#kinetsu no yaiba drabble

[missusk]

Unbuttoned Uniforms (KyoujurouxReader)

Summary: It's just a trip to the hot springs, nothing more, so why are your cheeks so red? Not only that, but why is Rengoku-san stuttering so much?

Warnings: n u d i t y Word count: 2453 Author’s Note:  First time writing for Demon Slayer!! It's a simple oneshot about h o t  s p r i n g s and I hope you enjoy! Read on Ao3

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Your sandals tap lightly against the dirt road as you make your way home from your mission, and the fall leaves flutter beside you in the breeze. It’s peaceful late-afternoon, much different than the past few hours have been like. One demon ended up being three demons, but luckily the only casualty at the end of the battle was your left leg and shoulder. You even managed to save all the livestock, and the farmers offered you some vegetables and medicinal herbs as thanks.

You think you recognize this area, what with how the trees arch over the path, and you wonder if those hot springs that farmer mentioned are close. You wouldn’t mind a nice, long soak after so many consecutive battles, and your injuries could probably use some of that medicine. It’s a little cold, too, thanks to the oncoming winter. As you mull over the directions the farmer gave you, suddenly you hear your name called. You turn, and your heart thumps once, twice, then beats wildly in your chest. Kyoujurou is jogging towards you, his smile as bright as the sun. You didn’t know he was in this area, perhaps he was on a mission as well? He doesn’t seem hurt in any way, nor is his expression tampered in the slightest, so perhaps it was an easy battle, or he was running errands or something? You’re suddenly standing straighter, discreetly brushing down your uniform, and desperately hoping you don’t have demon blood splattered on your face.

“Hello, Rengoku-san,” you say with a smile, and Kyoujurou’s face lights up even more. It makes your heart thump again.

Okay, calm down, control your breathing, don’t make your feelings obvious. You manage to even out your breathing and your heartrate, so your sudden blush is gone by the time Kyoujurou meets you on the road. After a polite greeting, you have to force the blood out of your cheeks when he suddenly grips your hands in his.

“You’re walking with a limp,” he says, and you’re not sure why that statement is worthy of such a bright smile. “There are hot springs nearby, please allow me to carry you there.”

“O-Oh, that’s not necessary,” you splutter out, and you quickly add a polite bow to soften your refusal. “But thank you.”

“Nonsense!” he says, his booming voice throbbing your heart again. He’s still holding your hands, and it’s getting harder to control your heartrate with how close he is. The yellow and oranges of the autumn leaves are framing his head as if he were meant to be a part of this scenery, and that doesn’t help your looming blush. “We must help one another whenever we can, I insist.”

Without any room for protest, Kyoujurou swiftly scoops you into his arms in a matter of seconds. You barley even bounce as he’s suddenly walking forward as if you weighed nothing, and it takes you a moment to realize what just happened.

“R-Rengoku-san!” you splutter again. “I was walking there just fine, you don’t need to carry me!”

“You were already on your way?” he beams. Having that smile so close is a little overwhelming, as is having his arms and shoulders and chest firmly pressing against you. “We’ll go together then! I love a nice hot spring.”

The rest of your rebuttals are easily deflected as Kyoujurou carries you to the hot springs. His steps are light, jaunty even, as the leaves crunch beneath his feet. It isn’t far from where you met on the road, so your heart is still beating wildly when you finally approach the springs. They’re well hidden, and there’s no one here besides the two of you. Kyoujurou lightly sets you on your feet again. You take a step, your leg throbs, and you stumble into his chest. He catches you easily, holding his hands on your waist to steady you, and that blush you were fighting so hard finally blooms in your face. His touch lingers even when you stand straight, though he isn’t saying anything.

“Thank you,” you mutter. It probably would have taken you much longer to get here without his help, let alone in this short of time. Kyoujurou waves you off easily.

“I’m glad I met you on the road,” he says. “I don’t want to think about you collapsing on your way here. Will you be alright as I scout the area?”

You nod, his hands linger on your waist for a few seconds more, then he’s off to check the surrounding area. You don’t sense anything besides the common woodland creatures, so you vaguely wonder if Kyoujurou is just discreetly giving you time to undress without him standing there.

You neatly fold your uniform and haori on the rocks beside you, then take a delicate step into the hot spring. You inhale sharply through your teeth, humming as the warmth of the water seeps into your toes, your feet, your ankles. It stings in your leg injury, then in your shoulder, as you sink deeper into the spring. The steam swirls in your lungs, cleansing you from the inside out, and you exhale deeply and rest your head against the stones behind you.

The autumn colors are in their peak, and the oranges, yellows, and reds of the leaves throb in the tapestry of branches above you. Bits of the afternoon sky peak through the canopy, and you let out another hum as you sink deeper into the water. The colors remind you of Kyoujurou, and you bite back a bashful smile yet again.

You quickly jolt up when Kyoujurou calls you, and you cover yourself as well as you can to maintain any semblance of modesty when his head pops out from behind a tree.

“May I come over?” he asks simply, even though he’s staring into your eyes with only the steam and water to cover you. He doesn’t seem embarrassed, so maybe you’re thinking too much about this. You sit straighter and nod. He steps over and you quickly turn as he shakes off his haori. You try to keep your thoughts pure as his clothes rustle, then drop to the rocks behind you. You remember what he felt like pressing against you when he held you, so you force yourself to count the trees instead of thinking about a naked Kyoujurou.

…It doesn’t work very well.

Kyoujurou slips into the water beside you, and you finally turn to face him. You had already planned everything you were going to say, you were going to focus on breathing and not blushing, but all of that sinks to the bottom of the hot springs when you turn. You knew Kyoujurou was fit, being a pillar and all, but you didn’t expect this. Cut abs, broad shoulders, and a chest that seemed firm and soft at the same time. Your eyes rake his body unintentionally, and that blush flares in your cheeks when you meet his eyes again.

“S-Sorry Rengoku-san!” you splutter quickly as you stare at anything that isn’t the curve of his chest. His booming laugh pulls you from your stuttering, and his hand finds yours under the water. You shut your mouth when he gives your hand a light squeeze.

“Don’t worry!” he laughs. “You’ve had a hard fight and you’re exhausted. There’s no need to apologize.”

You nod quickly, though that makes you a little dizzy. You avert your gaze to count the trees again, so you don’t notice how Kyoujurou drinks in every bit of you that’s above the water. Do you feel his eyes on you? Is that why your skin is prickling in anticipation? No… no that can’t be it. Maybe it’s just… a rabbit… or something. That’s probably what’s staring at your back, that’s probably the gaze that’s trailing down the line of your spine.

You motion to grab the medicine you set beside the spring, Kyoujurou beats you to it, then insists he applies it for you. You try to refuse again because the thoughts of his hands on you is a bit much to handle, but he again persuades you by asking how you plan to reach the spot in the small of your back.

If he noticed that injury, was it him that was staring? He was… probably just taking inventory of your injuries, is all. Nothing else.

You turn with a grumble, though his laugh does pull a smile from you as well. That anticipation grows as you listen to him uncap the medicine jar, so you again try to count the trees. Suddenly the hair on your neck is standing on end, he’s hovering an inch from your skin, and you unintentionally let out a breath when he gently presses his fingers onto your back. His touch is borderline reverent as he helps wipe the dried blood from the little cuts those demons gave you.

“Your neck is tense,” Kyoujurou says suddenly. “As are many of your muscles. Do you stretch enough?”

“I was going to when I got home,” you admit. “I didn’t want to impose on the farmers any longer than I had to.”

Kyoujurou’s response is a simple hum, and he starts pressing his thumbs into the knots on your neck. Your eyelids flutter at the pressure of how his hands knead your tense muscles, and you let out a long, low hum despite yourself. He lets out another chuckle, and that blush flames in your face yet again. You turn and scoot a few inches away.

“You don’t have to massage,” you say quickly. “You’ve already done a lot for me.”

“I want to,” he says as he closes the distance between you. Your heart starts to pound harder when you see a strange look in his eyes. Are you imagining that? “I know techniques that will have you feeling better in no time!”

After a few more insistences that you’re fine (and again fighting back the flaming blush), you agree to let him work some of the knots out. Some of the knots click, you grunt, and humbly accept that your aching muscles would do well with a massage.

“Thank you for this, Kyoujurou,” you mumble as his fingers work out the knots in your neck.

Your mind feels a little foggy as his hands masterfully knead the muscles in your neck, shoulders, arms. You unintentionally lean against Kyoujurou’s chest when he massages your forearms, and you could honestly fall asleep right here. Might be a little pruney when you wake up, but his fingers are like magic, lulling you into relaxation.

It isn’t until you feel the racing thump of his heart that you sit up again. You turn to apologize, only for your voice to freeze when you see that his cheeks are stained a deep red. You tilt your head.

“Are you sick?” you ask.

“Not at all,” he says, though he won’t meet your eyes. “Why do you ask?”

“Your face is as red as the tips of your hair.”

His smile falters for a moment, then he quickly moves behind you again. The splash of the water hides your chuckle well enough.

“That’s just,” he coughs. “It’s just the heat of the bath! There’s no reason for me to be embarrassed.”

You blink a few times, and again bite back your smile.

“I didn’t say you were embarrassed,” you hum. “Are you?”

“It’s natural!” he says, but the red of his face easily contradicts the confidence in his voice. “Anyone would be flushed if they shared a bath with someone like you.”

“Someone like me?” you repeat, and Kyoujurou’s face somehow flares redder.

“You look tired!” he spits out suddenly, and his volume startles some birds out of a nearby tree. “Why don’t you rest on me for a minute? I’ll put the rest of the medicine on then you can rest on me.”

Water splashes as Kyoujurou suddenly stands, and as he pokes around for your medicine again, you take inventory of the fact that he definitely mentioned resting ‘on him’ twice. The rocks of the bath are smooth and relatively comfortable, but resting on Kyoujurou would be a little softer. The thought makes a blush flare in your cheeks again, but luckily you can use the heat of the bath as an excuse for that.

You realize that Kyoujurou lefts his underclothes on, and you realize that you definitely didn’t. You want to smack yourself for that, though you just let out an embarrassed sigh. At least you won’t chafe or anything. You’re sure Kyoujurou noticed, so maybe that’s why he’s fumbling so much as he tries to uncap the medicine jar. But why? Both Sanemi and Mitsuri have their uniforms unbuttoned, and you’re partly covered by the water, so why should your bare chest be any different? Perhaps you’re imaging things.

Your thoughts halt when Kyoujurou’s hands are on you again. He’s gently rubbing the medicine onto your injuries, and neither of you say a word when you lift your leg for him. You don’t even look at him as your embarrassment forces you to not watch as he holds your leg in his lap to spread the medicine on your calf. It’s not like Kyoujurou ever talks too much, but you wish one of you could manage to break the tension between you.

He’s holding your leg as if you were made of glass, graciously tending to your major injury, then the minor ones surrounding it. He finally closes the lid to the jar, sets it to the side, and slides close to you again. Almost too close. Is this closer than normal? It’s hard to tell, as the warmth of the water and your massaged muscles make it a little hard to think clearly. You try to focus on the way he’s looking at you, but for some reason that makes something strange pull deep in your stomach.

“These waters have medicinal properties too,” Kyoujurou mentions. “Though they might make you drowsy, so I’ll keep watch as you sleep.”

“Kyoujurou-,” you start, but he’s already pulling you by the waist until you’re flush against him. You tense, but after a few moments, your exhaustion takes precedent, and you bite back a yawn.

He is awfully comfortable… and you are quite tired…

Your yawn slips out, as does another, as Kyoujurou wraps his arms around you. He gently guides your head so you’re lying on his chest, and you let another hum despite yourself.

“Rest,” he says quietly. “I’ll be here. You’ve done so well today.”

Your only response is a mumble of gratitude as the warmth of the water and the sound of Kyoujurou’s heart lull you to sleep.

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