Caught By Flames (Kyojuro Rengoku x Reader)

31 : Lonely Sky

With bright eyes, you looked up at the night sky, stargazing. It was a surprisingly clear night, so you took advantage of it and connected the stars into shapes. Bandages still wrapped around you, but it didn't stop your training sessions with the qualifying demon slayers. In fact, it made you more brutal on them since you were injured and they still stood no chance at beating you yet.

"Hey, (Y/N)-san? I wanted to apologize for the other day. I didn't mean to judge you and make you cry." Sanemi spoke, walking closer to you quietly.

Your shoulders moved in a shrugging manner. "I kinda glad you did though. If you wouldn't have, I don't think I would be alright, even now. I actually feel apologetic for screaming like I did. I was frustrated at the time. So really, it should be me who is apologizing, not you, Wind Pillar." The soft wind blew through the area, making the grass flow beautifully around your small frame.

He shook his head, "That still doesn't excuse my rude behavior. You're a respectable pillar and person, I should have placed more trust in you."

"And what did that trust get the others? I lied to them for how many months?" You tried to convince him you weren't worthy of his trust. He was surprisingly caring if you got to know him, but to someone he randomly met, he was a rude bastard who judged you immediately based on first impressions. Yours wasn't a very good one... "it doesn't matter now, I want to ask you something, Sanemi-san." It was one of the rare times you used his name, so of course it took him off guard.

"What is it?"

You hummed in a low tone before shifting your gaze towards him, "If I wanted to fight Upper Moon One on my own, would you let me? Or would you refuse that and fight alongside me?" Your eyes were dead serious as the blank expression on your face intimidated him slightly, and he stood there for a moment, hesitating on his answer. "Judging on how you've acted in the past, and your personality, I'd say you would step in if I or someone else was in mortal danger. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but you would probably end up helping someone else who needed it if I looked to be in the green. Am I right?"

You waited for him to answer as he gulped at the probability of this being true. "T-that sounds surprisingly accurate..." he choked out, trying to sound like normal.

Your gaze returned to the night sky that was littered with stars. "I thought so."

"Why did you ask then?"

A small smile formed on your lips, "Well, you see, I want to fight Upper Moon One with as little distractions as possible. You're strong, however, where you go I can almost guarantee I'll find your brother. He'd be a nuisance if he got in the way. Not that he's weak, no, that boy possesses great abilities... but..."

"I can see where you're going with this, no need to continue." He interrupted you knowing that speaking ill of one of your juniors so openly must've sucked. "If I can avoid it, I will not participate in your fight. For my brother's safety." You smiled brightly.

"From what I understand, Akaza probably isn't dead-"

"Eh?! Didn't you say you sliced his head off?! How could he still be alive?!" He shouted loudly, but you shrugged.

"I've had a feeling since it happened. I never felt like I killed him, even if I sliced his head off. So if we want to defeat him, I see two possible ways to do so." You spoke without hesitation letting him know it was something you had been thinking about. "Either make him remember his memories as a human, I have a gut feeling that's the one we need to go for, but there's also the sun. So far, we know all demons, without exception, die when exposed to the sun. Other than Nezuko, of course." He sighed and sat beside you.

"Leave him to Tanjiro?"

You gave a nod of the head. He probably wanted to be the one to end him since he had seen, and been useless, in the two attacks he carried out against his mentors.