⊱ ❅Clouded Judgement ❅⊰ | ❆ - • A Demon Slayer Story • - ❆

Chapter 8.

"I'm relieved to know you two survived, that's all that matters to me.."

For some reason, the moment we showed ourselves to Kamiya in our recently acquired demon slayer uniforms, it wasn't happiness, relief or a sense of victory and accomplishment that filled the room. Even after we eagerly told him the story in detail and encouraging, even congratulating words from our father who had clearly put most of his time into us achieving that goal, we were incapable of such positive feelings.
Instead, the room was filled with an excruciating sense of anxiety to what would follow, coated in dread and finality. We didn't show it through the conversation as Kamiya was clearly proud of us and excited to hear about how the selection played off and both of us being excited to narrate, but the feeling wouldn't leave.

"Kamiya.. are you sure you're good with living in solitude again? Shouldn't we stay a bit longer-?" I eventually asked as my concern had grown too big to simply hide in the back of my head. Kamiya seemed surprised more than anything at a question like that.

"Me? Oh you two mustn't be concerned about me, just live your own lives to the fullest. I merely gave you a push forward, I don't wish to be a burden to you two any longer."
It was as clear as day, he was obviously avoiding us finding out about his death being not just imminent but in a very near future. His humble nature was respectable but got the better of him at multiple times, this being one of them.

I tried to speak up once again, but was interrupted by Kamiya who insisted to stay on the topic of the selection.

"One more thing.. that Kaoru you spoke of, I recommend you two stay around with him. It all gets easier with a more experienced slayer around, and this one seems particularly cooperating so it wouldn't be unwise to keep him close. Please, don't do anything stupid. And keep strictly to your crows orders, a deviation from your mission will almost always result in terrible results and punishments."

Kiseki groaned at Kamiyas overprotective parental instincts, after all he had told us these things several times. But he did seem particularly interested in us staying around with Kaoru, which I found quite odd. He had never heard of the dude, yet seemed really interested in us staying close to him in particular rather than just any other average demon slayer. But I brushd it off as a silly suspicion of mine with little to no reasoning, especially as it was hard to picture Kamiya being dishonest about his full intentions.

"Our time is running out as you'll be expected in the headquarters soon, but... I do have a last request for you. Please don't force yourselves to do this and if you find yourselves in danger, don't go doing this by yourself but.. if you do encounter Kaito, take him out. He's a threat, especially to you two as he likely knows I raised you. Please get rid of him and put him out of his miserable existence."

We had never heard him this serious. Kamiya wishing harm on anyone, regardless of who they were, was turned into a possibility on that day for the first time we could remember. But we knew he was right. Despite him only telling us about Kaito once in our earliest years, we vividly remembered every detail of meeting him for the first time. Kaito was always an enemy, a threat to be disposed of and we hadn't forgotten for even a second.

"Noriyuki, there's one thing I must make you aware of. I should have told you this a few years ago when I found out, but I was never one hundred percent sure it was true or necessary to share. But I can't keep this from you any longer, so forgive me for not telling you about this."

Kamiyas spoke with a regretful tone, further hammering in the fact he knew he was giving us his final advice. It was upsetting to hear, but I was dying to know what he had to tell me.

"When you were fourteen, I realised certain similarities between you and an old tsugoku of mine. You had his facial features, behaved a lot like him and even your hair was a very similar silver tone to his. It obviously started out as a ridiculous suspicion at best, but with every day you reminded me more and more of him. His name is Dazai Fubukime. I can't tell you this for sure.. but I believe he's your biological father, Noriyuki."

Dead silence fell onto us. I was unsure what to do of this discovery, since I had never met that man to begin with, but I did hold a grudge against him for the state he had left me and my mother in.

"Now I did do some digging, and according to rumours, your father was affiliated with Kaito. If he is still alive somewhere and you wish to bring down kaito, that is the way."

I was conflicted of course, I had no particularly burning interest in either meeting my biological father nor bringing down Kaito, but getting to do both at once sounded too inviting to simply pass up on. Kiseki didn't say a word, but I could tell he was interested too. So I gave Kamiya my word.

"I will.. consider it."
"Very well, but don't forget I'm merely presenting possibilities, don't feel pressured to do anything. Now leave my boys, you must arrive at the headquarters in time."

I was hesitant, but Kiseki nodded whilst holding back tears and approached the door to open it. However, he abruptly stopped and froze on the spot.

"Noriyuki, did you leave the door open? You realise it's cold outside, you can't just leave it open like that!"

He scolded me with a mix of fear and anger in his voice, as even he knows it was unlikely I would leave the door open.

"Of course I realise it's cold outside! Do you think I would have left the door open? Maybe you did it!"
"Me? I came in before you what the fuck are you talking about?"
"The wind maybe-?"
"The wind isn't that strong outside Noriyuki, stop lying to me!"
"Do you think somene entered and we didn't notice?"

He dropped quiet in the snap of two fingers, his breathing shaking and his heart thumping at a rapid pace. I tried to remain composed but even I realised something was off. Someone entered without any of us noticing? Surprisingly however, Kamiya did not appear to be stressed in any form whatsoever, but rather at ease.

That was when I heard it. The floor creaked behind Kamiya, who was sitting in a very calm manner.

Suddenly, it moved.

Kamiyas breathing stopped almost immediately as his head rolled off his neck like a piece of paper on a rock. It took a second for us both to realise what just occurred, but Kiseki was the first to scream out in terror. I was the second. We were both paralysed, too afraid to move. It was him. Kaito had somehow entered the house unnoticed and took out his revenge on Kamiya. My emotions took a while to register in the heat of the moment, but the demon swung his whip like weapon at my face with the precision of a snake, and I needed Kiseki to make me duck the attack by force. Kaito chuckled and spoke with a deep, snarling voice in a playful, cynical mockery tone.

"Aha~ Shota protecting his false brother, this is so cute I might aswell burst into tears.."

Kiseki gritted his teeth in spite and picked up his sword, ready to charge at Kaito at full speed.

"You have no fucking right to call me by that name!"

However that confidence left his body the instant Kaitos whip sent his sword flying out of his hand, falling to the ground infront of his feet. Kiseki was as terrified as I was, we could barely act. He seemed so much faster and stronger than us the fear was nearly suffocating. Was it really impossible to take him down after he killed Kamiya infront of us? Should we have let that slide? No. But unfortunately, we did not feel that way at the time.

"Pick it up."

Kaito ordered, dragging his long whip against the floor and walking towards us.

"Pick. It. Up."

But neither of us could pick up the sword, and we both ran for our lives leaving Kaito alone with the lifeless body of our father. That decision we made in the heat of the moment is one I regret to this day.