Midnight stroll [Sou]

It was nearing midnight by the time that Kiyoharu found himself wandering into the graveyard. Being full-size was more exhausting than he remembered. His suit was ill fitting, sleeves rolled up to keep them from hanging too low. Red velvet seemed appropriate for the occasion. The slender demon paused by a marble statue, glancing up at its disapproving face. “I know,” he murmured as if in response to an inaudible question. “It’s been too long.”



Kiyoharu clutched the red flowers tighter, making his way past the statue. Most of the markers hadn’t changed in all the years that the graveyard had stood. The test of time was evident in how stone was crumbling all around him. In the older section of the graveyard, there was a small cenotaph. He paused beside it, reaching up to touch the worn stone. It was an empty tomb, but the feelings were still the same.

“Did you miss me?”

The wind rustled past, answering in a lonely rustle of dead leaves. He knelt down, placing the flowers at the base. From one of his pockets, Kiyoharu pulled out a flask to place beside the flowers. “It doesn’t seem like anything has changed. It has, hasn’t it?” He sighed, moving to sit with his back to the stone. “I think I’ll stay here a little while.” His eyes closed slowly. A nap wouldn’t hurt.

Late or not, it didn't stop Sou from his research. He had gotten his hands on another of his patents spell books, this one a bit more hands on than the last. For a spell, the little blond needed a rib bone from someone pure. The last two he dug up caused misfires, and a fire, so he was out for another one. Dirty clothes, burnt bangs, and a determined look, the young boy walked through his back yard. His mismatched eyes observing stone after stone, but none felt quite right.

He gripped his little gardening trowel tight as he caught wind of someone else. No one came out here this late, not even grieving humans. He peeks around one of the stone fixtures to get a glimpse at the thing, hiding his own evil aura, just in case it was something bad.

The scent on the wind had changed. Dirt wasn’t an alarming smell. It was the burnt hair that really gave away the person’s presence. Kiyoharu didn’t move, merely sighing softly as he listened and waited. After a few minutes of silence, he began to speak in a low, amused tone. “I know someone is there. Most corpses don’t have burnt hair…usually.” He was fairly certain that the ones in the ground would smell of rot and dust far more than anything burning.

Kiyoharu was relatively harmless. Fighting took too much effort. The only time he’d engage in something other than a battle of wits was if he was given no other choice. He was hoping that the other person felt the same way. A soft sigh left his lips as he opened his eyes. “Why don’t you come out and show yourself?” He was keeping his hands out where the person could see them.

“It’s late for someone to be wandering around the graveyard.” The same could be said for himself. He motioned toward the flowers and flask. “This is all I have if you’re intending to rob me.” It couldn’t hurt to try to deter any foul intentions.

A visible pout made it's way across the boys lips at being called out. At least his hunch was proven correct. This person wasn't human. He comes out slowly, still holding his little shovel tightly, just in case this person was lying. He was still too small and inexperienced to fight, but he would try if needed. His other hand though, was touching his now diagonal bangs where they had been singed. If it was that easy to smell for others, the boy would have to fixed them. As soon as he found his misplaced scissors.

Sou's wide eyes look to him, then the things the man possessed. "Are you a hobo?" The boys head tips to the side. He'd seen them before, and killed a few, but they were always human. It would be strange for another demon thing to be one. A few steps closer, and sou was a bit curious about the man's fuzzy clothing. It was a pretty color, and he wanted to pet it.

"It's not nice to call people hobos." The amused tone in his voice hadn't dissipated. “I’m not a hobo. Technically, my occupation is to tempt humans into committing sins and disobeying this stupid featherbrain that tries to get them to do the ‘right’ thing.” He waved a hand, looking up at the younger man.

He picked up one of the flowers, holding it out toward the blond. “How did you burn your hair?” Kiyoharu’s hair had been singed once by standing too close to a fire. Somehow, he didn’t think that was the case. Otherwise, the younger man would smell more like burning embers.

“Little kids shouldn’t be out on their own this late at night. What if I’d been out to find some poor little cute thing to attack?” Looks were always deceiving so he had no doubt the youth was stronger than he looked. “Shouldn’t your parents be worried about you?”

Wide eyes look at the older man. "Not nice?" he tilts his head a little. People didn't usually tell him things like that. "So, you make people do bad things? Isn't that 'not nice'?"

Sou takes the flower hesitantly. He looks it over curiously, now distracted from touching the man's clothing. "I was trying to conjour someone..." the boy's fingers carefully touch over the petals of the flower given to him.

"What's cute...?" his head tilts a little. He had been called that several times by people he lured to death, but he still didn't understand what it meant. Sou assumed it was a good thing, but wasn't entirely sure. At the mention of his parents, the young demon looks around. "I don't think they care of I'm out alone..."

"There are lots of things that aren't nice in the world." He shrugged lazily as he watched the young man with the flower. "For most of us, everything we do is considered not nice. Have you ever run into one of those stuffy angels? If you do, they'll try to talk you to death about all the good and righteous things...blah blah." It was obvious that he wasn't a fan of those types.

Conjuring someone didn't seem like the type of task that someone so young should be doing. "Have you ever conjured anyone before?" He pulled his knees up to his chest, resting one arm over them. "Was there someone in particular you wanted?" That was always a good place to start.

"Ahh...it's when something or someone is dainty, appealing...pretty." He wasn't sure how to really explain it. "Most people would consider a kitten or puppy cute." That seemed like a good way to start.

Kiyoharu wasn't surprised when the youth mentioned the parents not caring. "That's the way most parents are whether you're demon or human." He shook his head, disapprovingly. "I don't have any kids, but I know the parents who dote on their children are often fictional. It's something you'll have to decide to live with or walk away from."

he only real angel I know is the one my mother keeps. He didn't say things like that though. Hopefully he doesn't to my new baby brother..." he frowns faintly. Sou Knew the angel was carrying a baby, It had the same scent as a pregnant lady he had come across. the demon really didn't like the idea of his new sibling being raised on /that/ side.

The blond shakes his head a little. "No, and anyone would do... I just want to see if I can," his shoulders raise and drop. Sou had had enough with theory. Practice was needed he ever wanted to understand his magic, or anything else for that matter.

The boy finally looks up at the stranger from the flower. "the puppy I have is annoying, always licking my hands and face..." he thinks back to the small pest he tried to feed his Pheonix. "So, if you say I'm cute, that means you like me?"

He seems thoughtful before having a seat in front of the older man. "I don't care if they pay attention, I've managed so far without them..." Son sticks the trowel he was carrying into the dirt in front of him.

Kiyoharu wasn't going to ask about the angel or the boy's mother. That seemed like a huge can of worms that he didn't want to get into. There were far too many complications and it felt like too much effort. He shook his head, nudging the youth with his foot.

"Practice is often the best way to learn how to do things." The elder demon tilted his head, watching the younger man. "What's your name? You can call me Kiyo." He wasn't sure if he could help the younger man with his magical practice though.

It was refreshing to talk to someone when it wasn't work related. "I do think you're cute and I like you well enough. From what I know, you're independent and learning magic. Tell me more about yourself." He did want to know more about him. "Managing alone is a tough task. I did the same for quite awhile..."

Sou blinks, looking at the man's foot. Normally, he didn't like being touched without his permission. Though he figured he could let the man slide for now.

"I just started practicing..."he blinks, tilting his head the same way the older demon did. "My family calls Me Sou..." he picks at the flower slightly. Kiyo seemed like a decent demon. He didn't know if he was useful, but it didn't really matter to the boy, which was kind of new for him. It seemed like too much effort to figure out why though.

Sou pulls his scarf between his lips as he often did when a little confused. No one ever really showed much interest in him, not like this anyway. "More ... about me?" he nibbles on the fabric slightly as a small blush taints his cheeks. "I've been doing it forever...my parents are busy, and my brothers are more interested in each other. It's not too bad though..." he shrugs a little. Sou really didn't know any other way , so he didn't know if things could get better with attention.

"Sou..."

Kiyoharu tested the sound of the youth's name on his tongue. It wasn't one that he'd heard used often or at all before. "It sounds like you have a large family." The elder man felt a bit of sympathy for Sou. Being surrounded by family, yet not being close to them had to be hard. He wasn't sure about he would have done if he'd been in the same situation.

"What do you like to do aside from learning magic?" That was a good way to begin. "I don't think either of us spend our time in graveyards on a regular basis." Kiyoharu pointed up to the stone above his head. "I haven't been back here in centuries. It's an empty tomb...but all the same." He wasn't sure whether the youth would understand what he meant.

"Are you nervous?"

The way Sou was pulling at the scarf made him wonder. It seemed like an action one would make when they were anxious. "Blushing makes you more cute." Slowly, Kiyoharu moved to stand and stretch. "I didn't think I'd run into someone cute when I was wandering around. Heterochromia makes you even more interesting..." Having eyes of two different colors was something that would make a person stand out right away.

The demon nods slightly. "It keeps getting bigger..." he frowns slightly. He wasn't really fond of having more siblings. He wasn't really payed attention to, but he also didn't like the idea of losing his spot as the baby of the family.

The smaller watches Kiyo, tilting his head a little. "I do..." he tilts his head. Everyone he killed and ate he lured in from the street just outside the graveyard. "I don't go farther than the bookstore up the street..." he points as well. The old abandoned bookstore was only a block away, and had lots of things for him to read. He'd been stealing books from there since he was little. Well, little-er.

Sou looks at the crypt and nods. "I know It's empty, over been in there. Why do you come to an empty building?" He tilts his head a bit.

"Nervous...?" He nibbles more. Maybe that was what he was feeling. He still had to work on naming all the weird things he had been feeling since getting to his teen years. He blushes a little more at the continued compliments. The boy rubs one of his eyes, attempting to make them the same, but only makes it a different color anyway. It was something he never really was able to control.

"Sounds like they've never heard of birth control..."

He tilted his head at hearing the younger man spent a lot of time in the graveyard. "You really need to get out some. There's more to the world than dusty old bookstores and dank graveyards." Kiyoharu thought about it for a moment. Those really weren't places for a young person even a demon. The kid should be exploring the world instead.

The elder demon sighed, glancing back at the tomb. "I was imprisioned here once." He reached up to touch the cold stone. "Sometime...remembering the past can help you toward your future. It might sound lame, but honoring where you've been is important." In his own life, it had served him well so far. He was leaving out the more dramatic parts of the story though. Sou didn't need to know that, whenever he was near the tomb, he could still hear the sounds of long faded screams.

He turned back to the younger man, tilting his head. "Hm..." Kiyoharu knelt down in front of Sou, looking into those multi-colored eyes. "Let's find what you're looking for. You aren't going to get any more practice done if I keep you sitting around here talking." The elder man stood up, holding his hand out for the youth.

At the statement, Sou blinks for a moment. He had never heard of this 'birth control' either, but he just nods. No need to seem more sheltered than he already did.

"Like what...?" He tilts his head a bit. He was still trying to learn so much, but it always felt like he was way behind. The demon thought he'd never get caught up at this rate.

His eyes look to the building once more. "It's a nice place..." he sighs a little and looks at his own mausoleum. "Do you still do that when you've only been in one place...?"

Sou looks at the hand, a little startled. It was strange with the man looking into his eyes like that, causing his blush to set in lightly for good. Blinking, he takes the hand and allows Kiyo to help him up. "I need a bone, from a righteous person...the ones I picked before weren't good enough..."

"Love, lust, exploring new places..." Kiyoharu thought about it for a moment. "You're young so you'd be experiencing these things for the first time. Sitting in a field while the sun rises and the world blossoms around you is something that's unforgetable even for a demon." He looked lost in thoughts before he shook it off.

He was careful when he pulled Sou to his feet, letting his hand go a moment later to keep from making the youth uncomfortable. "You'll experience more over time." The elder man leaned in a little closer. "Even this moment will be something you'll look back on. Perhaps, you'll think fondly of me when that time comes." He wasn't whether that would happen.

"Let's see...where would the righteous folk be hiding..."

Kiyoharu looked around and pointed to another part of the graveyard. "Let's try over there. I think there might be some silly old angel lovers that way." It was worth an attempt. "The bad thing with those guys is that most of the priests like cute little boys."

Sou watches the older demon as he speaks. With the way he Was acting, some of these things must be pretty nice to experience. "show me," he says it a little more demanding than it probably should have Come out. But he wanted to know these things, he was tired of being so behind. The young demon figured that it would be just fine to experience it all now. Waiting was As much crap as trying to figure it all out on his own.

Kiyo touching him Was awkward, but not uncomfortable. Probably because he was also a demon. His big eyes blink as the man got closer. "I don't want to wait longer. I Want to experience more now..." he stands still as he looks up at the older demon. He knew he would probably think of him. Kyo Was interesting, so far.

Mismatched eyes follow the pointing. "I haven't looked there yet..." his head tilts as he looks back to Kiyo. "They do?" he frowns a little. Sometimes he wished he could have stayed smaller longer. It was so much easier to hunt when he looked like a small, scared little boy.

"It's not something I can simply show you. These are things you're going to have to feel and learn." There were some things he could show the younger demon, but mostly these things had to come in time. "We should find someone your own age for some of those things..."

The little ones were always impatient. It was simply a quality of youth. "We'll start with finding what you're looking for. If you're still up for new experiences afterward, I'll do what I can for you." He began to lead the way toward the other section as he spoke. "It's a common thing with the religious types. Some of them don't practice what they preach at all."

There were some questios that came to mind about what Sou wanted to experience. "Do you have any ideas of what you might want to do? I think that's the best way to start things off." It would make things considerably easier when it came to making sure Sou was comfortable.

Sou pouts a bit. That wasn't fair at all. Why did he have to wait for things to happens. It felt like they were taking forever, or longer. "Why my own age, is something wrong with you?" His eyebrow raises now as he follows Kiyo. Age was really his last concern, considering as a demon he didn't really age properly.

The younger was impatient, because he was always finding out new things he didn't even know about. "You'll show me things after we get the bone?" He tilts his head a little. "Promise?" He hoped so. He didn't want another person lying to him.

"Does it really matter if they do? Isn't everyone one like?" He looks ahead of them at the elaborate headstones that had been worn away by time.

Sou nibbles on his scarf at the question. He didn't care where they started really. "What about the stuff you said? We can go down that list. What was first, love?" He looks at Kiyo curiously. He had no idea what that was, so why not start with it, or lust. Exploring new places was pretty obvious, so that could wait until he knew what the others were.

"There's nothing wrong with me..."

Kiyoharu nodded, looking over at Sou. "I'll show you things after we get the bone. You have my word." He wasn't going to lie to the younger demon. There was simply a bit of a problem with figuring out how to go about showing him. "Hm...I think their teachings are supposed to make them do the 'right' things. Most of them commit sins, then repent and think that they're absolved of those stains on their souls."

The slender demon stopped, turning to toward the younger man. "Love isn't something that can be taught or shown. It's something you have to feel. A fondness for another being that grows until you can't live without knowing they're safe..." He shrugged, stepping toward Sou to press him back against a stone.

"Lust is easier. It's a chemical reaction to another that leaves you yearning for their touch." He reached up, barely brushing his fingertips down Sou's jaw. "Religious people would say that demons created lust to tempt them." He brushed his thumb over Sou's lower lip as he pulled away. "I believe they're missing out on something great."

""Okay, if you say so," he shrugs a little.

Sou smiles a little, nibbling on his scarf slightly. He was glad someone would actually try to help him learn something. "So, their teachings...mean that murder, rape and homosexuality are the right things to do..." he tilts his head a little. He'd read the Bible, and that was pretty much all he got out of it. Or maybe that was a different book he's thinking of.

The boy stops as well, blinking at Kiyo. Sou pouts a little, at the first answer. If that was love, it wasn't part of his life at all. A small gasp leaves him as he's pressed into the stone.

Sou's eyes widen a little at the soft touches. He could feel his heartbeat quicken a little at the closeness of the older demon. He looks at Kiyo, then the hand on his reddening face. The boy bites his lip slightly. "Is it really that great?"

"It's a difficult thing to explain. Some of them say that war, rape and murder committed in the name of their god is okay. If I remember correctly, their teachings are that they shouldn't do all those things or even think of them." He shook his head, thinking about it for a moment. "There are a lot of things that make it very hypocritical."

Kiyoharu let his hand drop to Sou's shirt, lightly tugging at the fabric. "What do you feel right now? Blood rushing through your body, lips tingling?" He stepped closer, leaning in to whisper against Sou's ear. "Depending on who you're with, it can be better than great."

He pulled away completely to begin walking toward where he thought they'd find what Sou needed. "I would tell you not to be in a rush to learn, but you're not going to listen to that." The elder demon glanced back at him. "Come on...the faster we find it, the more I'll show you. "

"That's dumb. That satanic book I found in my parents room seems a lot nicer," he rolls his eyes slightly.

Sou moves slightly with the tugging. "Is, that what that is...?" He wipes his lips slightly with the back of his hand. As Kiyo leans in, looks at him slightly and bites his lip. "...Is it great with you?"

The young demon let's out a breath he seemed to be holding in as Kiyoharu moves away. He nods slightly, following after him. The older was right, he wasn't the best at listening to things like that. Sou bites his lips and turns on his aura reading. It was weak through dirt and years of warn down bone, but he could sense what type of person the corpse was when alive. He starts looking at headstones to find the type he might be looking for. It was almost difficult to focus on now though.

Kiyoharu was certain that spending time with Sou was going to lead him to some mind of trouble. He would just have to deal with it if any arose. The younger demon was certainly eager. The question was where to go next and how far.

He stopped, hopping up on a low tombstone. "I think this is a good one." Although he had no special power to tell these things, he was a little confident. "Let's see if it'll work. I'll fix your hair if it gets singed again."

The elder demon slid down into a seated position on the stone, reaching out to pull Sou closer for a moment. "Come here first." He pulled the scarf down, moving it away from the youth'a mouth. "You shouldn't cover up so much."

Leaning in, Kiyoharu lightly brushed his lips against Sou's. It was a soft, wisp of a kiss. A teasing little kiss was good to start with. "Are you comfortable with this?" He tried to catch that multicolored gaze.

Sou seems thoughtful as he continues to walk. So far, he didn't mind this demon at all. And if Kiyo would let him keep him, he wouldn't let his family take him away. Or try to scare him away. He figured that the older demon would be good to learn from, and maybe more helpful than his family.

His big eyes blink, stopping to look up at Kiyo. He looks to the ground and nods. The person was a bit higher on his radar. At least more than the last few he had tried. He's about to crouch down and start digging, but is caught before he can. Sou follows the pulling, biting his lip with a small whine when his scarf is moved away from his face. He wasn't sure he liked that. It was a comfort item, and he never did /anything/ without it wrapped close to his face.

The boy was about to protest against Kiyo's suggestion, but is distracted by the touch of their lips. He had never had someone that close to him before. Normally he wouldn't let anyone get within arms reach, but it seemed like his guard was down around the older demon. Probably because he was just that. An elder of his own race, as strange as he may seem. Sou's mouth gapes open slightly as his mismatched eyes meet Kiyo's. Another thing he wasn't quite used to doing. He wasn't quite sure what to say, or what exactly happened, so all he does is nod.

Kiyoharu moved his hands down to take the trowel, placing it aside for the moment. He guided Sou's arms up around his neck as he pulled him closer. "Learning what you want to know is going to push you past your boundaries. These things require touching, feeling. If it's too much, you're going to have to voice that discomfort. Some won't take no for an answer." That went for demons and humans alike.

He leaned in, cheek pressed to Sou's as he whispered. "Your desires are as important as that of the person you're with." The elder demon slid his hands down to rest on the youth's hips to press him even closer. "Compromise is important. I enjoy kissing, but if you didn't...then we'd need to come to some sort of agreement." A light nip was given to Sou's earlobe as he pulled back. Soft kisses brushed over his jaw, growing more firm as he reached the younger man's lips.

His hands tightened on Sou's hips, deceptively strong despite his fragile appearance. Kiyoharu was trying to make Sou's pulse quicken. Their lips were so close as he murmured. "You may not like the touch of a male companion. It may be a female that makes your pulse quicken. Some never feel lust for anything more than power and position." He slid his hand slightly, fingertips brushing just beneath Sou's shirt to feel bare skin beneath.