Chapter Text
It was not a battle. It was a massacre. An annihilation. No demon had a sliver of chance in surviving once they were in Kokushibo's line of sight.
"It's a bit fascinating." Hanae admitted. "I'm glad I risked my life in approaching him."
Juugo pats Tamayo's shoulder.
"All is well, Tamayo-san." It's what Douma would say. "You don't need to feel responsible for our actions."
She nodded.
"Move, people!" Hanae commanded.
"Kokushibo-dono doesn't want to waste much time, and neither should we! We must find Douma-sama at any and all cost!"
There was a chorus of agreement.
"Let's head off!"
"And continue our search for Douma-sama!"
Kokushibo sheathed his sword, "Do any of you know where to start?"
They all halted.
And looked at each other.
"Uhm..."
"Does anyone know where to go?"
Then they huddled together, discussing whether to go left or right. One even suggested they pray to Douma and then spin a stick, proudly telling everyone that they should follow where it was pointed because it'll lead them to their deity.
Kokushibo looks at them, annoyed. But he soon ignored them in favor of searching for demons that may have escaped. There was none, but he can never be too sure.
"Here's a nicely shaped stick..."
"Spin it."
"No, we have to pray first!"
Hanae buried her face on her palms, groaning. "Douma-sama, please help me lengthen my patience for them."
They finished a short prayer and were already starting to spin the stick.
"Oh, for the love of Douma!" Hanae stomped on the stick then hit each and everyone of them on the head. "Don't ruin our temple's reputation with all your stupidity."
Hanae pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. She took notice of her comrades weariness; their strained smiles, pallor, greasy hair, and the dark circles under their eyes.
"I understand that we're tired, that we're fazed... But remember what we had already faced. Are you just gonna leave it up to a stick to find Douma-sama? What about all the effort that we dedicated?"
They all smiled sheepishly.
She signed again.
"And whoever held on to the strands of Douma-sama's hair, please come forward and give it to me. I believe that we can make use of it in order to locate our Master."
There were murmurs, and they began passing something to one another until it reached Hanae.
She held out her hands, and she was handed with a worn out pouch. Gently tugging the strings, she carefully unraveled it and nearly wept when it revealed some strands of platinum gold hair.
It was still covered in blood. But the blood had already dried off.
"Douma-sama..." Someone sobbed.
Kokushibo sniffed the air and drew his attention towards Hanae, and to the thing that she's holding. "Is that...?"
She presented it to him, though a bit reluctantly. "I heard from the legends that demons have a strong sense of smell. And it seems like it isn't a legend anymore."
Kokushibo approached her.
"I had noticed his scent, and thought he'd be here. I thought I missed him, again. But I didn't expect that you'd be carrying a piece of him." Kokushibo pinched the hair, but immediately drew back his hand when he felt a sting. He glared at it, cursing.
"Damn it, Douma. Why are you so difficult."
"... Douma-sama isn't here." One of them cautiously reminded him.
"I know." Said Kokushibo, still glaring at the hair. "And it's infuriating how every part of him affects me, even these small pieces of hair. Why can't he just be obedient for once."
The Eternal Paradise Faith exchanged bewildered glances at each other, a bit baffled and offended with the way Kokushibo speaks about Douma; as if their leader was an unruly child that needed to be pulled by the ear.
"Will this help you track Douma-sama?" Hanae asked.
Kokushibo nodded and took the pouch from Hanae's hands, careful not to touch any part of Douma's DNA. Then he tucked it inside his clothing. "It'll do."
Hanae opened her mouth, wanting to point out that he hadn't even smelled it up close. But she swallowed her words when looked at her.
She awkwardly turned to her comrades, calling out to them. "... Everyone, follow closely! Make sure that you don't fall behind."
"Wait." Tamayo called out, "Hanae-san!"
"What is it, Tamayo-san?"
Tamayo ran towards her and placed a palm on her shoulder. "I have an apprentice that's the best when it comes to tracking, he can help you find this person that you're looking for."
Kokushibo frowned, "You think I'm incompetent?"
"I said no such thing. I am merely offering a better option." Tamayo smiled, "And Yushiro is guaranteed to be trusted."
Kokushibo growled, deep and inhuman, and it sent a frightening chill to crawl beneath their skin. Hanae gulped and watched him wearily.
His hand was resting on the hilt of his sword.
But instead of lashing out, he tossed the pouch to Tamayo.
"Where is this apprentice of yours?"
Tamayo held on to the pouch, "He should be where I told him to go."
——
"Where exactly are we going, Yushiro-kun?"
"Shh!" Yushiro covered Douma's mouth, "Quiet. We're nearing the dungeons, and you're going to alert them."
"—Mmhm." Douma was tempted to bite. He wouldn't. But it's extremely tempting. Hm.
Akaza followed behind them, carrying Kikyo on his left shoulder, and his right hand is wrapped around Douma's arm; roughly leading his headless body, yet careful enough not to wound him. It's warm.
... And it made Douma think of Tadashi.
He thinks of the boy's gentleness, the rough yet careful hands. He thinks of it as much as he thinks of his followers; he wonders about their state of being, given the lack of his presence. He hopes they're doing well. He hopes that Tadashi is doing well.
—He doesn't know how to describe the gnawing sensation inside his chest.
"Stop."
Yushiro warned them, "Something's wrong."
Akaza looked around and dragged Douma's body forward. Kikyo dangles on his shoulder, still unconscious and unaware of everything around her. Douma sort of, wanted, to be in her position. How convenient it must be to simply sleep through all of the chaos surrounding them.
"What is it?" Akaza asked.
A frown settled on Yushiro's face, and there was a far-away look on his eyes, like he was seeing something else. Then he blinked, and he was back with them.
"I no longer sense any presence surrounding the prison where they kept Tamayo-sama. They're all gone."
"Hm?" Douma's words were muffled, and Yushiro stared at him for a moment before unwinding his fingers that were covering Douma's mouth. "Dead?"
"Hopefully." There was bitterness in Yushiro's tone as he pulled Douma's head deeper in his embrace. "But who is powerful enough to eradicate those pests?"
Akaza's eyes searched for Douma, and they immediately linked. Even without any words spoken, they understood.
Someone powerful enough to overpower any other demon? Who else would it be.
Yushiro continues to ponder, "If there was anything they had an advantage on, it's through their numbers. How is it possible for them to just... Vanish."
"Why don't we see it for ourselves, Yushiro-kun?" Douma's lips curved, which was not at all, intentional. But Yushiro seems to absolutely despise his smile, given how hard he glares at him.
Yushiro clicked his tongue, "You don't have to tell me. They kept Tamayo-sama in that dungeon, like she's some criminal! How dare they! I'll make them pay!"
Douma watched as he rages–explicitly describing how he would make every demon suffer for treating Tamayo with anything less than he thinks she deserves–and couldn't help but let out a helpless sigh.
"She's probably still there! Suffering in that gruesome place. Urgh!" Yushiro stomped his feet on the ground, resulting in some dirt flying everywhere. It managed to land on Akaza and Kikyo who couldn't be bothered to dodge, and onto Douma's struggling body that Akaza didn't allow to escape.
Douma watched blankly. He could only watch blankly. He must feel blank too.
If he didn't, then he'd be pulling this demon boy by the ear; just like how he'd seen his followers do to their naughty children.
Oh, he is very much tempted to do it.
But instead, he softened his tone and sweetened it like sugarcane, "Yushiro-kun, you mentioned earlier that we are near the dungeon. It would probably not be wise to scream on top of your lungs and reveal our position."
Yushiro froze, his mouth clamped shut.
And it did something to Douma. Something stirred within. Something akin to satisfaction.
"Better." He whispered, and Yushiro started trembling; whether it's because of anger or embarrassed, he doesn't know. He doesn't ask as Yushiro tightens his hold onto Douma's head, tight enough that he should feel pain but not tight enough to crush his head and inflict further injury.
"Let's go." He said enthusiastically, and Yushiro grumbles under his breath.
"Why should I follow what you say?"
He followed anyways.
They trekked a much more difficult terrain, with thorns and thick vegetation, in order to mask their figures. Yushiro reasoned that it would be more favorable for them to go through there rather than walking through a wide open road where they can easily be spotted.
And the thick musk of the greenery would mask their scent.
Yushiro then proceeded to sniff Douma's hair, much to Akaza's apparent ire. "Though I doubt that it would mask yours, considering how potent it is."
The corner of Douma's lips twitched as he wondered if that was Yushiro's roundabout way of saying that he smells unpleasantly.
He probably does, given the unpleasantries that his head and body had gone through.
"Even under all that mud and grime and blood..." Yushiro continues, burying his nose further in Douma's tangled hair.
"You oddly smell so, so good."
And it all ended with a growl.
Not from Yushiro, but from Akaza.
"Get off of him."
Yushiro straightened his back, "I meant nothing from it. I'm just stating facts. Can't you smell him?"
"I'm not breathing."
Yushiro shrugged and continued to walk forward, gently combing his fingers through Douma's tangled hair. "Tamayo-sama would find you fascinating..."
"In a physician's perspective." He hurriedly adds, keeping his voice low enough that they'd be the only ones who could hear it. "It's puzzling how your blood can do so much damage to a demon. Kibutsuji must favor you."
Favor Douma? Utterly impossible.
Muzan despises him.
"And you look strange, even for a demon. I haven't encountered anyone with eyes like yours."
Demon?
Oh, right.
Isn't it easier to just assume that he'd be a demon. He does seem like a demon, in all but his own knowledge.
"I'm not a demon, Yushiro-kun." He said, wanting to clear up any misunderstandings pertaining to his biology.
He, after all, possesses not one ounce of desire to be a demon.
This caused Yushiro to pause and stare at him, bewildered. Then he scoffed and turned to look at Akaza, like he wanted to see if the other demon was amused by the absurdity of the statement. But he stopped any further movement when he saw no amusement nor humor.
His expression swiftly morphs into horror and disbelief.
"... You're kidding." Yushiro sounds a bit breathless. "There is no absolute way!"
"Shhh!" Douma warned. "Not too loud."
"No way!" Yushiro pulls Douma's head closer to his face, inspecting the flesh where his head and neck should meet. "No way..."
"You should be dead!"
"Tone it down, Yushiro-kun. Aren't you the one who said that we should be quie—"
"Why aren't you questioning this?!" Yushiro pushed Douma's head towards Akaza, but didn't let go. Instead, he tightens his grip even more. "This is an anomaly!"
Douma sighs. "Yushiro-kun."
"This can't be possible." Douma's vision spun as Yushiro fanatically shook his head. As if doing that would answer all his questions and everything would make sense. "Why am I the only one questioning this?"
Ahh, he's really starting to desire Tadashi's company more than ever. The boy was gentle with him, unlike everyone else!
"Yushiro-kun!" He raised his voice and mimicked Akaza's stern expression. "Calm down."
"Calm down?" Yushiro marched forward, "How can I calm down?!"
"This is impossible! If what you said is true, which I still doubt that it is, then you shouldn't be alive. You can't be alive!"
Douma could do nothing but helplessly watch as Yushiro demolished whatever was on his way.
He'd like to silence the demon boy by placing his hands above that blaring mouth, but Akaza held him back.
"Help me out, Akaza-san." His body tried to free himself, but Akaza had wrapped an arm around his waist and wouldn't let go. "Akaza-san!"
At this pace, they would soon be discovered. Sooner than he would like, and sooner than he had calculated.
"Do you have any idea how illogical you are? Your existence is impossible."
'Why were you even born?' He hears a soft voice overlapping with Yushiro, and he couldn't stop the flinch that it caused.
Yushiro didn't notice, but Akaza sure did. There's no way that he wouldn't notice when Douma's body was plastered against his.
Urgh.
'Who was that?'
If he could cover his ears, he would.
Because all the way to the dungeon, Yushiro goes on and on and on. It's a bit of a miracle how no one had intercepted them on their way.
For a brief moment, he wished that someone had. But when does his wish ever come true.
The gods are lukewarm to those who play god; for love is outrageous, and hate is undeserving.
"I don't feel any presence at all." Akaza remarked, scrutinizing the crumbling dungeon. He entered the wide-open gate, tightening his hold around Douma's waist.
Yushiro had gone quiet, following behind Akaza. Douma noted that he was holding his breath.
Douma stops himself from breathing too, once they had fully entered and he had a whiff of something utterly rotten.