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

Chapter 14 | Quarrel in the trees

After a total of thirty minutes your mind finally stands still. Your thoughts were circling like a carousel. Whether you do the right thing or not, whether Rengoku would forgive you or not, whether you should have made a different bet with Doma or not. On top of that you felt pressured by Akaza who sure is watching you from his hideout.
All of those scenarios suddenly don't matter anymore.

The happier you are now when the noises around you get into your focus. When you start hearing the crickets walk on the mossy ground you almost snap out of your trance due to your joy.

A few moments later you hear someone breathing apart from you. It mixes with the wind and is difficult to distinguish. A certain smell you know from your pillow floods your nose a moment later.
Akaza's mark is all over the forest. Everything he touched formed into an intangible trail no human could ever notice if not by meditating.

The only thing that definitely is physical is him breathing. You try to find the source of it but whenever you concentrate too much - when you think too much - you snap out of the meditation.
It's difficult to completely let go. Not to think. Not to want. To just accept and observe.

The sound of Akaza inhaling crisp air returns into the radius of your perception. It's source is above you. Farther away than you thought possible.
Did he climb up a hill?

Having thought too much the noise disappears again. You want to scream out of frustration and struggle to maintain your calmness.
That's why you never tried meditating further. You just don't have the patience for that kind of stuff.

It takes a long moment for you to fall back into the trance and for the sound to reappear. This time it's louder than before and you can even hear a chuckle from the same direction.
Then something else catches your attention. Slightly of course.

Feet dashing over the ground coming your way. They are far away, way too far for you to notice normally. It's not like you can hear them. Some part of you feels the newcomer.
You wait a bit longer. Maybe it is going elsewhere.

The noise of Akaza breathing gets louder in synchrony with the steps. Whoever is running there seems to have a goal. And it comes closer.

Not fixing on anything in particular everything around you gets somehow noticable. Nature's influences get so strong that you have to distract yourself for a while just to remember who you are.
Meditating sure is scary.

By now the pairs of feet got company. Two being are running into your direction and it will only take them another ten minutes to cross your way. They are unfamiliar to you but this could still mean that you have seen them before or the other way around. You just haven't spoken to whoever they are.

You decide not to cross their ways in case they smell Akaza on you. You have no clue whether Doma was right about that but you can't risk it. Maybe they are just normal humans playing tag ... in the middle of the night.
But their speed is abnormal.
Seconds before they reach the pond you interrupt your meditation and quickly climb up a tree nearby. You jump from branch to branch into higher areas.

On a big branch in the highest tree blended into his surrounding sits a certain demon, legs crossed, also meditating. Whether he sees you coming or not he doesn't stirr. His back is pressed against the tree trunk and the branch is wide enough for at least two children.

Why you're hiding next to Akaza is a riddle you don't want to solve now. For now you just need to be out of sight for the strangers and declare that you found Akaza.

You land in front of him and put a finger to your lips as he opens one eye. His posture is proud and strong. Calmness radiates from his gaze which almost makes him look harmless.

Akaza's gaze drops to your lips and you can see the temptation dancing in his eye the second he understands what you want.
A smirk follows.
NO!, you think.

The unfaithful demon parts his lips and you immediately mouth the words No, please.
Not meditating anymore you can just guess how long it will take for the newcomers to pass by.

The moment prolongs in which Akaza and you just stare at each other high up in the trees. Deep into each other's eyes.
Something about it is exciting.
It's rebellious. And you start to like that.

"If you're waiting for the demon slayer babies to pass by", Akaza whispers, "they can't hear us here."

You want to slap him.
Your expression seems to convey that too.
Can't he just shut up?!

"What? It's not my fault they were coming this way", he adds louder.

"No but I have to make sure they don't find me because I'll be in trouble then. Therefore it would be so so nice of you to just shut up for as long as I tell you", you snap.

Akaza perfectly ignores your tone.
"Those were no big deal. I'm sure they don't even know how to use their katanas", he says and shrugs his shoulders.
"Anyway why is it so terrible if they saw you down there meditating? You'd have less to explain than if they found you up here."

"I smell like you!?", you remind him.

"No human is able to smell that", Akaza claims and closes his eyes again.

"Ugh, whatever."

A moment of silence follows.

"I know there's another reason", Akaza murmurs, not interrupting his meditation.

Yes, he's right. Not only would it be extremely suspicious if someone found you meditating in a forest when demons are indeed awake. You'd also have to explain why you suddenly started meditating even though you asked for a break. Because meditation is part of training.
And you're not so stupid to trust Akaza of not showing up next to you just to ruin your life some more. Hence it's better to be by his side where he can't surprise you.

"You know a lot of things, don't you?", you ask sarcastically.

You feel Akaza's calmness fade a little.

"Apart from your childish behavior I should congratulate you for finding me", he says dryly.

For a brief moment you feel proud about that until Akaza opens his mouth again with a smug grin.
"Looks like I'm a better mentor."

You stare down at him.
"Fuck you. Honestly fuck you."

Unexpectedly Akaza's grin fades. His eyes open and narrow in a way that forces dread to creep along your bones.
You may regret that insult but you won't take it back. You're tired of Akaza's comments on your mentor.

"You know pretty well how not to talk to me, love", Akaza says with a feral voice.

You grimace at the pet name. You don't know what rides you but suddenly you feel way too comfortable. Way too stupid and naive.

"So that's how it's gonna be?? You insult everything I adored and me, don't take me seriously, threaten me, make fun of me and then expect me to show up to your training?! Why should I come here? Why do you insist on training me? Can't you just kill me and live on? I don't understand this. Your behavior, your everything", you yell.

Hopefully the demon slayers don't hear you.

In case Akaza is shocked he hides it well.
He purses his lips, opens them and shuts them again. His eyes dart from your left eye to your right eye.
Then he rises to his full size and crosses his arms. His dark blue stripes squirm along his skin with every movement of him.
"You're not really expecting an answer, are you? I am a demon-"

"THAT'S A FUCKING EXCUSE", you interrupt.

"Nah ah, that's a reason. And yes you're right, my behavior is strange if you're the one judging it. However if you were me you'd see that what I'm doing is indeed for a purpose."

"Which is?", you ask with an annoyed tone.

"None of your business."

"Oh my goooood. That's - you're so fucking tiresome."
You turn your back to him and scan the nearby trees to find the fastest way down. Akaza is outrageous. And you can use your time better than to waste it to him.

"And yet you learned how to properly meditate and let go of everything that wrenches your heart", Akaza utters calmly.