Fleeting Shadows (KNY x OC)

-12

I'd really put my life on the line for you.

"Takashi-san, wait! What's wrong?!"

As soon as Sayomi makes her way to the rooftop, she snaps her rage-fueled glower at the figure ahead, baring her fangs at it for the first time since her transformation out of spite. She bolts towards it with supernatural speed, causing some bricks to loosen up from their places on the roof. For a breakneck moment, she allows every demon-enchanced ability to maneuver her body as she lets out the angriest cry she wished to unleash sooner, slashing her sword at the figure the second she gets close enough and finding it gone.

They have vanished.

In disbelief, Sayomi looks around vigilantly as she pants. Not a single sign nor trace of the figure anywhere around her. She is sure she wasn't hallucinating, they were right there when she began running towards them.

She gives a brief side-glance down at a perplexed Tanjiro calling out to her from the ground, cutting him off of his calls at the brief sight of her lemon eyes. She soon catches her reflection on her blade at her side and changes her eye color, making it come off like Tanjiro had just been seeing things after rubbing his eyes to double check what he saw.

Accepting that the figure must've escaped before she could even land a blow, Sayomi climbs down the roof and sheathes her blade, apologizing to the burgundy-haired boy for running off like that.

"It's alright, Takashi-san. But what did you see up there?"

She waves her hand vaguely, trying to dismiss the question a little. "Must've been one of the stray demons. But I was just probably seeing things."

Tanjiro bobs his head once, slightly narrowing his eyes at hers without making it appear too unsettling as he studies her eyes inquisitively for a brief space of time, thinking.

They're really the warm shade of dusk, just like Rengoku-san said.

Sayomi doesn't waver as she holds Tanjiro's studious gaze for a few seconds, a question on the tip of her tongue. But it never comes out as the still unfamiliar however malicious voice racks the inner depths of her mind, her insides rattling agitatedly as it echoes louder within her.

Get him.

Get the boy!

Rip his heart out!

"Oh, I almost forgot! I have been meaning to deliver something for you from Se-"

"I have to go, Kamado-kun. You've done a great job tonight. Please make sure everyone else is safe, alright?" Sayomi quickly blurts out just as Tanjiro can even fish out something from his breast pocket and pats his shoulders, rushing off as she also gets a view of dawn fast approaching.

Tanjiro opens his mouth to object to something but stops once more at the looming futility of calling out to her when she likely wouldn't turn around, his eyes widening as he catches one, last glimpse of her pulling the hood of her haori over her head.

It turns out Sayomi hasn't been that slick in hiding her secret as speculation begins piecing itself in Tanjiro's mind, and this is going to be one of the things that will plague his thoughts for the days ahead.

From a practical distance in the nearby woods and on the highest tree branch, the figure trails his eyes on a hasty Sayomi with questionable intent, his mouth twisting into a scheming smirk.

"The hunter from the woods..."

~°~°~°~°

"Don't you think that's a little too sweet, Kanroji?" Obanai asks as he takes another bite of the pancake Mitsuri has whipped up for them, his nose scrunching in amusement at the amount of honey on her stack.