The Demon Queen

Muzan's Return

Demons didn't need sleep, but we preferred the luxury of having it. Sleep was a calming relaxation that also served as a method to trick us into believing that the period of daylight was over sooner. However, this time it wasn't the daylight that was passed over, but the night itself. At least that was how it worked for Kokushibou, who slept like dead weight under the influence of all the sake he drank.

For me, his snoring was keeping me awake. It immediately made me miss the tranquility of sharing a futon with Muzan. But for some reason, I didn't bring myself to get up and move. Kokushibou was so vulnerable when he was asleep. It was almost precious, and the sight of his face with all six of his eyes closed was cute, too. After some hours passed, his snoring grew quieter and I was able to get some rest.

When I woke up, Kokushibou was still asleep, but one of his eyes was randomly open. It was looking straight at me and it startled me for a second. My body jumped a little, snapping Kokushibou awake. All of his eyes popped open and he bore his fangs as if about to rip apart an enemy.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

He stared at me while he took the time to sense that there was no danger in our surroundings.

"Stop staring at me," I said.

Kokushibou closed all of his eyes and slowly opened them again. He relaxed his mouth and rubbed his forehead.

"Don't tell me you've got a hangover like some human."

Kokushibou sat up and let out a loud, deep yawn. He stretched his arms up and behind his back.

I lay there watching him with blank eyes.

He gets weirder and weirder ...

Kokushibou looked at me. A small smile was on his face. "You look well," he said. He grabbed my arm and pulled me up to a sitting position. "Come on. Get up!"

I sighed, rubbing my arm. "What's got you in such a good mood?"

He just smiled at me.

"That booze must still be in your body or something."

"Not at all. I was never drunk."

He's got to be kidding.

"This futon Douma has is very comfortable," Kokushibou said. "Usually at the Castle, I was sleeping in spurts sitting up outside of yours and Muzan's wing."

"That can't be healthy, spending 500 years' worth of daylight sitting on the floor against the wall." I rolled my eyes. "No wonder you turned into an old man so fast."

"Ha. Ha. The old man again. Well, you'd know more than anyone that a demon's body doesn't become stiff and brittle like that."

"I mean mentally. Mentally, it's like some crazy monk training that you do until you're 80 years old and die."

Kokushibou stared at me.

"Oh right, sorry, I guess," I said. "You were going to be sent to be a monk after Yoriichi surpassed you, right? I think you told me that at one time." I scratched my head. "I think you told me that when we were drinking this time around, too."

He rolled his top set of eyes. "If you don't mind, ti's not something that I need to be reminded of."

I snickered a little at the sight.

"Are some of these eyes acting up on their own again?"

"Yup."

Kokushibou scowled. He put one hand over his top set of eyes and his other hand over his lower set and his nose.