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A gust of wind as legs dashed through the crowded forest floor caused leaves to twirl through the air, the sounds of twigs snapping and crunching with each rushed step while a steadied breath tried to keep itself under control. Vox had found himself in a bit of a panic, one moment he was casually strolling through the streets and the next, he was being tracked down by a certain purple-haired man.
For once, he was caught by surprise.
Normally, assassination attempts were foreseeable for the demon. He could sense when the danger was near and slyly avoid the attack while managing to escape his threat with grace and ease, but today was different. No sense of threat had been detected. Vox hadn’t expected to see him today.
And who was he?
Shoto.
Little is known about this demon slayer to Vox’s knowledge, and his previous attempts on his life had been rather lackluster. It was almost as if he’d have a bit of a tango with the man for fun before slipping off into the sidelines and leaving the assassin in the dark, leaving him craving more of a fight to simply taunt him. And that’s how their interactions would usually go, Shoto would come off as more playful, an innocent dog playing a game of pretend with his owner with a smug comment from the demon before he vanished.
Today, it seems Shoto was done playing his games though, and Vox should have known that when he had gotten a glimpse of Shoto’s expression, dark and full of a mysterious aura. Face stiffened into a tough expression, and it was all warning signs that the attempt on Vox’s life today was no longer a game of cat and mouse to him. Throwing Vox off his groove in the moment, Shoto wouldn’t even entertain him with a moment to make a comment or taunt him.
Footsteps were closing in on Vox, he could feel an intense gaze burning into him, seering into the back of his head as if the assassin were a turret locking its coordinates onto him with a precise attack. And within a blink of an eye, the fight or flight filled Vox’s senses as he darted his head to the side, narrowly avoiding a blow that could have easily become fatal for him. A swift movement on his feet and Vox was facing Shoto, eyes wearily moving in on the slayer’s hand, wanting to be aware of any sudden movements the man in front of him could suddenly burst out into.
Vox’s heart was pounding out of his chest, an actual sense of danger was filling him and the adrenaline that pumped throughout his body was… exciting in a way?
Call him crazy, but for once, Vox found himself enjoying this way more than usual. It wasn’t their usual dance of toying with one another until they found themselves bored, this was a real challenge. The power and intensity behind each one of Shoto’s attacks, there was actual desperation every single swing, slash, and blow that he attempted to land on the demon.
For a moment, there was a tinge of respect towards his own enemy, impressed by his willingness to fight and not hold back anymore.
Yet that did not let Vox falter in that moment at all, intensely staring down Shoto as the pair circled around one another, “What’s with the seriousness today, darling? Honestly, it’s quite cute you think you have a chance. Do you genuinely think today is the day you take me down?” Vox finally managed to get a snarky comment out, as if he wanted to taunt the already provoked demon slayer even more.
“Because today is the day, darling.” Not even an ounce of hesitation in Shoto’s typically soft voice, Vox couldn’t even get a flustered reaction out of him, and that only lit the lightbulb in his mind on how deadset the demon slayer was on finally ending the life of a demon. Shoto’s eyes flickered about on Vox’s every step, stalking him with barely-contained fury, the grip on his dagger tightening to the point that the whites of his knuckles were visible to Vox.
Dodge.
A snarl of frustration filled the air as the demon was charged at by Shoto, swiftly side-stepped by Vox, able to feel the air whistle near his ear as the blade sliced through it. It took a moment for the ebony haired man to process that the weapon had actually managed to graze him ever so slightly, the fabric on the chest of his shirt sliced through. Shoto had aimed straight for the heart.
Grinning wickedly, Vox was intoxicated by the rush that was his life being that close to ending so suddenly. Energy to fight for his life coursing through his veins, giving him a second breath to recharge and strike back to fight with even more determination, fueling him with more power than ever before. Shoto’s desperation to end his life only made him stronger. Never wanting these fights to end, Vox had no intention to harm or kill the demon slayer. As if this was something he needed to survive, what gave him a purpose in life, Vox knew he needed Shoto alive.
Another attack was attempted to be landed on the demon, stuffing his hands into his pockets as his expression was relaxed, adding a sense of smugness to his person as he once again avoided the harsh blow as if it were nothing. Angering Shoto more, he moved in blindly to start slashing wildly in a fit of flustered frustration, allowing Vox a chance to dart away and begin to find a route of escape for today. Running along the footing of the forest floor, the demon went off the path as he gathered an idea, aiming straight for a cliff.
With a sudden burst of speed, Vox leaped off of the cliff, plummeting down towards the ground. Knowing that he could easily survive the fall, and that was only if he hadn’t caught himself and landed smoothly when he did eventually hit the ground. But for now, all Vox had to do was allow himself to free-fall into his freedom, eyes landing on the area he just jumped from as he could see Shoto peeking over the cliff before disappearing behind the edge. Giving the demon a sense of security that he could make his escape while Shoto tried desperately to find his way down, once again leaving his little friend in a scrambled, flustered panic like always.
However Shoto dared to take a risk, following right after his target as he jumped right off of the cliff to plunge towards Vox. As if the adrenaline that rushed through his mind had him forgetting his own morality compared to Vox, seeing them as equal and he was putting himself in no danger by diving. His intentions were that blinding.
Seeing Shoto leap right after him had time slowing down around Vox, forgetting that he himself was also falling down in sync with Shoto. His eyes widening as the opportunity to take a full look over the man, breathless as the way the moonlight hit over Shoto, the haloing effect that surrounded him, the sight alone could be an artwork in a museum. How the light poured over him, painting the man in a surreal surrounding, his skin had a subtle glow from the sweat that accumulated during their chase, gracefully creating a glowing effect on him that made Shoto appear angelic almost, the golden jewelry around his neck and accents on his jacket only added to such an appearance, complementing his milky skin. Despite the intensity of the scene before, Shoto’s expression was relaxed, suggesting a level of control he had in the situation that Vox couldn’t help but admire.
Eyes that were supposed to be of murderous attempt locked onto Vox, shunned in the dark with a swirl of star-like highlights that mixed in the gorgeous shade of purple his eyes were, framed by the strands of violet hair that danced along in the wind gracefully. Vox felt his throat tighten as his mouth gaped in awe, finding himself becoming entirely entranced by the captivating presence that the demon slayer had. Everything about him was seemingly otherworldly, convincing Vox in the moment that he was staring at a celestial being, not a human. How their eyes locked, it sent a shiver down his spine.
Reality had snapped right back to the demon as the sound of the air whooshing rushed in his ears, alarming him that he was indeed in a rather dangerous situation and had no room for any misstep that could lead to error. Even with that knowledge in his mind, how the alarms went off in his head, he didn’t calculate his footing on time and found himself stumbling and falling back onto the ground, vulnerable for Shoto’s chance to finally strike. This could be the end, and Vox oddly felt at peace with that thought in the moment, something in him was wrong for such a thought to be acceptable to him. Yellow eyes darting up at the demon slayer, who had safely tumbled and stood over him now.
The blade of his dagger ghosted along his neck, tracing over his throat slowly before the tip of it was used to guide the demon’s chin up. Shoto’s expression curled into amusement, staring down at the man.
“Honestly, it’s quite cute you thought you had a chance.”
The mocking tone of his own words being thrown back into his face, Vox felt his heart pounding as his breath hitched. However, Shoto stepped away after a moment, as if he felt successful enough for the day by simply pinning down the demon. As if he knew Vox wouldn’t do anything to him, having the demon wrapped around his finger. Dusting off his blade with his sleeve as he glanced back at the demon who laid there in complete awe, sheathing his weapon. Clicking his tongue as he turned his heel, pausing to say one last thing before he made his leave.
“It’s no fun when you put up no fight with me, it seems you’ve given up for today. Same time next week, babe?”
The sentence alone sparked excitement in Vox, left so vulnerable that he was left flustered for once by the demon slayer and Shoto definitely knew that. He left Vox’s heart a wreck, his thoughts clouded with the desire for another encounter with the demon slayer. Sitting himself up barely, still winded by the fall, he gave out a hearty yet low chuckle. Firmly calling out to him as he watched Shoto walk off into the distance.
“Same time next week indeed, my love.”
Fuck, was he in love with that man…