Icy Flames- Rengoku Kyojuro-Demon Slayer/ Kimetsu no Yaiba

65

Sometimes being here reminded me how much of a contrast it was to the south. Into the rich tapestry of blue, comes a woven blanket of hearth-spun grey, a comfort to each soul who dreams upon such icy nights. This place was a time to settle into the slumber of the darkness of dreams, not dreams that spread like wildfire but dreams that churn slowly making a solid from a thick and heavy cream taking time to use every speck of tenderness alive inside to rest in and create new wonders to stir in the soft tissue of your mind and flow through your body settling like heavy, saturated earth in the architecture of your bones bringing your entire body into astonishing rest.

The icy droplets do nothing to break my intense focus ahead in this forest. The ground lay soft with a thick sheet of snow covering it with protection. The ambiance was calm and quiet as it has been for a long while now.

Branches of tall trees barely withstand a load of snow, because from time to time the gushes of icy wind that have swooped up and down the branch and a pile of snow falls down like a small snowfall. Some fell on a certain Hashira that was accompanying me today.

My gaze fell on Kyojuro as he walked beside me, much closer than he had back when he came here to assist me with a mission. This cold night gave him more of a reason to draw closer to me, to feel the natural warmth I was emitting.

A soft sigh escaped my lips, seeing the frosty breath leave my core. Of all the nights I had patrolled, this had to be one of the hardest nights.

"I still wonder if..." Kyojuro asked, "or when you will open up to me, Y/N."

I fully turned my attention towards him to see how his eyes still glimmered like it always did. The way he stated his concern was firm but not aggressive or demanding.

"What else are you hiding from everyone?" He questioned, "The only people who seem to know more about you than anyone are Tengen and Tomioka."

"Fine, you want me to be open," I answered as my eyes narrowed, "Why does your expression change from being gleeful to concentrated when Daisuke makes his presence?"

Kyojuro held his breath at my question and quickly averted his eyes elsewhere. I understood Kyojuro's concerns about not opening up and hiding from him. Months without my presence certainly resulted in him feeling famished for being around me constantly. However, when he saw me, he controlled this curiosity of his but it seems with everything coming to light...his patience was wearing down.

"Well...it's because he is able to achieve something I wish I could make you do," he confessed, "He is able to draw out a smile from you."

Now that piqued my curiosity. I could only stare at him with open concern. This wasn't a side of Kyojuro I didn't even know existed. He was always so happy and boisterous. He must have realized it because his attention snapped back quickly, and his cheeks turned pink.

"I don't know your relationship with him," Kyojuro started with eyes big and innocent, "but the fact he is able to put a smile on your face..."

My heart leaped.

Hm...I stopped walking for a bit for Kyojuro to think about his words and the events between him and Daisuke. Soon the sound of his steps ceased. Ah...I have the answer I was looking for...it was something I had felt around him twice in fact. I knew exactly the feeling he was feeling something so cliché ...he was jealous.

I gave a small smile at the thought of it. I didn't consider that my actions would get him to feel like that considering he was an all-around amiable, pure of heart, and cheerfully eccentric. But if there was something he did achieve it was-

"He may have gotten me to smile," I began, "But you achieved something no man has and will ever obtain, my heart."

The moment those words left my lips I noticed his golden-red eyes widen and his smile turn into the biggest grin that would have even matched the sun compared to the stark dark outing of the night.

"Also, you have been the first guy to get me to genuinely blush because of my feelings and not out of embarrassment like that dunce of a cousin I have known as the Sound Hashira."

"Ah..yes," Kyojuro answered, "I remembered that day..."

The way he said that last phrase sounded as if he was frustrated and for a split second it showed but quickly he covered it.

"You asked for this Kyojuro," I reminded him, "why are you frustrated?"

Kyojuro sighed, "It's not a very flattering thing to admit, but it is probably similar to the feelings I feel towards Daisuke...I was jealous of Tengen. The day I hoped master had declined Tengen's request to have you a part of his mission."

There it is...it was quite comical how jealous we both were towards people around the other...I guess it showed how much we really cared for one another.

"If it brings any solace...then you will be happy to know that those are the same feelings I held when I believed you to be with the love of Hashira. Even more so when you interacted with that woman from the noodle shop."

Soon Kyojuro's eyes widen from my confession as I only turned my head away from his from sheer embarrassment. I knew I promised to protect him ...but was I actually hurting him by not coming to terms with my own emotions.

I needed to resist the urge to do and allow myself to search the deepest corners of my mind to release all curiosity soaking my whole body in vulnerability. I can come to reason that the infinite love I held for this man was creating light that open space up like the stars in the sky. The months of being alone and away from him did bring freedom in silence and allowed me to understand myself and my feelings without words or movements but in the harmony of breath. But being open with him right now, made me feel so vulnerable...and weak...this wasn't something I was trained to feel and was all new to me. Running away from it is for cowards but the fact that I feel like I am hurting him by not allowing myself to be vulnerable...really made me question if this relationship should be more than it is right now.

Calloused hands land on my cheeks directing my gaze toward those honey crimson-rimmed eyes:

"Can I kiss you?" Rengoku whispered.

"Hmm," I answered with a small smile.

He smiled moving forward as my eyes widen at the feeling of soft, gentle, wet lips against my lips.

I wasn't the lightning Hashira, but when Rengoku kissed me, it feel like it was a bolt of lightning running from my lips to my toes. I suddenly felt alive in ways I never had before. This was our second kiss and can tell he was reminding me of his words about being the one to care for me and to love me.

Though my words would never open up to you, my body moved with his kiss, leaning into him. I was opening the walls of my heart and letting him in, brushing back that cold exterior and allowing the warmth of his feelings in. That fire he was emotionally emitting, which all things melted, should harden ice-yet it wasn't.

I pulled away from him. I had to step back from him and breathe, let the oxygen fill my lungs, and stop the dizziness in my head.