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xcalciumx · 1 year

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Blanket Hog | Tengen Uzui x Wives x Reader

Word Count | 1.8k

Warnings | Fluff, fluff and more fluff. And a little husband smacking but we’ll get to that.

Summary | In search of the blanket, you find yourself in a war with your wives instead.

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“Who the hell took the blanket?” you groan, blindly reaching out. As you do, your hand snags a chunk of hair and you hear as the person next to you starts to stir awake. “Sorry,” you mumble, hand still searching the bed. This time, as you bring your hand back towards you, it accidentally meets with flesh and a quiet slap resounds in the dark room. “Shit, sorry,” you groan for a second time.

“Stop it!” a muffled voice whines.

“I’m not doing it on purpose, Suma!” You whisper back angrily. “I’m trying to find the damn blanket.” The girl mumbles something incoherent that you ignore as you roll over on your side, hand now searching the other side of the bed. As you hastily scramble your hands over the mattress, you don’t take notice of your wife sidling up behind you. At the last second, you sense that she’s trying to spoon you - but it’s too late as your elbow accidentally flies back, hitting her in the abdomen. Upon impact, Suma yelps and pushes away from you. Bleary eyed from sleep, you turn your neck to once again apologise. However before you can, a heavy weight crushes down on your head. It lasts only a moment, but you’re left dizzy and confused, your hazy mind starting to wake up.

Instantly on the defensive, you sit up, eyes squinting into the dimly-lit room. Everything is quiet in the pale moonlight but as you glance to your right, you’re met with the sight of Suma, one hand covering her mouth to stifle a giggle. Your eyes shift to where she is loosely holding a pillow in her grip.

“Did you-” you start to question. Before you can finish your words, Suma is already launching the pillow at your head again. At the last second, you’re able to stop the attack, hand taking hold of the pillow that had been hurtling at your face. Being a Hashira wasn’t just for show, after all.

You hear her quiet gasp and before she can recover from having the pillow being stolen, you’re smushing it against the side of her face. This time you’re the one laughing as Suma shakes her head, an angry growl akin to a kitten escaping her lips. Someone shuffles behind you and you crane your head back to see who it is. What you don’t expect is for the blue eyed girl to steal the pillow you had been previously sleeping on and using it to attack again with a renewed vigour now that you weren’t watching.

“Hitting an opponent while their backs are turned?” you growl playfully, piercing eyes now staring down Suma. Her face widens into a grin and you feel yourself mirror it. The fluffy pillow in your hands is sent flying at her once again and she meets it head on with her own pillow, the two of you locked in a fierce battle. Your partners slept in blissful peace around you, not noticing the war raging on in the middle of the bed. You would land a blow on Suma and then she would retaliate, mercifully you allowed her to get a few hits in. As you sat back on your haunches, your foot grazed a warm arm, making you freeze. You carefully checked to make sure that you didn’t wake up the body sleeping behind you. As you did this, Suma tried to land another hit, but missed as you ducked below the incoming pillow. While her arms were at an awkward angle, you sent your pillow back at her in a similar fashion. Just like you had done, she swung below the pillow, narrowly avoiding it. You expected the pillow to strike empty air but it came to a still as something solid stopped its path of travel. Cringing, you raised your gaze from Suma to the person you had just made contact with.

Makio was fuming.

“What are you doing?” She hissed, fists rubbing at her eyes. You shared a guilty look with Suma. Makio’s eyes travelled from the pillow in your hands, to Suma then back to you again, eyes narrowing. Before you had time to explain, she was diving over Suma’s lowered body and tackling you around the waist. There was nowhere to escape. You screeched, hoping it wouldn’t wake the other two and covered your face in preparation for an assault. As you did this, Makio raised a flat hand but was halted as something white came flying at her from behind. You watched in wonderment as she became still, head slowly turning behind her. From where you were trapped on the bed, you could barely make out Suma’s face, probably fearful at Makio’s murderous expression.

Makio was gone from you in an instant, her eyes now set on Suma as she trembled in laughter.

“Guys?” A quiet voice spoke. A body moved on the other side of the two girls who were now wrestling each other.

“Hina!” You whisper shouted. “Help me defeat them.” Through the dark, her brown eyes settled on you and you watched as her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Before she could ask what was happening, you chucked your pillow at her, motioning to your two brawling wives. She seemed to take the hint and smiled as she suddenly slammed it down on them both. Laughs shook your body and you couldn’t hide the glint in your eyes at your wife’s actions. Although Hina was made out to be the sweetest of you all, you knew the true devil inside of her.

Makio and Suma both continued to tussle, ignoring the pillow being continuously whacked on them, as they struggled to gain the upper hand on one another. As their fight shook the bed, Hina’s sweet laughter flowed through the room. You admired your three breathtaking women for a second, installing the image of them into your head.

Breaking from the stupor you found yourself in, you crawled over Uzui’s prone form to the side of the bed, going to retrieve a pillow that had been sent flying by one of the girls. You found it quickly, the white contrasting against the darkened floor. Half your body hanging off the bed, you made to lift yourself back up but paused as you heard a gruff voice.

“Girls, what in the world are you doing?”

“Tengen!” Suma cried, “Help me! Save me!”

The bed rocked as the ex-hashira pushed himself up, maroon eye assessing the situation. His lips thinned. From your spot at the side of the bed, you heard Hina's laughter fade out and the raucous fighting of the other two stop. You lay still, listening closely.

“Loves,” Tengen huffed out, his voice deep and rough from just waking up. “Do you know what time it is?” Suma squeaked out an apology as Makio begrudgingly flopped off of her, making the bed shake. Tengen’s deep breathing now became the primary sound in the room.

“Let’s get back to sleep,” you heard Hina say gently. Bringing yourself back up, you stared at Tengen’s chiselled back that was facing you. He hadn’t realised you were there. Over his shoulder, you were able to see as Makio and Hina lay down, limbs tangling together. But Suma still remained upright, noticing you behind Tengen.

“Darlin’?” He murmured, unsure. As he did, your eyes zeroed in on the soft fabric of the blanket draped over his lower body. That’s where it had gone! Suma noticed your stare, casting a look at the thick blanket that covered Tengen and only Tengen.

The tension in the room became palpable as a silence overcame everyone. The two girls laying down tried to see what was happening as Suma smiled. From your spot, you couldn’t see as Tengen quirked a brow, staring inquisitively at his wife. He scratched the back of his neck, the blanket shuffling with his movement.

“Suma?” He tried again. Your pretty wife only laughed, a devilish grin coming onto her face as she realised what you were about to do.

It was too late for Tengen when he finally noticed your presence behind him. You had silently moved closer and closer, pillow raising in your hands as you chose the best moment to strike. The Sound Hashira startled, body turning to face you.

He was too slow.

The pillow tightened in your grip as you swung it with full force, not holding back on the man who had been stealing the blankets. Every. Single. Night.

THWACK

You stared in surprise as Suma gasped in horror. You had succeeded in hitting Tengen, except…now he was sprawled on the bed, eyes shut. Your blow had apparently been much harder than you intended. You almost felt bad. Almost.

Fat tears started rolling down Suma’s cheeks.

“You killed him! OH my god, you killed Tengen!” The other two were now sitting up, confused at what had just transpired. “And I helped! Oh my god, that’s assisted murder!” Suma bent over, sobbing into her hands as Hina rubbed a soothing hand over her back. You sighed, yoinking the blanket from Tengen as he started to snore. Rolling over Tengen’s large frame, you moved back to your original spot, manhandling Suma and forcing her to lay down. Your other two wives reluctantly followed suit as you lay down again, their concerned eyes on Tengen’s still body. You adjusted the blanket that you had retrieved, using it to cover everyone. Suma still cried quietly, but you petted her hair softly and muttered a soft reassurance.

“He’s unconscious, Suma, not dead.” Her blue eyes shone up at you as she sniffled, snuggling closer to you. “He’ll be up and about as his usual flamboyant self in a couple hours.” This seemed to be enough for her as she closed her eyes, one hand fisting into your night shirt. Her tears came to a stop. Hina and Makio remained quiet, only whispering a goodnight as they cuddled with each other.

You took a quick glance at Tengen, his tongue lolling out of his mouth. A little regret panged your heart but you shook it off, knowing he was completely fine.

Maybe it would teach your husband to not be such a blanket hog next time.

Rest assured, Tengen awoke the next day, happy as ever. When questioned about the actions of last night, he acted oblivious saying he just remembered being woken up and falling back to sleep shortly after. Your wives seemed happy with this answer but something in his eyes told you otherwise as he stared at you over the table at breakfast.

There was a promise in his gaze, one that said he’d be getting his revenge soon enough. You grinned back at him.

Bring it on.

#demon slayer #kimetsu no yaiba #tengen x reader #tengen x wives x reader #makio kny #suma kny #hinatsuru kny #fanfic #pillow fight #tengen uzui #x reader

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mushroomly · 1 year

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cuddling hcs w/ pillars

Muichiro Tokito:

- loves laying on your lap as you play with his hair

- if he falls asleep, do not move

- he probably won't actually be asleep tho

- mui will just pretend to be asleep so he can see (or rather, hear) your reaction

- lay your head on his chest while cloud watching, he will MELT

- he is little spoon i will die on this hill

- he's a pillar, so he never really gets to feel protected so when you hold him, you make him feel safe

- he's a sweet little bean

Kyojuro Rengoku:

- he is the big spoon

- 800%

- unlike muichiro, he wants to hold you, make sure that you are there and safe

- once you are in his grasp, you aren't getting out

- he isn't a morning person, so good luck with making breakfast

- once, after a particularly stressful mission, he walked in, scooped you up, and plopped you on the bed

- he took off his shoes and cape thingy and just hugged you

- you two stayed like that for six hours

- kyo is a koala

Tengen Uzui & the wives:

- omg

- cuddles with these three are CHAOTIC

- usually, arguments over who gets to cuddle who is ended by tengen grabbing a wife and snuggling them or suma attaching herself to the desired cuddler like a parasite

- a very cuddly parasite

- tengen would always be closest to the doorwhile many may argue he'd be in the middle, the door is where danger would most likely come from

- he wants to be the first in danger

- on the topic of cuddling

- suma is like a parasites

- she attaches herself to you and won't let go

- she's really good at cuddling tho

- makio is like a cat

- she's reluctant at first, then she nuzzles into the crook of your neck

- next thing you know, she's asleep

- hinatsuru is like a dogs

- she sort of wraps herself around you, all warm and motherly

- tengen is like a bear

- he grabs you and just sort of

- nestles you into his side

- which is nice, because this man is HUGE

- never a dull moment with these four

#kny x reader #kny fluff #kny muichiro #tengen uzui #kyojuro rengoku x reader #fluff #suma kny #makio kny #hinatsuru kny #kimetsu no yaiba hashira #kny fanfic #kimetsu no yaiba #demon slayer

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cyantt-does-stuff · 1 year

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I have to do everything myself.

#demon slayer #kimetsu no yaiba #kny #tomioka giyuu #uzui tengen #suma kny #hinatsuru kny #makio kny #uzugiyuu #+ the wives #uzugiyuuhinasumakio?#a ship name for all of them has a lot of combinations #my art #cyanttdraws

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sunflower1experiment · 1 year

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She’s a mom!

“She’s a bit distant..why?”

“Maybe we love bombed her!? I hope not.” Suma gave a teary eyed expression while Tengen walked in with Hina but |Name| only gave a pained smile.

“I’m sorry- I’ve been forever grateful but…I feel like I’ve been lying. So I wish to speak with you all. This may come as a surprise but I’m a woman of virtue so hearing the news, I hope it doesn’t deteriorate your feelings for me.”

“Of course not Angel! What makes you believe that!?” The now retired geisha could only give a knowing stare before looking saddened, “I have two little boys. A mischievous one and one who well…he’s always smiling but he’s so sweet natured. And so serious when it comes to his shop.” She looks down. “I had to send them away to a good school for the sake of their safety.”

“I’ve grown to miss them.” The woman looks outside, I’m not sad but I just wonder how their beautiful faces would look when they realize I’m blessed once more.” Tengen had a look of awe, Makio was shocked to say the least while Suma cried tears of joy.

“That’s so sweet |Name|! You’re such a good mother.”

A giggle leaves her lips, “I’m so happy you think so! I just want them to meet their new parents-“ |Name| stops when Tengen and the girls all had teary eyes resting on them.

“I’m a dad? That’s so…flashy…|Name| we would be honored to welcome them in our flamboyant home!” The girls cheer, “Lord Tengen thank you!”

Laughter fills the room: oh how lucky she felt. When will she meet them, she’ll never know. But one thing is for sure. |Name| knew she’d meet her mischievous one soon.

A boy playing the flute hops amongst the fences, twirling around while giggling mischievously before he came to a stop. “Oh! Heheh!” He jumps down then follows an unsuspecting victim, it was none other than Tanjiro: the male had felt a presence but. It was so quiet, so nimble he took a quick glance but none avail.

As he heads to demon slayer Corp he felt legs hop on his back then a loud “ALLYYOOP!!” A boy ran ahead. He was probably no age higher than him but he still wore scruffy clothes and odd shoes, “He-HEY! Come back!”

“Nah uh! I’m here to see mom. Know where she’s at.” The male stares at him. He wore an odd looking straw hat but his eyes, pure beautiful brown. So innocent yet mischief would lie deep within, “Um I’m Tanjiro.. you are?”

“Mmm Mom calls me her little Trickster so call me Trick! Hehe trick or treat little Tanjiro.”

“Ah! Who’s mom?”

“My mom!”

The boy had to think through this, “Your mom?” He stood there then he flinches when Zenitsu screams loudly and Inosuke kicks him.

“QUIET DOWN DANDELION HAIR!”

“Guys! There’s this boy-“ Tanjiro looks over and the boy had left. “Ah- AHH???”

“Mommaaaaa!!” His raspy voice caught a few ears but when he cleared his throat a playful childish voice soon erupts after.

“Um. Little one what are you doing here?” This time Shinobu had found him, “Woah, you’re not momma but I like your spirit.”

The boy walks over and takes a good look at Kocho. “Hmm but you’re super scary. Momma always has a pleasant energy. She was a geisha after all.”

“Oh! You’re looking for |Name|? One of Tengen’s, wives?”

“Mommas Married!? WOWIE!” He ran ahead but soon ran back. “Where’s mom?” She points to the north then explains where to go after.

Continuing forward Trick heads towards the house, calling his mother to which she perks at the sound of his voice. “Is that my little one?”

“Hm? Angel?” Tengen gets up, hearing his voice too. “Is that one of your kids?” She immediately ran down the road. “Ah! My precious one!”

“MOMMA!”

“My sweet precious Niko!” He rams into her, giggling loudly while she lifts his hat and places mini kisses amongst his face. “Mommaaaa! Noooo I need to impress my new moms and dad!”

“Oh you already impress them already my sweet face.” They both head to the house. She shows him to the man and women.

Hina gasps, “He’s.”

Makio’s eyes go wide. “So.”

“FLASHY!!!” Tengen laughs.

“And cute.” Suma immediately hugs Niko who just blushes before giggling sweetly. “Hehe. Flashy! That’s so cool! I wish to be flashy just like my family!”

“You’ll always be flashy sweetface. Now…why do I see you here and not at school?”

“Well- I graduated! And I decided to travel, with brother..he sells some weird masks to avoid them demons. I carry wisteria and plant them amongst people’s houses. Though they’re super rare so…I’m not sure how I got them.” Indeed they are, it even shocked |Name| while Tengen wore a prideful grin. “This kid gets it! Save lives before they even need savin!”

“He always was the trickster. I’m so proud. Where’s he at?”

“Mm…” Niko was a bit hesitant but he shrugged. “We split up. The masks he had were more wanted in areas where these scary demons roamed. I’m pretty sure he could handle himself because of the wisteria flowers but I hope he’s okay.” |Name| sighs.

“He’s definitely alright…wait till he comes home..”

“Why do you say that?”

“Before I adopted his brother he came from a family that kept demon remains as a trophy. That’s what the masks are made of and he also uses them and their powers to fend them off. Sadly I’m more worried about him getting caught up in something correlated to Muzan.”

“Hm, smart, flashy but also very dangerous. I’m guessing his old family got carried away.” |Name| nods while Niko starts playing with Makio a bit.

Later that evening

|Name| awaited for her eldest to come home, it was shocking but to see her eldest, grown and still wearing that same smile. To match his beautiful hazel eyes, it brought tears to her eyes. The man sets his bag down then he walks over.

“Hm?” She caresses his face, “Hello dear.” The man hugs her close. “Everyone meet my eldest. Though he’s more independent than Niko he goes by a name.”

“Call me Merchant. I’m quite pleased that you took my mother from the district, she needs to see the beautiful world for what it is.” |Name| and merchant shared the same giggle which made everyone watch them in pure adoration.

“And you say they’re adopted, you sure?”

“One hundred percent. My precious merchant here happily lived and went to college with his brother. Whom he does not like.”

Merchant backs away when Niko started crab dancing near him, then the two suddenly move away and back before he attacks Niko with a stick. “Back Niko! Back I say!”

|Name| sighs, “I’m just happy you all get to meet them before they must venture off again.”

Though they didn’t want to, Niko and Merchant eventually did leave. Not after spending time with their new family and merchant showed the demon parts as promised, even trying to bargain with Tengen which |Name| shut down instantly.

The look of pure side eye was actually making the merchant feel nervous. Never let a black woman side eye you as he wishes to say, “Niko what do you do besides travel.”

“Make friends, most of them all depend as to how they handle my music…but I’m to much of a trickster. That’s how mom adopted me. She loves my tricks!” The male then hugs |Name| one last time. “I’ll miss ya.” Merchant leans into the hug as well before everyone joined in.

A family group hug, that’s something they plan to cherish during their journey. |Name| waves as they walk ahead, hand in hand before the distance finally took over their forms. “My precious little ones.”

Things went back to as they were but |Name| was jubilant, eager to cook, dance for them. She even found a new style, “Guess she just needed to see her kiddos. Wonder why they left rather than stay.”

“Based on what I researched. Merchant’s people in terms of masks and demon parts take their jobs very seriously. Stopping means no money, and they’re mainly merchants who wish to sell and spread their riches to help others. Now Niko….from what I recall he’s based off a culture within the forest? They’re very sweet, he’s just like any teen and child. Mischievous but very pure and smart.”

“Thank you Hina, they’re both as flashy as they are amazing. |Name| is a lucky lady.”

“That’s why ya married her Lord Tengen!” He nods pridefully, “She’s to good for us.” They all start to hug |Name| while she was busy searching for warmth so, win win.

But she did fall asleep not to long after. “Well how can we move? She’s asleep!”

“Darn it..welp I ain’t movin.” Tengen and the girls waited until she woke up, to which failed and they all laid together.

Sound asleep.

#uzui tengen #tengen x reader #reader is black #x black fem reader #black fem reader #tengen x black reader #tengen x you #tengen x y/n #hina kny #suma kny #makio kny #tanjiro kamado #inosuke hashiriba #zenitsu kimetsu no yaiba

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iisasarcasticlittleshite · 1 year

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Comfort Mini Series Part 6 (U.Tengen)

This may or may not be a direct result of my binge watching demon slayer all day. I can neither confirm nor deny...but this might not be the only demon slayer post you see outta me.

Uzui Tengen

You dropped your blade at the door, sliding it onto its mount on the wall beneath Tengen's.

Suma spots you almost immediately, bounding over in delight at your return.

It's rare for you to be sent on a mission alone, this one, for one reason or another, was solo. It should have been straightforward, but demons never make anything easy.

'Welcome home, honey! I'm so glad you're back, Hina made dumplings and...oh.'

The moment she dives into your arms, she knows something's wrong. Your shoulders sit tense and your heart is still racing as if you were fresh off the battlefield.

'Suma! Don't just go crowding them first thing! They could be hurt!' Makio rounded the corner, her scolding glare falling away the instant you met her gaze.

They know you too well by now, there's no hiding anything from them, and as Suma slides herself under your arm to make room for Makio to kiss you in greeting, the household goes into comfort mode.

The two make quick work of baring your feet and ridding you of your haori and no amount of objecting will change their minds. They may bicker through the whole process, but their hands are achingly gentle.

Prodding for wounds, you're sure.

'Nothing of consequence, I promise.' You smiled, eyes desperate to fill with affection, rather than the stress of the past two weeks away from home.

Hinatsuru joins you soon after, happily pulling you into her arms with nothing but pure understanding.

They have you bathed and fuss over even the smallest of scrapes before redressing you in comfortable robes and herding you to the bedroom.

Tengen finds you there, still being pampered, your body liquifying under your wives' loving attention. They spoiled you rotten, or rather, you spoiled each other, rotten.

'Well well, you make good time!' There's relief in his eyes, tension leaving him as he sees you home at last.

He has no reason to doubt your ability to bring yourself home for him, but that'll never stop him from worrying whenever you're sent off alone.

He bends to kiss you, long and deep, savouring the safe return of the missing member of his family.

Even when his lips part from yours, he does not go far, resting his forehead against yours as your breaths mingle in the space between you.

'You're alright?' He prompted.

You smiled, pecking his lips affectionately. 'Of course, and I won, obviously.'

There's such freedom in being with them, such acceptance in being nothing more or less than yourself. They loved you so wholeheartedly, faults and all.

Tengen let loose a boisterous laugh as Suma cooed, snuggling into your side again. Makio lingered off your opposite shoulder, her warm skin brushing yours before she reached for your hand.

'Well of course you won! Keep that up and you'll be flashier than me one day!'

'Somehow, I doubt that.'

Hina leaned up to kiss his cheek, gently pushing him out of the room. 'Come on, all this flashiness calls for dinner.'

'Right! Come here, gorgeous!'

'Wha-hey!'

He knows those shadows in your eyes just as well as anyone else. He knows when that smile doesn't quite reach your eyes, and he hates that he can't just make you happy and watch it go away. Those memories are yours, and you'll carry them forever, the same way he does, the way all of you do.

He also knows that nothing melts your heart more than cuddles, you're a sucker for physical affection and if spoiling you rotten for a day or two is all it takes to ease that beautiful mind of yours, it's an easy price to pay.

Already aware of his plan, the ladies follow him out to the dining room as he's scooped you up and left you securely in his lap at the dinner table, enveloped in his arms, the safest place in the world.

You spent the night there, being passed from one loving embrace to the next, despite your brave face.

They know you smile for them, they know you try for them, and deep down, they know you don't respect that life order Tengen gave you.

If push came to shove, you'd set the world on fire for the, watch it burn if it meant they'd be safe. It's not something you can change, and they'd never want you too, so making sure you never have to is part of life for them.

Such if life in this, your perfect little family.

#demon slayer imagines #demon slayer x reader #uzui tengen #tengen x reader #tengen polyamory #hinatsuru #makio kny #suma kny #comfort mini series

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sjhanny2000 · 2 years

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Fights and Sweet Touches (Part 3)

A/N: Enjoy folks!

Warning(s): separation of spouses, depression, anxiety, mental illness, recovery, self depracation, mentions of illness

Word Count: 3.9k+

Tag-List:

@mshope16

@milkyanon @simpforerensattacktitan @trashfox @midnightmystic @ink-dot-kay @misshale21 @savagemickey03 @honeyhoneyhonie @hnm-mika @bittersw33t-lotus @hyuckie-s @firsthokage @happycandynoelle @duffyalamode @xadri3nn3x @splaterparty0-0 @thatcatladywrites @raylovessarcasm @little-bunnybabe @rosechvnel @the-celestial-kitsune @chl0rinewater @milkbttle @igobypersonorthing @shiphappen-s @unsuretater-simp @azyelialuvsyou @xmikasai @duskmammel @lynnethehotshot @royaltysuite @milkiemei @xxsleepy-pandaxx @jasminejamm @jaxx2047 @superhoagiehairdodreamer

If your tag didn't work, I apologize! Tagging with Tumblr can get a bit messy!

~~~

You could have never expected leaving to hurt so badly. At least, you hadn’t been willing to acknowledge at the time of your departure. There had been far too many other emotions running rampant within your body to make sense of the seed of homesickness your subconsciousness planted in the back of your mind, waiting to bloom when your mental guards were down. It had already been exhausting to pack your bag, to walk down the gravel path and pass the gateway to the main road, tears never ending and heart screaming in objection, to just wait one more minute, maybe he didn’t mean it-!

Yet, his silence, his unwillingness to even try to take back those dagger like words, it spelt out everything to you.

“Oi! Ahmya-senpai!”

The shout of your name across the shop had you snapping to attention, eyes wide and heart beating wildly against the confines of your inner chest, your grip on the haori you had been weaving slipping from your grasp, fluttering silently to the wooden floors beneath your feet.

Did they find you? Were they here? Kami, please-!

Five months. Five months, twenty-three days, three hours, eleven minutes and twelve seconds and counting since you left the Uzui Estate with the bare minimum, since your world broke into a million pieces and your marriage along with. It had taken two weeks of sleeping where you could and selling the few valuables you brought along for food for you to reach your current location, deep between Ina and Akaishi Mountains, Oshika being a quiet but lovely village. By the time you had arrived there, it had been weeks since your last bath and another three days since your last meal, stomach grumbling and kimono dirtied and ripped in various places. What a sight you must have been, so disheveled and filthy, sitting on the edge of the cart of a local merchant who had somehow convinced you in your sleep deprived state to come with him to his home. With the promise of a warm meal and a bath, you took the opportunity with cautious reluctance and hopped on with your near bare travel bag and ragged spirit.

Much to your complete and honest relief, the merchant had been true to his word, his kind and tender hearted wife rushing to tend to you from the moment her husband introduced you to her.

“Oh you poor dear! Come, come, let’s get you cleaned up and fed!” The short, dark haired woman showed no sign of pity or disgust on her loving face when her hand came to gently take hold of your upper arm, guiding you to what had been their washroom. “Tsuyu! Fetch a fresh towel and hot water for me please!”

The woman, whom you came to know as Hana whilst she assisted you in thoroughly scrubbing your matted locks proved to be the sweetest yet cunning individual you had ever met. With a tongue swift as a hawk and mind sharp as a tack, Hana was a force to be reckoned with, never faltering and forever on track and correct. Just like Nao-san, your subconscious had quietly reminiscenced as you ate her wonderful cooking, clean and dressed in fresh clothes. They asked for your name and much to your anxiety fueled mindset, you offered the name of Ahmya instead of your own. If lying ensured your hidden survival, then so be it.

Hana-san and her husband, Naoki-san, along with their two children Tsuyu and Kento, welcomed you, or rather Ahmya, with open arms, the small family warm and comforting as you attempted to stand on your own feet once again. Few days following your arrival, Hana-san insisted on taking you into town, the children eagerly following at your heels with promises to show you everything and everyone. The townsfolk, much to your utter surprise, were polite and eager to welcome you the newcomer, many asking where you had come from and how you ended up in their small, secluded village. How hard it had been to not cry when those questions arose, shame and agony digging their talons into the meat of your flesh, tears threatening to fall whilst your lip quivered with effort to withhold the sobs threatening to slip from your lips. Your assertive host had thankfully come to your aid in those moments of weakness, wrapping a comforting arm around the middle of your back, easily placating the villagers with a snarky response or insisting you had other errands to complete.

No one asked questions after that day, except for the occasional ones Hana-san and Naoki-san snuck in during evening tea some nights after the children were fast asleep and all chores were finished. It took nearly a month into your stay for you to be strong enough to speak about the reasoning behind your travels, how you had failed your husband and in turn destroyed one of the best things you ever had. The couple were quite insistent that it couldn’t have been you, that no sensible man nor woman would let someone as wonderful as you slip through their fingers, no matter the situation. You failed to believe them but the ache in your heart began to grow dull over time, now becoming an occasional pain rather than constant as it had been. Said pain, however, always came back with a vengeance when any thought of the life you left behind arose, self deprecating thoughts squeezing your heart so tightly it became too hard to breathe. So, you did everything you could to not think about them.

Yet, thoughts of them refused to leave you.

Every time you spotted a cloud shaped like an animal or white lilies, you couldn’t help but cry and hear Suma’s laughter.

Every time you were given a sunflower, dried or fresh picked from a neighbor that had no idea what they or who they signified, you couldn’t stop the tears from forming as Makio’s playful shouts echoed within every tear.

Every time you watched the sakura trees shed their downy petals, the phantom feeling of Hinatsuru’s hand on yours whilst you gazed at the heavens above brought you to tears.

Every time you found your gaze landing on the shimmering chimes on the edge of the front engawa, a yellow camellia bush right below it, sobs threatened to escape your pursed lips, guilt eating away at your insides.

Life just wasn’t life without them.

Still, with no other choice, you continued onward with your life, assisting Naoki-san around the farm and Hana-san in the house, Kento and Tsuyu adamant in accompanying you wherever you went, the pair always reminding you of Hikari and subsequently Nana-san, Kiki-san, and Nao-san.

Were they missing you as much as you were missing them?

As you adjusted to your life in Oshika, job opportunities came flocking to you. News of your sewing prowess had eventually made its way into the village (you had found your shocked gaze falling upon Hana-san’s playful smirk at Naoki-san’s telling of the recent gossip) and before you knew it, Riku-san, an older woman who happened to own a tailor shop with her daughter Miwa-san, came to the door with a job offer. Hana-san had been crafty in assuring you were unable to refuse Riku-san’s offer and two days later you found yourself entering the shop, hands shaking and mind racing. The job turned out to be exactly what you needed at the time, acting as a perfect distraction; your mind wandered little when a needle rested between your fingers, fabric resting lifelessly in your lap. You rarely had a moment's rest, something to assist you in looking towards the future, mornings spent at the tailor shop whilst the afternoon was full of chores and tending to the children.

Life only grew busier when Saito-san, one of the villagers, approached you one day while you worked the counter in the shop, bags under his eyes and desperation fueling every one of his steps. His young son, Taiki, had fallen ill with a particularly nasty fever that refused to break and every remedy known to him had failed in breaking it. The doctor had gone down the mountain in search of medicinal supplies in one of the larger villages, meaning there was no one else who could help the boy in his hour of need. Saito-san begged for Riku-san to help him, stating he had asked every person for assistance but had been met with apologies and well wishes, no other villager able to help. Before Riku-san could turn the desperate father from her door empty handed, you found yourself stepping from behind the counter without a thought, quietly offering your help much to your own surprise. Within a half hour, you found yourself bearing a basket of various herbs and a mortar and pestle, entering the place Saito-san and his family called home with shaking hands.

The moment you saw the sickly Taiko-kun chased away any second thoughts you had possessed then.

Drenched in sweat and cheeks red as apples, Taiki-kun laid near lifeless in bed, unconscious and unresponsive, his fever being just that high. You found yourself once again moving without thought, ordering Saito-san to fetch freshwater from the well whilst you went to work grounding your herbs together, asking his mother to heat up a kettle of water. Both parents did as they were asked without a word of objection, providing you with everything you could need and then some, willing to do whatever they needed to do if it meant their son’s eyes would open again. Hours upon hours slipped by as you devotedly attended to Taiki-kun and slowly, much to everyone’s relief, his fever grew weaker and weaker until it finally broke with the rising of the sun. The parents had begun crying in relief when slowly, Taiki-kun opened his eyes, revealing irises of fuchsia that were so much like-. You quickly excused yourself from the family soon after that, promising to return if the fever made a comeback later in the day, and disappeared into the woods, frustrated tears coasting down your (s/c) cheeks.

From then on, it seemed that whenever the doctor had to venture beyond the village to gather supplies or was simply overrun with patients, you were seen as the person to seek out. Hoshi-sensei had actually been eager to take on what he deemed an apprentice upon hearing your work with the Saito family, enough that he took time out of his schedule to teach you various medical techniques he had gathered over the years and you did the same in kind, happy to simply assist wherever needed. Helping people had always filled your inner soul with happiness; it was the reason why you did your best to help out at the estate-.

Altogether, when it came down to the nitty gritty, your time spent at the shop, with Hoshi-sensei, and your host family was rejuvenating to your broken spirit. You somehow had purpose again, ones that were working to quell some of the residual pain that remained in the wake of your exodus. It, however, did not dispel the truth of the reality you fought to ignore following your departure, the one you had desperately tried to deny.

“Hoshi-sensei is here with fresh herbs, Ahmya-senpai!”

Brushing away the heavy thoughts that continued to bog down your already messy mind, you shakely set your needle and thread aside on the tray beside you. “C-coming, Miwa-san!”

You pressed the palms of your hands into the arms of your designated seat in the shop, focusing all your strength and energy into prying yourself from the comforting cradle of the rocking chair.

“What on earth do you think you’re doing, foolish child?!”

Hands weathered by hard work and age latched onto your upper arm with concern, an arm wrapping around your waist in support as Riku-san appeared in your field vision, a look of annoyance on her face. “You know better than to exert yourself, girl! Enna-san would tan your hide if she saw you doing that!”

“Apologies, Riku-san. I didn’t want to keep Hoshi-sensei waiting.” You gave the older woman a sheepish smile, standing to your feet. “I keep forgetting I can’t do everything on my own anymore.”

“Well you best get used to it, your abilities will only become more taxing with time.” Riku-san peered at your form with a cool and calculating eye of piercing ice blue, a huff escaping your employer as she pulled away. “You should be grateful you are still able to do anything, with how large you’ve become.”

Her gaze downwards shifted from your face to your midsection, latching onto the growing swell of your stomach with poorly hidden concern, your cheeks going red with embarrassment as you moved to cradle it in the palms of your hands.

What a hard truth it had been when Hana-san and Riku-san forced you to take note of the changes your body was experiencing a month or so into your stay in Oshika, the same damn changes that had begun a week into your travels. Nausea in the morning hours had been the bane of your existence, and the random waves of fatigue were nearly debilitating and dangerous, seeing as how you found yourself in unknown and potentially unsafe territory those first weeks. You refused to let reality take hold, choosing to ignore how your breasts grew tender as your stay with Hana-san and her family grew into a month, yet the woman was tactfully relentless in her questioning and prying, both her and Riku-san were. They had done everything in their power to make you acknowledge the painful truth, to make you swallow the bitter pill of your reality, saying things such as “You’re glowing, Ahmya-san” and “Are you in need of a better fitting kimono, Ahmya-san?” All you could hear was his disappointment with every comment they made, ‘how could you damn our chil-’, ‘that bastard is not my-’, ‘what a deplorable sight you’ve become’-.

It wasn’t until they dragged you to the village midwife that you finally eased away the veil of denial you had placed over yourself the moment the symptoms began to develop nearly two months before and the midwife, Enna-san, confirmed it with a comforting squeeze of your hand.

Rubbing at the swell with a tender hand, you settled your (e/c) irises on the protruding bump beneath your kimono. “It is hard to believe that I still have two and a half months to go, huh?”

Enna-san had asked the hard question that seemed to weigh on everyone’s minds but yours, for you already knew the truth.

“Ahmya-san, do you happen to know when you may have conceived?”

Flashes of sweat covered skin had swept across your consciousness, moans and cries of pleasure echoing loudly in the cave like crevices of your subconscious, wet skin slapping against skin following closely behind with an orgasm-fueled scream.

“TENGEN-SAMA!”

“What is hard to believe is how you are still capable of moving as well as you can! I was never this large, even at the time I gave birth to Miwa.” The older woman huffed, the two of you slowly making your way to the front of the shop.

A wave of knowing sadness washed over you with a teary smile forming on your lips, voice creaking like old floor boards with emotion. “Like I told Enna-san, my husband, he was quite the man in terms of size. Around 6’6”, if I remember correctly.”

By the time you came to acknowledge your developing pregnancy, you were already around thirteen weeks along and showing enough that Enna-san thought you were to be further along, something that was chalked up to the baby’s parental parentage in the end. Your child’s conception was one that was never supposed to occur, having used the herbal contraceptives you had taught how to prepare since the young age of ten years old in case you happened to be rap-. That aside, any conception had to have taken place the day they had departed for their unexpected mission; it had been the last time the pair of you were successfully physical with one another.

The woman sent you a quick glance of poorly veiled regret, a face many seemed to wear when the topic of him came about in conversation, and changed the topic with the ease of a well-practiced saleswoman. “Perhaps while he is here, Hoshi-sensei should examine you. It never hurts to gain a second opinion on matters such as this.”

“Who should I examine on this fine day?”

Your cheeks turned a deep red at realizing your mentor had overheard the woman, the pair of you entering the front room as you nervously waved your hands in objection. “Oh, it’s nothing, Hoshi-sensei, really! Riku-san was simply commenting on my current size, that’s all!”

Standing at the counter was the man who had taken you under his wing in terms of medical practice, standing at the mere height of what you would estimate to be five feet if that, his spiky salt and pepper locks sticking out in all different directions. A pair of dark frames sat precariously on the tip of his bulbous nose, unintentionally accentuating his welcoming eyes of vibrant coral and the age spots splattered across his facial features.

“Ah, yes! How have you been fairing my dear? No problems I hope!” Hoshi-sensei turned his attention away from where Miwa-san was standing to you and Riku-san, the man cheerful as ever.

“J-just a bit of exhaustion and back pain here and there, that’s all!” Hoping to escape the older man’s attention, you shot him a nervous smile. “Enna-san says that’s completely normal, considering the baby’s size and my build!”

Letting out a hum of agreeance, Hoshi-sensei came to stroke his patchy goatee with thought. “That is true, seeing how far along you are now.”

He swiftly bounced out of his thoughtful state with a cry, pointing an accusatory finger at your person. “However! It could also be due to stress or overworking yourself! Well, have you?!”

Before you could even process what was happen, horrified embarrassment having flooded your veins at the man’s questioning, a pair of scissors went flying by Hoshi-sensei’s thrashing head, cutting close enough to leave a sliver of a cut on his cheek before imbedding into the wall behind him.

Your attention snapped to where the scissors had originated from, Riku-san gifting Hoshi-sensei with her signature stern glare. “Ahmya-san’s only source of stress at this moment is you, you dolt!”

Miwa-san let out a shout of her own, cheeks red with angered frustration. “MAMA!”

“Hush, Miwa! I will not have this idiot of a doctor upsetting her so early in the day!” The young woman bowed her head in submission to her tsunami of a mother, Riku-san returning her sights to a trembling Hoshi-sensei. “Now, what is it that you needed, you old coot?”

Her question yanked Hoshi-sensei out of his fearful state, any worry becoming replaced with what seemed to be the snap of Riku-san’s fingers, a cheery grin overtaking the look of horror. “Oh, yes! I have some fresh herbs for Ahmya-san here and I was hoping to gather some fabric, nothing fancy, just some measly scraps will do! They’re quite efficient as bandages I’ve discovered and sadly my supply has already been depleted by at least a fourth!”

“But Hoshi-sensei, didn’t you just return from your supply run from the valley village yesterday?” Confused by the situation at hand, you adjusted your head into a cocked position of concern, placing your hands on your back to ease the ache of your additional weight. “Did something happen?”

“Well, the craziest thing happened, ya see! I had just arrived back at my home at the edge of Ishiguro Forest, when a small group of women approached me! Their clothes were in tatters and they had all kinds of cuts, scraps, and bruises, you name it! They said they had just escaped a demon and were looking for shelter within Oshika, so I allowed them to stay the night. Couldn’t leave a group of injured, beautiful women out in the cold, after all!”

Miwa-san gazed at the doctor with curiosity, lilac bangs bouncing about her face. “Beautiful women, you say? How many were there?”

It was at that moment that your attention shifted elsewhere, Riku-san turning to you with a firm gaze as the pair’s conversation continued in the distance and gestured to the chair behind the counter. “I am going to fetch the fabric scraps while they are distracting one another. Please do your best to make sure that imbecile does not ruin my shop.”

“Hai Riku-san!”

With that, the women reentered the inner workings of the shop, leaving you to observe the two chattering away at the counter.

“Oh! That’s right! Ahmya-san!” The doctor leaned downwards and returned to his full height with a medium sized basket in his grasp, a bounty of various medicinal herbs cradled within it. “Here are the herbs you’ve been asking for, fresh from the valley!”

“Thank you, Hoshi-sensei, you’re too kind!” You took the basket from the man with careful ease, doing your best to steer clear of your protruding belly, something that was becoming harder and harder to do with every passing week.

“Nonsense dear, it was my pleasure! With the flowers in bloom, it was honestly a treat!” Hoshi-sensei flashed you a gleaming smile, pulling his focus away from Miwa-san and their conversation. “Though the bees were not as excited to see me as I was them, hoho!”

Turning away with a giggle, you waddled into the room behind you. “I bet they weren’t, sensei. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll set these back here for safe keeping. Would you care for some tea by the way?”

“That would be terrific, my dear!”

Before the man could say anything else, the chime of the front door rang, and his voice skyrocketed through the air. “Ah, ladies! I was wondering when you were going to arrive! Ahmya-san come meet my gorgeous guests!”

You shook your head at the old man’s antics, taking hold of the tea pot and pouring a cup for your mentor. “I’ll be right there, sensei!”

In the distance, you could hear the muffled voices of women (perhaps three?) conversing with Hoshi-sensei and Miwa-san as you prepared his tea, and in the dark recesses of your mind, an ember of recognition briefly sparked.

Humming softly, you took hold of the cup and made your way back into the store front, a welcoming smile on your lips. “Here’s your tea sensei-!”

The moment your (e/c) eyes met the shocked irises of blue, violet, and brown, you forgot about the tea, about your sensei and friend, about the entire world. Time froze, everything coming together and falling apart in a matter of agonizingly drawn out seconds, the tea cup in your hands slipping from your grasp.

No, no, no it can’t, they can’t be, NO…

With a resounding crash of the tea cup shattering on the floor, time sprinted forward to resume its traditional speed and the situation at hand followed closely behind without a second to recover. None of you could look away from one another, the three women standing across the shop from your position gazing at you with hesitant wonder, shimmers of hope glimmering weakly in their eyes.

To speak proved to be an emotionally taxing chore as Makio’s lips trembled with effort, such brokenness in the voice you remembered as confident and brash.

“Y/N-chan?”

~~~

A/N: So, Part 4 anybody? *runs for cover*

Comments, reblogs, likes are always welcomed and cherished!

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imagin8 · 1 year

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A DEMON SLAYER CHRISTMAS SPECIAL pt 5

Inspired by "Christmas shopping nightmares" by Brandon Rogers

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

Part 6

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lady-makio-academy-official · 13 days

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#makio uzui #makio #kny makio #makio kny #makio kimetsu #makio Kimetsu Academy #kimetsu academy #uzui makio #Kimetsu no Yaiba #demon slayer #anime and manga #manga art #manga panel #manga #makio academy

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vexinghearts · 6 months

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My style is SLOWLY getting better 💕

The red beads connecting her haori are from Gyomei. The red beads are prayer beads, gifted to her when she was 7-8 y/o after Gyomei felt she needed the extra protection ( as if 4 Shinobi weren't enough to protect her 💀 /jk )

#Masako || 𑁍#demon slayer #kimetsu no yaiba #kny #gacha #gacha oc #demon slayer oc #kny oc #gacha life #gacha life 2 #gacha life 2 revamp #gacha mod #gacha nox #gacha club #gyomei kny #tengen kny #makio kny #suma kny #hinatsura kny

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imu-chan · 1 year

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It’s one of Uzui’s wives who tells Kyojuro.

They’re not at an official hashira meeting, more an informal one between a few friends, arranged by Uzui and Kanroji. Kyojuro was delighted to attend, eager to socialize after his months of slow healing and recuperation from his last mission. Even though he was still getting used to people looking at his eye patch, he wanted to spend the day with as many friends as he could.

He brought along his brother and the three (he supposed it was four, if you counted the demon Nezuko) kanoe from his last harrowing mission aboard the Mugen Train. To his delight, young Tokito was in attendance, and Kyojuro was hoping the kanoe and his brother might help the Mist Hashira expand his non-existent social circle. For now, Tokito seemed to be at least tolerating Inosuke and his feral behavior, so he supposed that was a good start.

Kanroji had arranged a large suncover that stretched out over the roof, so everyone could feel the breeze and smell the wisteria of the courtyard, but Nezuko would be safe from the direct sunlight. The little girl was delighted to stretch her legs and run about, getting a rare chance to act her age.

For the past half hour or so, Kyojuro had been enthusiastically chattering with Suma about various topics, the retirement of Tengen, her plans to start a garden at their house, his family and what they were up to. She’d been genuinely happy when he told her how his father had been doing well, actually making slow steps to becoming a humane person again, although he didn’t say that last part aloud.

A shriek tore through the courtyard, and they both peered over to where Senjuro and Zenitsu were attempting what looked to be some kind of clapping/chanting hand game, which Senjuro seemed to be winning. Zenitsu shrieked yet again as he missed the next motion, and Senjuro laughed at his newfound friend’s exasperation.

It was nice for Kyojuro to catch up with the Tengens, as he so rarely got to see friends and family who weren’t in the Demon Slayer Corps. While Makio had been cooing over the youngsters (mainly Nezuko, who seemed to adore her right back) and Hinatsuru had been glued to Uzui’s side, clearly still concerned about his injuries, Suma was easily the most social of them and could talk anyone’s ear off.

Which is how he found out.

“ — thinking about stopping by the Butterfly Mansion, because Hinatsuru is still worried about Tengen’s arm healing right, she’s fussy with all of us, really, plus we all love to see the little butterfly girls and Aoi-kun! Well, they’re not very fond of Tengen still, but I’m sure they’ll come around eventually. I tell you, I’d snatch them up and keep them if I could! Too bad they couldn’t make it today, but poor Kocho-san has her hands full with Tomioka-san—OW!!”

Makio had appeared out of nowhere and laid a harsh chop to the back of Suma’s head, her eyes crinkling with annoyance as Suma started whining at her. Her eyes darted to Kyojuro, taking in his startled face, and she made an aggravated sound in her throat.

“Suma, you’re the worst blabbermouth I’ve ever met,” she said harshly, and Suma’s eyes began shining with tears. “Honestly, we had one task!”

“Ma-Makioooooo…..” Suma started to wail, gaining the attention of young Kamado, who popped up at Kyojuro’s elbow with a curious expression on his face.

“What happened?” He asked, glancing at his mentor, his face slacking at Kyojuro’s blank expression. The Flame Hashira found his voice.

“Tomioka-san? The water hashira Tomioka-san? He’s been injured?” He’d never heard of such a thing before.

Makio turned her face from where she was almost violently shaking Suma. She looked revolted that he’d acknowledged what Suma said, and she weakly conceded, “Ah, no one was supposed to say anything,” she shot another scathing look at Suma, “Kocho-san didn’t even like that we found out about it.”

Tanjiro leaned in. “Tomioka-san is hurt? It’s not bad, is it?” His eyebrows creased in concern.

All the way across the courtyard, Zenitsu whipped around from his clapping game with Senjuro and made a level 5 panic face.

“TANJIRO! Who got hurt?!” He shrieked at the top of his lungs, gathering everyone’s attention. Kyojuro reminded himself to be careful what he said when Zenitsu was within a mile of him.

Makio growled in her throat, whirling on her fellow kunoichi . “Now look what you’ve done. Birds of a feather, the two of you!”

All other eyes shifted to Kyojuro and Tanjiro, who was still looking at Makio, who was once again pummeling Suma like one does a hand drum. Suma wailed. “I-I DIDN’T MEAN TO, ITWASANACCIDENT, MAKIOUOUOU!”

Kanroji tiptoed over, biting her lip. Before anyone else could start talking and asking questions, Tengen’s sharp voice cut through the crowd. “For the sake of everything shiny in this world, CALM DOWN!”

Kyojuro felt Tanjiro’s fingers holding onto his sleeve tightly. Makio shot them one last sympathetic look before she turned away from everyone, embarrassed at the attention. Suma sat next to her on the ground, sniffling.

Tengen and Hinatsuru came closer, as though Tengen meant to make it more of a secret, but the whole group was now at least a little intrigued by the situation, so really everyone just tightened into a smaller circle. Muichiro even allowed Kanroji to hoist him piggyback.

Tengen coughed with aggrandized effort. “Jeez, a ruckus like this over fucking Tomioka.” His eyes met Kyojuro’s with tired ease. “Apparently Tomioka’s the latest hashira who showed up to Kocho’s place on the brink of death. He’s fine, he’s fucking fine—“ he replied to the looks of alarm he received.

Zenitsu shook Kanroji’s shoulder and asked who they were all talking about. She explained, and Kyojuro realized he was the only one who didn’t really know Tomioka, even as a face. Zenitsu groaned, and his hands started shaking.

“Not again. Another one of the hashira taken out of the ring?! There’s no chance for us. At this rate we’re all demon food! We’re all dead meat!”

“Don’t think like that,” Senjuro assured him. “This is only what we’ve heard so far, it could be a very different story by now.”

“You mean it could be WORSE.” Zenitsu bemoaned. He really was meant to train under Tengen, Kyojuro thought. Such a flair for the dramatic.

“But — he’s gonna make it, right?” Tanjiro asked nervously.

Tengen scoffed. “Obviously. If my mans Kyojuro can survive a hole through the chest, then Tomioka’s in the clear. That stubborn brat could probably survive a dip in a volcano. He’s been in worse shape, I’m sure. We all have.”

“Did you see him, though? With your own eyes?” Tanjiro persisted.

Tengen shrugged and flicked his eyes at his closest wife. “Not me. Hinatsuru did, for a split second.”

Kyojuro felt his other arm being tugged, and turned to see Senjuro ushering him to a stool he’d pulled up. “You look sick, aniki.”

He sat, feeling a bit better, barely noticing when a very small Nezuko crawled up his leg and into his arms, where she curled up for a nap. He couldn’t collect his thoughts. “He’s with Kocho-san, though?” He managed.

Hinatsuru rubbed her fingers together in a strange motion, like she was milking a cow with one hand, curling her joints and furrowing her own brow. Kyojuro absently wondered if she was twirling an imaginary weapon of some kind.

She answered, “Yes. He was in pretty rough shape from what I saw, but I don’t know what exactly happened to him. It could’ve been anything. I only walked into the wrong room on accident. Kocho-san was a little annoyed with me, but she wasn’t…” Her voice faded, waiting for the right word to come. “….scared. She looked worried, but not scared, like she thought he was in immediate danger. I could be wrong, I don’t know either of them very well.”

A pause, then Kanroji piped up nervously. “Why would it be such a secret if she wasn’t worried about him?”

Hinatsuru and Makio exchanged looks, then looked away from each other. Makio ventured, “He’s probably too weak for visitors, is my guess. Kocho-san hardly let us in to see Tengen while she treated him, even when he was in the clear. She’s become more cautious, I think. I wonder if something happened to put her guard up.”

Realization hit Kyojuro like a brick to the skull. “He may have been struck by a powerful blood demon art,” he voiced his thoughts, assembling his distant memories. He and Senjuro briefly met eyes. “I was treated for an injury when I was younger, when I first joined the corps. A blood demon art caused my heart to make too much blood for my body, but Kocho—Kanae-san, that is, had a solution that healed me in only two weeks.”

Zenitsu asked. “What solution?”

Senjuro looked like he might be sick. “You don’t want to know.”

“He’s right, you don’t!” Kyojuro added. “It’s unpleasant to say the least. The key component to any successful recovery is privacy and patience. Sometimes the best way out is slowly.”

Inosuke snorted. “Water-man is worth a whole freakin’ army. No way he’s going down that easy.”

“I concur, boar-boy, Tomioka-san is more than capable of getting back on his feet. But, I wonder…one is very vulnerable when so badly injured. Since Uzui’s retirement and my hiatus, the corps can’t afford to lose any other hashira. Kocho-san may just be taking extra precautions.”

His logic seemed to turn the mood from morbidly intrigued to reassured and satisfied. Tokito and Kanroji, the only active hashira present, both seemed to be processing this news seriously, or at least Kanroji was. Her eyes were wild with some intense emotion, while Kyojuro couldn’t even guess the thoughts of the blank-faced Mist Hashira.

Zenitsu seemed suddenly miffed. “Wait, Tengen-san, how could you betray Lady Shinobu’s confidence like this?! She works really hard to help people, and you’re acting like her wishes don’t even matter!!” He semi-screeched towards the end, which Kyojuro couldn’t even hear, it was so high out of his limited hearing range.

“Uh, first of all, I didn’t. Suma’s the one who spilled.”

Tengen didn’t say it in a particularly accusatory way, but Suma gazed at him with freshly wet eyes, mumbling high-pitched apologies. He gently patted her head, and she tried to calm herself.

“Second of all, I told you all in a very dramatic and flashy way, so I think that cancels out at least 60% of the moral ambiguity. And third, I’m fairly certain that nobody present wants to spend time fretting over freaking Tomioka, of all people. He’d probably hate that we all even know something about him, especially that he’s hurt. That’s how he is. Let the street cat lick his wounds, he’ll be back in no time.”

Kyojuro still feels mostly surprised, taken aback by the bad news, but he also feels a twinge of sympathy for the water pillar. The way Uzui worded it, it sounded like Tomioka-san had nobody there to support him while he was in hospice; even at his lowest, the Water Hashira didn’t have a single person wondering if he was okay, praying for his speedy recovery, or even just visiting him.

Tengen snapped his fingers loudly for attention. “I’m serious, y’all better quit your old-lady fretting. This is a freaking party, let’s act like it!”

With that, people fell back into whatever they were doing previously, and before long a crowd of Tengen’s Mighty Mice delivered a buffet of food for supper, which brought everyone to the table to eat. Kyojuro gladly fed his appetite (so much better than medicinal mixtures), but noticed Tanjiro next to him, chopsticks still in one piece, fiddling with the food in his bowl, his delicious steaming oyakodon going uneaten.

“Young Kamado, aren’t you hungry?”

Tanjiro glances up at him, then back to his bowl. “Yeah…I just hope Tomioka is okay. I’ve never heard of him being hurt before, even a mild injury. If he really has been hit by a blood demon art…” The boy exhales deep in his stomach, and finally separates his chopsticks. When he speaks again, his voice is thick. “I just hope he’s okay.”

Kyojuro’s heart warmed at the compassion in his tsuguko’s face. Tanjiro surely had been the child of top-tier parents. “The news surprised me as well! I recall Tomioka breaking his arm in training, and he didn’t so much as slow down. I don’t even know if he was treated for it. It’s definitely unusual for him to accept help.”

Tanjiro brightened a little, always one for a story. “You guys trained together?”

“We did, for a few summers. We were probably close to Nezuko’s age. Some retired hashira offer conditioning and technique training at their homes, for in-between big missions and while recovering, occasions like that. You might consider visiting one, I think you would benefit immensely!”

Tanjiro smiles at that, all sunshine, and Kyojuro affectionately ruffles his hair. The boy finally eats, downing at least three oyakodon bowls to Kyojuro’s six katsudon (they grow up so fast). When the sun began to fade, people either headed off to the roads or inside the Wisteria House to retire for the night.

Maybe it’s because of Tomioka’s inexplicable injuries, maybe it’s because the kids were half asleep and digesting monstrous amounts of noodles and vegetables, maybe it was just his gut instinct. Kyojuro declared they would stay the night as well, rather than walk through the black, swelling night.

They all fit into two smaller rooms, Inosuke, Tanjiro, and Zenitsu taking one and leaving Senjuro and Nezuko to share with Kyojuro. Tanjiro usually wanted to stay right beside his sister, so it humbled Kyojuro that his tsuguko inherently trusted him with someone as important to him as Nezuko.

Kyo actually preferred this arrangement, since the three kanoe could handle themselves, and he himself could protect Senjuro and Nezuko, even though Nezuko was plenty capable. He felt a protective instinct kicking in, the familiar warmth of trust emanating from his roommates.

Senjuro slept across from him, on his side, and Nezuko curled up in a pile of blankets and cushions in between the brothers, close enough to Kyojuro that he could touch her tiny little demon hand. His eyes began to close, but he reached out just one finger and curiously tapped Nezuko’s palm. She didn’t open her eyes, but shifted a little closer to him sleepily.

Kyojuro couldn’t help his little grin at her. Seriously, one of the cutest beings he had ever seen in his life. How he ever thought this absolute angel should be executed was beyond him. He fell asleep to the smell of wisteria and the gentle clash of wind chimes outside the walls. The moon crawled higher and higher, and watched over all those inside the house as they slept.

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