Second Chances {Doukaza}

26

No one's POV
For the next few weeks, the four demons didn't return to Lady Tamayo's place, as they didn't want the risk of being discovered if they didn't even have any blood to bring her. The secret was easy enough to keep, as long as Akaza, Tanjiro, Inosuke, and Zenitsu never thought about it around Muzan.

Every so often, a sweet little calico cat would appear in the forest, one of Yushiro's talismans attached to it's chest, and a small pack on it's back to carry blood samples. Each time, they gave it a few pets, and sent it back.

Yushiro was angered when he realized how many demons were brought to the forest, much to close to their hideout for him to feel they were safe. He tried to convince Lady Tamayo to find a new place for them to hide, but she shook her head and told him that once the trio and their friend Akaza got them another sample, she would consider it. Besides, the log cabin was the only place they knew to find her and Yushiro, so if they moved, the trio wouldn't be able to get more samples to her.

Back in the infinity castle, Akaza was wondering where he was going to get said sample. He knew it had to be an uppermoon's blood, because Lady Tamayo asked for 'blood from demons closely related to Kibutsuji.' Not many demons would willingly betray Muzan, whether it was out of fear or loyalty didn't matter. Either way, if Akaza approached the wrong demon, he could get everyone involved killed. Lots of pressure for a demon who barely knew his new allies.

Akaza's POV

Who do I trust the most out of all the uppermoons? I thought for a moment. Rui, Douma, and Kaigaku.

Kaigaku had been trying to catch Tanjiro and the others in the act for Muzan, so that ruled him out. And Rui just became an uppermoon, I didn't want to rope him into it. That left Douma.

How am I going to pull this off? I banged my head on the headboard of my bed. (Does this sentence sound weird to any of you? It sounds weird to me...)

I shouldn't just telll him, right? Maybe I could test him first. I got up off my bed and went to look for him. I checked the meeting platform and the lounge, but he wasn't in either of those places.

I swear, if he's in his room sleeping in the middle of the night I am going to die. I jumped up a couple levels and walked down the hallway, stepping carefully over the mess of webs that lined Rui's side of the corridor. Stopping in front of Douma's door, I slid it open a crack.

I immediately slammed it shut. Of course I decide to walk in while he's changing!! I cursed quietly at myself for not knocking first.

The rainbow eyed demon poked his head out a moment later. "Oh hello Akaza-dono!" He smiled happily. "I was worried for a second that you left! Did you like the view?"

I blushed and turned my head away.

"I can see you did!~"

"Shut up. I wanted to ask you something." I looked back at him, trying to tame the heat that had spread over my face.

"Okay! Come sit!" Douma opened the door fully and moved aside to let me in.

I took a deep breath to steady my racing heart and stepped in, sitting down on his mattress. Douma sat next to me and put a hand on my leg, having seen that I was stressed. "Is everything okay, Akaza?"

"Yes, sort of." I paused. "It might be, if I'm careful. Can you promise to keep this conversation to yourself?"

Douma frowned slightly. "Of course!"

I'm so glad he's getting better at expressing real emotions.

"If you could turn back into a human, would you?" I held my breath, looking down at the floor.

He thought for a few seconds. "I suppose! But Muzan-sama would never allow it."

"And if he didn't have to know?" I chanced a glance in his direction.

Douma's eyes widened with concern. "Kaza that would be impossible. And dangerous!" He clenched one hand into a fist. "Are you sure you're alright??"

I moved past his question. "But would you? I mean, would you risk death to have a second chance at life as a human?"

"In this hypothetical world where a cure exists and we go behind Muzan-sama's back, are you turning back as well?"

I nodded.

"Then yes."

I let out the breath I had been holding. Good. One last thing to ask.

"Then will you help me create the cure?"

Time skip

The next night, Nakime sent all of us back to the forest. I took Tanjiro and Giyu, telling the others we would be climbing to the top of the mountain. Which we were, in a sense. Except in my left hand, I held a small vial with a healthy dose of Douma's blood.

The glass container was small enough to fit in the palm of my hand without being noticed, but big enough to hold just the right amount of blood for Lady Tamayo's tests. The plan was to ascend the mountain, and go to where we would be meeting the cat. A certain amount of caution was to be taken, and we all agreed I would be the only one to have the memory of handing the blood over. Out of the three of us, I was the most powerful, and the least likely to be disposed of in the event Muzan found out.

I jumped over a rocky section of the ascent, looking up to check our progress. Almost to the top. I looked back at the other two and motioned for them to stop. I sprinted the rest of the way up, wanting to get this over with as soon as possible.

Upon reaching the summit, I looked around for the cat. I smelled blood behind a tree, so I checked behind it. The poor thing was laying in a pool of it's own blood, struggling to regenerate it's lower body.

I crouched down and stroked the cat demon's ears. "Who did this to you?" I sniffed the air.

Muzan. He was here recently. How!? How did he know???

"Just a hunch."

I whipped around and dropped the blood vial on the grass in the far-fetched hope the cat would regenerate quickly and pick it up.

Muzan Kibutsuji stood next to a large boulder, a grim smile on his face.

Oh how I love cliffhangers 😈😇