Chapter 5

It takes about three days of living with Aku to get him to open up a bit. He’s still snippy and awkward to be around, but at least he’s more manageable now. He’s decided his favorite color is red, and along with onigiri he’s taken a liking to tonkatsu and mochi. His appetite nearly triples my own, but at least he’s eating the food I bring home and not wasting it.

Leaving him alone when I leave for work is a bit strange, but at least he doesn’t burn the apartment down when I’m gone. I tell him ahead of time when I’ll be home and whether or not I’m stopping to shop or working my other job at the convenience store, so he knows what time to expect me. It’s a little off-putting, coming home to someone else after all these years of living alone, but I keep telling myself it’s only temporary. Hopefully.

Yesterday I came home to see the laundry already done, and the day before Aku had scrubbed down the bathroom and kitchenette. No prompting whatsoever. I’ll have to make it up to him someday down the line.

Once the weekend hits, I wake him up early and throw an extra large hoodie at him. “C’mon, we’re going shopping.”

He quirks an eyebrow at me from his spot on the closet floor. I hate to say it, but he’s made his little cove look quite comfy, with extra blankets and a row of string lights taped onto the wall. Not to mention, he looks rather adorable with his messy bedhead and tattered nightshirt. After some convincing, I let him shred it a bit to give him space to spread his wings. (As long as he doesn’t do it anywhere near my books or breakable figures.)

“Shopping…?”

“Yup! I got paid yesterday, so we can go splurge on some new clothes for you. Hopefully some that fit your figure better. Unless you’d prefer to wear my brother’s old shirts until the end of time?”

He rolls his eyes and pulls the hoodie over his head. He’s practically swimming in it, with the strings reaching down to his waist.

“Hopefully the hoodie will protect you from the sun. It’s not as bright today, it’s pretty cloudy actually. But better safe than sorry, right?”

I head back out to brush my teeth and freshen myself up. It’s my day off, so I pull on a pair of jeans with a cute graphic tee. As I pull my hair into a low ponytail, I can hear Aku rummaging around in the kitchen. He’s got quite an appetite, whether it’s early in the morning or in the middle of the night.

When I’m done, I find him already stuffing a hand into the third cereal box this week. At least someone’s eating it; it’s not a personal favorite of mine.

“So, here’s the plan: we head down to Shibuya by train and stop in one of the malls. I take it you’ve never gone shopping before, right?” He merely shrugs and gobbles down another handful of cereal. “…We have bowls, you know.”

“This method is easier.”

“…If you say so. Anyway, once we’re there we can check out a few stores and maybe grab some lunch afterwards. Sound good?”

He looks so unbothered, more interested in the cereal than the thought of shopping and exploring. But even us introverts have to get some fresh air every now and then.

🔥

The train ride is crowded, as usual, and the two of us slowly make our way through the cars. Finally we find a spot to stand beside the window, far away from the other passengers.

Aku looks like he’s about to jump out of his own skin any minute. His hood is pulled up and his hands are stuffed inside his pockets. Even though he’s wearing an old pair of winter gloves I found in my closet, he keeps his hands tucked away out of sight. He jumps anytime someone accidentally brushes against him; I pull him off to the side by his arm, careful not to touch his skin directly.

“You okay?” My voice is barely a whisper.

He clenches his teeth, but I can see the tremble of his hands in his pockets. “I’ll…be fine. Just never seen this many people before.”

“Heh, you really are an introvert, aren’t you?” He glares at me, and I bite back a smile.

The train ride itself is rather peaceful. I keep my voice low, as to not disturb the other passengers. Aku doesn’t say much, only giving a few hums or grunts for answers when I say something. Crowds aside, he seems to like the view of the city from the window.

“Tokyo is massive. You could spend a whole month exploring it and still not see everything.”

Not to mention the different kinds of people you might meet on the way. Shops, sights, events, people… Just a handful of reasons why I love this city in the first place.

Although, I could never live in the central heart of it. I’m more than happy with my apartment in Shinagawa.

Whenever the train stops, Aku lurches forward. I keep my hand fastened around the sleeve of his hoodie.

“Not our stop,” I whisper, and he sinks back against the window.

Luckily none of the passengers notice or point out his strange behavior. Aku avoids eye contact with everyone—including me. He keeps his body rigid against the window, his hands bouncing around in the pockets of his hoodie.

When our stop finally comes, I gently tug him away from the window. He’s so worked up he nearly smacks his head on the doorframe when we step out of the train car.

“You okay over there?”

He jerks away from the crowd and nearly crashes into me. I bite back a smile and wrap my arm around his own.

“You’ll feel better once we’re outside. Crowds aren’t gonna go away—so you gotta learn how to navigate them.”

He remains silent as I lead him through the station towards the exit. Height difference aside, we must look like quite the unusual pair.

He really needs a nicer pair of clothes, especially if he’s gonna come out in public with me.

He lets out an audible sigh as I bring him outside, guiding him under the overhang of the bridge. He pulls the hood down a bit and takes a few deep breaths.

“Aku…?”

“I’m fine.” He runs his fingers through his hair with a heavy sigh. “It’s just…a lot.”

I reach out and touch his sleeve again. “It’s definitely a lot to take in. But honestly, this could be the best kind of environment for someone like you. In these kinds of cities, you can just blend in with the crowd. No one’s gonna stop and stare at you; they might think you’re weird, but then they’ll just move on with their day.”

He presses his back against the wall, running his hands up and down his arms. At least his breathing is back to normal.

I lean on the wall next to him, a good few inches between us. “You alright over there?”

“I…I’ll be okay.” He yanks the hood back over his head, glaring up at the sky. “How much farther do we have to go?”

“Maybe a ten minute walk? Once we’re inside you’ll feel better.”

I hold out my hand and give him what I hope is a comforting smile. He sighs again and slips his gloved hand into mine.

“You’re doing great, Aku. Take it one step at a time.”

🔥

Aku’s walking pace matches mine fairly well; he walks with a purpose, his longer legs eating up distance beside me. Once or twice I struggle to keep up, and then he remembers I’m the one with the directions and slows down a bit. I nearly trip over my own two feet, and that gets a small smile out of him.

I’m glad I can be your entertainment for the day.

Once we reach the mall, I bring him up to the fourth floor. It’s much less crowded in the store, and I can tell he’s relieved to take his hood off. His horns are nowhere to be found—just a mop of messy black hair that’s in desperate need of a brush.

“Full disclosure, I don’t know much about men’s fashion. I only have my brother to use for reference, but he rarely wears anything looser than a button-up shirt.”

I scour the racks and hold up a few comfy-looking shirts. He’s tall and broad-shouldered, so I have to measure accordingly. Meanwhile, Aku just stands there and stares at me.

“Oh! And we’ll need to get you a good pair of shoes. Especially in the city, walking is an absolute must.”

He can’t just keep wearing my brother’s old sandals forever, after all. Especially when it’s still a bit chilly outside.

Aku steps closer and gazes at the clothes on the rack. “I don’t see why these are all necessary. You gave me plenty of shirts before.”

“Well, yes, but they’re not really meant for going out in public. I used them as sleep shirts. Besides, they don’t really fit you that well.”

I pull out a collared shirt and hold it up against his chest. Not too small, but too fancy for a casual day out.

“Here, hold this.”

He barely catches the shirt in time before I toss him another. Then a couple more, in different colors and patterns.

“I can try to find stuff in red, but it might bleed in the wash. You want short sleeves or long sleeves? Oh—pants! Can’t forget those—”

Poor Aku is left in the dust (still holding the pile of shirts) as I rush over to grab a few pairs of pants. When I’m done I pull him into one of the spare dressing rooms.

“Try them on, see what you like!”

He’s surprisingly tender when handling each article of clothing. He tries on each shirt, reluctantly modeling it for me when I ask.

“Which shirts do you prefer?”

“The ones with sleeves.”

“They both—ah, never mind. The longer ones? I like those, too.”

With each sway of the dressing room curtain, I’m given a front-seat view of a new outfit for Aku. To be honest, he’s the most lackluster model I’ve ever seen (I can’t really blame him, though). He tries on different color combinations, different shirts, hoodies and flannels, in all different styles. With each one he glances down at the sleeves, picking at the edges with a black-tipped nail. Anytime I offer a compliment or critique, he simply hums and pulls the curtain back. Time to try another one.

We end up getting five pairs total—shirts and pants each—but Aku’s still confused about it. “Humans wear different outfits each day?”

“Well, yes and no. You can wear the same outfit, but not two days in a row. You gotta put them in the washer at some point.”

“Why does it matter?”

“It just…does. You wash your clothes like you wash yourself. Makes sense?”

I can’t believe I’m having this conversation right now.

Thankfully he doesn’t push the issue further. He remains silent as I pay for the clothes—with the clerk not so subtly eyeing him up and down. For his part, he seems totally oblivious to the attention.

When we’re done he heads into the bathroom to change into one of his new outfits. A white shirt under a larger, unbuttoned denim shirt, and a pair of dark navy jeans. He also picked out a simple pair of combat boots, much like my own (and an additional pair of sneakers is in the bag on my arm). The new black leather gloves he’s chosen look a little out of place, but overall it’s a fine look on him.

“See? You look great in that!”

He runs a hand through his hair, and for a moment it looks like he’s blushing. “I wouldn’t be able to bring my wings out in this.”

“Then we can get a few more cheap shirts and cut holes in them. But you’re probably not gonna need your wings when you’re out in public.”

He seems to accept that, so we get a few more shirts just to be safe. I can tell he doesn’t like carrying around the heavy shopping bags, but he doesn’t say much about it. The scowl on his face says it all.

“You come here often?”

“Once or twice. Malls aren’t really my forte, but I like walking around them.”

He scrunches up his nose at that. “How can you stomach the crowds? After a while it feels so…cramped.”

“I guess it just comes with city life. At first they scared me, but now it’s just another element of the city. It takes some time to get used to, I’ll admit it.”

It definitely not for everyone, and I can see why some people opt to live in more rural areas. There’s a peaceful kind of draw towards country life, but personally, I know I’m a city mouse through and through.

“C’mon, let’s check out some other stores.”

He doesn’t object, so I guide him through the different floors of the shopping mall. Clothes, figurines, snacks… It all blends together, drawing in different kinds of people. But after a while Aku’s eyelids begin to droop—probably getting overwhelmed. So I bring him to the food court for a breather—and some lunch too.

The two of us sit across from each other at a booth in the corner, the bags tucked under the table between us. Aku has discovered takoyaki, and he’s currently picking through his third helping.

I grimace at the sight. “I can’t understand how you stomach that.”

“You don’t like it?”

“Absolutely not! No matter how many times I try I can’t bear to eat it.”

He merely shrugs and reaches for another. “Your loss, mortal.”

I shake my head with a sigh. “You’re gonna eat right through my food budget, y’know.”

He’s too entranced by his meal to pay attention to me. I lean back in my seat, sipping gingerly at my soda. He’s gotta learn to reign in his stomach at some point…

While he eats, I let my gaze roam. The food court is packed with visitors; a group of children eating with their parents, a pair of students chatting with each other over their homework, and about five or six teenage girls sampling from the free food tray—and taking turns flirting with the flustered boy who holds it. Not to mention the older couple passing by, their wrinkled hands brushing against each other, or the solitary boy reading his textbook while sipping some green tea. The sight of him makes me smile, but he’s too caught up in his reading to notice me.

My eyes finally land back on Aku, and for a moment, I let myself drink in the sight of him. Apart from the obvious red eyes and black freckles, he could very well pass as a regular human. The black nails are also a catch; paired with the right kind of clothes, he could pull off the classic biker look.

In this light, you can tell the incubus features are still at play. No wings or horns out in the open, but he’s definitely attractive. I guess it’s a staple of all incubi—apart from their personalities, apparently.

How many incubi are really out there? And what are the odds I managed to summon the most introverted one of all, much like myself?

As he pops the last takoyaki into his mouth, he shifts his gaze up to mine. I jolt and look away, sipping my soda. In return he clears his throat and grabs a napkin. His cheeks are pink, just like mine.

Yeah, like I was saying… Introverts.

“Erm, uh…anyway—”

“Takoyaki tastes good.”

“Aku, no.”

The two of us then burst into awkward giggles, both us desperately trying to regain control of ourselves. I finish the last of my soda as he wipes his mouth. To anyone looking in on us, they must think we’re total nutjobs.

“Takoyaki opinions aside, I did wanna ask you about, ah, demon-related things. But only if you’re comfortable with it!”

The smile on his face falls a bit, but at least he doesn’t outright refuse. Instead he avoids my eyes, studying the last two yakitori skewers on my plate. I roll my eyes and offer him one.

“Last one, okay? I gotta eat, too.”

His eyes light up as he bites into the chicken. In my humble opinion, yakitori is infinitely better than takoyaki. I start on my last skewer as he begins to speak.

“What would you like to know?”

“I’m not picky. Whatever you feel comfortable sharing is good enough for me.”

He chews slowly, resting his cheek on his hand. He twirls the skewer around skillfully; I’m surprised he doesn’t drop it or lose any chicken with how fast he’s doing it.

I wait. He still doesn’t answer, so I try another tactic. “How about magic? Do demons have access to magic?”

He nibbles off another piece of chicken. “Not all of them. It falls under the hierarchy, similar to naming traditions. Only the highest-ranking and honorary demons can practice multiple forms of magic at once.”

“Huh, is that so…”

He’s already done with his skewer while I’m halfway through mine. But he continues to talk—and I’m glad I don’t have to bribe him with anymore food. (I don’t think my pockets can take anymore of this torture.)

“Most demons can only control one form throughout their lifespans. Incubi are among these kinds; our magic is drawn from the elements.”

“Oh, I get it. So fire is yours?”

“Yes, and the most common of elemental magic forms.”

“And those shadows? When you summoned that gate the first night we met—”

He blushes at the memory, and he runs a hand through his messy hair. “They’re not considered an element, but a trait of demons and their magic. All of demonkind can summon shadows, even the lowest of imps. But their strength varies depending on the demon wielding them.”

I pull off the last bit of chicken from the skewer. “So what kind of magic do you think can help you get back home?”

He stays silent at that. I chew slowly, but he still doesn’t respond. When I’m done I wipe my mouth with a napkin.

“When we first met, you thought I was preventing you from leaving with some kind of magic spell. Can humans actually trap demons like that, even without a contract?”

Aku awkwardly crosses his arms over his chest, his eyes roaming everywhere—except meeting my own. I sigh and sink back into my seat. Have I lost him already?

“Okay, then… Where do you think we should start with finding a way for you to get back home?”

“I told you, there is no way.”

He said the same thing the first night we met, but he has none of the venom in his voice this time. He doesn’t sound angry or bitter when he says it.

Just…somber.

I lean in closer, my elbows perched on the table. Aku still avoids my gaze, his fingers gripping his sleeves so hard his knuckles turn white. I follow his eyes and find a couple of boys sitting around one of the tables at the far side of the food court. They’re conversing with each other, but they’re too far away for me to pick out what they’re talking about.

He watches them, his jaw clenched, his black nails digging into his denim sleeves. Not once does he blink.

“…Aku?”

He sighs and suddenly stands up. He gathers our empty trays and heads over to toss them out. Leaving me with my own thoughts at the table.

He must miss his home. Living with me is one thing, but he’s probably not the only one who hopes it’s temporary.

I don’t know what his realm is like, or whether I’d want to return to a place like that myself. But it’s Aku’s home, or the closest thing he’s got to one. After a while, a demon must feel homesick from spending so much time in the mortal realm.

When he comes back, tugging on his new black gloves, I stand up and hold out a hand to him. He glances at it, then awkwardly meets my gaze.

“I didn’t mean to bring up anything bad. The last thing I want to do is make you feel like you can’t talk to me. If I’m being too pushy, I—”

“No.” His voice is harsh, but afterwards he winces and relaxes his shoulders. “I mean…I just…”

He sighs and lowers his head. I give him what I hope is a comforting smile and lift my hand up to him.

“Let’s talk back at my place. It’s a bit too crowded in here, huh?”

He doesn’t take my hand, but he nods and grabs a few of the shopping bags from under the table. Silently, the two of us make our way out of the food court—with Aku pulling his hoodie back up over his head.