clothing, he managed to find one that seemed about his size, and put it on– a black yukata. It was still slightly too big for him, with the sleeves so oversized that his hands were situated many inches behind the opening, but he made do. In addition, he tied a scarf rather loosely around his neck as well.

 

After carefully rearranging the contents of the box back inside as accurately as he could remember, he finally put the lid back on, sighing as he dusted his hands and looked around him once again. He hoped that there were no consequences for looking through things without permission, but since he hadn’t been explicitly told to keep out of things, he supposed that his actions were alright.

 

Looking around the room sent a wave of something akin to sympathy through Akutagawa’s body. The sole light came from another half-boarded-up window next to the door, which, upon closer inspection, was more or less a coarsely cut hole in the wall–with the only upside being that a breeze managed to sneak through it. In addition, the cleanliness was nonexistent, and any sort of furniture was scarce in the practical darkness 

 

Just when the boy was debating wandering outside, a flurry of movement outside the door through the makeshift window caught his attention. He swore that he saw someone walking past it, and sure enough, after that, he became aware of two voices. 

 

“Ugh, if that bastard isn’t home I swear I’m gonna hunt him down.”  Came a loud aggravated voice. A man.

 

“Calm down, Chuuya-sama, he must have been assigned to something by the Boss if you haven’t seen him.”  Sighed a quieter and more soft-spoken voice. Another man attempting to calm the other.

 

“An idiotic notion, he is definitely ignoring me.”  The first voice hissed, though it was somehow clear that he wasn’t truly snapping at the other man.

 

Akutagawa heard a sigh, before the door started to be banged on. He immediately flinched and froze.

 

“OPEN UP! The Boss said you came back– I know you’re in there!” Shouted the first voice, presumably the one knocking so harshly as well. The banging became louder, and Akutagawa remained still in the middle of the room, heart now thumping wildly.

 

The incredibly deafening noise was actually… Scaring him? He didn’t know why. He couldn’t fathom why just a bit of commotion was rattling him so much, yet deep down… Something was slowly clicking.

 

Questions swirled in his head as he ducked down, trying to suppress his feelings when recalling Shuuji’s words about knowing how he felt.

 

Who was outside? 

 

Would they hurt him?

 

Did they know his Master?

 

And lastly…

 

If he panicked more, would Shuuji come and save him?

 

He wanted the last one to be true. Again, he didn’t know why. He didn’t know the man. Not well at all. They had literally met hours prior… But…

 

A part of him wanted to be acknowledged by him. By anyone. To show that someone cared for him.

 

He didn’t know why he was experiencing such foolish emotions.

 

He didn’t know why he regarded such emotions as foolish.

 

In his rising panic, he didn’t even register the moment the banging stopped. 

 

He expected to hear more voices, or maybe footsteps walking away but–

 

He saw an eye. Peeking through the ‘window,’ flicking around the room before landing on him. He stilled as it remained there, his blood suddenly going cold– If it could even do that anymore.

 

The eye disappeared, the silence replaced by a singular sentence spoken calmly.

 

“There’s a kid in there.” It was the second man.

 

And without warning, the door swung open. Upon instinct, Akutagawa curled up on himself, defensively grabbing the cloak beside him and holding it tightly, before he remembered something.

 

 “You are Akutagawa, my Regalia, my weapon.”

 

He was a weapon. Someone– Something meant to protect. Shuuji wasn’t here, so safeguarding the house must be his duty as well, yes? It had to be. That must be why he was left alone. Abandoned.

 

With a gulp, he launched himself towards the wooden box, lifting the lid quickly and grabbing whatever solid object he could find. Immediately, he held it in front of him, heart going a hundred miles per hour, speaking when he dared to look up.

 

“Get– Get away!” He shouted, eyes wide as he scrambled up to his feet, coming face to face with–

 

….Two ordinary men…? Well, one of them looked fairly intimidating, with one eye scarred and closed, and a scowl that creased his whole face, but the other, shorter one, looked… Normal. A bit ethereal, really, with bright orange hair and mismatched coloured eyes, one blue and the other brown and a sharp jawline. His hair was long, reaching almost to his lower back, and he wore a black bamboo samurai hat with a brown  ribbon tied to it. In a similar aesthetic, he wore an almost regal reddish brown yukata, a beautifully intricate design sewn onto the obi in the color white. The taller man wore a dark haori, mirroring the same shades and colours.

 

The air was tense, the room silent, before–

 

The shorter man burst out laughing while the taller one scoffed, looking away and covering his mouth to try and stifle a chuckle. Scarily enough, his face didn’t even seem to crease at the change in emotion.

 

Akutagawa stared at them, the pounding in his chest gradually being replaced by confusion. He looked down at what he was holding for a moment and realised– It was a doll. He was trying to protect himself with a doll. A shabby one, nonetheless. Instantly, his ears turned red.

 

“Oh my–” The shorter man snorted, wiping away some tears. “Relax, kid, we aren’t gonna hurt you.” He continued, reaching forward and ruffling the boy’s hair, who flinched but was still too scared to move.

 

The taller man seemed to notice this and push the other one away. “Don’t touch him, Chuuya-sama. He looks frightened.”

 

The orange-haired man frowned, Chuuya-sama, apparently. “Oh.” He turned to Akutagawa. “Sorry kid. I’m telling the truth– I didn’t mean to scare you either.” His face softened, truly apologetic.

 

Chuuya paused, eyes flicking around the room to presumably ascertain whether anyone else was there, before groaning and speaking again after finding it empty. “I’m Chuuya Nakahara, god of Storms. This is Ice, my Regalia. You’re a Regalia too, right? Don’t tell me you’re that bastard’s…” He trailed off, face suddenly souring.

 

All this information was really taking a toll on the boy, but something in him made him want to trust these two.

 

“I–” He faltered, stumbling with his words. “I’m… Shuuji Tsushima’s Regalia.” The words felt right on his tongue.

 

Chuuya groaned, and Ice cracked a… Pityingly knowing smile?

 

“How long?” Chuuya finally asked after a few seconds.

 

Akutagawa tilted his head in confusion. “Huh…?”

 

“How long have you been his Regalia? He has too many, I can’t keep track of all you Noras…” Chuuya continued, tone frustrated but not exactly directed at the boy.

 

Akutagawa’s brows furrowed. Noras? What was that? A name? And…. Shuuji had more Regalia?

 

“Um–” He hesitated. “Master found me… A couple of hours ago. I’m not Nora, I’m Akutagawa.”  Somehow, he knew that telling names to strangers was a bad idea, but these two didn’t seem hostile… Towards him at least.

 

Both of the older men’s expressions shifted. Chuuya’s eyes widened, but he didn’t seem all that surprised.

 

“What?? And he just left you?? Of course…” He groaned, running his hand through his hair and tightening his jaw in annoyance. 

 

The other man, Ice, put a hand on Chuuya’s shoulder, squeezing it. “It may do some good to be gentle with the boy.” He said gruffly, eyes flicking between the other man and Akutagawa.

 

Chuuya looked at him for a moment before scowling and crossing his arms. “I’m being gentle. That mackerel just pisses me off.”

 

“Talk properly, please.” Ice gently chided.

 

“Why does it matter? No one important is here–” Chuuya back, pausing for a moment as he glanced at Akutagawa. “No offense.”

 

As he watched this exchange, the boy couldn’t help but register how young this apparent deity seemed, both in mannerisms and appearance. Late teens, early twenties at the oldest. Now that he thought about it, Shuuji seemed to be around the same age as this man, but it would be impossible to truly know the ages of such beings.

 

Another moment passed, and Chuuya’s eyes didn’t leave Akutagawa, eyebrows furrowing. Specifically, he seemed to be staring at his throat, at which point the boy realized that the scarf he had haphazardly pulled over his neck had gotten loose, now loosely hanging from his shoulders.

 

Ice seemed to notice as well.

 

“You said your name was Akutagawa, right?” Chuuya asked, and the boy nodded, which seemed to be a source of further anger for the orange-haired man.

 

Chuuya turned around and paced the room, as if not wanting Akutagawa to see him disgruntled. Ice’s face hardened once he noticed something on the boy’s throat as well. Akutagawa flinched, and the man looked away, obviously aware of how harsh his expressions were.

 

Managing to build up the courage to speak, Akutagawa presented his question as quietly as possible– whether on purpose or not. “Is there something wrong?” His hands went to his clothes, holding onto them and twisting any loose threads, wide eyes trained on the floor.

 

He heard Ice sigh and whisper something inaudible to Chuuya before rummaging between his haori, holding something out to Akutagawa at such an angle that he could see it even while looking down.

 

It was a… bronze mirror, a polished one that the wealthy folk and courtesans used, nothing he had even come close to. At least, he had the feeling that such an object had never graced his sight with such proximity.

 

Carefully, he took it.

 

“You can keep it.” Chuuya finally sighed, watching motionless as Akutagawa looked at himself. He wasn’t really surprised by his appearance, seeing as how it was, well, the same appearance that he must’ve been accustomed to while he was alive. The boy was emaciated and pale with a gaunt face, with largely dark black hair, a bit of white on the tips, and messy bangs. Well, he couldn’t see the colours on the mirror itself, but his hair was long enough that he could already ascertain its hue. But what he was most interested in, though, was whatever was on his throat that the other two seemed so displeased at. 

 

It was… Writing in ink? Somehow, he knew that the marking wasn’t supposed to be on his body, yet at the same time, unfamiliarity didn't quite describe the feeling he experienced. It didn’t feel wrong, but it also didn’t feel right. The former feeling was winning.

 

Odd.

 

He still didn’t know why this elicited a reaction from the other two, though.

 

“Um.” He began, clutching the mirror with both his hands, looking at the less intimidating man, ironically being the deity. “I can’t read.”

 

Silence.

 

Ice snorted, though his face remained as emotionless as ever.

 

“Shut up–” The reddening Chuuya huffed, thumping the other man on the back. “It’s your name in Kanji. Akutagawa.” 

 

This increased the boy’s confusion even further. “Alright….?”

 

“But…” Chuuya continued, face contorted in an obvious mental debate. “It’s your weapon name. You’re supposed to have a given one.”

 

Ice chimed in. “Chuuya-sama gave me the name Ice. My weapon name is Korimano.”

 

“He probably didn’t tell you yours…. I mean, he always does this, but I didn’t really care since he just had Noras, but he’s your first Master…” Chuuya seemed to be rambling to himself at this point, pacing around the room once again. 

 

Once again, Ice approached and put his hand on his shoulder. “Chuuya-sama. This always occurs. Tsushima-sama has his own rules. It does no good to dwell on them.” His tone was flat and logical, so convincingly calming in fact that Chuuya’s tense shoulders relaxed.

 

“Still…” He looked at the forever young boy again, unsure. “Do you want to come with us?”

 

Silence.

 

“Chuuya-sama…” Ice started, tone laced in warning.

 

The orange-haired man scowled, but it was obvious that he wasn’t truly angry. Probably. “Let him answer.”

 

More silence.

 

Akutagawa’s head was spinning. The man in front of him was like warm sunlight, in stark contrast to the biting frost that Shuuji emanated. He wanted to follow the comfort. Yet, at the same time, he didn’t know if he truly wanted anything. The previous fear had dissipated, and a numb pit in his stomach took its place, with such unfathomable complexity of emotions that he couldn’t even build up the courage to try and tap into it and reflect on what was amalgamating so much and resulting in a null and void sensation.

 

To be completely frank, he just didn’t want to be alone. He wanted someone to be there with him. 

 

The one who told him that their bond was deeper than kin. The one who he saw first in this new life.

 

Shuuji. 

 

The same Shuuji who had left him mere hours after awakening him. The same Shuuji who told him to stay there.

 

Right. He was supposed to stay here.

 

“I cannot.” He finally pushed out. “I have to stay here. Master told me to stay here.” He repeated, once again playing with the threads on his sleeves after setting the bronze mirror down carefully on the wooden box.

 

Ice nodded solemnly in understanding. Chuuya just groaned helplessly, biting his cheeks to presumably hold back his fiery opinions. 

 

“Fine… I can’t force you.” He sighed, gaze shifting over to the still-open door, revealing the slightly visible fading sky above the forest, coloured in beautiful hues of purple and yellow. His expression darkened as he observed the scenery. Ice’s posture stiffened as well.

 

“Chuuya-sama.” 

 

“I know.” Chuuya hissed through his teeth. “Look, kid, I’ll try to visit you again some other day and explain things. I might send someone else–”

 

“Chuuya-sama.” 

 

By now, Ice’s recurring words weren’t the only interruptions. It was almost possible to make out… Inhuman shadows dancing at the perimeter of the shrine grounds? Multi-coloured creatures whose exact shape Akutagawa couldn’t quite ascertain, but could tell that they were far from normal.

 

“What–” The boy gasped, startled as he backed away.

 

“Those are Ayakashi. Bad spirits. They can’t come in here because this is holy ground, the only good thing that bastard did, I guess, was bringing you where you were safe…” Chuuya explained, grumbling a bit at the end. “They’re abundant at sunset and sunrise, the boundary between night and day. Far Shore and Near shore.”

 

“Chuuya-sama, it would be best to clear the area and return to the others.” Ice cut in once again when Chuuya paused to catch his breath, who didn’t seem disgruntled by the interruption, but nonetheless something else seemed to be occupying his mind.

 

“I can’t answer your questions right now.” He said to the silent Akutagawa. It was no large feat to assume that all this new information was completely perplexing, hence he was correct in his inference. “But– Stay inside. The Ayakashi can’t get you if you remain within the shrine grounds, but someone else might try to come, so be careful.” He continued, not elaborating at all, already starting to move, with Ice already making it outside, eyeing the forest disdainfully. 

 

Looking back one more time before shutting the door, Chuuya made complete eye contact, expression a bit… sad?

 

“I hope you aren’t scared of the dark.”

 

And then he closed the door, once again leaving Akutagawa in mostly darkness.

 

The boy fell to his knees as if he had been brought out of some paralysing spell, his eyes wide and his mouth dry. Outside, he heard a loud “Come, Korimano!” before he saw a white light from the boarded-up window, seeping under the door as well. After that, the only sounds were of distant squelching, which he opted to block out by pressing his hands against his ears, squeezing his eyes tightly shut.

 

He was scared. He was terrified. His body shook, trembled, and shivered, yet at the same time, he attempted to suppress these feelings altogether, leading to a sort of cycle of intense emotion, followed by a small period where he managed to take control, before the wall fell apart again. He didn’t want to die. Not by ‘Ayakashi’ or by Shuuji if he delivered on his promise. 

 

He didn’t want to die again.

 

He thought. At least. He didn’t know what he truly wanted.

 

He pressed his hands harder.

 

After a painfully long stretch of time, he finally lowered his hands, becoming aware of how quiet it truly was. He couldn’t hear anything outside, no animals, no insects, no wildlife, no rustling of trees, no nothing.

 

He was all alone.

 

The boy bit back a whimper.

 

Without getting up, he reached towards his side where he had dropped Shuuji’s cloak in his previous panic, carefully unfolding it and slipping it around himself,  pulling it close almost as if he was trying to hide in it. Perhaps he was. 

 

Despite the dirty floor, he crawled over to the wall opposite the door, the one with that sort of peephole looking out at the front of the shrine.

 

He sat still, refusing to look up. 

 

He didn’t want to. He didn’t want to move. But a belated thought struck him: The mirror he had been given was still resting on the wooden box.

 

Of course, he could just leave it there, but for whatever reason, he felt that having it near him may comfort him. May make it feel like he wasn’t alone. May cover up the abandonment he felt.

 

So, he hesitantly got up, clutching the cloak around him as he tip-toed over and grabbed the mirror, about to scurry back before he saw it.

 

A pair of eyes watching him through the window beside the door.

 

His blood ran cold and he practically ran back to his original corner, squeezing his eyes shut once again, only opening them after a few seconds.

 

The eyes were gone.

 

He breathed in and out, his chest spasming violently as he attempted to catch his breath, the grip around the mirror growing tighter and tighter.

 

Slackness wasn’t possible in his body at this point in time. Especially when, after a few more moments, he started hearing whispers, as well a sharp breeze blowing through the floorboards, causing creaks as if someone was walking on them.

 

He shut his eyes once again, now pulling the cloak over his head and burying his face in his knees, bringing them up to his chest.

 

The whispers were almost nonsensical, resembling different vocal ranges of contrasting genders and ages, yet at some points, he could hear a familiar name.

 

“Tsushima-sama’s…?”

 

He dug his fingernails into his palms and hoped that whenever his Master returned, he wouldn’t slit his throat as he had threatened.

 

Notes:

Posted: 25th June 2025 11:51 PM (gasp!!?!?! a normal time!?)

YAYYYY I did it!!
Okay so some notes!!!!:
Chuuya is speaking in mostly informal speach, while ice (iceman) is speaking in formal, and akutagawa is speaking in a mix of both, but mostly formal
i reallly tried to make iceman as cold as possible but i forgot to consult stormbringer before writing him initially so i had to rewrite some stuff, so rn i'm just saying he got softer after his time with chuuya
ALSO!! I was debating using like, the theorised namesakes for the flags names but i decided to just twist the 'names' asagiri gave them for ease of writing and remembering!!!