ʟᴇꜰᴛ ʙᴇʜɪɴᴅ//ᴋɴʏ (ᴀᴜ)

T w e n t y - t h r e e

Kota's POV

I put my hand over my mouth as I blink one more time. Akaza. He's here.

Too bad we can't share a conversation right now. I bite my lower lip as I try not to laugh. Don't laugh. This is supposed to be serious.

Akaza glances over at me, and to Tanjiro who sits there in shock. He disappears before my eyes and appears again with a motion that is clearly trying to kill Tanjiro.

Before he could land a punch, Rengoku-san manages to cut off his arm in half. I scream inside my brain.

That is disgusting.

"A hashira, huh?" Akaza chuckles, easily putting his arm back together. "I must say, that's a fine sword."

He licks the blood off his arms, smiling. God, I swear he loves a good fight. Does he think I'm weak? He didn't smile when he was fighting with me!! I roll my eyes and make a face at him. He shrugs and lip syncs 'what?'

Akaza turns his focus back to battle. "By the way you're dressed, I can see that you're a flame hashira. What's you're name?"

"Rengoku Kyojuro!" He answers, gripping onto his sword tighter.

"You're very intimidating. How about you become a demon, Kyojuro?" Akaza smiles, offering him a hand. What in the world is he doing?

"Ay!" I call out, standing up. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" I frown, tilting my head. I point my blade towards him.

He shakes his head. "I don't fight women."

Right. Forgot.

"Kota," Rengoku-san calls. I turn away from Akaza. I can see the firmness in his eyes.

"Yes, Rengoku-san?" I ask. Rengoku-san pats my shoulders.

"Let me handle this! I'll be okay, I promise!" He nods, grinning at me.

I stare at him. Suddenly my heart feels so heavy. I feel some sort of... guilt. I clench onto my shirt and gulp. They're my enemy. I don't need to feel sympathy for them.

I see Rengoku-san charging at Akaza. Akaza blocks the attack with his blood demon art. I try and follow their movements, but they are too fast. My eyes can't seem to follow them.

There is dust flying everywhere, and they blind my vision. When they clear out, I see Rengoku-san in critical condition. My heart drops. Why am I feeling this? I'm technically supposed to be cheering for Akaza!!

"Why didn't you take my offer to become a demon, Kyojuro? We could've fought for eternity!" Akaza laughs, getting ready to launch his final attack.

My brain is pounding. Before I could think straight, I was between Akaza and Rengoku-san. I unknowingly charge Akaza, making him stumble backwards. Dusts are flying everywhere again.

"Kota! What do you think you're doing?" Akaza yells, backing away from my attacks. I squeeze my eyes shut.

"I don't know, I don't know, I don't know!!" I cry, swinging my katana at him, using total concentration breathing. 

He grunts, managing to hold my wrist. "Stop and think!"

I try and stop my brain from spinning. I inhale deeply, and exhale. My visions are starting to clear. I blink once, twice. I look up. "What-"

"You weren't thinking!" He frowns, swatting my arm away. "I have to admit, you have good skills. But you can't just attack me like that!"

"Kota-chan!!!" I hear Zenitsu's frightened voice. I turn and see him running towards me, the dusts now calming down.

"If you come any closer," Akaza warns, "I will blow your head off."

I shiver. Since when was he this scary? Zenitsu stops in his tacks, collapsing onto the floor. "Kota-chan!!! Don't die!!!! Wahhh!!!!"

I see veins forming on Akaza's face. "Why..." He says with his teeth gritting. "Why is that brat like your dad? Always whining, always clinging onto people."

"Hey!" I frown, cutting off his arm with my blade. He regenerates it in a second. 

I look back at Rengoku-san, who is now being checked on by frightened Tanjiro and Inosuke. Well, I don't know how Inosuke is feeling right now, since he is covered with a mask. Zenitsu is too busy balling his eyes out.

"Shoot," I hear Akaza whisper. "The sun is going to come up soon. Thanks a lot, Kota! I didn't even get to fight that Hashira properly."

I shrug. "Sorry! I can't control my instincts!" 

I feel a hand tugging my haori. "Akaza! Let go!" I yell, trying to resist. Of course, he doesn't budge an inch. 

"You're coming with me. You need to have a little talk with Muzan-sama and your dad about what happened today. You better take this upon yourself." He sneers, getting a firm grip around my shoulders.

"Filthy demon!" Rengoku-san shouts, kneeling down. "What are you doing with Kota?"

Akaza looks at him, and towards the forest. Without a word, he runs inside to the darkness of the forest.

"Kota!!" I hear Tanjiro's faint yell as we disappear more into the depths of the woods. 

Well, this sure is going great.