stolen time

ch30

it was another boring day especially for douma, with the sun up they were confined within the temple once again putting a stop to their training.

it was also one of the few days of the week where he didn't have any cult activities to attend to, and without any hobbies to keep him busy ayame quickly became a target of his mischievous nature.

"Ayame chan~? Ayameee chaaan~"

douma cooed towards Ayame who was sitting in front of him by his throne, she was too immersed in the plot of her book to pay any attention to him.

Ayame was the type of reader to stay completely silent rarely showing any hints of emotion unless it was something impactful enough which douma disliked, considering he loved watching different emotions plastered upon the faces of people as entertainment.

"Ayame chan~"

Douma pouted, he eyed her back up and down staring daggers when his eyes, stopping by the nape of her neck that was exposed by her hair that was pulled to the side.

grinning an idea popped into his head to gain her attention, dropping the temperature of his pointer finger to the point of it almost frosting he gilded it up her neck spreading its frosty temperature throughout her skin.

clawing her hands up a violent shiver ran through ayame causing a high pitched yelp to emit from her, dropping her book she glared back at douma over her shoulder.

"what was that for?"

she questioned holding her nape with her hand warming it up.

"Ayame chan's focus is so deep that you didnt even hear me calling"

she continued to glare at him for a few seconds before turning back around.

"why dont you find the other upper moons if you're so bored?"

"but ayame chan you know what they're like dont you?"

the relationship between upper moons aren't the best and they all prefer to be independent, and some individuals like akaza absolutely despises douma.

"then go find yourself a pet to play with"

"but why would i do that when i have ayame chan~"

he twirled a strand of her hair around his finger grinning.

"ah right I've been assigned a mission tonight will you be able to stay awake until i get back?"

grabbing the book that she dropped she stood up and made her way towards the exit, with douma following behind.

"yes I'll be fine worse case scenario is that you come back to see me dead"

"ehhh? Ayame chan if you say that i wont be able to leave"

he whined anxiously as he followed her into a study filled with a variety of books that had been brought by his worshipers.

"I'll be fine i have my ways, and besides you could always leave your clones with me"

he tapped a fist in his palm with his mouth wide open.

"ah right my clones i almost forgot about them"

Ayame slid the book upon a shelf amongst the many others pushing it in with her index finger lining it up.

"though the only worry i have is Kageki"

she frowned annoyingly remembering her first encounter with the individual and his unsettling nature.

"hmm he has been quiet lately it should be alright, ill leave a few extra clones just in case since he doesn't have a rank we don't know how strong he is"

"its surprising to see you so on guard about him"

she said walking past him by the door towards her room.

"of course i would i dont want him near you while you're defenseless who knows what he might do"

ever since he witnessed him gazing at ayame with those cunning eyes he has grown to dislike him, being a cheerful demon who got along with nearly anyone it is quite rare for him to hate someone.

"you're acting like an overprotective older brother despite being the chronologically younger one"

he chuckled in a fruity tone.

******

once the night came ayame prepared herself, changing into a more comfortable yukata she headed towards one of the empty rooms deep within the temple.

by this time douma had already left, leaving a barrage of his cones as they followed ayame from behind like ducklings. the many hard footsteps as they ran after her sounded almost like a drill, piter pater they followed.

with an irk mark on her head she suddenly stopped in her tracks causing the clones to hit against her lower leg.

"dont you think this is a little too much?" she mumbled looking behind her at the clones that filled the hall, there were at least 20 of them all staring intently at her watching every move.

sighing she adjusted her haori before continuing on towards the room where she will be staying at for the next few days. the room was split into three parts all separated by shoji slides in between, and at the very last room layed a large futon where ayame would be residing.

once she made it to the end the doors were shut and between each slide 6 clones stood and guarded, and all that awaits is for her slumber to kick in or so she thought.

"Ayame san"

a familiar voice rang through her thoughts like telepathy, her eyes widened and instantly a brush of anxiety filled her.

"right now? its such a horrible timing"

she thought frowning before leaving anyway.

she reappeared whipping out her fan she extended her arm ready to slice whatever stood in front of her, her vision cleared up and her eyes widened stopping her attack centimeters from impact as she landed on the engawa.

"kyojuro?!?"

she blinked retracting her fan from his sweating neck, she looked around to see she was at their estate with senjuro besides him and no danger around.

she sighed in relief slapping her fan closed.

"dont call me so suddenly when there's no danger senjuro"

"sorry ani-ue asked me to call you for something, so I'll leave you to it"

he said before heading in and closing the shoji along the way, she looked up at kyojuro who stood there with his usual smile and a loosely worn yukata.

"im sorry kyojuro but i have to leave this isn't a good time"

she said frowning turning her head away in a hurry.

"ah there's something i need to te-"

his sentence was cut short as he witnessed ayame stumbling seconds from falling, he grabbed hold of her arm gently setting her down.

"Ayame ? what's wrong are you alright?"

he asked worriedly before noticing her fatigued expression eyes barely open.

"it's nothing"

she answered.