Part 4
Pairing: Rengoku Kyojuro x gn! reader
Warning: a bit of swearing, nothing too shocking though.
Synopsis: after a few weeks, something happen.
A/N: Again, I'm rage posting this. Forgive any grammar mistakes, I'm trying my best. Reblogs and comments are highly appreciated. Enjoy!
He's gonna be the death of me and he knows it, this bastard.
You avoided Rengoku's wide, eager eyes as if your life depended on it, focusing instead on the gorgeous breakfast he had prepared earlier in the morning. Where and when had he found everything to make a Japanese breakfast, you had no idea, but the smell of salmon, miso soup and gently cooked vegetables were making you salivate even though you were not usually eating in the morning.
Damn him, using food to appeal me.
The worst of it was not the delicious meal waiting for you. No. It was the proud smile of your flatmate, his cheerfulness and his impatience for you to taste what he had prepared that got you. You tried to ignore it but it was too endearing.
"Hope you will like it," Rengoku said, as if there was a chance you wouldn't.
You could almost hear the "Sunflower" at the end of his sentence but he kept it to himself, like he had promised days ago.
You ate in peaceful silence and then prepared to go to work after Rengoku insisted he would do the dishes. You felt a bit bad to let someone with so much power doing something so... well, not deity-like. But he seemed content, happy even, to do something so mundane so you let him.
"See you later," you said right before leaving. "Please, do not stress cook if I'm late, I don't know if my stomach can handle another full week of curry."
Rengoku chuckled and promised he would resist the urge to do so. Then you closed the door and you felt like your world became normal again.
Walking to work alone is the first step for you to have a sense of normalcy again. You used to do that way before Rengoku barged into your life and you hold on to it like your life depended on it. Or you sanity.
Which was not very far from the reality. So much things had changed in the course of a few weeks and you still struggled to get used to it. You felt a bit better about the red string and Rengoku but sometimes, you were reminded that none of this was normal, not by your society norms anyway, and it was... difficult to handle.
But you were doing better.
Maybe it was the reason why Rengoku was so adamant to do simple things like cooking and doing the dishes. Maybe it was his way of bringing back a sense of normalcy into your life.
Something about it made you smile. He was really trying hard, huh.
You arrived at work with lifted spirits and spend your day there, forgetting for a few hours there was a thousand years old deity waiting for you at home and a red string connecting you to him to your left pinkie.
When you woke up this morning, something was off.
First, Rengoku wasn't there to welcome you. It was the first time it happened. You tried not to let yourself be touched by his absence: he was a deity, he surely had duties to attend. But the silence reigning in your appartement did not seem natural and it put you a bit on edge.
Once in the living room, you noted that the sky was matching your mood: grey, heavy with a promise made of rain and wind. The weather forecast confirmed your suspicions: a storm was coming, it would be there before nightfall. You prayed you won't have after-hours today.
In an odd silence, you prepared your bag and washed your face. Your apartment was so quiet without Rengoku, it felt... Unnatural. Strange. You had gotten more used to his presence that you liked.
It was with a weird feeling making your stomach churn that you closed your door.
Maybe the weather forecast had been a bit too optimist saying that the storm would be there only tonight. The winds were so strong already you were struggling to keep a straight course. Around you, people seemed to have the same issue. Some brave -or stupid- (passant) tried to open their umbrella to shield themselves from the little rain and you admired them a bit. Not for too long, though, because winds discouraged them by breaking their umbrella in one blow.
You discovered when arriving at work that your prayers would be unanswered today. A co-worker was sick and you and the others had to cover her work. Which means after-hours. You sighed. It was the worst possible day. You'd have to be beyond efficient if you wanted to go home before the storm.
You kept glancing anxiously out of the window all day, seeing the sky get darker and darker by the minute. Something that you tried to ignore was whispering in the back of your mind. A warning. A threat. A pleading. You didn't know exactly. You just wanted to go home but you weren't making any progress on you work.
You let out a sigh and tried to focus. It was not the first time anxiety tried to get the better of you. And by the way, where was Rengoku? It's not like you were expecting him to come by and greet you but a sign that he was okay would be nice. Maybe it would help you concentrate.
Your eyes fell on the red string. Could you communicate through it? If you pulled it, would Rengoku feel it?
You shook your head. Focus. You had work to do. No need to make yourself any more late than you already were. You'd be glad once you're done with all the emails and documents to classify.
Time passes slowly and you were restless. You almost didn't want to go home. Leaving the security of your workplace seemed like a very bad idea right now. The wind wasn't scary, you had lived worse, but something unsettling was in the air. You couldn't name it. You felt stupid. But it was there.
So when it was time, you tried to delay your leaving as much as possible. Your co-workers had left already, only you manager was still there, making some angry calls. You slowly packed your bag, glancing more often than not outside. Streets were empty, everyone went back home to brave themselves for the storm coming.
Once outside, you froze. Winds were kicking your legs and tried to force their way in your lungs. But it was not them that made you stop.
It was your whole body screaming at you to go back inside.
"What the fuck is wrong with me today," you muttered.
You forced yourself to take a step, then two, then three... until your whole body froze again in the middle of the empty street, an unsettling realization dawning on you.
You knew what was so unnerving.
It was a presence. This inkling was the one you got when you had first met Rengoku. The feeling of not being alone, of being observed.
Right now, you couldn't remember if Rengoku's presence made you feel like your heart was ready to leap out of your chest. You couldn't remember anything. In fact, the only word your brain was screaming right now was "run! RUN!"
But your legs didn't want to move. Your whole instinct was focused on running while your body was frozen.
In a voice you wanted to be assured, you asked : "Hello?"
It was only a whisper. A tiny breath, trembling, shaking. You wanted to call for Rengoku. Something told you not to.
"What are you?" you then asked, your voice sucked up by the wind howling all around you.
It was not quite what you wanted to know but hearing the words aloud, they felt right. Accurate. Only a what, not a who, could make you feel like that.
The wind seemed to suddenly quiet down. And the most horrifying sound resonated in its place.
A chuckle.
Like electrified, you felt your whole body come alive. With a gasp, you took off and ran. Ran as fast as you could. As far as you could. Ran, ran, ran so that the thing behind wouldn't catch you.
Ran to save your life.
Your feet took you to the park not far from your apartment. You knew it very well, maybe you would have the advantage of the field. Maybe you could hide in a bush. Or climb a tree. Or hide behind a bench.
Before you could thing of anything else, something grabbed your ankle. You fell with a cry. Heard a crack. Maybe a twig. Maybe a bone.
A breath at the back of your neck. You hold your own, eyes wide.
You were gonna die. You were gonna die.
With what could be your last breath, you screamed. Screamed and turned and punched something. It was hard. Another crack. A bone for sure this time. Several maybe, judging by the pain exploding in your hand, whiting your vision.
You kicked and screamed and kicked again. If you had to die tonight, it wouldn't be without a damn fight. You knew deep down you didn't stand a chance against the thing, but you didn't want to make it easier for it.
Your eyes met odd ones. Golden and blue and a bit of light red. Long eyelashes. So long. In another situation, you would have found those pupils utterly beautiful.
But you were about to die.
Before you could scream again, heat came, surging like a wave, engulfing you and the thing pining you down. Then flames came, like a silent explosion. Fire delicately licked your clothes and devoured the thing still holding your ankle.
Ah. So that was it. You're gonna live your last minutes like a sausage on a barbecue.
The thing hissed loudly and let you go, leaping several meters away from you. You blinked, relieved at first. You didn't move, closing your eyes instead. You knew full well there was no escaping the fire now.
But the heat, the burn... it never came. You raised your hand, brows furrowed.
The flames weren't burning you. They danced around you, hugged you, caressed your skin without harm. The dance of their color was seducing, enthralling even. In the back of your mind, you had the delirious thought that they were protecting you.
"What the fuck..." you murmured incredulously.
"Language, Sunflower."
You turned to the familiar voice and couldn't stop the gasp escaping your lips.
Rengoku stood behind you, face hard, jaw clenched. He was not looking in your direction, glaring instead at the thing with the harshest expression you've even seen. It was so very far from his usual self, never had you seen him with an expression so terrifying.
But it was such a relief to see him.
"You're there," you sighed, breath shaking, making him look at you. His eyes softenened immediately. "You're there," you repeated again, dropping your head.
Rengoku crouched next to you and put large hand on your shoulder to stop you from falling completely. He tilted his head, searching for your eyes, holding your gaze.
"I'm sorry I'm late, Sunflower."
You laughed. He was not late, not at all. He was right on time. Never had you felt so relieved in your life, never. You could kiss him.
"I'll take care of this demon first and I'll take you home."
You simply nodded, not registering what he had said. He was so beautiful, you thought deliriously. His hair dancing around his face, expression hardened by the shadows created by the fire still raging around you. Rengoku moved with grace, flames following his steps and growing, growing and growling like a tiger ready to pounce on its prey.
You were glad you were not at the receiving end of his wrath. You almost pitied the poor demon.
Demon.
You blinked.
"Fucking come again?" you croaked.
Rengoku spared you only one warm, amused smile before lunging at the thing. Flames followed him, dancing menacingly around his frame. Only now you realized Rengoku was wearing his deity outfit, tails dancing wildly in his back.
He was so beautiful, you thought again, then wondered if you had hit your head.
The fight didn't last. It ended as fast as it had begun, the thing -demon- backing down with a loud growl. Rengoku growled in return and took a menacing step, fire rising under his feet.
And then, the demon vanished.
You looked frantically right and left. Rengoku didn't make a move, focused on something. Only when his shoulders relaxed you remember to breathe.
"He ran away," Rengoku said, voice low. "Coward."
His flames faded, taking with them the sole source of heat.
It was over.
The wind howled at you. The sound of it surprised you, making you jump slightly. It was like a veil had been lifted, like a bubble had been popped. As if your senses came back at you after being muted. It was a strange feeling and everything seemed too much, all of a sudden. Too noisy, too cold, too... just too much.
Rengoku came back to you slowly. His eyes were still wandering all around but you knew the demon was gone. Something had changed in the air, it was easier to breathe.
"Sunflower," Rengoku murmured, as if he could scare you if he spoke with his usual tone. "Are you hurt?"
You stared at him silently, watching him growing stiffer and stiffer by the second. It was not like you were making him wait on purpose, you were just trying to make your brain work again, to remember how to think and speak words. Everything was jungled in your mind, spiraling and empty at the same time.
"Demon?" you said after a moment.
Rengoku blinked and a little smile formed on his lips. It was sheepish, almost.
"Now is not the right place to talk about that," he replied.
You were not sure there was really a right place to talk about something like this. But you nodded. Surely your apartment would be better and warmer than a dark park in the middle of a storm.
Rengoku helped you get up, hand strong and assured. He made a move to help you walk too but you refused. You could walk just fine.
Your legs, though, seemed to have a different opinion about that.
After the third attempt, seeing that your legs wouldn't cooperate, Rengoku decided to hoist you on his back.
"I can walk," you protested even though your body slumped against his immediately.
Rengoku chuckled at that, securing your legs with his hands in the crook of your knees and his tails supporting your rear.
"Pardon me for doubting that, Sunflower."
You groaned at his ear, you chin on his shoulder: "Again with the nickname."
"Pardon me."
"It's okay," you said after a minute. "I don't really mind."
You felt his hair caress you cheek as he turned his head to you a bit. You felt more than saw his smile.
"Let's go home."
A/N: 1 reblog = 1 fluffy moment with Kyojuro in the next chapter.
Late to the party, but so happy to be here none the less. Part 4 🔥🔥🔥.
