Hello everyone! To those who don't know me, welcome! To those who do and have stumbled upon this fic, I'm sure you are surprised to see me in this fandom ;)
This fic was the first and only Chainsaw Man fanfiction I've ever written and it was kindly commissioned as a complete six-part story. While it was definitely challenging since it was very different from what I usually write, it was certainly interesting, and I had a great time working on it! So, a thousand times thank you to the person who reached out!
The story is canon-compliant because it follows manga events, but also canon-divergent considering a few things change here and there, most importantly, Makima's and Kobeni's relationship.
I hope you guys like it!
Edited by yours truly alone, so pardon any typos you might find.
Scare You Close
Chapter One: Makima
When she first made her way to the Public Safety building to apply for a position as a Devil Hunter, Higashiyama Kobeni had no idea what she was getting herself into. Although she had no other choice, she was aware that she had no qualifications for the position and no outstanding abilities of her own—she was as normal and mundane as one could get—but she had to at least try, even if she was doing so against her will.
It was the lesser of two evils, as they say, but she knew the chances of nailing this position were slim, which made her feel miserable because she already knew what her fate would be in these circumstances. With her lack of luck, she knew she was doomed.
Well, Kobeni was doomed regardless of the outcome. This wasn't something she was doing for herself, her personal development, or her enjoyment. Never in a million years would she consider this profession if given the choice.
Nevertheless, despite not believing in any particular divine entity, Kobeni still prayed for a chance, desperate not to be the target of her parents' fury.
When she got a phone call regarding an interview, Kobeni didn't know if she should feel scared shitless or relieved. For the first time, she had to consider what would happen if she was accepted because she didn't know what a Devil Hunter did or how they lived. Her family didn't either; they just thought it paid handsomely and that it was worth the money no matter what kind of jobs she had to take on and the perils she had to put herself through.
Sometimes, it felt as if being alive was only good while she could be useful and bring something to the table. The moment she asked for something for herself, she would be ditched without a second thought.
On most days, Kobeni hated her life and wished she could just disappear. On better days, she simply felt nothing because this was the constant state of affairs.
Ever since she was a child, she had gotten used to being the martyr, giving up on her ambitions and her basic needs so others could have good things instead. A part of her understood that this wasn't right and wondered why it was always her to sacrifice everything and get nothing in return, but another part had learned to accept it while swallowing down her anger and sadness.
Her family was huge, so being selfish was not an option. Putting herself first was a privilege she never had.
Granted, frustrated as Kobeni was, there was also a part of her that did it for love and for the innocent younger siblings who could not be blamed for their parents' decisions.
On the day of the interview, Kobeni stood very straight, leaning against the wall next to the door to a room where she would be speaking to someone named Makima.
The hallway was sterile-looking and eerily empty, which caused her to feel anxious—she didn't like the environment at all.
As usual, Kobeni felt ridiculous in the flowery blouse and white trousers her mother had lent her—it wasn't her style at all, too large for her lithe frame and too mature-looking. She hated the red purse clutched in her hand, and the black high heels she wore were too small on her feet and made her want to cry.
However, she was used to wearing things that didn't fit her, so she ignored the pain and tried not to show any emotion regarding this, as she always did.
Kobeni's physical discomfort clashed strongly with her nervousness as she waited, fidgeting with her hands on the purse erratically. Was her hair alright? Should she have put on some makeup?
She must look bizarre, barely nineteen, and dressed as an old lady with no fashion sense.
What was she supposed to say or do? Her resume didn't have anything relevant for this job; she knew zero of what was expected, and the fact that she was even called for an interview was a miracle in itself.
"Higashiyama-san?"
Kobeni jumped, her heart beating even faster inside her chest.
The female voice came from inside the office, distant and soft yet so clear that Kobeni had to wonder how she was able to hear it at all.
Swallowing, Kobeni quickly turned on her heels (almost losing her balance in the process) and faced the door, trembling. Raising her closed fist, she knocked on the brownish wood a couple of times before grabbing the knob and turning it.
Kobeni opened the door to a considerably large office, exceptionally well-lit due to the sunlight coming from the huge window facing the door, through which she could see the tall buildings outside. This only caught her attention for a second, as her eyes immediately landed on the figure standing in front of it.
It was a young woman, and she was looking out the window, dressed in a white shirt neatly tucked inside black suit trousers, wearing an equally black tie. Kobeni's eyes couldn't help but trace the contours of her profile because she looked casual, yet there was an almost ethereal elegance to the relaxed way she had her arms crossed over her voluptuous chest.
Kobeni instantly thought that she seemed nice and was rather beautiful—her body perfectly proportioned, her hair of an indiscernible color that could be considered salmon or faded red that was tied in a long, loose braid with bangs reaching just past her eyebrows.
Her age was difficult to assess, though. The woman seemed young, perhaps in her early to mid-twenties, and yet there was an air of maturity and intelligence about her that almost betrayed this possibility.
A concept of timelessness seemed to hover over her, and Kobeni had no idea why these thoughts crossed her mind so quickly, but she didn't notice she had frozen in place to simply stare.
The other didn't seem human.
When the woman's intense eyes turned to acknowledge Kobeni, they were the most astounding hue of something unusual, perhaps similar to amber, just as disconcerting and mesmerizing as everything else about her.
"Good morning," the woman said, greeting her with a tiny yet intimate smile that made Kobeni jump again. Her voice was even sweeter in person, like a cunning whisper. "Come in, and please, close the door behind you."
Blushing, Kobeni nodded and quickly did as she was told, entering the room and a little too forcefully closing the door behind her.
"G-good morning," she greeted back at once, bowing down respectfully and perhaps a little too deeply. "Thank you for having me."
"Thank you for coming. I'm Makima, head of one of Tokyo's Devil Hunter Divisions."
"P-pleasure to meet you."
Kobeni straightened up and stood very still in her spot as the other woman fully turned to face her.
Makima stood behind her large desk, which was devoid of objects or personal items other than a few sheets of paper and a pen. Kobeni noticed that the whole office was boringly plain with no notable decorative pieces, as if the purpose was to have people's attention fully focused on Makima and nothing else, and it was effective because the woman seemed to suck in the coldness of the room and irradiate all the necessary beauty all by herself. Even the sunrays filtering through the large window seemed to make her glow.
Kobeni couldn't help but think that this was fascinating yet morbid for reasons she couldn't fathom.
This was someone powerful in ways she could not even begin to comprehend.
"As I thought, you have an interesting face."
Waking up from her thoughts again, Kobeni's dark eyes looked at Makima, who still smiled and seemed to be observing her quietly. "Excuse me?"
"At first glance, you don't seem the type to want to become a Devil Hunter," Makima said, pleasantly, slowly making her way to her desk and picking up a few sheets that she raised so Kobeni could see. "And yet, here's your application. I'm interested in the story behind this frankly dull resume."
It wasn't uttered with disdain or mockery. There was no judgment. There seemed to be a curious gleam in Makima's gaze as she tilted her head to the side, closely observing Kobeni's reaction.
Her cheeks burning, Kobeni chewed on her lower lip, her hands fidgeting nervously with her purse. For some reason, she was embarrassed but didn't feel quite as uncomfortable as she initially thought.
"T-there isn't much to say," Kobeni started, her voice wavering slightly. "I-I need money to help my brother pay for college tuition and my parents told me I had to apply to become a Devil Hunter or resort to prostitution. I thought this was the better option."
Makima's fine eyebrows rose in vague questioning and Kobeni instantly slapped herself mentally for being so irrationally blunt.
Why did she always embarrass herself by sprouting out bullshit? No one cared about the details of her life, but she hadn't planned on anything particularly inspiring to say (stupid of her) and the only thing she could think of was being honest.
"I'm so sorry; I should've thought of a better thing to say!" She apologized, bowing down several times as she felt heat flooding her body in mortification. "I'm so stupid…"
"What about your ambitions?"
Makima's voice was calm; one could say concerned even. As Kobeni straightened up once more, she noticed the other's gaze was soft and calculating, which made her expression oddly inscrutable but reassuring all the same.
"I-I don't have any, for the time being."
"That can't be true, can it?" Makima said perceptively, letting the sheets in her hand drop on the desk in an elegant gesture. She then linked her hands behind her back and walked around the desk with steps so light that she didn't make a sound. "Everyone has something their heart desires. Even the most selfless individuals have dreams, too."
Chewing on the inside of her cheek, Kobeni watched Makima lean the small of her back against the edge of the desk. For a moment, she seemed as approachable as any normal girl of Kobeni's age and not a renowned Devil Hunter.
"I-I suppose I would like to go to college, too, someday," Kobeni admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
"After your brother graduates?"
"Probably." Kobeni nodded, even though she was certain that something else would come up in her life that would surely keep her away from this goal. "That would be nice, yes."
This time, when Makima smiled, her teeth showed, and they were small and perfectly aligned, making her look like a porcelain doll. However, something shifted in her eyes as an intimate sort of acknowledgment told Kobeni she had been able to see through her thoughts.
Kobeni swallowed, not knowing how to feel about being so uncomfortably exposed and at the same time appreciating the obvious understanding coming from this perfect stranger.
Makima looked away from Kobeni for a few seconds, her eyes focused on some spot on the wall beside her. She became expressionless in her thoughtful stance, and it was a look that suited her.
"Unfortunately for you, I'm not sure being a Devil Hunter will provide the income and outcome you seek," Makima said softly, more serious this time. "The other route might've been better and, I dare say, safer."
Kobeni flinched. "No, I-I absolutely could not do that, absolutely not!" She immediately denied it a little too loudly, shaking her head anxiously. "I simply can't; I could never…"
"Do you know what a Devil Hunter is?" Makima interrupted, finally looking back at Kobeni, her voice even but probing. "Do you understand what they do?"
"Well, they... help keep the city... the world safe from evil entities," Kobeni replied, feeling her voice tremble, not from fear but from realizing how out of her depth she was.
"Yes." Makima nodded approvingly. "Mostly by putting their lives at stake on every mission." She paused for a moment, her gaze unwavering. "It is an altruistic job, and heroic, one might say, but also cruel."
"Some Devil Hunters want to make the world a better place, such as myself, and finally establish order and peace," Makima continued slowly, a slim hand rubbing the fabric of her black pants slowly—an action that was devoid of meaning yet looked to Kobeni strangely insinuating, sensual even. "However, others have personal reasons that, in my experience, work better as fuel to fight and survive."
Her eyes narrowed at Kobeni. "It's the first time I'm meeting someone in it solely for the money. I can't say it's an issue for me, but I have to wonder if you can find a driving force that will help you survive."
"I don't want to die," Kobeni defended at once, her voice shaking in her effort to put some emphasis on her words. "E-even if I don't really like my life and am here because I was forced to, I still want to live, so I'll always fight for myself first. I will not die!"
Again, Makima smiled vaguely with an understanding nod but with a hint of condescendence. "Be honest with me. Do you want this job?"
Kobeni shook her head. "No, I don't," she answered without much thought, realizing she was instinctually responding to the safe space Makima had somehow created without her even noticing. "But I don't want to become a prostitute and have my image and my name soiled forever; so if you accept me, I'll do whatever it takes to succeed."
There was another pause now as silence stretched between them. Then, Makima leaned away from the desk and made her way to Kobeni, who stood very still, reminding herself to keep eye contact strong even though seeing the other woman approaching her made her feel on edge.
Once Makima was in front of her, Kobeni realized they were the same height, which was strange because the other looked much taller than her from a distance. Regardless, she had a confusingly intimidating and intoxicatingly strong presence.
"I admire your honesty," Makima said softly with a small, approving smile. She was close enough to be threatening but not enough so that their bodies touched. She reached out a hand to touch the tip of her middle finger to the spot a little below the right corner of Kobeni's mouth, where a mole was, effectively making the younger one tense. "If you do as I say, you might benefit from large bonuses from time to time. But you need to obey me blindly or I cannot vouch for you."
Makima smelled of exquisite, expensive perfume—perfect to mask the other underlying bitter scent Kobeni could smell—not unpleasant but unusual and unlike anything she could identify.
Taking a confused, shuddering breath, Kobeni could only stutter. "Y-yes, I will do as you say."
Makima's amber eyes were evaluating and gleamed like fine glass. They scanned Kobeni's features while her finger moved and gently poked the mole on the other side of her face as if it somehow fascinated her. "However, I cannot offer you a job without understanding what you are capable of. Do you understand?"
"I-I can learn."
"Indeed, and I will make sure to teach you thoroughly." It was an alluring whisper, yet it was firm and imposing—the tone one uses to skillfully assert their position. "But I will still need to assess what your strengths and weaknesses are, so I can know whether you will become an asset or a liability."
"I-I understand," Kobeni assured, too nervous to nod or do anything, wanting to look at Makima's features but unsure of whether it would be deemed inappropriate with her so close, so she averted her gaze.
What had she gotten herself into?
Even if she said she understood, she had no idea what Makima meant. Would she be tested? How? She had no idea how to fight, knew nothing about wielding weapons or martial arts, and had no idea what a Devil even looked like.
I'm done for, she thought in a panic, pressing her lips tightly closed. I won't make it. I'm useless; I have nothing to give. I'll get my ass kicked if I have to be tested; Makima-san won't hire me and I'll have to get money in the streets. What should I do? Damn it…
Kobeni felt fingers grabbing her chin and tilting it up with gentleness, unavoidably making Kobeni's eyes meet with beautiful ones.
"Shhh," Makima uttered, as a mother would while speaking to her frightened child. At least that's what Kobeni thought, because her mother had never been kind to her or worried about her fears, pains, or struggles, so she had no means of comparison.
In many ways, Kobeni had always been alone, left to deal with her own emotions by herself the best way she knew how—not dealing with them at all and moving on.
Makima's gaze was so unexpectedly kind that, for some reason, all the self-deprecating thoughts plaguing Kobeni's mind were effectively silenced and she all but released the breath she had no idea she had been holding.
The small, detached affection still felt like a soothing balm.
"Don't be afraid, Kobeni-san," Makima whispered her name more intimately and reassuringly as she ran a thumb over Kobeni's chin in a small caress. "You'll do just fine. I'm sure you won't disappoint me."
And despite her better judgment, Kobeni found herself believing it, too.
oOo
The training gym's fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, casting a stark, clinical glow over the huge mat where Kobeni stood, shifting her naked feet nervously with her head slightly lowered, even though her eyes were shyly peeking at the woman in front of her.
Makima stood in front of her, wearing a white t-shirt and some light gray sweatpants, her feet equally naked. Even in such unflattering clothes, her figure was excellent and her stance was confident, making Kobeni feel stupidly inadequate in her black shorts and oversized purple t-shirt.
Good-looking people sure have it all going for them, she thought miserably. They can pull off anything, huh?
It was just the two of them there, thankfully, yet this did nothing to make her feel any less uneasy.
As if not knowing what to expect wasn't nerve-wracking enough, the large kitchen knife that Makima was extending to her made her feel horrified.
Makima leaned forward with an enigmatic smile on her lips, her eyes locked on Kobeni. "Kobeni-san," she said in a calm, measured tone, still addressing her intimately as if it would somehow breach the formality between them. "I want to see what you're made of. If you're going to become a Devil Hunter, you need to be able to defend yourself. So, I'm going to give you a simple test."
Kobeni's voice quivered as she clenched the hem of her t-shirt with both hands. "A-a test?"
"Yes," Makima replied with a nod. Her smile had disappeared, her expression becoming inscrutable. "I want you to try to kill me."
At once, Kobeni tensed, staring at the knife as if the thing would spontaneously combust. "K-kill you?" She uttered with difficulty; her voice suddenly stuck inside her throat. "I can't do that!"
Makima's expression remained unchanged. "You don't have to succeed, Kobeni-san, but you need to show me that you're willing to fight for your life," she said, so casually they could've been talking about the weather. She lifted the knife more so it was perfectly visible, and the object had never seemed so terrifying, shining absurdly under the neon light as if it had a life of its own. "Now, take the knife."
"W-what am I supposed to do with it?" Kobeni asked, searching desperately for some form of empathy or reassurance in Makima's golden eyes but finding nothing.
"Defend yourself and fight me with the intent to kill," was Makima's simple, straightforward answer.
As if it were just that simple.
Swallowing hard, Kobeni now clenched her hands in front of her chest to make them stop trembling. Her mind was all over the place and she reminded herself to calm down and think.
Makima said she didn't have to succeed. This was a test to assess her will to live and, probably, her courage.
Devil Hunters killed Devils and fought evil. There could be no hesitance, and giving up in the middle was certain death.
Exhaustion and fear were not options in their book.
She had to do this and give it her all.
While Kobeni had no idea what Makima was expecting from a naïve commoner with no fighting skills whatsoever, she still had to do what she was told to reach her goal.
She was not going to end up on the streets, selling her dignity in exchange for money.
With a deep, steadying breath, Kobeni reached out and grabbed the knife's handle, accepting it from Makima. The weight of it felt foreign and ominous. Her mind raced with fear, but her determination did not stop tears from welling up in her eyes.
"That's a good girl," Makima whispered sweetly, yet her demeanor was still calm and eerily cool. Her eyes stared into Kobeni's with a disconcerting intensity that sent shivers down the younger one's spine.
And then, without warning, Makima surged forward. Her first strike was a lightning-quick jab aimed at Kobeni's midsection, forcefully awakening her instincts as if electricity had suddenly coursed through her body.
With a yelp of surprise, Kobeni barely managed to sidestep the attack, feeling the rush of wind as it whizzed past her.
As Makima's fist sailed past, for the first time, Kobeni was struck by the true nature of her abilities.
Makima seemed like such a serene, peaceful person, and yet she was implacable, like a force of nature.
Looking at Makima with wide eyes, Kobeni's heart beat faster in shock, her hands shaking as she struggled to keep her grip on the knife. She had never been in a fight before, let alone one against someone as skilled and impossible to beat as Makima. She hated it already, but she knew that she had to fight if she wanted to have even the slightest chance of becoming a Devil Hunter.
With a smirk, Makima came at her again, so fast Kobeni barely saw her, this time with a series of rapid strikes that blurred together into a deadly dance. Kobeni tried to block them with the knife, but her movements were clumsy and uncoordinated and she ended up mercilessly punched in the cheek. Then Makima easily slipped past her defenses and landed a punch to her side.
Kobeni gasped in pain and stumbled backward, nearly dropping the knife.
God, it hurts. The worst part was that she knew the other woman wasn't even fighting seriously, simply gauging her reflexes.
Again, Makima advanced on her, moving with such speed and grace that, not for the first time, she seemed inhuman. This time, she kicked Kobeni's thighs, one and then the other, before punching her belly and making her bend over herself in agony, barely managing to keep her breakfast inside her stomach.
Kobeni knew that she was in serious trouble. The more damage she took, the harder it would be to fight, and her mind raced as she desperately tried to come up with a plan. She couldn't let Makima get the best of her. She had to fight back.
Without thinking, Kobeni swallowed the vomit and charged forward with a yell, both hands clenching the knife now. Makima easily sidestepped her attack and delivered a swift kick to her back, effectively sending her sprawling to the ground.
Pain shot through Kobeni's body as she landed on the mat, breath caught in her lungs.
Makima loomed over her, both hands on her waist. "Come on, Kobeni-san," she goaded, her voice pleasantly taunting. "Is that all you've got? You'll never be a Devil Hunter like this. Remember, I have no weapons while you're the one holding the knife. It's a special one, too. Do not let me down."
Upset tears trailed down her cheeks as Kobeni gritted her teeth. Grunting, she scrambled to her feet and lunged forward again, this time with a wild, desperate swing. Makima effortlessly dodged the attack again, her movements fluid and elegant. She smiled, and even like this, she looked beautiful, her eyes glinting with amusement. She was so fast that Kobeni felt like she would never catch up. "You're too slow, Kobeni-san."
Kobeni's heart sank as she realized that there was no way she had a chance of winning this fight. Still, she refused to give up.
As Kobeni breathed hard and shakily wiped at the sweat forming on her forehead, Makima circled her now with her hands behind her back, completely composed, and while she was about an arm's length away from Kobeni, her presence was highly threatening, making every nerve in the younger woman's body stand on edge.
When she walked behind her, Makima spoke in such a low and captivating tone that it made it feel as if she was standing an inch away, whispering in her ear. "Pay attention, Kobeni-san. Feel me. Listen carefully."
Kobeni knew she would strike unexpectedly again. She moved the knife to her right hand—her strongest one—and gripped tight despite the sweat in her palms.
She had to use the knife to defend herself and keep Makima at a safe distance. She couldn't be scared to hurt Makima in the slightest, and she enchanted this in her mind to give her courage.
However, she was undoubtedly terrified. Kobeni had no way of knowing what the other woman was thinking or how she was evaluating her and her actions.
Inhaling deeply from her nose, Kobeni tried to focus and sharpen her senses. Her fear of Makima's attack made her sensitive; she didn't want to be hit again.
Something shifted in the air.
Kobeni quickly looked over her shoulder and suddenly, as expected, Makima lunged forward, her fist aimed directly at Kobeni's face. Kobeni barely managed to dodge the attack, her heart pounding in her chest, but she had done it.
Glee filled her.
I saw it!
With a fierce cry, Kobeni rapidly twisted her body and charged, her knife extended with the intent to stab, even if she knew there was but a slim chance of her ever touching the other woman.
Makima avoided it with a leap backward, but Kobeni was not done yet as she stumbled forward and awkwardly swung several times again with all her might between desperate grunts, and perhaps because she was so clumsy, Makima didn't move this time, surely not expecting such an erratic attack to strike her.
However, the blade sliced through the air as Kobeni tripped and fell, accidentally cutting through the fabric of Makima's t-shirt and drawing a thin line of blood across her collarbone.
Makima didn't make a sound and straightened her back, her eyes widening a bit in an almost bored fashion as she touched the wound.
Kobeni was on her hands and knees, looking at Makima with disbelief. She had managed to damage her. It hadn't been premeditated, but it didn't matter; she had done it.
She hurriedly crawled back and away from Makima, her teeth clenched as she sniffed, her watery eyes trained on the other woman to gauge her reaction.
Makima moved her hand away from the superficial wound to look at her fingers and, dispassionately, observe the blood tainting them.
Slowly, a cryptic smile appeared on her lips as her eyes landed on Kobeni. "You see?" She spoke, her voice low and husky. "You're not completely useless after all."
It could've been flattering if Makima's gaze hadn't darkened without notice. Kobeni barely had time to feel the terror of it as Makima moved again at the speed of light, gripping her by the collar of her t-shirt and hauling her up with brute strength.
In shock, Kobeni gasped and struggled onto her feet, only able to remind herself not to let go of the knife.
She didn't know the dark look on Makima's face and it made her instantly panic, so she blindly lifted the knife and tried to stab her anywhere she could, but the woman was as efficient as expected because she easily caught Kobeni's wrist in a vice-like grip, stopping the knife mere inches from her face. Kobeni resisted, but Makima's grasp was unbreakable.
How? Kobeni thought desperately, horrified, and confused. How was she so strong and so fast? How had she not screamed upon being wounded?
Not human… She can't be...
Makima twisted Kobeni's wrist, causing the girl to cry out in pain. "Now, Kobeni-san," Makima said, her voice low and dangerous. "I want you to finish the job. You have to be willing to kill me if you want to survive in this world. Come at me again, like you mean it. Think. Act."
Kobeni's heart pounded in her chest as she looked at Makima's bloodied collarbone. She had never intended to hurt the woman, let alone kill her. She'd tried to stab her irrationally, something in the back of her mind certain that she could do the woman no harm.
But what was Makima asking now? Kobeni was already immobilized; her wrist twisted so badly that one false movement would break it.
She closed her eyes, tears streaming down her face. She took a shuddering breath and tried to steady her hands.
Makima's grip on her wrist tightened even further, causing her to cry out again and close her eyes.
What did Makima want from her? Hadn't she lost already? Wasn't she beyond hope?
"Make a decision, Kobeni-san," Makima said quietly and coldly, again as if reading her thoughts. "The longer you hesitate, the less likely you are to survive. I'm giving you an opening; take it or I'll break every bone in your body."
Kobeni opened her eyes and looked into Makima's. Makima leaned in closer, her breath hot against Kobeni's cheek, her grip tightening even more if that was possible. Kobeni winced, her heart racing as she still tried to wiggle free with a strength she didn't know she possessed.
With every fiber of her being screaming in desperation, Kobeni fought against Makima's unrelenting grip. The pain in her wrist was excruciating, but she couldn't allow herself to give in.
Summoning every ounce of strength she possessed, Kobeni twisted her arm with a sudden, forceful jerk. The element of surprise worked in her favor as she managed to wrest her wrist free from Makima's grasp. She couldn't let Makima overpower her again.
It happened in mere seconds, but Kobeni saw it in the middle of her despair as a slow-motion video, taking every queue as if her very life depended on it.
She sidestepped Makima's quick attempt to grab her and swung the knife in a defensive arc to keep her at bay.
Kobeni saw it then—an opening, a split-second of perhaps intentional vulnerability in Makima's defenses in their quick interaction. It was a tiny gap, but Kobeni's instincts seized upon it.
With a sudden burst of adrenaline, Kobeni screamed for courage and charged without hesitation, her arm extending and the knife aimed directly at Makima's heart. Her vision narrowed, and she focused on her target. This was her moment, her chance to prove herself.
The strike was prone to be violent, yet she somehow had the discernment to hold back at the last moment, the knife stopping just short of Makima's chest. The blade quivered in the air with her terrible state of nerves as the air filled with her rapid breathing and small whines.
The blade of the thick knife hovered just inches from Makima's chest, the point pressing against the bloodied fabric of her t-shirt. Kobeni's chest heaved as she held her breath, tears still streaming down her face, unrestrained.
Through them, she could barely see Makima's expression, but she could swear there was a smile on those infuriatingly pretty lips.
Had she done it? Was this what Makima wanted to see?
"That's it, Kobeni-san" Makima murmured, her voice sounding like liquid silk again, gently praising. "You have it in you. Congratulations."
Kobeni immediately lowered the knife, her hands trembling with exhaustion and emotion. It was over.
The intense struggle had drained her, not just physically but emotionally so Kobeni's legs gave way beneath her without her consent and she sank to her knees on the floor, not even feeling the pain of the impact. Her body shook with a mixture of relief and the lingering fear she had felt facing the strong, fascinating opponent that was Makima.
This was nothing, she knew. It was just a simple test, children's play compared to the battles Devil Hunters faced daily.
It was a strange feeling, but she wasn't proud of herself. Instead, she felt awful, knowing that her future now promised horrors she wasn't sure she could ever face.
Can I do it? Can I do this over and over again?
I hate it… I don't want to…
Kobeni felt Makima approaching her and crouching down in front of her. Carefully placing an arm around Kobeni's trembling shoulders, she pulled her close in a gentle embrace. It was an unexpected gesture; her body was warm in perplexing contrast to the merciless person Kobeni had seen.
Makima smelled of blood. There was no perfume today, and her distinct scent was stronger—not unpleasant, but not natural either. Her hair against Kobeni's cheek felt odd, as if it wasn't normal hair at all.
She hadn't broken a sweat.
Still, this was the only affection Kobeni had received in far too long and her very soul could not fight against the raw need to be comforted just then.
Urgently wrapping her trembling arms around Makima and closing her fists around the fabric of her t-shirt on her back, Kobeni couldn't hold back her sobs any longer as tears flowed freely.
Makima didn't say anything for a moment, allowing Kobeni to release the pent-up emotions that had been building throughout their intense encounter. She simply held her, her presence a grounding force that seemed sensible to her every need.
After a while, Kobeni's tears began to subside, but she was still hiccupping. Makima leaned away slightly to look at her before lightly brushing a stray strand of hair from her face and wiping away the remaining tears with a soft, calming touch. Her golden eyes seemed compassionate, and her beautiful smile was nearly familiar and motherly.
"You won't be a Devil Hunter just yet, Kobeni-san," Makima finally said, her voice gentle and reassuring. "But you've shown me that you have the potential. You just need to unlock the anger and fearlessness in you. I can teach you."
Kobeni sniffled, her voice shaky as her eyes ran over the other woman's features. She didn't understand how someone who had terrified her so much just a few minutes previously seemed so angelic all of a sudden. "Y-yes, Makima-san."
Makima smiled with a rare and genuine expression that seemed to light up the room. She leaned in and hugged Kobeni tightly once more, their bodies pressed together with such intimacy that it was as if they were long-time friends and not strangers.
"You have a long journey ahead of you, Kobeni-san," Makima whispered, her breath warm against Kobeni's ear, making her shiver. "You'll see things not even your worst nightmares can produce. But because I believe in you, I know you can become one of my strongest fighters. You'll come to embrace its beauty soon enough."
Kobeni simply nodded, unable to find the words to express the overwhelming mix of emotions that flooded her. She hugged Makima back with the small strength she had left, trusting that this silent reciprocation could express the words she could not utter.
She didn't believe herself to be capable of the things Makima expected of her, but for the first time, it felt good to know someone had seen something in her good enough to fight for.
TBC...
Reviews are much appreciated! Be kind and mindful, please.
If anyone is interested in commissioning, please PM me! I also have a Ko-fi account under my author name, so please donate if you'd like to support my work!
See ya next chapter!