Chapter 5: Marriage

Kuroko's eyes snapped open, the profusion aches from the several joints of his body and burning urges yearning passionately for fresh blood was stuck like a thick lump in his throat. Staring into the clear orbs of the devil's red and yellow heterochromatic eyes, it had taken Kuroko seconds before his brain had finally registered the events had taken place last night.

"Akashi-kun." Kuroko stared into Akashi's clear orbs.

"Good morning, my beloved wife." Akashi graced Kuroko with a smile. Kuroko's body had suffered a time disorientation, feeling the extreme tiredness in the mornings and hyperactivity of being wide awake in the evening. It had been three days since the ceremony. It was hell. Kuroko felt the extreme dryness in his throat, his genesis of the transformed cell from a vampire's poison was yearning for the fresh blood as he stared quietly at Akashi's neck.

Akashi chuckled. "If you need blood, there's no need to hold back. Afterall, you're no longer human, Akashi Tetsuya." Akashi took Kuroko into his arms, persuading and encouraging Kuroko to satiate the hunger of a vampire. The hunger of a vampire was said to be capable of driving devils and humans alike insane.

A newborn who has no clue of the world of vampires do not defy their masters. A clueless Kuroko had felt the extent of his personal control diminishing, the unbearable feelings of the burning sensations driving and overloading Kuroko to the extent that nothing could be described in words. Kuroko penetrated his newly sharp fangs deep into Akashi' neck, feeding on the life- force of the red essence. Kuroko had retracted his fangs and took a clearer view of himself.

"How are you feeling, my love?" Akashi had smirked, earning a punch in his gut. Ignoring the pain, Akashi pulled Kuroko into a kiss.

Kuroko turned away. Faint rosette colors of the blush had painted Kuroko's pale cheeks, shying from the devil master in embarrassment and denial.

"You can't run away, Tetsuya." Akashi gently fingered the pale skin of his neck, slowly trailing to the seal Kuroko's pale skin now bear between the spines of the nervous system which was located at the back of his neck. "This seal is the mark of the Akashi clan, Tetsuya. The world will see you as my kin, someone who has abandoned humanity, a traitor of their kin."

Awakened as a vampire, Kuroko can no longer return to the human lands, Akashi had made sure of that. Akashi's seal had marked Kuroko, binding him to the Akashi clan, cursed by the blood of the devils, Kuroko had been snatched away from the grasp of humans. Kuroko was taken and pulled nearer to spiritual beings, was carefully nurtured far reach away from the evil filth of humans, a small spark had begun between two extraordinary individuals. Akashi had put his trust in Kuroko, believing he was someone who would become his life partner, just like the elders of the Akashi clan had prophesied. Kuroko's arrival in the lands of Teiko had connected the fate of destiny. Kuroko who was carefully raised by the people of Teiko, Akashi had made sure he would be unable to survive outside of Teiko, sealing Kuroko's will and motivation to leave Teiko one day, transforming Kuroko's affectionate love for him into romantic love. The result was being engaged and married to the almighty Akashi Seijuurou.

Time was necessary for Kuroko to re-adapt into the environment, readjusting his biological clock, getting used and controlling to his newly gain powers, Akashi had assigned Aomine Aomine and Kise to be his instructors, just like before. One of the few reasons Akashi had selected them as Kuroko's instructors were...... both Aomine and Kise had too much time on their hands. Murasakibara had once teased them for doing nothing and playing basketball all day on days Akashi had departed for the human lands for business as the devil master of Teiko. Akashi had also ordered data specialists, such as people like Kise who are infiltration veterans making sure Teiko is always victorious. Kise belongs to a squad where it consisted of members who specialize in gathering information and infiltration. Kise was the leader of that squad.

Kuroko pulled open the curtains, granting permission for the sunlight to enter the bedroom. Akashi winced; Kuroko flinched slightly as he felt the uncomfortable feeling of dislike against the sunlight. Akashi stood behind Kuroko and closed the curtains.

"Are you trying to kill the both of us?" Akashi sighed. "You swore an oath to the masters of spirits. You are already a vampire. Don't you know vampires are weak against sunlight? You will forever live within the shadows of darkness, for eternity." Akashi wrapped his hands around Kuroko's slim waists, pulled him into another deep kiss. Kuroko's protests of 'mmphs' were drowned into the oblivion of pleasures. With the curtains flowing behind them, a vampire couple kissing in the darkness were illuminated by the shallow colors of the sunlight had made them looked like as if they were pulled out from a painting. It was a fascinating sight.

"Call my name, Tetsuya." Akashi smile fondly with Kuroko in his arms. "You do realize we're now both 'Akashi-kun', y'know?"

Kuroko had flushed and turned away in pure embarrassment. Faint roseate colours were painted on his pure delicate skin. "Sei-kun. I'll call you that just for us. You're still Akashi-kun."

The devil master was satisfied. Kuroko was willing to capitulate, he had abandoned his origins and his existence now belongs to Teiko, bounded and chained to the Akashi family. For the people of Teiko, Kuroko was an invaluable addition of their family, an individual who possesses the vast knowledge of humans, including their way of life, cultures, origins, values and beliefs. Kuroko also possess the detailed knowledge of manifestation of evil, their motivation of personal goals and the worst of all, their conscience which had accompanied the extent of their greed.

Teiko celebrated the couple's union of becoming together as one for seven days and seven nights. The gallant figure of the absolute overlord and the elegant figure of the vanishing expert. The empire was flourished with happiness and joy, rich with capital and resources. Marrying someone from the Kuroko family had increased the devil master's tactics and cards he'd play on the battlefield. No one is capable of calming his hatred for the only relative of the Kuroko family, Tetsuya's uncle, the younger brother of the wife of Kuroko Family Chief, the advisor of the young dictator of Kirisaki Daiichi. Akashi had enjoyed torturing humans who once tortured his beloved Tetsuya, especially humans from the infamous experts of torture, Kirisaki Daiichi. His vows included Kuroko's uncle who had badly abused Kuroko who had nearly died offered as a sacrifice.

Hanamiya Makoto was the name of the general who leads the strongest battalions of Kirisaki Daiichi and also the king of their land. The king of Kirisaki Daiichi was selected through monarch dictatorship. Hanamiya Makoto was one of the vilest overlords throughout the long history rulers. His people were terrified of him. No one is allowed to talk about their king, betray or resist the dictator. Anyone who was suspected or has a possibility to become a traitor were prosecuted. Hanamiya Makoto was a fearless man.

And Akashi despised him to deepest core he could sense. Teiko could never agree the extent of the callous and underhanded methods Kirisaki Daiichi had stopped themselves to. The perfect epitome of the raw nature of humans. Marriage between an overlord and a sacrifice was unheard of. The news had caused a huge uproar. Neither humans nor spirits could've accepted the union of the world's rarest couple. Many could not wrap the outrageous reality around their heads. Seers could not retrieve the overview the future, spirits were worried of the well-being for the almighty Teiko, humans were terrified for their over- amplified strength which were supplied by Kuroko's hidden powers. The uncertainty of the consequences was tremendous. They could feel the pressure of defeat.

"You will obey me. I am the power. Bow down to me." Akashi had demanded of them.

Kuroko had increased Teiko's strengths as Teiko's trump card with his unique skills, someone who is capable of changing the momentum of the war with the slightest efforts. A vanishing specialist. It was also Kuroko who had realized the strange movements of armies, figured out their goals, pinpointed war zones exact locations and predicted their movements, with the help of Teiko's data informant Momoi Satsuki. They were too easy to read, Kuroko and Momoi had felt, toying the human battalions to the fullest of their complacency. Akashi and the miracles realized the consequences were due to Kuroko unleashing his powers. Members of the Kuroko family possessed the extraordinary observant ability since long ago where they were recognized as powerful spirits who once dominated the spiritual world as one of the biggest clans. After surviving a millennial, traditions, beliefs, values, cultures, everything was almost lost. The Kuroko family do not remember they were once spirits to begin with. Tetsuya's marriage with the successor of spirit belonged to the mightest clan of the age had reawakened the last Kuroko survivor, and also the successor to the Kuroko family. A clan of spirits who are veterans in vanishing arts, accompanied the observant skills which made it possible. That is what they are.

Specters of the moon. Mirage of dreams. Masters of deception. The name humans had bestowed the people of the Kuroko was: Kyouka Suigetsu.

Rising every morning to find a sparkling ring on his left finger had sent Kuroko into a daze. Akashi had often teased Kuroko, satisfied as he watched his wife staring at the ring every morning. The definition of morning was held different meanings for both humans and spirits. Unlike the humans, spirits rise with the darkness. They draw power from the moon, and are the most powerful at night. Kuroko tossed a pillow at Akashi after realizing his husband had been staring at him again.

"Akashi-kun, I don't know what to say. You have been staring at me for the past three months. Isn't time you give it some rest?" Kuroko's clear orbs stared into Akashi's red orbs.

It was a destiny of fate that had brought them together.

Following the consequences of the marriage, Kuroko now shared the same chamber as Akashi, as the man bearing the name of the mightiest clan, the wife of the devil master. The first weeks of their marriage had made Kuroko felt the self-consciousness for the first time. As someone who possess extraordinary observant abilities had made members of Kuroko's clan to be void of expressions and are unable to express their feelings freely. Providing a hundred and one reasons Kuroko is to move into Akashi's chambers, Kuroko had blatantly refused.