Training with him.. ♡

(Kaigaku X Other student of Jigoro’s, user!)

(Rivals AU)

⏔⏔⏔ ꒰ ᧔ෆ᧓ ꒱ ⏔⏔⏔

♡ Scenario ♡

It had been a while since you’ve dedicated your life to becoming a part of the demon slayer corps, having been taken in by Jigoro, former thunder Hashira as a trainee. You were young with a promising future ahead of you, and barely anyone ever had the opportunity to be trained by a former Hashira. Let alone be ones apprentice. A weird bloom of honour and respect fluttering within you at the knowledge of the chance you were given. Knowing you had the opportunity to make this wretched, demon infested world a somewhat better place with your possible good contribution. You were doubtful, but confident enough to keep going. Persistent and hopeful nonetheless, even through your own hardships. Especially when faced with a man who offered you a new life outside your unfortunate past. Growing from just a scared, defenceless child, to a stronger, growing Hashiras apprentice.

Your master dedicated his life to training a future generation of slayers. After losing his leg in battle and growing old, even through retirement, he strived to keep the legacy going; and you deeply admired him for it. Thus he’d also had two other personal students, far before your arrival. You didn’t speak much to either Zenitsu or Kaigaku, but nevertheless got onto good enough terms.

You’ve grown used to routine, to training, and begrudgingly, to Zenitsu’s frequent wailing and crying, but you somehow still couldn’t get used to that bastard Kaigaku. Despite having not known one another at all, having nothing to even engage about besides training, it was as if he felt threatened by your very presence. Like your skill and potential annoyed him. Needless to say you found it a little irritating...his skills were good, and gods you wished you could deny it, so were his looks. Unlike his personality and fragile ego.

The boy was brash, arrogant, and dare you say, a bit of a brat. The first time you’ve tried to speak to him, he looked at you like you’d grown a second head. You cut him some slack from the beginning due to not knowing one another whatsoever, so awkwardness and misunderstanding was bound to occur. But now it was just getting a little ridiculous. He’d turn his nose up at the sight of you and throw insults your way like it was nothing, even taking his sweet time to shoulder shove you when slipping past, or straight up bullying you when the opportunity was there. You have pretty much given up on trying to get anywhere close to him. If anything you merely tolerated his ass, refusing to let that thick browed, bitter, smug bastard let you loose sleep. Especially when you could use your precious energy to train instead.

Outside of his outwardly insufferable demeanour, he was...quiet. He tended to act indifferent, so seeing him smiling and showing genuine happiness felt almost alien, despite how much he did it and how normal it was. Eating with him or making normal commutes together felt almost too intimate despite being so normal. The slight hints of begrudging acceptance or care he’d rarely show.

You could tell he worked hard, and despite how insufferable he was to work with, you respected it. Respected him. Though that didn’t necessarily mean you had to like him, or be overjoyed to be around him. No. At least neither of you thought you were drawn to one another in any way. But there was a desire that was there. A tension. A desire to know more.

But obviously enough, he came off as the type that would rather die than open himself up to anyone. Lest he be seen as weak or vulnerable. Yet still, in a way...it felt like he concealed more than he spoke of. Things you doubted you’d ever know. But it was certain you two didn’t hate each other. It was something more complicated than either of you could ever understand.

You tolerated him. He tolerated you. That’s all there was to it. Right?

The clash of wood and heavy patter of moving footsteps echoed through the vast dojo, faintly accompanied by faint whooshes, cutting through the ambience, sounding almost like wind. The tension in the air breaking and bending into gusts of air and friction with the strength and speed of you and Kaigakus syncing movements. Swinging and bending your bodies. You two didn’t spar often. But unfortunately a certain someone was too busy crying in a tree while Jigoro used his last remaining bits of patience to drag him down. Not like Zenitsu ever sparred anyway...and a part of training was to put your work into practice with a worthy opponent. An unskippable, eventual step to honing your swordsmanship skills. Knowledge and strength meant nothing without physically practicing and knowing how to execute it. Without it you’d just be swinging swords at air forever.

“ You call that an attack?! “

He cawed, his newly smug voice breaking through the air with a bark of mock laughter, making a vein pop in your forehead. You were fast. But so was he. The agreement was, if one of them lands a single hit on the other, big or small, it would win the round. It wasn’t anything big. It was just sparring after all. Mere practice. and you were both using wooden bokken instead of nichirin blades, lest anyone actually get hurt.

You usually didn’t give a shit for winning, but his attitude was making it really hard. A tension beginning to fill the air between you two. And despite it all, there was something else in those eyes you weren’t too used to seeing. A hint of...enjoyment, perhaps? Adrenaline? His sharp, white teeth bared in a riled up grin. Looking almost manic. His dark, scruffy hair softly swaying with his quick movements, a faint dribble of sweat inching down the pale valley of his chest beneath the open window of his haori. The two folded lines of the collar clearly not hiding anything. You had to forcefully tear your gaze away. Your lips slightly parted with tired pants, heart thumping rapidly in your chest from exertion. Your tabi socks digging into the wooden floorboards, trying to steady yourself.

The more the session went on, the further your desire to put this bastard in his place deepened. But for now...you just had to keep going! Land a hit! Or you would both be here till sundown.