_______

1ST POV
_______

.

.

I stared blankly.

What could I even say? I had let my guard down and spoken too hastily. Just a little longer, and I might have concluded that my peaceful four months of wandering around without encountering any significant characters had lulled me into a false sense of security, making me believe that any chance of a random encounter outside of canon was simply too good to be true.

Yet here I was, in the midst of a remote hot spring, at night, clad in my Eve outfit, staring back at three sets of eyes that unmistakably belonged to a single individual—though, in this case, that individual happened to be a demon.

Dressed in a unique bee-hive kimono shirt adorned with shades of purple and black, complemented by hakama pants secured with a white belt, known as an uwa-obi, his imposing figure was further emphasized by his height and well-defined musculature. His onyx hair, adorned with striking crimson tips, was neatly gathered into a ponytail. It was an appearance that marked him as Kokushibo, Upper Moon One, and the second most formidable demon in existence, trailing only behind Muzan. In an almost absurdly cliché anime moment, he had just intruded upon my bath, and here I was, butt naked, engaged in a surreal staring contest with him as if it were an entirely ordinary situation.

"Are those eyes of yours seeing the same thing, or can you look in different directions simultaneously?"

I couldn't help but break the silence with a rather unconventional question, my curiosity getting the better of me. It was an odd choice for an opening line, considering the gravity of the situation, but I couldn't resist.

My casual remark seemed to snap him out of a momentary trance, as if he had been lost in thought or distracted by something unfathomable. The hell—

The demon blinked, an unsettling sight considering he possessed six eyes, and all of them suddenly focused on me simultaneously. He remained silent, his intense gaze fixed on me, as if he were attempting to decipher how he had ended up in this peculiar situation.

I responded to his silent scrutiny by tilting my head slightly, blinking slowly in return. I held no fear, confident that my current position, concealed by rocks, shielded me from any unwanted visibility. It was a moment charged with curiosity, as I couldn't predict his next move. Would he attack me? It seemed improbable but not entirely impossible, given his demonic nature. Had it been Douma, that rainbow-eyed little shit, he would likely have acted without hesitation.

As I pondered Kokushibo's motivations and wondered about his past experiences, I realized that my knowledge of him was rather limited. I only possessed basic information, such as his resentment toward his brother and his status as the ancestor of the Mist Hashira. This raised questions about what might be going through his mind at this moment. Had he encountered someone like me before, given his long lifespan? Or was I a completely unfamiliar sight to him?

The prolonged silence between us began to feel increasingly awkward, prompting me to break it. "Hey, you alright there, buddy?"

Kokushibo's eyes remained locked on me, and after a lingering pause, he finally responded with a question of his own. "You...what is a human doing here? Who are you?" Oh—

I blinked rapidly in response to his question, momentarily taken aback by his sudden inquiry. However, I swiftly regained my composure, "You're the one who entered someone else's bath without permission," I retorted, a touch of sass in my voice.

His eyes shifted towards my neatly folded clothes, and I felt a twinge of relief that my mask was turned sideways, concealing its appearance. I hadn't intended for any of the main cast to see my true face just yet. A comfortable yawn escaped my lips, a testament to the soothing warmth of the water, and it drew the demon's attention back to me.

"You don't seem afraid... Do you not know what I am?" he asked, his aura more perplexed than threatening. I detected a sense of curiosity in his demeanor, which put me somewhat at ease.

"If I had to guess, a demon, obviously," I responded, my tone dripping with sarcasm as I leaned casually against the rocks, my gaze unwavering. "An eye candy one at that," I added under my breath, more to myself than to him.

Kokushibo appeared to be trying to make sense of my words, eventually settling for a simple, "What." Oop he heard—

I waved off his confusion with a nonchalant gesture. "Oh, nothing," I replied, resting my head on my folded arms and studying his features. I couldn't deny that he was quite handsome. "So, what brings you here, Mr. Demon?" I almost chuckled at the way his moon-like aura shimmered with bewilderment and uncertainty. His deadpan expression remained intact, but he must have been taken aback by the unusual encounter. It wasn't every day he stumbled upon a fearless human.

"You are...odd," he stated plainly, and his posture relaxed slightly as he noticed the absence of weapons. He probably assumed I wasn't a demon slayer, hence had no reason to be wary. Not that he needed to be cautious around humans anyway. After all, no ordinary human could even dream of defeating him, considering he held the title of Upper Moon One.

"Heh, as I've been told," I replied with a friendly smile. "I'm Lith, by the way. Nice to meet you, I guess?" I introduced myself, but he didn't seem inclined to reciprocate. Well, that was a bit of a bummer.

However, a thought crossed my mind, and I suddenly brightened up.

"Ah, don't tell me you wanted to use the hot spring too? My bad G, I'll get out," I said as I pretended to start pulling myself out of the water. The demon's reaction was priceless – he swiftly closed his eyes and turned his head to the side, clearly indicating his intention to give me some privacy. So, he was a gentleman after all!

"...What is the meaning of this?"

"Oh, I wanted to see if you were a pervert! Turns out you're not!" I chuckled playfully, teasing him with my earlier "exit" act. His annoyance was apparent, and the comparison to a certain rainbow-eyed demon seemed to irk him, although he refused to meet my gaze.

"You... must not understand the situation you're in at the moment. Tell me, woman, do you not fear death?"

I pondered for a moment before casually shrugging, "Meh, not really. If you wanted to, you could just kill me like nobody's business. But seeing as you're not, you must be a pretty decent person. Plus, you're quite handsome!" I shamelessly admitted, wearing a shit-eating grin.

I think he wasn't expecting such forwardness because his aura spiked in surprise. The demon didn't say anything before turning around and walking away. My eyes widened at his sudden departure.

'Did I scare him off?'

I hurriedly scrambled out of the hot spring to follow him, but then remembered that I was butt naked. In a split second, I conjured a simple green yukata and quickly wrapped it around myself before scurrying after him. "AH, WAIT UP!" My man was already a fair distance away, though I easily caught up with some awkward, barefooted hisses. "Freaking rocks... Did I scare you? My bad?"

Kokushibo paused in his tracks, a perplexed look on his face. "How did you get here so fast?" His gaze fell on my slightly damp yukata, deepening his confusion.

I caught sight of his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. Was he contemplating whether to attack me? It was a subtle shift, but I noticed his grip tightening ever so slightly. My instincts told me to tread carefully, so I maintained my act of innocence as I skipped in front of him with an inquisitive smile, seemingly oblivious to his wariness.

"Hmm... that's not important. You still haven't told me your name!" I exclaimed cheerfully. "Whoa! Are those tattoos?" I took a step closer to get a better look. "They're quite impressive! And upon closer examination, are those kanji in your eyes? Wow... I can't read them! What do they mean?" I had to tiptoe and squint a bit since he was significantly taller than me. I couldn't help but be amazed that he hadn't smoked me yet, considering his reputation for being no-nonsense.

[art by me]

The demon slightly leaned back but didn't retreat, his expression showing a small but noticeable frown. "What are you doing?" he asked cautiously.

"Admiring," I replied, maintaining a warm and genuine smile. "You're quite beautiful."

His eyes narrowed in suspicion. "I... do not appreciate being made fun of, woman."

"I'm not joking," I responded earnestly. "I'm telling the truth, you're undeniably attractive. No lies here." I scoffed as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, then tilted my head to the side. We continued to lock eyes, my relaxed posture and demeanor clearly surprising him. Perhaps he was accustomed to his victims screaming in fear whenever he appeared. Not today.

"So, why haven't you killed me yet?" I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me.

A beat of silence passed as he scrutinized me. His gaze shifted from my eyes to the rest of my features. What was he thinking about? "Your smell... it is quite... different from regular humans," he finally settled on that observation.

It wasn't the first time a demon had mentioned this, but I decided to play the oblivious card. I scrunch my nose up as if it's the first time I've heard it. "Huh, so I'm alive and kicking because I'm... intriguing?"

A frown came across his face, but he nodded slightly nonetheless. He couldn't understand it, but something about me was undeniably odd. The demon couldn't quite determine what it was, but he was certain that I was no ordinary human being. There was an unmistakable air of otherness around me, something he had never encountered among his kind. My eyes, in particular, were captivating and unique, a heavenly gold that reminded him of the glistening sun. Although he deeply loathed the sun for reasons known only to him, he strangely found my eyes appealing. They seemed to glow with life and purpose, as if there were no tomorrow. Somehow, they gave him an unexpected sense of safety and ease, emotions he was sure he had never experienced before. What exactly was I?

He couldn't sense That Man's blood flowing through me, which left him perplexed about my true nature. Should he eliminate me? Could I become a hindrance or a risk to That Man's plans? Yet, at this moment, I seemed rather harmless. Were his worries unfounded after all?

He was brought back to reality when he felt his hand being gently clasped by my warm, yet much darker hands.

"How cold..." I marveled as I delicately cradled his palm, my fingers tracing the few calluses and scars that bore witness to his countless years perfecting the art of swordsmanship. I was unfazed by the possibility that my touch might provoke him to attack me, signing my own death warrant. But then again, it wasn't every day that one got to meet an Upper Moon demon, let alone have the chance to examine their hand up close. Moreover, his hand felt drastically different from Nezuko's, as she retained some of her humanity, making her touch warmer. In contrast, his hand was chillingly cold.

Kokushibo's multiple sets of yellow eyes seemed to be lost in thought as he allowed me to explore his palm, a surprising and unusual moment of vulnerability for an Upper Moon demon. Nevertheless, I wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

The touch was so...

'...warm...'

Kokushibo couldn't help but think as he felt my hand caress his palm. His own thoughts surprised him momentarily, and he couldn't quite understand the sensation he was experiencing.

'What is this?'

Unaware of his thoughts, I concluded with a smile, "Hm... I see why you'd want to use the onsen. You should go, I'm done with it!" I released his grasp, not wanting to overstep my boundaries. I began to head back toward the spring when suddenly, I yelped in surprise as I felt a strong grip on my wrist, halting my progress. I glanced up at him, my expression one of confusion. The grip was firm, but it wasn't enough to literally rip my hand off, which would have been the case if I were a regular, weaker human. However, he seemed to perceive me as such, so I saw no need to point out his strength.

"...You... What are you exactly?" His tone remained low as he carefully observed me, attempting to decipher what I was and why I lacked fear of him. Did I not understand what demons were? Was I ignorant of their cruelty? It was foolish for me to blindly trust that he wouldn't deceive me and then kill me. Only curiosity and this enigmatic aura of mine seemed to prevent him from beheading me the moment our eyes met.

I contemplated his question for a moment before shrugging nonchalantly. "No clue!"

"...Do you not... value your own life?"

"Of course I do! Do you think I'm weak or something?" I chuckled. However, my attempt at humor didn't amuse the demon, who continued to stare at me with a blank expression. I sweatdropped, then continued, "Anyway! It's not like I could stop you from killing me. You seem strong! I'd rather go out with a bang than beg for mercy, you know what I mean?" I grinned cheekily and then placed a hand atop his with a coy smile. Water droplets trickled down my face from the earlier bath. "Plus, I wouldn't mind meeting my end at the hands of such a charming man. By the way, I love your eyes. They're absolutely gorgeous!"

Was I in a flirty mood? Yeah, it happens. Was I ashamed of it? Absolutely not. I chuckled, oblivious to the faint reddening of his ears as I turned to go back.

He remained where he was, observing me as I took a few steps forward before stopping abruptly, letting out a loud gasp as if I had just had an epiphany. "Ah, I know!" I exclaimed, spinning around to face him, eager to share my 'discovery,' only to be abruptly silenced by a wet cough.

'Huh?'

I gazed at Kokushibo in puzzlement as his eyes seemed to widen, as if he saw something I couldn't. This left me wondering why he was staring at my abdomen. Another cough sounded, and I suddenly realized that it was coming from me. 'What the...'

I brought a hand to my mouth, only to find it covered in blood, then shifted my gaze downward.

"What the fu-"

The sound of ripped flesh resounded as whatever was impaling my belly retracted its arm, resulting in my legs giving up, sending me tumbling to the ground like a puppet whose strings were cut short.

"kekeke...foolish human..."

A demon with chameleon-like features, bearing a striking resemblance to Meleoron from HxH but with long, lustrous dark hair, seemed to materialize out of thin air, employing an invisible ability—likely his blood demon art. He loomed over me with a wicked grin, his arm smeared with my blood, as he took a perverse pleasure in observing my wounded state.

"How foolish can a person be to wander alone at night, unarmed no less! Kehehehe!" he cackled malevolently, crouching down to my level. I panted, clutching my stomach in a desperate attempt to staunch the blood flow, while he squinted at me. "Oh, a foreigner, no less? I've never tasted foreign blood..." he muttered, daring to lick some blood from his fingers. However, his delight abruptly transformed into wide-eyed surprise. Uh oh.

"W-WHAT SCRUMPTIOUS BLOOD!! HOW LUCKY! GYAHAHA!! A MARECHI! AN UNKNOWN ONE AT THAT!" he erupted into a hysterical cackle, his eyes filled with lust as he envisioned the power he might gain from devouring me. That is...if the looming six-eyed demon behind him allowed it. Ouuuh, he didn't look happy.

His power-crazed revelry was abruptly shattered as his body was violently hurled into a cluster of trees, shattering them upon impact. "GHAARG-!!"

The demon skidded to a stop some 500 meters away, landing face-first with a pained cry, bewildered by his sudden predicament. One moment he had been preparing to feast upon me, and the next, he found himself battered and wounded.

"WHAT THE-"

Coughing up blood, he struggled to straighten himself, his body slowly regenerating, still trying to comprehend the bizarre turn of events. "What just happened?! Who the hell did this?!" he snarled, vowing vengeance against whoever had dared to disrupt his meal. He got to his feet and began scanning the surroundings, searching for the perpetrator.

His ears perked up at the sound of approaching footsteps from his left, and he let out a thunderous roar, "BASTARD! HOW DARE YOU THROW—" only to falter when he realized who he had just insulted.

Kokushibo remained silent, drawing his sword as he advanced towards the terrified demon, who had completely forgotten his earlier anger and was now trembling uncontrollably like a soaked kitten.

'W-W-WHAT IS A KIZUKI DOING HERE?!' The demon's eyes widened in horror as he noticed the kanji on Kokushibo's clothing, adding to his mounting dread. 'U-UPPER M-MOON O-O-ONE?!'

The demon swiftly realized the gravity of his actions, understanding the danger he had provoked with the swordsman. The palpable bloodlust emanating from Kokushibo was overwhelming, pushing him to perform a dogeza—a deep bow with his forehead pressed into the ground. He was too terrified even to consider meeting the gaze of the much more imposing demon.

It was common knowledge among demons that they were territorial creatures, intolerant of any intrusion, whether accidental or not, into their territory. Such encounters often escalated into clashes of power. So, what kind of dreadful luck did one need to have to stumble upon a Kizuki, an Upper Moon no less? They were as rare as that man's blue spider lily, for heaven's sake!

"Stand," came the chilling voice. The demon obeyed promptly, too frightened to risk further angering the six-eyed demon.

The demon entertained the desperate thought of pleading for mercy. Perhaps he could offer the foreigner as a sacrificial appeasement? But then, he quickly berated himself for such a foolish idea. After all, that might have been Kokushibo's prey to begin with. He scolded himself internally, calling himself names, but before he could complete his thoughts, his vision abruptly fragmented into four pieces.

He was left bewildered, unable to fully process the sudden turn of events. One moment, his head was firmly on his shoulders, and the next, it was rolling on the ground, cut into four separate pieces.

His disjointed thoughts were halted by the realization that his body was disintegrating, turning into ashes that slowly dissipated into nothingness. Had he truly been slain so easily, just like that? He couldn't comprehend it. Sakkaku, once confident in his power and nearly successful in defeating a Wind Hashira 96 years ago, had been vanquished in the blink of an eye. The colossal gap in power was utterly terrifying.

The demon's final thoughts echoed in his mind as he faded into nonexistence, leaving only his abandoned clothes as evidence of his prior presence.

Kokushibo hadn't bothered to employ his breathing techniques against such a weak opponent. Instead, he executed swift slashes, fueled by a subtle undercurrent of animosity. With his enemy defeated, he sheathed his sword and returned to the place where I lay.

"Oh...you came back for me...? Thanks..."

As I rasped out my gratitude, the demon stared at me, his eyes revealing an enigmatic expression. With newfound knowledge of my mysterious nature, a lingering question hung in the air – would he choose to consume me? Heh.

"You're dying."

"...Yeah...no shit, honey!" I weakly chuckled, punctuating it with another cough, while Kokushibo crouched to my level. I felt the weight of his intense gaze studying me, as if he were deliberating whether to end my suffering. His eyes then fell upon the gaping hole in my stomach. "Hey, what's with that...face? Gonna...miss me?"

He didn't react to my last question. "...you humans are so fragile, it's sickening," he stated matter-of-factly, earning a snort from me.

"Heh...don't...act as if you weren't one before..." I glanced up at the sky, oblivious to the brief contemplative look that flickered through his eyes. "Why...did you come back anyway...? Wanna watch me croak or sum...? Not that I mind-"

"Become a demon."

"...huh?"

Kokushibo scratched his arm without a flinch, blood dripping out of the self-inflicted wound, and then proceeded to bring it near my mouth to my horror.

"Oï Oï Oï, what's the idea...?"

"You will survive if you accept this...if that man deems you worthy, you'll be reborn as a demon, free from the limitations of your humanity. I am...merely offering you a chance at life." he explained, drops of his demonic blood touching my cheek. A little frown came across his face as I weakly pushed his arm away while chuckling.

"Don't bother with this...I'm good."

His frown deepened, "...You'd rather choose death over life?" His confusion intensified as I shook my head before staring right back at him with a soft smile.

"Life...is worth living even if it comes to an...end one day or another. It is...ephemeral, and that's..its beauty. Becoming a demon would only prolong the inevitable..." Kokushibo watched as my eyes slowly glazed over, my grip on his arm weakening significantly. "...say...I still don't...know your name..."

Seeing as life seemed to vanish from my eyes, the demon finally conceded, "...Kokushibo," though he didn't shove my hand away and held it instead.

"Koku...shibo, huh...I don't know...what it means but..." I smiled one last time, "it's really a nice name, I must admit that it really suits you!" and proceeded to sit up like nothing happened, "phew...and here I thought I might never learn your name!"

The demon blinked slowly, maintaining a crouched position at my eye level. "...What," he uttered.

"Hm? Oh, don't give me that look. Since you wouldn't share your name, I had to resort to unconventional methods to make you spill the beans!" The demon was left utterly speechless, his gaze oscillating between my neck-cracking ritual and then settling on my calm face.

"What is the meaning of all this?"

I emitted a noise and directed my attention to my abdomen, where wisps of steam were dissipating as the bleeding subsided. I formed an "O" with my mouth and casually remarked, "Oh, right, that's why I yelled 'Ah, I know' earlier. I wanted to show you this." With a nonchalant gesture toward the healing wound, I continued, "I was actually planning to ask you to sever my arm or something. I didn't expect to be 'donut-ed,' but I suppose it's the results that matter!" A chuckle escaped me as I thought about the Donut Gang. Although it was a serious situation, I couldn't help but snicker at the notion of joining all these characters who had been "donut-ed"—

"You tricked me," I snapped back to reality.

"Now, now, I wouldn't call it a trick. Think of it more as an impromptu... surprise, perhaps? Ayo, no need to clutch your sword like that, haha!"

For the first time, Kokushibo displayed signs of shock and caution. It was almost unbelievable. Weren't I on the brink of death just moments ago? This realization led him to one undeniable conclusion.

"You're... not human," he remarked, his eyes narrowing. The likelihood of him launching an attack was rapidly increasing, but his curiosity prevented him from taking immediate action.

Unaware of his intense gaze, I began to rise, brushing off some leaves from my back and hair, grumbling when I noticed that the bath I had taken was essentially in vain. Kokushibo mirrored my actions, skipping the leaf removal part, while he observed the entire process.

"What are you? This... this is unlike anything I've ever witnessed before..."

I tilted my head to the side, humming softly as the steam ceased its release, signaling the conclusion of the healing process. He traced its path until it vanished into the air, then turned his gaze back to me, squinting.

I decided to keep my responses brief, wary that revealing too much might lead to unwanted consequences, like Muzan being informed. Who knew what that fucker might do to track me down, or how it could alter the story significantly? Granted, I had no idea of Muzan's whereabouts at the moment, but the mere thought of a new threat could potentially drive him back into hiding, just as he did after Tanjiro found him. That would certainly complicate things.

Maintaining an air of nonchalance, I sidestepped his question. "Hmm... that's not crucial. Anyway, I need to change out of these clothes. Oh, and the hot spring is all yours." I pivoted towards him, deliberately avoiding giving a direct response.

Before the Upper Moon could press me further for answers, he abruptly stopped as I stood before him. His hand instinctively reached for his sword, poised for a strike, only to freeze when he felt something soft and warm graze the corner of his lips, causing him to tense up. His three sets of eyes widened in astonishment.

I pulled back with a sly grin, saying, "It was nice meeting you, Koku-kun. Hope to see you again someday. Or night... heh." With a friendly tap on his shoulder, I swiftly skedaddled before he could contemplate annihilating me with instant transmission, leaving a bewildered demon standing alone in the woods.

The Upper Moon remained in a daze for a while, blinking rapidly to regain his senses. He scanned the surroundings, searching for any sign of me, but found nothing. My presence had vanished entirely, and even the blood on the ground had disappeared. He remained rooted in place, a perplexed frown on his face. Then, he appeared back at the hot spring where he had encountered me earlier, only to find it undisturbed, as if I had never been there in the first place. Even the folded clothes had vanished.

'What... just happened..?'

For the first time in centuries, the Upper Moon found himself lost in uncertainty.

Confusion gripped him, and he struggled to make sense of the situation. I didn't appear to pose a threat, yet, strangely, his instincts urged caution. There was an unexplained wariness lurking within him, even though I hadn't overtly displayed hostility toward him, rendering me non-threatening.

He couldn't conjure a rational explanation for the recent events. Slowly, he brought his fingers near his mouth, a faint, almost imperceptible blush tinting his otherwise pale skin. He pondered, still feeling the warmth of my lips lingering near his mouth. Could I possibly be some form of...

'...Yokai?'

The demon frowned as he detected something damp near his lips. With a quizzical expression, he used a finger to wipe it away, only to discover that it was...

"Blood...?" Gone was the Yokai theory.

He examined the blood on his finger, likely originating from the—

"..."

It was best not to broach this topic. However, a sudden thought occurred to him.

"A MARECHI! AN UNKNOWN ONE AT THAT!"

He cautiously brought the bloody finger to his nose.

'No distinct scent... just... blood,' He concluded, perplexed. It bore no resemblance to the usual Marechi blood he was familiar with, leaving him puzzled about what the demon had been talking about.

As soon as his tongue made contact with the crimson liquid, his eyes widened comically. This... this was unlike anything he had ever tasted before...! It... it was...

Veins instantly bulged across his face, and an uncharacteristic thirst for blood seized him. Drool escaped his mouth, revealing sharp teeth bared in hunger. His menacing aura sent every nearby animal fleeing in terror, seeking refuge as far away as possible. However, the demon swiftly snapped back to reality. The overwhelming sensation had vanished as quickly as it had appeared, leaving the normally composed Upper Moon flustered and disoriented.

A profound sense of shame washed over him at the loss of control. It was highly unlike him to lose focus in such a manner, especially over blood. He stood there for a moment, gazing at the surroundings while he contemplated what had just transpired. This was a troubling development.

In a hushed tone, he muttered, "Nakime." With those words, he vanished from the woods, reappearing in a traditional-looking room in an undisclosed location. He debated whether to inform That man about the recent, unsettling experience.

The hot springs would have to wait for another occasion...

Whoever I was, he realized he needed to remain vigilant and watchful.

'Lith...'

.

.

Meanwhile, I was flying the fuck away with a startled Seppen in my arms and a small vial of blood, completely unaware of the consequences of my actions. Only Allah knew how I had managed to snatch this—

__________

[art by me]

EDITED