Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Yuichi sighed, he dropped his arms by his sides, the sharp sound of his twin katana followed. His grip on them remained firm. They dripped with a thick, red substance. The same substance coating his blades pooled atop the polished black tiled flooring. Oddly enough, it smelt reminiscent of rust.

“Should’ve just done what your told.” He mumbled, his tone cold as stone. “Now look at you” His tone reminded stony but held a hint of somber.

He found his way to the restroom in the back. Katana clinked together, standing nestled against the door frame. Yuichi continued to the sink and pushed on the fancy lever handle. He began picking out whatever bits had started to cake into the fur on his hands till the water ran clear, then cupping his hands he leaned closer, splashing the cold water onto his face. He deemed that a job done ‘good enough’ and grabbed a towel before returning to his blades by the door.

Yuichi wrapped his blades in the soft towel, slowly running it over each one and inspecting them for any lingering redness that might have stubbornly stuck on. A familiar ritual by now. When he found none, he tossed it aside and sheathed the Katanas properly.

He continued out of the restroom, through the small private lounge. He paused at the door, gripping the knob. The room reeked of iron and copper.

…

Yuichi shrugged it off and left the scene.

The door clicked behind him, he made it only a few steps out before a familiar fox yokai, dressed in a bell-hopper uniform stopped him. They stood in the middle of the hall, waiting with a deceptively kind smile they liked to wear.

Yuichi made a disgruntled noise. They frowned, opening their mouth to speak.

“yeah, it’s done” he cut them off.

They forced a smile. “ah! the meeting went well you mean?”

He crossed his arms. “Mmm Hmm, yeah yeah, meeting went well” he agreed dryly.

“good good! Suppose we’ll clean up your mess as always, you’re doing Mama well despite it though!” the fox stepped aside and walked past him. He bit his tongue.

Pushing past the door he stepped off polished black tiles, down the steps onto the gravely dirt roads where he was quickly met with the sounds of slow-moving small crowds, violent bargaining, and the unpleasant mix of low-quality goods, smoke, and muck. A stark contrast to the refined space he just left. Finally out he took a few breaths, it did little to release the tension in his shoulders, but oh well.

Not like his work was over yet, far from it. He pulled out his phone, it automatically opened at the sight of his face and displayed a checklist he made, he taped off 49^th off the list. “forty-nine done, two-billion left…” he rolled his eyes. “Eh, could be a trillion” he swiped of the application with the list, opening another one. He can’t ever quite recall the name, but it started with an S?

Anyways, he reached into his pockets pulling out a pair of earbuds, he popped them in as they automatically connected, a song began to play. He still had some time left in the day and maybe 4 more chores left, he could make a quick pit stop on the way to nearest one.

and il’’ be workin’

from sun up to midnight

you got me workin’ workin’ day and night (hold on)

you got me workin’ workin’ day and night (im so tired, tired now)

Yuichi took to a brisk pace, observing the many shady stands and vendors curiously. Of course, refraining from staring too long, less they give him dirty looks.

From what quick looks he got it was the same as always, cheap, dirty, barely holding together.

Is what a man’s supposed to do, ah, ah

And I say it ain’t right

He saw some various fruits and vegetables. Some cabbage, carrots, radish. He briefly would have considered buying them, if they weren’t clearly bad… He wondered how they even had stands with rotten spots on their merchandise.

He assumed they must not be picky about who sets up shop here.

You got me workin’ day and night (I don’t understand it)

And I’ll be workin’

From sun up to midnight

Damn, now all he could really think about was his aunties cooking, a nice tamago-kake Gohan, or aemono. Hell, he’d even just take a carrot raw. Anything from back home at this point.

Taking over

Girl

Taking over

You got me wokin’ workin’ day and night (girl)

You got me wokin’ workin’ day and night (I’m so tired, tired now)

He wondered when he’d see her again. Hopefully soon.

He finally reached the end of the market, where a lit non-questionable market was. The shady figures began to thin out, non daring to be in the lights path.

He sighed out in relief, allowing his ears to relax down. “Hope run of the mill isn’t too packed today” or that hueso is in a good enough mood to seat him. He took one step out and-

“COMING THROUGH-“

“ACK-“ Yuichi screeched.

A stranger colloid into him, sending the both of them tumbling to the dirt path. Yuichi let out a strained groan as he pushed the stranger off him. “Get off me!”

The stranger let out a ‘ep’ they scrambled back. “Yeah yeah, sorry sorry!” They complained. “Didn’t mean to bump into you! Swear!”

Yuichi grunted as he pushed himself onto his feet. This was ironic, really. The second he lets his guard down, he gets tackled to the ground… he looked up to the stranger, ready to dig into them. However… that line of thought was thrown out window.

Yuichi saw what seemed to be a Kappa. Or at least partly, as the Kappa was lacking some key features to be pure blooded. Black wrappings on the kappas forearms contrasted rather nicely against lime-green scales and yellow stripes. Furthermore, Yuichi did notice the twin swords strapped to the Kappa’s.. back, shell? He decided to figure that out later. His mind focused on where yellow stripes led up to, becoming side by side with twin crescent markings along the Kappa’s face. Bright red, mirroring one another, and probably went over their eyes if not for the blue fabric mask.

The pretty stranger he saw looked behind them on edge, watching expectantly for something. Yuichi would have actually taken that to mind if not a little distracted…

Yuichi in the moment completely forgot about everything around him, lost at the sight of a beautiful stranger. Now with probably the most stunning man he’s seen in his entire life standing right before him, he knew he had to choose his next words carefully. He needed a good first impression.

“P-pretty blue masked boy…” fuck.

The kappa turned back to him after his fuck up of the century, they gave him a quick once over and with a smirk.

“Ah, hello Mr ‘on my third divorce’ wha’z up?” Fuck.

If cartoon logic existed, he’s sure he’d be surrounded by stupid little broken cartoon hearts..

“Wha-what… no, no I’m six-teen!” He tried to save face. It felt like a loosing battle…

They didn’t pay him any mind, turning back behind them. Yuichi wanted to salvage this situation, it was dumb but damn if that wasn’t exactly what he was. He reached out to ask for their attention back.

“H-hay“ the Kappa glanced back at him.

“HAY! KAPPA!” They both jolted their heads to the gruff yell.

Over the sea of the crowd was the hidden city cops pushing through, coming straight for them. Shit, not cops! He knew this pair too, and they do not like him! Yuichi didn’t have time for this, not if he wanted to keep his pit-stop break. From the looks of it this strange didn’t have time for them either.

“Ugh, sorry for bumping you over man, but I really gotta get goooo AH!-“

“Come on!” Yuichi pulled them into the alley they stumbled behind him before falling in line with his sprint.

The pair bolted down the alley; cops hot on their tails. “This way!” Yuichi pulled them round a corner, followed quickly by the Kappa. They found their way into the shady market and ran past a few stalls, a few giving a strange look or two before.

“THE PO-PO’s COMIN’!!!” Shrieked a hornet child from atop strung up laundry, who promptly fell…

Which is when the vendors began to shriek and screamed (maybe a few yelled at them…) as they led the Cops into their little dark are haven. Chaos erupted around them, vendor rushed to grab their illegal wears, hide behind their stalls, or run for it much like Yuichi and this Kappa.

“HAY, YOU! KAPPA GET BACK HERE!” The bigger officer trailing behind called out.

“HAY WAIT THERES TWO OF EM’ NOW!” The other one shouted behind them to which the bigger took better look. His face lit up like :O

“THERE IS! HAY YOU TWO GET BACK HERE!”

Completely ignoring them they kept running. The kappa ran ahead, jumping onto a fish stand kicking his heal down onto the flimsy wood and grabbed it midair.

“EAT THIS!” he sent the fish flying like a pair of throwing knifes. Yuichi watched as they hit their targets. “HA! BULL’S EYE!” they cheered.

Yuichi stared impressed at the sight, sure gross that those officers stopped mid-chase to throw up from rotten fish shoved in their mouths. But also, that’s kinda super cool. He’d shamefully admit he stared like an idiot at Kappa’s skill; he was caught off from his mesmerized state by them speaking up again.

“come’n, lets get out of here!” they jumped off the stand, down into the stands.

“Hay- wait!” Yuichi decided to follow. Vaulting over a stand he found them climbing up stacked crates up onto a fire escape.

They turned back to him with a smirk. “Oh, good you followed”

“W-well yeah, you told me to- and we’re kinda both being chased here…” Yuichi started to follow their lead up the crates, stumbling on his response.

“Not really, you were sorta busy being mesmerized by my awesome aim, which is sooo fair. It was pretty awesome~." The Kappa looked over his shoulder at him, flipping his mask tails like hair. The display was rather egotistical, and had it been anyone else Yuichi would have found himself rolling his eyes. However that wasn’t not the case, the case was he found it somewhat charming, that and they weren’t even wrong "And second, pretty sure was just me being chased” he offered Yuichi an hand, to which the rabbit took gladly. “Unless your trouble like the folks down there” they pulled him closer, their eyes bore into him. A rumbling ‘hrmmm’ came from their throat.

Yuichi was momentarily startled by the sudden accusation before he bore back into them. “Last I checked I wasn’t the one who was originally being chased”

The Kappa just leaned back and laughed. “Ha, just messin’ don’t worry” he pulled back and continued up the fire escape.

“Y-yeah, I know…” he trailed off having in fact not caught that… God-darn Yuichi, first impressions, there supposed to be good. He sighed, following them up the steps. Maybe he should consider shutting his mouth.

He struggled to keep up with the Kappa on the way up, surprising Yuichi. He was no stranger to odd situations needing quick get aways through often less than ideal means... he didn’t quite get what to make of it, he wondered if the Kappa was used to this kind of stuff. Based off what he’s seen so far, probably.

He kind of liked that possibility.

He shook his head clear of those thoughts. That’s not a good thought process- or ideally something to find attractive, like at all.

He found himself atop one of the buildings making up the alley, he turned over his shoulder observing the chaos going on below in the market. It had died down a bit by now. The cops were still there, seemingly not knowing where they went but was now making a random arrest, a vendor with an exotic weapons shop…

“Looks like we made quite a scene, ay?” The kappa cocked his head to him.

“Oh, yea-yeah. Yeah. Guess we did” He cursed himself internally for stumbling his words again. God what’s up with him today, one pretty face and he’s like this?

“Welp,” they walked stepped onto the ledge, drawing their Katana. “Guess we should get going before they figure out to look up”

Yuichi agreed, they should be getting out of here, but. “What, what are you doing?” His anxieties rising at the sight of the Kappa stood precariously on the ledge.

He didn’t have enough time to really ponder before.

He did the peace sign and stepped off the ledge.

Yuichi threw himself at the ledge, what the hell was this guy thinking!?! Does he have a death wish?! Was he crazy!? He nearly fell of himself as he snatched air. Shit shit shit shit! No!

The kappa’s hand grabbed his wrist. Shit.

He dragged him down with him. Holy, shit shit shit SHIT! Oh no no, this is it, this is how he’s going to die! All because he decided to help a cute boy that turns out to be completely insane! Oh Yuichi you’ve done it now you idiot…

Better yet, he helped this guy! This is how he gets repaid!? A thank you would have sufficed!

“AHHHH YOU PSYCHO, WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!!” Damnit he’s going to at least go out with yelling at this asshole!

Yuichi opened his eyes expecting the worse, or pearly gates. He came face to face with the Kappa, their hand still wrapped loosely around his wrist. Behind him a striking blue portal that crackled to life. “Consider it a thanks” he flashed him a confident grin, Yuichi had to suppress his face from flushing from a mix of emotions (he doubted it worked) they let go his wrist, crossing their arms behind their head. And just like that, it zipped closed with their exit.