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The first time Kyojuro sees Akaza again is during one of his nighttime walks. He immediately recognizes Akaza's presence without even turning around to face him. It feels almost overwhelming being close to him and that's something Kyojuro has never felt before. He would recognize him anywhere, no matter what. Their battle had been exhausting, and all he could hear, among the clashes of his sword against his fists, was Akaza begging him to become a demon so they could fight for eternity. He would never accept becoming a demon, but perhaps fighting against him another time would be thrilling.
"Kyojuro," Akaza greets him with a smile. "It's so nice to see you."
He turns around to gaze at him, and feels his body getting more alert, ready to jump into action. He doesn't seem to have bad intentions, but his body seems to think otherwise. "Here to finish what you started?"
Akaza's gaze seems to be focused on the eye patch Kyojuro is wearing. "No."
"Then why are you here?" Kyojuro asks, his hand holding the hilt of his Nichirin Sword. “If you are not here to kill me, then what are you doing?”
"I picked up your scent," Akaza explains, still smiling, eyes half-lidded as he directs his gaze on Kyojuro's hand. "And I just wanted to see you."
"Why?"
Akaza moves quickly, and in a second, he is close to Kyojuro, too close perhaps. "You can relax," he reassures him with a smile. “Your body is so tense, Kyojuro.”
"Why would I?"
The demon smiles, his eyes focused on Kyojuro’s face, as if he wanted to memorize it. He covers Kyojuro’s hand with his own. "You don't need this. I'm just here to see you, not fight you."
Akaza’s hand feels soft over his, and Kyojuro would never have thought he had such soft hands. He curls his fingers between Kyojuro's for a moment, as if he wanted to hold his sword, or perhaps even his hand.
His hand stays over his for a moment longer, before he breaks the contact with a sly smile.
"Why didn't you kill me?" Kyojuro questions, body relaxing ever so slightly. It’s weird, but he knows that Akaza is telling the truth, so there’s no reason to be tense. “You could have killed me, and you know that.”
The dawn was close, but not enough to be a concern for the demon. It feels like Akaza ran away from him, rather than from the impending sun. Which is a silly thought because why would he run from him? That doesn’t make any sense.
"It would have been a waste, Kyojuro," he says slowly, as if his name was all he wanted to say. “A complete waste.”
The way he pronounces his name is strange. Akaza seems to savor it, as if he could taste it on his lips, even on his tongue. There's also warmth intertwined with it, and Kyojuro doesn't know what it means.
"Why?"
"Because fighting against you was beautiful. The feeling of your sword slashing through my flesh felt thrilling like nothing else," Akaza says languidly. "It felt too good, Kyojuro. Why should I deprive myself of something so beautiful? Why should I deprive my skin of such a delightful sensation? There's no reason, isn't it?”
Kyojuro stares at him, not even trying to put some distance between them. To be honest, Kyojuro felt the same way — it was thrilling fighting against him. He almost longs to feel his sword clashing against his fists over and over again. How thrilling would it be to fight him again?
"You felt the same thing, didn't you?" Akaza questions, moving away from him. “You can be honest with me, Kyojuro.”
"Maybe.”
Akaza laughs. "Maybe? I'll take it, Kyojuro. But it would have been better if you said yes,” he playfully scolds him, eyes half-lidded that seem focused on his lips.
They’re supposed to be enemies, the very existence of Akaza should make Kyojuro’s blood boil. He should kill him, right here and now. It would be a great victory for them, but he can't bring himself to do that. Something is stopping him, even though he can’t put a name to that strange feeling. In any case, Kyojuro prefers not to dwell on the reasons, not now. It would be too much, especially with Akaza so close to him.
"Maybe," he repeats neutrally, shrugging his shoulders as if it didn't matter that much. (But it does matter. It matters a lot and that scares him.)
Akaza stares at him with a triumphant smile, knowing that Kyojuro feels the same, too. He feels impossibly drawn to Kyojuro — to his strength and his presence, which at times feels almost overwhelming. He doesn't remember how the sun felt, but somehow Akaza thinks it would feel like Kyojuro’s presence: warm and nearly blinding like his fighting spirit that burns like a flame. Fighting against him filled his veins with excitement and made his skin burn as if he were exposed to the sun.
“You are so beautiful when you fight, Kyojuro,” he says delightfully. “I want to be kissed by your sword so badly.”
He looks at Akaza for a moment, not knowing what to say. He stares at his yellow eyes, the sclera that looks like cracked glass, and for a moment he's lost in that gaze. There's nothing that urges him to fight — his body completely relaxed as if being in Akaza's presence was nothing to worry about. The only thing that brings him back to reality is the sky above them that is starting to get slightly brighter.
"It's almost dawn," Kyojuro informs him. "If you want to fight me again, you'd better leave."
“Oh, are you worried?” Akaza asks, smiling.
"Just stating a fact, Akaza," he states, shrugging his shoulders.
He sees his lips curling into a smile and his eyes light up. As if hearing Kyojuro saying his name was the most delightful thing that happened tonight.
"What a nice first meeting after our fight, wouldn't you say?" Akaza says almost sweetly.
"I guess."
"I can’t wait to taste your sword again, Kyojuro," Akaza murmurs, before running away.
As weird as it sounds, he already looks forward to seeing him again. The emotions he felt during their brief meeting confuse him, but he doesn't want to think about it too much for now. He would prefer to think about those feelings while fighting against Akaza, as adrenaline pumps into his veins.
Kyojuro starts walking again, and he can't help but feel like there's a bond between him and Akaza. Something that he had never felt before, especially with a demon. It feels strange, Kyojuro thinks, and the fact that he doesn’t know what he truly feels towards Akaza makes things a bit worse.
His heart beats fast as he struggles to keep those confused feelings in check. There’s a storm inside his heart made of conflicted feelings that clash against each other — leaving him almost breathless. It seems like his body is trembling, not because of adrenaline, but for other more profound and conflicting reasons.
Why does he feel so drawn to him? He feels like a moth drawn to the light of a mysterious shadow wearing his face and the shape of his body. That shadow calls his name with Akaza’s voice, almost alluringly, drawing Kyojuro to him. His presence seems to blend so well with his that it is impossible to resist.
Their first meeting smelled like blood, mostly his but also Akaza’s. It was all around them, and all Kyojuro could feel was the agony — his destroyed eye throbbing painfully, and his arms were so weak he could barely raise his sword. He felt like dying, and yet he was alive. But all he can smell now is the fresh night air, and all he can feel is a strange thrill that spreads like wildfire in his body.