Chapter Text
Chapter 1
Usually, people like me are not the protagonists of stories. The protagonists are strong, kind and determined in their goals. I consider myself kind, but unfortunately I am neither strong nor determined enough.
My brother had all the makings of a leading man and Tanjiro does too, but me... I'm weak and my sword has never changed its colour, despite being part of the Rengoku family. I'm a disappointment to my father, I know that well, so I always try to do my best around the house. I learned to cook and clean early, I learned to read early, and I was always getting lost in stories, imagining myself in the place of the protagonist or fighting demons together with my brother, but I realised that more than the hero of the story, I was the background character.
And what happens to the background characters if they get caught by the bad guys? They come to a bad end. Even my brother, during a fight, didn't make it, but he died a hero. In my current situation, I will die as nothing more than a snack.
I felt the air grow colder, as if winter had suddenly arrived.
In front of me approached an ethereal and menacing figure, wrapped in a blue and azure kimono with ice crystals as decorations. His white hair floated like snow in the wind, and his eyes, cold and bright as blue gems, sparkled with predatory desire. I had been told that demons were scary and terrifying, but the demon could pass for human except for his ears and teeth. I, Senjuro Rengoku, son of a dynasty of demon slayers, was about to be eaten by one because of my weakness.
I was unconscious, and when I opened my eyes, the world around me was a swirl of shadows and black trees. The sound of leaves rustling under an icy wind filled my ears, and the chill penetrated down to my bones. I did not recognise where I was: a dense, dark forest, lit only by the pale moonlight filtering through the trees. I only remembered confused fragments of what had happened.
A strident meow broke the stillness of the night, piercing through the quiet. Outside the front door of our residence, a kitten with shaggy fur was asking for food. I couldn’t ignore it, so I went back inside to fetch a bowl of milk. I went back outside and left the bowl on the floor, watching the kitten lick greedily; he must be really hungry, I thought, and then... darkness. A sharp pain struck my head, and the world plunged into shadow.
Now I was really in trouble, far from home, without weapons and with a night yukata that wouldn't protect me at all. I tried to lift myself up, but my legs were as if paralysed; my body was immobilised by a grip of ice encircling my ankles. Around me, the forest was shrouded in an unnatural silence, interrupted only by my laboured breathing and the gentle rustling of windblown leaves.
"Well awake, little human" sneered the demon above me. Had he waited until I opened my eyes to eat me awake? How cruel could he be?
"What... what do you want from me?" I stammered, trying to hide the terror that gripped my heart. I tried to assume a defensive stance, but my legs were frozen in place.
The demon tilted his head, observing me "Play, little human... I want to play with you."
I couldn't believe what he was saying and asked, blinking, "Game?"
"Yes, I like to play a little before I eat cute boys like you" he whispered, leaning slightly towards me, His eyes sparkling with mischief. I never thought of myself as cute, and his comment didn’t flatter me—being compared to dangos wasn’t exactly reassuring.
Hearing no reply, the demon continued "Have you ever heard the saying 'don't play with food'? Well, I think playing with food makes it... much tastier." He licked his lips and caught a glimpse of the boy's long canines.
"Demon! You... you can’t..." I tried to start, but noticed the sadistic smirk at hearing that I knew his nature.
"My name is not 'demon... but Kori. And what is the name of my snack?" he said, lifting my chin to observe my face.
I had to take courage. My brother had died bravely fighting a demon, defending all the innocent people around him, and I had to honour our family. I had to respond and be heard "You will not have the satisfaction of eating me tonight!" I said, my voice trembling but determined.
His cold claws gripped my cheeks, and he blinked, as though holding back out of some twisted courtesy "Your name, little flame... I will not ask again."
"Sen-senjuro" I finally replied and suddenly left my face.
"We'll see how much you entertain me, Senjuro" Kori whispered with a cocky smile.
With a wave of his hand, Kori raised a hand, and the ice that enveloped me intensified, squeezing me with relentless force. It must have been his Blood Demon Art. I felt tears forming at the corners of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I would not show weakness, I would not give him that satisfaction.
Kori picked me up at that point, lifted me up with surprising ease and started running at a surprising speed through the trees. I knew that demons were stronger and faster than us humans, but I had never really seen them in action. It seemed that Kori was going somewhere he knew, perhaps his current lair.
He hadn't bothered to blindfold me, so I was trying to memorise the route. I could run. Maybe I would.
It suddenly slowed down. The silence of the night was interrupted only by our footsteps. The shadows of the trees stretched like spectres under the moon, and every sound seemed amplified in the silence of the forest.
Eventually, we came to a small house hidden among the trees. It was old, but looked well kept. It must have belonged to some hunter or woodsman. Kori opened the door with a kick and left me shortly after the entrance.
The interior was dark and cold, but the thing that struck me immediately was the smell: the air was impregnated with blood. If I could buy some time, I might find a way to escape. I just had to hold on a little longer, find a weakness in that demon. Why wasn't I as strong as my brother?!
"So, Senjuro" said Kori, interrupting my thoughts "are you ready for our little game?"
I had no choice. I had to play by his rules, at least for now. I had to find a way to turn the situation in my favour. I was the son of Shinjuro Rengoku, a former pillar, and I was not going to give up without a fight.