He was a dead man.

That was all that rang in Akaza's skull as he bowed before Muzan. He was a dead. man. His strength would not save him this time, not against Kibutsuji. He was going to die. He was going to die. He was going to - 

"Bring him to me and you'll be forgiven." Kibutsuji's voice was ice grating over Akaza's bones. The demon lord stood but a foot away, his eyes burning with rage and his veins bulging from his skin. "You did not know what he meant to me so I will forgive you for letting him go. But you must bring him and his daughter to me. Do you understand Akaza?"

Akaza slowly nodded as he sat up from his kowtow. His hands were shaking - why were his hands shaking.

He kept seeing that girl. Doma's girl, with his eyes and his face. With a big fearful expression that had almost matched her father's. Her father's. 

Doma had indeed produced a spawn. And now Muzan wanted her. She was the key to his perfection.

Her. That was another thing, was he expected to fight the little girl? And what about Doma's woman - the mother of the child. He should stop thinking.

"That would be wise, indeed," Muzan scowled. Akaza tensed under the tone and felt something strange in him as he prepared for punishment.

He'd been here before... not... not here, but someplace similar. He'd been beaten and bruised, his back had hurt and his wrists burned. They had burned so terribly. It had been his third tattoo mark, a blue stripe staining his wrists for the third time marking him as a thief.

A thief. A pickpocket.

"Next time, I'll cut off your wrists."

Akaza shook his head and grimaced. He couldn't think. He couldn't think about it right now.

"You will go with Kokushibo. You will bring me Doma and his daughter. What you do with the other humans is none of my concern. Do this and I'll forgive you." Muzan ordered.

His voice though was overlayed with the other, older voice... the magistrate. The Magistrate.

"You are a demon child."

The Magistrate. Who beat him for stealing. Why had he been stealing? He couldn't recall - 

"As you demand it, it will be done," Kokushibo spoke for the both of them and Akaza managed a mild nod. 

"Then go, quickly," Muzan ordered of them, and they were off. He ran alongside Kokushibo and as Nakime's string sounded out they found themselves bursting into the open air.

The night was thick, the stars were dim, Akaza was a hunter... so why did he feel hunted?

"Hakuji!!"

"Thief!! Help, Someone - Thief!!"

"Repent! And find a damn job!"

He ran faster, his feet pushing him forward past Kokushibo. He didn't have to breathe but for some reason, his breaths felt labored, heavier. He felt smaller, younger... weaker. He was running as fast as he could and he needed to get stronger. Why? To fight. Why? To fight against those who come back for what I stole. To fight back against the Magistrate. Why? To get medicine! WHY!?

"Live an honest life. You can still turn over a new leaf"

"Dad?"

Akaza nearly tripped on himself, stumbling as the memory seared into his mind like the burning ray of sun. It wasn't a full memory or a full thought... but it meant something. The same fear in Doma's eyes had been the fear Akaza had carried with him as he walked into that damn house and saw his father... hanging there.

No - no he couldn't think about this! He had to keep moving! He had to capture Doma and his damn daughter. Why? Because Doma had disobeyed! Look at your wrists! All you ever did was disobey the laws!

No. NO. Stop thinking, just run. Run and do as your told. Since when, Hakuji? That's not my student talking. Followin the rules now?

That voice... There was a name to that voice...

"I'm Keizou. I run a martial arts dojo - "

Master... No, not Muzan, his actual Master. His teacher. His sensei...

Akaza's head throbbed as he ran, branches smacked his face as he took off through the forest. Why was he thinking of this now!? Why was he remembering this now!?? He needed to stop. He needed to pursue. He needed to move.

He'd go to Doma's cult first. See if he was there, if not this hunt would be more complicated and he couldn't fail. The punishment would be unbearable - 

"They may whip me and break my bones, but I can endure anything for you, Dad. Even if it lasts a hundred years."

"Go ahead and cut them off then! You cut them off, I'll still have my feet!"

It hurt. It was his voice but it hurt. He didn't want to remember. He didn't want to think about Doma's eyes or the girl's eyes - how they reminded him of things. A father and a daughter. A teacher and a student. Rainbow eyes burst into fireworks in Akaza's mind and it bit into his very existence like a wolf's fangs.

It hurt, but he continued on.

After all, he was apparently used to pain.

•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

Part of Doma was surprised when he ran back to the temple and found Kotoha and Inosuke waiting for him, nervously. The moment Kotoha saw him she ran forward and put her hands on his face, looking fearfully at the scar that was still slowly healing on his neck and the bloodstained clothes.

"Mama!" Mirakuru sobbed reaching out and jumping into her mother's arms.

"What happened?" Kotoha asked as she managed an arm full of her little girl.

Before Doma could offer an answer, Mirakuru began to sob.

"They're all mean Mama! They tried to kill Papa!" she sobbed. "The scary guy tried to take me!"

Kotoha looked to Doma concerned and before Doma could do anything, agony ripped through his eyes making him gasp and fall to his knees, holding his face.

"Doma!" Kotoha cried kneeling down in front of him.

"Dad?" Inosuke asked doing the same.

Doma breathed heavily and slowly looked up, two large X's now sliced through his eyes, making Kotoha's breath hitch.

"Your eyes," Inosuke realized. Doma let out a weak smile - it seemed Muzan had finally figured out he wasn't in the infinity fortress and he was livid. Doma could feel it. He was livid because he couldn't drag Doma back. Silently, Doma sent a quiet thanks to Tamayo.

"It's alright," he assured them all. Their faces were full of fear and yet still a concern for him... even though this was his own fault.

"What do we do?" Kotoha asked, ready for action.

"We need to go," Doma explained looking at her. "We need to leave now."

Kotoha nodded and looked to Inosuke who jumped to his feet. 

"I'll be right back!" Kotoha announced firmly. Doma could only nod as she ran into the cult with Miku in her arms. Anxiety prickled on the back of his neck as he imagined the demons that were now on his trail. He shuddered to think how close Kokushibo and Muzan could be on his heels.

But Kotoha only took a moment. She ran back out and nodded.

"I told Tsu to evacuate the cult. I've given him a letter, it should explain everything. They'll run and hopefully get away," she nodded and Doma praised her merciful heart that he could not compare to.

"You planned ahead and wrote a letter?" Doma asked.

"Good instincts, I had a feeling it went poorly," Kotoha explained briefly with a firm not.

"Well they follow that advice, they should be fine," Doma nodded, emotionless. His newfound feelings didn't extend to his cultists... not in this circumstance. Perhaps he felt slivers of guilt when thinking of Kotoha's friends... but not as that worry extended to his family. Muzan may kill his followers but what he would do to Kotoha or Inosuke or Mirakuru was nothing short of terrifying in Doma's eyes. He had to prioritize and his priorities consisted of three people.

"Where're we going?" Inosuke asked.

"Far away," Doma answered, gesturing for Inosuke to get on his back. "Come, we must move faster than our pursuers."

"You can't mean you're going to carry us?" Kotoha objected.

"I do," Doma said firmly. Inosuke leaped up and wrapped his arms around Doma's neck while Doma scooped Kotoha and Mirakuru up. He held Kotoha bridal style and she kept a firm hold on Mirakuru.

"What should we do Dad? How can I help!?" Inosuke demanded, looking around as he clung to Doma's neck.

"If you see something, tell me," Doma instructed. He then moved with a speed that only a demon could utilize, a speed Inosuke's eyes could barely track.

He ran away from Muzan and his plans. Away from all reason and sense that had for so long monopolized his life.

He would keep his family safe.

•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

To say that Muzan was angry was an understatement. The demon lord was furious.

The fact that he had been betrayed... betrayed by that idiot of an emotionless demon infuriated him to no end. It was one thing for the Lower Moons to be rebellious... but an Upper Moon? Upper Moon Two no less. It was almost as bad as Tamayo's betrayal.

Except Muzan could understand why Tamayo betrayed him. The woman hated him. She despised him with every cell in her body, she basically always had. Doma? Doma didn't feel anything. Why would he throw it all away for a mortal? 

Muzan had always hated the demon but Doma had at least been reliable. Doma wasn't one to act on his feelings because he had none. He had been loyal, stubbornly so! Ambition didn't apply to Doma, he wasn't always stretching for power as Akaza was. Hatred, passion, anger, none of it swayed that demon.

And yet a mortal did.

A human.

When Muzan had first seen it he had dismissed it as Doma being Doma. The man playing a familiar mascarade of emotion. Then the demon had starved himself, scarcely eating, suddenly finding morales. Why? Why?

Muzan had 'forgiven' the demon as soon as his child was born. That girl was the answer. She was half-demon, half-human. Consuming her was one of the best chances he had to finally reach perfection. She'd grown and once Muzan was certain the child's two halves weren't tearing her apart he began to plan for his own godhood. His key to that future had been snatched away by that traitor.

Muzan wanted nothing more than for Doma to utter his name and have Muzan's curse enacted. He wanted to tear Doma apart for what he had done.

His veins bulged, his eyes glowed, and his jaw clenched.

Akaza and Kokushibo had left quickly after their orders but Muzan hardly noticed they were gone. He paced his halls, clenching his hands with half a mind to chase Doma down himself. Fury pounded in his head as he imagined where Doma could flee... the chance that he'd immediately lure them all to some demon slayer nest was too great. Besides, what would it look like to the demon world if Muzan lost that much composure? He was supposed to be infallible, above the trivial matters of the demon world.

God, what would this look like to his subordinates?

What would happen if word of this got out? The word that an Upper Moon had betrayed him...

How many demons would follow in Doma's footsteps?

None, Muzan swore to himself. No demon would follow in Doma's footsteps for he would make an example of him. No demon betrayed their lord. Muzan would make Doma remember why his name made all demons tremble; why merely uttering his name meant death.

He was Muzan Kibutsuji, the lord of the demons, a step down from god. He was not to be crossed.

He would make traitors suffer.

•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

Doma, while Muzan fumed in the weeks that followed, found joy. Weeks after he had fled from his old life, he had found that his emotions still rang true. Even when the world fell apart, he still loved.

"And I'll chase em' down like this!" Inosuke explained fervently as he held two chopsticks, one in each hand. He slashed them like swords and grinned toothily as he depicted his future fights with his enemies. He ran about the small mountain cabin in his imaginary fight.

Kotoha smiled fondly at the boy and rubbed his head as she walked by and crouched down.

"You're already so strong, Inosuke, no one would stand against you," she smiled, 'booping' his nose with one of her fingers.

"I'ma get super strong!" Inosuke laughed, putting his hands on his hips. "That way I can protect everyone!"

Doma smiled fondly from where he sat on the floor. Mirakuru was in his lap, gawking at an ice lotus he had constructed with his blood-demon art.

"How do you do it?" Mirakuru asked holding up the small ice sculpture and looking up at her father puzzledly.

"For me, it is not so hard," Doma explained softly as he opened a hand in front of her. A small ice boar formed in his hand much to his daughter's amazement. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped.

"So cool," she breathed reaching out and grasping the ice sculpture.

"You'll learn to control your blood art eventually," Doma soothed. "It's much like exercising a muscle. I'll help you learn as you grow."

Miku only cupped the ice in her hands and smiled in wonder.

Doma smiled at his daughter's awe, a small smile that happened without his knowledge. Mirakuru held the ice sculptures and looked up, her eyes slowly drifting up and resting on her's father's rainbow eyes that had those large x's slicing through them. They'd been scary at first, but now she was growing used to them... still... they weren't pretty to look at. 

She had always loved her father's eyes and now they were all ruined because of that man. 

Mirakuru placed the ice sculptures on the floor and stood up, grabbing her father's cheeks and looking into his eyes. Doma was confused but at this point understood that humans, especially children, were strange.

Mirakuru stared at Doma's eyes, her own rainbow eyes wide in a large current of emotions.

"Does it hurt?" she asked, with a tilt of her head. Her long black locks with blue tips spilled down below her shoulders.

"What?" Doma asked.

"Do your eyes hurt?" she asked again, worriedly.

Doma put on a smile, his chest possessing some warmth for his daughter's naive concern.

"No," Doma lied, rubbing her head assuringly. Pain was not important to him, it never had been.

"Good," Mirakuru nodded, releasing Doma's cheeks. She still stared at her father.

"What's wrong?" Doma asked, tilting his head.

"You're still pretty. You know that Daddy?" Mirakuru asked.

Doma's eyebrows raised. That was hardly something of concern.

"Your eyes are still super pretty, even if that meanie did put X's through them," Mirakuru assured her father.

Doma chuckled. Muzan the 'meanie'. He would be sure to throw that insult at the demon lord the next time he saw him.

"Yeah, you just look awesome!" Inosuke agreed eagerly, coming to his sister's side. His green eyes seemed to sparkle with his large grin.

"Well thank you," Doma told the two.

"Dinner," Kotoha told the two children. Inosuke's head swiveled and he shot off like a bullet at the sound of food. Mirakuru took her time and walked over with a smile. Doma stayed where he sat and glanced out the window.

It would be dawn soon so he had little reason to fear, but every night seemed like a terrifying journey until the sun rose again. 

They had settled in a small abandoned cabin in the mountains for a few days but Doma was certain it wouldn't last long. Muzan still wanted him dead. Doma was certain that sooner or later, he would face the consequences for his actions and when that happened, he prayed he could spare Kotoha and the children from it.

Kotoha came up beside him and smiled as she saw the worry in his face.

"Miku's right, you know," she murmured softly. "You are still pretty... and you are still strong."

Doma looked at her and gave her what counted for a broken smile. "Not strong enough..."

She reached up and cupped his face. "You're strong enough."

Doma smiled as she pulled him down for a kiss and felt her strange magic worm its way into his heart and make him feel confident.

"EW!" Inosuke announced over his plate

"It's not Ew!" Miku argued back. "People are s'posed to kiss if they love each other!"

"But not in front of me!" Inosuke whined.

Kotoha pulled away from Doma and smiled as she looked into his arms.

"Perhaps there will be consequences... but for now... it's just us," she murmured. And she was right.

Consequences would come sooner or later, but for now Inosuke was starving and looked like he was ready to eat his chopsticks.

•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

The consequence came sooner, not later. They had stayed too long, Doma should've moved them. He should've been more diligent in how they moved. He had thought it was far enough, he thought he had thrown them off his trail. He had thought and thought and thought but at the end of the day, the consequences came with the moonrise.

They came in the form of Kokushibo and Akaza. The two demons came shortly after night fell, a little after the family had risen with their new nocturnal schedule. As soon as Doma had sensed them he had sent Kotoha and the children off.

"You don't think you can fight them off!" Kotoha had objected, grabbing his arm and reading his thoughts as she often seemed to do. There was a ferocity in her eyes as she urged him to come with them. "We should run. We can escape!"

"Akaza is fast than me and Kokushibo will be right on our heels, you need to run - far. Look for demons slayers, look for wisteria houses, just run," Doma demanded as he handed Miku to her mother.

"You can't fight them off!" Kotoha cried, her face stern but her lip trembling.

He had merely smiled with his mask of a smile. 

"I can buy you time," he had murmured back, softly breaking out of her grasp. 

"I'll fight em' with you!!" Inosuke yelled in a challenge. Doma only rubbed his head and shook his head.

"You must protect your sister. Clear?" Doma asked softly, anything to get the boy to go with Kotoha.

Inosuke deflated and he stared up at Doma in puzzlement. "Yeah... until you get back."

"Good," Doma nodded.

"Once you beat them, you'll come to find us, right?" Mirakuru asked, fearfully looking up at her father.

Doma reached and rubbed her hair as well. 

"Of course," he nodded. He opened his hand and an ice lotus former, much to Mirakuru's delight. "Hold on to that until I get back, alright?" the demon chuckled upon seeing the joy in his daughter's face.

Mirakuru grabbed the ice lotus and nodded, "I will! I promise!"

He then looked to Kotoha, he cupped her face and pressed his forehead against hers as she held back a sob and looked up at him with those large pleading eyes. But she didn't say another word. She was strong in that way and Doma wished he could hold a sliver of that strength that resided in her eyes.

They had fled and Doma was forced to ignore the pain in his chest. He couldn't identify this feeling when it came, it was simply a pain in his chest as he watched them go for what he feared was the last time.

And so there he was, sensing two great enemies grow closer like stalking wildcats and all he could do was stand, wait, and breathe. A few minutes later, two figures emerged from the forest, the opposite way that Kotoha and the kids had fled.

Doma's face fell back into its fake smile as he opened his fans and turned to face his foes. Time. They needed time. As much time as he could manage. Kotoha was clever, she'd find a way to hide them. She'd find a way to escape, she just needed time.

"Kokushibo-chan! Akaza-San!" Doma greeted with fake joy. "What brings you here?"

"Your insolence," Kokushibo answered darkly drawing his sword. Akaza said nothing but glared at Doma.

"Oh?" Doma faked confusion. "Then I guess we're not buddies anymore?"

"Give us the hybrid child, and come willingly," Kokushibo ordered. "Master may have mercy on you."

"Oh, you poor thing," Doma sighed in empty pity. "You really haven't figured it out."

"I shall give you one chance, and then I shall strike you down," Kokushibo threatened. Doma saw his sword and knew it wasn't an empty threat.

Doma's eyes darkened and suddenly he seemed to appear in front of Kokushibo, his golden fans flashing as they went for his neck. Kokushibo's sword moved just as quickly and was barely blocked by a fan that sent sparks flying in the darkness, like fiery stars. Kokushibo backed away and Doma turned his attention to Akaza, an ice attack flying outward, forcing the Upper Moon back as he defended himself. Kokushibo slashed outward with his sword, an attack that Doma dodged with ease, he had a bit more trouble dodging the punch of air that struck his shoulder and sent him skidding backwards; Akaza's work.

"What would happen should he actually gain perfection?" Doma asked his old comrades as he steading himself.

The only answer he got was Akaza flying for him. The two exchanged blows until Doma's fans caught on Akaza's neck and sliced his head off. Doma then lost an arm as Kokushibo's sword flew. He had to act quickly. He had to be quicker! Time - they needed time! Doma put one fan in his mouth and picked up the other with his free hand as his arm regrew.

The fight was already taxing and dawn was still hours away. Doma felt panic seize his chest... was this what humans thought when they realized they had no chance at life? Was this how every demon slayer he'd killed had felt mere seconds into their fight?

Dammit, he needed time!

"I've had emotions for but a few years and I have already seen the truth of our lives. You two had held emotions for years and yet somehow you are blind to it!" Doma accused of the two demons once his arm regrew and he could take the fan from his mouth.

Blows were exchanged again. Ice attacks flew outward to be cut apart or smashed by Akaza and Kokushibo. Sword, fan, and fist clashed in a whirlwind of attacks. Dust flew, trees fell, by the end of it, the ground was saturated with demon blood and covered in frost.

Doma tried. He took every opportunity he could, slashing, scratching, even biting if it came down to it and hey - it made Akaza back off for a second as his fingers regrew and he looked at the demon in disgust. Whatever worked, Doma was willing to do it. He winced as Kokushibo nearly sliced him in half, twisting out of the way just in time so the attack only caught one of his legs and sent him to his knees.

Time. He needed more time. 

He ducked before Kokushibo could take his head and caught the demon's wrist, slicing it apart with his fans as his legs regenerated. He panted and felt his body struggle to keep up with the strain. His stomach roared in starvation and his vision blurred for a terrifying moment. Still, he lunged and he fought.

 The end of it came when Doma inevitably reached his limit.

He was kicked to the ground by Akaza where he was sent skidding across the forest floor. Doma trembled. The years of starvation were catching up to him, his regeneration, his strength, it was nowhere near his full power and now even his reserves were used up.

Kokushibo came from above. One of Doma's fans was kicked away while Kokushibo's foot pinned Doma's other hand down. Another foot was planted on Doma's chest and the flesh sword's tip was pressed against his throat.

"Master requires you to be brought back alive," Kokushibo stated simply, his six eyes holding no pity as he held his sword steady above Doma's neck.

Doma allowed the anger in his chest to erupt.

"Don't you see!?" he demanded to the Demon Moon above him. "If he eats Mirakuru and gains complete immortality he will have no more use for you!"

Nothing, there wasn't a flinch in Kokushibo's demeanor.

"We are nothing but dogs! Dogs that serve our Master and when our Master has no need for us, he will put us down!" Doma spoke in a tone that was unusual for him. It was passionate and desperate.

"We owe him our lives," Kokushibo reprimanded coldly.

"This is not life!" Doma hissed back with such certainty that Kokushibo's eyes widened, only slightly, but it was something!

"This! This is servitude!" Doma struggled with his words as he tried to convey what he knew. "Surely you see it. Surely you knew from the moment you entered into it. Surely you felt it."

There was no answer. Doma looked over to Akaza who stood by, watching.

"We are nothing to him and my fate is proof of that. What are my sins!? I loved? I felt?" Doma challenged.

"You struck out at him," Kokushibo sneered.

"HE WOULD'VE KILLED MY DAUGHTER!" Doma roared back, trying to rise.

Kokushibo's sword stabbed into his throat, forcing the demon back down as the sword silenced him. Blood poured out of the wound and trickled from Doma's lips as the demon gurgled.

"Akaza," Kokushibo ordered, looking to the demon a few feet away. Akaza was looking at Doma, strangely perhaps, but his gaze eventually met Kokushibo's.

"Yes?" the demon asked but Doma thought there was just a hint of a hesitation too long. There had been something in Akaza's eyes this entire fight and Doma was desperate to grasp at any chance he had.

"Find the hybrid girl Master desires and kill the others," Kokushibo ordered.

"No," Doma rasped desperately, lunging for his fan. Kokushibo's sword was yanked out of his throat and flew again and Doma let out a hiss as he lost his hand. He was forced back to the ground by Kokushibo's foot and held there by the superior demon's strength, which broke his ribs and pierced his lungs heartlessly. Kokushibo looked back up to Akaza, questioning why the demon wasn't already gone.

"Go," Kokushibo ordered.

Akaza nodded, giving one last glance to Doma before taking chase. He did not miss the tears that seemed to be building up in the previous Upper Two's desperate eyes.

"No... no, PLEASE - PLEASE AKAZA!" Doma yelled after him, despite the wounds in his throat and the pain in his chest. He would grovel, he would beg. Anything, anything, please just give them more time! His voice rasped and gurgled as blood filled his lungs and throat, spitting out to the frosted ground as he screamed. "AKAZA, if you have any honor, spare them!!"

•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

Kotoha wasn't sure what she could do or how she could help. She had felt hopeless from the moment Doma had been called to take Mirakuru to his Master... the hopelessness had only extrapolated from there.

She knew only one thing: No one would harm her children. Not while she still breathed. That was the truth she'd lived with for years and it didn't end now. Whether the threat was human or demon, it would have to take her first.

So, when the pale demon with the blue stripes landed before her in a display of power and superiority, she didn't hesitate. Inosuke and Mirakuru were shoved behind her as she faced the demon with a hitched breath. 

Akaza faced the woman and kept his gaze firm. 

"Give me your daughter," Akaza ordered. "I will let you live."

Now, Akaza wasn't supposed to but he didn't like the idea of slaughtering a woman merely because she had fallen for Doma. Akaza felt no joy in this fight. Kokushibo would understand and if he felt so bothered by it, Upper One could come to finish off the problem himself.

"Where's Doma?" Kotoha demanded, her voice trembling as she was.

"Hand over your daughter and you and your son can live," Akaza sneered, impatience dripping off his tongue.

The offer didn't phase Kotoha. No. She could not trust this demon and she would not leave her daughter to his mercy. Was Doma already gone? Tears dotted her eyes but she pushed all fears aside. If he was gone then she was all her children had.

She could not falter.

Mirakuru clenched her mother's kimono desperately and squeezed her eyes shut. Inosuke was raging inside and wished more than anything that could do something.

"I will not ask again," Akaza snarled.

"Mama," Mirakuru whimpered, absolutely terrified. As she held her mother's kimono she also clenched the ice lotus her father had given her, feeling it starting to melt away in her hand.

"You stay away from my sister!" Inosuke yelled at the man trying to run forward. Kotoha held him back.

"You cannot have my children," Kotoha murmured, summoning what strength she held. "You have taken Doma but you will not take my daughter."

"Doma begged of me to spare your life and I am doing so, do not tempt me," Akaza sneered. "I do not like killing women."

That sentence struck Kotoha and quite suddenly, she recalled the stories Doma had told her. He'd told her of all his colleagues, except his master. Kokushibo; the six-eyed ancient demon. There was a fish who loved pots. An old man who feared his past crimes. Two siblings. He'd tried to tell her everything but only one demon had held such a staunch honor code of his meals.

"Mama, I don't want to go," Mirakuru sobbed desperately.

"We ain't gonna let you go!" Inosuke swore to his sister. "The stripey bastard's gonna gave to get through me first!"

"Your name is Akaza, right?" Kotoha asked slowly, watching the demon's eyes narrow. Tears leaked from her eyes as grappled with the idea that Doma was already... surely not. It didn't matter, if he was gone she had to mourn later. She stayed upright as her chest screamed. She had to stay upright. She had to keep her children alive, no matter the consequence.

"How would you know?" Akaza asked cautiously.

"You let Doma go once," Kotoha pleaded, begging to find some soul in the monster before her. "You saved him and my daughter once!"

"I stood aside," Akaza corrected with a snarl. "I didn't know better..."

He had... though. No. No!

"Then stand aside again!" Kotoha begged as large tears fell from her face. "Doma tells me that of all the Demon Moon's it's you with the largest heart so I beg of you, please... please let my family live!!"

Akaza sneered and went into a fighting stance. 'Largest Heart'... it almost made him sick. Not as sick as the thought of killing a woman. Killing a child. He had few morales left in this cursed existence but Muzan had always respected his decision to abstain from some meals. Now... now though he had orders - explicit orders. He couldn't turn a blind eye and turn up empty-handed.

But his mind hurt. His memories, blurry and sharp, ripped into him like the slice of a whip, the beatings, the pain as they held down his wrist and tattooed the symbol of his crime on his wrist. He looked at Kotoha and he saw something in her eyes. Something he'd seen before...

"There's going to be fireworks tonight, so just go..."

A terrible, reluctant acceptance. An acceptance of her own fate. He'd helped someone like that... he'd hated that look in her eyes.

"Thank you for caring for me Hakuji but... but I don't know how much longer I'll be in this world..."

"Don't say that. You have to keep living. Why are you always apologizing, it's not your fault you're sick. Why do sick people always apologize? Don't be sorry, Koyuki. I do not mind, I will never mind."

Akaza blinked and the image was gone. Koyuki...

Akaza looked back to Kotoha as stood between him and her children. He looked into those large green eyes that held that same look Akaza had seen so long ago; she didn't think she was going to survive.

"I won't enjoy this," Akaza warned her... as if that was any consolation.

Kotoha choked on a sob and fell to her knees, holding her children close. What could she do? Where could she run, all around her was thick shrubbery and trees. Hiding was a doubtful option. Mirakuru lost it upon seeing her mother fall to her knees and began wailing as she hugged her mother in fear.

"PAPA!" she screamed as she looked at Akaza in terror. "PAPA HELP!!"

Inosuke grabbed a stick from the ground and held it. He was a child of eleven but he would not go down without a fight. Not that he could do much with his mother hugging him like this -

Akaza clenched his jaw and tried to tell himself to move. Lunge. Kill. Do his job. Then a voice rang out in his mind. A desperate, terrified voice:

'We are nothing but dogs! Dogs that serve our Master and when our Master has no need for us, he will put us down!'

•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

Doma struggled as Kokushibo's sword plunged into his neck again.

"Stop resisting. There is nothing you can do," Kokushibo growled to the pinned demon.

Doma shuddered.

Had Akaza caught up to them already? Was he too late!? He had to escape. He had to save them!

"You will die for what you have done," Kokushibo growled.

Doma looked up at him with certainty. Rage and grief roared in his head and he found nothing would bring him more relief than tearing this demon apart.

"Then I'll meet you in hell when Master sends you there," Doma growled with centuries of loathing behind it blood bubbling out with those words. 

Kokushibo went to snarl a response but before he could, he looked up, sensing something. That something raced up on the duo and kicked Kokushibo away with the full force of hundreds of years of martial arts experience centered in one powerful front kick. Kokushibo flew off of the mountain, landing somewhere below and throwing up a huge amount of dirt and breaking a few trees.

Doma looked up at his savior and his eyes widened. Akaza was glaring down at him.

"The hell is wrong with you? Get up. We're leaving," Akaza growled turning on his heel and running the way he had come. Doma got up and immediately stumbled, his power wanting. Akaza glance back and cursed.

The pale demon ran back and threw Doma over his shoulders.

"Akaza?" Doma questioned as he was carried like a sack of potatoes. This was... not how he expected this evening to go.

"We don't have any time for you to act like a pitiful weakling. If you want to survive we will have to outrun Kokushibo and we'll be traveling with cargo. Hurry up and heal so you can run!"

As he said that, Akaza took off into the woods.

"Why?" was all Doma could ask.

"I will be the strongest," Akaza vowed in a growl. "I cannot prove I am strong if you're dead. You are my rival who I swore I would one day best. This... this is not besting you."

Doma said nothing, though he felt that there was more to the demon's story.

Akaza skidded to a halt and put Doma down.

"Doma!" "Dad!" "DADDY!" familiar voices cried. Doma looked in unmeasurable joy at his children who ran at him. Inosuke barreled into him first, jumping and wrapping his arms around the man's neck. Mirakuru came next and she threw herself into Doma's outstretched arms. Kotoha came next and she wrapped her arms around the demon and smiled, clearly relieved.

"You're okay," Doma breathed as he relished in their scents. "You're all okay..."

"You're okay!" Kotoha laughed and god Doma loved that laugh.

"They won't be after Kokushibo catches up to us," Akaza snapped, breaking up the reunion. "We have to go. Now!"

Doma nodded as he looked to Akaza. He stood up, still somewhat weak. He put a hand on Akaza's shoulder and genuinely smiled thankfully.

"Thank you, Akaza," Doma murmured.

Akaza huffed and glared at him. "Can you pick up them all or do you need me to carry them, you weak fuck!?"

Doma chuckled and nodded, looking to his family.

"I am well enough," he nodded. "But first... you need to drink my blood."

Akaza gawked. "I think I would literally rather walk in the sun - "

"If you don't, he will drag you back to the infinity fortress and slaughter you. Drink it," the demon urged as he offered his bloodied arm.

Akaza sneered, glancing from the humans to the demon. He sighed, looked to the stars, and then looked back.

"Don't make me regret this Doma," he muttered.

"Never, old pal," Doma grinned. Akaza almost punched him again.

•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

Kokushibo raced up the mountain and snarled. The demons were already fleeing and Kokushibo doubted he could catch up. Akaza was one of the quickest demons and Doma... though weak, Doma was still plenty fast. There was also the issue of whether he could kill them or absorb them in a reasonable time without the other intervening. Doma he could deal with. Both, he could probably still deal with, but it would be messy and risky. He wasn't much of a fan of such risks.

Now, Kokushibo was faced with a dilemma. Pursue the demons pointlessly or report to Muzan and suffer the inevitable wrath. Muzan would want to know of such a development.

What the hell had possessed those two. First Doma, now Akaza!? Surely this was some sick joke. The Upper Moons hadn't changed ranks in decades and now two of them committed outright treason. This had to be a joke - a sick joke played by fate.

Muzan would not be pleased... he would not be pleased in the slightest.

Doma: I love my wife! *betrays Muzan*

Akaza: HEY! I thought I was the cool moral one! And I love MY wife! *also betrays Muzan*

Kokushibo, too tired and lonely for this shit: What. the. fuck.

Thanks for reading! Have a great day/night!