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It has been 213 days since he met the ancient man.
he may or may not be in trouble.
To Shoto's defense, he didn't know Vox was supposedly an enemy. he's been a demon slayer for how long? he should be able to smell a demon had he met one.
To Shoto's defense, this particular demon was very very charming— Shoto could smell everything and yet he smelled nothing other than a hint of jasmine, bergamot, and sandalwood, along with the scent of the other's piqued interest. it wasn't his fault that his stomach flutters dangerously at the sheer aura of the tall man. His breath had hitched at the first sight, and he suddenly forgot all about the weapon he had kept on the harness around his thigh. The demon had seen it, in fact, it was the second thing he had land his eyes on, after he had caught sight of the shorter male's beautiful dark eyes.
He had raised an eyebrow at the weapon, amused, but he never questioned it. And Shoto went along with it.
He wasn't quite sure when it happened, but he had fallen in love before knowing that his lover was a demon.
It wasn't the first night he had spent in his lover's home. but it was the first time he had woken up before the tall man. The man's naked chest had greeted his view, and after a few sleepy blinks, he leaned up to give Vox a soft nuzzle on his neck.
The older male let out a sleepy grunt, not willing to open his eyes just yet as his strong arm tightens around Shoto's tiny waist as to not let him go anywhere.
Shoto chuckled quietly at the other's antics as he tried to wiggle his way out of the other's grip.
"come on- let me go make some breakfast."
The reply came in form of a small, lazy grunt.
"i'm starving. and whose fault is it that we skipped dinner last night?"
He scolded lightly, bringing one hand up so he can pinch his lover's nose. he watched him scrunched his nose in displease, and eventually loosen the arm around his waist with a soft grumble.
Shoto smiled, resting his small hand on the other's cheek lightly as he admired his lover's sleeping face. He had always loved how he fits in the bigger male's arms so perfectly. Their size difference really complemented each other beautifully. Even then, the hand on Vox's face looked so small and dainty. Shoto would never admit it, but he loved being smaller than Vox. It makes him feel protected.
Being a demon slayer, there wasn't usually anyone to protect him. He had always protected himself, and he's good at it. But with Vox, the bigger male cocoons him when they sleep and his strong arm curled around his waist protectively when they walk. He wouldn't admit it, but it felt nice.
With a small smile, Shoto pried himself off of his lover, rolling to the edge of the bed so he could sit up and stretch his limbs before he got off the bed.
He picked up the scattered clothes on the floor quietly, not wanting to rose his sleeping lover as he gathered the evidence of their passionate loving the night before.
His own clothing was a lost cause, dried up food ingredients staining the fabric from when his lover had made a mess of him when he decided he would hoist his body up the kitchen counter when he tried to make dinner. So he saved Vox's shirt instead, not wanting to take out any fresh clothing until he showered later.
The shirt was obviously a few sizes bigger than him, but it was the perfect size to cover half of his thighs for a somewhat attempt of modesty. It's not like there would be anyone else in the house, rather, he covered himself just in case his lover would wake up and ravish him again if he sees him uncovered. Not.. that he would complain, but he really was hungry at that point.
He dumped the remaining clothes into the laundry basket. He was just bending down to pick up his cursed knife when he smelled it—
The scent of a demon.
He quickly unsheathed his knife and turned around, his weapon drawn out in a battle stance as his eyes searched for the source of the smell.
There was no one there. Just his sleeping lover on the bed, with his eyebrows scrunched together as if he's.. having a nightmare.
Shoto could practically hear his own heartbeat in his ear with how loud it is thumping. He couldn't understand the situation, but he could smell it. It was faint, seemingly blending together with his lover's natural scent of jasmine, bergamot, and sandalwood. but it was there.
When he had realized that his lover was the demon, all color fell from his face.
All this time..?
He had to kill him. His people was the very people that had killed his family, his friends, and- Ether. His best friend Ether. The one he loved once upon a time, the very person that had loved him unconditionally despite the odd stares from the villagers. The one who had confidently held his hand through every criticizing whispers around them.
His Ether whose life had gone in the hand of a demon and turn into mana and a single cursed knife.
Shoto gripped his blade harder as he took a shaky step towards the bed. The Ito wrapped around the handle of the knife felt rough against his trembling palm.
He had to kill him.
He had vowed the day the demons had taken everything away from him, he would take everything from them in return.
....
....everything from them..?
Vox was a demon... therefore... he had to kill him... because he was one of the demons... and he swore he would take everything from them for taking everything from him...
....
But Vox is everything he has now.
When had he fallen in love, he couldn't remember. It had started from a flirty introduction, followed by heated nights, and eventually slow and sweet dates in between. He had told himself that everything was casual. He never meant to fall in love- Hell, he was a demon slayer. He couldn't afford falling in love when he had a mission to eradicate demons from this world.
....But he did anyway.
He had fallen in love with the very kind he had sworn to kill.
He let his trembling hands fall to his sides. the soft clink of his blade hitting the wooden floor echoes around the room.
He took another shaky step towards the bed, his whole body suddenly felt as though he has no energy left, despite just waking up a few moments ago. His heart felt heavy in his chest, a sudden dilemma weighing down his very existence.
He stared down at his lover. If there were tears wetting his cheeks as his mind wonders, he didn't notice.
If he had crawled back onto the bed and slotted himself right under his lover's arm, he didn't notice that either.
Shoto closed his eyes, his nose pressed against his lover's bare chest as he inhaled his scent deeply.
Jasmine, bergamot, sandalwood, and demon.
There... were no smell of blood and rotting flesh. Demons always carried that smell. It had always smelled like demons, blood, and rotting flesh whenever he slayed one.
It had smelled like demons, blood, and rotting flesh that day in the village years ago.
Different.
Vox was not them. He was not one of the demons that had took everything away from him. He was different.
He can't help but let out a small chuckle in between his sniffles. Somehow, he felt immense relief right after he took in Vox's scent.
Of course he was different. The demons that had killed everyone in the village were cruel and ruthless. Vox wasn't. Not when he held his hand tenderly as he drive the car, not when tuck his hair behind his ear gently with so much adoration in his eyes, not when he held him in his bed when they make love passionately. Of course he was different.
Vox woke up when he felt the wetness on his chest. He looked down with a slight alarm as he brought his hand to card his fingers through shoto's hair gently.
"baby..?"
The boy in his arms didn't reply. Instead, his arm snaked around the demon's body tightly as he continued to quietly sniffle onto the demon's chest. He could feel the tremble on his lover's small body, yet he hesitated to ask of what's wrong.
Looking around his bedroom for some clues, he finally noticed the unsheathed blade laying on the floor a few feet away from its leather casing.
Oh.
Vox looked down on the crying figure in his arms and he couldn't help but smile at him. How could he not when he had chosen not to kill him despite realizing that he is one of the demons he swore to kill? Happiness bloomed in his chest as he wrapped his own arms around the trembling body and leaned down to land a kiss on top of his head, as if he's trying to tell him that he's there for him and he would do absolutely anything for the boy he had fallen in love with.
-----------------------------------------
"I should kill you."
Vox pried his gaze away from his book to look at the boy lounging on the sofa beside him, his legs thrown over vox's thighs as he fiddled with a black and purple knife idly. He really tried not to, but his gaze wandered to the exposed thigh peeking from under his shirt. There's something about seeing the person he love, wearing his clothes. it somewhat felt like he claimed him.
Gods, Vox would do anything for him. He knew Shoto wouldn't kill him. But he would die for him. The boy had no idea that he got a powerful demon wrapped around his little fingers.
"Sure."