Chapter Text
Ever since an alternative to human flesh was found, demons and humans have been coexisting. The past of the two species is violent, festering a lingering hatred that has still not lessened even after two centuries of the substitute.
Demons have evolved to not need flesh anymore, animal meat is more than enough. Their old bloodlust has lessened to a suppressed thought, most don't feel the urges at all.
However, they're still predators. Stronger, faster, more durable than humans. Always have been. The divide is clear, yet many try to look past it. Tolerance is shown by polite smiles and hidden whispers.
The sound of Senjuro's phone alarm makes his already pained head throb even more. He lets out a groan as he reaches and fumbles with the device, silencing the noise. It's his first day of eighth grade, and he's been dreading it.
His body is telling him to sleep more, the tossing and turning from the night before making him more tired than usual. It takes Senjuro a couple of minutes to force himself off the sweet embrace of his mattress, slowly rolling off and onto the tatami floor. He yawns and stretches his arms over his head, feeling the satisfying pops in his joints. To clear his sleepy vision the boy blinks a bunch, now able to see the clean path he made the night before in his room to his bathroom.
The summer was spent worrying over domestic chores and his summer homework, which he had only finished the night before, leading him to not take proper care of himself or his room. He stumbles over to the connecting bathroom in his large room, slowly and gently shutting the door behind him. He turns to look into the mirror and is met with the sight of dark circles under his eyes and messy hair. He sighs softly.
Senjuro is a shy teenager. He's struggled to connect with his peers due to his innate introvert-ness and troubled home life, often leading him to be picked on for how quiet he is. One of his only friends in his grade, Muichiro, shares no classes with him this year.
Just what he needed.
Senjuro wets his hands to fix his unruly hair, tying the golden locks in the back into a familiar ponytail. Once he finishes that he prepares his toothbrush, scrubbing with haste to make it out of the house before his father wakes up.
His mind zones out as he stares at his reflection from the comfortable yet stressful morning routine. He's nervous, if it wasn't obvious by the shaking of his hands, making his brushing jittery. He likes school and learning, he just hates the social aspects of it. Senjuro finds it daunting trying to befriend someone who has no interest in him from the start. Even with the help of his aniue who tries to get him and select students to talk, it never goes anywhere. The only thing really said is the comment he hears from everyone, "You look exactly like Rengoku-sensei!"
Oh, his aniue, how Senjuro misses him so much. He wishes he could live with him in his apartment, but his father won't allow it, insisting the estate is better fit for a growing boy like him.
He finishes his routine rather quickly, driven by the want to get the day over with already. His newly groomed self rushes back into his room, throwing on his academy uniform and making sure his tie isn't tied incorrectly as to not get dress coded by Tomioka-sensei.
He grabs his phone off of his nightstand, checking the time. 6:45, a little later than he liked to be finished due to his slow start of the morning.
He quickly books it down the hallway from his room, keeping his footsteps soft in the grand hallway to not make much noise. He almost turns into the kitchen before hearing a stir from his father's room. He retracts from entering, instead turning to leave the house immediately.
The walk to the train station is uncomfortable. It rained the night before so the humidity is higher than usual, making the five minute walk grueling. The station itself is another nightmare. It's crowded, loud and busy. People commuting to work and school following memorized paths to their train platforms. Senjuro gets swept into the flow, following the line of other students to platform 4 for the train to Higashiyama.
He finds a pole to lean on while waiting for the train, his eyes darting around at the other students waiting on the platform. He notices that there's more demons around this year.
The Kimetsu Academy, the school Senjuro has been attending since first grade, has been around for almost 100 years. It houses students from kindergarten up to senior year of high school, separated by buildings for differing school levels. It also boasts the fact of being the first school in Japan to allow both demon and human students in, making the change in 1970.
To enter students have to take an entrance exam, adjusted depending on what year a student tries to enter.
His train of thought is broken as his train pulls into the station, the intercom announcing the arrival of the train as he files into the cart.
He manages to snag a seat on the edge, moving his bag from his shoulder to his lap. His hands play with the strap of his bag as he surveys the people around him.
Some adults in suits, some tourists, some elderly, and some students. A couple of students have the same uniform on as him, recognizing them from previous years. He doesn't say hi, turning his gaze to his bag.
The train became even more crowded by the time he made it to his stop at Shichijo, pushing through the crowd with quiet excuse me's. He fumbles to grab his suica card before making it to the gate to not hold up the flow of people. He hates being that guy.
It doesn't take him long to reach his school. Tomioka nods at Senjuro as he passes through the front gate, his eyes hard as he surveys the students' uniforms. Once inside the building, Senjuro pulls his printed out schedule to double check where his first period is.
He's there early enough to avoid the large first day crowds, so the walk to his classroom isn't difficult. There's a couple of other middle schoolers in the hallway but he's not more than slight acquaintances with any of them.
His home room classroom is quiet, filled only with the whispers of conversing students who've also arrived early. Senjuro can already feel his pulse quicken. He also hates choosing seats.
Sitting in the back is where the louder kids sit, and he prefers to avoid them. He definitely is going to choose a seat on the edges of the room. He'd rather sit with only one person by his side, not surrounded by them. Sitting in the front would put him in clear view of everyone. What if he sits weird? What if his fidgeting will elicit more teasing from his peers? He'd rather not find out.
He shakes his head slightly, forcing himself out of his thoughts. He's been standing like a deer in headlights thinking about this for too long, he doesn't want to look dumb.
In the end Senjuro chooses a seat in the middle next to the wall. The overthinking amounted to nothing as he chose the same seat he always does each year.
This year his home room is larger. The desks are more spaced out, giving the students more breathing room. The windows are larger to let in more light, but a mesh blind is pulled over the glass so the sun doesn't hurt the demons in the room.
With his seat claimed he sets his bag down next to his feet as he tries to get comfortable. He glances at the clock. 7:45, school starts at 8. He slumps in his seat.
The sound of Senjuro putting papers into his binder is overpowered by the now loud conversations in the room. First day of the semester, everyone is excited to be sharing a home room with their friends and catching up about what they did over the summer.
Senjuro glances around the classroom, seeing if he recognizes anyone if he's ever in the dire situation of forced group work. He knows most of the people in the room, but he's not close to any of them.
One thing he can't help but notice is the amount of demons in the room. It's more than last year. He's not afraid, but his mind can't help but linger on the thought.
No- Senjuro stop. He scolds to himself, sighing as his hands start to fidget again, picking at the vulnerable skin. Only 2 more minutes until school starts.
The teacher for the class finally comes into the room, setting her bag down under her desk and briefly looking at her attendance sheets.
"Okay, everyone find a seat!" She calls out in a sweet but stern voice. All of the students who haven't sat down yet scramble to an open desk, quieting down quickly.
The silence comforts the shy boy, feeling better now that school has started. The routine lessons and assignments are things he looks forward to.
Before his teacher can speak more, a knock comes from the classroom door. The class all turn to the door, curious to see who's late.
The teacher sighs, calmly walking to the door and opening it to let the student inside. "Why, hello there. What's your name?"
Senjuro's heart skips a beat at the sight of the student who comes in. The boy- no, demon- has such a striking appearance. Milky white skin and hair that highlights the red, circular markings on his face. His hair looks thick, curling in to frame his face. His light blue eyes are surrounded by blood red sclera and thick eyelashes naturally colored teal. He's skinny, almost malnourished looking. Senjuro's never seen a demon look so weak.
The demon mumbles something too low for his ears to pick up, a deep rumble Senjuro did not expect from someone who looks like that.
"... Ah, Ayaki Rui, correct?" The teacher repeats, nodding slightly as she glances at her attendance sheet to check he's in the class. "I assume you're new?"
Rui nods.
She chuckles lightly. "The school layout is confusing, right?" She jokes, getting no response from the demon who just stares. "... Right." She hums, choosing to ignore Rui's silence. "Choose any open seat."
She motions to the few seats left without someone sitting there. One being open in front of the golden haired boy.
The demon thinks for a moment before slowly walking to a seat, his footsteps barely heard over the hushed whispers. His hard eyes barely glance at the human behind him before sliding into the seat.
Senjuro's teacher introduces herself as Mrs. Hoshino, cheerfully talking about herself to start the day in a good mood. Her words go in one ear and out the other, Senjuro's eyes locked on the demon that sat in front of him. He sighs, trying to ignore the boy and instead focus on his teacher.
"... turn to the person behind you for an icebreaker!"
Senjuro blinks. His heart thumps in his stomach, frozen in place as the demon in front of him turns in his chair. Senjuro almost crumbles from the weight of Rui's stare, a flash of fear running down his body and lingering.
His rational side leaves as his mind parrots what his father has told him all his life. "Demons are dangerous, they feel no empathy." "They won't hesitate to hurt you." "They'll eat you alive."
A pained growl from his stomach takes Senjuro out of his terrible thoughts, still lingering even with the reminder of him not eating. He hopes his internal dilemma isn't obvious to his demonic peer. The human's attempts to push his father's words out are futile, his mind overwhelmed by the fear instilled by his supposed guardian. He knows it's wrong, but it's hard to forget something you've been taught since you were young.
It doesn't help how Rui is looking at him. Piercing into his soul as if he can read the turmoil in Senjuro's head like an unfinished manuscript. He's felt he's never been the worst at deciphering how people are feeling, yet this demon leaves him clueless.
Dull eyes, lips set in a straight pout, no color to be seen on his face, it feels like he's losing a staring contest with an antique doll.
He waits for the demon to speak first, seeing the possibility of him avoiding the awkward first introduction growing slimmer and slimmer. They're the only two not talking to each other. How embarrassing.
It takes Senjuro a couple seconds and looking away from Rui’s eyes to build up the spine to speak, his voice a quiet quiver.
"... W-What's your name?"