Ruby Tears (Inotan)

Intriguing Humans : Inosuke POV

The blood moon hung high in the sky, washing the lands Inosuke grew up in a rich crimson. The air permeating a morose sweetness these nights always bring. A distance away, shrieks could be heard from the village. Rushing through the densely covered forest floor, branches and leaves catching in his mask when suddenly Inosuke could detect it, an enormous demon, perhaps the strongest he had dealt with in a long while. Tonight the Lord will feast!  

The acrid odor of decomposition became stronger the closer he drew. Sprinting at maximum power, Inosuke heard the beast wail in agony, a pungent scent of blood and gore entering his nostrils. “Is someone fighting that thing before me?! Dammit!!! Stupid weak humans! Messing with my meal!” Inosuke growled to himself, continuing through the thicket. As he approached the clearing, feet snagging on briers and caking in mud planning to fling himself at the creature from behind, another perfume filled Inosuke's nose hidden under the pervasive decay, the aroma itself a contradiction.

 The seductive crispness of a winter's night around a fire, smokey and heavy, but buried underneath was another one of a fresh grassy spring meadow drenched in dew on the cusp of sunrise. As Inosuke neared the clearing he stopped,his instincts screaming NO . Why can't I go forward! Disgusting! Unable to fight the urge to hide, Inosuke growled angrily before ducking into the brush surrounding the woodland. Waiting, Inosuke heard the hissing of the air before he ever laid eyes on the human. The sound of lungs expanding, pushing beyond their capacity. Screaming for respite even as the ting of blade hitting a demon's claws began to overpower it. The sound signaling danger of only one kind. 

Ahhh! I see a demon slayer! Inosuke thought to himself disgruntled, listening for the sound of the blade to confirm its wielder. A double edged sword, nichirin blades, giving humans a chance to fight but to any observant demon the sound of the special ores used to forge them ringing in the night giving away their presence. He was both pissed and surprised his instincts told him to stop. Like the boar he was raised with he charges in head first. He's Lord of the Mountain! He earned the title from his father!  Nothing can stop a Lord from hunting on his own land dammit! Why now did his body refuse to attack?!  As the battle grew closer to his position, just as Inosuke was about to jump into the fray he caught a flash of green pursuing the demon desperately attempting to regenerate before the slayer reached him. Even if the blade had not given the identity away, the agility the human displayed would have, astonishing, unlike any other Inosuke had experienced in his somewhat short demon life. The few other slayers he had seen had been almost too frightened to pick up their swords. Inosuke snorted, remembering a blonde one in an orange haroi, crying the entire time. He still managed to kill the small ones, holding his ground until Inosuke had shown up chasing him away, the blonde yelling to leave him alone.

 Nothing could compare to the graceful, flowing movements each with purpose, like watching a rushing river cut a canyon. A dance calling to his soul telling him to stay and simply observe.  After seeing the decisive blow he watched the demon fall decapitated. He cried out as if someone would listen to his begging, of all things to not be left alone in its last moments like the coward he was. The red-haired man turned to the man's wails, and Inosuke took a harsh breath. His eyes were unlike any shade Inosuke had seen, the only one that could hope to hold a candle to their richness where the red camellia he would find growing in clusters in the woods. 

Such delicate blossoms, still they demand to grow where they desire and survive. Inosuke had associated red with a warning. Blood blackening the ground belonging to a being soon doomed to be devoured. The color that stains your hands and person after a battle, threatening all others, you are the strongest. To the very cursed moon hanging above, painting his skin a scarlet hue, singing its empty harmony into the midnight air. Evil. Power. Victory. Where the color resided there was always pain. The slayer's burgundy eyes carried the same burden as the other shades in the pallet. Tragic, lonely searching for answers far too intricate to understand. Yet, it was not for himself, it seemed. 

They told a story he'd never seen before: one of loss and torment, one that mortals would be consumed by, yet not him, underneath the burning desire to fight until the end no matter how much it burdened him. As he watched the man he couldn't help but be confused. You must stay away from humans; they are too weak and don't make worthy prey. The gruff voice of his father rang in his mind.Yet this human was not weak, Inosukes instincts telling him this is a worthy opponent. Inosuke watched the slayer walk over to the already disintegrating body and drop to his knees beside it, placing his hand on the demon' s cheek and begin to hum a sorrowful tune.

 It reminded Inosuke of a song he may have heard a long time ago, long dark hair brushing his cheeks as the figure above him sang. As the body turned to nothing in the night air staining his beautiful scent with the most unpleasant ash, he rose again only to bow. “I hope you find happiness and whoever may have missed you is still waiting” he said, voice somber, and he surprised Inosuke yet again. The human shed a tear for a demon he didn't even know. It muddled Inosuke's thoughts even further. 

This strong, powerful creature is bothering to honor such a worthless thing. It couldn't even escape a single demon slayer! Let alone injure it beyond what seems to be paltry bruises, gone less than a week even for a mortal. Pathetic! Such a demon didn't deserve to live anyany! The masked man thought, caught off guard when suddenly the demon slayer turned and looked in the boar demon's direction. Seemingly making eye contact through Inosuke's mask he felt his heart speed up. Able to finally take in the slayer's features, Inosuke couldn't stop his breath from skipping.

Inosuke felt his eyes rake over the other man's face, taking in its gentleness. The scar on his forehead shaped like a flame telling of previous battles won. A strong, pretty slayer! Inosuke smirked under his mask. I could use skills like that, maybe I should make a pet, humans desire protection afterall! It would make killing so much quicker! He's not weak like those other humans! The slayer continued to stare in his direction before lifting his head to sniff the air, head snapping back to the demon. Inosuke broke the stare, moving his body back further. The red-haired man looked confused, contemplation written on his face. He seemed to come to a conclusion, sheathing his sword before turning his back to Inosuke, throwing one last parting glance before walking toward the village. 

Inosuke fought the urge to follow the man, knowing it would only end badly at this time…. but only if he knew right? the demon already forming a plan. If I follow him, I can learn about him! Maybe if I do something he likes I can earn his trust. Remembering his fathers face lighting up anytime he brought him pretty gemstones as a young child. It normally ment he could ask to go play in the mud without reparations from the yokai man, too caught up in happiness to say no. Maybe if he brought the slayer something nice, showing him Inosuke didn't mean harm he could talk to him. Of course he would have to prove himself in a friendly battle before, becoming my underling Inosuke thought before he nodded making his decision, he turned back, foregoing the hunt for one night. Inosuke had much more important things to do, like finding out where the demon slayer was going next.