"So that's what happened, eh?" Sanemi muttered. He was currently being held down by Giyu and Genya. Akai was panting on the ground, exhausted from running for so long.
"That's right Aniki. There's no reason to be mad." Genya said.
"HE GAVE YOU HIS BLOOD!!!" Sanemi screamed and thrashed against Giyu. "YOU COULD'VE BLOWN YOURSELF UP!!!"
"Well, I didn't. And it worked out." Genya argued.
"I mean, you kinda fell apart at the end but yea." Akai muttered while making a so-so gesture with his hand.
"YOU WON'T BE DOING THIS!!! THAT'S FINAL!!!" Sanemi roared.
"Well Sanemi, if he does this, he's get stronger and he'll be harder to kill which decreases the chances of you losing your dearest brother~" Akai leaned down to Sanemi's face and said.
"..." Sanemi paused in thought for a moment.
----------
It had been a week since their first time 'training'. With approval from Sanemi, Akai would be able to teach Genya how to use his blood. And with a bit of time, maybe even the Breath of The Cosmos.
"So, how do we begin practice?" Genya asked. He and Akai stood next to eatchother in the same patch of forest. unintentionally, the trees Akai cleared out managed to create a flat, wide space for training.
"Well I think we should..." Akai paused and thought. Then he thought for a bit longer. Then a bit longer. How was he supposed to train Genya? "Sanemi, what should be do?" Sanemi's one condition to the training was that he'd oversee it all and stop it whenever he wanted.
"Well, give him a bit and try to get him to control the output." Sanemi said.
"Okey doke." Akai nodded and pulled out a cup of blood. He handed it to Genya, who took a sip and handed it back to Akai. Genya tensed up and held his head down, trembling as his body was bathed in heat. He let a burst of steam through his mouth and bulging, orange veins appeared throughout his body. He seemed to be handling the power well.
"Nice." Akai nodded his head at Genya's progress. "Test it out." Akai ordered.
"O-Okay." Genya said. His voice had a rugged undertone to it, most likely caused by the strain and the demonic elements in his body. Genya made a fist and punched the air. The force of his punch ripped through the air and made a little shockwave. "Badass!!! Genya exclaimed and began punching the air wildly. He darted and weaved throughout the area, pursuing an imaginary enemy. After about twenty seconds Genya's body emitted a blast of steam and he was left as a normal human again, covered in sweat. Genya slumped forwards and onto the ground. He sat crossed legged as Akai and Sanemi jogged to him.
"What now?" Genya asked.
"That's enough for today." Akai patted him on the back.
Over a period of three months, Akai and Genya would train with eatchother. Practicing and honing their techniques. Akai had also improved his relationship with Sanemi and becane full friends with Genya.
Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke also had begun their recovery training. And after heading back to the estate every evening, Akai would talk to them. With all the good people around him, Akai let his rage towards demons (mostly Akaza) dissipate for the time. Allowing him to achieve peace with others and peace within himself.
----------
Akai had an off day. Genya was off on a mission with Sanemi. Tanjiro and Zenitsu were also on a mission. And he didn't really feel like hanging out witb Inosuke. So that meant one thing was left.
He'd go to see Rengoku.
After a long walk, Akai was near the end of the path, where Renhoku's house layed. He turned a corner and saw Rengoku's house. He noticed a boy on the porch. He collected a letter from a Kasugai crow with a smile. He looked just like Rengoku. His brother perhaps?
"Howdy." Akai made his prescence clear. The boy looked up and saw him.
"Oh, hello." He said timidly.
"Hi. I'm a friend of Kyoujuro Rengoku, can I see him?" Akai asked.
"Who are you?" The boy asked.
"Well, I'm Akai Suisei." Akai answered.
"Suisei...?" The boy slowly got up and began walking towards him.
Then jogging.
Then full on sprinting.
The boy flew into Akai and began hugging him and crying.
"Thank you for saving my brother!" He cried.
"Oh. You're uh... You're welcome." Akai patted his back slowly.
After a little while, he calmed down and he sat with Akai on the porch.
"So, what's your name?" Akau asked.
"My name is Senjuro." Senjuro answered.
"They told you everything?" Akai reffered to the battle against Akaza.
"Yes! The Kakushis told me about how you saved Kyoujuro and then beat Upper Moon Three to a pulp!" Senjuro said with sparkles in his eyes.
"It was a hell of a fight. But..." Akai paused for a second and his lip curled in spite. "He got away..." He growled.
"There's always a next time." Senjuro reminded Akai.
"Hm." Akai nodded. "How's your brother right now?" Akai asked.
"His lungs are damaged. He won't be able to fight anyore." Senjuro muttered. "But he'll be able to live normal to the most part, he's just retiring." He added to lighten the mood.
"Can I see him?" Akai got up.
"Well, I'm not sure my father will let you near him. But he will be thankful." Senjuro got quieter while mentionimg his father.
"I'll go anyway." Akai decided. Senjuro nodded and led Akai to the door. They both entered the dark home.
"Smells like medecine..." Akai muttered.
"Father! I brought a visitor!" Senjuro broadcasted his voice. A man very similar to Kyoujuro and his brother came out. except he had a bit of a beard stuble and wore a casual kimono.
"Senjuro? Who the hell is this? What did I tell you about BRINGING PEOPLE INTO THE-" At first he seemed mad, but he restrained himself. It seemed he was trying to avoid getting mad at his son. "Who the hell are you?" He asked.
"I'm Akai Suisei." Akai answered and held his chin high. "Don't show weakness. Lions like weakness."
"Well fuck off. My son is too tired amd I hate visitors. You should leave before I-" The fathed Rengoku paused in thought for a second. "Akai Suisei, as in the one who was on that mission?" He asked.
"Ya-huh." Akai nodded.
"..." Kyoujuro's father was quiet as he slowly went down into a kneeling positiin. Akai raised an eyebrow at this display.
"THANK YOU FOR SAVING MY SON!!!" The Father Rengoku screamed. "AS FORMER FLAME PILLAR, SHINJURO RENGOKU, I AM SINCERELY THANKFUL!!!" Shinjuro gave his name and screamed again.
"...Aight..." Again, Akai was not used to being thanked. "Um... Can I see Kyoujuro now?" Akai asked skittishly.
"Yes, of course. KYOUJURO!!!!" Shinjuro nodded and screamed in the direction of another room.
"Wait! Nono, I'll just go over there..." Akai waddled to the room Shinjuro had screamed at.
Akai knocked on and Shinjuro left to another room. Senjuro went back outside with a broom. After a small while the door opened and a tired looking Rengoku greeted Akai.
"Akai, my boy! Come in! Come in!" Rengoku beckoned him to come in.
"Are you alright?" Akai asked.
"I'm fine." Rengoku closed the door. "Thank you for saving me." Rengoku bowed his head to Akai.
"You're welcome, Mr. Rengoku." Akai nodded back.
"I think it's time that I retired." Rengoku said sadly. He sat down on his futon. and Akai sat on the floor next to him.
"That's unfortunate." Akai saod quietly.
"Akai, I want you to have something." Rengoku said and reached into his kimono pocket.
"?" Akai raised his eyebrow.
"Take this." Rengoku handed Akai a little finger puppet of a lion. "I remembered you mentioning that you had one as a childhood toy. So in my spare recovery time, I made one." Rengoku Explained.
Akai expected something cool, but this felt amazing. it was just like the one he once had, more than one thousand years ago. Except it was super tiny, but it would be easier to carry.
"Thanks Rengoku!" Akai took the puppet and put it in his pocket. Rengoku smiled and layed back down. "Get better soon, Sir." Akai bowed with a smile.
"I will!" Rengoku patted his chest with a laugh. Akai smiled back and did a finger salute before leaving.
Before leaving entirely, Akai went back to talk with Senjuro on the porch.
"Your dad seemed pretty amgry earlier. Why is that?" Akai asked.
"Father was an alchoholic until a couple weeks prior. When a boy named Tanjiro kamado visited. they had a fight and argued. In the end, Father listened to Tanjiro and got better. Be also sends me letters." Senjuro smiled, holding an envelope.
"I know him. That's something you'd expect from him." Akai looked into the distance, deep in thought.
"Rengoku also have Tanjiro his sword's guard." Senjuro commented.
"Wait WHAT!?" Akai whipped his head to the side. "I got a finger puppet! That's so unfair!" Akai whinned, before sighing. "I'm over it."
"...You're weird." Senjuro narrowed his eyes at Akai.
"That's why I fit in with all the demon slayers so well." Akai got up and went to leave. "See ya."
"Goodbye!" Senjuro waved goodbye as Akai walked down the trail.
----------
The sun finally begam setting, and the last orange lights began to fade.
Akai was playing with the puppet alone on his bed. He made little cat noises as he moved the puppet here and there. He heard a scurrying noise and sat up on his bed. He saw a tiny nezuko at his bedside. staring at him with those adorable, unfeeling cat eyes of hers.
"...What?" Akai stared at Nezuko, who stared back.
"Hm." Nezuko opened her hands and raised them above her head.
"What do you want?"
"Hm hmmm!!!"
"My puppet?"
"Mhm."
"No." Akai said, dead serious.
Nezuko growled and jumped on Akai, slapping his jead repeatedly.
"Ow! Dammit!" Akai shielded his head and held on to his puppet as Nezuko fought for the tiny toy. "No!" Akai pushed her away, making her fall back onto the bed. Nezuko's eyes widenned with rage and she grew to normal size. At this point, Nezuko was trying to pry the toy from Akai woth full blown demonic strength. She managed to get him pinned with her body and had her hands grasping his.
"Wait aren't we in one of 'those' poses?" Akai thought suddenly.
"Nezuko! We're back!" Akai heard Tanjiro and his eyes widenned.
"Nezuko-chan!" Akai heard Zenitsu and his eyes widenned.
"I have to get her off!" Akai thought frantically.
"N-Nezuko! Please get off!" Akai tried to squirm under her frame. She only mumbled angrily and pushed him down harder. "Is this what you want? Here!" Akai handed the toy to Nezuko in hopes that would satisfy her.
Upon recieving the puppet, Nezuko's eyes widenned with joy and she wrapped Akai in a tight hug.
"CRAP!!! THAT'S NOT WHAT I WANTED!" Akai's face lit up in terror as he heard two pairs of footsteps come down the hall towards the room. "Think... THINK!!!" Akai's mind scrambled for a solution. "How can I make myself invisible...?"
...
...
...
...
"Oh yea." And with that thought, Akai shunk to the size of his finger puppet. Since he shunk, he was now naked, as he couldn't make the clothes shrink with him. He was crushed under Nezuko as Tanjiro and Zenitsu entered the room.
"Nezuko? Who let you out? Why are you emssing with Akai's clothes?" Tanjiro went to grab his sister. He picked her up and took her back to her box. She crawled inside and Tanjiro closed it back up.
Inside the box, Nezuko held the small lion toy.
Along with the little Akai.
"Nuuuuuu!!!" Akai squeaked as Nezuko began mashing him against the toy happily.