#no not even kimono hill

[lovedaruma]

their spot ♥︎

sukuna x princess! reader

ー in which you and sukuna meet when he unintentionally saves you and you continue to meet him everyday in the same spot.

fem! reader, heian era, grumpy x sunshine, reader is innocent and playful, fluff + short smut

"Your Highness! Please don't go too far!" you hear your personal maid shout from the distance as you continue to run, laughing and waving her goodbye.

Any other princess wouldn't be allowed to go into the wilderness on her own, but as for Y/N, her family could not care less if she went missing the next morning.

You have already wandered through so many paths, yet there was still more to explore. You take a new route and stumble on an open area, seeing a hill in the distance and couldn't help but gawk at the beautiful area.

You cheerfully run towards the hill, taking a few breaths once you reached the top. From this height, you could see the beautiful view of the ocean, together with the breathtaking sunset. "Oh my..."

The sun continued to set as you watched from underneath the tree, sitting in a comfortable position. The comforting sounds of nature soon make you drift of to sleep.

A growl from the distance awakes you from your slumber. You jolt awake to see that the moon was already up in the sky. "Gosh, how many hours have passed?"

The sound of your voice summons another growl and you start to get nervous. You turn around and look down at the hill and see a big wolf that was twice your size, bright red eyes trying to scare you. However, you were too distracted at the sight of the furry animal.

"Oh my, It's a wolfy! Come boy, come!" you wave your hand, beckoning the wolf to come closer. It hesitates but slowly starts to approach you. "Here boy... I'm nice, I swear!"

The wolf is now in front of you sniffing your leg, you bring your hand to his neck and started scratching. "Aren't you a cutie~ I'm gonna name you-"

Your words were cut off as you watch the wolf get sliced in half, the blood splattering on your kimono.

"Tch."

A voice was heard from behind the wolf, you see a handsome man with four arms and eyes, marks which seemed like tattoos all over his body.

"Hey~ Why did you kill the wolfy?" you whined.

"Shut up, Human. What are you doing here?"

". . ."

He furrows his brows and growls, "Answer."

"But you said shut up." you smile playfully, clearly teasing him.

"You... Do you know who you're talking to?" He slowly approaches you.

He was trying to intimidate you with this slow steps but was shocked to see you stand up and walk over to him instead.

"Well, No! You haven't introduced yourself yet. I'm Y/N. What's your name?" you reach out your hand as you introduce yourself.

". . ."

". . ."

You watch as his four eyes stare at you, trying to figure you out. You smile up at him and put your hand down.

"Well you don't have to tell me if you don't want to! I still would like to know why you killed the cute wolf though..." you pout as you look over at the furry body in pieces.

"You foolish woman. That wolf was going to make you its dinner." he glares at you, "And this area here is mine. I slaughter everything and everyone that trespasses."

He raises one of his hands to kill you in one swoop, but stops as you perk up and grab one of his hands in joy.

"Oh, so you saved me?! Thank you, kind stranger." you give his hand a small squeeze to show your appreciation.

He stares at both of your hands together for a few seconds before he smacks your hand away, "Tch, How dare you touch me."

You pout as you rub your wrist, "Oh, my apologies . It was bad manners of me to grab you without asking. I'll do that next time!"

"Hah, next time?" He chuckled pure evil, "There will be no next time. Don't think you're coming out of here alive, human."

"That can't be, I have to repay you! You saved me, after all... Even though I don't have much influence, I'm still a princess!"

"Princess? Stop lying woman. The only child I know of royalty here is a prince."

"Yeah~ That's my brother!" you smile, unbothered that people weren't aware that there was a princess in the first place. "And I have a name, you know."

A few seconds of silence pass, him just staring at you. He scoffs and turns to walk away. "Leave."

You were about to retort back but realized how far in the night it is so you stand up and call out to him, "Hey~ I'll be back here tomorrow okay?"

You laugh as you see him turn his head to scowl at you.

The next day soon arrives and you're back at the same spot on the beautiful hill. You sit down under a tree and bask in the view.

The silence was interrupted by a familiar voice. "You have a death wish, huh?"

"Hey there! Come, sit!" you giggle and pat the spot next to him.

"Tch, this is where I usually sit, woman." He scoffs as he sits down, not showing he was curious at the human interacting with him.

"So... I heard a few guards talking about a certain king of the curses...." you side-eye him, smiling playfully. "Hehe, what even is your name?"

"Ryomen Sukuna. Remember the name of the one who's gonna kill you." He smirks.

"Then why haven't you killed me yet?" you tilt your head.

"I'll have my fun with you for now. You're quite the peculiar human."

"Oh, tell me in advance when you're gonna kill me then, Sukuna!"

"You..." he glares, "Do you not value your life?"

"Meh, not really... No one would miss me anyway." I frown, but a smile quickly replaces it, "So I've decided to just live to the fullest. If I die today, at least I had fun yesterday~"

Sukuna stays silent as he watches you cheerfully talk about death with his brows furrowed. You hum a tune while enjoying the comfortable silence for a few minutes and then turn to look at him.

Your lips part when you continue to stare at him, his features complimenting his handsome face. Sukuna, for some reason, found it hard not to look back at your stare. After a while, he turned his head to look back into your eyes.

You flinch as his eyes look into yours. Your cheeks tint at his intimidating state and you give him a shy smile.

"So... um... what's... your favorite color...?"

Silence fills the air at the random question, and your cheeks tint even more. You let out a small laugh at your own embarrassment.

Sukuna takes a peek at the warm flush of your cheeks and lets out a huff, "Red."

You whip your head to him and flash a bright smile, "That really suits you! Mine is white hehe~"

". . ."

"So... what do you like to ea-"

"Shut up."

You zip your lips shut and sit more comfortably next to him. The silence was so oddly comforting that you drifted off to sleep. Your head slowly leaning to to direction Sukuna was sitting.

His shoulder was too high for your small figure, so your head rested on the side of his arm. Sukuna looked down, careful not to move his arm. "Tch, unbelievable."

Although he looked annoyed, he didn't move his arm for the rest of his time there.

You wake up and your eyes slowly open. The sun in the horizon has just set and the moon is starting to peak into the sky. Your head lifts up from an... arm?

"Wha..." you let out a yawn.

You hear a scoff, "Why did you sleep for so long?"

"S-Sukuna?!"

You put the pieces together and realize that Sukuna let you sleep on his arm until you woke up. The thought of that making your cheeks warm.

"Sukuna... that's so sweet of you!" you show a downturned smile to express how grateful you were.

He scowls at you and in a blink, he disappears.

"He didn't even let me say bye..."

You arrive at the same spot under the tree on the hill. Surprisingly, you see Sukuna already there.

"You're here!~"

He opens two eyes to see your figure running towards him. He sighs and shuts his eyes again, slowly getting used to his human's presence.

You stop right in front of him, admiring his face once more, being less embarrassed now that his eyes were shut. Soon, you give into your temptation.

"Sukuna..."

He opens an eye.

"Can I touch you now? I asked first this time!" you clasp your hands and interwine your fingers to say please.

He scoffs and shuts the eye. You frown letting out a small 'Hmp' of sulk.

"I didn't say no."

You gasp in excitement and reach out your hands to his face. Your fingertips gently touch his face. You didn't notice the subtle flinch Sukuna did.

Your fingers trace the marks on his face. He exhales from his nose, the air hitting your skin making you feel warm inside. You slowly lift your thumbs to caress the area next to his bottom eyes, the rest of your fingers at the back of his ear. You couldn't help but hum a small 'woah~' in admiration.

"Your eyes are beautiful." Flustered at your own words, your cheeks tint in embarrassment.

His eyes open, both of you staring into each other. He glares at you and whips his head to the side, your hands still on his face. "How absurd."

"It's true..." You let out a chuckle and kneel down next to him. This time, you trace the marks on his arms.

What you didn't notice earlier was how Sukuna's cheeks warmed up at your compliment, with the same grumpy face. He shook his head and sighed, focusing on the feeling of your skin on his.

The rest of the day you just held onto his hand tracing lines and giving light massages while bringing up small conversation topics. He gave small answers, but you were overjoyed at your interactions.

Two weeks have gone by since then. As the days continued, Sukuna began to warm up more to you, talking to you in longer sentences and not telling you to shut up anymore. You were currently on your way to meet him again. Meanwhile, Sukuna was starting to realize his feelings for you.

"Princess Y/N, Please! Finish your food before you go!" The maid sighs as she watches you run away. She looks over at the unfinished plate, wondering what in the wilderness is so interesting to her highness.

As she takes a closer look in the plate, she gasps. "Oh my heavens! T-This is... The Princess is allergic to this!"

Without a care in the world, you skip towards Sukuna's spot, excited to meet your king of the curses.

"I'm here!"

Insted of sitting in his usual spot, he was standing near the cliff, looking at the horizon.

"Sukuna! you admiring the view?"

He doesn't reply and you look at his back, confused. The dark clouds in the sky let out a thunder.

"How dare you."

"W-What?"

He turns around and scowls, "How dare you make me feel- Ugh."

"Huh?" you say confused, raindrops start dropping on both of you.

In a flash, he disappears from where he was standing and was now in front of you. His hand swiftly attacks for your neck but he quickly stops and is an inch away from your skin.

You flinch, but don't move. you give him a chuckle.

"Sukuna... I told you in advance to tell me first before you kill me." you laugh.

He growls in frustration and puts his hands down. "Ugh..."

"But... As strange as it may seem, the time I spent with you was the happiest I've ever been. Thank you for showing me kindness, even in your own way. Farewell, Sukuna. I will never forget you!"

You stand on your tip toes and met your lips with his. It was just a gentle peck, but it sent shivers down her spine.

"Idiot."

As you pull away, content, you couldn't bring yourself to look him in the eyes. 'I wonder what face he's making right now', the thought making you smile. You grab the same hands that tried to attack you earlier and wrapped them around your neck.

"Huh?" you look up at him confused, only to be more confused as you analyzed his face.

'He looks... troubled? I'm not so sure'

He pulls his hands away from your neck and sighs. He grabs you arms and rests his head on the crook of your neck, inhaling your scent. "What kind of sick curse is this..."

". . . Sukuna?"

Although he wasn't exactly hugging you, you wrap your arms around him and hug back. The rain hitting the both of you as you warm up in each other's arms.

". . . I'm confused, are you still killing me or not?"

". . . Pft."

You gawk as you hear Sukuna let out a chuckle. Seeing his lips turn up was a better view than the horizon behind them.

You look up at him and smile, "Hehe, you still haven't answered m-"

The moment was interrupted when you cough out blood. A sudden burning sensation you feel in your chest. You let go of him to hold your chest in pain, your body slouching as you groan.

"D-Damn...I-I shouldn't have-ugh... ate those."

"Y/N?!"

The sound of his name flow out of his voice made your heart flutter but the pain overpowers that.

"Agh-" You drop to the floor, "Don't w-worry, these are just allergies."

He gets on his knees and uses his reverse cursed technique to heal you from your suffering. The pain was too much for you to handle though, and you pass out in his arms.

You jolt awake in your room, looking around confused.

"Sukuna?"

You call out for him but nothing happens. His scent still lingering in the room so you're sure he tucked you back into bed.

You smile as your heart flutters, going back to sleep.

"Y-Your Highness! Are you sure you're okay?" your maid stutters as she hands you your breakfast the next morning.

"Yes yes~ Don't worry about lil' old me!"

You quickly finish your breakfast, wanting to see him as soon as possible. You quickly run and you arrive at the spot in no time and you see him there.

You don't even call out to him, you just run towards his sitting figure, bend over, and wrap your arms around his neck.

He jolts in surprise but immediately calms down as he takes a whiff of your hair.

"Sukuna, you saved me twice already. Thank you for yesterday." you smile, embarrassed to make eye contact with him.

He places a hand on your back to push your body into his. Now, you're straddling his lap and you stay in position.

You fidget your hands, "Ugh~ It's kinda awkward now after I did a whole farewell speech yesterday..." you whine as you recall the events yesterday.

"Yeah, you're farewell kiss too."

You blush and groan into his shoulder, clenching your fists in his robe in embarrassment.

"Hah, is the princess embarrassed? Look at me."

As if it was a spell, you comply immediately and shyly pull away to look at him.

He grabs your chin and pulls your face closer.

"You have to take responsibility for what you did yesterday." He smirks.

"R-Responsibility?!" you squeak.

"Don't think I'll be satisfied with a mere kiss, Princess."

He smashes his lips onto yours. Unlike the sweet and short peck, this was hot and passionate. His upper arms land on your waist and slides the up and down the side of your body.

You feel his tongue enter your mouth and you shift your hips to adjust your position, making you grind on his crotch. The friction making you both groan in pleasure, all of his blood rushing to the length under his robe.

"S-Sukuna." you couldn't help but whine his name in the middle of your tongues dancing. Hearing his name turns him on even more, and his hands go from your hips to sliding inside your kimono to grab hold of your breasts.

You let out a moan at his touch on your bare chest. His bottom arms sliding up your kimono underneath you, his hands traveling up to grope both cheeks of your ass. Wanting to touch him, your hands go down to his chest, sliding inside his robe to touch explore your hands around his bare chest and abs. Your touch making Sukuna groan and start grinding his hips underneath yours, you moan in his lips and grind on him as well.

His hands slide off your kimono, leaving you in your undergarments. The cool air hitting your skin, but you couldn't feel it from the heat of the intimate moment. His bottom hands start to tug on your panties and he whispers into your lips.

"You think you can handle me, Princess?"

You moan in confirmation, sliding off the top part of his robe and continuing to grind on him. He hisses in pleasure and rips off your panties and throw them to the side.

"Ah!" you squeak in embarrassment, pulling away and looking down at yourself, but what caught your eye is the visible bulge twitching underneath the fabric of his robe. You curiously grope it, causing a moan to slip off his mouth, and snatches your hand away.

"Later."

He grabs both of your wrists and pushes you to the clean grass. He looks up and down your naked body and smirks, feeling another twitch from his cock. His eyes landed on your pussy, already soaking wet.

His eyes darkens and he grins, ready to devour you. He brings a hand to your folds and run his fingers along the wetness dripping down your thighs. "How can you be this wet already?" he chuckles and inserts a finger inside, his other hands playing with your breasts.

The sensation making you moan in pleasure, the back of your hand covering your mouth in embarrassment. The moans continue when he starts thrusting the finger in a moderate motion. After a few seconds of adjusting, he shoves another finger in.

The sounds of his fingers fucking your wet pussy fill the air. He feels your walls clench and sees your body start to arch. He sees the way you were making a mess already just with his fingers. Your moans get whinier and he loses it.

He grunts and shoves the robe of his body and your eyes widen. You stare at his two cocks twitching in the air, gulping at its huge size. "S-Sukuna..."

"You want to stop?" you whine and shook your head immediately, "That's what I thought. Now come here, princess."

Not giving you enough time to process, he picks you up and puts him in the stradling position you were earlier in, the tip of his cock goes in and he thrusts inside.

"Ngh- Ah~ S-Sukuna." He grunts in reply, feeling your pussy clench in his hard cock.

"Fuck, princess."

The pleasure was nothing you ever felt before. You look down and see his other cock twitching against your stomach. You reach your hand to grab his length which causes his head to roll back in pleasure and let out a deep moan.

You pump his cock, while adjusting to the other cock that was already inside you. "Prince- Agh, Shit." Your hand going faster and faster, the sounds of his groans making your walls clench, making him groan even louder.

He grabs your hand to stop you. "I can't hold it anymore. I'm gonna destroy this tight little pussy, yeah?"

He grabs your hips and starts bouncing you up and down, his cock thrusting inside of you without mercy.

"Ah... Suku- Agh~" You were drowning in pleasure, eyes rolling back as you listen to the sounds of your wetness and both of your skins slapping against each other.

He was thrusting into you mercilessly, your mewls just making his climax come closer. He feels your walls clench uncontrollably and he moans your name.

"Y/N. Fuck- I'm going crazy" he huffs, acting like an animal in heat.

He pushes you back into the soft grass into a new position, bringing your knees to your chest, his cock thrusting into you sloppily. A visible bump in your belly when he thrusts inside. Two hands behind your knees. One hand rubbing your clit. One hand pumping his other cock.

"Agh~ T-There... Sukuna-"

He hits a certain spot causing your body to twitch and making your eyes water up from the pleasure.

Sukuna pounds faster into your pussy, his precum smeared along your soaked walls. You were letting him use your body and it felt so good.

You feel something building up inside of you, and you whine. "Ah- wait! Sukuna~ I- I-" you whine in pleasure as your body arches, your juices spilling into his cock.

"That's right, princess. Let it out." he coos into your ear. "My turn."

You gasp for air as he thrusts again into your sensitive pussy, making your mewl echo into the air. Your juices increase the sound of the wetness as he slaps his skin into yours, the mix of your arousals filling the air.

"Fuck- I should fill you up, huh? Breed my precious princess?"

"Agh- P-Please!~ I-"

He moans as he shoots his load into you and fill up your pussy, having both of your juices mixed up. His other cock also shooting cum onto your stomach. Your body twitches at the feeling of his seed inside you, grabbing both of his arms for support. He sighs in pleasure and pulls out, watching as the juices ooze out of your aching pussy.

"You did so good, Princess." is the last thing you hear before you pass out.

You flutter your eyes open to see a room that wasn't yours. Sukuna lying down next to you in bed. You look down on your clothed body to see you were cleaned up and well taken care of after.

"Sukuna..." you mutter, eyes still droopy "I can't move my legs~"

"Heh, you're gonna get used to it."

"Hm?" You tilt your head.

"You're mine now. This is the consequence of your actions, right? You can't escape now." He smirks as he picks you up and puts you on top of him.

You stare at him in shock then laugh, "Now why would I dare leave my king, he'll get lonely without me~"

You plant a sweet kiss on his lips and pull away to see a smile on his face. His smile making you feel warm inside as your cheeks tint. You giggle and snuggle into his arms and you enjoy each other's warm, and will continue to enjoy each other's presence in the future.

[ozzgin]

Yandere! Yokai Harem x Reader (III)

On your travels with the two demon companions, you stumble upon a fortified village plagued by monster attacks. It would be quite unlucky if the grand finale happened just as you step foot inside, right? Worry not, you're saved by a third mysterious yokai that you immediately recognize. The harem grows!

Content: female reader, monsters, violence

[Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [Character Guide]

“Alright, how’s this?”

You do a clumsy pirouette before the two yokai men.

“That’s...are you sure?” Kiritsubo eyes you, mildly confused. “It’s usually what men wear.”

Of course, you already know. After weeks of walking through feudal Japan, you’ve reached the conclusion that modern clothing isn’t the most practical choice. Not to mention the strange looks you always get from other people upon your arrival in any village. You needed something to blend in, and the typical fashion for your gender might not be compatible with your training. You’d rather not swing a sword while covered in multiple layers of kimono.

Thus, you opted for the hakama pants typically worn by men. With your hair tied up and in this baggy attire, one could think you’re a young samurai. If they squint enough. You chuckle at the thought.

“She’ll wear whatever allows her to not be a burden.” Murasaki concludes with crossed arms.

One way to put it, you tell yourself.

“If you’re done discussing fashion, we can leave.” The dark-haired man continues with indifference, standing up and adjusting the swords in the folds of his sash.

Both you and Kiritsubo hurry and follow behind obediently.

“Where are we going this time?” You ask sheepishly.

“South-west. An old residence of his, although we will have to pass through a fortified settlement first. We should reach it before sunset.”

It’s hard to imagine you’re the supposed savior in this equation. Murasaki has been leading you by the hand each step, carefully considering every detail on the map, and extensively planning your travels every evening. All this on top of your daily training. You’ve now mastered the basics with the katana he’s provided you, as well as some common prayers for exorcising small-class demons.

You glance at the daisho pair of swords under his belt. A long, thin blade, and a shorter backup version, both in elaborate matching scabbards meant to showcase the status and wealth of the samurai wearing them. In this case, meant to express his rank as the advisor and right hand of the famed onmyōji. You certainly don’t doubt Nakamaro’s decision to rely on Murasaki.

In comparison, Kiritsubo carries a nagamaki at his waist. A comically long blade in your opinion, used mostly to bring down horses during battle. Any regular sword would’ve been too small for him. Despite his imposing appearance, you’ve learned rather quickly just how different Kiritsubo is from the other yokai. He’s quite clumsy in combat, often anxious about making mistakes, terribly apologetic, and overall has a heart too kind for his own good. If there’s hesitation coming from his side, Murasaki immediately follows with his ruthless, ending blows. As a matter of fact, even you’ve had to do the occasional killing to spare the man of such choices.

The silver-haired demon notices your eyes on him and smiles, excited. He reminds you of a large dog. A horned, fanged dog of monstrous strength, nonetheless the innocence is there. And he does make a great travel companion.

“How much longer?” You grunt, looking up.

“Are you tired? I can carry you for the rest of the way-” Kiritsubo instantly offers but is interrupted by Murasaki’s barked orders.

“She can walk. Don’t spoil her.” He glares at you, then nods ahead. “We’re almost there, so quit your whining.”

True to his word, you can finally discern the outline of a wall at the top of the hill. A few more steps, and you can even spot two guards standing beside the great gate.

“Stop there!”

The soldiers lift their spears threateningly. Before you can react, Murasaki steps in front of you with a hand placed on his sword.

“We’re just passing through.” He states factually.

“We’re no longer allowing visitors.” One of the guards exclaims. “The village has been raided by monsters recently and our Lord has closed all gates until the matter is solved.”

“That means no filthy demons go in.” The other adds in a mocking tone, his gaze lingering on the horns of your companions. His mouth curls in disgust.

You can tell Murasaki is angered by the disrespectful approach. He is not one to let such insults slide and you’d rather avoid him claiming unnecessary victims; therefore, you push past his arm and plant yourself ahead with a polite greeting bow.

“These yokai are with me. I vouch for their good behavior, so please consider letting us through. Perhaps we can even help you with these monsters.”

“You? How would you…”

The man stops abruptly, switching between you and the yokai. Eventually he inspects your scabbard, and he gasps, confusion twisting his features.

“Could it be? No…He’d be dead by now.”

“What are you talking about?” His partner inquires impatiently.

“That’s the family seal belonging to Abe no Nakamaro.” He explains, pointing to the golden finish at the end of your katana handle. “I’ve heard about him from my grandparents. But it’s been decades!”

“Don’t be ridiculous. You’re saying this kid is a legendary onmyōji?”

“Who else would show up with demons as servants? Everything matches. Perhaps his powers have finally reached immortality”, he concludes solemnly.

The men continue their argument, and you clear your throat, embarrassed. What the hell? You can’t possibly look that manly. Sure, you’ve been skipping the makeup, and the clothes aren’t exactly curve shaping, but to be mistaken for an old man is like a slap to the face.

You’re about to deny their claims, but Murasaki swiftly pinches the back of your neck, and you wince. He lowers himself to your ear and whispers:

“This will be to our advantage. Just go along with it.” “Fine!” You mumble angrily. Then you turn back to the guards.

“V-very well, I see I haven’t been forgotten.” You admit, theatrically. “Lead me to your Lord and we shall discuss the details of your monster attack.”

Thus, you sip on your tea, kneeling at the luxurious table and awaiting the arrival of the feudal Lord. The servants are exchanging words, gossiping fervently next to the wall. “I wonder if he can cure my daughter!” one woman mumbles, visibly emotional.

“Do you think we can finally be saved? He’ll truly exorcise the beasts tormenting our village?” another whispers.

You wipe the sweat from your forehead and glare at Murasaki. You had no idea he’d given you Nakamaro’s old sword. Now you’re stuck pretending to be a pompous, long-dead asshat.

“What if they catch us?” You hiss between your teeth. “I don’t know shit about onmyōdō.”

“Then I’ll just kill them all. Simple as that.” The crimson-eyed man retorts, unconcerned. “Have a little fun, won’t you?”

“W-we’ll help you come up with answers, (Y/N). Don’t worry.” Kiritsubo chimes in, trying to reassure you.

You sigh in frustration and look out the window. The sun must’ve set a long time ago and has since been replaced by a pitch-black sky. What’s keeping the Lord? Surely, he can’t be having important business meetings late at night.

Almost as if your thoughts were read, the door slides open and a servant wobbles in. The rest of the household workers are silent, expecting the entrance of their master, but no one is following behind. You observe the bizarre limp of the woman. Suddenly, she collapses to the floor, revealing her bloodied back torn by deep wounds, caused by some sort of claw. Her body is stiff.

Panic settles in right away, and the servants topple over each other to get away from the fresh cadaver. You struggle to get up among the terrified crowd, but thankfully Murasaki grabs your wrist and pulls you out into a quieter hallway.

“What the hell?” is all you manage to say.

“Rotten.” Kiritsubo furrows his brows, sniffing the air. “Someone in here must be possessed. Could be more of them.”

Murasaki surveys the surroundings and gestures towards his partner.

“We have to see if the Lord is still alive. You go that way. I’ll take the front. Kill everyone suspicious.”

“What about me?” You demand, holding your breath.

“Get out and wait for us. You know how to draw a protection circle, don’t you? I won’t take long.” The dark-haired yokai answers before vanishing.

Judging by the screams and wails coming from all directions, you suspect Kiritsubo is right about multiple attackers. You sprint across the hall, looking for an opening. The self-defense lessons didn’t cover cursed humans with demonic powers. You’ll stay out of this one.

What an absolute mess. You have encountered some demons in your weeks spent here, but nothing to this degree. When the guards mentioned a monster attack, you imagined a ghost with a grudge, or some small fry yokai scaring the workers at night, not a mass curse that ends in a massacre. Of course, it had to happen the moment you arrived at the main house.

You find a room with a door leading to the inner courtyard. Seems isolated enough and it should provide a bit of shelter while you wait for the pair to finish the business. As you rush past the dead bodies, you notice a woman hiding behind a screen divider.

“Ah! It’s you!” she yells, aware of your presence.

From the shadow of her secret spot emerges the small frame of a child. The woman pushes the little human towards you, blocking your path.

“Don’t worry, he’ll protect us.” she gives her child another nudge. “Go on, hold onto him. You’ll be safe.”

What? No, no, no, no, no. Not happening. You’re getting out.

“Ma’am, sorry to break it to you under such circumstances, but I’m not-”

You’re interrupted by a loud growl. One of the possessed creatures must’ve followed your scent, and it’s now sliding into the room on all fours with the bones of the limbs twisting and creaking in unnatural pounces. You purse your lips in a frightened grimace. One advantage of the wide hakama pants – useful to know – is that no one can see your knees shaking cowardly.

Theoretically, you could use the brat as bait and run for your life. It’d make a decent obstacle. Unfortunately for your life span, you’ve been gifted with an idiotic sense of duty instead of survival instincts.

“Keep your distance. If I can’t kill it, get out and don’t look back” you advise, positioning yourself in the learned stance and sliding the sword out of its sheath.

Damn it! Then again, it should be like fighting a zombie, right? Given the pathetic way it drags itself around, it can’t be too difficult to hit. Aim for the head, you repeat in your mind. Your fingers grip around the handle.

The ghoulish beast lowers itself, like a spring about to recoil, and leaps across the room with an ease you did not anticipate. Despite your iron hold, it slaps the blade out of your hands with enormous force. The impact breaks your skin, and you wince. There’s no time to weep, within seconds it could go for your vitals next. While Murasaki hasn’t gotten around to teaching you much hand-to-hand combat, you’ve read your fair share of shounen manga. The first idea that comes to mind is to put the beast in a sumo lock. You bend your knees smoothly and wrap your arms around the monster, feeling for something to hold onto. You grit your teeth and attempt to lift the creature.

A thundering laugh resonates within the walls, and you jolt, startled.

“I never thought I’d see the mighty Abe no Nakamaro wrestling with ankle biters like this. What are you going to do, throw it out of the ring?”

The voice is deep, loud, and unfamiliar. You can’t afford to look back to see the source, but it’s not hard to figure out the possibilities. So far, you’ve only been called by that cursed name by the yokai accomplices. Although now is not the best time to seek revenge.

“Shut up, I panicked”, you snap in frustration. “If you can’t help, keep that trap closed!”

The sudden burst of anger seems to have triggered something within your body, a power you don’t recognize. You watch as your arms effortlessly pick up the monster and swing it across the room, its body demolishing the opposing wall and causing thick clouds of dust to rise and spread everywhere.

The impact must’ve alerted the nearby ghouls, as you can now hear the agitated trample and screeching rapidly approaching. You’re not confident you can pull the same lucky move a second time.

You turn to search for your sword, but it’s already being handed to you by the mysterious yokai who’s been observing your little fight. You have to step aside and tilt your head all the way back in order to fully view the gigantic frame of the man.

Ah, you recognize the features immediately. The same kind of fear you felt when you stumbled upon that old shrine statue is now tugging at your chest.

“You’re Suma, right?”

A proud, wide grin forms on his face, revealing a pair of glistening fangs. His expression is unexpectedly soft and friendly.

“We’re halfway through our introductions then, eh?” You pick up the sword and his fingers stretch out for a handshake. “What is your given name? I’m guessing you don’t willingly go by that…title.”

“I very much prefer (Y/N), yes.” You marvel at the significant difference in size, placing your small hand in his. “Was that your power I just used?”

“Mhhm. You sure surprised me there! It’s not something I did intentionally, but I s’ppose we just resonate that well, huh?”

He laughs again, completely unbothered by the impending danger.

“Alright, you can leave the rest to me. Take the lady outside, it will get a little messy.”

And with that, he casually walks towards the gathering of ghouls. You guide the family to the courtyard and wait for the battle to end.

“Do you think she’ll be fine by herself?” Kiritsubo is resting against the fence, keeping you under a watchful gaze.

“Let the humans sort it out among themselves.” Murasaki responds, somewhat bored.

The morning after the attack, you offered to deal with the survivors: ask them how everything started, if they’d noticed anything suspicious days prior to the event, and if the route to Nakamaro’s old residence was still open. The yokai men had found the feudal Lord in the jaws of a possessed creature and he quickly succumbed to his wounds. Consequently, only the remaining servants could provide them with clues.

A village being targeted like this is highly unusual, and Murasaki can’t shake the feeling it could be related to their master.

“Oh, where are you heading after this?” The silver-haired yokai glances at Suma, sitting lazily next to them.

“Where? After you just told me the whole story? I’m way too invested in this modern reincarnation that just popped out of nowhere, so I’m tagging along!” He announces with a chuckle.

Murasaki frowns.

“We don’t need your help.”

“Don’t be like that.” The giant man pouts dramatically. “Are you upset I saved (Y/N) before you?”

“W-we were on our way!” Kiritsubo retorts, visibly bothered.

“It’s a done deal!” Suma rests his hands under his head and yawns. “Besides, the little human already said he doesn’t mind.”

“He? (Y/N) is a woman.”

The redhead abruptly sits up and gasps.  

“Wait, what?”

“Don’t get funny ideas, man”, the silver-haired demon warns.

[ayanominitrash]

INTRIGUE (True Form Sukuna x Reader)

꒷꒦︶꒷꒦︶꒷꒦︶꒷꒦︶꒷꒷꒦︶꒷꒦︶꒷꒦︶꒷꒦︶꒷꒦︶꒷꒷꒦︶꒷꒦︶꒷꒦︶꒷꒦︶

𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪

Humans.

Though weak creatures, they cause chaos wherever and whatever era. It only seems like the only consistent thing in this world. They crawl like the desperate pathetic ants they are, forever struggling to survive day by day. The other idiot ants feel superior to the others, taking advantage of their power that they’d go so far as to take the food that others worked hard to haul onto the hill only for them to have it for themself.  Corruption. No matter the age, Ryomen Sukuna - King of Curses- has witnessed the same thing over and over again. It’s getting a little tiring to look at. 

This is the exact description that anyone in the village would put in the Kamo clan - the corrupt and tyrant rulers. They are wealthy and at the top of the power hierarchy, the very source of corruption, of abuse. The men in the family would beat, abuse, and take advantage of their blood relatives. Some are sold, adding more riches to their unnoble stockpile of treasure. To any lowlife they come across and feel like harassing, they would do so through pain and torture or even just public humiliation just for fun. There wasn’t any person that was brave enough to stand up against them. They were the only ones who were capable of protecting them from curses that would invade them from time to time. The people in that village are under their mercy. Where else can they go when there are curses out there beyond, not knowing how many are out threading freely?

Sukuna sighs in exasperation as he remains squatting on a tree branch, overlooking the nearby village under the bright sun. Sukuna hides in the forest, far away enough that humans wouldn’t loiter around much but close enough that he can watch what goes on in that small puny community. If he does encounter a human, his terrifying four-armed figure will be the last thing that they’d see before their demise. However, in recent days, there haven’t been a lot of humans threading deep into the forest because of the rumors that people who go there never return. Because of this, he hasn’t eaten for weeks and is currently starving for meat. Sukuna debates if it is time to raid the village to satiate his hunger and quench his thirst for blood. 

As if on queue, there was a rustle from the bushes nearby and a familiar scent carried in the wind to which Sukuna wasted no time but to take it all in with one big whiff. It’s the scent that he’s been longing for so long.

Food.

He makes his move, swinging his four arms from one branch to another as quietly as possible, making his way toward the delicious smell. He won’t be bothered to check if this one’s good meat, the only thing he cares about is to quiet down the rumbling of his stomach. When he reaches a safe enough distance, he crouches down his big frame behind one of the bushes near the small river stream. Sukuna’s red eyes shine against the sun as soon as it lands on his meal, licking his lips. 

It was a small girl with short hair, the bottom of her purple kimono neatly folded as she was squatting down at the side of the stream, running a hand in the water while staring in silence. She has her back turned to him as she hums a tune to herself. This was a very easy and effortless catch for Sukuna, a little girl with her guard down. He doubted that he would feel full after ingesting her whole being but it was better than nothing.  The King crouched down and waited, getting ready to pounce until he finally did with a deafening roar. 

Sukuna lands where she is, thinking he has crushed her. He was ready to dig his fingers into her body when he realized that he didn’t hear any screaming and that there was no one underneath him. Confused, he looks around only to see the girl had dogged him and is now holding her hands up.  This completely baffled Sukuna as he stared at the girl’s shocked but not scared face.

“E-easy there, I don’t intend to harm you. I’m sorry if I wandered too far into your territory.” She says in a high-pitched shaky voice. “I-I know you must be h-hungry. I’m actually carrying hens in the b-basket I’m carrying, if that would suffice”

Watching the girl talk made his blood boil. How dare she outwit him by dodging his attack? He would’ve consumed her by now if it weren’t for her eagerness to live. The foolish human thinks she can talk her way out of getting eaten by the King of Curses. He runs towards her, claws extended in front of him when she jumps out of the way again but this time, he can grab her by the foot. She yelps in pain at what he thought because of his grip but he looks down and sees a massive bruise on her ankle. It looked like it had been there for a few days so it couldn’t be because of him. She screams and lands on the shallow side of the water, wetting her hair, face, and upper body. He drags her leg towards him, laughing at the way she digs her fingers into the soil trying to stop herself from getting dragged. With ease, he lifts her upside down with one hand, satisfied with the way her Kimono drops down exposing her slender legs and undergarments.

“Oi, oi, oi! That’s no way to treat a lady, Mister!” She makes an effort to shake her fist at him despite being upside down. “P-please, maybe you should try the hen first?!”

The gull of this human to keep talking as if her life was not about to end made him stop in his movements to look down on her. Her face is panicked but not scared. This takes the fun out of killing her but he’s really after the food instead of the thrill. Still, Sukuna has never encountered a girl who acted this way. It was always screaming, crying, and flailing their hands which made it all the more delicious when he finally sank his sharp teeth into their flesh, silencing the pathetic pleas. Still holding her upside down, his eyes curiously do a double take on this peculiar filth he managed to catch. The little girl, no, this young woman had bruises, burns, and cuts all over her limbs. Some wounds have already been scars but others are still healing. The curse thought this person was a little girl but no doubt she was a woman with her mature figure and breasts. It was just that she was incredibly thin as if the concept of food was never introduced to her. Sukuna knows that he told himself before he attacked that he wasn’t gonna bother with the quality of this meat, but this made him lose his appetite. But mostly, he was curious about what this filth went through, and why doesn’t she act as if life was taken from her, like an empty shell. Instead, she has a wild and bright spirit in her that burns his eyes. It was. . . interesting.

He drops her to the ground.

“See, see! Hens do sound good if you just give it a chance. Come, come!” The woman scrambles to her feet to reach for the basket near the stream. She whips it around and offers it to him, with a hopeful smile on her face or a grateful one for having shown mercy. “They’re fresh from my uncle’s farm!” 

He stares at this ridiculous scene in front of him for a moment before crossing both pairs of his arms. “Get that fucking thing out of my face, you filthy being. What do you take me for?” 

The curse’s deep menacing voice was frightening enough that the young woman recoiled, pulling the hen back to her chest.  She was too stunned to say anything. 

“Well then, why didn’t you eat me if you didn’t want the hen?” 

This made Sukuna pull a dumbfounded face for her to talk to him so bluntly. He curls his lips in amusement, “You’re as filthy as they come, human. You’ve ruined my appetite with your disgusting state.”

“Hm?! Do you mean my injuries? I didn’t know curses were so picky.” She puts her hand on her chin as if in deep thought. 

“So you know what a curse is then, filth. Are you not afraid?”

“Should I be?” For the first time, there was a small smile on her lips as she stared up into the king’s eyes. “I’m well aware that people who enter the forest never come back and I know for sure that they’re eaten by curses. I didn’t think I’d encounter one so soon though, and it is the King himself, no less.”

It’s as if everything that comes out of this filth’s mouth was made to surprise Sukuna every time it opens. He still hadn’t come to terms with that this was all happening, so he couldn’t stop himself from laughing maniacally out loud out of the ridiculousness of it all, of his sharp teeth bearing in front of her. She flinches a little at the sight of him.

“You amuse me!” He finally says as soon as he stops laughing. “Bear to me your name, filth.”

She says her name in a small voice. 

“Never heard of you! Nonetheless, I shall not forget you, filth. I’m  still hungry and I’m still going to eat you despite how you are.” 

He laughs a little when he sees her shoulders drop and deflate at the realization that her life was not spared, the hen finally flies out of her grasp. 

“Uh- I know I came here knowing my fate but it seems that I'm afraid to die after all. I know you’re hungry. Are you alright with at least an arm? Or a leg? I can give you that much.” 

Again, he was taken aback by the words that left her lips once more. Before he can even say anything, she throws her left arm in his direction. “How about this arm?! There aren't many cuts here?” 

For the first time, Ryomen Sukuna, the King of Curses, was at a loss for words. He glares down at the odd creature in front of him, wondering what’s wrong with her. He takes a few steps back, widening the distance between them. After a few steps, he plops himself cross-legged on the ground. They carefully watch each other in silence, wary of each movement one of them makes. In the background, the hen she was once holding was leisurely bathing itself in the shallow end of the water. 

“Human,” Sukuna finally speaks to her, who flinches again. “Tell me, why are you decorated like a warrior and sickly thin like that of a twig?” 

The girl deflates in her seat again in the grass. She looked down at the stream and opted to go back to her position before Sukuna attacked her, one hand dipping in the water. Silence blankets them once more as she gathers her thoughts. 

“Hmmm. . .if you’re not going to eat me, then what are you planning to eat? Do you eat pigs?”

“I asked you a question, filth. I have yet to hear your answer.”

“- Because if you eat pigs, I could go ahead and grab one from the village and offer it to you. I don’t think I just leave knowing that you’re hungry if you’re kind enough not to kill me.”

“Are you not going to answer me?”

“Can I at least offer you something to eat first before I do?”  She gives a sheepish smile. “I know what it’s like not having anything to eat, as you can tell. My arm is still on the offer if that will help you.” 

“Bring me another human, then.” 

She was quiet for a bit, removing her hand from the water and then bringing it up to her chin in thought, not minding the water droplets dripping on her kimono since it was already messy from the earlier event. “Do you think an older lady will be okay? She’s on the brink of her death. She’s got a plump frame.”

Sukuna laughs again in amusement. “Do you have no regard for your kind? Oh, Humans!”

She shrugs, then grins, “I heard you like cooked humans. I can cook her for you if you’d like.”

His ears perk at this. It has been a while since he tasted cooked human meat. His previous servant was the only one who could cook for him and they have long since parted nearly a decade ago. His stomach growls at the mere suggestion of grilled meat. 

She lightly laughs, her eyes softening. “I take that as a yes. I can do that much for you for your kindness. You may find it odd for me to kill my kind, but honestly, I think it’s better to put her out of her misery. She was a great woman.” 

“How do I know you’ll come back, filth? I know, if you do not come back when the full moon rises, I will burn down your village.” 

Sukuna had a small inkling that she wouldn’t mind her village burning down, seeing how she is all covered in different types of injuries just from living there, but the mere mention of her village made the color drain from her face.

“Understood, then.” As the girl stands up with the basket full of hens, she makes an effort to dust off her kimono but it doesn't do anything. “Full moon it is!”

“Hurry up, fifth. I do not like waiting.” Sukuna says before standing up and walking back into the forest where he came from. 

⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖

(❀❛ ֊ ❛„)♡ reblogs and comments are appreciated//do not repost my work anywhere // this is one of my first Sukuna fics and I wrote this way back on March this year damn //not re-proofread so sorry if some parts dont make sense or some typa cringe lol

[cantdothis-nomore]

Tengen Uzui + wives x swordsmith reader

The inspo for this fic was from @zoyatoshi one named ten minutes! Please go check out their blog they are one of my FAV writers and I would love if you took a look at their blog! ^^

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Content : Imagine being the fourth wife that basically nobody knows about because of your trade as a swordsmith making tengens swords

A/N : I don't know why I wrote this I just really like Tengen lol :')

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You moved quickly around your forge collecting things as you mutter at a pace others would find hard to make out. Your hands were torn up and your face had sweat beads rolling down it as you went back to your original project. Your husbands new sword. You had leapt out of bed a week earlier remembering the unfinished sword and shut out everyone in place of finishing the sword.

You closed your eyes with a groan as you heard furious footsteps approaching and your forge door was once again thrown open with a bang revealing a fuming Makio with Suma not far behind.

"You are coming with us NOW!" Makio yelled as she grabbed you by the collar of your kimono trying to drag you out of your forge. You adamantly held on to the side of a table and wiggled out of Makio's grip.

"As soon as this is finished I promise you I will come back to the house I swear." You pleased with her "Y-You said that 2 days ago n/n!" Screeched Suma, big fat tear blobs starting to roll down her cheeks as she yet again realised that no matter the push they put on you, you were not going to return to the house until your project was finished, but Makio was not so easily convinced.

"You haven't slept in nearly a full week now Y/N," a soft voice spoke from the doorway, Hinatsuru stood at the door her tone and face firm but her eyes gave away the stress she felt. "I know but I really really really need to get this sword done before Lord Tengen gets back, please Hina!" You pleaded.

Being a demon slayer, Tengen was away a lot God knows where at the most unfortunate of times, counting this one. He didn't let anyone else make his swords apart from you after you joined the family, you loved doing it but god did it stress your wives out so. You would stay in your forge for days at a time not eating, not sleeping, not drinking and come out a complete mess, looking like a demon.

'No Y/N, this has gone on long enough. That is a perfectly good sword for Lord Tengen!" Makio butted in just as Hina opened her mouth to speak, even so, just by her expression you could tell she was going to say exactly what Makio did for her. "I promise I will be back tonight ok? I promise all I need to do are these last bits" You begged.

Hina heaved a sigh placing her head in her hands not even bothering to tell Makio off for hitting Suma for whining constantly. She looked you in the eyes searching for any type of truth, "Fine." She said sternly, "but you are coming back tomorrow morning at the max no matter what."

You managed a weak smile to her and a rib crunching hug off of Suma as she bustled a fuming Makio and wailing Suma out your forge. The moment they were halfway down the hill you collected the plate of food Hina left for you and shoved it in your food stash as you made a run for the door pushing the bolt over and moving into the very back of your place as not to be disturbed.

-----------------------------

You can imagine the fury of your wives the next day when they woke without you next to them, now nearing the sixth time this week. In a storm of rage Makio came tearing up the hill Suma and Hina hot on her heels. She slammed her fist into the forge door banging on it at a fast rate.

"Y/N! LET US IN YOU KNOW YOU ARE BREAKING YOUR PROMISE TO US AGAIN!" But again, there was no answer from you.

Even from the back of your forge you could hear Sumas screeching and see Hinas stressed and almost given up face which made you feel guilty, but you couldn't just leave this project here! You worked harder as you felt your guilt eating away at you and the noise of your wives slowly became quieter and quieter. Your brow furrowed as the sword continued to leave gashes on your hands and your vision became blurry. You shook it off and glanced out the window double taking as you saw the inky black sky. You gritted your teeth and continued to work ignoring the darkening sky outside.

-----------------------------

BANG!

Your head snapped up with a start as your forge doors were kicked in and there stood your husband. Back from his mission. Early.

'Shit' was your only thought as your eyes flicked round him and spied your wives all outside the door looking a mixture of sad and angry.

'So,' Tengens voice boomed round your forge and things started to rattle on your shelves as he continued to speak, 'Hinatsuru tells me you've been in here a week and haven't been looking after yourself at all! How unflashy!" He said with a sharp look. You winced knowing Hina probably told him everything and Makio probably didn't spare any details in her fury either.

Tengen strode into your forge carefully avoiding the mess as he stood infront of you. Keeping eye contact with you he bent slightly to reach your eye level. "And exactly how long have you not eaten for little mouse?" He said softly but within his tone there was a sharp edge that hit you the most. You didn't answer as your eyes strapped themselves to the floor. He grunted as he returned to stand up straight.

"Makio, check her food stash please" He said watching you carefully. Your eyes immediatley snapped to Makios as you silently pleaded with her not to tell him. Her eyes narrowed at you as her pace quickened and she disappeared out of sight just before her voice echoed around the room,

"It's full!" She called out, her glare resting on you in disappointment. Your eyes widened as you quickly darted round a table to stop Tengen from getting you.

"N/N that full food stash is almost as unflashy as your purple eye bags and dirty kimono you continue to wear, just come back to the house you have stressed the girls out enough." He said a determined glint in his eye. His hands rested on the table as his eyes tracked you like a predator waiting for its preys next move.

"I just need to finish it and then I'll come back to the house! I'm serious!" You quickly said as you watched Tengen quickly take a run for you. You once again ran around the table but not fast enough this time. He wrapped an arm around your waist before you could go any further and hoisted you onto his shoulder.

He walked out your forge and down the hill with Suma, Makio and Hina close behind him all heading towards the house. You felt your body on the verge of sleeping but you were determined not to give in.

You began to thrash and screech as loudly as you could like that would make them take you back to the forge. Tengen raised his hand smacked your ass to shut you up and finally you gave up. Flopping against him you let yourself give in and veered on the line of unconsciousness, as much as you didnt want to admit it you were exhausted. You knew what you were doing to your body was bad but you really needed to complete the project even if it cost you your sanity.

After what seemed like an age you were put down on a chair. Too tired to fight back anymore you let yourself be fed and bathed as you fell unconscious, the last thing you remember being you and tengen getting squished between your wives all of you thankful to be back together again.

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[asirensrage]

Catalyst - Uzui Tengen & Wives One Shot

Title: Catalyst

Rating: M

Pairing: Reader/Makio/Hinatsuru/Suma/Tengen

Fandom: Demon Slayer

Warnings: Swearing. Sex. Polygamous relationships. F/F, M/F, mention of M/F/F/F/F. Mention of you being from the future. Un-betad.

Summary: You meet Makio first...

Notes: This fic possessed me. I don't entirely know what happened but here it is. I don't even usually like writing in 2nd person, but like I said, it possessed me. I just had the line "you meet Makio first" in my head and this is what happened. I wrote it in the space of 2-3 hours. This is my first time writing Tengen and his wives (aside from my Rengoku/OC fic which isn't posted). Reader is unnamed and undescribed but references to being female. Enjoy.

You meet Makio first. 

It happens by accident. You end up standing next to each other as you wait for your turn to pay for the food. Her outfit catches your attention, not because it’s low cut and short, but because it reminds you of the outfits you’re used to back home…in your own time. You’ve been blending in as best you can but the outfits are so restrictive in comparison. 

“Do you mind if I ask where you got your outfit? Who designed it?” 

She turns to you in surprise. “My outfit? Why?”

“I want one.” 

The request turns into her admitting that she makes the outfits with her wives but she’s willing to ask them if they’d help make you one. Providing you pay, of course. 

“Of course,” you agree. 

Meeting up again is easy, as well as providing the measurements and down payment you give. If you’re honest, you haven’t had a lot of luck since arriving, but your history in retail gives you a great customer service voice and the patience required not to snap at belligerent clients. It gets you a job as a server which pays decently enough that you can afford it.

The longer you talk, the more you’re amused at the woman. She’s a bit brash and unwilling to deal with stupidity, but she’s also a huge dork. It’s hilarious. 

The two of you often find yourself sitting on a hill in the area, enjoying the view. Makio likes to talk about her family. It’s nice, letting yourself pretend that everything’s okay. You’re used to the time period now, but you haven’t really let yourself make any friends, assuming you’ll get back. It’s been a year though and prior to meeting Makio, you didn’t really spend any time with anyone. 

She’s not around a lot, her work taking her away from the area often, but she promises to come back with the outfit the next time you see each other. 

The second one you meet is Hinatsuru. 

“It’s wonderful to meet you,” Hinatsuru says with a smile. “Makio has been talking about you often. We hope you like the outfit.” She offers the bundle she’s holding. 

“Thank you,” you smile at her. It’s cute watching her blush. 

“Try it on,” Makio orders. You raise your eyebrows at her until she offers a please. “We want to make sure it fits.”

“Sure,” you say. “Mind waiting?”

“Not at all,” Hinatsuru says. 

You invite them into your home, the small apartment-style area that you rent. It takes most of your wages but the woman who acts as your landlord is nice enough and you don’t have to worry about people breaking in. Makio looks unimpressed at the space but she doesn’t say anything once Hinatsuru nudges her. You don’t care. You’ve lived in better but you’ve also lived in worse. You’ll take what you can get. 

You change quickly and the weight of the outfit is strange after so long in standard kimonos and yukatas, but it’s nice. You feel like you can move again. You come out, unashamed in the sudden change of the amount of skin you’re showing. It’s freeing. 

The women waiting for you look surprised as you grin at them.

“Well? What do you think?” The dress is a cobalt blue with a black obi around your waist. There are slits up the sides with a short skirt that ends above your knees. 

“You look great!” Makio says. “Not as good as us though,” she adds, teasingly. You roll your eyes, used to her antics. 

“It suits you,” Hinatsuru says softly, her gaze darting between the two of you. 

“Thank you!” You grin at her before moving to grab the rest of the payment that you owe them. “Here. Do you think I’d be able to order more?”

“Are you sure?” Hinatsuru asks. “It is…revealing for the average citizen. We don’t want you to get any trouble.”

“Don’t worry,” you assure, thinking of your origins. “I’m anything but average.” 

You meet Suma next. She follows the other two, bouncing slightly before darting past them to greet you. 

“It’s you! I finally get to meet you!” 

You blink in surprise at the enthusiasm as she clasps your hands in hers. She grins widely. “Makio’s been keeping you a secret.”

“No, I haven’t!” Makio yells, reaching to drag Suma back away from you. You try not to smile as they argue, or more so, as Makio argues and Suma reacts dramatically. Hinatsuru sighs but looks at them fondly before she heads towards you. 

“We’re so glad to see you again,” she says. 

“Me too,” you agree. “I missed your company.” 

She smiles at you, gaze softening slightly before the two of you are overrun by Makio and Suma, both demanding your attention. 

The longer you spend with these women, the more you understand how well they fit. They balance each other perfectly in a lot of ways and despite the way they like to argue, you can tell that they care about each other deeply. It’s sweet and a little heartbreaking. Not that you’re in love with any of them, but it’s a reminder of what you don’t have. You doubt that anyone here would want to marry you, especially since you don’t have relatable experiences. It’s fine. You can deal with it until you decide to shove the truth about yourself down so deep that no one will ever dig it out. 

You still spend the most time with Makio. Mainly out of habit more than anything. You think she might be your best friend but you’re not entirely sure you want to tell her that. It feels like there’s something waiting for you on the horizon and you’re not sure if it's impending doom or something great. Probably doom, knowing your luck. Maybe you’ll just wake up back home. 

“Are you okay?” Suma asks. The four of you are huddled in your small living area, snacks and tea laid out between you. 

“We should have just taken you home,” Makio grumbles. You know she’s just uncomfortable in the enclosed space but you like it. You feel safer knowing there are not a lot of areas for someone to hide in. 

“I’m fine,” you assure them. “Just a little homesick.” You catch the look they all give each other and wait, knowing there’s some question they want to ask. Can they read you as easily as you seem to be able to read them? 

“Oh,” Hinatsuru says softly. “Can you not go visit?” 

You give her a small smile. “No. There’s…there’s no way,” you pause and correct yourself. “There’s no one left.” 

Suma looks like she’s going to cry again and you wave her off. “It’s fine. I’m used to it now. Besides, it’s not like I don’t have friends, right? I have all of you now.” 

“Of course you have us!” Makio says, looking fierce in her outburst. “We’ll be your family, okay?”

You laugh slightly at the determination and that way Suma eagerly nods in agreement. “Thanks. I’d like that.” 

Things change after that. 

You’re not sure what it was, the reveal that you have no one else in this world or the fact that they’ve decided to be your family, but things change. They’re around more often, bringing small trinkets from their travels back to you that they insist improve your living space. They also touch you more. Not that they didn’t before, but it goes beyond the casual brush of skin as you sit next to each other or a hug goodbye. Hina, as she asks you to call her, enjoys playing with your hair of all things. Makio occasionally tries to feed you, offering bites from her own food or holding up a treat for you to try. Suma no longer has any concept of personal space, enjoying lounging herself across you and pressing her cold feet into your shins. 

It’s funny because you never considered yourself touch starved before but now? Now you think if they ever stop, you’ll miss it. Your life slowly adjusts to consist mainly of serving customers and the Uzui women. 

Makio, as every time before, is the first. This time to kiss you. 

You’re stunned as she pulls back and you can see the concern in her features that maybe she made a mistake. 

“I’m sorry,” she says. “I thought–” 

You stare at her for a moment before you grin at the expression on her face. “No,” you say, “I just…I’ve never kissed another woman before.”

“Did you not like it?” she asks. You know that if you tell her you didn’t, she’ll stop. Things will go back to the way they were. 

“It’s not that,” you admit. “You’re married.” 

She grins at you. “I know,” she agrees. “But all three of us have been talking about wanting more with you. We just weren’t sure what you want.” 

“Aren’t there four of you?”

She nods enthusiastically. “Lord Tengen knows,” she says. “He’s waiting.” 

For what? You want to ask but you don’t, because Makio moves forward again and you find yourself distracted by the feeling of her lips on yours. It’s different from the guys you’ve made out with. Not necessarily better or worse, just different. Turns out that Makio is a great kisser and you’re not as straight as you originally thought you were. Huh. Who knew?

Once that barrier is breached, the others are not long to follow. You feel a bit guilty to be making out with each of these women knowing that there’s a husband somewhere waiting for them, but this isn’t the first polygamous relationship you’ve heard of, especially since ethical non-monogamy seemed to be everywhere in the online dating arena, so you know that communication is the most important thing in a healthy relationship. You also have no doubts, based on what you know of these women, that one of them has told their husband everything. You’re just wondering when he’s going to make himself known. 

Speak of the devil and he’ll appear. Isn’t that the saying? 

You meet Tengen by accident. Well, probably not by accident since Makio said he was waiting and it was bound to happen, but you didn’t expect it like this. 

You were in the market on your day off, wandering from stall to stall in one of the outfits that Makio, Hina and Suma made. They had worried about you finding yourself in trouble due to the cut of it. Instead, trouble found you. The strange man propositions you on the street. You shoot him down. It’s not the first time you’ve had to do so to such a request and it likely won't be the last. No big deal. You’re used to it. 

Until he touches you. 

The man grabs you by the wrist, stopping you from moving on. Unfortunately for him, you come from an era of women’s rights, self-defence and a love of action movies. You shove your fingers into his throat before anyone else can step in. He recoils, coughing loudly, and let's go. You straighten your outfit and prepare to move on only to stop as someone appears between you and the man. 

“Now that’s a flashy response!” 

The man in front of you is huge. You’ve seen a lot of men in your life but you’re beginning to wonder if any of them ever compared to this one. His arms look like the size of your head. Your mouth drops open as you register the jewels on his headband and the swords at his back. You’ve heard every description of the man possible but you have never expected him to look like…this. 

He glances over his shoulder and you have to actually move to peek around him to see the man who assaulted you being led off by some other. Tengen turns back to look at you and you watch as his gaze overtly looks over you. There is nothing subtle about this man. At least, not when he doesn’t want to be. 

“So you’re the one monopolizing my wives.” 

“Maybe,” you admit. There’s no reason to lie. “They’re good people.”

“They are,” he agrees. “They’ve spoken highly of you.”

“Not as much as they’ve said about you, I’m sure.”

He grins at that. “May I join you?”

“Knock yourself out,” you say, nodding. He looks slightly confused before he grins as he realizes you’re saying yes. 

Tengen is not as patient as his wives. 

Which is funny because you never considered any of them to be patient once you got to know them. Maybe Hina, but that’s only in comparison to the others. He’s also straightforward. You like that. 

“You’re not only attracted to women,” he points out once he catches you staring at him again. Honestly, you’re just amazed at how small you feel next to the man. That’s never happened before. 

“Nope,” you agree. “Though, to be fair, it might only be them. I don’t know. I’ve never considered it before.” 

He seems pleased at the compliment to his wives and doesn’t hide the way he appreciates you as well. He walks you home and before he leaves, he promises to return and kisses you hard. It’s easy to see how he’s kept the three of them if this is how he kisses. 

You don’t see them during the days that Tengen is around. You suspect that there’s more going on, but you’re willing to let it play out. Getting to know him is like adding another piece to a puzzle. It all starts to make sense and you can understand how the dynamics fit. The four of them are practically a well-oiled, well-loved, machine and while you’re not entirely sure what their purpose is for you, you’re going to enjoy it. After all, who knows if you’re really going to stay? Even if it’s been almost two years. 

Makio is not the first this time. 

It’s Hina who proposes, even though they’re all there. You sit there, surprised at the offer. You hadn’t expected this. Even when they said they’d be your family, all those ages ago, you didn’t think they meant literally. 

“I can’t,” you admit, wincing as you watch Makio’s expression fade into blankness and Suma starts to cry. 

“Why?” she wails, reaching out to you. 

You consider it. It’s not that you don’t want to. You love them, each and every one. How could you not? At least, you’re sure that you do. You haven’t exactly tested things out completely, always stopping before it led to full-out sex because you had been unsure of their marriage, but the desire was there. 

“I don’t know if I’m here to stay,” you try to explain. “For good.” 

“What do you mean?” Tengen asks. “Where would you go?”

“Back to the future?”

They stare at you for a moment, the words processing before Tengen leans back and laughs. 

“I knew it!” He says, looking at you with a grin. “I knew you were flashier than you let on! Your score is different from everyone else's!”

“My score?” You don’t remember telling any of them how many people you’ve slept with….

He explains…and so do you. 

Things finally start to make sense. They never really explained what they did, at least not in detail besides trying to ensure you stayed indoors at night. The truth of their occupation, and their history, is the final puzzle piece. The truth of you clears up the confusion of all the strange little things that you do that don’t really make sense…but are also the same things that drew them all in. You all agree to give it some time, to think about it. 

It takes a day before Tengen is back with advice. 

“Say yes,” he says, hand on the small of your back as he pulls you towards him. “Even if the worst should happen and you leave, shouldn’t we enjoy the time we have? Marry us.”

“Let me think about it,” you ask, kissing him softly. 

Suma is the next. 

“Please say yes,” she begs. “Please! We need you!” 

You smile in response. “Let me think about it,” you ask again before kissing her this time. She melts into it and you try not to let it sway you. 

Hina comes about a week later. 

“Please join us,” she asks, holding your hand in hers. “We miss you. Let us take care of you and you take care of us.” 

“I miss you too,” you admit. “All of you. But are you sure?”

She kisses you. “We are. Are you?”

Makio is last. Her arms are crossed as you come across her waiting for you outside your work. 

“You’re being stupid,” she says as soon as she sees you. 

“Nice to see you too.”

“Why are you doing this to us?”

“What? Making you wait?”

“Yes!” The brashness fades as she looks at you. “Don’t you want us?” 

You sigh. “Of course I do.”

“Then marry us!” 

“One more day,” you say. “Give me one more day, okay? I’ll come to you.” 

You’ve known your answer since Tengen spoke to you. He’s right. Why should you deny yourself the chance of enjoying your life here, even if it might not be forever? Really, what is? If they want you, they can have you. 

It’s not hard to find their home despite the fact that you’ve never been there. The place is beautiful and a little out of the way. It suits them though you wonder if they’d like chimes. Wooden chimes would suit the place but it might be a bother considering Tengen’s hearing. 

The door opens before you even get to it and Suma comes running, nearly tackling you on the path. 

“You came!” 

You laugh as you hold her, miraculously steadying the both of you. It doesn’t last long as soon as Makio joins in. The three of you end up sprawled on the path and your face is covered in kisses despite the fact you still haven’t given an answer. You don’t mind. You know your answer and kiss them both back. 

“Alright,” you hear Tengen say. “Get up, you three.” Hina giggles as you all try to untangle yourselves. It takes a couple of tries before Tengen eventually steps in and lifts Suma off of you, listening to her protest. Makio stands up next and offers you her hand. 

You hold it, reaching out for Hina’s before you follow Tengen inside, trying not to laugh at Suma’s expression as she’s carried over his shoulder. 

You say yes. Tengen looks like he knew you would and the women are ecstatic. So are you. You’ve never felt as loved or as wanted as you do at that moment, as they all celebrate the fact that you’re joining them and going to become one of their wives. Even if you disappeared in this moment, you’d remember it forever. 

Luckily, that doesn’t happen. 

What does happen is that someone opens some sake and the night ends with you on your back and someone’s face between your legs. They know you’re inexperienced but the four of them aren’t. It’s not hard to listen to their cues, let them guide you and relish in the way you can help make them break. 

You learn new ways to use your tongue, the sweet spots that make each of them clutch you tighter and beg, and you learn how many times you’re capable of orgasming. It’s way more than you ever expected and you might have blacked out at some point. You come to curled up next to Suma while Hina’s head rests on your stomach. You’re all covered in sweat and the room stinks of sex. You can hear them though. The soft praises of Tengen and the way Makio cries out. 

“You did this,” he tells her. “You completed us.” 

“Thank you,” she cries out, clutching at his arm as he thrusts up into her. “For letting me–” She’s facing the rest of you. Both of them are and you catch Tengen’s eyes as he realizes you’re awake. 

“My beautiful wives,” he says, kissing her neck. “You’re so good to me. So good to all of us. How could I resist?” 

Suma shifts closer, throwing an arm around you as she buries her face against your skin. Indeed, you think, closing your eyes and drifting back to sleep even with the sounds of them fucking. How could you resist?

taglist: @raith-way  @chrissymunson @veetlegeuse  @chickensarentcheap @residentdormouse 

[esamastation]

Part thirty-one of Shizuroth, aka, the SOLDIER General's Self Saving Shizun.

Ao3 link.

Previous parts: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three, twenty-four, twenty-five, twenty-six, twenty-seven, twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty

-

They've landed in Wutai after a frankly miserable plane ride in a windowless, seat-less troop carrier - which, why even call it a troop carrier when it's clearly not designed to be carrying people? The thing is filled with boxes and stuff, there was barely enough room to move!

Guess that's what happens with last minute takeoffs - you get what you get.

The first few minutes onboard were fine and kinda novel - being on a plane at all was kind of a mind trip, because, heh, plane, Airplane Shooting Towards the Sky, eat your heart out! But then it became just hours upon hours of boredom in a rattling tube of metal. Sword flying is clearly a superior mode of transport.

"We will have your things delivered to wherever you're going to be staying," Reno says, waving them off the plane, hiis attention fixed on one of the bigger boxes. "Rude, come give me a hand with this…"

"We should -" Rude starts to say, looking at the SOLDIERs.

"Yeah, yeah, now come give me a hand with this."

Angeal gives them an awkward, slightly relieved smile and then claps Sephiroth on the shoulder. "We better get out of the way," he says, and together they exit the plane.

Sephiroth had been bracing himself for a warfront, Angeal had even told him what to expect, but he… didn't actually know what that entailed.

Shinra troops had taken over a small town at the foot of Tamblin Mountain sometime in the past and are now using it as their forward base. That's where they land - in a dirt runway cut into the forest, just by the town. And it's…

It reminds him of old movies, the mixture of vaguely mixed Asian style buildings, with these modern canvas tents pitched in between them and on the roads. There are trucks that totally aren't jeeps that have worn grooves into soft  streets, unprepared for such traffic, making everything messy and muddy. They've erected fences all over the place, sectioning parts off, and there are  floodlights everywhere. There's also  robots patrolling the place. 

In the distance, on the rolling hills somewhere to the west, there are rice paddies and behind them mountains. All around them there's a lush wall of green that looks almost like a rainforest. It actually might be rainforest! It would fit the allegory!

The mental, ethnic vertigo is so strong for a moment that Sephiroth doesn't know which way to turn to look. He doesn't know what to think. Mostly he just feels kinda… unnerved.

Angeal returns to his side before he even realises he'd gone somewhere. "I talked to the Colonel. Come on," Angeal says, clapping him on the shoulder. "They've set up a place for us. We'll… debrief there."

"... Hn," Sephiroth answers, and follows him.

There's a lot of Shinra troops milling about, infantry mostly, but some SOLDIER Seconds and Thirds too. They all stop to stare. Some of them look excited, but most just look tired and dirty and worn.

Sephiroth wonders if the Colonel is in charge of them. Actually, it might be that they're now in charge of everyone here! They're SOLDIERs First Class. Isn't that the highest rank? He can't remember if Sephiroth being a General was fanon or canon, but hasn't he been involved with the war since the beginning?

Would he have to give orders now, orders to march, to fight… to kill?

Angeal shows him to a house that was clearly someone's home before Shinra took the place over. It's a single room with tatami floors and rice paper walls, and the military bunks clash with the aesthetic horribly. Their pillows are clearly seat cushions.

There's a fancy looking kimono stand that's being used to hang bags and ammo satchels.

"What happened to the people who lived here?" Sephiroth can't help but ask, staring at the stand and wondering where the kimono had gone.

"They abandoned the town ahead of the troops," Angeal says.

Sephiroth looks at him and then at the room. Did they really, or is that a nicer thought than they were all executed? "... Right," he says and picks up the seat cushions from the bunk, piling them up in the corner - wondering if there was a table here, and what happened to it.

"Are you alright?" Angeal asks.

Probably not! "What's our mission here?" Sephiroth asks, picking up bags and satchels from the stand and carrying them outside.

"... We have a day to acclimate. After that, there's a number of things that need to be accomplished," Angeal says, subdued, and takes out his phone. "We can start slow - there's no major engagements being planned just now, no one will mind."

"Mn, and what does starting slow mean?" Sephiroth asks, as he picks up stuff around the hut and gets rid of it.

"Well, there's a number of monster extermination requests around here - Wutai wildlife is high-level, and it's rumoured that they're being intentionally bred by Wutai people. They've been attacking patrols."

Sephiroth gets rid of most of the random crap in the hut and then considers the bunk beds. They're ugly and probably unpleasant, but… they have to sleep somewhere. 

It takes just one swing of Masamune to improve the situation immensely.

"Um," Angeal says as Sephiroth finishes separating the beds and moves one of them to the other side of the hut. "... Why?"

"I am not sleeping in a bunk bed," Sephiroth says simply and looks around. "... Do you think they have folding screens around here?"

 Angeal arches his brows. "I don't know for sure. I suppose we could ask around? I think there's a storage house where they've put the collected, um," he clears his throat. "Things that will be sent to Midgar eventually. Maybe we can requisition some of it."

Things to be sent to Midgar…  that's nice. That's a nice way to say the spoils of war, huh. 

Sephiroth looks away. It's the way of war, he knows that, nothing unusual about it. It happened in PIDW too - cut out all the smut and stupidity, and all Binghe did was plunder and loot and pillage. When he wasn't being handed tributes, anyway. It's just par for the course! Right? Right…

"You…" Angeal starts and then sighs and puts the phone away. "How about I'll go get a screen for you, if there's any available. Do you want anything else?" He sounds very indulgent and understanding.

"Two screens. And a table," Sephiroth says without facing him, feeling like a sullen little kid being placated. "... Thank you. Can you ask someone to get rid of the - stuff outside?"

"I'll take care of it," Angeal promises. "You just… take a moment to make yourself comfortable, okay? There's no rush."

Aka, pull yourself together, man, you're looking really pitiful right now. Thanks, Angeal-bro.

Sephiroth's waits until Angeal is gone before sinking down to sit on one of the beds, putting his head in his hands.

Though they'd not seen much from the plane, what with it not having windows and all, he can see it in his mind's eye now. Burned villages smoking in the jungle, scorched fields, muddy paddies ruined. He'd never cared much for any kind of war stuff, but he'd seen his share of first person shooters and letsplays.

It all feels very real all of a sudden.

And he's supposed to be the Big Bad here! The Demon of Wutai! Who knows how many people he's already killed in this war! And sure, it is a war, and that's what happens, and yeah, he has killed before as Shen Qingqiu, but -!

Going to war on behalf of the America-allegory of the situation? The invader, the hostile occupier, the - the evil planet-sucking dystopian megacorporation?!

Dragging his hands down his face, Sephiroth sighs and looks up.

There are calligraphy scrolls hung up on each side of the door. One reads Integrity and the other Honour. Sephiroth stares at them miserably for a long moment.

Yeah.

He's so going to end up defecting here, isn't he? Four days, four days in this world, and he's doing to fuck up the whole plot, right here and now. It must be some kind of record! But where the fuck will be even defect to? The Demon of Wutai, hello?! The locals probably want his head on a spike!

"I am so fucked," he mutters wretchedly and hangs his head.

[tima7fa]

On A Colder Night Of The Year

A Young Boy Encounters A Fearsome Creature

A yuji and sukuna fan-fiction because there isn't enough about those two and I want to forget about the Mangas storyline. (First fan-fiction go easy on me guys.)

_______________________________________

"Heed my warning, Brat. Should I find you, I'll eat you. Is that clear?"

___________________________________________

Yuji discovered the village ablaze, the agonized shrieks sending chills down his spine. Blood and the acrid stench of charred flesh assaulted his senses - it was all too much to bear.

He had merely been fetching water from the nearby stream, as the villagers had instructed. It was not uncommon for them to send him on such errands, even in the biting cold of winter. They would cast him out whenever the opportunity arose. The bucket of water slipped from his grasp as he gazed upon the raging inferno before him.

Monster, freak, four-eyed, bastard child - he had heard it all before.

Yuji had been found by an elderly woman in the village one wintry night. She had taken him in and cared for him, and he had not been so reviled back then. At least when the peculiar markings upon his face were not prominent enough to inspire fear in the villagers. But now they had darkened into rich, crescent shapes. He knew not the reason for their existence. The kindly old woman who had sheltered him passed away on a cold winter's eve.

That was when the villagers' disdain for him had intensified. They no longer concealed their contempt. He did not mind, for at least he received sustenance and water in exchange for his labor. Even if the cramped cow shed in which he slept was less than ideal, it sufficed. Even if it reeked of waste, it was enough. Even if it was bitterly frigid in winter, it was sufficient for his needs.

Yuji felt a strange warmth for the first time since the old woman's demise - the cause being the conflagration consuming the village that had so despised him. Inexplicably, he found comfort in this heat, a peculiar sensation of solace.

But Yuji's attention was soon diverted by large footprints in the snow, accompanied by fresh blood. It was a captivating sight, for reasons he could not fathom. He followed the trail, though he should not have.

A four-armed being was feasting upon a woman he had once known from the village. It was perched upon a nearby hill, towering over the 7-year-old boy even in its seated posture. Its face was buried in the woman's flesh. Yuji stared at the severed head, eyes wide and mouth agape, the woman's tears dried but her blood still glistening upon her cheek.

Her kimono and undergarments were rent asunder, strewn across the snow. Yuji's gaze drifted to the four-armed entity. Its hair was the same peach hue as his own. He had never before encountered another possessing such distinct features, but this creature was surely no human.

"Brat. Do you have a death wish?"

A rough, deep voice sent shivers through him. The being was now regarding him, its face smeared with blood, a mask-like tattoo adorning half its visage. Most unsettling of all were its four crimson eyes.

"You should be fleeing by now," the entity growled, seemingly irked by Yuji's lack of response. "Since I am in a charitable mood today, I shall grant you ten seconds. Should I find you, I'll eat you. Understand?"

"Start running."

1

2

But Yuji remained frozen, captivated by the being's eyes. He felt the uncomfortable, rapid beating of his heart.

5

6

7

"You possess remarkable courage, Brat." the entity purred, amused, resting its upper elbows upon its thighs and cradling its cheek in its hand.

The entity regarded him intently, puzzled by the child's lack of movement. Was the boy not afraid? No, his trembling limbs and ragged breathing betrayed his terror. The child wore a simple, short kimono that left his arms and most of his legs exposed, his pinkish skin likely a result of the cold.

Something about the boy's unwavering gaze irked the being - normally, the child would be cowering on the ground, begging for mercy. "Time's up. Come here, since you seem so eager to be devoured." the curse huffed, gesturing with a long, bony finger. The being sighed, finding the situation rather tedious; a chase tonight might have been mildly entertaining, but this seemed less than promising.

"I won." The boy spoke,

"Hmm..?"

"I... didn't hide, so you technically didn't find me. I won," the child spoke up in a small, hoarse voice.

Sukuna stared at the boy, wide-eyed. Did this child truly outsmart him? He let out a booming laugh, genuinely amused and entertained by the young one's insight. "Alright, brat, I'll let you live. However, you must choose your fate: come with me to my shrine, or wander the streets and try to survive on your own. But if I find you again, I won't spare you, so choose wisely."

"Your shrine... does it have a condition?" Yuji asked suspiciously. Sukuna's grin widened as he tossed the woman's heart at the child's feet. "Eat that heart," he commanded.

The boy's brow furrowed, his lips pursing in distaste. "No, thank you," he replied, turning and fleeing.

Sukuna scoffed, wondering how long the child's frail body would last in the harsh elements. He picked up the heart, taking a bite and savoring the flavor. "Humans are foolish for not appreciating this," he muttered, heading in the opposite direction from the retreating boy.

___________________________________________

Migrating from one village to another was a common occurrence for Yuji, as was scavenging for sustenance from refuse like a wild animal. Being shunned and mistreated by the villagers, who labeled him a monster, had become his unfortunate norm.

The arrival of winter brought with it a new set of challenges. As people ventured out less frequently, Yuji feared he may not survive the harsh season. Huddled in an abandoned alleyway, he trembled, his body tightly embraced against the relentless snow that blanketed the streets.

It was then that Yuji heard whispers of a troubling rumor spreading through the village. A being known as "Sukuna Ryomen" had allegedly set fire to a neighboring settlement. Recalling the entity that had feasted upon the woman's body, Yuji realized this was likely the same malevolent force.

"That peach-haired child is probably the reason Sukuna has been burning down village after village," the villagers speculated. "We're next, but at least Sukuna doesn't strike the same place twice in a week."

Yuji paid little heed to their words, for he had made up his mind. He steeled himself and set out, his bare feet aching as he trudged through the snow, determined to find Sukuna's shrine, which he presumed rested atop a hill or mountain.

After much arduous travel, Yuji found himself standing before a disturbing structure. The shrine was a twisted, demonic perversion of a traditional Buddhist sanctuary, with horns protruding from the roof and human skulls hanging from its eaves. The entrance was a gaping, tooth-filled maw.

"This... looks like utter rubbish," Yuji muttered, yet he mustered the courage to knock on the large, red door. When it finally opened, a white-haired monk appraised him with a look of disdain.

"What brings you here, child?" the person inquired.

"I... Sukuna Ryomen. I wish to meet with it," Yuji responded, stumbling over the name.

The white-haired individual raised a brow. "It?" he repeated. "Well, Master Sukuna is currently out hunting, but I can venture a guess as to why you've come. You seek to work for Master Sukuna in exchange for shelter and sustenance, don't you?" With that, he ushered Yuji inside.

Yuji hesitated, realizing that if he were to enter the shrine now, he may very well be met with Sukuna's return, finding him and a swift, fatal end. "No, I can't... I'll wait for him outside," he said, shaking his head and stepping away from the entrance.

"Are you sure? It's still snowing," the white-haired individual warned.

"Yes," Yuji replied with determination, and retreated to a nearby tree to await Sukuna's arrival. He knew his current situation was pathetic, clinging to the faint hope of survival, but he was not yet ready to accept his demise. When Sukuna finally returned, holding the remnants of a human in his grasp and still consuming it, Yuji's body froze once more, and he cursed his own weakness.

Summoning his courage, Yuji reached out and grasped Sukuna's bloodstained hakama, his gaze fixed on the crimson droplets falling into the snow - a familiar sight. His breathing became ragged as that all-too-recognizable voice spoke.

"The hell?" Sukuna uttered, and Yuji's grip tightened on the fabric.

"I... won," the boy said, his voice broken.

Sukuna looked down at the child, recognizing the familiar peach-colored hair and similar features. He tossed the body aside with disinterest and seized Yuji's kimono from behind, lifting the boy to face him. Yuji's condition had clearly deteriorated since their last encounter; his body was covered in bruises, and he had grown thinner, still wearing the same plain kimono and bare-footed.

"You tryna dig your own grave, brat?" Sukuna huffed, brushing the stray strands of hair from Yuji's face, now longer than before.

"No... You said if you found me, you'd kill me. But I was the one to find you, so I won," Yuji replied, flinching as Sukuna's blood-stained finger traced his face.

"Ah, I see you still got that attitude from before, huh?" Sukuna mused, a wide grin spreading across his face. "Alright, what do you want, brat?"

Sukuna's eyes then focused on the unusual markings on Yuji's face, which resembled another pair of eyes. How intriguing, he thought.

"I want to work for you."

Sukuna scoffed dismissively. "With that frail body of yours, you'd barely get any work done. And I already have plenty of servants - you won't be of any use to me." His grip tightened slightly around Yuji's small hand.

Undeterred, Yuji pleaded desperately, "I can be of use to you! Please, take me in. I'll do anything."

Sukuna hummed contemplatively. "Anything, huh? Alright." He opened the door to the shrine, and the white-haired individual bowed reverently at Sukuna's arrival. The monk seemed surprised to see Sukuna holding the child close.

"Uraume, did you prepare my bath?" Sukuna asked, striding down the corridor towards the bathroom.

"Yes, my lord," Uraume replied.

"Prepare clothes for the brat."

The interior was opulently adorned with fine wood and gilded accents. Sukuna entered the bathroom, guiding Yuji along. "Why am I here?" the boy marveled.

"Take your clothes off and get in," Sukuna commanded, and Yuji complied.

Once in the bathtub, Yuji found himself submerged up to half his face, dwarfed by the oversized tub. He gripped the edges, trying to maintain his balance and avoid drowning. Sukuna then joined him in the tub, and Yuji was surprised.

"You too?" he asked.

"This was prepared for me, of course I'd take a bath," Sukuna huffed, eyeing Yuji's tight grip on the tub.

"Come here," Sukuna said, motioning to his lap. Yuji was hesitant at first, but slowly made his way over. Sukuna pulled the boy onto his muscular thigh, eliciting a small yelp from Yuji, who reflexively wrapped his arms around Sukuna's arm.

Sukuna then took Yuji's wrist, forming an O with his thumb and forefinger. "Tsk, your wrist isn't even covering half the circle," he muttered. "How old are you?"

Yuji looked up at Sukuna, his eyes following the movement of Sukuna's fingers as they glided across his wrist. "I'm eight," he answered, surprised by the curse's surprisingly gentle touch - a stark contrast to the thousands of innocents he had killed with those same hands.

Sukuna scoffed. "Eight? No child of eight years is this small. Brat, you look no older than five." He released Yuji's wrist and grabbed a nearby bowl and fine comb, scooping some bathwater. "Close your eyes," he instructed.

"I'll give you time to prove your usefulness to me," Sukuna said. "You have time until you get some meat on your bones. If you fail to prove how useful you are to me, I'll eat you, brat." Yuji simply nodded in response.

Sukuna let the water flow down the child's head, and Yuji gasped letting some enter his mouth. "The water tastes...good," he murmured. Sukuna raised a brow and began combing through Yuji's hair, untangling the knots.

"That's because it's milk and rose water," Sukuna hummed, surprised by the softness of the boy's hair, given his apparent life on the streets.

"Don't drink it, or do you want to get the blood and dirt from our bodies in your mouth." Sukuna warned. Yuji immediately spat it out, wiping his tongue.

"If you want, I could always give you blood to drink - tastes amazing, if you ask me," Sukuna grinned.

"No, thank you." Yuji replied in a small voice, wincing slightly as Sukuna ruffled his hair. Sukuna put the comb away and scooped more water, this time Yuji kept his mouth tightly shut.

Sukuna then reached for a towel, dampening it in the water and gently gliding it across Yuji's body. The curse couldn't help but see a resemblance to a small, stray kitten, and he scoffed at the thought. Sukuna noticed the little whimpers Yuji let out at certain parts of his body, likely due to bruises, and he applied an even gentler touch with the towel.

Sukuna took notice of the lighter color of Yuji's peach-colored hair, now that dirt was no more. The child turned his head to look at the curse. "You're shining, brat," Sukuna remarked.

"Can I do the same to you?" Yuji asked eagerly.

Sukuna looked at him with disinterest. "What will you even manage with those small hands?"

"I can do it!" Yuji insisted. Sukuna shrugged and handed the boy the comb. Yuji held it carefully, not wanting to lose it.

He looked up at Sukuna, realizing that with his height, he couldn't reach the curse's head. "Could you come down?" Yuji asked awkwardly.

"Excuse me?" Sukuna raised a brow.

"Sorry... I can't reach your head," Yuji apologized, looking down.

"I don't go down for anyone, brat."

Suddenly, Yuji found himself lifted onto Sukuna's shoulders, his arms hugging the curse's face tightly.

"Are you trying to suffocate me?" Sukuna grumbled, his voice muffled as he lightly nibbled on Yuji's arm.

"Ah, sorry," Yuji quickly retreated his arm, his eyes now fixed on the bowl, wondering how he was supposed to use it from up here.

"Uh, Mister... could you give me some water?" Yuji requested.

"Mister? Don't call me that," Sukuna scolded, scooping water into the bowl and handing it to the child.

"Thank you," Yuji murmured, taking the bowl.

"Close your eyes," Yuji said, mirroring Sukuna's earlier actions. The curse grinned.

"I'm doing all the work here, brat. What kind of service is this?" Sukuna taunted as Yuji let the water flow through his hair, feeling the comb gently run through it.

"Sorry... when I get taller, I won't need to be put on your shoulders," Yuji said, handing the bowl back to Sukuna.

That is if he survived that long.

Yuji then began combing through Sukuna's hair, surprising the curse with his skill. It felt almost like a massage.

"Hmm, maybe you're not so bad after all," Sukuna mused. "What's your name?"

"Yuji."

"Just Yuji?"

"Just Yuji..."

"Hmm."

[an-idyllic-novelist]

Hi, could I request for a Lady Tamayo!Reader paired with Buddha?

This reader was revived by Brunhilde to be the doctor for the 13 champions and she's loyal (not too loyal) to her bc she saved her from her punishment from being a demon.

The scenario would be that they met when she treated him after his fight and they got to know each other after that?

Please and thank you

Here it is! Special thanks to @nixes-noxes for proofreading/editing to make sure that the characters weren’t OOC. Enjoy and have a lovely day/evening!

Warnings: manga spoilers

Buddha was…a difficult patient. Despite all of the odds that were stacked against him in his fight with Zero, he won. Yet his victory for humanity isn’t an excuse to sneak out of his room to bask underneath the canopy of his bodhi tree and enjoy a passing breeze with sun shining down from the sky.

That is one of the reasons why Brunhilde had summoned Lady [First Name] [Last Name] from Helheim despite being a demon; before she had been killed by Muzan after drugging him with an elixir during their confrontation in the Infinity Castle, Lady [First Name} had been a doctor. Together with her companion Yushiro, she helped as many humans as she could with their alignments,including those who had been afflicted with Muzan’s poisonous blood and became flesh-eating demons.

In retrospect, dying to give the Demon Slayers a chance to destroy the man who had ruined her human life wasn’t a terrible thing…but Lady [First Name] had not expected to wake up in a dark wasteland teeming with demons that were just as dangerous, if not more, than the demon king himself. It was through sheer dumb luck that she had survived for so long until the Valkyrie had brought from her ‘punishment’ and offered her the position of being humanity’s chief physician in the medical wing.

It did not take the young woman very much time to give Brunhilde an answer. At this point anything was better than being stuck in Helheim. Disinfecting wounds, monitoring a patient’s health, and making sure that they are being properly fed? Yes. She can do that.

But the demon did not recall that being the ‘chief physician’ also meant chasing after a stubborn god.

Shaking her head in disbelief, Lady [First Name] walked up the steep grassy hill as best as she could in her [Favorite Color] kimono and zori sandals till she was standing right behind Buddha, munching on snacks that she specifically recalled telling him to cut back on until he was ready for the next stage of his treatment.

“Why am I not surprised to find you here, my lord?”

“Should ya even be surprised anymore, doc?” Buddha snarked back, unwrapping a candy bar and throwing it in his mouth. “Besides, do you really believe I’d miss an opportunity to get some fresh air?”

She frowned. “I never said that there was a problem with being outside, Lord Buddha. In fact, it is supposed to improve your sleep, cognition, and overall well-being rather than being confined indoors all of the time. I did, however, say that you can but it would be in everyone’s benefit to inform myself or the staff that you wish to go outside instead of sneaking out. Lady Brunhilde was quite upset when she came to the medical wing earlier this afternoon to find out that you were…missing.”

“Bruni will be fine, she’s a lot tougher than she looks, believe me. Let her focus on the eighth round. I might have won but we still need more wins if the gods’ll leave the humans alone. More importantly,” He glanced over his shoulder, a single aquamarine orb staring right at her. “Do I even know you?”

Lady [First Name] tilted her head, staring at him for a moment before smiling softly. It appears that Lady Brunhilde was not joking when she had casually mentioned just how laid-back Buddha is…or simply doesn’t give a shit about anyone. The Valkyrie’s words, not hers, thank you very much. But being a doctor secretly researching demonic transformations or performing blood transfusions did not have its own issues. She also had to handle human patients too. Inhaling a deep breath through her nostrils, she calmed her anger before answering Buddha.

“All you need to know is that my job is to ensure the mental and physical health of all humanity’s champions, Lord Buddha. It goes against my oath as a doctor to force a patient to do something against their will. In this scenario, however, I offer…an ultimatum.” She paused, staring at the blonde-haired deity. Since Buddha didn’t interrupt nor look away, the demon took this as a cue to elaborate.

“I will speak to the staff and allow you to lounge outside here or in the greenhouse until a fixed time. When that time is up, you must return to your room and rest. Yes, this is a curfew, but this is the best that I can offer you right now. You may no longer be in critical condition, though there is a chance that your health or recovery might have some setbacks.”

She could tell immediately that Buddha wasn’t too thrilled with this restriction. No one likes having someone hovering over their shoulder or counting down the minutes until they have to go back to their room when all they want is a little time to themselves before running through medical tests for the nth time of the day.

“Is there any chance you can include snacks-”

“That will be taken into consideration once your bloodwork comes back, Lord Buddha.” Lady [First Name] chuckled, witnessing one of the most powerful gods pouting petulantly like a child. Shaking her head, she decided to do something that she hadn’t done in all of her years of practicing medicine: she sat next to him under the bodhi tree, paying no heed to getting grass stains on her kimono as she stared up at the floating islands of Valhalla in comfortable silence.

He did not say anything….that was progress. Maybe?

[a-pastel-edgelord]

The Woman in the Well

Sukuna's POV of the first time he meets you and later on, through Yuuji's eyes.

cw: vomiting, drowning, near death experience, corpses

word count 1.5k

。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。

There’s something on the edge of his consciousness, like a sound or the suggestion of a sound sitting and waiting to be acknowledged. It’s not that he doesn’t want to look for it, it’s that he can’t. It’s too comfortable here in the warm darkness—floating in space. Who knew oblivion could be so nice…?

But if this oblivion… why can he feel his lungs inflating and then pouring out oxygen? Oblivion doesn’t have a heartbeat but he does. Something isn’t right. The wrongness of it wraps itself around his eyes. He jerks upwards, trying to yank whatever it is off—get off, get off, GET OFF—

Yuuji Itadori blinks and the world changes.

It’s bleak and wet. The mud beneath his feet squelches as he tries to push himself to his feet. He’s not as fast, not as strong as he knows he should be. That explains why he’s at the mercy of whatever that thing is. 

It’s a curse, but it looks like a woman in a white kimono with impossibly long hair. He hunches over, water pouring out of his mouth. Fuck, the thing is trying to drown him. Its hair grabs him by the neck, cutting off his windpipe as water from nowhere fills his lungs.

Yuuji blinks. 

He’s at the bottom of a hill looking up into the rain. Your face obscures his view. Your mouth is forming words again, urgently, quickly. You press on his torso and water spews from his mouth like a busted pipe. He vomits, but chokes as he heaves. He can’t catch his breath as water starts filling his mouth again. He’s going to die. He can’t breathe. 

Then, he hears it again. That musical clinking of metal on metal. He looks up as you drive the point of a staff right through the curse’s head. You tuck your right hand close to your chest, in a clawed gesture then strike out as your fingertips glow from cursed energy. “Cursed Technique: Cleave.” The words echo in his mind even though he can’t see your face because he knows that technique. He knows it like he knows his own name.  

The curse twists in on itself from the point of impact, like water draining from a basin, as it dissipates into the air. And he can breathe again as he screams through the bile and blood pouring out of his mouth. His lungs are burning, his stomach is bursting, and his eyes stream from the force of his heaving. The strength in his limbs fail as he tries to push himself up off his knees. He merely collapses into himself, shivering with such force that his teeth chatter together. 

Yuuji blinks.

It’s the campfire again, but your face is clearer this time and he can hear your voice. The accent is strange and the dialect confusing—but he feels his body relax despite himself. He eats the food you offer, he can’t taste it, but he knows it’s good. He remembers it being good. You talk a lot, maybe a little too much, because he can guess your secret. 

It’s well hidden, without hair and with some simple adornments that declare you to be of a religious sect no one would think twice. As long as you stay away from large cities or monasteries, your safety is practically guaranteed. There are few safer lone travellers than a monk on a pilgrimage. But, you’re not a travelling monk, nor a man.

Just a wandering sorcerer you say when he asks. But there’s a tension in your shoulders and face when you say it. Like you’re waiting for him to pass judgment. His verdict? You’re strong.

Wait.

How does he know all this again?

He blinks. 

The edges of his vision are a little out of focus. It’s bright. Sunlight is dappled across the grass in a courtyard he knows he should recognize. There’s a breeze that sets leaves spinning. He can’t hear it rush through the trees. You’re standing a few meters away, in hakama and standing in the shade.

Your lips are moving, you wipe a hand over your brow. You wait for an answer. He can’t, but you receive one anyway because you nod looking sheepish. Your lips turn up into a laugh, but the furrowing of your brows give away your nerves. You don’t try to meet his eyes again but focus on the shakujō in your hands. 

You wield it like a weapon, swinging it down with purpose and he hears it. The tinkling of metal on metal—the rings at the top of the staff clinking together in something adjacent to music. The sound that hovers on the edge of his mind—no, not his, technically, because this isn’t his mind, is it?

It’s Sukuna’s, the King of Curses’ memories from when he was a normal human a thousand years ago. He shouldn't be here. He needs to leave.

Even as the world around him fades, it’s just you. Like an actor on a darkened stage with a spotlight, you perform. Drilling with the shakujō and the only sound that reaches his ears is the rhythmic—ting—ting—ting—of those tin rings. Each blow punctuated by a sound that had long since been forgotten.

Sukuna blinks.

Your back is to him as you lead the way down a well travelled path. The urgency in your movements reflects your anxiety—your anger at the men who had hemmed and hawed at your advice bristles across your shoulders.

 “They won’t stop merely because you requested it of them. Simple folk like traditional solutions. They’ve not the mind to do otherwise.” 

His words only seem to increase the weight on your invisible yoke. These people will create another and another and another vengeful spirit from their own ignorance and refusal to dispatch with tradition. “Mayhaps we should leave ’em to their fated deaths then. They did bring it upon themselves. Should they not be made to reap what they sow?” He knows you do not truly mean your words.

“I am of the same mind.” He allows a smile, thinking of how the bloated bodies of men would hang from trees as demented decorations until the villagers left or sought aid. “It did birth a beautifully powerful vengeful cursed spirit. I would like to try to face a similar kind in the future…”

You sigh. “T'was no easy feat, Sukuna. If ye give it another hundred years, I do think that another of its like shall appear.” You fix your eyes on the hard packed dirt of the road. “Indeed, ‘tis a wonder every lone town does not have its own.”

He hums, a deep sound that rumbles through his chest as he taps his chin in thought. “You seem disturbed.”

“Aye, ‘tis true I am.”

“Why? You know nothing of these people. They are not your kin.”

“In truth, they may not be kin in blood but in feeling.” You can’t look at him as you say it. He studies your features. Looking for something in your posture or expression, he finds it in the twist of your mouth.

“You have sympathies? Who is deserving of it?” 

“Those who drowned for no fault of their own, my friend.” 

Your words wash over him, the suggestion of them is unpleasant to consider.

Not for the first time, he feels his skin burn hot and blood freeze all at once. Life had been as unusually cruel to you as it was to him. He is disposed to say perhaps your path to this moment had been steeper if only for the reason that you are not a man, but merely charade as one. It is fortuitous your ruse has not been picked apart by other sorcerers, for they would have hounded for your blood if they knew. Maybe even sentenced you to death in a similar fashion as the victims of superstition. Being from a remote village in the north did little to ingratiate you to the elders of Jujutsu society. Being uncommonly powerful lessened such a burden—but gods forbid anyone find the truth. The clandestine nature of it is sealed into the depths of his heart. He would not reveal it, not even if you asked him to. 

“Do you mean to say you were in danger of such a thing?”

“T’was no one like me in the village. Only the threat of myself becomin’ a cursed spirit in revenge that saved my hide.”

Bile rises in his throat, sending an acrid taste to his mouth. It would be a ridiculous thing to voice his dissatisfaction with it. You know how he feels about most humans already. A waste of space and air, most of them. He's voiced this opinion often.

You don't agree. He can see it in the way you speak to others who you could make grovel at your feet like the worms they are. You smile at women with children. You show deference to the elderly. You look every man in the eye and match him word for word. Despite your isolation from Jujutsu society, or maybe in spite of it, you love the common people. Those of your power and station would consider them mere insects. 

But there is no one of your station and power—Sukuna is sure of it. You are the strongest and Sukuna follows you for that reason alone.

。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。

[kiwibeanv]

Astray in the Black Water: Prologue

Fatal Frame 5 crossover Bungo Stray Dogs + Fem Reader

Note: Reader not yet included in this chapter. Proceed to Chapter 1 if you would like to jump in.

Authorities couldn't find the missing girl. After weeks of searching, they left the case for the Armed Detective Agency to handle. Which was then passed to Kyouka.     She searched the mountain again for the missing person. Perhaps the police overlooked something. Rumors said that this abandoned temple was haunted and that this girl wasn't the only one who went missing. Stories of being pushed off cliffs, misty specters of drenched shrine maidens, and trapped souls trying to drag them to the nether world. Though, that didn't faze her at all.      Kyouka did manage to find a bracelet from the missing girl. Right in front of the temple up the hill. She gazed at it, thinking the girl went there. It was a large temple. Multiple floors, countless rooms, spiraling hallways, and some flooding underground. A phantom bell rung randomly, as if trying to call Kyouka. 

She entered a room flooded with water. It was empty and dark. Not even her flashlight could light up the big room. The water was too murky, but there was a chance for a hidden item. As she marched, her foot hit something in the water. She stared at the spot and reached for it. Within that same moment, a head of a woman emerged. Her hair covered her most of her face and she attempted to lunge at her.     Kyouka dodged and saw her robes. This woman rose but her feet levitated above the water. Other drowned women emerged. She never expected to be surrounded by spirits and fled the room. Kyouka isn't easy to scare, however this was a rare moment of her holding back her nerves. She attempted to go back but another spirit, a woman in a black kimono blocked her path. She went the other way and saw a room with light. A possible exit, she thought.

    The doors shut behind her and she stood at the top of the stairs. Again another flooded room but it was surrounded by shelves with pottery. In the center of the room, a light shined down on a black box. She had a moment of revelation, perhaps the girl could be inside that box. She started to make her way to the box. At the halfway point, the box suddenly opened. Black long hair slithered out and into the murky water. It wrapped around her ankles and Kyouka used her knife to cut it. However, her attention landed on the pale specter emerging. She started to panic and tried to tear the hair off.

    The spirit floated into the air. Her eyes were focused on Kyouka. Her arms reached out and she got closer and closer. And that was all Kyouka could remember.

    The ADA waited for her to return that night but she never came back. The morning came and Atsushi never saw her futon undone. Whispers of the news crept along to the café workers, to their friends, and ultimately the ears of the Port Mafia. Most members didn't care about the report. All but one: Kouyou. She couldn't bear the fact that someone had taken Kyouka and she felt the need to rescue her this time. Not Dazai. And just like before, she went to the mountains and underestimated the spirits. The Port Mafia didn't hear from her again. 

    These two events led to the ADA and PM sending out their troops to find their beloved members. Atsushi and Dazai, and Chuuya's party went out into the mountain. They explored the station, the inn, and the groups crossed paths in the forest. Dazai and Chuuya glared daggers at each other.  "Why the fuck are you here?!" Chuuya leaned forward with his hands on his hips. His squad of men stood back on guard.

"You weren't the one I wanted to commit suicide with," Dazai deadpanned.

"Well, I didn't want to do this anyways!" Chuuya snapped back.

Atsushi didn't want either side to start fighting. He took a step forward, asking, "Did you guys also lose someone here?"

Chuuya looked over to Atsushi. "And why should I give an answer to the Armed Detective Agency?"

"Because~," Dazai chimed in. "The Port Mafia wouldn't be looking into this unless someone important went missing."

"Well if you just kept an eye on your member, we wouldn't have been here to begin with!" Chuuya shot back. 

"You should have kept an eye too!"

    Atsushi let the two men bicker as he took a look of his surroundings while giving them space. He knew there was no stopping them. In the corner of his eye, he saw a white figure. He only got a look of the robes before it disappeared, and the chiming of a bell rung in his ear.

"Oi! Did anyone else see that?" Atsushi asked.

Dazai and Chuuya followed his gaze. They shook their heads.

"Do you really believe in ghost stories?" Chuuya scoffed as he put his hand on his hip.

"No, I really saw something," Atsushi argued.

"Really?~" Dazai crept up behind Atsushi. "There are a lot of stories about this place. A place to commit suicide, spirits drive you to death, or--!" He tapped his fingers along Atsushi's shoulders as if trying to make a crawling sensation. "The infamous hachishakusama is said to lurk here."

Atsushi shivered. "The eight feet tall woman?"

Chuuya rolled his eyes. "It's all stories! None of it is real."

"Because you refuse to admit your fear~" Dazai teased. 

"I'm not scared!"

    Atsushi sighed. He goes away from the group to continue his investigation. Though, he was wary enough to stay in sight, in case things go wrong. He comes across a broken bridge. Across was a shrine. He thought he saw something float in the water. He shook his head and saw nothing. Dazai would soon join him, after finishing his bickering with Chuuya. 

"Hah... Now I don't feel like doing anything," Dazai sighed and looked around.

"We have to look for Kyouka," Atsushi reminded him, turning his back on the river. "She could be stuck anywhere on this mountain."

Dazai hummed in thought. "Strange... Kyouka is not one who goes down easily. If nothing was on the mountain, she should have returned home. Even stranger when a Port Mafia executive disappeared shortly after too."

"So, there must be something that made them lost..." Atsushi added. 

"Now, I don't believe in ghost stories, however, locals say this mountain is cursed," Dazai brought up as he puts his hands in his coat pockets. "Others have disappeared here, and this is a hot suicide spot!" His eyes sparkled.

Atsushi gave him a look of disbelief. "Why would you commit suicide in a cursed mountain?" 

"Because if people succeeded here, then surely I will," Dazai replied. "I don't need you dying now," Atsushi rolled his eyes. "Look, let's check out that temple over there."

    They looked across the river were the temple sat, not noticing the sheer, pale hand coming from the water. Groans of pain were heard and it seized Atsushi's ankle and pulled him into the water. Atsushi let out a yelp. Dazai yelled his name and tried to get a hold of him. The figure that stood before Atsushi was a drenched man. His clothes stuck to his body, his hair fell down his face, and his mouth was wide open. He held onto him like a zombie. Atsushi attempted to use his tiger claw to cut his arm, but his hands went through the spirit.

  "I can't hit him!" Atsushi yelled out.

"You can't hit ghosts! Get out of there!" Dazai managed to grab a hold of his collar and reeled him in.

Atsushi wiggled out of the ghost's grasp. Though, the spirit followed. They fled from the river to get some distance. Afar, they heard some commotion too. A yelp familiar to Dazai before a log hits the ground with a loud thud. They heard commands to fire at will but the bullets only hit the trees and dirt.

"Sounds like Chuuya is figuring out he can't hit ghosts either," Dazai says as he looked at the direction of the noise.

"If our abilities don't affect these ghosts, then what do we do?" Atsushi asked.

"Find something that handles ghosts," Dazai replied.

In that same moment, Chuuya came to the same area panting, holding his hat. His men followed with goosebumps crawling on their skin. 

"Dammit! What the hell are we supposed to do against these spirits?!" Chuuya hit a tree trunk with his fist. "Oi Dazai, don't you know?"

Dazai shrugged. "Exorcisms?"

Chuuya scoffed. "Even those guys will run with their tails between their legs. Ain't there an ability user who can deal with this?"

The other two shrugged their shoulders. Neither of them knew anyone who had that ability. Even if they asked a psychic, there was a chance that they are not legitimate. However, Atsushi had an idea.

"What if we ask Ranpo for some legitimate users?" He asked.

"We could. He can narrow it down easily for us," Dazai agreed with a nod. "But who's paying?"

The ADA members stared at Chuuya, expectantly.

"Hah? Why are you looking at me?!" He snapped, pointing a finger to himself.

"Surely you have lots of money to afford your clothes," Dazai smirked.

"And surely the government gives you guys a good payout," Chuuya shot back.

"Well..." Atsushi raised his hands up to his chest. "We could split. Fifty-Fifty?"

"Fair enough," Chuuya nods. 

Dazai snickered behind him. "Yeah that works," He said as he hid his grin with his hand.

They all heard a bell ring and felt like someone was watching them.

"You guys settle that then and tell me who you got," Chuuya says as he was getting ready to leave. "The faster you get them, the better. I'm gonna need them too."

"Okay but we call first dibs," Dazai added.

  "It better be quick finding Kyouka." Chuuya turned away to mutter, "I'm worried about big sis..."

    The trio split ways. Dazai and Atsushi went back to Ranpo to figure out the best candidate. They compiled a list of self-proclaimed psychics and Ranpo would narrow down the options. A majority were not legitimate. Others were true, however their abilities were more about the future, past, or simply too weak. However, there was one name that Ranpo was certain of. (Y/N) (L/N). (Y/N) has a different practice of psychometry. "Shadow reading." However, her work was not solely focused on her job as a psychic investigator. She also owned a small café in a quiet part of town.

    With the right person to go to, Kunikida, Dazai, and Atsushi set out to meet her.

-> Chapter 1

[niuniente]

Hey Niu~ Do you have any smaller wonders you'd recommend visiting in Japan

Sure!

OSAKA

If you go to Osaka around the end of a month, there's a monthly temple flea market in the Shitennoji temple yard. It's arranged on 21st and 22nd of each month, and regular people are selling there their old stuff, as well as booths selling vintage kimonos, yukatas, haoris etc., ceramics, decorations, lots of antique items, statues etc. Take a subway to Tennoji station, the temple is next it. Read more here!

In Osaka, near Tenma JR railwaystation, is a takoyaki shop owned by an 86 year old lady called Hiroko. She's been making takoyakis for 60 years in that shop. You might have seen this image set of Hiroko giving a piece of her mind about people complaining that her food is too yellow (if not, see it - it's hilarious!) Her shop is called たこ焼き 寛子（ひろこ), Takoyaki Hiroko (Hiroko). The address is 5 Chome-6-3 Tenjinbashi, Kita Ward, Osaka, 530-0041, Japan. If you use subway, get off at Ogimatchi station to get to her store.

If you love toys and anime merch, there are two good spots for these in Osaka; one is the famous Den Den Town and other one is Kiddy Land in Umeda.

You can get to Den Den Town the easiest from Nipponbashi metro station. Just head towards south. You can also walk from Namba to Den Den Town as it's just right the next corner.

Kiddy Land is a bit harder to locate in the gigantic Hankyuu department store (which is like multiple building spreading across the whole Umeda) but you can get there the best from Umeda station. Kiddy Land has lots of toy stores, like Miffy, San-X, and a mixed store of everything cute, and also a Lego store. If you go out from the building from the door next to the Lego store, you can walk a few ten meters to a big Loft-store. It also has some merch, typically San-X and Sanrio and Disney stuff, but on the top floor of the same building there's an anime store. They sell lots of art books, replica swords and also special collectible statues like Japanese deities.

Special mentioning goes to the Namba Daiso (Namba Daiso Nansan-dori). It has 5 floors, all stuff with 100 yens. It's very near Namba metro station, easy to find! If you want to get super fancy and you've got a big budget, the Takashimaya department store is near this Daiso. You can find all kind of food items there, some with ridiculous prices. There's also Daimaru department store in Namba in close proximity - they sell fresh made taiyaki cakes in the bottom floor's food section.

KYOTO

Near Kyoto, you can find a small town of Arashiyama. It is the most well-known for its ancient wooden bridge and bamboo forests. People go just walk around into the bamboo forest. Many movies and TV series has been filmed in that forest. There's a direct train service to Arashiyama from Kyoto. Arashiyama is especially gorgeous at the end of November when the fall has arrived to Kansai area. It's apparently also super pretty during cherry flower season in spring. There are lots of temples in a small area, too, if you want to explore them.

(Here's the famous bridge).

In Kyoto, there's a design shop of SOU SOU. Now, SOU SOU makes and sells handmade tabi shoes, kimonos, yukatas, string bags, dishware, and wonderful print tabi socks but they also have their own, traditional Japanese café at their Kyoto store called Sou Sou Zaifu. You can get only coffee and matcha tea here - the order is hand made in order in front of you. It's very quiet and idyllic, intimate place. I accidentally went here to find shelter from a rain and it was so lovely. Even the shop itself is worth the visit, if you're interested in fashion and design! Read more here.

(Sou Sou Zaifu cafe. It seems the same guy is still working here. He was very friendly!)

TOKYO

If you travel in Tokyo, about 45 minutes by train from Tokyo is the city of Saitama. Saitama has a Sayama Hills at Tokorozama, which is also known as The Totoro Forest. Hayao Miyazaki has taken inspiration to Totoro from Sayama Hills. It was hard to find any information of this place in English (and even in Japanese!) in the past, but nowadays there's information in English. Read more here (with a Japanese map)

[larz-barz]

Title: Unlikely Love

Prompt: Tanjiro x demon! reader

Summary: Tanjiro falls in love with a demon who is in a similar situation as Nezuko. Instead of sleeping to regain energy, she eats raspberries. He brings her to the headquarters and they put her on trial. She doesn’t even react to the trial and this shocks everyone, including the master.

Genre: Fluff

Warning(s): Blood, mentions of violence

Tanjiro was walking through a forest when the scent of blood filled his senses. His eyes widened and he ran towards the location of the scent. He also smelled a demon, a powerful demon. It had the scent of the blood of many humans. He got to where the scent was coming from, the demon was nowhere to be seen. What Tanjiro saw however, was much worse. He saw a family of 6, all appeared to be dead. He got a closer look and saw that you were still breathing. He breathed a sigh of relief when you opened your eyes. He noticed that they had slits and realized that you had become a demon. You sat up and he unsheathed his nichirin sword. You tilted your head to the side with a confused look on your face. He let his guard down slightly, noticing that you weren't trying to attack him. He crouched down to your level. “What’s your name?” You smiled at the boy. “(Y/N). What’s yours?” He smiled as well. “That’s a beautiful name, I’m Tanjiro!” He held a hand out to you and you took it.

Tanjiro noticed the sun was starting to peer from over the hills. He panicked a bit. “Uhh uhm-“ He saw your skin was starting to burn, almost as quickly as when Nezuko’s did when she conquered the sun. You let out a cry of pain, and Tanjiro was brought back to reality. He quickly got in between you and the sun, he tried to get you further into the blood covered house. “Can you shrink for me, (Y/N)?” He asked you worriedly and you shrunk down to the size of a small child. You were slightly smaller than Nezuko’s child form. Your stomach growled and you ran outside into the sun. Tanjiro tried to stop you, but as soon as you got outside in the direct sunlight the burns on your skin disintegrated from your (s/t) skin. (Btw (s/t) means skin tone) He stopped when he realized that you had also conquered the sun. “Woah…” He said wistfully. He realized that you had run off to a nearby raspberry patch, you were sitting beside it and eating the berries. He smiled at you. ‘That must be how she regains her energy.’ He thought to himself.

Tanjiro walked over to you. “Hey (Y/N), I’m so sorry about your family… I know exactly how you feel, well not exactly cause I didn’t have to witness it happen and become a demon… Anyways, I lost my family to a demon as well, my little sister Nezuko also got turned into a demon.” He put down the box that held his sister and opened the door. Nezuko crawled out, she grew to her normal size and smiled at you. Tanjiro introduced the 2 of you. You and Nezuko hit it off immediately.

Tanjiro also introduced you to Inosuke and Zenitsu. Zenitsu fell to the floor and clung to the hem of your kimono. You popped a raspberry into your mouth and tried to back away from him. Tanjiro tried to pull him off of you but he wouldn’t budge. “Tanjiro, stop trying to take away my chances at marriage!!! At this rate I’ll die an unmarried virgin!!!” The blonde boy wined. Inosuke just wanted to fight you. You ignored him and just kept eating your raspberries.

~A few weeks later at headquarters~

Tanjiro brought you to master Kagaya for trial, he personally trusted you but he also wanted you to have the rest of the corps trust.

Kagaya came out and everyone, including you and Nezuko, bowed to the ground. “Welcome, hashiras, Tanjiro, and Nezuko. I’ve been told that Tanjiro Kamado has found another demon that isn’t under the control of Muzan Kibutsuji and has conquered the sun. Would you bring her forward please?” Tanjiro stood up and grabbed your hand, he led you up to master Kagaya. You bowed to him once more. “Please stand.” You straightened your back, and Tanjiro went back to sit beside Giyuu. Sanemi stood up. “Forgive me, master.” Mitsuri grabbed his arm in an effort to stop him from trying to hurt you. He threw his katana and it stabbed into your shoulder. You cried out in pain and Tanjiro yelled at Sanemi, and Nezuko glared at the wind hashira. (Ik I’m basically copying Nezuko’s trial but bare with me lol) “Shinazugawa, that’s enough.” Kagaya said calmly and Sanemi immediately bowed down and apologized. You yanked the blade out of your shoulder and pulled out a small bag of raspberries. You popped a few into your mouth, when you ate them your shoulder healed immediately. All the hashira’s and Kagaya’s eyes widened in shock. Tanjiro and Nezuko smiled in relief.

Sanemi still couldn’t believe this, a demon who regains energy by eating raspberries? That’s insanity! He walked up to you and cut through the surface of the skin on his forearm, near where he did this during Nezuko’s trial. Blood dripped from his arm and you just shrugged, popped another raspberry into your mouth, and went to sit by Tanjiro, shrinking to child size in the process. When you sat down you cuddled against the boy and he blushed a little. He smiled down at you sheepishly. Sanemi growled at you for ignoring him. He ran at you and Tanjiro and Kagaya told him to calm himself. Sanemi listened to him of course but he was still angry at you.

~Post trial~

Kagaya deemed you a completely safe and docile demon. “Tanjiro, if you want to, you can leave (Y/N) here with us so we can keep her safe, since she’s so docile. I highly doubt she’ll even attack a fellow demon. I promise that she’ll be safe with us.” Tanjiro looked down at you, cuddled up against him. He smiled sadly and nodded, he wanted to take you with him but he knew you wouldn’t be safe enough. He would try his best to protect you of course but with you being as docile as you are, would you be able to fend for yourself when he can’t keep you safe?

After thinking it over, Tanjiro decides that it would be best for you to stay at one of the hashira’s mansions. Kagaya assigns you to stay with Shinobu. Shinobu smiles and accepts. “I promise to keep (Y/N) safe, Tanjiro.” She comes over to you and Tanjiro and crouches and pats you on the head. You smile and giggle. Tanjiro smiles at the interaction. “I trust you, Ms. Shinobu.” The insect hashira smiles and nods at him.

Tanjiro and Nezuko walked with you and Shinobu back to the butterfly mansion. Tanjiro and Nezuko were holding your hands while following behind Shinobu. Y’all arrived at the Shinobu’s mansion. “You two feel free to stay here for a few days before going back to doing missions.” Shinobu said with a smile. Tanjiro and Nezuko nodded and smiled. “Thank you so much!” Tanjiro said and they both bowed slightly. “Yes, thank you!” Nezuko said and smiled. Shinobu waved them off. “It’s no problem!”

~That night~

Tanjiro is asleep in his room, he wakes up when he hears the door open. He smells your familiar scent and smiles, still half asleep. He knows that since you eat raspberries to regain your energy, you don’t need sleep unlike Nezuko. He sits up on his cot. “Hey, (Y/N). What’s up?” He asks groggily. “I got lonely..” You said quietly in a kinda sad voice. He motioned for you to come to him so you did. He brought you in for a warm, comforting hug. Your usual scent was being clouded by sadness and something else. Something that Tanjiro couldn’t figure out. It was a familiar scent, kinda like the scent his parents always had when they were together. He immediately blushed and looked down at you in his arms. Now there’s one question he has to find out for himself. Does he love you too?

Does he think you're beautiful? Definitely, you’re absolutely gorgeous to him.

Does he wanna protect you at all costs? Yes of course, he wants to keep you safe from anything and everything.

Does he feel the way his parents described their love for each other? Yes, when he sees you he gets a fuzzy feeling in his chest. The feeling he feels is different than he feels for say, Nezuko or his family in general.

Now for the big question. Does Tanjiro Kamado love you? Yes, from the bottom of his heart and soul. He loves you so much.

He ran all these questions through his head and figured out he does love you. He wanted to tell you, he just didn’t know how. “Um, (Y/N)..?” He said, nervously. You hummed then looked up at him, letting him know you have his full attention. “I- uhm-…” He started and his face went red. You tilted your head slightly. He was struggling to make eye contact with you. “N-never mind..” He said and looked a bit defeated. You had a disappointed look on your face. “Actually, no. This is something I need to tell you.. I uhm.. I love you, (Y/N). I love you so much. I wish I could stay with you forever, sadly I can’t since I’m a demon slayer. I promise I’m gonna come see you as much as I possibly can.” Your face went bright red as he explained his feelings about you. You had a stunned look on your face and it melted into a look of pure love and affection for the boy in front of you. “I love you too, Tanjiro..” You said and kissed him softly. It was a quick but gentle and sweet kiss. Both of your faces were red after the kiss.

Tanjiro caressed your cheek and put his forehead to yours. “Does this mean we’re together now?” He asked softly. You smiled. “Yep.” He smiled as well. “That’s good.” “I promise, I’m gonna turn you and Nezuko back into humans.” He continued, a determined look on his face. You smiled. “I believe in you, I love how determined and caring you are. I love how much you care about other people over yourself.” He smiled and blushed at your words. The 2 of you hugged again.

~In the morning~

Zenitsu and Inosuke arrive at the butterfly mansion the next morning. They come in to see everyone eating together. Zenitsu notices you leaning against Tanjiro and he yells, startling you, Tanjiro, Nezuko, and all the others. You end up getting strangled on one of your raspberries. Tanjiro rubs your back and glares at Zenitsu. “AHHH TANJIRO YOU’RE SO SCARY!!!” The blonde headed boy screams. Inosuke yells for him to shut up but he keeps on screaming.

You and Nezuko are hanging out, you’re in your child form. She’s braiding your hair and you’re playing with the braid that she’s already completed. “I’m glad that you and my brother have gotten together.” Nezuko said with a smile and you smiled as well. “I love him so much, I’m so happy that we’re together now!” The 2 of you smiled at each other. Nezuko finished the other braid and smiled proudly. You noticed Tanjiro was standing at the door, eyes wide and blushing. His expression softened when he realized you saw him. He came in and you grew back to your regular size. “You look beautiful. Good job, Nezuko.” He said and you and Nezuko smiled. You blushed and looked down.

.

.

.

The unlikely love has come to be. The unlikely love that will last forever.

~The end~

If you have a request go here!

[akwolfgrl]

Fireworks

Day 1 first meeting/ first kiss Reiju x Okiku

@oprarepairweek

Reiju still couldn't believe what had happened. Her and her brothers were now free. Big mom had killed their father, setting them free. Thire was still working to be done, but she was confdtint between Dr. Trafalgar and Dr. Chopper that her brothers would be fine. They had already shown vast improvements since being here.

The streets were filled with people celebrating and rebuilding after Stawhat Luffy had taken down Kadio. Reiju stepped to the side to avoid being run into as children ran past giggling. She bumped into a warm body.

“Sorry,” Reuji apologized looking behind her and the up twords a gorgeous women with dark hair that hung down her back, dark blue eyes in a yellow kimono with chrysanthemum floral patterns, a pink cream and lavender obi, white tabi, and black-soled. Her face was round and skin smoth a prefect, dhe a gorgeous red lip and a slight brush of blush on beautiful face. Reuji stepped to the side of the women off the busstiling street.

“It's quite all right,” She smiled down at her with prefectly painted red lips. “The streets are rather packed today. It's so wonderful to see everyone so happy,”

“Yes I suppose it must be nice,” Reuji had seen her around but hadn't had the chance to meet the tall women before. “I'm Reuji,”

“Okiku, your Sangorous older sister,”

“Yes, it's quite easy to tell who I'm related to,” Reuji admitted with a small chuckle. “If you don't, would you care to show me around? It's simple, beautiful hear, very different from my own home,” She always did enjoy beautiful and deadly things, and she could tell the women next to was such.

“Oh I would love to, you cuaght me at the perfect time,”

Reuji was looking forward to it, she had always known she preferred the company of women, she had keep that sceart close to her chest, she had a role to play and one she did very well. Even if she was found to screatly break the rules. But now that she was free, it didn't matter anymore. there was no need to hide.

“Then shall we?”

<>

Okiku led the stunning women who had bumped into her around her home. She couldn't stop stealing looks at Reiju from the corner of her eye. With her vibrant pink hair and curly eyebrows, the other women certainly stood out. Even with the soft pink kimono with the different colored roses and lilys on the sleeves and hem, her yellow obi did little to hide to her figure.

Her blue eyes seemed deep and full of mystery, and her smile promised pain and pleasure if only one was bold enough to take it.

“Oh thire shuld be fireworks starting soon, I know a wonderful spot to them from,” Okiku decided to be bold and took the other women's hand in her own and led her up the hill.

She was unsure why she was acting this way. They had only just met and yet. Okiku couldn't stop herself from wanting to know more. She had heard that her and Sangorous brothers were receiving treatment to bring back all of their emotions to undo what had been done to them by their own father. She didn't know the details, but it must be hard to have to learn how to handle and regulate your emotions as an adult. Okiku chased thouse thoughts from her head as they neared the spot.

It was almost completely dark as the sun had dipped below the horizon. Okiku took a seat on the ground and patted the grass next to her. Reuji joined her after a moment. They sat in silence listening to the world around them, the wind ruslting therw the trees, the animals moving around, the fireflies had just come out to play.

“Oh!” Reuji examlies next to her. “What are these?”

“Thire fireflies you've never seen one before?”

“No never, I grew up in a floating castle, never spent time outside after drak that didn't involve training, thire was simple no time to just sit and enjoy the world around me,”

“Well now you do, now you have time,”

Reiju smiled at her, softer this time. She leaned closet, her kimono sleeve brushing against her own. They sat and watched the night sky light up with colors, celebrating their freedom.

[laikaflash]

August 2024 SC Community Entry

(Sorry for blanking on a name. Consider it temporarily untitled. Edit: fixed a typo.)

Setsuka bowed her head before her master’s grave, marked by a single stone and sheltered by an ancient cherry tree in a bamboo thicket. A shower of pale pink blossoms fell gently around her, onto the grave, onto her parasol, and at her feet. In a matter of days, the branches would be bare again. The petals seemed almost white in the gray dawn light.

“Unwittingly we thought them snowflakes,” Setsuka murmured, recalling the old poem Shugen once recited each spring. She firmly gripped the handle of her parasol, which hid within it a blade as precious to her as the memory of her master. Shugen’s sword Ugetsu Kageuchi was freshly sharpened and its hilt had been painted purple to match its new sheath. Setsuka saw no greater honor than carrying on the art of Shinden Tsushima-Ryu battoujyutsu in Shugen’s stead, but in the moments after he drew his last breath, she nearly bit through her lip stopping herself from crying vengeance upon the samurai who had so grievously wounded him.

Tōmiya Shugen, the gravestone bore the surname he took after leaving the Kokonoe clan, but he had wished to be buried on the grounds of Murakumo Shrine, as befitted a warrior of his skill. Setsuka thought it a miracle that none of his former clan tried to stop her from burying him here. She wondered if any of the Kokonoe saw her coming up the hill before, but left her alone in case Shugen would somehow recover. Now she had no such protection. And she was ready for them.

She turned eastward, looking out over the cliff toward Nagasaki. The residence of the Ōmura clan crowned the hill overlooking the city and the shimmering bay. It was strange to think that Shugen, trained in martial arts passed down from the gods, had once served Ōmura Sumitada, who had taken on the kirishitan name Bartolomeu and denied all other gods but Deus. Someday, Setsuka reminded herself, she would have to ask old Sakan about those days when she reached Ōmi Province.

Her mouth went dry at the thought of recounting Shugen’s death, even if it would take days to get to Sakan. Then she shook her head and turned back to the grave.

“There is no one who could replace you, Master,” she said solemnly. “I will honor your last wishes. Even if…” She clutched the hilt of her sword and deeply bowed her head.

Did you truly think me too weak to avenge you? But if even you were bested by a man who fights for the sake of fighting… Oh, but if he were to set foot here right now…

“No,” she hissed between her teeth. “I mustn’t lose focus.”

Then there came a sound of furtive footsteps, growing ever so slightly louder. Setsuka looked around. Just past the bamboo thicket, a lean figure crept along the path. Setsuka held her parasol out behind her, so that only the backs of her haori and kimono would be visible as she sneaked behind the cherry tree. He would not see her before she was ready to draw. If it was a Kokonoe assassin, which she was certain of from his topknot and dark clothes, she would show him just what her master had taught her.

[out-of-users]

KNY Hashira God! AU!

Chapter 1: The start

Shit, shit, shit. Those were the thoughts racing through Tanjiro’s head as he carried his sister, Nezuko, on his back through the snow-filled hills.

After the slaughter of his family, and finding Nezuko as the sole survivor, almost fatally wounded and unconscious, Tanjiro’s heart swelled as he felt the younger sibling stir on his back.

“Just stay still, Nezuko.” Big brother’s going to get you to safety.” Tanjiro’s voice whispered to her. “Just stay still.”

Aggressive yelling and growling came from Nezuko as she wrestled off Tanjiro’s back, and pounced onto him.

“NEZUKO! WHAT’S GOTTEN INTO YOU!” Tanjiro yelled as he put a hatchet in her mouth to lodge it and buy him time.

Though it didn’t work, and all the wrestling made them fall off a ledge. When his vision cleared, he could see Nezuko on top of him, tears coming out of her eyes. He also saw a deep pond, one wrong move and they’d fall in and drown. Oh god. This situation couldn’t get worse, could it?

Yes, yes it could, and somehow it did. The lake started shifting abnormally.

The waves got bigger, and bigger, and one of them pulled Nezuko into the water. The younger sibling was trapped in a bubble of air, under the water. Before Tanjiro could say anything, though, something else came out of the water.

The ‘‘something’’ was apparently a someone, and he looked godly. With pale skin, ocean blue eyes, and a half red, half green and yellow checkered kimono, so light and dry it looked like he never came out of the water, Tanjiro’s mind was racing. How? Since when? He’s heard of gods, and paid his respects, but never met them.

“Pathetic. Look at you, trying to save a demon.”, The man spoke. His voice was dull, devoid of emotion.

“Please, you must understand! She’s good inside! I know it! Please, Spare her! I’ll find a cure, and fix her, just spare her, I beg of you!”, Tanjiro exclaimed, on his hands and knees, only talking faster as the air bubble that entrapped his sister got smaller.

“QUIT YOUR PATHETIC GROVELING! DEMONS ARE DEMONS, NO MATTER THE CIRCUMSTANCES! EVEN IF YOU BELIEVE SHE’S A GOOD PERSON, HOW IS YOUR DEAD BODY GOING TO FIND ANYTHING!” The once null god’s voice was now full of expression.

“Don’t beg, don’t give in to sorrow. You’re too young, enjoy your years. I know what it’s like. Your soul is far too pure.” Thought the god, as he stared at the speechless and now crying red-haired boy.

The air bubble got smaller, and Tanjiro had to think. Fast.

The axe, still in shape, was lying right beside him. With newfound strength, he pushed himself up, and started throwing rocks at the deity.

“That won’t work. You can’t kill a god. Worst you can do is hurt us, a small amount-” His voice was dead now. Back to what it was before.

But this time, he didn’t get to finish his sentence. An axe came straight for his head. It all became clear now to the shocked god. While he was throwing rocks, he got behind a tree, and secretly threw the axe. If he was a human, that could’ve killed him.

And while he was distracted, that means the demon girl could have-

Too late.

“GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!” Nezuko broke free from the air bubble, just as the mysterious god knocked Tanjiro unconscious. The now furious girl lunged for Tanjiro, and despite the god’s best attempts, he failed to stop her from getting there.

But instead of killing him, she stood there, and protected him.

Nothing could compare to the shocked look on the god’s face, as he saw the scene unfold.

Maybe, just maybe, these kids could be good.

Maybe they had a shot.

They were different, to say the least.

They were special. They sacrificed themselves for the other person, and had trust in each-other.

Reminded the god of the people he used to know. Remembrance flooded through his veins, but he didn’t have time for that.

“Go see a man named Sakonji Urokodaki when you wake up.” He said, to a dazed and confused Tanjiro, and a very angry and protective nezuko, who was too busy protecting to hear or understand.

“Tell him Tomioka Giyuu, the water god, sent you.”

All he got in response was a growl from Nezuko, and a nod from Tanjiro, but that was enough. He knocked both kids unconscious, and gave them one last glance.

“Rest well.” He said, as he slowly and quietly walked to to the middle of the pond, embracing the water as it swallowed him back up into the depths of the pond, and after he dissapeared, The sibling duo slept peacefully in eachother’s arms, holding eachother for heat, as the bitter winter air and snow surrounded them.

They were both alone, yet not forgotten.

Author’s note: HIIII! TOOK ME AGES TO WRITE THIS, YET IT’S STILL SO SHORT! (-_-) anywho, @zofi-persson You asked to be notified when it came, and here it is! (Again, I’m so sorry if this is bad.) anywho, see y’all later! Plz enjoy!

[muikitoo]

~ Festival ~

I was so nervous about this one because i havent written about both of the twins😭

You were currently at home, getting ready. The tokito twins had invited you to a festival! You were really excited about it, since you havent went to a festival in some time now.

You were dressed in a beautiful (f/c) kimono, with your hair styled in an amazing way you were proud of. And the cherry on top was a gorgeous hairpin the twins had given u as a gift.

You heard a knock on your door and as you opened it, there stood the two mist hashiras. You felt their gaze on you and u felt a bit embarrassed.

"You look beautiful" Muichiro said with a soft smile.

"thanks, you guys are handsome too!" You replied cheerfully.

After a bit of talking, you finally decided to head to where the festival was going to take place.

The place was awfully crowded, like, INCREDIBLY crowded. You were wondering if you could even get past without being squished.

You suddenly felt a hand grab yours.

"Lets hold hands, we dont wana lose eachother do we?" Muichiro said boldly.

Yuichiro was shocked by his brothers boldness, heck he was even envying him.

"Yuichiro! Hold my hand!" You suddenly exclaimed.

"Wha-"

"I don't want you to get lost in the crowd!"

The boy flinched a bit when your hand took his and began walking. But he soon loosened up with flushed cheeks as he tried to distract himself before he explodes.

After you got away from the crowd, you decided to take a look at some stalls.

You got some dango and the twins got some mochi as you walked around.

"Hey Y/n, could i have a taste?" Muichiro said, looking at your dango.

"oh! Sure!" You said as muichiro leaned his head a bit down to reach the dango you were offering.

Yuichiro was looking at you both, jealousy bubbling in his chest. Yuichiro was never really the bold type, yea he was confident and all but when it came to romance stuff, he never really had the balls to initiate anything at all. (Same bro same😞)

"I want to try too." Yuichiro said cooly (he was dying of embarrassment inside ☠️)

You smiled sweetly at him (he died inside again) and handed out it close to his face, enough for him to bite.

After you guys looked around some more, you decided it was time to rest somewhere

The twins took u somewhere up a hill, where the whole festival was visible.

You chatted along with both of them, sitting on the cool grass and looking down at the festival.

You and yuichiro got a bit lost into your conversation but then you felt a head on your shoulder

You turned around to see that muichiro had fallen asleep on your shoulder. You were honestly squealing inside but tried to keep it in so you dont wake him up.

Later on, all of you ended up falling asleep😭

Muichiro was now laying his head on your lap, while yuichiro was on your other shoulder. Your head was layed on top of the older twins one and your hands were running through the younger brothers hair.

This night honestly couldnt have gotten better.

I feel like ive kinda gotten a bit shit at writing lately😭 maybe because i dont really have ideas anymore or something? Im not sure😓