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"Don't hold back, Kyoujurou!"
Rengoku's blade swings dangerously close to Akaza's neck, barely a centimetre away from piercing pale skin, but the demon evades it, a fleeting smirk making its appearance before he bounces out of range. Rengoku chooses to not chase after him, breathing heavily, his unoccupied hand clutching a particularly deep wound at his side as he desperately tries to level his head and control his breathing.
"You're wonderful! So injured, yet you can still fight me," Akaza calls out, a delirious lilt lacing his voice.
Barely. Rengoku knows Akaza could kill him in the blink of an eye, if he really wanted to; so why doesn't he? The question plagues Rengoku's mind almost every day.
His knees wobble as he steps backwards, putting some more distance between him and the demon. Akaza springs forward, and fuck, Rengoku's reaction is too slow and sluggish. He only manages to slightly hinder the fist that makes impact with his shoulder, breaking the skin. Blood spills over Akaza's fist, and he smiles adoringly, pulling it back and watching Rengoku fall to his knees, a choked gasp tearing from his throat.
Akaza kneels in front of him, and the concern painted on his features looks genuine -- but Rengoku won't let himself be fooled -- demons don't have empathy. Everybody knows that. "You're pretty damaged, aren't you? Is it time I took you back?"
This happens every time. Every time they fight (which is a common occurrence), Akaza will push Rengoku to his limit, wait for him to be sitting on the fence between life and death, before he suddenly stops. Then, he'll gather the exhausted, pale pillar into his arms and take him to a specific abandoned house in the woods. When Rengoku awakes, he's bandaged up, and upper moon three is nowhere to be seen.
Rengoku shakes his head, his voice a quiet rasp. "No."
"You'd rather die, then? That's unlike you, Kyoujurou. What happened to your strong spirit?" Rengoku shivers at the way his first name rolls off the demon's tongue. His vision is failing him -- the blood loss too much for his body to bear. Akaza reaches forward to catch Rengoku when he falls forward, arms curling around his back. Rengoku stiffens at his cool touch, and he hates the way he yearns for more. It's wrong, all of this -- Akaza's lips against his ear, his hands caressing Rengoku's back.
"I'll take care of you," Akaza whispers, his breath hot on Rengoku's skin.
A tremor runs through Rengoku's body at Akaza's soft tone, accompanied by
the feeling of his mouth on his ear. The temptation to melt into his chest is overwhelming, and shit, shit -- he's not thinking straight.
Akaza is intoxicating, and Rengoku is slowly but steadily falling for his spell.
His vision swims, and Akaza's shoulder becomes a pallid blur -- and Rengoku wants nothing more than release from this confusing nightmare.
He blacks out.
--
When consciousness finds Rengoku again, he's laying on a futon. His eyes flutter open, and he stares at the familiar, dilapidated ceiling. His stomach and shoulder throb, and he winces as he eases himself into a sitting position -- but Akaza has apparently done a thorough job at dressing and bandaging his wounds, because it could be a lot worse.
Rengoku freezes. Speak of the devil.
Or demon, in this case.
Akaza is leaning against the doorframe. He's almost perfect at masking his presence -- Rengoku didn't even sense him before he spotted him. Their eyes meet, and Akaza smiles. "How are you feeling?"
"Why should it concern you?" Rengoku ignores the way his heart skips a beat, and pushes away the warmth that sets in the pit of his stomach. He's angry, and confused -- this is the first time Akaza has been present when Rengoku wakes up.
Akaza pushes off the doorframe and starts to approach. Rengoku's sword is against the wall of the small room, but for some reason he doubts he'll be needing it right now. He comes to a stop a few steps away, and crosses his arms. "Can't you tell I like you, Kyoujurou? I would have killed you by now if I didn't."
Fury bubbles in Rengoku's chest at that, and he furrows his eyebrows, his voice cold and harsh. "You're despicable." For a split second Rengoku thinks he sees hurt flash across Akaza's features -- but it's quickly replaced by his signature smirk -- if it was even there to begin with.
Akaza kneels down and sighs, staring wistfully at Rengoku. "I do all of this," Akaza gestures to Rengoku's bandaged chest and the room around them, "and you still think I'm some cruel, heartless monster? I'm more than that. I'm different to other demons, Kyoujurou. I know how to love."
Rengoku holds Akaza's steady gaze. His smirk has faded, and his eyes are sincere, the light catching on his pretty pink lashes. He's serious. Rengoku is the first to break their eye contact, looking down at his hands in his lap, and trying to ignore the proximity of the demon. "Akaza," Rengoku says, his gaze shifting back to Akaza's eyes. "Yes?"
"What are you trying to accomplish, doing this?"
Akaza hums, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Do I really need to spell it out for you?" He edges closer, invading Kyoujurou's personal space, his voice back to its familiar honey-like drawl. Rengoku can feel his face heat up at the implications. "Like I said, I like you. Is that not enough of a reason to want to protect you? To cherish you? To go to lengths, and danger myself, for your wellbeing? I'm sure you're aware of what Kibutsuji would do if he knew I was letting a pillar live -- let alone helping them."
Although he's been trying to kill Akaza for months, the thought of that makes his throat feel thick. It shocks him that Akaza is risking his life to spend time with him, and at the same time, his chest feels fuzzy, and his heart threatens to burst.
Akaza is just breaths away now, a hand on Rengoku's futon as he leans in, his smile soft and gentle -- and this is all so foreign to Rengoku, because how can a demon act like this? Up until now, he truly believed they were purely cruel beings and nothing more. Maybe, a voice whispers in the back of his head, maybe you were wrong.
"You're precious to me, Kyoujurou. That's why. That's why I'm doing all of this."
Rengoku's heart stops and stutters, and he finds himself swallowing nervously. Conspiring with demons is a crime punishable by death as a demon slayer, no less a pillar. But does he have a choice, really? He can't kill Akaza, no matter how hard he tries, and he also can't deny the way his heart speeds up at the demon's kind words.
All this time it seemed Akaza was toying with him, but does he… genuinely want to have a good relationship with Rengoku?
"Kyoujurou?" Akaza frowns and tilts his head slightly, snapping Rengoku out of his racing thoughts. Rengoku nods, a tiny inclination of his head. "I really do like you."
A wave of emotion crashes through Rengoku, and all common sense shuts down.
Next thing he knows, he's twisting his body to cup Akaza's cheeks, desperately pressing their lips together with a burning passion he didn't even know he had. Akaza responds immediately, looping his arms around Rengoku's neck and turning his head to the side to gain better access to the pillar's mouth. Sharp fangs sink into Rengoku's bottom lip -- deep enough to draw blood, and to coax a gasp out of him, and Akaza takes the opportunity to push his tongue inside his mouth.
Rengoku can't help releasing a muffled noise of pleasure, and Akaza pulls away, his lips still lingering on Rengoku's as he sighs. Rengoku catches his breath, wiping at the saliva and blood smeared at the corner of his mouth. Akaza kisses him again, slower now -- harbouring less fiery desperation, but just as much sincerity. He shuffles closer, still keeping their lips pressed together, until their chests are pressed flush against each other, and he puts his cool hands firmly to Rengoku's hips.
Again they seperate, and the reality of what he's doing is beginning to hit Rengoku -- but Akaza is also risking his life, and Rengoku is beginning to realise he actually doesn't hate him -- not at all. In fact, the love Akaza harbours in his adoring eyes as he stares up from under his lashes makes Rengoku feel exhilarated and ecstatic all at once, his heart reducing to a jumpy mess.
Akaza stares at Rengoku for a little longer, before he leans forward and rests his forehead gently on his shoulder. "Thank you." Akaza's voice shakes a little, and the vulnerability of it both surprises and moves Rengoku, who decides it's safe to pry further. "What for?"
Akaza's grip on Rengoku's hips tightens, and then releases as he wraps him in a hug. "For teaching me to love again…"
Rengoku gets the feeling Akaza has more to say, so he stays quiet.
"It was just admiration at first. Maybe even envy, too. You're amazing, Kyoujurou. You're strong and passionate and kind. Everything that I'm not."
Rengoku pulls back and cups Akaza's face again. "Akaza?"
Akaza hums quietly, avoiding eye contact, looking slightly surprised and shameful at the words he had spouted. Rengoku leans forward and peppers his cheeks and nose in butterfly kisses, relishing in the sound of Akaza's suppressed laughter. Akaza looks at him now.
"I love you too."
An unadulterated, joyful smile spreads across Akaza's face, and Rengoku has never seen him this happy. He returns the bright smile.
They can make this work.