𝕃𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕟𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥 // Akaza x reader (+18)

Chapter 6 | A night for two

The night stretches for an eternity and for the first time in your life you embrace it. Being almost invisible in the darkness leaves you the shame of seeing yourself. No one can see you like that. At least no one you care about. Only the nightly predators and demons will notice you.

Enveloped in trees you start your journey back home.
You again start to weep. Out of embarrassment and shame.
All your life it has been an honor to call yourself a part of the demon slayer corps. Now it scares you. Now you just want to be alone without any responsibilities and not face the consequences of the lie Akaza intentionally or unintentionally created.

You want to hide like a snail in its house and turn your back on reality, only seeing darkness and spin tales of your own.

Soon you come across a pond in the middle of the forest. Fireflies ignite as you step through the tall, moist grass to take in the view. The full moon mirrors on the surface of the pond and envelopes the place in muddy light. Cicadas hum loudly and move in the grass.

A flat rock reaches over the pond and you decide to climb it. Exhausted and sad you take a seat at the front of it and pull your knees up to your chin. Then you wrap your arms around your knees and prop your chin onto your arm. Huddled up you stare at the water surface waiting for it to help you out of your miserable situation.

The wind sends goosebumps along your skin but you don't stirr. You don't sleep either. All you do is sit and stare with a blank mind.

You can't even flinch when a certain being lands on the opposite side of the pond and stares at you with its yellow gleaming eyes.

Your gaze is fixed on the pond and the fireflies which aren't bothered by the demon's appearance. Somehow the cicadas are neither.

"I've seen worse in the dōjōs but you're pretty close to that", the demon's voice echoes to you.

You don't lift your gaze. You don't grab your katana. It betrayed you more than once. It won't help you. Nothing will.

Akaza doesn't move closer.
"Normally a demon slayer would either run from me or challenge me", he continues and squats. The chains around his ankles jingle with the movement.

By squatting down his eyes are now perfectly aligned with your gaze.
The numbers etched into his irises now are your fix points. Their shine catches your gaze completely and almost draws you to them.

"Why are you here?", you ask tiredly, not letting go of Akaza's shining eyes.
Have they always been so bright?

He smiles. Not wickedly.
"I could ask you the same. After all I am the one who wakes at night and lives his best life while you humans are asleep."

You look at Akaza. Actually look not just stare. Taking in his blue stripes that grew more familiar to you than you'd like to. His predator-like eyes still gleam yet he somehow doesn't look as evil as usual. Of course he doesn't look normal either but he seems ... soft.
His lips are a thin line but the edges of his mouth are slightly curved upwards.

"Leave me alone", you murmur with a shaky voice, "please."
You tilt your head to the side as if you were sleeping and close your eyes, hoping to not witness another misfortune this demons always brings upon you. Maybe this time it will be your death.
Whatever it will be, let it happen quickly.

For a few moments the noises of the forest and the night ring in your ears and almost sing you to sleep like a lullaby. Only the footsteps, too silent for a normal human hearing, are amiss. A lot closer now Akaza's voice fills the peaceful night.
"I offer you something", he begins and you immediately are wide awake. But you're not giving yourself away and keep your eyes closed as if you wouldn't listen to Akaza's lying tongue.

You shouldn't be doing this anyway. You shouldn't give a demon the chance to offer you something. You shouldn't give a demon the chance to walk freely around you as if you were one of them.

"We'll meet here every night and you get the chance to fight me. In exchange you won't tell any other demon slayer, including the Hashiras and Kagaya,  about my whereabouts or this offer", Akaza says loudly.
His voice is too close, you could grasp it if you reached out your arm. The usual cold that shadows Akaza doesn't reach you though.

You stay silent and crooked for another minute. Then you open your eyes and stretch your legs extensively.
Akaza returned to his spot on the other side of the pond. Joy and treachery dances in his gaze.

"Why would you do that? And why would I accept", you respond and let your feet dangle over the water surface. The dark liquid is only inches apart from you.

If anyone saw you like that ...

Akaza crosses his arms in front of his chest which causes his muscles to flex.
"As for questions number one: I have my own reasons. You don't have to know them", he explains and grins widely. His pointed teeth greet you with a warning.
"The second question is for you to answer."

You raise your eyebrows in an aloof way.
Do you really want to play games with Akaza now?

"I don't need a demon to train an ex-Hashira student. Especially not the demon who caused my mentor to die", you spat and pierce Akaza with a disgusted gaze.

Akaza's reflection on the water stirrs.
"You know very well that I am as strong as your mentor. Even stronger. If you want to gain your status as flame Hashira I am the one who is able to help you", Akaza continues without a second thought.
The fact that he even tries to persuade the student of the man he killed to train with him is shameful enough.

You hiss and rise. There's no need to stay here and listen to Akaza's bullshit. You've heard enough to decline.

Akaza's eyes follow your every movement but he stays where he is. Unnaturally.

"You know I am right. And you know where you can find me, starting tomorrow", Akaza comments one last time and bows theatrically.

You're about to insult him when his figure vanishes into the arms of the night without leaving a trail. As always.
Annoyed doesn't describe your condition well enough. You're pissed. More than pissed. This peace of shit dares to make you an offer to train you. As if you would need the help of a demon. As if another Hashira couldn't help you.

You fight the thoughts circling in your mind. The possibility that you might not get help from another Hashira after what you did. The possibility to never be able to fight a demon ever again.

You shudder.
You should go home. And think.