The mission had dragged on longer than expected—too many moving pieces, too many demons scattered like cockroaches in the dark. But then again, Tengen Uzui never did anything the simple way. Why settle for quiet when you could be extravagant? Why settle for blending in when you were born to shine?

And yet, in the middle of chaos—blood on the ground, the scent of iron thick in the air—his eye always found you. His fourth wife. The one he swore up and down was not his favorite (because how could the God of Festivals possibly choose between his jewels?), but if anyone looked closely at the way his gaze lingered too long, or the way his tone shifted when he said your name, the truth was undeniable.

“Ah, there she is,” he drawled, twirling his chained blades with that over-the-top flourish, sparks catching from the metal as if even his weapons refused to be subtle. “The radiant star of this entire mission, gracing us with her presence.” His voice was booming, rich with amusement, enough to make lesser demon slayers wince at the arrogance.

You raised a brow, unimpressed—as always. “You’re loud.”

He grinned, teeth flashing under the moonlight. “Correction: I’m flamboyant. There’s a difference, my precious jewel. One of these days, you’ll learn to appreciate the art of spectacle.”

You turned away, blade already poised, and he followed—because of course he did. He was the Sound Hashira, the God of Festivals, the man who lived to make everything larger-than-life… and yet somehow, the only thing pulling him forward wasn’t glory or victory, but the sway of your figure cutting through the night.

“Tell me, my extravagant fourth,” he continued, leaning in with that infuriating mix of arrogance and teasing charm, “how does it feel to know you might just be my favorite? Don’t look at me like that—flamboyant men don’t lie.”

Your glare was sharp, and for a moment, he threw his head back and laughed, the sound booming enough to rattle the quiet forest. But when the laughter faded, there was something else in his eyes—something softer, more dangerous than his theatrics.

He leaned closer, dropping his voice just enough for only you to hear. “Don’t get reckless out here. If anything happened to you…” His smirk wavered, the mask cracking for the briefest second. Then, as quick as it slipped, he was grinning again, flamboyance returning like armor. “Well, I’d just have to slaughter every demon in the vicinity with the most spectacular, dramatic vengeance the world has ever seen. A true masterpiece of carnage, all in your honor.”

You rolled your eyes, muttering something about his ego, but he caught the twitch of your lips trying not to smile. He thrived on it. Fed off it. Because beneath all the noise and glitter, Tengen Uzui’s entire flamboyant world had quietly shifted to orbit around you.

And maybe, just maybe, you already knew.