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

44

I didn't pay any attention to people as I pushed myself through the crowd. All I cared about was to get away somewhere calm, somewhere away from him...and I didn't realize how fast I could run. Being able to catch a glimpse of Uzui as we walked in the direction I was running from and not having him bat an eye, told me how fast I was going.

It was when the sounds of cheer and fun faded enough to be replaced by the wind in the leaves I realized I was out at my new favorite spot, sitting with my knees up to my chest on the tiled roof of the pagoda in this quiet garden that Uzui claimed he wanted to bring his wives.

It was teeming with so much new life, even though it was night. Bright green leaves were sprouting everywhere. Flowers of every color were blooming. Vibrancy of this place always took my mind away from reality.

Uzui bring his wives here was absurd though he already did.

Gardens aren't his thing.

He knows he is more of a hot spring connoisseur than a garden expert.

I sighed at my obnoxious thoughts.

This day was just too much for me to handle.

"Father...mother...why did you leave me to deal with these weak emotions?" I questioned myself miserably before burying my face in my knees, "would you have allowed uncle to give me up to a husband to put aside these emotions?"

The sound of the wood creaking under the movement of someone would have pulled me from my mind.

"Tengen, go away..." I mumbled.

"Good thing I am not him."

My head jolted in shock, my head whipped upwards to meet gazes with fire-lit eyes, warm like a flame.

He stopped a few steps from the pagoda I was sitting on top of, his warm hues looking worried watching me carefully, "I got distracted, I didn't have the chance to talk to you..." he started with a more soft voice.

"Why...why are you here...?" I scowled looking away from him impassively yet with hits of somber in my voice.

"Um-he told me you like to come here," Rengoku said with a close smile until his eyes wandered off for a bit with a tin of blush painted on his face, "I guess since he gets me talking at the teahouse...a lot of our conversation has been centered around you since he told me that I ask a lot of question about...I'm really sorry, I must sound like I'm some sort of a creep."

My once icy gaze was now of warm honey, a faint, odd expression on my usually impassive face.  "Hn," I hummed looking down at him and focusing my attention towards the moonlight brought a comforting beauty to the graphite night.

I rushed onto my feet, prepared to sprint away again until a firm grip wrapped around my wrist. My eyes quickly went from Rengoku's hand, then to his eyes. His eyes were intently staring at me as they did before when we fought this morning...and before...during our first mission.

Silence fell between us.

"Y/N..." Rengoku started.

I remained silent looking at him. He was considerably close ...

"I don't think I can honor your wish for me to stay away from the wisteria mansion...to stay away from you."

My eyebrows furrowed at his statement. It was a simple request so I can get rid of my feelings for him and allow myself to accept that...my feelings were unrequited.

"Let go." I turned swiftly, my face had annoyance written all over it. Agitation was in my voice.

"No," Rengoku stated, "I wanted to tell you that I lost my mother at a young age...but there was a time I remembered her saying to go after what I feel is right and to draw strength from the depths of my being."

What the hell was he spewing out of his mouth...

He pulled me around so that I was in his arms facing him. Just looking at him, I couldn't help but stare at his soft yet hardened features and how his golden hair glowed in the moonlight making him look like the warrior he was.

"You should be Kanroji-san?" my voice was cold as I turned my head away from him.

Rengoku expression changed from one of determination to one of confusion when those words left my mouth. His arm held me close against his body as he pressed me against his chest.

"Why?" he asked obliviously. He was sincerely confused at the question but it wasn't a hard question to answer.

I didn't want to answer his question, I just wanted to distance myself from him. I guess I was no longer intimidating to him. I tried to pull my wrist from his grasp, tugging and pulling, to no avail. Rengoku's grip only tightened as I fought.

Feelings hands near the bottom of my chin, I was forced to look into his eyes once more. That stare was back, only more fired up than any other time before. My body froze, tensed up unbearably, my breathing came out in ragged puffs. I could feel his breath on my nose, my lips as his eyes met mine. Time was really going slow...

"Why should I be with the Love Hashira when I know my heart belongs to the woman in front of me...the woman I know my mother would have approved and would have loved to meet," Rengoku whispered.

I couldn't process anything after what he said. He wasn't with the love Hashira and he was in love with...me...My amber eyes were searching looking to see if this was some twisted joke but that intense stare told me that it wasn't at all...this was his truth...I was the woman who set his heart ablaze...