A love beyond redemption.

Chapter four.

"Why couldn't we just talk inside? And, isn't it a bit too early for you to be drinking?"

Kishibe remained calm by continuing to take sips from his hip flask.

The youth and their impatientness.

"Isn't it a bit too early for you to be smoking?"
He didn't hesitate to sass back.

Aki just let out a sigh in response, taking another drag from his cigarette and expelled the smoke slowly.

"I'm trying to get my head around the fact that I'll be living with a fiend soon."

"Is that why you've taken me out here? You want to talk about her?"

Kishibe couldn't help but smirk slightly, always amused by how sharp Aki was, at times.

"You need to be patient with her."

"Why should I? She's a fiend."
Aki pointed out with disgust, his expression a glare.

"Aki."

The gentle sound of his name being called out had him looking towards Kishibe.

He took another puff of his cigarette, trying to calm himself down.

"Didn't you notice anything strange when you found her?"

Aki let out a long sigh, remembering how the fiend's mother cried and begged him for ages to not kill her daughter.

He hated to admit that it saddened him and was quick to take another drag.

"She was just there, knelt down and like she was out of it. I didn't see or hear her speak once."

"It was the perfect opportunity to kill her."

Kishibe was the one who had let out a sigh this time, as he listened to Aki's words.

"That's because she was in the process of forgetting everything."

"What?"
Aki let out, looking towards Kishibe again with slight surprise.

"The devil that consumed her father and siblings, whom she doesn't even remember, said it would let her and her mother go if they were able to defeat it."

"She may have died as a devil, but she died protecting her mother. More so, she refused to stay dead and became a fiend to keep protecting the parent - she now has no memory of."

Aki was at loss for words. His eyes darted to the ground, and his cigarette was long forgotten about as he wasn't sure of what to say.

"That's.."
He eventually let out, not being able to ignore the sympathy he had felt for the fiend.

In a way, she had lost both her parents and a sibling, too. Not even one, but two, and she had no recollection of who they were. Not even her own mother who begged endlessly for her to not die.

"Let me guess, Makima didn't tell you shit."
Kishibe slightly scoffed and took another sip from his hip flask, not caring about the crows in the distance that were just watching.

Aki remained silent. His mind was dreadingly being slow, when it came to processing all of this.

"I'll tell you what she told me. I know I've already sprouted a lot of things that you're finding hard to believe, but you have to be aware of this, too."

"Kaiya might just be the fiend of human protection."

Aki found himself looking at Kishibe with surprise yet again, his eyes slightly wide.

"Impossible..A fiend? Protecting humans??"

Kishibe only nodded in response.

"My theory is that it's because she died and was reborn with the determination of protecting her mother."

"She's not even attracted to human blood, you know. She could have it, if she'd like to, but she survives without it and even prefers human food."

Aki's heart had strangely felt heavy as his eyes darted back towards the ground. Was this real?

This time, Kishibe was the one who glanced at Aki and found himself patting at his shoulder, in a sense of comfort.

"You don't have to like or trust her, Aki. But she's hardly a threat, becoming a fiend. She doesn't even remember basic things, anymore."
Kishibe pointed out, causing Aki to remember the moment she was cutely surprised about how cold the ice cream was.

"..I understand."
Aki murmured quietly, which only made Kishibe gently pat at his shoulder, again.

"Good lad."

__

"I'm trusting you two to get along well."
Makima sweetly smiled at both Aki and Kaiya, who were standing side by side. It didn't need to be stated who was nonchalant and who seemed to be nervous.

"Of course, Miss Makima."
Aki had simply said in response, doing a respectful bow.

"Come on, fiend."
He then murmured to Kaiya, not even bothering to wait for her as he had already begun to walk away.

Kaiya who was still so nervous looked towards Makima one last time for a feeling of assurance, which Makima had so easily predicted and simply nodded, letting her believe that it would all be alright.

Letting out a small sigh to calm her nerves and the anxiety she couldn't get rid of, Kaiya gave Makima a small nod in return - finally leaving her office, being quick to follow behind her new roommate.

Aki walked slowly on purpose, hearing Kaiya's small steps behind him - he eventually turned around and faced her.

Not expecting him to stop so abruptly, Kaiya had ended up bumping into his chest - letting out a small squeak of surprise, in the process.

"Sorry."
She murmured, glancing down at his feet.

"Look."
Was all she heard in response, leaving her confused.

"You haven't looked at me once, since I've met you."
Aki pointed out, his voice deep and smooth.

"..Are you scared of me?"

For some reason, hearing that question leave Aki's mouth had Kaiya's eyes slightly widening - as, she finally glanced up at him with surprise.

"No, I'm not! I'm just..aware that you hate me and my kind. I don't want you feeling angry all the time. Especially now, that I have to live with you.."
She was quick to assure, confused on why she hadn't wanted him to think that way.

Aki hated that he couldn't stop himself from feeling bad and slightly flushed from the sudden sight of Kaiya's pink eyes; it was the first time he had gotten a proper look at them, that he couldn't help himself from turning his head to the side and letting out a small sigh.

"I was childish and for that..I apologise."
He found himself murmuring, causing Kaiya to slowly blink up at him.

"It's true that I'll always hate your kind, but whether I like it or not, you're apart of us now and you'll be living with me."

"..I'll have to get used to you."

Clearing his throat slightly, Aki was quick to turn around and have his back face her again.

"Now, come on. Your new home is awaiting."
He then murmured and was quick to walk off, again.

His words weren't exactly that friendly, but Kaiya had still found herself smiling - her heartstrings strangely felt as if they were being tugged at.

"Okay!"
She couldn't help but let out happily, not letting herself fall behind as she caught up with him.

》》》

I hope it doesn't seem like I'm moving too fast with them, I don't know. I'm just writing whatever comes to my head, at this point, but as long as the romantic scenes aren't too cringe - I'll hate myself, a little less.