My name is Ayaka Amamiya, 27 years old and obsessed with anime. Like really obsessed. Slightly psychotic at that, and a genius to top it off. I've made 17 therapists quit their jobs this past year, big surprise, it's only February. I'm considered the most beautiful girl in my school, supposedly the most beautiful in Japan, but I don't care for petty social rankings. I tire of the world, I want to escape. Leave the confines of 2023 reality and escape somewhere far away where life's more interesting. Every night I close my eyes and pray I'll be taken far away.
My eyes flutter open. It's dark out. The moon glimmers in the sky and the stars shimmer. Where...? It feels too real to be a dream. I feel a cold presence behind me and I turn around with a calculating glare. He has red eyes and black hair, a gold embroidered black suit and a black rimmed hat. Muzan Kibutsuji.
"It appears I have easy prey tonight," chides the demon condescendingly with a sickening smile, ready to kill me but enjoying my plight, "are you afraid yet?"
I simply look at him nonchalantly and say, "no."
"Why don't you fear me little girl? Are you not afraid of death?" He asks with a toying voice, messing with his prey even though he'll kill me all the same.
"I expect death. We all die," I say tauntingly, looking him in the eyes with an unwavering gaze, "even you, Kibutsuji."
"Who are you?" Hisses Muzan, his pupils slanting viciously, "do you think yourself above me? How do you know me?"
"I am nothing compared to you," I say calmly, "of course you could kill me, but you don't. Why is that Kibutsuji? Could it be that you fear me?"
"I don't fear anyone," Muzan says in frustration, "stop evading my questions."
"My name is Ayaka Amamiya," I say courteously, bowing my head. My long black hair waves in the wind, and I hold down my red spider lilies that lace my hair. My ornate spider Lily patterned kimono flutters in the wind and I look back up to him with a cold gaze, "and I'm useful to you. I wouldn't stop you if you wished to kill me, but that would be suicidal. I know how you die. I know the whole chess board. You only know your side."
"Don't push your luck," Muzan yells, digging his clawed hand into my shoulder as blood trickles from the wound, "bow down if you wish to serve me and fall if you wish to die." I look to him unfazed, and his eyebrow twitches slightly at how unaffected I am. I don't so much as wince. I kneel to the ground and bow, a light smirk playing at my lips.
"So you've chosen servitude," Muzan tells me with a victorious grin, "then you shall serve me as a demon, Ayaka."
It's my turn to look to him with a smirk, "Survival instinct. I choose the option where I'd live. I'd rather maintain my humanity."
"Why you!" Yells Muzan, clearly enraged by my disrespect. He grabs me by my hair and glares at me with rage in his eyes. His nails dig into my scalp, but I simply smile patiently at him, "I'll kill you."
"Go ahead," I say, trying to hide my smirk, but I fumble and start laughing. Muzan looks furious, because he can't kill me, and he knows I know it. My shoulder's still bleeding, and my head is throbbing, but I know I've won. He looks pissed, but it's not as if he's lost much. He's gained an alley, like it or not.
"Fine," Muzan grunts, "have it your way, Ayaka."
"Oh, that's no reward," I say, "I would've had it my way regardless. Keep lying to yourself Kibutsuji. Don't flatter yourself too much." I turn to leave, picking up my large embroidered floral drawstring bag off the bag, dusting dirt off it. Before I can leave, Muzan pulls me backwards.
"Slayers," he hisses to me, "a hashira. Don't get involved with the wrong people." I brush his hand off of me, glaring at him with my wide amber colored eyes. I smile and purse my full red lips into a tight smile.
"I'll be fine," I say in frustration. He looks at me and turns away. He looks flustered, but he won't admit that to himself. I simply let out a laugh and run off to the slayer, "wait for me here." I run through the trees in the dark forest, making my way to the Hashira. Kanae. Kanae Kocho. Interesting, I suppose she's not dead yet.
"Help!" I whimper loudly, knowing she'll aid me, "a demon attacked me! I- I think I might die!"
"Oh my! You poor soul!" Kanae cries out, coming to my aid, "your shoulder's bleeding terribly!" I have quite a few issues. One is bringing daggers in my bag. They're small, but they're daggers. I grab one out quicker than Kanae can react and stab her through the chest. Her eyes look sad yet graceful, elegant through their pain. I resent people like her. Fools who fall for anything out of some false altruistic belief that everyone is good. I drag her pierced body through the woods with no respect nor consideration, pulling her forcefully over the rough gravel and dirt. I pull her to the clearing Muzan was waiting in and lay down her body.
"Happy birthday," I say dryly, "I hope this isn't too much association for you? Murder must make people oh so close."
Muzan hesitates but ultimately says, "Thank you, Amamiya."
"No, no," I say waving my hands, "that just won't do. Keep calling me Ayaka. Her name was Kanae Kocho by the way. 24 years old, same as me. She was the flower hashira. Doma would've killed her anyways, so don't thank me."
"I'll thank you if I want to," Muzan says, embracing me awkwardly. I stutter, and flush bright red, "you work for me remember?"
"Y-yeah, yeah," I stutter, "whatever."
"It's refreshing to have someone who treats me like any other person," starts Muzan, "no respect or formality, but no hatred like slayers. You're different."
"I know," I scoff with a laugh, "I could say the same about you. Most people are weak and follow people, but you- you're a visionary. And to hell with those who disagree."
"Oh?" Asks Muzan, caulking his head to side, "than what are you? A weak follower, or a visionary?"
"I like to think myself a visionary, but I'm weak," I reply honestly.
"You just stabbed a hashira," Muzan says if if he's speaking to an idiot, "you need someone to redefine weak for you."
"She was defenseless, and an altruistic and optimistic piece of work at that," I say in annoyance, people like that are easy to kill.
"Who are you really?" Asks Muzan, "what human chooses to kill other humans, has knowledge of the demon lord, sides with said demon lord, chooses to stay human, doesn't fear death, and seems to know everything?"
"I do, I suppose," I state blatantly, "I may have visions for the future, but I'm no wise prophet. I just know things. From a past life."
"So reincarnation is real? That's reassuring I suppose," Muzan jests, "not that it matters."
"Yes and no," I say, "sure Im in another world, but there's nothing about me that's changed. Hell, I still have my bag on me. And I didn't even die. It's less reincarnation and more of a baseless anomaly."
"That's an interesting way of putting it," remarks Muzan, "I'll keep that in mind, Ayaka. Say, we best be off to the infinity castle. I'm sure you know the place."
"I do," I say. Muzan snaps his fingers, and suddenly the forest warps into the sliding doors of the infinity fortress. In Muzan's room. No demons may enter, even in this enormous labyrinth.
"There is in fact one bed Kibutsuji," I say calmly, trying to hold myself together, "I beg your pardon, but why is there only one bed?" Muzan simply sighs.
"I don't sleep, it's yours," he says, waving his hand. I give a nod of my head to show my thanks and lie down in it. I'm honestly an insomniac myself, but I'm tired so I might as well. The sheets are red satin and the room gives an austere and ornate feel. I stare at the ceiling and the lights go off, save for a dim candle that's lit on a table.
"What are you doing?" I ask Muzan, shuffling out of bed with the blanket still wrapped around me, looking over his shoulder.
"I'm researching," he replies, jotting down notes on the blue spider lily. I slide onto the bench beside him, giving him some of my blanket. He doesn't say anything, and neither do I. I lean my head on his shoulder and look at his notes.
"That note, it's wrong," I say, pointing to a line about when the blue spider lily blooms, "it can bloom 2-3 days a year, not 1-2. And the duration is short but undefined, so don't give a time frame."
"Thanks," Muzan says, a bit irked that he didn't know that, "...Ayaka." I giggle lightly, and I close my eyes. I'm still leaning on him, but I suddenly feel tired. I'm an insomniac because I'm scared of the dark, I'm always thinking about what could happen in my sleep. Thinking someone might come and kill me. Not that they would, but I can't help being constantly scared. Somehow, lying on the shoulder of the murderous demon king, I feel safe enough to sleep.
A/N: Trying to write longer chapters than my previous fic, To Make Things Right Again. Yes, this is technically Muzan x FemReader the way I wrote it, but you can pretend she's a different gender or has a different name, sorry in advance!