i'm facing the greatest

[ people from the city don't venture far up the mountainside often, and if they do, it's even rarer that they go far enough to reach the abandoned village that once held a small and secretive community. it's simply become custom now, few people remembering much about the village when it was there, and those who do refuse to speak of what happened to its inhabitants.

all of this makes it a perfect place for demons to make there home. most people already assume they must have taken over the area, and in this case, the humans are actually right. the large mansion that once belonged to a wealthy family at the outskirts of the town has been the home of a pair of twins for as long as they can remember, though it certainly wasn't for the life that came before. though its outside appearance may seem as derelict and woeful as the rest of the village, if one is able to see past the glamour cast over it, a well maintained home lies beneath.

and Riku's trying his best to keep it that way, except ... there's really no good place for him to dispose of the unfortunate man who came wandering in an hour or so ago. they're only ever looking for one thing, so Riku did the sensible thing and crushed his windpipe, discarding the body in the garden while he went back to his book. Tenn should be getting back pretty soon, though, so maybe he should move it? it's just meat now, technically, so maybe the kitchen would be best?

Riku muses his options, standing in front of the door to the garden, now debating the merits of just leaving it there for now. Tenn will only get upset if he sees it, and Riku would like him not to be upset, at least for a little bit, when he first gets home.

the sound of a door sliding open lets him know that he should've started thinking this over sooner, but it hardly matters. he's too busy making a dash for the entryway, smiling widely as he eagerly greets the one coming in.]

Tenn-nii, you're back!

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[ For a long, long time, Tenn has been doing the same thing. Every so often, he takes the guise of a human through a glamour and descends the mountain, blending in seamlessly with the lively city below. He's attractive and good at being charming, so seducing some poor, desperate sod and feeding off of his energy in ways that only a demon can has been Tenn's schedule for years and years and years. Of course, he takes long enough gaps that people can no longer collect the dots, and it's only rumours and folktales of a beautiful demon that seduces wayward men and leaves with their lives.

Though, this does leave him away from home longer than he'd like -- away from his brother. It's only ever been them, and Tenn has cared for the sickly Riku ever since he can remember. Leaving him alone makes him sad, makes him wish he never had to.

Riku always greets him right away when he returns home, and it's something that Tenn looks foward to. He smiles at his brother as he steps through the door, crossing the space between them and raising a hand to gently card his fingers through Riku's hair. ]

I'm home, Riku. This time took a little longer than usual, I'm sorry.

Mm, I'm so glad to see you! I missed you a lot.

[ things got so boring when Tenn wasn't around, after all. it was just Riku, all alone, who could only wander around the village so many times before everything started to blue together. Tenn didn't like him straying too far from their home, even as he's grown progressively stronger through the years, he still treats him like a weak a child.

Riku leans happily into his brother's touch, immediately getting closer so he can cling to Tenn's arm. ]

Why were you away for so long? I was really lonely.

I had a bit of trouble with this one.

[ The target that he sniffed out was, unexpectedly, the scion of an important family. It became much harder than normal to woo him into bed and feed on his soul's energy, especially when it turns out that he was, actually, a very nice guy that gave Tenn mixed feelings about killing him.

So, of course, he didn't, and ran off like a bitch without properly eating. ]

Did you do anything interesting while I was gone?

No, I stayed inside and read, just like you told me to.

[ it won't take long for Riku to figure out that Tenn's skipped out on a meal and is coming home with an empty stomach, but for now, he's too happy to see him to take much notice of the other's wane aura. he latches onto Tenn's arm, cozying up to the other with the sort of familiarity only a sibling could have. ]

How was it? Did you see anything interesting?

[ he's not thinking of the humans Tenn may or may not have met— they're pests to Riku, at best. which reminds him that he should take Tenn in the direction that the body he forgot to clean up isn't it, probably ... ]

Good boy, Riku. It's safer in here. I'd be sad if anything happened to you.

[ Human's aren't just a pest - They're a threat. Long have they had tales of how terrible demons are, how disgusting and selfish and scary they are. They have entire militaries dedicated to hunting them - One close by, even. All of those actions have lead demons to become those terrible, disgusting, selfish and scary monsters that humanity wants them to be.

... At least, that's how Tenn sees it. That's why he goes down the mountain alone, and why Riku isn't supposed to leave the grounds of their manor. ]

I saw a summer festival, while I was there. On the last night of it, they release floating lanterns. It was beautiful.

That sounds so fun! I wish I could've been there ...

[ but like Tenn's just said, of course, he prefers for Riku to stay high up on the mountain, hidden away from any prying human eyes. Riku can only hear the tales of human cities retold by Tenn or read about them in his books, never actually witnessing any of the beautiful things he learns of in person. ]

Are you tired, Tenn-nii? I can get your futon laid out for you if you need to rest.

[ normally Tenn's more energized than ever when he gets back from a trip down to the city, but today Riku can tell he's not as rejuvenated as usual. ]

[ He wishes that it didn't have to be this way, but it does. Riku was weak, when he was younger -- Still is weak, in Tenn's eyes. If his impulsive brother let up on his glamour even for a moment when outside of the boundary, it would be known instantly that he was a demon, and he would have no chance against the hunters.

... Tenn doesn't know what he would do without him. They've always been together. He's older, so he has to protect him, even if it means going to the lengths that he does for power. ]

Mm, No, I'm not tired yet. Have you eaten yet, Riku? Sometimes you forget, when you get stuck in a book.

I had breakfast this morning, but ...

[ then he got distracted with the interloper, and was planning to just have that for dinner, before Tenn came home. there's no way he can follow through with his original plan now that Tenn's back home, and he should probably keep Tenn away from where he's left the body. he gets so worked up when Riku drags things like that home, as if he's not more than strong enough to take out a measly human and not leave a trail. ]

I just finished my lunch sort of late, since I was busy. There's no reason to trouble yourself with it right now, Tenn-nii.

What are you talking about, Riku? I just got back - I haven't seen you for awhile. I missed you. It's not troubling myself at all.

Right, so we should go sit down and let you catch your breath!

[ he tugs at Tenn's arm, in the direction of the sitting room. ]

It's a long trip back up the mountain, even for someone as strong as Tenn-nii.

Eeh --- Alright, alright ... You've convinced me.

[ He doesn't put up much of a fight as Riku starts to drag him away. Truthfully, he doesn't need a whole lot of convincing. In an ideal world, he would spend day in and day out cuddled up to Riku and doting on him, so having his cute little brother be fussy in wanting that is ... nice, to say the least. ]

[ Tenn hasn't seemed to realize that Riku is acting extra cute and needy from the dead body that he has stashed in the house, which is a win in Riku's eyes. he beams, happily dragging his brother into one of the better maintained rooms of their partially dilapidated mansion. it's where he'd been lounging before he caught the scent of the human on the air, so there are still books and pillows strewn about from his earlier reading. ]

Did you see anything else interesting, Tenn-nii? What are they selling in the markets now?

[ Riku's distraction is firmly working, because Tenn hasn't noticed the scent of dead human at all. Of course -- He's tired, and he's weakened, he didn't eat like he should have, but that's neither here nor there. Once they reach the sitting room Tenn descends onto the pillows, pulling Riku down on top of him in the space between his legs. His tails splay out around them, creating a soft nest of comfort and warmth.

As he speaks, he gently and absently cards a hand through Riku's hair. ]

Ah ... well, it's autumn. The markets have a lot of fresh vegetables. Do you want me to bring you some, next time?

[ Riku laughs in delight, bright and loud as he lets Tenn pull him down to his previously abandoned reading spot. he wastes no time in snuggling right up against his brother, breathing in Tenn's scent deeply. it was so nice to be held like this, to have Tenn close like this, that he's immediately forgotten the business with the dead human. ]

Please! Tenn-nii must eat a bunch of human food while he's down in the city, I want to try some with you.

[ Content with having Riku happy and warm in his arms, he changes the path of his fingers to scratch gently behind the base of Riku's horns, like one would the ears of a cat. ]

Mm... Something sweet, then ... ?

That sounds good, but I'm happy with whatever Tenn-nii brings back.

[ ah, that hand on his head feels really nice, and Riku's immediately leaning into it. Riku should be the one pampering Tenn right now, really, stroking his ears and soothing any aches he has from the long trip, but he can let this go on for a few minutes longer ... ]

[ And for a few minutes longer it goes -- Well, more than a few minutes longer. Between the two of them, they lose track of time in doting, and -- ... Then, the smell finally wafts it's way into the sitting room. Tenn's hand stills and his ears press back in alert - He doesn't say anything, but --

Sorry, Riku. He's noticed. ]

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