Akio studied the man standing before him, running the back of his blade through his pale blue hair to detangle the strands. A frown touched Akio's lips as he met the man's cold stare, his dark blue eyes warped with disgust. The man's stoic features were unwavering, his hands grasping his sword tightly. He seemed on edge, analyzing every possible outcome as he tried to determine his next move. Unfortunately for him, this interaction would be quite different from his typical meetings with demons. Akio could sense the power radiating from him and he had no interest in fighting a Hashira today.

"Really sorry for taking your prey. You're going to have to be quicker if you want to keep up." He teased, flicking his arms as his blades melded into his skin, his tattooed palms and fingers taking shape. He stretched his fingers out, wiggling them in the early morning breeze. He had cut it close with this one, risking his own demise to finish the job. He had to be more careful. If the sun didn't kill him, Rieko would figure out a way to. She'd probably have Inosuke do it, or at least attempt to.

"What are you?" The man growled, his voice cutting right through Akio's heart. He was soft-spoken, his voice almost gentle, yet twisted by his tone. He seemed disgusted by Akio's mere existence, and while he couldn't necessarily blame him, it still hurt. He didn't choose this life. To make it worse, he recognized that voice, but he couldn't place where he had met this man before.

"That's a bit rude. I'm not an inanimate object." He puffed his cheeks out, dropping off the edge of the balcony he was resting on. The man pulled his gaze away, huffing. Akio frowned, glancing down at his outfit. His shirt was in tatters from the fight, but his black and gray haori maintained his modesty just fine. What was this guy's problem? He tightened the band, securing his haori in place.

"You're just something that needs to be disposed of." He retorted and Akio rolled his eyes.

"Listen, I've had a long night doing your job for you. Go to your next location and please just leave me alone." He turned from him, narrowing his eyes at the sky. He had even less time before the sun rose now, so he had to make himself scarce.

"There's still one more monster."

"Is that anyway to thank the person who took care of a group of demons before they could feast on a village? I saved your ass. If I wasn't here, those demons would have had an all you can eat buffet." He growled, his shoulders tense.

"I'm going to finish the job." The man raised his blade higher.

"Do your ears need to be cleaned out? I already finished the job for you." He snapped, his fists clenching. In a blink, the man was gone. He reappeared in front of Akio, blade ready to strike his throat. Akio ducked, his hand shifting into a mallet before slamming up in the man's stomach. He was only stunned for a second before he was attacking again. This time, Akio could see the water attack circling his blade. He had water breathing. Akio could work with that. This man was quick, quicker than anyone he had fought prior, but he could keep up. He tossed his body backwards, flipping until he was far enough away from him. Or at least, he thought he was. This man didn't hesitate to follow, his speed increasingly difficult to keep up with. Scythes formed below his elbows, his skin hardening. Akio met every one of his attacks, never lunging to strike one of his own until the sword was mere centimeters from his throat. He swung with all the force he could muster, using both of his blades. He snapped the sword in half, the blade shattering. The man lunged forward anyway, not letting the shortened blade hinder him. Akio spun, jamming his hands together so they melded into a staff. He launched himself forward, smacking the man right in the forehead with it. The man stumbled a few steps back, frustration clear on his features.

"You're Giyu Tomioka, the Water Hashira, aren't you?" The man's whole body tensed in response.

"That's none-"

"Yeah, none of my business. You're the slayer who saved Nezuko and Tanjiro. You vouched for her and put your life on the line to support her. Why'd you do that? It doesn't really seem like your style." He inquired. The staff dissipated as his hands took shape once again.

"How do you know about that?"

"You're the talk of the demon world, hotshot. We all know what happened and that Tanjiro is on a suicide mission to kill Kibutsuji and change Nezuko back into a human. It's admirable, but foolish. Oh, and don't even get me started on the kid with the boar head. He demanded that I fight him and I almost decapitated him. He's a complete lunatic." Inosuke. He was still bitter about Rieko's feelings for him, but he couldn't focus on that right now.

"You've…met them?" His shoulders relaxed slightly, blade lowering.

"We've crossed paths a few times. I've tried to help Nezuko learn to control her hunger more so she doesn't need that stupid bamboo muzzle that you made for her. I think she's almost there. Then there's that anxious one that's in love with her. I thought he was going to shit his pants when we met." He laughed before fixing his gaze on Giyu. "You know, Tanjiro always speaks so highly of you, but I don't see it. You didn't even give me a chance to explain myself." Giyu cursed under his breath, turning to the side, away from Akio.

"Nezuko has a reason to fight her natural urges. What's your reason?" He supposed it was a fair question.

"Spite." He spoke simply and shrugged. Of course now he has Rieko and the others to keep him going, but spite is what made him who he is today.

"Spite?" Giyu seemed perplexed, glancing over his shoulder at him.

"My idiot sister turned me into a demon after Kibutsuji had turned her. She wanted us to serve that creep together, slaughtering villages and eating as many humans as we could." He crossed his arms over his chest. "She was a fool. I'm my own master. I will never serve Kibutsuji or my sister. Therefore, I kill our kind out of spite. They're just puppets. They all sicken me." He growled, gaze narrowing. Nezuko was the first demon he had met who shared his lifestyle. While Nezuko recovered by sleeping, he recovered in the moonlight. The pair were mysteries in their own ways, and Lady Tamayo had been studying both of them over the years.

"What's your name?" Giyu was focused on him and he sighed. At least he seemed more relaxed and less likely to slice his head off.

"Akio. I've been a demon for four years now. I live with a human in a village not far from here. She could sense I was a demon since the day we met and she helps me blend in with the humans. I met Yushiro and Lady Tamayo a few months after I was turned into a monster. They had escaped Kibutsuji's influence and they helped me become stronger and learn more about the demon world. A year later, I crossed paths with Nezuko. She was intrigued by my presence and asked me to style her hair like mine, so I did. That seemed to put the entire group at ease and we spoke about my past without a single sword being raised. Well, besides Inosuke's swords when he asked to fight me. Tanjiro's sword was shattered and he let me take a small piece to use in my own blades. Once I absorb a material, my body can replicate it. I can fabricate demon slaying scythes on both of my arms." He flicked his arms out to demonstrate, the black metal covering his limbs as his skin and muscle melded into the shape of a scythe before the blade faded in color to a silver-blue. "This is how I'm able to kill demons. I promise, I'm on your side. I'm not a threat to any humans, just demons." He flicked his arms again, the metal retreating into his body as his hands and fingers took shape. Giyu simply stared at him, no expression on his face. His gaze was curious though and Akio could work with that. "I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have. I'm not asking for your trust. I'm just asking you to let me continue on with my hunts."

"You will never have my trust." Giyu muttered, sliding his sword into its sheath and turning his back towards him. That was when Akio noticed his tattered haori, stained with his own blood as it oozed from his shoulder. Blood pooled under his foot as well, tendriling down from his left leg. Though his words stung, Akio stepped forward, hand raised.

"Giyu, you're wounded. Let me help you." He insisted and Giyu glanced over his shoulder. Akio had trained as a nurse in his human days and knew how to stop the bleeding and bandage wounds. He would even have a pain relief remedy for him if they were near his home.

"You just noticed that now?"

"Well, yeah." What kind of question was that? Of course he just noticed it now. Giyu hadn't shown his back before that moment.

"Figured you could smell it." He huffed and Akio's eyes widened.

"I can't smell human blood…" He muttered, turning his face away from him. Since the day he woke as a demon, he couldn't smell blood, despite the piles of bodies scattered throughout the village. His sister had left him inside their home, blinds shut. That night, he buried all of the villagers and prayed for their souls. Not once did he even smell a bit of blood.

"Lying to me isn't going to spare your life." He muttered and Akio puffed his cheeks out.

"Thanks for the advice, asshole. I'm not lying though." He retorted and Giyu's eyes narrowed. "If I could smell blood, my mouth would've been watering like Nezuko's does. I can't smell blood. I've never had any interest in eating people and quite frankly, the thought of it nauseates me."

"Then what do you feed on?"

"Feed on?" His left brow raised in a question. "I don't eat anything. Every now and then, I'll taste something that I've cooked for Rieko or try something she baked, but I always end up sick. I drink a few different herbal teas that don't make me sick. I regain energy and heal in the moonlight, similarly to how Nezuko regains her strength by sleeping." He did his best to explain his situation, though he didn't quite understand it himself. Giyu remained silent, his gaze somewhere else. "I really don't care if you believe me or not at this point. If you want to bleed out, be my guest. I'm finding shelter and then going home. I've been away for long enough." He grumbled before whistling softly. Mushi took shape behind Giyu, rubbing a circle around his legs before trotting over to Akio and rubbing a circle around his legs. Akio knelt down, scratching under Mushi's chin. "Please tell Rieko that I'm on my way home. I'll start traveling once the sun sets."

She's asleep. Mushi's voice was gentle, twisted with his thoughts. He smiled.

"Then tell her when she wakes, okay? Stay with her until I return." Akio patted his head before he nodded and disappeared into the shadows.

"Was that cat…?" Giyu's voice was hardly audible. He glanced up at him and nodded.

"Mushi is a demon. I guess he likes you. He usually doesn't greet people he doesn't know." He shrugged.

"Mushi?" He turned back towards him, lost in thought.

"Yes, Mushi. He told me that was his name when Lady Tamayo gave him to me. He protects Rieko when I'm away and he helps us communicate while I'm hunting." He responded and Giyu frowned.

"I've met that cat before. He talks in your mind, right?" Akio's eyes widened and he nodded. "It had to be a year ago. A demon managed to sneak up on me and knock me off of my post in a tree. I was scratched up after that fight. That cat brought me bandages and healing ointment. Did you send me that?"

"I knew I've seen you before!" He shouted. "I didn't think you'd take kindly to me showing up, but I figured Mushi would throw you off enough for him to get away. I was on my way to hunt that demon. You beat me to it that time and I felt bad that you were wounded. Rieko always sends me with bandages and ointment. I don't have the heart to tell her I can't use the stuff. When I saw you, I sent Mushi over. Then I went home." He shrugged, thinking back to that night. He had heard them fighting, watching Giyu meet every strike before ending the demon's life. Giyu hadn't even broken a sweat and only obtained injuries from his initial fall. He had scratched Mushi's head and thanked him for the bandages.

"Do you have any bandages now?" Giyu spoke softly and a smile touched Akio's lips.

"No, but this house does. Unfortunately, the couple who lived here were devoured before I arrived. I buried them before the demon showed itself again. I was going to stay here until the sun sets." He gestured to the home, blood coating the balcony. "The blood is from the demon I killed." He added, noting Giyu staring at it. The man sighed and began walking towards him. He spun on his heels and darted inside the home as the first rays of sun poked through the clouds. A searing pain stretched up his arm, his skin peeling away everywhere the light managed to hit. He waited too long. He cursed softly, wiggling his hand. Burns stretched up the back of his hand, reaching up to his elbow. "Damn it." He growled, shaking his arm as if the pressure of the air would help. He wasn't quick enough and his hand and arm paid the price. The pain was worse than any injury he had received before, the skin blistering and peeling away, dissipating into ash. He sprinted over to the edge of the house, tucking his body into the darkest corner, clutching his arm to his chest. He made himself as small as he could, hiding from the light. He focused his gaze on Giyu as the floor creaked by the doorway. Giyu had stepped into the house, eyes scanning over every crevice. "There's nothing else here. You would have sensed it by now." He huffed, shifting his feet. "Could you…" His words trailed off, figuring he wouldn't help him with his situation.

"Are the bandages down here or do you need the upstairs windows covered too?" His voice caught him off guard and he turned his wide-eyed gaze to focus on the Hashira.

"Just the ones on this floor, please." He nodded before hanging up blankets and clothing to cover the windows. His body swayed as he searched for blankets and other pieces of cloth. Akio was grateful for him, knowing he was hurting and untrusting, but was still willing to help him. With the first floor mostly dark, Akio could step back out to search for bandages. "Thank-you." He whispered as he walked by him. He nodded before sighing as he dropped onto the ground. His blood slowly pooled beneath him and Akio realized he had left a trail of blood everywhere he stepped in the home. He hurried to gather antiseptic and bandages, dropping them all at his feet before sitting down. "Could you roll up your pant leg?" He gestured to the blood-soaked fabric. Giyu pulled up the tattered pants, exposing his wounded leg to the open air. The gash was deep and Akio frowned. He grabbed the bottle of antiseptic and dumped some on the wound. The wound sizzled in response and while he knew it hurt, Giyu simply stared at him. He dabbed the wound dry with clean cloths before bandaging it as tightly as he could without cutting off his circulation. Once it was secured, he stood and gathered some of the supplies. "I'm going to sit behind you now, okay? I have to be able to see your back."

"I know." He muttered and Akio sighed, dropping to his knees. He used both hands to remove his haori, noting the rip through the back of it as he folded it. Though his hand and arm were burning, he continued on. He needed both hands to help him. Giyu slowly removed his shirt, letting the fabric pool at his waist. Akio's eyes scanned over the defined muscles of his back before settling his gaze on the wound. It stretched down beside his arm. It looked as if the demon carved into his shoulder blade. Akio poured antiseptic over the wound and dabbed at it. He wiped the blood from his body, ensuring that his skin would be clean before he bandaged it. He secured the bandage under his arm and stood, stepping over to the sink. He washed the slayer's blood from his hands as Giyu pulled his shirt back on. "Thank-" He stopped short though as Akio formed a blade at the end of his forearm. Giyu's hand grasped the hilt of his sword tightly and Akio's eyes widened.

"It's not for you." He grumbled before slicing his burnt forearm and hand clean off. A sigh of relief escaped his lips as the blade dissipated back into his skin. He relaxed against the kitchen counter, his limbs going slack. "We can't heal burns we get from the sun. At least, I can't. It's less painful to just cut the burn off and let it regenerate."

"Why didn't you do that once we were inside?"

"I needed both hands to bandage your wounds. I can't regenerate quickly. It'll probably take all day." He shrugged as his blood dripped to the floor. "It'll stop bleeding eventually." A frown touched Giyu's lips before he tried to stand. He wavered, unsteady on his feet. Akio moved to his side, holding his elbow to steady him. "I think you lost too much blood. You should rest here." He insisted and Giyu turned to glance at his hand on his arm. "I have to stay here until the sun sets, but I promise you'll be safe. I think I'm going to sleep a bit as well. You can keep all of the windows around you open, so you can sleep easier." He mentioned and he nodded.

"I will." He shook his hand off and nodded before maneuvering to the stairs.

"Giyu?" He called out and the man paused at the bottom of the stairs. "Could you cover the windows in the man's room? I'd like to fix my appearance."

"I think I can manage that." He nodded before disappearing up the stairs. Akio sighed, dropping down onto the floor. His body was exhausted and he knew he needed rest. His mind fought against the thought of that though so he found himself lying on the floor, staring at the ceiling. He turned to face the plants scattered about under the window and he noticed Giyu's haori still folded on the floor. Well, maybe he could repair both of their haoris. He slowly made his way upstairs, checking for any sunlight sneaking through. It was completely dark upstairs aside from one room that had its door shut. He assumed Giyu was sleeping in there so he poked his head into the other rooms. Giyu had taken the time to cover every window, so he could move about freely. A soft smile touched his lips. He stepped into one of the bedrooms and his eyes fell on a small closet full of clothing. He slipped out of his haori and ripped the rest of his shirt off before pulling out different clothing pieces. He settled on a deep purple shirt that clung to his frame. His pants were fine, so he pulled on a pair of knit socks before pulling laced-up boots over his feet. He didn't really need them, but shoes helped him appear more human. He decided to rest as his arm regenerated, the muscle and skin slowly rebuilding. It took a while and he was unsure about how much time had passed already. His body curled up on the carpet and he let sleep take him for however long it wanted. When he woke up, he could wiggle his newly regenerated fingers and he smiled. He stood and grabbed the sewing kit from the bottom of the closet before sitting down to repair the haoris. He started with Giyu's first, using the only thread available to stitch together the back of his haori. The purple stood out from the colors of the haori, but it couldn't be helped. Once it was finished, he moved onto his own. He sewed up the holes on the sleeves before repairing the neckline and the back of it. With a content smile, he pulled on his repaired haori and tied half of his hair up into a bun with the ribbon he found in the kit. With that, he curled up into a ball on the ground and let his mind drift off, his body relaxing.

Akio startled awake, his body lurching forward to sit up. His senses were vibrating under his skin and he pushed himself to his feet. A demon was in the house. He grabbed Giyu's haori and slowly maneuvered to the hallway, noticing Giyu's door was still shut. It was dark in there now, so he slipped over and slid into the room. The moment he closed the door, his body was slammed against it, a broken sword pressed into his throat. His wide eyes met Giyu's narrowed gaze. Was he going to take his life? Rieko would never forgive him if he didn't return home. They stared at each other for a moment and Giyu's eyes slowly widened.

"Sorry." He huffed, the blade falling away from Akio's throat. "I sensed a demon in the house and I knew it wasn't you." He mumbled, clicking the door open and poking his head out.

"You knew it wasn't me?"

"Though I can sense that you're not human, I don't feel any danger or ill-intent from you. You have a different aura than most demons, but it's also different from Nezuko's." He explained, steadying his sword in front of him as he stepped into the hallway. "We are in a compromised situation. I never meant to stay here until sunset. Can you tell where the demon is in the house?" Akio closed his eyes, focusing on his instincts. He could sense movement in the kitchen and his eyes snapped open.

"It's in the kitchen. I think it is looking at all of the medical supplies we left down there and the dried blood. It knows we are here." He whispered before slipping out in front of him. "Here. I fixed this for you." He tossed Giyu his haori before standing at the top of the stairs. He crouched down, trying to catch a glimpse of the demon. He could just hear it whispering.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are. You two humans will make a nice addition to my power. Master Oden will be proud." Master Oden? Akio's head tilted. He had never heard that name before.

"He thinks you're human. Stay here." Giyu muttered, vanishing from sight. He just spotted the end of his haori as his body maneuvered into the kitchen. Akio listened, knowing he still hadn't fully recovered. Minutes went by and he was antsy. He tried to ignore all of the sounds of crashing and slamming.

"It's my lucky day. I have a wounded Hashira with a broken sword to devour!" The slurp of the demon's tongue was enough for Akio and he launched himself down the stairs, a sword forming where his right forearm once was. Giyu was cornered by spiked vines. They moved so fast, he had to continuously move his sword to keep up with them at a speed that seemed inhuman to Akio. Guilt washed over him, remembering he had shattered his sword the night prior. Giyu had to move even quicker to keep up with the tendrils all while accounting for the shorter blade.

"Giyu!" He growled, sprinting to his side. Akio cut through a vine before it managed to snake its way around Giyu's ankle.

"Water breathing, Eleventh Form: Dead Calm, Tidal Waves." Giyu whispered before his body vanished from sight. Akio blinked, turning his head to see the demon. Its body was composed of vines and bark. It was easily ten times the size of him, its body crouched and contorted to fit in the home. Giyu appeared behind the demon, tidal waves crashing into the vines as his sword cut through vine after vine. The demon chuckled darkly, its vines doubling in size.

"Come now water Hashira. You must have figured it out by now." Giyu's eyes widened at the same moment Akio's did. His water attacks were fueling the demon, strengthening its power. Giyu distanced himself from the demon, standing on the defensive as the vines tore at him. He slashed as many as he could, though some managed to cut into his skin. Akio jolted to stand next to him, slashing his blade through as many vines as he could. He had to think of something or they both would be bloody messes by the end of this. He had every faith in Giyu, knowing his skill, but he was already wounded when he found Akio. "You aren't even a demon slayer, you pathetic fool!" That was it. It didn't know he was a demon. He slowed his movements so the vines could secure around his ankles. They hauled him up to the ceiling, his body dangling. He growled, his blade slicing through one. The other was thick, too thick for him to cut through. Luckily, he only needed one foot. His scythe sliced through his flesh, blood soaking him, Giyu, and the demon. Pain shot up his leg like a burning fire, but he pushed on. His body flipped before landing on his remaining foot. He launched himself forward, using the demon's surprise to skewer it through the mouth. The blade held its head against the wall and the demon laughed.

"What's so funny?" He growled, stabbing his blade in deeper, the hilt hitting the back of the demon's throat.

"You're a demon. Never would I have thought a demon and Hashira would team up. It's comical. Only the human guy can kill me and he has lost so much blood, he can hardly stand." The demon smirked around the blade and Akio glanced over his shoulder. Giyu was swaying slightly, still fighting off the vines. He turned back towards the demon and smirked.

"He's not the only one." His free hand shifted into a scythe and he sliced it right through the demon's neck. Akio freed his arm from its mouth and flipped backwards, landing at Giyu's side.

"How? How did this happen?" The demon shouted in rage as each vine lit up. Spikes shot out from every vine as its body exploded. Akio and Giyu were surrounded, so he did the first thing he could think of. He tackled him to the ground, shielding his body with his own. He relaxed his muscles as best as he could, hoping to ease the pain as the spikes pierced his skin. Each one left an internal wound, burning his flesh from the inside out. They weren't able to stab completely through him though, ensuring Giyu was safe.

"That was…different." He huffed, wincing as he tossed himself off of the slayer. Nothing could have prepared them for the demon's body exploding. Demons typically turn to ash once they are killed, not implode. He sat up, working on yanking every spike from his skin. There were hundreds and he bit his lip to muffle his cries.

"Why…" Giyu's gentle voice was hoarse and Akio locked eyes with him. His breathing was haggard, his eyes fighting to stay open. He laid in a puddle of blood and Akio hoped that most of it was from his own wounds and not Giyu's. Akio's head tilted, his hand pausing on the next spike. "You protected me…"

"We're a team. At least for the moment. My body heals quicker than yours. It made the most sense for me to take the hit." He smiled softly, deciding not to mention all the blood he lost already. Giyu was a Hashira, but he was still human. He wasn't going to let another Hashira die. "You can rest. I'll watch over you." He spoke softly. It was as if his words flipped a switch in him and the Hashira let his eyes slip shut. Akio pressed his fingers into his wounds, soaking his hand with his blood. "Blood demon art: lunar rain." He whispered softly, shutting his eyes as the first rain drop fell. It soaked into his cheek and he sighed. He was a fool for doing this, but he had no choice. Giyu was badly injured and this would help him. His eyes opened to see Giyu's body being soaked in the glowing rain. His wounds pulled shut as each drop sank into his skin. He smiled as his vision clouded.

You fool. Why would you risk your life for this slayer? He wanted to kill you. Mushi.

"You came to check on me? Thank-you Mushi. Please go back to Rieko and let her know what happened and that I will be late." He extended his hand and Mushi pushed his head into his palm.

Fine. I expect a reasonable answer when you return. Don't get killed. If you do, his head is the first that I am eating. Mushi nuzzled him before vanishing into the shadow realm. Akio sighed, letting his consciousness fade. He definitely overdid it and his body needed time to recover.