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monochromatica · 1 year ago

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Flowers

ShinoMitsu Week 2023 Day One

A/N: I was going to do magic, but I couldn’t get the world building right. I think this turned out pretty cute at least. I mostly used this Wikipedia page for info on Hanakotoba, so if something isn’t exactly right, that would be why. Thanks for reading! Word Count: 2,118

Shinobu was doing some light reading before bed when she heard a knock at her door. With an inaudible sigh, she got out of bed and opened the door. Instead of finding a person, all she saw was a small bundle of flowers. She looked to either end of the empty hall before picking the flowers up. On quick inspection, she determined they were gardenias.

Perplexed, she scanned the hall once more before returning to her room. She set the flowers on her desk. Though she wasn’t sure what the meaning of this small gift was, she intended to put them in a vase come morning. It was given with care, tied with a little pink and green bow, she would treat the bundle with care in turn.

***

Shinobu was working on a particularly fickle experiment when she heard a knock against her laboratory door. She called out, asking for just a minute to make sure her sample culture was stable before opening the door. Again, she saw no one and at her feet was another bundle of flowers tied in pink and green ribbon. The flowers today however, were different.

Pale yellow tsubaki blossoms, petals soft beneath Shinobu’s fingertips. Again she scanned the hall, and again she stood alone. She added the tsubaki to the vase of gardenia she kept by the window in her bedroom.

***

Though Shinobu had grown fond of Tanjirou and the others, they simply had too much energy. In an effort to find but a moment of peace to combat the headache she felt steadily pulsating against the back of her eyes, she went to the place she usually went when she wanted a moment to herself. The roof.

She hadn’t meant to, but she had dozed off and when she awoke, beside her laid a bundle of vivid carnations tied in the same pink and green ribbon as before. It was then that it dawned on Shinobu that perhaps these flowers had more meaning than she realized. The only problem was, she didn’t know what that meaning could be.

***

Shinobu had heard Kanae talk about Hanakotoba, the art of expressing oneself through flowers, on occasion, but she had always had far more interested in the medicinal properties of plants. Now as she struggled to understand the meaning of these flowers, she found herself wishing she had paid more attention to her sister’s explanations. She had found them unnecessary at the time, but now she felt terribly out of the loop. She couldn’t dare ask any of the other girls for assistance in deciding whatever messages these flowers held, that would be her admitting she didn’t know something and she couldn’t let that happen.

She thought she could recall Kanae having a book dedicated to flower language in her room, but all she found was a gap in the shelf where the book would be.

Curious.

Shinobu decided then that whoever was in possession of the book, was the one leaving her flowers. She asked each of the Butterfly Girls of the book’s whereabouts first, thinking they were prime suspects. Each claimed to not know where the book was, but Kanao and Kiyo were suspicious.

Shinobu didn’t think they were capable of lying to her, Kanao especially, but they both denied knowing who had the book even though their faces betrayed their involvement… as well as the flowers they held in their hands.

Bluebells and white anemone.

Shinobu thought she had caught them red handed, but according to Kiyo, they had been instructed by someone else to make sure the flowers found their way to her. When questioned on who this person was, both girls clammed up, but shared a conspiratorial glance that made Shinobu’s smile twitch.

Fine, keep your secrets, but Shinobu swore she would figure this out. Someone would crack or slip up eventually and she would be there.

***

Shinobu was convinced that everyone knew what was going on at this point besides herself and it was driving her crazy. She never could have dreamed her girls could be so conniving.

For the next several days she received a bundle of flowers tied in the same pink and green string and she was no closer to understanding the message of the flowers, nor finding out who was responsible for sending them to her.

She thought she almost caught them in the act a couple of times. The instant she heard a knock on her door, she would speedily yank it open and catch a shape disappear around the corner. She would try to give chase, but someone was always around to intercept her.

When she heard the hushed, excited voices of the younger girls, she would try to listen in, or casually walk up to interrogate question them on what they were discussing. They would quickly excuse themselves to get back to their chores and scatter like rats. Shinobu was convinced this counted as some lesser form of mutiny.

Shinobu glared at the overflowing vase. Whatever message they represented might as well have been written in Greek. Shinobu wished it was Greek, rather. With all the Greek and Latin she came across in her studies, she would be able to at least get something out of it. Whether it was Prunus serrulata or the Pecteilis radiata, it didn’t matter how much she knew about the plant itself. Her bountiful knowledge yielded no hints for for something so abstract.

A tentative knock came from her door, distracting her from her brooding, but not enough that she cared to make an effort to sprint through the wall in hopes of catching another glimpse of her secret flower courier.

When she opened the door, instead of being greeted by a bundle of flowers, there was a note.

Meet me in the flower garden at sunset 💕

It would seem whatever game was being played around her was finally coming to an end if she understood the message correctly. It seemed straightforward enough, but she was still wary. Shinobu peered out of her window to gage the sky, she would soon receive the answers she had been looking for, and the explanation had better be satisfactory.

***

Shinobu arrived when the sky turned a rose-y pink and the sun had sunk far to the west, making the horizon look like it was bathed in fire. It was a beautiful evening.

She walked the gravel path, pausing when she saw Mitsuri of all people sitting on the wooden bench in the middle of the garden, fidgeting with a bundle of flowers in her hands. A quiet, disbelieving scoff left Shinobu’s lips and she shook her head briefly before crossing the remainder of the distance between them.

“Not you too, Kanroji-san,” Shinobu’s voice made Mitsuri jolt in her seat, almost dropping the flowers on the ground, “You must tell me who put you up to this. My girls have been aggravatingly tight-lipped about it.”

Poor, pink-faced Mitsuri gave an awkward laugh and shakily rose to her feet.

“I’m sorry about that! They were only trying to help me. I hope they aren’t in any trouble.”

“No,” Shinobu sighed, “As long as they are respectful, do their chores, and stay out of real trouble, what more could I really ask of them?” Shinobu’s eyes flickered away the sky back to Mitsuri, “They were helping you?”

“Mhm.” Mitsuri nodded quickly, shuffling closer to Shinobu with her bundle of flowers outstretched.

Ah, the pink and green string seemed to make more sense now at least, but…

“Kanroji-san,” Shinobu paused, then chuckled, carefully taking the bundle that seemed to be wearing so heavily on Mitsuri, “Thank you, for the flowers, all of them.”

“You’re welcome!” She squeaked, using her now empty hands to cover her face. “So, um, what do you think? How do you feel? Do you, could you, possibly feel the same, maybe?”

Shinobu’s head tilted to the side and she observed the flowers in her hands, colored much like the sunset that illuminated the sky, in hopes that whatever this was about would just naturally come to her, but she had no such luck. After a drawn out exhale, she answered.

“Alstroemeria, Alstroemeria aurea, more commonly referred to as the Peruvian lily or lily of the Incas. This plant is actually fairly toxic, as it produces a compound called tulipalin when cut. I hope you were careful in handling these, or you may get a rash.”

Mitsuri nodded quickly, but hid her hands behind her back.

“Come along, Kanroji-san. This flower may not be native to our country, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have anything that can help ease the discomfort.”

“Thank you…” Mitsuri blushed, embarrassed.

“I suppose I should say I’m telling you all of this as a way to tell you that although I know an extensive amount about each flower you have chosen to give me, I am embarrassed to say that I do not know what feelings they are meant to represent.”

“You don’t?!” Mitsuri squawked.

“Nope!” Shinobu answered cheerfully in an attempt to bury her shame. “Don’t stop walking, the sooner we get to my office, the sooner we can take care of your hands.”

Upon entering the room, the flowers were on full display by the window, looking just as fresh as the day they arrived due to a preservative Shinobu had added to the water.

The room was silent save for Shinobu carefully rummaging through a cabinet of creams. When she found what she was looking for, she helped Mitsuri rub it in and bandaged the more aggravated looking patches of skin.

“There we go,” Shinobu murmured, “I’ll send you home with a jar, but you better promise me you’ll come back if it doesn’t seem to be getting any better—”

“Those ones— they mean the connection I feel with you is so strong, that language is limited when trying to explain it!” Mitsuri spoke so fast, it took Shinobu a few extra seconds to catch up.

“Ah, is that so? That’s very sweet of you, Kanroji-san. Would you mind telling me about the others?”

Mitsuri’s mouth opened and closed, but the only sounds she could make were croak-y squeaks that only made her more flushed.

“MaybeanothertimeIhavetogobye!”

Mitsuri dove out of the open window, miraculously missing the vase as she did so.

“Oh dear, be careful!” Shinobu called after her, too stunned to do anything but watch Mitsuri haphazardly flail and zigzag around the garden before leaping over the fence and out of sight.

A knock against the doorframe was finally able to pull Shinobu away from the window, and when she turned, she was faced with Mitsuri’s co-conspirators.

“I think it’s time we gave you this.” Aoi said, nodding towards Kanao.

Kanao pulled a book from within her cloak and held it up to Shinobu.

“Thank you. I’ve been looking for that, although I think you all know this by now.” Despite the sweetness of Shinobu’s tone, the five girls squirmed under the intensity of her eyes.

“It was all for a good cause!” Sumi promised.

“We didn’t mean to give you a hard time!” Naho swore.

“It’ll all make sense soon!” Kiyo assured.

“You’ll see.” Kanao smiled shyly.

Shinobu looked over the group, then exhaled and looked down at the decorative cover of the book in her hands.

“Very well.”

***

Mitsuri had just finished reapplying the cream Shinobu had given her to her hands, reveling in the soothing, cool sensation. It had only been a couple days, but her hands were noticeably better already. Which was good because she didn’t think she could handle seeing Shinobu again so soon after bolting like that. How embarrassing!

She had just managed to twist the slippery cap back on the jar of cream when she heard a knock against her door.

“Who could that be?” She wondered aloud, “Just a second!”

She slid the door open and was met with vibrant color.

Sunflowers, pansies, peonies, forget-me-nots and a few familiar flowers including the lilies that had not agreed with her skin.

Then her eyes drifted above the vase, finding Shinobu smiling fondly at her wonderment, a faint blush gradually coloring her pale face.

“I wanted to return the favor, but to avoid the risk of my message being misinterpreted, I want to tell you that I also—“

“I love you!” Mitsuri shouted.

Shinobu had just enough time to grab the vase by the neck and hold it to the side before Mitsuri descended upon her with an almost bone-crushing hug.

“I love you so much!”

Shinobu melted into the hug, carefully draping her arms over Mitsuri’s back so the vase would stay upright.

“I love you too.”

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monochromatica · 1 year ago

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Your 25th Birthday | Multiple Characters

Characters: Obanai Iguro, Mitsuri Kanroji, Shinobu Kocho, Sanemi Shinazugawa, Kyojuro Rengoku, Zenitsu Agatsuma, and Kanae Kocho

Warnings: Angsty themes ahead! Takes place after the canonical events of Demon Slayer but in an au where the characters who died survive! Reader is crippled in a few of these ( Kyojuro's s/o especially has been through hell and is heavily implied to be paralyzed from the waist down. There are also implications that she's been burned, cut up, etc. ) so read at your own risk!

Summary: It's the night before their marked!s/o's 25th birthday! How do they spend it with them? 🤔

A/N: I wrote this scenario over on Wattpad for a special and I really liked how it came out so I wanted to share some of my favorite parts over here on Tumblr! Hope you enjoy it! 😁

"Do you think we'll meet each other in every life?" The question was whispered out in the dead of night as you sat on the engawa of your estate. Obanai sat next to you, being used for both support and a source of comfort. You watched the stars twinkle in the sky, a forgone look in your eyes that he's never seen before. It was unnerving to him since it felt like he was staring at a breathing corpse..

"Of course. If that's what you want, I'll find you in every life," He answered to which you hummed, your expression unchanging from the one of unsettling contentment.

"What if something happens to prevent us from being together?" You muttered grimly despite the smile painted on your face. Obanai was quicker answering this time around, "Nothing would prevent me from being with you. Nothing."

"Even if I'm a total jerk?" You questioned. He answers, "Even if you're a total jerk."

"Even if we're on opposite sides of the world?" You continued. He answers, "Even if we're on opposite sides of the world."

"Even if I turned into a man-eating demon and tried to eat you?" And then he pauses. You giggle at him despite the bad taste the lack of answer gives you and mutter out a soft, "Sorry. That was mean of me to ask. Forget—"

"Even.." This time, you pause. Your head bobbing back to look up at him and those marvelous mismatched eyes of his. He's already looking at you by that time. He's been doing so the entire time, never once glancing at the night sky since the two of you sat down.

He continues, "..Even if you turned into a man-eating demon and tried to eat me," He says, "I can't promise that we would be together in that life, but in the afterlife, I'd do everything in my power to make you the happiest person in the world."

You hadn't realized it until he moved his hand from your waist and started rubbing at your cheeks that you had started crying. Even when you did realize it, you didn't do anything besides let the tears fall because even if you wanted to wipe away the tears, you had long lost feeling in your arms to do so.

In the end, you smother your face into his haori, not caring that you suddenly felt the cool scales of Kaburamaru as he wrapped himself snugly—but not too tightly—around your neck.

"Thank you.." You sniveled as your tears wet his shoulder, "Thank you so much for loving me, Obanai.."

"Thank you for allowing me to love you, Y/n," He said back as he let you stain his shoulder with your tears.

"Awh, don't cry, pretty girl.. Not over me," You cooed as your fingers ran through the pink of Mitsuri's hair. She was hunched over on the bedside, face in your lap and her fat, wet tears dripping down her stained cheeks—passing the moles under her eyes that you love to kiss—and splashing onto your kimono.

She had worked so hard trying to mentally prepare herself for tonight, but when she entered the room and saw your tired, smiling face staring back at her, she broke down.

There was still so much she wanted to do with you! So many dates she wanted to take you on! So many foods she wanted to cook and try with you! So many firsts she still hasn't been able to take from you and so many firsts you haven't had the time to take from her! So many memories she still wanted to make with you!

Why can't she be given just a little more time with her sweetheart? She gets that this sacrifice was a necessary one and she wouldn't be here otherwise if it weren't for you pushing yourself the extra mile and saving her, but she can't help the sinking feeling of regret that drags her heart down to her stomach by a chain of sorrow at the thought of you leaving..

"I- I'm..so sorry.." She managed to say between sobs, "I'm.. I'm sorry...I.."

"Sorry for what, honey?' You asked her in a tender tone, "You haven't done anything wrong."

"I.. I.." She takes a moment, unable to form a proper sentence without choking on her own sobs, "I'm sorry for being such a horrible wife!" Now, you certainly weren't expecting that out of all things..

Your brows furrow as your hand stills in her hair, "You aren't a bad wife, honey," You said, trying your best to sound firm despite the slight tremor in your voice from exhaustion.

"Yes, I am!" She wailed, "I haven't been able to do anything for you! You.. You were always the one caring for me and I haven't been able to fulfill any of your needs or do anything you should be proud of!"

"Hey, hey, hey," You shushed, "Look at me..please," And she listens immediately like a puppy at your beck and call. She lifts her head, her big green eyes puffy and filled to the brim with tears despite the constant stream that flows down her pink, warmed cheeks.

"You are an amazing wife, alright? Marrying you was the best thing to ever happen to me," You told her, putting a slight pause between each word to better emphasize your statement. You used your fingers to urge her to come closer and she complies, inching closer until she's close enough so that you could cup her face.

"You simply waking up and smiling at me everyday is enough for me. Seeing you happy and healthy is enough for me, do you understand me?" You asked, the shake in your voice getting worse, "You've done everything to satisfy me. If anything, I should apologize to you for not granting your wishes."

What are you talking about? There's no way you seriously think that, right?

"No! Don't apologize!" Suddenly pushing herself up with her arms, her face suddenly got so close to yours that you had to move your had back so that you two didn't accidentally bump heads, "My wish was to marry someone who'd love me for me.. Wh-.. Who'd love my freakish strength and my weird hair color and my abnormal appetite and you've done that better than anyone ever could!" As she talks, her cool tears drip onto your warm hands and scatter upon contact, "You've made me feel like the most beautiful woman in the world and you've spoiled me at every turn! You've made my life feel like it was worth living, so please—!" She moves forward, wrapping her arms around your neck and putting her tearful face into your shoulder, "Don't downplay your hard work! I can't bear you doing that after you've given me so much to me!"

And with that, she crumbles all over again on your shoulder, and to your surprise, you do too. As her grip loosens and she slides down your body, ending with her head at your lap once again and bawling into it, you felt your eyes welling up with tears.

"Mitsuri.." Your throat began to ache from trying to keep your voice steady as your bottom lip began tremble. You tried to control yourself further by slapping your hand over your mouth to muffle a sob that threatened to slip from your lips, but your tears rolled from your eyes without your permission and down your hand, dripping onto your beloved before you could catch them with your other hand..

In the end, a particularly loud hiccup sounded your defeat and you bowed your head. Your hands sliding over your face as you cried with the former Love Hashira who you are grateful to call your spouse in this life.

"It's been a while since I've seen that expression on your face," You said as you gazed up at the prettiest woman you've ever laid your eyes on. Her thin brows dipped and wrinkling her smooth, porcelain-like skin just like the thin line she made with her lips, which you notice twitch just a tad at your comment.

She doesn't say anything to retort what you said. Not a witty remark or sarcastic, irritated utterance or a flowery deflection leaving her pink-painted lips. She simply gazes down in silence, her polished thumb rubbing lines into the back skin of your hand in a steady motion. It causes your eyes to frown and otherwise droop as you realize that your simple attempt at relieving the tense atmosphere in the room has failed.

"Shinobu," You call, "Can you smile for me?" And she listens, her brows lifting just like her lips as they form into that perfect smile that took her years to perfect. Just the sight of it makes you frown.

"Not like that. I want to see a genuine smile.." You mutter and just like that, her smile drops and her brows knit together once again. This time, though, it's all brought together by the vein flexing on her forehead.

"How am I suppose to do that when my wife is dying in front of me?" She asks, voice quiet and complimented by a vexed tone. In the past, you always hated when she got mad at you. Seeing her so visibly irked was frightening, even more so when it was directed at you..

But right now, hearing her angry tone and seeing her infuriated expression brought you nothing but comfort and caused your smile to return. She notices it and it pushes her to ask you in an exasperated tone, "How can you do that?"

You blink, confused "Do what?"

"Smile," She tells you, "You of all people know what's about to happen, but you still smile at me.."

"What's wrong with that? Can't I smile at the woman I fell head over heels for until I stop breathing?" You egg on and that little nudge is all she needs to be pushed over the edge and for her to explode and for tears of pure frustration to fill her eyes.

"Stop joking around!" Her voice comes out raised and aggressive, like an angry dog ready to attack someone. She must've realized that, because she grits her teeth and sucks in a breath. Taking a few seconds to collect herself a little before continuing. Her voice was still brimming with anger, but sounding more controlled.

"You're going to die any minute now. Don't you understand that? You're going to pass away and leave everything behind..you're going to leave me alone here.. You know all of that, yet you still smile at me without a hint of regret or sadness, and I'm sorry, but I can't stand looking at you like that!"

"Why would I have regrets?" You ask, "I achieved all my goals and did everything I wanted to do in this lifetime. Kibutsuji is dead. There are no more demons terrorizing the innocent. And, I was able to live the rest of my years surrounded by the ones I love and cherish. I even got the bonus of becoming a Kocho and marrying the woman of my dreams," You say, rubbing at your finger as the ring on it flashes in the moonlight that shines down through the singular window in the room, "What's there to regret?"

"What about the fact that everything is coming to an end? You won't be here to make memories with me or any of your friends or family?" As the tears fall down her cheeks, Shinobu finds herself balling her hands into fists. She despised crying, especially when in the presence of others, but she couldn't control herself. Like an immature little kid, she couldn't control her emotions and her boiled blood all the more because of it.

"I'll always be here, even if it's not physically," You told her softly and she starts matching your tone, although the agitation in hers is still so apparent.

"Be serious for one second, Y/n," She snapped, only for you to follow up with, "I've been serious this entire time, love."

Then her tone raises again, "No, you haven't!" And then it falls again as she lets out an embarrassing choke, "T- There's..no way you have. How could you possibly be fine with this?"

"Because I know that as long as the people I love are still here to remember me and value that time I spent with them, I'll never truly die.. At least..not in their eyes," You tell her, ignoring the fact that Shinobu is starting to become harder and harder to see by the second.

Shinobu sobs and chokes die down after a while. By that time, your eyelids started feeling like paper weights; unbearably heavy. You tried to play it off by blinking slowly, but your wife caught on quickly. She could tell you were hitting your limit and you thought that'd it make her anger spike again or cause her another breakdown, but neither happened. Instead she surprised you by curling her lips upwards. Her eyes were red from crying and you couldn't see it well, but the corner of her brows twitched. Her cheeks was also stained pink, likely from embarrassment of having broke down in front of someone, even if that someone was her own wife.

To put it frankly, she was a mess with a smile painted over it. But it was genuine and from the heart and that was enough to satisfy you.

The afternoon glow of the sky shone down on you as you stuck your hand, which had a handful of rice in it, out to a dog. Sanemi watched, looking like a little kid experiencing their first crush, as the dog barely hesitated to come closer and begin liking at your hand.

The scene was like a painting come to life. You were all dressed up in an expensive kimono he bought you. Your hair was styled in a way to match your attire and to frame your face, which was powdered in elegant, nice-looking makeup. And, you had a smile on your face as you gave the dog a similar look a mother would give her child while rocking them to sleep in her arms.

That thought reminded him of how he could never bring himself to make you a mother. How he feared that he wouldn't be able to bear the sight of your child, who'd undoubtedly resemble you in some kind of way, after your passing. Or, how he feared he'd accidentally end up just like his monstrous, asshole of a father and you'd stare at him with the same fright in your eyes as his mother did to his father.

He's not cut out to be a dad. Never was. And it's a shame because Sanemi knows you'd make an excellent mother. Thinking about it puts a bad taste in his mouth and in an attempt to rid himself of those thoughts, he huffs out a sigh and runs his fingers through his hair. He can't risk thinking of something so disheartening and make himself sad. You proposed taking a walk around to clear his head of such thoughts after all and he doesn't want your efforts to go to waste.

"Sanemi," He blinks. How long were you calling his name? He stares at you once again and this time, you're turned and staring over your shoulder at him, who's sat on the steps, your hand now running through the dog's fur. Your smile is still there, but your eyes are dimmed with concern. The sight makes him feel guilty as it dawns on him that he probably worried you.

"Are you alright?" You asked and he responds to you quickly, "I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

Maybe it was because of how fast he answered you, but you didn't seem convinced. You kept staring at him with a woeful, skeptical look and it broke him, so he rephrases his previous statement, "I was just..thinking about stuff."

"What kind of stuff?" You asked, your hand leaving the dog's at last and getting up from your crouched position in front of the dog, "Want to talk about it?"

"No," He replied, but you walked up to him and sat beside him on the steps anyways and he sighs and says, "I promise it's nothing. Today is your day, so let's do something that focuses on you."

He sees your smile widen, and he finds himself unable to keep eye contact with a work of art such as yourself. He looks away from you, the tips of his ears beginning to burn. He then hears that addicting laugh of yours and he feels his heart thrumming in his chest. Gosh, you were going to be the death of him..

"You're such a sweetheart," No he isn't, was what he wanted to say but decided against it to spare both of you an unnecessary argument. It's a known fact that he's the farthest thing from sweet. That said, when he's in your presence, he can't help but be overly gentle with you. He can't help but touch and caress you as if you were made of priceless gemstones. He can't help but pamper you like you're some kind of princess. That's probably why your perception of him is so skewed compared to others.

You are the only person alive who has that perception of him. You are the only person alive who can set his skin ablaze with something as simple as a poke of your finger. You are the only person alive who'd devote your limited time on making him feel the way you have. You are the only person alive who still saw him a kind light while whispering endearments and kissing him and feeling him years ago when many people around him saw him as a monster.

..And someone so kind, so caring, so compassionate..will no longer be in this world soon. You, who always looked at him like he was the most precious thing in the world will soon perish because you disregarded your own wellbeing during the war and gave your all to bring an end to that abomination named Muzan Kibutsuji.

"Y/n.." He calls, still not looking at you. You hum, waiting on him to continue. Certainly not expecting him to ask, "Would you be willing to waste another lifetime loving me?"

A silence grew between you two and Sanemi would be lying if he said that it didn't hurt not hearing a response from you. He expected it though.

"I don't have much to offer you in this life and I wouldn't be surprised if the same goes for the next. I also can't promise I'll act any better. ..Tch, there's a better chance that I'll be more of a prick in my next life—"

"I would," He grows silent, finally turning his head towards you so that he could look you in the eyes. So that he could scan your facial expression. So that he could find proof that you were lying in your statement just now. But, he doesn't find anything of the sorts and it makes him feel sick—repulsed—at how giddy he feels at the realization that you're dead serious.

"Although, I don't think it'd be a waste of a life," You continued as an afterthought, taking mind to the way he wraps his fingers around the hand that you are leaning on and being as delicate as always as he peels it away from the ground so that he could hold it in his hand.

"If you act even a little like you do now in your next life, I wouldn't mind spend all of eternity with you," He brings your hand up to his face, planting a kiss to the back of your hand before he presses the back of your hand to his forehead and tells you..

"..Thank you for being kind enough..to choose me again."

"You look radiating," He told you. It didn't make your frown turn upside down or even budge as you stared at yourself, sat in a wheelchair; a thick, flowery blanket draped over your legs to keep them warm—not that you could really feel the warmth. Sometime after your 23rd birthday, you stopped feeling the lower half of your body.

"I used to look radiating," You muttered dryly, your only functional eye moving to scrutinize every little scar and wrinkle that ruined your skin. Looking at them made your frown deepened as well as huff out a loud, long, breathy sigh; one that sounded just as tired as you looked in the mirror..

"I don't know why you still wanted me after the war. Look at me.."

"Okay!" Kyojuro said from behind you and just like he's told, his golden, fiery eyes give you a good, long look through the mirror. As the seconds turn into minutes, you find your face heating up. You were ashamed of yourself. Your once smooth skin was littered in painfully permanent cracks, bruises, and blemishes that were caused by mistakes against powerful demons. Your face had more wrinkles than a grandmother despite the fact that you were only in your mid-twenties. Your lips had scars so deep and dark that even the brightest-colored lipstick couldn't hide them.

To put it in simple terms, the sight of yourself made you want to barf.

"I've did what you wanted," He finally says, "Do you know what I see?"

"An ugly, disgusting hag?" You finish for him and you hear a gentle, warm laugh from behind you. It makes a wave of embarrassment ride through the ocean of your stomach. You were being laughed at by your husband. It was humiliating, but you didn't blame him. I mean, you were hideous in your eyes. You probably looked a thousand times worse to other people..

"I see a woman with beautiful eyes that shine like the sun whenever she's happy or proud or upset. A woman who's personality makes me laugh and feel loved and proud. A woman with lips softer than the clouds in the sky even though the words that come out of them usually aren't nearly as fluffy. A woman who's body I always fantasize holding and protecting no matter the attire that covers it. The woman who'd kick me on my butt during a spar and then fret for hours over me getting a tiny cut from chopping vegetables.."

"Y/n, I know that we don't see the same thing, but if I could give you my sight, I know that even you would grow flush from how absolutely breathtaking you are in my eyes."

"Stop," You snap, your head hung low, "Stop," You repeat, but your voice sounds more fragile; like glass cracking bit by bit.

"Stop what?" He crouches down and then slides over so that he's on his knees by your side. His smile is as bright as it was when you first met him all those years ago, "Stop praising my wife?"

"Yes because your wife looks like a freak of nature! A- A demon! A—!"

"—A woman who worked hard and gave her all and pushed past her limits so that me, my family, my friends, and the rest of the world could live in peace," He finishes and then continues, "A woman who sacrificed so much to make sure that no one has to suffer by the hands of a demon ever again.." As he spoke, admiration drips into his voice like sweet honey, "A woman I am honored to call my wife; you."

"Shut up!" You said as you shattered completely, tears filling your eyes without your permission, "Shut up.. Shut up.." You wept.

"I.. I'm not.." And in that moment, something else broke inside of you and you couldn't utter another word. Tears, snot—everything rolled violently down your face and in a pathetic attempt to hide that sight from the world, both of your hands come up to cover your face. And without missing a beat, Kyojuro, smiling from ear to ear, wraps his big, warm arms around you and encases your frail, upper half..

"I love you, Y/n. It truly was, and is, an honor to be your husband."

"What am I going to do, Y/n?" He found himself asking as he gazed up at you from where he laid in your lap. He had been, understandably, anxious and upset all day and to prevent him from wallowing in that sadness until your inevitable demise, you asked him to lay his head down in your lap and allow you to stroke his hair.

"You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. My life was a pathetic mess before I met you.." He shamelessly admits, "I'm nothing without you.."

"I'm positive that you'll be okay," You reassure, or at least, you try to. The look he gives you after you say that makes it clear that your words didn't make him feel better at all.

"Zenitsu, you may find it hard to believe, but you're a strong person. Why else do you think I'm so calm right now?" You ask, and he doesn't say anything as he's unable to find the right words to refute you. It's a step in the right direction, you think.

"I think my husband is more than able to fill my place when I'm gone. I know whatever decision he'll make without me will be from the best intentions. He'll be able to keep our family afloat, protected, and feeling loved and that's all I wish for," You continued, hoping to really drive your words into his head and ease his spirit. Alas, you should've known that Zenitsu will always find a way to be pessimistic whenever it came to himself.

"You overestimate me. I could never replace you," He mumbles, "Compared to you, I'm- Ow!" He sucks in a sharp wince through his teeth and his hand comes up to cover the top of his head which was now in pain. You had landed a firm flick to the center top of his head and to say that it hurt like a bitch would be an understatement.

"You underestimate yourself," You retort. Your hands peeling his away so that you could gently comb your fingers through that area of his scalp as if to nonverbally apologize. He accepts the apology quickly and his hands go back to fiddling with each other atop his stomach.

"I just..don't get what you see in me.." He finally confesses, "I'm overjoyed that you were willing to marry me and even have my kids. It's just..I don't see why you'd do that.." And you sigh at him and he sees you shake your head.

"Hopefully you will eventually.." You say as you lean down. Zenitsu eyes fall close involuntarily and after a moment, he feels you brush aside his hair and press your lips to his forehead. Even when you part from him, he could still feel tingles..

As you straighten your position and gaze down at your husband once again, you can't help but chuckle at the sight of him looking up at you with his face sparkling in a strawberry blush and his pupils glowing with his love for you. There's also the silly look of his bangs being pushed away to reveal the big red kiss-shaped stain in the center that really pulls the sight together.

He looked like an idiot in love, which I guess isn't too far from the truth.

"My wish is that one day, you'll be able to look in the mirror and see what I've seen for almost an entire decade; a tough, talented, stunning man with a personality like no one I've ever seen and a heart of gold to boot."

"How are you feeling?" Kanae asked, sitting at your bedside. The question earns a grin from you.

"However one is supposed to feel when they're about to die," You replied and you notice your girlfriend's expression change to one of realization to a more abashed look.

"I'm sorry, that was a pointless question.." She mumbled and your shoulders shook a little from you trying to control your laughter.

"No, no. It's okay, love. You were just trying to make sure I was comfortable," You said before patting the bed, "Now, c'mon. I wanna lay with you one last time."

Her smile drops completely at that. One last time..right. This will be the last time you two will be able to do this..or do anything together. Her teeth grits behind her lips at the thought. She won't be able to spend anymore time with you. No more dates or little walks or tending to the garden together. When you're gone, that'll be the end of all of that..

It's hard to accept, but not accepting it would be immature and that's the last thing she is. And so, although reluctant, she gets up, crawls into bed, and lays by your side. You waste no time in pulling her closer until her chest hits yours and you're able to lean your head into her shoulder.

There's a silence for a while as you simply take the time to breathe in her scent. She always smelled so nice, like the flowers she grows in the garden. It's light, not too potent, but addictively sweet.

"Man, this sucks," You murmur, "Dying just before the big battle.. How unlucky is that?" She seriously couldn't believe you and she couldn't help but show it on her face for a moment. You were about to die and what you're upset about..is not being able to fight against Kibutsuji? It leaves a bad taste in her mouth knowing that in the end, you're thinking of someone like him instead of..

No. Perish the thought, Kanae. Thoughts like that are selfish and infantile. As a demon slayer, you of all people should understand that feeling of discontentment.

"Forgive me for saying this, but I'm actually glad that you'll have to opt out of this fight," She says and you hum as your interest is peaked, "And why is that? Because you don't want me to get hurt?" You ask and she nods against you.

"Of course," She says and you huff at how dumb your question was. You then mumble out, "Right.."

Silence envelopes the room once again like an awkward hug. Neither of you knew what to say. There were things you could say, but since you were both trying to avoid sobbing into each others' arms for the rest of the night, neither of you said them aloud. On the other hand, trying to force this half-assed casual conversation doesn't feel the best..

And so, you let out a shaky breath in an attempt to quell your nerves as you whisper to her, "I'm scared, Kanae.. I don't want to die.."

And her grip around you tightens as she whispers back, "I'm scared too. But, it's okay if we're both scared because that means we can comfort each other for the rest of the night,"

You can feel her hands trembling on your thigh and you crane your neck so that you can get a full glance at her smile which poorly covered her nervous expression in the darkness. Seeing it kind of felt like a breath of fresh air..

"I'd like that.." You said in the end, "I'd like that a lot.."

Dividers were made by me, pictures used are from Pinterest, post formatting is inspired by @xxsabitoxx

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