Chapter Text
Breathe in…
And out…
Don’t let the beast win.
“Rengoku-san?”
Said Flame Hashira turns his head to the boy sitting next to him. His burgundy eyes are filled with expectancy and hope and questions.
What did he ask again? I’m too distracted. I have to focus.
“So, do you know anything about the dance?” Tanjiro asks hesitantly again.
Right, the Hinokami Kagura.
“I would certainly tell you! But I’m afraid I have not heard of that dance, not once! I applaud your father, though, for adapting that kagura for battle! Truly commendable!”
His words make Tanjiro deflate, leading Kyojuro to wonder if there was anything he could offer the boy to make him feel better.
“Do not worry, though! I will make you my tsuguko! I will look after you!”
Tanjiro deadpans, “Maybe later!”
The flame haired man closes his dual toned eyes, feeling Tanjiro’s kind eyes on him. After a moment he looks away again, burgundy finding the wood brown of the box.
He mentally grimaces once the weight of the young slayer’s gaze is lifted, wanting so badly to clutch at his throat. To do something to soothe the-
No. Focus on the mission. Focus on keeping everyone safe.
I can’t let the beast win now.
The beast was winning.
Kyojuro fights it kicking and screaming all with a blazing smile on his face, congratulating Tanjiro for closing the wound he received in the gut with his breathing, telling him to rest easy. The boy thanks him.
The small pocket of peace is shattered when a booming crash behind him rattles the earth. The Flame Hashira turns all too eagerly to the newest arrival to the crash of the Mugen Train, the temptation of a fight burning at his heart and blood. His hand comes to rest on the handle of his bright red blade, the heaviest presence he’s ever felt resting on his shoulders.
Eyes of broken, blue glass, golden citrine and obsidian black catch his fiery gaze first. Short, dark sakura pink hair and thick navy blue lines on pale gray register in next, along with a short haori made of a dirty magenta fabric. Loose, baggy white pants is held up with a cyan rope, large pink pearls encircling his ankles.
Kyojuro grips the sword’s handle tighter, the obsidian kanji for “Upper Three” glaring at him.
The demon’s eyes narrow, his lithe form flashing forward with an ease only demons can achieve. An inked fist rushes forward, ready to smash in Tanjiro’s skull.
Kyojuro’s reaction time is faster, unsheathing his infernal blade with curls of yellow and orange flames dancing off the bright red metal, slicing through the demon’s arm all in the same second.
The demon’s pale body leaps back gracefully two times, landing gently on his feet on the third. His split arm twists in two ways before slamming back together in a spray of blood, the skin knitting itself back together neatly.
His regeneration time is almost instantaneously.
The beast inside roars in tune with Kyojuro’s raging spirit, both of them angered by the demon’s attempt on Tanjiro’s young life. Angered that he would go after a wounded person first.
“That’s a fine sword.” The upper moon praises, bringing his wrist up and licking away the drops of blood there.
“Why would you go after a wounded person rather than me?” Kyojuro demands, clenching his teeth together so hard he swears he hears them crack.
“I thought he’d get in the way of our…chitchat, is all.”
“What is it that you’d like to discuss? While this is our first time meeting, I already dislike you.”
“Be that as it may, I have an offer for you: become a demon.”
Rage sings through Kyojuro’s veins at the offer, “I will not become a demon!”
“Then, you’re name?”
His answer is almost a snarl.
“I am the Flame Hashira. Kyojuro Rengoku.”
The demon’s lips curl into a malicious smile, “I am Akaza.”
The beast strains against Kyojuro’s mental and physical barriers, roaring to be released into the night. The Hashira barely holds it back, knowing he has to get Tanjiro to safety before he lets himself lose control.
Akaza opens his mouth again to speak, but Kyojuro cuts him off.
“Before I listen to anything else you have to say, at least let me get this boy to safety.”
Golden eyes narrow again, but the demon gestures away from his body with a grin, “Go ahead, I was wanting you being alone anyways.”
I’m counting on being alone, too. More than you know.
He’s lucky the boy with the boar’s head runs out from behind the capsized train, dead blue eyes boring into his flame ones.
“Ah! Young boar, great timing. Help young Kamado to the others. I don’t want either of you interfering in this fight.”
The boar headed boy looks at Akaza, every inch of his self seeming to freeze once he does. The boy’s sharp instincts are what stop him from arguing with the Hashira, kneeling beside Tanjiro and slinging one of his friend’s arms around his neck. It’s only once both are out of sight that Kyojuro turns back to the pink haired demon.
“Now will you listen to me?” Akaza asks, his grin returning.
“If only to get you to be quiet, demon.”
The grin on his pale lips widens, “I can see you’d be a good challenge. You’re spirit is like a tempered, quality steel, sharpened to a fine point.”
Kyojuro feels his eyes widen.
Did he just say-?
“Become a demon, Kyojuro. That way we can spar together for the rest of eternity.”
Kyojuro feels his brows furrow together, barely keeping the raging beast under his skin from breaking loose from the second offer. The second insult.
As if I’m not already immortal. Can’t he sense my true presence if he can see my battle spirit?
His heart then drops to his stomach at the thought before blinding fury encases his being. It envelopes his heart with it’s burning passion, setting his soul ablaze.
Even if…that still doesn’t excuse his atrocities as a demon. He needs to pay for the lives he’s taken.
“I have told you once before: I will not become a demon!”
“How sad. If you won’t become a demon, I guess I’ll just have to kill you then.” The demon’s foot moves to raise.
“Of course…”
The demon stills in his movement, studying the Hashira.
“Don’t you want to fight me at full strength?”
Citrine eyes widen, glowing brightly at the anticipation of a brilliant fight.
“You’re not at your full strength?”
“Yes. For me to be at full strength, I would need to replenish my energy. Will you allow me to eat?”
The demon’s eye twitches once he processes Kyojuro’s words, an annoyed look crossing over his features. He should have seen that coming.
It doesn’t matter if he agrees or not. I still have to-
Stop thinking about it!
“Fine, I can see you’re serious about the matter.” Akaza scoffs, “I’d rather have you at full strength than weakened with hunger.”
Kyojuro lets his eyelids fall close over his eyes, a breath of relief leaving his lungs. The beast rushes to fill the void, breathing life back into his body. A sweet, tangy aroma swirls through his respiratory, saliva pooling in his mouth at the delicious scent. Fire gathers in his throat, scorching him from the inside out till all he is is smoldering embers.
He slides his blade carefully back in it’s scabbard, his clawed hand feeling the wrapped handle before falling limply to his side. His eyes reopen, blazing a bright crimson with bloodlust.
The scent of fear permeates the air, the demon’s already pale complexion paling to a dull white. Beads of sweat appear on his brow as he takes a subconscious step back.
Kyojuro’s head tilts slightly at the action, his haori rustling as he moves to charge at the demon. He’s only a blur of dark brown, white and red against the dark backdrop of the night, claws reaching for the other.
Akaza unfreezes from his fearful stupor, kicking off from the ground so hard that he leaves a crater. His eyes glow a bright gold as he lands on the line between the forest and the train crash.
“What the-? What the hell are you?! How did you hide your presence from me so well?!”
The terror in the demon’s voice is clear as crystal. He’s obviously never been chased by a being such as Kyojuro.
Never been prey to a creature such as Kyojuro.
A brilliant smile splits Kyojuro’s lips, twin fangs glinting in the low light from the coming dawn. He turns toward the demon, taking another stride toward his pale form.
It turns into a full blown chase as Akaza turns, racing away into the false safety of the forest. Kyojuro’s smile fades, sighing exasperatedly. His crimson eyes are cold as he gazes into the dark forest.
“Fine. Have it your way, then.”
Acres of ground fly away under his feet as he follows the demon’s scent. He bounds easily after the demon, quickly catching sight of his pale form flashing between the trees.
Citrine catch crimson, and panic bolts through those glass eyes. Akaza leaps up toward the treetops, hands grasping a trunk and tearing the poor tree, roots and all, from the ground. The tree is sent hurtling toward Kyojuro, a victorious grin on pale lips.
The Flame Hashira screeches to a halt, holding out a hand. He catches the tree with a force that makes the wood shriek under his fingers, wood giving out and splintering into his hand. The victorious grin melts off the upper moon demon’s face as Kyojuro drops the tree, the poor thing groaning as it falls to the forest floor with a earth shaking thud.
The demon lands on the forest floor in a crouching position, gold eyes widening in shock. The sound of his heartbeat speeds up, his pulse fluttering wildly against the thin wall of skin around his neck. The mere sight of it reignites Kyojuro’s throat with flame, a beastly snarl tearing it’s way out of his parched throat.
Kyojuro leaps toward Akaza, his clawed hand catching onto the dirty magenta fabric of his haori. It tears off easily as Akaza pushes off from the ground again in a frantic panic, skipping off deeper into the forest as droplets of blood splatter to the dirt.
Another blazing breath of fresh blood swirls into his nose, and insanity floods through his veins.
Drugged on the scent of Akaza’s blood, Kyojuro gives chase once again, renewed exhilaration of the hunt pumping through his being. It carries him through the forest so fast he feels as if he’s running on air.
He throws his body back as another tree flies at him, the wood sailing above his face by centimeters. His body is upright in the next second, pushing his legs to carry him to his prey faster.
The rotten and oily smell of the upper rank demon has been nearly overtaken with the sour scent of fear, replacing it almost entirely. That fear makes the beast snarl with delight. It’s giddy with joy that he’s made Upper Three, the fourth most powerful demon in the world, so afraid that he’s running.
Kyojuro pauses in his pursuit when he doesn’t see or smell Akaza, whipping his head around in search of the demon. There’s no way he just disappeared into thin air.
An irritated growl escapes him. Dammit!
The scent returns in force from behind, Kyojuro flicking out of the way of a pale, inked fist. His hand flashes toward the presented wrist, his claws digging into gray-blue flesh, dark blood spilling past his finger tips and onto the dirt below.
The scent of ambrosia hits his nose once again, the line between sanity and insanity disappearing into a blazing inferno. The demon is spun in the Hashira’s grip, forced to face his captor.
Akaza can’t help but look into those ice cold crimson eyes, a terrible chill slipping down each vertebrae in his spine. A shiver of fear rushes over his skin as if someone poured ice cold water over him.
A mocking, fanged smile settles on Kyojuro’s lips as he stares into Akaza’s terrified golden eyes, “I thought you wanted me at full strength.”
The demon doesn’t answer him, all his chattiness from earlier now gone.
Kyojuro’s free hand comes up and grips upper three’s pink hair, pulling his head off to the side to have access to his neck. Before he even lowers his head to bite, the demon’s survival instincts kick in once again, one of his inked hands bunching into a fist and taking a swing at Kyojuro’s head.
The Hashira ducks backwards, clawing his hand through pink hair, through Akaza’s head. Clumps of dark sakura hair and blood go flying, the fresh scent driving Kyojuro mad once again.
Filled with reawakened desperation and his thirst for blood clawing at his throat, Kyojuro slams the demon into the tree behind him. The tree groans at the force, the wood caving under the weight of the two beings pressing into it.
A blood warmed hand captures ice colored wrists, trapping them between the tree and Akaza’s back. Another warm hand buries itself into dark sakura pink again, gripping it so tightly blood beads from the skin underneath.
Akaza knows that he’s trembling violently with fear, and as much as he desperately wants to stop the quaking of his body, he can’t. He’s never felt this strong of fear in the presence of the only three demons that are stronger than him.
But…
This man…. this creature , terrifies him half to death with his deadly show of strength, with his raging, blood-crazed battle spirit. He can see that if this creature wanted to kill him, right here and now, he would be dead. No questions asked. His own power is a grain of sand compared to this demon-like creature.
The warning growl that comes from the Hashira freezes every cell in Akaza’s body. Cold, blood red eyes pierce his soul through his eyes and pin it to his undead yet frantically beating, fluttering heart. Those frightening eyes make Akaza long for the normal human he saw minutes before, back at the train. The one with a warm, cozy and strong campfire for a soul.
Not this…monster with the tattered, raging soul that reminds him too much of himself when he flies into a frenzy.
Kyojuro’s lips part, his elongated, dagger sharp fangs flashing as they are displayed once again. Fear wraps it’s fingers around Akaza’s throat, constricting his breathing as the Hashira leans down, choking him as the other’s teeth near the left side of his neck. Akaza feels his heart rupture and regenerate from the fear alone as hot breath brushes against his fluttering pulse.
Then pain thunders through his neck, through his veins and into his body -
A scream penetrates the silence of the peaceful forest.
Pain had always been a foreign concept to Akaza, but this-
This is a thousand times worse than whatever Muzan could put him through. It pulses through his veins as if someone injected him with liquid sunshine, drowning out the aching pain in his throat where Kyojuro’s fangs are. Drowning out any sense Akaza has.
A name is ripped from between his lungs, where his heart rests as tears spill down his cheeks.
“KOYUKI!”
The world goes black with the distant sound of a breaking chain ringing in Akaza’s ears.
Who is…Koyuki?
That’s the question that’s been on Kyojuro’s mind.
He heard the demon cry out the name while he fed, the smell of fear and desperation strong in the air before it faded as the demon lost consciousness. The oily and rotten smell that smothered the demon’s true scent also lifted once he fell unconscious.
Now the demon smells like a mixture of sweetness and coldness, like blooming sakura and fresh snow.
(Kyojuro has to say it’s an improvement.)
…it doesn’t explain why his scent changed, or why his cried out the name “Koyuki”.
I suppose it doesn’t matter. It’s time to dispose of this demon.
He draws his infernal sword, holding the bright red blade to the upper moon’s neck. He watches the tears on the demon’s face for a moment, a pitying feeling squirming from his heart to his chest.
The low groan that escapes the demon gives Kyojuro reason to pause. Reason to prolong the demon’s decapitation.
An inked tipped hand raises to rub at his noosed neck, over the area the Flame Hashira bit. Golden citrine moons open slowly, dark sakura hair swaying as the demon shakes his head. Those eyes lift to Kyojuro’s flaming amber ones, a gasp hitching in the Hashira’s throat.
Kanji no longer mar the demon’s eyes, his eyes clear of the dark brush strokes that had marked him as “Upper Moon Three”.
Akaza’s citrine gold-dark sapphire eyes widen with fear, bright red nails clawing at the ground as he forces his body to move. Away from the creature who’s power frightens him so.
Away from the creature that somehow… somehow, freed him of the curse that was Muzan Kibutsuji.