Thanks @IronDragon19 for the request!
———
I wasn't the type to scare easily but as I watched the demon from afar, I felt my stomach tumble slightly. She was clearly strong, her muscles firm in her arms as she bounced a type of ball against the ground. The jingle noise it made echoed around me like some sick melody or a clown funeral dirge. She wore a wide smile that showed off her pointed teeth made for sinking into human flesh.
I was no warrior or soldier of any kind. I merely made deliveries in the mountains between villages. If she chose to attack, all I had was a small dagger in my belt loop that I used more for cutting my way through underbrush rather than violence.
A shiver rolled down my body as I stared her down. She clearly knew I was here from the intensity of her gaze on me. It was only a matter of time before she made a move and killed me.
"Ah, and here I was thinking I was all alone out here," the demon smiled sinisterly. I couldn't help the way my hands shook as I went to grab the knife on my belt. She didn't seem to care though as I held it at my side with a trembling grip. It made me feel like a joke and that was before she burst out into laughter. I felt my face burn in humiliation and embarrassment from how ridiculous I must seem.
"Oh my! Do you really think that tiny thing can even make a scratch on me? Let alone decapitate me?" she chuckled, the sound reminding me of insanity. With the crazed look in her eyes as she stared at me, I wouldn't be surprised if a few screws were loose in that head of hers.
"I don't want to die," I mumbled, overcome with some base instinct to cower. This only seemed to amuse the demon as she stopped laughing to look me over. I felt like a piece of meat under the hungry gaze of a wolf. There is nothing I can do to save myself other than pray and beg for her mercy and she obviously knew it too as she stepped closer, tossing the ball she had in the air casually as if she had all the time in the world...which I suppose she did have compared to me.
"Don't worry darling! I like to play with my food first," she smirked. She was close now. Probably only a few steps away. I took what might've been one of the last moments of my life looking over her. As a demon, it made sense that her skin would be so polished and unblemished or that her eyes would be bright and captivating. It briefly reminded me of the fish in the sea that lured the smaller ones out with a pretty light until attacking while their guard was down. Could this be her tactic too? To lure me into complacency before she killed me?
"I don't like suspense," I whispered, shivering under her stare. This only made her smile widen, her teeth practically shining in the moonlight as I flinched. When she randomly tossed me the ball she had been throwing in the air, I panicked but managed to catch it in my hands before fully realizing that this was probably a trap. I prepared for the ball to explode in my hands or for sharp spikes to skewer my fingers but nothing happened as I braced myself. The demon laughed again.
"It's just a ball. Stop being paranoid. You'll die when you die so stop bracing for it," she rolled her eyes as if I was being dramatic by fearing for my life in the presence of a demon in the middle of the night. I looked at her with wide eyes.
"That strangely doesn't make me feel better," I whispered to her with a frown. She merely shrugged, clearly not caring as she gestured for the ball back. I hesitated, looking at the patterns for a moment before tossing it back. It would probably be best to just follow her instructions without overthinking that this may be the last few things I did before I was eaten and torn apart.
"Well how about introductions! That makes people feel better right? I'm Susamaru," she smiled, the sinister glint to her teeth seemed to lessen slightly as she held her hand out to me. I looked at her nails that could easily be mistaken as claws and would surely be able to slice me apart before I gently took it, shaking her hand with a trembling arm.
"I'm y/n," I mumbled. I didn't exactly feel safer but I did feel more confused as I watched the demon...no, as I watched Susamaru toss me the ball again. I caught it with less panic this time, throwing it back to her as she held her hands up.
"Well y/n, I'm actually not very hungry tonight. I'm willing to let you run like a coward when I'm done playing with you," she stated with a shrug, casually allowing me to live as if it wasn't a big deal. I felt thankful tears well up in my eyes but I held it back along with my groveling as we tossed the ball back and forth.
"Thank you for your mercy," I quietly stated, not wanting her to change her mind just for the sake of it. She only shrugged with a small smile as we kept throwing the ball to each other. I tried not to think about how close I was to death or how she could still take my life now even as we played catch with the familiarity of two best friends.