stolen time

Ch112 dr

Ayame sat at her favourite spot in the whole temple, the railing of the rounded window in her room. It wasn't anything fancy like a a jewel adorned throne, or swan feathered cushion, but a simple arched wooden railing that perfectly molded against her back and gave her a wide view of the outside with comforting breezes. Its precisely because of that simplicity she enjoyed it so, and also the reason why Douma made it her room not long after he found out.

If she was nowhere else in the temple, Douma would always be able to find her sitting there, looking out with the same position and dazed expression.

It came as a shock to Ayame, at how much time had passed since she was last able to do this, and how she was able to do so at all considering her situation. Two days had passed since she woke up in douma's embrace, and she never expected that her control would last.

"...suit yourself, savour these last moments I will bestow on you, because if you think I will stay dormant for forever, you're greatly mistaken"

Remembering the words that the Ayame muzan created said, she let out a slight chuckle turning her head down to look at her lap. "I didn't think she meant it" she whispered.

"Aya chan~?"

A voice whined across the room, sounding like a cautious call testing the waters to see if it was safe. Ayame looked towards the entrance of her room, meeting the rainbow eyes that barely peeked over the side of the shojis wooden edge. Cracking a smile with downturned brows, it signaled Douma it was still indeed the same Ayame he knew.

"I'm still here, Douma"

His eyes shined like an aurora, glistening with happiness as if he were a child opening up a present. He quickly skipped over with a fan covering his grinning mouth, with his eyes slowly opening from its closed state as he neared her.

"Aha! It's aya chan!"

"Hai, so what brings you here? Did you bail on your worshippers again?"

He snickered with a shut of his fan.

"How mean~ you're making it sound as if I was the bad guy, the humans are the ones taking up my precious time with Aya chan so I had to escape"

"But Douma doesn't eating humans make you a villain already? Or have you forgotten"

"Aya chan knows that we demons need to eat humans or we'll go feral right? And besides I haven't been eating much and I only target my worshippers who are already close to death anyway, which is not much, Ah! At this rate akaza might take my place as upper 2!"

Ayame sighed while leaning her head back, tapping a few fingers on the skin under her left eye that was chilled to the bone from the cold winter breeze.

"Is being a high ranked upper kizuki really all that great?"

Douma hummed with his fan pressed against his chin as he pondered her question. Why was it that demon held such high values to this title? Is it because of their desire to be of use to muzan, the feeling of being strong, or the superiority they felt being above all else?

"Hmm, I suppose it isn't, especially when it comes to combat it's hard to find someone worth fighting"

He looked back down towards Ayame, noticing her serene yet ominous smile. He couldn't tell what she was thinking, but he was still happy to see her smile like that again after so long, but what felt eerie about it was that he didn't expect her to smile like that given the events that transpired.

Yet Douma couldn't bring it up, knowing even if something was up he wouldn't be able to get it out of her, and he didn't want to ruin that expression of hers.

A random memory popped up in her mind from years ago, it was somewhat of a promise she had yet to fulfill or Senjuro.

"ayame san is from a family of priests?"

"eh? ani-ue you've seen her perform?"

"i would've liked to see that"

"i could always hold a small one for you to watch so dont feel to bad alright?"

It was a sweet memory from long ago, when things hadn't been shrouded in black, feeling a sense of heartache and nostalgia.

"Douma...do you still have my haori with the red spider lilies?"

"Hmm? I should, Is there a special occasion?"

"tomorrow night, I'll be heading out"

Ayame said looking out the window as she stretched a hand outside, watching as a snowflake melt in her palm.

"Eh? Then I'll go w-"

"You can't"

She immediately rejected his offer, looking back towards him with eyes giving Douma a hint of exactly where she was going. His eyes widened once realizing and fell back down, "Ah so that's why Aya chan wants a red spider lily, she's going there," ( red spider lilies mean death, and a final goodbye) he thought in his head.

"Awww Aya chan is going to go have fun without me again~"

He whined, wiping a finger under his eye as he dramatically expressed his disappointment.

"I won't be gone for long"

"Aya chan always says that, but it's always the opposite"

Douma said calling her out as he moved in closer beside her. Ayame leaned towards the side, cushioning her head against douma's waist with him brushing the strands of her hair with his long slender fingers.

"I promise this time...after all I don't have much time left and I'm growing tired"

Ayame said whispering the last part quietly, almost as if she were mouthing it. Douma closed his eyes and gave a small peck on the strand of hair he had in his grasp, and with a smile he narrowly opened his eyes and said.

"Alright then Aya chan, have fun and if you don't return soon like you say, I'll have to chase after Aya chan again~"