FAILURE. | rui x reader

xi.

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The man greeted you with a sickening sweet tone, it was uncomfortable for you how his voice was laced in honey sweet nectarine, the alluring vocalizations of the man did not entrance you, it made you grit your teeth in irk.

You nodded stoically at the person in response, rising from your seat slowly, eyes casted in full distrust. Your left hand is curled around the frame of your chair, as an anchor to your place and to show the uneasiness from you body language. "I apologize for not introducing myself sooner, my name is Douma." Douma, the demon brought a closed golden fan to his lips. You eyed the accessory with skepticism. You brave yourself to look straight at his eyes, there was not a feeling of fear, only wariness. The demon looked ecstatic to be able to catch your attention, resuming the words he was about to say.

"I see you are researching about the immortal flower. As I said before, I don't think any books here would help you in finding it out. Speaking from experience, of course. It's better to find things out by yourself and going to places. Anyways, what's your name?" Douma spoke animatedly, his question hung in the air, as you did not reply right away.

He cocked his head to the side, watching you who still, motionlessly, stood before him with a grin. After a while, the situation became quite awkward, you could not bear the silence. So you decided to answer, it seems that he would not say anything until you gave him your name. What a childish attitude. He continued to grin at you (mockingly).

You gave him your name, irritated at the whole situation. Douma giggled, and coughs softly, before looking at you with an innocent farce.

"I am one of Master Muzan's demons, as long as I am in his domain, I made an oath to not to hurt or kill anyone inside these walls... Unless..." He knocked the bookshelf next to him as to prove a point. His face darkened, you instinctively knew what he was about to say-

Unless you, hypothetically speaking, happened to step outside this safe zone belonging to my master.

"-Unless given his permission of course. So be at ease, I can't hurt you." He smiled and opened his fan; gold light streams from the fan as if it was the sun itself, reflecting the silver strands of the moon's. The light hits your eyes, as you squinted, to avoid the bright beam to hit your irises.

Douma suddenly stood in front of you, you didn't see nor hear him move, being in a close proximity with a stranger made you uncomfortable, especially if they're one of Muzan's loyal dogs. And, after hitting your eye with that bright light, you were irritated beyond thought. Without much thought, you let go of your hold on the chair, and shoved him, hard. His face, who was about to remark on something, winces, as he flew through the air and slammed into multiple bookcases, bringing them down with him in the process. A sound like thunderclap resonates around the room.

Dust gathers in the place Douma fell. You looked at your hand in shock. Filaments of lightning, pale blue in color surrounded your right arm, analogous to the texture of wood. A surge of electric pain runs your right shoulder to the sides of your neck, you grit your teeth to hold the pained grunt. You remembered what Rin said about the prosthetic arm, stolen from some demon slayer; ""This arm was forged for a former demon slayer, yet it fell into master Muzan's hand. How very fortunate of you to have this weapon."

Weapon.

You looked at the spot where Douma fell, the bookcases were wrecked. A figure could be seen rising from the cloud of dust, shoulders slumped. A loud laugh could be heard; it began with a small chuckle which turned into a full blown hysterical cackle. "More..." It said.

"OH! How wonderful! This pain is delightful! The feeling of electricity bolting through flesh, searing and boiling blood. And- and- that satisfying fractures and bone cracks. Please, I ask you to hit me more." Weirded out by his request, you stepped back. You saw him with blood dripping from the edges of his lips, yet it seems his regenerative abilities as a demon had kicked in, and he does not look like he was shoved a few meters away with inhumane strength. He stepped from the rubbles and the wood wreck, papers and books scattered. Walking towards you with slow, measured steps, shoulders still slumped.

"I do think you decimated my library enough already, Douma." With a new voice joining, you glanced at the person who got you out of the weird situation. Unsurprisingly, it was Muzan. Douma bows his head, it doesn't seem that he was scared with Muzan's presence; instead he greeted him with a big smile. "Forgive me about that, maybe I had taken it too far, making her irritated and all. Regarding the bookshelves I am deeply sorry, damaging your properties... I could not imagine the punishment that comes with it! So what would you do Master Muzan? Would you take some of my fingers? Or perhaps my irises? People did say they look more prettier these days..." Douma seems to be nonchalant about the whole situation, and seem to seek even more, of the punishment.

"I don't need your eyeballs or your fingers. Why did you come here? Did you find the flower?" Muzan states coldly. A shudder runs through your body. Not because of Muzan, but the prospect of having someone else is finding the flower. Would Muzan kill you once he found what he was looking for? And since he covered a partial of his promise (bringing Rui back to life) it may be possible that he did not keep the others; like sparing the boy with the Hanafuda earrings. Then you had been kept alive for nothing but to increase the possibility of finding the blue spider lily. You did not save a human, instead, you saved a monster.

"About that... Yes, I came here because of the flower, but there are some... complications you see." Douma fidgeted and took out a withered flower from thin air. He bowed in a redundant movement and presented the flower.

"It only blooms in daylight."

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