False Prophet

Chapter 15

Douma would be meditating, Inosuke on his lap napping, his kicks welcome reactions to challenge his focus. Kotoha would be sewing a cloth when Akaza comes into their company. He sat down with a thump and crossed his arms.

When Douma opens his eyes, his head tilts in time with Kotoha's when looking at Akaza's hair. Dark as the night on a new moon night. Eyes blue and eyelashes pink.

"Akaza-dono-?" Akaza's knuckles pop under the curling he does.

"Hakuji, my name is Hakuji. My masters use it. You should too." Douma's grin comes forth quickly.

"Ah! I was wondering when you would make mention of your master! How is he with your training? When do you think you'll win against your Shifu?" Hakuji frowns, his tensed form easing a bit.

"I won't be able to defeat him." Those blue eyes are soon directed to Douma. Hardening in a challenge. "But I will defeat you one day."

—
Gyutaro and Daki spent their days outside, mostly seeing if they could leap away. They would form plans but it seems to always be in vain.

First, the clothes they are bound to keep them from swearing and talking recklessly. They would struggle till that little one known as Inosuke called out 'OI!' and soon their heads would smack together.

Then they would be knocked out, appearing as they were at their human deaths. Weak and pathetic, vulnerable.

Guanyin dealt with their profanity, patient and always messing with something. Gyutaro would scowl when a net once formed over him and dragged him into a pond, his head sticking out. His teacher would stand on the shore and state he should learn to be patient with others. Though they may treat him poorly for his looks, he should show compassion.

He scowls at that.

Daki would be bound by a willow branch. Their teacher came over to her and even when Daki (Ume in appearance) cried out for her brother. She would shush her softly, telling her not to fear for soon, someone will show a love they can not refuse.

—
That love and compassion would come from Kotoha.

Though she rarely is away from Douma, the two sticky since they've arrived, she would still smile.

Their mouths would show their moods when their words can't be spoken. But the woman would sit with them, her son near them.

Then she spoke of their deaths.

"Douma told me how he saved you. Giving you a second chance." Kotoha was slow when she spoke. "That you were at death's door, carrying your sister."

Inosuke is babbling when their fists curl. Their past was painful and Daki never wants to be near an open flame.

"But I hope you can use your second chance to be better."

Gyutaro scowls and Daki goes to open her mouth. Kotoha however smiles.

"My husband was a horrible man." Kotoha would continue her tale. Gyutaro's scowl stops, not understanding how someone so fortunate with a face like hers was abused. Daki was puffing out her cheeks more.

"Douma had stopped him the first time he saw him." Kotoha doesn't mean to smile at the memory but the price the man paid was worth it.

"So please, if anything, defend the innocent when they can't defend themselves. Be compassionate to the weak."

Gyutaro has to think for a moment, remember how he did defend Daki at one point. Defending her from the cold that threatens to freeze them. The irony of Douma bringing the cold with him when he did give them a second life.

Gyutaro would look down when Inosuke reached his knee. The baby was bouncing on his chubby legs. A bright smile for a baby whose father treated him like shit. Much like how his mother treated him before Ume.

Kotoha smiles when Gyutaro picks Inosuke up, though not properly. Inosuke reaches up and pats at Gyutaro's birthmark, finding it fascinating.

"Ehhh, you find my ugly mug interesting." Inosuke would confirm with a laugh.

Daki finally saw how truly innocent Inosuke was. Not just as a baby but as a pure heart.

—
Douma would grin when he woke to Buddha. He learns that the siblings and Hakuji have made much progress.

They were getting purified of Muzan's blood.

They haven't received much damage since his demon companions joined his group. Perhaps Buddha has lessened their need for human flesh.

His fast has started again.

He'll need to work on his earthly desires. Though his love for Kotoha and Inosuke was making him more human than anything else since he donned his crown.

He did need to ask something of Buddha.

"Will there be a day this crown leaves my head? Not that I want to, I've grown quite used to it!" Douma stretches his teeth, showing off his fang, and pushes a claw to his crown. He had seen how he looks in a mirror and it made him look quite dashing in comparison to his hat as the leader of his cult.

His teacher was silent for a while.
"The day it leaves your skin, your body will be warm." Douma didn't like the sound of that.

Does that mean the day he gets it off, he would die in the sun? He can only hope that the day will be in the arms of Kotoha. Or the day his claws sink into Muzan's flesh as he wrestles him to the ground exposing him to the sun and his former master ripping his head off, his healing too weak to recover him.

His teacher knows how this ends and he can only hope it'll end with a bright future with Kotoha and Inosuke.

—
The moon was bright when Douma woke, his heart racing.

Something was wrong.

Beside him, Kotoha jerks awake with him. They are looking around and find Inosuke gone.

Outside, fighting is heard.

It was three against one when Douma arrived, the cries of Inosuke making his blood run colder than ever before.

Hakuji was being stabbed through by multiple blades. Gyutaro's blood art was causing more destruction around the estate than on the intended target. Sashes were being cut before they could reach the hostage.

Even with one arm clutching onto a struggling Inosuke, Kokushibo proves why he is Uppermoon One.

The garden freezes over when Douma attacks with icy fury. No matter how tight his crown becomes. Douma doesn't care if his healing will be stalled or if he were to die.

He was going to fucking murder Kokushibo for taking his son.