Icy Flames- Rengoku Kyojuro-Demon Slayer/ Kimetsu no Yaiba

37

The sun was blearing down more and more violently as if a burning flame is burning my soul as Rengoku and I walked.

I turned my attention elsewhere. The reeds by the paddies swayed softly with the wind, the skies subdued blue slowly to the bright afternoon as the sun was at its peak.

Some farmers were tending to their rice paddies, in their muddy shoes. Seeing that day was the safest time to do so.

"Hmmm..." he mumbled before walking around in front of me leaning down to look me in my eyes and cutting me off to walk. His eyes were curious as he pressed a finger against my forehead, smiling while he said "You seem lost in thought."

I only stared at him as he was still staring intently at me.

Flashes of that demon passed through my mind and I blinked passively. I slapped his finger off my head and walked around him and towards the Wisteria mansion. He was a bit stunned by my action but that didn't phase him to drop the smile and follow beside me.

Why was he persistent today? He should be tending to his duties like the Hashira training for the other demon slayers or hanging out with Mitsuri, why the hell was he bothering me.

"It seems that the demon Uzui and yourself fought was quite the handful," Rengoku commented.

Was this Uzui's doing? Was he punishing me because I didn't listen to him and overkilled the demon out of rage?

"He told me how the demon was eager to make you its next victim due to your beauty," Rengoku stated.

"Listen," I stated with my stern face regarding him, "If you want to talk about the mission, I suggest you speak to Uzui about the mission."

He hummed, eyeing me with that disgusting grin of his. 

"You may come off as cold, but I know you have a soft side and I am determined to bring it out of you!" He leaned in closer, my nose almost brushing against his.

My eyes stared into his, my face its usual passive mask with the added bonus of my trademark frown of displeasure and annoyance. 

"Do not waste my time," I stated, my voice low and dangerous walking around him again and onwards.

"We still need to train together," Rengoku's boisterous voice was strained as he caught up beside me once more.

I pressed my lips together into a thin line and turned my attention away from him. The only response he was going to get out of me was a low hum. I have a feeling this was Uzui's doing but I wonder why he is pushing for this? My thoughts were disrupted when Rengoku had a triumphant grin before breaking out into a fit of laughter.

"So when will we train?" He asked, looking up at me like a doleful little kid eager to play especially with the huge grin he was always sporting, "I do hope to spar with someone of your caliber, especially capable of defeating 300 demons alone without the assistance of a single demon slayer."

"Never."

I expected him to say something smart but as my eyes glance at him, he just stared at me as if he was trying to study me and figure me out. This man was something. He was very upfront, straight to the point, and said whatever was on his mind at that moment but chooses to help me when he had a woman.

I placed my hand on the doors of the Wisteria mansion and opened it. Woody vines draped over the front as shades of purple ripple through like water. Stray petals blew through the wind giving an ethereal look towards the place.

"Ah, Y/N welcome back," the elderly woman greeted warmly, "Oh I see you brought company, you both look like a lovely couple."

"Baa-chan," I said bluntly before snatching the bags out of Rengoku's hands with my good wrist. Before he could utter a word of protest, I narrowed my eyes before I spoke again as I walked past the elderly woman, "we aren't together."

I slid the door open, slightly putting pressure on my injured wrist, and turned around to slide the door close to see him staring once again with the same intensity he had when I rejected his training request. Something about the intensity of his stare and his unwillingness to look away told me he was ready for me to realize something...that he was interested in something.