Archive of Our Own

Akaza pounces on Kyojuro the moment the Flame Hashira's target, a piteous little creature hardly worthy of his sword, is rendered in two, its head sliced cleanly away from its neck. Its body smolders from the slayer’s flames and starts to crumble.

This lesser demon writhes around like a worm while it screams up at the clear, starry sky. It curses Kyojuro and his blade, and it curses Akaza for being a traitor to their kind.

Its mournful protests fall on deaf ears.

As the creature dies, the two men beside its disintegrating form melt into one another. Akaza straddles Kyojuro, fits his knees on either side of the slayer's hips and sits on top of his groin, heedless of how his weight might burden the man beneath him. He holds both of Kyojuro's wrists in one hand and presses them firmly above his head, right on top of the blond strands of hair scattered messily around him like errant sunbeams. With his other hand, he works on Kyojuro's jaw, lightly squeezing the hinges until the slayer opens his lips with a sweet, soft moan that has Akaza biting hungrily at his own lips. The demon promptly shoves two fingers into his slayer's waiting mouth, rubs his slick gums and slippery teeth, tugs on his pink tongue and scratches at the bumpy palate until Kyojuro's chin and cheeks are sopping with spit.

He looks ethereal like this. Kyojuro is so beautiful he doesn't even know.

"Kyojuro," Akaza gasps, realizing he hasn't taken a proper breath since he first tackled the other man to the ground.

"Oh, how I missed you," he confesses, sliding his fingers out of Kyojuro's mouth and down his chin. He wipes them dry on the flame haori and releases the slayer's wrists, intent on leaning down and kissing him until his lungs cease to function.

Kyojuro, unmindful of Akaza's plan, hooks a foot behind the demon's knee and embraces his shoulders with both arms, then throws him to the ground so their positions are reversed.

"Akaza," he gasps in return, wrapping his hands roughly around the demon's forearms and slamming them down in the grass underneath them, uncaring of the forcefulness behind his actions. Akaza can already feel stinging bruises forming and they leave him giddy.

"I missed y- unh."

Hunger wins out over the need to finish speaking. Kyojuro descends on Akaza in the blink of an eye, lips mapping out the demon's as soon as they connect. He pushes his tongue forward until Akaza can suck it into his mouth.

The slayer is an expert at kissing by this point, at rendering the demon useless with just his mouth, his teeth, and his wicked tongue. Akaza's made a monster out of Kyojuro and he just lies there, entirely powerless against his slayer, and reaps the benefits. He spreads his legs so he can cradle Kyojuro's hips as they grind aimlessly against his growing erection and opens his mouth wide so the boy can thrust in and out of it with his tongue.

Eventually, Kyojuro has to take a breath, and when he pulls off Akaza, it's with a filthy-sounding suckling noise that leaves the human blushing and the demon chuckling lowly in the back of his throat.

The slayer smiles shyly down at Akaza, lets the demon reach up and tuck some wild hair behind his flushed ears.

"You sound like you're having fun, slayer."

Akaza is teasing him, which might not be fair considering he's barely holding himself together, but that hardly matters.

"I am!" Kyojuro responds, breathless and red in the face. He's beaming.

"I always have fun with you."

That signature bluntness always kills Akaza. Something clenches tightly in his chest, and the ache of it feels lovely.

"T-that makes me happy to hear," is all the demon can stutter out, still sometimes stunned that someone like the Flame Hashira willingly spends time with him.

Kyojuro hums a little "Mhm!" as he sits up and releases his grip on Akaza's arms. He starts to stroke the demon's face with the very tips of his fingers, keeping his touch light and teasing. It makes Akaza's skin tingle, and he closes his eyes at the sensation. The slayer slides his fingers over his eyelids, down his cheeks, and around the edges of his mouth.

"But, I…um," Kyojuro starts, then pauses. He's still slowly circling the demon's closed mouth with his smooth fingertips, occasionally brushing them over the seam of his lips.

Kyojuro's hesitation usually indicates a sensitive subject matter, a topic he's unsure how to broach without getting embarrassed. Akaza is trying to give the boy his undivided attention so he can help him navigate his way through this relationship.

Trying. He is fucking trying, but he can't stop thinking about biting at Kyojuro’s fingers until they bleed down his throat.

"Well, I wanted to tell you something," Kyojuro continues with a bit more confidence, and Akaza thanks every deity listening for the distraction.

He opens his eyes to show the slayer he’s listening, and gives him a small, encouraging smile, swallowing the saliva that’s been steadily pooling in his mouth for the past minute.

Kyojuro seems emboldened by the eye contact and smile. He inhales and gazes down at Akaza fondly.

“I want you."

At first, Akaza doesn't understand the simple nature of the statement. He furrows his brow and squints up at the slayer, humming in confusion.

He already belongs to Kyojuro, and Kyojuro knows it by now.

He…

"I want to have sex with you, Akaza."

A blistering, dark heat starts to burn in the demon's gut as soon as he hears the confession.

He's shocked into silence.

Kyojuro doesn't seem deterred by the lack of response, continuing to speak as if he didn't just casually utter the words the demon has been longing to hear for months.

"I…you're on my mind, constantly," Kyojuro sighs, placing his thumb on the bow of his lover's lips.

A meek whimper escapes Akaza as he presses a kiss to Kyojuro’s fingertip. His tongue follows.

The slayer's eyes soften and his mouth slackens while he watches the demon lick at his hand. A curtain of desire descends over his face before he's pushing his thumb into Akaza's mouth and pressing down, forcing him to drop his jaw and open wide.

He stares into the other man's mouth, and Akaza knows he's staring at how the insides glisten with spit, how his fangs drip with proof of how hungry he gets in his slayer’s presence. Kyojuro has been near-obsessed with this part of the demon since their first kiss, so Akaza is more than willing to be strung up and put on display like this.

"'Kaza…," Kyojuro whispers after some time, glancing away from his lover's mouth.

Kyojuro's eyes are shiny, like he looks close to crying, but he's smiling so gently at Akaza, so heartbreakingly genuine, the demon feels himself tear up in response.

He doesn't want to restrain himself any longer. Kyojuro is giving himself over, and Akaza is ready to accept his gift. He lets the heat in his gut boil over, lets it erupt, and takes what belongs to him.

Akaza yanks Kyojuro down to the ground beside him and flings himself at his slayer, entangles their legs, smashes their mouths together and feeds him his moans, his lips, his teeth, his tongue, all the love he has within him.

Kyojuro responds enthusiastically in kind, matching his demon kiss-for-kiss and bite-for-bite. They move together as a single entity until the human needs to pull away for air, but doesn't retreat too far, just enough so they can look each other in the eye and breathe one another in and out.

Kyojuro's cheeks are flushed with blood, exuding a gentle warmth that soothes Akaza. He has to resist the urge to rub up against him like a cat.

"Do you, ah. Feel the same way? About me?" Kyojuro asks so quietly, his words are almost carried away by the wind.

Akaza is floored by the innocence and ignorance of the question. His first wild instinct is to burst out laughing, but he refrains. Kyojuro is being genuine; he's incapable of being anything but genuine.

"Kyo, darling," Akaza breathes, and the endearment falls from his lips like honey dripping straight from an oversaturated comb. The demon is full of pet names for Kyojuro, but that one is his favorite.

His darling slayer.

"I want you every hour of every day," he admits, gently cradling his lover's reddened cheeks between his palms.

"I've wanted you…"

He pulls Kyojuro in closer.

"...since I first laid eyes on you."

Akaza can feel the slayer's happiness against his lips. He licks the smile right off of the man's face before stuffing his tongue into his mouth.

Kyojuro welcomes the intrusion with his teeth, biting down on the muscle as soon as it breaches him. Akaza's responding high-pitched whimper tapers off into something deeper, darker. He laughs into the slayer's mouth, then wrests his tongue away to speak.

"Remember our first kiss, Kyojuro?"

The man in question grunts at the loss of his lover's mouth, but nods anyway.

"Y-yeah, 'course I do!" he responds, trying and failing to hide how affected he is by Akaza's admittance.

Kyojuro loves hearing his demon's praises. He'd never admit to it, of course, but Akaza knows. It's terribly obvious in how he trips over his words, how his face glows hot enough to scorch.

How his cock stiffens against Akaza's thigh.

"It was perfect, wasn't it? You were so good," Akaza taunts.

"Was I?" Kyojuro asks, looking Akaza earnestly in the eye as if awaiting more accolades for his good behavior.

The demon grins at his lover before grabbing a fistful of hair at the back of his head. He directs Kyojuro towards his neck so he can latch on and suck, kiss, and bite to his heart's content.

"O-oh, yes," Akaza moans, skin buzzing wherever his slayer’s lips make contact. His cock aches and he desperately wants to undress the man already, but their time together is too precious to rush, and Kyojuro is too precious not to tease relentlessly.

"Your lips felt amazing, Kyo. So good, in fact, I had to stop myself from fucking you right then and there."

Kyojuro keens into the demon's neck when he hears those words; he bites down on the bit of skin in his mouth and grinds crudely against Akaza's thigh like he lacks the control to stop himself.

"Why, 'Kaza?" he asks, breath scalding against the spit-soaked bruise he left on his lover.

Akaza shivers at the sensation and continues to hold Kyojuro close, lets him hump his leg and pant into his neck.

"Why what, my darling?" Akaza asks breathlessly. Kyojuro's eagerness, his frantic movements and little groans, are sweet. They're entirely too sweet, and Akaza has to squeeze his own erection through his pants to take a bit of the edge off.

"Why did you stop yourself? From f-fucking me?" Kyojuro stumbles over the word he clearly doesn't use very often. He sounds more curious than upset.

"I wasn't quite sure if you were ready for it, Kyo," the demon answers gently, honestly, stroking his fingers through his lover's hair.

It looks longer and wilder each time Akaza sees it. He'd spend hours brushing the locks and braiding them, if Kyojuro would let him. He'll ask, next time.

"Maybe not back then," Kyojuro pipes up from where his face is still buried in his demon's neck. After a moment, though, he starts to pull away, and Akaza lets him go.

Once he's sitting up and leaning over Akaza, Kyojuro grabs one of the demon’s hands and looks him in the eye.

"I'm ready now, though."

Akaza believes him without a shadow of a doubt.

At the present moment, Kyojuro is very horny and maybe a little overzealous, but his eyes are clear and coherent, open. He's staring unblinkingly at Akaza with anticipation written all over his face, and he looks about ready to vibrate apart into a million little pieces. It seems obvious now, that he's been waiting for this night nearly as long as his demon, but Akaza wanted to wait until he broached the topic himself.

The way Kyojuro gazes down at Akaza and looks at him like he matters to the slayer, like he's wanted, desired, like he's important…that alone is well worth the wait.

"I know, sweet boy," Akaza finally responds, unsure of how long they've been eating each other up with their gazes.

"I'm ready, too."

Except.

Akaza's stomach sinks.

"Kyojuro, we can't."

He covers his face with hands and laughs, because if he doesn't laugh, he might cry.

He hears Kyojuro make a questioning noise before his hands are tugged away. The slayer squints down at him in confusion.

"And why not?"

For about one second, Akaza resists the urge to poke at Kyojuro's nose before deciding to do it anyway.

"We don't have any oil, Kyo," he replies mournfully, emphasizing every other word with a prod to a random part of the Pillar's face.

Kyojuro snorts and swats at the demon like the mosquito that he is. He catches Akaza's hand and squeezes it in his own.

"I have some! I've been carrying it around for weeks!"

More so than the renewed prospect of them being able to make love the way they both want, the proud expression on Kyojuro's ever-blushing face is what fills Akaza to the brim with unabashed joy.

"Kyojuro!" Akaza laughs, grabbing his cheeks and pulling him down once more. He kisses the slayer loudly and soundly all over his face, making the other man giggle.

"I'm so- wait, did you say 'weeks'?" he questions, his gleeful smile transforming into something more of a leer.

Kyojuro's blush deepens when he hears what the demon is hinting at, but his pride isn't deterred whatsoever. He continues to grin, clearly pleased with himself. Maybe even a little smug.

Akaza is obviously pleased as well, but he's not quite ready to let this revelation go without seeking some answers, not when Kyojuro is above him looking so delicious, blood flooding his cheeks and the bridge of his nose.

The demon is endlessly fascinated with this aspect of his lover. How can someone simultaneously have zero shame yet an infinite amount of embarrassment?

Ridiculous man.

"Been thinking about this for weeks now huh?" Akaza drawls, sliding his hands off Kyojuro's face and down his neck until they reach the top button of his uniform. He plucks at it and looks up at the slayer imploringly, waiting for an answer to his very innocent question.

Kyojuro watches Akaza toy with his shirt for a moment before returning the demon's gaze. He softens his huge grin, turns it into something more intimate, an expression he reserves for his demon alone.

"Well…yes," he responds simply, wrapping his hands around Akaza's. He gives them a squeeze before jumping to his feet and tugging the demon up off the ground without warning.

"Hey!"

Kyojuro walks them over to where he dropped his sword earlier, right after he was pounced on by his very eager, clingy lover. He bends down to retrieve it, then starts to pull Akaza along in a seemingly random direction.

"Kyo! Where are we going?" the demon laughs, amused by the slayer's silent action. He finds he rather likes it when Kyojuro takes charge.

Akaza collides with Kyojuro's broad back when he suddenly stops in his tracks. The slayer releases his grip on the other's wrist, then spins around to face him.

"My campsite! Follow me, please," he politely requests, grabbing the demon's hand and enlacing their fingers together.

Akaza does what's asked of him, except he walks beside the slayer instead of following him. He steals glances at Kyojuro’s handsome face every few minutes, just because he can, and just because he's sometimes caught in the act and it always makes Kyojuro laugh. It's a bright, explosive sound that Akaza greedily soaks up. Those are his laughs, his parts of the slayer that he gets to keep.

Kyojuro leads them to a wooded area, and they traverse through, going deeper and deeper until the tops of the trees nearly block out the night sky. It's almost pitch black, but they easily find the way to their destination after walking for some time.

The Pillar's camp is little more than remnants of a recently-used firepit, and his travel bag and bedroll tucked away into the hollow of a tree. Once they arrive, Kyojuro releases Akaza's hand so he can work on building a fire while the demon crouches beside him and watches him work.

"Don't you usually have a place to stay? An inn or something like that?" Akaza asks, focused more on Kyojuro's face than the actual task he's performing. He's transfixed by the slayer's lips, how he unconsciously rubs them together when he's concentrating on something.

It's a really cute habit, and the demon ponders getting his mouth on those lips and biting right through the plush, pink skin.

"Normally, yes!" Kyojuro's excessively loud exclamation startles Akaza out of his fantasy. He snorts to himself and ceases that train of thought. The demon would never act on that particular instinct, he of course has better self control than that.

Still, that doesn't stop him from thinking about it when the mood strikes.

"But tonight, I, um…wanted some privacy, so I thought this would be best!" Kyojuro continues, patently not making eye contact with Akaza. His bashfulness becomes apparent in the growing light of the fire slowly flaring to life in front of them.

Those flames warm Akaza’s bare torso and arms, but he craves something hotter, something that will burn him from the inside out until all that remains is his aching heart, fit to rupture from how hard it beats for his slayer.

Kyojuro is likely expecting to get teased for his admission, he should know by now how irresistible he is when he's like this, but Akaza wouldn't be able to do such a thing even if he tried, not when he's immeasurably touched by the thoughtful gesture, and not when all he wants at that very moment is to be inside his lover, in his body, in his consciousness, in his heart.

Akaza stands, and the movement prompts the other man to finally look his way. Two sets of eyes meet and hold one another; the demon and slayer stare as if seeing each other for the first time that night. Without breaking that gaze, Akaza wordlessly offers his hand to Kyojuro and pulls him to his feet, slowly backs him against the rough bark of the nearest tree, and leans in until he can press their foreheads together. He rubs his nose against Kyojuro’s, just to make him smile.

“Are you certain you want this, Kyojuro?” Akaza gently asks as he pulls back, praying (begging) that the answer is affirmative, but willing to ease off if the other man has changed his mind.

Kyojuro continues to smile, and Akaza knows his face so well, knows that it’s a genuine smile, but his lip trembles, and a tear escapes one of his eyes and falls down his cheek.

The sudden onslaught of emotion scares Akaza; he’s seen Kyojuro dewy-eyed before, but never actually witnessed those tears spill over.

“Kyo? Oh, sweetheart, what’s wrong?”

His instinct to take care of the slayer outshines his instinct to worry, however. He embraces Kyojuro, wraps his arms around his neck, presses his mouth to the other man's cheek and drags his lips up the wet path the teardrop left in its wake. Once he reaches Kyojuro’s eye, Akaza kisses the delicate skin just below it. His lover’s long lashes flutter against his top lip, and the demon’s heart responds in kind.

“Nothing’s wrong. I promise,” Kyojuro sighs after a few seconds, pulling away so they can face each other.

They don’t take the promises they make to each other lightly, so Akaza believes him. He’s crying softly, shaking slightly in the demon’s arms, and Akaza can hear his wild heartbeat pounding in his chest, but he senses no discomfort or fear.

He knows Kyojuro has more to say, so Akaza holds the man close and waits until he’s ready to speak. He’d wait forever, if it was asked of him.

Fortunately, that’s not the case, as the slayer clears his throat after only a minute or two passes.

“Akaza,” he begins, grabbing at the demon’s midsection and gingerly digging his fingers into the contours of his waist. They fit perfectly there, like his and Akaza’s bodies were made for one another. Pieces of a puzzle only they can solve.

The demon hums a questioning “Hm?” in acknowledgment and gives the slayer an encouraging smile.

Kyojuro swallows, blinks, returns the smile with a small, shy one of his own.

“I love you,” he says.

It's a quiet confession, simple, spoken as if it was the easiest thing in the world to speak into existence, but it reverberates violently in Akaza's skull, drowns out every other noise of their surroundings. The rustling leaves are silent, even as the wind rushes through them; the flames that engulf the wood feeding their campfire burn, but they don't crackle or hiss.

Everything else ceases to exist. Akaza is weightless, he is nothing, nothing except a bleeding heart and the words that will remain within him for as long as he lives.

I love you.

I love you.

"Kyojuro…"

Akaza can only breathe his name, disbelieving, as he tightens his arms around his lover's neck and clings to him like Kyojuro is the only thing tethering him to the ground.

The demon had only dared hope for such a gift from the slayer, but never actually expected to receive it. He cherished what they did have, their stolen moments together, the sweet kisses and ravenous bites they exchanged, the secret grins and loud laughter and idiotic jokes they shared, but it never changed the fact that he is a selfish, selfish man, and he always wanted more than than he thought was allowed.

Kyojuro is spoiling him. Ruining him for all of eternity.

But, that's exactly what Akaza wanted to do to him, so it's only fair.

They will devastate each other.

"I…I've never been in love, so…I'm not sure how it's supposed to feel, but…"

Kyojuro trails off, but Akaza knows it's because he's pondering what to say next. His brow wrinkles adorably as he concentrates, he bites at his bottom lip, and the demon stands there and waits and tries not to tremble too noticeably in the slayer's hold.

"You're the first thing I think of when I wake, 'Kaza, and the last thing before I sleep," Kyojuro admits, tightening his grip on the demon's waist. Akaza appreciates the touch, because it's the only thing keeping him from sinking to his knees.

(He'd get on his knees for Kyojuro for a multitude of reasons, but there's a time and place for everything.)

"I really do think of you all the time," the slayer continues, recalling what he said earlier in the night. He's no longer crying, no longer quite as anxious, but his eyes still shine with emotion.

"It…my chest aches, when we're apart. And, it aches whenever the sun rises, because that always reminds me of having to leave you."

Something like sorrow washes over Kyojuro, but it's fleeting, chased away by a pleased-sounding sigh and blissful grin.

"But, when we're together, I feel so light, 'Kaza. Like…like, burdenless, I suppose. I don't feel that way around just anyone. I don't think…I've ever felt that way, actually."

Akaza’s eyes burn, and a lump forms in his throat at those words.

He thinks back on everything Kyojuro has told him regarding his adolescence. How he started his Hashira training at such a young age, how he raised Senjuro after his mother's death and father's emotional absence, how he was essentially told it’s his duty to put the safety and needs of others before his own.

Kyojuro didn’t have a childhood, not the one he deserved. And, as an adult, he doesn’t have a life of his own. He’s not allowed to be selfish, to pursue his own interests or desires, to rest his weary body and weary heart whenever he needs it.

But…

“You make me feel safe, Akaza.”

Akaza is his respite. Kyojuro’s own beacon of light in a world fraught with darkness and hatred.

“You make me feel…”

The demon makes him feel…

“...free.”

Akaza isn’t aware he’s crying, isn’t aware that he’s drowning in a flood of joy, until the slayer releases his waist and uses both hands to brush at the tears spilling down his face. Kyojuro swipes his thumbs under his lover’s eyes, wicks away the moisture, and pulls Akaza towards him until they can surrender their lips to one another. The resulting kiss is warm, it’s wet, it’s fueled by love and desire that’s been smoldering within both of them all evening.

And, it’s over far, far too soon.

Needing to catch his breath, Kyojuro pulls away with a gasp, but he continues to cradle Akaza’s face between his palms, holding his demon close.

“Um…are you crying because you’re happy?” Kyojuro asks, and it sounds so cutely hesitant, so unsure yet hopeful, that it makes Akaza break into a deeply satisfying fit of laughter.

“Y-yes, Kyo,” he responds, voice hitching on either a giggle or a fresh wave of tears, he can’t even tell at this point. “I am so happy.”

The Pillar’s face lights before he hauls Akaza close to him once again for a brief peck on the lips.

"Great! Me too!"

His voice is exuberant, and his grin is blinding, but he tones both down a bit before asking his next question.

"Is that how it feels for you?"

Akaza pauses before answering, taking a moment to consider the question, to consider the excited, expectant look on the other man's face.

The ways in which the demon loves his slayer are not so easy to articulate.

Or rather, they're simple enough for him to articulate, but too jarring for Kyojuro to hear for himself.

Kyojuro, I know I love you because I don't actually want to eat you.

Kyojuro, I know I love you because I would kill to protect you.

Kyojuro, I know I love you because I would face the sun for you.

Kyojuro, I know I love you because I would let you kill me if you had to.

The depth of Akaza's love is abyssal. It's frightens the demon as much as it enraptures him, so he can only imagine how it would make Kyojuro feel. It'd be too overwhelming for someone who just had his first kiss mere months ago.

Akaza simply can't voice these thoughts. Not yet.

Love between normal people is already difficult to define, and love between a demon and someone like Kyojuro (who is emphatically not normal in the best way possible), even more so. The slayer did a pretty fucking good job of it his first time around, so Akaza is content in adopting those ideals as his own.

He feels safe around Kyojuro. He feels wanted. He feels free. This can be how they both interpret their love for one another.

"I feel exactly the same way," Akaza breathes into the space between them. "I love you with everything that I have, Kyojuro…I always will."

Akaza can see his own joy reflected in his lover's eyes as soon as he utters that promise, and he finds himself stunned that he's allowed to have any of this. Kyojuro's happiness. His tears. His laughter.

His heart. Soon, his body.

After climbing steadily upwards all night, the demon's desperation to possess every inch of his slayer finally reaches its apex.

Akaza lunges forward and takes the man's mouth, trying for gentleness at first, but Kyojuro's desperation seems to have crested as well. Within seconds, they're kissing like it's the only thing keeping them both alive. It's messy and noisy and it's the closest they've gotten to actually fucking, even with all the times they've rutted against each other or rubbed each other through their clothes.

Akaza is already thoroughly wrecked by the man in his arms, and he hasn't even seen Kyojuro naked yet.

"Oh, sweetheart…" he groans, regretfully forcing himself away from the wet heat of the slayer's mouth. He grabs Kyojuro's chin to hold him steady so they can look eye-to-eye.

The Flame Hashira looks so appetizing in his current state, flushed, sweating, and panting. A fat bead of sweat drops from his hairline, and Akaza licks it into his mouth before it falls to the ground.

Kyojuro's responding whimper is the sweetest thing Akaza has heard all night, and the demon needs to hear it again and again before the sunrise rips them away from each other.

"Kyo, let me undress you," Akaza begs, and he knows he sounds like he's about to unravel completely, but he can't find it in himself to care at all, not when he's so close to having his slayer for the first time. Kyojuro is handing himself over so willingly, too.

"Yes, beloved, please," Kyojuro answers, voice cracking at the end of his feverish plea. He surges forward to reseal their lips together the second he's done speaking.

Akaza moans into the kiss and revels in the feeling of pure bliss that begins trickling from the top of his head down his spine when he hears the endearment. He doesn't even try to fight how wide he smiles against the other's lips as soon as he remembers, Kyojuro loves me.

It's that thought that causes Akaza to slow down, to gentle their kissing and their frantic touches, because he and Kyojuro still have time left before dawn.

The demon ends their kiss eventually, but only because he can no longer ignore his hunger calling out to Kyojuro’s skin. He pulls off of the slayer’s mouth but doesn’t go far; he presses his forehead against the other man’s instead so they can still touch in some capacity.

“I’m going to start now. Are you ready, darling?” he asks his lover. Akaza knows Kyojuro is ready; he is near-shaking with anticipation and his blood is buzzing in his veins, but the demon needs to hear the answer himself.

“I’m ready, ‘Kaza!” Kyojuro answers enthusiastically, perhaps a bit impatiently, and Akaza’s shoulders tremble with silent laughter at how quickly he receives a response. He can’t fault Kyojuro though, because he sounds exactly like how the demon feels, like he’s going to burst at the seams if they don’t keep progressing.

As much as he adores teasing, Akaza detests the idea of making his slayer wait any longer than he has to, so he begins slowly unwrapping Kyojuro like the priceless treasure that he is, starting with his flame-embellished haori and his uniform top.

Once the slayer is completely nude from the waist upwards, the demon pauses to admire the absolute feast of bare flesh in front of him. He drags his fingers through the hair dusting Kyojuro’s pectorals, scrapes them up and down his taut, defined abdomen, and gingerly runs them over old battle wounds dappling his chest.

“So pretty,” Akaza whispers as he starts to stroke a particularly brutal-looking, puckered scar right below Kyojuro’s clavicle, leaning down to get a better look. He hears a sharp inhalation of breath above him.

“Y-you…do you really think so?”

Akaza pulls back to look at Kyojuro, and he's ecstatic to discover that his blush extends well past his cheeks. It spills down his neck and bleeds out over the top of his chest.

Beyond the blushing, the slayer seems to barely be holding himself together. He's gnawing on his bottom lip, breathing so heavily that his chest rises and falls with the action, staring at Akaza with huge, wet eyes that glimmer in the light of the fire.

He looks luscious, like ripe fruit. Like blood would burst out of him the moment the demon's fangs pierce his skin.

"You're exquisite, Kyojuro," Akaza answers through a mouthful of drool, and he has to resist the urge to groan at how much the praise affects his slayer, how Kyojuro's eyes roll shut and his head falls backwards, how he puts his bare neck on display.

Within a single blink, Akaza latches on and starts sucking at the juncture of Kyojuro's neck and shoulder, making sure to scrape his fangs across the surface of his skin a generous number of times.

"Y-yeah?" Kyojuro groans up at the sky, wrapping his arms around Akaza's waist. It's obvious he needs to hear more of his demon's praises, while Akaza needs to hear more of those sweet noises pouring out of his throat.

Akaza hums into his neck before pulling away and dropping his hands to Kyojuro's belt. He begins unbuckling it before addressing his lover.

"Yeah, Kyo, I mean it. Your body is stunning," Akaza praises as he tears the belt away from the other's waist and throws it to the ground. He notices Kyojuro still has his head thrown back, and that's no longer acceptable because he wants to see his lover's face.

"Look at me, please," he requests, waiting to get the other's full attention before dropping heavily to his knees. He ignores the sputtering noises from above and starts to unwrap the kyahan from around Kyojuro's calves. He works his way through the rest of the uniform, his fingers moving quickly, or as quickly as shaking hands allow.

Once he has the slayer stripped down to his underwear, Akaza pauses to gaze up at him.

"Everything about you…" the demon begins, but he has to stop and swallow down the emotion trying to claw its way out of his chest.

Akaza honestly doesn't know why he keeps trying to fight it.

"Everything about you is beautiful."

He's already embraced the fact that Kyojuro has thoroughly ruined him for life.

"Your eyes. Your insane hair."

That earns him a wet-sounding giggle from the man in question.

It makes Akaza smile. He wishes he could hear that sound every day.

"Your strength. Your mind."

The demon continues to grin, even as his eyes dampen. His throat feels like it's closing; it aches from the effort of trying to keep his voice even.

"Your spirit."

His bottom lip quivers.

"Your h-heart."

He's crying again. He can feel the tears cascading over his eyelids and streaming down his face, but it's wonderful, it's wonderful because Kyojuro is down on the ground with him in an instant, kneeling in front of him, cradling his cheeks like he's made of glass, like he's precious, like he's deserving of care.

It's all a mistake. It has to be. Akaza deserves none of this.

But.

He's selfish. He's happy. He's deeply, deeply in love. And, against seemingly every law of nature, he's loved in return.

"I love you, Kyojuro."

He's not going to squander this opportunity.

"I love you so much, Akaza."

The demon cries out when he hears that, but the slayer breathes the sob into his own mouth, soothes it with his tongue, and swallows it. He consumes every one of Akaza's cries as he begins to undress him without separating their lips. He runs both of his hands up Akaza’s stomach, over his chest, and under his haori so he can slide it off the demon's shoulders in one motion.

Akaza shivers as the slayer's roaming hands leave goosebumps in their wake. His touch is gentle, yet a little tentative, and the demon realizes this is his first time touching someone so intimately. He hums what he hopes is an encouraging sound into Kyojuro's mouth, and allows him to continue his exploration. It calms Akaza's tears and eases the pounding in his chest.

Kyojuro eventually breaks their kiss after a few minutes, but only so he can better concentrate on tracing the lined patterns in the demon's skin with the tips of his fingers. Akaza watches him for a long, silent moment with a small smile on his face.

"Like what you see, Kyo?"

Kyojuro glances up from Akaza's chest, looking like he's been caught sneaking around somewhere he doesn't belong, but he smiles back.

"Yes, of course. You're very striking, Akaza."

Akaza freezes in place, but warmth diffuses throughout his chest. He wasn't expecting that response, but he really should stop trying to predict what's going to come out of his lover's mouth.

Kyojuro refocuses on his task, pressing two fingers to the base of his beloved's neck.

"When we're together, I find it nearly impossible to look away."

He starts a slow drag down the line bisecting Akaza's sternum. He continues moving his fingers beyond the blue-stained skin, however, skimming them over the demon's abdomen and his navel until they reach the waistband of pants.

Kyojuro looks imploringly at Akaza.

"Can I finish undressing you?" he inquires, starting to mindlessly toy with the tassels of Akaza's belt.

The demon is still slightly drunk off of Kyojuro's unexpected praise, but he sobers quickly when he realizes what the slayer is asking.

They've both been waiting long enough.

"Keep going, darling."

Kyojuro begins to unknot the belt, fumbling only a little before he has it completely unwound from Akaza's waist and set aside. He stands and helps the demon off the ground, then wastes no time in tugging Akaza's pants down his hips, his thighs, his calves, until they pool at his ankles and he can step out of them.

Only their undergarments remain. Akaza can sense Kyojuro's slight hesitation at removing the final physical barrier between them. He's nervous, but the demon understands why, and he wants to do everything he can to assuage that particular type of anxiety that's born from becoming intimate with someone else for the first time.

"Do you want to sit closer to the fire?" Akaza asks Kyojuro, grabbing one his hands and giving it a firm, reassuring squeeze.

"Oh, please!" Kyojuro assents, always so polite even when he's totally out of his element.

Akaza grins before releasing the other's hand. He retrieves Kyojuro's bedroll from where it's tucked away and walks it over their fire, unrolls it, and settles it on the ground, close enough to the flames that they'll be kept warm in their state of undress.

He turns to where he left Kyojuro standing by the tree and beckons him closer.

"Come here, slayer. Bring the oil."

Kyojuro obediently does as he's told and quickly takes his place beside Akaza, a container of slick in hand, the same one he's apparently been carrying around for weeks, all for this moment.

When Akaza snorts at thought, Kyojuro gives him an little, amused quirk of his lips.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing! I just really like you," Akaza teases through a smirk, taking the oil from the other man and dropping it on the bedroll below, stepping closer until they're pressed together from their chests to their toes. He digs a finger under a twisted strap of Kyojuro's fundoshi and gingerly tugs at it.

"Is this okay, Kyo?"

Akaza hears Kyojuro's strong, steady heartbeat, sees it pulsing in his neck, just under his jaw. He wants to feel that rhythmic twitching under his tongue and in between his teeth, wants to pierce the skin and drink until his appetite is sated and he's full of only Kyojuro, wants his lover's blood to course through his own body so that they may never be parted.

He wants his slayer right now.

"Yes, Akaza."

With Kyojuro's permission, Akaza tugs harder on his undergarment until he can unravel and remove it completely. He turns slightly to cast it aside, and when he faces the slayer once more, Kyojuro is grabbing him by the back of the skull and pulling him into a kiss reminiscent of the one they shared all those months ago under the brilliant light of the moon. At first, it's just a tender melding of lips, but it becomes firmer, wetter, more impassioned as it continues.

Meanwhile, Akaza works on his own fundoshi and fights to keep up with Kyojuro's mouth. He's finally pulling the garment off himself when he feels the other's tongue lick and prod at his fangs.

Akaza breaks their kiss off with a breathless laugh.

"Careful, sweet boy. You might cut yourself."

It takes Kyojuro a second to comprehend why they're no longer kissing, but when he's able to focus, he glances at Akaza briefly before dropping his gaze down to the demon's lips.

"Good," is his whispered response before he's reconnecting them, kissing Akaza like he's making up for years of lost time.

The unexpected nature of Kyojuro's cheeky reply sends a shuddering pulse of arousal throughout Akaza’s entire body; he feels it most intensely between his legs. His neglected cock aches, but since it's free from its cloth confines, he can finally seek some relief. With both hands, he grabs fistfuls of Kyojuro's toned ass and squeezes, digging in with his blunt nails. The slayer whimpers loudly into Akaza's mouth, and the demon eats it up and savors the taste.

Akaza, who just can't help himself, massages Kyojuro's flesh for a few moments before tugging the other man forward without warning to press their cocks flush against each other and seek relief where they both crave it the most.

The second they make contact, Kyojuro jerks away from Akaza's mouth with a shaky inhale.

"O-ooooh fuck!"

As turned on as he is, the demon still can't stop himself from giggling at the uncharacteristically profane outburst and look of surprise on Kyojuro's face.

"Feels much better when there's nothing between us, right?" he asks, holding Kyojuro close and grinding against him.

The slayer shuts his eyes and bites his lip, but that doesn't really help keep the sounds spilling from throat at bay; a groan is punched out of him every time Akaza thrusts his hips.

"It's r-really good," is all Kyojuro can manage in return.

His eyes shoot open in panic after a particularly harsh thrust.

"I don't w-wanna come yet!" he blurts, and Akaza backs off immediately, sliding his hands off Kyojuro's ass and securing them around his waist instead, then stepping back so they are no longer pressed together.

The slayer is a panting, blushing mess, quivering in Akaza's arms, sweating like he's just had to fight for his life. Akaza gives him some time to catch his breath, stroking his rib cage up and down soothingly all the while.

"Why not?" Akaza inquires quietly after Kyojuro has calmed down. He knows why the slayer doesn't want to come yet, of course, but the demon is weak. He is terribly weak for Kyojuro right now, and he's longing to hear it from the man himself.

"I want you to be inside of me when I…when I come, 'Kaza," Kyojuro answers with just a hint of hesitation.

Even though he expected that response, Akaza still feels something like electricity jolt through his veins at the words.

"Thank you for telling me, darling. You're sweet, you know that? I adore that about you," the demon coos, unable to pass up the opportunity to worship his slayer.

Kyojuro is reduced to magnificent blush, a tiny smile, and that particular glazed look in his eyes, the one that indicates he's floating on a cloud of lust and contentment.

"Please tell me if I'm ever hurting you, or if you need me to stop. You'll do that, won't you?"

When Kyojuro nods his agreement with a cute, murmured "I will", Akaza kisses him as a reward.

"You're so good to me, Kyo. Thank you. I think…"

Akaza pauses to brush a misplaced strand of hair out of the man's face, then traces along one of his uniquely-shaped brows.

"...I think you should lie down for me. On your back."

Kyojuro takes Akaza's hand off his face and kisses his palm. He then kneels on the ground, lies on the bedroll and spreads his legs like he knows exactly what he's doing, gazing up at the demon with a hazy grin, awaiting further instruction.

The desire to sink into Kyojuro at that very moment nearly ends Akaza. The slayer is breathtaking in this state, offering himself up like a sacrificial lamb, like he was put on this earth to appease Akaza and Akaza alone. His wild hair reflects the flames of the fire beside him, his generous chest rises and falls with each breath he takes, his thick thighs tremble with anticipation, and his flushed cock, as lovely as the rest of him, drips sticky beads of precome onto his abdomen under the demon's scrutinizing gaze.

Akaza unthinkingly falls to his knees between Kyojuro's legs, stares at the man spread out before him, and marvels at their situation, at how fortunate he is that he found Kyojuro, a man he can cling to when no one else wants anything to do with him.

The demon thinks, perhaps for the first time in their relationship, that Kyojuro is not only his lover, his slayer, but...he's Akaza's friend, as well. The only one he's had in this lifetime.

Strangely, that revelation fills Akaza with a sense of relief more than anything else. In the far recesses of his mind, he wonders if it's some vestigial feeling from his days living as human, but that's a conversation he needs to have with himself later, when he doesn't have the most beautiful man alive spreading his thighs for the demon, looking like he'll shake apart if he's not touched immediately.

"Are you ready for my fingers, love?"

Kyojuro takes a steadying breath as he nods, eyes lighting up with keen interest despite his ever-present nerves.

"Yes, beloved, please. I…"

He trails off with a small grimace on his face before sitting up and grabbing at something buried in the bedroll underneath him. After digging for a second, he produces the small container of oil Akaza dropped there earlier.

Kyojuro hands it off to the demon with a sheepish grin.

"Oops."

Akaza laughs at the look on his face and takes the oil, letting his hand linger on Kyojuro's far, far longer than strictly necessary.

"Oops," he parrots back with a smirk, removing the container's lid and poising two fingers over the liquid inside.

"You were saying?"

Kyojuro lies down once more, and when he gets himself comfortable, he opens his legs wide and bends them at the knees.

"I just wanted to say, I trust you, Akaza. But, I'll tell you if it hurts."

Akaza already knows Kyojuro trusts him, but it's still a deeply touching thing to hear, especially when the slayer is in such a vulnerable position, and has been all night.

"I'll take care of you," Akaza promises. It's all he can manage as a response, fearing he might weep again if he tries for anything more. He dips his fingers in the slick, coats them generously, then sets the container aside before his trembling hands drop it.

"Just keep breathing, Kyo."

Akaza's first touch to Kyojuro's opening is little more than a gentle prod that leaves them both biting at their lips. He brushes his finger back and forth over the tight furl until the entire area shines with lubricant. Meanwhile, he continuously runs his unslick hand up and down the slayer's thigh, trying to soothe any unease or discomfort the boy might feel.

"You're doing wonderfully so far," Akaza reassures him, pulling his hands away to gather more oil, but his eyes are stuck on Kyojuro's pleased expression, the way his blush bleeds into his neck and chest.

It's captivating.

With more slick applied to his fingers, the demon returns to his very enjoyable task of preparing his lover for his aching cock, but it's with a renewed sense of desperation. Gently, insistently, he rubs at the slayer until he opens up for him, until he can slip the tip of his finger past Kyojuro's entrance and into his heat.

"Oh!"

Kyojuro's surprised outburst stops the demon before he pushes any further. The Pillar's mouth is hanging open and Akaza swears he can see stars reflected in his wide-eyed stare.

"Sweetheart? Was that a good or bad 'oh'?"

Kyojuro's mouth snaps shut and he shakes his head with no small amount of enthusiasm.

"It's strange, but it's good, 'Kaza! P-please, keep going."

Akaza denies him nothing, and he trusts that Kyojuro is being genuine, so he continues his achingly slow penetration, easing his finger in until he's unable to push any further.

The slayer's thighs are trembling slightly at this point, and his abdominal muscles are straining, but he still props himself up on his elbows to look down at where he and Akaza are finally joined.

"It's in?"

He glances back up at Akaza with the sweetest little grin on his face. He probably doesn't even know it's there, and Akaza has to swallow down the sudden swelling in his throat when he processes it.

"Y-yeah, Kyo, it's all the way in. Just one finger so far, though. I'm gonna add some more. Slowly."

The slayer hums in agreement and continues to watch as his demon meticulously loosens him up, ensuring his entrance can fully accommodate the width of one finger before adding another.

As Kyojuro observes what's happening between his spread thighs, Akaza observes his slayer, physically unable to look anywhere else. Not once does a curtain of discomfort or pain fall over his lover's face. Kyojuro's bright red, of course, perspiring and moaning quietly with every few thrusts of the demon's thick fingers, but his moans are being fed through upturned lips.

Near the end of Akaza's thorough preparations, the slayer's entire body is trembling with raw want, with anticipation, and he's bearing down on the demon's fingers like he's seeking more, needing to be filled to a greater extent.

Akaza knows exactly how Kyojuro is feeling because by the time the demon is three fingers deep, he's quaking, on the brink of shattering apart. Kyojuro is so unnaturally hot around him, wet with slick and sweat, clenching at the digits like he doesn't want him to ever pull out. His whimpers grow in volume and intensity, and Akaza now understands why he wanted them to be far away from civilization tonight.

The man is fucking loud.

Each sound that erupts from Kyojuro pierces right through Akaza, sends bolts of arousal straight to his cock and soon, he's leaking onto the bedroll below. Each pitiful cry is an incentive for him to fingerfuck his slayer faster, harder, until real tears start to glisten at the corners of Kyojuro's eyes and he's begging.

"K-kiss me, 'Kaza, please!" he sobs with a broken voice that absolutely breaks the demon in return.

Mindful of half the hand he has buried in his lover, Akaza lunges forward at the same time Kyojuro jolts up into a sitting position. When they meet somewhere in the middle, the Pillar pulls his beloved into a tight embrace and seals their lips together with a heady groan that Akaza can feel in his own chest like a second heartbeat. They kiss until he can taste the salt from Kyojuro's tears mixed with their combined saliva.

"Darling, are you alright?" Akaza asks after he pulls away, but he can't stop moving his fingers inside of Kyojuro, and Kyojuro can't stop rocking his hips back and forth against the welcome intrusion.

The slayer is nodding before the question even ends, tightening his hold around Akaza's shoulders as he tries to regulate his breathing.

"I'm f-fine, Akaza, but I need you. Now."

The finality of his statement, of his command, haunts Akaza. It strikes him through and utterly crushes any resolve he had in drawing this part of their lovemaking out as long as possible. He’s entirely at Kyojuro’s mercy; if the Pillar brandished his sword and told the demon to bare his neck, he would do so without question.

Kyojuro, I know I love you because I would let you kill me if you had to.

“I’m all yours, slayer.”

Akaza demands one more kiss before he starts the process of gingerly removing his fingers from Kyojuro’s opening. Once finished, he tells the slayer to lie back down and to keep his legs spread open for his demon. Akaza leans back on his heels to quickly slick up his cock, taking a moment to appreciate Kyojuro’s glistening, loose opening, and he can’t help but squeeze himself roughly at the sight of it. The action provides a tiny amount of relief, but he knows greater relief rests in between his lover's thighs, and it spurs him on. He scoots forward and encourages Kyojuro to lift his legs.

It takes a bit of maneuvering, a few awkward misstarts and more than a few giggles shared between the two of them, but they eventually find a pleasing position with Kyojuro's legs wrapped around Akaza's waist while the demon leans over him on one hand. His other hand is on his cock, poised at the slayer's entrance.

Akaza is about to ask the other man if he's ready, but his plan is thwarted almost instantly. Kyojuro slides one hand up the demon's arm as the other is placed on his tattooed chest, right over where his heavily thudding heart sits behind his ribcage.

"I'm all yours, demon."

Kyojuro is his. His to care for, his to love, his to set free when the slayer's endless work wants to shackle him.

It is a simple reassurance, but it's deeply satisfying for Akaza to hear. A wave of arousal crests and washes over him, pushing him forward until the swollen head of his dick rests on Kyojuro's rim.

The sensation has the slayer softly keening, already whining, and he hasn't even been fully pentrated yet. Akaza has to restrain himself from sheathing his entire cock in one, swift stroke.

"Kyo…" Akaza grits out through clenched teeth, shaking with the effort of holding back. He can't manage to say anything else.

"Now, please!" Kyojuro demands, clawing at the demon’s chest like he's trying to tear out his heart.

That heartbreaking cry is what drives Akaza's hips against Kyojuro’s ass until he finally, finally breaches his slayer, until he can feel Kyojuro’s plush heat envelope the sensitive tip of his cock.

The intensity of the feeling, especially after holding off for far too long, has both men exhaling each other's names like it's the last thing either of them will ever utter. Akaza releases his shaft, now anchored in the slayer's channel, to press his palm over Kyojuro’s heart.

"Akaza…"

Kyojuro's staring at his demon with wonderment written across his features, like he's experiencing some sort of miracle.

Akaza knows the feeling. He experiences it every single time he and Kyojuro are reunited.

"Yes, love?"

Kyojuro's legs tighten around Akaza's waist until he can dig his heels in the demon's lower back, right above his ass.

"F-fuck me."

Akaza's patience is all but destroyed. He spits out a curse and continues to drive into Kyojuro's hot, perfect channel with barely-there restraint. He'd rather die than hurt his slayer, so he goes as slowly as he can manage, but it's one of the hardest things he's ever had to do. The way the other man is staring up at him wide-eyed and slack-jawed doesn't help whatsoever.

When he mercifully bottoms out and can no longer tell where he ends and Kyojuro begins, he pauses, much to the slayer's disappointment if his pitiful whines are anything to go by.

"Hush, darling. Give me a second."

Akaza moves the hand from Kyojuro's chest to his mouth and shoves two fingers in without warning. The Pillar takes it in stride, however, closing his mouth around the intrusion and sucking on the digits like he's been hungry for them all night. It's an insanely erotic sight to behold, but Akaza doesn't know if Kyojuro is aware of the implications behind his actions and he's doing it to torture the demon, or if it's just his innate instinct to suck on whatever's stuffed into his mouth.

(Either way, it reminds Akaza that he has so many wonderful things to teach the other man whenever they can find the time.)

"That's good, K-Kyojuro," Akaza chokes out as he starts to gingerly move his hips. He pulls out a few inches before pushing forwards once more, repeating the process so he can get his lover accustomed to the feeling of being filled over and over again.

When he no longer feels any sort of resistance, Akaza increases the pace and depth of his strokes, establishing a rhythm that seems comfortable for Kyojuro and exceedingly pleasurable for them both.

Eventually, the slayer becomes bold and starts to writhe on the demon's cock, trying to move his hips in time with Akaza's thrusts. He's a bit off-beat at first, unsure of himself, but he adapts quickly, like he always does. After he understands the rhythm of their bodies and finds what feels best, he's able to give almost as good as he gets.

The way his body is hugging the demon's girth is unbelievable. It's almost as if Kyojuro was made to take Akaza, created for him alone. It's an overwhelming thought, one that leaves Akaza shaking as he continues to repeatedly sink into his lover.

"We fit together so well, Kyo."

The declaration has Kyojuro's eyes rolling and lids drooping, and when he moans, Akaza can feel the vibrations travel up his fingertips. It's not the first time the demon has witnessed such a reaction from the slayer, but it still tears straight through him whenever he's privileged enough to see it.

"You feel fucking incredible. P-perfect. Did you know that?"

Kyojuro shuts his eyes and nods dazedly in agreement, humming a gentle "Mhm" around Akaza's sopping fingers. When his eyelids flutter open a second later, tears are streaming down his face.

As soon as he sees, Akaza begins to cry in sympathy, or perhaps he's been crying this entire time, he doesn't know. He doesn't care. His entire world, the only thing that matters, is underneath him, wrapped around him, permeating his skin, infecting his bloodstream. Afflicting him.

Kyojuro's love has ruined him, and Akaza has never felt happier.

He rips his fingers out of Kyojuro's mouth, replaces them with his tongue, and steals the slayer's breath away from him. When Akaza pulls back, his lover is gasping, chest heaving, face sloppy with tears and drool and he's beaming like all of this normal. Like a demon fucking a slayer in the middle of the woods is perfectly acceptable behavior, like it's only natural for them to fall in love, and that's just the way things should be. It's assuredly not normal, but Kyojuro doesn't seem to give a damn about any of it. He's spreading his legs and opening his heart for some hideous creature he's sworn to hate.

Akaza yearns for him, and even though he already has every part of the slayer, he will never stop wanting more. He pushes himself up so he can lean back onto his heels and prompts Kyojuro to unwrap his legs from the demon's waist. Akaza hooks his hands under the slayer's knees and holds them up himself, establishing a new position that allows him to thrust in deeper, deep enough that his hips loudly collide with Kyojuro's ass on every inward stroke.

In a matter of moments, Akaza's hitting the spot inside Kyojuro that has him sobbing the demon's name at the stars above.

"Akaza! What-"

He cuts himself off with another cry as Akaza repeatedly brushes against his prostate, showing no signs of stopping.

"Kyojuro, show me how you touch yourself, please," the demon begs, desperate to witness his slayer’s ecstasy.

Kyojuro's hand is on his own dick before Akaza even finishes his plea, frantically sliding up and down his sizable shaft without any hesitation and moaning raucously in relief.

He comes in less than ten strokes.

Kyojuro's orgasm ripples through him violently, starting from his head that gets thrown back against the bedroll as he cries out, all the way to his toes that curl as he's overcome with immense pleasure. The rest of his body is stiff and motionless except for his opening, which clenches and unclenches rhythmically around Akaza's cock.

Akaza holds out for as long as he's able so he can witness the full extent of Kyojuro's climax, but he's weak. The sight of his lover losing control forces him over the edge, and he plummets to the ground, sobbing Kyojuro's name over and over as he comes, unable to spare a thought for anything else besides his slayer.

—

At the end of it all, the two of them melt together again.

They come down from their highs.

Akaza gingerly withdraws from Kyojuro.

The slayer sniggers at the feeling of the demon's ejaculate leaking out of him, and Akaza somehow finds a way to love him even more because of it.

After all of this, they squeeze together on the bedroll next to the dying fire with Kyojuro holding Akaza from behind, flame haori thrown over their naked lower halves. The slayer can't seem to stop himself from kissing the demon's bare neck and shoulders every five seconds, giving him little, ticklish pecks that do nothing except make Akaza want to eat Kyojuro because he's sometimes too cute to live.

"Beloved," Kyojuro murmurs into the demon's ear after a while, evidently done driving him quietly insane.

Akaza allows himself a smile when he hears his new, favorite endearment, but he reels it in a bit before turning to face Kyojuro and curl into his open arms.

"Darling," he murmurs back, and fuck it all, smiles as big as his cheeks will allow.

"I was just thinking," the slayer begins, smiling back at Akaza until his eyes crinkle.

"Earlier, when we were talking about love…I have a better way of saying it. I think."

He takes a second to consider his next words.

"Being burdenless, and safe, and…free. That's what a good home feels like."

He pauses, and his smile diminishes somewhat.

"Well, that's what it should feel like, at least."

Akaza can hear a bit of unhappiness in Kyojuro's voice. He reaches out and brushes his knuckles across the other man's cheek to soothe him.

"Ah, regardless. What I'm trying to get at is…loving you. It feels like finally being able to go home at the end of a long day."

The demon has no doubts that this is a very meaningful revelation for the slayer, and he's absurdly touched by the sentiment.

It's just…

"I've never had a home, sweetheart. Not in this life."

Akaza doesn't quite understand it, not in the way Kyojuro wants him to.

"I'm sorry, Akaza! I should have realized-"

"Kyojuro! Stop, please. It's alright."

Of course, Kyojuro is nearly tripping over himself to apologize for literally nothing. It breaks the demon's heart, and he wants to fix things before the Pillar guilts himself into next week.

Luckily, he's been dwelling on the same thing Kyojuro has. Akaza's not entirely satisfied with his contribution to their earlier conversation, and he wants to give his slayer a better explanation of his feelings.

He wants to try, at the very least.

"People define love in different ways, I think. I'm not upset that I can't understand your definition, because I…have my own. Do you follow me?"

Kyojuro nods, already looking placated.

"Good. We experience love differently, but we both want similar things out of our relationship, right? I think…I think that's most important, in the end."

Kyojuro's smiling again at this point, gazing at Akaza like he's unveiling every secret of the universe. He'd roll his eyes at the fond look on the slayer's face, but he's simply too happy to be embarrassed about it.

"So, will you tell me what it's like for you?" Kyojuro asks, tightening the hold he has on the demon, pulling him closer until their chests touch and their hearts can speak to one another.

Akaza was anticipating the question, and he knows what he wants to say, but he decides to give his slayer the gentler answer. He settles deeper into his lover’s embrace and takes a steadying breath before responding.

"For me, love is not knowing you need someone until…until you meet them, and suddenly you'd rather…"

Kyojuro, I'd rather die than live without you.

"...you'd rather be alone for an eternity than not have them all.”