𝑴𝒚 𝑰𝒏𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝑵𝒖𝒓𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒓 | Akaza X Reader

12~ 𝑃𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝐹𝑟𝑒𝑒𝑑𝑜𝑚

Wᴀʀɴɪɴɢ: ᴅᴏᴜᴍᴀ, ɢʏᴜᴛᴀʀᴏ, ᴄʀᴜᴇʟᴛʏ

Tamayo stepped out through the broken entrance, relishing the fresh air after being cooped up inside for so long. The sun had finally set, and she was ready to head home. She turned to face Akaza, who stood silently behind her. When her eyes met his, he quickly lowered them, unsure of what to say.

Tamayo, on the other hand, had plenty she wanted to say to this kind demon.

"Thank you," she began. "For saving me. I owe you my life now." With her eyes closed, she bowed deeply. Akaza couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed. He rubbed the back of his neck and glanced away.

"Let's not... take it that far. I told you I only did it because Y/n wanted me to."

Tamayo raised her head and smiled at his discomfort. She didn't care how many times she had thought about it-he was simply adorable. An idea flickered in her mind.

"Akaza-san," she called softly.

He looked at her, sensing the sudden seriousness in her tone.

Tamayo took a deep breath, readying herself for what she was about to say.

"You too could cast aside the shackles of confinement."

Akaza's pupils shrank for a moment. Was she suggesting he could be free from the master's control?

"Hold on." He raised his hand, pressing his fingers to his temple as he closed his eyes, trying to sense something.

Akaza was checking if the demon lord was currently watching or listening to his actions, as it sometimes happened with the demons under his control.

After a moment, he looked around cautiously. When he felt it was safe to speak, he lowered his hand and turned back to her. "Is that even possible?"

Tamayo glanced down, uncertainty flashing in her eyes. "There's no guarantee, especially since you're an Upper Moon, one of the closest to Muzan. But..." She looked up at him with determination. "I'd rather try and fail than not try at all."

She wasn't entirely sure where to begin. The only other demon she knew who wasn't controlled by that devil was her apprentice, and she had used her own blood to turn him.

Akaza's gaze dropped in contemplation. Breaking his bond with the master? If that actually happened... then what?

"Akaza-san!"

A childish voice rang in his ears, clouding his mind like a thick mist. His eyes softened as a small smile tugged at his lips. He turned to look back into the house. There she was, happily devouring the potato croquettes he'd learned to make from Douma's servants.

'Did she wash her hands?' he wondered, almost laughing at himself for focusing on something so trivial.

His mind wandered back to the time before he had crossed paths with this child.

Every day... every single day, he trained relentlessly, pushing himself to be stronger than the day before. No day passed without him quenching his thirst for greater power.

But for what? What had driven him to seek strength in the first place? Every time he tried to answer that question, he came up empty. Was it to impress Lord Muzan? No, he didn't admire the man.

So what was he doing all of this for? Who was he getting stronger for?

Whenever those thoughts surfaced, he'd dismiss them quickly, telling himself, 'Only the weak think like that.' Then he'd push forward, continuing his endless quest for strength.