Chapter Text
He could hear crickets, and the wind in the air. He then could feel his legs and arms twitch and move. Then, slowly, but surely, he opened his eyes, and he took a deep breath.
Everything was overwhelming and powerful.
He could feel every grain of dirt, every imperfection on the pebbles and grass he touched as he sat up, groaning. His own voice sounded so loud. Focusing, he could hear animals, and… people. He could hear people in a town nearby. He could see dark blues, purples, and dark reds in the sky. The stars glittered beautifully, and the white light from the moon shined down on him, as if saying hello. Even in the darkness, he could see all the little details in the trees and flowers near him. He could focus in on the ants climbing branches, the thinness of the petals of flowers, the rough edges of eroded rocks.
"Amazing!" He said to the wind, in awe of the world around him.
Again, his voice grated his ears.
"...Amazing!" He repeated, quieter this time.
He kept at it until he figured out how to speak without hurting his sensitive ears.
When he was done, he stood up, noticing something shining nearby on the ground. He walked towards it, reaching out. It was a sword. He grabbed the white handle and held it up, marveling at the detail. Dark red flames decorated the metal, and engraved on it said, Destroyer of Demons.
"Demons…" He repeated, running his fingers carefully on the sharp edge of the sword. The words nichirin sword bloomed naturally in his mind, remembering the day a man in a strange mask handed it to him.
This sword was his.
He knew it. He knew it was used for an important purpose, and, unless the engravement was a cheesy name for the sword, he could conclude it was to kill demons. He took a few deep breaths, feeling strength build in his arms before swinging the sword. His eyes widened as his sword created flames, and they danced around him like a whip, gracefully following his slashes. The flames that touched his skin tickled him before disappearing into nothing. He took a final look at his sword, marveling at the beauty of it once more before looking around for the sheath.
After putting it away in its sheath, he looked down at his dirty clothes. His white haori had flames at the edges, decorating it, and it was a little dusty. The black uniform he had under the haori was messy as well, but the long sleeved shirt he had on had a huge hole in it, exposing his chest.
"Well, this just won't do!" He said.
He carefully removed the haori and left it on the ground. As for the top, he took it off and left the remaining shredded bits on the ground. He grabbed the white haori and hummed, taking his time to fold it around his arms and chest. It ended up being enough fabric to cover his body, but he had to tuck a portion into his black pants as he didn't want it to hang loose. Using some torn sections of his destroyed top, he tied up his pants a little tighter to make up for the tucked in haori. There was a river nearby, and he walked towards it gazing at his reflection.
The haori was a little baggy, but it would do. He didn't like the feeling of having his chest exposed. He cocked his head to the side a little as he took in his face and hair.
His long, blond hair looked like the flames he created with his sword.
How fitting!
His eyes were a pure gold, glowing color. His pupils were cat-like slits, and the sight of his eyes made him smile. Seeing his teeth made a pit form in his stomach. They looked terribly sharp, and for some reason that made him feel disgusted with himself. The smile he had disappeared immediately, and he decided to try and smile with no teeth going forward.
He picked up his sword, and he looked around, thinking about where he should go.
Without thinking, he breathed in, and a meaty, spicy, lively smell reached the back of his throat. His stomach growled, and his mouth started watering. Instinctively, he started running towards whatever was causing the smell, desperation filling his mind as he realized how ravenous he was. The smell got stronger and stronger as he got closer to the small town. When he got there, he found the source of the smell. Well, it was two sources. A man and a woman were walking through the dark town, speaking, seemingly having a good time.
He was salivating so much now that the fluid dribbled down to his white haori, creating a visible patch of saliva. His first instinct was to go after the woman. Her scent was cleaner, more savory, and it promised a satisfying, wholesome meal. He started squatting, getting ready to jump at the two to take them away.
Kyojuro! A woman said, stopping him.
He didn't move, looking around in confusion. When nothing happened, he growled in frustration and got ready to jump at the pair again.
Wait, Kyojuro! Don't do it!
"Who's there?" He asked the wind, scowling.
…A friend.
"A friend?" He repeated in confusion.
Please, don't hurt her. The voice continued instead of answering his question. The man is evil. If you must eat, then eat him.
He looked at the man, wondering what could be so evil about him.
Don't you see? He wants to hurt her. He will hurt her, if you allow him to. Get him before he gets her.
His stomach growled again, painfully this time, and that was more than enough to convince him to charge towards the man. Just as the man brought out a thin knife, he, Kyojuro, reached out and pulled him back from the woman with great speed. Covering the man's mouth shut, he jumped back into the nearby forest, holding the man down as he tried to fight back. When they were far away enough, he threw the man against a tree, hearing his body crunch from the force he used.
In his frenzy, Kyojuro ran towards his meal and he started tearing him apart with his bare hands. Digging into the flesh, he pulled apart muscle and organs, ignoring the man's screams. The second the hot, bloody tissue touched his tongue, he felt nothing but ecstasy. The taste was heavy and salty, and he smiled as he chewed through muscle and bones.
There was hardly anything left from the man when he was done with him.
Despite that, he was still hungry. In a daze, he grabbed his sword that he had dropped on the ground, and started walking back to the town. A woman with dark hair and a white kimono appeared before him. He gasped, flinching back, bringing his sword out. He held it tightly, waiting for the woman to make a move, but she stood still, her face obscured, unreadable. It was as if she were a painting, and someone spilled water over her face, ensuring that it could no longer be seen.
Do you intend to live this way? She asked.
What an odd question.
"What do you mean?"
Do you wish to stay as a demon?
The word "demon" made his stomach churn. He lowered his sword, looking down at the engravement. Something about the way the woman spoke made him feel like he was being pitied. There was nothing good about being a demon, clearly, and it made him wonder why he was here, and why he even had the sword in the first place if he was one. Despite that, he himself didn't feel evil or wrong. He just… is. He exists. What was so wrong about that?
"I…I don't see why I can't stay this way." He said. He felt like a child that was being chastised.
Kyojuro, the woman started, her tone kinder this time, you were cursed. You used to be human, but a demon made you this way.
"Then I'll need to make the most of it!"
How so?
His next answer came out without hesitation. "I'll keep hunting demons! And, I'll hunt humans that threaten others instead of innocent people!"
Do you think it's the right way?
"Yes! With my strength, I'll protect people. I'll protect them the only way I know how."
The woman stayed silent for a while. It was long enough that Kyojuro assumed she had nothing else to say. Just as he was about to turn around and walk away, she huffed in amusement.
Okay. I believe in you, Kyojuro. Do not let me down. I'll be watching you.
Kyojuro could not hold back a big smile. "I'll do my best!"
He pondered his situation for a brief moment, deciding that it would be best to leave the area and go somewhere else to eat. The less he stays here, the better. He does not want to leave any lasting marks anywhere, considering that his kind were not wanted anywhere. He looked up at the stars and looked for Polaris. Once he managed to locate it, he put his sword back in his sheath and started running in the northern direction.
*
Being a demon was rather…difficult.
The hunger Kyojuro felt consumed him entirely for three months. He couldn't focus on hunting demons, much less try and be around people to question them on suspicious sightings. With that, he would spend his time hunting for humans that he knew had malicious intentions. Oddly enough, there was a rather huge disparity between men and women. Men seemed to brazenly act out or attack more so than women. Women on the other hand seemed to use more underhanded methods to hurt people, which is why they were harder to catch. Mind you, the occasional violent woman did come up in Kyojuro's travels, and he handled them as violently as they treated their victims.
After three months of non-stop hunting throughout Japan, his hunger quelled, and it became easier to manage. He could walk through small towns at night without drooling all over himself, and he could speak to humans well enough. He always had to be careful with how he would present himself to humans, lest he scare them away. His eyes were usually a dead-giveaway, so he usually had to lie on the spot to explain his unusual eyes. Women were always wary of him, which he did not mind. He knew women had every reason to fear a man walking up to them in the dark of the night.
After gathering intel, Kyojuro would hunt the demons that were in the area. A lot of them were pretty weak compared to him so he hardly struggled with getting rid of them. When he wasn't hunting humans or demons, Kyojuro found himself to be aimless. He didn't know what to do with himself most of the time. During the day, he would stay hidden from the sun in whatever isolated area he could find. Whether it was an abandoned home or a small cave, he would sleep until the sun started setting, and then he would be on his way.
At night, when he wasn't busy, he would long for companionship. Kyojuro would watch people, listening to their conversations, wishing he didn't have to stay in the shadows. He always wondered what human food tasted like when he would see people eating at festivals. He wondered what it would be like to get married and have children of his own. He wondered what it would be like to have a family and to have friends.
Kyojuro knew he wasn't alone. The woman that watched him would appear before him from time to time. She didn't say much, but just having someone speak to him, even if it was only a little, would cheer him up. He always had to restrain himself from begging her to stay longer.
One night, he managed to get her name.
It was like every other night. Kyojuro was sitting on top of a hill, holding his knees close to his chest, watching the people in the small town. He wasn't in a good mood, and it seemed like the woman that watched him knew.
This is for the best, Kyojuro.
He couldn't be bothered to look up at her. "I know."
…If I could fix this, I would.
At that, Kyojuro smiled. "I know. Although, I'm not sure why you worry about me. I'm a demon. People like me…don't deserve pity."
Once again, she slipped into silence, and Kyojuro felt like he had done something wrong.
Suddenly, he felt a cold hand move his hair away from his face and behind his ear. He stilled, and then he felt tears forming in his eyes. The woman's actions felt so familiar.
He then remembered a faint memory.
"Kyojuro, did you fall?"
Kyojuro cried, rubbing his cheeks in an attempt to dry his tears. His bloody knees answered for him.
"Oh, my love, it's okay."
The woman cupped his cheeks and then pushed his hair back behind his ear.
"Don't cry now. You're okay."
"Mom…" He mumbled distantly.
Ruka Rengoku.
Kyojuro looked up at the woman. He still couldn't see her face, but he felt a strong attachment towards her, as if he had known her all his life. "I-I'm sorry?"
That's my name.
Don't forget it.
"Ruka Rengoku…" He mused.
Her name sounded familiar too.
Kyojuro, you may be a demon, but I know that you are trying to be good. You're using your strengths to help those that are weak. That's all I need you to do. I don't know if you will ever find someone who will accept you, but as long as you follow this path, you will be okay.
Kyojuro wanted nothing more than to bring the woman into a hug, but he knew that he couldn't. Instead, he nodded, and the woman pulled away.
The loneliness was the worst part of being a demon. Kyojuro would rather be torn apart by one of his kind (which has happened before in his travels) a million times more than go through this for another couple months.
He didn't have to wait months for a miracle.
He only had to wait a week to meet Akaza.
*
There was a town nearby that had rumors of a man that was handling a human trafficking ring. When Kyojuro heard about it, he made sure he was completely starved before making his way over there. If anyone deserves seeing Kyojuro at his worst, it was this criminal who would feel everything Kyojuro had to offer. The town was a few miles away now. The sun would come up in a few hours, so he didn't have much time to narrow down where the leader of the ring was.
If I play my cards right, I may be able to drag him into a cave and eat him there before the sun rises.
His mouth started watering. Kyojuro started thinking about what body part to munch on first once he got his prey.
Perhaps the organs? They taste best when the body is at its warmest…
He then felt a presence behind him.
Instantly, Kyojuro brought his sword out and he sliced at the threat, looking up to see the demon dodging his attack with a back-flip. Kyojuro held his stance, glaring at the pink haired demon that was smiling at him.
"Kyojuro~" The demon started, "is that any way to greet a friend?"
A friend?
This demon didn't look familiar at all. He had dark blue tattoos that wrapped around his pale body, staining his fingers. He wore a sleeveless haori, which barely covered anything, making Kyojuro wonder why he even wore it in the first place. His white pants were baggy, and Kyojuro noticed the pink beads that were wrapped around the demon's ankles. His eyes unnerved Kyojuro the most. The sclera looked like broken blue glass, and his yellow eyes had Kanji written on them.
Upper Moon Three.
Kyojuro didn't know much about the Twelve Kizuki, except that they were exceptionally strong demons that worked closely with the Demon King. In the moments he allowed himself to eavesdrop on demons, they would only briefly mention the Twelve Kizuki before moving on, as if speaking about them was taboo. Kyojuro could see why regular demons seemed so afraid of them. This particular demon radiated strength, and it was possible that Kyojuro could be walking towards his death. Then again, maybe not. This demon seemed to know him, and that was enough to make Kyojuro think he had a chance to get out of this alive.
"I don't believe we've met before." Kyojuro said, keeping his guard up.
The demon's smile dropped. "We have. Don't tell me you've forgotten about me."
"Sorry. As far as I know, you're a stranger."
The demon sighed, staring at Kyojuro for a moment before shrugging. "It's fine. It's probably for the best that you don't remember how we met anyway."
That's suspicious. "Why?"
The demon started approaching him, "I wasn't on my best behavior when we first met."
With every step the demon took, Kyojuro slowly backed away, circling him. The demon followed his movements, a smirk gracing his face. Their little dance continued for only a few moments before the demon launched himself at Kyojuro. Kyojuro only had a second to react, dodging the punch that was aimed at his face. Breathing out, he sliced at the demon, fire blooming from his sword. The demon's arm was cut off, and Kyojuro jumped away, needing to put space between them.
The demon didn't even seem phased. He smiled at Kyojuro, his arm regenerating instantly.
"You've gotten faster." The demon said, the excitement in his voice noticeable.
"We've fought before?" Kyojuro asked.
"Oh, yes~" The demon said, "You're one of the better opponents I've had the pleasure of fighting."
Suddenly, it clicked in Kyojuro's mind. He lowered his sword. "You're…not trying to kill me."
"No. I just want to fight you. Killing you would be a waste. "
Kyojuro tried to search for any lies in the demon's words, but it didn't feel like he was lying. "...What's your name?" Kyojuro could see the demon tremble briefly at the question.
"Akaza." The demon said.
"Well, Akaza, as much as I would like to indulge you, we will have to catch up at a later time. I'm not at my strongest right now."
The disappointment and confusion was clear on Akaza's face "Wait, what?"
"I haven't eaten in some time. Once I eat, we can fight."
"Ugh…really…?"
Kyojuro put his sword away in his sheath, walking towards the town. "I'm sure you can handle waiting a few more hours."
Akaza began following him, catching up to him quickly. "Excuse me? Hours?!"
"I'm looking for a specific human!" Kyojuro started. "Once I eat him, I'm all yours."
A frustrated growl came from Akaza. "I refuse to wait hours for this! I'll help you look for him!"
"Great! Let's get started!"
*
Traveling with Akaza proved to be irritating. It could just be that Kyojuro was starving, but Akaza's "charm" quickly wore out. Akaza would start talking whenever Kyojuro was trying to eavesdrop on a group of suspicious people, and when Kyojuro would point out what he was trying to do, Akaza didn't seem to care. Right now, they were on the roof of a building, tailing after a man that was more than likely associated with his target. The man was approached by a group of men, and they started talking.
"Can't you just eat a random man and get it over with?" Akaza asked.
"No." Kyojuro answered, his tone severe.
"This is taking too long!"
"Then shut up. That would definitely speed up the process."
Akaza sighed, sitting himself next to Kyojuro. Kyojuro started listening to the group of men in the alleyway again.
"Sato-san wants the shipments sent directly to his house, got that?" A man said.
"I know, I know." Another responded, "At the Red Palace, right?"
Red Palace? Kyojuro thought to himself, frowning. The name the men had brought up was the same name he would hear during his initial investigation. Kyojuro stood up and he started walking around the roof, looking around the area. Akaza whistled at him, catching his attention. Akaza was pointing at a large, red mansion in the southern area of the town.
It was an isolated and quiet area; it was a perfect place to commit these sorts of crimes.
"Let's go." Kyojuro told the demon.
"Finally…"
With their speed, it only took a minute to get there.
The area outside of the mansion was empty. There wasn't anyone keeping watch, making Kyojuro wonder how confident his target was to not get caught. It was the middle of the night, so more than likely, his target was sleeping. Kyojuro quickly went towards an open window. Akaza followed right behind him like a shadow, their footsteps silent. Kyojuro slipped in, looking around the hallway to make sure no one was around. Once he knew the coast was clear, he gestured at Akaza, who came in not a second later.
"Now what?" Akaza asked, his eyes clearly showing he was bored.
"I need to confirm my suspicions about this man."
"Meaning…?"
"I want to see if he's holding any victims here."
Akaza looked like he wanted to complain again, so Kyojuro beat him to the punch. "You can leave. No one is making you stay here."
The pink haired demon smiled. "No, no. By all means, continue your work. I'll get what I want by the end of this."
"Suit yourself."
They went through the mansion silently. Kyojuro had expected to see some servants still awake, and sure enough, he saw a few young women wandering the halls with cleaning supplies here and there. Kyojuro didn't pay any mind to them. For all he knew, they could be victims themselves. Eventually, Kyojuro found a room with a false bookshelf. When he forcibly opened it, he found a hallway leading to a basement.
"Ooooooh~!" Akaza said, waving his hands in the air, his face set in an exaggerated look of horror. "So scaryyy~!"
Kyojuro rolled his eyes, "Akaza…"
"Yeah?"
"There might be people suffering down there, and this is how you react?"
"Well, maybe they wouldn't be suffering if they weren't so weak."
Kyojuro couldn't hold back his look of disgust towards the demon. "...You believe they're in here because they're weak?"
Akaza nodded, as if he were talking about the weather. "What else could it be?"
Kyojuro blinked at the man, quelling his rage. He started going downstairs, not wanting to entertain the thoughts of another selfish demon. Why bother? They were going to fight anyway. To Kyojuro's relief, Akaza ended up staying in the room.
At the end of the hallway, there was a door.
The door had multiple locks, which was already suspicious. As soon as Kyojuro broke the door down, he knew he found the right place. There were only women and female children in the room, huddled together. They all stared at Kyojuro in shock as he forced his way in, and a child started crying. One of the women put a hand over the child's mouth, looking up at Kyojuro with pitiful, pleading eyes. Kyojuro could barely focus as his senses were assaulted by the fresh, warm bodies in his presence. He held strong though.
After reassuring them that they were being saved, he led the women and children out of the basement, noticing that Akaza had left the room. He's probably hiding.
He had correctly presumed that the women cleaning the property were victims as well. They left along with the other women and children. Once they disappeared from his line of sight, Kyojuro turned around and he started making his way back into the mansion. The pink haired demon appeared next to him, smiling. "Ready to eat?" Akaza asked, "I found the guy. He's sleeping in his room."
Kyojuro started smiling too, letting his sharp teeth show. "I've been ready."
*
Kyojuro hates this part of himself. It made him wonder if he was cut from the same cloth as the monsters he killed.
Kenzo Sato, the criminal he has been tracking, was trembling and crying beneath him, begging to be let go. Akaza was somewhere in the room, watching Kyojuro with his golden eyes. Kyojuro couldn't focus on him though. He was in the middle of digging his finger in Sato's eye, holding back a huge smile as the man screamed in agony.
"I didn't think you would be the kind to play with your food first." Akaza breathed.
Kyojuro didn't answer, now shoving his hands into the man's mouth. The man tried to bite him, but Kyojuro didn't let him, keeping his mouth wide open.
"You know what's interesting?" Kyojuro started, "People like him, who do nothing but hurt others, always turn out to be the biggest cowards. They always beg, and cry, and some try to bribe me. They always think they're tough shit until someone even worse than them shows up at their doorstep."
Akaza said nothing, but Kyojuro knew he was listening.
He only had to use a little bit of strength to start splitting Sato's head open. Kyojuro moved slowly, dragging out whatever pain the man would feel. "People like that…monsters like that…they are truly weak. They have nothing to offer except pain. What a pitiful existence."
Sato's head was ripped apart, and Kyojuro started eating. A vicious snarl came out of him involuntarily as he started ripping the man apart with his hands. He didn't realize he had let a moan out in delight as he started eating, and everything turned red from there.
At some point, a rag was dragged across his face, removing the blood that had splattered against his skin. Kyojuro had forgotten that Akaza was still there, watching him, and he couldn't be bothered to feel an inkling of shame from his behavior.
"Such a messy eater…" Akaza said, throwing the rag somewhere in the room. "Have you tried the bone marrow?"
Like a drunk man, Kyojuro slowly pulled his attention away from the corpse, looking at Akaza, "Huh?"
"Kyojuro," Akaza gasped, "how can you not know?"
Akaza grabbed a femur, breaking it in half. He put one of the bones against Kyojuro's lips. "Suck it."
Kyojuro did just that, eyes widening at the taste flooding his tongue.
"It's good, huh?" The demon asked him.
Kyojuro nodded. When he had sucked the bone dry, Akaza pulled it out of his mouth with a noisy pop before shoving the other half into his mouth, ignoring the sound of surprise Kyojuro made. Some of the marrow dribbled down his lips and chin, and to Kyojuro's shock, Akaza reached out and wiped it off, only to put the dirty finger in his mouth to suck it clean.
It could be because Kyojuro was almost full, but the fog in his head eased, and he could very clearly see the lust in Akaza's eyes. The bone was pulled out of his mouth again as the revelation sat in his head, the pop vibrating through the room. Akaza didn't look away the entire time, his eyes lingering on Kyojuro's lips.
Kyojuro swallowed, not realizing how much saliva had pooled in his mouth. "...Can…can I have the other—"
Akaza moved quickly, getting the other femur and breaking it.
Again, Akaza stared, and Kyojuro sucked on the bone, feeling like he was the meal. His face burned the entire time, and he wondered what was compelling him to act this way.
"Are you full?" Akaza whispered, leaning away.
When did he get close to me? Kyojuro silently nodded, wiping his own mouth clean.
"Okay, good!"
Akaza reached out and grabbed him by the throat. Kyojuro's gasp of surprise was stopped as his windpipe was crushed by Akaza's grip. Kyojuro struggled as he was lifted in the air, his legs kicking, arms swinging at the demon. Kyojuro was thrown at the wall, crashing through it, landing in the garden outside the mansion. His crushed windpipe regenerated, and he groaned as he stood up, pulling his sword out. Akaza landed near him, grinning.
"Well then?" Akaza asked, getting into his fighting position. "What are we waiting for? Fight me, Kyojuro!"
"Gladly!"
*
Kyojuro lost so many times.
Akaza wouldn't stop until he was on the brink of death, always giving him a moment to collect himself and regenerate his missing body parts before starting a new round. Kyojuro's body could handle the abuse, but it was mentally taxing to go through a near-death experience several times a night. He didn't know what Akaza got out of this, but he seemed happy, ecstatic even.
"Akaza, stop—"
"No!" Akaza smiled while gripping Kyojuro's face in one hand, raising his other hand in the air.
Kyojuro was clawing at Akaza's arm, tearing it apart, but Akaza barely flinched.
"You can handle it Kyojuro." The demon muttered darkly. "I know you can. You're perfect for this."
He then gouged out Kyojuro's right eye. Kyojuro howled in pain as he was dropped to the ground, his other eye leaking angry, humiliated tears. His eye regenerated after a few moments, and he glared at the demon that was admiring the eye he pulled out.
"I like your eyes." Akaza said, fangs gleaming in the moonlight. "Can I keep them?"
"Eat. Shit." Kyojuro spat out, his vitriol oozing out.
Akaza crushed the eyeball, making Kyojuro shudder. "That was rude. I was asking politely, you know? I guess I'll just have to take both eyes by force."
And he did.
And he took so much more afterwards too.
Moments of solace could only be found when the sun rose.
Kyojuro would be so mentally and emotionally drained that he would fall asleep instantly in whatever cave, tree, or abandoned home the two would find. He would wake up to being physically assaulted by the demon as soon as the sun set.
How many days have passed?
He didn't know.
And then, one fateful night, he got the upper hand and he won. It was a miracle, really, and it probably wouldn't have happened had his power not been awakened in him.
Akaza's favorite way to win was to hold Kyojuro down or against something and beat the ever living shit out of him until the sun rose or until he inevitably ripped an organ out, starting a new round once Kyojuro recovered.
This was one of those moments.
His sword was knocked out of his hands, and it was only a few feet away. Kyojuro was struggling against the demon, and he was thrown against a tree, almost knocking it over with the force Akaza used. He panted, trying to catch his breath, only for Akaza to grab him by the throat and hold him against the tree.
In his panic, Kyojuro looked at his sword, reaching out to it.
And then it happened.
The sword started levitating, and then it shot towards the two, impaling them both against the tree through their chests. Akaza was slammed against Kyojuro's body, coughing out blood.
"What the fuck?!" Akaza snarled, "What did you do?!"
Kyojuro was about to answer, but in the distance, he could see the sun beginning to rise. He reached out to Akaza and pulled him into what was, essentially, a very tight hug. Akaza attempted to pull him off, but Kyojuro wouldn't let go. Kyojuro could hear the demon's bones breaking with how hard he was holding on to him.
Akaza turned to look behind him, gasping as he saw the sunlight peeking through the sky. "Kyojuro, let go—"
"No!"
"Are you insane?! You're going to kill us both!"
Kyojuro almost laughed, "I know!"
In the end, he was fulfilling his objective. If he died, so be it.
The sun's rays started hitting them, and Kyojuro felt like he was set on fire. His skin boiled and it started turning to dust.
Akaza let out an enraged scream, forcibly moving them to the side, ripping their bodies off from the sword. Kyojuro felt too weak to do anything except to hold on to the demon that was now running through the forest to find shelter.
They crashed through a small hole in the side of the mountain, leading into a cave.
Akaza laid on top of him, breathing heavily, eventually rolling away when Kyojuro let him go. Kyojuro trembled as his body recovered, the shock of his own actions finally settling into his mind.
"What the fuck, Kyojuro?" Akaza hissed, filling the silence between them. "What were you thinking?! We could have died!"
"We sure would have!"
Akaza gaped at him, "And you're fine with that?"
Kyojuro nodded without hesitating.
"Fucking crazy ass…" The demon muttered.
Kyojuro let silence pass between them, giving Akaza time to calm down.
"Akaza."
"What?"
"...I win."
Akaza's jaw clenched, veins popping and forming across his face.
Kyojuro smiled in response.
*
Kyojuro woke up to the sound of the wind blowing into the cave. By now, he would have Akaza on top of him, demanding a fight while hitting him, but that wasn't happening.
No, for some reason, whatever was happening now was more disturbing.
A brush was going through his hair, and Kyojuro made a noise of confusion as he looked around the cave. His eyes met Akaza's, and he could see the demon holding a large piece of his hair, running the brush through it several times to get the knots out.
"What are you doing?" Kyojuro asked, his voice rough from just waking up.
"Your hair is a mess." The demon answered, irritation evident. "Why is it like this?"
"It might be because I haven't been taking care of myself. I've been too busy…entertaining a certain demon."
The brushing paused, and Akaza didn't say anything. Suddenly, he threw the brush against a wall of the cave, breaking it. He took Kyojuro's hands and forced him up.
"Akaza—"
"We're not fighting."
Kyojuro was flabbergasted. "What?"
Akaza held his hand and led him out of the cave, the moon greeting them with its bright light.
"Where are we going?" Kyojuro asked, pulling his hand away.
Akaza glanced at his now empty hand, then at Kyojuro's hand, frowning. "We're gonna steal a few things."
"...For?"
"We're going to get cleaned up. I need to cut your hair too. There's some knots there that I can't comb out."
Kyojuro looked at the ground, unsure how to feel about Akaza's sudden need to take care of him. "O-okay…"
Akaza started walking, and Kyojuro began following, but then he stopped, remembering what he did with his sword earlier. He held his arm up in the air mentally beckoning his sword to where he was.
As he did this, Akaza turned to look at him. "What are you d—" the demon stopped, eyes widening. He ducked, the sword flying past him and then landing safely in Kyojuro's hand. "Warn me next time, asshole!"
Kyojuro put his trusty sword back into his sheath, smiling. "I have to keep you on your toes somehow!"
"Whatever."
Kyojuro continued to follow Akaza, unsure of where they were headed. Their fights have taken them to random locations, and Kyojuro had been too focused on their battles to figure out where they were. Akaza seemed to know though. They eventually reached what seemed to be a small, isolated inn in the middle of nowhere. A few homes dotted the area here and there, but, for the most part, it was empty. They found a portion of the inn that was empty and they snuck in, quietly making their way to a room. The room had a bed, and a small tub in the corner to fill with water. Small bottles of shampoos and soaps were beside the tub. They took the soaps and shampoos and left the inn. They managed to find some scissors and a new brush in one of the homes as well, running off with the items.
They found a quiet river, and Kyojuro got to work on cleaning his body.
His hair was in terrible condition. Like Akaza had said, there were some knots that simply could not be fixed. Kyojuro made the effort to clean it all, despite knowing some of it would be cut off. When he was done with that, he cleaned his body, using his sharp nails to get any lingering grime and sweat off. Afterwards, he decided to clean his clothes with whatever remaining soaps he had. It wasn't ideal, but he didn't have anything else.
His haori was unrecognizable now. It was heavily stained with whatever horrors Kyojuro encountered, or created, in his travels. It was quite ugly, but he couldn't bear to leave it behind or get rid of it. He put his clothes out to dry on a boulder near the river, and that was when Akaza approached him with the scissors and brush. Kyojuro could see Akaza's pink hair shine, indicating that he had bathed too.
He was also naked.
Nudity isn't an issue, but with the way Akaza looked at him sometimes made Kyojuro wonder if fighting was the only reason he stuck around.
"Stand in the river," Akaza said. "It'll make it easier for me."
Kyojuro didn't have to be told twice. He stepped back in, thankful that the water level went up to his bellybutton. Akaza stood behind him, getting into the water as well. He took pieces of his blond hair, cutting it, letting the hair float away in the flow of the river.
The pink haired demon stopped suddenly. "Huh…interesting…"
"What's interesting?"
"Can you call your sword over?"
Kyojuro frowned. "For what?"
"Humor me, Kyojuro."
Kyojuro sighed, holding his hand out. His trusty sword floated over, and instead of landing in his hand, Akaza grabbed it. Before Kyojuro could ask what he was doing, Akaza grabbed his hair harshly and chopped it all off with his sword. The undignified gasp that came out of him would haunt him for the rest of his days. His hands went straight to his head, "Akaza!"
"Relax! Can't you feel your hair growing?"
"W-what?" Sure enough, when he dug his fingers into his scalp, he could feel the hair quickly growing. It grew until the hair reached his waist. "...Oh!"
Akaza unceremoniously threw his sword near where the boulder was. He then started approaching Kyojuro slowly, grinning. "It seems like a bath was unnecessary…"
Kyojuro stood his ground, clenching his fists, not wanting to let the demon know how he felt.
"Although…" Akaza continued, his voice dropping, "I can't say it was a complete waste of time." He slowly trailed his dark fingers from the blond's chest, to his stomach.
Kyojuro slapped his hand away before it could get any lower, and he could feel his heart pounding. His cheeks felt warm. The attention wasn't unwelcome, per say, but it wasn't any less confusing.
"Ah…so, that's a no then?" Akaza asked, looking like a kicked puppy.
Kyojuro didn't want to say yes or no. "Yes" and "No" are absolutes, and he didn't know what he wanted right now. "You've gouged my eyes out, among other things."
"So?"
"So?" He says, as if that's just something people do to each other for fun.
"...I can't tell what you want from me." Kyojuro said, looking at the water. He was avoiding the golden eyes that peered straight through him.
"You almost killed us," Akaza said, "and I'm still here. Shouldn't that tell you everything?"
"The only thing that tells me is that you're either insane, or lonely."
"Then I'd say we're a match made in heaven."
Kyojuro rolled his eyes, sighing. He didn't budge, still avoiding eye contact. Akaza attempted to get Kyojuro to look at him by trying to get into his line of sight, but the blond demon kept looking away.
This seemed to be working, because Akaza sighed. "Okay…I understand."
The pink haired demon then held his hand out. Kyojuro finally looked at Akaza, uncertain.
"Truce?" Akaza asked in the most genuine tone that Kyojuro has heard from him so far. He looked at the demon's hand again for a moment before reaching out and shaking it before letting go. Akaza smiled widely at Kyojuro as soon as he let go, and Kyojuro almost smiled back. He instead offered a small nod, thinning his lips to keep himself from smiling.
"Are you only calling a truce because you know I'll just kill you next time?" Kyojuro asked, his tone a little lighter now. He started walking towards the edge of the river, Akaza following closely behind.
"Oh, please. You didn't even know you had your sword calling ability. You just got lucky."
The two got out of the water, and Kyojuro went towards his clothes. They were still wet, but it would have to do for now. He put them back on, and by the time he was done, Akaza was completely dressed as well. Kyojuro carefully put his sword away, and as he did so, he felt Akaza grab his hair. Kyojuro didn't move as his hair was put into a high, tight ponytail.
"Thank you!" The blond demon said.
"Don't mention it."
As they walked together, the pink haired demon then wrapped an arm around Kyojuro's shoulders, lowering him a bit to his height. "We're still gonna spar, right?"
"Heh…I wouldn't expect anything less from you."
"Good, because I have a lot of tips to help you improve."
"Improve? I distinctly remember you telling me I was perfect!"
Akaza waved the comment off. "I must have been caught up in the moment!"
"That's not—"
"Anyway, let's find someone to eat, and then we can spar!"
Kyojuro pulled away from Akaza's hold, speed walking ahead of him. "No sparring! Not yet, at least."
He couldn't see Akaza's face, but he could feel his disappointed glare, "Why not?"
"Because, like I mentioned earlier, I've been neglecting my duties! If I'm not going to kill you, then I'll just have to make up whatever time I lost. Speaking of which, how long were we fighting?"
"Three weeks…"
"Then I'll have to hunt demons for the next three weeks!" Kyojuro announced with enthusiasm.
"What?!"
"Let's go!" The blond demon said, smiling at Akaza. He started running through the forest, ignoring Akaza's cries of indignation.