It had been a year since Takahashi Akari had seen her family. Now she was back and at a glance, everything is more than perfect. But when she becomes her own enemy and her worst nightmares turn into reality, what will she do? Will she be able to sur...
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Akari lay in her futon that night, trying to not think about purple eyes and the smell of lilac. But the sounds of an airy voice filtered past her windows no matter how hard she tried to shut her ears.
It confused her, Shinobu's actions. Maybe she just misunderstood her behavior. Perhaps that's all it was, and she just imagined it. Because if she weren't imagining it, it would make things a whole lot more complicated.
It made no sense. Shinobu was a woman, and so was she. But it wasn't like she had never heard of relationships between the same sex. However, this was primarily shunned by society. It was considered scandalous to a lot of people, herself included.
Did she even like women? She had never been attracted to any but felt a blush blossom when she thought of a certain petit hashira. Whether it was out of embarrassment or out of shyness, she wasn't sure yet.
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She had her back turned against a younger version of Akari, who was trying to tame the boy she held against her chest. A boy who was thrashing wildly, who had dilated pupils and saliva dripping down from a mouth fitted with sharp canines. Perhaps "boy" wasn't an accurate description.
A demon.
They were in a house, its walls painted red with blood. A man's body sprawled lifelessly on the floor, a pool of red liquid beneath him. Beside the corpse was a disintegrating torso.
Akari had been late. And her tardiness had cost a life. But she wasn't going to let anyone else die tonight.
She rushed forward to pry the boy from his mother's protective embrace, but as she pulled him, the demon bit down on the woman's shoulder, drawing a pained cry, but still, her grip on her son did not loosen.
But her strength was no match for Akari's trained body.
"Please! I beg of you! Spare him!"
The woman begged as the demon slayer took a step out of the door. The least she could do was take the demon somewhere else before she executed it.
Akari was panting. She had stiffened.
This... it was too cruel.
"I'm- I'm sorry." Tears escaped her eyes. "But don't you see? He's a demon. I- I can't let him go. If I do, he'll kill more people. Like he killed your husband."
"That was...! That was an accident! My son isn't a demon! You have to believe me! He's just confused. I'll take care of him! He's not- My baby's not a demon. He isn't... He isn't!"
"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry!" She repeated. Her blade lowered, and she took a step.
