zeyhkro

[zeyhkro]

while i work on chapter 5 (since ive been.. .so busy...) i drew all of the characters mc has met so far(and is like. right about to meet.) in their human forms!! WOWW!!! aka. i furrified them all i guess. does this count as fanart?? i think it does.

[zeyhkro]

Within the Yokai's Realm

Within the Yokai's Realm - Chapter 4 (will be a LONG.. long... story... currently being cross posted on AO3) various kizuki members x fem reader (polyam?? idk) list: kokushibo, douma, akaza, aizetsu, sekido, karaku, urogi, nakime, gyutaro, kaigaku, hairo, enmu, kyogai rui, zohakuten, and daki are mentioned but are not love interests(for obvious reasons) summary: The Yokai.

Once thought to rule over Japan with an iron fist, to scurry about every home and every forest within the land. Though many assortments existed, a key defining fact was that when they prowled, humans lived in fear. Gifts were sent out to earn favor or deter attacks, but one day, spirits began to appear less and less. Now, the tales of Yokai are merely told to children as lessons or to spark fear and fun, and those who truly believe in them are simply a bit ridiculous... at least, that's your own opinion on the matter.

However, when an attacking group of bandits demand your life in promise to spare your village, what will happen when things play out rather unexpected? It all started with that damned shrine maiden.

warnings: none for this chapter, but later chapters may hold canon typical violence or slightly suggestive situations/dialogue. no smut will be included

wordcount(for this chapter): 4,371 > total (including prior chapters): 17,999 A/N: OC's are mentioned and play as background characters/old friends of the reader, but are not main characters and wont be showing up much. this fic is set within an AU where demons are instead various yokai from traditional japanese mythology

At this point, you had long since figured out the wonder of rolling your sleeve up to wipe the drying wolf blood from your face along your forearm. The hilt of a broken blade was clenched in your palm carefully, a dash of frustration causing you to absentmindedly clench your fist, and tentatively you realized you were in fact gripping onto bare metal. There was a flash of panic as you hissed in a breath through your teeth, quickly looking down at your hand as you pinched the blade within your other hand, checking for any damage. Now, for a moment you had assumed any lack of pain had been from the adrenaline of the situation and whatever the Hell was wrong with this place, but you were dazzled by nothing but pristine skin across your palm.

A lack of a cut, despite how you had definitely squeezed it far too tightly to have escaped any lacerations. You briefly checked to see if the blood still staining your hand was your own, but with a quick run over the skin, there was no wetness or warmth of an injury, no raise or gash in flesh. Your eyebrows furrowed as you took a second to glance away in thought, or at the very least divert your attention away to give yourself some pause. You had experienced far too much so far and had none of the injuries to prove it; in fact, you were certain you got more injured with the occasional scrape and bruise from just your normal everyday routine, musing to yourself as you carefully tucked the blade away into a separate compartment of your obi. There was no doubt about it that after falling down a damn cliff and whatever had happened with that wolf, you would most definitely be feeling a lot worse for wear.

For a moment you lifted your hand, about to push your hair back out of exasperation, but quickly you were reminded of the red stains still present in the creases of your skin. You frowned before continuing on, briefly thinking back on what little information you had. Apparently you reeked of fox magic, but you haven’t really interacted with any wild animals lately, and the only thing that had changed was the sudden addition of that charm… you frowned just a bit harder. Kaigaku had a reaction to it. Was it important?

Wait.

You paused for a second, lifting your eyebrows in a slight shock. Was Tamashi a fox? Did Tamashi do this?? You didn’t really care about keeping the white kimono as ‘pristine’ as it was anymore, halting as you quickly dug your hands into your obi, fishing the wooden block out again as you stared at it with wide eyes. There it was, as auspicious as before, slightly ruffled and scuffed but otherwise unchanged. What had Tamashi of all people been thinking, sending you here? You had half a mind to toss it right into the brush and be rid of whatever magic it held, and you would have, expression scrunching into a frustrated scowl as you reared one arm back to pitch it far, far away.

But you didn’t. Something in the back of your mind nagged at you, reminding you that clearly this place was dangerous, if the Yokai prowling about didn’t already make that obvious enough. Whatever was going on, it seemed like this thing had been protecting you, and until you were gone from this place and back to where you belonged, it would be for the best to keep it. Or perhaps you were wrong, and maybe it wasn’t connected at all to your current situation. Perhaps Tamashi wasn’t some fox who spirited you away after all. However you were relatively sure it was definitely a fox who had done it, but whatever, you can think more on it later.

Thankfully, the blood on your palms had dried up, leaving only a few flakes and dusted stains on the white fabric of your kimono. Most likely it would wash out simply enough, and as you continued walking, you could hear the distant babbling of a stream. You tilted your head to the side and angled your ear to listen closer, giving it some thought before quite easily switching direction to walk toward the sound. It would do you some good to rinse your hands and face from whatever dirt and blood was left on you, it left some nasty itch just having it stuck to your skin and you were quite eager to be rid of it.

A peaceful breeze drifted past you as you stepped through the trees, breaching through the foliage as you finally stumbled upon the lazily drifting stream. A nearly ethereal light gleamed across the rippling surface, waves of movement causing distortions in whatever reflections caught in its clear waters. You let out a breath of relief, closing your eyes for a moment as you moved to kneel at the stream's edge, rolling up your sleeves before plunging your hands in.

The water was cool, refreshing on your skin as you rubbed the drying flakes from your palms. For a moment, you could almost forget everything that was happening, drifting into a familiar routine. Every day you would fetch water from the village’s well, that familiar sloshing playing in your mind as the stream ran across your arms. Perhaps, if the day were particularly nice, you would visit the nearby river. It was a shame you had already resigned yourself to never continue that lifestyle, that you had signed away your life. If only you had your bucket…

There was a slight mumble playing at your lips before you were drawn from your thoughts, a flash of white gleaming in the sunlight and immediately catching your attention. Quickly you craned your head up, eyes wide in anticipation before your gaze landed on some white, nearly blond fox. Its eyes were so narrowed you thought it was asleep despite how it sat upright, and you stared for a long moment in surprise. You blinked, and suddenly there was movement as its tail swished behind it, those eyes peering open to reveal a kaleidoscope of color. A shining example of radiance and ethereal beauty, pale fur shining in the light as those colorful eyes demanded your attention.

Dazzling yet so empty it made you shudder, negligent to the sun which cast a warm glow over your form. Something unnerving with how picturesque it all was, and your slight awe quickly shifted into some deep seated distrust and wariness. You shied away, pulling your hands from the stream and flicking the water from your fingertips before shuffling backwards, slowly and carefully, refusing to fully take your eyes off this… thing. You knew well enough by now that nothing here was as it seemed, but this was a clear enough sign. Nothing natural had eyes like that.

The fox seemed to smile, eyes crinkling upwards lifelessly as its tail swayed, and yet it was moving too quickly to be normal, in fact you could see the ghost of it behind itself. No, you could see multiple, no… no, this damn thing just had multiple tails, unfurling behind it like a peacock spreading its feathers. Curiously, the fox eyed you, gauging your reaction as it proudly displayed the nine streaming tails which swayed like flowing tassels of silk. An expression of clear horror clawed its way to your face, and you took in a deep breath before fully standing up, turning around, and walking away with as quick of a pace as you could without flat out running.

“Not today.” You growled under your breath. 

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ- 

For a long while you continued to march away, but the sense of that unnatural gaze practically staring you down never fully left you, and that kept your steps quick despite your growing fatigue. You had been jostled about all day and had been trekking through seemingly untouched wilderness for hours at this point, and truth be told, your biggest regret was that you had somehow lost your bag, and as such, provisions. Your rational mind said that this was, of course, a very minor issue compared to your current largest problem--the fact you were even here in the first place--but that all took a backseat now that your stomach seemed to claw and whine at you every chance it got.

Despite your hunger, you did not feel like foraging for something to eat. Sure, you probably could have, you were relatively knowledgeable in plants and fungi and the like, but this was an area unknown to you and it just didn’t seem like a good idea to shove magic mushrooms or ferns into your face. There was also the fact that the fox was most definitely following you, and of course, you knew full well it was some intelligent magical creature, and frankly you didn’t feel like embarrassing yourself in front of it. You were snapped from the haze of your thoughts as a sudden flush of heat and light danced through the air in front of you, and you quickly backtracked as a small floating orb of fire flickered steadily ahead.

You blinked away the warmth on your eyelids, staggering slightly before you heard some snicker behind you, the vulpine sound causing you to frown and shoot a glance behind you. “Not. Funny.” You emphasized with a raised finger, as if scolding the animal. You only received another hollow laugh before there was another puff of light, further from you this time. You turned your head to eye it, watching with curiosity as plumes of fire floated and danced along the wind, slowly trailing away further and further into the woods, creating a glowing pathway lit by the foxfires.

Carefully, you lifted one eyebrow, looking rather unimpressed. Was this a trap? Probably. Did you really have anything better to do? You glanced around again. Yes, you did actually. Getting out of here. You immediately stepped to veer away from the path highlighted for you, but a flash of pale fur suddenly darted to your side, nine tails fluffed up as those rainbow eyes peered up at you, blocking your step. You frowned, quickly stepping backwards and away from the fox before veering to the other side. Similarly to the last time, the fox immediately dove to block your step, tails swishing with some sort of amusement before you lifted your hands in a mock surrender.

“Okay, okay…” You mumbled, and the fox tilted its head at you, that cheshire grin still tugging at its maw and those empty eyes gazing up at you in what looked to be a pleased expression. Now, you certainly did not want to go along this pathway, but pissing off a genuine nine-tailed fox was probably a bit worse than just playing along for now, and so with a huff you conceded and began marching off in the direction of the gleaming fires which flickered along the wind. Honestly, it was quite pretty, atmospheric as the warm light fought against the shade brought about by the thick canopy of the foliage above head. A few stray beams of light dotted the forest floor, sunlight tangling with the glow of the fire in ways which only screamed magic. Prancing embers occasionally leapt from their sources, fizzling out as they soared through the air in fractals and dizzying patterns.

You couldn’t help but stare as you walked, the fox still tailing you, and it seemed to take notice of your somewhat enamored state. Its grin seemed just a bit wider, taut on its muzzle as it brushed past you, intentionally fluttering its tails against your legs like an affectionate cat. You almost stumbled from your surprise, jolting as you looked down at the fox before jauntering right on past you, trailing the path of floating fires as if strung in a line on some string. The tips of those pale tails disappeared with a flick into the forest ahead of you, and momentarily you considered leaving, but… well, your earlier thinking was still in line. You already had some pissed off dragon hunting you down, you didn’t want a kitsune added to the mix. And so you continued to meander down the path.

Given your prior mentioned--and still present--hunger, you at first thought the slight scent of roasted meat to be a cruel trick of your mind, having to restrain yourself from wetting your lips. It was a faint scent that tugged at your senses, but it faded along with a gust of wind soon enough, so you continued walking. But it just kept coming back, and now it was stronger and ever present, no longer fading from your nose, and you mildly picked up the pace. Wherever these fires were leading you smelled absolutely divine, and you wanted to get there just a bit quicker.

Spices and herbs you’d never smelt before twisted and frolicked along the breeze, and you’d be lying to yourself if you said you weren’t dying to find out what it was, the trees suddenly a blur as you sped along the gleaming path of guiding, swaying fires. Suddenly breaking through the last of the brush and into a clearing, your eyes widened at what presented itself to you. An opening to the sky carved its way through the canopy of leaves, breaking open to allow a large, flat rock to bask in the warm sun. Atop the rock was what can only be described as the most lavish feast you had ever set sights on, meats and noodles galore, with just about every variation of rice you had ever heard of.

And not just millet, what you were used to eating; no, this was genuine rice, you could smell it. Large, flat disks held rice wine, and rice cakes were settled neatly next to bowls of the pure stuff, still steaming and fragrant. The many different dishes were spread out on thin wooden frames, and you stared in awe at it before stepping forwards inquisitively. Only now did you finally notice the pale colored fox laid out languidly behind the spread of food, tails slowly swaying in the breeze as it eyed you with some dull curiosity. 

You halted your steps, cautiously eyeing the fox before it smiled at you again, nodding its head towards the food. It seems it was imploring you to have some… and as fishy as it seemed, and how your consciousness told you this was probably a very bad idea… you couldn’t get that bowl of rice out of your head. Slowly you slid your gaze towards the bowl, glancing between the pale blond fox and the rice numerous times before you hesitantly stepped forwards. The fox seemed to watch you intently. You carefully sat down on the edge of the rock, sitting with the bowl to your side as you twisted to pick it up in one hand, momentarily a slight smile working its way across your face.

“Hmm… you know, I’ve been wondering… dear, could you tell me, how did a human like you end up here?” A sudden singsong voice shattered your peace as if someone had brought their fist down on a delicate vase, and you quickly scrambled to look towards the source of it, your other hand clattering against the dish of another item of food. All that met your gaze was that fox… of course it was the fox. Were you really so surprised? You sucked in a breath, shaking your head as you looked back at the bowl you held, only to glance towards the now spilled plate… that’s weird. There’s just a bunch of leaves there, you could have sworn there had been a dish of rice cakes there, not…

You suddenly frowned, realizing clicking in your mind as you snatched a pinch of rice from your bowl, lifting it to your line of sight as you watched it crumble away into nothing but the crumpled remains of a leaf. Disappointment gnawed at you almost as hard as hunger did, and you shot a glare over the rim of your bowl at the fox who still stared expectantly at you. “I’m still waiting for an answer.” He--you could now discern from the clearly masculine, yet still oddly sugared and controlled voice-- stated with some sort of detachment, voice chipper and friendly yet lacking in… a lot. It was difficult to place your finger on just one thing, but it was uncomfortable.

“... did you just try to trick me into eating a leaf?” You hummed flatly, confusion and irritation clear on your expression. The fox only laughed, that myriad of colors swirling in his eyes as he waved his tails, suddenly vanquishing the foxfires and the illusions of food, leaving nothing but windswept foliage and dishes.

“Ahh, it was never meant to be a trick, dear! I just wanted to see what you would pick, that’s all.” He chimed in response, head cocking to the side with that beguiling grin. The fox stretched for a moment, reaching out with its forelimbs before standing up with a flourish of his tails once more. “But about my question--!” He started with a chirp, only to be cut off.

“Alright… I’m going to get going now.” You curtly spoke, your irritation and hunger quickly winning out against your previous resolve. Screw it! You already have a dragon chasing you, what’s a fox, too? Who cares if you piss it off? It pissed you off! Quickly, you stood up from the rock, dusting yourself off before promptly turning tail and beginning to march away.

“Awe… you’re leaving so soon?” The fox seemed to whine, head tilting the opposite way with some kicked puppy expression. You glanced back, only to shudder at the vacant, uncaring look in those eyes. “Well okay, I’ll see you soon, human!” He suddenly snapped right back into that cheerful disposition, and you quickly turned tail and got right out of there, setting off with a determination. A sense of unease crept along your spine as you could feel the kitsune watch you leave, and the feeling only dissipated once you had walked far enough to no longer be within sight.

You breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that he didn’t seem to be following you, but now you had a new goal in mind. You were hungry, and you were tired. Though not ideal, you might not get out of here by nightfall, so perhaps you would have to set up camp somewhere..? Food was still an issue you were unsure how to deal with. You mulled over it as you walked, suddenly careless as you began to steadily tread along some lit up path, enjoying the dull warmth of the sun as you wandered aimlessly.

It was only when a sudden whoosh of wind and a cold shadow blocked the sun that you remembered why, exactly, you had been staying hidden under the trees, looking up with wide eyes. And there was something gigantic careening towards you like an arrow, claws outstretched and maw parted in a deafening roar. A serpentine body coiled and streamed behind it, long tufts of fur twirling from its spine and tail, forming a mane around its neck. Those eyes were familiar, however you didn’t wish to spend any time gawking, instead immediately screaming and diving for cover. You bolted back into the foliage, hoping desperately to avoid the dragon’s grasp, but there was a thunderous rumble as the goliath of a dragon struck the ground, limbs splaying across the path before its head snapped after you like a snake.

Fangs as long as your arms suddenly ensnared your torso, and your eyes blew wide in panic as the dragon scooped you up within its jaws, thrashing about for a moment before immediately bursting back into the sky. You screamed again, horror raking up and down your nervous system as you suddenly watched the ground become so distant, not to mention the fact you were in this thing’s mouth--oh, oh no. Was it going to EAT YOU? The question seemed to replay erratically in your mind, and you thrashed and screamed incoherently like a fish caught in a net. You punched and clawed at its muzzle before a sudden realization dawned on you. The knife, the knife! You were saved! You just needed to get it back out of your obi.

However difficult that may be. You suddenly thrashed harder, and with the slight opening in the beast's fangs, you squeezed your hand to your midsection, digging around frantically. Dull wood… nope… the sharp coldness of metal. There’s your winning ticket to not dying. Your breath was fast paced and light as wind whipped through your hair, the forest floor rapidly flying past beneath you. You didn’t have time to watch or wonder where you were going, because clearly, you were going to be lunch either before or after you got there. Tugging your hand and weapon into view, you immediately plunged the blade into the dragon’s lip, causing it to roar out in pain as its entire body recoiled.

Your eyes, wide and wild in terror and fear, locked with piercing blue irises against black scleras, and suddenly you felt some inkling of guilt at the pain and anger evident on his expression. But from that brief roar and thrash, you had now been dropped from the maw of the dragon, and you had the sudden recognition of what you had actually just done. The sky was empty below you, clouds far above and ground far below, stuck falling with no way to stop yourself. The dragon, Kaigaku, you remembered that’s what his name was, seemed to dive to try and catch up to you, but you crashed right through the treetops before a single claw could reach you, the loud crashing of leaves and sticks pummeling your senses as, strangely, not a single one actually touched you. Your eyes were squeezed shut in anticipation of an impact, but you felt yourself… oddly enough, bounce along the ground, slowly losing momentum as you crash along the forest floor.

For a long, heavy moment, you remained still on the ground, sprawled out with the most painful headache you had ever felt, as well as a hunger unknown to you ceaselessly tearing at your stomach. Since when have you ever been this hungry? Does mortal terror work up an appetite? You didn’t have the time to contemplate it, hissing with a groan as you forced yourself to sit up, trembling slightly from adrenaline and aches.

“How… am I alive…” You murmured breathlessly to yourself, hair falling in front of your face as you hung your head, staring blankly at the ground in front of you. Quickly you squeezed your eyes shut again, now without any care for getting yourself dirty on accident, you ran your hands up and through your hair before simply cradling the sides of your head. “Why did I even do that… that was so, so, so stupid…” You whispered hoarsely. You didn’t typically act as reckless as this, you weren’t the type to leap first, think later. An added layer of horror at this situation was with what ease you had forgotten your rational thought in a moment of fear.

And for what? Sure, it had worked out ‘fine’ this time, but you didn’t know it would have. You hardly knew what was going on, you didn’t know the rules of why you weren’t getting hurt and you certainly didn’t know enough to ever go leaping out of a flying dragon’s mouth. You were still lost, hungry, and unsafe. Not a single problem of yours had been resolved, and since you had now injured Kaigaku, you wouldn’t be surprised if he really did want to eat you now… if he hadn’t already. You still were a bit flighty.

Slowly you calmed your breathing, calming your trembling just enough so that you could stand on shaky legs. From there, you continued to walk. For now, you knew that you needed to be more cautious, more thoughtful. You had left your village for a reason, and you cannot afford to throw your life away. They cannot afford for you to die here. You had already signed up for your own funeral, and these damned Yokai aren’t going to get in the way of you doing what you must to protect your family. There was a sudden reignition of determination in you, eyes unfocused yet alert as you paced through the woods. You will be getting home, and, unfortunately, you will be delivering your own life to the hands of those bandits.

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ- 

Kaigaku swept across the sky like a streaming banner of blue and blank, a cut carving along his lip which stung as a symbol of his explicit failure. How exactly does one let a human escape them twice, might you ask? Well apparently, he could write a whole book about it. He could still remember that damned freefall he had followed that suicidal human on, how his talons had just barely missed snatching his target straight from the sky, instead watching that human plummet straight through the trees. Diving in after all of that would have just been risking his own hide.

He had made a swift reroute, skirting along the tops of the trees, but he hadn’t seen where the thing had gone… or if the human had died somehow. He couldn’t help but wince slightly at the idea. That human girl was interesting, sure. No one had ever actually thanked him before, and not many had the balls to actually strike someone as magnificent as he was, despite this also being equally infuriating… but frankly, he was more concerned with the fact he would, most definitely, never live this down if that pipsqueak had gone and died before he could even deliver the human to the Kizuki for a proper decision to be made. He growled under his breath, shuddering as he continued to patrol the skies.

Fucked. He was so fucked if he didn’t find that human soon. He just knew it. 

authors note, the kizuki met so far have been kaigaku (dragon), hairo (okami/wolf shapeshifter(if you dont know hairo, he's the lower moon rengoku fought and hes GOATED!!)), and douma (kitsune...)

[zeyhkro]

Within the Yokai's Realm

Within the Yokai's Realm - Chapter 3 (will be a LONG.. long... story... currently being cross posted on AO3) various kizuki members x fem reader (polyam?? idk) list: kokushibo, douma, akaza, aizetsu, sekido, karaku, urogi, nakime, gyutaro, kaigaku, hairo, enmu, kyogai rui, zohakuten, and daki are mentioned but are not love interests(for obvious reasons) summary: The Yokai.

Once thought to rule over Japan with an iron fist, to scurry about every home and every forest within the land. Though many assortments existed, a key defining fact was that when they prowled, humans lived in fear. Gifts were sent out to earn favor or deter attacks, but one day, spirits began to appear less and less. Now, the tales of Yokai are merely told to children as lessons or to spark fear and fun, and those who truly believe in them are simply a bit ridiculous... at least, that's your own opinion on the matter.

However, when an attacking group of bandits demand your life in promise to spare your village, what will happen when things play out rather unexpected? It all started with that damned shrine maiden.

warnings: none for this chapter, but later chapters may hold canon typical violence or slightly suggestive situations/dialogue. no smut will be included

wordcount(for this chapter): 4,164  > total (including prior chapters): 13,628 A/N: OC's are mentioned and play as background characters/old friends of the reader, but are not main characters and wont be showing up much. this fic is set within an AU where demons are instead various yokai from traditional japanese mythology

“I said, answer me!” A booming voice snapped you out of your momentary haze, and you immediately lifted your hands, hunching over as you cupped your forehead, palms covering your eyes almost dejectedly. You couldn’t help but groan as the man shouted at you, moving to lean over you as you could hear that swish, swish of his tail lashing back and forth repeatedly in his agitation.

“Hey! I just fell down an entire cliff and you have the nerve to snap at me?!” You suddenly frowned, pointing a finger in an accusatory fashion at him. He sharply leaned back, eyes widened, surprised you had the gall to speak to him in such a way, however you only gestured towards the aforementioned cliff, looking towards it. “I could’ve died! Or broken a bone! Do you make a habit of yelling at injured women!?” You were entirely done with this situation, lashing out as rage and confusion bubbled in your chest. Your scrapes and bruises still stung, and this bratty man yipping in your ear certainly didn’t help your already sour mood. You suddenly rounded on him again, a snarl on your expression. “And for your information, I don’t know where I am, how I got here, or even WHAT you are! Now give me some space already!” 

A partial lie, you could tell he was certainly not human. From another glance you were almost certain he was some kind of dragon. But you were frazzled enough to not quite care for the specifics. Although, it was laughable. Once you had better bearings on this situation you would most certainly ask if he knew of some old bloodline of purple haired menaces, just to sate your own curiosity… or, maybe you wouldn’t. He seemed to take your break in speech as an opportunity, suddenly growling as he leaned down, snatching one hand of yours by the wrist with a firm grip. “Think I care!? Bother someone else with that whining..!” He paused, eyes wide as his nose twitched with a deep inhale before he scowled, tugging your arm closer to him, glaring at it as if the limb had personally offended him. “Ugh. You reek of fox magic.”

“Are you smelling me.”

“Shut Up!” He quickly silenced you with a hissing tone, and you held your tongue for now. His eyes were dark and narrow, seemingly quite cross with you given your previous outburst. “Was it from those foxes that were up there with you?” He jerked his head towards the ledge you had previously tumbled from, gesturing towards where you had woken up. You attempted to tug your wrist out of his fingers, but he only tightened his grasp while baring his fangs in a warning. A light frown fell across your face before you sighed. 

“No, I don’t think so..? I don’t know how I got here, I just tripped while I was walking and woke up here. And there was a fox, but it wasn't any of those ones. And it didn't do anything, I think… it was just, kind of sitting on the side of the road.” You carefully explained, though you were still quite confused about the entire situation, so it wasn't too helpful or clear. You glanced away for a moment, thinking over it as your frown deepened. It was overwhelming to try and process much of anything right now and you could feel a slight twitch in your eye. 

An audible groan wrenched its way from the man, rolling his eyes as you shot him an annoyed look. You could see another thrash of his tail whisking across the grass, and you lifted one eyebrow before he suddenly tugged on your arm, dragging you to stand. Snapped out of your distracted state, you let out a gruff “Hey!”, only for him to snap at you again. “Move it! We’re leaving!” 

“We?!” You widened your eyes, eyebrows furrowing in a show of distaste. “Where?!” 

“Quit whining! You don’t belong here, Human,” He hissed, suddenly turning around and letting go of your arm. The slight relief was brief as he instead took to grabbing you firmly by your shoulders, and you protested as he began shaking you back and forth. You couldn't help but wonder if he thought you owed him money. “... so I’m bringing you to someone who can kick you out! Or deal with you! Or kill you, for all I care!!” A sudden dull clattering sound hit the forest floor, making him pause, glaring right at you before slowly looking down. 

The wooden block you had been gifted by Tamashi sat there at your feet, a bit of dirt now smudged across the paper’s surface. Seems it has fallen out of your obi due to all of the thrashing… how did it get there? The dragon before you quickly let go of you, muttering something under his breath before he crouched down, snatching the charm up as he eyed it critically. It was almost funny how his eyes immediately widened, jaw hanging open slightly for a moment before he sharply stood back up. Almost funny. Due to these absurd circumstances, frankly, you were more concerned about what it might mean for you. 

He lifted his head, eyeing you before looking back at the charm he held, then looking at you again. More specifically, he seemed to be glancing towards the now mildly tattered and dirtied white kimono you wore. He seemed taken aback, not quite looking you in the eye for a second. “So that’s why you’re…” He muttered, though quickly corrected himself, frowning again as he shoved the charm into your hands. “Whatever! Too bad, you’re still coming with me! Clearly your presence here is causing trouble already!” He hissed, turning away as his tail flicked, immediately marching off. Seems he intended for you to follow him. Hesitantly, you conceded, haphazardly tucking the charm back into your obi. 

“I mean, just look at how those stupid foxes were acting.” He groaned, most likely rolling his eyes again. You had a feeling he didn’t like foxes. “And that Oni was after you specifically!” His head turned over his shoulder as he gave you an accusatory glance, though he paused. His gaze seemed to linger on you slightly, as if appraisingly, a certain scrutiny in his expression before he blinked while looking away again with a huff. You squinted, though nodded along. Now wasn’t exactly the time to question his actions… although you certainly found it odd.

“Uh-huh…” You droned, eyes slowly gliding away from him and instead taking in your surroundings. More specifically, possible exits. This stranger was dragging you off to who knows where, and frankly, you don’t trust this situation. So it would probably be for the best to get moving in the opposite direction than the one he was leading you in. He seemed to just go on and on about what a mess you had made already, and soon enough his words had turned to mush in your mind, and you couldn’t quite bring yourself to keep caring. You already had too much to think about, and worrying about how much you had apparently screwed up really wasn’t on your to-do list. With a quick intake of breath, you mildly cut him off, and he shot an annoyed look at you over his shoulder.

“So… what’s your name?” You hummed vaguely, not exactly keen to get to know this guy, but it was something to get him talking. Maybe just a distraction. You pointedly kept your eyes on him for now, at least waiting until he looked away to avert your gaze. It would be unwise to look towards your escape route before you ran off. He seemed a bit taken aback that you had even asked, though soon enough he huffed, looking forwards again.

“Hmph. Kaigaku Inadama. I am Lower Moon One, a high ranking Kizuki member. Although, I’d guess a human like you doesn’t even know who we are… pathetic, really.” He boasted, some tinge of pride in his voice as he spoke of his title, even grinning to himself as he puffed up his chest. You couldn’t see his face from this angle, only able to glimpse the black stripes on his cheek, but you could just tell. His tail swayed back and forth, almost hypnotically, causing your mind to get a bit sidetracked. It was almost cute, with that tassel of fluff hanging off the end. “All that you need to know, human, is that I’m not someone to be messed with. Got it?” Kaigaku snarked, punctuating his words with a far more harsh flick of his tail, and you briefly forced your eyes away while giving a shallow nod.

“Yeah. I understand… nice to meet you.” You had to fight the disinterest out of your voice, however you did take care to actually note his name. It would be awkward if he found you later and you didn’t remember who he was. Though, it’s not that you planned to get herded off to… someone. He still hadn’t specified and truthfully speaking you didn’t want to find out, given his prior descriptions of potentially handing you off to get murdered.

“And,” He spoke up again, his voice becoming even more cocky, had that even been possible. “... I had saved you from that Oni, you know. He would’ve kept chasing you until you were dead. So, you’re welcome.” He gloated, some smug inflection to his tone which seemed just plain rude. You raised an eyebrow, but then thought about it. Technically, he was right. At the very least, he was about as right as you thought he was, that Oni didn’t seem much for pleasant conversation. If there was one thing you disliked, it was being in debt to other people, and now you almost felt bad for the fact you were absolutely about to run away from this guy… but hey, your safety is important when you already signed your life away.

“Well, then thank you, Kaigaku.” There was a slight shift of your voice, a sense of gratitude slipping between your words. It was the least you could do for now.

He seemed yet again surprised, glancing over his shoulder at you not once, not twice, but three times, all in quick succession. Disbelieving that someone had willingly thanked him, he gave a bemused huff, eyes wide as he then stared at you for a moment, however he quickly righted himself when he nearly stumbled over the root of a tree. You had to suppress a snicker as he kept his gaze firmly forwards, falling into a hushed quiet, grumbling to himself about… something. You weren’t sure you wanted to know.

This Kaigaku fellow seemed entertaining enough, but comedy isn’t going to keep your pulse going, and as you had previously noted, you were distrustful of wherever the Hell he was taking you. So whilst he was distracted with his hissed ramblings, occasionally kicking any rock or shrub that dared to linger in his path, you began to slow your steps. Once he was a good enough distance away, you slid to the side, and carefully keeping an eye on his distancing form, you finally ducked into the woods yet again.

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ- 

Kaigaku had continued to trudge along the invisible paths of the forest, hums of magic tingling across his skin and occasionally drafts of it fluttering through his hair. Fidgeting and sizzling over his perceived embarrassment at stumbling in front of his captive, he momentarily bared his fangs once again to no one in particular. He glared at a nearby tree, daring it to flinch. When it continued to stand strong and unmoving, he groaned, not too surprised but still disappointed.

Suddenly, he remembered he wasn’t alone, and another rush of embarrassment caused white hot anger to prickle along his skin, heat trapped under his skin as he soon enough barked out a sentence, quick to redirect his frustrations on his so-called guest. “Hey, you quit being so damn quiet back there, human! It’s creepy! I can’t even hear your stupid footsteps!” Kaigaku snarled, serpentine tail thrashing against a nearby tree with a resounding thumb before he wheeled around to shoot a scathing look. Only to find… nothing. He stopped walking, eyes practically bugging out of his skull.

“Human..? Human!”

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ- 

It had been a good ten minutes of a head start, but you could still hear the enraged shouts of the dragon whom you had ever so elegantly ditched far off in the distance. Given how you had seen him quite literally descend from the sky to… what, smite that oni? You didn’t want to remain in the sight of any flying creatures, nor just stick too close to the area you had been before. So you hastened your steps, carefully sticking to the towering trees and passing only beneath the canopy of overlapping leaves. You avoided any gaps where sunlight kissed the ground as if they were the plague.

However, now that you have made your grand escape… you couldn’t help but feel annoyed with yourself, drawing a breath before sliding your dirty palm down your face in an effort to calm down. It held an opposite effect once you realized you had now just smeared dirt across your nose and cheeks, and you frantically shook off your hand before attempting to dust your face off. You were now thoroughly lost, unsure where you are or how you got here, and clearly, surrounded by creatures from myth. Yokai.

Great, just great, perfect even. You had gone and lost your one guide… though sketchy as he was. You weren’t too sure if this was the best decision you’ve made in your life, but you made it and had to stick with it now. With a deep breath in, you closed your eyes as you continued to pace forwards, ever deeper into the dark forest.

What you weren’t expecting was for your foot to come into contact with something warm and… fluffy. A loud, pained yelp filled your ears, and you quickly backtracked as your eyes flew open. “Oh, sorry, sorry!” The apology left you before you could even properly see what had happened, concern painting your features as you looked down, only to be met with a black mass of fur. Wide, yellow eyes peered up at you, fear and pain causing the animal to growl at you as it recoiled to curl up against the tree behind it. Blood stained the grass scarlet where it had once lay down.

“A… wolf?” You stumbled over the word for a moment, and the injured animal only whined in response, as if it could understand you and did its best to reply. For a moment you wanted to lean down and try to soothe the beast, but your mind wandered back to those foxes… and you remembered where you were. Ah, yes. Surrounded by Yokai and mythical monsters, the unreal and fictional stories that had been suddenly brought to life. A brief hesitation caused you to linger for a moment, before you sighed, shaking your head.

“You know, you’re probably some shapeshifter or Yokai trying to trick me…” You started, and the wolf’s ears pinned back for a second. “... but the trick worked.” You shrugged, offering a slight smile to try and ease the animal as you knelt next to it, outstretching a hand towards its muzzle. It bared its teeth momentarily with a slight growl at the gesture, before leaning its head forward, sniffing at your palm before hesitantly licking you. Your smile became just a bit wider, and you vehemently ignored the idea that this was something that could transform to have a human form. It was a bit too awkward to think about.

You had long since lost your bag of supplies, perhaps during the tumble down that cliff, or maybe it had been lost when you had first tripped and fell into this strange place. Regardless, you didn’t have any medical equipment or even food to share, but you still tried to look over the animal’s injuries. The wolf eyed you carefully as you ran your hand along its back, allowing yourself to enjoy the feeling of the wiry outer coat of its pelt before you felt a sharp coldness, paired with a warm dampness. The injury that it had been bleeding from, you could gauge from the obvious. The canine whined again, and you uttered hushed murmurs as you gripped the object lodged in its skin, carefully pushing back its fur to look at it properly.

A knife, the hilt long gone, possibly broken off. You wondered what had caused such an injury, but with a quick glance at the animal’s practically pleading gaze, now wasn’t the time to question it. You whispered a ‘Sorry’ before yanking the hunk of metal out, and the animal let out a loud, baying yelp. It whimpered and tried to scamper away, and you felt a slight panic rise in your chest as you pressed one hand to its scruff, easing it to settle down again. “Hush, hush, you’re okay now…! It’s alright, I took the knife out, you’re alright…” You soothed, tone quiet and gentle as you carefully ran your fingers through its pelt once again. The beast relaxed under your touch, huffing as it drew in difficult breaths, but you gave a reassuring smile with another sigh.

The moment was tranquil, and you allowed yourself to rub between the beast's ears while you lifted the broken blade. Idly, you eyed the intricate patterns, wolf blood smeared across your fingertips and seeping into the folds of your palm in deep red lines. You couldn’t help but mull over who might have done such a thing to this animal, a frown settling over your lips with a slight furrow of your brow.

The peace did not last long, as the animal suddenly lifted its head with wide eyes, a low whine growing in its throat as a sudden crashing of the underbrush behind you drew your attention. Whirring around, a shout left your lips at what you saw. A giant wolf, one that practically dwarfed the one you tended to, was barreling directly at you. Its eyes were so bright they gleaned gold, striking against the coal black of its fur. A maw of fangs opened in a roar of a snarl, suddenly leaping. It was hard to properly garner information, all of this happening in the matter of less than five seconds, but you attempted to jump to a standing position and back away.

That, of course, did not bring you out of striking distance, and you raised your arms-- and subsequently, the knife-- to attempt to defend yourself. The towering monster pounced, and you screamed as powerful paws laced with dangerous claws descended upon you, losing your balance and falling backwards from the sudden blow. However, instead of the beast sinking its teeth into you and thrashing you to pieces, the humongous wolf seemingly… bounced off of you, sent right over you before tumbling onto its side with a short growl. For a moment, not a single one of you moved, and you blinked in confusion.

… what just happened?

You couldn’t form the question on your lips, too shocked. The pounce was perfect, you should be getting mauled right now. That wolf hadn’t overshot or something, it had knocked you down, so… why was it over there now? Pushing upwards with your hands, you lifted your upper body to stare at the attacking animal in surprise. It looked at you, too, before a grunt left its closed maw and it quickly stood back up, hackles raised as it snarled in a display of outspoken and seething rage, readying itself to charge again, seeming just a bit twitchy. Blood dripped from one of its forelimbs, and a fresh gush of scarlet had spattered the back of your hands. Had you nicked it with the blade?

Clearly, that all must’ve been a fluke, and now you were screwed. Your eyebrows knit together as you attempted to brace yourself, shoulders stiffening. But yet again, something intervened as the injured canine stumbled to a stand, whining and yipping as it rushed to stand in front of the bigger wolf. It lowered itself, rolling onto its back with its tail wagging nervously, head lolling back as it gestured towards you with its snout. Was it… pleading your case? Bargaining for you?

Whatever it had said, it seems the bigger one was satisfied, giving a gruff grunt of disapproval before looking back up to you. Suddenly, it bared its teeth in a strangely wolfish grin… or, given the species, was this just a normal grin? Your day got increasingly more odd as the rugged animal then parted its maw, human words barking out in a hoarse, deep voice, closely tailing a snarking laugh.

“Kuku… not bad. For a human.” The wolf antagonized, lifting its paw-- his paw?-- to lap at the wound for a moment, tongue laving the wound. The voice was gruff and masculine, with some condescending twinge which lifted the pitch just slightly. You could practically feel your day grow worse as he laughed again, pulling away as his paw settled against the earth. “Too bad, I was looking forward to ripping you apart. Slowly.” The hulking animal stepped forwards, tail lazily wagging behind him. “Methodically.” You recoiled slightly from the sadistic snarl which filtered through your ears, but a sudden whine from the smaller wolf caused him to pause. An almost disappointed look passed over his expression, truly you were surprised a canine face could be so expressive, and his tail stopped wagging as he gave a hissing groan.

“But… seems you went and did something good. Good for you, smarty. It’s just pathetic…” He drawled, pacing back and forth for a moment with a few barely held back growls, but he now kept his distance. You were glad of it. “... going out of your way, to help a strange animal. Don’t you know where you are, girl?” There was another heckling laugh, but he seemed far less amused now, growing tired of your silence. “Speak! You aren’t deaf, and I know it!”

“I.. mm. Actually I don’t really know where I am?” You answered tentatively, though raised your hands before the wolf could start up again in some sort of surrender, blade held flatly to your palm by the side of your thumb. “But I can definitely tell this uh, isn’t where I’m supposed to be…!” He only scoffed.

“Obviously.” The wolf growled, though tilted his head away from you to eye what seemed to be his subordinate. A flash of concern caused the animal to huff, shaking himself off before turning and walking off in the opposite direction. The smaller one paused, glancing between the two of you. “We’re going.” He barked again, causing the injured animal to quickly scamper after him as he eyed you over his shoulder, that staggering golden gleam narrowing in a predatory fashion. “See you around, human. Kukuku…” Another sly laugh left the black wolf before he slunk out of view, mocking tone fading away as he and the other canine melted away into the depths of the shadowed woods.

“... rude. I didn’t even get to ask where I am.” You muttered, sighing as you pushed yourself to a stand. “He didn’t even apologize either…” Rolling your eyes, you moved to dust off your hands on your kimono, but the blood staining your palms and the realization that you were in fact, still wearing white, caused you to think better of it. A slight sigh left you as you looked over what you had gained from this encounter. Some busted up old knife without a handle. Still, it had a sharp edge, that much was clear. And any weapon was better than being unarmed, you reasoned. For a moment you just stood there, trying to think up the next course of action, but there was a sudden shout that rang out somewhere above you.

“HUMAN!” A familiar tone screamed out, marred by some animalistic roughness and booming volume.

Shit, right, you were running from a dragon. That’s what you had to keep doing. Quickly you skittered back to the safety of the thick canopy of the forest, and quite decidedly began creeping through the woods in the direct opposite way from where you had heard the voice come from. This all sucked monumentally, and at this point, you weren’t sure you could keep trying to pretend it was still a dream. You took a moment to clench your eyes shut, a heavy exhale heaving its way past your lips as you pinched the bridge of your nose. You suddenly recoiled in disgust at the cool dampness now smeared on your face, a brief “Eugh!” leaving you as you eyed your still bloodied fingers. Yes. This sucked.

[zeyhkro]

Within the Yokai's Realm

Within the Yokai's Realm - Chapter 2 (will be a LONG.. long... story... currently being cross posted on AO3) various kizuki members x fem reader (polyam?? idk) list: kokushibo, douma, akaza, aizetsu, sekido, karaku, urogi, nakime, gyutaro, kaigaku, hairo, enmu, kyogai rui, zohakuten, and daki are mentioned but are not love interests(for obvious reasons) summary: The Yokai.

Once thought to rule over Japan with an iron fist, to scurry about every home and every forest within the land. Though many assortments existed, a key defining fact was that when they prowled, humans lived in fear. Gifts were sent out to earn favor or deter attacks, but one day, spirits began to appear less and less. Now, the tales of Yokai are merely told to children as lessons or to spark fear and fun, and those who truly believe in them are simply a bit ridiculous... at least, that's your own opinion on the matter.

However, when an attacking group of bandits demand your life in promise to spare your village, what will happen when things play out rather unexpected? It all started with that damned shrine maiden.

warnings: none for this chapter, but later chapters may hold canon typical violence or slightly suggestive situations/dialogue. no smut will be included

wordcount(for this chapter): 5,148 > total (including prior chapters): 9,464 A/N: OC's are mentioned and play as background characters/old friends of the reader, but are not main characters and wont be showing up much. this fic is set within an AU where demons are instead various yokai from traditional japanese mythology

Night crept forwards with all the rush of a snail, dread causing every lingering fear shudder and writhe beneath your skin. You were resolved to leave tonight. You had two weeks, sure; but you knew the bandit’s camp was at least a two day walk from your home, and the longer you wait the more you’ll wish you could stay. Not to mention, the more your companions would wish the same, you knew they would try and talk you out of it. “You really don’t need to.” Hands grasped your shoulders as you worked, and you nearly cursed under your breath as you jolted. People have got to stop sneaking up on you.

Tilting your head to peer behind you, momentarily stalling your task of packing a few foods, you met the gaze of Kiyohime once again. Amethyst eyes swirled with emotion as she knelt down to move herself to your eye level, and she moved to grasp the sides of your arms. You couldn't help but frown slightly, looking away for a moment as she stared searchingly at your expression. “I do have to. And I’m going to.” 

“You don’t! I mean it,” She interjected, fingers tightening their grip slightly on your arms as her eyebrows knit together, her gaze pleading. “My family are all warriors! We can protect you and your village! You’ll all be okay!” She shuffled for a second, tearing her gaze away as she let go with one hand, instead using it to gesture towards the nearby door. “They will be okay!” You snuck a glance at her, a set of your jaw as you chewed against the inside of your cheek, sighing before you raised one hand. You gripped onto her raised arm, shaking your head as you pulled slightly. “Kiyohime.” You murmured, tone firm despite the gentle way of saying it. 

She seemed almost startled as she stared at you, hand going limp as you moved to hold on with both of your own. “I'm going, and that's final.”

“Well, I won't let you!” She began again, but you shook your head, a slight narrowing of your eyes as you squeezed her hand just a bit harder.

“I'm not going to let you or your family get hurt protecting anyone here. If there is a way I can exchange my own life for the safety of everyone, I’m going to do it. So that is what I’ll be doing.” A cold determination caused a gleam in your eyes, and the purple haired woman seemed to falter before she lowered her eyes, giving a simple and reluctant nod. A small smile spread across your lips, bitter and sad, yet grateful she could at least concede. 

You gave one last comforting squeeze to her hand before pulling away, retracting from her as you picked up the bag of supplies you had previously prepared. Standing up, you shrugged the strap over your shoulder before a surprisingly meek voice sounded out, causing you to peer over your shoulder at the still knelt figure. “But… you’re my friend.” She mumbled, not daring to look you in the eye. A typically boisterous woman, tall and imposing, was reduced to a quietly sniffling girl. Her hands were limp in her lap. “And, friends protect each other. Please, stay. Let me help.” 

There was a pause where you stopped to consider her words, confliction making your expression twist before it settled into a firm resolution. “I won't let you get hurt defending me or anyone else. So let me protect you.” As soon as she lifted her head, glancing towards you, you had swooped down with another tight hug around her shoulders, prickles of tears ghosting across your eyes as you held onto her as if she would fall apart if you let go. There was a choking sound before she sniffled again, hesitating for a moment before she wrapped her arms around your middle, the pressure on your ribs suddenly feeling like the girl was about to break your damn spine. 

You winced, but you didn't say anything this time. “Hah…” She dryly scoffed, a bitter smile on her face. “... you really aren't gonna change your mind, are you? ‘Course you’re not… you were always too stubborn, you know.” She hummed with her grip loosening on you, and you pulled away with a humorless laugh, placing your hands on her arms instead. Meeting eyes once again, you could see a certain resignation in her gaze. She knew she couldn't try to deter you any longer, and you pressed your lips into a thin line before speaking again, tone soft and thoughtful.

“I won't forget you.” 

She sniffled again, giving a croak of a laugh as she lifted one hand, rubbing her forearm against her now reddened eyes. “I won’t forget you either, Y/n. I promise.” You gave a gentle, sad smile as she waved you off with the other hand, dropping her arms as she shrugged her shoulders. “Okay… go on then. I won't stop you, or, like… keep begging for you to stay. But you should get going before I change my mind… or don't.” She chuckled slightly, and you nodded as you rose to stand up again, moving to your room to get changed. 

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ- 

A white kimono now adorned your form, flowing fabric relatively plain and neat. The collar was folded the opposite way, a stylistic choice reserved only for the dead. You couldn't help but frown at the reminder. You wore the apparel of a ghost, now; marked for an execution, one which you marched on towards. This wasn't how you exactly wanted to die, not even that you particularly wanted that in the first place, but you could still think of a few better ways to go. Hell, dying old with a family sounded a much sweeter deal than this, but who doesn't wish for that..? You shook your head, casting these thoughts from your mind. You had more pressing matters to attend to, supplies carefully held within your bag as you stepped out of your house, carefully stepping around the cross-legged and slouched figure of Kiyohime, currently fixated on staring at the wall. 

“I had always hoped I would someday be able to see you in a white kimono.” A soft voice called out to you, and you couldn’t help but but look towards the source with wide, sad eyes. Your mother, a gentle and caring figure in your life. She had taught you most things you knew now, aside from what you’ve picked up from friends and strangers alike. Her gaze settled on you carefully, taking in your measured silence before she spoke again. “I only wish it were under different circumstances.” The white haired woman murmured, the tender smile across her face pained and forced as she stepped forwards, hands reaching out as she moved to smooth out any wrinkles in the fabric.

You paused, allowing her to momentarily fuss over your clothing, giving a slight nod of your head as you laughed dryly. “Yeah… me, too.” The gentle and caring action, so quickly acted upon, was finished far too soon for your liking. Honestly, if you could’ve, you would have prolonged it as much as possible. A sweet reminder that you have a family so caring, but truly, each affectionate act each person gave you also felt like some swift stab to the gut. Each sad glance drove it further. Silently, her hands hovered over your shoulders as she lifted her eyes, a silent inquiry in her gaze. The unspoken plea only twisted the blade that nicked at your stomach.

A shaky inhale passed through your lips before you forced a smile onto your face once again, raising one hand to hold her by the wrist, a silent tilt of your head. There was a look of understanding exchanged between you two, and she blinked, sighing as she allowed her hands to fully settle on your shoulders, instead pulling you into a warm embrace. Her hands moved to cradle the back of your head as she held onto you as if you were delicate glasswork, afraid you would shatter or break should she so much as let you go or hold on too tight.

You carefully returned the gesture, closing your eyes as you leaned into her hold, but soon enough the two of you had to pull away. She gave you a gentle look before speaking quietly. “I’ll walk you to the forest’s edge. The others are waiting there.” Nodding, you began to follow her as she started to lead you away. Suddenly realizing something, you threw a glance over your shoulder back towards your house.

“Is Kiyohime--?”

“She said that she will be staying inside.”

You hummed in acknowledgement of your mother’s words. It made sense enough, you knew well enough the purple-haired girl wouldn’t be able to sit still and watch you leave. It only made sense she would stay put for now, and if anything, you were grateful she was respecting your choice. There was a determined fix of your expression as you rolled your shoulders, eyes forcing shut before you stared ahead of you before marching onwards. You have to be strong now. Not for yourself exactly, but you didn’t want to give the people who cared about you yet another reason to cry today.

The walk felt far shorter than usual, and yet again, you oddly wished it had been longer. The faces of those closest to you gathered in a tightly bunched group, the first to stand out to you being the blonde who spun around on her heel as soon as you approached. Hikaru seemed to have to force herself not to immediately bolt towards you, instead sniffling as she offered you a weak smile. You gave one back.

She stepped forwards, Ryoku quickly tailing her as you met the two in the middle, and you tried not to let the surprise show on your face when the both of them--not just Hikaru--practically tackled you in a hug. You stumbled to get your balance back, eyes wide as the woman buried her face in the fabric that covered your shoulder. The boy remained quiet, simply clutching onto your kimono so hard you almost thought it would tear, most definitely wrinkling it beyond help. This was to be expected, although the silence from Hikaru was a bit more alarming. With some more thought on it, though, you couldn’t bring it in yourself to be surprised. She had already watched plenty of loved ones leave this village behind, she was used to these goodbyes. You blinked before carefully returning the gesture, expression softening with the slightest downturn of your forcefully ‘relaxed’ grin.

Hikaru pulled back, eyebrows furrowed. She already knew not to try and convince you to stay. “I’ll miss you.” Her voice was somber and quiet, a murmur compared to her usual loud and bold personality. As if it were some signal, Ryoku let go of you as well, keeping his gaze down as he stepped back to stand behind Hikaru.

“I’ll miss you, too. The both of you.” You quietly echoed back, the woman’s smile trembling as she sniffled, raising a hand to wipe her eyes against the sleeve of her yukata. Ryoku briefly glanced up at you, eyes wide as if shocked you had involved him in your sentence, but he quickly looked away again with a nod. There was a clench of his fist, some silent acknowledgement. You sighed, stepping away as you looked towards your family once again.

Your mother had now joined the others, standing besides your father and younger siblings as they all eyed you. “Did Tamashi stay?” You inquired carefully. Despite being all too close to the shrine maiden, she--for some reason unknown--refused to let anyone call her by just her family name, and in turn often refused to call others by theirs. Something or other about how if she didn’t respect you, there was no need to respect her. Her words, not yours. And yet again, despite this relative hostility she gave towards everyone, you still had some form of concern or care for her.

“The shrine maiden left not too long ago. I am afraid you missed her.” Your father responded with ease, as if none too concerned by it. You frowned, though nodded.

“I wish I had been able to say goodbye.” You hummed, taking a second to glance at the path away from the village that you now stood before. Swallowing your fears, you turned back towards your parents and siblings, stepping forwards as you tugged the lot into a hug, momentarily allowing the facade to crack, expression slipping into one of sorrow as you held onto them, the warm embrace of your family a last semblance of what you were soon to be leaving behind for good. “I love you.” You quietly muttered, a chorus of sniffling replies from your siblings and soothing echoes from your parents before you pulled away.

You knew you had to go now, and so you puffed up your chest with a deep breath before steeling yourself, turning away as you left. A few voices called out after you, last goodbyes, and you made the regrettable decision to turn back. That forced smile on your face shook slightly, but you put on your bravest face as you waved farewell to all that you knew, and turned away for the last time.

The woods were quiet, the path winding and often left to be grown over and unused. Stones skipped across the beat down soil and the occasional flower dotted it with a pop of color, and you wearily stepped around each plant. It gave you something to do. Raising your head, you took in your surroundings, the way the moonlight filtered through the canopy of leaves and left many of your steps shrouded in shadows. It was a rare moment that you were left alone, with nothing to do but to walk.

You were able to take a moment to reflect. The air was crisp and cooling against your skin, the occasional breeze ruffling through your clothing and tossing your hair, further blowing away the warmth which you clung to. You were truly alone now, and soon enough would be dead, the path you walked a line which led you to your own demise. A grim frown twisted your face. You had never really anticipated walking into your own death with open arms, willingly throwing yourself to the wolves. But you knew you could never turn back now. You needed to protect the people you had left behind. 

Nocturnal life hooted and bayed through the forest, the occasional creak of an insect or warble of a bird. It was distracting enough, and for a long time you walked on, mind numb as you took in the sounds and earthy scent. A sudden yowl from a fox pierced the mellow quiet, and you jolted, the loud cry of a bark resounding and bouncing from the trees. The animal was ahead of you, and while you weren't exactly privy to the animal itself, you weren't fearful of it. After a slight pause, you continued walking forwards, shaking your head. The beast must've found a grouse or something. 

However, you tilted your head back up to view the path, only to see a distant approaching figure. Long white sleeves came into view steadily, red hakama pants with a blazing gaze and hair to match, the brightly colored appearance a beacon in the dark. You squinted before a slight shock colored your face, and you lifted one hand, calling out. “Tamashi?”  “Yes.” She responded, though her voice was quiet due to the distance. You picked up your pace, jogging towards her with the beginnings of a smile. At least you would see one last… semi friendly face before you went off to die. As the distance closed, she narrowed her eyes sharply, and you paused at the sudden look she gave you. You lowered the hand you had been holding up, instead curling it into a fist as you cleared your throat. 

“... so, uhm… I thought you had left. You don't usually come back so soon.” You started, tilting your head slightly. 

“A brave decision you made, today. Or a foolish one.” She ignored your words entirely, flicking one wrist as she held her hands together, hiding them within her now joined sleeves. You faltered slightly, confusion causing you to lift an eyebrow as she stepped forwards, beginning to… circle you? You never did like how she would do this little ritual, as if sizing you up, deciding if you were worth the time or effort. “You know, there were many reasons why I told you to pray to the Kami already, and this was one of them.” She hissed, causing you to sigh. You didn't want to hear this sort of lecture tonight.

“Now really isn't the time--” 

She immediately cut you off. “But, you have done me a service today. I was beginning to lose that fight and you stopped it before I would have been injured.” Tamashi glared at you for a second before her gaze averted away. You remained silent for a few seconds, which she took as an invitation to continue. “As such, I have something for you.” 

Removing her hands from her sleeves, there was a small block of wood in her palm. A red rope delicately was looped through a hole in the block, dangling behind it as a secondary string was tied carefully in the front, holding a marked paper to the front. She extended it towards you, and you leaned forwards to eye the charm offered. “You are lucky I find your bravado impressive enough. My help isn’t usually so cheap. But this will protect you.” 

A kanji spelling out Yōko, the word pertaining to the magical kitsune, was a clear insignia on the charm. You hesitated for a moment. You didn't believe a simple charm could save you from this fate, but Tamashi seemed insistent… “What are you waiting for?” She barked out, and you quickly held out your hand before she promptly turned her hand upside down and slammed it into your waiting grasp. You yelped as you felt her nails bite into the flesh of your palm, her fingers still coiled around the edges of the charm. 

“Ow, Tamashi--!” You hissed through clenched teeth, and she slowly retracted her hand, raising her wrist as she investigated her nails and the traces of blood that now stained their edges. 

“Hm… a slip of the hand.” She mumbled, some halfhearted mocking attempt at remorse. It didn't hold any weight to it and you knew damn well it didn't. “Good luck. You’ll need it.” She hummed, shooting one last glance at you over your shoulder before turning and beginning to walk down the path again, the same way you were going. You grumbled to yourself before looking down at the charm you grasped, the beginning of a shout boiling in your throat as you passed the block of wood to your other hand to investigate your wounds. 

“Tamashi--!” You started, though your eyes widened in surprise at what you saw. Not a single wound marred your flesh, even though you still felt the pulse and ache in your skin. You lifted your hand closer to your eyes, mouth falling open slightly at the strange sight. In the middle of your palm, so faint it was hardly there, was the slightest marking in the design of a flame. It was a slightly lighter color than the skin it marked, silvery like a scar. 

Did… have you always had that? You frowned. You were pretty sure you didn't have that before. Confusion made your head swim and you blinked, turning to look back up, but the shrine maiden was already gone from view. Vanished. Even if she had sprinted you would have at least heard her bolting down the path… did she dive into the woods? But why? 

You stepped forwards, but a rustling up ahead caused you to speed up. So she was still nearby. You had some questions you wanted answers for before you handed yourself over to those bandits, and as such you broke into a run, diving around the bend in the road. “Tamashi!” You called out as you ran, charm still clutched tightly in hand, but you caught a shift of movement out the corner of your eye. Turning your head just slightly, it was as if time slowed down. A flash of red fur sat neatly at the side of the road. A fluffy beast peered up at you, a fox. With a slight swish of movement not even a millisecond long, you took note that it had two tails which swayed lazily. 

… wait. Two? 

The realization hit you like a brick wall, too stunned to even notice the branch that had been dragged across the path, sitting so perfectly in front of the animal which peered up at you. Too unaware as your foot caught on it. You couldn't even realize what had happened as your head hit the ground with a dull thud, and everything went black. Blearily, you came to consciousness once again, a dull stream of voices whispering and chattering washing over your senses. Your entire body ached with a ferocity, especially your head, and for a moment, you thought that this whole thing had been a dream. Of course it was. Obviously, those bandits would never give such an offer, you were surely safe at home right now. And there were no two tailed foxes, of course. However something felt very off. Did you recognize those voices..? 

With a slight groan, you shuffled, all but freezing up once you registered the grit of dirt and the tickle of grass against your skin. Instantly sobered, your eyes snapped open, raising your head as you tore your gaze back and forth. You were still outside, that's for sure… but these were not the woods you had tripped in. There wasn't even a path here, for crying out loud. The voices immediately quieted, a hushed murmur behind you. They were more masculine in variety, though had some sort of slyness to their tone, some chittering giddiness, almost like the whine of a… fox. You really didn't want to turn around. 

But you did anyway. Slowly, warily, you turned your head to peak over your shoulder. What greeted you were five pairs of eyes all trained on you, but what they belonged to had a bit more variety. Three of them were foxes, orange in color, nothing too remarkable truly. The other two were what appeared to be beautiful young men, long, shimmering dark red hair that fell down their faces and spilled down their backs like gossamer waterfalls. You couldn't deny the fact they were actually quite gorgeous… until you noted the presence of something swaying behind them. The idle twitch of a tail. Your eyes immediately widened, having to manually keep your jaw shut. 

You quickly lifted your hands, slapping them over your mouth, too startled to notice that painful ebb of heat had dwindled from your palm. It was either that, or your head hurt so much it overpowered the weaker of the two senses. You were too busy to care, really. Snickers broke out amongst the group, one would lift a hand or paw to their mouth before whispering to the one beside them, the chain of chatter entirely excluding you. But with the way they just wouldn't look away, you felt with a sense of certainty it was definitely about you. Not that you were all too concerned, instead staring practically slack jawed at the fact that these were definitely not human… or even just plain old animals. You remained silent for a good long while before yelping.

“KIYOHIME WAS RIGHT?” Alright. Perhaps you would have accepted it if it was just Tamashi who was right, the girl did devote her entire life to worshipping and serving the Kami and spirits. But Kiyohime? You had watched her jump off a roof to try and fly before. It was a staggering thing to come to terms with the fact she had been correct about something you were wrong about… oh well. She was smart aside from her foolishness. You were more surprised with the fact you were wrong. The very thing you had always believed to be fake was now staring you in the eye. The kitsunes all eyed you curiously at the sudden words before sly grins shone at you, silent questions as to what you were even talking about. “You’re kitsunes… yōko?!” You briefly corrected yourself, being a bit more specific. 

“How perceptive.” One of the more human appearing ones purred in response, a fanged smirk on full display. “How cute.” The second one replied, adding on with a slightly higher tone, slinking forwards just slightly. They seemed to regard you with a certain interest that you only found… very confusing. You blinked, feeling dizzy from this all. Your hands lifted to rub at your forehead. 

“Dreaming… I’m dreaming.” You muttered to yourself, for a moment attempting to quell your headache as the foxes laughed at your plight, and you stood up. The five didn't seem so keen to just let you walk away though, creeping just a bit closer for every step you stumbled, moving to ignore them. There was a sudden growling rumble of a roar, further breaking your peace as thunderous footsteps stampeded closer. The foxes all seemed to bristle, one or two or three twitching tails fluffing up behind them as they finally turned away from you. A hulking figure slammed through the foliage, bursting with a gurgling cackle, gnarled fangs and tusks pointing away from a wickedly grinning maw. Sickly yellow eyes peered from under a white mop of straggly hair, fat and muscle all lined by crimson skin.

Each step caused the ground to shake, and you froze up, suddenly realizing this situation was far worse than just foxes. You shook just slightly, taking a few panicked backwards steps as the monster lumbered forwards. Its eyes stuck to you for a moment before it looked at the shocked vulpine figures, and it gave a disgusted snort as it gestured crudely towards them, suddenly making it a point to lower the large, spiked club that was previously resting over its shoulder. An oni, in the flesh. And it seemed as pissed as could be, for a reason you didn't want to stick around and find out. The foxes all shrieked, previously relaxed and playful demeanors shocked away before they stood, the more human appearing duo suddenly puffing into a small burst of flames which seemed to dust away their appearance, leaving two darker foxes with three tails streaming behind them as they sprinted after the other three. 

High pitched laughs and whines from the foxes filled the woods as they bounded about, even looping back a few times merely to flit about the towering beasts legs, dizzying the oni as it stumbled about whilst flailing its club. You kept backing up as the ground broke under each blow and the trees splintered with each swing, until eventually you felt your feet hit a sudden decline as the foxes finally turned tail and fled, spots of red and orange diving into the foliage with high pitched yips. The oni turned to glower at you before laughing again, no part of the sound pleasant. You hesitated for a long moment. Sure, you had been resigned to die and all, but this was not the situation you had intended for, and if you died here… what would become of your village? 

The thought would have to wait as a blinding crack of lightning shot into the space between you two, a deafening crack of thunder blasted the area. You stumbled backwards with a hoarse yelp, suddenly finding yourself slipping down the steep slope, falling backwards from the impromptu stumble. The last you saw was a form that dwarfed even the oni, a serpentine creature with a flailing tail that hissed and snarled with all the rage of a storm, lunging towards the attacking Yokai. You fell, tumbling and twisting as you crashed through the brush, twigs snapping under you and plants crushed. 

The wind was promptly knocked out of you, and you landed with a crack at the bottom of the small cliff. It didn't hurt as much as you thought it would have… hardly at all, actually. You sat there for a while, sprawled out on your back and staring up at the sky, bringing forth the effort only to lift your hand and press it to your forehead. A harsh sigh left you. “Definitely dreaming.” You grumbled, listening as the brief scuffle played out above you. It was easy to hear, what with the loud roars of either monster ringing out. Eventually, silence drew upon the scene, and you curiously pulled your hand away from your face, peering up the cliff side.

A face looked down at you. You jolted slightly, drawing in a tight breath before whoever it was that stood up there suddenly leapt down, landing with an intimidating grace a small ways away from you. You snapped to attention, bolting to sit up as what you now registered as a man walked towards you, each step slow and deliberate, yet hurried with some sort of impatience and frustration. Not a good sign. Dragging your gaze over him, you noted… a few things. Driven by instinctual fear, you of course checked his waist, horrified to realize he carried a sword. Though, with what you've already seen so far? You couldn't exactly blame him. If you could use a weapon, you’d wear one as well. Once that clicked, you darted to take in the rest of his appearance. However, as soon as you looked a bit beyond the sheath of the sword, you saw movement. Long and serpentine, scaled with a long tassel of fur at the end. A tail. 

Your shoulders stiffened, sliding up his torso and past his revealed chest before he suddenly shoved his face directly into your view, a snarl already on his lips. A mouth full of fangs, his cheeks marred by black stripes, eyes a piercing blue with darkened sclera. Antlers sprouted from the top of his head, and pointed ears stuck out from behind messily chopped black hair. “Hey! How did a human even get here?!” He demanded, anger clear on his face as the tail behind him lashed to and fro. “Answer me!” 

Has it yet been mentioned how much you hate this dream, so far? You certainly hate this… and really hoped this was all still a dream.

[zeyhkro]

Within the Yokai's Realm

Within the Yokai's Realm - Chapter 1 (will be a LONG.. long... story... currently being cross posted on AO3) various kizuki members x fem reader (polyam?? idk) list: kokushibo, douma, akaza, aizetsu, sekido, karaku, urogi, nakime, gyutaro, kaigaku, hairo, enmu, kyogai rui, zohakuten, and daki are mentioned but are not love interests(for obvious reasons) summary: The Yokai.

Once thought to rule over Japan with an iron fist, to scurry about every home and every forest within the land. Though many assortments existed, a key defining fact was that when they prowled, humans lived in fear. Gifts were sent out to earn favor or deter attacks, but one day, spirits began to appear less and less. Now, the tales of Yokai are merely told to children as lessons or to spark fear and fun, and those who truly believe in them are simply a bit ridiculous... at least, that's your own opinion on the matter.

However, when an attacking group of bandits demand your life in promise to spare your village, what will happen when things play out rather unexpected? It all started with that damned shrine maiden.

warnings: none for this chapter, but later chapters may hold canon typical violence or slightly suggestive situations/dialogue. no smut will be included wordcount(for this chapter): 4,316 A/N: OC's are mentioned and play as background characters/old friends of the reader, but are not main characters and wont be showing up much. this fic is set within an AU where demons are instead various yokai from traditional japanese mythology

Long ago, the lands of Japan were teeming with magic and mischief. Foxes played cruel tricks on travelers, Oni slaughtered dozens. The ghosts of mothers haunted the living, begging for the safety of their children. Gargantuan whale skeletons swam through the bays, bringing misfortune and plagues and mystery along with them before diving off to sea. The wolves formed ladders, and the cats took rule of their masters. A friend would turn around without a face, and ghostly canines would nip at your heel to do their owners bidding. The weasels would nick at your skin in a flurry of wind, and the mountains were under the rule of fierce, winged protectors. The statues stood guard for shrines and homes alike, stony glares sending thieves and trespassers alike to flee. Serpentine forms would coil and thrash through the waters, rearing antlered heads and whiskered muzzles as they unleashed storms upon humankind, and all of humanity cowered and begged. Offerings would be set out, spirits bribed and pleaded to for protection. 

Often, this would be in the form of food or expensive items, gifts to earn good favor. At times, if especially desperate or facing an incredibly powerful yokai, one might even send out a daughter in a white kimono to be spirited away and never seen again. Such things would grant a family or village one of few graces. Should such a spirit be inherently hostile, this may end in it being appeased and leaving you be, wandering elsewhere to wreak havoc. If it is a more benevolent or mild mannered creature, you may have earned yourself a protector or guardian, at least until it felt its debt was repaid. 

At least, that is what your elders always told you. Nowadays, no one believed such tales, unless you were a child or awful gullible. High strung stories to teach lessons to children, shying them away from woods full of wild animals and dangerous falls, instilling respect, hygiene, and politeness. You were not gullible, not in any sense of the word. Hard working and diligent, you followed the advice of the stories, but not out of fear. You simply did what was right, and while you didn't believe in the supernatural aspects of it, the tales held proper advice... aside from a few, which you weren't entirely sure of the origin.

Perhaps, the elderly simply like to scare children. You certainly used to shiver at night, thinking about the ghouls and ghosts that may suddenly spring out should you so much as speak to them. That was neither here nor there, you haven't been spooked by ghost stories in many years now, and there are always much more pressing matters to attend to than glancing over your shoulder at every bump of wail in the night. 

Making your way out of your home, you gave a brief goodbye to your family, a sweet wave to your younger siblings and parents before stepping out into the village, taking a deep breath to steel yourself for the day. Sunlight streamed through the air in haphazardly tossed golden banners, filtered through the trees which swayed lazily through the air, tussled by the soft morning breeze. The quiet chirp of distant birdsong meshed with the sound of nearby chatter, a myriad of voices flowing together like a babbling, indescribable brook. The houses nearby were small and quaint, cozy and endearing. Your village wasn't the largest or most prosperous, but you all got along with life just fine. The people here were usually happy, although there was a pinprick of agitation that simmered through the population, even on such a nice day. 

A glance towards one of the houses on the far end of the village, partially smoldered and still smoking slightly, was a clear indicator as to why.

There were many things to be done and many people you had to speak to, already a slight weariness working its way through your bones at the mere idea of it all. Bracing complete, you took a single step forwards, already intent on grabbing the nearby bucket. As soon as you took your first step, a voice called out your name as a bumbling woman practically charged up to you, voice booming and incessant with some broad smile stuck to her face. 

The woman raised her hand, amethyst eyes locking onto yours as a dark purple rattail followed her like a streamer. "Y/n! Hey, Y/n!!" She greeted loudly, and you couldn't help but jump slightly, eyes widening as you peered towards the approaching figure. Coming to a screeching halt in front of you, she doubled over, panting for breath for a moment before her head popped right back up, forcing herself to rise to her full height once again as she crossed her arms. "Nice morning, isn't it?!" She shouted. 

This girl-- Kiyohime Tatsuryu, you couldn't help but remember her name after she had all but screamed it into your memory upon your first meeting a few years ago-- is not someone who lives in your village. Rather, she lives in a nearby settlement, inhabited only by her own family. Her family was insistent they were descendants of dragons, boasting their staggering height and muscular builds as their so called proof, and as such Kiyohime was the only mostly sane person you knew who so firmly believed in the Yokai… not that you didn't doubt her at times. Given her extravagant nature, you weren't so sure she always had her head on straight, but she was pleasant enough company whenever she came into the village for supplies. 

"Yes, a pleasant enough start to the day." You hummed, giving an exhale as you placed your hands on your hips, momentarily glancing away from her as you surveyed the village once more. The longer you looked, the more obvious the strain and scuffles were, eyes narrowing as you took notice of a few stray red stains. You peered back towards the towering girl who still stared down at you before she barked out another sentence. "Say, what's going on, anyway? Everyone seems all tied up and... well, fixing things? Why's it smell like a bon fire!" She inquired, tilting her head as you winced. 

Right. She didn't live here, so she was most likely unaware of the whole situation. Another sigh left you as you raised one hand, eyebrows furrowing as you tentatively bit your tongue. Unsure what to do or even what to say, you looked away again, hesitantly eyeing the nearby bloodstain before deciding to simply smooth back your hair, pushing away whatever fell into your face. “Well, lately we’ve been coming under attack by some rogue bandits. A few have ah, guns, right? Those Western weapons. They've been stealing our belongings,” You slowly spoke, wincing again as your hand slid to instead rest on your neck. “... and should we fight back, they've proven they don't mind killing.” Kiyohime’s eyes widened, her boisterous posture now slouched, as if deflated from the shock. “Huh?!” Was her only response, jaw dropping open before blinking multiple times as you avoided her gaze. “Yeah…” You mumbled with a slight hiss. “We don't know why they've come here, but honestly, we aren't in a situation where we can care. We just need to try and--” 

You were loudly cut off by a sharp voice, a growling hiss of an interjection. “Those damned bandits are here because you haven't made any offerings to the Kami!” You immediately wheeled around, caught off guard by the sudden appearance. A fiery young woman glared up at you, blazing red hair and eyes befitting her red and white attire, her hair swooped back into a low ponytail. Perhaps the only shrine maiden within miles of this village, it was a strange thing to see her here at all. A hermit and a recluse, miss Tamashi Reibai, or at least you were vaguely sure that was her name, hardly strayed from her shrine of Inari. She was younger than you, Hell, she was younger than Kiyohime. Despite this, the girl never had a lick of respect for you or anyone else she’d met. A finger was roughly jabbed at your sternum, accusatory in nature. “You lot haven't even tried to appease any spirits, of course you fools are under attack! You’re the village chief’s daughter, for crying out loud! You go talk some sense into that daft old man before you all end up dead!” She snarled, tone cruel and sharp as you took a quick step back. 

You quickly frowned, the beginning of a scowl on your face as you lifted your hands in a sort of mock surrender. “As much as I… appreciate the input, I have things I need to actually take care of. We don't have the resources to spare to try and offer it up to spirits!” You had to forcibly bite back the scathing addition of ‘who aren’t even real’, digging your fingers into your palms hard enough to turn your knuckles white as you clenched your jaw. You didn't believe in spirits, but you knew someone like Tamashi very much did, and it was rude to insult someone's belief… even though you wanted to bite her head off when she went on these maddened tangents. You were familiar with the behavior of shrine maidens, after all your mother once was a priestess before she became engaged to your father. However, it seems you didn't have to do much of anything this day, as the woman behind you suddenly stepped forwards, placing a rough hand on your shoulder. “Hey, what’s the big idea? This village is, like, under the protection of the Tatsuryu family! What's a better spirit than a dragon?! I’m sure if I pray to them, my ancestors will gladly protect this village too!” She laughed out, as if seeking to dissolve the tension, however Tamashi immediately turned to her like she was about to blow a fuse. 

“You’re no closer to a dragon is than any lizard you pick up off the side of the road, you moron!” She snapped, and you quickly moved to pinch the bridge of your nose as Kiyohime immediately yelped out. “What?!” With the purple haired girl fixated on the shrine maiden, you slipped out of her grasp before sidestepping the two, immediately going to tune out the now shouting argument right outside your door as you went to grab the previously discarded bucket. You took care to dust it off for a moment before peaking over your shoulder at the bickering girls before a gruff sigh left you, shaking your head disapprovingly before walking off. Unlike the two visitors, you actually did have things to be done further than a supply run. You settled the bucket against your hip before carrying it off towards the well, however you knew you were being tailed from the shuffle of dirt behind you. Glancing behind every so often, you caught a glimpse of a smaller figure diving behind cover every time. A real novice of a spy, but you simply rolled your eyes before turning back around, only to jolt as someone suddenly appeared in front of you. You gasped, taking a few steps back before you glared at who was in front of you. A young man, not even 16 yet, still a bit shorter than you and his jawline still soft with some baby face. 

“Shit..! Ryoku, don’t scare me like that!” You lightly scolded, frowning at him as he only stared up at you, a slight scowl on his face before he fell into step with you, and after a moment of silence and waiting for him to speak, you shook your head before continuing on. “You know, she’s right.” He started, voice raspy with a biting edge to it. You remained quiet for a moment before peering towards him, flicking over his shortly cropped blueish gray hair and his narrowed amber eyes, a scar slicing up his cheek. Ryoku Kohikigane was a quiet boy ever since his father’s disappearance some few years ago, paired with his mother’s death. The boy had always blamed the Yokai for it, insisting it was a monster who killed his mother and took his father away. Most of the village doubts this story, instead more inclined to believe the idea that it was simply bandits or wild animals who had done such a deed, but Ryoku always insisted there was foul play, insisted he had even seen it happen.

“Who’s right?” You hummed thoughtfully, not wanting to startle or further piss the kid off. “The shrine maiden. It's a Yokai who’s bringing those men here, I’m sure of it.” He spat, marching alongside you as you finally ceased your walking, moving to fill your bucket with water as you spoke. “Hmm. Well we don’t have the resources to try and appease them and I’m sure you already know that,” You started, a slight twinge of discomfort on your face as you eyed him, but he quickly spoke again. “That's why we aren't going to appease the damned thing, we’re going to kill it!” He exclaimed, posture firm and rigid before he took a step forwards. You stared at him incredulously before shaking your head again, pressing the heel of your palm against your eyes. “No, no we are not.” You sighed out. “We can hardly fight against the bandits, how are we going to kill a spirit?” 

You inquired flatly, tilting your head as you peered towards him again, only to jolt yet again as he suddenly grabbed you by your shoulders. “I’m going to kill it, that’s how! You send me and the men out, and I’ll track it, and I’ll get it!” You frowned as the water sloshed slightly from his jostling before you waved his hands off. “Not happening.” His eyes widened as if dismayed. “What do you mean not happening?! I need to!” He declared, and you took a step back before your gaze softened, blinking as you carefully considered his words. “It’s not going to bring him back, Ryoku.” You spoke gently, eyebrows knit together with the slightest frown on your lips, and he seemed baffled to hear you say that. 

His lip trembled slightly before he glared at you. “That's..! Not…!” He started before he shouted aimlessly, turning on his heel and marching right off before a young woman immediately darted towards him, placing a hand on one shoulder. Spiked blonde hair was all you could see for a moment as she babbled on to the boy in a hushed tone, but when he tilted his head to look at her, you could see a slight softening of his expression. The woman turned to look at you before waving, a wide smile on her face and dark eyes wide with a certain fondness for you… or, rather everyone. Hikaru Naginasa, a pleasant young woman around your age. You grew up together, and while you were never exactly close with your constant duties, she certainly saw a friend in you, and you felt the same towards her. Especially since she also shared your opinion that the only thing going bump in the night were stray animals or petty pickpockets. Ever since her own elder brother had left the village and Ryoku had lost his parents, she had kindly stepped up to take him in, and as such the two were basically siblings now. 

She offered you a big thumbs up and an apologetic glance. You smiled back at her, nodding your head in silent understanding as she ushered the boy off. You were glad the kid at least had someone taking care of him. Now that you were finally left alone, you huffed as you hoisted the full bucket up, making your way back to your family’s house. It was a small village, but it was typically peaceful, and you did care for its inhabitants greatly. Even the few returning visitors you got were treated as if they were one of the villagers, respected and liked… depending on their personalities. Thinking about it, you really hoped Tamashi and Kiyohime had finished their argument. But as you grew closer, you could still hear the sound of shouting… and you could see a crowd forming. Shit. 

You groaned before you picked up the pace, moving as quickly as you could without spilling the water you had worked so hard to collect. “Coming through!” You shouted as you wormed your way through the crowd, clutching your bucket of water close to your chest before your eyes landed on Ryoku in the crowd… smiling a fierce grin ear to ear. Your heart dropped. That’s not a good sign. Quickly you forced your way through the last of the crowd before suddenly you caught sight of what was happening. Kiyohime had the shrine maiden in her clutches, holding the red haired girl above her head and hoisted into the air. She, and I say this with utmost certainty, screamed out a roar, and Tamashi thrashed and shouted in her grasp before the shrine maiden grabbed onto one of the arms holding her up. 

Diving her head down, she snapped her teeth into the purple haired woman's arm, who immediately yelped in pain and dropped her to the ground. Tamashi, ever the sly, grabbed onto Kiyohime's rattail as she fell, harshly tugging at the girls hair. She cried out before falling backwards, landing right on top of Tamashi before rolling over. “That’s it!” She shouted before grabbing the shrine maiden by the ponytail, whipping her around just as had been done to her. “Oh sweet Heavens…” You groaned, squeezing your eyes shut before screaming out. “You two stop that!” The two briefly paused, panting from exertion with bruises already blooming on their arms and some blood trickling from where Kiyohime had gotten bitten, before the two glared at each other again. Both went to swing at the exact same time. 

“I said, stop!!” You shouted again before swinging back your bucket, and there was a resounding splash as all the noise stopped. The fighters finally relented, blinking owlishly at each other before glancing down at their now soaked clothing, hair plastered to their faces and dripping down their backs. Their heads craned towards you silently. Tamashi glared but for once backed down, huffing like a disgruntled bull with a shake of her head. Meanwhile Kiyohime opened her mouth and closed it, aiming to say something before rethinking it, for once at a loss for words and left floundering about like a fish. You narrowed your eyes dangerously at the two for a moment, sending an apologetic look towards your family gathered on the porch step of your home, but suddenly you froze up at the sound of a horse's whinny. 

With everyone's attention focused on the brawl and the sound of shouting, it seems the unmistakable clip, clop of hooves had gone amiss as a pitch black stallion stood tall and foreboding, the rider a burly man with a sour smirk across his face. A lame attempt at armor was secured across his shoulders and chest, and a blade was sheathed at his waist. He leered at the crowd, gaze trailing over the two soaked and bruised women before snorting a laugh. “Y’two sure had fun. Enough fun for you an’ your whole sniveling lot not t’ notice me.” He gave a breathy wheeze before his grin turned to a snarl, lips still upturned in a sneer. “But to buisness… the boss has got a proposition for you all.” He tugged on the reigns of the horse, the animal neighing with a shake of its head as it reared for a moment before settling down again, ears flicking about. 

It was as if the entire world had stopped aside from the man atop the horse. Not a single villager dared to move, let alone say something in response. Even the birdsong seemed to have quieted, a deathly silence crawling through the village and murmuring between the creaking trees. He seemed to take some sort of enjoyment from this fact before he spoke again. “If y’give us the village chief’s eldest daughter as a sacrifice, well, we’ll all just done leave you be. Send her out in a white kimono of the dead, and--” The snide voice of the man was cut off by a much more frail tone, though it still held command to it, a gentle voice which somehow still demanded a certain respect. “No.” A simple enough response. An older man stepped forwards, his hair black and cut to about his shoulders. His vision had been failing him in his older age, but he was still the village chief. “I will not cast out my daughter.” He stated firmly, a chagrin smile across his face. “If that is your price, pick another. But I will not accept a bargain for the life of any of my children… and that extends towards every member of this village.” 

The man atop the horse snorted again. “Your precious daughter over there went and threw water over our men last we came through! They almost went and caught sickness, and d’you think they’d go an’ survive if they did!?” He snarled, and you glanced down at the bucket in your hands. You paused for a moment, narrowing your eyes as you glanced towards the villagers around you, heart beating out of your chest. “We want that bitch dead! Serve her up on a silver platter and we’ll let you all live and scrounge about the dirt like y’already do. Keep her, and we’ll come knocking by force, and let the rest of you all join her in Hell.” The man growled before cackling again, the threat and promise clear in his voice. They wanted you specifically dead. They would be willing to spare the village if you go along willingly… you speak before your mind can fully catch up. 

“I’ll do it.” You call out firmly, eyes narrowed as you tighten your grip on the rim of the bucket. Immediately there is a rolling tide of voices, suddenly snapped out of their stupor and calling out in denial. “Like Hell, you will!” A sudden boisterous voice sounded behind you before a hand gripped your shoulder, spinning you around before both palms pressed against your arms. Water still dripped from her, soaking into your clothing as Kiyohime stared down at you, jaw slack from shock and eyes wide as she realized the severity of the situation. “Y/n, no way!! You can’t just, just, hand yourself over! No way!” She shook her head, even shaking you around for a second before another young woman burst forwards, dark eyes brimming with tears as the blonde threw her arms around you, and you grunted as you were knocked around. “Y/n, you can’t die! We’ll all protect you! And, and we’ll all be okay!!” Hikaru babbled, clutching tightly around your midsection as Kiyohime shouted again. “What she said!! My family will come, and we’ll all protect you and the village! We’re warriors! You’ll have the dragon’s blessing!” 

“I have to.” You murmured, though you silently dropped the bucket to the side, tentatively lifting your hands to pull Kiyohime into an embrace as well, despite how your head only quite reached her shoulders. You felt more water sink into your skin and clothes, and you couldn't tell if the shiver that wracked your body was from fear or cold. Peering around, you took note of the way Tamashi recoiled, eyes wide and surprisingly… withdrawn. Thoughtful. Ryoku hesitantly stepped forwards, expression hollow yet fearful. Though he was a much more prickly young man, he did have a certain level of care for those in the village, and he respected you for your kindness. He didn’t dare reach out but it seemed he wanted to. “Y/n, you do not have to do this.” You turned your head to peer towards your father, and you shook your head, pulling away from the arms of Hikaru and Kiyohime. 

“Father. I must do this, and I will do this.” You stated firmly, and while you regretted and feared every word that tumbled from your lips you knew you wouldn't choose anything else. Not for the entire world would you choose for your friends, your family, to be killed in your stead. You knew they wouldn't approve, that they felt the same way. But they were not the ones the bandits wished dead. You steeled yourself, taking in a deep breath. “It's my choice to make.” Your father stepped closer to you, foggy eyes peering towards you with concern as that usual soft smile held a bitter sadness to it. “Are you sure? I cannot stop you if this is what you choose. But know that you can stay.” 

“I know.” You gently replied, suddenly having to repress tears as you stepped forwards, wrapping your arms around the older man as he carefully hugged you back. Your younger siblings quickly scurried closer, throwing their arms around you as they wailed and begged you to stay, your mother soon enough joining your father in a silent embrace. You tried your best to ignore the scoff from the man atop the horse. “Y’got two weeks before we come and get you. If we don’t find you in our camp by then,” You glanced towards him, and he seemed to take great pleasure as he lifted his hand, dragging his thumb across his throat with a krrrrk noise from his tongue. He gave a rowdy laugh before suddenly whipping the reigns of the horse, whom quickly whinnied before carrying the man away, galloping past the crowded villagers and down the path. 

You held just a bit tighter to your father as you gave a sigh. Might as well get this over with sooner rather than later. 

[zeyhkro]

new to posting on tumblr don't maul me pls idk what to really do. im writing an x reader fic(i will mention that it is a fem reader though 💔) on ao3 rn and had the sudden thought, "hey i should cross post this on tumblr or something", so yeah...!!.!.!! please don't beat me with a stick

4 chapters out so far, 18k words as of now, planning for a lot more... HOPEFULLY consistent updates but like i have a life unfortunately, and it's for all the kizuki members (INCLUDING MY GOATS HAIRO AND NAKIME!) except gyokko and base hantengu. i'm sorry to the few super fans that exist for them... i know you're out there, gang..

basically it's all the cool demons yeah, but it's in an au where like... they're different yokai instead and they are still kind of evil but not usually... always eating people. so that's nice. canon typical violence, but there will not be any smut or whatever...

rui, daki, and zohakuten are also present but they are obviously not love interests. little siblings.. hell yeah...

anyway, i'll probably post like, the actual chapters here soon?? once i'm on my pc again... but for now just have a link 🙏 also let me know who the reader should meet next because im honestly debating multiple different options...

https://archiveofourown.org/works/62424136/chapters/159743896