"Ayaka," Muzan chides from his seat on the bed as he embraces me, "I'm not going to be around for a few weeks, I'm so sorry, and I know I've been busy, but it's important."
I sigh, arching my eyes into a frustrated glare and folding my arms, making a pouting face with a huff.
"What's so important, Muzan?" I hiss in annoyance, "I feel like you're drifting further and further apart. I'm fed up with this, you're hardly around, I can't deal with it."
"Ayaka," murmurs Muzan sadly, "give me three weeks, maybe four. I need to get some things in order with the uppermoons, and I need to visit some demons to kill off the week, and increase my numbers."
I storm out of the room, slamming the door behind me. The layers of the infinity fortress turn and weave, winding until I reach the exit.
I snap my fingers once, and the doors open, sending me falling onto the dusty ground of Asakusa. I don't really know what compelled me to come here when I was sad, there was just something peaceful about blending into the bustling and consuming crowds. Something anonymous. Something nostalgic.
My feat lead me forward as if I'm in a trance, leading me in the direction of the bar I'd went to with Muzan. I never was great with directions.
Somehow, I find myself in a back alley without realizing it, and I'm startled back to my sentences when I hear the sickening crack of bones and a tearing of flesh. I glance up, and am met with a pair of green kanji embroidered eyes staring at me.
"You," whispers Daki from her crouched position on the ground, ripping of another bite of flesh, "what are you doing here?"
"I don't know," I say, scuffing up a bit of dirt, "I could ask you the same, Daki."
"I'm here on business," Daki snaps, "what, did Muzan send you here? God, it's like life hates me, damn it. You here to gloat? You know, I really thought he liked me. He was just playing me. You're so damn lucky. What the hell do you have that I don't? I did everything to make him love me, and you just waltz in out of nowhere like you own the whole world. You're- you're so sickeningly human, but you're cruel and you're everything he wanted me to be. Why couldn't he have loved me?"
A single tear slides out of my eye. He doesn't love me, I really thought he did, but I'm just a pawn to him. I wipe the tear from my face, putting on a poker face. I won't be weak. I won't be ignored. He can't expect me to ignore his absence in my life, can he? Two can play this game, Muzan.
"You really want to know what I have that you don't," I say condescendingly, walking towards Daki and tilting her chin up with my fingertips, "how brave, yet how pitiful."
Daki shivers as I wipe the blood from her lips with a cold smile, and I see her eyes turn downwards in fear and adoration. How easy, truly. And they call themselves Upper moons.
"You don't need him," I whisper in her ear, "there are plenty of other fish in the sea."
I drop my hand and walk off with a grin and wave, leaving her face flushed and her cherry red lips quivering. I know she wants more of me, but isn't have my appeal the mystery and deception? What can I say, every villain loves a good play girl who knows how to break their heart. They get the love of their life, I get a valuable asset- it's a win win. You don't need strength to gain power, sometimes all you need is a few sweet talking skills and good looks.
I walk off into the crowds of Asakusa with an ornate crimson umbrella above me and a Sakura hair clip pinned to the side of my ebony black hair, looking out at the warm nightlights in the city. It's so jarringly peaceful, living an average human life for a day and getting away from Muzan.
"Help!" I hear a woman scream, "help, please, someone!"
"Quiet, bitch!" I hear the gruff voice of a drunken man yell back, "the hell are you yapping about?"
I watch the elderly man grab her by her hair, as she pulls her cloak tighter around her body. This isn't the Entertainment District, there are clear laws about what is right, and although I may not be quite the law abiding citizen myself, even I've had too much.
I walk over to the woman to aide her, my footsteps growing faster every step I take.
"Excuse me sir, just what do you think you're doing to this poor woman?" I ask with a fake smile, and angry tone to my voice, "do you suppose you've heard of consent before? Get lose or I'll get the cops, do you hear me?"
"Damn wench," growls the man, walking away into the streets, "women these days, so hard to deal with."
I make a tch noise in disgust, grimacing at the lingering odor of one too many jugs of beer.
"Miss," I say, extending my hand to the quivering woman with the cloak over her face, "are you alright? He didn't try anything yet, right?"
"No, no I'm fine, thank you," says the woman in a calming and soothing voice, a familiar voice that I can't quite place, "however can I repay you?"
"Oh, no, no, it's quite alright!" I exclaim, waving my hands earnestly, "there's no need to reward someone merely for stopping someone who stepped out of their jurisdiction!"
"Ah, well I'm grateful nonetheless," the woman says with a bow, pulling her hood off and giving me a half smile.
"Tamayo?" I murmur despite my better judgment, taking in her breathtaking purple eyes and black hair.
"I'm sorry, do I know you?" Asks Tamayo cautiously, now clutching the map of her kimono, "I don't believe we've met."
"Ah, no, it's nothing," I say, brushing off her suspicion, "I just remembered something a friend of mine told me, nothing more, nothing less. Don't pay me any mind."
"There you are," I hear Muzan's familiar voice from behind me, "I was looking for you everywhere, Ayaka. I finished my business earlier than expected so I'd wanted to make it up to you by showing u-"
Muzan cuts himself off when he realizes who I'm talking to. Tamayo's eyes widen in shock and they look at each other for a moment in silence.
"Oh!" I exclaim in an innocent voice, "Tsukihiko, this is Tamayo, I was just helping her out, there was this very frightening man harassing her so I thought I'd ought to step in."
"Miss, who is this?" Asks Tamayo warily, "Tsukihiko, correct?"
"Yes! Oh, I never gave my name," I sigh quietly, "my name is Ayaka Amamiya, this is my husband, Tsukihiko Amamiya- he just returned from an important business trip for his legal firm! Can you believe he has such an important job?"
"O-oh, yes, how very intriguing!" Laughs Tamayo awkwardly, avoiding eye contact with Muzan, "well, I suppose you two should be on your way, I wouldn't want to keep you waiting."
"Oh, yes, well it was very nice meeting you, Tamayo-san," I say with a light smile, taking her hands in mine before running off behind Muzan, "I'll see you soon, if fate allows!"
"Tsukihiko, should we go to a dango shop?" I ask in an airy voice, "oh, or we could go for ramen!"
Tamayo watches sadly from behind us and murmurs, "I do hope she's safe. I can't believe the amount of kind women he's gone through, I'll make sure to free her soon."
"Muzan," I say quietly, "I'm sorry, I misjudged the situation, I thought you had grown tired of me and were ditching me, I didn't realize you actually wanted to come back, forgive me, please, give me another chance!"
"Ayaka," Muzan laughs wryly, "why would you apologize? I know I haven't been treating you well, if anyone should apologize, it's me. I promised to prioritize you over work, and I forgot all about us."
I gulp and take a deep breath nervously, "Well about that," I whisper, looking away from him, "I kind of sort of slightly may have marginally encroached on what could be perceived as a potential instance of somewhat possibly getting somewhere in the realm of maybe cheating."
For a second, there is silence, and Muzan looks at me with a deadpan expression, trying to figure out whether I'm joking or not. When he realizes I was actually serious, he slams me against the brick exterior wall of the tavern, making me flush a bright shade of red.
"Go on, apologize," he says, glaring at me with crazed and affectionate eyes, "go on and beg for my forgiveness Ayaka."
"I-I'm sorry, master," I whimper, getting onto my knees and bowing before him, in attempt at sarcasm, "please forgive me for being so foolish."
Muzan's eyes flash a predatory red, digging his nails into the side of my neck like he did the first time we met.
"I didn't know you could act anything but cold and powerful," smirks Muzan, "so you can play a different part, hm? Go on, continue."
This bitch, I think with an unamused grimace, he really went there. I guess this is what I get for flirting with Daki.
"Lord Muzan," I say, looking up at him with watery eyes, "please, spare me! I still, I still love you, please!"
Muzan pushes me against the wall, pushing his lips against mine, making my heart pound in my ears as his hand grips firmly around my waist.
God, I love this psychotic power freak, don't I? What the hell is wrong with me?
No, I'm getting too caught in the moment. The date, it's all wrong. There was Mount Natagumo and the infinity train, but I didn't bother to get involved in those. Then I joined in on the Entertainment District to help Daki. And then the Swordsmith village- that's the piece of time that I just missed. That could only mean that the next major arc is the final battle. How could I be so stupid?
"Ayaka," Muzan mumbles sadly, "I need to go. I swear I'll be back by sunrise tomorrow. This is very, very important."
No, no, no, no. This can't be happening.
"Muzan!" I yell as he fades away, "Muzan just what do you think you're doing? Not now! I know what this is, you can't! Never! Muzan, I love you!"
His eyes turn downwards in sadness as his whole body fades out of existence. I need to move fast. I've been letting fate play out too much, I need to start taking it into my own hands.
My feet grow faster and faster, rapidly running across the dusty streets. Running towards the demon slayer headquarters, the Ubuyashiki mansion. I may just be a human, but I have to try. It's not a matter of opinion. I'm going to save him, even if it costs my life.
A/N: The story's almost over now! This has been so fun to write, I love Ayaka's character!