I keep a demon

Chapter 11

In her dream, she walk in the middle of nemophilia fields and stopped when she face to face with someone dear to her. She take a glimpse of his unique eyes, she know who is he and she let the man embrace her  figure.

Y/n's slim fingers feel the soft fabric covered her upper body. She's unconsciously snuggle into it, inhale to a scent like the mix fragrance of waterlily and lotus.

Her hand move to touch his face softly. Its so realistic. Too real as she can feel the soft skin of him.

When she wants to call his name, the light of the sun dazzled her eyes and she wake up from her dream. Welcomed by Giyuu's blank face with her hand on his cheek.

"Not you....." She groaned in disappoint. Pushing the poor man's face away.

"Hm? I didn't expect that kind of reaction." He said.

"Then what kind of reaction you want me to pull off?" She asked, yawning and sit on her warm futon. Rubbing her eyes in hope to get rid of her sleepiness. "What's bring you here so early? No mission today?"

"I asked Oyakata sama to give me a day off so I can check on you but apparently I've got a new found mission."

"What do you mean? Why?" She whined.

"As I reach here, your grandma welcome me in frantic."

"Really? She must be thrilled to have you this early."

"Yes. Or no... maybe. Whatever. More important is I saw how the Wisteria Tree around this house withering and some of them rot."

Y/n's eyes widen and Giyuu got her full attention. "Could it be that.."

"Yes. A demon trespassed this place. A real deal demon."

"What?! How come?"

Giyuu shrugged and ask her to see it for herself. He send his kasugaigarasu to Oyakata sama earlier and the leader aware of this thing. Before Oyakata sama send another hashira to handle this issue, Giyuu volunteered himself since its related to his closest person.

Y/n walk behind him, grabbing the unknown haori which she unconsciously wears. The familiar scent hit her nose but she's too enjoyed to realize it.

"Giyuu kun, wait. Are you really sure about it? The tree should be keep the demon away, not lure them in. Why the hell a demon danger themself by coming to this house?"

"I do not know, Y/n. I'm a human, not a demon."

She hit the back of his head when he carelessly answer her question like that. She can hear his muffled chuckles. They reach the garden that previously planted with a healthy, beautiful Wisteria Trees. "You right.." She said, walking to touch one of those tree. The branch is so dark like a charcoal. "Its like they've been poisoned."

"Seem so. But fear not, the kakushi brigade will come to take care of the dead trees and replace it with the new - blossom one in no time. Someone getting overprotective." He muttered the last part.

"He's just a kid, Giyuu kun."

"I know, I know." He look at his friend and sigh in relieved. "At least now you're not sick anymore. I'm going out to investigate around this area. Himejima will come to blessed the ground." He patted her head.

She accompany him to the gate while clinging to his haori. "Be careful then. And thanks for trying to check on me. Really.. That's mean a lot"

He nodded. "By the way, that haori surely too large on you. Are you sure you pick the right size?" He said and left the house, not even wait to hear her answer.

"Huh?" She look at the haori that she wear and surprised by how familiar the haori is.

She realized that in her half awake state the night before, when the fever took over her consciousness, she think that the high fever trick her mind to start hallucinating Douma, but he really there.

If she asked why a demon risk their life before, she get the answer now. Douma come all the way here just to visit her, and probably heal her too. Based on his lively personality, he must be didn't have any second thought to barge into the house, like infiltrate the house full of Wisteria tree is the same like walking in the graveyard.

She know the reason why he left his haori is simply to point out what he said about their current relationship is not a joke, she really meant for him. A lot.

She inhaled the calming scent of his haori like she's snuggling into his neck, she closed her eyes in hope she could find The Upper Moon Two soon.

---

When Douma left the The Wisteria House, he purposely splatting his own blood to battle the holy power of Wisteria tree with the impurities of his demon blood. Not for threat The Demon Corps but it just him being playful.

But now Douma is in distress but he won't admit it, more like he's not even aware why the hell he feels weird emotion. He simply just shake it off, feel better or even feel nothing as usual then the unfamiliar feeling come again.

Lately, there's a high tension between Upper Moon Demons and Lower Moon Five, Rui, who insist that the psychic woman is still alive and hiding in one of those place called Wisteria House.

The more he try to covering her, the more Rui getting on his nerves. The young-lower rank demon is so persistent to his words and even when Douma said that he already visit one of those Wisteria Houses, Rui simply said that he must be come to a wrong place and asked his Upper Demons to help him check every Wisteria House to satisfied their lord.

Getting rid of him might be a good idea but he cant carelessly do that.

Douma currently stand on the bridge in the nearest town to his temple, eyes to the reflecting moon on the river. When the sun completely set, he leaves his place and strolled around the town and find a convenient place where he can just stand there and think.

"Wait.... Why am I so eager to protect her again?" He questioned him self. He remember that his first intention is to devour her, then it turn to planning to use her against The Demon Slayer Corps and now he won't let anything, even his comrades or his lord to touch her.

What he didn't understand is why now he even desperately wants her to believe him that he doesn't mean any harm to her.

A light tap on his shoulder awake him from his thought. He smiles when he saw the reflection from the river. "Its about the time you show up. I'm amaze by how fast you can found me. Its been three days, no?"

"Its almost four days to be exact. How are you Douma?"

"Never been this good, my dear friend." His eyes notice a small bag behind her back, she looks like someone who runaway from her home. "I hope you're not come all the way here just to return my haori."

"Sadly, yes." Y/n said.

Douma laughed and shift his body to her, flicking her forehead. "You're such a bad liar, Y/n. But I know that you are way too shy to admit it."

"True. "

He just let a warm chuckle and continue to stare at the moon reflection, she do the same but she feels weird with him suddenly become quiet.

"Y/n, we're friends right?" He asked, finally avert his gaze from the river when he got an idea. Douma is effortlessly looks perfect with his eyes reflecting the moon light.

"That's why I'm here. Why do you ask now?"

"It just someone bothers me a lot when I try to keep you hidden. So I think this time I need your help."

"By what?" She asked. She's a little bit suspicious but her heart insist to believe in him, that the demon before her is purely need her help.

"Tell The Demon Slayer Corps to investigate Natagumo Mountain."