"Hmmmmm… Ha!" Shinobu-san said, as she loudly clapped her hands. Both Akaza and Kyojuro remained unfazed, staring into each other. After a couple of minutes, Shinobu-san tried again, louder and closer. She sighed in disappointment as none of the two flinched. If it weren't for their chests moving as they breathed, you'd think they died looking into each other's eyes! How morbidly romantic, if that really were the case.
It started out innocently, Kyojuro just trying to be friendly. At least, I think he was chatting up Akaza the way he did. It somehow ended with them having a staring match – and they are both quite competitive. It's been thirty minutes since they started and Shinobu-san has been having fun of her own trying to distract them. I just shook my head at them and tried to leave, but they both whined and asked me to stay and watch.
I could not believe these two were just trying to kill each other a couple of nights ago! Of course, I'm relieved there's no more bloodshed but sitting here and watching them stare at each other was boring. They could at least tease and sass each other!
A sudden gust of wind whistled past, causing me to shiver. "Ah! You blinked, Akaza-san!" Exclaimed Shinobu-san prompting me to walk closer to where they all were. Akaza was flushed, already complaining. "Arrrgghhh! There was a breeze!" Kyojuro just laughed, whole-heartedly so. Then he turned to me and beamed proudly.
"Hey!" Akaza waved his hands, "I demand a rematch!" I couldn't help but giggle – he was almost as flushed as his hair, lips pouty and cheeks puffed. He was almost as cute as a puppy – a very dangerous and deadly puppy. Shinobu-san delightfully clapped her hands together, "why don't you two arm wrestle this time? That's more impressive, right Y/N-san" she suggested with a wink.
"Ah! Yes, please. That's much more exciting." At least that's livelier than just watching them stare at each other. Akaza pumped his fist, laughing confidently as he declared "ah, this is going to be easy!"
"Oho, we'll see. I am a Hashira, after all." Right – human against a demon. A Hashira and a former Demon Moon, an Upper-Rank at that. Still, who knows who'll win? It's just arm-wrestling and Kyojuro was able to hold his own in his fight with Akaza the other night. I mean, yes, I intervened but he was still able – oh!
"Ha! You never stood a chance, Kyojuro!" Akaza jumped up to celebrate, pumping his fists to the sky, and even did a silly little dance that I never imagined I'd ever see him do. Jumping and shaking his hips around like a happy child. He then turned to me and proudly spread open his arms – showing off his win as if I wasn't watching. It was adorable, I can't help but beam back at him.
"Ah! Again! I'll win this time, Akaza." Challenged Kyojuro, prompting Akaza to smugly smile before sitting down to play again. I guess it shouldn't come as a surprise when he bested Kyojuro again. And then again. Of course, both of them didn't know when to give up. That was when I decided to head to the kitchen and help out with dinner, Shinobu-san seemingly floating after me.
"Akaza-san sure is strong, isn't he? He is the Upper-Third of the Demon Moons after all. Oh, he was." I nodded in agreement. Akaza was still strong – at least his raw strength was. "Rengoku-san was quite impressive as well, he lasted thirty seconds in that last one. You know he is really strong even amongst us Slayers." She turned to me, a sly kind of expression taking over her face – as if she was up to no good.
"So Y/N-san, what did you think? Which one of them stood out to you?" I tilted my head in confusion. See, I understood what Shinobu-san said. Every word she used I knew. Only the way she was looking at me was confusing – as if the question meant something entirely different.
I decided to set my confusion aside and thought over her question. Stood out to me, huh? Kyojuro was energetic, as usual. The way he smiled proudly was nice – it was nice seeing him carefree like that. But Akaza… he did a little silly dance. I don't think I've ever seen him do something like that before. I don't think I've ever seen him having fun, really. "I'd say Akaza, did. Stood out to me I mean." Thinking about it, my eyes were almost focused only on Akaza earlier.
Shinobu-san nodded, "Hmm, can't say I didn't see that. It's why you ran away with him the other night and why he betrayed Muzan, huh? You like each other." Now that caused me to stop in my tracks. "Li-like each other?"
"Oh my!" She exclaimed before laughing quietly, shaking her head. I suddenly felt small. "It's not like that, Shinobu-san." Her face was still full of mirth, eyes glinting as if she knew something I didn't know. "Tell me, Y/N-san, you have no idea why those two were trying to one-up each other, do you?"
"They were just boys being boys, right?" It was just a fun game, wasn't it? And they both happened to be very competitive. She shook her head, still smiling. "Poor boys." She declared, which I wanted her to elaborate on however we already reached the kitchen.
"One hundred eighteen… one hundred nineteen…"
"Sixty-one… sixty-two… ugh… sixty – sixty-three…"
Trays in hand, Shinobu-san and I returned to see Kyojuro and Akaza having yet another competition. Push-ups this time with Akaza already in the hundreds and was not even breaking a sweat. Kyojuro on the other hand seemed to be having a harder time. Which wasn't surprising considering he was still in recovery. That was also why Shinobu-san put a stop to their new competition and scolded Kyojuro.
Once the humans were done with their dinner, it was time for Akaza's and mine. Kyojuro insisted on accompanying us, with Shinobu-san tagging along. "Shouldn't you be out on patrol now, Kocho?" Asked Kyojuro to which Shinobu-san just hummed and completely ignore.
"That was cleaner than I expected." Shinobu-san said, already walking ahead of us all.
"Was that enough for you?" I quietly asked Akaza, to which he nodded. "I guess my appetite changed since the procedure." Tamayo-san did say there was a chance of that. She also said that Akaza might regain his memories from when he was still human. "I'm glad." This meant no more human flesh and blood. It meant he no longer needed to kill humans.
"Oh! Look at that Y/N-san." Shinobu-san exclaimed before dragging me over to whatever it was that caught her attention. "Wow." I was stunned. My breath hitched in a very loud and ungraceful way but I didn't get to be embarrassed about it as all of our attention was focused on the most beautiful tree I have ever seen. The tree was lit by hundreds of fireflies that I could barely see the leaves. It was magical.
The way the tree was standing tall in the middle of a small clearing only made it stand out more. "This tree is producing pheromones that…" Shinobu-san began to explain, yet I found myself seeking someone else's attention.
"Akaza!" I walked closer to where he stood, "beautiful, isn't it?" He nodded, "it is something." He sounded unamused, yet his eyes were stuck on the tree appreciatively. I could tell he liked it. I nudged him, "Aren't you glad you're still alive to see this?" I turned back to the tree; the whole space was full of flying fireflies by then; flying around us all. It truly was magnificent. "Because I am. I'm really glad and it'd be nice to see and experience more beautiful things with you, Akaza."
His pale cheeks reddened a bit as his eyes drifted from the tree towards my face. He opened his mouth to tell me something but what I heard was Kyojuro calling my name.
"Yes? Oompft!" I turned, only to bump into Kyojuro. He chuckled before stepping back a little and handing me a bouquet of – "branches?" It was more like twigs, actually. "Why are you giving Y/N sticks?" Inquired Akaza as he looked on. I was wondering the same thing when Kyojuro's smile only grew bigger, then he grabbed my hand holding the branches and raised it. "Hold it up like this."
I went along with it and… oh my! "It's like a bouquet of lights!" The fireflies flying near us gravitated toward the branches, and it was like I was holding a miniature of the tree we were just admiring. "Thank you, Kyo-kun! This is beautiful."
"– more beautiful…"
"Say it louder, Akaza-san! At this rate, Rengoku-san will win her over!" I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but Akaza and Shinobu-san were having a very weird conversation which I was dragged into.
"Y/N." Akaza called so I turned to him and see Shinobu-san at his side, her usual smile looking a bit more… intense? Like she was excited to see what would happen. "You're more beautiful than that clump of sticks." He just gave me a compliment, but he sounded like he was asking me for a fight. Shinobu-san audibly slapped the palm of her hand onto her forehead.
Kyojuro loudly agreed with a grunt, "he's right. Though, you look lovelier tonight. You light up brighter than these fireflies when you smile, Y/N." I was still processing what Kyojuro said when Akaza spoke up – and I swear Shinobu-san was whispering things to say as if she was coaching him.
"Well, you look fine – uh, lovely whether you smile or not." Akaza looked so intense, still. Soft words, harsh tone. "Akaza-san, it's not just what you say. How you say it is also important. Try again, and maybe smile a little." Akaza nodded at Shinobu-san before taking a deep breath. "It doesn't matter where or when, or if you're bathed in the light of hundreds of light bugs… I think you're always pretty, even if you're not smiling." He really applied Shinobu-san's advice, with the addition of rosy cheeks and ears.
It was like my heart stopped, but also sped up at his words. He was earnest, and I'm sure he meant every word. I couldn't help but smile at him, and he did the same. His earlier doubts were gone and he's got a gentle smile on his face. It was like a spell was cast over us, and it made me believe for a moment that what Shinobu-san said earlier might be true – that we do like each other.
Sadly, the warmth his words provided was not enough to fight the chill that came over me when a cold gust of wind breezed over us. "Oh! Here." Kyojuro quickly took off his haori and wrapped it over my shoulders, "you need this more than I do, it seems." A frown washed over Akaza, his soft look gone and was replaced by a glare directed at Kyojuro.
"Maybe you should start wearing something other than that tiny vest. You're almost as bad as Shinazugawa-san. You can't offer Y/N-san warmth like that." What Shinobu-san said snapped something within Akaza and with a growl he grabbed me, wrapping his arms around me – wrapping his warmth around me.
I heard Kyojuro chuckle, "Hmm, I see… But you know very well how I don't give up, Akaza." Well, that was something I didn't really understand. Were they still in competition? I didn't really get a chance to ask them as Shinobu-san said, "Round one goes to Akaza-san. Good luck, Rengoku-san." Before running off saying she's off for patrol.
The following days – late afternoons and early evenings, actually – went on like that. Kyojuro and Akaza playing extremely competitive games. Sometimes Inosuke joins in, other times Shinobu-san messes around with them. I think they're both having fun. Sometimes I catch them chatting instead of playing one of their silly games, and they seemed to get along. I even caught them laughing jovially together!
"Mmmm, tea and snacks?" Shinobu-san asked one night as I walked with a tray. "Yes. Though I'm sure this won't be enough for Kyojuro." She laughed and nodded before adding, "yes, especially tonight as they're running around the yard. He'd be hungrier than usual."
"Running around?" Why on earth would they be running around? As if reading my mind, she answered my unspoken question. "They're having another pissing contest." "A what?" Shinobu-san laughed at me like she didn't just say something strange. "They're trying to see who can pee the highest," at the mortified expression on my face, she decided to elaborate. "Not literally of course."
"Oh. The metaphor. I knew that." I guess that answered some of my questions, only leaving the why they're doing this. Were they both just bored? Shinobu-san tuts, "Y/N-san." And called my complete attention. "It's adorable how clueless you were a few nights ago, but now I really feel bad for both of them." She sighed, face becoming serious all of a sudden.
"They're competing for your attention and maybe even affection. I'd been keeping score and it seems to me that Akaza-san's an obvious winner. You can't seem to help yourself, Y/N-san, that you always seek him out. Seriously, whenever you enter a room, your eyes seek him out first. But Rengoku-san doesn't know how to give up, does he?" Oh. Her explanation made a lot of sense.
It's why the winner brags their win to me. I thought that was because I was usually the only audience. I had an inkling this was the case, but I didn't want to assume. And Shinobu-san was right in her observation about my uh… preference. Kyojuro is a wonderful soul, and I love him very much as a friend but… well, Akaza is Akaza. He was who I depended on during what was probably the darkest days of my life. I mean, there were a lot of things I couldn't remember – years' worth of memories – yet Akaza was very clear in my mind. He's special to me.
The two of them were done running around by the time Shinobu-san skipped away from me. They were once again in the middle of a friendly conversation. "What are you talking about?" I finally asked. "How to kill Muzan." Came Akaza's answer. Kyojuro's hand flew to Akaza's shoulder, "I'm still trying to convince him to learn how to wield Nichirin Blades." That makes sense. It's a sure way to kill demons, and since demons can't kill each other Akaza would need it. Though, I can't imagine him swinging a sword.
Akaza scoffed, "I told you Kyojuro, that's not my style." Kyojuro nodded, "Alright, alright." Then turned to me, "I'll teach you Y/N-chan, then!" "Me?" It never crossed my mind, but I could see the benefit of it. "I do see how useful it could be, but I don't think I'd be very good at it."
Kyojuro nodded emphatically before moving closer to me. With an encouraging smile, his hand found mine and guided it close to his waist. "That's only natural. You've never handled a sword before, have you?" Have I? "No. I don't think I've ever touched a sword before." Nodding, Kyojuro continued to guide my hand, "Then I'll teach you. Hold my shaft!"
Akaza decided then to pry me away from Kyojuro, causing me to stumble and I would've fallen over if it weren't for his arm that wrapped around my back. "She's not holding your shaft!" It seemed like Akaza was extremely opposed to me learning how to use a sword – or that Kyojuro wanted to teach me. My conversation with Shinobu-san came back front and center in my head.
I gently laid a hand on Akaza's arm in an attempt to calm him down. "You tried to teach me how to fight before, remember? Maybe I'd be more suited to actually learning how to use my Blood Demon Art, rather than a sword." I gulped as I voiced my decision. He crinkled his nose, "Yours is very similar to Doma." His distaste was very obvious in his face and posture, which Kyojuro didn't miss to comment on.
"Well Akaza, I've seen some techniques used by demons, and if you don't want to help –"
"I'll help her." They stared at each other – a very intense and silent conversation passing over them – before Kyojuro finally nodded. "Right… now that's settled Akaza? Let's go hunting." Kyojuro took a step and I don't know what came over me but I felt that I wanted to be alone with Akaza. Maybe it was their constant competition with each other? Or maybe I really was already making my choice. Ugh! Shinobu-san really knew how to get into people's heads.
"We'll see you tomorrow, Kyo-kun." I said, turning and quickly walking away. Scared of what kind of expression I'd see on his face. I heard Akaza chuckle before telling Kyojuro to go to sleep and then following after me.
Akaza was uncharacteristically cheerful as we walked farther from the Butterfly Estate. He was whistling a tune I didn't recognize, and I caught him looking at me and smiling – because I was stealing glances at him as well.
"You're a little different from what I remember, Akaza." He shrugged, "maybe because I'm free now." He was smiling softly with a far-off look to his eyes. "I didn't know you can be very competitive. Good thing Kyojuro's such a sport, otherwise I'd really feel bad about him losing most of the time." Akaza's lips were suddenly pursed into a pout, and the sight just made me laugh out loud which completely put him in a sour mood."
"Kyojuro's just my friend, you know." He snickered. "I can't wait to tell him." I nudged him, both of us laughing. But my unspoken message was understood – I'm choosing him.
We fell into silence, and it was nice. It was a beautiful night. "You know," Akaza started, voice softer than usual. "I've been remembering some things. Y/N, let's watch some fireworks again. Ah! Deer – you like deer, don't you?" He said before running off to kill our prey. I, on the other hand, was stuck in place thinking when have we ever watched fireworks together?